Fierce Pierce

I really, really need to get back to blogging. I'm not quite sure where my days have gone. They seem to fly by. A typical day for us goes something like this: wake up around 730, feed Pierce, tummy time, put Pierce down for a nap and try to get some housework done, wake Pierce up, feed Pierce...repeat until bed time at which point I'm usually so exhausted, I can't seem to find the time to update the blog. I'm really hoping that I'll be able to get more efficient as Pierce gets older. But for all of our eager readers, please know that I am truly sorry!

Things have been going SO well. Really, we can't complain. Pierce has recovered so well from his shunt surgery, and as of now things seem to be working well. He will go back in about 3 weeks for a follow-up to check on the shunt and see if it's draining properly. At that time, Pierce will also get his first CT scan (until now, he's only had head ultrasounds). This will be our first real look at what kind of damage the brain bleed left behind. On one hand, it's kind of scary to know what the bleed destroyed. And yet, on the other, we've heard SO many positive stories- people telling us that their children never missed a beat developmentally despite negative CT results. To be honest, we really aren't that concerned, because Pierce is doing so well. We know that he may have some hurdles to overcome as a result of the bleed, or a result of his extreme prematurity, but God has granted us such a peace that He is in control. We know that what He's doing in Pierce's life will not be limited to the results of a scan.

Also, we will go in the next few weeks to see Pierce's pulmonologist. I'm really hoping we will be able to wean Pierce off the o2 really soon. He's done so well at home, so it will be nice to see the oxygen go. Of course, we will have to wean slowly. Right now, Pierce is on .25L (what he came home on). My guess is that we will drop him to .1 before taking him off during the day. (Remember, we take micropreemie steps in every area!)

Ok, now the things that you are all waiting for- Pierce's stats and updated pictures!

Pierce is 2.5 months corrected and is currently weighing in at a whopping 13lbs 14 oz. He's continuing to gain, on average, about an ounce a day. We are very pleased with his growth and have been amazed at how well he eats. He is eating around 5-6 oz at a feed now. To say that he enjoys eating is really an understatement. But by no means is this something that we take for granted. We are very aware that many micropreemies struggle with feeding. For now we are just so thankful that this is not a battle we face as of now.

One of Pierce's favorite things to do is to ride in his mamaroo. Definitely one of the best purchases we've made!

We opted for the peapod over a pack-n-play, and it definitely another favorite. It's so easy to fold down and move around. Pierce LOVES it. But sometimes, I find that he likes to escape. Good thing there's always the option of zipping him up! :)

Rockin' the "chick mag" graphic t for the ladies

How you can pray for us:
1. Pray for continued healing from his brain bleed. Pierce is currently involved with an Early Interventionist, and will likely be enrolled in several therapies (speech, occupational, physical) in the coming months.Pray for Pierce's development- something that we will be watching closely over the next couple of years.
2. Pray for the shunt to do it's job with no infection or malfunction
3. Pray for continued stability with his eyes. As of now, the ROP has resolved and there appear to be no complications with the surgery.
4. Pray for us as we will be meeting with and sharing our story with a local reporter who is doing a story on the NICU. Pray that our story will help encourage others and bring glory to God as a result.
5. Pray for continued protection against the winter illnesses and for endurance as we remain mostly in isolation for a good portion of the winter.

Thank you for your continued support and prayers!

Much love,
Nik, Lindsay and Pierce