So sick of being SICK!

Ay yi yi! When will it ever end? If it's not one thing it's another. We felt like we were in the clear....there were no illnesses for what seemed like a while. Until, Mackenzie got hit with bronchiolitis on Valentine's Day. Mommy stayed home with her sick baby girl to nurse her back to health and then came down with the bug later that evening. I made it through most of the day on Tuesday while Daddy cared for Mackenzie at home. Mackenzie missed the entire week of school and Mommy managed to make it back to work on Friday (still feeling under the weather). Daddy managed to avoid it all! We managed to get two good weeks in until we were struck again....first Mackenzie (occassional diarhea and vomitting), then Mommy, and lastly Daddy. We are all so sick of being sick. We are hoping the warmer weather will kill all of these awful germs. Mommy is out of vacation/sick days and would love to have a day to do something nice, something fun, something other than hovering over a toilet! Ugh! Just plain old cranky!

I've been featured...

Hey everyone! I've been featured as a guest blogger on WHOA Momma!! The series is titled "This is how I do it" and features working/blogging mom's talking about how they handle it all. Check it out! 

http://woahmommablog.blogspot.com/2011/02/this-is-how-i-do-it-by-melissa.html

Looking back....

It truly is amazing how quickly the time goes! Just recently I visited a co-worker and her son in the NICU and it just brought back so many memories. I actually went back to old blog posts to reminisce. I thought I would share a few things with you here so you can see just how far our little peanut has come...

Mackenzie Reese Osika arrived on 11/24/2009 at just 33 weeks 4 days. She weighed a tiny 3 lbs, 13oz and measured 17 1/4" long. Her feedings started off at just a measly 3mL (To put things in perspective, 1 ounce=30mL). She was drinking about 40mL (just under 1 1/2 oz) when she was discharged on 12/16/2009. In order be discharged, Mackenzie had to be at least 35 weeks gestation, be able to breath on her own, feed on her own, maintain her own body temperature, be alarm free for 7 days, and pass her 90 minute car seat test. After 22 days, she accomplished all of these things and came home! She has come so far in the past 14 months. She truly is our little miracle and contiues to bring smiles to our faces each and every day.

Here is a look back at how far she has come.............

First Photo---11/24/09 @ 4:13pm

Emergency C-Section

Portraits taken 1/16/2010 @ 8 weeks old.

Weight: 5 lbs 15oz.

Height: 18 7/8"

February 2010-3 months old

May 2010-6 months old

Weight: 11 lbs 3 oz (0.24%)

Height: 24" (5.13%)

August 2010-9 months old

Weight: 13lbs 12oz (0.31%)

Height: 25.75" (5.52%)

November 2010-HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY!!

Weight: 16lbs 7oz (0.65%)

Height: 27" (2.61%)

Janaury 2011-14 months old

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

Ok, so we didn't have much snow. But, Andy and I were really anxious to get Mackenzie out on her new sled from Grammy! We were supposed to get three inches on Saturday. However, I think we may have gotten an inch. But, it was enough to get her bundled up and test out the new sled. She LOVED it!!

How Mothers of Preemies are Chosen?

Did you ever wonder how mothers of premature babies are chosen? Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth, selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he observes, he instructs his angels to take notes in a giant ledger. "Armstrong, Beth, son. Patron Saint, Matthew. Forrest, Marjorie, daughter. Patron Saint, Celia. Rutledge, Carrie, twins. Patron Saint. . .give her Gerard. He's used to profanity." Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles. "Give her a preemie." The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy." "Exactly," smiles God. "Could I give a premature baby a mother who knows no laughter? That would be cruel." "But does she have the patience?" asks the angel. "I don't want her to have too much patience, or she'll drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off she'll handle it. "I watched her today. She has that sense of self and independence so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has a world of its own. She has to make it live in her world, and that's not going to be easy." "But Lord, I don't think she even believes in you." God smiles. "No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just the right amount of selfishness." The angel gasps, "Selfishness? Is that a virtue?" God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she will never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't know it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a spoken word. She will never consider a step ordinary. When her child says momma for the first time, she will be witness to a miracle and know it. I will permit her to see clearly the things I see, ignorance, cruelty, prejudice--and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side." "And what about her Patron Saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in the air. God smiles. "A mirror will suffice

You know your a parent to a preemie when....‏

1 .You use strange initials (C-PAP, CCs, NICU, NG) when discussing your child.
2.You actually remember how many CCs make up an ounce.
3.You count his weight in grams.
4. The skin on your hands is peeling from washing so often!
5.You hesitate when someone asks his/her age, but you know exactly how much he/she weighs!
6. The answer to "How old is your baby?" is a story 30 minutes long!
7. When someone asks his birthday, you reply, "Which one?"
8. You start to understand some of the things they say on ER!
9. You turn into Kung-Fu Mom when someone tries to touch your baby.
10. You attempt to measure just how much spit-up he/she just had before you clean it up!
11. You know how much he weighs before putting him on the scale at the doctor's office
12. You cry at Maternity Ward and get mad at Baby Story.
13. You see a 7lb newborn and say "Wow! She's so BIG!"
14. Your baby is months old before he can even go to the mall.
15. You have explained why your baby is on an apnea monitor.
16. When someone says how tiny your baby is, you argue that he is huge -- and to demonstrate, you whip out pictures of him in NICU.
17. You do a health check on people when they come to your house to visit.
18. You make people wash their hands before going near your child.
19. You want to scream when someone says that she just wants to have this baby now - at week 28, 32, or 34.
20. You are so amazed when someone actually tells you your baby is big for his age!
21. You tried to find a place to buy newborn size diapers in bulk.
22. You called half your relatives when the baby grew out of their first pair of pajamas!
23. You never take your child for granted.
24. You worry about RSV season and it is still weeks away . . .
25. You know what "RSV" stands for.
26. You donate his/her tiny clothes to the NICU and marvel that they seem so small - when they were too large!
27. Your son gets a simple cold and her doc sees her within the hour!2
8. People say, "He CAN'T be __ old...he's too little!"
29. It has taken them 5 months to grow INTO newborn clothes!
30. You pick up 2 pounds of ground beef and think that your baby was born at the same weight.
31. You buy "Purell" in bulk
32. You can stare at your baby for hours when he sleeps

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!

The Osika family had a wonderful holiday season! We spent Christmas Eve with the Horn Family. Mackenzie was able to enjoy a lot of time with her new cousins, Carter & Evan. It was great having all of the Horn sisters together and be able to spend quality time with my nephews.

Mackenzie actually had a little bit of interest in opening her presents. She tore a few pieces of wrapping paper when it suited her. But, what she liked best was attempting to eat the paper. I think next year she'll really start to understand and be quite excited for all of the goodies that Santa leaves her!

We then spent Christmas Day with the Osika Family. Mackenzie got to spend some time with her aunts, uncles, and cousins. Her only girl cousin, Emma, really enjoyed entertaining Mackenzie!

We made sure New Year's Eve was a kid friendly atmosphere. We hosted a family dinner at our house and invited the Ziegler Family and the Myers Family. Although we didn't truly ring in the new year together (as I was asleep on the sofa by 9:30), it was great to get together with good friends and enjoy good eats! To many more in 2011!!