A Giant Thank You To An Amazing Woman and Friend

I wrote this post over and over in my head for the past few days and I still can't get the words right because it means so much to me. So, I'll just say it straight from the heart.

Donna, thank you. Thank you so much for your gift, for your prayers, and for being in touch when so many were not. Thank you for your wonderful books that helped me to laugh and think of something else for a few precious moments when I desperately needed a break for sanity's sake. Thank you for being a friend. :)

Let me introduce you all to this amazing woman. Donna Alward, born Donna Jones, is a romance writer for Harlequin books. You can visit her at http://www.donnaalward.com and meet her on her blog at http://www.donnaalward.blogspot.com . I grew up with Donna and I can say I've always admired her. (Yes, Donna, it is true!) She was the girl in grade 9 that had the guts to go blond, able to play music and to declare she would one day be a romance writer. I remember her as one of the smart kids with a keen sense of humor, sharp wit, kind heart and being passionate about everything she did. A kind of kid a parent would be proud to have! LOL

Donna writes with all of these qualities and more. Her books can and will make you laugh, cry and fall in love all over again. So for all you moms and dads (yes, dads too!) that need a break, I'd definitely say look for Donna's books. Lord knows how nutty the NICU, Peds ward, and doctor offices can make us. You can find a list of her work with excerpts here. My favorite? Hmmm. They are all fantastic, but Hired By The Cowboy has a soft spot in my heart. :)

Thank you so much Donna!

Free Feeding Diary to print or download

Feeding times and amounts. Soiled diapers and how much. Medications given, how much and when.

Yikes! Almost all moms suffer from "Mommy Brain" at some point. These important facts can fly right out the window when we need them the most. So, here is a journal I made to help me remember, when asked by the many medical professionals.

Another big plus: Helps to give you piece of mind when you are sleep deprived! :)

It is a pdf file you can save and print. I cut mine to size of a coiled notebook and glued it in on each right hand page. That way I could write notes about how Wyatt was doing that day on the lined backside. The nurses and doctors really loved it because it gave them very clear information to work with.

Enjoy!

Breastfeeding/Formula Feeding/Diaper/Medication Journal

Update

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


Hope you had very happy holidays! It was a whirlwind for my little family. Stressful, but every mom and dad experiences that! LOL


Lots has happened with Wyatt, some good, some disappointing, but over all, I feel very blessed. I'll give you a quick update:


Wyatt was in and out of the hospital twice for colds. Normally, an infant with a cold is a concern but something we parents take in stride. You can't give much to a baby to relieve the symptoms. Good old fashioned rest, fluids and a watchful eye is about all you can do. But when a baby is on oxygen for a time period, their lungs are very fragile and a cold could be the worst thing for them. So Wyatt and I got to hang out at the hospital for a few days. He loved the attention from the nurses and Dr. S.


Wyatt was denied the special needle that really sick babies get during the winter months to boost their respiratory systems. It is frightfully expensive; approx. $1000.00 CND per shot. It is a controlled drug by the government; only few babies can have it and they must meet a criteria. Under a certain weight, had oxygen therapy for a period of time and under 6mths. Dr. B, who was one of the doctors I witnessed save Wyatt's life on a few occasions, was pushing to get Wyatt on the list but he was denied. Too big, too heavy and already 5 months old. RATS. But Dr. S said he feels Wyatt will be fine without it. I just am super cautious of taking him around people with colds.


And to all the parents that contacted me, yes Wyatt is meeting some of his milestones but he is not meeting others. I've got a special post coming with more details. Wyatt and I go to a NICU Follow Up Rehab. Center to work on his physical, mental, and emotional development. A team is following him until he is three. We also have a nurse from Early Intervention visit us at home to show Wyatt and I some play therapy exercises we can do to encourage Wyatt in meeting his milestones. Wyatt LOVES theses "play dates." A nurse from New Brunswick Public Health checks in with us from time to time to see if Wyatt is growing and eating properly.


Speaking of that, he has not been eating and growing very well. It is really stressful. Wyatt was breastfeeding for maybe 30 seconds at a time. Dehydration was and still is a constant problem. He is now up to a 5-10 minute feed at a time, but it is a lot of hard work that gets us there. Sometimes he will eat for more than 20 minutes! That is rare, but when it happens, it is like gold! I still have to top him up with an extra feed of a high calorie bottle (8 oz.) once a day.

At last weigh in, Wyatt was almost 21 pounds and gained in length for his 6 month birthday.
YAY!!! GO TEAM WYATT!!!!! :)