Bath & Manicure

Remember to Click on the Picture for Larger Ones!

Hannah had a manicure the other day as she kept on scratching herself when she throws her hands all over the place during diaper changes. Her feet go every which way -- dancer or soccer player? and her hands are expressive. It's the only time swaddling techniques don't work -- as you can't swaddle. Love the light on both of them as Alexis tries to pare down Hannah's nails.

Her hands as you can see from this picture of her hand on my finger are too small to use nail clippers. Alexis took this picture today as I was feeling like the contrast was so great. Excuse the dry hands :) Still recovering from scrubbing up at the hospital every day.



Here's some pics from Hannah's first bath. She moved around a lot and cried a little -- overall she hasn't cried much. Alexis and I have been holding the space of "this is a piece of cake". There have been more than a few adjustments but overall -- Hannah has been a joy to behold.

My mother sent us Hannah's detailed astrological chart -- it was really interesting to read into her future. Even more interesting is how charts so often describe people to a tee -- I had mine redone a few years ago. My mother had done my first one -- I will keep up the tradition with my grandchild -- and so much was right on target. It will be interesting to read the detailed version 20 years from now.

Homecoming Video and Photo Montage

Now that Hannah is home, we will not be updating this every day! After the last couple of days, I wonder if I will ever have time to blog again! Still, we will use this space to keep you updated on her progress occasionally.

Alexis and I wanted to thank all of you for your support during this time which was clearly not very easy for us. We could not have gotten to where we are today without the support of family and friends and we will always remember you for that. Your support also helped us become closer in a way that few people experience -- I am very clear about the value of family and partnership.

We made the enclosed video and obligatory photo montage of Hannah getting home as our way of saying thank you. In the video -- we cut our hospital bracelets off as a way of completing the 13 days that Hannah was in the hospital. We were tired and even a little shy -- but wanted to let you know how how much your support meant to us.

Quicktime Video #3 (2.6 MB)

Hannah Comes Home

Hannah came home just a few short hours ago and is sleeping soundly. The NICU nurses say that their gift to us is a child that can sleep through anything -- with all the beeping machines and crying babies, we aren't surprised she can sleep well.

Alexis' Mom Lyn just brought us dinner so I've gotta go -- but I wanted to put up these pictures from today. The nurses had to teach us how to give Hannah a bath as part of our "Discharge Education", they made sure our car seat worked and walked us out to the curb. So, scroll down and enjoy -- and remember that clicking on any picture makes them bigger.

Another day...

I am happy to announce that we are very close to bringing Hannah home...her steady weight gain (in the 1950s now)should mean tomorrow or the next day. Alexis and I watched a CPR video today at the hospital as part of our "Discharge Education" and signed a few forms basically saying we knew that a car seat is mandatory. We are getting nervous and are a little scared -- but we are also looking forward to this. Here's some pictures from yesterday and today.

Home Soon!

Hannah's last weigh in showed her at 1880 grams and she needs to be at 2,000 before she comes home. It is now a matter of days before we will see her and our dog Dallas will meet her for the first time.





In recent days we have had her "Fairy Godfather" Scott, her Great Grandma Tillie; as well as our good friends Ron and Rachel, have all come by for a visit. New Zealand Ron's hands around Hannah's head is a sight to see as they are close to twice the size of mine.









Alexis and I are trying to get some rest before the baby comes home. Alexis is still recovering but looking better and finding more energy every day. We appreciate all the good wishes. Sorry for the quick post today but I'm running off to a meeting before I see HJH again...

Where's that hairline from?

As promised, here's another video from the other day....and she's already bigger. She gained 11 grams last night and is still out of the incubator.

It was a light moment where Alexis and I were joking about Hannah's hairline -- it couldn't have been from me. I have fine hair. :)

Quicktime Video #2 (816 KB)

What a Difference a Week Makes...

It's been a week since Hannah was born and you can tell she has changed dramatically -- it makes me really look at what a difference just a week can make in our lives. She is out of the incubator and in an icelot although a slight temperature drop could mean she goes back if it does not stabilize.

Yesterday, Hannah's great grandparents Tillie and Curt Jahnke visited Hannah after church, Alexis and I went over a few hours later and Alexis successfully started breastfeeding Hannah. She accepted a little bit and then we did the rest by bottle. She is eating a lot and her weight is creeping up...

This is Hannah's binder which ended up being is some interesting light last night. In it the nurses record just about everything that happens to Hannah during the day and evening.

My friend Jami Gina and her son Osirus brought us dinner last night and we are very appreciative! It was nice to visit with them as Osirus was a NICU baby as well. Alexis' Mom has been doing quite a bit for us and so has her Dad and his partner Marilynn -- I don't know what we would do without them. It's very hard to be home without our child...we are both waking up in the middle of the night a little anxious. Alexis' strength in this area has been amazing. Me? I'm taking it one day at a time.

Visit from Errol and Marilynn

Here's some pics of Errol (Alexis' father) from their recent visit -- when we see Hannah today, we expect that she will be out of the incubator as they turned the light off yesterday. More later!

Click on any picture to make it bigger.

Video from a Recent Visit

I took a video from yesterdays visit...I took a few clips from the beginning of it and made a Quicktime video. It will give you an idea of what we are doing three times a day when we go to the NICU. I'll do some more of the movie tomorrow.

You'll see from the video that Hannah, like her soccer playing father, likes to kick. We may have the next Mia Hamm in our midst!

Hannah is eating well (loving breast milk!) and may be of the right weight to begin using what's called an icelot which means she will be out of the incubator soon. Her bilurubin count has lowered over the last day or so as well. We've had good news several days in a row and that is extremely comforting.

Alexis and I continue to get sweet, touching emails, flowers, gifts and calls from so many of you. It will be hard to respond to everyone now but please know that we appreciate your support.

Quicktime Movie of Hannah (1.3 MB)

Hannah Off Intravenous

The nurses took Hannah off the intravenous drip late this afternoon as she has shown weight gain and is eating all the real bottle and breast milk food she is given. Now she is only on a heart and respitory monitor...2 wires down, two to go. Yeah!

Remember, click on any picture on this blog to make them bigger.

Alexis Comes Home

I checked on a print job this morning and ran back to the hospital for the 11:30 am feeding of Hannah. When you come up to NICU, you have to buzz and announce yourself on an intercom. Because Alexis and I have different last names right now -- it's taken a couple of days for the desk clerks to get used to me. I scrubbed up and got back to Hannah's crib and saw real clothes on Alexis for the first time in a week! It was comforting.





She was cleared to go at noon by Dr. Lindblad last night after he told Alexis all the things she could and couldn't do for the next few weeks. Basically she has to still take it easy for awhile -- now that she has some energy, however, it's hard for her to not get up and go.

I'm so glad she is home now -- it was hard for her to hear babies crying with their mothers in the other rooms of the wing she was in last night. That might be something Cottage Hospital should think about for patients like her in the future.

Next, we went to Goleta Valley and rented a breast pump and it looks like insurance will cover the cost as it is necessary for Hannah's development and as our doctor was willing to write a prescription. By the time we got home, it was almost time to get back for the next feeding -- we ended up waiting until 8:30 and we just got back. Every three hours she is fed and we are trying to be there for a lot of them.

Thanks for the Support!

Click on any picture to make it larger!

Thanks to the many people who have sent their good wishes via email -- something like 50 emails have come through and I am moved by your generosity and support. The nurses love that Hannah has her own blog and as I can't call each of you every day -- it's a good thing.

Woke up this morning, did a little work and went in to see Alexis. She is starting to get rid of a lot of the fluid associated with pregnancy and her blood pressure is starting to go down. We went into the NICU and fed Hannah together this morning and we were able to use some of Alexis' breast milk.

She has been getting on a schedule of pumping every few hours and bringing it in to Hannah when it is time for her to feed. Hannah seems to like it and has reacted very positively to our visits. She seems to like Alexis to feed her and me to hold her while she goes to sleep.


Marilynn came late in the afternoon and stayed with Alexis while I did a few things for a client and got to go in for the late afternoon feeding. Hannah will likely meet her grandfather Errol late tonight. Here's a few pics of the intricacies of taking a temperature and changing a diaper inside an incubator -- everything is still looking good and it looks like Alexis will come home tomorrow.

Alexis and Hannah "Promoted"

Woke up a few times last night for blood tests, medicine and IV changes. The IV machine beeps way too loud -- you would think it would have volume control with a wireless message to the nurses station. Alexis and I had breakfast and I left for a few hours to do some consulting projects when she fell asleep for awhile.

Came home to a beautiful plant from my mother and came back to the hospital to some beautiful flowers from my sister. I've been fielding a lot of calls from relatives and friends for both of us happily. When I came in Marilynn was there and I took her into the NICU to see Hannah in her "sun glasses" to protect her from the heat lamps they put on her. We scrubbed up, I introduced her and left her to have a moment alone so I could have lunch at the cafetria downstairs. I've lost a few pounds this week from forgetting to eat. Pictures are below from Marilynn's visit.

The best part of coming back to the hospital was that Alexis was off her intravenous and they wanted us to move for the fifth time (the nurses said she was promoted)-- to the "Mother and Infant" section. So, we moved and Alexis had a meeting with a lactation consultant and she did her first ounce of breast milk with the help of a pump. This extra nutricious milk was mixed in with Hannah's next meal. It was great to see Alexis smiling, joking and able to move more freely.

We filled out the birth certificate worksheet and was told a little later that we needed a paternity form filed as we are not yet married. I filled this out and brought it to the nurses station saying -- "Excuse me! I've got my form to prove my baby is my love child!". The nurses cracked up and so did a new mom that was at the counter who made a point of saying hers was a love child too. I did explain that Alexis and I are engaged but it seemed strange to prove that Hannah is ours.

We fed Hannah for her 8:30 pm feed and again it was real special. Hannah was "promoted" too to the back of the unit where non emergency babies go -- it seems they are happy with her progress. All of the nurses there ask about us and her -- the way they treat us it is like Hannah is their star baby.

Tonight must be one of my last nights alone -- I came home as there is no chair bed for me at the hospital in this ward. It's poignant to me but also not a big deal. I'm looking forward to having Alexis be home, bringing Dallas the Wonder Dog back and when we can -- bring our baby Hannah to her real home.

Here's a video of our feeding tonight -- the light is low and I will have to do another during the day as I refuse to use a flash in the NICU. Also some pictures from today appear above. Hannah is growing and developing every day and I am noticing things like eyelids today that weren't there yesterday..so happy. Click on the photos to make them larger.

Born this morning...

Here's some pics from this morning -- Hannah Jane was born at 3:17 AM and weighed 4 lbs and 1 ounce. She will be spending the better part of a week in Cottage Hospital's Neonatal Center so she can gain some weight before she comes home. She is healthy and happy. I got a chance to hold her this morning after scrubbing up and putting on a gown and she was so perfect!

Alexis was amazing last night and I am awed by her courage and deterimination. She is resting and recovering now.

Just click on each to make them larger...

	This picture was taken on the neonatal table shortly after birth...
	A view of some of the work they did in cleaning up Hannah and preparing her for neonatal care.
	Unfortunately, I had the camera on the wrong mode but this picture turned out pretty good of the three of us.

Engaged and Still Waiting

I spent the night at the hospital last night on a strange chair to single bed contraption that wasn't too comfortble and am home for a quick shower and then back to the hospital.

A second round of cervidil has started to produce results and Alexis is having early labor contractions and has all night...she says one was like having your uterus squeezed hard. Generally, they are small ones over time she is hardly feeling. They finally moved us to the labor and delivery rooms early this morning.

Yesterday afternoon, we had a couple hours to ourself and cuddled a bit and talked about our future. I told her how I had planned to ask her to marry me this weekend during our cruise to Ensenada that we had to cancel and that I was so much looking forward to it. I said I knew that this might be an unconventional place to ask her to marry me but I loved her dearly and wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world right now. I asked for her hand and she said she will marry me.

It occurred to me that I would want Hannah to know 20 years from today that we were committed to each other and engaged. Our relationship has been unconventional too and we have had a lot happen in a short amount of time. The fact that we are doing so well within that says a lot to me. Our love though has been clear and present since the day we met -- we are both very happy.

I want to thank everyone that has helped us. Alexis' Mom cleaned our house yesterday and her Dad and Marilynn have been very supportive in taking care of our dog and taking me out to dinner last night for a needed respite. My friends Rachel and Ron dropped by yesterday and brought their dear girl Brooke -- it was good for Alexis' spirits to see such a sweet little girl right now.

I'm off for a quick shower and it's back to the hospital...

It looks like today is the day!

It's January 7th and Hannah's due date was orginally February 18th. Through a whirlwind series of tests, observation and a several day hospital stay -- Dr. Lindblad suggested we "get 'er done" and it all began at midnight last night with a procedure which loosens the cervix and prepares the way for medicine which will put Alexis into labor sometime late today.

I've been running around getting things ready and taking care of our dog Dallas who had to be at the animal hospital yesterday for a teeth cleaning -- all my girls were in the hospital yesterday. There have been lots of phone calls from family and friends and I realized sometime yesterday that there is no way I can get it all done myself. Local family members have been great and everyone has been stepping up to the plate.

Hannah Jane Henderson will likely be something around 4 lbs and a couple of ounces when she joins us later today. I haven't had time to scan the latest ultrasound from the other day but here's our last one a few months ago. I'm excited, nervous and very happy. Alexis and I had a few minutes last night where we were able to talk alone, cuddle and kind of mentally prepare. She is amazing me with her calm demeanor -- something must come over a mother about to give birth. I'm very proud of her and am in love with her all over again.