Maebry Updates - Week 5...oh me, oh my!

Well, this post will keep with the weight gaining 2009 theme. Maebry Lucille Kraatz has been gaining weight all week long. We were given new measurements this past Sunday and Maebry was measuring in at 15 and 7/8 inches. She weighed 3 pounds & 15 ounces. Then on Monday little miss Mae decided to cross over the threshold to 4 whole pounds. Way to go Mae.

All week long we got some great shots of her to show all of you guys. Please notice her growing cheeks.

Also notice her new clothes thanks to the nurses who put them on her every day or so. Sometimes it depends on the nurse on what she wears but we too love putting in her preemie (baby born early) clothes.

Please enjoy all this week's photos.

This is a cute picture of a sheet that nurses make to update us and others about what Maebry needs week-to-week. This sheet shows us that she is 31+ weeks and needs to be wrapped snugly, turned slowly and more needs quite time because she is still growing. They write cute notes and give us updates about her developments, positions and stress cues. We just love being able to read these each week and study our daughter who is ever so changing.

We are so excited to have a family portrait of all three of us. Because sometimes Dusty and I both take turns taking photos and we have a few where we try to stretch out our arms and get us all in there but they sometimes don't come out right. So, a sweet nurse in our NICU name Tracy took this lovely photo for us. Maebry complied as best she could. You can see that she was comfortable being in her Daddy's arms, however; she liked to show everyone how high she can lift her arms. Too CUTE!

This picture was taken by Dusty using his iPhone. Dusty pushed his little iPhone inside her isolete and captured her sleeping. We just had her out and about. More than likely we were swaddling her or doing more Kangaroo Care. Anyhow, Dusty took this picture and I think it speaks loud enough by telling everyone that she is completely exhausted and would like to get some more sleep. We like to think she is thanking us for doing such a great job getting her sleepy. Yeah us!
Here is one more showing Maebry finding her thumb and yes, she is sucking on it. We love watching her root her hand around just to find her fingers and put it or them in her mouth. This picture was taken right before we left one night and she was looking up at her cute isolete cover that her Grandmomma made her, thank you Cindy!

Well, we decided to upload more photos to out Photobucket account and have them ready for all your viewing pleasure. So thanks for being so patience for this week updates. For some reason we find ourselves busier. And we wonder why...well, not really...we have the pictures to prove it.

Link to Photobucket -
http://s664.photobucket.com/albums/vv7/clkraatz/Maebry%20Week%205%20Photos/

Love to all!!
Dusty, Christa and Maebry

Maebry Updates - Week 4

Howdy all! Just wanted to update everyone on our main sweetie Maebry.

She is still growing and really making Dusty and I re-evaluate our lives. It amazing how we can spend 3 hours with her and time just flies by for us. We loving being with her and having our heart stop but our clocks move forwards.

This week let us do some thing new with our daughter. We are getting to dress Maebry up in cute clothes that all of our friends and family bought for us. Thanks to all of you we are changing her clothes and so are the nurses.

Here are some more photos from this week. We hope you enjoy our daughter new pictures and her wardrobe changes.

Love to all!

Here is Maebry in her cute "Bunny" outfit given to us by the NICU to wear.

You can see Dusty trying to button her snaps back after changing her diaper.

Way to go Daddy!





This picture does not show her outfit but we just love showing our daughter suckling on her pacifier.

The paci is almost as big as her little face...too CUTE!






Now here she is with another outfit on but I wanted to show you all that Maebry is trying to take out her nasal cannula.

She really, really does not like things constricting her mouth or nose. But the nurses do not give her a choice, because well of course she needs them.

Anyhow, I hope we can have her wear this outfit again...it's too cute.


I just can't resist a picture of our cute daughter with her paci.
But this picture shows her adorably exhausted.
Can't you just see her dreaming about her pacifier and cuter clothes. Just kidding!













We uploaded a slideshow showing more photos of our cute daughter and all her cute preemie clothes.

Viva la clothes!!!

And, here is a link to my photobucket account just in case you need to see them closer:
http://s664.photobucket.com/albums/vv7/clkraatz/Maebry-%20Wardrobe/?albumview=slideshow

Maebry Updates - Week 3 in the Life of Mae!

Weight gaining in the USA!! Weight gaining the USA...or in the St. David's NICU. Maebry Kraatz has been gaining weight all week long. She might lose a gram here or there but every day she makes it up and then put some more ounces in her little diapers. And no, I don't mean she is going poopie. Which by the way she is.

Dusty and I had a great week with Maebry this week. Maebry was moved from Bay 2 to Bay 7 with more babies and more nurses. The nursing staff and her Nurse Practitioner told us Maebry is making the great progress. They all keep saying that this bay is the pit stop before she gets to move in with the big kids. Yes, we know it might take a few more weeks and maybe a little to get her in with the big kids but we are sooooo proud and happy, too.

As of Sunday morning, Maebry is weighing at 3 lbs and 8 ounces. She has officially gained a pound since her birth.

Also, thanks to Grandmomma K (aka Cindy Kraatz) and Poppa (Alvie Kraatz) Maebry has some really cute clothes to wear during her week 3 in the NICU. Please note Dusty and I have all the clothes that Maebry was given as gifts at home. They are awaiting and a wash & a dry, which brings up why more clothes we will be with her soon. We haven't got our new dryer yet. It will be here by next Thursday. Yeah for new dryers!!

I hope you enjoy this weeks photos.


We love you all and thank you one and all for your love and support!

Here we see the daily hand off to momma! Maebry really LOVES being in her mommy's arms. We have been swaddling her more often so she can keep herself nice and toasty...more kangaroo care to come though!









Just a fun little family pic while Christa holds Mae. Everyone say cheese!!











There are few things better to Maebry than having mommy hold her paci in place while she goes night night. Plus...you'll notice Mae is returning the favor and helping out by holding Christa's hand too =)








Here is a wide view of where Maebry spent most of week two/half of week three. For a little while she had her own little mini-suite, which was nice!









This is one of our collective FAVORITE pics so far that we have. Looks like she is reaching for the camera...ready to come on out! Sweet little girl!

Maebry Updates - Week 2

Wow! Our daughter is a week old. Dusty and I marvel at the fact that we use to call this little one "bunny" in the beginning. Then we found out her gender and found a name and started calling her "Maebry." Now, we get to call her "daughter" and we both try to remind ourselves that we are parents...we are Maebry's parents and she is our daughter.

Anyhow, Maebry is doing well. All of her stats have improved. She is still breathing room air. She has a few "A and B's" where she needs assistance or reminders to breath. Our little bunny is gaining weight and getting longer as well.

And please note that Dusty and I have been holding our daughter using the Kangaroo Care method all week long. We trade off each day and sometimes we get to hold her 30 minutes and sometimes an hour. It some times depends on the nurse and some times on Maebry. So please enjoy the pictures and we hope you like Maebry's cute blue and pink toboggan.

Here is Maebry at exactly a week old. She is weighing about 2 lbs 5 ounces in this picture. She still has her little dried up umbilical cord on her soon to be belly button. You can also see her little Velcro circles that hold her shades on for her when the lamp is on.






Here is Maebry and her momma giving one another a cute little nose rub or "Eskimo kisses."
She is just a little over a week old and has so much love to give.








Here is a picture of Maebry sitting with her Daddy in Bay 2 of the NICU. She looks so cute
with her toboggan on. We love seeing her cute eyes and mouth open. You can tell that she sure does love her Daddy.







Hello WORLD!!

Maebry wanted to say hello and thank you for all of your heartfelt prayers and kind words.










Don't you just love watching our little angel sleep. I know, we do too!

And, don't you love her little open mouth. She sleeps just like her momma and daddy.

Maebry's Shower - May 16

Maebry had her first shower which was at her second cousin's house in Rockne. It was hosted by her mommy's Aunt Peggy, Aunt Brenda, Aunt Rhonda and her cousin Kelly.

Dusty also got to come to the shower because his lovely wife needed a ride and still not allowed to drive. And well, you just cannot keep such a cute and loving guy away from all the fun.

We want to thank our lovely hostesses and attendees for their loving words, thoughtful presents and wonderful well-wishings for our daughter Maebry.

Please enjoy all the photos. And once again, thank you to our very kind and loving friends and family. We love you all. And one day soon Maebry will give you all big kisses to show how much you all mean to her and to us.

There were too many great photos, so, I decided to add them all to our Photobucket account and have a slideshow for you guys. It should be up top on the right.

If you want to see them larger then here is a link directly to my Photobucket - http://s664.photobucket.com/albums/vv7/clkraatz/

Dusty and Christa's Hospital Stay - Sore, tired and homebound

These are just a few photos from our hospital stay at St. David's Hospital (Main) in downtown Austin.

Here is Christa sitting in her lovely hospital bed. Please note the beautiful floral arrangements sent to us from our family and friends. They really helped us not focus on the dreary side of hospital stay and/or the room you have to live in while there.







Here is Dusty's quarters during our stay. Poor guy, yes he has a bed to sleep on but the mattress would lean forward and it would make him feel like he was going to fall out of his bed. But I was so glad to have him there and near enough to be with me through all of this.







Yeah, I was finally discharged and made it back home to San Marcos. Here I am about to get out of our car with the sweet door decoration that the hospital gives you announcing the birth of your little girl or boy.








Here is a picture of our yard. Our good friend Philip Muzzy came up with the idea to decorate our yard and our house. You can see the lovely welcoming sign and congratulatory sign for our baby girl. Our special thanks and much love goes out to Philip, Leo and Melissa who help decorate our yard and the inside of our house. Thank you all for doing this for us...you guys are the best.





Here is another picture from inside the house. How sweet is this poster. We love you guys and thanks again Muzzy!!!
















Again, we are glad to be home. It's a little hard being 30 miles away from our baby girl. But it makes our heart grow even stronger for our time with Maebry. We love you all and please check Dusty's Facebook and the blog for updates when we will be up at the hospital, which is daily, but you can see what time we are there if you would like to see our sweet little Mae.

Maebry Updates - Week 1

Here are some photos from Maebry's first week of life. She was officially a week old at 6:48 a.m. this morning. We could not be any happier to share these precious photos with you all. Please note that Dusty and I will try to have weekly updates about Maebry Lucille, who will be your recurring star and focal point, during the duration of her stay at St. David's NICU.

Here is Maebry on her second day. She is wearing her C-Pap, which helps keep the oxygen regulated in her lungs.










Here is another photo of Maebry with her nice shades on. She has to were these because she has a special lamp on her that helps get out the Bilirubin that is in her system. Bilirubin shows up with preemie babies who have jaundice or bruising caused by birth.

Also look how cute she looks holding on to her pacifier.








Here is another one of Maebry. She is sleeping and she really loves to be in this position.











Here is Daddy with his daughter. Dusty is washing little Maebry's head right now. Look how gentle and sweet Dusty is cradling and bathing his sweet baby girl.









Here is Mommy putting back on her little-bitty diaper. Her diapers are too cute. Each time we have to fold them down to avoid her little belly button. And the nurses tell us she fills these diapers up quite a bit but the littler diapers fit better.






Here is a front view a little Maebry's Isolette or Incubator, which we call her heated crib. The NICU nurses get together and help make these sweet little name tags for each of the NICU babies.








Finally, on Sunday night, which made Maebry a week old, Christa was able hold her sweet daughter using Kangaroo Care. The NICU uses this method to help with bonding between the parents and their premature babies. Kangaroo care is a way of holding a preterm infant so that there is skin-to-skin contact between the infant and the person holding it. We think she looks so peaceful and ready to go back to sleep.



We hope you enjoy these photos. Please note we have tons more but want to have room each time to tell you all about her goings-on and still have the pictures at a good size.

Also, we are very thankful for all our family and friends who came to visit us and little Maebry during our week at the hospital. Please know that is meant the world to Dusty and I to have your love and support. We are thankful and grateful for each and everyone of you.