cha cha cha...

Tallulah hit 4lbs...Tallulah hit 4lbs....I heart Tallulah Rue....I heart Tallulah Rue...

Team Tallulah face to face...

the beat beat beat of my heart heart heart...

if you say so...

drink up angelface!!!

smiling for Daddy...

pretty in pink...

fantastic Tallulah...

OK.  So Tallulah continues to do fantastic.  She looks amazing.  Her MRI came back clean.  She is continuing to gain weight.  Last night she weighed in at 3 lbs 13 oz.  She continues to smile and melt me with her big eyes.  I'm really going to be in trouble when this one can walk and talk and ask me for stuff.  Daddy and I have been really REALLY busy.  We have been thrown an unexpected curve ball in the game of life and we have to find a way to hit it into a home run.  I don't want to get too into it because this blog is really about Miss T., but just know that Mark and I and Tallulah have our fingers crossed waiting for some really big news this Friday.  NO NO NO calm down Tallulah isn't coming home yet.  But this news is just as big to us.  I am just going to leave things in gods hands and as my mother once said long ago "Jesus take the wheel, take it from my hands cause I cant do this on my own"...or was that a song?  Either way its appropriate for the moment. ...R...Tallulah's Papi

bath time pic...

eatin to the left, eatin to the right...

tye-dyed sleepyhead...

half asleep...

smiling at her paci...

big eyed pacifier...

guess whos gaining weight? ? ?

Tallulah has just hit 3 lbs 11 1/2 oz last night.  She is starting to really put the weight on.  Thank God and her new amazing milk.  A lot of the stress and pressure of the visits are starting to go away as well.  Instead of seeing a fragile fetus that needed so much prayer and nourishment, I am seeing a beautiful baby.  A baby that recognized my voice.  A baby that is taking her feeds by bottle (well almost all of her feed by bottle).  A baby that has some huge screaming lungs when she chooses to use them.  A baby that every now and then actually stares back at me and holds the stare for a split second.  Like to let me know "I see you".  Our prayers and love seem to be working.  The fear of her fragility will always be there, but they are getting controllable now.  We don't yet know when she will be coming home,  what her needs will be when she comes home,  if we will need any special equipment like oxygen or heart monitors or sleep apnea equipment.  As we get closer to her release we will be receiving training on all of the equipment she will need as well as baby CPR and self monitoring classes.  PHEEEEW!   Its going to be an interesting ride. 
We spent the morning with her and my mom fed her for the first time.  It was so fun to watch.  The March of Dimes had a photographer there today to take pictures of all of the NICU babies.  It was so fun.  Tallulah is a natural.  Well I guess shes already had plenty of practice considering all of the pictures that I take of her.  The hospital attempted to give her an MRI today but Miss T. wasn't really in the mood for it and didn't cooperate with them so it got rescheduled for tomorrow.  Which means she might not be in the best mood tomorrow because on top of the MRI she already has a scheduled Hearing test that she has to be sedated for sooooooooooooooo  my lil miss is going to be pooped!  Tonight is a big night for her as well.  She is going to attempt to go without oxygen for a few hours to see how she does.  Cross your fingers that she does well.  I will keep you updated after we leave there tonight.  Hopefully they will do it with us there.   Okay.  Talk to y'all later...R

short but sweet...

Tallulah weighed in tonight at 3lbs 8 oz.  She is loving her big girl crib, although the nurses don't love her exercising her growing lungs as often as she does...LOL    We gave her a big girl bath tonight and fed her and rocked her to sleep.  It was heaven.  The very best highlight in a very VERY crazy day for Me and Daddy.  A special friend of ours from the NICU is leaving us tomorrow to go back home and we just want you to know that you are in our thoughts and we will do whatever we can to keep your Mrs. company while you are gone.  You and your family are in my thoughts!   R...Tallulah's Proud Papi                                              

great day for the big girl...

Tallulah did fantastic in her big girl crib.  I spent some time with her in the middle of the day.  I fed her and changed her all in front of her uncle Ricky.  He got to stand right outside of the window while I did all of this.  I kind of paraded her in front of him.  I moved her up and down and up and down.  And then I would take her side to side while making a choo choo train sound.   Then I realized that shes a girl and couldnt think of a femanin sounding vehicle or choo choo sound.  I found myself saying poof-poof-poof-poof, poof-poof-poof-poof.....its much easier to say then it is to type it but they are both ridiculous!  She smiled, I smiled, Ricky smiled...It was a good visit. 

Tonight the superstar weighed in at 3 lb 7 oz.  Grow Grow Grow Tallulah...Grow Tallulah Grow. 


Tallulahs Papi...R

I heart her!!!

big eyed girl....

just pretty smiley...

falling back asleep...

hahahahaha....

waking up Rue...

Kangarooing Tallulah and Papi...

Valentines Day...

Drinking Wonder Milk...

Catching you guys up...sorry..

I haven't blogged,  I haven't blogged,  I haven't blogged!  I have had the last few days of craziness.  Work, driving to the hospital, working....you get the point.  Even though I haven't blogged, Tallulah has had some major, major changes.  Let me go back a few days and say that we have been blessed to get the very best breast milk for
Tallulah that money can buy.  We got a major insider tip from a angel at the milk bank.  God, if you would have told me that I would be talking about milk banks and breasts as an everyday part of my life I would not have believed you!  Anyway,  we got a major tip from the angel that I will call "Angel".  Angel called us and told us that the bank had just received a shipment of some of the highest quality milk that they had ever seen.  Apparently this donor, I'll call "Donor",  was producing a large amount of milk and a very high quality high calorie milk.  They even had some hind milk available.  For those of you that don't know what hind milk is.....google it.  Just kidding.  Its basically the milk that comes out in the second half of the process.  It has more nutrients and calories and is kind of creamier and sweeter (you know I had to taste it).   "Angel" contacted the donor and connected her with us and the rest is...well its still happening but it is happening fantastic.  I believe in being a good person and good things happen to you.  The fact that "Angel" went out on a limb for 2 guys and a baby that she had never really met just  blows my mind.  I believe in miracles, I believe "in prayers, I believe in asking and pleading and begging the universe to either provide for me or lead me to the work so that I can provide, I believe in being kind and generous to every single person you meet every day!  It is because of some kind words we said to "Angel", our story, our conversations, or just the kindness of her heart.  I also think of "Donor" and if she knows how I am watching Tallulah flourish because of her nourishment?  I wonder if she knows that I go to sleep at night praying for her and her family?  I wonder if when shes pumping her milk she knows that Tallulah has improved so much since receiving her milk that it is mind boggling?  I wonder if she knows that I will one day be an old man telling people and Tallulah about "Donor" and how she makes Wonder Milk.  I could go on forever.  I just hope she reads this one day and knows from the bottom of one parent heart to another.....THANK YOU!!! 

Tallulah went from taking hardly any of her formula to taking 30ccs of Wonder Milk.  She absolutely loves it.  Tonight she took all 30ccs from me from a bottle.  That's one of her new tricks.  She takes her meals in a bottle now.  WHAT WHAT!!  She is pacing herself beautifully and I heart watching it.  Daddy and I are in such a different zone right now that its kind of scary.  After 12 weeks of praying and praying and praying...we are starting to realize that its time to celebrate!  We have a gorgeous daughter.  I want to write it in the sky with a plane and then jump out of it and when my parachute opens it says "I heat Tallulah".  She is going to be spending her first night tonight in an open crib.  No heater, no lid, no nothing.  Just a grown up girl crib.  Are you freakin kidding me? ! ?  She is doing her thing folks.  That Wonder Milk is no joke.  Tallulah is so responsive and expressive and attentive that it is amazing.  I am going to post a pic of me feeding her tonight and behind her is her big girl crib.  I'm poopered and going to bed.  I love you guys for your support and Tallulah strength comes in waves from all of you and she just gets to relax, smile and ride the wave.   Keep them coming.....R

The Truth About Tallulah, She's Sweet Little Girl

***Daddy filling in for Papi.

We have been out of virtual touch the last few days because after an exhausting day of making the world look beautiful (one hair strand at a time) we then bounce over to the hospital. The difference in now vs. the last 2 months is, it is REALLY catching up with us...& (luckily) business hasn't slowed down in the least. Now, on to T-News!!! Tallulah is on a spectacular uphill right now. She is on the nipple of the bottle. She has been able to down 30cc's!!! That is a H U G E feat for a preemie!!! So keep all your great energy flowing with her in mind, because it is working! Our weekend kicks off tomorrow after work...so I will push Richie face first to the computer to catch you all up. As for now, if I don't fall asleep typing, I will pull the covers over my head & have my sweet T dreams.

(Sidenote)
*To the 2 people/angels that just came in to Tallulah's life, she is going even stronger because of your love! Thank you!

Yippity Kayai!!!

3lbs 4 oz......3lb 4 oz..... 3 lb 4 oz....3 lb 4 oz

Nursery begins...

signing her guestbook...

Thank you 77 people for signing Tallulahs guest book and prayer list.  It really makes me happy to see all of the dots all over the map praying and/or thinking about my Miss T.  I cant thank you enough!!!   Papi...R

Thank You!!!

Tallulah Timeline Take 1.wmv

Take 1 of 2. Next one coming soon...

YAHOOOOOOOOOO.........

Tallulah just hit 3 lbs. she is 15 1/2 inches long. 

Go Tallulah...xx xx.....Go Tallulah

sweet...

love this pic...

Daddy changing Tallulah 2 1 2010

Tallulah being cute as usual...

look at me...

Tallulah looking at Papi...

Daddy and Sweet T

Smiling girl 2 1 2010

my cheeks hurt...

whos the most excited Papi in the whole freakin world? ? ? ? ? ? if you said me you are correct. Last night we got to dress Miss Rue for the very first time. I spent the majority of the day with my mother organizing Tallulahs closet and clothes and stuff. Our surro mom Lori has just moved out and now we are going to set that room up as the nursery. Its a huge room and its going to seem even bigger for a baby. After we separated the clothes by size we had to decide what to take to the hospital to put her in. I could go the sensible route and put her in a plain white onsie. UH, yeah no. I could go totally over the top and put her in this little white furry rabbit hooded top with a carrot bottom...Too much! Should I go pink? Too typical. Considering that I think she is already the prettiest thing god ever made keeps me from putting her in something too cutesy. Then we found it. A purple onesie that has the word SMART written across her chest. It also has a cookie underneath the word smart. Smart Cookie. That sounds about right. Its not pink and not too over the top and stresses our importance on her brain while promoting how devastatingly beautiful she is. Putting it on her was so much fun. She floats in it but thats ok. At least she is in clothes! Thank God! I slept with the biggest smile on my face ever. So much so that my cheeks are sore this morning. I am one happy man!!!!!


R

WHO ME???