No photos today just an update on Layla. She is now 1 month old and went in for another scheduled Dr. appointment today. She is now 5 lbs. 9 oz and thriving! Dallen and Maya are doing great, Maya tries to help change Layla's diapers and Dallen is very over protective, always trying to watch over her.

Another fun visitor to the pond behind our house.... this porcupine ran up into the culvert when I walked outside. As I waited for him I could hear him walking clear back into this drainage pipe, after about 15 minutes he wandered back out and just sat and watched me until I had to leave.

This was one of Layla's first bath's, she is so small we figured the bathroom sink was the best place. She is now 4 weeks old and still growing strong, her 4 week Dr. appointment will be on Monday, I expect her to be well over 5 lbs by now.

It has been an interesting spring. Layla is doing well, she was up to 4 lbs 11 oz at her 2 week dr. appointment. I'll post some additional photos of her in the next few days.
The photos below are of a couple of Sandhill Cranes that have moved into the pond behind our house. They have been wandering up close to the house eating the birdseed on the ground below my birdfeeder. They make all kind of noise, check out the link below to listen to their unsual call: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Sandhill_Crane.html#fig1



This was one of the most interesting things I've ever watched. This fox was snooping around where I suspect the cranes have laid some eggs. The situation caught my attention when this crane started chasing the fox, I took this photo just as the situation was calming down and the fox was starting to leave.

She's home!

The story, for those who haven't already heard it: On Thursday March 27th we went to our 36th week OB/GYN appointment, when the Dr listened for the baby's heartbeat he immediately told us to go over to Labor & Delivery to monitor the baby (The Dr's office is in the hospital). Once on the monitor we found that her heart rate was fine when LaNeece was laying on her left side, but the heart rate was strained when she was flat on her back or on her right side. We then went over for an ultrasound and discovered that the baby was very small and that the blood flow through the umbilical cord was restricted. Within 15 minutes we were checked into the hospital in a Labor & Delivery room. After about 2 hours of induced labor, it was decided that a vaginal birth was going to be too stressfull on the baby so we were prepped for a Cesarian Section. The delivery went smooth, but we found that the cord was wrapped tightly around her neck 3 times, this is what was causing the growth problems.
Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/uvahealth/peds_hrpregnant/iugr.cfm

The nurses were all amazed that she was fine, they had been prepared to intubate and move her to the NICU. Although watched very closely she was permited to stay with us in the hospital room and was NOT kept in the NICU. Our OB/GYN later called her a miracle baby, stating that if her heart rate had not been low when he checked her he would have sent us home to come back in another week. He doesn't think that she would have made it another week and would have been still born. Every one of our nurses said that she was the smallest baby they'd taken care of in the nursery. She is now home with us and thriving!

We will be keeping her home for the next 3 months