Monday - April 30

Just a simple entry today. Shelli and I visited Kailey on and off all day today. We just made it home from our last visit about a half hour ago. She is taking her feedings from bottles very well and is getting stronger. Thank you again for your prayers and support. Keep them coming. All three of us can feel them.

Finally, below is one of the best pictures I have ever taken (and most of you know that I have taken a LOT of pictures). The lighting, coloring, and shadowing may not be just right, but it's the best subject that I have ever had the fortune to capture. G'night!

Going Home......

This update is from my BlackBerry as we've packed all of our bags and my laptop is tucked away. We just visited with Kailey's doctor. She gave us some very good news. While we have been concerned about Kailey's eating and breathing for days, the doctor reported that her breathing is now fine and not a concern! That leaves our little girl with only eating the right amount of her formula as her big (and hopefully last) concern.

Although mom and I have to leave in just a few hours, Kailey won't be able to go home for a while longer. She is totally in control of telling us when she will be ready, but we are still *estimating* it'll be the middle to end of the week.







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Sent using BlackBerry

Saturday night at Memorial Hermann Hospital

It is Saturday night. Shelli and I are in our room at the hospital. We just spent about 45 minutes in the nursery down the hall visiting our little miracle, Kailey. It has been a rough day for Kailey which made it a rough day for her Dad. However, Mom has made very good progress and is getting really strong. Shelli can get in and out of bed and do whatever she needs to without any help.

Like I said, Kailey had a rough day. She had some trouble with the IV in her little leg. Every day or so, they have had to move her IV location as it unfortunately wears on her little skin. After they did it this morning, she never really got settled back down and rested. By the time lunch came along, she was very uneasy and didn't take much food. At her weigh in this evening, she was 5lb and 3 oz. That is a loss of about 4oz since her birthday. However, the nurses say that is pretty normal. Also, Kailey was having some trouble keeping her body temperature right where it needed to be. The end result of these challenges was she had to be given some more help. She is currently resting in her crib with the heater turned on to keep her warm. While today was not a setback, we didn't progress as far as we would have liked. It is very humbling to know that even with all of the abilities that Shelli and I have and with all of the capabilities that the dozens of individuals in this hospital have; one of the smallest of all has the most power and control over what is happening. I am a structured person, and I like knowing what is next. This very early stage of parenthood has taught me that being a dad is about uncertainly, hoping, praying, faith, and putting trust in others....and love, lots of love.

Shelli and I are going back home tomorrow (Sunday). Our stay in the hospital is almost over. We'll have a visit with Shelli's doctor sometime around lunch tomorrow and then it will be back home for two of the three of us. Unfortunately, little Kailey is not quite ready to go home. Fortunately, she is being given the right care so that until she tells us that she is ready to go home, she will be ok. I learned today that the nursery she is in is not considered an intensive care unit. It is considered an intermediate care unit. I know that this really may not matter, but it makes her Dad feel better. We are estimating that Kailey will get to go home around the middle or end of next week. Of course, sooner is better, and we will not rush her into coming home before she is ready.

It's close to bedtime for us. Tomorrow is going to again be a long day. I've been telling Kailey about all of your emails so please keep them coming and keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Michael and Shelli

Saturday morning in a hat....

Another quick pick of Kailey:

Kailey's First Friday

Hi Everyone....it's a bit later in the day than I would normally like to do my Blog update, but better late than never. First off, I have gotten a few emails about why in the world would I ever want to wear a baseball cap to the delivery of my child? Well, here is a picture of the infamous hat:

The footprints are Kailey's when she was only seconds old. They made the footprints and stuck the cap on my head.

Both of my girls are getting stronger and more healthy. Shelli has all of her monitors unplugged. Each time she gets out of bed, it seems to make the next time a little easier. Also, Kailey is doing great. She had a bath today. This seems to have calmed her quite a bit. Earlier today, the nurses took her off the little warmer she was using and wrapped her in a blanket. I just left the nursery and she was sleeping all swaddled in blanket and cap.

This will be our third night in this hospital. We know that Shelli and I at least have one more and that Kailey may have several more. Our hope is that by the middle of next week all three of us will be in our own home as a family.

Thanks to all of you for your emails, prayers, and everything else you have done to help us. Feel free to post your comments or send me an email (Mi.Barrett@yahoo.com)

Michael

Afternoon of Kailey's second day

Hi Everyone...Kailey is sleeping in the nursery. Shelli is sleeping in the room. I am sitting at desk in the room working with some of the pictures from the past 24 hours.

After lunch today, they unplugged Shelli from the various monitors, tubes, and thing-a-ma-bobs that she was wearing. That gave her a very special opportunity. She was able to, for the first time since Kailey's birth; see her daughter. A picture from that scene is below:

I don't know if you can tell, but Kailey has a few extra monitors on her to make sure she's getting all of the air and other stuff she needs. She's not getting and extra help right now...just being watched closely by the doctors and nurses....and loved deeply by her mama and daddy.









I got a real treat before lunch today. For the first time, since the first hour she was born, I got to hold her. One of the nurses took a quick picture (left) that is going in the scrapbook.





Shelli says that she looks like me because we have the same hair...thinning on the sides. She is just *so* funny. I don't think mine is going to get better, but I know that Kailey's will.











Ok, one more picture for this afternoon. Here is another shot of my wedding ring on Kailey's little hand.






















thanks to everyone for you emails, flowers, encouragement, and prayers.

A few more pics

Mom and Kailey had a good night. Late yesterday, Kailey started to breathe a little fast and a little shallow. So, they put her on a little oxygen for a couple hours. By 9:00 last night, she was back to just room air. The breathing is still a little shallow so she can't come visit with us in our room. However, I can go see her whenever I want. Because Shelli is recovering from her procedure, she has not been able to go visit Kailey in the nursery. Hopefully, with a little patience and a wheelchair, we can get Shelli down the hall to her daughter around lunch today.

Below are a few pictures that I took during my 3am visit this morning.

Picture Time!

Below are two pictures from when Kailey was only minutes old. More to come.

Introducing our new baby......

With great joy and excitement, Shelli and I would like to introduce you to our new daughter:

Kailey Michelle Barrett
Born at: 1145 this morning
She is 5lb 7 oz and 18"

Mom and baby are doing well.

We'll have some pictures posted as soon as we have a chance at:

http://www.michaelandshelli.blogspot.com/

Even though I tried to include EVERYONE, we have just too many friends and I am sure that we may have accidentally left someone off.....our apologies for that.

Thank you for all of your prayers and support over the past weeks, months, and (many of you) the past years.





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Sent using BlackBerry

Closer and closer day by day

Well, it is Saturday night. It is one of the few nights left that Shelli and I have to ourselves. Her mom had been staying with us this week for her Spring Break. We're getting all of the diapers, formula, burping cloths, diapers, bottles, blankets, diapers, pacifiers, soaps, and oh yeah...diapers ready to be used. We are pretty confident that we have less than two weeks left until we greet our new addition into the world.

During our last doctor's visit this past week, she told us that due to the extreme array of problems that we have had during the pregnancy, she would consider delivering the baby at 37 weeks. The 37th week begins around Wednesday, April 25th. On that day, we are going to the hospital for some testing to make sure the baby's lungs are as developed as they should be. If they are, we should have a baby later that day!

We have another visitor coming to see us soon. My dad is going to fly in this Thursday. He and I are going to the Jimmy Buffett concert one week from tonight. I'll surely post and update with pictures after the concert......



One last addition to this posting. Below is a picture of Shelli and the hostesses from the baby shower.

Baby shower showering of gifts

Late yesterday, I spent some time going through the overflow of gifts that Shelli and I received this weekend. The attached picture is not from a robbery of Babies-R-Us. It is the results of all that our friends and family brought us. We have almost all we need....except our baby! She will be here soon.

Have a great week.

Michael