“Erpy”

I don’t know if that’s even how you spell it, but they say that some babies are “erpy”, meaning they barf a lot. We had to change Layla’s bedding at least 4 times today. She had a hard day today. What’s happening is that she gets her food through the feeding tube, then about halfway through, she barfs it up. It is really gross. I’m trying to be a big girl and not have the “chain reaction” to watching her barf. I really am. And it is so sad to have her back a few steps. The doctor that was on for today said that we’d try feedings through a bottle and then slowly move towards having all of her feedings that way. He also said we’d be here for about a month longer, if all goes well. Really, this is the last hurtle we have to jump, being as the oxygen on her cannula is really low, almost low enough to have her taken off of that. So just to have her learn how to eat and hold things down and swallow her spit. Go Layla.

Other than that, today has been great! We also had some more visitors and we really appreciate you guys! Thanks for coming and seeing us. It really has brightened our day. And Shelli and Dennis, we forgot to take pictures of you guys, so I guess you’re just going to have to come back and see us! Sarah, since you’re probably already on the East Coast, you’ll have to send a picture!

Kelsey held Layla today. You guys probably think that I barely let the man hold our baby. Wrong. He could if he wanted to, all he has to do is ask. Honestly. Anyway, we’re teaching him how to hold babies, since before Layla, he wouldn’t hold his niece/nephews until they were at least a year old. He sure loves his girl, though.

 

A few other things:

1. I got a note from a friend back home with this little card:

 

And it just made me cry because this is really hard. I mean, really hard. And we have this small, sweet blessing right before our eyes, and even more blessings (not in the form of children, at least NOT YET.) that we have yet to see. We go through these experiences, sometimes barely making it and at the end, we receive blessings. And maybe sometimes those blessings are the mere fact that we made it. And sometimes not. And certainly not in this case.

2. My aunt posted this to my facebook, “These are trying times made easier with love.” How true that is. Again, I can’t thank you guys enough for the love and support. Keep it coming! I hope you guys get tired of me thanking you so much. I’m going to keep saying it. Forever.

We received a letter from our friends back home, and it sure made me tear up. I honestly am not that emotional, or at least that OVERLY emotional, but you guys just keep showing us so much kindness. To the Gaileys: We love you. We really do. Thank you so much for the letter and gift—we certainly were thinking of trying seaweed and crushed aspirin, but we decided ice cream would be a little on the tastier side.

3. And for good measure, a picture of Layla, who loves to have her right arm in the air/up in space:

And that’s why.