Melanie continues to improve each and every day. Today when I reached her bedside she had orders from the Dr.s to start weening her from the CPAP to nasal cannula. We were a little surprised at this since her Dr. told us last Wednesday it would be a few weeks before we started that process. So she will be on nasal cannula twice a day for an hour each time. When she was on it today she not only tolerated it well, she LOVED it. She was wide awake for a portion of the time looking at me with those big beautiful eyes. While holding her on nasal cannula she received lots and lots of kisses on her head. Normally when we hold her she has the CPAP hardware on her face and the hat on her head. Nasal cannula is a different story :) For those that don't know, it's what she was wearing when she had her bath (I'll try to get more pictures next time). Melanie is also up to full feedings (per her birth weight) at 25ml every three hours. She gets it compressed over an hour (to help stop the reflux). She also is tolerating her feedings well. She now weighs in at a whopping 2 lbs 14 ounces. Yeah Melanie!!! I was able to talk with Dr. Jones today. He is a retired (just over a year ago) neonatal Dr. and he now volunteers his time in the NICU talking to parents and taking extra time to answer any questions they may have. While talking with him today he said Melanie may very well be breathing completely on her own when it's time to go home. She may need to stay in the NICU to continue growing. She is still in her isolette. In order to graduate to a big-girl bed she will need to be able to maintain her own body temperature. This typically doesn't happen until they are 4-5lbs. A good weight increase for her gestation is 15-30 grams a day (about half an ounce to an ounce). So, she may be in her isolette for a while which will keep her daddy happy as he's not ready for all the change.

They say the NICU is a roller coaster ride. We have had our ups and downs. The past few weeks Melanie has been coasting around the top of a hill. I keep waiting for the fall, the plummet to the bottom. Dr. Jones put some things into perspective for me today. He said that Melanie cannot go backwards. It is impossible for her to go back to where she was a month ago or even a week ago. She has matured to the point she is currently at. Yes, she can have set-backs. She could go back on the vent, or her feedings could go backwards. An infection could develop. However, she is so much stronger then she was. Her lungs are stronger, she has more body weight, all of her body systems are that much older and mature that she will handle situations in a totally different way; in that way she cannot go backwards. It put some of my anxiety to rest. That along with knowing that Melanie's future is already decided. God has already created the most perfect plan and purpose for her life. I need to have faith that His plan is the best plan, not mine.