No news is good news!

I just got home from holding our baby...sure makes driving in our 1st good snowstorm of the year a whole lot easier when you have a goal like that to hit. Our daughter is doing wonderful. We've been getting many questions about how Melanie is doing over the last few days, and the report Ive been telling everyone is "the doctors say we really cant expect her to be any better". Its kind of an akward feeling right now, with nothing in the horizon to change, no surgeries, no xrays, no ultrasounds...it can kind of makes a dad impatient,who has a hard time sitting back and relaxing. However, being able to sit and relax with a 2 pound, now 12 ounce baby girl on my chest is better than most anything I can think of....except maybe for fishing. IM KIDDING!! With all her IV lines and pic line out, only having her CPAP in her nose, a feeding tube down her throat, and a few stickers on her belly with sensors attatched to them to measure heart rate, breathing rate, and oxygen levels in her blood, there is very little to be concerned about for the time being. Its time to let our little girl get bigger (I say that because I know thats what she needs to do, however, I already have reservations about her growing...) Im proud to say that our little girl is finally starting to grow a bit of a rear end :) 16 to 20years from now, she might be very upset at her dad for being excited about that, but thats ok for now. No longer is she just skin and bones on her little butt, instead, there is a crease beginning to form. It makes for wiping after a dirty diaper a whole lot easier when you dont have all those skin wrinkles to deal with. Its not completely there yet, but its improving :)

Its looking like this upcoming week is going to be a very slow paced, not much changing kind of week. In approximately 2 weeks, they will begin to study her eyes. Typically premature kids develop some early eye setbacks, mostly due to being on oxygen for a long period of time. Since Melanie is on room oxygen (21%), and she wasnt on ventilator very long, considering others her size are on much longer, she might not have too much of a problem with this, however she will be monitored for the remainder of her stay at the hospital, just to make sure. If problems do begin, a simple laser surgery can fix the problems if caught early enough. One of Melanies neighbors just went through that recently, and turned out really good. Some time, when I dont have Jayden standing behind me in her crib wondering what in the world Im doing at 1:15in the morning, Ill explain that in more detail.

Other than that, Miss Melanie...or Melanie Grace Westra as Miya likes to call her...is continuing to impress doctors and nurses throughout the NICU. We have a tough little girl on our hands, so it seems...but shes gonna need to be considering the two older sisters she'll be growing up with.

After reading that last paragraph again, and since Jayden layed back down, I guess I can tell you I have an even greater peace for what is going on. Melanie can still go backwards, but she is doing very well. We are so greatful to God for the blessings He has already given us in the few short weeks of this child's life. Thinking back of Thanksgiving, I can truly say, we are thankful IN all things. To many people, the lifestyle of lots of travel, a goofy schedule, now and then some worries and concerns, may look overbearing. I must say, in all honesty, Im greatful and thankful to be put in this situation. God has truly blessed us, drawn us closer to Him, and made us much more aware of our surroundings. We have a 3 healthy children for the time being, loving and caring family and freinds, and God, who is supplying us with all our needs...spiritually and physically. Its really hard to complain about anything in life when looking at things in the right perspective.

Ill leave you with the words of a song from dad's favorite Miya sing-a-long CD (she since has gotten a few others, and doesnt want to listen to dads favorite too much anymore, so I stole it from her and put it in my truck :)

"Our God is and awesome God! He reigns from heaven above, with wisdom, power, and love...Our God is an awesome God!"

Dad....and Jayden, who again is standing in her crib say "good-night"