SHE’S HOME! If you don’t know already Ariya came home almost two weeks ago on Monday, September 20th after 72 days in the NICU. 

It happened like they said it would. She just took off with feeding and they all of a sudden talked about going home then we were here! She passed a hearing screening, was feeding well, gained wait, and passed her car seat test (I had to leave the room, it was stressful! That was the last step for us to be able to go home). She came home only on a multivitamin and some formula to add to breast milk (for the extra calories). She’s been doing great!!

One thing people seem to ask a lot is how she’s sleeping. She eats every 3 hours, we started off by waking her, she needs the opportunity to eat and grow. Now a lot of the times she’ll wake up before we wake her up. Feeding and growth are our main focus now! She was 6lbs and 11oz at her last weight at the pediatrician and about 6lb 8oz when she left the hospital. We will be doing weight checks at the doctor’s office each week until she shows she can eat and grow! She’s not far off of the goal, not super concerned but just want to keep an eye on her. 

Now for the fun stuff. She grunts 90% of the time. It’s a preemie thing we’ve learned 😅 She has sounded like a goat, a T-Rex, a goose, and an angry toddler 😂 She loves to play the game “How many diapers can I use in one changing?” Clipping babies nails is terrifying, so is giving them a bath 😆 Her favorite spot to sleep is Mom’s chest. She loves to stay awake with Dad and gaze at the world around her 🥰