Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Exciting Things

I thought I'd share with you a few exciting things that are happening with Gwyneth today:

1) Her eye exam went well today, and her retinopathy has not gotten any worse, which is what we were hoping for. If it appears to be getting better next Tuesday, then we'll know that the laser eye treatment is doing it's job.

2) She ate 1/3 of her feeding this morning from a bottle without any problems! First time ever! They'll do this once a day for a few days and then begin increasing her time on the bottle. Hopefully Tricia and I can participate soon!

3) She has gained some serious weight this week! I'll post her pug pictures in a little while so you can see!

Thanks!

Nate

85 comments:

Tracy said...

Thats fantastic about the bottle feeding! Wahoo.

Just wondering, whats the stuff in the corners of her eyes. Noticed that in the last photo. Is it something to do with the laser treatment?

Dutch Momma of 4 said...

She's got the BEST eyes... wow, out-of-this-world adorable!
Good luck to all 3 of you, I love reading the updates and I am praying for you constantly!

Joy said...

What a beautiful amazing wife and daughter you have been blessed with. Continuing to pray here in Ohio.

Pioneer Mom said...

It is just amazing how she is changing. Her little face is filling out! Praying for all of you today, extra hard.

Sarah in Missouri

Anonymous said...

You guys continue to amaze me!!

God Bless....she's beautiful!

Sheila said...

Wow! What a great update. I'm so happy that Gwyneth is growing and gaining.

Wonderful news!

Julie D said...

She looks like Daddy, doesn't she...? What a beautiful little girl you have there.

Keep eating, Gwyneth...chug a lug, baby!!!!

Renay said...

Man, Nate and Tricia, I have 3 of the most beautiful boys in the world and I can still honestly say, "Is there anything better than those big eyes looking at you?" She is so precious-I guess since I have boys I can still say she is the most precious little girl EVER!!!

Kim said...

This is very exciting! Way to go, Gwenyth! What a doll.

Mrs. Sassy S. said...

She is just a sweetheart. She is turning out to be a beautiful little girl.

Amy said...

You can really tell she is gaining weight in the pictures. Her face is really starting to fill out.

Beebe said...

Awwwwww, I love the pictures you have posted the past couple of days. She is such a pretty girl :)

the VanKoevering's said...

I'll agree 100%...that is very exciting news indeed.

And I'll agree with the above commenters that Gwyneth is so beautiful and has the most precious eyes, and she is definitely getting bigger.

I'm praying for the three of you today, especially for Tricia!

Sending a BIG hug!

~Shann in Michigan

The Outlaw Family said...

Great job ,Gwyneth! Way to put on that weight! Keep growing big and strong :) We are still praying for you!

Catherine said...

Praise God! How cool that she was able to drink from a bottle today and that you'll soon be able to feed her too! Yeah Gwyneth!!!

Anonymous said...

Great news!

Love the pic. It's an added bonus!!!! She's a beauty!

Praying for you daily!

Annie-Nashville

Jane said...

YEAH God!!! He has been so good to her tiny little body.

she ate 1/3 of her feeding through a bottle...first time! THAT'S GREAT!!! Praise God for pacifiers to teach her how to suckle before she was ready to eat. praying for continued success.

Grow baby grow!!!

Janna said...

Wow, I just found your page from someone else's... I will definitely be keeping all of your in my prayers.

God bless & take care,
Janna (from Michigan)

mrsrubly said...

nate thanks for posting this information!! God is GREAT AND i asked (in prayer) this morning for angel for her and Tricia! wow!!! feeding from a bottle...way cool stuff there lil Gwenyth..

Edwards gang said...

Praise the Lord for answered prayers! We are praying for Tricia today as she recovers from her procedure.

We were so touched by your post about Jess' gift! Thank you for sharing that! What a great legacy for the family of such a Godly man. It helps people to see how organ donation benefits not only the recipient, but also the family and loved ones of the donor. It brings comfort and meaning to a time of deep grief.

We're continuing to pray that Tricia will receive her "gift of life" very soon!

Amy E. said...

Good news..love to hear it. I hope Tricia is resting well. Prayers still headed up!

charm said...

May the Lord watch over the three of you and the Angels enfold their wings around you and protect you guys always.

Keep your strength up Tricia, be strong and know that we all around the world are rooting for you.

You have been truly Blessed with such a little fighter, she must take after her mum.

Amy Lynn said...

What exciting news about Gweneth! :) I am looking forward to seeing her Pug photos later today. :)

That is such a precious picture of her. :)

Blessings!
Amy in Oregon

Tumbleweed said...

Way to go, Gwyneth!

Amanda said...

I haven't checked in on your blog for a week or so now, and all that I have missed is amazing! We are still praying for your whole family, and we know that the Lord is going to provide the perfect lungs for your wife. Your daughter looks amazing as well, and I can't believe how "big" she is looking! Love and prayers from Indiana. Amanda

Blessings From Above said...

Great news!!! It won't be much longer now and you'll have BOTH of your girls home with you.

Allison said...

Hi..

I have been following you guys for awhile now...linked from another blogged. Just wanted to say WAY TO GO Gwyneth! God love her..she's a beauty!

Praying/Thinking of you all...
Allison in PA

knuts2knit said...

Wow! Gwyneth's strength and progress is just amazing. . Have they changed how many calories she is getting per ounce with a fortifier or did she just decide that it was time to kick it in gear? :) Go Gwyneth. . .Go Gwyneth. . . (her face has really filled out in the past week or so)

Joy W said...

I noticed in the last couple of pictures of Gwyneth that she is very alert and has no breathing aid. How long has she been breathing by herself?
Joy

Carol said...

Awesome!

Unknown said...

I thought those cheeks were filling out! She is beautiful and I know tha she is going to learn how to use those beautiful eyes to get exactly what she wants!!!

Praying without ceasing!

missourimom said...

She is so very beautiful....but you know that.

God Bless,

Leslie

knuts2knit said...

OK. . .It just hit me. . .the last handful of Gwyneth pix have no O2. . just her NG tube. . .has she just been coincidentally taking a break from the cannula during photo sessions or is she really on room air already????? Holy moly if she is! If not, she's still kickin' some baby butt considering that she started on cannula at about 2 lbs! I think little Gwyneth is building up some extra lung strength to try and help out her mommy when she needs it :) Many prayers coming from Ohio. . .

Anonymous said...

Wooohoooo! It's amazing how fast Sweet Little Gwyneth has developed right in front of our eyes. She'll be sitting up on her own before you know it ;o) I know you can't wait to feed her yourself, she's undoubtedly an AMAZING little girl, - JUST LIKE HER MOTHER!

Sarah said...

such a sweet picture. She's finally starting to grow into those stunning eyes. But they're still nonetheless stunning! Praying for Tricia's healing.
Sarah

Rebecca (Ramblings by Reba) said...

"Yay!" about everything... but especially about 2 and 3. Eating from a bottle is one of the steps in getting to go HOME, as you know. :)

I'd noticed her looking "fuller" this week. (How often can you say that about a woman and not get yelled at! :) )

Sara said...

Way to go Gwyenth!

elizabeth engelhardt cards and creations said...

You go girl!! Woohoo!!

marcia said...

Go Gwyneth!

Sonja said...

So precious... she is just beautiful, and is filling out... yea!! Great news about both the bottle and her eyes

I hope that Tricia is getting the rest that she needs.

Anonymous said...

OMG Nate she looks AWESOME! What an amazing God we have! Gwyneth is eating from a bottle and I can't wait to hear how much weight she has gained this week. She looks a little chunky!LOL :) She continues to amaze me everyday. I pray that you and your girls will be able to start your life together soon away from the hospital. Please wish Tricia well and let her know I pray that she gets her new lungs very soon.

cmziall said...

Way to go Gwyneth! I'm sure all the wonderful things (milestones) Gwyneth is accomplishing is what is keeping Tricia going! What a motivator! (and of course, a miracle!)

Praying still in MO!

God Bless,
Michelle

Marsmile said...

Yay! Way to go, Gwyn! Keep growing, eating, and healing just the way you've been doing this week! The sooner you do this, the sooner you can be home and hang out with your parents!

Marissa :-)

Be Thou Exalted said...

That's great news, Nate! Praise the Lord! I am addicted to your blog, I check it several times a day!!

Julie said...

More great news! Glad things are continuing to go well for both of your girls.

They're gonna keep you hopping once they're out of the hospital, you know that, right?

Mary said...

You "grow" girl! Awesome news.

Mary
Florida

Anonymous said...

Go Gwen Go!!! She looks fantabulous! (my new word) You'll be teaching her to ride a bike in no time.....God Bless, love you guys!

Teresa

Cara said...

Looking at new pictures of Gwyneth is pretty much one of my favorite things in the world to do. :)

Anonymous said...

That is so awesome! Both of my premie's had issues with feedings and I remember the feeling I had when they both drank from a bottle!! Praise God for these fabulous firsts!!
By the way, she is so very precious!!

Q's NEWS said...

Wow! Gwyneth is just moving right along perfectly, isn't she? I am thrilled to hear that she is feeding from a bottle, now - that is excellent news!

I hope Tricia is still resting well after her procedure.

I can't wait to see the new pictures!!

Love from WV,
Susan

I am Heather...creator of all things crafty! said...

I just love the little forehead crinkles....Way to go Gwynie. You'll be eating grilled cheese sammy's in no time. Heather

Candi and Skeet said...

Her face is really filling out. What a cutie! Great news on the bottle feeding and continued prayers for her eyes!

Much love,
Candi

David and Angela Estes said...

Somehow I missed it and didn't realize that Gwyneth was off her cannula!! I just noticed in this pic! :) YEAH! As a NICU nurse I know how huge that step is! Strong little girl, that's for sure! God Bless you guys!

Violet said...

what great news!!

Sheila said...

She is such a cutie!

I can't wait for you and Tricia to be able to feed her-- what an amazing blessing!

Anonymous said...

she is so precious! im so happy that she is doing well. im praying everyday for you guys!

Unknown said...

What a wonderful benchmark! My BFF has 10 yo quadruplets that were all premies - I know what a joy each milestone is!

Linda said...

I see an angel!!! Praying for new lungs soon, and that Tricia will be pain free until then.

Mamma_of _five said...

shes just so Adorable way to go Gweneth!

~j~ said...

This is truly glorious news. Way to go Gwyneth!
This is the day the Lord has made...

ttulizzy said...

I don't know how she does it, but Gwyn seems to get more adorable with each picture you post.

!

Jenny said...

Wonderful news to read this afternoon, so happy for you.

I LOVE how in this photo of Gwyneth, she looks like she's hollering something (with her hand up for extra projection)... What do you think she's saying? "MORE BOTTLE!!!!" or more likely "MY MOM ROCKS!!!"

Aggiema (Michelle) said...

Great news! Her little face looks fuller in these recent pictures. She going to be a roly poly baby in no time at all!

Sheryl said...

lovin' some good news!

Cara said...

Also, I wanted to let you know that I mentioned ya'll in my newest blog. :)

Anna Marie said...

How much is "serious weight"?? Numbers, man, we want numbers!! That's terrific about the bottle-feeding. I remember feeding each of my preemies for the first time and boy, they get sleepy in a hurry, but it's so fulfilling as a parent. Way to go Gwyneth!!

Momof2bz said...

Way to go Gwyneth!!! She is so beautiful. I can't wait to see the newest pictures. We are so blessed that you share her with us all.

Anonymous said...

And Gwyneth says "psst come here I got a secret. My God is an awesome God. He takes care of me and my mommy."

Bren said...

PTL she is getting soooo big. And she getting prettier in each picture. So what does pretty + pretty+ pretty make? BEAUTIFUL!!! So glad to hear about the bottle feeding, she will be putting on some major weight now. Brenda

Jen Wilson said...

That is probably the cutest picture I've seen of Gwyneth!

Teresa Dunkin said...

Gwyneth continues to grow more beautiful with every picture you post. My daughter-in-law is expecting their first child, a daughter, who will be my first grandchild. She is due about the time Tricia would have been due and it has been amazing to me to see a living, growing little girl, who is about where my little granddaughter is. I continue to pray for all of you in your journey

elj377 said...

Yeah for Gweneth! Yeah for sucking a bottle! Yeah God for all that He is doing!

Adrienne said...

Way to grow, kid! So exciting about the bottle as babies mouths are so important in their development. And that you guys get to hold that bottle...priceless!

MamaBear said...

Wow! As she adds the weight, it's changing the way she looks! Those eyes are absolutely gorgeous.

Praying for the health of both of your girls ...

Fern said...

I keep thinking that I'll abstain from posting another comment....you read a bazillion comments a day, and, when you add up the amount of time it takes to read a bazillion comments, I imagine your day is pretty well shot. But, then I see this picture of Gwyneth, and I see something in the intensity of her gaze. It's like looking into the eyes of a wise, old soul. Then, there's the fact that she's so darn cute....with such a pretty, little, round head. How have you managed to go so long without squeezing her guts out? Guess I just ruined my chances for ever babysitting. That, plus the fact that I'm a total stranger...several states away, to boot....and you can't entrust the care of such a miracle to just any old body. But, you guys know that already. I'm betting that, like her parents, Gwyneth has a very special spirit.

Paige Hinrichs said...

Great to hear! Praying for baby!

Nice clarity in her eyes. Great capture!

Punchbugpug said...

So sweet, she's changing right before our eyes.

Jen in Al said...

yeah Gwyneth!!! so sweet! praying, jen in al

Karen said...

She is SO precious!! That is the cutest picture of her yet!

I checked just now for the first time today, so I just heard about the chest tube. My 2-year-old has had two heart surgeries with chest tubes each time. They can be very uncomfortable and painful, so I feel like I finally can pray for Tricia with a TINY inkling of understanding of a TINY bit of what I am praying about. It is exciting because I feel like I can help more when I really 'get' what I am praying for!

Praying very specifically!
Karen

Katy said...

HOORAY!! That is a huge deal, for her to be drinking that much from a bottle! She is so darn cute.

Kelley said...

Gwyneth is such a little beauty! I enjoy seeing her pictures and hearing about her miraculous progress! Prayers coming your way for you all daily...

Anonymous said...

that's so amazing!!! praying for all the time!
susanna

Karen said...

I thought she was looking a little "porky" in her Punk Rock Baby picture!! WTG!!

Sarah H. said...

She's getting so "big"! Keep up the good work G!!

Scarlet and Gray said...

I definitely think she looks bigger this week. Still praying for your family!