Elle's 2nd Homecoming...

Okay...so this week was a little rough. We brought Elle home from the hospital on the 16th, we couldn't wait to get home, it just seemed like it would be more comfy for the three of us. Not that HOAG wasn't amazing. The staff there is unbelievable and not to mention the ocean view but we just wanted to be home. Anyway, the first five days were like a dream. Sean and I are so unbelievably in love with this little girl it is insane. We spent most of the time giving her kisses and just staring at her in disbelief. We also were getting the swing of the feedings, changings, etc. Which by the way is not as hard as we have heard (knock on wood) either that or we just have a really good baby. Everything couldn't have been going better and then we had her first doctors appointment. When the doctor came in he noticed that she had a yellowish tint and decided that we should go to the lab for some blood work and test for jaundice again. Her first Jaundice test came back perfect and Elle was such a good baby with no other signs of Jaundice that I thought there was no way the test would come back positive or with high levels. We left the doctors and he told me he would call me later that day with the results.

We got the call that evening. The lame nurse at the front desk called and in a completely uncomforting manner told sean that we needed to rush her to emergency immediately, she told Sean that she had such high levels that it could cause hearing loss, seizure and could lead to cerebral palsy which sent us into panic. Not only that but they sent us to Fountain Valley emergency!! WTF???? We still dont get that part....but I guess that is besides the point. Anyway a normal level for a baby is 10-12, many babies are born with levels around 14 and the doctor will send them home with a special blanket that helps to bring the levels down to where they should be. Elle's bilirubin level was at 25.3....more than double the normal level. When we got to Fountain Valley they told us that she was going to be admitted to the NICU and would be staying there in an incubator under high powered lights so that they could monitor her and bring her levels down. As they took us to the NICU I started to really freak out. Walking into a giant room filled with sick babies in incubators was horrible! I just kept looking at Elle thinking...there is no way this is happening.

The nurse took Elle and started hooking her up with sensors and put her in an incubator with blue lights. While she was explaining everything she was doing and explaining more about jaundice all I could do was to sit there and cry. They told us that we would have to leave her there until her levels dropped and thats when I lost it. They were sending us home without our little angel. I dont think I have ever been so upset in my life.

Once we got home Sean did more research on Jaundice and the effects of the high levels of Bilirubin and found out just how common it is in newborns. The more and more we learned the better we started to feel, even though we missed her sooo much and moped around the house we knew that they were just going to make her better and get her home to us asap. Elle ended up being admitted on Thursday and they discharged her on Saturday night. To make us feel better we said she was just enjoying herself at a day spa....getting a tan!! :)

She was so strong and her levels dropped so quickly that we didn't even have to bring the special Bilirubin blanket home with us...she was all better. :)

Saturday night was great! Sean and I were so happy to bring her home, it was like bringing her home from the hospital for the first time! You dont realize how much children change your life until you have one of your own. She is the most amazing gift that we could have ever imagined and we are so blessed to have such a beautiful and healthy little girl. She definitely has made our lives complete.

Here is Elle at the Day spa....catching her first tan... :)



All the nurses loved her...by the second day thay gave her little eye shield some lushious lashes! :)





My baby comes home....best Christmas present ever!!!







Merry Christmas!!!!