Daily Hope: Saturday, January 24

Hope fights

"Aunt Em!!! I can't take the paparazzi anymore!!"

Hope: day 48

Hope being held by Mommy with Daddy, Grandpa Robinson, G'ma Robinson & Aunt Em

Hope & her Mommy & Daddy

Hope: our little ladybug

Hope & her Mommy

Hope: day 48

Hope's FACE!!!

Hope & Mommy

Hope: day 48

Hope: the dancing queen

Today was a great day for Hope!! Hope now weighs 2 pounds 6 ounces!! Rather "full" or "healthy", but not "fat" or "plump". She is quite the character. She was fairly active this morning, and part of that was captured on film (see the video above). Hope is currently filming for the release of her upcoming music video. Stay tuned for that in the future....

Hope spent about 3 hours snuggling with her Mommy today. Hope maintained her body temperature and all her breathing was very regular and good. In fact, everything was better when she was snuggling with Mommy as compared to just chillin' in her isolette.

Hope had her tape changed and new tubes and such adjusted. So we had a chance to see her face again!! And put on a new pink fluffy hat (made by Peggy the RT). The pink hat goes very nicely with the new blanket she is sporting. The Hope Collection is really starting to shape up.

Hope got to hear lots of good stories today. Aunt Em told her all about the Inauguration of the 44th President of our lovely country. Aunt Em had the opportunity to travel to Washington, DC and view all the festivities surrounding the inauguration. It was a pretty incredible experience. Aunt Em told Hope how everything she saw reminded her of Hope, partially because Hope's name was plastered around the City. Being around such a large group of people who all believe in the same thing and are there for the same reasons, that is pretty amazing. Aunt Em got chills on numerous occasions, just seeing the American flag waving, hearing the President's Inaugural address, seeing the motorcades, and on and on. Hope kind of tuned out when Aunt Em started talking "shop" about politics and platforms and executive orders. But one day I'm sure Hope will understand it better, or at least appreciate it.

We are all so thankful for the good days that Hope has been having and pray that they will continue. Hope is getting so strong and looks so good.

Hope: Day 19

Hope: Day 19

Hope: Day 19

Hope: Day 19

Hope and mom

Hope's new friends: Christmas Bear & Kwanzaa Zebra

Hope and her Christmas Bear

Today was a very good day for Hope. She was weened off the Dopamine (for blood pressure) and did wonderful, keeping her blood pressure right where it is supposed to be!! Hope also had a very demanding respiratory day. The respiratory therapists were working hard with Hope today. After a respiratory treatment, they suctioned and they suctioned and they suctioned some more!! But is was very prosperous!! Slowly but surely Hope's lungs are starting to clear up. They suctioned lots of good gunk out of her lungs. And she has been reacting very well to the "aggressive respiratory treatment" today.

As you can see above, Hope has made some new friends. She now has two finger puppet friends to keep her company and tell her stories. They are "Christmas Bear" and "Kwanzaa Zebra". Yesterday, Kwanzaa Zebra told Hope all about zebras and safaris in South Africa, about how zebras run wild through the bush, and how someday when Hope is older, Aunt Em will take her on a safari and watch zebras. Christmas Bear told Hope about all the fun things that happen around Christmas time. Today Christmas Bear told Hope all about Christmas and how, just like Jesus, Hope is a gift from God.

Hope definitely likes her new friends, her heart rate stabilizing and her oxygen levels going up above the numbers her dad approves of. Her friends will be telling more stories tomorrow, but Hope has a fashion show tomorrow so there may not be as many opportunities for stories.

In other Hope news... The scoreboard has started. The game is between Hope and her dad. Only the beginning of a long running battle. Today's battle was with Hope's hat. Recently she had been fighting with her dad, dad puts hat on, Hope pushes hat off. Dad puts hat back on. Hope closes all her veins so she has to have an IV in her head, which means no hat. Hope wins. HOWEVER... we didn't begin keeping score until today, and today was a hat day. So the score begins:
Dad- 1; Hope- 0

Things to look forward to tomorrow:
another great day, Hope's first fashion show, an update on the scoreboard, a new rating system for Hope's days, a new rating system for dad's stress levels....