Abigail - 4th to 11th February 2002

Hello again everybody, I am sorry for the delay in getting the new improved Abi at home pages onto the web site but I hope you think that the wait has been worth while now it is here. One of the new features of the Abi at home pages will be a commentary or caption about the pictures below, so that each picture can be put in context as they may be spread over separate days.

But I hope you enjoy this and all the subsequent updates that I manage to get Daddy to produce for me. But less about that and onto my first week at home which I am sure you are all dying to find out about. It has been a quiet week for Mummy and Daddy really as the weather has been awful, raining all the time and they have spent most of the time inside the house with me. This obviously means lots of cuddles for me, I cannot count how many times I have fallen asleep on Daddy or feeding from Mummy. I must say that I think that food tastes nicer at home than in the hospital, but I think that may be due to the variety that I have had.

I have had a couple of baths, which do prove to be a bit awkward as my oxygen tubes do not reach the bathroom, but nevertheless I have been bathed and Mummy has got to use the nice Pooh Bear support thing that holds me upright in the water. I can thoroughly recommend it as I feel a lot safer and more relaxed. After the baths Mummy has dressed me in some nice new clothes which I am now big enough to fit in and can be seen being modeled at the bottom of the page, along with Big Ted who decided he wanted to get in on the act and show how small I was. Mummy and Daddy have this play mat with toys on hoops above my head. This is great as I can lie there and play with the toys and look at myself in a mirror. I am slowly beginning to smile more and more and make proper noises at things I see which seems to please Mummy and Daddy no end, so I will try harder to keep them occupied with my thoughts.

On the visitor front things have been going along quite well. Grandma and Grandpa have visited before they went on holiday, my Mummy's work colleagues have all come round and held me, lots more extra cuddles..... Then my Great Grandma, with my Great Aunt, visited and they got to hold me for the very first time which seemed to please them a great deal, apart from the fact that when I cried they wanted to give me to Mummy or Daddy. We have also had the community nurse from the hospital visit twice and the health visitor once.... That's quite enough for one week. I was weighed on Thursday (7th Feb) and have grown some more since I was sent home and am now up to 9lbs 6oz, or just under anyway. What a clever little girl I am, it must be the food ?

Mummy and Daddy have been coping quite well with all my oxygen cylinders and tubes and there has been no problem there, so that is good as I was a little concerned about them at one point. The only problem we now have is all the medicines I have to take everyday. Weeing Juice, once a day, 2 different drugs though. Growmore powder, 3 times a day. Sodium Chloride, 3 times a day and I have to swallow what is normally only given by injection (It is over 30 times stronger than a normal adult dose,.....Yuck.. and finally Iron supplements and Vitamins (2 more drugs). So over all I have to have 8 different drugs everyday, all syringed down my throat which I make a real challenge for them. I am always glad when I get get a bit of Mummy's milk to wash away the horrible flavours.

Otherwise the food here is great, I get a good mixture of milk and solids. A wide variety of solids on the menu, so far I have had Broccoli and Carrot (Nice), Carrot and Potato (OK with a bit of milk), Carrot and Parsnip (Nice), Banana (again Ok with Milk) and today's favourite Avocado with Milk. I think this combined with my Baby rice is putting the weight on nicely.

I am having a trace done overnight from the 11th to 12th Feb to see if I can have my oxygen turned down so lets keep our fingers crossed and then maybe we can have some good news for you all next time when I can give you the results.


Me in my first bath at home	The proud parents with me at home	Me and My Dad

Great Grandma comes to visit, she is 95 you know...	Me in my Pram, asleep (only for 10 minutes though....)	My Great Aunt takes control

Look at my nice new pink dress	Where's Big Ted ?	The Avocado won the first round, but it was a good fight....

Its Meeeee....!!!!!	Do you like my dress ?	Daddy please can you cuddle me ? Pretty pleaseee.... ?