May 1

Audrey graduated from the "iron lung" and is put on just a "nasal cannula" with oxygen being blown into her nose to remind her to breathe. Sometimes she still takes long-ish breaks and scares us all.

She has been receiving sugar and some nutrients via IV, but these are not sufficient for the level of growth a newborn needs, and require almost daily re-pokes.

Doctors get our permission to insert a “Picc” line, a tiny tube the width of three human hairs, that travels through her arm and lets out in the large veins near the heart, to be used for giving her thicker nutrition than can be given through a regular IV; we ask lots of questions and then approve it, however the first attempt is unsuccessful; a jog in her shoulder vein is blocking the line from getting through. Nurses will try the second arm tomorrow.

It's hard to leave her.  Late that night the nurse surprises us with a huge privilege.... she lets us hold Audrey for the first time.