Look Mom! No CPAP!

Keira is now five weeks old and hit another preemie milestone just today. She is no longer depending on CPAP for breathing assistance! (The CPAP was the blue mask that was always covering her nose and was attached to that long tube attached to the "hat" on her head). Keira now is on nasal cannula which is just a clear little pronged tube that gives gentle amounts of oxygen. Not only is this exciting news because it means her breathing is improving, but it is also exciting because now we can see her entire face and head without the CPAP getting in the way. I can't stop staring at her now! It is so amazing to me that all of her parts are there in this tiny little body....they just need to grow.

Keira had another brain ultrasound and all still looks good. No abnormalities found. She also was examined by an opthomologist to check for retinopothy (a commone eye abnormality in preemies). So far all looks good!

Enough of the boring medical stuff......
Keira loves to sleep on her belly with her legs all tucked under her. It's almost like she still is trying to be in a little ball. It's very cute to see her all squished up like that. When she is being held by me against my chest she kind of wraps her legs around me (of course they don't reach far!) but it feels cozy and she looks like a little monkey holding onto her mama. Keira is a lot stronger than I originally gave her credit for too. While holding her the other day she became kind of irritated (I guess she didn't like the position I had her in) and she pushed up with her legs against the boppy pillow I had around my waist with all her might until her little head was almost on my shoulder. I certainly didn't think she had it in her to do that on her own. I guess I was wrong! I should know better than to underestimate this little girl by now, don't you think? Gramma and Pappy came to see Keira last weekend and she was wide awake for their visit. Her eyes were open and Gramma even got to hear her tiny cries during an examination. (That's when the previously posted video clip was taken). I remember when Claire's cries were that faint and tiny. That's certainly not the case now! I wonder how long it will be before Keira's crying will have the ability to bring the house down. I'm sure when it does I'll look back at this post and wonder why I would ever wish for such a thing!