Today is Becca’s 5-week birthday! She currently weighs 3 lbs 11 oz and is 15.5 inches long. We’re looking forward to when she weighs 4 lbs – that’s when bottle-feeding can begin and bottle-feeding is a big step toward coming home.
We’ve enjoyed being able to participate in caring for Becca more. This week we’ve been learning how to bathe her. Each nurse has her own technique, so we’re learning lots of ways to give preemies baths. Last night we did most of the bathing on our own (with supervision) – Josh washed her hair. 
Today we took a spoon into the NICU to “retake” the picture my mom took on Nov. 27th. As you can see, Bec
ca is making progress to someday being able to use a spoon on her own. It’s amazing to look back at pictures and see how much she’s grown since Thanksgiving.
We’re having a quiet New Year’s Eve – Josh is working on finishing up his dissertation proposal, and I’m trying to get some things in order before I start back teaching on Monday. I’m breaking my maternity leave in half, so when Becca comes home from the NICU I can go back on leave and be home during her first few weeks home. Thank you for your prayers for Becca. We are praising God for her good progress and health.
I love the picture of Becca smiling! She’s so beautiful!
THANK YOU so much for updating. I was seriously starting to suffer from withdrawals. My family and I are sitting around playing rook tonight to ring in the new year, and we all just read through your update and looked at the pictures. I love you so much, and I’m SO thankful for Becca’s progress. It’s hard to believe five weeks has passed already, but I will continue praying that you get Becca home soon. Love you!
Incredible! I’ve been checking the blog all day for your 5-week update. Thank you for faithfully posting pictures and information on Becca’s progress. Happy Birthday, Becca! My, how you have grown even in the two weeks since we last saw you. We rejoice in your weight gain and added height, strength (obvious in the pictures), and the personality that is beginning to show. You are more beautiful in each new batch of pictures. (Grandpa thinks you are reaching out for help in one of the bath pictures – maybe the water feels a little too much like being back in the womb.) We praise the Lord for what He is doing in each of your lives!
We love you!
Happy 5-week old birthday, Becca! You have grown so much in these past five weeks and we praise God for the good progress you are making – also the progress of your mom and dad. It s good to hear that they are even learning to give you baths and wash your hair. You are getting more beautiful every time we see a new group of pictures. We love you ALL very much.
Happy New Year to Josh, Amy and Becca!
Happy New Year Becca!! This is going to be a fantastic year for you. Before you know it, you will be moving to your home on Summit Avenue and then you will get to see your Mommy and Daddy so much more!!! And you will get to hear music and play games and go on walks and ride in the car and smell food and wear real clothes and watch Mommy and Daddy kiss! Its going to be a wonderful year! Love you!!
Sweet pictures. It is encouraging to see her growth and progress. Hard to believe so much time has already passed!
May God bring many more sweet joys to your family through Becca in 2010!
Hey Amy. Praying for you and your family!
She sure likes to stretch out! Just think what she’d be doing to you Amy, if she was still in utero! She’s adorable!
She is absolutely precious! We loved seeing the growth progress with the spoon pictures! She’s beautiful and we’re so excited for you all about being closer and closer to having her home!