Manicures, Doctors and Thanksgiving oh my!

Hello friends!
Sorry it has been awhile since I have posted. It is hard to believe we are on our 3rd week of having Ava home with us, it seems like it has been much longer so I guess that means that we are getting used to her and into a routine. Our days have been full and sharing lots of firsts.

When Ava was in the NICU they could tell from the start she was fiesty and did not like to have her arms held down, she LOVES to have her hands next to her face. Because of her favorite cuddle position which is her arms up and hands next to her face I was forced to do something about her nails to help prevent her scratching up her face. While she was sleeping one afternoon I took out a mini nail file and gave her a baby manicure. I did think about painting her nails but resisted and just filed them down nice and short. I must say this was a first for both of us!

We have also had our 1st well baby check up with her pediatrician. It went well and there was no shots this time thank goodness but was warned her December visit would not be the same as she would have to go back for an RSV shot the first week in December and then lots of shots at her 2 month checkup in later December so Troy will have to attend because I simply cannot watch that. Our other doctor visit was to the eye doctor, this is common for preemies to be checked early after release if not while still in the hospital. I will say that to date this was the most upsetting for me visit as her eyes had to be dialated and then pryed open using what looked like a steel tweezer, again Troy had to be the one to hold her and watch as I about passed out and cried. Overall the visit was good and her sight it just fine, she has a small hemmorage in her right eye but they think it will correct itself and that it is not impacting her vision. She will go back in 3 months to be checked. She will also have her 1st preemie checkup on the 6th of December (her original due date). They have told me this is a marathon visit and to be prepared for a 1/2 day there at the hospital. They will check her monitor to see how her heart rate and breathing is going as well as do an overall check of her growth and see how she is improving. So December will be jammed packed of doctor visits! My blood pressure is improving slowly so I continue to have weekly doctor visits as well but it is a good sign that slow progress is progress no less!

Our other first was a road trip to Minneapolis. I must say that Ava is so tiny in size but requires a lot of stuff! It was probably because I wasn't really ready to travel yet and unsure of what exactly I needed but the Yukon was packed! We made the trip to visit Grandma and Grandpa Fink and Ava was also able to meet her Uncle Jon and Aunt Farrah! As most of you know Grandpa Bill has cancer and each visit and memory we make is quite precious so the trips to Minneapolis are a fun adventure. We are planning to go as often as we can and continue to make more memories and spend time together.

Thanksgiving marked Ava's 1 month birthday. I will say that we are most blessed in many ways and this Thanksgiving was a very special one. We are thankful for all of our friends, family and having Ava our precious miracle.

I will keep blogging when I can but thank you all again for your continued support, prayers, love and friendship!
-Troy, Stef, Ava and Einstein