❤️ ONE MONTH OF CHARLOTTE MAXINE! ❤️

Today our sweet Charlotte turns ONE MONTH OLD! It is hard to believe that 1 whole month has passed already. Time in the nicu feels both extremely long and incredibly fast all at the same time. 

While we wish her first month of life could have looked very different, we are incredibly proud of our little girl. She has already faced more challenges in her first 30 days than most of us could ever imagine.

For those who may not know the extent of what Charlotte has been through, her NICU journey has been anything but easy.

Breathing has been one of her biggest battles. Charlotte is still on a ventilator and has required a tremendous amount of respiratory support throughout her first month. So far, she has been on three different types of ventilators, each designed to help with different aspects of breathing, oxygen delivery, and carbon dioxide exchange. Her tiny lungs have also required multiple doses of surfactant to help them function, and she has experienced a collapsed lung and multiple re-intubations along the way. There have been many ups and downs as the medical team works to find the best ways to support her little lungs. While she still has a long way to go, we've been encouraged by some small victories, including decreases in her oxygen needs. Every little improvement is worth celebrating. The next goal is for her to be stable enough to come off of the ventilator and move to a c-pap. She is not there yet but we are hoping it is in her near future. 

We've also faced some challenges with her heart and brain. This is to be expected with a micro preemie but still very challenging as her parents to see her have to struggle. Charlotte was born with a large PDA, which is a blood vessel that normally closes after birth but remained open. She received treatment, and we are incredibly thankful that it successfully closed!

Her brain ultrasounds initially showed a Grade 2 brain bleed. This was incredibly difficult news for us as parents. Thankfully when they performed her third follow-up ultrasound the bleed had completely resolved. Unfortunately, that same ultrasound revealed another concern called ventriculomegaly, which is an enlargement of the fluid-filled spaces (ventricles) in her brain. This is something her doctors are watching very closely. She will be having weekly brain ultrasounds to monitor the fluid and make sure things aren't progressing.

Her most recent ultrasound showed no changes from the previous one, which is encouraging news. The goal is for the fluid in her ventricles to decrease or, at the very least, remain stable as her brain continues to grow. If the ventriculomegaly worsens, we will need to be transferred to a Level IV NICU in Portland, where she may need surgery to have a shunt placed to help drain the excess fluid. Obviously, this is something we are hoping and praying to avoid. For now, we're taking things one ultrasound at a time and hoping for continued stability or improvement.

There have been other challenges along the way, too, including blood work that requires close monitoring and the constant balancing act of helping her tiny body grow and develop while supporting all of her little systems.

But even through all of this, Charlotte continues to show us just how strong she is.

And today, we want to celebrate the victories, no matter how small they might seem to someone else.

💕 We've seen improvements in her oxygen needs, with some encouraging decreases.

💕 Mommy has gotten to hold her three times, and Daddy has gotten to hold her once. Those moments are worth more than we could ever put into words.

💕 Her blood work has been showing improvements, and we're seeing more stability in some of the areas we've been watching so closely.

💕 Her PDA has successfully closed.

💕 Her original brain bleed has completely healed.

💕 Her most recent brain ultrasound showed no progression of the ventriculomegaly.

💕 Charlotte was given her very first binky and she loves it! 

She's continuing to fight, grow, and show us her strength every single day.

We know there is still a long road ahead, and we're taking things one day at a time. In the NICU, progress isn't always a straight line. Some days bring good news, others bring unexpected challenges, and sometimes simply having a stable day is the biggest victory we could ask for.

We also want to take a moment to recognize the incredible NICU nurses who have become such an important part of Charlotte's journey. They have been so much more than caregivers. They have been our support system, our educators, our advocates, and sometimes the people helping us find our footing on the hardest days. Their compassion, dedication, and willingness to advocate for Charlotte and our family have meant more than they will ever know. We are so grateful for the people who care for our girl everyday! 

To everyone who has checked in, prayed for Charlotte, sent encouragement, shared our updates, or supported our family in any way, THANK YOU. We feel your love, and it carries us through the days when this journey feels especially heavy. Please continue keeping our girl in your prayers, especially as we monitor her brain ultrasounds over the coming weeks.

One month down, and we are celebrating every single breath, every little improvement, every snuggle, and every victory.

You may be tiny, but you have already shown us a strength bigger than we could have ever imagined. Mommy and Daddy love you more than words could ever explain.

Keep fighting, little one. We're right here with you. You have so many people who love you and are cheering you on! ❤️