5 weeks 31 weeks gestation

Ryelee now weighs 2 lbs 14.5 oz and is 15 3/4 in. She has a new cousin down the hall who was born a week ago at 33 weeks. At 4 lbs 5 oz and 16 in she looks huge next to Ryelee. Not that they have been side by side, but just to look at them.
Ryelee was doing well for most of the week. They started feeding her and she tolerated it well for a few days. Then her stomach started to bloat. Her digestion is slow and she is full of gas. There is not alot you can do with that since she can't take Gas-X or something and she can't walk around. They have quit feeds for now and are trying to relieve the gas by a tube into her stomach and enemas. The distension put pressure on her lungs and heart and caused her heart rate to drop significantly 5 X in 15 minutes. She had to be put back onto the ventilator. They have also put her back on antibiotics just in case while they wait for the cultures. She also required another blood transfusion. She has so little blood volume and they are always testing for one thing or another. Even though they take the least amount possible and use it wisely she still has needed several transfusions. Which doesn't mean a pint of blood like we would need, it means a few ml.'s, which is enough for her tiny body.
Daddy got some adorable pictures of her smiling. The one I am posting is when Mommy was helping to give her a bath. She has to have sponge baths, no real bath until she is ready to come home. They like to have parents involved in every aspect of care that they can and her Mommy and Daddy are really good about this. They really enjoy the time that they can spend holding her and taking care of her.
Mommy and Daddy were talking about Ryelee's roommates Dad and Grandpa visiting, (they live a couple of hours away and don't get up there much) and her roommates Grandpa got to hold her. I lit up when I heard that! I didn't know granparents could hold them. Then Mommy told me that they had decided skin to skin holding was only for her parents. So I still have to wait until she can be held just in a blanket. Darn this is so hard to not be able to hold her!
Mommy has been having pains in her calf and still having abdominal pain. She went to the Dr and he pretty much brushed her off. She will see the Dr that delivered her on Wed for a six week checkup.
In other news. I took the 3 girls at home and a friend who is staying with us to the water park all day yesterday. We also went with some of our friends who are moving Sat. We will be way sad to see them go. The 2 youngest had wanted their birthday parties early so their friends could come so we celebrated their birthdays yesterday by going to the water park. It was so much fun. I had never really gotten into the slides, but I decided hey I spent the money I might as well try it. I had a great time. They all did too and we came home hot and tired, but it was worth it! We are looking forward to a big family reunion next week. We have not had one in a long time for my husbands family and everyone will be there. Should be fun.