Many of you know that we have been waiting until Olivia was 34 weeks gestation age to begin trying to feed her.  (The NICU's rule of thumb is nursing at 34 weeks, bottles at 35 weeks).  Olivia has to be eating without her feeding tube to be able to come home, so this is a big step.  I called on Friday reminding the nurse to get the appropriate approvals from the doctor.  They could tell we were anxious to get started.  The doctor not only approved it, but wrote the order as "nurse as much as tolerated."  I have to admit I was quite nervous about this.  Mia never learned to nurse (or really bottle feed for that matter) and the process was exhausting and frustrating.  I nursed Avery but that has been four years ago. 

But Ms. Olivia was a champ!  She did wonderful and on her first try she nursed enough that the nurse didn't have to supplement her feeding with her tube!  Yeah!  The nurse even commented that Olivia did better than any baby her age she had ever seen.  Olivia not only has to learn how to nurse, but she has to learn how to swallow and breathe at the same time.  This is quite hard for preemie babies.  But she did it!  Whew!  What a trooper!  I was a little disappointed this morning when she wouldn't nurse, but by lunch time she was ready to try again.  She still will get tube feedings when I am not there until she is approved for bottles.  But this is a huge step.  They also moved her feeding tube down her nose so that her mouth is free for feedings.  She weighs 4 lbs. 12 oz. now! 

In news at home, I have started back up with potty-training Mia.  She has gone a couple of times in her special pink potty this week and seems excited about doing it.  I potty-trained Avery very early and probably pushed her too hard.  I am trying to be more "easy-breezy" about it this time, so we will see.  I don't have a perfect solution yet, so maybe by the time I potty-train Olivia I can combine the two methods and have it down.  Ha-ha!

Mamaw spoiled the girls during her recent visit and they both got new Webkinz, so Avery has been addicted to the computer lately.  Avery picked out a panda bear she named Sophie and Mia picked out a black dog she named Dora.  They have carried them around nonstop since yesterday.  We now own five of these computer friends.  Goodness!  Avery's computer skills amaze me.  She can manuver through the Webkinz world better than I can.

Since my mom was in town, Chris and I took advantage of the free evening by going out to dinner for our anniversary.  Two years ago we went to The Artist's Vineyard and loved it, so we decided to go back.  It is a small wine bar and restaurant in downtown Noblesville.  We forgoed dinner by having several appetizers with our Carmenere.  We don't know much about wine, but the owner helped us pick out this great red wine without making us feel dumb.  We have always talked about taking a trip to Italy for our 10-year anniversary, so perhaps we can learn more about wine there.  Tomorrow we will have been married six years!  Crazy!  Six years has brought us two different houses, three moves, three daughters, six vehicles, three dogs and lots of wonderful memories.