A Child...			...Born Too Soon, part II
			by Tammy Lipke

The day Mandy came home from the hospital was one of the most exciting that our family had ever known. She still sported nasal prongs for oxygen for the first week, but she was finally eating on her own from a bottle. I was triumphant as I laid her into the tiny "car bed" we used as a basinette. Now our life as a family could begin! Her sister, Cassie, was home from her grandparents, accompanied by the auntie she called "Mom".

Part I of Mandy's story is available here At Children's Hospital for more tests Age: nine months

I was sorry that she had learned to talk so much in our absence, but I was so glad to be with both of my babies again that the joy outweighed any remaining regrets. A nurse came by every day to weigh Mandy, and I was thrilled every day to see her gain weight and grow. Soon she was smiling and gurgling at everyone in sight. At 4 1/2 months old, another minor disaster, I had to go with Mandy on an air ambulance trip back to Vancouver. She had sprouted two hernias!

Crawling "to the toys" as taught by Infant Development Age: 12 months

We came back on a commercial flight, and the baby ended up with an infection. Her recovery was longer and harder than I'd anticipated, and so we spent 3 more days in the hospital. This time, when she was released, there was no oxygen, and no tape of any kind, and even though she still wasn't 5 pounds, she looked just like every other newborn.