Tomorrow!?!

This evening the doctor told me I should plan on taking BOTH of the girls home tomorrow! I couldn't believe it. I was feeling discouraged a few days ago because Sade wasn't eating well on her own and had even lost a little weight. But, something suddenly clicked with her yesterday because she is eating like a champ and catching up to Reese. I found out that some dear friends had fasted and prayed for our girls on Sunday. Thanks to all who have fasted and prayed in our behalf. We are about to be a family under the same roof.

Tay's birthday was yesterday. Reese and I brought her up to Buffalo to party for the day. She spent the night with us in the Ronald McDonald house too. She got to hold the twins (the new ones) for the first time; great birthday present. She was sooooooo excited.

Sade, Tay and Reese

Tay and Sade

Tay and Reese

I thought the end of this NICU business was in sight, but we might be here for a little while longer. In order for the girls to come home they have to be bottle or breastfeeding exclusively for 48 hours AND gain weight. So here is where we are at...........

The girls are bottle/breastfeeding every other feed. It is otherwise given to them through a tube. Sade will NOT take a bottle. She seems to do better at breast but it's hard to tell how much she is actually getting. She lost an ounce from yesterday............ discouraging.

Reese is doing a little better. She is consistently gaining weight, but she will NOT breastfeed. She CAN take her full feed through a bottle but the nurse usually has to put what she doesn't eat through the tube.

It has been difficult balancing my time between these little angels and my six other ?angels? at home. I have been spending some nights at the Ronald McDonald House in Buffalo. What a blessing! It's a 15-20 minute drive from the hospital; much better than the hour drive from our house. I'm planning on basically moving into the Ronald McDonald House tomorrow. I'll need to be available to breastfeed Sade around the clock so we can ween her off her tube hopefully sooner than later.

Sade and Reese together again! I put them in the same crib for a picture. I wonder if they've missed kicking each other around.

Finally, a picture of Sade awake.

3 weeks

Reese weighs 4lbs 4oz. She has a shirt on! To ween them out of the isolette, they begin to clothe the babies and turn the temperature control off. She should be in a crib sometime tomorrow. That is, if they have enough. It must have been a very cold January. There are a LOT of babies in the nursery with no cribs to spare.

This is not a good picture of Sade. She had her eyes wide open but the flash startled her. She weighs 3lbs 12oz now.........growing like a weed. She started breastfeeding yesterday and is doing very well. She needs to be at least four pounds in order to be moved to a crib.

Holding 'em Both!

There are soooooo many babies in the NICU right now. The nurses moved the babies in isolettes to a large windowed storage room. There is no privacy there for kangaroo (skin to skin) holding so they let us have the girls to ourselves in the parent visiting room. This is the first time we have been able to hold them at the same time, all bundled up and off monitors. They will be three weeks old on Tuesday. The doctors are telling me a maximum of three more weeks. They would like to send them home together, but Reese might come first. She has started breastfeeding and seems to be catching on. Sade should be able to try this week.

Sade is now 3lbs 7oz, and Reese is 4lbs. Often once a baby hits 4lbs they are moved from their isolette to a crib. That will hopefully happen for Reese as soon as they get some of those other babies out of the NICU.

The girls have been on caffeine therapy since they were born. The caffeine helps the brain remember to breathe. They were both taken off caffeine two days ago. They were both irritable at that first day off; much like someone who doesn't get their morning coffee......maybe. So far so good. Neither of them have had to go back on caffeine or oxygen. Sade now weighs 3lbs 6oz. Reese is 3lbs 13oz. Reese seems to be progressing a little faster than Sade. She wakes up and gets fussy when it is time to eat. I was able to try breastfeeding her last night. It went pretty well.

1 1/2 Weeks

Reese and Sade a doing very well. They both had to go back on oxygen but are now off it. They are not quite back to their birth weights yet. Sade is 3lbs 1oz, and Reese is 3lbs 8oz. I just recieved a bill in the mail (pre-insurance). YIKES! They are still being fed by tubes. Hopefully we'll be able to try breastfeeding sometime next week.

This is my hand (which is small) next to Sade. She is soooooo little.

Reese seems to be the active one.

I am amazed at how much better the girls are looking with each new day! They are both off oxygen. Their feeding tubes have been moved to their noses so they can practice sucking a pacifier, which will prepare them for nursing. Both girls were alert for quite a while as I held them today. I was scared for their well being when we the doctor told me my labor was unstoppable. But, they are doing great and I LOVE spending these peaceful hours with them in the NICU. They seem to like it too. I don't know the meaning of quiet at home (though I love my kids dearly). The Lord knows what He is doing and has blessed us in this experience.

Reese and mom