~Twinkies~

We had newborn pictures taken yesterday.  It really amazes me how much the twins' personalities are just like they were in the womb.  Remember how I used to journal how I hardly ever felt Lynlee move....well, she is still the same way.  She sleeps a lot and when she is awake, she is very calm and laid back.  Brock was constantly moving in the womb, and I don't think he slept much.  He is the same way now!  Here is a sneek peek .

"He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers." Malachi 4:6
 
Happy Father's Day to the most amazing husband and daddy.  I don't tell you enough how blessed and thankful we are to have you in our lives.  I couldn't ask for a better daddy for our children.  We love you and appreciate all that you do for our family.  May God bless you in all that you do!

~Thankful Thursday~

"Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have enough room for it." Mal 3:10

~SPRINGING into summer~

I can't believe that spring is nearly over and summer is here!  We have been so busy with the birth of the twins that the outside world has been veiled from us.  However, I know that graduation parties are being planned and held.  If you haven't already sent your invites, consider using Shutterfly for all your Graduation Invitation needs.  Congrats to all you grads out there!!

I am busy planning a baby shower for BOTH of my sister-in-laws.  Yes, they both are expecting....3 days apart!  I am using the Shutterfly Baby Shower Invitations to bring in the crowd to "shower" the mommies!  We are planning on having a luncheon and double baby shower.  I can't wait to meet my new NIECES! 

Can you believe July Forth is right around the corner.  Do you have plans?  We always go camping at Raccoon Lake, but the last two years the Fireworks have been rained out :(  We will probably go down for the day, but I don't think I am ready to camp with three babes just yet!!  If you are having a Forth Celebration, you might be interested in checking out the Invitations that Shutterfly offers...there are some really cool ones!! 

Do you blog?   Sign up for a chance at a free photo book from Shutterfly.

Shutterfly has some really nice products.  Check them out!

NICU Day 11

Monday June 13, 2011

Our nurse called around 8:30 this morning to tell us that we could do CPR training at 1:30 today.  Lynlee has been alarm free again since Saturday morning, and she has been eating wonderfully.  We were told that CPR training would last 2 hours, and we were done in 20 minutes.  Jesse suggested that I call and see if we could move up on monitor training to today instead of tomorrow.  I called and they had a cancellation, so I was able to get trained at 4 today!!!  They hooked Lynlee to the home monitor along with the hospital monitor for two hours and then we got the ok to go HOME!!!!!  Yes, you read that right, we are home now!  Isn't it ironic that today is the day we would have delivered had I made it this far.....I wonder what the first 1.5 would have been like without NICU visits?  Praising God that we are all home together now. 

Lynlee: 4#15oz



NICU Day 10

Sunday June 12, 2011

Miss Lynlee was alarm free all night.  They did start her on a bolus of caffeine last night.  We should hear something from the apnea monitor supplier on Monday as far as getting trained.  We also have to learn CPR on Monday or Tuesday, and then she can come home!! 

Brock slept pretty decent for his first night home.  He didn't fall asleep until after his midnight feeding though.  We were back up at 4 and 8 too.  I forgot how the little grunts and squeeks keep me awake!  He has been eating like a champ (though Lynlee has been eating even better!)  

NICU Day 9

Saturday June 11, 2011

Today didn't go as planned.  After 60 hours of no alarms, Lynlee had 2 alarms 2 hours prior to discharge.  I am heartbroken, yet thankful that she alarmed at the hospital where we knew what she was doing.  She is actually feeding like a champ (better than her brother.)  The Dr said he would start her on caffefine and order an apnea monitor that we would go home with early next week.  I have requested that they hold off on caffefine until Monday...hoping that she doesn't alarm any more.  If we start caffefine, then we have to go home with a monitor.  However, we can start caffefine the day she is discharged, so that is why I want to wait and see how she does the rest of today and tomorrow.  I am being hopeful and praying that God does a great work in her body.   Brock was discharged today around 1. It was bittersweet walking out with one baby and not the other.  I was nervous about what Cayden would think as well.  Well, he quickly learned a new word, and he didn't stop saying it until we got home. "Brock, Brock, Brock"  (sounds like bock bock bock.  He giggled and pointed at Brock the entire way home.  I was starving, so Brock's first outing was to Pizza Hut!  He slept the entire time.  

NICU Day 8

Friday June 10, 2011

Today was a good day.  Lynlee is still alarm free.  We were told today that both babies could come home tomorrow as long as things were the same when Dr arrives tomorrow. It is amazing how much more alert that they are.  Their suck is so much better now too.  Yea! for growing babies. 

Weights: Brock 5#1oz

                  Lynlee 4#11oz



NICU Day 7

( I am aware that there are probably lots of grammatical and spelling errors in my blog posts.  I am just trying to stay caught up on the days...forgive me!)

Thursday June 9, 2011

The morning feedings went really well.  When I arrived this morning, I received good reports on both babies.  Lynlee hadn't alarmed since 7:45 last night.  Both babies ate well for me all day.  They were both a bit tired during the 1 o'clock feeding but were still able to get it all down.  Brock passed his hearing and carseat test today as well.  These are tests that they do right before dismissing a baby from NICU...so crossing my fingers that he will be home soon.  Lynlee went all day with no alarms!!!  This was our best day so far....praying that tomorrow goes the same way. 

Weights: Brock 4#15oz
               Lynlee 4#9oz



NICU Day 6

Wednesday June 8, 2011

Today was a stressful day for me.  The 1 and 4 am feedings went well for Brock.  However, he would hardly wake up for the 7, 10, and 1 feedings.  It took the entire 1/2 hr that he is given to finish his bottle.  He struggled to finish the last 10 oz on all three bottles.  Dr said that he has to be alert and eating well before we can start the 48 discharge countdown.  Lynlee didn't have any alerts all night and up until 10am.  She alarmed 2 twice during mid-morning, and then had a really low saturation around 3.  She turned an ugly blue grey color that brought back so many memories to me of Braxton. 

So many of you have kindly asked how I am doing after surgery and the emotional toll of juggling caring for 3 babies in two locations.  I am doing ok.  I have hit the emotional  stage of hormone swings, so I cry at random times!  I was physically and emotionally drained after the 4 o'clock feeding, so I had to make myself come home for the day.  As I type, I am debating whether or not to go to the 10 o'clock feeding tonight....I really could just take a pain pill and go to bed (7:45pm.) 

I did end up staying in for the evening.  I went to bed at 9:30...it was nice.  Both babies did well all night!!! 

Weights:  Brock 4#14oz
                  Lynlee 4#8oz

(They are doing very well on weight...the hospital uses the metric system, so they are actually gaining grams...just not oz yet!)



NICU Day 5

Tuesday June 7, 2011

The babies had an excellent early morning.  I manage to get up throughout the morning hours and call to check on them after every feeding.  They fed well all day today.  Feeding tubes have been removed.  Brock is now in an open isolette!!!  He has maintained his temp since the "top was popped!"  We keep telling him that he is in a convertible now!! I gave Brock a bath tonight, and watched Lynlee get hers.  They are just like big brother...LOVE warm water!  Praying for a good night and good reports in the morning.  Lynlee only had two alarms today, so hoping the medicines are starting to work. 

Weights: Brock 5#1oz
                 Lynlee 4#8oz

NICU Day 4

Monday June 6, 2011

Today has been the best so far!  Lynlee started the day off with 3 alarms, but she recovered quickly and only ended the day with 4 or 5.  Both babies ate like champs....feeding tube was not needed today!  The Dr agreed that if they continued the great feeds throughout the day and through the night, then the tubes could be removed.  Brock will then work on maintaining good temps, and if he can maintain for  a few days...he will be homeward bound.  Lynlee still has a bit more time before we will be able to bring her home.  Jesse and I were at the hospital during the day and came home in the evening to have dinner with Cayden.  He was so excited to actually have us home with some normalcy.  After Cayden went to bed, Jesse and I went back up for their late night feeding. 

Weights: Brock 4#14oz

                  Lynlee 4#8oz

NICU Day 1- Day 3

 Friday June 3, 2011

We woke up after a short nights sleep to go spend time with our babies. We were told on their birth night that they would only be observed for 24 hours and then they would get to go to my room. They were breathing room air, eating, and do EXCELLENT! Within the first 3 hours of visiting them this morning, Lynlee had a desaturation that went very low. She turned a very dusky color, and scared me to death. That was the first problem that either of them encountered, however it was enough that they were admitted into the NICU for a stay. During the day both did well feeding. The only problem was that Lynlee had a few desats. Later in the day, Brock started to have a few problems eating, but still just under observation.

Weights: Brock 4#15 oz
                  Lynlee 4#13 oz

 

Saturday June 4, 2011

Babies did well today with temp control and eating.  Lynlee is still having episodes of desaturation, but remaining stable.  The Dr has reassured us that we have two very healthy babies that are "just acting their age."   Both babies were very tired after the 10 o'clock feeding, and we left the NICU that evening unsure of how things might be through the night.

Weights: Brock 4#15.6oz

                  Lynlee 4#11oz 

Sunday June 5, 2011

I woke up to call the NICU around 2:15 this morning to check on the babies.  Our nurse informed me that both were extrememly tired and only ate about 1/3 of their feedings, so she had to place feeding tubes in both.  She also reported that Lynlee was not only having desaturations, but that she had also had a two Brady (dips in heartrate) episodes.  I was more than a mess.  I woke Jesse up and had him wheel me to the NICU.  The nurse didn't even attempt to wake them for the 4 o'clock feeding...she let them rest as she fed them through their tubes.  Brock woke up for his 7 o'clock feeding, but Lynlee slept through it again.  I feel like we take one step forward and three steps back.  God has been so good, and I KNOW he will continue to strengthen my babies.  I prayed with both of them prior to their 10 o'clock morning feeding, and they did excellent...  As a matter of fact, Brock only needed the tube once during the day.  Lynlee was feeding all by bottle the rest of the day.  Today was bittersweet, because I was released and had to leave the hospital empty handed.  However, this time time I knew my babies were still there and that they were in the best hands. 

Weights:  Brock 4#15oz

                  Lynlee 4#9oz

~Delivery Day~

June 2, 2011

Dr finally came into the triage room and explained that with my pain and the high fetal heart rates, he was concerned about a possible placental abruption or deterioration.  He explained the he thought delivery was the safest for both me and the babies at this point.  We called our family and waited patiently until my morning pancakes had digested.  We arrived at the hospital around 10, and they nurses started to prep me for surgery around 3. 

Jesse and I were both very nervous about the babies and the possible problems that we might face with them being born early.  I was wheeled back to the operating room at 3:30.  The spinal was administered, but from the very start, I felt like it wasn't working like it should.  It took 24 minutes for the spinal to take effect, and I was still very hesitant about feeling more than I felt with Cayden's delivery.  The anesthesiologist was certain it had taken effect and surgery was started.  I could feel A LOT of pressure and pulling.  I could also feel my fingers moving around inside me ( TO MUCH FEELING FOR ME.)  I started to panic just a little, but I kept telling myself that I was going to deal with it, because seeing my babies was much more important to me. 

Brock Adam was born first at 4:13pm weighing in at 5 # 20z and 18 1/4in.  He started crying right away.  Lynlee Grace was born at 4:14 weighing 4# 14oz and 18 3/4 in.   She also cried right away.  I was able to see them both...and I don't remember much after that.  I started to really feel more of the surgery, so the anesthesiologist put me out with some really good nerve medicine, and I woke up in recovery shortly after the surgery was over.

 Lynlee Grace

Brock Adam



Both babies were taken to NICU for observation.  I was able to go right over and see them, and they were absolutely precious.  The NICU observation turned into a stay...so I will start a NICU Journal to document their progress.