Ashley Lauren Meagan Elise
Meagan & Ashley
Sunday, December 2, 2007 - Picture Albums (see NEW on the left)
Well as you can tell it is becoming increasingly difficult to update the website. Heck I haven't had a shower in 3 weeks! ;) Just kidding. Since most people are interested in seeing how the girls are doing I decided to create a Picture Albums page to link all of the photo albums we will be creating. This way you guys can continue to check out the girl's progress. Enjoy!
Friday, November 16, 2007 - 3 Weeks Old and Doing Great
Wed we took the girls to the pedi for their first visit. I was happy to see the girls were producing the same multiple one-the-spot diapers for the nurses that they have been producing for Daddy in the middle of the night. Glad to see it wasn't just me. :) So Wed was day 3 since the girls have been home and already they have grown almost 1/2 lb! The pedi said we can expect a growth spurt at 2 weeks, 2 months and another at 6 months. Not sure if that was the 2 weeker or not or whether it's coming soon.
Thankfully, the girls continue to treat Mom and Dad well during the night. Last night was their first night in the big girls' bed (aka the crib). We had the monitor on and the girls slept as normal. I'm starting to think this is the calm before the storm, you know. I mean there hasn't really been any screaming, yelling, on demand feeding to speak of. We just keep their bellies full and they seem content.
I think we have done well getting a routine down for ourselves. It's the little things really. Making sure we always have enough bottles early on for the entire day and night, making sure we have everything at arms reach for a diaper change and feeding. Oh and two diaper genies! What a blessing!!! One upstairs and one down. These girls have each blown through multiple diapers in one change and I mean blown through. I still have my pink shirt though if you get my drift. ;)
Vitamins...I am so glad I was too young to remember downing this nasty Poly-Vi-Sol. You talk about disgusting! it turns their milk a wonderful honey mustard color but smells and tastes like... We started giving their vitamins to them first for lunch in only a small amount of milk. That way they suffer...I mean...drink down all of their Poly-Vi-Sol in just a few swallows. If they're still hungry then we give them their normal bottle. Having this for lunch, it's no wonder kids later love McDonald's and Chick-Fil-A. Mmm...Chick-Fil-A...
Sunday, November 11, 2007 - They're Finally Home!!!
It has been quite busy since our last update. Between work, visiting the girls twice a day, pumping 8 times a day (not me :) and wrapping up remaining projects around the house, we've just had no time to update the website.
But today I have really really good news! Today both Ashley and Meagan were discharged from the NICU. Both girls are finally home!!! From 4 bottle feeds a day things just really took off. It was like the girls just got it, like they finally understood what they had to do. They went from 4 to 5 in maybe a day then quickly to 6 and finally 2 days of 8 bottles per. Laurie and I are very very proud of our little girls. They really did well in the NICU and a lot of the nurses always talked about how cute they are and how easy they are to feed. So I think that certainly helped.
Now we are just trying to keep the same routine the girls had in the NICU. It makes it easier on us too since all we have to do is what we have been doing. Laurie and I were talking the other day how a newborn bootcamp would be awesome for new parents. We've had a real advantage in learning how to take care of the girls, breastfeeding, swaddling, bathing, burping, the difference between a yeast infection and a diaper rash...the list goes on and on. They should have a similar program for newborns and parents but without all the alarms and monitors. :)
The first night went pretty well. We kept the 8:30, 11:30, 2:30, 5:30 feeding schedule and just set our alarms accordingly. The girls were great. We borrowed another pack and play from Tiffany and Brian and put it in our bedroom. Ours is downstairs in the living room so we have everything we need during the day. During the night the girls just slept. Most of the time we had to wake them up to eat. Laurie has already realized this from having to pump every 3-4 hours but for me it's just sinking in that this is the way things are going to be for the unforeseeable future. I will be living out the same routine 8 times a day while trying to work in sleep, food and a shower for myself. Considering I have two little girls that will soon be calling "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy", I'd say it's a pretty good deal. ;)
Ashley and Meagan in their car seats Ready to go home
Finally home A happy family
Tummy time with the girls More tummy time
Meagan with her sister Mommy with Meagan and Ashley
Meagan Elise Ashley Lauren
All bundled up at home
November 8, 2007 -
On 6 feeds. If okay tomorrow is 8!
November 6, 2007 -
November 5, 2007 -
These girls are growing faster than I can keep up! Both of them are now over their original birth weight and doing great. Late last night started the 4 bottles feedings where they have a bottle every other feed.
November 4, 2007 - Half Way There!
Since the girls have been doing so well the Doctor moved them up to 4 bottles per day! The every other bottle starts at 8:30pm, then 2:30am, etc, etc. Both Ashley and Meagan have been doing really well with the bottles and feedings so hopefully the every other bottle will run smoothly. The real challenge is the 5 bottles per day where they have 2 consecutive bottles for the first time. The concern here is them getting tuckered out.
Ever see two little twin girls tuckered out? It's the cutest thing you've ever seen. They pout their lips and refuse to open!
November 3, 2007 - Update and New pictures
Yesterday we had an appointment with Lactation at the 8:30pm touch time. This would be the first time Mom would breastfeed the girls. Ashley was first and being 35 weeks and her first attempt, she did very well even surprising the Lactation nurse. She's still developing her stamina and strengthening her check muscles so the little girl got a little pooped out early. It was an excellent start though! Meagan was next and also did very well. She nursed for about 10 minutes which counts a bottle feed. So 8 good nursings or bottles and we're good. That was yesterday.
Today both girls nursed again. Mom actually does this once a day now. Also, the girls got moved up to 3 bottles per day from 2 which is awesome! We bottle fed both girls at the 11:30am touch time and Ashley has really come on strong! She's gaining more weight, filling out and really starting to down her milk! Good girl!
Also Ashley and Meagan's Nana and Pawpaw (Laurie's mom and dad) came up to see the girls this weekend. We made an extra trip to the hospital at 5:30pm and Mom, Dad, Nana and Pawpaw all took turns seeing the girls. At the 8:30pm touch time, both Ashley and Meagan did really well nursing! Both girls' efforts counted as a bottle feed. One more bottle tonight and they're officially at three. If they can maintain this then hopefully 4-5 bottles per day is around the corner. Good job girls! Mom and Dad love you.
Mom checking on the girls Their first suntan
Jaundice treatment via UV lights Ashley hugging Meagan
She loves her sister Ashley's foot, Daddy's toes :)
Baby feet - Ashley (L), Meagan (R) Nap time
Dad feeding Ashley Burrpppp...
November 2, 2007 - Our Heavyweights
I would put the best man I know up against Miss Meagan when it comes to the bottle. I don't care if its Bud Light, milk, whatever. This girl can drink! I've been telling Ashley that she needs to drink faster because Meagan has stopped using the nipple and just chugs. We try to feed Ashley first and then about 30 minutes later Meagan. That gives us time to take their temps, change them, etc. And about every time Meagan will still finish first. Just amazing. Reminds me of her Uncle Lee! :) (Love you man)
Seriously though the girls are eating and growing like crazy. The last few days they have consisting taken 50cc from both bottles so we're hoping they will up the bottle count this weekend. If that happens then...well you know, the whole 8 bottle thing.
So Ashley Lauren is now 5lbs and Meagan Elise is 5lbs 2oz. Their official status in the NICU - Growers and Feeders. :) Take care everyone.
November 1, 2007 - Day 372
Well the girls learned to walk today. At least I feel like they will be before they get to leave the NICU. I really think I am having a rougher time of this whole NICU experience than the girls. This whole 8 bottle feedings in a day is really killing me. Right now I just don't see the light at the end on the tunnel. Hell there is no tunnel. I think someone blew up the other end and trapped us inside. Okay so that's a little dramatic but leaving the girls at the NICU twice a day just plain sucks. I could go on and on on this topic but I keep telling myself the girls will let us know when they are ready to leave. They are only 35 weeks as of last Wed and still have some real developing to do. So I guess this is my first lesson in patience...
October 31, 2007 - Boo!
Okay so we spent $20 at Wal-Mart buying Halloween candy only to decide later that we would treat ourselves and go out for dinner before visiting the girls. Guess we'll have plenty for next year. :) And yes, it was CPK (California Pizza Kitchen), one of Laurie's most favorite places in the world to eat.
The girls continue to do great. They were removed from the Isolet and the UV lights. Their bilirubin numbers were down to 8.4 and 9.5 for Ashley and Meagan, respectively. I figure most newborns have some jaundice at some point so all of this wasn't too bad at all. Anyone want some candy?
October 30, 2007 - Jaundice
So if I hold my pee, will I turn yellow too? Hmmm... Turns out the girls are slightly jaundice as their bilirubin numbers have approached the magic number 12. That's the point at which the Ashley and Meagan have to go under the UV light in order to reduce their bilirubin and improve their color. So now they are both in an Isolet, basically a warmer with a plastic top to allow the UV lights to shine through. Hopefully by tomorrow their color will be improved and they will be 2back in their normal crib.
October 29, 2007 - Touch Times
I think we have figured out our schedule. Being 30 minutes away from the hospital makes things a little more difficult but I think we've got it.
The NICU has what they call touch times. For Ashley and Meagan they start at 8:30am and go every 3 hours. So roughly 8, 11, 2, 5, 8... This is when Laurie and I get to participate in their care, diaper changes, swaddling, feeding and holding.
Since the girls are in the NICU we have decided I will go back to work possibly Wed. That way I can take my 2 weeks paternity leave once the girls are at home. We have worked it out so that Laurie and I will meet up at the hospital for the 11:30am touch time. That way she can take it easy in the morning and I can just take a long lunch. And after dinner at home we go back up to the NICU for the 8:30pm touch time. The balance is to make sure Laurie is getting enough rest and all four of us are bonding as much as possible. :)
Mom with Meagan (L) and Ashley (R) Ashley (L) and Meagan (R)
October 28, 2007 - Our Difficult Day
Today was a difficult day. Not for the girls but for Laurie and I. Today we were released from the hospital without our baby girls. You talk about hard to do. I'd rather run a marathon in a fat suit than to do that again. :) But the girls are in the best possible place they can be and that is what's important. I was telling Laurie the other day that they are in the best day care we will ever have so they are in good shape.
The good news is that Meagan was given her first bottle today. This is step one in the whole suck swallow breathe challenge and she did awesome!!! If that formula tasted a little better I think she would have just shot it. :) She did well though and got all of it down. Now if both girls can do this across 8 feedings in one day then we are good to go!
October 27, 2007 - They're Here!!!
Ashley Lauren and Meagan Elise were born Friday, October 26, 2007. We had our 34 week sonogram Thurs and were hoping for another week but the girls decided otherwise. Ashley actually decided it was time at 1:40am Friday morning when Laurie's water broke and started to date, the best day of our lives!!!
All things considered I think we were well prepared. We really took things easy and just took our time. Laurie took a shower, I cleaned up the house a little, we packed everything up, went through our list and were off.
By 3:00am we were in the Labor and Delivery Room. I guess it was there we knew this was going to happen today. Even at that point everything still seemed so surreal. A little less than 12 hours later, Ashley was ready to make her entrance. She was born at 2:47pm and was just absolutely beautiful. Meagan decided she wanted the full experience too and took her sweet little time :). With a 12 person team motivating mom and her along, Meagan was born at 3:33pm. As one of the 4 sets of twins born within a three hour window that day, our girls were the only ones not born by C section! Talk about a trooper. Laurie was really, really amazing.
My three girls, Laurie, Ashley and Meagan are all doing great. Because the girls were born at 34 weeks and 2 days they were admitted to the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) as post preterm babies. That means they are not exactly preterm but not full term either, just somewhere in the middle. Now the NICU probably sounds like a scary place but it's really not that bad. The staff has been just amazing and they are open 24 hours. From the beginning the girls were each put in separate beds, no incubators. Both are monitored 24 hours a day. As of this afternoon both Ashley and Meagan are strong and healthy, breathing on their own, warming their own bodies and eating like crazy. They are now sharing a bed and are all cozied up with each other. It's just the cutest thing you have ever seen.
Babies this young however may have difficultly with the suck, swallow, breathe reflex. Doctors say babies typically develop this reflex between weeks 34-35 but could take as long as full term (40 weeks). So as much as we would like to take the girls home with us, they will have to stay here a few weeks until they can suck, swallow and breathe and gain weight. Once they master this, they're out of here! ;) So stay tuned everyone, we'll keep you updated!
Today we are 32 1/2 weeks! Laurie has been on bed rest for about a week now and I really think she's going crazy! She's not exactly the type of girl to sit around doing nothing all day but she knows she has to take it easy these last few weeks for the girls. She's actually been taking it better than I expected. She discovered her ankles again from staying off of her feet. Too bad she can't see them. :)
The whole hospital visit last week really put things into perspective for us. Seems we were not as ready as we thought we were or at least had less time than we expected. This weekend we finally finished the last bit of shopping and prep work we needed to get done. I think now if the girls had to come earlier than expected, we would be ready. But knowing Laurie, those girls probably won't be here for at least another 4 weeks.
We also decided on the girls middle names: Ashley Lauren and Meagan Elise.