Eat, Burp (Spit-Up), Sleep, Poop & Repeat

"Having a baby changes everything"...have you heard that saying before? I have. But it has new meaning. This having a baby thing (or two babies in our case) is hard work! I have always heard people say that being a parent is the toughest but most rewarding job in the world. I never quite understood that until now. I know Jeremy agrees. These girls are tiny, but man do they control our lives in every way now! But as the saying goes--it's totally worth it.

We feed the girls around the clock about every three hours. They let us know when they're hungry by a few good warning grunts and then a nice loud cry. We've got those lovely Dr. Browns bottles--you know the ones with a million parts to wash. But they help with preventing discomfort associated with feedings for the twins so its worth the extra effort. They get a diaper change before each feeding to minimize their reflux but 9 times out of 10, they leave us an extra little gift after the feeding too.

Lily and Grace are good natured babies so far and sleep most of the day/night except to wake up to eat. Jeremy & I are pretty wiped out and don't sleep very much as you probably can assume. "Sleep when the babies sleep" you hear...but unfortunately there's laundry (baskets full of laundry every day--who knew two little peanuts could create such a mess!?), bottles and parts to wash and well time for us to clean up, shower, & eat now and then. Thankfully, we've got some good friends & neighbors who have brought us dinners and continue to do so to make life a little easier & tastier :)

We're hanging in there and are getting into a routine. We're finding out what works and what doesn't and are catching a few Zzzz's when we can. If you happen to see one of us and we look zombie like, we apologize in advance. I am going to go and finish my coffee and then it's bath time for Lily & Grace. Until next time.  -Michelle

The First 24 Hours at Home.

Grace and Lily have had an outstanding first 24 hours at home. They are eating well, sleeping well, and yes, pooping well. While we have loved having them home, it's been a real challenge (as expected).  Perhaps it's the NICU psychosis finally setting in, but neither of us can sleep unless the other is watching each girl to make sure they are breathing.  We hear that most parents do this, but as you probably know, these girls have needed lots of extra monitoring up until as soon as recently as last weekend.  Michelle and I did our best to stay awake in shifts, but it was not that simple.  There's pumping, worry that while you are sleeping and episode might happen that either of us would need assistance with, and of course...those baby "sounds".  Grace and Lily sure like to grunt.  Especially, considering their reflux and efforts to poop.  This is all normal, and we know that.  So, Grace and Lily have had an outstanding first 24 hours at home.  Each girl has taken to the new bottles fabulously, and sucked down their food as quickly as they did in the NICU.  Immediately following their bottles, we put them in their swings or bouncy seats.  This really helps minimize their reflux and associated "spits".

Grace and Lily had their first appointment with the Pediatrician and she says they're "just perfect".  Later on, we took them for their first stroller ride around the neighborhood.  They seemed to really enjoy it. At least we think so.  They slept the entire time.  While we did not get a picture, we do have some to share of them from today:

Grace happy to be sitting in her swing.

Lily happy to be sitting in her swing.

Grace and Lily checking to see that the other is there.

We busted out. Watch out world!

On March 17th 2012, at 5:58 and 5:59 a.m. Grace and Lily surprised us when they came into this world so suddenly.  They were just 29 weeks and 5 days gestation.  Grace and Lily spent the next 53 1/2 days in under the care of the highly skilled and caring NICU nurses and Neonatalogists of the REX Special Care Nursery.  At 12:59pm today, Grace and Lily were discharged and took their first car ride home.  They have had a great day so far.  Eating.  Pooping.  Sleeping.

Lily gets her leads removed.

Grace and Lily dressed up for their discharge.

Grace and Lily outside the doors to Special Care.

Grace and Lily are ready to ride!

No Pulse Ox!

We arrived today to the surprise that the girls had been taken off their "Pulse Ox" monitors (which monitor their O2 saturation).  We are sure they are more comfortable without it, as it's strapped tightly to their foot.  Lily and Grace are getting closer to discharge day, which is "soon".  We all believe it's sooner than later.

5/10/12: Weigh in:  Grace 6lbs. 6oz.  Lily 5lbs. 13oz.

Grace isn't the only one going to the mall...

So, while we were soaking up the sun for the last time before the girls are discharged, Lily passed her car seat test.  Nurse Amy said she made it about an hour and half before it was time to for her to eat. Congrats Lily!

Lily passes her car seat test 5-5-12

You went to beach? WITHOUT US?!?!

So, Mom and Dad went to Nags Head to celebrate 11 years since they met each other.  They failed to convince Nurse Amy to let us come along.  She said we weren't ready.  We disagreed.  -G&L.

Lily has her IV removed...

Thanks to some strong IV antibiotics, Lily has been able to fight her UTI very well.  So well, that she's not needing the powerful IV antibiotics anymore. She is now on a "big kid" antibiotic by mouth.  As you can see, she's pretty comfortable.

Lily resting in Dad's arms 5-2-12

Lily is ready for Mom to give her a bottle.

Grace Passed Her Car Seat Test!

While most days she's passing gas, today it was gas and a car seat test.  Nurse Alaina reports that Grace spent 2 hours in her car seat without any de-sats or bradys.  They're only required to make it 1 hr, but Grace continues to be an overachiever.  Lily should have her test soon, she's not too far behind her sister.

Grace in her car seat 5-2-12

April 30-May 1

Over the past day or two, Lily started to have bradycardia spells again and "de-sats". This alerted the nurses that something was not right with Lily since she had been off oxygen support for so long, and had been doing so well. They decided to go ahead and run some tests to see if she had an infection of some sort. In the meantime, they took her off her feeds (which Lily was not pleased with...the girl likes to eat!), and started her on some antibiotics to knock out anything bacterial. They also tested her for meningitis (not common but possible), and RSV. Lily responded very well to the antibiotics immediately and is doing 100% better now. Turns out she had a UTI and nothing else. The doctor says she hasn't fallen behind any and is allowed to eat again as of this morning. The nurse told us that she guzzled down her bottles today! She also drank her whole bottle this afternoon for Jeremy. She is back to her self now luckily.

Grace is doing very well. She is nearly 6 lbs now and has been drinking all of her bottles as well. The doctors told us to go ahead and bring in a car seat and leave it there so they can do the "car seat test" in the coming days once they get closer to going home. This is encouraging! Things are looking good for the girls and we're just waiting and waiting until Grace & Lily tell us they're ready to come home.