Both babies still in the NICU

Well, we were all ready and packed up to come take Olivia home with us on Sunday when we received a phone call from the doctor letting us know that she had a brady episode that morning so they would be extending her for at least another five days. By the time we got up to the hospital that afternoon, she had had two more episodes. So she is not ready to come home yet... maybe she just doesn't want to leave her sister behind. Must be a twin thing. As for good news though - Caroline got her feeding tube taken out on Sunday evening! It was such a great surprise when I walked in on Monday morning and was able to see her whole sweet face again. She does still have a few red marks on her cheeks from the tape but that should go away soon. She seems much happier now and has been eating so well, taking all of her minimum feeds like a big girl! Hopefully she catches up to Olivia soon, who now weighs just a hair under 5lbs (4lb, 14.7oz today ; and Caroline is 4lb, 8oz today). They continue to do well, but both have been consistently having one to two brady episodes a day. This is the last hurdle they must pass before being discharged. I'll post newer pics soon.

Olivia MIGHT be coming home on SUNDAY!

The doctors came around to talk to me this morning and said that it's very possible that Livi will be coming home this Sunday! Of course, this depends on a couple things over the next couple days - she cannot have any brady's and she has to continue taking her minimum feedings all by mouth (but she hasn't really had a problem with either of these so far). We're very excited to have her home, but also very nervous! Just hope that we're ready! I am supposed to bring in her carseat tomorrow morning so they can test her sitting in it for one full hour to make sure she maintains appropriate oxygen levels, temp, etc. And they also had us set up an appointment with our pediatrician, as she'll need to go in within 48 hours after going home. Although we're happy to be bringing her home with us, it will be sad to leave her sister behind. I hope that Caroline catches up soon. She's doing very well and is slowly gaining weight every day, but she's still having one to two brady's every day. She's already had two since I've been here today. :(

Also, they started both girls on this multivitamin - it's a green liquid that is super strong smelling and tastes awful! I gave it to them both mixed with a little breastmilk this morning. Olivia made a super hilarious face because she knew it wasn't her normal breakfast, but still took it all down like a champ - she's a good little eater. We had to give it to Caroline in her tube so she wouldn't taste it. She still had green spit up a few minutes later - I think she'll be a little more sensitive to medicines, etc.

All in all, things continue to go well. We'll let you know after tomorrow what the verdict is on Olivia's homecoming!

Today's weigh in:
Caroline - 4lb, 4oz
Olivia - 4lb, 10oz

One week old!

One week ago the girls were born. It feels longer to me, but maybe that's because they've made so much progress since then. They're both doing great today. Caroline did had another brady early this morning for about 12 seconds... that's another 5 days for her. But both are still eating well and I think Livi is getting closer to coming home. The next few days will determine this.

NICU Day 6

I spent today with the girls again. They both ate really well today, meeting their minimums all by bottle. We did tube feed Caroline in the tube for one feeding just to give her a bit of a break. Both girls had bradycardia episodes today (called "brady's"). This is when their heart rates drop and slows to an abnormal pace for a period of seconds, and sometimes they stop breathing for that short time as well. The nurses assure me that this is pretty common in premature babies and will stop as the girls get closer to their due date. It's still scary to witness this happen because you can see the heart rate drop on the monitor and the alarm sounds and the nurse comes running in... very scary for a mom to see. Each time one of them has a brady automatically tacks on an extra 5 days to their NICU stay. Caroline has had a few of these already, but today was Olivia's first one. Maybe she just doesn't want to leave before her sister.
Livia looking at her daddy.

Sisters during Kangaroo Care

And Auntie Lindsay came to visit us today.

5 days old!

I was discharged from the hospital yesterday evening to go home. Haven't been "on the outside" in 6 weeks! It was very strange being outside and out in the public. I was glad to be going home, but it was sad to leave the girls behind. We left the hospital with our two empty carseats installed in the backseat. :( I cried a little.

Our apologies for not posting an update since they were born. As you can imagine, our days have been busy and long and I've been sooooo tired. Over the past 5 days the girls have been doing very very well. Neither have had any oxygen assistance, both are in open air cribs. Olivia is back up to her birth weight today, which they told me is great for being only 5 days old. She is the stronger eater and has been taking all her food by bottle, and has attempted some breastfeeding. They have been discussing discharging her relatively soon, maybe in the next few days. Caroline is also doing great, but has a little bit of catching up to do. By day 3 they put a feeding tube in her because she wasn't eating her minimum amount (both girls are now on a minimum of 35 cc's per feeding). Poor baby, she is very aware of the tube in her nose, which is left there 24 hours a day and taped to her cheek. She is always grabbing it and really hates it. We alternate feedings with her - one we will attempt to give her a bottle and if she doesn't finish it within about 20 minutes she is fed the remainder in the tube; the next feeding is all tube fed. The doctors are hoping this will help her to gain weight since she isn't burning as many calories fighting to eat. Here's daddy feeding her with the tube in.

Caroline's jaundice levels have been elevated so she was on the billy lights for 2 days to break down the liver enzymes. Here she is getting her "sun".

This morning we got up and went to the hospital to spend the day with the girls, which will be my daily routine until they come home. I've been pumping like crazy - every 2 to 3 hours and it makes me feel good knowing that I can still do that for them, even though I'm not giving my babies constant care. The girls did so great today. Caroline is off the billy light and took all of her 35 cc's by bottle from me at one feeding today! I was proud of her. Olivia continues to do well and had her eyes open a lot today, her pretty blue eyes checking out her surroundings and looking at us.

Daddy with both his girls today

And here are some pictures from over the past few days:

Grandma Karen

Grandpa Richard

Olivia Caroline

Kangaroo Care with Mommy


Grandma Diane & Aunt Kari

Our girls have arrived!

We became a family of four on Wednesday, October 15th!

Baby A:
Caroline Grace
born at 11:13am
4lb, 6oz & 17.75 inches

Baby B:
Olivia Reese
born at 11:14am
4lb, 8oz & 16.75

The nervous parents the morning of delivery

Mommy holding Caroline right after delivery

Olivia holding Daddy's finger

Daddy and Caroline

Little Olivia cozy in her crib

And here is the incredible picture of the girls' umbilical cords all tangled up. This is the reason why I had to be monitored in the hospital for so long before delivery. Scary stuff. Our girls are truly miracle babies!

Tomorrow is the Big Day!

Today marks my 5th week behind me in the hospital and I can't believe that by this time tomorrow I will be able to finally look at my baby girls. It's so weird to think that today is my last day to be pregnant! I can barely remember what it was like to be able to look down and see my feet! Rob and I toured the NICU last night. We feel a lot better after seeing what a nice facility it is and how helpful the nurses are there. They answered all our questions and were very encouraging about how well 34 weekers typically do with a little help.

My parents all arrive on flights this afternoon/evening and I already told them that we have to order a big pizza for dinner because I won't be able to eat after tonight - no breakfast tomorrow before the surgery and probably not for the better part of the day either. The doctors told me that I'll be taken downstairs tomorrow morning around 9am to prep for the surgery. Rob and I are both a little nervous, but definitely ready to meet our girls! We'll post an update and pictures as soon as the chaos settles after the big event. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers for a safe delivery tomorrow morning!