Homecoming Pictures

Our Family is all Home

Yesterday morning we got a call from the NICU around 930 saying that Lucas could come home. We were in total shock but happy. Last night was a bit challenging though because Lucas is not feeling well from his little surgery he had yesterday morning before he came home. He wants to be held all the time, poor little guy but soon he will forget all about it.

We had issues with Rachael the night before, we couldnt keep her awake for her eat and she was not pooping. She had a doctors appt yesterday anyway. The doctor said we have to get mean with her to get her to eat. By this she means we have to strip her down to her diaper and flick the bottom of her foot, rub her head, give her a sponge bath, etc whatever it takes to get her mad so she will wake up. So far she is doing good. I gave her a suppository last night and it did work really quick. So she is back on track with that aspect of her little self. She weighed 4 pounds at her visit, if she loses weight by Monday then she will have to go back into the hospital so we are hoping she gains some or stays the same.

Update

Miss Rachael is doing good at home and we are getting some sleep at night. She is a good sleeper for now, hoping it stays this way but we will see. All 3 of us went to see Lucas last night. Well Rachael had to stay in the parents room but she went with us. I fed him his bottle and cuddled with him for a bit and then Dave went to cuddle with him for a bit and rocked him to sleep.

I called the NICU to check on him this morning like I always do and he weighed 5 pounds 13.6 ounces and he had a few brief apnea episodes during the night. I guess our chat again last night did not do anything. Nurse Cindy said that she is going to have alot of long chats with him as well so maybe he will listen to her. He is being stubborn already.

Rachael's Homecoming Day

Rachael was discharged from the NICU today. She was there 28 days. She weighs 3 pounds 15 ounces now. We have to take her for her first pediatrician visit on Friday. She had her eyes checked again today and everything still looks good.

If Lucas does not have anymore apnea episodes he will be home this weekend probably. He weighed 5 pounds 11 ounces this morning. He is getting really big.

Both babies had there hearing test done yesterday and both passed with no problems.

Christmas Pictures in the NICU

Weekend Update

Rachael weighs 3 pounds 12 ounces now and Lucas weighs 5 pounds 7 ounces. We took a car seat up the hospital yesterday to make sure it passes their test and it did. They put Rachael in it to see if she could keep her oxygen level up and not have any apnea episodes for an hour and she passed. The word is right now that Miss Rachael might be coming home on Tuesday. Lucas might come home the end of the week but he has to go 5 days without having any apnea episodes and so far he has not gone one day without one but when we left yesterday he did not have any yet so we are hoping he kept up the good work.

We also took their Christmas outfits up yesterday for pictures. I will post them when I get them downloaded. We took several but only a few came out good because they like to move their arms alot and they seem to do it at the same time. Must be a twin thing.

We are in the process now of getting the house ready for their homecoming. It still is hard to believe that they will be 4 weeks old on Tuesday already, it really has gone by fast. So hopefully they both might be home for Christmas!!! I keep hearing the song I will be home for Christmas on the radio and tell them i hope they will be.

These two little ones are the best Christmas present ever!!!

Miss Rachael's Pictures

Lucas's First Bath Pictures

Update

It has been awhile since I have updated the blog so here goes. Lucas now weighs 5 pounds 4.4 ounces and Rachael weighs 3 pounds 8 ounces, both are gaining good. Lucas is doing very well in his big boy crib. Rachael should be going in a big girl crib tonight because she weighs enough now. Her belly button still has not fallen off.

We were able to give Lucas his first bath with us on Saturday. He just laid there and enjoyed it. We were a little nervous about it but he wasnt or maybe he was because he had his hands crossed as if he was praying, lol..

Earlier in the week Nurse Randi said word has it that Lucas might come home in a week or 2 but he has to stop having his apnea episodes first. Yesterday when i was there, he had 4 but he did not have any overnight.

Rachael had her eyes examined yesterday to see if everything is developing the way it should be because she was so small when she was born and everything is so thats a good thing. She will be examined before she is discharged to make sure things still look good.

They both are having lotrimin put on their little butts for diaper rash and they are both getting better. Lucas was on eye drops for 5 days for a little infection. They said his tear ducts were blocked and had a little infection. He had a lot of drainage but they look better now.

Lucas is eating every 3-4 hours now and getting 60 cc's each time. Rachael is still eating every 3 hours and she is getting 30 cc's now.

Thursday Update

Rachael weighed in at 3 pounds 4 ounces today, had a brief bradycardia overnight, she took 5 cc's through the bottle but the rest of her feedings were put through her feeding tube. She is still at 28 cc's every 3 hours and is tolerating all of them. I asked Nurse Cindy if her belly button had fallen off yet and she did not look but the next time she changes her diaper she is going to check then she will be able to have regular baths too.

Lucas weighed in at 4 pounds 14.4 ounces today, had a brief bradycardia overnight, he is at 60 cc's every 4 hours now (he just started the every 4 hour feedings yesterday) and he had his first bath today. Nurse Cindy said he is a clean little boy now.

Trying to figure out who our Secret Angels Are

Yesterday we received a card from Secret Angels with a $100 gas card in it. We want to say thank you very much and very thoughtful. It will come in handy as we drive 25 miles each way to see our precious miracles!!!!

Wednesday's Update

I have not been up to see them yet as I am having sinus issues. I really think its because it is so dry in the NICU but have called a few times already this morning to check on them and they are both doing great still. I called the OB to see if i could take Sudafed because I am nursing to make sure it is safe to take and it is. Hoping pretty soon I get some relief.

Lucas weighed in at 4 pounds 13 ounces today, gained a little bit overnight, took 1/2 of 2 bottles during the night and the rest was given to him through his feeding tube, 2 brief bradycardia's during the night. He is still in the big boy crib all cuddled up in his blankets and his hat. Nurse Cindy said that his temperature is down a little bit but they are giving him the benefit of the doubt because the pod that they are in is chilly.

Rachael weighed in at 3 pounds 2.4 ounces today, no apnea or bradycardia's during the night, they didnt try her on bottles during the night because they wanted to let her rest so she just got her meals through her feeding tube.

Tuesday's Update - 2 Weeks old Today!!!

Rachael weighed in at 3 pounds 1.8 ounces, still tolerating her feedings good, took a few feedings partly by bottle but they really do not want to tire her out to much because she is so tiny yet but she is growing good.

Lucas weighed in at 4 pounds 12.8 ounces, still tolerating his feedings good as well, old isolette is gone and now he is in big boy crib, took some more bottles.

Mondays update Part 2

Lucas was in a crib when we went to see him last night. They said if he continued to hold his temperature through Nurse Kathy's shift then that would be his new bed. I fed him for the first time with a bottle and Dave changed Rachael's diaper for the first time and also fed her some of her bottle. She was tired so they put the rest in a syringe and went through her feeding tube. Lucas took 32 cc's through his bottle and then took the rest through his feeding tube. He was falling asleep and said that he is tired from trying to keep his temperature up. But both are doing great with the bottle feedings. They gestational age is 33 weeks today!

Mondays update

We have not been to seen our precious babies yet today but I talked to Nurse Sherry and said that they both had a brief bradycardia during the night but did not have any while she was there today. This is common because of their gestational age but they do not have many. They said in a few weeks they will lower the number they have it set at and they will have less then.

Lucas weighed in at 4 pounds 10 1/2 ounces today and Rachael made it to 3 pounds today. She was going to try Lucas in a crib today to see how he did holding his temperature.

Sundays update

Lucas weighed in at 4 pounds 9.8 ounces and Rachael weighed in at 2 pounds 15.8 ounces-so close to 3 pounds, probably today. We talked with the doctor and said that both are great babies and doing great for their age. They just have to learn how to breath, eat and swallow all at once but they are on their way. Rachael's feeding was upped to 28 cc's and Lucas to 40 cc's yesterday. When they move one up they always do the other according to Nurse Cindy. Lucas's belly button fell off yesterday so Rachael's probably wont be to much longer before it falls off. We went and bought their christmas outfits Sat night, hopefully they will be home, if not, we will just take them to the hospital to get their pictures with their outfits on.

As for me, i went to the doctors on Thurs to get my incision looked at and it looks great, no infection, etc thank goodness. They gave me some pills to see if it would help me make some more milk for the munchkins. I think it may have helped a little bit. I will keep taking them. I go back to the doctors on the 28th for my follow up visit from the pregnancy. As of today, i have lost 21 pounds so far, i gained a total of 44 pounds in the pregnancy so i am getting there.

Update from Saturday

Lucas now weighs 4 pounds 7.8 ounces and Rachael weighs 2 pounds 15 ounces. Maybe tomorrow she will hit the 3 pound mark. Lucas took 2 1/2 bottles today and tolerated it well. Rachael took 1 bottle and tolerated it well. They were going to try to give Rachael another bottle but didnt because they dont want to tire her out to much so they will give her more tomorrow.

Twins Update

Lucas weighed 4 pounds 6.2 ounces yesterday so he is past his birth weight. Rachael weighed 2 pounds 14 ounces so she is back to her birthweight now. Both are doing great. They had ultrasounds done on their heads on Thursday to check for bleeding and neither one had any, thank goodness. They do this will all preemies about a week or so after birth because of their blood vessels being so small. They said in a few days they will start trying the bottle. Rachael really likes her paci but Lucas will take it once in a while but mostly is not interested in it.

I forgot to add that Lucas had his first haircut last Saturday already. They needed to move his iv spot and his head was the only place left to put it. And with all his hair they needed to shave a little bit of it. But his hair is growing alot and he will probably need another one here shortly.