It's a Rough Life.....

...but someone has to do it! :) So this morning, like all mornings, I called for an update on the girls. The nurse's comments: no big concerns, they had a great night, their only issue is how darned CUTE they are. Such a nice girl. We love having Jen for our night nurse! :) She, like many of the nurses, comment quite frequently on how cute our babies are. We of course agree! :P


Miss Olivia...yawning for her mommy. I learned how to turn off the flash on our camera today. (I know, high tech, but it makes the girls happier. And pictures are MUCH easier to take b/c the flash doesn't stimulate them and it usually forces them to close their eyes, which is no fun).

Miss Sydney....lazing as usual with her foot out. They have the darndest time getting her to keep her feet in her snoogly.

By the time I arrived at the NICU around noon, sadly, Miss Olivia was back on her billi-light. Dr. Harris (our neonatologist), assures me is a temporary thing. I sure hope so b/c the poor baby HATES her sunglasses that she has to wear when under the billi-light. We also discussed the ultrasound that Sydney had yesterday of her heart. Dr. Harris said that while she has a heart murmur, and they are keeping an eye on it, the ultrasound didn't reveal anything that they are currently worried about. What has happened is that her PDA valve hasn't closed yet (b/c she was so early). If it were to become an issue, she would potentially need to take some meds to correct it but for now since it's not causing problems (meaning her heart rate & respiration are not extremely elevated...really it's the respiration that we'd notice it more with), then they are not going to do anything just yet. He's not worried, so I'm not worried (odd to hear isn't it)?

Additional news is that the girls are FINALLY gaining weight... While neither of them are at their birth weight, I fully expect (as does Dr. Harris), that they will be there by the end of the weekend, at the latest, if not by tomorrow. Olivia weighed in at 2lbs 8.5oz which is up from her 2lb5oz that she weighed yesterday and Sydney weighed in at 2lbs 7 oz, which is up from her 2lb4oz weight that she was yesterday! You go girls.

I also spoke with Dr. Harris today, he wanted to address the fact that b/c of the high levels of patients at Children's there is a chance that they will desperately need to move the girls back to MoBap in a couple weeks, when they are nothing but feeders and growers (working on being able to eat, breathe on their own, and maintain their body temperature). Of course the ultimate choice is up to Matt and I, but he also revealed that he'll be cycling out of Children's to return to working at MoBap in August (do I detect an alterior motive as to why the babies need to be moved? (I think so... but he just laughed at me.) Olivia FINALLY got some time with Daddy and Mommy to do some kangaroo time. (I'll explain what this is AND its benefits in another post, I promise!) She didn't get out of her isolette yesterday, just Sydney did b/c she was having a rough day.

In other news, not too much is going on. As usual, Matt and I are exhausted. I even got a lecture from my NICU nurse today that I need to nap more, which is hard at the NICU b/c there are alarms and OTHER loud babies that disturb not only my sleep but the girls as well! Even though the babies are not home, I'm occupied every 2-3 hours pumping, which means I never really sleep more than 2-3 hours at a time, which stinks. While Matt actually gets to sleep through the night, he's still doing the majority of the work around the house...what a great guy. This evening (around 8 when we got home from the NICU), we saw our neighbors for the first time since I've been home (okay, Matt's seen them plenty, I on the other hand have not seen them very often). Our next door neighbors, gave the girls 2 of the cutest sleepers. Angie, their daughter who is in 7th grade, picked them out. Great job Angie and thanks from all of us (including the babies AND Cassius & Sugar whom think they own your family). I tell you we REALLY got lucky when we moved here. I could not ask for better neighbors. They are all pretty awesome and so very nice.

Well, I'm off. We were going to just do a post tomorrow in celebration of our anniversary, but I figured I may be lynched by some parents of mine, in particular, if I didn't provide NEW pics of the babies today, so here goes.

Miss Sydney....

Miss Olivia.....

Olivia....Watching to see what Mommy is doing! :)

Until tomorrow.....

J