long awaited update

The twins are doing better than we had ever hoped and prayed for. As of last week, they were transferred from the NICU to the special care nursery. This is the place where they start learning how to become real babies!! They will learn how to eat, hold their body temperature, and outgrow their apnea.

They both will probably be coming out of their incubators this week. Eva is a little stronger than her brother. She is completely off his oxygen, but he still needs his. The goal is for him to come off of it within the next week.

They are wearing their own clothes now, and look as adorable as can be.

They both have broken the four pound mark, and get bigger every day.

Any family that wants to visit is welcome. Matt and I are at the hospital Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights, and Saturday until around noon or 1. Just give us a call and we can authorize you to come in and visit.

Good news yet again

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days. I went back to work this week, so I have been extra busy.

I got a great report from the hospital this morning. Both babies are ready to get rid of their central IV lines. This is great progress because it means that they are tolerating their feeds so well that they won't need the extra nutrients. This makes me happy because it means that my milk is now supplying them with everything they need.

Eva is now at 3 pounds 5 ounces, and Nicholas is now 3 pounds 6 ounces. My little peanuts are getting very big and healthy.

Matthew and I are so happy that we are still on a good streak health wise. We are both hoping that they continue to strive.

Keep those prayers coming guys.

another great update

We have more great news. Nicholas has sucessfully fully recovered from NEC. We are so thankful for all of the prayers and well wishes. It makes me so happy to type this. He started getting fed yesterday at 3:00 p.m. Eva has also been doing great as well.

I just wanted to spread some good news!!

Babies are growing

As the saying goes, no news is good news. We went to visit last night and for the most part everything is going great. Nicholas is getting better every day. He is out of the woods as far as the the N.E.C. is concerned. They are still holding his food for another few days just to be on the safe side.

Eva's belly looked big last night, so they decided to hold her food again for a few days just to be safe. The on call doctor said that most likely, the tummy was big because she hadn't had a big poop all day, and they increased her oxygen levels, which could have caused more air in the tummy.

We will go see them again tommorrow night!

I can't wait.

a Good Report

Tonight was the first night Matt and I left the hospital in good spirits. Both of the babies were actually doing wonderful tonight. Nicholas' X-ray showed great improvement this morning. He had to get a blood transfusion, but it was explained that it is very normal for premature babies to need transfusions, and nothing serious.

Eva has not only made it back to her birthweight, but gone four ounces above. Nicholas is only 4 oz away from his birthweight.

Both babies were alert, moving, and happy!!

Keep praying, everyone!!

Getting better every day

Our report from the hospital was good this morning. Nicholas is still stable, and not actively getting any worse, which is a very good sign. Eva of course is just cruising on through. The nurse told us yesterday that she went to peek in on her and she had pulled her feeding tube out and was swinging it around as if to say "feed me please". She started back on breast milk today. She gets 2 ml's every four hours.

Nicholas isn't eating right now, but hopefully soon he will be able to eat again.

We have decided that trying to go to the hospital every day was getting to be to much on us financially and emotionally. The kids at home were getting shuffled so much from place to place and we decided they needed some sense of normalcy. Therefore, we have decided to go every other day. This way, we only need babysitters for Monday's and Wednesday's.

I know alot of people have been asking what they can do to help us. I'm always shy about asking for help, but it gets to the point that we start to realize that we can't do this alone. Some things that would really help out our family:

1. Prayers, first and foremost: The babies I don't think would be doing as well as they are without the prayers of our family and friends. They are truly miracles of God.

2. Recipes for quick and easy dinners would be great. It is so hard to try to plan meals, feed Matt and I, and the kids, and get to the hospital. If you have any easy recipes that are quick and easy to throw together, please send them my way.

3. Babysitting Volunteers for Monday's and Wednesday's. I always hate calling and asking people to babysit, because I hate to feel like I am burdening people. However, any family members who want to volunteer, it would really make me feel better, and not like I am constantly bugging people.

4. Prepaid gas cards: We are struggling financially, especially with me being out of work for a month and a half. The gas going back and forth to the hospital is killing us right now.

5. Pictures of family to hang on the babies incubators. The nurses told me that alot of the babies grow bigger and stronger faster by having pictures of their families taped to their incubators. Also, pictures colored and drawn by cousins can be taped as well. Noelle has drawn a few and they are taped up, but if any cousins want to draw them pictures, I would be glad to take them up to the hospital.

6. Visitors: The babies, although to small to be held, thrive from hearing the voices of diffrent family members and friends. Anytime anyone wants to visit, just let Matt and I know. We would be glad to take you up to visit them. Unfortunetly, no children under 16 are allowed in right now.

Again, thank you guys so much for the continued support and prayers. We hope someday we can repay the kindness you all have shown us.

update on Nicholas

We just got back from the hospital not to long ago. We got the information on Nicholas. Although he is by no means out of the woods yet, his condition is not worsening, which is a very good sign. He looks great, is pink, and active. The surgeon came in and had a look at him. He said that at this moment he does not meet any of the criteria that would require surgery. His belly is getting softer, and smaller. Those are good signs. Also, in his X-rays, he is not showing any signs of further stretching, but rather staying stable. The next two days are going to be a tell tale sign of whether or not he will be completely out of the woods. However, from the look of it, it seems that the antibiotics are doing their job, and the surgeon said he has only a mild case of a condition that could be alot worse. Let's all thank God for that.