Sweet little Nicholas

Nicholas is still in the hospital. We are on month three now. He has been diagnosed with a condition called bronco-pulminary displaysia. This means that he has damage to his lungs caused by the equipment used to keep him alive when he was born. It wasn't anything that the doctors did wrong, or anything that wasn't done properly, but just an unfortunate side effect. Some of the side effects of his condition is poor eating habits. It literally sucks every ounce of energy out of him when he tries to drink a bottle. One of the requirements for him to be able to come home is that he must be able to take all of his feedings by a bottle, for 2 days in a row. We were doing really good for a while, and then suddenly he slowed down, which caused him to have to stay in the hospital longer. Everyone was angry, saying "they should just let him come home. Even if he isn't eating well, we can deal with it.". However, these past few days, God showed me yet again, why his plan doesn't match our plan. Yesterday, and the day before, Nicholas started having heart rate drops. One of them was so severe that they had to pick him up and shake him to make him start breathing again. It was in his sleep. Had he been at home, we would have never known his heart rate was dropping.

I think that everyone has to remember that Nicholas is in God's hands. God put him at Presbyterian hospital for a reason. Maybe he knew what he was facing, and knew that the doctors here would be able to help him.

It has taken me a while to come to terms with the fact that Nicholas is not a healthy baby. I can't expect him to grow and mature like a healthy baby. I have to be patient and understand that his homecoming is going to happen. It just has to happen on his terms. When Nicholas is ready.

A few weeks

A few weeks have passed since the last post, but so much has happened. At the end of the last post, we were sure Eva was coming home. We made the preperations, but Eva decided she didn't want to leave her brother and had some complications. She ended up staying another week, and then came home. Matt went to pick her up because I had a crisis at work. She joined the family and filled part of the puzzle that was missing.
For the most part, we love having her home. The 2:00 A.M. feedings has become a sore spot in our marriage. We both think the other should be doing it, and is the cause of many sleepy arguments!!! But, then, as I look down at her sweet face as she sucks her bottle down, I remember how blessed we are to have the opportunity to have a 2:00 feeding and I hug her just a little tighter. I was really bummed that I couldn't take time off work to be with her until she was big and healthy enough to go to daycare. However, after much prayer and soul searching, Matthew and I decided that if she couldn't be with me all day, there was only one other place that I was sure she would get the most love, attention and care that she needed. Off to grandma's house she goes!! I feel so blessed that I can go to work and not even worry about her. She is in the best hands, and I suspect Grandma has a direct line to Jesus, so I can't think of a better place for her to be.
As far as her development goes, she is a three month old, trapped in a newborn's body. She is, for all practical purposes, a newborn baby. However, the doctor says by the time she is a year old, she will catch up.

Nicholas on the other hand, wasn't so eager to come home. He has had issues with his breathing, and given us several scares.
But, he finally decided early last week that he was tired of the hospital, and started getting better. She started yanking his oxygen tube out, and wanting to breathe on his own.
He started eating his bottles, and acting like a real baby! By the grace of God, and the prayers of our loved ones, we expect him home in five days.

I have to post some pictures soon!! Thank you all so much for keeping up with our journey.

As I sit here on this lazy Labor day, I realize that I haven't posted in a while on Eva and Nicholas' blog. I apologize for the lack of updates, but you will have to forgive me as life has been rather busy. I'm not sure if anyone even reads this anymore, but I feel like I owe it to my little angels to keep thier story going.

Since the last update, so much has happened. Since they have been here, they have both grown so much. They have hit the five pound mark. Eva no longer has a feeding tube. After several nights of her pulling it out, the nursing staff finally took the hint and kept it out. She decided she was to big for that, she could eat like a big girl.

Nicholas is trying so hard to be a big boy. He is eating two bottles a day. He is also trying to breathe without his supplemental oxygen. He is quite a cutie. He is very alert and seems to recognize voices. I pray so hard for him. I pray that he will get strong like his sister.

This of course leads us to the most exciting, or the most saddest news, depending on how you look at it.

Sweet Eva will be coming home tommorrow. She has successfully graduated from the NICU, and the special care, and is ready to join the family. I am so happy, and excited for her, as she gets to meet everyone, and get hugs and cuddles.

But, why am I sad you may ask... Eva coming home means that Nicholas will be all alone. He won't have his sister in the room with him anymore. I can't help but think that his little heart may be broken. I don't want him to think we all just left and he's all alone now. I know it sounds silly. I know you are all thinking "He's just a baby, he doesn't know..Misty is overreacting again". But, They were together in my womb for as long as I could hold them, they were together in the NICU together, and they were together in the special care. I like to think they secretly cheer each other on, in a language only babies can understand. I can't help but think that he would worry when he would hear her monitors go off, or the same for her. I can't help but think in the wee hours of the morning, when the nurses are out of the room, and it is quiet and still, he can look across the room, and she could look back, and their eyes lock, and they know they are there for each other.

What will he think Wednesday morning, when he looks, and no one is there?

Hurry up little guy. Get better soon. Come home with us. We are all waiting for you.

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.