10 Months Old?!

Another month has passed and my girls are another month closer to a year old. It's so crazy they will be a year old so soon. This month we attended our first music class, swam in freezing Skan lake, rode on the boat for the first time, and celebrated Father's Day with W. 

We went to the pediatrician and found out that Clara was 15.3 and Lucy was 12.8. The gap had widened some between them, but Lucy had also had a rough month with her eating. She's doing better now but it's seems to be an on and off battle. We have good times and bad times and there's never really any clear explanation as to why. For some reason Clara got so upset at the ped and didn't calm down until we were in the car. We still don't know what got her so upset, but carrying her out undressed and screaming wasn't fun.  

Lucy- You are much happier these days. You are nursing well and eating new foods all the time. Backing off from purees has made you a much happier baby. You love feeding yourself and happily try new things. When we tried to take the cushion out of your high chair you quickly figured out how to recline with one foot on the tray. Although funny, we decided to put the cushion back to encourage you to sit the right way in your seat. This month you worked hard on perfecting your cheesy smile. You would smile as big as possible and squint your eyes really hard. It's so funny! I don't think I captured the perfect picture of it, but it really was cute. Sleep has been a challenge with you as you still want to eat at least once a night. I don't mind feeding you but wish you would sleep better in your own bed. You spend some time in our bed most nights, but we are all less stressed and get more sleep that way. For now it works for us. You've really started to like Clara more and smile and play with her. It's so sweet! This month you started waving and dancing to music from time to time. You love to stand up and can pull to stand from seated with our hands. You're happy on your tummy and have crawled backwards a few times. You've started to snuggle with a lovey for naps and bedtime and still love your paci. You fall asleep great for naps but bed time can be a challenge. You are getting so much better with strangers but still love your mama. You are babbling a ton and smiling and laughing all the time. You recognize a few words and signs but haven't tried to use any yet. You are so sweet and lovable and I love being your mama.

Daddy stopped and brought us home gifts from MacKenzie Childs

Getting adjusted at the chiropractor

Cheesy smile perfected!

Big girl loves standing in her sister's crib

Sweet rain boots!

Crazy girl!

 

Lounging in my high chair with my foot on the tray

Clara- You are such a silly little clown. You make me laugh and smile every day at your antics. You have been trying all different pitches lately and can get pretty high. You scream, squeal, groan, grunt, babble, and giggle constantly as you seem to have a lot to say. You try to sing along to music, even if it's at a funeral and you add in your chorus as loud as possible. You've starting efficiently rolling to get places and have even transitioned out of sitting to roll. You're super smiley and social with everyone and have been into throwing your head upside down a lot. You still love to eat and are expanding what you like with more solid foods. You go to sleep so easily and have taken to an owl lovey. You sleep 11-12 hours every night. You've gotten really into your paci and demand equal treatment by whining when your sister gets something you don't. You steal toys, food, and pacis from Lucy at every chance and love to have a paci in your mouth and one in your hand. You still don't love tummy time and aren't showing too many signs of crawling. You can pull to stand from a seated position by pulling on our hands. You recognize a few signs and words and you may have done the sign for milk the other night before bed. It sure did seem intentional. You love your bath but hate getting changed and dressed and cry almost every time. You are easy going but dramatic when you feel it's necessary. You are 15 pounds now and are such a big girl. I can't believe how much you've grown and changed from the 4 pound preemie you were 10 months ago! 

Just playing

Sweet boots!

Showing off her new neckalace

Soooo cute!

Modeling her dress mommy made 

Someone got a Cuse hat

We've started thinking about and planning for their first birthday party. It's definitely worth celebrating that we survived our first year with these girls.

Twin play date! Jack on the end had a twin who's watching over in heaven

We visited the NICU and saw our favorite nurse/lactation consultant 

Hanging with mommy

Nursing one baby while comforting the other

Hi mama!

Wearing some sweet boots

Frick & Frack

Grandpa came to visit!

Trying out our new swings at the lake

First boat ride

Not impressed by their life jackets

Riding like big girls in the shopping cart

This is what tandem nursing in the back seat looks like

Wearing the dresses mommy made

Everyone is full and happy

Cuse hats with Daddy

Strawberry picking with friends

Daddy didn't get to pick too many berries

Week 1

I know I'm a little late, but it's hard to find the time to update these days. To be completely honest, the past 9 days have been a bit of a blur. It's hard to keep what happened on what day straight. It feels like I'm on a roller coaster ride with post-partum hormones mixed into all of the emotions of having the girls in the NICU and having to leave them there. I've had a couple cry-fests and it hasn't been easy. Leaving the hospital was really hard because it meant leaving them behind. There was another night that I totally lost it and bawled on W's chest. 

The day after the girls were born Clara needed some help with her breathing. Her little chest would rise and fall so fast so they put a nasal cannula with oxygen on her. It was so hard to visit with her because even touching her would agitate her and make her respiratory rates increase. There was one night where she had a horrible nurse who scared me when she talked about intubation and chest tubes. I was so scared to visit her the next morning for fear of finding her in worse shape, but to my surprise the next morning her settings were reduced.

At the same time Lucy was doing great. I was able to hold her quite a bit and at some point we started working with the lactation consultant. Lucy started in the most intensive part of the NICU (nursery A) because her IV was through her umbilical cord, but she quickly moved to the least intensive part (nursery G).

After I think 4 days Clara come off the oxygen. It was so nice to see her little face without everything on it and to be able to hold her and start to bond with her. I was feeling guilty at first because I felt so much more bonded to Lucy. After about 5 days she was also moved to nursery G right next to her sister. 

After a few days both girls were put under the lights to reduce billi levels. Since then they have come out of the lights, but their levels are still a bit elevated. They are planning to check again tomorrow, so they may end up back under the lights.

Yesterday I tandem fed the girls for the first time. Each feeding since I've tandem fed. The lactation consultant in the NICU is just so amazing. She is super knowledgeable and so helpful. I'm using a shield on both sides because my nipples are flat, but the girls do great with them. I'm hoping at some point I won't need them, but it's fine for now with W helping. It is so amazing to see them looking at each other and to be holding them at the same time. I honestly have no idea how I fit that much baby in my belly. They are both nursing really well and I couldn't be prouder of them. I'm also pumping after each feeding and building up a bit of a stash in the NICU.

The nurses do "care times" every 3 hours. This is when they get their vital signs checked, get their diapers changed, and get fed. These times fall at 7, 10, 1, and 4 for both AM and PM. We typically are there for the 10 AM, 1 PM, 4 PM, and 10 PM times. At the other times the nurses bottle feed the girls and I pump. We are staying at my in-law's house because it is about 10 minutes away. I haven't been home since the morning of the accident. I miss being at my house and sleeping in my bed so badly, but it's worth it to be close.

The girls are both still in isolettes. In order to go home they need to move into open cribs and then have no issues for 48 hours. To move to the open cribs they both need to increase their feedings a bit and maintain their temperatures. Last night we each gave a girl a sponge bath and they weighed them. Lucy stayed the same and Clara gained a little bit. Lucy has had a few episodes of bradycardia the past few days where her heart rate drops. Most are self resolved, but she has needed some stimulation a few times. Unfortunately last night she also had an apnea episode and need stimulation to recover. The nurse said this guarantees her 5 more days in the NICU.

That's what I have for now. I'll leave you with some more pictures.

Wearing the hats grandma made them. Lucy on the left, Clara on the right. 

First days with Lucy. Love this photo of us. 

First days of Clara

kisses for Clara

Fist time holding the girls at the same time.

W holding the girls for the first time.

First family photo.

If you don't want to see my boobs, you may want to stop look at pictures here. 

First time tandem feeding. Hope my boobs don't offend you. 

Working with the LC.

Yup, my boobs are well documented these days.

Reaching their hands towards each other.