How to Irritate a Baby

First you begin feeding the baby.  Then, when she stops for a break, decide to change her diaper and her clothes.  Then, realize it is her one month birthday and decide to do a photo shoot, alone, with her twin and with her older siblings.  Below is the result.  (Special thanks to Jessie for the adorable outfits.)

Sisters

Here are some pictures from the past week and a half.  It is hard to believe that the girls will be a month old on Monday.  We are getting along well and have been enjoying our time with them both at home.  Of course, having Ed's mom, MaryAnn, here to help with feedings, housework, entertainment of Jack and Molly, general encouragement and adult company sure helped!  I hope we are able to enjoy the coming days just as much, despite holding down the fort on our own.

I love this picture of Ed and Caroline, as it gives perspective on her small size.  She isn't much bigger than his hand!

This picture shows Abbey's special feeder.  It is called a SpecialNeeds Feeder and used to be called a Haberman Feeder.  That top part is soft, so you can squeeze it into her mouth as she sucks.  You can see that MaryAnn is holding her close to upright.  You have to do this, rather than letting her lay back in the crook of your arm.  If you don't, she is more likely to have some come through the hole in her palate and out through her nose.  It doesn't happen often, but it is certainly unpleasant when it does.  She cries and sometimes decides she doesn't want to eat anymore.

Here they are together.  Caroline is on the left and Abbey on the right.  They look different when you have them together.  But, sometimes it is hard to tell when they are separate.  We have had some trouble identifying pictures.  I think they look more similar at some angles.  

Sweet Caroline!  We took them to the doctor yesterday.  Caroline has now surpassed her sister in weight.  The doctor was very pleased to see that she is now 6lbs. 4oz, up from her birth weight of 4lbs 13oz.  

Precious Abbey!  She is gaining weight well, too.  Her current weight is 6 lbs 2 oz.  It takes her longer to eat, and she doesn't eat as much.  Plus, she cries more so that probably expends more energy than her sleeping sister.  She is getting better about her sensitivity to too much sensory input, but she still gets overwhelmed more easily.
Can you tell who is who?  Abbey is in the hat.  Just kidding, that is Caroline.  
And, here is the big sister sporting her new dress from Mimi.  Isn't she precious?  She is really loving her sisters and still wanting to help.  
I could write more, but I need to run.  They will both be awaking for food in just a few minutes.  I need to head them off at the pass.  :o)

Some Photos

Okay, so I didn't get the pictures up yesterday.  I am sure it won't be the first time I don't accomplish the thing or things on my to do list.  But, I did feed and soothe two babies all day.  I'd call that a big accomplishment!  

Here are some pictures.  I am not thrilled with many of them.  The camera flash bothers the girls, who sleep most of the time, so our chances are limited.  And, the pictures are out of order, again.  I'll get this blog thing down soon.

The following is a picture of both girls at home with us.  I am holding Caroline on my right side and Abbey on my left.  I know this picture makes it hard to tell how much they do or do not look alike.  Sorry, hopefully more to come on that front.

This is a very blurry picture of Abbey.  But, I included it, because you can kind of see her cleft palate.  It is the darker red part (i.e., hole) in the roof of her mouth.  Our first appointment with the ENT from the Cleft Palate team is in mid December.  I am sure we will find out more information then.

We were nervous to leave the medical oversight, but so glad to bring our girl home.

Here is a sweet one of Abbey as we were getting ready to leave the hospital.  One of the members of our church, Paula McLellan, made the bonnet for Abbey.  (She also made one for Caroline.)  The girls can take it apart and use it as a handkerchief at their weddings.  It will be "something old".  Isn't it beautiful?

So, those are the pictures for now.  We are getting along okay.  Abbey hasn't been taking her full feedings since we came home, but she is better today than yesterday.  I think part of it is the transition.  Our house is a lot more stimulating than the NICU.  She has gained weight, according to the rental scale they sent home with us.  So, I am not too worried.  

My main concern is that Molly now has the fever that Jack got over and Ed has had a relapse of his cold.  Please pray for them and that we can keep the babies fever free.  When Jack and Molly were babies, the doctor said that a fever in a less than 3 mth old automatically meant a hospital admission.  I don't know if they would be more lenient on us, knowing the fever was from a sibling.  I certainly don't want to have to find out.  

Thanks again for your interest, encouragement and prayers.  The Lord is using them to sustain us during this precious, exhausting time.

We are all home!

Just  a quick note to say that I did get to "room in" with Abbey last night.  We did well enough with the feedings for her to come home today.  Yippee!  Caroline has gotten a bit of the cold the rest of us have had, so we have to keep them apart for a bit longer.  I am really hoping that tomorrow I can post some pictures of Abbey's homecoming and of her beautiful face without the tube.  

One other exciting thing happened today.  Jack lost his first tooth!  I will include more about that tomorrow, or whenever I can get the next round of photos up.  For now, I need to go get an hour or two of sleep before they eat again.

Thanks for your prayers for the feeding and rooming-in.  Please keep them up, as we are still learning and need to make sure we can continue to get Abbey the calories that she needs.   Thanks!

Progress

Abbey has been making some progress with her bottle feeding.  She took four full feedings in a row by bottle yesterday evening/night.  That is really great for her, as she hasn't been consistent at all before this.  The neonatologist said if she continues to take her bottles, then she may be able to go home on Sunday.  Unfortunately, she was too tired to take a full bottle from me today at the 12:00 and 4:00 feedings.  

If she takes bottles tonight and tomorrow morning, I am going to spend tomorrow night and "room in" with her.  I am skeptical that she will be ready for that, but we will see.  Please pray that she will at least take one full bottle from me tomorrow, even if she isn't ready to room in.  

The last piece of good news is that they removed her nasal gastric tube.  They may have to reinsert it, if she continues to be inconsistent.  But, it was wonderful to see my sweet girl's face without the tape and tube.  I wish I'd had my camera.  Maybe tomorrow.  

Thanks for keeping up with us.  

The Week in Review

First. let me say that I am sorry the pictures are out of order.  I don't really have time to fix it, so it will have to stay this way.  

It was great for Jack and Molly to have some normalcy that was unassociated with Caroline and Abbey.  For Halloween, Molly dressed as a snow princess.  Jack was going to be a Power Ranger, but we couldn't find his pants.  So, he just wore the shirt.  Costuming just didn't take as high of a priority this year.  Ed dressed up and took them down the street.

Thursday night, the night Caroline came home, we were able to carve our Jack-o-Lanterns.  The best thing about it was that Jack stuck his hands in the pumpkin and helped clean out the goo.  That is amazing progress for our sensory sensitive boy!

Mom had to go back home on Tuesday afternoon.  This picture is her last visit with Abbey.  Abbey is still in the NICU working on consistently taking a whole bottle.  She has done it some, but it is far from consistent.  

Caroline came home on last Thursday.  You can see that the kids were very interested in checking her out.  They have done well welcoming her into our family.  Molly is especially interested in helping with all aspects.  Unfortunately, we have all passed around a cold.  Hence the face masks.
This is the before photo from the day I delivered, or maybe the night before.  Keep in mind this was only 34 weeks.  I can not imagine going all the way.  I am healing well and am sooo glad the girls are outside my body now.
This is right when Caroline came home.  Remember that Jack and Molly had not seen her at all until the day before, when they just got a glance through the NICU window.  Jack thinks she is so cute and tiny.  
Please keep up your encouragement and prayers.  We are hanging in there, but I am certainly getting weary.  I am trying to enjoy these precious days to the max.