Day One, Two, and Three

I have (obviously) been in bliss the last few days and haven't found the time to update since the day after their birthday! Today is day four and I just got here so not much to report from today yet! Last night was my first night home. I was ready to go home but it is so funny to think how much more ready I thought I'd be. My nurse yesterday told me that if I didn't go home yesterday, I would feel the exact same way about leaving today. 1/2 of my heart is here in the NICU now but 1/2 is at home and I need to see my boys too. It was wonderful being around both of them. Jake was emotional last night and we are guessing it was because it was another change for him. He brought tears to my eyes yesterday when I was in the car and Bobby brought him out of Kristie's house to go home. He could not believe his eyes. It was the best reaction ever. He was so very excited to see me and I told Bobby right away that I obviously made the right decision to go home yesterday and that his reaction made it all worth how hard it was to leave. Being at home is hard work! I was in a lot of pain yesterday evening but feeling much better today. :) (And I'm with my girls right now, so that helps too!)

Day One:
Avery was placed on the  CPAP from birth and was doing well with it. Her O2 levels were great and her supplemental oxygen was being very slowly brought down in the morning but then both girls started to struggle. Brooklynn was placed on the CPAP as well and in the afternoon their O2 was needing to be increased over and over. They were tired and having a hard time keeping up with the demands of breathing on their own with only a little help. The dr. decided to intubate them to give them a break. Both girls had the breathing tube (breaths for them) placed down to the opening of their lungs. They were both given a dose of surfactant to help their lungs as well. I was able to hold Brooklynn in the morning and do skin to skin (kangaroo care). It was so wonderful and her stats kept steady and rising while I was holding her. It makes me feel so good when I can do something to help make her feel better.

Day Two:
Avery was extubated during the day and placed back on the CPAP. She was responding really well and didn't struggle too much to take over breathing on her own. They were each given a dose of caffeine to help wake them up to breath on their own. Brooklynn was extubated later in the day and was doing really well too. I was able to hold each baby once during the night and kiss and love on them. They like to do holdings after their care (temp, diaper, feeding) so I always get excited for the hour to come around. They are on a 12, 3, 6, 9 schedule. The night nurse the girls had was so helpful! She was super informative and answered all of my million questions and even told me things I didn't think about. She explained every thing she was doing and let me listen to their heart, lungs, and bowels and told me what I was hearing. It was awesome. Avery was taking 12ml of breast milk (my own-yay!) and Brooklynn was (and still is) taking 3 ml. Bobby and I figured out that both girls are pacifier babies! Avery especially loves to suck on her pacifier and Brooklynn is catching up with how much she likes it as well. It is the weirdest thing in the world that these girls KNOW how to suck-espcially on a pacifier! Jake was never, ever like this so it has been so neat to see the girls do a great job already!

Day Three:
I got to hold both girls at the same time and it was the best thing! They haven't been next to each other since their birthday so it was really special! Both girls remained on the CPAP and did so well they took Avery off the CPAP last night and tried a high flow nasal canula at 7 pm. By 3 am she was obviously working a little too hard so they put the CPAP back on and she stayed on it and is doing really, really well. Brooklynn was weaned down a little bit on her oxygen and was still keeping her levels up. Her breathing looked very labored but everyone said she was still looking great. Last night when I got home and was settled in I called the NICU to see how the girls were doing and was so happy to hear my friend Jessica's voice on the phone! She got to be the girl's nurse last night! She sent us pictures of both girls-Avery with her nasal canula and Brooklynn with her CPAP on. So sweet. I was so happy to hear her voice and know that she was with our girls. Everyone is amazing and I know they are in the best hands possible-it just makes you feel all that much better when you hear your friend's voice telling you how they are doing. I adore Jessica. She even texted me at 3am to tell me about Avery being placed back on the CPAP so that I wouldn't be surprised when I got here this morning. The babies really like being swaddled up but haven't been able to the last two days because their billirubin has been elevated and the lights help the levels get broken down into their urine and stool. They should only have to be under the lights for a matter of a few days-but of course they might have to go back under at another time.

Avery under the lights.

Avery close up-sister likes to spend time on her belly!

Peanut Brooklynn :)

These are their name signs under their monitors. They are so sweet!

One of my favorite nurses, Brenda.

The infamous and amazing, Kimberly (middle)-I just love her-and my new wonderful friend, Jen. She was the other long-termer who I became friends with! Her baby is also in the NICU for a little bit right now so I still get to see her!

Holding both babies yesterday! Avery is on the left and Brooklynn in the right. They were both so alert but in the picture only Brooklynn.

So that is a quick recap of the last few days. Preemie babies are sick babies and they don't feel well. I was shocked to hear this-but it makes sense. It is a lot of work for them to grow and breath. It makes me more than willing to jump right up and stick a pacifier in their mouth when I hear even the tiniest of squeek out of them when I am here. I would do anything to make them feel better. We are so in love. They are the most precious things in the entire world.