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I’m still in shock the Tadpoles turned TWO MONTHS OLD on Christmas Eve! Talk about time going by quickly. I feel like I was just on the high risk OB floor but then I think about all that has happened in that time, such as moving and all of the events in the NICU. As someone said they are looking like “real newborns”now, albeit on the small side.

I had said before it would be great I working on the 5th floor and the twins were on the 3rd. Working the night shift I thought I would be able to run down to check on them more often, but with patient care and the time it takes to do the NICU scrub in (3 minutes) it doesn’t seem to happen. The other morning I was getting off a 12 hour shift and went in to check on the twins. It was hard because they looked so cute with their eyes open. I wanted to stay but was exhausted and stayed only for 15 minutes. I promised them I would stay for hours and hold them once I got some sleep.

UPDATES:

• Both: They had eye exams on last Thursday. Both of their ROP has progressed which is disappointing. The ophthalmologist said that the change of going off the vent can cause it to get worse then it can get better. We hope that is the case. They will just keep watching it and they will be checked tomorrow. I was able to attempt breastfeeding for the first time on New Year’s Eve. They didn’t quite know what to do. They tried but did not suck very hard. I like to think they are just practicing right now. So once every shift (every 12 hours) we can try to breast feed or bottle feed them to prepare for going home.

• Derby: Weighs in at 4 lbs 7 ounces. He had a hard day today. He scared the crap out of his mom by not breathing (apnea), slowing his heart rate (brady) and turning blue.You know it is serious when they call another nurse over to help. They had to bag him to get him back up. He has been working harder at breathing the last couple of days. His respirations are around 80-100 a minute. His labs look fine but they are still concerned. There is talk about putting him back on the vent. I was unable to try and breastfeed him today because he was having so many respiratory problems. Earlier I felt so depressed. Before it was exciting to think they lasted a couple of hours off the vent and it was fine when they had to be reintubated because they were pooped. Now that he has been off for a week it will feel like such a set back if he has go back. I know that is how things go in the NICU but it is still hard. On the upswing, he loves his little binker. I bought him some outfits which he quickly decided to christen with poop. At first I was so excited to wash their little clothes. Then it went to a load a week, then every couple of days. Now I come home with dirty laundry every day. I know it is nothing compared to when they will come home and I will be doing 5 loads of laundry every day. Derby has lost his eyebrows (how did that happen???) and now has his dad’s hairline. A 2 month old receding hair line…..

• Loen: Weighs in at 3 lbs 13 ounces. She is such a girl, the twins look so different. Loen loves to get dressed up (ok I LOVE to dress her up). Tadd bottle fed her tonight and she took in 13 mL’s. At 3 am this morning the nurse got her to drink her entire bottle. She has been making great progress. She was flashing real smiles yesterday. She smiled for Tadd at least 4 times. Unfortunately I didn’t get a good picture since it was so quick. I think we might be able to give her a tub bath this week. I’m looking forward to that.

I feel like the end of their NICU stay is on the horizon.

Loen wearing her new Christmas hat from Jen:

Tadd & Loen ( we have gotten comments on the SB Rehab gown. It is for the PHYSICAL rehabillitation center which our hospital recently acquired, hence the reason the laundry service is mixing up the gowns. NOT a drug rehab)

Derby & his binker

Derby:

Derby’s new duds