Bittersweet Memories...

So today is a great day and a sad day all rolled into one. We got to take Allie home today, but it also means that we had to leave Brooke behind. I felt like painting my face and dressing in all black so I could Navy SEAL my way out of the NICU with Brooke as well. Dad leaves no man behind! She is ready to go home...just a few days of observation remain.

Bailey, the family dog, doesn't know what to think about having to share the attention. She likes to try and attempt to climb on Allie and sniff her dirty butt. Bailey just came over to me and huffed and walked away...as to say "I am so done with you! Don't you know I am old and didn't need this type of commotion?" Wait until the 2nd wave hits home on Sunday! Talk about your "Shock N' Awe". Bailey is going to get it coming and going! Stay tuned...

Dad forcing Bailey to meet her new "sister."

Allie showing off her monogramed blanket. Thank you Grandma in the "Southern Refuge!"

All buckled up with no place to go! Safety first!

In the car and read to go! Infant carriers match the car...how chic of me!

Freeze Frame...

The girls couldn't go a few days without having Dad post a pic of them. They are really starting to look a lot alike. Brooke must not like what Allie said...hence the elbow smash to the chin! Now thats a cat fight!

Momma, I'm Coming Home...

We are close to having the girls come home. Allie might be home as early as Wednesday of this week. Brooke needs a few more days to wean herself off the oxygen. We could have both girls at home...where they belong...by the middle of next week! Scared = Dad! Mom is so excited, and so am I...but is my life about to change!

I wish I could tell all you that the story will end the day that our girls come home, but we will be facing some major hurdles once they come home. Allie has already received a brain scan and they have noticed a possible calcification of the brain tissue. That could mean anything from nothing to Cerebal Palsy. So there are many things that the girls still need prayer for. The first 18 months will tell us a lot about our girls and the type of life that they will have. We are bringing girls that have been out of the womb for 2 months, but it is bringing home a newborn. T-minus a few days and counting to have the "A&B" home!

My life will be hectic, but this blog will live. It is therapy for me to type this on a regular basis. But through it all I found that it was a great way to keep everyone updated on the girls. And as I see it, the girls are just going to get more exciting when they get home. So stay tuned...Like the show "Lost", the first season is over...but not a darn thing was answered!

The Dresser/Changing Station that Dad spent countless hours refinishing and painting. Looks good, huh!?

Here is the theme of the room. No Pooh or Tigger. Butterflies, fireflies and a ton of gingham...whatever that is!?

Tigger and Pooh DID show up! They are ready to get into the car and go see the girls! Holding two infant carriers really made it hit home that I have TWO KIDS!!!

Vampires beware...our girls' protection! Hand crafted by Grandpa (mom's grandpa that is). He's got skills! Painted to match by Mom. Actually placed to show that God is with our girls, always. Like the chair rail that Dad and the girls' uncle put up? Skills!!!!

Take a Look at Me Now....

Take a good long look at the girls...see anything different? NO feeding tubes in thier noses! They are taking all 8 feeds a day by bottle. That means 16 times a day Mom and/or Dad are feeding. Each feed take 20 minutes - 5:30 hours a day feeding!

Brooke

Allie

I Want Candy...

So Dad got to bottle feed Allie for the first time tonight. I am a CHAMP! No problem...bring on the next hurdle. I might even get around to doing a "Super Poo" diaper soon! HA, as if!

random thoughts:

1) Mom N' Dad stayed at home to hand out candy last night. Do kids trick-or-treat anymore?
2) And the few kids that do, whats with not having a costume? And whats with taking 1/2 the bowl in one scoop?
3) I am not ready to have two kids at home. I like being able to pass them off. I am just scared to death. Right now they have monitors that beep when something is not right. Not at home...
4) Did you know that second hand smoke goes WAY beyond the actual breathing in of someone else's expressed smoke? The harmful chemicals in a smokers clothes, hair and skin are just as bad for you as breathing in their smoke.
5) Second hand smoke, as mentioned above, is the second leading cause of SIDS.
6) Allie LOVES her pacifier. She looks like this
7) Brooke loves her bath. I should save up for one of these
8) How long before I can get my twins to work in movies or commercials and it isn't considered exploitation? These girls have cost me a fortune already and they haven't even been home. Time to earn their keep!
9) We got the short end of the grandparent naming stick. We are the last of the children to have grandkids. All 5 grandparents have names already.
10) Was it as weird reading "5 grandparents" as it was typing it? That's the Boomer generation for you! The girls have two sets of grandparents...on just Dad's side.

UPDATE:

There is a small mumbling of a time when the girls could pack up their things and come home. The window is from this weekend to their original due date of 11/22/06. So please be praying for our family. We are excited about the idea of it coming so soon, but also nervous because we haven't even begun to buy things for the girls being home. That is what happens when you give birth the day before your scheduled shower!

Chunky Update:

Allie: 5 lbs. 3.2 oz.

Brooke: 4 lbs. 11.6 oz.

I Got a Photograph Picture of....

Brooke's Halloween shirt! She applaudes in agreement on how cute she looks!

Allie's Halloween shirt! Strike a pose! I wonder if there is Poo in that Pooh diaper?

Allie and Brooke snuggling!

Bark at the Moon...

I guess I didn't knock on wood hard enough after yesterday's post. Brooke was struggling too much to breathe without her nasal cannula. So back on it goes!! They don't take 2%er's in the NICU. It is all or nothing to get these girls up and running so they can get ready to come home. They both are feeding like crazy and growing well. Brooke is still tracking around 1/2 a pound lighter than Allie.

Over the past couple of weeks the staff have been decorating little costumes for "their" babies. There was a contest to see whose was best. I am not sure of the winning costume, but there were some creative ones. Because our girls are so small, we decided to take two little preemie shirts that somewhat matched. There were two Sponge Bob shirts in the contest, but they were taken by the time Mom N' Dad got to the NICU.

Trick or Treat...Smell my nasty diaper...

Just a sampling of the NICU Staff's Halloween creations. Gotta love the Flapper dress!

I'm Rollin' in My '64...

This thing is huge. This was engineered at the same shop as BigFoot! To give y'all some scale, that is a 36 lbs. dog in front of that thing. Double stroller, infant carrier with car seat base. I am in way over my head...

Every Breath You Take...

So Sunday was a big day for Brooke. She got taken off of her nasal cannula. That means she is breathing with no O2 assistance. She has tried this once before and got put back on the cannula...so Mom N' Dad are hoping that she can breathe just on room air. Brooke didn't do well in her breast feeding today...probably because she has had a big day already. One thing at a time peeps.

Both girls got their feedings increased today as well. Allie is getting 5 of 8 feedings by bottle now and Brooke is getting 4 of 8. I wish I could eat 8 times a day...but seeing that I have 221 lbs. on the girls...

Dad spent Saturday painting the nursery. Got it done. I need to put some decor up and then I will post some pictures. Also, a good friend of Mom N' Dads brought us a present today. We no longer have to stress about buying a double stroller. What a blessing friends are!

We are now official members of the "Tub Club." I have no idea what it means either.

Allie sleeping after a big meal. Just like dad does on Sunday afternoons.

My three favorite girls!

Chunky Update

Allie: 4 lbs. 12 oz.

Brooke: 4 lbs. 5 oz.

Bon Voyage Nicholas...

Allie and Brooke are losing their first boyfriend tomorrow. Nicholas is getting to go home. Mom and N's mom have become good NICU friends. He is a strong little boy. White, male babies statistically fare the worst when born premature. Nicholas' due date was 2 days before Allie and Brooke's. Gestationally our girls were born two weeks ahead. So you can tell how much 2 weeks in the womb can do for a preemie.

BTW: Allie LOVES her pacifier! She goes to town on that thing. She should be able to get this bottle feeding thing down in no time! Brooke is an awesome feeder as well. She took her whole bottle in 15 minutes tonight. Now given, she is doing just 1 of 8 feedings this way so she looks forward to the challenge of bottle feeding.

Brooke - Do you think my head makes this hat look big?

Allie - Rise and shine...A full day of becoming a Newborn awaits!