June 30, 2012

Today is the last day of June and the twins were born on the last day of May so I guess that makes them one month old today!  Wow! To be able to talk about them in terms of a month, not days or weeks, is a milestone and blessing.

Adam continues to be fragile but he is holding his own.  He is still destating but the destat I saw today was due to a diaper needing changing.  He feels his diaper is dirty or wet and all of his levels drop and bells start going off.  I suppose that is one way to get your diaper changed really quick!  Adam is currently 2 pounds, 1 ounce.

Kylee continues to do well.  She is doing everything she is suppose to be doing, sleeping, growing, and processing nourishment.  She is showing her brother up at the moment with her steady numbers.  She is now 1 pound, 12 ounces.  Kylee likes to routinely help "adjust" her bubbler right off herself.

These two tiny miracles are incredible in person.  The pictures do not begin to do them justice.  Today they slept, but when one of them opens their eyes and starts looking around it is as if the sun has come out.  When the nurses unbundle them to attend to them or pick them up to reposition them, the magnitude of their tininess is apparent.  To see so much life in beings so tiny is nothing short of miraculous.

Thank you for all of the prayers, love, kindness and thoughtfulness we have received.  This journey with our tiny miracles is unspeakably easier with the amazing support we are getting.  Thank you!  Today is a good day.  Adam and Kylee are one month old!  

Adam Rests Comfortably

Kylee Adjusts Her Bubbler as She Sleeps

June 29, 2012

Today Adam and Kylee are holding their own.  Adam is keeping his nurses very busy trying to keep him from destating.  He is still on the ventilator but off sedation.  He was still receiving his steroid treatment.  He was destating so low at one point he had to be administered caffeine (I know!!!) to bring his heart rate up.  It seemed to be doing the trick, his numbers were much better and steadier after a bit.  He is one high maintenance, sensitive, fragile little boy and absolutely adorable.  

Kylee began destating while off the bubbler yesterday so she is back on it full time.  After a bit, they will begin weening her off of it again.  The funny thing is, she is off the bubbler half the time because she pulls it out of her nose or wiggles her head out of it.  She doesn't destat then.  She also sleeps with her mouth open which defeats much of the bubbler's effectiveness but doesn't destat then.  She already does things on her own terms!  She is such a tiny sweetheart!  Kylee was sleeping during today's visit but Emily got to hold her for a short time later. Mema is visiting her Grandbabies this evening.

There is a big contrast between Adam and Kylee's lung development.  Adam's X-ray today still showed inflammation and his destats and numbers confirm it.  Kylee's lungs are developing on course with little destating.  She has been at normal room oxygen (21%) for days whereas Adam still needs roughly a 45% oxygen rate.

Our little miracles continue to grow day by day.  Each day is such an amazing gift.

Thank you for the continued prayers, love, and amazingly kind word so many are leaving here, on Facebook, Twitter, and privately.  It is profoundly appreciated and humbling.  Thank you.  Today was a bumpy but good day.

Adam Resting

Kylee Asleep with Her Mouth Open

June 28, 2012 - Happy Four Week Old Twins!

Today Adam and Kylee turned 4 weeks old!!!  It is hard to believe they are almost a month old!  They have come a long way already!

Today there are no pictures of Adam.  Adam is resting comfortably and is receiving steroids to try to combat the inflammation in his lungs.  He is fragile and does not do well being disturbed at the moment.  He is doing better today with less destats.  Hopefully the steriods will kick in and his lung issues will begin improving soon.

Ms Kylee remains the superstar of the nursery.  She got to go off the bubbler today for almost an hour while Daddy held her.  The picture below of Mommy, Daddy, and Kylee says it all.  Could two parents beam any brighter?  I have never seen Emily happier.

Thank you, thank you for all of the prayers, love, positive energy, well wishes, kind words, and light.  We do not know how we would make it through this roller coaster ride without your support.  Thank you!  Today was a good day, today Adam and Kylee are four weeks old!

Kylee Sleeping Peacefully

Mommy, Daddy, and Kylee

Kylee Checks Out Daddy as They Snuggle

June 27, 2012

Today Adam was taken off the special ventilator and put back on the original one.  He seems to be doing better with it.  He is still destating but has been able to pull himself out of them.  His lungs are enflamed so tomorrow they are going to give him steroids to try to bring down the inflammation.  As long as his lungs are enflamed, the air he is breathing cannot penetrate the lining of his lungs.  He will also be given morphine to keep him better sedated.  I know... scary stuff.  But all we can do is trust that the doctors know what is best for Adam right now.  He is keeping everyone on high alert but he is holding his own and still gets upset if he has a wet or dirty diaper.  He is up to 5.5 ml of Mommy's milk an hour and now weighs 2 pounds, 1 ounce. However, he is being given a diuretic because he is retaining fluids so the doctor expects to see a slight drop in his weight in the next day.  Adam rested comfortably while we visited him today but did destat quite a bit.

Kylee is the superstar of the nursery at the moment.  She is progressing without incident.  She is also up to 5.5 ml of Mommy's milk an hour.  She weighs 1 pound, 11 ounces.  Mommy got to change her diaper and hold her skin-to-skin this afternoon.  It is the most beautiful sight to see Emily and Kylee together, so content.

Today our little super heroes got super hero capes that were made especially for them by a wonderful lady named Jorja.  She also made two adorable polka dot blankets for them.  Now... considering SOME people (Uncle Russ) wanted the twins named Luke and Leia (after the twins, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia from Star Wars)... super hero capes are a HUGE hit!!!  Daddy REALLY likes them!  They are SO adorable!  We cannot wait to see our little super heroes model them!

Thank you so much for the prayers, love, positive thoughts, light, and support.  It is so greatly appreciated.  Today was a good day - today Adam and Kylee are one day older.  Every day is a gift we are grateful for beyond words.

Adam Sleeps Comfortably

Adam Pumps His Fist

Kylee Waves Hi

Kylee Relaxes on Her Belly

Mommy Comforts Kylee

Kylee Snuggles Inside Mommy's Shirt

Mommy and Kylee Cuddle

Kylee Checks Things Out While Mommy Holds Her and Her Pacifier

Beautiful, Happy Emily and Kylee

Mommy Keeps an Eye on Adam's Monitors as She Holds Kylee

Adam and Kylee's Awesome Super Hero Capes

June 26, 2012

Today was another challenging day for Adam.  He had a very difficult time of it earlier today but was resting when I saw him.  Adam did not destat or have his levels drop while I was visiting.  However, his nurse said he had been struggling all morning before I arrived.  He is sedated and receiving very special attention round-the-clock.  He is now two pounds and still taking Mommy's milk without a problem.  That is encouraging.  

Kylee continues to do well.  When I peeked in on her, she was using her bubbler for an armrest.  She was resting comfortably and giving her nurse a break.  Kylee was a good girl and rested without destating while I visited.

Mommy and Daddy spent the morning at the emergency room.  Emily was in pain all night and Eric took her in about 5:00 am.  They think she has a urinary tract infection so they sent her home with painkillers and antibiotics.  She is feeling much better tonight.  They stopped at the NICU nursery and visited with Adam and Kylee before coming home to rest.  They have since gone back tonight to be with them again.

I know I must sound like a broken record, but thank you so much for your prayers, love, light, and positive energy being sent Adam, Kylee, Emily and Eric's way.  It means so much and Adam needs all the help and support he can get right now.  Thank you for your kindness.  We are praying for a better day tomorrow for Adam.  Today was another see-saw day, good for Kylee, not so good for Adam.  

Adam Sleeping

Kylee Uses Her Bubbler As An Armrest

June 25, 2012

Your prayers are much appreciated as Adam continues to struggle.  He is on a special ventilator which is doing his breathing for him.  He will be on this ventilator for several days as his lungs continue to develop and the infection is completely cleared from them.  We are praying that he gains strength each day as he grows so he can begin to rely on his lungs to breathe.  He is sedated and resting comfortably.  Boys statistically have a far more difficult time than girls as preemies.  It is very traumatic at first to see Adam right now.  He is surrounded by machines and monitors with a whole new range of alarm sounds on top of the ones he already had.  In the middle of all this technology and machinery, wired to it all, is this tiny, tiny little boy laying there sleeping.

Kylee is showing her brother up by continuing to do well.  I hope Adam soon follows his little sister's example!  Emily held Kylee for more than an hour today.  Kylee and Emily were both so completely content.  She is a little wiggle worm and continues to find a way to remove the bubbler from her nostrils on a regular basis.  It was a beautiful sight to see Emily holding Kylee to her.

Thank you for all of your prayers, love, thoughts, light, and support.  This roller coaster ride is exhausting and it is a seat-of-your-pants ride you must take completely on faith.  Thank you for helping us with your kindness.  Today was a see-saw day.

Adam Resting

Adam Surrounded by Machines

Kylee Looks Around

Kylee and Mommy

Kylee Peeks in Mommy's Arms

Kylee In Mommy's Arms

Mommy Checks Out Kylee

Mommy Says Bye to Kylee

Adam Resting

June 24, 2012

Today was not a great day for Adam.  He is on a special ventilator to help him breathe as he fights a lung infection.  They put him on the new ventilator while I was visiting and it was very difficult to watch them work on him.  He opened his eyes and looked at me while I talked to him and he was resting comfortably when I left.  Without his cap on you can see his beautiful brown hair and how it has grown.  He is such a sweet, sweet boy.

Kylee also opened her eyes and looked at me while I was talking to her tonight.  She drifted off to sleep and was a very good girl who didn't destat while I was there.  Kylee remains on the bubbler and is doing well.

Thank you for the prayers, love, positive energy, and support.  We are very grateful.  Every day is a gift.  Today was a bumpy ride on the roller coaster.

Adam on a Ventilator

Adam on a Special Ventilator

Kylee Peeks at Grandma Flo

Kylee Flashes the Peace Sign

June 23, 2012

Adam and Kylee are doing well today.  They are both keeping their nurse on her toes with regular destats, but other than that they are doing well.

Adam now weighs 1 pound, 15 ounces and is just shy of the 2 pound milestone.  Kylee is a little daintier at 1 pound, 10 ounces, but not far behind.

Last night Emily got to hold Adam skin-to-skin for the very first time.  She was walking on air!!!  Eric said as soon as she held him and he settle down with her he stopped destating - the power of a Mother's love!

Thank you for all the prayers, love, support, positive energy and light being sent Adam and Kylee's way.  It helps tremendously.  Taking a journey like this, one day at a time, is made so much more bearable thanks to all of you who are supporting us and lifting us up with your prayers and thoughts.  Thank you!  Today was a good day.

Mommy Holds Adam for the First Time Last Night

Adam Looking Around Checking Things Out

Adam Resting

Kylee Gets Her Daily Assessment

Kylee Without Her Cap and Bubbler

Kylee Rests with Her Bubbler and Cap On

June 22, 2012

Today was a good day for Adam and Kylee.  They were both destating less today and didn't set any bells or whistles off once while we visited.  Grandpa Dan got to visit with them both today.  He hasn't been able to visit as often as he would like so after not seeing them for a few days, he could see that they had grown.  I was looking at the first pictures of them this morning and they HAVE grown!  They are so tiny and when you see them every day, you don't realize it.

Kylee was having an IV installed for antibiotics when we visited.  They are both being monitored closely for infections and have been seesawing back and forth with antibiotics.  Better to err on the side of caution.

I know how prejudice a Grandma can be, but these two tiny sweethearts are the cutest things I have ever seen.

Thank you for all the prayers, love, and support everyone has been sending to Adam, Kylee and the family.  With so much support for these love bugs, we feel like all of you are family the way you are right here with us every day, cheering the two of them on.  Thank you!  Today was a good day.

Adam Sleeps with His Ducky

A Nurse Works with Kylee

Kylee Resting

June 21, 2012 - Happy Three Week Old Tech Sergeant Babies

Today Adam and Kylee turned three weeks old!!!  Today was a great day!

Today Eric found out he made Tech Sergeant!  Emily, Adam, Kylee, and all of us are so proud!  Eric tested for this in the middle of Emily's troubled pregnancy.  Eric has also been taking classes towards his degree throughout this ordeal.  He has maintained a better than 90% average in spite of everything.  Thank God his finals are this week!  If all of that weren't enough, Eric has been taking care of Emily's incision wound.  He has done so when even I could not do what needed to be done.  Thanks to Eric, Emily is healing nicely.

Adam and Kylee were sleeping comfortably tonight when I visited.  They sure seem to do a lot of sleeping! lol  Aside from the two of them playing who can destat more during the day today, they are doing well.  Tonight while I visited they seemed to have calmed down and were refraining from setting off monitors and bells every five minutes.

Mommy and Daddy are holding up as well as can be expected.  They are continuously exhausted and fighting stress while burning the candle at both ends.  It is difficult enough when a newborn enters a parent's life.  Two newborns is exponentially more difficult.  Two critical preemie infants are amazingly more difficult.  When one has a small victory, the other has a small setback.  It is a roller coaster ride like no other.  Eric and Emily are my heros for the way they are handling things and dealing with everything that comes their way.  No one gives you an instruction manual for this stuff!  Adam and Kylee are the luckiest babies in the world to have Emily and Eric as their Mommy and Daddy!

Thank you for all the prayers, love, positive energy, support, and well wishes being sent Adam and Kylee's way.  We are truly grateful.  We have made it through three weeks!  Thank you for taking this journey with us.  Today was a great day!

Adam Snoozing

Adam's Air Force Ducky Friend

Kylee Snoozing

June 20, 2012

Today the Twins are holding their own.  They are both done with antibiotics and Kylee had her ventilator removed this morning and replaced by a bubbler.  They are both now on bubbles again and will be monitored closely.

Adam is doing well and looking better.  He is still destating, but he is pulling himself out of it when he does which is very important.  Kylee destats as well, but not nearly as often as Adam.

Kylee managed to get the bubbler off her within five minutes of the nurse putting it on her.  Alarms began going off only to discover that she had removed it from her nose. She has a reputation for doing this!

They may be tiny, but their personalities develop more each day.  Adam is very easy going and only really complains when his diaper is dirty or wet.  Kylee also does not like soiled diapers, but she tends to complain a bit more.   She will cry her tiny little cries when she is disturbed and does not like the bubbler.

Thank you so much for the incredibly humbling outpouring of prayers, love, and support.  It is deeply appreciated and comforting.  Today Adam and Kylee are holding their own - today is a good day.

Adam Stretches

The Respiratory Therapist Adjusts Kylee's Bubbler After Removing the Ventilator as Kylee Tries to Help

Kylee Checks Out Her Bubbler Tube

June 19, 2012

Adam and Kylee are still trying to rebound from their infections.  They were doing a little better this evening.  Mommy and Daddy did diaper duty, Mommy changing Adam's diaper and Daddy changing Kylee's.

Adam is now 1 lb 12 oz, and up to 5 ml of milk an hour.  He is off the ventilator and back to bubbles.  Kylee is up to 1 lb 7 oz and also taking 5 ml of milk an hour.  She is still on the ventilator.  Both had their eyes open and were looking around this evening.  

Thank you for the prayers, love, and positive energy being sent to Adam and Kylee, Eric and Emily, and their families.  Today is day 20 and they have both made it this far.  They are both our tiny little miracle fighters.  Today both made it through without further complication, so today was a good day.

Daddy's Hand On Kylee

Adam Looks at Mommy While He Holds Her Finger

Kylee Sleeping