The most exciting thing that has happened recently is over this past weekend Kathryn and Sophia got assigned a very nice nurse who agreed to allow Evelyn to come into the NICU for a few minutes to meet her sisters! The nurse was a little reluctant since the rule is children over 4 years of age. She only agreed if Tom promised to hold her the whole time and she could only take a peek and then leave. She jokingly said if we told anyone she allowed it, she’d deny it to the end. We explained it to Evelyn that she had to be good, not touch anything, and be very quiet – she did a fantastic job, even the nurse was excited. When she went in she was in absolute aw of her surroundings and of her new baby sisters. She gawked at everything around them and she just stared at them and said, “Awwww, they are so cute and tiny”. Then she giggled because Sophia stretched and put her arm up and Evelyn thought she was waving to her, and so she waved back (see pic below). It was really an exciting and emotional five minutes for all of us. Tom took Evelyn back out in the waiting area and he said that she was just beaming and still so excited. Ever since then she talks more about them and makes comments about missing them and wanting them to come home. I think it made her “big sister” role feel more legitimate.
Other than that, the girls have had a few steps forward, backward, and forward again….such is the life of a preemie. Everything seems to be progressing very quickly lately. After being moved into the “growers/feeders” room, the nurses immediately tried putting the girls into an open shared bed. This only lasted for about two days before Sophia went back into an isolate because she could not keep her temperature up. Kathryn stayed in a single open bed and has been tolerating it well. However, just to be in an open bed they keep on so many layers of clothes and blankets that you can only see their nose and eyes. Good news is, this past Sunday they took Sophia back out in her own open bed and they are going to give it a second chance to see if she can tolerate it, and…so far so good.
Last week both girls went back onto the caffeine to help them maintain their heart rates. I get mixed reviews on whether or not they will try them off it one more time prior to coming home, or if they will just keep them on it, and send them home on monitors. Either way, its okay and it will not constitute them staying in the NICU longer.
And now for the GREAT news - Both girls are doing an amazing job with their bottle feeds and they have even gotten to try breastfeeding. They are currently bottle feeding more than half of their daily meals. They eat 8 times per day, and in order to come home, all 8 meals must be by bottle (or breast if they can handle it). The nurses say at the rate they are increasing bottle feeds they will be preparing to come home soon. I couldn’t believe how well they did their first few tries at breastfeeding. After Evelyn’s resistance to breastfeeding, I was not expecting it to go well, but both girls were able to latch on. Their nurse told me not to even expect that their first few tries because they would be too weak, but they proved her wrong. Today, Sophia latched on and even ate for awhile, where sometimes they don’t have a strong enough suck to get the milk.
Other than that, the girls have had a few steps forward, backward, and forward again….such is the life of a preemie. Everything seems to be progressing very quickly lately. After being moved into the “growers/feeders” room, the nurses immediately tried putting the girls into an open shared bed. This only lasted for about two days before Sophia went back into an isolate because she could not keep her temperature up. Kathryn stayed in a single open bed and has been tolerating it well. However, just to be in an open bed they keep on so many layers of clothes and blankets that you can only see their nose and eyes. Good news is, this past Sunday they took Sophia back out in her own open bed and they are going to give it a second chance to see if she can tolerate it, and…so far so good.
Last week both girls went back onto the caffeine to help them maintain their heart rates. I get mixed reviews on whether or not they will try them off it one more time prior to coming home, or if they will just keep them on it, and send them home on monitors. Either way, its okay and it will not constitute them staying in the NICU longer.
And now for the GREAT news - Both girls are doing an amazing job with their bottle feeds and they have even gotten to try breastfeeding. They are currently bottle feeding more than half of their daily meals. They eat 8 times per day, and in order to come home, all 8 meals must be by bottle (or breast if they can handle it). The nurses say at the rate they are increasing bottle feeds they will be preparing to come home soon. I couldn’t believe how well they did their first few tries at breastfeeding. After Evelyn’s resistance to breastfeeding, I was not expecting it to go well, but both girls were able to latch on. Their nurse told me not to even expect that their first few tries because they would be too weak, but they proved her wrong. Today, Sophia latched on and even ate for awhile, where sometimes they don’t have a strong enough suck to get the milk.
The nurses and Physical Therapists say that the girls seem more advanced than their age and they are very surprised with their quick progression. Sophia’s weight is 4 lbs. 7.5 ozs., and she is 17.25 inches long, and Kathryn weighs 4 lbs. 5 ozs. and she is almost 17.75 inches long. That's 2 lbs and 2 inches in 8 weeks! Needless to say we are very happy with how well they are doing, and hopefully we’ll here more news about a homecoming soon.
Enjoy some more pics and God Bless!
Evelyn's first meeting with her sisters (with Nurse Mary)
Meeting Kathryn for the first time.
Waving at Sophia
Big girl Kathryn wide awake.
Something funny?
Daddy's first bottle feeding with Sophia
Not quite sure who is more fascinated
Look closely... 
It finally sets in...
Sleeping together for the first time out of their isolate
Happy Mommy
Daddy kisses (can't get enough)
First ever bottle feeding with Kathryn 
Cuddle time
Evelyn helping mommy with her surplus of milk
Evelyn in her HUGE pile of leaves (with her cape)
Pretty girl
The best snowman Daddy could make with such little snow
3 comments:
Okay...so can I have Evelyn? You have two more! She is so adorable...you are truly blessed. The girls are getting so big, I scanned down at the other pictures from a month ago..seems likes yesterday. Short women rock!! Love ya and Merry Christmas,
Cyndy and Scott
Oh my goodness!! I cannot believe all the wonderful, wonderful news!! They are getting so big, so fast and just doing so well. The picture of Kathryn smiling is just so heartwarming. (I actually had to double check on which little muffin wuz smiling) :o)Nothing else can give you that warm fuzzy feeling of seeing an innocent and true smile on the face of a child. I started to cry when I seen Evelyn meet her sisters for the very first time. Such a wonderful moment that will make a memory to last and cherish forever. Everyday passing is another day closer to them coming home. I am just so excited about how well they are doing. And they are just absolutely beautiful! I love to look at their pictures with their peepers open and it's so hard to imagine what they are thinking about and what's going on in their little heads. I took a picture of McKenzie when she was a few days old. There was a look about her so being the scrapper that I am, I found a quote that I put underneath her picture and framed it. It sits on my desk everyday, but here is the quote "In the eyes of a child....there is joy, there is laughter....there is hope, there is trust, a chance to shape the future...." When I see the girls in the NICU, looking around I think of that quote. They are beautiful and two dreams that came true by wishes on the stars. Tom and Emily you have 3 beautiful daughters and so many exciting adventures ahead! Oh, and you might want to give David a call at your first Father Daughter Dance! LOL....I can see it now! Love you guys and see you soon! Shawnie
Love the pictures and the update.
Evelyn is such a sweet little girl and is going to be the best big sister ever.
Kathryn and Sophia are growing like little weeds - congratulations on the breast feeding - that is monumental!!!
So much good news in this update - can't wait til you can bring them home.
Love you guys!!! Laurie
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