Feeding time with Daddy

Randy has mastered the art of the tandem feed.

The boys do really well. I am still trying to master this. I have been able to tandem feed if I put them on a boppy pillow that is around my waist and I position one on the boppy using the armrest of the couch and the other I position with pillows and we make it happen....no photo's yet.

Easter with the Packers!!

Here are Daddy's future Packer buddies.

My friend Anita helped me shop for the football Easter baskets and then Randy and I arranged the boys.

Fun with outfits

My friend Holly hasn't been able to meet the boys yet since she lives in my hometown but, she did send these super cute outfits that the boys wore to a doctor appointment.

Randy bought these cute outfits that say they "I'll drive mom bananas". (Griffin is on the left and Gavin on the right)

Randy was so confused when he was trying to dress Gavin this night. My cousin Tami had come to visit, the picture of her with the boys is on my camera which takes me longer to upload...the rest of the pictures come off of my iPhone and are easy to get on here in the time I usually have, only a quick second...then a break and then more time to post after awhile. Anyway, she is a huge Twins fan so Randy was trying to show her their Twins outfit.

These are outfits from Gramma C. They wore these for their first Easter.

Another cute little bum from Gramma C. (My mom)

lots of visitors and fun!!

Teea is a coworker of mine at Future Concepts Salon. She has 2 sisters-in-law and a brother-in-law that are triplets and 4yr olds so she has lots of experience handling multiple infants. She was a seasoned pro and even tackled feedings and diapers! Teea, you are welcome anytime and often!! Haha :)

This is my friend Heidi snuggling with the boys. Heidi even caught some zzz's herself. When you put these two little cuddle bugs on you, you instantly can fall asleep. You may even hear Gavin snore a little bit.

Heidi was an excellent baby holder while I was able to catch up on some things around the house. I love that so many people want to share their love with my babies!

While I was in the shower, Teea had fun with a little photo shoot. While I was blow drying my hair she said "EJ, you have to come here!!" This is what I saw. So sweet!!

This is my friend Anita. She gave lots of excellent snuggles too and helped me shop for a few props for the upcoming photo's. Heidi and Anita threw me a wonderful baby shower the weekend before we met Gavin and Griffin.

a few more...

double decker babies...Gavin in the back, Griffin in the front

Griffin thinks this home life isn't so bad

Gavin even decided to help hold his bottle this morning.

Gavin is so sweet

Gavin just does these cute little poses, meanwhile Griffin does the cutest little faces but, they don't translate in photo's...as long as you are healthy, you'll just have to come meet the boys to see for yourself!

Good-Bye hospital, Hello HOME!!

Gavin (L) Griffin (R)

Welcome home balloons!!

I was going to ride in the front seat with Randy on the way home but, we both were a little nervous so I sat where I could see the boys. We both smiled and were scared the whole ride. Life as we knew it has officially changed!

Randy pushing the boys out of the nursery. The sign above his head reads "Special Care Nursery".

This was a great day and a sad day. This is our primary care nurse, Michelle right before we left for good. She was perfect for me and reminded me to take care of myself. Her most important job was to care for our boys. She was so good for us because she was always realistic, down to earth and didn't fill our heads with all the potential scary stuff. She was with us every day for the week that the boys were in the SCN. The boys had great care in the evenings and nights but, it worked out perfect that she was our primary because her way meshed well with how Randy and I believe we want things to go with the boys. She and I spent a lot of time together. She was a great listening ear. She had numerous words of wisdom and helped me work out some things I was conflicted with. Re:breastfeeding/expressing milk for the boys. She helped remind me, as did my OB and the pediatrician/neonatologists, that the boys need a mom who is sane over a mom who is running crazy between all the attempted nursings/pumping and caring for the boys. Remember that crying stuff I had talked of earlier? Once I gave myself permission to stop trying to be "supermom" to the boys and after hearing from the professionals that it was OK for me to stop trying, I have had no more tears!! Guilt has subsided and I am finally feeling like I can enjoy my babies more. (When you have preemies, it isn't as easy as just putting them to the breast and they know what to do....you have to be patient and nurse 1/nurse 2/pump/clean up and start it all over again. It is very taxing on a body that is still healing from delivery, running back and forth to the hospital and all the other things in between. I felt like I couldn't just hold my babies and stare at them to learn all their little characteristics. To the moms out there that can do it, my hat's off to you! To those of you like me, my hat's off to you too! We all have to find our own way and not be made to feel bad about it.

With that, I am signing off and going to enjoy these little miracles some more!

We interrupt your regularly scheduled broadcast....

Michelle, our nurse, ran out to tell the doc and next thing you know he gave us the boot! I panicked and explained how I had an appointment in the next 15mins that I either had to go to or cancel. I also needed to pick Randy up from work and go home to get the stroller and take home outfits! I asked what I should do. All of the sudden I couldn't tell up from down. I took a deep breath and formulated a plan. They were really great and said they won't kick us out that fast. Next thing I know I was rushing to my post-op appt, which went fine and fast since I told them the news, then I was rushing to get from South Minneapolis to our home in Eagan. (about 30 mins in rush hour) I had to pack up a cooler for my frozen breastmilk, clothes for the kids, the stroller and for the first time....a diaper bag. On my way back to the hospital, I stopped at Randy's work and grabbed him. He had to tie up some loose ends and has taken the remainder of the week off.

Both kids got to come home with us that night and we now can finally start to enjoy our new life together, under one roof! :)

Pictures to follow!!

More to our Monday FUN day!

After their test, we got back over to the SCN in Abbott. I was getting the room sort of cleaned up because things were kind of sprawled all over since we left in a hurry for the evaluations. (We had most of a smaller sized room that we shared with one other little boy.)

The neonatologist came in at about 2:45p while I was just finishing a few things in order to make it to my 3:15p appt down the street. In the back of my mind was the fact that I had to pick Randy up from work at 4:30p. The doctor's always seemed to round at a time when it was hard to stop and focus on them. I did my best to always stop whatever I was doing so I could hear how the boys were doing from the doctor and not just hear things through the proverbial grapevine.

Dr: did the boys pass their seat eval? Me: yes. Dr: have both been bottling for their feedings? Me: yes doctor, to my knowledge they have. Dr: are you comfortable enough to take them home at their current sizes? Me: yes, we are. We will be no more comfortable tomorrow than we are today. Dr: Then why are you all still here? Go home today, there is nothing more we can do that you can't do at home. Me: WHAT??????

I was standing with him while he examined Griffin. Our nurse was working on Gavin and as soon as she heard that statement, she pulled out his ng tube!! I didn't notice, nor did Gavin who snoozed through it all. The doctor then said he would confirm with the practitioner on the feedings. He stepped out while our nurse and I scrambled and were so excited!! Dr. came back in and said "it's a no-go. they haven't been on the bottle for a full 24hrs". He then said he would be right back and the nurse immediately went to the computer to confirm. (She was our primary nurse who had been with us every day except 1, so she got to know the kids and thought the Dr and NP weren't quite accurate.) She had me look with her to see if there was a tubefeeding for either kid and nope, there wasn't in the past 24.

Monday FUN day!

We are finally getting a few more minutes to update you on our latest news!!! Some of you may already know but, Monday evening was a HUGE evening for us.

I will tell you a few things to bring you up to speed and then post some fun photo's.

First off, Monday morning was a big morning in that the kids both had to have car seat evaluations. It is conducted at Children's Hospital across the street from the Special Care Nursery (SCN), or through the tunnel--which we took, and takes about 2hrs total. The kids sit in their car seats the entire time and are hooked up to monitors making sure both kids stay breathing etc. at a 45 degree angle. Both passed with flying colors!! :)

To backstep a moment, immediately prior to leaving for their evaluation, the nurse practitioner came in and told me to loosely plan on the kids coming home on Wed or Thurs due to their eating schedules. Both must go for 24hrs without assistance in anyway from the feeding tube. At this point they hadn't quite done that, it was about 0945 at this point. I also asked her if one or both boys would come home. (often times they don't get to go home together) She said she wasn't sure but, it was looking like it could be both but, one of them...I can't remember which one right now....had to pick it up a little to be able to go with his brother.

(Forgot to mention that Randy's car died at some point in the 2wks that I couldn't drive after my c-sec. I finally could drive again, so I had to drop Randy off at work Mon. morning and then hi-tail it up to the hospital to go with the boys to their evaluations. I also had my post-op appt Monday afternoon at 3:15...this will all be relevent in my next post)

A few more....

Daddy's hands (with kids back when we were in the NICU.)

Our cute little monkey boys almost 2wks old in this photo!

I've got my eye on you. Gavin (L) Griffin (R)

Gavin (L) Griffin (R)