Crazy Few Days!

Yesterday was Blake's 2 month well visit.  I'm not sure why they call it a well visit since he feels so crummy after getting all those shots :-(  He weighed 9 pounds 13.75 ounces and is 21.75 inches long!  Bennett weighed 8 pounds 2 ounces last night so he isn't far behind.

Blake this morning...he was a very sleepy boy after all those shots yesterday

The doctor said today that she plans to take Bennett off his high flow nasal cannula and try to put him on a low flow nasal cannula Monday!  If he can manage to maintain his oxygen level on 1L or less he is so much closer to coming home.  Every day when we get a report from his nurse they tell us he is still up ALL NIGHT!  They say he doesn't sleep from 11pm until 6am and then just wants to sleep all day.  Today when I went to see him I woke him up from his nap and managed to keep him up for a few hours in hopes that he will sleep a little more tonight!  I also got to give him a bath for the first time today!  He likes his baths about as much as Blake did...only difference is Bennett is so mad he turns purple!

Bath Time!

Naked Baby!

All dressed and smelling MUCH better!  He is starting to get enough hair for a mini mohawk!

Auntie Mer Mer holding Bennett for the first time today...he's not sure what to think!

Bennett snuggling with Laura under his disco lights Friday night...He is a ladies man!

Both boys are starting to reach a few milestones.  They are starting to focus on you more when you hold them and they both are starting to 'talk' to us.  Blake is a little more verbal than Bennett, but I think it's only a matter of time before Bennett tells us what he really thinks!

As a side note...yesterday afternoon Jason was putting a few baby things in the attic that we won't need until later and his foot slipped and he fell through the ceiling in the garage onto my car!  Thank goodness he only suffered superficial abrasions and a slightly bruised ego.

OUCH!

Opinionated Babies!

Both boys woke up on the wrong side of the crib today!  Blake has been grouchy for a few days partly due to a increase in his reflux, but at times he just doesn't want to be put down.  I have started him in what I like to refer to as "Twin Bootcamp"!  I am trying to treat him now as I will have to treat him when Bennett comes home.  I love to sit and cuddle with him, but soon he will have to share his time!  When I went to see Bennett today he was cranky as well.  His trouble is that he likes to party all night with the ladies in the NICU and then wants to sleep all day!  I told his nurses that him being a night owl simply won't work if they want me to keep my sanity!  His nurses Wendy and Gwen have devised a plan to switch him to being awake during the day and I think he was expressing his dislike for their plan today!  He was very happy when I put him back in his bed and he went right to sleep. 

On Saturday Meredith and Laura threw me a baby shower for close family and friends.  It was so nice to see everyone and visit for a few hours.  We got tons of wonderful baby stuff and I think the boys will be set for a while!

I had the cutest cake ever!

We didn't plan it, but we ended up with a empty seat for Bennett at his shower!

Onsie decorating...I have some very talented friends!

Sarah and Blake...she's a natural :-)

Some very good news is that in the past week Blake has decided to sleep 4 hours at night so we only have to get up 2 times at night instead of 3...it makes a huge difference!

Bennett is still chugging along.  He is still on 3L of oxygen and is usually between 24-26%.  The doctor was hoping to get him down to 21% and then turn him down to 2L, but he doesn't seem to want to go below 24%.  She told us the other day that she thinks he will come home on oxygen since it is taking a while to wean him off, but they won't send him home until he is on 1L or less.  She has taken him off the 27 calorie formula and put him on 24 calorie formula.  He is now up to eating 68cc's per feed and he eats about 4 full bottles per day. Some hopeful news for Bennett is that they aren't sure if he has a hernia or a hydrocele.  We are hoping he has a hydrocele (pocket of fluid) so he won't have to have surgery!  Hopefully they will get a surgeon or urologist from Cook's to look at it in the next few weeks.  Overall he is doing great and getting closer to coming home!  I can't wait to see my boys together :-).

Sweet Boy snuggled up with his lovie!

Bennett has had some special visitors in the past few weeks!

Poppy (Jason's Dad) held Bennett for the first time Sunday!

Katie also held Bennett on Sunday!

Grandmother (Jason's Mom) held Bennett for the first time on May 12th

Blake has been busy just being cute!

Baby burrito!  Look how big he is...he use to only take up half of his bassinet!

Chillin in the bouncy seat

Play Time!



New Found Respect

No one ever told me how difficult it would be to stay at home with a baby!  Today I was peed and puked on and yelled at by Blake.  I think he has a bit of a tummy ache. I was up with him at 11pm, 1:30am, 4am, 645am, and 8am and he wouldn't eat like he normally does and was more fussy than usual.  I was so tired today that when he went to sleep so did I and I didn't get up until 1:30 this afternoon.  I didn't eat until 3pm and I finally got a shower at 5pm when Jason got home.  I was really hoping when he started eating 4 ounces that he would sleep a little longer, but that hasn't happened.

I always thought that stay at home moms had the easiest life in the world.  You stay home with the baby, clean the house, have time to make dinner and aren't stressed...I have not found this to be so.  I can't seem to get my act together.  I find it difficult to get out of my PJ's, the house is messier than ever and the day flies by and I haven't gotten anything done.  I have never felt so unproductive!  I definitely have a new found respect for stay at home moms.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy spending so much time with Blake and not missing a moment, but I just have to change my expectations for myself.  I thought I would be super mom...get everything done and have time left over.  My goal now is to get dressed and keep Blake fed and happy.  I don't know what would have happened if Bennett had been home today.  I think there would have been a lot of crying, from me and the babies!

Blake at 7 weeks...I had to play with my new photo set up that I got for Mother's Day!

Blake on Sunday...He got dressed up to go to Caleb's 1st birthday party.  They were supposed to have the same birthday, May 13th!

Bennett is still doing great on his nasal cannula.  He is still on 3L of oxygen at 24-30%.  They tried to turn him down to 2L last week, but he didn't tolerate it very well.  They did a chest x-ray 2 nights ago and it looked a little worse than his previous x-ray, but on the previous x-ray he was on CPAP so it's not a fair comparison.  He is still a happy camper and it eating more and more by bottle.  Their due date was Friday May 13th, which is when they tell you to expect premature babies to be home by, but we are hoping he is home in another 6 weeks.  We can't wait until our entire family is home together!

Mother's Day

My first Mother's Day was such a blessing in so many ways.  First, I feel so fortunate to just be a mom, I realize I am lucky to have to my 2 boys here safe and sound after such a rocky start, and I finally realize the love of a parent...there is nothing else like it!

Blake got dressed up for dinner at Aunt Meredith's with the moms

First time Auntie M held Blake...he had to get a little bigger!

Mom, Dad and Blake...we all look a little tired!

3 generations!  I just wish MeMe were here to make it 4

For Mother's Day Blake and Bennett sent me flowers, got me cards and bought me a professional photographer set up with back drops and lights...they just thought I took a lot of pictures before...they have no idea what they are in for now!  Jason and my mom went to see Bennett...I haven't seen him in a week due to a cold.  I'm hoping to go sometime this week. 

The first time Mia held Bennett

Bennett is still doing great.  They turned his oxygen down to 3L and he is at 24-28%.  They are planning to turn his oxygen down every 3-5 days if he continues to do well.  They did a ultrasound of his head yesterday to check for brain bleeds again and everything came back normal.  Everyone tells me that he is so happy now that he has the CPAP off.  They have increased his feeds to 55 cc's and he is eating a little more often from his bottle.  He now weighs 6 pounds 6 ounces!  Jason weighed Blake on our scale the other night and he weighs 8 pounds!  They are growing so fast!  It's hard to believe I wasn't supposed to meet them until their due date this Friday (May 13th).

I found this on a preemie website and thought I would share it:

How God Picks Preemie Moms

Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth selecting His instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger.

"Armstrong, Beth, son. Patron saint, Matthew.
"Forest, Majorie, daughter. Patron saint, Ceceila.
"Rutledge, Carrie, twins. Patron saint... give her Gerard. He's used to profanity.

Finally, He passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a premature baby."
The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy."

"Exactly, " smiles God. "Could I give a premature baby a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."

"But does she have patience?" asks the angel.
"I don't want her to have too much patience, or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it.

"I watched her today. She has that sense of self and independence that are so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has his own world. She has to make it live in her world and that's not going to be easy."

"But, Lord, I don't think she even believes in you."
God smiles, "No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness."

The angel gasps, "Selfishness? Is that a virtue?"
God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child who comes in a less than perfect way. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied.

"She will never take for granted a spoken word. She will never consider a step ordinary. When her child says 'Mommy'' for the first time, she will be witness to a miracle and know it. When she describes a tree or a sunset to her blind child, she will see it as few people ever see my creations.

"I will permit her to see clearly the things I see - ignorance, cruelty, prejudice - and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side."

"And what about her patron saint?" asks the angel, the pen poised in mid-air.

God smiles. "A mirror will suffice."

Being the mom of a preemie comes with it's challenges, but I feel like I got a special gift to watch my babies grow from a time that most don't get to experience!

More Milestones!

A lot of great things have happened in the past week!  They boys were 6 weeks old on Wednesday and both had big milestones.

My 2 sleeping angels!

Yesterday Bennett was taken off of his CPAP and put on a high flow nasal cannula!  Currently he is on 4L at 23-26% oxygen and doing great!  He is so happy to have that hat off his head and tube out of his nose!  He is getting to eat 2 bottles a day until they wean his oxygen down.  One thing I know for sure...Bennett LOVES to eat!  He is for sure a Warner :-)  He currently weighs 6 pounds 3 ounces.  I haven't been able to see Bennett since Tuesday since I have gotten a cold, but I can't wait to go scoop him up and get him out of his bed on my own!  There is no greater Mother's Day gift that he could have given me!

We took these of Bennett last weekend...they are some of my favorite so far!  He was so happy :-)

Bennett in his bouncy seat for the first time!

Bennett at 6 weeks old...he got new braces for his arm since he is able to extend them further now (145 degrees!)

Daddy and Bennett today!

Blake is doing great at home and growing like a weed.  If I had to guess I would say he is over 7 pounds.  We will find out for sure how much he weighs in a few weeks at his 2 month doctor appointment.  We had to change his formula last week to a formula that is more easily digested due to some tummy issues he was having.  I hope he is able to go back to the sensitive or regular formula soon since it is $10.00 more a can.  I about had a fit when it cost $75.00 for 3 cans!  This whole baby thing is expensive!  Blake has his first night in his big boy bed on Thursday!  He still looks so tiny in his bed, but I think it has helped Jason and I to sleep a little better at night since we can have the fan on and the room totally dark.  I think Blake likes it except that he got both of his legs through the rails last night and woke up screaming!  They tell you not to use bumpers so the baby doesn't suffocate, but they fail to tell you that the baby can get bilateral broken legs!  Thank goodness no harm was done.

Blake in his big boy bed!

Jason and I are trying to change our lifestyle to accommodate for having 2 babies at home.  I decided this week to take a stab at couponing.  I have been watching the show Extreme Couponing on TLC where they get $800.00 worth of groceries for free.  This week I spent $131.00 and saved $20.00...I'm not quite there yet!  Let me just say that you have to be very organized and dedicated to be great at couponing...I'm hoping to get a little better each week, the trick is finding time to do it between feeding, changing diapers and doing laundry (babies create a TON of laundry!).