Two is hard how do we do three?

Well Brody has been home for almost two weeks and doing great. We sure didn't really know his personality until now. He is kinda grumpy. Well I guess it is expected. He doesn't like to be moved or carried around, I guess he isn't use to it. He startles very easy and hates his feet touched. He sleeps pretty well normally 3-4 hours and then he is hungry. He is in our room for most of the night then one of us normally goes down stairs with him. He has had 4 doctors appointments so far and all have been great. He is currently 8 pounds 6 ounces. He is still on oxygen and we feel he doesn't really need it but it does make us feel a little more comfortable.
Drew is doing great. The same week that Brody came home Drew had his major reconnection surgery. He also has a corrective surgery to his eyes the same one that Brody had. The surgery was a little under 9 hours. He did well and came through successfully. When they went in they found an additional perforation that they had to cut out. With two different spots reconnected is a little more risk. Over half of his large intestines is cut out and he has two different reconnection spots. Long term the doctors say he shouldn't have any issues. His eye surgery also went great. He passed stool a few days later which is a great sign that things are working well. We were very happy about poop. Feeding him is risky and was put on hold to help with growing and healing. Saturday he was feed 7 cc and did great. He was feed with a bottle which is another mile stone because he has only had one bottle in his 126 days. He isn't the best at eating and is being taught how to breath, suck, and swallow. It seems that he is waking up ready to eat. This makes us really happy because we think he is hungry and never really gets that full milk drunk feeling that babies need to sleep well. Drew is amazing and we can't wait to get him home and allow him to be a baby and not a patient.
Big sister is hanging in there. She really likes it when both of us are home but has a little bit of a hard time when only one mom is here. I'm not sure that it is having Brody home or being stuck in the house all the time. She isn't use to being in the house all the time. We normally take her everywhere. Wonder what she will think when we bring Drew home?

Right on Time

Well after 109 days in the NICU our little B-man is home. He made it home the day before his due date. Our first night went pretty well. He is on oxygen only 1/8 of a liter flow. He slept in our room last night in the pack-n-play and he is a very loud sleeper! We would have slept better but we kept checking on him every little noise that he made. So far he seems to like his new surroundings. The oxygen equipment has taken over our house.It looks like he will be on the oxygen for a month or two depending on what the pulmonologist says when we followup with him. He had his first pediatrician appointment today and the doc was pleased with how he looks and sounds. It is definitely different bring home a preemie than it was the first time around with Coo. Speaking of big sister, Coo she is doing pretty well with him she just asks "was at" when he cries and then says hi to him. We feel incredibly lucky despite having the challenges that we have had with Brody thus far. Welcome home Brody!

Back together and competing to get the most attention.

The boys are fifteen weeks old today and finally back together. Both boys are a UCD and it is nice to have them together. We are able to spend more time with them and a little less traveling for the two of us. Don't get us wrong we do miss our MSJ. Brody came over to UCD Wednesday for his scheduled surgery on Thursday. He had a bilateral hernia surgery and was circumcised. He did better than expected. We were a little worried because last time he had a procedure (eye surgery) he had a hard time getting off the vent (breathing tube)He was out of surgery at 10:00 in the morning and by 3:00 he was extabated. He is now back on the nasal cannula on one liter flow where he was before surgery. We think the the worst part for him was the not eating. His first meal was at about 2:00 on Friday and he was hungry. He ate 75 cc really well from a bottle. He was eating 62 cc prior to surgery. We were very excited for him to do well and have this surgery, one step closer to coming home. Today (Friday) in rounds the plan is for him to come home next week. The last few tests and procedural things make it seem so close and a little scary.

Although we were very happy that Brody did so well yesterday we had quite the scare with Drew. Yesterday when Dee Dee was holding Drew he had a severe episode of apnea and bradycardia. Bradycardia is not super uncommon for the boys but they normally come back immediately if you rub their backs. Drew did not come back he completely stopped breathing and his heart dropped very very low. He did this 8-9 times yesterday in total. They had to bag him to get him to start breathing again. They did a work up in him and it looks like he has a staph infection. He also had his vaccinations on the day before these episodes. We asked if this could be related to his vaccinations the doctors don't seem to think that is the case, even though some of the nurses have said that they have seen this in the past. At any rate, he is acting more like his old self today and we were happy to see that.

Through the last 105 days we have continually struggled with celebrating the victories and trying to find the good in the most difficult times. Friends have really helped use through this difficult time. Aunties (friends) have really helped use and touched our hearts by helping with Carleigh and going out of their way to visit Drew and reading to him. In fact the only one that has held the boys besides us and hospital staff is Aunt LO. We are extremely grateful for our friends and appreciate them from the bottom of our hearts.

38 Weeks

Boys are two weeks away from there due date and it is hard to imagine Amber being pregnant all this time. This has to be the slowest 38 weeks ever. Well Brody is getting closer to coming home. Brody is scheduled to have his hernia surgery at UCD on October 1st. He getting bigger and bigger everyday. He is currently 6 pounds and 14 ounces. He has been nipple feeding well prior to the eye surgery but since he hasn't been doing as well. We hope that he is on full nipple feeds by the time he goes to UCD. He will be going over to UCD on the 30th and we hope that communication for his care is pretty smooth.
Drew is hanging out trying his hardest to gain weight. He is around 1925 grams and needs to be between 2000 and 2500 gram to have his surgeries. His weight goes up and down and he is just hanging out. He has had to have his stoma open to room air making it hard to have his arms and legs free. He is often very upset wanting his arms and legs free to move about. He has a couple of great primary nurses and that has made it easier for us. His primaries have been holding him and loving him when we are not there. We know that no loving is like his mommies loving but is very comforting to us that he has people that care about him visiting him and caring for him.

37 weeks

Brody is a big boy! He weighs six pounds and 3 ounces almost as much as Coo when she was born. Last week Brody had eye surgery because the blood vessels have not developed properly, common in preemies. He had a hard time coming back off the vent after his traumatic experience. Today five days after he seems to be more alert than even before the surgery. He is nipple feeding most of his feeding and doing well. We were actually able to bring in some of his clothes to wear and that was nice. Brody is doing well and we have heard a lot of talk about him coming home. He does have to go to UCD before he comes home. He has a hernia that he has had since birth. We have know about it for awhile but were not aware that he would have to have surgery on it prior to coming home. He may come home on oxygen but we are not sure at this point.
Drew is also doing well. He is off oxygen and doing great. He isn't gaining as well as we all would like but he is slowly gaining. Instead of feedings at 3-6-9-12 he is being tube feed continuously. Since the continuous feedings have started he has been gaining. He weighs 1786 grams which is about 4 pounds. They can't reconnect his intestines until he is 2000 grams. Once he is reconnected he will need a shunt then on his way home. He is doing great.

Questions or Answers

It wasn't too long ago that a mother of twins born at 24 weeks and 3 days told us that it just gets harder the closer they get to coming home. When she said that I had no idea what she meant at the time. Now I understand. The waiting and anticipation is driving us crazy. So many details! Although Amber's work is so supportive it is hard to be away this long and not know how long until she will be back. We are slowly but surely getting the boys stuff ready and putting their room together. Final touches will be put in after our shower/ welcome party.
At times we wonder what the future holds for our kids and how this journey will all play out. What will they remember? One day we will read this blog to them and I hope it gives them strength and hope. Will they ever know how strong they are and how proud we are of them? We may not have all the answers at this time but we will always be changed for the better because of the birth of our children. Brody and Drew have fought so hard to be here and although it was hard we have been honored to join their fight. Right now we use this blog as a way to keep friends and family updated on the twins journey. We also have given this blog to other mothers that are in our situation. We have heard that Brody and Drew's story have given others hope.They amaze us everyday and we are so proud that they have helped and amazed others.

Still doing well

Well quick update:
Drew is doing GREAT! He went down to one liter of oxygen last week and did great. Today he went to room air. Amazing. The doctors are very happy with his progress but concerned about his weight gain. He weights 3 pounds 6 ounces and needs to weight 4 pounds 5 ounces before they can reconnect his intestines. It is common for people with stoma's to have trouble adsorbing food because it is in the intestines long enough. It has been nice for us because we have been able to hold Drew and bond with him. He has a great little personality, so alert, attentive, and happy. He smirks a lot and smiles showing off his very cute dimples. He loves his Binky and can hold it in all by his self. For all he has gone through he is very content holding his hands together and listening to the voices of his favorite nurses. Go Poo Go!
Brody is huge. He has no problem growing at all. At 35 weeks he is 5 pounds and 6 ounces. He is eating a whole bottle when he is feed it twice a day. He has been breastfeeding and latches right on. Brody is still on one liter and doing well. Mercy is trying to get him off. Brody has weekly eye exams since he has been in the NICU. They are tracking the growth of the eye due to the prematurity and the oxygen that has been provided to assist in breathing. They will need to do eye surgery this week or next week to help the direct the blood vessels in the right areas and prevent the eyes from going blind. This is pretty routine procedure that is common in micro preemies. Brody is doing well and could be coming home in a couple of weeks and by the looks of it if Drew didn't need another surgery her would have been to. Can't wait to get them home but very scary at the sametime.