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.