Two Weeks Old - Just breathe

Today our babies are two weeks old, and tomorrow I would have been 32 weeks pregnant, which was my original goal. As slowly as things seem to progress in the NICU some days, the last two weeks have gone by in a flash. I am at the NICU most of the day and afternoon. While I am there they keep me busy, changing diapers, checking temperatures, cleaning faces and holding my precious babies. When I hold them it is for at least an hour because it is very stressful to move them from their isolates, so once they get comfortable with me, we don't want to move them again for awhile so we don't stress them out. That's three hours of my day right there holding them. It is what I live for these days. But by the time I get home, I am exhausted. Today I decided I would try to drive for the first time since the surgery, and I went into the NICU earlier this morning so I could leave in the afternoon to get some stuff done and come back in the evening. However, I ended up sleeping all afternoon, and accomplishing nothing. The driving thing didn't work out too well either. I was a little crampy afterwards so I think I will have Tommy drive me again tomorrow. Its hard to remember I am still recovering myself but some days I definitely feel it. I don't think  I have ever been so tired.

On an emotional note, its hard to see your babies hooked up to so many monitors and machines and not be able to take them home with you at the end of the day. Also, when you see one struggling, it is overwhelming. As happy as I am to have them here, I still feel as helpless as I did when I was pregnant and emotionally it is very exhausting as well.

Anyway, its safe to say we are still learning how to balance our time between the NICU and the rest of the world but we are doing our best and will be so happy when the NICU days are a thing of the past.

Now onto the babies. At two weeks old Georgia is now 2 pounds, 15 ounces, almost 3 pounds. She is still doing extremely well. They are weaning her off her nasal cannula that gives her oxygen and hopefully she wont need it in a few days. She is almost up to her full feeding, which means they can take her off the IV fluids very soon. she is growing steadily, very alert and just loves to look around and check everything out.

Jolynne is doing great as well, and recovering wonderfully from her first surgery. She has a colostomy bag on her belly until the next surgery. She is 2 pounds 9 ounces. Her growth is a little slower because they are feeding her much smaller amounts at a much slower rate as to not take any chances with the progress she has made in her belly. Other than that she is tolerating her food well and I am confidant she will catch up to her sister soon. She is also being weaned off the oxygen and should soon be without the nasal cannula. Both her and Georgia love their pacifiers and have developed their sucking skills much earlier than most babies their age. This means in another week or two hopefully they can start eating from a bottle instead of a feeding tube.

Our biggest concern right now is our boy, Mickey. He is now 3 pounds, 2 ounces. He was doing well, (so it seemed) and they took him off the ventilator (breathing tube) last Friday, only to put it back in 36 hours later. He was just not able to breathe on his own without working super hard. It was very hard to watch. They still say he has probable meningitis, maybe some lung disease (but they are not sure) and today they were concerned about his belly. Every day it seems to be something else with him they are "watching". I do feel he is in good hands and they are keeping a close eye on all the possibilities but I also don't think they really know what is wrong. Some days they tell us, he is just a boy and boys develop slower than girls. Tommy is really tired of this explanation, and other days they seem to think its something more. It leaves Tommy and I unsure what to believe. We are trying to be positive that he will come around in his own time but its so hard to see him struggling while his sisters are doing so well. Right now I am just trying to be patient for him and give him the time he needs. I just want my little boy to get better!
After two weeks, even though our babies are in the NICU, Tommy and I are still in disbelief some days we have three beautiful babies. I feel so blessed and so in awe of them. They are my three little miracles and despite all the frustrations and worry, it will never take away the joy in my heart.


Tommy and I want to thank each and every one of you for all your comments, phone calls, messages, texts and emails. We do enjoy hearing from you and your support means so much to us. We are also sorry if we do not respond or get back to you. Its not that we don't appreciate you, its just that once the day is done, so are we, we often go to bed without any down time because it is non stop all day and I still have not been able to find the time to interview for nannies or get things ready for the babies. I cant even get my laundry done :-).

I ask again for your prayers for all three that they continue to take steps forward and grow a get stronger, and especially for little Mickey right now as he struggles to overcome his breathing issues so that he doesn't have to rely on a breathing tube.


Here are some more pictures of our angels!

Georgia

Jolynne

Mickey