Almost 2 weeks old....

and doing great!
Daniel is back to his birth weight and Melissa is up to 3 lbs, 14 oz. They are both taking feeds from a bottle which is a huge milestone on their journey to come home.

Daniel is continuing to stink out the nurses while filling his diaper. He is the “Atomic Pooper”. Melissa is the “Champion Sucker” when it comes to their feedings.

It is hard to believe that they will be 2 weeks old tomorrow…..I don’t know where the time has gone.

There is going to be a Halloween Party tomorrow in the NICU. Daniel will be dressed as an Eagles Player and Melissa an Eagles Cheerleader. I got the costumes at Build A Bear, which is the only place that had costumes that were small enough for our little peanuts. Should make for some really cute pictures.

10 day update

Melissa's Big Yawn

Melissa in Pink

Daniel in blue

Daniel and his binkie

Daniel and Melissa are doing better than everyone expected. On Wednesday, they were moved to the step down unit and Melissa came off of her nasal cannula. They are both off of their IV fluids and only have their NG (feeding) tubes in place.

We made an attempt yesterday to put Daniel to breast. He made a few good efforts but the nurse also was giving him his milk at a really fast rate and Daniel decided to spit up quite a bit. The nurse was brand new....ok, first time bad on me, second time, bad on you).

Melissa did much better. She took 5 cc from the breast and is a champion sucker!!!! This would be the first thing she has gotten to do that Daniel hasn't done before. I am very proud of her.

They are changing so much every day. They are more awake and are wearing their little onesies that SDM got for them. They look so adorable. (THANK YOU!)

I am sleeping better and only need my pain meds at night. Pumping is going pretty well too. First thing in the morning after a night's rest is the best. I am getting more than 6 oz. I hopefully will be able to start freezing some of my milk so we have a store of it.

I am going back for their noon feeding today after I get some running around done. I have lost 38.6 lbs since I delivered them and and only 8.4 lbs away from what I weighed in high school! I have gotten close to that in several dieting attempts but never made it. Now that I am nursing it is easy. I can eat just about anything I want and the weight is falling off. Kind of neat......

Actual Birth......

The actual video of my c-section on 10/16/07

Kind of bloody and not for the squeemish....

Daniel was first, Melissa was second...

Just wanted to update everyone...

The kids are doing well and have started to put on weight. Daniel is a pooping machine and Melissa is not...she may even need some help in that department. We shall see.

I am still getting up to pee a lot and that of course wakes hubby up. The pain is so so. It is really mind over matter at this point. I have my meds and take them when I need them. I am trying to rest but feel like I have so much to do. Mom and Kirsten were a huge help over the weekend and I will be eternally greatful for all of their undertakings.

For the next little while, my schedule is going to consist of being at the hospital by 7:30 am to pump for Daniel (who eats at 8 am) and then be there for rounds so I can get my updates directly from Dr. Eddie (our neonatologist). Then, Melissa gets her feeding at 9 am. I hold them for about 30 minutes after each feeding. I will then come home to rest.

When hubby gets home from work, we will go back over to the hospital for their mid afternoon feedings or evening feeding, whichever time permits. Daniel eats at 12,4,8,12,8,12 again, Melissa is an hour behind.
Daniel is up to 20-30 mls per feeding. Melissa is up to 12 mls. Can you say "Mama Moo". I am one pumping individual at this point.

They are doing great! Daniel is off of his photo therapy lights and Melissa never needed them at all. Melissa still has a small supplement of oxygen and they both getting a bolus of caffeine every morning. Like mother like daughter and son. I need my caffeine too.

So, if you can't reach me at home, try my cell phone. If I am not answering, it means that I am probably with the kids in the NICU and I will get back to you.

Thank you for all of your love, prayers and support. We are very blessed.

Introducing "The Vise Squad"

Daniel Allen
Melissa Elaine

ARRIVAL

Daniel and Melissa joined us on tuesday at 12:41 and 12:42 pm on Tuesday, October 16th, 2007.
They weighed 3 lbs and 9 oz and 3 lbs and 13 oz and were 16" and 16 3/4" long.

They are both in the NICU and doing well. I am home now and will write more and post pictures as soon as time permits.

We made it to 31 weeks.

I cannot believe how fast the time has gone. It seems only days ago that I was staring at the picture of our little 5 celled embryos and now there is a solid 6.5 lbs of baby in my belly that are constantly reminding me of their presence.

The perinatologist told me last week that if contractions started after 32 weeks, they most likely would do nothing to stop them. I am not really in that much of a hurry and would like to let these puppies cook until they are good and ready and the risk factorys for RDS are alot lower. Not that I want to be in the hospital any longer than necessary.... He feels that any time that we get after Halloween is bonus. My regular doctor, however, thinks that I will make it to Thanksgiving....he keeps telling me not to worry and that I "will stretch". HA! I literally feel like I cannot stretch anymore. My bellly is sooooo hard.

We had a great time at the baby shower on Sunday. There were a few less people than I would have hoped for but a good time was had by all nonetheless.

We got lots of stuff for the babies and I spent most of Monday sorting through the gift bags that took up 3/4 of my kitchen. It looked like "Babies R Us" threw up all over the place.

I am fighting a little bit of a cold right now. It is the really the first time I haven't felt good since the morning sickness subsided around 14 weeks. I think I have been very lucky. Better to have a cold now than when I am at the hospital. I kept poor Hubby awake last night with my snoring....paybacks can be sooooo sweet! He does this to me nearly every night despite the use of the breather right strips.....

I am getting excited. I am slowly putting together my "hospital bag" and picking up last minute items that we did not receive as gifts. It is just so surreal that in a few weeks, there are going to be 4 of us, not just 2. I mean, I am going to be someone's mom, two people's mom....that just seems so weird to me.

Next week I start my Fetal Non Stress Testing at the hospital. I will be going twice a week until the kids arrive. I also go back to the OB's office for another check up.

The kids are kicking and have discovered that they can get their heads up under my ribs. That is almost as uncomfortable as when the discovered they can kick down and back and kick me in the guts. They are going to athletes....I can tell!!!

So, I guess we are in the final "stretch". (No pun intended!) I have put on 22.5 lbs since my first visit to the doctors at 12 weeks. I am pretty happy with that since it seems reasonable that I will be able to lose that weight pretty quickly. My goal is to get back to my pre IVF weight (the same as I weighed in high school). I have done it once before and I am sure that I will be able to do it again.

Baby Shower....

( Daniel and Melissa's Cake)

( Bottle Challenge)


( Clothesline from Julie and Janet)

Well, we had a blast at our baby shower yesterday. Daniel and Melissa received lots and lots and lots of goodies. Today I am sorting through everything try to find places to things. These kids are going to be the best dressed kids in town.

We played a few games, including "the diaper game" with melted candy bars. Go Julie and Janet...you are both winners to me!

Some of the guys took the bottle challenge and raced to see who could finish their bottle first. This was hysterical! 4 grown men and alcohol in baby bottles!!!

We also had a beautful cake with pink and blue booties on it! I have tons left over if anyone wants some......

I am a little tired today, the kids, however don't seem bothered by my exhaustion. They are still pretending they are George Foreman and Muhammed Ali right now. They had me up at least 4 times in the night. I know...get used to sleep deprivation......

Pictures from our trip to mom and dad's house

30 week update on the twins

I've just returned from my visit to the perinatologist and received wonderful news.

Our little boy (the tiny one) had started to catch up to his sister.

Daniel weighs 3 lbs 1 oz and Melissa weighs 3.9 oz.The doctor reminded me that anything after Halloween is bonus time and that he to believed that I will not make it to my due date or scheduled c-section date.

We are not out of the woods yet, but things are looking better.

We are VERY happy and blessed!

Go Phillies!!!!!!