05-24-10

It was a good weekend in the NICU. Quinn graduated from her warmer bed to a crib bed. The crib bed basically is a oversized Pyrex dish. She is trying to feed from a bottle on all of her feedings. About every other feeding is successful. Otherwise she doesn't have the energy to eat. She is burping big and not to mention pooping big. She is on 26 caloric intake and it makes her fluffs, poots, farts, and movements smell horrible. The other night a nurse walked by while she was getting her diaper changed and was thrown back by the nastiness in the air. She is a stinky little lady.

As of last night, Quinn weighed 4lbs and 4oz. She is doing great in the weight department. She is keeping her temperature and eating without the help of airflow from a cannula. All she needs to do is take her bottle completely at every meal and pass her carseat test. She is well on her way to getting home.

Brooklyn is a doll. She is so funny. Dr. Leigh has increased her caloric intake to 30. She will be smelling like her big sister before long. He is a bit concerned with her lack of weight gain. She doesn't have the growth spurts that Quinn does. And honestly, it is the biggest thing holding her back. She needs weight to fatten up and keep herself warm. After that, she graduates to the warmer bed. Her insulet is cooler than usual but they can't take her out until she is at least 4lbs. As of last night she weighed 2lbs 14oz. Slowly but surely she is porking up. I was told with the increase to 30 calories, she will surely beef up quickly. Looking back and comparing, she actually feeds from a bottle better than Quinn does. She stays more alert while Quinn falls asleep when eating. She is still having a few D-stats. But she is for the most part on 21% oxygen (room air) and on 1 liter of flow. The next step will be 1/2 liter flow and then no more cannula. I am really hoping to see some changes this week. I need that baby girl to work hard on porking up and breathing nice.

I am starting to get anxious. It seems like their progress up until now has been neck and neck. Now I feel like Brooklyn is falling behind. I know that twins rarely go home together, but I want them to go home close together. Right now, it seems like a couple of weeks difference. I am anxious for Brooklyn to catch up. I am not as anxious for them to come home as I am for her to get some meat on her bones and start progressing. I feel like she is at a standstill. Who knows...that chick may surprise us this week and catch up to sister. I don't put these sneaky ways past Miss Brooklyn. She has now started smiling when she D-stats. It is like she is doing it on purpose to get a rise out of us. I will look at the machine monitoring her and then back down at her to tell her to breath and the little fart is smiling. If she could talk, I would imagine her saying "Made ya look!" She is amazing!

We had our first baby shower yesterday. It was so great. We had so much fun. It was weird because we went to the hospital afterwards and told the girls what they got at the shower. That isn't usually how it works. I think I was more excited about seeing all our friends again. We have such a regime of working and hospital and little time at home that we haven't made time for friends and not much time for family. It was really great to relax with great folks. It helped more than anyone can know. Thank you to everyone that put on the shower. We are so lucky to have a great group of friends.

I know this has nothing to do with the girls. But when in the NICU you grow concerned for the long term babies around you. Well the twin boys that were next to the girls have had big changes. Technically, they are only a 6 days gestationally older than the girls. But they were born 3 months ago. They were born at 24 weeks. One of them has finally gotten to 4lbs and has graduated to a warmer bed. I was so excited to hear about his improvements. The other boy is almost to 4 lbs. So exciting.

Also, I am rallying for Gwinnett Medical to make a different entrance to the hospital for NICU parents. We have to walk past the loading area for Mothers and Babies that are going home. It really tugs at you. The grandmother of the previously mentioned boys gave me the idea. And I hadn't really thought about how it effects other NICU parents. But I realized when she mentioned it that I do say something everytime I see a baby going home. I say the same thing everytime to Richard. It was just good to hear that I am not being petty for saying something as a walk past a family going home. Others feel the same way! I don't say anything negative. I just mention that they get to take their baby home. One day I will get to say that to myself.