Our BIG BOYS!!!

Lots of updates! The boys are now a week and a half old, Gavin weighs 5lbs 1oz and Lucas weighs 4lbs 8oz. They both got their IV's out, so now they only have their feeding tubes and heart monitors on! We bottle feed them once a day for now, trying to work up to all 8 feedings through the bottle before they can go home. The best news is they are out of their isolettes and into a joint crib (as of yesterday)! They are also in big boy clothes and maintaining their temperature.

We were also moved into a new room (actually they moved us twice b/c the first move was into a single room and I was so claustrophobic! Luckily their computer couldn't put two babies into a single room so we have a big room now). The new room is on the pediatric wing, a "step out the front door" as they like to say. The boys are still NICU patients but no longer require the NICU room or nurses as the pediatric nurses and rooms are sufficient.

Grandma and Grandpa (my parents) also got to hold the boys on Saturday when they got their first set of clothes, before the boys were put into a crib. They LOVED that and I'm so happy that we can actually show off our little ones to a select group of people! It's also nice that I can pick up my sons whenever I want to! Makes me feel so much more like a mommy and less like a spectator.

Today they are giving me a run for my money - I can say I officially know what it's like to be a mommy of twins. I can also say that Gavin is going to be our little fussy baby. Lucas is just so mellow and loves to smile. I kiss him on the cheek three times making a kissy noise and he smiles so big it breaks my heart! Gavin just likes to snuggle, as soon as you pick him up he stops fussing and just stares at me. They both respond to the sound of my voice too.

A bit about today and how fast time flies by with twins...

I got here this morning at 7:30, their first feeding is 8am - we tried breastfeeding while they were getting their full feed through their NT tube. Both latched on and did okay - we did one at a time and then put them back in their crib - it takes about 3o min per baby so an hour in total. Then at exactly 9am both babies started fussing. The nurse said that it might be a good time to try holding both while swaddled - this did the trick and soon we were all fast asleep (but mommy was NOT comfy) so at 10 I asked the nurse to help me put them back so I could pump and try to nap.

Not 10 minutes later Gavin started screaming, so I picked him up and we sat down together to soothe him. He immediately stopped crying, but then Lucas started fussing. It was like a game, I'd pick up Gavin (the instigator of the fussing) and then as soon as I'd take two steps away Lucas would start to cry.

Before I knew it, it was 11am and time for their next feed - the cycle continued. After their 11 am feeding they were both still so fussy (of course when the nurse was in here getting them hooked up to feed they were sound asleep so she didn't mess with them for diaper changes and left). I decided to figure out how to soothe them on my own and when through my check list - they'd been fed, aren't hurt, don't seem hot or cold - ah ha they probably have stinky pants. Sure enough, Gavin was really messy! I changed him and he totally calmed down, and did the same for Lucas. Now I am officially sitting here without a baby crying (just Gavin grunting attempting to entice me over and pick him up!) I DID IT my big accomplishment for the day - and it only took me 4 hours!

More later...