Day Two

Sorry we didn't get a chance to update yesterday, but any time we weren't with the boys in NICU, we were sleeping! So bear with me, there's a lot of things to try to remember to include in this update!

Both of the boys are doing great! Levi is no longer intubated, so he is breathing on his own. Both of the boys are still on CPAP, which simply increases the level of oxygen that the boys are inhaling. I can't even tell you how much of a relief it is to know that they can both breathe on their own after being born at only 30 weeks. They are also free of any infections, so they were both taken off of antibiotics today. Gradually they are getting their various IV lines and such removed...it feels like every thing removed is a small triumph.

Last night, I got to do Kangaroo Care with Asher. This basically means that I put on an open front gown, the nurses took Asher out of his isolette, and placed him on my chest in only his diaper, skin to skin with me, and then covered us with a blanket. What an experience! This has been proved to calm the baby, increase bonding, and help with development. We got to stay like that for about an hour, during which time I simply enjoyed holding my son for the first time while he made adorable squeaking noises. He's our little Squeaker.

When they took Asher away in order to put him back in his isolette again, it was hard simply because it felt SO GOOD to feel him that close again. This morning, Nathan got to do the same thing with Asher again, only he got to hold him for about two hours. I think it was a little stressful at times, because Asher's oxygen monitor is constantly going off as he has a harder time regulating his oxygen levels. His heart rate also has a tendency to drop suddenly from around 130 bpm all the way down to around 40 bpm. All it takes is a brisk shake to bring it back up and the nurses say that it's really common, but it's still a little stressful. Despite all this, Nathan was definitely feeling better after getting to hold one of his sons for the first time since they were born.

This afternoon, I took the opportunity to sleep (oh yeah, I'm recovering from surgery, I almost forgot!) while my parents took Nathan out to lunch. When I woke up, Nathan took some of the milk I pumped down to the boys and when he got back, he told me that the nurses said that if we went down to see the boys around 6, we'd be able to hold both of them. So of course we went. I got to hold Levi, while Nathan held Asher again. This was the first time that either one of us got to hold Levi. I can't even describe how holding my sons makes me feel. I've never been this in love with another human being before. When I'm not with them, I miss them constantly. I can't wait until the day when we can pick them up and hold them whenever we want.

It's sounding like I'm going to be released from the hospital on Thursday, at which point we will move in to the Ronald McDonald house that is only two blocks away from the hospital. We weren't sure that we were going to be able to get a room there, but the social worker here pulled a bunch of strings for us. The combination of how young the boys are and how far away we live bumped us to the top of the house list and they managed to get us a ground floor room so I don't have to climb stairs. We should be able to stay there until the boys are sent home.

All in all, things are going incredibly well. My recovery is going smoothly, Nathan is loving spending time with his sons, and we are feeling the ton of support that everyone is giving us. Thank you so much everyone!