Emily has settled in to home life quite well. She is a delightful little girl, full of wonderful facial expressions, beautiful vocals (unfortunately she practices this often at 2 am), and curious eyes. She loves to cuddle, both with big and little people. We are so happy to have her home and look forward to getting to know her even more.
Caitlyn continues to thrive at home, and in fact has revelled in her sister's arrival. I was quite concerned that she was having difficulty with reflux (spit-ups) and was on the verge at the beginning of the week to call the pediatrician to ask for some antacid medicine for her. No sooner had Emily's head been placed next to Caitlyn, and it seems the reflux has almost disappeared! She is so content and at peace with her sister's presence - it's quite remarkable. I don't think I understand the significance and the power of these girls relationships together.
We've had a busy week this week. With the arrival of Emily home, life has become that much more busy. It was really helpful to have Caitlyn home first as it allowed Jer and I to establish the beginnings of a routine. Of course this has changed slightly with Emily's arrival and, again will change with Heather's. It has however been manageable. So....our day starts early - the girls are fed, Jennifer is awoken and then we all eat breakfast. The babies are fed again and then Mama packs up and loads the babies into the van to venture to the hospital. As soon as we get to the hospital, it's only a short time before the feeding starts again. Three mouths!! The visits have been great for all three girls but particularly Heather.
It was a sad day last Friday when we took Emily home leaving Heather all alone. I admit that a few tears were shed. Heather has been known to "search" the crib for her bed-mates and can often be found lying perpendicular in hopes to bump into another little body. Overall, Heather has been doing well. She has had no further bradycardic (low heart rate) episodes since Friday. There has been some concern with how little weight she has gained and the fact that she still has struggled to complete her bottles. (As a reminder, the benchmark to discharge home is that the babies can sustain themselves through feeding - ie: by bottle or breastfeeding). So she has not been able to do that to date. We were given the option yesterday to bring her home with a "gavage tube" - the tube that goes in her nose. We've had long conversations with the staff, and have decided to get trained in how to put in the tube if needed. The upswing is that she may not need this and, she will grow out of this in a matter of weeks (likely). I spoke with the nurse this morning and Heather has finished all her milk for the past 24 hours -- Yippee!! If she continues, she can come home TOMORROW!! (Maybe with no need for the tube).
It will be so great to have her home - the trips to the hospital and back are definitely taking their toll on all of us. It's been a long time and we are very ready to have all of our girls home.
We are so fortunate to have Aunty Steffy with us this week - she has been an industrious Aunty and has gotten us back in the pink and looking pretty ship-shape here. We are humbled by her support and never ending efforts. We will also welcome Aunty Cindy this weekend - we look forward to seeing her soon!
So....for all of your patience...here are some pictures for you...enjoy.
Emily and Caitlyn
Caitlyn
Emily
Jennifer taking care of the sisters....
Love to all....
Jan
Such gorgeous pictures!
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