It's Christmas Eve!

We are not really sure what all this hype about Christmas is, but our parents sure are disappointed we are not going to be home for it. Our nurses made us First Christmas crib hangars using our footprints. They are really cute and add some great decoration to our beds. We also got special little ornaments from one of our other NICU friends that say "May you find yourself home this Christmas." Our Mommy really liked these ornaments. Everything is fine with us, and we wish you all a wonderful Christmas!

Maybe we're getting it???

Kitt: I got moved to three bottles today! Not only did I get upped, but I completely finished the first two and almost finished the third one. The nurse was so impressed since my third one came the feeding right after the second. Normally they try to give us a break between bottle feedings. Both Mommy and Daddy came a couple of times to feed me and hold me.

Garet: I did two of my three bottles today. The second one was super fast.....only 11 minutes! I finished the third one but I had a couple of breathing episodes during that one. Mommy did what she was supposed to do to help me recover and I was able to finish. We are getting some of our newborn shots later tonight but they are going to give us a little Tylenol so we won't hurt too much. Mommy is relieved that she doesn't have to be there for these!

A few things....

Garet: Thanks to the speech therapist, we do tongue calisthenics 2 or three times a day. Mommy did them for a few minutes with me today and Daddy did them on Kitt (hence his blue gloves). I am not sure they really helped me though as I did not finish any of my three bottles today. I had my eyes checked again today, too, and everything looks fine. My new weight from last night was 5 pounds, 11.2 ounces. I am catching up to my sister! We are told our Aunt Kristen came to town today but the rules of the hospital won't let her come in to meet us. She was even wearing the "Awesome Aunt" sticker that we sent her for her birthday! Granny did come back and held us both again today.

Kitt: So the eye doctor came back today to check the progress of my eye. The good news is the bleeding is clearing up and he was able to see in which means I can see out! The pressure is down but the small growth of cells is still there. He even said these only appear in newborns every 15-20 years. He is still trying to get rid of it with the eye drops so hopefully they will work. I did both of my bottles today, although very slowly. I got credit for doing both though! My weight from last night was 6 pounds and 7 ounces.

Kitt: I didn't quite finish my bottle this morning but I sure did work hard at it. The nurses say I sure am slow and steady. I did my second bottle for Daddy tonight...again slowly, but I did it. The other nurse said we're doing well, but we're sure not going to win any races! The doctor talked to Mommy tonight and said she is going to keep watching our progress on the bottles but if we don't make any we will go home on feeding tubes and Mommy and Daddy will have to work on the bottles with us since that is the only thing keeping us here. Mommy and Daddy are sure hoping we figure it out before that happens. Granny came to visit us today and held me for a while before my feeding. She also changed my diaper, too!

Garet: I did my morning bottle for the nurse even though it took the whole 30 minutes. Then I did another bottle for Mommy in only 15 minutes! My third bottle got off to a great start but I sure tuckered out. The doctor called the speech therapist down to watch me eat to see if there is reason for this problem we have. Of course, there is no problem; I just don't seem to want to eat. Granny held me for a while, too, and tried to tell me about taking the bottles, so Santa Claus would come and see me, but I don't even know who that is! Granny brought us both stockings with our names on them, too, so now we have one at home and one here.

Our apologies.....

So many of you have called Mommy (or called Mommy's friends) to be sure we are okay. Rest assured everything is fine. Mommy was a little frustrated with us yesterday and she just didn't sign us in to write anything. So really she is the one apologizing for not letting us write. We overheard her asking the nurses today if they thought this was the last time she would be frustrated with her daughters. The nurses laughed and so did we!!!!! Mommy also promises to bring her camera tomorrow so you can see how we've changed.

Kitt: My reflux seems to be getting better. I did both of my bottles today (the first one really slowly and the second one really quickly). I also don't seem near as agitated and moody all the time like I had been last week. I am up to 6 pounds, 4.7 ounces now and am still eating 56 cc of Mommy's milk. She thinks that cow's milk was irritating my reflux so she has stopped eating all dairy to keep it out of her milk. Maybe that is helping; maybe it's the gas medicine they give me; or maybe I'm just growing out of it. In any case, we'll see how I do tomorrow. Grammy and Granddaddy also came by today so Grammy held me right before I ate tonight.

Garet: Well, I am the source of Mommy's frustration right now. I was cruising right along and up to 4 bottles on Friday. They were talking about me maybe getting to come home and all that. Then on Friday night, I stopped taking bottles. I haven't done one since! Then what really gets Mommy is that I smile, and when they put me back in bed so I can get tube fed, I just grin and grin. Now I only get 2 bottles a day so once I remember how to suck, swallow and breathe, I will get it all together again. I know I will!!!! My weight is 5 pounds 8 ounces now and I am up to 50 cc of Mommy's milk. Granddaddy held me for a while tonight during my feeding.

We will see you tomorrow. We will try to make sure Mommy posts something everyday until we come home!!!!!

Kitt: Well, not much progress has been made with me today. The speech therapist came in this morning to watch Mommy feed me. The good news is that I know how to eat. The bad news is it hurts me so bad that I just won't do it. The speech therapist talked to the doctor to get me some drops for gas and that seems to be giving me some relief but the reflux is still there. Daddy gave me my bath tonight and cuddled with me instead of suffering through my second bottle of the day. That was nice! My new weight tonight is 6 pounds, 3.3 ounces.

Garet: I already got moved to 4 bottles per day! I did my first two for Mommy today without any problems but did not do so well on my third one. Starting tomorrow I will eat at 2AM, 8AM, 2PM, and 8PM. We'll see where it all goes from there. My new weight is 5 pounds, 6.2 ounces.

We're closer to the elevator!

We got moved tonight to the final level of the NICU before going home! Now we could be in our new environment for a while but as the nurses say we are closer to the elevator which leads to the parking lot. Three babies got sent home today so they chose the three most stable babies from where we were to get moved and we were two of them! We still have the same nurses and visitation rules and hours.

Kitt: I am still having some problems with reflux during feedings and also with my eye. I am getting another eye drop to help lower the pressure in my eye and they will recheck it on Tuesday. I will let you know how it goes. I didn't gain any weight last night, but I also didn't lose any either.

Garet: I got moved up to three bottles today and am doing well with them! I also gained weight and am up to 5 pounds, 4 ounces now. My feedings also got increased to 47 cc of milk. Everything else is pretty much the same with me. See you tomorrow!