Love Being Home!

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3 Weeks!

Wow! These last 3 weeks have flown by! We can't believe how quickly the babies are growing and quick the days are going by. Yesterday we went to the doctor for a check up. It was definitely a production in order to get both babies ready and fed before leaving the house. Then, once we got to the doctors office the nurses were so nice and helpful with carrying all of our stuff while we had the babies! Paityn weighs 5 pounds 14 ounces and Conner weighs 5 pounds 11 ounces. Both babies are doing great and we feel so blessed to be their parents!

First visit to the doctor together

Once we got back from the doctor we gave the babies some floor time together :)

Conner said, "I'm hungry!"

Mommy had to play with the camera!

Paityn is Home!

Yesterday, Paityn was released from St. Joseph's NICU around 3:00 p.m. Matt and I loaded up the second carseat and headed to College Station to pick her up while my sister watched Conner. We are so happy that both babies are at home! Now we can try to figure out our new normal with being parents of twins :)

Ready to leave St. Joseph's NICU

Ready in the car!

Of course we had to get a picture with a bow!

After we got back, we got to take our first family photo at home!!

First family photo at home!

Aunt Shannon meeting Paityn for the first time!

Then after we got settled at home, it was time for Paityn's first bath at home!

Paityn's first bath at home :)

Finally after eating dinner, feeding both babies and bathing both babies it was time for bed :)

All tucked in for bed!

NICU

Paityn is still in the NICU. She is doing great with her feedings, continuing to gain wait, but is still having a hard time maintaining her own body temperature outside her isolette. The nurses put her in an open crib yesterday morning hoping it would work this time and last night she had to be put in her isolette again :( Please say a few extra prayers for her so she can come home soon!

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Paityn Update

Paityn is still in the NICU at St. Joseph's and is doing great! She is in an open crib and has to maintain her temperature in order to come home. So far she has been doing well and we hope to have her home within the next few days. I'm sure Paityn and Conner will be happy to be together again :)

Conner is Home!

Conner is home! We received a phone call from the doctor on Saturday morning saying that Conner would not be sent back to St. Joseph's because he had no medical reason to be. Also, he was doing very well in the open crib with maintaining his temperature and tolerating his feedings well. Dr. Hilal also said that since he was doing so well he could come home on Sunday. So yesterday we loaded up the car with the car seat and headed to Scott and White Children's Hospital in Temple! While there we learned how to give him a bath, care for his wrist, and had to make sure that he would pass his car seat test. Finally after getting everything done and signed, Conner was discharged about 7:00 p.m. last night :) He did excellent on the way home and we had a great first night!

Conner in his car seat :)

Ready to leave Temple!

Glad to be home!

Surgery Scare :(

On Wednesday morning about 4:00 a.m. Conner's IV infiltrated in his right wrist. This means that his vein collapsed and the TPN medicine he was receiving in his IV went into the surrounding skin leaving it burned. Everyone in the NICU said that it is continuing to get better but just to be safe they have to called in a wound care team and a plastic surgeon. The next thing we know, we get a call from the plastic surgeon saying Conner is going to have to have surgery. We did not like the plastic surgeon's demeanor and wanted to get a second opinion. We wanted to make sure we had a surgeon who specializes in babies look at Conner's wrist. Earlier today we sent Conner via ambulance to Scott and White Children's Hospital in Temple where a team of specialists along with a plastic surgeon were waiting for him to arrive. After looking at Conner's wrist the surgeron from Temple called to inform us with wonderful news!! Conner does not have to have surgery!!!!! Also, the doctor said she had no problem releasing Conner back to St. Joseph's so he and Paityn can be together again. We are waiting to find out when he will return and hopefully will have the babies home next week!

Mommy saying goodbye

Conner ready to be transported

1 Week Old!

My goodness...we can't believe it has already been a week. So much has happened in such a short amount of time. We continue to thank God for giving us two little miracles who are healthy! Both Paityn and Conner are off of their IV's and are eating 35 ml (over an ounce) at each feeding! Now in the NICU they are beginning to lower their isolette temperatures in order to move them into an open crib. Once they are in the open crib and can maintain their temperatures then they will get to come home. Dr. Raju predicts early to mid next week!! Of course depending on if their feedings continue to go well and they can maintain their own body temperature. Also, great news!! Conner is off of the phototherapy!! Paityn has been off for several days and Conner went off this morning! We finally got our first family photo too!!

Happy Halloween!

Yesterday Matt and I spent most of the day in the NICU with Paityn and Conner! When we arrived we got Halloween presents from the babies! At 3 days old they already have gotten to do some arts and crafts :)

Both babies are doing wonderful!! Conner is now taking all of his feeding with a bottle and is doing great with them. He has a tube through his nose so they can check his stomach after each feeding. I got to hold Conner for the first time and even got to do his 3:00 feeding! Since he had been having a little more tummy trouble than Paityn and due to the phototherapy lights we have not gotten to hold him much. Matt was able to hold him 2 times the first day but that was it.

Mommy feeding Conner

Conner's funny face :)

While I fed Conner, Matt got to feed Paityn for the first time! Paityn eats so fast so the nurse was not able to get a picture of him feeding her. Yesterday morning, Paityn was taken off of her phototherapy and we were able to have her out almost the entire time we visited and had Conner out for about an hour! We even got to put an outfit on Paityn!! It amazes us how they know that they are both next to each other. The nurses say that they always are doing the same things around the same time :) It amazes us how God has blessed us and we can not thank him enough! We truly have 2 little miracles!

Conner in his isolette, Dr. Bonds, Matt with Paityn, & Casey

Daddy & Paityn