Newborn photo session

So we got some pics from this awesome chick named Anna-MariePhotography- she is a mom to TWO sets of twins- nuts- anyways when the boys were 13 days old she came to the house and took some shots of us- Thanks Anna you did such an amazing job!!!

3 weeks old!

Hello all-

We went to the doctor on Friday to do a weight check on the boys- last Friday 1/21 Luke was 4 pounds 10 oz and Will was 6 pounds 2 oz....Luke had not gained in those 4 days that we had him home, so our doctor wanted to do another check in a week- So on 1/28 I went with the boys- BY MYSELF- first time driving with them and using the double snap n go- felt so accomplished...anyways Luke weighed in at 5 pounds 3 oz and Will was 6 pounds 12 oz! Can you believe that? All from my breast milk- that is all that they have been eating every 3 hours- I am pumping a ton and breast feeding Will and Luke when he latches on- Will latches on all the time, but Luke is still having a little trouble, but I am ok with it all- they are strictly on my milk and gaining!!!! Makes me feel really good- makes me happy that I am pumping after feedings and doing it in my sleep- last night I fell asleep and milk was leaking all over me- LIQUID GOLD ON THE FLOOR- NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO- anyways, we will have some new pics up after the move- our house is a mess, closing tomorrow and we are so excited...talk soon

More pics

Real life happily ever after

i am just feeling so blessed- so forunate to have my life! The last two weeks have been so life changing, so overwheming, but so wonderful. Steve and I are closer than we've been and just o happy with our boys...our house is in shambles/boxes we are waiting for next Monday when we offically own our new home...things are just going so great....we thank god for all that he continues to give us, especially these two gifts of life....life is great.

Just me and my pump

So I feel that I have an additional piece attached to my body- the breast pump- I am with it CONSTANTLY- I am pumping every 3 hours daily- I am breast feeding both boys but still pumping to keep my supply up and to have some frozen and in the fridge- so every 3 hours that pump is attached to me- my schedule is pretty crazy- every 3 hours the boys are eating- feed one then the other during nights it is a bottle with breast milk during the day it is nursing then a bottle if we feel that they did not nurse long enough- at night it is bottle only then me pumping right after then changing diapers then going to bed to wake up with in one to two hours and do it all again...I am so grateful that I have enough milk for the both of them- but wowsa it is a full time commitment to breast feeding- I had no idea the work and time that it took-

We're home!

So we all got to come home yesterday at 11 am- it was bittersweet leaving the nicu- I was emotional with the nurses who gave us so much care and loved on our sons while we were not there- they had round the clock great care and we were lucky to have the whole staff of nurses..so when we left it was great- we got home and had our family in our home- it was nice...we introduced the dogs to them which Chloe our female Rott wants to be their mother- she is VERY interested in them...hoping that will subside once we get into the new house, more room and they will have more space to rome.

Well wanted to thank you all for your thoughts and prayers and kind messages- 10 days total in the nicu, seems a lot longer, but we made it through and we are home...it is a great feeling- minus the fact that I am not sleeping, but hey- I have wanted these babies for years, so I will take the no sleeping for my sweet sons.

Our new family....

Update on my boys

So yesterday we were here for our normal 8:30 am feeding I we were told that we get to room out with Will...basically Will is being released from NICU and able to stay with me in the room....so last night was my first night with one of my sons- all night long, I got to breastfed him in bed and stare at him and learn his noises and movements...it was perfect, I was getting up every 3 hours to head to the nicu with Will to feed Luke then come back to the room and feed Will- it was a long night, but I would not have it any other way...so tonight we get to have Luke and Will in the room with us- Steve is staying with us tonight to help and to have him get the idea with me...and the BEST news is that we ALL get to go HOME tomorrow no later than 12 pm...a total of 10 days in the nicu- we get to go home...praise the lord! We are so thrilled....our pediatrician wants the boys to have a whole week of no visitors and just learning to get use to their new home and new environment...so next week we can have some visitors but no too many...I really want to wait until they are a little stronger as I do not want them to catch anything and end back up in the nicu....well once I get them both in the room I will be able to hold both of my boys together for the first time...so excited!

ONE WEEK OLD

They boys are one week old today- they are both out of the incubators and are in "cribs" now- maintaining their own body temps- which is great! They are both eating really well- nursing first then drinking their bottle with my milk and then every other time we go to formula since I am not producing enough as of right now for the both of them. Luke is past birth weight at 4 pounds 6 oz and Will is at 5 pounds 14 oz- he had a little issue for the first three days with the mucus in his belly and keeping food down, but now he hogs it down- it is so funny! So as of today we were told that per our pediatrician that they would be released late this weekend or early next week- Tuesday at the latest..so that is great news. Here are some new pics of my precious sons...still so strange to say that! I am just so in love with them and can't wait to get them home, I will be holding them non stop to make up for this lost time....Still can't get pictures of Will with his eyes open- those will come later I guess- he is just so snuggly with me each time-

To all you nicu mom's

GOSH DO I ADMIRE YOU!!! This has been day 4 of us being at the hospital from 8 to 7 each day and I am exhausted...I can only imagine what months and months and months of this must do to a person. It is a lot of work to learn to be a parent in the nicu, I look at all these women leaving the hospital with their children and am envious of them...I did not get that and not sure when I will get that. I am very thankful to God for what he has done for us, he has blessed us with two healthy babies and that can NOT be taken for granted and it is not, but I just want them home. I want to learn to be a mom without having your baby in cords and in incubators and trying to change your babies clothes and diapers in incubators is not an easy thing...I want that special bonding and I know that I will get it, but gosh I can't imagine doing this more than a week and tomorrow is a week and I am almost certain that Will and Luke will not be coming home at the same time which is another obstacle to tend to..Steve and I have also been snapping at each other- just frustrated and tired and annoyed that they are here and not home, but then we say that we don't want them home until they are healthy enough to be home...it is all a catch 22...so my point of this post is to those moms of nicu babies- I feel you- I admire you and I know your pain on wanting to start your life as a mom with your babies being with you side by side...but it will happen, it will happen.

Grandma Bon Bon and her grandsons

So grandparents are the only ones allowed in the nicu- so my mom came by today to see the boys again and help us out with a set of feedings...she got to hold her grandsons for the first time today...it was really cool! So cool for my mom to hold them and to be here to help us. Boys are doing well- their doctor said that it should only be a couple more days of the nicu as long as they can feed by mouth and keep the food down and gain weight- so that is the plan. My milk is in so I am pumping and giving it to them over the night since I am at home, but we are back for their first feeding at 8:30 and 9 until 5:30 and 6 feedings then we go home and then I am pumping every 3 hours to get my milk up- I so badly want the boys home, but I want them healthy and I don't want to have to come back here with them...anyways here are some new pics of the boys- enjoy! Oh and we got to dress them today- they look so cute in their outfits- Aunt Molly, thank you for Luke's premie outfit- it is a little too big, but he is a doll in it!! :)

Two more pics of my sweet boys!

Steve got these pics today of them- Will is just relaxing with his legs and arms all about and Luke just got done breastfeeding- guess it tires my little one out...he has a bad newborn rash- but these pics are adorable--

Luke and Will have arrived!!!

Born on 1/7/2011- got induced at 6 pm on 1/6/11 with cervadil which was just horrid- the whole experience- I contracted very fast and at 1 am the nurse took me off of it. At 6 am my Ob broke my water and I was at a 3 and at 7:40 I got my epidural- I was dying way more pain than I expected....at 11 am I was at a 7 and at 11:15 am I was fully effaced and at a 10- it was go time....we went to the OR to be prepped and I started pushing at 11:45- 12:07 Luke Thomas was born- weighing 4 pounds 5 oz and 16 1/2 inches long- lot of long black hair....my Ob broke my water with Will and one minute later I was pushing again- Will was born at 12:18- 11 minutes apart- Will Anthony was 5 pounds 15 oz and 18 inches long...lighter hair and not as much- Luke looks like me and Will looks like Steve- they are both in the NICU- due to Luke's size and Will was having respiratory and eating issues on keeping the food down- he had a lot of mucus in his stomach due to not being in the canal very long...today is day 3 of them being born and they are really doing well- today they took out their iv's and they are currently being tube fed but still breastfeeding but my milk is not in yet- but they are sucking really good- I am so blessed to have my boys- really can't believe all this happened and I am now a mom to two beautiful boys- here is a pic- got to get back to the nicu to feed again- much love and thanks for all the prayers! Luke is on the left and Will is on the right

36 weeks and inducing

Hello All...

So I hit 36 weeks on Sunday and I went to the specialist as well as my OB on Monday- the specialist said that Luke baby A is not growing as much as he should- he is about 4 pounds 4 oz per their measurements...Will baby B is over 6 pounds so we are inducing on Thursday night...I am at a one per my OB so she will be giving me cervidil to help speed things up on Thursday night as we will be trying for vaginal birth on Friday January 7th- I will be 2 days shy of 37 weeks....please pray that all will be ok with our "little Luke" I am sure that all will..I am guessing he will need to be in the NICU but we are hoping that my breast milk will help him gain weight quickly.....Will keep you posted on everything!

Molly