Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Adam's outie :)
Well, it finally happened. Adam's outie deflated. He had quite the belly button protrusion, we thought mostly from having more tummy issues in the NICU. It was really weird - you would push on it and could hear fluid and air gurgling inside. Kind of creepy, actually. The doctor said it was part of his intestine wall and would go away probably in the next year. But low and behold, Saturday evening we changed his diaper and it wasn't sticking out any more. And it seems to be staying flat.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Right on schedule
I know, I can't hardly believe I said the "S" word. The twins are 18 1/2 weeks and we may be stumbling on a pattern, or as much of a pattern as you can have with tots that small. My last blog revealed a better night's sleep last Tuesday, stretching from 11-3:30. Wednesday-Friday they stepped it up a little to 11-4. Saturday night was 11-5. And last night was 10-4. I couldn't be more excited to get 6 consecutive hours of sleep. The evening seems to be the time they are most awake, as well as most hungry. Especially Adam. Over the weekend I fed him at 6pm, then 8:30. He was still hungry so we gave him a bottle at 9:30 and he drank another 4-5 ounces...and then woke up at 12:30 for another snack! I feel a growth spurt coming on!
In other news, the kids made their second trip to Iowa this past weekend for a family wedding. We were thrilled they slept through the wedding and didn't interrupt Candice's big day. And we ventured to the reception for a bit to visit with Great Aunt Marlene and meet a few other new people. Shannon gathered stats on the other babies in attendance and got a chuckle when he learned the baby that was much bigger than the kids was 1 1/2 months younger and 5 lbs heavier!
We are starting to get Grandma and Grandpa Mollenhauer's house stocked with some essential items so we don't have to pack as much when we come. It's nice to get assistance with keeping the kids occupied and of course they don't mind giving the kids lots of squeezes. Sara loved her snuggle time with Grandpa George and probably would have snoozed right through a feeding if we would have let her. And Adam was quite content rocking with Grandma Sue.
My mom had spent the weekend with Ivy so we didn't have to board her and she loved the extra attention. Unfortunately she is acting out a little and showing her jealous streaks. So the kids got to see all the grandparents in one weekend - you won't hear any complaints from them!
In other news, the kids made their second trip to Iowa this past weekend for a family wedding. We were thrilled they slept through the wedding and didn't interrupt Candice's big day. And we ventured to the reception for a bit to visit with Great Aunt Marlene and meet a few other new people. Shannon gathered stats on the other babies in attendance and got a chuckle when he learned the baby that was much bigger than the kids was 1 1/2 months younger and 5 lbs heavier!
We are starting to get Grandma and Grandpa Mollenhauer's house stocked with some essential items so we don't have to pack as much when we come. It's nice to get assistance with keeping the kids occupied and of course they don't mind giving the kids lots of squeezes. Sara loved her snuggle time with Grandpa George and probably would have snoozed right through a feeding if we would have let her. And Adam was quite content rocking with Grandma Sue.
My mom had spent the weekend with Ivy so we didn't have to board her and she loved the extra attention. Unfortunately she is acting out a little and showing her jealous streaks. So the kids got to see all the grandparents in one weekend - you won't hear any complaints from them!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Sleep, Part B
I already wrote about Sunday night being hard. Monday night wasn't much better. I passed out from 10:45-11:30, 1-3, and 4:30-7. That's why it really doesn't surprise me that I almost fell asleep while driving to my hair appointment the other day. I know, I'm sure a lot of you parents reading this are saying yep, get used to it...been there done that. I realize I'm not experiencing anything other moms haven't already, just voicing where I'm at right now.
I analyzed what might be different the past few nights compared to those 4 really good nights we had last week when I thought just maybe we had a pattern going. All 4 of those nights, they were awake right before bed and playing with toys, they had a "snack" about 8 or 9, got into PJs, and then Shannon fed them bottles between 10:30 and 11:30. So we gave it a try. They slept in their high chairs during dinner. Then we got them out and had stimulation time with some toys. Sara had a great time laying in the dome just staring at these rainbow colored stuffed toys and sqwaking. Adam hung with Shannon and practiced sitting up and standing on his legs. He is getting so strong. Sure enough, about 8:30 he was hungry. 9:30 PJs went on and we started bottles. I was hoping to go to bed while Shannon fed them both since he had gotten a nap that afternoon but Adam was too hungry. So we had family time in the nursery. It was worth it because they both ate well, then went right to sleep, and we were both in bed before 11. I didn't get out of bed or wake up once until 3:30 - praise God! I nursed them at 4:15 and they went right back to bed. Let's see if we can do that again!
They were having some terrible gas pains after breakfast, especially Adam, but it was probably from that broccoli I had with dinner. Oops! We had a little snuggle time under a blanket in the recliner hoping the warmth of our bodies would break it up and help it pass easier. Must have helped because he is out like a light right now.
And how is my refraining from dairy helping Sara? I think it has eased her comfort quite a bit and we even gave her half the doses of mylicon yesterday. Now I just need to find a balance to maybe get just a little dairy in during the day - I really miss it! Did I mention I'm not eating ice cream? Just when Shannon had bought my new favorite mint cookies & cream!
I analyzed what might be different the past few nights compared to those 4 really good nights we had last week when I thought just maybe we had a pattern going. All 4 of those nights, they were awake right before bed and playing with toys, they had a "snack" about 8 or 9, got into PJs, and then Shannon fed them bottles between 10:30 and 11:30. So we gave it a try. They slept in their high chairs during dinner. Then we got them out and had stimulation time with some toys. Sara had a great time laying in the dome just staring at these rainbow colored stuffed toys and sqwaking. Adam hung with Shannon and practiced sitting up and standing on his legs. He is getting so strong. Sure enough, about 8:30 he was hungry. 9:30 PJs went on and we started bottles. I was hoping to go to bed while Shannon fed them both since he had gotten a nap that afternoon but Adam was too hungry. So we had family time in the nursery. It was worth it because they both ate well, then went right to sleep, and we were both in bed before 11. I didn't get out of bed or wake up once until 3:30 - praise God! I nursed them at 4:15 and they went right back to bed. Let's see if we can do that again!
They were having some terrible gas pains after breakfast, especially Adam, but it was probably from that broccoli I had with dinner. Oops! We had a little snuggle time under a blanket in the recliner hoping the warmth of our bodies would break it up and help it pass easier. Must have helped because he is out like a light right now.
And how is my refraining from dairy helping Sara? I think it has eased her comfort quite a bit and we even gave her half the doses of mylicon yesterday. Now I just need to find a balance to maybe get just a little dairy in during the day - I really miss it! Did I mention I'm not eating ice cream? Just when Shannon had bought my new favorite mint cookies & cream!
Monday, August 3, 2009
Sleep
Wow what a great night of sleep I got last night! Believe me? If you add it all up, 5 1/2 hours is great considering they are only 4 months old. But when you break it down that I slept from 11-1, 2-4:30, and 6-7, not so great. Some nights are actually a good stretch but last night happened to be especially hard. No wonder I couldn't subtract 72 from 76 at work and get 4.
Give us a call if you want to take a turn at the middle of the night shift! ;)
Give us a call if you want to take a turn at the middle of the night shift! ;)
Sunday, August 2, 2009
4 month dr apptmt
Well, close enough to call it 4 months. August 2 will be 4 months. 17 weeks. 5 weeks gestationally corrected. So many numbers to keep track of! Speaking of numbers, our pediatrician appointment a few days ago revealed a new milestone - Sara has surpassed Adam in weight!
Adam - 9lb 10oz, 21 1/2" - A 10oz, 1/2" gain over 16 days
Sara - 9lb 12oz, 21" - A 1lb 3oz, 1" gain
So while Adam was in the 0.7% range for his birth age at the last visit, he has now dropped to 0.04%! And Sara was 0.24% last time and she has jumped to 0.71%. It is typical for girls to grow faster than boys in the earlier stages of life. To look at their weight on a preemie growth chart for their gestationally corrected age, they fall in the 50th percentile.
Dr. Neese thinks they look fabulous. As a reward, we get a month free from doctor appointments! No issues really. He was fine that we took Adam off his monitor. As far as Sara's gas processing, just keep working on it. I have read that sometimes eating dairy products can cause excess gas in babies when you are nursing so I am trying an experiment to cut out all dairy. Dr. Neese informed me that it will take 4 days for me to get it out of my system so after Wednesday, I'll let you know if it seems to help. It will be worth it if she gets some relief and it will help the parents who have to get up in the middle of the night to ease her discomfort. Hard, though, cuz I love dairy...cheese, milk, ice cream, yogurt, cream cheese, did I mention ice cream?
I asked what the next steps are with feeding them. He was impressed that they are nursing so much, sleeping so well, and taking 5-6 ounces when they do have a bottle. Some say to start cereal when they are 4-6 months. Others use a 15 pound mark as an indicator. He said to watch for signs that their neck muscles are developed more. When they can hold their head up with greater control, it is also a sign that the muscles inside to process foods are developed as well.
We also decided it was time to give them their 2 month shots. He thought about waiting until they were gestationally 2 months but he wants to make sure they get enough shots in before winter to get them good and protected. So they received an oral dose, 2 shots in the left thigh, and 1 in the right. I was surprised how well they did. No crankiness. A little more sleepy but they still maintained their regular feedings schedule of about every 4 hours.
We talked about how they are holding their head up more, smiling & interacting, making baby noises, and Adam is putting quite a bit of weight on his legs. His response? That's not 5 weeks! How awesome. That means they developmentally fall somewhere between their actual age and their corrected age. That is so good to hear, especially with Adam. I was holding him in the middle of the night as he was wearing his "Mommy's Little Prince" PJs. I had my hand on his head, rubbing it like I often do, and wondering what is going on inside that head. Are you developing okay? Is your brain going to work around any damage? I wish I could see inside.
As for Sara, my biggest concern with her is that her hairline is starting to look like Shannon's! All the dark beautiful hair she was born with is quickly falling out, and not growing in at the same rate. But it's still a little thicker above the ears and around the back of the head, which almost makes her look bald. Adam's hasn't really fallen out except his bald spot and it is getting noticeably long on top!
Sara was in her dome last night looking at the toys velcroed to the side, reaching for them and giggling. It's so much fun to start hearing them make noises!
Adam - 9lb 10oz, 21 1/2" - A 10oz, 1/2" gain over 16 days
Sara - 9lb 12oz, 21" - A 1lb 3oz, 1" gain
So while Adam was in the 0.7% range for his birth age at the last visit, he has now dropped to 0.04%! And Sara was 0.24% last time and she has jumped to 0.71%. It is typical for girls to grow faster than boys in the earlier stages of life. To look at their weight on a preemie growth chart for their gestationally corrected age, they fall in the 50th percentile.
Dr. Neese thinks they look fabulous. As a reward, we get a month free from doctor appointments! No issues really. He was fine that we took Adam off his monitor. As far as Sara's gas processing, just keep working on it. I have read that sometimes eating dairy products can cause excess gas in babies when you are nursing so I am trying an experiment to cut out all dairy. Dr. Neese informed me that it will take 4 days for me to get it out of my system so after Wednesday, I'll let you know if it seems to help. It will be worth it if she gets some relief and it will help the parents who have to get up in the middle of the night to ease her discomfort. Hard, though, cuz I love dairy...cheese, milk, ice cream, yogurt, cream cheese, did I mention ice cream?
I asked what the next steps are with feeding them. He was impressed that they are nursing so much, sleeping so well, and taking 5-6 ounces when they do have a bottle. Some say to start cereal when they are 4-6 months. Others use a 15 pound mark as an indicator. He said to watch for signs that their neck muscles are developed more. When they can hold their head up with greater control, it is also a sign that the muscles inside to process foods are developed as well.
We also decided it was time to give them their 2 month shots. He thought about waiting until they were gestationally 2 months but he wants to make sure they get enough shots in before winter to get them good and protected. So they received an oral dose, 2 shots in the left thigh, and 1 in the right. I was surprised how well they did. No crankiness. A little more sleepy but they still maintained their regular feedings schedule of about every 4 hours.
We talked about how they are holding their head up more, smiling & interacting, making baby noises, and Adam is putting quite a bit of weight on his legs. His response? That's not 5 weeks! How awesome. That means they developmentally fall somewhere between their actual age and their corrected age. That is so good to hear, especially with Adam. I was holding him in the middle of the night as he was wearing his "Mommy's Little Prince" PJs. I had my hand on his head, rubbing it like I often do, and wondering what is going on inside that head. Are you developing okay? Is your brain going to work around any damage? I wish I could see inside.
As for Sara, my biggest concern with her is that her hairline is starting to look like Shannon's! All the dark beautiful hair she was born with is quickly falling out, and not growing in at the same rate. But it's still a little thicker above the ears and around the back of the head, which almost makes her look bald. Adam's hasn't really fallen out except his bald spot and it is getting noticeably long on top!
Sara was in her dome last night looking at the toys velcroed to the side, reaching for them and giggling. It's so much fun to start hearing them make noises!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Parties are great but...
As mentioned earlier, we ventured to Iowa for the weekend. The plan all along was to have a post-birth baby shower with Shannon's relatives. Because we don't see his extended family very often, we thought they would prefer a shower and see the kids at the same time. With them coming so early, it was all just a bit delayed. My mom came down to babysit our dog Ivy and work on finishing the stain on our master bedroom doors.
Of course Grandma Sue and Grandpa George were very excited to have the babies stay at their house for the first time. They had a pack n play all set up, a changing table that they had finished painting, and diapers and other supplies. It was nice not having to pack as much for the trip. I think next time I would throw in our Papazon chair so when they are done eating, they have something they can sit upright in to digest. But in the meantime, Grandma and Grandpa loved the opportunity to hold them and give them a squeeze!
The shower was Saturday afternoon. I had them dressed in their new coordinating Pooh overall outfits that cousin Ann had bought for them. Sara decided to sleep the entire time and Adam was awake. Everyone was so excited to see them and celebrate how well they were doing. They were amazed at how Sara could sleep through all the commotion. And when she finally opened her eyes 10 min before everyone left, they all rushed over to take pictures like they were the paparazzi! We got lots of great presents and clothes to grow into. It was nice to get another reminder as to how many people follow their progress that we are unaware of.
We left Sunday early afternoon and knew we wouldn't make it all the way home without having to stop to eat. So we pulled into the Iowa 80 truck stop and took turns going in for food. I went in, went to the bathroom, and ordered my selections from Wendy's to eat in the car in the parking lot. Then Shannon took Sara in to change her diaper (a 4-wipe, Crayola green episode!) and get his food. I got done eating and Adam couldn't wait any longer to eat. So I nursed him in the front seat of the car in the parking lot and covered him with a yellow Wendy's napkin! Shannon had the diaper bag with him so I didn't have anything else to cover up with.
So while parties are great, the recovery is awful! Adam slept in 15 minute intervals overnight on Sunday. Shannon took the shift from 11-3:30am and I took from then until 8:30. I got tired of getting in and out of bed so instead dozed off and and on in the recliner in the nursery. We both agreed it was pretty brutal.
Of course Grandma Sue and Grandpa George were very excited to have the babies stay at their house for the first time. They had a pack n play all set up, a changing table that they had finished painting, and diapers and other supplies. It was nice not having to pack as much for the trip. I think next time I would throw in our Papazon chair so when they are done eating, they have something they can sit upright in to digest. But in the meantime, Grandma and Grandpa loved the opportunity to hold them and give them a squeeze!
The shower was Saturday afternoon. I had them dressed in their new coordinating Pooh overall outfits that cousin Ann had bought for them. Sara decided to sleep the entire time and Adam was awake. Everyone was so excited to see them and celebrate how well they were doing. They were amazed at how Sara could sleep through all the commotion. And when she finally opened her eyes 10 min before everyone left, they all rushed over to take pictures like they were the paparazzi! We got lots of great presents and clothes to grow into. It was nice to get another reminder as to how many people follow their progress that we are unaware of.
We left Sunday early afternoon and knew we wouldn't make it all the way home without having to stop to eat. So we pulled into the Iowa 80 truck stop and took turns going in for food. I went in, went to the bathroom, and ordered my selections from Wendy's to eat in the car in the parking lot. Then Shannon took Sara in to change her diaper (a 4-wipe, Crayola green episode!) and get his food. I got done eating and Adam couldn't wait any longer to eat. So I nursed him in the front seat of the car in the parking lot and covered him with a yellow Wendy's napkin! Shannon had the diaper bag with him so I didn't have anything else to cover up with.
So while parties are great, the recovery is awful! Adam slept in 15 minute intervals overnight on Sunday. Shannon took the shift from 11-3:30am and I took from then until 8:30. I got tired of getting in and out of bed so instead dozed off and and on in the recliner in the nursery. We both agreed it was pretty brutal.
Adam says "I'm wireless too!"
Well, we finally took the plunge and unplugged Adam completely. We weren't quite ready at his last pediatrician appointment. The plan was to wait the 2 weeks until his next appointment this Friday and then go a few days longer to see how he did with his 2 month shots. But we were comfortable with leaving him unhooked for longer periods during the day. So we would leave his belt on and just plug him in for naps and to sleep at night. One of the days my Aunt Robyn visited we had given them a bath in the morning and then decided to go shopping. Of course we had taken his belt off for the bath and I decided to leave it off as we would be in and out of the car to watch him. And then we made a trip to Iowa this weekend and left it off for the car ride but hooked him back up just to sleep at night.
Shannon and I talked off and on about our comfort level and when we thought it was time. It's not so much his apnea that has me nervous right now but his times of having a high heart rate. The last time he set the monitor off was when Robyn was here and he didn't even seem that upset - not red or screaming - but there was that unique set of beeps to indicate he was tachycardic. I can check with Dr. Neese and Dr. Hasselman (his cardiologist) about it. Now that he is off his apnea monitor, we will have him on a heart monitor for 24 hours at some point to look for any abnormalities. So for those of you who have been visiting and make a comment that it's okay to cry because it's good for their lungs (or something along those lines) I apologize if you have been offended that I am not in total agreement. Now I don't run to him every time he cries and freak out. I'm just saying I'm not comfortable pushing it when I don't have to.
So we got back from Iowa Sunday night and Adam was konked out and ready for bed. I told Shannon we didn't have his monitor on and we would have to undress him to put on PJs and get his belt on. We just kind of looked at each other, laid him in his crib, and walked out of the room to get ready for bed ourselves.
So there you have it - 116 days of life and Adam is a free man!
And we get to experience life a little closer to normal. Well, normal with twins I suppose.
It feels good to have wireless kids!
Shannon and I talked off and on about our comfort level and when we thought it was time. It's not so much his apnea that has me nervous right now but his times of having a high heart rate. The last time he set the monitor off was when Robyn was here and he didn't even seem that upset - not red or screaming - but there was that unique set of beeps to indicate he was tachycardic. I can check with Dr. Neese and Dr. Hasselman (his cardiologist) about it. Now that he is off his apnea monitor, we will have him on a heart monitor for 24 hours at some point to look for any abnormalities. So for those of you who have been visiting and make a comment that it's okay to cry because it's good for their lungs (or something along those lines) I apologize if you have been offended that I am not in total agreement. Now I don't run to him every time he cries and freak out. I'm just saying I'm not comfortable pushing it when I don't have to.
So we got back from Iowa Sunday night and Adam was konked out and ready for bed. I told Shannon we didn't have his monitor on and we would have to undress him to put on PJs and get his belt on. We just kind of looked at each other, laid him in his crib, and walked out of the room to get ready for bed ourselves.
So there you have it - 116 days of life and Adam is a free man!
And we get to experience life a little closer to normal. Well, normal with twins I suppose.
It feels good to have wireless kids!
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