tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49677852672401184982024-02-18T21:02:05.647-08:00Two Pink Peas in a PodAlexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-82155055123760451622013-02-13T12:05:00.000-08:002013-02-13T12:05:03.148-08:00Birthday update, the Girls are 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last week was a very busy week with birthdays. Wednesday was the twins' younger brother's 1st birthday. Liam is growing into quite the little boy, already learning how to annoy his big sisters. </div>
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Then on Saturday the 9th the girls celebrated their big 2nd birthday. It was quite an emotional week for me as the day approached in which they arrived into this world far too early. But I found comfort in knowing that so many things would not be possible has it not been for their miraculous birth. Of course I'd love to have carried them full term to save the delays and struggles they currently have. However, we are blessed beyond measure with how wonderful they are doing and all that they overcame in those 11 weeks in the NICU.</div>
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We had a fun day as cupcakes, balloons, and fun celebration as a family. I could not have asked for a better day to celebrate their birthdays.</div>
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Jillian on the left and Britian on the right, they are getting so big! </div>
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Flowers for my big girls</div>
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Balloons for Liam, Britian, and Jillian</div>
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Beautiful Jillian</div>
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Pure joy in Jillian</div>
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The girls and Liam had their well baby check up today. Liam and Jillian are both just under 22# and Britian is just a bit over 23#. The girls are the same height at 34" and Liam is 29".</div>
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In other news, the end of January we had a big appointment for Jillian. After waiting nearly 4 months for an appointment she was evaluated for her developmental delays. We've been expecting this day for quiet a long time but my nerves were still on edge when the time came. For speech, occupational, and physical she was evaluated at 12-15 months. Physical was so low because she is not walking. Her developmental pediatrician made the diagnosis that she has dyskinetic cerebral palsy. I knew that diagnosis was coming but I will still never forget the moment she uttered those words. Praise God however, that her case is very mild and will still be able to lead an independent life including walking and higher education if she chooses. The type of CP she has does not typically involve cognitive abilities which we have experienced already. Jillian understands everything we say to her and ask her to do, her body just doesn't want to cooperate with what she wants it to do. This may cause frustration in the future as she gets older and more active, we will take it as it comes though and do our best to teach her to cope and adapt.</div>
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My irish triplets are all miracles, I thank God each and every day for them!</div>
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-32242101172951865192012-12-26T15:01:00.001-08:002012-12-26T15:01:34.563-08:00Merry Christmas and Happy New Year<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!</span></div>
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Thank you for continuing to follow Britian and Jillian's story. They are true miracles and we are blessed each and everyday to have them in our lives. We pray that 2013 is a blessed journey for you and your family.</div>
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-38253860003026861722012-12-16T11:33:00.002-08:002012-12-16T11:33:13.646-08:00Praise Report<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Lots of big milestones in our house these past couple of weeks, so much to give praise for.<br />
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Britian is walking full time, no crawling from her whatsoever. Seems like just as I posted the last update she set out to prove me wrong and stopped crawling.<br />
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Jillian is climbing on anything and everything that she can. Her latest is on top of the foot stool to our glider. Not only is the foot stool 18" or so off of the ground, but it moves. She has mastered climbing on top of it and happily sits there rocking herself and having a the greatest time of her life. She also now uses a walker around the house to encourage her walking. What a blessing it is to see her up and walking and also with the motivation to walk. Not long ago, just earlier this year, she wasn't crawling nor did she have the self motivation to go anywhere on her own. I know my baby girl will be up and walking without the walker very soon, she is so determined and loves to be up with Britian racing around the house.<br />
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Liam is also mobile. He started crawling finally this week. His first destination was the pantry of course because that boy loves to eat. So now everyone in our family is up and moving.<br />
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How long before I have to chase them in 3 different directions? :)<br />
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-78284348458195106622012-12-08T18:25:00.002-08:002012-12-08T18:25:56.064-08:00Major Milestones for the Girls<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Britian (left) and Jillian (right), 22 months</td></tr>
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Britian and Jillian have been accomplished some major developmental milestones lately. As you can see from the picture, they are growing wonderfully and before we know it will be celebrating their 2nd birthday.<br />
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Britian is now walking nearly full-time. She will crawl to be silly or if she thinks she can get somewhere faster. I still catch myself doing a double take when she comes walking into a room, watching her walk makes my heart swell with excitement. She has come so incredibly far from that little girl in the NICU isolette. Not only is she walking but she has also become our little daredevil. And dare I say she is the most adventurous of our children thus far. She climbs into and onto anything and everything she can get ahold of. Tonight she discovered that she can get onto our dining room chairs which means nothing on the kitchen table is safe nor is my computer desk which has one of our dining rooms chairs for it's seat. We will all have to be more diligent about putting stuff away so her little fingers stay safe.<br />
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Jillian is also making great strides. Everyday she is getting stronger and more stable in her standing. Her Daddy has really been working with her on standing independently and her progress has been tremendous. She also now can stand up on her own in the middle of a room without assistance. This week she has also started pushing around a walk behind push toy. Also earlier this week she took her first 4 cruising steps along our coffee table. Not only did she take 4 steps on her own to get a toy she took these steps to her weaker side. After physical therapy this past week we now have a walker to use here at home. Brit had the same one to help her transition into an independant walker and we are hoping it will work the same for Jillian. She is so motivated to walk and is so happy when she is up and walking, I am hopeful that in very little time we will have 2 new walkers in the house.<br />
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Thank you again to all of you who continue to follow our journey and lift us up in prayer. We've come so far in the past 2 years, seems like just yesterday sometimes.</div>
Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-66974624133288689642012-11-13T19:32:00.001-08:002012-11-13T19:32:37.399-08:00Grieving for a Special Needs Child<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There are times in our lives when we ask ourselves "how did I get here?" or wonder "I never thought I would be in this situation."<br />
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If you have a child that others describe as having "special needs" you know exactly what I am referring to. I can almost guarantee that like myself, you never imagined yourself the parent of a "special needs" child. I know I certainly never did, not in a million years. Having a child with uniquely beautiful blessings was one of those things I always thought happened to other people.<br />
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But here I am, immensely blessed with my amazing little Jillian.<br />
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Realizing, accepting, and embracing your special child is a process though. Most of us don't come by it naturally and must go through an emotional roller coaster much like the process of grieving. I must admit that I suspect I am early in my grieving process. During the day I happily embrace Jillian for all that she offers our family. But at night when I am alone, sometimes I cry. I cry because it is overwhelming, I cry for my worries, I cry for a whole host of other reasons. I need that release, that emotional opening of the pent up worries from the day. I know there will be more crying, more worrying, and more questions as we walk down this road with our beautiful Jillian. After all, we don't even have a diagnosis yet.<br />
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January 29th is the day. I know I will be a mess. . .I'll keep it together during the marathon appointment but eventually I will have to cave and cry and cry and cry some more. Then I will be ready to continue advocating for Jillian like I have from the very beginning.<br />
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Jillian is a huge blessing and an overwhelming joy to our family. We wouldn't be complete without her. But until you are the parent of a beautifully blessed child you won't fully grasp what that means. Just like you don't know unconditional love until you are a parent. Likewise, you don't know how joyful a child with unique needs is until they are your own flesh and blood. From the outside these children may look like a stress and a burden. But please, I implore you, do not ever think that when you see a unique needs child. They are a joy! A pure, innocent, beautiful blessing to their family and everyone that comes to love them.<br />
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-5126325410995889492012-11-05T18:58:00.000-08:002012-11-05T18:58:01.972-08:00Happy Halloween<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Ever wonder how hard it is to get 6 kids to all smile and look at the camera for a simple photo? 15 attempts at a picture before trick-or-treating and this is the best one. It is all about the memories right? :)<br />
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We were blessed to be able to spend Halloween in San Diego this year. It has been over 2 years since were "home". It was a fast 10 days but we had so much fun and had amazing weather.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Our 6 beautiful blessings: L-R Irelynn as Ariel, Jillian the Ladybug, <br />Alex the pirate, Britian the ladybug, Tyler the pirate and Liam the Iowa Hawkeye football player. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I didn't get a good one of the girls by themselves but here is my little hambone grinning for the camera.<br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
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This was the first year that the twins got to go out trick-or-treating. While they didn't go door to door they did ride along while we took the older 3 out. It was a ton of fun and they enjoyed watching all of the activity.</div>
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-51895926493570612312012-10-22T10:36:00.001-07:002012-10-22T10:39:08.409-07:00October 2012 Update<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Look at how my 3 preemies have grown!! What a blessing they are.<br />
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Britian and Jillian are now 20 months old and Liam is 8 months.<br />
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The girls had an appointment last week with high risk infant follow-up in Iowa City. They were each assessed on their adjusted age of 16 months.<br />
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The results were much like I expected. Both girls continue to grow wonderfully and stayed the same on their growth charts or bumped up a bit. Our next appointment with infant high risk will be to assess Britian at the magical "all caught up" 2 year birthday mark. The girls were due mid-May so our appointment will be late April or May sometime. Jillian's delays are too much for her to continue with high risk so she has been referred to a specialist to assess her situation. I have a sense of ease with her upcoming assessment though because I know her and see all of the progress she is making.<br />
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7 months ago my little Jillian couldn't even get up on her hands and knees in a crawling position. Today with the help of our wonderful physical therapist she is not only crawling but she crawls over objects, onto boxes, pulls up on anything and everything including flat walls (huge milestone) but today she also took 3 steps toward me cruising on the couch. Praise the Lord!!!<br />
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I know in my heart that even if Jillian has lifelong delays they won't hinder her living a full and active life. Will she be diagnosed with cerebral palsy? I'm not sure. But if she does have CP then her case will most likely be a very mild one. She is a blessing and a joy to our family each and every day regardless of what doctors think or what is written in her medical charts.<br />
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Stats:<br />
Britian: 32", 22#6oz<br />
Jillian: 31.5", 20#14oz<br />
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And even though this blog is about the girls, I should add that Liam is 21 pounds. Yes, their little brother who entered this world at 6lbs is now heavier than Jillian and quickly catching up to Britian.</div>
Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-77426372213321528122012-09-09T10:51:00.003-07:002012-09-09T10:52:14.398-07:0018mo update!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Has it really been 6 months since I last posted? Wow! Not surprising though, I hardly have a minute to myself these days let alone enough time to gather my thoughts and post a coherent blog entry.<br />
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It has been a busy 6 months! Some of the highlights include:<br />
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<li>Jillian is now crawling</li>
<li>Britian is so very close to walking</li>
<li>Both girls are feeding themselves everything </li>
<li>Britian has orthotics on both feet to help correct pronating and other feet position issues when standing. Jillian will have her own set of orthotics before too long to help with standing stability.</li>
<li>Jillian's nervous system continues to improve and she is far less shaky then she was earlier this year.</li>
<li>Both girls are finding their voice and what beautiful voices they are! Britian has a few basic words but like most toddlers communicates is many other ways as she learns the words to say what she wants. Jillian says "Momma" but mostly still babbles. She has new sounds that she is practicing though so like most other things, she will just be slower to reach this milestone. The fact that she continues to progress is all that I can ask for.</li>
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And most importantly. . .</div>
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<li>Jillian is off of oxygen!!</li>
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Yep my little peanut is finally off of oxygen. At our appointment back in June she was finally given the green light to come off of oxygen and she hasn't looked back since. Thankfully she didn't need to go back on it like Britian did when she first came off. Jillian came off of her oxygen just in time because soon after her graduation she started crawling.</div>
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At their 18mo appointments, Britian weighed 21lbs and Jillian was 20lbs. They've both come a long way from their birth weight of 1lb 6oz!!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jillian the day she came off of oxygen!!</td></tr>
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Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-26113778679639197652012-03-11T10:54:00.000-07:002012-03-11T10:54:59.639-07:001 year update<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Amazing to think that a whole year has gone by and my babies celebrated their 1st birthday already. I know I've been horrible about posting updates and new pictures, the last picture in this post will give you a glimpse of why I've been so busy. :)<br />
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At their 1 year appointment Britian was 19 pounds and Jillian was 16lbs 14oz. Jiilian is growing like a weed and quickly catching up to her big sister. It is becoming harder and harder for non-family members to tell the girls apart. We will be starting physical therapy with both girls in the next couple of weeks. It is our hope that they will catch up in their gross motor skills.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Valentine's Day 2/14/12</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy mashed potatoes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mashed potatoes taste even better with my hand in my mouth!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Britian contemplating the potatoes</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time for a big girl carseat</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hmmm, let me see if I can get this foot up there</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jillian tube free for the moment</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8aLos9DhDO9Gm07H3IopMgRZzMHZqrjzzD3CS61hjRxOxmBmmJbxi4UKHaTgpCRf3eGdoc346fpb7wv2rgFZlUXDiz_SRisH-hhl8F0ubOxal1p3cznqmLzmHjUlN3UXQ7MAksn6LlVW7/s1600/IMG_8395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8aLos9DhDO9Gm07H3IopMgRZzMHZqrjzzD3CS61hjRxOxmBmmJbxi4UKHaTgpCRf3eGdoc346fpb7wv2rgFZlUXDiz_SRisH-hhl8F0ubOxal1p3cznqmLzmHjUlN3UXQ7MAksn6LlVW7/s320/IMG_8395.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tummy time times 2 3/11/12</td></tr>
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</div>Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-83398808746626358152012-03-11T10:39:00.000-07:002012-03-11T10:39:02.162-07:00Happy 1st Birthday!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKtm0Qohb9arCBPZ4fgQXbwrRpRlA5t50gqdli-9haKek6RJZ_MSY_VARJBMUEii7FbTMXoC6vn5B6R9SDmS28VpjEguNG-GG64EP_3SDrR3hKzLpgiDnSnWuVtMRz34PiEWDEzfcchGhR/s1600/IMG_8195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKtm0Qohb9arCBPZ4fgQXbwrRpRlA5t50gqdli-9haKek6RJZ_MSY_VARJBMUEii7FbTMXoC6vn5B6R9SDmS28VpjEguNG-GG64EP_3SDrR3hKzLpgiDnSnWuVtMRz34PiEWDEzfcchGhR/s400/IMG_8195.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Happy 1st Birthday Britian and Jillian!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So hard to believe that it has been a year since our miracle daughters Britian and Jillian were born! We chose to not do a party this year (despite what my heart wanted) because on the day of their birthday I was discharged from the hospital after having their baby brother Garrett Liam. I know we will throw the girls a big party next year to celebrate and they will be that much older and enjoy the party that much more. The cake this year was made with lots of love by their older brother.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-1480302392174330952012-01-27T10:53:00.000-08:002012-01-27T10:53:31.976-08:00Reflections From the Other Side<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Until you are a NICU parent facing a long NICU journey for yourself and your baby the full impact of "being on the other side" will mean nothing. The term "the other side" for a long-term NICU parents basically means the time when you get to take your precious blessing home and enjoy them in the comfort of your home. No more tubes, no more wires, no more beeps or alarms, and definitely no more doctors or nurses telling you what you can and can't do with your baby; that is "the other side". NICU parents dream of that day sometimes to the point of utter heartache and crying. The yearning in my soul that I felt to take my girls home and "be their Mother" ran so deep in my veins that I sometimes thought the day would never come.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Britian feeding herself, one of those moments I don't take for granted!</td></tr>
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But what do long-term NICU parents do when they are finally on "the other side"?<br />
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I can only speak from my personal experience but I know the other side doesn't look like I had envisioned. I think that is a common feeling for many micro preemie parents who are facing medical and developmental challenges with their former preemie. Of course I enjoy every second we are home with the girls, in the comfort of our daily routine and familiar surroundings. However, the list of medical appointments, daily worries about their health and development, and constantly asking myself if they are growing adequately can be overwhelming at times.<br />
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Still though I find myself filled with a greater appreciation for the little things in life because of my girls. Every snuggle, each joy filled smile, and even the tiniest developmental achievement has me jumping for joy. How else can I explain the joy and excitement I feel when I see my little Jillian sitting on her own after worrying about her core muscle development for months? Sitting is something so basic that other parents typically take for granted. When you are a parent of a micro preemie though or any other child with potential developmental delays nothing is taken for granted. Additionally, when you have faced the very real possibility that your baby, or in my case both babies, might pass away there is nothing in life that is too small or too big that doesn't full your heart with sheer joy.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jillian enjoying a banana baby cookie, a milestone I don't take for granted!</td></tr>
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"The other side" seemed so far away in the early months of last year. I am glad we are experiencing the other side but not a day goes by that I don't pray for those families that are currently in the NICU. The weeks are so long and the days are so short when you are confined within the walls of the NICU. Graduating and taking your precious blessing home seems like years away, an unattainable milestone. It does and will happen though and when you walk out of those doors with your baby in your arms it will feel surreal.<br />
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Enjoy all of those precious moments with your babies, premature or not, they are all blessings!</div>Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-38829030413854151432012-01-15T04:40:00.000-08:002012-01-15T04:40:51.728-08:00The Birth Story<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Why did it take me nearly a year to realize that I never posted the girls' birth story? I know why it never got written but geez, why did it take me so long to notice that I jumped straight from complaining that I was in pain and huge to 3 days later in the NICU? Many of you already know the details of their birth story but if you are new to this blog and our story I feel led to put the details of that night in writing. If you are expecting twins please don't let my story scare you, just remember that my story will not be yours and God has a perfect plan for you and your precious blessings. No matter how they enter this world, be it early or nice and late with a beautiful routine birth, His plan is perfect.<br />
<br />
So without further a due, here is the story of how my beautiful girls entered this world.<br />
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February 9th, 2011 was a Wednesday. It was bitterly cold outside and snow was piled up on the ground. Wednesday's were my day to head into town to do grocery shopping and run errands. So early in the morning I got myself and my 3 kids ready for the day and we headed out for what typically turns into an all day adventure. Taking care of 3 kids and lugging my painfully heavy body around took a lot of mental and physical stamina. On this day we were in town for about 8 hours or so. I know for certain we returned home shortly before 4pm. Upon arriving home I realized that I hadn't felt either baby move all day and couldn't remember feeling them move the day before either. Granted I was fighting a head cold and had laid on the couch all day Tuesday so my inactivity could have explained their lack of movement as well. But Wednesday was full of motion and activity so I was hoping that all the commotion of the day distracted me from noticing the babies move.<br />
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I laid down to rest and count belly kicks at exactly 4pm, looking at the clock is something I will never forget because that moment was just the beginning of a very long and emotional roller coaster. By 4:10p I hadn't felt any movements at all and just knew in my heart that something was wrong. I laid in bed for a little while longer and drank some water hoping that I'd feel something, anything. But still nothing. In the weeks prior I had moments when I wondered if I should call my OBs office for one concern or another but I always hesitated and my concerns turned out to be unfounded when this pain or that contraction stopped and everything returned to normal. This day and this concern was different. At 5:01 I dialed my Obs office without hesitation. In hindsight I now know it was my Father directing my actions and taking away my doubt and hesitation. I was transferred to the on call OB because the main office was now closed for the day. They wanted me to come into be monitored. As the OB who delivered the girls later told me, "I thought you'd be here for 45 minutes, we'd see that everything was ok, and you'd be on your way home." Yep, I thought the same thing too. By 5:30 my kids were at a neighbors house and my husband who was now home from work and I were making the 30 minute drive to the hospital. The car ride was fairly quiet, I don't think either one of us wanted to put words to any concerns or speculations. By 6pm I was checked in at the hospital and was being wheeled upstairs to be monitored. The details of the next 2.5 hours are blurry. There was a lot of monitoring including fetal heart tones (my night nurse say by my bedside the entire time holding the monitors because we kept losing one baby or another on the monitor), two different ultrasound machines (one basic and another more detailed), blood draws, and a lot of wondering. No one could tell for sure if one baby had more fluid than the other or if it was just the way they were positioned, no one could tell for certain why baby "b"'s heartrate wasn't fluctuating, and no one could tell for certain what the babies measured. I remember thinking and feeling like everything was up in the air and no one could answer my questions with any degree of certainty. The idea of delivery still hadn't even crossed my mind though. I now know that the doctors and nurses were keeping the full scope of their concerns from me so as to not worry me more than necessary.<br />
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By 8:30p however, the on call OB came in my room after having stepped out for a while (which I now know was because she was assembling the massive team of personnel that would later deliver and save my girls' little lives), she put her right hand on my left knee, stood at the foot of my bed, looked me straight in the eye and calmly said "we are delivering these girls". My world dropped. To this day, the image and sound of her telling me those 5 little words is still burned in my memory and brings me to tears. To her matter of fact statement I replied, "No we are not" and she said "oh, yes we have to". As soon as she uttered whose words a slew of people flooded my room and began preparing for what was to be the delivery of the youngest babies in my small town in over 20 years. Babies born at such a young age in my area are typically transferred 2 hours away to the larger university hospital. There was no time for that in my case, 2 might be too late and one of the babies might pass away in utero if we waited.<br />
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I have no idea what time it was, but presumably shortly after 9pm the double doors of the operating room opened and I was wheeled head first into a room full of people. My husband had to stand just outside the doors and with tears flowing profusely from my eyes I told him I loved him and held up the sign for the same as my rock and support pulled farther away from me. I was then prepped for surgery including being put to sleep. Sometime during the operation I woke up from my sedation and heard the doctors counting CPR on Jillian, felt the tugging on my belly as my OB sewed up my incision, and couldn't tell anyone I was not sedated because I had a breathing tube down my throat. I began thrashing my head back and forth and gagging to make them staff aware that I was awake. I heard a nurse say "She is awake!" and then it all went black again. Apparently the anesthesiologist was not attending to me and sitting at my head like usual because he was needed in the care of my girls. At 9:37p Britian Dorothy Mae was born and at 9:38p Jillian Elaine Marie entered this world. By 11:30 I was awake from sedation.<br />
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Jillian weighed 635g at birth. Britian was 906g. Length measurements were not taken because it has no bearing on their medical care. However, a week later in the NICU I measured them and they were both about 14".<br />
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Sometime around midnight the UIHC ambulance team wheeled both girls into my room. This was the first time I would see them. It was all surreal. They were bright red, translucent, and tinier than anything I had ever seen before. Yet, they were both so perfectly formed. Beautiful long fingers, cute little button noses, a head full of hair, and dainty little feet.<br />
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After the girls were taken away and were on their way to the best NICU in the region things settled down a bit. I don't remember much about the next few hours, I was tired and starving that much I do remember. Sometime during the early morning hours I received a phone call from a Dr. in the NICU telling me that Jillian had crashed, they were keeping her alive for as long as possible but I needed to get down there ASAP before it was too late. This began the wheels in motion of either getting me discharged so I could drive myself down there (2 hours) or be transferred to that hospital so I could be cared for, monitored, and recover for a few more days. Thankfully insurance agreed to transfer me. By noon on the 10th I was well on my way down to UI.<br />
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And thus begins our 11 week journey and NICU roller coaster in which we prayed, cried, stressed, prayed and cried a lot more. Those 11 weeks were a crash course in medical terminology, learning to advocate for my girls, and piles of paperwork as I navigated the maze of services they needed and deserved. And while 11 weeks might sound like an eternity I am grateful it was only 11 weeks. Considering their extreme prematurity 78 days in the NICU is a very short stay. Friends that I met along the way with babies born at similar gestations were all in the NICU for well over 100 days.<br />
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Those 78 days etched into my heart an experiences and emotions that I will never, ever, ever, forget. I don't know how I will feel in 4 short weeks when the girls turn 1. I will be post partum with baby #6 (a boy) so I may very well be an emotional wreck. However, I know I will also feel grateful, thankful beyond expression, and elated that we've made it this far. There were times, especially during those first couple of weeks that I was in the depths of despair thinking about all the problems and issues my girls might have for their lifetime. Thankfully, in the midst of my uncontrollable crying my husband reminded me that worrying wasn't going to do any good and that we would be able to handle whatever happened with the girls.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPr9SyCXleCh2roePxugfBM55UVmMOq4yIp_Lpffjc-FGmP2jNqTC8nfaHWUMZ7tRUH5aX7M6wayLlQpJ4gsmpQpdfOWsb1RkY94dKYpZdJSmTBKBiJfn1xgD1ExO2NobezRhkmaRBHWk/s1600/IMG_6747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPr9SyCXleCh2roePxugfBM55UVmMOq4yIp_Lpffjc-FGmP2jNqTC8nfaHWUMZ7tRUH5aX7M6wayLlQpJ4gsmpQpdfOWsb1RkY94dKYpZdJSmTBKBiJfn1xgD1ExO2NobezRhkmaRBHWk/s320/IMG_6747.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Britian then. . .</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5V7nGHtgj5JO_KiFXvlfTUYNX0FQYlsIjQ_E6jUqWjWXECNuwvXOA1fWWSZVYyZsUAG7orYc-vTZI78okF7FxMiG3ykbYMvfHdNrzL6mupBRA1qGanqU_x1gKH2GEYC4Yr2abftQPUhy2/s1600/IMG_8095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5V7nGHtgj5JO_KiFXvlfTUYNX0FQYlsIjQ_E6jUqWjWXECNuwvXOA1fWWSZVYyZsUAG7orYc-vTZI78okF7FxMiG3ykbYMvfHdNrzL6mupBRA1qGanqU_x1gKH2GEYC4Yr2abftQPUhy2/s320/IMG_8095.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Britian now!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjllPpDhLiQPsh-wb39wL3frBZOMun6naIXhos-hbwKkOo1DKnN4kjCXhXS7WjdLlXgnXqUUS_1RJT2eK_nN2gIxhkTCXsIUu7m-FxqcxLGhGfHxjaOLb_Tmu4yjXg9X-AGt5EByXhF3K04/s1600/IMG_6769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjllPpDhLiQPsh-wb39wL3frBZOMun6naIXhos-hbwKkOo1DKnN4kjCXhXS7WjdLlXgnXqUUS_1RJT2eK_nN2gIxhkTCXsIUu7m-FxqcxLGhGfHxjaOLb_Tmu4yjXg9X-AGt5EByXhF3K04/s320/IMG_6769.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jillian then. . .</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Y3BbIDlVEJdTFJiG0AASdllkwLTlNimUa6icq49R_Ik18YHnywb5KsojtLEfejJOm_cTskeTcIlRL5xrLPZpdQy_TSMu-uIEkR3jMWQOBOPSOy9jJd3OnY7H8ZU3f_J1MIyqZ5hgtTiB/s1600/IMG_8096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Y3BbIDlVEJdTFJiG0AASdllkwLTlNimUa6icq49R_Ik18YHnywb5KsojtLEfejJOm_cTskeTcIlRL5xrLPZpdQy_TSMu-uIEkR3jMWQOBOPSOy9jJd3OnY7H8ZU3f_J1MIyqZ5hgtTiB/s320/IMG_8096.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jillian now!!</td></tr>
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</div>Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-39295116720447067512012-01-11T09:08:00.000-08:002012-01-11T09:08:01.695-08:00NICU videos on YouTube<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It has been nearly a year since the girls' birth and I still cry like a crazy woman when I watch micro preemie NICU videos on YouTube. Why do I do this to myself? I need to just stay far away from YouTube until that spot in my heart is healed a little more, if that is even possible. However, I do have to say that watching these videos or hearing other micro preemie stories makes me count my blessings 100 times over. So many micros that were born later than my girls had to spend a considerable amount of time more than what we did in the NICU. The more stories I hear about make me realize that a mere 78 days in the NICU for 26 weekers is a miracle beyond description. Their struggles pale in comparison to what other little babies have had to (or continue) to endure at the expense of being born so early. How will I ever communicate the depths of this miracle to Britian and Jillian as they grow up? I will pray that when the time comes for these conversations that God gives me the words I need to sufficiently tell my girls what beautiful blessings they truly are and how He had His hand upon them every single second of their tiny lives.</div>Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-85742139484135280462011-12-16T19:25:00.000-08:002011-12-16T19:25:16.135-08:00Merry Christmas!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: large;">Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOjBYSwBPQa55W8p0-v8lmKgHPc9rRsrnrXZMkaArUuQ8UdO32rGlHKVY8g9SB6NhUfNd51YGg8QKs7LqU7D4STNJFEOhV0ma_1RlJbax_EnfGHIVg9A6mcO9_AYhF1iX6N-ELeKER73x5/s1600/IMG_8006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOjBYSwBPQa55W8p0-v8lmKgHPc9rRsrnrXZMkaArUuQ8UdO32rGlHKVY8g9SB6NhUfNd51YGg8QKs7LqU7D4STNJFEOhV0ma_1RlJbax_EnfGHIVg9A6mcO9_AYhF1iX6N-ELeKER73x5/s320/IMG_8006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sister toes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjXsr-oy7RTsHgAiChpKzt0nOvaY-0sj0N_9_qdBALm-B434m5bWXkF2TPdXyFzBkTgdm-0ZKwv5XpfuBbfdtDFZcCv4SAW-NRec2FYD7PMj8XrXDz4AaCHIl94rpaCQRAKz6xdkSNl-sZ/s1600/IMG_8018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjXsr-oy7RTsHgAiChpKzt0nOvaY-0sj0N_9_qdBALm-B434m5bWXkF2TPdXyFzBkTgdm-0ZKwv5XpfuBbfdtDFZcCv4SAW-NRec2FYD7PMj8XrXDz4AaCHIl94rpaCQRAKz6xdkSNl-sZ/s320/IMG_8018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Britian's toes<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM-68YoDgKiwZaCUW6Uqjx9-slCJZc8ql4chczDJciR9r5F_XJdtxWoPSSbQwKuCSnIhdqR-lLa5o8NoWMDGnQY5rrF1RIRx3iAkOj0aCJs3tZaXIvQlygctwVX2CVAtbnGe_kqXY9G5OH/s1600/IMG_8019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM-68YoDgKiwZaCUW6Uqjx9-slCJZc8ql4chczDJciR9r5F_XJdtxWoPSSbQwKuCSnIhdqR-lLa5o8NoWMDGnQY5rrF1RIRx3iAkOj0aCJs3tZaXIvQlygctwVX2CVAtbnGe_kqXY9G5OH/s320/IMG_8019.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jillian's itty bitty toes</td></tr>
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</div>Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-4877425813930673912011-12-13T18:22:00.000-08:002011-12-13T18:22:27.980-08:00Teeth all aroundI am happy to announce that Britian and Jillian both got their both two front teeth today. Jillian was more fussy than normal today which I attributed to the cold she has been battling but now I know it was more than just her cold. Hopefully now that their teeth have come in the will both get back to their normal sleep schedule. My kids typically get their teeth in rapid succession and have 6 or more by their first birthday so this may just be the beginning of a very long winter filled with colds and teething.Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-55949626353334193992011-12-07T19:03:00.000-08:002011-12-07T19:03:31.674-08:0010 months old!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Well technically they will be 10 months in 2 days but I've got a moment to post an update now and not sure I'll have one again in 2 days so I am doing it now. :)<br />
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As you will see in the pictures below both girls are getting very big. Their next Dr. appt is next week but Brit should be pushing 18 pounds or more and Jillian is well about 14. Just from holding them I can tell they have both gained a bunch of weight since our last high risk appt the beginning of November. Jillian most of all has really filled out which I couldn't be happier about. The more weight she puts on the better it is for her lung growth and development. Both girls have been stable and healthy for the last couple of weeks which has been a huge blessing. I avoid taking them anywhere I absolutely don't have to though now that cold and flu season is upon us. I am hoping that becoming hermits for the winter will help them get through this season as healthy as possible. And on a lighter note both girls are doing awesome with their reflux and seem to be outgrowing the worst of it. Because they are doing so well it also means that they are both sleeping in their cribs all night, no more swing sleeping for either girl.<br />
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So without further ado, here are some recent pictures of our little blessings.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlomDYaEpT-nPFdOyjay8wTtVfEGfrngzzQqABOTANdmQybL12dQM0SfQfy4ixD1l7SIoKmGXneTLcHNwM00f7ne9J5DHvtSFs9xG2eIzpTbYXODlfy5VLmmVvTKQbJ8tPKOJApBk7VcYg/s1600/IMG_7950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlomDYaEpT-nPFdOyjay8wTtVfEGfrngzzQqABOTANdmQybL12dQM0SfQfy4ixD1l7SIoKmGXneTLcHNwM00f7ne9J5DHvtSFs9xG2eIzpTbYXODlfy5VLmmVvTKQbJ8tPKOJApBk7VcYg/s320/IMG_7950.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brit pulling on Jillian's cannula</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brit sleeping</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jillian crashed out in her high chair after refusing to nap all day</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSLmFWiDj1F1tD05y09CTjWS-M_OFC5INaNdp9I8H8W6rQg2vN7ivRhC6WVr5kysOGqZaZEpLCG0dt_-YwvF9ebCC9Qf_lmVsu3dpBT0dfvE2hRv2Htp7uWYR3Ol8ltBMEAapedenvG1Rf/s1600/IMG_7982.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSLmFWiDj1F1tD05y09CTjWS-M_OFC5INaNdp9I8H8W6rQg2vN7ivRhC6WVr5kysOGqZaZEpLCG0dt_-YwvF9ebCC9Qf_lmVsu3dpBT0dfvE2hRv2Htp7uWYR3Ol8ltBMEAapedenvG1Rf/s320/IMG_7982.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some days it is rough being Jillian</td></tr>
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</div>Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-18767684926746049542011-11-13T18:20:00.000-08:002011-11-13T18:20:19.835-08:00On the Mend<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I just wanted to update everyone real quick. . .<br />
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The girls are both on the mend with their colds, especially Jillian who got hit the worst. There is no more coughing or congestion or yucky mucous to deal with. The next month or so they will still need meds to maintain their healthy lungs but so long as we are not dealing with the bad stuff I am a-ok with giving them an inhaler twice a day to maintain the status quo.<br />
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Thank you for your prayers, they have definitely been answered.</div>Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-67924341072278317382011-11-05T18:18:00.000-07:002011-11-05T18:18:50.677-07:00Preemie Lungs and Winter Do Not Mix Well Together<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">As I've mentioned in previous posts the girls both have colds. We are on week 7 or so of the girls both dealing with one virus or another. If I've read their symptoms correctly we are on virus #3 or so. They catch one cold and get better from it only to catch other virus before totally getting over the previous one. It has become a viscous cycle. Fortunately it seems as though Britian is on the mend thanks in part to the medication that was prescribed earlier this week. Her breathing is much easier and she isn't coughing all night like before.<br />
<br />
Jillian on the other hand did not improve when we started the same medication earlier this week. Her breathing was of such concern to me yesterday that she saw an on-call pediatrician (so happened to be the one that was on call the night the girls were born) in the night clinic. He agreed that she was still wheezing so we did a breathing treatment there in the office which seemed to help improve her lung sounds a bit. Ultimately he prescribed an oral steroid and a nebulizer, both to help with her breathing. He also prescribed an antibiotic the help with her nasal congestion and to clear up an ear infection that might have been starting. So currently my little peanut is on 4 different medications, all of which have to be staggered at different times and given a minimum of twice every day. Needless to say, I've taken to writing down the times I give her each of her medications so that I don't miss a dose and also so I make sure that I am not giving certain medications too close to each other.<br />
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My baby girl needs lots and lots of prayers again. Her little lungs are struggling and Winter hasn't even officially begun. I sure hope this isn't a sign of what is to come this season. Thankfully, after just a day of the new regiment of meds her breathing is much better and she actually slept decent last night.</div>Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-22606043214209910242011-11-02T18:42:00.000-07:002011-11-02T18:42:09.509-07:008 month updateYesterday the girls and I made the long drive back to the "big city" for their high risk check-up. Both girls are growing and developing wonderfully. <br />
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Britian is a whopping 16lbs 11oz and nearly 26"<br />
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Jillian is cruising right along at her own pace. She is 13lbs 3oz and 24" long. <br />
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When we left the nicu 6 months ago neither girl was on the growth chart. Now not only are they both on one curve or another but from one appointment to another they are jumping curves. At nearly 17 pounds Britian is 50% for her adjusted age weight. Even my peanut Jillian is on the curve somewhere for all of her measurements. After starting life so small it does my momma heart good to know they are growing so well without medical intervention. <br />
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We did learn yesterday that both girls are RAD. No, not rad like back in the 80's but RAD as in reactive airway disease. Considering their lung issues this really is no surprise and will impact their lives minimally. They have inhalers now and are using them twice a day for the next month or so. As I mentioned in a previous post they have a cold virus, yep for 6 weeks now they've had a virus to one degree or another. At yesterday's appointment they had "musical wheezing" as their neonatologist put it, not the typical one tone wheeze but rather a nice musical one with a variety of tones. The inhaler will help clear up their lungs and maybe even help their sinus congestion which I am all for!<br />
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Developmentally both girls are doing great which is always nice to hear. As a micro preemie parent, fine and gross motor development is always on your mind. <br />
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Thank you everyone for your continued prayers and words of support!Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-2055924876245238292011-10-31T19:29:00.000-07:002011-10-31T19:29:50.290-07:00From the Nursery Window<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">From the nursery window I've watched the world go by.<br />
I've seen barren trees, brown and dull, grow beautiful green leaves, so lush and full.<br />
The tree nearest the window was lifeless and dull, then it grew whirlybird seeds and aspen shaped leaves.<br />
I've heard the wind howl, watched the rain pour down the window, and marveled at the lightening on the horizon and jumped at the sound of thunder over head.<br />
Flowers have come and gone.<br />
I've told time by the fireflies dancing in the air.<br />
I've laughed at the robins hopping across the street.<br />
Sunrises have made me smile and reminded me of the blessings that are all around.<br />
The leaves are turning now and leaving with the wind.<br />
Soon the white stuff will start to fall and from the nursery window I will give thanks for the blessings that fill my home.<br />
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</div>Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-17797351086589464652011-10-31T19:05:00.000-07:002011-10-31T19:05:06.255-07:00Happy Halloween!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;">Happy Halloween from my family to yours!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjQywgzUMCMlyRQw4CWwRJMcaaS4I2VOj9lV_GivcUlI0jmRk80mEioYvx2HJ1gwWLmxEeD_Twda1d3W7YZoY0v_vaV-VrnBUF-CSl3GUbbC6jIUc5p5g4V2KHxF9APHXl8Si9nfLyAv4/s1600/IMG_7894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjQywgzUMCMlyRQw4CWwRJMcaaS4I2VOj9lV_GivcUlI0jmRk80mEioYvx2HJ1gwWLmxEeD_Twda1d3W7YZoY0v_vaV-VrnBUF-CSl3GUbbC6jIUc5p5g4V2KHxF9APHXl8Si9nfLyAv4/s320/IMG_7894.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My 2 little lambs, Jillian and Britian</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNkKW55L8DS-g1qPMwvliXnjYlVkUJSSdre4VlB2Wswq4cnk0xBtYmJ0VNswfjPkkR-U-i3IXca_Z0eW9OawtnwjrjGzVPPwxEzQgXAnux-p8-WJ-BZDgVcvimekZ1-k7i6C5jCppWAsM/s1600/IMG_7890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNkKW55L8DS-g1qPMwvliXnjYlVkUJSSdre4VlB2Wswq4cnk0xBtYmJ0VNswfjPkkR-U-i3IXca_Z0eW9OawtnwjrjGzVPPwxEzQgXAnux-p8-WJ-BZDgVcvimekZ1-k7i6C5jCppWAsM/s320/IMG_7890.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fX4Mdic7DzWD-zMb-c0Sih7CzlNueQ90lSXerCJOU09oxs3qoVgefHXbFsEvgo9Da1PKfil41z_OW-wrByQuYa4llftac3rz1D2vEHiNDngRBohx1ztXKakvN2AUd1c3yNWKHFvD-tdI/s1600/IMG_7897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fX4Mdic7DzWD-zMb-c0Sih7CzlNueQ90lSXerCJOU09oxs3qoVgefHXbFsEvgo9Da1PKfil41z_OW-wrByQuYa4llftac3rz1D2vEHiNDngRBohx1ztXKakvN2AUd1c3yNWKHFvD-tdI/s320/IMG_7897.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> my Dorothy, my clone trooper, and my Army man </td></tr>
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</div>Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-67763567614734367122011-10-29T03:42:00.000-07:002011-10-29T03:42:08.715-07:00Recent Pictures<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I know it has been a while since I posted new pictures of the girls and for that I am sorry. I know you all understand though that life is far from slow and boring in our house. The girls continue to grow, delight, and develop everyday. In a few days the girls will have a high risk doctors appointment. As always they will get weighed and assessed for their overall growth and development according to their adjusted age which is about 6.5 months.<br />
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In my last update I mentioned that the girls were battling their first cold virus. Well, it is still lingering. Thankfully they seem to be pulling through it and are on the tail end of the fight. Poor Jillian got it the worst and for a while there it was really affecting her appetite and growth. I definitely noticed a halt to her weight gain for about a week. Thankfully though she is back to her normal eating habits and for the most part is keeping the majority of her bottles and solids down despite her periods of reflux. I will of course update with their new weights and overall development after our appointment early next week.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMePweP52Y_QdbOD81pFLYoeC2AHgNmx4M_6Afpp96X0p_3Ig0vIMleAT_w0Sg8f_r1mUJMNsmEptM4ff5zPrxBU5qeWY6BqJGzp2Ih0ZQ2J8LPu656Pf8bbGo-CHlEIcb7FJV2ULFelXN/s1600/IMG_7818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMePweP52Y_QdbOD81pFLYoeC2AHgNmx4M_6Afpp96X0p_3Ig0vIMleAT_w0Sg8f_r1mUJMNsmEptM4ff5zPrxBU5qeWY6BqJGzp2Ih0ZQ2J8LPu656Pf8bbGo-CHlEIcb7FJV2ULFelXN/s320/IMG_7818.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Britian @ 8 months</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnc0WnF-0e1oR2kNq0P-pXUbpmJ2g2BMhf2i0jBnnpMhZ3zik_VYVRPNHn-j-yZH9dyGQUVHX1z9xjKHEO5HpIBTUZkgKEnWh9Um7FxteKujiBHFYpwCItNUy6t-8IQdlLJL7t5h1LYGml/s1600/IMG_7819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnc0WnF-0e1oR2kNq0P-pXUbpmJ2g2BMhf2i0jBnnpMhZ3zik_VYVRPNHn-j-yZH9dyGQUVHX1z9xjKHEO5HpIBTUZkgKEnWh9Um7FxteKujiBHFYpwCItNUy6t-8IQdlLJL7t5h1LYGml/s320/IMG_7819.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jillian @ 8 months</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFS5h2QD73TI4eqAwuUo-mype9h59feAgRUqvcV3GUC5XRUjZxIdhv4Mu8bXOHera6gIo-nINtmGGG9qbPepNIZF7gza5p5ZVchayDxQ3UBg33a1ri3SmqHLdfQcv8ylbValAajoyBWySP/s1600/IMG_7829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFS5h2QD73TI4eqAwuUo-mype9h59feAgRUqvcV3GUC5XRUjZxIdhv4Mu8bXOHera6gIo-nINtmGGG9qbPepNIZF7gza5p5ZVchayDxQ3UBg33a1ri3SmqHLdfQcv8ylbValAajoyBWySP/s320/IMG_7829.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My 2 smily girls; Jillian and Britian</td></tr>
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</div>Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-19986725771780033432011-10-13T06:50:00.000-07:002011-10-13T06:50:39.078-07:00Battling Their First Cold Virus<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">3 weeks ago I took the girls to their first group setting which included other little kids. Our homeschool group was having a co-op class so I stayed with the twins and my 4 year old in the nursery while my older boys wen to class. Wouldn't you know, Brit caught a cold and then generously gave it to Jillian. The girls were doing good fighting off the virus until a few days ago. Yesterday I decided to take them to the pediatrician to make sure they didn't have an ear or sinus infection. Thankfully both girls have clear ears but Brit's lungs were a bit hoarse and Jillian is beyond congested (which I could already tell). It is always so hard watching your little baby struggle with a cold. Hopefully the girls will be on the mend soon, I am ready for them to start sleeping at night without waking up coughing every few minutes.</div>Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-69753242668109015062011-08-31T12:54:00.000-07:002011-08-31T12:54:07.268-07:00Getting so big!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Both girls are getting so big. Here are a couple of pics of Britian, her development has taken off the past few weeks. From the looks of it I know that crawling is just around the corner. Sometimes it seems like the days of them fitting in the palm of my hand was just yesterday, now look at my big girl. :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vuDKMSKbyHKGnnLtR92SyOv9tfVd0JON_DVpBGX6aqF9OlWokfcq4N-kouaKkAl_LrRDE75kDIUxTpY8YqRvte4GyO3YNJO-pv4F6oXtIUIyxSKqndjzaRj02fvLk4AqGKt9LjuAKu80/s1600/IMG_7736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vuDKMSKbyHKGnnLtR92SyOv9tfVd0JON_DVpBGX6aqF9OlWokfcq4N-kouaKkAl_LrRDE75kDIUxTpY8YqRvte4GyO3YNJO-pv4F6oXtIUIyxSKqndjzaRj02fvLk4AqGKt9LjuAKu80/s320/IMG_7736.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggbQPPYIYkxz-uDF0FdHha7HyMVfh0x808XuvnRTtFaKZS22d3gPq1TD3AtrbkM1hn_n93Nf0j7xdmppbcNRM-68s98QlD5GkFXej04OZcBHKrs_r9InzC-ntB5D-1VkNuYQAESVckqj4p/s1600/IMG_7738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggbQPPYIYkxz-uDF0FdHha7HyMVfh0x808XuvnRTtFaKZS22d3gPq1TD3AtrbkM1hn_n93Nf0j7xdmppbcNRM-68s98QlD5GkFXej04OZcBHKrs_r9InzC-ntB5D-1VkNuYQAESVckqj4p/s320/IMG_7738.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div>Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967785267240118498.post-5964486324808369482011-08-12T06:02:00.000-07:002011-08-12T06:02:00.085-07:006 month updateWow, it has been quite a while since my last post. No real surprise to me though, life has been busy. I will do my best to hit the biggest highlights from the past 2 months. <br />
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1. The girls are 6 months old and growing like weeds. Brit is tipping the scales at 12pounds and Jillian is well over 10 pounds now.<br />
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2. Jillian's pulmonary stenosis (narrowing of a valve to goes to her lungs) is stable and her cardiologistdoesnt want to see her until her 1st birthday. So long as it stays stable or improves she will live a normal and active life. <br />
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3. Jillian's hearing is just fine, she had a ton of ear wax in both ears which was preventing her from hearing the infant screening test tones. <br />
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4. Britian should be off of her oxygen next month. She did well at her last exam with the 2 hour no oxygen test but the dr. Wants her to be off for 6hours or more before making the decision to take her off. Jillian's oxygen was decreased at the same appointment to half a liter from three quaters. <br />
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5. Jillian is sleeping through the night. Yeah! <br />
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6. Smiles and lots of them. The girls have found their beautiful smiles and their voices. It is so much fun to talk and interact with them more. <br />
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7. And on a personal family note, we are expecting again. Yep, there is another blessing on the way for our family. I am due March 3rd but will have a c-section before the girls turn one year, on or around February 4th. Because I am pregnant again so soon after an emergency section I am at risk for uterine rupture so I have to deliver at 36 weeks to prevent this serious complication. <br />
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I think completes the updates for now. I will upload new pictures of the girls as soon as I get a free minute on my desktop. Alexishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117943626792232225noreply@blogger.com2