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| Daddy, Mommy, Kate (L) & Anna (R) |
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| Daddy holding both of his girls for the first time! |
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| I melt every time I see him smile when he is holding his girls! |
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| Mommy and Kate |
Monday, December 12, 2011
Family Picture
Tonight we were able to get our first family picture! We had a great night feeding the girls (Kate nursed her entire feeding!) and changing several poopie diapers...for being so small, they sure can poop!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
An Amazing Husband and Father
God has blessed me with such an amazing husband! Phil has always been an incredible husband and I have always known he would be an awesome dad. He is so great with all of our nieces and nephews and they absolutely LOVE Uncle Phil. I know he deeply loves our nieces and nephews, but I knew it would be different when we had our own children. It has been so sweet to watch him fall deeper and deeper in love with our girls as each day passes!
God has used this experience to grow our marriage and our faith and to teach us to trust in Him in ALL things. As much as I wouldn't wish this on anyone, I know that God is using it in a mighty way in our lives and that it will ultimately bring glory to Him!
For those who have had the post-pregnancy raging hormones, you know that you can be an emotional wreck from time to time. While overall I haven't been too bad (yet), I have definitely had my moments and Phil has been so understanding and supportive! He has been so helpful around the house (which he typically is, but he has been extra helpful). This morning I came home from visiting the girls at the hospital and he was mopping the floors! He also got me an amazing gift when the girls were born...a new camera! I am so excited to have it to document all of our family memories! Thank you Lord for my soul mate and spiritual leader.
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| Daddy with Kate |
For those who have had the post-pregnancy raging hormones, you know that you can be an emotional wreck from time to time. While overall I haven't been too bad (yet), I have definitely had my moments and Phil has been so understanding and supportive! He has been so helpful around the house (which he typically is, but he has been extra helpful). This morning I came home from visiting the girls at the hospital and he was mopping the floors! He also got me an amazing gift when the girls were born...a new camera! I am so excited to have it to document all of our family memories! Thank you Lord for my soul mate and spiritual leader.
A Lot Can Happen in a Week!
Since I went back to work, I haven't been able to keep up with my daily blogging. Hopefully I can remember all that went on!
This week, although exhausting and seemingly endless, has been so wonderful as both girls have made amazing progress! Here are some of this week's highlights!
On Wednesday, Kate and Anna both moved out of their isolettes and into open cribs!
Both girls hit the 4 pound mark this week! Anna was first on Wednesday, and Kate hit it on Saturday!! Anna is now 4 pounds 7.4 ounces and Kate is 4 pounds 2.3 ounces. Here is Anna on the scale the day she hit 4 pounds!
Both girls are taking almost all of their feedings by nursing or a bottle. I feel as though I have been pumping non-stop for the past 2 weeks and it is so wonderful to be able to nurse the girls for almost a full feeding!
Although I am so excited that the girls are taking most of their feedings by bottle rather than through their feeding tubes, it is also very stressful for me to feed them. When babies are born premature, they lack the coordination to suck, swallow, and breathe all together. On Thursday night I was feeding Anna her bottle and she didn't breathe/swallow and started to turn blue! Her heart rate dropped and she had a bradycardia. Needless to say, it scared me half to death and has made me quite paranoid to feed either of them. During several feedings since then, she and Kate have both had "brady's" (thankfully not as bad and they haven't turned blue). In my mind, I know that God is in control and that He is growing our sweet girls and that He will allow them to learn to coordinate their breathing, sucking, and swallowing...this is one of the many areas in which I am just learning to TRUST HIM in all things.
On Friday, during one of my pumping sessions at school, I called to check on the girls. The nurse who answered the phone said that they had been moved upstairs to the "Special Care Nursery". She said that this nursery was used as an overflow for the Intermediate Care Nursery and that they were chosen to move because they were very stable and were the best candidates! They are receiving the same care that they were in the ICN (and we have even had some of the same nurses), but the atmosphere is a little more relaxed.
Both girls' umbilical cords also came off this week!
The week was very long and exhausting, but God continues to give us strength and faith knowing that He will sustain us and grow and protect our girls (who belong to Him and are gifts to us from Him). We are continually amazed at the progress the girls are making and can't wait until they come home!
This week, although exhausting and seemingly endless, has been so wonderful as both girls have made amazing progress! Here are some of this week's highlights!
On Wednesday, Kate and Anna both moved out of their isolettes and into open cribs!
Anna (above) and Kate (below) in their big girl cribs!
Both girls are taking almost all of their feedings by nursing or a bottle. I feel as though I have been pumping non-stop for the past 2 weeks and it is so wonderful to be able to nurse the girls for almost a full feeding!
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| Aunt Melissa feeding Anna her bottle while Mommy nursed Kate |
On Friday, during one of my pumping sessions at school, I called to check on the girls. The nurse who answered the phone said that they had been moved upstairs to the "Special Care Nursery". She said that this nursery was used as an overflow for the Intermediate Care Nursery and that they were chosen to move because they were very stable and were the best candidates! They are receiving the same care that they were in the ICN (and we have even had some of the same nurses), but the atmosphere is a little more relaxed.
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| Their first night in the Special Care Nursery |
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Both girls' umbilical cords also came off this week!
Here are some cute pictures of the girls from this week!!!
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| Anna |
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| Anna |
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| Kate |
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| Kate |
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| Kate |
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| Kate (L) & Anna (R) |
Back to Work
This past Monday, 9 days after having the girls, I went back to work. Before you think horrible thoughts...let me explain. At the beginning of all of this, I had 8 weeks of sick days stored up to take my leave when the girls were born. I am allowed to take 12 weeks (and plan to take 12), but I will only get paid for the number of sick days I have. When the girls came early and the doctors told us they would be in the NICU for several weeks, I was really discouraged because I figured that up to half (or even more) of my maternity leave would be spent before the girls were even home from the hospital. After crying to my mom (gotta love those post-pregnancy hormones) and praying with her, I called one of the AP's at school and she recommended I talk to our bookkeeper who is in charge of and familiar with how long-term leave works. I called her from the hospital and she got in touch with the HR department at the Central Office. To make a long story short, I only used 5 sick days for the week after the girls were born and I will still get to take 12 weeks of leave once the girls come home from the hospital! Going back was extremely difficult because I only get to see the girls once a day instead of whenever I want. It was also physically and emotionally draining. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel with Christmas break only 5 days away and the knowledge that I will get to spend so much time at home with the girls before going back to work in the Spring:) I thought I had things all planned out, but God's timing is perfect and He continues to teach me that daily!
One thing that has made going back to work a little bit easier is knowing that there are people who love our girls going to visit them every morning! Susan from church went to visit them on Monday. She has been so excited about the twins and she absolutely LOVES them. She is such a blessing and we are so thankful that she is willing to spend her morning at the hospital with the girls. On Tuesday, Aunt Melissa and Denise (from church) went to visit with the girls. It is so special that Melissa is willing to take time away from her own children to love on ours! On Wednesday, Charlotte (the girls' surrogate grandma...since they don't have one close by) spent the morning with the girls. Even though I want to be able to spend all day with the girls, I am so thankful for these ladies and their willingness to sacrifice their time to hold and love Kate and Anna!
One thing that has made going back to work a little bit easier is knowing that there are people who love our girls going to visit them every morning! Susan from church went to visit them on Monday. She has been so excited about the twins and she absolutely LOVES them. She is such a blessing and we are so thankful that she is willing to spend her morning at the hospital with the girls. On Tuesday, Aunt Melissa and Denise (from church) went to visit with the girls. It is so special that Melissa is willing to take time away from her own children to love on ours! On Wednesday, Charlotte (the girls' surrogate grandma...since they don't have one close by) spent the morning with the girls. Even though I want to be able to spend all day with the girls, I am so thankful for these ladies and their willingness to sacrifice their time to hold and love Kate and Anna!
The Best Mom Ever!
As soon as my water broke, I called my mom. She hopped on a flight as soon as she could and came straight to the hospital. It doesn't matter how old I get, there is nothing more comforting than having my mommy by my side! I cannot even express how incredible she is and how I could not have survived the roller coaster experience we have been through without her love and support. While she was here, she spent the night with me at the hospital when Phil had to go back to work, she let me cry on her shoulder when I had to leave the girls at the hospital when I was discharged, she prayed with me when I didn't think I could handle everything, she bought us an extra freezer and prepared meals to fill it up so that I didn't have to cook for the next few weeks while the girls are in the hospital, she went with me every day to visit the girls, she cleaned my entire house, and she did it all with a servant's heart because she loves me, but ultimately because she loves our Lord and desires to glorify Him in all she does! Mom, thank you from the bottom of our hearts! We love you and can't wait for you to come back:)
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Christmas at the Collier's
While Katie and Mom were here, they (and Melissa) decorated our house for Christmas!
Isn't that wreath beautiful? Melissa and Katie made it!!! Now we just need stockings for Kate and Anna!
Isn't that wreath beautiful? Melissa and Katie made it!!! Now we just need stockings for Kate and Anna!
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Blessings from God
Kate and Anna are doing so well! They are both eating a whole ounce at each feeding (30 ml) and this week they are working on being able to regulate their own body temperature so that they can get out of their isolettes. In order to help them do this, they have turned down the temperature in their isolettes so that the girls have to get used to warming themselves. They have also put little shirts on the girls which are ADORABLE, but look more like little dresses because they are so big! The doctor also came by today to check on the girls while we were there and he said that they are both doing extremely well! What a blessing from God our sweet girls are and we are so thankful that He continues to help them grow stronger every day!!!
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| Anna |
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| Anna |
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| Anna |
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| Kate |
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| Kate |
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| Kate |
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