2 WEEKS OLD!

Get your tissues out...
I got to hold Sammy today! I've been waiting 14 days to hold any of my babies!!!

In preparation for Sammy to come off the vent in the next few days, they switched him to a different vent that monitors how much breathing is actually his and how much is the vent working.  Because of this, he has a little less tubing and Nurse Donna said if he was stable throughout the day we could try skin to skin care.  We got the blood work back mid afternoon and we were a go.  I got to sit holding him for a little over an hour.  

He did great, and Donna was able to lower his oxygen input to the lowest it has ever been.  It is amazing how the human body is meant to help a baby stabilize and thrive. He also did all the things a baby is supposed to do to breastfeed which is encouraging since preemies don't always evolve to feeders since they have a long delay before their first available moment.  Because they are still on small specific amounts of feeds, I am not allowed to let them feed as that would be comparable to eating 6 gallons of milk in one sitting. :) 

Here are a few more pics... (notice he is wearing Judy's homemade 'apple' hat!!!)

Also, it is funny to note that the entire time Sammy cuddled with me, both Elsie and Danny had almost identical stats of heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation percentages.  The nurse said this is common with multiples, and is wicked cool in my eyes.

Until Elsie and Danny come off the jet vents, I won't be able to hold them, but it won't be long, and it will be just as enjoyable!

I really thought this would be a super emotional experience and I would cry the whole time.  I've been struggling with some Postpartum this last week times 3 and it seems everything else has made me cry.  I tie my shoe. I cry.  I eat my turkey sandwich.  I cry. I blow my nose.  I cry. Miguel keeps reminding me that pumping should be enjoyable.  I cry. Ok maybe I should be crying about that one! All this crying is utterly ridiculous, but the doctor said to expect this as I am technically losing 3 pregnancies at once and all the hormones that go with them.  But holding Sammy was so exciting and unexpected that I couldn't help but just be elated the entire time. And I felt great the rest of the day as well. 

The doctors think Danny might have a little pneumonia in his left lung, so we are doing some cultures and x-rays to treat that.  Thankfully, it doesn't appear to be bothering his comfort level, and he continues to stabilize and enjoy nap times. He also likes to be the surprise pee and pooper when you are in doing his diaper change.  He got Mommy good the other day when he pooped in one direction and shot up pee in the other at the same time.  Glad he is in an enclosure or that could've been messy on Mommy!  Here are a few highlights from the last few days :)

Miss Elsie is doing well also, and will most likely jump directly to the Cpap setting in the next 1-2 days.  This will mean she will be extubated and we will hear her when she cries.  She is also done with light treatments, so now she gets to show off her pretty eyes all day. The boys each have both eyes open now too, but not this wide, and not as alert.

 

Can't believe they are 2 weeks old today!  Another milestone!  Looking forward to the next one!