New Digs and Duckboats | Day 15

I walked in to see the wee ones both had ditched their isolettes and upgraded to open-air bassinets. It was so strange seeing them so EXPOSED, but it was really nice just to reach in and pick them up without thinking you were removing them from some sort of science-fiction, life-maintaining pod.

Both are practicing on a bottle, and going to town. They keep telling me that babies cannot master the suck-swallow-breathe skill until they are about 34 or 35 weeks, but from what I see about most of the babies in the ICN, that fact does not ring true. Most are ready to "work" for their meals sooner than that. Go Fraley twins!

After Papaw and Meme (visiting from Chattanooga) had a nice visit with the twins, we headed over to ride the DuckBoat -- something Hazel has been requesting to do since we drive by them each time we head to Pennsylvania Hospital.

Bustin past the 4 lb. milestone

I called last night and both babies made it to 4 lbs. Winter went from 4lbs up to 4 lbs 2 oz. Hard to believe! They are giving them extra calories in the breastmilk to help them pack on the pounds. Seems like its working.

Here is a cute peanut shot of Simone

Winter and binkie

Winter sportin some new duds | Day 12

What next?

This morning I get a call from Daniel who has pulled onto the side of 295. The hood of our 15 year old Honda Civic had popped open, bent back, and hit the windshield while doing about 75 mph. Somehow my dear husband was able to keep his wits about him and pull over to the shoulder without hitting anyone or anyone hitting him. It was hard not let my mind imagine what really could have happened if the stars will not aligned in his favor.

The NJ DOT guy who stopped to check on him helped secure the hood down and he drove home with a cracked windshield and the hood held down with four bungee cords.

Thank you thank you thank you stars for bringing my husband home safe and unharmed.

Is it from you?

We received two cute preemie outfits sent from Macy's @ Amazon. Unfortunately, there was no gift card or notation as to who sent it.

The kind person who sent this package, please email us to let us know!

Kangaroo-ing again | Day 11

Both are doing great. Winter finally got to kangroo with mommy. As you can see, he got very cozy. Winter and Simone are both staring to regulate their tempatures on their own and soon may be able to move into an open-air crib. They might be reunited in double crib soon!

Hello from an alert little Winter baby | Day 11

Juggling babies

I got to hold both of them together for the first time on Tuesday. I put their hands together. Twin power!

Luckily, Winter got that horrible IV monstrosity out of his head last night and Simone got her IV taken out of her belly button. One less tube! I can't wait to go in and see how it looks. Off to the hospital with my cooler of breast milk . . . .

Day 8 Winter

Day 8 Simone

Day 7 photos

Winter in his belly fetal position that he loves so much. Poor thing still has that IV in his scalp.

Simone kangarooing with mommy

Mommy's One Week Update

I have been asked to post on how I am doing so far.

Surprisingly, I have been coping. Already having a child has been a good primer for me in many ways. First, Hazel has taught me that birth plans never go as planned. She taught me that what you expect to happen with a pregnancy, birth, and care of a baby will always test your ability to adjust to change and the unexpected. She taught me that you will no doubt feel disappointed, but if you keep your eye on the big picture, the small stuff really does not matter. I feel lucky to have such a wonderful life coach in preparing me for the curve balls that come with creating a family.

Yesterday I came home from the hospital and exhaustion hit me hard. When I'm overly tired the tears come a'pouring.

Can do this for another month or more? Can I produce enough milk? Why couldn't I still be pregnant and carry them in my belly longer? Will they forget their "twinness" after being separated for so long? What if something goes wrong and the news will be bad one of these days?

Hazel saw me crying and showered me with love and attention, kisses and hugs. She wiped my tears (which is a funny scene because Hazel does not have tears that run down her face, so they are a novel thing for her). She snuggled in next to me. Of course, that made me cry even more. It was a moment I will never forget.

Physically, I am still recovering which has been slow but sure. Walking is slow going and it takes me a good three minutes to get in the right position to get out of bed and walking forward. I have stopped the pain meds for the most part, helping me keep a clear and alert head. I am trying my best to heed advice and get rest, eat right, and drink tons of water.

Happy One Week Old!

They are a week old and really starting to grow on us. Both are back to their birth weight and getting acclimated to the breast milk via tube. If all goes well, they can stop IV fluids and just live and grow on mommy's milk. Today, I was able to kangaroo care Simone while Daniel and I watched the milk trickle into her feeding tube. Surreal but nice.

Winter loves to sleep on his stomach. Its the cutest thing seeing his little skinny legs tucked under him. We can't hold him because his IV tube is in his scalp (poor thing!) and we don't want to take any chances disturbing it.

Daniel has made lullaby and classical music tapes for both to listen to in the incubators.

Moms Rock

After the babies arrived, my mom came to stay for a few days, helped get Hazel back and forth from school, and get me back and forth from the hospital. Not only did she do those things, but she turned herself in the white tornado of a cleaning machine she is famous for and kicked some house cleaning ass: Weed wacked our yard, did eight loads of laundry, vacuumed, watered plants, mopped, cooked, cleaned, fed cats, changed bedding, you name it -- it was done. When I got home from the hospital yesterday, she had left to head back home and I walked into a shiny new home.

I almost wish last week was Mother's Day instead because she sure deserves to be celebrated. Next time you have a glass or wine or beer, please toast my mom, Judy.

Day 6 update

I got to hold the babies for over an hour each today which was very nice. Both babies started breastmilk via tube today and by the time I left, they were on their third "dosage."

Simone really looks like Daniel.

More later after I get some rest. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

Day 6 Morning update : I am hungry!

The overnight update is all good news. Winter's IV line has stayed in (I guess you get tired of being a pin cushion after a while). They have tempers when awake and the nurses think its because they are ready to eat! If their heart ultrasound goes well today they might start feeding them breastmilk thru their tube.

Baby Registry

We have gotten a couple requests for our baby registry. Here is the link.
www.swivelstudios.com/twins

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Winter: Day 5

Update Day 5

My mom (Nana) and I went in to see the babies and were able to hold both of them. Winter has already started gaining weight back.

For those of you who don't know, babies (even full term ones) loose about 10% of their weight after birth before they start gaining. Its mostly water weight, so its a good thing that babies shed it. Both Simone and Winter have lost about 6 oz each since their birth.

Tomorrow they do a final ultrasound on their hearts and if we get the ok, they may start feeding them breastmilk.

Some Famous Premmie's

Winston Churchill
Isaac Newton
Albert Einstein
Victor Hugo
Mark Twain
Sidney Poitier

Day 4 medical update

The twins are doing well today. We have some new milestones to report.

Winter
He is on his second day under the bilirubin light to get rid of his jaundice. Sometimes he acts like he is basking in the sun with his arms spread wide and a chill attitude. The medical staff fully agree that he is a Stinker because he refuses to present a good vein to put in a central line. Poor guy is treated like a pin cushion, but they assure me its par for the course and have seen much worse. His CPAP mask that blew in room air has been taken off and replaced with a much cuter nasal cannula type tube that pokes into the nostrils. And now I can see his head of hair now that they took off the special hat that held the CPAP hose. Currently, he has a full head of dark hair. Stinker also is given caffeine, (yes, thats right, caffeine!) which helps stimulate breathing.


Smiling Simone (above)
She has had some equipment removed as well, so we can now get a good look at her lovely face and head. She looks like Hazel sometimes, especially from a profile view. She may need the disco bilirubin light at some point. I was able to hold Simone kangaroo-style (skin-to-skin on my chest) today and it was magical.

Both babies are having their heart and kidney development closely monitored. Nothing to report, except that tests are done daily to see how they are faring.

The best sushi ever

Yesterday (Tuesday) morning the doc thought I was recovering well and asked if I wanted to go home. At first it was a scary thought because it would put even more distance between me and the twins, but after a crappy night's sleep, I decided the babies would be best served if I can get better sleep and also see their big sister.

The other reason was that my wonderful solitary four-star hotel room experience abruptly ended at 2:30 when they brought in a roommate for me. 2:30 - A - M. In the morning. Full lights and full discussion. That was the moment this blog was created.

After an annoying discharge experience (let me out of here!!), I finally received the paperwork and was set free around 5:30pm. Daniel had to pick up Hazel from Kiddie Korner by that point, so our dear friend, Randy Goldy, not only chauffeured me home, but picked up our take-out sushi dinner from Sagami, AND even went to get my prescription filled. Thank you for being there Randy!

Its nice to be home.

New Math

On paper the twins have arrived ten weeks early. But by my calculations, they have only come five weeks premature. Here is the breakdown:

Twins are considered full term at 37 weeks. The last ultrasound showed that the babies' sizes matched up with 32 week old babies, not 30. So in my eyes that makes the babies only five weeks early. Make sense?

Big Sister

Daniel just sent me this photo of Hazel from last night. We gave her a set of boy/girl twin dolls until she can see her brother and sister. I'm afraid to say it may be some time because they do not let children under five into the ICN.

Personalities

Each time I visit the wee ones I try to get a sense of their unique characteristics as newborns in the world. Here is my assessment as of today.

Winter:
Loves the pacifier
Likes to move around
Stubborn
Takes after his father: pees ALOT!
Living up to his nickname "Stinker:" having trouble offering up a good vein to the medical staff.


Simone:
Grips my finger and does not let go: already Momma's little girl
Takes after her sister Hazel: will not follow instructions and lay head down first in utero.

Separation Anxiety

I am on the 4th floor and the twins are on the 2nd. I feel far apart from them, but choosing to walk as opposed to going in the wheelchair down to the ICN is helping me heal quicker. My nurse was impressed. Thank goodness for my strong German genes.

The nurses in the ICN are great and do not mind answering any questions. The babies are usually not assigned to a single nurse, so I get an update from two nurses. Both of the twins have a plastic thing over their noses that push in regular air to remind them to breathe. This is one of the major items of good news. They want to keep preemies off a respirator and have them breathe on their own. From what I have been told, they were on a respirator for only an hour or two when they showed signs that they can breathe without help right after birth. Its difficult to get a good idea as to what they look like because of the air "pusher" on their noses.

Since then, all the items they check (I wont get too technical at this point) are going good and its just making sure they stay "normal."

I am optimistic and reassured each time. I do have a feeling I'm still in shock because I am much calmer than I would expect of myself. I think its because I have read and seen (darn those Discovery Health shows!) how much worse it can be.

I hope these coming weeks will go fast and all be a distant memory soon.

Meet Baby B

Baby B
Simone Autumn Fraley
3lbs. 14 oz.
16" tall (with huge feet)
Born 6/15/08 at 7:47am

Meet Baby A

Daniel was able to get a couple camera phone shots of the babies before they were whisked away to the Intensive Care Nursery.

Baby A
Winter Chase Fraley
3 lbs. 15 oz.
19" tall
Born 6/15/08 at 7:47am

Stinker and Sweetie arrived early!

After fully expecting to make it at least late July with the arrival of the twins, we were thrown yet another one of life' crazy curve balls and got to see our wee ones earlier than expected. They were due August 22nd, but that actually is a 40 week date. Twins are considered full term at 37 weeks.

While swimming in our neighbor's pool (boy, did the weightlessness feel good!) my water broke Saturday June 14th around 3pm. I called the doc and they said to come into the hospital to see if I was correct. I fully expected them to tell me that I had just lost control of my bladder and I was free to head out for a nice Indian dinner in the city.

Well, that plan was thrown out the window quickly. I was told that I was correct and I was to be admitted. The goal was to try not to have regular contractions and have the babies hold off for as long as possible. Days? Weeks? Possibly. I remained hopeful. I had three monitors placed on my belly. One to monitor Baby A's heartbeat, one for Baby B, and one for my contractions. Baby A soon became known as Stinker because he kept moving and making the nurse work extra hard to come back in and find his little heart beat. Baby B on the other hand was somehow named Sweetie.

As the night progressed the nurses and I realized that my long term bed rest was not going to happen. My contractions increased and my cervix started dilating. By the early morning I was in true labor and the babies were brought into the world at 7:47 am on Father's Day. I had called my mom to meet my husband at home to care for Hazel and he zoomed back to the hospital with only 10 minutes to spare before the babies came. Luckily, he missed all the gory screaming and activity before they were brought into the world.

All the signs right away were good, so we were assured that they were going to be ok.