Today is a big day!!

Hi everyone, 

Today is a big day! Mason is coming home. However, Maddox is still having some drops in heart rate so he will not be. Hopefully, he is not too far behind his brother. I am looking at the positive and thinking this will be a nice way to ease into mother hood. Taking one baby home and learning the ropes one at a time. Maddox is in great hands and he is where he needs to be until we find out why he is having episodes of bradycardia.  

I definitely have everything i need, but I just don't feel ready, lol.  Where is my mommy manual? Where are the instructions for each kid :)?  Last night I was at the pump (where I am every 2 hours!!) and I was  thinking in my head.."ok, they eat every 3 hours...I pump every 2 hours...it may take them an hour to have a diaper change, feeding and burping... when do I sleep!?" I am panicking! lol..How does this work!??? Then I need to work on breast feeding.  How do i know they are getting anything? I know these are all normal worries. The boys are going to take a few weeks to even get the hang of breast feeding since they are only 36 weeks corrected age.  Full term babies still need direction and help with breast feeding, so I know this will take time. Then I thought I may never leave the house, however, where would we go anyways besides the doctor?  So, I am using winter as an excuse to become a hermit with the boys and learn what we need to learn. 

If you have any tips on easing into motherhood, breast feeding twins or even one baby, getting on a schedule, items I def need that i may not have thought of please let me know!! I will take all the advice I can get :)

A very excited mommy, 

shannon :)

Update Day 27 in the NICU

Hey everyone!

Sorry, I have been slacking with the blog updates, but things have just been go go go since they got here.  The boys are doing well. Mason is 4 pounds 6 oz and Maddox is 4 pounds 9 oz.  Mason is in preemie clothes and Maddox is stretchin the limits with his. He will be in newborns from now on :). They were supposed to be moved up to the more relaxed nicu, but after we left on sunday night he had a little episode and they decided he needed to stay and be monitored where he is. Since then he has been good and we have been asked to bring the car seats in tomorrow for their car seat test. This is where they place them in their car seats for an hour and a half to see if they have any issues.  If they have no issues then that is pretty much their ticket home.  If they don't pass then they just wait a day or so and try it until they pass. Their tubes are out of their noses and they are eating every meal through a bottle. We think the reason for Maddox's episodes are he doesn't like the fortifier they are adding to his bottle. Mike and I were there both Saturday and Sunday night and both he and Mason refused their bottles. The poor guys were making faces of disgust and gagging on the milk. I took one whif of the their bottles and I would have gagged myself.  The fortifier (vitamins and extra calories) they add to the breast milk must seperate the milk and gives it a smell that is awful! So, the nurse made us new bottles without it and the boys gulped it down.  Since then, they have held off on the fortifier and the boys are drinking the milk with no problem.  We joke about how they like their breast milk plain with nothing in it...from the tap :)

They are getting so big! They have filled out and their cute little cheeks are getting chunky :) I have to say they are beautiful and Maddox is completely dark and Mason is blonde! I love that I can walk in the nicu and not have to ask for any help. I go in, take their temps, change their diaper, feed them and kangaroo (skin to skin) They are just so sweet <3

We are so excited to finally bring them home..hopefully within the week, but are absolutely terrified!!! Mason has turned blue on Mike twice and luckily we noticed it and new to act. Everyone keeps telling us they will not send us home with babies if they are not 100% sure they are ready..boy i hope so!  I am going to miss the monitors telling us what is going on, but i just have to trust in God that we will be fine and they will be over those episodes!

I am sorry i have no photos to post...the area they are in is so dark and i am not allowed to take pics with a flash. I promise I will get some soon!!

We did get our mini van!! It is a Chrysler Town and Country and it will be perfect for us, the dogs, the boys and all of our baggage! 

Also, lucky me, I had to have a basal cell carcinoma removed on my shoulder and just happy i was able to get that out before the boys came home. Now i just need to get organized and set up our routine. Bottle routine, sleeping routine etc...feel free to let me know of any good tips for getting bottles ready, sleeping etc!

Thanks!

Shannon and Mike!