June 30, 2012

The girls have been here for almost a week! It doesn't seem like it.

Today we got to help weigh and feed the girls. Nate helped with Lily and we found out that she now weighs 3lbs! That is more than what she weighed at birth! Aryiah weighs 4lbs 2oz so she is almost to her birth weight. Lily is receiving 10cc's of milk while Aryiah is receiving 12cc's. Every 4 feeds they go up 2cc's (as long as their residual is low and their intestines are working).

They told us today that next week we would be starting on non-nutritional feeds. This is where baby still has their feeding tube in and they are still being fed through it while they are put to the breast. They do this to help them start to breast feed as well as ensuring they are getting the proper amount of milk while they are still in the learning phase. There is a big learning curve when it comes to premature babies and they want to make certain they are continuing to grow and progress.

They also told me I would need to start pumping at night. Right now I do it during the day...but I need to build up my milk supply.

Aryiah pulled out her feeding tube. Yes, that is correct; she pulled it out of her tummy! Both girls are more alert now and they use their hands a lot. Both pull off their oxygen masks multiple times during the day. We went and bought little hand mittens and socks for their hands. We also bought them little stuffed animal things and we will be putting it in their beds with them. This will help with the babies recognizing our scents. We are making sure we hold the stuffed animals a lot so that they will smell like us.

Well... I am starting to fall asleep while typing so I will end this. I have put on here a video where Nate gets to hold Lily. I love it! They are 2 out of the 3 most important things to me. I love seeing Nate with our girls. He is a natural and is going to be the most amazing Dad ever, for these little girls!

Here's another video. We just love these two little one!  Love, Love, Love THEM!

Introducing Lily Rose and Aryiah Michele

Introducing Lily Rose and Aryiah Michele! They were born June 24, 2012. Aryiah was born at 11:34am weighing 4lbs 6oz and she was 17in long. Lily was born at 11:35 am and she weighed 2lbs 15oz and and she was 16in long. They are pretty much the light of our lives right now.

This first video is a taping of their first breast milk feeding through their feeding tubes. Something special about this is the fact they they are using my breast milk to feed them. It is minute in comparison to the life they have been given by their birth mother but it is something I can give to help them grow and develop.

Aryiah is the feisty one thus far. She is particular on how she lays and likes to have someone help her with her pacifier. She is anxious to get her oxygen mask off. She is constantly pulling at her mask and setting off her alarm.

Lily, for the most part, lays back and relaxes. You can see in the video above she is sprawled out resting. Although, today she was wide awake and alert when we arrived at the hospital. Her eyes were looking everywhere. She is getting a little less than half the food Aryiah is gets because of her tiny body.

Mom and Dad love holding them and helping them eat. Dad has already changed several diapers!

We are loving every moment we get to spend with these precious angels.

From 2 to 4 in 2!

Tomorrow is Nate and my 2 year anniversary. If you would have told us when we were getting married that in a 2 years time we would have 2 children, we would have called you CRAZY! Well, we are currently in Arkansas where we are in the process of adopting our baby twin girls, Lily Rose and Aryiah Michele.

The past 2 years have been an amazing adventure for us. We have been to Mexico twice, we have purchased our first home, this is our 2nd adoption attempt, we have bought 2 cars, I have worked in 2 different branches, we lived in 2 different locations, and trust me the list goes on.

We are inviting you to join us on our journey and encourage you to comment and even offer advice for us. We are, as they say in Toy Story, "uncultured swines" when it comes to parenting so your help is welcomed.