Happy October!

Hello! Happy October!

It feels like I haven't sent an update in a long time. SORRY! The girls are 5 1/2 weeks old now and 33 1/2 gestation...(they still have a ways before being considered "full term" babies).

Allie - please pray for her HARD...they gave her a 2nd dose of steroid today. They are hoping/planning to extubate her Friday or Saturday (maybe even early next week). But please pray the steroids help and that she is ready. We are excited and anxious all at the same time. We really want her off the vent but at the same time we are so worried about whether or not she is ready this time. She's gained a lot of weight since the last trial of getting her off and that was their goal...to "grow her up". I have held and snuggled with her several times this week and she has grown A LOT! She's a big girl and totally keeping up with her sisters. She has LOTS of spirit! Allie girl, we know you are strong enough to get off and stay off that ventilator!

Olivia - our big girl hit 4 lbs last night and graduated from her isolette to her big girl crib today! This one is our sleeper and snuggler. She's doing very well but has had a few very bad bradys in the past two days. This may be / hopefully is related to reflux and her feeding tube. Norah's are frequent but she recovers quickly whereas Olivia's can be pretty severe.

Olivia's big girl bed

Norah - is right on Olivia's heels...she may hit 4 lbs at her weigh-in tonight. She'll hopefully get moved to a crib tomorrow. She is having some blood work and urine tests done so please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. It's probably nothing (because newborn screenings all came back fine) but the NICU is very diligent and if there are any concerns at all they want to double check just to rule out stuff.

Norah and Olivia are both down to 3 liters on their VapoTherm/Nasal Cannula (respiratory care) and have to be down to 2 liters before they can try to breastfeed. Breastfeeding or bottle feeding is 1 big milestone and hurdle to getting closer to going home as well as getting off all respiratory care. Many of you have asked but actually their weights are not a factor in when they go home.

Ryan is enjoying preschool! Although he never can tell me what he is learning. Ryan is so sweet with his sisters when he visits. Nick, Ryan and I enjoyed a family day on Monday to Tuttle's Orchard to pick apples and Monkey Joe's to play. It was wonderful to spend time together and just laugh. We are trying to get any and everything done around the house and ready for little girls to come home. Hopefully someone will come home in October but there are no guarantees and hopefully no more setbacks.