Surgery

Wyatt's surgery is scheduled for August 3. I do hope this is his last surgery.

A very cute political jingle I go from Ruth's blog that I wanted to share:
"I do not like it Uncle Sam, I do not like it Sam I Am. I do not like these dirty crooks, I do not like how they cook books. I do not like when Congress steals, I do not like their secret deals. I do not like this Speaker Nan, I do not like this ‘YES WE CAN’. I do not like this kind of hope, I do not like it Nope! Nope! Nope!"

To Grandma's House We Go

This last weekend we decided that we must make the long trip down to see Great Granny Thompson. She has not been doing very well lately. We had to make mother swear not to tell anyone. Due to the RSV season, the twins still can't be around people. In a small town if you tell one person you tell them all. I am so glad we made it down there. She told me that she was afraid she would go to heaven without ever seeing them.

Bear butt and monkey butt as the big kids called them

Great Granny Thompson and Bailey
Great Granny Thompson and Wyatt
Great Granny Thompson and "The Herd"
It is a good thing she can't see because if she saw all those kids she would have a fit that we had so many. LOL
I found one of Brianne's old bows. Brianne was definitely much older before we could put this one in her hair. Bailey needs a smaller bow, but I am sure it would be a waste of money because all her hair will eventually fall out.

Tyler and Brianne enjoyed playing in the dirt before we came home.

Typical Brianne

Granddaddy and BeBe are finally in China so they can bring home Sophie. The mention of China has Brianne very busy. All morning she has been doing "China moves." On our way to Publix she became very upset when I said they would be gone a couple of weeks. I thought she was going to say she would miss them so bad but instead she was worried because ahe said they would not have anywhere to pee pee. I asked her why and she said China does not have bathrooms. Where does she get this stuff?
One of her China moves
We should see picture of them holding Sophie for the first time soon. To follow along here is their blog: http://www.journeytomarysophia.blogspot.com/

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy on Wednesday went well. They are both within range and in some areas above normal. I was disappointed because we did not start with therapy for the oral problems. A speech or occupational therapist has to do this, and they said they need an order. They have an order, and I don't know where the break down in communications has been. He has done better the last few days.
They were sent home with exercises to do, and we go back in May.

Bailey seemed to enjoy her exercise.


Wyatt not so much...
Mac on the other had did his own stretches without the ball.

Since pt was at the hospital they were born at, we went by the NICU. It was so nice to see all the WONDERFUL nurses that loved and cared for both of them. They are all so caring and sweet.

We then went off to their pediatrician's office for a weight check. They decided to do weight checks every two weeks because I was concerned with Wyatt's eating.
Wyatt 10 pds 9 oz
Bailey 9 pounds 2 oz

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Good
So far we have not had to buy any formula. They both get two bottles of formula a day. It is a special formula for premature babies. Thank you Enfamil for supplying us with all our formula so far!

The Bad
We are on house arrest due to the flu and RSV season but.... We decided that since poor Tyler was on spring break and not getting to do anything that week we would walk around his favorite place, Bass Pro Shop. We were brave enough to eat at the restaurant. It was during the week so there were very few people there. I guess all the men were at work.

The Ugly
I expressed my concerns to the pediatrician (not our usual Dr) about Wyatt's feeding issues. His response was to try several different bottles. Duh, Einstein I have already done that and it did not help. That trip to the Dr was really a waste of my $60. He also told me to feed them more. How do you force a baby to eat more? I should have saved the puke that happened the following week after he said that and took it to him. I really don't understand why he said it because they both gain .5-1 ounce a day. The following week we got the pt consult from our regular Dr and we hope we get some help there. That appointment is tomorrow so pray for us.
Oh and thank you to my dad for acknowledging that we are really having a problem and that things are not so easy. It is a very lonely place to be when no one understands what you are going through.

Not even sitting in a bumbo seat can keep this one up.
It was just a few weeks ago that they barely took up any room in the car seats. They could even fit in one.


Revenge for all the times Wyatt has covered her head in spit. He loves to lay beside her and lick and suck on her head.

A Very Hard Day

Today was a bad day. All I did was feed babies. I feel that it took me 3 hours just to get each baby to take 2 ounces each. I know it is a preemie problem, and I really don't want to hear anyone say "at least you have them at home with you or isn't it just great to be able to feed them." I would definitely tell you how I feel about your statement, and I might even throw you off the roof of the house. No one understands, and it is really a hard place to be. I literally spent all day trying to get a baby to eat. At least today no one has thrown up on me. Oh I take that back. While burping Bailey she threw up all of the ounce she had eaten so far. How would you like to spend 45 minutes feeding a baby and then having them throw up all the milk. You then get to start all over!

Outings

Due to winter lock down, the only outings we really get around here now are doctor's appointments. We have been to the pediatrician 7 times, Montgomery eye doctors 2 times, Birmingham eye doctor 2 times, orthopedic doctor 3 times, and lets not forget the urologist visit. Now lets add in the necessity to see the surgeon again due to Wyatt developing a hernia in the surgery site (March 29). Oh, we will also see physical therapy on March 24 to see if we need physical therapy and occupational therapy. In my opinion that is a lot of $30 copays. It is also a great deal of dates to keep up with. Maybe I will start putting them on the blog so I can keep up with them. It would be a great way to multitask: calendar, baby book, way to inform friends and family about children......

Bumbos and Love

I think Daddy knows who the boss is at this house. They are "allowing" him to sit on our bed long enough to get a picture.

Aunt Pam and Bailey
They begged me to let the babies come stay in the room with them. I compromised and let them hold them so I could get a picture. They don't realize that in a couple of years they are going to beg us to keep them away from them.
Brianne came running in our room, and told her daddy she was getting married. That is one serious wedding outfit. Daddy had to explain to her that you don't marry your daddy or bother. I don't think she thought that daddy knew what he was talking about.
I would have never thought to put them in the Bumbo if I had not seen Ruth's baby in his. It worked pretty well.
Sisterly love
The bumbo makes it easier to suck on her fingers.
Big girls can still sit in bumbos. FYI: She dressed herself.

A Spend the Night Party

Tyler and Brianne had a "spend the night party" Saturday night. They started off watching a movie and eating popcorn.
Poor Mac got in the middle of it all. He is lonely since the babies came home. I can't believe that he was letting Tyler rub his feet all over him and pull on his tail. I caught the evidence on tape. He definitely is lonely.
They snuggle down to bed. Brianne told Tyler he could only stay if he was quiet. I think she must have been talking to herself.
Daddy is a very bad daddy. He put a pink bib on Wyatt as punishment for all of his bad behavior. Poor fellow... The down side of having a twin of the opposite sex is that sometimes you have to wear your siblings things.
We went to the Dr today and Wyatt was 9 pounds 7 ounces and Bailey was 8 pounds 1 ounce. We have actually been very busy going to see doctors. We hope that all of the problems they have will be outgrown. Please continue to pray for them. The following are some of the problems they still have:
Bailey: umbilical hernia, reflux, reflux of the kidneys, BPD (lung disease from the ventilator and immature lungs) and her eyes from the ROP and laser. The Dr told us last week that Bailey would probably have to wear glasses. It would be nice not to have to keep up with glasses for a toddler so I am hoping this is not the case. I asked if the glasses would be permanent, and he said yes.
Wyatt: reflux, reflux of the kidneys, BPD, and hernia in the surgery site. We have just found the hernia in the surgery site. We are hoping that he will not have to go back to surgery to fix this anytime soon.
One very frustrating part of having a micro preemie is that no one (unless they have a micro preemie) not even family understand what you have and are going through. I still find myself driving down the road crying and thinking about them in the NICU. People say some very stupid and insensitive things.