Thank God for Grandparents!!!!

As much of an emotional roller coaster as having twins has been for me, I must say that I would have been in much worse shape if it weren’t for all the help I received from our parents. John’s mom (Lee) and my mom (Dinah) especially, alternated most weeks since Lauren and James came home. They helped feed, change, entertain and pacify them. They helped with laundry, cooking, cleaning, and shopping. And most importantly, they listened to me and supported me through everything.

The grand-DADs have also been an amazing help. John’s dad (John), step dad (Hector), and my dad (Monty), have all come to lend a hand as well. And I have to point out that my dad has never been a baby-lovin’ kind of a guy. He thought that once he saw the babies that he’d think, “Ok, they’re cute. You can have them back now.” But instead, I don’t think I’ve seen another soul love on them more than he has. He has been beaming ear to ear with excitement over their every smile and coo. And I’ve even had to fight him for feeding James (my dad likes the challenge). He always wins, of course! He has always been a wonderful dad and now he has become an amazing grandpa!

Monty with James & Lauren

Dinah & James

Lee & Lauren

Hector & Lauren

Cheryl, James & John Sr.

Thank you grandparents! I love you and sincerely appreciate everything you have done for us and the babies!

Three Months Later...

Long time no type! Sorry for taking three months to post an update, but as you can probably imagine, we’ve been a little busy. Lauren and James are quite the handful! Thankfully, we had a great deal of help from our parents, who alternated weeks staying with us. Even with one mom staying at a time to help, we often wondered where the days went because we were kept busy every second of every day with feedings, changing, entertaining, cleaning, shopping, etc.

Having been two months premature, James and Lauren’s “corrected age” is only two months, so they are a month to two late on developmental milestones typical of newborns. They are eating every 3 ½ hours. They almost sleep through the night, waking up around 2 a.m. for a late night feeding. They are smiling at us and very alert, cooing and trying to talk to anyone who will listen. Lauren and James are on a well established schedule and both seem to have taken well to it. They sleep when they’re supposed to, with the exception of the occasional bout of cries to “Come put my pacifier back in!”

James & Lauren

Their personalities are really starting to show as well. James is highly sensitive and cries very easily. He frowns a lot and I swear is going to have frown lines by the time he’s one. He was diagnosed with colic and reflux and we’ve been sampling different medicines and formulas with the hope of “fixing” him. John and I think he just has a sensitive digestive system and is troubled by gas and reflux. To feed him, we usually have to put him in a carrier and bounce and feed him simultaneously. But he has many happy moments too. He smiles and coos to himself and others. Initially he cried and screamed bloody murder every time he was changed or bathed, but he finally broke down and came to accept it as a part of his day. He even smiles at me while we’re doing it now! He is physically very active and constantly kicks his chubby little legs everywhere and tries to stand up when being held in our laps.

James' Fussy Face

James' Sweet Face

Lauren on the other hand is the most laid back and happy baby I’ve ever seen. She cries only when hungry or in pain. She smiles constantly at everyone and has just started to coo and talk a little. She is definitely going to have her momma and daddy’s sense of humor. She also has a thing with her hands. Ever since she was wheeled out of the operating room of the hospital she waves her hands in front of her face, awake or asleep. She is also Houdini when it comes to being swaddled… she escapes from all swaddling, except when her daddy does it. She always wants her hands out and by her face. Her other claim to fame is “Spit-up Queen.” We and the grandparents have all learned that when she smiles really big, don’t hold her up right in front of your face because she’s about to projectile spit up. I think most all the grandparents have been christened.

Lauren's Smile

Lauren's Hands

James & Lauren are Home at Last!

As of Thursday, James and Lauren are both now home with us. John and I "lived in" at the hospital NICU last Sunday where we stayed in a bedroom there with the two babies and took care of them all night, just as we would at home. Nurses were there to answer our questions, monitor how they were doing, and ensure we felt comfortable taking them home. That night was pretty rough on us. We didn't sleep a wink. James and Lauren were a bit fussy, but it was more due to nurses and doctors continuously coming in and out of our room to check the babies' stats. The next day James was discharged home with us. Lauren had to remain in the NICU since she still wasn't taking all feedings from breast or bottle. She would latch on but tire out quickly, forcing them to gavage (feeding tube) the remainder several times.

The next couple of nights with just James at home were, I hate to say this, pretty easy. Taking care of a single baby (and one who slept well at that) was a piece of cake compared to two fussy babies. Lauren must have realized that Brother had left without her because the light came on and she began taking every feeding from a bottle the very next day. Lauren was released to us on Thursday.

James in his Pak N Play

Now the challenge for me and John has become figuring out how to most efficiently change, feed, burp and pump (for me) within the shortest amount of time possible. John has made it easy on me by taking some time off work and feeding them while I pump. But he has to go back, so we've been practicing feeding them simultaneously, and also practicing with me doing everything myself since there will be several feedings no one will be around to help me with. Lauren and James still have to wake up every three hours to feed to help them put on weight. Their pediatrician said we could space those feedings out to every four hours once they both reach 7 lb. As of this past Tuesday, James was 5 lb 11 oz. As of Thursday, Lauren was 4 lb 6 oz. If all goes well, they should be gaining about 1-2 oz's a day.

Lauren & James on the couch with us

Although John and I are extremely sleep deprived (as expected), we are thrilled to have Lauren and James home together at last. Our family is complete with our two dogs and two babies and we look forward to the challenges parenthood will bring. Pictures have been posted to Picasa (see "James & Lauren at Home").

Please keep your prayers coming as we will always continue to need them!

4 Weeks Later

As you can probably imagine, I don't have a lot of time right now to write a detailed blog but I wanted to give a quick update on how everyone is doing. James and Lauren have continued to make excellent progress in the NICU. They are both out of the incubators (isolettes) and in "cribs" now. They haven't had any apnea episodes in over a week and are now both off of caffeine, which was being used to help remind them to breathe. Both of their pulse / oxygen monitors have been removed now that their heart rates have stopped dropping. James is taking every feeding from breast or bottle and Lauren is taking two out of every three feedings from breast or bottle. James continues to breastfeed very well, however, Lauren still has some catching up to do there. James is 4 lb 15.9 oz (aka 5 lb), and Lauren is officially 4 lb now! Every time we see them, it seems they have changed. They're still tiny, but we can definitely see the weight they've put on.

Their neonatologist informed me this afternoon that if James continues to gain weight, despite some calories being taken away (they've been supplementing my breastmilk with a type of formula that gives them extra calories), that he should be ready to go home on Monday (in 4 days)! Once he comes home with us though, he will be put back on the enhanced breastmilk. If Lauren progresses at the same rate she has been, she should only be a week behind James, if not sooner.

I also had a baby shower last weekend, where some of my family and closest friends came and showered us with wonderful gifts. A big thank you to Kristen, Nicole and Melissa who hosted it! These three girls were so flexible with our family's schedules. The shower was originally suppoesd to be on Saturday, August 30 -- my birthday. But we all remember the slight change in plans that occured. James and Lauren decided to come on into the world! Lauren and James received many fun, special, and meaningful gifts that we look forward to using and showing off. Thank you to all who attended and shared this special event with us! I didn't get many pictures on our personal camera, so after I get some pix from friends and family who came, I'll post to Picasa.

Signs & Diaper Cake by Mel!

Mel & Her Daughter Layla

The present openers: Cody, Clyde, John & Me

2 1/2 Weeks Later...

Well it's been about two and a half weeks and we're all doing very well. As for mom, for being bed ridden for 13 weeks and giving birth to twins, I feel wonderful. It is so great to be able to get up and about without being yelled at, and it's been refreshing to just get in the car and drive whenever I feel like it. I'm back to cooking and cleaning again, and I'm trying to walk a little most days of the week to build my stamina back.

James and Lauren are continuing to make good progress in the NICU. James had a minor set back last week with a gastrointestinal scare but the doctors never could find what was the matter with him. He was taken off of milk for a few days while they administered antibiotics and put him back on an IV with fluids and nutrients. He's now off of that IV and back on milk, and will actually start nipple feeding from a bottle tomorrow. He had an apnea episode today while John was holding him, but that's the first one he's had in over a week.

Lauren has had several more episodes with apnea but has been doing better than James in other ways. She has put on more weight. She is now 3 lb 7.5 oz, compared to her birth weight of 2 lb 13 oz. James' birth weight was 4 lb and he's now up to 4 lb 6 oz. Lauren also started nipple feeding last Sunday and today I actually got to breastfeed her. After about 30 minutes of working with her, she only sucked for about 3 of them. Lauren hasn't quite figured out what to do with her tongue yet, which makes sucking more difficult. The lactation consultant told me not to get discouraged because the sucking reflex is the last to develop in newborns, therefore preemies have an especially hard time breathing, sucking and swallowing all at the same time. But mom is still supplying them plenty of milk through pumping. So much that I've surprised all the nurses, doctors and lactation consultant!

Lauren & James

When I asked the babies' neonatologist how long she thinks it might be before they'll get to come home, she said that if everything continues to go well and we don't have anymore set backs that one or both of them may be ready in four weeks. Let's pray we get them then!

I updated the Picasa album "NICU Life" with more fun photos too!

Lauren & James Status Update (1 week old)

It's been a few days since I've blogged and I know that at least the proud grandparents are aching to see some pictures. I hope to have these pictures and more loaded to Picasa by tomorrow, but for now, these will have to do.

Peaceful James

Why'd you wake me up? (James)

Skin to Skin with Little Lauren

Lauren and James have been making great progress in the NICU all week. Originally, they were both on assisted breathing machines (that's what the tubing was on their heads); IV's to provide extra fluid and nutrients; and phototherapy lights for jaundice. They were also in separate rooms due to a lack of available beds. The NICU's goal is to have the babies able to breath, suck and swallow on their own before they can come home with us. For premature babies, whose coordination isn't that of a term baby, that's a lot to achieve all at once. As of today, Lauren and James are both off of the assisted breathing machines; keeping their food down (although it's still administered by a feeding tube); and their IV's are out. Lauren is off of the phototherapy lights, however, James had gone off and is now back on. The jaundice is cause of his darker skin pigmentation than his tiny sister.

John and I have also had the privelege of holding James and Lauren, changing their diaper, and taking their temperature. Today when I visited them, I got a little more diaper changing practice than I had anticipated. When I first started changing Lauren, I noticed her diaper hadn't been soiled at all -- poop or pee. But after sliding the new diaper in, brown goo began to ooze out of her bottom and just wouldn't stop. I kept wiping her down, and there it would go again. And then she'd start peeing at the same time. I think I won the award for the longest diaper change ever. It must have taken me a solid 15 minutes from start to finish. Thankfully James' diaper change went a lot smoother because it was time for me to go pump.

Start of the Longest Diaper Change Ever (Lauren)

The Money Shot

Ah... I'm clean!

Mission Accomplished!

8/30/08 - Happy Birthday Times Three!

Email update from John on 9/1/08

After last Thursday's update, Caroline took a turn for the worse in the hospital. Friday morning the fluid in her lungs wasn't getting any better leading to breathing problems, and then she started running a temperature of 101. After a battery of tests and meds, it was determined that she contracted some type of viral respiratory infection (probably from the hospital). It being viral, antibiotics weren't effective, so they loaded her up on Tylenol for the fever and a bunch of pain meds to knock her out for the night. During the night her contractions returned. And seeing as how the last round of anti-contraction meds took a toll on her body, the decision was made Saturday morning to not try and suppress her contractions this time around. So they moved her from Antenatal to Labor & Delivery - Saturday was going to be the big day.

The first thing they did was ultrasound the babies to see what position they were in. Upon admission to the hospital, Baby B was breached, but the ultrasound Saturday morning showed that both babies were now head down. This uncommon situation with twins gave us the fortunate opportunity of having a vaginal birth. Greater than 70% of twins are delivered by cesarean. Caroline did receive some additional meds to speed the labor process up and regulate her contractions. So by 7:00 she was fully dilated and ready to start pushing!

After being prepped, Caroline pushed for about 20 minutes in our room with the nurse coaching her on what to do and expect. Once Baby A was crowning, they wheeled her on down to the OR for the actual delivery. With twins, there's a good chance that the second baby will rotate out of position after the first is delivered. This would result in an emergency cesarean, so they deliver multiples in the OR to be safe. Once we were all set up in the OR, Caroline only pushed for three more contractions until Baby A was born. James Paul Laviolette was born at 8:12 pm on August 30th, 2008. He weighed 4lbs and was 17.5 inches long. His proud daddy got to cut his umbilical cord.

After James was gone, Baby B squirmed around for a minute or two before finally settling down - she finally had some room! Luckily she settled head down. Once ready, Caroline started pushing again and Baby B literally squirted out and landed in the doctor's arms on the first push. She was a little smaller than James and was therefore much easier to deliver. Lauren Elizabeth Laviolette was born at 8:16 pm on August 30th, 2008. She weighed 2lbs 13ozs and was 16.25 inches long. Her proud daddy also cut her umbilical cord.

We are still in the hospital, but expect to be discharged tonight. The babies are in the NICU where they will be monitored around the clock for the next 4 to 8 weeks before they can come home. James is having some minor breathing difficulties, but the doctor says that he's doing great for his age and it's to be expected. He's breathing on his own with 26% oxygen (normal air is 21%). She also said he's average size for a 32 week singleton baby, which makes him large for a twin baby. Lauren, on the other hand, is doing great! She is breathing much better than James and is requiring no additional oxygen. Apparently, baby girls develop quicker than boys, so it's normal for the sister to be healthier. The doctor said she's right about average size for a 32 week twin baby.

It has been a difficult 12 weeks (of bed rest) and an even more difficult week here at the hospital, but we are very fortunate to have two healthy babies. Besides being James & Lauren's birth days, it was also Caroline's 30th birthday. She wasn't too happy about the idea of sharing her birthday before their birth, but she now realizes they were the best birthday present she could ask for. And it'll be easy for me to remember, though expensive!