And on the 94th Day...

...God freed us from the NICU.  :o)

(aside) Aiden loves to grip your fingers!

Yesterday, on June 3, 2010 at 3 months and 1 day young, the boys were released from the NICU at NMCP in Portsmouth, VA after 94 days of captivity (haha) weighing 9 lbs 7 ozs each.  With the help of Gramma & Grampa Page and a few nurses, Dad documented the occasion to the fullest extent of current technology.  ;o)  A brand new Sony CX-550 HD Video Recorder and his Canon 40D still camera.  Now to put it together in that video we promised you in one of the first blog entries!  Please bear with us...

Here we are leaving the NICU.  And then the boys going out into the main hallway.  Next are the boys in the elevator.  And then the boys are finally outside!  First time they have seen the sun, the clouds, trees, and felt true air..!

So, we get home and cross over the threshold .. with balloons from Uncle Brian and Aunt Karen!

And finally, Kona has no earthly idea who the heck these little people are and how he got kicked down to 5th on the totum pole..!  "Can I eat it?  Can I play with it?  Can I make it squeak?"

Let the chaos, ummm, we mean journey begin ...  We are so grateful to finally have you boys home!  We love you!

Day 90 ...

So, today is 90 days and we have slacked a bit on posting.  Our apologies...

On Thursday, 27 May, both boys weighed 8 lbs 15 ozs.  Then we heard they were both over 9 lbs yesterday and Austin had once again surpassed Aiden.  They keep flip flopping.  Austin always looks deep into your eyes when he feeds - it is very cool.  Aiden prefers to maximize energy and sleep while eating.  It's pretty amazing!  ;o) 

Aiden was wrapped up in this thing in order to have an MRI done.  It was a funny cocoon-like contraption.  Austin had an MRI as well but we didnt get pictures of that.  Both reports were fine.

They should be coming home this week - hopefully Thursday..!

Mom and Dad can't wait!  Let the chaos begin!

Watching over you ...

It has been an uphill battle (similar to the "wedge" that you can see Aiden has been on for the past several days now to help control his reflux.)

But Mom and Dad are always watching over both of you and are always thinking of you when we are not there. (A picture through a mirror that Dad thought was cool.)

Do you ever get tired of seeing this same shot of Mom holding one of the boys?  I don't.  :o) 

And as for Dad, I am not "scared" or anything (although I look it!) - just concentrating as we try to teach Aiden how to suck with his lips without the use of his tongue!

We have to exercise and stretch his facial muscles 2-3 times a day to get his tone to be less "tight" around his mouth and lips.

<-- Another classic of Austin!

And another classic of Aiden! -->

We love you!

80 days...

Here we are at the 80th day now...!  Can you believe it?!?!  Aiden with a smile.  And Austin sleeping like an adult it seems!  So yesterday (5/19), Aiden weighed 8 lbs 4 ozs and Austin weighed 8 lbs 1 oz.  And let me tell you, Mom and Dad are getting tired of those hoses and wires!  So hard to do anything with them all over the place.  We wanted to give you all a picture of the NICU.  We are way down at the right of the picture.

Aiden gets really fussy if he is not held or being paid attention to..!  He is laying on a 30 degree wedge now to try and help his reflux since we chose to have them both removed from Reglan (a questionable drug in our opinion).  He has a bald spot now due to all the rubbing he does against the bed when he fusses.

Austin can pretty much take it or leave it when it comes to holding and cuddling.  He is usually wide awake after feeding.  It is great to see how aware and alert he is.  We got each of them a mobile for their cribs and we think Austin is afraid of his..!  Aiden may not have ever actually seen his yet.  ;o) 

Unfortunately, we were told that Aiden now actually has two hernias!  One on each side of 'you know where'.  The doctors assure us they are minor and will operate on both hernias on 10 June.  Mom and Dad gave them both baths last night and we can tell you that they definitely are not fans..!  They both fussed the whole time!  But if Mom's milk comes after bath time .. then it's all good!  Aiden likes to sleep and eat and Austin locks on to you with unwavering attention!  Several nurses now have told us that they have never seen a baby take as thick a mixture of milk (since they add a thickener to it) through a high flow nipple as rapidly as Aiden does..!  They are astonished at his power...  We love you boys!  You're entering the final stretch!  Run hard!

They're BOTH cute!

So we have been away from the blog for a while .. sorry!  Who is the cutest anyway?  They BOTH are!  (Hint: look at the pictures!)

Aiden weighs 7 lbs 13 ozs and Austin weighs 7 lbs 12 ozs.  Aiden is still taking each feeding by bottle and Austin was but they are going to move him back to the feeding tube for a while because he gets tired out quickly.  They are both on a low flow of oxygen.  Aiden has done without a few times but usually needs it while feeding.  We have been told that Aiden has a hernia unfortunately.  Probably from all the scrunchy red faces he makes as he holds his breath and seems to bear down.  They tell us it is fairly common.  He is due for surgery on it on 10 June so hopefully everything goes smoothly.

Here are pictures over the weekend of Mom and Dad with Aiden and Austin respectively.

And then are pictures of Austin and Aiden with Mom.  Austin is zonked out and Aiden seems to be trying to play peek-a-boo..!

We had to laugh when a nurse said that Aiden was "the most efficient eater" she has ever seen!  He powers through his bottle feeds in nothing flat, and that is even with a thickening agent they put in the milk in order to help with his reflux issue.  She was completely amazed.  Sleep well, boys.  We love you!

Sleeping Babies...

Not much new to report - just wanted to share two quick pictures.  The boys are doing well.  Austin has lots of residue of yummy milk..!

Aiden loves being propped up in a boppy!  (He wasn't as squinched as he looks!)  They rested peacefully most of the evening.

First Mother's Day!

Congratulations to Dinah on her first Mother's Day!
Aiden and Austin are doing well.  They weigh 6 lbs 13 oz and 7 lbs even respectively.  Yes, Austin just surpassed Aiden in weight yesterday for the first time since they were born.  Aiden is taking all of his 8 feeds per day from a bottle and Austin is now getting 3 feeds per day from a bottle.  They are happy boys and provide us with endless entertainment when we visit them..!  Aiden likes to cuddle and to sleep...

Austin is getting used to cuddling and likes to stretch... 

Gramma and Grampa Page came to visit for Mother's Day weekend!  Gramma fed Aiden ...

...while Mommy fed Austin.

But Austin clearly did not want to share his boppy seat.

  

"Don't tell me you are sticking someone else in my boppy seat with me!"

"Who is this guy?"

"Ughhhh..!  Mom, Austin 'tooted'..!"

 

"Hmmm, this feels vaguely familiar .. like I have been here before..."

Two peas in a ... crib

We walked in this evening to find them sharing a bed..!  OK, a crib.  Good times!

After four straight days now with nurses we have never seen, we are getting the feeling that the staff is drawing straws to see "who has to be with the Page twins tonight..."!  haha!  They are getting a reputation, we think.

Austin weighs 6 lbs 11 oz and Aiden weighs 6 lbs 15 oz.  Austin got a blood transfusion again today.  He had a fair amount of apnea episodes last night and they feel that he needs more "boxcars" to carry the oxygen .. meaning red blood cells.  So, hopefully this will help him.  Aiden is off oxygen completely now which is great.  He is on room air now like what we all breathe.  Austin is still getting a bit - 120ml.  So, we kissed them goodnight and told them to look after one another!

60 to 0 in 2.5 seconds

Aiden and Austin now weigh 6 lbs 12 oz and 6 lbs 8 oz respectively..!  They're looking good!

"I said I wanted to wear the pajamas with the tiger on the butt!  Grrrrr!"

Then Aiden catches some Zzzzz after absolutely guzzling Mommy's milk in near record time..!

Aiden is still hooked up to the monitor, but the doctors tell us that they have not seen anything concerning, so that is good.  We gave Austin a bath tonight and he apparently didn't like our choice of P.J.s.  ;o)  But he got over it and eventually settled in for a nice, long nap himself.  What incredibly sweet and precious boys we have been blessed with!