Family Matters

Stella met her Aunt Mary Jane today!  It was great to have family visit as we hope to raise Stella and Trey in an environment where family comes first.  It was another beautiful spring day in Burlington so we took the opportunity to get a photo with Ronald at the house playground.  Trey had a great day today - they lowered the ventillator pressure support and it was as if no changes had been made - his oxygen requirement and respiratory rate so far have not been impacted by the wean!  This is great news because if he can tolerate lower levels of pressure support we can rule out the tracheostomy option.

Spring has Sprung!

It was another beautiful day in Burlington - a sunny cool day.  The flowers in front of Fletcher Allen are budding and the signs of winter are beginning to fade away.  Just like the spring flowers our little Trey is growing and growing.  Although he lost nearly four ounces yesterday due to diuretic therapy, his average weight gain over the past seven days has been 16 grams per day (15-20 is the goal).  Although the vent settings haven't changed this week his positive growth has certainly felt like progress.

Thank you to Mike and Linda Mason who visited today.  We enjoyed visiting and appreciated them treating us to lunch at Longhorn.

The Masters

It's the weekend of The Masters - another one of our 'let's be home by...' goals has come and gone.  Our new goal is Memorial Day Weekend.  The doctors here can't say whether the end of May is a realistic goal or not, Trey's condition remains puzzling to them.  He had a pretty good day and gained more weight again.  He now weighs 7 lbs.!  Hopefully his lungs are growing along with the rest of him.

Yesterday I made a new nametag for Trey (his original nametag had snowflakes on it, and it's April so we needed some sunshine!) with a golf theme - which is fitting for this weekend because it will become a household tradition at our house for years to come - Go Tiger Woods!  Thank you to nurse Heidi for allowing me to play with the units nametag supplies, it brightened up my day and Trey's bedside.

P.S. Thank you to Paula and Aaron Jones for giving the twins their first set of kiddie clubs!

Sweat Test

Heidi and Karen are shown here gathering sweat for Trey's Cystic Fibrosis screening.  Trey is always warm, just like his daddy, so they didn't have any trouble collecting sweat.  Karen said she had never seen the collection pad so absorbed - it even ripped in half because it was so wet!  The test results came back negative so we can check this off the list of 'maybes'.

The focus over the past few days has been to transition Trey from a pain medication administered through IV to a oral pain medication.  Trey is having some trouble with the transition so he didn't feel so well today.  By evening he had settled down though and he seems to finally be comfortable.  Once he is comfortable on the oral medication the doctors plan to lower the vent settings again - they are hoping for Monday.

Stella is getting to be such a big girl!  We spend a lot of time at the hospital with Trey but we do as much playing as we can when we are at our room at the Ronald McDonald House!

P.S. Trey gained another ounce yesterday!

Star Fish

Since Trey is an older baby the risk of self-extubation is greater so NICU staff are really cautious about taking care of him.  This photo shows some star fish shaped bean bags that are used as boundaries for premies, and in this case as restraints so Trey can't grab onto his tube!

Yesterday Trey gained almost one ounce - two consecutive days of weight gain is great news!  Today a test for Cystic Fibrosis was ordered, and another wean on his medication was attempted.

We miss Randy/Daddy

and can't wait for him to be back!

Eye Health

Trey gained nearly 2.5 ounces yesterday which is really good growth for him.  He gained barely any Sunday so this was welcomed news!  Today the eye doctor visited the unit and Trey had his final exam - his eyes have matured!  We are so happy to check this off his list of things to accomplish before he can be discharged.  Both babies will still need to have a different type of eye exam in six months to check for strabismus (commonly known as lazy eye).  They are at risk from both their prematurity and from heredity since Mom struggled with this as a child.  As long as Trey continues to grow his lungs will eventually heal so seeing progress in other growth areas is encouraging.

Today the parents of one of Trey's neighbors (Owen) who has been having an equally difficult tour through the NICU gave Trey a guardian angel with a prayer for health.  This awesome gesture is just one example of how connected families going through this nightmare become.  Nobody could ever understand what each of us goes through, but we can certainly relate to one another in small ways.

Stella is an amazing little girl.  She continues to be such a good baby - its almost as if she somehow knows that Trey is sick, Daddy has to be back at work, and Mom needs her to be good.  Many thanks to our volunteer Caroline for offering extra hours to be with Stella since Trey is intubated.  This extra attention is good for Stella and helps ensure Trey receives much needed attention too.

Sweet Dreams

Since Trey was requiring significantly more oxygen over night and didn't have a great blood gas early this morning they opted to turn his vent settings back up slightly.  We don't want to push him too hard so while we are a little disappointed we feel it is the best thing to do right now.  Trey was a sleepy boy today due to some over-medicating.  He seemed back to his normal self again by the time we left around 8:15 tonight though.

We had a nice visit from Sabrina today - thanks for spending your day off with us!  We sent dad back around 5 tonight for four long days of work.  Then he'll have a nice chunk of time with us during his spring recess.  We can't wait for Friday night to come!

Sunday, April 4

Happy Easter!

The Todd's had a nice Easter away from home thanks to the Ronald McDonald House.  A volunteer made a lovely ham dinner and gave each of the twins a stuffed bunny rabbit and mom some Mary Kay products. Trey's ventillator settings were adjusted down a bit more too.  The weather in Burlington continues to be unseasonable warm and beautiful.  All in all it was a good day.

Sunny Days

Today was another beautiful day in Burlington.  We spent some time downtown with Grandma and Grandpa Goolden, enjoying lunch outside and wandering around Church Street a bit.  This morning was exciting for us because Trey's ventilator settings were adjusted down slightly.  His oxygen requirement has been pretty steady the past few days, he's had good blood gas readings, and the doctor showed a graph of his decreasing respiratory rate over the past week, making us hopeful that he is ready for this wean although it came a bit earlier than planned.  With any luck we'll be able to make another wean in a few days.  Stella's been enjoying cuddle time with Grandma and Grandpa and is getting lots of good rest (Mommy is jealous!). 

Warm weather...small gains

With today's unseasonable warmth, 3/4 of the Todd family was able to enjoy downtown Burlington.  We were able to find stella a cute hat and spent time in the city hall park, and got ice cream on church street.  We were also pleasantly surprised to hear from the McCarthys and the Mills.  Gina, Missy, Kendra and Micheala (sp?) called us up and we went out to lunch.  Thanks for taking time out of your shopping trip!  It is always great to see friendly faces from home.

Trey had a steadfast day.  He continues to try and relax and grow.  He loves to be out of bed, and is very interested in what is happening around him.  We cannot wait for the day when the four of us can enjoy such a beautiful day in downtown Burlington. 

Today reminded us of many things about this entire experience.  We would never want anyone to go through this, it is not fun.    So this seems like a good time to talk about what we have disliked the most:
1) Not having a "normal" pregnancy experience.
2) Witnessing the horrors of the NICU.
3) Spending more time in the Ronald McDonald House than in our new house.
4) Missing everyone from home. (there are countless names)
5) Pumping...and pumping...and pumping...and pumping...
6) Not knowing when the end is...

Today also reminded us of many things that make us very lucky, even during this tough experience.  This is just the beginning of the list, but without these things our endless days here would be unbearable:
1) We have the greatest friends and family in the world.
2) This is a great NICU. 
3) We love our Nurses!!! 
4) Our renewed faith in the goodness of people inspires us.  Everyone has been so generous and caring.
5) We have two of the cutest kids in the world. (we're biased)
6) ESPN is the best channel ever!
7) Eating out continues to be comforting...although fattening.
8) If we can make it through this, the rest of this parenting thing will be cake.

As you can see, 8 is better than 6.  There are many more positive things that keep us going, and these remind us that we can't wait to raise Stella and Trey in the enviroment and surroundings we are lucky enough to be in.

Ronald McDonald House Charities

The NICU was loud today so Trey was a little agitated.  He fought going to sleep for hours and hours, until he finally had some medicine to help him relax and rest.  His oxygen requirements have been very steady and his blood gas readings are acceptable for weaning, athough the plan continues to be to allow him to grow and not turn down the ventilator settings until sometime next week.  All in all he had a pretty good day.  Stella is becoming a big girl and is changing every day.  Today she wanted to play while Trey was being held so she was a fussy girl.  We are seeking more help from hospital volunteers now to get us through this period of intubation.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Burlington, VT

On another note, we just stumbled across a yahoo news feed about an activist group pushing for the retirement of Ronald McDonald.  He is being blamed for the childhood obesity problems in the U.S.  Seriously?  Is this an April Fools joke?  He is an iconic image for youth but to blame this lovable clown for children being overweight is just ridiculous.  For the record, our family will be forever grateful for Ronald McDonald House Charities - this devastating situation would seem unmanageable without the generous services they have provided us.   Thank you to all of the employees, volunteers, and individuals who donate to the Ronald McDonald House of Burlington, VT!

P.S.  McDonald's does have some healthy food options for kids such as apple slices and yogurt - it is parents who opt to feed their children greasy french fries and Big Macs! 

Swaddling

I'm finally finishing the book 'The Happiest Baby on the Block' which I started to read before I went into the hospital.  The book has taught me the art of swaddling.  Stella used to sleep with her arms out, but now we'll be trying arms down and swaddled.  She isn't a fussy baby and she does sleep well at night (except for last night because she literally slept the entire day yesterday!) but everything I've read indicates swaddling makes babies happy.  It has even brought comfort to Trey over the past few days which amazes me because he gets warm so easily.  Trey is continuing to do well intubated and every day is one step closer to the doctors feeling ready to attempt a pressure decrease - which will hopefully happen toward the end of next week. He had an eye exam today which is still showing immaturity so he'll have to have it repeated again next week.  In addition, they will do another echo of his heart on Monday to be sure the steroids aren't causing any problems with his heart - this test has been initiated because he has had some elevated blood pressures.  They are also keeping a close watch on his urine output which was slightly lower today.  Trey is steroid dependant right now which is ok, but the doctors need to be sure that any problems they cause with his heart and/or kidney are treated timely.  Trey has been coming out of bed twice each day now, and he really enjoys being held as any three month baby would - mom enjoys it too!

Genetic Tests

Trey is doing well being intubated - we are so proud of him for tolerating what must be a really uncomfortable breathing aid.  He has a very tough life right now and the best we can do for him is be by his side and hold him as often as we can.  Aside from dietary and medication adjustments there's not much news.  Now we just wait and watch as both babies continue to grow.

We forgot to mention that the genetic tests we mentioned a week ago have been postponed.  Since Trey received a blood transfusion the day before the bloodwork was to be drawn for testing there has been a delay.  It is necessary to wait two weeks from the transfusion date before blood can be sent out - we need to make sure it is Trey's blood that is being tested!  So we don't expect any test results for another three weeks.

Care Conference

When we first came to Fletcher Allen in mid-December we were assigned a social worker, Deanna Chase, to help us through our hospital stay.  When the babies were born Deanna began providing us with lots of services - she connected us to RMH, provided us with gas cards and ferry tickets through the Children's Miracle Network, is helping us apply for in-home services once we are able to bring Trey home, and arranged the meeting we had today with Trey's doctors and nurses (Thank you Deanna for all you do for NICU families!).  Typically a care conference is arranged just before a baby is discharged, but in our case we met to discuss a plan for Trey moving forward.  There were three attending neonatalogists, a neonatalogist fellow, a pediatric pulmonologist, the babies pediatrician from Malone Emile Bernedot (whom we haven't met yet!), and three nurses from Trey's care team present, as well as Deanna who documented our meeting.  It was really incredible to have such great minds all together discussing plans for our little boy.  We discussed the possibility of sending Trey to Boston for a tracheostomy, which would enable him to receive a high volume of pressure into his lungs through his throat verses his mouth or nose.  As parents we are hesitant to do something so invasive so we've decided to wait it out for a bit and see what Trey does.  We will have another care conference in three weeks and talk about the next step then.

Infant CPR

Mom, Dad, Grandma Todd, and Grandpa and Grandma Goolden had dinner out this evening followed by an infant CPR session with Trey's nurse Julie.  All five of us had our own baby dolls to practice with.  It was very informative and we all feel prepared now for the worst.  If our readers learn anything about newborn care from our blog we hope it is the importance of hand washing and preparing for emergency situatuions - infant CPR can save lives (even for babies without respiratory problems)!

EXCITING NEWS: After nine long days Trey was finally able to come out of bed this evening.  It was a big surprise to mom because Trey still has an arterial line which is very sensative to movement.  Trey is a big boy though and it was good for him to be held.  It was good for mom too!

Welcoming the Weekend

There's not much news today but we sure are glad the weekend is here and we can all be together for a few days.  Trey continues to make good progress and Stella is is doing well.  Tomorrow Grandma Todd and Grandpa and Grandma Goolden will be here for a visit.  Mommy sure loves having company as it sometimes gets lonely here.

Moving Things Along

Trey had another good day and some positive steps in the right direction were made.  His vent settings were adjusted down - both the amount of breaths per minute the machine provides him and the amount of pressure being pushed into his lungs were decreased.  The muscle relaxant he was getting has been discontinued, and they hope to begin feeding him breast milk again tomorrow.  Each of these small steps will help achieve extubation, so it was a good day!  We look forward to the day when he doesn't have fish lips anymore!

Although it seems unfair to bring Stella back into the NICU she doesn't seem to mind spending her day there and the staff love having her so she does get plenty of attention!  Here she is with Resident Fara and Shirley, the Unit Receptionist.  Fara even read her some NICU medical information today but opted for Clifford after Stella got bored with the NICU jargon and started to fall asleep!  Thank you Fara and Shirley for spending time with our girl (and to everyone else too!). 

Small Steps

Trey had a relatively good day today.  Some of his settings were adjusted down, he's requiring less oxygen, and some of his medications have been adjusted.  The muscle relaxant has been cut back so he is beginning to move around a lot more, has been awake some, and is doing a good job breathing over the ventillator regularly.  Overall he is doing well.

Stella has become little miss popularity in the NICU.  She is a social butterfly being passed around among the staff.  They are very generous about taking care of her to be sure I have some time to be with Trey when Randy is away.

Stella's Inspirational

There isn't much news with Trey today other than some adjustments with his medication to keep him comfortable.  Stella's growth continues to be a reminder to us that Trey will eventually get better.  It is hard to believe that just a few short (though they may seem long to us) months ago Stella only weighed 3 lbs.  The pictures are a comparison from where she's been to how well she is doing now.  Like all of the NICU staff says 'babies thrive in the home environment'.  We are looking forward to the days when Trey can be settled into our home.  

A Cheerleader for Trey

Stella is becoming such a big girl.  She now weighs 7 lbs. 9 1/2 oz. and is 20 1/8 inches long.  Since Trey is a little under the weather with very few changes taking place, Stella has become his #1 cheerleader.  Today we came up with this chant:

Let's go Trey!

I want to go home and play!

Let's go Trey!

I can't wait for that day!

You can do it - Gooooo Trey!

Rocky Times

Last night Trey started to breathe over the vent which was a good sign that he wants to do things on his own.  Some of the vent settings were adjusted down but later were turned back up after some poor blood gas readings.  Today the focus was on getting him prepared for more improvements by administering some diuretic therapy, giving him a blood transfusion, and starting to decrease the sedative (Trey will remain on pain killers, but he needs to participate in the ventillator weaning process so they will slowly cut back on his sedatives).  After nearly 36 hours without any major episodes Trey's oxygen saturation levels plummeted this evening requiring the respiratory therapists to manually assist him with his breathing.  They were able to stabalize him relatively easily, but these incidents are scary and unexplained.  Shortly after this episode he had a very good blood gas reading so hopefully we'll see some positive progress going into the late evening and early morning hours.

Positive Steps

It is truly devastating to see Trey back on the ventillator, unable to come out of bed.  Fortunately the doctors say he is doing better than they expected and some of the vent settings have already been adjusted down throughout the day.  They even moved the crash cart away from his bedside which makes us feel really positive about his progress!  Trey is a very sick little boy but he has been blessed with superior care.  We want to give a shout out to his NICU nursing care team: Barb, Heidi, Julie, and Kristen.  They really care about his progress, have all offered to work extra hours to get him through this set-back, and are working hard to help include us as much as possible while he is restricted to bed.  I got to do some little things with Trey today besides talking to him and reading him our book - I took his temperature, helped change his diaper, and massaged his limbs.  This has been a huge set-back but we believe in Trey, we believe in his doctors and modern medicine, and we believe in the power of prayer.  Please keep them coming everyone!

Necessary Maintenance

Today was like a maintenance day for Trey.  After a busy night of struggling lots of maintenace type procedures were accomplished today.  Several access points were initiated for Trey (IV's and a central line) for medication and nutrition purposes, as well as for drawing blood for gas readings, labs, and tests.   He did have a few episodes that required manual resuscitation but after altering his medications he has settled out and seems relatively stable.  Good blood gas readings have even allowed the vent settings to be lowered slightly.

The viral tests all came back negative so it doesn't appear as though he is sick.  We will find out if he has a bacterial infection within the next few days.  The most recent chest x-rays don't appear to show any sign of aspiration (inhalation of milk into the lung cavity).  So far why Trey is experiencing this major set-back is an enigma.  The next step will be to do some advanced testing for any disorders that could cause his inability to breathe on his own.  Some things he will be tested for are fatal, others are incurable.  It has become important to know if he has an identifiable reason for the drastic difference between the course he has had compared to Stella.

For now we wait to see how he does.  We are starting to go through the 'why is this happening' stage.  Everyone here is completely paralyzed by this sudden change in his status.  We had no warning sign, no indication that his progression was slowing.  Continued prayers is all we can ask for - what exactly to pray for in terms of helping him is unclear to all of the doctors, but praying that he gets whatever it is he needs is critical now.

Looking ahead there are a few more options that can be explored if he doesn't turn a corner soon.  We could look at options of more invasive respiratory support, and/or we could be sent to Boston, MA where they can provide more aggressive treatment.  We are all hoping he can get better here where we are comfortable with the NICU staff and managing with the blessings of having access to the Ronald McDonald House. 

Again, thank you to everyone for keeping all of us in your thoughts and prayers.

Rough Days Ahead

The NICU rollercoaster reared its ugly head today.  This morning around 9:15 Trey started to take a turn for the worse.  His oxygen saturation dropped suddenly and he was unable to bring it back up on his own.  They increased the high-flow oxygen to six liters, and administered albuterol (a rescue inhaler) twice.  They also began a dexamethasone treatment (the aggressive steroid we had been avoiding).  He appeared to have stable vitals and was maintaining baseline stats throughout the day, but repeated blood gas tests showed extremely elevated carbon dioxide levels.  He was reintubated around 6 o'clock this evening.  Everyone is completely surprised and disappointed.  The NICU staff was absolutely wonderful to us today, helping out with Stella, offering hugs, and sharing kind and compassionate words. 

The good news is Trey is comfortable on the sedative they are giving him, and he is completely stable on this increased respiratory support.  Now we can only wait it out a few days to see what happens.  The doctors suspect he either has some type of infection, or that he inhaled milk into his lungs.  He is being treated with antibiotics just in case he has a bacterial infection, and they will continue to look at chest x-rays to see what's happening with his lungs.  The bad news is that the ventilator will aggravate his chronic lung disease, so the goal will be to extubate him as soon as possible.

A good article which helps explain our lung functions can be read here:
http://www.lung.ca/lung101-renseignez/respiratory-respiratoire/how-comment/index_e.php

Kodak Moments

We don't have much for news today.  Trey continues to do well with the long slow process of growing healthier lungs.  We both enjoy the time we have with the babies as we long for the exciting day that we can take them both home.  Since we've had some requests to keep the pictures coming I'm posting a few from last week.

I do want to mention that I ran into Carleen Meseck today.  Carleen spent time in the NICU with her son Ty, who was discharged in February.  They were visiting Fletcher Allen today for a doctors appointment.  Ty is on oxygen and he looks great.  Since our little Trey will without a doubt be sent home on oxygen for several months it was comforting to see a baby in the community on oxygen doing so well, and to see a mom handling the situation so gracefully.  Thanks Carleen for stopping by the NICU to say hi!

Sleepless Nights

Stella pulled her first all-nighter (practically) last night.  Somehow we managed to get through the day with very little sleep - she did just fine because she naps well during the day through all the NICU noise!  Here's hoping that tonight she'll be somewhat tired so I can at least get the usual five hours.  Dad's working Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays for now so we can't wait for him to get back Thursday night.

There were not many changes with Trey today - he is still on 4-liters of high-flow which is good news.  He's still bottle feeding when he feels like it, and he's still a happy boy which for us is progress!

An Echo for Trey

Today some progress was made in the respiratory category - Trey's high-flow was adjusted down to four liters and he responded well!  Decreasing the amount of pressure he requires will allow us to go home, so this was exciting news!

They also took pictures of Trey's heart today.  We haven't heard any news about the results, but at this point no news is probably good news.

Stella continues to do well - she is starting to be really good at letting us know what she wants!

Daddy's Back!

Somehow the four of us managed an entire week apart and are so happy to all be together again.  Both Stella and Trey enjoyed Daddy time today!  There's not much news as far as an update goes - Trey was requiring a bit more oxygen this morning than he has in past days, but after a few hours he settled in to what is considered normal range for him.  He even ate an entire bottle this afternoon which was really exciting!

Spa Day @ the NICU

We gave Trey a bath today as well as his second manicure.  NICU staff are not allowed to clip or file babies finger nails, but the parents can.  Last weeks attempt with a baby nail file wasn't very successful so this time around we used an emory board.  Trey enjoyed his bath for the most part.  Stella also had her second bath of the day when we were visiting the NICU after a messy pants episode - the pear juice she is getting to help her figure out how to go to the bathroom (a common chore for preemies) is definitely working!

 

Stella's Awake!

Miss Stella spends most of her time sleeping, except for the hours of 7-11 pm, but this morning she was wide eyed from 6-11 am!  It was nice to have her awake and alert during daytime hours.  She is doing fabulous and continues to be spoiled in the NICU when the nurses have a free moment to snuggle with her.

Trey is working so hard to breathe but continues to stay focused.  When he is up for bottle feeding he nearly finishes the entire bottle.  His strength and determination continue to amaze me.  He gained almost 2 1/2 ounces yesterday, which was his third consecutive day of gaining weight.  He now weighs 5 lbs. 8 oz.  Once he has gained more weight they will consider lowering the high flow pressure - which will be our ticket out of here.

Our Due Date

Today is the official 40 week mark of our pregnancy.  We were never attached to the date but it was the twins due date nonetheless.  Most NICU babies are discharged by their due date and we never dreamed we'd be here for this long so this is a milestone which brings mixed emotions.

Stella had another eye exam today whish showed her eyes have fully matured.  So as the doctor said 'she has graduated from Dr. Mallay's office'.  She will have a follow-up for strabismus in June.

There were no changes with Trey today.  He slept a lot today and it was good seeing him rest.

Joan and Dave Dox were at Fletcher Allen today.  Joan stopped by the NICU waiting room to meet Stella - they had some nice cuddle time while I ate lunch.  As always it was nice seeing a familiar face from home.

Day 75

It has been 75 days since we've been in Burlington.  75 days since I've been home. 75 days since I've held our cat Cole, slept in our own bed, walked to the mailbox... The littlest things seem so distant to me now.  Luckily staying at the Ronald McDonald House helps give us a little tiny bit of normalcy - like doing laundry or making a meal (I've cooked just three times in 75 days).

The babies continue to do well with very few changes.  Trey gained just over 1/2 an ounce last night, and the nutritionist increased the amount of feeds he receives the oil substance from two to three in hopes of boosting weight gain.  The doctors arbitrarily chose April 30 as his discharge date today, but the truth is nobody can say when Trey will be well enough to come home.  It has been a very long time since they've seen a baby like Trey - one of the doctors referenced Trey as 'doing it the old-fashion way'. 

With Randy back at work I've become more organized out of necessity.  Today was very productive - I spent eight hours at the hospital with Stella and Trey, had a conference call with work (Stella was such a good girl when I was on the phone!), did a load of laundry, touched base with our future childcare provider, simultaneously nursed the babies (NICU staff love this!), and somehow managed to eat three meals.  Miraculously on three consecutive nights of just five hours of sleep.  Somehow it's all coming together and for the first time I realized how much I really love being Stella and Trey's mommy.  When the four of us finally get to go home together and put this whole experience behind us it will all have been worth it.

Many Thanks

Today Stella had a doctors appointment so she could get her first series of vaccinations.  She weighs 6 lbs. 11 1/2 oz. and is 19 inches long.  No changes were made with Trey today.  He continues to be comfortable and has become a really happy baby - everyone around him notices the change in his demeanor without cpap.

Since there isn't much news with the babies today we thought we'd take the opportunity to say thank you to everyone for your love, prayers, support, and generosity.  We wouldn't have come this far without all of you.  We can't possibly thank everyone here because we've had an enormous amount of support, but we wanted to give a special thanks to a few people:

Marci (Gordon-Jones) Costello for suggesting we start this blog.  Beth has known Marci since childhood and both went to West Virginia Wesleyan.  Marci personally delivered her Alpha Delta Pi bid and the unique connections haven't stopped there.  Marci is also a NICU parent and has offered to provide comfort and advice through this difficult time.  Thank you Marci for being available in case we need you, and especially for encouraging us to blog - we've heard people love the site and it was crucial for us in the beginning weeks when we could barely even speak with immediate family about this painful experience.

Grandma and Grandpa Goolden for visiting Burlington nearly every weekend since Christmas.  Your love and support can never be repaid and we are so grateful for all the time you have dedicated to our family already!

My sister Mary Jane and her family for taking care of our cat Cole and our home throughout January and February, and Grandma Todd for staying at our house in March until we can make it back to NY.  Cole is surviving this awful ordeal thanks to your help!  (I hope he remembers mom when we finally make it back - she sure does miss him...)

Jim Dowd for covering for Randy at BMC during a large portion of our time away, as well as Tim McCarthy and Dan Mills for coaching the basketball team in Randy's absence.

Many, many colleagues at SUNY Potsdam for covering for Beth and giving her much needed flexibility during this long and painful experience.  A person couldn't ask for a better employment situation given the circumstances.

Again, a huge THANK YOU to everyone for thinking of us, saying prayers, and providing support in your own unique ways.  We won't list everyone for fear of leaving someone out, and also because the list would go on and on - we are so very lucky to have so many people who care about our family.  We truly are blessed with two beautiful babies and a truly remarkable support network.

Our Little Engine that Can!

Trey is doing very well with the respiratory support the doctors have chosen for him but unfortunately they haven't been able to lower the support at all over the last few days.  This morning they requested another blood gas and chest x-ray.  Both showed no changes.  Since the goal is to decrease his support and nothing appears to be hindering his progress they opted to increase (or double) his steroid dose.  For those of you interested in the specifics the name of the steroid he is being given is prednisolone.  Let's hope this increased dose will give him the push he needs to start lowering the amount of pressure and oxygen he is requiring to breathe.

Since we've been here forever it seems we are now willing to try just about anything to help Trey get home.  We ordered some Mozart music players for him on Friday after seeing an article circulating the NICU about babies with respiratory problems healing faster when they listened to classical music, specifically Mozart.  We also bought him the book 'The Little Engine that Could'.   Co-Bedding is not recommended here because it has been linked to SIDS, but as Nurse Heidi says Mommy 'supervised' Stella in the crib with Trey today and read them both the story.

We forgot to mention earlier that another Ronald McDonald House guest with twins in the NICU left this week and she suggested we request the suite she was in.  We did and the staff here was happy to accommodate us.  We are now in a much bigger room with two twin beds and a pull out double sofa sleeper.  This room is much more spacious than our last so we now have plenty of room for Stella's things and we were all much more comfortable this weekend when Grandma and Grandpa Goolden visited!

Great visitors, good times, we continue to be lucky!

Through the tough times, it is great to realize that there are so many great people in our lives.  We want to continue to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers, it will be a wonderful day when the four of us come home.

There are no new updates about the babies.  Trey continues to be on the same plan and seems like a very happy boy, besides the fact that he is working hard.  Stella continues to get bigger and is double the size of when she was born.  Here is a picture of the two of them back together.

Grandma and Grandpa Goolden stayed at the house to watch Stella for the evening while mom and dad went shopping and out to dinner with Carl and Kristen Zender.  It was nice to relax and talk with friends we had not seen since December.  Thanks to the Zenders for a great evening.  Now we are just relaxing watching Duke vs. UNC, go Blue Devils!

Friday's Update

Trey has remained on high-flow oxygen, but not without some hard work!  They have altered between four and five liters of pressure (generally in the NICU the highest they go is three, but Trey is too old for CPAP so they are making it work with some high-flow adjustments) and despite a slightly elevated respiratory rate he is managing on four.  We met the lung specialists today who has become part of Trey's care team.  Trey will see him as an out-patient in years to come so it was nice meeting him and getting his perspective at this early stage.

Stella continues to do well.  She grows more and more everyday, and always brings a smile to our faces.

Thanks to Michelle and Jay Garrow for thinking of us when they would be visiting Burlington for an appointment.  Michelle has lived the RSV nightmare and was very respectful about not touching Stella or allowing Jay to get too close.  We had a nice lunch at Applebee's and were lucky because nobody tried to get in Miss Stella's face and she slept through our entire meal!

No More CPAP (Hopefully for Good!)

Trey has done well transitioning to high-flow.  He is much easier to take in and out of bed now, so he has been getting lots of attention and is a happy boy!

Stella has been spending some time with Caroline, a Fletcher Allen Volunteer.  Caroline generously gives her time visiting the NICU to be with Stella so that I can have some quality one-on-one time with Trey when Randy is away. Thank you Caroline!

Miss Stella is very much acting like a newborn these days - hence the time of this posting.  She likes to sleep during the day and play at night!

A Crib for a Bed

Our sweet boy experienced lots of changes today!  He was moved to the back of the unit into a crib since the isolet is too warm of an environment for him.  This meant that he finally got dressed and wore clothes for the first time.  He had a second eye exam, which revealed immatury still so it will be repeated.  He transitioned from cpap to high-flow oxygen, and lastly, the steroid we thought he would be on for 21 days was changed to a steroid treatment used in pediatrics which doesn't have the same side effects (yeah!).  He finally was able to bottle feed again which he really enjoyed.  Hopefully the steroids he is being given will be enough for his sick little lungs to grow and heal.  Stella is doing well and is patiently waiting for her brother to join her just like the rest of us!

Steroids for Strength

Grandma and Grandpa Goolden visited this weekend to help out with Stella while Randy was at home.

Kristie visited Burlington for a family fun night so we met up for breakfast Sunday morning.  The staff member who took our photo studied media relations, so she humored us with a pic for the blog!

Stella visited her brother today, who wasn't having the best of days.  After a restless night fighting with his cpap, a poor blood gas, and visually having a really tough time breathing, a third round of systemic steroids was started - this time a 21 day treatment.  Although we weren't big advocates of using this steroid again we believe it is the only fair thing to do for him given his current state.  The out-patient steroid is a great idea, but it just probably wouldn't be strong enough.  He will likely be given the out-patient steroid after this 21 day treatment though.  This picture is from a very brief period where Trey was without his cpap (occassionally when he is really upset they give him a couple of minutes without it so he can regroup -it works everytime, he is a happy boy without the cpap!)  If he responds as well to the steroids this time as he has in the past he should be trialing off cpap by the end of the week.

A Teaching Hospital

Trey continues to hold his own but since he is not progressing well discussions about starting a third steroid treatment continue.  The doctors have respected our choice to avoid a long-term systemic steroid treatment which has been linked to developmental delays.  Since Fletcher Allen is a teaching hospital a lot of research is performed here.  The doctors are very familiar with steroids and having talked through our concerns they've opted to treat Trey with a less agressive systemic streroid that is given to outpatient babies.  They said they aren't sure why they didn't think to try this sooner - the only downside is that it could be a longer treatment - but we avoid any extreme side affects by taking this approach.  For now, the inhaled steroid (which only impacts the lungs, rather than other organs like systemic steroids) treatment has been increased from two doses per day to four.  We will see how Trey responds to this over the next few days before advancing to any further systemic steroid treatment.

Stella is doing well and is enjoying time with Grandma and Grandpa Goolden this weekend while Randy is home with his team.  The boys are working hard - they won the Class C title today - congratulations guys!

No News Is Sometimes Good News

Aside from some modifications to Trey's nutrition plan there were no changes today.  They have adjusted the recipe for his fortified breast milk to cut back on protein, and they are also adding an oil to increase the calories.  Hopefully these efforts will help him gain some weight (he's currently 4 lbs. 8 oz).  His blood gas levels have been inconsistent, making it difficult to make any concrete decisions about moving forward.  The doctors are going to wait it out a few more days before making any major changes.  Stella had a good day today.  She is starting to be awake more during the daytime and is starting to be more aggressive about letting us know what she wants and when - and lets just say she's not always patient about it!  I had a talk with her today about how she'll have to wait her turn when her brother comes home - which is a day we all can't wait for.

Grateful for Stability

Today Grandma Todd headed back to NY - thanks so much for visiting and spending time with Stella so I could be with Trey while Randy was away.  BMC won the first playoff game, so the team will play against Tupper Lake this Saturday.

We don't have much news on the babies today. Stella had another eye exam which looked good but still shows some immaturity - she'll have another test in two weeks.

Trey started out the day with a poor blood gas reading, but after making a transition from the cpap mask to the cpap prongs until further notice his blood gas improved.  The plan is to make as few changes as possible over the next couple of days and see how he does.  For now he seems comfortable and stable and although he's not improving, we are so grateful that he's not moving backwards.

About Chronic Lung Disease

The combination of Trey's early arrival, the two lung infections they believe he had, and his time spent on the oscillator and ventillator have made his time in the NICU particurarly challenging.  I found some information online today that will hopefully help all of our blog followers better understand what's going on with Trey.

http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/PrematureBabies/Chronic-Lung-Disease.aspx?articleID=7780&categoryID=PI-nh1-04c

Trey held his own last night and today so no changes are being made.  Randy and I have expressed our concern of advancing to another steroid treatment, which has its own set of potential complications down the road.  We have been assured that this will be a last resort treatment used only if absolutely necessary.

Stella spent more time with Grandma Todd today while I visited with Trey in the hospital.  I had some nice cuddle time with him which he tolerated well.  Tomorrow Stella has an eye exam so she'll get to visit Trey for a little while.  (Trey's eye exam was scheduled for today which I requested they postpone - the doctors agreed that he didn't need to go through that stress right now so he'll have his next week instead.)

Thank you everyone for your warm comments and for your prayers for our family.  We draw our strength not only from each other, but from all of you too!

Prayers for Trey

Trey continues to slide downhill as he attempts to recover from his high-flow trials and withstand the last of his systemic steroid treatment.  As the Neonatal Fellow Kendra says 'the honeymoon is over'.  Because Trey's status is so much worse than a week ago, the neonatal team has devised a plan if he doesn't start to come out of the slump.  We would advance to another type of breathing aid and begin a long term steroid treatment.  In reality there isn't much we can do for Trey so we are just asking that everyone prays for our little guy.  We believe in him and are hoping that we can avoid another round of steroids.

Miss Stella is doing well, weighing in at 5 lbs. 11 1/2 oz.  She spent some time with Grandma Todd today who is visiting Burlington to help out while Randy is home.

Bittersweet Farewell's

This weekend we had lots of family visitors.  Since Stella was premature she is at risk of catching RSV, a very serious respiratory virus that can be extremely dangerous for children (it is basically the common cold in adults).  While we have to be very cautious with visitors and shouldn't be taking many until the flu season passes, we made an exception for family - which included lots of hand sanitizer!  The Goolden's, Perrin's, Hooley's, and Todd's spent a night in Winooski, just down the hill from Burlington.  We had take-out lunch at the hotel, napped, and then went to Pizza Putt - a fun center for kids.  We were fortunate to get a corner table in a private room of the dining section so Stella was kept away from people while the kids got to enjoy the games.  We were sure to bring our stop sign carseat attachment that says 'Prevent RSV - Please wash your hands before touching mine'  which we have changed to say 'Please don't touch me, I'm premature'.  The doctors say you can take Stella anywhere, but she can't be touched!  Her public appearance will likely be the last one for a long while but the exception was worth it!  Everyone had a nice time and we finished out the evening relaxing at the hotel.  8 am came quickly and we shared heartfelt goodbyes.  Patti, Hank, Haley, and the baby to be will be venturing off to Hawaii for a new life in just a few short days.  We are so excited for them, but sending them off was difficult.  Stella and I had another sendoff when daddy headed home this afternoon to be with his team before the Tuesday playoff game.  We anxiously await his return but are cheering on the panthers from here in the meantime!  After a tremendous week of progress Trey started to slip a little bit this weekend.  We have tired him a great deal from his high-flow trials, and today was the last day of his second steroid treatment.  He is now exclusively back on the highest cpap level recovering from the attempt to move him toward breathing independantly.  Trey will get better but as he's tried to tell us before taking things slow - very slow - works best for him.

Sleep, Sleep, and More Sleep...

It has been just wonderful having Stella at RMH with us.  She is such a good baby.  She spends most of her time sleeping though, which has allowed us to take our first naps since the twins were born.  To spare bringing Stella back and forth we continue to visit Trey at the hospital in shifts.  This gives each of us some quality time with each baby.  Trey has done well switching between the cpap and high-flow oxygen and since he has been through so much the 6-on/6-off plan hasn't changed.  The doctors want to be sure they give him adequate time to adjust to high-flow.  Stella's first doctors appointment yesterday went well - she weighed 5 lbs. 8 1/2 oz!

First Night/First Bottle

We had a great first night with Stella - she is such a good little baby!  Today we split shifts to spend time with Trey: Mom visited the hospital in the morning while Dad stayed with Stella, we spent the afternoon at RMH, and switched for the evening.  It worked out nicely.

Today Trey trialed on high-flow oxygen for six hours and did great!  He also tried a bottle for the first time (which is rarely given to a baby on high-flow oxygen but the nurses felt he was ready)!  Dad said he did great!  Mom missed out but was happy to hear the news.

Stella's first doctors appointment is tomorrow morning so we plan to have her visit her brother in the NICU.  Here's hoping we can get out the door on time!

6 weeks...

The past six weeks have flown by...it is unbelievable that stella and trey have been here that long already.

Great news...

Stella is going to be able to meet the Goolden family this weekend...she was discharged today!!!  Her stay in the NICU was shorter compared to the average for a baby of her birth weight.  She is doing wonderfully, mom and dad can't stop staring at her!

Trey has been given some trials on high flow oxygen...he was awake for three hours tonight while he sat out with dad.  He was alert and reacted to voices and was very active in his movements.  There is no doubt in our minds that he will be heading home when he figures out the whole breathing thing.  That might not happen for a while, but we can all be patient, he is a cute little bugger!!

Just Another NICU Weekend

This weekend was very positive for both babies.  Stella began ad-lib feeds on Saturday and has responded very well.  Today she was moved to a standard bed to test if she can hold her temperature on her own.  This is basically the final test for her before she can be discharged.  She also had her first vaccine today - for hepatitis B.  Since Trey has had a couple of good days they decided to trial him off the cpap today.  He was on high flow oxygen for 2 1/2 hours and did very well.  He was switched back to cpap to be cautious - we didn't want him to get so tired that he wouldn't recover.  Hopefully tomorrow he will have two 3-hour trials on high flow. Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Goolden for visiting on Saturday night.  We had a nice dinner out at Chili's (courtesy of the Andre's - thanks Donna!).

40 days and 40 nights

Today the twins are 40 days old!!  We can't believe it. 

Stella had a great day.  She took a bottle for five consecutive feedings!  Although she did not completely eat every bottle, this feat might allow her to be put on ad-libbing, which means she will eat whenever she feels like it.  No more strict schedule.  Once she proves that she can gain weight while doing this, she will be extremely close to being discharged.

Trey seemed to show slight improvement.  He is currently on the lowest % of oxygen that he has been on in three days, and he seems to not be working as hard to breathe.  It seems like the steroids are getting ready to take affect.  The NICU was a very busy place today which means it wasn't real quiet.  This is not the best environment for Trey since he can be very irritable at times.  He had a couple episodes due to excess noise, but this just means that he is getting back to himself.  We are excited to see what the next few days bring when the steroids take true hold!!

The 12-Day Plan

Since Trey isn't getting any better and he continues to struggle to hold his own off the ventillator the doctors developed a new plan today.  They started another course of systemic steroids which will last for 12 days.  Trey responded well to his first course of steroids so the hope is that this second treatment will get him through this rough patch and ultimately off breathing aids all together.  Wish him luck!

Stella is doing 'very good' (as her nurse Liz would say) in the transition unit but didn't take as many feedings by bottle today as she has in the past.  She is gaining weight every day though and now weighs nearly 5 lbs.!

Stella Takes a Bath!

Wednesday, February 10 - The Twins Adjusted Gestational Age is 36 weeks.

Today we gave Stella her first real bath.  She hated it!  She cried the entire time.  It was right before her 3 o'clock feeding and she was a hungry girl.  We will try to upload some video for everyone soon.

Trey had another steady day.  He is struggling to breathe but he is holding his own.  The doctors ran additional tests in the evening (for infection), and took another x-ray.  Since they didn't find anything new we are all hoping that if we give him a chance he will be able to do it on his own with time.  He is back on full feeds and the nutrition should help his little lungs grow and heal. 

A New CPAP Mask

Trey had another tough day respiratory wise.  He is still laboring a great deal to breathe and he continued to dislike his cpap so much that he would rip it off which made it even more uncomfortable and made him even madder making it all the more difficult for him to breathe.  To help him out the Doctors decided to allow him to try a cpap mask that is new to Fletcher Allen.  He likes this so much better than the nasal prongs!  He didn't even cry when the respiratory therapist put the mask over his nose.  Hopefully if he tolerates the mask he will use all of the energy he used to use to fight with the nasal prongs toward something more productive like breathing on his own!

Stella had another good day.  She had her hearing screening today which she passed, and she continues to work on bottle feeding.  The doctors said if all goes well she should be able to be discharged sometime next week!

Stella with Daddy before leaving for the game Monday - She is getting to be a big girl

weighing in at over 4 lbs. 10 oz

(She's wearing her new hat that Grandma Goolden made for her!)

Eye Tests, an X-Ray, Cranial Ultrasound, and a Transfusion

Superbowl Sunday was a steady day for the babies.  Randy and I left the hospital a little early to get settled in to relax and watch the game.  It wasn't the typical superbowl festivities we would have enjoyed had we been at home, but it was nice to take a break from the hospital - I fell asleep before the fourth quarter though (I only watch for the commercials, which were sort of a disappointment this year, so who really cares!).  This morning we slept in for the first time since we've been here and got some much needed rest.

Today was a somewhat busy day for both babies.  Miss Stella had a cranial ultrasound this morning to follow-up on the minor bruising she had from the delivery.  The results were glowing so they won't repeat this test again - the doctors have no concerns going forward in terms of brain bleeds.  This afternoon the eye doctor came to check her retina growth - I'll find out the results of her exam tomorrow.  She continues to practice feeding by bottle and is doing a great job!

Trey also had an eye exam today and the doctor was happy with what he saw.  This test will be repeated again in two weeks.  Trey was having some difficulty breathing all day so we weren't able to do a one-hour trial on high-flow oxygen.  They ordered a chest x-ray to see if there were any complications, but there was no visible change compared to his last x-ray.  He remains on his CPAP, which has been adjusted from a pressure of 5 to 6.  They were also planning to start a blood transfusion around 9 pm, and are going to begin another course of diuretics.  All of these plans should help Trey have the energy and stamina he needs to breathe!

Randy left for home this afternoon to coach a basketball game.  Josh Sevey was poised to score his 1,000 point tonight - sorry I missed the game Josh!  Tomorrow is senior night so Randy will be coaching the last home game of the season - I hope its a memoriable evening for John, Josh, Timmy, and Zach.  Good luck boys!

Splitting Time

Today was the first day that the babies were separated between the NICU and the NTS.  Moving to the transition suite is supposed to be a good thing for Stella, but it sure didn't feel that way today.  With Randy at home, I had to divide my time between the babies.  Mom and Dad are also here so I wanted to spend some time with them too.  Of the seven and a half hours I spent at the hospital I was only with Stell Belle for two.  Trey had a pretty good day but when I was about to leave him this afternoon to see Stella he had one of his meltdowns.  There is always a reason when he gets upset, but it takes a while to settle him down.  It felt really unfair to her.  She had a fine day too, but she was the most irritable I've ever seen her (which truly was mild compared to when Trey is upset), and she wasn't bottle feeding - she was just disinterested today.  I automatically feel like she is rebelling being away from her brother!  But I know that she is probably fine.  Tomorrow will be another day, and with dad back we will be able to split up and give both babies the attention they deserve.

Stella's New Home

We found out this morning that Stella would definitly be moved to the neonatal transition suite today.  I didn't take the news very well.  Normally going to the transition suite would be great news for parents - it means your baby is doing well enough to share a nurse with two other babies (instead of one), and in most cases that your baby is close to being sent home.  For us, and all parents of multiples, having one baby sent to the NTS means splitting up your family.  Especially here, when the NTS is two floors down in the pediatric ward.  It also means that we can't show Stella through a window anymore because it is not set up that way downstairs.  Randy's positive attitude helped me feel better, and we feel grateful that we were able to put the move off as long as we did.  But in the end this change makes a miserable situation worse.

Randy left around 2 o'clock today to go home for a few games - St. Lawerence Central tonight, and Malone tomorrow.  Grandma and Grandpa Goolden are visiting for the weekend.  They arrived at 7 pm, just in time to see Stella through the window one last time.  They made the walk with Stella and I down to the NTS.  For me it wasn't the happy experience going to the NTS is supposed to be, so having Mom and Dad here made it a little easier.

Trey had a pretty good day.  They kept him on cpap the entire day, and will likely do so throughout the weekend.  Hopefully we can give hi-flow oxygen a try again in a few days.

Thursday, February 4, 2009

Thursday was a big day for Trey as the doctors attempted a very ambitious goal - removing his cpap and transitioning to low flow oxygen, skipping high flow all together.  This in addition to adjusting his medications and continuing his feeds.  He did well for the first two hours, but he began laboring (which we could see from the deep retractions in his belly) so they applied high flow.  Four hours later he was put back on cpap because he was just working too hard.  Trey isn't ready to breathe without aids just yet.  It was a good try, but it was unsuccessful.  Hopefully on Friday and throughout the weekend we will trial him on high flow and transition back and forth between that and cpap to give him the practice and time he needs to do it on his own.

Stella continues to attempt to take feedings by nipple and is doing well.  It is looking like she will be moved to the transition nursery within the next day or two.  It appears as though the doctors cannot stahl her move any longer.

Both babies are gaining weight and are overall doing well.  Since Stella may be moved soon, we took advantage of having them together and Dad held both babies at the same time.  It is very cool having them near one another!

Continuing down the positive road...

Any positive day is a good day.  Although mom and dad would love to speed up the process, both stella and trey continued to steadily make some improvements.  Stella continues to practice her bottle feeding and gets better and better each day.  That is her major obstacle on her path home.  Trey was taken off IV antibiotics, and now only has one IV left; his fentenyl.  This was wheened today also, and he seems to be handling the wheening pretty well.  He has started being fed through his gavage again and will be at full feeds soon.  Mom and Dad cannot wait to be able to introduce him to a bottle. 
That's all for now...

A Close Encounter

A few exciting things happened today with the babies:

Trey was able to begin feeds again, he had his last dose of antibiotics, and they lowered his pain medication.  These are all steps toward becoming IV free! 

Stella took a full bottle from daddy for the first time!

Both babies had eye exams to test for a condition called retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).  The results for both babies showed that their eyes are still underdeveloped, as they should be.  It is too early to determine if either baby has ROP, but so far so good!  The test will be repeated for both babies next week.

The most exciting news of the day was that Mommy got to hold both babies together for the first time.  Stella was placed at the edge of the pillow but squirmed her way closer to her brother and ended up curled around his little bottom.  After about 45 minutes Trey started to get a little agitated (probabaly because he was really warm), but Stella didn't seem to mind at all - she slept right through his fussing.  It was really great to have the babies so close again - they haven't been near one another like this since their time in the womb.  Dad went home to coach a game vs. Madrid so he missed out.  He'll be jealous but I'm sure nurse Julie will let him have his turn tomorrow night!

Cuddling with Trey!

Stella and Trey are four weeks old today and are both doing well!  Trey was able to be held by both Mommy and Daddy today - it was his first time out of bed in an entire week.  Stella tried most of her feedings today by bottle and continues to do a great job.  She tires easily but she is really trying.  Trey hates having a breathing aid up his nose, but he managed to stay calm for the majority of the day and the doctors are pleased with his progress.  They decreased his pain medication slightly today which he responded well to.  Hopefully they will begin feeding him again tomorrow.  He loves his pacifier so we are looking forward to trying a bottle with him to see how he does.  We will have to wait until he advances off the cpac though.

Trey's time to get some attention!

Today Trey continued to do OK with his new oxygen accessory. (cpac)  He kept his stats up all night last night and only had a two hour "bad spell" today.  This is a picture of him with his head gear off and just some oxygen flowing near his face.  Without all of the gear, his entire demeanor changes.  As you can see, he becomes a content little baby who cannot wait to explore the world around him!  But he still needs some assistance so he is going to have to put up with some prongs up his nose for a bit. (He has terrible fits and decides he is going to rip them out of his nose.)  Mom and Dad cannot wait to see his true personality when he is able to do everything on his own, but for now we will be patient. (Beth doesn't like this word!)

Here he is again :-)

Stella continues to be awesome. She is taking about 40% of her feedings by bottle.

She now weighs about 3lbs.14oz., passing her brother who is at 3lbs. 12oz.