Getting Closer...

Right after the girls were born I had several conversations with nurses and doctors about what we could expect for the next few weeks. The explained what the girls progression would ideally look like. They would need to gain weight, breath on their own, maintain body temperature, learn how to eat, and stay free from sickness or infection. Four weeks later they have either accomplished or made significant progress in each of these areas. They also explained that Kasey would need to come once a day at first, then twice a day, three times, and then acctually stay at the hospital for a few days. One nurse practioner said "it will feel like it is never going to end", she was right.

Currently Kasey is in the twice a day time frame. She will only go down three times and then stay at the hospital when the girls are almost ready to come home. Going to the hosptial is a three hour trip. She takes the kids to one of her in-law's some time during the day and then goes again at night after I get home from work. She is handling everything very well. I was expecting a basket-case for a wife during this whole thing. Turns out that I am still the only basket-case around here. Kasey misses her babies but just takes things in stride like she normally does. We have been blessed with a wonderful wife and mother.

The girls are making good progress. As you can see in the pictures, they are both on oxygen. They need it because they were having "apneic episodes" which is where their breathing rates and oxygen saturation levels go down. This is normal for pre-mature babies and the doctors say they will grow out of it just fine. Their eating is improving as well. Right now they are at about 40 cc's per feeding. At first they were only getting 0-5 cc's from Kasey but over the last few days they have been getting anywhere from 5-21 cc's from Kasey. They are also gaining weight. Abby is 5 lbs 4 ozs and Claire is 4 lbs 14 ozs.

They have been vauge about when the babies will come home ever since the beginning. However, yestday that changed a little. The doctor said that they would be coming home in 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 weeks! We are exicited about that. Can't wait to give up a full night's rest.

I am beginning to understand the dynamics between twins. I have brothers who are identical twins. Although they are too manly to admit it, they are closer to each other than anyone else. I also baptized a man named Jim on my mission who had an identical twin that passed away. He frequently talked about his twin and how he missed him. He wrote a song about his twin and played it to us on his guitar a couple of times. I was even able to catch up to Jim a few years later in Denver while he was at a conference for twins who had lost their twin. I remember teaching Jim about how he could be together with his twin again, he paid special attention to that principle.

Even though Abby and Claire are only four weeks old, I can see the closeness between them. At a feeding a week or so ago Claire started getting restless when Abby left to be feed. The nurses said that always happens when they are separated. Once when I was holding them on the same pillow but not touching, they slowed nudged their way until they could feel the other. I think that they will be blessed to have a close relationship and best friend through-out their lives.

The girls love their bath time
Even though Abby (right) is only a few ounces bigger than Claire, she looks huge in comparission

Always snuggling

Good Night!