Random Updates

I'm short on time, (hustling to get back to feed the boys), but here are a few updates:

• Cole is also in a crib! Out of the isolette, and is maintaining his temperature very well, so he's going to be able to stay in the crib.



• Both are starting to feed a little by bottle, but it's a little slow-going.



• Grady loves to sleep, Cole loves to stare at the green circle pattern on the back of the chair I sit in when I feed them. Sure, he'll occasionally look at me, but the kid loves the circles. Here they are in their cribs.
• Cole should be off the oxygen by tonight. YEAH!

Cole with the white blankie, Grady in the dark blue.

A very, very good day

Today was a great day! I got to go see Karen & her gang for a little birthday song singing and candle blowing. Greg and Sara were kind enough to help their mom blow out the candles, tomorrow I will post a picture of them taken right after the singing and candle blowing. Rhett didn't help blow candles out, he spent that time being fixated on the matches that were used to light the candles, and at one point he had a gleeful smile and said “FIRE!”. He sure is an interesting kid…

And today I also started to care for the boys, meaning I am doing some of the temperature checks, umb.cord cleaning, diaper changes (this was exciting for the first few times, then I realized why the nurse was smiling so widely when she asked me if I wanted to start changing diapers and I said YES! ), and all of the feedings I am at the hospital for (NICU has strict visitation rules and parents get the boot for a few hours a day). Both boys are eating a bit of the feed from a bottle, the rest through a tube. It will just take time to eat the entire feed from a bottle. Until then, they get to just relax and have food delivered right into their tummies. Not a bad gig, in my opinion.

I’m also happy to report that both boys are very mellow. We previously thought Cole was a bit more fussy and needed more TLC to calm down, turns out he was just not happy with the bright light hovering above his isolette and having to lay there with nothing but a diaper, and really, who can blame him? Since he’s been weaned to a crib and is snuggled into a cute outfit and some blankets, he’s been as content as brother Grady. That’s it for now, more updates and a picture or two tomorrow morning!

Follow Up: Here are the pictures! To the left is sleepy Grady, next to him is alert Cole.

Birthday Girl

Happy Birthday to Aunt Karen! For obvious reasons, I won't divulge her age, but trust me, she looks fabulous! Keith and I saw her a day or so ago, and it's really hard to believe that she gave birth less than a week ago. We are hoping that she will get to come to the hospital a little later this week so she can see the two little bundles of perfection she made for us.

Happy birthday Karen, we hope you have many more happy, healthy birthdays. We love you!

I'm back!

Figuratively, at least. Not back home, but back in Knoxville with the boys and back online. Thank you so much to Sara for keeping the blog going and updating everyone on their birth and their progress. The boys are still in UT Medical Center's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU to those of us in the know); we're not sure for how much longer, we're just taking it one day at a time. I'll be posting everyday to keep everyone updated-but just to let you know, there will be no sappy emotional meltdowns here, motherhood has enhanced my funniness and the town of Knoxville and the boys give me lots to work with. Back tomorrow, with pictures and recaps of the week-what I can remember of it, at least.

In the meantime, enjoy this picture of me and Cole, I got to hold him for a LONG time tonight. We have not been able to hold him because he was on the bubble ventilator-type thing and he didn't tolerate it well when someone held him, but he's getting stronger, so we cuddled for a bit tonight. I did not get any pics of Grady tonight, he was sleeping really well and I see no need to wake a sleepy baby.

Baby Pictures!

Grady on the left and Cole on the right!

Sounds like everybody is healthy, hopefully Grady will be released early next week and Cole not much after that. Yeah!