Pink Bows and Pigtails: Feeding, feeding, feeding

This week our focus with the girls has been on their feeding. Hailee took her first full bottle on Sunday. I was (unfortunately) not there for it. Her nurse said she was "tearing the bed apart" at feeding time, acting starved to death, so she decided to try nipple feeding her and she downed the whole thing! I was so happy! I called on our way to church to get an update on the girls and that was the good news. Since then she has been doing well with the bottle. She still has some of her feedings gavashed (tube fed), but not many. Hopefully she keeps it up! Hannah is a bit behind her. She has attemped about twice now, but has not yet finished a bottle or really even come close. The girls will be 34 weeks (adjusted age) tomorrow and really shouldn't even begin to know how to suck, swallow, and breathe at the same time until after then. So, Hailee is just a bit ahead of schedule. Hopefully Hannah will catch up within the next week or so.

There is one thing that we do not have a problem with: my milk supply! It is actually getting to be ridiculous! Paul and I have been discussing for the past week or so that we may have to get a small deep freezer outside to start storing my milk in. The NICU keeps telling me that they have plenty and not to bring any more, but our freezer here at home is packed full with it! We literally have about 60 bags or so right now, ranging from 3 to 6 oz per bag. I have already cleared out as much of our food as I can without throwing it away. I know they say your body knows you have twins and produces twince as much, but with the girls only taking less than 2 oz per feeding, the excess milk is really adding up. At least I will have a large supply for a while after they come home so that their daddy has no excuse not to wake up and help me with the midnight feedings!

Otherwise, the girls are doing well. They had their initial eye exam this evening and it went well. The have no signs of ROP (Retinopathy of Prematurity) at this point, but their blood vessels are still immature so they will have another eye exam in two weeks. As of last night, Hailee weighed 4lbs 12oz and Hannah weighed 4 lbs 1oz. The nurses that have known them since the beginning can't believe how big they have already gotten.

We are starting to get anxious for the girls to come home. Once they have their feedings down to eating everytime by bottle they will be moved to an open crib and out of their isolettes. If they can maintain their temperature and continue to gain weight for a couple days, they can come home. They do have to be over 35 weeks, but that is only next Wednesday. They have to pass a carseat test to be sure their airway won't close if they are sitting up for an extended period of time, but that isn't done until right before discharge. If they pass all of these things, they can come home! We are hoping to have one baby, if not both, home within the next two weeks. The nurses have said that it is rare that both twins will come home on the same day. They won't keep one twin just because the other isn't ready for discharge. As difficult as that would be, we will deal. We have made it this far!

Paul and I did finish the girl's nursery this past weekend. It looks great! Their furniture is white and their bedding is light purple with white and brown in it. I washed all of their newborn clothes and they look adorable all hanging in their closet. I just need to hang some things on the walls and we will be all set!

We have found out in the past couple weeks that Hailee and Hannah will have two new little girl friends to play with this summer! Our friend's Kristen and Ashley both found out they are having baby girls! We are so excited for our girls to have best little girl friends just like Ella does. I can't wait for my cousin's Deanna and Tara to find out what they are having in the next few weeks. While our family is really in need of some little boys, girls are always so much fun! :)