Gifts by mail

We received four gifts by mail this week.  It's so fun to get a delivery!  I didn't take a picture of two of them, but it's not because they aren't worth mentioning. I got two beautiful flower arrangements - one from Tenaska and another from a customer, South Mississippi Electric.

I got this gift from Todd and Theresa Wesley:

And I got these gifts from a customer, Southern Company Services:

Cool huh?  I've got fantastic friends - thanks guys!

Babies Day 6

Today was another great day at the NICU.  I fed both babies at the same time!  I used the footall hold, which I've heard a lot of people don't like, but it seemed to work well for Carter and Olivia.

Olivia is such a motivated eater.  Carter however can't seem to focus on anything for very long.  He just likes to look around at his surroundings.  He still fed well, but he just had to be reminded a few times what he was doing.  They were both ready to eat when we arrived, which really helped the cause.  It was so nice to have success in nursing both of them at once. 

Last night was also a nice night in the NICU, as I fed both babies individually.  When we arrived they were both crying, so I was nervous about getting them both fed in a timely manner.  However, they instructed me to feed Carter first since woke up first (fair is fair!) and Forrest held and calmed Olivia while she waited. 

Forrest is so good with the babies.  They are totally smitten with him, as he is with them.  It's wonderful to see him as a father.  Carter and Olivia are incredibly blessed.

Meet my MIL Christine

This is Forrest's mom, Christine, shown here holding Olivia on Wednesday October 12.

She has been so good to us this week!  She flew in from California and arrived a couple hours after the delivery (just missed it!) and has been helping us out ever since.  On Tuesday she brought over grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, steamed veggies, bread, and brownies.  On Wednesday she brought us steaks and baked potatoes.  She also brought these beautiful flowers for us yesterday.

Her mother (we all called her "Dunn") loved babies breath and always took that as a gift to new moms.  Christine carried on the tradition and brought us some.  Also, she has chosen to go by "Dunn" to her grandchildren, in honor of her mother.  That made us so happy. 

I know that our babies will love her so much!

Thursday Update from my mom

Both babies are doing very well.  Carter is under the lights for jaundice but has regained his birth weight and is nursing.  He will likely go home before Olivia because Olivia has to have IV antibiotics for an infection, and those will be up on Tuesday.  That would be the earliest she could go home.  Olivia is eating 30cc of milk each time, which is a little over an oz.  Carter is up to 26cc every 3 hours.  She has also regained her birthweight.

Olivia was dressed in a cute little onesie and hat supplied by the hospital.  Carter has only a diaper on due to lights.  Forrest has posted pics of todays visit on fb if you want to look at them.  Carter got fed by me (after Sarah the cow) and Olivia got fed by Liah.  Carter was much more awake - he cried - first sound I have heard either make altho Olivia did kind of mew when I was holding her.

The nurse told Sarah to come back for the late feeding only today - breast feeding is harder for the babies and they needed the rest until tonight.  They will be bottle fed at 3 and 6.  SHe is also very worn out in that she went to the hospital at 8 and did not come home until 12:30.  She will be need the quiet herself for a few hours.

It was wonderful to hold the babies, and I look forward to them being at home when we can cuddle them.

Olivia:

 Carter

Wednesday morning update from my mom

Sarah has an appt with the lactation consultant and will find out when she can begin nursing the babies. She may also inquire about the kangaroo bonding thing.

She is having no problem with 10pm or 1pm pumping - can go right back to sleep. But she is having trouble with the 4AM one so she got up this morning and wrote emails, thank you notes, etc.

She is happy and getting ready to go at 8am to see the babies. She is in love with Carter.

She will call or update us via email when something else is reportable...

Olivia:

Carter:

Tuesday Update from my mom:

Well, Sarah is not having a good day.  The nurse noticed it this morning and asked her about it and asked if she overdid yesterday.  Sarah thinks she did.  She is very sore, very tired, pumped every 3 hours all night, got up in time to go to 9AM feeding but almost didn't go as she was feeling bad.  She crashed last night and could feel it coming.

Nurse told her to come 1 hour before the feeding times which are every 3 hours beginning at 9AM.  She told her not to come if she needed to rest because the most important thing she was doing was making milk and she would not make enough if she didn't sleep.  So she is to skip coming if she feels drowsy and just send Forrest.  We are to take note of that as well - if and when we come to see babies, she will be going at 8, 11, 2, etc and we should plan on arriving then.  Of course, if there are new babies arriving in NICU, we will have to wait.  I told Sarah that Liah and I might come Thursday during the day sometime.

She and Forrest got to really cuddle the babies for several minutes each.  Both were on their tummies and Sarah had her hands wrapped around and under their tummies with nose and cheeks on hair, kissing them.  She really liked that and she said Carter seemed to like it too.  This was her best day with Carter.  They brought her a tall barstool height chair to sit on so she would not have to stand so long.  They missed feeding due to a new delivery.

Today they will try to wean Carter of the breathing apparatus but the nurse does not think he will tolerate it well so be prepared for it not to work.  He had been put on his tummy but had rolled a little to his side which indicates he is strong enough to move himself.

Olivia is up from 6cc to 9cc of milk now and Sarah is hopeful she will be able to hold her at 2 feeding. 

Sarah has slept about an hour this am and has a friend coming over at noon to visit - she is expecting shortly and Sarah wanted her to come while everything was fresh.  She is going to try to sleep more - maybe skip going at 1 if she does not feel up to it.  Also she is going to call the doctor about some of the soreness.

Carter:

Olivia:

Day after the delivery

Monday was such a blur for me.  I was well medicated so I didn't feel much pain at all that day, which prompted me to be WAY too active for my own good (which I paid for on Monday night and Tuesday morning).

I started pumping at 7:00am Monday and I've been doing that every 3 hours since.  It doesn't really bother me to have to do it in the middle of the night.  I have been taking a nap every day which really helps me stay rested. The rest of Monday I spent hanging out with Forrest, Ellen, Christine, and Aunt Sue in my hospital room.  We went to the NICU a couple of times to see the babies, which was nice.  I also had all sorts of hospital type duties that I had to attend to.  Lots of hospital personnel to see and paperwork to fill out. 

My folks came by in the afternoon when it was time for me to check out (I didn't have to stay the requisite two nights since the babies weren't coming home with me).  We all went to the NICU for one last visit then went home to meet Liah for dinner (Church's chicken).  Also, Liah helped me use the breast pump that she had loaned me (Thanks so much!!).  The plan then was to take Liah to the NICU to see the babies.  I was exhausted but she had driven all the way out here just to see them, so out we went.  I of course was rewarded with more precious time with Carter and Olivia.

After I got home that night I crashed and began my first night of feedings every three hours.  I guess I have at least 3 months of this ahead of me, but for now I'm not complaining (stay tuned in a week or two, ha!).

Carter:

Olivia:

Carter:

Olivia:

Carter: