Happy 4 Weeks Babies!

Cannot believe it's been 4 weeks!! In some ways it feels like it's gone by so fast, other times definitely feels longer. Well, without further adieu....pictures! (sorry for the delayed post..our camera died and Nich brought back the charger last night. Hailey wasn't doing the best, which made for a real quick visit-not even enough time to charge the camera battery).



Brennan Nicholas 1lb 11oz (birth weight 1lb 4 oz)

Brennan has been the wild man this week! On Wednesday night he pulled out his ET tube (breathing tube) and had to be reintubated. His nurse said it really wasn't very eventful and he did ok without it! The doctors decided to start to wean him off the ventilator if he can tolerate it and possible take him off early part of next week!!!! Now we know not to get too excited, the common phrase around here is "don't trust a preemie!" Things could change, but Brennan has been holding pretty steady on his ventilator settings and tolerating the weans well. One of the nurses showed us how to tell if the baby is breathing on his own and Brennan has been doing quite well! A couple instances we watched him breathe 2 vent cycles on his own then needed some help from the vent. She explained it like this: the vent is set for certain number of breaths per minute, say 35. If he breathes 20, the vent kicks in and helps with the other 15. If he can do 35 it won't need to help at all that cycle. His drain from his intestinal surgery came out this week as well. He still needs to poop, but everything else is looking good! He's doing so good! The doctor actually told Nich that Brennan was doing very good. This means so much to parents!! (remember when our kids only were described as critical, very sick and sick!?! :)



Landon James 2lb 3oz (birth weight 1lb 7 oz)

Landon has had an eventful week, with the pneumothorax last weekend and his cranial ultrasound came back with ventricles slightly bigger. He is recovering well, and his last chest x-ray came back showing improvement in his right lung of the PIE. Thursday he was switched to the conventional ventilator (removing the JET) and he's doing great! The JET vent was helping him oxygenate a little better than the conventional, but his settings were so low on the JET that they decided to try him on the conventional. Thankfully he hasn't gone back! Though the JET is good for him, it also causes more lung damage than the conventional vent so we're happy for him! So often on the JET he was fighting it and trying to breathe over it and he can take his own breaths on the conventional vent and boy is he ever! It's so amazing to watch his tiny little chest rise all on his own! They are such strong babies, it's awesome to see how far they've come!



Brooklyn Danielle 1lb 15oz (birth weight 1lb 3.5oz)

Our sweet Brooklyn has been making progress in another area - pooping! Today (I know not technically a 4 week update, but exciting none the less!) she had such a large poop that she desated (dropped her oxygen saturation) and her heart rate dropped a little. Apparently this was real tough for her to get out! Nurse wasn't thrilled to change her, but amazed her little body produced that much! We're in trouble with this one! :) She is still on the JET ventilator and needing a little help from Dopamine to keep her blood pressure up (boys have been off that med for quite a few days now!), but she wanted her own area to excel in! All the kids have been given diuretics to help with peeing off the extra fluid. Doesn't Brooklyn look so much better?! They have been weaning her ventilator, 1 wean a day as she's much more sensitive to change than the boys. She didn't use to be, but has recently become so. Hopefully she doesn't get spoiled from getting her way with her nurses! :)

All in all we've had a terrific week! I know not to let my smile get too big, but it is so good to get good news after all the ups and downs and instability we've had! We can't believe they're coming up on the time we thought they'd be born! In the next couple weeks we should see some really exciting changes - next week (28 weeks gestation) they can have their side covers of their isolette's open and once they're off antibiotics they can eat (probably next week as well)! I can't wait because I know how good the milk will be for them if they can tolerate it. It's Mama's Magic Milk! :) The doctor said it can help heal their lungs and Brooklyn and Landon will need that. We're feeling more and more like parents, getting to change diapers and getting closer to spending more time watching them. They have such distinct personalities and want to be shown love in different ways (Brooklyn, from a distance!). We're learning so much about them and can't believe in some ways that they're ours. We truly have been given a gift to watch our babies grow and see God working in their little bodies. This journey is one we will share over and over, giving praises for the work He has done and will do! I know I've said this before, but we are so thankful for all of your prayers, comments and notes of encouragement. We don't know how much of an impact these kids are having and how God is working through them. We are trying to really focus on seeing what God has in store for us, seeing each opportunity He has laid out for us. Everything happens for a reason, and He's given us such strength to get through what lies ahead. Thank you all for your love, prayers and support! When we're feeling overwhelmed, we know the body will be praying us through!