13 weeks

What an awesome week! Our babies are 36 weeks gestation and have grown leaps and bounds this week! It seems like some weeks are stagnant, not making much progress (sometimes set backs) and then they take off! This was one of those weeks! We also had a family meeting with the docs on Monday to get up to speed on everyone and found out what the next steps are. For so long a stable day was our next step. Now for the last couple weeks, they’ve been stable (minus surgeries) and we’ve been just watching them grow. Don’t get me wrong, I love those days, but we wanted to know what our next goals and milestones were. Brooklyn and Brennan are on the fast track homebound and Landon may be a couple weeks behind. It’s so exciting to hear the doctors even saying the word “home”! To come home, they need to be keeping their temperature up, breathing and eating - in some fashion. Going home on oxygen is a possibility and also gavage feeding. They need to be taking at least 50% of feeds by mouth (bottle or breastfeeding) and the rest we can out in a feeding (NG) tube. We definitely want our babies home as soon as we can, but don’t want to rush them. It would be hard enough to take care of one with a feeding tube or oxygen, let alone 3, plus a toddler! So the doctors said it may mean an extra week in the hospital, but that’s ok with us. I’d rather have them good and ready to come home. Well, without further adeu, here’s the cuties in their Christmas outfits – thanks Britt! :)

Brennan Nicholas 4lbs 1oz (birth weight 1lb 4oz) – yep you read it right, 4lbs!!

Brennan has been a breathing rockstar! During the family meeting, we were talking about taking them home on oxygen and the next day, Brennan decided he didn’t need it! He was breathing without any help! He only needs his extra flow while he’s eating. He has reflux so he desats (oxygen saturation dips below 80%) when he’s eating. He does so much better when he’s nursing than bottle or tube feeds, the lactation consultant said he’s doing great. He is up to 39 cc of 28 calorie fortified breast milk to help him gain weight. He’s still a little sluggish in that area. He’s been taking about two bottles per day (about 14% of his feeds by mouth), so we’re getting there! He is getting so much more expressive! I could just watch him all day!

Landon James 4lbs 9oz (birth weight 1lb 7oz)

This little man has done pretty well. He got off the ventilator on Saturday and back onto CPAP. He’s only required about 30% oxygen. Even though he’s on such a small amount of oxygen, he still needs the forced air to inflate his lungs.  This is huge for him though - he just needed a little kick in the pants to start breathing again! :)  Landon's allowed to have the nasal cannula on for social time :)  It's called "social cannula" so when we hold or bathe.  He's such a handsome baby!  (with cannula we could see his face!)  He again is doing the best at gaining weight - he's almost out of preemie clothes!  We're so proud of him - he's had the most challenges and is such a strong, determined little guy!   

  

 Brooklyn Danielle 4lbs 2oz (birth weight 1lb 3.5oz)

She and Brennan have been neck and neck this week!  For quite awhile actually!  She is now on nasal cannula 24 hours and only about 21-30% oxygen!  She is also doing a terrific job eating!  She's taking about half of her feeds by bottle and finishing a good portion of them!  We also tried nursing and she did wonderful!  She was so excited and very interested the entire time!  She's starting to sneak ahead of Brennan - I really don't know who will be first home.  She had a little bit of a rough time recovering from eye surgery (she did with the PDA ligation too), but is now back on track and doing great!  

We are so proud of our babies and so thankful for the blessings they are!  God is truly working in them - healing their bodies and helping them grow.  For awhile I was trying to think of what I could have done to hold them in longer, but have accepted (with God's peace!!) that He has a plan and I don't understand and don't need too.  We have met and been touched by so many families that we won't have known otherwise.  These babies are such fighters and will be so strong!  I need to step back and remember that.  Katelyn has touched our lives in so many ways and through her we have been strengthened more than we ever thought possible.  Her life has a purpose and we are learning to celebrate that.  


Hailey out of the blue said she heard Jesus talking to her from her heart about Katelyn. I asked her what Jesus said and she said his daddy is going to give her back to us. Oh to have the mind of a 3 year old sometimes!  Now that we’re getting things ready for the babies to come home and talking about homecoming more, Hailey has been asking about Katelyn more often. Wondering when she’s coming, saying she thinks she’ll be the first one home (in reality she is – home with Jesus!). Whenever we tell her Katelyn’s not coming home and she’s with Jesus, she becomes really quiet. She shouldn’t have to deal with this. She shouldn’t have to try to understand why her sister died, but we need to help her, with God’s wisdom. She is such a precious girl, so caring and understanding. She’s helping us heal more than she knows. Hailey has such a connection with Katelyn.  It has been really difficult to know what to say about Katelyn that she will understand but not scare her.  Please pray for Nich and I to have the right words to talk and explain about Katelyn as Hailey asks more questions.

The babies are progressing and doing so well, but please continue to pray!  I can't even put into words how thankful we are!