Dog days of Summer

5/31/12

The first night at home has been completed and they have now been home for more than 24 hours.  Little sleep was had by most in the house including the dog.  Maggie couldn't figure out what the noise and commotion was all about.  The good news is that tonight is another night to attempt to set a routine again.

The grind is the going to be the hardest part.  Tomorrow won't be much different than today, but it will bring new challenges because we will still be short on sleep.  I pray we are long on patience and don't miss the forest because we have entered the trees.  When we went to visit them in the NICU it was easy to remember to snap a few pictures of them, enjoy the feeding process, and listen to their little grunts while they slept.  Today I had to grad the camera before I sat down to write this just to make sure we had pictures of them today and last night the grunts didn't seem too little.

I did not realize how much I liked the monitors they were on at the hospital.  I hated the wires and hard it was to change and hold them, but I liked being able to look up and see a strong heart beat and know everything was okay.  At home that security blanket is gone and I was not able to sleep through their grunts.  I am sure it will come in time and Jacqueline will be waking me up soon enough asking 'can you not hear them.'  In my early morning fog I am sure I will respond, 'hear who?'  So here is to another night closer to a routine.

Video from yesterday of Maggie and the twins.

Free at last! Free at last!

5/30/12

We know that Emily and Evan had a short NICU stay and we praise the Lord for that.  However, they are home now and ten days was long enough to wait until for them.

The trip home was uneventful.  We did need a little help from the valet guys to get the carseat bases in a little more secure.  I was told that the type of carseats we have do work well with Toyota's anchor system.  Who knew? Good thing for the health and well being on our children the trained carseat installers (real thing, not sure if it the proper title) knew.

I went to work this morning for a half day and then met Jacqueline and my mother at the hospital just after 1pm to bring them home.  We drove home, parked, used their double snap-n-go stroller to walk the block to the apartment, and 'settled' in about 2:45.  Since that minute we have been working to get a routine for the home life.  We had a schedule after fives days of coming from home to visit them in the NICU.  I am sure it won't take long to have a schedule established and I'm sure at least some sleep will be included in there.

The carseat pictures will give some prespective on their size.  I looked down at the two carseats that had nothing but room in them and thought 'why are they letting these tiny things leave the hospital?'  I then realized they were letting these tiny things leave the hospital with me.  At that moment they turned the heat on in the hospital to 120.  At least that my story because that would explain why sweat began to form on my brow.  A few hours at home and them meeting the beast has helped settle that feeling so we will move on to the pictures.

Wire free

locked and loaded

clearing out

vacant beds available

I'm ready

Let's get this show on the road

Last family shot in the NICU. Thanks to all the docs and nurses!

Last one before we leave the hospital

Made it home safe and sound

Time for our first dinner

"Can I help?"

"Can I at least see?"

"Nobody lets me do anything"

More pics and hopefully a video tomorrow. 

Ryan

One tired dad

Home Sweet Home

5/29/12

Short post tonight and no pictures...sorry.  We have been trying to get everything in order all night because (drum roll) the babies come home tomorrow!  At least that is the plan right now.  Evan needs another day of weight gain and Emily can't drop weight.  Those two things happen and we have our family all under one roof for the first time tomorrow.

Evan put on 75 grams yesterday (2 1/2 ounces) and Emily put on 20 grams (2/3 of an ounce).  Both are eating better and should be fat little babies in no time.  Let the sleepless nights begin.

I am off to bed now with hope of one last good night sleep before they arrive home....where they belong.  Look for lots of pictures tomorrow and maybe a video or two of our beast meeting her little siblings for the first time.

(or look for two posts the on Thursday as we get use to little ones at home)
Ryan

Summer time in the city

5/28/12

It has now been eight days since the twins made their escape.  On Friday evening, as Jacqueline and I drove home from the hospital we noticed how full the beaches were and the clear summer time feel.  We went into the hospital early Sunday morning and hadn't seen daylight, other than through a window, in almost a week.  It was a cool 65 degrees when we went in last Sunday morning.  The holiday weekend that marks the beginning of summer for so many snuck up on us.  I have a feeling Christmas is going to sneak up on us as well and all the holidays between now and then may be forgotten along the way.

Do not read a complaint in the previous paragraph.  This past week, as exhausting as it may have been, shouldn't be changed for the world.  I say this knowing that tomorrow I return to work.  I have seen the way Evan has been taking his bottle the last two days and we need food money so I must return to work.  I know many of you think tax accounting isn't the greatest gig to begin with, but tomorrow will be an especially boring day for work.  I will be working while my kids are trying to fatten up in order to come home.  The new challenges the family will face as we grow will be interesting.  I am sure each one will be overwhelming when we look at their approach and barely noticeable when we recall their presence.

As for Emily and Evan, they are doing well.  Emily put on almost two full ounces yesterday.  Evan was unchanged, but he is eating much better.  At one feeding today he took 70 ml (just over an ounce), which is a new high for him.  I am sure that will result in some weight gain and we are hoping it shows tomorrow.  If he can put on weight the next two days and pass his car seat test he will be coming home on Wednesday.  Emily could have the same release date because her weight gain has been good over the last few days, but she needs eat more consistently.  It is weird to think that the apartment could have two tiny kids in it on Wednesday night.

We better get some sleep now.

A few pictures....

My favorite are the family shots

Good night little ones

They have to sit in their car seats for 90 minutes with no episodes to be able to come home

Mothership

5/27/12

One Week!  Where has the time gone?  Any one who thinks life is moving too fast and wants weeks to feel like months....have twins.

Looking back at the past week I am struck by the work that my family has done.  Jacqueline working hard both day and night to feed these little ones.  The kids working to staying warm, eat, and keep those little hearts so theirs beating.  I am tired for them all.  I also need to mention the extended family and friends that have been a support to us this week. Thanks.

The kids are doing great and the NICU pediatricians have penciled Emily and Evan for a Wednesday departure.  It is still very early and anything could happen between now and then, but we are excited it could happen so soon.  There are still hurdles to clear but we are moving in the right direction.

One of the biggest challenges faced this week has been for Jacqueline to get food for the kids.  I will spare all the details, but she has been in a lot of pain most of the week (other than the surgery).  Some pain is caused because the kids are so small and have a hard time feeding, but the other has been when she is pumping.  Two lactacin specialists, a pediatrician (who was just checking because she has been there), and any nurse that was willing or offered to take a look was beginning to get concerned about mastitis (for the male readers: an infection).  To see the pain Jacqueline was facing has been a challenge for all who were looking at her.  However, a small change to the pumping process has seemed to make a world of difference.  Two pumping sessions later the pain has been reduced considerable and the joy is evident.  To think that she stuck with this process through that pain is amazing.  It was the pediatrician that made the comment that got me thinking.  She told Jacqueline, "call a doctor so you can get this figured out now, because after all you need to take care of the mothership."

We've heard the catch phrase, 'happy wife, happy life.'  This always seemed trite and ridiculous to me.  I wasn't out make my wife mad, but seemed the phrase seemed to most often repeated by men who really didn't care about happiness for their wives but just wanted to left alone.  However, the idea of caring the mothership seems right on point.  My life and that of the twins feeds a great deal from Jacqueline.  I will play a huge role in our kids lives, but a big piece of that is making sure their mother is best fit to care for all of us.  Lord give me the strength.

Okay, picture time.

Reunited! (Evan is on the left, Emily is on the right)

They let us take them off their monitor to get a few pictures

The Wells Family

Time table?

5/26/12

For the most part today was an uneventful day.  Some feeding, holding, watching them sleep, and poop filled diapers was the story line.  The kids eat every three hours and it takes Jacqueline and I just over an hour to complete the process.  I am tired just thinking about the process and we are only running that race three times a day.  We got to the hospital about 10 am this morning and stayed until 7:30.  This means we were there for the 11 am, 2 pm, and 5 pm feedings.  The kids are doing great and building up strength.

The high light of the day was that both of them moved to open air cribs today! This gives them a chance to show that they can regulate their body temperature on their own.  There is always the possibility that they get tired in about a day or so and may need to go back to the warming bed, but for now they are staying warm on their own.  They also had biliruben levels lower than yesterday so they are off the biliblanket and don't have to wear the masks any more.  Emily put on 30 grams from yesterday and Evan remained unchanged.

Today was the first day that a time table was given for coming home.  Evan may be home as early as middle of next week.  Emily may be a little longer just because of her size and the episode I wrote about yesterday, but should follow Evan home quickly.  This, of course, is a tentative schedule and could change at any point.  Needless to say, we are excited by the idea that they are coming home soon.

Attached are a few pictures from today.  Evan and Emily met folks that are not family members for the first time today.  So many of you have walked the journey of infertility with us and we could not say thank you or thank the Lord enough for each of you.  The folks pictured here, Matt and Nicole Wyngarden and Jason and Jaimee Draper, have been praying for the day our children arrive for years.  I know there are many more just like these four.  The sweetest kids in the world would not be if it wasn't for your (and our) prayers being answered and we look forward to the day that each of you gets to meet that answer to prayer.

Thanks for the visit

Ready to baby sit!

Packing on the Pounds

5/25/12

Today is a BIG day! Evan and Emily are, for the first time in their young lives, bigger today than they were yesterday.  They are still smaller than they were when they were born (Emily is 4 pounds 1/2 ounce) Evan 4 pounds 3 ounces), but will celebrate the small steps toward coming home.  Emily is 10 grams closer and Evan is 20 grams closer to coming home.  We still do not have a time table for their release from the NICU but we know weight gain is one requirement.

We got to the hospital this morning about 9:30am.  We were excited to see our kids.  When we got there we heard the great news that they both put on weight.  However, we also heard that Emily had an 'episode' at 7:45 this morning for 8 seconds.  This episode included her heart rate dropping under 80 beats per minute and a drop in her oxygen saturation levels.  The doctor said the episode lasted 8 seconds and required no intervention.  This does mean that Emily will not come in the next five days.  The kids have to be episode free for five days in order to come home.  I do not think it changes much because neither of us were expecting them to come home in the next fives days anyway.

The other item that the doctors talked about were the biliruben levels.  Emily's levels had gone up again today, but at a lower rate than they had been in the prior few days.  Evan's levels had dropped today.  They both remain at the very low end of the scale in terms of concern, but the doctors want to stay in front of the it.  Evan may be able to lose the biliblanket he is on (a blanket with a light in, see yesterdays pics) while Emily may need the higher powered overhead light if her levels go up again with tomorrow's check.

Jacqueline and I are trying to settle into a routine.  The kids are not even home yet and we are both very tired.  She is pumping every three hours so that we have milk to take the kids each day.  They feed every three hours so Jacqueline is matching their schedule.  The process of preparing, pumping, and cleaning everything takes about 45 minutes.  This means in every three hour window there is a possible 2 hours and 15 minutes of sleep.  We just keep going knowing that help is being given now and more is on its way.  Thanks to everyone for reading, praying, and supporting our family.  I am still not accustomed to the term family for us.  Sure, Jacqueline and I have been a family for nearly 5 years now, but it carries more weight when I talk about our family now.  We praise the Lord every day for the blessing and journey He carried us on.  I have never been so excited about 30 grams (one ounce) in my life, it means the family is one ounce closer to being together and meeting all of you.

Loving being tired
Ryan and Jacqueline

A room with a view, this is the view from the family center just outside Ev and Em's room

Evan is bigger!

We took the glamour magazines out of her room and her body image is already improving.

Days one through five

5/24/12

Now for a update on how the little ones and Jacqueline are doing.  First and foremost in my world...Jacqueline is doing great!  She is moving better and having to be held back my me, to make sure she isn't over doing it.  If I wasn't around she would be down at the babies side every minute and not resting enough for herself.  I love the mother of my children!

We go home today and will have to figure out a new schedule for seeing the kiddos.  After Emily and Evan made their grand entrance we got to see them for a minute or two and then they went to the special care nursery (what they call the NICU to help parents deal).  The two of them have been tough little ones from the start.  Emily is doing great.  She is feeding well and hasn't needed any kind of assistance until today (more on that in a second).  Evan is a little lazier in his feeding, but still doing well.  Evan had low blood sugar when he was checked on Sunday so they started an IV.  Normally this would have stayed for two or three days at least, however after about 12 hours he decided he didn't need it anymore.  He had a talk with his doc and said he wanted it out so that mom and dad could hold him easier.  The doctor said no, so Evan pulled the IV out on his own.  No really, they were changing the tape on the IV and he pulled it out! I like to think that he was letting them know he wanted to do by himself because it makes dad's heart hurt to think of how much pain that must have caused.  No matter how it came out he has been able to regulate his blood sugar and never needed another one.

Both kids are doing well, but their billy ruebens (bilirubens, which means they are jaundice) are high so today they got the bili blanket.  They're levels are not that high so the doctor decided to have them on a blanket that provides a light to help break up the biliruben so that it can be pooped out.  The blanket means we can pick them up more and not worry how much time we have them out of the isolates.  After two nights in a minimally heated bed they decided to move the two to isolates to keep them a little warmer.  They were able to stay warm enough on their own, but it was using a lot of energy.  The warmers allow them to focus on sleeping and eating, which means growing.

Emily is down to 4 lbs even and Evan is down to 4 lbs 2 oz as of this morning.  The docs tell us that this is too be expected.  The two of them have made a lot of friends and win over ever nurse that sees them with their amazing hair, especially Emily.

The docs tell us that the two will go home after their biliruben levels are normal, they are putting on weight, and are in open air cribs.  That could be a matter of days or it could be a few weeks. At this point dad thinks Emily is going to beat her brother home just because she is a more enthusiastic eater.  I am praying for them to be home as early as possible, but have been specifically praying for next Friday the 1st of June.  We continue to trust the Lord's timing in this process and praise the Lord for the 34 weeks and 4 days that the two of them hung out in mommy's belly.

As many of you know Jacqueline went into pre-term labor in April at 30 weeks and 3 days.  It is hard to explain how it feels to watch other babies roll into the NICU that are around that 30 week age.  It is rare in life that we see Lord's work laid out in front of us like that. We pleaded with the Lord for more time in mom's belly and He gave us two more pounds each and it makes such a difference.  We know others have walked the path of more intense NICU stays and thank the Lord for their support and encouragement during the past month and look forward to it going forward, but praise the Lord for the health he gave Emily and Evan.

Now for the fun stuff - Pictures!!!

 Evan waiting his turn to eat.

 Evan getting a sun tan - I think there was a controversy about letting young kids tan, right?

 Got to protect those little eyes.

 Look at Emily's radiant beauty.

 Emily is playing hide and go seek

Dad's hands are huge or she is small.

Look for a message to Evan and Emily tomorrow (or again in 18 years depending on how sane mom and dad can stay).

Ryan

They're here!

5/24/12

Below is the email that went out to many (sorry if we missed you, many emails got bounced back because dad included too many photos):

Just wanted to send out a quick email to everyone that Emily Ryan and Evan Andrew made their entrance into the world at 6:31 and 6:32 yesterday morning.  After over a month of contractions, constant wondering, doctors visits, and trips to the hospital the little munchkins came quickly.  Jacqueline and I went to bed on Saturday night around 10:30 but we noticed the dog followed us into the bedroom and slept on the floor next to Jacqueline.  The dog hadn't slept in our bedroom since she was only a few months old. J and I both noticed it but didn't think too much of it.  Around 2:30 yesterday morning J woke me up to let me know she was uncomfortable and couldn't sleep.  She wanted to make sure I knew she was getting in the shower so I didn't freak if I woke up and she wasn't in bed.  On Friday night I had woken up twice having dreamed that her water broke only to find her not in bed.  Both times I had a solid two seconds of panic then realized it was a dream and J was only making one of the twelve required pregnant lady trips to pee in the middle of the night.

After J got out of the shower, not exactly sure how long it was because I feel back asleep (resting up to be the best dad in the world of course), she was not feeling any better.  We called our doula to ask for her opinion on what J was feeling and she suggested calling the doctor.  After all the recent trips to the doctor and hospital for nothing J wanted to make sure this was the real deal.  The doc said we should come in and get checked out, as they have instructed every time we call.  We got in the car about 4:20 and were at the hospital by 4:40.  It took them about 10 minutes to get J checked in.  She was having contractions every three minutes and they were more intense than any she had experienced up to that point.  She kept telling me she felt the need to push.  I disagreed with her because we were still in the waiting room.  At 4:55 she was holding my shoulder while I expertly coached her through a contraction (read - deer in headlights) when there was splashing sound and she informed me that was her water breaking.  I looked over my shoulder at the guy behind the desk who looked and then went back to his computer screen.  I thought we had just jumped to the front of the line; I was wrong.


At 5:20 we were finally called back to a room.  J was checked out by a nurse who let us know she was 5 cm dilated from the 1.5cm we had stayed at for 4 weeks and that we were going be moving things along because Emily had pooped already (gentlemen there is a fancy term for the first BMs of a child's life but I wasn't going to explain it or try to spell it).  By 5:45 we were in a prep room and they were working fast to get the OR ready.  At 6:00 they wheeled J back to the room to get her set.  At 6:15 they came to bring me back to the OR.  I was not even in the OR long enough to let anything sink in because Emily was out and crying 15 minutes later and Evan was soon to follow.  Yesterday the two of them got to meet mom and dad, the grandparents, and an aunt and uncle.  It was a big day for all to say the least.


Now the stuff that everyone has stayed tuned for: Emily Ryan was 4 lbs 6 oz and 17 inches long and Evan Andrew was 4 lbs 10 oz and 17.7 inches long.  All are healthy and doing well.  Emily and Evan are breathing on their own and doing well.  Evan did need to get an IV so they could give him a sugar solution to regulate his blood sugar but if all goes well that should be taken out today.  J is doing great.  She is healing well from the surgery and loves to get out of bed despite the pain because it means a wheelchair ride to hold the bundles of joy.  And now for the best stuff - pictures (my apologies to the previous title holders, there are now a new cutest baby girl and baby boy in Chicago - nay the world).


Ryan and Jacqueline (Dad and Mom)

Big Changes

5/24/12

It has been a long time since this has been updated...so here goes.

Very little remains the same since the last post.  I graduated from NIU with my Masters in May of 2011 and now work for KPMG in the Chicago office.  Jacqueline, Maggie (the beast which we added to the family in April of 2011, pic below), and I moved to the north side of Chicago in October last year.  It was at that same time that Jacqueline got pregnant.  We quickly found out it was twins.  We are updating this site now because the twins are here! Most of you already knew they were here so this blog will be for updates from time to time and of course pictures.  I will break the posts today to try to make them an easier read. I will post the arrival story and then give a brief update on where we are at currently.