Our biggest news this week is that our girls have been promoted to “feeder and grower” status. In other words, their main goals at this point in time is to feed and grow, and then they can go home!! Both girls got their PICC lines out this week, which iss a long-term IV line that gave them IV nutrition. We were so thankful for the lines because it prevented them from being stuck with IVs over and over again, but now we are super thankful that they no longer are a part of the picture! The girls are still growing in a controlled temperature environment (isolettes), but now can wear clothes…oh you can only imagine the fun I’m having with that! At first, the girls were getting two outfit changes a day…just to see them in more cute outfits in one day!! Avery and Aubrey were both offered bottles once a day this week. Although the suck/swallow/breathing coordination doesn’t occur until 34-36 weeks (yay for the upcoming next two weeks!), we are promoting oral stimulation. They don’t take much—anywhere from 7-20ml, which is a few teaspoons, but they will get there. It is a matter of maturity and we tell our parents that it will be a like a “light switch”—one day they don’t get it and the next day they do. Once they can comfortably take two full bottles a day, we can transition to breastfeeding. The next two weeks are going to be action packed!!
Avery, the older and bigger sister is now 4lbs even! She has surpassed her birthweight this week and is growing every day. Aubrey, the younger and smaller sister is 3lb 8.1oz. She continues to gain weight daily too and has also suprassed her birthweight this week…don’t underestimate her size, she is feisty! My favorite time of the week with Avery was giving her a bath with daddy. She is a very laid-back, calm, and peaceful baby and it is rare to have her eyes open for an extended period of time. For her bath, she had her eyes open the entire time and just couldn’t get enough of staring at us and her wide open eyes--it is a moment in time I will not forget (even if I am very sleep deprived!). My favorite time of the week with Aubrey is watching her being fed--this girl loves to eat (maybe not the bottle yet, but that will come). At least 30 minutes before feeds, she is pitching a fit for her food! When she gets fed through the tube and I’m holding her, she smiles at least 5 times during her feeding. She just absolutely loves it when her belly is getting full. The girls are recognizing our voices and even when they are resting, they will at least peek open one eye to let us know that they are love us holding them and talking to them.
Here are a few pictures from this week for you to see how big they have grown…watch out, before we know it, they will be crawling!!!
Avery:
Avery wearing her very first outfit.
Avery showing how exhausting it is to have to get dressed every day.
Up close and personal (yes, I had to get a lot of pics in her first outfit!)
This is how we know Avery the best--sleeping!
Avery's eyes were this wide open during her first bath from mom and dad. It looks like she is questioning something....Hmmmm, to sleep, or not to sleep?!
Cute as a cupcake...matching outfit with her sister.
Avery's first bottle feeding.
Aubrey:
Aubrey being held skin to skin. Both girls love to have their hands up at their faces. This picture was taken earlier in the week and you can see how a little bit of weight really makes a difference!
Little Aubrey before she was able to wear clothes.
Aubrey and Avery have very different facial features...this pictures shows her petite profile as she sleeps soundly on her belly.
Aubrey's first day in clothes. She is sporting the ruffles on her butt!
Cute as a cupcake-just like her sister.
Aubrey yawning...sort of like her sister in the picture above. When I flip through my pictures fast, you can actually see the entire yawn-it is really cute!
**No I did not forget to take pictures of Aubrey's first bottle, but those pictures are on my camera and I can't put my hands on the cable right now. I'll add one more picture this weekend of Aubrey taking her first bottle.**
See you next week.
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