Feeling the Love

Ben and I are having to keep the girls inside at our house all the time. From November through March we aren't suppose to be taking them out except to go to Gamma and Papa's house, my parents, or Papaw and Nana's house, Ben's parents, and that is only if there is no one sick there. It is RSV season and the girls had a reaction to their Synagis shot so they aren't allowed to get it any more. Their pediatrician and the NICU warned us that if a preemie gets RSV the outcome is not good. RSV is very serious for all babies, but for preemie's that already had breathing and lung trouble at birth, it can cause severe problems. Needless to say, 5 months of staying home a majority of the time can get boring and make you go stir crazy! Our house church that we attended every Sunday night until we started our hibernation stuff with the girls, got together a care package. It was the neatest idea and a very sweet thought. Inside of it was a few games, a 1001 things to do with my baby book, a magazine, a gift letter for a free month of Netflix 1 at a time unlimited movie rentals, homemade cookies, a Wii game console, smocking lessons so I can learn how to smock the girls a dress, and cards from every family. We feel so special and loved. Thank you so much for thinking of us Birdwell's, Pickard's, Stanford's, and Bradley's.

Sick babies

After battling runny noses, stuffy noses, coughing, sneezing, fever, congestion, major fussiness, and sleepless nights; I took the girls to the doctor today. Poor Lexyn has had a lot of these symptoms since 2 weekends ago. She started to improve and is now starting it again. Brittyn came down with all of the symptoms this past Friday. Ben and I went out to the Brad Paisley concert and had a great time getting out TOGETHER!!!! When we got home and Brittyn woke up, she was screaming. She was so stuffy she couldn't breathe through her nose and she was panicking. That started our sleepless nights. Sunday she started having a runny nose and coughing. Sunday night we attempted sleeping in the recliner because every time I would lay her down she would scream and cry. We didn't get much sleep in the recliner either because she made me sit up and rock and hum music in her ear for her to stop fussing. Today we went in to the doctor. He said Lexyn is on the up side of this cold. He said her lungs sounded great and her ears were clear. He looked in Brittyn's ears and said she had double ear infections. Bless her heart. I figured she had at least one ear infected because she wouldn't lay down, and she wouldn't suck much of her bottle. She looks so pitiful with red puffy eyes, faucet running nose, and red cheeks from running fever. We did start her on antibiotics today, and got some numbing ear drops. As of now, she has been in her bed for the night, asleep, laying down for 3 hours. That is the most she has layed down and slept in 48 hours. Thank goodness for numbing ear drops.

Oh yeah, Lexyn weighed 12 pounds 5 ounces and Brittyn weighed 12 pounds 10 ounces. Since we saw a different doctor than our regular pediatrician they didn't strip the girls down naked to weigh them so their weights are exactly accurate but they are gaining pretty good since starting baby food. Might I add we are still fighting them to open their mouth and to swallow the food, but they are getting some down!

We are still hibernating at our house or at grandparents houses. We aren't real sure how or where this cold got into our home but we do have therapists come 3 days a week.



Please continue to pray for Scott, Kelly and Harper Stamps. Harper has been making a few small steps in the right direction, but she isn't out of the woods yet. I may have some sick babies, but they are overall healthy babies. Thank God. But my heart is breaking for the families that have very critically sick babies. Babies whose, mommy's haven't held them yet, whose mommy's can't talk to them so that they can stay put under to try and heal. Please remember the babies and their parents in your prayers.

Check out these blogs for updates:
http://www.jennasjourneyblog.blogspot.com/
http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/
http://www.treverjennaeva.blogspot.com/

Big Girls!

My mom came over today so that the four of us could go outside on a walk. The weather was really nice and it was 60 degrees outside. Once the girls got up from their afternoon nap we loaded them up. They have grown so much since the last time I took them on a walk. Today they sat up in their stroller like big girls. In the past they have been laying in their carriers, but since they enjoy watching everything that goes on and they are pretty much sitting up by themselves we buckled them in facing forward like big girls :( I can't believe how fast they are growing up.

P.S. my mom, Gamma, made the girls their precious hats. It is really hard to find cute hats for babies whose heads are the size of baby dolls!

Funny things yesterday!

Yesterday I went into the girls room to get Brittyn up from her nap. I heard her talking over the monitor for about 10 minutes. When I put her down for her nap She was swaddled and laying on her right side in the side positioner on the far right of the bed. Lexyn woke up before her so I went to get her up and let Brittyn sleep longer. In the 30 minutes from getting Lexyn up and going into get Brittyn up she had scooted up and out of her swaddle and positioner and was at the far left of the bed upside down reaching for the cables to Lexyn's apnea monitor. Might I say, I have a major wiggle worm on my hands!

Once both girls got up from their nap, I put Brittyn in the jumperoo, and Lexyn in the excersaucer. I got a smart idea to face them towards each other since they have been really talking to one another. Brittyn started her crazy noise that she makes and Lexyn started belly laughing. It was so cute. That was the first time that they have made each other laugh. They are going to be so fun to watch grow up together.

They aren't really into sharing seats anymore. At that, they aren't really into sharing much of anything. Everytime Lexyn actually sits silently and plays with a toy, Brittyn is squilling as she scoots over to grab it. Majority of the time Brittyn is successful at stealing the toy from Lexyn's hands. But last night at my mom's house Brittyn was sitting in the viberating chair and playing with the toys. Lexyn wanted the toys so bad, she kept reaching down at them. I decided to see if they would sit in the chair together and play with the same toys. It actually worked for about 5 minutes. So of course I had to grab my camera!

Just some cute Pictures

This is what I came into their room to see this morning. Brittyn loves to roll over and tackle her sister.

Lexyn sitting on her knees so she can see in the mirror of her toy.

Brittyn sitting in her Bumbo chair helping me cook. By the way, she figured out how to get out of her bumbo chair on Friday January 2, 2009

January 2nd, cousins all playing together. Brinlee still says that Lexyn and Brittyn are her babies.

Night time snuggles

Saturday night I made my last round into the girls room to check on them before I hit the sack myself. Brittyn had given me fits that night when I layed her down. I went in to settle her down 3 times. Finally I had to just let her cry for a few minutes, then she calmed down and that was all were heard from her. When I took my last peek at them, I found them snuggling. Brittyn had pushed herself up out of her side positioners so that she could snuggle up to Lexyn. They were so cute.

Yes, I still swaddle them. They won't rest unless I do.

7 Months

Yes that's right, my babies are 7 months old. I can't believe that it is already January 2009 and that on January 2, 2009 Lexyn and Brittyn were 7 months old. They are getting so big. They both weigh over 11 pounds now, about an 8 pound weight gain since birth!

Brittyn:

*sleeping about 10 to 12 hours at night

*eating 4-5 tablespoons of babyfood once a day

*likes pureed applesauce, green beans, carrots, bananas, and sweet peas

*taking prosobee formula 4 to 5 ounces every 4 hours during the day

*cooing all the time

*scooting on her knees and arms backwards

*shaking rattles

*grabbing for every toy

*sitting up by herself

Lexyn:

*sleeping about 10 to 12 hours at night

*eating 4 -6 tablespoons of babyfood once a day

*actually opens her mouth for food

*likes pureed applesauce, green beans, bananas, carrots, and sweet peas

*taking Nutramigen formula 4 to 5 ounces every 4 hours during the day

*rolls over both directions

*rolls onto her tummy but then screams because she hates it

*holds rattles

*grabbing for every toy

*reaches out for her mommy, daddy, and Gamma

We are still hanging out at the house ALL THE TIME! I must say it isn't near as bad as I expected. When I read other blogs and hear about babies that are in the hospital with RSV, I am quickly reminded why we stay at home. We can't take any chances with the girls getting that scary virus.

Both girls are still on their heart monitor, but their doctor has requested for a download. Since they are doing so well, I am sure they will lose them this month. I have been preparing myself for that loss by not using the monitors at nap time. I am still pretty nervous about not having them at night time.

Brittyn is a very fun, pleasant baby that really only cries when she is hungry, tired or not feeling well. She just rolls all over the floor playing with whatever she can get her hands on. Lexyn on the other hand is a little more rotten, ok a LOT more rotten. I am actually looking for suggestions. She is so fussy for majority of the day and it doesn't stop when I am holding her. I bounce her, feed her, play with her, rock her, sing to her, you name it I probably do it just to get some silence. If you have a fussy baby or have any ideas I am up to try them!

With all that said, I don't want you to think I don't love being a stay at home mom. I have learned to tone it out and I still really enjoy raising my precious miracles.