Hello all,
With the New Year already rung in, here are the holiday updates for December.
December found us venturing out a bit more, walking to Vienna on warm days, walking at the mall in the mornings (which the pediatrician assures is safe) on cold days, developing smiles and laughs, and taking our first big trip!
We had a wonderful visit in Ohio with Grandmas, Grandpas, Aunts, Uncles, and cousins, and friends. It was so good to finally be home again, and Katharine and Christopher had great fun on their first multi-state travel! :)
The last photos from our Christmas visits are up on the December gallery. Enjoy!
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=6649285000105%3A1079353112&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
More in the New Year!
Love,
Andrea, David, Katharine, and Christopher
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
A Time To Be Thankful For What Matters Most
We are so thankful to have our little girl and boy home as we approach the holidays!
The fall has been beautiful, and things are beginning to turn colder here. So we still take advantage of the warmer days for walks, and are starting to get into a routine here at home.
The last several weeks have presented some feeding challenges for both of the kids, but especially for Katharine. She had been having a great deal of discomfort when eating, which caused lots of screaming and crying and spit ups, and unfortunately not enough eating and growing. Many long days and nights of worry caused us to visit the doctor a few times a week to try to pinpoint a treatment which would give her relief from the excessive acid reflux she was experiencing. Finally after three weeks, we were sent to a GI specialist, who recommended simplifying her medications to just one in greater strength, and going back to thickening her feeds, as they had done in the hospital.
While a follow up exam showed that all is functioning properly and that her delayed swallow reflex was corrected, thickening of her milk now allows her to keep it down better, helping to control acid reflux and spit ups. As soon as we made this change, she began to double what she can eat, and has not had spit ups as frequently. Christopher also had been having more reflux symptoms than before, as he is getting bigger and eating more. So the pediatrician recommended thickening his feeds too, and now they are both eating with greater ease.
We learned that this is not necessarily a step backward in their development, it is common among babies to reflux, and sometimes even a little rice cereal in the milk solves the problem. And eventually rice cereal will be a first food. We are using a different gel thickener we became used to in the hospital, and it is a very easy change that has made a world of difference for the kids! At their pediatrician’s appointment this week, Katharine’s weight broke the eight pound mark at eight pounds, two ounces! And Christopher is our big boy at ten pounds, two ounces!
The alleviation of this constant worry has made all of our lives easier and happier this last week, and we are beginning to settle into a routine. We are getting a little more sleep, and are glad to have help coming in a couple times a week to give Mama a break and give us both one good night's sleep a week.
We have been SO grateful for all the kindness of our friends who have come to brighten long days, bring meals, and lend moral support. And let’s not forget the cookie-laden care packages from Grandmas and Grandpas!! There have been moments when we truly needed to be lifted, and we thank you so much for doing just that!
We realized that we have taken shamefully few photos so far this month, and now that things are calmer, we are eager to capture and share more of those “almost smiles”, fun in the activity gym, and other precious moments to come! We look forward to sharing the kids’ first Thanksgiving this next week with Grandma and Grandpa Keller, which will also be sure to provide lots of opportunities for several sweet photos!
This post is our thanks-giving to all of you for your love and support, for being there, for listening, and for sending your love and prayers to our family throughout this year. We are so thankful for you, and for the kids, and to God for bringing our little ones home safely to us!
UPDATE:
We had a wonderful time with Grandma and Grandpa Keller for our very first Thanksgiving! We had a lot of fun visiting, sharing our thankfulness, and decorating our first Christmas tree! Complete photos for the month, including the holiday are now ready at our kodak gallery link! Enjoy!
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=836744249905%3A1272939009&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
Wishing a wonderful December to all!
With Love,
Andrea, David, Christopher, and Katharine
P.S. We became aware through the blog of fellow NICU parents that November is Prematurity Awareness Month! I was surprised to learn that 1 in every 8 babies is born prematurely. As I read through the posts of other parents on the March of Dimes site, I was struck by one that made this comparison; "You never notice how many red cars are out there until you drive a red car."
Through our experience in the NICU, we have heard so many stories from people who had, or knew, or were children born prematurely. Some of these stories have been inspiring, and some have been heartbreaking.
And we are truly grateful for the way our lives have been blessed by the doctors and nurses of the HRP wing this summer and in the NICU's at Fairfax and Fair Oaks this fall.
The March of Dimes does wonderful work for all those touched by these challenging and sometimes tragic births. You can find more information at http://www.marchofdimes.com/prematurityawareness.html
The fall has been beautiful, and things are beginning to turn colder here. So we still take advantage of the warmer days for walks, and are starting to get into a routine here at home.
The last several weeks have presented some feeding challenges for both of the kids, but especially for Katharine. She had been having a great deal of discomfort when eating, which caused lots of screaming and crying and spit ups, and unfortunately not enough eating and growing. Many long days and nights of worry caused us to visit the doctor a few times a week to try to pinpoint a treatment which would give her relief from the excessive acid reflux she was experiencing. Finally after three weeks, we were sent to a GI specialist, who recommended simplifying her medications to just one in greater strength, and going back to thickening her feeds, as they had done in the hospital.
While a follow up exam showed that all is functioning properly and that her delayed swallow reflex was corrected, thickening of her milk now allows her to keep it down better, helping to control acid reflux and spit ups. As soon as we made this change, she began to double what she can eat, and has not had spit ups as frequently. Christopher also had been having more reflux symptoms than before, as he is getting bigger and eating more. So the pediatrician recommended thickening his feeds too, and now they are both eating with greater ease.
We learned that this is not necessarily a step backward in their development, it is common among babies to reflux, and sometimes even a little rice cereal in the milk solves the problem. And eventually rice cereal will be a first food. We are using a different gel thickener we became used to in the hospital, and it is a very easy change that has made a world of difference for the kids! At their pediatrician’s appointment this week, Katharine’s weight broke the eight pound mark at eight pounds, two ounces! And Christopher is our big boy at ten pounds, two ounces!
The alleviation of this constant worry has made all of our lives easier and happier this last week, and we are beginning to settle into a routine. We are getting a little more sleep, and are glad to have help coming in a couple times a week to give Mama a break and give us both one good night's sleep a week.
We have been SO grateful for all the kindness of our friends who have come to brighten long days, bring meals, and lend moral support. And let’s not forget the cookie-laden care packages from Grandmas and Grandpas!! There have been moments when we truly needed to be lifted, and we thank you so much for doing just that!
We realized that we have taken shamefully few photos so far this month, and now that things are calmer, we are eager to capture and share more of those “almost smiles”, fun in the activity gym, and other precious moments to come! We look forward to sharing the kids’ first Thanksgiving this next week with Grandma and Grandpa Keller, which will also be sure to provide lots of opportunities for several sweet photos!
This post is our thanks-giving to all of you for your love and support, for being there, for listening, and for sending your love and prayers to our family throughout this year. We are so thankful for you, and for the kids, and to God for bringing our little ones home safely to us!
UPDATE:
We had a wonderful time with Grandma and Grandpa Keller for our very first Thanksgiving! We had a lot of fun visiting, sharing our thankfulness, and decorating our first Christmas tree! Complete photos for the month, including the holiday are now ready at our kodak gallery link! Enjoy!
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=836744249905%3A1272939009&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
Wishing a wonderful December to all!
With Love,
Andrea, David, Christopher, and Katharine
P.S. We became aware through the blog of fellow NICU parents that November is Prematurity Awareness Month! I was surprised to learn that 1 in every 8 babies is born prematurely. As I read through the posts of other parents on the March of Dimes site, I was struck by one that made this comparison; "You never notice how many red cars are out there until you drive a red car."
Through our experience in the NICU, we have heard so many stories from people who had, or knew, or were children born prematurely. Some of these stories have been inspiring, and some have been heartbreaking.
And we are truly grateful for the way our lives have been blessed by the doctors and nurses of the HRP wing this summer and in the NICU's at Fairfax and Fair Oaks this fall.
The March of Dimes does wonderful work for all those touched by these challenging and sometimes tragic births. You can find more information at http://www.marchofdimes.com/prematurityawareness.html
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Our First Weeks At Home (aka Weeks 10, 11, and 12)
A Very Happy Fall To All!
Ours has been even happier with the kids at home! I have finally gotten all the photos from our first weeks at home together. Here is the link for pictures of Weeks 10,11, and 12, give or take a few days.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=277668158905%3A1428446907&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
Beginning in November, we will be likely to just post monthly updates for the blog and add information as we go. As soon as we get some photos ready for each month, we’ll post the link so you can check at your leisure throughout the month as we continuously add photos and update that post with our new doings.
In the meantime, we are loving our time at home with the kids! Snuggle time is so much nicer now that it’s not scheduled, gowned, and supervised! And we try to take full advantage of this privilege, while still giving the kids and ourselves time for sleep. ☺
We enjoyed a wonderful visit with Grandma and Grandpa Sturgeon, and Grandma stayed for a week to visit and help out after David returned to work. Christopher and Katharine enjoyed the stories she told in the rocking chair, and Mom and Dad were glad for the extra TLC. ☺
We took our first outing with the kids to Meadowlark Botanical Gardens on a gorgeous day, and it was wonderful to just be out in the fresh fall air with them after such a long time under the fluorescent lights. We have also enjoyed a few nice first walks together in our neighborhood, and taking photos in our cute Halloween outfits to commemorate the season.
Our first weeks have also been punctuated by a few standard visits to the pediatrician, as well as a follow-up appointment to Katharine’s cardiologist from the hospital.
We are thrilled to share some news and thank you all for your prayers regarding the PDA that Katharine had been diagnosed with early on. We had been told it would not be likely to close on its own due to its nature and size, and we shared our prayer concern with you that she would at best be facing a procedure down the road. The spectacular news we received at the follow up appointment is that she no longer has the PDA at all! It HAS closed on its own, and that is one less hurdle our little girl will need to face! Thanks to God and to all of you for keeping her and us in your prayers. We are so grateful for this blessing!
We will continue to share news and fun stories over time, as we enjoy getting know our little ones better, and they us.
Wishing you a wonderful end to fall!
With Love,
Andrea, David, Katharine, and Christopher
Ours has been even happier with the kids at home! I have finally gotten all the photos from our first weeks at home together. Here is the link for pictures of Weeks 10,11, and 12, give or take a few days.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=277668158905%3A1428446907&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
Beginning in November, we will be likely to just post monthly updates for the blog and add information as we go. As soon as we get some photos ready for each month, we’ll post the link so you can check at your leisure throughout the month as we continuously add photos and update that post with our new doings.
In the meantime, we are loving our time at home with the kids! Snuggle time is so much nicer now that it’s not scheduled, gowned, and supervised! And we try to take full advantage of this privilege, while still giving the kids and ourselves time for sleep. ☺
We enjoyed a wonderful visit with Grandma and Grandpa Sturgeon, and Grandma stayed for a week to visit and help out after David returned to work. Christopher and Katharine enjoyed the stories she told in the rocking chair, and Mom and Dad were glad for the extra TLC. ☺
We took our first outing with the kids to Meadowlark Botanical Gardens on a gorgeous day, and it was wonderful to just be out in the fresh fall air with them after such a long time under the fluorescent lights. We have also enjoyed a few nice first walks together in our neighborhood, and taking photos in our cute Halloween outfits to commemorate the season.
Our first weeks have also been punctuated by a few standard visits to the pediatrician, as well as a follow-up appointment to Katharine’s cardiologist from the hospital.
We are thrilled to share some news and thank you all for your prayers regarding the PDA that Katharine had been diagnosed with early on. We had been told it would not be likely to close on its own due to its nature and size, and we shared our prayer concern with you that she would at best be facing a procedure down the road. The spectacular news we received at the follow up appointment is that she no longer has the PDA at all! It HAS closed on its own, and that is one less hurdle our little girl will need to face! Thanks to God and to all of you for keeping her and us in your prayers. We are so grateful for this blessing!
We will continue to share news and fun stories over time, as we enjoy getting know our little ones better, and they us.
Wishing you a wonderful end to fall!
With Love,
Andrea, David, Katharine, and Christopher
Thursday, October 21, 2010
The Keller Twins Have Come Home! (aka Week 10)
Week 10 was wonderful!
In case you were wondering what happened to our blog posts, you now know… the Keller Twins have come home!!
So much has happened this last week. Our visit with Grandma and Grandpa Keller was wonderful. The kids had so much fun meeting them and we enjoyed being all together!
Katharine was taken off of thickened feeds, and is now taking regular breast milk and formula. While David was out of town for work for a couple of days, Andrea stayed overnight with the kids in their room at the hospital for a couple of nights. It was a great opportunity to get to know the kids’ nighttime routines and learn what it is like to wake up in the middle of the night with the babies.
The day after David returned, we got a huge surprise! After sleeping in for the first time in a while, and planning to get some work and errands done, we got a phone call midday to let us know that BOTH of the kids were ready to come home! While this was an unexpected surprise, we were thrilled to know that they would soon be home, and rushed to the hospital to do the “car seat challenge.” Both kids passed the test with flying colors, sitting successfully in their car seats without any alarms on their monitors.
So that was it – the kids were ready to check out of their private accommodations at Fair Oaks Hospital. On Saturday, October 16, Katharine and Christopher were finally able to complete their long journey home!
Since then, as you can imagine, our lives have been filled with feedings, diapers, snuggles, and just a little sleep. The kids seem to be interested in their new surroundings for short periods of time. Christopher is fascinated by the lights on the swing, and Katharine is loving just taking in everything around her, night and day. And both of them are very eager to meet and visit with Grandma and Grandpa Sturgeon this weekend!
While we still mean to document the kids’ new experiences in the world, you may notice a slight decline in the number of photos we get posted, as well as the frequency of our updates, now that our precious children are home. Never fear, updates and photos will still be available when we can get them up. The kids are taskmasters and are keeping us on a pretty tight schedule. ;)
We are so glad to have gotten this update ready for the blog. Pictures are coming soon!
As always, thank you so much to all for your love, prayers, and support during this long journey home.
With love,
Andrea, David, Katharine, and Christopher
In case you were wondering what happened to our blog posts, you now know… the Keller Twins have come home!!
So much has happened this last week. Our visit with Grandma and Grandpa Keller was wonderful. The kids had so much fun meeting them and we enjoyed being all together!
Katharine was taken off of thickened feeds, and is now taking regular breast milk and formula. While David was out of town for work for a couple of days, Andrea stayed overnight with the kids in their room at the hospital for a couple of nights. It was a great opportunity to get to know the kids’ nighttime routines and learn what it is like to wake up in the middle of the night with the babies.
The day after David returned, we got a huge surprise! After sleeping in for the first time in a while, and planning to get some work and errands done, we got a phone call midday to let us know that BOTH of the kids were ready to come home! While this was an unexpected surprise, we were thrilled to know that they would soon be home, and rushed to the hospital to do the “car seat challenge.” Both kids passed the test with flying colors, sitting successfully in their car seats without any alarms on their monitors.
So that was it – the kids were ready to check out of their private accommodations at Fair Oaks Hospital. On Saturday, October 16, Katharine and Christopher were finally able to complete their long journey home!
Since then, as you can imagine, our lives have been filled with feedings, diapers, snuggles, and just a little sleep. The kids seem to be interested in their new surroundings for short periods of time. Christopher is fascinated by the lights on the swing, and Katharine is loving just taking in everything around her, night and day. And both of them are very eager to meet and visit with Grandma and Grandpa Sturgeon this weekend!
While we still mean to document the kids’ new experiences in the world, you may notice a slight decline in the number of photos we get posted, as well as the frequency of our updates, now that our precious children are home. Never fear, updates and photos will still be available when we can get them up. The kids are taskmasters and are keeping us on a pretty tight schedule. ;)
We are so glad to have gotten this update ready for the blog. Pictures are coming soon!
As always, thank you so much to all for your love, prayers, and support during this long journey home.
With love,
Andrea, David, Katharine, and Christopher
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Week Nine
Welcome Week Nine!
As we begin Week Nine, we think we may also be looking into the light at the end of the tunnel! The doctors, nurses, and specialists here seem to think we’re getting closer to the end of our stay!
Now we are mostly working on eating skills. The speech therapist at Fair Oaks who worked with the kids on Tuesday has changed the kids from their thickened feeds to regular milk for Christopher, and just some thickening added for Katharine. This moves them both closer to the end goal of regular feeding. Additionally, both have begun feeding on demand, rather than on a set schedule, and are able to have as much as they want from a bottle.
Eating all of our food from a bottle is one of the final steps required before we’re ready to go home. Christopher is a few days ahead of Katharine. And as long as he continues to gain weight and be without spells, he may be ready to go home as soon as early next week!
Katharine is still working on her feedings, as her swallow reflex is still developing. So she continues to require thicker milk, and we are helping her pace at feedings, although she is starting to learn to pace herself.
Should Christopher come home first, we will be able to take him with us to visit her in her private room until she’s also ready to come home.
It will be exciting to see what develops in week nine!
And we’re so excited that Grandmas and Grandpas can now visit to meet the kids! We look forward to seeing Grandma and Grandpa Keller this weekend, and Grandma and Grandpa Sturgeon next weekend!
Here are some of the photos we have to share so far – don’t forget to check back! We look forward to sharing more updates and lots of fun photos as Week Nine continues!
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=683499777905%3A1787428627&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
Love,
Andrea, David, Katharine, and Christopher
As we begin Week Nine, we think we may also be looking into the light at the end of the tunnel! The doctors, nurses, and specialists here seem to think we’re getting closer to the end of our stay!
Now we are mostly working on eating skills. The speech therapist at Fair Oaks who worked with the kids on Tuesday has changed the kids from their thickened feeds to regular milk for Christopher, and just some thickening added for Katharine. This moves them both closer to the end goal of regular feeding. Additionally, both have begun feeding on demand, rather than on a set schedule, and are able to have as much as they want from a bottle.
Eating all of our food from a bottle is one of the final steps required before we’re ready to go home. Christopher is a few days ahead of Katharine. And as long as he continues to gain weight and be without spells, he may be ready to go home as soon as early next week!
Katharine is still working on her feedings, as her swallow reflex is still developing. So she continues to require thicker milk, and we are helping her pace at feedings, although she is starting to learn to pace herself.
Should Christopher come home first, we will be able to take him with us to visit her in her private room until she’s also ready to come home.
It will be exciting to see what develops in week nine!
And we’re so excited that Grandmas and Grandpas can now visit to meet the kids! We look forward to seeing Grandma and Grandpa Keller this weekend, and Grandma and Grandpa Sturgeon next weekend!
Here are some of the photos we have to share so far – don’t forget to check back! We look forward to sharing more updates and lots of fun photos as Week Nine continues!
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=683499777905%3A1787428627&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
Love,
Andrea, David, Katharine, and Christopher
Friday, October 1, 2010
Week Eight
We recently got the post and photos up for Week 7. Read all about the latest if you haven’t seen it already!
As we start Week 8, we find that we already have a lot of fun photos to share, so we’ve got a gallery started already (see the link below)!
We're still growing strong! At seven weeks on Wednesday, both kids were at 6 pounds 4 ounces!
The biggest news so far this week is that we decided to transfer to Fair Oaks Hospital on Saturday. We met with the staff on Friday, and feel strongly that this will be exactly what we and the kids need now. While it is a little farther for us, the facility is much quieter and more family friendly. All of their rooms are private, a great departure from the crowded and busy open nursery setup at Fairfax.
So Christopher and Katharine are now sharing their own room, out of isolation from one another, and we are able to visit around the clock, with rooming-in facilities. We will be able to care for the kids more independently, while still having medical care and guidance close by, as the kids continue to work on eating and growing. We are thrilled to have access to the more peaceful environment for our family and for the kids’ development.
The best perk to the kids’ new home away from home….that they have finally met one another, after more than seven weeks of separation! This moment is long overdue, and we hope the source of many cute photos! ☺
Check back during the week for more updates! Here is a link for the photos we have so far…
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=601065457905%3A978808929&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
In other news, we are putting the final touches on the nursery here at home and are all set for the kids to come enjoy their new room when they're ready! We're sharing a few photos of the nursery in a separate gallery. Here's the site for that...
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=594395567905%3A1390857281&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
Enjoy!
With Love,
Andrea, David, Katharine, and Christopher
As we start Week 8, we find that we already have a lot of fun photos to share, so we’ve got a gallery started already (see the link below)!
We're still growing strong! At seven weeks on Wednesday, both kids were at 6 pounds 4 ounces!
The biggest news so far this week is that we decided to transfer to Fair Oaks Hospital on Saturday. We met with the staff on Friday, and feel strongly that this will be exactly what we and the kids need now. While it is a little farther for us, the facility is much quieter and more family friendly. All of their rooms are private, a great departure from the crowded and busy open nursery setup at Fairfax.
So Christopher and Katharine are now sharing their own room, out of isolation from one another, and we are able to visit around the clock, with rooming-in facilities. We will be able to care for the kids more independently, while still having medical care and guidance close by, as the kids continue to work on eating and growing. We are thrilled to have access to the more peaceful environment for our family and for the kids’ development.
The best perk to the kids’ new home away from home….that they have finally met one another, after more than seven weeks of separation! This moment is long overdue, and we hope the source of many cute photos! ☺
Check back during the week for more updates! Here is a link for the photos we have so far…
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=601065457905%3A978808929&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
In other news, we are putting the final touches on the nursery here at home and are all set for the kids to come enjoy their new room when they're ready! We're sharing a few photos of the nursery in a separate gallery. Here's the site for that...
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=594395567905%3A1390857281&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
Enjoy!
With Love,
Andrea, David, Katharine, and Christopher
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Week Seven
Photos for Week Seven are ready for you! You can copy and paste this address into your browser to see them. Enjoy!
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=540216157905%3A1033495247&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
Week Seven has been a week of ups and downs. Par for the course in the NICU, we are recognizing the “two steps forward one step back” experience.
The kids have been doing a great job of breathing on their own without the nasal cannula! Some days are better than others in terms of their oxygen saturation, but for the most part these numbers are looking more stable each day.
Both Christopher and Katharine have had some challenges with steady breathing, however, as they work on taking more of their food from a bottle. Some days are easier for them than others, and they are able to eat more. But sometimes they have some difficulty. As a result, the speech therapist was consulted this week to help examine their suck, swallow, breathe coordination. Both kids showed signs of needing help with breathing while eating, usually holding their breath for a while to suck and swallow, and then breathing very quickly to catch up. This reflex poses a risk for them to accidentally inhale any milk left in their mouth, so some intervention is needed until they are able to coordinate this more easily.
We learned that breast milk can be difficult for some preemies to handle because it flows so quickly that they don’t have time to manage the coordination of these tasks. So both kids were placed on “thickened feeds”, meaning simply that their milk is now mixed with a thickener that makes it flow more slowly from the bottle. Both are doing much better with this consistency, and get practice with the bottle at every other feeding, with time to rest in between practice sessions.
After drinking whatever amount they can from a bottle, they are receiving the remainder through their feeding tubes, so the kids are still growing like champions! They're both over six pounds now! Christopher is now close to 19 inches long, and Katharine is just over 17.5 inches. Some of their first preemie outfits are no longer working, and Mom thinks she’ll soon need to take up weight lifting to keep up with them! ☺
And the question of the month – when are they coming home? Well, we would love to say it would be in a couple more weeks! But we honestly don’t know. Based on their feeding progress, we may have several weeks to go. When pinned down to give us an estimate last weekend, their doctor gave us a very conservative “six to eight weeks”. We would of course love to have them home sooner, but we are very happy for them to have time to continue to grow until they are fully ready. So at this point, we are not ready to start a countdown. For now, we will just enjoy spending time with them while we wait!
Thank you, as always, for all your love and support!
With love,
Andrea, David, Christopher, and Katharine
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=540216157905%3A1033495247&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
Week Seven has been a week of ups and downs. Par for the course in the NICU, we are recognizing the “two steps forward one step back” experience.
The kids have been doing a great job of breathing on their own without the nasal cannula! Some days are better than others in terms of their oxygen saturation, but for the most part these numbers are looking more stable each day.
Both Christopher and Katharine have had some challenges with steady breathing, however, as they work on taking more of their food from a bottle. Some days are easier for them than others, and they are able to eat more. But sometimes they have some difficulty. As a result, the speech therapist was consulted this week to help examine their suck, swallow, breathe coordination. Both kids showed signs of needing help with breathing while eating, usually holding their breath for a while to suck and swallow, and then breathing very quickly to catch up. This reflex poses a risk for them to accidentally inhale any milk left in their mouth, so some intervention is needed until they are able to coordinate this more easily.
We learned that breast milk can be difficult for some preemies to handle because it flows so quickly that they don’t have time to manage the coordination of these tasks. So both kids were placed on “thickened feeds”, meaning simply that their milk is now mixed with a thickener that makes it flow more slowly from the bottle. Both are doing much better with this consistency, and get practice with the bottle at every other feeding, with time to rest in between practice sessions.
After drinking whatever amount they can from a bottle, they are receiving the remainder through their feeding tubes, so the kids are still growing like champions! They're both over six pounds now! Christopher is now close to 19 inches long, and Katharine is just over 17.5 inches. Some of their first preemie outfits are no longer working, and Mom thinks she’ll soon need to take up weight lifting to keep up with them! ☺
And the question of the month – when are they coming home? Well, we would love to say it would be in a couple more weeks! But we honestly don’t know. Based on their feeding progress, we may have several weeks to go. When pinned down to give us an estimate last weekend, their doctor gave us a very conservative “six to eight weeks”. We would of course love to have them home sooner, but we are very happy for them to have time to continue to grow until they are fully ready. So at this point, we are not ready to start a countdown. For now, we will just enjoy spending time with them while we wait!
Thank you, as always, for all your love and support!
With love,
Andrea, David, Christopher, and Katharine
Monday, September 20, 2010
Week Six
The Week Six Kodak Gallery is finally up! David figured out that our browser was struggling with the site. But the crisis has been averted, and all our photos from Week Six are waiting for you now! Here is the link to paste into your browser. Enjoy!
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=445024027905%3A1964578548&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
As we finish Week Six, we are celebrating a few new milestones!
Both of the kids have done a lot of growing this last week. Katharine is now five pounds and two ounces pounds, and Christopher is five pounds and twelve ounces already! And Mom and Dad are now having lots of fun giving baths in an actual little tub. We are amazed by how much bigger, stronger, and heavier they seem from even this time last week!
And both are taking 5-10 ml of milk in a bottle prior to their regular feeding tube meals, and are doing a great job, working on coordinating their "suck, swallow, breathe" reflexes. Katharine so far is a very eager eater, who needs some help with pacing from Mom and Dad so that she doesn't end up with a mouthful of milk all over her. And while Christopher sometimes needs some time to think about it, he is doing a fabulous job of eating once he decides that it is something he wants to do.
Katharine and Christopher are both now breathing without the nasal cannula! Their doctor decided to do a trial run without it on Friday and Saturday afternoons, and so far they are going strong, and doing a fabulous job. We look forward to sharing photos with you of our little darlings without this extra decoration on their faces! :)
The question of the week - when will they be ready to come home? This is a very good question, for which we have not gotten a real answer. They are already doing a lot of what they need to by controlling their own body temperature and breathing pretty well on their own. The last set of hurdles will involve their feedings. They are eating about 350 milliliters a day, with about 20 ml being from a bottle. Before they go home, they have to be able to take ALL of their feedings from a bottle. And as they work toward this goal, it is possible that they may have trouble regulating the other systems they are seeming to manage well now. So, in short, they will not be ready next week. It could easily be 2-3 weeks longer, depending on how things progress.
As always, we are so thankful for your prayers and love!
With Love,
Andrea, David, Christopher, and Katharine
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=445024027905%3A1964578548&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
As we finish Week Six, we are celebrating a few new milestones!
Both of the kids have done a lot of growing this last week. Katharine is now five pounds and two ounces pounds, and Christopher is five pounds and twelve ounces already! And Mom and Dad are now having lots of fun giving baths in an actual little tub. We are amazed by how much bigger, stronger, and heavier they seem from even this time last week!
And both are taking 5-10 ml of milk in a bottle prior to their regular feeding tube meals, and are doing a great job, working on coordinating their "suck, swallow, breathe" reflexes. Katharine so far is a very eager eater, who needs some help with pacing from Mom and Dad so that she doesn't end up with a mouthful of milk all over her. And while Christopher sometimes needs some time to think about it, he is doing a fabulous job of eating once he decides that it is something he wants to do.
Katharine and Christopher are both now breathing without the nasal cannula! Their doctor decided to do a trial run without it on Friday and Saturday afternoons, and so far they are going strong, and doing a fabulous job. We look forward to sharing photos with you of our little darlings without this extra decoration on their faces! :)
The question of the week - when will they be ready to come home? This is a very good question, for which we have not gotten a real answer. They are already doing a lot of what they need to by controlling their own body temperature and breathing pretty well on their own. The last set of hurdles will involve their feedings. They are eating about 350 milliliters a day, with about 20 ml being from a bottle. Before they go home, they have to be able to take ALL of their feedings from a bottle. And as they work toward this goal, it is possible that they may have trouble regulating the other systems they are seeming to manage well now. So, in short, they will not be ready next week. It could easily be 2-3 weeks longer, depending on how things progress.
As always, we are so thankful for your prayers and love!
With Love,
Andrea, David, Christopher, and Katharine
Sunday, September 19, 2010
September 14 Update
UPDATE 9/14/10:
Katharine's PDA was smaller during yesterday's echocardiogram! While it is still unlikely to close on its own, the signs that it is getting smaller make surgery less likely. Her doctor suggested today that she might continue to be monitored after discharge from the hospital. Then sometime after the age of six months, she could have a procedure to close it which accesses the area through the groin, which is much less invasive than surgery, avoiding the long recovery from a surgery. This possibility is wonderful news, and we are currently breathing a sigh of relief! We also understand, however, that by nature, the PDA can still get larger and smaller. So we pray that she continues to show signs of improvement, and that her breathing and heart rates grow more stable as she continues to grow. At this point, she is not scheduled for another echo, as long as the murmur they're hearing indicates that it is still smaller.
Thank you again for your love and prayers! We will keep you informed when we receive updates on the status of this concern.
In other news, Christopher broke the five pound mark today, at five pounds, 2 ounces. Katharine is gaining as well, at four pounds, nine ounces! Grow kids, grow!
Katharine's PDA was smaller during yesterday's echocardiogram! While it is still unlikely to close on its own, the signs that it is getting smaller make surgery less likely. Her doctor suggested today that she might continue to be monitored after discharge from the hospital. Then sometime after the age of six months, she could have a procedure to close it which accesses the area through the groin, which is much less invasive than surgery, avoiding the long recovery from a surgery. This possibility is wonderful news, and we are currently breathing a sigh of relief! We also understand, however, that by nature, the PDA can still get larger and smaller. So we pray that she continues to show signs of improvement, and that her breathing and heart rates grow more stable as she continues to grow. At this point, she is not scheduled for another echo, as long as the murmur they're hearing indicates that it is still smaller.
Thank you again for your love and prayers! We will keep you informed when we receive updates on the status of this concern.
In other news, Christopher broke the five pound mark today, at five pounds, 2 ounces. Katharine is gaining as well, at four pounds, nine ounces! Grow kids, grow!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Week Five
As promised, here is the link for some photos for the beginning of week five! Happy Grandparents' Day, Mom and Dad Sturgeon and Mom and Dad Keller! We love you!
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=516679686905%3A1827631904&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
(Please let me know if you have any trouble with this - I think I copied the right link this week! Also, try using Control/Command and C for copy and Control/Command and V for paste.)
This week has been a lot of fun so far, celebrating the kids' four week birthday on Wednesday, Mom's 37th birthday on Thursday, and then the kids'one month birthday on Saturday.
This week, both Katharine and Christopher have been growing - so far she is four pounds five ounces, and he is heading toward five, at four pounds fourteen ounces!
Both kids are now working on learning to drink a very small amount from a bottle (five ml) twice a day. And in between bottles, they are practicing the skill with a pacifier, learning to suck and hold it at the same time.
We are also learning some stimulation "exercises" and some holding positions to use with the kids during our hands on time with them, which will help them develop and strengthen their muscles.
And mom and dad are really enjoying holding and interacting with the kids as they develop and begin to spend more time awake around feedings. Holding bottles, practicing with pacifiers, getting weighed.... this week has been a lot of fun!
Without creating worry, we would like to share a prayer concern with you. We are learning that Katharine's PDA may not be closing on its own. Without going through too many details, a PDA is a little like a detour between the heart and the lungs, because babies in the womb do not use oxygen the same way as babies who have been born - because you're not taking oxygen through the lungs until you're born. The PDA is something that usually closes for all of us at birth, allowing the passage of oxygen between the lungs and the heart. When it doesn't completely close at birth, it can sometimes still close on its own. The doctors were thinking this might happen with Katharine's PDA, because it was initially very small. Unfortunately, the PDA can get smaller or larger, and it appears that Katharine's is getting larger, causing a more noticeable heart murmur, an enlarged left ventricle, and an unsteady breathing rate.
This is of concern for Katharine as she is working to develop the regulation of so many body systems while her little lungs develop, affecting her breathing and heart rate. This is something the doctors will continue to monitor with weekly echocardiograms. At some point, the PDA will eventually need to close on its own (which is looking less likely now), or she will need surgery to close it. We are trusting in faith that our sweet children have already been so blessed and will continue to be blessed by God's loving protection. And we pray that the hands and decisions of Katharine's doctors and nurses will be guided by His wisdom and love, so that she may continue to develop her strength. We would be so grateful if you were also moved to pray for our strong little girl and her care. Thank you so very much for your loving support!
New photos for Week 5 to come soon - keep checking back!
With Love,
Andrea, David, Christopher, and Katharine
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=516679686905%3A1827631904&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
(Please let me know if you have any trouble with this - I think I copied the right link this week! Also, try using Control/Command and C for copy and Control/Command and V for paste.)
This week has been a lot of fun so far, celebrating the kids' four week birthday on Wednesday, Mom's 37th birthday on Thursday, and then the kids'one month birthday on Saturday.
This week, both Katharine and Christopher have been growing - so far she is four pounds five ounces, and he is heading toward five, at four pounds fourteen ounces!
Both kids are now working on learning to drink a very small amount from a bottle (five ml) twice a day. And in between bottles, they are practicing the skill with a pacifier, learning to suck and hold it at the same time.
We are also learning some stimulation "exercises" and some holding positions to use with the kids during our hands on time with them, which will help them develop and strengthen their muscles.
And mom and dad are really enjoying holding and interacting with the kids as they develop and begin to spend more time awake around feedings. Holding bottles, practicing with pacifiers, getting weighed.... this week has been a lot of fun!
Without creating worry, we would like to share a prayer concern with you. We are learning that Katharine's PDA may not be closing on its own. Without going through too many details, a PDA is a little like a detour between the heart and the lungs, because babies in the womb do not use oxygen the same way as babies who have been born - because you're not taking oxygen through the lungs until you're born. The PDA is something that usually closes for all of us at birth, allowing the passage of oxygen between the lungs and the heart. When it doesn't completely close at birth, it can sometimes still close on its own. The doctors were thinking this might happen with Katharine's PDA, because it was initially very small. Unfortunately, the PDA can get smaller or larger, and it appears that Katharine's is getting larger, causing a more noticeable heart murmur, an enlarged left ventricle, and an unsteady breathing rate.
This is of concern for Katharine as she is working to develop the regulation of so many body systems while her little lungs develop, affecting her breathing and heart rate. This is something the doctors will continue to monitor with weekly echocardiograms. At some point, the PDA will eventually need to close on its own (which is looking less likely now), or she will need surgery to close it. We are trusting in faith that our sweet children have already been so blessed and will continue to be blessed by God's loving protection. And we pray that the hands and decisions of Katharine's doctors and nurses will be guided by His wisdom and love, so that she may continue to develop her strength. We would be so grateful if you were also moved to pray for our strong little girl and her care. Thank you so very much for your loving support!
New photos for Week 5 to come soon - keep checking back!
With Love,
Andrea, David, Christopher, and Katharine
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Week Four Was Wonderful!
Week Four has been very exciting so far! Katharine took a trial run in an open crib this week! She is now back in her isolette, but is doing a great job of working on maintaining her temperature. And Christopher moved into an open crib for the first time today! An update on Christopher's isolation - he has tested negative for the infection in his first follow-up test. We'll have one more follow up, and he'll continue to have an isolation screen through his discharge. So we'll continue to wear gloves and gowns with him, but are glad to hopefully have the infection behind us.
Both kids are doing well with their feedings, and Katharine has even begun some practice runs at "suck, swallow, breathe", taking a tiny amount of milk in a bottle twice a day! It was a startling experience when she first realized that this was not a pacifier - something coming out of it! :) But she got the idea within a few seconds, and is doing fabulous with the bottles. Mom enjoyed giving her a bottle for the first time!
And most exciting for us is that both kids were moved into the "step-down" room on Sunday! The room is designed for babies needing less-intense care to continue to make the final steps toward getting ready to head home. The room is smaller and quieter, and the kids are finally together again, separated only by Christopher's isolation screen. We're so glad to be together, to feel a little more like a family when we're visiting. The kids have yet to "meet", but we look forward to holding them together and introducing them! :)
And finally, Katharine joined Christopher in the "four pound" club this week! Both kids are gaining weight steadily as a result of constantly increasing feeds, which will continue to improve development and achievement of important milestones!
Here is the site for this week's photo gallery for you to copy into your browser. A few of you have let me know that this week's link didn't work for you - Thank you! I corrected the link below for you - please give it another try.
Also, if your browser does not let you access the "copy" and "paste" functions under "Edit", try using "Control C" for copy, and "Control V" for paste - once you highlight the site, press control and the letter c to copy it. Then once you've cleared your web browser line, click on it and press control and the letter v to paste it. Hopefully that will make it easier to access the photos for you! :)
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=382086366905%3A1894952531&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
Love,
Andrea, David, Katharine, and Christopher
Both kids are doing well with their feedings, and Katharine has even begun some practice runs at "suck, swallow, breathe", taking a tiny amount of milk in a bottle twice a day! It was a startling experience when she first realized that this was not a pacifier - something coming out of it! :) But she got the idea within a few seconds, and is doing fabulous with the bottles. Mom enjoyed giving her a bottle for the first time!
And most exciting for us is that both kids were moved into the "step-down" room on Sunday! The room is designed for babies needing less-intense care to continue to make the final steps toward getting ready to head home. The room is smaller and quieter, and the kids are finally together again, separated only by Christopher's isolation screen. We're so glad to be together, to feel a little more like a family when we're visiting. The kids have yet to "meet", but we look forward to holding them together and introducing them! :)
And finally, Katharine joined Christopher in the "four pound" club this week! Both kids are gaining weight steadily as a result of constantly increasing feeds, which will continue to improve development and achievement of important milestones!
Here is the site for this week's photo gallery for you to copy into your browser. A few of you have let me know that this week's link didn't work for you - Thank you! I corrected the link below for you - please give it another try.
Also, if your browser does not let you access the "copy" and "paste" functions under "Edit", try using "Control C" for copy, and "Control V" for paste - once you highlight the site, press control and the letter c to copy it. Then once you've cleared your web browser line, click on it and press control and the letter v to paste it. Hopefully that will make it easier to access the photos for you! :)
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=382086366905%3A1894952531&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
Love,
Andrea, David, Katharine, and Christopher
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Some Week Three Photos
Happy Three-Week Birthday, Christopher and Katharine!
What a wonderful week of development for our little ones! Today Katharine is about 3 pounds and 10 ounces, and Christopher is 3 pounds 14 ounces. As we get closer to four pounds, the kids are both almost completely off of temperature controls in their isolettes. Once this is mastered, they should soon be moving on to an open crib!
Both have also recently moved on to “bolus” feedings, a huge step in the right direction for their nutrition! Where they were receiving a constant flow through their feeding tube before, they now receive an increasing amount over a 2 ½ hour period. As this is well tolerated, they will move to receiving the amount in 2 hours, 1 hour, and so on, until they are able to take their entire feeding in a 30 minute period, with feedings occurring every three hours. This will mimic the feeding pattern a newborn would normally follow, in preparation for eventually taking a bottle and breastfeeding.
The kids continue to work on regulating their breathing and oxygen levels. They still have progress to make to become completely independent, but we’re glad to see that they are struggling less with this. We continue to pray that we will see further progress on this front.
Oh yes, and Christopher is still in "isolation", following his eye infection. So we continue to don the yellow gowns and gloves with him.
We had a lot of fun this week trying out some of the adorable preemie outfits we’ve received, as both kids are free of IV’s and critical lines, making outfits possible. We are loving the time we can spend “hands on” with the kids, changing diapers and outfits, singing, and snuggling. The only negative is having to put them back to bed! But they need their rest just as much as they need bonding time with Mom and Dad, and we’re glad to make sure they receive both.
We continue to document as many special moments and milestones as we can with photos. You can check the updates for Week Three at…
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=872086366905%3A542931770&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
Watch for future posts for photos of Week Four!
We are excited to see how they will continue to grow in Week Four! We are so grateful for your prayers and love! Thank you so much for your support!
With Love,
Andrea, David, Christopher, and Katharine
What a wonderful week of development for our little ones! Today Katharine is about 3 pounds and 10 ounces, and Christopher is 3 pounds 14 ounces. As we get closer to four pounds, the kids are both almost completely off of temperature controls in their isolettes. Once this is mastered, they should soon be moving on to an open crib!
Both have also recently moved on to “bolus” feedings, a huge step in the right direction for their nutrition! Where they were receiving a constant flow through their feeding tube before, they now receive an increasing amount over a 2 ½ hour period. As this is well tolerated, they will move to receiving the amount in 2 hours, 1 hour, and so on, until they are able to take their entire feeding in a 30 minute period, with feedings occurring every three hours. This will mimic the feeding pattern a newborn would normally follow, in preparation for eventually taking a bottle and breastfeeding.
The kids continue to work on regulating their breathing and oxygen levels. They still have progress to make to become completely independent, but we’re glad to see that they are struggling less with this. We continue to pray that we will see further progress on this front.
Oh yes, and Christopher is still in "isolation", following his eye infection. So we continue to don the yellow gowns and gloves with him.
We had a lot of fun this week trying out some of the adorable preemie outfits we’ve received, as both kids are free of IV’s and critical lines, making outfits possible. We are loving the time we can spend “hands on” with the kids, changing diapers and outfits, singing, and snuggling. The only negative is having to put them back to bed! But they need their rest just as much as they need bonding time with Mom and Dad, and we’re glad to make sure they receive both.
We continue to document as many special moments and milestones as we can with photos. You can check the updates for Week Three at…
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=872086366905%3A542931770&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
Watch for future posts for photos of Week Four!
We are excited to see how they will continue to grow in Week Four! We are so grateful for your prayers and love! Thank you so much for your support!
With Love,
Andrea, David, Christopher, and Katharine
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Our Second Week!
Happy Two-Week Birthday, Christopher and Katharine!
The second week of the twins’ life has been a time of big and small steps, forward and back! As we celebrate each step forward, as the kids are challenged to make in their development, we also learn patience through faith, as they sometimes then need to step backward. We are always excited to see them making forward progress, and are glad that they have access to support when they need it.
The kids are increasing their feeds each day; a constant feeding that goes through a nasal tube into their little tummies, consisting of breast milk mixed with a high calorie formula. As a result, they are gaining weight (after the initial weight loss which is so common in the first week). Today Katharine was about 3 pounds and 7 ½ ounces, and Christopher was 3 pounds 10 ½ ounces. And as of tonight, both will be off their IV fluids and on the way to taking exclusively breast milk!
Both kids have tried out lower levels of air pressure in their nasal cannula this week, and then have needed to go back up a little. The regulating the levels of oxygen in their blood and its effect on heart rate and body systems is still an area for progress. Both will be having a second echocardiogram to follow up on the development of these systems. We pray that we will continue to see further progress on this front.
Regular bilirubin checks (for signs of jaundice) have Katharine back under light therapy for her birthday, sporting her little black sunglasses, but those numbers are improving quickly. Both of them have moved to “big kid” beds (still an isolette, but the side-access kind which are used for babies who don’t need as much attention). Christopher is also regulating his own body temperature without the assistance of temperature and humidity controls. He is usually all bundled up now in a little shirt and blanket to keep him warm, and is doing a fabulous job of maintaining his own body temp!
The most exciting step this week was that we were able to start holding our darlings a couple of times a day. Dad went back to work this week, so Mom holds them at lunch or in the afternoon, and Dad holds them at night before we read a story and “tuck them in”. It has been so wonderful to finally hold our children in our arms as they peer up at us, or sleep! And as difficult as it can be to leave our little ones in the NICU, it has been such a blessing to have the caring nurses and doctors close by to show us how to hold and care for our little ones as they grow.
We are excited to see how they will continue to grow in Week Three! Thank you so much to everyone for the lovely cards and messages and for your prayers. We are so thankful for these blessings!
PS – We continue to document as many special moments and milestones as we can with photos. You can check the latest updates for Week Two at…
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=798477795905%3A400813446&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
You can paste this link in your browser. You should be able to view the photos without signing in.
With Love,
Andrea, David, Christopher, and Katharine
The second week of the twins’ life has been a time of big and small steps, forward and back! As we celebrate each step forward, as the kids are challenged to make in their development, we also learn patience through faith, as they sometimes then need to step backward. We are always excited to see them making forward progress, and are glad that they have access to support when they need it.
The kids are increasing their feeds each day; a constant feeding that goes through a nasal tube into their little tummies, consisting of breast milk mixed with a high calorie formula. As a result, they are gaining weight (after the initial weight loss which is so common in the first week). Today Katharine was about 3 pounds and 7 ½ ounces, and Christopher was 3 pounds 10 ½ ounces. And as of tonight, both will be off their IV fluids and on the way to taking exclusively breast milk!
Both kids have tried out lower levels of air pressure in their nasal cannula this week, and then have needed to go back up a little. The regulating the levels of oxygen in their blood and its effect on heart rate and body systems is still an area for progress. Both will be having a second echocardiogram to follow up on the development of these systems. We pray that we will continue to see further progress on this front.
Regular bilirubin checks (for signs of jaundice) have Katharine back under light therapy for her birthday, sporting her little black sunglasses, but those numbers are improving quickly. Both of them have moved to “big kid” beds (still an isolette, but the side-access kind which are used for babies who don’t need as much attention). Christopher is also regulating his own body temperature without the assistance of temperature and humidity controls. He is usually all bundled up now in a little shirt and blanket to keep him warm, and is doing a fabulous job of maintaining his own body temp!
The most exciting step this week was that we were able to start holding our darlings a couple of times a day. Dad went back to work this week, so Mom holds them at lunch or in the afternoon, and Dad holds them at night before we read a story and “tuck them in”. It has been so wonderful to finally hold our children in our arms as they peer up at us, or sleep! And as difficult as it can be to leave our little ones in the NICU, it has been such a blessing to have the caring nurses and doctors close by to show us how to hold and care for our little ones as they grow.
We are excited to see how they will continue to grow in Week Three! Thank you so much to everyone for the lovely cards and messages and for your prayers. We are so thankful for these blessings!
PS – We continue to document as many special moments and milestones as we can with photos. You can check the latest updates for Week Two at…
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=798477795905%3A400813446&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee
You can paste this link in your browser. You should be able to view the photos without signing in.
With Love,
Andrea, David, Christopher, and Katharine
Friday, August 20, 2010
Welcome Katharine and Christopher! - Our First Week
Happy Birthday, Christopher and Katharine!
Dear Family and Friends,
This entry of our blog celebrates the one-week birthday of our beautiful children! Last Wednesday, on Day 6 of week 29, Katharine Leona Keller was born at 11:20 AM, at three pounds and one ounce, and 16.5 inches. Christopher Lewis Keller was born at 11:22, at three pounds and five ounces, and 17.5 inches. They are a very healthy size for their age, and are doing a fabulous job in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Fairfax Hospital.
Mom is doing well in her recovery, and we both are getting accustomed to our life back at home, following almost two months in residence at “Hotel Fairfax”. Our blog will now share details of how we are all doing, as we work toward the day that they are ready to come home with us. This post will share additional information about the milestones our little ones will be working toward, and progress updates for their first week of life. This will help us celebrate each of the little milestones (although no step forward can truly be considered little) along the way, and these descriptions will also help to understand the changes you will see in their photos over time (Kodak Gallery link below!)
Now at 31 weeks of gestational age, our babies’ main tasks are to sleep and grow, while continuing to develop independence in the many systems that would usually be monitored by their Mom’s body during the third trimester. While they continue to develop and mature, their bodies will increasingly regulate breathing and heart rate, as they also begin to learn to digest food and eventually to suck and swallow while breathing.
We are so proud of how our little ones are doing in their progress of these goals! They were breathing on their own at birth, with positive air pressure support from a CPAP mask. Over the course of this week, they both graduated to the nasal cannula (the clear tube under the nose). What a wonderful thing it has been to finally see their beautiful faces more and more! As they continue to show independence, the air support levels are reducing every few days, and they will eventually graduate to breathing without any support.
This week, while they have been receiving the rich nutrients they need to grow through an IV, they have also begun "feeds" of a high calorie formula through a feeding tube, which prepare their little tummies for digesting food. As those feedings are taken well, they will get increased amounts of formula and breast milk until they're ready to suck and try a very small bottle. Then we’ll start transitioning to associate that skill with actual breastfeeding. The kids are doing a great job so far; their feeding levels are already at 1/3 of their daily nutrient needs!
Anemia is fairly common among premature babies, as their bodies have not started to reproduce red blood cells at the rate of a full-term newborn. As a result, Christopher received a transfusion for his birthday, which should help him continue the amazing progress he’s already making! And as their bodies learn to break down the bilirubin in their systems, both are receiving intermittent light therapy, which will help them overcome the jaundice, which is also so common for preemies.
The best birthday gift the babies received on Wednesday this week was the removal of the umbilical IV line. After the first 24-hour dressing change from this line, the babies will finally be ready for us to hold them in our arms. Due to their sensitive skin and this critical umbilical line, our contact with them this week had been limited to help with temperature checks, diaper changing, and to comfort them. You’ll see us providing this comfort in some of the photos. It’s sort of a boundary hold, similar to that swaddled feeling - that's what we're doing with our hands on their heads and feet, or gently covering the arms. It makes them feel
secure when they need comforting. We were so thrilled to receive the news that we will now be able to hold our darlings by the end of the week, and are counting down the hours until this precious first moment for our new family!
The next step after finally being able to cradle our little ones in our arms will be Kangaroo Care. The term refers to skin-to-skin contact between babies and their parents. This special bonding helps babies in regulating their heart rate, breathing, weight gain, and reach other developmental milestones. The nurses have indicated that it might even be possible for us to begin this over the weekend or early next week!
And while it is difficult to predict when one or both of the kids will be ready to come home, their doctor has shared that some babies are ready by the gestational age of 35 or 36 weeks!
With lots to be thankful for, we will share updates on Christopher and Katharine’s progress in their goals as frequently as possible. We are tickled by the personality our little ones are showing already! It is so fun to watch them stretch and explore their surroundings! And with a few days off of phototherapy and masks, they have started to open their eyes more and more and are starting to take in the world around them, and check us out. What a miracle it seemed to be when we realized our first moments of eye contact with our darling son and daughter!
Thank you so much for all of your prayers and messages of encouragement! We are so thankful for every one, and are glad to be able to share information about our amazing children with you! The NICU has recently returned to their tightened restrictions for the cold and flu season, we will unfortunately be the only people permitted to visit them. So you can count on lots of pictures of our little ones’ first days and progress in the coming weeks! This link will take you to our Kodak Gallery slideshow, which has been updated frequently, through the end of Week One. (You can click on it, or paste it into your browser.)
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=365117175905%3A47590307&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharer
With Love,
Andrea, David, Christopher, and Katharine
Dear Family and Friends,
This entry of our blog celebrates the one-week birthday of our beautiful children! Last Wednesday, on Day 6 of week 29, Katharine Leona Keller was born at 11:20 AM, at three pounds and one ounce, and 16.5 inches. Christopher Lewis Keller was born at 11:22, at three pounds and five ounces, and 17.5 inches. They are a very healthy size for their age, and are doing a fabulous job in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Fairfax Hospital.
Mom is doing well in her recovery, and we both are getting accustomed to our life back at home, following almost two months in residence at “Hotel Fairfax”. Our blog will now share details of how we are all doing, as we work toward the day that they are ready to come home with us. This post will share additional information about the milestones our little ones will be working toward, and progress updates for their first week of life. This will help us celebrate each of the little milestones (although no step forward can truly be considered little) along the way, and these descriptions will also help to understand the changes you will see in their photos over time (Kodak Gallery link below!)
Now at 31 weeks of gestational age, our babies’ main tasks are to sleep and grow, while continuing to develop independence in the many systems that would usually be monitored by their Mom’s body during the third trimester. While they continue to develop and mature, their bodies will increasingly regulate breathing and heart rate, as they also begin to learn to digest food and eventually to suck and swallow while breathing.
We are so proud of how our little ones are doing in their progress of these goals! They were breathing on their own at birth, with positive air pressure support from a CPAP mask. Over the course of this week, they both graduated to the nasal cannula (the clear tube under the nose). What a wonderful thing it has been to finally see their beautiful faces more and more! As they continue to show independence, the air support levels are reducing every few days, and they will eventually graduate to breathing without any support.
This week, while they have been receiving the rich nutrients they need to grow through an IV, they have also begun "feeds" of a high calorie formula through a feeding tube, which prepare their little tummies for digesting food. As those feedings are taken well, they will get increased amounts of formula and breast milk until they're ready to suck and try a very small bottle. Then we’ll start transitioning to associate that skill with actual breastfeeding. The kids are doing a great job so far; their feeding levels are already at 1/3 of their daily nutrient needs!
Anemia is fairly common among premature babies, as their bodies have not started to reproduce red blood cells at the rate of a full-term newborn. As a result, Christopher received a transfusion for his birthday, which should help him continue the amazing progress he’s already making! And as their bodies learn to break down the bilirubin in their systems, both are receiving intermittent light therapy, which will help them overcome the jaundice, which is also so common for preemies.
The best birthday gift the babies received on Wednesday this week was the removal of the umbilical IV line. After the first 24-hour dressing change from this line, the babies will finally be ready for us to hold them in our arms. Due to their sensitive skin and this critical umbilical line, our contact with them this week had been limited to help with temperature checks, diaper changing, and to comfort them. You’ll see us providing this comfort in some of the photos. It’s sort of a boundary hold, similar to that swaddled feeling - that's what we're doing with our hands on their heads and feet, or gently covering the arms. It makes them feel
secure when they need comforting. We were so thrilled to receive the news that we will now be able to hold our darlings by the end of the week, and are counting down the hours until this precious first moment for our new family!
The next step after finally being able to cradle our little ones in our arms will be Kangaroo Care. The term refers to skin-to-skin contact between babies and their parents. This special bonding helps babies in regulating their heart rate, breathing, weight gain, and reach other developmental milestones. The nurses have indicated that it might even be possible for us to begin this over the weekend or early next week!
And while it is difficult to predict when one or both of the kids will be ready to come home, their doctor has shared that some babies are ready by the gestational age of 35 or 36 weeks!
With lots to be thankful for, we will share updates on Christopher and Katharine’s progress in their goals as frequently as possible. We are tickled by the personality our little ones are showing already! It is so fun to watch them stretch and explore their surroundings! And with a few days off of phototherapy and masks, they have started to open their eyes more and more and are starting to take in the world around them, and check us out. What a miracle it seemed to be when we realized our first moments of eye contact with our darling son and daughter!
Thank you so much for all of your prayers and messages of encouragement! We are so thankful for every one, and are glad to be able to share information about our amazing children with you! The NICU has recently returned to their tightened restrictions for the cold and flu season, we will unfortunately be the only people permitted to visit them. So you can count on lots of pictures of our little ones’ first days and progress in the coming weeks! This link will take you to our Kodak Gallery slideshow, which has been updated frequently, through the end of Week One. (You can click on it, or paste it into your browser.)
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=365117175905%3A47590307&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharer
With Love,
Andrea, David, Christopher, and Katharine
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Welcome to Week 29
As we celebrate Week 29, we mark off the sixth week of our stay here at Hotel Fairfax! Our doctors have estimated that our goal will be getting to 36 weeks, so we’re hoping for at least seven more weeks here!
We learned more this last week about the non-stress test, which is now done daily by our nurses, beginning at Week 28. The test is performed during heartbeat monitoring to measure the babies’ reactivity, as seen in their heartbeats during periods of rest and activity. And we’re glad to say that they’ve been passing these “tests” with flying colors! We also continue to notice their movement more and more, especially when they get moving at the same time!
Weekly sonograms are now on Tuesdays, and the fluid levels and membranes continue to look great. The kids are both in relatively the same position as last week - as they get bigger, their ability to stage a major move decreases. We look forward to their next growth measurement later this week!
During the sonogram this week, we could see Katharine stretching up above her head, pressing on the membrane separating she and Christopher. We discovered that they can sometimes give one another enough of a nudge to get a reaction from their sibling! We were also glad to get profile pictures of both this week!
We continue to feel blessed and thankful to enjoy visits, calls, emails, and cards from friends and family, which lift us daily. We are so grateful for your prayers and encouragement!
With love,
Andrea and David
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Week 28 - Welcome to the Third Trimester!!!
We are so glad to welcome Week 28! We are thrilled to be entering the third trimester, a wonderful milestone in the babies’ development!
We hear that a lovely time was had by all at the Ohio shower last weekend! Andrea enjoyed talking with so many of you that day! We also enjoyed savoring the delicious variety of fresh fruit in her edible bouquet; a rare delicacy in hospital life, and such a fun surprise! Now that the shower games have all been played, we are able to post the previously classified information about the babies’ weight estimates. Last week at their growth measurements, Katharine’s estimated weight was 2.1 pounds, and Christopher was at 2.5 pounds. It was wonderful to learn that their growth is right on track for their gestational age! The next growth estimates will be in three more weeks.
Our weekly sonograms continue to measure the membranes and fluids surrounding our little ones, and we continue to learn more and more about the babies’ development and their lives on “the inside”. Today we caught Katharine doing some more “practice breathing”, which is amazing to see! The positions of both are almost the same; head down, somewhat parallel to one another (Christopher to the left, and Katharine to the right). Their legs and feet form an arch at the top, with her legs under his. Ah - this explains the slightly more intense movement going on in that area! :)
Photo opportunities this week showed that Katharine is very fond of her hands and fingers, and is discovering fun things to do with her tongue. Christopher is not interested in sitting for portraits, the clearest picture being yet another view of his backside. Two photos are shown below. And both are very active, doing all the moving and stretching they need to grow!
And we are doing well here at "Hotel Fairfax"! As always, we are so thankful for all your love, support, and prayers!
With love,
Andrea and David
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Welcome to Week 27!
Welcome Week 27, indeed! After almost four weeks under our belt here at “Hotel Fairfax,” we can’t believe how quickly time is passing! Wednesday’s monthly sonogram for growth measurement brought the news that the babies are developing beautifully! We cannot share their estimated weights yet, as we understand it would give an unfair advantage to blog readers at an upcoming shower! :)
Profile pictures were a little more challenging to capture this week. Christopher has mostly stayed put, snuggling in closer to his sister, who simply has nowhere else to go! He was facing his Mom’s back, however, which made his profile a little trickier to find. It was also tricky to get a clear profile image for Katharine, as she has discovered that her hands and fingers will reach and fit into her mouth!
We are so proud of them both, as they are working to grow big and strong! We continue to be blessed daily by the caring, dedicated doctors and nurses here; and by the love, support, and prayers from you, our family and friends.
We want to wish all the Ohio shower-goers a wonderful time and safe travels this weekend! We will be celebrating with you in spirit, and can’t wait to be home again later this year, with our new little ones!
With love,
Andrea and David
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Welcome Week 26!
Just as Wednesdays bring our weekly sonogram and "Graduation Day," Thursdays bring the celebration of starting a new week of development for our little ones!
Yesterday's sonogram was a joy. It is always wonderful to see the babies kicking and growing; We are glad to see the development that takes place each week. This week's highlights were the profile pictures of each, and a little yawn captured from Katharine. :)
Also, Christopher has staged another move! After spending the first 24 weeks hanging out horizontally above mom's belly button; last week he shifted downward to the left, ending up vertical, parallel to his sister! And then this week, after another Tuesday afternoon spent trying to find him during heartbeat monitoring, we were not surprised to learn at Wednesday's sonogram that he has moved again! He is in the same neighborhood, but is now head down, with his long legs extending up above and to the right of mom's belly button. Live it up, Christopher, while there is still room in there!
And as the babies continue to grow and move, we are enjoying feeling and seeing their little stretches and kicks more and more, and are realizing that as they grow, they are also beginning to get stronger.
Finally, we are so thankful for all the visits, cards, care packages and phone calls from friends and family! Thank you for all the prayers, love, and encouragement! We can't express how much you mean to us and how much we appreciate your support as we wait for the Keller twins and prepare for their arrival.
With love,
Andrea and David
Yesterday's sonogram was a joy. It is always wonderful to see the babies kicking and growing; We are glad to see the development that takes place each week. This week's highlights were the profile pictures of each, and a little yawn captured from Katharine. :)
Also, Christopher has staged another move! After spending the first 24 weeks hanging out horizontally above mom's belly button; last week he shifted downward to the left, ending up vertical, parallel to his sister! And then this week, after another Tuesday afternoon spent trying to find him during heartbeat monitoring, we were not surprised to learn at Wednesday's sonogram that he has moved again! He is in the same neighborhood, but is now head down, with his long legs extending up above and to the right of mom's belly button. Live it up, Christopher, while there is still room in there!
And as the babies continue to grow and move, we are enjoying feeling and seeing their little stretches and kicks more and more, and are realizing that as they grow, they are also beginning to get stronger.
Finally, we are so thankful for all the visits, cards, care packages and phone calls from friends and family! Thank you for all the prayers, love, and encouragement! We can't express how much you mean to us and how much we appreciate your support as we wait for the Keller twins and prepare for their arrival.
With love,
Andrea and David
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
The Kellers, At Home At “Hotel Fairfax”; Week 25
As we approach the end of our second week here at Fairfax Hospital, fondly dubbed “Hotel Fairfax” by some, all this free time spent resting presents the opportunity to include narrative for this journey our family is on; as we await the happy, safe arrival of the sweet little Keller twins!
Our first week here was a roller coaster for us emotionally, as you can imagine. In the days of recovery which followed an initial period of heavily medicated monitoring, we learned a lot about how preterm labor is defined, treated, and suppressed to give the babies the longest possible stay in their warm, safe home. As my body recovered and adjusted to the new medication, we saw fewer contractions and began to get comfortable with our new home and routines here.
Our second week allowed time to settle into our new private room, adding conveniences like a small refrigerator and some other personal touches to remind us of the comforts of home. With fewer to no contractions under the new medication, we have also been thankful for time and energy to reflect.
Conversations with other patients and nurses here have helped us understand how much more frightening things could have been for us these last weeks. We can't help to realize that we have been blessed to find out about the preterm labor before it had progressed too far, and to now be receiving such excellent care every day to keep it that way. The doctors, nurses, and assistants, are wonderful and truly love what they do. We have been so thankful for the way people go out of their way to make sure you are getting the best care possible; as well as going over and above just to make your day better.
An unexpected blessing: Our experience here is teaching us so much about the babies, how they are growing, moving, and interacting with their environment and one another, and how they react to us and the outside world. In a way we could not before, we are seeing, feeling connected with, and understanding their growth, which is an amazing blessing!
And we’ve been so blessed by the support of all our friends and family! Thank you for being there when we need encouragement; and for all the emails, calls, cards, flowers, and visits that are helping us to start feeling normal again! And most of all, thank you for the prayers that carry our family through this experience. We are so grateful for every one!
So that is where we are at the end of our second week here, in the middle of week 25! Now that we’re all caught up, posts in the coming weeks are likely to be shorter updates.
Thank you for sharing this journey with us!
Our first week here was a roller coaster for us emotionally, as you can imagine. In the days of recovery which followed an initial period of heavily medicated monitoring, we learned a lot about how preterm labor is defined, treated, and suppressed to give the babies the longest possible stay in their warm, safe home. As my body recovered and adjusted to the new medication, we saw fewer contractions and began to get comfortable with our new home and routines here.
Our second week allowed time to settle into our new private room, adding conveniences like a small refrigerator and some other personal touches to remind us of the comforts of home. With fewer to no contractions under the new medication, we have also been thankful for time and energy to reflect.
Conversations with other patients and nurses here have helped us understand how much more frightening things could have been for us these last weeks. We can't help to realize that we have been blessed to find out about the preterm labor before it had progressed too far, and to now be receiving such excellent care every day to keep it that way. The doctors, nurses, and assistants, are wonderful and truly love what they do. We have been so thankful for the way people go out of their way to make sure you are getting the best care possible; as well as going over and above just to make your day better.
An unexpected blessing: Our experience here is teaching us so much about the babies, how they are growing, moving, and interacting with their environment and one another, and how they react to us and the outside world. In a way we could not before, we are seeing, feeling connected with, and understanding their growth, which is an amazing blessing!
And we’ve been so blessed by the support of all our friends and family! Thank you for being there when we need encouragement; and for all the emails, calls, cards, flowers, and visits that are helping us to start feeling normal again! And most of all, thank you for the prayers that carry our family through this experience. We are so grateful for every one!
So that is where we are at the end of our second week here, in the middle of week 25! Now that we’re all caught up, posts in the coming weeks are likely to be shorter updates.
Thank you for sharing this journey with us!
Friday, July 9, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
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Saturday, May 22, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
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