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