Our babies are five months old already-how did that happen. Life is like a whirl wind most days seem to end before it feels like they have begun. We are certainly enjoying have two new members to our family. We are however conditioned to Melissa and are having to remind ourselves on a regular basis that they are not Melissa and that we need to do things different with them.

Ruben and Tayla have such different personalities and they seem to do different things better then the other. Ruben loves to hold and chew on toys (I’m pretty sure he has started teething as he is drooling like crazy too). He went though a time when he smiled with his tongue sticking out it was so cute! He is much more of a talker then Tayla. He will look you straight in the eye and just talk, talk, talk.

Tayla is more intent on her surroundings she studies and tries to get everything around her. She has strength like I have never seen her huge thighs are all muscle. She prefers to stand and there are times that we can’t even get her into a sitting position. She smiles with her mouth open and it her eyes light up when she does just as Ben’s eyes do too. Tayla’s personality has mellowed while she is still out to grab everything the world has to offer and she still can go from 0-mad in 10 seconds she has discover her thumb and on some days her two fingers boy is she content with them. Ruben on the other hand would rather have someone comforting him.

Feeding is going great they are still on just breastmilk and other then a couple of colds they have been very healthy. Ruben is over 13lbs and Tayla is over 14lbs they are growing at about the same pace since a cople of weeks after being on, on demand feedings.

We are in Madison Wisconsin doing more treatments on Melissa right now and the babies are adjusting good.

March 26, 2010

The babies are doing great. Ruben and Tayla are smiling every day and we are enjoying them alot! Tayla is now 13lbs and Ruben is almost 12lbs. They both do such a good job of holding their heads up even when on their bellies. They are both such good natured babies. They love to hang out and be held.

March 12, 2010

Tayla and Ben are looking less and less like a newborns. Their personalities are blossoming. Tayla is the dominant twin and Ben is the laid back twin. We are sure that when they get a little older that Tayla will be the one telling Ben what to do as well as directing him what to get into. Tayla’s Phenylalanine level is good she is in the normal range with the medicine she is on. They are growing so fast. They are really looking around at their surroundings. Tayla loves to stand. There are times when she will get really mad if you don’t let her stand up. She is so muscular I have never met a baby as muscular as she is. They both are able to hole their heads up when on their bellies as well as when they are upright. We are beginning to smile as well. After having Melissa I am just in awe at their abilities and their strengths. Every little mile stone is celebrated in our house!

The babies are doing great. They have passed their due date and should officially be here now. They are two months old already-where does the time go? Tayla is 8lbs 15oz and Ben is 8lbs 1oz. Tayla is getting all of her food by nursing. She has been doing this for some time. I think we only needed to use bottles for the first couple of weeks we were home. Their strength amazes me. Tayla is stronger the Ruben but they both can support their entire upper bodies including their heads-Amazing! Melissa still doesn’t have that much control of her body. They love to be near each other and even have special sounds for communicating with each other-it is so sweet. We are loving the new additions to our family.

January 10, 2010

We are adjusting to being home. I will be trying to play catch up for some time. The kids are in love and fight over who gets to hold the babies. Ruben is nursing like a champ and gaining nicely. Tayla is nursing better but we still need to give her part of her food by bottle as she still is not transfering the milk as well as her brother. We have doctors appointments on Tues and it will be our first outing. I am not looking forward to it as we will be gone most of the day. We also will be going to Children’s Care to finish getting Melissa’s new wheelchair fitted to her.

January 4, 2010

We are going home!! We should be gone by lunch time. They are both doing great.

January 3, 2010

It is looking like we are going home tomorrow!!!!!!!! Ruben has been eating all by mouth since 6am yesterday. He got his tube out today and has been eating well since. We are rooming in tonight. Speaking of rooming in he just woke up and need to eat. Tayla is with us too.

I will not be able to update very often when we get home as we do not have internet at home and we will be trying not to go anywhere when we go home.

January 2, 2010

Tayla has been discharged! I will still be able to stay in the rooming in room in the NICU with her. I can take her out of the NICU and bring her back in as long as we do not leave the hospital and no one holds her.

Ruben has taken the last 6 out of 9 feeds by mouth. I am hopeful if he follows what Tayla did that by tomorrow he will be taking all of his food by mouth.

I was told that it was -28 degrees this morning at 3:30am. Wow I hope it is warmer then that when we bring the babies home.

January 1, 2010

Tayla is still rooming in with me! She is still taking all of her feeds by mouth. She has woken up over the last day and wants to be held. I will love it when I am able to just be with my babies and not have to go three floors down get my food without my babies.

Ruben continues to improve. It makes sense that Ruben would be behind Tayla since he had the respitory issues that she did not have. I can’t remember how many feeds he took by mout in the last 24 hours but he did take the last two for sure. He is taking at least 50% of his food by mouth. Unlike Tayla who is getting most of her food by a bottle Ruben is getting most of his food by nursing.

It is looking more and more like we will be going home within the week!

Kelly and the kids came down tonight it was good to see them.

December 31, 2009

Happy New Year! We have some things to celebrate. Tayla is still eating all of her food by mouth. She has been rooming in with me since last night. She gained 3 ounces over night! She had just maintained her weight for the two nights before that. She is now up to 5lbs 10oz.

Ruben is up to about half of his feeds by mouth. H took two full feeds in a row today that was very exciting. I’m very hopeful that in the next few days it will become full feeds all the time that is how it happened with Tayla. He broke the 5lb mark tonight. He is 5lbs 1/2oz.

We are so close to going home yet it seems so very far away. My Josiah called me last night sobbing that he couldn’t sleep because he missed me soo much. I know all the kids at home feel the same way. Home is not coming soon enough even though it is at least now in sight.

Thank you to every one who has been so wonderful during our almost month long stay here.