Madeline Kate and Molly Ann,
You are ONE MONTH old today! It's so hard to believe that you have already been here a whole month, yet we should still have one more month until you are due. Crazy! Our first month together has been busy and calm all at once; busy running to and from the NICU, and calm sitting and rocking you as much as we can. We dreamt about what it would be like to have daughters, twin daughters at that, and y'all have grown our hearts larger than we knew possible. We love having y'all here, we love seeing Carter as a big brother, and we love having daughters. Love, love, love!
Madeline,
We've only known each other a short while, but you seem to be our calm and content baby (just as you were in my belly) never letting out so much as a whimper. You eat well and sleep well, and love to be held. You were born bigger and have stayed bigger, but your feisty little sister is trying her hardest to catch up with you.
From the moment we saw you on the screen in the operating room we thought you were the spitting image of your older brother. Your skin coloring, hair coloring, and facial expressions are identical. Although you and your sister have the same birthday, you are truly your brothers twin. It's funny because since Carter has been born we always have tried to decide who he looks more like, me or your dad. No one can agree or decide where his looks came from, but now that we have TWO children that look alike, it's obvious our DNA makes this mold.
The nurses all adore you and fight to get to take care of you and your sister daily. Even though you were early you were perfect, and we have pretty easy days together. You take all of your feeds through a tube or a bottle and always do great. And let's just say your digestive system works great. :)
Molly,
My darling youngest daughter, you are feisty and headstrong (just as you were in my belly) always letting us know you are in the room. You came out screaming and are always keeping us on our toes, just like your older brother. If it were allowed in the NICU you would demand to be held all the time, alas we settle for a few shorter stints together each day. You will definitely be a "people person" as you light up as soon as someone starts talking to you.
Your sister might look like your brother, but you, my dear, look just like your Daddy. Your dark hair, big (blue) eyes and smaller face are all spitting image of your Daddy. I love that you can look like your Daddy and such a girly princess all at the same time. Shakespeare said it best "though she be but little, she is fierce." Maybe A Midsummer Night's Dream will be your favorite play?
Our darling baby girls,
Your daddy and I cannot express in words how much we love you. We are so proud of how hard you have fought to be healthy and we know you will be happy to go home soon. We didn't expect our hearts to grow so exponentially, but y'all have shown us how to love even more than we knew we could. We love you to the moon and back.
Madeline 1 month Stats
Weight: 5 pounds 10.4 ounces
Length: 19 inches
Eating: 50ml of fortified breast milk each feed. Receiving 6 feeds in bottles and 2 feeds in tube. Non-nutritive breast feeds 2 times a day.
Bedtime: n/a
Awake: n/a
Naps: typically right back to sleep after each feed
Diapers: preemie Pampers Swaddlers
Clothes: mostly in diapers in isolettes but will sometimes wear preemie sleepers and bows
Favorites: being held
Development: taking larger feeds each day and more bottle feeds each day
Milestones:
2/23- off CPAP. Replaced with nasal cannula.
2/24- started TPN, caffeine and phototherapy
2/25- started lipids. Nasal cannula removed.
2/26- off phototherapy
3/3- tummy time started, off lipids
3/4- off TPN
3/5- IV removed. First bottle feed (spit up most of 25ml feed). Mommy changed your diaper!
3/9- body temperature monitor turned off but isolette still closed. Mommy was able to hold you and Molly together and you can wear clothes. Your umbilical cord fell off.
3/10- one bottle and NNF per day
3/11- nursed for the first time
3/16- received Hep B vaccine
3/17- off caffeine
Molly 1 month Stats
Weight: 5 pounds 1.6 ounces
Length: 18 inches
Eating: 45ml of fortified breast milk each feed. Receiving 6 feeds in bottles and 2 feeds in tube. Non-nutritive breast feeds 2 times a day.
Bedtime: n/a
Awake: n/a
Naps: typically right back to sleep after each feed
Diapers: preemie Pampers Swaddlers
Clothes: mostly in diapers in isolettes but will sometimes wear preemie sleepers and bows
Favorites: being held and her purple paci
Development: taking larger feeds each day and more bottle feeds each day
Milestones:
2/22- was able to hold and nurse
2/23- started phototherapy
2/24- started TPN
2/25- started lipids
2/28- off phototherapy
3/3- tummy time started, off lipids
3/4- off TPN
3/5- umbilical cord fell off, IV removed, first bottle feed
3/9- body temperature monitor turned off but isolette still closed. Mommy was able to hold you and Madeline together and you can wear clothes.
3/10- one bottle and NNF per day
3/11- Daddy gave you a bottle
3/16- received Heb B vaccine
3/17- off caffeine
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