Second Week in the NICU

Words like "your babies are doing fantastic" and "they are progressing so well" soothe our souls and bring us to our knees in thanksgiving.  These are comments that Isaac, Eliana, and Isabella's doctors have made to us over the past few days.  They are definitely issues consistent with prematurity, but we are constantly overjoyed at the way God has blessed each of them and in turn, blessed us. 

Much to our surprise, we got a call Saturday morning that our babies were being moved from the NICU to the Continuing Care Nursery. There were several admissions and our babies were the first candidates to be moved since they were in the best health of all their neighbors (insert gasp here:)). The next day, the doctor reported that they were indeed having their PICC lines (IV's) removed.  Since then, every one's jaundice has been resolved and growing and feeding have been the goals of each day.  This means the number of things they are attached to has gone down even more. Isabella and Isaac have been working on maintaining their body temperatures and last night, Isaac weighing in at 3 lbs., 15.2 oz. was moved from his isolette to an open bed!  It is hard to imagine that only a week ago, he was on a ventilator. 

Isaac in His Open Bed

I think he was trying to tell us he was tired of all the picture taking:)

He and Isabella, weighing 4lbs., spend their days in cute little preemie clothes.  Isabella is well on her way to an open bed as well.  She is such a cuddler, but likes to try and escape her Z-Flow bed and pull her NG tube out. 

Micah and his Bella Joy.

Sleeping Beauty

Eliana is gaining weight well.  She now is above her birth weight at 2 lbs., 8 oz. and remains developmentally on track despite her small, yet big for what she has endured, size.  She is still feisty, but always relaxes when we do kangaroo care time.

I think she was trying to tell us something!  I love the look on her face.

Tiny hands~ but formed perfectly.

Andrew and Elijah returned home on Saturday as well.  It was a big day for us!  The nurse helped us wrap the babies up and let the boys see them through the CCN window.  I am so glad they had a good trip to NC, but I am also so glad they are home.  I have been able to do all the things I love~ like sit at the breakfast table with them and make Rice Crispy Treats.  Having my parents here for the weekend and my mom staying throughout this week has been such a blessing for them and for me.  It was so sweet to introduce Papa and Mimi to their three new grandchildren.

 

The Big Brothers

Mimi and Eliana

Papa with Isaac

Micah and I have enjoyed getting to know each baby.  Their personalities are coming through more and more every day.  We wonder how Andrew and Elijah are going to interact with them when they come home.  Adjusting to having five children with different needs brings us to a familiar place~ relying on God to encourage us in the gospel and bringing us the perserverance we need to love on each child.  We never stop carrying each one to Jesus for his or her particular needs.  We are juggling~ and it is wonderfully exhausting. 

Micah and Me tag-teaming the babies.

Our prayer requests are that we would continue to have the endurance we need for each day.  The girls have had some bradycardia episodes and most of the time they self-correct.  We do pray they grow out of these soon and maintiain their heartrates consistantly.  Thankfully, they have no apnea at this point.  They all are having some reflux and we also pray that resolves.  Overall, they are healthy babies, which brings me to my last request.  All around us, we have seen much sicker babies and families struggling watching their tiny ones fight for life in the NICU.  I ask that you take time to pray for all of them.  We pray God brings them peace and comfort in the midst of such excrutiating difficulty.