Bustin' Out!

We busted our little rebels out of the NICU today! Connor finally can keep himself warm!! Brian bought them those cute Harley Davidson jackets at Build-a-Bear. Hehe. We saw them there and could not resist them for our tiny monkeys. It's too bad they are growing so fast...the possibilities are endless.

Right now we are enjoying the evening at our house with both boys. It is already becoming a challenge to deal with two babies (try giving two of them a bath), but we are so happy to have them here and doing so well that we just can't care too much about being tired or overwhelmed.

Thank you to everyone who has called us or watered our lawn or prayed for us or just thought about us. We're now just looking forward to Jackson getting some better oxygen saturation levels (telling us that his heart is starting to work normally). So wish us luck with this new adventure!

Moving in...and moving out...

Sooo...Jackson wants back in. He and Connor have been plotting against us. Yesterday he was looking really blue and not eating very well, so while we were feeding them both we had the neonatologist take a look at him. She hooked him up to all the machines and she and the cardiologist decided to keep him overnight for observation.

There are two good things that came out of all of this...well, okay...maybe more than two if we really think about it. Jackson's oxygen stats are higher than expected for this far in his recovery. For those of you who understand this sort of stuff...he is upper 80's and occasionally low 90's. Also for those of you who understand, I'll bet you are freaking out about now, but never fear...we have a term for all of this: 'Jackson' normal. This is opposed, of course, to 'Normal,' normal..but we are slowly getting used to lower numbers and a blue hued baby. His cardiologists are hoping that he eventually stays in low to mid 90's, and for Jackson, that will be fantastic.

The other good news is that Jackson being in a crib next to Connor's incubator apparently has inspired a little sibling rivalry. This morning we came to the NICU to find his incubator turned all the way down and a crib just waiting for him in his little cubicle. AND...after I fed them, we put him right into the waiting crib! We are now just hoping that he stays in the crib and doesn't get put right back into his incubator as soon as they take his temperature again. Ugh.

Another good thing about Jackson being in the NICU? Oh yeah...the five hours of uninterrupted sleep I got last night. The longest I've slept in over three months! Woohoo! Of course, it will be the last five hour stretch of sleep I get for the next year or so, because we get to take Jackson with us today, and tomorrow...we are hopefully taking both boys home. HOME. Uh, hem......HHOOOOOOOMMMEE!!! The doctor said that if Connor can stay in the crib today, we will be able to take him out by late afternoonish tomorrow!

Wish us luck!

Surprise!

Guess who's back? At 6:30 this evening I picked up Brian and Jackson at the Boise airport. It was supposed to be 5:30, but OF COURSE their flight was delayed! To Brian and my utter surprise and a bit of fear, Jackson's doctors released him from the hospital telling us that he was set to go home. We were fairly suprised, since we originally thought he would be here in Boise for a few weeks. He has actually done so spectacularly with feedings that he doesn't even have a feeding tube.

I can't tell you how great it was to get to see them both and to finally hold my baby. That's right people, I never got to hold him before they swept him off to Portland. I wasn't sure when they left if I would ever get to hold him. I am feeling so very blessed right now.

After I picked them up we went up to the NICU here in Boise and had a little family reunion for our boys. It is amazing to us how much alike they are, although Connor has some catching up to do. We can't wait until our other two kiddos can get back here and we all can go home and be a family again. Until then we are so grateful for small victories and pretty big miracles. Two weeks ago we had our boys and we prayed for a miracle, today we got one.

Connor Gets a Bath

Connor got his first bath today. He was so cute! And I do love a clean baby. After the bath we dried him off and his hair was so fluffy, he looked just like a tiny baby monkey. Also, his hair is a lot lighter now that it is clean. Hmmm. I'm guessing we're going to end up with more blondes once they get a little bit bigger. Enjoy these cute pictures!

Connor Pictures!

Nanci came up to visit me and brought her camera! Sooo...here are the long awaited pictures of Connor. We were amazed to see how similar the two little guys are. Connor is doing great now, just still trying to grow and maintain body temp. Hopefully we can get the two of them back together early next week and do a side by side comparison. Enjoy!

This one is for my Mom

It's Thursday evening at about 6:00 p.m. June 17th. This picture is for my mom. "I can open both of my eyes at the same time now."

This is AMAZING! What an answer to our prayers.

This one is for my Mom

It's Thursday evening at about 6:00 p.m. June 17th. This picture is for my mom.

Jackson is crying so much louder now and we LOVE it.

This is Dan doing some blog snatching on B and K's blog while Tammy and Brian are holding Jackson. They are actually getting to hold him without the pillow and he is doing sooooooooooo good. We're hoping for a flight home to Saint Al's NICU early next week.

This video is very special because when we first got here we heard another baby in the NICU crying and Tammy teared all up because she thought what a blessing it would be to be able to hear Jackson cry like that. Well, it happened this evening and I'm still tearing up as I type. Enough of me, just listen to this:

Jackson gets a bottle from Dad, Thursday morning June17th

Check out this sweet video of Jackson. He is doing so much better. Every time we see him we are so amazed at his progress. He is becoming more and more alert and improving every hour. What a blessing. In the picture below he is saying, "look mom and dad I can open my eyes!"

Brian feeding Baby "J" this morning in video below.

Our Twins are Looking Good

This is Jackson taken yesterday June 14th.

This is Connor taken June 9th, 2010.

We wished we had more current pictures of Connor, but we only have one camera and Brian has it in Portland. Best we can do of them both together....but pretty cute nonetheless.

Connor

Soo...I know you all think that I am totally slacking off and Brian is an amazing blogger now. BUT! In reality, I don't have a camera. Brian took it with him to Portland, so I haven't been able to take any pictures of Connor since the day after he was born. I was holding off on updating because I felt guilty about having a boring post with no pictures, but I've decided to give you the Connor update so you know that we love both babies.

Connor is doing great, but he is premature...so there are a few things he has to learn how to do before he goes home. A lot of people have asked me why he has to stay so long, so here we go...

Reasons Connor is still in the NICU:

--Premature babies can't maintain their own body heat very well. Connor is still living in his isolet (plastic baby cage) in order to keep him warm. To go home Connor has to be able to be in a crib without heat lamps and maintain his own body temperature.

--Premature babies don't eat very well. Connor is veeeery sleepy right now. So sleepy that he has a hard time staying awake to eat long enough to put on weight. He also had a really hard time with the whole suck-swallow-breathe rhythm that full term babies use in order to be able to eat. Connor has done way better the last two days, eating for 15-20 minutes for most feedings, although he still sleeps through a few and that is why he still has a feeding tube. In order to go home he has to take all of his meals by mouth and be eating enough to gain weight.

--Jaundice...blue lights...cool goggles. Enough said.


Hopefully this helps clear up all of the, "he was so big for a twin, why does he have to stay?" questions. I was really annoyed at first because they wouldn't let him go, but as I sit here with him I am totally getting why he can't leave yet. My other kiddos were so much farther along in development by one week that the difference is becoming very obvious.

Good news: Connor is beautiful. Jackson is doing great. I have never been so grateful for such small things like Jackson drinking 5 cc's of formula from a bottle, or Connor having a temperature of 98.3 after three hours in his isolet with the warmer turned down. I have had lots of people telling me that they think I am so strong, and they don't know how I'm getting through this. Well...Brian and I aren't particularly strong. In fact there were several days last week when all I could do was hide in a waiting room bathroom and cry, and I know that it has been very tough on Brian seeing his son so helpless and sick. We have survived because there is nothing else to do...and we are still handling it because this week is waaaay better than last week, and hopefully next week will be better than this week. We're not sure when we'll all be together again, and we are really not sure when we can go home, but for now things are looking good and we are definitely happy about that!

Click Here to find out what exactly is wrong with Jackson

This is the doctors diagnoses of Jackson. I looked it up on the net to understand the condition better. Check it out.

Here I am sitting in an internet cafe while Brian and Tammy are visiting Jackson. This is Dan posting in B&K's blog again. I just finished a 4 mile jog and it's different for me running at sea level, but enough of that. Last night Jackson opened his little eyes for the first time that we've seen him do it. He peeked ever so slightly at Brian. He is so cute. Here is the video.

Update this evening June 15th 10:00 p.m.

His image of his foot was taken about 24 hours ago. The image below was taken tonight at 10:00 p.m.. Jackson was put back on the Heparin.

His foot is looking so much better tonight compared to how purple it has been.

Tammy gets to hold Jackson tonight on a pillow. He is so cute!!!!

The nurses dressed him up in a cute little outfit.

Now for the BIG NEWS-----HE OPENED HIS EYES EVER SO LITTLE TO TAKE A LITTLE PEEK AT US

Some Slideshow Pictures of Jackson from the past week

June 15th 8:30 a.m. Cute Picture

These are two of the cardiologists taking care of Jackson. Today he is doing well. He is still sleeping and trying to let his little heart heal. The doctors are optimistic about his outcome. Tomorrow they will try decreasing the dose of medication that is keeping his ductus open. We're hoping he will respond well, but are just anxious to see how he does.

This tired Dad is the best Dad in the whole world. He has been by Jackson's side day and night.
The twins are a week old now. Connor is still in the NICU in Boise and will be at least another week there. We're still hoping Jackson will be moved to Bosie in the next few days, but it may be longer. It's up to him on how he recovers from this major ordeal.

Jackson took the pacifier for Brian this evening. He seems to be moving around a little bit more for us. He still hasn't taken a peek with his eyes yet.


This is a cute picture of Jackson taken this morning. He now has a IV in his head as the IV in his hand came out and it was impossible to find a vein as he has been stuck so many times. That's why they opted for his head. Keep praying for these little guys. We appreciate it so much.

June 15th 8:30 a.m. Cute Picture

This is a cute picture of Jackson taken this morning. He now has a IV in his head as the IV in his hand came out and

Baby Jackson makes his First Sounds for us on June 13th, 2010

This is the first time we get to hear Baby Jackson tell us how he is feeling. He sounds so good and we were so excited to hear him make these sounds. Life is sooooooooooooooooooo good.

Video of Brian holding Baby Jackson for the first time in NICU Portland June 12th

Another with closeup of Jackson

My Daddy gets to HOLD ME for the first time, Jackson, June 12, 2010

My ET tube is out and I'm feeling good.

I get to hold my Dad for the first time. He really likes me and is so excited.

Hey, that's a mighty big hand pressing down on my head.

My Dad has BIG fingers.

Just chillin

Post Cath Procedure Pictures Jackson June 12th, 2010: 9:00 a.m.

This is Dan posting on B&K blog. Brian and Tammy are in with Jackson right now. I am in the waiting room. Jackson made it through his cath procedure last night. He was there about 5 hours. The cath went well and they were able to open up his valve. He had a blood clot form in his right leg but they currently are treating it with a blood thinner. Last night it was pretty blue but this morning it looks much better.

Today sometime we think they will be pulling his ET tube out and will try to let him breath on his own. We were excited about that and can't wait to hear him cry.

Such a sweet little guy

This leg look much better this morning. The pinkness is returning.

The following is a video clip that Tammy took when we first saw him this morning at about 9:00 a.m.