Life of the Lewis's

9/12/2008 to 9/20/2008 - The First Week Home!

2008-10-03T16:51:00.018-04:00

We were so happy to finally have the girls home! We were busy adjusting and finally sharing some quality family time from Thursday all the way until Saturday, when their first visitors arrived! Grandma and Grandpa Lewis and Aunt Jenny and Uncle Rick stopped by. Mom finally took a nap and actually did wake up in time to see Grandpa Lewis and Uncle Rick. She felt bad and embarrassed, but she was able to visit with Grandma Lewis and Aunt Jenny. Apparently Madison provided some excited by having a major blowout on the changing table on Aunt Jenny. We had to have a discussion that she needs to save those moments for Mom & Dad and not her visitors!

Unfortunately, Monday meant back to work for Dad. Mom stayed busy in the morning with feedings and baths. Dad was able to leave a little early to take the girls to their first doctor's appointment. We were anxious to find out their weights. Taylor was 4 lbs, 11 oz and Madison was 5 lbs, 3 oz. Taylor was up 5 oz and Madison was up 7 oz just since Thursday! Although it does not sound like a lot, it is for their size! We were relieved that our 3 am feedings were paying off! Everything else checked out great and they were scheduled to go back in 2 weeks, in which they would be 2 months old and due for vaccinations.

Grandma & Grandpa Mraz arrived late Monday afternoon after the girls' appointment! They could not believe how much they had grown! We were lucky to have some much needed help, as with Dad back to work it is hard to get much sleep with just two people available for feedings every three hours. Not to mention the fantastic dinners that we had all week!

Mom & Dad even got out to see how the new house was coming along. It looks great and we can not get moved in quick enough! Not too much longer though, hopefully early December!
Mom also had an exciting afternoon at Babies R' Us picking up some items that she needed! Wow, how things change with newborns! Who would have thought that a trip to Babies R' Us could be so exciting! Not too mention that purchasing a few items that make everything easier (like an additional video monitor, an incline bed (to help prevent spitting up) and a bottle storage/dryer rack) could be so fun!

Early on Wednesday morning when Mom was preparing the girls for their 6 am feeding, she laid them by one another to have some sister time and Taylor was being especially cute. She was smiling and reaching out to hold Madison's hand (at least it appeared that way). Grandpa Mraz was able to watch as well!

On Friday Mom gave the girls baths with the help of Grandma & Grandpa Mraz. We then dressed them in cute outfits for a little photo shoot! Then it was time for Grandma & Grandpa Mraz to return to St. Louis. Mom, Dad, Taylor, Madison and even Indy (he was able to go on long walks with Grandpa) had a great time and really appreciated all of the help!

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Madison & Taylor

Taylor & Madison

Madison

Taylor

Grandma Lewis & Taylor

Grandpa Lewis, Madison, Grandma Lewis & Taylor

Grandpa Lewis & Madison

Taylor & Madison

Monday, September 15, 2008

Mom, Dad, Taylor & Madison

Taylor

Madison

Dad, Taylor & Madison

Taylor & Madison

Grandma Mraz & Madison

Grandma Mraz & Taylor

Grandpa Mraz & Madison

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Madison & Taylor

Friday, September 19, 2008

Grandma Mraz, Madison & Grandpa Mraz

Grandpa Mraz & Madison

Madison, Grandpa Mraz, Taylor & Grandma Mraz

Madison, Grandpa Mraz & Taylor

Madison, Grandpa Mraz, Taylor & Mom

Taylor & Grandpa Mraz

Madison

Madison & Taylor

Taylor

9/5/2008 to 9/11/2008 - Homecoming!

2008-10-03T16:19:00.051-04:00

On Friday, Mom arrived to find that Taylor had a bradycardia over night, which meant that she would not be coming home. She had not had one since 8/22, but she must have been telling us that we were pushing her too hard and she was not quite ready. She had been working hard, as she was moved to a crib, laying flat, and increasing feedings quite a bit over a short period of time. So we were extremely disappointed, but realize that we want to be sure that she is ready to come home when the time arrives.

However, both Taylor & Madison had passed their car seat exams (had to sit in them for an hour w/ no episodes) and were given their Hepatitis B shots in preparation of coming home. They said that Madison would probably be home on Saturday. We were feeling torn because as bad as we wanted them home, we did not really want them separated. Also, once Madison left she could not return to the NICU, so to visit Taylor we would have to leave Madison at home. However, the doctors said it was not really up to them, that it was up to the insurance company.

Early Saturday morning we received a phone call from the doctor stating that Madison had now had a bradycardia over night. She had not had one since 8/9. However, she had spit up and was probably just choking, so they were not concerned, but thought that we should keep them both there awhile longer to be sure that they are ready and also we could try to get them home together at the same time. We think that was her way of staying with her sis!

They sailed through the rest of the week with no problems and continued to eat well and gain weight. We were thinking that they may be coming home Tuesday or Wednesday because the guideline is 5 days without any episodes. But then midweek we were advised that it would probably be over the weekend, but to be ready at any moment to bring them home. Mike had taken off Wednesday through the rest of the week in anticipation of them coming home. He ended up getting to play in a golf tournament on Wednesday - had to get it in while he could!Then he decided not to go in on Thursday because he had a feeling that they just may be ready discharged. We had been expressing to the doctors and nurses that we were anxious to get them home. We had a car seat safety inspection at 10:00 am and we were on our way to the fire station when we received the call! The girls were sitting in their car seats with their thumbs out waiting to be picked up on Clearavista Drive (the street the hospital is located on)! We were so excited! We couldn't get through the car seat safety inspection quick enough!

We arrived at the hospital and decided to go ahead and bathe and feed them one last time, as they would be way off schedule if we waited to feed them at home. We quickly learned how many items they require and accumulate as we began packing their room to leave. I keep telling Dad that we need a minivan, but he has yet to accept the thought! On our way out we were able to snap a few family photos! As nice as everyone was in the NICU, I don't think any of us will miss being there!

Upon arrival at home they met their big brother, Indy (our Weimaraner whose life just changed dramatically). He was curious and sniffed, but kept his distance. He has adjusted well considering! He does seem genuinely concerned when they cry out loudly. Otherwise, he pretty much just sniffs and then leaves them alone and I'm sure that he is jealous. In his defense, I do feel bad when he is seeking attention and Mike and I are both holding/feeding one of the girls. But he is slowly adjusting over time and doing great! I told him before long they will be his best friends, as I'm sure they will leave behind many crumbs and share snacks with him!

The first day/night went great! We are feeding the girls every 3 hours (9, 12, 3, 6), which is a tough schedule to keep, but they are doing well. It is hard to sleep or take your eye off of them too long due to worry. We had grown so accustomed to the monitors that we worry that they could experience a bradycardia or sleep apnea when we are not in the room. However, we found that we quickly adjusted and no longer worry quite as much. We are so thankful & happy to finally have them home & healthy!

Friday, September 5, 2008

Madison

Taylor & Madison

Taylor

Taylor Practicing on Riding in her Carseat

Monday, September 8, 2008

Daddy & Madison

Madison

Taylor

Taylor, Daddy & Madison

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Taylor & Madison

Madison

Taylor

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Homecoming Day!!!

Dad & Madison

Dad, Madison, Taylor & Mom

Dad, Madison, Taylor & Mom - Finally out of the NICU!!

Madison & Taylor

Madison

Waiting For Dad To Pick Us Up!

Taylor

Mom & the Girls on the Way Home in the Car!

8/30/08 thru 9/4/08

2008-09-05T00:49:00.017-04:00

Another week has flown by and Mom & Dad are once again behind on the blog! Also, Mom did not have her camera over the weekend and missed out on some good photo opps, but did capture a few this week!

On Saturday morning the girls were able to start wearing clothes. They are working on dropping the temperature in their isolates to prepare them to move into cribs. Also, on Saturday, Aunt Jenny, Uncle Todd and Tyler visited! Unfortunately, Tyler is not allowed to visit the girls yet, but they are excited to meet their cousin in the near future!! I will add photos later.

M0m & Dad were also relieved and ecstatic to find out that Grandma Lewis was willing to quit work and keep the girls full time! Taylor and Madison are fortunate to have such a great Grandmother that is willing to do that for them! Although Grandma is just as excited as they are!

On Monday, Madison had moved to her crib and Taylor's crib was in the room waiting for her, as she was not far behind. The criteria is to be at least 4 lbs. By Tuesday Taylor was also in her crib. They both adjusted well, although they do stay bundled up like little burritos to keep warm!

On Tuesday, they received doctor's order to receive all feedings orally, by bottle or nursing. Therefore their nasal feeding tubes were removed! This meant no more tubes or lines, besides those that are monitoring them! They also received a visit from Grandma Lewis and Aunt Jenny and Uncle Rick. Grandma Lewis and Aunt Jenny were even able to hold Madison while Daddy was feeding Taylor!

On Wednesday, Mom arrived to the news that the girls could be going home very soon, possibly this weekend! So it is time to prepare for their long awaited homecoming! Mom & Dad are extremely excited and a little nervous! The girls are still small with Taylor weighing 4 lbs, 2 oz and Madison weighing 4 lbs, 6 oz., but the doctors said that they are doing so well that there is no reason for them to stay, as they are eating and growing well and they do not have any episodes of bradycardia or sleep apnea.

On Thursday Mom once again gave baths to Taylor & Madison. They were one day behind their bath schedule and they were stinky! Once again they really enjoyed their baths! Mom also brought in their car seats so that they can practice sitting in them in preparation to go home! On Friday we should have more word on when they may be discharged, so stay tuned!

Saturday, August 30, 2008

First Pics in Clothes - The Girls are Working on Moving out of their Isolates and into Cribs!

Taylor

Madison

Madison

Madison

Monday, September 1, 2008

Madison has moved to crib & Taylor isn't far behind!

Taylor

Madison

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Taylor is now in a big girl crib, too!

Taylor & Madison

Taylor

Madison

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Taylor

Madison

Daddy & Madison

Could It Be?!? Another Blog Update Already!

2008-08-28T23:36:00.010-04:00

Yes, it is! Back to back posts! But, wait do not get too excited, as this post may lack the creativity you have come to love because Dad is not publishing this one. However, there are some good pics and the girls had an exciting day to make up for it!

The girls were able to start bottle feeding today! Another step towards getting home! It was such a great feeling to be able to feed them a bottle and one that I'm sure Dad thoroughly enjoyed! They each had two bottles. One at 11:30 am from Mom and then one at 8:30 pm with Dad & Mom. Taylor had about 1/3 of her first bottle and about 1/2 of her second. Madison had all of her first bottle and most of her second. They did great for their first attempts! The doctors and nurses have warned us that feeding is usually the hardest thing for preemies to learn, but Taylor & Madison have been champs at nursing and proved to have a great first day at the bottle feedings! We are hoping that they keep it up and gain weight quickly, so that they can make it home soon! We simply can't wait much longer for the day we can bring them home!

Speaking of gaining weight quickly, they both had large gains today. Madison is now over 4 lbs, which means that she could move to a crib! However, they said they may give her a few days before moving because they want her to continue the weight gain.

Well, enjoy the pics & you'll have to wait a little longer for another one of Dad's great posts (cut him a break, as he has been rather busy these days!)

Thursday, August 28, 2008

The Girls' Current Weights are ...

Drum Roll Please ...

Taylor is 3 lbs, 12.8 oz (she is trying to catch Sis!)!!

Madison is 4 lbs, 1.1 oz!!

Daddy & Taylor hanging out after bottle feeding!

Taylor resting in Daddy's arms ... bottle feeding is tough work for such a little girl!

Daddy & Taylor spending some quality time together!

Taylor is trying to stay awake in Daddy's arms,

she does not want to miss any excitement, but it is just so hard!

And she is out ... Taylor just can't stay awake any longer!

Madison working on a nice diaper after her bottle feeding!

Madison lounging!

Madison wiped out after her bottle feeding!

Madison - So Sweet!

1 Month Old Pics!

2008-08-27T09:37:00.007-04:00

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

1 Month Old!!

Girls' Current Weights

Taylor is 3 lbs, 8 oz & Madison is 3 lbs, 15 oz!

Taylor

Taylor

Taylor

Taylor

Madison

Time Traveler

2008-08-26T03:54:00.033-04:00

Time certainly does travel fast. It seems like it was just yesterday when the twins were born. Now, as of Tuesday, August 26th, they are four weeks old. ONE MONTH!! I can't believe it. At this rate, I'll be eighty years old, retired, and broke tomorrow. I thought time only traveled this fast when you were either riding a roller coaster after waiting in line for 2 hours, or when you "made-out" with a girl for the first time. All of them are fun, a little stressful, and a complete blur afterwards.

This past month has been challenging emotionally, physically, and logistically. It's been an emotional tsunami filled with wonderful peaks and crushing valleys. And I thought high school was an emotional time. Managing your "reputation", avoiding bullies, and puberty doesn't compare to the emotional toll that it takes on you when you have babies in intensive care for more than a month. One day we experience holding our children for the first time, and then the next we are awaiting test results for blood diseases....or infections....or brain function...or central nervous system activity...or blindness....or a number of other potentially deadly ailments. All the while knowing that 1.) they're at an increased risk for most of these things since they were born 2 months premature and 2.) if they test positive for any of these, the effects can be long-lasting, life-altering, and even disabling or deadly. So when the twins were diagnosed with MRSA, it was certainly a time spent in one of those "crushing valleys". Seeing them put in isolation, nurses having to dress in gowns and gloves when even entering their room, and witnessing their tiny bodies stave off infection was difficult. And unfortunately, the oft-offered advice of "stay positive" is easier said than done.

But the adage, "the lower the lows, the higher the highs" has rang true, more so than ever, in the past month. Because when I cradle my three pound baby in my arms as she awakes and looks me dead in the eye, smiles and reaches up and touches my face, it's pure euphoria. At that moment, it's simply her and I; creating a bond and a love that will literally last a lifetime. Or every time that I place my finger in the palm of their hand and they instantly grasp it and squeeze as tight as their little arm muscles will allow always brings a smile to my face and a sense of nirvana to my soul.

So when you ask me how I'm doing and how are the girls doing, and I nonchalantly say, "we're doing well" and leave it at that, it's because I don't have the time nor the energy to describe what has happened that day or the last couple of days. Don't be offended, but I've lived through it once, and I usually can't handle the recap for everyone that I talk to. Hopefully this gives you an idea of our emotions and a better answer to the question: "So, how are Taylor and Madison doing today?"

And even though I'm a firm believer in the proverb, 'what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger', this is ridiculous. I was misled last November when I was told that 3o was the new 20. I don't ever remember 20 being like this!

But as a guy, I get a pass on the physical tolls that Emily has endured over the past month. I won't get into specifics (she doesn't like me talking about her on this blog - but don't tell her I said that), but the obvious pains and complications that come with recovering from an 8 inch slit cut through your abdomen should be fairly easy to imagine. Then there is the breastfeeding/pumping. Wow, I had no idea the time, discomfort, and difficulty in the process. The twins eat every 3 hours, which means mom has to produce enough milk for TWO babies that eat every THREE HOURS. That's a lot of pumping. And once you decide to breastfeed, and mom starts pumping, apparently you have to do it regularly or her boobs get large and uncomfortable (like a water balloon left on the spigot too long). Ok, sorry Emily, that's all I'll say.

Emily has handled it all very well. I don't know how she does it. She spends all day at the hospital, changing diapers, taking temperatures, and providing anything and everything for our kids. She's the rock!

Logistically, we are retarded. For some reason, we decided to move shortly after our kids were born. Building a house, and consequently selling a house, requires time and analysis. And since the kids have recently began nursing every 3 hours, Emily has to be at the hospital all day. Therefore, most household tasks, research, shopping, and general chores fall on me. Thus, needless to say, our house is a mess, we have no food or clothes, our new house has only 3 walls (my new innovative design), and the grass in the lawn is 3 ft. long. BUT, my sand volleyball team is really, REALLY good!

Ok, so maybe it's not quite that bad, but it is tough. Emily's had to be at the hospital constantly during the last week or so. We do our best to get most of the household chores done at night (usually from 10pm to midnight) after we come home from the hospital. Otherwise our weekends are pretty valuable because it provides me some time to get things done around the house. We've got a lot going on right now - Houses, babies, KAFFL, volleyball, daycare, family events, work, chores, Indy, and THIS BLOG. And that's just on Tuesday! Hmmm, which one can I get rid of? (stupid blog!)

But in all honesty, I think we do a pretty good job with juggling everything. I'm pretty much a personal planning genius that focuses on the minutia, and Emily handles the "big picture" stuff that I seem to skip over. We make a pretty good team, just don't try waking us up before 8am or we will kill you . . . seriously!

I guess time really does fly when you're having fun. . . . or something like that. Either that, or I've found a rip in the space/time continuum that has allowed me to advance a month in Earthly time but it's actually taken me only a day to do it. OR, having twins in the ICU for 1 month+ is a time vehicle of sorts that allows you to move through time seamlessly. That must be it!

So Marty McFly, you're not the only one who can travel through time. . . . with your Dalorian and flux capaciter. . . you think you're so special. Well, I have two kids in ICU and I seem to be able to travel through time just as well. And I don't have to befriend an old, crazy man to do it!

Log of major events since our last posting:

Tuesday, August 12th - Taylor & Madison had their nasal cannulas (nose tubes) removed! They are no longer on any respiratory aides of any kind. The feeling was fantastic as their improvement becomes visible when tubes or wires are removed from their isolates. They are still receiving antibiotics for MRSA, but their energy level and activity level seems to be rising . . . which is a good sign. They received new isolettes (incubators) today as well. They change them out every couple of weeks for sanitary purposes, I guess. These new isolettes are a bit older and less technological. I guess that's good because they probably feel as though the twins don't need the level of monitoring that the newer isolettes provide.

Weight: Taylor: 2 lbs. 13.1 oz Madison: 3 lbs. 2.7 oz

Wednesday, August 13th - Madison had a picc line (peripherally inserted central catheter - form of intravenous access that can be used for a prolonged period of time) inserted into her right leg to administer her antibiotics to combat MRSA.

Weight: Taylor: 2 lbs. 14.3 oz Madison: 3 lbs. 3.6 oz

Thursday, August 14th - The twins began to receive iron and vitamins for nutritional purposes. Taylor stopped receiving antibiotics for MRSA 1 day early as she didn't have the infection in her blood.

Weight: Taylor: 2 lbs. 14.5 oz Madison: 3 lbs. 4.8 oz

Saturday, August 16th - The twins had the footprints taken for the first time ever. We will use them to put into shadowboxes that we received from Emily's cousin at a baby shower. The footprints were only a couple inches long!

Weight: Taylor: 2 lbs. 15.7 oz Madison: 3 lbs. 7.5 oz

Monday, August 18th - The twins moved UP to preemie diapers (Pampers Swaddlers). They had been in diapers smaller than preemies (they looked like doll diapers).

Weight: Taylor: 3 lbs. 1.9 oz Madison: 3 lbs. 8.3 oz

Wednesday, August 20th - Both twins were removed from their oral antibiotic which was administered through their feeding tube. They were given their first sponge baths by their Mom today! This involved just wiping them off with warm water. They weren't actually submerged in a bath.

Weight: Taylor: 3 lbs. 3.4 oz Madison: 3 lbs. 10.4 oz

Thursday, August 21st - Emily started to nurse the twins. The girls took to it very well - which is a good sign that they'll take to bottles easily.

Weight: Taylor: 3 lbs. 4.6 oz Madison: 3 lbs. 12.4 oz

Saturday, August 23rd - The girls feeding tubes were switched from their mouth to their noses. The girls have become strong enough to pull them out of their mouths more often, so they were inserted into their noses. This allows for easier breast & bottle feeding.

Weight: Taylor: 3 lbs. 5.8 oz Madison: 3 lbs. 13.2 oz

Sunday, August 24th - Taylor received her first "real" bath. Mom & I gave her a bath outside of her isolette. She was in a "bathtub" and cleaned from top to bottom! She seemed to enjoy the bath, which tells me that she'll be a swimmer like her mom. The girls were also taken off caffeine, which helped them to maintain energy to feed. Madison's picc line clotted, so it was removed from her leg and an IV was placed in her hand. The nurses took foot prints of the kids and put them on signs in their rooms. Cute!

Weight: Taylor: 3 lbs. 6.8 oz Madison: 3 lbs. 13.6 oz

Monday, August 25th - The girls received an eye exam for ROP (retinopathy of prematurity - abnormal blood vessels grow and spread throughout the retina). Both passed with flying colors. Although the test itself was difficult to watch. They clamped open their eyes and kinda poked their eyeballs with a metal prod. They didn't like it too much as they screamed and cried. Luckily, it didn't last more than 60 seconds, and they were back to sleep in no time.

Weight: Taylor: 3 lbs. 8.0 oz Madison: 3 lbs. 14.9 oz

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

2 Weeks Old!!

Taylor

Madison

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Taylor

Madison

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Taylor

Madison

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Taylor

Madison

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

3 Weeks Old!!

Taylor

Madison

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Taylor

Madison

Friday, August 22, 2008

Taylor

Madison

Madison

Madison

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Taylor's Footprints

Madison's Footprints

Dad getting ready to give Taylor her first full bath!

Taylor's First Bath

Madison

Monday, August 25, 2008

Madison

Madison - No pick line or IV in her legs!

The Girls' Current Weights

Taylor & Madison turn 2 !. . . . Weeks Old

2008-08-11T10:30:00.036-04:00

Wow, time flies! Taylor and Madison are already 14 days old (as of Tuesday - 8/12). And that's the reason that I haven't updated this blog in a week. I've been so busy party planning for their monumental birthday, that I haven't had time to update this blog as often as I originally intended. I mean, two weeks old! If you haven't heard, two weeks is the new sixteen! I've booked Madonna to perform at their birthday party (she is IMPOSSIBLE to get a hold of), the Olsen twins will make an appearance as fellow twin sister supporters, Michael Phelps has dedicated his next gold medal to Taylor & Madison, there's a 300 person guest list, and we've reserved the entire 6th floor of the NICU wing at the CNH (Community North Hospital) as the venue. It's going to be bumpin'! They're going to get diamond pacifiers for their bday gifts from us and VH1 is going to film the party for their reality tv show, "Sweet Sixteen". It's going to be off the hook! Needless to say, this has taken most of the week to setup, so I'm sorry that I haven't updated this in that time. I'll try to do better.

So let's back up to Saturday, August 2nd. All of my frozen pizzas had been consumed (I grabbed about 5 frozen pizzas to stick in my mini fridge in our maternity suite when I became tired of spending $10/meal at the hospital cafe), Emily was mobile once again, and it was time for us to leave the hospital. Although we were ready to go home to our own bed and shower, it was very tough leaving our daughters there. Taylor and Madison have to stay in the NICU for several more weeks due to their prematurity. It was tough saying goodbye to them, but we knew that we would come back often to visit and we could call in for updates at anytime. Emily walked out of the hospital on Saturday only 4 days after having her surgery. That was a real tribute to her tenacity and fortitude. What a trooper!

I think we called several times that night just to check up on them. Our latest call that day came at 2am. We've called as late as 4am at times. I think the nurses are regretting giving us their phone number.

Sunday, August 3rd was a great day! We went to the hospital for several hours with Emily's parents, her sister, and a friend. While at the hospital, we were able to hold our children for the first time! Emily held Taylor and I held Madison for about 30 minutes each. It was awesome! We were able to hold them on our chests with skin-to-skin contact. The nurses stress the importance of skin-to-skin contact at this early age for parent-child bonding and emotional comfort and physical comfort for the kids. It was a fantastic feeling and an experience that I will always remember.

On Monday, I went back to work. It was hard, but six weeks with two kids in the intensive care unit presents a daunting challenge financially. Luckily, we have pretty good medical insurance so our cost should be minimal in comparison, but it was time to get back to the daily routine nonetheless. Time passed slowly at work, while Emily visited the twins at the hospital. She was unable to drive, so my mom took her to the hospital and I brought her home. I went straight to the hospital after work and we were there until about 9:30pm that evening. Weekdays are long days that usually include me working, going to the gym at lunch, then straight to the hospital after work for a couple hours. The meals that people have prepared for us have been life savers as we usually get home late and don't have the energy to make dinner.

Tuesday was similar except I took Emily to the hospital before work. When I went to visit after work, I was able to hold Taylor for over an hour. It was great bonding time and I feel such closeness to them every time I'm able to hold them in my arms. We were at the hospital until 8:30pm and went home emotionally and physically drained.

Wednesday provided a glimpse of what the next 6 weeks will be like emotionally. We found out on Wednesday that Madison had an infection and would be started on antibiotics. She had to have an IV inserted and blood taken. I went from the excitement of being able to finally hold my children one day, to the anxiety and stress of one of them having and ailment the very next day. And an infection in a preemie can't be dismissed easily. Their immune systems are not as developed and strong as ours or even a baby that's full-term, so the risk of complication or serious illness is increased with the simplest of infections and viruses. We would have until her blood tests came back to find out what type of infection it was. It was a long, sleepless night for Emily and I was certainly unnerved as well.

Thursday didn't bring many answers. Madison was still on antibiotics and Taylor was beginning to show symptoms (less active & no weight gain). They began to give Taylor antibiotics and took blood samples from her as well.

Friday we found out that Madison (and probably Taylor) had MRSA. It's a staph infection that is fairly common in hospitals and in the general population (about 30% of the population has it and doesn't know it). It can be easily transmitted, and in some cases become very aggressive. The idea that an adult gave the girls an infection really bothered me at the time and made me question the many hours that we had spent with them as well as the numerous visitors that we allowed in to see and touch them. We're we being too nonchalant with their fragile bodies? We're we risking their health for the benefit of parent-child interaction and bonding? Did our pride and joy blur our sense of well-being for them when letting visitors so close, so soon? The doctors and nurses assured us that we weren't at fault and these things "just happen", but they aren't the ones that would have to live with these questions for the rest of their lives if an infection becomes terminal. Weighing that fact with the nurses contradictory recommendations have provided more anxiety on top of an already stressful situation.

Saturday was a busy day. I did some furniture shopping, we had our first meeting with a possible daycare provider, we checked out the progress on our new house, and we went to the hospital. Regular activities help to distract my mind from thinking about how the twins are doing, but for only short periods of time.

I went to the hospital briefly on Saturday. I saw the girls for about an hour on Saturday night, and then let them rest. Madison seemed to be improving as she seemed more active and alert. Taylor's blood samples were coming back negative, which meant that there was a possibility that the preventative antibiotics had done their job of preventing a full-blown infection.

On Sunday, we called the hospital in the morning. Madison had to have a lumbar puncture, or a spinal tap, to ensure that the infection had not spread to her nervous system or brain. This was also to make sure that she didn't contract meningitis. These scenarios were unlikely, but the hospital does the procedure to be sure and cover "all their bases". We anguished for Madison, as we knew that the procedure would not be pleasant and her arms and feet were already bruised from all of the needle pokes that she had received for blood cultures and IVs.

They were holding off on giving Taylor the lumbar puncture until her blood work came back positive.

We went to the hospital to visit the girls on Sunday night. The girls seemed much more active and were back to gaining weight. Madison is back up to her birth weight of 3 lbs. 1 oz. and Taylor had surpassed her birth weight and is up to 2 lbs. 11 oz. Emily got to hold both girls at the same time, which was a thrill for everyone involved. We had our first family picture taken (see below) and left the hospital around 10:30pm overjoyed at the prospect of them returning to better health.

Monday brought some more details on the extent of their infections. Taylor's blood test results came back as negative. But she did have traces of the infection on her skin around her naval and nose. This is good news because the infection didn't enter her bloodstream and is less invasive. The doctor has decided to keep her on antibiotics until Friday (10 days from the start of antibiotics).

Madison did have the infection enter her bloodstream which means that she will be on antibiotics for up to 3 more weeks. She seems to be handling it well and it's apparent that she has her mother's strength and tenacity.

The emotional rollercoaster that we ride on a daily basis is intense. It's different from taking your kid into the doctor and learning that he's got the flu or needs an operation. I'm sure that's gut-wrenching for the day or two that they're in pain or under the knife. We don't feel that acute stress level, but we feel a duller, constant stress and anxiety level that persists through each day and will continue to live inside of us until we're able to bring them home healthy. Until that day, I'll try to keep updating you on everyone's condition and continue to give you insight on our daily thoughts and activities.

Madison

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Taylor

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Mommy Telling Madison Bye ... Until She Returns Tomorrow!

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Taylor

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Madison

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Grandma Mraz Changing Taylor's Diaper!

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Aunt Amy Saying Hi to Taylor!

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Eileen Visiting With Taylor!

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Daddy Watching over as Mommy Holds Taylor for the First Time!

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Daddy Holding Madison for the First Time! Madison Reached Up To Say Hi!

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Daddy & Maddy!

Sunday, August 3, 2008

adison Falls Asleep in Daddy's Arms!

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Kim, Grandma Lewis and Taylor!

Monday, August 4, 2008

Taylor Gives A Big Thumbs Up!

Monday, August 4, 2008

Daddy Changing One of Many of Madison's Diapers!

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Taylor - 1 Week Old!

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Daddy Holding Taylor for the First Time!

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Madison Resting - So Sweet!

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Taylor Stretching - Too Cute!

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Grandpa Lewis & Mom Checking in on Madison!

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Madison - Future Skier Like Her Daddy!?!

Friday, August 8, 2008

Maddy Resting With Her Pacifier

Friday, August 8, 2008

Taylor & Madison Both Reached Their Original Birth Weights!

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Madison

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Madison

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Taylor Lounging!

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Madison Holding Daddy's Finger!

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Madison Holding Daddy's Finger!

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Madison Smiling With Her Hat On!

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Mommy Holding Madison for the First Time!

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Madison Looking Up At Mom!

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Mommy Holding Taylor & Madison Together for the First Time!!

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Sisters Reunited & Resting Peacefully!!

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Taylor & Madison Holding Hands!!

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Taylor & Madison - Best Friends!!

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Our First Family Photo!!

(Sorry Indy! We Will Include You As Soon As the Girls Get Home!)

Sunday, August 10, 2008

More Improvement

2008-08-01T22:50:00.008-04:00

Emily awoke Friday to find her feet, ankles, and legs still swollen. I think the toll that this week (and the past 31 weeks) has taken on her body caught up to her this morning. The combination of her soreness and pain from surgery as well as her general discomfort from her swollen body caused some anxiety for her this morning. Once assured by the nurse that she was progressing normally, she was able to settle down and get some rest. She's been doing great great thus far and her physical and mental strength is phenomenal. I think that the girls got their strength and resolve from their mother . . . which is fantastic!

Emily's doctor made her usual visit this morning. We questioned her about Emily's swelling, and the doctor confirmed the fact that it will take some time to alleviate. The doctor did order Emily to track her fluid input & output once again in order to ensure that she's continuing to release more fluid than she's consuming. Emily's continuing to walk around more and more each day, but does have to stay off her feet for hours at a time due to her swelling. The doctor also informed us that we were still on schedule to be discharged tomorrow. It will be good to leave the hospital, but tough to leave the girls here. We look forward to going home and seeing Indy (our dog) and sleeping in our own bed, but I'm sure that we will struggle with the fact that we can't simply walk upstairs to visit the girls.

After meeting with the doctor, we went upstairs (the NICU is on the floor above us) to see the girls. To our delight, the girls had the top of their incubators off. This allowed us to interact with the girls for quite some time. We changed diapers, caressed, and talked with the twins for 30+ minutes. We can do these things normally, but it was easier today without the tops of their incubators.

Another positive that we found this morning was that their breathing apparati were removed. Their breathing is progressing so well that they were upgraded to nasal oxygen tubes. These tubes can provide oxygen, but only do so if the girls forget to breathe. These tubes are not as invasive as the former apparatus and we can see their faces much easier. Plus, they don't have to wear their hats to keep the appartati secure. Thus, we were able to view the full head of hair that each one sports. As you'll see in the photos below, they have a head full of dark hair. This wasn't much of a surprise to either Emily or I, but we enjoyed seeing it anyway. Our experience this morning was the best I've had with the twins and it made me look forward to the day that I can hold them and take them home.

After visiting the twins, we had visitors of our own stop by. Friends and family continued to visit throughout the day. Some pictures of our visitors meeting the twins for the first time can be viewed below. Everyone who sees them marvels at their beauty and are amazed at their petite stature. They are now crying and opening their eyes fairly regularly. To have them look at you will make you melt and to hear them cry is both heartbreaking and enchanting at the same time. They are small but strong, as they continue to make positive strides every day.

Emily and I look forward to tomorrow and the joy that the girls will provide us!

Pure Exhaustion & Adrenaline

2008-07-31T17:38:00.008-04:00

Wednesday morning started off well. After the babies were born, Emily was not able to go to their room until the next day because of her condition and the need for rest after surgery. However, she convinced the nurse to allow her to visit the twins at 1am on Wednesday morning. So Emily and I went up on Wednesday and she got a good look at the twins for the first time since their birth. We stayed up there (they're on the 6th floor and were on the 5th) for about 20 minutes, then we came back to our room and went to sleep for the first time. . . as parents!

But, with the nurses coming in to check on Emily every hour, neither one of us got much sleep. The anticipation to spend some substantial time with the kids on Wednesday provided too much anxiety and anticipation to rest for very long. We were up the next morning and went up to visit the kids. They were in good condition and continued to breathe on their own. Their first night was uneventful and peaceful.

Emily's condition began to improve immediately after birth. She began to lose a lot of the fluid that the pre-eclampsia had caused her to retain. The doctor continued to give her antibiotics via IV and they continued to monitor her weight, blood, and urine.

Since Emily was improving and the babies were stable, I was able to run home and shower for the first time since Monday morning. I grabbed some clothes for myself, showered, and headed back to the hospital.

At this point, Emily and I were running on pure adrenaline. I got back to the hospital and in time to see Emily's catheter get removed. This allowed her to go to the bathroom once again. She had shed 8 liters of fluid since her surgery and had only consumed 4 liters in the same time frame. Even though she was still mostly confined to her bed, Emily began improving.

We visited the girls several times throughout the day on Wednesday. They maitained their stabilization throughout the day and night and continued to impress everyone with their fantastic progress.

I was finally able to get some good sleep on Wednesday night. I didn't completely catch up, but the rest and the shower certainly improved my demeanor and mental and physical condition. Emily was able to rest and began to feel better as well.

Thursday rolled around and brought some new and great events with the girls. They began feeding on breast milk on Thursday. This greatly improves their stability and immune systems. Emily and I were also able to change their diapers and interact with them even more on Thursday. We're hoping to be able to hold them by the weekend. Their progress is awesome and we hope that it continues.

Emily was able to take her first shower on Thursday morning. She said that it felt wonderful, even though it was a bit difficult. She's still struggling to bend at the hips and she has some pain from the surgery, but she is able to walk around more and more every day. Her swelling has subsided in her upper body, but her legs and feet are still swollen. She's disconnected from the IV's and she's only taking pain medication orally. She's been extremely tough throughout this process and her health is better for it.

Aunt Jenny and Uncle Rick brought us lunch on Thursday. They visited the kids and saw Madison open her eyes. Jenny got some great video of the event that can be seen on youtube via the link below.

Grandma and Grandpa Lewis stopped by to visit the kids on Thursday night. Grandma got to change Taylor's diaper. She did a great job, but promised to get better as they get bigger.

Thursday was a great day to be Taylor and Madison's parents. We're getting to interact with them more and more everyday and can't wait to see what tomorrow holds.

I'll let you know how it goes!

Madison's Eyes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZhCCr61itI&feature=email

Dad Changing Madison's Diaper

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAfEBcx7lSA&feature=email

They're Here!

2008-07-30T10:53:00.008-04:00

Surprise! Taylor and Madison made their debut on Tuesday, July 29th at 4:26 and 4:27pm respectively. Taylor weighed in at 2 lbs. 10 oz and Madison weighed in at 3 lbs. 1 oz.

Here's what happened leading up to their arrival:

Emily and I went to our regularly scheduled ultrasound appointment on Monday at 9:30am. The ultrasounds looked great and the kids were doing fine. After our ultrasounds, we waited to see our doctor, as usual. The doctor came in and began asking her normal questions about Emily's condition, feelings, and aches/pains. At that time, the doctor began to review Emily's current urine analysis and noticed that she had protein in her urine. She first recommended that we go to our fetal specialist for an ultrasound. She then looked at Emily's feet & ankles and noticed that they were considerably swollen. She then changed her mind and wanted to admit Emily into the hospital for 24 hour observation. We were immediately taken over to the maternity ward and checked into our room. The nurses took several vials of blood and Emily was on a 24 hour urine observation (she had to pee in a cup for a day).

At this point, we were told that she may have a bladder infection, urinary tract infection, but she was also showing signs of toxemia, or pre-eclampsia. I'm not going to get into what this is, you can google it if you want a definition. But it is a serious condition that occurs only during pregnancy. We were told that if it was an infection, she would be put on antibiotics and go home in a day or two. If it was pre-eclampsia, the only cure is delivery.

At this time (Monday afternoon), we still felt confident that this was some type of infection and we were just at the hospital for observation / bed rest. So, after Emily was settled in her room, I decided to go back to work for a couple hours, then go home and get an overnight bag for Emily. When I got back to the hospital, blood test results started to come in. They were a little abnormal, but not "off the charts". They took some more blood and started an IV to give Emily fluids and antibiotics to treat any possible infection. As of Monday night, we still had no definitive answers and we were still confident that we would be out of the hospital by Tuesday afternoon.

We were wrong. Tuesday morning rolled around and our doctor paid us a visit. She said that because Emily's urine output was very low (Emily had gained 6 lbs. in 24 hours from fluid retention), her blood work numbers were elevated, and her swelling began in the rest of her body, she was likely sufferring from pre-eclampsia and that the babies would probably be born via c-section either Tuesday or Wednesday at 4pm.

Then we got on the phone. I called Emily's parents in St. Louis and told them to make the trip to Indy. I called my family to let them know the news. We each called work to let them know that we wouldn't be in for a while. But everything was moving so quickly that we didn't have time to call friends or extended family. We were speaking with a nurse, doctor, specialist, NICU doctor, or a family member every second from Tuesday morning until Emily's operation.

At 30 weeks and 4 days gestation, Emily was about to give birth. Emily was wheeled into the operating room at 3:50pm. Emily's parents had just made it in from STL about 30 minutes before Emily went into surgery. Myself and Emily's mom would be in the operating room during the procedure. Emily's c-section went flawlessly, as far as I could tell, and she was out of the operating room and back into her maternity suite by 5:10pm. Taylor was born at 4:26pm and Madison was born at 4:27pm on Tuesday, July 29, 2008!

Emily is doing fine. She did wonderful throughout the entire process and is recovering nicely. She's experiencing the typical discomfort that accompanies major surgery, but has suffered no major complications thus far. She continues to be swollen from the pre-eclampsia and the staff is monitoring that closely. Her urine output is returning to normal and she's currently not taking any fluids or antibiotics through IV. It looks like Emily & I will be in the hospital until Saturday.
Taylor and Madison are doing well. They're both breathing on their own and have suffered no major complications thus far. Obviously they're being monitored closely due to their prematurtiy, but at this point, just monitoring and preventative measures are being applied, and nothing is being treated or battled. They will be in neo-natal intensive care unit for at least 5 or 6 weeks, with the possibility of their stay reaching 2 months. Their major risk include infection, but the doctor assures us that they are doing great so far and that they have about a 98% survival rate at this point.

I will try to update this blog daily while we're in the hospital. Thanks for everyone's support and patience. I'm trying to distribute information as quickly and easily as possible.

Stay tuned. . . .

Seventh Inning Stretch

2008-07-20T11:55:00.022-04:00

Hello all! Sorry for the delay in posting. Unfortunately, the blog takes a back seat to many of the other tasks and responsibilities that I have going on right now. These include, working 40+ hrs/wk, working out 8 hrs./wk, going to the grocery store, mowing the lawn, cleaning the house, going to baby classes, making dinner & lunches, researching daycares, shopping for baby stuff, preparing a home to sell, overseeing construction of a new home, paying bills, maintaining our finances, putting together baby stuff, pricing appliances, organizing babies room, researching baby stuff, and keeping my wife and dog content. Don't get me wrong, I squeeze a round of golf in there every once in a while. But blogging is near the bottom of this list.

Alright, I'm done justifying myself to the masses. We had a pretty busy past couple of weeks. We had our second baby shower a couple weekends ago (see pics below of both baby showers). I hear it was awesome. A big thank you to my Mom, Dad, & Sister for organizing and hosting an awesome shower. I know that my Mom & Sister spent a lot of time and effort in putting it together, and thanks to my Dad who will have to work another 6 months to pay for it. But Emily and I are so grateful for their hard work. THANK YOU!!!!! We'd also like to thank those who traveled from out of town to the shower, and everyone who came and gave us a gift. It's humbling and fortunate that we have such great friends and family that support and love us.

I've already been putting together stuff that we've received. Before I tackled the first baby product, I had heard the horror stories of assembling different baby toys and items. I was scared. Before I did anything, I went and put on my tool belt, hard hat, orange safety vest, and goggles. I grabbed my tool box and sparked my blowtorch. I still felt ill-prepared, but I had to make do. I first tackled the cool double stroller that we received from my grandmother. It took me about 15 minutes to open the box. . . not a good sign. But when I removed all the contents, sat it on the floor, I noticed that it was assembled already. "That was easy!" The only thing left to do was to figure out how to "unfold" the stroller which took a precise combination of pulling and pushing several sets of levers, arms, and buttons hidden within the folded metal and nylon. At first, it's difficult for a new dad to figure out which handles and trap doors one must trigger in what order to "open" this thing up. I liken it to a guy unhooking a girls bra for the first time. It's pretty clumsy, embarrassing, and immasculating as we struggle with the tiny hooks, until our patience runs out and we simply muscle our way through it. In either case, the job eventually gets done.

The process was eerily similar on my next assembly job. This time it was a bassinet/pack n' play. I was prepared for the worst though. I still thought that my friends who had warned me of the treachorous job of assembling baby stuff weren't completely retarded in industrial arts. But, it turns out, that they may be. The pack n' play was assembled, but "folded". Once I figured out how to "unfold" it, the rest was fairly simple. "Push here, tug there", and voila . . . an assembled pack n' play! I must be a natural Bob Villa when it comes to baby stuff assembly.

We had a doctors visit on Monday, July 14th. It was an uneventful appointment besides the fact that we received ultrasound photos (see below). We also learned that the babies have gained nearly 1 lb. since our last doctors visit. They now way 2 lbs. 9 ounces & 2 lbs. 11 ounces. They weighed in well and all of their measurements were in an acceptable range.

However, since the doctors appointments are becoming more regular, my wife's belly is getting bigger, and I've done more shopping in the last couple weeks than I've done in years, I'm getting a sense that this thing is approaching the climactic finale that I was promised more than seven months ago. To put it in typical guy terminology, "I'm coming around the third turn and the finish line is in sight". "It's the fourth quarter and I'm at the two-minute warning." "I'm roundin' third and heading for home." So on, and so forth.

See ladies, this is how guys think of pregnancy. We have to section it off. Divide it up. Set goals for ourselves. We need to know that this hormonal super-woman will turn back into our wife after a set period of time. Why do you think that sporting events are sectioned into quarters, periods, and halves? We need to know that there's an end, and how close we are to it. If pregnancy lasted a random amount of days, weeks, or months, men would struggle mightily. I'm not even sure that the human race would've made it this far. Men would continually ask, "Are we there yet?" like the typical 6 year old on their way to Disney World. After a while, sparks would shoot from our heads and smoke pour out of our ears. Our heads would then explode and our bodies would run around frantically for a few seconds. Don't worry, this would be a relief to us because it's an ending.

Luckily for us, pregnancy isn't like that. It has a 40 week life-cycle (35ish for twins) and can be divided and subdivided. And currently, we're in the seventh inning stretch of our pregnancy. It's that time of the game where you stand up, stretch, and regain perspective. Or, for some people, realize for the first time that they're at a baseball game. I feel like I'm at that point in this pregnancy where I'm standing up out of my fox hole to stretch after being bombarded and shell-shocked for the last 7 months. I'm finally realizing that I'm at a baseball game, and it only took me 7 innings!

In baseball, the grounds crew comes out and manicures the diamond. Similarly, I am "manicuring" our temporary nursery and putting baby stuff together as if my life depended upon it.

In baseball, Take Me Out to the Ballgame plays during the stretch. Likewise, I'm hearing Taps play as my life, as I once knew it, nears death.

But, my starting pitcher has thrown a helluva game thus far. She's stayed strong and continued to carry this team on her back. She's starting to get sore though. She gets restless on the mound and isn't comfortable in the wind-up. I can tell that she just wants the game to be over. It's difficult for me to watch her struggle, but frequent trips to the mound to offer her encouragement seem to help. I need to continue to call a good game, give her good support, and get her the win. In the meantime, we're hoping that our coach doesn't bench her for the final couple innings. But if she gets anymore fatigued, swollen, and sore, she might have to. It's too early to tell the outcome, but the end will be here in just a few short innings. I can't wait!

Ahhhhhh, the good ol' 7th inning stretch. Be prepared because the last couple innings are going to go quick! And for all you fans out there, get your beers now, because it's last call and they don't serve you after the eighth inning!

"Spread the diaper in the position of the diamond with you at bat. Then fold
second base down to home and set the baby on the pitcher’s mound. Put first base
and third together, bring up home plate and pin the three together. Of course,
in case of rain, you gotta call the game and start all over again."

~Jimmy Piersal, on how to diaper a baby, 1968

Indy Shower Pics:

Ultrasound Pics:

STL Shower Pics:

The Name Game

2008-07-11T13:30:00.004-04:00

It's been a pretty slow week . . . as far as the baby news is concerned. So I'm hoping that I can keep this week's posting nice and concise.

The week began with Emily receiving her results back from her blood work last week. To recap, the lab took two vials of blood to test for low blood sugar, gestational diabetes, and other blood-related disorders. Unfortunately, the tests did come back positive. This is pretty common in pregnancy and means that they wanted to bring her back in for more blood work in order to verify their initial results. So, Emily had to go back to the lab for three hours on Tuesday. They drew a vial every hour. Fortunately, we received the results back on Thursday and indicated that her bloodwork was normal and everything was fine. Whew! This entire pregnancy thing feels like you're dodging one bullet after the other. Especially with twins, there are so many risks, worries, and complications that can affect your pregnancy. I can only hope that everything from here on out goes as smoothly as it has thus far.

Our third "baby class" was pretty non-eventful as well. There was a reappearance of Paula, as we watched some more video footage, but it was brief and more tasteful (similar to this week's posting). We took a tour of the pediatric unit, nursery, and delivery rooms. The class paid for itself this week because they showed us where to go when we're ready to come to the hospital for delivery. Had they not shared that small bit of information, I fear that I could've driven around Community North with my laboring wife for an hour before finding out that I simply needed to go to the fourth floor for registration and the big event. I now feel a little more reassured in case we're in a hurry when that time comes.

That brings us to names. Naming these little ones has been an arduous chore. It's a decision that Emily and I have pondered over for several months now. Afterall, this single decision will give a name and identity to two human beings for the rest of their lives. That's a major decision! You can't rush to a name and end up giving your kids a name that will torment them when they're in elementary school and playing the banana-nana-fo-fana game. You'll put your kids through hell if you give them names like Mitch or Buck. Luckily, we have two girls on the way, so that wasn't much of a concern. However, with girls, you can't really tempt fate by giving them names like Chasity, Charity, Justice, or Purity. You know they'll grow up and become rebellious teens that do the exact opposite of what their name implies. Of course, you also have to stay away from names that infer certain professions. For example, Candy, Trixie, Barbie, and Bambi are names just setting your kids up for a profession in "pole aerobics". Then you have to think about those who are around you. I can't name either of my kids Jade because my sister's dog is named Jade and that would be . . . unusual. I know several Jennifer's, Kates, Beth's, and so adding another one to the mix is a bit too much. We wanted to be unique, yet not abnormal. We wanted cool, but feminine; hip, but respected; concise, yet formal; traditional, yet original. We wanted all of these things and had hundreds of thousands of choices. We have books that boast 100,001 BEST baby names. One hundred thousand best names. These are the cream of the crop. That doesn't even count the crappy ones! That's a lot to wrap your mind around. And on top of it all, we had to consider the fact that we're having twin babies of the same sex. You want their names to flow, yet you want them to have their own identity. Sure Sara and Kara sound like great twin names, but will they resent us in the future? Will they feel unique and able to find their own identities? These are the questions and concerns that we had when choosing names. So when you (yes, you) asked us if we had names picked out in the eighth week of pregnancy, and we looked at you like you were crazy . . . this is why. And when I refused to leak out the names we were considering over the past 28 weeks . . . . this is why. For us, there was a lot to think about, consider, ponder, and toss around. We understood your curiosity, but wanted to do this on our own. And we did! Afterall, this was our name game and we had enough players already.

So the names of the newest additions to the Lewis's will be:

First born (presumably Baby A) - Taylor Ann Lewis

Second born (presumably Baby B) - Madison Michael (maybe Elizabeth) Lewis

We liked Taylor and Madison for all of the above mentioned reasons. Ann is the middle name of both my mother and Emily's mother. Michael is just an awesome name so we had to stick it in there somewhere.

Hopefully this explains our thought process and satisfies your "need to know". Stay tuned next week for updates on our final baby class, a doctors appointment on Monday, and NEW ultrasound pics!

"Regard your good name as the richest jewel you can possibly be possessed of. . . The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear."

-Socrates

Paula's Junk

2008-07-05T06:00:00.002-04:00

Welcome back everyone! As promised, I am continuing to document my experiences as the spouse of a pregnant woman in the form of this blog. But before I go any further, I want to mention the poll that I've started. By clicking on the banner below, you will be taken to www.expectnet.com where I've started a poll on when the twins will be born, how much they'll weigh, and how tall they'll be. As of the date of this posting, there are only 7 people that have made guesses. Yet, I know that there are more people than that reading this blog. So, click on the banner and give us your guess. Don't worry, it's free and the winner will receive a small prize (i.e. I won't ask you to babysit for the first month . . . if you're lucky). To participate, click here:

The days since my last post have been busy ones. We traveled to St. Louis, Missouri (or Missoura for all you natives) for Emily's first baby shower. Then, on Monday, we had a doctor's appointment with our obstetrician. Finally, we attended the second of four "baby classes" at Community North Hospital on Wednesday night. All three of these events were both exciting and terrifying all at the same time.

We begin with the trip to St. Louis. My in-laws were kind enough to have a baby shower for Emily in STL. Emily's parents did a great job of hosting a wonderful party and I know Emily appreciated all of the hard work that her sisters put into the party preparation. THANK YOU MRAZ's, WECKHERLIN'S, and LANE's! But because the shower was a "girl's only" shower, I needed to find something to do while the festivities ensued. Thus, I thought I'd try to get some male bonding time in with the in-laws by inviting my father-in-law and two brother-in-laws to a healthy game of golf. Well, I didn't know that my bro-in-laws were allergic to fun. They both turned forty recently and that must be the age at which you lose your hair, your spine, and apparently your testes! Both turned me down without reason! Short of having the Swedish Bikini Team over for a strip poker tourney, a man does not turn down a golf game when their women are away. It's a man law! Nonetheless, I was able to go with my dad, Emily's Dad and Jim's father, so I picked their brain for some fatherly advice. But the next time you see Jim & Todd, refer to them as Jill & Tonya as these names suit them better. But I'm not bitter.

After golf, I went back to ground zero and scoped out all of the loot. . . I mean gifts, that we received from the baby shower. A sincere "thank you" to all of those who attended our shower and were kind enough to bring a baby gift. We appreciate your generosity and kindness! It was exciting to see all of the new stuff that we can now add to the babies' portfolio of assets. It was kinda scary trying to get all of the stuff back home and figuring out a place to store it until the lil' ones make their debut. The current solution seems to be to put all my stuff in the attic. My space in our house is shrinking already and the twins are only the size of grapefruit. I need a new house!

On Monday, we had an appointment with our OBGYN. This was another routine appointment that involves us going into the office and the doctor asking Emily how she's doing, listens for the heartbeats, and then sends us on our way. We're usually in and out in 20 minutes and I somehow feel unsatisfied with the entire experience. Maybe it's because I always have a feeling that, as I'm leaving the office, she's walking behind us as we walk out the door laughing and thinking that was the easiest $200 any one's ever made. One of these times I'm going to conjure up the courage to turn around real quick and catch her laughing at us. Then it's on! Until then, I'll continue to saunter out of the office with my skirt in one hand and my empty wallet in the other.

We did visit the lab after our fleecing from the doctor. Emily was due to have blood drawn in order to test for things like low blood sugar and iron deficiency. I find that the best way to describe this process for us is by analogy.

Emily : giving blood :: men : shopping

For those of you who scored below a 400 on the English portion of your SAT's, I'll literally spell it out for you.

Emily is to giving blood as men are to shopping.

They both don't like each other, avoid each other at all costs, and when forced to interact, do so begrudgingly. In fact, Emily has a dubious history of giving blood. She often gets light-headed, queezy, and passes out. And I don't mean the, "I don't feel right. . . let me sit down for a second" kind of pass out. I mean the eyes roll back into her head as the nurse yells "T-I-I-I-M-M-M-B-E-R-R-R!" type of pass out! So as the husband, my job is to make sure that if she does crash and burn, she get's revived and she doesn't hurt herself in the process. Which means I am faced with a difficult decision every time I accompany my better half to the blood bank. What is the best "catch" position for me to be in? I often consider the "linebacker stance". This posture has your feet shoulder width apart, butt down, chin up, and knees bent at a 30 degree angle with your arms out in front. Similar to how your high school football coach taught all the offensive lineman how to block. I like this pose, but am often scared to break it out for fear that 1.) I look ridiculous and 2.) if I overestimate my own strength, we both go down and I look like a total wuss. So I decided to stick with my "go-to" position, sitting next to her with my left arm acting as an arm-bar across her chest and my right hand with a fistfull of her blouse along her back. This usually does the job and is much safer for all parties involved (including my ego). Luckily, Emily's toughness prevailed and she didn't even get light-headed during this round of her skirmish with the syringe. They only took two vials and we were in and outta there in 5 minutes. All crises averted!

Finally, on Wednesday, we attended our second childbirth class at Community North. We signed up for these courses a few months ago. They consist of four, two hour sessions from 7 to 9pm on Wednesday nights. We signed up for these things out of curiosity, I think. I wasn't expecting to actually learn much more than I already knew about the childbirth process, but the classes included a tour of the hospital, maternity wards, and NIC unit which peaked our interest and sold the value of the program for us. But we were asked to bring a pillow with us to this lesson, so we were expecting an active class that may involve the legendary Lemaze breathing techniques. To our surprise, we did not learn Lemaze in this class. The pillow was used for some various labor positions that your pregnant wife may find comfort in assuming during the 12-18 hour labor. About twelve stations were set up around the room that had laminated pieces of paper with examples of labor positions taped on the wall. Each couple was to choose a station, assume the position, and then rotate to the next station after a minute or two. Most positions were pretty benign, but there were some funny ones that included on "all-fours" on the floor, leaning on a chair with your elbows while your butt is in the air and knees on the ground, and the "labor dance" which is your wife leaning on you while standing and swaying. It was funny to watch a bunch of pregger women in various semi-indignant positions scattered throughout the room. However, it was funnier to watch the men they were with. We followed the women from station to station like dependent little puppies carrying pillows. Every one of us have a half-glazed over look and a bewilderment about us that conveys our cluelessness of the life-changing events yet to come. We all march closely behind our better halves, careful not to fall behind, thinking of days not long past when we had respect, dignity, and no responsibility. Those days are long gone, and we were all realizing it at that very moment. It was heartbreaking.

After we made it through all of the stations, we went back to our seats. The instructor then said that we were going to watch a video. I thought nothing of it and figured it was a video showing the labor positioning techniques that we just learned. And for the first ten minutes, I was right. The video introduced us to Chris & Paula, the parents-to-be in the "documentary". Paula was obviously pregnant and nearing her delivery date. The camera took us into her home in the days leading up to her delivery. There, Paula showed us some of the positions-in-action as she struggled at times to work through the contractions. Suddenly, Paula found herself in the hospital as labor was becoming more intense and birth growing imminent. It was then, as the video kept playing, I found my anxiety growing. "Could this be. . . no, we would have surely received some type of warning", I thought. As time between Paula's contractions decreased, my fear increased. I began to sweat. When Paula was pictured in a birthing bed, clothed in the hospital gown, and her feet in the upright and stowed position, I knew.

By now, you should be able to deduce that I'm referring to THE VIDEO. The infamous baby video that your fellow male, father friends warn you about. The one that is the up-close and personal, graphic, bloody, and uncensored look into the delivery of a baby and all of the "parts and pieces" included in such a process.

I wasn't ready. I was feeling duped, blind-sided, sucker-punched! Only in the right mindset and with due mental preparation could I stand a chance of being able to handle this video. Sure, I may be 30 in age, but I've got the maturity level of a 10 year old! The prospect of watching Paula deliver a baby out of her "girl parts" is not a pleasant scenario that I'd like to find myself in. Oh ya, I forgot to mention that Paula is a 300 lb., 4-inch thick glasses wearing, butch-ish woman who wore denim overalls into the hospital and probably calls a double-wide 'home'. They must've chosen Paula to film just to make it more uncomfortable for every man that laid their eyes on this video. And it was working because I looked around the room and all the guys were squirming in their chairs. We all wanted to make a break for the door, I could see it in their eyes. And we could make it! We just had to out run a bunch of preggo woman, how tough could that be? But as we all know, the power of the wife is not a physical one, it is a mental one. There would be no jail-breaks today. No chinese fire drill-like dashes for the doorway. Not today.

We all shared the same uneasiness. And as Paula laid spread-eagle on the bed with nothing between her jewels and my eyes but a thin piece of cheap hospital-grade cotton, we all dealt with our trepidation in our own way. The guy across the table from me had a tear running down his face. The guy next to me was pretending to talk to his wife, so to not have to look at the TV. The fat guy across the room was sweating profusely and ready to pass out. The guy behind me removed his glasses and pretended to clean the lenses so that he wouldn't be able to view the TV. His plan was brilliant (damn my laser surgery and the perfect vision it now provides me). Me. . . I fidgeted by bouncing my knee, stretching, looking at my cell phone every 5 seconds and trying not to laugh. My defense mechanism is to laugh at things that I find outrageously absurd, scary, or threatening. And watching a baby pop out of Paula's "bits and pieces" fulfilled all three prerequisites. Suddenly, as the doctor told Paula to push, the room got tense.

OH NOOOOOOOOO! We just got a glimpse of Paula's junk. That must've been the video's way of easing us into it. It was less than two seconds, but it was visible. OH MY GOD!!! That time was much longer and more painful for me and Paula. Paula, your shrubs need pruning! HOLY S***!!!!!!!! There's a bloody little head sticking out of Paula's "hoo ha"!

I quickly look around. The sweaty fat man across the room is down! The guy across the table is sobbing and my compadre next to me has his hands over his eyes. The guy's glasses behind me are now gone and he's looking straight at the screen while smiling. That blind lucky bastard!

Paula gives it one final push and pops the baby right out of her. M*$&@& @$*@#&!!!!!!!!!!!

The next shot is Paula laying spread-eagle in all her 300 lb. glory, with a bloody and gooey baby on her chest, umbilical cord still attached to baby and leading into Paula's "vajayjay", and Paula COMPLETELY naked. That screenshot is now burned into my consciousness and is only rivaled by the 2 girls 1 cup video. Luckily, that's the end of the video and Paula's bashfulness, or at least the end of what I remembered. I may've blacked out, or subconsciously blocked much of the rest of the day out of my memory. There will certainly be a suggestion on my comment card that I turn in at the end of the class. First, give us some freakin' warning! Second, why can't they show Angelina Jolie's birth. . . . or Pam Anderson. Someone a little more "educational" would be nice. Needless to say, the legend of THE VIDEO had lived up to its billing.

So that was week 27 of pregnancy with twin girls. We didn't get any new ultrasound pics this week, so the pics below are from 1 month ago (week 23 6/2/08). So we're kinda going backwards in our ultrasound pics, but hey, I must stay on my toes during this process so I'm requiring you to do the same.

Stay tuned to next week's posting when the results of Emily's blood work comes back, we have our third baby class, and we may even announce the names of the girls next week!

There are two things in life for which we are never truly prepared: twins.
-Josh Billings

P.S. We break ground on our new house on Tuesday, July 8th. YES!!!!!!!!

The Beginning of the End

2008-06-25T01:49:00.006-04:00

If you haven't yet heard, we have been very busy lately. For starters, Emily & I have each started new jobs. I've started at a new company and Emily has switched positions within the same company. We are building a new house. This involves a lot of planning, saving, and stress. And, to top it off, we're also having twins. Twin GIRLS! Yes, karma has come around to bite me on the a**. For I know the way that guys interact & think about the opposite sex. That morsel of knowledge provided me comfort and confidence throughout adolescence and much of the new millenium. However, it is now being prepared to be used against me. I will now battle against those that use the same knowledge that I once used. Only I will now be on the underdog's team. It will be me against the entire male population. . . daunting, to say the least. This marks the beginning of the end to everything that I've come to know and trust about the way gender dynamics worked throughout my thirty years of existence.

With twin girls comes a very pregnant wife. We are in our 26th week of pregnancy, and to my wife's credit, she is doing great! I can't give her enough credit and respect for what she's going through and the way that she's toughin' it out. I get tired and lethargic after eating a big meal, yet she's gaining lbs. by the week and managing to keep working everyday and maintaining a semi-active schedule. Impressive! But with her belly bulging and all of the baby "stuff" rolling through the door, it's now becoming apparent that I will soon have two dependents. And apparently dependents are very time-consuming. I've heard war stories from every parent that I come in contact with. The first thing they tell me after learning about my impending dependents is, "Have fun now, because you'll soon have no time to do anything anymore." But I thought I had no free time already! I don't think I can get less sleep than I already do, I don't play as much golf as I'd like, and I just spent an entire week with my parents AND in-laws. And things are going to get worse?! As every parent is eager to tell me, this is the beginning of the end of my slumber, nightlife, and any resemblence of a social life that I had left.

Have I mentioned that I'm having TWIN GIRLS? I thought my wife was expensive, but these girls haven't even seen the light of day and I'm dropping major dime on them already. Clothes, baby furniture, diapers, household safety items, and diaper genies are just some of the things that now syphon the benjamins out of my distressed bank account. BTW, for those single people out there, I recently discovered that diaper genie's are not nearly as intriguing or magical as their name makes them out to be. Anyway, I recently read an article that stated that it now costs a parent $250,000 to raise a child to the age of 18. That's ONE child and doesn't even include the cost of college! I've got TWO chil'n and their both girls. Does that mean I have to save for weddings as well? I'm no mathmetician, but I'm pretty sure that all adds up to bunches o' dough! Thus, my wallet tells me that this is the beginning of the end of fiscal freedom and financial stability.

This blog was the brilliant brain child of my caring, yet diabolical, sister. She's caring in that she wants to stay updated on the progress of our pregnancy, but don't let that fool you. She's diabolical because she knows that by forcing me to create this blog means that I have to keep contributing to it and updating it on a regular basis. As you can see, I'm not very concise, so this takes up some of the little free time that I have left. She enjoys adding to the growing number of gray hairs that seem to be gaining territory in the war against the brown hairs that reside on my cranium. However, I have the last laugh because she has to read this entire thing just to get to what she really wants to see. . . the ultrasound pictures and details of our latest doctors appointment. So to Jen's delight, this is the beginning to the end of this week's entry.

We had our fourth appointment with our "high-risk" specialist on Monday. We go to a high-risk specialist as a precaution. All multiple births are considered high-risk and are therefore referred to a specialist for several visits. The specialist has better high-tech ultrasound equipment and take very accurate measurements of the fetus's vital organs such as the heart, kidneys, and brain. They also measure the stomach, humerus (upper arm bone) and fibula (thigh bone). They check for movement, heart rate, and breathing. All of these measurements are taken and compared to averages and determinants for ailments, handicaps, or complications. So far, the twins' measurements have been in the normal ranges and have showed no signs of problems or complications. They are up to 1 lb. 14 oz. for Baby A and 1 lb. 11 oz. for Baby B.

There was a small issue with one of the twins kidney's that was discovered last month. The specialist discovered a possible case of Renal pelvic dilatation (RPD). This is the build up of fluid as it travels to the kidney due to an obstruction in the ureter. In rare instances, this can be a sign of Down's Syndrome. So, this had us slightly concerned, and we had our ultrasounds checked by a pediatric kidney specialist a few weeks ago. He simply said to wait it out and see if it gets better as it usually does in most cases. And to our delight, our appointment yesterday showed that her kidney is back to normal and neither one of them are showing any signs of RPD, or any complications for that matter.

So, there was nothing too exciting to report from our latest meeting with our specialist. But, stay tuned for next weeks entry as we visit our OBGYN and Emily has blood taken (which, if you know Emily, is always an adventure).

"It's double the giggles and double the grins...And double the trouble if you're blessed with twins."

If you'd like to join in on the fun, then go to:

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Emily and I have started a pool to guess our delivery date and other fun facts.