5 days old!

I have finally found a bit of time to sit and type up this update...I want to tell the whole story of the boys' birth, but that will have to wait for another day!

We have taken literally hundreds of pictures of the boys in their first 5 days of life...and I've been dying to put them up here! I'm sure over the next days (weeks, months, years...) I will post so many more. Maybe I should just change the name of the blog to the Steiner Boys now! =)

My mom gave the boys' stats in her post the other day, but since then, we found out that somehow, one of the nurses gave us the wrong weight for Jack. So here are their corrected official stats:

William John (officially now Baby A)

2 lbs 11 oz

15.5 inches long

Came out breech

Jackson Paul (officially Baby B)

2 lbs 10 oz (originally they had told us 2.64)

14.5 inches long

Came out head first, and really tried to get past his brother so he could be Baby A like he was the whole pregnancy...good try Jack!!

As of right now, at 5 days old, they both have lost slight amounts of weight. Jack is down to 2.7 and Will is at 2.8. So not too bad! They are doing so well for being 28w6d twins. The doctors and nurses have all been amazed at how well they are doing, and we are too! They are both on cpap, but as of today, are not getting any extra oxygen--only room air! This shows that they are not having any major trouble with their lungs. Thank goodness I had the steroid shots that helped to start to mature their lungs a few weeks ago!

Will has surged ahead on the amount he is eating. He is eating 15 mL every feeding, and seems to be digesting the majority of it. Jack has struggled a little more the last couple of days...his bowels seem to be moving slower, and because of that has been spitting up more and not digesting as quickly. He is only getting 5 mL of my milk per feeding, but has improved since yesterday and is digesting much more of it. Hopefully tomorrow his food amount will be upped, and he can catch up to his brother! Jack has also had his IV line placed in every limb multiple times and also in his head. They just don't seem to be staying good for too long, but he needs them still to give him the extra iv nourishment until his feeding goes up. From what I understand, they have to be at 18 mL feeds to get the IV out. So hopefully, they'll both be there soon!

They are both just the sweetest little babies, and have, for the most part, calm dispositions. Maybe it is just the fact that they are so little, they can't really cause too big of a fuss! We have heard their little squeaky cries as we've changed diapers or the nurses moved them out of cozy position. It is just so great that we get to be in there doing all these things for them...taking their temperatures, changing diapers, pacifiers, and they make us feel good about it! I told the nurse today that it is like getting 2 babies with instructions books! I'm sure it will be another ballgame altogether once they come home, but for now, I'm learning a lot!!

The Kangaroo care time was amazing...I still can't believe I got to do it with Jack so early! Justin was able to hold him the next night. They had told me I could do it again, but I really wanted to let Justin have the experience and get to hold our son as well! It was heavenly for me while I was holding Jack, but also the most precious thing ever to watch my husband hold our youngest son! Justin is the best daddy already! We are hoping that Will's turn will come soon. It is looking very hopeful, since his feeds are so high...he just might get his umbilical line out in the next 2 days, and that should probably mean we get to hold him!! Yeah!

Pictures from yesterday...Day 5

Uncle Aaron with Will

Jack with Gigi

Will with Grandpa

Jack and his froggy

Will and his doggy

Pictures from today...Day 6

Jack

Jack with Mommy and Daddy

Will's tiny foot--next to my pinky!

Will with Pappaw and Mammaw

Jack with Mammaw and Pappaw

Will close up

I am just loving every moment of being a Mommy. The pumping schedule isn't as bad as I thought it would be coming home! Every single second is worth it, and I don't mind pumping every three hours...it means that they are here, and they are doing well, and that they need me!

I just love these precious little guys so much, and still can hardly believe that they are really mine!

Thanks for your continued prayers...God is definitely working miracles in our lives! Since I have to be up again in less than two hours to pump (and that I'm already nodding off as I type this), I'll wrap it up! We're going early to see the boys, so I'm sure we'll have another 200 pictures before the day is over!! =)