Long lost updates

Sorry we have not sent out any updates, life is wild! Here are a few pictures and updates:



Kaleb is 13 lb 4 oz and Caden is 12 lb 13 oz. They are the happiest, most amazing kids! All they do is smile and laugh. They started on ride cereal 2 weeks ago, but Kaleb did not do well with it, so only Caden gets it now. They started on peas last night, and Kaleb did better than Caden!



They go to the gym with Mommy and/or Daddy 5 days a week and play in the nursery. They enjoy it there. They also enjoy the nursery at our church on Sunday mornings!



Caden says hi and mimics stuff we say and do...Kaleb just laughs and tries to talk.



They sleep 10 hours a night and once we put them to bed, they put themselves to sleep. When they wake up in the morning, they play and babble to each other until Brandy comes in to get them. They don't scream or cry, just play and laugh.



Brandy is back to Salsa dancing and Racquetball all the time, but can't find anywhere to rock climb. Brandy also started a new job this week, so Justin stepped down to part time at work.



Caden's neck still hangs to the right, which is called torticollis. He starts physical therapy next week for that.



Caden went to the cardiologist last week to check on his heart. He goes again in 6 months, but the doctor wants Kaleb and Brandy to get checked out as well since it's hereditary. Justin got checked out 4 years ago since his dad had a heart problem, so we know Justin is good to go!



Things are great here! We miss you all!

pictures

Do you see how dedicated Justin is to playing video games? 2 babies do not stop him!

Sorry the updates are not often...as Justin went back to work, I have found myself with less time than I ever thought possible!

Boys are great! Kaleb is no longer crying so much...he smiles a ton and he laughs too! He rolled over a few weeks ago and I got a picture of him in the act!

On June 14, when the boys were exactly 2 months, they had their shots. They did good and slept a lot. Caden was 8lb 11oz and Kaleb was 8lb 4oz.

They have become more aware of each other and of their surroundings. Kaleb plays well on his own, but Caden gets upset if he is not being held.

We try to get out of the house often, but the boys get overheated, so we only go to people's houses where they can stay cool.

Even if I can't get on to type updates, I will try to post pictures every few days.

Love you all! Thank you for the prayers, gifts and meals!

-brandy

life with the boys

The boys are doing great!

We took Kaleb off thickener. We tried to wean him off, but it did not go well and he had to quit cold turkey. He was having problems digesting it. Now he is having no digestive problems, but he is having problems keeping it down. He is getting better day by day. We also put him on Zantac earlier this week to see if it helps him...the verdict is still out on this one. I posted a picture of Kaleb rolling over for the first time!!!!!!!!!!! He rolled over on Thursday, June 3. He was not happy about it at all, but we were so proud!

Caden is doing great and is so happy to not be in the hospital. He loves tummy time and playing. I posted a picture of Caden playing in something a friend got us. Caden started cooing earlier this week. It is so cute and so sweet!

Brandy

Very opposite twins!

Not only do the boys look completely different, they act completely different. Here are a few examples.

Kaleb is super strong and can push and hold himself up on his legs when being held. He kicks and throws his arms around a lot, but does not like to grip people’s fingers. Caden is strong, but lazy. If you hold him up, he curls his legs up. He does not throw his arms around and he loves to grip people’s fingers.

Kaleb loves to be swaddled tightly all day long. He loves swings and his chair that vibrates. He likes to lay on his back only. Caden does not like any of these things. Caden loves to lay in his carseat, on his stomach and side and on his boppy. He also likes his crib. Kaleb does not like any of these things.

Kaleb cries a lot. Caden just chills. Caden absolutely loves to be hugged. Kaleb loves to be set across his daddy’s chest while swaddled. Caden is not a fan of swaddles, but wants to be hugged with a blanket lightly over him.

Kaleb’s grunts sound like a laugh or a machine gun. Caden actually grunts and snorts like a pig.

Kaleb’s eyes have no color yet, but Caden’s are a pretty blue.

As of last week, Kaleb now enjoys baths. Caden screams terribly during them.

When Kaleb is hungry, he screams until he gets food. He will not sleep for long before waking and he cannot stand it when his diaper is wet. He wets his diaper a lot, which may be why he wakes up often. Caden chills, even when he is hungry. He would sleep all night and day if we would let him.

Both boys do not enjoy diaper changes, but they are great on car rides and in the stroller. They are both in love with pacifiers!

Despite their differences, they are both sweet and very loving. Although Justin and I never sleep, we are having fun with them!

happy circumcission day!

Caden got circumcised today since they could not do it in the NICU. They gave him tylenol which knocked him out all day. We have not had to give him anything...he is being a trooper! I guess it is not that big of a deal to him compared to what he's been through. The picture above is how he looked all day....passed out asleep!

My mother watched Kaleb for the day/night just in case Caden needed extra care today, which since Caden was so good, translated into much needed sleep for mommy!!!

caden's news appearance

http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/community/cmn/043010-volunteers-embrace-baby-huggers-program-at-lebonheur?obref=obinsite

Link to Caden's news story

chillin at home

We are having a blast at home. Caden was on an awkward schedule at the hospital, so it has been very difficult to get him on a schedule where he sleeps at night. We hope it gets better soon. Justin took off work another few weeks...he will have 10 weeks off total. It has been nice having him here and although I do not want him to go back, it will be nice to get a paycheck again! :)

Caden had his first appointment with the pediatrician the other day...Kaleb came along too. They are doing fine. Both are still on thickener in their milk because they drink too fast and start to choke on it. It also keeps them from spitting up...however, it causes constipation. They do not enjoy this part, which in turn makes us not enjoy this part! We hope to wean them off this soon.

As of Thursday, Kaleb was 19.5 inches long and he weighed 7 lbs 2.5 oz. Caden was 20.5 inches long and he weighed 7 lbs 9.5 oz!!!!!

The picture is of us all as a family as soon as Caden got home for the first time!!

-Brandy

caden is home!!

caden is home!!

more info n pics to come......but for now, we must TRY to sleep!

Still truckin on!!!!

Caden is still doing well on the thinkener. The speech pathologist fed him Thursday and he did great.

Kaleb is getting a little fussier...he misses his brother, but he is doing a ton better on the thickener.

Our boys are one month old today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Brandy

Caden apparently likes flirting with the nurses too much to leave!

Caden

Friday-Monday:
Well, on Friday, Caden was actually put on Simply Thick, a gel thickener. He did great all day Friday, Saturday, Sunday and his first 3 feedings on Monday. When speech pathology came in to feed him at noon on Monday, he had an episode of choking where his heart rate went down as well as his oxygen. This set-back cost him at least another week in the hospital.

Tuesday:
The doctor put him on zantac for reflux, but he has been eating fine. The only problem he had from Friday to today was when the speech pathologist fed him!

Wednesday:
Feedings are still fine, but Caden is sad today because his favorite nurse is going on vacation.


Kaleb
We are trying Kaleb on Simply Thick because he has minor breathing episodes while he eats and he spits up alot. He gulps down bottles and forgets to breathe, but in all fairness he probably gets that from the way I ate when I was preggo!! :)



-Brandy

The light at the end of the tunnel!

Friday- Caden was given Thickit. This product is used to ease aspiration and gasternal issues in feeding. This has been a big success and the Doctor has confirmed that this is Day 1 of 5 and Caden gets to go home!!!

-Justin

tube in, tube out, tube in, tube out!!!!

CADEN:
Monday-Wednesday: The nurses continued to get Caden to take a bottle without his oxygen dipping.

Thursday: Speech pathology gave him a test on to make sure he was not aspirating during his feedings (milk going into his lungs). He passed the test, so that was good, however they can't figure out why his oxygen keeps dipping. They added a thickner to the milk and he took the bottle fine without having one dip in oxygen. Then speech pathology said he was too young for the thickner and that it may cause gastrointestinal problems in preemie babies. Then they put back in his feeding tube.

Friday: They said that since his due date would have been in 2 days, he is no longer a preemie and can now have the thickner. They took out his feeding tube and are now giving him the thickner in his milk and he is eating fine witout his oxygen dropping. They are going to continue to monitor his eating this way...and we shall see......

Caden officially unhooked from the matrix

They removed Caden's feeding tube today! This was due to him taking 2 whole bottles in a row. Each bottle is 55 mL. He is still a little behind little brother as to quantity but he definitely gets a gold star for effort!!

This was his last invasive support tube. He is really coming along!

Move n' on Up

Caden has been moved to an area my doctor likes to call "The Feeders and Growers unit". His new area is part of the NICU but for babies who don't need much assistance. He is getting better every day and eating more and more. It seems that Brandy gave birth to two vacuums not babies, Hoover and Bissell. How does that sound "Hoover and Bissell Marek"?

Anyway his breathing is coming along and he will be checkout by a Cardiologist to double check for new developments.

Over the last week and through the woods...

Thursday - Mommy got to hold Caden for the first time -They upped feedings to 22mL -They took him off his last anitbiotic - That night the Doctor called us with news that they were going to give him a break and they put him back on a CPAP and IV instead of feeding tube because milk not allowed on CPAP - He was given a diuretic for fluid on the lungs

Friday -Caden just was not ready to move forward - He was still breathing fast and on the CPAP - They did another echo of his heart - The heat bed and lamp were turned back off He just took the day off. Thursday was still weighing on him

Saturday - Caden came off the CPAP at about 11:30 in the morning -Minimal problem breathing -The Blood Gas test was positive - He was put on a high flow breathing machine

Sunday -He is very responsive today & smiles a lot. - They removed the nose canule today; he is breathing on his own 100%. -began feeding at 15mL through a tube. Eating is very hard and tiresome for a premature child. This was part of the set back on Thursday. -They will continue to move forward slowly.

This all seems to happen fast and really looks like he goes back and forth. We both feel Caden is making great progress. You must remember he has only been alive for 11 days and 24 hours accounts for 1/11th of his life. He is changing every hour and getting better. **Kaleb is awesome and is growing like crazy! We are having a blast with him.**