Caden Marek was born on April 14th, 2010 @ 1:43. He weighed 5lbs15oz and was 18.3" in length.

Kaleb Marek was born on April 14th,2010 @1:45. He weighed 5lbs1oz and was 18" in length.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

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!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

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!!!

Monday, May 24, 2010

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

Sunday, May 23, 2010

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

Monday, May 17, 2010

caden is home!!

caden is home!!

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

Friday, May 14, 2010

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

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

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

Friday, May 7, 2010

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......

Monday, May 3, 2010

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!