Baby I'm Amazed By You :)

These two continue to amaze me!

This past Tuesday Logan had surgery to repair his hernia and to get circumcised. It broke this momma's heart but he did wonderful and showed once again what a strong little man he is. He had to be put under anesthesia so he was pretty out of it and fussy during the day Tuesday but by Tuesday night he was already almost back to himself. He never once even acted like it bothered him for me to change his diaper. He also got to sleep in the biggest crib I have ever seen. It was about six feet long and about 3.5 feet wide. Our nurse told me that she has come in before and seen the patient sleeping in their car seat and  the parent sleeping in the bed. That's how big this crib was.

Logan and I stayed at the hospital that night and Daddy and Leila stayed at home. I have to say that I hated being away from them but Daddy did an awesome job with his little girl.

We pray that was the last hurdle for Logan.

We go back to the neurosurgeon for Leila again this week. He's still not sure whether he feels like she will need a shunt or not so until that decision is made we will see him every other week. Please continue to pray with us about this issue. We've been praying about this for months and still don't have an answer. That gets tough sometimes because as humans we want an answer now. We want God to answer our prayers the way we want Him to and right away. But that's not how He works sometimes. Sometimes the answer is wait/ not right now and sometimes the answer is no. We're trying to remember that no matter what the answer is He has a purpose for it. He has big plans for my little girl I just know it. But as we struggle please remember her as well as us in your prayers.

We also go back to the eye doctor for Leila this week. This should be the last. Thank the Lord for this and many other answered prayers.

Our hurdles are getting less and we praise the one true God for His amazing blessings!

Got to have some naked bath photos for the future :)

I love her hair!

Play time

Watching Saturday morning cartoons together :)

JUST PROTECTING THEM

On October 10, 2011 our world changed forever. From that day we knew our lives would never be the same. We were going to be responsible for another life. Little did we know that we would be responsible for two. From that day on with the Lord's help we wanted to make the very best decisions for our little ones that we possibly could. We knew this task wouldn't always be easy and it definitely hasn't been so far.

Our babies are not "normal" babies. Our babies were born as micro-preemies. With that comes lots of issues that other parents and babies don't have to face. I'm not going to lie...I feel a bit jipped that I didn't get to experience my whole pregnancy. More importantly though, my babies did not get that very important third trimester before they were forced to try and face this world. Nothing about them was ready. My body should have still been doing everything for them. It was definitely a tough sixteen week stay at the hospital to get them ready to come home.

Yes, my babies are well enough to be at home now. That still doesn't mean they are as well as full-term babies. They still don't have much of an immune system and even a common cold could send them straight back to the hospital. We are desperately trying to keep them healthy. Call me crazy but after sixteen weeks of spending every single day in the hospital, I don't want to go back.

Brian and I would LOVE to get our babies out more and show them off, especially to all those who have diligently prayed for them and have supported us. But, that's not what is best for them right now. Right now, and for a while, it's best for them to be at home and around as few people as possible. This doesn't mean that we mind when people come and visit and meet the babies. We don't as long as they aren't sick, or have recently been sick, or have been around anyone who has been sick. Our main goal right now is to protect our babies and as the months grow colder it will be that much more important.

 It may still be a while before we feel it's ok to get them out and about to things like church or family get togethers even. Please be patient with us and understand that we're not trying to keep them from anyone. We are more thankful for all who have prayed for us and loved on us along the way than any of you will ever know and as soon as we feel that our babies are ready, we WILL be showing them off!

Life as a baby is a tough one...

Can we say WIDE awake?!

Pics

This week has been pretty uneventful. But, after all my babies have been through I am thankful for uneventful. I just wanted to share a few more pics. I'm a bit camera happy these days but who can blame me?!

Our batteries ran out in one of the bouncy seats. We were sharing the vibration and I was rocking them both. Not sure what we would do without these : )

Courtney was wonderful enough to ride to Franklin with us to the eye doctor. I was signing them in and turned around to this. She's getting good! (and getting some good practice in!)

So handsome

Showing off the headband Mommy made me.

Holding Frogger

We went shopping in a pretty dress.

Play time

They can push up so good!

Having fun

We play hard!

After 45 minutes of playing he was out!

 

Precious little chubby fingers : )

MANY BLESSINGS

I know there hasn't been a real update lately and we are sorry. This has been a very busy but blessed month home. We have had so many doctors appointments, many with trips back to Chattanooga or even Franklin. Leila's had more appointments than Logan with every specialist you can imagine. We've been to the pediatrician, retina specialist, gastroenterologist, neurosurgeon, cardiologist, pulmonologist, pediatric surgeon, hip ultrasounds, head ultrasounds, lab work, weight checks, NICU developmental clinic, etc., etc...at least two appointments every week BUT things are looking good : )

We've been to the neurosurgeon several times for Leila since we have been home and thank the Lord we haven't had to get a shunt. We're still not out of the woods yet but the first ultrasound was improved and has since been stable. He says if it continues to be stable we can start spreading our visits out a lot more. They won't do a shunt unless they absolutely feel they have to for her health. I like that we have a doctor whose not going to rush into something permanent. The cardiologist said her heart looks great and doesn't feel like he needs to see her for another check-up for several months. We're still on a little bit of oxygen but we did an overnight home study this past week and she is keeping her oxygen levels up much better than when we left the hospital so hopefully that won't be much longer. The eye doctor feels like her eyes are also doing great so he said one more visit to him and we should be done with regular check-ups there as well. We've also been able to come off some medicine that we had to come home on and they say she is exactly where she should be developmentally at this point. Overall, Leila is doing great! We couldn't feel more blessed!

Logan hasn't had to have as many doctor's visits. When we first came home we thought he may have to have eye surgery but thank God his eyes have greatly improved to the point that we are officially DONE with the eye doctor for him! He hasn't escaped all surgeries though. He will have his first on August 14th to fix his hernia. Because he was so premature they will keep him overnight to monitor him afterwards. Logan is also where he should be developmentally and has done awesome since coming home.

Both babies are gaining weight very well. Our last weight check was this past Monday. Leila weighed in at 9lbs. 12oz. and Logan 8lbs. 12oz.! My babies are getting so big!

We are so blessed to be home and to not have had any scares or trips back to the hospital since we came home at the end of June. GOD IS GOOD!!!!

Now for some more recent pics...

happy girl

I've known Betty a loooong time. She came to meet the babies.

I've also known Brittany a long time. This was the first time our little ones got to meet each other.

My beautiful niece Alyssa came all the way from Key West to meet her cousins.

This was the day Logan came home from the hospital.

The day Leila came home.

It's kind of hard to tell but they take up sooo much more of their car seats than they did when they came home.

When Daddy is at work we try to eat together. We usually end up looking like this...

and this. It's so cute how they always find each other's hand/ arm to hold on to.