Co-bedding

B/IPod: 8.28.2008

We had a little surprise this evening when we went to visit the girls--no more isolettes! Apparently this means that they are doing well enough on their own regulating their body temperatures that they can be out in the open air. This is an important hurdle before they can go home. And it means it's easier to see their lovely little faces.Inga

Bea

Here are mommy and Graham visiting Inga by her new "crib." They call it a crib, but I think it looks more like a Rubbermaid storage bin.

GPoD 2.27.2008

As you might imagine, our schedule has been thrown for quite a loop visiting two new little munchkins in the hospital 2-3 times a day. The only way it has been possible for Sarah to spend quality time with our girls without Hurricane Graham threatening to swamp the operation has been for him to have playdates with friends from church. Our friends have been magnificent in inviting Graham over to play so that mommy can kangaroo and nurse. Graham spent some time this morning with his pal Ava, and Ava's mommy sent these photos over this evening. I'd say the two of them are getting along just fine.

GPoD 2.26.2008

Bedtime is getting to be more and more challenging around the Fink house. Graham is coming up with ever new ways to avoid going to bed while just skirting the edges of blatant insubordination. He knows that a direct refusal brings dire retribution. But there are all kinds of other ways of prolonging the inevitable. Here's Graham making sure he's adequately hydrated before turning in, one of his standard stalling tactics.
Recently, however, Graham has been deploying some of these creative obfuscations to get himself out of work, as well--that is, "work" such as picking up his magnetic letters after he scatters them all over the floor. This evening Sarah asked this small boon of him, and Graham promptly flopped down on the floor and told her he was sore. "Sore?" asked Sarah, "Why are you sore?" Graham: "I have two babies in my tummy." We're open to advice on how to keep this kid out of a career in politics.

Party of Five

Today was a big day. Both of the girls are now breathing without any assistance at all, so the nurse decided it was high time for some clothing. Perhaps not what mommy would have picked out, but it's a start. So here is our first family photo with all FIVE of us!




Today Sarah started "Lick-and-Learn" with the Girls. I'm told it was a rousing success. Here's Ingrid eyeing the object of the morning's lesson while Bea remained fast asleep near daddy's barren bosom.

"Any more where that came from, mom?"

"She's not much fun."

"Yo Bea--wake up!"

B/IPod: 8.20.2008

Graham got to hold his sister Beatrice this evening.

She wasn't so sure she wanted him getting too close . . .

. . . but once Graham made himself useful holding her nuk in place, she calmed right down.

Graham thinks he's going to like being a big brother.

Gaga got to hold Bea, also. Inga was still working on her dinner when we visited this evening, so we left her in the isolette to concentrate on her digestion.

B/IPod: 8.18.2008

Here are some pictures from our visit with the girls last night. As you probably can't tell from the photos, both are now out of the Intensive Care Nursery and settling into their new home in the Transitional Care Nursery (TCN). What this means is that they are stable and no longer in need of critical care. They still get constant supervision--in fact, it really isn't all that much different from the ICN, but for the fact that it's a bigger room with more beds. But we're hoping this means they'll be home that much sooner. Both girls are now off IVs and getting their nutrition entirely from mama's bounty. They were both off the lights last night, too, which means we got to see their lovely faces. And take pictures.

Enough already with the camera!


AAAAAHHHHHH . . .

CHOOOOOOOO!

No we're not torturing the poor girl. This is just a really intense yawn.

Here's Bea looking considerably more relaxed in her new home at the TCN

Here's mommy doing Kangaroo Care. As you might imagine, this is the highlight of Sarah's day.


Yes, daddies get to KC, too. Here's Bea grabbing large handfuls of my chest hair. As you can see, I don't mind too much.

Counting Fingers

Counting Toes

Close as a blade...

Here's Graham trying out the new shaving kit he got from his birthday from Auntie Katie. Now where did we put that aftershave?

Meet Bea

Meet Inga

Day Three

A Visit to the ICN

Here's Inga, chilling with her new breathing tube. She was on 45% oxygen early in the morning, but was down to 25% by this afternoon--meaning that she's needing less help to breathe on her own. Hopefully another day or two and we'll get to see her smiling face unobstructed by scuba gear.

Graham wasn't too sure what to make of all this. Babies he'd seen before--no big deal. But a heat lamp--now that was worth seeing!

Here's Graham checking out Beatrice's toe. Not too impressive, it seems.




Here is Sarah holding Bea for the first time this morning at about 9am. She didn't even get to see them last night--except for the blog!



Here's Bea exercising her powerful lungs.

And here she is trying to decide what to do with her pacifier.