We survived the first week!

Today the girls are one week old! It sure seems like they've been here much longer than that! Just to catch everyone up on what's been going on, we're here in Ft. Worth at Cook's Children's Hospital. On Tuesday, Presley's bilirubin was high and it didn't come down much after being under the bili lights. As the afternoon went on, she started having stomach problems and the pediatrician in Abilene was suspicious of NEC (necrotizing enterocolitis) which is basically an intestinal infection that is very serious. He made the decision to send her to Cook's and since Paige was on CPAP and getting surfactant to help mature her lungs, she might as well go too. I was only 48 hrs out from my c-section and wasn't sure I was going to get to go with them since my blood pressures were still high. Thankfully my OB discharged me and I got to fly with them. We went from Hendricks to the airport in an ambulance then boarded an airplane. Running around the hospital and runway trying to keep up with my babies in an incubator was not what I had in mind doing on post-op day two. It was really rough. It was a quick 30 minute flight to Meacham Airport then we went by ambulance to Cook's.

The girls ready for their first airplane ride

Sick Presley right after arriving at Cook's

Paige in her new bed at Cook's

Their admitting physician was wonderful. He helped explain everything they were doing and keep me calm until Jon arrived. At first he didn't think it was NEC just by talking to the pediatrician in Abilene, but after he examined her he came back and said it very well could be NEC. Poor Presley was very sick and just looked so uncomfortable. Her belly was very red and tender and she started throwing up a lot. After they put a new tube into her stomach to drain and decompress it, she immediately looked more comfortable. Paige was doing well on her CPAP. She still was needing a little more oxygen than we normally breathe.

The last few days they have both made a lot of progress. The nurses call them little firecrackers because they're so feisty. Paige is totally off CPAP and oxygen. She's been out from under the bili lights for 2 days and tolerating all her feedings well. Presley's X-rays of her stomach are starting to improve, but she still won't get fed for a few more days. She's getting nutrition through an IV in her umbilical cord. She got to come out from under the bili lights today and Jon got to hold her for the first time. We've both got to Kangaroo Paige and hopefully this week we can with Presley too. They both also had ultrasounds of their heads today to look for hemorrhaging in their brains (another common problem with preemies). It was a huge relief to find out they came back normal!

We're still not sure if they're identical or fraternal. A lot of the nurses think they're identical. I personally think they're fraternal. I guess only time will tell!

Presley wearing her sunglasses at night...

Me Kangarooing Paige

Daddy holding Presley for the first time today! She's about as big as a Chipotle burrito in his hands!

My mom holding Paige for the first time

Paige was wide awake during kangaroo time this morning

There was an opening at the Ronald McDonald House on Thursday so I'll be staying here until the babies come home. We couldn't be more thankful for such a wonderful organization. It is $15 a night and usually one meal is provided by a volunteer organization everyday. We've certainly found the charity we will be donating to every year. The best part is that it's right next to the hospital. It's still a little far for me to walk back and forth several times a day to see the babies, but soon I'll be able to. Everyone here has a sick child in the hospital so they understand what you're going through. I met a girl on the elevator who has a baby that's been in NICU for 3 weeks. She was complaining about how bad her hair looked because she was in the hospital for over a month before her baby was born and hasn't had a chance to get it cut since she's been here. It's nice to know I'm not the only one! I'm definitely making time for a haircut this week though!

Soon Jon will be going back to work and visiting us as often as he can. The neonatologist told us to expect to stay here until our due date which is September 7th. We're hoping to shave a couple weeks off of that depending on how Presley's stomach problem does.

We can't thank everyone enough for all their thoughts and prayers. We are truly blessed to have so many people that care so much in our lives. We still have a very long way to go!

I'll have more pictures tomorrow!