Adventures of Yip and Yap

Just another day at our house

2009-06-05T12:10:00.001-07:00

2009-06-05T05:38:00.000-07:00

Sock game, Mimi and busy bee.

2009-02-06T08:46:00.000-08:00

Click on the links below for some new video of the Chickens.

Sock Game

Busy Bee

Mimi

So, I may not be so proud of this, but when I change their socks and shoes I sometimes put it in their face and say "pew" so that explains the first one.

Addison likes to say "b" words?

Mimi is Addison's cat and she loves her.

Happy 15 Months Yip and Yap

2009-01-12T08:12:00.000-08:00

Due technical difficulties the 15 month entry will be a video. Click Here Please to enjoy Addison walking really well and Evangeline and her necklace trick. Every thing that can go around Evangeline's neck does, scarfs, toys with strings, and chains of toy rings. Not sure why she does this, but she does it with everything. Towels from the laundry are always good. This time it happened to be Dad's belt. Also if this video is the wonderful game we call the "thank you" game. Every time they hand us something we say "thank you." The beauty of this game is now when they find things that they should not have they give them to us! This time it was Evy finding lint on the carpet. Not sure how that got there as a house with two toddlers and a dog is always immaculate. :o) The girls also are good at sorting the paper for mom, as you can see in the picures. They are also very good at telling me I am not fast enough with food at meal time, as you can see in the picture. They are officially toddlers now and we are trying to focus on the good parts of that and not the yelling and screaming parts. Please wish us luck as I think our lives are about to change drastically once again. I am sure that will stop with the toddler stage right. :))

Merry Christmas Yip and Yap

2009-01-07T10:04:00.001-08:00

Addison and Evangeline had a wonderful holiday. They were able to visit both Grandparents' houses, and their Great Grandmother's house. They were really into opening presents. They liked to tear into the paper and play with the boxes. They received such wonderful things from everyone, and wanted to send a special thanks for the clothes, toys, books and other gifts. Ryan and I wanted to also send a special thanks to everyone for not receiving play dough, moon sand, finger paints, or any other loud or messy thing that we will soon have in our house. (Ha Ha, BTW, these are not hints to future present ideas :o)

The girls have an exciting year planned. We are now members of the DuPage Children's museum, so we will have some fun days their. They are also starting swimming lessons this week, and we cannot wait for them to be little shrimps. I am sure some wonderful pictures of that will follow.

New Year's Eve was a little different this year, the girls were actually sleeping and sadly so were we. We woke up long enough to hear our neighbor's fireworks and say Happy New Year. Maybe next year we can celebrate at noon with the girls.

We hope that all of you are having a wonderful year so far, and that this year brings you abundance.

~ Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending. ~ Maria Robinson

Happy 14 Months Yip and Yap

2008-12-12T06:15:00.000-08:00

So Kermit has made his way back and the girls kind of posed with him. At this age, we will take what we can get. Addison and Evangeline are doing great. Both say Mom, Dad, Daisy, hi, and one time Evy said zipper. They both love to say "Hi" and wave. In the morning or sometimes in the middle of the night when we go in their room, they are stand at their crib and wave and say "hi." They are both starting to walk. Crawling is still their main mode of transportation, and you know I am okay with that. I am kind of scared to have two walking toddlers in the house, so no rush. :o)

Their diet is about the same, lots and lots of sweet potatoes and bananas. They eat barley, quinoa, steal cut oatmeal, and keifer. Addison's new favorite treat is vanilla soy milk. She loves it. Evangeline really loves oranges. Neither girl has really taken a liking to meat yet, so for the most part they are veggie babies. They do like eggs and tofu, so no worries about protein. (Yum right!)

They have really come alive socially in the past few months. They love each other so much. They play together really well. There have been a few fights over sippy cups, and there are also times when they cooperate and hand the other an out of reach sippy. I hope that they use their cooperation twin powers for good and not to get over the safety gate. :o)

We are all heading to Springfield and Bloomington for the holidays and cannot wait to see friends and family there. We wish all of you a safe and happy holiday.

Happy 13 Months Yip and Yap

2008-11-12T05:53:00.000-08:00

Some of you dedicated viewer may notice we have been a little behind in post. We apologize for any Evy and Addy withdrawal this may have caused. :0) Please to enjoy Evangeline and Addison's 13 month pictures. You will notice that Kermit is missing, he was taking a nap at this time and we just could not wake him. (Addison is the first picture, Evangeline is the second.)

Happy Halloween 2008 Yip and Yap

2008-10-31T05:48:00.000-07:00

For Halloween this year the girls were a dragon and a duck. It was easy to decide who was the dragon because Addison likes to growl. :o)

Happy First Year Yip and Yap

2008-10-23T08:45:00.000-07:00

Wow, we made it right. Evangeline and Addison's first birthday party was great. The girls had some cake, and did not really like it. Maybe if it was tofu they would have been more interested :o) The party was at Oma D0yle's house and we could have have asked for better weather. The girls (and Ryan and I) were so grateful for all of the card and presents from everyone.

Since the party there have been some exciting developments. Both girls have now taken their first steps. Evangeline on November 1st and Addison on November 7th. They both say Momma and Dadda, and Evy also says "ut oh." Both girls also wave and say "hi."

We also have gone Green! The girls are wearing cloth diapers and we are using cloth wipes. The amount of money saved, not to mention environment, is worth cleaning diapers at home!

The girls were also Baptized right on their Birthday. Stay tuned for pics and details of that in the next posting.

Well to you dedicated readers, I apologized for the delay. I am sure you can imagine we might have a little going on here. Hope all of you are enjoying one of the most beautiful falls we have ever had.

Happy Eleven Months Yip and Yap!

2008-09-12T06:12:00.000-07:00

Wow, 11 months! I cannot believe we made it this far. Just a year ago I was admitted to the hospital and now we have some strong, healthy chickens. Speaking of strong and healthy, on their 8/29 doctor's visit Addison was 17lbs and 26 and one half inches long. Evangeline was 20 lbs and 27 and a half inches long. As you can see from the pictures, the girls love standing. Each have stood not holding on to something for short periods of time. Addison has walked over seven steps holding on to her push toy and Evangeline has stood up in the middle of the room without holding on to something. The doctor thinks that they will both be walking by their first birthday.

Speaking of birthdays, the Evy and Addy's one year celebration will be topped off with a baptism. The girls will be baptized by Fr. Ossala who married us. We are really excited. Their birthday party will be held in Springfield at Oma Doyle's on 10/11/08, if you are reading this then you are invited, just RSVP by phone or email of you want to come to the birthday or baptism.

So many exciting things have been happening that I am sure I will forget some. They are starting cow's milk (organic of course.) They have still not had meat, but love tofu and beans. Plums are their new favorite sweet treat, and as always they love bananas. So we hope everyone is doing well and hope to see some of you in a month.

Cheers

Happy Ten Months Yip and Yap

2008-08-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

So I bet you would never guess it, but Evangeline and Addison are teething right now. They have had a couple of really bad nights, but in general they are chilled out Om babies (see link below.)As you can see from the previous post, their new trick is to pull themselves up on things, which sometimes includes their sister. They are both saying Ma Ma and Da Da, and it seems to be at the right person. I had a dream last night that Evangeline's first word was Fukudome, (see link below)which is weird because she is more of a Marmol fan (see other link below.)

Evangeline and Addison had their summer vacation this month (I will update more when I get more pictures.) They had their first boat ride, lake swim, and bath together in a big bathtub. All of which was really fun!

This weekend we are all going to the State Fair, so they will see their first butter cow (see link below, ) horse, and Carny (see link below). Sure to be a good time had by all! Well we hope this post finds everyone well. We hope that you all have been having a wonderful summer and continue to do so.

http://mytiny.name/58121. Om Babies
http://mytiny.name/68019. Fukudome
http://mytiny.name/27038. Marmol
http://mytiny.name/23693. Butter Cow
http://mytiny.name/68019 Carny

Yip and Yap are now pulling themselves up to stand!

2008-08-08T09:16:00.001-07:00

On July 27th Evangeline pulled herself up and on August 7th Addison pulled herself up to stand. Please enjoy the pictures and scroll down for a video of each event! More to come...

Happy Nine Months Yip and Yap

2008-07-12T06:56:00.000-07:00

Addison

Addison
Evangeline

Evangeline
We made it to nine months are we are all still alive and relatively sane. The girls are both crawling and sitting straight up. As you can see from the pictures above, they are much more interactive (poor Kermit.) Evangeline has two bottom teeth and Addison is very close to getting hers, or at least that is what it seemed like at 3:00 in the morning. Both are napping very well, which gives mommy time to update blogs and do her woman's work (ha ha ha, I'm very tongue and cheek here for those of you who knew me in my angry feminist days.)

Addison and Evangeline are starting to communicate more and more. We are teaching them sign language and they understand milk (surprise, surprise) and they can do it back to us. They are doing very well on their solid food, which I am still making from scratch. They love corn and blueberries, lentils, green beans, pewi (peas and kiwi mixed) and mango. Surprisingly, they hate oatmeal. As you can see from the pictures, the girls are full of joy and life at all times. Our small house is full of joy and bursting at the seams with it. We are all so grateful for the well wishes, gifts and diaper donations that we have received. Having children can be difficult, but it connects you with your friends and family on a deeper level and helps to remind you what life is really about. The trick is reminding yourself that at 3:00 in the morning. :o)

Top four pictures are a result of silliness caused by cousin Lindsey, I take no parental responsibility for future child embarrassment as a result of making the girls look like Alfalfa or old golfers on Caddy Shack.

Happy First 4th of July Yip and Yap

2008-07-08T09:06:00.001-07:00

Happy Summer! YAY! We made it. All those days been cooped up (get it, chickens, cooped up) in the house and now we can get out and see the world. We have been swimming in the back yard, walking the forest preserve trails, going to kiddie country at the YMCA while mommy and cousin Lindsey workout, and a couple of nice picnics with Dad. One exciting thing has happened this month. Evangeline and Addison saw their first firework show. They got to stay up past their bedtime and see the show at our friend Mike's 4th of July party. They LOVED the fireworks. Not scared at all. They both sat together in their stroller side by side and just watched with such excitement. Addison even said her first word, YAY! (that is what she said) At a moment of silence between fireworks she shouted out "Yay." Not sure if she knew what she was saying, but as much as Mommy says yay it is possible. Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer.

Oh yeah, Go Cubs Go!!!!!!

Happy Eight months Yip and Yap

2008-06-12T13:33:00.001-07:00

Evangeline and Addison
Addison
Evangeline
Evangeline
And that crazy Kermit Evangeline and Addison

The girls are now eight months! I cannot believe it. We are all still alive. These crazy girls are surprising Mom and Dad more and more everyday. They are both eating solids very well. Mom has been making it herself. They have had homemade rice cereal, bananas, sweet potato, avocado, pears, peas and yellow squash so far. Next is spinach and maybe mango. Addison really likes the solids and has liked everything we have given her, Evangeline is not a big fan of pears, peas and squash. Evangeline is now scooting all over the place, it is not a actual crawl yet but she is really mobile. Look out Daisy! Addison is soon to follow with the scooting. Addison is very verbal, she just chats and chats with whoever is feeding her or whoever is in a close ear shot to hear her at the store. Both are working on napping better and this makes mom very happy. They have had their first play date with their friend Bella and their first picnic with the twins groups we all belong to. Evangeline seems to be a toy "borrower" and Addison can win any starting contest with her level of eye contact. This past month has been very exciting, lots of traveling and meeting new people. Well someone is nicely asking to be let out of her afternoon nap so must go for now. Lots of planning to do for Dad's first Father's day...

Happy Seven months Yip and Yap!

2008-05-12T08:07:00.000-07:00

Evangeline and Addison are now seven months! Wow, so many updates to make. They are both turning over like crazy and now are doing the army crawl. They scoot backward off their play mat. They also said that when they start really crawling that they will both go in the same direction to make it easier for Dad and I! What nice girls. Evangeline is now 18.5 and Addison is 15.5. The doctor is so pleased with their weight that they no longer need the higher calorie formula. As you can see on the previous post, the girls have started solids. They are still getting used to it.They are starting to make more noises. Evangeline said "yum yum" once while eating and when they do not feel well they both say "hum mom mom mom." Very sad and very cute. They have also made the move to their own room. They now share a crib, until they can really get to each other and poke eyes out. The days are getting nicer and nicer, which means walks outside. As Spring turns into Summer we may start swimming lessons at the Y. Look for more updates...

Yum!

2008-05-04T08:04:00.000-07:00

On 5.04.08 the girls had their first taste of cereal. Most of it was eaten by their bibs, but some made it in their tummys. Next is avocado. YUM!

Addison and Evangeline's Six month pictures.

2008-04-17T20:20:00.000-07:00

Happy Six months Yip and Yap

2008-04-12T07:26:00.000-07:00

Wow, we made it to six months and we are still relatively sane. The girls are doing wonderful!
At the last visit Addison was 14 pounds and Evangeline was 17. They are both so happy, smiling and laughing out loud now. On 4.14.08 Addison turned over from back to belly! This is something that full term 6 month old babies are doing, so she is not showing many signs of being a preemie. They are on such a good schedule, eating and napping at regular times throughout the day. The girls are looking more and more alike, Addison's birthmark is going away on her eye so sometimes we have to do a double take. Some days we think they are identical and other fraternal. We can find out with a DNA test, but are going to wait until the girls are old enough to enjoy in the process of finding out. For now we are having fun getting to know each girl as an individuals. Happy, joy filled babies!

Happy Easter Yip and Yap

2008-03-24T07:11:00.001-07:00

Evangeline on left Addison on right
Addison
Evangeline
Yip and Yap had a nice Easter. Uncle Terry, Aunt Ann, Uncle Jeff and cousin Sara came by to have Easter ham. Speaking of ham, did you see the pictures. The girls are turning into quite the little hams. They seem to know when the camera comes out and smile before the picture is taken. Evy does this a little more, once again showing how much like her mom she is. The girls are very vocal, sometimes sounding just like monkeys. When they wake up in the morning, after 12 HOURS of sleep they both are smiling and cooing. They are smiling at each other now. Very cute. Evangeline started laughing out loud yesterday, so Addison will start doing the same any day now. They are both really close to turning over from back to belly.The girls have been enjoying some walks outside as the weather gets a little nicer. We have had some really nice visits with Cousin Lindsey, who has been a great help! We really missed seeing family in Springfield and Bloomington over the holiday and look forward to seeing everyone soon.

(Yip and Yap bibs courtesy of cousin Lindsey)

Happy Five Months Yip and Yap

2008-03-12T13:46:00.000-07:00

We made it to march! Both girls are doing wonderful. Each are turning over from belly to back and Evy is almost going from back to belly. Last we went to the Dr Evy was 14.5 and Addy was 12.5 lbs. I am so happy to say that they are both sleeping 12 hours at night! That gives me enough sleep to handle a day alone with them if I have to. We have had many visitors and many gifts. The girls would like to thank all of you who have been thinking of them (and Mom and Dad.) Without the love and support around us we do not know what we would do. Thank you all.

As you can see, the girls are ready for the cubs season to start, they hear this is going to be the year for the cubs!

Happy Four months to Yip and Yap

2008-02-17T20:20:00.000-08:00

The girls just got back from a visit in Springfield and Bloomington. They saw all of their grandparents and many of Aunts and Uncles. Addison turned over on the tenth! She always had a dislike for tummy time, so now she has decided to just turn over on her back. Each girl is really talking and smiling. They also made two special Valentines for mom in their pants, twice each!The best news is that they are sleeping over 11 hours at night, or at least they did so at Grandma Doyle's. We hoping they were not just showing off for Grandma.

We just got back from the doctor and Evangeline is 14 lbs 6 oz which means she is in the 75th percentile. Addison is 11 lbs 4 oz and is in the 15th percentile. The doctor was really impressed by them and said that they are doing things that would be advanced for a regular four month old.

It starts so early

2008-02-07T20:36:00.000-08:00

Addison reaching out to Evangeline
Evangeline reaching out back.

I would hate to think that they are fighting so soon, it is really cool that they are starting to notice each other. They are both smiling so much and cooing a lot. They rarely cry, instead they have this high pitch noise that they make. It is very cute, well sometimes it is cute. We are all going to Springfield this week to stay with Oma (Dutch for Grandma, and German if you want to get dicey) Doyle and Grandpa Doyle. I will not be able to post their four month picture up on the 12th, but will do so as soon as we return. Hope all is well with all of you!

Happy Three months Yip and Yap, B-day Mommy and Welcome Bella!

2008-01-12T20:28:00.000-08:00

The girls turned three months January 12th, which is mom's B-day. Also, their friend Bella Rose DeMatteo joined the world. Mom's friend Kate had Bella a little early just like Evangeline and Addison, and just like them Bella is doing great. The girls went to the Doctor about two weeks ago and Addison was 7 lbs 11oz and Evangeline was 10 lbs 1 oz. They are getting so big. I went through some of their old clothes today and they are so small. I cannot believe they even fit into them. Grandma Doyle is back to stay this week. That means that Mommy might be able to shower. Yay! That is the gift that keeps on giving. So we are going to the Doctor again soon and will let you know what the girls weigh.

Addison is to the right of Kermit and Evangeline is to the left. They were really hungry in the picture, so not in the mood for smiles. Speaking of smiles. They are both smiling and cooing! Very cute.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-05T20:45:00.000-08:00

Happy two months to Yip and Yap

2007-12-12T13:58:00.000-08:00

Addison and Evangeline are now two months old. They have some exciting news to share.
"Early Intervention" came by the house to determine if they needed any types of therapy. The girls were assessed by a physical therapist, occupational therapist and a nurse. They were very impresses with the girls. Evangeline and Addison were holding their heads up like a three month olds. Each can say hello in Spanish and good bye in Korean. Needless to say, they passed with flying colors. So they just need to focus on growing and eating to catch up to other babies their age.

Ah sleep, those were the days. I remember being on bed rest in the hospital and the nurses would say that i should take all of this in because soon I will not be getting any sleep at all. Boy were they right. The girls eat about every three hours, but sometimes every two. I have been lucky to get some overnight help. Both Grandmas and Aunt Ann have come to join in the overnight fun. Even with the help, the girls make a lot of work. I just keep walking around saying "two babies." Oh sleep, how I miss the.

Christmas is soon approaching and the girls have not decided what they want to do. They have asked for bottles filled with milk and a full nights sleep for their mom. What nice girls. Sleep, I know I have a one tract mind. Well, this one or that one is crying so I must get going. We have a big day of shots at the doctor tomorrow :o( I will let you know what they weigh.

Evangeline is to the left of Kermit and Addison is to the right.

We were supposed to be born today!

2007-12-01T12:13:00.001-08:00

Yip and Yap were due today. This means that today is the day we base all of their milestones on as it will start their corrected age. With preemies one goes by their original due date when figuring what they should be doing when. Addison and Evangeline are already ahead of the game. Each of girl can hold her head up, turns toward sounds and is focusing on light. I always knew that these miracles would just continue to impress us, but I did not realize how much. They went to the doctor this week and you will never guess how big each is.

Addison

Weight 5 lbs 15 ozs

Length 18 1/8 inches

Evangeline

Weight 7 lbs 11 ozs

Length 19 1/2 inches

I apologize for not updating as often as I used to, but I am sure you all can understand. It is funny, when one is sleep deprived one of the first things to go is language. I cannot remember simple words such as alarm clock. I stood there and said oven like three times before I could get the correct word of alarm clock when talking to Ryan the other day. They are great babies, just not sleeping through the night as to be expected.

Happy One month to Yip and Yap

2007-11-12T09:42:00.000-08:00

The girls turned one month yesterday. They celebrated by eating, pooping and sleeping. Crazy women. They are both doing so well Addison is now 4 1/2 lbs and 17 inches long, Evangeline is 5 1/2 lbs and 18 inches long. They are sleeping anywhere from 3 to 4 and sometimes 5 hours at a time.

Note: The picures above are inspired by Auntie Kerstin, our friend who took pictures of her daughter every month with the same stuffed animal. Who better for that then Kermit?! So Evangline is at the top and left and Addison is the bottom and right.

"We are ready for our close-up"

2007-11-11T12:58:00.000-08:00

The pictures of the girls are up online

Go to
http://www.growingfamily.com/webnursery/hospitals/hbp/login.aspx?i=H038

The second password for each is the same "boul"

1802008212
1802008236
1802008237

We had each of them have a picture and then did one together. Addison was the only one awake for her big debut.

Yip's first night home.

2007-11-09T20:30:00.001-08:00

Yip came home today and boy was Yap so very happy. No more wires, alarms or daily trips to the hospital. (Since there is no pudding involved, the hospital has been a lot less of a good place.)

So the family is back together again. Daisy, again, did so well in meeting Miss Addison. she just sniffed and wagged her tail, then looked at us and laughed as if to say, "Yea, have fun with that." Darn smart ass dog! So our first night is starting well, Dad and I have an assembly line going with diapers and feedings. My hope it that everyone has scared the crap out of us so much about having two babies, that is cannot possibly be as bad as everyone warned us. So far this has been the case. That is not to say anyone should stop praying for us. :o)

Yap's first night home

2007-11-05T06:41:00.001-08:00

Miss Evangeline came home on Saturday. It is so nice to have her here and hold her without cords of beeping, like some sort of baby cyborg.

We have now "survived" two nights with one baby, good thing we do not have another ba DUH! We just keep laughing and looking at each other and saying "and we have another one coming soon." Honestly it is not so bad once you get over the whole never sleeping again thing. :o) Daisy is being a great big sister. The first night I was out with Evangeline doing her night feeding and changing and boy does that girl holler when you change her pants. So Daisy heard this from the bedroom and started crying, she would not go back to bed until Dad took her out here and showed here that Evangeline was alright. It was very cute. We went to see Addison and she is really working hard to make it home. She took out her own feeding tube and they decided not to put it back, so she gets to eat whenever and however much she wants. She could be home by mid-week. I cannot wait for that, so we can finally get some sleep.

In the words of ozzie osbourne...

2007-11-02T02:42:00.000-07:00

"Mama, I'm Coming Home."

Much to my delight and surprise, Evangeline is coming home on Saturday. (This is very common for twins to come home on different days, Addison will most likely me home within the week and I can bring Evangeline back to the hospital to visit her until she is home as well.) When we went into the hospital on Thursday they told us that she had eaten all of her feedings in the past 24 hours by mouth, in addition to consistently gaining weight and not having a breathing episode since the 20th. So, our favorite nurse A said, she will be going home on Friday. This really freaked me out, I did not expect her to be going home on Friday, nor did I expect only to get a 24 hour notice. With much vigor, I drove home and enlisted the help of two wonderful people to get the house read, my friend Nicole and my cousin Lindsey. (Thank you both, so much!) In the process of getting the house ready, the hospital called and said that Evangeline would have to wait until Saturday to come home due to the fact that she had not been off of her caffeine medicine for a full week yet. I have to tell you, I was relived. I am very nervous to be a new mom and to bring home such a precious little baby. At the hospital they are on monitors and the nurses are there, at home it is just Ryan and I. We will be without a net. I guess we do have an advantage over parents who go home right away as we have had three weeks to parent our babies with the nurses education. I am sure once I get her home without her wires and hold her in my comfy chair then it will all be alright.

(Notice above, no feeding tube for Evangeline!)

Happy Halloween

2007-10-31T04:55:00.000-07:00

The nurses dressed up the girls for Halloween. Happy Halloween!

Pictures to show their dates when older

2007-10-30T19:35:00.000-07:00

So today was bath day again, and what better way to celebrate bath day then with a baby mohawk. They look like little cupie dolls. Fun for us now and fun for us later. They are doing so well. Today Evangeline took a whole bottle for me and Addison took half of one. The nurse today said that Evangeline's feeding tube might be able to come out soon. Addison, I am sure, will be right behind her. They are both gaining weight and tolerating their feedings really well. Evangeline has not had an episode since the 21st, Addison had one this week but is was while she was eating. So, in general, things are going really great. Just time a patience at this point.

Together again!

2007-10-27T18:52:00.000-07:00

Saturdays and Tuesday are bath days and the babies take them on Wednesday, HA!

Seriously, Saturday was bath day and boy was it fun. The girls screamed and screamed, it was great. They were really stinky, who knew babies that small and cute could smell so bad? (Can't wait to show their dates this someday) They are back in the same crib and doing so well. Evangeline is now almost 5 pounds and Addison is almost 4. Evangeline is taking every other feeding my mouth and Addison is starting to take a whole bottle. Their favorite nurse, Angela is starting to talk "car seat test,"which means that Evangeline may be home in about 10 days or so, maybe even by next week! Addison will follow soon after.

We will soon get back the test from their birth to determine if they are in fact identical or if their is a possibility that they are fraternal. I will let you know. Interestingly, if they are identical (which I think that they are) then they are mirror image. Cute.

So they are now two weeks and two days old and developmentally they are thirty-five and one day. Wow. September 13th (the day I was admitted to the hospital feels like a long time ago. Yay Yip and Yap, you are doing so well.

The little piggies

2007-10-25T16:23:00.000-07:00

Addison and Evangeline are doing great. They are eating so well. Evangeline is now taking only every other feeding by tube. Addison has now taken one bottle today and did very well. She is also almost out of here box. Their nurse today said that they may wrap them up together in a twin burrito and keep them in one crib. I will defiantly post pictures of that. So they are continuing to make Dad and I work hard to get the house ready for babies (which is slow going with spending time at the NICU.) Tomorrow Evangeline and Addison will be two weeks old, for their two week B-day I hope they get to be in the same crib.

Being a Mom

2007-10-22T14:50:00.000-07:00

The girls are just amazing us. Today I went to see them and Evangeline is in a big girl bed, she no longer needs the isolette to regulate her tempurature. Both girls have gained weight to the point that they are now their birth weight.

Neither of them have had a respiratory episode since 10/20. Evangeline passed her hearing test (Addison was too wild to be tested today :o)

The big news is that they are being moved to the step down NICU. They are doing so well that they can move now. So many things to be grateful for.

On the topic of gratitude, I am so grateful for the support of so many people and at the top of my personal list is my mother. Barb Doyle is the most amazing person I know and I am now fully realizing that as I become a mother myself. She was here with us for almost a week and I know I could have not done it without her. She clean, cooked, listened to my worries, and DROVE IN THE CHICAGOLAND. For those of you who do not know my mom, she does not drive in areas like this much less in high traffic areas where she lives. But that is what a mother does. A mother gives of herself to benefit her children. I always saw that in my mother, but now I am a card carrying member of the mother club, so it means so much more now. This all came to me as I walked from the NICU to the ER to get my wedding ring removed and this we the only time to eat so as I walked I managed to put down a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. (Long story about the ER, basically in a fit of glee that some of my swelling went down, I attempted to put my wedding ring back on, and much to my chagrin I could not get it off.) So I guess the basic thesis of this post is that being a mom involves a tight rope walk of taking care of yourself and of your children. I am in amazement of any mother that I can come into contact with, and all of this from a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

PS My mom is the most humble person I know, so do not tell her about this post as she will kill me :o)

Daddy's little girls

2007-10-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

Wow, Daddy's little girls are doing so well. The top picture is Evangeline and the bottom is Addison.

Addison is now 3lbs, she is tolerating her feedings and has not had an episode since yesterday. Episodes are were she either forgets to breath or she has a high or low heart rate. These episodes are due to Apnea (see below.) She got a bath yesterday and was a wild woman the whole time. The nurse took her diaper off and placed her on the blanket, she peed and screamed. Very cute.

Evangeline is now 4 lb 1/2 oz. She is tolerating her feedings very well. Both girls are at the maximum feeding for their weight. Evangeline also has not had an episode in a day and got a bath yesterday. No wild woman behavior that we know of as of yet. She also has graduated closer to room air, she was bundled and in a little shirt yesterday as they were testing to see how she regulated her temperature. She did very well. She looked so cute in her little shirt.

They are both doing really well with their feedings that today they get to try nursing. This will be done during their Gavage feedings (http://oce.sph.unc.edu/phnceac/babyguide/gavage.pdf)

I am very excited about this and any non-NICU/real mom things I get to do.

Days that the girls entered this world 9

Days until their original due date 41

Time Daisy has looked around the house for the babies and cried- COUNTLESS

"Apnea
Apnea is another common health problem in premature babies. During an apnea spell, a baby stops breathing, the heart rate may decrease, and the skin may turn pale, purplish, or blue. Apnea is usually caused by immaturity in the area of the brain that controls the drive to breathe. Almost all babies born at 30 weeks or less will experience apnea. Apnea spells become less frequent with age."

http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/growth/growing/preemies.html

The little roos

2007-10-19T07:19:00.001-07:00

Boy were Dad and I surprised to see that neither girls needs their IVs any more. This is such a good thing on many levels. First, it simply means that they are needing less help to maintain their nutrition and hydration. This also means that Dad and I can get in some serious Kangaroo time.

"Kangaroo care is a way of holding a preterm or full term infant so that there is skin-to-skin contact between the infant and the person holding it. The baby, wearing only a diaper, is held against the parent's bare chest. Kangaroo care for preterm infants is typically practiced for two to three hours per day over an extended time period in early infancy. With babies who are medically stable, there is no maximum duration for kangaroo care, some parents may keep their babies in-arms for many hours per day.
The label kangaroo care was chosen to describe this strategy because the method is similar to how a kangaroo is carried by its mother. It is estimated that more than 200 neonatal intensive care units practice kangaroo care today compared to less than 70 in the early 1990s. One recent survey found that 82 percent of neonatal intensive care units use kangaroo care in the United States today.
Researchers have found that the close physical contact with the parent can help to stabilize the preterm infant's heartbeat, temperature, and breathing. Preterm infants often have difficulty coordinating their breathing and heart rate. Researchers also have found that mothers who use kangaroo care often have more success with breastfeeding and improve their milk supply. Further, researchers have found that preterm infants who experience kangaroo care have longer periods of sleep, gain more weight, decrease their crying, have longer periods of alertness, and earlier hospital discharge. "

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangaroo_care

Dad and I went up the visit them last night and had a wonderful time. We got to kangaroo and it is really starting to feel like they are mine. A simple thing like cleaning the sleep out of Addison's eyes made me feel like a mom. It is truly the little things. I cannot wait to change my first diaper. I hope that I can hold the same desire after they come home, but somehow I think that will be very different. Dad took today off work to take care of me and to visit them again. I cannot wait. I will fill you in on any exciting news.

(Addison on left, Evageline on right)

Days since the Evangeline and Addison were born, one week.

Number of diapers changed so far-0 (how many new moms can say that :o)

Home again for Mom, Womb with a view for the Addison and Evangeline

2007-10-17T07:03:00.000-07:00

Well I am home now and doing well. Grandma Doyle came to take care of me and help out with everything. I could not have done it without here. She and Daisy are getting along really well.

Evangeline and Addison are doing so well. They have both gained weight, neither are one oxygen. Evangeline is at the max for her tube feedings, so that means she could be off of her IV today if Dr H says it is okay. Addison is going up in her feedings just as well, she just had to start a little lower due to her size. They are both over their jaundice for now, so no lights.

These pictures were taken the day I left the hospital. I really wanted Daddy to hold both babies, nothing makes it more real that we had twins then holding each little burrito(dad's term of endearment when they are all wrapped up.) Yip and Yap love to lay close, they fall asleep every time they are held together. They get to be in the same bed as soon as they can maintain a constant temp and are off their IVs. So we are going to see them today and will fill you in on any major developments.

Addison and Evangeline's first days

2007-10-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

Addison and Evangeline are doing really well. As of now, neither of them need oxygen or help breathing. They were on light therapy for jaundice, now only Evangeline needs it. Jaundice occurs when a baby's immature liver initially cannot dispose of excess bilirubin, a yellow pigment in the body produced by the normal breakdown of red blood cells. They look really cute under the light because they have to wear little goggles to protect their eyes, like little superstars under lights and" their futures so bright they have to wear shades." Evangeline also had her IV out for a while because she was doing so well with her feedings, now she is a little dehydrated and will need to have one put back it, but still better then before. Addison has an IV in her belly button, they were talking about putting in another line that involves more of a procedure and will go to her heart. The good news today's is that she has been tolerating her feedings so well, that by tomorrow night she may not need any IV at all. She is also forgetful at times and has to be reminded to breath, for this they are giving her caffeine. Funny how I have to spend my whole pregnancy avoiding caffeine and now it is a treatment for the little ones. Their second night Dad and I got to do what is called "Kangaroo Therapy." This is a skin to skin therapy between the parents and the babies. Being close to the skin regulates the babies temperature and heart rate. It was also really nice for us, very relaxing having them so close. We have not been able to hold them due to the light therapy, so maybe they will come of that and we can Kangaroo them again. I know most of you may be wondering one thing most of all (besides if I have been able to have pudding, Yes of course) and that is when the babies can come home. This is the point where we go back to taking things "one day at a time." If we ask the Dr or nurses when the babies get to go home, they always give the same response, "it depends, but you can plan for them to be home around their due date." You can relate this to when you go into a busy restaurant and ask how long for a table and they say an half hour, knowing full well they can seat you in 15 minutes. The whole under-promise, over-deliver. So we really have no idea when the babies will come home, and that is okay. Just like when I was on bed rest, they are where they need to be. I am sure toward the end of their stay I will be going crazy to get them home, but now they just need to grow and progress. So once they can breath, eat, suck, swallow and breath and once they are putting on weight are the general things that need to happen. So we are being patient with them and boy are they progressing really well. So once again thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers. Evangeline and Addison are so grateful for all of the support and prayers. I will keep you updated on their progress.

The Babies formally know as Yip and Yap

2007-10-13T09:19:00.001-07:00

Mark you calenders because on Friday October 12th at 11:14 and 11:16 Yip and Yap made their grand entrance into this world and Ryan and I's hearts. After talking with Dr Y and getting a second opinion from Dr M it was decided that the best course of action was to deliver the babies sooner then later. We had a little bit of a scare Thursday night. Dr C entered my room to inform me that I did in fact have preeclampsia and based on that and the blood flow issues with Yip, I was a ticking time bomb. (Dramatic I know, but his words not mine.) He then asked me when was the last time I had eaten anything, and I have never been so grateful for Honey Smacks cereal in my whole life. Eating when I did would have meant that they would have preformed the c-section and 12am Thursday night. Totally not cool for me as Ryan was not there yet and this would have given us no time at all to discuss it or mentally prepare. We decided that: 1 I wanted a second opinion and 2. 10:30 the next day would be no greater risk then 12am that night. We were so glad to have Auntie Val with us until Daddy could get there after work on Thursday.

Friday morning came and despite all the stress, Ryan and I were woken from some pretty good sleep by Dr M. She stated that she agreed with Dr Y that I should be delivered that day. One of the risks of Preeclampsia is the placenta becoming detached from the uterus leading to less blood flow to the babies, so with Yip having blood flow issue as it was delivering was the best course of action.

So we were preparing for the delivery, Dad and I holding the beads from the mother's blessing and getting a calm as possible when we got a surprised phone call. Uncle Mike had, on a gut feeling, taken the day off work and driven up to visit us. Boy was he shocked when he saw me in my gown about to be wheeled into surgery. It was a wonderful surprise. So off to surgery we went. Getting the epidural was not as scary as I thought, once that was done and I was prept, Daddy was able to come in for support. Then as I laid their I saw many other birthday party guest. We had to have a set of Doctors and Nurses for each baby, so there was a party of 12 (at least) on the room. There did not seem to be a problem getting Yip out, but there was with Yap. Yap was really high (on my ribs remember) and combine with a contraction that lead Dr C to have to make an extra incision. On top of that I also had a different reaction to the spinal blocker (epidural.) What kind of reaction you may ask, well basically I could feel A LOT more that most women do. They had to give me some more meds on the fly, and unfortunately the one they needed was not in the room. By the time they came back with it, the whole thing was done. So I really impressed the others (and myself) with my pain threshold. I think adrenaline has a lot to do with it.

So to our shock and surprise the doctor announced one at a time as they came out that Yip and Yap were not Monkeys, nor Boys, but beautiful baby girls. What a surprise. I really thought Monkeys.

So Yip was born at 11:14 am weighing in at 3lbs 1 oz and 16 and 1/4 inches

Yap was born at 11:16 am weighing in at 4 lbs and 3 oz and 16 inches

The delivery started at 10:46 and I was in recovery at 11:58

We had not really talked about girls names, except Dad liked Addison for the street that Wrigley field is located. In my groggy state a name that I had been rolling around with and never shared came out. I asked him what he thought about Evangeline. We spent the good part of the day meditating on the names and by evening it was settled.

Yip became Addison Elizabeth (Elizabeth after Grandma Boulware)

Yap became Evangeline Barbara (Barbara after Grandma Doyle)

Both babies are doing great. Addison is on the left above and Evangeline is on the right. They have some help breathing and have IV for nutrition, but are really doing so well. No major issues have come up that one would not expect from a 32 and 6 day preemie.

So total time on bed rest one Month.

Day pregnant when delivered 32 weeks and 6 days.

Number of beatiful miracle babies to date - 2

Weighing in

2007-10-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

So today was a big day. Yap and Yip had their daily scan and their bi-weekly weight scan. Their scan went really well, they both scored a 10 out of 10. They also are continuing to pack on the ounces.

9/27 Yip weighed 2 lb 7 oz and was in the 11th percentile
Yap weighed 3 lb 5 oz and was in the 37th percentile
Today Yip weighed 3 lb 3 oz and was in the 10th percentile
Yap weighed 4 lbs 5 oz and was in the 40 th percentile
There is an possible standard error of 3 percentage points in either direction, but this is great news.

I am still really puffy, I mean really puffy. Everyone who sees me mentions it, so it must be really bad. My hands, legs and feet are puffy to the point where it makes it difficult to move around. They have not ruled out preeclampsia at this point, but so far my blood work has come back negative. If I do in fact have this, and it is gets severe, then they well talk about delivering the babies. I have to tell you I am starting to really have to dig deep here. I did really well the first three weeks in the hospital. Now I have been here for a month (minus my four days at home.) I am still dedicated to doing what it takes for these babies, but looking at these four walls is starting to take a toll. This time I cannot leave my room, expect for my daily scan. I have to depend on my nurses for everything, and I did not realize that I was such an independent person. I hate asking for water, my blinds being opened, and other things. I do not mind asking room service for pudding, but that seems different. So I am trucking along here at bed rest central. Some days better than others. At the end of the day and am so glad we have made it this far, we have made it one month on bed rest.

So 32 weeks and 5 days pregnant.

One MONTH on bed rest

Days Yap has been digging her/his head in my rib 8

The plot and my ankle thickens

2007-10-10T08:15:00.000-07:00

Yea for Yap and Yip. Today's scan was great. Yip had 5 centimeters of fluid, where what they wanted to see was 4 centimeters. So the little monkeys (yes, that is what I think they are) are doing really well. Now for Momma. Mom's blood pressure has been elevated for a couple of days now and I am so swollen that I make the Marshmallow man here look svelte. At first I thought it was the pudding, but how could you blame such a perfect, simple food. So they have taken some blood and are going to watch me to make sure that I do not have preeclampsia.

"Preeclampsia Overview
Preeclampsia is a serious complication of pregnancy associated with the development of high blood pressure and protein in the urine. Women diagnosed with preeclampsia may also complain of blurred vision, headaches, extreme swelling, and experience greater than normal weight gain. Toxemia is a common name used to describe preeclampsia"

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/preeclampsia/article_em.htm

Today is also Ryan and I's 4th wedding anniversary. Hopefully the 4th year is the year of the bed pan or hospital gown, if not I am so ill prepared for a gift. Maybe the 4th year can be the year of the twin babies, Dad will just have to wait a while to get his gifts.

So 32 weeks and 4 days pregnant.

Three weeks and 6 days on bed rest.

Times I freaked out the whole hospital by walking by myself in a hospital gown with IV pole in hand looking like an escaping patient - Once

Important Blog update as of 12pm. My blood pressure has gone down and my blood work came back okay! Yea!

"I'm Back in the Saddle again"

2007-10-09T21:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I am back in the hospital. My freedom was short and sweet. I was able to go out to dinner with Ryan for our anniversary, snuggle with my dog, and go out for some real pancakes. I went in for my scan today and the blood flow was fine for Yip, but the amniotic fluid was low. They like to see a pocket that measures 4 centimeters, and only saw 2.3. Also, I think that Dr. M and Dr. T feel better having me here, so they might have been looking for something to admit me. So I now have a corner suite, very nice large room with a view. I am also getting the royal treatment, complete with continuous IV fluids and fetal heart monitoring. They are really pushing the fluid, last time I was here I went through a bag in 8 hours, this time I have gone through 2.5 bags in 12 hours. The best news is that this does not mean that they want to meet Yip and Yap early. Yap and Yip ( I just realized I should rotate the order I write about them so no one gets a complex) are doing just fine where they are and the Doctors want us to get to 34 weeks. Yip and Yap said "I see your 34 weeks and raise you two!" Thirty six to thirty seven weeks is considered full term for twins, so that is our goal. I will go down for my regular scan in the morning and on Thursday we will do another growth scan. These two have got to be growing, as the head in my ribs certainly feels bigger. Be sure to tune in and do not be surprised when I tell you how big these babies are. If the strength of their kick is any indication, we are looking at some big, strong babies.

So 32 weeks and 3 days pregnant

Time on bed rest total 3 weeks and 5 days.

Numbers of puddings since I have been admitted for the second time 1

How about those Bears

2007-10-08T10:08:00.000-07:00

It is now Bear season, so we must put the Cub's season behind us. The Cubs did do amazingly well, coming back from an eight game deficit. Cheers to Lou. Now time for the Bears to shine. Did any of you ever see Urlacker's fake Field goal play, amazing truly amazing. Well, my little cubs feel as if they are growing into bears. I am starting to get a little uncomfortable, but I welcome it because it means that they are getting larger. Yip has set up camp right on my bladder and Yap has found a nice play to lay his/her head, Mom's rib cage. If you have never felt a baby dig into your rib cage for a week straight you should really try it. I actually welcome the discomfort, because it means that they are still with me. I had a good scan on Sunday and an okay scan today. I swear it could look exactly the same and depending on what Dr or the Dr mood, depends on the interpretations. Bottom line, no reverse flow so no delivering babies today. Dr. T did say that the next time I am admitted it will mean that the babies are coming, not some sort of bed rest scenario. So today's plan is to get my hospital bag packed, do you think they would notice Daisy if I packed her?

31 weeks and 2 days pregnant.

3 weeks and 4 days on bed rest

Times using those cool electric shopping carts at target- 1.

12 years and 1 day and 32 weeks!

2007-10-06T09:58:00.000-07:00

We have reached two amazing milestones. Ryan and I have been together for 12 years and 1 day. The picture to the right was taken when we lived in Georgia as an homage to Chi town, notice the Cubs hats and the Old Style Bear. We went out to have a nice dinner last night and I have to tell you I felt like a prisoner who was released from solitary confinement and out into the mainstream. It was a little weird being around so many people and some sort of innate Mother instinct was kicking in telling me to go back home. We had a nice dinner, but is was brief. So we went home to watch a movie instead, "Knocked Up" of course. Not bad, but parts in the hospital hit a little to close to home.

I went for my scan today and everything looked great. I had to go to Labor and Delivery to have the babies heart rates monitored, what they call a "non-stress test." Unfortunately I could not order pudding while I was there. I then went for my scan and again, everything looked great.

It is a big day for Dad, he is going to Wrigleyville to watch the game. So I will watch one set of cubs while he watches the other.

32 weeks pregnant today

3 weeks and 2 days on bed rest.

Hours till the Cubs game 5 and counting.

You can go home again.

2007-10-05T08:10:00.000-07:00

I am home. I slept so good last night. It felt weird to be home, my house (which is on the smaller side) felt huge! My bed was a vast improvement from the plastic mattress and the plastic pillows. Seeing Daisy also was a real treat. I just got back from my scan and everything looked really good. So we continue the holding pattern. I am choosing not to comment on the Cubs at this time, as I feel it is important to surround myself with positive energy.

So days total on bed rest at home and in the hospital 3 weeks and 1 day

31 weeks and 6 days pregnant.

Times I looked for my call button to get a milk in the middle of the night 1.

And now the top ten things I will miss about being in the hospital

2007-10-04T13:20:00.000-07:00

For those of you just tuning in I am leaving today to continue my bed rest at home, see the previous post for more details. Now, without further ado, the top 10 things I will miss about being in the hospital.

10. Freaking people out every time I get on the elevator and seeing them mentally prepare to deliver a baby.

9. Being able to order pudding to my room anytime I want.

8. Having my bed linens changed daily.

7. Having my room cleaned daily.

6. Random people looking into my room if one of the nurses accidentally left the door open while she was putting the heart monitors on.

5. Being asked everyday about my bathroom daily activity, sometimes when guest have been here.

4. Hearing women yell out in pain in the middle of the night.

3. Hearing babies crying in the middle of the night ( I am really sad about this one as I am sure the sound of babies crying is one I will never be woken up by again.)

2. The wonderful nurses the work here.

1. Seriously, did I mention the pudding; we are talking chocolate and banana.

There is no place like home

2007-10-04T08:30:00.001-07:00

I am shocked and pleasantly surprised to announce that I am being sent home to continue my bed rest there. I have been having consistently good scans for quite a while now and my doctors are all in agreement that I can continue my care at home. The Dr who scanned me today is the one who admitted me, he is shocked as to how well I have done. He asked me today what I have been doing to make this turn around. I said I have been eating well and drinking my ensure shakes, resting, and what I think is the key is that I have been meditating on these babies. I spend a good amount of time each day thinking about all of you and how much love and support there is out there for these babies and I focus it on them. Sometimes I will think about a specific person and something they said, or sometimes I combine all the thoughts and prayers and focus the whole lot on the babies. That to me had made the difference. So thank you all for your love, support and prayers. We could not have done it and gone this far without you all.

I will be going in daily for a scan and twice a week for the babies heart monitoring. I can drive short distances and do things around the house, I just have to rest at least three times a day. Really they are not doing much for me here besides my scan and monitoring, it is kind of like I am just living here. I am a little scared to go home, but I trust my Doctors. Also, with the daily scans we will know exavtly what is going on with the babies. I will miss being able to pick up the phone to order food, but being home with Ryan and Daisy will more than make up for anything here I miss. I will continue the blog, but do not get worried if it is not daily. Thanks again for all of your support and care.

Time is the hospital 3 weeks.

31 weeks and 5 days pregnant.

Time till I go home 8 hours and counting.

Go Cubs!

The torch has been passed.

2007-10-03T11:29:00.000-07:00

It is official, I have now been here the longest of any Mom who has not delivered. Today they brought me a cart with a mini fridge and microwave. There was no ceremony, but I could almost hear the Olympic theme in the background.

My scan was okay today. The absent end-diastolic flow was constant today instead of intermittent, but this is still okay and really status quo. Everything else looked good and they scored a 10 out of 10. Dr Y also told me that I have already made it over the average for women being able to keep from delivering babies with absent end-diastolic flow, I guess two weeks is the average. I am going to throw that curve!

Some upsetting, but not surprising news, is that I will not be able to go out to dinner for our anniversary. Due to liability, the only way to do this is discharge me and then re-admit me. That sounds like a little much. So my favorite Nurse A has arranged it so that the cafeteria will bring up a table and setting so Ryan and I can have a nice dinner in the room. We will just have to carry out from somewhere. The hospital cafeteria does not a romantic meal make.

So 2 weeks a 6 days in the hospital

31 weeks and 4 days pregnant

Servings of pancakes with strawberries to date -2 YUM!

Cubs play tonight!!!!

Sole Survivor, now show me the money.

2007-10-02T07:42:00.000-07:00

So exciting news. I am now the long timer multiple mom here. One of the triplet Moms was delivered last night and one is having her scheduled section right now. (All the Moms and Babies are doing well.) So, I win, I guess? No one has said anything about a million dollars, but I may get the one room fridge. I also get the regular scheduled spot of going down for my scans at 8:30 every morning. This is a really good thing as most days I would sit and wait till my scan not knowing when it was. Now I am on a more regular schedule. They may also have to change some of my freedoms because of another non-compliant mom. She has been sneaking off and been missing for over an hour on different days. Hopefully I can still keep my freedom due to my good behavior.

My scan went well today, the absent end-diastolic flow was only intermittent. They both got a perfect 10 out of 10.

Two weeks and 5 days in the hospital

31 weeks and 3 days pregnant

1 day till the cubs play.

1 hospital meatloaf dinner (and it will be only 1!)

Happy October

2007-10-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

Well Yip and Yap have made it to October. This means a little over one more month to go. We did not post yesterday as we all had a big day. Grandma Boulware, Great Aunt Kathy and Great Great Grandma Hirsch came by to see us. We had lunch and went for a nice walk outside. The weather was so nice yesterday. Their scan was good again, some moments were we did not see the absent end-diastolic flow at all with Yip. Dr. T also explained why they check to see if the babies are breathing every time, babies do not really need to breath in-utero, they are just practicing for when the are on the outside. If a baby is in distress or feels it need to save energy then it will stop breathing as it gets what oxygen is needs from the placenta and cord. I thought that was pretty interesting.

So today is Monday and wonderful news, Dr. C1 said that I could go out to dinner this weekend with Dad to celebrate our anniversary. We will be together 12 years on October 5th and be married 4 years on the 10th. So I get to leave and be in the real world for a little bit this weekend. Very exciting. Today's scan also went really well. There were moments where we did not see the absent end-diastolic flow at all with Yip and everything else looked great.

So 31 weeks and 2 days pregnant.

2 weeks and 4 days in the hospital.

Days till Cubs play again 2

"Cubs win Cubs win Holy cow Cubs win" Mine too!

2007-09-29T09:56:00.000-07:00

Well Yip and Yap had a very exciting night! Dad stayed the night and we all watched the cubs win and then saw them celebrate as they found out they are going to the playoffs. As if that was not exciting enough Aunt Jane came to visit today and got to see today's scan.

Today..... They did not see any absent end-diastolic flow. It did dip a little, but only when Yip was breathing, so that is totally normal. "Yip wins Yip wins holy cow Yip wins!" Today we had a really good scan. I think they were showing off for Auntie Jane. So really good scan today. To top if off I am now 31 weeks! YEA!

So days in the hospital, 2 weeks and 2 days.

31 weeks pregnant.

Cubs are going to the playoffs.

Chocolate puddings from the cafeteria to date 4

Yip is swimming in fluid

2007-09-28T17:47:00.000-07:00

Today's scan was a little later again today. Yip and Yap looked great. They scored a perfect 10 out of 10. To top it off, Yip's fluid was the best we have ever seen. It needs to be 4 cm and it was 6! It has been 2 to 3, and even lower the day we were admitted. Good job Yip. So I have now been here two weeks and one day. I have to say it is starting to feel like the movie Groundhog day. Nurses blend, days blend, meals blend, the only thing that really gets my attention is my daily scan. I did not get a chance to get outside today due to my scan and monitoring schedule. I am going to make a point to get outside tomorrow, because I think that helps me feel human. Well tonight is date night, movie and dinner with Da Da!

So 3o weeks and 6 days pregnant

Two weeks and one day in the hospital

Games cubs ahead 2!

Yip and Yap are packing it on!

2007-09-27T15:01:00.000-07:00

Today's scan went really well! See below

9/13 Yip weighed 1 lb 1o oz and was in the 7th percentile

Yap weighed 2 lb 6 oz and was in the 34th percentile

Today Yip weighed 2 lb 7 oz and was in the 11th percentile

Yap weighed 3 lbs 6 oz and was in the 37 th percentile

There is an possible standard error of 3 percentage points in either direction, but this is great news.

They did see the absent end-diastolic flow with Yip, but it was intermittent. So all in all a great report!

Smiling through the tears

2007-09-27T11:19:00.000-07:00

I have to say that today was a mixed bag. I have not had my scan yet, so I will report on that later. In general it was a pretty good day. I went for a walk, read outside, and it was taco salad day. So again, in general I have no complaints. I am really trying and am staying positive. I really believe that these babies can sense what is going on with Mom, so as positive as I can be the better for them. This leads me to the not so good part of my day. After my shower I usually walk down the hall and get some water or tea. The area of labor and delivery that my room is now is the mother and baby section. So instead of hearing women scream in pain all night, I here babies cry (which is honestly a lot better.) So as a walked to get my tea today I saw something that I have seen every day since I have been here, but for some reason today it really hit me. It was a Dad loading up flowers and hospital bags on a cart as the nurse pushed the mom in a wheelchair with baby in her lap to the door. Such a simple thing, yet not. I want more than anything to leave the hospital with my flower cart and my babies on my lap, both of them. Yet I know that this may not happen. I do not say this in a way to be negative, I say it in a way to not create an expectation in my head that will only upset me latter if it does not come to be. I still maintain that these Babies are not ready and that they want to stay with Mom for a while longer, but when you consider statistics and that fact that I am here in the first place, there is a possibility that I may just be leaving with my cart and nothing more. In that same thought, there is also the possibility of me leaving with the whole family. I guess I just want to stay open to possibility. This is easily the hardest post to put on the blog so far. Having a big smile on my face is at the core of who I am as a person, so showing any signs of sadness makes me feel very vulnerable. At the same time, more human. So it with a great amount of courage and faith that this message will be received as it was given that I publish this post.

Holding Pattern continues...

2007-09-26T13:40:00.000-07:00

Lets see, I have had a pretty good day. There was some confusion about when my scan would be, but other than that I did some things normal people do. I showered, usually the highlight of my day, most likely my nurse's too. I went outside for a little walk and had some coffee (decaf) at the coffee shop and sat a listened to the two acoustic guitar players that were there today. As fate would have it the women behind me in line had 30 year old twins. She did not find out she was having twins until she delivered, so that helped me feel better about not feeling the house is ready. What a surprise that must have been. She also delivered two months early and they are fine, so that was thirty years ago, again some good perspective.

Now for today's scan. The fluid looked great, movement looked great, and thet got a 10 out of 10. Yip did have the absent end-diastolic flow, but it was intermittent today. YEA. I cannot wait until tomorrow as they are going to measure the growth. Very exciting.

So 1 week and 6 days stay at hotel Edwards

30 weeks 4 days pregnant

Cubs ahead 2 games.

TCBY treats to date 1 :0( Correction 2 :-) Yea!

Glass half full!

2007-09-25T10:27:00.000-07:00

Well I had my scan today and the fluid looked great, close to equal. This is important because if Yap's fluid is a great deal more than Yip's then they will start looking at Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome.

http://www.tttsfoundation.org/

So Yip's blood flow did have the absent end-diostolic flow, but is was intermitted today. YEA! I will take any victory. I cannot wait till Thursday because they are going to check the size again. Last time Yip was only in the 7th percentile, and Yap was in the 30th percentile. So my goal for this time is to get Yip at least in the 10th percentile. GO YIP! I feel like they are growing and my belly sure looks like they are growing.

So time since admitted 1 week and 5 days

Time Pregnant 30 weeks and 3 days

Games cubs ahead 3!

Be pregnant tomorrow

2007-09-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

I met Dr C3 ( I have three Drs who's names begin with the letter C) for the first time for my scan today. Ryan got to be there for the scan, so that was nice. Today they took the doppler four times, and only three out of the four times did they see the absent end-diastolic flow. This is good as it means it is not there all of the time. Dr C said that if we were at 36 weeks we would be delivering the babies, but since we are only at 30 and 2 days we really want to buy as much time as we can. He also said that end result will present itself at any time, meaning I could get better and go to term or we will start seeing the reverse flow and deliver the babies. He has seen it go either way. He did say over and over the we are at a good place as we have made it to the 30 week mark. He said our daily goal is to "Be Pregnant Tomorrow"

Time gone by since admitted--- 1 week and 4 days

Time pregnant-- 30 weeks and 2 days.

Games Cubs ahead 3.5!!!!!!!

"Two cubs in the bed and the little one said Roll over, I'm crowded"

2007-09-23T10:12:00.000-07:00

Well just went to see Dr Y and he was very please. There was a lot of fluid around Yip and Yap has seem to move up and over in a way to make room for Yip's growth. So our score is still a perfect 10 out of 10. He did see the absent end-diastolic flow, whereas yesterday it was only intermittent. I did just have a contraction (just a small one) before I went to see him, so that could have created the strain on the umbilical cord and placenta to get the absent end-diastolic flow. So again, same is good. One thing for sure is that these cubs are active! Yip and Yap move and kick all day, every time the heart rate monitor is on someone has the hiccups. It is very cute to hear.

So 30 weeks and 1 day pregnant

Day babies have stayed with Mom since admitted 1 week 3 days

Games cubs ahead 2.5!

Slumber Party! and 30 weeks today.

2007-09-22T09:13:00.000-07:00

Daddy spent the night last night, which everyone enjoyed. We watched a movie and had a close to normal Friday night. Today is a big day! Grandma and Grandpa Boulware and Daisy are coming to visit. My nurse has arranged is so that I can go outside to see Daisy. I miss here very much. Grandma and Grandpa should be here around the same time, so we are going to have a picnic outside. I have not been outside since last Thursday. This will be a real treat. Not like a TCBY treat, but still really good. I have not gone for my scan yet, but imagine they will call anytime now.

Later that day...

Well Dr Y did my scan and it was okay. Not worse and not better. Same is good! He has also started to scan the blood flow in the babies brains, this has showed great results. This means that although there is an issue at times with blood getting to Yip, at least once it is there is goes and does what it needs to do. They have changed again how they are doing the heart rate monitoring. Instead of one hour on and four hours off which seemed to confuse some of the nurses, I am being scanned for two hours every eight hours. This mean I can have a full night sleep, YEA!

So time in hospital= 1 week and two days.

Weeks pregnant 30!

Games Cubs are ahead 2!

Number of TCBY treats 1!

Clarification and definitions.

2007-09-22T06:16:00.000-07:00

I did some research online last night and thought I would pass it one to those of you who are curious. Below is a clear definition of the zero blood that they have been seeing on Yip. So far they have only seen the absent end-diastolic flow, if they were do see the reverse flow we would have some babies coming early.

"Absent end-diastolic flow: Normally, the blood flow through the umbilical artery (and in all other arteries) is forward; as the heart pumps the blood forward, the flow through the arteries is more rapid right after each heartbeat, and slows down a little in between heartbeats. In some disease states (such as severe TTTS), the blood flow in the umbilical artery comes to a stop in between heartbeats: there is absent flow at the end of diastole (the phase in between heartbeats, as opposed to systole, or heartbeat). In very severe cases, the blood flow in diastole is even reversed (blood flows backward, toward the heart): this is termed reversed end diastolic flow in the umbilical artery."

http://bms.brown.edu/pedisurg/Fetal/TTTSGlossary.html

We have been going in for scans where they look at the Doppler to determine if there is this absent end-diastolic flow. I found a web page that shows what a normal, absent end, and reverse flow looks like on a real scan.

http://www.fleshandbones.com/readingroom/pdf/1157.pdf

Go to the bottom of page 48, that is where the description starts, then the pictures are on the next page.

At this site also is a descriptions of what makes up the 8 out of 8 score that we have been getting with every scan. If at some point we do not get and 8 out of 8 (which we will not!) they will have to take the babies early. This description is on page 50 of the site above. I go in for the Biophysical profile every day and they look at everything you see in table 2.1 on page 50, the CTG is done in my room with the heart rate monitor, so that makes it a 10 out of 10.

Hope this helps explain what is going on, let me know if you have more questions and I can answer or ask one of my Docs.

Our November Goal

2007-09-21T07:36:00.000-07:00

Well lots of activity has occurred, well lots if you are on bed rest. Auntie Val came to visit us to hang out and watch the first episode of Survivor. Right in the middle of the show the nurse came and said we were moving. So I am now in my third room. This one is in the Mother and Baby side, so no scary birthing stuff in this room. It is also a little smaller, which has turned out to be a good thing as I got the best sleep yet since I have been here. So much so that they woke me up for my daily scan and I had barely enough time to brush my teeth before I went down. I am such a fixture here that I walk down by myself and walk my chart back. So there I go every morning in my house coat walking my chart to and from the ultrasound appointment. So, without further ado, today's result is more of the same. Not better, not worse. We did see the zero blood flow from the placenta to Yip, so the three of us are still here to stay, but same is good. I got to see more 3-D pictures of the babies. From the profile they look like Daddy and from straight on they look like Mom. Pretty cute.

So on to the November goal. Yip and Yap and I always talk in the early morning when they are doing one of the heart rate monitoring. They reminded me the July, 13th was the date when Daddy and I found out that they were twins, I was admitted here on September, 13th so they would like to be born on November 13th. I said that was fine with me. Then they said that they would also sleep through the night and only have poopie diapers when Dad is around.

Time in the hospital 1week 1 day.

Days pregnant: 29 weeks and 6 days.

Games Cubs are ahead 1.5!

"One Day at a Time" Do do do do

2007-09-20T10:17:00.000-07:00

Well I had my scan today and the fluid looks good, they are breathing, moving like crazy, and aside from the diastolic flow they see with Yip- everything looks good. The absent Diastolic flow means that there are moments when Yip is not getting any blood flow from the placenta, but it is intermittent. Dr. C seems to think I would be okay on home bed rest and could come in to the hospital for my daily scan and heart rate monitoring. Unfortunately, it is not up to Dr. C, it is up to Dr M. or Dr. Y. Also, I think Dr. Grandma would rather we stay here. I will take is as a good sign that someone thinks I would be okay going home. Lord knows Miss daisy would love that. So the holding pattern continues. I have been cleared to do some small exercises and lift some small weights, so like in prison maybe I can get totally buff. :o)

Go Cubs Go! Mine and the team!

2007-09-20T07:29:00.000-07:00

Boy were Yip and Yap active last night. They are very excited about the cub's win. Their little personalities are starting to come out already. Every time Yip has the heart rate monitor on she/he kicks it and goes crazy, a little scrapper from the start. Yap seems to be the shy one, whenever I have a scan Yap has her/his hands up by his/her face. Very cute.

I have not had my daily scan yet today, but my OB Dr C came for his daily visit and had nothing but positive things to day. Basically he thinks that they are just wanting to keep a good eye on Yip and due to that I am not going anywhere for a while. So another day down and another day toward our November goal.

Days in the hospital so far- 7, days pregnant 29 weeks and 5 days.

Number of games the Cubs are ahead 1!

Another scan under our belts and three monkey votes

2007-09-19T13:33:00.000-07:00

Days in the hospital so far- 6, days pregnant 29 weeks and 4 days.

Well we saw Dr Y today and saw the monkeys. There was a nice pocket of fluid around Yip and Yap. Another good sign is that they both moved through the night. Yesterday they were face to face and head down, now Yip is breach and Yap is along the top of my belly like bunk beds. This movement is a really good sign because if they did not have enough fluid they could not move like this, also if they were not getting enough nutrients then they would not waste energy on movement like this. Grandma Doyle got to see a 3-D image of Yap. It was very cute.

for now we got a good report, not good enough to go home, but good enough that Dr Y said we had at least another good week.

Grandma goes home today, we have really enjoyed her coming to visit. We went down to the cafeteria every day for lunch, so it was like when I was little and always would go to lunch with her and her friends.

Crazy at it may seem there are two women at the hospital now with triplets. I have met both of them. One is having the same issue with her Baby C as I am having with my Baby A (Yip.) I heard one of the nurses say she was going crazy with all of the multiples! Edwards hospital delivered 5 sets of triplets last year and we have two here right now. Hope they have a lot of diapers!

Today we are 29 weeks and 4 days. Yip and Yap said they wanted to be born in November, so today is another day toward that goal.

Another day ends, another day further to the goal...

2007-09-18T21:50:00.000-07:00

Well Aunt Rebecca, Grandma Doyle, Uncle Danny and Daddy came to visit the twins and Mom today. One more day on the inside which we will take! They were very active today. They always go nuts when the cubs are on, so does Daddy. Yip and Yap have had another big day, Dr M has us on baby aspirin as that has shown to increase blood flow and thus the size of smaller babies. They are also going to monitor the heart rates more; one hour on and four hours off throughout the day. They did great on their 8:00 pm monitoring, so next is 1:00am. This means interrupted sleep for Mom, but worth it. It is kind of nice to hear the heart rates, kind of like a cute little horse race. Well it does not look like the cubs are going to pull it out again tonight, so it is time for bed. Goodnight all and thanks again all the thoughts and prayers.

Little bump today

2007-09-18T06:55:00.000-07:00

Well after a night of celebrating the cubs victory, Yip and Yap were very active. They have both now turned from breach to head down. This is a good sign as it means they have enough fluid and extra energy to move around. They are now face to face and head down, their two little butts are at each side of my belly.

The little bump that we had today had to do with the blood flow to Yip. It showed the periodic zero flow that worried Dr Y enough to get me in here in the first place. Yesterday they did not see this, and we had a great report. Basically we are back in the same holding pattern. Dr M said that there was a patient here a while ago that stayed with periodic zero flow for a month or so. This is good because every day that Yip and Yap stay in me is three days less in the NICU.

So more of the same today. More rest, prayer and positive thoughts.

Yip and Yap benefit from Bed Rest

2007-09-17T20:00:00.000-07:00

well, it is now Monday, September 17th and I have now been on bed rest since Thursday night. Things have been looking up, yet we are not out of the woods. Today's scan showed more fluid around Yip (baby a) and also did not show the zero blood flow that got me admitted in the first place.

Yip and Yap were glad to spend the day with grandma Doyle. As a special treat we go to walk down and have lunch in the cafeteria.

There is some talk about going home, but that we changed today. It seems that the three of us are here for the long haul. That is fine with me as long as the babies stay in mommy as long as possible.

The best thing that happened today is that the hospital chaplin came to bless our beads from the mother's blessing.

Proud parents to be

2007-09-08T10:18:00.000-07:00

We are so excited about becoming parents. The thought of having two babies can be scary at times, but I could not think of a better man to share this with. Plus he is really cute, so that helps.

Before we knew we were having twins

2007-08-01T10:05:00.000-07:00

Daddy took us out for a nice dinner and we enjoyed our freedom. Some people have been telling us that that may end when the babies come. :o)