8 Weeks Today!

Please don'd be mad... lol... I know it's been a long time since the last update but with the holidays and life at home - things got a little busy. But rest assure I've got so much positive updates to give you all. So let's jump right in...

Hadassah

In my last post I mentioned that Hadassah was on 3cc of milk every 3 hours... well she is now at 24cc every 3 hours!!!! Yeah! Hadassah is on full feeds and no longer has a picc line or IV fluids/nutrients. I'm so happy! Words can't describe my happiness. She is doing well over all. Unfortunetely her CPAP from December 14th only lasted 48 hours. She got tired and had to be intubated again. However, on January 6th, 2014 she was placed on Cpap again. This time she had done so great that they even lowered her again on January 13th to the RAM Cannula. Next would be regular O2 and then nothing - just her on her own. So slowly but shortly we will be there! Best day ever with Hadassah was December 18th, 2013 when I got to hold her for the very first time! I held her for almost 2 hours and cried for about half that time as I held her. The feeling is indescribable! The scariest time with Hadassah was on December 30th, 2013 - I was holding her when she went blue and limp on me. She stopped breathing and her heart rate was dropping fast. It was so scary watching the nurses run into the room to get her breathing to start again! Turns out her tube was clogged with mucus so they had to change her tube. Then she was perfectly fine and smiling. I wanted to spank her! LOL!!! But all in all she is doing so well!

 December 18th, 2013 - Getting to Hold Hadassah for the 1st Time!

December 21st! My second time holding Hadassah!

December 23rd, 2013 - Such a pretty girl!

December 27th, 2013 - lol She couldn't control her eyes then. 

December 30th - Hadassah right before Kangaroo Care

December 30th, 2013 - Freeze, Put Your Hands Up!

January 4th, 2014 - "It wasn't me mom, I promise" ;) 

January 10th, 2013 - a Very Awake Hadassah

January 13th, 2014 - The pacifier is bigger then her but she loves it!

Isabella

Isabella is also on full feeds! She is at 24cc every 3 hours. She is tolerating her milk feeds very well and is one angry camper when they stop her feeds for any reason such as blood transfusions etc. but I mean come, really wouldn't you be upset if someone stopped you from eating for 12-24 hours straight? LOL ... I know I would be. The scariest moments with Isabella are pretty constant. She LOVES to destat. She likes to stop breathing... all the time! So she destats really low and scares the crack out of me every time. The happiest moment was holding her on Christmas Day for the first time! She did really well for 2 hours. Her nurse that day (Steven) was amazing! He was so sweet! He offered to let me hold her not knowing it was my first time. When he found out it was my first time there was no holding back and he was so excited to let me hold her. Aww so sweet... but anyway... I enjoyed every moment of holding her. I really do. Here she is...

December 23rd, 2013 - Tummy Time for Bella

December 25th, 2013 "Mom! No more pictures please!"

Merry Christmas to me! - December 25th, 2013 - Holding Bella for the 1st Time!!!!

December 25th, 2013 - Such a pretty girl!

December 28th, 2013

"I lift up my hands standing unashamed. 

I worship you father, exalting your name."

 December 28th, 2013 - Eye wide open, photo by nurse Kate!

January 4th, 2014 - Bella loves belly time! Her favorite position. 

January 5th, 2014 - "I'm watching you, watching me..."

January 2nd, 2014 - Early morning cuddles with mommy.

January 2nd, 2014 - Very early morning cuddles (5am)

January 8th, 2014 - Day 2 on Cpap and pacifier!

January 11th, 2014 - Cpap - Isabella is not a fan!

Cianna

Cianna has had a few set backs over the last three weeks in regards to her feeds. However, as of today she is finally on full feeds!!! She is at 20cc of breast milk every 3 hours! YAY!!!! She should be getting her picc line out within the next few days. Her ventilator settings are coming down and hopefully she'll be on Cpap within the next week. No negative experiences with Cianna herself, but with CHOP - that's a whole other story. All I wanted was to find out what steps needed to be taken to get Cianna back to Virtua with her sisters. And I'm glad that I stood my ground this past week, because I finally got some answers. Every time she's set to go to Virtua, Chop comes up with new excuses why she needs to stay with them and I'm done! I told them she needs to be at Virtua asap! On Monday, January 13th 2014 at 5:30pm Cianna arrived at Virtua! She is finally back home (with her sisters). Words can't describe the joy I feel having my girls back together again. The biggest and greatest event with Cianna during the last few weeks was getting to hold her for the first time. I held her for 3 hours straight and she never had a brady or destat! She loved skin to skin kangaroo time with me and I loved it as well. It felt so great to finally get to hold my precious little girl after 7.5 long weeks! Here are a few shots of Cianna over the last 4 weeks.

 Christmas 2013 - Christmas Beanie made by Jackie Lugo ;)

December 25th, 2013 - Merry Christmas!

 January 1st, 2014 - New Years Day! 

January 1st, 2014 - Happy New Year - "Daddy, can I hold your hand?"

 January 4th, 2014 - Fully Awake..

 January 4th, 2014 - "I'm too tired, leave me alone!"

 January 10th, 2014 - Getting ready to cuddle with mommy. 

January 10th, 2014 - My first time holding Cianna!!!!!

January 10th, 2014 - Cianna is serious about her sleep time and cuddles with mommy. 

January 10th, 2014 - "YES I got to cuddle with mommy!"

January 12th, 2014 - Tito's first time touching one of the girls!

 January 12th, 2014 - Such a proud dad!

January 13th, 2014 - Finally back at Virtua!

Kangaroo Care

I've done kangaroo care several times with the girls. I try to get to Virtua before they do the girls care (temperature/pamper changes etc.) so that I can hold them right after! Some days they aren't feeling well or destating too much so I don't darn touch them but for the most part I get to hold Hadassah and Isabella often. Cianna - well I just got to hold her 4 days ago for the first time. Tito has yet to hold any of the girls but he is warming up to the idea of touching them. Yesterday was his first time. I watched him as he looked over Cianna so I told him to wash his hands and to place them inside of her isolette. I could tell he felt uncomfortable/nervous so I dropped the subject. 10 minutes later I saw him wash up and sure enough he placed his hands over Cianna. He couldn't wipe the smile off his face after that! Aww... here he is with Cianna, and of course me kangarooing with the girls...

Weekly Stats & Milestones

Hadassah

11/19/13 - 1 lb. 6 oz.

11/26/13 - 1 lb. 4.6 oz.

12/3/13 - 1 lb. 4 oz.

12/10/13 - 1 lb. 10 oz.

12/17/13 - 1 lb. 11oz.
12/24/13 - 2 lb 2oz.
12/31/13 - 2 lb 4oz.
1/7/14 - 2lb 9 oz.
1/14/14 - 2 lb. 12oz (4 oz shy of being 3 lbs!!!)

Isabella

11/19/13 - 1 lb. 3.4 oz.

11/26/13 - 1 lb. 3 oz.

12/3/13 - 1 lb. 1.6 oz.

12/10/13 - 1 lb. 11 oz.

12/17/13 - 1 lb. 13 oz.

12/24/13 - 2 lb
12/31/13 - 2 lb 2 oz.
1/7/14 - 2 lb 8 oz
1/14/14 - 2 lb 13oz ( 3 more oz to 3lbs)

Cianna

11/19/13 - 1 lb. 4 oz.

11/26/13 - 1 lb. 1.2 oz.

12/3/13 - 1 lb. 2.1 oz.

12/10/13 - 1 lb. 3 oz.

12/17/13 - 1 lb. 6 oz 

12/24/13 - 1lb. 13.2 oz
12/31/13 - 2lb
1/7/14 - 2 lb 2 oz.
1/14/14 - 2 lb 7oz ( 9 more oz to get to albs)

Milestone: Today they are getting their 2 month shots :( my poor little girls! Also, over the past week Hadassah and Isabella have been on Cpap and with Cpap comes the ability to hear the girls cry - omg it breaks my heart everytime I hear them crying. O_o

Pumping/Breast Feeding

Well... I'm at a stand still. I have done everything to increase my supply. I think it would work if I could manage time to eat more calories but I just don't have time. I'm currently pumping enough for what the girls need in a day but pretty soon I won't be as they eat more and more every day. It's bittersweet as I would love to continue providing them with my milk but at the same time I would love to be pump free. I have more of a relationship with my pump then with human beings and honestly I'm losing my mind here. The great thing is the starting in the next few days the girls will be able to start trying to breast feed directly from me so maybe that will be better. Let hope and pray and declare it does~ if not... Neosure will be the supplement as they are considered micro-preemies.

Other general stuff/thoughts...

All in all Tito and I are doing very well! We have been blessed by so many of our friends and family and we appreciate all the help, prayers, support, donations etc. Words can never describe our gratitude towards you all... My days are consumed now more then ever with the care and well being of our girls. They are getting bigger as the days go by and require so much more of me. I have been going to one hospital a day for 5-12 hours and sometimes even longer. The days go by so fast as I get up, pump, get ready, eat, head to the hospital, care for the girls, kangaroo with the girl, pump so much more in between, drive back home, eat, pump again, and then sleep. I don't have time for anything extra in between and I just wish people could understand that. I think people have the misunderstanding that since the girls are in the Nicu I have a lot of free time on my hands. I don't! I'm busy every second of the day and I feel like I'm constantly explaining that to everyone. What I can say is that I'm so grateful for my church and those who have stepped in to take care of my duties there. I'm grateful for my mother who spends at least an hour a day washing my pumping supplies LOL... I'm grateful for my aunt, uncles, cousins and parents for traveling back and forth with me to the hospitals. I'm so grateful! Thank you so much! Also, I have finally finished my thank you cards from my baby shower. They will be out in the mail this week. LOL - I'm so sorry for the delay. I hope you all understand!

Tito

The girls and I want to take this time to also wish my wonderful husband, Tito - a blessed 32nd birthday!!!!! God has truly blessed me with a wonderful, compassionate, loving, caring, nurturing man! He is my love, my husband and my best friend! I'm blessed to have him and so are our girls! Here is his first card from the girls for his birthday!

Special Thanks

Special thanks to all of you who have reached out to help Tito and I! You know who you are and I just thank you so very much! 

XOXO,

Jackie