The Light Is Getting Brighter

We have been blessed with another good day and we made some really big steps yesterday. We learned the results of the boys' eye exams and all is well for now! We won't know how good their vision really is until they are around 2 years old, and they may need glasses at an early age, but for now things are good and they do not have ROP. A big relief!

As previously mentioned, the nurses got the go-ahead to try the boys with a bottle if they are alert at feeding time. Max and Tyler were both worn out from their eye exams when we got to the hospital last night. Our nurse didn't think they would do very well with the bottle since they were so tired, but we decided to try it anyway. Because Max is a little smaller and hasn't shown many signs of wanting to bottle-feed, she didn't think he would catch on at all. Boy was she wrong! It is typical for preemies to start off taking 1-2 cc's the first time, but both boys end up taking 12 cc's each!! She was completely shocked. And we were extremely proud. Our boys continue to amaze us with their strength and strong will. Our nurse today said Tyler should come home in 3 weeks, give or take a few days. Wow! It is very common for preemie twins to go home at different times, but we're really hoping to take them home on the same day. Hopefully Max will catch up here in the next few weeks!

For the first time since January 15th - the night before I was admitted into the hospital - we finally feel like we can relax a little. It is hard to describe the type of pressure we've been under since the boys arrived 14 weeks early. Our lives were changed forever on Februray 4th, but since then we've been living in limbo. We aren't the same lighthearted couple who used to relax and have fun and dream about what the future would hold when our boys were born. Because they were born - extremely prematurely - and life suddenly wasn't so lighthearted anymore. But we also aren't like normal new parents whose biggest stress is lack of sleep and screaming babies. Rather than wondering whether we are burping our boys the right way, we've wondered whether they were going to survive an infection or if they will grow up with healthy lungs and hearts. Our exhaustion hasn't come from a hectic house with a new baby, but from driving almost 2000 miles up and down the exact same roads and visiting the hospital twice a day and worrying about our little cubs. Even though our NICU journey isn't over just yet, we are finding it a little easier to dream about the future again - a future that includes two beautiful boys at home with us. And we won't have to drive anywhere to kiss them goodnight.

Max getting his first bottle from Dad

Tyler getting his first bottle from Mom