24

As of 10am today the girls were put on 24hr request.  That means they are being fed on their terms, when they scream momma comes a runnin'!  So far this morning they both did great for their first 2 feedings.  I have been given a sleep room for the remainder of their request.  My oh so fancy room for the night consists of it's own tiny/half kitchen equipped with a sink, fridge and microwave.  

A twin bed that I will probably be getting to myself tonight since the hubs has to work in the morning.

  As well as a bathroom that even comes with a shower!  Although...no towels, hehe.   The one thing it doesn't come with...A TV! Not that it matters since it is a "sleep room" and I have my laptop ready to go with Netflix and Hulu.  

Mr. Adam's aunt was nice enough to come by this morning to see the girls.  It was a big help to have a second set of hands for when one would scream while I was feeding the other.  =) Not to mention great talking with her. 

After 24 hour request IF they do well (we all know they can) they will be then put on "demand".  I see that  as the exact same thing as 24hr request because demand is where you spend a day (24hrs) feeding them as often as they need.  The only requirement that they really have at this point is to eat and gain weight and show that it's not wearing them out.  I'm crossing my fingers and toes, giving the girls pep talks in hopes that they gain that weight and keep up their amazing work.  

We never thought we would make it this far and we have so I know the end is near!

The same

but different....

I have yet to ask the doctor if their was one placenta or not after delivery.  Even though we were told it's one, no one told me for sure after.  So this thursday I will be asking.  If there was one and it did not look fused, then we are still going to assume these little ones are identical.  Then if not...well I'm pretty sure we aren't going to all of a sudden put them up for adoption! 

Point is I was able to see how different, even if identical, twins can be.  They put both girls on 12 hour request. I'm sure I explained this but will again.  It means that they will have to do about 4 back to back feedings and meet a certain amount each feeding.  If they meet a good average within those feedings they can be pushed to 24 hour request.  24 hour, if the babies do well, is a huge step forward to going home.

Anyway, The last couple days Oakley had seemed to make a 180.  Eating a great amount at each nursing and crying within the time she felt hungry.  Yesterday was another story, it's as if she knew she was being put on the spot and decided to shut down a bit. It was almost like wake the dead a few times, haha.  I would take her out of her bed and hold her up right without  blanket, talking to her and tickling her.  LOL, yeah that wouldn't work!  She was a limp monkey.  She still got a couple good feedings but only from the bottle which had me a little worried.  The nurse mainly pushed the bottle the 2nd time in hopes of keeping her neck and neck with her sister.  Sometimes 24 hour request is easier than 12 and we are hoping that's the case for this girl.  We know she can do amazing I guess we just tuckered her out.

Kenzington, obviously, did a little better.  Each feeding she did increasingly better.  It really was bitter sweet to watch her do so well but want her to slow down so her sister wasn't left behind.  that is when I really needed to realize that they are different and one may progress in certain things much more than the other.   It's kind of hard to get your mind to think that way with twins, at least it was for us.  

We brought a blanket home from their crib to have the dogs smell.  Thinking they may want to get used to their smell for when they are around.  Well that didn't work amazing due to the dogs not giving 2 hoots about it, haha.  I guess we will just have to cross that bridge when they come home.  

So today may be just as hectic as yesterday if not more.  I guess we will just have to wait and see. :)

Then what?

The last couple days I've been watching a lot of NICU moms go home.  Almost each baby that was in there with us from the beginning or after us are gone and home.  I'm so happy for those moms and glad to see how quickly some of the babes can just turn around and you know they're ready. On the other hand it's also very hard to see that they are going home and you're not.  Especially when your kid has absolutely everything going for them expect they do not have those hunger queues to eat correctly.  I've just been trying really hard to remind myself that they are only 38 weeks and shouldn't even be born.  

I also hear the moms talk about how nervous they are to be finally taking their child home because they are so used to having someone else there helping take care of them.  When I hear that I can't help but think the exact same thing.  I have no idea what I'm going to do when they get home and we have to put them on our own schedule.  It's going to be rough, I know.  I just hope I can do it right.

Our little goblin and gremlin are doing great though.  I'm so proud of the 180 that Oakley has made in the last couple days.  She's waking up on her own and screaming at us to let us know "FEED ME"!  You would never think hearing your baby scream for food is a pleasant thing.  It is...for now at least, hehe. :)

I haven't asked how much they weigh lately but I'm sure they are reaching 6 1/2lbs each.  

The doctors and nurses at this point have been asking when we want the girls to move forward which has put us at ease a little bit and is helping us learn how to read the girls.  I've been able to tell lately when they are too tired for things or they aren't or are hungry and it has made me fell more like their mom.

Today we are thinking of taking a step forward to 12 hour request.  It will probably depend on how they do at their 10am feeding. So, we'll see.  I'm in no huge rush these days because I understand we are following what the girls want and need. 

Whoa

"Did you hear that?"

So I've started to wonder if all babies after they're born make the same crazy faces as Oakley and Kenzington do.  They have been quite gassy these last couple days so this morning while nursing I was doing my best to help those bubbles from causing them to not focus.  They would arch their back turn bright purple and release their latch.  I then would pick them up and hold their neck and upper body while patting their back....soon after for example, Oakley burped twice with the last being pretty big and violent to the point her eyes crossed and her lips quivered. I couldn't help but laugh at how adorable it was to watch and never knew a burp could cause such an effect.  Ha ha.

Kenzington didn't cross her eyes  like her sister but she did spasm her entire body as though I just jumped behind her scaring her to death, widening her eyes in shock as if to say "Whoa! What was that?!".  Again, I couldn't help but laugh at her discomfort.  What a mean ol' mom I am!  ;)

I'm telling you too that those smiles they do are NOT gas pains...always...haha,  I can tickle their feet or under their chin and they seem to naturally smile.  They may not know what's going on but dang it melts your heart!  (I may have said this before but I'm stating it again) 

Last night we probably saw another adorable thing I hope we see more of.  Mr. Adams was changing Oakley after Kenzington was fed and put back next to her sister.  Well miss Oakley was not happy with the changing process on top of being hungry so she was screaming away.  Just as she started to reach her peak of screaming Kenzington reached over looking at her sister and reached for Oakley's hand.  Oakley would pull away as she wailed but time and time again Kenzlee kept reaching as if to try and calm her sister.  :( I wanted a picture so bad but didn't have a camera at the time, sadly.

Anyway, they both are getting big each still just a bit into 6lbs and getting longer.  I swear their legs are longer than their head and torso combined!  I can't wait to put them in their own clothes and take some cute picture without that silly tube in their nose, that obviously neither of them enjoy since daily they remove the tube themselves!  It's quite funny to watch actually as they pull on it and sneeze about 7 times in a row as it slowly comes up and out.  =p

Doctors and nurses are saying they are close to coming home though!  Hopefully before their due date!  ...hopefully.