For those that follow the blog but I don't have your email address, I have moved baby updates for a little while to a shutterfly photo share site. Ive been doing most uploading in between burps and naps and cuddles on my iPhone and it's much easier to just upload photos that tell the story instead of typing it all out.
Correction from previous post: if you want access to the site please email us at jzmccallister@hotmail.com because i have to add you as a member!
The link is below. You just need to set up a shutterfly account and you're in. Enjoy our growing and thriving babies!
http://nolanandcaroline.shutterfly.com/
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
NICU Day 3
Each day in the NICU has proven to be eventful as Nolan and Caroline continue to make great strides. Today, Nolan started eating from a bottle, got put in a regular crib, and is breathing 100% on his own. There are talks of him possibly going home on Thursday but we'll just take one day at a time as he is having a little trouble wanting to eat much from a bottle.
Caroline is also relying less on pumped oxygen and is breathing steadier on her own. They have also increased the amount of formula she is able to take in at each feeding. She was put into an incubator today because they don't like to keep them on the warming table for too long. She will probably need another few days to start breathing on her own and then will have to start working on feeding from a bottle as well.
Caroline is also relying less on pumped oxygen and is breathing steadier on her own. They have also increased the amount of formula she is able to take in at each feeding. She was put into an incubator today because they don't like to keep them on the warming table for too long. She will probably need another few days to start breathing on her own and then will have to start working on feeding from a bottle as well.
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| Our first family photo where we both got to hold the babies. |
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| The hospital made us a "Celebration Dinner" with steak, dessert, and sparkling grape juice. So romantic |
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| Caroline after a bath. They attached the bow in her hair with vaseline |
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| Wild hair! Nolan got a bath and his hair immediately shot straight up. It's so nice to see him without the tubes in his nose now |
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| Caroline in her new home for a little while. It is warm in there and she seems to be settling in quite nicely |
Monday, August 6, 2012
The Birth Story (abbreviated)
12:30 a.m. After tossing and turning in bed, I took a hot bath hoping to relax me enough to fall asleep. When that didn't work I ended up on the couch where I watched Michael phelps win another gold. After a wave of tiredness hit me, I rolled over and within about 0 minutes I felt a gush. Uh oh!
1:00 a.m. We arrived at Clark regional hospital where they confirmed my water broke. Since I was only 35 weeks they transferred me to a hospital in Lexington. I got to ride in an ambulance with the lights on. Even though we left the hospital at the same time, Zac beat us there!
1:30-7:00 a.m. I definitely got a taste of natural labor as I had pretty strong contractions 2-4minutes apart for about 5 hours straight. Zac was awesome and helped me through each and every one.
7:30 a.m. Since both babies were still breech, a c-section was necessary. Zac and I paused for a moment before going to the OR to pray and just feel the moment--scary but so exciting all at once! I hated hated hated the epidural but at least it kicked in quickly. Within 20 minutes, the babies were here! I heard both of their first cries and Zac was able to bring Nolan over to me. I got to see Caroline as they were checking her out. Instant overwhelming love. The family we had hoped and prayed for was finally a reality. What a moment! Nolan weighed 4 pounds 15 oz. and was 18 inches long. Caroline was 4 pounds 9 oz and 17 inches long. Since Nolan's sac had broken, he had all those hours to get his lungs cleared out so he was a little better off than Caroline who still had a good bit of fluid in her lungs. She went immediately to the NICU and he followed her there after a few hours in the nursery.
9:30 a.m. Surrounded by family, we settled into our room where I would spend the next 3 days healing, resting and counting down the minutes to our next NICU visits. What sweet sweet moments each visit has been!
1:00 a.m. We arrived at Clark regional hospital where they confirmed my water broke. Since I was only 35 weeks they transferred me to a hospital in Lexington. I got to ride in an ambulance with the lights on. Even though we left the hospital at the same time, Zac beat us there!
1:30-7:00 a.m. I definitely got a taste of natural labor as I had pretty strong contractions 2-4minutes apart for about 5 hours straight. Zac was awesome and helped me through each and every one.
7:30 a.m. Since both babies were still breech, a c-section was necessary. Zac and I paused for a moment before going to the OR to pray and just feel the moment--scary but so exciting all at once! I hated hated hated the epidural but at least it kicked in quickly. Within 20 minutes, the babies were here! I heard both of their first cries and Zac was able to bring Nolan over to me. I got to see Caroline as they were checking her out. Instant overwhelming love. The family we had hoped and prayed for was finally a reality. What a moment! Nolan weighed 4 pounds 15 oz. and was 18 inches long. Caroline was 4 pounds 9 oz and 17 inches long. Since Nolan's sac had broken, he had all those hours to get his lungs cleared out so he was a little better off than Caroline who still had a good bit of fluid in her lungs. She went immediately to the NICU and he followed her there after a few hours in the nursery.
9:30 a.m. Surrounded by family, we settled into our room where I would spend the next 3 days healing, resting and counting down the minutes to our next NICU visits. What sweet sweet moments each visit has been!
They're Here!
What a beautiful first few days it has been! I will try to update their progress on a regular basis so everybody's able to get the same information at the same time.
They have already made tremendous progress in just a day and a half. Nolan is only taking in room air and has been able to eat my pumped milk through his feeding tube since he got in the nicu. I got to hold him for the first time and it was a moment I will never forget. It felt real...he is mine and I am his!
Caroline is a little smaller than Nolan and has had a little harder time getting all that fluid cleared out of her lungs since her sac was still in tact throughout the labor. She also has made some great progress already and is getting stronger every time we see them (every 3 hours). She just got to eat for the first time at our 2:00 visit and is now on the same schedule as her brother. She is such a doll baby and just loves for us to touch her and talk to her.
Below are the latest pictures of them. I'm doing this on my iPhone so labeling and organizing the pictures is a little difficult but I'll do the best I can. Can you figure out who is who?
They have already made tremendous progress in just a day and a half. Nolan is only taking in room air and has been able to eat my pumped milk through his feeding tube since he got in the nicu. I got to hold him for the first time and it was a moment I will never forget. It felt real...he is mine and I am his!
Caroline is a little smaller than Nolan and has had a little harder time getting all that fluid cleared out of her lungs since her sac was still in tact throughout the labor. She also has made some great progress already and is getting stronger every time we see them (every 3 hours). She just got to eat for the first time at our 2:00 visit and is now on the same schedule as her brother. She is such a doll baby and just loves for us to touch her and talk to her.
Below are the latest pictures of them. I'm doing this on my iPhone so labeling and organizing the pictures is a little difficult but I'll do the best I can. Can you figure out who is who?
Friday, August 3, 2012
Heads Up Seven Up
The babes are back to being both breech so it looks like we're probably headed toward a c-section. The doctor isnt going to schedule one and said at the earliest it would be at 38 weeks unless i go into labor before then. I love this pic of their heads together though! They're both measuring right on track with Caroline at about 5 pounds and Nolan at about 6. 
Monday, July 30, 2012
Mego Prego Week 34
34 weeks and still going strong! This week has been more of the same: lack of sleep, sore feet, swollen ankles and painful ribs, but nothing that has really kept me down and out completely.
Zac's mom came down for a visit this weekend so that gave me an excuse to get off the couch and get out and about a little more! We kicked the weekend off with a nod to the British--Olympics style. The Olympics have always caught my interest, probably because they were such a fun part of our childhood. I remember when Kristin and I would tape off the living room floor with masking tape to practice our balance beam routine in hopes of capturing a glimpse of the Magnificent Seven's grace. It was about the only thing that would keep us from running down to the beach if the Olympics just so happened to fall during vacation. And it taught me a lot about the world around us--not only pride in our own country but also about the freedoms that are lacking in others as we watched little girls prance across the floor with little choice. So, in celebration of the London Olympics we went to The Pub where they serve authentic British cuisine. We all ate a round of fish 'n chips and Zac enjoyed some other British classics.
Saturday, we ventured to Berea for some strolling and munching at the local eateries. Before we left, we stopped at the Boone Tavern for some photo ops--this will definitely be a place we will have take a little weekend getaway once we're ready. Any willing babysitters?
Sunday, we went on a drive around the Bluegrass and then wrapped up the night with a musical under the stars--Legally Blonde. Unfortunately, we didn't make it through the whole thing. Lying on a blanket on a nice night sounded relaxing but it quickly got quite uncomfortable and I had to call it quits for the night.
Zac's mom came down for a visit this weekend so that gave me an excuse to get off the couch and get out and about a little more! We kicked the weekend off with a nod to the British--Olympics style. The Olympics have always caught my interest, probably because they were such a fun part of our childhood. I remember when Kristin and I would tape off the living room floor with masking tape to practice our balance beam routine in hopes of capturing a glimpse of the Magnificent Seven's grace. It was about the only thing that would keep us from running down to the beach if the Olympics just so happened to fall during vacation. And it taught me a lot about the world around us--not only pride in our own country but also about the freedoms that are lacking in others as we watched little girls prance across the floor with little choice. So, in celebration of the London Olympics we went to The Pub where they serve authentic British cuisine. We all ate a round of fish 'n chips and Zac enjoyed some other British classics.
Saturday, we ventured to Berea for some strolling and munching at the local eateries. Before we left, we stopped at the Boone Tavern for some photo ops--this will definitely be a place we will have take a little weekend getaway once we're ready. Any willing babysitters?
Sunday, we went on a drive around the Bluegrass and then wrapped up the night with a musical under the stars--Legally Blonde. Unfortunately, we didn't make it through the whole thing. Lying on a blanket on a nice night sounded relaxing but it quickly got quite uncomfortable and I had to call it quits for the night.
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| Talon Winery and Vineyards, Lexington |
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
A Few Good Books
Zac and I were convinced by the Sam's Club cashier to buy these photo albums during our very first mega-club store trip as a married couple. It was one of those throw-it-in-the-cart-and-see-if-it-makes-it-to-the-cash-register items that certainly wasn't on the grocery list but seemed like a good deal. As we stood there debating whether it was a responsible use of a twenty dollar bill, the cashier (who must have noticed our newlywed angst) ensured us it was a good buy and that we would surely fill them up. I wasn't so sure. I was (and still am) the penny-pincher in the family and I had serious doubt. Would we really be able to fill over 1000 slots?
Fast forward five years later. This morning I climbed up the ladder into the attic (shhh...don't tell Zac!) and dragged these dusty, somewhat hideous-colored albums down from a box of books and such that just didn't seem to have room in our Kentucky home. After a computer crash and an email for free photos from Shutterfly, I decided it was time to print out all those digitals and memorialize them in a more tangible way. In they went, one slot at a time until the third and last photo album was filled.
Five years later and we have accumulated over 1000 memories. From the sunsets on our honeymoon (the wedding got its own album of course) to a car crash that I thought for sure doomed us to economic failure to weekend get-aways in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, North Carolina, Ohio, Kentucky, and Canada to multiple moving trucks to Marco eating, chewing, sleeping, dreaming, and smiling, they are all in these albums.
As I readied myself to climb back up that ladder and re-place them in the box, I couldn't help but tear up. Please tell me it is the hormones! But I really think it was the realization that we have had five. good. years. Five years that as we move onto a new era and new photo albums (which I still need to purchase...maybe there's a deal at Sam's?!), I know I can look back with joy knowing we spent five years investing in each other in a way that makes me feel confident in whatever comes our way--in bringing babies home to a loving, supportive, adventurous, flexible, tried and true family environment.
And so the albums found a place on a shelf that I will walk by every day, that our crawling little ones will pull off and hit his/her sibling with, that I will pull out when people come to visit. They deserve it.
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