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. 
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