An Interview from the Bubble (s) at Two weeks old

The girls are two weeks old today and getting feistier each day. The girls have made it through some tough times and had a few words for their fans. They said they feel like fish looking out from an aquarium and are looking forward to getting out of their bubbles.

During movie time they saw Jake Gyllenhaal's Bubble Boy and all I heard was a quiet, gently bitter whisper of "very funny, daddy... maybe I'll stick to "Nemo" and "Under the Sea" for now...

Rianne

How are you doing since you left the womb? At first I was really excited to get my own apartment here on the Mercy 4th floor but I kind of miss hanging out with my girls Bri and Teague. Looking forward to some triple crib time.

Rianne showing off her bow. So tough to get those cute baby pictures with SCUBA gear on...maybe put us next to a SCUBA pet...

This is my "what idiot forgot cats don't like water" face

Heard you've had some health problems since you got out. How are you now?
I've still had a bunch of spells but they have been fewer the past few days, it really helps when mommy comes by to kangaroo because it calms me down.

What's it like being in the bubble? I mean, being in that bubble is like being in a clear glass elevator looking one direction all the time. I'm like a human sun dial. Look straight up for three hours. Turn right for three hours. On my belly for three hours. Turn left for 3 hours. Repeat.

Child abuse. 12'O'Clock. Ding. Child Abuse 1 O'Clock. Ding.

You came out at two pounds and have made it to 2 pounds, 3 ounces...are you ready for the big sister role? I know I got in trouble for trying to come out at 19 weeks and I was just trying to help my girls out ya' know. But it all worked out. I do want to take this chance to apologize to mommy for kicking her privates for those 9 weeks she was on hospital bed rest. You really don't know which way is up when you're deaf, blind and in a pool of fluid filled with your own pee...for the record...

Rianne brings home a great report card!

Any goals for next week? I'm just looking forward to eating more breast milk and weaning off the TPN.

I heard daddy whisper, "can they really survive on just breast milk?" Ummm...maybe one of our fans could buy him a baby book before he starts trying to rehydrate us with Desani water or Gatorade G2's...he teaches Anatomy or something like that, doesn't he?

Teagan

Teagan, you started off really struggling to breathe and had to spend a lot of time on the vent, now you've made some big strides. Can you give us details?  Sure. Let me shove a long plastic tube down your trachea and let's see how you do? Kidding...bitter much?...I was just voicing my objections and each time I tried to talk it came out as waaah...waaah...waaah...so my vocabulary needs some work. I hear I talk in my sleep and it still comes out as waaah...waaah...waaah...so I'm looking forward to Kindergarten so I can say, "could you please get that out of my throat, I can breathe on my own."

To follow up, I've been the respiratory leader and given mommy and daddy lots of poopy presents with my 7 mL per 3 hours feedings. Here's a picture I took of daddy changing a diaper...

I'm smiling on the outside changing the poopy diaper, but that is methane fog in the bubble...

Lift up both legs, not one...now, left velcro strap, now, right velcro strap...maybe after the first 1000 diapers...

I'm gonna just close my eyes and put my hands over my ears....

 You've been pegged as the "trouble maker", how do you respond to those allegations? I'm not the cuddlier of the three and I've had some tough kangarooing sessions, but today with mommy I fell asleep and we had a good time. I guess I'd like to articulate what it's like to have an autonomic nervous system that can only do one thing at a time. 

Did I forget my keys? No. I'm two weeks old. I don't drive. Did I forget my purse...Not really much use for money right. S@#$ I forgot to breathe. I know that seems nuts but we are given caffeine to stimulate our nervous system and sometimes it's hard to think...

I look like someone dropped a head on a diaper...get me out of here!

Any other thoughts? Well, I'm eating well at 7 ml's every 3 hours, had a good kangarooing session with mom today, my weight is up to 1 pound 14 ounces and I hear I'm going to get to increase my feeds and wean of the TPN and switch from CPAP to nasal cannula. Otherwise, just looking for some time with my sisters...

Teagan's Report card brings a tear to the eye

Brielle

Brielle had a tough week and wanted Teagan to speak for her this week. Teague, what happened with Brielle? 


Since her PDA closed her spells have improved.  She still has them but they haven't been as frequent or severe.  Bri enjoys kangaroo time as well.  She is able to eat again now and currently gets 2ml's every 3 hours.  She currently weighs 1 pound 14 ounces. Her goal for the next week is to be able to increase her feeds and get off the back up vent.

No surgery! Now I can sleep like a ... well, baby... I was really worried...

I'm Brielle, not Teagan, you don't have to tie me up like this!!!

Pretty good numbers for having no food for the last 3 days (she got lipids/liquids, just no breast milk)