Just Growing Up So Fast

It's crazy!  The other day I got my WIC checks and I didn't realize that the boys were 6 months until I went to use the WIC checks and they have baby food on them! I couldn't believe it!  They have gotten so big.  They are weighing in at 12 1/2 pounds now!!! They've come such a long way!  The boys are teething and drooling like crazy!  They can almost sit up all by themselves and they are taking food real well... I didn't want to start them on the food quite yet because they are only 3 1/2 months at their corrected age but when they went to their doctors appointment last week for their 6 month shots the doctor said that I should try it and see if they do fine and if they don't then just try it again later...  What can I say? They love their squash and banana's!

The pictures below are from April with their cousin Blaine.  They were about 4 1/2 months old!  Enjoy!

Chase, Blaine and Jonathan

Chase

Jonathan

Jonathan

Chase

Jonathan

My Boys... And Me!

Jonathan, Chase, Blaine and My Mom

Finally Considered a New Born

It's weird to think that this last week my boys would have been born if I went full term. Isn't that weird?! And on top of it all we went to the pediatrician three weeks ago and they were 5 pounds 3 ounces... We went back last week and guess how much they weighed? Come on guess... Nope not 6 not 6 1/2 but 7 pounds! 2 pounds in 2 weeks! I was shocked... I was at least expecting 6... 6 1/2 but 7...? I just couldn't believe it! They still look real small to. They definitely don't look 7 pounds.

Anyway so everything is going great! Their thrush has cleared up (FINALLY)and they have cradle cap but it isn't 100% completely awful. I just make sure I constantly keep a little baby oil on their heads to keep it moist and not flake. And of course as you will see below in the pictures (very vaguely though) Chase also had a lot of baby acne... Not so much in the pictures but like a few days before the pictures were taken it was real bad! Thank goodness for Witch Hazel! Definitely made a difference. Well I hope all is well with everyone else. Enjoy the pictures!

A New Life

Hey Everyone!  I know it has been quite a long time but what can I say I'm a mom of twins.  As most of you already know the boys have been home since January 8th, 2011.  And what a joy it has been to finally have them home.  We have been having so much fun with them.  Even though the nights (and days) seem to run together I never thought being a mom could be so much fun (poopy diapers and all)!  So far they have been doing great and gaining wait.  We have had a few bumps in the road such as thrush, baby acne, and reflux but they are as healthy as can be.  I would like to thank everybody that has kept our little family in their prayers along with all the cards, gifts, and thoughts we have received.  Here are some of the highlights of the boys the past month. Hope yall enjoy!

Almost 5 Weeks!

I can't believe they're almost 5 weeks old!  I just can't believe it!  Well they are doing incredibly good.  Let see these last two weeks the boys have reached half way to 4 pounds.  Chase weighs 3 pounds 8 ounces and Jonathan weighs 3 pounds 7.6 ounces.  So they had a pretty good jump in weight. They both have moved up to NICU 2 which is the next up NICU before they go home.  They are off Isoleti temperature which was blowing warm air into their isolet according to their temperatures.  So they are maintaining their own body temperatures and have been doing awesome with that!  They are wearing clothes too! It's soooo cute.  They are now up to 22 cc's of breast milk which is 4 teaspoons.  They need to be at 40 to go home so they're over half way through that as well.  So as you can see they are doing better than any of us could have asked for.  They had an eye exam yesterday and nothing is wrong with their eye sight and they had another brain ultra sound and still no bleeding.  We are so proud of them and so happy that they are doing so well.

Jonathan Getting His Bath

Together for the first time since being born. The Funny Thing Is Chase Did This All On His Own

Jonathan And Chase

Jonathan and his brother Chase

Chase Getting His Bath

3 Weeks Old (32 weeks Gestation)

Well this week the boys have had some milestones and some mild set backs.  Jonathan and Chase have both gained weight but now Chase has surpassed Jonathan where Jonathan was ahead of Chase in weight for a while.  Jonathan now weighs 2 lbs 13 oz. and is 16 1/2 inches in length.  Chase broke 3 lbs 2 oz. and is 16 1/2 inches in length.  Jonathan will break 3 lbs in the next 3 oz.  So they are doing really good on weight gain.  Jonathan and Chase have had a few dramatic drops in there oxygen saturation along with their heart rates here and there.  Nothing too much to worry about but they are doing a little worse than they were before but the nurses say it is normal to have ups and downs day in and day out so not to worry they were just fine when i walked in today.

They are now up to 7 cc's (almost 2 teaspoons) of breast milk every three hours.  And they are handling it pretty well so far.  They may have to cut back according to how their body responds to that much milk but so far so good. Here are their 3 week old pictures.  See how much they have filled out since the weight gaining has improved along with their breast milk intake?

Jonathan Porter Zauche 2 lbs 13 oz. 3 Weeks old!

Chase Michael Zauche 3 lbs. 2 oz. 3 weeks old!

Two Weeks Old

Two weeks old!  It's crazy to think they are already that old.  The current update is that they are doing AWESOME! I'm so shocked at how well they are doing.   As of right now both babies are breathing on their own, being fed about 2 cc's of breast milk (about 1/2 a teaspoon) every 6 hours, they are both pooping and eating and gaining weight! As of right now Jonathan weighs 2 pounds 9 ounces and Chase weighs 2 pounds 8.6 ounces.  So they pretty much caught up with each other and are continuing to progress.  I just can't wait for them to be home!

Jonathan Porter Zauche 1 1/2 weeks

Chase Michael Zauche 1 1/2 weeks

29 Weeks On The Dot

I know what your thinking.... 29 weeks Wahooooooo! It is true! It is a very exciting day.  We reached 29 weeks. But it has also been a very sad day.  Today I went for an ultrasound to measure the babies.  I was soooo excited! Excited to see how much they have grown.  I was starting to get a little worried because it had been awhile since an ultrasound and I've been experiencing some pain.  So not only did I want see my baby boys, I wanted... no I needed to see my cervix to see if it had shortened because of the pain I was experiencing.  So my mom and I got into the ultrasound and waited for the screen to come on.  We started the first baby and after what seemed like an eternity she started on the next baby.  She was so quite... almost to quite.  She said she couldn't find the head... but of course it had to be there. So she went and got another ultrasound tech to help her find the head.  She said she wanted to make sure that she wasn't measuring the other babies head because they were all so crammed in there they wanted to make sure they had the right head for the right baby for measurement.  The other ultrasound tech came in and examined it.  But when he came in he immediately turned the screen away from my mom and I.  He then needed a third opinion and went for the Radiologist.  All I could think of was... " What is going on?!"  Cameron showed up right before the 3rd tech came in.  It so happens that they couldn't find baby B's heart beat.  I just couldn't believe it!  He wasn't even sympathetic leading me to believe he wasn't telling the truth... My mom started to cry.   I didn't just want his word for it.  I wanted to see it! I wanted to see on the screen that it wasn't beating that there was no blood flow but he just bluntly said there is no heart beat.  It finally set in.  I had lost one of my babies!  My baby!  I started to cry!  The tech just kept saying, " Are you going to be ok?"  I wanted to kill him!  I just lost one of my babies!  Did he not expect me to cry?  So that was the verdict.  They got me off the table and I got into the wheelchair to be wheeled back up to my room.  Was that it?  I just still couldn't believe it.  So when I got up to my room my OB came in and said he had talked to my high risk doctor on what our next steps should be.  Then I heard the words that were too early to say... "We are delivering tonight.  Tonight your going to become a mom."  I couldn't believe it. I looked at Cameron and just said, " I'm not ready.  Not yet!  This isn't supposed to happen right now."  But as it became more realistic and we went to prep for surgery, I had to prepare myself the the two boys that are coming into the world.  It was so hard because it was like I didn't even have time to mourn my stillborn baby.  But I had to change my attitude.  Happiness and sadness all at the same time.

As surgery approached they did an epidural.  Then it was time.  Cameron and my mom joined me in the O R.  Within minutes we would see our babies for the first time.  The thing I wanted the most was to hear them cry but the nurse said that we probably wouldn't because they are so premature.  Then Dr. Ramsey said " Ok we will be seeing these babies any moment now." I waited for that moment to be able to see them.  And then I heard the most beautiful thing...  I heard little Jonathan's cry.  And boy did he scream!  It was like music to my ears.  I couldn't help but cry!  My first born son!

A couple of minutes had passed and wondered what was taking so long.  They typically pull them out within a minute of each other.  Then I heard another cry!  Baby Chase was born.  I didn't get to see them at first because Cameron was cutting their umbilical cords.  But not long after Cameron brought over our little Ryan.  He was sooo blue unlike his brothers.  Even though I didn't get to hear his little cry he was one of the most beautiful things I've seen.  He looked just peaceful.  Even though he didn't get to take that first breath I knew his presence was there.

After awhile they whisked Jonathan and Chase to the NICU and Ryan to go get cleaned up so that we can spend time with him before he went to the hospital morge.  While in recovery they brought him in his little basket. He was in the smallest little onesie I've ever seen.  He was wrapped up in him warm blanket.  We got to spend the rest of the night with him.  It was the saddest thing I've ever done.  Is to say goodbye to my precious baby boy.  I never thought that I could be so attached to someone I never even knew.  But as the nurse took him from my arms it was a bittersweet moment!  Knowing that even though I didn't get to know him on this earth he is mine.  Forever will he be my son.  And knowing that he is now in the spirit world teaching others.  It's such a comfort to know that he was too pure, to righteous and too lovely to be in this world that he came and received a body and was meant for a greater purpose than being here on this earth. But I still want him.  I just have to wait for that day when he will greet me with open arms and say "Finally together forever!"

                                      Jonathan Porter Zauche                                      
                                            Born: Novemeber 16th, 2010           
                                            Time: 8:09 p.m.                                
                                            Weight: 2 lb. 2.6 oz.                         
                                             Length: 14 1/4 inches

                                             Ryan Matthew Zauche
                                             Born: November 16th, 2010
                                             Time: 8:10 p.m.
                                             Weight: 1 lb. 2 oz.
                                             Length: 12 1/2 inches

                                              Chase Michael Zauche
                                              Born: November 16th, 2010
                                              Time: 8:11 p.m.
                                              Weight: 2 lb. 5.5 oz.
                                               Length: 14 1/4 inches