Chantrell is home!!!! Finally!!!!

Oh Happy Day!!!! Chantrell was finally released from the hospital today. I was so happy and excited to have her home for good. She still has an infection and is taking medicine for it. She can drink good from a bottle now and even gained a half an ounce last night. As long as she continues to gain a little weight each day, she will be fine. Her pediatrician will see her and Brenna next week. Chantrell is doing great on the lactose-free formula. There is less spit up and her tummy feels better. We might try the new formula for Brenna too. She seems to have a lot of gas and fusses with a tummy ache. She cries and her tummy gets hard like a rock. Here are some pictures from today.

Barry is getting Chantrell ready to go home in her cute car seat. She is not in her usual purple outfit. It got dirty and I had to put her in a pink one.

She does look a lot like her sister in this photo. It would be hard to know who is who if they are both wearing pink in a photo. When you hold them, then you can definately tell them apart. Chantrell is a big baby.

Barry is holding and feeding Chantrell for the first time at home.

Chantrell is on the left and Brenna is on the right. I love their matching car seats.

Brenna loves to sleep in her car seat at night. Then, I get to play on the computer and update my blog. Her sister Chantrell is asleep in her crib.

Photos from Debbie's visit.

Debbie is hiding in this picture. Can you find her?? Hint. She is wearing a green shirt.She is standing under the sign.

Debbie standing near the famous sign. We played tourist one day before we went in to visit with the girls in the hospital.

Barry and I posing for our picture. There are these seats made to look like stacks of gaming chips.

Debbie and I are taking a turn next to the chips.

Our visit to the girls. Debbie is holding Brenna back when she was still in the hospital.

Me holding Chantrell.

A close up of Chantrell lying on my shoulder sleeping. Too precious.

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More pics of baby Brenna and update on Chantrell.

I found out that Chantrell has an infection that is like a flu virus. That is why she has loose stool and was acting lethargic. She is in an isolation room in an isolette so she can't get others sick. I went in to see her and I had to wear a sterile gown and gloves before I could hold her. She has to take medicine for a couple of days until she is better. So far they haven't put her feeding tube back in which is a positive step and she is on a lactose-free formula which helps her digest it better. For awhile now she has been spitting up some formula on her clothes and we couldn't figure out why. We thought she might have reflux or some other problem with her stomach. I hope we can take her home in a couple more days. She is drinking enough from a bottle now and is gaining a half an ounce a day and that is good. Chantrell weighs 8 lbs. 14 oz. now. She is a pretty big baby compared to her sister.

Brenna went to the pediatrician today and she is doing great. She weighs 6 lbs. 10 oz. and that is a gain of 3 oz in 7 days. She could stand to gain a little more weight. All her other vitals are good. Everybody who sees her wants to know how old she is and tells us how cute and little she is. It is fun to tell people about her and her twin sister. I can't wait to take both of them out together. People are always amazed at twins.

Thursday I go to the dermatologist to have my hand looked at. I had this really small blood blister on my knuckle of my pinkie. Of course I picked it and wouldn't leave it alone. Well, this is what grew on my hand.

I have had this stupid thing on me for two months now because I was waiting to be approved for Medicaid health insurance. I finally got insurance for me and the girls. Mom thinks it is a hemangioma (a tumor filled blood vessel growth) DISGUSTING!!!! I can't wait to have it gone for good.

Another gross picture of it. It bleeds like crazy if I knock it accidentally. Usually I wear a band-aid to hide it from everyone.

A cute picture of Barry and Brenna sleeping on the couch.

When Debbie was visiting, she got to give Brenna her first bath at home. I video taped it and took some pictures of her. Brenna is so little and cute. She doesn't cry that much during bath time.

Debbie is holding her head so she doesn't fall over. Look at her fat little tummy. So cute.

All clean and wrapped up in her towel. Debbie, you look great in this photo. Thanks again for coming and helping out with the babies. We loved having you all to ourselves for the week!!

Here is Brenna trying out the swing for the first time. We are not sure she likes it that much. It just has an on and off switch and it swings pretty fast. She holds out her hand like she is riding a bull...whoa too fast!!

Not quite a happy face. She looks like she is trying to sleep but is having a hard time relaxing.

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Brenna is home!!! Finally!!

Friday afternoon we got to take Brenna home from the hospital. When we got home, Debbie and Tony got to hold her and feed her. It has been so nice to bond with my baby in a relaxed environment. Brenna weighs over 6 lbs now and her sister weighs over 8 lbs. They are both doing so well. The nurse thinks that Chantrell will be coming home soon too. She is drinking better in the last few days. With Brenna being home, it is a lot of work keeping up with her feeding schedule. I'm glad I have help with her. I do most of the night time feeding and changing. Barry watches her in the morning and then I catch up on a few hours of sleep. She is a good baby and only cries when she wakes up really hungry. You can hear the milk hit her emply stomache as she gulps it down so fast. We call her the chug-a-lugger. Barry and I are both pretty tired because we don't get to sleep as much as we want to anymore. The joys of parenthood!! It is so worth the long nights and tiring days. My babies are so precious and I love them so much. Here are the latest photos of Brenna coming home.Brenna, in her carseat at the hospital giving us a big yawn. She is dressed all in pink from head to toe. I love her little upturned nose.Taking a little snooze while we waited to leave. There is always paperwork to be filled out.In goes the binky when she cries. She is too cute.Sister Chantrell in her crib falling asleep. Don't worry. She will be coming home soon. I love her beautiful dark hair.Close up of Chantrell. Her eyes are blue and are looking so big in this photo. She definately has a different look to her than her sister, Brenna.
Me holding Brenna on the couch at home.Barry is holding her now. She is still so tiny.Aunt Debbie taking a turn with Brenna.Trying out the crib for the first time. The purple mat is to save you from having to change the sheet if the baby throws up. Then, you only have to wash the purple thing. It's called a sheet saver.She is holding her own binky in with her fist.

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The babies and Lake Tahoe pictures.

Debbie holding Chantrell after her feeding.
Debbie is feeding Brenna her bottle. Brenna is wearing the preemie hat that Erica bought for her.South Lake Tahoe, looking towards the casinos.

View of the lake, looking north.

Barry and me at Lake Tahoe.

Close up of Barry feeding Brenna her bottle today. She is drinking 50 ml of formula at every feeding.

New colors on the blog for my little girls.

The girls are not home yet. We almost had Brenna out of the hospital on Saturday but she didn't do well on her feeding. Her heartrate dipped below 100 (it's called a "Braidy", like in the Brady Bunch, I probably did not spell it right) and when that happens the bell goes off on her monitor. The nurse had to report it to the doctor and they felt she wasn't ready to go home yet. Chantrell has had a few Braidy's too during her feedings. You have to pull the bottle out and sit the girls upright and then they remember to breath. Other little babies have their monitors going off all the time. I never noticed how often my girls would have these problems before. Now, that I know more about the machines and what they monitor, I am super sensitive to what happens during feeding times.

I love giving the girls their baths, even if they are slippery when wet and I almost drop them in the little tubs. I have to visit with them every day, sometimes twice a day. They are so cute and cuddly and smell so good. The nurse and doctor keep saying that the girls may come home in a couple of days. But Brenna has her feeding tube back in again because she can't keep up with the demanding feeding schedule. We will have to wait and see when they are actually in the carseats in the car, then I will believe that they are coming home.

Barry and I have enjoyed having Debbie visit with us for the last week. It is nice to show off the girls and have some more family here. We have gone shopping at Babies R Us for bottles, a bottle brush, crib blanket and burp rags. Thank You to Lisa for the gift cards!!! Debbie also showed me this cool store called Once Upon A Child that has gently used baby furniture, toys and clothes. She got me a wipey warmer, two receiving blankets, and a play toy that changes as the baby grows up. We had lunch afterwards at Baja Fresh, my favorite place to eat. Monday, we went to Lake Tahoe for a drive to look at all the pretty sceanery. It was nice to breath in the fresh mountain air and see the gorgeous blue lake. I will post some pictures soon.