Brotherly Love

When Thomas got word that he was about ready to go home, but he would have to leave his brother in the hospital, he decided to make his stay in the NICU a little longer. He did not want to have to leave Michael in the NICU, so he had a spell last night (not having anymore spells was one of the criteria to come home on Tuesday). Thomas thought that he needed to stay at the hospital and keep an eye on his younger brother (although only by 1 minute) Michael. Now that is brotherly love. Michael also had spell. Before the boys can come home they need to go 7 days with out a spell. They have met all the other criteria for coming home, both boys no longer have tubes in their nose for feedings, all of their feedings are coming from the bottle or the breast. So it will be at least a week before they are able to come home.

I know that these boys have some impatient aunts out there (on the Kreher side), who want to see more pictures of the boys. Well the camera and computer are back on speaking terms and I was able to get the pictures off the camera. A couple of pictures are posted here, the rest will be on the gallery tomorrow. The top picture is Michael hanging out in his bed. The bottom picture is Thomas right after mom have him a bath.

Life as we know it will be forever changed!

First and foremost I know there are some of you out there who are anxiously awaiting new pictures of the boys. I have to apologize for the lack of pictures. Last week I was feeling a little under the weather and did not upload pictures. Now that I am feeling better the camera and the computer are not communicating well and I am having difficulty uploading pictures. As soon as I can will put new pictures of the boys on the internet.

Now onto bigger and better news. This morning when my cell phone ran and I went to answer it and saw that it was the NICU calling, I was a little scared because I knew they called if something had changed or something bad happened, I was even more scared when it was the doctor on the phone, but he quickly put me at ease by saying that nothing was wrong. He wanted to tell me that Thomas could be coming home next week. If Thomas continues to do what he is doing, taking all of his feedings by bottle and continues not to have any spells then, he will be discharged on Tuesday!!!! Thomas currently does not have tube down his nose for feedings anymore, so he is taking all of his feeds by bottle. Thomas also weighs 5 lb 1 oz.

We still don't know when Michael will be home. He is still having some spells. He is having all of his feedings offered to him by the bottle, but he is not consistently finishing them. When he is consistently finishing his feedings and has not had spells for one week, then he will come home.

We are extremely excited to hopefully be bringing Thomas home on Tuesday. We are praying that he continues to do well and his discharge won't have to be delayed. We know that soon Michael will be ready to come home and we can be one big happy family.

Baby Clothes

There's a lot of money to be made if a person wants to design baby clothes. Whoever does it now just doesn't understand that you have to get the baby into the clothing. It's as if they were made for paper dolls or something. Not to mention that the baby doesn't want to cooperate either. Michael, poor kid, went for a splunking adventure without hitting the caves. I had to undress and re-dress him as he was weighted while Jenny was feeding Thomas.

There we were exploring the vast crevasses of his gown, as he slipped and slided around on the caverns edge. What a thrill! I can only imagine that Michael was having a great time too, because he wasn't really complaining. After I located his head through a tunnel, we quickly located his other limbs and finally surfaced. The adventure, I think, wore me out more than it did him. Afterwards, he was wide awake, probably more so that he was about to be fed by mother more than he was from playing around with me and his clothes.

Baby clothes were not made for parents. I am beginning to wonder if they were even made for babies. Although I have never tried, I believe it would be easier for a person to dress a dog in a baby outfit instead of a baby. At least the dog would be sitting (standing) upright. Not to mentions that a baby's butt is as smooth as any surface I have ever seen, and therefore, tends to move around quite seemlessly. Dogs butts are in the air and wouldn't move at all.

I would also like to make a short note about yesterday's entry. Michael's poop bomb had the velocity of Tiger Woods' golf ball after he hits it with a golf club. While Tiger's swing has been clocked at a speed upwards of 200 mph, Michael's poop was last seen flying over Delaware. Babies in the surrounding cribs have been moved to a safer location down wind of the mini-man poop launcher. I believe the US military is interested in studying the technology that he uses to blast with such dismal force and accuracy.

Terrorists Attack!

Today, I felt like what Lebanon feel like as Israel bombs the $#%! outta them. There I was, surrounded by enemy combatants, looking for a way to get my troops out. Suddenly, the sky was filled with explosions and shrapnel as the artillery shell hit. The loud noises of war were eerily quieted as the explosion reverberated off my ear drum. Luckily for me, it had rumptured with the explosion. I looked around at my comrades and they were running about attempting to find shelter, attempting to escape the blast. The smell was horrific, terrible. It nearly made me gag, as I reached for a gas mask. "This could be my last breath," I thought to myself and I washed my hands and continued to wipe Michael's rear.

Ah, the likes of war in the NICU! Michael fired his artillery rock at my arm while I attempted to clean his diaper during a routine visit to the Unit tonight. While I was cleaning myself, the nurse brought in backup and began to assist with the hazmat clean-up. Unfortunately for her, he was not finished with me. As if he had been planning this attack for weeks, Michael promptly put down another load, dirtying everything around him. To say the least, Michael's first attack is a clear sign of his aggression towards those that try to wipe with a cold wipee.

The good news, however, is that both boys have gained weight once again. Thomas now weights in at 4 lbs, 14 oz and Michael comes in at 5 lbs (after the unloading). With this continued grow and everything else looking great, the nurses have begun to prepare us for the day when we will get to bring the boys home. I think both boys are ready to get out of the hospital, and I know Jenny and I will be thrilled when they do finally get to come home. We will keep you updated on the approach of this exciting moment in the boys' lives.

All is well

They boys are continuing to do well. There are no major changes to report. The doctors and nurses want to the boys to continue doing what they are doing.

Sunday night, Thomas weighed 4 lb 9.9 oz and Michael weighed 4 lb 11 oz ( I believe). When we were visiting last night, the nurse was unable to get a scale, and was going to weigh them at a different time, so you can assume that the boys put on an ounce or two.

The doctors and nurses are beginning to get things together for discharge. Still no word on when it will be, but I am assuming it will still be a couple of weeks, but we are moving in the right direction.

Getting closer

The boys are continuing to do well. They both weigh about 4.5 lbs (I can't remember the exact weights or I would give them too you.) They are continuing to work on their bottle feeding and nursing. Their nurse said last night that they really seemed to show an interest in their bottle feedings. It is still a lot of work for the boys to take a feeding from a bottle and they get tired quickly.

The past couple of times we have visited the boys or talked with the nurses on the phone, we hear more and more talk about discharge. Before they can be discharged they have to take all of their feedings from a bottle or the breast and no feedings in the tube. In addition to the feedings they must not have any spells where their heart rates or breathing rates drop. They are still at a point now where they are having spells after eating, due to all the hard work of eating. As soon as the spells decrease they will increase the number of feedings from the bottle or breast, until all feedings are from the bottle or breast.

Soon David and I will have car seat training. We need to learn how to put the boys in the car seats so that their breathing or heart rates don't decrease. After we are trained on it, we will be observed putting the boys in their car seats and they will be monitored to be sure they don't have any spells. We don't have a specific date for discharge, but their nurse yesterday seemed confident that they could be discharged by their due date August 13. It is exciting to start having discussions about what to expect when they go home and what we have to accomplish before going home. I imagine that it will still be a couple of weeks before they come home, but that time will be here before we know it.

Thank you to all of you who have kept us and the boys in your thoughts and prayers. We know that it is because of all those thoughts and prayers that the boys are doing so well. We really apprecaite all your thoughts and prayers.

All is well

Not much new to report on the Dillner camp at the NICU. The boys are continuing to do well in their cribs. They are both gaining weight, Thomas is 4 lb 5.1 oz and Michael is 4 lb 6.8 oz. They are both continuing to make improvements in breast feeding and bottle feeding. Last night Thomas took a whole feeding, 36 cc from a bottle and this morning Michael took his whole feeding from the bottle, 38 cc. Hopefully this trend continues!

Big changes for tiny people

Thomas and Michael are living it up in their new open air cribs. Well they don't look much like cribs, but all the other cribs in the NICU are being used. Thomas had his clothes and blankets off as he was in the middle of getting his temperature taken and being weighed for the evening. He weighed 4 lbs 3.8 oz. Michael is all bundled up so that he can maintain his body temperature. When Michael was weighed last night he weighed 4 lb 5 oz. Thomas will soon be wrapped up like his brother. Mom and dad were so excited to visit the boys and see them in cribs and not in the isolates. It was so much easier for us to pick them up and put them back, not to mention change a diaper.

This morning I went to the hospital to work on the boys bottle feeding, but the occupational therapist had a meeting, so the boys and I worked on breastfeeding. The lactation consultant was there and reassured me that the boys were on the right track and when they get a little bigger and stronger they will be good nursers. I was also excited to hear that both Thomas and Michael were able to maintain their body temperatures through the night. It seems that they are handling moving to the cribs well. Some babies really struggle with that. I also got to put sleepers on the boys, I made sure they had different sleepers on, so that we can tell them apart.

David often takes pictures of the boys in the evenings and then the next day I will take them off the camera and update the photo gallery. Sometimes I really have to work to figure out who it is in the picture. I am hoping now that we can put clothes on them, it will be easier to tell the boys apart if I can remember who was wearing what. I will be uploading more pictures to the photo gallery this afternoon. Also in the near future I will be reorganizing the boys pictures in the photo gallery, I am going to make albums for each boy, I think it will be easier for all of you to look at and determine who is who.

The Moment of Truth

Thank you to all of you who voted in our poll asking you to tell the boys apart. Now is the moment of truth, the correct answer to question is about to be given. Take one more quick look at the picture and determine who is who. Of the 28 people who voted, 11 people were correct in saying that Thomas is on the left and Michael is on the right. Congratulations to those of you who were able to tell the boys apart. Better luck next time to those of you who struggled to tell them apart.

The boys are continuing to work hard on eating from a bottle. Mom is also working hard on learning how to feed them and the tricks of the trade that will help them be successful with their feedings until they have all their muscles developed in their mouths. The nurses are putting more clothes and blankets on the boys as they turn the temperatures down in their beds, to help the boys get ready to be moved to a crib. Hopefully they will be moved sometime today. I think they were supposed to be moved yesterday, but they had a busy night in the NICU so it didn't happen. Maybe when David and I go to visit them tonight, they will be in cribs.

4 pound milestone!

Last night both boys passed the 4 pound milestone. They both weighed 4 lbs 2 oz!!! The nurse also told us last night, that they are working on getting the boys ready to move to cribs instead of their isolates. In order to move to a crib the boys must be 4 pounds and be maintaining their body temperature. They have the met the first criteria. Until last night the boys beds monitored their body temperature and then in turn adjusted the temps of the beds as necessary. Last night the temperature monitors were removed and the beds were set at a constant temperature and the boys needed to maintain their body temperatures. When we took their temperatures last night and this morning they were doing fine with this. The next step is to start adding clothes one layer at a time and then reducing the temperature in the bed. I don't know how long it will take to transition the boys into cribs, but when it does happen that will be a big step in the right direction.

Last night David gave Michael a bath. Dad did a good job for his first bath. The nurse walked him through the steps and took a couple of pictures, that I will post on the website later today. I have not given either of the boys a bath yet, as when the baths are happening I am usually trying to nurse one of the boys. We moved the boys baths to alternate nights, so maybe I will be able to bathe them sometimes.

Working Hard

I went up to the hospital this morning to work with the Occupational Therapist on the boys bottle feeding. Trying to eat from a bottle is hard work for the boys. They are working on developing their sucking, swallowing and remembering to breathe. Michael has better sucking reflexes than Thomas, but he was forgetting to breathe. Neither of the boys took their entire bottle. What the boys don't finish will be fed to them through the tube in their nose. The nurse and occupational therapist informed me today that boys in the NICU tend to be lazier than girls when it comes to all the hard work of bottle feeding. It seems to take the boys a little longer to get the hang of it all.

Both boys are continuing to gain weight, Thomas is about 3 lb 14 oz and Michael is about 3 lb 15 oz. They are also beginning to be awake and alert more often. This morning for example they were awake at 7:00 am and Thomas was still awake when I left at 9:00 am, Michael had just fallen asleep. It was nice to see them awake and alert while I was at the hospital.

2 weeks old!

The boys are continuing to do well. Thomas gained about an ounce last night, putting him up to 3 lb 12 oz and is now eating 32 cc every three hours. Michael also gained an ounce and is at 3 lb 14 oz and eating 34 cc every three hours. David and I had a nice long visit with the boys today. They sure do enjoy being held. The boys are getting new beds. The nurse was switching their isolates today. While we were there, she only got Thomas' done, but Michael's will be done soon. Their new beds, are less high tech, don't have as many bells and whistles, which is a good thing, because it means the boys don't need all these bells and whistles. David and I spoke briefly with the doctor today, he said the boys are doing really well. They are doing what they are supposed to be doing.

Bath night

Last night was bath night for the boys. They are beginning to like their baths better. Both boys peed all over their beds right before their baths. They wanted to make sure that they got clean blankets in their beds.

Thomas is weighing in at 3 lb 11 oz and eating 30 cc at each feeding. While Michael is weighing in at 3 lb 13 oz and eating 32 cc at each feeding. Both boys are continuing to work on taking their feedings from a bottle. We are working on breastfeeding when David and I visit in the evenings.

That pretty much brings you up to date on the boys. Nothing too exciting going on, but that is a good thing.

Together again

Last night the nurses put Thomas and Michael together for a few minutes and they took these pictures. The nurse said that as soon as they were next to eachother they put their arms on eachother, showing that they miss eachother.

Daddy's First Diaper Change

Last night, David changed his first diaper. Thomas was the brave soul who survived this ordeal. He was a little tentative to begin with, but met success after we got the clean diaper situated in the right direction. His goal is to make diaper changes like NASCAR pit stops. Before he can reach this goal, he needs to get with his crew chief and get plenty of practice with his pit crew. After the diaper change, then David took Thomas' temperature for the evening. I did the same for Michael. The nurses try to get us as involved as possible in the care of the boys. Michael shot up to 3 lbs 12 oz last night, and Thomas stayed at 3 lbs 9 oz. They will be 4 pounds before we know it. Their feeds were also increased by 1 cc last night.

I will be posting more pictures of the boys on the website today. They are of us holding the boys. When you look at the pictures you will notice that we are holding the boys skin to skin. This is called kangaroo care. Kangaroo care is supposed to help with the babies development and bonding with the parents. I have read a little bit about kangaroo care and its benefits, but I can't remember the specifics right now.

Both boys did well with their bottle feeding this morning taking about 20 cc apiece.

Steady Progress

Again last night both boys gained an ounce, putting Thomas up to 3 lbs 9 oz and Michael up to 3 lbs 10 oz. They are continuing to do well. An occupational therapist is going to begin working with the boys on eating, so we can get them breast and bottle feeding. She started working with the boys this morning and the boys did really well. When David and I go up to visit tonight I will try breastfeeding them.

I ran up the hospital this morning to drop of milk for the boys. While I was there I spoke with the occupational therapist. She said that both of the boys did well on the bottle feeding. She said that Michael did better than Thomas. His sucking reflexes are better and he was also more alert than Thomas. Michael took 21 cc and Thomas took 14 cc. It is a little surprising that Michael's sucking reflexes are better than Thomas' since he had breathing difficulty when he was born. She will continue to work with them during the week. Next week I will try to go up to the hospital during the time that she is working with the boys so that I can learn from her and we can work together. Also during my brief visit, I spoke with the boys doctor. He said that the boys are doing really well. Their weight gain is good. They are doing what is expected for babies of their age.

Tomorrow David's sister Crystal will be heading back to Kansas. We will miss having her around. We are very grateful to her for all of her help to us while she has been out here.

You can't trust a man to get anything right!

Thank you to all of you who informed us that our poll had the same options. That is what you get when you let David create and post the poll. I have gone back and fixed the poll, now you can cast your vote. If I can't leave anything to the men in my life, I guess I am in trouble!


Yesterday we tried to feed both babies with a bottle, and neither of them showed too much interest in the bottle, but that was to be expected. They are at the age where they are just beginning to gain the sucking and swallowing reflex. I plan on going back to the hospital and trying again today. I think today we might try them nuzzling at the breast for a while, and we will see how that goes.

Michael Dillner is weighing in at 3 lbs 9 oz.
Thomas Dillner is weighing in at 3 lbs 8 oz. Some of you may be slightly confused about Thomas' weight, since we were originally told that Thomas weight 3 lbs 15 oz at birth. David and I were told a couple of days after their birth that their must have been a mistake made when weighing Thomas, because that day he had lost about a pound, which did not happen, he probably weighed more around 3 lbs. So we really don't know what Thomas weighed at birth, but that is not the important thing. What is important, is that he is continuing to gain weight.

Can you tell us apart?

We finally got a picture of the twins together! Now the question is, can YOU tell them apart? Let's find out. Look at the picture above and determine which is which. Once you have ascertained the identity of each boy, place your vote on the poll. The answer will be given in one week, so you have plenty of time to review the pictures and make your selection.

Who is who?
	Michael is on the left and Thomas is on the right.
	Thomas is on the left and Michael is on the right.
	Neither of these two boys are the Dillner twins.
	I honestly can't tell them apart.
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Steps in the right direction!

The big news at the Dillner camp in the NICU is that the boys are ready to begin being bottle fed or going to the breast. They will probably start with two feedings a day with a bottle or at the breast. The nurses in the NICU like to reserve those feedings for mom and dad. So while Crystal is here, she will take me up to the hospital for a morning feeding, and then in the evening David and I will visit in the evening at their feeding times and feed them. After Crystal leaves I will try to find rides to the hospital for the morning feedings until I have been cleared to drive.

Otherwise both boys had a good Sunday, both putting on an ounce. Thomas is at 3 lbs 6 oz and Michael is at 3 lbs 8 oz. They are also adding calories to their feedings. I can't remember what the nurse call what they were adding in, but for example an ounce of breast milk has 20 calories, with what they are adding the feeding will have 22 calories. They are doing this in an effort to bulk the boys up.

I am continuing to feel better everyday. It is getting easier to stand up and sit down. I am also finding that I can walk a little bit faster.

One Big Happy Family!

Thomas and Michael are continuing to make improvements. Thomas is getting more food everyday and continuing to gain weight. His days are pretty much filled with eating and sleeping. His nurse told me that he sleeps a lot. Even during his feedings he will be looking around a little bit and smiling in between dozing off.

Michael on the other hand is awake more often. His nurse said that this morning he was awake for awhile looking around and taking in his surroundings. There was some concern yesterday that Michael may have an infection. So some tests were ran and the first batch that came back indicated that Michael did not have an infection. They were going to run a couple more tests just to be sure.

During our visit last night, the nurse took both boys out and let us hold them together. It was so wonderful to be able to hold both of the boys and watch them as they fell asleep. We can't wait until they are home with us. She took a few pictures, a couple of the four of us together and then we took some more. One of the family shots is posted here, to see the others check out the photo gallery.

One week old!

As of this morning at about 9:30 am EST Thomas and Michael had been part of our family for one week. It is hard to believe that it has only been a week, as they seem to have been with us for so much longer.

It seems that when we go to the hospital each evening, Thomas is usually sleeping and we get to watch the nurse feed, change and weigh Michael, but we miss Thomas nightly routine, so I guess we need to get to the hospital earlier in the evening so we can see Thomas while he is awake.

Last night it was so nice to see the boys off of the photo therapy lights. It was wonderful to see Michael with his eyes open and watch him as he fell asleep for the evening. Thomas on the other hand was already asleep.

Thomas is now weighing in at 3 lbs 4 ounces and eating 27 cc's every three hours. When we talked to the nurse this morning she said that Thomas was having spells in his sleep. The spells she is referring to is when his heart rate or breathing slows down in his sleep, sometimes they come out of these spells on their own, or other times a nurse might have to touch them to wake them a little. Earlier in the week, the nurse was not too concerned about the spells as they are fairly normal is babies this young.

The nurse told us last night that today Michael would have his IV removed today and that he is finishing up his antibiotics. Michael is weighing in at 3 lbs 8 ounces and eating 26 cc's every three hours. He was having trouble having a bowel movement, but when the nurses went to help him out, he had a major bowel movement.

Both of the boys are eating as much breastmilk as I am bringing in. I guess that since the amounts of their feedings are increasing, I had better get busy and make more milk.

In other news David and Crystal went to Washington DC today. They were planning on going to Ford's Theater, the Aquarium and the National Zoo. They have lofty plans for the day, we will see what they all accomplish.

Technical difficulties

I know that David promised that bath time pictures would be posted yesterday, but I was having technical difficulties with the computer and was unable to post them. The technical problems have been resolved and I will be posting the bath pictures soon.

Now for the information that you all are waiting for. I came home from the hospital on Wednesday afternoon. Wednesday night I was pretty exhausted from getting out of the hospital and getting settled again at home. It sure was nice to breath fresh air. It had almost been a week since I had been outside of the hospital walls. I am doing much better. Everyday I am getting stronger and feeling less pain. I am trying to rest as much as possible, so that when the boys come home from the hospital, I will be as close to full strength as possible.

Now for an update on the boys. As of last night both boys weigh about 3 pounds 6 ounces. They seem to take turns gaining weight. One night we will get a report that Thomas stayed the same, but Michael gained an ounce, and then the next night we will hear the opposite. The important thing is that they are both gaining weight. They are also both getting more and more to eat everyday. Yesterday Thomas had his IV removed, so now all of his nutrition is coming from formula or breast milk.

This morning when I called the hospital to receive an update on the boys, I was told that they both were taken off of the photo therapy lights. It will be so nice to go to the hospital and see the boys in regular lights and their eyes uncovered. Thomas is eating 23 cc of formula or breast milk every three hours and Michael is eating 20 cc of breast milk for formula every three hours (for those of you not familiar with cc's there are 30 cc's in one ounce). Michael started eating after his brother, but he is quickly trying to catch up. Michael's breathing is also improving. He is no longer using the C PAP machine, and is just receiving oxygen. They are also slowing decreasing the amount of oxygen that he is getting, until he is able to breathe room air. All the nurses are very positive about the progress the boys are making. We have not heard anything about when to expect the boys to be coming home, we are just taking it day by day.

I would like to thank all of our friends and family who have kept us in your thoughts and prayers. I know that all of your thoughts and prayers have helped the delivery to be successful, to aid in my speedy recovery and the progress of Thomas and Michael. We really appreciate all the thoughts and prayers, we could not do this with out all of your love and support. I would also like to thank David's sister Crystal who has been out visiting us for the past couple of weeks, she has been a tremendous help. Before I went into the hospital she was a great help getting the house ready for when the babies were to arrive, little did we know they would be making their entrance so soon. During the last week, she has been so much help. She was able to take care of things at the house, while David was staying at the hospital with me. She ran errands for us, brought things to the hospital and got her wish to see the babies before going back to Kansas. She also learned how to drive in Winchester, which can be tricky. Since I have been home from the hospital she has been doing things around the house, so I can rest and taking me where I need to go, since I can't drive. David and I really appreciate all that she has done to help us.

David and I usually go to visit the boys in the evening after dinner. We will try to provide updates about the boys, either when we get home that night or I will do it the next morning.

Bathtime!

Tonight, upon my nightly visit of the twins, I arrived at just the right moment to observe Michael's first bath!

Such a treat, such a surprise!

Thomas was done and dry prior to my arrival, so Michael was left to bathe. He squirmed a little, moved this way and that. But poor Michael couldn't escape from the drops.

Water around and shampoo too. Oh what will poor Michael do?

Finally a towel, a dry body for him. Now he's quiet and ready for bed!

Both Thomas and Michael are doing great these days. Both have been eating their formula and now mother has been producing enough milk to begin their gourmet diet. Thomas is eating 15 cc's and Michael is at 12 cc's. They will also still be on the photogenic therapy for at least one more day. They have both gained weight. All's looking well in the Dillner camp at Winchester Medical Center. Jenny will visit tomorrow and she will also post the pictures that I took during my nightly visit with the Twins. Be sure to check back tomorrow, as the bath pictures will be posted!

Improvement is Good

The boys are doing great. Thomas has gained one ounce since yesterday and now weighs over three pounds! He has been feeding on formula very well. I believe they have fed him up to eleven cc's of Enfamil formula. His heart rate and breathing is consistant and enduring. He did have some photogenic therapy again today, but that will hopefully end, at least for awhile, tomorrow.

Michael is also progressing although not as fast as Thomas. The fluid he swallowed during labor has kept him behind his brother. He has been rotating between the CPAP machine and oxygen assistance. He has been breathing much better, and he has also been feeding on formula like his brother. Michael was able to be held by Jenny and I today. I think that helped soothe him a little. He can be a little fiesty, especially when it comes to his breathing assistance. He just doesn't want it in his nose and I can't say that I don't blame him.

Jenny will be released from the hospital tomorrow. She has been improving in health today. She had her best day today, which meant that she got to spend a little more time with the boys. She was really looking forward to spending some time with them. She has been doing great with all of this. I have no doubts that she will be an excellent mother for these boys!

Jenny and I would like to thank every one for the gift cards. We received them in the mail from my sister yesterday. We will be going to Target and Wal-Mart in the next few days to purchase some of the items that we are going to need when the boys come home. I know for sure that one thing we will be getting is a stroller that is compatible with our two car seats. Thank you all and we love you all!

Independence Day

Jenny has been consistently improving in her health. She may even come home today, but we will have to see. She has been up and walking around and that helps move things around in her bowels and also helps her regain her strength. As of last night she hadn't eaten much, so the doctor put her back on an IV to get her some nutrition. This will help her be able to walk around more, which will improve her strength. Once she gets her strength back up, she will be able to eat more. It's really a circle of improvement. She's been doing much better from day-to-day, and I know she would like to be 100% again.

The twins are doing just fine too. I posted an audio update last night talking about the photogenic lights that they are under right now. This helps break down their extra red blood cells. The nurse told us that most babies experience this condition, but they often get assistance from the sun itself. We did take a couple of pictures of the guys under these lights, but they don't give it any justice. It makes them look more like radioactive babies than anything.

We will post more pictures once I return from the hospital today. If all is well, I will be accompanied by Jenny too. I need to get ready to go for a visit now. Everyone have a safe and wonderful Independence Day!

One more thing... If you would like to call Jenny at the hospital the number for her room directly is 540-536-1449. She enjoys talking to people and appreciates the love and support.

Audio Update

Holding Thomas

Last night Jenny and I finally got to hold one of our babies. Thomas has been doing well enough that the nurse let us hold him for a bit during our nightly visit. Thomas did quite well for being held. In fact, I think he enjoyed it. After Jenny held him for awhile, I held him and rocked him to sleep. Jenny got to stay a little longer than the last time she saw them because this time she was feeling much better.

Michael has been put back on the CPAP machine. This machine pushed air into his lungs to help keep them inflated. Doing this prevents him from expending too much of his energy to keep them inflated. He needs his energy to help him get better. Hopefully in the next day or so he will be able to start feeding.

Thomas has been doing real well. As I mentioned above, we got to hold him for the first time last night. He has also been feeding on the bottle and holding it down. The nurses were checking him every two hours to make sure that he continues to digest the food properly.

There all fighters and continue to get better with each day. It won't be long and we will be able to take them home. The boys are looking forward to that as much as we are.

First Viewings

This afternoon we got to finally see the babies. Crystal and I got to see them after supper, and then Jenny and I got to see them before I left for the night. This was Jenny first time seeing them since their birth and I think she really enjoyed it.

Both guys are improving in health. Tomorrow we may get to hold both of them, but the nurse said that more than likely Michael will need some more time before he is ready to be held. They will both grasp your finger if you put it in their palm. They both have hair. Thomas has what looks to be Dad's hair, while Michael looks to have Mom's.

They are so tiny and small, but the nurses say that should begin to develop fat and fill in their skin a little more. As time goes on, they will become more and more healthy. We look forward to the day when we can take them home with us.

We will post more pictures to the website tomorrow, so be sure to check back often for the lastest news!

Contacting Us

If you would like to talk to Jenny or David, please call the Winchester Medical Center at 540-536-8000. This is the number for the hospital, so you will have to ask to speak with Jennifer Dillner. If you would like to send a card, please send it to 4th Floor, Maternity Ward at the Winchester Medical Center.

You can also leave us a voice message on either of our cell phones. Jenny's is 540-409-1177 and David's is 540-409-1166. Our home address is located at the bottom of this website.

We thank everyone for their love and support. Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Meet the Dillner Boys

Thomas David Dillner



Michael James Dillner




David and Jennifer Dillner announce the arrival of their newest additions to their family. Thomas David Dillner was born at 9:32 am EST and Michael James Dillner was born at 9:33 am EST at the Winchester Medical Center in Winchester, Virginia. Thomas weighs 3 pounds, 15 ounces and Michael weighs 3 pounds, 8 ounces. Both are spending some time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit until they are ready to go home. Usually, the actual due is used to estimate when the babies will be able to go home, but each baby is different, so it could be sooner. The boys' original due date was August 13, 2006.

Both boys are doing well, and their vitals signs are good. Michael had some difficultly breathing at first, but he has been doing much better since delivery. The heart rates are great and breathing is pretty stable. The medical staff is watching over them to make sure that they continue to improve.

Jenny is also doing well recovering. She has started to eat a liquid diet and may start eating solid foods tomorrow morning. She hasn't seen the babies yet, but is eager to hold them. She did an excellent job in the operation. The doctor says that they will probably keep her for another couple of days to monitor her progress.

David and Jenny would like to especially thank the doctors, nurses and medical staff that helped bring Thomas and Michael into the world. They did a great job to ease our worries, and they continue to do a great job assisting the twins development. Hopefully we will be able to take them home sooner because of their hard work.

Be sure to check out the Dillner Gallery for more pictures of the boys!

David Announces the Births