Lunch Out

Today Thomas and Michael experienced their first restaurant. I decided try and take the boys out by myself this afternoon and meet some teachers from my old school for lunch. I got the boys loaded in their carseats and into the car. I had already phoned one of my friends and she was going to help me carry one the boys into the restaurant. We made the short trip to the Chinese restaurant. Thomas and Michael met many new people and slept while mommy enjoyed some time out of the house and conversing with adults! I decided the trip was a success. Who knows where we will venture in the future!

Yesterday the boys ventured to City Hall to see where daddy works and let daddy show them off.

I am doing okay with the boys during the day. The only time it gets a little stressful is when I am feeding Thomas or Michael and the other is crying because he is hungry. Hopefully as lthe boys get bigger, I will be able to feed them at the same time. Otherwise the boys are very good, they like to lay on the floor and look around, spend some time on their tummy or in the bouncy seat and most of sleep. I like it when they sleep at the same time so I can either get somethings done around the house or take a nap.

We go back to the peditrician on Tuesday. Depending on how much they weigh, they may get their shots. The doctor likes to give baby shots when they reach about 7 pounds. If the boys are not to 7 pounds yet, then we will hold off on the shots for awhile. We also hope to get an idea of how long Michael will have to be on the monitor. Hopefully not much longer.

Telling the boys apart.

We have been asked how we tell the boys apart. Well to be honest, the only way we know who is who, is by the fact that Michael is on a monitor and has cords attached to him! The other day I had Michael disconnected from his monitor and David came in and thought I had Thomas! When Michael is done with the monitor, we will have to come up with a different way to tell them apart. When I am posting pictures on the website, it helps to remember who was wearing what, or think back to that time and remember what was going on. We are also beginning to figure out differences in their temperments and personalities.

Tummy Time

All is continuing to go well at the Dillner home. The boys are still eating well and sleeping well. Typically during the night, they only wake up to eat and then go back to sleep. Mom and dad are very thankful for that.

The highlight of the boys day is when they get to have tummy time. They get to spend a few minutes on their tummy, so they can strengthen their neck. The boys either love it or hate it depending on their mood. One day earlier in the week, I think it was Sunday, we had Michael on his tummy and he was not happy. He had worked himself up on to side, his favorite position. His arm must have been in the right place because after a little more kicking, sqiurming and working, he had himself on his back. David and I were totally amazed. A little while later we had Thomas on his tummy and he did the same thing. Amazing!

Today I took Michael to the eye doctor, to have a check up. The doctor was looking to make sure that all the blood vessels around the retna have developed. He checked Michael out in the NICU and was pleased with his progress, but wanted to see him one more time to make sure he continued in the right path. Luckily all is well and we don't have to go back to the eye doctor. It is no fun for Michael. They use a small instrument to hold his eyelids open and then another instrument to move his eyeball so he can see inside. Michael cried during this time, but otherwise he did well. I am sure he is glad as well that he does not have to go back.

Next week will be interesting as David is going back to work. So I will be on my own with the boys all day long.

One final note, more pictures are in the photo gallery! Enjoy!

Grandma writes

As Grandma Melinda prepares to leave she really can't help wondering who are the lucky ones. Thomas and Michael for having such wonderful, loving and caring parents (and grandparents!) or Jenny and David for having such handsome, sweet, adorable, lovable and good boys. I think they will all be good for each other and take good care of one another. I have enjoyed my visit and holding the boys and gazing at them in amazement of Gods love and blessings.
-Grandma Melinda

David and I were very thankful to have my mom around for a week and a half. I think she spoiled us more than the boys, cooking and cleaning up dinner and doing things around the house. It was also so wonderful to visit with her, as we don't get to see our family as often as we would like. Thanks mom for all your help and your visit! Now the real fun begins when we have to do all those things for ourselves.

In other news, the boys experienced their first mass yesterday. We took the boys to church with us last night. They were very good and slept through the whole mass. After mass we went to a Greek Festival and ran into some friends. The boys enjoyed being outside in the fresh air.

The 64 million dollar question

Are they identical???? Well the answer to that question is yes. I asked the my doctor today, who took a look at the placenta report and concluded that they are identical.

The trip to the pediatrician yesterday was a success. David and I both liked their pediatrician. He said that they boys are both doing great. They look good. They were awake and alert. Thomas weighed 5 lbs 11 oz and Michael weight 5 lb 12 oz.

Both Michael and Thomas are doing a much better job at breastfeeding. They are eating like pigs and then typically falling asleep. Their favorite position to sleep is on the chest of anyone who is willing to hold them. At night they sleep, except when they are eating. Mom and dad are very grateful for this.

Thank you!

David and I wanted to thank the staff in the NICU for taking such wonderful care of the boys. We did not have to worry about them, because we knew they were in great hands. The staff in the NICU was very supportive of us, letting us do as much as possible for the boys. They were also very supportive of me breastfeeding the boys. We want them to know how much we appreciate what they did for the boys.

We would also like to thank our friends and family for their continued prayers and support. We know that all those thoughts and prayers helped us get through this difficult time. We thank the Lord for all your support. We also pray for you each day.

It is so wonderful to have the boys at home. They are doing very well. I think they are adjusting quite well. They are good eaters and sleepers. Their nights have also gotten much better. They are waking up to eat and then go back to sleep. Michael's monitor has also settled down, or we have gotten better with it. We are have fewer alarms due to loose leads each day.

They have their first pediatrician appointment tomorrow morning. It will be a challenge to get everyone up, fed, ready to go and in the car to make our appointment at 9:15. I am anxious to see how much they weigh and find out from the pediatrician how long Michael will have to be on the monitor. The only plus to the monitor is that it helps us tell the boys apart. I still struggle telling them apart, David thinks he can do it, but he has not let me in on his secret.

I know many of you are awaiting new pictures. You can expect new pictures in the next day or two. I have a bunch to upload to the website, I just need to find the time!

Sleepless Nights in Winchester

There are many people out there who wanted to know how our first night with the twins went. The only way that I can tell you is that if you've ever had a child, multiply it by two and you'll have your answer. If you've never had a child, now would be a great time to jump on the band wagon and find out. When you get to that special night, remember this: it will be the longest night of your life. I promise.

It seemed like I had retreated to bed some twenty-eight times BEFORE midnight! Once I had gotten one of the boys to settle down, the other would pick up the tune of "I'm not going to bed without a fight." Jenny would attempt to feed each of them in turn, and that wouldn't get us anywhere either. They would pretend they were hungary, but once they were positioned, it was scream central. They wouldn't eat and they wouldn't sleep. Then we got a little smarter.

Last night the boys were milestones better than their first night in the house. We had remembered that for the last six weeks, the boys had lived the high life in the NICU. For you readers that have never visited a NICU, they are extremely busy and often times annoyingly noisy places. Constant beeps and buzzes from various machines designed to measure the mythediendate-scheylandanrantide of the left ventricle in the flaginmaginous receptive. Ok, it's not the scientific, but there are a lot of things going on. This invariably taught the boys how to sleep in places with constant noise and movement. When they came home, Jenny and I had to reconstruct the busy environment that they hailed from.

Hopefully tonight will not be as bad as that first night. I know that Jenny would greatly appreciate some rest, and I think that tonight may be a great opportunity for all of us to engage the Sandman.

Five Twin Firsts
1. First NASCAR race (Watkins Glen)
2. First ride in stroller
3. First extended walk outside
4. First look in a mirror
5. First time dad got peed on (courtesy Michael)

Homecoming!

The day the Dillners have been waiting for has finally arrived! Both Thomas and Michael will be coming home today. The hour of arrival will be sometime after 5:00 pm. We are preparing to leave for the hospital momentarily to begin the process of bringing them home. We have to have CPR training and probably fill out some paperwork, but once that is all complete, the boys will be buckled into their carseats to enjoy a ride to our house.

Both boys have done rather well the last week, but Michael will have to come home on a monitor. At this point in time we don't know how long he will remain on the monitor, but it will probably be for a few weeks. He has had a few "spells" when he was being bottle-fed. Thomas on the other hand will not be coming home with an annoying monitor. The good thing is that we will be bringing both boys home together.

Last night, Jenny and I had to room in with Michael in order for us to bring them home. Thomas couldn't camp out with us because he was still in observation so that we could bring him home without the monitor. Michael was really fussy throughout most of the night, and we believe that this was from the fact that he knew that Thomas was not with him. Fortunately for us, they will both be coming home so we won't have to worry about unsetting them both.

The boys picked a great week to come home. The temperature outside is absolutely incredible! Tomorrow is supposed to be around 77 degrees! While this may not seem exciting, it beats bringing them home in blistering 100+ degree heat. We think they will transition well into the home-setting, but we think we will have to have some music or sounds playing while they are sleeping because the NICU was so loud. We think Michael also couldn't take the silence of our room last night.

Well, the adventure of raising the boys really begins tonight. It will be a different setting for us and them. We'll all survive, but I don't know how much sleep we'll get. Chances are high that we will be slightly tired tomorrow.

Oh, at least they will be home.

Finally.

Sleep when you can!

Sleep when you can is David's new motto, as illustrated by the picture. David is holding Thomas during a visit to the NICU and taking a quick little catnap.
Both boys are continuing to do well. Michael is weighing 5 lb 12 oz and Thomas is not far behind at 5 lb and 11 oz. They are continuing to eat well. They are getting better at breastfeeding. They do struggle with nipple confusion. When they begin to breastfeed, they are trying to eat like they are eating from the bottle, It takes them a few minutes to make the transition. The lactation consultant reassures me that when they get home and are strictly breastfeeding they will do so much better.
Grandma Melinda arrived in Winchester yesterday afternoon. She was very excited to see and hold both of the boys. She enjoyed holding both boys and taking pictures of them. Grandpa Kreher sent some clothes with grandma for the boys. I wanted to take the boys hospital pictures in the Cornhusker outfits he sent, but David would not agree to it.
We look forward to having both of the boys home soon.

Seconds for Thomas

Tonight our visit to the NICU was pretty uneventful. Both boys were sleeping when we arrived, and so we had to be mean parents and wake them up. Thomas ate first, and when Jenny thought that he was finished, she passed him to me. Then Michael ate. After Michael finished, Thomas was ready for more food. He had gone 4.5 hours in between feeds, so needless to say, he was more hungary than usual.

Both boys have been eating good enough to continue to gain weight. Michael weighed in at 5 lbs, 12 oz and Thomas weigh 5 lbs, 9 oz. In a few days, they both should be a whopping 6 pounds! They are getting bigger and all the nurses comment on how much they have grown since they were born. I must say that they are bigger and it makes me feel more comfortable handling them. When they were very small they seemed so fragile. Now they are ready to rock climb.

In other news around the Dillner household, St. Benedict's Brewing Company began its fourth recipe this weekend. For more on this, visit the St. Benedict Brewing Company blog.

The results are in

Over the weekend we got the results of the test ran on the boys earlier in the week, to determine the cause of their spells. Thomas' results told us that he still has immature breathing patterns, which is the reason for the heart rate and breathing rate drops. Michael on the other hand did have reflux issues. He was put on medication to help control this. We basically have two choices, we can wait for the boys to go seven days with out having a spell where their heart rate drops or their breathing rate drops, or we can bring them home on monitors that would let us know if one of the boys is having a spell. As of yesterday Thomas was on day 2 of his spell count and Michael was on day 3. We are going to let them try to finish this spell count and make it to seven days. If they are unable to go the seven days without spells, then we will bring them home on monitors. We are ready to get the boys home. We don't have a specific discharge date yet, but when we do, we will let you all know.

Otherwise both boys are doing well. They are continuing to eat well and sleep well between feedings. They are going about 3-4 hours between feedings. They are also continuing to gain weight. Thomas was at 5 lb 7 oz and Michael was at 5 lb 9 oz yesterday.

All is well!

Not much new to report from the Dillner camp at the NICU. We are still waiting the results of the test the boys had earlier in the week to see why they keep having spells. The boys did have a head ultrasound and all looked well. Both boys are continuing to gain weight, Thomas is at 5 lb 5 oz and Michael is at 5 lb 6 oz.

Spells, Spells and More Spells

The boys are continuing to gain weight and eat well. They are no longer on a specific feeding schedule, when one of the boys wakes up and is hungry, they will feed him, then wake the other and feed him. They are trying to make the transition to home easier. I am glad that they are trying to keep the boys on similar schedules. The only negative aspect to this, is that it makes it very difficult to time our visits to the NICU, especially because when we go I like to be there at feeding time, so that I can breastfeed the boys. So far the boys have been going about 3 hrs between feedings during the day and 4 hours at night.

The nurses are always telling us what good boys they are. Typically when they wake up, they lay and look around, not crying, unless they are really hungry. They are good at going with the flow. We can only hope that they continue to be good boys when they come home.

Both of the boys are continuing to have spells and they should be outgrowing them by now. So when I was at the hospital this morning, working on breastfeeding the boys, the doctor told me that they had ordered a test for the boys to determine why they keep having spells. I can't remember what the name of the test is, I know that the test will run about 24 hours and the boys will have a tube down their nose again. The test will better help the doctors know what is going on when the boys have spell, where their heart rate drops, if it is reflux or some other problem. Once they know better why the boys are still having spells, they can treat it. If for example the spells are due to reflux, they can be given medicine for that. Hopefully tomorrow we will know more. The doctor told me that they order this test routinely for all babies who are full term, (which they are now!), all bottle feedings and still having spells. The spells are the only thing still keeping the boys in the NICU. Recently a set or girl twins moved in next door to the boys, maybe that is why they are still having spells!

Lastly an update on the boys weights, Last night Thomas weighed 5 lb 3 oz and Michael was 5 lb 4 oz.

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!