24 hours with both boys

It has been fantastic!! I tandem nursed last night. It was a huge accomplishment to me and it makes all of the hours I spent, hooked to the breastpump, worth it.

We took Addison up to the nicu when we picked up Riley so that we could have those silly hospital pictures taken. I always thought the hospital pictures were over-priced and that they weren't very professional looking. Leah and Skylar both had pictures done when they were around 3-4 months at different photography places but because of the boys immune systems, we won't be able to take them to a germ infested photography place. I thought about having a local place come to us and take pics but our house is not very nice for pictures and it will soon be too chilly to take them outdoors. So, we paid the almost $30 to get 8 wallets and 2 3x5's. I have to say, they turned out better than I had expected. The package included a free welcome baby website so I was able to e-mail it to most of our friends and family so they could see the picture.

So, anyways, Riley has not been tolerating any of the fortifiers that are available in stores (the fortifier they use in the hospital is not available to the public so they try to wean them to something available at stores before they go home). He's been on just straight breastmilk and his weight gain has kind of tapered off and he actually lost just a little bit of weight the night before he came home. The nicu doctor wants me to talk to the pediatrician and try to figure out what to use to add extra calories but I'm not sure if that will be needed. At home, they're both allowed to eat whatever they want, whenever they want. Riley has been taking close to 2oz. from a bottle when I give him his vitamins. They have another doctors appointment this coming Sunday so we shall see how much they've gained.

It's so hard to put them down. I just want to make up for lost time but then I feel bad that they don't have any time to be together so I'll lay them in the bassinet (we have a pack and play with the bassinet attachment over the whole top) facing each other and just let them be close. They sleep so well when they're next to each other, it really is amazing.

We had a good first night. They took turns waking up and nursing but they slept side by side in the co-sleeper and neither of their monitors went off.

Riley's monitor went off a few times and Addison's goes off 1-2 times per day. It's been for a low heart rate all but 2 times since he's been home. Usually all I have to do is pick him up and burp him and he's good to go.

We got a call this morning from the nurse manager asking if there were any nurses who went above and beyond and there are 2, Tricia and Barb, who were absolutely amazing through all of this. We also got a call from Dr. Brown to just ask how everything is going. I thought that was nice of him.

So, we're all finally together and it will be a tough adjustment (especially when Ian goes back to work) but very much worth it.