Thank you!!

Just wanted to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the encouragement, comments, support, and prayers we have received over the last week. I haven't quite found the time or energy to respond to each of you individually, but please know that we are blessed by your calls, comments, emails, notes, etc. I am moved to know that so many people are praying for our sweet girls and for our family. We have a God who HEARS and it is awesome to be part of the amazing things He is doing!

I just got back from a visit with Audrey and Norah. No big news to report...and no news means no set-backs! Praise God! Both girls weigh 3 lbs, 15 oz, so only a few more ounces before they are back up to their birth weight. I put Norah in a pink onesie today :) Audrey was snuggled in peacefully, so I'll put her cute onesie on later.

Chris went back to work on Saturday, and he misses his kiddos (all three of them). We have gotten so used to him being home! He only has work over the course of the next 9 days, and then he's on vacation for 6 weeks. Certainly our family will all be together during that time (we're praying!!).

We have received so much support from our KDO family, taking care of Ethan and providing meals this past week. Chris' wonderful parents came into town last night. They came straight from a cruise to the airport...they are just that awesome. Ethan is golfing with Grandpa right now and Grandma is working her genius sewing skills for her granddaughters' nursery. I'm off to grab lunch before having to "make" lunch for the babies...again.... and then hopefully a nap!

love: michelle

Happy One Week Birthday, Baby Girls!

Baby Scent

My hands smell like my babies.....mmmmmm.....makes me not want to wash them.....

And the news keeps coming

When we walked in this morning, both Audrey and Norah were off their IVs, had t-shirts on, and had their isolettes opened b/c they are learning to regulate their body temperature. They also are taking a bottle for every-other-feed and were up to 33 cc's (we had misunderstood this information before; they will keep increasing their volume 1 cc every 3 hours). Keep praying for our little girls to grow strong and gain weight!

Sweet Ethan is growing up so quickly. This week he watched Star Wars for the first time with Jace. He watched from beginning to end, including all the credits. When he got home, he found a brown rubber doorstop wedge, and has been flying it around the house as Darth Vader's spaceship (so, let the record show, our son loves to use "trash" as toys). Yesterday he was at a friend's house and played with a Millenium Falcon the whole time. So today, Chris surprised Ethan with Star Wars DVDs....Ethan is THRILLED! He has been telling us all about who the good guys and bad guys are and had to pause the movie to tinkle so he "didn't miss all his favorite parts".

For those of you who think Audrey looks just like Ethan....she really is the spitting image of her Daddy....

AND, someone very sweet made the girls the cutest nametags.

AND, someone else very special wanted to come visit us at the hospital while we were still there, but didn't want to disturb us. She drove there and sat in the parking lot for 40 minutes praying for us and our family. We are humbled and blessed by this kind gesture. There are so many people we want to thank, and we praise the Lord for all of you, and pray for Him to bless you and your families abundantly!!

Steps Forward-Edited to add more good news!

**Chris just called on his way home from his evening visit with the girls. Both girls are off their IVs and by 5:00 this morning, they will be at 30cc feedings--the maximum feeding amount! Norah sucks down her feeding within 4 to 5 minutes, so she will nipple feed every other feeding.

Since they are both off their IVs, they will hopefully get to co-sleep very soon. I wonder if Norah will try to dance on Audrey like she used to in my tummy!

Audrey Elise

Norah Isabella

Day 6 of the girls' life....

Norah: Still a silly little girl! She wore a shirt today and got her IV moved from her head back to her foot...not medical advances, but both sure made us smile! Chris fed her a bottle today, then she konked out and slept the rest of our visit in our arms. Yesterday I got to nurse her. So neat!

Audrey: Had the cutest hiccups today (see sideways video). The nurse and nurse practitioner could not detect a murmur in her heart anymore--Praise the Lord!! [I hadn't updated here, but she had a PDA--a small hole in the heart common in preemies. We were praying it would close on its own]. She also had her IVs removed and we'll see how she does through the night. I got to breastfeed Audrey today and was amazed at how she knew just what to do!! She was wide awake our entire visit.

Ethan: Still hanging in there....but also showing some "What's up with you guys being gone all the time??" disobedience (though still very little...he's such an awesome kid. We are blessed by him!).

Daddy: Just left again for a nighttime visit with his girls. He's the best husband and daddy in the world.

Mommy: Three words. Exhausted Milk Machine.

Silly Norah :)

Video and Pics of the girls

Link to Snapfish Album:
http://www1.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=260661979/a=4821718_4821718/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink

This is Norah under the bili lights. Her IV is on her head because they rotate the IVs around their body.





This is Audrey under the bili lights.