Things I never Knew

There are several things that I never knew before I began on this journey.  Here they are:

• I never knew what true exhaustion felt like
• I never knew that a person can truly do a lot for love
• I never knew that two little people would forever change my life
• I never knew how protective I would feel over my two little ones
• I never knew what motherly love felt like
• I never knew I would celebrate weight gain, eating and poop they way I do now
• I never knew that worrying about your kids would never stop

Update:
Emma and Levi are doing well and are on their way to being able to come home.  With each passing day they both get stronger and I am eternally grateful for how well they are doing. The other day while visiting Emma alittle boy across the pod stopped breathing and needed to be intubated. This little one also has brittle bone disease so this was a scary process. It was heart wrenching to sit there and watch what this little guy was going through.  I said a million prayers for him and also thanked GOD for how well my babies are doing. No one can truly understand what it is like in the NICU unless you have been there. It really is a roller coaster and we havent even been on a crazy one. Our babies have been blessed with very little problems.  I feel like these babies are really meant to be here and GOD has great plans for them.  I cannot wait until I get to bring these babies home. 

A few things that happened this week:

• Both Emma and Levi had their hearing and vision checked and they are perfect in every way. Emma's eyes showed a little prematurity but the doctor said he believes with time they will be perfect normal. 
• Both Emma and Levi weigh over four pounds. As of today (saturday) Emma weighs 4 lbs 10.5 oz and Levi weighs 4 lbs 5 oz!
• Emma can now eat 4-5 times by bottle or breast. She is doing really well with eating and the nurses told me they think she will come home in two to three weeks.
• Levi can now eat 2-3 times by bottle or breast.  He is a little lazy when it comes to eating. Apparently boys do not do as well as girls. 

A few people have asked about the criteria to come home. Most people think it is based on weight but that is not true. In order to come home the babies need to be able to eat all eight feedings either by bottle or breast.  The second criteria is that they cannot have any "bradys" for five days. A "brady" is a dip in heart rate.  Both babies are still having bradys but this is typical and completely normal for their gestational age.  I pray often that they will stop doing this as it is scary for mommy and daddy.

Here are  few pics of our sweet babies!

Levi now weighs four pounds!

Sweet Emma Girl

Mommy giving Emma a bottle

levi and his frog hat

A side by side comparison. Everyone thinks Levi looks like Clayton and Emma looks like me. I think they look similar but not too much a like.  Levi on left Emma on right.

 Mimi and Levi!