Too tired for creative titles

A home-health nurse came to our house this morning, and this time it wasn't for me. I found out yesterday that Dylan and Owen qualify for the specialty Synagis shot which is a vaccine that helps protect premature babies against RSV. "Helps protect" is the key phrase...it isn't a sure-thing...so if you think I'm psycho about hand-washing, you can call my nurse and ask her to give you the same lecture she gave me this morning about the importance of it (she actually told me if a person won't wash their hands for some reason, I should tell them the babies' nurse won't let them hold them...ha!)...especially Ethan, since he's likely to be the "carrier" of all things nasty into our house. Anyways, Ethan got these shots too, and it was before my blogging days so there are no rants that can be read about the total snafu that was flu season during his infancy...but I assure you it was filled with lots of irritating trips to the clinic, can't-catch-my-breath-crying calls to my mom, and dropping-of-the-f-bomb (yes, me!) to the company that runs the Synagis program. But, that's neither here nor there now...he got the shots and he didn't get RSV.

**Check out the links for more background on why I'm being pscycho...I was further freaked out today after seeing the nurses diagrams...lung development of term babies versus premature babies...vessels of term babies versus premature babies...while Dylan and Owen look good and healthy on the outside, they are SUPER vulnerable on the inside.

I expected the same type of insurance coverage/program qualification war when I asked the NICU nurses why they hadn't received the December shot upon their discharge and was told that they didn't qualify (their discharge papers clarified that Dylan did not qualify and Owen might qualify). I vowed to take up this issue with our pediatrician at our first visit (we are heading in on Friday morning to meet with a pediatrician...not ours, but it was the earliest I could get two babies in to the clinic with anybody). But yesterday I got a call from the shot-admin company asking to set up Owen's first shot and I brought up the whole why-the-heck-doesn't-Dylan-qualify and they told me that a form from the hospital was never even sent in for Dylan...long-story way short...new forms were sent in to our pediatrician with their risk factors (prematurity, time in the special-care-nursery, older sibling, etc), he signed off on them, admin company verified our insurance coverage, they had a home-health nurse call me, and the nurse came this morning to administer the shots to BOTH boys! Hurray...success...no tears (from me)!

The boys had little mini-exams...since the shot is based on weight...Dylan is 7lbs 1oz and Owen is 6lbs 7oz...they were 6lbs 4oz and 6lbs 1oz, respectively, upon their discharge dates last week. No "failure to thrive" labeling here!! The nurse even said there was "good parenting" in this household...of course, we love to hear that!! Even though we are going in to the clinic on Friday, it was great to get a chance to ask the nurse a few questions, and get a professionals reassurance that they are doing wonderfully! I have been a little concerned about Owen's intake...but he's been doing much better with the bottle since he's been home, and isn't consistently spitting up anymore (although he had a doozy after his last feeding!)...when the NICU nurses called to follow-up the other day, I asked them about the feeding/spitting concerns and they said to make sure that he has wet diapers and doesn't show any signs of jaundice...so of course, my mom and I have been staring at him during the day to see if he looks yellow at all...his complexion is different than Dylan's...Dylan is much more pink, but he's got blonde hair and Owen has really dark hair and lighter complexion. The nurse assured us he looks just fine.

Dylan and Owen were 3 weeks old on Monday...holy crap...is that it?! It seems like so much has happened in the last 3 weeks. I'm going to try and take weekly pictures of them while I'm on my leave...attached is a picture from yesterday...our best attempt to get their "little" heads together (would you believe that Owen's head is actually bigger...it was measured today by the nurse...Dylan looks bigger to me!)

We feel like we're getting to know them a little bit more every day. Dylan has been really alert a lot and seems to have an older face (even the nurse commented on this today)...like he's wise beyond his years or something. His features seem more pronounced and he's very handsome. He's a voracious eater...he has been pretty low-key, mellow...good with a pacifier and quiet at night. Owen is my little peanut...and despite his apparently bigger head, he is the little one (I'm finding myself feeling a little overprotective already!), but freakishly strong. Every time I put him up on my chest to burp him, he lifts his head up to look at me...already...at 3 weeks!! We struggled a bit with his feedings the first day or so, but he's catching up very well. He needs to be held upright after feedings to help prevent the spitting up, and is a little higher-maintenance at night, but I don't mind the extra-snuggling. He looks more baby-like than his twin brother...but he's cute as heck too!

Ethan, oh Ethan...how wonderful you are! Our oldest has been so great. We are having some sleep issues at night which have to be correlated to the current craziness in the household...because we just worked through the same don't-leave-the-room-issue a few months ago. Regression is typical when new siblings arrive. We're working through it, trying to make it as easy as possible on all of us with still sticking to us parents being in "control". Still, it stinks. When he's awake, things are great. He likes to hold the bottles for the babies during feedings and hasn't seemed to mind them being around much...he does actually like to say hi to them and doesn't flip out if he needs to wait for someone to read him a book or something if we are occupied with baby. I think his lack of acting out on the babies is largely attributed to maintaining his routine with Gamma Leslie, which started again this past Monday. For now, the transition seems to be going ok. His talking is out of control and hilarious...lately he has been giving us permission...as in "You can read this book, Mommy"..."You can do Superman, Daddy"..."You can talk to Mommy, Gramma Nana"...He is incredible.

Dylan (L) says "Please, please...no more pictures!!"

Ethan and Daddy opening a few gifts on Christmas Eve morning