The Girls Team

The twins are here. Thank you, Trista, for making me accountable and reminding me to post something. I have been quite remiss in blogging. I must admit I am feeling somewhat like a robot: feed, change, sleep, feed, change, sleep, rock, pacifier, etc.

Anywho, Cathleen Waldron and Harper Bernadette arrived on December 16, 2006. Both of the girls were healthy and we all came home from the hospital together. It has been wonderful and tiring. It makes one infant seem like a piece of cake! That being said, I am lucky to have one VERY easy baby and one that is pretty good.

We had a huge scare with the newborn screening results. Cate tripped the indicator for a disease called Glutaric Acidemia Type I. As a result, we had to bring both girls back for blood work. After four exhausting and stressful hours in the lab (with several needle sticks into 10-day old premature babies), we found out 2 weeks later that Harper's blood work came back with traces of glutaric acid. We are fed up with the whole process. It is possible that they were both false positives. They want to do DNA testing on them now. We are hesitant to even continue with it since the lack of any positive test results does not necessarily mean that they don't have the disease. The disease is an inablility to break down amino acids. It would show up when they are sick and unable to eat. If they are not given IV fluids, they could have seizures which lead to brain damage...not a pretty disease. I won't bore you with all I know about it--you can follow the link if you want to learn more. Since both of them are thriving and gaining, we even further believe that they are not sick.

Besides that, I am trying to form some kind of routine so I can get them sleeping and eating at the same times. Easier said than done! I think this will take some time.

In addition, one other little update: they were supplemented in the hospital with formula. Once my milk came in, Harper transitioned to nursing without a problem. Cate: not so much. She was quite happy with the bottle and let me know this when I would try to nurse her. She would give me this bitter face and start screaming. So, Cate is bottle fed: mostly formula with some expressed breastmilk. She will humor me and nurse every now and then (mostly for comfort) if she is not really hungry. She doesn't want to mess with the breast if she is hungry. This whole scenario is kind of telling of their personalities so far: Harper is very laid back and Cate is a little more opinionated. So, we are doing our own experiment: formula vs. breast milk. So far, breast milk is winning for giving longer stretches of sleep at night. We've debunked the theory of formula holding the baby over for longer periods of time.

As for me, I am trying to adjust and feel human. I try to get out when I can. Of course, it is about 5 degrees today! We are home a lot and I am attempting to appreciate this stage of their lives and all its wonders.

As for their big brother, he is doing pretty well, I suppose. He still gets out of the house 4 out of the 5 days/week which helps A LOT. He is struggling with going to school (they had to tear him away from me yesterday--screaming and crying--UGH). Besides that, he is doting on the girls but a little less patient with his dad and I. I am trying to carve out time just for him, but no matter what I do give him, it is not enough in his eyes. The mother guilt begins. I am looking forward to warmer weather and the chance to get outside with everyone. No small feat!

Sorry for the long, rambling entry. I have had a lot going on and can't seem to organize all the streams of thought. Perhaps I should try to blog more often and I wouldn't have this problem. Once again: easier said than done.

Thanks for reading--if anyone still does. Til next time...