Edwin's sweet face
Serena "clapping" her hands
Edwin watching Serena clap
Edwin sleeps so well in his car seat!
Serena cheering for Daddy!
Hello all. I figured since Edwin is in his swing and Serena and Daddy are sleeping on the couch I would write an update. On Friday the twins got their 2nd RSV shot (1st was in the NICU right before discharge). They cried of course but as soon as they were picked up and soothed by Mommy and Daddy they were fine. Serena is still my peanut and weighed 6 lbs 14 1/2 oz...that is still good though considering she weighed 6lbs 8 oz last Fri. Edwin is gaining weight quite well, and weighed 7 lbs 8 oz! He weighed 6 lbs 15 1/2 oz last Fri. So the pedi says we don't need to come back until next month when they have their next RSV shot! I was happy...I like our pedi a lot, but in the weather and with the O2 it's not always so fun to leave the house. Speaking of which, on Fri I had an appointment in the am before the pedi appointment. Daddy stayed with Serena and Edwin and I headed out. Apparently because we live on a small street with only a few houses they figured we don't matter and they barely plowed and didn't sand or salt our road at all! Well, I couldn't get up the hill, so I did a 3 point turn and headed down the hill...only to begin sliding and head right into a snowbank which was all iced over. Neadless to say there is now a crack in my front bumper. I am going to file a complain with the city because this is just ridiculous. So of course I was panicked to bring the twins out to their appointment, but the sun had melted some of the ice on our street, and we made it there and back safely. Thank goodness!
I realized I haven't writted enough about Serena and Edwin as we see them on the day to day...minus all the medical stuff so here it goes:
Serena
Serena fits her name to a T. It's funny, I had that name in mind before the abrupt arrival of her and her brother, but I was nervous to actually name her that. I didn't want to jinx anything and I was afraid the name (which means peaceful and serene) would fit her in a negative way...to be honest, I feared naming her that could mean that she just passed away peacefully. I know it sounds horrible but I was so worried about them not making it because they were so early. I wanted her to fight and survive, so it took me several hours to actually name her that and stick to it. She is a fighter, but is definitely also a Serena.
She is such a good girl. She rarely fusses. I know exactly why she is crying when she does, which is rare. Number 1...she is hungry. Oh I'll tell you....when Beana is hungry forget it. You can't warm her bottle fast enough! She wakes up ravanous! SO we have to turn her O2 up because she sucks the bottle so fast that she ends up choking 90% of the time. I have begun giving her a taste and letting her suck a little and then pull the bottle away before she gets carried away. I have convinced myself she just needs to know it's coming and she won't go crazy trying to suck it all down at once. It kinda works! :)
The other time she cries is when her binki falls out of her mouth...which is all of the time! Serena does 2 things after she eats...she either falls asleep or she is WIDE awake with those bright eyes and wants to suck. First you offer her the bottle again. When she is clearly done, she will make it known by putting her lips together and blowing (kind of like a raspberry kiss, and sprays the milk out of her mouth.) Okay, she is full. But she is looking around making that same fish face. Well, she needs the binki. If Serena is awake after a feed she HAS to have her binki. She sucks and sucks and looks around taking everything in. The only problem is she is so involved on focusing on the world around her that she drops her binki out every 3 seconds. Edwin have tried EVERYTHING to keep it in her mouth, and we usually end up propping a toy or blanket close to her mouth to help keep it in. Of course she only wants those green NICU binkis and it never fails that she accidentally spits it out; which is followed by her SCREAMING until it is put back in her mouth. SHe will then look at you with her bright eyes glossed over with tears and suck away. She is so adorable! The other thing about Serena is she has gas..a lot of it. 75% of the time she passes gas instead of burping during feeds. SHe passes gas at least once everytime she eats! The nurses try and try to burp her and I say over and over, she doesn't always burp, but she will get that gas out the other way. She never fusses because she is gassy, unlike her twin brother who we will get to. Serena also loves music and her mobile. As long as she has her binki she will focus attentively at the mobile going around and around. It's really cute. She also tries to suck her hands and anything else when she is hungry, including her clothes, your clothes, anything. I wonder if she will find her thumb soon? She is just so sweet and so easy going. I'm curious to know if this behavior will continue...I know Daddy hopes so! She is definitely Daddy's Little girl for sure!
Just in case you can't see from the pictures, Serena is beaufullly tan-complected, has large almond shaped brown eyes, brown hair with blonde highlights, and blonde eye brows. She has Daddy and her Abuela's nose and she is beautiful!
Edwin
Edwin is basically the opposite of Serena. In looks and in personality Edwin, I fear, is like his Mommy. He is major high maintainence! He doesn't tolerate pain (he is the screamer when the pedi just listens to his lungs, and for a shot, forget it he SCREAMS louder and longer than Serena every time). It's harder for Edwin I think because he has reflux. Feeding Edwin is an art to some degree. Lately I've literally been hoping and praying he doesn't spit up his food. I thought it was getting better until an hour ago when he did it again. It's like once a day that he projectile spits up part of his meal. I feel bad, but he doesn't cry after. He cries, or shall I say SCREAMS, when he has gas though. There will be times he is sleeping and he just lets out a wail and I go pick him up pat his back and he lets out a tiny burp and falls right to sleep. I am going to try drops to try and eleveate his gass. But Edwin is such a sweetheart. He can be a little fussy at times, but that is only when his tummy hurts, he is hunry, wet, or just wants to be loved. He immediately stops crying when he is picked up and just looks at you with these sweet eyes and long eyelashes and seems to say "I just wanted you to hold me please." Daddy went on the computer last night to try and find out when babies sleep through the night. He is obsessed with this magic date he believes exists because he has a really hard time waking up at night. They wake up every 3-4 hours to feed and it definitely doesn't matter if it's at night when Daddy fast asleep. I tried to tell him that they NEED to wake up that often to eat and it's a good thing...he doesn't agree. "Why can't they just take a lot before bed and then wake up in the morning." haha if only Daddy. They have no concept of night and day. So anyway, while Daddy researched this last night, he came into the living room where I was holding Edwin while he slept. He says, "Put him in his bed. He needs to learn he sleeps in his bed, he is going to be spoiled!" Well, that is an understantement, both are going to be spoiled rotten...with love that is. As of now Edwin doesn't need to learn where his bed is. As long as he is FAST asleep he will sleep anywhere, but if he isn't, and you try to put him down, he will fuss. Last night, I resorted to my trick of putting him in his car seat inside of his crib. Sitting up to sleep is better for him when he is really gassy, which he was last night. He was asleep on me but I put him down and he cried. I picked him back up rocked him, put him back and he opened his eyes. I talked quietly to him rocked his car seat back and forth and held his hands. He kept opening slits of his eys to peek if I was still there and finally fell alseep, upon which time I tip toed out of the room and he didn't wake back up. It's this kind of routine we play with Edwin that we don't have to with Serena. It's so funny that they have such strong personalities. Edwin also loves his swing. He is fascinated by the mobile and enjoys the gently rocking. I have one that rocks side to side and front to back. He enjoys both settings. He will sit quietly awake and look at the mobile without a binki...big difference there!He does like his binki from time to time though. Edwin is also the burper in the family. While Serena is passing gas, Edwin is letting out loud burps. You can count on him doing it 5-6 times per feed. He has also been making this little noise lately. Not exactly a cry but like the beginning of one. I wonder if it's his way of cooing. But he does it to get someone to come over to him. It's really cute I'll have to video tape him doing it.
Edwin is very fair complected. He has gold colored hair (literally) and his eyes are still that grayish hazel color. He has LONG curled eyes lashes, and perfect pouty lips. His eyes are a little smaller than Serena's but also almond shaped. He has the face of an angel and the hair color to match. He is so adorable too!
Well I hope that gives everyone a better glimpse of Serena and Edwin aside from all the medical stuff I usually write about. They are so loveable and so sweet, there is no doubt we made the right decision to save them. I know there are a lot of unknowns ahead (I still think about Serena's "echo" in her head ultrasound...I'm debating whether or not to get an MRI and get a diagnosis or not)...but no matter what I love my children and to me they are just beautiful, wonderful, perfect babies.
P.S. Daddy won the New England Golden Gloves... for the 3rd consecutive time. He also earned the Most Outstanding Boxer of the Tournament. He will be representing the New England region in the National Golden Gloves in Tennessee the first week of May. He is the defending champion. Let's make it 3 National Championships Daddy! One step closer to the Olympic Team qualifiers! We are proud of you! Thanks sooo much Grammy for babysitting us while Mommy cheered on Daddy!!!!
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