Update

Hello everyone...
This week has been tough to say the least...I did okay at the funeral, although it was obviously extremely sad. Especially with the open casket and the casket itself....it was just so tiny...
Last night I had a little PTSD episode and sobbed uncontrollably for about a half hour. Edwin was like what's wrong? I couldn't exactly pin point what was wrong, but I was just so mad/sad/upset/confused/etc about prematurity and why it is hurting so many people's lives, including those whose children are alive. There is still pain associated with those families too. I was brought back to the days of wondering if S&E would survive and the loads of crying I did during their 4 month stay. Then Edwin, Jr woke up and I held him and cried a little more. I felt bad that my in laws will never get to comfort Keiry that way. Then I had to pick up Serena and cuddle her some too. Thankfully she sleeps through just about everything and my neediness didn't wake her.
As far as S&E are concerned, they are doing great. This week they have tried cottage cheese and small pieces of soft American cheese. They did great with both, and really seemed to enjoy them. They also tried Gerber puffs, and did pretty well with them too...Serena did better than Edwin since she tends to suck her food anyway.
In terms of eating, they are doing really well. Beanie has decided Mommy and Daddy were right that eating is enjoyable and that she should take part in it. She now opens her mouth for every bite she's hungry for. Serena will eat turkey and rice and other meat baby foods, but Edwin doesn't care for them. He enjoys everything else, including any fruit or oatmeal/fruit or rice/fruit combo. They both especially enjoy Dutch apple and vanilla custard for desert.
In terms of motor development, Serena is now sitting without issue and has her own version of crawling. She inch worms around everywhere. She'll get up on her knees rock back and forth, sometimes very aggressively which just gets me laughing hysterically, and then launches forward. She'll continue this, and some slight correct crawling movements until she gets to where she wants to go. It's cute. Side note...my mom is buying me a video camera for Christmas but giving it to me soon so I can finally videotape S&E. Edwin's was stolen at the airport along with the videos we did have of the kids in the NICU :( So I am so excited about getting that and capturing all of the things S&E do.
Edwin has made MAJOR improvement even in the past 2 days I swear. He is now pivoting while on his tummy (something he hadn't been doing at all previously.) He is getting so much stronger being on his tummy, and now refuses to lie on his back, which makes changing his diaper just as challenging as changing Serena's. He is flipping and rolling around like crazy. He has also made some very serious attempts at crawling. He launches himself forward when he is able to bend one of his legs up enough to do so. He tries soo hard to get on his knees, but doesn't have the strength to be up on his hands to do it. In fact, he isn't able to push up on his hands while on his belly. He still rests on his forearms. It is A LOT of work for him as evidenced by his heavy breathing when he is on his belly, as well as the times he just puts his head down and rests for a second or two. It makes me worried and sad to see the degree of respiratory disease he has, but I hope he continues to be illness-free and gain weight to grow healthy new lung tissue. Also exciting about Edwin is his advances in fine motor. He used to have trouble reaching for toys, either that or he had no interest in doing it, I'm not sure. Either way, he has decided toys rule and he wants to grab and hold them all. Both he and Serena think the best toy ever is the toy the other one is playing with at the time. Today during EI Edwin was holding and putting a toy rattle in his mouth and then along came Serena who grabbed the other end and put it in her mouth. It was hysterical, but of course my camera's batteries were dead and I didn't get the shot. I was so proud of Champ for holding his own though because Beanie is stronger and better coordinated and she was trying to take the toy away that he had first, but he held on tight until she gave up and inch wormed over to something else.
Today my mom asked me what I was going to do when they got older and fought over toys. I said "I don't know." But the funny thing was guess what went through my mind without even thinking? Buy another one of whatever toy they were fighting over. Uh oh...NOT the answer. They need to learn to share, and I am hopeful they will be better at it than my sister and I were...oh boy.
We go to the pulmonologist Tuesday...I saw their NNP from pulmonolgy tonight with the kiddos while we were out to dinner with my girlfriend. Of course she came right over to see the kiddos...I love my pulmonologist, the NNP, and the whole gang. They are great. So we will have weights and maybe a change of order to increase the wean on Edwin? I kind of hope so, but of course his lung development and heart are most important and I don't want to over stress him, so they'll probably do bloodwork and maybe even another EKG.
I need new batteries in my camera, so I will upload when I get around to that. For now here are a couple I did upload. Sorry one more of Champ than of Beanie...She was napping when I took these of Champ.

He's getting sooo big


Tug of war over the blanket


Beanie going under the couch...she's been doing this lately...one day when I didn't have my contacts in and I was just coming out of the bathroom, I heard her crying but didn't see her right away. I semi-panicked until I saw her little face pearing out from underneath the couch.