6 weeks!!!

Yesterday was a wonderful day in which Kalleigh and I were taking the day to celebrate our anniversary and our three little angels!!! Kalleigh, Vince and I started out by participating in a 5K for our neighbors church, and then we enjoyed the beautiful weather for a while, before Kalleigh's good friend and her husband were generous enough to watch Vince while we both went to see the boys!!!  It was the first time in a long time that we've both been able visit the boys together, and since it was only Kalleigh and I it was a really special time!  We ended our day with a nice long relaxing dinner out  while Grandma and Grandpa G. took Vince for the night!!! 

Joseph was wide awake when we got there and he was very alert and seemingly happy to see us!!! I know that's probably not true yet, but we like to believe it!!!  His big eyes were all over the place, and he was moving his arms around a lot, and of course he pulled his nasal canula out so the nurse had to readjust it, but his feeding tube remained in!

Nicholas was sound asleep when we arrived, and didn't seem to care to much that we were both visiting him!!!  He was doing great though and sleeping very peacefully on his back.  The boys both seem to enjoy their stomachs more, but the nurses try to get them on their backs just as much as because their heads are still developing and they want to make them as round as possible!!!

Both boys were receiving their last dosage of the Epogen yesterday, and the doctor told us they are not looking for the number of red blood cells to increase from the medication, but rather the number of developing red blood cells to increase.  We won't know how the medication worked until both boys receive labs next week, but the doctor was happy with their status after he evaluation yesterday while we were there.  The doctor also ordered that the boys move to Bolus feedings, which is different than the continuous feeds that the boys have been receiving.  Bolus feedings are intermittent feedings where the boys are receiving the same amount of breast milk through their feeding tubes but at a faster pace over a shorter time.  Joseph was on this type of feeding earlier in the process, but he wasn't tolerating it too well, but since they are farther along in their development now the doctors want to try again.  The doctor stated that on continuous feeds the milk fat can actually settle in the feeding tubes and not make it to the boys, so they don't receive the total caloric intake they need.  On Bolus feedings the milk is moving at a faster pace and doesn't have time to separate, which we found kind of interesting!

After all of our updates Kalleigh and I got to hold both boys for about an hour together, and it was fantastic!!! The room was so quiet and both boys were so good for us!!!  I will be heading to the hospital this morning and will provide an update on their weights and their progress from the new feeding method, but as of very early this morning, they were both doing really well!!!

Joseph sporting his bears pride!!!

Nicholas doing the same!!!