The Shepherd Family: September 2005

the twins are home

We got to bring the twins home on 17-Sep-2005 after they demonstrated that they could wake up and eat on demand. Kylynn brought Ian to Omaha so that we could go home as a family. Ian loves them (so far) and loves to say their names and give them hugs and kisses. He's even held and fed them a couple of times.

one step forward, one step back

For a brief period of time, Noah and Tatum were in a crib co-bedded together. They couldn't regulate their body temperatures well enough, so they ended up back in an isolette together. Then, they were moved to separate isolettes since Tatum was doing better temperature-wise than Noah. Just yesterday, they moved Tatum back to a crib and Noah is still in the isolette.

Tatum and Noah were starting to grow but they put them on vitamins and the vitamins made them sick. It's hard to grow when you're refluxing and vomitting all the time. Neither Noah nor Tatum have made it back to their birth weight, but at least they're gaining weight again.

Here are the latest pictures of Noah and Tatum.

Noah

Tatum

Snug as bugs in a rug (well, in an isolette)

Noah

Noah visits Tatum in the crib

Noah visits Tatum in the crib (2)

Noah visits Tatum in the crib (3)

back to growing and out of the lights

After the initial weight drop, Noah and Tatum are starting to gain weight again. Both are eating well from a bottle now, though the nurses still gavage them sometimes. Noah and Tatum spent a couple of days under the lights for jaundice, but they're out now. Tatum is eating more and has spent a lot more time out of the isolette. She should be in a crib soon. Noah's had a rougher road (had some IV troubles yesterday) but they expect him to be in a crib not too long after.