1 week old!

Well, the twins are 1 week old today. I have to say that we had a pretty good rhythm going by Friday afternoon. We'd worked out the requirements to sleep, feed, pump, clean, and prepare for all of the above. However, as the weekend hit we introduced to unpredictable variables into the mix. Let's call them Element G and Element E. The new elements produced a sense of anxiousness and need for additional rules and boundaries. However, the Elements did also provide much love and genuine tendency for nurture.

Anyway, the girls, twins, and wife are sleeping now. It's not yet 8pm here. I'm going down shortly. Enjoy the new pictures and video.

We're Home

Well, we finally got discharged from the hospital at 3PM yesterday, and it's been quite a whirlwind ever since. We got home, unpacked the babies and our bags, then it was time for Joe to pick Gabby and Ellie up from daycare. The big sisters were very excited to see Maggie and Ben again, but Ellie was maybe a bit too eager, given that she's come down with a summer cold, with a very runny nose and nasty cough. Not great for sharing with your newborn preemie baby sister and brother. So...we did our best to temper her enthusiasm, for the time being, until she's back to 100%.

The big girls did well last night with the minor adjustments to their routine. For example, Mommy couldn't walk up the stairs to tuck them in, so we read stories downstairs on the couch, (until Maggie was wailing so loud, that her cries for feeding could no longer be ignored. For such a little munchkin, Maggie's got quite a set of lungs)!

The big girls slept through the night, but the babies apparently aren't quite acclimated to their new environment yet. We're hoping that Maggie's attempts to prove to us that she has colic will be unfounded after a few more nights, but last night was a rough one. Ben's a bit quieter, and calmed a bit sooner, but the 8PM -1AM stretch, was no picnic, and I'm pretty sure that Gabby and Ellie were the only people that got any sleep during that 5 hour period! After 1AM, we did better, thankfully.

Right now Joe's taking the babies on their first stroll. They were a bit jaundiced when we were discharged yesterday (although totally in the safe zone), so our pedi advised some time outside in the mornings, with some indirect sunlight, to help with that.

Tomorrow we head back to the pediatrician (and to the lactation consultant) for our first post-hospital doctor visit. Today, we're just trying to unpack, and figure out some sort of semblance of a routine! Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and congratulations!

Ben's faces

Here's a quick clip of Ben's faces...while he's sleeping. Enjoy!

From Maggie & Ben are Born III

Day 3 in the Hospital

We've been here for only a few days, but I feel like it's been a long long time. We've been through so much is three very very very long days. The days have truly blurred. We've been with about 20 nurses (no exaggeration), some named, some nameless. Been updated on stats and status countless time about countless things. And have been given a more than expected amount of conflicting information and advice.

With all that said, we are very grateful for the health of our babies. And I am grateful for all the breastfeeding practice Gabby and Ellie have given Basia in order to prepare for the twins. Basia is doing great. Feeding in tandem, pumping for supplements. I am very proud.

Ok enough of the reflective stuff...here's what you came for... more pictures and video. Enjoy!! Click the slideshow to access the web album.

Reunited, and it feels so good

From Maggie & Ben are Born

Maggie came out of the NICU today. Freedom at last. Having her in the room means we save an hour every 3hours with tandem feeding. Yay! Plus the twins get to share a bassinet. Bonus.

More photos, and an update!

It's a new day today. Not that we'd know it. Last night was full of activity...as is the days. With Maggie in the NICU across the hospital, and Ben in the room - we've been shuttling between the NICU and the nursery and the room, with the occasional visit from a doctor, consultant, or specialist - we've been busy. So we offer our apologies to anyone that may have tried to reach us on the phone, and missed us.

An update on Mags: Maggie came off all assistance devices last night around 2am. No more IV, no more Oxygen, and no more heater. The fine folks at the NICU are observing her, and will hopefully send her to our room this afternoon.

Benji: Ben's been doing well. It's hard to remember sometimes that even though he is the bigger of the two, he's still small. Therefore, he is under close scrutiny as well - to get and maintain his weight, feeding, expelling, etc.

We've added more photos and videos to the online album here: http://picasaweb.google.com/jcohen22/MaggieBenAreBorn?authkey=Gv1sRgCPbKi-mswcytdw

Maggie and Ben are Here!!!

From Maggie & Ben are Born

We want to share the news that Margaret "Maggie" and Benjamin "Ben" Cohen were born yesterday. (Still not 100% on the middle names...will let you know). I started having contractions mid-day yesterday which were increasing in frequency and intensity, so we we talked to my OB and headed to the hospital for the C-section that we had been planning, just a week earlier than planned. I was exactly 36 weeks pregnant yesterday.

Maggie was born first at 6:21PM and weighed 5 lb. 4.9 oz. and was 18 1/2 inches long. Ben was born at 6:23PM, weighed 5 lb. 14 oz. and was 19 inches long. Maggie has been in the NICU for observation b/c she wasn't getting quite enough air when she was first born, but she's doing great now. Joe has spent some time with her and I will finally be able to go see her shortly. If all goes well, she'll be in our room by this evening. Ben is doing very well, and has been with us all night.

They both have a full head of hair, although Maggie's is longer. Maggie reminds us of Gabby as a newborn, and Ben looks more like Ellie did.

I'm doing pretty well. The C-section recovery is a little more painful than I was anticipating, but I've already been on my feet once, and my night nurse said I'm doing great!