The Girls Reunited

To: everyone
From: JT & Writergrl


Hello All,

After 7.5 weeks, the girls have finally been reunited. Writergrl was able to hold both babies for the first time while JT stood by admiring (and snapping photos like a mad man). The girls looked at each other curiously and then held hands. Then Cricket gave Pumpkin a jab in the chin with her elbow and Pumpkin spit up all over Writergrl. Then both girls fell asleep peacefully for the next two hours while Writergrl sat grasping both of them to her chest and JT sat next to them with a grin from ear to ear telling every nurse that walked by that the girls had been reunited once again.

We have the girls' new breathing aparatus to thank for their reunion. Both of their lungs have developed to the point where they no longer need breathing assistance. They now only have a nasal canula, a long thin tube that gives them a bit more air to keep them from getting too tired but does not breathe for them. This new tube is long enough to stretch the distance between their incubator beds to allow us to hold them in one chair. Since the day we found out we were having twins, we thought about how it would be to hold them both and so today is a really happy day for us and we wanted to share it with all of you.

The girls are making great progress. Cricket, who was born over 20% smaller than Pumpkin, is now the bigger twin at 3 lbs 3 oz. Pumpkin is at 2 lbs 12 oz. She has had some trouble keeping all her food down and digestion has been a little slow, so we won't hold it against her. The doctors have her on reflux medication which should help her out a bit. Both girls are excelling at breathing, temperature regulation, heart rate, and pooping...all big things for babies who are gestionally now only 33.5 weeks. At 34 weeks Writergrl will begin to introduce nursing and bottling feeding, but it is expected to take some time for the girls to catch on to the concept.

Please enjoy the attached photos and again thank you all for your continued support and encouragement.

Best,
Writergrl & JT