The past three weeks have been good ones for Pumpkin and Cricket. They are now 11 weeks old, and 37 weeks gestational age which is typically full term for twins. The girls are beginning to look and behave much like babies born full term, just a little smaller. Cricket is now 4 lbs 12 oz and Pumpkin is 3 lbs 10 oz. Both girls are now out of the incubators and in real baby cribs. Despite being the smaller one right now, Pumpkin has taken to breast- and bottle-feeding ravenously (Does anyone remember Kirsten Dunst's character in "Interview With a Vampire"?). She is also completely off all oxygen support and nurses say she will likely be the first one home. Cricket is still our champion eater but she still likes to do it more through the feeding tube, so she can take a nap and eat at the same time. We are trying not to infer personality traits at this point but it is hard not to. Cricket also enjoys grunting so hard her face turns into a bright tomato whenever a poop is on the way (Pumpkin is a bit less vocal, but spends more time with her eyes open, taking it all in). Cricket's oxygen level is on the lowest setting possible and nurses say that the tube itself is probably blocking more air going into her nose than the amount of air actually flowing from it. Still every time they take it off, Cricket will fuss enough to set the machine beeping requiring them to put it back on her. Again we are trying not to infer anything from all of this...but oh so hard not to. We are hoping that both girls make it home in the next two weeks. We will update you all again if either or both are homebound anytime soon.
Warmest,
Writergrl, JT, Pumpkin and Cricket
P.S. For everyone who wants new photos, we've got 3 this week - First is Pumpkin and Cricket in the same "Twins Rock" onesie that has become a favorite of the nurses (you can see how much they look alike - it is just the size difference that helps us differentiate). And we got a good shot of Pumpkin as we were giving her a bath last week. Saturday night is bath night in the NICU, so now you know what we've been doing for our Saturday night date night.
