NICU Part 2

Life has gotten a little busy since we brought the kiddos home so this post is a month late, but better late than never... right? Besides these picture are so cute I couldn't help but share them. The second part of our NICU stay seemed to last forever. When the girls were 5 days old they were doing well enough to get transfered to NICU 2. They stayed in NICU 2 for 25 days. I didn't think it was ever going to end and Andrew didn't think the hospital was ever going to let us take our babies home, but they eventually did. Once the girls learned how to eat on their own they were cleared for discharge. Eating on your own seems like such a simple task especially when the only thing you eat is milk, but it's quite the task when your only 34 weeks gestation. The girls hadn't learned the skill eat suck swallow before they were born so they had to learn it outside the womb in the NICU. This simple task took us 4 weeks to master. 4 weeks of going to the hospital 25 min away from home every day at least once. I got very familiar with the drive from home to the hospital. All I have to say is I am glad this part of our lives is over and we finally have our beautiful girls home!
Enjoy the pictures!

Family Picture - The girls were 1 week old

Adelyn 1 week old - Notice the hair color? I think I got my red head!

Emmalyn 1 week old

Twins, but definitely not identical 

Grandma came to visit!

After a few weeks I got tired of the boring hospital atire and I decided to spice it up a little with a bow for the girls' hats.
Adelyn 2 weeks old

Emma 2 weeks old with her bow

This smile fills my heart with joy!

Adelyns first bath

Andrew giving Adelyn her first bath

The girls got tired of lying on their backs in their cribs looking up at the boring hospital ceiling after a few weeks. They really enjoyed their bouncers! 
P.S. I love Adelyns face in this picture!

Andrew being a good dad holding Emma. He's such an amazing dad.

The girls sure are daddy's girls
Andrew and Adelyn

After 2 weeks the girls made it out of their incubators and into open air cribs
Adelyn in her crib

Andrew filing Adelyns nails

Grandma came to visit again!
Grandma and Emma

This time Grandma brought Aunt Kristine to visit as well.
Aunt Kristine and Adelyn

Peek-a-boo... guess who!
This is how I found this little girl one day. Emma loves her face covered

Both of Adelyn's ears are like this...  not sure what happened. I think she ran out of room inside me when her ears were developing so they are both smashed down.

Cute little Adelyn - 3 weeks old. I just love her!

Sweet Emmalyn - 3 weeks old. Look at those big blue eyes!

The nurse said they were crying and she didn't have time to hold both of them and give them the attention they wanted so she faced them towards each other and let them entertain each other. It must have worked because when I got there they were as happy as could be.

Grandma and Grandpa came to visit

Grandpa and Adelyn

Grandma and Emma

Emmalyn
I gor anxious to dress up these cute little girls

Adelyn

Emma
Thanks Izzy for the bouncer, it was a life saver! The girls spent  hours every day hanging out in these when we weren't able to be there to hold them.

It's time to go home!!!! Car seat test to make sure they continue to breath while in their car seats. They sat in there hooked up to their monitors for 90 min. They actually enjoyed it.

Waiting to be discharged. No more monitors and wires hooked up to the girls!

Emma - All ready to go home!

Adelyn - Ready to go! Andrew made their shirts (He bought tiny white onsies and ironed on the ctrl c, ctrl v) and I made their skirts. Finding cute clothes small enough to fit them was a challenge so we took the task upon ourselves. 

Headed home all buckled in. Now the real adventure begins!
We had no clue what was in store for us at this point. Had we know we may not have left the hospital.