I know I haven't been keeping up on my blog at all but life just catches up with you and goes forward full force sometimes. Now here I sit in a hospital room, it's midnight and I just want to share the blessing of the past few days.
The Bardos bunch welcomed the twins into the world a few days ago. They were born on December 27, 2014 at 4:25 and 4:27 pm. Soon enough I will give details of the day but for now here is where we stand!
Kamdyn Louise weighing 4 lbs 9 oz came out first. She was a true fighter, being only 32 weeks along, they didn't quite get the steroid shot through my system long enough that it could truly get to the babies. But Kami still came out breathing just fine. She got wrapped up tight and I was able to snuggle my face next to hers for a bit in the surgery room. Since arriving she has struggled a little. She wasn't able to keep the air circulating so they placed her on oxygen to help her out. It has taken her a few days but she is now getting the hang of things and is breathing with just a little push of air but circulating her own oxygen. She is absolutely beautiful, she has the darkest hair, little squinty eyes and she hates being unwrapped. Of course we have fallen in love.
Andrew Randall came into the world just after his sister weighing 3 lbs 15 oz, almost 4 lbs...he wasn't quite able to get the oxygen flowing right away and was placed on oxygen immediately. I got a quick glimpse of him in the surgery room but then off he went with Kamdyn and daddy to the nicu. Since, he has just proven to be a rockstar! He was very shortly off of the oxygen and push of air and been breathing on his own since that night. He keeps all his stats up where they are supposed to be. He is very chill and relaxed almost all of the time. Today they had their first feeding day with breast milk into their feeding tubes and boy did he digest it right up. He's been able to go right into the next feedings without any problems. Andrew's hair is a bit lighter and he likes to keep his light eyes open a lot during the day. He is just so handsome I can't get over it!
Phil, the kids and I are all doing great. I decided to stay one more night in the hospital to be close to them. I'm really pushing myself to pump away and give these babies as much of my milk as I can. I can definitely say it has been a few days of roller coaster emotions for me. Being a mom is one of the best gifts in the world, and I have 6 amazing children already to show for that. I may not have given birth to each one but I have fought for them, protected them, loved them, nurtured them and will continue to for the rest of their lives no matter how old they get. But these last few days have been difficult, here you carry these beautiful humans inside of you for whatever the time frame God allows, then they enter this world and it took me a while to truly understand my role. The nurses and doctors are directly in control of their daily lives, we have of course only dealt with amazing nurses and doctors, but for a mom you feel lost. What can I do to protect them and show them I'm here. But the most amazing thing I just witnessed walking into the nicu at midnight to hand over my one thing I know I can give them, milk, was that they know I'm here for them! God already taught them who I am and all I had to do was say hello and I love you too both of them and I could tell they heard me and reacted to my voice. As we continue to visit as often as we can in the nicu, I'm confident they will just get stronger and stronger and be ready for anything this world throws at them! They better be because their 7 siblings are just dying to meet them face to face and smother them with love and kisses!
