Moving Up in the World........

Hello Family and Friends!

It was an exciting weekend for the Fassett family. The boys were "upgraded" to a different part of the NICU. They are now categorized as "Feeders and Growers". This means that they are no longer on any medicines/ IVs/ etc. Their goal now is to learn how to eat from a bottle or from me and keep growing. Nicolas is now getting 45 mls of formula/milk every 3 hours. Blake is getting 27 mls and will slowly work his way up to where Nicolas is. Nicolas continues to attempt the bottle and nursing, but stops after a few gulps. So when you look at these pictures you will notice a tube going through their noses. This tube goes down to their stomachs and is how they are getting their food. They check their tummies before each feeding to make sure that the last feeding was digested properly. So far, so good for both of them. They have both gained several ounces. Nicolas is just over 5 pounds and Blake is 3 and a half. You can see it in his face as his little cheeks are slowly filling out!

They both continue to be mellow babies. We both changed diapers for the first time and there was very little complaining involved. (well, except for Jeff....j/k Honey!)

We still have no idea how much longer they will be in the hospital. Like I said before, once they learn how to suckle, we'll have a better idea of when they might be coming home.

Oh, the other exciting part of the weekend was the delicious Mexican food we had on Saturday. Some of you know that Mexican food is my favorite and I could not eat it my ENTIRE pregnancy due to the nausea. Let me tell you, chips and salsa never tasted so good! The strawberry margarita wasn't too bad either! I'm slowly feeling like life is kind of getting back to normal..........Well, a new kind of normal.

Enjoy the pics of our beautiful boys!!!!!!

Nicolas- Our little cherub




Blake- Our little man








Hope you are all well!
Love, Rebeca

Happy One Week Birthday!!

Believe it or not, our boys are one week old today! I had a nice, long visit with them today and they are doing great! Nicolas is virtually cord-free. His infection is gone and he doesn't need IV fluids since he is receiving so much of my milk around the clock. The main skill he is working on right now is eating/suckling. He has taken some of my milk through a bottle, but couldn't finish it. I attempted to nurse him today and while he seemed happy, it will take a little while for him to get the hang of it. Once we stopped, he seemed to be in state of euphoria! He kept his eyes open for quite a while and just kept looking around, excitedly thinking about what the near future holds for him! Jeff and I both agree that he has a nice, big, round Fassett head. Jeff also thinks his eyes are green. Oh, he has now reached the five pound mark!

Blake is now taking my milk too, just at a lower dose for the time being. He is digesting it well so we are all happy about that. The nurses have assured us that he will start gaining weight quickly now since my milk has more calories than what he was getting before. He has the most angelic face ever and I could stare at him for hours!

I came home on Tuesday afternoon. I am slowly healing and becoming more independent. The dogs are happy that I am home but they seem to know that something isn't quite right. I am hoping to be able to drive early next week. Jeff and I went out to eat yesterday, which kind of felt like a first date to us! (even though it was only Topper's Pizza) We plan on going on a "real" date on Saturday for Valentine's Day. It might be the last one for a little while!

So for now, my days are filled with pumping milk for the boys, eating enough to produce enough milk, and getting it to the hospital in time for their next feeding! We apologize in advance if phone calls/ emails aren't returned for a while!

Again, thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers. We truly feel blessed.

Love to all,
Rebeca

So In Love.................

That pretty much sums up how I feel about my babies. Don't get me wrong, I loved them in-utero and as crazy as this might sound considering all my body went through, I miss feeling them move inside of me. But now that they are on the outside and we have faces/ personalities to connect them to their names, I can't imagine loving anyone/ anything more!

Quick update on the boys: Both boys are doing great and breathing on their own. Nico is quickly approaching 5 pounds and he started ingesting my milk today. They like to introduce it slowly through a tube to make sure their little digestive systems can handle it. So far, so good for him. He does have an infection that they are treating with antibiotics. They'll run bloodwork on him on Thursday and hopefully the infection will be gone. Both boys are in little isolettes that help them regulate their body temperatures. Nico is close to "graduating" into a regular crib. He should also be nursing sometime in the next few days. He is much more alert now that his breathing is under control. He loves his paci and being held by Daddy.

Blake is also doing well, but he does have some catching up to do in terms of weight gain. They don't want to introduce my milk quite yet, so they are giving him a high calorie food in his feeding tube. Hopefully he'll start getting my milk in the next week or so. He had a minor case of jaundice and so he has been under "billi" lights for the last 2 days to help him get rid of it. He doesn't really like it, though, because he has to wear sunglasses to protect his little eyes. ( which we are pretty sure are a beautiful blue so far) He continues to be feisty and definitely has Taylor facial features. We call him our little man.

Jeff and I are able to hold both babies daily and that is really the highlight of the day. They know our voices and seem so content in our arms. We are looking forward to holding them without worrying about cords/ monitors/ etc. Jeff was a little nervous holding them at first, but is getting more confident every day!

I am still in the hospital, but probably leaving on Tuesday afternoon/ evening. While I am excited to go home and see my canine babies, I know I will be a wreck leaving my boys at the hospital. I know that they are receiving very good care in the NICU and we'll all be together at home eventually, but it just doesn't seem natural to give birth, but then leave without your baby/ies. We can visit them at any hour of the day and they encourage parents to be there. I won't be able to drive for another week or so, so I'll be depending on others to help transport me to and from the hospital.

We have gotten a lot of visitors and we are thankful for that. Unfortunately we are in the middle of cold/ flu season so Jeff and I need to work extra hard to stay healthy. We really are trying to limit boys' exposure to any extra germs, so please don't be offended if you don't see them/ us for a while. If you come to the hospital, you can see the boys through a glass window. When they come home, we still have to be extra careful.

Okay, I really need to go to sleep. Thank you for all of your continued support. We'll keep you posted. Jeff has taken MANY more pics which I'm sure he'll want to post soon. He is a very proud dad!

Love,
Rebeca

First Photo Shoot

Hi everyone, remember that you asked for pictures!

Here is a little story of our day yesterday:

Here we are after realizing that the moment was upon us. Note the enormity and lopsidedness of the belly!



Here is the latest in hospital fashion! Too bad you can't see the whole "suit" and the covers over my shoes.



Rebeca in her way to the OR. On the left is Paris, our awesome friend and nurse who came in on her day off to work and be with us. A million thanks Paris! Cherisse is pushing the wheelchair and thats Darlene in the background, thinking she's not in the shot!



As it turns out, Paris is also a photographer! I gave her the camera during the procedure, because, well, look at the next two shots of hers. I stayed comfortably on this side of the blue curtain.



The moment of truth...this must be the cry that was sweet music to our ears. On the left is the great Dr Gus, our OB, who advised Rebeca to "be a slug" repeatedly during her bedrest.



And here's Blake, all three pounds of him. But he is actually the stronger of the two despite his size. There's me, up in the left corner!



Nicolas getting checked out a couple minutes after the birth. It was amazing how fast this all happened.



Then they brought Nicolas over so Rebeca could give him a kiss before they took him to the NICU. He still hasn't opened his eyes much!



I'm so glad I was here with my camera for this moment! How bittersweet, as it would be almost a day before Rebeca would see the boys again.



And as quickly as it happened, the twins were whisked off to the NICU, with me running behind with my camera. Teresa and Daniel were running behind me with the video camera, so I'm sure that's some good footage.



In the NICU, they made these little signs to put up with all the important birth details. Although those arent actually our feet...I do like the concept here and want to do a shot like this!



Nicolas looks pretty content at about an hour old. A little bit after this they put him on a ventilator to help him breath, and he's doing well and should be off tomorrow.



The nurse held him up for the family to see, although he didnt enjoy it much. Sometimes they open up the shutters so that family and friends can look in.

Here are the digits on Blake. He is breathing on his own and has been called "feisty" in the NICU.



He is so peaceful! He's already been sucking his thumb and we got to hold him tonight. Guess who got him to stop fussing in two seconds flat? I'll give you a hint, it wasn't me.



My favorite shot so far...Blake with his eyes open! That is a feeding tube going into his mouth, which he'll probably have for a couple days.



Here's a trivia question, for anyone but an immediate Fassett family member: how are Nicolas' feet different from mine? (And Scott's?)

So that's it for now. We had a great day today and look forward to tomorrow and the weekend. The proud Fassett grandparents and Uncle Dave are coming up and we hope to have lots of guests to share our joy.

Jeff & Rebeca (sleeping!)

Parenthood

Well, they say that there are those defining moments in life, the one's you'll never forget...and needless to say the birth of your children is one of those moments! I am proud to announce that Rebeca delivered Nicolas Riley and Blake Taylor tonight at 5:58 and 5:59, respectively. Nicolas tipped the scales at 4 pounds 12 ounces, while Blake was a more modest 3 pounds 3 ounces.

Rebeca is recovering and will hopefully sleep a bit tonight. Self administered morphine ought to help that quest. The Fassett twins are in the NICU and are doing well. Nicolas has some help breathing, but Blake, ironically enough, is breathing fine. We'll know more tomorrow about their condition, but everyone is upbeat.

They look great...but you wouldnt know that because I forgot my flash card reader and so you can't see any of the million pictures I've taken so far. Sorry, I'll fix that problem tomorrow!

I imagined nonstop screaming. After all, thats quite a life change going from the womb to the air. But they are so peaceful, it's really amazing. Maybe they will be quiet, happy babies? I am no fan of crying, but that first cry of Nico's was the best sound I've ever heard!

What an amazing day! And what a miracle to have two baby boys. I just wish that Rebeca could be enjoying this moment more, but soon enough. She'll be able to see the babies tomorrow.

More later...stay tuned for amusing stories about checking out of the hospital today (only to check back in 45 mins later), me waiting in the hallway with my camera before the c-section, and funny things that doctors say.

Thanks to everyone for their love and support and prayers! The fruits of our labor (so to speak) are the most beautiful sights I have ever seen.

Jeff

P.S. We'd love to see you at the hospital, please call first!

P.P.S. I want to send a shout out to the Baldies!!! Thanks so much for your support of Rebeca through it all...you really made a difference and helped her get to this day.

Is it really February????

Hello Friends!!
Before I update you with my status, I have to just tell you all how lucky I am to have such an amazing husband. I didn't know he was going to write a post on the blog and when I woke up and read what he had written, I was in tears!! Most of you know Jeff, but for those of you who don't, I don't think I could have married a more patient, tolerant, kind-hearted man. As some of you know, I am not the easiest person to please, and that's when I am not pregnant. Then you add in pregnancy hormones and things get a little difficult. He waited on me for 3 months at home and he never complained about all of my very particular requests, whether it be more ice in my water or having my socks straightened. (No one likes crooked socks, right?) The stress of this pregnancy could really harm a marriage, but luckily it has made us stronger as a couple and soon to be parents. He's my security blanket and he will be an amazing father!

As for me, I am excited to announce that I am 34 weeks today!! I never thought I would be able to say that. Being in the hospital is not fun. I take meds around the clock (which includes the middle of the night) and am trying to eat as much of the "yummy" hospital food as possible. My contractions are more constant and starting to get stronger. When I have more than 6 big ones in an hour I get a shot that calms them down almost immediately. Unfortunately the shot makes me feel very jittery and like I just had 10 cups of coffee. This can make it a little hard to sleep when I have them in the middle of the night, which is generally when my contractions like to act up.

The nurses hook up the babies to the monitors a few times a day to see how they are doing. They always comment on what good babies they are and are able to be traced fairly easily. I never realized how important the job of a nurse was until being in a hospital. They have all been competent, but some are more compassionate than others and, boy, what a difference that makes in my day. For those of you who were at our wedding, you might remember our belly dancer friend Paris. Well, it just so happens that she is a Labor and Delivery nurse here at the hospital that I am at. She has been taking care of me on the days that she is working and has made this experience a little easier. Thank you Paris for taking such good care of me and being my shoulder to cry on!!

So our target now is to make it to somewhere between 35 and 37 weeks. 35 seems doable, but 37 seems insane. But then I remind myself that I never thought I would see February!

Oh, Jeff forgot to thank our good friends Tami and Craig. Even though they don't live nearby, they have been a huge support system for us and have gone out of their way to see us when they can. We would not have a dresser full of clothes and a room full of baby furniture if it wasn't for them.

Some good things about being in the hospital:

• unlimited supply of crushed ice
• I get to listen to the babies' hearts beating at any time of the day.
• someone makes my bed and gives me fresh sheets every day!
• well, I guess that's all I can come up with for now!!!

Thanks to those of you who have called, visited, emailed, etc. I am hanging in there and can honestly say that once these babies are here I can say that this is by far the biggest accomplishment of my life.

We'll keep you posted!

Love,

Rebeca

A Husband's Perspective

What better time to make my first post on our blog! I've been threatening now for weeks, but here it is. Rebeca is in the hospital on bed rest and by the time you read this will be 33 weeks pregnant. I can't begin to tell you how brave, how determined, and how grateful she has been through it all.

Most of you know our story, but to think back a couple years and trace everything that has happened to this point...it has been quite a journey. And with every end there is a new beginning. The pregnancy will end and being parents of twins will begin. Of course, Rebeca will be a natural. I don't know anyone who is more suited, prepared, and excited to be a great mother.

As for me, I have a lot to learn but expect to pick it up quickly. When we tell people that we're having twin boys, we get this kind of sympathetic, "you're really in for it" kinda look. Having absolutely zero experience with babies, I really won't know the difference, will I? I used to say that it would be "fun" to have twins, not having any idea what I was talking about. Soon I'll get my wish!

Back to the hospital now...I just want to say how great all the nurses have treated Rebeca and I. I've always had great respect for teachers, and now I have great respect for nurses as well. Not just for their care, but for their emotional support, their smiles, their anecdotes and stories. They really make as nice of an environment as possible, and it truly makes a difference for Rebeca's comfort.

While we're on the subject of how great people have been, I want to thank our parents, Teresa, Allison, Darlene, and the Lorimers. They all helped in various ways while Rebeca was here at home on bed rest for three months and in general with keeping us sane. So many people have been so generous, including some of Rebeca's students who saved up their allowances to pitch in on some gifts!

So at this point, we get through each day, we hope that the contractions aren't too bad, and we hope that people want to hire me to take their picture. I am spending the days at home working and with the animals, and the evenings at the hospital. If you want to visit Rebeca, she loves the company! You can imagine the challenges of living without HDTV and Tivo/DVR...although she does have her computer and Facebook!

Rebeca has been doing so well, taking a myriad of medications and shots, eating most of the hospital food that is given her, being monitored with three contraptions over her big belly most of the day and night, tolerating an IV, and in general being pleasant when she is so uncomfortable. I don't know how she does it, but she has already exceeded our doctor's expectations.

We don't know how long she'll be there and when she'll deliver, but we do know that she has the best care available, and we cherish every day that Nicolas and Blake get to keep growing inside her lopsided belly. Thanks to everyone for your love, support, and prayers! Soon you'll get to see more twin baby pictures than you ever wanted to...but I won't be able to help it.

Love,
Jeff