02.10 Update

(by Bethany from http://iamknittogether.blogspot.com)

Lydia - 1810g ( 3 lbs 15.8 oz....c'mon...just .2 more oz to 4 lbs)  Penelope - 1160g ( 2 lbs 9 oz)

Today has been wonderful.  Relatively quiet and no bad news!  Penelope's blood panel came back as IGG and EBV positive, which sounded really scary to us.  It turns out that I had been exposed to mono and the girls got the antibodies from me.  So that's good news.  Lydia continues to take full feeds from a bottle and today she got a full feed from the breast.  Penelope also took some milk from a bottle today.  She drank all 5 ccs that the doctor said she could have and still wanted more.  I guess these girls got my talent for eating! She's also off of her TPN (IV nutrition) and is getting individual supplements as needed.  They also got their eyes examined again and were still looking good for their gestational age.  So all around, good news!

Last night I was kangaroo caring with Penelope and let myself really tell the Lord thank you for her little life.  I nearly drowned her with my tears.  I know we've said we're grateful and we are, but last night it just really hit me that this precious little girl is nothing short of a miraculous gift directly from a loving God who heard our prayers and all of your prayers and granted us what we begged Him for.  I hope I never get over it.

Specific Prayer

• Penny's bilirubin to continue to go down
• Penny's transition to all breast milk full feeds
• Penny's IVs to last longer than a few days since she has no PICC line anymore for meds
• Both girls to continue to eat well and grow well
• Both girls to transition to keeping their own body temperatures up

Penny taking her first bottle like a champ!

Technically our first family picture....see...Penny and I are in the back

And technically our second family picture...this time with Jonathan and Lydia in the back

For those of you who play the "don't look" game....I think Lydia just got ya! For those of you who don't play it, congratulations on your maturity. For those of your who know sign language, I promise to wash Lydia's hands out with soap when I'm allowed.