4 Months Old

The boys are 4 months old today and doing great.  With the weather warming, we have been able to take them on some short walks around the block which they love.  They boys are also starting to sleep more consistently and longer during the night which is a big relief for Mom & Dad.  Below are some pictures of the boys enjoying their activity gym.

Mommy & the Boys

Anthony & Alex

3 Months Old

Today is the boys' 3 month birthday... Happy Birthday Boys!!!

We need to apologize for not updating the blog any sooner, but the boys are quite a handful and we have been just too tired in the evening to do very much of anything.  The good news is that the boys are doing great and are growing like weeds.

We had a pediatrician appointment today and the boys got good marks from their doctor.  Alex is now 8 lbs. 5 oz. and Anthony is a whopping 10 lbs. 9 oz.  The boys have essentially tripled in weight from their birth weight.  The doctor is very pleased with how they are growing and their motor development to date.  We are so happy that the boys seem to be doing so well.

Tricia and I are also doing well, but we could not of imagined how much work these two guys are.  Unfortunately, the boys need to eat so much so frequently that we have to get up usually at 2:oo am and 6:00 am to feed them.  It is really playing havoc on our sleep but we are getting by.  We have begun to see some improvement in their sleeping and we think they may be able to sleep 6 hours straight in a few weeks.  That will be a welcome change.

We have had a few visitors, mostly family and a a couple of friends, but we are still following our doctor's orders to minimize visitors until the weather really warms up.  We will have to keep the boys cooped up in the house until the end of May.

Below are a few pictures of the boys.  Some of them are a couple of weeks old, but they are pretty fun to look at.  Enjoy!

Albie & Tricia

Anthony & Alex

Alex

Anthony

Homecoming Day

Big News!!!!

Alex was released from the hospital and we brought both boys home yesterday afternoon.  Grandpa and Grandma Fratini were here to help celebrate the occasion and to help pack up all the stuff from the hospital.  Grandma O'Grady came by later with a delicious dinner for us.  The boys had a good night and seem to be adjusting well to their new home.

Much more information to come as we get settled in.

Sweet Dreams for Valentine's Day

Anthony - Dreaming of the day when newborn sized clothes fit.

Alex - Dreaming about going home...

7 1/2 weeks old

"Look Mommy, no oxygen!"

Quick update on the boys:

Anthony, who was released from hospital care last week, is doing great. He has been staying with Mommy in the hospital until Alex is ready to be taken home. Anthony is up to about 6 1/2 pounds and keeping his brother company. We took Anthony out of the hospital for the first time yesterday for visits to the eye doctor and pediatrician (of course it had to be the day of a snow / ice storm). He passed his eye exam and the pediatrician said things are also looking good.


Alex is also making great progress and the doctors are beginning to plan his release. He has been off all breathing assistance for several days now and seems to be tolerating completely breathing on his own fairly well. He has also been eating all his food by mouth and his feeding tube was taken out several days ago as well. His last hurdle is to go five days without a heart rate drop. He had one drop two days ago so the doctors are watching him closely to see if he can make it until Sunday without another one. It sounds like he may be released on Sunday at the earliest and the doctors may send him home with a heart rate monitor if they are still worried about future heart rate drops. Alex is up to about 4 lbs 12 oz.




Tricia has been essentially living at the hospital for the last nine days providing all of Anthony's care while also taking care of Alex as much as she can. Most nights have been rather rough as it seems like one or the other boy is fussing at all times during the night - mostly it is Anthony who is the fussy one - he just really likes to be held. As a result Tricia is hardly getting any sleep.


We will see how the next few days turn out, but we may have both boys home very shortly!!!


Albie & Tricia

Good News

Hi everyone!  Tuesday was exciting day for us, after 43 days in the hospital and on my Mom's Birthday,  Anthony was released to go home!  After some thought about leaving Alex at the hospital while taking Anthony home, we decided against it.  We wanted to bring the boys home together.  Afterall they were "womb-mates!"  Since they are twins the hospital gave us an option to board at the hospital with the discharged twin until the other one is released so that is what we have been doing.  I have been there since Tuesday afternoon taking full care of Anthony while still assisting in Alex's care.  The first night was an adjustment but the boys and I sort of figured out a "groove" pretty quickly.  

Albie, being the awesome husband he is recognized I was lacking in the sleep department so he offered to stay with the boys tonight so I could go home to rest.  But if you notice the time I am posting this you will see I am still wide awake.  Anthony has brought me back to my old flight attendant red eye days by staying up half the night, two nights in a row. Hopefully he is behaving better tonight for Daddy.

Alex is making great strides every day!  His oxygen level has been reduced to 24 percent today. The room air we breath is approximately 21 percent so he is getting there!  They guess by the end of the weekend, he will be there and then the next step will be to take the nasal cannula off all together.  He is off all of his medications as of today so once his cannula comes off they will start a 5 day countdown with him being off of everything while still being monitored.  If he gets through that period without any heart rate drops on the monitor, he too will be released!  So if all goes well we could get the boys home as early as next Friday!  

The boys nursery at home is still in progress but their bassinet, car seats and other necessities are good to go!  Daddy and Grandma painted the room a very cool blue, I picked out all of the decorations and slowly but surely it is coming along...stay tuned for updates and pictures.  Love to all of you and we will post more soon!  Tricia    

Superbowl Sunday

"Hmmm, I wonder what Alex is doing?"

"Listen, we can hang out as long as we're quiet."

"Ohhh...quit laughing so loud Alex, the nurse is coming!"

"She heard you! Do something quick! Act like you are crying!"

"GEEZ not so loud, maybe act like you are sleeping instead!"

"Is she gone yet??"

"Oh no, don't tell me we're in trouble Anthony!"

"Listen Alex, stick with me and you will never be in trouble!"

 Pictures and captions compliments of Mommy...