The first few weeks......

Here is Sawyer on the day he got to go home.

Here is Jesse holding Sawyer.

This is my 1st attempt to feed him. How cute is that face?

This is of Danner the day she got to go home....:)

This is while she still had in the chest tube.

And hwere she had in the feeding tube, chest tube, and IV's.

Well on April 3rd, 2008, Danner Ray and Sawyer Kure were born. Danner (girl) was born at 5:06 pm weighing 4 pounds 9 ounces and 17 inches long. Sawyer (boy) was born at 5:07 pm weighing 5 pounds 2 ounces and 18 inches long. They were swept away to the NICU where they spent the next few weeks. Having a c-section and having babies in the NICU sucks. I was stuck in a recovery room while my family, Jesse's family, and Jesse were off to the NICU to visit the babies. I wasn't allowed to go see them until 11pm that night. They had some complications that were unexpected of 34 weekers. They both had lung issues.

Danner was the worst. She had a collaspsed lung and needed a chest tube. I couldn't hold her until the chest tube was out. Poor girl!! She looked so miserable lying there. It took a week for her chest tube to come out and her lungs to operate on their own. After a week we had to start focusing on feeding and growing. I guess it is hard for little ones to suck, swallow, and breathe at the same time, so that was a battle. She really was a slow eater. There are 3 requirements to get out of the NICU. 1. Must breathe on their own. 2. Must maintain own temperature. 3. Must eat all feedings without feeding tube.

The last one is what kept us in there forever!! She just didn't seem to care about eating. She eventually got the hang of it and came home on April 25th.

Sawyer had a bit of an easier time. He had some lung complications, but they weren't quite as severe. He also had to feed and grow which took some time too. But he was ready to go home on April 21st. 5 days before Danner.

The good thing about the NICU is the hands on training. I had no experience with babies. Never changed diapers, never feed them, never burped a baby, but I learned all that in the NICU. We learned baby CPR, car seat safety, etc. I was actually able to spend the last 2 nights in the hospital with them proving that I could take care of them by myself. I think all parents should go through that training before leaving with a baby.