Baby Check- 2 weeks

Okay after my Dr. Appt. it was off to the babies appointment. We have been using Dr. Jennifer Trotter since Chase was born and we truly love her and trust her. The babies are growing fast they weighed in at:
2 weeks-
Lily 5lbs. 7 ozs.
Mikey- 6lbs. 5ozs.

7 Days old-
Lily 4 lbs. 13 1/4 ozs.
Mikey 5 lbs. 11 1/2 ozs.

5 Days old- Discharged from hospital
Lily 4lbs. 13ozs.
Mikey 5lbs. 10 ozs.

Birth Weight
Lily 5lbs.2ozs
Mikey 6lbs.

So you can see how they have be gaining weight. We spent probably a good hour with Dr. Trotter addressing all issues.

Lily is tongue tied but it isn't an issue yet since she is eating and growing we will wait until she starts talking to re evaluate but Dr. Trotter said lots of children have no issues with being tongue tied. Lily also has a clogged Tear duct which they say is common in preemie babies so we massage it everyday and it seems to be getting better.

Mikey is also gaining and growing great! We talked about his stay in the NICU and she said everything sounded great. He does have an issue latching on to his bottle and sucking and swallowing. So every feed it takes 5 or so minutes to get him to suck and swallow. Dr. Trotter said that in time he will get it but because he is a boy and boys have a tendency to be a little behind girls.

We are being sent to get ultrasounds on both babies on their hip because they were both born breech so we have to make sure they don't have hip displasia?. Dr. Trotter doesn't think they do but we need to check anyway because of them being Twins. Both babies lost their cords on Sunday May 25,2008 and both are drink 2 ozs every 2- 3 hours. They wake themselves at night to eat so that is a great thing.

Well that is all that I have for now we are getting ready to give them there first tub bath. Up until this point they have been getting sponge baths but now the cords have really healed without scabs so we are okay to get them all wet.

Laura

2 weeks...How time flys!

Okay Friday May 29 was our 2 week check ups. Eddie took half a day off to drive me to a 2 week blood pressure check. The news was the worst yet. My blood pressure was 151/99 which is high so I am being put on a low dose BP med and hopefully will be off of it within a month. The other issues that I am dealing with are the baby blues. Dr. McGuirk said that I am right on track with my reaction to placental withdrawal and since I had two placentas my hormones were really high and now they are super low. So I am super weepy and it doesn't help when you are sleep deprived. My other issue that I am dealing with is the Breastfeeding thing. I was able to nurse two singletons successfully but with having twins and the boys it has been very difficult to do. I was trying to pump but that wasn't working out because once I fed two babies, burped and changed them it was pumping time but never was able to finish b/c someone was crying etc.,etc. So that has some to do with the baby blues. Dr. Mc Guick is AWESOME and just reassured me that it is okay he just said that I need to take care of myself first so I can be the best for my babies and big boys. So with Eddie home with me this weekend and his mother coming on June 11th. I think I will make it. My mom has been helping with the boys and coming by to check on us during the day. Today I actually got out of the house for a trip to Babies R Us and it was a nice change and I think it did some good. So I am in pain with my milk trying to dry up but I have felt worse during this process. Good thing for pain medicine. My incision is healing well and my Belly in decreasing in size. I gained 36 Lbs. with my twin pregnancy and as of Friday- 2 weeks PP I had already lost 27 lbs. So I am hoping to get it all off which the Dr. said I would because I am still swollen and retaining fluid. He said that it should last at least 2 more weeks.
So that is my news check for the baby update.
Laura

Pictures of the Kids

First we have to start by saying Chase completed his first year in school. He has grown so much over the past year. He is truly an amazing child and Eddie and I are so proud of him! Get ready first grade here Chase comes!!

Chase getting ready to get on the Bus the last day of school 2008!

Lily and Mikey are fitting in well with our family.

Carter and Mikey
Chase and Lily Kate
Dad's way of feeding

I hope you enjoyed the pics. Check in for our 2 week check update.

Love,

Laura & Eddie + 4

Our 4 Blessings!!

Well here is the best that I was able to do with 2 tiny babies and 2 Big Brothers!! The boys just love their new siblings and love to kiss them goodnight. They are getting more and more interested in Mikey & Lily. I know soon we will have a lively house so if you don't love kids running around and Belly laughs you should probably steer clear of the Rucker Home. Eddie and I are truly blessed to have 4 beautiful & happy children we are still unclear of God's plan for us for these 4 but we are ready for what ever comes our way.

Chase ( almost 6),Lily( 10 days), Mikey(10days) & Carter (41/2)
Love,
Laura

Thanks to all who have helped us out!

I first want to thank everyone for helping us out during this special time. My Best Friend Michelle was with me at the hospital Friday, Saturday & Sunday when Eddie was spending time with he boys. She helped tidy the room and helped direct some nurses. She is also a twin with a brother named Michael. She is the one who always said that if I ended up pregnant that it would be with twins and she never believed we were actually having twins until now.

I also want to thank all of my neighbors. They have cooked dinner for the past 5 evenings for us. This has really helped us out in transitioning with the twins.
Thanks to everyone for all of your help!!

A great Big Thanks to my mom "Rita" for coming to help out everyday. She just finished tidying the house, folded the boys cloths and just put everything back together for us.

Thanks to Everyone!!

Surviving the first week with Twins and their big brothers!

Mikey and Lily 1 week old

Well, the babies are now 9 days old and we have been home for 5 nights. The first 2 nights were not so bad getting use to waking up and feeding 2 babies. Eddie has been wonderful in assisting with the feedings. I am starting to finally heal it doesn't hurt nearly as bad to get out of the bed for every feeding. We feed the babies change them and put them back to sleep. I usually pump at least once during the night to help build my milk supply which I will have to say is not going so well. It is a bit difficult to feed & change 2 babies and pump on top of that. I am trying my hardest and will work to my short term goal. Both babies are not latching on and plus they are so tiny and get tired so fast nursing when I do get them on. The past two nights have been wonderful with the feedings. Eddie and I really are getting the hang of it. We will have to start some modifications because Eddie will be going back to work on Tuesday and he will need some rest. So I am thinking that I will do the 2 am feeding on my own so he can get a 6 hour stretch of sleep. That is what he usually gets anyway because before the babies he was waking at 4:30am to head to the gym to work out before work so things won't be to bad for him now other than those early morning work outs won't be happening for awhile.

I will have to say we are so lucky because both babies are very happy and content for the most part. Lily is such the little girl and doesn't like to be dirty and Mikey is just and Angel that sleeps so peacefully. The boys are loving their new siblings. Carter is constantly saying "Mom I love your beautiful tiny babies" and I constantly reminding him that the babies are his too. Chase is now wanting to hold the babies mostly Lily. I think he knows what it is like to have a brother now he has a little sister to watch out for. Both of the big brothers are adjusting great to our new additions.

Eddie and I know how lucky and how blessed we are to have gotten pregnant naturally with twins and to have them both born healthy. We are defiantly counting out blessings every night.

Love,

Laura

Coming Home

Well after five days in the hospital Eddie and I were ready to bring our babies home to complete our family. We Packed up and headed home.

Mike & Lily in their coordinating carriers!

At home resting together for the first time!

More to come!
Love,
Laura