Sept. 30, 2007

Daddy's pretty little girl Stella

Stella hanging out

Daddy's pretty little girl Emerson

Emerson resting

Today was a pretty good day. Emerson had to go back on the chest tube vent and seems to be doing better with it. She had a couple episodes where the nurses had to help bring her heartrate back up but other than that she's doing pretty good. They started feeding her a little bit and are going to be working her feeding back up slowly. Stella is doing good as well. She is up to 12 cc's every 3 hours for food and seems to be doing well. Emily and I are doing well. We want our girls to come home so bad, but we know that they are in good hands at the hospital and need to be there. Thanks for all the prayers. Here are a couple pics of my beautiful girls.

Sept. 29, 2007

The girls had a pretty good day. Stella has had her food increased again and she is doing well. Emerson still has some fine tuning to have done. They're talking about putting her back on a chest tube ventilator because she seems to be very very tired. She has been working so hard and has been making so much progress so quickly they feel she may need a break. Other than that her exams and x-rays are looking good, so that means she may just need a break. This is just a part of the roller coaster ride that they said would come with preemie babies. We will continue to pray and know that everything will be OK. Please continue to pray for the girls to continue to have strength and to keep fighting. (Sorry no pics today...Daddy slacked off and forgot to take them)

Sept. 27, 2007

Stella resting

Daddy resting with Stella

Little Emerson resting

The girls are starting to show off their fun personalities. They are so fun to watch. Emerson and Stella are both doing great. They had to slow down Emerson's feeding because she needed a little break from the large amount of food they're giving her. Stella is doing awesome and is supposed to have the stitches from her surgery removed tomorrow. They are coming closer and closer to being put together in the same bed. Thank you all for your support and prayers, they have helped the girls through a lot as well as Emily and I.

Sept. 27, 2007

Today was another great day. The girls are togther and mommy and daddy got to hold their girls. They are both doing amazing. It's fun seeing their different personalities come out. Here are a couple pics of my little angels and a short clip of Stella in her bed!!!!

Stella saying HI

Emerson sleeping

Stella moving around!!!

Sept. 26, 2007

Stella's beautiful face

Stella's finally back with her sister

Emerson's pretty little face

Emerson resting

Thank God they're finally back together!!! Stella got transferred back to Columbia this morning and now our girls are finally back together. They have to have Stella in isolation for a couple days to make sure she doesn't have anything she can spread from the other hospital. They are both doing great and may soon be able to be in the same bed. Here are a few pics of our girls from today.

Sept. 25, 2007

TWO WEEKS OLD TODAY!!!! It's hard to believe that it's been 2 weeks since the crazy day the girls were born. Stella is going to be transferred back to Columbia at 8:00 AM tomorrow morning, so hopefully by the time most of you check this, she'll already be back with her sister. Emerson is still doing well. We can't wait to get the girls back together. We'll finally have more pics of the girls together. Thanks for all the support and prayers. Now we need the girls to start eating like their daddy and put some meat on those bones!!!!!!!!!! (I'll have more pics tomorrow)

Sept. 24, 2007

Stella ate today!!! We also found out today that Stella is probably going to be transported back to Columbia this Wednesday!!! That means that she was only away from Emerson for 1 week, instead of 2 or 3. This is great news not only for them, but for Emily and I because it will be less stressful on us trying to see them both so far apart. Emerson is doing great as well. They're talking about taking her IV out tomorrow!! Here's a pretty pic of little Stella being held by her mommy!!!

Mommy holding Stella

Sept. 23, 2007

Today was another great day. Stella came off the ventilator this morning and has started feeding. Hopefully she'll be heading back to Columbia in the next few days. Emerson is doing great as well. She has been put on the nasal prongs for oxygen and is basically breathing on her own now. She can move her head around now unlike when she had the ventilator on which was great to see. Here's a couple pics of Emerson. Emily will have the camera tomorrow to take new pics of Stella.


Emerson

Emerson relaxing!!!

Sept. 22, 2007

Emily and I have the opportunity to play musical hospitals this weekend traveling to St. Louis Children's Hospital in downtown St. Louis to see Stella and will be traveling to Columbia to see Emerson tomorrow. We found out late tonight that Stella has come off of the chest tube ventilator and has just the tubes in her nose, meaning that they will start feeding her early in the morning and will be talking about transferring her back to Columbia to be with her sister sometime this week. Thank you for all of your prayers and support during this time of trial and stress. (Sorry, daddy's slacking off on the pics...there will be more in the next day or so...I promise)

Sept. 21, 2007

Today was Stella's heart valve surgery. She came out just fine and they were able to close the valve successfully and are starting to feed her tonight. We are very relieved that the surgery is finally over. She is a strong little girl. Now the wait begins as to when she'll be transferred back to Columbia to be with her sister. Thank you all for your prayers for little Stella and her surgery. Her sister Emerson is doing great. I went and saw her today and she is doing amazing. Emily and I will be playing musical hospitals this weekend traveling to see them. Here's a pic of Stella right after her surgery.

Stella resting after surgery

Sept. 20, 2007

The girls are doing great. Stella is doing good and is stable at St. Louis Children's Hospital waiting to have her procedure done at noon tomorrow. Please keep my little girl in all your prayers tomorrow. Emily is in St. Louis with her. I went and saw Emerson in Columbia and she's doing great as well. They gave her a pacifier (for Aunt Karen;) ) today for the first time while I was holding her which was really cool. They're amazing, strong little girls. I'd do anything to be in their shoes because they're not going to remember any of this!!!!!!!!ha ha. Again keep our girls in your prayers so Stella will have a fast recovery and can get back to her sister as soon as possible. (Sorry no new pics today)

Sept. 19, 2007

Today was an interesting day. Stella had to get helicopter transferred to St. Louis Children's Hospital because she has to have the valve in her heart surgically shut on Friday. So for the first time our little girls are separated by about 2 1/2 hours. She should be in St. Louis for no more than a week and be transferred back to Columbia with her sister. Emerson is still doing great. Her food dosage was increased today. Keep our little angels in your prayers as they're apart and for Stella who will have the simple procedure done on Friday. Here's a couple pics of our little miracles:

Baby Stella
Baby Emerson

Sept. 18, 2007

Today was another good day for the girls. Emily and I were both able to hold the girls again. I got to hold Stella for the first time and Emily got to hold Emerson again. Emerson is taking eating very well. Stella's valve in her heart has not yet closed yet. She was given more medicine today to help close it by tomorrow. We'll find out tomorrow if the valve closes then she'll be able to eat...if not she'll probably be transferred to St. Louis Children's Hospital for surgery to close the valve. Please be praying that the valve closes so my little girl doesn't have to go through surgery. Thank you again for all your prayers. Here's a few pics from the day!

Daddy finally gets to hold his other little girl Stella!!
Daddy holding Stella

Baby Emerson

Baby Stella

Stella looking at the camera

Emerson looking at the camera!

Sept. 17, 2007

Today was a great day for our girls as well as for Emily and I. The girls were able to come off of the chest tube and now just have a tube up their nose. They're basically breathing on their own right now. The girls have come off their antibiotics as well as their medicine to lower their blood pressure. I was able to change Stella's diaper which was awesome but weird at the same time! Emerson got fed for the first time this afternoon and they're hoping to feed Stella tomorrow if everything works out well. Emily was able to hold Stella for the first time and I was able to hold Emerson for the first time. The feeling of holding your child for the first time is unbelievable. I will never forget that feeling. Here are some pics from the day!!

Mommy holding Stella
Daddy holding Emerson

Daddy getting Emerson handed to me

Stella's eyes!!!!

Emerson resting

Sept. 16 2007

Today was another amazing day. We went to see our girls today and Emily was able to hold Emerson!!! That was an amazing experience that she'd been waiting for for a few days. She may be able to hold Stella tomorrow. Emerson opened her eyes and showed off her beautiful little eyes. Stella has began opening her eyes but we haven't seen them yet. The girls are doing great and soon may be able to come off the ventilator for a while. Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers and support. We cannot thank you enough!! Here are the great pics from the day!!

Emerson looking at her Mommy!!!!


Mommy gets to hold Emerson!!!

Emerson showing off her beautiful eyes to Daddy

Emerson next to Daddy's hand

Stella next to Daddy's hand

Little Stella resting

Stella's beautiful little face

Sept. 15 2007. Mommy gets to go home

Today was a very emotional one. Mommy got discharged today and it was extremely hard to leave our girls 45 minutes away. We know that they are in great hands with the doctors and nurses at Boone Hospital Center. Here are some pics and a couple short videos of my little princess' breathing away!!

Stella's hanging out

Stella sleeping

Emerson's hanging out like her sis

Emerson sleeping

Emerson breathing

Stella breathing

Sept. 14 2007, cont...3 Days Old!!

The girls are 3 days old today and still going strong and fighting. It's unbelievable seeing them and seeing the miracles and power of prayer. Emily and I want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers. We have a long road ahead but when know that with the power of prayer the girls will continue to do great and grow and in a couple months be able to come home with mommy and daddy. Thank you all. Here are the last pics from Sept, 14.

Emerson's little feet

Emerson kicking!!!

Stella resting

Stella hanging out

Sept. 14, 2007 cont...Emerson's restless

Here's little Emerson restless trying to move around in her incubator. So adorable.

Sept. 14, 2007

Sept. 14, today is going very good so far. The doctor says they're doing amazing and couldn't be doing any better. They're still pushing on strong!! I'll add some more pics later. Here are a few pics so far today:


Stella's little feet!!!


Stella

Emerson's little hands and face

Emerson hanging out

Sept. 13, 2007

Sept. 13. Today was good. We found out that they're lungs are working like that of a 27 or 28 week gestation baby which is a miracle. They had a long day yesterday but they are still being strong and truckin' along. Here are the pics from the day.


Baby Emerson

Stella showing off her booty!!!

Emerson's face w/o the tape on it. (Don't worry the nurse isn't hurting her!)

Stella

Stella resting

Emerson resting