Twenty Tiny Fingers and Twenty Tiny Toes

Surprise!!!!  As seems to be the pattern with these boys... they get to decide when things happen... we want to introduce you all to Nathan Andrew Utech (Baby A) and Benjamin Charles Utech (Baby B) who were born on January 14 at 11:44 and 11:45 am respectively.  Nathan weighed 3 pounds 13 ounces and Benjamin weighed 3 pounds 3 ounces. The morning started with our normal NST monitoring... all was well for the first 15 minutes until Benjamin decided that he was ready to enter the world!!!  He dropped his HR to the low 100's so Dr. Fairbanks had Emily call Brent (just in case), they started an IV on mom, Benjamin then regained his composure and put his HR back in the 130's with great accelerations and variability, Dr. Fairbanks warned me that I would be on the monitor for the rest of the day (just in case).... about 1 hour later (with daddy here) he decided that January 14th was the day.  It was a fast hour and 20 minutes of prepping mom and dad for surgery... calling Grandma, calling NICU and signing consents.  The surgery went well and we finally got to meet our favorite (yet slightly opinionated) little boys.  Both boys came out and mommy got to hear them cry in the delivery room... Thank you to Dr. Mrozek and the FABULOUS NICU team, both boys had central lines placed, both boys were intubated and placed on vents.  Nathan did well and needed minimal support.  Benjamin had a much harder time including two collapsed lungs and two chest tubes, blood pressure medications, 2 doses of Survanta (lung medication) and hydrocortisone (steroid).  Since Thursday evening, Ben has continued to improve... Brent keeps telling him to take "Baby Steps."  Nathan was extubated to room air early Friday morning and continues to breath all on his own.  We got to hold little Nathan for the first time and Brent got to change diapers on both boys for the first time.  

Thank you everyone for all your prayers, thoughts and phone calls.  Due to the strict NICU visiting precautions only the grandparents and aunts and uncles will be allowed to visit the boys for now. Emily remains in her same room on Station 54 visiting policy remains the same as it has been the last 9 weeks... you are welcome to visit but please call ahead. Emily will more then likely be discharged on Monday! We will do our best to post as many photos as possible.  We are looking forward to the time when the boys are healthy and will be able to meet the rest of you as well as our little puppy dog Berkeley.

Much love,

Emily, Brent, Nathan and Benjamin

P.S. We have started a shutterfly website, see link at the top of the blog.  We will try to post as many pictures as possible.