No more Oxygen!

The day has finally come... Benjamin is oxygen free!!!!  Benjamin passed his overnight pulse ox study with flying colors and I got a call yesterday from Dr. Maynards office... "take him off the O2!"   A couple of months ago I got an email from a friend who also had a Preemie baby... at the time I was having a hard time with the loss of the normalacy of my pregnancy and preemie babies... in her wisdom she told me to focus on my babies... not the "normal" or other babies around you, instead focus on your milestones... so here we are "the day Benjamin got off oxygen"... March 29th 2010, that is one for the baby calendar!!!  
Each day continues to be a challenge... a good challenge (on most days).  For those of you who have spent the day or night with me.... thank you!!! Oh and for those of you who haven't spent an extended amount of time with us, here are some quotes..."Oh this isn't bad...., "they are angels,"  "wow I bet you need alot of coffee," "your house looks like Babies R Us," "Wow you have alot of dust on your coffee table," "you are one busy lady!" "oh no... he is peeing on me!"  "he just threw up on me!" "what a production" (trying to get everything ready for a walk), "good thing you got a mini van!".... so for those of you still interested... visitors are welcome anytime:)  
And for those of  you who keep asking..."do you nap?"  Here are some statistics on our day... 16 diapers, 12 wipes, 16 bottles, 40 ounces of breastmilk, 100 minutes pumping, 4 hours bottling, 4 pairs of socks (plus the time we spend looking for the sock that always falls off), 4 onesies, 2 sleepers, 2 outfits,  10 burp clothes,  books, rattles, toys...taking them out and putting them away, 4 blankets, let Berkeley out and in... throw a few frisbees to her, load and unload the dishwasher, laundry, laundry, Laundry and if Brent is really lucky... Dinner!!!  So to answer the million dollar question... no I don't nap, but I do hope to sleep at night again very soon:)
I will put up new photos and videos on Shutterfly soon.'
Love always,
The Utech's

Nathan's Surgery and other adventures...

As many of you know Nathan had hernia surgery on Wednesday morning at Children's hospital in MPLS. He did really well... surgery took maybe 45 minutes and then we spent 12 hours in the short stay unit.  Nathan got lots of one on one time with Mom and Dad while Ben was safely at home with Auntie Hannah and then Gramma and Grumpy getting his share of one on one time.  
We again had weight checks today: Nathan weighs 8 pounds 3 ounces (this might be slightly high due to the large amount of IV fluids he received yesterday after surgery) and Benjamin now weighs 6 pounds 7 ounces (officially doubling his birth weight).  Both boys got their 2 month vaccines last week.  Benjamin had an appointment with the lung doctor and will have his overnight pulse ox study tonight... please pray that he passes... then we can loose the oxygen (one less thing for mommy to carry around).  
Other Adventures...

Uncle Adam was on Spring Break so he came and played with Ben and Nathan, we are loving the nice weather and are going on lots of walks, playing on the floor with toys (mommy makes us practice "tracking" with rattles), working on head control (Tummy Time), swinging in the swing, eating more and more and wearing shoes for the first time.  We are looking forward to more time outside, Easter and Nathan and Benjamin's Baptism. There are new photos on Shutterfly.
Love Always
The Utech's 

Spring is coming!!!

Hello to all
The weeks are now flying by... I guess that that is what two babies does to your life!!!  We are officially settling into life as the parents of two little boys.  We are working on a routine... getting use to the lack of sleep and starting to plan our life again (summer trips, twins games, dinners with friends, celebrating holidays, photo sessions, walks in the sun with the babes and the puppy).  It is so nice to finally feel "NORMAL" again...  
Benjamin had a check up with Dr. Maynard(lung doctor) today.  We will be doing an overnight study without the O2 sometime next week and if he passes that then we will be oxygen free some time early April!!!!  Yeah :)  Ben was 5 pounds 14 ounces at the doctor today and takes about two ounces of milk  every 3 hours.
Nathan is also doing well... he loves to eat and would do it every two hours if we let him!!! He is taking about 3 ounces every 3 hours and he will have his weight checked tomorrow at their 2 month appointment. Nathan will have his hernia repaired next Wednesday at Children's Hospital in Mpls.
We have been getting many requests to meet the boys.  We would love to have all HEALTHY adults meet the boys but unfortunately little kids are going to have to continue to wait until mid April when RSV (an upper respiratory infection) season wraps up.  We have to be really strict to protect both boys but especially Ben... as a small cold to one of us could land Ben back in the hospital on a ventilator. We are planning a big open house on June 19th for everyone to come and meet Benjamin and Nathan so don't worry at some point the boys will be "open to the public," as one future babysitter asked her mom!!!  
I will post more photos on Shutterfly tonight and will post updates from the 2 month appointment tomorrow!!!
Love Always,
The Utechs

It takes Two...Parents that is!!!

We made it through the first week with only a few tears (me not the babes) and many more smiles, laughs and snuggling with babies!!!  We made our first trip with both Nathan and Ben  to the pediatrician, to Gramma and Grumpy's house and even to the Fair Inc. (Gramma's work).  We have gotten some sleep... eaten some food and even cleaned the house and did some laundry... a lot of laundry:)  Nathan now weighs  6 pounds 7 ounces, is a great bottler and grunts often and loud... oh and he is a wonderful "burper" (he is his fathers son!!!). Benjamin now weighs 5 pounds 4 ounces, LOVES his pacifier, the swing and looking at mommy and daddy with his HUGE blue eyes.  Both boys are starting to work on head control, tummy time and loving their baths.  Brent took this past week off of work so we have been tag teaming most feedings... daddy is getting good at feeding the babies at the same time though.  Grandma and Grandpa Utech spent the weekend with us snuggling babes and getting a glimpse into our life with twins! Nathan and Benjamin experienced something this weekend that neither Brent nor myself have ever had... four grandparents all in one room!!!  We are so thankful to have such wonderful parents and our children are so lucky!  No  matter the sleep deprivation we are trying to stop and enjoy every moment with our boys.  It has been a long journey of constantly waiting and now that the waiting is over it is time to snuggle and love every moment!!!
Love
The Utech's

Threes Company...

Ok so back in December I posted a photo of our good friend Katie and myself pregnant... well at last we have the three little munchkins together!!!  So cute in their matching sweaters!!!  My boys continue to do well... we have a MD appointment and will find out weights later today.  We are sleeping in about 3 hour chunks... gotta love the Premie feeding schedule!!!!  Nathan is starting to feel more like a newborn and less like a premie and Benjamin is more and more awake and alert everyday.... it is more fun now that they will look at you and not just sleep all the time.  Our favorite time of the day is in the evening when we can sit on the couch and read stories.... one or the other of the boys is usually awake.  Our favorite books are "Guess How Much I Love You" and "I Knew You Could." I will try and get as many photos posted as possible!!!
Love,
The Utech's