Thanks for your thoughts and prayers this past week as we experienced the most amazing moment in our adult lives—the birth of our boys. This past week has been filled with celebration, anxiety, stress, and a tremendous lack of sleep. The boys have been in the NICU at St. Joseph’s hospital since they made their appearance on March 14th. Jenni was discharged from the hospital Tuesday and we had to go home without them. We’ve spent most of our waking moments visiting them at the hospital and caring for them during their “care times” which occur at 3 hour intervals around the clock. We’ve gotten to check temperatures, change diapers, feed and hold the babies, and watch them sleep. The doctors and nurses have been amazed at their progress since they were born at 32 weeks. They are even anticipating that the boys will get to come home this week! With that on the horizon, will you continue to pray for their development and growth, their ability to drink their milk and gain weight, and that they are able to keep their temperature stable. These are all factors that will get them home sooner rather than later.
There is the possibility that Jayce would come home sooner, but we don’t want that. We are asking you to help us believe that God will get both boys to a place where they can come home together with Mom and Dad. Yesterday, we were able to put them next to each other for a few pictures and the most amazing thing happened. Jayce reached over and grabbed his brother’s hand and just held it. I kind of feel like he was saying “I’m not leaving without you!” .
Thankful for your prayers,
Gregg <><
Today I had another fatherhood initiation by my son, Jayce. As I was burping him after feeding him a bottle, I felt a nice explosion in his diaper. I could totally feel the poo come out. I told Jenni that I knew that I'd have to change that one later. Well, at the 6 pm "care time" I went over to Jayce's incubator, and slowly and dreadfully opened the diaper to find the explosion mentioned earlier. After already experiencing him pee on me, I got wise to his game and placed a diaper wipe over his weenie. "I'll teach you," I thought. Well, he's obviously a little more cunning than me because as I was changing his poopy diaper and wiping the poo off, he decided to let some more poo out--on my hand! He just kept the flow comin' each time after I wiped him off. I couldn't believe it! After getting hip to his tactics, he totally pulls a fast one on me. I guess that daddy initiation isn't for the weak or squeemish. I'm surprised that I didn't throw up right there!
All in a daddy's day's work,
Gregg <><
I got to hold my babies for the first time today. We went down to the NICU around 2:30 pm and found out it was about time to do their "care time" where we would be allowed to hold them, feed them, and eventually take temperature and change diapers. I asked if I could hold them, and they recommended that I do the "kangaroo hold" where they put him on skin to skin to bond with them. I heard that antibodies are transferred through the skin to help them fight illness, which is incredible! When she handed him to me and put him on my chest, I almost lost it! Feeling his tiny body being warmed by mine was the most amazing thing, and it melted my heart. I can't imagine what life would be like without them in it.
Around 9 pm tonight, we were around for another care time, where I got to hold Josiah and feed him. That too was amazing! To be around while he's learning what it's like to eat, suck, swallow, and breathe in a rhythmic motion was quite something to experience. After he was done, I just held his tiny body in my arms and stared at him.
We found out that both boys are starting to show a little jaundice, but Josiah has bilirubin levels that are higher than Jayce's and looks like they'll be doing a bit of phototherapy tomorrow. Their first tanning experience!
Being a Daddy is the best!
Being a new dad is hard to wrap my mind around, especially since I haven't been able to hold the boys' yet. Jenni and I are extremely ecstatic to have the boys welcomed to the world! I just spent about 30 minutes in the NICU taking photos of the boys, and they are so precious. Josiah is doing well and breathing on his own, while Jayce has a C-pap which is giving him a little support with oxygen. Jenni and I have gotten a bit of rest, and are excited to go and be with the boys for a while before we go back to sleep tonight.
Today was definitely one of the most memorable days of my life, and I can't even begin to imagine the momentous impact these guys will have on my as a Father. I never knew I could love a human being so much, and to imagine that the love our Heavenly Father has for us compares to this has changed my relationship with Him. I just want to watch them all the time, sing quietly over them while they sleep, and care for their every need. God does that for us on a level beyond our imagination. Zephaniah 3:17 WOW!
Stay tuned for more details on our boys, and visit my facebook for pics!
After hours and hours of labor, and some intense pushing by my amazing Super Woman of a wife, we welcomed two beautiful baby boys into this world. God is totally on the throne and answered our prayers as we were in labor asking Him to help Jenni deliver without a C-Section. And she was amazing. I am trying so hard to fight back the tears even as I think about it! I LOVE MY AMAZING WIFE!
Josiah was born around 10:45 am, weighing in at 4 lbs. 9 oz, and Jayce came out at 10:51 weighing in at 4 lbs. 2 oz. They are both in the NICU, and Josiah is off of his oxygen, while Jayce is still getting some help breathing, but they are looking amazing!!!
Jenni and I are soooo exhausted and excited at the same time, and are requesting any visitors and phone calls to be put on hold until we can get some rest. Thanks for all your prayers, and your thoughts. We are so blessed by our Father in heaven!
His,
the proudest Daddy and Husband in the world,
Gregg <><
It's 3:30 and things are progressing right along now, and Jenni's water broke, and she's about 7 cm now, and contractions are about 4 minutes apart. Won't be long now! Once we are ready to push, we'll be moved to the Operating Room for her to deliver, just in case an emergency C-section is necessary. We are believing God will keep Jayce in position for birth after Josiah is born, and that he comes quickly right after his brother. I'm nervous, but confident, and am relying on the Spirit inside me to help Jenni get through this. She's been amazing so far! The advent is approaching!
The time has come: Jenni and I came to the hospital yesterday morning at 6:30 after timing contractions for an hour. When we got here, they monitored her and the babies, and then gave her a drug called procardia to slow down the labor. Her cervix wasn't changing, so they moved us to another room to wait it out. At about 9 pm on March 13th, she went into labor with her cervix starting to dilate. I'm sitting in the Labor and Delivery room while she is trying to rest after getting her epidural (Thank God!) and waiting for labor to progress. Her water broke at about 11:30, so things are moving along quickly. I, however, saw a stretch of nerves come in after Jenni stabilized with the epidural and felt the need to lose my dinner, which I promptly did. Still a little sick to my stomach, and can't really sleep or rest. Now, we wait. The babies are almost 33 weeks along, which can come with its own set of complications, but we reject conventional wisdom and rely on a higher source of knowledge and strength, believing God to take care of these boys, their lung development, breathing when they come out, and the ability to get their nutrition from Mommy. I wanted to give you all an update, and thank you for your many prayers. I'll keep the updates coming as I have time, so keep an eye on this blog.
Soon to be Daddy,
Gregg <><
