Friday-First Family Photos

As these past few two weeks went by, I was having a hard time adjusting to the fact that I was a mom and that we had a family now. I had moments were I just wanted to see the boys right away-sometimes when I woke up in the middle of the night to pump so that the boys could get the nutrients they need. Sometimes I just wanted to be able to hold more than their little hands or feet - even though they have cute hands and feet!! I wanted to hold them and kiss their heads!



William holding mommy's hand!!


Theo holding daddy's hand!

Will's cute little feet w/ long toes like his mommy!!


Theo has little shorter feet just like his daddy's!!


All my angst was made better the beginning of the week when Ryan and I were told that both of the boys had their umbilical lines out and we were able to hold them!!

Ryan and I had our first physical contact w/ the boys through a method known as "kangaroo care". This means skin to skin contact under clothes. I was so nervous, but once holding Will for the first time I just melted and relaxed right away!! Ryan loved holding Theo too!! The next day we switched which boy we held!!



Mommy and William - he wanted to keep looking at me instead of sleeping!!


Mommy and William - after he finally fell asleep!!


Daddy and Theodore - he kept smiling and laughing - it was sooo cute!!


Daddy and Theo - he did finally sleep - I swear!!


Our First Family Photo!!

Daddy adoring little William!!

Will out for the count!!


Mommy giving kisses to Theodore!!


Theo out for the count - mommy wishing she was too!!



Family photo - take two!!

Thusday - Two Week Twins!!

Sorry to those who have been eagerly awaiting updates!! This has been a whirlwind two weeks, but all for the good. Here are there latest updates:

William is no longer on the ventilator. He did have to be reintubated for a 48 hour period because he was so active that he was not resting. This was tough to see him struggle w/ but we have a great team taking care of him. Here are a few pictures w/ him in what Ryan "kindly" refers to as his "scuba gear".





He is sleeping well, which will really help w/ the growing. He also no longer needs to be under the blue lights that helped w/ the jaundice - no more blindfolds!

He is eating really well now the milk that mommy has been supplying to the hospital. He is up to over an ounce every 4 hours. He has put on more weight - after the initial weight loss- and weighs 3 lbs 4.5 ounces. As you can see he is a long lean baby boy just like his daddy!!



The nurses have had issues him moving around a lot - they said he is a baby who is always stretching out to find his "boundaries". Sometimes they have to use folded sheets over his legs or tuck in his hands! Occasionally he has been more alert lately and has some funny positions. We love the way he makes us smile!!













Theodore has been off his "CPAP" device that he was using to help him breath room air since day three. He too no longer needs the blue lights that help jaundice.





He too has been sleeping well and eating well. He prefers to be on his belly to sleep and cries if he is not comfortable. He also gets fussy about 1/2 hour before they are going to have his "care time". This happens every four hours and they take his temp, change his diaper, weigh him, and feed him. If we are there we get to help out!! He now weighs 3 lbs and 5 ounces - above his birth weight as well. The nurses say that now they are eating, they both should begin to "pack on the pounds".





He seems to be to more mellow baby and his a little bit more ahead developmentally than his brother. He already sucks his thumb, shoves his fingers in his mouth, moves his head side to side, and sucks on a pacifier. He pretty much likes to "lounge" in his bed on his back-or be in a crunched up ball on his belly. When he is awake he is very alert and looking at you or around the room. he seems to always want to know what is going on-doesn't want to miss a thing.

They're Here!

On December 24th Winnie went to her normal doctor's appointment for an ultrasound measurement of how things were going. The doctor promptly sent us to Beverly Hospital for monitoring since her cervix was still getting smaller and she was having contractions. We basically strolled through the hospital, as they promptly transferred Winnie to Beth Israel in Boston.

In Boston they put her on medication to arrest her contractions since she was steamrolling into labor, eventually they finally subsided late that night. The next morning she was well enough to be moved down to a different floor where they keep the mother's to be on bedrest. She was much more comfortable in that room and was feeling better. She continued to feel better on the 26th and was taken off her IV's and was able to take a shower. Here are some pics of the belly, and mom after she felt a little more human.





The 27th, I foolishy went to work, as Winnie was feeling perfectly fine off the meds. I was at work about an hour and a half before getting the call to come back to the hospital. The contractions had started up again and were far worse that before. They tried to get her back on the medications, however she was really suffering from the side effects this time, and the contractions weren't slowing down, so the doctors had to take her off them again. Later that night, around 7 O'Clock the doctor's decided it was riskier to allow her labor to continue than to deliver the twins early. There was apparently a significant risk of continued labor because of where the babies were in relation to they're umbilical cords. So they took her into the OR to get prepped and gave me a snazzy suit to wear:



Shortly thereafter at 7:26 pm on 12/27/07 William Arthur Daniels III was delivered, screaming his little head off. He weighed just over 3lbs even and was 17" long.



A minute later, Theodore Adam Daniels was born, screaming almost as much as his older brother. Theodore weighed 3 lbs 1.9 oz. and was 16.5" long.



The Nicu team let me hold William to show Winnie, and let me trim his cord to length as well. Soon after, both teams (each baby had a 3 person team, plus the neonatologist) whisked the boys up to the NICU to settle them in and get them hooked up to their monitors.

Here's William in his new bed:



And of course, Theodore:


We're back down in the room we had before they were delivered, and Mom is well on her way to recovery, we visit the boys as often as we can, and get plenty of visitors. Here's some whiteboard art that little Sophia made fore Winnie:



and I took some pictures outside the window so Winnie could see what it was like while she was still on bedrest before she delivered. Remember folks, keep your holes clearly labeled.

Daniels' Christmas!!

We had the Daniels family Christmas party on Saturday at Auntie Penny & Uncle Norm's! We stayed over night and had waffles for breakfast! Here are a few pics...


Elliott looking so handsome!



Elliott & Uncle Ryan before "trot trot" - makes Elliott really giggle!



Auntie Jilly, Uncle Dan, & Sophia



Sister-in-law Brooke looking beautiful & pregnant me!

Daniels evening childcare services...

Two weeks ago Sunday Matt & Brooke had a meeting to attend so Ryan and I took care of the kids! During the time we were there Clark and Jen came over too! Here are some pictures from the fun we all had!


Elliott and Uncle Ryan dancing to Christmas music...Elliott loved it!!


Elliott sitting w/ Auntie Winnie and making duck dance...I could not dance w/ him =(


Sophia and her monkey Julia dancing...dancing seemed to be a big hit for the evening!


Sophia wearing Jens' gloves and scarf...sorry no pictures of here in the cute red jacket Jen...she did like being little red riding hood though...


Uncle Clark, Elliott, and Sophia taking a break in there boxes they were enjoying riding around being pushed by Clark and Jen...I am sure Clark enjoyed the rest but Elliott kept signing and saying "more" w/ his bottom lip out...who can resist that cute little face?!?! Clark did eventually run out of his super human strength and endurance, much to Elliott's dismay...

Cuddling Cats...

In the midst of all the pregnancy stuff sometimes the cats got pushed to the back burner-especially when Ryan was working to jobs and I was in bed from being sick!

Here are some pictures of them in their journey over the past 6 months!


Roxy playing a computer game w/ Ryan!


Cuddling Cats-Roxy has her leg across Dusty's back!


Dusty always sits in the strangest places...


Both staring at something interesting out the slider in our old place...not often were they both on the cat tree together...


This is the favorite position for Roxy to sit in-not sure why-it sure looks funny!


Dusty resting on Ryan after the move...not normal for Dusty...doesn't he look comfy?


Roxy enjoying a rest in the new place after the move-anything soft to sit on works!


We came home from errands and found the cats like this...clearly they are enjoying each others company a lot more these days-maybe they like the new place too!!