Thursday, April 30, 2009
We're Here to Pump, You Up
The past couple of days have been pretty quiet. The girls looked wonderful this evening. Cadie is getting seventeen ml's of milk and she weighs two pounds, thirteen ounces. Maddie is getting fourteen ml's and is now a two pounder! We're starting to see a little more fullness in her cheeks. She is also responding really well to the steroids. They were able to drop her bpm (breaths per minute) rate and her oxygen percentage has been as low as 21% (room air). There still isn't an order for Cadie to receive steroids, so she may get by without them. We talked with Cadie's nurse about Kangaroo Care. We were surprised to hear that she thinks Cadie might be ready as soon as this week. Because they respond so well, they like to start Kangaroo Care as early as possible. We will have to see what the policy is of the girls' new neonatologist. Dr. K has gone to Hillcrest Medical Center for the summer, so we have a new doctor, Dr. Lawson. I'm a little nervous about them getting a new doctor. What if he has a completely different way of doing things? None of that matters, though, as long as the girls are getting the best possible care.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Three Year Check-up
The girls had their three year check-up today. It was so nice, taking them in for their appointment, without the anxiety of impending shots or fear. They were actually excited about it, the little social butterflies that they are.
We played in the exam room for what felt like hours – Maddie slid behind my back while standing on the chair and played with my hair, then Cadie took her turn, and tortured me while she “fixed” my hair.
Dr. Mayberry came in and made the comment that I’ve been thinking for weeks now: “Are they really three?” She continued on with the explanation that she thought surely the information was wrong. I’ve said it over and over, but it seems like just yesterday we had their 2nd birthday party. I’m getting old.
Cadie and Maddie were very cooperative when it came to the measurements. It’s amazing how much can change in just six months. This time October, they both were bawling as they laid on the exam table. This year, they were thrilled to see the squiggly lines on the paper indicating just how tall they’ve gotten. I love it.
Dr. Mayberry was very pleased to see that the girls are continuing on a steady growth curve; they’re even on the charts for both height and weight. Cadie is 38 inches tall and weighs 26 lbs. 7 oz. Maddie is 37 inches tall and weighs 26 lbs. 8 oz. Cadie has been about an inch taller for ages now, and Maddie always weighs just a tad more. So that puts Cadie in the 75th percentile for height, 10th percentile for weight, and Maddie in the 65th percentile for height and 10th percentile for weight. They’re obviously still small for their age, but as long as they continue to follow a steady growth pattern Dr. Mayberry is happy and so am I.
Before we left, the girls were even brave enough to perform a few tricks. Maddie proudly said her Pledge of Allegiance. That’s right…I said PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. Both girls know it now. They can even wrap their little mouths around the word “indivisible”. I’m so proud! Then, Cadie followed up with a beautiful rendition of the Alphabet Song. Maddie’s taken to singing it with an impressive (a word I’m sure only a mother would use) falsetto, so it was a good thing Cadie performed a solo. And the grand finale? Maddie performed what she calls her “best trick” – a trick she does with her tummy that I’m not sure can be described with words. I need to get it on video…
The best news of the whole visit? The girls don’t have to go back until they’re 4. I imagine that’s probably typical for most kids, but that’s a pretty big deal for Cadie and Maddie. They’ve had routine check-ups at least every six months since they were born to monitor their development and growth. We must be doing something right!
We played in the exam room for what felt like hours – Maddie slid behind my back while standing on the chair and played with my hair, then Cadie took her turn, and tortured me while she “fixed” my hair.
Dr. Mayberry came in and made the comment that I’ve been thinking for weeks now: “Are they really three?” She continued on with the explanation that she thought surely the information was wrong. I’ve said it over and over, but it seems like just yesterday we had their 2nd birthday party. I’m getting old.
Cadie and Maddie were very cooperative when it came to the measurements. It’s amazing how much can change in just six months. This time October, they both were bawling as they laid on the exam table. This year, they were thrilled to see the squiggly lines on the paper indicating just how tall they’ve gotten. I love it.
Dr. Mayberry was very pleased to see that the girls are continuing on a steady growth curve; they’re even on the charts for both height and weight. Cadie is 38 inches tall and weighs 26 lbs. 7 oz. Maddie is 37 inches tall and weighs 26 lbs. 8 oz. Cadie has been about an inch taller for ages now, and Maddie always weighs just a tad more. So that puts Cadie in the 75th percentile for height, 10th percentile for weight, and Maddie in the 65th percentile for height and 10th percentile for weight. They’re obviously still small for their age, but as long as they continue to follow a steady growth pattern Dr. Mayberry is happy and so am I.
Before we left, the girls were even brave enough to perform a few tricks. Maddie proudly said her Pledge of Allegiance. That’s right…I said PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. Both girls know it now. They can even wrap their little mouths around the word “indivisible”. I’m so proud! Then, Cadie followed up with a beautiful rendition of the Alphabet Song. Maddie’s taken to singing it with an impressive (a word I’m sure only a mother would use) falsetto, so it was a good thing Cadie performed a solo. And the grand finale? Maddie performed what she calls her “best trick” – a trick she does with her tummy that I’m not sure can be described with words. I need to get it on video…
The best news of the whole visit? The girls don’t have to go back until they’re 4. I imagine that’s probably typical for most kids, but that’s a pretty big deal for Cadie and Maddie. They’ve had routine check-ups at least every six months since they were born to monitor their development and growth. We must be doing something right!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
March for Babies 2009
It's that time of year again. Our family team, the Patton Preemies, will once again be participating in the March of Dimes annual event, March for Babies, on Saturday, April 25th. This year, the event is going to be downtown. Our team will be there in full force with an expected 40+ people walking as part of our team. Many of you know that this event --as well as the March of Dimes -- is very near to our hearts, so we would love for you to join us and show your support!
If you can't attend, but would love to support us in another way, please consider making a donation to our team. You can do so HERE. I know times are tough financially for most people, so even if you can only give $5, your donation WILL make a difference. We've set our family team goal at $6,000. We've currently raised $3,755, so we will still have a ways to go before Monday, April 20th.
If you've just recently had a baby or know someone who has, think of how different your life would be if that baby was still in the hospital, fighting for life every day. That was our reality three years ago. Each day brought new struggles, but also new successes. We didn't know if we would ever bring the girls home. I wasn't even brave enough to take the tags off of any of their new clothes or the bedding for their cribs until days before we brought them home for fear that we wouldn't. The March of Dimes is a HUGE part of the reason the girls are alive and well today, as well as hundreds of thousands of other babies around the world. Who knows what other discoveries there are to be made to help other babies like Cadence and Madeline? The only way we will ever know is if we continue to fund research that makes a difference.
Thank you all for your support over the past three years. We formed our team just two weeks after the girls were born in 2006. Since then, we've raised nearly $22,000 as a family team! Our success is due to the continued generosity and support you've shown our family and we'll never be able to fully express our gratitude.
Thank You!
If you can't attend, but would love to support us in another way, please consider making a donation to our team. You can do so HERE. I know times are tough financially for most people, so even if you can only give $5, your donation WILL make a difference. We've set our family team goal at $6,000. We've currently raised $3,755, so we will still have a ways to go before Monday, April 20th.
If you've just recently had a baby or know someone who has, think of how different your life would be if that baby was still in the hospital, fighting for life every day. That was our reality three years ago. Each day brought new struggles, but also new successes. We didn't know if we would ever bring the girls home. I wasn't even brave enough to take the tags off of any of their new clothes or the bedding for their cribs until days before we brought them home for fear that we wouldn't. The March of Dimes is a HUGE part of the reason the girls are alive and well today, as well as hundreds of thousands of other babies around the world. Who knows what other discoveries there are to be made to help other babies like Cadence and Madeline? The only way we will ever know is if we continue to fund research that makes a difference.
Thank you all for your support over the past three years. We formed our team just two weeks after the girls were born in 2006. Since then, we've raised nearly $22,000 as a family team! Our success is due to the continued generosity and support you've shown our family and we'll never be able to fully express our gratitude.
Thank You!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
We are Cadie and Maddie
Today, we were out playing in the backyard in this glorious weather when Cadie announced, “I am Cadie, she is Maddie. We are Cadie and Maddie!” I’ve always been super sensitive about the girls being lumped together as one simply because they are twins. I even ranted about it to my poor mother-in-law over the weekend because the bakery woman at Reasor’s had the nerve to assume the girls would split a free cookie instead of each getting one of their own. Apparently, though, Cadie doesn’t have the same concerns regarding the issue as I do. She’s proud to be “Cadie and Maddie” and I certainly would never take that away from her. I’ll always be the girls’ number one advocate, whether it be protecting them from a stingy bakery employee or helping them establish their own identities outside of being twins, but it made me stop and think that maybe I should lighten up a bit and just be happy I have a “Cadie and Maddie”. So, there you go. My three year old taught me something today.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
It's a Miracle!
It doesn’t seem possible, but today my babies turned three years old. One of the birthday presents they received is a book of devotions for preschoolers. We’ve established a routine of praying before bed every night, and now we can start reading from the devotional every morning to start the day off right.
The book was marked with a sticky note on the girls’ birthday, so I immediately turned to that page. I got chills as I read the title of that day’s devotion, “It’s a Miracle!” The devotion read:
“Jack is trying to catch a fish. As he waits, he watches a waterfall splash into the pond. Then he sees a beautiful rainbow. ‘Wow!’ says Jack. ‘It’s a miracle!’ Have you ever seen a rainbow? Only God can put a rainbow in the sky. That’s why Jack called it a miracle. God can do many marvelous things because no one is as powerful as He is.”
As I read that paragraph, I was once again reminded just how blessed we are and just how miraculous it is that Cadie and Maddie are happy, healthy, and here with us today. I thank God every day that He is a God of miracles and that we were fortunate enough to be blessed with two. Happy Birthday Cadence and Madeline. We love you.
“You are the God of miracles and wonders! You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations.” Psalm 7:14, NLT
The book was marked with a sticky note on the girls’ birthday, so I immediately turned to that page. I got chills as I read the title of that day’s devotion, “It’s a Miracle!” The devotion read:
“Jack is trying to catch a fish. As he waits, he watches a waterfall splash into the pond. Then he sees a beautiful rainbow. ‘Wow!’ says Jack. ‘It’s a miracle!’ Have you ever seen a rainbow? Only God can put a rainbow in the sky. That’s why Jack called it a miracle. God can do many marvelous things because no one is as powerful as He is.”
As I read that paragraph, I was once again reminded just how blessed we are and just how miraculous it is that Cadie and Maddie are happy, healthy, and here with us today. I thank God every day that He is a God of miracles and that we were fortunate enough to be blessed with two. Happy Birthday Cadence and Madeline. We love you.
“You are the God of miracles and wonders! You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations.” Psalm 7:14, NLT
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