April

April was a good month as well. We ventured out a bit more than before, taking them on their first shopping experience along with a couple more dinners. This was good for us to because we were trapped in our house for six months! Though we are glad we did for the health of the girls, we are up and rolling and have been cleared by ALL doctors to do what we would like. We are on a strict schedule still, which is the only way Shawnah can take care of both of them and work full time.

Easter was great. We got to go to Shawnah's grandparents and had a good time. The girls looked so cute and were really good.

Ms. Kandis is a picture taker and poses for the camera every time!

Kenedi just likes to play, so we just happen to catch her at the right time!

We also got to go on a little Road Trip down to Las Cruces to visit TJ's sister just after she had her second baby, Makena. This was the first trip where we stayed in a hotel room. It worked great and it was comforting for future travel. We took pictures with all of the grandkids... LeslieAnn is the four year old holding Makena, with the girls below.

The girls are getting stronger and more daring. They are getting up on their knees and doing some rocking back and forth. Kenedi is a couple steps ahead of her sister, but Kandis isn't far behind. She just likes to watch her sister figure it out, and than she just does it. It is quite cute how they play together so well.

They are both doing pretty good on foods. Trying new things. Peaches/Apricots have been our only problems, causing diaper rash. Besides that they are doing good and almost ready to jump to more.

March

March was a good month for the girls. We ventured out a bit more to the public. The flu scare was down, so we were able to go out to dinner to smaller restaurants and we went to friend's homes a bit more.

The girls also got to hang out with us outside more, because the weather was warmer.
Here are pics of the girls with their stuffed animals that we had in the NICU. Size wise, they are huge!

They are loving the playful time we have with them and their smiles and giggles are becomeing a sound we hear often in the house.

Every Wednesday, Shawnah would get together with a couple friends who stay home as well and they walk either neighborhoods or drive to parks to walk. Here are all the kids from one of those days... From Left to Right : Bransyn (Shawnah's Cousin's Boy), Kenedi, Kandis, Sophia (Another NICU baby and new great friends of ours).

St. Patricks Day Pics were fun. The girls loved all the props!

All in all, it was a good month!!!!

February

We first off want to thank everyone for being so patient with us on posting info and pictures. I am sure waiting is not easy. We are also thankful for the support and love that you all have given the girls, whether it is directly or by prayers. We appreciate each of you for all you do. Though this journey is technically just beginning, we feel that the hard part is over and the worry and scare has past. During this painful and scary process, we want to thank you for being a part of it and for supporting and comforting us through it all. We love each and every one of you very much. Now on to the updates...
I'll start with the most important... the girls both got approved for the RSV shot back in December. This is a shot that only a small number of infants are approved for and because we were premature, we were included. The problem was that our insurance would not cover the shot. So, we figured we would just purchase the shot ourselves, making payments or whatever it took to get it. We then learned that the shot had to be paid for in advance for all four of the doses the girls would receive. Intern, we needed $1,700 per shot, x 4 shots... each. It was just too much, so had to pass on the shot.

So, this miracle worker at our Dr. office did a bunch of research for us and was able to find a grant that a company offers for people in our situation. This grant covered this shot. So, we were than able to receive the shot. We got our first dose on February 9th and another dose on March 9th. This was very exciting news. This has made us not be so particular and protective and it gave us a little freedom as well. We also got the second dose of the flu shot, which helped as well.

The girls turned 7 months on February 4th and our Dr. advised us to start on the process of solid foods. Because we have always had rice cereal added into their milk or formula, we skipped by the cereal and went right to vegetables. This was a site. The pictures below show the first time out. They both seems to like the solid foods, but took a bit to get going with the eating routine. Though we have only had one issue (carrots gave Kandis bad diaper rash), we are still working on the process of adding one food at a time, still only feeding it once a day. The first week, again, was carrots, than we tried sweet potatoes (which they loved), and then green beans and squash. They seem to be doing good with all of them.

The girls really like their baths...

Because of the shots, we were more daring and got out of the house a bit. Our first outing, we went to a little Baby Boutique that we wanted to check out and then ended up at Shawnah's Grandparents house, which we then went to dinner at a nice restaurant with them along with Shawnah's Uncle, Aunt and Cousin. It was a good first outing! We then went back down to the lake and stayed in the houseboat with the girls. The second outing was with TJ's parents at a nice place down there. The girls also got to be babysat by Grandpa while we went to a friend's wedding reception. We had fun and it was nice to get out. We have done a couple more dinners with family and friends and it is nice to have a change of routine from time to time.


Shawnah's sister Krystah with the girls...

Kenedi and Kandis with their Great-Grandpa!

Kandis Tayler is up to 13 pounds now and Kenedi Rhyan is weighing in at 13.5 pounds. They are eating like crazy. On top of the solids once a day, they are still getting five bottles a day with 7 ounces of formula in it. We have cut down in the rice in formula as well, because they are getting some in their solid mix. We tried cutting down on the Previcid again, but no luck, so we are just sticking it for a bit longer.

They still are sleeping good through the night with at about 10 hours per night. The schedule we set them on works great. It allows the extra time for work and yet we have tons of fun playing with the girls.

Kandis loves her toys...

Kenedi is getting to be a pro at the jump-a-roo...

They started to move onto their sides more towards the end of last month and now we are working on the rolling over to their stomachs. Kenedi could roll from her stomach to her back for a couple weeks, than all of a sudden she rolled from her back to her stomach, just this week. (Shawnah is now in trouble... the girls on the move!) Kandis isn't far behind. She can just barely get from her stomach to her back, but doesn't really understand going to her stomach.

A couple days before Valentine's Day, my cousin Jessica and I got together and took pictures of the girls and her little one, Bransyn. (Not sure why the pics won't upload up and down so sorry you will just have to turn your head!!! )

Bransyn is 10 months old and is a really good kid too.

Kenedi

Kanids

Look, Shawnah even has a little pink mixed in there! (Only because they match each other.)

Kenedi got her first zit, right under her right eye...

The shirts say.. "Don't Make Me Call Grandpa" Shawnah's Dad got them for his grand-daughters!

Tummy Time...

January

Hello all,


The girls are doing amazing and we have had a good January. Somehow, it has flown right by. They are truly happy babies and get very excited when Mommy or Daddy come around. They are still hesitant to strangers, but it is understandable because we do not leave the house. We are still being careful of everything and thankfully none of us have gotten sick. We have steered clear of all the flues and such so far.

Kenedi and Kandis are still sleeping though the night and we sometimes can even go up to 12 hours. Mostly they are getting between 8 and 10. We are getting them set on a schedule that we like so we can survive as well. It also allows Shawnah to have some time to get some work done, both for the company as well as the house. It also allows us to have some time in the evening for each other, which is much needed.

The girls got the first round of the flu shots this month, which comforts us a bit. We still are very careful about going anywhere and who comes up to the house. They are growing like crazy and according to our scale, the girls are up to 11.5 lbs for Kandis and 12 lbs for Kenedi. They are eating well and seem to enjoy their food. They are up to 6 ounces for every feeding. We are down to feeding 5 times a day. The medication decrease for the Previcid was not successful. We ended up play around with the doses a bit to find the perfect match and we are sticking to that for a bit now. Without the medication, their reflux is just terrible and they are not happy, which makes us frantic and stressed. So it is a win/win for everyone!

Here are some January pictures for all to enjoy....

The girls love their baths! Top is Kenedi in the pink towel and bottom is Kandis in yellow!

They are starting to push themselves up slightly when they have their "Tummy Time". Kandis is getting a bit better than Kenedi, but Kenedi is determined! Top is Kenedi and Bottom is Kandis.

Do they act like twins or what!

Naked babies! They love the freedom of nothing around or on them... Look at those HUGE milk bellies!

They love their jumpers! Kenedi is in the white one, Kandis in the green. They are a bit small for the jumpers still, so we have to put a box underneath! They love to hang out in these and are starting to figure out what is going on with these contraptions! Below - Kandis checking everything out. Kenedi is amazed by the new toys!

We do hope all of you enjoy and please keep checking in for new updates on the girls. Sorry that it takes so long in between times.

Going Home!

We are home! Picture above is in the hospital as we are getting them ready to leave. The girls all of a sudden started eating really well and intern they pulled the feeding tubes. They had to go three days without the feeding tube and still gain wait, which they did. We were staying at our house more and more, so we were home one day and the nurses called and said that we were needed to come in and stay overnight for two nights and we are able to go home. So, we had our own hospital room and we had to take care of them completely, with a nurse there as a "just in case". We did our two nights and then we were able to go home. Though we will miss the nurses, we are so excited to go home. We packed them up with all our stuff and put them in their new car seats and we drove home. It was so crazy having them home with us.

Kandis Taylor weighed 7 lbs 6 ounces when we headed home!

Kenedi Rhyan weighed 7 lbs 10 ounces when she went home!

This is when we stayed in the overnight room. They were in two small beds and we ended up staying on one small twin bed. It was two crazy days, but totally worth it!