The beginning.....

Ross and Riley were born via c-section on Friday, July 21, 2006 at 3:22 pm (Ross) and 3:25 pm (Riley). Ross weighed 2lbs 8oz and was 14 inches long and Riley weighed 3 lbs 14 oz and was 16.5 inches long. Ross was taken immediately to the NICU, where he let everyone know that he was ready to party! He used his fabulously healthy lungs to tell everyone exactly what he thought by crying loudly! He has been breathing room air without assistance since he was born, which is an amazing accomplishment for such a little guy. The nurses tell us that he is a "feisty, wild man" and we are thrilled to hear it. I have been able to hold him for short periods each day so far and our cuddle time has been the highlight of my days. Riley had to have surgery to remove a testicular torsion (twisted testicle) immediately after birth. He was transported to Children's Hospital where the surgery was performed and then transferred back to the NICU at West Penn on Saturday. (The surgery went perfectly and he will have no residual problems in that area!) He needed a little bit of help breathing after the surgery and was on a ventilator for a short time, but is now breathing much more on his own with only C-PAP (pressurized oxygen) for help. He has let the NICU nurses know that he prefers to hang out in peace and quiet and has been making steady progress with his breathing each day. Yesterday, I finally got to hold him for the first time! We had 15 minutes to cuddle, which was incredible. Both boys are dealing with a bit of jaundice, which is extremely common for preemies and will be resolved soon. They are also dealing with some feeding issues and will make slow and steady progress in that area, too. We all have a bit of a long road ahead of us, but the boys are here and safe. The nurses and doctors in the NICU are amazing and I am so grateful to have such skilled people caring for my sons. No one knows yet how long the boys will have to stay in the hospital, but we will all do whatever it takes to get them home strong and healthy. Thank you all for your prayers, visits, phone calls, and emails. Your support has been amazing and I appreciate it all so much. Please let me know if you want to come meet the boys and I will arrange a visit for you!