The Howlands: Reunited Once Again!!!

The day has finally come that the boys are CO-BEDDING!!!! I walked in this morning and was pleasantly surprised by the sight of both boys in one crib. I can’t even describe the feeling to see them together again and to know that they are side-by-side and have each other even when mommy and daddy are not there. I do feel a little bad for Kaden though because now he gets to bask in the stench of his brother’s dirty diapers. Braylon has some really rank diapers and stinks up the whole room. The smell even creeps its way out of the garbage and lingers in the air. The nurses joke about throwing them in another nurse’s room or even in the other pods as a joke. They say it is from the extra protein they are putting in his bottles, hopefully they decide to get rid of that before sending him home.
Several times today I just stood at the boys’ bedside to see if they noticed each other. They didn’t do anything real exciting but I could see Kaden just staring at his brother and studying his face, as he does with everyone. He seems to be the real observant one. Braylon snuck a few peeks at his brother and watched Kaden a few times until he got distracted by the thought of food. Tonight we experienced a little bit of the twin thing. Kaden was screaming his head off because he wanted his binkie but couldn’t have it until his oxygen level went back up to normal (he has been very attached to his binkie since getting to breastfeed a little yesterday). While Kaden was screaming Braylon was laying there with his eyes open listening intently. After Kaden had carried on for some time Braylon decided he would start some sympathy whining. It started out as kind of soft cry but when he noticed his brother was going to continue carrying on he started whaling. Both boys were going at it and we were all laughing at the sound of their cries together. I thought I had better get my laughs in now because this will not be very funny for long, especially at three in the morning.
Kaden had another first today. He got to try and eat from a bottle. He did very well but was only given the chance to eat 5mL because his oxygen level kept dropping. While he was getting the rest of his feed through his tube he was still having trouble keeping his oxygen level up. The nurse decided that maybe she would try to suck his nose out a little and, sure enough, it was full of boogies. Kaden also got to be held by someone other than mom and dad also. Last night Great-Grandma Cloann got to hold him and today Grandma Brenda got to hold him while Braylon ate.
Braylon has turned into a little comedian. He was having trouble with his monitor today. The nurses were not sure when the guy could come up and fix it so they said to go ahead and start breastfeeding him and the guy would know to knock since the curtain was closed. When the guy arrived Braylon was still working on lunch. I told him I would just cover up and he could come read some of the numbers off the monitor. It was right then that Braylon came unlatched and pulled of the nipple shield (a little device that helps preemies latch on to breastfeed). I couldn’t get the nipple shield and him latched back on without exposing myself so I just held him with his head up on my chest, under the blanket, until the guy was finished. Braylon decided he couldn’t wait and began vigorously moving his head side-to-side, licking my chest causing the blanket to move too and making obnoxious grunting noises. I kept trying to not laugh hysterically at him. The guy said, “Are you sure you have a baby under there and not a teenager.” We all busted out laughing.
Both boys have continued to gain weight and they are consistently staying a pound apart. Braylon weighed 5lbs 2oz and Kaden weighed 4lbs 2oz. We keep hoping that Kaden might start catching up with his brother so he won’t look so little next to him but I am not sure how long it will be with his brother’s hearty appetite.
It looks like Braylon will be staying a while longer in the NICU. He has been having more and more brady spells over the past couple of days. They appear to be more of what they call central apnea/brady spells which means he forgets to breathe at times. They may have to start him back up on the caffeine to help keep him stimulated enough to remember to breathe. He can go home on the caffeine and the monitor but in that case I would just prefer he stay in the NICU with his brother until he either out grows them completely or they both get to go home. I am just planning on not getting to go home until May.

Back together again