They're home!

Ok, so they have been home for 3 weeks and I am just getting around to updating the blog.  Life has been busy with 3 little ones, but so sweet!  I love having everyone at home.  Ethan and David have been really easy babies so far.  Which is so wonderful since I am learning to juggle caring for them and Emma.  They only cry when they are hungry, sleep well in their cribs, and seem to be very content most of the time.  God has blessed us so greatly.  I prayed throughout my pregnancy that the twins would be easy to care for, sleep well at night, and that they would have tender hearts toward God.  What an answered prayer!  Poor Emma was very colicky and fussy when she was a baby, but thankfully we haven't experienced that this time.

We went for their 6-8 week checkup (they were 7 weeks last Monday) on Thursday and they are doing great.  Here are some things going on with the boys now:

• Ethan weighs 6 lbs 9 oz, and is 19 1/2 cm long.  David is 6 lbs 8 oz and 20 1/2 cm long.  They have been doing such a great job growing!  Gaining more than an ounce a day, which is exactly what we want.  They are off the charts for their weight and height since they are premies, but that is ok.
• They are nursing about 4-5 times during the day, and take 3 (70-100 ml) bottles of pumped breastmilk during the night/ early morning.  They will usually go 5 hours between feeds during the night (yea!), and about 2-3 hours during the day.  I take the middle of the night feed, and Jared does the early morning feed.  It is working out really well!
• They are getting a little bit of head control, lifting and turning their heads.  They haven't really developed a "social smile" yet, but I do see sweet smiles when they are sleepy.
• Ethan loves to be swaddled, while David likes to stretch out.
• They still look a lot alike, but I can tell them apart pretty easily by now.  I thought they might be identical a few weeks ago, because apparently the egg can split before implantation, resulting in 2 sacs and placentas.  Their features are very similar.  They even have the same little dimple in their chin like their daddy.  And the same blood type- O negative.  But their faces are shaped a little differently.  Ethan has a longer, narrower face, while David has a rounder, fuller face.  I think Ethan head is still mis-shapened from delivery, but hopefully it will round out soon.  So that is how I can tell them apart!  Ethan also has a scar on his arm from a botched IV, and David has a little birthmark on one of his knees.
• They are still sleeping together in one crib.  They love being close to each other.  Sometimes they will start fussing and I'll come in to find one of them sucking on the other one's head or arm!  While they were in the hospital the nurse told me that one time David was sucking on Ethan's knee.  Needless to say, Ethan did not appreciate that!

 Ethan (left) and David (right)



Pictures of David- 7 weeks



Pictures of Ethan- 7 weeks