Hello again!

Greetings from Magee Women's Hospital. Rooney and Ender are approaching 72 hours old and are doing well.

Rooney was taken off the ventilator on Saturday evening and is now on a CPAP. She is getting normal air pushed into her nostrils without extra oxygen. This was good news for us as the ventilator can irritate the lungs. Ender is getting the same CPAP settings.

Ender lost a little weight the first day but not any the second. Rooney lost 82 grams total, which is a 2.9 ounces (this should come back up now that they have started eating!). Libby produced enough colostrum for both babies to receive their first 2 meals through feeding tube. They will continue to get colostrum/milk supplemented with formula until Libby is able to produce enough milk for both babies. Like a full term baby, they are feed frequently, every 3 hours.

They were both showing signs of Jaundice (normal for preemie babies), so there were both put under a blue light to eliminate bilirubin in their blood (not sure what that means or does, but it is called phototherapy). They will have their blood tested on Monday and the docs decide whether to remove the lights. When under the lights they get eye shields to block the harsh light on their eyes. One of the nurses drew really cute sunglasses on their eye shields!

Preemie babies normally have a 48 hour honeymoon period in which they do very well early on. We understand that there will be up and down days, but we will stay positive. Things are looking good thus far!

Libby got to change Enders diaper yesterday which felt good. Hopefully she will get to do some skin to skin once the babies get out from under the blue lights. We are looking forward to holding them! We are taking this journey one day at a time. The doctors told us expect the babies to stay in the NICU until they are full term (October 7) but may come home a little earlier.

Again, thank you for your thoughts and kind words! We love each other, you, and especially the two little ones!

-Atlee, Libby, Ender, and Rooney!

And below, what you came here to see! Also, they both love their pacifiers!