It's been a few days now and we are sort of getting used to two babies at home. I say "sort of" because I know the second we think we have it down, something will change.

Dave and I have really gotten the hang of the g-tube feedings. Lilah still only takes on average 20-25ml (just under an ounce) and the rest goes into her feeding tube.

I think she is adjusting well to our family. The dogs lick her cheek when she squawks and she doesn't seem to mind.

We've had to reassure Bentley and Zeke we would not be bringing any more babies home. At one point yesterday Alec, Lilah and Zeke were all crying.

It feels like we are finally complete. Even in the midst of all the cries, my heart is happy.... I'm heading back to sleep!

just joy

Lilah continues to do well with her g-tube. They have taken off the venting port of the g-tube which would allow her to push out bubbles of air instead of spit up or burp. The fear was that she would be uncomfortable without the venting and so far she has proven she can handle it without discomfort.

She is down to one hour feeds and they are going to attempt to drop it down to 45 minute feeds some time today with the understanding that if it isn't comfortable for her tummy, they will go back to the one hour feeds.

The g-tube site looks much better. The infection is hardly visible. She will have two more days of antibiotics and then could be switched to oral antibiotics to take care of any lingering infection we can't see.

Many nurses have told us she is "a different baby" then they are use to taking care of. She is happy and easy to sooth. Yesterday when Dave called the nurse held the phone up to Lilah's ear so he could say hello and she turned toward the phone and started babbling!

She is doing great with her feeds over 1 and 1/2 hours and they will drop it down to one hour some time tomorrow.

Lilah has always been a sassy girl, but the last few weeks she has been pretty crabby, always needing to be held and soothed. Today she was a whole different person! She slept during the night and was happy and relaxed when we visited today. I even bottled fed her 22ml (just under an ounce) before she started to fall asleep.

The antibiotics are working great on the g-tube site. The redness has started to fade and her temp has gone down.

Another exciting note, our kids have two new playmates! Our good friends Julie and Matt had their boy/girl twins today. We can't wait to meet Calvin and Lucy!

Lilah has tolerated the 1/2 hr increased feeds for the last 24 hrs. They bumped it up to every two hours starting with her 11am feed and will see how things go. OT came to work with her and bottle feed her at 11am and said this was the most calm they have seen her during a feeding! Yay!

She has some redness and tenderness around the tube as well as some yellowish/green leaking so they are starting IV antibiotics to kill any infection that may be there. We are not sure if it will be a three day or five day treatment so it looks like we will have to wait a few more days then expected to get her home.

progress? Lilah is on course to be at full feeds - 24ml every hour - at 2am tomorrow morning and so far, so good....(me going outside, turning around three times, and spitting.... heck I'll even knock on wood.)

Once she hits full feeds they will start to increase her feeds to every two hours with an hour break in-between. Eventually feeds will be every three hours for about 1/2 hour. 

We were with her this morning and she was pretty ornery. When Dave asked if she was in pain, the nurse - who has been one of our core nurses from the day they were born, said, "Oh no, this is how she always is!" Believe it or not, I am looking forward to it (when Dave reads this he will be shaking his head at me.) 

Dave was making fun of me because the whole post was only about Lilah and then the picture was of Alec. I told him I didn't have a new picture of Lilah to post :P. So here: Alec is doing well! Today he got a bath (note the fuzzy duckling hair).

Lilah has started feeds again and is tolerating 5ml every hour. An ounce is roughly 30 mls. They will probably try to increase her feed to 8ml an hour and see if she can keep it down. As soon as she is up to full feeds (apprx 70 ml every three hours) she can come home!

The next step for Lilah is to get back to normal feeds. They started them very slowly today and she could not keep anything down so they will give her a little more time for her bowel to start working properly again.

The surgery went well. Lilah is resting comfortably and should be able to start eating again in the morning.

They have already taken out the tube that went down her nose and will deliver her meds via IV and eventually the g-tube.

I know I've said this a lot, but we really do appreciate all the support from your prayers, texts, and phone calls. It's been a crazy journey and we would not have been able to go it alone. Thank you!

I've fixed the video clip of Alec on the 3/12 post.

More to come!