prayers & praises!!

Just an update on the boys... Reed is most likely coming home this week!! YEAH!!! As long as he behaves himself and doesn't get into any trouble, he will be d/c'd after we take infant CPR (requirement for parents with babies in the NICU.) So, we are very excited about that! However, it looks like Ryan will still be there for a little while. It is going to be very sad to leave him there and take Reed home. And, I just wonder how confused Drew is going to be??? Anyway, Ryan is gaining weight... he is up to 4lb, 12 oz. He is tolerating his tube feedings, and sucking his passy without problems. He is just still needing his oxygen. And to add insult to injury, this weekend he has developed a cold. Bless his heart, he has all this yucky nasal congestion, so they have had to turn up his oxygen to 2 Liters at 50%. They are testing for everything under the sun, but so far, everything is negative... including RSV. So, that is definetly a good thing. If he has a bacterial infection, he will get a round of antibiotics, which will mean getting an IV line back. Of course, if this is just a viral thing, it will just have to run its course. Which, for a 4 1/2 week old preemie, this is a little set back. So, say a little prayer for him... he is definetly a little trooper.

Babies, Babies, Babies!!

Congrats to the Gardners on the birth of their TWO baby girls, Julia and Ruby!! They arrived Thursday, June 26! Their due date was July 30 and our boys' due date was July 31!! You think they just were ready to get here to meet these cute Sandberg boys??? :)

Reed and Ryan will be 1 month old tomorrow!! It's very hard to believe! Reed is now 5lb, 6oz, and Ryan is now 4lb, 11oz. They are both growing really well! Reed has done well staying off of his oxygen the past few days, but Ryan is still on 1.5 Liters. They seem to be "passing" all of their tests, the doctors and nurses say they are "textbook whimpy white boys!!" We can't wait to bring them home!!!Daddy and Reed (after a bottle)

Mommy with Reed & Ryan (how am I going to do this at home with no nurse to help??)

Reed-- no oxygen!!! YEAH!!

Reed got all unhooked from the monitors and went over to visit his brother's crib!! :)

Ryan

Reed (4 weeks old!! no oxygen & no NG tube!!)

Ryan (4 weeks old & not to be bothered for a picture!!)

Sweet, Sweet Boys!!

Reed and Ryan are 3 weeks old today!!! They are SO sweet and cute!! Reed is up to 4lb, 14oz and Ryan is up to 4lb!! Yeah! Ryan got to move to a big boy crib today. Reed taking 40 cc's and is taking a bottle at every other feeding. Ryan is at 30 cc's and still having a little too much trouble keeping his oxygen sats up, so they are holding the bottles for now. He has taken a couple of bottles, but just had to work a little too hard for them, as his sats would drop to the 70's!! Here are some pics from today:

Ryan with Daddy, Reed with Mommy

Daddy holding Reed

Ryan with Mommy

Ryan in his new crib!!

Reed napping after taking a bottle!

On another note....

This face describes Drew's new sassy attitude!!

He is all about lawn equipment these days... the lawn mower and the weedeater go everywhere with him!!

Well, the boys are 2 weeks old today!! Reed is up to 4 lb, 3oz and Ryan is up to 3lb, 6 oz! Reed took 25 of his 33 cc's through a bottle today and got moved to a crib today. Both boys are still wearing some oxygen. Ryan seems to be staying awake a little more than this brother.... Reed really likes to sleep!

Reed

Ryan

And... if you've never taken your child to play in the fountain at the Renaissance...it is a MUST! We took Drew tonight and he had the best time!! What great, free entertainment!!!

Update on the Boys...

Reed is up to 3 lb, 15oz and eating 33 cc's every 3 hours. Ryan is up to 3lb, 4oz and is eating 25 cc's. They are both going back and forth with having to wear a little oxygen. They are so sweet and it is so hard to leave them at the hospital everyday!!
Here are a few pics-

Ryan (left) and Reed (right)

Gammy with Ryan (left) and Reed

Aunt Shan with Ryan

Ryan (brown onesie) and Reed

Reed

Ryan

Well, today was a very exciting day!! We finally got to hold the boys!!! My mom and I got to hold them both this morning and Carl and my dad got to hold Reed this afternoon after work (Ryan was busy eating and couldn't be held!)

Here are some pics:

Mommy holding Reed

Gammy holding Reed

Mommy and Ryan

Gammy with Reed and Mommy with Ryan

Daddy and Reed
Daddy and Reed... with Ryan in the background.Papaw and ReedRyan holding Daddy's hand before he left this afternoon.

Well... So much for that last post about too much free time.... Last week provided a major change of events at our house!! I went in to the hospital last Tuesday, about 4:00am because I was having contractions and couldn't get them to stop. I did not want to go in, b/c I just knew they were going to send me home. Thank goodness Carl's parents were here and were able to stay with Drew! Well, little did we know that not only could they NOT get the contractions to stop, but I developed a pretty bad case of HELLP syndrome. My sweet doctor, Dr. Wooley, was out of town, and so by Tuesday afternoon, Drs Travelstead and Sullivan, and the prenatal specialist, Dr. Perry were deciding what to do with us!! Tuesday night was pretty yucky and Wednesday just got worse... So, at 4:00pm Dr. Sullivan made the decision that the only way I was going to get better would be to deliver the babies... at exactly 31 weeks!!! SO....

Introducing....

Kenneth "Reed" Sandberg

May 28, 2008

4:32 pm

3 lbs, 9 oz

16 inches

"Ryan" Evans Sandberg

May 28, 2008

4:33pm

2 lbs, 14 oz

16 1/4 inches

family portait with Reed
Family protrait with Ryan
Drew coming to the hospital. He hasn't been able to see "brothers" yet, but hopefully in the next few weeks we can take him in there for a quick visit!

The boys will be a week old tomorrow and they are doing well. Ryan has had to stay under the jaundice lamp for several days, but has stayed off of his oxygen for the most part. Reed, has had to keep his oxygen, but is taking a little more food. As of yesterday, Reed was up to 18 ccs and Ryan was up to 15 ccs. They have both taken a bottle one time, the other feedings are through their ng tubes. Hopefully, we'll have some more pictures to update later!!

Thanks for all the prayers, cards, visits, and phone calls!! We appreciate each one!!