RSV

Well we tried to avoid it...but it was inevitable.  Our sweet baby boy got RSV.  For those of you who aren't familiar with it...RSV is basically a cold in adults and older children.  Often accompanied by fevers and a pretty decent cough.  For babies though, RSV can be very serious as it clogs up their breathing passages and the high temps are dangerous.

Cole and Tommy developed bad colds the week Grant was born and we didn't learn that it was actually RSV until Grant was 7 days old.  We tried our best to completely isolate him.  (I was living in one room with him) but I think he had already been exposed.  He and I both came down with cold symptoms on Tuesday night and on Wednesday we brought him to the pediatrician and confirmed that he had RSV.  They immediately sent us off to the hospital where he was admitted and spent two nights under observation.    RSV usually gets worse around day four...so they wanted to monitor the progression of the virus.

Luckily for us, Grant has a great immune system!!  (Of course he does...he is superbaby!!)  He did GREAT during the three days we spent at the hospital and had all the nurses cooing over him.  You have to see these pictures as they are such a testament to his great temperament.

Here he is in his bed, checking out his digs....

You can see he isn't feeling too hot here.  Puffy, watery eyes, stuffy nose and a little cough.

Just hanging out with mom.  I love this picture. He is the sweetest baby and can focus on things that are pretty far away.  Of course, I am convinced he is brilliant.

They sent us home on Friday with confidence that he would do great at home.  There were so many sick kids in the pediatrics ward, I practically ran out with him in my arms.  During the two nights we spent there, we had two very sick little room mates.  Both were babies with RSV.  One was transferred to Children's Hospital ICU he was so sick.  The night they spent working on that baby, I sat up with Grant in my arms and thanking God that we weren't that sick.  Honestly, we were very, very lucky.

Coming home was beautiful.  There is no other word to describe it.  Tommy and Cole had never had the chance to get close or touch their baby brother as they were sick.  Watching them all together made me cry.  Cole was so excited that he could finally touch his brother.  (He is still asking me if it's okay.)  The doctor explained that since we all have RSV...we're safe to be together at last.  YAY!  He also feels confident that if Grant is exposed to the virus in the future, that he'll be able to fend it off on his own as he did so well with this first exposure.  All positive news. 

So...we're on the mend!  We're all still stuffy and congested, but getting better.  Grant has a check-up today at doctor's, so we'll see how things go.  Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers.  They worked!!

Growth spurt!

This morning I peeked in on Grant and started laughing.  You should see all the new hair he sprouted!!  He has the world's best hairline with a little Clark Kent swirl right in the center of his forehead.  Tommy and Cole were cue balls for so long.  I can't believe at two weeks old he already has this much hair!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Our best pals - Cole and Tommy.  Mommy and Daddy love you so very much!

We love you Grant - our beautiful Valentine!  

Valentine's Day was full of love, cuddles, crafts and fun.  With sweet Grant tucked safely away in our bedroom napping, the boys and I opened Valentine's and made some fun Valentine's ornaments to give to Nana.  Cole and Tommy love each other so much.  Watching them giggle together and play is just so special!

The boys have been so understanding with everything.  The entire time we were together this morning, I was wearing a surgical mask.   It is vital that I do not get RSV and Kevin was traveling today, so I had to play it safe with my sick little guys.  We pretended I was a doctor which they loved...and it just worked out perfectly that part of their Valentine's gift was a "Doctor Love" t-shirt!  

Tommy

Doctor Cole

It was great to have a morning with them...I've missed my best pals so much.  "I love you Mom." Cole said during a break in our play.  It was heaven to my ears.  How lucky am I to have two such special boys?  Hope everyone had a very special Valentine's day.  And happy birthday to the boys' Auntie Patti...we love you!  xoxo

SO many updates...so little time!

We've certainly been busy this week!  We arrived home on Monday afternoon after a long morning of waiting.  It was SO GOOD to be home with our little guy.  Just having our family all together at long last was such a great feeling.  And of course, nothing feels better than sleeping in your own bed!  Grant was so cute dressed up to head home.

Grant and daddy - we're busting out of here!!

The boys were really sweet and excited to finally have their "baby Grant" home.  They were curious about everything and very protective.  Both boys had colds and one afternoon Tommy got a bloody nose.  While Kevin and I were tending to him, Cole quickly ran upstairs to Grants bassinet and said, "Don't worry!  I'll make sure baby Grant is okay!"  I almost cried!  You can't teach that...that is just instinct.  And Tommy calls Grant "our baby Grant".  When he wakes up, the first thing he asks is "where is our baby Grant?"  It's so sweet.  Honestly, the boys have been amazing considering everything that has been going on.  I couldn't be prouder.

Grant celebrated his 1-week birthday on Thursday with a check-up at the pediatrician's office.  He is doing great!  Gained weight, eating well, healthy and pretty strong for his age.  At only 7-days old, his legs are strong enough that he uses them to flip himself over.  Can you imagine?  He can also hold up his head for several seconds at a time and has great focus with those big beautiful eyes.  He is like a superhero baby!  :)

It's such a different experience from the boys.  Grant is a bigger baby, so he sleeps for long stretches and has no issues with eating at all.  When he's awake, he loves to talk and really listens and focuses when mommy and daddy are talking and playing with him.  Just a sweetheart.  Here is a picture of Grant at 6 days old.  I took it in our living room.  Doesn't he look so much older than 6 days?

It wasn't long after this photo that Cole and Tommy's little *colds* started getting worse.  Long story short, as of today BOTH boys have RSV and ear infections.  RSV is a viral infection that is pretty dangerous for newborns.  Oy!  Just what we needed.  So serious in fact that Kevin and I are living in separate rooms and he is tending to the boys and I am tending to Grant.  Never a dull moment around here as of late!  No worries though.  We are parents of twins.  We can handle this!  :)

The debate is still on as to who Grant looks like.  I was so certain he was going to look just like his brothers, but he is definitely his own little person.  He has dark hair with a different hairline than the boys.  The cutest little swirl right at the top.  Perhaps he looks a bit more like me?  I think he may resemble my mom's side in terms of the eyes and nose...and his lips remind me of my Grandmother Anna.  He has little dimples when he smiles...  Hmmm...who has dimples?  I want to collect a few more baby photos to see if I can track resemblances.  Here is my baby photo...versus his very first photo.  (Poor child...has no idea he was born to a paparazzi mother.) But I can certainly see a little resemblance!

Another shot...

What do you think?  Comments or thoughts?  Aside from all that, he is honestly the BEST little baby ever and we feel so blessed!  Just a perfect little miracle.  He lights up when he sees his daddy and I always catch him staring intently at me when I'm doing things.  I can't stop kissing his head...those sweet cheeks...it's heaven!!  God made newborns so we would continue to procreate.  The whole experience is just so intoxicating!!  

Will update as we can in the weeks ahead as we are all trying to mend here.  I am looking forward to spring...days spent with my boys and Cole and Tommy feeling better.  The doctor says we have two more weeks of isolation.  Here's hoping it passes FAST.  Thank you to everyone for your well wishes and kind words.  We are over the moon about this little guy and feel lucky that he is surrounded by so much love.

Grant - 10 days old

Grant - 3 days old!

Kevin took the kids home tonight, so Grant and I were on our own.  We had the best day.  We cuddled, relaxed, napped together...did lots of talking and with the exception of one return visit to the nursery for a blood test, he's stayed in the room.  They offered to take him tonight, but I just couldn't let him go, so I parked his bassinet beside my bed for the night.  He was sleeping, or so I thought.  Then I looked over and saw this....  

He was just sitting there watching me...eyes wide open...not a peep.  LOL  So cute!

He loves to stretch!  This was a cute shot from today when I was changing him.  Arms up...big yawn...its exhausting being so cute!

He was really alert today and I got this cute shot of his big blue eyes.  Well they are blue at the moment. We'll see what color they end up being.

We had just finished a feeding and I was wrapping him back up when he decided my finger would be a good snack.  

Nana and her new grandson!  

The big brothers overseeing a diaper change.  Tommy yelled, "HE OPENED HIS EYES!!!"

Here's my cuddle bug all nestled in for our nap.  I love napping with him.  The newborn smell is SO intoxicating.