Oh...by the way

In case you're wondering why I'm writing letters to my wife at 7:30 instead of just turning to her and talking to her...it's because I'm stuck at work on my first day back after taking what they considered a "maternity leave" of a week, waiting for some last minute crap to render out because people over promise and expect us to over-deliver. A week where I just took my work home and worked on it during the 1 or so hour breaks we have when one of us doesn't have a baby in one hand.

That's why. It's the sacrifices we make for the betterment of family that counts. The rest is just bullshit in between.

A day for drinking.

Someday there will be a day, maybe someday in the next year or so, when Lauren and I will be able to go out and drink again...together. Not go out and get wasted, wake up the next afternoon wondering where you are kind of drinking. Just the "lets go to a couple bars at night and both have a drink instead of just Tom having a drink and Lauren drinking water with a lemon and wanting a beer" kind of drinking.

One day it will happen...

The girls just need to get to the point that they are a little less high maintenance and we can let the grand parents have a go at them for one night. We'll refer to this night as "Date Night" from here on.

"Date Night" might start with dinner at a nice restaurant...maybe Palomino or the Rathskellar, or (gasp) the Scholars Inn! Maybe we'll just go to the Old Point like we used to. I'd get the grilled chicken sandwich or maybe the nachos, and you'll get the chilli, of course. We'll eat well, then walk down Mass Ave and hit a few of the quaint little drinking establishments over there. Just like when we were dating. When we were fun loving early 20 somethings with expendable income and no commitments at home but the cats...and they could wait.

Then, after we've visited all of the bars we wanted on Mass Ave, maybe we'll find a nice quite spot on the Circle downtown and enjoy some cool night air until our ride comes to pick us up. I'll have them drive past our old house where we used to live, and we'll comment on who had moved out, and how they've painted the fence a different color, and how that creepy loner girl across the way is still there.

Babe, one of these days...we'll have "date night" again...I promise!

Happy One Week Birthday!

Hey babies!

Tonight your mom and I celebrated your 1 week birthday. We were feeding you Maddie when you turned one week at 6:41 PM, and Natalie, you were asleep after just being fed when 7:12 PM rolled around and you became officially 1 week old.

You've grown up so much in just the week since you were born. You've learned to eat on your own, breath on your own, and even established somewhat of a schedule of your own, although your nice nurses and your mom and I have done a lot to make sure you stay on it.

I can't wait for you to come home and see all of the nice things people have been sending us the last few days. Little outfits, blankets, girly stuff. It's all so small and ready for you to play with and wear. I'm trying really hard to be with you as much as I can, even though I still have to work, so I will remember these times. Before long you'll be trying to get away from us as fast as you can, but for now you're ours, and your mom and I already can't imagine life without you. For now, you need us, and everyday is more fun watching you learn to smile, seeing you keep your eyes open a little longer and looking at us and watching us, having you fall asleep in our arms, and the little grunts you make when you are getting burped or squirming around in your beds.

I'm trying so hard to remember these times...because you're only this age for a minute.

Happy birthday babies!

Copy Cat

Dr.: "Hi, I am calling Lauren back...how are the babies?"

Me: "Oh, hi Dr. The babies are great...getting stronger every day and might get to come home soon!"

Dr.: "That's great...do they look alike?"

Me: "Yeah, tonight after we fed them we go them as close as their little wires would let us in the NICU, and they are pretty darn close."

Dr.: "That's because they are identical! Their test came back, and they are for sure identical twins!"

Me: "Cool!"

Dr.: "That really is cool! So if you try again, there's no increased risk of having twins...it's just the luck of the draw."

So there you have it...the girls are identical twins! Hope we can keep them straight when we get them home!

30 Minute Fire Drill.

Girls,

Every 3 hours is like a 30 minute fire drill for your mom and I the last couple days. We've been spending the days in your NICU room with you, feeding you, and yesterday you started nursing from your mom. Now, every 3 hours its time to change your diaper, take your temperature and blood pressure, feed you, burp you, bundle you up and rock you to sleep. Today you've been really good, eating and sleeping on que. It just seems like every 3 hours now your mom and me do a 30 minute fire drill of taking care of you, then we get a 2.5 hour break while you sleep it off and get ready for the next round.

It's really cool to see you grow and become more alert and responsive to us. You seem to know our voices, because if you are asleep and we talk to you, you wake right up and look at us. Last night I came down during your midnight feeding and spoke to the nurse, and you both woke up and were looking for me. It was really cool!

We've been living in the hospital since you were born. Your mom was in the post-partum ward up until last night when she was discharged. Then, we were able to secure a "family room" up here, which was nicer than most of the nice hotel rooms I've stayed in, and the best part---it was FREE! Momma even gets to eat for free as long as she's here because she's a breastfeeding mommy. You are, for sure, in the best NICU in the state in my opinion. The nurses are so nice, your night nurse last night made you little baby bracelets with your names on them.

So, they are saying that on Monday they are going to evaluate you and see how you're doing, and give us a more definite estimate for when you'll be able to come home. You just have to keep gaining weight, and Madelyn they are watching you because two times this week they noticed you having "brady's" or bradycardia - where your heart rate slows down too much. It's a very common thing for premie babies, and it's something you'll outgrow...they just want to watch you and make sure you're ready to come home before they decide it's time.

They've been preparing for you to come home, too. We brought in your car seats for a test yesterday. They put you in the seats and keep you hooked to the monitors to see if you tolerate sitting in the seats for long periods of time. Yesterday you were tested for a couple hours, and you both did fine. The nurse said Maddie just had one little episode, and she thought that it was because you had your head in an awkward position.

So, it's just wait and see now. Mom and I will be going home tonight to sleep in our own bed, since Mommy hasn't been home since Monday morning of last week. Then we'll be back in the morning to do it all again!

Day Three

Girls,

Day three for you was a great day. I came to see you a lot, and today Momma started getting out of bed more and actually walking around on her own. So, she probably made 3 or 4 trips down to see you during the day, and of course Nana and Poppi came to see you. They have been to see you everyday and were waiting at the hospital when you were born.

You also were visited by some of our friends, and everyone said you were really cute. I forgot to tell you that yesterday you met MY grandma, you're great-grandma, and she said you looked like little dolls just sleeping away. I agreed. Yesterday you also met your great aunt and great uncle Vickie and Donnie. You've also met your aunt Laura and Uncle Aaron, who are your cousin Kasey's parent's. You'll get to meet Kasey soon, once you're strong enough, and I can't wait to see how the 3 of you play!

You have been eating like big babies, taking your whole bottles and then some. The nurse's just want you to eat 25 or 30 cc's of milk, but you girls have been getting down 35 and 45 cc's! They were very proud of you in the NICU, and you've earned the nickname of "the Princesses". Even the secretaries in the NICU said they take little breaks just to come over and sneak a peek at you two and see how you're doing.

When you sleep sometimes you let out little coo's and grunts, and you both burp "like truckers". Momma and I fed you a few times today, and last night Natalie, you kept falling asleep while I fed you. Momma and I had you racing your sister Madelyn to finish your bottle, and Madelyn beat you by a lot. You were just too tired. I let the nurse finish feeding you, and of course you woke right up and ate all your bottle quickly. You totally could have won the race...but I forgive you. I like to think that you're just comfy with your daddy and were more interested in sleeping.

Day Two

Madelyn and Natalie,

Yesterday was day two of your life. I hope it was as fun for you being here as it was for your mom and me watching you get stronger and healthier.

You started off the day making leaps and bounds. You came off your oxygen, and the nurses put you in "big girl beds", regular crib beds that don't have all the scary wires and tubes attached. It was great to see you both looking around and checking out your new digs.

Your mom and I came to see you later in the day, and you were getting ready to start feeding from a real bottle, something that the nurses said you may or may not be too good at. Turns out you were both pretty good at it. You needed some training and positive reinforcement, but you got it down, and later in the day momma and I were able to feed you on our own!

Momma only made it down to see you a few times because she's not feeling 100% normal yet...but when she did come see you she lit up, and you did too.

Day One.

Dear Natalie and Madelyn,

Welcome to your very first morning outside the womb! You came into this world yesterday afternoon after your mom was told today was the day by her doctor. I was at work and got the call that I needed to make my way up to watch you being born, so I packed up and came as fast as I could.

When I got to the hospital, your momma had already started having a few contractions, and soon was put on some medicine to speed labor along a bit. Soon after that, she needed an epidural to manage the pain. Once she had the epidural, momma was comfy and started moving along nicely.

Madelyn, you were first. Momma started feeling like she needed to push, so the doctor said she wanted to move us to the operating room just in case something happened. So, we all got ready to move, and into the OR we went. By the time we got there, momma was really ready to give pushing a go, so she did. She was determined to get you out, Madelyn, and I watched as we started to see your head come out. A few more good pushes by your momma, and you were out and over to the NICU team for cleaning up and stuff.

Natalie, you were a little more difficult. Momma wanted to try to get you out naturally as well, but you were laying in a difficult position. The doctor tried and tried to reposition you, but you wouldn't cooperate. She would work on you, and then check you, and you'd be in the same spot again. Finally, after about 5 minutes of trying and breaking your bag of water, the doctor called an emergency C-Section. It was the most amazing and scary thing I've ever seen. In an instant the room went from somewhat calm to a flurry of activity. People flying everywhere getting ready for last minute surgery. I crouched down by momma's head to stay out of the way. It probably wasn't 10 minutes after the doctor said they were going to operate that they actually had you out. You cried a lot louder than your sister at first, but you too went quiet once the NICU team had you and cleaned you up. I came to see you quickly before getting back to momma as the surgeons closed her up. You were cleaned up and taken to the NICU to stay with your sister for a while.

This morning momma's doing great, and you are too. I came to see you and Natalie, you were sleeping. Madelyn, I checked on you in your little bed and you just opened your eyes and looked at me, then gave me a little wave with your hand, scratched at your eye a little and yawned, then went to sleep. You both looked good, and the doctors in the NICU think that you will come off of your oxygen today and that Momma and I can probably hold you in a little bit. You had a bath sometime over the night, and the nurses put you in little clothes.

We're so excited that you're finally here, and can't wait to take you home and start getting to know you!

- Your Proud Poppa!

Make sure you're bladder's empty...

Tonight Lauren and I've been playing with PhotoBooth, a program on the Mac whose sole pupose on Earth is to take pictures like this, that make people laugh so hard they almost wet themselves...almost.

New monitors

Yup, see those two flat panels there on my desk, those are my new monitors for work. We've been lobbying for new computers for a while now, and finally we broke through. We've got a couple of new Alienware PC's coming in a week or so, but they set up my monitors because they came ahead of time. I love 'em!

I'm surrounded by computers....can you tell?

Baby update: They're probably going to be here in a couple weeks a latest as well... Lauren and I are both nervous, but ready for them to get here so we can start corrupting their innocent little minds and feeding them chocolate bars till they barf...

Just kidding...

about the chocolate bars anyway.

Goin' Batty

Welp, I got 20 minutes today, along with about 30 minutes on Friday night to finish up the Batavus fixed gear bike project I've been working on for weeks. It's not quite right, but I rode it today...and it felt good!

I was having serious trouble getting the chainline straight, because I bought a bottom bracket on clearance that was way too long for a single speed, but it was about half the price of a new one (which is usually only about 20 bucks anyway), the local shop had it in stock, so I jumped on it. Well, after I installed it and sighted down where the chain would be, I realized that I wasn't going to be able to "make it werk".

I was bummed, but I wheeled the bike back out to the garage from the living room where I was working on it (Lauren was on the couch watching TV, and I needed to do something, but didn't want to leave her alone in the house any longer than she is already on bed rest all day...) I was determined to figure out a way to make it work for me.

Then, on my way home on Friday it hit me....just reverse the drive. The spindle for the cranks is shorter on the left side than it is on the "drive", right side. It's not 100% correct, but it should get me through till winter when I strip it all down and paint it. I'll spend the 25 bucks then and get the correct bottom bracket.

So, that's what I did. The only problem with this set up is everything is threaded, from the pedals to the rear cog on the hub, to tighten as you pedal forward. Since the cranks, pedals, and rear wheel are basically reversed on the left side, things could come loose as I pedal. It just means I'll have to keep a closer eye on the whole rig.

I also had to do some last minute shimming to the seatpost on the bike. Someone stuck an old huffy seat and seatpost on it that was just a little to small...so I had to wrap it in some cardboard to make it tight. I just need an aluminum can to cut up and use as a shim and it will be fine.

In other news, Lauren is on bedrest at home with the twins. They must be growing like crazy in there, because she keeps complaining that her stomach itches. I think it's because her skin is stretching.

Anyway, I have cookies in the oven, and I need to get started on dinner, but that's my update. If you get this in the next few hours you won't see pictures of the Batavus yet...because while dinner cooks I'm going to go out and take some...

Peace out.