Two weeks old

I'm sure this posting will be cut short (almost time to feed Zoe), but I thought I'd better get something down... The first night with Zoe home was more difficult than night 2. Mom was tired, lots of excitement and conflicting emotions that day. Zoe zonked out, apparently it was enough excitement for her too.

She's doing well with eating, which is a relief. After a couple of go rounds we decided to keep track of what and when she was eating. Maybe we've gone a bit overboard with our excel spreadsheet (seriously); maybe it's Grandma B's (Mary's mom, name now so decreed) reaction to it today that made me realize it. She asked if it was the librarian in me that made this happen... A trait of recording shared by my dad (Grandpa B) as well. Just like to chart things. I think it's the inclusion of the "burp" count column that made my Mom laugh. That would be Dad's input. He wants to keep track of the gas that you pass, at least coming out that end. Yes, we're nuts. We're first time parents whose precious little ones seem incredibly fragile and we just want to have all the information we could possibly need when we make the first doctor visits for each.

We had a home visit from a nurse, which was actually helpful. Zoe is gaining weight - now 5lbs 10 oz, 4 more than her birth weight and about 3 more than her discharge weight two day ago. Way to go!

Yesterday I ran into a woman who was in our birthing class - her daughter made a brief stint in the special care nursery. Over 9 lbs. Wow, I can't believe the difference in size. The size of that head! Wow. Our little premies as so teeny tiny, although they look normal to us at this point.

I visited Roman at the hospital today while Grandma B watched Zoe (and charted...she puts up with our record keeping paranoia). When I got there I realized as much as Dad and I appreciate the wonderful care and attention given to the babies and the information the staff has shared and taught us, I really won't miss spending my time there. It's a revolving door of babies, in and out. It'll be good to get Roman home. He's gaining weight too and took all his bottle feedings from midnight today. I had to try to cheer him on to get him to finish the noon bottle (he didn't, but left just a small amount). He was alert, so it was fun to watch him watch me. His eyes are a pretty dark grey/blue color. He gulped down the 3pm bottle in 15 minutes. Way to go! I look forward to the day when feeding isn't a struggle. The day will come, I know. But for now it's a triumph when they eat without falling asleep midway. And as one of the nursery nurses reminds me Roman will make up for the lack of eating someday. That's the day we'll take out a loan to feed him. Assuming of course the US economy hasn't collapsed (as I gather from the short segments of news I hear...outside world, so far from the Zo Ro world).