Happy Halloween!!!

The outer two pumpkins I carved. The middle one was carved by John, and I am very proud to announce this was his very first carving experience! He even surprised me with it after getting home from school today! John, please understand I wasn't laughing at your pumpkin, because I thought it looked silly. I laughed because it warmed my heart that you actually carved a pumpkin after telling me last night you never have and never will carve one! I hate that you got called in to work tonight, I was looking forward to sitting in lawn chairs outside and handing out candy with the boys in their costumes.

Halloween Preview :Nemo and Squirt

I have been up since 3:30. Not so I can study, which I should be doing right now considering I have 2 tests tomorrow. Not so I can write the 2 papers that are due tomorrow either. Somehow I pulled a muscle in my neck and it is killing me. I'm making a doctors appointment today, somewhere, somehow.

Second day post-op

The swelling is down a bit from yesterday, but I don't expect the redness to be gone for a few weeks. Matthew doesn't seem to be in pain, so I won't give him medicine unless he tells me otherwise. Surprisingly, his right eye isn't pulling in as much as it was...I though it would be weeks before we'd see any progress.

My little trooper

He did so good. Matthew had his last bottle this morning at 5:00am, and wasn't seen by the doctor until noon. Surprisingly, he wasn't cranky at all at the surgical center. I was expecting him to be very fussy because of his empty belly, but he wasn't. I got to see him a little after 1, and fed him a bottle which he prompty threw up completely (nausea from the anesthetic). After that, the nurse took his foot I.V. out and we were on our way to pick up Michael, then home. Other than giving him tylenol and motrin for pain, everything should be fine. Thank you for your well wishes and prayers guys!!

When I was being debriefed about after surgical care by the nurse, she told me a funny story. Right after the surgery, Matthew was being held by a black nurse. When he 'came to' he started freaking out, so the nurse that was giving me instructions went to get him. He immediately calmed down and stopped crying. When the nurse was telling me the story, the black nurse walked in and said "Well, now that we have your twin here, I know why your baby was crying for me!" apparently I looked a lot like the nurse who comforted Matthew!

In two days time


At this time on Friday, Matthew will be out of surgery. I'm still telling myself this is the best thing for him and that the waiting and seeing approach won't accomplish anything. I just hate the numbers : 20% chance he will need further surgeries as he ages, 30% chance he won't develop binocular vision....I know it could be worse. What are the odds that both my boys will have had surgeries before they turn a year old?! Were their tiny developing bodies compromised somewhat because they were premature? Not being in-utero alone? I don't know, but it sucks all around.

Michael: "If you love me, you will let me chew on your finger"

Michael sitting up!

I've been putting the boys down on the floor of their bedroom to play with various toys lately. It usually allows me anywhere from 15-30 minutes time. When I checked on them after playing quietly for a few minutes, I found Michael sitting up!! They are growing so fast, I can't believe they are the same helpless little lumps that I brought home from the hospital.

My pirate-in-training

The ophthalmologist appointment for Matthew

After entirely too long in the waiting room, the four of us met with the doctor. It didn't take him more than a minute to inform us that 1) Matthews eyes will not be getting straighter as he grows 2) Both eyes gravitate to his nose suggesting tight muscles, with the right eye pulling in more 3) Along with his eyes coming together, they also pull upward 4) This condition is genetic and pretty common

So, his treatment will be : patching his left eye for 2 hours a day until the day of surgery which will be in 10 days!! They only had an opening then, or we would have to wait until after Thanksgiving. I am scared, mostly because he will be anesthetized. Thankfully its a day surgery and the only restrictions afterwards will be to avoid swimming and sandboxes. I hate that his iris' will look like they are swimming in blood for two weeks, but according to the doctor he won't be in pain.

Bring your monkey to school day!

So......do you think I broke it?

While running to the nursery to comfort a crying baby, my toe got tangled up in the metal part of a baby boucy chair. It really hurts, a lot. I was going to post a full-on picture of my whole foot...but my big toe is in dire need of a little shavy-shave. Eww.

My friends, the mothmen

Matthew sez feet taste good!

I should be studying, or cleaning, or re-writing my paper due tomorrow that my sister thoughtfully proofed for me twice. I just don't have the initiative. What I want to do is try out this new broccoli-cheese soup recipe another twin-mom gave me. We'll see what eventually wins, I'm hungry, so you take a guess.