The First Week at Home

My gosh! Now that we’re home it has occurred to Kristi and me that we didn’t really think this thing all the way through. Not that we’re complaining. We’re very happy to have the kids and it has been a wonderful week. It’s just that I feel I just took a second job and the pay is crap; literally.

Having the kids home for a week has been a combination of really busy and nothing. We have the kids on a three hour schedule (most of the time) where we change them, feed them and put them back to sleep. This occurs 24 hours a day. It’s really not too bad until, like last night, one of them decides to change the schedule on us. Really, I think maybe the kids are part vampire. It seems that they stick to the schedule and sleep great all day. And then, when the sun goes down, they’re up all the time. Kristi was really working it last night with Mackie. I knew Kristi had had enough when, after a couple of hours of trying to get Mackie quiet, Kristi came to bed, laid Mackie next to Ozzie, one of our poodles, and said, “Ozzie, see if you can quiet her down.” Ozzie leaned over, sniffed her, then got up and moved to another part of the bed. Apparently he was tired of it also.

We came home from the hospital last Tuesday. The kids stayed one night more than Kristi just to make sure they could maintain their temperatures. They can. It was pretty stressful thinking that Kristi would have to go home and leave the kids at the hospital but St. Joseph’s hospital in Bryan has a great deal where you can stay one extra night on what they call their “Bed and Breakfast” plan. For $50 we were able to stay an extra night and then all go home together. I can’t say enough about the wonderful nurses and staff at St. Joseph’s. They were friendly, knowledgeable, and caring. We hope to stay in touch with a few of them. Here are a few pictures of everyone at the hospital and going home.

This is their first ride in a car. I think they look like ocean explorers about to take a deep-sea dive.

Me putting them in the car for the first time.

This is the dogs getting their first sniff of the new babies. The dogs have been really wonderful around the babies.

Now that we’re home, we’re having regular visits by friends and family to come see the babies. Here is a picture of them their first nap in their new home.

Nonni and Pops holding them.

Nanna and Roo coming for a visit.

Aunt Mary and Uncle Johnson came down for the day.

Aunt Katy and Uncle Dave. They're actually our cousins but we're not telling Mackie and Nate that.

And just becaus I like it so much, here is a picture of me with my two kids.

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers throughout the pregnancy. It’s obvious that it worked. When you think back it’s really amazing that Kristi was able to go 37 weeks into a multiple pregnancy with minor complications and nothing that ever posed a significant risk to Kristi or the babies. We truly feel blessed to be on the other side with everyone healthy and happy. We also feel blessed by all the friends and family that have supported us and cared for us on this journey. Now that we’ve crossed the starting line, I can’t wait for Mackie and Nate to come to know each of you and learn for themselves why each of you are so special to us.

Until next time, I hope you have a wonderful week.

Dr. Daddy.



They're Here!!!!

They're Here!

Mackenzie Kaye and Nathaniel David Sikes arrived just a little before 8:00 am on July 7, 2011. Mackie weighed 6 lbs 3 oz and Nate weighed 7 lbs 2 oz. Can you believe Kristi had over 13 lbs of baby in her on Thursday morning? Kristi is doing great. The babies are doing great. We have all spent the last 36 hours feeding, peeing, pooping, changing diapers, burping and doing all the other million things that I have learned goes into having two beautiful babies. I know you're all really ready to get to the pictures so here are some of the best from yesterday.

This is the first picture of the family.

Here is a picture of Kristi and the kids just a few hours after they were born.

Here are a couple of pictures of Mackie and Nate for the first time in the nursery.

Here the first picture of both the kids, that is the first not of ultrasound quality. Nate is on the left and has really blond hair. Mackie is on the left and has dark hair. Nate yelled for the first hour or so after he was born. Since then both have become very good babies.

Here's a picture of me with Mackie.

Pictures of all the grandparents with the kiddos.

Mimi

Nana and Roo

Nonni

Pops

And with my nephew Bradley.

I'll have more to write next time but things are pretty busy these days. I just wanted to get some pictures of the kids up for you to see.

I hope you have as great a weekend as we're having. I have to tell you, it would be pretty hard to beat what we're up to though.

Dr. Daddy

We’re Near the Finish Line

We’re near the finish line. Or is it we’re near the starting line? Either way, the pregnancy of Kristi Sikes is just about over. We just passed 36 weeks last Friday and the doctors say they don’t want Kristi to go beyond about 37 or 38 weeks. That means if Mackie and Nate don’t come out on their own, we’re going in after them. Huh. I guess it’s starting already… “Mackie, Nate! Come out here. You don’t want us to come in there and get you!”

Kristi is really uncomfortable these days. She’s finding it hard to sleep because she can’t stay in one position for more than 30 minutes or so. She does however still have a great outlook and is pushing hard to the end; not literally pushing just yet though. The other night, as she was trying to get comfortable again I heard her saying to herself, “Just a few more days, just a few more days.” Kristi is on a mission. Despite her being really uncomfortable, she is doing a great job. We went to the doctor last week and she said Kristi is healthy; blood pressure is good, blood tests are good, etc. While at the doctor we received a few more ultrasound pictures. This is either an alien or a monkey baby. Actually, it's Mackenzie.

 This is a picture of Nathaniel. See if you can guess what part it is. I'll give you a hint, we're SURE it's Nathaniel and not Mackenzie.

The swelling of Kristi Sikes is still spreading to new and interesting places. The latest part of Kristi to swell is her lips. She thinks they’re big but I think they’re supple. Check out these bad girls.

As I told you in an earlier blog, we’re having family paint small canvases to match the rug we purchased for the babies’ room. Dad and Sandi came up last weekend and painted theirs. What’s fun is they sign them with what the kids are going to call them. Sandi is going to be Nana and Dad is going to bad Rod.

Okay, Dad is actually going to be Roo but his painting looks like Rod.

Here is a picture of Kristi this week. She’s taking up a bit over half a doorway these days. If she gets any bigger, she'll be a fire hazard.

We go to the doctor again Tuesday. I’ll let you know what’s going on after the visit. Until then, I hope you have a good week.

Dr. Daddy