The boys are 20 days old

First, 'normal' baby stuff... these are just a few shots of Ben's first bath. As you can see from the second one, he was not a fan at first. But, then he decided he liked the warm water and he began to relax. I need to start taking more pictures- he is growing so quickly! I just feel bad about taking pictures of him alone-- he is part of a set, so I am waiting for that set to be complete!

Today actually should have been their birthday- my scheduled c-section was to be today. Instead, they are 20 days old. Ben is awesome- he is a very easy baby and is eating very well. Once he decided to eat, he became very good at it! He is all the way up to 6lbs 2oz-he seems so big now! Jack is gaining weight in the hospital, which is a good sign. He is 5lbs 10oz, but he still seems a lot smaller than his brother. I can't wait to see them side by side again so I can compare. I think we still have a way to go before that happens, though.

I don't really have much to update as far as Jack is concerned. He is relatively the same. He is on a little less oxygen than he was, so that is good. He is also a little more alert and responsive. We have set him up with his own blanket and special toy in his crib, and we brought in a CD player and a Celtic lullabies CD (Thanks, Tim) for him to listen to. It's not home, but it's something nice for him. We are able to hold him now, but only once or twice a day for short periods. We still go and just talk or sing to him so that he can hear our voices, but it is very hard on us to not be able to bring him home. Thankfully, my mom is staying with us so that I can visit Jack during the day while she watches Ben. She also goes to visit, then Dave visits in the afternoon. I usually go back around 9 or 10 at night to say good night to him after Mairead and Ben are in bed. I hope this routine does not last very much longer.

They are giving him antibiotics now and doing a little physical therapy on his chest to try to loosen the mucous in his lungs. They think it is working, but it is a slow road since he is so small. The doctors and nurses in the NICU have been great and we know they are taking good care of our little guy. They are all very sympathetic to our unique situation with one twin and a toddler at home while one twin is in the hospital.

Thanks again to everyone for all of your support- it means a lot to us!