PIctures of the girls!

Landon loves his baby sisters.
Cuddle time!

Play time!

All dressed up and ready for church.

Valerie

Olivia

Valerie

Valerie

Olivia

The girls are growing more and more each day. Last Friday we went to Oakland for Olivia's surgery follow up and Olivia weighed 8lbs. 4oz. and Valerie was 9lbs. 0oz. They have officially outgrown all preemie clothes and are filling up their newborn clothes. They both love to eat-they consistently want to eat at least every 3 hours- even during the night. They are on a higher calorie formula to help them gain weight and it seems to be working just fine! Landon is very good with them- most of the time. He loves to hold them and give them kisses. We are all adjusting to life with two newborns and loving every minute of it!

Oakland

Landon was obsessed with the electric train that we saw go past the hospital several times a day. So Grandma and I took him on a ride into the city one day while daddy stayed with Olivia.
Finally my two girls are together! We were so excited to be going home!

Our favorite nurse at the Children's hospital! She was so good to us and to Olivia!

Proud big brother ready to be going back to his house- which would only be for a couple of days! We came home on a Wednesday and moved out to our new house in La Grange that Saturday!

Sunbathing while we waited for AAA, since our car wouldn't start when we were ready to come home!

So here's the story of Olivia's stay in Oakland:

After being back in the ICN at Memorial Hospital in Modesto for almost 2 weeks and still they didn't know what was wrong her doctor decided it was time for a helicopter ride to Oakland. So Thursday night before Memorial day weekend Olivia was loaded into the helicopter and taken to the Children's hospital in Oakland. It was late by the time they took her and we were trying to figure out what to do- as far as when we should go, what to do with the other two kids etc. We ended up calling my dad and he met the helicopter in Oakland (he lives in Santa Rosa) and stayed with her all night that first night. We arrived the next morning to news that she had pyloric stenosis and that they would be doing surgery that day. It was such a relief to finally know what she had and that there was a way to fix it. Pyloric stenosis is an enlarged muscle in the digestive tract so that no food can pass through and be digested. They were able to do the surgery laproscopically so she has three tiny dots on her tummy as a result. They cut the muscle and she was back up in the ICN by Friday evening. Normally the recovery from this surgery takes a couple of days, but Olivia continued to vomit brown gunk for about another week. We were worried there could be something else wrong, but the doctors said it would just take time. It was a long two week recovery with a very slow progression of feeding then stopping, they trying again. Finally she was able to keep enough down to gain weight and we were released to go home! It was such a relief and amazing feeling to have both my girls together again. God was so good during this time and provided us with a wonderful place to stay- the Family house, which is associated with the hospital. It was right across the street so we were able to walk back and forth several times a day. There was plenty for Landon to do and he even got to stay with Grandma Heidi and Grandpa Thomas for a couple of days. We had wonderful friends and family visit and more people than I will ever know of praying! God is good and my little girl is healty and happy today! Thank you everyone for all your encouragement and prayers during this time!

Family Park Day

Valerie

We decided to take a day and go to the park yesterday. After all the stress of worrying about Olivia and trying to move we needed a day off. Landon got a fishing pole for his birthday so him and daddy worked on casting and reeling it in. Valerie and I enjoyed the sun and watching daddy and Landon. It was a nice and very much needed afternoon!

Birthday Boy!

Landon turned three this month and had a very special birthday. He got to celebrate with Aunt Jana and Grandma and Grandpa and then with Grandpa Thomas, Grandma Heidi and Adam. Then on his birthday we celebrated with Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Larry and the next day we went to Gym Stars and celebrated with all our friends. He is one very loved little boy and in the midst of all that our family is going through right now- he needed this special time just for him. It was a great birthday and one I am sure he will remember!

Landon's Butterfly

Landon and Daddy caught this butterfly and Landon loved it! The butterfly stayed with him for a long time! It was fun to see how excited he was to hold it!

Big Brother Landon

Landon and Valerie

Landon and Olivia

Landon and Olivia

Landon and Olivia

Landon loves to hold his baby sisters and is very gentle with them. Ever since Olivia went back in to the hospital he has been saying that he misses his other baby sister and wants me to go get her back. He is a great big brother and we are very proud of him!

Bringing the girls home!!!

Daddy carrying the girls to the car!

Olivia is on the left and Valerie on the right.

This was the first time Landon was able to really see his baby sisters!

He was in awe and couldn't stop staring and saying how cute they were!

We were able to bring the girls home on Tuesday August 18th. They were 16 days old and healthy and ready to go home. We were so excited and blessed to have them home. After being home for 4 days Olivia became really sick. She wasn't keeping any food down and was starting to get dehydrated. We tood her to the emergency room on Sunday the 23rd and she was admitted back into the ICN at Memorial hospital. She is still there today- September 1st and has received a blood transfusion and is on a bunch of antibiotics to fight off a bacteria infection. Continue to keep her in your prayers!