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!

The twins!

First picture of mom and dad with the twins.
Daddy and Olivia

Mommy and both girls

Landon enjoyed visiting mom in the hospital and lying in bed watching tv.

Landon and two of his grandmas!

Olivia Joy and Valerie Faith Scharf

Valerie Faith Scharf born August 2nd 2009 at 1:22pm and weighed 4lbs 8 oz.

Olivia Joy Scharf born August 2nd 2009 at 1:21 pm and weighed 4lbs. 3 oz.

I was able to come home from the hospital today, but unfortunately the girls are still in the ICN. They are doing well though. Olivia has been doing great at eating from the bottle and has had a few successes with breast feeding. She is off of the IV fluids and the oxygen, so basically we are just waiting for her to be able to hold a consistent body temperature and gain some weight. Valerie was able to take her first bottle today and did a great job with it. She is still on some oxygen and IV fluids and they are watching her respiratory rate. She still has to work really hard to breathe consistently and at a normal rate. They both gained about 2 oz in the past 24 hours and are both at about 4lbs. 3 oz. now. The doctors are predicting about a 2 weeks stay for them both to give them a chance to gain weight, hold their body temperature and have consistent breathing patterns. We would appreciate continued prayer for them both and us as a family as we adjust to this new life. I am going to aim to go to the hospital at least 3 times a day to feed the girls and spend time with them until they are able to come home.