D-day plus 1: and these kids were born to fight...

Saturday morning began with slightly less intrusion than Cheryl had been accustomed to after nearly a month in antepartum.  Cheryl had a little more time to relax and sleep off the rigors of the day prior, while I had a chance to stop by home and check on the dogs.  When I returned, we headed over to the NICU to check on the babies, and were delighted to see the babies doing great!  Austin was given a lamp to help with his bilirubin count that had risen to 6.  He was all hooked up with his CPAP, beanie, IV tubes, and sunglasses (sort of) to keep the light from overstimulating him. 

Malia looked exactly as we left her; quiet, peaceful, and still. 

Unfortunately, Austin was going to need a PICC line put in, because the IV lines going in through his hands were not going to be adequate in the long run.  The procedure for the PICC line involved them running a tube or catheter up one of his larger veins, either through the leg or arm.  The docs told us in the afternoon that things had gone very well and the procedure was successful.  In the ensuing fuss, he had ripped his CPAP canula away from his nose, so the respiratory tech let me snap this shot.

The rest of the day consisted of periodic napping, pumping, and baby visits.  By the evening, Malia had been upgraded and was put on a CPAP instead of the ventilator.  She's looking great and breathing (seemingly) comfortably.  For 2lbs, 2oz, she's making up in toughness what she lacks in stature.  Here's a little family shot with Malia, holding onto her Mom and Dad's fingers. Precious.