Quick Update

Today marks week three for Jordan and Jaxon. The boys are doing pretty good. Jaxon gained another ounce yesterday, placing him at about two pounds 1.3 ounces. Jordan is up to one pound 11.6 ounces. The boys are eating more and more as well. They started off on 2 cc's of milk every 3 hours and now Jaxon is taking 13 cc's every 3 hours, while Jordan is taking 12 cc's every 3 hours.

Jordan is no longer receiving lipids through his IV. He is receiving a fortifier in his milk to give him an extra dose of calories each day. Jaxon is getting closer to no longer needing his lipids and receiving fortifier in his milk.

Thanks again for your prayers. I was checking the stats on the website today and the numbers are astounding. Here are a few stats from the month of April:

• Averaging 2,200 hits per day
• Averaging 168 different users per day
• Total hits for the month 61,621

Keep in mind that these stats don't include April 1st and April 2nd when the site wasn't even in existence. I said all of that to say this. Our boys are on the minds of a lot of people. That is evidenced by these statistics. I know that quite a few, if not most, of you are also praying for Jordan and Jaxon. Prayer is powerful and we know that by the progress that the boys have made thus far.

Please continue to pray for Jordan and Jaxon. We pray every night that the Lord continue to take care of them and be with those that are making decisions on their behalf. We want Jordan and Jaxon to grow physically so that when they reach the age that they understand who the Lord is and what he is done, they will be committed to a lifetime of service to him.

Two Pounds For Jaxon

We just figured that we would let you guys know that Jaxon has eclipsed the two pound mark.  Jordan, I am challenging you to catch up with your "Little Brother".  I know that you are a fierce competitor and that you will do everything that you can to catch him.  Go get Jaxon.  Jaxon, you better not let him catch you.  Sorry, that's just the coach coming out in me.  More on that after the update.

Jordan is doing good.  He still has not had any more of the apnea episodes.  His feedings are going pretty good and since they moved to the larger CPAP his breathing and oxygen saturation levels have been good as well.

Jaxon, as I mentioned earlier, is the first to reach two pounds.  He is doing well on his feedings also.  He too received the larger CPAP and since then it has been harder for him to remove it on his own.  

As I was saying at the beginning of this post, I have a very competitive nature.  It is something that I learned growing up.  Crichelle and I were having a conversation as we walked into the NICU this evening.  She seems to believe that I am going to let Jordan and Jaxon beat me at things.  Ha, whatever, the boys are going to know that when they beat daddy it is going to be a momentous occasion.  Why would I ruin the thrill of victory for them by allowing them to obtain it so easily.  Don't get me wrong, I am going to continually encourage them to find ways to gain an advantage, but I don't plan on handing them anything.  They will appreciate things a lot better if they have to earn it.  It will also teach them how to overcome obstacles.  So far, they have done a good job overcoming the obstacles that have been placed in front of them.  All of this has been due to the awesome power of God.  Please continue to pray that God, the Great Physician, will continue to show others his strength by the things that he is doing with Jordan and Jaxon.

My Favorite Picture

Tonight, I saw the greatest picture ever.  It has to be my favorite image of all time.  Let me set the scene for you.  We arrived at the hospital to see Jordan and Jaxon at about 9:30.  We took a few books with us so that we could read to"   the boys.  I recently purchased three books at Barnes and Noble with a fifteen dollar gift card I received at Christmas.  The books are, "If Big Can, I Can", "My Mom is Great" and "My Dad is Great."  Tonight I carried, "My Dad is Great" and Crichelle carried, "If Big Can, I Can."  I think the boys really enjoy it when we read to them.  Last night, Jordan's nurse told me that I needed to record myself reading so that I could bring an MP3 player and place it in his isolete.  It seems as though when I read to him he does better.  When I stop his saturation levels drop a little.

I finished the first book, and then I read Jordan a classic Dr. Seuss book, "Green Eggs and Ham."  I also introduced him to the wonderful world of "Pooh."  I forget the name of the particular Winnie the Pooh book.  Anyways, on to the picture thing.  

After reading books, Crichelle came over and said that she wanted to hold Jordan.  I told her that she couldn't because I was going to.  I held him for about 30 minutes and he did great again.  He was sleeping very peacefully until the last two minutes of my hold.  Then he opened his eyes.  It was at this time that Crichelle started taking pictures.  She took two quick videos and snapped eight pictures.  The sixth picture was an "Instant Classic" as those of us who love sports might say.  Jordan was holding my finger and looking at me in the eyes.  You judge for yourself if this isn't a great shot.  Thanks Crichelle for capturing this moment.

Quick Update

Well, this weekend has been quite interesting. Jordan decided he wanted a little attention on Saturday and had about five apnea episodes in a three hours span. The nurse practioner thinks he might have reflux. This made me feel better for two reasons. Mainly, this is EXTREMELY common in babies (even in full term babies) and it's something that they usually grow out of. The nurse said they might change him to continious 24 hour feeds if necessary. He is getting seven mls every three hours right now. Today, Jordan was much better! When we left him tonight his oxygen level was at 21% (room air-which is what we breathe). Jyusef read about six books to him tonight and he loved it. The nurse suggested that we record ourselves reading books and they will play it inside their isolettes. Jordan also has gained 40 grams (about little over an ounce) and has grown an inch (he is now 14.125 inches).

Jaxon is doing great and now weighs right at 2 lbs. His nurse hadn't measured him before we left so I will have to get his length tomorrow. I got to hold Jaxon kangaroo style tonight (skin to skin). This was the first time I've held him that way and it was absolutely WONDERFUL! Both boys are so completely relaxed when I hold them this way. Jaxon was very snuggly with me and that is not his personality. He stared at me for a while and then he fell asleep while I was singing to him. I was so mad that I didn't have my camera with me. Jyusef and I came straight from church and we left the camera at the condo. Maybe tomorrow I'll get a chance to capture this precious moment.

Please continue to pray for our sweet boys!

Jordan Needs To Burp

There are quite a few things that the nurses have to check when things aren't quite going right.  Jordan was a little uncomfortable on Friday night and his Oxygen Saturation level kept fluctuating.  The nurse gave more oxygen and the same thing happened.  She then realized that Jordan just needed to burp.  Here is video of Jordan wiggling around.

Friday Update

Well, the much anticipated day came.  We went to the hospital to see Jordan and Jaxon.  This was the day we were supposed to find out about their second head ultrasounds.  We got there and checked on the boys and they were doing fine.  The doctor came around and gave us an update on the boys.  She started off by telling us how well things were going with their feeds and with them adjusting to their isoletes and CPAPs.  She then said that Jordan's head ultrasound had come back and it was about the same.  It still showed a grade II hemorrhage, but it looked as if the blood was thinning.  Then she told us that Jaxon's ultrasound looked about the same, but it was a little different.  She basically told us that they were going to continue to monitor the boys and get head ultrasounds every week.  She wanted us not to worry, because she said that when the radiologist read these x-rays, it is like trying to see in a snow storm.  

Please continue to pray for the boys.  

Update on the Boys

I know it has been a few days since we last updated the site.  We would like to thank you guys for the continued prayers that you have been offering on the boys' behalf.  Please continue to pray that they grow stronger so that when they grow up they will be able to serve the Lord.  Here is a quick update on the boys.

Jordan and Jaxon both are taking milk through their tubes.  They are doing a good job and have been moved up from two cc's every three hours to four every three hours for Jordan and five every three hours for Jaxon.  They are also both breathing on their own and off of the respirator.  Jaxon has moved into his isolete, or baby incubator.  He is taking well to his new home.  He looks so peaceful laying inside.  They move them to an isolete because it is darker and more peaceful.  Jordan previously had a stint in an isolete but had a little bit of an issue holding his temperature inside.  He should be moving back to an isolete sometime soon if he keeps putting on weight and progressing.

That's basically it for now.  The boys are eating and pooping.  These are all good signs.  They get their morning dose of caffeine, like most of you who stop by "Fourbucks" I mean Starbucks.  They are doing what they are expected to do at this stage in their lives.  We have more pictures and will post those in a photo album online this weekend.  Again, thanks for your prayers and continue to remember the boys.

First Time For Me

Prior to last night, the youngest child I had ever held was Titus Paul Walker. I believe Titus was about 3 months of age when I held him for the first time over two years ago. Last night, I got the privilege of holding Jaxon Xavier Larry for the first time.

For those of you who don't know me very well, let me describe myself. I am 6'5" tall and weigh 250 pounds. Twelve years ago when I graduated high school I weighed 175 pounds. I would not say that I was fat by any stretch of the imagination, but lets just say I have grown into my frame. Although I don't believe him, one of my players just told me this morning that I look like a miniature Mario Williams. Mario Williams was the first player taken in the NFL draft two years ago by the Houston Texans. He sat beside him at the Rockets game the other night and said we looked similar to each other. Well, let me get back on track. Last night, I held my slightly under two pound son for the first time. When I first took him from the nurse, I had no clue how to hold him. I must have looked like an idiot with both hands outstretched and my palms up. Crichelle helped me rest Jaxon on my arm so that I did not look like a fool. It was pretty neat.

I held Jaxon for a while and then I realized that my 1 pound 14 ounce baby boy can get quite heavy after 5 minutes. I decided to take my mind off of how heavy he was becoming by reading to him. I asked Crichelle to bring me a book and she came back with "The Little Engine That Could." I thought to myself, what a great story for my little boy. I figured this would be great because I remembered the story vividly from my younger years. The only problem is that the only part of the story I truly remembered was, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can". I had no clue there were other trains that came along and didn't help because they were too prestigious, tired, or old. Those trains just went back to the roundhouse. How dare they. It's a good thing that you don't remember every little detail when you are a child or I might have harbored a little resentment towards passenger or freight trains.

After finishing the epic novel, I sang a few songs to Jaxon. Classics like, "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands", and "Jesus Loves the Little Children." He likes those a lot. His brother is a big fan of "Go Cubs Go". I'm sorry, I had to throw a shout out to my Chicago Cubs. One hour later, the nurse came by and placed Jaxon back in his isolete. I did not expect to hold him for an hour, but it was perfectly fine with me. He did a great job. He held his temperature and only whimpered once or twice. Needless to say, daddy was proud of him.

Today Was A Good Day

There is not much new to report. Jordan and Jaxon have both been moved up on their feeding. They are tolerating their new food pretty well. Jaxon will actually be moving to his isolete tomorrow. They have both gained weight and are doing well.

Please continue to pray for Jordan and Jaxon. Also, pray for those that are taking care of them.

Jordan

Crichelle holds Jordan for the first time ever!!!

Roller coaster anyone?

Wow, where do I start? Yesterday was such a blow, but once we talked with the Neonatalogist we felt a lot better. He explained that it's not as scary as it sounds and we really need to wait for the next ultrasound. Aside from the ultrasound results, the boys are doing really well. Today, Jyusef and I didn't go see them until about 4:00. I was completely wiped out and my body was screaming at me to rest. Boy did I ever get a shock when I walked into the NICU....Jaxon is OFF THE RESPIRATOR AND BREATHING ON HIS OWN!!!!! His nurse was shocked that they didn't call and tell me. I couldn't believe my eyes, my strong boy had on his C- PAP and was just as relaxed as could be. It was like I was looking at a completely different baby. His nurse said that he was very agitated this morning, but as soon as they took that tube out of his throat his whole body relaxed. He also had his first poop today and apparently it was a big one. Again the nurses are all shocked because he hasn't started breast milk yet. If he advances at the same rate as big brother, he might start tomorrow or Monday. Jaxon also had his last line removed out of his belly today so hopefully I will be able to hold him soon. His pick line went in yesterday and he is doing well with it. Praise God!

Mr. Jordan is still doing well and seems to be loving his new digs. He is doing pretty well on the breast milk. Hopefully, he will start getting some fat on him so he can maintain his body temperature a little better. He's right on the borderline and I really don't want him to have to go back in a warmer. Keep in mind he is laying in just his diaper (wouldn't you be cold if you were just hanging out in your underwear). I have these adorable preemie shirts that have easy access to all the lines and hopefully they will let the boys where them. I can't remember if I posted this or not but Jordan is being weighed everyday now. We plan on only asking once every other week just because they aren't going to gain that much on a daily basis. The doctor did write the official order for me to be able to hold Jordan, the catch is that I can only hold him once a day. I'm gonna save this for my evening visits so it will be the last I do before I go home. Last night he was a little too cold for me to hold so hopefully tonight he will be nice and toasty.

Please continue to pray for the boys, specifically for their ultrasounds to come back clear this week. A friend of mine today told me to ask God for big things and He will bless us big. So I ask you all to be specific and ask BIG for my boys.

Bump In the Road

Today has been a pretty emotional one.  I went to school and received a call from Crichelle at about 10:30 AM.  Crichelle told me that the results were in from the head ultrasound the boys took early this morning.  It turns out that Jordan has a Grade II Intraventricular Hemorrhage and Jaxon has a Grade III.  Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) means bleeding into the normal fluid spaces (ventricles) within the brain. IVH is also used to refer to bleeding in areas near the ventricles even if the blood is not within them. The extent of IVH is graded:

Grade I - Bleeding confined to the tiny area where it first begins

Grade II - Blood is also within the ventricles

Grade III - More blood in the ventricles, usually with the ventricles increasing in size

Grade IV - A collection of blood within the brain tissue, also called intraparenchymal echodensities because of its appearance on the ultrasound picture. This can be seen with grade I, II, or III hemorrhages. It reflects brain injury.

Grades I and II are most common. They usually do not cause identifiable brain injury. The blood is slowly absorbed by the body. Babies with grade III IVH are at increased risk of brain damage, but many are normal or near normal.  I talked to the nurse practitioner on the way from work and she said that it is very important for us to wait for the next ultrasound which they will do in a week.  She reminded me this was the first ultrasound and how important it was to wait on the next one.  I asked her if it was possible for the things to reverse themselves and she said that it was.  She was looking after a child a few months ago and during their first ultrasound had a grade III IVH.  During the course of the child's stay in the NICU, it backed down to a grade II and now it is not even existent.  

Jordan and Jaxon are in a good place.  More importantly, they have hundreds, if not thousands, of people praying for them.  The Lord has worked wonders with our boys.  We would like to ask that you continue to pray for Jordan and Jaxon.  

***All information on IVH was obtained from the web.

More improvements

The boys are truly amazing!  I am so proud of their progress and I'm truly blown away at how incredibly strong they are.  Jordan is moving into an isolete tonight.  This is the incubator you see on TV that they have babies in when hospitalized.  The main purpose is that it makes getting rest easier.  It blocks out a lot of noise and the can cover it up to shield out the light. Jyusef and I get to decorate this so we are excited about that.  It gives more a crib feeling so to say.  Jordan is also laying on his belly now and he loves it.  I almost forgot....Jordan started on breast milk today!  He gets 2 oz every 3 hours and he's doing good on it so far.  They also weighed him tonight and he now weighs 1 lb 8.3 oz.  I thought he looked like he gained weight but it's always nice to get confirmation.  There is not much change with Jaxon right now.  He is resting and recovering very well from his surgery.  I can say that he is a lot more active than Jordan was even with the drugs they are giving him to relax.  Tonight Jyusef was talking to him and he pulled one of the leads straight off of his chest.  Needless to say, they strapped him down after that.  Both boys will get head ultrasounds tomorrow.  They plan on putting Jaxon's pick line in tomorrow and removing both lines from his belly button.  

I took some more pictures of the boys tonight but I don't know how to post them on here so Jyusef will have to show me tomorrow (he's asleep).

I started singing to the boys before I leave for the night.  Tonight I was singing God is so Good and I barely made it through the song.  It hit me so hard just how right on that song is especially in moments like these.

 "God is so good, God is so good, God is so good, He's so good to me. He answers prayers, He answers prayers, He answers prayers, He's so good to me. I love Him so, I love Him so, I love Him so, He's so good to me."

Lapse In Coverage

Sorry about the lapse in coverage. If you guys were an insurance company, my rates would have quadrupled by now. Jordan and Jaxon are doing well. Crichelle and I are now out of the hospital and staying across the street in corporate housing for a month due to the generosity of some very dear people. Thank you guys for this. This allows Crichelle and I to stay directly across the street from Jordan and Jaxon while Crichelle recovers. That means we can still go see our boys everyday for as long as we want without putting a ton of strain on Crichelle. You guys will never know how much this means to us and we will never be able to put it into words either, but thank you.

Jordan is doing a lot better. Since last report, he is breathing on his own now. They have taken the respirator out of his mouth and now he has another system, I believe it is called a CPAK, around his nose. This system is hooked up to the respirator just in case they need it. It also applies pressure which helps keep Jordan's lungs open. As he gets stronger, they will reduce the amount of pressure from the machine until it is no longer there. The analogy the nurses gave was that your lungs are like blowing up a balloon. The first time you blow it up it is difficult. If you blow it up again it gets easier. That is what the pressure is allowing Jordan to do. It allows him to work on blowing up his balloons, while it is there as a safe guard to keep them open. Jordan also has all of his lines removed from his belly button and he is now working with one permanent IV in his right arm. He had his first bowel movement and is opening both eyes.

This progress is most definitely a good sign to mom and dad and we appreciate all of the prayers you guys continue to offer for us. Jaxon has been doing better as well. He underwent the same procedure yesterday that his older brother went through on Saturday. In the words of the surgeon, "Jaxon looks as cute on the inside as he does on the out." This was good news for us to hear. To go along with his PDA surgery, Jaxon has also started opening his eyes. He will be a little knocked out for the next few days due to the surgery, but hopefully he will continue down the road to recovery soon.

Again, we have been really blessed. We can't say it enough, but you guys have been incredible. From your generosity to the prayers that you have offered on our behalf. The Great Physician whom we serve has taken care of us in more ways than one. Not only has he been with the physicians here on Earth as they take care of Crichelle and the boys, but he has also surrounded us with loving friends and family who are willing to pray for us constantly. We will never be able to express how much your prayers and thoughts have meant. Please continue to pray for our family.

Jaxon Xavier Larry

This is Jaxon's first online video.  Have fun.

Jordan Christopher Larry

This is Jordan's first online video. Enjoy. By the way, that is not Jordan crying in the background. Numbers of people have already asked. Jordan is just stretching trying to get closer to 6'8".

Today

Today was another great day! Jaxon is off the dopamine and his blood pressure is holding. Tomorrow they will do another echo cardiogram on him and hopefully his blood will be flowing left to right. His nurse today said that he's had another fantastic day. Keep praying that he will be able to have his surgery soon(hopefully tomorrow)!

Now on to Jordan.....lots of big things happened with him today. First of all he had his first stool! The nurse practitioner was so shocked and impressed because this usually doesn't happen until they start on breast milk. Apparently he was a little pooping machine today. He also got his last line that was running in his belly button removed today(normally they wait until day of life 10). He will probably be off the respirator tomorrow or the next day which means....I GET TO HOLD HIM!!!!! Needless to say I hope it's tomorrow. Jordan also is trying to open his eyes. He can get the right one half way open and he's working hard on the left side. I was actually in the NICU this morning when it first started happening. I, of course, started to cried!

I am so amazed at how well my little fighters are doing. In moments like these it's so evident that GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME! He is truly the Great Physician! The power of prayer is a wonderful thing!

Jordan

Just thought I'd share some awesome news on Jordan. Let me first start off by saying that both boys have had another excellent day! Jaxon had another echo cardiogram today and the blood is still flowing bidirectional so surgery is still postponed. He is such a little wiggle worm that they had to put the straps on the snugly on him to keep him still. He's such a happy baby you'd think that he was full term.

Now Mr. Jordan is just doing phenomenal! He receicved his last dose of morphine today after his lumbar puncture. The LP was done to see how long he will have to been on antibiotics to treat his blood infection. The preliminary results look good but we will get the offical report later this evening. They also started Jordan on caffiene today to help stimulate his brain and help prevent sleep apnea. He will get a his "daily shot" every morning (just like his momma)! Tomorrow they are going to REMOVE HIS RESPIRATOR!!!!! This is a HUGE step! I almost cried when they told me that today. The PDA surgery has just worked wonders on Jordan. They won't be able to try any of these things with Jaxon until he has the surgery. Once they remove the last line left in Jordan's belly button(checks the blood pressure) we will get to hold him. This is usually done once they reach 10 days of life( so probably on Saturday).

Praise God that the boys are doing so well! Please continue to pray for them.

Jordan and Jaxon's Baby Registry

Some of you have been asking about Jordan and Jaxon's Baby Registry.  They are registered at Babies "R" Us.  Click here and you can go straight to the registry.

Jordan and Jaxon's Crib Bedding

Click here to see Jordan and Jaxon's Cribs.

New Look

As you can tell, I have changed the family.jclarry.com site.  You will still be able to get all of the information that you like, but this format makes it easier for both you and us.  With the user friendly interface that blogger has, I have been able to get Crichelle involved in the site.  This is a great benefit for us all.  It also allows you to comment on different post.

I am also looking into a picasa web album to see how it will interact with this site.  I have placed some photos from our summer trip if you go to the Summer Vacation 2007 link.  Give me a little time so that I can update all of the old post and then we should be off and running.

Update on Jaxon

Well today has certainly been a roller coaster of emotions for me.  Jaxon ended up not having his surgery today because his blood is flowing in two directions right now.  The doctors say that it will correct itself but until it does they are going to wait on they surgery.  Hearing that news was good and bad....the worry of surgery was postponed but the good result was also delayed.  The surgery worked so well on Jordan that he is now off of the blood pressure medicine(dopamine). He is also no longer jaundiced!  These are definitely giant leaps in the right direction.  Jaxon's nurse also informed us the he had an excellent day!  These things are music to this mommas ears! I want to thank everyone for all the calls, flowers, and especially prayers.  Jyusef and I are truly blessed to have so many people that love us and our boys.  I will be contributing a lot to this blog from now on so look for more posts to come from me.  I am currently still a patient here (and happy to be at the moment) fighting off an infection.  I have never hoped to remain "sick" before but right now it suits me just fine.  My boys are just one floor below me and I can see them anytime I want.  It works out wonderfully.  Thanks again for all your support and please continue to pray for my little fighters!

Continue To Pray

We realize that this is going to be a long process full of great highs each time we see our boys, but also filled with valleys. We understand this and we would like for you guys to continue to pray for Jordan and Jaxon as well as for us and for those that look after the boys. 

We received a call today that Jaxon's PDA is large as well and that it will require surgery. We are hopefully that everything goes as well as it did during his brother's surgery. 

Small Surgery

Last night, the nurse practitioner told us that Jordan may have to undergo a surgery in the morning. They said that his PDA was large and they were going to decide whether to operate or not in the morning. Below I will post part of an article from kidshealth.org to explain exactly what a PDA is.

Patent Ductus Arteriosus

"The ductus arteriosus is a short blood vessel that connects the main blood vessel supplying the lungs to the aorta, the main blood vessel that leaves the heart. Its function in the unborn baby is to allow blood to bypass the lungs, because oxygen for the blood comes from the mother and not from breathing air. In full-term babies, the ductus arteriosus closes shortly after birth, but it frequently stays open in premature babies. When this happens, excess blood flows into the lungs and can cause breathing difficulties and sometimes heart failure. Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is often treated with a medication called indomethacin or ibuprofen, which is successful in closing the ductus arteriosus in more than 80% of infants requiring these medications. However, if medical therapy fails, then surgery may be required to close the ductus."

Jordan had to have the surgery done this morning. This is a very common procedure, but it was still scary to see our little boy have to undergo the procedure at such a young age. About 30 minutes after they started the procedure, the doctor called and said everything went well. 

Jaxon has a PDA as well, but his is much smaller. He may be able to use the medicine described above to cure the issue. He will be examined again on Sunday and doctors will decide what to do then. Please continue to pray for our boys and those looking after them.

Just to close the evening, we found out Jordan and Jaxon's measurements. Jordan was born at 33 cm or 13 inches, while Jaxon was 36 cm or 14 inches. They are very long.

Pictures Finally

After promising to put pictures up for the longest time, I am finally doing it. I have been working on creating this spectacular photo gallery, but have been running into a few problems. I finally figured I would show you guys a little of what you have been waiting on. After all, you want to see the boys and not how fancy his daddy can dress up a photo gallery with them in it. With all of that finally said, here are two pictures for you to ooh and aah over until that spectacular gallery arrives.

Day Two

We are now on the fourth floor of The Woman's Hospital of Texas. We are in room 462 and our number is (713) 363-5462. The boys' are on the third floor, but you will not be able to see them just yet. Visits to NICU Level 3 are reserved for parents and grandparents. I do have quite a few pictures that I will post later on today. I will also have more available for those that come by to visit. Thanks again for all of your prayers and support. Please continue to keep Jordan and Jaxon in your prayers.

They're Here

Well they're here. Jordan was born at 2:04 PM and weighs 1 lb. 7.9 ozs. Jaxon was born at 2:05 PM and weighs 1 lb. 12.5 ozs. Welcome boys, more details and pictures tomorrow. Crichelle and I appreciate your prayers and ask that you continue to pray for the boys as they grow.

A Nomadic Journey

Well, I thought that room number 10 in Labor and Delivery was going to be ours for a few months. I even made the comment to Crichelle, that we were just getting a larger bedroom for a little while. Today, all of that ended. Crichelle and the boys are progressing so well, that they decided to kick us out of our proverbial Mansion and moved us to a nice little humble abode. In the early 80s the Jefferson's were moving up. Today, I just here "Dynomite" in my head, because I feel as if I'm living with James and JJ from the show "Good Times". One thing about that show, the song said "Ain't we lucky we got em', Good Times." We are lucky, or should I say blessed, that we have good times. If that means we have to settle for a little cottage in the corner instead of our mansion, I'll take it.

As I said, Crichelle and the boys are doing well. We have moved into a room the size of a small cubicle. That means the doctors believe we will be here for a while. Crichelle has moved from monitoring once every four hours to once every twelve hours. She was also extremely excited to find that she could use the big girl potty and even take a real shower. I hope that we continue to improve and do well, I just hope that we don't continue to downgrade our accommodations along the way. If we were to do that Crichelle, might find herself sharing a room with a perfect stranger. Like I said before though, Ain't we lucky we got em', Good Times.

He Was There

This is a document that Crichelle's mother sent to us through email last night. She said it was okay for us to post it on the web site and share it with others. I am sure we will get this framed as well and placed in the boys' room. Click here to view.

Away From Crichelle

Today, marks the first day that Crichelle is by herself. I left at about 6:15 this morning to come to work. I tried to make sure that everything was in reach so that her few hours alone would be okay. I also, put a movie in the DVD player as well as the XBox so that she would not have to try to be Superwoman and do to much. I also bought her a universal remote so that she can control everything. It is much better than the remotes from the hospital with the call button.
Crichelle has been doing much better. As I mentioned in yesterdays post, she has been able to get out of bed to use the restroom which is a big step. She did this twice last night by herself. I was watching, but I wanted to make sure that she could do it, before I left her today.
I also brought her laptop closer to her so that we can correspond through email throughout the day. One of the joys of teaching technology courses is the fact that I get to use it a lot. Technology is there to benefit us and help make our lives easier and more efficient and I can't think of to many better ways than this. If anyone would like to email Crichelle her email address is chelly_gb@yahoo.com.
Another interesting use of technology is the ability to place streaming web video on the Internet. Just recently, the church of Christ at Katy installed video cameras for that purpose. At first some people were wondering why we would do this and didn't quite understand all of the advantages that this allowed. Like I said technology is meant to assist us. In this case, Crichelle cannot get up and go attend services like she normally would, but what she can do is logon to the web site using the free Wi-Fi that the hospital gives us and listen to the lessons and singing. Again, this was not implemented as an alternative to attending services, but as an outreach to those who may not be able to attend or who don't know about the church. We cannot wait to be able to hear and watch the services we would normally attend online as they happen.

A Little More News

Well, I have arrived back from work and Crichelle did a great job today on her own. The only snafu I had was although I loaded the DVD/VCR player so that she could watch a movie while I was gone, I did not flip the switch to DVD. Therefore, she could only watch the movie I left prepared in the XBox 360. She did tell me that she was able to watch the Slingbox on the laptop though. Crichelle has more entertainment in the room than she knows what to do with right now.
Crichelle also told me about being taken off of the continuous fetal heart monitors that I mentioned in the previous post. Now she only has to be on the monitors for 30 minutes every 4 hours. This is a sign that the doctors believe the boys are doing well. It's a sign to us that the Lord is in control and taking care of our boys. It's also a sign that prayer works. Thanks for all of the prayers you guys have been offering. I would like to stay here for about three months, but we will be more than happy with whatever the Lord has in store.

Good News

The doctors have decided to take Crichelle off of continuous fetal heart monitors. I don't know all of the details, but I talked to Crichelle in between classes and she said that they were going to put them back on for a little while at 12:30 PM. In the last 24 hours Crichelle has been able to remove her catheter and the fetal heart monitors. Thanks for all of your prayers and please continue to pray for Crichelle, Jordan, and Jaxon.

No Changes

Crichelle and the boys are still doing well. Thanks again for all of the prayers, visits, and everything else that you guys have done. We were able to take communion today and that was a welcomed treat.
We have been talking to a few of the nurses here and feeling better and better everyday. Here are a few things we have heard from various sources.

• The group of doctors we see are great at keeping people pregnant. They kept one woman pregnant for about 8 weeks a little while back.
• African American premature babies survival rate is higher than other ethnicities. We heard this from several different sources in the medical field.
• Several inspirational stories of people that we know who were born anywhere from 24 week all the way to 29 weeks.

These things have all been very encouraging. We realize though that it is God who makes all these success stories possible and we ask that you continue to pray for us.
Please keep Crichelle in your prayers as well. On Monday, I will start going back to work. I get done teaching classes at 11:30 so that is a good thing. After 11:30 all I have basketball until the end of the day. I am lucky to work for a Head Coach that is so understanding. Coach Lay understands when I need to attend to other things and has never flinched in that manner. Along those same lines, Coach Holmquist, has been more than willing to take care of things I might normally handle during practice on the days that I have had to miss. The good thing is that Memorial High School is only about 20 minutes from Texas Woman's Hospital.
In closing for the evening, it has been a good day. Crichelle was excited to find out that she could have her catheter removed. Today is the first day since Wednesday that she has been allowed to stand on her feet. This has been very encouraging to Crichelle and I.

Interesting Day

Yesterday was certainly an interesting day. Everything with Crichelle and the boys went okay. The doctors are pleased that nothing is happening. During the course of our stay we have discovered a little bit about the boys' personalities.
For the most part, Jordan has been calm and relaxed. Crichelle is hooked up to two fetal heart monitors that monitor the boys' heart rates. I guess that last sentence was a little redundant. Jordan tends to stay connected most of the time with the exception of one scare we had on Thursday when he went MIA for a few minutes. Jaxon on the other hand is the talk of the town. He must have learned how to swim from his mom because he is already a better swimmer than I am or ever will be.
Jaxon has been playing games with the nurses for the past two days. I guess he got tired of the attention that Jordan was getting on Thursday when he went MIA for a few moments. Once the nurses get the monitor set on Jaxon, which typically takes more than 5 minutes, he moves somewhere else. Then they find him again, and he moves somewhere else. All the nurses can not wait to meet him. They are lining up to spank him for running around.
On a separate front, Crichelle and I would like to thank everyone for their prayers, phone calls, and visits. All of these have been great. Yesterday we received some interesting things. We received a very nice bouquet of daisies in a beautiful pitcher from Mike and Cheri Drennon. We received a bouquet of flowers from Prime Communications, Crichelle's employer. We received a sudoku book and electronic game from Greg and Debbi Conaway. This morning we received donuts and kolaches from Jeremy and Regina Ross.
Yesterday we also received this humongous box that one of the nurses bought in. She said it was incredibly heavy. As soon as I picked it up I knew who it was from. My thoughts were confirmed when I looked at the address label and I saw NY. Brian and Katie Whitt sent us a care package from Niskayuna, New York. Here is what they included:

Magazines

• Real Simple
• InStyle
• GQ
• Oprah

Books

• Don't Know Much About Anything
• The Ultimate Book of Useless Information
• Solitaire by Lady Cadogan and 2 decks of cards
• A March To Madness (Thanks Brian)
• 2 Journals
• Scratch and Solve Hangman
• Scratch and Solve Trivial Pursuit
• Sit and Solve Sudoku (Book is shaped like a toilet)

Thank You Cards

Brian and Katie, since you guys told us not to send you a thank you card I will send you an e-thank. Our nurse Annie was rolling because she stuck around to find out what was inside.

More Moves

Crichelle has been moved to a bigger and better room. Luckily, Crichelle knows one of the nurses. They took a class together Crichelle's senior year when she was forced to leave the hallowed halls of Katy High School and take a course at dreaded Taylor High.
As a result, we were moved late last night to room number 10 in Labor and Deliver in Texas Women's Hospital. We are still on the third floor and we are actually right around the corner from where we were. The new number is (713) 363-5010. I know that this number doesn't have call waiting, but we are trying to use our cell phones sparingly. Those whom we know use ATT Wireless we will probably answer, but others we will probably call back later from another phone if possible. We are just really trying to watch our minutes and text messages to make sure we don't go over while in the hospital.
Also, we are asking sick visitors to please stay home until they are feeling better. I am not trying to be mean, but we really want to try to steer clear of any possible problems at this time. Remember, our objective is to be here as long as possible and that can only be done if infections don't set in. We are also asking you to use the hand sanitizer on the wall when you enter the room or wash your hands in the sink. We just figure we will take all precautions we can to take care of Jordan and Jaxon.
Thank you guys for your thoughts and prayers over the past few days. We appreciate all of them. The visits the calls and everything you all do.

Change In Plans

Before anyone gets to excited Crichelle and the babies are okay. We had a little bit of a scare yesterday that appears to have changed a few plans.
Crichelle woke up on Wednesday and felt as though she had to go to the restroom. When she went to the restroom she could never get any relief. After waiting for the pain to go away she decided to call the doctor and they wanted her to come in to check and see if she had a bladder infection. Crichelle's mother went over to pick up Crichelle to take her to the doctor. Crichelle had a lot of problems walking, but the pain subsided when she was sitting.
Upon arriving at the hospital I met them outside with a wheelchair to help with the transport to the third floor. Once we checked in, Crichelle was asked to give a urine sample. This is when everything changed.
As Crichelle was attempting to give a urine sample, she felt something different. She immediately yanked the emergency cord in the restroom and almost pulled it out of the wall. As she was pulling the cord, I was in the hall flagging down nurses. The nurses rushed in and came to the conclusion that it was her water that was trying to come out. Once Crichelle knew it wasn't Jordan or Jaxon she let that happen.
The nurses then called for a stretcher and rushed Crichelle down the hall. After it was all said and done our doctor showed up and we had an ultrasound. Everything turned out to be okay. The boys hearts were still pumping and it just appeared that Jordan's sac had ruptured. Everything else looked okay.
Now it is basically a game of wait and see. Crichelle is taking medicine that has stopped the contractions that she originally thought was her bladder. She was also given steroid shots that were used to increase the strength of the boys' lungs. Lastly she is on antibiotics that will help keep an infection from setting in.
Basically, we are at the hospital until we deliver. We will not deliver as long as Crichelle's body can hold the boys in and as long as there is no infection. This could be days, weeks, or months. We are wishing for the later. The longer the boys can stay inside of Crichelle, the more they can grow in their natural environment. If we do end up having to take them earlier we are at a great facility that is setup to handle things like that and we have been instructed on all the things that will and/or could happen.

Large and In Charge

Crichelle went to her appointment yesterday and everything turned out fine. She got her results back from her glucose screening and it was fine as well. There was a little doubt in the back of our minds that Jaxon might not be a boy, but that was confirmed loud and proud yesterday. The boys are doing fine and growing well. According to Babycenter.com, at 24 weeks the average baby is 1 pound, 4 ounces. Well, I guess our children have started down the path of being above average as Jordan was 1 pound, 7 ounces and Jaxon 1 pound, 10 ounces. They are currently stationed side by side inside of mom with Jordan on her left and Jaxon on her right.
I would post pictures, but the pictures this week weren't very clear. Next appointment, I will post pictures because we should be at the better ultrasound machine. Four weeks from now, we are getting the 3D ultrasound. That should provide us with the best look at Jordan and Jaxon that we have ever had.
Although this is not how Jordan and Jaxon are positioned, this gives a representation of twins at 24 weeks. The big difference between this image and our current situation is that Jaxon, the one on the left, is butt down and head up. I have found out that medically that is called breach. Jordan, or the baby on the right is head down which is called vertex.

24 Weeks and Counting

Crichelle goes for another checkup today and it will be 24 weeks. You might ask what the significance of that is. To be perfectly honest I'm not sure. What I do know is that they say that most multiple pregnancies don't go past 36 weeks. A singleton pregnancy last 40 weeks if the babies are carried to full term. If the 36 weeks thing holds true, then we could be seeing Jordan and Jaxon within the next 12 weeks. That would mean that we were 2/3 of the way there.
We are really starting to get things prepared. We have both cribs assembled and in place as well as the bedding for them. We have started purchasing diapers and wipes each time we go to the grocery store. They say we should expect to change at least 12 diapers per day per child. At that rate, we will need 24 diapers per day or 168 per week. We have been purchasing the box of 216 so I guess we could estimate a box a week. For those serious math nuts, we will probably use approximately 8,736 diapers during Jordan and Jaxon's first year. Wow!
Make sure to check out the Photo Gallery for ultrasound pictures as well as pictures of the nursery. As soon as we get our 3D ultrasound done, we will place photos and movies online.