Wyatt Andrew Dean

Everyone's thoughts and prayers have carried us through today. Emily had her PDA ligation surgery today, and all is well. She was sleeping easily as we left the hospital today. Andrew and I also got to hold Wyatt for the first time today. What a huge thing this was for us. Almost five weeks later and we finally got to hold our baby boy. Wyatt is doing well after recovering from his surgery and he is still completely off the ventilator on the nasal canula on the lowest settings that he has ever been on. Here are some pics from today. Thanks to all again for your love and support.

Juicing Oranges

I thought I should start to include some pics of Mitchell. We got home from the hospital on Saturday night and Andrew had brought home some oranges from his parents house and decided to do some juicing right before bedtime for Mitchell. Mitchell is wearing his Thomas the train pajamas and is doing the juicing all by himself. He kept saying, "No I do it!" Which is his phrase of the month might I add.

Week Four

Wow, I don't really know what to say about week 4. It has been a rough one for me. I had shown Mitchell one of the pictures of Wyatt from the last e-mail sent out and he said "Ouchies on MY babies?" And all I could do was hold him close and through tears say, "Yes honey, ouchies on our babies." Four weeks has felt like four years but we made it through month one. Most of you know already that Wyatt had his surgery yesterday. Everything went well, I guess you just don't think after four weeks that you would have to watch them prep and wheel your baby into an operating room. He spent today recovering and is back on the ventilator. He will be set back a couple of days. We saw him today and he still looked pretty out of it and pretty swollen, but the nurses assured me that he was comfortable after his doses of morphine. Wyatt is still weighing in at about 3 pounds 1 once and Emily is at 2 pounds 13 onces. Emily is doing well, she looked good today. She has failed to come off the ventilator for the fourth time now and the doctor just wants to give her more time. She no longer has to be fed lipids and fats anymore so that is 4 more machines that are no longer hooked up to her. The nurse today told me that if all goes well I should be able to hold at least one of them by their 8 week old mark. Here are some pictures of them that we took today. Emily is on her stomach and Wyatt on his side. We got a new camera yesterday so hopefully we will be better in the weeks to come on posting pics. Thanks again for all your hope, prayers, and thoughts for our family.

Love,

Pictures of the Twins

Here are some pictures of the twins that I took on February 25th. Wyatt is the one on his back. Emily is laying on her stomach. Wyatt has a mask over his eyes because he was under the light treatment for his jaundice that comes and goes on the both of them.

3 weeks old

To all family and friends:

We made it to 3 weeks! With each week, I grow more and more hopeful. Sadly, we still can have no promises from the nurses or doctors. I have no new pictures to update, I am absolutely horrible at that and we need to get a new camera. Things are going along as they should be right now. At least I think they are. Wyatt is doing well off the ventilator still but is having problems digesting the food. They have turned him down to 2 ML's of breastmilk every 3 hours. He weighs 2 pounds 11 onces. While Emily is progressing well with her feedings at 18 ML's of breastmilk every 3 hours. She is not doing as well on her respiratory end of things. She has failed for the 3rd time to be taken off the ventilator and will try again in another week. ( That is the tub down her esphagus that is placed into her lungs) She is weighing in at 2 pounds 10 onces. They both have their strengths right now. The doctor is not concerned on either one of their vessels attached to their heart. Wyatt's is closed and Emily is only opened a little as of now. We paid to have blood directly donated by a friend in the case of surgery or blood transfusions. (Which they both have had) We appreciate all the continual thoughts and prayers as we still have a road ahead of us. I will post updated pics as soon as possible. Thanks again.

Love,
Janessa

2 weeks old

I don't have a new picture to post of the twins but I wanted to give a little update on them since they just hit their two week mark. Emily now weighs in at 2.1 pounds and Wyatt weighs 2.6 pounds. She has gone over her birth weight and he has not yet reached his initial weight. She is back on the ventilator which is pushed down in her throat and chest to aid her in breathing. She has failed two time in coming off of that machine. She takes about 8 cc of milk every three hours and her vessel attached to her heart is still opening and closing. The doctor is hopeful that it will close on its own, and if not surgery is upon her. Wyatt is doing well off the ventilator but is not tolerating his feedings and is all the way down to only 2 cc every 3 hours. His vessel has closed but still has the capability of re-opening. They are still in the same room together and are stable at this point. Both have undergone blood transfusions in their first two weeks of life. I am continuing to recover from my c-section and Andrew and I are dealing with the separation of our kids a little better now. We know they are getting the best care they could get there. Mitchell keeps us smiling and hopeful. Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers.

Love,
Janessa

Emily & Wyatt Dean

To our Family & Friends:

Andrew & I wanted to let you all know how much we have appreciated your thoughts, prayers, cards, & meals. Emily & Wyatt were born on Friday, February 1, 2008 @ 5:49 and 5:50pm. They were born 14 weeks early at 26 weeks. Emily came first weighing in at 1.13oz and Wyatt weighed in at 2.1oz. Here are some photos of them taken at the hospital and while they look like babies they are so so small and fragile in real life. Emily is on top and Wyatt is on the bottom. They are spending there time at Valley Children's Hospital. Please forgive us if we don't return your calls or e-mails. With each day we hold our breath for our little ones and know there is a long road ahead of us. Each day is an uphill climb. We find strength in our Heavenly Father, and remember that each day is a gift as we hug and kiss Mitchell a little tighter. Although, he has not yet met them he shares a special bond which is his birthday with them. If you would like to get on weekly updates please e-mail my mom at lovetoso@yahoo.com as she will be updating and fielding calls for us. Thanks again for thinking of us during this trying time in our lives.

Much love,
Janessa