New beginnings

Tyler Shawn and Makenzie Rae were born November 29, 2008, at 1:03 and 1:04 a.m., respectively. They weighed in at 4 lb 11 oz and 4 lb 9 oz, and were 17 and 17.5 inches long at birth. They are currently in the NICU in Lubbock, Texas, and are adorable! (This is Mimi talking, although I'm hoping Mom will keep this up as a way to make things a little simpler for her over the next few weeks).

Tyler and Kenzie were 33 weeks 5 days in utero, and as is typical for preemies, their lungs are immature and they have had a little trouble learning to eat and maintaining their body temperature.

They each gained 10 grams last night, which I thought was pretty good but the nurse would have liked them to gain more. Tyler was jaundiced Monday and had to be under the light, and Kenzie joined him on Tuesday. Tyler will probably get out from under the light later today, and Kenzie will stay another day.

Tyler is dark headed and looks very much like Konner, while Kenzie has lighter hair. Both of them have blue eyes right now, but I don't know whether they will stay blue.

Right now, they each have a feeding tube and an IV -- Tyler's is in his foot and Kenzie's in her hair -- but no other help. They are in incubators because their temperatures aren't stable yet. Their nurse Kevin said he would like them to be in the same isolette once they get out of the incubators because twins are used to having each other close and usually progress very quickly once they can be together.

Big brother Konner is doing okay . . . this has been quite an adjustment for him. He really missed his parents when Dad had to go to Lubbock and Mom was in the hospital in Hobbs, even with Mimi and Bobo and Nana (and Gus and Max and Baylee and Lilly and Joey and Charley). He's still not sure why we're in a motel room, why we spend so much time in the car, why we eat out so much, where everyone goes when they say they will be "right back", but all things considered, he's handling it okay. A little whiny and a little insecure, but that's to be expected. So I do what I can to make it as normal as possible, and when that doesn't work, I buy something. I have found some really cute books because the ones I set aside for this week are in Clovis -- I wasn't expecting to be here for this for another month.

Check later and I'll try to have a picture of each of the babies. And if you're at all acquainted with the family, you'll recognize Konner.

Please continue to pray for the family, and especially for Mom as she recuperates while taking care of all the little Johnsons!