My Growing Babies (and Cade's swallow study results)

Here's a picture of my cuties in matching pjs.  I just love coordinating outfits.  It's so much fun!  Camdyn is finally out of newborn clothing.  She now wears 0-3 months, and Cade now wears 3-6 months. 

This picture show just how much bigger Cade is than Camdyn.  Camdyn now weighs 10 lbs, and Cade weighs 13 lbs.  They don't look like twins.  Cade looks at least a month older.

Brenna holding Camdyn.  She just loves her "girl baby" so much.

Camdyn talking to Cade.  She was really focused on him.

Daddy and the babies watching football.  They are all very focused on the game.

Brylee, Colin, and Brenna were making crafts at the table.  My mom decided that the formula can was a perfect stool for Camdyn.  She actually fit perfectly on top of it.

This was the first intentional social smile that Cade gave me.  I was so excited that I cried.  He had given me smirks and grins before but not a big excited smile.

This was too funny.  I had just brought the babies inside from their pediatrician's appointment and was warming milk for them.  I look in the living room, and Brenna is pulling Camdyn with the strap of the car seat across the living room floor.  I asked her what she was doing, and she told me that "girl baby" wanted to play in her room.  I walked over to check on Camdyn, and this is the smile she had on her face.  I guess she liked Brenna's plan and liked her ride across the living room floor. 

I haven't updated in a while so here are a lot of updates.

Camdyn - Camdyn now takes 5 bottles by mouth during the day and gets 3 gavage feeds at night.  That means that we have to reinsert the tube every night which is not fun.  I have to say that I am getting really good and quick at inserting the tube.  We take it out every morning.  Without the tube in, she is able to take her bottles better.  It has been a very difficult feat to get her to take her bottles.  It takes approximately 1 hour for each bottle.  It wears her out so much that she pretty much just sleeps until her next bottle, and it exhausts me as well.  The big test was to see if she would still gain weight when we moved to 5 bottles, and even though she exerts all her energy on taking the bottle, she did gain weight!  We will continue with this plan for a few more weeks before going to all bottles.  She meets with speech therapy next week to work on taking her bottles better and in less time.

Cade - Cade had his big swallow study this morning which we had been anxiously awaiting for a long time now.  He passed with great difficulty.  He was able to protect his airway which was the big question.  He only took a few swallows so we still don't know how he will do with a greater volume.  He did not aspirate on the swallows that he did take.  He has a very severe gag reflex.  He gagged the entire time.   He also has a strong oral aversion.  The gagging and oral aversion are due to the negative associations of unpleasant things in his mouth - i.e.  breathing tube, feeding tube, scope.  Now, we start intensive feeding therapy with a speech therapist two times a week.  They will work with him to hopefully start associating feeding with positive feelings.  I don't know yet what types of things they will do; we are just hoping it will work.  He will do this for 2-3 months and then go for another swallow study.  Hopefully, at that time, he will no longer gag, be able to take more volume, and still protect his airway when taking more volume.  Overall, this was a good result.  At least, we now have a plan and goal to work towards.  I have a feeling that down the road, he will be 'eating us out of house and home' and I'll have to remind myself how happy I am that he is eating so much as I pay the cashier at the grocery store! 

God- We are so thankful that Cade is able to swallow safely.  We pray that feeding therapy helps his oral aversion and that he can learn to like eating.  We pray that he will be able to take enough volume safely after therapy to sustain weight gain.  We are so thankful for Camdyn's progress on oral feeds, and we ask you to continue to make her stronger to be able to take all of her feeds by mouth.  We thank you for their health.  We ask you to continue to keep us all healthy.  Amen.