Happy FIRST Birthday MOMOS!

Happy Birthday to You...Happy Birthday to You..Happy Birthday Lily & McKenzie...Happy Birthday to you!!

This time last year at 2:31am & 2:33am our very precious miracle babies were born. They were very small, very sweet and we were VERY scared. When they were just 16 weeks in the womb, we were told they had a 50/50 chance at life and we had "options"... We prayed and we chose life and so did the Momos! This past year has been such a victory...I wake up daily and THANK GOD for allowing us to have His children and watch them grow.

This time last year, I fell in love again, two became four and I became the Momo's Momma!

A Message to our Momos...

Dear Lillian & McKenzie,

Today is your 1st Birthday...you can't imagine how exciting this is for all of us, not just your mom and dad, but your entire family and extended family. We have been watching two little girls who were born at 1lb14oz and 2lbs1oz grow to become the sweetest little girls we could ever ask for. Your birth beat the "odds", but we never bet against you! We were bringing home two little babies no matter what!

You have a lot of people to thank for keeping you strong during your NICU stay, your doctors, nurses, family, friends and most of all God. We know that you will be raised to understand that you are His children and it was in His plan to give you to us!

This time last year was bitter sweet, you were here but you were so small and everything was so scary...today you are 16lbs7oz (Lily) & 16lbs6.5oz (McKenzie)...you are both crawling and you LOVE "If your happy and you know it clap your hands" you both clap to the song with such joy!

You are both so strong...we will remind you of your strength when you feel like you "can't" do something. Never forget how amazing you are!

We hope when you are old enough to read this, you are healthy and vibrant young ladies on a mission for greatness! One day you will understand what all the "fuss" is about for EVERY birthday we share with you. Your "Birth" day is more than just a day, it is a celebration of Life, Love and Victory.

We Love you both so much,

Mom & Dad.

This picture was taken one month before you were born. You will always be safe in our hands.

This time last year...

This time last year I checked into Sinai hospital to "prepare" for something I couldn't really "prepare" for...It was my first night of monitoring and testing to see how well Lillian and McKenzie were doing at 26weeks (pre-birth)...

Tonight...October 26, 2009 I am sitting in my living room, with my laptop on my lap and my two sweet little girls are resting peacefully upstairs...

I don't even think I could envision this day a year ago...I have not forgotten the fear I had "checking" my life into a hospital for what was supposed to be 6 weeks till their birth.

I couldn't see the forest through the trees, I KNEW I had to do this, but I never really knew how much I really needed it until November 10th, the morning the girls were born.

I would do it all again to see these smiling faces...

Sorry I have been gone so long...but the MOMO Journey has been keeping me busy! I think I have figured it all out now and will be back to posting again! Thanks for keeping up with us!

-The Momo Momma.... "she's baaaaccckkk!"

Welcome home Momos!

January 14th & January 16th, Lillian and McKenzie came home to be with us at last...

After 9.5 weeks the Momos were finally ready to come home. Born at 28 weeks 1lb14oz and 2lbs1oz, they are leaving the NICU at 37.5 weeks at 5lbs3oz and 5lbs6oz each!

It was hard leaving McKenzie behind, while walking out those doors with just Lily on that Wednesday afternoon, but after coming home with a baby on oxygen and apnea monitor, I was thankful they gave us "one at a time"! I can't even explain to you the nervousness I felt driving home with Lillian in the car, I was just praying to make it successfully to the front door of our house which was 5o mins away from the hospital. I couldn't imagine driving home with two of them!

McKenzie came home with her daddy that Friday. It was great...to have them both in OUR house as a Family ...FINALLY! ...

...and Finally I cried...tears of Joy... I had been holding onto these tears since the day they were born...and I'm glad they were finally able to be released...and not because I was sad...but because I was about to begin the happiest days of my life!

Lillian's Discharge Day (courtesy of Auntie Melissa) January 14, 2009

McKenzie's Discharge Day (courtesy of Auntie Melissa) January 16, 2009

The Momos first time together... Friday Evening 1-16-09

Saturday 1-17-09, The Momos figured out they had to share us...much to their surprise! :) hee hee

Before I go...I just want to give a HUGE THANK YOU to the GREAT STAFF at SINAI HOSPITAL... I don't know if any of them will ever come across this blog...but I couldn't end my NICU experience without thanking them. It is not everyday you find people who love their work as much as these guys did. They made you feel like your babies were the only ones that were there and were always a priority. It is encouraging to know that these are the people who help moms and dads like us on a daily basis...and for that I thank you ALL.

-THE MOMO MOMMA

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year

Christmas day was full of excitement... But during the excitement, I couldn't help but think..."I wish my babies were here too." I secretly wanted them to come home and be under my tree on Christmas morning...

So Today is day 56 of our NICU/SCN stay at Sinai, and even though the Nurses and Doctors are beyond fantastic, I am ready for this to be over. I want our babies home ....like yesterday....

STATS ON THE MOMOS

McKenzie weighed in today at 4lbs13oz...on about 21%-25% oxygen....in a crib...and looking sweet in her yellow onesie! She is drinking 40ML of breast milk every 3 hours and takes about 5 out of her -8 feedings a day by mouth! You go girl... She also has a heck of a fart!!! This baby girl can clear the room!

Lillian weighed in today at 4lbs10oz... she is on HOME oxygen... in a crib and in need of a bath as I'm typing this..we haven't put her in her yellow onesie yet! She is also drinking 40ml of breast milk every 3 hours and is nippling her bottles too! And.. drum roll.... She PASSED her CAR SEAT TEST TODAY!!! hmmm do I hear Discharge papers being typed up soon!!!

The past few weeks I have felt like I am in one of those cartoons where everything happens so mechanically. Get up, Pump, shower, dress, eat, drive, hospital, pump, work, pump, pump, pump, hospital, drive, eat, pump, sleep. This is my "groundhogs day" EVERYDAY. If it isn't for the girls... I'm probably not interested in doing it. It is funny how you watch your priorities change so quickly and how the "S" on your chest appears out of nowhere to prove you can do it all and can't be stopped!

On New Years 2008 when we all stood in Jibri's kitchen and declared our "resolutions"...I said, "I'm gonna get me a baby!"... Well I must say, this is the first time I have ever made a resolution and stuck with it!!!! So my New Years resolution for 2009 is to be the best MUM I can be....

I can't wait for Christmas 2009! :)

-The Momo Momma

A Few Pictures From December 2008

Sorry I haven't had much time to blog, between the holidays and the hospital I just hadn't found the time...but I wanted to share with you a few pictures!!!

Above: McKenzie's 1st Day in the Crib!! Yay Kenzie!

Above: Lillian...napping ... her favorite past time!

Above: McKenzie and her Daddy... "what you looking at sucka?"

Above: McKenzie (Left) & Lillian (Right) ... Neither one of them wanted to open their eyes...but this is their FIRST picture together!! yay!! As you can see their feeding tubes have been moved from their mouths to their noses! It's Nippling time!!

Above: Lillian Showing her pretty little face ... taking a break from the cpap and the tubes! (this was before she was on the nasal flow)

Above: McKenzie's last day in her incubator...showing of her pretty face! :) I love these eyes!

I hope you all enjoyed...I will be posting... the Christmas pictures next... hopefully!!!

-The Momo Momma

"SHOWER ME WITH YOUR LOVE!"

On December 13, 2008 I was the guest of honor at the MOST FABULOUS baby shower any girl could hope for!!

Here are the people that made it all possible

"We Work for Lillian & McKenzie"

To the Shower Committee: Thank you all for all your hard work and dedication to making the Sands shower the best it can be. I feel so fortunate to have family and friends that will go above and beyond to make something so grand just for "lil ole me". You all have been an important part of "the process" that it has taken to get our little girlie's here and watching them grow. Your support and your prayers have helped our "new" family remain faithful and kept our spirits strong when sometimes we felt a little weak. The day could not have been more perfect, I wanted to "shout from the rooftops...I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!" So Again, Thank you Jernee, Nadia, Karimah, Melissa, Sacha, Jibri, Christy, Towanda, Mom J, Ryeshia, Mum & Temika.

Here are some pictures from the Fabulous Shower!

This shot is from the Parenting 101 game... apparently Everett and I have some talking to do about how we are going to raise the momos!! lol :) He is all about "tough love" but we all know he is a big teddy bear inside!! Check back in 18-24 months to see what actually happened! ha!

The YUMMY CAKE!!! By NANA (ask me how you can get a cake from Nana's Cakes) The food and the Decor was WONDERFUL! Loved loved loved the Asian Theme!


GIFTS GALORE!!! I swear we have the best family and friends! Thank you to everyone who came to "shower us" from near and far! You all ROCK! I am loving the Twin Elephants...What Do you See in Their future?! hee hee!

What is a shower without the embarrassing "bow & ribbon hat" ... And what a good sport my lover is for putting it on! :) Check out his shirt, "Super Dad of the Momos" the back says "Lillian & McKenzie's Daddy"

I cannot thank everyone enough for this special day! It was like a "MTV Super Sweet 16" Party!

With Love,

-The Momo Momma

Today would of been the day....

... that the momos came into the world... Today our sweet little girlie's are 2lbs 12 oz (Lily) and 2lbs 14oz (McKenzie) at 32 weeks gestational/4 weeks old. (Below- Lily in Clothes at 31 weeks and McKenzie not in clothes 31 weeks)





Sooooo... we have come a VERY long way in the past 4 weeks!! Our little girlie's are growing ever so nicely. I am so proud of their progress. Right now they are both on the CPAP machine, McKenzie is at room air (you go girl!!) and Lily is almost at room air (yay!)...On Saturday she switched from SIPAP to CPAP which is a step in the right direction. They are both wearing clothes now!!! Their preemie outfits swim on them...but they look adorable in them!

I was hoping that they would take McKenzie off the CPAP and put her on a Nasal prongs so we could see her pretty little face, however they are going to keep her on CPAP till she doesn't need anything... so they are both keeping their "snorkels" on for now!(Below McKenzie in her snorkel & Lily on "snorkel break")

Last week Everett and I were able to snuggle our little muffins with "kangaroo care" loving, we put them directly against our skin and let them feel our hearts and our heat. It was amazing, I had Lily snuggled down my shirt and Everett held McKenzie. They did really well out next to us, I know they know we are their parents, they show us their love through their monitors! "beep..beep...beep"

Below are pictures of our Kangaroo Care session, it was great, they were so warm and soft! I love how McKenzie has her hand on Everett's chest... like she was patting him saying, "It's okay Daddy!"







I used to be so nervous about holding the Momos now I can't get enough of them! I never want them to be in the isolettes when I'm there, I just want to snuggle them in my arms. BUT I know they need their rest, so they can grow and get nice a chubby (nobody wants a skinny baby! hee hee). When I hold them I sing to them, talk to them and just listen to them breath, it is an amazing feeling. I was fortunate enough to get to hold both the Momos as the same time, It was one of those moments where I felt my entire life was complete. I wanted to cry...but I had to remember my rules "no crying in the NICU"! It was such a treat...the nurse was sweet enough to capture the moment for me...(Lily on the Left, McKenzie on the Right)

I have been reading all the posts from everyone! I truly enjoy the messages, words of inspiration and encouragement! I am so grateful to have wonderful family and friends following on our NICU journey...our girls will be home before we know it thanks to all your prayers!

-The Momo Momma