Has it really been three weeks?

So, many people have been asking what is happening with the boys, what is happening with the blog, how is Easton, How is Carter?

Easton in his monster socks

So much has happened over the last couple weeks, we have kinda put the blog on the back burner and tried to focus on the boys and all that is happening here in Oakland, Roseville, and home. I will try to hit all the highlights and most of the bumps in the road, while trying to keep the blog short and not turn it into a novel.

Carter in hit pumkin beenie

So a quick recap, Carter had a shunt put in on the 26th and Easton was going to get his eyes checked. Well Easton got his eyes checked, Halloween happened and then we, Easton, Lauren and I traveled to Oakland Kaiser to have another opthamologist  inject the Avastin in Easton's eyes. Meanwhile, while in Oakland we found out Easton had tested positive for MRSA. Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus means that he has a type of staph that cannot be treated by some antibiotics, which is not a big deal outside the hospital, in fact we all have some type of staph, however while in the hospital we are now quarantined, everyone needs to wash hands and nurses need to wear gloves and a gown while tending to Easton's needs, (something they should be doing anyway if you ask me) so they don't spread it to other infants.

Easton enjoying all the attention from mommy in Oakland

So during our first stay here in Oakland, (I say first stay because I am currently here with Easton on our second stay.) Lauren and I came down to be with Easton while he received the Avastin injections. Easton was transported down on Wednesday the 2nd and had the procedure done on the 3rd. We waited until Monday the 7th for the follow up. Monday around lunch hour Easton had an eye exam which showed slight improvement but would need to be continuously followed. It was agreed that our Opthamologist back in Roseville would be able to do the follow up exams on Tuesday and Friday. After 6 days in Oakland Easton was able to be transported back to Roseville on Monday night.

While back at home in Roseville, Carter was still getting bigger and stronger after the shunt. Carter had hit the 8 pound mark and was looking more and more like a newborn/full-term baby. Lauren had come back to Roseville Saturday and Sunday to be with Carter and to leave him some milk. It is the hardest thing to leave one baby behind to be with the other when you have twins, especially when they are in a Hospital still needing care. How amazed and grateful we are for our nurses who had done such an outstanding job taking care of Carter, especially while we were taking care of his brother in Oakland. Carter continued to impress everyone as he did not need monitors or oxygen support, passed his car seat challenge with ease and passed his hearing test.

Carter milking the attention while mom and dad
were out of town

Which now brings us to Thursday, Thursday was a big day in the Klippel family, We roomed in at the Hospital with Carter. Let me preface this part by saying Lauren will NEVER AGAIN get a flu shot. Thursday morning was a day to do our last minute errands. We went and got our flu shots and I got my whooping cough shot. As we roomed in with Carter Lauren started getting the chills and an all over body ache. Lauren was having a side effect of the flu shot!!! So, I being the loving husband that i am, went to the pharmacy and got Lauren some Tylenol PM. Lauren was done for the night, bring in the reliever, dad had "daddy duty" for the rest of the night. With a collective 2 hours of sleep under my belt by morning, "mommy" was well rested and ready to cuddle.

Mommy and Carter cuddling after rooming in

 By 1 pm Carter was in his graduation cap and we were busting out "Pomp and Circumstance" on our iPhones. Carter roamed the halls saying good bye to all of his Caretakers for the last time of his 112 day stay in the Kaiser NICU. The big surprise, Lauren was due to have Carter and Easton on 11-11-11, and guess who came home on 11-11-11. That's right on his due date 40 weeks gestational, 16 weeks exactly from the day he was Born Carter Steven Klippel strolled out to his mommy car and went home for the First time of his life, outside for the first time in his life.

Carter in his Graduation cap

What a Joyous day, Taking home one of our our amazing little miracles. Carter has been enjoying his time at home, no crying babies, no alarms, no tests, just Eat, Sleep, and Poop, the things a baby should do. It is so fun during the day to listen to Carter grunt, not so much at night, but his little grunt as he roots around for his bottle. We even watched finding Nemo the other night a suggestion from Auntie Jess "one of Carter's primary nurses".

Today, brings us back to day two of our second stay here in Oakland. Last night, Easton was seen by the Opthamologist, who did in fact affirm what we were told, Easton would need the Vetrictomy. A Vetrictomy is where they take three needles and insert them into the eye, one to cut the scar tissue, one to remove the scar tissue and one to replace the void with fluid to keep the pressure even in the eye. An operation that will take about an hour to hour and a half. An operation that must be done while brother and mom are 2 hours away unable to sooth and comfort Easton and where dad and both grandpa's are here to assist and support during this time. Today we find out if the operation will be Wednesday night or Thursday night.

Easton spending time with Grandpa Russ

Here is the latest update, my apologies it has taken so long, We have just found out Carter's eyes are great and he will not need to be seen by the Opthamologist until next year. At this time we thank all of you for your love and support for our little boys.

WE RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO WITHHOLD FROM COMING TO SEE THE BOYS UNTIL THEY ARE A LITTLE BIGGER AND THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEMS ARE A LITTLE STRONGER, AS WE ARE APPROACHING THE RSV SEASON.