So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye

Today was Sterling's last day with us here in Iowa before he starts at the Mayo Clinic this coming Monday. Even though I am sitting here alone writing this post and though I know he is in Minnesota, I still wait and listen for him to walk through the door and crawl into bed.

Our life has been one big blur since the boys were born and I don't even know where the past two months have gone. Our routine has been interrupted but that's okay because it is for a very good reason. Sterling deserves and has earned this experience at the Mayo and we wouldn't want him to give it up for anything. The boys and I will patiently wait for him to return to us each weekend and we will happily Skype him in the meantime.

Here are some pictures of how our last day together was spent.

This is Makaio listening to whatever it is that Dad has to say.

Kekoa is taking a peek to make sure that he's still in Dad's arms

Family Time in Kekoa's Room

Family Time in Makaio's Room

Machine Gun Kisses for Makaio

Machine Gun Kisses for Kekoa

We are definitely going to miss Sterling while he is away but we are so grateful for the sacrifices he is making now in preparation for our future. Thanks for being an example of hard work and dedication for the boys, even if it is hard. We will be together sooner than you know. You take care of yourself, I'll take care of the boys and the Lord will take care of all of us until we can be together again. WE LOVE YOU!

BMW

As many of you know, we were looking for a new vehicle. We did some shopping around and found a couple of vehicles that we liked but since we are both unemployed at this time, we didn't dare apply for a loan for fear of rejection.

I called my parents and talked to them about possible options and what we could do to get a family vehicle and they decided to help us out and give us a BMW. Now, do not think that we are living the high life and that we have one awesome vehicle because the BMW version we got is much different than you might be thinking.

BMW in our case stands for Big Mormon Wagon aka Chevy Suburban. Granted our family does not warrant this large of a vehicle right now, but you never know, at this rate we might grow in multiples of two always!

For all of you that are wondering what our tight ride looks like, here it is for your viewing pleasure. If you come and visit us you will be able to experience it firsthand.

Now you may have been thinking, "How dorky...a suburban?" Again you would have been wrong, our BMW is COOL! Oooh, tinted windows! Look at those rims! Look at the sweet metal runners (if that is what the things are called that you step on to get into the vehicle)!

Dad and Mom, thanks for pimpin' our ride!

Every Party Needs a Pooper

Sterling taught me a song that goes, "Every party needs a pooper that's why we invited you, party pooper." Ever since he taught me the song, I sing it just about every day. Today Kekoa gave me a reason to keep singing that song.

Today, while Kekoa's nurse and I were having a diaper changing party, Kekoa decided to be that party pooper. No, he didn't crash the party by throwing a fit, he added to the party by pooping all over my hand and arm. Let me give you a play by play.

Scene I: Cylynn has just finished holding Kekoa and the nurse has put him back in his bed. He is now ready for his temperature to be taken and his diaper changed.

Nurse: Why don't you go ahead and get a temperature and change his diaper while I get some milk?

Cylynn: Sounds great.

Scene II: Kekoa's nurse exits stage left to retrieve some milk while Cylynn starts with taking his temperature. First she tries his left armpit because he has kindly put it up in the air for an effort free entry - low temperature. She then takes on the challenge of the right armpit and successfully inserts the temperature probe - same exact temperature.

Enter Nurse.

Nurse: How was his temp.?

Cylynn: 96.4

Nurse: That's okay. We'll change his diaper and hang his food then take his temperature again.

Scene III: Cylynn opens the diaper only to find a very stinky and full diaper. She grabs a wipe and starts cleaning up the mess. She has the surface cleaned and turns to grab another wipe to make sure that the job is well done.

Cylynn: Insert Nurse's Name, he pooped.

Nurse: Good job sweet boy.

Kekoa: Ffffft (that is the sound his fart made).

Scene IV: Cylynn finds herself in quite the predicament. She turns just in time to see poop squirting out in a perfect stream and headed for her. Her catlike reflexes allow her to partially block the poop with the wipe. Much to her dismay, she didn't block the entire stream and she now has poop all over the wipe, her hand and part of her arm.

Nurse: He definitely gets credit for that. I guess I'll change the size of the stool in my charting from moderate to large.

Scene V: Cylynn washes up while Kekoa smiles.

Every party needs a pooper that we invited you Kekoa!

You Usually Have to Wait...

for that which is worth waiting for!

I can remember a time when I would often think, "I can't wait to have children." Then we got married and I remember that before I got pregnant I would often think, "I can't wait to be pregnant." Then I got pregnant and while I was pregnant I would often think, "I can't wait until the boys are born." Once the boys were here I would look at them every day and think, "I can't wait until I can hold them." And all of a sudden I realized that if I keep waiting and hoping for the next big event then I am going to miss out on the many little, and just as meaningful, events that happen in between! Although the waiting to hold the boys was well worth the wait, it is time that I start living in the moment and enjoying our life together as it happens.

As you already know, I was able to hold Makaio at the end of June. Kekoa's turn to be snuggled by me came a few days later and it was just as amazing.

Cylynn and Kekoa

One Happy Mommy

3/4 of the Sheffield Family

Sponge Baths

Those of you who are like Cylynn and I and have always thought that babies smelled like baby lotion and other such products are, I am sorry to say, woefully ignorant. For the past month, Cylynn convinced herself that it was the saran wrap and hospital that smelled each day. Unfortunately, it was the boys. Babies stink just like the rest of us without baths and soap. However, since our boys are still on ventilation for breathing, they cannot yet bathe in the tub. Therefore, this past week we gave both boys sponge baths. We used cotton or gauze pads with water and soap to wipe the boys clean. Here are some pictures:

K. Sheffield's Sponge Bath

M. Sheffield's Sponge Bath

Both boys did not like a lot of the sponge baths. Makaio was his typical self squirming and wanting us to leave him alone during the whole thing. Kekoa made his typical displeased faces when he was not enjoying it. Both boys enjoyed a couple of key parts of the bath. The head massage/scrubbing was a hit. It was all that Makaio enjoyed. See his sigh of pleasure below. Kekoa loved the lotion afterwards. We really enjoyed giving them sponge baths and cannot wait until they are ready for some "tub time".

M. Sheffield's Head Massage

K. Sheffield's Lotion

Facelifts Aren't Always a Bad Thing

As you can see, the look of our blog has changed and perhaps you are wondering why?. Well I will tell you three reasons why we needed a blogger facelift.

Reason #1

Do not be confused! The blog didn't need a facelift because Sterling is a cowboy and can ride a mean bail of hay. It needed changed because real men don't enjoy pink and red stripes with ribbons on the side. Let the picture speak for itself...Sterling is a real man!

Reason #2

Do not be confused! The blog didn't need a facelift because the background was so boring it put Kekoa to sleep. It needed changed because tough little boys enjoying things that make them look tough like catching frogs or even better, the scar that he will have to show off when he gets older. Let the picture speak for itself...Kekoa is one tough little boy.

Reason #3

Do not be confused! The blog didn't need a facelift because Makaio put his fist down and demanded that it be that way. It needed changed because as you can see there are now three boys in our family and only one girl. Let the picture speak for itself...Makaio was the first to put down his fist and the others followed close behind and as a result our page has been changed!

There's a First Time for Everything

One nervous daddy + one tiny baby = One memorable moment.

The day that I got to hold Makaio was a day filled with excitement and anticipation. Sterling's day was a little different. He was nervous and a little unsure about the whole thing but I think he enjoyed it in the end. I know that Makaio enjoyed it or at least his vital signs said that he did!

Sterling and Makaio

The Natural

3/4 of the family (Dad, Mom and Makaio)

Contact Isolation

One of the things that generally happens when babies are intubated is that bacteria starts to grow in that tube. It doesn't necessarily mean that the bacteria is going to harm the baby or that the doctors are going to do anything to try and treat the bacteria. They just tell you that things are growing in the trachea tube, that they are going to leave the bacteria alone and that now you have to wear gloves plus gowns whenever you want to touch your child.

My thoughts are, "If I have to wear a gown and gloves to touch my own child then it sounds a little more serious that what you are implying." It turns out that I am the mother and not the doctor so if they tell me the bacteria isn't harmful, I will believe them. If they tell me to wear a gown, I'll wear a gown.

Much to my mother's dismay, it's almost to the point that I could actually answer YES to the often asked childhood question of "If so-and-so told you to go jump off a bridge, would you?" I've come to the realization that the statement, "Because I'm the mother and I said so" gets you nowhere in the NICU. I haven't actually tried it out yet but sometimes when things seem stagnant, I really want to.

Since our camera is usually pointed at the boys and all you ever see is pictures of them, I thought I would take the opportunity to post a picture of Sterling. Here is Sterling dawning the new garb that is required if we want to touch Makaio.

One Month Older and Wiser Too

Happy one month birthday to our two little boys. We were planning on making brownies and bringing them to share with the nurses, while we sang happy birthday. However, we took a nap instead. We still sang happy birthday, but ate some brownies that evening at home.

After one month Kekoa is nine ounces larger than his birth weight and two inches longer than he was at birth. He is still the easy going guy he was at birth. He sleeps through most of his cares and seems to accept anything we or the nurses do with him with complete contentment. He is eating less than one ounce per day, but still growing. Kekoa to treat food with apathy. I don't know whom he inherited this trait from, but it wasn't his father or mother.

Makaio is one pound larger than his birth weight and one and a half inches longer than at birth. He still hates anyone touching him or doing his cares. He prefers to be left alone, other than the fact that he loves having his head rubbed. He is eating over two ounces now and digesting well. He loves his food.

Here are some before and after pictures of the boys at birth and on their one month birthdays:

M. Sheffield-Day 1

M. Sheffield-1 Month

K. Sheffield-Day 1

K. Sheffield-1 Month

It is amazing to see their growth after just one month. The pictures don't do it justice, but you can see some weight gain. We will see what the next month will bring.