Day 6

So today was a really great day for the Butler family! Cheryl and I got to hold them for the first time. They (NICU) removed Sully's CPAP and ended up not even having to put a nasal cannula in. So he has been free of oxygen for the whole day! Cam had his CPAP removed also but needed to still have a nasal cannula to help him get enough oxygen. He's just not ready to be free yet. :)

They both had their brain scans done this morning and great news no brain bleeds! Camden had his ECG (EchoCardioGram) to check his for his heart murmur. Those results haven't come back yet. We'll let you know when we find out. The stomachs did a little better today. With a little help from another suppository Sully cleared out his meconium plug. Oh happy day! :)

Please keep praying for these guys. It was a huge answer to prayer to know that there was no bleeding in their brains. They will scan the brains again in 30 days. Also please keep praying against infections as this is one of the more threatening things that will follow us through this journey, and that their stomachs and intestines keep getting stronger and ready to take full feeds sooner then later.


This is the cute face of a guy who's been wearing dark shades since day one...


Here's Sully mask free and loving life


one of two very cute babies...


does he look chill?


...a glimpse of the future...each one holding a baby for the next couple of years...


So we both held a baby...Sully got mom and the good end of this deal and...






...and poor little Cam got the hairy chest...but come on that is cute. He's holding Dad's thumb





This is Cam with his nasal cannula



It's always great just to watch them move and listen to them talk...

so Ryan Gentles came by to bestow his wisdom to Cam as he got his diaper changed...

....priceless

Your Turn....

to do do a little "blogging".

I have found a few awesome websites that will take the blog and put it into a scrapbook for you. We would love to have our readers leave comments for Camden & Sullivan so that they can see how many people love them already and how awesome the power of prayer really is.

So, if you get some time, leave us a comment. Thanks!

2:00 am

I guess by the title of the post you can see how being tired either aids in your creativity....or in my case depletes it.

I had to take a few minutes to write though. I make no promises about the spelling or clarity though (forgive me :).

As Chris said, today was our last day to be at the hospital. It was tough moving out. There is that part of my brain that said "wait! you are leaving behind half of your family". Luckily, the other half (might I call this half the less emotional and more rational half) says "those boys are in the best care exactly where they are. Plus, it is actually 15 minutes away no matter how you look at it: it took/takes me 15 minutes to slowly make my way from the second floor to the NICU, and now it takes 15 minutes to go from any place in my house to the hospital....maybe less depending on who is driving :)".

It really is amazing to me to see how wonderful everyone has been with all of this. I have to just "thank" or recognize some people:

Thank you to the Grandparents. Wow! They are already the best. Both "sets" of grandparents have been so helpful and loving. They have continued to model what it means to be selfless when you have children. They have helped in every way manageable. They already love their grandsons so much....we just know it!

Thank you to the Aunts/Uncles. Man..they are just the best! Uncle Aaron brought the boys a sweet little bear for to keep them company when we are all not able to be there. Phlip and Tiffany have gone above and beyond..helping in so many ways (even by helping to remodel a bathroom) even thought they themselves have a newborn. The little treats that Tiffany has brought to the hospital have been lifesavers!!!!! And tonight Uncle Scott got to meet the boys for the first time after he himself had a super busy weekend (graduation, moving, etc.). I know that he will be great with Sullivan and Cam.

Thank you to the friends and neighbors. We had a visit from some neighbors tonight who brought some fruit salad (yum!). They kept saying "we don't want to bother you". What they dont realize is how much I loved showing off our pictures, re-telling the "story", and bragging about our boys. It gave me energy that I needed at that moment. Their visit was a needed pick-me-up.

I have to say that as I type this it is very nice to be home in the same bed as Chris. The hospital accomodations are nice, but the hospital bed/couch thing was getting old.

first day home...

Today we moved out of Memorial Herman it was our first day home leaving the our little guys back at the NICU. It was a rough one, but the great news is that we only live 15 minutes from the hospital and the NICU is open 24 hours!

Back at the hospital we met another family who had a little girl born at 25 weeks move in next door. Mom's name is Stephanie and the baby's name is Sierra Sunshine. Please keep them in your prayers as I think Sierra is the youngest little fighter in the NICU right now.

Sully and Cam are doing good. They got a new "line" put in called a PICC line. It replaces the current arterial line that is in their umbilical cord. So they lose one and gain one. On another front they are still trying to figure out this whole "eating" thing.

I've posted a little clip I took of Sully breathing. It is amazing as we learn about how their little bodies work and you can't help but be amazed at how wonderfully and carefully we are created. Keep praying!

Sully taking breaths...


here's the new PICC line that goes through a vein under their arms.




...such little hands


complete with fingerprints


...departing the hospital. We had quite the "base camp" set up complete with radio, pictures and lots of flowers/plants provided by a lot of really amazing friends and family. We can't express how much we appreciate the love shown.


...this is called advertisement(maybe a warning :) ) to the neighborhood..."more Butler's have arrived!!!"


I have to admit this afternoon I was nearly defeated by our new "snap-n-go" stroller. It only had like 2 stink'n parts...what am I going to do when Santa Claus brings them something slightly more complicated! :)

the beginning of parenthood

...today we got to partially see Sully's face! He wouldn't open his eyes for us but to Cheryl's excitement we got to see his hair! He looks like he might have some blondish-red hair. Cheryl told me when we first got married that one of the reasons she married me was because she wanted red headed babies...no pressure. When they came out on Tuesday night all I saw was dark hair and thought "oh no" :)

Please be praying for a few things. We need their little stomachs and stuff to really start "waking up". Mom's milk is one of the best things for them. Be praying against any brain bleeding. They go in for testing for this on Monday or Tuesday. And also constant prayer against infections as they continue to develop and grow. They heard a little heart murmor on Camden yesterday and said that it was a valve that should close eventually. So please be praying that it close up naturally like its suppose to.

Here's little Sully with his mask off. They changed out his CPAP to another one


Here he is again...I'll get a better picture of his hair for next time




Grandpa B and Sully




Nothing like mom's hand to keep them calm...



...I think this was when we were being too loud :)

our happy "new mom" ...this was before they told her she was going to be "feeding" every two hours.

...and Cheryl(mom) after 12 "feedings" :)

Here's Cam raising the roof with his hands...I think I'm going submit these guys for the next etrade commmerical.

Sully hanging out...

they are cute little mini feet

each day...

Each day has something new to offer. Today we got to see Cam's whole face since they were born 3 days ago. It was exciting as you'll see he opened his eyes and looked over at us. I'm sure he saw just dark shadowy blobs in front of him, but he saw us none the less.

Its also the simple things we gives thanks for...they both experienced their first "duece"! The nurses had been giving them very little bits of milk yesterday and they stopped b/c they didn't see them moving the milk through their system. So today they gave them suppositories and an hour or so later "waaa laaa"!

On a side note Chery's brother graduated from Texas A&M today. Happy day! And as timing has it, Cheryl graduates from Sam Houston State University tomorrow with her Masters...(looks like she won't be walking).

Alright that's it from me for tonight. Please keep praying for our little guys!

So here's Cam with his full head gear...


And here's our little guy free from that stuff




his little eyes squinted as they hadn't seen the light since they were born




Here you see the beginning of us tag teaming these guys...this is Cheryl and I feeding them.

So its the less conventional way of feeding...we're using syringes to get the food in their feeding tubes. But we're feeding them none the less (eventually Chris will be phased out as they upgrade to the real deal :) ) I'll probably get diaper duty...

Here's their private "suite" in the NICU. Unfortunately this "hotel" doesn't give "frequent flyer miles" or "Hilton Honor Points".

...and this is what happens when you let your friends hold the camera

...a couple more from the night Day 2...

We had a couple of "firsts" last night. Who would think that you'd get so excited to change a diaper...

...its hard not to smile when you look at these guys...






Our first diaper change...and we get so excited.


...little legs and feet