The Burkett Bundle

This has been a week of pretty exciting firsts for the Burkett Bundle! Here are some of the things that we've done for the first time...

1. Karyssa has graduated from sleeping curled up on her side to sleeping on her belly, as on Wednesday, she rolled from her back to her belly for the first time! Now we can't get her to stop. Dr. Bartlett said that as long as she can lift her head, she's fine sleeping on her belly. Kyran is almost there, but he sleeps swaddled still, so he hasn't had much opportunity.

2. Also on Wednesday night, we had our first monitor-free night!!! We haven't heard an alarm (other than some low heart rates for Karyssa that are just because her resting heart rate is settling now) in over two months, so we felt comfortable taking them off at night. We won't know the results of the monitor download until August, because Dr. Yajnik is out of town, but are confident we're going to get good news, and may be able to give the monitors back.

I did spend that first night listening for breathing and getting up to check on them, but it was already better last night, so hopefully I'll be able to relax a little more each night.

3. Last week was their first experience with rice cereal and green beans, which they weren't sure about, but yesterday they seemed to love their first taste of carrots! I also changed the schedule so that they are eating the cereal and veggies first, so that they don't get so full on breastmilk, and that may have helped also. They are still eating as much milk afterwards, though, so I know they are still getting their nutrition.

4. Not so exciting for the babies, but very exciting for me is the fact that I was able to shower today for the first time while home alone with the babies. I've been showering at night, but that cuts down on time that I can spend with Jason alone, so I'm happy to finally feel comfortable with this.

My two fears were 1) that I would come out of the shower to two screaming babies who had been crying for 15 minutes and beyond consolation, or 2) when they were on the monitors, that I would miss an alarm. Of course they aren't on the monitors, so that helps, but they slept right through, as far as I know, and woke up only after I got out.

We have also moved our "headquarters" from our bedroom, where we've practically lived for the last five months, to downstairs, where there is so much more room for swinging, eating and tummy time, and I can watch the big screen TV.

It's been such a busy week, and I love every minute! I talked with someone at my former job last week, and she asked if I was enjoying being out of work and relaxing. It was all I could do to not laugh at her on the phone! This is, by far, the hardest job I've ever done. It's also the most rewarding, though!