Still growing!

Both boys grew again today!  Carter is 2lbs 3oz and Anderson is 3lbs 5oz.  The nurses measure them once per week on Sundays, so we are excited to find out tomorrow if they are getting taller and their heads are growing as well.

The doctor increased their food intake yesterday, so Carter is now getting 19ml at each feeding and Anderson is getting 27ml.  They are still getting the growth fortifier, as well as iron and a multivitamin.

Carter has not had any other gastrointestinal issues, but the doctors are slightly concerned about his liver functioning.  They do a complete lab work up on Sundays, so we are meeting with the doctor again tomorrow to  check on his liver issues.  The doctor believes the most probable thing is that because Carter was so small when he was born, his liver isn't quite as developed and therefore doesn't function as well.  Fortunately, if this is the case, he will simply grow out of it as he gets larger and older.  The doctor didn't seem too worried, so we are trying to follow his lead.

Technically, Carter still has his nasal cannula, but he has become quite adept at removing it himself and often then placing it in his mouth to chew on it (or gum on it, as he doesn't have any teeth).  The nurse tried to remove it for an hour and a half this morning, but his oxygen levels were not stable enough to allow her to fully remove it.  The doctor thinks he will probably be on this for another half a week or week.

Anderson continues to do well.  He rarely has issues with his oxygen levels and is growing very well.  He had a  fairly high heart rate for a little while today when Ty was holding him, but judging from the smell in the room afterwards, the high heart rate was a result of working hard to fill his diaper for Daddy to change it.  The next step for him is to regulate his own temperature enough to be moved to an open isolette with just a radiant warmer.  They are trying to get both boys to be able to stay at the same temp so that they can finally put them together in the same bed.

We'll keep you updated with the doctor's assessment of Carter's liver tomorrow.  Hopefully we will have more weight gains to report as well!