How far we've come: Eating edition

As I was watching my daughters split their typical breakfast of 3 scrabbled eggs, 2 waffles, and a banana this morning, (Yes, you read that right. You would not believe how much they eat!) I began to reflect on how far they have come since this time last year.

EATING:

In the beginning the girls got their nutrients from IV fluids and breastmilk given through a tube in their nose.

At one point, Lillian even had an IV in her scalp...

...but after a few days, the girls no longer needed IV's. Once their IV's were out, Lillian and Elzi were able to practice kangaroo care in preparation for learning to breastfeed.

The girls started drinking breastmilk from a bottle around Christmas Eve last year. It was hard for them to stay awake long enough to finish a bottle, so the rest would be put in their tube.

The girls were fed every 3 hours and Mommy and Daddy would time their visits to the hospital to be able to feed the babies.

Eventually, the babies were able to practice breastfeeding for 10 minutes at a time. Mommy went to the hospital 3 times a day in hopes that one of the girls would be alert enough to nurse.

When they were about 6 or 7 weeks old, the girls finally got the hang of breastfeeding and began to nurse without needing to be followed up with a bottle. How exhausting for all of us!

Alas, around 6 months of age, we started eating baby food, and there was no turning back.

It is so hard to believe that my babies are now eating table food and drinking from sippy cups just one short year from their birth. It is amazing what can happen in a year!