Tag Archives: #weekendrewind

Weekend Rewind – RSV

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This weekend the Rewind takes us back to October 2010.

Esther and William came home from hospital on the 21st September 2010 so October is a hazy fog of memories of getting to know our babies. One thing that we learned a lot about was RSV, we were terrified that Esther and William might get a cold or flu and so we did everything we could to protect them. Mainly we cut ourselves off from the world with an extended babymoon.
The post I have decided to share today is a copy of the letter we used to explain RSV to our friends and family. It was written on the 29th October 2010.

Here is the post and below are some pictures of Esther and William from that day.

Weekend Rewind – September

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Rewind to September 2010


September is a great month for us. It is my birthday, my sister’s birthday and will also be our wedding anniversary after our wedding this September!! It is also the month in which Esther and William finally came home from NICU last year.

The post I have chosen to share for this week’s Rewind was written in September 2010 whilst the babies were still in hospital.

It is a letter to them from me.

Dear Esther and William

We Wanna Be Together!!

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This weekend the Rewind asks us to think back to August and share a post from then.

August 2010 saw me spend every day in NICU/SCBU with Esther and William.

The post I have chosen to share reflects on a very special day when the twins were reunited for the first time outside of the womb.

Please read REUNITED

June is Bustin' Out All Over – updated

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This weekend Life in a Pink Fibro has asked us to think back to June 2010 for the Weekend Rewind.

My blog was not even concieved last June.  I was 5 months pregnant and thought I had 4 months of my pregnancy still to go.  In reality the birth of Esther and William was just a few short weeks away.

HYTHE JUNE 2010

 Here I am, bustin’ out all over, with my lovely twin bump!

To help jog my memory about June 2010 here is my month in Facebook Statuses!

June 1 – Jennie is having a lovely half term catching up with family and friends.

June 1 – Jennie has had a lovely day in the sun with Mary, Clare and Rohan.

June 3 – Jennie thinks she should have planned to do something this morning rather than just sitting and waiting for her scan!!

June 4 – Jennie is happy and relieved after seeing two active, healthy babies on screen today. And only two weeks to wait til next scan!

June 4 – after a day learning BSL is now getting on with the baby budget!!! So exciting!

June 5 – Jennie begins her last two weeks at school for the forseeable future!!!

June 7 – Jennie has decided to stay at school one more week! Now finish 25th June all being well!

June 9 – Jennie got a bit emotional in Mothercare today and bought the twins some teeny tiny newborn socks! So cute!!!

June 11 – Jennie got a bit emotional in Mothercare yesterday and bought the twins some teeny tiny newborn socks! So cute!!! Now she is sorting all the contents of her hospital bag!! Just in case!

June 12 – Jennie is tired and the day has not even really begun!

June 14 – Jennie is looking forward to some retail therapy on Thursday.

June 14 – Jennie has no more work til Monday!

June 15 – Jennie is finding choosing a name for our girl twin sooooooooooooooooooo hard!

June 18 – Jennie decided to scale back rather than leave altogether!

June 23 – Jennie really wants to make a start on cleaning and sorting her house but after school and home tutoring just feels too tired! Roll on 9th July when I will be finished school and can spend my days getting ready!!!

June 23 – Jennie and David have exciting plans for their house!!!!

June 24 – is looking forward to introducing Maia to Rohan!

June 26 – Jennie is listening to 90s Indie classics and sorting through baby clothes!!!

June 27 – Jennie and David have been to the sea!!

June 27 – Jennie would like some advice on what to do about her fat, pregnant, painful swollen ankles and feet!!!! Ow!!!

June 28 – Jennie is home from 24 week scan and all is well. Hooray

This all seems like such a long time ago.  I had a job and went shopping!  The twins were so longed for and now they are here!!! 7 months old when they should really only be 4. And they are doing so well.  Growing bigger and stronger every day.

The Gallery – Sparkle

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This is a Gallery topic from last year that I have decided to use as the focus for a post.  A chance to show off something of mine I love that sparkles.  My engagement ring!

David proposed to me in December 2008 as the longest night of the year ended.  It was the most wonderful start to one of the best days of my life, matched only by the day that Esther and William were born. And the day we found out they were coming!

David proposed at Bodiam Castle in a very romantic way.  It was the longest night of the year and I was woken from a deep, deep sleep.  I heard a voice saying, “Wake up, Jennie.  Jennie.  Wake up!”  I realised that David was not beside me.  Our song started playing (I’ll Stop the World, The Cure).  I got out of bed and started looking for David before realising that the voice and the music was coming from the computer.  The voice was saying, “Before the dawn on the longest night, I’ll wake you, Look outside let the blue lights guide you, Wrap up warm, your future awaits you.”

I rushed to look out of the window to the back garden but could not see anything.  I looked out of the front window and saw a blue light flickering on the footpath to the castle.  I got dressed and spotted a torch labelled, “Bring me with you!”  I took the torch and left the house, heading for the blue light.  When I reached the footpath I noticed that lots of blue lights were leading and lighting the way toward the castle. 

David was very clever, and thoughtful, to choose blue as it is my favourite colour.  I let the lights guide me, following them with my torch.  I was excited and terrified all at the same time.  The lights led all the way to the draw bridge of the castle that too was all bathed in blue.  And there was David, waiting in the bitter cold with the most beautiful diamond I have ever seen!  He told me that he loved me and asked me to be his wife.  It was just wonderful!  A perfect moment. 

Over the next few weeks and months we designed the ring above and found the person we wanted to make this most precious sparkle.  Now I wear this sparkle of mine with pride and can’t wait til it is joined by a wedding band.  7 months to go!!!

The wave form represents the sea and also the winding path to the castle.  The sapphire is blue for my favourite colour, the guiding blue lights and the sea.  The diamond represents the castle and our love.  Everlasting, with strong defences and loyal servants. 

My sparkle!

Homecoming Email – sent to all family and friends

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We sent this email on the 22nd September 2010. We had been home less than 24 hours and were looking forward to finally getting to know our children. We were also terrified that now we were solely responsible for them something would go wrong. We had left the security of the hospital and were out into the big wide world. Though it would actually be over a week before I was brave enough to leave the nursery alone with Esther and William. Seems like a lifetime ago now.

Our homecoming email …

Hello

We are very pleased to let you know that we have just survived our first night at home as a family of four!

We were taken a bit by surprise yesterday when the doctors told us that Esther and William were ready for home.

Along with congratulations the hospital staff have also given us some quite strict and specific instructions for now we are home as the babies were so premature and they do not want to see us back in hospital.  They recommended that we let all friends and family know from the start so that everyone can help the babies grow stronger.

 

No visitors to the house until the babies reach term

Because the babies are classed as having Chronic Lung Disease they are very susceptible to any and all forms of cold, flu etc … as it is possible for these viruses to travel on hands, clothing, bags etc without people knowing the chances of these infections being brought into the house increases dramatically with each visitor.  In October the babies will be given the first of 5 injections to protect them from RSV the main virus that underlines all coughs and colds etc they will then be able to start meeting their friends and family.  They will still be at high risk and so we will be keeping visitors to a minimum throughout the winter.

If and when you do visit we have been recommended to follow the same rules that the hospital apply:

Don’t come if you feel ill in any way

Always wash your hands when you arrive

Always wash hands before touching the babies

Don’t come in clothes that have been worn to schools or toddler groups etc …

Talk in calm, quiet voices around the babies

Sorry these rules all sound very strict and draconian

It has been a long journey to get the babies this far

We really do not want to spend any more time in hospital so we are going to be a bit protective and healthily paranoid at least until the cold and flu season is over.

Please bear with us as I am sure you will.

Though we are out of the building we are not yet in the clear

William will have a heart consultation in December and both babies will attend a Neuro Development clinic for the next two years.  We also are still undergoing screening for their eyes over the next few months.  This is to check that the babies are continuing to develop healthily.  It was very emotional leaving the hospital yesterday after 59 long days but we are so glad to be home. 

Thank you so much for all your cards, gifts, help and support so far.

Lots of love Jennie, David, Esther and William

PS) Please do not ring the house phone as we are catching sleep whenever we can!!  We will regularly check emails and mobiles x