Day 32: Monkey lips

Mom enjoyed her first Rama Residency buffet breakfast, save the chai tea she made them make three times over because it was too strong..though it still wasn't right. She is looking for tea bags now to make her own.  We bought some snacks to have more things on hand and avoid eating out, and I restocked my stockpile of Parle-G cookies (biscuits). Now that Mom is here the phone rings off the hook with Guddi Aunti and Mon Uncle calling, and of course Subhash calling 5 times in a row when we didn't answer because we were eating breakfast.

Mom video chatted with him and I'm hoping has finally convinced him the babies are healthy and fine, because they truly are but people think I'm only telling them not to worry but not telling them something bad. I thought the same thing of Dr. Kothiala until I arrived and realized that things really were going as well as she had said over the phone. We have honestly had the easiest time of anyone I've ever heard of in NICU whose babies were born as early as ours, and many that were born later. We are beyond lucky, and while there are scary moments they have all been well within the range of normal or even better than could be expected at the stage of development they are at. I'm truly blessed, and have never lost sight of how much worse so many things could have gone. Once bottle feeds go smoothly without any A's and B's I'll be one happy camper and mostly relaxed about caring for them on our own. Mom saw her first today and it scared her, but it is a new normal everyone must adjust to in the NICU and eventually will go away and be a distant memory.



Vivek sticks his tongue out at those who doubt his mightiness




Tara is equally as disgusted at those who doubt her powers

 I was also right in my prediction that Petra's baby would be discharged before mine, because despite initial difficulties he is at a better stage of development at 35 weeks. We are ending week 33 right now. Vivek is 1605 grams and Tara is 1560, making him just over 3 1/2 pounds and her just under. He is much better at bottle feeding, but she is only slightly better. I'm preparing myself for him to come home before her. I keep saying "come home" because "coming to the hotel" sounds wierd. This is definitely not home, but they fixed the door today so at least I don't have to slam my hip into the door swollen by humidity in order to push it open.

Mom thinks that Vivek has tiny little lips "like a girl" and that they both are so tiny and look "like little monkeys."  Wanted to record those comments for posterity so I can give her a hard time about saying it later in front of her grandchildren.



Monkey Tara foreground Monkey Vivek background




Vivek thinking hard about...




Princess annoyed with Mommy's picture taking






Dadima does kangaroo care with Tara for the first time

 Dadima was our hero today, because Petra and I were annoyed at how loud the nurses were. This is typical, but anyone could tell they were arguing about something. Petra says the other day Sandia and Daxa were arguing and Daxa looked like she was about to cry. Mom could see how distressed we were about their loud arguing, so much that Petra and I couldn't hold a conversation. So Mom told them that they needed to stop arguing in front of the babies in a very polite but assertive way, lest her grandchildren learn to argue from them. They quieted down after that and we were both very appreciative! I don't know what all the politics are around there, but they need to quit all the infighting. Everyone seems to work hard and pull their weight for the most part, so I wonder what they have to argue about.

Vivek and his "girlie lips"



We ended the day by shopping in the big market, and I kept Mom from getting lost. We finally scored some tea bags and her favorite biscuits and a small pot to cook and warm leftovers in. No petticoats because they only sell white ones here apparently. We had a another visit to the NICU, and a fun time doing kangaroo care. I had my best feed ever with Tara with only one minor de-sat, and Mom was able to feed Vivek and had an easier time. She is much more relaxed about handling the babies...it takes a day or two to gain confidence handling small babies. They only gained 5 grams apiece today, which is a little disappointing for her but no surprise for him since he had two big gain days.  Afterwards we had a nice meal at Decent Restaurant, and she likes it as much as me and we have enough leftovers for lunch tomorrow.