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"A portrait of my child, once a week, every week, in 2013."

I admit that blogging from my iPhone has it's limitations - one of which is I can't insert images via Photobucket so that they are more pleasing size and quality. The last few weeks have seen me grizzle and sulk as my DSLR images get shrunk and fuzzy. So instead I've embraced the phone and iPad as legitimate sources for images. I am so hoping that with the satellite NBN we will have installed I can justify the purchase of a home computer. Besides I'm getting RSI in my right hand from scrolling!

Without further ado. The girls.

Maggie: wearing her first dress. Although the weather today meant we needed a few layers. Maggie is not afraid of mixing colours, patterns and fabrics!

Elisabeth: both of our dogs have been very generous in sharing their home with the twins. Last night Claudia requested a sleep on our window seat. So we let her. She snuggled up against Elisabeth who started gently touching her fur. Rob captured this smile.

I had a very quiet week at the hut. Which is exactly what I needed. Last week we had a few visitors and on Sunday we went to my niece's 2nd birthday party. We didn't stay long and I have to admit that I spent the next few days monitoring the girls just in case they had picked up a bug (there were about 30 people there). At first I felt guilty and cowardly about this attitude. But then the Miracle Babies Foundation posted a list of common NICU parents fears and experiences on Facebook, and the germaphobia issue was there. So I guess I'm not alone with the fear of the girls catching a cold or flu or worse. 

When you have watched your tiny babies struggling to breathe, even when on respiratory support, and worse actually stop breathing, you don't really want to go back to that place. Maggie needed breathing support for 86 long days. Elisabeth only 50. But I can't tell you how happy we were, let alone the girls, when they were finally free of the tubes, tape, CPAP hats, masks and prongs. Maggie actually decided for the Doctors. She was so sick of the tubes in her nose and pulling on her head, she pulled them out one night, (she was only on a low pressure by then without oxygen), and her nurse agreed with her. Watch out world, she is one determined girl.

I may share the whole list as so much of it explained what the NICU journey was for us. I don't really mind being a hermit, particularly over winter. I don't have a lot of time to sit and wish I was out and about anyway.