Lisa and I have settled into a waiting game consisting of daily doctor reports, visits to the NICU, milestones achieved and, as promised, the occasional set back. But stepping away from the minute to minute changes in the story, here on day 12, it looks like I’ve been given the best birthday present ever: 2 healthy tiny boys.

Having started their journeys in the world after just shy of 31 weeks in mama’s belly, we were amazed that both boys made it off the oscillating ventilators by the third day. Health check after health check has thus far come up favorable. The one major stumbling block, both boys being diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), has as of this evening been left behind.

PDA is when a valve in the heart that normally closes in full-term babies soon after birth remains open. It is is quite common in preemies and results in low blood pressure and excess blood entering the lungs. Thankfully, both Luca and Finn responded well to the usual pharmaceutical treatment for the condition and thus have avoided surgical intervention to close the hole. Finn passed this milestone yesterday, and we learned that his brother Luca, the bigger boy and a bit more stubborn as we were warned he would be by our perinatologist, passed with flying colors this evening.

So, on my 36th birthday, both boys are off ventilators, successfully cleared of the many of the usual complications premature babies face, PDA-free, and each receiving mom’s milk (via feeding tube, 1cc for Luca, 3 for Finn) every six hours (time to start putting on the groceries!) Finn has a high-flow oxygen tube in his nostrils to help his breathing while Luca is 100% tube free and breathing on his own. We know we still have a way to go and more milestones to reach before we can bring them home, but we’re confident it won’t be long before they’re waking us up in the middle of the night.

With Finn in his isolette right next to us, I watched the nurse tonight return Luca to his after an hour of “kangaroo care” (skin to skin, chest to chest contact, the parent holding the baby while reclining in a chair) from his mom. We paused a moment while Lisa untangled some of his trailing leads from her chair, and Luca and I took the time to stare at each other, eyes wide open, each completely present, each completely awake. A few seconds later, Luca was in his bed and as I reached both my hands into his “house” to touch his head and feet and say goodnight, I remembered a quote Lisa had sent me on email from Elizabeth Stone many weeks ago:

“Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.”

Good night boys. Your old man’s very proud of you.