The girls arrived Saturday, 20 April 2002 at 4:05 and 4:09 am.
Sarah was first, weighing 4 pounds 10 and one half ounces. Kathleen followed weighing just one ounce more. Both were healthy and beautiful from the start with Kathleen being a bit more active and eager to eat than her sister to begin with. They have joined their slightly astonished older brother, Joshua, who celebrated his 2nd birthday on February 25th.
Just as Joshua did at birth, the babies look a great deal like their daddy to begin with. Lots of hair, and clear dark skin.
They finally put the girls together under the lights when they showed touches of jaundice. Both became quite peaceful at that point.
Mama Julia was discharged the morning of Monday, April 22nd, but the babies remained behind for now to get better prepared for their life in the world outside of medical sterility.
Feedings still take place every three hours and keep mama very busy and mighty tired. The reality of "sisters" doesn't seem to have hit Joshua quite yet, but things will soon be very busy at the Palshikar home. Auntie's Kendra and Polly are coming from Utah to help out through the summer months while the initial adjustments are taking place. It looks forward to being a fun and special challenge for all who know and love these lovely little girls.
(The above pictures are from the Anne Geddes collection)
The twins got to come home from the hospital on Friday afternoon, May 9th, just in time for Mothers' Day!
At this point, the easiest way to tell the girls apart was by the monitor which Kathleen wore to alert us of her "apnea episodes". Within a few weeks, it became noticable that Sarah had a unique dimple in her earlobes that looked like piercings.
The girls are beautiful! It is difficult to grasp their tiny size in pictures, however. They have regained and surpassed their birth weight and each weighs over five pounds now.
Just to get an idea of their size, above is a photo of my cell phone, my reading glasses, one of their milk bottles (tiny) and an empty toilet paper roll. See the girls below next to some of these items!
So far the girls spend their days eating, sleeping and getting diaper changes and lots of cuddling. They are bright-eyed when awake, but usually calm and sleepy.
Kathleen on the right, Sarah on the left. In the cradle together, below, they are in reverse order of that. Two tiny bundles, near mirror images of one another.
