Update on Alexander and Zachary... and Nicholas!


Sorry, but with a baby at home, we're just a bit behind on the website!  We hope to get some pictures posted soon.  In the meantime, check out our Facebook pages --- we have lots of photos there!

Thanks for checking in!

 

 

I can do all things in Him who strengthens me.

 

The photos...

Then and now   last updated April 2008

At home:

2008 - Nicholas' arrival

2008 - Before Nicholas

2007

Christmas 2006

Autumn 2006

Summer 2006

Spring 2006

Winter 2005-06

Autumn 2005

Summer 2005

Spring 2005

Winter 2004-05

Autumn 2004

 

August 2004

July 2004

June 2004

May 2004

April 2004

February and March 2004

January 2004

December 2003

November 2003

October 2003

September 2003

August 2003 

July 2003 

June 2003 

In the hospital:

The Bear Index  retired on June 3, 2003

The Bottle Watch  retired on June 3, 2003

 

Zachary  May 22, 2003

Bedside views  May 21, 2003   

Zachary catching some zzz's  May 21, 2003   

Alexander moves to an open crib!  May 12, 2003   

Zachary without tape on his face  April 30, 2003

Zachary's first bottle!  April 29, 2003

Alexander, wide awake  April 29, 2003

Alexander and Zachary, side-by-side  April 27, 2003

Zachary  April 20, 2003

Alexander  April 20, 2003

Tom giving Alex a bottle for the first time  April 17, 2003

Zachary sleeping and eating  April 13, 2003

Nicole giving Alex a bottle for the first time  April 6, 2003

Alex and Zach side-by-side at last  April 5, 2003

Alex and Zach smiling for the camera  April 2, 2003

Alexander's first bottle!!  March 31, 2003

Zachary wearing clothes!  March 25, 2003

Holding the boysMarch 23, 2003      

Remember the ring?!!  March 17, 2003

Zachary without any tape on his faceMarch 16, 2003

Nicole holding Alexander for the first time in a month.  March 15, 2003

Tom holding Zachary for the first time.  March 13, 2003

Bedside views of both boys  March 8, 2003

Zachary ... remind you of someone?  March 1, 2003

Zachary and Nicole, skin-to-skin.  February 26, 2003

Buster watching over his mother's breakfastFebruary 23, 2003

Nicole and Tom watching over AlexanderFebruary 23, 2003

Alexander holding Tom's handFebruary 7, 2003

Nicole holding Zachary for the first time.  February 7, 2003 

Alexander and Zachary wearing my wedding band around their wrist.  February 5, 2003

 

The story...

Our twin boys, Alexander and Zachary, arrived on January 31, 2003 ... or about four months early.  Nicole was just over 24 weeks pregnant when they arrived unexpectedly (full term is 40 weeks).  They weighed just 1½ pounds each at birth.

The boys have done miraculously well.  They were in the NICU at The Woman's Hospital of Texas for over four months and finally came home on June 3, 2003.  It was a stressful roller-coaster ride, but they pulled through with no long term complications.

Many people have prayed for our boys, including many people we hear from that we don't even know.  We believe in the power of prayer!

You can contact us by e-mail at trathjen@rathjengroup.com (Tom) or nicole@rathjengroup.com (Nicole) or by U.S. mail at 1007 Millstone Ct in Sugar Land, TX  77498.

 

The updates...

 

Every couple of weeks we sent an update to the friends of Alexander and Zachary.

bullet

February 6, 2003

bullet

February 12, 2003

bullet

February 23, 2003

bullet

March 10, 2003

bullet

March 23, 2003

bullet

April 29, 2003

bullet

October 5, 2003

bullet

February 15, 2004

 

The resources...

 

Here are some resources that were helpful to us:

bullet

Preemies: The Essential Guide for Parents of Premature Babies (book)

bullet

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations (book)

bullet

Preemie Magazine (free print publication and online community)

bullet

National Organization of Mothers of Twins Clubs, Inc. (find a multiples club near you -- many of their members are parents of preemies and can provide first-hand knowledge on preemies and resources available in your community)

bullet

Deals and Discounts for Parents of Twins / Multiples

bullet

The March of Dimes

 

The archives...

 

bullet

Life before A-Z