The OWJs are leaving Iowa
 

The babies are being discharged tomorrow AM. Lainey has just taken off with her feedings and is a hair under 4lbs. Not bad for a little peanut who started out 10 days ago at 3lb, 5 oz.

Rachel's new nick is Miss Piggy. She looves her food and we've already learned that phone calls and anything else don't matter when she is hungry. Our girl can chow!

We will be driving up to Quad Cities to wait for the interstate approvals to come through and then Atlanta-Hartsfield, here we come! It will probably take a few days but we can handle it.

As for the necessary trip report...The people here in SE Iowa rock! People have been so warm, supportive and helpful.... Shopping--well, the hospital gift shop has a couple of cute items and magazines. The mall stinks but Younkers dept. store does have some cute preemie clothes...Target is small but cashiers friendly, not surly like I'm used to at home...Restaurants--surprisingly decent Mexican food at a place called Casa Fiesta in Burlington. Who would've thunk it? Ryans, Applebees and Perkins get a big blech, especially Ryan's. This is more or less a culinary wasteland. One shining star is the hospital cafeteria which has above average food. Their soups are quite good and sandwiches are on tasty bread. (Yes, I'm bored enough to rate the bread!)...the finest hotel in the town is the Fairfied Inn...no RCs here in the land of corn and soybean fields.

Your joy brings me joy and for that I thank you! Good times indeed Lainey and Rachel!

May your journey home be wonderful!

Soybeans, huh??? LOL, any good soybean recipes from Iowa, OWJ?

So what kind of bread? And can you really watch corn grow?

So many questions. Looking forward to your trip report! Hugs and kisses to the babies!! ((l))

Great news, OWJ! Lainey is packing it on. You may have to share with us with periodic photo updates if you don't mind. I think there's a sense here that these little girls are our collective nieces. :) Is Mr OWJ still with you to help out I hope? Double all the fun. Can't wait to follow everyone's progress.

"Quad Cities"....you are sounding like a native now. I had to look them up. LOL

Woo-hoo!!! The girls are coming home soon! We have our fingers crossed that it is sooner than later.

Re: hospital food - when my mom had surgery I was surprised at how good (and cheap!) the cafeteria food was. Best deal in town (small town)

Great news, OWJ! I hope the trip home goes super smoothly!:)

You didn't try any loose meat sandwiches while you were in Iowa? There's still time to look for a Maid-Rite! :D

I have been floating on a cloud since I got the news. The long journey until these little angels arrived, the fact they were born on my birthday..life is sweet and precious and I am overjoyed that soon the four OWJ's will be in their own home where they belong!! Love, good health and joy be with all four of you the rest of your lives dear friend. ((R))

We can't watch the corn grow but we have spent a week and a half watching it harvested. This hospital is surrounded on three sides by corn!!

OWJ2 is still here and will remain w/me and the girls til we can all go home together...no point in him flying for a day or two and then flying back!

Bread--not sure what kind but chewy like a bagel w/herbs and asiago cheese. Yum..

Loose Meat sandwiches--had to ask the nurse about that one, so no, no Sloppy Joes but we did have thin pizza cut in squares. What's the deal w/you Midwesterners, CAPH? Don't you know a proper slice of pizza is in the shape of a wedge?! Pshaw!

LOL OWJ, life is good when I see you complaining about the shape of your pizza slice!! :))

Sloppy Joes!!! Wow! I haven't had one of those in years -- swear it was my reason for having kids, lol. ;)

Do how much crap...eh...stuff did you have to buy at Target?

OWJ X 4,
Buen viaje mis amigos.
M

And before anyone jumps on me about Target...I don't mean the store itself, but the "stuff" you need to get when you have babies - Tons of stuff with two, no less!

Did you buy a diaper bag??

Not to nitpick, OWJ, but loose meat sandwiches aren't the same as sloppy joes. A sloppy joe has a tomato-based sauce, loose meat sandwiches don't have sauce. And now you know far more than you ever wanted to about loose meat sandwiches! ;)

And I <b>like</b> my pizza cut in squares, thank you very much! :D

Didn't anyone watch the Rosanne show?!?! :-)

My thought exactly, starrsville! :D

Now, see, I'm lost. Someone *educate* me please! :D

OK, how about future tuition, lol.
Got a 'Mil$USD or so for those.
Best wishes.
M

STW, check www.maid-rite.com When I was growing up there was one in the town where my grandmother lived. Now I think they're mostly in Iowa. I have fond memories of stopping at the Maid-Rite in the evening after an afternoon of visiting relatives.

I have not bought a diaper bag yet. I didn't see one that I liked (I have to be a fashionable new mom, ya know, STW) so we will use my handy-dandy favorite backpack...I bought a travel changing pad, ziploc bags and trial sizes of stuff to use for the time being.

Quite fitting my, the wandering Jew's kids will be staying in a hotel and flying on a plane before they are two weeks old, don't you agree?? I wonder if this will unleash the travel beast in them.

BTW, OWJ wants to plan a trip to Italy w/the girls in about 5 yrs. Will I be able to wait that long?

Mike--Gracias, senor!

No,no,no...what about Rosanne?

LOL, ever heard of scholarships mikemo?

They do exist. :D