How have Patrick and Charlie been in all of this?

Great.  They've been with Christine and my parents.  Charlie occasionally asks a question here and there, but is mostly just okay with the whole thing.  Patrick was clearly pretty worried about us when we had to leave in a hurry -- did we mention that this happened on Patrick's first day back at school? -- so it's taken some reassuring to get him to calm down.

Both of them have visited the NICU.  They've met the girls.  Patrick even patted them in their isolettes.  He's clearly in love, which is great.