2 Weeks Old!

Well, time sure flies when you're having fun....or changing 40 diapers a day hah!  The trio is now 2 weeks old, and we are enjoying being a complete family!  Londyn has been home a week, and the boys both came home Sunday. Still can't believe they were all released within 1.5 weeks! 

They have remained tiny and definitely preemies (still over a month away from due date), but with each day they are developing more and more....so fun to watch!  We are definitely exhausted, but taking it day by day with the help of mom staying here, and lots of other family pitching in at feedings, etc. So blessed!

 We had their first appt with the doctor since leaving the NICU, and they did really well!  Took a bit longer than normal to get everyone dressed, loaded, and unloaded, but once we got there hardly had any cries :) 

Here are a few more more pics of the babes since we've had them here :)

Lance Craig

Layton Jack

Londyn Grace

Londyn's all settled in!

Thursday was a big day for our baby girl...she came home!!  At only 8 days old and still weighing under 4 pounds, this little fighter surprised everyone including us!  She was the first one to move out of her incubator into the open crib, then continued to maintain her temps, oxygen, and feeding, beating her brothers home!

Of course we were thrilled, but I think my sisters were even more excited b/c they haven't even been able to hold her while she was in the NICU, and have been waiting 9 months for this moment :)  Londyn's also had fun visits from her other "adopted" aunts- Kelley, Darcie, and Christi (more pics to come!)

She has been SUCH an easy, calm baby so far.  If not for waking her up to do feedings every 3 hours, you'd hardly know she is here...just a few cute little noises occasionaly, but her lungs must be too tiny to cry much yet!

The hardest part is balancing our time with her, and that of traveling back and forth each day to the med center to see and feed her brothers.  At least we know she's in good hands with mom (Cee Cee).  When we came back one day, mom had her all dressed up for us :)

 

Layton and Lance are still doing really good....both out of the incubators and keeping levels stable. We though Layton was coming home Friday, but he didn't pass his nicu carseat test (they stay connected to all their monitors while sitting in their carseat which is SO huge for them right now.  His oxygen dropped at one point, so he barely failed).   IF he can retest and pass, he'll come home tomorrow.  Lance has to maintain temps in the open crib a bit longer, then take his test, but it's possible he could be discharged tomorrow too!


**I want to thank sweet Christi Corbin for setting up a fabulous meal calendar, and also to all of you who have signed up or already brought by delish dinners!  We appreciate it SO much, and are so thankful to have one less thing to worry about during the chaos of all 3 being home!  Yall are blessing us more than you know!!

home, but without babies :(

Home, sweet home--well not as sweet without the babies yet, but still feels good!  I was discharged last night, so we stayed as long as possible to hold our babies and love on them!

They have all been doing great and making progress, but are still no where near being ready to go home :(  Londyn is still behind the boys at 3 lbs 9 oz, but boys aren't too far ahead and still right around 4 pounds.  They have been breathing and feeding on their own (Lance has been an all-star breast feeder, the others are still trying to get their teensy mouths to work with that!)  All IVs are out, but they are still connected to lots of monitors and cords.

Next step is to move out of their isolette incubators to the regular open cribs when they can maintain a temperature for set time (should be in a few days).  Dr. said yesterday it's possible for one to come home near the weekend, but no promises!
Meanwhile, we are so thankful that lots of family has been able to visit them in the NICU.  Originally we were told only us and grandparents could, but we got lucky b/c of some sweet nurses and connections, and great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc have been able to sneak a peek :)   No one can feed them but us and our parents, but i'm so glad others don't have to wait too long :)

Here is some of their family seeing them over the past few days :)

The babies are even able to wear clothes over their monitors now, although even the tiniest preemie ones we have our still big on them!  It's hard to show through pictures, but their little bodies are so little it's unbelievable!  With each day we're feeling more comfortable with feeding, changing, etc. but it's so different than any newborn i've held before. 

We were also so blessed by other family and friends who visited us in the hospital, and also sent beautiful gifts to make my room a very happy place!  Thank you all so much for your kindness!!



reached the goal!!

Well, this will be my last post as a “normal” 26 year old in a family of 2!   I still cannot believe they will be here in a few days!  Our delivery has been moved up to Wednesday at 6:30 am (Dr. wanted this earlier time originally but couldn’t get it till now).  I’ll go see her Tues. morning to get final weights, pre-op stuff, etc. then she’s having me check into the hospital that day to be monitored and so that things aren’t so hectic the next morning.

Made it to 34 weeks!  This was past my original goal, far enough along for dr to be happy, and 2-3 weeks past the average triplet stay!   So thankful that they are still hanging on, and even more thankful for a relatively “easy” multiples pregnancy!  Since I have nothing to compare it to, I would say this journey didn’t turn out to be near as unbearable or crazy as I anticipated!  Granted, the many tests, frequent dr/hospital visits, long time off work, and overall reduction in what I was “allowed” to do was at times very frustrating!  But I feel so lucky to have had the experience I did…I know very well from many other blogs, tv shows, nurse stories, etc. that many mommies aren’t so fortunate to have it this good.  If I had to do it all over again, I definitely would and could….IF we decided later to have another, this might make that singleton pregnancy seem easy.  That’s a big IF by the way J, you never know!

More than anything, I just wanted to say thanks again to all of you for your amazing encouragement and support over these past months.  I know it’s cliché, but I honestly could not have made it this long without feeling so loved and built up by so many people.  God has continued to reveal his awesome love, grace, and peace that surpasses all understanding through my amazing family, friends, co-workers, and even people I’ve never met but who still send me such love!

Please keep us in your prayers on Wednesday and the next few weeks as they continue to grow and develop in the NICU.  I know they will be in good hands there, but it’s still scary to think of all those tubes, IVs, machines, etc. that will be helping them out.  Mom’s already got the room decorations and Incubator name signs all ready to go (of course she does), so at least they will be arriving in style J

Here's a Final "Stats" update:

how far along?  34 weeks

diagram of the trio!

how are you measuring?  Close to 44 weeks
size of babies?  Should be over 4 pounds each…hopefully 4.5 when we go on Tues.

total weight gain  +38 pounds

stretch marks?  Looks like it’s not happening!!
sleep?  Falling asleep quickly, but still wake up at least every hour to go to bathroom, take my nighttime meds, etc.

maternity clothes?  Oh yes! Mostly a big tank or tee around the house b/c it’s so hot!!

 best moment this week?  Setting the date for delivery, and then having it moved up!!

movement?   YES—they’ve been squirming a lot! Londyn keeps pressing with a hand, and Lance has the hiccups almost daily ha!



The pretty pearl necklace
 (3 peas in a pod) that's
 to be my "push present"
Love it!



food cravings? Anything cold/frozen…lots of smoothies, ice cream, juice, etc

what i miss:  going grocery shopping! I’m a bit OCD with my lists, coupons, planning, etc--Had to send timmy this week, and he did a good job (after the 4 phone calls to ask about types of cheese, etc. J) He’s done an awesome job with the cooking--i’m so lucky to have a guy that genuinely loves cooking (and watching Food Network), trying new recipes, and actually makes delicious stuff!

what I'm looking forward to:  WEDNESDAY of course!!! 

how are you feeling?  Not bad!! Still able to move around the house, but mostly staying on couch so nothing will get stirred up! Often tired and still having lots of contractions, but last week Dr. upped my meds for that and it’s helping a lot! 

7 months woohoo!!

Made it another week!  Honestly, if I had a penny for every time someone asks, “when are you due?” or “almost there huh?”…. I wish I knew the answer, but just have no clue!  I’d love to make it one more month to 32 weeks (that’s the avg for triplets), but even at that point they’re still 2 months early, so it’d be nice to get to 33 or more.  Not likely, but we’ll try J

father's day...even got the traditional apron
at Taste of TX...must be officially a dad!

I’m really thinking there are changes coming quickly because the last 3 times I’ve monitored contractions there has been 5 or 6 an hour.  This is technically the threshold where I would either be put on drugs to stop preterm labor or hospital bedrest.  However, since I’m not having any other big symptoms yet, the nurses are letting me stay and keep monitoring several times a day (I’m still on the Home Uterine MonitorL) for now.  I’m just hoping to make it past the weekend without increasing contractions so I could go into my dr’s office instead of admitted to hospital!

Other than that, not much to report!  I’ve been able to do quite a lot this week:  Father’s day with both families, my longest friend visiting from Dallas, celebrating anniversary, another sweet friend’s baby shower, and spending time with sisters!  So happy I was still able to be a part of all those special events!!

how far along?  28 weeks

how are you measuring?  39 weeks
size of babies?  over 2 pounds each!

total weight gain  +32 pounds

stretch marks? No…still can’t believe it
sleep? Interrupted by bathroom trips….at least 6 a night!

best moment this week?  Too many to list, see above paragraph!--got to see family and friends so much this week!!

movement?   Oh YES—all 3 are very active all the time w/ big movements!

food cravings? Nothing really, still trying to eat LOTS of meat and eggs, really anything to put on more weight

what i miss:  going with mom and sisters to Vegas this weekL  had to stay home this trip!!

what I'm looking forward to:  Maggiano’s tonight yumm and dr. appt Wednesday

how are you feeling? A LOT more tired and moving slower than normal. Also getting out of breath really quickly, and overall quite a bit more uncomfortable than usual 

A look back....



Happy anniversary to my best friend and soul mate!  It has truly been the most amazing 3 years of marriage....lots of laughs, travels, new beginnings, and treasured memories!

  

 What's also special about this year, is that we met and started dating 10 years ago.  Tim came to my highschool to play baseball when he was a junior, and we were both 16.  Literally 3 days after meeting we started dating, were inseparable through hs, and within a month we knew we would be married some day.  

Let me follow that by saying we definitely didn't stay together ALL 10 years....dated other people during the first few years of college, but always were in touch and knew in our hearts we were destined to be together.  

Here is a quick look back at our journey...

  

16 years old-2001

  

at our favorite dance hall...yes we actually
 used to country dance

 

 



annual family river trip...can't believe how
 young everyone looks!



aggie game-2005







2006



beach trip 2007

engaged! 2006



sorority date party

thanks for the memories... I love you so much, and can't wait to start this new chapter of our lives together!!