86 LONG Days!

After 86 long days of hospital bedrest and NICU, we are all home. Tomorrow will be the first day since December 3rd that I haven't either lived in or visited the hospital. We brought Tyler home this morning and is has been SOOO crazy around here! I seriously don't know how we are going to do this! Everybody is doing great. Hopefully we can get a more permanent schedule now that Tyler is home and I can post some pictures. I have so many I want to share with you all....it just takes so much time. They have changed so much already. Hannah is the only baby that still looks somewhat the same as she did at birth....more like Craig. Whitney looked more like me at birth, and now she looks like Craig and her Papaw. Tyler looks very different, but has his own look...not sure who he looks like. I promise I will post some soon.

Two are home

Life around here has been insanely busy and hectic. The girls are home; Whitney came home Friday and Hannah came home Saturday. We have been super busy trying to get sleep schedules organized for their night time feedings. Also, just trying to get the house organized and into a routine.

Craig and I are going to see Tyler every day for a few hours each day. He is trying to get to 8 oral feedings a day. He is still sitting at only 3 or 4, but the occupational therapist tried a different nipple on him yesterday and he seemed to do better with it. Tyler has a very high palette (sp) and a recessed jaw, so she thinks this may be the cause of his trouble eating orally.

Thank you to everyone who is helping us with providing meals and helping Craig's mom with the girls while we are gone to see Tyler. Also, thanks for your prayers and we just ask that you continue to pray for all of their health, that Tyler will be able to come home soon and for Mom, Dad and Mamaw to be able to adjust to this quickly and not be too overwhelmed.

Great news!

When we got to the hospital this morning, we were informed of some GREAT news! If all goes well tonight and Whitney passes her car seat test, she will be coming home tomorrow! She has been completing all 8 of her oral feeds for the past 2 days and had her feeding tube taken out last night. We were a little surprised to hear that Whitney would come home so soon because yesterday the doctor said Whitney may come home in 3 or 4 days, Hannah may come home a week or so after that and Tyler a week or two after that. This was so discouraging because that seems like a life time away and they originally told us maybe 2 weeks total NICU time.

So..... we were very very thrilled to hear that Hannah went from 4 oral feeds yesterday morning to 8 by last night and has also had her feeding tube removed. They kept telling us that once they get the hang of eating, they really take off with it, and Hannah has definitely done that. She hasn't been taking 8 as long as Whitney, so she is set to go home Saturday if everything goes well with the feedings for another 24 hours.

Tyler is still lagging behind, completing only 3 oral feedings a day, but they keep telling us that he will get the hang of it soon and take off like Hannah did. Plus, they said a lot of times when their siblings start going home and the crib gets lonely, it encourages them to start progressing more quickly.

We are so excited and can't wait to have them all home. We have some more cute pictures to share but we have so much to do this evening, there is no time to put them on right now. I just wanted to give you all a quick update.

Oh and to answer your questions about the dolls significance....they are used to help us identify who is who. The doll in blue is obviously Tyler's, the doll in pink is Whitney's and the doll in white is Hannah's. So you and we will know and remember who is who.

I'll try to get some pictures on here soon! Oh and they are all over 5 pounds now!

Moving right along

Things have been progressing right along very well. Craig and I are working very hard trying to get everything done before they come home. We have gotten a lot done, but still have a lot left to go. I hope to have most of it done in the next few days. I started feeling better yesterday and more so today.

The babies are also progressing quite well, especially Whitney. Tyler and Hannah are doing really good also, but Whitney is surprising us all. Just in the past two days, she has gone from taking 2 oral feeds a day to taking 6 oral feeds a day. If she keeps this up, she could be home in just a few days! Yay! Tyler and Hannah are just about on the same track. They are still taking 2 oral feeds a day -- just don't have the stamina Whitney has. The nurses say Whitney is much more aggressive and feisty than Hannah and Tyler (they are much more laid back), which may be why she is such a good eater. Remember what I said during pregnancy about Whitney being the most active in the womb??? I guess that holds true. Whitney is expected to come home first, and we are hoping Tyler and Hannah will not be too far behind.

A few more pictures I thought you would enjoy...I just can't get enough of them...I think I'm in love! :)

So cute! Tyler, Whitney, Hannah (L to R) Whitney is so funny, she always sleeps like that with her mouth wide open.



Daddy and the kiddos taking a nap! So sweet!



Mommy and Whitney snuggling up



Papaw had his hands full!



Funny story about Papaw's visit today. He came by after work to see and hold the babies. As you can see in the picture, Papaw is a police officer, so when he came by to visit, he was still in uniform. When we went to the front desk to get signed in and let in by the receptionist, she questioned him carrying a gun and didn't want to let him in. Normally, guns aren't allowed in hospitals, but since he is an officer, he can carry a gun anywhere. So, since she wasn't sure of the rules, she called her charge nurse and the nurse told her that yes he could come in with the gun and it didn't matter what he was wearing even if it was his birthday suit, he could come in wearing that as long as he had his badge. We got a big laugh out of that, although I probably could have done without the mental visual! LOL :) :)

I'm FINALLY home!

I finally got discharged from the hospital Monday afternoon. It was such a crazy day, between seeing the doctor, insurance people, lactation specialists, going down to NICU, packing...the list goes on and on.

The trip home was an emotional one. I was relieved to be out of there after 2 long months, but at the same time, I didn't want to leave my babies there. I know they are in good hands though and will be well taken care of. I really enjoyed sleeping in my bed for the first time since December 3rd. It was like heaven! Lacy seemed really excited to have me home again as well as Craig.

Now we just have to finish getting things done to get ready for them to come home. We have so much to do. I am slowly recovering from the surgery, but it seems like not fast enough because of everything that needs to be done. The neonatalogist thinks the babies will be home in about 2 weeks, which is great, but doesn't give us much time.

An update on the babies... They are doing very very well. They are up to 2 oral feedings a day and are doing very well with that; the remaining 6 are by gavage (tube feeding). Babies typically lose weight after birth, which ours did, but are now gaining weight again. All three are co-bedding now and have been for several days now.

The requirements for them to come home are:

- Maintaining body temperature
- Having no apnea or bradycardia (sp) (stopping breathing and extremely low heart rate)
- Taking 8 oral feedings a day


I thought I would share a few more pictures with you...

Mamaw and Hannah (the first of our trio to be held by Mamaw)


Daddy with Whitney and Tyler


Together again - Whitney, Tyler, Hannah (left to right)


First family shot


Mommy had to have her turn...


All three co-bedding together


3 Peas in a Pod - in birth order - Tyler, Whitney, Hannah (left to right) I think Tyler and Whitney are tired... :)


3 Peas in a Pod - birth order - Yep Tyler is worn out


3 Peas in a Pod - birth order - notice Whitney's effort to hold her brother and sister's hands. You can see a progression from the first to last shots until she finally gets a hold of them.


Mommy changing Tyler's diaper (for the first time) and taking his temperature. He wanted to make it memorable for Mom by giving me a poopy diaper seconds before I changed it. I think Hannah and Tyler were plotting together to get me today because she did the same thing to me today.


Look at those long skinny legs...SO CUTE!


Me and Jennifer with Tyler and Hannah.

34 week - final belly shot

These posts are a little out of order but hey... I knew everyone was more anxious to see the babies and hear about their births than to see my pregnant belly shots. I still wanted to get the final belly shot on here.





Also, Jessica dropped by Thursday morning, before my doctors appointment, to show me two of her babies (Payson and Hayden). Their third baby (Madison) was still in NICU, but was discharged Sunday. Isn't that wonderful!

Finally some pics

Craig is getting ready to go into surgery. He looks excited!



My first surgery EVER! Don't I look scared to death???? I was!



Day 1 Tyler is born first - leading the team! He was determined he was coming out first the entire pregnancy. For about the past few months, he like to hang out very low on my cervix...he wasn't letting his sisters steal his spot into this world.



Day 1 Whitney is born second - determined to beat her sister. She was always baby C and was in order to be born last. She is very much like she was in the womb...feisty and honorary.



Day 1 Hannah is born last - our laid back child. I call her our "loner" because she always wanted to be left alone from the other two in the womb. She always ventured off by herself.



Although being born last, Hannah met Mom and Dad first.



Tyler meets Mom for the first time.



Whitney meets Mom for the first time.



Day 1 Tyler - Just arrived in NICU



Day 1 Hannah - Just arrived in NICU



Day 1 Whitney - Just arrived in NICU



Day 1 - Mom seeing babies on way from recovery to post partum room.



Day 2 - Tyler's first pose



Day 2 - Hannah's first Glamour shot



Day 2 - Whitney's first Glamour shot



Day 3 - Tyler and Whitney co-bedding together for the first time!



Day 3 - Mom holding Tyler for the first time.



Day 3 - Dad holding Whitney for the first time and giving her her first bottle.



Day 3 - Mom holding Hannah for the first time.

The BIG arrival!

Hi family and friends,

Proud to announce that our precious babies have arrived! They were born Thursday, January 31st at 3:23 PM, 3:24 and 3:26 and are all doing wonderful.

Tyler Craig came first weighing 4 lbs. 6 oz, 18 inches long.
Whitney Nicole came second weighing 4 lbs. 13 oz., 17 1/2 inches long.
Hannah Michelle came third weighing 4 lbs. 9 1/2 oz., 17 1/4 inches long.

Just to give you an update of Thursday's events. I had my weekly sono appointment in the late morning. After seeing the babies and checking them and their fluids etc., my doctor determined that Tyler's (baby A) placenta was deteriorating and we needed to do the c-section that day. It wasn't a huge emergency, he was fine, but wasn't receiving the proper nutrition from me and the proper air flow. We had several hours to get packed up and ready to go.

I got to see them Thursday evening around 6ish and then again around 10ish. By the second time I got to see them, they had already taken all their breathing assistance off of them and were breathing room air and are still breathing room air! Isn't that wonderful?!?! The only tubes they have is their gavage tube, which is their feeding tube. This afternoon, they were ready to start bottles, so we started them on bottle/breastfeeding. Whitney was very successful, but Tyler and Hannah weren't quite ready yet. We will keep working on it. Tyler and Whitney started co-bedding this afternoon, but Hannah isn't with them yet, she still has an IV in and they don't want it to get pulled out. She is expected to join her brother and sister this evening or tomorrow morning. Isn't it great though that two of them are already ready to co-bed? It was so wonderful to finally be able to hold them today for the first time. Craig and I were on cloud 9 just staring at each other and our beautiful babies.

I am doing pretty good for the most part. No major complications; I had a few minor problems with getting my uterus to start contracting back down like it was supposed to, but now it is under control. We ask that you please not come by or call just yet, as we get through this transition period and recovery. Email is probably the best way to contact us for the time being.

We appreciate your thoughts, prayers and support during this time and would appreciate your continued prayers.

I was going to put some pictures on, but it isn't letting me download them right now.
I will try again later.

Love,
Amy & Craig