2 weeks old!

Ta-Ta Isolettes! We're 2 weeks old now and into an open crib! The babies are all continuing to do well and grow bigger and stronger each day. As of two weeks the weights are up to 3 pounds 9 ounces for Jadyn, 3 pounds 11 ounces for Jordyn, and 4 pounds 5 ounces for Cole. Our tiny fighter (Jadyn) continues to lead the pack in every aspect of development, being the first to breathe room air, feed independently, and maintain her own body temperature. The other two are right behind her though and all three of them have continued to progress each day with no real setbacks. We consider ourselves very lucky.

All the babies are taking full feeds now through their NG tubes and digesting it well so there is no longer a need for supplemental IV nutrition. Because of this all the PICC lines came out several days ago- one less line to worry about :) . They have started learning to eat from a bottle although they are still on the young side to be able to coordinate the whole Suck-Swallow-Breathe concept and have forgotten to breathe while feeding a couple of times. They get fed 8 times a day (every three hours), most of it still through their NG tubes, however Jordyn and Cole now get two feeds a day from a bottle and Jadyn gets three (again with the showing off by the runt of the litter).

I went in today to find Jadyn and Cole's isolettes were long gone and they were spooning each other in an open crib. Terribly cute and very exciting to have them back together again after separating them for two weeks. Jordyn they had decided to leave in the isolette next to them for one more day as she was not gaining weight quite as quickly as the other two and they felt they'd like to give her that extra time to get ahead. I am told she will be joining them in the open crib in the morning. I can't wait to see all three of them back together again. They are all maintaining their body temperatures well at room temperature.

They are hooked up to a bunch of monitors and their lines only reach a short distance so until now we've had to move from isolette to isolette sitting beside them and holding each baby one at a time, putting them back in their box to go hold the next one. Because they were all in close proximity now with the crib and one isolette we were able to hold them all together for the very first time. Mark was a little bit leary of trying to hold all three with only two arms so he started off with two holding Jordyn and Cole together.

Then I got to get in on the action and they put Jadyn in my arms too.

It was a very strange but awesome feeling holding all three of my tiny snuggly babies together. I'm sure we'll be spending a lot of time doing the three baby hold in the coming months.

Things around the house have settled down quite a bit. Marks mom is still here for another week and has been invaluable help with Rylee and Jack. The kids adore her and without her here I would not be able to get back and forth to the hospital to see the babies every day. Rylee and Jack still have a bit anxiety about us being gone to the hospital for a chunk of every day but they are understanding it a little better and seem to be less emotional about it now. Mark has gone back to work this week and is saving the rest of his leave time to split up over the coming weeks when the babies start coming home. He stops by the hospital on his way home and stays with the babies for a couple of hours (I usually go in the morning/mid day). It's worked out pretty well so far but I know he is tired when he gets home at 7:30 at night, just in time to put the big kids to bed with me and climb in bed for the night himself. Nothing though compared to how tired we'll all be in a couple more weeks when we're up all night with three newborns in the house. As for me I had my two week checkup today and am doing great. My incision has healed nicely, I feel great, and despite all the crazy stretched out skin on my stomach I've apparently lost 30 pounds already! I gained 57 total so I've still got quite a bit to lose but it's just melting off of me so I'm not even worried about it. I've obviously done nothing in the way of exercise except hike in and out of the hospital every day and I'm still eating a ton trying to keep up with the breast milk needs of all the babies but I think all the breastfeeding is sucking the weight right off- excuse the bad pun hardee har har ;) . Except for the few extra pounds I feel totally back to normal and it's hard to believe I had that crazy huge stomach on me just two weeks ago.

So all around we are doing well and we're continuing to slowly make progress each day. The last real hurdle will be getting all three of them to take all 8 of their feeds by bottle. Once they can do that their NG tubes can come out and they can come home. Like I said they are all three working on it a couple times a day now but like with everything some attempts are better then others. I want them all to have plenty of time to grow and practice all the skills they need to thrive at home but I have to admit I'm very anxious to have them here and not at the hospital anymore. Of course once that happens life here will change drastically so I'm trying to enjoy each day as it comes. We are so very blessed :)