12 month checkup

 

We went to the pediatrician on Wednesday and everyone is doing great.  To my surprise we all get to transition to whole milk!!  I have been slowly trying to wean them off the bottle but wow its alot harder than I ever imagined.  It was drilled into my head in the NICU how vital it was for them to take as much milk as possible.  In order to be sure they are getting their milk I have decided that we will still do a few bottles a day until we really get the sippy cup mastered.  Otherwise, we got a thumbs up for great growth and development.  We are being referred for some occupational therapy for Madelyn.  I was noticing that she is still a little stiff which is a result of her prematurity and seems to have trouble straightening her legs when standing. So the doctor said it appeared to be that her upper legs just needed some stretching. However, it has seemed like from day one that she eventually just works it all out herself so I am not too worried about her and hopefully the therapy will move her development along a little more quickly. 

We sure have come along way from a year ago…

Lila- 2lbs 15oz 16 inches long; 18lbs 5oz 28 3/4 inches long

Carter- 3lbs 10oz 16 inches long; 22lbs 14oz 29 1/2 inches long

Madelyn- 1lb 10oz 13 inches long; 14lbs 8oz 27 3/4 inches long

Its so hard to believe that they were ever that small!!!

GO UK

 

Life is so funny….I love these kids!

Right after the party we all got the sniffles…even mom and dad.  This has never happened…right after they woke up in the morning they fell back asleep in the middle of the living room floor that’s when I knew they felt terrible!

 

Getting lotioned up after a bath..small, medium and large

Lila loves pointing at everything and say waaa….I think that is her way of asking what is that.  She loves to get a book and climb in your lap and look through the book pointing and asking what things are…its adorable!  She also has not one but two teeth coming in!

Carter is the typical boy…he is determined to do what he wants to do and you better not even try to interfere…he is so head strong!  Here he is getting his first haircut…he looks stunned.  He looks like a big boy now!!

 

Sporting his new look

 

 

Madelyn has not one not two but 4 teeth!!  Little miss dance queen still loves bobbing that head back and forth when she hears music.  Today we were saying ah-oh and she was trying to say it back and it was so cute.  She seems to be the only one that is trying to mimic everything we do.

We have been cleaning out the basement and the babies just love all the boxes to play in…so why do we have all of these toys?

 

Carter was the only one big enough to be turned around in his car seat.  Here he is for the first time looking even bigger than before!

 

Madelyn is now in the captains chair up front and on the way to the grocery store her and Carter where just cracking up at each other…it was so funny!

 

Let’s go Krogering..Lila was sitting in the cart and got her turn later!!

I can’t believe it but this weekend I put out the Christmas decorations and even put up the tree.  This is very early for me but I was excited to see how the babies would react and to my surprise they could care less.  We of course have it behind gates so I am sure if they could touch it that would be a different story but they seem to act like its not even there…oh well!!

Happy 1st Birthday Lila, Carter and Madelyn!

 

Lila Grace 7:09pm 2lbs 15.5 oz 16 inches long

 

Carter William 7:09pm 3lbs 10 oz 16 inches long

 

Madelyn Kate 7:10pm 1lb 10oz 13 inches long

 

Around 4pm on this day one year ago, I was told that this would be the day that I would finally meet my babies.  Despite me auguring with the doctors pleading that I was fine (when indeed I wasn’t) the decision had already been made.  It started out as a horrible day.  After being in my hospital room for almost 6 weeks they decided they were going to have me switch rooms.  The rooms were all being repainting and had waited for my room until last….hoping I would be gone I guess!  So that day the nurse in charge came into the room and said that they would be moving me down the hall.  I was NOT happy about this…over the weekend I had started having terrible headaches and just felt awful (preeclampsia setting in) and the last thing I wanted to do was be uprooted from my comfortable surroundings.  So they moved me anyway and the nurses aids moved my stuff for me and just piled it all around me in the new room.  Then the maintenance guy came in to hang the curtains and started drilling into the walls…now why couldn’t they have done that before I was moved and not to mention my new room smelled like wet paint.  I think that is something your suppose to avoid when pregnant…right?  I was so upset and called Brad crying.  He was working that day but decided that maybe he should come up and help me get reoriented.  I think it was God’s way of making sure he was there when the doctors came in to tell me they were going to deliver me that day.  I was so thankful that he was there!!  We called and text to let everyone know what was about to happen.  They moved very quickly and didn’t waste anytime getting me into the delivery room.  I had never been so excited but also scared to death.  Knowing that I was only 30 weeks and 6 days…just short of 31 weeks…I knew the complications that a premature delivery could result in and didn’t know what to expect from Madelyn.  At 7:09pm…Lila Grace entered the world crying weighing 2 lbs 15.5 oz and 16 inches long.  Pushing his way out at 7:09pm (and 30 seconds I guess) Carter William plowed his way into this world weighing 3lbs 10 oz and 16 inches long.  And at 7:10pm Madelyn Kate smiled her way into the world weighing 1lb 10 oz at 13 inches.  I didn’t get a chance to see the babies right away as they were whisked away to the NICU.  Brad had the choice to stay with me or go with the babies and I quickly had him rush to the babies sides…I didn’t want them to be alone.  The surgery seemed to last forever and sitting in the recovery room all alone waiting for some type of news seemed like an eternity . Finally I was able to go see the babies but because of the magnesium sulfate that was given to me to help reduce the effects of the preeclampsia I was a mess and barley remember the next day.  By day two I was back to myself and able to see my beautiful babies.  I didn’t even notice just how tiny they were because all I could see was a beautiful Gift from God. Now looking back at photos, clothes and diapers it almost seems impossible that they were ever that small.  I am so grateful for the care we received at Good Samaritan during with my pregnancy and in the NICU.  However, I will be forever haunted by the smells and noises of the NICU.  When we have come several times to visit the nurses and take the elevator to the 9th floor almost immediately brings back all of the emotions that I felt during our stay.  I would never wish it to have happened any other way for I never take one day with them for granted now.  I am always reminded of how blessed I am to have these three healthy happy precious miracles.  It was a struggle to get them here but they were worth every heartache and every tear.  Each and every time I hold them I am reminded what God has done for me and am overcome by every emotion I could possibly have.  He loves us so much that He sent His one and only Son to die on the cross for us so that we can be forgiven of our sins.  Yet He loves me so much that he spared me from an accident that should have killed me two years ago and then He answered our prayers and one year later gave us three miracles…what an Awesome God!!  I guess He knew what plans He had for me and because of this journey I praise Him more than ever before.

Enough reminiscing on to the fun stuff….

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY-Hoplet 3-ring circus

Wow where has the time gone…I can’t believe its already been a year.  It seems like it has just flown by but what gets me is that this morning seem like it was such a long time ago…ironic huh!!!

Birthday invite

 

The very happy family!

Pre-party and the wall of memories

Pregnancy pictures

 

Newborn memories

Little feet…BIG feet

month by month

 

The Adorable Cake… 

Carter’s Cake                         Lila’s Cake

 

Madelyn’s Cake

 

  The Birthday Babies

 

Its cake time…

Lila wouldn’t touch it but Carter went in head first

 

Madelyn took her time really studying it…as usual

 

Finally after some coaxing she decided to try it

Carter demolishes his cake

   

Lila and Madelyn dig in too!!

 

Lila gets Daddy

  

More Birthday pictures

First Birthday pictures click here

A big thank you to Mamoo and Papoo Hopperton for helping me decorate all week and to Grammy and Granppy Whetsel for watching the babies while we decorated.  Thank you to everyone who attended and those that sent cards and gifts. We really appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers over the past year.

 

Her is our one year photo shoot…

   

more one year pictures

One year pictures click here

Birthday fun today….

Cake time

 

Daddy’s gift to the babies          Lila opening gifts

                                                   Playing in the new tunnel

Helping daddy put together presents…Lila working on it and Carter reading the instructions

Playing in the new tent

   

Just a quick update….

Lila finally has her first tooth…just in time for her first birthday and she took about 6 steps this evening.  She looked like Frankenstein coming toward me…arms straight out and sort of wobbling!!!  Madelyn is standing alone without any support and Carter is giving high fives!! We are all chattering up a storm and now we wait for the real first word!!!