My babies are finally together and Lila is coming home today

First Day together

Maddie loves her thumb

F.B.I...Fat, Bald and Innocent...okay maybe not bald but a little thin on top...lol

Sleeping together

They discovered each other and Carter kept sticking his hands in Maddie's mouth!!!


Lila sleeping, Carter checking things out and Maddie sucking her thumb

Maddie giving a big smile, Lila has her feeding tube out and Carter trying to wave at the camera!

I can't even begin to explain how I felt when I walked into the nicu today and finally seen my three babies together again. I have waited so long for this day to come but it won't last too long. To our surprise they told us Monday that Lila would be coming home on Thursday. I couldn't be more excited, scared and sad all at the same time. I just can't wait to get her home but I also cant stand the thought of leaving Carter and Maddie there. We know Carter will probably be home in a week or so but Maddie still has alot of growing to do. I have been there everyday since they were born and I just can't leave them there without someone coming to visit each day. The one nice thing will be the adjustment of having one baby and gradually adding another and then another.

Update

Carter just can't seem to open his eyes....EVER!!! I think he is wishing he was still on the inside!

Daddy changing Carter and Lila


Mommy and Maddie...look how much bigger she is!!!



Lila posing for the camera

Maddie out of her isolette

Yesterday I got the biggest surprise...Maddie is out of her isolette. They have the top popped (as you can see in the picture above) and she has been in room air for 24 hours so she is officially out!!! A few days ago Maddie was put on some oxygen because her breathing was low and her heart rate was high. Alot of babies with growth restriction in the womb do fine on room air for the first two weeks and then their little bodies poop out. So she has been diagnosed with mild Chronic Lung Disease. So basically she has scar tissue in her lungs and b/c her lungs are so small its really taking a toll and she needs just a little bit of O2 to help her out until she gets a little bigger. She will grow out of this in the next few days or weeks. They are currently weaning her off the O2 and she is doing really well. This shouldn't effect her as she gets older but b/c she will always have this scar tissue she may have difficulties with sports related activities...if this is the worst of it...we are SO blessed. She is being tested again for an infection just to be sure but the doctors are pretty certain she does not have one and once this comes back in a day or two all of my babies will FINALLY be together again. It makes me cry just thinking about how awesome it will be to see them all laying together.

Lila is the bottle champ...yesterday she was taking 90% of her feeds by bottle and they told us that she could be coming home very soon. So of course Brad went into panic mode...we need to do this and this and this...he told the nurse "you mean we take them home...just kidding". So this morning when I called to check in the nurse said that her new orders is to take a bottle every feeding and she only has to average 24 ml so it sounds to me that they are working on sending her home soon....we are not ready for that. I think why we are not ready is b/c we know it will be awhile before Maddie comes home and we can't stand the thought of leaving her there alone and it will be hard to go spend as much time as we do now but it will all work out.

Carter is doing great as well and is taking about 50% of his feeds by bottle. It does take him about 20 minutes to take it but he eventually gets it down. He always looks so exhausted after he takes it!! He just a little lazy sometimes...he gets it honest.

Current weights...

Carter 4lbs 10 ounces

Lila 3lbs 10 ounces

Maddie 2lbs 2 ounces

one year ago today

One year ago today I was saved by the Grace of God and today I have three beautiful Gifts from God!

Carter cheesing as usual

Maddie in her new outfit

Lila loves her bottles...she's already learning to hold it!!!

As I reflect back one year ago today I am so thankful for the path that God has chosen for me. Its amazing to think I could have lost my life in the accident just one year ago but God had bigger plans for me...much more than I ever anticipated. Three beautiful miracles sent from God. I am so thankful for my family, friends, and especially Brad who is put up with me for 10 years....he had no idea what he was getting himself into!!!

The babies all had great weight gains today:

Carter is now 4lbs 1ounce

Lila is 3lbs 3.8 ounces

Maddie is 1lb 15 ounces.

THINK BIG!!!! That is what I tell them every night before the weigh ins....and so far its working:)

“From the fullness of grace we have received one blessing after another” - John 1:16

Back to birth weight

Carter, Lila and Maddie are now all above their birth weights!!!! Its only up hill from here...think BIG so we can go home soon. Lila is loving her bottle she took the entire bottle again that i fed to her today!!!

Daddy and Lila

Maddie says yeah!!!!

Lila

Carter

Carter and Lila snoozing together

Great Day

Carter and Lila

Mommy and Maddie

Maddie with her first bottle

The scariest test is finally out of the way....the head ultrasound that checks for brain bleeds which happens to alot of preemies. They passed with flying colors...what a relief. Madelyn took her first bottle today and she did pretty good taking about 9 mls. Lila took her entire bottle and Carter gained 50 grams. So everyone had a their own success today and we couldn't be more proud of them.

Just some pictures

Lila and Carter sharing a crib now

Maddie after mommy gave her a sponge bath...she liked it but boy is she tired

Lila and Carter in crib and Madelyn in isolette behind them

One week old!

Its hard to believe that a week has gone by already...the hoplets are already one week old. Not too much to report (which is a good thing). The one exciting thing that happened today is that Lila and Carter both took their first feeding from a bottle. They usually don't start this until 33 weeks (they are 32 today) but because they are showing the cues they decided to try it out. They will only do it once a day so that it doesn't burn too many calories because we want them to get big and strong quickly. Madelyn found her thumb today and she loves it!!

Mommy holding Carter and Lila...only wish we could Madelyn in the picture

Madelyn has found her thumb and loves it!

Carter getting his first bottle

Carter doing the famous stretch

Daddy feeding Lila

Lila in her cute outift!