Triplets - Ten Days Old

Mom & Dad with Journee

Journee

Jaydin

Our "chunky monkey" Jerzee

Momma with Journee

Everyone is doing well. Yesterday, (Saturday) we were able to hold all three babies for about 1/2 hour each. It was wonderful! They were all smiles ... dreaming we imagine. Journee was smiling non-stop!!! Jerzee had a nice poopy diaper for dad (it was his first ... with lots to come).

Health wise: All three are still on nasal cannulas, but with room air. Journee is still setting off apnea alarms, but no more than usual. Jerzee is breathing a lot easier. All three are back on breastmilk. Jaydin is up to 5 cc's every 3 hours. Journee and Jerzee are at 2 cc's every 4 hours. We pray that they keep eating & digesting. They will gain weight fast if they keep it going.

At the home front: Julia turns 16 tomorrow.. watch out! Her driving test is Tuesday, please pray for her. She really wants to pass. Justin is still waiting for his college acceptance & working a lot. He worked his first black friday directly across the street from the mall. He said it was slower than they anticipated. Jordan, well, he's just Jordan. He's going through a "smart alec" stage that is making me CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, feel free to come pick him up. :)

Enjoy some recent pics of the babies .......... more updates to come.

Happy Thanksgiving

We are so happy, lucky, and thankful on this day for everything we've been fortunate enough to have. A great family, a nice home, "jobs..:)", and of course ... SIX great children. Today, Bobby and I were very lucky to get to hold Jaydin and Jerzee. It was the most blessed feeling... almost like the day they were born. Jaydin was so alert. When he got tired out, he kept peeking his eyes to see if we were still there... we were! Tomorrow it's Journee's turn. Check out the pics.

Birth Announcement*

We forgot to announce "official" baby names: oops.....

Jaydin Tanner

Jerzee Rose

Journee Faith

We hope you like them! :)

November 24, 2009 Babies are 6 Days Old

Well, Milk has arrived!!!!!!!!! I was worried.....but no longer :) There's a steady flow going now. Baby update:

Jaydin, Journee, and Jerzee are all having PICC lines put in today. These are IV lines that are a little more invasive than the ones we're used to having/seeing. These last a long time and will prevent the babies from going through constant IV changes. The also allow better supplies of their nutrients to reach the body. Once they are in, all three babies will lose the lines that are currently in their belly buttons. They will like that.

All three babies are off the billirubin lights (jaundice) for now. They check their levels each day and may go back and forth on that.

Jaydin and Journee are still on their nasal canulas'; however, they are only getting small amounts of room air ... so they're almost ready to be off of all.

Jerzee still has her CPAP ( a little mask over her nose). She is also getting room air, so hopefully, will go back to a nasal canula soon. It still takes her more of an effort to breath.

All three will have a brain ultrasound on Wednesday. This is natural for all babies born before 32 weeks gestation. They will have one now and another at one month old. This checks for brain bleeds. If the results are good, we may be able to hold Jaydin and Journee. Not Jerzee yet because of the CPAP.

Journee and Jaydin were eating, but they are both off of food (breastmilk via tube feeding). They are off because their tummies just were not handling it. They will try again maybe tomorrow with less food per feeding. Jerzee began eating 1 cc every 3 hours today. We'll see how that goes.

Hopefully, that will keep you posted. Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers. Thank you auntie Linda for the tacos....Thank you grandma and grandpa for the Thanksgiving cards.

Look at the Smile on Journee's Face w/ the Bling

Jaydin....Trying to Pee on Mommy! :)

Changing Jerzee's Stool :) Such fun!!!!!!!!

Babies Less Than 2 days Old

Journee on her tummy.

Jaydin's first feeding

Jaydin's first diaper

Today, we were SO surprused when we got to the NICU and saw Jerzee off ventilation and onto the nasal canula. YIPPEE. The babies are all making appropriate gains for their gestational age (30 weeks 2 days). I (mommy) was able to help with the cares of all three. This meant changing diapers (even Journee's little poopy one) and taking temps. It was scary at first, but you'd be AMAZED at how natural it's already feeling. I love them sooo much!! I just wish you could all stare at them all day, too. Every movement is amazing. Last night, after Jaydin ate almost 1 teaspoon of breastmilk via feeding tube, he was WIDE awake. It was so cute, he wouldn't stop looking at me and Bobby. He would even follow our voices.

The doctors are allowing Journee time on her tummy and she loves that.

Almost There!

Journee blowing bubbles (she likes to do that!)

Jerzee...just chillin before they gave her oxygen.

Jaydin.....just one more stretch!

As the time clicked by, more of my family came to visit. Thanks aunt Pat, Grandma, and Bridgette. The family was going to be allowed one quick glimpse at our bundles of joy just as they were whisked away from the operating room to their new, yet temporary, home of the NICU. When the babies arrived, they came in this order: 1 - Jaydin 3 lb 7 oz, 2 - Jerzee 3 lb 11 oz, and 3 - Journee 2 lb 2.28 oz All three were crying away...that made me soooo happy. They allowed me time with each just as they were taken to NICU, it was a magical moment with each!!!!!!!!

Just Hours Prior to C-Section

When we found out we were having the c-section....a Kit Kat got in the way. It's a good thing, too because the TLC crew needed to drive from Chicago. I thought it would take forever and I would be very nervous; however, it went so fast....too fast. As Daddy scrubbed up, the kids, my mom and my friend Ellie were great to distract me. There were people coming in left and right introducing themselves and having me sign papers. I was content knowing my doctors (Dr. Carr and Dr. Jones) would be with me on this ride. Here is a glimpse of "the big day...Kit Kat wait)!

Baby Update - November 21st

So far, our little Jaydin is all off of the oxygen. He is breathing on his own and eating every 3 hours! Yea, Jaydin! Jerzee and Journee are still on the canula (sp?) giving them just a little oxygen. Journee tried eating twice, but is now back off food for a little while. Stomach just wasn't ready. :( Jerzee is OFF the ventilator and straight to the canula. YIPPEE!! Will post more later. Enjoy the pics!

The Delivery Day is Quickly Approaching

I will be 30 weeks tomorrow. Yesterday I was given the steroid shot and told maybe less than a week left. It's exciting, yet nerve racking all at the same time. I can't wait to know the exact day. Last night I was so uncomfortable. I couldn't sleep all night. I'm tired now, but do not see sleep in my near future. I have another ultrasound today and hope to get even more insight into an actual delivery date.

It feels as if I've been prenant forever!

Welcome to November

I am very happy it is November. We are getting closer and closer. The doctors have no idea when I'll deliver; however, they do not believe that I will go past 34 weeks. That means mid-December I'll be home. I am not sure I can handle being here that long. I will be 28 weeks on Thursday and my original goal was to get to at least 30 weeks. We'll see what happens. It is getting harder and harder and harder to move. Everything is sore, or lacks any muscle tone. I do have good news to report...I was moved to the BEST room in the hospital. It's huge! It has a big plasma t.v., a microwave, a fridge, a LARGE couch bed (for Bobby), another chair bed (in case a kid spends the night), two more chairs and loads of closet space. It is really great. I cannot complain about the accomodations.

I am still getting medications every 4 hours to keep the contractions away, I receive a shot of Hydroxy Progesterone once a week to keep my cervix happy, I take two Pepcids a day to keep the indigestion away, 4 stool softners (yes, it's that bad), and sometimes....Milk of Magnesia when it gets overwhelming. Oh, the things we do for our children. I am still waiting on the H1N1 shot. If I wasn't in the hospital I'd have it already. They say "well, this is the safest place to be," but that's not the point. If I get immunized, that immunization will pass to the babies via breast milk when they are born. That is what is important to me. I will keep pressing them to get it.

I have been on bedrest for 64 days. If you multiply that by the 3 Ensure's a day....that makes 192 drinks. Yes, I officially HATE them. Friday marks my 3rd week here at the hospital. At least they allow me a 20 min. walk in a wheelchair, it helps. Some people have it worse. The nurses are SUPER nice, but don't you ever get irritated by constant niceness??? Maybe it's the horomones.

Monday, November 9th will be another growth scan (to check the babies' weights). I will post again with the results. Till then, I'll just be laying here. :)