1st Doctor Appointment As A Threesome

Today was the triplets first Doctor's appointment all together. I was so glad my husband took the morning off work to help me take them in. I can't imagine having to do that by myself. Yikes.
All three babies are growing and doing well. Evan still weighs in as the biggest at 5lbs 6oz. Mason is right behind him at 5lbs 5oz. Madison is the smallest at 5lbs 3oz. Their next appointment will be their 2 month well-child visit, in October.
They're still on the Premature Enfamil Enfacare Lipil formula for the next few months and they're still taking iron supplements morning and evening. It's the hardest thing ever to remember to give them their iron, let alone who gets what dose...since they all are taking a different amount.
For all you moms of multiples out there here is some great info. The hospital dietrician signed us up for a multiples promotion through Enfamil and yesterday we received a whole case of the special preemie formula they're eating now for absolutely FREE....saved us a TON of money let me tell you. Before we got the case I had to buy a can at the store want to guess how much it was? $15.00 for a 12.8 oz can! Right now they go through approx 4 cans a week...can you imagine how much we'd be spending. I don't even want to think about it. So anyway, all you multiple moms, ask your hospital dietrician while your babies are still in the hospital about this awesome multiples promotion.
The babies are still eating every 4 hours. Every once and a while they bounce back to every 3 hours. They are still eating only 2 ounces every feeding.
Because Evan was sick while in the NICU with NEC we have to schedule an appointment with an optometrist. I'll let you know how that goes as soon as I take him in.
Anyway, that's my tidbit of information about the babies today.

Mason, Evan & Madison

Evan & Madison

They're Home!

The above image is how many bottles we went through our first night with all 3 home. We went through almost the same amount of diapers....add one or two more, would've taken a picture of that, but I didn't want to hang on to stinky diapers all night.

All three babies are home at last. The last one, Mason came home yesterday. Our first night wasn't as bad as I had anticipated. They of course got up to eat every 4 hours but they did really well at sleeping in between. I'm just grateful to have such a good hubby that gets up to help with every feeding, even though he had work today.

NICU - Day 34

• Evan is coming home today! We are so excited and can't wait to go get him!
• They think Mason will be coming home tomorrow...cross your fingers!
  
• I can't believe there is an end in sight to our NICU stay! It seemed forever at times and yet right now it seems to have flown by. I can't believe it's been ONE WHOLE MONTH since they were born. Time is going by way too quickly. I want them to stay my babies forever.
  

NICU - Day 33

• Last night they tried Mason out in stage 3 of the feeding protocol because sometimes stage 2 is really hard for babies to get past. Well...he did AWESOME and took everything by mouth. They even took out his NG tube.
• Both boys are having their car seat and hearing tests done today...you know what that means??? They will be coming home soon!
• Mason and Evan are only 5 grams apart in weight. They are getting quite chunky these days and they look HUGE compared to Madison.
  

NICU - Day 32

• Today is their one month birthday!
• They took out Evan's PICC line yesterday and his NG (sp?) tube because he's eating so well. They checked his hermadacrite levels yesterday and they were on the border line, kinda low. So they don't want to send him home quite yet. They're going to re-check his levels on Sunday, if they're the same or higher they'll let him go home at that point. So let's cross our fingers he comes home Sunday!
• Today's not the day where I'll surprise you all with some great news about Mason. He's still just hanging out on stage 2 of the feeding protocol.
  
• Madison is still doing great here at home. Eating every 4 hours. She is such a good baby.
  

NICU - Day 30

• Evan is still doing great and taking every feed by bottle. He should be back up to full feeds by tomorrow and they might take his PICC line out then. I spoke with a nurse practitioner yesterday that told me he might even be able to come home as early as this weekend! I of course am trying not to get my hopes up but I'm still crossing my fingers.
• Mason is doing the same old same old. One of these days I'll be able to surprise you all by saying he's coming home....but right now I have no idea WHEN that will be. Probably whenever he decides to wake up and eat. Stubborn little fella.
• Madison is doing great here at home with us! We love having her home. She is such a sweetheart. Having her home is making us miss the boys even more however. We just can't wait for the day they can all be home with us.
  

NICU - Day 28

• Guess who they let us bring home tonight??? Madison! We are so excited and nervous. I don't think I'll sleep a wink tonight with her grunting next to me in her bassinet.
  
• Mason boogered out today. Yesterday he was doing so well on feeds if he would've continued through today they probably would've moved him onto stage three of the feeding protocol. Alas, he decided to get tired on us again. I have no prediction as to when he'll be coming home...this kid stumps me!
• Evan is doing great and taking a bottle for every single feeding. He still isn't up to his full feeding amount that he was at prior to the NEC. They are still moving the amount up very slowly. But I have a feeling (all the nurses think so too) that as soon as he's up to his full feedings in the next couple days that he'll take off through the feeding protocol and be home before his brother Mason. We'll have to see if my guess is right.
  

NICU - The Day Madison Came Home

NICU - Day 26

• Madison is doing GREAT at her feedings...She even pulled out her NG (spelling??) tube and they said they won't put it back in unless they have to because she's doing so great on her bottles. We were told yesterday Sunday would be the day she could come home. There was some confusion as to whether or not it would really be Sunday because of a routine head ultrasound they have to do. At first back when I was told she might becoming home this last Friday they mentioned the ultrasound (they perform them on every preterm baby born before 32 weeks gestation when they reach the 35 week mark). At first I was told they can only perform the ultrasounds on weekdays so if she happened to reach her feeding goal over the weekend they wouldn't let her go home until Monday because of the ultrasound. Then I was told by another nurse that they actually do perform them on weekends, they just prefer not to because it's more of a hassle. Well, Madison is doing so great that it looks like she might pass her feeding requirement by tomorrow and would normally be able to come home then. The nurse that called me today however said the Neonatologist wants to wait til Monday to do the ultrasound. What jerks...I say if the baby is ready to come home and they are able to perform the ultrasounds on the weekends why make the parents suffer through another day of waiting to have their baby home?! Anyway, that's my two cents for the day.
• Mason is still chugging along...nothing new to post about him other than he's continuing to gain weight...wonder when he'll decide to catch up to Madison on the bottle feeding?
• Evan is doing awesome. They started him on his feeds yesterday...they start out slow and increase the amount very slowly. Yesterday he was on 6mls. and today they increased it to 11. So far he's tolerating it really well.
  

NICU - Day 24

• Well, just like I predicted Madison pooped out on us last night so she has to start stage 3 all over again. They said she might come home on Monday, but again I'm not getting my hopes up. She did great on the car seat test however...guess that's out of the way for when she finally does come home.
• Evan is a whopping 4lbs 12oz. I wouldn't be surprised if he is over 5lbs by the time he comes home...he's our little chunky man.
• Mason and Madison weigh about the same 4lbs. 9oz. They're not too far behind Evan.
  

NICU - Day 23

• Madison is doing awesome on stage 3 of the feeding protocol. When I went in to visit today they told me to bring in her car seat tonight so they can do her car seat test. If she can keep up the good work on the feeding until Thursday night she can come home as early as Friday morning. But we're trying not to get our hopes up. The next 24 hours are critical. If she bugs out on one of her feedings she has to start stage 3 all over again and would need to stay until she could keep up consistent feedings for 48 hours straight. So cross your fingers and say a prayer she can come home on Friday!
• Mason is doing the same on feeding. Still on stage 2.
  
• Today is Evan's last day for his antibiotics. Saturday morning will be his first day of eating again. He's being such a trooper about the whole thing.
• All three babies are continuing to gain weight. They are ity-bity small but they're filling out and have the cutest chunky cheeks!
  

NICU - Day 22

• Mason and Madison are progressing really quickly on the feeding protocol. They moved Madison onto stage 3 today and Mason onto stage 2! yea!
  
• All three babies are gaining weight.
• Evan is on day 4 out of 7 of the no eating/nec free. Only 3 more days until they start him on his feeds again!
  

NICU - Day 20

• Madison and Mason moved out of their isolettes and into open cribs today!
  
• Evan is continuing to get better each day.
• Madison and Mason are still doing well on bottles but there's no significant change, they're doing about the same.
• Our bets are on Madison for being the first baby home (hopefully in a couple weeks, we'll see)
  

NICU - Day 19

• Evan had to get a PICC line. They said he'll have it for the next 3 weeks. Today marked his first day of NEC free! 7 days from today they can start his feeds again slowly.
• Madison is continuing to do great on her bottle feeds....we think she'll be our first baby home!
• Mason is doing great as well but he's not so interested in the bottle....he's more interested in sleep.
• All three babies are above 4 pounds.
  

First Reunion

This is the first time the babies have been together since they were in Mommy's tummy. They absolutely loved it.

NICU - Day 18

• Just got off the phone with our nurse practitioner. Evan's latest x-ray is showing improvement! They will of course continue the anti-biotics and not let him eat until around day 10. Evan still has the same temperament. The nurses are amazed, they said they think he doesn't know he's sick because he's still as fiesty as ever! He is getting quite angry that they won't feed him. I am so grateful he's improving and I can't wait until this is all over, it's hard to see him so upset.
• Because of Evan's latest predicament I had the nurses switch all the babies from the Similac formula they've been receiving to Enfamil. Our first daughter had a slight intolerance to Similac. After Evan's scare I just want to be safe.
• Mason and Madison seem to be doing really well. The nurses placed their feeding tubes lower so they haven't been spitting up as frequently.
• Madison is on stage two of the feeding protocol like I mentioned in our earlier post. So she now gets two bottles per twelve hour shift. She still chugs her bottles in 5 minutes or less but funny enough she still just likes having one bottle per shift, she's usually too tired to try the second. Looks like we might be stuck in stage two for a little while.
• All three babies are getting more personality. I thought they were all laid back and wouldn't cry much. This is not the case. They all have very loud voices and are just now learning to use them. Looks like our house will be a loud one when they're all home.
  

NICU - Day 17

• We received bad news this morning. Evan has NEC (Necrotizing Enterocolitis). Luckily they caught it in time and they already started him on the anti-biotics which will last 7-10 days. Poor little guy can't eat anything until that point. He is getting really fusy with how hungry he's getting. They put his IV back in so he can receive nutrients and stay hydrated. (To read more about NEC I've attached the link so just click the NEC I have written up at the top of this paragraph.) We're torn about how we feel at this point. We're grateful they caught it in time and we're confident he'll pull out of it stronger than ever, but it's still a very scary feeling. We are finding comfort through our faith. We are LDS and my husband, L, plans on giving Evan a priesthood blessing tonight when we go out to see him.
  
• Madison finished her fourth bottle (in a row) last night and gained weight so they're moving her onto stage two of the feeding protocol...yea!
• Mason is just chuggin along, gaining weight and doing well. He's still quite tired about the whole bottle feeding thing, I have a feeling it will take him a few more days to catch up to his sister Madison. He's just so laid back, just like his Daddy.
  

NICU - Day 15

• There are four stages in the NICU's feeding protocol that the babies have to meet before coming home. Right now all three babies are in the first stage. The first stage they are given one bottle per 12 hour shift. They have to drink 75% or more for four bottles in a row and be gaining weight in order to move on to the second stage. Mason last night was at his fourth bottle, unfortunately he was really tired and only drank about half of the bottle so now he has to start over again in the first stage. Evan was on his second bottle last night and did really really well he drank 75% and he only had two episodes during the feeding where his stats dropped which is a huge accomplishment for him. Madison was our champion feeder last night and drank her whole bottle in five minutes, she was still rooting and awake after she finished! She might just pass up her brothers in the feeding protocol. If I remember right it was her second bottle, so she only has to take two more and then she moves right on to stage two!
• All three babies gained weight last night. Evan is always our little grower and gains a couple ounces every day...the nurses are always shocked.
• The nurse last night informed us that Evan has a little heart murmur. She said they aren't concerned about it right now because it's quite common among preemies. Usually it's just a valve in their heart that hasn't closed up yet and in most cases they close on their own. She thinks it will be self resolving and we won't have to worry about anything. If when he's ready to come home it hasn't resolved they will try a three day medication that usually closes the valve, if the medication doesn't work they would then do a surgery to close the valve. Landon and I aren't too concerned because the nurses and doctors aren't concerned at this point, it's just something they're keeping their eye on.