Warner Bros. and Sister: Still here... just sleepy

It has been one week since West arrived home. Jack and Lilibeth followed him out of the NICU on Friday. It has been a great week. They are eating, and for the most part, sleeping very well. Having said that, I will say, THANK GOD FOR GRANDPARENTS! While they are sleeping well, getting three babies diapered, fed, held up for 15 minutes after each feeding to help with reflux, swaddling, then putting them back to bed, all the while toting around a monitor is not so easy. Doing this eight times for three babies all within a twenty four hour period can wear a triplet team down. I have had time to take a few pics of this week posted below...

Soon they will grow out of this three hour schedule, and while it is exhausting, I am still not rushing it. This is such a sweet stage! I told Klint that life would be so much easier if we did not have to eat or sleep! He is such a huge help. Every day we have a "How to improve our system" morning meeting and tonight we followed up with an evening training video of Harvey Karp's soothing techniques for Team Triplet (Klint, myself and the indispensable grandparents). I told Lynn, Belinda, Mom and Dad that their certificate of completion would be in the mail :) This crazy schedule makes me look back fondly to the days of creating a TAKS schedule. My educator friends know that is wild!

I have had so many sweet emails, texts and voicemails. Thank you. It is so reassuring to know that our friends and family are praying for West, Jack and Lilibeth and for their sleepy caregivers. We had a good visit with the babies' pediatrician on Monday. He says that they are very healthy preemies which made us so happy! That was a sight to see... The office recommended that we come a few minutes before they opened on Monday to try to avoid exposure to sick children. The only problem there was that we were to be there at 7:50 when feeding time is at 8:00. We also have to administer their multi vitamins at the eight o'clock feeding. Since the vitamins taste nasty (according to their smell), we must give the vitamin with a little milk (in a different bottle) at the beginning of the feeding when they are eager to eat to ensure that they get it all. We then follow up with another bottle for the rest of their meal. Picture Klint, myself, my mom, three babies in carriers and six bottles trying to feed, strip down for a weight check and take notes as the doctor checks each baby. Add in two dirty diapers and no wipes in the diaper bag (I'm a little new at this!) and you will get a picture of our chaos! This required my dad to drive mom, because she objects to being strapped to the top of the vehicle. Thank goodness Ben and Papa (Klint's parents) were ready and waiting at home to take over, because we were all exhausted!

Speaking of exhaustion... The only bad news from the doctor is that I was really hoping that I could take many of you up on your kind offers to come help us through this sleepless time, and the doctor has said no visitors until we are out of RSV season (early spring). YIKES! Honestly, I felt a little like falling on the floor and crying at that point. We SO want to share Lilibeth, Jack and West with all of the people we love because we are so proud of them AND we would welcome your help. But, we are following doctor's orders and will wait until the threat of RSV (which would be very detrimental to their preemie lungs) is significantly reduced. I hope that you will still remember us and want to come visit in the spring. I will be desperate for some adult interaction!

Until then, please continue to keep us in your prayers. Please pray specifically for a healthy winter for our babies. A friend posted part of this scripture on Facebook. It helped me today...

Isaiah 40:29

"The Lord energizes those who get tired..."

We are tired, but it is such a happy tired.

Jack is a very alert and curious baby

West in his "going home" outfit

West is coming home!


Hilarious! Jack did not like Lilibeth being put in his crib on the ride down to the car.

You can't see Lilibeth and Jack, but they are bundled up and ready for the trip home!

Jack thinks eating is serious business!

Fancy and Lilibeth love to cuddle

Ben takes such great care of all of us!

This pic is a little out of order, but we wanted to document that Duke and Mama did not neglect Jack and Lilibeth on Thanksgiving Day even though West was home. Here is our family Thanksgiving in the NICU.