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McTriplet Mommy

September 2010

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MY PREGNANCY - AUGUST

Sep 13, 2006 10:20am (EST)

August 2, 2004

A little excitement today Something weird was going on so I called the nurse. She sent me in for a sonogram and my cervix is "funneling." They monitored me in the office for contractions and said I wasn’t having any (when Dr. S saw the results he said no contractions but some definite "uterine irritability"). Dr. S sent me over to Research to Labor and Delivery. They admitted me and did some tests (including my first catheter!). The nurses said I might be here a week or so and Dr. S will come by tomorrow and I might have a surgical procedure called a cerclage.

August 5, 2004

I had a cerclage yesterday to help "keep the babies in." I am on magnesium sulfate to stop any uterine contractions. I am sore and tired. I can’t get up to take a shower so I took a little bath with a washcloth.

August 7, 2004

This morning they took me off of the magnesium IV and switched me to Terbutaline pills. I get to get up and shower and I might get to go home tomorrow. I will be on restricted activity and was told I should be prepared to come back to the hospital.

August 8, 2004

Went home today

August 10, 2004

I am supposed to be horizontal as much as possible. AVOID GRAVITY!

I am very anxious that there is now no way we will get this house ready for three babies. I am sure everything will work out and our families have been very helpful. The drugs I am on also make me feel very tired and I feel very lazy.

August 17, 2004

We got our "full scan" on the babies today. Baby A [Lorne] is still a mystery but B [Isaac] and C [Sullivan] are both boys! We are both so pumped. My cervix looks the same and the cerclage is basically holding everything together. It is still funneling. I am getting a little bored already of bedrest so it was nice to get out to the doctor today! The side effects of the Terbutaline (speed!) are not as apparent – I am now taking it every four hours.

August 18, 2004

Very nervous and kind-of sad today. I just want everything to be okay.

August 20, 2004

Back in the hospital

August 22, 2004

Last Friday I was having a heavy feeling like the babies were trying to get out. I went in for a sonogram and I was funneling past the cerclage. Dr. S admitted me back to Research and put a second cerclage in Saturday (the 21st). He put me back on the magnesium sulfate and is hoping to take me off Wednesday (25th) and put me on a Terbutaline pump. I will go home with that and home uterine monitoring. I am so much more physically comfortable at home but it makes me feel very safe how closely I am watched in the hospital.

August 28, 2004

Home again! Got home about 9:00 Thursday (26th). I am eating all my meals on an incline. We got a new Expedition yesterday. It is blue and huge. We need it for all of those car seats!

August 29, 2004

Rebecca [my sister-in-law] and Scott went to Target today to register. They got some really cute little boy stuff as well as necessities and toiletries. I wish I could have gone myself but I trust them. Scott and I decided to try and find the bedding on-line because I really want to be a part of choosing that. We all had dinner together after that.

August 30, 2004

Scott went inpatient for rehab today. My mom is going to stay with me all week.

August 31, 2004

The doctor’s appointment went very well today. My cervix is still 2.4 cm long which means the second cerclage is working. Mom took me since Scott is in the hospital. We got a quick peek at the babies, too, and baby A is a boy, too! Scott and I are both pumped.

19w

19weeks

Posted by McTriplet Mommy | Comments: (9) | Permalink

MY PREGNANCY - JULY

Sep 12, 2006 01:37pm (EST)

This is SO much fun rereading all of these emotions and comments I made. As an aside, we returned the Wal-Mart infant carseats because, seven months later when my four and a half pound babies were ready to come home, they weren't *small* enough for them! Never thought of that at the time. My big nine pound nieces never had that problem and my sister-in-law was the only person I knew to ask these things!!

July 6, 2004

Grandpa Mike’s birthday. We saw Dr. S [the OB] for the first time today. We got to hear the heartbeats today, too. He couldn’t be sure that he found three separate heartbeats so we got an ultrasound, too. Everyone is doing great! After the ultrasound, we talked to the doctor again. He talked to us about the increased risks w/multiples. He said premature babies was the biggest risk. He was very nice and we get to go back in two weeks.

July 10, 2004

Still feeling very sick and throwing up a lot. I get to stop the progesterone tonight and get a lab done on Monday. If the lab is okay, I can go off the pills. Hopefully that will make me feel better! We have also been looking at used baby furniture and furniture on-line.

July 12, 2004

Yesterday, I felt great! Hopefully it was not taking the pills
and I will continue to feel better. Grandma Jackie and I put all of my "skinny" clothes away to make room for new/borrowed maternity clothes!

July 17, 2004

Definitely can see my belly getting bigger. Very exciting! I feel very cute in my maternity clothes. I get worn out and out of breath very easily w/lifting anything or walking a lot.

July 18, 2004

Registered at Babies R Us today

July 21, 2004

Went to Dr. S today. He checked my cervix and said everything looks fine. He said as long as I’m gaining weight the nausea and vomiting is nothing to worry about. I am definitely getting bigger and bigger! The doctor said my belly is the size of 20 weeks (I am 15 weeks).

July 27, 2004

Ryleigh’s birthday party was Saturday at Judy and Steve’s farm in Meriden. We ended up taking a new kitty home! Sydney went to the vet yesterday and has some temporary health problems but nothing *we* can get. She and Murphy haven’t been able to play together yet though. I think I can feel the babies move a little!

July 29, 2004

Tonight, some of Scott’s friends from Scouts came over and brought pizza for diner. It was good to have company and we cleaned up the house before they came.

July 31, 2004

Sean came over tonight and we grilled out. I am feeling very pregnant! I am also having a hard time breathing but I keep reading that that is normal. I can’t seem to sleep through the night and I keep waking up, watching TV for a few hours and going back to sleep.

17w

Posted by McTriplet Mommy | Comments: (6) | Permalink

A FLUKE???? AND MY PREGNANCY JOURNAL

Sep 11, 2006 07:03pm (EST)

#1 - First and foremost... we started our *new bedtime routine* tonight. Bath, p.j.s and lotion with Daddy, brush teeth, story on the floor, in bed, tuck in and kisses, light out. I went in ONE time to put Isaac back in bed..., "No Isaac, it's bedtime. Night, night," another kiss... that was it. Have I already won this war??

I won't jinx it....

#2 - A bit of a discrepancy between Scott and I about the day I was admitted "for good" before Lorne's birth and stayed for more than a month (Scott was right, I was off by a day). I got out my pregnancy journal to check and thought it would be fun to share with you guys! Knowing how it "turns out" - it is neat to go back and read how excited I was before having problems and when things change. It's pretty long so I'll start with May and June...

April 30, 2004 Positive pregnancy test? Hard to tell.

May 1, 2004 Positive digital pregnancy test!!

May 2, 2004 Can’t wait to call the doctor tomorrow!

May 3, 2004 Positive BLOOD pregnancy test at the doctor’s office

May 6, 2004 Can’t wait to tell everyone on Sunday!

May 9, 2004 Mother’s Day – We told all the grandparents and aunts and uncles today. Everyone was so excited! Daddy even bought Mommy a "Mommy-to-be" card.

May 14, 2004 Starting to feel a little sick, especially in the car. Very, very tired but SO excited!

May 16, 2004 Nick [my brother] lets out the secret at Brad’s graduation party

May 21, 2004 Daddy’s accident

May 22, 2004 Daddy’s accident was yesterday and his surgery was early this morning. All of your grandmas and grandpas and Uncle JP waited with Mommy until Daddy was out of surgery. Very scary but he is very brave.

May 25, 2004 Sonogram today. Mommy went by herself because Daddy is still in the hospital. He did move down to the rehab floor today because he is doing so well! At the sonogram, Mommy found out there are THREE babies! Mommy started crying and the sonographer thought maybe mommy didn’t think three was good news. She was just SO excited for the good news! Mommy has been worried that the pregnancy could be ectopic because she is still having terrible abdominal pain. We were advised by the nurses at Dr. S’s office not to tell anyone it was THREE until we are further along. We did decide to tell our parents.

May 27, 2004 Mommy got to tell everyone at school that she is pregnant since the secret is already out!

June 1, 2004 Today is the last day of school! There was a going away party for the people not returning next year. Everyone at school thinks the "twins" (as we are telling everyone for now) are so exciting!

June 2, 2004 Daddy goes home today!

June 5, 2004 Mommy is sick, sick, sick. Mommy and Daddy are both glad to be home and in their own house and their own bed.

June 8, 2004 Daddy is doing well. We have so many doctor’s appointments that we are excited to go to the "fun doctor" (Dr. S) on Thursday.

June 10, 2004 Saw Dr. S today. The sonogram looked good. All three babies are within the normal range for how far along we are. Dr. S says a 90% chance we will end up with all three babies

June 11, 2004 Uncle Steve comes and we let him in on the "triplet secret"

June 26, 2004 We decided to call all of our friends and family and tell them about the triplets!

June 29, 2004 My belly is starting to get "poochy" and I have some maternity clothes now. We also bought three car seats on clearance at Wal-Mart. The people at the store said, "Wow!"

Posted by McTriplet Mommy | Comments: (5) | Permalink

CALLING FOR BACK-UP

Sep 11, 2006 01:09pm (EST)

All right ladies... mommies, grandmas and aunts... those daddies out there, too... HELP! It has been less than 36 hours since the big SWITCH - and I'm going insane!

Saturday night, Scott came home and went to bed early so we actually couldn't change the beds that night. Lorne is absolutely *anything* but graceful so I couldn't chance him back in his crib. Sullivan can crawl out and crawl back down the other side... Lorne FALLS out. So, I put Sullivan in Lorne's crib and Lorne in Sullivan's bed. The night was full of laughing, playing and general merriment. Bedtime was about 11:00 p.m. For the boys.

Yesterday, "nap time" was anything but. The boys were sequestered for nearly three hours... happily. Laughing, giggling and playing - I could hear it all through the door. I finally relented after those three hours and got them back up. Bedtime last night (keeping in mind they had NO NAP) was almost 10:00. For the boys.

It is, again, "nap time." Isaac has actually I think given up and may be sleeping. I'm afraid to look as I don't want to stir-up anything if he's not. Sullivan and Lorne are *clearly* not sleeping. We went to the zoo this a.m., you'd think they'd be exhausted. Nope!! Oh, did I mention that I cannot leave the room and then *reenter* the room and find Sullivan still in his pants and diaper? Even better when the diaper is poopy. Lorne is so *clearly* defiant. I put him back in bed and, before I even turn around he says, "No, no, no," (in the sweetest little voice

)and gets back out.

HELP!! I mean really... what in the world do I do? Let them run around until they tire themselves out? Sit in there and put them back in bed every single time they get out? Check every five or ten minutes and put them back in? This is NEW TERRITORY - HELP!!!!!!

full bedroom

boys in Lorne's bed

S & L in S bed

Posted by McTriplet Mommy | Comments: (7) | Permalink

**THUD**

Sep 09, 2006 10:35am (EST)

When your child is in another room... is there any sound that brings more fear or makes you run any faster?? I'm not talking about the sound of toys being thrown on the floor or what it sounds like in the basement when the kids are jumping on the floor above you. I'm talking about a big, loud, tell-tale THUD.

So, here I am "surfing" Share... checking my e-mail... catching up on a few bills. The boys are napping so I am free to do all of this... when... THUD. A big one. One that had me running.

I run to the nursery (next door mind you!) and... Lorne is on the floor in between his and Isaac's beds SCREAMING. Sullivan is actually in Lorne's bed. I scoop up Lorne and he doesn't seem to have any broken bones or major injuries. He is, however, *hysterical.* Sullivan is cracking up running around in Lorne's crib. Isaac looks annoyed - I think more so that they're disturbing his nap than that he wasn't included in the schananigans.

So, tonight, I will put three *toddlers* to bed in their *toddler* beds - for their safety. If they're going to get out anyway, better a twelve inch drop than a four foot one. Scott is out with friends but when he gets home, we'll convert the other two cribs. Hard to believe!! Grandma got the boys new toddler bedding for the boys for their birthdays so I'm hoping to get that soon and put it on (a little early but I don't think she'll mind). I think something new and cool may be an incentive to stay in bed... at least in my dream world it is!

My best friend was in town last weekend (the one that Karri met in Chicago) and brought these robes for the boys' birthdays. How cute are they???

(for those who can't tell it's Sullivan, Lorne and Isaac from left to right - a little harder to tell with most of their heads covered!)

robes escape

robes1

Posted by McTriplet Mommy | Comments: (13) | Permalink

ALREADY BIRTHDAY TIME *AGAIN*?????

Sep 08, 2006 12:18pm (EST)

I sent out the birthday invitations last week. The front said, "Start your engines," with some car stickers on it (we're doing a Hot Wheels theme this year). I attached the inside below - wanted you to see how cute it was!

It is SO hard to believe they are almost two. I've heard so many triplet parents (and any other parents!) say the first year is a blur. All of the middle of the night feedings, bottles, everything, all of a sudden they're a year old. Well, I'm here to tell ya... that first year was lonnnnng - THIS one flew by! I think it's because it was so *typical* - relatively speaking. Lorne has been hospitalized one time since his last birthday compared to EVERY month for the first year, sometimes twice a month, we see the retina specialist every three or four months now instead of every week or every other week, we only check their weight at their well checks instead of a home health nurse coming every other day, we were discharged from the neonatal follow-up clinic the week before Lorne's first birthday instead of hauling all three boys there every other week... we were SO busy that first year, it both flew by and draaaaaaaaaaged on.

This second year was much more typical!! Sure, it was riddled with AWESOME milestones, not the least of which happened in April when Lorne went to oxygen "only" at night and certainly not to overlook last Wednesday when they came and took all of Lorne's stuff because he was OFF for good... but it was much more typical. For some reason, that made it go a lot faster in my eyes! There was SO much hurt and heart-ache that first year and, while we have our down days (and weeks), this year has been great! I seriously can't believe we're planning a SECOND birthday party already.

One month and six days until I see you at the Share Union!!

Attachments

invite web (636 KB) (983 downloads)

Posted by McTriplet Mommy | Comments: (6) | Permalink

UPDATE ON THE FAM

Sep 07, 2006 11:54am (EST)

Things are busy here! I realized I haven't said much about the boys' progress, etc., lately. Here's an update on the boys:

Lorne - doing GREAT, and I do mean perfectly wonderful, without his oxygen. It's been ten days he's slept without and he's still keeping great sats. Woohoo! It's funny, I think we're almost setting ourselves up. If Lorne gets sick, he likely, will, end up back on oxygen. When he was already on, turning him from 1/4 LPM to 1 LPM didn't seem like a big deal at all. Going from NO oxygen back on oxygen, ugh! I guess we'll worry about that IF it happens! Hopefully, we won't even have to worry about it.

Doing pretty well with feeding. He, however, does not like spinich.

Neither does Mommy, who can blame him! He *insists* on feeding himself, won't let me near him with a spoon. This is great as this is the direction we should go. However, the volume of his "eating" has gone back to practically nill, based mostly on the fact that his hand-to-mouth skills aren't as good as mine so he doesn't get a lot in. I'm hoping this will progress as the other two did... he'll eventually start feeding himself and get the volume in there, too. He sure makes a good mess! This from a boy who used to *hate* to be dirty - especially his hands and face. Yeah, seriously.

Isaac - doing pretty well. His glasses are broken again (two weeks ago we dropped of Isaac's and picked up Lorne's... last week we dropped off Lorne's and picked-up Isaac's... this week we switched again... hoping next week to JUST pick up Isaac's!

). He had a re-eval yesterday with his vision teacher and has gained a lot of new skills! He and Lorne are both at about a 19-20 month level which is their adjusted age. How wonderful! He is doing well with eating lately though he still prefers that Pediasure to anything else I serve.

Sullivan - this child is going to be the end of me. Ugh! He has now
figured out that he *can* get out of bed but still chooses generally not to. It's hard to get mad, however, when I go in there to reprimand... and the reason he is out of bed is because he is giving his brothers' toys back to them that they threw out of bed. He is SUCH a helper. He is still taking his diaper off constantly. Ugh!!

The boys are getting new *toddler* bedding (cars and trucks and such instead of the baby-ish zoo animals). We have removed everything from the nursery except the cribs and, after we get the bedding, we're moving Isaac to a toddler bed, too. We've caught him nearly out of bed a few times and I don't want to wait for him to fall out to move him! We'll see how that goes... two "out"! Lorne will be in a crib until the second before he needs out. He is SO wild - he will literally be running around the room for hours until he finally passes out around midnight. Ugh!

Scott - my fourth boy.

He is doing so well at school and *loves* his job at the cabinet shop. He is SO much happier than when he worked at the job where he got hurt. The company also seems to be struggling and I think he got out at the right time! What a great opportunity.

Kara - doing well. I've lost almost 30 pounds since June! Can't wait for my high school reunion in October - I'll be so hot by then! I had my senior prom dress on last night (just to show Scott) and I'm guessing that by the reunion, I'll be even smaller than I was at graduation. For someone (me) that has struggled with weight her ENTIRE life, this feels SO good!

Tonight is my monthly triplet mom meeting, woohoo!!

And, of course... check out the boys.

Have you heard??? Did you see the new icon on the homeage????? The second annual Share Union is coming!! Check under the Get Involved folder for details!! It is in Kansas City (hey, that's where I live!) October 14th-15th. Be there or be square!!

lornemessy

human jungle gym

scotthorse

Posted by McTriplet Mommy | Comments: (6) | Permalink

UPDATE ON THE FAM

Sep 07, 2006 11:54am (EST)

Oops, double post!

Posted by McTriplet Mommy | Comments: (0) | Permalink

MY *PERFECT* WORLD

Sep 06, 2006 02:48am (EST)

A friend blogged a few months ago about her "perfect world" which included her two, healthy, full-term girls and their big brother. It got me thinking… and, honestly, it really took me a while to decide if my perfect world was that I got pregnant with triplets and carried them to 37 weeks or if my children arrived one at a time.

In my perfect world, we got pregnant and I was due on January 15th (which WAS my original due date with the boys) - my grandpa’s birthday. I *loved* my grandpa – the only one I ever knew. He was the father of four boys and I was the FIRST grandchild (finally a girl!). He treated me like a princess and spoiled me rotten. He passed away when I was a sophomore in college and I was devastated. We had decided long before we got pregnant that the baby’s name would be Sabrina Jae for a girl or Sullivan Michael for a boy. Since the baby was due on my grandpa’s birthday, we changed the boy’s name choice to Sullivan Lawrence in honor of him since the baby would be born around his birthday. I wore *adorable* pregnancy clothes everywhere and got SO big people asked me, "Geez, when are you DUE?" Everyone I knew was invited to rub my *giant* belly and feel the baby kick.

In my perfect world, my phone DID ring on May 21st at 10:00 at night and it WAS from Scott’s work. It was Scott, calling to tell me how much he loved me, how excited he was about our family and how he hoped I had stopped throwing up for the day. I forgave him for waking me up.

In my perfect world, we delivered right on our due date - a perfect, uncomplicated vaginal delivery to a beautiful, big, baby boy. Scott was beside me, holding my hand the whole time and my mom was there too coaching me and trying not to cry. The baby came out SCREAMING and they laid the slimy little thing immediately on my chest. I was in love. We took this as a sign (how many people do you know who delivered ON their due date?) and switched the name to Lawrence Michael. My grandpa was "Larry" – but I’m not thrilled about it. So, we researched it and went with "Lorne" which was still a form of Lawrence. Lorne Michael sounded kind-of silly so we borrowed our girl middle name and tweaked it and our first born became Lorne Jay.

In my perfect world, Scott and I had a great time with this baby. Scott took a few weeks off of work to get to know him and rushed home every day thereafter to see his son. We *walked* to the park, we *walked* to get ice cream with him, we took him to the beach, we did it all. Scott, in all of his Daddy-glory, getting around just fine and me pushing our new stroller. Scott actually decided to join a soccer league with some friends and Lorne and I sat in the stands for every game and watched his daddy run, jump, play and slide – just like all of the other daddies we know can do. Our family was *so* typical. Lorne was a bit of a fussy baby but it was so fun to get up in the middle of the night with him and snuggle – from day one. It was great to nurture him and take care of him. I got to breastfeed him for twelve months and cried when I decided to stop on his first birthday. This was also the day that, right on time, my son took his first steps and said his first word. Soon after we found out we were pregnant again.

In my perfect world, my second pregnancy went perfectly. Terrible morning sickness but I get so nauseous about *everything* so I knew I wasn’t a Mommy that would escape that! I delivered another full-term, happy baby boy born through another uncomplicated vaginal delivery. He came out smiling and we named him Isaac. Lorne was thrilled to have a brother and they got along great, two little peas in a pod. I was so excited to get to see these brothers grow up and be best friends.

In my perfect world, we had a great time with the boys. I got to stay at home with them and I took them absolutely everywhere with me. We met friends for play dates, the boys went to Mother’s Day Out at preschool once a week so I could have some time to myself, I took them to dinner, Target, wherever I wanted. They got a few colds but nothing serious. When they were four and five, Daddy taught them to jump off of the diving board – just like daddies are supposed to be able to teach their boys to do. The boys thought it was *so* cool. We always said we wanted two kids and we got them. We decided we were done. Still, I felt a bit empty like something was missing and when Isaac started kindergarten we got a BIG surprise. The baby I didn’t know yet I wanted but soon learned I could not live without.

In my perfect world, as you guessed, this pregnancy was, also, quite perfect. I was a little tired but the boys were old enough to entertain themselves a bit after school and let Mommy rest. They were SO excited about both being big brothers and everyone at school knew their mommy was pregnant. They drew pictures for and sang songs to the baby in Mommy’s belly. Scott doted on me and was even more excited than I was about our new addition. I delivered another full-term, healthy, happy baby boy. He was *so* beautiful, we named his Sullivan, that name we had been hanging on to. I was thrilled to be the mom of three boys and imagined my future of soccer games, matchbox cars, little league and fist-fights in the living room. Life was good.

In my perfect world, my boys excelled in school and did whatever extracurricular activities they wanted (though Mommy was leery of her sweet babies playing football at first!). Scott and I had never attended an IFSP or IEP meeting. No special services were needed for these perfectly healthy, typical boys.

In my perfect world, the comment, "Oh my goodness, THREE BOYS driving at once!" really would strike fear into the pit of my stomach instead of sadness into my heart because, in my perfect world, all three of my boys would have *perfect vision* which would allow them to look forward to driving in the future. Okay, they probably inherited Mommy and Daddy’s nearsightedness and all wore glasses by puberty but the correction needed was minimal.

In my perfect world, people often stopped me at the mall to tell me how beautiful my children were. No one ever stopped me and asked, "What's wrong with him?" or at the grocery store and asked, "Why does he cry like that?" because my children were not any visably different than any others - no oxygen in tow, no fedding bag hanging off the bag of the stroller, no funny sounding cries due to paralyzed vocal chords, nothing to tell them apart from any other little boys except they were (ARE!), of course, the most beautiful little boys in the world.

In my perfect world, I didn’t know any of you. That sounds weird to say about so many people that I love SO dearly, but it’s true. In fact, none of you even knew each other because we ALL had perfectly healthy, full-term babies. Well, maybe some of us accidentally ran into each other at the mall and became fast friends.

In my perfect world, The March of Dimes had ceased to exist after the polio vaccine was created as there was no reason for an organization to help children and families affected by birth defects, prematurity and infant mortality – because these things were not an issue. Every mom got to leave the hospital with her healthy baby in her arms because their children were all born healthy. None of us ever sat in a waiting room to hear results of a life-saving surgery on a baby just hours old and the only thing for which we grieved and mourned was the loss of our sweet, cuddly, little babies to feisty toddlerhood and, eventually, the fact that they all turned into strong-willed teenagers.

While I can’t change the past, of course, we can work together to change the future!! We can support the March of Dimes’ mission to stamp-out infant mortality, birth defects and prematurity. We can make Share non-existent. We will still have each other and the friendships we made here but we can celebrate the fact that we are no longer getting new members. Wouldn’t THAT be perfect?

Posted by McTriplet Mommy | Comments: (12) | Permalink

"SETBACKS PAVE THE WAY FOR COMEBACKS"

Sep 01, 2006 10:49am (EST)

I saw this in giant letters on a sign of a church I drove past today. I wrote it down because I wanted to get it exactly right. I don't usually think preaching to people on billboards is generally the way to go... but this one hit me like a ton of bricks. It seems *so* true! There's also some saying (excuse me because I won't get it exactly right) that goes something like, "You can't know true joy unless you know true sorrow." As I've mentioned before, we're shopping for a new computer so I am tackling the daunting process of cleaning all of the stuff off of this one that I want to keep. In the process, I've come across all of the "McTriplet Updates" I've been sending since October, 2004. I can't help but reminisce and see how FAR they have come!!

Do I wish I could change the way my children entered the world? Sure. Do I wish I could take away Scott's accident and resulting disability? Absolutely. Do I wish my family was typical - no medical equiment in the house, no special teachers needed, no therapists coming over and being visited, no lonnnnng list of phone numbers of specialists on my refridgerator door? Of course. But, since I can't change any of that, maybe it helps me appreciate the *comebacks* more.

Do I love my children more than another mother who had the perfect pregnancy and delivered a big, healthy baby? Certainly not. But, do I maybe appreciate the little things more when I've watched them struggle *so* much? Possibly.

I was excited when Isaac and Sullivan both made strides and when they came off of oxygen a few weeks out of the NICU. I was thrilled to throw those used cannulas away and put them to bed and not carry around all of those cords. But *nothing* like waiting TWO YEARS for my little, tiny 23 week miracle to come off. I was excited to feed them all, get them all messy with rice cereal and feed them chicken nuggets and pizza. But, I'll tell you, yesterday Lorne had graham crackers and sweet potatoes (baby food) for dinner last night - fed it to himself (probably got three bites in his mouth) and I was near tears. Allllllll of those *setbacks* he had paved the way for many, many more comebacks and thrilling moments now and in the future!! All of my e-mails that included, "Isaac hit three pounds!" and, "Sullivan graduated to an isolette from a warmer bed!" make me look at my very headstrong, very active toddlers and realize all that they have accomplished and overcome.

I'm just feeling a bit emotional today about all that I DO have and wanted to share.

(and, for fun, check out what Sullivan looked like last night when I went in to check on him - not a moment too soon!!)

sullivanbed

Posted by McTriplet Mommy | Comments: (15) | Permalink

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