Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Today, Thanksgiving was at our house. It was a little scaled back today, as we are usually traveling up to Kendallville to see my parents, or we have Thanksgiving at Todd's parents in Muncie. But, since we don't travel light, and Grey requires some equipment for feedings etc, we had it here.

It was a great day, and we have a lot to be thankful for.

All the kids got a bath today, and had their picture taken in the nursery chair with what we named "Todd the turkey".... although I don't think he was amused...


Lilly had the turkey in her lap, as the others do in their pictures, but she was really happy with herself when she knocked it over. She was giggling here. She is the only festively dressed one today. She thought her bow was a bit annoying, but she was a good sport!













Grey liked the turkey, and was a bit tired in this picture. He is holding his head up better though! He is wearing his outfit that Becca, his NICU nurse got him. The brand is Kicky pants, and it is the softest outfit every! It is just darling on him.















Owen liked the turkey. He is a happy little man nowa-days... I'll have to blog about his love for his fuzzy blankets soon. He really takes to them.




















Things have been good around here. Grey had two doctor appointments this week. We have Grey's feedings now going over an hour, and have been for the past day. He has tolerated them well..(knock on wood). He seems to be doing very well at home. It is so nice to see them all interact, and look at each other. The more they are around each other, the more I notice the similarities in their actions, cries etc.


They have gotten so big! Owen is now solidly in 9 month sleepers! Lilly is in 3 month, and can wear 3-6 month, but they are big. Grey is wearing 0-3 or 3 month. He enjoys sitting in his nap nanny, sitting in the mamaroo (that's another device we have here, I will blog about later), loves his bouncy, and likes to sit up on their play mats.

We are so thankful to have our family all together. We are getting used to Grey's feeding pump, and all of his medication schedules... and this year, we are just thankful to have them all, have them all home, and that we are all healthier than ever!

Complete

My family is complete... and so am I.

Grey is home. He is having a good night. He is currently in his pack n play sleeping soundly. He has had a big day. He certainly enjoyed the car ride, and slept the whole time. I cannot be happier right now. Thank you to all of the NICU for all you have done. Couldn't have asked for anything better!

Here are pics!

Owen was sleeping in the swing, so he was not too prepared for the photoshoot!

Grey is just thankful to be out of that NICU crib!

On schedule

Shhhhh.... we're not going to say anything too loud.

We will certainly shout from the rooftops when I load that little man into my SUV on Friday. Grey is on schedule to come home Friday. His bilirubin is down to 9.5. Normal is less than 1... but let's put it into perspective here.... the beginning of November it was 15.2. We have come leaps and bounds!

The feeding pump has been ordered. I will not count my blessings before they come true, but I am really excited!

Tomorrow I took the day off, again, I don't tell Grey these things because when I get my hair done, or schedule it... he acts out! So, the hair gets cut, and color. I have about a thousand errands to run too!

Not going to the NICU is going to definitely be a double edged sword. We have gotten to know the nurses and doctors there better than we ever expected:)!! But, it will be so good to be under one roof for the first time!

Next Friday

Shhh... Don't tell Grey, and don't jinx us... but next Friday if all the stars and planets align, Grey will be coming home. I say don't tell Grey because, although he knows who I am, and knows who daddy is... he loves his nurse Becca. I don't want him to act up. I have to say in the past week, Erin, and Brooke have also taken care of him, and I think he flirts with them as well! Dr. Bin Saad will be his doctor next week, and he is already giving me a hard time about him not going home! I think Bin Saad will miss me. In fact, I know he will... and I am more than certain that he will miss Todd. Todd has always liked Bin Saad, and he was Grey's initial doctor when he was born.

Adding to my anniversary post, my husband surprised me with my inlaws coming that night so we could go out to dinner, and also sent me roses. Wow, what a guy! We went to Eddie Merlot.... and seriously, that filet was the best! We had a great time. We didn't have to rush home, and I knew the kids were well taken care of. What a treat! Lilly and Owen then decided they would sleep from midnight until 730 in the morning! Thanks kids! The only thing that could have made that day better was if Grey was already home!

Soon enough, my family will be under the same roof. I cannot wait for that day to happen!

8 years

8 years today, Todd and I have been married.

So, 8 years…. Many laughs, many tears, many ups and downs. This year I can say that the man I married is the father of my children.

The ups and downs have been extreme at times. Before marriage, he suffered the loss of his beloved brother. A brother that whom when I first met, I knew that Todd shared an affection with him that was unique. Travis and Todd had a relationship that was like no other. I know that he thinks of Travis every day still… it’s one of the reasons I love him.

The wedding…. Oh, the wedding. It was a beautiful wedding, a rather large wedding… and I always said I wouldn’t do it again, but I wouldn’t have changed a thing.

The honeymoon, what a great time. Although, many of you know I am not fond of flying, and I begged him on the flight home from Honolulu to LA to drive from LA. He kindly told me it would be ok, and asked if I wanted my meal…. (cause he was still hungry)… and NO, we would not be driving back from California. That is also another reason I love him. He grounds me. I found that out early in marriage!

We have raised our 2 dogs. I think at one time or another he was ready to get rid of both of them… lol. And, when I was in the hospital before the triplets were born, he told me, he had found a new love for the dogs, they were his friends. They kept him company on his nights without me.

And the triplets. Infertility is not kind to a relationship. It’s was not kind to my self esteem as a woman. It was not kind to me, nor him. After 2 miscarriages that were heart wrenching, Todd always told me “It’s okay to cry, it’s okay to be sad.” And sometimes that is all I needed. The decision to do IVF was different for both of us. I was willing to do what it took to have our biological children. Todd thought that there were plenty of children out there that needed help. He is very humble, and that too is why I love him.

And so 3 IVF cycles later, a correction of my thyroid, and clotting issues. We go for an ultrasound after transferring 3 embryos back…. We see 3 heartbeats. Shock came over me. Joy came over Todd. I remained apprehensive, and scared, he remained happy and so full of joy. It’s why I love him.

And… after the triplets were born. Todd was the professional isolette diaper changer. He loved to touch them. Even at 2 lbs, he wanted to touch them. He allowed me to hold them first, and spend intimate time with them and bond. Todd is the ultimate optimist. I as you may know, I am not! When Grey was sick, I mean really sick… Todd was there, even tempered, even mannered, even emotionally, even after I had fallen apart. I can’t tell you how many times we thought Grey would not pull through. Todd always stood strong, in that he would be fine, and he would end up home with Lilly and Owen. I now know, he is likely right.
I can’t really express my feelings for Todd. Even though we have our differences at times… I think it’s just the way it is. He is my partner. He is my best friend. I cannot express how happy I am to be married to him, to be the mother of his children, and to know we will spend the rest of our lives together.

Functionality

So, functioning is something that needs to be at it's easiest in the Maurer household now a days. This is a picture of my once uncluttered, once organized, once babyless house. Don't get me wrong. I don't want it to be babyless any longer... I'd like it to be uncluttered... but I'll have to wait for the next 20 years for that!

I rearranged the house furniture to make it more functional. I don't think Todd is fond of it, and I must admit, it has taken some getting used to. 3 swings, 3 bouncers, 2 play-yards, 3 bumbos, 2 toyboxes, 2 pack n plays, one changing table, a rocker... 3 boppies, and the list goes on, and on, and on. That is just the downstairs. I won't even get into the upstairs. So good bye my house that was well put together.. color coordinated etc, hello boppy pillows, pack n plays with blankets placed all over. Good bye leather chair and foot stool... you must now go upstairs. So functioning is what is important now, and it has made things a bit easier!

Day light savings time was a success here at the Maurer house. We did gain an hour... BUT!!!! BUT!!!!! Todd and I fed Lilly and Owen at 1115pm, and swaddled them, turned on their white noise machine, put them in their cribs in their nap nannies.... Good morning! It's 630am. They slept for 7 hours. Not a peep. There was a part of me that was scared to go into their room. But we turned all our clocks back, gained our hour, (530am now), fed them, back to sleep they went and woke up at 1015! It may be a fluke. I'm preparing myself for it being a fluke; but boy it was nice!

I changed Owen from his high calorie Neosure back to Similac Advance. Yes, it's still relatively hard to find Advance, but he has been so fussy at night. After 2 nights of not being on Neosure, he's back to not being fussy. I think it makes him to gassy, or bloated... heck I don't know. If he doesn't get a academic scholarship because I took him off of the DHA/ARA high calorie Neosure for preemies, well then, I guess that is my fault. But, he is much happier! Owen is rolling over all the time from belly to back. It appears he likes to play on his back more, as he doesn't stay on his belly much when placed there!

Lilly has been less fussy in the evenings.. (KNOCK on wood!) I think she is growing out of it a little. We'll see if that continues. She too likes to play on her play mat, although tummy time leaves a lot to be desired for the most part! She does push herself up, and looks at you, but by that time, she is so beside herself that you have made her do it, she's at a loss. They all 3 are babbling and cooing a whole lot. Smiling when they are smiled at, is such a blessing to see!

Grey is doing spectacular! He is off oxygen, and is doing great. His liver numbers went down again on Friday, and we will watch the trend again on Tuesday. He is almost off of methadone (medicine to help him with withdrawl from narcotics from prolonged stay on the ventilator), and so it may not be Friday that he comes home, but I honestly look for it to be early the following week.

Here are the latest pics of Grey, he's a handsome boy!

The dogs got groomed on Friday. I can't say they were happy with me about it, but they look better. They are still sporting their bandanas; that too, they are not happy about.

Have a good week everyone!!! Hopefully this is our last full week without Grey at home!

Great news!

Well, I am here to report there has been great news on Grey's behalf! He is off oxygen as of now, and has done very well without it. Yesterday his bilirubin was down, and if this trend continues, and all else is status quo.... I think we may be able to get him home by the end of next week.

I went in to see him today, and his nurse Becca rigged up a "bubble bath". She put oxygen into the water basin in the sink, and he coo'd and giggled when he got it. I washed him all up, and he had no oxygen on, and his feeding tube fell out of his nose, and he was tube free for a while! For the first time, in a long time,.... Grey is a baby. He is a baby that is going to get to come home. A baby that is on target for his age, a baby.... that is ours. He is Lilly and Owen's brother. He is just like Lilly and Owen. For the first time, we will soon have Owen, Lilly, and Grey in our house.... It is just unbelieveable to me! This little guy is a miracle. They are all miracles; but especially Grey. I don't think we are going to need the Omegaven.... his liver is improving without it. They did start some oral fish oil this week, and I am anxious to see the results of that.

I was able to talk to a liver doctor tonight that I am familiar with from the transplant world... and she gave me great peace of mind, that we are doing the right thing, and in just a few months, his liver should be as good as normal. Although she said it will take a few months, she feels that with all of the information that I gave her, and all that he has been through, it is all quite normal. This made me overjoyed.

I cannot count my blessings enough. My family, my friends... Todd's family, Todd's friends.... I cannot say enough about the gratitude that I have for everyone. I have found a new me through all of this. A me that appreciates my mom, and family more that I ever have in my life. A me, that loves my husband... more now, than I ever have. A me that realizes that my dogs, are indeed that... our dogs... but I love them as a part of our family, and they have come to be quite fond of the kids when they aren't screaming! The huskies will add to the joy of watching these babies grow older! I have found a me that knows in adversity, I can reach to the depths of my soul, and being... and make it through with the help of my loved ones. Bringing Grey home will be another challenge. One that we must face, and will overcome just as we did bringing the other 2 home. It is not going to be easy. But someone once told me, I didn't have triplets to make my life easier!