Splish, Splash!

Last night, Jen and I left Hayden and his cousin with their poor grandmother and went down to the hospital for bath time with the kids. Everyone is in bassinets now and really woke up for their baths. It was nice to have them out in the open instead of cocooned in their blankets and such. It gave me a chance to really start thinking about what a miracle we have.

While I was there, I washed 30 toes and 30 fingers -- each one only a little thicker than a toothpick. I clothed 6 legs and 6 arms. I watched 3 completely different people wake up, eat and go back to sleep and I marveled at their perfection. Finally, I looked into 3 pairs of tiny eyes, saw the souls beneath them and knew that I loved them.

I know that our household has some rough times ahead, but I'll try to hang on to moments like these to get me through the rough patches.

On the business side of things, everyone is doing very well. As I mentioned, they are all in bassinets now so they're able to regulate their temperatures. Concerning their homecoming, we're really just waiting to figure out a good diet -- one that gives them enough calories without stuffing them too full of formula and causing regurgitation. Right now, Jake and Quinn seem to be taking turns being the spitty baby and we'll need to get that whole eating thing nailed down before they come home. We're hoping that one day a switch will flip and they'll start taking bottles well and keeping them down.

Home and not pregnant. Yeah!

I am now home. I was discharged from the hospital on Saturday. Things are going very well for me. Each day, I feel stronger and stronger. I have minimal pain and it is pretty easy for me to get around. I feel much smaller and I am very happy to be able to see my feet once again. I feel like a normal person again. I am no longer a baby incubator.
Quinn, Jake and Claire are still in the hospital. No word yet as to when they will be able to come home. They are all doing very well. Before they can come home, they must be able to consistently take their feedings from a bottle, be gaining weight and maintain their body temp. We go up to see them every day and hopefully in the next week or so we will be able to take them home. Please continue to keep them in your prayers so that we can have our whole family together. I can't wait for the day when I will have all my children home (no matter how busy or chaotic it will be).
I would like to end this post with another Haydenism. I was checking e-mail the other day when Hayden came and stood next to me at the computer. As soon as he reached the desk, he began to grunt and push like he was making a dirty diaper. So I asked him if he as going poopy and if he wanted to sit on the potty. As he always does, he told me no. I asked him if he was sure that he wasn't going poopy as he continued to push and grunt. And again, he told me no. I then asked him if he was a lair and he said, "No, I a boy." I thank God for Hayden, who always manages to make me laugh when I need it most.

And So it Begins

Well, what can I say? Jen and I had 3 beautiful babies a little after Noon on June 19th. The atmosphere in the OR was calm and the procedure went completely according to plan. Jen is recovering well from her surgery (she moved from the bed to the wheelchair and back twice tonight) and all of the kids are doing well. Pictured from top to bottom are Quinn Richard, Jacob Jay and Claire Suzanne. Here's some information for each of our new additions (sorry, Leon -- no batting averages or ERAs yet.)

Quinn was born at 12:13, weighing 5 pounds 2 ounces and measuring 18" long. He was having a little trouble breathing at first, so he taken to the NICU and was on CPAP (a very nonintrusive treatment that blows puffs of air into the nostrils to help the lungs stay inflated) for a few hours but is now breathing well on his own. If all goes well, he'll be joining his siblings in the morning. He was awake around 10:30 PM when Jen and I visited him so he looks like he's shaping up to be our night owl.

Jacob came at 12:14, weighing 5 pounds 12 ounces and measuring 19" long. Jake seems to be the more easy-going, calm one of the three. Perhaps he's just saving his energy. Or perhaps he'll be the big brooding behemoth of the group.

Claire came at 12:15. While she's our smallest at 4 pounds 3 ounces and 17" long, she's doing the best with breathing and eating. Her size isn't going to keep her down -- I'm pretty sure she'll make up for it with attitude. Of course, I believe she's getting the attitude directly from her mother.

Jen and I are immensely grateful for all of the words of encouragement, prayer, and other support you have all given us. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers for a little while yet (I'm thinking the next 20 years should just about do it.)

I can't express how thankful we are for our three healthy babies. Each one is truly a blessing by itself. To have all three of them together is nothing short of a miracle.

I am so proud of Jen I can't stop typing even though I'm drained. Her (mostly) positive attitude and willingness to put the babies first through this entire process has shown an inner strength that I don't think either of us knew existed. After over ten years together, she still finds ways to amaze me, and that's why I Love her (yes, I capitalize Love because I feel it deserves special treatment -- call me sentimental.)

Those of you familiar with the photo album at our home site can find more pictures there. Be warned, however -- I'm working (in my free time) on a more flexible method of categorizing images so things may look screwy from time to time.

Thanks again to all of you. As we learn more about these three little people, we'll do our best to keep you up to date.

Quick Update

We are rapidly approaching the date of the c-section which is June 19th. It was moved to Tuesday because of scheduling issues with the hospital. I had a growth ultrasound today and everything is great. The weight of the babies is as follows Jake 5 lbs 9 oz, Quinn 5 lbs 9 oz and Claire 4 lbs 6 oz. This is great news. I praise God and thank Him for His continued faithfulness. I ask for continued prayer for a safe delivery and uncomplicated surgery.

The end is in sight

I just wanted to post a quick update. I have been home now for about two weeks and things are going great. The babies are still healthy and growing. The next big growth ultrasound will be on June 11th. With the help of family, especially Lisa, I am able to get enough rest so my contractions are minimal.
I would have to say that I think that we are ready for the triplets. My mom and Lisa have done an excellent job of washing and organizing baby clothes, setting up the nursery, and cleaning every baby thing possible. The car seats are even in the van.
It is a good thing that we are ready because the date has been set. My c-section is scheduled for June 18th. I am so excited and very ready to not be pregnant. This has been a long journey with many ups and downs but as they say all good things must come to an end. And believe it or not, we are ready to begin the next phase of our journey. I can't wait to meet all the little people who have been kicking me for the past few months.