Market Street

Logan & Daddy

Logan & Daddy

Lathan & Mommy

Lathan & Mommy

Lauren & Daddy

Lauren & Daddy

We took the babies up to Market Street to grab a bite to eat and couldn't resist letting them play in the dancing water spouts. Oh what fun!!!

***New pictures on our Shutterfly page http://www.guinntriplets.shutterfly.com/action/***

Go Highlanders!!!

On Friday night we took the babies to their first football game! It was family night for my 10 year reunion and we had a blast showing off our trio. The boys sure did have their eyes on those football jerseys, and now the question remains, will Lauren be a Highstepper or a Cheerleader??? Only time will tell!!!

Grab a tissue, push play and enjoy!!!

Something new!!!

In the post below there is a video of Lathan (saying hi). This is a trial version of a converter program that we will purchase if everyone is able to view the video. Just click the play button in the middle of the video clip and let us know if it works for you! Hopefully we'll be able to share many more videos!

Lathan Says Hi

New Pictures

77 Pictures added... http://www.guinntriplets.shutterfly.com/action/

Have a great week!

That's right, Aunt JuJu (Julie) is pregnant and due in May of 2007...we can't wait!!! Congrats to her and Uncle Josh!

Daily Supplies

We often get asked questions like how many diapers, bottles, etc do we go through each day. We took a little inventory and here's what we came up with!

In one day we go through...
* 24 bottles (8 Avents & 16 Dr. Browns)
* We use one can of formula (the $12 can) each day
* One gallon of nursery water to mix with the formula
* At least 24 diapers. Our schedule plans for a diaper change each feed, but of course if someone gets muddy before then we don't make them wait!
* Most days only 6 Outfits (3 daytimes & 3 sets of pj's)
* About 15-24 Burpies
* 2 scoops of Dreft detergent for laundry

Not shown in the picture above...
* 3-6 blankets
* Lots of wipes
* 3 Towels & 5 Washclothes (One washcloth for each baby and then an extra for the boys so that Mom & Dad don't get sprayed during bathtime)!

Kind of crazy when you add it all up, especially when you multiple it times 7 to get a weeks worth. Thats,
* 168 Bottles
* 7 Cans of formula
* 7 Gallons of Nursery Water
* At least 168 diapers
* A LOT of wipes!
* 21-42 Blankets
* 42 Outfits (minimum)
* 105-168 Burpies
* 21 Towels & 35 Washclothes
* Lots of Detergent!

And just for fun, here's what a month looks like...
* 720 Bottles
* 30 Cans of Formula
* 30 Gallons of Nursery Water
* At least 720 Diapers
* More wipes than we can count!
* 90-180 Blankets
* 180 Outfits (minimum)
* 450-720 Burpies
* 90 Towels & 150 Washclothes (Of course there are some days when we run out of time and have to skip baths but there are also plenty of days like last Thursday, when a baby is extra messy and requires 3 baths in one day!)
* Again, Lots of Detergent!


Wow...makes me tired just thinking about it...I'm off to bed!!!

Baby Taylor is still in need of our prayers. Her eye surgery went well and they only had to operate on her right eye, however she developed fluid in her lungs and after further testing they found a hole in her heart. She will be seen by a cardiologist later this week which will give the Well's more information. Patrick and I remember all too well how disappointing it was to have to readmit a baby to the NICU when we thought we were finally clear of major problems and had had a taste of how sweet it was to have all of our family at home, together. We pray that Taylor joins her sisters at home again VERY soon!

***More pictures have been added to our Shutterfly Collection (http://www.guinntriplets.shutterfly.com/action/). The first album has all of the newest pictures...ENJOY!!!***

Baby Taylor needs your prayers!

One of Bobbi Jo's quintuplets, Taylor, really needs some extra prayers today. Poor baby has been diagnosed with severe ROP (where immature blood vessels cause the retina to detach). Last week she had two eye exams (absolutely no fun and in my opinion the worst part about being a preemie), the last one showing improvement, leading her parents and the doctors to believe that she could avoid surgery. However, she was seen again yesterday and now needs immediate surgery on at least her right eye. Robbie and Bobbi Jo are taking her in to Texas Children's Hospital today for the procedure. The surgery only reduces the chance of blindness by about 24% so we need to not only pray for her today but until she is completely out of the woods. She's a fighter though so I have faith that she'll do just fine, let's just send her all the love and prayers possible to give her that little extra boost!

Bobbi Jo has pictures of her four girls and updates on her website http://www.savethewells.net/ for those who are interested! In the Photo Album under September you can see the most recent individual pictures of the girls and sweet Taylor.

Adding to our weekend of firsts...

Labor Day is now our first official holiday to celebrate without one of our triplets becoming critically ill! On Memorial Day, Lauren scared us all with her severe intestine infection (NEC) and on July 4th, Logan had to be readmitted to the NICU for a blocked intestine (pyloric stenosis). Whew...sure does feel good to finally have healthy babies!

***31 new pictures have now been added to our Shutterfly Collection***

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Our Shopping Adventure

On our way!!!

Target here we come!

Pottery Barn Kids

Logan can't believe all the great stuff here!!

Lauren telling her Daddy that she has found her favorite store.

Out to dinner

Lathan exhausted from the day's events!

Wow...what a great weekend! On Saturday we were all feeling a little cooped up and Patrick and I both had places that we wanted to go. Lathan had taken a good nap (a must for any activity to be successful) so we called for backup (Grammie & Aunt Pammie), loaded up the babies and all ventured out! It felt GREAT to leave the house and I think that the kiddos enjoyed seeing something different, especially Pottery Barn Kids! We started out at Target, then moved to the mall where we shopped a little before heading to TinStar for our first dinner out with everyone.

It took 2 cars, 2 diaper bags, and 4 people (one for each baby and one to push the stroller, which ended up full of shopping bags instead of babies when they all decided they would rather be held than strapped down). Overall, we are counting the trip as a success and can't wait to do it again soon!

And to top the weekend off, Patrick and I were treated to a full night out compliments of Aunt Pammie & Jason. Grammie came over early Sunday afternoon so that we could get ready. Aunt Pammie & Jason came by at around 4pm and Patrick and I headed out! We ran some errands before going out to dinner and then to a movie. What fun!!!

Fun with Triplets

Lathan the Great

Lauren is not amused!!!

Sweet Logan

Monday's Doctor Visit

All tucked in for our trip to the medical center!

The baby limo!

Waiting to be weighed

Everyone was exhausted after our big day!

On Monday we went for our 4 month checkup and immunizations. The babies did great and all three got excellent health reports from Dr. Savrick. She discontinued the orders for Lauren's apnea monitor and said the boys should only need theirs for another month or so. We were also told that there was no need to take Lauren in to Texas Children's for a six hour sleep study, that we could go ahead and do away with her oxygen with feeds. (We kind of figured this since Lauren hasn't needed her oxygen since she came home from the hospital!) The babies were measured and weighed, Lathan first weighing 11 pounds 6 ounces and 22 1/2 inches long. Next was Logan weighing in at 10 pounds 5 ounces and measuring 21 1/2 inches long and finally Miss Lauren, 9 pounds 1 ounce and 21 inches long. Each baby got 3 shots as part of their 4 month immunizations and they are all signed up to start receiving monthly vaccinations against the dangerous RSV virus starting in October. They are all right on target developmentally- smiling, cooing and turning their heads to follow toys and objects. We couldn't have asked for a better visit!!!

On our way to the car we ran over Texas Women's and paid a visit to the wonderful nurses that took care of us for 6 weeks during my stay before the babies were born. They were all so nice and caring and we felt very blessed to have 3 healthy babies to show them as a result of their care. After the hospital, we were off to Maw Maw's where we got in a good visit with her and Grandpa. Maw Maw's house is now officially the first location where we went with all three babies together,besides a doctor's office! Lauren went with me to a baby shower 2 weeks ago and Lathan went out for a quick shopping trip with Aunt Pammie and Mommy on Saturday, but we had not been able to get all three out together until Monday! (Our attempt to visit Granny's house this weekend failed miserably due to sporatic naps and overall cranky babies!!!)

The babies slept most of the way back to The Woodlands and we were pleasantly surprised when we arrived home to a spotless house (a BIG thanks to Grammie), dinner (thank you Ms. Harriett) and extra arms for the night (way to go Aunt Pammie)! We were also blessed with a good night's sleep, Lauren sleeping from 9pm until 6am, Logan from 10pm til 6am and Lathan only waking up once at 1am. Unfortunatly this seems to have been a one night occurance as I hear them all starting to stir right now! So I'm off to feed hungry little mouths and hopefully get in a few hours here and there!

*** We've added a new album for this month to our Shutterfly Collection (http://www.guinntriplets.shutterfly.com/action/).

It will contain pictures from August 25th - September 25th...enjoy!!! ***

Look...we've developed our social smiles!!!

One hundred new pictures were added to our shutterfly page (http://www.guinntriplets.shutterfly.com/)!

Jeans!!!

Aunt Pammie bought the babies their first pairs of jeans...how cute!!! Can you tell how excited they get when we decide to play dress up?!?!

***

(Thanks Grammie & Aunt JuJu for your "behind the scenes" work on this picture!!!)

More pictures!!!

Lauren

Lathan

Logan
We've added quite a few more pictures to our shutterfly collection (http://www.guinntriplets.shutterfly.com). Again, no time to sort through them so they are all there...the good and the bad! Above are a few of our favorites from this latest bunch!

Birth Announcement

Once we were all home and tube free, we were able to able to take pictures for our birth announcement...how fun!!!

For more pictures visit:

(New Pictures added August 5th)

http://www.guinntriplets.shutterfly.com/action/

Super Babies!!!

Our NICU days are now officially over!!! Logan was discharged for the second time on July 11th and has done nothing but improve ever since. Here is an overview of what these super babies have conquered these past few months...

Lathan
*Born 28 weeks weighing 2lbs 14.2oz. As of last Monday at his doctor's appointment, he is a whopping 8lbs 4oz!!!
*PDA...ligated (heart surgery), no longer a problem!
*Apnea of prematurity...on home monitor and doing great!
*Chronic lung disease...came home on 100% continuous oxygen
*Bilateral Grade 2 intraventricular hemorrhages (brain bleeds)...nearly resolved!
*Three hernias...so far not causing any problems so they will not need to be removed until this fall when the surgery will be minor and probably won't even require an overnight stay!
*Retinopathy of prematurity(abnormal blood vessels in eye that can scar or cause the retina to detach)...his moderate case is almost clear!

Procedures:
Intubation, Mechanical Ventilation, Nasal CPAP, Oxygen Enrichment, Umbilical arterial catherterization, Umbilical venous catherterization, Perpheral arterial line, Percutaneaous centreal line, Lumbar Puncture, Blood Transfusions, Phototherapy

Lathan came home June 15th after a 52 day long NICU stay.

Lauren:
*Also a 28 weeker (obviously)! She weighed 2lbs 12.3oz at birth but is now about 6 1/2 lbs (the smallest of the group)!
*PDA heart surgery...no more problems!
*Necrotizing Entercolitis (a severe infection of the intestine that almost cost her her little life)...no side effects!
*Apnea of prematurity...on a home monitor and doing really well!
*Gastroesophageal reflux...came home on a cocktail of meds
*Feeding hypoxia...she was sent home with oxygen for her feeds
*Retinopathy of prematurity...her moderate case has not gotten any worse and we hope to get a clear report at her appointment this week!
*Small reducible umbilical hernia...will hopefully go away on its own by the time she is a toddler.

Procedures:
Intubation, Mechanical Ventilation, Nasal CPAP, Oxygen Enrichment, Umbilical venous catheterization, Umbilical arterial catheterization, two Lumbar punctures (spinal taps), Percutaneaous central lines (she had two of these during her stay), Blood transfusions, Photo Therapy, Upper GI's

Lauren came home on June 30th after a 67 day stay in the NICU!

and last but not least...

Logan:
*28 weeker, the smallest at birth weighing 2lbs 10oz. Logan now weighs about 7 1/2 lbs!
*He, too, had the PDA heart surgery and has had no problems since.
*Apnea of prematurity...on home monitor like the others and doing super!
*Pulmonary Edema...resolved
*IVH brain hemmorages...his initial grade 3-4 on the left and grade 2 on the right are now both resolving grade 2's
*Gastroesophageal reflux...he is on medications but is doing MUCH better now that he is at home and in a more relaxed environment!
*Retinopathy of prematurity...the first of our three to be given the all clear
*Feeding difficulties...Logan was discharged with a 30 day nasal feeding tube
*Pyloric Stenosis (blocked intestine that landed him back in the NICU after only 3 days at home)...repaired and we have seen huge improvements in Logan's feedings ever since!
*Three large hernias...repaired during his pyloromyotomy surgery!

Procedures:
Intubation, Mechanical Ventilation, Nasal CPAP, Oxygen enrichment, Umbilical artery catheterization, Umbilical venous catheterization, Peripheral arterial lines (two for him), Lumbar puncture, Blood transfusions, Phototherapy, Upper GI

Logan was discharged originally on July 1st but then readmitted on July 4th. His final discharge was on July 11th for a total of 76 days in the NICU!

All of the babies are doing remarkably well and have improved so very much since April, I think the pictures in the post below prove that! We are enjoying every moment of having them home and can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!

For all our pictures, visit our Shutterfly website at:

http://www.guinntriplets.shutterfly.com/action/

Look how much we've grown...our progress in pictures!

Lathan
Lauren
Logan
Lauren
Logan
Lathan

We Got So Close!!!

Well we were a complete family, everyone home last weekend until...

Lauren was the first to join Lathan, coming home on Friday (June 30th) after a week of ups and downs with her weight. She was presribed her own special formula recipe to help her continue gaining and a cocktail of relux meds. She has home care nurse visits 3 times a week, an apnea monitor and oxygen when she eats. She has loved being home from the second she got here and has continued to improve each and every day!

Logan came home the following day (July 1st) with an NG tube (nasal feeding tube) and an IV pole for feeds. He, too, was presribed his own special formula recipe, a specialized reflux cocktail, apnea monitor and home nurse visits. He did really well his first night home but then things started going down hill. He was unable to keep any of his feeds down and was throwing up constantly. We finally had to readmit him to the level 2 NICU at Texas Women's on Tuesday where he was diagnosed with Pyloric Stenosis (a blockage of the intestine). He was extremely dehydrated and had lost 1 lb during the 2 days that he was at home (pretty significant especially considering he only weighed 7lbs to begin with). He spent the next 2 days on IV's fluids getting rehydrated and was then moved to the level 3 NICU where he was put back on the ventilator and prepped for surgery. His surgery took about an hour and a half while they removed what turned out to be a large pyloric stenosis and also knocked out his 3 hernias (saving him a surgery down the road). They were unable to remove him from the venitlator as quickly as they would have liked but by Friday afternoon he was finally taken off and on Saturday he was moved back to the level 2 NICU where he remains this evening.

We were only home for 2 days but REALLY enjoyed skipping our trips to Texas Women's which had been a daily occurance for us since I was admitted March 16th. We are expecting to once again be free from the medical center sometime this week and can't wait to have all of our little ones reunited again!

***We have finally updated our shutterfly pictures***

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Quintuplets

My friend Bobbi Jo, who I met through a Woodlands Mom's of Multiples group, had her quintuplets yesterday at 26 weeks. She was carrying 4 girls and 1 boy but unfortutely despite all the doctors' best efforts, the little boy became an angel last night. The four girls are in guarded conditions and Bobbi Jo herself is having problems and has been moved to ICU. We are praying for their entire family and hope that you all will too.

On a lighter note, Lathan is home and doing very well. We are loving every minute having him with us. Logan and Lauren are also doing well, just trying to figure out the feeding through a bottle thing. Both had upper GI's performed this week and were diagnosed with severe reflux. They have been prescribed a "cocktail" of meds which should hopefully kick in in these next few days. The bottles are the only things holding them back from going home so it shouldn't be too much longer!

Can't Wait!!!

It looks like Lathan will be the first to come home! He is taking the full 8 bottles per day and was transferred this morning to an open crib, meaning he is now regulating his own body temperature. He will more than likely come home on oxygen for at least his feeds and may come equipped with an apnea montior (something we will glady welcome). If all continues to go well, we should have him home with us by Friday...we can't wait! We'll be taking a trip to Texas Children's soon to have an MRI done to see what his brain bleeds are doing. They had hoped that they would have resolved on their own by now but Lathan has other plans...we'll just have to wait and see what those are! He will also be taking a trip to the eye doctor for a follow up eye exam for his ROP. His case is mild and will hopefully take care of it self but just to be safe, we'll have to keep a close eye on him. Other than that, he will be FREE!!!

Lauren won't be far behind. She is on 5 bottles per day and other than the fact that she is on specialized formula that smells rotten (and from the looks of her during feedings, it apparently tastes that way too) she is handling them pretty well. Her PIC line (central line) should be removed sometime this week and hopefully she'll continue make her dash for the exit. We're thinking it could be as early as next week that we get to call her our own!

As for Logan, we are praying that we won't still be visiting the NICU come Christmas time. He has been on 1 bottle for a week and a half now and still doesn't come close to finishing it. His reflux is really bad and the feeding tube seems to be his method of choice. The pediatrician did say though, that babies can come home on feeding tubes if absolutely necessary so we figure that at the very MOST he will be there another 3 1/2 weeks. We're crossing our fingers!

Although we are VERY ready for everyone to meet the trio, we will have to limit visitors for the first few weeks. The babies have compromised immune systems and the change of environments alone will be a challenge for them. We promise to let everyone know when the doors of our home can be open but for a while we'll need to get the babies settled (and Patrick and I wouldn't mind some time to adjust either)!

Please keep those prayers coming...we're almost there!!!

All Smiles Today!!!

Logan

Lauren

Lathan

Our little ones...

All three babies look to be finishing off the week on good notes!

Logan hit the 5lb mark last night (he is a TUB!) and was started on one bottle feed per day. His head ultrasound from this week showed that his brain bleeds are not getting any worse and more than likely won't need treatment...yeah! He is being weaned from his oxygen and seems to be handling it very well. Go Logan!

Lathan became our first to officially start bottle feeds this week. He was very successful at his first bottle Wednesday, finishing it all within the 20 min "goal" range (he actually only took 15 min - what a champ!). He was doing so well that they have increased his bottle feeds to 2x day and let me give him one of the feeds this morning! He, too, is being weaned from his oxygen and doing very well. We found out this week that he has a hernia that will need to be surgically removed but hopefully we can wait until he is 55 weeks gestation when the surgery is fairly easy and considered day surgery. As for his head ultrasound results, they came back this morning and showed that the ventricles that were bleeding have now developed cysts. He will have another ultrasound next week and we hope to find out more info. We pretty much feel like we are going down the list of possible preemie problems and are just checking them all off...we are thankful though that they are all problems that we can/will get through!

Miss Lauren is recovering nicely from her tummy troubles although she is a little ticked going on 7 days with no food. We are able to hold her again and she is back in her cozy isolette protected from all of the noise and lights of the NICU. She got a central line put in so they are no longer having to start multiples IV's each day which I know she is happy about. She is right under 4lbs and cuter than ever!

The Robinson's

Some of you may have seen comments posted on our blog from "friends of Jessy and Steve". I met Jessy and her husband at a Mom's of Multiples meeting earlier this year. We were both expecting triplets and due only about a week apart. We've kept in contact with each other these past few months and on May 15th, their triplets were born. One of their sons Nickolas spent a short time in a pod next to Lauren and Logan in the level 3 NICU but now, not only are we in the same level nursery (2), we are all in the "D" nursery and our babies are right next to each other...what wonderful roomates! Their triplets, Nickolas, Willem, & Emmy are all absolutely beautiful and are doing very well. We were touched to find that on their family blog, the Robinson's were asking that their friends and family also pray for our little ones (the first request was sent out with their "24 hours after birth" post when they probably had a million other things to think about!). We would like to return the kindness and ask OUR friends and family to add them to your prayer lists. Their blog address is http://robinsontrips.blog.com/ if you would like to read about their journey. They are a very special family and we are very blessed to have met them!

Our prayers are being answered!!!

Lauren is doing so much better! Each doctor that came around today told us how amazed they were at her progress. One of the neonatologist said that she couldn't believe Lauren made it through these past few days without having emergency surgery. She said that you just don't see x-rays like hers very often have happy endings. The pediatric surgeon even came by and when he saw her x-ray from this morning he said that he was amazed and that we must have had a lot of people praying for her because he had never seen a case as bad as hers clear up as fast as hers has. We sure do have one special little lady and one heck of a prayer team!!!

We are so fortunate that the timing of this weekend worked out like it did. For starters, Patrick and I had never been to a late night shift but decided that Saturday night we would like to be there and see the nightly activities. That's when Patrick and I (& Mom) noticed how sick she looked and don't know if it would have been that obvious if we had been with her all day. We were also extremely fortunate that the night nurse and the nurse practitioner knew us and knew Lauren and took our concerns seriously and also recognized themselves that Lauren was acting differently. Lauren's blood work and spinal taps both came back clear and her throwing up would not have set off any big red flags, so her acting strangely and the staff's and our funny feelings were really the only things that kept them watching and testing her. Apparently the first real symptom that would get them worried would be a bloody diaper which Lauren finally got late Sunday night (after she had had 3 rounds of very strong antibiotics, after 2 blood transfusions and after we had met with the pediatric surgeon). It very easily could have been too late for her if this had been the first sign. They told us that often times infants don't give indications that they're sick and by the time they do, the intestines have been too damaged for the baby to survive. Pretty scary stuff.

Lauren has now made it through day 3 and will be on antibiotics and no feedings for another 7 days. She has had 3 head IV's and probably 11 IV's in her arms and legs. Today she got a PIC line (central line) so hopefully they can stop sticking her so much. Not only will she need the IV's for the remaining 7 days of antiobiotics but she will also need IV fluids and lipids until she gets back up to her full feedings. She looks so much better and is moving around again (Sunday she barely moved at all) and she is even getting a little fiesty which is a good indication that she feels better. We even caught a couple of smiles!

And as for the boys, Logan is up to 40cc of formula and is packing on the pounds...he weighs 4lbs 10oz and is accumulating lots of cute baby rolls. We got to dress him yesterday and aren't sure he'll be in preemie clothes much longer, he is a chunk (a very cute chunk)! I think that they will let him try the bottle tomorrow and see how he does. He's doing great overall!

We gave Lathan a bath for the first time last night. I've never seen such fear on a baby's face!!! I told Patrick it looked as if he was signaling to Logan "I told you we were born too early...they never made it to the parenting class and learned how to bathe a baby!" We all survived though and I think that Lathan is thankful this is not an every night occurance. He too is doing very well and we hope to get to try the bottle with him tomorrow.

Thank you to EVERYONE for their continued support and for the daily and extra prayers that these babies are getting...it is definetly working!!!

Extra Prayers Needed!

Our little Lauren has turned from the healthiest of our trio to now probably the most critical any of them have ever been. She has been diagnosed with a very serious infection of the intestines called Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC). During our visit Saturday night we noticed that Lauren was not acting at all like herself. She was very lethargic and just didn't look right. We let her nurse know but her blood levels had recently been checked and came back fine so they just figured she was having an off day. Later that evening, we were in the level 3 NICU visiting the boys and we got a call saying Lauren was throwing up and so they were going to stop her feedings and draw her blood again. The blood test came back negative for infection but they decided to discontinue her feedings for the remainder of the night. We were told that she was probably fine and that her tummy more than likely just needed a break. However at 4:30am we got a call from the hospital saying that Lauren was really acting very sick and was having a lot of apnea spells (where she stops breathing) and they needed our consent to perform a spinal tap. They also took an X-Ray of her belly and that's when they saw the problem. Lauren was started on 3 very strong antibiotics and will have her feedings stopped for a minimum of 10 days. She was also given 2 blood transfusions and gets X-rays every couple of hours. When we got to the hospital this morning she had been stuck for IV's 8 times, had a spinal tap, had her blood drawn from her heel several times, was put on oxygen, taken out of her cozy isolette and moved to an open bed, and was left with an IV in her head and one in her arm.

These next few hours/days are extremely critical for Lauren. Hopefully the antibiotics will work and the problem will clear up without damaging her intestines at all, saving her from surgery. We had a consult with a pediatric surgeon tonight who said that if surgery is necessary, hopefully it can be postponed long enough for them to figure out what part of the intestines are the most damaged and would need to be removed. Otherwise they go in and aren't always successful in saving enough of the gut needed for survival. Lauren's last X-ray was at 8pm and showed some improvement. The neonatologist said that although we were no where close to being out of the woods, it was encouraging that the condition was responding to the first few rounds of antibiotics.

The good news for the weekend...Logan and Lathan are both doing very well, are CPAP free and were graduated today to the Level 2 NICU...YIPPEE!!!

What a great weekend!!!

Miss Lauren has now graduated to the level 2 NICU where the less critical babies stay! She is on her way to regulating her own body temperature and soon we will be able to dress her in cute pink preemie clothes...I know she is excited! She weighes just over 3 lbs and continues to improve each and every day.

Logan had his CPAP removed today and was given a nasal canula instead. He was so much happier, in fact, when we left he was laying flat on his face, something he was not able to do with the large CPAP. He was wide awake for most of our visit and taking in his unobstructed view of the NICU. His feeding have increased and so has he (3lbs 11oz)! He is now able to wear clothes and he is regulating his own temperature very well.

Lathan is way down on his oxygen (under 30%) and is doing GREAT! I think that if he weren't connected to all the tubes he would crawl his way out of the hospital...he is very strong and doesn't stay still for long. He still has his CPAP and keeps the nurses on their toes trying to make sure that he doesn't wiggle himself out of the pronges (which happens about every 5 minutes)!

One of the nurses in the level 3 nursery requested that she be the primary care nurse for our little ones when the babies all move to the level 2 NICU. Apparently she has completely fallen in love with them during these past three weeks...pretty cool that they are already so darn lovable!

FINALLY

We were finally able to hold Lathan for the first time Tuesday night (his 3 week birthday)! He was moved from a Hudson CPAP to the smaller one like Lauren & Logan have been on and his oxygen was turned down a little. We were only able to hold him for a few minutes before his monitors started alarming but we enjoyed every second of it. Since then, we have been able to hold him each day and he really seems to like it...YEA Lathan!!! He continues to improve each day and is growing like a champ. His head ultrasound today showed that his level 2 brain bleeds are smaller although not quite at level 1's...maybe next week!

Logan's ultrasound results weren't in by the time we left this evening so we will probably find out something tomorrow. Logan continues to struggle with his feedings although he is now the heaviest of the three babies weighing 3 1/2 lbs...that's over a pound heavier than he was at birth! His CPAP pressure was turned down today to a 6 so if all goes well he will be CPAP free within the next week! He was receiving blood transfusions earlier this week through an IV in his head which was finally removed this morning. Thank goodness...it looked terribly uncomfortable and couldn't have been much fun!

And as for Lauren...she is now CPAP free! This morning they decided to take her off and she has been breathing on her own ever since. They are going to monitor her closely but at the very most they would just have to add a small nasal tube instead of the invasive CPAP. So far though, she isn't acting like she needs any assistance and is showing off to her brothers! We were able to do Kangaroo Care with her today ("skin to skin" hold) and she did really well. Can't wait to see what she'll do next!

We've added some pictures to our shutterfly page...ENJOY!
http://www.guinntriplets.shutterfly.com

Sunday

The past few days have been fairly good for all three babies. Here is the latest from our visit today!

Lauren is on full feeds so she no longer has a PIC line in her arm (which was used to deliver lipids and nutrients). She is right under 3lbs and is still a very content baby. Early this morning her temperature got high so they were watching her throughout the day to make sure that she hadn't developed an infection. More than likely she was just laying too long on her temperature probe that is stuck to her belly. Her CPAP pressure has been turned down to an 8 and if we can get her down to a 5 or 6 they will be able to remove it and give her a much smaller tube in her nose. We'll keep our fingers crossed!!!

Logan had a rough day today. He began feeding again a few days ago but this morning his tummy started rejecting it and he started throwing up. His feeding were stopped and when they drew his blood they found that he was anemic. He had an IV started and received blood transfusions throughout the day. His temperature was off in his isolette so we were asked not to open it and were not allowed to hold him since he had had such a tramatic morning. Poor baby. We got good news though regarding his weekly head ultrasound. His grade 2 & 3 brain bleeds have not gotten worse and appear to be stable. He will be monitored again next week and hopefully they will have shrunk!

Lathan is looking really good...if only his lungs would cooperate! He had gone down to about 48% oxygen but the amount has slowly made its way back up to 59%. We need for him to get below 30% so that we will be able to hold him for the first time...the wait is killing us!!! He had an x-ray and it still showed quite a bit of fluid in his lungs so they are increasing his meds to clear that up. He is almost on full feeds and weighs over 3 lbs! He also received his weekly head ultrasound and his brain bleeds have not gotten any worse however one ventricle seems to be enlarged so they will watch it closely (measure the circumference of his head each day and weekly ultrasounds) to make sure it doesn't cause any problems.

That's all I can think of...more to come this week!

Tuesday

Quick update on the babies...

We still have not been able to hold Lathan. He remains on the Hudson CPAP and his oxygen need is too high, although it has come down from 70% to about 57%. Apparently it needs to be closer to 30% before they are comfortable moving him from his cozy bed. He is tolerating his food well and has progressed from 3cc's a day or two ago to 10cc's (I think he is trying to make up for lost time!). He continues to look more and more comfortable each day in his isolette which makes us really happy!

Logan has developed some sort of stomach problem so he has been off feedings since yesterday. They were giving him another x-ray when we left tonight so hopefully that has come back clear and he can get some more food on his belly...poor guy! He had both of his eyes open for a good part of our visit which was really fun to see. Most of the time he only opens one or the other and even that "peeking" is not as frequent as what we get with Lathan & Lauren.

And Lauren, as usual, was asleep most of the afternoon and is continuing to do very well. She is up to 19cc's of milk (more than 1/2 ounce)! Two nurses have told us that it is common for the girl in a group of multiples to do a little bit better than the boys, especially respiratory wise. She sure is proving that theory right!

Pictures

For pictures of the babies visit...

www.guinntriplets.shutterfly.com

We'll add pictures frequently so be sure to check back often...ENJOY!!!

An update...Lauren and Logan are doing very well, both have increased their feedings (Lauren 12cc's every 3 hours, and Logan 9cc's). Lathan has had some trouble with his CPAP so he has had to move to a Hudson CPAP which involves longer pronges in his nose. He is on quite a bit of oxygen (about 70% whereas Lauren and Logan are now on room air 21%). He received his first feeding today through the feeding tube and was moved to an isolette. Hopefully those "upgrades" will improve his lung situation. We are hoping that we can hold him for the first time tomorrow...can't wait!!!

The babies' journies so far...

The babies are all in the level III NICU at Texas Women's Hospital and will remain there probably until around mid July. For the first few days they had normal preemie problems including breathing issues, blood pressure fluctuations, etc. We found out last Friday that all three babies had PDA's which is when the fetal connection between the aorta and the pulmonary artery don't close properly. Lathan and Lauren's PDA's were large and Logan's was moderate so all babies had heart surgery that night. All three surgeries were done at their bedsides and took only 54 minutes. The surgeon said that their hearts were the size of pecans and that their bodies only hold 2 tablespoons of blood...pretty amazing!

Lauren's condition improved immediately. She was off the ventilator a few days later and switched to a CPAP (tubes in her nose that produce pressure but allow her to breath on her own). Her tubes were removed from her umbilical line and she was switched to a more permanent PIC line in her arm. She was also promoted to an isolette, given a pacifier and rolled on her tummy which she seems to really enjoy. She got her first feeding of breast milk through a feeding tube earlier this week and so far she is tolerating it well. Go Lauren!!!

Logan was right behind Lauren getting moved to the CPAP on Tuesday and to an isolette yesterday. He hated the CPAP at first and looked extremlely uncomfortable but once he got used to it and rolled on his tummy he seems to be a much happier baby. He too has a pacifier and with the ventilator removed he is able to cry and voice his opinions easier. He too has started receiving milk through a feeding tube and has graduated from 3cc's to 6cc every 3 hours. We found out today that he has 2 IVH's (brain hemorrhages). One is considered a 2 (on a scale of 1-4) and the other is being considered a 3, although they can't rule out yet that it isn't a 4. He will be monitored weekly with head ultrasounds and hopefully the condition will resolve on its own. If not, there are medications they can use and as a last resort he would be transferred to Texas Children's to have a shunt put in. We are praying obviously that this resolves on its own and that there are no long term consequences.

Lathan has struggled a little more than the others but the doctors tell us its pretty normal. Poor thing has had terrible luck when it comes to getting poked and proded. All babies required a spinal tap and Lathan had to have 2 because the first one they were unable to get any fluid. He has been stuck 3 times for a PIC line, the last of which finally worked in his foot. His heals are all bruised from all the sticks and he flinches now when you touch him. I'm sure he's just scared of what's next. The radiologist who finally got the PIC line started said that they gave him a good dose of pain medication and sedation medicine, neither of which seemed to phase him. His lungs have had more trouble than the other two babies and for the past few days he has been given asthma medications to help them out. Today he was finally moved to the CPAP and hopefully he will be promoted to his isolette within the next few days. He, like Logan, has 2 IVH brain hemorrages although his are fairly mild, both being graded 2's. He will also get weekly head scans with the hopes that the condition resolves on its own. He sure is a fighter!!! He has not started feeding and is still in an open air bed but hopefully soon he will graduate like his brother and sister!

Thanks to everyone for their prayers...please keep them coming!!!

Our triplets have arrived!!!

Lathan

Lauren

Logan

Our triplets were born on April 25th...12 weeks early. We had an ultrasound that morning and all looked great. In fact, Dr. Kirshon had said that he thought we could make it another 7 weeks. The babies must have heard that and thought otherwise. Late that afternoon I went into labor that couldn't be stopped and was prepped for a c-section. Logan was born first at 7:42pm weighing 2lbs 10.7 oz (13" long), then Lauren at 7:43pm weighing 2lbs 12.3oz (15.75" long) and last but not least was Lathan at 7:44pm weighing 2lbs 14.2oz (15.5" long).

What beautiful blessings!!!

Week 28

Week Twenty-Eight

* Eyebrows and eyelashes are now very noticeable!
* Hair on baby's head is growing longer. Some babies are born with almost none at all, while others appear to be ready for their first haircut!
* Eyes are completely formed now. Quite a view from inside!
* Your baby's body is getting plump and rounded. Most of that increase is muscle tissue and bone. Fat will be added during the third trimester.
* Muscle tone is improving. Preparation for the Olympics feels like it is taking place in your womb!
* Lungs are capable of breathing now (but baby would still struggle and require medical attention if born now)
* Talk to your baby often, reading stories, singing songs and more. He or she can recognize your voice now and will often calm to it later on!

Week 27

Week Twenty-Seven

* Your little one's brain continues its rapid growth. Don't forget to share music, conversation, and even books with your baby!
* Response to sound grows more consistent toward the end of the seventh month, when the network of nerves to the ear is complete. Your baby's hearing continues to develop, he or she may start to recognize your voice as well as your partner's.
* Lungs continue to grow and prepare for functioning outside of the womb. Each day in the womb greatly increases survival rates!
* He also continues to take small breaths and although he's only breathing in water and not air, it's still good practice for when he's born.
* Eyelids are now open more. Your baby can distinguish between light and dark.
Retinas have formed.
* Your baby will grow over ½ inch this week alone! You may suspect this phenominal growth rate repeats in the preteen years!

One month down...Two to go!!!

We were admitted to the hospital 4 weeks ago tomorrow...I'm still trying to decide if time is going by quickly or extremely slowly!

Here are the highlights of our stay so far (keep in mind, I only have one hand to type with and I am kind of foggy due to all the meds :)...
When we first checked in, my contractions were every 3-5 minutes, got hooked up to an IV of Magnesium (I'm convinced its really poison) in my arm and a Terbuteline pump in my leg. So far we've been able to control everything and we've pretty much been cruising by with little to no problems. We did have a little scare though this past Monday night when my water broke and Lathan's heart rate started taking some dips. Turns out it was actually Logan's bag that burst, the best scenario for the situation. Since he is the lowest baby his head is actually plugging the leak (Patrick has nick named him "cork boy"). They've added an antibiotic to my IV, increased the magnesium, restricted my activities even more and now monitor the babies and my contractions a few more times each day. If all stays like it is, Dr. Kirshon says that we shouldn't have a problem making it until mid June. Hopefully my belly won't pop before then! Each baby weighs about 2 pounds 3 ounces and all are very active. Hopefully we'll get some ultrasound photos posted soon, although the hospital only does the old fashioned ultrasounds; not nearly as fun as the 3 and 4d's we're used to!!!

Thanks to everyone for the visits, goodies, flowers, well wishes, cookies, meals (Mom sure is keeping all 5 of us fed well, bringing us dinner most every night...WOW!), and a really special thanks to Kenny and Dana who have gotten us set up with a fantastic laptop and internet connection.

Now if they would only allow Spongebob to stay with us and come up with wireless/needle-less IV's I would have nothing to complain about!!!

Week 26

Week Twenty-Six

* To support the fetus's growing body, the spine is getting stronger and more supple. Though no longer than the span of the average adult hand, it is now made up of 150 joints, 33 rings, and some 1,000 ligaments.
* Air sacs in the lungs form now.
* Lungs begin to secrete a greasy substance called surfactant. Without surfactant the fetal lungs would stick together and couldn't expand after the baby is born.
* Although they've been sealed shut for the last few months, your baby's eyes are opening and beginning to blink this week. Depending on ethnicity, some babies will be born with blue or gray-blue eyes (which may change color in the first 6 months of life) and some will be born with brown or dark eyes.
* Retinas begin to form.
* Brain wave activity for hearing and sight begins to be detectable.
* Fetal brain scans show response to touch. If you shine a light on your abdomen, your baby will turn his head, which according to researchers, means his optic nerve is working.

Catching up!!!

Week Twenty-Three

* Proportions of the body are now quite similar to a newborn although thinner since he hasn't begun to form body fat.
* Bones located in the middle ear harden.
* Your baby is able to hear. (Dads, did you know: low-frequency sounds mimicking a male voice penetrate the abdomen and uterine wall better than the higher frequencies of the female voice?) * The eyes are formed, though the iris still lacks pigmentation.
* The pancreas, essential in the production of hormones, is developing steadily. She has begun producing insulin, important for the breakdown of sugars.
* If born now, your baby has a 15% chance of survival, his odds going up with each passing day. * The average baby at this stage weighs 1.1 pound (501gm) and is 11.38 inches (28.9cm) long.

Week Twenty-Four

* Bring on the bulk! Baby gains about 6 ounces this week. The weight is in muscle, bone mass and organs.
* His body begins to fill out with his appearance increasingly becoming more like a newborn.
* Taste buds begin to form. If mom drinks something strange or bitter, baby may be observed showing his distaste.
* Little creases have appeared on his palms. The muscular coordination of his hands has improved as he sucks his thumb.
* Over the next seven days the sweat glands will be forming in the skin.
* His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily.
* This week your baby is officially considered viable.

Week Twenty-Five

* The structures of the spine begin to form -- joints, ligaments and rings. These will protect the all important spinal cord which serves as the information transmitter for your child's body.
* Blood vessels of the lungs develop.
* Your baby's nostrils begin to open. There is a study out of Belfast that suggests babies at this stage have the capability of scent preferences!
* The nerves around the mouth and lip area are showing more sensitivity now. When baby is rooting for food later on, these will be valuable!
* His swallowing reflexes are developing.
* Dexterity is improving. Your baby can make a fist and would clasp objects placed in palm.

Week 22

Week 22

* Your baby weighs close to a pound at this point (ours weigh more :) )!
* Your baby can now hear your conversations more clearly than before!. When you talk, read, or sing, expect her to hear you. Studies have found that newborns will suck more vigorously when read to from a book they heard frequently in utero.
* Eyelids and eyebrows are fully formed.
* Fingernails have grown to the end of the fingers.
* Be prepared for all those "Why" questions coming! Your baby's brain has entered a stage of rapid growth, especially in what's called the germinal matrix. This structure deep in the middle of the brain serves as a kind of factory for brain cells and disappears shortly before birth. But the brain's amazing expansion program continues until around the five birthday.
* With some help from mom, baby's liver is starting to break down bilirubin, a substance produced by red blood cells.

4d Ultrasound Pics (21 weeks 2 days)

Baby A (Lathan)

Baby C (Lauren)

Baby B (Logan) - about to be slapped in the face by Lathan!!!

Our appointment went VERY well! The boys were really putting on a show...kicking and hitting each other. I'm pretty sure that Lauren was probably rolling her eyes as she curled up and tried to get away from her brothers! Each baby is over 12 inches long and each weigh a little over one pound (Baby A - 1 lb 1 oz) (Baby B - 1lb 3 oz) (Baby C - 1lb 1 oz). Dr. Kirshon said he was extremely pleased with all of their growths and their development. All babies have ample amounts of amniotic fluid and blood flow so he said that as long as I continue to take it easy and stay around the house that I don't have to go on bedrest just yet!

Next appointment will be in 3 weeks!

Week 21

Week 21

* White blood cells are under production. Leukocytes (or white blood cells) form our body's defense sytems. They help fight infections and diseases.
* Your little one's skin has changed from translucent to become more opaque.
* Your infant's tongue is fully formed. If you were able to peek you might catch your son or daughter practicing giving you a raspberry!
* Baby swallows more this week. After your baby takes in amniotic fluid, his body absorbs the water in the liquid and moves the rest into the large bowel. This is good practice for his digestive system!
* Wake and sleep periods become more consistent. Some research suggests that baby sets her internal clock to match the outside world's even before birth! Your eating and sleeping habits as well levels of light and noise serve as her signals.
* Length is now measured crown to heel.
* Baby measures about 10.51 inches (26.7cm) and weighs nearly 12.7 ounces (360g).