PROUD Big Brother Brody Meets the Trips!!

Yes, Brody got to meet his little brothers today, more on that later!

Mom, Dad, Uncle T, and Auntie D went to visit the boys today for their 11am cares. (There is a new "donation only" daycare that recently opened where we have taken Brody for a couple hours each day and he has adapted to it really well. When I asked him yesterday what he wanted to do today he said "go play with my "hospital friends!" Such a sweet boy!!) We have found that if we go to the 11am cares it times it perfectly for getting an in-person report from the neonatologist and allows us to ask any additional questions we may have. Updates:

Evan and Riley: (funny how they are on the same page with everything, can't wait for P to join them!) Both removed from the Bili-Blankets and are now sunglass and glow-warm free!! Oxygen monitoring has been discontinued and their IVs will be soon to follow as their feedings continue to increase. Currently they are only getting additional nutrients through their IVs which will no longer be needed when they reach 25 ml of breast milk (via feeding tube) every 3 hours. They started at 3 ml and are now at about 17 ml and increasing daily. I can't believe these 2 will be almost completely cord free within a matter of days, they have progressed so fast and are doing great!

E and R also had echocardiograms today "just to see" and both checked out great. No PDA issues or bicuspid aortic valves instead of tricuspid aortic valves. I may have forgot to mention that Payton had an incidental cardiac finding during his echo that showed him having bicuspid valve, which happens and most of the time we don't know this until much later in life or not at all. Payton will follow-up with Cardiologist regarding this within the next year they say.

Payton: We got to hold him last night for the first time each, it was magical! Ben snuggled him first while I pumped and then I had the pleasure and he tolerated it all extremely well, such a relief at last. While I was holding him I put my hand on his chest and told him how special he was and that he was named first and the other names had to "fit" with his and that we loved him so much! He then reached both of his hands around my index and middle finger and squeezed them before simply holding them for the next 30 minutes, it melted my heart! It was like it was he way of reassuring me that he was ok and knew that we have been there for him this whole time, even after all the "hands on" care we have only been able to provide for his brothers. This is something Ben and I have struggled with this whole time, feeling like we were caring for "twins" :( But we have to admit that doing a 3rd set of cares of snuggle time was completely different last night and A LOT more time consuming, haha. I guess we were able to ease into the whole triplet parenting!!

Payton is still on the overhead bili-light but his labs decreased as well, so he is on his way. His lungs keep looking better and his CO2 labs were improved, which is great and means he is progressing without the help of a vent- go buddy!! They had to stop his tube feedings while on the PDA medicine which the last dose will be given this evening and a repeat echo to check on the PDA will happen Friday morning. We all feel he will continue on this positive trend, thanks for all the prayers!!

Mommy is also feeling better with everyday and I feel that I today has definitely been my best so far. I am starting to ween off of the pain meds, but still have a way to go. The flood gates have been open....my milk is in!! Trying to pump every 2-3 hrs is hard work, especially when I am so tired and sore from the c-section but it is definitely paying off. I get great encourage from Ben and all of the nurses who congratulate me when the boys get their entire feedings from just me and the extra calories that now add as well. (Oh, forgot to mention that all boys have "bottomed-out" and are now back to gaining weight!! Thatta boys ;) hopefully they get back up and past their birth weights very soon.)

THE BEST part of today was when Brody met his little brothers! He did such a great job, just like we assumed he would. I was holding Riley in my shirt "kangaroo style", Evan was swaddled in his side of the crib and Payton was in his crib with his sunglasses and CPAP covering most of his face. Ben carried Brody in and introduced Big Brother to the NICU. When Brody saw me holding Riley Ben brought him over and let him touch his back and say hello, immediately Brody said "I want to meet Evan!" so Ben brought him over to Evan and Brody touched his head and then said "I want to meet Payton!!" so Ben brought him over to see Payton to say hello. (It was so cute that he had to "meet" everyone before he settled in to really see what was going on <3 ) Brody was truly a PROUD big brother when he told them each that he loved them, read them a story and told us all that HE had 3 little brothers that he was going to take care of!

I could go on forever, truly. I will post a few pics and be done for today though! (I am in the habit of taking an afternoon nap in bed and writing this on our mini laptop in bed when I wake up if anyone is wondering how I get this done ;) and also because we have great support helping us out so we can do things like this!!)

UPDATE*** Pics have to wait :( Sorry!! I just spent FOREVER picking a bunch out and then lost all the hard work I did uploading each of them, UGH! I must pump now and head back to the NICU....OK, I will post a couple- but not the story line I was hoping for!!

 Evan and Daddy, Riley and Mommy (in our "Kangaroo" chairs)

 Sweet Payton (under his bili-light)

 Mom and Dad doing "baby cares"

Riley on the left (IV currently in scalp :( ) and Evan on the right....roomies :)