Catch me if you can!

We've been taking pictures of the babies on their weekly "birthday".  It helps us remember the big changes from week to week -- this week we moved from plastic cribs to big cribs with mattresses that can be inclined. The weekly pictures also remind us how far the babies have come since June 27th!

The boys are both pretty laid-back, so it's fairly easy to get pictures of them that capture their faces, their length, and the number that tells us how old they are.  Grace is a different story...

The babies are all dealing with reflux, which is the primary reason they're all still in the hospital (and part of the reason Grace is so wiggly!).  Reflux makes them hold their breath (apnea).  When they hold their breath, their heart rates drop (bradycardia or "brady").  They're on monitors that are set to alarm when their respiratory rates and heart rates drop below a certain level.  In order to be discharged, they have to go five to seven days without having a significant apnea or brady event.  For the past week or so, the babies would get close to five days without an event, then they'd have a significant brady.  Each time they have a significant brady, the clock resets and we have to wait another five days.  This week they were all switched from breast milk to a really thick formula that is much harder to reflux.  So far, the formula hasn't eliminated the bradyies, but has reduced their frequency.  We're hoping that another week of growth and formula will sufficiently address these bradyies, because we're ready to bring our triplets home!

Bottle Feeding

Before the triplets can come home, they need to be able to take all eight of their daily feedings by bottle.  That process began a few weeks ago and since it has been a while, we wanted to share some pictures:

Colin (8/3/13) 

Cash (8/3/13)

Though we could not find a good picture of Grace feeding, we could not leave her out:

Grace (8/3/13)

We have moved!

About a week and a half ago, the doctor wrote orders for Grace and Colin to graduate to the Progressive Care Nursery. The NICU staff knew it would be challenging for us to juggle having babies on two different floors in the hospital, so they left Grace and Colin in the NICU until Cash was ready to move.  On Tuesday, Cash got his orders to graduate!

Tuesday night, the babies left the "Williams Wall" in the NICU for their own room in the Progressive Care Nursery.

The nurses explained that their goal in the NICU is to stabilize the baby, while their goal in the Progressive Care Nursery is to get the baby (and parents) ready to go home.  Preemies usually go home close to their due date.  The triplets were due on September 4th.  So, if all goes well, we have about a month of work ahead of us to get the babies ready to go home.

The Williams Wall - Grace, Cash, Colin

Progressive Care Nursery - Grace, Cash, Colin

On Thursday night, the babies moved from their isolettes to open-air cribs!  Colin and Grace tried open-air cribs last weekend, but they weren't able to maintain their temperatures, so they had to go back into the isolettes.  So far, this time around, all of the babies have been able to keep their temperatures up!

Open-air cribs in the progressive care nursery.  

And because I can't end a post without including their sweet faces...

Colin, Cash, and Grace.  My first time holding all three together!

Cash gets a bath!

Normally, the babies get baths during the night shift twice a week.  Cash made a bit of a mess one day this week and found himself in great need of a mid-day bath.  Lucky for me, I was able to bathe Cash for the first time -- my first opportunity to bathe any of the babies!  

The babies are bathed in the container that is used to weigh them.  The container is wheeled up to the side of the baby's isolette.  A heat lamp helps keep the baby warm.  

I think it went pretty well.  However, I'm not sure that Cash would agree...

Cash getting a bath

He was tolerant of my novice ability at first

He became skeptical pretty quickly

By the time I got to his hair, he had no patience left for me!

All clean!

Party in the NICU!

All of the babies got to hang out together for the first time this week!  Just before Colin's 2 a.m. feeding, the babies had a little party and the nurses decided to do a photoshoot.  Grace showed off a few of her moves...

Cash, Grace, and Colin - 24 days old

Check out our weekly pictures to see who hit 4 lbs!

Colin & Cash - Together Again

Prior to June 27th, Colin & Cash were roommates in the plush residence otherwise known as Erin's womb. Then, out of the blue, Colin decided that he was ready to move out, and they haven't spoken since.

In an effort to resolve their differences and put the past behind them (and because their feeding schedules finally lined up...) the boys got back together today.

Colin & Cash (22 days old)

The reunion was icy at first, but Colin finally won Cash over, and the boys decided to commemorate the historic event by wearing matching hats.

Colin & Cash (22 days old)

And, now, for your viewing pleasure...

And not to be outdone by her older brothers, it's Grace!

Grace (22 days old)

Who is that other baby??

On Wednesday, I was able to hold Cash and Grace at the same time!

Cash and Grace - 13 days old

When I moved them so that they were side-by-side, Cash cut his eyes over at Grace -- which I interpreted as Cash saying, "Who is that other baby and what is she doing here??"  But, really, none of them has any control over their eyes at this point.  When the babies are awake, their eyeballs roll all over the place!

Grace and Cash - 13 days old