Three for Thursday – Slowing Down Edition

Uncle Antnee, Owen, Aunt Lissa and Bella

Each Thursday, for the near future, I give updates on how our baby triplets are doing in the hospital.  They were born May 28th at 27 weeks gestational age.  Bella Marie born 1lb 14oz, Owen Charles born 1lb 14oz, and Noah Anthony born 2lb 4oz.

A short note about my article posting frequency…I went back to work yesterday so that I could save the bulk of my remaining vacation for when Noah comes home.  I've tried a few times to sit down and write a post yesterday and today, but the babies would get fussy and require attention.  They are my primary focus right now.

Despite my best efforts to continue the five day a week posting schedule, it's just not possible right now if I want to put out anything of quality (no comments from the Peanut gallery).  Thanks to the advice of Cousin Matt and my blogging friend Arvind, as well as others who have chimed in, it makes sense not to press things right now.

So, I will blog when I can for the next month or so as we get the babies more accustomed to our home.  I can guarantee it will be once a week or more, unless something tragic happens, but the five days a week trend will be on hiatus.  Hey it's the Internet…there really is no parameters except that which we try to place on ourselves.  So thank you to everyone for understanding (yes, I am assuming you're understanding).

So back to the Bambinos.  Mr. Noah, the one who is still in the hospital, he's still having a very rough go.  He had a Barium enema to explore the lower intestines to try to find the reason why he isn't digesting his food and they didn't find anything there.

They were going to schedule a GI Tract test to check the stomach going into the intestines.  We're hoping that this occurs in the next few days since he is not eating again.  Speculation is that when he had his bout with NEC a few months back, he may have developed a stricture (narrowing) somewhere in the intestines.  So despite his Pyloric Stenosis surgery, he hasn't fed quite right in nearly two months.

I went to the hospital last night and held him for an hour.  He just looked really defeated by it all, but perhaps I'm just projecting my emotions on to him.  I had to hold him so gently because he has two lines coming out of his head and he is quite miserable.  He has a growth on his right bicep under the skin that they don't know what it is right now.

I just want him to feel better and we feel awfully that we can't be at the hospital with him every day.  We can't bring the babies back into the NICU…some weird No Return policy I guess…actually it's to prevent the spread of germs.  We desperately want him home but he's just not ready.

So my admiration for my wife increases my leaps and bounds.  I've not known her to be a patient person (i.e. she doesn't put up with my shyt) but she's shown a great deal more patience for the crying and fussing of the babies then I've been able to show so far.  It's exhausting for her, I know.  She's trying to catch a short nap as I watch the babies sleeping and write this.

When they are happy, they are so beautiful and it's so worth it.  When they are unhappy we feel so helpless to make it better and it's very hard.  I know I'm not saying anything that any parent doesn't already know.

Bella is getting very big, particularly compared to Owen.  She's incredibly strong and shows great head and neck control already.  You have to watch it when she's on your lap because she just pop up explosively and knock you under your chin if you're not careful.

Owen is a bit more delicate right now.  You still really have to support his head and be gentle when feeding and burping him.  The Visiting Nurses come tomorrow to check on the both of them so we'll find out if he's putting on weight.  He lost a few ounces between when we brought him home on Sunday and when his Pediatric appointment was on Tuesday, but he seems to be filling out a bit again.

We had them both on two boppy pillows facing each other yesterday but Bella started bawling and it wasn't long before the noise got to Owen.  I'll cherish the memories when the three of them first start to play together.

His heart rate monitor goes off a dozen or more times a night which is difficult on us as we have to check him each time and then reset the unit.  Plus, it sometimes wakes up Bella too, who can be quite difficult to get back to sleep.  I have a feeling he's going to be on the monitor for several months.

Anyways, I hear my daughter fussing a bit, so it's time to sign off.  I'll be back soon enough with some articles and updates.

Thank you and warm regards…