Peas and Love

We're officially caught up in the storm that is/was Holidays 2008. The kids have changed so much, friends and family have stopped by and Kelly and I have had just enough time to breathe.

We cannot begin to believe how much the kids have changed - not only since they were born, but just in a week!

Their eyes are now focusing in on mom, dad, or whomever may be holding them. They're also looking at the little things we've put up in the crib and swings. We've detected a little more responsiveness from them. No longer are we just 'tolerated'! They are beginning to sleep longer at night; instead of the usual 4-hour time between the 8pm and 12am feedings, now we're going, on average, from 8pm to 2am. Small steps.

Their faces and bodies have changed, too. Nearly three weeks ago, they weighed: Max - 12lb 5; Olivia - 8lb 10 and August 9lb 8 *disclaimer - approximate weights!

If we had to guess, Max would be about 14, Olivia 10, and August 11.

Our visitors have been many and generous with their gifts. Aunt Sam, Uncle Dave, Josie and Annie; great Uncle Greg, great Aunt Jane and great Grandma Norris; great Uncle Denny, great Aunt Anita; great Aunt Janice, Uncle Tim and cousin Regis, Aunt Amanda, cousins Molly and Abbey; great Uncle Reynolds, great Aunt Sandy, cousin Mikayla and fiancee Heath; Grandma Chris and Grandpa Steve; Grandpa Larry and Grandma Diana; the Jameson ladies; Ms. Sigulinsky; Kim Perlstein; and if I've missed someone I'm sorry!


Picture time:



It's been great having so many of our extended support system has gotten to see the kids a little bit. They seem to be socializing pretty well - the kids have not put up much fuss having strangers (to them) hold and feed them.

Kelly and I were able to 'break out' for a night of grown up entertainment, attending our friends Kris and Beth's wedding reception and our friends Ryan, Matt and Kelley in Iowa City. Being away was great, but the home fires brought us back quickly and I can't imagine being away for more than one night. Big thanks to Grandma Diana, Abby and Molly for holding the fort down while we were away.

Now we prepare for our return to full-time work after New Year's and adjusting to having an in-home nanny. While the challenges keep coming, we just have to keep meeting them!

A New Year's toast for all of our friends, family and blog readers:

To the good times that gather us;
To the challenges and trials that draw us closer;
To the laughter that keeps us together;

Happy New Year!

A Visit From the Baby Whisperers!

We've been visited by the baby whisperers....shhhhhhh!  They're still asleep!  Two little fairies bearing gifts (3 cans of formula, an Olivia book for Olivia and the cutest little tiger bibs for the boys...grrrr! Oh- and dessert goodies for we adults...yum!) dropped by our humble abode today.  I was very thankful for the magical help feeding the wee babes and the fairy dust they seemed to leave in their wake of restful bliss! Yesssss!

The baby whisperers had highly top secret techniques they brought from their respective regions of origins...texas and muscatine...to lull seemingly alert and conscience babies into the depths of sleep...for very long periods of time, I am happy to report.

Here are some special super secret pictures I snuck of the baby whispers in action!  I hear they get violent if you try to replicate or steal their hypnotic ways!

Babies 1st Christmas 

"Hi.  Dis is Max.  Gwama Koowey said we could open a pwesent if we stayed sweeping wast night.  We did it!  Momma wet us open deese!  Sanx Gwama!  We awe supah cute. bye."

An Icy Hello

Our family survived our first ice storm this week. It was without drama, really - the storm came, went, and left us with a bunch of ice.  

Kelly's mom was here for a few days, giving us a much-needed hand with the kids.  They are so lucky to have the grandmas they do! 

We had done some preparations in case we lost power, in order to keep the kids warm and fed. Kelly really liked this part of the storm day, and we ended up with a big plastic tub of emergency supplies raided from our pantry and garage. Luckily we didn't have to dig into the canned goods.  Split pea soup? No thanks. 

In the midst of storm preparations, we endured another storm. Of diapers. Kelly's work friends so graciously supplied us with enough diapers for awhile, and we thank them for their generosity!

From Dec 20 2008

The kids are changing right before our eyes. Olivia has a shock of black hair now, and really filling out. August is trying to catch up with his little (big?) bro Max and his head is every bit as big as Max's. And Max is just a robust baby boy.

Our feeding times have decreased significantly with our posting a limit on feeding times of a 1/2 hour and of the discovery of fast-flow nipples for the little ones. Olivia has had some issues for quite a while with keeping awake through an entire feeding. Her suck isn't quite as strong as the boys, and it would take her so long to feed that she would just fall asleep...and then wake up earlier since she couldn't get enough to satisfy her. Not anymore. Now, Ms. O is our best sleeper.

Max has taken to eating his formula in record speed - without aid of a fast nipple. August is catching up with Max, but with a fast nipple.

We are looking forward to our first family Christmas and to the kids growing and keeping healthy.

Pics:

Merry Christmas Letter!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Babies are doing well. Here are their stats:

August- Height: 21 3/8 inch. Weight: 9 lbs. 10 oz.

Olivia- Height: 20.5 inches Weight: 8 lbs. 11 oz.

Max- Height: 22 1/4 inches Weight: 12 lbs. 5.5 oz.

As you can see they are progressing nicely. They had their 2 month shots the other day as well. Everyone did well. Max showed his affection for the doctor by taking a big dump on the exam room table. (That a boy!) He continues to wear the cannula until his appointment in January (2nd). Hopefully it will be gone soon. We're getting sick of the baby attached to a tube routine.

August is still very laid back. He really doesn't cry he just grunts or groans. When he does cry it's super high pitched. We think he must have been a choir boy in a last life. He also slept 6 hours last night. One down two to go.

Olivia is starting to voice her opinions. She seems to be a very good observer. She'll listen to Max and then will cry like he cries. She's smart too. She knows we will come pick her up if she shoots out her little wail. She must be like her mom.

We are starting to "sleep train" the babies this week too. We found this book, Twelve Hours in Twelve Weeks, and we are taking our process to the next level. Now that they eat every 4 hours around the clock, we have to try to eliminate one of the night feedings. The first night was interesting to say the least. With Mike up for 2 hours and me sleep walking through the whole thing, we are starting to feel the burn of sleepless nights. Please pray that we figure out this process and get the kids to sleep at least 5 or 6 hours without eating or waking us up. That would be amazing!

Thank you everyone for all your continued thoughts and prayers, the food you've brought by, the cards and gifts you've sent, the things you've let us borrow, the promotions you've gotten for us, the rooms you've cleaned, the bottles you've fed and the podees you've put together! 2008 has been a blessed year for us. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We can't wait to see what 2009 will bring.

Love, Kelly Mike, August, Olivia and Max

Busy Busy Bees

Momma here.  Wow!  Babies are a lot of work! Mike hasn't had too much time to post lately, so I've raided the blog.  We had a few visitors during Thanksgiving and Mike's mom Chris came and helped us last week.  Thank you so much!  

Here are some recent photos of the clan and some of the visitors...per request of a certain Aunt Amanda by text message: Tell Mike to send me some pics...I miss them!

As the Bottle Turns

So we've been home for two weeks now and it has gone quickly.  From our moms helping out to the routine that makes time fly, we don't know where the days have gone.  

The kids are doing well.  They are growing, partly due to the juiced-up recipe of formula we're mixing (it has about 25% more calories than breast milk).  Max is over 10lbs, Olivia must be sniffing 7lbs and August is close to 8.  

Mom and dad are doing well, too, and the extra hands have helped. When Grandma Kuhlenbeck and Norris are here, either of us are able to rest, or in my case, go to work.  Night feedings with three adults is a luxury that we won't soon forget.  

Once the grandmas left, we found out how daunting a baby's schedule is times three.  We are undoubtedly fortunate to be on a roughly 4-hour schedule and God bless those who wake up every hour or two with newborns to feed or change.  

The 4-hour schedule, if everything works out, gives us a little down time to do the things we need to make the day work: wash and fill bottles, launder the baby stuff, feed ourselves, and any chores or errands that are left.  Saturday morning, we gave the trio baths and from the 8am feeding plus the baths, 12pm feeding and miscellaneous tasks, we found ourselves immersed in baby until 1pm when we broke for lunch.  

Video: 

Pictures: 

Kelly and I shared some great times this weekend with the kids - our first Hawkeye game together and our first walk outside. 

The kids didn't know it, but they were being quietly indoctrinated into Hawkeye fandom.  We'll see if it lasts, but Max did look like he enjoyed his #1 Iowa jersey.  

Past Hawk players who wore the #1 jersey?  Tim Dodge (db/wr), Kyle Schlicher (k), Daniel Murray (k) and...that's all I got.  And you're welcome for the cocktail trivia.  I think Kelly would be fine with both boys being kickers if they ever play football!   

Today Team Norris took the triplet stroller on its inaugural journey.  We didn't have any champagne to crack against it, so we took a picture.  

The temperature was a balmy 54 deg, the sun was shining and our kids had on two layers, beany hats and three blankets.  The stroller was great, rolling both on and off road with ease.  At times, rolling on lawns was smoother than the broken sidewalks in our neighborhood.  

How many people stopped us on the walk to check out the kids?  Three.  Actually, only one person we didn't know.  They just came to a complete stop in the middle of the road, a woman got out of the car and was absolutely giddy at the sight of three babies in a stroller.  A quick peak and she hopped back in the car. 

Quick stats from two weeks at home: 

Daily diapers: ~30; two weeks: 420

Daily formula consumption: ~80 oz; two weeks: 8.75 gal

Daily bottles: 18; two weeks: 252

August also goes in for hernia surgery this coming Wednesday.  We're coming home on Thanksgiving day, so keep him in your prayers for a smooth procedure and recovery.  

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!  Let's go around the table and say what we're thankful for...Kelly and I are thankful for our three babies, our wonderful family and friends and all the blessings God has bestowed on us. 

Now, it's your turn! 

Home Sweet Home

We are finally home.  

After 5 1/2 weeks on bedrest, and 5 weeks in the NICU, Team Norris is back in B-town.  

Kelly jokes that she missed an entire season in the hospital!  It's funny because it's true.  

On November 9, Kelly and I drove back to Burlington from Iowa City in two cars, packed with the miscellany we had accumulated after over 2 months at UIHC, and our three babies.  

It seemed oddly familiar to be home with the trio and we let out a collective sigh of relief to be in our home again.  

The trip wasn't bad - the babies really didn't fuss the entire way.  Once we were home, it was back to the four-hour feeding schedule and we didn't miss a beat.  

Many of you may be wondering how in the h-e-double hockey sticks we take care of three at home.  Kelly and I wonder about how people with four or more babies do it!  

We have a crib downstairs in our living room, with a chest of drawers full of baby accessories - diapers, wipes, clothes, blankets, etc.  Upstairs is the formal nursery with another crib and standard shelves and drawers full of other baby things.  In the nursery we also have a mini-fridge for keeping formula cool, and a crock pot that keeps water warm for late-night bottles.  The kitchen is where we prepare bottles for the day, and wash them.  That's pretty much it.  

Feedings are going well, with the 2am shift being the beast.  We do not want to think about how we will feed every four hours with out our super grandmas' help and Kelly's time off to cushion the fatigue.  Hopefully we'll be on a 5 or 6 hour schedule at that point.  

Grandma Norris has helped out immensely the first week, and it's Grandma Kuhlenbeck's turn next week.  As in basketball, a 3 on 2 fast break favors the offense (or a hockey power play for our northern friends, eh) and with a grandma here we've helped the defense.  Kelly and I better figure out some good defensive strategy soon, because after a few weeks, it's back to 3 on 2!  

The babies are doing well.  Max is up to 8lb 10oz, verified at his appointment today.  That's a 3lb 7oz gain in  6 weeks, or 70 percent increase.  To put this into perspective again, that's like me putting on 140lbs in a month and a half.  Crazy!  

August is now a tick over 6lbs, measured on Monday.  That is a 2lb 7oz gain or a 70 percent increase.  Atta boy.  

Olivia is the undisputed weight gain champ by percent.  She's up to 5 1/2lbs, up 2lb 14oz or a 109 percent weight gain.  That's a full doubling of her birth weight and change.  Kelly snagged a couple of diapers that Olivia wore immediately after birth, and they sell doll diapers bigger than these.  Take a Kleenex, fold it in half lengthwise, shorten it by about three inches and you get the idea. 

Check out the three peas in a crib: 

Thanks to everyone for their emails, cards, gifts, phone calls, visits, prayers and everything else during the past 11 weeks.  Kelly and I are truly thankful to have been blessed with three babies and with so many giving friends, family and co-workers.  

NICU Week 4

Apologies in advance for this quick and thin post. Our family's four-week anniversary in the NICU passed on Friday, and with it came some news and changes, as always.

Maxwell was to be discharged on Saturday, but was delayed until Monday due to a couple breathing spells. He is eating and sleeping well and gaining weight. He is now part of the 7-pound club, coming in at 7lb 3oz as of Sunday night.

Kelly and I will keep our Helen Rossi House room at the hospital and run back and forth from the room to the NICU with Max while we still care for Olivia and August. Only inconvenient thing is Max being discharged with oxygen. He still needs a little so that he doesn't have to work so hard to breathe, and that promotes weight gain. Apparently this strategy has paid dividends for Max.

We'll be discharged with a portable apnea monitor and oxygen tank with regulator. In our more permanent residences (Helen Rossi and Burlington) UIHC Home Care will drop off 175lb oxygen tanks. The portable tank will last us about 16 hours and the larger tanks two weeks. The portable apnea monitor was spared a gory demise this morning....but more on that.

Olivia is surprising us in many ways, mostly because she is still in the isolett and feeding some through her NG tube. We certainly thought with her early progress she was a dark horse to go home first. Not to be! She is still gaining weight, and looking very good at a lean 4lb 8oz. She's just about doubled in size in four weeks! But she is taking the bottle and nursing well, so it's only a matter of time. We think she'll be in at least another week, maybe two.

Next up on the 'going home list' is August. He probably would have gone home Tuesday or Wednesday, but on Sunday night he had a short spell, which spells another five days of monitoring in the NICU! He is off of oxygen, however, which would be a huge bonus if he can stay off it when he is discharged. August is steadily gaining, and tipping the scales at 5lb 8oz. Nearly two pounds heavier than his birthweight of 3lb 9oz.

Kelly and I got our first real dose of late-night partying, baby style on Sunday. Waking up at midnight and 4am to give August and Max their favorite baby cocktail, 27kCal neosure premie formula was, to be expected, tiring.

Max is also on his home monitor, which lets out the most god-forsaken screech this side of the Mississippi. If I had had anything heavier than my shoe at the moment that thing went off, it would have been e-waste headed for the scrap pile. The alarm sounds in cases of apnea, but also when Max's leads are off, and I just about tumbled out of the mutant chair/bed I was sleeping in when the first one sounded. We'll have to check if insurance replaces accidentally damaged monitors.

So Max is officially ours as of later today, and we'll be adjusting to the new 24-hour schedule that baby ownership demands. We were actually really lucky to have had all the sleep in the previous four weeks...so it begins.

More pictures to come.

NICU Week 3

A week of transition in the NICU, as most weeks in the NICU are.

The kids have changed, gaining weight, looking differently, feeding differently. Pooping differently. Our schedule has changed, too, with me going back to work Tuesday-Thursday and Kelly adjusting to less favorable numbers during the day (3 on 1 versus 3 on 2).

Maxwell is now officially a member of the 6lb club. Congrats, big boy. He is always surprising us, becoming more aware everyday and finding his big boy cry. I kangarooed with Max on Monday and he really let loose with some crying that made my ears cry.

Olivia looks less like a premie everyday, gaining weight and growing longer. She has begun smiling when she sleeps, which makes an already peaceful-looking baby even more so. Nurse Lilly even attached a little bow on her head that a little over the top, but really cute.

August is such an aware little boy. He is always looking and making facial expressions that make us really wonder what thoughts are going through his little head. He usually wakes up the earliest and just lies there, looking around until we get to him.

All three of them appear to be recognizing their name on some level, or it might just be our voices...either way, it's cool.

The nurses have started to really talk to us about the discharge process, not because we are that close to discharge, but I think more to give us a reasonable expectation of the discharge process. Another new process was started today when we bottle-fed all three kids. August absolutely inhaled his milk, slowing down only for us to burp him. Max experienced similar success. Olivia was a little unsure but did well anyway.

Picture time:

Small request: Everyone that is planning to visit the babies when they are home in Burlington, please get a flu shot!  It will be no fun for anyone if the kids get sick, and even when they come home their immune systems won't be as strong as a term baby.  We thank you and the kids thank you.  

Be back next week, same triplet time, same triplet place! 

NICU Week 2

The babies turned two weeks old yesterday. It's amazing to think that two weeks and a couple days ago, Kelly was still pregnant, and we were wondering all about the little people inside her.

Now we know a little more about them. As they are growing, they are developing their own unique look. Glimpses of personality show through for each of them.

We were also together for the first time after the delivery on Tuesday, holding all three of the kids between the two of us.  

August is the most awake, trying to take in everything around him. Olivia is the least fussy at this point. Max is the sleepy baby, waking up only for feeding and changing time. We enjoy each one of them.

All three have been gaining weight at a good clip until about Wednesday, when it slowed down. To date, Olivia is 3lb 10oz, August is 4lb 7oz and Max is 5lb 6oz. Olivia has gained the most percentage-wise, at 30%. That's like me putting on over 60 pounds in two weeks.

We have given them baths, done kangaroo care with them (skin to skin contact, under your shirt), Kelly has fed them, and changed a lot of diapers. Get used to it, right?

Each day we're in the NICU for between 5-7 hours trying to get in at least two feedings with them.

Olivia is getting her feedings increased and had her PICC line taken out, so she is receiving all her nutrition from milk now.

Max is still out of the isolette and in a crib, has his feedings increased and is only on a little bit of oxygen.

August had a little feeding setback, and is back on IV fluids, which should be stopped today. He's also on a little bit of oxygen.

Kelly and I are now, thankfully, in Helen Rossi House, a small section of the hospital that parents of sick kids can stay in. It's a great place that is private and close to the kids.

Poop story of the week: August had two 'blowouts' whilst getting his diaper changed, effectively painting the inside of the isolette. Max has also pulled this little trick, but with less explosive results. Darn kids.

Picture time:

NICU Week in Review

"My friends, the fundamentals of the babies are strong.  They are the most productive premie babies in the NICU.  These three babies have the experience, knowledge and wherewithal to make the NICU an exceptional NICU; a NICU without borders, pre-judgment or inequality.  My friends, a vote for these babies is a vote for progress and a vote for a better NICU.  Thank you and God bless."

Sorry, election year politics has invaded my psyche.  If babies ran for baby office in the NICU and I had to be  a surrogate, advisor or manager for the babies' campaign, this would be my abbreviated stump speech.  It would be a landslide. 

The NICU week in review was positive.  The kids have progressed much faster than we had hoped both for breathing and feeding.  From feeding tube to breast, things have been exiting.  To be clear the kids all still have their feeding tube, but they have all tried the breast this week, which usually only kids at least a week their senior are able to attempt.  Cool, huh? 

All three kids have now surpassed their birth weight, with Max clearly in the lead.  What's new, right? Some early observations have Max as being a relaxed, content baby fine with sleeping the day away and only giving Mom and Dad some brief glances and eye contact.  

Olivia is very active, kicking and arm-swinging in her isolette nest.  Changing her diaper is a lesson in leg management.  August is perhaps the most aware of the three, with his eyes locking in on people for minutes at a time and constantly gazing around the room.  Maybe not surprisingly he seems to be the fussiest one, but that isn't saying much.  They are all pretty content premies right now.  

We continue to participate in their care, mostly before feeding time when we take their temps, change the diaper and swab for thrush.  It's very satisfying and perhaps more importantly, a way to feel like care givers in an atmosphere of astute nurses fulfilling their basic needs. 

Picture time: 

Although only a week into things, Kelly and I feel so good about our situation.  We can't imagine our lives without the kids now.  

This is Nuts

But in a good way.  Three kids, three separate medical plans, three nurses and three demands for breast milk.  

Kelly and I have adjusted, mostly, to this routine of visiting, asking questions, bonding and wondering what the next few days will be like for the kids.  

August update: He is nearly back to his birth weight and being fed 11cc's of breast milk every three hours.  He is breathing on his own and overall doing quite well.  

Olivia update: She is off of her billy light, used to treat bilirubin, and breathing on her own.  She's having a little trouble digesting the breast milk, but is typical of her lower weight.  Otherwise, she is great. 

Max update: He is on a little bit of oxygen, 15cc of breast milk every 4 hours and doing fine.  None of our nurses believe he's a premie because he looks so big.  Atta boy. 

Mike and Kelly update: Kelly is recovering quickly from her c-section and starting to pump.  We have an excellent problem of deciding how much time to allocate to which kid.  

Kelly ventured out into the great suburban jungle yesterday, her first foray into the world outside the hospital in 34 days.  We participated in the economy at Target and had some great sushi at our little spot in Iowa City, Sushi Popo.  

Since we're not up to a lot of visitors right now, how about a slideshow? 

Overall, we are doing well.  There is a fine line between being stressed out and feeling satisfied you've done all you can during the day.  We're walking that line, crossing over each way sometimes.  But what else is there to do?  If ever there was motivation to do something, three babies would be it. 

Three on the Third

A - August Everett Norris, 3lb 10oz, 17", 11:38am

B - Olivia Lee Norris, 2lb 9oz, 16", 11:38am

C - Maxwell Hughes Norris, 5lb 1oz, 18", 11:39am

They are here.  Three babies on the third.  Funny how things work out, huh? 

Before we inundate the blog with photos, of which we have plenty of, here is the abridged story. 

Friday morning, we knew nothing more than it would be another day closer to delivery.  We knew it would probably be in a day or two.  However, after a stress test and a cervix check, the doctors told us it was go time.  

In less than 40 minutes, Kelly was wheeled to the OR, had a spinal and was ready.  I was in scrubs and came in to the OR about 5 minutes before the action started.  20 people including us were in the room.  

I sat right behind Kelly by the anesthesiologists.  Only a curtain separated us and the view of our gifted surgeons.  Luckily, I was able to see Dr. Ward pull all three babies out.  August was screaming even before he came out, Olivia was vocal, but not as much, and Max did not even want to come out.  Apparently he turned his back on the doctors and did not want to come out of the penthouse suit he carved out.  

Max was intubated almost immediately so he could breathe easier.  They whisked them away pretty quickly and then we focused the attention on Kelly, and it took nearly an hour to sew her up.  

She had a severe headache from the combination of surgery, anesthesia and medication to increase her blood pressure...and that triggered her trigeminal neuralgia, causing nerve pain in her face and neck.  

Luckily, we got everything under control and recovered in the post-op room.  Everything was surreal...realizing that we had babies, but couldn't take care of them.  Knowing Kelly wasn't pregnant anymore and not seeing the results was unsettling, but we knew that is what had to happen.  

Kelly's mom was the first to see the kids in the NICU, and she brought back pictures.  Trying to describe the emotions of first seeing your kids is a non starter.  Kelly wasn't ready to process the whole thing yet, but the immediate sense of purpose, pride, love and satisfaction I had never felt before.  Kelly got that later in the evening when we saw the kids together for the first time.  

Enough writing, there are more stories for other posts.  How about some pictures. 

 

Kelly and I holding Olivia, the first baby we were able to hold. 

Little August holding my finger. Luckily he didn't pull it. 

Olivia striking a pose.  Or trying to remember what it was like in chateau Kelly.  

Our hands next to Olivia. 

If you couldn't tell already, this is Max.  Although he's the biggest he's had the most trouble breathing, which really isn't that bad.  He'll have the big tube removed today. 

Our hands next to Max. 

Although it looks like the kids have a lot of things connected to them, it's really not that much.  The three sensors Max has above are for measuring his heart rate and respiratory rate. Each baby has these three sensors. 

They also each have a little nose apparatus for providing oxygen, and all three are on small amounts of it.  They also have a sensor on their foot to detect the oxygen levels in their blood, and all three are doing well.  

Each has an IV, dripping nutrients, fluid and some calories.  Only Max still has a breathing tube, which should come out today.  

So that's the story for now.  It's been an extraordinary 26 hours since they were born and it should only get more extraordinary from here. 

Closer to Go Time

Dr. Ward has informed us that we will have delivered babies, most likely, by the close of the weekend.  

Our biophysical profile today went very well with Lil B, scoring 8/8.  But the cord flow is still low, the reason for the early section.  

Kelly and I celebrated the impending end of one part of our lives and the beginning of another with a dinner sourced from the local food coop, with tandori chicken, greek salad, rice and some lambic.  It was one of our best dates. 

We can't wait to meet the rest of our family.  

It's Go Time...Almost

Quick update from the chateau UIHC.  

From our bio-physical profile on Tuesday, the docs found that Lil B's blood flow through her cord was lower than what is desired for a baby her size. What does that mean? 

It means that right now, it's not a big problem until the cord flow drops; and when it starts dropping, it keeps dropping.  When the cord flow stops or is negative, then things need to happen no more than 48 hours after the flow stops.  Less than 24 hours is preferable. 

By 'things need to happen' I mean take the kids by C-section.  

So, Dr. Ward is telling us that within a week we will have the section.  It will be probably no sooner than Friday, no later than Tuesday.  And guess what, Tuesday is my birthday! 

Kelly is doing all right, but is ready to have her non-pregnant body back.  

Things are about to get exiting for all five of us. 

Peering Over the Mirror

In the past week, Kelly and I have been peering over the mirror. 

We've had visits from our precious nieces (my sister Sam and brother-in-law Dave's girls), Kelly's friends from Central College, Lindsay and Jill with their kids Holden, Emerson and Trevin, respectively, and Kelly's friend  Amy with her newborn Aliya.  

The visits have been a blast catching up with friends and watching their kids.  It's really an odd sensation seeing live changing events to family, friends and peers when they are not happening to you.  

Until now.  

So we've been peerin

g over the mirror, trying to look at our future with the kids, while taking a peek back at our fantastic no-kids life of the past five + years of marriage.  The future certainly looks bright.  

But here are some things we often talk about as amazing experiences we've had, but also things we'd like to show our kids some day.  To qualify that, it's only a partial list! 

 

Enjoying the canals in Amsterdam.  An amazing city we would love to see more of.  The culture is really diverse, it's easy to get around (bike, walking or tram) and the museums are outstanding (has a huge children's museum in the bay).  There are a lot of other things we saw in Europe that we would do again, too, but Amsterdam was probably the most accessible city we visited. 

This is a 1974(?) Moto Guzzi El Dorado, one of the classic bikes of its time.  We took this picture at the 2006 U.S. National Moto Guzzi Rally.  This is one of the other things we enjoy that we'd like to bring the kids to and meet some of the characters...like this guy:

And we have met people there that a few years later they can pick up with you where they left.  It really is a 'world of friends'.  Seriously, that's what the sign says.  

There are other things, but these were easy pictures to get on the blog.  

******

Baby update: The second of our biophysical profiles this week concluded with the realization that babies do come in all shapes and sizes.  All of them scored 8/8, which pleased us to no end. 

Here is the all shapes and sizes part: 

Baby A (Atlas): 3lb 6 oz   Baby B ('Lil B): 2 lb 13oz     Baby C (Bruiser): 4lb 13 oz.  

Yes, Bruiser's weight is not a typo, and neither is B's.  

Bruiser is tracking on the 86th percentile on the growth curve for singleton(!) babies while B is 9th and A is 26th.  The irony is B might make it home before her larger brothers given girls propensity for early lung development.  

And what everyone is waiting for...pictures of Kelly.  

How did Kelly get so small?  This was 21 weeks.  

This is 31 weeks.  

Dr. Ward was pleasantly surprised about all the kids and thinks we can make 32 weeks...and then who knows.  We'll let the Lord give us the green light to take them out, which will probably come in the form of labor pains. 

All for now, everybody think and pray hard for 32 weeks.  Then we can hold them when they're born because their fat cells have fully developed and give them enough cushion for mom and dad to enjoy them. 

Mile 23: Finish Line Ahead

We've come up with all sorts of analogies to try and make sense of this whole triplet thing.  Our latest is the marathon, and we're on Mile 23 of a 26-mile marathon. 

The analogy is more relevant for Kelly, of course, because she is the one pregnant and she has actually completed a marathon (Chicago, 2000).  I'm like the people handing the water to the runners, or maybe the camera guy on the motorcycle following the action.  

So what's new?  We are into the third week of the hospital stay.  Kelly has grown, and presumably, so have the babies.  We had water in our basement after the deluge last week and we have about every inch of the UI medical campus mapped out on our wheel chair rides. 

But first things first.  Our kids passed their exam today, scoring a perfect 8/8 on their bio-physical profile that examines their amniotic fluid, movement, heart rate and breathing.  They are actually practicing breathing on their own, to get ready for the outside.  Pretty cool.  

Our theories of all the babies being squished in together were thrown off somewhat by witnessing Baby B, our little girl, stretched all the way out on Kelly's left side.  Seems like she's carved out some space for herself after C has claimed the 'north territory'.  

Our ultrasound tech also helped nickname A today by pointing out he's a strong little guy that has to hold up his two siblings.  So Atlas seemed a fun name to call him for now.  We have C, Bruiser, and A, Atlas so we  are waiting for an opportune handle for little B.  

Our wheelchair walks have been especially nice, a great break for both of us from the conditioned air of the hospital.  Check out our descriptive map here.  But if you take the Mike and Kelly tour, careful east of the hospital, road construction! 

Yes, Kelly is growing.  

Unfortunately we had a little hiccup in our otherwise peaceful world of baby growing.  After around 7 inches of water hit the Burlington area, our 96-year old basement decided to relax and let some water in.  

By no means catastrophic, our damage was limited to soaked carpet and baseboard.  We were lucky to escape the feet of water many others had in the area.  So a new basement project has started: painting and sealing the floor.  

The kids likely won't be home until the second week in Nov, so we've got a little time to accomplish the project.  Big thanks to my folks, Uncle Greg and my office boyz Zach and Nick for helping out.  

Yep, there's three in there.  Now, notice the spherical shape of the belly.  

Now check out the lumpy form the belly takes when Bruiser rolls over, messing up the symmetry and causing some noticeable discomfort for Kelly.  

It looks like it causes B to find some new space on the left side, too.  Crazy kids.  Before you know it, they'll be driving! 

The days are otherwise nice, with great emails, calls and visits from friends and family.  Sam and Dave stopped by with the girls, Annie and Josie, tonight, reminding us how fun two little kids can be and what we have to look forward to.  

Our next goal is 32 weeks, and at that point the kids will have much better lung capacity and be that much more developed for the outside world.  If we all pull together, we'll make it! 

In lighter news, the Hawks are 3-0 and face their first road test of the year, and possibly the most talented team thus far. Visiting the Pitt Panthers will reveal much about the character and preparation of the young Iowa team. Here's to college football. And living right across the street from my favorite stadium, Kinnick.  

Our New Home, Their New Home

Kelly and I have a new home and a new home for the kids.  Okay, it's temporary, but it's still home.  

The pics almost do it justice.  It's a great room, as nice as many hotel rooms we've stayed in.  What you cannot see is the excellent 24-hour care that is available to Kelly.  We are within seconds from the Labor and Delivery dept, where Kelly would go for an emergency C-section and right down the hall from the NICU where our kids will be after they're born.  

Yes, that's a whirlpool tub! 

View of Ramp 4, which is ironically operated by the Athletic Dept.  Wonder how they paid for the $80 million upgrade to Kinnick?  This is part of the revenue.  We pay $42/week for in-patient parking, and it's $15/day with out a pass.  But they validate it if you're an out-patient.  



Kelly at 29 weeks.  Shall we compare to 26 weeks? 

Kelly is doing pretty well.  Everything is normal except for the aches and pains that come with the point of term she is in.  Once in awhile her normally spherical belly turns oblong with one of the kids backs or butts sticking out and causing a 'lump'.  And then it moves.  We're not sure how big the kids are yet, but it sure looks like they're growing.  

What have we been doing?  I work remotely for about a half day, and Kelly has crafts.  She had a craft day with other ladies on the floor Tuesday, and is almost done with a bib she is cross stitching.  The pattern?  Three peas in a pod! 

What else?  We've been watching political TV.  What a sad state of affairs that is.  I'm a guy that focuses on the issues.  Unfortunately, our candidates are not.  In order to avoid a drawn-out commentary, I'll say this: I already know who I'm voting for based on the issues, but I would rather see factual comparisons of policy stances rather than this ridiculous 'he said/she said' stuff that is only distracting from the serious issues we have to deal with in the country.  

What else?  We've been getting great emails printed on inspiring paper from our friends.  They are great!  

What else?  I went to the Iowa game last Saturday vs. Florida Int'l.  Scalped a ticket for $20 and donated $5 to the flood relief effort for the University.  Not that we donated is important, but the story is the best.  I walked past some gymnasts asking for donations - "A backflip for a dollar donation!" they said.  So I asked them if they would do five flips for five dollars - would they take the deal?  They were certainly up to the challenge!  Kelly can attest, since we were on the phone while witnessing the event.  The gymnast ripped off four flips, then on the fifth I thought that if she cracked her head that wouldn't be worth $5.  Of course being the highly conditioned athlete she is, the fifth flip was no problem.  That is a Kinnick memory I'll always have. 

So that is our new, temporary life 'til our little life changers come. 

One more picture for the road.  

On the Bright Side

On a steamy Tuesday afternoon, Kelly and I traveled to Iowa City for our 28-week appointment with Dr. Ward.  Kelly's mom and dad came to check out the ultrasound process.  

Weight report: Baby A: 2lbs 5oz, Baby B: 2lbs 3oz, Baby C: 3lbs 2 oz.  A is at about the 30th percentile, B the 20th, and C the 81st.  We were tickled to see they had grown so much since 24 weeks, when they were much, much smaller. 

Shortly after we spoke with Dr. Ward, we were on our way to the Labor and Delivery dept at the UIHC.  

Kelly was dilated to 4cm and was having some small contractions, so she was observed for two days before we found out what the plan was.  

We were completely unprepared for staying two days in the hospital.  No clothes, no toiletries, nothing.  I don't think we were mentally prepared, either.  Focused on our 34-week goal, we thought there was no way we would stay in the hospital before that. 

Once in Labor and Delivery, strapped to Kelly was a contraction monitor, three heartbeat monitors for the babies, and an IV dripping fluids.  

Finally, after meeting with the doctor on Thursday, after waiting all day, we decided that UIHC was the best place for now for Kelly and the kiddos - so that's where we are! 

My office has been flexible with my time and I am working some via remote access which has been nice.  My plan is to be in Iowa City five nights out of seven and be in the office three out of five days.  

Ideally, we'd both like to be home resting, but the lowest risk situation is to have Kelly in Iowa City, close to Labor and Deliver and the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).  The kids could be delivered in Burlington, but they don't have the type of neo-natal ventilators our kids will likely need.  

It seems likely we'll be here until the kids come. 

And knowing we'll not be home for awhile dampened the spirits at first; but Kelly's buds at school came through with a bunch of UIHC patient letters that have come to us this week, and that was an unexpected surprise - thank you! 

How about a picture? This is Kelly at a tad over 28 weeks. 

Kelly and me in our room: 

Setting Up Shop

That's our only explanation for all the movement going on inside Kelly.  They are getting really comfortable in there.  Let's see what they've done in a little over a week. 

The first picture, on the left, was in our last blog post, about Week 26.  The second picture is about a week and a half later. 

 
You out there in cyberspace may disagree, but we think there is some definite growing going on there. 

We are pleased because Kelly is nearing  the end of 27 weeks, which means we are close to achieving our first goal of getting to 28 weeks. 

 As we've written before, getting to 28 weeks means that if Kelly did go into labor, there is a great chance the NICU at U of I hospitals could sustain the kids into a normal infancy.  That's a good thing.  

Everything seems normal, and tomorrow we'll get to see the kids again on the ultrasound where we hope they will be at least 2.5 lbs.  The weights at 24 weeks were 2x 1.5 lbs and 1x 1lb 13oz. 

So we've been setting up shop, too.  Below are some pictures of the nursery, which is about 98% ready for babies.  

Some additions to the room before we started preparing it for babies: two bookshelves, one bed, chest, crib, two gliders, four hanging shelves, fridge, and darkening shades.  Hopefully we have enough storage set up.  

We anticipate going through about 30 diapers a day for the first few months.  Due to the extreme generosity of our friends and family, we're set for nearly three weeks.  Kelly and I will have to do some changing reps before the kids come to make sure we're in top form.  I'd like to get down to about 1.5 minutes for three of them before feedings.  Yes, the stopwatch is ready.  

Our Labor Day weekend has been great.  We had friends and family come see us and the chance to catch up and visit was not lost. 

I've also set a personal record for watching one Iowa game in consecutive days.  With our digital recorder set up (basically Tivo) with the cable, I can watch a three-hour college game in about half that time.  Fast forwarding though half time, commercials and in between plays really speeds things up.  I'm going to tell you what the record is, lest you think I don't have anything else better to do!   It's more than one, less  than ten.  

The Hawks looked pretty good, but need to clean up a lot of things on offense and defense.  They look a lot better at this point than they did last year, and Maine was a lot better team than Northern Illinois was last year for the opening game.  

In other news, my friend from Pella, Kevin DeRonde, got married in Saratoga, WY to his fiancee Tori Runner.  Kelly and I really wanted to be there, but traveling is not our thing right now.  We are wishing them a happy honeymoon and a blessed beginning to their marriage.  

How Big Is It?

It's big.  Looking at any other part of Kelly, one couldn't tell she was pregnant.  From the back, everything looks good.  Did I say that?  Yes, yes I did.  

Our life has turned into a movie featuring her belly and its contents.  I must say, it's a good movie.  The ending should be really good, but I won't give it away.  

I have started to wonder what the structural makeup is of the belly, given its amazing position cantilevering out from her body.  Pictures really do not give it justice.  

We've been to the Louvre in Paris, the National Gallery in London and the Royal Art Museum in Brussels, not to mention the Met in NYC and DAM.  But this belly is the best sculpture of any I've seen, changing everyday and entrancing all in its gaze. 

Okay, ready for a picture? 

Sure, we didn't pose for this one long, but Kelly was ready to lie down a bit.  

Our last appointment was fine, we are in week 26 and all the babies' heartbeats are rock solid. 

What else is happening?  Kelly went back to school on Monday this week, much to our mutual chagrins.  Working all day has really taken a lot out of her, but this has also reminded us of how fortunate we were to be pregnant at the time we were to take full advantage of the summer off. 

Our activities around the house have slowed down, too.  The basement is about as done as it will be and the last activities before The Event include finishing touches on the nursery and painting our old-school built in gutters on the house.  The paint has peeled off the tin covering, causing corrosion and consternation.  

Kelly has loosened the leash enough for me to squeeze in a couple of home brewing sessions.  I now have approx. two cases of English Bitter in bottles and another 5 gallons of Extra Special Bitter fermenting as we speak.  What were we to do, watch the Hawkeye's first game without any home brew?  Come on over and try some, it tastes really good, I promise. 

The Olympics has also captured our attention.  Softball, volleyball, swimming, weightlifting, badminton, bicycling, track, etc.  Too bad it's only once every four years...we think it would be fun to go to an Olympics sometime in the future.  Time to start planning! 

A Great Day

We ran out of fingers and toes.

 

Trying to count friends and family that showed up at the Perkins Park shelter, we quickly ran out of digits.  Kelly's sis and

 my sis arranged a family/close-by friends shower, and it turned out beautifully.  

Weather? Check - low 80s and a steady breeze.  

Food? Check - Kelly's mom and others provided the substance with great meat and salads, and 

Earl Grey iced tea (the tea was awesome, if you have some Earl Grey in the pantry, brew it with ice, it's mucho delicioso!).  

Kelly and I were overwhelmed with generosity as everyone brought amazing gifts for the triplets.  We are well taken care of and have an amazing start to our family life.  We are so thankful for everyone that has thought, prayed and talked to us about the next phase in our lives with the kids.  It's all helped so much!  

Old friends were reunited, family was reacquainted and it seemed like everyone had a good time.  Thanks everyone for a great day!! 

.....

Sometimes we all need a little pep talk.  Kelly gives me talks when I am unenthused about work, or virtually anything else.  It really helps.  I've been giving Kelly some when the burden of carrying three kids seems unbearable.  Sometimes it's all I can do to help.  

Since the Olympics are upon us, I have been telling Kelly to keep going because she is not unlike an Olympian.  The percentages of having triplets versus being an Olympian vary depending on how you compare it - but let's be clear; Kelly is pulling off an amazing feat.  

Our last appointment, at 24 weeks, showed that the kids are all above 70 percentile for weight, which is amazing for triplets.  Baby C was 87 percentile, at 1lb 13oz.  That's a bruiser.  And her ankles aren't even swollen yet (some call them 'kankles?').  

Also from our last Dr. appointment we had a little scare.  Kelly was slightly dilated (Quote from Dr. Ward: "Well, I felt a head and somebody's hand was holding my finger").  Ooookay.  We went to the Labor and Delivery dept.  for some monitoring and steroids to help the kids in case Kelly dilated even more and had to labor.  

As it turns out, the dilation wasn't a big deal, but Kelly did get some good 'roids.  A congressman called and wanted her to testify in front of the Ethics on Pregnancy panel, but refused on basis of inconclusive tests.  Roger, Mark and Sammy gave us some good advice on that one.  

We're keeping the kids comfortable, hopefully, and waiting for the moment we've been looking forward to for some time.  In the meantime, some home brewing, organization and making meals ahead is on the docket.  

Kickin' It

It's something every pregnant women goes through (I think).  Kelly and I have been really entertained the past few weeks with the babies kicking, punching or just moving around in Kelly. 

I've just recently been able to experience this otherworldly movement and it's really, really cool.  It's another reality check that yes, we are really pregnant, and there is a living thing(s) inside Kelly.  It could really be something out of a science fiction novel, but it's the way God made us to have children.  Wild stuff.  

Kelly says the boys are the most active, and her little girl is properly calm, of course.  The next 12 weeks should hold a lot of entertainment in this manner, getting to know our littles ones by feel.  

Kelly and I have talked a lot about feeding and sleeping philosophies, going back and forth among the various books we've collected.  The books are helpful as long as each one is really scrutinized and taken with a grain of salt.  I think we've arrived where we began before we read the books; we're going to be as consistent as we can and do whatever we think will work the best to get the kids to sleep and get them fed.  What else can you do? 

Kelly's friends from Grimes Elementary threw a great shower this week, and the generosity was overwhelming.  Clothes, toys, useful gadgets, gift cards and so much else - including a delicious cake were given to us to help start our journey as a family.  THANK YOU!  It really feels like we have a big family around us, and it makes us feel secure as we expect our family to arrive. 

If you can imagine a reclining lawn chair in a kitchen, you could imagine our kitchen right now.  Our breakfast routine involves getting the paper, turning on the morning news and pouring our cereal.  Our counter serves double-duty as a breakfast bar and we sit on stools.  However, due to Kelly's condition, a reclining lawn chair is her new breakfast stool.  It's a mix of comfort and redneck, but it works and it makes Kelly comfortable and right now that's priceless. 

Belly Shot: 21 wks

What else have we been up to?  We have finished the basement nearly, and are pretty satisfied with the results. Check it out: 

Before shot, including washer and dryer which were relegated to the alley.  

This is the after shot, including fridge, freezer and 'the twins'

Sticky tile to the rescue! 

Our next appointment is the first week of August, which will be about 24 weeks along.  After that, another eight weeks and we will be ready to rock.  The time goes fast, the time goes slow and either way the time goes (Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. What?) .  We are looking ahead and ready to do it together. 

And the winner is...

Kelly and I went in for our 20-week appointment today, which involved a lengthy ultrasound.  As you know we anticipated we would find out what the sexes of the babies were, as well as how they were progressing.  

When we found out it was actually anti-climatic.  The ultrasound tech just didn't build up the suspense much, which I had hoped for.  But I suppose we had built the suspense enough ourselves before the appointment.  So, we found out....

We're having two boys and a girl!  (Guess you could have looked at the picture, eh?)

Kelly and I had thought we would have two boys and a girl, this was our gut feeling, but we had the babies mixed up how we thought they would come out.  Baby C, the upper most baby as it is in Kelly is a boy and the comeback kid - we thought that one might be a girl (check the May 16 blog).  But it turns out the embryo that started a little slow has now caught up! 

All the little ones were cooperative during the ultrasound and we got some great profile shots. We saw their little hearts beating, their kidneys, brains, spine, diaphragm and stomach.  They have all their limbs, and all in all, everything is cool.  

Now, we are not out of the woods yet.  We need to get to 28 weeks before any labor happens to give the kids the best chances of survival.  Two more months is our new focus; after that it's keeping the buns in the oven.  They say 33 weeks is about average, so we would really like to get 34, but it's a delicate balance between getting the kids' weight up and how much Kelly's body can handle.  If we get to 34, she will be the belly will be the size of a woman who is conceptually 45 weeks pregnant.  

So we'll be cookin' some buns, finishing our basement project and generally laying low for awhile.  For those of you who voted thanks for building up some excitement for today.  And if there was any pool action going on, we want a piece of it!  

Thanks for all the kind words and prayers we've received, it's made a world of difference for us. Please keep them coming! 

July 4

Kelly's bro Tim called the other day and it was the first time we talked to him in a couple months. Tim is on his third combat tour in Iraq with the Marine Corps.  He's near Al-Asad with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. 

Here are some pictures of Tim and his buddies, hope everyone thinks of them and anyone else they know, or don't know, serving in the military.  Kelly and I are looking forward to seeing Tim in the fall, hopefully he's back in  time to help us greet the peeps. 

Tim's the blond guy four from the left. 

And now the lighter side...

Tim and best friend Kurt with .50 cal mohawks

Kelly is feeling fine and pitching in on the basement.  Her belly keeps me spellbound and in a constant state of amazement of what is going on inside.  

It'd be great to do an interview with the peeps right now and get the straight scoop of what it's like in there.  Is it bumpy?  How warm?  Comfortable?  Can you tell what your momma's eating?  Can you hear our voices?  What's it like when mom farts?  Maybe we'll save that interview for after our appointment on the 8th when we get a better look at what is going on. 

 We'll spend the fourth working on the house - and Saturday...hold your breath...I'll be going to Eddyville, IA to the Eddyville Raceway with Dad and other brother-in-law Dave to the "Night of Fire" drag races.   Kelly, to my amazement, turned down my invitation to said night of fire. Huh.  

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Ready, Get Set, Go!

We are sprinting towards the finish line.  

With a little over three months left (hopefully), we are cramming in all we can while Kelly is still feeling well and mobile.  Yes, it sounds like awhile, but with the chances of premature labor and whatnot being increased from 20 weeks on, we don't feel like we'll be footloose and fancy free for too much longer. 

The babies are fine as of last week, with all three heartbeats around 140bpm, which is perfectly normal.  Kelly is doing really well and being active most of the day.  

Kelly's been taking care of getting our baby inventory checked off.  Garage sales, friends, family, we're getting the things we think we'll need to help raise the little people.  

And for those of you who are wondering what Kelly looks like now at nearly 5 months...

And for those pregnancy nerds out there, no we don't have a measurement! 

We joke that her belly looks like mine in college after relying on light beer as one of my primary food groups. 

Some pics of the basement: 

This is the wall we framed for the new W/D.  Plumbing: courtesy of our friend Joe Rowley; crooked pipe, courtesy Mike. 

This is the hole we chiseled through our foundation for the dryer vent.

This is nearly finished wall, with paneling, sticky tiles, laundry sink and trim.  

And one of our primary forms of entertainment the past couple of weeks is our alley.  We live in an older part of town that has an alley in the middle of the block where everyone's garage is and they pick up the trash, etc. 

When we have stuff we don't want, we either bring it to Goodwill, Salvation Army, or put it out by the alley.  The alley is WAY more fun.  

When we started cleaning out the basement, first went the old cabinets and countertop, and a Hello Kitty ironing board.  They were gone before evening.  A guy riding his bike stopped by and rang our front door bell. 

 "You guys want those cabinets!?!"  And he actually had an old-school tape walkman strapped to his arm.  He said he'd be back in the morning, but he must have caught the alley fever.  We saw him with a handcart five minutes later taking the countertop, then he came back with another dude in a pickup and got the rest...he was giving us the thumbs up as he went away with his "new bathroom cabinets"...we recommended he let them air out since they were a bit moldy.  

Next up: our old leaky washer.  Our friend Joe and I hauled it out in the morning, then not 20 minutes later we heard a commotion from the garage.  Washer gone.  One guy, a pickup and his brand new washer.  Sweet. 

Last: our relatively new gas dryer that came with the house.  Nothing fancy, dried kinda slow.  It's the alley for you, old friend.  The dryer didn't go as fast as the other stuff, but this past weekend, a guy in a Jeep Cherokee pulled up.  My sign on the dryer read:  Free! Gas Dryer, It Works!  First thing he shouts over to me: "Hey, does this thing work good?" Good thing I wasted my sharpie and construction paper so he can ask if it works.  Satisfied with my thumbs up, he deadlifts the appliance on the roof rack of the Cherokee and takes off.  Another satisfied customer.  

Yeah, we're easily entertained, but we can't think about pregnancy all the time! 

PS for those who voted in the poll, we're finding out July 8.  Good luck!