Jason and I love these babies so much.
Steven, Amaya and Samuel
Samuel, Amaya and Steven
Steven, Amaya and Samuel
Steven
Samuel
Amaya
Two photos of Steven trying to eat Amaya’s head.
Mommy and babies! This weekend we’ll finally get a photo of Jason with the trio.
Grandma Sunshine with the wonder babies
With all of the babies home, we’re in the process of establishing a routine.
There are 24 different feedings every day, about 30 diaper changes, 8 times I have to pump, tons of bottle prep (48/day because they’re 1/2 breast milk and half formula) and I’m still working to breastfeed as often as possible which is not nearly as often as I’d like. That doesn’t account for everything else that happens in a normal day. It’s a LOT and I can’t believe there are moms who do this triplet thing on their own. They’re super women. I always considered myself pretty strong but, honestly, I’m pretty sure it would break me to do this without help.
Fortunately, I have help. My sister came out this past weekend to join my mom for her last weekend here after 4 weeks in MI. Now my mother-in-law is here helping, to be followed by my father-in-law. And then we have Megan here all day, which is invaluable. Nights are rough (I hate them) but night help starts Wednesday night so hopefully that makes a big difference.
Of course Jason is going to get the dad and husband of the year award. He’s so engaged and sweet and tender with the babies. He works (obviously?) so he’s not on an official night shift but he does feedings between 8:30pm and 11pm so I can sleep and is the cavalry if multiple babies need to eat at once. (It happens and it’s frustrating right now but is what we’ll want eventually when the babies are mature enough for one person to feed two at once.) Jason is also unfazed and emotionally stable which helps keep me together in the more difficult moments.
Hopefully it goes without saying, though, that all of the work is worth it for these precious little wonder babies. I can’t wait to see them grow and watch who they become!
Here are some recent photos!
We ordered these great bassinets to use when the babies are downstairs with us.
Aunt Sara in her first photo op with all three babies. In order, Steven, Samuel and Amaya.
Nana in her first photo op with all three babies.
A sample of how we schedule feedings for the night. (Soon to be replaced by our night nannies! Whoohoo!!)
Jason, Amaya, Sally and I welcomed Steven and Samuel home last night! 23 days old and all of our babies are HOME with us!!
I learned I was pregnant with triplets on 7/30 and it’s hard to believe our babies are finally all under our roof. They’re incredible.
It was a grueling night and, again, I’m grateful for my mother’s help. By the time we were all settled it was 11:30pm so my mom stayed up to do the 12:45am round of feedings. Those ended around 3am. I was up from 2:30am – 6:30am for feedings (with Jason) and pumping so my mom took the next round of feedings and was back up at 6:45am to help out so Jason and I could both get some sleep. Hopefully it’s easier when we have overnight nanny help starting next Wednesday. I don’t want time to pass too quickly but I’m really looking forward to the help. It’s going to be invaluable – particularly once Jason and I can’t count on a 3rd person to help us through the night.
All of the babies have had their first pediatrician appointments. Amaya went yesterday and the boys went today. The only place they’ll visit between now and the end of April is the doctor’s office but it’s good to know I can get out with them. We’ll also have home health care visits at least once/week to make sure the babies are all growing and gaining weight appropriately. MUCH better than trying to venture out with all 3 during this weather and the cold/flu/rsv/whooping cough season!
We’ve also started tummy time! I didn’t realize it starts this early but apparently it does. Somehow we need to schedule tummy time 4 times/day starting now. We also need to find time to start scheduling bi-weekly baths. Hopefully we crack that nut tomorrow. It really doesn’t seem like there are enough hours in the day for everything we need to get done even with Megan’s expert help and all of my mom’s efforts. Over time we’ll figure it out.
Steven leaving the hospital
Samuel leaving the hospital
Good bye nicu!
All the babies lined up in our car
Amaya’s first tummy time
Not so happy with it any longer
Steven’s first tummy time. (Samuel’s was at the doctor’s office and we don’t have a photo but that kid has strong neck muscles already!)
Buried in bottles!
The big news is that Amaya was discharged from the hospital yesterday! Three weeks old and our 4lb 11oz little girl is home with us. It’s amazing.
After all of that time on round the clock monitors and 24/7 nursing care, it’s a little nerve wracking to see her on her own in her crib so it was a fairly sleepless night last night. I’m still nervous on night 2 but leaps and bounds better than where I was yesterday.
Even though her care is round the clock for us at home vs. the hospital, it’s so much better having her here. Of course, first thing this morning we all packed up and went back to the nicu to see her brothers who will hopefully be following her home soon. Their big hurdle is their car seat test. Like Amaya, they both failed the first time. Samuel was just borderline but Steven had a more difficult time. It’s entirely possible that, after tomorrow’s test, we bring home one boy while another stays to continue growing. Fingers crossed that they can come home together, whenever that is.
Because the kids were born so early, Steven & Samuel couldn’t have a traditional Jewish circumcision at 8 days. I wasn’t exactly sure how to handle the whole thing because any rabbi or mohel would need their flu shot and tdap but the amazing doctors and staff at St. Joe’s solved the conundrum for us. Their CIO used to be the head of pediatrics and has done thousands of circumcisions. He’s also Jewish, has performed traditional brit milah ceremonies in the past and generously gave me his time so I could have a traditional ceremony.
The boys were brave and so was I. I was in there by myself but it was the real deal and very special for me. I’m so grateful that everyone at St. Joe’s went above and beyond to do this for our family.
In other big news, our awesome nanny, Megan, started this week! Megan has the most important job in the world – taking care of Steven, Samuel and Amaya when I go back to work (and helping my mom take care of all four of us right now)! You can meet Megan in a photo down below.
Amaya and I have an important conversation before coming home.
Prepping Amaya
Getting all snug in her car seat.
Staying warm with a blanket handmade by Grandma Sunshine.
Off we go!
Bonus! Megan bonds with Steven!
On Sunday, February 2nd, Jason and I did a newborn photoshoot at the hospital. I wanted to get some photos when the babies were still very close to their birth weights.
Here’s our trio! (And I’m sure it goes without saying but please don’t share these photos anywhere else.)
Steven
Samuel
Amaya
From bottom to top, and left to right: Samuel, Amaya and Steven!
Samuel, Steven and Amaya
Samuel, Steven and Amaya
And a bonus! Cousins Nancy and Abe made these wonderful onesies for their new cousins. We staged a photo shoot today before the babies start to outgrow preemie clothes! (Grandma Sunshine – I left the hats at home so we’ll try for another complete photo shoot soon!)
My little things are hard to wrangle!
Steven, Samuel and Amaya
Love to everyone!
Our babies are growing!! As of last night, 2/6, here are some weights:
Steven: 4lbs 2oz
Samuel: 4lbs 4.5oz
Amaya: 4lbs 6.5oz
Amaya is leading the pack both with weight and with feeding. She’s now on ad lib feeds which means she can eat any time she wants as long as she doesn’t go over 4 hrs and she can eat as much or as little as she wants in a feeding as long as she’s eating enough in a 12 hr period. Even her n/g tube was removed and I fed her without any of her monitor leads! At this point, we’re hoping Amaya will be home between Sunday and Tuesday with her brothers not far behind.
We’ve been fortunate to have lots of visitors since the babies were born, with more on the way!
Sherry (Grandma Sunshine) was already with us when the babies were born because she was staying with us to help me out. (And I really did need help. Sherry slept on a glider in my bedroom so she could literally help me out of bed when I needed to use the bathroom. Mother-in-law jackpot!!)
My mom (Nana) flew in virtually the minute we knew I was delivering and has been here since, providing me absolutely invaluable help – everything from making me breakfast in the morning to cleaning my pump parts to cooking us dinner every night. I can’t imagine the past few weeks without her.
The aunts have been out to visit, too! The babies got to meet Aunt Sara and Aunt Alysia the first weekend they were born and they were here together which was very special. Aunt Sara flew in from NY and Aunt Alysia drove in from Washington, DC. Papa Gene’s been out from NY to visit his grandchildren and Great Aunt Annette also stopped by to meet the trio.
Right at this moment, my grandmother is here in Michigan meeting her seventh, eighth and ninth great grandchildren!
Steven, Samuel and Amaya are surrounded by LOVE.
Now for some pictures.
These are from today and include FOUR generations of family. Amazing.
In order, Steven, Samuel and Amaya.
I don’t have one of Samuel because he’s a little more in control of his hats but here are 2 new ones of Steven and Amaya enjoying their headwear.
It’s me! I’m shrinking! I still have a way to go to my pre-pregnancy size but it’s nice to feel comfortable in my space again.
It’s amazing how much happens in one day in the life of a baby in the nicu. Here are some highlights. (If you’re just here for the photos, scroll down to the bottom. 🙂 )
Toby Ziegler said it and it’s true: Babies come with hats. (And some are crocheted by Grandma Sunshine.) Here are a whole bunch of photos of the kiddos, mostly featuring their variety of hats.
The first three are Amaya including a great photo with Jason wearing a hat crocheted by Grandma Sunshine.
Three photos of Samuel including 2 in a hat of the wrong colors.
Four photos of Steven. The final one is a good representation of the look I get when I want him to eat any way other than from his ng tube.
Today we put all of the babies in hospital hats so we can take their scent home to Sally. In order – Steven, Samuel and Amaya.
January 30th – the first time I picked the babies up instead of having a nicu nurse hand them to me. In order – Amaya, Samuel and Steven.
Jason feeding Amaya.
Holding Samuel and Amaya.
Someday someone will have to explain to me where time goes. I really have no idea how a week has passed since Steven, Samuel and Amaya were born (though I do suspect the 6 day hospital stay had some impact).
After a bit of drama trying to regulate my blood pressure, I was released from the hospital on Saturday. I’ve been prepared to come home without my babies since I learned I was carrying triplets and I knew it would be difficult to leave them behind but, really, there’s no preparing for how it feels in the moment. Everything about arriving at a hospital pregnant and leaving without your babies is wrong. Fortunately, I’ve been home for 2 days now and I can feel that I’m going to settle well into a routine of daily visits to the nicu.
Right now, there are a handful of things we can do to care for the babies. Jason has mastered the art of feeding prep – clean the eyes & mouth, umbilical cord care, diaper change, temperature and shift in location of pulse ox monitor. MASTERED IT. I’m still trying not to stand too much so I’ll have to catch up soon. That said, I’m already working on breast feeding. Amaya is a little champ! She’s gung ho and doing a great job getting milk. Hopefully she’ll keep it up. Her brothers are a bit more ambivalent but they’ll get it eventually. Did you know that breast feeding requires the coordination of 26 different muscles? If I had an alternate food source, I’d be ambivalent, too!
We’re also able to do skin to skin kangaroo care which is amazing and also a kind of torture because you can’t fall asleep with a baby on your chest but there’s nothing you want to do more than sleep with a baby on your chest! Here are some recent photos of us cuddling with our kiddos. Our hearts are full.
Jason and Samuel.
Jason with Amaya and Steven
Jason with Amaya and Steven
Joanna and Samuel.
Joanna with Samuel and Steven
Joanna with Steven
Mommy, Daddy and babies in our nicu “room”
I let out a little squeak of a cry as I started to type this which is probably part hormones and part disbelief, still, that my pregnancy is complete and our babies are here. After a painful and difficult weekend, our babies were born – somewhat unexpectedly – on Monday, January 20, 2014.
Steven Ronald – born at 3:17pm, 3lbs 9oz – named in honor of our fathers.
Samuel Robert – born at 3:19pm, 3lbs 14oz – named in honor of our maternal grandfathers.
I had gained about 20 lbs of water weight in a week and my blood pressure was creeping up. At 33 weeks, it was an easy decision to deliver.
Delivery morning, before the doctor appointment that would seal the deal.
Waiting at L&D
Showtime!
Steven, then Sammy, then Amaya! And, suddenly, we’re a family of 5!
These were taken by Jason immediately after Steven, Sammy and Amaya were born. I’m 99% sure I’ve got Steven and Sammy identified correctly.
Sammy!
Amaya!
Here are some family photos of the new and expanded Team Cline.
These kids are amazing. All breathing room air right from birth and taking feeds of breast milk at 24 hrs old. It’s almost starting to sink in that they’re our children. All three of them!
I did it!! I’m 32 weeks today!
I remember my first appointment at 8w2d when Dr. Keeton and referenced 32 weeks as my gold star goal. It seemed so far away and a bit overwhelming to think about. Only 50% of triplet pregnancies make it this far and I really want the biggest, healthiest babies I can grow (and the least NICU time possible so these babies can come home to their mommy and daddy where they belong). Every day from here on out really is bonus but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to hold out as long as possible.
This week starts 2 ultrasound appointments/week and today was a big one with another growth scan. (Maybe my last of my pregnancy!!)
Fluid looks great for all three babies and their biophysical profiles were spot on. As expected, rate of growth slowed a little but they’re all in fantastic shape for triplets. (Remember, the percentiles are for singletons, not multiples).
Baby A: 3lb 7oz (26th percentile)
Baby B: 3lb 12 oz (36th percentile)
Baby C: 3lb 12 oz (35th percentile)
Way back when I said I’d be happy if the babies were all 3 1/2 lbs or more at birth so it looks like I’ll get that wish. Now I’m just getting greedy as I hope for more weight and more time. 🙂
I’m doing fine. Very uncomfortable and it gets worse by the day but the end is in sight so I’m keeping my eyes on the prize. A big relief is that I think we now have all of our nannies set. Just a few details on our weeknight overnight nanny but I’m cautiously optimistic.
My dr also walked through the c-section process in detail with me. Demystifying it helped a lot. I just need these babies to stay and grow as I count down to 2/5. Grow, grow, grow!
