World Prematurity Day

Today is World Prematurity Day, a wonderful day to celebrate the trio's half birthday.
Six months ago our lives were turned upside down...At merely 25 weeks gestation, our triplets were born.

Triplet A: Carlos Alberto weighed 1 lb, 4.1 oz

Triplet B:  Marcos Alberto weighed 1lb, 4.8 oz

Triplet C:  Sofia Maria weighed 1 lb, 2.3 oz

I quickly learned that my babies fell into a special category.  They were not just premature but were considered micro preemies; meaning they weighed less than 800 grams and born before 26 weeks gestation.

Today I am so blessed to have 3 healthy miracle babies home.

Will we ever forget?

Prematurity has touched our lives significantly.  I wonder if it will ever be a thing of the past.  I have become a bit obsessed reading information and blogs about premature babies.  As I write this, I struggle with the fact that my kiddos already have a label.  I sometimes think I should remove myself completely from the preemie world.  After all, the more I read and the more knowledge I gain, the more I anxiously await their future.  There has to be a balance. Some stories bring me fear while others give me hope. 

As a mom I will never forget the first time I laid my eyes on them.  Those first few hours of their lives, those first few days, those first few weeks will always be a part of me.  I have never felt so much uncertainty.  Not knowing what each day would bring is the worse feeling.

I will always remember what my babies looked like with tubes and IVs fighting to survive.  I wish beeping sounds would not remind me of their monitors and machines their lives were dependent on. I wish I could forget the days my babies turned "dusky" on me and the ups and downs of the NICU.

It just was not fair for my babies to come into the world so early and to experience such trauma.  I look at them now, and I am blessed.  They are doing so well.  I feel fortunate.  Our NICU experience included a long intubation for all three also knows as Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD), or chronic lung disease, 3 PDA ligations, 3 lasic surgeries for ROP and 2 inguinal hernia repairs.  Now I know that all of this is quite common in the micro preemie world.   I also know not everyone is as fortunate as us.  I think of the baby girl in our room who did not make it.  I pray for that family and for everyone affected by premature births. 

The one thing this whole experience has taught me is not to question God's plan.  I pray every day for patience and strength to accept everything and anything He puts in front of us.

Below are some pictures of their first few days...

And here they are today:

Triplet A: Carlos Alberto weighs10 lbs 4 oz

Triplet B:  Marcos Alberto weighs 11 lbs 9 oz

Triplet C:  Sofia Maria weighs 10 lbs

I love you! You just keep on growing!