Crawling Sofie, swimming class and more!

Last Thursday, turned out to be a happy and joyous day.  Sofia is crawling!! Now I know all micro preemie mamas can share my excitement! Watching them meet these milestones is truly amazing!  Every day is a miracle but when your baby spends almost 100 days in the hospital, it's hard not to let those negative thoughts in...those scary what if's?
But she is crawling!!!! At 13 months and a few days! Not bad, not bad at all.  Her physical therapist will be so happy.
Here she is.  Keep in mind this is right before bed time, she is trying to get the baby wipes.

I know her brothers are right behind her.

And then...well, I don't even want to think about what our days will be like.

Such a great and blessed day.

It didn't start off so positive. As a matter of fact,  I almost gave myself an anxiety attack.  Big Sis had her scheduled swim class and I had no help lined up. I usually have someone stay with the babies so I can take her or have someone take her for me. Well, things didn't work out yesterday which meant 1) She would miss her class or 2) I take all of them.  Of course I went for number 2.  I seriously was panicking. The attention that we sometimes get in our big triplet stroller is a bit much. I pictured myself maneuvering the stroller, moving lawn chairs and tables and having to hold doors open by myself.  The more I thought about it the more I worried.  What if Big Sis had to go to the bathroom? Not really able to run her in and out with the trio.  I was certain the stroller would fit through the double doors but definitely not thru the bathroom door.  Then there was the issue of their 3:30 bottle.  Class is at 3:30 as well... Do I feed before we go? Or an hour later? Or do it on the go? Luckily I called one of Big Sister's babysitter's to come with us and she was available. RELIEF! Our outing was a success.  Only Carlos took the early bottle. Sofia threw it at me.  And Marcos had no interest.  Our babysitter, I., was so helpful, holding doors, moving chairs and tables and unloading babies.  I was even able to take some video of big sis learning to swim.  Isabella was able to go in the hot tub and the babies happily sat in their stroller. Marcos and Sofie took their bottle at 3:45, they are my schedule babies for sure! We could have done without the wind.  Marcos's eyes get very teary outside, and yesterday Carlos also had some tears.  They both seemed a bit uncomfortable. This reminds me...we had an eye appointment on Monday.  Everything went well.  Their eyes are looking good after having had laser surgery due to ROP.  All are farsighted, which is how babies should be at their age.  I shared with the doctor my concern about Marcos's eye always tearing outside.  He suggested I massage Marcos's tear ducts.  There is a possibility that they are clogged and if this does not resolve itself then it is another procedure for my little guy.  AAAAGGGGGHHHH! Not what I wanted to hear, especially when massaging the corner of his eye is not going so well.  He fights it each time.

But for now here are some pics!

The trio watching sissy swim

 Marcos...have been trying to get a pic of his teeth all week!

 Teething x 3 deserves its own post!

 Carlitos's tooth

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!

Post surgery

Here we are waiting...waiting...waiting...for the anesthesiologist and nurses to take my boy to the operating room to treat ROP with laser surgery in his eye.

Mama liked the gown, Daddy not so much.

 

 Who would ever think this baby weighed 1.4 oz at birth?

 The surgery was a success!  They treated both eyes and my little guy came back from the operating room extubated and hungry.  He was allowed to eat and hour after surgery and no IV was necessary!

This has been the smoothest surgery yet!

We were lucky to be admitted back to the NICU where he spent 98 days instead of Pediatrics.

He had some of our favorite nurses care for him and it was one big reunion.

Everyone is so impressed with his progress! And mama couldn't be happier.

Laser Surgery for Marcos

Here is my Big Guy!

Your are so cute and I love your cheeks!

I'm so sorry mommy almost lost it yesterday, but you were so fussy and so was your brother.

I hate not knowing what's wrong.

Maybe you were getting nervous for today, or maybe you could sense a bit of my anxiety about your eye surgery, everyone screaming and big sis needing attention.  

Many times I feel like screaming!!

May God bless you today and everyone in that operating room.

Marcos, along with brother and sister, were diagnosed with ROP.

Carlitos and Sofie had their laser surgery towards the end of their NICU stay.

Their surgeries were a success

Marcos was able to get away without it then, but unfortunately the activity in his eyes has not stopped, and it is now his turn.

I will miss you so much tonight if you have to be admitted!