Babies 1st Christmas (part 1)

I can't believe that my babies 1st Christmas has come and gone. Even though I'm sad that's it over, Christmas at the Bolands was PERFECT! Christmas is so much more fun with all of these babies in the house. Even though the babes will not remember it, we still did Santa and the whole shabang!! Go big or Go home...Right!!
The babies even had their very first trip outside of the house (with the exception of doctor's appointments of course!) on Christmas Eve to Papa Jay's house. It took a good deal of planning and effort to get the trio moved, but we did it. We had so much fun!!
Christmas morning Junebug and my siblings brought over a yummy brunch, and we did Christmas with the Bolands on the Sunday before, when we fried a turkey and cooked up a storm.
There was something very special about waking up Chrismas morning with my family. Last year, all I wanted for Christmas was a baby, and I must have been on Santa's nice list (or maybe naughty?) because this year we have three!!! We hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas with thier families.

Here are a few pics from Aunt Laney's camera, mine is acting up a bit!:). As soon as I get my pictures uploaded I will add a part 2.

This is the face that you get when you take Reece's pacifier from her!

Lou slept through the commotion of christmas eve!

I turn to mush when I look at this picture... Happy BOY!!

Charlie and Reece in their pack-n-play at Papa Jay's

Three happy babies can't wait to open presents!!

Daddy with Louise, trying to get a smile.

F
Family Pic

Christmas Chaos!

Me crying after opening Laney's gift...A book with all of the blogposts and pictures!!
I think it will be so special to share with the babies when they are older.

The trio thanking Santa for a great 1st Christmas
(Does anyone see Uncle Pup in this picture??)

Santa and our Family on Christmas day!

Louise

Louise is our sweet sweet baby girl. She has such a kind and gentle spirit. She is the polar opposite of her fiery sister. She even has the sweetest cry.
Louise is also the baby that Ben and I worry the most about. Dr Troup (our hero) from Greenville still follows her very closely. We learned at a recent appointment the a shunt is still a very likely part of her future. We will cross that bridge when we get there. Good news for Louise is that she is meeting developmental milestones alongside her brother and sister. We still do not know how the IVH (intro ventricular hemorrhage) will affect her future but I have a mother's intuition that everything is going to be ok.
Here are some recent picture of our beautiful and sweet little girl, Louise.

Reece

Reece is our little firecracker!!! She is vibrant, vocal and full of energy. She requires more of my time than my other babies. She is a happy girl as long as she has someone's undivided attention. She didn't get the memo that she is a triplet.

She has been staying healthy and is getting stronger by the day. I don't think it will be too long before she starts to roll over (that will be a HUGE milestone for us). She still has weekly eye exams with her sister but the doctor seems to think that her ROP is settling. She weighs 7lbs and 6ozs. Here are some pictures of our little spunky thing, Reece.Bigs eyes! (you can't tell in this picture but I think there is a chance she could have her daddy's blue eyes)

Pretty Girl!

Look at that pretty round head (her head was pretty flat when she came home from the NICU)

Merry Christmas!

Reece (smiling), Charlie, Louise

Charlie

Charlie is such A BOY. He smiles when he farts, he smells funny, and he loves to eat. He's sounding alot like his daddy. He is so laid back and such an easy baby.
The biggest thing that has happened in his little life is that he had surgery to help correct his ROP (retinopathy of prematurity). Surgery was a success and he did great. We only had to spend one night in the hospital. Honestly, I got the best night of sleep I have had since the babies came home that night in the pediatric ICU. Getting up with one baby is mush less work than getting up with three. Since we are on that topic...I miss sleeping. Its still not really much of an option around here. I just keep telling myself that this is temporary........ I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.

Here are some pictures of our wonderful little man. I'll try to do them chronologically so you can see how much he has grown over the past few weeks..........he's up to 7lbs 5oz. Handsome Boy!

Kissing Louise's head all better

Reece and Charlie

Merry Christmas

Happy Boy!

Holiday Updates

Hey Everyone! Sorry it has been so long since I have done a post. I have my hands pretty full (understatement)! This week, I plan on doing individual updates on the babies. Key word.....plan. We hope that the holidays are treating everyone as well as they are treating us. We are one lucky and very tired family. Here's a picture I snapped last week. All three babies awake and happy....... now that is a Christmas miracle!!!

November 17th

Today, November 17th, is Prematurity Awareness Day. 1 out of 8 babies in our country is born too soon. The US has a higher rate of premature birth than most other developed countries. In an annual Premature Birth Report Card put out by March of Dimes, the US scored a "D" and South Carolina scored a depressing "F". Talking about premature birth is the 1st step to understanding this common and serious problem. Wear purple today to show your support! I will be wearing purple in honor of my beautiful Reece, Louise and Charlie.


Today is also our 3rd wedding anniversary. The number 3 seems to be a common theme this year. I would say the past year has been the most eventful thus far. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY BEN!!!!!! You have been such a good husband through my pregnancy, bed rest and those scary NICU days. I feel so proud to be your wife. I love you...or I guess I should now say...WE love you!

Here are some pics of the past few days........................ Reece



Louise

Charlie

1 of our many doctors appointments

Aunt Spencer and Louise

Daddy and Louise

Uncle Jake and Reece

The girls!

Charlie

Three years ago today! Life has changed quite a bit!

What have we gotten ourselves into?????Babies have taken over our house and are holding us hostage. HELP!



Just kidding:)............its not so bad. There are aspects of this that are harder than I expected and aspects that are easier than I expected. For example, its not so hard to care for 3 babies (as long as you keep expectations low). I just sit them on their boppies on the floor all in a row and sit Indian-style in front of them and care for each baby as needed. Simple enough. We also stick to a strict three hour feeding schedule, which makes things easier on us.



Now for the part that is harder than I thought. The LACK of SLEEP is crippling. By the time we feed all 3 babies, burped them, changed them and I have pumped we have about an hour before its time to start over. Now, it would seem that I could sleep during that hour window but that rarely happens. I'm working on being able to sleep through "crying babies" but I'm just not there yet.


As if we weren't tired enough, the babies have doctors appointments ALL THE TIME. It is quite a process to get all these babies dressed, loaded up and out of the house in a timely fashion. By the end of this week we will have had 11 scheduled doctors appointments since Louise has come home from the hospital. Lousie goes to see the neurosurgeon regularly. All three have weekly eye appointments....Charlie has to go twice a week. Not the mention the pediatrician and weight checks. Oh did I mention that about half of the appointments are in Greenville.


Even though life is challenging right now, I'm having fun with it. I'm patient and high energy and I think it is working to my advantage.

Here are some pictures of the past week and Halloween............if this post seems crazy its because I did it in 3 minutes segments over the past 5 days.The day Reece and Charlie came home

Reece

Louise

Charlie

Our setup

Reece

Louise

Charlie (my faveorite picture)

Great Granny

Aunt Laney and Uncle Pup

Grandma and Grandpa Boland

Happy Halloween

Aunt Laney met all 3 babies for the 1st time on Halloween, which also happens to be her birthday. We made special outfits to surprise her. (Charlie)

Reece

Louise

Charlie