9 Weeks and a VERY Happy Thanksgiving! - Finally! :)

We are so blessed! We got to spend time with the babies Thanksgiving morning and lots of family this weekend. This week our babies hit 32 weeks! This was a huge milestone as the humidity in their isolettes was turned off which means they get to wear clothes!!! My, do we have cute babies! We've been able to hold someone just about every time we visit so we've spent every spare minute up there visiting! We're able to help with the every 3 hour assessments and can change diapers, check temps, bathe and hold! That's why this update is to late! I've been working on it for a couple days now! :) Check out these cute matching outfits, courtesy of Nana!



Brennan Nicholas 2lbs 10oz (birth weight 1lb 4oz)

Brennan's job is to feed and grow (and breathe!). He graduated to big boy diapers (size preemie!) to match his brother. From these pic's you can see he's still a little behind! He is still doing nasal cannula trials, exercising his lungs and getting him ready to lose the CPAP! He was going longer and longer each day until Wednesday when he just got too tired. He was on nasal cannula for 36 hours! He did such a great job, but just got tired. We've made a couple steps backward, now he's on cannula for 7 hours, but we're working back up. He's only minimal oxygen (21-25%, 21% is equivalent to room air) but still needs the pressure of the air into his lungs. We're still so proud! Also, our biotindase test results came back - Nich & I's levels looked good, but Brennan's was still low. They began giving him biotin to replace what he's using. It's 3 times a day and goes right in his feeding tube. He'll be tested again at 48 weeks gestation (hopefully at our dr office and not in the NICU!). All in all, Brennan has had a great week!



Landon James 3lbs 6oz (birth weight 1lb 7oz)

Landon is doing great! He's definitley got the growing and feeding job down! He's gaining about 1oz each day! He is making some progress on his CPAP and on Thanksgiving day was able to do "social cannula" while we held him. He was on about 60% oxygen but was remembering to breathe! You can see in this picture he is filling out preemie clothes quite well! Landon is also tolerating the daily resevior taps well and it seems to be helping! His ventricles are about 1cm smaller since they've started the taps. Also in both boys their brain bleeds are maturing (blood is being absorbed by the body and no new bleeding). He still is as wild as ever and we love that!



Brooklyn Danielle 2lbs 9oz (birth weight 1lb 3.5oz)

Brooklyn is now our little one again! She isn't gaining weight as well as the boys so they're keeping a closer eye on her. Making sure she's not burning too many calories! She's on CPAP and nasal cannula trials and doing great - she definintely is still very sensitive and can tell when the nurses turn her oxygen down 1%! They try to sneak up on her and turn her down so she doesn't notice! :) She started PT this week too and got a great report! She has "great head control and muscle tone." How can a 2lb baby have good head control?! They're miracles! She gets to sit up in a make shift bobby to improve her head control and is absolutely adorable! I haven't been able to get a picture (I need to leave a camera at the hospital!) but will post it right away! She is our little peanut, so precious!



Nich & I holding all three for the first time on Thanksgiving Day! (L-R) Brennan, Brooklyn and Landon - he got his own arm because he just about weights the same as the other two combined!

I had just gone downstairs to play with Hailey (it was my shift) and about 20min later one of the Respiratory Therapists came down and was going to watch her for a couple minutes, Nich was holding three babies!!! I pretty much ran up to their room and was so thrilled! He was beaming, a little nervous with three bobble heads, but you couldn't wipe the smile off his face! We got quite a few pictures of the kids and one shot with all of us. We have been waiting for this day!!! Every big milestone is bittersweet. Our family picture is not complete. We are so thankful everyday for the strength of these little ones, but also miss Katelyn so much! Seeing Brennan and Landon together and imagining the fun they will have as they grow and sad for Brooklyn that she won't experience that same bond with her twin sister. Hailey is so thrilled to have a sister and I'm sure will be so good to Brooklyn, but it's not the same. We did make a Build a Bear this week to remember Katelyn. Meme is going to knit a sweater with a "K" on it for the bear and we can take family pictures with all of us and that bear. It's a subtle reminder of our angel.




Bro's hanging out for the first time! A couple times Landon would look over at Brennan like, "Hey! What are you doing here?" We LOVED watching them interact!

We have so much to be thankful for this year. God has been so real to us, giving us the strength and peace to endure. We are so thankful for our little miracles and their amazing big sister. Our household will be blessed for years to come! We're thankful for the opportunity to meet, love and care for Katelyn. We're thankful for family, friends, churches and those we've never met for all your prayers and support! We have been overwhelmed by all your love! We're thankful for the NICU staff and their God given talents to help our babies grow and survive - it's amazing what they can do! I can't even express how gratitude, there's no words big enough! THANK YOU!

Great Job Breathing!

Landon is on CPAP!! We are so proud of him and sooo happy to snuggle! He made the switch on Friday and I raced down to UofM after work to hold him! (I mean, drove very carefully :) Since Friday he has made lots of progress on the PEEP, from 8 down to 5! He's also requiring an ok amount of oxygen. He was just tired of the ventilator! I really can't express how excited we are to be able to bond with him after so long and all he's been through. Friday night I held him and sang, told him about work, told him how much we loved him & how proud we are, and gave him a pep talk to keep making progress!





One of Landon's favorite nurses, Becky



Next!...Brooklyn has started trialing on the nasal canula! She is such a fiesty girl - she kept pulling her CPAP mask off so the docs figured they'd at least give her a try! She did great for 1 hr yesterday twice (once while Daddy held her) and 2 hour trial today. It's so good to see her face and she is adorable! We're a little partial! :) It is so exciting to see the babies making great progress - there's always that possible bump in the road, but we are on cloud nine right now! Taking it one day at a time!

Brennan has also been a breathing superstar! They are increasing the length of time he's on nasal canula and he was due for 12 hours on canula and 2 hours on CPAP but he did great and didn't need the rest. He's been on it now for over 24 hours! And he's only needed minimal oxygen, about 22% - 21% is breathing room air! Way to go Brennan!

Also, the Jackson CitPat wrote an article about our journey on the FRONT PAGE of the Sunday paper! Here's the link!

8 weeks and my how we've changed!

It is getting harder and harder to keep updated! We are able to do so much more with the babies and we want to spend every second we can with them - even if it means changing a poopy diaper! Nich and I did manage to sneak a chance to go on a date - dinner AND a movie! Our kids have been rockstars this week! I went back to work today and really needed them to have a good couple days! It was so hard to leave them last night, knowing I wouldn't get to see them today, but once I got back to work it was just like old times! I called and got an update on them on my way to work, got an update from Nich and noon and 3pm to help me get through the day. I miss them, but know they're in good hands! Hailey and I got to have MUCH needed Mommy-Hailey time :) We went out to one of her favorite restaurants, McDonalds (I know I wasn't thrilled, but really felt like spoiling her!) and shared a meal. Literally, shared her chicken nuggets and apple dippers and my chicken wrap and fries. She's so precious, every couple minutes she would wrap her arms around my neck and pull me close. I LOVE this child! :) After dinner we played "Hailey and Mommy," where we switch roles and she takes care of me, i.e. Hailey. She even got toys out for me to play with while she picked up her clothes to vacuum her room! Tomorrow after work we'll head back to the Ronald McDonald house, our home away from home!




November is National Prematurity Awareness Month, and March of Dimes gave gift bags to each preemie family in the NICU yesterday. It had beanie babies, onesies and a preemie specific baby book. The outfits are preemie size but still are way to big! Here are the babies' new friends - the bear is for Brennan (he's so cuddley!), multi-colored jackel is for Landon (he changes colors when he's upset and is such a wild man!) and an inchworm for Brooklyn (she scoots all over her bed, and arches her back, moving like a worm).



Brennan Nicholas 2lb 3oz (birth weight 1lb 4oz)

Brennan is still doing great, gaining weight and breathing! He's now trialing nasal canulas for 6 hrs at a time, then 6 hrs on CPAP. Working his way there! He was so active last night, it was hard to get a good picture! Video hopefully coming soon, it was just way to large to load (gotta work my technology magic!) He is steadily increasing his feeds and on fortified breast milk (26 calories every feeding/every 3hrs). His skin looks so much better and they're really starting to fill out and look more and more like babies! It seems Brennan may have a metabolic disorder called Biotinidase deficiency, this was found yesterday after 2 abnormal newborn screening tests. Check this link for more information. It is not confirmed since he is so young and had many blood transfusions, but to help diagnose, Nich and I had to have the same blood test to see if we are carriers of this. If he does have this, it seems he may only have a mild case which can be treated with Free Biotin supplements daily. He is being followed by experts at Detroit Medical Center as well, where the treatment was initially researched and developed. We should find out the results before Thanksgiving and will keep everyone posted. Brennan also started physical therapy on Wednesday! He will only get PT while he's on the CPAP so he doesn't tire out, but he seemed to do great! They are strengthening his arms and legs by putting him on his belly on a pillow and strapping him in his snuggly. This way he has to work his muscles to fight against the straps to move. He seems to be doing really good! We've had a couple desats (when his oxygen saturation dips below an acceptable level, below 81%) and bradycardias (low heart rate), but recovers really well on his own. He has his occassional big poop, that throws him into desats and bradying, but all in all he's pretty stable! We're thrilled!



Landon cuddling with his toy and sucking on his pacifier! We had to cut a part out so it would fit around his vent tube.



Landon James 2lbs 15oz (birth weight 1lb 7oz)

Big boy Landon! He has officially graduated into big boy diapers! That's size Preemie, rather than Preemie XS. I was so shocked when we checked his weight this week! He really is almost 3 lbs! He has had a better week, after getting over pnemonia, the surgery to place the resevoir and aspirating his food into his lungs. This last episode did get him a shiny new breathing tube! He is also sprinting to see if he can be extubated (removing breathing tube) and moved to CPAP like his siblings. He's had 2 trials and done well. We'll see! Hopefully in the next day or so if he's ready! Occassionaly he gets mad or stretches really big and stops breathing for awhile (called apnea). We can tell he's doing this even before the ventilator picks it up because his face turns bright red/purple. He usually recovers on his own which is fantastic! He doesn't need to be stimulated to breathe again. Feeding wise, he is the front runner now! Their feeds are increased everyday as tolerated and Landon is up to 27cc every 3 hrs! That's about 1oz! No wonder he's gaining so much weight! :) Neurologically, there hasn't been any changes since last week. Neurosurgery says he's doing great and his head is healed enough for CPAP when he's ready. Daily the docs drain 5cc of fluid out of his reservoir and will continue unless it needs to be increased or if he's able to drain the fluid himself. Once he gets to 2 kilograms (about 4lbs) he is big enough for a shunt if he still needs help draining the fluid. We'll cross that bridge when we get there. We are so thankful for a ball of energy! I finally got a video of his eyes we've been talking so much about! He's bean-bagged for his own protection, so he's not moving all over like usual! :) Funny how they have such spunk already!



Brooklyn Danielle 2lb 3oz (birth weight 1lb 3.5oz)

Brooklyn is doing great as well! Last week she had some bouts of Tachycardia (gets it from her mom!) but doing much better now. She is also tolerating being held so much more! Nich boasts of holding her the longest, but I think she and I just worked her up to it! He held her for over 1 hr and the most she tolerated with me was 30min. She's just not the touchy/feely type I guess. I did put my hands on her while she was in her isolette just to get her used to touching more. She'll get there! She is doing well eating and breathing too! That's really their biggest job right now! She and Landon are getting 24 calories every 3 hrs. If she wasn't so active she'd keep on some weight! Her new trick is turning her head! She'll be looking to the left, like in her picture this week and all of a sudden she does a face plant, then moves it to the other side! I tried so hard to get a video of her this week turning her head but didn't have any luck. I sat there for 30 min with the camera ready, but turned to a nurse to tell her what I was doing and when we looked back she was already mid turn! She is so active, arching her back and scooting and turning her head. I can't explain how good it feels to watch them be so active! They have been lying in their isolettes for so long and to watch them move is thrilling! We really could just watch them all day long!

We just praise God for these good days! We almost don't know what to do with ourselves! :) Daily, we witness miracles as these three grow! We have met so many wonderful families and had many great opportunities to share our journey and our faith. This we are so thankful for. I heard a song on the radio yesterday by Everyday Sunday called "Hanging On" that was perfect for me. Reminds us that no matter what hurt we feel, remember He is God. We turn to Him for comfort during our tough times and give Him praises for the joy!

7 weeks!

Thanks for being patient while I post this update! Now that it's almost time for 8 weeks! :) It's been so busy now that we can do more with the kids! Now there's bath time, diapers and holding! Wouldn't miss one of these opportunities!





Brennan Nicholas 1lb 15.5oz (birth weight 1lb 4oz)

Brennan has had a great week! He is being trialed onto nasal cannula and doing really well. The first day he went for 10 hours, but got really tired at the end. Now he's on a schedule of 3 hours on nasal cannula, 6 hours on CPAP throughout the entire day, of course only if he's up to it. I love seeing his face! We've got some cute babies! :) When we hold him now they let us do it when he's on the nasal cannula. He's so much more awake and active. He studies us and follows us with his eyes. Brennan's also getting so much breast milk! His amount changes each day, but I think it's about 13cc every 3 hours. They're getting 22 calories every feeding - crazy that I was eating 4500! When they were first born they were getting 8 calories for the entire day. They have come so far! We are so proud of our miracles!



Landon James 2lbs 5oz (birth weight 1lb 7oz)

Landon has had an eventful week. Earlier this week he developed pnemonia, which wasn't the best for his lungs! Also, today (Thursday) he had a McComb reservoir inserted in his head. This will allow doctors to drain fluid off his brain (due to Hydrocephalus) as often as necessary. This will decrease the pressure put on his brain. The surgery was this morning and he came through perfectly! Praise God! It was hard to see my baby go to the OR. I was able to walk with him out of the room and down the elevator to the OR, but they turned the corner and we headed back upstairs to wait. Pastor Ken and my parents came down to be with me, as Nich had to work that day. I'm so thankful for them - keeping spirits up and praying for Landon. This picture above his post-surgery. He just has a small bump on the top of his head that they can insert a needle into a tube that goes down his ventricles. His ventricles are swollen and the plan is to remove 5cc's per day and see where we're at. If his ventricles don't go down and drain fluid like it's supposed to he may need a shunt when he's about 4lbs. He's gaining weight so fast, that shouldn't be too long! Good news - Nich and I got to hold him before surgery on Tuesday night (surgery was originally scheduled for Wed morning). He did great! He was so awake and also studying us. He got the hiccups while I was holding him! So precious, now we've held all of our children! What an amazing feeling that is!



Brooklyn Danielle 1lb 15oz (birth weight 1lb 3.5oz)

Scooter Brooklyn! This week Brooklyn was moved to CPAP and she loves her freedom! Here she is in her pre-scoot position! This girl can move! We tuck her snugly around her and think she's in there good, but then we look at her again and she's out of it and moved on her bed! She's gotten up against the glass before! She can also turn her head from side to side, even with the heavy CPAP on! Brooklyn is the leader with her feeds, getting 18cc's and 24 calories. They removed her PICC line, as she's only getting breast milk, and not needing TPN (her special iv nutrients). That's a huge milestone! She'll be putting on weight quickly, if she doesn't use too much energy breathing with CPAP! I've said this before, but it's so neat to see their personalities showing, they are distinctly different babies! We love them so much!

Amongst the wonderful progress and happy moments with these three, this week was also really hard for us. Katelyn was cremated on Friday and Nich and I picked her up from the funeral home on Sunday afternoon. The funeral director was so flexible and sensitive with us, coming on his day off because it was an afternoon Hailey wouldn't be with us. On Friday when I got the call that the cremation was done, a flood of emotions came. I knew she had died, but it hadn't been final for me until then. In the back of my mind, I was waiting for her to come back, as weird as it may sound. Jesus raises the dead and my kids are such miracles, I thought it wasn't impossible. On Friday, it was final. My daughter's spirit immediately went to be with Jesus on September 27, but I wasn't ready to give up her body until now. God's peace certainly passes all understanding. Though I felt the pain of losing her all over again, I also felt joy for the brief time we had with her. We are so thankful for the time with her both in the womb and outside. She was always the most active one, sliding up and down her sack at about 18 weeks and bouncing the Kleenex box with Brooklyn at 22 weeks! We didn't have much time with her once she was born, but have happy memories watching her grow which we are so blessed to have. My mom found a really neat service called Memory Glass that we are getting to put her ashes in. I'll post pictures of that once it arrives. Continue to keep us in your prayers as we plan a memorial service for Katelyn and continue on enjoying Brennan, Landon, Brooklyn and Hailey.

Also, we were able to go back to church on Sunday!!!! It was so good to be back, words can't express how awesome it is to be around such prayers warriors! We shared pictures and updates of the babies and were overwhelmed by so many people praying for and loving us! We have a renewed amazement of God's strength, peace, power and healing. How awesome to praise with fellow believers! Daily we are blessed by our little miracles and the plan He has for them. Thank you all for continuing to lift up our family! Glory to God!

Lots of pictures! :)

I couldn't think of a clever name for this post! Here's lots of pictures of the kiddo's, each are captioned so you know who's who! The last couple days have been filled with excitement!



Nich caught this great photo of Hailey! She's off before you know it!



Miss Priss herself! We braided her hair so it'd be curly the next day like Mommy's!



Daddy's first time feeding and holding Brennan!



Brennan on nasal canula. He's trying it...3 hours on, 6 hours on CPAP. Way to go Brennan!



Big eyed Landon :)



Daddy holding Landon for the first time!



Mommy holding Landon, first time too!



Landon's having a fit! :) Rocky's a swingin!




Mommy holding Brooklyn for the first time!



Brooklyn sucking on a pacifier!

Who's that baby under the CPAP mask?

It's Brooklyn!!! You probably couldn't tell since they look so much alike! :) That's right though, we have 2 beautiful babies on CPAP! This time it was intentional. She's so good at pulling out her tubes that last week she extubated herself (pulled her own breathing tube out), that they decided to try CPAP. She just wasn't ready, but this time she was wiggling around quite a bit and did good on the "sprinting" exercises that we tried again! So far so good!



Brooklyn moving around getting used to CPAP! I just love to watch them move!

Holding a Baby!!! :)

I think my face has been beaming all day long! This morning when I walked in to visit the kids, Brennan's nurse greeted me then asked if I got to hold him yesterday. I said no, she seemed surprised and I told her I didn't ask. She asked if I wanted to hold him and I don't think she really needed an answer! Of course!!! I've been wanting to hold them since the day they were born, but wanted to do it when they were ready. Today was Brennan and my big day!



Here's super proud Mommy and tiny little Brennan! He's just 3oz shy of 2lbs. It hardly felt like he was in there, but every so often I felt him wriggle around. Just amazing, word's cannot express, just amazing!



I tried to catch some of his little noises on video! Forgive my left handed video, but you can hear him cry! More like squeak! :)

I got to hold him for 1.5 hours and we both did great! I have to admit I was a little nervous holding him, especially on CPAP since when he wriggled, his mask would slip a little and expose a nostril. He just needed to be adjusted, then all was well. We can hold him every other day for now...Daddy gets Saturday's shift. I bet he can't wait! Today one of the nurses was so excited and said, today was the first day holding one of my babies. I knew what she meant and it actually didn't cause me to be upset. I just smiled and remembered holding my sweet Katelyn. This was different, Brennan was squirming and crying! It brought joy back to my arms. Thank you God for Your peace and comfort and allowing me to really enjoy this moment with Brennan!