Twelve eyes

All you miralces lovers will be overjoyed!! :)

Yesterday we took all the babies to their opthamologist appointment and they did all kids of eye exams on the kids. Each baby took it differently and oddly enough, Brooklyn was the most tolerant! :) She already has her glasses so she went first and didn't take too long. Then Brennan and Landon went in because they were in the stroller and Brooke needed to eat. The boys just hung out in their seats with each resident doctor checking out their eyes. They used lights, big toys, little toys, a weird noise thing all to see how their eyes responded and if they were tracking. Landon has always stumped us because sometimes it really looks like he's looking at you, but then other times you waive your hand in fornt of his face and he doesn't react. Brennan's eyes look down so much that it's hard to tell his vision too.

Then came the prescription part...

Oh my WORD! Brennan has -10 prescription in each eye and his retinas look much better than than the dr thought. Great news! Hopefully the glasses will help him want to open his eyes and look more straightforward. Next, Landon shocked us all! He has -5 in one eye and -7 in the other! He has the best prescription of all!! He also tracked the doctor, light and large toy! Not bad for a blind kid, eh?! :) God is SOOO good! In the Spring the doctors told us he'd probably be blind, deaf and unable to walk. Look how far God has brought him in a few months! He passed his hearing test (we'll find out more on the 30th), is kicking like crazy and can see!!!!! Miracles are just around the corner! I can't even express how THRILLED and thankful we are! It's so weird to have to worry about the basics of life - breathing, walking, eating, seeing, hearing. Lord help us remember not to worry about the basics, you take care of the birds and flowers and can take care of my kids!

Hailey's Second First Day of School!

We're so thankful Hailey got into the full day preschool program and started today! She was one of the experienced preschoolers as she had been going to school for 2 weeks already! She was in Head Start which started just after Labor Day, then we got her waivered into the school district's program. Head Start was a great program, but only half day - 11:30-3:30, right in the middle of the day and made it really hard for Nich to make it to appointments. The school's is full day! This morning we were up bright and early with lunch packed! She got on the bus before I left for work and wondered why it was so dark!

Daddy woke up early to see her off too!

An old pro! She humored me my turning around for a pic. She was the first on the bus and knew just what to do!

Tonight I had to go grocery shopping to pack her lunch and she helped me put everything into the pantry. She's just a big helper! She made a pattern with the 2 different kinds of juice boxes, applesauce, fruit cups - everything! She's got her own part of the shelf and is going to pack her lunch everynight before bed. Well pick out her extras, Daddy's the king of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! Hailey even wrote her name on the bottom of the bag! We've just gotta work with her to write in the right direction - she's a true lefty and wants to write right to left. She didn't do too bad though! :)

Landon loves bananas!

Here's a video of Landon eating bananas! That's actually all he'll eat now and still generally not very well. But tonight he LOVED them! I just kind of painted the bananas on his tongue and you could tell by his face when it hit his tastebuds!

FABULOUS pictures!

One of our friends Ashley came over a couple days ago to take pictures of the babies - their 1 YEAR pictures! She did a fantastic job!

They all actually feel asleep like this!

Landon - so cute!

Mommy kissing Landon - precious!

Brooklyn has so much spunk!

And a great fashion sense!

Brennan and Landon hanging out

My little darling! Can you believe how cute Hailey is!?

Such a little poser!

She was helping Ashley come up with poses and place to take the pictures! I think she's gonna be part photographer when she grows up!

Also, we wanted to invite you readers to their birthday party! You have meant so much - encouraging, praying, support our family through this incredible year! Thank you! If any of you are interested in coming, please email me or send me a facebook message...I didn't want to put the location or any details online. We want to have a celebration of their life and all that God has brought us through!

Hailey's First Day of Preschool

It's true!! Hailey started preschool today and she could hardly contain her excitement! She's in the afternoon program so the bus picked her up just after 11am. We were down early so we wouldn't miss it. She came up with a "waiting for the bus" song and sang it over and over as she twirled her backpack and danced around the trees.

My little model posing with her backpack! She picked out her own outfit for the first day - pink leopard skirt, pink punk shirt, teal socks and rainbow leopard shoes. SO cute - thanks Nana!

Cheesing with Daddy! So proud of her!

She wanted us to sit the same way but since we both had skirts on we had to sit lady-like, which is NOT comfortable squatting in front of a tree.

That's all I got before I had to go to work but am so proud of her! She hopped on that bus like a pro - didn't even look back! We had to sign her onto the bus and Nich signed her out when she got off. She still hasn't totally described her day at school but said she had lots of fun, learned stuff and made friends. Hey, I guess that's what's important! I have no idea how she got so mature and such a big girl! LOVE this girl!

Keep pressing on

I should be sleeping but can't...I watched Suprisingly Quints on TLC as I was waiting to start Landon's Gtube pump for his overnight feed. Nich wasn't feeling well and doesn't like watching multiples shows anymore so he went to bed. I think his comment and my emotions as we're getting close to celebrating the day our life got turned upside down, got the best of me and I just can't sleep. Sometimes we can't help but long for life with four healthy babies.

There's been so many discouraging things happening in our lives and Nich and I are kinda run down that it's been really hard to keep pressing on. Keep going yep...that's easy just feeding and changing babies diapers over and over, but pressing on...seeking God and his plans for our family. That's been tough. Hailey starts preschool tomorrow and as excited as we are for her, it wasn't the program we were thinking it was. We're trying to find all new doctors because our insurance changed at work and our network doesn't participate in the new insurance. Landon's not eating by bottle hardly at all anymore. Hailey's been asking more questions about death, much bigger than I can answer right now. Reminders of how crazy our lives are now and how big (to us) the challenges our children have to face are.

When we were in the NICU, Brennan, Landon and Brooklyn were fighting for their lives - breaking the "23 weeker" box over and over! Now we're seeing the challenges Landon and Brennan have ahead and have to work through them. Landon's delays and Brennan's vision - those are pretty big things! It's been hard to keep pressing on when faced with such huge challenges. I guess that's the same with any difficult thing we're facing. From the very begining, God has had our family in His Hands. He's been cheering them on and pulling for them! We are so thankful for the little miracles they are but we need a boost! Lord, give us strength and hope for the rough road ahead. Keep our eyes focused on Your plan for our lives and our family. You will give us this strength if we focus on you! Help me remember these discouragements are just that, but You give us Hope for the future!

It's all fun and games until...

I have so many drafted blog posts, but when I log in to update them I get distracted catching up with all of yours!! And we kind of have a lot going on here!

So last week I put the boys down to play with each other and this is what happens!

Don't even know the other one is there - Brennan busts out his goofy smile...

They find each other...

Aww! Holding hands, until....

Ka pow! Landon clocks him! Don't worry - he hardly touched Brennan, but it shocked him!

They're making up :) Brennan's telling secrets!

Still chatting away! Landon talked his ear off and Brennan was nodding off to sleep. A picture of what nights will be when they share a room! They're going to have so much fun together!