Happy Birthday to you Nini!

Nini came to visit the babies on her birthday! I was so glad she was finally able to see them!

The pretty flowers Nini sent the babies when they were born!


The first baby Nini held was Ava. She held and fed all of the babies! I really can't believe she is their great grandmother! She's seems too young to be a great grandmother! She is definitely the most stylish great grandmother around! She's the only one I know that wears Chanel sunglasses and knows more about fashion than most people do!


Nini holding sweet Knox. He is definitely my little Greek baby!


Nini and Brooks. He is such a happy baby!


Nini told me she had a special gift for me for having the babies! I never dreamed in a million years it would be this ring. She still wears it every day. My grandfather gave it to her. I absolutely love it! She always told me when she died it would be mine! I never expected to get it so soon. I love it so much and can't wait to give it to Ava one day!


This was a pic I found when I was born. It's so hard to tell if the babies look like me because I was basically twice their size.



PS-This is the only bathing suit shot you will ever see of me on the this blog!!
I always had so much fun visiting Nini! I have a feeling we were probably on our way to her back yard for mud pies and pedicures. That was one of our favorite things to do! Or picnics at the park where we could feed the ducks. Nini was and still is such a fun grandmother! I am so lucky to have her! I know my kids will love spending time with her as much as I do!


Love you!

What a Day!

4-27-11
Today was an exciting day for our family! B reminded me it was our 10 year anniversary! I'm so glad he remembered because I definitely didn't! I had three little babies on my mind! I really can't believe we have been dating that long! Ten years ago today was my senior prom. I ended up leaving my date in our limo and riding home from a party with B. I got grounded for weeks for that! I guess it was worth it! Somewhere I have a picture of a box of Franzia he bought me! Contributing to minors B!!! Shame on you!!! It has been a very fun, exciting 10 years! Love you B!

One of our earlier pics! I don't have many pictures of when we started dating because I didn't have a digital camera! I think I was still using disposables which seems so crazy now!!



I had a doctors appt. this morning to make sure I was healing correctly! Everything looked great! As soon as I was done I went upstairs to visit the babies! That's when the fun started! B left to go to work so I spent the morning changing diapers, feeding, pumping, etc. The nurse in our room left to go to lunch and said she would be back in about an hour. I of course thought I could handle everything! I finished feeding Knox, put him in his crib, and started pumping. While I'm pumping Ava starts going crazy! She is crying, screaming, kicking, etc. What's bad about the nicu is when they start crying their pulse goes up and a million alarms go off. This makes every situation ten times worse! I put the pump down and ran over to her (boobs hanging out) and see that she was pulling out her feeding tube that runs all the way to her stomach! I didn't know what to do because I didn't want to pull it out completely or push it back in! Before I had a chance to decide what to do I hear Knox screaming and choking and look over to see milk gushing out of his nose and mouth! It was not dripping, it was like projectile vomiting! Thank god my nurse was walking down the hall and ran in to help! She ended up taking Ava's tube out and suctioning Knox's milk out of his nose and mouth!
Knox vomit wasn't the only thing that was projectile today though. I was changing Ava's poopy diaper and as soon as I took it off poop started shooting out everywhere!!! It was pretty disgusting! Knox also had some poop issues and did the same thing to my mom when she was changing his diaper! They always pee as soon as I get them clean too! I guess I just need to get use to this! Brooks of course was the perfect Angel all day!
After that craziness my nurse left again to go downstairs to do paper work and everything blew up again! We figured out Knox and possibly the other babies have a milk allergy and that is why Knox spit up. So we now have to feed the babies special (expensive and stinky) formula with their breast milk. Knox had just finished breast feeding and I was supposed to try to give him a bottle of the new formula if he was still hungry. He wouldn't take it so I put him back in his bed and moved on to Ava. He had been in his bed for about 20 minutes and he started having a meltdown. He went crazy. All of his little alarms were going off. The kid would not shut up! I tried his pacifier, tried to feed him, etc. He just wouldn't stop. Three nurses rushed in because the alarms were so loud! Thank goodness the sweet speech therapist helped me calm him down! After a burp and a diaper change, and a little bit of the bottle he was fine. Every day that they get older their cries get louder and their fits get bigger! I'm just glad the babies are used to crying and sleep right through their brother and sisters fits!
The most exciting part of the day is that we found out Knox is coming home soon! I am so excited! He should be home by Sunday and Ava and Brooks on Monday!

Brandon and I took a dinner break from the nicu and went and ate pizza. I was feeling very adventurous and ordered my first post baby beer! I think I'm going to have to break myself in slowly! Or at least wait until I'm off the pain medicine! Ha


Tonight was a big night for Knox! It was bath night! This was the calm before the storm. He was so happy stretching out naked!



Then the bath started and he got a little mad! It was pretty pitiful! He was whining and B and I were laughing hysterically! He has the funniest little cry! B imitates him perfectly!






Is this not the cutest thing you have ever seen?? He looks like a shriveled up old man!


Now he is cozy in his first outfit in his mommy's arms! The outfit was a preemie outfit and it swallowed him! He is our biggest baby so I'm not sure what the other two are going to look like!


The cutest dinosaur booty I have ever seen!


He smelled so good! I just wanted to eat him up. That didn't last long though. This picture was probably taken around the time he started taking a gigantic poo! The clean baby smell lasted about 2 minutes and then the pooing started. I think he went through 2-3 diapers in the next twenty minutes!




I can't leave out a picture of sweet little Brooks.


Or sweet little Ava! They slept the entire time we were there. They didn't get their baths until the middle of the night so we missed those! I'm sure I will have pictures of their baths to post soon once they are home!

Random...

-We are trying to get as much done as possible before the babies come home! So I sent B a text yesterday that said "Dentist Tuesday 11am, Opthamologist May 18, 10am, Vasectomy Wednesday 9am". He told my mom later that day "Michelle said I have a vasectomy scheduled next week but she forgot to tell me which doctor was doing it." It was just a joke B, but I'm glad you are were ready for it!

-On April 24th I changed my babies diapers for the first time. I changed Brook's diaper first. I have never changed a little boys diaper that I can remember! I had to get a lesson because apparently I was doing it all wrong and setting myself up for some wet clothes! Ava's was a poopy diaper! What a freaking mess!

-The girl who wouldn't take Tylenol has turned into a pill head (according to B). I have to keep them organized in this little container. It's filled with iron pills, IB Profin, Vitamins, Stool Softeners... I've officially turned into an 80 year old woman. I have the saggy skin to prove it too!



-We are so obsessed with our babies. How obsessed are we???? B made me take a picture of a booger the nurse sucked out of Ava's nose. We are that obsessed....



-Our babies are burping machines! They burp like grown men. B was feeding Brooks for the first time and when it was time to burp him the nurse asked if he knew how. He didn't. She was showing him and he literally sat Brook's up and he let out the loudest man burp! She told B he was a professional. I don't think it's always going to be that easy though!

-Caroline, the baby expert, has been afraid to hold the babies! She's scared to death she is going to pull one of their little wires off. They are all just stuck with glue on their chest so even if one came off it wouldn't hurt them. She is very clumsy but one day when just the two of us were in the nicu I made her hold Ava! It was time for me to feed Brooks and I wasn't ready to put Ava down so Carol finally overcame her fear! She is going to be my night nurse so it's a good thing she got over it!



-Trying to breast feed three babies deserves a post of it's own but this morning I was pumping (which completely freaks B out) and he said "You know you really are a trooper... The shots, carrying the babies so long, and now the pumping every two hours. I could have never done any of that." It was one of the nicest things he has said. Everyone says the first two months after you have a baby are terrible for your marriage but we have been getting along better than ever. We do joke that this is the calm before the storm! I might be taking that statement back in a few days! Ha ha

-The nurse put this little hat on Brooks yesterday! He looked so funny in it. He has a miniature head and it was even too big for the hat. We could not quit laughing!


-My conversation with Lauren this morning after I sent her the following picture. Isn't she so cute???

Goodbye Willow Creek

I know this sounds crazy but I was actually a little sad to leave! Everyone at the hospital was so nice and helpful! I would recommend that hospital to anyone! If I ever have another baby (which I won't) I would definitely want to have it at Willow Creek. I'm so thankful I was able to make it to 36 weeks so I could move home to have the babies! I can't imagine what it would have been like to have them in LR!
Brandon left early that morning to go shower and let the dogs out and while he was gone Dr P stopped by to release me. I was dying to see the babies but I wanted to get home to shower first so while Brandon was gone I called my dad to come help me pack everything up and take me home! I had so much stuff in my room! It looked like I had been living there a week! I forgot to call B to tell him I didn't need him to come back so as I was being wheeled out he showed up! My dad took pictures when I was leaving the hospital but I look terrible in all of them!

This is the only picture that I can post and it is still pretty bad! I think in this picture I was saying "put the camera down I look terrible!"


I of course bawled on the way home because I wasn't taking my babies home with me! My poor dad had to listen to my meltdown the entire ride!Ha My mom was busy at the house sterilizing our house, doing laundry, cooking, etc. My house has never been cleaned like that! I'm really not sure how I will ever repay everyone for all they have done for us! This really puts the pressure on me to get my parents really good mothers day and fathers day gifts!
I was only home long enough to shower and then I was back at the nicu visiting our sweet babies! I can't find any pictures I took! I think I must have left my camera at home!
I was so excited about sleeping in my own bed! I had no idea how uncomfortable it would be! I was a little spoiled by the adjustable bed in the hospital! My first night of sleep was rough! It didn't help that I had to wake up every three hours to pump! I finally figured out a way to fall asleep around 5 in the morning. I put on this Velcro belt thing. Similar to what people that work at Wal-Mart wear for their backs. In fact, when I have it on B likes to joke and say I look like I'm ready to go work at UPS. It works though! It's the only way I can lay on my side without feeling like my insides are going to fall out! I really don't see how people have c-sections and then take their babies home the next day! It's been nice to have a little time to recover before I get into mommy mode! This belt is also supposed to help your stomach go back to normal. I'm not getting my hopes up on this claim. I think it's going to be a while before anything looks normal! Ha

Happy 3 day birthday babies!

4-22-11
Dr P actually told me I could go home but I decided I wasn't ready to leave the babies! It was so nice being so close to them. My dad came to visit so Brandon could run home to shower and check on the stores. My mom came and helped me shower too! It felt so good to actually get ready! I basically spent most of the day in the nicu. I missed so many visitors! Jeannie, thanks so much for stopping by and for my gift! Steven, Kristen, and Eli, I hate that I missed you!

The Penix family were are first visitors. They brought yummy donuts and cute Madeline. I can't believe how big she is! It really feels like I was just visiting Leslie in the hospital! I'm so glad they live close by! Our babies are going to have a lot of fun together!


This was the first time B got to hold one of the babies since the day I delivered them. It was Ava's touch time so she was the lucky girl! I can't even explain how obsessed we both are with these babies! They are all so cute and have such funny personalities!





Next we held baby Knox. Brandon calls him "Mommy's boy". He swears he will quit calling him that soon! He better! He is at the end of the line of cribs so I always end up holding him the longest! It doesn't help that he looks just like me too!


I can't wait for our little family of five to all be home together! I feel like I haven't been home in months! I know it will be so different with our three new babies but I can't wait! I know we are going to have so much fun!


Sweet baby Brooks. He is so tiny. I could just eat him up! He is such a big eater! It's hilarious. He literally sucks down his bottles in less than a minute. He also has his pacifier in his mouth at all times going ninety to nothing! Brandon says he reminds him of Bart Simpson's little sister because she always has a pacifier in her mouth! He makes the loudest sucking noise too! So cute!




Olivia and Karrie came to visit! Olivia, you might make it in the baby book for being the visitor that traveled the farthest to meet the babies! I'm so glad you were able to come! Karrie, thanks so much for the cupcakes! It will be all your fault when I have to wear a mumu for the rest of my life! haha


Olivia decided Ava was her favorite!Ha I think it had something to do with the way she was sleeping! They do look so cute when they are laying on their tummies with their booties in the air!






Emily, thanks for the snacks! All of my visitors made my stay in the hospital so easy and fun! B even said that it kind of felt like we were on vacation!


We had a great day and a terrible night! B and I were in the nicu holding the babies and another storm warning was issued. The nurses rushed in our room and told us we had to put the babies back in their beds and I had to go downstairs and sit in the bathroom in my hospital room! I was freaking out! I really wanted to snatch the babies and take them with me! I didn't have to stay in the bathroom very long but it was long enough to ruin my night! As soon as they let us back in the nicu B went to check on the babies. The storms were so terrible we did not get much sleep that night! The entire time I was pregnant I was so terrified that I would have the babies during the winter and I wouldn't be able to make it to the hospital in the snow. I never dreamed I would have to worry about flash floods, hail, and tornadoes! Oh and there was that one earthquake in Little Rock. Arkansas weather really is crazy! Hopefully all of this rain will give us beautiful spring flowers for the babies to enjoy!

Oops, I almost forgot something! I had the male nurse as my day nurse today!!! I was so worried about getting him and then I actually did! He was very nice and helpful but I will say he was the only nurse I had during my stay that asked to see my boobs! I'm not exactly sure what he was checking for!!! He also wanted to discuss breast feeding with me.... I think the murse might have a thing for preggo boobs! Haha

Day 2 at Willow Creek

4-21-11
I had big plans to wake up, take a shower, and get ready but that didn't exactly happen. At this point I was still convinced I didn't need any pain medication. I also found out I was very low on blood. I think my hemoglobin was a 6. I was told you need a transfusion if it's under 8. I decided I could tough it out and not get blood. B hates that I always refuse medicine! He thinks "toughing it out" is ridiculous. It probably is, but I really didn't want blood! They told me if I started feeling dizzy and sick that I would have to do it so I made sure to take it easy! My dad came to visit that morning and babysat me so Brandon could go home and take a shower and visit the dogs. I think I slept on and off the entire morning. My sleep was a little rough the night before!


Lauren and Erica drove up to visit us! They brought the cutest balloons for the babies and a bag of snacks for our room. It was so nice to visit with my friends! I wish they could have met the babies! They will have to come back soon when we are all at home!


How cute are these bunny booties Erica brought the babies! I can't wait to put them on their little feet!


Lauren brought the babies hilarious onesies. Ava's says "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful". Oh and she is! I can't wait to dress her up as soon as she gets home!


Nurse Brooke also came to see me! It was such a treat because I never get to see Brooke! Although, I'm a little mad at her! I mentioned my low blood/hemoglobin and she freaked out! She told me I was being ridiculous and that I needed the blood. Then she went to the nurses station and told them to give me blood! Ha I told her that must have been the reason they came in to check it for the third time that day! So thanks Brooke for getting me stuck again!



Brandon played in my wheelchair constantly! He even loved pushing me around! He thought it was hilarious to run me in to things! He definitely wasn't the best driver! I would usually just hit the wall because I didn't want to touch the little handles to stop myself! You never know who was in that thing before me!
One thing B was so excited about was the hospital food! Every time I had an appointment he would smell it and tell me he couldn't wait to eat it. I was usually gagging from the smell. Poor B... The food was a huge let down! It was pretty disgusting! I never ate one thing off my trays and I really don't think he did either! My mom or dad brought me food for every meal but Brandon would never order anything! I think he was holding out hope that the next hospital tray would be delicious! That never happened! Lauren, Erica, and Brooke decided to go get something to eat so B tagged along! I was a little jealous I couldn't go but I love that B loves my friends! He thinks they are all hilarious! I think he has just as much fun with them as I do!


While they were gone Sarah stopped by for a visit! Sarah is hilarious and I love that she always tells me the truth! When everyone else says "oh don't worry that's not a big deal" Sarah will tell me "no, it hurts like hell and it sucks!" While she was visiting a freaking monsoon hit! We had the worst hail storm ever! The hail was huge! It broke car windows, completely ruined my new car, Caroline's car, my mom's car. It was terrible. My car was actually the last thing on my mind because after the storm I called the nicu to tell them I was on my way to visit the babies and they informed me that no one was allowed in at that time because the hail had broken all of the sky lights in the nicu and there was glass everywhere. Umm talk about freaking out... I was terrified. They said our babies were fine but they just had a mess to clean up. Nothing is worse than thinking your kids might be in danger! I kept thinking what if they are scared, what if a little glass did hit them, etc.



Poor Allison and Courtney! They were my next visitors! I was so distracted the entire time they were there! All I could think about were our babies! Allison made me feel so much better though! She is so calm and she is a nicu expert! She literally knows everyone that works at the entire hospital! I don't know what I would do without her! I feel like I text her or call every day with a new question! I'm so lucky to have friends like Courtney and Allison who can answer all my baby questions! Poor Courtney should start charging me by the hour because I feel like I always call her with my questions and problems! Ha I'm so glad you both stopped by!


I made Caroline take a picture with me because she was usually the one taking them all! The babies were going to wonder where she was at! I took one with my mom too but there's no way I'm going to post it! I looked a little too rough! I will just have to tell the babies that both sets of grandparents were always there we just didn't take any pictures!



Bob Brooks also stopped by for a visit! It was so nice to see you Bob! He brought balloons for the babies too! Apparently the girls that work at Colliers Drug felt bad for Ava because Lauren and Erica bought the boys bigger balloons than her so they told Bob he needed to buy the girl Triplet a bigger balloon than the boy triplets!


Brandon and I finally got to see the babies that evening. This was also the first time I got to hold Ava! She is so so sweet! She has the chubbiest little cheeks. She still had her little oxygen tube in her nose which breaks my heart every time I see it but I don't think she seems to notice it much!

Sweet Ava!


Precious Brooks and his cute little lips!


Snuggly Knox. He makes the cutest little facial expressions!


After our visit to the nicu I finally started to calm down. My mom and Ms Cindy brought dinner and we all just sat around and chatted about our sweet babies! Ms Cindy bought the babies the cutest little outfits at Bella Jacks. I can't wait until I can dress them and post pictures! Ava got a cute little headband too! I think I might ask if she can start wearing it now! I know it will match her little diaper perfectly! Ha