Well, we are surviving so far! We successfully made it to my due date of January 1, 2015, and we had all of the babies back home and together again by the time they turned 2 months old- January 5. It was so exciting to get everyone back together again, and we are thrilled to not have to be running to and from the hospital all the time (even though we do miss our nurse friends!).
Since everyone has been home, things have been quite hectic (if you can imagine with 4 infants!). The babies all need to eat every 3-4 hours, and we try to stay on a pretty strict schedule or else we would all go nuts! When one eats, they all eat. A typical day goes something like this:
2:00AM: Diaper, Bottle, Back to Sleep for Babies
5:00AM: Diaper, Bottle, Back to Sleep for Babies
8:00AM: Diaper, Change Clothes, Bottle, Play Time for Babies (tummy time and on their play mats)
9:00AM: Sleep for Babies
12:00PM: Diaper, Bottle, Play Time for Babies
1:00PM: Sleep for Babies
3:30PM: Diaper, Bottle, Play Time for Babies
4:30PM: Sleep for Babies
7:00PM: Diaper, Bottle, WITCHING HOUR until roughly 10:00PM
9:00PM: Bath Time for the days we take baths
10:00PM: Diaper, Sleep Sack, Bottle, Bed for Babies
Of course, they are not all sleeping at the same time when they are supposed to be. A lot of times one (or more) is screaming, needs held, is puking all over us, etc. Also, either Chris or I are sleeping in the babies room with them every night. I don't know how much longer we will do that, but it seems to be working okay for now! One person gets their uninterrupted sleep while the other one stays in with the babies and maybe sleeps, maybe doesn't (depending on how much they are crying!). So far, we always have 2 people to tackle feeds. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour, and each person feeds 2 babies. With some of their reflux issues, we just don't think they are ready for propping bottles yet, although we have done it in a pinch! During the nighttime feeds, my mom usually does the 2:00 feed with Chris, and I do the 5:00 feed with my dad. Throughout the day, we also have to accomplish showers for ourselves (hopefully), laundry, dishes, eating for ourselves (hopefully), I have to pump, and we have to do other household stuff/errands. Throw a couple doctor appointments in there (at least one a week, usually more), and can you say CHAOS! Chris started back to work 1/2 days last week, and obviously my dad works all day, so it is me and my mom most days! We still aren't having other helpers or visitors come because this flu/cold season is so horrendous. Wish we could, but it is just not a good idea.
Just a little formula (we use breast milk, too)
A new kind of double fisting
Our house looks like a daycare!
They only punch each other in the face occasionally lol
Just some of our dirty bottles. We go through about 24/day plus pump parts, binkis, etc.
Dylan is in the pink bath!
Jackson after his bath
Aleah was holding Jackson when he so kindly pooped!
Millie girl bath time!
Millie girl at the Doctor
Owen in his Camo Overalls
Owen when he was still in the hospital =)
Owen saying peace out to the NICU
And then he came home and passed out!
Basically, I know people have done it, but I do not know how WE could do it without the help of my parents during the week and then my parents and Chris' parents during the weekends (they live 1.5 hrs away but come up to stay on the weekends). The way we are doing it now, at least we are all getting a little sleep! If it was just Chris and I, we would not be sleeping. We are so thankful for their help and for their love for us and their 4 little grandchildren.
Since we have been home, everyone has been to the pediatrician at least 3 times each with only one appointment where they all went together. We have also been to some eye appointments, again one appointment all together. Happy to say that Owen and Millie (who had slight ROP) no longer have sign of ROP (it resolved itself), and Jackson and Dylan are cleared from any ROP! So, we don't have to have any more eye appointments until a year from now. Woo hoo! The babies also had their first follow-up appointment with neonatology at Children's Hospital. They look great =) Theirs weights (as of that appointment- last Wednesday) were:
Jackson: 9lb 0.6oz, 20.87in long
Owen: 6lb 15.1oz, 19.69in long
Dylan: 8lb 2.5oz, 20.08in long
Millie: 7lb 4.4oz, 19.69in long
They also had to go to the pediatrician for their 2 month vaccinations. What a scream fest that was! Pure torture (for them and me!). We have had a photographer that I booked pretty soon after I found out that I was pregnant come over to take naked pictures of the babes- I cannot wait to get those back! We also got the video from the birth photographer back (total love!). You can watch the video HERE. She sent us all of the pictures that she took, too. I shed tears of joy every time I look at them. What a day! Here are some of my favorites:
I have been spending lots of my free time on the nanny search and interview process. I think (hope) we have found a couple of good candidates! They are going to come spend some time with us to make sure they are a good fit and to make sure they are up for the task! It is going to be so hard to leave my little ones to go back to work, but a necessary evil. Glad that I have the ability to ease back into it starting in February! I have been spending lots of time dealing with scheduling doctors appointments and dealing with insurance issues. They made the effective date of each baby's insurance January 1, 2015 instead of November 5, 2014 (day they were born), so we have been getting bills and calls saying nothing from the NICU was covered- it was, just have to make a million calls to get things straightened out. As if I have time for that!
I am sure a million other things have happened since I wrote last, but it is all a blur. Thank you all for checking in on us, sending your well wishes, and for providing lots of yummy meals for us. We could not make it through this journey without all of your love and support!
Let's play a little game of who is who!! Comment what you think :)
