Alex

Alex at 4 Months

Connor

Connor at 4 Months

Cade

Here are some of Cade's 4 month pics! Only two months late......

Update

Ok, this is my attempt to bring my poor blog back to life. Here is the update on the Hininger household.....

We are still on house arrest with flu and RSV season in full swing. We have had a few outings only to attend doctors appointments of course! The boys are getting so big! Cade weighs about 14lbs 6oz and Connor and Alex both weigh about 13lbs 4oz. We have been battling a few ailments for the past month. So far we have been able to avoid the flu, colds, and RSV. However the boy's acid reflux made a brutal comeback! It all started with Alex screaming when we tried to feed him then lead to him refusing to eat all together. It took us a while to realize that is was the acid reflux again because we were also battling the hemangioma on his leg that is now ulcerated. A week after Alex's hunger strike began Connor and Cade also started crying during feedings and refusing food. This is when we finally figured out that the boys had outgrown their current dose of medicine. So now we are finally getting back on track with eating.

The boys are smiling and laughing all the time. I absolutely love it! It is so funny the things I find myself doing just to get them to smile or the hear them laugh. They are starting to grab things and are really becoming aware of one another. I keep catching Alex looking at Connor and Cade and smiling. It is too cute! The best news of all is that all three are sleeping through the night! We put them to bed around eight-thirty and they don't get up until seven! Every now and then I have to get up to give one of the boys their pacifier, but that is about it.

My family has lovingly given me the nickname "the Nazi". They think that I get a little carried away with keeping everyone on schedule.... In my defense, although they are great help when they are here, they don't know what it is like to take care of three babies all day without any help. Staying on schedule is the only way to keep your sanity. Anyone who feels the need to criticize "the Nazi's" scheduling is more than welcome to get up in the middle of the night with the boys if they get off schedule ;)

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We have so much to be thankful for this year! Our Thanksgiving celebration was narrowed down to only a select few (My mom, dad, and brother) in attempt to keep the babies healthy. We were so excited that Blake was able to make it and meet his nephews for the first time! Sadly, in all the hustle and bustle I somehow failed to get the camera out even once! I am really kicking myself for this! I vow to do better in the future. Here are a few pictures from the past couple months!

4 Months Old

I am a little late in posting as usual, but the boys officially turned four months old last week! They are really growing. They are becoming such smiley little guys. First thing in the morning is my favorite time of day with them. They are so happy and well rested (even if Justin and I are not).

Some of their accomplishments are:

- can all role from tummy to their backs Connor has really become a pro at this. It is hard to keep him on his tummy for very long.

-They are starting to reach for objects

-Take naps twice a day and sleep for almost twelve hours at night (waking to eat twice of course!)

-Graduated from the apnea monitors!!!! We were not sad to see those things go!

4 month weights: Connor 8lbs 14 oz, Cade 9lbs 8oz, and Alex 9lb 10oz

Supermom

It is funny how excited I can get about the smallest accomplishments when it comes to these boys. Usually everyday I get up and feed the boys and rarely leave their room for the rest of the day. It is constant feeding entertaining one baby while two sleep or vice versa. We constantly have our swings and bouncy seat going. After reading a blog of another triplet mom I decided to read a book that she recommended to get babies on a schedule. The boys are on a strict eating schedule but sleeping is a different story. They all sleep at different times during the day and night. Now if I had just one baby I could be more laid back and maybe just let the baby set the schedule, but with three I never have a moment to myself except for the occasional bathroom break. Even then by the time I made it back in the room someone is always crying. After using some of the methods in the book I had all three boys napping in their beds all at the same time. I walked out of their room and had 2 whole hours to myself! I didn't really even know what to do with myself. Even better than that they all woke up happy and went to bed last night without any problems! I know it sounds silly but I felt like Supermom!

The boys are getting so big. I had to retire their newborn clothes. Now they are officially wearing 0-3month clothes. I can't believe it. I remember when their preemie clothes were huge on them. I am so glad they are growing and getting strong but it makes me sad to think how fast they really do grow up. They are all beginning to smile off and on and have rolled from their tummy to back a couple times. Katie came to take some pictures of the boys last week. Lets just say they were less than cooperative. Poor Katie tried her best but they are at a difficult stage where they are not sleepy newborns and they are not big enough to hold themselves up so we ended up with a jumble of babies. One sleeping one flailing and one crying. I hope we didn't wear her out too much :). Thanks to Katie for being so patient! Here are a few pics we have taken at home in the last couple weeks.

Cade
Cade, Connor, and Alex
Connor
Alex

What a Week!

I officially survived the week! I still can't believe I have all my boys at home together! We had such a great (and exhausting) week together. On Thursday I made a trip to the pediatrician with Connor and Alex. I was more than a little nervous to take both boys all by myself, but in the end we all survived. Alex weighed in at 7lb 10oz and Connor was 7lb 1oz. I can't believe they are growing so fast! If I had to guess I bet Cade is around 8lb. We will have an official weight when I take Cade to the doctor on Tuesday.

I guess you could say we are settling into our new life at home with the boys. The boys eat every three hours. It takes me about an hour to get everyone fed during the day. At night Justin and I run a fairly decent zone defense. Together we can get them fed and back to bed in about 40 minutes leaving a couple hours to sleep before its time to start all over again. It is exhausting but I am loving every minute of it! We should have some professional pictures taken soon, but until then I will post the few pics we have managed to find time to take.

Our Family is Complete!!!!!!

No words needed to describe...... enjoy the pics!!!!!!

2 down - 1 to go!

Well, after much complaining from friends and family for not updating the blog in a while I figured we would let everyone know what's going on in the Hininger household and the St John NICU. Sorry for the delay.......its not like we are busy or anything.

OK, to catch everyone up, here is what has happened in the last few weeks.

On Aug 21st we got to decide wether to take Alex home on caffeine and a monitor or let him stay in the NICU for a little while longer because he didn't pass his sleep study with flying colors. We were really hoping to not have to take the boys home with monitors but Oh well. They have been tangled up in wires since they were born. The first week Alex was home was actually a piece of cake! You folks with one at a time don't know how easy you have it :)

Its very strange to to treat a baby that has been born for 3 months as a newborn since they actually aren't even suppose to be born yet.

We were extremely excited to bring one of the boys home but it was a bitter sweet experience as it would greatly interfere with the amount of time we could spend with Cade and Connor.

One week after Alex had been home, Cade and Connor took and passed the car seat tests. Next was the PCG or sleep study. Both failed :( This means that they were still having bradys and apneas - though typically only with feedings.

The neonatologists decided that we were old hat at this and let us go ahead and take Cade home with caffeine and a monitor.....great more wires to trip on and get tangled. Connor didn't do as well on the test as he was desating often during feeds. This prompted bringing in a speech pathologist to examine his eating patterns and make recommendations on how to get rid of the desats. Then they ordered a barium test to watch his swallowing under X-ray to make sure it was going down the right tube. After that test the recommendation was to thicken the milk with rice cereal so he could control it better with the back of his tounge and keep it from partially choking him. As of Saturday this has really helped and we are extremely excited to learn that he may be able to come home in the next few days.

As for home life, this has been comical to say the least. We are somewhat prisoners in our own house. We were given strict instructions to keep these boys out of public places and REALLY limit visitors for a while. Their release just so happened to coincide with school starting and we all know what germ factories elementary schools are. Also with the HINI flu (thats what Court and I call the H1N1 Virus) and RSV season getting close, we feel the best thing for everyone is to stay put til we can build up some immunities. Every morning Court fixes 16 bottles to make it through the day and we go through about 20 to 24 diapers a day!

Cade and Alex have actually done a lot better when we finally gave in and decided to let them sleep together. They kind of console each other instead of screaming for us to do it for them. Cade is such a sweet boy and has a personality that is polar opposite of Alex. Cade is completely content chilling and staring at things where Alex typically needs constant stimulation or entertainment. As soon as we get Connor home, he'll have more constant entertainment than he knows what do to with.

Very soon our family will be complete. Barkley has tolerated the new additions very well considering. I think when we bring another home though she's gonna decide to pack up and leave. :)

More soon.......if we have a spare minute

Is That The Light?

Yesterday I caught a glimpse of the light at the end of the tunnel. We are starting to make some major progress! Alex and Cade are now breathing room air with no nasal cannula! Connor still needs a little oxygen, but we are hopeful he will catch up soon. Today Cade took his whole bottle for the first time! So many exciting things all at once. I can't believe how different they are starting to look now that they are gaining weight. Connor currently weighs 4lb 2oz, Alex 4lb 9oz, and our chunky boy Cade weighs 4lb 12oz. You know you have been in the NICU too long when you start to think that a four pound baby looks chunky :). Justin saw a regular size newborn the other day and thought the baby was about 6 months old.

I am posting the latest pictures of our three beautiful boys! In case you have been wondering the circles on the babies cheeks are just stickers that hold the nasal cannula on. Cade and Alex still have them on just in case.

Alex
Daddy and Alex
Cade
Cade
Connor
Connor

Growing

The boys are really growing! Today Connor weighed 3lb 15.9oz, Alex weighed 4lb 5oz, and Cade weighed 4lb 9oz. They are all still on oxygen but are doing really well. We are starting to attempt bottle feeding at least once a day. So far Cade holds the record. He took 15ml! Everyone should catch on soon. The boys have been holding their own temperatures so hopefully they can move to open cribs soon. We are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Alex in his new hat and blanket

Grandpa and Nana visiting

Connor and Daddy

Alex and Cade

One BIG happy family

Bathtime

As most of you have informed me this post is way past due :). A week ago Justin and I got the give Alex and Cade their first bath. Connor missed out because he still had an IV in his foot and could not get it wet. We also got to help weigh the boys. Here are the pics!


Connor on the scale

Daddy putting Cade on the scale

Alex wanted to role off the scale so he had to lay on his tummy

Cade getting a bath

Cade with his hand IV wrapped up to keep it dry

Alex getting a bath

Alex

So Happy Together

Me and you and you and me no matter how they toss the dice la la la la so happy together..... Ok, you get the point our boys were reunited finally after 33 days apart! It was such a amazing day to see all three of them side by side. Our nurse moved all of the beds close together so we could hold them all at once. Many of you have asked if Alex went back to picking on Connor like when they were in my belly. Amazingly they picked right back up where they left off. Alex was poking Connor in the eye and making Connor cry. Cade went right back to sleep and stayed asleep most of the time. Having all my boys together was the best feeling!

A couple of other side notes that are very exciting - ALL 3 ARE OVER 3 LBS!!!!! This has been a hump we have been working on with Connor for some time now and he finally made it. Cade is at 3lb10oz, Alex is 3lb2oz, and Connor is 3lbs. Looks like we will start bottle feeding next week. Cade's feedings are increasing to 30ml/3hr and the other two are going up to 28ml/3hr today.

The other big news is that all 3 are on a regular nasal cannula now. We discontinued the high flow this morning and were informed that it's very unlikely to go back. This is a HUGE step in the right direction and we are very excited! Getting closer and closer to going home :)