A long time coming...

I know, I know it's been too long! Don't worry those 3 crying babies in my last post did not defeat us, this last 6 months have been incredible and amazing as our boys are turning into just that little boys faster than we can take a breath! When I look back at my blogging history I laugh, because it fits perfectly:

We found out we were pregnant--blogging weekly--still normal, active, me

Bed Rest--blogging daily--bored nothing to do

Babies are here--weekly--stuck in the hospital with a lot of time on our hands, but running from room to room 

Babies come home--monthly--breastfeeding and laundry consumed much of the blogging time

Babies start crawling/walking--barely ever--chasing has taken over all other activity in the house and in between the chasing there's the feeding, cleaning and laundry, but let me tell you the chasing is delightful!!

So here I am, staying up late just to blog, because I know, I know it's been too long!

The boys (that's what you're here for right) are one day shy of being 1 year adjusted (14 1/2 months actual) which means in 1 day was their due date and you probably recall we didn't quite get there, but you would barely even know! They are incredible, resilient little 1 year olds and are really coming along like any other baby even with the 12 weeks they missed out on or gained depending on how you look at it.

Victor is an incredibly bright light in our house. You can see his smiles right down to his toes (which he absolutely loves by the way-practically impossible to put a diaper on a kid who won't let go of his feet).Victor is still lagging a bit working to catch up from the growth restriction from the beginning and is a couple of months behind developmentally, but is progressing so the doctors and birth to three specialists have no concerns about long term delays at this point.  This little man will eat anything in sight and I laugh when I think back to the doctors thinking he may go home with a g-tube and long term feeding challenges--my 2 lber is now our biggest baby and is without a doubt a very good eater! Thanks goodness we held out for a surgery free nutrition plan as he certainly proved himself completely capable of growing...Speaking of surgery we do have one more coming up for our little man. In the end of March, Victor will be having a muscle correction surgery for his crossing eyes. We've been patching them daily for some time now with no real correction so it's time to take a more invasive approach so his vision doesn't become affected by the muscle issues. Here's a little Victor in action, since I left you with 3 crying babies back in July, today I'll share some laughter:

Oscar is our great imitator; he learns all the tricks first! He can be "so big," patty cake, touch his nose, high five and wave good bye and even coughs if a brother does. Funny I can't help but think Karma has something to do with that since one of my biggest teacher pet peeves is when a kindergartner has a cough and every time they do the whole class starts...oh well when your 1 (and mine it's pretty funny). He chatters all the time and I'm pretty sure he has mama and dada down as actual words but he also calls Jovian, and his breakfast that so I could be wrong! He does however say "num, num" when he like what he has been given to eat. Unfortunately, though, not all foods are "num, nums" according to Oscar though and you may just find what you've put in coming right back out in a most dramatic fashion. He definitely has the most discerning pallet of the house. Oscar is our wall walker, he can crawl anywhere he wants, but prefers to get there on 2 feet as long as there is something to hold onto. He could easily let go, but he is cautious about his movement and doesn't think he's quite there yet. Oscar is also our thinker and likes the little detailed toys like stackers and shape sorters and figuring out how it all works and watching him play with these, we believe may have revealed a lefty in our trio! Here's Oscar doing his tricks:

Mylo may be the youngest and the smallest, but he is BIG in every other way! He walks big, talks loud and bowls through anything (or anyone) in the way. When he tells a story he has plenty so say and we are all trying to figure out who he thinks he sounds like, because his voice is all around hilarious when he tucks his chin down and gets all serious telling the whole world what is up. Mylo is a man on the move and is walking, no wait, running anywhere he can. He will turn just about any toy in the house upside down on his way through and is officially climbing up things as well...this I must say I'm not ready for. Even on ground level, the child is one big bruise some days so the idea of him finding higher ground to fall from terrifies me. Mylo is also my big snuggler though. Don't even think about putting him down for a few minutes after getting up from a nap or bed in the morning, he has a designated snuggle time that cannot be cut short or he will let you know  it was not yet time to get down in no uncertain terms! Mylo the climber:

Our house is definitely getting busier by the minute, but we are having loads of fun watching our babies become toddlers. This last few months have flown by. We've had our follow up clinic with the NICU where they were thoroughly impressed by how healthy and smart our little 28 weekers have become. We had to have a head ultrasound for Victor to be sure the continued large size of it wasn't anything to be concerned about and he was diagnosed with a "big head" pretty funny that we had to get a look inside for that, but it was good to be reassured that there are no continued issues with the small bleeds he had when he was little. We survived our first 2 rounds of colds. One (over Thanksgiving) hit Victor pretty hard and led to nebulizers and steroids to get him breathing well again. The other (after Christmas) hit Oscar even worse and turned into pneumonia so we spent a night at Children's for that. We are holding our breath that this yucky flu going around doesn't find us, too and would like to remind everyone that in many houses it's not "just a cold" or "just the flu" so be thoughtful where you bring your runny noses and coughs because, even if we didn't have residual lung issues from prematurity, 3 sick little ones who are too small to tell you what hurts is a HUGE and EXHAUSTING challenge! 

At the moment, though, we are all healthy and very, very entertaining...

 Here's a little triple the fun dinner conversation:

and a little early morning play time:

I hope this gave you all your triple fix since it may be another six months, but I would like to keep it up better and hope that I find time between the chasing and the laundry to share our adventures over another incredible year! I actually have a few thoughts on what this adjusted birthday means to us so you may just get a post tomorrow if I can get them together...

I never said it was easy...

I realize when I write the monthly posts that I talk about all the good things going on in our world, but I have to write at least one post that admits that it is hard to have triplets. Don't get me wrong, we wouldn't trade the insanity for the world, but to all of those we run into when we are out and about who say "you have  your hands full" or "how do you do it? or "I can't imagine" the replies to those thoughts are "yes, we do," "we just do," and "no you can't imagine"respectively. There are nights when our house sounds like this:

We recover fairly quickly though and it doesn't take too long to get this:

Luckily that 10 second clip (and it was only 10 seconds, because we don't leave them to cry like that-just so everyone knows!) is pretty rare and our boys are generally very happy, but man when you are on your own on a night when they've gotten overtired like that it's hard to know if you'll ever get to your own bed, but eventually you do and you wake up to their smiles in the morning and know that you'll do it all over a million times just to say good morning to those sweet faces! This week has marked the beginning of teething (Victor and Mylo) and our first ear infection (poor Victor can't catch a break) but between the pain we've managed to have a little fun, too.

We love to eat so far pretty much anything! 

We've started to really check each other out !

Victor with our dear friend Renae! 

Our first pool party at the Brekkens-holding hands just in case daddy doesn't hold on tight!

Crashed out after a hard day at the garden center

and I couldn't leave you with my sweet boys tears in your ears so here's a much more enjoyable video from dinner time .



so like I said I will never call having triplets easy, it is the best job I could ever ask for.

EIGHT unbelievable months!!

So I just realized that with all the excitement of holidays, the end of school and surgeries I never did an official 7 month post, but you've gotten a little glimpse of our last months' action through the other posts. So 8 months it is! The last month has marked one of the greatest months of change in our house since the boys made their appearance.We are most definitely men on the move, especially Mylo. We're also chatterboxes, as in someone is talking all the time, especially Victor. We also love to snuggle and snuggle, especially Oscar. One of my favorite things about this last month is watching them get attached to little loveys (so cute seeing them snuggle up with them in their cribs) so their pictures of the month this month are of the boys with each of their new best friends. I hope you get a little bit of each of the boys personalities through the videos, but we've got a new phenomena that the camera is very interesting so I often get silent stares when I break it out. I guess they are just getting camera shy already!  

Oscar and his alien

In this last month Oscar has established himself as our morning person. Oscar was our silent observer for a long time and then one morning changed all that. Marty went in to get "Mylo" chattering away that day and realized when he got in their room it wasn't Mylo it was OSCAR-he had found his voice! He now wakes up telling stories and playing in his crib every morning and has the biggest grin when we go in to get him!Oscar has a goofy little quirk too. He has to do what we refer to as "up-downs" after every meal. He will do these happily anytime that you hold him standing, but if you try to lay him down after eating without giving him a chance to "up-down" he will not have any of it. Oscar also remains our biggest snuggle bug and cuddles right in when it is time to be rocked to sleep. 

Mylo and Rudy the Rabbit

Mylo spent the last month becoming the big man on campus (he's seriously a chunky monkey) and getting his moves on! This child can get pretty much anywhere he wants to go now by rolling mostly, but he can also army crawl, but only backwards. He also eats and eats and eats and eats. So far he's gobbled up anything we put in front of him except for peaches. He's not a fan of those, but Oscar loves them. Mylo is the most resistant to bed time, but once he's down if he wakes up he'll play himself back to sleep which is fun to watch and hear through the monitor. Mylo has a killer smile and the dimple and the super sparkly eyes that go with it will win over anyone who walks through the door. 

Victor and his snuggle bunny

Victor's last month, as you all know, was a very big month for him. He is now BAG FREE! and already so much more comfortable. Even with the scars still healing, I remember holding him in certain positions that would make him squirm and wince, and he doesn't at all anymore. We're so happy to have this chapter behind us and Victor, who has always been a very easy going little man is so much happier and has been giggling and telling stories non-stop since we got home from the hospital. It will be fun to see how he develops now that the bag isn't in his way. Victor loves to stretch out really tall and do "so bigs" and hopefully his new found intestines will also help him put on the weight to go with his tall stretches. We are still going to be watching his weight gain closely with his endocrinologist that works with his thyroid issues to be sure there is nothing residual, but we're hoping that the surgery will turn around his weight gain in a hurry! 

This last month has marked a lot of adventures for our boys. We've started really getting out and about and I get more and more confident each day about my ability to do so. We started with lots of walks and now that the boys have good enough head control for the joey seat in their triple stroller we get to use that and it makes getting out around the neighborhood a breeze!

Mylo riding in the "joey" seat

We've also started going to mommy baby yoga and can't wait to do more this summer. We end up doing a lot of observing, since it's a little chaotic with all three, but then when I get a little one on one time at home I know some of what I can do with them. 

Boys all geared up for yoga! 

We love just hanging out in the yard in the shade and playing in the fresh air, but have also had lots of fun going out and about and have fully enjoyed celebrating at our cousin's graduation party and two baby showers in the last month. This month we've also gone to grandma and grandpa's, gone to school with mommy, gone shopping at babies r us, and visited Auntie Jenny and Uncle Shane. I'm aware that none of these things would be notable if it was just one child, but believe me learning how to leave the house efficiently and actually accomplish the things that you would like when you do is a feat and we are proud to be finding our way out and about!

At a baby shower for one of mommy's yoga friends (6 mamas, 9 babies under a year and 1 on the way!)

Enjoying summer breezes!

Resting and ready!

Oscar and Mylo come for a visit (and grandpa and grandma , too!)

Our extra day proved to be just what we needed. As the day went on Victor's eating continued to improve and stooling has followed which means we're back down to a more normal waist measurement and our belly isn't hard as a rock. Yesterday we had some very long, restful naps (both Victor and MOM!) and then our brothers came to visit! We also had a visit from our primary nurse Katie from the ICC and she certainly brightened our day! Oscar and Mylo got to take a walk down to see her and nurse Christine when they got here, too so everyone got to show off how big and strong they are getting!

This morning Victor's tummy is much softer and smaller so the rounding surgeon has said that we can be on our way! I asked a million questions and was nervous about leaving after having our first discharge derailed, but Victor told mommy in his Victor way not to worry and that he's very ready. I went down to grab some breakfast when he had nodded off, thinking he was down for his morning nap and when I returned he had wriggled himself down to the end of the crib with all of his toys and he was playing and laughing! Anyone that happy doesn't need to be in a hospital anymore, so the doctors and Victor are right, it's time to go. He's taking a nap now and we're waiting for paperwork to be done, but by noon or one we should be on our way. Good bye Children's! We're so very grateful for the wonderful care we've had for our health and the support we've had for our hearts on this very long journey, but we're ready to be on our way for good. Next time we're back, it will just be for a visit!

I can't help but share one last video of our time at Children's, Victor was a little wound up at bedtime after his brothers left last night:

Almost home...or maybe not

Yesterday Victor was able to start eating breast milk and he's been passing gas and pooping like a champ so we are well on our way! Yes, I do a little happy fart cheer every time I hear a toot! I said to the nurses yesterday I don't think it will be near as exciting when he poops in a potty for the first time after this. We've been waiting 8 months for this poop. Thinking back to those very  first 8 days before his first surgery waiting and waiting for him to stool while his ittty bitty tummy just got more and more distended while I consulted Dr. Google and read horror stories of preemies with NEC (I'm not going to explain, but if you want to google it you can imagine my fear). Well that is over, it all works now, but slowly. There is a delicate balance between pain management and getting everything working again. We don't want him to be dealing with pain in any way, but  narcotics slow down our digestive tract so even though he is wanting to eat on his normal schedule the bowels aren't moving fast enough to get rid of the waste for that eating schedule. So this morning all looked good and we were switched to all oral pain meds for our transition home and then 2 hours later they measured his tummy and he had an extra 2 cm and was very distended. Thankfully, he is still stooling and passing gas so it's not a concern as to whether or not he's all working, more a concern of getting him back up to speed, but that said, we do get another day out of the deal. The surgeons said "No going home until we're sure he won't be right back." Even though his time may be a little longer than we hoped, Victor is still the happy, patient little boy he's always been. We've even got a few laughs out over the last couple of days.

We're all holding up pretty well, but mama is missing her other boys and Victor is, too, I think. We have a picture of Oscar and Mylo in his crib and he spends a lot of time studying it and talking to it. I talk to the boys on the phone when I can and my mom says Mylo is really trying to find me in the room when he hears my voice They were supposed to come and stay at Ronald McDonald House with Grandma last night so I could be back and forth for night time feedings and snuggles, but the RMH was full with critical care families who get first dibs on rooms so that didn't work and we ended up having to do a combination of turning my dad into breast milk delivery service and a little supplementing with formula. When Grandpa Roger comes to get breastmilk this morning he'll be trading cars with me so they will have car seats for Mylo and Oscar and they'll all come in and visit this afternoon before bed time. Mommy can't wait!

Picture of the boys that is hanging in Victor's crib

Mylo and Oscar telling Victor to come home and play! 

Day 2: The Waiting Game

So now that Victor is all hooked back up everything is determined by how fast his bowels wake up. This morning he was alert and fairly happy when he wasn't sleeping and he stopped getting the morphine if they can help it so that he doesn't have his bowels get slowed down right when they are learning to speed up! The only issue at this point was that Victor was HUNGRY and we still couldn't feed him.

As the afternoon wore on Victor has continued to get hungrier and hungrier and harder and harder to calm. Snuggles finally got him to rest, but only for so long. He'd wake up attacking whatever he could get his hands on to eat...nuk, blanket, his bunny's ears, mommy's fingers, whatever he could reach! Finally at about 9:00, they determined his bowel sounds sufficient to start giving him clear liquids! I put that 1st bottle in and thought here we have it this will let him rest. Of course, I didn't think about what happens to a child who normally gets 6oz of breast milk at every feeding and hasn't been allowed to eat for almost 2 days and then you only give them 2oz of pedialyte...when that bottle was gone we got to see all of Victor's true colors.

From left to right: What they let me eat; what I'm used to eating...meanies!

It was worse than before he ate, he had resigned himself to being hungry, but this 2oz of watery stuff was a horrible joke. "Where is the rest?" he yelled in true Victor form. Thankfully he only had to let that sit for a 1/2 hour or so before we could move on to larger quantities, still watery stuff, but enough to fill a tummy. Since then aside from waking up to get vitals and meds and more pedialyte he's been resting comfortably once again so hopefully tomorrow they will let him move on to breast milk and maybe just maybe he'll be  home by Friday or Saturday. 

A successful surgery

As we started our morning we thought it would be a very long start to the day as our sweet Victor was not very happy that his brothers were being fed and he was not. With some good grandma snuggles while mom and dad got all set to go, he settled in ok and was able to sleep for most of the ride to the hospital and was pretty good natured while we got him set to go. Even made some of his signature Victor banter with his admitting nurse! He really is such a trooper. He was taken back to surgery around 8:30 this morning and we were getting updates hourly and all progressed exactly as it was expected, if not better. The inguinal hernias were repaired in the first hour and the iliostomy take down was done next. Dr. Kreykes updated us around noon that everything had gone wonderfully and the intestines were in even better shape that expected so the hook up was very straightforward. 

Speaking of Dr. Kreykes, we must give a big shout out to our friend Sarah, his wife, who is being induced with their 3rd little one tomorrow and was given strict instructions to keep that baby in until after Victor's surgery so that he could be here and she pulled it off. It certainly would have stressed this mama out to have a change in surgeons at the last minute so we are very happy that  no changes had to be made. Can't wait to hear that their sweet gal has entered the world healthy and happy-maybe she'll be Victor's prom date one day! 

The rest of the day progressed without much news he has been resting comfortably most of the time. He's fairly well sedated, but when he is disturbed for cares and vitals he definitely let's us know he's uncomfortable with a very sad cry that's horse from the intubation. I'm having flashbacks to the NICU where I had to comfort my dears without picking them up. He can be held, but I can't imagine it would be very comfortable with all of his tummy scars so I realize that it would be more for me than him and will wait for him to be really ready for snuggles.   

If all goes well we'll start seeing stool in the next day or two and then he can begin eating and, if stooling continues to go well, it will be a day or two after that to go home. So we're hoping for 5 days. Keep sending those healing vibes, our sweet boy and his mom and dad are grateful!