8.27.2007

I've become an addict

I admit it - I have become a total blogging addict. I spend way too many hours, (in the wee hours) checking out blogs. I am, as one of my favorites calls it, a "baby blog addict" - we are the people whose lives have been forever changed by having children and we want to know what others like us are doing. Are the babies having sleep issues? Do they still get to do the hanky panky with their spouse? What are the babies eating? What are they doing to get that extra baby fat off their bodies? So many questions, so much to learn. I really only visit the blogs of women who have triplets (or more) and it is so fascinating. To peek in on the lives of these mothers and read about the funny, funny things these little ones do is such fun. I've always been a people watcher - you can ask my hubby anytime how many times I haven't heard a word he's said at dinner because I'm staring at a group of people two tables over trying to figure out their story...now I can do this all from the privacy of my own home - since I rarely go anywhere these days unless it's a doctor's office, I can people watch to my heart's content!

I so enjoy these blogs for several reasons, first just to know there are others out there like us and second many of these little kiddos are 18 months + so it gives me a little window to look in on the future and all the wonderful things we have to look forward to like - a trip to the zoo, the girls laughing and playing together and playing some sort of make believe, eating normal people food, swimming lessons....the list goes on and on. What I like most is that all of these moms are so happy and enjoy their lives and their children so much. They've gotten past most of the preemie issues, the doctor's appointments, the feeding issues, the sleepless nights - and they are just loving their kids and having the best time. It shows me that there is light at the end of this tunnel - there is hope! I've befriended a woman who had 25 weeker triplet girls who are now almost 8 years old - one of the things she said she wanted to give me was hope - and she does as do all these other moms out there that don't even know they're doing it.

This brings me to another point - there are these moms out there giving me hope and they don't know it - can you imagine how many lives we each must touch in a day, a month, a year and we don't even know it? It is a reminder to be mindful of what we do, what we say, to be your true self, you never know who could be influenced. Most importantly our children! My babies are 8 months old, 5 adjusted and they watch my every move! A and L are showing super signs of jealousy these days. If I'm holding one, the other will reach for me, stare bullets through me, or give out a little moany-whine. When I was talking to L this morning while changing her diaper, my mom said that A was listening to my every word...I never knew it could start this early. For so long I could only stare at them and wonder if they knew I was at their bedside, now the don't miss a thing I do or say - how incredible! I love being a mom, it is the most wonderful part of my life (aside from my wonderful hubby of course).

So for an update on our sweet Z - she had a tiny setback last week where she was requiring more oxygen so they changed her steroid course a bit but will try to wean it again later this week. She's been doing great on bottles - she now gets three during the day with a continuous tube feeding at night. She takes anywhere from one ounce to almost three ounces!! And she loves it, she stares intently at the nurses while they add the rice cereal and mix it up. We've also started her Parent/Infant program sessions with the Atlanta Speech School. We have only had one session so far and will have our second tomorrow. The first one consisted of our early hearing intervention specialist observing Z's behavior with her hearing aids and without them. Through observation, she feels that Z may not have quite the severity of hearing loss as the ABR showed...Z responded to speech sounds without her hearing aids, which a child with severe to profound loss would not do. We will continue to monitor and test her responsiveness as her hearing could progress or it could worsen, we don't know. The best thing we can do for her right now to help her develop language and understanding that sounds have meaning. I was watching a video today about communicating with your hearing impaired baby and the narrator noted that it is our job to explain the world to Z - she will not get any information inadvertantly or matter of factly. Every sound, every noise - it all has meaning which we know immediately without thinking about it - it is our job now to teach Zoe this very thing. Still no discharge date, maybe another month? It all depends on her respiratory stability and improvement.

I'm afraid to write this because I don't want to jinx it, but A and L have been doing much better on their feeding, I don't know exactly what happened and it isn't perfect, but A will actually reach for her bottle which is amazing! She will still put up a fuss but instead of every bottle every day, it's more like one or two of the feedings in the day. L is doing okay too, she had a little stomach trouble since we introduced solids - she love sweet potatoes and carrots, but her belly sure didn't like them. We'll have to stick to the bland beige fruits for now.

If you look over to the column on the right I've got two new features - a guestbook so you can leave messages and comments for my girls as well as an RSS feed so you can get updates automatically. I won't send out the mass update email anymore now that you can choose to be updated if you want, I hated to bombard you all with updates if you didn't want to be updated :)

So please keep us in your thoughts and prayers, we want so badly for our little Z to come home.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Hey! I got your comment on my blog - I'm happy to chat!

My e-mail is mctriplet_mommy@kc.rr.com if you want to e-mail me some time. I also belong on the leadership committee for the March of Dimes Share Your Story site which is a community for families to connect who have been in/are in the NICU.

I won't write a novel here - but love to here from you!

Take care,
kara

My name is Tammie said...

I just found your blog and I have to tell you that your girls are so precious! Though mine werent micro preemies, I can say that the older they get the more they interact and the more fun you will have. It will be a blast with those three running around laughing in a few years.

I also wanted to tell you that I am the head of the NICU parent support group at my local hospital and if you had any specific questions that your NICU staff wasnt able to answer for you I possibly would be able to. If not, a very good friend of mine is a NICU nurse at a phenomenal hospital in NY and I would be more than happy to ask her any question you may have.

My thoughts are with you and your family.
Tammie

Stefanie~ said...

oh my gosh.. I'm soo happy that you & Kara can chat.. She is such a wealth of information..

Stefanie

amytangerine said...

Hi-I'm a friend of Lauren and Jason's and I just met Lola today. Lauren showed me your blog and I am so touched by your story! Blogging is addictive!

Jeff Hammer said...

Thanks for the update. I've saved your RSS feed into my favorite places. Missy and I can't wait to meet your beautiful girls!

nancy said...

Just checking in, Keira. Actually, because I started reading about micropreemies when A, L and Z were born, I stumbled on some terrific blogs and now share your addiction (and consider you my pusher ;>). Check out: http://amazingtrips.blogspot.com/
and http://maddbabies.blogspot.com/

Love reading your stories about the girls.

Lots of love,


Nancy

Anonymous said...

The pics your sister took are gorgeous! I'm with you on the giggling and I can assure you they will be doing that for a long while. My dad wants to bottle them up and sell them! Thanks for the updates. We are thinking of you.


Love,
Melissa

All time favorite video of Zoe!

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Bible verses that comfort me

"Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord."
~ 2 Corinthians 5:8

"Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children....Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them"
~ Mark10:14 & 10:16

"...those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint"~ Isaiah40:31