NICU sleep over

As I mentioned last night, we are sleeping in the NICU tonight. We will also be staying tomorrow night if everything goes well tonight. We packed our bags and loaded up the car. We were both filled with excitement. We were a little uncertain how things work with the stay-in rooms. So when we got to the NICU we searched for our nurse to get the info. I forgot to mentions the triple crew was moved up the hall again. They are all in room #5 - right in front of the door out. We found the nurse and she said that we had several options. Options? In that case, I will take the full service Hilton treatment. That's not an option. The option she was referring to was the chance to have all three babies sleep in with us - yeah! Everyone has been telling us how we want to get them home one at a time but not me. I am a deep end of the pool kind of operator. I function best in situations that are completely overwhelming. Give me worst case senerio and let me figure a way out. So send them all to me.
We just finished round one of changing and feeding! It is 9:45. We start this process over again at 11. That will leave 1 - 1 1/2 hours sleep between changing and feedings. Not much and I have to get up and go to work tomorrow! Maybe the deep end is a little too deep?

Answers to Questions!

It did not take long to get an answer to Sunday's Question "When will they come home?" We got a call about 5 minutes after the post and the nurse asked if we had a car seat. Easy question - we've got three (thanks to Cousin Carrie and The Aycocks for their donations). The only reason we would need a car seat is to bring a baby home. We have gotten to know some of the other parents and anytime you see a car seat it is a celebration. So who is it? Evan! The nurse said that if the next couple of days go well we would have him home by Easter. So here comes the shock! Want some more shock? On Monday, Jennifer was hanging out doing her thing and one of head nurses asked Jennifer if we were ready to stay that night. What? Yes more shock! Staying the night is routine - we get to play house but in a room inside the NICU. This allows us to get use to the monitor and allows him to be monitored in a little different environment. Our range of emotions are all over the place. We are excited to get a baby home, but also fear the fact that getting back to the hospital to love on Ellie and Charlotte will be tough. We asked for a little more time and they were more than accommodating. We will be staying Wednesday and Thursday night and I am sure we will be sneaking out to love on the ladies - a lot! If we pass and if Evan passes his monitor test - home we come!

Can you handle anymore good news? Here it comes - Ellie is off her oxygen!!! She has been doing great and they decided to give her a shot with no assistance. She has been off for over 24 hrs and shows no signs of getting back on it. I love looking at her little face with no oxygen tube. (be patient - pictures will be at the end!) Ellie is also getting a chance to bottle feed every other time. She takes her time but is getting the hang of it.

You want more good news? Ellie now weighs 4lbs even! Eating bottles and breathing on her own burns more calories, but she found a way to still get over 4lbs.


Charlotte is getting bigger every day. She is still trying to get her timing down on her bottle feeding. She is plenty eager - almost gnawing her arm off but forgets to swallow and gets chocked up. Some feeds are good and some or more of a struggle. This process will just take a little time. They have started to transition all three to formula. The will still get mommy juice until it is all gone. Jennifer has started to ween her pumping. It would be just to tough to keep up with three babies and try to breast or pump feed them all. She has done a wonderful job getting them the good stuff and they will have had it for their first 8 weeks (the most important weeks)!


All right, all right - her are some pictures!

Ellie with no Oxygen tube (sorry I woke you)

"The new sleeping arrangements" - Reunited at last!

Like Peas in a pod

When will the babies come home?

This has been the most popular question. We try to get some kind of idea everyday from the doctors and nurses - but nothing solid. A good gauge is always the original due date - May 7th. But could be earlier or later.

I will try to breakdown the criteria for coming home and then relate that to each baby.

#1. Breathing with no major complications. Complications would include apnea, high levels of oxygen requirements, or advanced breathing assistance.

#2. Eating from bottle with no major complications. Complications would include getting chocked up, not being able to finish normal feeding, not being able to control breathing during feeding, not digesting normal feeding, or constant re-flux.

#3. Weight Gain and sustain. The must be gaining weight and able to sustain it while they continue to go daily activities. Target weight gain would be close to 5lbs.

#4. Digestion. They must be consistent with digestion. What goes in must come out!

#5. Limited Bradiacardia episodes. These are small drops in heart rate that must be under control.

Here's how this criteria relates to the Smith Trips

Ellie - Ellie is still on a small amount of oxygen and on the lowest flow setting. They are expecting her to kick the oxygen as early as next weekend. Babies do go home on oxygen if they need it - but we hope her lungs continue to get bigger and stronger so she will ditch the tube. Ellie is working on the bottle. She is only getting 2 tries per day - they will increase once she is able to complete both feeds. They switched her to a new nipple and she loves it. I fed her @ 3 today and in a race I think she would have beat Evan - all went down and no chocking. She weighs 3lb 14.1oz - a little ways to go yet. She only has one issue with digestion - she has some irritation that bleeds. No major issues with bradiacardia. All that means - she might be 3-4 weeks out - I guess.

Evan - Evan is racing to the finish-line. Breathing - no issues. Eating from bottle - no issues. Weight gain - 4lb 2.1oz - no issues. Digestion - no issues (he is a smith). Bradiacardia - I could not even tell you the last time he had one - it's been that long. All that means - get the car seat ready - a little more weight and home it is!!!

Charlotte - Charlotte has tried to keep up with Evan. She has been off oxygen for a few days and has no issues. Her feeding and bradiacardia are her only issues. She has not been able to graduate to full time bottles. She is on every other feed and will stay there until she can do them with ease. She has re-flux which causes apnea and bradiacardia. They are trying to treat her re-flux with out medication. They have now added cereal to her milk. This will thicken the milk and hopefully help keep it from re-fluxing. She still gets chocked up during feeds which also causes bradiacardia. Until she gets these issues under control, she will keep Ellie company. Digestion is no issue! Her weight 4lbs 2.3ozs - yes she is a little bigger than Evan. All that means - 2-4 weeks - once again this is a guess!

The only thing we no for sure is that God has blessed us and we have our faith in Him. He knows the answers to all our questions and He will answer them in His time. So until He speaks, we will wait patiently for His answer!

All good news for week # 7

An ending to another week at the NICU. Every day seems to present more change and it is all for the better. Evan and Charlotte have both passed the 4lb mark. It seems like yesterday we were raving over getting to 3lb and here they are up to 4. Ellie is only 2oz away, so in a couple days she will be there. Evan has also ditched all facial tubes. His feeding tube was removed because he is now taking bottles on every feed with out any complications. The ladies are getting bottles but not as often. They start strong but fade real fast. When they get tired they suck faster than they swallow and get chocked up. We have tried a new technique which seems to be working for now - we put the milk in a syringe with a nipple on it and then put small amounts in the nipple for them to take. It only allows a small amount to be taken and this allows for some pacing. With this new technique, Ellie has perked up. She had me concerned earlier in the week - she just seemed a little sick. But now, she is back in action. Jennifer and I could not put her down. She just seemed like she needed some lovin. Here are some pictures to get you all caught up!

One of Evan's many facial expressions - he keeps us entertained.

Me holding Ellie - She is wearing a cat sleeper. The night nurse that dressed her was named KAT - go figure.

Mommy Jenn with Ellie - who has the bigger smile?

Charlotte borrowed this outfit from Ellie - I'm sure it wont be the last. Can you tell what her facial expression means?

You got it IT'S TIME TO EAT!

Close up of Evan sleeping - NO TUBES!!!

Charlotte with Nurse Caroline - Working on the new feeding technique.

Ellie in cat outfit - you can't see them but it has Cat heads for feet - a little freaky!

The shirt says it all - Major Cutie

Ellie gets new bed!

Last night, Ellie was able to ditch the incubator and get in a big girl crib. Her temperature has been holding since they turned her heater off - so out she comes.

Evan and Charlotte got to come over and visit with her for a couple minutes.

All three are starting to get use to bottle feeding. Evan and Charlotte can get a bottle every other feeding if they are awake, alert, and act like they want it - and they both want it pretty much every time. Ellie gets a bottle once per shift. She is now finishing the bottle but it takes her some time. Their weight gain has slowed a little this week. Keeping themselves warm and laboring to take bottles burn more calories so this was expected. Once they don't have to work as hard to do the small thing they will start gaining more rapidly. Charlotte and Evan weigh about the same 3lb 13.8oz - Ellie weighs 3lb 10.7oz. We came back tonight to get some extra time - fav nurse Jenn was on. Jennifer is really enjoying getting to put the outfits on. She asked me to pick out outfits tonight and I immediately went to get just a t-shirt and a diaper. I was quickly informed by my wife and nurse Jenn that I had made the wrong choice. They then picked out the outfits. Sorry to be a party pooper - but it takes too much time putting on and taking of sleepers and onesies but the ladies love it. Here are some shot to get you all caught up on the babies.

Ellie sporting a yellow sleeper with pink zebra (I think it is donkey!)

Evan showing of a blue sleeper gown with sailor bears - he has matching hat but it was left in crib.

Charlotte with a pink and white pant shirt combo accented with little hearts

Here's Charlotte with no oxygen and no feeding tube - they were moving it from mouth to nose.