APRIL 2 UPDATE

The miracle babies aka Warrior Princesses came home Wednesday evening. Their surgery site has healed well for the feeding tube right to their stomach. It is quite a procedure from preparing the formula to burping the babies via the tube, to putting the formula into the bags and turning the machine one and hooking up the babies. It takes about thirty minutes then for them to be fed via the pumps. Then mommy has to clean the bags and tubing which is quite time consuming. She has been having Jack help her hold the button to run the clean water through the bags and tubing. He thinks that is great fun. Mommy does McKayla and Madilynn's feedings and daddy does Mackenzie's feedings. McKayla also came home on a 24 hour monitor that will alarm if she stops breathing. She has a little purse that goes everywhere she does. Her monitor can be off for just one hour a day.

Mommy videoed Jack's reaction when he got back home from OK and saw the babes for the first time all together since before Christmas. His shock was so funny as he looked at first one then the next and the next. Then he said about the nearest baby, "this one is cute". Of course, then he wanted to hold her.

Mackenzie has improved greatly with her bottle feeds. She sucks so much better and takes her pacifier very well too. She is still the teeny tiny one. Madilynn and McKayla only take a pacifier attached to an electric toothbrush a few times a day. McKayla does much better then Madilynn.

The babes' reflux has caused some major projectile vomit that is rather scary at times. Mommy quickly grabs the blue sucker and clears their mouth and nose from the formula. The twins are on a new medicine for their reflux. Hopefully it will start working soon and alleviate these episodes.

They have quite a few appointments back in the city, an hour and a half drive away. They are looking into some options that will get them closer to a hospital. The babes will be going to various doctors such as GI, dermatologist, opthamologist, pediatrician, etc. for approximately the first two years.

Although Daddy did not want to own a van, the Odyssey seems to be just what they needed. They all fit well and Mommy is able to get to the babes easily in the Dadmobile!!

At the most recent weigh in, McKayla weighed 10 pounds, 7 ounces. Madilynn weighed 10 pounds, 11 ounces Mackenzie weighed nine pounds. They are growing well.

Jack is a big help! Mommy and Daddy have a good system gong with caring for the babies. They help each other well and work very diligently to care for them. I am proud of them and how well they have adapted. It is a lot and sometimes it is quite overwhelming. Please continue to pray for all as they adapt to a whole new way of life! Thank you for all your prayers on behalf of our miracle babies, their parents and big brother!! You are very much appreciated.

MARCH 26 UPDATE

The babies' surgery was successful.  They were taken back much later than scheduled and we didn't hear from Michael until about six that evening.  The next day they were off off everything and doing well.  McKayla and Madilynn  are scheduled to come home Wednesday!! Mommy and Daddy are going to be trained on how to do the feeding tubes tomorrow. They also will be rooming in at the NICU and take care of the babes all on their own as a practice run before they are discharged. McKayla needs to pass the car seat test where she sits in it for one and a half hours without an issue. If she does not pass it she will have to use a preemie car seat which is like a bassinet. She will be tested again tomorrow, She will most likely come home with an apnea monitor. Mackenzie is doing well. She is getting her hips checked out tomorrow. A normal precaution for multiples just to make sure there are no problems. They purchased a Honda Odyssey for going from one child to four children. Their quad cab pickup just did not have room for four car seats! The SUV he wanted actually did not work once the car seat was placed. So that was given up for the ease of a van.  Also the cargo space was much better in the van than in the SUV.  
Jack and I will be going back up this weekend. I am looking forward to seeing the twins. I have not seen them since December! Pray for Jackson as he will be adjusting to two more new babies. Thank you for your prayers. They are much appreciated.

MARCH 19 UPDATE

Mackenzie is doing well. Megan and I went up this weekend and she took her bottles much better than when she first came home. I gave her one and she took it down in only about 15 minutes. She is awake a lot of the time. She is a little slow on weight gain so they are making her formula a bit more high in calories.  She is over eight pounds, while the other two are over nine pounds now. They are allowing visitors in again to the NICU. We have not seen the twins since December, so we were hoping to get to see McKayla and Mackenzie...ooops I mean Madilynnn....already getting them confused...could be because I got two two year olds with me while I am updating this!! :) but it just didn't work out time-wise. It was a very quick trip. The girls are still scheduled for their surgery for the g-tube on Friday......NOPE!!!! mommy just said it is Thursday....don't know why I have it as the 223rd but there you go....it is NOT on Friday but Thursday!!

We really want to get those babies home. They are missing out on being held by mommy and daddy. And of course Jack will be excited to see two more babies.......
Thank you for your continued prayers.

MARCH 12 UPDATE

March 12 update: The babies are progressing along slowly but surely. Mackenzie has enjoyed being home with mommy and daddy and big brother. She doesn't take bottles like a full term newborn; she takes them like a preemie. One has to work with her a little bit, twisting and turning the bottle. She needs the milk cold/cool to be able to sense it. She doesn't have the rooting reflex but she is taking her bottles, albeit slowly, sometimes 30 ml and sometimes 80 ml. Mommy keeps track of her intake to ensure she gets her daily minimum requirement but she is a pokey eater sometimes taking between thirty minutes to an hour to finish her feeding. She still likes to sleep a lot and hardly ever cries. She now weighs eight pounds, one ounce. If she continues to gain weight well, she will not need to be weighed each week at the doctor's office.
McKayla is breathing on her own! They took her off her oxygen last Wednesday and she has been doing great. Her oral stimulation is not coming along as well as we hoped with her reflux issue. They have tried different things with her and her twin such as putting the pacifier on an electric toothbrush and putting it in their mouth to encourage them. Both her and Madilynn will be having surgery next week to insert a gastro-intestinal tube for feedings. Between the reflux and developmental issues, the doctors feel this is the best remedy at this time. They will still be fed at least one bottle a day to encourage the oral stimulation and oral feeding. The tubes will be in for a minimum of nine months. This really is a blessing in disguise as it takes so very long for preemies to ingest a single bottle. McKayla weighs in at eight pounds, thirteen ounces and Madilynn now weighs nine pounds, three ounces. She is our adorable chunky monkey.
Please pray all goes well with the girls' surgery and recovery time will be quick with no complications. Please pray for Michael and Christine as stressors continue to increase with the babies. Michael is still trying to decide which vehicle will be the best purchase for a family with triplets. It is very difficult on Christine not to be able to be at the hospital every day with the twins. She knows they are not getting the needed holding time with her not being there. We ask that you continue to remember them in prayer as life gets a bit more stressfull and their new normal settles into a whole different way of life. Jack has adapted well to Mackenzie but he has yet to truly realize two more babies will be coming home in a few weeks. His little life is set to become a bit more stressful as well.
We thank you so much for continuing to follow the miracle babies on this journey and praying for the many requests over the months. The babies are truly miracles and warrior princesses and have overcome some pretty amazing obstacles, but we know that there are still more to overcome on the journey ahead. Thank you so much for your continued prayers. We appreciate you all!!

MARCH 4 UPDATE

March 4 Update: Mackenzie is doing well taking her bottles. She is a bit pokey but they are getting her necessary milliliters into her. She gained weight so that that is a good thing. She will be weighed again next week. Madilynn and McKayla are doing much better. McKayla is still on her oxygen but it is being gradually reduced. The medicine seems to be working! That is wonderful news. They each took bottles today while Michael went to visit them. He was able to hold them both and have some good visiting time with them. Madilynn has not had an alarm requiring stimulation in some time and McKayla's last one was March 1. They are coming along quite well!! Thank you for your prayers. As always we appreciate you intercession on our miracle babies, warrior princesses, and angel babies behalf. You are such a blessing to our family.

FEBRUARY 27 UPDATE

Mommy got to see and hold the twins today. She took her milk to the hospital as they are getting her milk through their feeding tubes. Their beds have been lowered flat. McKayla is still on one liter of oxygen. Madilynn weighs eight pounds, ten ounces and McKayla weighs eight pounds, three ounces. They are our chunky little monkeys. The medicine for their reflux seems to be working. They are having fewer problems. They have several more days on it to determine if it in fact working. They are still learning to suck their pacifier in preparation to take bottles. Please pray their reflux is improving and that they will take to sucking so they can get on bottles. Also pray for Christine and Michael. Things are getting a bit overwhelming. Michael needs to find a new vehicle that will fit four car seats. Please pray for wisdom and God's leading to just the right vehicle. They have many appointments and scheduling and it is quite crazy. Please pray for peace and strength day by day as life is going to continue to get crazier and crazier!! Thank you for all your prayers. We appreciate each and every one of you that take the time to remember our angel babies!! God's richest blessings on you all.

FEBRUARY 26 UPDATE

Mackenzie is doing well. Every bottle feeding she does better and better. Mommy is a pro when it comes to her care, making her special formula, getting her to suck on the bottle, the exercises she does with her, and just loving on her! Jack is completely enamored with her. He always wants to get a picture with her.

Madilynn and McKayla are on their third medicine trying to get their reflux under control. They are doing better each day but still not quite to where we would like them to be. Please continue to pray the reflux will calm down for them. Christine is feeling much better and relaxed by being able to be home after only coming home once a week for three months. She rearranged the living room today, if you remember, she was in the hospital when Michael moved them to their new home. 

Thank you for your continued prayers! We appreciate you!

FEBRUARY 22 UPDATE

Guess who came home today?! Mackenzie, Baby C. She officially graduated from NICU after 14 weeks. She was just about 2 pounds at birth and is now a healthy seven pounds, eight ounces. She took her bottle for mommy like a champion. Jack is tickled pink with her and loves her little hands and soft downy head. She is very calm and docile, she hasnt even cried at all. Mommy said preemies dont have the lusty cry of a full term baby, just little mews. She had her first ride in her car seat and her first ride in her swing. Thank you for all your prayers as the first of three have come home. You are so much appreciated. Please continue to pray for the twins' reflux to heal and to be able to take their bottles well with no trouble. Also pray for mommy as she will not be able to be with the twins as much as she has been.

FEBRUARY 18 UPDATE

February 18 update
14 weeks

All the girls are over seven pounds and Madilynn is approaching eight pounds!! Hopefully the medicine is working on the twins' reflux. They are completely off bottles until improvement is shown. Tuesday is the big day to determine if the meds are helping them with their reflux. They do not like to suck because it equates to such discomfort for them. So they are back to square one with learning to suck and take their bottles. All three are off their high caloric intake which was to increase body fat and to help with brain development.

McKayla is still on oxygen and alarming fairly frequently. She is our amazing little miracle baby that has fought against all odds from the beginning so we understand her being a bit delayed behind her sisters.

Mackenzie passed her car seat test, which consisted of sitting in it for ninety minutes with no alarms. Most babies do not pass the first time, but this little Warrior Princess did! Her bed is not quite to the flat position but she is almost there and has had no problems adjusting to each notch downward. Mackenzie still needs to get to eight bottles a day for several days in a row and she needs to go seven days in a row with no alarms. She is definitely getting ready to come home as soon as she meets these last few requirements.

Jackson is excited about the babies coming home. Every day he talks about the babies. He says "two McKaylas and Mackenzie" He is learning to say Madilynn, which kind of sounds like MaraLyn, his cousin.

Please continue to pray that the meds will help the twins' reflux and that Mackenzie will meet all her requirements with ease. Also pray that Jackson will adapt to no longer being an only child, with not just one new sibling, or two new siblings, but THREE new siblings!! Pray that Mommy and Daddy will adjust to the new workload of three newborn babies with little stress and that God's love and peace will surround them as they adapt to a whole new way of life.

As ever, thank you so much for being such faithful prayer warriors on this journey. We are so thankful for you all!

Meds Update on Twins

Thankfully the medicine appears to have started working with Madilynn. McKayla is still having issues however. Please pray Madilynn continues to improve and the medicine will start working on McKayla. Pray that McKayla will have a much better day today and that vast improvement will be seen in her. Thank you again for your prayers💕

FEBRUARY 12 UPDATE

February 12 Update
13 Weeks 1 Day
The babies' due date was Friday, February 9 so now they are fully baked!! Today is their 3 month birthday!!
Mackenzie is doing well with her bottle feeds. Once she can do all her feedings via bottles, her feeding tube can be removed. She is scheduled for a car seat test this week. She has to be able to sit in it for 90 minutes with no alarms. It may take a few trial runs. Mackenzie weighs six pounds, eleven ounces. She is preparing for homecoming. She took six bottles back to back yesterday. She needs to be able to take eight bottles a day for three to four days straight. Her bed was cranked down a notch today and will be lowered a notch every day. She will have a swallow test this week. They will also check to make sure her PDA in her heart has closed up completely. She will also have a hearing test. She will be the first to come home before we know it!
Madilynn and McKayla are still having issues with their reflux. We need to pray that their stomach muscle becomes stronger, the reflux stops, and the medicine works so they will be more comfortable and be able to keep their formula down. All three babes are off mommy's milk and taking a specific formula for them. Madilynn is our chunky monkey and weighs in at seven pounds, six ounces. McKayla weighs six pounds, twelve ounces. Her little bottom is all healed up. Finally the wound specialist, after three visits, found a cream to heal her bottom.
Please pray for the twins' stomach muscles to strengthen, their reflux to stop, and the medicine to work.

FEBRUARY 5 UPDATE

FEBRUARY 5 UPDATE (39 WEEKS)

12 weeks, one day

Mckayla is still having diaper rash issues. Her little hiney is so sore. Since lotions have not worked they are now trying a different brand of diapers for her. The rashes of the other two are clear now. Mckayla is still on 1.5 liters of oxygen. She is still not doing well with her bottles. Her bed needs lowered eventually. She still has a way to go before being approved for discharge

Madilynn has been breathing on her own since Friday. She needs to improve her bottle feeding and have her bed lowered. She has some issues that are difficult for the doctors and nurses to figure out and that is stressful for baby and mama. Some things are just a mystery when dealing with preemie babies. Not all are alike for sure! She had a hearing test today that came back normal for preemies.

Mackenzie did great with her bottles today. She took three back to back bottles with no problems at all. She is breathing well on her own. She needs to keep up the great progress with her bottles and have her bed lowered and she will be ready to come home. She may very well be the first baby to come home.

Please pray that each of the babies will continue to improve with breathing and bottles. Pray that the mysteries of Madilynn will be figured out. Pray that Christine gets a good night rest each night between her pumping. Stress causes such exhaustion. Having babies in the NICU is stressful just in and of itself and then add all the things that she deals with day to day that we don't know about, she really needs good rest and strength from the Lord!

Thank you for your continued prayers for our Warrior Princess Miracle Angel Babies!! We appreciate you all. 

To Continue to Follow the Babies

Christine  has requested that once the babies come home that this blog be no longer updated since it is public.  If you are friends and/or family, we have a private FB group if you have FB and would like to join it.    If you do not have access to FB and would like to continue to follow the babies, I can email you updates.  Please email me at okiebookworm06 at yahoo dot com so I can add you to the list for updates and find you on FB.  This blog will continue to be updated until babies are transferred from NICU to home.

JANUARY 29 UPDATE

JANUARY 29 UPDATE (11 weeks, 1 day old)

38 WEEKS

The miracle babies are doing well.

Mackenzie is breathing on her own. They took her off her oxygen last Tuesday night and she has been breathing on her own since and has done very well for a week. She is taking her bottles very well and is being her sweet calm gentle self. The bottles are filled with Augmenten which is a thick liquid for the babies. They get their mother's milk through their feeding tube still. Mackenzie weighs five pounds, twelve ounces.

Madilynn is still having difficulty keeping her bottle down. She has very bad reflux and has aspirated it at times. She is still on her oxygen. Her bottom has healed up nicely. Madilynn has reached another milestone! She weighs SIX pounds, one ounce.

Mckayla is doing better taking her bottles and is still on her oxygen. She is on one liter and and doing well. Her bottom is still sore and a wound specialist is gong to check it out. They have been unable to get it to heal using different creams and lotions. She weighs five pounds, nine ounces.

Christine was able to hold all three darlings for the first time on Thursday. She has enjoyed that a few more times since then. She had not seen Jack in almost three weeks because of all us at the house fighting the flu so she was so happy to spend the weekend with Jackson and Michael. They took a trip to the aquarium in Springfield and had a wonderful time together. Jack was so glad to see his mommy.

Pray that McKayla's bottom will heal up without any infection and further difficulty. Pray that Madilynn's reflux will stop and she will be able to keep her liquid down. Pray for a smooth transition when the babies come home. Pray for Michael and Christine as they adapt to THREE newborns with a 2 year old in the house!!

Thank you for your continued support in prayer. We appreciate it greatly. You have all blessed us more than you will ever know by taking the time to intercede on our miracle babies' behalf.

JANUARY 22 UPDATE

JANUARY 22 UPDATE

(10 weeks,1 day)

37 weeks

The miracle babies are getting chubbier and chubbier. They are given 27 cal to fatten them up and help brain development but an unfortunate side effect is a horrible diaper rash. Two of their baby bums are so sore and are therefore, left to the air. They have changed baby wipes but have not yet found the right ointment to heal it quickly. They are all off CPAP and onto cannulas. McKayla is on 1.5 liter; Mackenzie is on 1 liter, and Madilynn is on 1.5 liter. All are in cribs but still propped up. None are ready yet to lay flat. 

 

Alarms go off here and there but nothing like it used to be. Mackenzie has had no bradies and no drop in heart rate in several days. She is staying awake longer and longer. The miracle babies started tummy time yesterday. The doctors are not too concerned about Madilynn's birthmarks. They will measure them and keep watch on them. Her liver scan was clear which means they are not internal. The angel babies are all off the caffeine shots now which had helped stimulate their breathing. They are now at the age where that is no longer necessary.

 

Christine says the twins are mini Michaels and that Mackenzie is her mini me. They all have Michael's eyebrows and attached earlobes. They love to be held by their daddy and are mesmerized by him according to mommy. 

 

McKayla weighs 5 lbs, 4 oz and is 16.7 inches long.

Madilynn weighs 5 lbs, 10 oz and is 16.9 inches long.

Mackenzie weighs 5 lbs, 3 oz and is 16.3 inches long.

 

It is truly amazing that McKayla is right there neck and neck with her sisters since she was diagnosed with intrauterine retarded growth syndrome because of her umbilical cord issues. God let her grow inside and outside keeping right up with her sisters. 

 

Michael and Christine took an infant CPR class on Sunday in preparation for them to be coming home in less than a month if all continues to progress well. 

 

Please keep our miracle babies in your prayers and Michael and Christine as a whole new journey is going to start when the babies come home. Pray for the little bottoms to heal quickly and not be such a discomfort to them. Pray that they will get to the point to be able to breathe on their own soon. Pray that mommy keeps healthy. Thank you again for all your thoughts and prayers for our precious gifts from God!!

JANUARY 17 UPDATE

JANUARY 17 UPDATE (9 weeks, 3 days old)
36 WEEKS

On Sunday the girls had their two month vaccinations. Tis hard to believe the babes are two months already. Afterwards Madilynn and Mackenzie needed to increase their oxygen support which is fairly common after vaccinations. They also had eye exams which are very exhausting for the darlings. Fortunately they were feeling much better last night. These two miracle babies will be weaned back off their oxygen today. The dermatologist will be looking at Madilynn's birthmarks today. She has had multiple birthmarks pop out all over her body. They want to keep an eye on them. McKayla will be weaned lower on her CPAP. McKayla and Mackenzie weigh 4 pounds, 11.8 ounces and Madilynn weighs 5 pounds, 1 ounce. We often don't get an update when days are rough for the miracle babies because mommy is dealing with all the stress. Madilynn had multiple alarms go off in one hour a few days ago. Please pray for Christine. She has not been back to the house in ten days since we are fighting the flu here. She is at the hospital day after day and goes back to the Ron Mcd house every evening. Pray for confidence and peace for her when the babies come home. It is an overwhelming thought to come home with three babies potentially on oxygen and alarms. Thank you for your continued prayers. We stand in awe of God's amazing grace and miraculous works in the lives of these three miracle babies.

JANUARY 12 UPDATE

JANUARY 12 (eight weeks, five days old )
36 WEEKS

This week the doctors met with Michael and Christine for the babies' 60 day checkup! McKayla has now graduated to cpap. This is the first step to getting her breathing completely on her own. She is doing well. Today Madilynn took 30 ml by bottle and Mackenzie took 16 ml. They are getting the knack of sucking wonderfully well. They are all out of the isolettes now. A specific prayer request is for the miracle babies' eyes. Preemies are at risk for damage to their eyes from being on oxygen for so long. Pray that their eyes will not sustain long term damage. Alarms still go off occassionally and each baby takes 2 steps forward and one step back every now and then.  McKayla  weighs four pounds, six ounces.  Madilynn is four pounds, fourteen ounces.  Mackenzie now weighs four pounds, nine ounces.  She has finally started gaining weight regularly.    Thank you for your prayers!!

JANUARY 5 UPDATE

Note:  For those of you who have Facebook, I have started a FB group also for updates.  It is called Mcubed Miracle Babies.  Please request to join if you would like to follow on FB.

JANUARY 5 (7 weeks, 5 days)
(35 weeks)

Mckayla weighs three pounds, fourteen ounces. She is doing better and gaining weight and keeping her food down. She still needs her bed elevated since she is still on breathing support. She is not ready to be laying flat. She will be transferred eventually to a crib that can still be elevated. Mommy asked if she could hold Mckayla and Madilynn together. Mckayla has not been held with her sisters yet. That was approved and both babies loved to be together. Mckayla has a staph in one eye that they are treating with antibiotic cream and it is healing well.

Madilynn weighs four pounds, three ounces. She has been transitioned to a crib and is laying flat. She is learning to suck and will be ready to try a bottle in the next week or so. Her feeds have been reduced to thirty minutes which is the goal. Now that Madilynn is in a crib, Christine can pick her up and dress her and not have to ask permission.

Mackenzie weighs four pounds even. She had her bed lowered today as a test. She did well until the evening. She had a problem with her nasal cannula. They elevated her again and changed her cannula out. They cleaned out her nasal cavity removing a very large "booger". They cultured it to make sure it was ok. She was doing much better today. When she was flat she had two episodes of throwing up so she is not quite ready for that transition. Her blood count is low but she has been holding steady so that means she is making her own red blood cells so they will not do a transfusion unless absolutely necessary.

All the babies can be dressed now. The twins seem to have different shaped heads right now so they can be told apart. They are all starting to get the chunky cheeks like their big brother. All have attached earlobes....they get that from their Daddy. Their breast milk intake is increased regularly and the goal is to get from a 90 minute feeding session to a thirty minute session. Madilynn has been at thirty minutes for a few weeks. The other two are on course to reach that goal soon.

Christine said the doctors and nurses are wonderful and are like family. Because of that her experience with NICU has been very positive through all the ups and downs.

Thank you for your continued prayers.

JANUARY 3 UPDATE

JANUARY 3, 2018 (7 weeks, three days)
34 WEEKS

Two of our miracle babies are progressing very well.  Madilynn is now on CPAP being weaned to the nasal cannula and then to breathing on her own.  She reached a milestone by weighing in at four pounds, one ounce.  She needs to learn to suck so her mommy and daddy can feed her.

Mackenzie is now off her CPAP and being weaned off the nasal canulla so she will be able to breathe all by herself.  She has had no more issues with vomiting and her alarms rarely go off now.  She too needs to learn to suck so she can be fed by her parents.

Mckayla is having a difficult time. Her small and difficult beginning is probably contributing to her being just a tad behind her sisters.   She has had several bradys and had a very bad one after her daddy held her.  Four or five nurses and even the doctor were there trying to get her to breathe.  Her oxygen saturation dropped to zero and her heart rate dropped to fifty.  Even those these are fairly common in preemies, we would like to see her outgrow these soon.

We appreciate your prayers and ask that you continue to remember them as they come to mind.  We know that they are not out of the woods yet.  Since they were born thirteen weeks early their baby hood milestones will be delayed by at least three months.  An average baby sits at six months; they won't be expected to sit until at least nine months.  An average baby walks at twelve months; Mckayla, Madilynn, and Mackenzie will not be able to walk until at least fifteen months.

Their immune system will be weaker until they are at least two years of age and this will contribute to a bit more difficult time for them and their parents.  Things that other parents take for granted or don't even consider will be much more important and even critical for these three little miracle babies.

Thank you so much for all your prayers!!