Leaving the NICU!

Annie, Gracie, and Ruthie passed all the hurdles to get out of the NICU like little champions, so we packed up from the NICU (our second home for the last two months) and headed home!

On Monday, November 23rd we were able to leave, but it took until 6p to have everything ready. We had to get oxygen tanks exchanged and see the eye doctor before we could leave. The eye doctor has to check for ROP development in the eyes of preemies to see if there is any irregular growth that can lead to blindness. This was their third check-up and this time the doctor said their eyes had developed properly and gave them the OK to not need additional check-ups. We also had to take lots of pictures of course!

Two of our primary nurses, Vicki (left) and Mary (right). We wheeled the crib down to the eye doctor's office as it was much easier than carrying the car seats, oxygen, and monitors.

Vicki, Annie, Gracie, Ruthie, and Ann-Marie

Vicki with Annie, Gracie, and Ruthie. For the last two months Vicki has watched our girls everytime she's worked except for 2 or 3 days.

Annie, Gracie, and Ruthie getting excited to come home!

Ruthie, Gracie, and Annie ready to ride!

Let's go!

By policy the nurses are required to carry the patients to the door and into the car; and we were sure grateful for their help!

Alene (another primary nurse), Ann-Marie, and Vicki saying farewell

Happy to leave the NICU, sad to say good-bye to the many friends made while being there.

Ann-Marie's brother and his wife, David and Karen, let us borrow their van to bring the girls home in one vehicle (we still just have a four door sedan). Despite the roominess of the van, the car seats, oxygen equipment, and monitors still managed to fill up the available space.

Let the Wild Rumpus Start!

The day after Ann-Marie's birthday, Annie ate from Mommy about 125% of her regular feeding. The next day Ruthie did the same thing. Gracie that day ate 100% of her feeding. With this great news the nurses started talking to us about what we had left to accomplish before we could leave the NICU.

So the last few days we have been going through all the hurdles needed to pass to leave the NICU. We first went from 3-a-day feedings to 4-a-day feedings, which meant we were at the hospital almost the entire day. Then we had to do two back-to-back feedings in one day. Following that we had to do 12-hour on demand feeding (basically four back-to-back feedings). And finally we had to pass the "Rooming In" test where it's just Mom, Dad, Annie, Gracie, and Ruthie for 24 hours in our own private room at the hospital.

We are currently doing the 24-hour "Rooming In" step and so far the girls have done great. If all goes well today we will be bringing the girls home tomorrow!!!!!! If there are any issues we will bring them home in the next few days.

Being so close to coming home and the imminent craziness that will ensue with triplets, Ann-Marie and me have often felt like saying, "Let the Wild Rumpus Start" (from Where the Wild Things Are).

We have made some friends with the parents of other preemie babies and they have really helped make our long stays at the NICU more bearable. A few of their pictures are included below.

With the girls possibly coming home on Monday, the NICU doctors have asked us to please request no visitors at the house until H1N1, regular flu, and RSV season have passed. Due to the fact they are preemies, their immune system is not as strong as it would be if they were born full term and if they get sick during this winter, they will likely need to be hospitalized again. We look forward to when they are strong enough so others can come and visit. Thank you in advance for your understanding!!

We have witnessed so many miracles as we have made this journey through the NICU. Every day we can count them. Today's miracle is that all three are likely to go home the same day. The nurses and Neonatologists have commented multiple times how rare it is for triplets to all go home the same day.

We are so excited for them coming home. They will be coming home on oxygen and heart monitors. Hopefully they won't have to have them too long, it is based on the pediatrician's decision.

We are so thankful for Grandma and Papa Krueger for getting the nursery ready. The time for the girls to see their room is quickly approaching!

November 18th, the day Annie (on the left) ate 125% of her feeding.

This is Lily, the daughter of friend we made while in the NICU, Chely. She is exactly one day gestational age earlier than our girls and was born one day before our girls. We are scheduled to go home the same day from the NICU.

Tim (father), Amy (mother), and Ezra are other friends we made in the NICU.

We sure got a lot of comments when parents and nurses saw our three car seats stacked up in the nursery at the NICU:)

Gracie (left) and Ruthie (right)

Kandis (one of our primary nurses) came by to see our girls before they left the NICU. She's holding Annie.

Tawny, our nurse practitioner has watched over our girls for the entire two months we've been in the NICU.

Ann-Marie with Gracie on bath night which was Saturday night

Ann-Marie and Gracie with Kristy and Ruthie getting ready to bathe the two girls at the same time.

Ruthie (left) and Gracie (right) loved every minute of their nice warm bath

Nice and relaxed:)

This is Annie Miller, an Occupational Therapist at the NICU that was incredibly helpful in getting the ball rolling for us to come home.

Annie (left), Gracie (middle), and Ruthie (right) on Sunday

The girls' crib with oxygen tanks in the "Rooming In" room

Ann-Marie's Birthday!

Ann-Marie celebrated most of her birthday today at the hospital with the triplets as she is doing "3-a-day" feedings where she feeds the girls at 10a, 4p, and 10p. The 7a, 1p, and 7p feedings are all done by the nurses through the feeding tube.

Ellis was excited to give Mom a party. He led her on a treasure hunt to find the card that he had written to her for her birthday.

Ann-Marie sends out a thank you to everyone for the many birthday wishes that came via text messages, facebook, email, phone calls, voice messages, regular mail, etc. etc. She felt very loved and appreciated!

Ellis's birthday card to Mommy

Taking pictures right after we start waking them for feeding time results in a lot of fun stretching pictures.

Happy Birthday Ann-Marie!

Hi Mom!

The nurse helping us this evening didn't know the girls' bow colors. So now's your chance to guess which one is which since the colors aren't coordinated.

Annie (left), Gracie (middle), and Ruthie (right)

Mommy celebrating her birthday with her daughters

Annie took her first bottle today and did great! She ate 55 ml and 61 ml is a full feeding for her today.

That facial expression is how they look after feeding them and they get sooo relaxed!

Daddy burping Annie

Daddy's Little Angels

Ann-Marie told me how much fun it was to hold three at once so on Saturday I had my chance. I obviously loved every minute of it!

Breastfeeding is going really well. The nurses are all amazed that Ann-Marie still has enough milk to feed all three babies; we feel it is such a huge blessing and an answer to many prayers. Tonight all three girls were able to eat over 75% of their meal on their own, the remaining amount is given to them through their feeding tube.

On Tuesday, the 37-week gestation mark, Ann-Marie will start 3-a-day feedings.

Measurements of the girls are approximately 17.5 inches long for Gracie, 17.75 inches for Annie, and 18 inches for Ruthie.

Weights of the girls are 2739 g (6 lbs) for Gracie, 2950 g (6 lbs 8 oz) for Annie, and 2964 g (6 lbs 8.5 oz) for Ruthie.

I can't help but grin from ear to ear! Annie on the left, Ruthie in the middle, and Gracie on the right.

I love holding the girls after they eat, they are soooo relaxed.

Photo from the top. Gracie on the left, Ruthie in the middle, and Annie on the right.

So much fun!

Ann-Marie with Ruthie (left), Gracie (middle), and Annie (right).

Annie, Gracie, and Ruthie all snuggled

Ruthie with another cute pose!

Annie, Gracie, and Ruthie

Mom and Her Girls

The girls had a great day today with their feedings. To see how much each of the girls eat while breast feeding, each one is weighed immediately before and after eating; and the difference in grams is the amount of mL eaten. Today Ruthie was able to get a full feeding and Annie and Gracie did good as well and received the remainder of their milk via the tube that goes through the nose and into the stomach.

Currently they are all on 2-a-day breast feeding schedules and the other 6 feedings are through the tube. With the girls starting to eat more and more they will go to 3-a-day feedings soon.

Last night the girls weighed in at the following: Annie 6 lbs 6 oz, Gracie 5 lbs 13 oz, and Ruthie 6 lbs 6 oz.

Many people have asked if we know when the girls will come home. The nurses tell us to plan on their due date which was December 8th. With them gaining weight and doing so well there is a chance they may come home sometime around Thanksgiving, but rather than get our hopes up too early we plan on December 8th.

Mom and her girls (her first time to hold all three at once - outside of her tummy)

Momma's little love bugs (that's 18 lbs of baby you're looking at!)

Ruthie, Annie, Gracie

"Hands full today, hearts full tomorrow."

We love our girls!

Annie, Gracie, Ruthie wearing their newborn onesies (yes they've already outgrown their preemie clothes).

So cute!

Happy Birthday, Grandma Bott!

Our little angels

They still love being close together