26 Days and Counting

A lot has changed for the Manning triplets in the past 16 days.  It's funny how each day when I go into the NICU to visit my children it seems like they've made very little progress, but when I look back on the post from 16 days ago I can't believe the difference.  I imagine that's kind of how I'll feel about them for the rest of my life.

At the beginning, things changed rapidly and dramatically as the babes adjusted to the world outside the womb.  After the first few days, things stabilized and progress was considerably more subtle.  For a while it seemed like the only thing that changed was that they grew a half an ounce here and there.  Everything else stayed the same.  They are still being fed through feeding tubes and have nasal cannulas set on very low settings to help them breathe.  If we didn't live at such a high altitude, they would most likely have graduated from the nasal cannulas by now.

The biggest changes started happening three days ago.  That little bit of growing the little ones have been doing each day has helped them to be able to maintain a steady temperature.  On Sunday when we walked into Keira's room her isolette was gone and she was sleeping soundly in an open crib.  We could just walk right up and kiss her.  It was amazing.  On Monday, Lincoln was moved to his own open crib. Then, much to my delight, they moved both cribs into the same room!  I stood between the cribs and felt the tears well up in my eyes as I placed a hand on each one.  It was the first time I had been able to touch two at once since they were delivered and it felt magical.  Yesterday, I held them at the same time and reintroduced them to one another.  There are few times in my life when I've felt so overwhelmingly happy.  Now I'm anxious to add the missing piece.  Their sister Violet.

Currently, Violet weighs 3 lb 3 oz.  Before she's able to move to an open crib, she has to weigh 3 lb 5 oz then gain weight on 5 consecutive days.  I'm guessing it will be another 7-10 days before she escapes the isolette.  Right now, Lincoln weighs 3 lb 14 oz and Keira is 3 lb 15 oz.  They are getting dangerously close to that 4 lb mark which will make them big enough for car seats.  However, before they can come home they have to learn to eat from a bottle and lose the gastric tubes.  They also have to go five consecutive days without having a lowered heart rate (bradycardia) or a pause in breathing (apnea).  They haven't started feeding by bottle just yet.  The hospital is waiting until they reach what would have been 34 weeks gestation before bottle feeding.  That happens this Sunday.  Of course, I am trying to push them to start it a little bit sooner because they are all taking a pacifier very well.  We'll see.

It looks like they will be home before we know it.  I'm thinking mid-August but am hopeful that it will be earlier.  In the meantime, we are just thankful that they are doing so incredibly well.  We've been blessed.

Vioet in violet.

Keira being held by Ryan.

Violet being held by Ryan.

Keira being held by Ryan.  We ordered recliners because of this chair.

Keira being held by me.

Violet being held by Ryan.

Kangaroo care with Keira.

Getting Violet ready for a bath.

Violet is actually yawning, but I think it's funny how aggressive she looks.

Lincoln is not sure about moving to an open crib.

Keira's first day in an open crib.

Keira sleeping soundly in her new crib.

Love Keira's sweet face.

Ryan putting Violet back in her isolette.

Violet's room.

Lincoln's going to be handsome like daddy!

A father-son moment.

Lincoln's first day in an open crib.

Lincoln and Keira's room!

Holding two at once.  Lincoln on the left and Keira on the right.