4 Weeks Old!!

Hey Everyone:
Well...it has been a very busy week with multiple sleep cycles for all of us.  Perhaps the only ones who seem to be in any sort of rhythm up to this point are the boys...and that is just fine with us!!

We've been helped this week by Granddaddy Greg (Autumns Dad) who came in from Oklahoma on Tuesday night.  He got right into the care/feeding routine and within a day or so was doing some of them all by himself.

Here's a picture of him with one of the guys.  I think it is Ezra...but quite honestly...the memory isn't so good good with the amount of sleep we've been getting :-)

 

On Friday the boys turned 4 weeks old.  They are officially no longer called "Neonates" which is used to designate babies who are 0 days to 4 weeks old.  It just so happens, this also corresponded to their first follow up visit to the Pediatrician.  As I mentioned on Facebook yesterday...these are not just appointments with triplets...they are entire Events that you plan out in detail the night before.  

Getting ready for our trip meant we had to start adjusting their feeding times so we wouldn't be traveling or sitting in the dr's office on empty tummies, we gave them baths, prepared the diaper bag for any possibility (of which we used many of them), got the car ready, stroller ready (as a back up to carrying the car seats), car seats ready, outfits picked out, timelines coordinated, bottles prepared...I think that paints the picture.  I figure that is probably the same thing every family gets ready for when taking their babies out...with three...it's just all those things multiplied.

As a whole, the trip went really well.  We fed them early enough so we could feed them, put them in the car seats and be ready to go shortly after.  Here's a picture of them all ready to go:

Caleb, Gideon, Ezra

The pedatrician's office was great.  We only waited about 5 minutes before heading back for vital signs...and although we had a wait a bit longer in the actual care room...they let us stay there afterwards to feed them before getting back on the road.

The boys are all doing well. Their weights were:

Caleb = 5lb 11oz

Gideon:  5lb 14 oz

Ezra: 5lb 13.5 oz

I haven't compared them to their discharge weights yet, but they were all making plenty of progress each day and the doc was happy.

They each have little things to pray about though.  Caleb & Ezra both had minor heart murmurs.  They were slight enough that they were willing to let us go Friday evening (we were there from about 1:45p to 5p) and if they notice them again this Friday they will run EKGs.  Because the murmurs were so soft and because this is pretty common and usually turns out to be nothing...we aren't too stressed about it.  But we do ask for prayer that it would just be one of those "routine" things that takes care of itself.

Gideon continues to have bad reflex.  It makes it harder for him to eat and when he is done he is really uncomfortable.  We have started to feed him first so when he is done, we put him in his bouncer to keep him upright for another hour or so.  It seems to work pretty well and his spit-ups have dropped in frequency and intensity.

Lastly...Teddy continues to amaze us.  We had a friend drop by right before we were leaving and Teddy always stayed between John and the boys.  This wasn't at the same time...but here is a picture I took of another "Guard Dog" moment.  

 For those of you who have met Teddy...you'd be amazed how much he has changed in just days.  Pretty much the exact opposite of what he was like before the boys came along!

We hope you have a great weekend!

God Bless,

J & A

Home Sweet Home...

Phew!!  What a busy couple of days it has been...but what a wonderful couple of days too!!

Yesterday morning we "woke up" from our first night with all three of the boys and we were all still in the hospital.  I put "woke up" in quotation marks because we barely slept there.  During our 2 and a half days of rooming in, we each estimate we got about 4 total hours of sleep.  I know from my perspective...that no more than two of those hours were actually continuous.  Needless to say...the idea of bringing these guys home was slightly intimidating!

But as we went through the morning yesterday, we each got more and more excited.  I had to run home to pick up the triple decker stroller.  We weren't planning to use it, but my back started having spasms (a new thing for me) and I wasn't sure I'd be able to carry two car seats worth of boys.  But it also gave me a chance to do one more walk around the house to make sure everything was in place.

Heading back into the hospital to go get Autumn and the boys was the first time in many, many visits to that hospital that I was ever nervous.  Probably because for once...I knew the outcome.  So I spent the rest of the morning loading things into the car, and Autumn changed and fed them one last time on the hospital's dime!  One note about loading up...the NICU is really big into sterilization so anything that was remotely related to the boys was either being thrown away or we got to take home!!  We got diapers, small amounts of formula that are perfect for diaper bags, wet wipes, nasal suckers (not sure of the technical term), swaddle blankets...it was a total free for all.  And with triplets...we'll take all the freebies we can get!!  :-)

Finally, we changed the boys into their "going home" outfits.  Forgive me for not taking a picture before we put them into the car seats...but things were a little hectic :-)  Then...the nurse came in...helped us load them into their car seats and we had time for our first family photo!!

As you can see...everyone has a blanket corresponding to their respective colors.

You can read a previous post to get them :-)

Once done...we were ready to roll!!  We discussed later that we felt glad we were leaving on a Sunday.  Otherwise, we would have gotten a lot of the "triplet stares" that so many mothers of multiples (MOMs) have warned us about.  But Sundays are quiet at Bethesda and the only people who noted us were the same doormen who used to escort Autumn into the hospital when she was pregnant.  They were excited to see that the "Lady having the triplets" was bringing her brood home!!

The drive home was uneventful.  You can only drive so carefully on the Capital Beltway because the drivers are so crazy.  But the only thing making me nervous was if they'd be able to hold their necks up well enough to breathe.  The NICU did the vital signs / car seat test the night before...but like so many new Dads I was just paranoid we'd missed something.  At the first stop light I asked Autumn to lean over the seat to make sure they were okay.  After that...we were fine and pulled into the driveway around 2pm.

One of the things we'd been most concerned about having a baby (let alone 3) was how Teddy would do.  He's our 5lb Toy Poodle who also happens to suffer from seperation anxiety.  So bringing home three little babies who would suddenly occupy 90% of our attention was gonna be interesting.  I must say...he is the biggest surprise of all.  After running up the stair to greet Autumn (he hadn't seen her since the middle of November) he has been amazing about the babies.  He doesn't try to jump up when we are holding them...he sits patiently on the floor...doesn't beg.  He is like a whole new dog.  If anything...I think he gets it and only shows concern when somebody is crying or fussing...he doesn't like that too much.  Anyways...we both agree that Teddy has done wonderful with the newest additions to our family.

On a quicker note...Tim the Cat can care less.  He avoids our bedroom now because that is where all the fuss is coming from!!

Once home and settled, we left the boys in their car seats so not to disturb them when they were content.  We fixed their bottles and got ready to do our first feed/care time at home.  Once done...we put them into the crib they'll be sharing for a few months (until they are too big or move so much they disturb each other).

 

We are really into swaddling because that is what seems to keep them the most content.

The letters have now moved enough to be skewed.

I'll have time to fix it by the time we move them into the nursery!!

Each of them has a clipboard and tracking sheet so we know who got fed what, when, their diaper status, or any other item of note.  Trust me...it is needed.  By the midnight feeding we could barely remember what we'd just fed them and how much!!

Once they were settled, I got to show Autumn around the house.  She'd been downstairs on bedrest for so long...she never saw the nursery or the middle floor with the baby stuff there.  I was so glad she liked everything and it seemed like it really eased her transition back into the house and to being a full time mommy.

The rest of the night was a blur.  I had a paper to finish writing and night time is a very fussy time in the house (as I write I can hear someone screaming away).  But we worked really well together getting bottles ready, changing diapers, feeding, swaddling, etc.  And after the 0400 feeding Autumn let me get some sleep downstairs.  It's amazing how only a few hours of sleep can feel so good.  After she took the 0800 feeding today...she was able to nap until the afternoon and we both feel pretty good about things.

I look forward to sharing the details of how to prepare all the bottles and other things during care time.  We've ranged from 1hr care times all the way up to 2 hrs for stuff.  It is very dependent on how well the boys are eating, their fussiness, and how awake WE are.  But it is all so worth it because these guys are awesome!!

Have a great week!!

God Bless!!

J

Momma....Mamma I'm coming hhommme!!

As you might guess from the subject, our little boys are coming home...together!! We are so grateful to God for allowing us the chance to simply be parents to these little guys...even if they will keep us awake at night!

So tomorrow, Sunday, we are bringing them home - Lord willing. The only reason that would change is if there are complications tonight. But as a whole, the boys are doing very well...and if I do say so...so are the parents. In particular...Autumn is getting this Mommy thing down. I had to head to the house this AM to start taking our plethora of things home so she had to do her first care time for all three of them. She was done in under an hour!! That means she is getting efficient, and the boys are eating fast. Good trends for all!!

Right now, Caleb and Gideon are undergoing their Car Seat test. They are hooked back up to the monitors and then placed into their car seats for an hour for monitoring. They want to make sure they can still breathe and maintain their vital signs while in the car seat. Just another wonderful, common sense thing the NICU does that just helps us feel better taking the boys home!!

So tonight will be our first night with all of them in our room. If you saw any of my Tweets / Updates on Facebook you noticed I got no sleep. I am a very, very light sleeper (Tim the Cat meowing wakes me up at night). So a little baby...or babies...making their little "gurgle" noises throughout the night is tough. Hopefully being more tired tonight...having better pillows...and my "White Noise" iTouch App will help things a bit. No big deal. If I can't sleep...I'll just work on my paper that is due Monday at 0800!!

Ezra's last night in the NICU

Gideon's last night in the NICU

Ezra and Gideon sleeping together

(Caleb was in Mommy and Daddy's Room)

Caleb and Mommy's first night together "Rooming In"

Caleb with Mommy

So...hopefully tomorrow or Monday I may have a chance to talk about the homecoming!!  We are so very excited and look forward to having all of our family under our own roof!!

Thanks for all your prayers!!

God Bless!

J & A

Getting a bit crazy 'round here...

Greetings to all!

First, sorry it has been a few days since updating. I figure the intervals between posts will continue to grow a bit over the next few weeks. As the subject says...things are about to get crazy...and in some ways already have!!

I'm back in school...which doesn't help...and Autumn's mom went back to Oklahoma. Autumn is still at the Fischer House, although that is about to change.

Starting tonight, Autumn will spend her evenings back in the hospital. Not because anything is wrong with her...but because it is time to start preparing for home!! The way they do that at Bethesda is through a process called "Rooming In." For us...they are modifying it a little bit.

Normally, Rooming In entails the parents spending the night in a room across from the NICU with their "NICU Graduate" (cute title huh!?!). They are responsible for taking care of him/her throughout the night and have the nurses there to check-up on things, answer any concerns, and just do the hospital thing making sure the parents didn't wreck their baby!! THe next morning...that's it and they go home.

With us having triplets...and Autumn still regaining her strength, things are a bit modified. To start, Autumn will stay in the room at the hospital...but tonight she will be by herself (We have people coming to the house early AM tomorrow and also have class). Throughout the night...instead of the boys being with her...she will go into the NICU to do their feedings and care time.

Tomorrow night (Friday), Caleb and I will join her for our first night sleeping with one of the boys. The following night, they will add Gideon, and Sunday night, the whole family will be together! It makes for a long few days at the hospital...especially for Autumn...but it also helps us out. First, I can continue to do those last minute things that were pushed off or we just forgot about. Second, it allows Autumn to ease into the full time care thing. Third...it gives Ezra time to adapt to his new feeding schedule and we don't have to leave him behind. All in all...we are really pleased with the way things are working out.

I've continued to find great Craigslist deals and gotten some new things too. Besides things for the boys...we got some organization stuff to help us keep track of things. We'll be keeping daily logs of their feeding / changing schedules, and each boy's stuff will be color coded according to our scheme: Caleb = Blue; Gideon = Green; Ezra = Yellow/Off White/Brown and other "earthy tones." So they'll each have a clip board with their name / color; a log sheet in their color; and we've even gotten their "lovies" to coordinate with their colors. So...for those who are thinking about things to buy (Grandmas / Grandpas)...please note the colors :-)

It will be interesting to see how our system works. We'll do the log because we want to be sure that even when people who are helping out come in...we can still track how they are doing. With preemies it is good to show the Pediatrician how they are doing so we can adjust their feeding amounts / times / etc. The colors simplifies things, and from talking to other triplet parents...colors are a good start.

Anyways...that's about it for today. Not sure when I'll get back on here. Still have two papers due next week...and some babies coming home!! But we'll update with some new pics when we can!!

Thanks for all your prayers!!

God Bless!

J

Good-bye 4 pounders!!

I guess when babies start off so small, they have little choice but to grow, and grow, and grow. That's what the boys continue to do.

All three of them are over 5lbs and they are all getting better and better at feeding. Caleb and Gideon are now both off the feeding tubes. They've both taken a try at breast feeding and seem to do pretty well with that. Tonight...Gideon took 60ccs in about 10 minutes!! That is lightning fast and he could've had more if we would've given him more. Not to be outdone, Ezra is also getting better at feeding and took his full meal by bottle this evening too!!

Which brings us to discussions about the boys coming home. I think I've mentioned it before, but I will go over again what the boys need to do individually to be released from the NICU/hospital (there is no inbetween nursery they stay at).

1. They must demonstrate the ability to maintain a healthy body temperature in a crib. They can be swaddled or under a blanket or with a little cap...but they can't be in an isolette or anything else that maintains their temperature for them. They all did this in the first week.

2. They must demonstrate weight gain. Check.

3. They must not have any issues of Apnea (stop breathing) or Brady's (drop their heart rate suddenly) for at least 5 days straight. They are still dealing with that a little bit...and sometimes it happens while they are eating. So quite honestly...I'm not sure if we are 100% sure where they are at with that. It isn't a dramatic issue or anything we expect them to get "stuck" on for a long time.

4. They must be able to take all their required nutrition / formula / breast milk by bottle or by breast during all their feeds throughout the day and in each case under 30 minutes. Caleb is pretty much there. He just needs to do it a little longer...Gideon is pretty much the same way. Ezra still needs a little practice.

But as a whole, they are all doing well. The nurse even asked Autumn about our preference for taking them home piecemeal (one / two at a time) or all together. Right now, our preferred course of action is to bring them home together. It keeps them all in the same place (easing logistical issues) and it means we wouldn't have to deal with the emotional side of "leaving anyone behind." That doesn't mean we'll be able to do that...but that is where we stand right now.

In other news we are working on our finishing touches to get the house ready for the babies. I have found some amazing deals on Craigslist for pack-n-plays, snap-n-go stroller, dr brown bottles (we need about 30 to make life easier), and other little things. We've also stocked up on a weeks worth of formula (7 x 12.8oz cans), a week+ worth of diapers (200+), baby wipes (1000+), and hand sanitizer for all over the house!

On the to do list still is getting rid of our dining table to make room for the "boys" area. I can't wait to start adding fun things for them to play with in there. We are also making final adjustments to the car seats in the car...although the Fire Department visit went great.

Autumn is doing better and better every day. She still walks slowly...but it is amazing the improvement she's made in the past week. Gigi went home to Oklahoma this evening, but she really helped out taking care of Autumn, and I know she enjoyed seeing the boys and is probably already trying to figure out when she can come out.

That's about it for now. I'm excited to get this "home" show on the road. There are all these little 'systems' I just want to see if they work and how to make them better. It is gonna be a crazy few weeks for sure. But what stories we'll be able to share!!

Until later...hope y'all are having a great week!!

God Bless!

J

Two Weeks and Growing....

Good Afternoon:
Sorry it has been a few days since posting.  The realities of life and the last minute stuff that needs to get done before the boys come home have occupied most of my time.  Thankfully, Autumn's mom is here (aka Gigi) and she is able to be with Autumn at the Fisher House and now she is able to see the boys!!

Yesterday (Friday) was another wonderful day for our little guys.  They were officially two weeks old and they got to meet Gigi for the first time.  We have a wonderful little video of Gigi meeting the boys and it just warms your heart.  She is so happy and in awe at the same time.  I'm sure she is just super-proud of her own little girl, Autumn.  As I like to tell Autumn...like Rocky told Adrienne..."You done good."

Gigi holding Caleb

The boys continue to grow stronger and stronger every day.  Caleb pulled out his feeding tube for the umpteenth time...but this time...the nurses didn't put it back.  He is taking all of his nutrition / feeding from a bottle.  What a milestone for a little life!!  Hopefully that will continue so they don't have to put a tube back into his stomach.  Not a fun thing for these little guys to go through.  Ask Gideon.  It seems every day he pulls it out at least once and has to go through the whole drill of puting it through his nose and his little scream makes it clear he is not happy.  It doesn't hurt them at all...it is just very uncomfortable...but one of those necessary evils.  Hopefully him and Ezra will be able to take all their meals from a bottle soon too so they can get their tubes removed!!

2 Week Weights:

Caleb:  4lb 9oz  (+2oz from birth)

Gideon: 4lb 12oz (+2oz from birth)

Ezra: 4lb 11oz (+5oz from birth!!)

The picture below is of Autumn with all the boys!!  What an exciting moment for her.  Every day she gains a bit more strength with a little less pain.  That's good too because if things continue to progress the boys might be spending their 3rd Friday in this world at home with Mommy, Daddy, and their pets, Tim the Cat, and Teddy (the dog/puppy).  But it is nice having her feel a bit more "normal' although everything we hear from the docs and other mothers of triplets is that "normal" doesn't come for at least 4-6 months....best case scenerio.

 

This was my first week back at school.  Still catching up on one more assignment and then plan on working ahead this weekend with MLK Day off.  Unfortunately, I am realizing / accepting the part about being a Dad that must stink the worse...work means I get less time with the boys.  Such is life...and it will just make my time with them more precious when I get it.  I was able to do their whole care time last night without any real assistance from the nurse accept for the things I'm not allowed to do (i.e. prepare their formula, replace Gideon's feeding tube, listen to heart, lungs, and tummies).  But the hour and a half it took was easily the best part of the day.

Anyways, that's about it for now.  I will work to find a way to post some videos over the next few days.  It involves using Youtube but I don't want our videos for public consumption.  Bear with me...and hopefully I'll have something one of these days.

Enjoy your weekend!!

Love,

J

A week to go?!?

This will be a quick post...but I wanted to update everyone on the boys progress.

We'd mentioned previously that the boys needed to start feeding with the bottles in order to start thinking about going home.  Well...I don't know if it was prayers or what...but when I called the NICU this AM during a class break they told me that all three of them had taken their full feedings from 2am, 5am, and 8am feedings!!  Talk about a drastic change!!  When Autumn went back this evening they were just doing the feeding tube.  They don't want to overwhelm the boys too quickly.  But as a whole...it is very exciting to know they have started to figure it out!!

With that said...the crazy part is that for the first time, a doctor has mentioned the boys potentially going home.  It is all tentative...but if they continue to advance with their feedings they could be home in about a week!!  Wow...that's nuts!!

So...for those who live in the NOVA area...we are gonna start cashing in on the many, many offers for assistance soon.  If the best case scenerio works out...we'll need quite a bit of help the last week in January.  It just happens to be this gap where neither my parents nor Autumns parents are able to make it out here.  It's also my busiest week of the quarter for school...but I am almost caught up from last week and plan to work ahead this weekend with Gigi (Autumn's mom, Glenda) here.  But if you think you might want / be able to spare a few hours of the day here...let us know.  We'll be sure to put you to use holding / feeding babies and even changing a diaper or two...or three...or six!!  :-)

Anyways...that's our exciting news for the day.  Hope you are all doing well in your neck of the woods.

God Bless!!

J & A

P.S.  Sorry...no new pics tonight.  Autumn has the camera with her at Bethesda.  I will post some tomorrow night, hopefully, after I get to see the boys!!

Gigi (aka Grandma Huffman) is here!!

Well...another wonderful day has come and gone.  Didn't post last night because I was experiencing technical difficulties with the camera. I am quickly realizing how popular the blog has become...and I know it isn't my writing that draws people here.  These guys are C.U.T.E.!!  So...without further ado (sp?) here are some of the latest followed by an update on everyone.

Here are the three of them snuggled up together under the blanket.

Here is Gideon.  I can't help but think of Darth Vader at the end of Return of the Jedi when I see this picture!!

Here is Ezra sticking his tongue out at Daddy!!

One of my favorites so far.  Caleb and Mommy looking at each other!

The boys are still doing well.  Ezra and Caleb's reflux has gone away mostly.  They still have a little bit...but not as much as Gideon.  Poor little Gideon just can't cut a break.  His reflux is a bit more serious.  Autumn was actually holding him and Ezra this evening, but after just a couple of minutes he spit up on Ezra!!  Poor guys! 

Autumn is doing well.  Each day gets a little better.  Of course she doesn't get as much sleep as she did long, long ago..but at least the sleep she does get now is better than when she was pregnant.  Her primary functions in life seem to be pumping, sleeping, and visiting the boys.  We continue to pray that she'll be ready for the little ones when they come home.

Helping Autumn is her Mom, Glenda.  Glenda (who will be known as Gigi to the boys) arrived on Monday and has already helped a lot.  She made some meals here at the Fisher House and is able to get Autumn to and from the hospital.  On Friday it will be her opportunity to see her Grandsons.  She needs to wait ten full days from when she received her H1N1 vaccination before they'll let her into the NICU.

On the homefront, I went back to class today.  I still have some homework to catch up on...but at least I'm part-way into thing.  I find myself much less interested than I was before the Christmas break...go figure.  At least I can call the NICU on my breaks to see how my boys are doing.  But I was able to tie up some loose ends at the house today too...which means we have plenty of diapers, wipes, and other bare essentials for whenever it is our boys come home.  Also have an appointment with the Fire Department on Saturday to ensure our Car Seats are installed properly!!

We really appreciate all the prayers and support we have continued to recieve.  Boxes of things off our registry have arrived and its really moving.  FYI...if you did send something I am tracking it.  But I am also gonna wrap the stuff up for Autumn so she'll have more things to open up at her baby shower (date TBD...it was previously scheduled for NOV but before we set the solid date / did invites she was put on bedrest).  But anyways...I just want her to feel special whenever we do the baby shower and so thank-you in advance...and I promise official thank-you notes will be on the way.  I hope that is okay and I appreciate your understanding.

One last note about support...not sure if you've noticed the numbers at the bottom of the page.  Those are the number of "hits" on the blog and the number of different visitors (i.e. computers) that have visited.  We decided to put that on there because we were hearing about so many people checking this out.  We had no idea so many people would be so interested in our boys lives...even if it is just checking out pictures.  We hope you do enjoy what you hear / read.  If you have questions, feel free to leave them in the comments.  I actually really enjoy writing all this out and if there is something you are curious about I will either respond to the comment in the comment section or perhaps address it in an individual post (like the names).

Thank-you so much for your love and care....we can't wait to show our boys some day how many people were interested in their little lives!!

God Bless!!

J & A

Now it is time to eat!!!

Today was a relatively quiet day for the Kaldahl Triplets.  Caleb, Gideon, and Ezra experienced their first day since birth without any dramatic changes...good or bad.  That doesn't mean anything really good or anything really bad.  I think that as the days go on...we will see a more steady progression of progress...i.e. no dramatic improvements...just slowly improving so we can bring them home!

You can make out the letters on their wraps.  The nurses label with with their respective birth letters in case someone "new" has to come in and do something in a hurry.  The nurses know they by their names!!

Since the boys have all been taken off of oxygen and IVs...their biggest challenge is going to be eating.  They have to be able to take all of their weight appropriate formula by mouth at each feeding and in less than thirty minutes in order to be released from the NICU.  So far...they each take about 15ml by mouth about one or two feedings per day.  They'll have to be able to do about 60-80ml during all 8 feedings throughout the day. They'll also have to keep it down.  Right now, they all spit up a bit due to reflux and that will be something to continue to watch.  Once they do get the right amount of food several days in a row we will be looking to take them home!!  During a later post...I'll go over the "going home" criteria in more depth.

Besides the reflux the boys are doing well.  Slowly we are starting to see bits and pieces of their individual personalities.  Of course a lot of things are just typical newborn behaviors...but they express them in different ways.  So far, Caleb seems like the "relaxed" one.  As long as we aren't changing him or the nurses are prodding him he is a cool customer.  He also tends to look most like Jeff.  Gideon and Ezra are a bit more expressive as feeding time comes near.  In one of the pictures below you can see Ezra reaching out and touching his brother Gideon.  They are also more expressive with their eyes and it seemed like Gideon was trying to smile a bit a bit while "playing" with Jeff today.  If nothing else...they are all trying to focus a bit more at who is talking to them and from where they are hearing voices.  It is fun and we really look forward to when they recognize their individual names.

Autumn's mom comes in tomorrow.  She will undoubtedly be a great help, and it will mean Jeff goes back to school on Tuesday.  Arrghhh...no looking forward to it...but that is just the way it goes.

We do have a couple of prayer requests though.  First, Autumn is starting to experience an increased amount of pain that had previously gone away.  It makes it hard for her to go visit the boys when she feels that way, and as you can imagine...that makes her pretty bummed!!  More importantly...with the boys progressing as well as they are...we need their mommy in tip top shape when the DO come home.  So please pray she would feel better and that she would regain her energy over the next couple of weeks.

Next, with Jeff going back to classes...please pray he makes a good transition.  He is a bit behind on some assignments and now has they greatest distraction in the world.  Just pray he gets the assignments that need to be done complete but that he is able prioritize his time well enough to be able to take care of the boys and Autumn.  I'm sure it is everything every new Dad goes through...but that only lessens the nervousness just a little!

Gideon flashing his "eyes" (and also sucking on his swaddle wrap!)

You have to tilt your head to see...but Caleb had a nice "Reverse 'C'" as he was sleeping today.  That is the perfect shape for a follow through on a good golf swing...here's hoping!!  :-)

Ezra reaching out and touching Gideon...just to say Hi...or maybe just make sure he was there!!  After we picked Gideon up for his care time...Ezra started fussing a bit!

Thanks for all your prayers!!  We hope you having a great year!!

God Bless!!

J & A

Reunited at last!! Plus...life in the NICU

Greetings from Bethesda, MD!!

This morning was an exciting day for our little guys!!  For the first time since they were born, they were reunited and in close proximity to each other.  Because they are all doing so well (off IV, no supplemental oxygen, ect) they are all sleeping in the same crib.  It is quite a sight to see and you can tell they notice each other.  Right before we left for the night, Caleb was curled up right next to Gideon.  If nothing else...this makes us feel good that they have each other again.

From Left to Right:  Ezra, Gideon, and Caleb

Quite honestly...that's it.  We visited them three times today: morning, afternoon, and tonight.  It is likely we will maintain that schedule as long as they are there.  When we go to the hospital we go through several steps.  First, we sign in and get buzzed into the NICU.  No one except parents are allowed in...unless the parents also escort another individual.  BUT...that person must have had the H1N1 vaccine more than ten days ago.  Once we are buzzed in, we wash up for three minutes.  This is the full "surgeon" type scrub you see on TV.  They even have little timers that are activated by the water running to make sure you track how long you've been scrubbing.  I'll tell ya...when you are excited about seeing your little one...it takes discipline and the knowledge you are washing for their safety to get the full three minutes in!!

Once washed up we head to the pod.  The nurses are really, really good about updating us before we even ask.  In their first week we got updates like oxygen levels, temperatures, medicine, feedings and things like that.  For now, the biggest update is on how much they are eating and in what quantities (bottle vs feeding tube).  Occasionally we'll get other news like this evening:  "Gideon threw up most of his previous feed."  Poor guy.

Once updated, we usually jump right into helping with care.  Care times are every three hours and each boy is spread 1/2 hour apart.  Because preemies are more sensitive to stimuli, the nurses try to group all the stuff that needs to be done into their care time.  For us...this consists of taking their temperature, changing their diapers, changing shirts when needed, and helping the nurses do their checks.  The nurses listen to their hearts, lungs, and intestines, measure their stomach girth, take blood pressure, and in the evening, weigh them.  Occasionally they also have their feeding tube changed..which is tough to watch because they really, really hate it!!

The last part of care time is feeding.  Depending on if the boys are giving cues, how much they fed with a bottle previously, and how much "energy" they are displaying, the nurse decides whether to try with a bottle.  If so, we try to feed them for a few minutes until they've had enough.  Then they are given the rest through their feeding tube.  Either way....this is the best part of care time because this is when we get to hold them and when they are usually most alert. 

Mommy feeding Gideon

Daddy holding Gideon (left) and Ezra (middle)

By the time their feeding is done, they are usually back asleep.  We either keeping holding them for awhile or put them back in the crib to start work in the next one. 

So that's about it.  Here are some more pictures from the day....

Ezra making a face at the camera

(okay...I know he doesn't know he was doing that...but it's still cute!)

Gideon during a feeding

Caleb trying to eat the gauze!

We hope you have a great day!!

God Bless!

J & A

The Fisher House...

We are back at the Fisher House after a morning and afternoon of visiting the boys.  They are all doing well...sleeping together...and just being themselves!!  I'll update on them later, but I thought I would take a moment to share some thoughts about an amazing opportunity given to us through the kindness and generosity of the Fisher House.

The Fisher House is a public/private program that provides no-cost lodging for families visiting / caring for loved ones at Military Hospital facilities.  They are located at all the major military hospitals.  Priority is based upon different things...my understanding is that top priority goes to the families of our wounded warriors from Iraq / Afghanistant...but that is not all they cater to.  Obviously, they care for families with little ones in the hospital and we interact most with two families who have veterans going through cancer treatments.  The bottom line is that this is just an awesome program that is well run and provides a great service to those going through tough times.

We are lucky.  We are here for convenience and for a joyous occasion.  When we got here, we were amazed at how nice the house was.  At Bethesda, there are two houses...and they are building a third.  We are basically in a one bedroom suite with the bedroom (2 full beds), a full bath in the middle, and a lounge room on the other side.  In the common areas, there is a large kitchen, washer and dryer, a dining room, and a TV room with a big screen TV, library of books, Wii, and Xbox 360 (so Gary and Ryan if you visit you can play Halo 3...bring the game!!)  :-)  Additionally, the kitchen is stocked with everything you need...there are two refrigerators to share space with, and each room is assigned a cuboard.  Plus...many, many people have donated other food items so you don't have to worry about every single condiment, spice, or little things.  All in all...they meet their goal of making a home away from home.

Another thing that has made our stay nice here is the kindness of people who have brought meals by the house.  Our first night, the Officer's Wives Club brought by a bunch of different dishes and we've been eating the leftovers since.  Today...another group of families brought by Chilli for lunch.  Every time that happens it is just so nice not having to figure out what to cook or how to handle dinner.  As a whole...all our energy is directed towards visiting the boys and/or getting ready for their move home.

We have met a couple nice families who are going through much tougher times than us.  Two of our veterans are battling cancer.  One man flew from Italy for treatment and has his daughter and son-in-law here with him.  Another is from the Maryland area.  They are all really nice and excited for us as a new family.  In some ways though, I can't help but be aware of the different stages in life we are dealing with.  Our family is working towards beginning three little lives...they are hoping to put off the inevitable end.  We have admired how they have handled everything and wish them and their families all the best.

Finally...I figured I would put a plug in for anyone who would like to either donate $$ to the Fischer House or perhaps, get together with some other families, your church, or your small group and provide a meal or two to your local Fisher House.  For information, you can go to http://www.fisherhouse.org/.  There, you can find the link to donate or find a Fisher House near you.  For those in the Federal Government / Military...they are an option to give via Combined Federal Campaign (CFC).  Please note...we are under no obligation to provide any money or support so please do this on your own accord...not because we need anything.  Experience is just showing us this is a good cause.

Autumn began to tear up a bit when we arrived here.  Not because she missed the boys...although I'm sure she did.  She was simply overwhelmed with how nice this place was and with the knowledge that this is just a gift we are recieving out of some stranger / group of strangers kindness.  We may never know how we touch others lives when we go out of our ways to help them...but from a family who has been on the recieving end for several months...know it is greatly appreciated and helps in so many ways.

God Bless...

J

Gideon's Big Day...and other exciting adventures!!

It is hard to believe these little guys were born a week ago.  For all you parents out there who told us time would fly....well....you told us so.  I always thought time in the Army moved quickly...this has been lightning fast.  It has been an amazing week for Autumn and I, and we feel so blessed to have these little boys in our lives.  We are even more thankful because they are doing so well...and today was no exception to previous progress.

Gideon was the big mover today.  He is no longer on any respiratory assistance and he is doing great on his own.  He also had his IV removed this evening which means no more needles for him!!  Even more amazing was his progress with feeding.  He took his entire afternoon feeding with the bottle which is more than either of the other two have done.  Hopefully this is a sign of great leaps for Gideon as he is catching up to his brothers.

Speaking of those two...since Caleb and Ezra are out of the isolettes (aka incubators) they are able to be co-bedded.  This means that they are reunited in the same crib!!  They are up to 40cc of formula/breast milk per feeding (Gideon is at 37cc).  It was cute watching them when they put Ezra into the crib with Caleb.  Obviously they aren't totally aware of what is going on...but it seemed like they were at least aware of each other's presence.  The good news is that Gideon will hopefully join them tomorrow and all three of our little muskateers will be reunited!!

All three of them got some good Mommy / Daddy time today.  Autumn is getting this changing diapers thing down and we are both getting better at holding little bodies and trying to get them to feed from a bottle.  It is so wonderful watching them do the most basic things...I see how parents can be so "overwhelmed" by basic baby tasks.  Evening opening their eyes earns our boys praises.  In fact...anything that shows they are awake = plenty of cooing and ahhing.

Here are some pictures from today's festivities....and then some 1 week statistics below that...

Ezra (left) and Caleb (right) getting reaquainted

Gideon without the nasal cannulars

Daddy with Caleb and Mommy with Ezra

Caleb:  4lb 3oz, 40cc per feed

Gideon: 4lb 11oz, 37cc per feed

Ezra: 4lb 4oz, 40cc per feed

**ALL**  No IVs, breathing without assistance, out of the isolates and into cribs, and according to all the nurses, very cute!!

Thanks for dropping by!

God Bless...

J & A

Good Bye Incubators!!

As I wrote via Twitter earlier today, all three boys are out of their incubators and in little "cribs."  This is because their bodies have learned to regulate their temperatures a bit..and if anything...these little engines run a bit warm...especially after Mommy and Daddy hold them.  Which leads me to my second piece of good news...

For the most part, they are adapted well enough to day to day activities that we can hold each of them almost whenever we visit.  And boy...let me tell ya...these guys are little time killers.  I tend to view myself as someone who always wants to do at least two things at a time.  Life is just more efficient that way.  Well...when you hold one of these little guys...that is MORE than enough to keep you satisfied.  They are each just so cute and so fun to cuddle with...I just don't know where the time goes!!  Even better...because they each need to be changed or fed at half hour intervals...their needs dictate where you go and who you feed.  Takes away any type of "guilt" having to put down whichever one you are holding to go take care of another!!

Ezra and Gideon (oops...) I mean Caleb are pretty much independent of any machines or IVs.  That means no needles!!!  The only exception might be for special tests that may need to be run as needed.  I don't know if they are fully considered "feeders and growers"...but they are awfully close.  Pretty much the only thing they aren't doing that a normal full term baby  is doing is eating with a bottle each meal and they still occasionally stop breathing or have their heart rates drop.

For the eating, all three of them have little orange tubes that go through their nose or mouth into their little tummies.  At least once a day (sometimes more if they are giving indicators wanting to feed) Caleb and Ezra try eating with a bottle and small nipple.  As they get better at the suck, swallow, breath thing they will have more and more via bottle and less via the feeding tube.  Generally, babies don't "learn" to do all three at once until around the 34-35 week mark.  So hopefully...we should see some progress in that regards soon.

In the same way...continual breathing is another issue.  Occasionally...as I think I have previously written...they will just forget to breath.  It isn't as scary as it sounds because the respiratory indicator and heart rate monitors track accordingly and set off the appropriate warning (we are experts reading these machines now!).  Normally, they will self-recover without any assistance.  If they don't do so in a few seconds...the nurses give a subtle reminder.  I've never been there for a "not-so subtle" reminder...but my impression is that they force the little one to cry...the best sign of breathing!!  Caleb is recieving caffeine to help his breathing a bit more.  So in that regards...with two doses of caffeine a day...at 6 days old...he will fit right into our Kaldahl Family!!  Can you put coffee in a bottle!?!  :-)  Fortunately, Ezra doesn't need it and seems to be the furthest along...amazing after the rough first day he had!!

Gideon is still on the nasal cannula.  This helps his breathing a bit.  They have tried weaning him down a bit...but he isn't responding as favorably or as quickly as Ezra did.  In the same regards, he is still on an IV and gets a mix of feeding tube and IV fluids to get his nutrients.  But...he is able to be held just as much as his brothers and is just as cosey(sp?) in his Mommy or Daddy's arms.

So that's about it from our neck of the woods.  We ask that you keep a fourth baby in your prayers over the next few weeks.  Our boys got a pod-mate yesterday, and unfortunately he is in much worse condition than our boys.  He was born at 25 weeks and is only around 1lb.  Obviously, the docs / nurses don't share anything with us....but the nature of the pod and proximity to each space makes privacy impossible.  This little guy is really, really small and I'm sure has a rough road ahead of him.  It makes for a mix of emotions sometimes.  On the one hand...we see how blessed we are to have avoided such a difficult time for our boys.  On the other...we are heartbroken to see such a little life struggle so much and can't imagine how hard it must be for his parents.  I suspect his mom is having her own medical issues because she has been physically unable to see him yet.  I don't know his name...but his first initial is "J."  So while you say your prayers tonight...please remember "J" and his family.

Okay....phew....to avoid ending this note on such a downer...I have included some pics.....

Caleb:  He was sleeping w/ one eye open!!

Gideon:  We finally got to see his eyes and hint of a smile!!

 Ezra: He likes his new crib and sleeps peacefully

A proud mommy and daddy with their oldest boy, Caleb

Have a great weekend!! 

God Bless,

J & A

And 44 days later..

Hello Friends and Family...well after a long stay at the hospital, I was discharged today.  However before we get to that, I got to hold my oldest (Caleb) for the very first time today.  I just love it!  And then I was able to hold Ezra (sans the huge amounts of drugs I was on when I first held him).  I am anxious now to hold Gideon.  It is still a strange feeling to have a son that I have not held yet, yet we are assured that their brains are still a bit immature and they are not impacted by the lack of touch that we would think they are.  The good news is, Caleb and Ezra are both off of their IV's!  I can't imagine how those must feel to our babies, and am so glad almost all are relieved from it.  Gideon is on a nasal form of air that is much less intrusive than his previous C-pap.  It is a little hard knowing he is struggling more than the others,  I find overall I must look at the big picture which is they are all doing remarkably well, and we are blessed beyond our wildest imaginiations.

Leaving the hospital was a very odd feeling.  At first I was very emotional, I really don't mind being stuck in the hospital when you are only down the hall from your babies.  And then I thought of all the miracles that have taken place in my room, being able to be in the hospital for 44 days with pre-eclampsia is a miracle as many of you know.  I felt a certain amount of loyalty to that room.  But alas, they don't let you stay there just because you like being there, so we left.  Then, I was outside for the first time and saw that while I was resting, winter really had arrived.  Minutes later we arrive at the Fisher House, it is really a lovely house with nice rooms, much homier than expected.  Then, the Wives of Officers had brought a great dinner with a variety of entrees.  Again, I thought I had lost my appetite due to the surgery, but it simply was a absolute lack of desire for anything from the hospital. All I can say of parenting is I totally get why parents can't get over their kids.  Jeff suggested we just stay in our room and just act like a normal couple for a minute, dinner wasn't even over and we both were like 'Yeah, let's go see the boys'.  There is nothing else in the world we would rather be doing, than spending time with these little lives whom we have known less than a week!

I have not and will never be able to know all the prayers that have gone up for us during this journey.  I just want to shout for joy, and yet I know all of this is the result of God's Grace through the power of so many prayers.  Thank you, dear friends who have been fervent prayer warriors.  I love you all!

Autumn's almost out....

Today was another good day for the boys filled with little bits of progress and a chance to just enjoy being with them whenever we can.

They have all increased the amount of formula / breast milk they take at any care time.  If I recall correctly, Caleb and Ezra are taking 25cc per feeding and Gideon is taking 16cc.  All three of them are still under the florescent light to prevent the jaundice.

The good news for today is that they took Gideon off the C-PAP machine and he is just on the oxygen through the nasal tubes.  That is much less invasive and it allows us to see his face a bit more.  Unfortunately, we can't see it all the time because they each have to wear eye masks to protect their eyes from the lights.  So far...Autumn was able to see Gideon and we've both been able to see Ezra.

Ezra is quite the ham.  He seems to be so aware when we are there taking pictures.  That's why he as the most with open eyes and looking at the camera.  Caleb is the squirmer.  We thought it was Ezra at first, but the last couple of days...when Caleb is frustrated or anxious he just moves around a lot.  He cries a little too...but nothing too much.  Gideon wasn't moving around nearly as much today.  Maybe he is tired...or maybe he was just more comfortable without the C-PAP.  I am looking forward to seeing him. 

Here are a few pics from today:

Caleb about to get fussy w/o his binky

Gideon free from his C-PAP

Ezra watching his Mommy & Daddy

Autumn is doing okay.  She had a little dizzy spell today, but I think that is because she is so focused on the babies she skipped a meal or didn't drink enough or something.  She is feeling much better though, and they are planning on discharging her tomorrow.  The good news is that we will be able to get a room at the Fischer House on base.  That means we'll only be 2-3 minutes from the hospital, and even if I am in class, Autumn can take a shuttle to the hospital.  Her mom is also coming in to town next Monday so that should help a lot.  Between now and then, I will miss class so I can help Autumn adjust to life outside the hospital.

That's about it for now.  Hope things are going well wherever you are.

God Bless!!

J

Where Did the Names Come from?

Greetings:
I've been asked this so many times, and because I think it is a decent story, I thought I would share how we came up with the names for our boys.  Some people are under the impression it is hard to come up with 6 different boy names...but we both found it pretty interesting and not as difficult as you'd think.

To start...and I say this to reflect the generosity and trust of my beautiful wife...she let me pick all the names.  No really...she did!!  It came as a result of a conversation and she basically said, "If I get pregnant this month...I'll let you pick the name." (emphasis on the singular name!).  Oops!!  But true to her word, she not only let me pick our oldest boy's name...but all of them.

We'd discussed names during our previous pregnancy even though it didn't get too far.  So we had some general ideas for our top choices.  With the knowledge of triplets...it just made our discussions more broad and open to different ideas.  Before knowing the sexes of the babies we had some basic guidelines.  For the boys it was simply that we wanted "interesting" (a very subjective word) Bible names that were less common than some of the traditional names.  Over time then, we narrowed our list to two.  I didn't think we'd need more than two boy names.  When we found out we were having three boys...we only needed to come up with one more name because Caleb and Gideon were our top two very early on.  The nice thing about naming Triplets is that you don't have to choose between your favorites.  If you come up with a name you like...there is a good chance you can find a way to fit it in somehow!

So how did we come up with the specific names?

I've liked the name Caleb for a long time.  It is a little more common than Gideon and Ezra...but Autumn liked it enough that we allowed for a bit more commonality.  Another common thread through our boys names is we had to like the Bible story associated with them.  We want to be able to use those stories as illustrations about the kind of relationship and faith in God we want our boys to have.  Caleb trusted God to deliver the land of Canaan to the Israelites..and God rewarded him for his faith.  I also liked the fact I could call Caleb "CK".  I am a Superman fan and if you didn't know...CK is a nickname sometimes given to Clark Kent by his friends.  I was sold.  FYI...Autumn isn't as thrilled about the CK reference but she lets me have my fun!!  :-)  As for his middle name, Matthew...that comes from my side of the family.  My brothers and I all share the middle name Matthew and so do a few of my cousins on that side.  I just felt it was appropriate and fitting to continue that tradition for the Kaldahl family and Matthew sounded good with Caleb.  End of story...that one we had for a llloonngg time.

Gideon was another name we both liked right away.  Gideon was a man who didn't trust in his own abilities but ultimately trusted in God to give him and the Israelites a great victory.  But God made it clear that it was through HIS actions...not Gideon's or the Israelites that made it so.  His middle name, Crosby, comes from the band Crosby, Stills, and Nash.  While we like CS&N, we liked the name more.  If we didn't have the Biblical names as a standard, Crosby would have been one of our first name choices.  Still...we liked the name...we like the band...and we like the genre of Classic Rock...influenced in part by Granddaddy Greg (Autumn's dad).  So it made a nice fit.

Ezra's name was a bit longer in the making.  We probably didn't settle on this until October.  This is in part because we had picked out another name.  The name was nice..but over time, the story in the Bible didn't inspire me as much as Ezra's faithfulness in rebuilding the temple for God.  There is no grand story about how we came up with it.  It started with me laying in bed one night pondering names..and for some reason it just popped into my head.  I didn't think Autumn would like it, but when I mentioned it to her, she said she'd thought about that previously herself.  Up until he was born I was always nervous about it, but thankfully people have been really supportive about it.  Ezra's middle name, Glenn, is in memory of Autumn's dear Grandma Gertie who passed away in October.  I had originally sworn I would not name our kids after anyone because I worry about hurt feelings.  In fact..the first time I'd heard the idea I barely considered it.  But within days of her funeral the name "Ezra Glenn" just rolled in my head over and over again and I just knew it was the right thing to do.  Not only for Autumn and Gertie...but for all of Autumn's family who had reached out so kindly to me and who I knew would be such a great part of our boys' lives.  PLus...not only would Ezra have a Bible story to hear...but we could tell him and the other two about his Great-Grandma Gertie whose prayers played a huge part in them coming to being.

Lastly...when trying to arrange the order for who gets what name...I noticed the initials of the boys matched pretty well.  The middle initial of the younger brother matches the first initial of his older brother (obviously this doesn't apply to Caleb).  It is a pretty small detail, but I remember how cool it was when my younger brothers (who are twins) realized they could split their names in half with each taking half of the other name...and when put together they'd still have their name (GAry & RYan).  It seemed cool to have that kind of link back then...so I figured at least some link between their initials would be neat too....and thus the names and birth order for Caleb, Gideon, and Ezra was set.