Our First Christmas!

Our first Christmas together as a family was wonderful and very busy! Before I get into what we were up to this Christmas, I wanted to give a brief update on the babies.

Emmerson, Brody and Logan will be turning 6 months on January 3rd. We can hardly believe it. It was around this time last year that we found out we were having "a baby".
They have been sleeping through the night now for about 3 weeks. It is so nice! We can hardly believe it when we wake up in the morning. They are eating between 96-120 oz. of formula a day collectively...which is 8 oz. 4-5 times a day. Logan and Emmi weigh in just over 14lbs and Brody has passed the 15lb. mark. It is unbelievable to us since they started life at just 2-3 lbs!
They continue to smile and have become much more interested in things around them. They love to spend time singing and talking with Mommy and Daddy and they get plenty of exercise in their Jump-a-roos and Exersaucers! They are adorable to watch as they bouce and laugh! It is hard to believe that this year is coming to an end...it has brought us so much joy!

Dec. 20th- We started our celebration with a church service on Thursday. It was the babies first time attending "The Land" which is the children's ministry at our church. They were supposed to be 6 months to start, but the pastor made an exception. They had a great time and we really enjoyed the beautiful service...uninterrupted!

Dec.21st- The Buehnerkemper's all came by for our Christmas exchange. We had a great time getting together. They babies got a cool activity table that they will love to play with. It is full of sounds and lights. It was fun to 'add' Nolan to the babies and see all 4 of them in a row! The night contiuned at my Aunt Sue and Uncle Bill's for a birthday celebration for my grandma. There they got a Christmas gift too...the Shrek triplets and much needed formula. The little oagers were so cute...and the stuffed animals were cute too!

Dec 22nd- Auntie Steph and Jazzmin came by and we opened gifts with them. They got a "Royal Throw"...a potty chair. It will be great when they are ready. It was nice to see them.

Dec. 23rd- Christmas by Papa and Grandma Laura's was great! Dinner was delicious and it was so fun having the babies there to open their gifts. They recieved outfits from Auntie Megan and also some from Papa and Grandma, along with some money for much needed formula. Their wardrobe is growing!

Dec.24th- We spent Christmas Eve with John's family. Grandma and Grandpa Kelsey had 2 wonderful meals for us...we were stuffed when we finally left. Uncle Matt and Aunt Kelly made the trip from St. Louis and Uncle Adam was there too. It was nice to have everyone together. The babies got more adorable clothes, toys and formula. It was a great time shared by all!

Dec.25th- Christmas morning started with just our immediate family. John and I gathered all the babies around the tree for presents. We sang Christmas Carols and we all wore our santa hats. It was very nice. Grandma Linda and Grandpa Jim came over and we opened gifts with them. The babies got so many cool toys...they will love playing with them! They also recieved some first Christmas ornaments. It was nice to spend this time together.
It was off to my Aunt Ellens for Christmas day. The family went overboard getting the babies all kinds of presents including gift cards, clothes, and tickle me Elmo. GG was excited to buy for her great grandchildren. They were very blessed!

Dec.27th- Christmas with the Kelsey/Andrews Cousins...it is an extended family event that happens once a year. Everyone gathers to share in the joy of the season. It was wonderful to introduce everyone to the babies...and there was no lack of attention that night.

The next couple days were spent getting together with friends at our house. It has been a very tiring week, but we are so blessed to have so many people to share in this holiday season with.

2007 has been such an eventful year for us. We are kind of sad to see it come to an end...but we are looking forward to all that lies ahead for the Kelsey family. We would like to wish everyone a wonderful new year, filled with fun, laughter, love and many blessings! Happy New Year!

Approching our first Christmas...

The babies are getting so big! Today they are just over 5 months old and weighing in at almost 4 times their birth weight!


Emmerson now weighs 13 lbs. 1 oz. She knows when Mommy or Daddy leave the room and she doesn't like it! She is very smiley after she eats or when she first wakes up. Emmerson has some of the sweetest eyes you will ever look into...she can capture you with just a look! She also knows how to get picked up...she has perfected the "lip quiver".


Brody now weighs 14 lbs. 2 oz. He is so strong. Every time he is laid on his back, he scoots himself by arching his back and pushing with his legs. It can be quite funny. Brody is going to be a soccer player we think since his legs are always kicking, making it more and more difficult to change his diapers. Brody is very smiley when you talk to him and when his tummy is full, he will tell YOU the most interesting stories!


Logan is now weighing in at 13 lb. 0 oz. Logan is one of the happiest babies you will ever meet...he is always smiling and laughing. He loves to look at faces and bright lights. Logan will always return your smile and he loves listening to us talk. He is a cuddler and enjoys being held close to us. He can really let out a whale though if he is unhappy about something.



The babies are all doing very well and changing on a daily basis. They love to go out with Mommy and Daddy and enjoy watching the lights pass by as they look up from their strollers. We often get looks and questions when we are out, but they don't seem to mind. They are always willing to give a sweet smile and ham it up for the passers by.

Happy Thanksgiving!

For the babies first Thanksgiving, we wanted to make sure that we visited all the family we could.
Although our first visit started long before the actual holiday, we were still so happy that the babies would get to meet family they had never met. Thankfully, we didn't go far for our first visit as our family, including Great Grandma Schaefer came to our house from Minnesota. G. Uncle Mike, G. Aunt Jeanie, G. Aunt Ginny, and G. Uncle Steve, along with Grandma and Grandpa Kelsey came over to our house and we had a very nice visit. It was the babies first time meeting some of the Schaefer Klan.

Our next visit took us all the way to Greenville, IL to visit Great Grandma Kelsey, G. Aunt Jackie and G.Uncle Hanz. Grandpa Kelsey went with us too. Uncle Matt and Aunt Kelley joined us in Greenville and then, the babies took their first trip out of state as we went to Uncle Matt and Aunt Kelley's house in St. Louis. It was so nice to see everyone and it was the first time the babies met the Kelsey Klan!

On Thanksgiving, we went to my Aunt Sues and Uncle Bill's house. Grandma Linda, Grandpa Jim and GG were there and the babies were thrilled to see them. Most of their great aunts and uncles of the Pinkham Klan were there as well, and it was very nice to be with them all to celebrate the holiday.

The day after Thanksgiving, we went to see Papa Glatchak and Grandma Laura. We had a great visit and the babies were so happy to see them!

This was a very family filled couple of weeks and we were so happy we were able to visit with so many people.

Triplets in review...what have they been up to?

Finding time and things to post about is getting harder and harder and I find that posting every week is not practical...so for those who still check the blog, I will try to post once every month for the first year of life unless something VERY exciting happens.

The babies are growing like weeds these days, gaining about an ounce a day. (For those wondering how I know their weights so often, I bought a scale that I weigh them on once a week...I know, type A personality!) Anyway, Logan is now 10 lbs. 3 oz. ; Emmi is 10 lbs. 14 oz. and Brody is 11 lbs. 7 oz. They have come so far and we thank God for their success. Their next doctors appointment is November 8th when they will get their 4 month vaccines. Logan had his final eye appointment today...and I am happy to say that he no longer has signs of ROP (Brody and Emmi were cleared about 4 weeks ago). This is great news!

Big Events:

The babies attended their first party thrown at the hospital for all the NICU grads on Oct. 12th. It was a Halloween party. Check out their pics...they were so Cute! Two frogs (that said kiss me) and a princess...Our neighbors gave them the costumes as a gift for their first Halloween.

On October 13th the babies were dedicated to the Lord in a ceremony at our church. It was a beautiful day and they looked so angelic. Grandma Kelsey made the boys outfits and Grandma Anderson made the bonnets. Emmerson wore the gown that I was christened in...it was a very special day for all involved!

That's all for now...I will post again after their first Thanksgiving... Happy Turkey Day!

Thank You!

We just wanted to send out a "Thank You" to all of you who made it out to our open house. It was wonderful to see all of you and the babies were very excited to meet everyone! The party was a success...we were a little worried since this was the first time we tried to host a party while looking after 3 babies. I guess we had no reason to be worried after all...it was great!

Yeah Logan!

Yesterday was a big day for Logan... he rolled over for the first time! Actually, he rolled over for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th time!! It was a real workout for him. He was doing it so quickly each time he was placed on his tummy that I was only able to get it on tape once.

All the babies are getting so big. Here are their latest weights : Emmerson is now 9 lb. 7 oz; Brody is now 10 lbs. 1 oz. and Logan is now 8 lbs. 4 oz. ! These weights are GREAT and they are gaining about 1 oz. per day. They will be caught up to where they should be on the growth chart in no time.

We had a fun bath today. Sometimes they really enjoy the bath and other times, not so much. Today was a pretty good time, although Logan didn't love it the entire time! We hope you enjoy the pictures...Mommy was careful to cover our private parts. :)

We look forward to seeing you all this Saturday starting around 12:00...remember it is an open house, so even if you only have a couple minutes, stop in and meet our little ones.

Everythings good at the Kelsey's

Things are going well here at the Kelsey household. All the babies are continuing to grow. Brody is now 9 lbs. 3 oz. Emmi is 8 lb. 8 oz. and Logan is 7 lb. 8 oz. They love going for walks and being held. Tummy time is usually not their favorite, but it is when they are able to show off their muscles. Brody is so unbelievable strong. When he grabs on to something, there is no breaking free! Emmi rolls over everyday. She is very stubborn (wonder where she gets it from) and when she sets her mind on something, she will not stop until she gets what she wants. I think we are going to be in trouble when she is older! Logan still has not rolled over, but he is our little "scooter". It is fun to watch him move around the floor. He doesn't move fast, but he definitely moves! All of the babies are able to focus on toys and faces now. Although it is only for a short time, it is nice to know that they are aware that we are there.



The open house is fast approaching...don't forget to RSVP. The babies can't wait to meet everyone! Please click on the evite link below and reply to the invitation. We look forward to having our babies meet our friends and family.

Wow!

We are so excited! Brody and Emmerson have been rolling over! The first time for Brody was 2 weeks ago and we thought...this is too early...there must have been something helping him. Then, just yesterday, Emmi rolled over. We couldn't believe it. Then today, as I sat in the family room with my Grandma and neighbors, Brody and Emmi rolled over again! This time I had witnesses and I was even able to get it on tape! Brody ended up rolling over a total of 7 times! It was so great to see. Logan has not rolled over yet, but last night, he scooted himself all over the floor. We kept moving him back on the blanket and he kept moving himself off! It was a little game, and he was winning! We were told that due to their prematurity, we should calculate all developmental stuff according to their "adjusted age", or from their offical due date. Today they would be 3 days old! This is very exciting!

PS...Thank you too everyone who has offered to help out. We really do appreciate it! Here is e-mail address shelli5309@yahoo.com if you would like to contact us to set up a time.

Quick Update...

The babies did very well at the doctors yesterday. They had their first round of shots (beside the on HepB shot they recieved in the hospital). They did very well and only cried while they were getting the 4 shots. As soon as the bandaid was on, they all stopped crying. They doctor was very impressed! Their check up looked great and the doctor decided he would not need to see them again until they are 4 months. Sometimes with preemies they need to be monitored more often, but in his words "you couldn't have 3 healthier babies". That was such wonderful news to hear!

Here are their size and weight updates:

Logan:
Wt. = 6lb. 11oz
Ht.= 19"
Head C.= 35 3/4 cm

Brody:
Wt. = 8lb. 2 oz.
Ht.= 20 1/2"
Head C.= 35 1/2 cm

Emmerson:
Wt. = 7 lb. 8 oz.
Ht.= 19 1/2"
Head C.= 35 3/4 cm

There "offical" due date is this upcoming Sat. Sept.8th...It is crazy for us to think about how much we have gone through before they were even supposed to be here!

Its Nap Time...

I finally found a quick minute to post a blog and add a couple new pictures. These days, a minute is hard to come by. Even though the babies are all on the same eating schedule they don't always quiet down right after...and if one is up, so am I. :) By the way, their feeding schedule is 5 am/pm, 1 am/pm, 9 am/pm...so if you are in the neighborhood during those times, feel free to stop in, grab a bottle and a baby and have a feeding date. :)

The babies go to the doctor today for their check up and shots. I will post a quick blog to let you know how big they are now. They seem big to us, considering where they started from. Brody fits well into newborn size clothes and they fit Emmi with just a little room to spare. This is exciting for us...we can finally break into a new part of their wardrobe.

Things are hard, but every time we get really stressed, we just think about the uncertainty of their first days with us, and we stop complaining. We would take these sleepless nights and days over having them in the hospital any day, so we try to keep it all in perspective and thank God for EVERYTHING they bring to our lives!

With that said, we really could use some help, especially on the weekends. Our parents, especially our Moms, (who have chosen baby time as their vacations from work so they can be here to help), already give so much of their time. Weekends are basically up to John and I, and we would love to have an hour or two to go the grocery store or dinner or ....just be baby free. So...if there are any takers out there, just let us know. I would love to set up a schedule so if anyone would be willing to commit to an hour or two we can write it on a calendar. Just knowing relief is on the way is GREAT! Thanks to all who have helped out already...we appreciate it more than you will ever know!

PS...Don't forget to RSVP to the "Meet the Triplets Open House"...Scroll down for a link to the Evite.

So far so good!

We haven't forgot about pictures of Brody's homecoming, but our main computer is down and it is much more difficult for me to post pictures now. Hopefully Daddy will be able to get them up later tonight.

So far things are going pretty well. We have all three babies on a schedule and they follow it for the most part. I only get up once a night when things go as planned, but that has only happened twice so far. They all do much better with the schedule during the day...hopefully the nights will follow soon!!! Even when the schedule goes perfectly, there is only a 4 hour window from bottle to bottle and the entire feeding process takes about 1 1/2 hours total for all 3 babies, so that only leaves a 2 1/2 hour chunks of time for sleep or whatever... I try not to think about it too much! As hard as it is to keep my eyes open at times, it is an overwhelming joy to have these three little people in our lives. We feel very blessed!! Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

Don't forget to scroll down and reply to the meet the triplets open house. We look forward to seeing everyone who has been a support system for our family through your kind words, prayers, thoughts and actions. We can't wait for our babies to see how many people already love and care for them---they truly are blessed!

Brody is Home!!!

We are happy to report that our family is now complete! Brody came home yesterday and is doing very well. We picked him up yesterday and he was very excited to see his brother and sister again. We can hardly believe that the moment we have been waiting for months is finally here. We have all of our babies home. They are such a blessing!! Last night was very interesting...let the sleepless nights begin. This is going to be tough, but we just keep saying that nothing that is worth it is ever easy. Please keep us all in your prayers... Pictures of Brody's homecoming will follow soon.

MEET THE TRIPLETS OPEN HOUSE

With the expectation of all three Kelseys being home soon, we have finalized plans for the "Meet the Triplets Open House" Please click on the evite link below and reply to the invitation. We look forward to having our babies meet our friends and family.

Logan Comes Home

Logan has finally made it home! Last night around 9:00, Mom and Dad eagerly took our little Logan home to rejoin his sister Emmerson. Brody said goodbye with promises of following his brother home soon. Logan was greeted by Emmerson with a lethargic hand to the face. Welcome home says Emmi! Although Logan was the most content of the three at the Hospital, he had a rough night getting accustomed to his new surroundings. Mom and Dad are bleary eyed this morning, and really starting to feel the effects of multiples, but couldn't be happier that we are 1/3rd closer to our full 100% capacity. Continue to pray for Brody's continued improvement, so that he can soon join his brother and sister at home and eliminate all moments of sleep for his parents.

Long Time No Post...

Things have been a little hectic these days to say the least! Having Emmerson home is wonderful but extremely tiring...especially when we need to take rides to the hospital between feedings instead of napping. Everyone says: "sleep when she sleeps" is a nice idea, but not our reality unfortunately. Anyway, things are good so far. Here is an update on each of our babies:

Emmerson:
Emmi had her first good night's sleep last night, and John and I both managed to get about 7 hours of sleep between our shifts. It was wonderful! She is now 5 lbs. 15 oz. and growing fast! She eats almost 3 oz. every feeding (80-90 cc or ml for those who follow the hospital jargen) She is the little princess at home and is definitely getting the royal treatment.

Logan:
We are saying our prayers that Logan will continue to eat well and meet his discharge requirements in the next day or so. He had his feeding tube removed and is eating pretty well by mouth. He is not eating his entire feed every time, but the doctors removed his minimum requirement and as long as he gains weight, he should be home on Saturday. They are scheduling his circumcision for tomorrow as long as he does well eating tonight and the tube does not need to go back in. Please pray for him. He is still the smallest, but coming in strong...he now weighs 5 lbs. 8 oz. ! That is quite a gain from his meek 2 lbs. 11 oz. that he entered this world at! We are very proud of our little lion and hoping he is home with us on Saturday.

Brody:
For starters, our little power house now weighs in at 7 lbs. 2 oz! That's right...he is over 7 lbs.!!! Pretty unbelievable! Everyone is very happy with this weight gain. Brody is having a difficult time eating. He has what is referred to as "strider" noises while he is eating which is leading the speech path and doctors to assess whether he is aspirating while he eats. They have now started to thicken his food to see if that helps and on Monday he will undergo a video swallow test to see where the liquid is going and to see if there is any difference between the thin and thick formula. We are hoping and praying that we will find a way to make the eating process easier for him so he too can be on his way home! We are already having a hard time imagining him at the hospital all by himself...we sure don't want that to be any long stretch of time!

I hope you enjoy the new pictures of the babies. They are now 36 weeks and 5 days gestational age and 6 weeks 2 days old. Boy how the time flies...!!!!

It is SO Great to Have Our Little Girl Home!

Even though it has been tough at times (Emmi decided that she did not want to sleep at all her first 2 nights home), we wouldn't trade these moments for anything. Emmerson has enjoyed breaking in all of the many things we have had waiting for our babies to arrive home. She really likes the CD's we play and the swing is very relaxing for her. We have many pictures of her arrival home that we will post soon. The only thing that could make this feeling better is if we had all of our babies home and back together again. Hopefully this will happen soon! Logan and Brody have both taken their entire feed at least once and are continuing to take at least 1/2 their feed every time...they are doing great and it shouldn't be too long now... Brody is now 6 lbs. 11 oz and Logan is 5 lb. 5 oz. They are really getting big! Emmi goes for her first doctor appointment on Monday, so we will get a weight update then. Keep us all in your prayer...John and I will definitely need them as we really entire the wonderful world of parenthood now!

Emmerson is Coming Home!!!

Emmi will now be residing at 214 Willington Way! She is being discharged today and this evening, John and I are going the hospital together and leaving, for the first time, with our little girl! We can't even believe it. We have been working like crazy to get the house all ready for her arrival and we just can't wait to walk through the door with her. Once our boys are discharged, our house will really become our home. They are doing well, eating at least half their feeding every time. There is no potenial release date and being able to come home had nothing to do with how much they weigh. It will be based soley on when they take all of their food by mouth. This can happen at anytime, when THEY are ready...the Lord knows I have been ready for a while now!:) So GREAT news for the Kelsey family today...one down, 2 more to go! Keep praying...God answers prayers!

Yeah Emmi!

Emmerson went to PO ADD LIB today and so far so good. She needs to continue to do well this evening and all day tomorrow while continuing to gain weight. If she does this, she will be home Thursday! It is very exciting but we are trying not to get our hopes up too much. Please keep the prayers coming! The boys are doing well, but still not eating enough to be where Emmi is, so they will be in the hospital for a bit longer. Please continue to pray for them as well. Also, we are shooting for September 22 for our "Meet the Triplets" open house. We will keep everyone posted via this blog as this will be the only form of an invitation. Nothing is for sure yet, but we wanted to put that date out there.

Still Going Strong...

Each baby is continuing to do very well with eating. Emmerson is still doing the best and the nurses are deciding if she can go to PO add lib (which means she can eat whatever she wants each feed- as long as she continues to eat close to if not more than she eats now) While doing this they will monitor her weight gain. If she goes PO add lib, and gains weight for 2 days, then she is coming home! SO...there is a possibility we could have our little girl home by Thursday or Friday. Please keep her in your prayers. God knows we are ready to have our babies home!
Logan and Brody are also doing well. Logan is a stronger eater than Brody. He usually takes over half his feeds and he wakes up early showing signs he is hungry. He does a good job pacing himself and as soon as he gets more stamina, he will be on his way home too. Brody is still struggling a bit with the suck, swallow, breath concept, but overall, he is doing well and taking almost half his feeds each time.
Emmerson now eats 65 ml every 4 hours; Logan is eating 60 ml each feed; and Brody is eating 70 ml every feed. This is excellent since they tolerate their feeds every time.
Weight update: Emmi = 2445 grams or 5 lbs. 6 oz. Brody= 2835 grams or 6 lbs. 4 oz. Logan=2210 or 4 lbs. 13 oz.

Brody is 6lbs.!!!!

Brody is getting SO big! He is now 6lbs 1 oz. or 2775 grams! Way to go Brody! Logan and Emmerson are also getting big too. Emmi is now 5lbs. 4 oz. or 2385 grams and Logan is 4 lbs. 12oz. or 2160 grams. It is incredible to see how big they are getting...in only 1 month!!! They celebrated their 1 month birthday on Friday. The eating scoop: Emmerson is doing GREAT with eating! She has eaten her ENTIRE feed 6 times now and even when she doesn't finish it all, she usually takes around 45 ml. If she keeps this up she will be home in no time. Brody and Logan consistently take over half their feeds and they are doing very well. This is very impressive since they are now on a PO (eating by mouth) EVERY feed. The only thing left to do is eat ALL their food every time and then they will be home. We got our car seats checked yesterday, so we are all set for them to come home!

Quick Weight and Eating Update...

Today Emmerson weighed in at 2360 grams or 5 lb. 3 oz. Logan is now 2080 grams or 4lb. 9 oz. and Brody is weighing in at a hefty 2700 grams or 5 lb. 15 oz. He will most likely be 6 lbs. tomorrow! They all had their first vaccination today, the Hep B shot. They were brave! Everyone is still eating the same amounts: Emmi and Logan = 55 ml and Brody 65 ml. They are still feeding by mouth every other feed and doing well with it each time. It is such a fun time for John and I as it is a great time for us to interact with our babies. Logan always wants to look around and see everything going on around him. Emmerson is very alert most of the time and makes great eye contact and on the rare occasions that Brody is awake and alert, he is very in tune with us and likes to hold hands and follow us with his eyes. They are really developing their own personalities and getting bigger so quickly.

A Long Awaited Post...

Everything is still going very well. John and I went on an over-night trip for our anniversary, and that is why we haven't posted in a little while. It was so hard being away from the babies, but their grandparents were there to spend some quality time feeding and loving on them, so that made it a little easier!
The babies have been doing so well eating that they have moved them all to eating by bottle every other feeding. The next step will be every feeding and then eating whenever they want. (Although, since we are going to put them on an eating schedule to keep our sanity, I am going to see if we can skip that last step. :) ) This morning Emmerson took 40 ml, Brody took 36 ml and Logan took 34 ml by bottle! This is over half of their feedings and is a great sign they are learning! Emmerson and Logan are both up to 55 ml for each feeding and Brody is at 60 ml or 2 full ounces! And it is really showing in their weights.....Emmerson: 2260 grams or 4lb. 15 oz. (WOW...almost 5 lbs. !) Brody: 2575 grams or 5 lbs. 10 oz. and Logan: 4 lbs. 6oz (still the smallest, but what a gain from his 2lb 11 0z. start!!!) One more piece of good news: Brody came off the caffeine on Saturday and since then NO SPELLS! This means that he has "grown out" of that "side effect" of his prematurity. They are all doing wonderful and we know that God has truly heard all of our prayers. Thank you for continuing to keep them in yours!

Quick Bottle Feeding Update...

Today, at breakfast, Emmerson took a whopping 32 ml by bottle and only need to have 18 ml given by her feeding tube. That was great! Logan also did very well taking 21 by bottle which is almost half his feeding. We hope they continue to do this well as the days go on... Once they can take their entire feeding by mouth every time and gain weight for 24 hours, they can come home!

Guess Who is 4 lbs? Guess Who is 5 lbs?

Today was "big"! Logan made it to 4 lbs!!! We are so proud of our little peanut! Brody also had a "big" day...he is now 5 lbs! Emmerson is not far behind at 4 1/2 lbs. and growing stong. Each of them has had very good weight gain since birth, gaining over 1 lb. 5 oz. in 3 1/2 weeks.

We are still woking on the bottle feeding and each day is a new adventure. Logan did great taking 20 ml by bottle. Brody is still not exactly sure what to, but he seems to be eager. Emmerson still takes around 15-20 each feeding. Tomorrow marks 34 weeks for them, so hopefully they will catch on soon!

Emmerson Was Our Rock Star Today!

Emmerson at the bottle

Today was our 3rd day bottle feeding and although yesterday was a bit discouraging, today was great! Logan and Brody both did well, taking 12 ml and 8 ml each. But our little rock star was Emmerson, eating 25 ml by mouth. That is over half her feeding!!! She did very well and her stats looked great while she was eating. (sometimes babies will de-sat or have heart rate drops while they eat if they don't have the suck, swallow, breath pattern going) Fingers crossed and prayers that she will continue strong and her brothers will catch up. Weight update: Emmerson 1980 grams or 4 lbs 6 oz. Brody 2230 grams or 4 lbs. 15oz. and Logan 1725 grams or 3 lbs. 13oz.

Logan at the bottle Brody at the bottle

A Quick Update...

Today was a slow day in regards to bottle and breast feeding. Each baby chose to just sleep in Mommy's arms rather than take any food, but that's the way this goes I'm told. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. They have been waking up early and "rooting around" looking for food, so those are great signs that they are ready for the feedings by mouth. Weight updates: Emmerson is 1960 grams or 4 lbs. 5oz. Brody is 2195 grams or 4 lbs. 13 oz. and Logan is 1685 grams or 3 lbs. 11 oz. Logan is now up to 45 ml at each feed and Brody and Emmerson are still at 50 ml and 45 ml at each feed. They are doing really well tolerating their feeds. Please continue to keep them in your prayers!

The Babies Took Their First Bottle!!!

Today marks another milestone in Emmerson, Brody and Logan's life...they took their first feed by bottle. Well, it wasn't their whole feed by any means, but they all did very well. Emmerson took 8 ml, Brody took 5 ml and Logan took 6ml. The speech path was very impressed. Although Emmerson took the most, she had less control over her pacing than the boys did. Logan and Brody would stop sucking if they had too much milk or needed a break to breath. Since they all did so well, the doctor wrote orders to be able to breast feed and bottle feed once a day. The more practice they get the better!
Weight update: Emmerson 1880 grams or 4 lbs. 2oz; Brody 2135 grams or 4lbs. 11oz.; Logan 1600 grams or 3 lbs. 8 oz.

Emmerson, Brody and Logan...All Reunited!!!

We are so excited! Logan did very well and he was able to join his brother and sister...now they are all together again...Three's Company for sure! They have also done well gaining weight...As of last night, Emmerson was 1845 grams or 4 lbs. 1 oz. Brody was 2145 grams or 4 lbs. 11.5 oz. and Logan was 1575 grams or 3 lbs. 7.5 oz. Last time I measured their length, they were all over 17 inches long...they are really starting to grow! The speech pathologist is going to re-evaluate them tomorrow night and hopefully give the "go ahead" to "nipple" (take food from the breast or bottle). This will be great news, because once they master this, they will be coming home! Learning this can take a while since they are still learning how to suck, swallow and breath all at the same time, but practice makes perfect!

Our Lucky Number 3...

We realized while we sat in my hospital room, glowing over the birth of our babies, that there were many number 3s that crossed our path. Here is a little story about our lucky number 3...

Starting with the most obvious, we had 3 beautiful babies. I started having contractions and went into labor at 3:00 am. The babies were born on the 3rd floor of the hospital in operating room 3 on the 3rd of July. This came right before our 3rd wedding anniversary on the 30th. Each baby had a team of 3 people working on them and I had 3 people as well. I was sent to recovery bed 3 after the c-section. The babies have 3 sets of grandparents and John and I are both the oldest of 3 children. We have 3 dogs waiting to greet the babies at home. John and I don't think this is any coincidence. We believe everything is because of the Holy Trinity (3), the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.

Logan is in an Open Crib!

Finally, our littlest is trying an open crib again. They decided that since he has been gaining weight consistently, they would try him again. So far he has been holding his temperature, and if all goes well, all three babies will be put into one large crib together (co-bedding). So far Emmerson and Brody are now together,and we can't wait until Logan can join them...hopefully, it will be tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed and say a prayer. It would be so nice to have them all together again!

Emmerson is in an Open Crib!

Today the nurses took Emmerson out of her incubator and put her into an open crib as well. So far, after 8 hours, she has held her temperature. This is very good news! We are keeping our fingers crossed that she will continue to be successful. Brody is still in an open crib and has passed the 24 hour test! YEAH Brody!!! The nurse even sent his incubator out of the room today. Logan will be next. I am hoping that they will give him another try in the next couple of days. They are waiting until he gains a little more weight. Speaking of weight...as of last night, Logan was 1515 grams or 3lbs. 5 oz. Emmerson was 1770 grams or 3 lbs. 14.5 oz. and Brody was 2020 grams or 4 lbs. 7 oz. He broke the 2000 gram mark! These are great weight gains and the doctors and nurses are all very pleased, as are we! They will be weighed in again at midnight and hopefully they will have gained even more. Everyone continues to tolerate their feeds and is doing very well. Breastfeeding has its good days and bad, but again, since we are expecting very little, they are still surpassing our expectations! Here is a picture of Brody and Logan snuggling on Mommy's lap after being at the breast. It is one of Mommy's favorite times of the day...

Brody had Moved to an Open Crib!

Brody was moved to an open crib yesterday and has done very well so far! He has been out and maintained his temp now for almost 17 hours, so hopefully he will be able to stay out. They are thinking of trying Emmerson next. This brings me to our other great news... it turns out that Emmerson's scale in her crib has been broken since she arrived. After some weird readings yesterday, I asked the nurse to re-weigh her on Brody's scale and the other one in the room that they used to weigh the diapers on. She did, and we all were shocked...Emmerson is actually 1740 grams, NOT 1248 as we thought yesterday! I couldn't believe it! The nurse even asked for another scale to be brought in just to confirm again...and sure enough, 1740 grams or 3 lbs. 13.5 oz! I am SO relieved. I know they kept telling me not to worry about her weight loss, but when they started her on extra calories yesterday, I knew even they were starting to get a little concerned. So now we are on the right track! The boys are also doing well with weight gain. Logan is now 1480 grams or 3 lbs. 4.5 oz. and Brody is 1985 grams or 4 lbs. 6 oz.
Brody and Emmerson continue to have minor "spells" around their feeding time, but nothing that is concerning to the doctors. Breastfeeding is still going well. We are not expecting very much at this point, but they are at least all latching and sucking for a little while. Other than that, everyone is progressing very well!

Another Quick Update

Not too much has changed since yesterday, but I usually get many calls when we don't post for a day, so I wanted to make a post. And since we are doing this for our memories as well, it is good that we post often. :) Anyway, Logan had to go back into his incubator. He ended up getting a little cold by the night, so they put him back in for now. They will try him out again when he reaches 1500 grams...this way he will be big enough to hopefully hold his temp better.
Brody went up on his feeds today. He is now at 40 ml per feeding and he had his IV locked today. If he tolerates his feeds, the pic line will come out tomorrow. Emmerson and Logan stayed at their same feeds, 45 and 40. They are so little that they need to gain more weight before they can go up on their feeds again. Logan is doing this, but little Emmi (who is now the littlest) is still not gaining weight consistently. The doctors said that she may just have a high metabolism and they are not worried at this point. Fingers crossed and prayers that she will start gaining soon. But I said if it is truly just her metabolism, she will love that when she gets a little older! Other than that, everything continues to be going very well. We again wanted to thank all of you for your prayers and kind words. We love reading the comments you all post and we appreciate all the cards and phone calls of congratulations. Not only do we feel so blessed to have these three little miracles, but we also feel blessed to be loved by so many!

Logan Was Moved to an Open Crib

Today was a a big day for Logan. He has been holding his temperature and gaining weight consistently, so he was moved to an open crib. He will be monitored closely to see if he can maintain his temperature for the next 24 hours. If he can, this is one step closer to coming home!

Other big news for the day was that today was our first attempt at breastfeeding. Each baby had a chance to try to latch on and taste the breast milk for the very first time. Emmerson and Logan both latched on and took a couple sucks and Logan swallowed once. Brody was our champ with this. He latched on and sucked and swallowed for almost 5 min. intermittently. This was a big surprise to the nurses and the speech pathologist and to Brody too. It was quite funny to see his reaction the first time he got a mouth full of milk...it was much different than when he sucks his pacifier!

Everyone is doing very well and have moved up on their feeds. Logan and Emmerson had their pic lines removed today and Brody will be taken off the IV tomorrow. They are each progressing very well and the doctors are thinking they might be home in 2-3 weeks. We are very blessed!

Little Logan has reached the 3lb mark!!

I am happy to say that the littlest miracle is now 3 lbs.! He is 1350 grams. Emmerson has finally started to gain weight again and is now at 1337 grams or 2 lbs. 15 oz. (almost at that 3 lb. mark again). Brody continues to be our heavy weight at a whopping 1960 grams or 4 lbs. 5 oz. They all are continuing to do very well. Emmerson has been holding her tempature so good that they might try to take her out of the incubator and put her in an open crib.
Each baby has gone up on their feeding and now eat over an ounce at each feeding. Needless to say I am having a difficult time keeping up with their breast milk demands, but we are just supplementing with formula. This past Saturday marked their 32 gestational week and this means that they will be assessed to see if they will be able to start sucking on a bottle or breast, although they are not expected to fully latch on until 33-34 weeks. This is one of the most crucial factors on how long their length of stay will be. Good eaters = out sooner; poor eaters = in for a little longer.
Brody is expected to come off his IV tomorrow and he was put onto clear fluids today. So far Emmerson and Logan have been tolerating their feeds and they should have their pic lines removed tomorrow or Tuesday.
John and I are planning on giving the babies their first baths today. We are wondering how that is going to go...we'll keep you posted.

A Quick Update

The babies are all doing well. Emmerson is now up to 33 ml per feed which is a little over an ounce. Logan is at 30 ml which is exactly an ounce and Brody is moving right along now eating 25 ml per feed. Since he is so much bigger it will take him a little longer to get up to enough milliliters before they can remove him from his IV fluids. They are all still breathing on their own at this time and hopefully it will stay that way. Emmerson and Brody seem to be suffering from reflux, and unfortunately there is nothing the doctors can do unless it becomes very bad and they can not tolerate their feeds. This is because they never want to give babies medicine unless they absolutely have to since there can be side effects. Brody is the only one to gain weight as of this morning, but hopefully, now that Emmerson and Logan are eating more, they will be gaining weight soon!
Overall, the doctor said today that they are progressing beautifully and we "shouldn't worry about anything"....hahaha...new parents with 3 babies in the NICU not worry...what is he crazy?!? Anyway, keep up those positive thoughts and most importantly those prayers, because somebody upstairs is really listening. We thank God daily for keeping our babies healthy and for giving us the chance to be parents to such beautiful angels.

We Have a Private Suite!

Due to an over flow at the NICU, the charge nurse asked us if we would like to be moved to a private room upstairs. Now we have a window, our own bathroom and one nurse for all 3 babies. The quiet and privacy are great and we are very happy with this move.

Baby News: Today we found out that Emmerson and Logan will be taken off of their IVs and will now recieve all of their nutrition through their NG tubes. This is great news! They have each increased in their feedings. Emmerson is now at 28 ml every 4 hours and Logan is at 25 ml every 4 hours. Hopefully they continue to tolerate their feeds. They are also going to be getting a fortifer added to the breast milk to help boost the calories and hopefully help them gain weight. Oddly enough, they are both the same weight now, 1315 grams. This is a drop for both of them, but the doctor is not worried and we all hope to see the weight gain soon. Brody is weighing in now at 1865 grams, and they are now increasing his feeds again since he is no longer on the medicine for his murmur. He is up to 15 ml per feed and they will go up on his feeds daily to get him back up to where he was over the next couple of days as long as he tolerates his feeds.

Both Brody and Emmerson are still having some "spells" throughout the day, and the nurses are watching closely to see if they might need to be put back on their nasal canulas or possible be treated for reflux which can also cause de-sats (or drops in their oxygen levels). It is good that even when they drop in their oxygen level, it is more like a small dip and they come right back up to acceptable levels. Logan continues to have no spells and is still doing very well.

Emmerson is also doing well holding her body tempature with her incubator turned down as low as it goes. This means that with a little weight gain, she could be out into an open crib soon.

And finally, we heard "unofficially" today that in the opinon of the ultra sound tech and our doctor that Brody's PDA ( which caused his murmur) is closed and he will not need any further treatment. We need to wait until the pediatric cardiologist at Lutheran check the films and gives his diagnosis until it is "official", but this looks like good news! Our neonatologist seems pretty confident that everything is fine. So...YEAH!!!

One Big Happy Family!

Today we actually got to hold all three of our babies at the same time. It was incredible and a little akward at times. :) As you can see from the pictures, Brody really is our moose...he is so much bigger than his brother Logan. They were weighed today and Emmerson is now 3 lbs even, Brody is 4 lbs. even and Logan is still our peanut at 2 lbs. 14.5 oz. He is almost to the 3 lb. mark.

We re-introduced Logan and Brody and Emmerson and Brody. The way they are positioned in the NICU, allows Brody, who is in the middle, to say hi to both his siblings. This is funny because he was in the middle in the womb too. It was great to have them all out at once because we didn't feel like we needed to hurry up and take another one out before their next feeding. They are all doing great and they love spending time with Mommy and Daddy...Its a good thing too, because we are there all the time and love spending time with them too!

The triplets arrived safely at Copley!

Early this morning we received a call letting us know that the triplets were on their way to Copley. We got everything together and headed to the hospital. We were so anxious about their arrival. The ambulance pulled up right before we did, and when we got inside, the transport team was there getting them all ready to be put into their new incubators. When I saw them I started to cry. Last night was very nerve-wrecking for me and I was so relieved to see them there safe and sound! The trip was flawless and they are all doing well...comfy in their new (temporary) home. John and I are really pleased with Copley so far. The doctor is almost always in the room and the nurses really give the babies the personal attention we like to see. Overall, this seems to be a great move.

As far as Brody goes, he is doing very well. The hole that I referred to is actually on the outside of his heart, and funny enough, it is supposed to be there. This design feature is actually put there by mother nature and in full term babies it is closed by the time they are born. Since Brody came early, his body just hasn't "sealed" the gap yet and the medicine is supposed to help that process along. He is tolerating the medicine well and we should have word on his progress by Friday. We will keep you posted.

All of the babies are doing really well. Logan is now 2 lbs. 14 oz. (up 3 oz. from his birth weight) and Emmerson is 2 lbs. 15 oz. She has lost a little more weight, but they have increased her feeds and expect that to change in the very near future. Brody is our moose at nearly 4 lbs. (3lbs. 15 oz.) They are all still breathing completely on their own and are almost eating enough to be moved off of the supplemental IV food. This is great news!

Today was the first time I put them in clothes. It was so fun and they look so cute. Check out their adorable pictures on the right side of the screen. John and I are both feeling more comfortable with picking them up and holding them. We are really starting to feel like Mommy and Daddy now. Please continue to keep them in your prayers..they really seem to be working.

Our last day at Lutheran General

Well today was a big day. Both Emmerson and Brody came off all of their breathing support. This means that all three babies are breathing completely on their own. WE are very proud parents!
But this is a rollercoaster ride, and just as we peak, we also had a little dip...The doctors discovered that Brody has a heart murmur. Although this sounds bad, the doctors and nurses assured us that this is VERY common in preemies and it normally resolves itself shortly after birth. He will be given some medicine through an I V and we should know how effective the medicine was in the next 48 hours.
Tomorrow is the big transfer day. We will let you all know when the babies arrive safe and sound at Copley. Until then, please keep them in your prayer.

An update on Mommy

I was discharged from the hospital yesterday around 9:00 pm. We loaded up the car and spent the next 3 hours holding our beautiful babies before we had to head home. That was one of the toughest things I had to go through so far! Physically I am doing well. I am in the slow process of healing and feeling better each day. Mentally, I am a wreck and will be until my babies are close by again. We went and visited the NICU at Copley today and although it is very different than the NICU at Lutheran, it seems as though it will be a great place for our angels to grow. Unfortunatly, this website will be the only way for anyone other than us and the grandparents to see the babies until they come home as their policy does not allow any other visitors. I am really glad that we have this website now so that I can still show off my sons and daughter. Keep us in your prayers as the babies are at the hospital all alone and their Mom and Dad are struggling to be away from them. We will let you all know when their transfer is complete and they are safe and sound at Copley.

Just the facts...

Here are some medical updates for the triplets:

Brody:
Although he still needing assistance breathing, he has now been moved back to the nasal cannula. This device provides a small supply of oxygen to him but offers less support for the actual breathing. He has been tolerating his feeds and has moved up to 12 ml of milk through his feeding tube every 4 hours. He has not had any "spells"( drop in heart rate or stop in breathing) since he was first put back on the CPAP a couple days ago. This is why they are trying to move him back to the less supportive system again. From birth, he has lost about 5 ounces, but of course, just like with any newborn, this is very normal. All in all, he is doing very well and the doctors are hoping to have him off any breathing support by the time they transfer him to Copley on Tuesday. We are "holding our breath"- every pun intended! Cute Story: Yesterday when Daddy was taking Brody from the nurse, he let out a pretty loud toot...come to find out later that he pooped while in Daddy's lap...Thank goodness that his poop really doesn't stink yet.

Emmerson:
She is still on the nose cannula to help her breath. However, she is now at the lowest level of support that it can offer and the next step will be to take her off and have her breathing totally of her own. She too lost some weight since birth, about 6 ounces and is doing very well with her feedings. She is actually eating more than both her brothers- 14 ml every 4 hours. To give you an idea of how much that is, 30 ml is an ounce, so she is eating about 1/2 ounce every 4 hours. Emmi is really starting to become alert and shows us signs that she knows when Mommy and Daddy are there. She is doing very well and the doctors hope to have her breathing on her own by Tuesday as well. Cute Story: When Emmi was on Mommy's chest, she was smiling and flirting with Daddy...well maybe it was yawning, but it was still cute.

Logan:
He is our little "rock star"! He has continued to do just excellent since the day he was born. He is beating all the odds and proving every statistic wrong.,,that a boy! He is still breathing completely on his own and his vitals are usually text book. He was taken off the Bilirubin lights the day after he went on them as his levels dropped and he was no longer at any sort of risk. He is the most alert out of the three of them and refuses to miss a second when Mommy or Daddy is holding him. He struggles to keep both eyes open as not to miss anything...it is absolutely adorable! He lost about 4 ounces since birth, but is doing great with his feedings. He is actually eating the same a Brody which the nurses say is great since he is a whole pound lighter than his brother. Cute story: The other day when a nurse was changing him, he peed all over himself...including his face.

So, as you can see, things are going very well for the Kelsey Triplets and we know that all of your prayers and well wishes are helping them along this terrific path to growing and developing so that they may come home soon! Please continue to pray for them each day...

Emmerson and Mommy share in Kangaroo time too!

Emmerson and Mommy have share Kangaroo time too!
Originally uploaded by shelli5309

Today was my special time with Emmi. She was so sweet as she laid on my chest. Daddy was talking to her also and she would follow our voices with her eyes. She liked the songs we sang together. We were very excited that Emmi was given a pretty pink hat for her pretty little head. She has gone up on her feedings and is tolerating them well. She is still recieving some support for her breathing, but she is doing very well.

Brody and Mommy have Kangaroo Time

Brody and Mommy have Kangaroo Time
Originally uploaded by shelli5309

I was very excited to find that Brody was stable enough with his breathing yesterday to participate in the skin to skin contact with Mommy! It was an incredible expereince since neither Mommy nor Daddy had been able to hold him for very long yet. The Kangaroo Care lasts for at least 1 hour and he was so sweet and comfortable the entire time.
Unfortunately, a couple hours after Brody returned back to his isolette, he experienced several breathing "spells" and was put back on the CPAP. They will watch him closely and ween him off as soon as they can. Please say a prayer for his breathing to become strong.

Daddy and his Little Girl

Daddy and his Little Girl
Originally uploaded by shelli5309

John is so enamored by his beautiful little girl. When he is holding her, he finds it hard to take his eyes off of her. She is really going to be a Daddy's girl. She looks up at him and it is the sweetest thing to see their instant connection.

Logan and Mommy experience Kangaroo Care

Logan and Mommy Kangaroo Care
Originally uploaded by shelli5309

Today was one of the most moving experinces I have had yet with my babies. I was able to participate in what they call "Kangaroo Care". It is a skin to skin experience where the baby is placed directly on the parents chest. My body warmth holds his tempature while he is fed through his feeding tube. Logan was able to listen to my heart beat and be comforted by my smell. He was so content that during this time his vitals were perfect. We are hoping to have this same experience with Emmi tonight and Brody as soon as he is stable enough. This was powerful for me as well since I was able to produce more breast milk after this experience in one time pumping as I did for the past 3 days combined.

Daddy changes Brody's diaper

Daddy changes Brody's diaper
Originally uploaded by shelli5309

Yes, it has finally happened. John finally has touched and changed a diaper. Changing it like a pro, even the nurses were impressed. We find that one of the odd challenges of having your babies in the NICU is actually asking if you can change the diaper. The more we get comfortable with their medical needs, the easier it is for us to step in and do the traditional parental duties.

Brody is off of his CPAP

Brody sucking his finger
Originally uploaded by shelli5309

Today was Brody's first day without the cumbersom CPAP breathing assistance. He is now on a nose canual like Emmi is. Now we can all see his handsome little face better. When we went over to take a look at him, he was sucking on his finger. I was so cute we had to take a picture!

Comments are working now

Please feel free to add comments to the blog by clicking on the "comments" link below each posting. Also, please sign the triplets' guestbook to the right.

A little yellow...

Our little peanut Logan is looking a little yellow. He is showing signs of jaundice. His Bilirubin levels are elevated so he is being placed under some special Bilirubin lights to help with his color. He will be tested again tomorrow to see if the levels are better.

More Good News

We went down to hold the babies this morning and got some great news. We finally got to hold Brody and Logan, who are both doing very well. While we were holding Brody, the doctor came by to let us know that they were doing so well, it looks like they are going to be transfered to Rush Copley as early as Tuesday. They are scheduled for a brain scan screening test on Monday and if their tests go well, they will be on their way closer to home. Keep your fingers crossed and say many prayers! This will be a great place for the babies. We will be able to stay at home and visit our babies each day! Copley is a level III NICU and the team of doctors that are caring for them here, will be the same team who will look after them at Copley. This makes us feel very secure and excited about this opportunity to have our little ones closer to home.

Mom & Dad get to hold Logan and Brody

We finally got to meet our boys up close and personal. Little Logan is our smallest one, but is progressing the fastest. He is already sucking on his pacifier, showing promise of a hungry appetite. He was wide awake, and his silver blue eyes followed our voices as we talked to him. Each time I said "Daddy", Logan would look right up at John. It was really sweet and brought tears to our eyes. Brody was a little more finicky, but really enjoyed the personal time with both Mommy and Daddy. We are excited to finally start feeling this connection to all three of our babies.

More Progress

Mommy and Logan hold hands
Originally uploaded by shelli5309

Good news today. Brody finally came off the breathing tube and is now on a c-pap. The c-pap blows air at his face to help him breath smoothly, but he is breathing on his on own. Emmerson is breathing on her own with just a little extra oxygen through her nose. Logan is breathing 100% on his own with no assistance. Shelli is on the road to recovery. She is very sore but healing well. This is a very emotional time for her. Although we are overjoyed with the babies' progress, and they are receiving excellent care, it is never easy to see your newborn baby in the hospital needing so much support

Mom, Dad, & Emmerson

Mom, Dad, & Emmerson
Originally uploaded by shelli5309

This morning mom and dad got to hold one of the triplets for the first time. Emmi was taken off breathing assistance and is breathing on her own. Tiny little Emmi was very content in her mother's arms.

Babies are HERE!

Monday evening our final chapter of pregnancy began. Around 5:00 pm on Monday night, Shelli's water broke. We were both very suprised but amazingly calm. We made it to Lutheran General in a record 1 hour 10 minutes at the tail end of rush hour. The doctors put Shelli on monitors and were hopeful she would not go into labor yet. Things were looking good until around 3:00 am, when contractions starting getting more intense and often. The doctors decided it was in the best interest of mother and babies to send them in for a C-section.



John was able to be with Shelli throughout the entire operation and we heard our first cry at 4:43 AM, Tuesday morning. Emmerson Lyn Kelsey was the first to be born. One minute later at 4:44, Brody William Kelsey came to the world. Finally another 30 seconds fly by and at 4:45 Logan John Kelsey rounded out our trio. Emmerson and Brody were given breathing tubes to help them start breathing, and Logan needed just a little oxygen to get going.



Mom is doing well after a very stressful and exhausting night. She is looking forward to getting into a wheelchair and visiting here new children. Emmerson was taken off her breathing tube this afternoon, and Brody is on his way to breathing assistance free very soon. All babies are healthy and have passed all their tests so far. Doctors are estimating 6-7 weeks in the NICU where they will undergo more screening tests, and continue to grow.


Emmerson Lyn Kelsey - 4:43 AM, July 3, 2007 - 3 lbs. 5 oz.
Brody William Kelsey - 4:44 AM, July 3, 2007 - 3 lbs. 12 oz.
Logan John Kelsey - 4:45 AM, July 3, 2007 - 2 lbs. 11 oz.

John & Shelli - New Parents x3

Little Feet

Little Feet
Originally uploaded by shelli5309

Logan's little feet

We made it to 30 weeks!

We were very excited when we passed the 30 week mark on Saturday. Hopefully we can keep these little ones from meeting the world for at least the next 2 weeks. On Thursday, 6/28 we had a doctors appointment. All of the babies are still doing very well, scoring 8 out of 8 again on their biophysical profile. This time it was very easy for both John and I to see each baby "practice" breathing. Before this time, it was very subtle, but this time it was very clear. Good News! There was no change with me either, so things are still looking good. Emmi, who has always been the lowest, ( and the biggest) has dropped even lower, so that has been a little more uncomfortable for me. Other than that, everything is going well. I have heard from some people that they didn't think I looked that "big" in the pictures I posted...apperantly the pictures don't do my size justice, because as people see me in person they quickly change thier tune. As on my appointment Thursday, I was measuring at 46 weeks pregnant. For anyone who doesn't know, most pregnancies only go to 40 weeks, so I am measuring at 6 weeks overdue...Any wages on how big I will get? Just kidding...I just keep telling myself that the bigger I get the bigger the babies are getting and that is excellent news! Take care...keep checking for more updates.

So far so good...

For those of you who don't know, I ended up in the hospital for almost 2 weeks on June 5th with preterm labor. It all started when I went to my doctors office for my regular check up and found out I had dialated to 2. My doctor then sent me to labor and delivery to see if I was contracting...I thought there was no way...but to my (and John's) suprise, I was and this meant I was in labor. I was given many different medicines to stop the labor and the babies and I were monitored closely. We spent the next 11 days at the hospital on strict bed rest. I was relieved when they let me go home. Although I am still on bed rest, it is so much better at home!!!

John has been awesome through all of this. He is very helpful and is committed to keeping these babies inside me for at least another 3 weeks. I am in awe of his patience.
We had our first check up on June 21 since I was released from the hospital. Everything checked out great. We are all doing well. I am feeling HUGE (I now measure 42 weeks pregnant) and have all the aches and pains that come with pregnancy, but other than that, things are good. I have not dialated any further and I am only having about 2 contractions an hour. All the babies scored very well on their bio profile at the doctors today which means they are all doing well. The are all about 3 lbs. and 15-16 inches long. Emmi is still the biggest, but the boys are only a couple of ounces behind.
I was 29 weeks pregnant on Saturday and we are hoping I will be able to carry them until 32 weeks at least. Anything past that will be icing on the cake. So, please keep us all in your thoughts and prayers.

Directions to Lutheran General during CONSTRUCTION

Evidently the year we decided to make weekly trips to Lutheran General, IDOT decided to close the Dempster exit ramp for construction. Here are some updated directions to avoid the closed ramp when trying to get to the hospital.

1) From 294, exit at Touhy East. If you are heading north on 294, this exit is before you get to Dempster.

2) From Touhy east, turn left on Talcott (first left you can take)

3) From Talcott, turn right on Oakton (next light)

4) From Oakton, turn left on Greenwood Ave (fire station is on your left)

5) From Greenwood, turn left on Dempster

6) The Hospital is on your immediate left. Parking is either in the garage to your left (pay lot) or in the parking lot to your right (free)

Hope this helps

Where is Lutheran General Hospital

Why did we decide to have our triplets delivered at a hospital an hour away from home? Well, a series of events led to our decision to stick with Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge...The reason we ended up there in the first place is that our OB did not deliver triplets. Although we could have tried to search out an OB that did, we decided that a perinatologist (an OB that specializes in high risk pregnancies including multiples) would be the best option for us. Unfortunately, the most recommended group which serves as consultants for both Rush Copley and Central DuPage, only see their own paitients at Lutheran General. After meeting with the group and learning about the high level of care our babies would recieve at one of the top hospitals in the nation, we decided it would be worth the drive. We know this makes it less convient for people to come and visit, but the care just has to take priority. And look at it this way...we are only doing this once, and you get 3 for the drive of 1.

Slide Show