Lila's home!

We arrived home with Lila at just about 1 p.m. today. Since then, she's taken one bottle, slept a decent amount, been sniffed by a Cockapoo, and been stared at and fussed over nonstop. Enjoy it while it lasts, little girl, because it looks like your brothers aren't too far behind. Alex and Brandon both came out of their isolettes last evening, so if all goes well they could easily be home in just a few days. All hands on deck! Here are a few pictures from earlier today.

I look so tiny in this car seat!!

Mom's getting me all tucked in.

Dad and his beard walked me through the front door.

Hi Grandmom Deb, this is the first time you're holding me!

Tell me, Nana Bonnie, who is this giant, fluffy, brown creature?

Homecoming, anticipated

Things are moving fast! The doctor told us today that he expects to release Lila on Saturday. This Saturday! This is sooner than we would have expected, but she's been ahead of the curve all along and, once she got out of her isolette and into an open crib (earlier this week), we knew it was just a matter of time.

So, barring any changes, Lila will be home with us in just 2 days. It looks like it could still be a week to 2 weeks for the boys. This would not be uncommon, as it's widely known that preemie girls do better than preemie boys. Brandon is not quite 4 lbs yet, and Alex is just over 4 lbs. Both are making steady progress but have not yet come out of their isolettes. It's amazing to think that you can bring home a baby that's only about 4 lbs and just 34 weeks (gestational age). Needless to say, I've already outfitted the house with enough hand sanitizer to last us until the kids graduate high school. Did I mention I'm slightly germaphobic? Not like Howard Hughes germaphobic, but I did wash my hands about 15 times before I finally got the turkey in the oven last Thanksgiving.

Actually my paranoia serves a purpose. The doctors explained that preemies are especially susceptible to something called Respitory Syncytial Virus or RSV, which is prevalent during the winter until early spring. So I was online ordering hazmat suits for all visitors... okay, just kidding. Hand washing and Purell will be sufficient.

We're really excited to have her home. It will be hectic with one kid at home and two in the NICU, but we'll manage (with help)!

Glamour Shots

Two nights ago, in the middle of the night, our nurse was struck with a bolt of creativity and took some great pics of the kids together. The best part is, she had to change their feeding tubes any way, so all the pics show their faces -- tube free!!

Also, Lila is now 4 lbs 2 oz, Alex is 3 lbs 15 oz, and Brandon is 3 lbs 12 oz. Huzzah!!

That's Alex on the left.

Brandon and Lila combined to tackle star running back Alex after a 17-yard gain. They all promptly fell asleep.

On the lighter side...

First thing's first, here's a quick baby update. As of last night, Lila is 3 lbs 14 oz, Alex is 3 lbs 13 oz, and Brandon is 3 lbs 9 oz. Way to go, kids!! Abby and I started bottle feeding them 2 days ago, which is a whole new adventure. This puts us in a position to be much more hands-on with them than we've ever been before, which is both exciting and frightening. But, with the nurses' help, we're making progress. They don't yet have the strength and energy to take every feeding through the bottle, but they'll get there.

Beyond that, Abby and I have been keeping track of some of the more humorous quotes and conversations that have occurred since the kids were born (or, in one case, a few minutes before they were born). Here are some of our favorites -- in some cases with accompanying explanations. I have listed them in chronological order, as best I can recall. And, yes, they are all real.

The following took place within the first 60 seconds of Sam walking into the OR...
Nurse: "Okay dad, you sit here."
Sam: "Hey, babe. Wow, there's, like, 42 people in here."
Anasthesiologist: "Well, not quite that many. Have a seat."
Sam: "How ya doin' Ab?"
Abby: "This is surreal."
Sam: "No, it's so real."
Abby: "No, surreal. Like a Dali painting. Like melting clocks surreal."
Sam: "I know. It was a play on words. Like, surreal - so real."
Abby: "Uh huh, okay. Just sit down."

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"Oh, okay. So when can I have sushi?"

Abby's first comment after listening to the lactation consultant's soapbox speech.

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The following took place during Day 2 in the NICU...
Sam: "It's just really weird because, you know, the babies are in their crates all the time."
Grandmom Deb: "Crates? They aren't pets!"
Abby: "Sam, they're called 'isolettes.'"

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"I'm glad you saw that. I didn't want to be the sole keeper of that memory."

Sam, after an early and "challenging" diaper change (which Abby subsequently evaluated).

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"I'm disturbed."

Sam, after a particularly rough day of diaper changes.

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"Wow, I'm a dad. I have the power to determine whether or not someone is sitting in therapy 30 years from now saying, 'Let me tell you about my parents.'"

Sam, walking into the NICU on Day 5.

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Sam's friend Justin was searching for the cosmic meaning behind the fact that U of M (Abby's alma mater) overcame a 20-point deficit to beat IU (Sam's alma mater) in overtime on the night the triplets were born.
Sam: "I think it just goes to show that, in any given situation, while the husband may have taken control, the wife will, ultimately, reassert herself and gain victory."
Justin: "Wow, that's deep. You could also argue that the wife never really lost control, that she in fact only let the husband believe he'd gained an advantage."
Sam: "True. (sigh) True."

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"We need a new car."

Abby, after seeing 3 carseats and a triplet stroller shoved in the back of the Envoy.

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The following took place on Day 13 in the NICU, after the nurse explained that her sister worked for the Secret Service and was on a protection detail for 17 hours on Inauguration Day.

Nurse: "Well, before that, she was undercover at a high school in Cincinnati. She was 24, but looked really young. She mostly concentrated on prescription drugs. She busted, like, 18 kids in one year. It was hard on her. She had to go to all the classes, the dances, do the homework, all of it. The only people that knew were the Superintendent and the Chief of Police. It was a 24/7 job."

Sam: "Oh my gosh. Just like 21 Jump Street!!"

Nurse: [Blank stare.]

Sam: "You're probably too young to remember 21 Jump Street, aren't you?"

Nurse: "Um, yeah. But it was kind of like Never Been Kissed!"

Sam (later that day): "You know you're getting old when you start saying things like, 'You're probably too young to remember...'"

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"Goodnight Alex, we love you. We'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight Brandon, we love you. We'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight Lila, we love you. We'll see you in the morning."

Both of us, every night before we leave.

Reunion

We had an awesome surprise today! After lunch, Becca The Wonder Nurse suggested that we get all 3 of the kids together for some pictures. Abby had a lot of fun holding them, and the pictures turned out great. Here are a few of the highlights.

Alex is on the left (Abby's right).

Alex is up top.

Again, Alex is on the left.

This time, it's Brandon on the left.

Same as above.

Tuesday's update... and a new video!

Hi everyone, we just got home from our daytime visit. The babies are doing well. They are all going to start receiving vitamin and iron supplements, as anemia is common for preemies. They are liquid and given orally, so IV's are not needed. Also, they're all receiving close to 1 oz per feeding -- and, so far, tolerating it fairly well. Alex has, on occasion, needed some medicinal assistance to get his, um, system moving, but they're going to try letting him handle his own business and see how it goes for a couple of days.

I'm not sure if we mentioned it before, but the babies are wearing clothes now (since they're no longer on IV's). So Daddy has a new stressor in his life, and that stressor's name is "Baby Outfits." Seriously, it's hard enough changing diapers in the isolettes, but bringing all those little snaps into play... it's not easy. But, on the plus side, they do look pretty darn cute! Hopefully at some point soon we can get some better pictures of them all dressed up, but right now they're almost always bundled in or under blankets, etc.

We finished Mr. Alex's video last night. I hope you enjoy it.

Splish splash, we took a bath!

Sorry we have been out of touch for a few days. The Perry Triplets have had many visitors over the past few days. Uncle Brad and Aunt Alyssa came all the way from Florida to see the babies, Aunt Jaime drove down from Chicago, and the babies' Grandfather Larry (who will be known as Zadie, yiddish for Grandpa) came from Detroit. Everyone slept at our house, so it was like a big slumber party. Aunt Jaime got to hold Lila and Brandon. Nurse Cheryl was kind enough to put Brandon on a portable monitor and wheel it next to me (while I was holding Alex). So, basically, the boys were reunited for the first time since birth. I think Alex is probably thinking, "So this is the guy that kicked me in the head for 31 weeks. Thanks, brother."

After seeing the babies side-by-side, it confirms once and for all that they are DEFINITELY NOT identical. It is difficult to see in the pictures, but they look nothing alike. Alex looks like his Daddy and his Daddy's family. Brandon looks like my Dad and his family. Also, Jaime and I decided that Miss Lila Joy looks like my Mom's family. Specifically, she looks like my Grandma Irene, which is amazing because that's who she is named after -- Irene's middle name was Joyce. (Editor's note: I know there must be some Fuson in there somewhere!!)

After all the excitement of visitors, the babies got their first baths on Saturday night. Sam and I got to help. It was more of a sponge bath, because the babies can not have immersion baths yet. Lila seemed to enjoy her bath. Brandon and Alex -- not so much. Actually, Brandon thought being free of his diaper was the perfect time to, um, give Mommy a BIG surprise and then stick his hand and foot in it. Having now had to clean up a very poopy baby, I feel like I have earned my first official parenting badge :-)