New Jake pics and update

They are all doing great! I have been super busy because now they are all allowed to nurse or take the bottle. Eddie and Jake are super nursers! Mary Beth is a little lazy at it- she just wants to sleep all the time. Jake's oxygen has been lowered a bit, so he's working more on his own again and we'll see how that goes- so far, so good!
Their weights as of today:
Eddie and Mary Beth: 3 lbs 14 oz (soooo close to 4!)
Jake: 3 1/2 pounds

I have been running around like crazy trying to take care of everyone- I think it will be easier, in a way, when they come home and I don't have to run up to the NICU twice a day! Plus I just can't wait to have them home so I can love on them whenever I want. :)

Prima "Ballerinsa"

Bea's been talking alot about being a "ballerinsa", so we went and got her an outfit:

New Pictures- July 27th

Eddie and Mary Beth are always intertwined, limbs everywhere, kicking or smacking each other- I'm sure it's just a hint of things to come:
Jake:

Eddie smiling (yes, he really is smiling, it's NOT just gas!)
Bea says: "E-B-O-P-S-I spells Beatrice!!"

Daddy and Jake

(who is 3 pounds today- yay!)

Jake is off the CPAP!!

When I went in this morning they were taking that cumbersome thing off him and putting on a nasal cannula - he looks so much more comfortable, and had his eyes open and was looking around! Of course I forgot my camera- grrr! Oh well, there will be plenty more opportunities to get a good picture of him. He did, however, have a few dropped heart-rates while I was there- the cannula is making him work a little harder than the CPAP. But the nurses said they weren't worried. We'll hope that he keeps getting stronger!!

Current Weights:
Eddie and Mary Beth: 3 lbs, 5 oz.
Jake: 2 lbs, 14 oz. (he's on his way to 3!)

Latest Pictures- July 20th

They're really enjoying the co-bedding:


Mama's enjoying holding them together! I also got to hold Jake today. He still has the CPAP, but he is doing great! He's eating more and tolerating his feeds, and that's the best news. So far, so good! They're hoping he'll be off the CPAP soon... Close up of Mary Beth:

Someone's been dressing herself lately:

Bea!!

Jake update

It's been a couple of days... he is doing good! Still on his CPAP, and tolerating his feeds, which is the most important thing. If he can't tolerate the milk, they have to give him IV fluids, run tests, etc. So we want him to keep eating!! He hasn't had any more apnea episodes since he's been on the C-PAP, and his blood sugar has come down. He just needs to sleep and grow and they'll try to take the C-PAP off him soon!

Don't let that sweet smile fool you

The little stinker has discovered how to climb out of her bed, and she is really testing her limits (and our patience). I caught her at 10:00 tonight, light on, clothes pulled out of her drawers, trying on pants. What a goof.

More pics of the babies

Eddie and Mary Beth are now co-bedding. They seem to like it, very cozy:
Now we just gotta get Jake piled on!
"Hey big brother, what's up?"
Eddie having his first tub bath:
Jake is still the same - his blood sugar was up, but it seems to be coming down. The doctor is on the lookout for anything that could be wrong and is doing testing here and there. So far, there's nothing to cause concern but he is continually checking because he said a test that is negative one day could be positive the next. Please keep little Jake especially in your prayers.

And I swear I haven't forgotten about Bea- quite the opposite in fact. I'm just taking more pics of these guys because I don't get to be around them all the time. I'll get some pics of her on here in the next couple of days!

Update

Jake is back on the C-PAP - it's the breathing device that pushes pressure into his lungs. He wasn't doing too good mostly breathing on his own- kept having apnea episodes and the nurses had to rouse him to remind him to breathe. It's totally normal for a preemie, and a small one at that. Just today, the doctor told us to expect some downs with all the "ups". The nurse said this is nothing abnormal...

Holding Jake

Since Jake finally got his precautions off, I was able to hold him this morning. He was a little more squirmy than Eddie and Mary Beth- they usually fall right to sleep when we cuddle. He was awake the whole time, and liked to be rocked:

More good news

All will be off IV fluids tomorrow, and they are all over their birth weights!
Jake: 2 lbs 8 oz
Mary Beth: 2 lbs 13 oz
Eddie: THREE POUNDS!! YAY!

Their feeding amounts keep going up, so I'm hoping I can keep up with the milk. So far, I'm doing good.

The nurse tonight said that as of now, they are just growers and feeders! And at the rate they're going, she believes they will be out at about 36 weeks - in ONE MONTH! Wow- we are so pleased with their progress...

A Happy Mommy

Both of the boys are off their precautions, which means their white blood cell counts are where they should be! It also means that I can hold them now, so I did skin-to-skin with Eddie today- sigh. I love it! They will also be off their IV fluids soon and solely on breastmilk - they are just doing better every day- our prayers are definitely being answered....

Baby Pictures

There are just going to be a ton of baby pictures on here from now on. We'll throw some in of "that other kid", too when we take them. :)

Mary Beth holding daddy's hand:
Mary Beth with her Paci:
Eddie without his breathing apparatus (I don't know what it's called, but it's out, and now you can see his whole cute face):

Kangaroo care!

I get to start doing skin-to-skin with Mary Beth for a half an hour each day now. It is great! she is so content (and so is mama)...
More good news: Eddie is totally breathing room air- he doesn't need any assistance, so hopefully that will continue to be the case. Eddie and Jake are above their birth weights! Eddie is 2 lbs 14 oz, Jake is 2 lbs 6 oz. Mary Beth is close to her birth weight, at 2 lbs 10 oz, but she is eating the most: 15 mL per feed. So lots of good things happening!!

new pic of Jake:

More Holding Babies

I got to change Eddie's diaper yesterday and hold him while the nurse changed his blankets- yay! He was looking at me when I talked to him, and I could really see his cute little face- he was very alert. The reason I have gloves on is because he and Jake have extra precautions taken right now due to their white blood cell counts- although Jake's is starting to come up. The doctor's say it's a normal thing for preemies.

Update- one week old

I went to the hospital twice yesterday and the babies are really doing great!! Mary Beth is off her antibiotics (which they are all on as a precaution), and on full feeds already (I am pumping and already producing alot!). Jake and Eddie only have one more day of antibiotics, then they are off- they are both eating as well. I'm so happy with their progress already. I hope they are just "growers and feeders" and all remains calm and boring for the next two months!

I got to hold Mary Beth and it was the best feeling - it feels helpless to just watch them without being able to be "mommy" to them. I can't hold Eddie or Jake until they get their umbilical lines out, which should be soon- hopefully next week.

I'm home!

Here's the post you've all been waiting for! But first, one more belly pic: the night before, 30 weeks and 4 days:
And now, introducing:

Edwin "Eddie" Wright Crownover, born at 9:34 am. 2 lbs, 13 oz, 15 1/4" long:
Jacob "Jake" Lee Crownover, born 9:35 am. 2 pds, 4 oz, 14 " long:
And Mary Beth Crownover, born also at 9:35 am, 2 pds 11 oz, 14 " long:
They are all doing great! It was hard to leave them at the hospital, but we are really close and I'll be there often. The doc said my blood pressure went down enough to discharge me, but I'm still on meds. Bea is happy to have me home..

Update

(This is Sarah updating on behalf of Mariah.)

Jake, Eddie & Mary Beth are doing great. They're all eating and breathing on their own (mostly).

Mariah is doing good, but she is still in the hospital on doctor's orders. Her blood pressure is a little high, and they're trying to get it lower before they discharge her.

Mariah hopes to be home soon and will post pictures of the sweet babies by Friday.

BABIES ARE HERE!!

Sarah brought her computer to the hospital so here's a quick update:

Friday, July 4th at 9:34, Edwin Wright was born - 2 pds 13 oz. Mary Beth and Jacob Lee were both born at 9:35 am. Mary Beth 2 pds 11 oz, and Jake 2 pds 4 oz. Babies are all doing great! Mary is breathing on her own, and Eddie and Jake are receiving oxygen, but the doc says their lungs look good! So, I made it to 30 weeks and 5 days. Still in the hospital but will be out probably Monday.

Thanks for all your prayers and support! Keep 'em coming- it's working!! They predict the babies will be in the NICU for a couple of months, but that's normal.

so, sorry this post is all over the place- mama's on morphine. :)

Will post pics later this week!

Update from Luke

Luke is guest reporting as Mariah doesn't have access to the internet in her room (yes, she is going into withdrawal).

Docs say they have some concern about baby B's blood flow but they were on the monitor all day yesterday and all are moving / breathing well so that's good! Mariah is well, but very tired.

Babies are measuring a little larger on the hospital ultrasound, but those things aren't very accurate so we'll just wait until they get here.

The Dr. said they'll do the C-section Thursday night or Friday morning.

Thanks for all of your continued prayers and good thoughts during this time. We'll update when we can.

rlc

p.s. Yes, of course we are going to name one of them "Freedom" if they come on the 4th.

Going to hospital NOW

Baby B still not growing- I'm going to get a steroid shot and then they will probably deliver in the next couple of days! Please PRAY!!!!!

A- 2 lb 15
B - 2 lb 1 (his blood flow and fluid look good, so that's a good sign)
c - 3 lbs

We'll update as soon as we can...