Homeward Bound

Well, here is the news that everyone including ourselves have been waiting for. Drumroll... Austin made it home on Friday night. We heard the news on Thursday night that he was ready to come home. He was eating like a champ and so they wanted him to come home. We were so excited! But it was sort of bitter sweet since we still have to leave our other two at the hospital and then leave Austin at home to go see them. That has probably been the hardest part of this to be honest. Although my parents and Spence's mom were kind enough to help us with that - thank you very much. So here is cute Austin below ready to go in his car seat. We got home around 10:30pm and he was ready to eat at 11pm so we got going right away with him. He eats every 4 hours and we do the routine we did at the hospital with him. We need to keep it the same for him and for us :) "Routine and schedule" are our new favorite words and will be until they move out of the house years from now I think. He did great! He was so sweet and didn't cry at all - just fussed a little to let us know he was awake and ready to eat.


We had a great day and night with him. It was interesting to have one come home before the others - I'm sure he was a little lonely in his big boy crib. Then, Saturday morning I went to see Jax and Rio while Spence stayed with Austin and the nurses told me that they too had a great night and were looking like they could come home too! I was so shocked! I seriously think my chin fell to the floor at that moment. I can't thank the nurses enough for helping us get them ready to come home so quickly. It was so fast - everyone said it would be that way and sure enough! So we waiting all day to see if they continued to do well and to hear the news about their ability to leave.

Saturday night was the same news from the nurses when we went to see the other two. Jax and Rio had eaten well and gained weight so if they continued to eat well through the night and all day Sunday, they could come home too and as you've seen below... that is exactly what happened! They were discharged last night - we got them home and the feeding frenzy began. Luckily, Spence's mom was here with Austin and so it was actually quite manageable - surprisingly.

Here they are ready to come home too! Seriously? I love all these car seat pics - they are so tiny in them. So cute!

Last night wasn't too bad with Spence and I. We managed to do quite well with all 3 - it takes about and hour and 15 min to get them all fed and changed and put back to bed. They are so sweet. It would be much quicker if these two ate like Austin but they are a little slower and still get sleepy but eventually they get it done too. They'll get quicker soon just like Austin did.
Anyway, there is the much anticipated news! They all made it home! Only 2 1/2 weeks in the NICU - not bad I think. They surprised us and the nursing staff too!

For now, we are just having family help us until we get a good system going and then we'll ask for other kinds of help. I appreciate all of you that have volunteered and we will ask for the help at some point. But for now, we will have family help us and go from there. Also, we got the fear put in us about RSV and preemies so obviously we are going to be anal about who comes anyway and we hope you will all understand that. We do not want to end back up in the NICU!

Thanks so much again for all your support, love and prayers! We love you all so much and appreciate all your comments. We made it! Wow! What a difference these last 6 weeks have made - from surprise hospital bed rest to a month hospital stay and then babies born and in the NICU and now home! Finally...