A Month? Already?

How time has flown. It is tough for me to believe that a month has passed already. In some ways it feels like yesterday, but reflecting on their progress it is amazing that they have accomplished so much in such a short time.

Everyone's faces are filling out. Roland has finally lost his old man wrinkles. Their personalities have changed. Micah and Marin were fussy and feisty, Becker and Roland very calm. These days M & M have become the calm ones, either sleeping or looking happily around their tiny world in the NICU. Roland has formed the very strong opinion that the nurses are not giving him enough food, so he begins to voice his displeasure a full hour before his next feeding is due. Becker is generally pretty happy but seems to learn to use his voice a bit more every day. Not only does he cry, but he has a variety of grunts and coo's to go along with his many facial expressions.

Marin Grace, happily snoozing on my lap. Now that they are able to regulate their own body temperatures they don't have to be constantly swaddled. The tops have even been removed from their isolettes.

Roland, sleepy after a diaper and wardrobe change. All the boys still like to sleep with a hand near their face. 

Marin Grace. Remember the white swaddles all the babies were in? MG was the first to outgrow them and move to blanket swaddling. The boys followed quickly behind. This was her first day out of the Dandle Roo swaddle. She didn't seem to mind much.

The nurses keep encouraging me to put a headband on Marin but I'm adamant that it won't happen! She has such girly features already, and those baby headbands always look so tight and uncomfortable to me. I'm sure she'll thank me later.

Becker, with a hand at his face as usual. People lose track of time holding Becker. He's so animated and honestly has a hundred different faces!

                 

Andy enjoying skin to skin (aka Kangaroo Care) time with Micah and Becker. The hospital encourages an hour of this daily as studies have shown that it helps the babies both with their breathing and the release of growth hormones.

And here I am during skin to skin with Roland and Marin. Roland always stays awake for the first few minutes, while Marin Grace snoozes the moment she hits my chest.

Roland snoozing again. This must have been right after a feeding. Can you tell how much fuller his face looks these days? I keep telling him that he's a real boy now!

This was a big weekend for us. By Saturday, Oct. 10, their one month birthday, Marin's breathing had improved so much that she was able to get off her nasal cannula and take her first bottle! Here's her first bottle with Daddy as they both anticipated the Packers going to 5-0 later that day. Go Pack go!

Mr. Micah. His face is filling out too. I think that he and Marin look the most similar, our little M&M's, but they all definitely have their own look. I love watching this guy sleep. 

But it's not all rainbows and puppy dogs here folks. Sometimes boys get fussy. 

So this past Saturday, the babies one month birthday, was also my beloved Grandpa's 90th Birthday. They were celebrating with a party of course, but that party was in Green Bay, nearly seven hours away from home and the peanuts. I sent my RSVP with regrets months ago, but as the date got closer I started having some doubts about not going. Friday night I started really feeling like I should be there, and by Saturday morning I had packed a bag, still not sure if I could go through with it. In the end I gathered my willpower, and by the time I passed Chicago I was pretty sure I wasn't going to turn around. I'm so grateful that I was able to make the trip, and so grateful for Andy for encouraging me to go and for being willing to stay near the babies to ease my mind. The look on my Grandpa's face when he saw me was all I needed to know that I made the right choice. It was a great evening celebrating an incredible man.

Grandpa with all his grandkids. We travelled from Indiana, Michigan 

and Arizona to celebrate with him.

Grandpa and Grandma (also a very young 90) with their kids, my dad at left, and his younger siblings Mark and Mary. Mark and his wife flew in from California to be there.

FAQ # 1,236 - "Do twins run in your family?" Yes, and here they are! My dear Grandma Madeline and her twin Marilyn, bookending their older sister Violet. They have two other sisters who were not able to make the trip. How cute are these ladies?

This was a no gift party, but I couldn't resist printing out a bunch of baby pictures to pass along to grandpa. He sat with me for a long time looking at them over and over. He touched each one so gently, as if he were touching each baby rather than their photo. Finally, he looked up at me and asked softly, "So they're really okay?" "Yes, grandpa" I replied. "They're perfect."

I love this one because it displays so perfectly the tone of the evening. They are such a fun group to be around. My grandparents are some of the most positive people I know and it is so fun to see them still so active.

                                                          

Micah, 1 month, 4lbs. 4oz.

Becker, 1 month, 3lbs. 10oz.

Remember the footprints cards I told you that Sam made for us? Here they are on the left of each picture. On the right is the footprint taken when they were just a couple hours old. 

Roland, 1 month, 4lbs. 1oz.

Marin Grace, 1 month, 4lbs. 7oz.

This week I caught a little cold, so yesterday I decided to play it safe and stay away from the little ones. Andy picked up the slack and changed a ton of diapers and did some bottle feeding last night as well as skin to skin, so they were in great hands! Since I wasn't able to be with them, I decided to continue preparations for the day they would come home, and finally set up their pack and plays and rock and plays. Baby Central is coming along! It's a good thing too. We could start having babies come home in less than two weeks.

I also got the carseats put in the van. I am beginning to see why so many of my Quad Mom friends have opted for cargo vans rather than mini vans. Even with three rows, it's a tight squeeze and will be a chore to get babies in and out of the third row. No regrets though! The jump from Mazda3 to mini van was big enough. I'm not quite ready to settle into a cargo van. Yet.

I woke up early Saturday morning before leaving for Green Bay, to spend time with the peanuts and to celebrate their one month birthday. I am so proud of them already and all they have accomplished in one short month. These are some incredibly strong and determined tiny people. If you can't tell them apart yet, they are, from left, Micah, Becker, Roland and Marin.

I love this sweet brother moment between Micah and Becker as we got them settled. 

It's so fun to see them interact.

Hey, brother!

After their group picture in the crib, the nurses lined them up on me. A better and more organized mom would have thought to swaddle the babies first so that they would be in a nice neat line, rather than looking like a row of wet rag dolls, flopping in the wind. I am apparently not that mom. Sorry kiddos.

I think you're all caught up now. They continue to grow and change, and we know them a little better each day. We are grateful for them and for each one of you who care about their incredible journey. Blessings multiplied indeed!

Jen and Andy,

Micah, Becker, Roland and Marin