Prematurity Awareness Day

Today is National Prematurity Awareness Day. Anyone who has visited this blog before knows my twins story and more recently, the premature birth of my newest son, Terran. My oldest son, Skylar, is also a preemie. He was born at 32w3d, weighing 4lbs. 1.6oz. While a 32 weeker pales in comparison to 25 and 28 weeks gestation, it was just as frightening as my other NICU experiences. He only spent 21 days in the NICU but he was my first. Despite all of my boys being early, they're all doing well. They each have problems which may or may not be linked to their early entrance into the world, they're healthy, wonderful children that have made my life remarkably better.

So, please take a moment to visit http://www.marchofdimes.org/ and find out what you can do to raise awareness about premature birth and how you can help to ensure that all babies are born healthy and on time.

Stationery card

Family Bliss Holiday Card

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Happy 3rd Birthday!

Yesterday, my amazing little boys turned 3!! We had a little family party for them, filled with Mickey Mouse everything and they were beyond thrilled. We got them a t-ball set, mickey puzzle, and a 4 pack of sports balls (which was the clear winner of their gifts).
Last year, I couldn't take them outside and put them down because they hated the grass. This year, they were outside, hitting the ball, running through the dry grass, in bare feet and they loved it :)
They have come so far and they are so amazing. They impress me every day. Yesterday, I asked Addison whose birthday it was and he would say "Riey Addin" (Riley and Addison), and then I'd ask how old Riley and Addison are and he would say "free" (three). And then I asked him where his ba-ba's (bottles) were and he said "bye bye". Yep, we're getting rid of their night time bottle. And they got a cool new potty seat with Elmo and Ernie on it and hopefully they'll start to get excited about sitting on the toilet.
I sat in the nicu last night, holding my new little boy, remembering how terrified I was 3 years ago when the twins were given a 50% chance of survival. They not only beat those odds, but they beat and continue to beat even more odds.
They've officially been discharged from their in home therapy and are now going through BCIU therapy to help transition them into school. They're going to start going to a classroom in August. I'm so excited but scared for them. I know they'll eventually love it but it will be really hard to put my babies on a bus and send them to preschool.
Anyways, today I am taking them shopping at Toys R Us so they can each pick out a new toy. Should be exciting!
I'll add pictures later tonight. My camera battery is charging.

Addison on the left, Riley on the right

Addison

Riley

I'm happy to announce...

Addison and Riley are big brothers (3 months early). Little Terran Conner was born May 29th, 12 weeks early. He weighed 2lbs. 3oz. and was 15 inches long. Yes, another itty bitty baby, and it's my last.

He's in the NICU, being cared for by some of the same amazing nurses that took care of Addison and Riley, and he's doing remarkably well. He is getting breastmilk through his tube, his PDA valve closed on it's own, he's already down to 2 litres of oxygen on the high flow cannula, and we've been holding him every day since Thursday. He's going to grow and learn to nurse, and hopefully be home with us in 8-10 weeks.

What a difference 3 weeks and 1 pound make. His apgars were 7 and 9, and he came out feisty, pink, and crying.

in the delivery room

Proud papa, holding his son for the first time!

My sweet baby boy

Another successful March for Babies!

Ok, so maybe it wasn't as successful as last year when we raised somewhere around $3,000, but we did what we could and raised just shy of $1,000. More importantly, the twins WALKED instead of riding in a stroller. To me, that was worth more than any money I could have raised. We only walked about a quarter of the walk but they walked the whole thing and I couldn't have been more proud to turn around and cross the finish line.

On the trail

Stopping to get a picture with mom!

After crossing the finish line and having a yummy lunch
The boys are doing more and more every day. Riley is finally fully walking, Addison is jumping and running, and they're saying new words every day. Addison can put 3 words together to make some sort of toddler rambled sentence.
It's so unbelievable to me that in just a few short weeks, they'll be turning THREE!! Where in the world did all of that time go? They'll be transitioning from in home therapy to BCIU therapy which is a preschool type setting. They'll be bussed to school and have classmates and all of that fun stuff. I'm terrified for them to head out on a bus without me but I'm making sure they stay together so they'll at least have each other.
Now that it's been nice outside, we're spending a lot more time outside and they twins love it! We planted a garden and they sat forever just playing in the dirt. You know, like normal toddlers should do! And, we were out a few weeks ago and you'll never know how good it felt when someone came up and said "how old are they, about 2 or 2 and a half?" For a stranger to guess their age and be so close felt amazing. I don't get people asking if they're 1 or why they're not walking. I think they might soon not be able to pass for "under 2" when we go out and I'll have to start paying for them. haha.
So, they're getting a baby brother. Poor Leah will be so outnumbered but I'm excited for another boy. Unfortunately, this pregnancy has been tough. I've been getting progesterone shots every week to help my uterus from contracting and just this past week, I had my first cervical length ultrasound which ended up with me being in the hospital for 2 days to be monitored. No contractions but my cervix is short and soft and so I've already had my 2 rounds of steroid shots for the baby's lungs and I'm all but on bed rest. No lifting, no driving, no working, etc. As much as it sucks to have another difficult pregnancy, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to avoid another preterm birth. When I was in the hospital, they wheeled me past the NICU and I just started crying. I don't want to have to do another blog for another micro-preemie. And, hopefully I won't have to.

Addison
Riley

Being cute

Easter egg hunt, Riley in grey and Addison in blue.

It's been a while

I never seem to have enough time to sit and update and I end up needing to set aside an hour (like now) to update months worth of news. Hopefully I can finish this before the big kids get home from school.

So, my last update was in October. I can't believe it's really been this long.

Halloween and Thanksgiving, the kids spent with their dad. I heard it was wonderful but aside from that, I don't have much to talk about.

Christmas was wonderful. The twins were finally able to open their own presents and they loved all of the excitement.

Addison helped the big kids decorate the tree

Addison was so proud of himself for getting stuff out of his stocking

Yes, Riley really was that excited to get Mickey keys

Aww :)

Addison is now walking like a champ. He's even running! He climbs, talks, and acts just like a toddler. He has a vocabulary of probably 50 or so words. He loves books, Mickey, Sesame Street, balls, and food.

Riley has recently (like within the past 3 weeks) started walking a lot more. At first, we called it a Frankenstein walk. He would keep his legs stiff and his arms straight out in front of him. Over the past week or so, he's become a lot more comfortable and is starting to walk more "normal". He has a much smaller vocabulary but he is able to communicate fairly well. He also loves books, Mickey, and bubbles!

They both love being outside and it's finally starting to be nice again. They're still getting all 3 therapies every week but as of their 3rd birthday, they won't get in home therapy anymore. They'll start to go to a preschool to help get them ready for real school. Just thinking about my babies going to school shocks me.

A friend of mine is an extremely talented photographer and we were lucky enough to be able to have family pictures taken by him in the fall. He did an amazing job and these are only a few of my favorites.

Addison

Addison on the left, being a goofball

So, in a nutshell, they've gone from way behind babies, to toddlers in what seems like no time at all. They're in 2T clothes and are comparable in size to some other 2 year olds we've met. Do they have more catching up to do? Of course. But, they're progressing every day.

And...can I say without jinxing us....NO hospital visits this winter! It's March 1st and we've avoided the doctor and the hospital all winter long! Heck, I didn't even take out the nebulizer. They did catch colds but they eventually got over them. Sick season isn't over yet but I think we've made it through the worst part.

And, lastly, this is probably the biggest news to report. Addison and Riley are going to be big brothers! I met a wonderful guy at the end of the summer and, after the shock wore off, we're happy to be expecting baby in the fall.

One more thing before the kids walk in the door. For the 3rd year in a row, team Macomber Miracles is walking in the March of Dimes March for Babies. There's a box on the right hand side of the blog that you can click and donate directly to our team. This is the one big thing I do every year and I feel like it's a very small way to give back and give thanks to the many people who have helped my boys not only survive, but thrive. Without research that the March of Dimes has done and funded, my twins may not be alive today. Our walk isn't until May so there's plenty of time to donate! Remember, no amount is too small. Every donation is needed and very, very much appreciated!

Look at what Addison can do!

He's been walking more than crawling today. I think we may have turned a corner in his progress. He's been taking steps for a few weeks now but now he's actually walking to and from things and across rooms and down hallways. :) He's made me so proud lately!

Riley is also taking 2-3 steps at a time. He is so proud of himself when he stands up and takes a few steps and then he gets so frustrated when he falls. I have no doubt though, that as soon as Addison is running away from him, that Riley will have no choice but to start to walk so that he can keep up with his brother.

It's been way too long

Life has been crazy. Football, school, work, therapy, and everything else that suddenly pops up. I've got so much to share and hopefully the boys will nap long enough for me to be able to type everything.

Addison is WALKING! He's not walking all of the time but he can get halfway across the living room. He runs toys through the house and he wants so badly to just go but he can't. He loves playing hide and seek and he loves chasing Leah around the kitchen.

Addison had a broken collar bone back in August. He took a tumble off my bed at 3am and that was all it took. He healed perfectly with almost no discomfort and is good as new.

He weighs about 26lbs. He says a bunch of "words" now. baba, cat, dog, bus, car, and night night. Recently he's become obsessed with vehicles. Every time he hears a car or truck drive down the road, he drops what he's doing and points to the door and says car or bus.

Riley is also running toys through the house and he can stand independently but he's still not strong enough to take steps. Riley loves animals. He goes crazy over the cats. He's about 24lbs. now.

We've had a super busy summer. The kids all got to go to Dewey Beach for a few days in August. The boys LOVED the ocean. They loved everything about it.

They're enjoyed spending time outside this summer. They don't mind the grass at all and actually really like going in it.

They've both got 8 molars and they have no problem eating anything. They're off of formula but still having a few bottles of milk every day.

They're such beautiful children. They have such distinct personalities and when they're together, they're a hilarious duo. They've developed their own way of communicating between each other and they continue to amaze me every day.

They're still getting all of their therapies once a week and the therapists continue to be happy with their progress (even when they're not feeling like cooperating).

Addison at the beach

Addison's first time in the ocean

Riley's first time in the ocean

Riley at the condo

Lots and lots of updating to do

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend! It has been a very busy couple of months for us. Lots of changes are happening and I guess the biggest one is that Ian and I are no longer together. We decided, back in March, that we just weren't good for each other and so we've remained friends and have a great co-parenting relationship. I've started working nights and weekend so pretty much all of my time without the kids, is spent at work. Skylar just finished 3rd grade and Leah graduated from preschool.

The boys are doing so well!! Addison is now about 23lbs. and Riley is almost 22lbs. Addison is so close to walking. He'll walk across the whole house just holding onto one of my fingers. He easily walks toys across rooms and can stand up on his own without holding onto anything. Riley is starting to walk while only holding my hands but he is just a little too wobbly. He can walk a toy across the room but it's not pretty.

They're both climbing onto furniture. They love to climb onto the couch and play. Addison stands up, with his arms straight up into the air, and then falls down on the couch. He thinks it's the funniest thing (and it is pretty darn funny). They're both easily going up the stairs. Addison crawls all the way up the steps in only a minute or two. They don't know how to get down from the furniture or stairs but we're working on that.

Their therapies are going really well too. Ian usually has them during their physical therapy sessions and he tells me that the therapist is really happy with their progress. They're doing great with occupational therapy. Speech is where I think they're making the most progress right now. They can sign "more" "eat" and "please". They're starting to try and say the words "cat", "dog", "baba (for bottle)", and "baby". They're saying "mama", "mom", "out", and they're babbling with a lot of new sounds. They follow directions wonderfully. If I ask them if they're hungry, they'll crawl to their high chairs and try and climb into them. If I tell them it's time for a new diaper, they go to where I change their diapers. I can ask them where something is and they'll either crawl and look for it, or point to it. If Addison wants something, he'll crawl to it and point. We're finally able to have some basic communication between us and it's made things a lot easier.

They're eating basically any food that you put in front of them....and they eat a lot. A normal breakfast for them is 2 scrambled eggs with cheese and milk added, either a half or whole banana, and usually some crackers or toast. We're slowly working on getting them off formula (and bottles all together). When I weaned them at 13 months and switched them to formula, if I had thought for even a second that they would still be drinking formula a year later, I would have tried to stick it out and continue nursing.

They're definitely toddlers now. 2 weeks ago, they were still somewhat babies...but they're 100% toddlers now and many people have commented on it. They each have their own personality and like and dislikes. Addison will definitely be the ring leader and Riley will be the one to watch Addison to make sure it's ok before he does it. Addison gets this sneaky grin on his face and he gives the funniest expressions. He knows when he's not supposed to do something and he'll turn his head over and down but look at you out of the corner of his eyes. Riley is my love bug. He loves to snuggle and be rocked to sleep.

They give each other high five's and shake hands. They love to give hugs and kisses. They make car motor sounds when they play with their trucks. It's hard to believe that they're 2 already. It has been so fun to see them grow and become individuals AND brothers.

Riley enjoying cake that the neighbor made

Addison didn't waste time picking it apart

Both of them sleeping together is a rare sight

Addison being a goof

We're TWO today!!!

Happy Birthday to Addison and Riley!! I'll try to write a long update this weekend but I couldn't let today go by without writing about their birthday!!

The boys are so happy and healthy and they're doing amazingly well!

Here's some pictures that I snapped today.

Riley playing with his balloon

Addison taking a break after lunch
Addison on the left and Riley on the right

Look what Addison can do!!!!

This is one of Riley's favorite new games

Surgery went well

We were only at the surgery center for about 4 hours. Surgery went well for both of them. They're home and trying to rest. Poor little guys just want to rub their eyes and they have these plastic shields taped over their eyes.
I was told that day 2 & 3 will be the worst and then they should start to improve.

Surgery tomorrow

Last Monday, the boys had their routine eye exams to check how their ROP was. We ended up being there for almost 3 hours. Both of the boys were diagnosed with Strabismus. Essentially, the muscles behind the eyes aren't aligned properly and it causes one eye to turn in when they move their eyes. If it's not treated early, the brain will learn to ignore the problem and it will cause a lazy eye. Their surgeries tomorrow will be what's considered a minor outpatient surgery that shouldn't take more than a half hour each. The opthamologist is going to re-align the muscles behind their eyes so that their eyes move together.
Riley definitely has a worse case than Addison but I opted to have them get surgery at the same time so that it can be done and over. They say the recovery time is 1-2 weeks but that they should be up and moving around in a few days. I cancelled all of their therapies next week so that they can just be at home and healing.
I, of course, am a ball of nerves thinking about my boys. This will be the first surgery for both of them.
We have to be at the surgical center at 6am and I hope to be home sometime in the afternoon. I'll try to update tomorrow evening.

We Marched for Babies!

I'm still waiting for the final totals to come in but team Macomber Miracles raised almost $1,700 for the March of Dimes this year!!!

It was lightly raining all morning and it was windy and about 50 degrees but there was still a great turnout. The kids didn't have such a great time but they toughed it out and walked almost the whole 3 miles.

Unfortunately, because I was also volunteering at the event, I didn't have a chance to take a picture of our team. I'm waiting for the photographer that was there to post his pictures and hopefully I'll have some more pictures to share.

Thank you so much to everyone who donated.

Finally!

After 1 year and 10 months...the boys are finally on the growth chart for their weight!! This morning, Addison weighed 21lbs. 15oz. and Riley weighed 20lbs. 12oz. Addison is in the 2nd percentile and Riley is in the 1st percentile!! Never before have my boys been "on the chart" for their weight or height. They are both 29". They are both proportionate for their sizes though. Addison was in the 76th percentile for his weight to height and Riley was in the 43rd. They're slowly coming along...chipping away and catching up. It could be all of the happy meals they've been eating lately. Yeah, they're not good for them but I'll happily give them the calories any way that they will take them.
I had a fundraising night at my local Chick-fil-a last week to benefit my March for Babies team. Between the two of them, they polished off 12 chicken nuggets plus a few fries. And, the most awesome part is that team Macomber Miracles raised $165 in just 4 hours!! Last night, was "McTeacher Night" at our local McDonald's to benefit Skylar's school so we loaded up the kids and took them there for dinner. They shared a happy meal. Addison was having no part of his broken up fries. He only wanted them whole. They both drank from a straw for the first time too! They've understood the concept for a while but hadn't actually been able to get anything through the straw.
In other news, Riley was referred to a pulminologist and we were able to go see him last week. Riley has been having horrible problems when he gets sick and he ends up on a ton of meds to help him breathe. He's now on only pulmicort, once a day, for 2 months straight. Pulmicort only works on the lining of the lungs so it will give his lungs a chance to heal and have a break. We go back in September to see how he's doing.
I've been so busy with the March for Babies. Our walk is only 4 days away and as a team, we've kicked butt! I have 5 other people walking on my team this year. I've sold tickets to our local hockey and baseball teams home games, hosted a fundraiser at Chick-fil-a, and have practically begged my friends and family for donations. Here's my last plea for donations. I'm only $135 away from reaching my goal. You can donate any amount by clicking on the purple March for Babies box in the upper right hand corner of my blog.

Surprise, they're not sick!

So, I'm actually getting a chance to update even though they're not sick. They're currently slipping and sliding on the kitchen floor because they splashed water all over the place. It's hot and they love the water so I figured they couldn't do too much damage by splashing in a little bit of water!

They have been doing so well! They're still hanging on to a little bit of their cold from months ago but they're managing ok without breathing treatments and medicines so I'm thrilled.

We've been getting outside a lot now that it's finally nice. I got an awesome new double jogging stroller that I LOVE! We've gone to French Creek, different playgrounds, walks and jogs through our development, and more. It fits perfectly in the back of my van and man...i should have bought one of these a long time ago. lol.

The boys are progressing well with their different therapies. Addison is walking along anything he can hold onto with ease. Riley is pulling up to a stand and is very, very close to walking along the furniture. It's not looking like either of them will walk for the March for Babies in 3 weeks but I suppose anything is possible.

So, we haven't been to the doctors in probably a month or so but the boys are gaining weight. Last time Riley was at the doctor, he was 19lbs. 8oz. He's easily 21lbs. now. Addison is probably close to 25lbs. They've grown into 18 month size clothing. It blows my mind that at this time last year, they were just barely big enough to fit 3-6 month size stuff. They both eat so much food. The bottles are decreasing and we're constantly introducing new foods. This past week they had chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, and baked ziti with ground beef. They loved all of it. They actually ate more ziti than Leah and Skylar.

We've finally accomplished one of our big goals that I've had for a long time. I took them grocery shopping and they were able to sit in the cart!! What a huge deal it was for us to be able to do that. Addison loved it but Riley was kind of freaked out by the vibrations of the cart so he wanted to be held a lot. But...they did it!!! No more pushing the stroller and pulling the cart behind us. Addison also reached another goal. He got his first bath in the bathtub! No more kitchen sink for him!

Riley is sitting with no problems now. He'll crawl to whatever he wants to play with and sit down and just play. They both dance when music is on.

We also plan to finally move them out of their infant car seats at the end of the school year. They'll still be rear facing but we'll move them into big boy convertible seats.

Addison is starting to fuss so I have to wrap this up. Before I go, I want to remind everyone that there's only a few weeks left to donate to our March for Babies team. Our walk is on Sunday April 25th! You can click on the purple March for Babies box on the right side of the blog to make an online donation. Or, if you're local, come out to the Exeter Chick-fil-a on Tuesday April 13th between 4-8pm. Team Macomber Miracles is having a fundraising night and our team gets 15% of the sales from anyone who brings a flyer or mentions they're with our team!

Enjoying their books while at the Please Touch Museum

Addison at French Creek State Park

Playing with easter eggs at Nana's

Splashing water all over the kitchen floor