Time flies...

   I realized a couple days ago that I hadn't posted my weekly update - and yet I'm just now getting around to it... I'm still trying to figure out where the days (and weeks) go! Today I blinked and it was 5:00 pm - at least I'd gotten out of my pj's by 10:00 am (quite the accomplishment around here)!
   We are beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel - granted, it's more like a little, tiny speckle of a light, but still it's there... Let me explain. Over the last few days, or rather nights, the girls have all gone 4 hours between at least one nightly feeding! And Ryann went 5 hours one night! I should, however, explain what exactly this means. Unfortunately it does not mean that they sleep for four hours (or that we get to either). Rather, if they eat at midnight (which takes an average of 30 minutes or so) they might get to bed at 12:30/12:45... Now up until the last couple nights - they would then get up at 2:45/3:00 to eat again. But while they did that exact schedule last night - two of them didn't get up until 6:45 to eat again this morning (that's a whole extra hour!). We all feel like new people... sort of. I still woke up last night - or rather, this morning - at 2:00 waiting to hear them (they didn't eat well at they before bed meal). I let the dogs out, decided to pump before - instead of after - feeding them... I think I was up for over an hour before they woke up - my bad. My pump (Rita - yes, I did name her) and I have gotten to be old friends. It's like a second full-time job trying to feed these girls! Right now they're getting 3 or 4 bottles of formula a day and 4 or 5 bottles of breastmilk... but their intake is again on the rise! So the sleeping change is our big news and it's ever changing... writing this I've probably jinxed it and they'll be little pistols again tonight!
   In other news... they were approved for a second synergis shot (helps reduce the effects of RSV) and received that on Friday. While they didn't enjoy the shot - they were weighed again, which we like! And boy did they surprise us. Since their two-month appointment a week and half before they'd all gained over half a pound! Ryann weighed 8 lbs 1 oz, Brynley weighed 7 lbs 5 oz, and Hadley weighed 7 lbs 3 oz! Some of our newborn stuff is actually starting to be too small! Exciting times around here...
   Gama is heading back to Iowa on Thursday, Aunt Bre arrives Thursday for 5 days, and Grandma and Grandpa Miles arrive Friday night for a little over a week... Yep - it takes three people to replace Gama! Ha! It's hard for us to believe how much they seem to change week to week. I recently finished a photobook consisting of pictures from January and February and they don't even look like the same babies! Despite the lack of sleep, the constant feeding, playing, and diaper changes, we wouldn't change a thing! I will advise people to stop telling us that "at least we don't know any different" (in reference to having three at once rather than one) because believe me, we realize there's a difference - just as the person telling us that realizes there's a difference! All we know is that you play the hand you're dealt... and at times we play a little better than others!
   The pictures below are from the last couple weeks... the girls turned 11 weeks on Saturday! How time flies...

Hadley 10 weeks!

Brynley - 10 weeks!

Ryann - 10 weeks!

Playtime at the zoo!

Snuggled together - yes, Ryann is trying to eat Hadley's arm! From right to left: Ryann, Hadley, Brynley

Our pot of gold! Socks courtesy of Aunt Bre...

Brynley checking herself out in the mirror... and working on her neck exercises!

Full family picture - dogs included!

Brynley always seems to sleep during family photos - Hadley was 'talking' to dad, and Ryann was staring up at mom.

Family photo with our girls!

A+ All Around

   The girls had their TWO MONTH check up yesterday and they all received an A+. Now I'm almost positive that everyone gets an A+... my students would love this guy! Ha! In all seriousness, the girls are all doing very well. We were excited to see how much they weighed - I think we got a little spoiled in the NICU with the daily weight tracking! Ryann now weights 7 lbs 7 oz; Brynley weights 6 lbs 10 oz; and Hadley weights 6 lbs 8 oz - they're getting so big! While they are still under the growth chart, they're all following the normal growth curve and the doctor actually thinks they'll be on it (for weight) by their next appointment! If the adjust for their gestational age - Bryn and Hadley are in the 25th percentile and Ryann's in the 50th percentile. They all hit the growth chart (barely) in head size - and here I am still calling them peanut heads! Each of the girls received their first set of vaccines as well - while I can't say that any of them enjoyed the shots, Hadley and Brynley certainly did better than Ryann who cried real tears and took a little bit to calm down! We were prepared for the worst, but the girls did better than we expected! Sure - the rest of the day was a little off, but that's to be expected. Now... on to getting them sleeping for longer periods at a time (YAWN).
   Since I last posted, we had some more company come and visit the girls. Aunt Gail, Gene, and Uncle John all made the trip down! It sure was nice having some extra hands around - and Gene and John got a bunch of little odds and ends fixed for us (thank you again!). They even installed a new bathroom countertop for us - and the girls are loving it (it's where they take their baths).
   No other real news to report. The days and weeks are flying by which is both wonderful (love to see them grow) and sad (they're changing so quickly). Gama is helping us capture the moments by taking lots of pictures... however, I also need to find time to do something with all those pictures - photobooks here I come. Tehya is starting to accept that the girls aren't going anywhere and gives them a nose or kiss every morning, as does Bena. The girls eyes get so big watching the dogs - it's so fun to see. They're really starting to be much more aware of everything - and Ryann's even beginning to track objects and voices. Some pictures from the past week or so are below, but if you want to see them all - and there's a lot - you'll have to visit the website. Happy March to you all! Spring is definitely in the air down here... daffodils are blooming and trees are budding!

Aunt Gail and Gene with the girls... they're already pros!

Uncle John with his great nieces - Hadley (pink) was a bit squirmy

Napping on the front couch for a change of scenery

Hadley, Bynley, & Ryann... definitely not in the mood

Bena with her buddy Brynley (blue)

Ryann - such a happy sleeper

Family pictures - 2 of the 3 were awake, not bad!

I can already hear them saying - Not now mom!

And this would be why we had to paint Bryn's toes blue... starting to look way too much alike!

Bena gave some attention to Hadley

Ready to cheer on those Tigers!