Hannah’s Homecoming anniversary!

Sweet baby Hannah ~ 12 months old

I never got a chance to write on my blog about the day Hannah came home from the hospital. Today marks the 1 year anniversary and I think it is the best time to reflect a little at that special day. After a few weeks of not being able to spend much time with the girls since we had the boys at home, we were so happy to welcome sweet baby Hannah home. Bitter~sweet once again, since we had to leave Alexis by herself in the NICU for a few more days… It was probably one of the hardest days of our NICU journey, to leave the hospital knowing that only one baby is left behind. The nurse promised me to cuddle with my Alexis and give her extra hugs for us that night. Hannah spent 65 days in the NICU.

Ready to go home!

Mommy and the trio!

Hannah’s first car drive

Hannah looked better than ever 🙂 We could tell she was READY. Ready for her home, ready to be next to her brothers, ready to be spoiled and pampered, like a real princess, by everyone around her. On our drive home, my mind was going crazy. I started counting how many bottles I had to prepare, how will the feedings go since we have 3, how things will change having baby number 3 at home. Yes I was nervous, of course I was. More happy and excited than nervous this time around. When we got home, we sat the car seats in the livingroom one next to the other. It looked really cute. But we kept repeating ” can you imagine when we have all 4 in a row? ” 🙂

3 home, one more to go!

That week was pretty challenging because having 3 at home and 1 in the NICU was tough business. Since we wanted to get Alexis home ASAP, Daddy went to see her every day after work and that really made a huge difference. So needless to say the exhaustion started to settle in.

Daddy, Hannah, Andrew & Isaac

This little lady of ours sure has a big personality. Hannah has always been a feisty girl (even in the womb – she was the 1st one to kick!). I remember giving her a bath in the hospital, you would have thought something serious was going on, that’s how loud she was! She just didn’t like anyone to mess with her. And now… the boys get in trouble if they grab her toys or paci. She fights them! But she is also a sweety-pie and gives the best hugs! She likes to follow Isaac and Andrew everywhere they go. Loves her pacifiers, her lovies and chatting with her sister at nap time. They are so cute together and we love seeing them being best friends. One of the best things about having multiples is watching their unique bond grow and become more and more special as the time goes by. She can be very,very serious, especially when we have people over or if someone approaches her, but she gets very bubbly and happy once she feels comfortable. Hannah loves Ms. Aimee, the world greatest Physical Therapist, that comes every week and plays with the girls… God works through this amazing lady and we all appreciate and love her so much!

First doctor’s checkup

Angel ❤

Sweet baby Hannah

Chubby baby 🙂

1st Christmas

Hannah Liana

6 months old

Precious baby girl

March of Dimes Walk!

Hannah in her 1st bathtub from the NICU 🙂

Loves books !

Love that smile!

Hannah and her best friend and sister, Alexis ❤

Love you so much!!!

Dear Hannah,
You brought so much love and joy in our family that words are not enough to express that. From the day you were born there was something special about you! Your smile and your giggles are precious and you make our world so much better everyday. We are so proud of your progress, you are the cutest crawling peanut ever! We love seeing you try new things and even though new things can be scary, you don’t give up! Such a fighter and a brave little girl! We thank the Lord everyday for you and your siblings and we are SO blessed to be your parents!

Love,
Mommy & Daddy

The Quads at 14 months 🙂

Isaac & Andrew’s special day

Handsome boys ❤

A year ago today our house became a home. The boys came home together, after 46 days spent in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Thinking back at that day… oh man! We were SO nervous! I don’t think I have EVER been that nervous in my entire life. We spent the whole day at Northside Hospital, signing papers and checking off some last things on our to do list before we were able to take the babies home. We had to take a CPR class too -one the hospital’s rules when it comes to preemies. So many emotions combined, heavy hearted because we we’re leaving the girls but excited to bring the boys home! I can’t even remember how many times I cried that day. I felt sick to my stomach all most all day long worrying about how things will be once we’ll get home. No machines to let us know if something was wrong or if someone wasn’t breathing right or breathing at all, no nurses, no doctors… Are we going to be OK? That’s what was going on in my head. My husband was holding it together better than me, at least that’s what I thought. But I know that it wasn’t easy for him either. There we were, at the end of a long day, getting the boys ready for their first car ride. Oly gently took all the wires off the boys and I got them dressed. It was weird to not have them connected to computers and different machines. We were not used to that at all. Every time we wanted to change their diapers or clothes it just felt weird not dealing with the wires. I will never forget that. One of our favorite nurses, Kristi, was the one that discharged the boys and prepared us for this next step. She stayed with us an extra couple of hours after her shift ended just to make sure we are fine and ready to go home.

First car ride! Andrew (L) ~ Isaac (R)

And off we went. And we were fine… We did have to be really careful handling them especially during feeding time; Andrew had a few episodes when he would “forget” to breathe while taking his bottle, very scary! But it was amazing to finally feel like a parent! We were missing the girls so much but in a little while they got to join us all at home too.

These two munchkins were quite a pair from the beginning. We could tell there was something special between them and it is wonderful to see how amazing their bond grows with each step of the way.

Morning nap in their Rock & Plays

Brotherly love ❤

We always hoped that the boys will become friends and really get along and play together. But we never imagined that at the age of 1 they will entertain each other and have such a great relationship! It is so adorable to see them interact.

Dear Andrew & Isaac,

Today we celebrate your homecoming and could not be more proud of you guys. You have showed such strength and courage from the first moments you were born. In the NICU they say that the boys are much slower and lazier than the girls but you proved everyone wrong! You really, really wanted to come home! Isaac, you are such bubbly baby! You laugh fill our hearts and our home. You were the one that came into this world first, I guess you just couldn’t wait anymore to meet Mommy and Daddy.  Andrew, you are the energy of our home! It is such a joy to see you accomplishing new things every day. You bring excitement and enthusiasm in our home. We love you both so, so very much and pray that your lives will continue to be true miracles. God has truly blessed us with the best pair of boys we could have asked for!

While visiting the girls in the NICU, the boys got their own crib just to hang out.

1st Christmas A & I

Sleeping buddies

Chubby faces 🙂 A & I

Isaac -baby A & Andrew -baby D

Isaac & Andrew

6 months old A & I

Tough love 🙂

Reading time in Andrew’s crib

Getting ready to swim for the 1st time

🙂 When Andrew wants something, he gets it!

Always together! A & I

Here comes trouble.. double trouble!

Playtime!

One of their favorite things, to carry this green blanket all over the place!

A & I

13 months old, Isaac & Andrew

We try to video record them all the time, because there are so many cute moments that we want to hang on to forever. Here is a video from a few days ago – this is what the boys do when we put them down for a nap. Sometimes it takes up to an hour for them to actually go to sleep, they are busy having fun 🙂

 

Now I have to get some stuff ready because tomorrow we have a very important day! Daddy’s Birthday! What an amazing bday present he had last year, having both boys home!

 

The Birthday boy and his little presents ❤ (2013)

Love,

Lori.