New Normal

David and I are adjusting to our new life as parents.  As NICU parents, the experience is quite different than most (I am assuming).  Not being able to hold your baby, take them home, and seeing them with all the tubes and cords is heart wrenching.  Being in their rooms is hard, our hearts stop with every alarm that sounds.  You learn quickly that alarms sound with any irregular change in breathing, blood pressure, or heart rate so with three babies it can be a lot of alarms.
The St. Francis NICU is part of the new children's hospital.  We felt so at peace and confident in the staff even after our tour (I was wheeled through at 27 weeks while on magnesium). They have Dane and Estelle together in a twin room and Betsy next door by herself.  Nurses are split the same, one for D and E and one for B.  I cannot say enough about how wonderful the nurses have been!
It has been interesting to see how differently David and I handle the situation.  David has learned every tube and cord and technical word.  He is reading a preemie book, looking online and talking to nurses.  I, on the other hand, could care less what each IV is called and only care about when it can come out!
A couple notes:
1: We are MIA. I am sorry.  I realize that communicating with us has been difficult.  Please know that we do read and appreciate every text or voicemail, but right now it is enough for us to just handle minute to minute with the babies.  As they get more stable our ability to juggle more outside contact will surely increase.  We cherish the love and support that we have received and are definitely not trying to be ungrateful.
2:Vistitors.  We have decided to only allow immediate family to visit the babies at this time.  As soon as the babies are off the ventilators(the most hated tube, the one down their throat), we will start allowing extended family and friends.  Why?  Well right now they have very weak immune systems, just in time for flu and RSV season.  Our family members are getting vaccinated for flu and also whooping cough just in case.  Also, right now stimulation is not good for the babies.  Bright lights, loud noises and even touch causes those alarms to go off- so we are trying to limit all activity.  We are even asking that family only stay an hour or so!

Tomorrow my goal is to blog a more technical update...I should probably have David do it! He is so cute, has a notebook and documents the status of each baby everyday.  My excuse is having to pump every two hours, it keeps me busy!