I have had the best of intentions to update this since last Saturday, but having babies at home certainly makes it more difficult to get things accomplished!

Last Saturday the 4th, Parker came home after a 22 day stay in the NICU! While we were so excited, it was difficult to leave Isabella. I think God knew what He was doing though, because the first couple nights with Parker were rough, and it was probably good that Ryan and I could ease into things a little bit. Right when it felt like we were starting to get the hang of things, after a 25 day NICU stay, Isabella came home to her sister! 

I would love to say everything has been great, but to be honest, I have learned that this multiple baby thing is more difficult than I was expecting! Adjusting one baby to life at home where people are constantly talking, the tv is on, cabinets are closing, and the option to have food given to you through a feeding tube if you don't feel like eating is pretty major. Add a second baby to the mix a few days later, and it feels like we will never do anything again other than eat, burp, change, and rock babies, while trying to shovel in some food for ourselves and rotate who gets to take a nap before the next feeding time. I know that things will get easier and we (and the girls!) will start to figure things out, but we would love your prayers for patience and sleep!

The girls' weight is being closely monitored by their pediatrician and is our focus right now. As I have said before, the process of sucking, swallowing, and breathing is learned by a full-term baby in the womb sometime between weeks 36-38. Since Parker and Isabella were born before week 34, this is something they are still working on, although they've improved a ton in the last three weeks! As a result, bottle feedings can be slow and drawn out, and we are always trying to balance calories in versus the calories it takes them to actually take the bottle.

I have had several people ask my mom and me about one thing, so I wanted to make sure everyone is aware that I was pregnant with triplets. We lost our little boy, Lincoln Paul, at 22 weeks. Although the word twin gets used, technically Parker and Isabella are not twins but are triplets with a brother in heaven. Although we have been open about our loss, it is impossible to make sure everyone who originally knew found out what happened.

This is another lengthy post, but before ending it I feel like I need to give acknowledge our families who have been such huge supports to us, through NICU visits, meals, rides, and groceries. Special shout-out to my mom, who is currently taking a nap in our guest room after pulling an all-nighter with me so Ryan could sleep before going to work today. I can't and don't want to imagine doing this without her, and I hope that I will be as big of an encourager and supporter of my girls as she is to me.