First family photos and first outfits from home!

Our first family photo!  We got both got to hold our three babies in our arms- and feel the incredible feeling of what's to come in our lives as a family of five!  We are blissfully blessed and thankful that our babies are growing with the wonderful care of the NICU for the next weeks to come as we get prepared for them at home and with our wonderful community and families.

4 pounds 7 ounces of Charlie in his first outfit from Nana Jana!  Our little brown haired boy in brown PJs!

4 pounds 5 ounces of blond John Lewis is cozy in Laura's arms and has three frogs on his hat...We envision many things will come threes in our future!

4 pounds 3 ounces of Peggy Lucretia in her puff ball hat and light hair color underneath it.  She is in her brightest and best outfit- Neon baby love!

All three babies are connected to monitors to measure their vital signs and have feeding tubes in their little noses while they practice their "sucking-swallowing-breathing".  They will practice developing those abilities in the weeks to come.  Please hold these little fabulous feeders in your positive thoughts and Light!  

Volunteer Help for the Summer for our Maternity time!

Dearest Friends and Family:

You may be wondering how to visit with us and to help us out over the summer?!?!  With coordination from our Care Committee of the Atlanta Friends Meeting, we've been using VolunteerSpot to organize our upcoming activity.  

Please sign up for help with chores or bringing food for the Summer! 

- here's how it works in 3 easy steps:

   1. Click these links to go to our invitation page on VolunteerSpot:

 http://vols.pt/NtWd7a 


 http://vols.pt/HnfKDK

   2. Enter your email address: (You will NOT need to register an account on VolunteerSpot) 
   3. Sign up! Choose your spots - VolunteerSpot will send you an automated confirmation and reminders. Easy!

Note: VolunteerSpot does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact me and I can sign you up manually.

Grandparents Norlin visit

Laura's parents came for a visit to meet the babies, and got to do lots of baby holding and kangaroo care (aka skin-to-skin time).  Kangaroo care helps the babies regulate their temperatures, helps calm them, and generally helps them do better!  It also helps the grown ups bond with the babies!

 

Thanks so much, Nana and Grampy for all the clothes and diaper covers you brought- the MacNorlin tribe can't wait to be able to use them! 

Baby progress!

There are several things that the babies have to do before they can come home.  They're all making amazing progress towards these goals!

First, they have to be able to maintain their body temperatures. For the past two weeks, they've been in isolettes which are big plastic bed boxes that are warmed so the babies don't have to work at maintaining their temperatures.  The process of moving from the isolettes to an open crib involves slowly weaning them off the warm isolette air and into the open air for at least a day before they actually move into open cribs.  Charlie has been wearing clothes and weaning into the air over the past day, and John and Peggy started that process last night.

Second, they have to be able to suck, swallow and breathe at the same time so they can eat from a breast or bottle instead of a feeding tube.  They have all been getting breast milk for the past two weeks through their feeding tubes.  Two days ago we and the nurses have started giving them milk in a bottle, and they all took some, which is awesome!  They only get a bottle a couple of times a day, so they have some progress to make before they are getting all of their nutrition without the feeding tubes.

Also, obviously, they can't be on IVs.  The good news on that front is that as of early this morning, all the babies' IVs are out! John and Peggy are off their supplemental nutrition (which the nurses call souped-up gatorade because that's kind of what it looks like), which means their IVs came out! Charlie's has been out for over a week.  This makes it so much easier to hold them because they don't have a board taped to their foot or hand where the IV is (Hannah calls it a paddle because that's what she thinks it looks like), and we don't have to worry about accidentally pulling it out. Not that that's ever happened.

They are making progress towards coming home everyday and although we don't know when they will be ready to come home, everyday we see progress! 

Here's Charlie last week, chilling in his isolette.  He still had his IV in- see the paddle on his hand to stabilize it for the IV? That's all gone for all three of them!! They are all opening their eyes more and they have become so much more interactive and interested in our faces this past week!

 Hannah and John.  You can see that the babies have fewer tubes and such attached to them. 

Laura and Peggy having some snuggle time.  

Babies together at last!

We had a great triplet milestone today!  Babies got moved to the same little corner of the NICU, and they are all doing well!  It is the first time for them to be in the same vicinity since they were in the womb, and it is incredible to look at them closer together and compare and contrast their little beings.  It is making us feel like a family finally.  Also- Grandparents Grampy Wayne and Nana Jana are here, and got to witness the unification time as well as hold babies on their skin-to-skin in the kangaroo care method that helps the babies grow.  What a blessing that we are all well, and all one!  Thanks for your loving prayers and thoughts over their 2nd week of life.

The Amazing babies!!!

The babies are 6 days old and have all made fabulous progress in the Special Care Nursery. They all started out on CPAPs and phototherapy and now they are all off both! 

The CPAP was to help their lungs in the beginning. Charlie came off first, then Peggy transitioned to the little cannula in her nose. And yesterday John also moved to the cannula. They are all on room air, and the nurses describe the cannulas as giving them extra "flow".  

They also all had high bilirubin levels immediately after birth, which is why they looked so reddish/orange in the first pictures. The blue light phototherapy and pooping helped lower all their levels so as of today they are all off the phototherapy. 

They all have feeding tubes because they're too immature to master the suck, swallow, breathe combo that is crucial for nursing. They are getting breast milk through their tubes though. They started out at 5 ml per feeding and are all up to 24 ml per feeding. 

John and Peggy have had some episodes of apnea when they forget to breathe and their heart rates drop. The nurses come over and tickle their toes and they remember to breathe. Because of this, they are both now on caffeine to help them remember to breathe. 

We had a great visit today, the boys were awake and interactive, which was so wonderful!

Also, we figured out that the boys are fraternal not identical. Wonder how? They have different colored hair! Charlie has dark hair and John has light almost yellow blonde hair! Definitely not the same! Peggy's hair is darker blonde.

This is John, off his CPAP and on the cannula.

Notice how light his hair is?

Baby Peggy getting some mama time with Laura.  We were so excited to see their eyes well on Saturday!

Mama Hannah and Peggy

This is one of Peggy's favorite positions. She particularly likes having her fists clenched. During Lewis' visit on Friday he described that she was pushing her pacifier into her mouth with her fist. When he tried to unclench her fist, she moved her hand away, and then right back to pushing her pacifier in.  Apparently she is not to be deterred already when she decides she likes something!

Mama Hannah and John had a great time on Saturday. John was interactive and awake, with his eyes open, even though he was sleeping in this picture.  Hannah forgot to make sure his feeding tube was closed, though, and ended up with a shirt covered in milk from his tummy.  Oops! Likely not the last time she'll be covered in spit up though. 

Happy grand, great grand and God Father's Day!

We are so thankful for the person who donated to the cryo bank. The donor's wish was "to help those who wanted to start a family be they a straight couple, single mother or lesbian or gay couple..." He also wrote in his essay answer to the question of what he hoped for the potential offspring that "they be born into a loving family as all children deserve".

Wow do we feel grateful on this the first Father's Day of our babies lives that they have the loving family the donor hoped they'd be born to!  

Thankful that these babies have their family line for both our sides including their great grandfathers with us Howard Norlin and Michael McDermott (who turned 100 years old yesterday! Happy birthday).  We are overjoyed for Hannah's dad Jomo to be a first time grandpa and Laura's dad Wayne  to increase his grampy status from one to four grandchildren!  

Props to our uncles who've been incredible male figures in our lives and to our own brothers who've both become uncles for the first time.  We hear you will have your monkeys' uncle hands full...

(Pics below: first -Lewis at NICU with us when Laura met the babies for the first time. 

Second- Lewis clearing out our freezer the day before Laura went into labor at our last work party to help get our house prepped on June 7th 2014)

Last but not least we offer this huge congrats to Lewis Fuller,  our dear friend and Quaker godfather and John Lewis namesake!

 Our love capacity for these children and our lives are indeed fuller because of Lewis' compassionate and tender centered presence on this planet.  Lewis was there with Hannah in the wee morning hours before the babies came, helped coach in labor (our doctor commanded for him to not just sit there and the labor nurse reminded him that I was the one who needed to do the push breathing and that he could keep breathing for us). Lewis was there when each baby came to the nursery and was present for their first moments (that meant Hannah was free to be with Laura until she went to recovery). 

Happy Godfather Day Lewis- thanks for helping us Keep Calm and Carry on!

Day 2

We are all doing well on day 2. Laura continues to recover well, walking around much more than yesterday.  

Also super exciting for all of us was that we got to hold babies today!

Here is the rockstar mama Laura with baby Charlie:

Baby Charlie so comfy on Mama Laura's chest.

 Notice something missing from yesterday?  That's right, he doesn't have the CPAP on!!

All the babies are getting the light treatment for jaundice so they get to wear funny eyewear.  The light is blue so they look funny.

 John also got the funny light treatment. John is still on the CPAP, partly because every now and then he cries a lot and then forgets to breathe for a bit.  Apparently this is not uncommon and is nothing to be particularly worried about, but he is still on the CPAP.

Baby John is offered "Kangaroo care" time by Laura.  

That is the term for skin-to-skin time.  It is very easy to do, even with all those gadgets on!

I got to hold Peggy today, and she is so strong! She was lifting her head up, opening her eyes and winking at me.  Also, she just has a cannula with a little bit of oxygen, and no CPAP!

So the overall news is that we are all doing well.  We have rested a lot today and are starting to feel human again. We are so so so glad to have our amazing babies out in the world and that they are getting incredible care!  Thank you all for keeping positive thoughts and prayers coming our way...

Our triplets Born today!

If ever there was a day to shout OMG!!! from the rooftops, today is the day.  Introducing the beautiful MacNorlin triplets on their birthday (June 9, 2014) in order of their amazing photos:

Peggy   10:37am   4lbs 5oz.    16.5in

John     10:31am   4lbs 5oz      17in
Charlie  10:19am   4lbs 6.5oz   16.5in

As you can see, they were all born within 18 minutes ... VAGINALLY ... which means no C-section, no pesky recuperation.  All babies are sleeping peacefully in the Intermediary NICU.  Laura has already had a successful consultation with the lactation consultant and is freshening up for her first visit with all of them before hopefully settling in for some sleep, herself!

Thank you for an awesome work party

Thank you work party people!

Hannah hosted an incredible work party at our house Saturday.  All of the projects on our lists were completed, and new projects were found and checked off.  It was more than we could have expected! 

 People washed and organized baby clothes, moved (including disassembling and reassembling) a crib into Hannah and Laura's bedroom, defrosted our deep freezer, re-organized closets, fixed a spot on our living room floor, re-installed hooks in our wall, hung paintings, installed closet shelves, dusted our pantry shelf, and Wes even came all the way from Beijing to mow our yard! 

The potluck food helpers brought was nourishing, and Laura loved getting to have leftovers and see pictures of the day afterwards!  Thanks to the fifteen people who came and helped, from neighbors to Quaker Friends to our youngest five year old work party helper!  You all helped us take a deep breath and feel like our complicated life is now more balanced! Thank you!

Made it two weeks on hospital bed rest! Babies are gestating well and growing growing growing!

                  Today marks 14 days in the hospital on bed rest!  Monday of this week, we were visited by the Atlanta Friends Meeting Spiritual Nurture Group (Laura's been part since we moved here in 2004- 10 years in August). Together we had Quaker silent worship and the group members listened deeply about how we all are processing and contemplating this time at our "new home".  

The babies have been growing noticeably this week, forming new lumps in the belly and taking on new looks.  Laura's belly has gone from high and mighty to low hanging and forming a more pointy protrusion. It is wonderful to feel the evidence that the triplets are making leaps and bounds in development!  

One night there was a huge thunderstorm in Atlanta, noticed all over the metro area, and Laura's view of the stormy night was incredible.  Many people over the city saw a pink sky and rainbows over the city (perhaps Laura's belly was the pot of gold).

Another huge gift this week- Laura's been doing well enough that her doctor approved letting her go on in hospital excursions when she has an escort.  Thrice Hannah brought Laura in a wheel chair to the lovely garden patio where Laura fondled the flowers, tickled the insects, breathed in the humidity, and had delicious picnics.  

The garden has a large gong- when installed in 2003 it was noted as the largest wind chime in the world!  Whatever its designation, Laura's had a wonderful time making the tones gong out into the day (barefoot you may note)!




We also visited the hospital aviary. Here's Laura next to the birds in the seating area that's full of mission style furniture- Laura's favorite!

              We're feeling very blessed to have had this week of gestation and silver linings.

House Work Party This Weekend: Celebrating 32 Weeks of pregnancy!

From the MacNorlin Family Care and Support

Many hands are needed to have three babies all at once. Thank you for offering yours to care for Hannah and Laura and the trillizos during this exciting time.
Please sign up for activities as you are able. New activities will be added as a need arises so make sure to check back often.

This weekend, come by Laura & Hannah's house anytime 10-3pm help Hannah finish up the final list of projects to prep our house for the triplets.  Projects include organizing babies rooms, cleaning, and very basic household fixer upper projects.  If you come for lunch- bring an easy dish to pass (leftovers will go to Hannah/Laura)!
To keep up with current news, visit the family's blog:  http://trillizosmacnorlin.blogspot.com/
With love and light,
The MacNorlin Family Care Committee

• Please click here:  http://vols.pt/M2fKHn to sign up for Babies Prep Work Party/Potluck
  Please click here:    http://vols.pt/1VQRNF to sign up for Pre-Labor Food Delivery

Made it to June and 31 weeks! The ultrasound indicates over 3 pounds...the three babies are growing!

We made it to June and to 31 weeks today! 

Today we were surprised to have the monthly ultrasound that measures the triplets growth.  It was particularly great to have it today because Hannah was here all day instead of having to try to schedule being at the hospital during a work day for the ultrasound.  We also had our Quaker Friends here for lunch/grocery delivery, doing the being present and witnessing that our faith community does so well  (Thanks Karen and Jeremiah, Stoph and children Graham and Arlie Rose!)

As the ultrasound unfolded over an hour of testing heart beat movements, femur length, head crown size and stomach size.  But alas- at the end the information had to be evaluated and interpreted by a doctor... We wondered when we would find out the answer to the big question- WHEN IN THE WORLD WILL WE FIND OUT HOW BIG THEY ARE?! TODAY? TOMORROW?!?!

Two hours later after we both napped, the knock came on the door with an answer from our nurses who went out of their way to get the chart and tell us the news!

*These size weights come from guesstimating with the data but still is a great estimate:

Charlie Libert- 3 lbs, 2 oz
John Lewis- 3 lbs, 7 oz
Peggy Lucretia- 3 lbs, 4 oz