Adoption day for Hannah to legally become the second parent to our babies!

Hannah's second parent adoption was today!  Because there are still so many states, including Georgia, that don't recognize our marriage, Hannah had to adopt the babies in order to be a legal parent to them.  We are glad to live in a county where this process is not only possible but also relatively easy.  The final hearing for the children's second parent adoption was today, Thursday, August 21st at 9:00AM with our fabulous lawyer Barbara E. Katz.  Hannah is now the legal parent to the triplets with Laura.  Fees for the adoption were raised by our community in full.  Our children's adoption by Hannah was celebrated and witnessed by friends Sadie Forsythe, Chris Pifer, Roanna Cooper and Lewis Fuller.  Friends from our care committee Georgia Lord and Lynn Leuzler put on a congratulation brunch for us at their home. We are very overjoyed to be co-parents to these babies and very much blessed to have our community to lift us up as our journey continues!  

Our week of firsts...Home with our babies and out in our community!

We've entered our second week of being home with our babies and had many first already.  It was the first visit from Grandma Turtle, the first out of the hospital time with Nana Jana and Grampy Wayne, our first tummy time play on the floor, our first home sensory experiences of everyday life from cooking to nature.  We had our first visit to the Atlanta Friends Meeting for worship where our children were greeted by a loving and enthusiastic crowd after silent worship with impressively calm and peaceful babies!  The first doctor's visit with all three babies and first shots happened this week also.   Here is how well we are growing-  Peggy 7 pounds and 6 ounces,  John 7 pounds and 13 ounces, and Charlie 8 pounds and 7 ounces.  All babies are 20 inches long!

Pics below of some of our favorite first few days with all three babies home, followed by some photos of our first moments out of the house together in our community.

 At our first meeting for worship being welcomed into our community, held in the Light by all, and held in the arms of our moms and John's Quaker Godfather Lewis.

 Here are the three orchids Hannah helped to flower- interestingly with three flowers that began to open just after they were born and continue to be a symbol of the of the amazing creation before us!

Peggy is home...The whole family is finnally together and home!!! Miracles...

Thursday we got the go ahead to prepare Peggy to come home from the hospital on Friday.  We were thrilled and glad we'd had a few days to prepare and practice with two (John came home Monday and Charlie a week before Monday).  When Laura got to the NICU Friday morning Peggy was in her going home outfit and being held by our dear friend Lewis.  Thanks Lewis for being so dedicated to them during their time at the hospital from the moment they were born.  Friend Beth-Ann who has been offering Laura great maternity and postpartum counseling and Spiritual Direction just happened to be at the hospital and was able to document with pics and videos, and support us in the transition of discharge.

Thus far Peggy got to go to meet the pediatrician and she made a great first impression (all three according to the doctor do not look or act like preemies).  When Laura got home from the doctor to be greeted by John, Charlie and Hannah what joy we felt beyond belief and what relief too.  Peggy has adjusted very well to being home and is loving having peaceful cozy time with her family!  We will update as time goes but the big joy is that grandma Turtle is coming to meet the grand kids!  How lucky we all are!

Driving Peggy home Laura observed once again this week's message at the local church-  A message we can only just begin to comprehend as our family has multiplied and been cared for by endless resources offered by the hospital staff and all of the beloved community preparing to know our three wonders.  Miracles!

Love the MacNorlin clan

John is home! The babies are 7 weeks old!

John came home Monday, July 28th 2014 (That happens to be the birthday of Laura's brother Tony! John's look a lot like Uncle Tony did as an infant...WOW!)

This morning at 5am Mommy Laura took over for the boys early feedings, after Hannah covered 11pm to 5am (thanks momma H).  Here's the view of our living room...complete with the pediatric paperwork for John's first visit with his doctor this morning.  Get relaxed tea and coffee with a Mexican "little pig" hearty cookie are the fuel of the 2nd day home with John here with bro Charlie.  Of course love is the true fuel and motive. It is "our honor and our duty", as Hannah's family saying goes, to joyfully laugh, ooh and ah, and our way through each day!

Peggy is "by herself " at the NICU but that statement is actually a bit inaccurate. Her brothers are not with her there anymore but she is there with her team of incredible staff at Emory university hospital midtown who have come to cherish and love Peggy over he last seven weeks.  Plus, our F(f)riend Lewis, John's Quaker God father and special friend to all three, has dedicate himself to holding Peggy in the light, and for feeding and burping time which for Peggy helps incredibly with the reflux issues she faces and helps transform her into "Peaceful Peggy".  Lewis has special admittance and is able to visit when we are not there.  Friend Becca can also visit without us, and she has been able to visit the NICU and practice feeding and giving care to the babies for the last weeks.  We are paying Becca to help us at home a few days a week as a kind of "postpartum doula" for our first months together and our family leave time which has officially begun for both moms.

We are waiting for the shipment of a special wedge pillow for Peggy which will be necessary to help alleviate her reflux once home. The hospital bed cranks to a 30 degree angle but no such luxury at home.  Today we consult with the hospital special care nursery team to determine her coming home projected date. Hopeful she will make it home before their due date- August 3rd, 2014. 

Love from the cozy couch and our fabulous fam!

Laura, Hannah, Charlie, John and Peggy (hopefully pictured here in the next posting !?!!)

 

 John- our beloved baby B!

 John feeds while Charlie gets a few more zzzzz and until his tummy rumbles wake him up!

 Brothers!

 Let the 5 am feeding begin!

 Calming tea helps prepare Laura for a big day...as does a little coffee and pan dulce...

 Bedtime with Peggy and Laura at the NICU- with our favorite books including Laura's More More More Said the Baby standard board book fav and new favorite poem about a cow (who makes LOTS of milk just like mommy ;)

 

Home is where the heart...and where Charlie is now!

Charlie is home and had a great first 24 hours and an awesome visit with his pediatrician today!  It has been beautiful!  Last night was full of laughter, wows, wonder and comfort to be in our little blue abode with at least one of our babies.  Peggy and John may be home this weekend for now are at the NICU practicing eating and napping.  We are very hopeful that the whole fam be home in the near future and we know your thoughts go a long way.  Thanks to all friends and family who have had us in your thoughts and had ALL our backs over these months!

(Pictures in reverse order: The 1st pics are of Charlie arriving home and ending and the last pics are of the babies at the NICU with Charlie rooming in with Laura to practice time without nursing assistance and to simulate parental care outside the hospital.)

Love, 

Laura Hannah and Charlie on LaRose street.

Big babies!

Charlie and John in duck outfits

   The babies are getting bigger every day!  

Charlie- 6lbs, 4 oz

John- 6lbs, 1 oz

Peggy- 5lbs 11 oz

They're doing great with their feeds, so much so that John especially gets mad when he doesn't get his bottle or doesn't get it fast enough.  We jokingly call him Hungry Hungry John.

As they get closer to taking all 8 feeds from breast or bottle we're working on patience, since it can be exhausting for them.  This means that they have to take breaks from the bottle feeding, and we won't start the getting ready to prepare to go home process until they can take all 8 feeds without getting too tuckered out from them.  

Peggy is doing better with the reflux, although she definitely prefers to be held upright for awhile after she eats.  

Laura's doing an amazing job keeping them supplied with fresh milk everyday, even though it means constant pumping and eating.  Hannah thinks that Laura might be more hungry now than when she was pregnant with the babies!  The milk and extra calories in the fortifier seem to be doing the trick, though. The babies gain weight pretty much everyday.

John

They are on breast milk with fortifier, which makes it 24 calories per ounce.  Plain milk is 20 calories per ounce.  Once it's time to start thinking about planning to come home, they will get switched to 22 calorie fortifier because that's a formula that it will be easier for us to get and add to the pumped milk at home.  It's the best of all worlds- they get all the benefits of breast milk plus some extra caloriees!

                           Charlie

Peggy