A lot to be thankful for...

This past year has been the best but the worst at the same time through it all we have so much to be thankful for. I thought Thanksgiving week was the perfect time to list all we are thankful for.

We are thankful for our four beautiful, amazing babies. They are so much work but bring us so much joy at the same time. It is amazing how someone so little can take up so much room in your heart. Never in a million years did we imagine we would be parents to four perfect children but we are so grateful we have been chosen to be their parents.

We are thankful for the terrific doctors we have had through this whole time. Dr. Mahutte for making our dreams of parenthood come true, never have we met such a caring, down to earth doctor. Dr. Acker for getting us safely to the finish line, even checking in with me while he was on vacation with his family. Drs. Palmeri and Gautier for getting Ben through his chemo and hopefully into remission(we will know in two weeks).

The fabulous nurses of the NICU, especially Corinne, Doreen, Mindy, Julie and Karen for taking such wonderful care of our little miracles. As much as we would have rather had them home in our arms they were in such great care.

We are thankful for my mom who has spent countless nights with us both while I was in the hospital and since the babies have been born. We are so glad she was there to witness the birth of our four little miracles.

We are thankful for Tom and Kate who are hear almost everyday helping feed the babies and get them ready for bed. For all the work in getting the nursery together and ready for the babies. Kate has spent many nights with us and drove us home to surprise Ben when the final of the four was released. The babies will have a special bond with them forever!

We are thankful for my dad who spends one night a week here with us to help give Ben and I a little more sleep at night. A rested mom and dad make happier babies!

We are thankful for our friends who brought meals, cleaned our home, redecorated our bedroom, made donations and anything else I am forgetting!

The St. Cyrs who help out often, helping make the nursery perfect for the babies, taking all four of them next weekend for us to do our Christmas shopping and organizing meals for us to come home to.

The Styles for their help with the babies while I had appointments and when I needed a morning to sleep.

The Cantons for all their fundraising efforts and everything that was done to prepare for our homecoming.

Jackie for helping with the morning feedings so Ben can sleep in and get healthier. As well as helping with them all day long.

I am sure that we are forgetting someone, there have been so many people that have made an impact on us this year but know we appreciate everything everyone has done! I hope you all take sometime to reflect on all you are thankful for this year. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Sick babies!

I have to start by saying we have the most amazing babies! Since Monday they have been under the weather first with diarrhea and vomiting then with stuffy nose, runny eyes and horrible coughs. Through it all they have still been easy babies, a little extra cuddly and a bit fussy but no where near what I would have expected. Lucky for us they have still been sleeping well considering they are so stuffy. They even went 5 hours between bottles last night, it felt like we got a full nights sleep!

Despite it all they are growing well too Matthew weighed in at 9 lbs 2 oz, Brady 10 lbs 9 oz, Aubrey 7 lbs 5 oz and Cameron 8 lbs 2 oz. We had to fully stock the dresser and closet with 0-3 month stuff for Brady and Matthew! It is sad how quickly they are growing!

Cameron the big boy

We brought Cameron home in a car bed because he was unable to make it more than 6 minutes in his car seat without a dip in his heart rate that he wasn't able to self resolve so he has been riding in a car bed for the past 3 weeks. Today he had his repeat test and passed with flying colors so now he is in a regular infant seat! YAY!

This is going to make going everywhere so much easier we had been loading him into a stroller then back into the car bed all the time but now we can use both the snap and go's. Let me tell you those are the best inventions! Anyone with an infant should have one.

In other news we had made friends with another couple from NH while at the OB's this summer and they delivered their quads last Friday! CONGRATS GUYS! Keeping their little ones in your prayers while they are in the NICU growing stronger would be appreciated. I just know they are going to be little stars there too! :)

Christmas Photo Shoot

Today we brought the kids out to Santa's Village to have Charnee Buckley take some pictures for our Christmas card. I think she got several good shots of them even though they refused to wake up for any of our family pictures. Thank you Charnee for your patience and the great pictures! They looked so cute in their outfits that I have to share it with you all!
Matthew


Brady


Cameron


Aubrey

What a week

This week has been so busy for us! I started back to work and it went much better than I imagined it would. I missed the kids so much and it is amazing how much they have changed in the past 3 months.

Monday Aubrey had an eye exam at Dartmouth so her and I made the trip while Ben stayed at my mom's with the boys. It is easier to get one baby in and out of the car and stores than it is to get all four of them.

Wednesday Ben took the two big boys to his mom's for the afternoon while I went and got a pedicure and Tonya took the two little ones. It was nice to get out and have a little me time but I was ready to see my babies when I got home. Last night my mom and I took the four of them to Walmart to get some props for our photo shoot tomorrow. I hope they cooperate and we get a good picture for our Christmas cards.

Today was a big day for them we had the visiting nurse come this morning and then the neonatalogist came and gave them their Synergist shot. They all whimpered for a few seconds and then cuddles from Mom and Dad made it all better. They are getting so big! 8 weeks today and now that they made it to their due date they are proving that they have the eating and growing down pat...

Matthew 8 lbs 10 oz 20.25 inches long 14.5 inch head circumference

Brady 9 lbs 15 oz 20.5 inches long 15 inch head circumference

Aubrey 7 lbs 19 inches long 14.25 inch head circumference

Cameron 7 lbs 7 oz 19.5 inches long 14.25 inch head circumference

Picture Time

The four of them in the shirts Uncle Tom bought


The two little peanuts Cameron & Aubrey


Cameron & Brady striking the same pose


Matthew chilling out


Please no pictures


Brady wide awake

All done!

Ben had his last chemo treatment on Wednesday and we will know December 2nd if he is cancer free. We are all keeping our fingers crossed that this will be it for him. He is having a really hard time recovering this time so thankfully we have had some good friends and family staying with me and the babies while Ben stays at his moms getting some rest. When he is feeling better then we will be putting him on baby duty and I get to pick which ones he has that night! LOL!

All the babies are growing well and doing a great job following items with their eyes and turning towards voices that they recognize. They have been eating ever 3.5-4 hours during the day and going 4 hours at a time during the night. It is amazing what a difference an extra hour of sleep makes! Brady and Cameron are the easiest to put to bed, Brady falls right to sleep and Cameron looks around until he gets sleepy but doesn't usually make a peep. Matthew is getting better about bedtime now that his bassinet is right next to my bed. He fusses a little but not as bad as before. Aubrey hates going to bed. She whines and tries to let out some cries every night for about on hour before giving in.

They are all still growing well and Brady and Matthew went down to 20 calorie formula instead of the 24 so I decided to put their initial on their bottles because they are having different amounts and mixtures. Brady is up to 9 lbs 1 oz, Matthew 7 lbs 13 oz, Cameron 6 lbs 9 oz and Aubrey 6 lbs 3 oz.

Aubrey goes Monday for her eye exam, which with any luck will be her last one. It is not fun for her and I hate hearing her cry like that and not be able to help her.

Happy Halloween!

Yesterday was the babies' first Halloween and we dressed them up in their Halloween onesies but we didn't go trick or treating with them. Ben was too worried about all the people and germs so we went to Tom and Kate's and got to see all the kids trick or treating from the warmth of their home. We can't wait for next year so they can dress up and join in on the fun.

We have been taking the babies out for a walk when it is warm enough to get them fresh air. The first day was a chore getting them all bundled up and loaded in the van but each time is getting a little easier. It will be a ton easier when Cameron is out of his car bed and into a regular seat so we can use the two snap and go strollers instead of having to take Aubrey and Cameron out of their seats and put them into the jogger and then back into their car seats after we are done.

Ben has his last chemo treatment this week so the babies and I will be having overnight guests staying to help out while Ben is recovering. I think they enjoy all the extra attention they get when someone new is here. Ben and I are able to tune out all of their grunts and groans all night long but other people have a harder time since they are not used to hearing it all night long so the babies are getting checked on constantly when someone else is here.

Happy Halloween!


Cameron and Aubrey


Matthew and Brady


Matthew and Aubrey


Cameron and Matthew


The four of them hanging out with Brady being a grump!