8 months old, 5 months adjusted age

It is so amazing that the boys are now 8 months old.  They are doing so fantastic.  They are very interactive now... they love to laugh and play.  Its so fun to put them all together and then see how they play together. Dylan loves his pacifier while the other two don't and Matthew one day just reached over and very decisively grabbed the pacifier out of Dylan's mouth. Guy and I are both working and we are so lucky to have my mother living with us during this time helping take care of them. We couldn't do this without her. We have Bekah also helping alot and she is wonderful with the boys.  We have quite an assembly line for bottle washing, sterilization, making new bottles - each has their own recipe.  We are doing everything we can to give these boys a great first year and to keep them infection and illness free. 

Dylan is now eating cereal not once but two times a day.  He loves it.  He has really started to grow in the last week.  He is still very social and just has the most happy hug-able personality.  He loves people and he loves his brothers.  He loves to look at them and often reaches over and grabs their hands.  

Hunter is going to be my wild man.  He is full of life... he can roll over in a blink of an eye and is really good at scooting.  He's starting to eat cereal and he's doing well. He hasn't had the 'aha' moment that Dylan has had where he just realized I need to chomp this down but he likes it.  

Matthew is catching up to his brothers.  He's cleared for doing all normal stuff like rolling over, picking him up under his arm pits.  He has the face of an angel.  He has the sweetest smile and he gives you a serious look.  He is one that looks at Everything!  He doesn't want to miss out on anything so he looks around checking the TV, people walking by, the dogs.  He is still not a great bottle feeder but he's doing well and doesn't have a feeding tube anymore.  Yeah!  He's been through so much it really confused him at times going between tube and bottle feeding especially after going through heart surgery and having limited mobility for a number of weeks.  I call him my little angel.  he's doing well on growth. He's smaller than his brothers but he's not that far behind. he's about 11 pounds now, 

Thank you for your prayers and for everyone's love and support.  I can't wait until next summer when we can do more traveling and showing off of these amazing little men.  

Dear Family and Friends, 

We’re writing regarding a very important matter: RSV. For those of you who 

plan to visit us over the next few months, and even if you are not, please take 

a few minutes to read this letter.  

We want to start by saying thank you for the outpouring of support we have 

received from everyone. So many people have done so much for us, and 

every bit of help we have received truly is appreciated. We are experiencing 

the biggest challenge of our lives, and we’re lucky to be surrounded by so 

many family members and friends who have shown us so much love and support.  

We’d also like to share an important topic that we recently discussed with our babies’ pediatrician. If you are not aware of RSV, respiratory syncytial virus, you are among the majority. Most people have not heard of RSV, even though nearly every child has had the virus by age two. For full-term babies, RSV typically is not any worse than a common cold, but for preemies, the virus can be quite different. Babies born earlier than 36 weeks are at the highest risk for serious complications like pneumonia, bronchiolitis, and other sometimes fatal complications. Our babies were born premature, are multiples, and had low birth weights; these are among the highest risk factors for contracting RSV and developing serious complications. This website offers a great visual comparison of a preemie’s lungs compared to the lungs of a full-term baby:

http://www.preemiecare.org/LungsTrees03-4.pdf 

Preventing the spread of RSV is very difficult. Thus, we must be vigilant about keeping our children safe during RSV season (October through April). The virus is spread through physical contact, in the air via a cough or sneeze, or by touching an infected object. The virus can live as long as six hours on hands and up to twelve hours on objects, and it spreads very easily, especially from child to child. Studies have also shown that infants pose an even higher risk of spreading RSV to others.  

You may ask, “Can’t they fight it off and build up their immune system? Kids need to get sick, right?” The simple answer is NO. Since our babies were pre-term, they did not acquire the necessary immunities to fight off infection. If they contract RSV, they could be hospitalized and develop serious complications.   

7 months and the boys are on the road to catch up from being premature.  We are now in flu season so for the next 6 months we have to be so very careful not to expose them to any illness.  So, please be patient with us and understand we just can't have alot of visitors during this period.  

They have come a long way from when they were born!

Dylan  (born 2 pounds 2 oz)

• Length 24 3/4 inches
  
• Weights 12 pounds 1 oz
  
• Head circumference: 16.5
  

Hunter (born 2 pounds)

• Length 23.5 inches
  
• Weight 11 pounds 5 oz
  
• Head Circ.  16 
  

Matthew (born 1 pound 12 oz)

• Length 23 inches
  
• Weight 10 pounds 6 oz
  
• Head Circ 16 
  

Hurricane Ike hit Houston this weekend.  Guy and I evacuated to our farm in Austin but Matthew was still recovering and had to stay at Texas Children's.  They took exceptionally good care of him and he had his own baby sitter.  The stories he will have to tell.  Not only did he have heart surgery at  6 months he also made it through a hurricane!  Hunter and Dylan enjoyed Austin. THey actually started sleeping through the night which we are SO excited about.  We even took them with us to a restaurant. It was our first 'outing' with them.  They were very well behaved.  We are supposed to not take them out much and expose them to people now that flu season is starting so we were extra careful and kept people away and had the alcohol out for our hands every 5 minutes it seemed to be safe. 

Houston was a mess the last few days so we just came home on Wed Sept 17th.  Electricity is still out in many parts of the city so people are going made buying gas and food.  We had a great time in Austin while all this was going on.  =-)

Matthew as all smiles going into heart surgery today.  He is having open heart surgery to correct his ductus (PDA), VSD, and narrowing of the aorta.  The VSD is the primary issue since it is moderate in size and it is shunting too much blood to the lungs which is preventing them from healing well. 

Matthew has been home since early August and has been doing fantastic.. he's on low oxygen support going into surgery (1/4 liter).  So, the xrays say his lungs are still damaged but clinically he is doing better now with his breathing than when he was in the NICU. 

We are so lucky to have Texas Children's Hospital which has some of the best surgeons, doctors, and nurses in the world.  That with all the prayers and love that are being sent his way, I know today will go well.

Hunter and Dylan are continuing to do well. Hunter is off oxygen and eating more than Dylan as if he want's to overtake his brother in size.  Dylan is done with his feeding issues and he is eating perfectly. 

All three boys are growing well.  Dylan is 11 pounds 2 oz, Hunter is 10 pounds 2 oz, and Matthew is 8 pounds 8 oz. 

Matthew had a procedure done - Pulmonary Hypertension Study.  We had hoped that during the procedure, Dr. Ing could close his PDA (hole).  Unfortunately Matthew's heart situation is a bit complex.  He has a slight narrow section in his aorta right across from the PDA. THe PDA is also very very small which is good.  The added complication is that he has a moderate sized VSD (hold).  So, we got lots of good information to help us prepare for the next steps which will be open heart surgery.  Matthew is doing well and will be coming home today (8/28) from the hospital. 

The surgery will most likely be in the next 1-2 weeks.  We are told to expect a rough week afterwards.  We have been through this with Hunter who had a minor heart procedure done... he also had Pulmonary Hypertension and basically the heart has to learn to work a new way and the lungs are still damaged from being on so much oxygen support.  So.... please keep Matthew in your prayers and thoughts.   It will be hard to go through this again BUT on a positive note, once corrected he will be in perfect shape and can catch up with his brothers.  He will be able to then get off of oxygen support and his lungs will heal perfectly by the age of 2.

Dylan and Hunter are doing marvelously.  Dylan is a perfect eater now... and he is such a happy baby. He just loves to smile and be with people.  He even loves to hang out with his brothers.  Hunter is doing fine on no oxygen support.  We still leave him on the oxygen saturation monitor just in case but he has been off of oxygen for almost 3 weeks and he's doing perfect.  He's now eating more than Dylan and making a run to pass him up on size!  Hunter is intense and also likes to smile at you. He is so cute - he doesn't laugh out loud but when he giggles he moves his shoulders up and down.  It's so cute.

All three boys seem very bright and intelligent... Matthew has a serious intelligence.  He looks at you deep in the eyes and follows you with his eyes.  He's a great little baby. He also is smiling.  He even watches videos on Guy's new iphone.  It's pretty remarkable. 

This week we started working with ECI - Project Tyke.  What an awesome program!  They are an Early Childhood Intervention program that comes to your house and works with you child to help with their development.  The do this service for premature babies to help them catch up to their age group. 

I just wanted to provide a quick update.  We love having triplets! 

Matthew is scheduled to come home on Monday!  Guy's parents arrive from South Africa so they can be here for the last Hodgson triplet to leave the NICU and come home.  We have enjoyed our time in the NICU - we feel so blessed to have gotten such incredible doctors and nurses that have been such a huge part in getting these boys to where they are today.  Matthew is coming home on oxygen and will need heart surgery and hernia surgery but is doing fantastic.  It looks like Matthew will have reddish brown hair and blue or green eyes. 

Hunter had his pulmonary (lung) test yesterday.  It was 4 hours and he averaged 93% oxygen saturation which is great!  He only desaturated 6 times which is very very good. So, he's now cleared to have time during the day without oxygen support.  Yeah!  While we were at Texas Children's we took him over to the NICU and his nurses came out to see him!  It was great fun... he was asleep the whole time though.  Hunter is very happy these days.  We were cleared to not fluid restrict him as much so he's much happier with a full tummy.  It looks like he will have lighter colored hair and blue or green eyes.

Dylan is doing great.  We are so proud that we have had a busy week with him.  He's been off the feeding tube and we have switched to 2 hour feedings to help him get enough food. He doesn't like to eat big bottles so is seems to e working well for him.  The good news is that he doesn't spit up nearly as much now that the feeding tube is out.  Dylan is just a gorgeous baby... he's quite the charmer and has the loudest scream!  It looks like Dylan will have brown hair and brown eyes.  He has the best eyelashes I've ever seen.  He must have gotten my black, long eyelashes.... they are gorgeous. 

These boys are such a miracle... we are so happy to have them and that they are doing so fantastic!  We wish we could share them with all our friends but since they were 26 weekers teh doctors have adviced us and keep reminding us that we need to keep them pretty isolated the first year for they will not have strong immune systems. So please understand that we wish we could show them off and have everyone come over and hug them and hold them but it just will be too risky... So, be patient!

The boys continue to do well.  We have Dylan and Hunter at home. Last week, Dylan weighed 8 pounds last tuesday and Hunter weighed 7 pounds 3 oz.  Matthew weighs 7 pounds 2 oz.  The boys are 4 months old but their 'adjusted' age is 6 weeks.   So, they are developmently like a 6 week old.  You have to judge preemies from their due date not their actual birthdate for the first year.  They eventually catch up developmentally but some of the growing they were supposed to do in the uterus happened after they were born but before their due date.  We are so fortunate -- all three boys are beautiful and healthy considering what could have happened with 26 week premature boys.  Their eyesight is in good condition and they all passed their hearing tests.  Yeah!

Dylan is still on the feeding tube but is eating his bottles well although he isn't eating all by bottle.  Dylan has a very cuddly personality.  I wish he was not requiring a feeding tube at all because he has the most beautiful face that is covered up with tape for the feeding tube.  He is starting to really focus on looking at people in the eyes and holding his head up. He's become so much more interactive since he has come home where in the NICU he used to just love to sleep.

Hunter is on oxygen but we have gotten used to the sound of the machine in the living room and the tubing running through our house.  He's doing really well and we see that he is doing well on very low oxygen support.  He has an appointment in two weeks with his Pulmonary specialist to evaluate how his lungs are healing.   Hunter has the most intense personality of the three.  He absolutely will not tolerate a dirty diaper (can you blame him).... and he is always seeming to be hungry. haha. 

Matthew is still doing well and is very ...but still in the NICU Level 2. We wish he could be home with us but they have to make sure his blood gas numbers are stable. Guy has been visiting him every day and I get to go every few days.  I wish I could go every day but with 2 at home and I'm working part time as well... Guy is being point person for Matthew at the moment.  Matthew still has a VSD and PDA in his heart.  He's growing and he has a great personality. He's happy and doesn't create alot of fuss.  He seems the most easy going of the three.