boo....bOO...BOO!!!! October 2009

I know I'm late putting these up...but Brylee looks so cute and is changing so quickly I couldn't just skip our October pics - lol! =) 
October 3, 2009 Brylee's first pumpkin hunting experience! =)

October 1, Brylee ready to go eat lunch with me and my friend Michelle.  She's not so sure about this outfit I put her in =).

Ok, I guess I like it a little better...

Cutey pie... strapped in and ready to go!

October 3, ready to go pick out Brylee's first pumpkin =)

haha, looking kind of forced to sit by the pumpkins =)

Ok, she's over it ... but check out her cute candy corn pants =)

The little ones are more Brylee's size

I know I already put up a Texas blog...but I had to put up this pic again from the trip... just b/c it's my favorite and we went at the beginning of October

Loves some bath time

Hey little Blue Eyes... the only thing about she got from me! =)

Play time

Almost 5 months old!

Loves her rubber duckies in the tub

Her ducky pj's with her favorite luvie... DUCKY (still goes with us EVERYWHERE!) =)

Playing with my little 5 MONTH OLD! =)

A cute hat daddy bought her

A Happy Halloween cake I made on accident.  I was throwing Steph a baby shower for the triplets in Berne, when a day before Brylee and I were leaving, Brylee came down with Swine Flu.  So...I had already made Steph's cake (just not decorated it yet)... so it went from a Baby Shower Jack in the Box cake, to a Happy Halloween cake for Sam to take to work!

So Cute It's Scary

My little lamb =)

Brylee with cousins...a hunter, geenie, gypsy, and hippie

Love this picture...

Brylee looking greatful that Aunt Janet let her get rid of the hood

Brylee and Grandma

Cute face Brylee.... but boo to the Gators playing on TV behind you =)

Wrestling with daddy

Brylee with her Great Grandparents!

The facts will come out at trial....

http://fortwaynehomepage.net/fulltext/?watch=1&nxd_id=20874

3 Little Babies!!!

Ok, so I actually wrote the majority of this post two weeks ago.  I am now finally getting the chance to add pics of the babies, etc...  I know - such a slacker! =)
Saturday, January 23, 2009
        So, Thursday night Sam and I had one crazy evening.  He was on his way home from work and got a flat tire less than a mile from where we live.  Luckily, he was able to park the car in the fire station parking lot, call me, and I came to pick up Sam and a co-worker riding along with him.  You would think that since we parked a car in the driveway of a fire department building that the firemen (that would occassionally stand and look out the window at us) would come out and help us change the tire IN THE RAIN, IN THE COLD, IN THE DARK, WITH AN 8 MONTH OLD ALONG...when we were literally out there FOR HOURS..... But nope... not one of our community servants came out to offer any assistance at all.  Sooooo tempted to write a "Letter to the Editor!" =)
        But... the only reason I mention that part of the evening, though, is because I believe it's the VERY REASON I did not notice Steph was having contractions that night.  Sam, Brylee, and I didn't get back to our place until after 10 p.m....and then we were wet, exhausted, had a hungry Brylee, etc... so I immediately started getting ready for bed and feeding Brylee.  I sat out on the livingroom couch and talked to Steph until about 11 p.m. (when Brylee got done eating and fell asleep), and then was like "Ok, I'll see you in the morning."  NOW, I did think right before I fell asleep, that it was extremely odd that Steph wasn't in bed yet.  But, then I figured she just was winding down too, and going to go to bed soon. 
         Well, at 12:30 a.m. I am woken up.  Not by Brylee, not by Addy, and not by Sam.... but by Steph standing over me telling me she's having contractions regularly 6 minutes apart and do I think we should go to the hospital?  I'm like YES, I think we should go!!!  So, she tells me she'd been having contractions since 9 p.m. but she didn't want to tell me and have me take her earlier if they weren't the "real" thing, b/c she hated that medicine they had given her to stop contractions last time.  That medicine had made her feel terrible, and if it made her feel so bad, how did it affect the babies?  Anyways, we head to the hospital, and get Steph checked in around 1:40 in the morning. 
         Steph tells Zach she's at the hospital, but she doesn't want him to leave Madison unless they are taking the babies, so we wait for a doctor to see her.  Well, once the doctor on duty comes in and checks Steph (she was already SIX CENTIMETERS), she called Steph's doctor, and he said they needed to get her ready for a C-section immediately.  Steph calls Zach and tells him to leave.  I walk out in the lobby to call our mom, and already there are all these people in surgical gear ready to go.  They are coming in Steph's room, giving her information about the neonatal unit, information about the surgery, taking her blood, and telling her as soon as Dr. Tabb gets here its "go time!" 
         So, I had always joked with Zach about me being in the delivery room if he couldn't make it on time.... BUT I had never thought that could actually potentially happen!  Dr. Tabb gets to the hospital 20 minutes later, everyone is ready to go...and Steph calls Zach and he's just now leaving Madison.  In Steph's previous phone call, she hadn't made it sound urgent b/c she didn't want to risk Zach driving dangerously, etc..
        Long story short, they were able to wait on Zach to get there to take the babies.  Literally, the minute he got in the room, they were putting surgery scrubs on him and wheeling Steph back there.  I think it was good though, because Steph was able to concentrate on Zach getting there instead of the impending surgery.  So Zach ended up being more nervous than she was! =) We are all so thankful everything went great with the C-section and Steph and Zach have three healthy, adorable babies!  Thanks for all the prayers!

Andrew Benjamin (after Zach's brother) 3 lbs. 14 oz.

Mikayla Lyn 4lbs 2 oz (Lyn is my dad's, my Aunt Janet's, and my middle name as well)

Savannah Nicole 3 lbs. 9 oz (Nicole is Steph's middle name)

      Anyways, the babies are sooo sweet, but I've been scared to touch them! =)  They are just so tiny, I don't want to risk hurting them in anyway.  Actually, this past week, I've just had to drop Steph off at the hospital and come back and pick her up, b/c I've had a cold so I haven't been able to go in to see them. =(  Addy and Brylee have been passing colds back and forth.. lol, and I guess I've picked it up from one of them. 

      Right now, the nurses aren't talking about a "send home" date for the babies yet... but Steph was originally told to expect somewhere around their original due date, March 10! 

32 Week Triplet Update

Happy Birthday Stephie!!! And as long as she doesn't go into labor in the next four hours, the triplets will not be born on her birthday =).  And look at the picture of her... she looks great!  I would never guess there were THREE babies in there!
Speaking of the sweet babies, here's an update!
     Brylee and I went to Madison on Tuesday to help Steph with her bedrest, etc... and after her week 32 doctor's appointment on Wednesday afternoon, I talked her and Addy into coming back to Louisville with us.
      Now Addy and Steph are staying with Sam and I in Louisville until the triplets come, which is MUCH SAFER for Steph and the babies than staying in Madison.  I think the drive to Louisville was kind of hard on Steph, but she is glad that the next time she makes that trip she won't be prego! =)
       Steph and the babies are doing great.  Steph is still on oral medicine to stop the contractions...and is not thrilled about bedrest (she is at the stage where she is EXTREMELY uncomfortable), but really excited about the possibility of making it to week 34 (full term for triplets).  She's only had three contractions since she has been with us in Louisville.
      As for Brylee and Addy... I can't tell you the number of times a day we hear Addy, in her cute little voice, yell "Baby Brylee".  Lol, I think that is her new favorite phrase.  Addy is continually waiting for Brylee to respond with an "Addy" or "hello"... but not being able to talk yet, Brylee just smiles. The first night Brylee and I stayed in Madison, Addy would take the bumbo seat and put her bear in there so Brylee couldn't sit in it (Addy didn't want to share with Baby Brylee).  Now when Brylee is in her exersaucer at our place, Addy brings over Brylee's bumbo seat and actually WANTS to sit by Brylee.  I think the girls like each other -- everything Addy does makes Brylee laugh. =)
      As for Sam, Addy used to be terrified of him, and now.... well, she chases him when he gets home from work.  She loves some wrestle time with Uncle Sammy.  Anyways, things are going well.... I know Steph has really really really appreciated everyone's prayers and support!  We'll update everyone again after her appointment this Friday. 

Ha... How fitting!

http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/schrager-lane-kiffin-flees-tennessee-for-USC-011210

Triplet Update

Ahhhh, so I can't sleep, I'm just too nervous/anxious...so here's an update on my sister & her sweet little babies.  Steph is 31 weeks prego and she had an appointment in downtown Louisville on Friday.  The specialist had told her to have her bags packed, b/c there was a strong possibility he was going to be telling her to stay with Sam and I in Louisville until she has the babies (or gets put on bedrest in the hospital).  Well, he checked her at her appointment on Friday and said things looked great.  So he said he didn't need to see her back for two weeks, and that she could stay in Madison until her next appointment. 
We were all surprised Steph wasn't supposed to stay in Louisville, but were happy that she had received a great report from the specialist. 
Well, anyways, yesterday afternoon Steph starts spotting.  So her and Zack head over to the hospital in Madison, and her contractions begin and are 7 minutes to 4 minutes apart.  So the hospital gives her water in an IV in case she is having contractions because of dehydration.  Well, after 20 minutes of water, her contractions haven't stopped and have actually increased to being pretty consistant at 4 minutes apart.  So they give her medicine to slow them down, and she stays the night in Madison at the hospital.
Right now, here are everyone's big concerns.  Steph is on two drugs to stop her contractions, but every time she moves the contractions start up again.  If she stays still they quit.  Well, right now, she is still in Madison, which is a small country hospital and about an hour and a half from downtown Louisville.  The hospital in Madison doesn't have a lot of experience with multiple birth C-sections, and also doesn't have a neonatal unit to take care of the triplets.  So if she delivers there, it's a lot more risky for Steph and the babies.  They all would have to be transported to Louisville after delivery.  So right now, they want to transfer Steph by EMS to Louisville, but she can't go into labor while on the road (which is VERY COUNTRY), b/c a C-section with premie babies in the middle of nowhere would be very dangerous as well. 
I just talked with Steph, and they aren't letting her eat in case they do an emergency C-section this morning.  She seems positive but is hating the feeling of being "drugged," and is ready to head over to Louisville, but is waiting for the shift change (the new doctor starts at 8:00 a.m. and he will make the final call).  Anyways, we're all praying that the transfer to Louisville goes smoothly and for a healthy mom and 3 healthy babies!
9:00 A.M. UPDATE: Talked with Zach this time.  The morning doctor decided that Steph is staying in the Madison hospital until noon.  Her contractions have completely stopped, so they are taking her off the IV medicines and monitoring her for the next three hours to see if they start back up again.  If the contractions do not start up again, then they are sending her home and she is to stay on strict bedrest and to continue to take oral medicine. They think a trip to Louisville today would be too much for her and potentially send her into labor.  But if by noon her contractions have started up again, they will have no choice but to send her to Louisville.
3:30 P.M. UPDATE:  I just talked to my sister, and she is still in the hospital.  She hasn't had anymore contractions, which has been wonderful...and so they finally let her eat at noon today and lay on her side.  The triplets have been having a little party in there, they are doing just fine.  If she doesn't have anymore contractions, they are letting her go home today at 5:00 p.m. and keeping her on the oral medicine.  She is on strict bedrest, and then in the next few days will figure out if she can make the trip to Louisville or not, once she's talked to her specialist again.  She is really really appreciative and thankful for all of the prayers!

"Don't Mess With TEXAS!"

Ok, sooooo I had to make that the title of this blog just to mess with Sammy! =)  Sam and I have a tradition of buying a magnet everytime we visit a new state together,  and while we were in Texas, I thought the "Don't Mess with Texas" magnet would be a good one.  Sam was like Brooke.... we can't get that magnet --I feel like it should be "Don't Mess with Tennessee!"  I thought it was funny, but he let me know I was just jealous that Indiana would never be a state that would have a magnet about people "messing" with it.  Haha, oh the rivalry between the north and south still lives - jokingly, in our household at least. 

But anyways, so... we went to Texas at the beginning of October and had a great time!  We jam packed as much as we could into our four day trip... and the picture above is my ALL TIME FAVORITE picture of me and Brylee.  This was Brylee's first time touching the ocean, and I LOVE this photo.... she just looks so small and little.  Sam says his photography skills were professional in that one.  =)

What to pack.... Brylee watching as I make a mess of her clothes

At the airport in Cincinnatti... Brylee ready for her first plane ride.  Cincy had a direct flight to Houston, which was really nice since we were traveling with a 4 month old =).

Getting ready for take off

And this is how Brylee spent the majority of the flight... the most comfortable passenger on the plane by far!

All of our first times to Texas!

Driving from the airport to downtown Houston

Brylee ready to go see the ocean for the first time

Family picture in Galveston, TX at the ocean... it was freezing that day, we weren't dressed for the weather

Cutest lifeguards I've ever seen =)

Brylee is trying to check for swimmers... daddy isn't

Sam and Brylee at Kemah Boardwalk

My two favorite jailbirds...I believe Brylee was arrested for being TOO CUTE =)

TEXAS

Next stop was NASA space center for the tour of NASA

Mission Control:  "Houston we have a problem"

This is it... the room the astronauts do most of their training

Rockets

After the NASA tour, Sam and I decided to try out some of the things around space camp

Haha, we thought this one was for adults... no, the guy was pretty much like "C'mon little guy you can do it..." like Sam was a 3 year old!

So mad I didn't get this shirt!

Me landing a space ship on the moon....

Sam tried next, and of course he finished faster =)

Sam touring a shuttle

After a busy day, Brylee back at our hotel cuddling with monkey

Best little traveler EVER! =)

Getting ready in the morning... Brylee is checking herself out in the mirror =)

Downtown Houston.... best Mexican fusion food ever!

Brylee got to eat too =)

NBA Rockets game

Who's hand is bigger?  Brylee or Tracy McGrady?

I think his size 16 foot is larger than Brylee's too =)

After the Rockets game.... Brylee and Sammy

Playing before we pack up to head back to Louisville in the morning