NICU Update [Day 5]

Disclaimer: This post contains *SO MANY FREAKIN' PICTURES* because needless to say I am addicted to my children.
Guaranteed it's already embarrassing to them.
Got to keep the in-check with all these nurses giving them what they want and need all the time, right?

Recovery has been kind to all 4 of the babies and me, so we are currently *ROCKING* this game so far.  I have succumbed to the needs and wants of the pumping goddess, which I'm taking as a practice for the routine formation that will eventually take over our household.

The babies are all fluctuating in their weight daily, but the doctors have not been worried in the least, so we are not breaking a sweat.  I'll give updates on each individual baby in the upcoming days and weeks -- which is requiring a lot out of my pregnancy-transitioning-to-mommy-brain!

For those that need an object-reference to understand their size, here is a comparison between the quadruplet's micro-preemie diapers to Elsie's size 5 diapers:

Yes, Elsie is a 95th percentile monster toddler.  When random people ask how old she is I always get the "brows" in response.

Anyways, enough about our ginormous 1st born.

Erich and I have been floating in-and-out of the NICU unit for baby snuggles, updates, and generally getting our fill of our 2nd-5th born.  The babes are arranged with the boys in one room and girls in the other -- according to birth order, not sex segregation.  I had to ask because at first, I was like...

...but now I'm like...

I officially dub this "Battle of the Sexes: NICU Edition" -- right?  The opportunity is too hard to pass up!

So, let's check out the competitors, a.k.a. our *ADORBS* babies!

Quad A: Virgil Erich

[1st Cuddles] Day 2*

Day 3

Day 4: On Bilirubin Lights**

Day 5: NAKED FACE!  He's officially running on blended room air and the nasal cannula when needed and is on an upswing in weight!  It was said that Virgil looks like Erich in this photo.  I just think he looks like old man...

Quad B: Ruby Bridget

[1st Cuddles] Day 2

Day 3: I was having a rough time with my irrational fear of IV lines after having to be poked multiple times to get a good line -- not due to the nurses, but due to my body betraying me -- and Ruby came to the rescue!  I mean...it's the quickest way for your insides to become outsides in my mind.  Notice: I already admitted it was irrational.  Thank goodness Ruby was willing to take one for the team!

Day 4: On Bilirubin Lights

Day 5: Ruby had been struggling a bit with spitting up after eating and, more specifically, it was green due to bile.  So, they had been holding her off from moving up in calories and volume.  BUT homegirl held it together overnight and was able to move up in calories today!  The girls moved down their SiPAP levels and should be able to move to blended air soon!

Quad C: Jax Aaron

[First Cuddles] Day 2

Day 3: I forced Erich into changing a diaper.  Chances are that the babes will be done with "tar poops" by the time they come home, so I didn't want him to miss out!

Day 4: On Bilirubin Lights

Day 5: Same story as Virgil, except he is still the largest!

Quad D: Kit Jessalyn

[First Cuddles] Day 2

Day 3: I might need to point out that Erich spent my entire hospital stay bedside.  Do with this information what you must, but I thought it might help process this picture...

Kit later went under bilirubin lights, but it doesn't look like she hated them...

Day 4: Kit was the only one not under bilirubin lights, so her and I got some sweet cuddle time.  Don't you just want to put this little nugget in your pocket?  I mean...COME. ON.

Day 5: Kit is still sporting the SiPAP with Ruby, but she has been eating like a CHAMPION -- she gained a whopping 50 grams in 24-hours!  Our tiny, mighty lady is rocking it.

I'll try to be more on top of posting updates during this crazy experience!  I'm currently working on my 5th baby, a.k.a. pumping, too.  For those that have been through this, you know that the time you put in is totally worth it for your babies...but...

*Before I was discharged (recovering) and when we are running on limited time, we try to arrange for one of us to hold one of each sex - then switch the next day.  It's like a coordinated trade-off to banish any thoughts of favoritism!

**Yes, we can hold them...but we try to give them all the light we can, instead of messing with their treatment.