TEAM BABIES::BEHIND THE NAME

I love when there is meaning behind the name.

Olivia Laurel Dabo, Laurel is my Mother's name.

Andrew Boyd Dabo, Boyd is my Father's middle name.

Alexander Tyler Dabo, named after his Dad, Tyler.

Esther Nicole Dabo, Nicole is my middle name.

We would ask Kim and Curtis about names. They pretty much knew the boy's names but they were kind of wishy washy with what they would call the little girl. I knew they wanted to use Tyler and Kim's Mom's name so I thought they would use it in the middle. 

When the babies were born Kim and Curtis released to us what the baby's name would officially be!

BABY A- CRUZ TYRONE BROWN 
Curtis' middle name is Tyrone.

BABY B- KASH DABO BROWN 
Kim's Maiden and now middle name is Dabo.

BABY C- JULIE LYNN BROWN 
They surprised all of us with their decision (that they knew all along). Julie is Grandma's name and Lynn is my Maiden name!

I love my Maiden name so I was so happy! It's obviously a perfect middle name and of course my whole childhood, everyone thought my first name was Jamie Lynn. What is your name? Jamie Lynn. What's your last name? Lynn...Then a moment of confusion.

I ALWAYS wanted to use Lynn in one of my girl's names but it just never felt right or sounded right so I'm so excited baby Julie has taken the name! So incredibly special to me. I love all of their names!

TEAM BABIES::THE BOOBIES

I decided when I was pregnant with the Triplets I wanted them to have the same opportunities as every other baby. 

Remember when I said I do pregnant well? That was the whole reason I knew I could carry Kim and Curtis' baby for them without any problems. Which unexpectedly turned into 3 babies..... Well I have magic boobs too. 

I did nurse all 4 of my babies for a period of time. Ranging from Olivia, I only nursed her for 6 weeks because her reflux was so bad she wasn't gaining weight and needed a special formula. Then there's Esther that refused to ever take a bottle in her little life, forcing me to nurse for a very very long 10 months. 

But through all 4 kids I never experienced any problems. None. 

Sore this. Cracked and bleeding that. Mastitis. Pain. Never had any of it. It's a sunny walk in the park when I nurse or pump. And on top of that I'm one of those people that can pump 10 ounces at a time. I think they call that a cow. 

So why the heck wouldn't I pump for the triplets?

The pumping started the day they were born. Of course we hear the "gold" is the colostrum so we wanted to make sure they got that. The nurses said even if you can only get a drop, they would put it on a q-tip and swab it inside their mouths. Gold I tell ya. 

Here's my first pump of colostrum.

Then I started hearing that with a C-section your milk can sometimes not come in for like a week. I had never thought of that? Mine always came in while I was still in the hospital. Well this time was no different, it did come in while still in the hospital. 

And I was sent home with a hospital grade pump.

He's a he (for obvious reasons) and he's a beast. But he get's the job done and done fast.

Dairy Queen (that's me) runs are a daily thing at this house. Fresh is best. So Kim or Curtis or whoever come get the milk and take it to the babies.

These were the bottles early on.

Now we've moved onto the big boys, 10oz bottles.

Nothing makes me happier than to see the babies drinking my efforts. Keeps me a little connected for a moment longer...

BUT as I write this I've already started to wean... The babies bottles right now consist of half breast milk half formula, so their tummy's can get used to the formula. So the hospital has plenty of supply to get this family to California. Sad times for sure. Whether it be with my kids or the triplets it's always so hard to wean. It should be a joyous occasion but no matter what you always feel guilty. No worries though, I'll be over it in a couple of weeks or days.

So questions have been did I make more because there were three? And my answer is probably not. It's so different when there are no babies around you while you are pumping. Although Esther or babies at church would occasionally cause the let down it's just not the same. And I never was super aggressive with it knowing I was only doing it for a month. So I think it's been about the same. But I do have to say I know it's played a huge role in my fast recovery (my body blog post will come soon).

I'm so grateful I could do this for these babies even if it was short lived. Looking back it means a lot that I could give them the start to life they absolutely deserve.

TEAM BABIES::A SPECIAL MEETING

Curtis made it to Utah in record time that day. I just wanted to be there when he met his babies for the first time. So around 3pm I was wheeled back down to the NICU so I could wait for his arrival. There is really nothing like that moment. Whether it be while you are in the delivery room or later, it doesn't matter. It's so special. 

After Daddy held baby Cruz he handed him over to me. Melt my heart... It was such a long journey for all of us and finally we all had the reward in our arms.

Tyler was sure to bring me exactly what I needed that day as well. MY BABY! I knew she would play a critical part in this whole process and she still continues to make me the happiest Mama on a daily basis.

TEAM BABIES::MEETING THE TRIO

It wasn't long after surgery they rolled me and my giant bed down to the NICU so I could see what I had been growing for the last 7 months. I was actually really surprised, I thought I wouldn't be able to see them until way later when I was able to get into a wheelchair. It was definitely love at first sight but in a different way (more on that later). Many emotions were going through me but mainly I was just concerned for their health. I needed them all healthy.

.A.

 .B.

 .C.

TEAM BABIES::THE BIRTH STORY

I am not a wuss I promise.

The Triplets Birthday started at about 4:45 AM on Tuesday, April 9th. I got up to pee..... again and I remember thinking to myself I swear I just did this two minutes ago. Which wouldn't be uncommon at that point. I was getting up probably every hour every night. 

I went into the kid's bathroom this time because I remembered there was no toilet paper in ours. Leaving out all the unnecessary details I knew my water had broken. Remember I just went through this not even two years earlier. I woke up Tyler and told him the news. I think he said "yay, that's great!"

You see the few days and nights prior to this were rough. It was actually getting HARD to carry triplets and Tyler I know could sense this or maybe he was just listening when I would tell him this. Not being on any bed rest and my Dr. throwing out words like 35 weeks was getting scary. My whole goal in this process was to carry and deliver 3 healthy babies for Kim and Curtis but I wanted my body to make the decision when enough was enough. And that's exactly what it did. I was 32 weeks 5 days.

I went downstairs to call Kim. I don't call Kim very often. We text. So she knew something was happening. Call us both naive or whatever but in our heads we thought okay my water has broken but that's okay they will stop my labor and they will give me the steroid shot to help the babies lungs develop and then they will deliver in a couple days..... And going off when Esther's bag broke I have plenty of time to get to the hospital. I'm not going to rush it. Kim called Curtis in California and told him. He left immediately for the 12 hour drive.

I started doing my makeup, by this time I am soaking towels, put my hair up in a bun, had some painful contractions, packed my bag, Tyler got in the shower. We did this in about a half an hour. K I was in pain now. We go downstairs to leave and it hurts. Tyler tells his Mom what happened and that we are leaving, towel in crotch and all. We are kind of rushing now because of the pain.

The ride was HORRIBLE. Like in the movies. Every divot and bump in the road HURTS. I don't want to be talked to. I'm holding on for dear life to the hand thing above me. The contractions were right on top of each other. We finally arrive at the hospital and it's desolate because of how early in the morning it was, like no valet guy or anything to help us. Tyler has to run in and grab a wheelchair and then wheel me in. They immediately put me in a room and dress me into my pretty blue hospital dress. 

I can't even function or think anymore. Poor ladies needed to just get me admitted and do their jobs and I was no help to them. There were no breaks. I would contract and I swear two seconds later another would come. I just kept thinking how am I going to do this. And I kept telling the staff I have to go, let's go, I need to go, we need to go. 

They knew how active my labor was and how serious it was considering there were three babies and they were not supposed to come out vaginally. There were probably 10 people rushing around in there. They did manage to get an IV in and that's when Kim got there. I'm sure she felt terrible. I was shaking to death from pure pain. They had Kim and Tyler gown up (remember Curtis is in California) and then the nurse comes in in tears to tell Tyler he could not come in the room with us. The Anesthesiologist would only allow one person. Tyler was of course crushed. Not that he couldn't see the babies born but more because of if something did go horribly wrong he wouldn't be there with me.  I couldn't care less because all I wanted were the babies out. I didn't care if they had to take them out of my ear. I needed the pain to stop. 

They wheeled my bed into the operating room, I don't remember that ride at all. I'm entering la la land at this point. The Anesthesiologist is there to give me my spinal. He asks me to get into the fetal position and to NOT move. So dumb. I can't stop shaking and have you seen my belly? There will be no fetal positions going on. He continued and I squeezed that nurses hand until it was blue. 

But let me tell you. Those spinals...... yum. They work immediately. Starting with toes on up. It was the best. They started prepping for surgery. Mind you my Dr. has not arrived yet. So two girl Dr.'s were doing the surgery and when I say girls I mean girls. Anyone younger than me is a girl still. They did that little poke test. Can you feel this? Um... yah? I think? Can I? I knew they were poking me but it didn't hurt super bad... So they gave me another dose of the good stuff. So as you can imagine I was numb for, actually some parts are still numb. 

They do not allow anyone to watch you be cut open or sewn up. So Kim could only peek over the curtain when the babies were being pulled out. And don't worry, amongst the chaos I did remember to ask for a mirror so I could watch. I'm so glad I did. Baby A was born at 6:57 AM head first. Baby B was born at 6:58 AM feet first. And Baby C was born at 6:59 AM bum first.

They passed the babies through a window to the NICU. Kim followed and then Tyler was allowed in for the repair. Although he couldn't watch he could see the reflection in a light above. Uterus just on my belly while they sew it up and stuff in back in..... 7 births later and I think he's seen it all. I was still shaking but now just from adrenaline I'm sure. I just couldn't wait for them to be done. My Dr. finally made it and came to give me an update on the babies. He's so awesome. He told me what the babies weighed. A- 4lbs 9oz B- 4lbs 5.5oz and C- 4lbs 15oz. Yes people, add it up. 13lbs 13.5oz of baby in this belly. Tyler, the Dr. and I could not believe how big they were. It was such a blessing.

They wheeled me into the recovery room where Kim came to give updates too like their lengths. A- 17.5 inches B-18inches and C- 17.5 inches. I'm not sure where I was storing these kids but it all worked out.

What a day! And it was only 7 AM.....

.TEAM BABIES.

My birthing history in a nutshell

Olivia: I was induced with her on my due date. The Dr. decided she was a little big for a first time pregnancy and for my body. She ended up being my biggest baby at 8lbs 6oz. I'm glad he decided to induce. It took all day to induce as I was only a one when we started. She was really hard to get out.

Drew: I was induced 12 days early with baby Drew. Seeing my history of a bigger baby and the fact that he was a boy and my second pregnancy, we felt it was the best thing to do. He weighed 7lbs 15oz. His induction did not take as long even though I was still admitted at a one.

Alex: I was induced 7 days early with Alex for the same reasons. Again I was only a one being admitted and it did take all day again like Olivia. He weighed 7lbs 10oz and was my smallest baby. His birth was so special because we didn't know if he was a boy or a girl.

Esther: 2 weeks before my due date my water broke in the middle of the night. It was a fun surprise since I was always induced. Although no family was here because it wasn't planned. I remember racing to the hospital and then just waiting. They ended up giving me pitocin because I wasn't progressing. So again it felt like I was being induced. It took most of the day but she was finally born at 7lbs 11oz.

All my babies were born vaginally and I would request my epidural before any sort of terrible pain started. I have never had the desire to test my body's pain control.

Seems pretty repetitive right? Yah...... not this time.

Drew Boyd Dabo

This little boy was born 7 years ago! We were so excited that we were expecting a boy after a girl so we could get a little taste of what both would be like. Drew has always been special. I mean all kids are special but Drew has a little extra of that special running through him. 

Drew is competitive. So if he puts his mind to something, he will prevail.

(Time to brag about Drew)

Drew isn't a big kid by any means. He consists of skin, bones and although he is growing into his head, we always thought he looked like a little bobble head as a toddler. So imagine a giant baseball helmet on this kid. Drew LOVES baseball, although there is no choice in the matter. And he's good. Like really good. You can tell when he's out there that he just gets it. So his baseball season just started and this year he had to try out in front of all the coaches (and parents could not watch). The cut off for ages of this league is April 30th. His Birthday is April 17th. Which means he is the very youngest in the PeeWee 7 league. But boy that doesn't stop this boy. We got the call from the coach that got him and he had nothing but good things to say about him. He said Drew was one of the first picks and he was so excited that he got him! I was obviously so proud so I can't imagine how Tyler felt. 

Our Primary at church has been working on the Articles of Faith this year. I didn't go to Primary growing up so I know #1 and that's it. Well Drew, the competitive one he is, has memorized all 13 Articles of Faith. He took this very seriously and would practice with Olivia and Grandma every day until he knew them all. Olivia also knows all of them. Im not for sure but they may be the only ones in the whole primary that has them all memorized. They are so proud of themselves which is all that matters. 

About a month ago we had parent teacher conferences with Drew's teacher. These meetings always bring tears to my eyes. It's like his teacher was trying to convince me how special Drew is but I already know this of course. I guess he's the example child in the class and she just couldn't say enough about how he will be an example his whole life. He's also smart and driven. He reads and comprehends beyond his years.

He seriously makes us so proud and although often left out because of position of sibling order, the middle child, he doesn't seem to mind and I couldn't think of a better big brother.

Happy Birthday Drew. I hope you know how much we look up to you!