WE ARE FAMILY

Hi everyone. Here is another post from Christy. I just want to add that having the new grandkids home is very rewarding. I really enjoy watching them and seeing their personalities continue to develop, not change, just develop more. Gracie continues to be the cautious and strong willed one, Maddie is still the laid back - "I'm happy with whatever" one, and Nick is the particular one (needs to always have a clean diaper) and needing human touch baby. These are character traits that were for the most part recongnized by Christy while the babies were still in the womb, and were definitiely noticeable those first weeks in the NICU. Each one needs to be treated and handled differently. They are learning things so fast. For instsance, all of them know that when we put a little bib on, the next thing will be a bottle with formula. It's really fun to watch them, even when we have the all night shift. So here is the note from Christy. Bernd

REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS AND AGAIN I SAY REJOICE!!!!!!It has been one terrific week! Grace is home and all is well with the Dierkings. Grace arrived last Thursday and we have been going one hundred miles an hour since. It is a lot of hard work and worth every minute. I must admit leaving the hospital was hard. Our babies primary nurse and two of my favorite L&D nurses walked Steve, Grace and I out for the last time. We got in the car and I just started crying. The tears were happy tears and sad. I will really miss the staff at UCI and all the new friends I have made. Steve and I are so grateful to them. The kids are doing fine. There is a lot of adjusting to do and we have had many sleepless nights. My Mom and Dad are helping out everyday and we have had many of you, friends and family come and give a helping hand.I wanted to share something very important to me. There is no way that we could have these beautiful children home safe if it were not for the prayers and support from each of you. I am sure we have put a smile on the Lords face with the way we have come together to believe in the miracle of Madeline, Grace and Nicklaus.

I know that God has a special plan for my children and I am so excited to see what that will be. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, you are all amazing!Today we went to our new doctor. What a trip that is. My Mom and I spent forty-five minutes getting the car ready and then loading up the kids. When we get to the office we have to undress one child and get him or her weighed and examined and then get the next one ready for the same check-up. Of course it is always a feeding time for someone, so my Mom will feed someone and I will get the kids ready. It is a three-ring circus, but we both think it is so fun. The final score today is; Nicklaus is the heaviest at 6lbs. 5oz, Madeline is a close second at 6lbs. 4oz, and little Gracie girl is 5lbs. 12oz. They are all gaining weight and the doctor is amazed at the awareness of the kids.

The last exciting news is that we have hired a live-in nanny. After a few days of sleeplessness we knew that we needed some help. It has become clear to us that you need at least two people at all times with the babies and actually three is better. Jeni is moving in this weekend and we have known her for years. She is a member of our church and was looking for something just like this. Isn't the Lord good? Just when you are not sure how things will work out God provides. Please do not think we do not need help we can use all we can get.

Another bit of news is that I will be working out of the house on Saturdays. In order to have a nanny I just need to give a couple of hours a week to the trade I love. I am very excited to see some of you that I have not connected with and I am anxious to get my hands into your hair.(hee hee)Lastly I ask that you take a few seconds to think about all the blessing you have in your life. After you think about them, thank God for them, He is our true provider our Lord is good, AMEN! God bless you all, Christy

BACK TOGETHER AGAIN

Well. apologies from me are in order. So much has happened in the last few days, and I have failed to keep you posted. My last post was when Nicklaus and Madeline came home. Sadly we had to leave Grace in the hospital, but Christy spent her daytime there, and Sharon and I went at night to hold Grace and feed her. All of this was to keep little Grace from having separation anxiety. At this point I should mention that Madeline and Nicklaus had a pretty sleepless night at home that first night. This was the first time in a long time they were sleeping by themselves, as they had been cribbed together at the NICU for nearly a month. Thursday we got word that Grace was also being released to mom and dad at home, joy was in the air. Now all three were back together again, even though they are not sleeping together, they are in the same room. After being home for a day Christy decided to place them all into one bed, side by side, like they had been in the NICU. The obvious excitement the babies exhibited was amazing. Their arms waved around uncontrollably and their little feet were all over the place. They tried to touch each other and even squealed a bit. I was totally amazed at the fact that they obviously recognized each other and were ahppy to be able to touch each other again. Actually, that is not entirely true. In the NICU Grace was always in the middle (she was Baby B - the second born), and in that position had the most contact with her brother and sister. Nicklaus was on the right, so only had physical contact with Grace. When Christy placed them in the crib together at home, she put Nicklaus in the middle, and he did NOT like it. He was not at all pleased with his little sisters touching him, and let them and us know how unhappy he was.

Taking care of the babies around the clock has become quite a chore. We are so fortunate to have a great family and group of friends willing to come and spend the nights taking care of the babies, so that Christy and Steve can get some sleep. It is basically a non-stop job, as there are two of us needed to be on duty to take care of the three angels at any one time. There is waking the babes up, changing their diapers, getting the food ready and feeding them their formula, burping them, holding them for a bit, then laying them down and starting on the next baby. By the time one gets done you just barely have time for a catnap and then the routine starts over again, but I must admit I love doing it and being there to take care of the babies. God has blessed Sharon and I so much. Next time will get you some new pictures. Check back in a couple of days. Bernd

MADELINE AND NICKLAUS COME HOME

Hi all, I am attaching a post from Christy, but first a few words from me. You will see that two of the three grandbabies have joined mom and dad at home. This means changes (not just diapers), and new experiences for all of us. Gracie is still in UCI Hosp NICU, so we are all taking turns to visit her and make sure that she doesn't feel left out. I was there late last night in time to give her a feeding. She is quite a handful. She tires out easily during the feedings, and will simply jam her gums down so you can't get the bottle nipple into her mouth. Last night she started playing "possum". While I was gently trying to get that nipple past her sealed gums, she closed her eyes as if asleep. I guess she figures that if she can't see me then I must have gone away. Too bad Gracie, Grandpa was still there. She actually opened her eyes, then when she saw me and felt me still trying to get that nipple in, she closed her eyes. I kept trying, but Gracie won out. I eventually relented the task to her night nurse Sheryll, who was successful. Bottom line, Gracie got her entire feed through a bottle. All her nurses are doing their best to get her to take all her formula without the use of the feeding tube, and as soon as they are confortable that she can do this day after day, Gracie will join her sister and brother at home. So here is the post from Christy.

Well, I do not know if you all will believe me but I am sitting on the computer, kids are sleeping in their cribs, dishes are done and house looks pretty good. We have had a busy couple of days. Steve and I brought home Madeline and Nicklaus on Monday evening. We were both so excited to get them home, but very sad to leave our little Gracie. She is doing great she just gets so tired during her feeds that she needs a little more love in the NICU. It must be that she loves her nurses, especially Sally and Sheryl. As you can imagine things are slightly crazy. My Mom stayed the night with us the first night and we did not sleep but five minutes here and there. Madeline has a very odd breathing pattern and to be honest it is sometimes scary. Nicklaus just loves to look at the world and never wants to sleep. Thank goodness that is changing. We bathed them last night and I think that it wore them both out. My Mom and Dad both stayed last night and I was able to get six hours of sleep. I cannot say that my Mom has had that but I woke up early this morning and sent her to bed. Today we meet our Pediatrician for the first time. I am excited to see if the kids have gained any weight??? Then we will go visit Grace and back home for the night. Please pray that the kids continue to eat well and that Grace will be home with us soon. It is very hard to have a split family. I went to visit her yesterday and then Steve went after work to give her quality Daddy time. She is in great spirits but we want her home. Many of you have offered help. I thank you and yes I could use it. It would be helpful to me that if you call you tell me when you can do it. I am drawing up a calendar and scheduling people in. If you feel like you are a night owl and can handle a shift that would be great. My parents are here helping but I need to give them a break too. Day-time cuddlers are needed too. Thank you to everyone for everything. Steve and I realize that we could not do this alone and all the support has been so great. Christy

The Triplets

August 8. 2008

Photography by beccalynne photography
www.beccalynne.smugmug.com
beccalynnephotos@gmail.com

SOMEONE IS GETTING READY TO MOVE OUT

Hi all, aren't these pictures great. They were taken by Christy's friend Rebecca, quite an accomplished photographer. Any of you who would have need of a photographer should consider using her. She also has a web site, and if you go there you can see all of the baby picture proofs. The site address is: http://beccalynne.smugmug.com/client%20proofs/500974/

So now for some baby news. As the headline for this post says, someone is getting ready to move out, and that someone is not Madeline, who seemed to be in front most of their first month, but is Nicklaus. He is bottle feeding the best of the three, and as of today is taking all of his formula by bottle. He has also passed his car seat test--he had to sit in it for one hour without any problems. Madeline has several bottle feedings a day, but is not quite ready to take all of her formula by bottle. She is due for har car seat test any time.

Grace could probably take all of her food via bottle if she wanted to, but she doesn't want to, and if you have been following these blog posts, you know that she has a mind of her own, even at the tender age of 1 month, actually to be technical, she and her siblings are at minus 16 days. Their original birthdate (full term) would have been August 24, the same as Grandma Sharon. Well, getting back to Nicklaus. We got word today that in all probability Nicklaus will be coming home on Monday, Aug 11. Life for mom and dad is about to get very interesting, to say the least. Well, that's all for tonight folks. Check back in the next day or two as Rebecca is going to post a short video on this blog. God Bless, Bernd

TAKE A LOOK WE ARE 5 WEEKS OLD

Nicklaus says "what am I doing here among all these girls?"
Dad holding Madeline after her bath, doesn't she look contented?
Grace loving being held by her mom, also after her bath.
Mom holding Nicklaus, who is saying please don't squeeze to hard, I like to upchuck.
Proud parents holding their family, and Nicklaus is thinking "do I get fed Now?"

GETTING READY TO COME HOME

Hi all. I have a couple of great photos to post up, but you will have to wait til later today. In the meantime, here is a post from Christy. BErnd

Hi Everybody! It is good to be in this place. It was only five weeks ago that Madeline, Grace and Nicklaus entered this world. My how time has flown by. Steve and I have been very busy, as you can imagine, getting things ready. (So have my parents) Everyday is eventful. Steve leaves for work about 6:30am every morning and then meets me at the hospital every night. It is a very long day for him but it is all worth it when he sees the kids. By the way, we did the math on how long he has been driving to UCI and believe it or not it has been over one hundred days. I think my parents are right behind him with at least ninety days. Both sets of parents have been a huge support to us. Speaking of which, so have many of you. We love the cards of encouragement we have been getting. My days are filled as well. I have been spending some time in the morning doing loads of new clothes (for the babies), towels and burp clothes. I am also doing a few hairdos to keep myself updated. Then it is off to the NICU where I help with the diaper changing, bathing and feeding. Steve comes around 4:30pm and we stay until we are kicked out at 6:30pm. We then come home and try and do a few things to prepare for the babies and have some nicely cooked meals. (Some from my Mom and some from me)Today was a big day. We have known that we are getting close but today we had a little bit of a shocker. Nicklaus, to our surprise, is bottle feeding great. He is about ready to bottle feed every time and when this happens, he is coming home. I was thinking maybe sometime next week, but after talking with the doctor today she feels he could be home as soon as Saturday of this week. Steve and I are thinking maybe Sunday or Monday sounds more like it. Nicklaus is the true judge, when he is ready he will be home. Madeline is about one day behind him. So we just need to light a fire under Gracie to catch her up. ( she is not really that far behind) Grace is her own person for sure, if she feels like it she feeds great, if she is tired, forget it. We always have to get her at her best time. If you know me, then you know who she takes after. All in all, the kids are great. We are truly blessed and cannot wait to bring them home. Thank you again for the prayers. We cannot imagine all this without the support we have received. Also know that I think of all of you and pray for all of you too. I have some quiet moments when I am holding my little blessings and I just think of all the support and prayers we have received and try to pray for each of you. Hopefully the next update will clue you in on how it is at home with the babies. Christy