Everett's home!

Everett in the hospital... he took many loops around the third floor during his stay! 

Everett is home and doing much better! We were able to bring him home yesterday afternoon but I was too tired to write an update. He was so happy to get out of the hospital and we were so happy to bring him home. He came home with a nebulizer that we'll continue using until his cough is completely gone. He's also on steroid medication. As to why this happened, it's most likely related to the fact that he was a preemie. Though Finn and Carter do not have this same issue, Everett's lungs were probably not as developed when he was born. When we remember back to their birth, Everett was the only one of the triplets to have difficulty breathing just after delivery. He was intubated for a day or two as we remember (those early days are a bit fuzzy!). He may also have underlying allergies which we plan to investigate. But for now, we're just happy to have him home!

When Chris and I pulled into the driveway with Everett, I could see Colin, Carter and Finn pressed against the front window. When I opened the car door I could hear them yelling with excitement. When we walked in the front door Everett was pretty much tackled with hugs and kisses.

I'll never forget it.

Everett's the one in the middle getting smushed with hugs and kisses.

In truth, the morning Everett was hospitalized (hours before he started having trouble breathing), I'd texted my friend Candace saying that I was pretty convinced I was raising criminals. "Who stole my darling children?" I'd asked her. Of course I don't really think they'll grow up to be criminals but on that particular morning they were making a good case for it, believe me! The constant fighting over toys, the whining, the demands for snacks after they'd just eaten a large meal, dumping bins of toys all over the play room for the fun of it, knocking pictures off the walls and laughing, making me chase them for diaper changes (not so easy in your third trimester)..... and oh the noise. The constant noise! By 10:00 a.m. I'd about had it, hence my text to Candace. She has multiples too and can always relate.

Anyway, just six hours later I was rocking Everett in a hospital room which was quiet except for his soft cries and the oxygen machine running. All I wanted in that moment was to be back home with Everett and in the middle of all the craziness. I rocked and thought about our morning and how I'd take broken picture frames, a messy playroom, the constant noise and even the fighting, over a quiet hospital room any day. Sure it's an obvious choice but occasionally you need a reminder. Life is good and all that hard stuff that comes with raising children is actually a blessing. One day the house will be quiet, the kitchen will be clean, the boys will be grown and I'll miss their antics as active, little boys.

For sure I'll get overwhelmed by them again and I'll send more texts to Candace asking things like, "Is it too early in the day to drink wine?" :-)

But not today.

Nope. Today, I'm too busy appreciating them, soaking up the noise, laughing while chasing them down for diaper changes, reffing fights over toys with a new found patience, and giving thanks that we're all together, playing in this messy playroom.

Everett's homecoming also reminds me that although they fight over completely ridiculous stuff like who gets to play with the red car (even though there are fifty other cars to choose from!), their bond as brothers runs so deep. They did NOT like Everett being gone. They weren't complete.

Now they are again.