Welcome Home, Drew!!!!

We were all so excited to bring Drew home from the hospital on Friday.  Taylor could hardly wait!!!

 Checking out baby brother!

 Drew's first "Wall of Fame"....each baby discharged from the NICU gets their footprint on the wall!

 Ready to go home!

 The "baby hog"....she held him for about the first 20 minutes we were home.

 Our 3 amazing kids!!!

Pumpkin Carving

We carved pumpkins one day last week....

 Grandpa helped Taylor make a "really scary" jack-o-lantern!!!

 And Ben's friendly jack-o-lantern!

Update on Drew

Drew is going to be staying in the NICU until Friday.  It is likely that he has an infection of some kind (most likely Group B Strep) and has to have 7 days of antibiotics through an IV.  Other than having the IV, he is doing great!  He nurses or takes a bottle every three hours and pretty much sleeps peacefully inbetween.  He is off the oxygen now and will probably be off IV fluids in the next day.  As of right now, Troy and I do a lot of back and forth between the hospital and home while Grandma Parker is staying with Taylor and Ben.  It's a bit exhausting but thankfully it should only be for a week!

Taylor was SO excited to see Drew.  She can't wait for him to come home!

 Ben was SO excited about the "snack room"......they had their fair share of snacks and I have requests to bring more home when I go to the hospital to feed Drew.

 Drew did not really like the "bath" we gave him.  His hair was nasty and needed washed though!

 No tubes on my face!!!

 And now he is wearing clothes and a sleepsack too!

Drew Michael Larkins

Drew Michael Larkins was born at 3:34 pm on Friday, October 21st.  We thought I was going to have a c-section due to him being breech just a week earlier, but sometime during the week he flipped and was ready to go.  He weighed 7 lbs. 3 oz. and is 21 inches long.  Shortly after birth his blood sugar levels dropped and he began breathing rapidly.  He was admitted to the NICU to start an antibiotic and get his levels corrected.  He is still in the NICU, but is doing really well.  We are just waiting to see if he has an infection of some kind or was just stressed from a quick delivery.  This will determine how long he has to be on the antibiotics.

 Peeking out from under his "hood" in his NICU bed!

 Snuggling with his monkey from Taylor!

Ben

Just some pictures of Ben.....

 He thinks he's pretty funny!

 Loves to be outside!

 And is such a sweet little boy!

And, he will become a big brother on Friday.  As of right now the baby is breech so I will be going in for a c-section Friday morning (unless he somehow changes position before then).  We're looking forward to meeting "the new baby"!!!!

Fall Fun

We've been enjoying the awesome weather by going to pick apples, going to the zoo, and going to Taylor's school carnival.

 Ben loved his apple....would have ate the core and seeds had we let him!

 Our last zoo trip for the season.....another carousel ride!

 On Saturday we went to Taylor's carnival at school.  They had lots of games for the kids to play and a hayride!

Field Trip!

Taylor and I went to the pumpkin patch with her preschool class today.  We went to "pumpkin school" and then took a hayride out to pick a pumpkin!

 The perfect pumpkin!

 Taylor's class!

Playing at the Park

We took the kids to the park today to have lunch and play.  It was a little chilly, but they still had fun!

 We love sliding down on our bellies!

Here's our little "eagle eye" back at home.....he spots EVERY bird, plane, helicopter that flies anywhere near our house.

I went to the doctor this week and I am going to be induced on Friday, the 21st if he doesn't come before then!