Eeny PREEMIE Miny Mo: My Favorite Preemie Pics

It was July 28, 2007 and my wife and I were sitting in her hospital room trying to come to grips with what was about to happen to us. In just 12 hours, she’d be getting prepped for her C-section and shortly thereafter, the triplets would begin their reign of planet Earth. While we knew there was no way we’d ever be able to imagine just how hectic our lives were about to become, there was one thing that we did want to try to wrap our minds around:

Just how small our babies would be at birth. For our trio would be born at 36 weeks, and they shared the embryo of a very petite woman and we already knew from the ultrasounds that they’d all be small. And the last thing we wanted was to be shocked by their appearance, thereby making it harder to form the initial bond. So we googled images of preemies to better understand what our little guys might look like when they finally came out to meet us.

And while I’m glad we did, I’m still not so sure it was necessary. Because our babies were so beautiful to us. Their diminutive size didn’t impede our ability to bond with them. If anything, it may have even enhanced it. And whenever I look back at their baby pics, I remember why.

It’s in that spirit that I share a few of my favorite pics of my three favorite preemies — Sam (4lbs 9oz), Jack (4lbs 9.5oz) and Kirby (3lbs 5oz):

Alli and Sam

Alli poses with Sam an hour or so after the birth.

Alli and Jack

It was Jack whom Alli held next.

Alli and Kirby

The only triplet Alli wasn’t allowed to hold was Kirby — the tiniest of our trio. None of us were allowed to. At least not at first. Due to her size, she was immediately put into the isolette then whisked away to the NICU shortly after this picture was taken.

My boys

Which meant while my boys got to hang out with me and their mama in Caroline’s room…

Kirby

Kirby had to go it alone in the NICU which is where this picture was taken. Poor little Peanut.

Perspective

And by little Peanut, I do, indeed, mean little Peanut.

The first visit

This is a picture of my first visit with her just a few hours after the C-section. Unfortunately, Caroline wasn’t feeling nearly well enough to go with me, so it was a solo mission. Until, that is, they let me hold Kirby for just a few minutes. It was in that rocking chair where I fed her for the first time.

Two out, one to go.

Remember how I told you that Caroline wasn’t feeling so hot on the day of the birth? Well, it was the beginning of what would prove to be some complications (which is the topic for a post in and of itself). Which meant she stayed in the hospital for six days longer than expected. By the time she was cleared to go, the boys were, too. Which meant that only Kirby remained. Here’s a picture right as we were leaving.

Chillin'

Which meant the boys got to go home and relax.

Grandmom and Jack

And meet Grandmom.

Caroline and Sam

And get doted on by their mama.

Me and Kirby during one of the many NICU visits

All the while, poor little Peanut had to stay in the NICU. But her mama and I visited her every single day. And before we knew it, she was released, too. Then something funny happened right around December…

Our Christmas card photo, 2007

We noticed they didn’t look like preemies anymore. That they weren’t preemies anymore. Just little babies. Happy, healthy, beautiful little babies. What a great Christmas that was.

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Read more from John Cave Osborne on his personal blog which he calls (get this) JohnCaveOsborne.com or feel free to stalk him on Facebook and or Twitter.