Saturday Fun Day with my little monkeys

I looked forward to yesterday all week - the day I got to spend with Jack and Hannah. My parents and Mark brought down Jack and Hannah down to spend the day. I spent the morning with Caleb and then met up with the crew around 10:30. We went to a butterfly pavilion and had a fantastic time. It was recommended to me by several of the nurses and we were told to wear red as the butterflies often land you when wearing that color. We looked at bugs, held spiders, touched marine life (starfish, pencil urchins), and went into the butterfly room where they were flying everywhere. Hannah has been obsessed with butterflies ever since we gave her a butterfly temporary tattoo a few weeks ago and Jack liked to show us with his hands how butterflies fly.

Mark holding Rosie the tarantula.

Touching starfish with Dad.

J&H with Gigi and Grandpa.

After the B-fly pavilion we drove to a nearby park for a picnic lunch and then let the kids run around like crazy on the playground equipment. The time of their life I tell you! Then off for a "rest time," in my hospital room where we watched a little Buzz Lightyear. Next we paid a quick visit to baby brother (no tears this time). After that we went to the Super Wal-Mart where Jack got a hair cut and enjoyed our Skittle bribe. Finally, we went to IHOP for dinner where we got to see firsthand how both our children handle a lack of naps. Jack was punch-drunk happy and Hannah was just agitated. After dinner we said a tearful goodbye and my parents drove the kids home.

So good to see my little ones, I have really missed them.

Update

My dad drove Mark back home on Wednesday, which was really sad for me. I am sure it is a combo of hormones and just wanting to not be alone down here , but Wednesday afternoon and evening were really hard for me. Lots of crying. My mom ended up driving down yesterday (Thursday) and spent afternoonevening and this morning with me. It is just nice to have someone with me good for grandma/Caleb time too. A friend of mine is on her way now for a quick visit and my parents, mark, and the kids come down tomorrow. Hooray!
Little guy is doing good. His temperature is pretty regulated. He is back on oxygen (no biggie, he will go back up to the mountains with it anyway.) Caleb is on an every other bottle feed. The others he is tube fed. He needs every feeding to bra bottle feeding before he comes home. For now he is getting tuckered out and using so much energy when he drinks out of the bottle that he can't stay awake at the next feeding. But it will come.
For now he is getting loved on and I can be with him. Prayers for c' energy and development are appreciated.

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Visitors

We are a bit isolated here at the hospital. Our hospital in Summit County does not have the facilities to take care of little preemie babies. So they transported Caleb and I down to Louisville, Colorado which is not too far from Boulder. On Sunday, my parents arrived and they got to meet their newest little grandson.

Gigi and Grandpa meeting Caleb

On Monday, Jack and Hannah got to meet their new baby brother. They showed up at the hospital saying "Love you Mommy," (made my day) : ) We talked about "mommy's hurt," (my incision from the C-section) and also about how the baby is no longer in my belly but instead down the hall sleeping. Mark and Grandpa took the kids to the store before coming to the hospital and they each got to pick out a little something to give Caleb as a "present." Jack picked out a little pull toy that is a bird and Hannah picked out a monkey. I am pretty sure Hannah thought she was going to get to keep it. We took the kids to the nursery window and they got to watch Dad come over with Caleb and give him the toys that J&H picked out. As soon as H saw Dad holding Caleb she lost it. Lots of tears and "Daddy Hold you." We quickly tried to distract them by bringing out presents from Caleb to the kids. It was 2 baby dolls wrapped in Target bags...then we talked about how everyone was holding a baby. Daddy had a baby, Jack had a baby, and Hannah had a baby!

The rest of the day was wheel chair rides from Grandpa and Gigi around the hospital halls. Popsicles from hospital staff, a movie in the room, trips to ice machine, and lunch as a family (minus Caleb). I miss those little turkeys and can't wait to see them again - hopefully on Saturday!

2 Tired kiddos with Dad after an eventful day and No Nap.

Gratitude

We are so thankful for so many things right now. Friends who come over at 2 in the morning when you go into labor, friends who take shifts to watch your children, friends who clean your house for you, friends who offer to take your 2 dogs until your newborn comes home...grandparents who drop what they are doing and get on a plane, grandparents who rearrange their schedules so they come much earlier than expected...nurses who go above and beyond giving you medical attention but shower you with genuine care, nurses who truly love on your little guy when you can't be with him.

This in addition to all the encouragement, prayers, texts, phone calls, emails, etc. that we have received that continue to remind us that there are people who care about us and praying for us.

Also so thankful for our new little guy Caleb who is working so hard to learn all these new skills we are throwing up at him. Little guy is maintaining his body temp and has been moved out of his isolette. He has had 5 of 6 successful feedings on his own (no feeding tube). He is mainly getting bottles but getting to nurse twice a day. His weight is 4 lbs.5 oz. but hopefully we will see him on the upswing here soon.

We are thankful that Caleb is doing as well as he is and that we will all be together soon! This is but a short time that we will all be apart and thankfully neither Jack, Hannah, or Caleb will remember it down the road. Just Mark and I, and we will most likely forget so much of it because of lack of sleep and exhaustion.

Please keep praying for strength, weight gain, and maturity in our little Super Man.
Prayers for Jack and Hannah that they continue to do well with the transition .
Prayers for Mark and I for peace, energy, and endurance.

Introducing...

CALEB JAMES HUBBARD

Born 5.21.11

4lbs. 10 oz

18 inches

A picture of M&I right before the C-section.

Hooray, he is here!

I came out of "recovery" super fast so that I could go visit my little guy.

All 3 of us before heading down to Denver. This was my first time holding him.

Just a few hours old and going on his first "road trip."

My first visit to see Caleb at our new Home, I mean hospital.

Today's Pics

This will by far be the best part of my day. They let me be skin to skin with my little guy for 30-45 minutes. Makes this Mama happy!!

Our little superman holding his own.

The Last 2 Days - Details

This was supposed to be our camping weekend. However, earlier in the week we discovered that the weather was not going to cooperate and so we decided to stay in Breck.

Friday was Family Fun Day...

We looked at mattresses for our rental, we went swimming, I went to the gym to walk on the treadmill, I ran some errands (Target and Tuesday Morning), I stopped at my beloved Starbucks, we took the kids to a dinner for the students we are involved with, and we (M&I) went on a date to celebrate our 5 year ANNIVERSARY! We had a really fun, busy day.

AND then...

a little after 11 on Friday night I started getting really bad back pain that prevented me from falling asleep. I thought maybe I was having contractions but wasn't sure, thought maybe it was gas pains. I am nervous and kind of hungry so I eat Doritos while watching Pretty in Pink on TV - not my brightest idea. Around 11:40 I start timing contractions. Every 10 minutes, then 8 minutes, 4 minutes, 2 minutes...all with a lot of pressure. Yikes! I wake up Mark for the 3rd time (1:30 AM)still in denial and we decide to go in to the hospital.

A friend came over to stay at the house and Mark and I drove to the hospital in blizzard like conditions. They check me in (2:15 AM), check me out, and sure enough I am dilated and completely effaced, they call the Dr and she comes in for a c-section.

AND now we introduce our new son Caleb James Hubbard, born at 3:57 AM, 18 inches, 4 lbs. 10 oz.

I got to see him for the first time around 6AM, and got to hold him for about a minute shortly before they took him by ambulance down to a hospital in the Denver area around 7 AM. I followed in a separate ambulance around 9:30 and Mark drove down separately in our car.

We are here at the same hospital and I am able to visit him about every 3 hours or so in the NICU. He is doing well. He is on oxygen, has a feeding tube, and an IV for anitbiotics. Each time we go in I am able to touch him, cuddle him, etc with my hands. It is really hard to not be able to hold him but I know that he is where he needs to be for right now in order to regulate his body temperature, heart rate, etc.

He is beautiful and we are so blessed to have him in our family. We look forward to knowing him and loving him.

WELCOME CALEB!!

34 Weeks

I realized that we haven't taken any pictures to document my growing belly...so here is one Mark took last week - just barely 34 weeks in the picture.

2011 Graduate

NOW, it is finally finished. I recently talked about how Mark is finished with grad school but now that he attended graduation it really is over. I think he is excited and relieved to be done. Of course, I am proud and thankful. It is great timing with #3 coming soon, no more homework nights or conference calls.

This last weekend we went to Ft. Collins, home of Colorado State University to celebrate and attend the ceremony. We found a great little 2 BR VRBO just a couple of blocks from campus. The morning of graduation we went to the M.B.A. "open house" for a light reception and a tour of the building. The kids came too - they enjoyed the snacks. After that we got ready for the ceremony and had a babysitter over to watch the kids.

The ceremony was nice and felt like a" Celebration" and an "End" to Mark's 4 years of hard work. It was long...almost 2 and a half hours - there were over 800 graduate students walking. We were anxious to get back to the kids after the ceremony and went out to celebrate at a local pizza place.

Little man and I with his "fake smile."

H enjoying some pizza!

Congrats again to Mark!

Stay Tuned

For those of you who check the blog, don't give up. I have some things coming...like Jack's birthday pics. I can't believe my little guy turned 2 last week. We had a great time celebrating.

I am taking advantage of the times my husband is home and the kids are sleeping by laying down myself. To be honest I am exhausted and feeling every bit of the 33 weeks pregnant that I am. There isn't much going on here but laying down, reading books, and watching netflix at night with the hubs. I am not on bed rest but have my feet up as much as possible.

Pics coming soon.

AND to all the moms out there hope everyone had a beautiful mothers day! I did.

ALL DONE

A big "Hooray" and "CONGRATULATIONS" to my hubby Mark, who tonight finished his last project for his last class towards his M.B.A!!!!

He is done. He has worked so hard over the last 4 years and we are so proud of him.
Jack, Hannah, and I look forward to celebrating with him at his graduation ceremony in a week and a half!