Quads 8days old: Tuesday 8-26-08

Leah Grace 6 days old. Pictures taken of the quads on Sunday 8-24-08.

Steven Tyler 6 days old:

Heath Allen 6 days old

Ricky Shane 6 days old

Sorry this is the first post since the babies were born last Monday. I will back track and fill you in on our first week of life. But, I decided to go ahead and post pictures that I took of them Sunday so everyone can see just how precious they are!! God is truly holding them in his loving arms each day for us. We have good days and we have bad days. I'll give you a run down of how everyone is doing as of today.

Quad A: Ricky Shane : birth weight-2lb. 6.8 oz today: .2lbs. 2 lb 7 1/2 oz - Ricky has been on the Jet ventilator since Thurs the 21st. This is a high rate ventilator that helps him get rid of the carbon dioxide that he was unable to blow off on his own. His blood gases have been up and down. His noon blood gases were good today. He has some dips at times in his O2 saturation. He doesn't like being messed with and only likes laying flat on his back. It may take him a minute and occasionally they have to suction him and then they pick back up. He is tolerating his 5ml feeds every 3 hrs, with low residuals. He was started back on the small bili light yesterday.

Quad B: Heath Allen: birth-2lbs 7oz. today: 2lbs. 9oz- Heath is also on a Jet ventilator and also had good blood gas this am. Heath is up to 9ml feeds every 3hrs and tolerating them well. Yesterday he got his first haircut when they had to shave a place on his head to place his PICC line (this is an IV that can stay in for a longer period of time). Heath also had 3 drops in his O2 saturation this am, he needed to be suctioned. He picks them back up on his own also just slowly. His chest xray yesterday was better, "better aeration of the lungs" .

Quad C: Steven Tyler: birth wt: 1lbs. 15 oz. today: 2lbs 3/4oz. Steven was changed yesterday from bubble cpap to a high flow nasal cannula-YEAH!! He's keeping good O2 saturation. He is now back up to 3ml feeds every hour and tolerating well with low residual. He is on antibiotics for a positive blood culture on 8-24. Today's culture came back negative. He hasn't had any bradycardia (low heart rate) or apnea episodes (stops breathing).

Quads D: Leah Grace: birth wt: 1lbs. 12oz today's wt: 1lb.14oz. Leah is on the bubble cpap at 21% O2 (which is what we breathe) and her O2 saturation are in the high 90's. Her feeds have been increased to 4.5ml every 3hrs with low residuals. She has been on antibiotics due to a low white blood cell count, but they stopped them yesterday. She also hasn't had any bradycardia or apnea episodes today either. She's been a good girl rockin along steady!

Belly shot! Catch up for the week:25wks 6days

25 weeks and 6 days




Buddha Belly. No stretch marks-yet!

I've been lazy and haven't posted a thing yet this week. The babies and I doing fine, boring is good for us. I've been fortunate and had lots of visitors this week. On Sunday, My husband Randy, and daughter Jenna came and ended up staying overnight. My Mom, Dad, and Granny came too. They came and restocked me with clothes, food, and mail to look at. We went down for my afternoon stroll in the wheelchair in the lobby. Also our friends from Hico, Terrry & JoAnna Ince and their sons, Hayden & Landon stopped by on their way home from their visit to the Great Wolf Lodge. The boys told me about all the cool slides they rode. Late afternoon Randy, Jenna, and I were able to go down and tour the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit). The NICU will be our babies home for at least the first month after birth. The charge nurse, Stephanie was very nice and was great at explaining alot of things. It puts our mind at ease or at least prepares us a little for what is ahead.

On Monday, Randy and Jenna headed home before lunch so Randy could study. Wayne & Melody Harbour came by on their way home from a funeral and visited. I miss being able to give Wayne a hard time at church.

Tuesday was also a pretty quiet day. I have been working on some papers for work that is part of an incentive program for the nurses, so that's helped pass the time. Brian & Natalie DuBose and their girls Abby & Maddie came by for a visit. Brian's been a big part of getting things going on our addition. THANKS BRIAN! Jenna went and played with Grace and friends at The Ranch
today. My Dad and a coworker from Bruner Motors, Mr. Hamett were coming back from a class at Lone Star Park and stopped and brought me a Subway sandwich for supper. My surgery crew sent me an card where they could a message . They took a group pick for the front with their HMEC prisoner number and picts of different ones holding up their prisoner number. And then they recorded, "Roses are red, violets are blue, our day sucks without you." Then it went into playing "Your unbelievable." I called and told them they made me laugh and then I cried. Thanks guys, I miss you too!!

On Wednesday, I had a bunch more visitors! Cecilia & Bill Bruton from FBC Hico came by that morning after an appointment. Jamie Adams, one from my surgery family came for a visit while she was also in the neighborhood. Then Amanda Hice, another surgery sister, and husband Damon & daughter, Taylor brought me some home eggplant parmesan for lunch. It was yummy
Manders! Then in the late afternoon, Randy's mom, Joyce and her friend, Ann Stephens came and brought me some goodies and visited for a while.

Today, another surgery sista, Vicki, came by with snacks and fruit, and the low down of what's going on at work. Then my Jenna, sister Kristi, and niece Mollie brought lunch from Olive Garden after they had gone shoe shopping. We got out for one of my beloved wheelchair rides. My little photographer, Jenna, got belly shots since we haven't done any in 2 weeks. Mollie was amazed at all the veins you can see on my belly with the skin stretched more each day. Then they were off for their dental visits in Granbury.

McLean Project : picts from 8-10-08

That's the bathroom with the window.

Our pup, Bandit checking out the add-on

Our other pup, Rooger, chillin at the back door

Pictures!

Jenna-Lil' Sluggers T-ball team 5/08


Our baby bedding, alphabet soup, sorry not a great pict.

lt.-rt. Vicki and Gayle putting one of the beds

together.

lt-rt. Gayle & Amanda are supposed to be painting

the walls, not each. other.

Some of my surgery family got together and wanted to paint the nursery

and buy the baby bedding for us. Thank you girls!!

Belly shot on 7-30-08: 23wks 5days

7-29-08 Jenna & me the night Randy and Jenna

spent the night with me.

Jenna in Old Settler's Reunion Parade 7-24-08

She wanted her car to look like a horse. Aunt Kristi

& Nana fix ed that with the help of one of Mollie's

large stuffed animals.

Jenna & Sassy before the parade.

Our 7th grade cheerleader, Ashley

7-23-08 day after I was admitted.

"The McLean Project"

Russell Cryer hanging out on the new roof.

Brian Debose to the right.
JW Hughes Excavation sent guys out to dig the trenches before Rusty and Russell could start their part.

Rusty Cryer lining things up. Rusty and Russell have been doing all the framing.

I thought I'd post the picts. on our house addition and tell you the story on how it all come about. Ever since Randy and I moved into the house we talked about needing to put a bath tub in the bathroom off the kitchen. Well, after we found out we were having quads, it was going to be a must. Church members began to ask where we were going to put the babies and what needed to be done before they arrived. So we explained we were going to have to fix the bathroom and the babies room was going to be right outside our bedroom, which had been our computer room and place for my scrapbooking stuff.

A group of people had been meeting at our church because they felt led to missions. To make a long story short, our pastor Chris Irvin, and church member Brian Dubose came to us and told us there was a group of people who felt led to help get our house ready for the quads. They wanted to add on a bedroom and bathroom. So here we are, seeing the blessings of the Lord rain down upon us! 2 verses that run through my head daily: Philippians 4:6 "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for what he has done." and Philippians 4:19 God will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Another one that's good to remember is Philippians 4:13 "For I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength."

25 weeks

Hip Hip Hooray I'm 25 weeks today!! Another week down with no problems, Praise God!! Today I did my second glucose tolerance test. This is the one where you get to drink the super sweet orange drink and then check your blood sugar again in an hour. After 2 sticks, the lab tech found a vein for my blood sample. My blood sugar came back normal (another answered prayer), so hopefully that should be the last for that test. Today has been a better day, I actually got some much needed sleep last night and got a nap yesterday afternoon. Tues. night the garbage truck came to empty the dumpster that's below me on the street at 3am, plus a bunch of other noises to keep you up. The main thing that keeps me up is getting comfortable and the pain from my body trying to stretch to accommodate the 4 little ones. Muscles and skin are stretching, ribs are moving to make more room. So lately right under my sternum and ribs it's constantly sore with the occasional stabbing pain that takes your breath away. But it's all worth it when you feel then wiggling and kicking.

Susie Q (Sue Spiva), a sweet gal I work with in surgery in Stephenville came for a visit Thurs. morning. She brought me some awesome sweet cherries, love them!! She also gave me a relaxing foot rub while we visited, and then took scary pictures of me to show everyone at work. Thanks again Susie for the extra fridge we can put in the utility room! Wed. before lunch I had a visit from 2 of our deacons, Craig Houston and Melton Murff. Thanks again for stopping by. Wed. afternoon, I also had a visit from quad mama, Suzanne Steece and her 4 babes, and Linda Gibson, who was her coordinator for the volunteers after the babies came home. These two ladies are so sweet and full of information. Linda has helped many other multiple moms set up a volunteer network and I'm so glad and blessed that she wants to help us too.
I have to say thanks to another friend, Nicole who showed me Suzanne's blog and helped me get in touch with her! It's such a great relief for me finding someone who was in this same spot just a little over a year ago! Suz has shown me it can be normal with 4, just a little busier. She has a great blog everyone needs to check out, lifeofsuz.blodspot.com. She has been wonderful answering tons of questions for me and giving me encouragement when needed. We also get to compare notes on Dr. Tabor, who took care of her also. We love the man!! Sorry so long, but wanted to catch up. Thanks to all for continued prayers and support! Tina

Baby shower 7-19-08

Jenna showing her "I'm a Big Sister" shirt I got her.

Some of our lovely hostesses. Not all were able to attend, but thanks to all who helped with the planning of our shower. Thank you so much for our carseats!!

Jenna emptied a laundry basket full of goodies in my lap.

My Girls: Ashley, me, and Jenna

from lt. to rt.: Ashley, me, Jenna, my Granny -June, Randy's mom in dark blue-Joyce, and my Mom in the back, Janie
Big belly at 22wk



Jenna with the yummy cakes made by Moni Putty

A wonderful group of ladies from our church, FBC Hico, gave us a shower at our house since I was already on bedrest on Saturday, July 19th. They did an awesome job, and we were truly blessed with all the wonderful gifts we received!

24wks & 4 days, Babes look'n good!

Randy & Jenna came to visit yesterday afternoon, so I called Tabor's office to see if I could bribe him to go ahead & sono the babies while they were here, since we were going to do it anyway this week. All 4 are looking great and believe me, moving good too. Drum roll please...
Baby Boy A: 2lbs!
Baby Boy B: 1lb 9oz!
Baby Boy C: 1lb 12oz!
Baby Girl D (aka Diva ): 1lb 9oz!
All are right on track & above average!
Kristi, my sista,has been here the past couple of days staying w/ me at the hospital hills inn. She had training classes to go to. On Sunday, Clay & Kristi Black and Steve & Rachel Warren and some of their kiddos came up to visit. Thanks guys for company and food! My Mom, Dad, and Jenna came up that afternoon. I got a 30 min. wheelchair pass, so Jenna wheeled me around downstairs w/a little help from Nana. We didn't run into too much! Of course they brought me some home cookin, my cravin for black eyed peas, cornbread, & goulash, and some super sweet watermelon. The fruit up here has no taste at all! So thanks who have brought me the good stuff! I'll be trying to post some picts from the baby shower and the construction being done on the house to make room for 4 more.

1st blog!

Well here it goes. I officially have set up a blog but am pretty much clueless from here! So bare with me folks! Family and friends have urged me to get a blog going, so sense I have so much time on my hands here in the hospital I figured why not. As of today I am 24 weeks pregnant with QUADS! We are having 3 boys and 1 girl. Randy and I also have 2 more children; Ashley who is 12 and Jenna who's 6. So the blog is born, "McLean, Party of Eight". I was admitted to the hospital on July 22nd at 22 weeks and 4 days. I had come in for my weekly check with Dr. Tabor, never imagining I would be staying for good. We had talked the week before that I would probably be here to stay at 24 weeks, not 22. My cervix had shortened to 2.02cm and my fetal fibronectin test came back positive, which is an indicator for preterm labor. I had that feeling even before the test came back positive that I would be staying, but I held out hope untill he came out and got me an hour later. By the look on his face I knew that this was it. His mind was made up, the test just gave him another reason. He knows what's best for us and wants to keep me and the babes out of trouble, God bless him! So here we are till they arrive.