Julie holds Sammi for the first time
Our odyssey began on the 18th of April, when Julie and I found out we
were expecting. Our first child would be born right around Christmas.
But on the 9th of June our lives really turned upside-down. At our first
ultrasound we found out we were expecting QUADRUPLETS!
For 2 months things went according to plan, until August 11th, when Julie
was admitted to the hospital with premature labor. Things settled down again,
and Julie adjusted (for the most part) to life with complete bedrest.
Then on September 7th our littlest angel, Stephanie Bridget, was born
and died. As we dealt with our grief we tried to focus on the other three little
lives that hung in the balance. For two full weeks we held our breath.
Then the big days arrived.
Samantha Abigail came first on September 21st, weighing only 1 lb., 9 oz.
Christopher James and
Katharine Berniece arrived 3 days later, weighing
1 lb., 12 oz. and 1 lb., 14 oz. respectively. They were born 14 weeks prematurely.
As October rolled around, their weights had actually dropped a few ounces
(which is normal for preemies), and they remained on ventilators.
Their conditions were stable, but precarious.
