NOW: March 27,2009
Tanner ( aka. Tan Man) Is such a happy baby! He always has a smile on his face and just loves to talk and laugh with his big sis Abby. Tanner spent 8 weeks in the NICU at sarasota memorial. He came home along with sister Sophia on Sept 19th. During his stay in the nicu he had no major complications, he just needed to get bigger and stronger before coming home. He is now, and has always been the biggest of the group, a big 18lbs and growing bigger by the day! As you can probably guess one of his favorite parts of the day is eating. The babies all started eating real food about three weeks ago and they just love it. Tanner is also rolling all over the house, and has just started sitting up on his own (SOOO... cute!) He unfortunately has had a few colds and had to have surgery to put tubes in his ears due to frequent ear infections(which is common in preemies)but overall has done very well. Oh, and did I mention that he gives the best kisses in the world (slobber and all):)He is going to be the class clown for sure,he is always doing something funny to get your attention, such a happy baby, he only cries when he doesn't get his food fast enough.
Sophia Flora Crissman
July 15, 2008
2lbs,11oz
15.5in
NOW: March 27, 2009
OH, my sweet Sophia. Such a sweet little girl, full of smiles and the biggest dimples you have ever seen. She also spent 8 weeks in the NICU and came home on sept 19th with Tanner. Her stay in the nicu was also for the most part uneventful, however on her second night her lung collapsed and she had to have not one but two chest tubes. They stayed in for a couple weeks to allow her lung to heal before they were removed. Now the only reminder of those tubes is two tiny little scars, they always remind me how lucky we are to have her and the others in our lives. Sophia has also had her share of colds after coming home, in January she along with Joel and Wyatt were readmitted to the hospital for RSV( a gift from big sister Abby). The boys fared much better than little Sophia, she ended up with a very bad ear infection as a result of the RSV which intern caused both of her eardrums to rupture. She had a very hard time hearing for a few weeks but after surgery to put tubes in her ears she is doing much better. She was such a trooper through it all, if it wasn't for the fever I wouldn't have even known she was sick.She and her big sis are already the best of friends, It is so cute to watch her face light up when Abby walks in the room. I call her my little drama queen, every thing she does from crying to laughing is VERY dramatic, it is so funny. She is also becoming a little sensitive and gets her feelings hurt very easy, which is also very dramatic, I'm talking quivering chin and alligator tears. So cute!Sophia has also started rolling over very well and is sitting up on her own.
Wyatt James Crissman
July 15, 2008
2lbs, 4oz
15.5in
NOW:March 27, 2009
My tiny Wyatt. What a tough little guy. He had quite a battle in the nicu, but he is a little fighter an came through it all just fine. His first few weeks in the nicu were uneventful, but slowly things started to get worse. It started with bad reflux, which let to pneumonia twice, his lungs became so bad that when you looked at his chest x-ray you couldn't even see his ribs, it was just solid white. He also had several infections, and became very sensitive to every thing around him, for weeks we were not even allowed to touch him because doing so caused him to stop breathing and his heart rate would drop so fast that the nurses had to stimulate him to breath. It is such a helpless feeling watching your child fighting for his life and not having the ability to make them better. I got to hold Wyatt for the first time in October, almost two and a half months after he was born, it was one of the best moments I had while the kids were in the nicu. Once he was off the vent he did very well and after a few more weeks he was able to come home. Wyatt and his brother Joel were sent home on November 7th after spending 115 days in the nicu. He has had some issues with weight gain and still remains the smallest at only 12lbs but he is growing fast. He did have a big event this week, he was finally taken off his oxygen!!! He is so adorable without those tubes in his nose. He did end up back in the hospital in Jan for RSV, he did ok, but did have to come home with a feeding (NG) tube for a few days until his weight started to go up. He also has had to have tubes in his ears. Wyatt is smiling from sun up to sun down. I swear his little cheeks must hurt from all the smiling he does, it is so cute. I call him quite Wyatt, because he doesn't make a whole lot of noise, but he is starting to coo and babble much more these days. He has started rolling over and loves to chew on his ( or whomever) toes he can get a hold of.
Joel Steven Crissman
July 15, 2008
2lbs, 2oz
15in
NOW: March 27, 2009
My little cuddle bug! Joel had a rough time in the nicu as well, but just like his siblings he is a tough little guy and a big fighter. For fear of running out of room, I will try to sum up his stay in the hospital. Joel had many of the same issues as Wyatt, very immature lungs, pneumonia's, infections, he also had a grade 2 (on the left) and a grade 4 (on the right) brain bleed. He initially came off of the ventilator after only 23days, but after getting pneumonia the first time he had to be put back on the ventilator and had a lot of difficulty getting back off . He like his brother came home on November 7th. He did come home with oxygen and several medications, but he no longer needs any meds for his reflux, and will hopefully be off of his oxygen by next month. The great news is that so far he shows no signs of any neurological problems from the brain bleed. He is being followed by a neurologist, but he sees no cause for concern at this point ( hooray!!!!) Joel also was readmitted to the hospital in Jan for RSV and you guessed it, he has also had tubes put in his ears. He is much more reserved than the other babies. He is very observant of what is going on around him. He is a huge cuddlier, he would be totally happy to have someone hold him all day (which I would love to do). He has started rolling over and loves to yell at himself in the mirror. He has also earned another nick name, little toot, I'll let you guess why he got that one:) Joel also has the most beautiful eyes you have ever seen ( the photo does no justice), they are such a deep shade of steel blue and his eyelashes are a mile long. With boys this cute I am in big trouble (lock up your daughters).
And Last but not Least, I have to tell you about the best big sister in the world!
Abigail Marie
11/5/05
3years old 
By far the best big sister anyone could ask for! She has been through a lot in the past year and I am so proud of her. She is such a big help to me and Kevin. She loves to entertain everyone, especially the babies. She has a magical way of getting the babies to stop crying and is able to make them laugh with just a look. She tells me she is going to be a doctor someday and likes to introduce herself as Dr.Abby (LOVE IT!) she is so funny, she will sit down with you, give you a check up, medicine, and carries around a little chart to write her notes in. I swear she is the cutest thing ever!Of course, she isn't always good, after all she is 3 and is always testing her Independence. But overall she is a very good little girl, I couldn't love her more!
Well, I am going to try to catch some sleep!
Take care; Sarah
