How Many?

Chapter 7

Niall was brought down to the NICU while I had to stay in my room for a few. I was a little jealous that he got to see them first but I understood. He promised to take lots of pictures. “Okay Mr. Horan. Here is baby A the first little girl!” “She’s gorgeous and so small.” “What’s her name?” “Ainsley Lyric Horan.” “Beautiful name.” “Can you give me a sheet of paper with all their weights and such please for my wife?” “Of course I can Mr. Horan.” A few minutes later, the head neonatal nurse gave Niall a sheet with their letters on it. He was given a piece of paper to write all their names to stick on their incubators. “Those are perfect names Mr. Horan!” “Thank you. Can I please see my babies now?” “Yes. Right this way.” She brought him over to when Ainsley was. “This little angel weighed 3lbs and 6oz at birth and was 17 inches long.” The nurse told Niall. “How come she has so many tubes?” “Because with her being 9 weeks early, her lungs aren’t fully developed. She has a breathing tube that goes through her mouth and into her lungs. She also has a feeding tube which is in her nose.” “Oh okay.” He said trying to remember what she said. She gave him a list of all the tests and such that they were doing on each baby. I ended up falling asleep in my bed waiting for Niall to come back. I was woken up by my gorgeous husband. “How are the babies?” “They’re doing the best they can from being 9 weeks early.” He showed me all the pictures he took. I started crying because they were so perfect and because of all the tubes that were attached to their tiny bodies. He hugged me tightly and we prayed together that they would be fine. I couldn’t wait to go to the NICU to see them up close for the first time. 2 hours later, I got my wish to go see my babies. I was wheeled over to Ainsley first. I looked into her incubator and was amazed at how much she looked like I did when I was a baby. I was able to reach in and touch her. Her skin was so fragile and so soft. I tied a pink piece of yarn around her wrist. When she had enough hair, she would get a pink bow in her hair. Right now, only 4 hours old, she didn’t have much hair. I was next wheeled over to Bryson. He looked just like Niall. It was obvious that they would have blue eyes since Niall and I both had them. He had a few more tubes than Ainsley. I got to reach into his incubator and tied a blue piece of yarn around his wrist. Niall then wheeled me over to Carter. He was much smaller than his brother. I couldn’t reach into his incubator because of his small size. He was more fragile than Ainsley and Bryson. I asked his nurse if she could tie a green piece of yarn around his wrist and she said yes. I then moved onto our tiniest baby. Our precious little Jaelyn. She was so tiny. Her nurse told us she was only 2 pounds and 6 ounces. Ainsley was 3 pounds and 6 ounces, Bryson was 3 pounds 2 ounces and Carter was 2 pounds and 10 ounces. Since Jaelyn was so tiny, touching her was not gonna happen. I gave her nurse a purple piece of yarn to tie around her wrist. I couldn’t wait to take them home. I didn’t want to leave the hospital and have to leave them behind. I felt guilty with the fact of having to leave them behind.