Reid Family Adventures: Ellen's Quints are HOME!!!!!

After much anticipation, anxiety and prayers, Ellen and the babies FINALLY made it home to Houston!!! With 5 babies, 6 adults and 11 plane tickets, they got home on Tuesday. So despite my sworn oath of no more long car travel in my last 2 uncomfortable months of pregnancy, I couldn't stand not going to Houston to see them at home. I had been to Phoenix twice, once while Ellen was on bed rest and once after the babies were born and still in the NICU, but had yet to hold and love on all those babies!!!! Wendy was also set on seeing them so we surprised Ellen by showing up on her door step Thursday afternoon.

The experience as written by Wendy:
Ellen is the best mom as she keeps careful watch of each one of them, I have NO IDEA how she does it but she is doing a GREAT job! It is very overwhelming having so many little cuties in one room--even with the 4 helpers that were there when we were. There's no way to explain how hectic it is, you have to experience to really appreciate what she's going through. Surprisingly, in the short amount of time we were there, I could ALMOST know each one by name and color. They all look slightly different so you can tell them apart. My favorite was Mitchell because he was such a feisty little thing & really cute while I was holding him. I tried to bring him home to show my kids, but Ellen wouldn’t let me out the door with him ( actually she may have if I didn’t live quite so far, she needs some REST). She only had all 5 of them out of the hospital since Saturday and then traveled back to Houston on Tuesday so she's still getting her rhythm down. Anyway they have a system started that seems to be working well & I am sure she will be in the swing of things in no time. I will say she is SUPER MOM!!!!

On our way home, Wendy and I marveled over what an unbelievable person Ellen is. No one can begin to understand what she's been through to get those babies here safely -- 5 months away from her husband, family and friends, 3 months of miserable bed rest on that awful magnesium they were pumping into her veins, constant worry that the babies would come too soon, all the ups & downs of whether those babies would make it in the NICU and then when she finally got 2 of the babies home (to her temporary Phoenix "residence") she went through the worst trauma of all when Ivy stopped breathing and Ellen had to administering CPR while her mom called a life-flight helicopter could come get them...it's been one heck of a battle.

Needless to say, Ellen's really glad to be home and back to her support network, particularly with Steven and Amy, her sister. She's just so sleep-deprived and overwhelmed that you can't help but worry about her. She wasn't having a "good" day when we came, but as outsider would never know it. I was so proud of her because, as always, she still keeps her bright Ellen smile on and is able to find the humor in her hardship. She's so amazing!

(Ellen's blog is www.howellquints.blogspot.com)