2 Weeks!!

Happy 32 Weeks!!

We now have exactly 2 weeks until the big day! When we met with a specialist in the beginning she told us that getting to 32 weeks would be the gold medal. The specialist was only optimistic about making it to 28 weeks so we are very thankful for where we are today and that we stuck with our Dr. Bellardo who had a lot more confidence in making this pregnancy last :) It is amazing to think that in 2 weeks we are going to be the parents of three children. I'm still not sure I have fully grasp it yet I know I am very ready to have these babies! We only have 2 weeks to go yet somehow that feels like a long time. I was thinking about it today and I remembered when we were going through fertility treatment. After the final procedure you have to wait 14 days before you are allowed to test to see if it worked. I shared earlier that patience was not my virtue and I tried testing at the 7 day mark (it was negative). I remember that those 14 days were some of the longest and almost every moment was consumed with thoughts of it had worked. My goal is to try and enjoy these 2 weeks despite how uncomfortable my body is :) 

I am definitely learning about that uncomfortable side of pregnancy that begins to hit at the end of one's pregnancy. I always believed pregnancy to be this wonderful and beautiful experience (which it is) and I have dreamed of this moment for such a long time, yet no one really shares about the pain. I look forward to the day when I can get out of bed without spending a few minutes trying to think about how I can best maneuver my body to just roll off the side. I also would like to be able to go an hour without going to the bathroom. I would also like the gestational carpel tunnel to go away so I can move my fingers again. And I won't even mention the back pain, the round ligament pain, or the pain of my abdominal wall stretching out :) I knew the other night that these babies had officially taken over my body. I was watching TV and I started crying at a preview for a show airing next week--I told Michael I was crying in anticipation of watching the show next week of when I would be crying more :) Oh dear...

We went and saw Dr. Bellardo this week as well as got another ultrasound. I believe that this was Ultrasound #13 in our pregnancy. This ultrasound went much better than the last one despite how long it lasted. It took the tech a little while to figure out everyone's position and Baby B (Naomi) is officially very squished. And then she spent some time measuring one of the babies to then figure out that she was measuring the wrong baby. It was very difficult to get measurements on Naomi due to her being so squished. It was amazing to see them again--I never get tired of seeing their little faces and how much they have continued to develop. The tech also spent some time trying to do the Biophysical Profile (BPP) because one part is taping their practice breathing. And she had to get the babies moving so we could watch their little diaphragms move up and down as they were practicing their breathing. It was still a little early in the morning for the babies and the only one who wanted to show off was Baby C (Levi). But eventually she bounced my stomach enough and got the babies going. When she was measuring Baby A (Ethan) it also made a lot of things make more sense. He is sitting so low--she had to dig into my thighs and hips to try and see him. When she was measuring my cervix his butt was literally just sitting on my cervix. I think that he thinks it is a trampoline sometimes even though I have tried convincing him otherwise. During the ultrasound though--Baby A (Ethan) is still breech and Babies B and C (Naomi and Levi) are transverse-oblique. 

So then we were a supposed to meet with Dr. Bellardo but he had to run to the hospital to deliver a baby. So we had to come back this morning anyways for another steroid shot so he said we would just catch up this morning. I got the first steroid shot yesterday and it was not painful at all. I read a lot of things online on how painful the shot is so I was a little nervous. Well, as it turns out the reviews are correct. She gave me the shot in my other hip this morning and it was incredibly painful. Oh well--it's over now. I only have one more progesterone shot next week and then we are finished with all these shots! Yay!  

So, we met with Dr. Bellardo this morning to talk about the ultrasound. He said that my cervix had shortened but it is still closed so we are good. I was also concerned because according to the ultrasound the babies hadn't gained that much weight. They had been gaining weight really steadily so I was anticipating the same this time. Dr. Bellardo said that the babies are still okay and everyone was around the 40th percentile. He said that we have reached a point where the babies' weight have plateaued instead of increasing. He said that it is getting more difficult for the babies to gain weight due to being so squished inside. But he did tell me that I can try and eat as many calories and not to be bashful about eating in the 2 weeks in an effort to fatten the babies up as much as possible. I will probably never hear those words again so I am going to try and eat as much as I can to fatten up the babies :) It is a little more difficult to eat these days as they are also squishing my stomach so I will try to space it out throughout the day. 

I told Dr. Bellardo about some tightening I have been having across my abdomen. It is not rhythmic, yet I have this tightening feeling and my stomach gets really hard. Dr. Bellardo said that it sounds like Braxton Hicks contractions which he said is just preparing your body for the real thing. He said to call him if it becomes rhythmic or if I have any spotting but I think we will be good. It is not an everyday experience and it's not really painful--just a little uncomfortable. It doesn't seem to affect the babies though and Dr. Bellardo wasn't too concerned about it unless it changes.

We also spent some more time talking about the C-Section. He said that I would be in the hospital until Tuesday--you get 4 days for recovery in the hospital for a normal C-Section and it does not count the day of delivery. I checked with our insurance as well and they said that there is no limit on how long I can stay (they base it off of the doctor's discretion and my level of care) so if everything goes well I will stay until Tuesday, the 23rd. I am really hoping that the babies will come home with us yet I am preparing myself for them to stay in the hospital. Dr. Bellardo said that the babies would be born within the first 15 minutes of the C-Section and then the rest would be spent "putting me back together again." He said the whole procedure should take about 1 1/2 hours and then I will spend about 2 hours in recovery until they are satisfied with the bleeding. Dr. Bellardo said that the NICU staff will be present to assess the babies and then they will either take the babies or let the babies stay depending on their condition. So, if they decide to take the babies then Michael will be allowed to go with the babies. Once I go into recovery my mom is going to sit with me so Michael can be with the babies. 

So, we are going to go back to the doctor next week for another appointment and an ultrasound. We will get a final count on how everyone is doing and then we will have the babies the week after! Crazy! Dr. Bellardo said that we are all doing well and I think he is pleased with our progress. If we continue on this path then it looks like we will make our goal of 34 weeks. Dr. Bellardo reminded us that full-term is different for triplets and that the babies are reaching a point where they have just about accomplished everything they can in my womb. Dr. Bellardo said that their weight and development will pick up after we deliver them.

We also got a few more pictures of the babies that I will put up on their pages. My goal now is just to keep eating as much as I can and to rest so the babies will stay healthy. Only 2 more weeks! We can do this! :)   

2 Weeks, 6 days!

We are another week down! Only 2 weeks, 6 days until we finally get to meet these three precious babies! I'm not sure words can express how excited I am to meet them--it has been a long 31 weeks in the making. This has definitely been a wonderful pregnancy compared to some of the horror stories I have heard of all of the negative side effects of pregnancy. I have definitely had my share of uncomfortable symptoms and they are gradually increasing yet I have definitely been blessed through this pregnancy. In this past couple weeks my symptoms are increasing. It appears that my body is tired of the extra weight which now affects my ability to sleep. I am learning to sleep with lots of pillows and a body pillow. The extra weight is also affecting my joints and swelling, yet I am trying to just take it one day at a time and remember that this is temporary :) I am looking forward though to the day when I can go an hour without going to the bathroom and I can get off the couch/bed without trying to first propel myself forward :)

Michael and I had a good week--we got some things taken care of in the nursery and we have a list (or I have made a list) of things to accomplish this week :) So, we should have everything in order by the end of this week! Michael's work is also having a baby shower for him this week which will be fun. It's fun to go through all of the baby stuff. My mom also came up this week to help clean the house and cook. We are definitely blessed for her help :)

Michael and I also had the opportunity to go on a private tour of the NICU at Baptist Hospital this week. I am so glad that we got to go and it helped prepare us for what we might experience. I'm not exactly sure what I was expecting yet it was definitely not what we saw. The NICU was so nice! It was very quiet and calm inside. Each baby has their own little "pod" with an incubator and there is a rocking chair that sits in front of it. They told us that they would try and put all 3 babies close together. They also showed us the "transition area" where the babies could go if they are trying to assess if the babies really need to be admitted into the NICU. Everyone was super friendly though and all of the nurses were really impressed with how far along I was. They also told us that from October 1st through April it is RSV season (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) which means that they limit visitors into the NICU. During that time Michael and I will always be allowed in yet we are only allowed to pick 4 visitors that are non-interchangeable. So we chose both of our parents so they could see the babies. So as long as the babies stay in the NICU no one else will be allowed to visit. I was really encouraged because the nurse told us that someone recently had triplets and they didn't even go to the NICU which is amazing! I feel really happy with our choice to have the babies at Baptist and I definitely feel comfortable with the NICU. It was nice to visit though so we know what to expect if the babies have to be admitted there. It is also nice that after I deliver the babies Michael can go with the babies to the NICU while I go to recovery. I am allowed one person to sit with me in recovery so my mom is going to sit with me so Michael can be with the babies.  

We have another doctor's appointment and an ultrasound on Thursday. So, I will update the blog again after the appointment. Hopefully the babies will have gained some more weight and everything will be on target! We have been so blessed by people's generosity this week and we are so grateful for everything. Only a few short weeks left! :)

 

30 Weeks & Counting!

Well, we have made it through another week and I am now 30 weeks! We have exactly 3 weeks, 4 days until the C-Section! I'm not sure words can express how excited we are and how excited I am to get these babies out! I have loved this pregnancy and carrying them, yet they are getting heavy :) Michael and I have been working on the nursery and it is almost officially done. We have a few more things to put away yet I am really pleased with how it has turned out. We have also worked on turning our dining room into Nursery #2. We have the swings set up as well as we have a second changing station and a storage bookshelf that is currently holding diapers and other baby supplies. We should finish the nursery this week (for the most part)--Michael is going to go buy 2 more mattresses and pick up a few last supplies that we need. We are really happy with how everything is turning out! I am also going to work on packing the hospital bags--it is all becoming a little more real!

I mentioned earlier that we were going to use a twin and single carrier as means of transporting the children. Well a good friend bought these for us and we are so excited to have them! This is our plan for how we will take the children out in more enclosed spaces where we can't use the stroller. I took a picture of Michael wearing the twin carrier. 

I love them! I am super excited to use them as well! They are meant for preemie babies so we can put them in starting at 3lbs. And then they adjust as the babies grow. 

We also had a doctor's appointment this week. We started with an ultrasound which turned into a VERY long ultrasound. It is taking the techs a lot longer to distinguish which baby is which and all of the babies were being very modest so she couldn't tell the boys from the girl :) It is easy to tell which baby is Baby A (Ethan) but Babies B & C are somewhat intermingled. And then mid-way through Baby B (Naomi) the machine decided to shut-off so she had to re-boot the whole system and get back all of her data. Thankfully nothing was lost yet it just added time to the ultrasound. I spent some of Baby B and all of Baby C's ultrasound with my eyes closed trying to calm my nausea. I guess for some reason laying on your back for that long can make you nauseous and it was pretty intense! I really enjoyed the tech we had though and she let us hear all of the babies' heartbeats on the doppler. We hadn't heard their heartbeats since they were about 10 weeks old. I love seeing and hearing their heartbeats--it just does something to my own heart :) 

The ultrasound was also long because they did a Biophysical Profile (BPP) on each of the babies. A BPP measures their breathing, movement, muscle tone, heart rate, and amniotic fluid. Each of the babies scored a perfect score! Yay! The doctor told us that each of the babies gets an A+ :) They have also been able to tell on the ultrasound that the babies are doing "practice breathing" which will help them once they are born! 

The doctor was really pleased with how everyone is doing. I am still doing really well and my blood pressure remains normal. I lost a few millimeters on my cervix but it is still long and closed! I told the doctor about some pressure I have been feeling and he told me more about contractions. After he described it to me I know that I am not experiencing any contractions. However, I have been experiencing this pressure--it is an outward pressure as if the babies are trying to pop through my skin :) The doctor said that my abdominal wall is being stretched/pulled so some of the pressure is from that. And also according to the doctor I have "a lot of baby inside." Haha...

The babies have also been gaining weight! Baby A (Ethan) now weighs 3 lbs, 6oz. Baby B (Naomi) weighs 3 lbs, 4oz. Baby C (Levi) weights 3 lbs, 3oz. So we are really happy with their weight gain! So if each of the babies could gain about a pound more a piece then that will put us in a really good place! Ethan is still in the breech position, yet Naomi and Levi have moved (of course). They are now both transverse which means that they are laying sideways. Naomi is on my left side and Levi is on my right side. The ultrasound tech mentioned that Naomi is squished--poor babies :) 

So, the doctor said that since we are all doing so well that we don't have to go back for 2 weeks! Yay! At that time I am also going to receive a steroid shot and then 24 hours later I will get a second steroid shot. They are a supposed to give me the shots in my hip :/ I will be really happy the day all of these shots are over. The shots are for the babies though and it will help mature their longs at an even faster rate. So, I can handle the shots since they are for them but I am still going to celebrate the day when I don't have anymore shots :) 

We have definitely been blessed with everyone's support and generosity towards us! We have been so overwhelmed with people's desire to help us. Michael's work is having a shower for him on Oct. 2nd which will be fun. And then on Wednesday the school where Michael's mom works is having a shower for us as well. We feel so fortunate and blessed. These babies haven't even made their entrance yet and there are already so many people that love them. 

We also got some more pictures of the babies at our ultrasound last week. I will post them on their pages--I'm not sure how well you can see them as it was very difficult to get good pictures of them. However, during the ultrasound the tech did get so close-up views of them and it is amazing how they have developed! I cannot wait to meet these three little people as they have already captured my heart :) 

Happy 29 Weeks! (a little late)

We have survived another week! We are now at 29 weeks, 4 days! I'm not sure if you will be able to tell if I have gotten bigger or now, yet I know that I have. 1.) I can feel it in all my joints 2.) My maternity clothes are having difficulty fitting 

 My sister and my mom went Good-Will and clearance shopping and found me a few more pieces of clothes to wear. These pants fit me pretty well (I might cut the size out...it's a tad depressing) and I have a couple dresses to wear as well. So, as I have said I can feel all of the extra weight in my joints. My feet and hands have started swelling on a regular basis which is pretty uncomfortable. My back and knees are also having a difficult time with the weight. My niece Abigail has been here the past 2 weeks and I will miss all of the foot rubs from her. Michael is pretty good though at rubbing my hands and feet :) I told my sister yesterday that I am beginning to understand Dr. Bellardo's "we have a long road ahead of us." I think I am at the point in one's pregnancy when it becomes uncomfortable and you just want to have your baby (babies). However, I know that the end is in sight and I just need to hang in. We have 4 weeks, 4 days to go! 

It has been a wonderful week though. My sister, her husband, and my niece have been with us this past week as well. I will miss having them around and my brother-in-law did a good job at keeping me well-fed. They left this morning for the last leg of their journey. However, there is a chance that could be returning if they haven't left for Ireland by the time I have the babies. It will be nice for the babies to meet them :) 

My sister and Dr. Cox also put together a wonderful baby shower for me this week! It was wonderful to get out of the house for a little bit and be able to spend time with some people I haven't seen in a while. We are so blessed by everyone's generosity towards us. We feel so blessed by the people that are in our lives and I can't wait for the babies to meet everyone. The shower was beautiful though and the food was amazing! We had a brunch theme and my sister and Dr. Cox made all of the delicious food! I forgot to take pictures though of the beautiful set-up they had :/ 

My sister also made us a beautiful wall-hanging for the nursery. She had people at the shower write out blessings, prayers, or wishes for our babies. And then last night Abigail, Sarah, and Michael finger-painted the background for it. Ted painted the centerpiece for the art work and it is beautiful! We still have room for more blessings though so if anyone wants to add to it then let us know! 

We also got some really good news this week! I found out that I had to do the 3-hour gestational diabetes test since my 1-hour test was a little off. It is not that bad of a test except that you get your blood taken 4 times and you have to sit there for 3 hours! Michael was sweet enough to go with me and sit. So we played some games on my iPad and I had my feet up in another chair. However, you are not allowed to have anything to drink or eat after midnight so I was so thirsty which caused my hands and feet to swell. However, I got the phone call the next day from the nurse letting me know that I passed the test! Yay! I don't have gestational diabetes!! It is such a relief to me and a lifted burden. 

We also got our triplet stroller in the mail this week! This was a present from my parents and we are so happy with it! I forgot to take a picture when it was completely assembled. However, this is what it looks like! It took us a long time to decide on a stroller yet we really love this one!
So, this is our plan for how we will transport the children around. We can use the stroller to walk around the neighborhood, go to the zoo, and be able to transport all 3 of them if we are alone. We were blessed with another gift of Weego carriers (there are 2--twin and single). We will use the carriers when we go out together and are in more enclosed spaces. 

This seems to be the week of presents! My husband also surprised me with a precious gift that I will treasure. He was going to wait to give me the gift after I had the babies but he can't keep a secret too long :) So, he gave me the gift early so I could wear it to the baby shower. I have been blessed with such a sweet man. 

So, it is symbolic of our three babies and then it has the letters of each of their first names. It is so beautiful to me! I have been so blessed by these three babies, yet I feel more blessed by being married to their wonderful daddy. 

So, it has been another wonderful week despite the physical condition of my body. We return to the doctor on Thursday to have an ultrasound and an appointment. I'm excited to see how the babies have grown and I pray that everyone is remaining healthy. Thank you to everyone for blessing us this week with your presence and gifts. We are truly blessed. I will update again after our appointment this week! Just a little bit more to go! This was part of the favor that we made for the baby shower. So, I will leave you with this...

Hello 3rd Trimester!

Happy 28 Weeks!

We made it! We have now entered the 3rd trimester as this is Week 28! This was a huge goal for us and we are super excited that we made it! Our next big goal is 30 weeks, then 32 weeks, and finally 34 weeks! We have had a good week so far--my sister, her husband, and my niece came in on Monday and they are here for two weeks. Here is my cute niece--she took a picture of herself on my phone :)

 My sister has also been working on doing touch-ups on the wall hanging that my dad painted when they were here. She finished that up and then sprayed it with a couple coats of polyurethane today. I think it is going to look really nice hanging in the baby's room. Abigail also decided to be helpful and she has helped with the touch-up process :)

Michael has been home a little more this week as well which has been really nice! I have enjoyed seeing him more. He worked on Monday for Labor Day which counted as overtime so he was able to just work his regular schedule this week and still get 8 hours of overtime :) If only every week was Labor Day! My parents are coming up here this weekend as well for my sister's birthday so it will be good to see them again too. 

We had a doctor's appointment this morning as well as an ultrasound. My sister came along so she could see the babies. However, it was a little disappointing because the ultrasound tech just measured the major parts and then was finished. So, we didn't get to see too much of the babies and we didn't get any pictures either :/ This is the first time since the babies were six weeks that we have not gotten pictures of them. Oh well--I guess I can't be too disappointed. This was our 12th ultrasound this pregnancy and we have gotten a lot of pictures of them so far. I am going to try and make a book of all of the ultrasound pictures that we have so far. 

Anyways--on to the appointment. So, after the ultrasound we did the usual waiting time. We have gotten pretty good at waiting to see Dr. Bellardo. They still have to book the ultrasounds for 1 1/2 hours even though the lady today took about thirty minutes and she spent a majority of the time trying to figure out who was who. All of the babies are doing really well though! Everyone is still growing concurrently which is a HUGE blessing. Babies A & B (Ethan and Naomi) were 2lbs, 9oz and Baby C (Levi) was 2lbs, 8oz. So, they were in the 42nd and 47th percentiles. The doctor told us a while back that he would accept a 25% span of the percentiles between the babies but it is awesome that they have all stayed together. The babies are measuring exactly on target for where they should be despite that there is three of them! We have truly been blessed this pregnancy! Dr. Bellardo said that my cervix is still long and closed which he said is awesome at this stage in the pregnancy. So, he is really happy with our progress and how they are doing. He was so pleased with our current progress and states that he doesn't want to see us again for two weeks! :)

The babies have changed positions (again!). They really can't stay still. The ultrasound tech even commented that she had never seen triplets so active as these babies. Baby C (Levi) even moved positions during the ultrasound--it was difficult to keep them still! So, this time everyone is in the breech position but Dr. Bellardo said it doesn't matter since we are doing a C-Section. It was really cute but at one point she was looking at the babies and all of their heads were in the middle--it looked like they were just hanging out together talking. I told Michael that maybe they figured out if they all keep their heads together then no one can kick them in the head :) I would draw you all a picture again but I'm not sure I could do it justice :)  

I asked Dr. Bellardo more about the C-Section since we now have a date scheduled. He said that I would check in 2 hours before and they would prepare me for surgery. He said that they would do the spinal thing and put my IV in--he said that they would do several tests to make sure I couldn't feel anything which I appreciate :) He said that I would be awake the whole time so I could see the babies for the first time. He said that after he pulled the babies out they would weigh them and check their body temperature. He said they may take them to the NICU but they would bring the babies around so I could see them first. He said that I probably won't get to hold them then but I'm happy that I will get to see them. Dr. Bellardo said that if they weigh enough and their body temperature is okay then they may get to hang out with us in the OR a little longer. Dr. Bellardo said that after he finished sewing me up and I went through recovery then they would take me to the NICU so I could see the babies. I didn't ask but I hope that if they take the babies to the NICU then they would allow Michael to go with them and be with the babies. It is all becoming a little more real for me--it's a little scary to think about yet at the same time I am really excited to meet these three little people whom I have grown to love so much. Dr. Bellardo said that the C-Section and sewing me back up again should take him about 1 1/2 hours. We have 6 weeks left! 

And now for the :/ news--I did the first glucose test but Dr. Bellardo said that it came back "a little off." I'm not exactly sure how off it was yet I have to go back on Tuesday for the 3-hour glucose test :/ Oh well...Dr. Bellardo didn't seem too concerned with it as it is pretty common with multiples. Dr. Bellardo did say that the blood work said I was not anemic which he said is amazing due to how much the babies are taking from my body. So, the 3-hour test is what actually determines if you have gestational diabetes. Dr. Bellardo said if I have it then they will set up an appointment for me to meet with a nutritionist to help create a diet for me. And then if the diet doesn't work then they move on to insulin shots. However, Michael and I processed all of it later when we were driving home and I'm not really sure we will reach insulin shots. By the time we get the blood results back I will be 29 weeks and then by the time I see a nutritionist I will be 30 or 31 weeks. So, by the time they figure out if the diet is working I should be close to 34 weeks and delivering these babies. So, we'll see but I am trying not to stress about it too much. I try my best to eat as healthy as possible so I am going to add a few more veggies to my diet and carry on until I learn differently. 

So, I believe that is all of our news for now! We are really thankful for everything so far and how well this pregnancy has gone. So, please continue to keep us in your prayers over these next 6 weeks! I feel really confident that we can do this, yet I know that this is physically draining on my body as the babies are growing and stretching me in ways I didn't know possible :) I am currently carrying about 7lbs, 10oz of baby plus all three placentas and their fluids which doesn't sound like much yet it is not completely pleasant for the body :) But we can do this! 6 weeks, 1 day! :)

6 weeks, 6 days to go!!

Happy 27 Weeks!

Well we have made it another week! There is not a whole lot to update on this week--it's been rather a quiet week which is nice. My mom was here with us this week as my dad and friend were driving the U-Haul. It was nice to have her here with us and she takes such good care of us :) They left on Friday to move into their new home in Alabama. My sister, her husband, and my niece arrive on Monday! I am looking forward to seeing them and spending time with them since I'm not sure when we will see them again. 

We had a doctor's appointment this week yet we didn't have an ultrasound since we had one last week and we will have one again this next week. I also did the glucose test--I am still waiting to hear the results of the test. It wasn't as bad as I have heard some say. I chose the orange flavor (sounded better than fruit punch) and it wasn't horrible to drink. It did burn my throat a little bit yet I thought it was pretty similar to an orange soda (or a flat orange soda). The doctor did not have a lot of news for us--everything is just kinda going along right now. He reminded us that we reach a big milestone this next week when I make it 28 weeks. It will be the start of the third trimester and we will begin the most critical part of this pregnancy. 

Exhaustion. That's what I am currently experiencing. I have no idea how I could feel so tired because I don't physically do much throughout the day but I know my body is working hard as these babies continue to get bigger. I find myself sleeping more and more and just feeling generally tired. I slept 12 hours last night and I have still been dozing on the couch in the past three hours that I have been awake. It makes me feel lazy because I don't feel productive yet I know that now is the time to rest. Once the babies come I may never sleep again :) I am almost like a baby myself right now-- I eat, sleep, and go to the bathroom. I look forward to the day when I don't get up every 10 minutes to pee. It is ridiculous how much I go to the bathroom. I do eat a lot as well or I feel that I do; however, I only gained one pound this week at the doctor's office. I have developed a love for kiwi this past week--I won't bore you with all of the nutritious facts about kiwi (I already told my mom and Michael) but you should look it up :) I ate 6 kiwi yesterday and I'm not sure how many Michael cut up for me this morning. 

Breathing. That's another problem. I hadn't really noticed it until this past week and then several people have started pointing it out to me. It is much more difficult to breathe these days-- I find myself breathing heavy and out of breath. The lab tech at the doctor's office thought something was wrong with me after I walked from the waiting room to the lab (maybe 20 feet) but once I explained I was having triplets she understood. I think one of these children has currently lodged themselves in my ribs/lungs and it is difficult to catch my breath. But my blood pressure remains good and the doctor is pleased with it. 

AND NOW FOR THE BEST NEWS (drum roll please) -- we have a date for the C-Section!!!!!! I will be having the babies (hopefully) on Friday, Oct. 19th around 1pm. I got a call on Friday morning from the doctor's office letting me know that it had been scheduled at Baptist Hospital. I was told that I should be at the hospital no later than 11am and then Dr. Bellardo will begin the procedure around 1pm. The nurse told me that Dr. Bellardo said that it should take him about an hour to do the whole thing. They said I can't eat or drink after midnight the day before, yet I think I will be too nervous to be hungry. 

It all seems a little more real now that we have a date to look forward to. In 6 weeks, 6 days I will be giving birth to three little babies. I still wish I had some understanding of that. It has become more and more real as the babies have grown, yet I am still not sure I fully "get it." Yesterday I started making a list of everything we still need to do and buy before we have the babies--maybe the "nesting" phase is beginning. And then I tried to do some guided imagery of having three babies here in the house with me--it just doesn't seem real though. I'm not sure why it is difficult to imagine as we have three cribs, lots of clothing, swings, and baby things all over this house. I know it will become real as soon as I "see them" for the first time--I see them on the ultrasound screen yet I can't touch or hold them. We are so excited though to meet them. Michael and I talk about it all of the time and I know he is going to be an amazing daddy. I am so thankful that we have had the past 3 1/2 years by ourselves--I have cherished these years and it makes me feel good about bring three babies into our little family. I know that Michael and I will be able to handle this even though there are sure to be some rough moments :) 

So, now we just need to make it a little bit more! We need the babies to stay in until their scheduled debut--they still have more growing to do and need to gain some more weight. I am going to do my best to be a good patient and abide by all the bed rest rules :) Thanks to everyone for all of your help and prayers--they are truly appreciated! Now we all just need to pray for Oct. 19th! The babies and I talked yesterday though and we think we can do it :)

26 Weeks & Counting!

Happy 26 Weeks!

We have made it another week! We now have about 8 weeks left until our goal of 34 weeks! It is becoming more and more real every week that we are about to become a family of five! Michael and I were laying in bed last night and talking about the babies--I'm still not sure I fully understand what is about to happen, yet I am becoming more and more excited to meet these three little people! They are kicking more and more--they are active little tikes! I always know when Baby A (Ethan) is kicking me, yet I am not sure about Babies B & C (Naomi and Levi)--those two confuse me because they move around so frequently. 

My parents got good news this week! My dad got a job in Cullman, Alabama which is about 2 1/2 hours from Nashville so they are moving! It will be nice to have them closer to us! So, they are loading the U-Haul today and then my dad and a friend are heading out from Seattle on Monday. My mom flies in on Monday night and she is staying with us for the week while the boys drive. So, they should get here on Friday and then my mom will go with them down to Alabama to help unpack and get everything organized! My parents have been with me the past 2 weeks and I told Michael that I forgot what it was like to be myself all the time--it's pretty boring :/ So, my mom will leave on Friday and then my sister, her husband, and my niece will arrive on Monday, Sept. 3rd and they will be here for 2 weeks! While my sister is here we are having a baby shower on Sept. 15th--I'm excited! 

Michael has still been able to get overtime each week which has been wonderful--he has been working approximately ten hours a week of overtime! We have been really blessed by that and I am so thankful for all of his hard work! Hopefully once we have the babies he can stop working overtime for a little bit since I will be getting the long-term disability. It will be nice to have him around more--I have definitely missed him! I love all of the visitors and family yet there is no one I love to be here more than him :) 

We met with a pediatrician this week as well--he is a tad on the querky side but we liked him. He has had experience before with triplets and doesn't seem intimidated by them which is great. He said several times how much fun he thought triplets were. He also looked at his schedule to make sure that he could really give us the attention and time that it takes for triplets and he said that he could. He said that he makes rounds every morning at the hospital so he would check-in on the babies every day once they were out of the NICU. He also reminded us that there are a lot of "boring reasons" to go to the NICU such as not being able to maintain their body temperature because they need to gain more weight. So, that was comforting. He also told us that being a triplet is already a traumatic/stressful event for the babies so their bodies develop at a faster pace than a singleton baby. So, he told us that triplets born at 32 weeks have much more developed lungs than a singleton baby at 32 weeks. So, all of that was comforting to hear--I hate that their bodies are stressed but it's good that it helps them to develop at a faster pace since they could come at any time. So, we feel good that we now have a pediatrician and we can cross that off of our list :)

And now onto the babies! We had a doctor's appointment and ultrasound on Friday--the ultrasound was at 8am which means I got up at 6:30am. I have not seen that early in a long time! The further along I get the more and more I love to sleep and I don't usually get out of bed until around 10 or even 11 some days :/ So, I had to take a nap yesterday to make up for that loss of sleep! The babies are doing wonderful though! They continue to amaze us with their growth. The boys (Babies A & C) are now 2lbs, 3oz and our little girl is 2lbs! Yay!! This is amazing because it means we are already halfway to our goal of 4lb babies and we still have 8 weeks to go! Even though our girl is a little behind the boys in weight they are still staying together and no one is stealing from one another! The ultrasound tech said that Ethan's (Baby A) head was measuring about a week ahead (so 27 weeks). I said that big heads run on my side of the family so he may of just got the curse of the genes :) Everyone is measuring really well though!

The babies have changed positions (again)--they just can't stay still! Baby A (Ethan) is in the normal position of a baby if this was a singleton pregnancy--he stays low and is head-down (vertex position). Baby B (Naomi) has moved on us--she was laying on top of Baby A (Ethan), yet she is now considered to be in a transverse position. Her head is up high near my ribs and she is laying side-ways with her feet going to my right. Baby C (Levi) has moved back over and he is in the vertex position (head-down). He is on my left side yet Babies B & C (Naomi and Levi) are somewhat behind each other. It's difficult to explain but the ultrasound tech said to think of it like balloons. Everyone is inside a balloon and they just float around. So, Ethan continues to remain the same but Naomi and Levi can't seem to get comfortable and find a spot :) 

Afterwards we met with Dr. Bellardo and he said that my cervix is still doing well--it is long and closed! So this continues to be a really good pregnancy, yet Dr. Bellardo continues to remind us that we have a long road ahead of us still. I'm just trying to take it one day at a time though because I'm not quite sure what that road entails yet! Dr. Bellardo said that Baptist opens up their schedule about 7-8 weeks in advance so he said that his homework will be to look at their schedule and schedule the C-Section. So, within in the next few weeks we should have a tentative date on when we will be having these babies! Michael asked if it would be good to keep going if I am still making it at 34 weeks and Dr. Bellardo said no. Dr. Bellardo explained the differences in a triplet pregnancy and what is considered full-time (average is 32 weeks). Dr. Bellardo said that we reach a point where the babies will do better out of me rather than staying in. It is similar to a fish in a fish bowl affect--there reaches a point where the babies cannot grow anymore because I cannot grow anymore so they become stagnant in their growth rather than continuing to develop. So, everything is starting to become a little more real for us! I think it will become more real once Dr. Bellardo schedules the C-Section and I have a date to look forward to. 

The past week I have also noticed that my fingers are very sore. It's kind of weird but it hurts to bend them. I asked Dr. Bellardo and he said that it is due to retaining water. He said that it is common part of pregnancy and he said with multiples it happens even more (go figure!). So, he said that I could buy some hand splints to wear at night they would help the nerves. They stay sore all day, yet it is pretty bad at night and in the mornings. I practice moving my fingers throughout the day though so they don't get stiff. I imagine it is similar to having arthritis in your fingers. I read that it can help to run cold water over your fingers so sometimes at night I run water on them for a while--not sure if that helps or not but its worth a shot :) Another wonderful part of pregnancy :) I bought a bottle of Tums this week too so hopefully that should help the heartburn as well--I haven't had too much heartburn but when it hits it is bad!  

So, I think that is all of our news for this week! We got a few pictures of the babies at the ultrasound but I am not going to upload them--I'm not sure you would be able to tell what they are. It is getting harder to see everyone--especially this week because they were hiding behind each other. I go back again on Thursday for the glucose test--I hope I pass! The doctor asked me to stop taking one of my medications this week so we could get a more accurate reading on the test. So, we'll see how that goes. And then we go back the following week (Week 28) for another ultrasound and appointment. 

Well it's time for me to go and find some lunch! Thanks to everyone for your continued support of us--we are truly blessed :)

What's in a Name?

As everyone now knows we are having three babies which meant that we had to come up with three baby names. At first we thought that it was going to be a pretty easy task, yet we have quickly discovered that it is a lot more difficult than we had originally thought. In the beginning (for some odd reason) we thought that we were having two girls and a boy so we had the names picked out. Then we discovered that we are having two boys and a girl and for some reason it has been a lot more difficult to pick out a boy name than a girl name. Michael and I have played with a variation of names and it was important that each name be different. I know that many people will refer to them as “the triplets,” yet to us they are three very different people who will have different personalities, talents, and gifts. They are not a bundle package to us and it was important that it also be reflected in their names as well as in the ways that we will treat them. The one thing that these three babies have in common is that I am carrying them all at the same time—they have their own sacs, placentas, and are already separated by a membrane. So, no offense to anyone that has rhyming names or everyone’s name starts with the same letter I wanted something else for these babies. We wanted these babies to know that they are each special to us in their own ways and we will try our hardest to always treat them with that individuality. I don’t want anyone of them to be overlooked or clumped together—they are three separate people who will share a common bond in the fact that they were all carried at the same time in my womb. I’m sure we have not thought of everything yet we have tried to be purposeful in our planning for these three babies. We are not buying any matching outfits or making their names match in anyway. It was also important to us that they each have their own name so there will be no Michael Jr.’s or Anna Jr.’s.  So, yes they will each contain parts of Michael and me so they will resemble us maybe in their looks, personalities, or gifts, yet I want them to know that they are unique and special to us in their own ways. I know that many of you might be thinking right now that we have completely over thought this process yet each of these things are important to us. And then to add something on top of that—we also wanted the names to have a special meaning and their names to tell a story. So, I will tell you their names and in the process I will also share some of my story and our story together.

Ethan Thomas

   -Ethan: Strong & optimistic, solid & enduring, and permanent

   -Thomas: John 20: 24-29

So, why did we choose Ethan Thomas? We picked out this name together and it has special meaning to us. Ethan means strong and optimistic, solid and enduring, and permanent. His name is such a testament to our story and how God has been faithful to us through this. Ethan the Ezrahite also wrote Psalm 89…here are some parts of it

I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever;

With my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations

I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

The heavens praise your wonders, Lord, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones

For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord?

Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?

In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared;

In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him

Who is like you, Lord God Almighty?

You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you

And then the middle name—Thomas. This story is also particularly dear to my heart. I have also always identified with Thomas because he is a doubter. I can’t say that I have been the most optimistic person on this journey—I have always been a doubter. I doubted that this could even work and each time a cycle failed then my doubts were confirmed. My feelings of inadequacy resurfaced as I learned of a failed treatment. The doctor told us before we started that he was about 100% confident that I could never conceive on my own and would need the assistance of medication. It hurt to accept that truth yet we were excited when we first started fertility treatment. When the first one failed we tried to move forward and then the second one failed—we had a positive reading mid-cycle and I was confident that it had worked that time. And then by the time the third round came my heart was broken and I was not in it. And then we moved on to bigger & stronger drugs—I tried not to doubt that time but she told us from the beginning that there was only a 25% chance of success. Michael tried to be the optimistic one in our relationship throughout the process yet I know it was disappointing for him, at times, as well. So, then we went into our IUI. I was not optimistic. In order for a follicle to be mature they told us that my follicles needed to be 18mm—mine were 16mm, 15mm, and 12mm. And my estrogen levels weren’t that high. I doubted in the success of this to say the least. And then at 8 ½ weeks we found out that I was carrying three babies—triplets. The doctor was also in shock at the results. She again shared my numbers with us and told us that according to research I should not have these babies. She could offer us no explanation for these three babies. That moment was such a confirming moment to me that God had a plan for us and that these three babies would be okay. I also thought of Thomas and his doubt. And I thought of Peter on the boat and Jesus responded, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” I think God could also have a sense of humor and I know he was laughing with us as Michael and I stared at each other and all we could do was laugh at the thought of having three babies. We still laugh about having three babies and wonder what we are doing.

Naomi Elise:

     -Naomi: beautiful

     -Elise: (variant of Elizabeth) – “God’s promise or God is my vow”

So, why did we choose Naomi Elise? The name Naomi was one that I had picked out several years ago even before we were married. It is a name that came to have great meaning to me on my journey of healing. I often identified with Naomi and her story in the Bible; however, I never really finished reading the story. In the beginning of the Book of Ruth it shares Naomi’s story. She has lost everything—she has lost her husband, her sons, and is now about to lose her daughter-in-laws. She now has to leave her country and move back home. She is so bitter with God and she says in Ruth 1:20-21, “She said to them, ‘Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?” I identified with Naomi’s words and I felt that God had done the same to me. I identified with her bitterness, hurt, and pain. I found comfort that she felt the same way that I did. However, I never truly finished Naomi’s story and saw the beauty in it until a few years ago. When I was finally able to address my pain and find healing then I was also able to see how God redeemed Naomi’s story as well. At the end of the story Ruth is redeemed by Boaz and through them Naomi is given a grandson. In 4:14-17 it says, “Then the women said to Naomi, ‘Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer…Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, ‘A son has been born to Naomi.” So, I decided that if I ever had a daughter that I would name her Naomi. It would be a reminder to me of the pain I had experienced but more than anything it is a reminder that God can redeem our pain and suffering and turn it into something beautiful. Thus, Naomi means “beautiful.”

We choose the middle name Elise together. When Michael told me the name I loved the way it sounded, yet I fell more in love with it once I found out what it meant. It means “God’s promise or God is my vow” and it is also a variant of Elizabeth. In the New Testament, Elizabeth was barren and God gave her a child. So this little girl is an answer to our prayers and she is beautiful to us in every single way. She is a fulfillment of God’s promise to us and we couldn’t be happier to have her in our lives.

Levi Joshua

  -Levi: Joined, combined, attached, pledged to, or joined in harmony

  -Joshua: God Rescues

So, why did we choose Levi? His name took us the longest to come up with. We have tossed around a lot of names and I have looked up the meanings of countless names. And then we had it narrowed down to two names and I told Michael that he should choose the final name. I thought it would be an easy pick for him because he has always loved a certain name; however, in the end Michael choose Levi which I love. I think that his name is the cultimation of our journey and it is symbolic of our marriage. Michael and I are joined together in love and as a result of our love for each other we have created Levi. I also love the story of Levi in Mark 2 and if he is at all like his father then he will be someone who joins people together and he will be a connecter of others. 

 And then we have Joshua which means God rescues. I think this is a more personal part of my story. In Joshua 6 it tells the story of the battle of Jericho—it begins by saying that Jericho “was shut up inside and outside…none went out and none came in.” God sent Joshua to Jericho to tear down the walls of the city. Symbolically, the only ones who survived were Rahab’s family and Rahab is the mother of Boaz who later marries Ruth (Naomi’s daughter-in-law). I started going to counseling again when we were going through fertility—it was a difficult time for me as a lot of things I thought I had dealt with resurfaced. I remember one session, in particular, where she asked me what it would take to tear down the walls that I had built around my heart—the walls of lies that I believed to be true about myself. The lies that I was inadequate as a woman and wife, that I was “the problem,” that this situation was my fault, and that I was broken. I remember thinking about it and I told her that with every failed cycle it was as if reality slapped me in the face and confirmed what I believed to be the worst in myself. I remember her asking me what it would take to prove those beliefs wrong and my answer was “a baby.” I thought that if God worked the impossible and I became pregnant then I would have to give up the false beliefs about myself. Those lies could no longer be true if I had a baby because it would mean that I was adequate, I wasn’t the problem, that this wasn’t my fault, and that I wasn’t broken. I know that if I never became pregnant I would have had to still resolve these feelings about myself, yet during that time I believed that a baby would refute every lie I had ever told myself. A baby would mean that the walls would come down because they would no longer have a foundation to stand on. So, as Joshua fought the battle of Jericho and the walls came down—God also fought for me and He rescued me from myself. God rescued me and then He gave us three babies as proof that He is still in the business of doing great things.

So, what’s in a name? Everything. These names are a testament to the great work that God has done in my life and in our lives together. It was a crazy journey and we aren’t finished yet! I am so blessed that I have Michael on this journey with me—there is no way I would have made it without him by my side. He is a constant source of affirmation and he continually reminds me how he loves me no matter what. I’m not sure words can express just how much I love him.

I will finish with this- Hannah prayed in 1 Samuel 1:27-28, “For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. Therefore, I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.”

9 Weeks To Go!! :)

Happy 25 Weeks! 

Well, we are another week down and one week closer to our goal! In 3 weeks we will reach our goal of 28 weeks which also means that I will be going into my 3rd trimester. So far everything is still going well this week with the babies and they are continuing to grow and kick more and more. Here is a picture for 25 weeks--

I can't really tell if I am getting bigger anymore--it all is starting to look about the same to me. However, some people who don't see me on a daily basis say that I am getting bigger. Who knows :) This has been a semi-difficult week for me physically but I am getting back on track and starting to feel better. I told Michael that I feel a little sluggish today so I think I am going to take it easy and maybe even try and take a nap :) 

My parents were here this week as well which has been nice. It is nice to not have to spend so much time alone while Michael is working. They have also been a big help and my mom kept our house clean and did all the laundry which was a huge help to Michael :) He is going to have to get back into this week though! They also worked on straightening up the laundry room and closet. My mom and I went through the baby's room and assessed what we have accumulated thus far. We definitely have a wealth of boy's sleepers! We finished putting all of the clothes into the tubs and the tubs are now underneath the cribs. We have the preemie and newborn clothes in their drawers and the 0-3 month clothing in the closet. My dad has also been working on the wall hanging for the babies' room--it was a work in progress but it is now finished. 

It encompasses all of the colors from the curtains as well as the dresser and changing table. I am happy with how it turned out--this has been Michael's little project and he was very excited when he found it at a store. Later on we could turn it into a headboard for our little girl :)

Michael is still giving me the shots--he has given me 9 shots and we have 9 left to go! I will be thankful for the day with no more shots. I didn't mind the shots I had to give myself when we were going through fertility shots but this shot seems to be a beast! Michael is continuing to try though; however, if we get switched to weekly appointments I might let the nurse take over ;) 

Good News! We received confirmation this week that my long-term disability claim was approved!! Yay!! They have approved me for a 6 week recovery period once I have the babies and they will pay 60% of my previous salary for that time period. There is a 90 day elimination period though which ends on October 11th when I will be 33 weeks. So we really need the babies to wait until then to come! It is a huge blessing to us though because it seemed like a long-shot when I was applying but we went ahead and did it. My doctor also filled out a portion and explained the medical concerns of me carrying triplets. It is a huge stress relief though because once I have the babies we can have this as additional income for 6 weeks and Michael will not have to worry about working overtime. It will be nice to have Michael with me and the babies during that time and just work his normal schedule. 

Well that might be all of our news for this week! We are going back to the doctor on Friday for another ultrasound and appointment so I will have more pictures then of our little ones. Then the next week I am going in for blood work to test for gestational diabetes. There is a higher chance of having it when you carry multiples but I am hoping that we can avoid it since they have kept me on preventive medication. Thank you again to everyone who has supported us thus far through phone calls, meals, and visits (this is a shout-out to Emily M. :) We feel truly blessed by everyone who is supporting us on this adventure! We are getting more and more excited to meet these little ones that have so radically changed our lives! :) 

 

Happy 24 Weeks! 10 Weeks to go!!

Happy 24 weeks!! We are slowly counting down the time and we have about 10 weeks left until our goal of 34 weeks! Yay! It seems like all of this is becoming more of a reality--that we are about to have three children--yet I am not sure that we still understand and we haven't fully wrapped our minds around it yet. I am getting more and more excited to meet these three little people though who are growing inside me and I can feel their kicks and punches. Michael was finally able to feel them kick/hit and it was really exciting! The babies are fairly active in the morning and evening--I try to get them to kick whenever Michael is around so he can feel them some more. We are super excited though to meet these three babies that we have grown to love so much. 

It has been a pretty exciting week--my parents came in late Monday night from their trek across the country. They came with lots of baby clothes from my niece so we have been sorting them by sizes and moving them into our tubs as well. We also got my sister and brother-in-law's hammock which has been installed in our front yard.

I was a little worried about my ability to get in and out of it but it has been fairly easy so far. It is a little scary at times though because it is attached to a walnut tree and the squirrels love to throw the walnuts down on top of us. So far I have not gotten hit yet there have been a few scares! But I have taken to bringing a pillow outside and reading in the hammock. It is very relaxing and it feels good to be outside. I spent all day yesterday outside in the hammock and I am spending all day today as well. I sit sideways in it (like a swing) so I can sit up and eat my meals and write this blog. Michael loves the hammock as well and has been trying to soak up time in it. 

Michael and my dad also worked on some re-organization of the kitchen so that we could have some extra cabinet space as well as some counter space. I didn't realize how much Michael disliked our current set up and wanted something more functional :) So, we now have one completely clear counter top which will probably turn into a bottle station. They had fun measuring though and then went to The Container Store to get this. 

It does look nice though and gives us some added space that we could definitely use! We are learning how to utilize every square inch of our house so that we can best accommodate all of our stuff as well as the babies stuff. It is amazing how much three babies could possibly have! We are going to get some more baskets and do some re-organization of the dining room as well. I will post pictures when that project is done as well :) 

And now onto the babies--they are the best part! Here is a little picture of all three of them from the recent ultrasound on Thursday--

Aren't they so cute?!?! They amaze me each time I see them and I am so captivated by them. It is amazing how I haven't even held them yet and they have already stolen my heart :) I will post more pictures on their page as well so maybe you can see them better. We didn't get any 3D pictures of Baby A this time but we did get ones of Babies B & C. Baby C is the bottom pictures--I'm not sure if you can see it but that is Baby B's knee in his face :) They are definitely cramped in there! They have also re-arranged their positions (maybe for added comfort). As I showed previously they were stacked on top of one another--I have attempted to draw a picture of their current position (don't laugh)

 
 Not sure if that makes perfect sense and my picture makes it look like they have a lot more space than the actually do! It is very tight quarters in there and they are scrunched together. But Babies A & B are still in their same position and they are head-down laying across my stomach. However, Baby C has decided that he wanted more space (perhaps) and is now laying down my right side with his legs up into my ribs. Thus, Baby B's knee being in his face. I am not sure if they have settled into their positions but this seems to be where they currently find themselves. 

The babies are doing wonderful! Yay! It is such a huge blessing to have them doing so well right now. Dr. Bellardo reminds me every time though that I still have a long road ahead of me so I'm not sure what the future holds for me or the babies, yet it is comforting that they are doing so well right now. Each of the babies are now at 1 lb., 8oz. which is great! So, total I am carrying about 4.5lbs. of babies right now. Dr. Bellardo said that only grams separate their weight which is amazing! He said that they are also all around the 45th percentile which is great and they are all staying together. That is also a huge blessing that no one is growing faster than the others. When the ultrasound tech was doing the ultrasound she also commented that Baby A was already trying to practice his breathing which she said they don't look for until 30 weeks. So, it is good to know that they are progressing so well. We are going to try our best to make it to 34 weeks but it feels good to know that they are doing things now that will make their appearance into the world a little easier. The babies amniotic fluid also looked good and so did their placentas. She said that Babies A & B still have anterior placentas but with Baby C's new position it looks like his placenta is now posterior which means it is behind him. It doesn't really make a difference--they are still getting their food :) Dr. Bellardo said that my cervix is still long (yay!) but it has shorten just a tad. So, he said that I need to continue on the bed rest and restricted activity. I have been trying my hardest at this restricted activity but I am going to try a little harder :) So, we don't have to go back for 2 more weeks! We are going to have another ultrasound then and meet with the doctor to get the status of everything!

Also--I heard from the company that is processing my long-term disability claim. So, it is now in the approval process so we will see what happens! My 90 day elimination period ends on Oct. 11th so hopefully the babies can wait until then! So, other than that I think that is all of my news for this week! We have been blessed with another great week and we are so thankful for everyone's continued support and love for us! I am also posting a few pictures to the babies page so you can check them out! They are so precious! :) 




 

Happy 23 Weeks!

Happy 23 Weeks! I have survived one more week of bed rest and we now have 11 weeks to go until our goal of 34 weeks!

 So, as you can see I am getting bigger. Sometimes I think I grow more overnight--it is interesting to look at the progression of how big I have gotten throughout the weeks. It makes me feel even bigger whenever I look at people who are pregnant with just one baby. But the babies are growing and that is the most important thing right now--I am learning to surrender my body to them as well as they are slowly taking over and changing it. 
Michael and I had an exciting week and we received our cribs! It feels a little more real now that we have all of them. They are set up in the bedroom right now--we had to clump them all together for the moment because my parents are coming into town and you can't get onto the futon with the cribs in their position. It is definitely a maze in the nursery and there is not much moving room. We bought the cribs from Ikea so they were a little interesting to put together. In order to save money there are no words in the instruction manual--only pictures. I was a supposed to be interpreting the instructions for Michael but we had a few mishaps along the way :) However, after the first one was together he put the other two together pretty quickly. Here are some pictures :)

 Here is where my interpreting skills failed and the crib came tumbling down :)

 Putting the cribs together

 This is where Michael decided not to follow the instructions and he had to take the crib a part :) 

  Here they are all put together! We have to still work on some organization as the babies cannot currently sleep in their cribs :) 

So, as you can see it was a work in progress to get them together, yet it feels good to have them up now! We moved the totes with the clothes inside the cribs because we are still organizing everything. We can put some of the totes underneath the cribs once we finish. And then in the back crib is a swing and some bouncer seats which will be moved to the dining room (AKA Nursery #2). But everything is starting to come together which feels great! Michael has one load of laundry left to do of the baby clothes we currently have and then I will finish folding and sorting them.  

My parents will be here on Tuesday and they will be staying for a couple weeks. So, that should keep me occupied for a little bit. It will be nice to not spend everyday by myself as Michael has been trying to work as much as possible. Michael hasn't found a second job yet but he has been able to work overtime which has been great. So, we are hoping that he can continue to get enough overtime and will not have to get a second job. It would be much easier on us (especially once the babies come) if he didn't have to have a second job. 

The babies are getting stronger and they are starting to kick a lot harder. They are getting to where I can feel them from the outside which has taken a little longer due to having anterior placentas. However, they seem to only be active whenever Michael is not here :) He has been trying to feel them and I call him over whenever the babies start kicking but they always stop whenever he comes over. It is definitely a weird sensation to have three babies kicking you because it covers my entire stomach as they kick high, low, and in the middle. Michael read that the babies can sense light now and sometimes they will start kicking if you move a flashlight around my stomach. So, he tried that the other night as well but no luck :) He does put his head up to my stomach and he is able to hear them move and squirm around inside. It is sweet :) Hopefully one of them will decide to kick him one day! 

Some days, such as today, I can understand the bed rest. I'm not sure if the babies grow more on certain days and it seems to suck my energy level. However, other days I feel great and feel like I can do anything. I like those days a lot better as I feel more productive. But I am trying to listen to my body and just relax and sleep more on the days that I don't have energy. 

So, we don't have much else to share this week. It has been mainly uneventful which I guess could be a good thing. We had our community group over this week and it was fun to see everyone and spend time talking. I had some friends come over last night and it was wonderful to have company for the evening and have some girl time. We are so thankful for everyone who has continued to support us through bringing meals, gifts, calling, and praying for us. It means so much to us and we love you all! We have another doctor's appointment on Thursday and I will update then with more information and pictures! :)

Celebrating! (Week 22)

So, I have survived 2 weeks of bed rest--only 12 more weeks to go! I am trying to get a little more used to bed rest, yet I am not sure it is anything that you can ever "get used to." I look around the house and I see things that I could be doing to help Michael yet I have been forcing myself to stay seated. Michael has been wonderful about staying on top of everything and I am learning how to do more things while sitting in a recliner. Michael and I have also been trying to tackle the nursery--it seems to be a never ending project. A friend was able to get the cribs for us this past week from Ikea in Atlanta so that is a huge blessing! We will have an assembling crib party soon :) It makes me feel good to know that we have a majority of the essentials that we need for these children--some clothes, cribs, and car seats. Michael has also been doing lots of laundry for the babies. We have formed a pretty good system as well--I fold and sort into piles by size and gender and then Michael puts them in the appropriate tub. I enjoy looking at all of the little clothes! Speaking of clothes--Michael and I also went to an awesome consignment sale this week. For those of you who are worried--I sat in a wheelchair while Michael pushed me :) We were able to find some pretty awesome deals--we mainly bought some clothes for next winter. But we now have a coat for everyone for this winter so everyone will stay warm! And we found these awesome little cars/walkers for them. It's not something we need right now but it was a good price and it was fun to buy :) 

 My sister, her husband, and our niece are moving to Ireland so we were also able to find some good warm clothes for her. So, overall it was a very successful consignment sale. And it was a bonus for me because I enjoyed getting out of the house and doing something "normal." Michael could improve some though on his wheelchair pushing skills--he believes I should have the same opportunities as others and likes to push me into a crowd of people :) 

I am also still taking the shots and that went much better this past week. We were able to get the medication from a local pharmacy that compounds so we should be set for the rest of this pregnancy. The pharmacist gave Michael some tips on how to make the shot a little better for me. The shot is oil based so it is very thick and it burns (like crazy!) -- but she told Michael to warm the medicine up with a heating pad (we used a hot towel) and it would make the medicine thinner. So, Michael followed those instructions this past week and it didn't burn at all! I am taking Claritin as well to help with the allergic reaction I am having and that seems to be improving as well. 

And now for the BEST news -- the babies are doing wonderful! We went to the doctor yesterday for an ultrasound and then to meet with Dr. Bellardo. Michael and I are getting accustomed to waiting about 3 hours at the doctor's office. They are determined that the ultrasounds take 1 1/2 hours and then they schedule the appointment with Dr. Bellardo sometime after that. We had the ultrasound first and they are just checking for growth and heartbeats. We don't have a picture that shows all 3 of the babies (in their entirety) but here is a diagram of how our babies are currently positioned

So as you can see our babies are currently stacked on top of each other. I'm not sure if they will change positions or stay like that but this seems to be where they have currently found themselves. There is also a membrane that separates each of the babies and they have their own placentas. All 3 of them have anterior placentas which means that it is in front of them. Here is a picture though of all 3 of our babies--it is just pieces of each of their bodies :)

You can't see the lettering very easily but Baby A is on the bottom, Baby B is in the middle, and then Baby C is laying up top. The babies are doing very well though! They are all growing concurrently and no one is "stealing" from the other. It's good to know that they already like to share :) So, Baby A now weighs 1lb, 3 oz and Babies B & C are 1lb, 2oz -- which is awesome! Also, they checked Baby A's kidneys and they were measuring normal this time--yay! So, hopefully he continues to go to the bathroom and does not get anymore blockage. All of the babies cooperated this time as well and allowed the ultrasound tech to get the pictures that she wanted. Baby C finally rolled over and they were able to get an awesome picture of his heart. Everyone also had a good heartbeat. I have been having these ultrasounds for a while now and I can even feel them kick now, yet I am still nervous on the morning of the ultrasound. However, as soon as I see their little hearts beat I feel instant relief. So, overall the babies are doing great and they are right on target with where they need to be. I am also steadily gaining weight (which makes them happy) and my blood pressure is still good. My cervix is still measuring "long" as well and we actually gained 2mm on my cervix this time. Dr. Bellardo said it is not possible to gain a centimeter back yet we can get a millimeter sometimes. Dr. Bellardo said that we are "greedy" though and we will take everything we can get :) So, Dr. Bellardo attributes this to bed rest and wants me to continue doing what I am doing. He said that we don't have to come back for 2 more weeks because everyone is doing so well. Dr. Bellardo even said that he was "celebrating" with how well we are doing! Yay! :) 

Since I am also getting bigger I am now getting to the point where I am not really comfortable anymore. My back hurts as well as my hips when I sleep at night. However, the worst has to be the ligament pain. I checked with Dr. Bellardo about it and he said that it was a "badge of motherhood" and that the pain is only going to get worse. Dr. Bellardo said that it is partly round ligament pain and then it is also where my abdominal wall attaches--it is being stretched out. So, he said there is nothing I can take for the pain but he said I could apply a little heat to it. I guess if this is all I have to contend with I will be okay, yet I could live without the sharp, shooting pains :) I try to push Baby A over some too because he will kick at the tender spot. At least so far the pain is only on my left side so maybe it will stay like that :) 

So, overall we are all doing pretty good! We only need to make it 12 more weeks and we need the babies to gain about 3 more pounds a piece! Also, thank you again to all of our friends and family who have reached out to us during this time and helped us--we truly appreciate everyone :)
I don't have many pictures of the babies this time but I have added a picture of each of them :)