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 :)