30 week weigh in...

Today's doctor's appoint = amazing!

I have to say...we haven't had a disappointing appointment yet! And we can not thank God enough for that. We are so incredibly blessed.

Our ultrasound couldn't have gone any better. Eli & Easton both received an 8 on their score cards today, because BOTH of them breathed for 30 seconds straight. Little Miss Elliana got a 6 because though she did give us a few breaths, she was too stubborn to breathe for 30 seconds. Little booger. :)  They said that it's nothing to worry about, especially at this stage in the game. But it was the first time that we got to see her breathe, so it made me feel better.

All three babies have rearranged themselves since TUESDAY. Really? Less than 48 hours later and they are all positioned differently. Crazy little kids. Eli has moved his head up to my side, with his body down at the bottom of my belly...legs tucked under his butt. Easton is head in my side, and the rest of his body right down the middle of my belly. And Elliana went from having her head almost hanging OUT of me to her head securely in my left rib cage...with her butt about half way down my tummy and legs going every which way. Oh, and did I mention that all three babies are breeched? Yep...those are my kids! :) They are crammed so close together that it took a few minutes for S to measure Elliana's fluids... because the boys were squishing her!

Speaking of fluids, the ultrasound tech, S, explained it to us today. Thank goodness! :) She said that for multiples, they only measure one pocket on each baby... because it's so difficult to do. They consider 2mm to be normal for triplets. The boys fluids are measuring 5-6, and Elliana's is a 7. Gotta love it.

Weight gain was a huge thing this week, and for once...it wasn't Mommy! Though... it did make me feel better to learn that my three pound weight gain in TWO weeks has been all baby!! Here is what the babies weighed in at two weeks ago, at their last growth scan.

Eli = 2lb8oz
Easton = 2lb11oz
Elliana = 2lb4oz

....and today?

Eli = 3lb8oz
Easton = 3lb6oz
Elliana = 2lb13oz

HOORAY! :) We have been praying non stop that these babies would gain weight rapidly, and that they are!! The doctor's seem to be thoroughly impressed with how big our babies are at just 30 weeks. They are almost on track for a SINGLETON pregnancy! Praise the Lord! Other praises, she couldn't measure because of the way little man is folded in there... BUT... Eli's kidneys continue to look normal!

We saw Dr.D today, the older man. He didn't have one negative thing to say. I told him about my blood pressure being up, and Dr.G increasing my dose of Labatalol. He agreed with that, and basically told me to keep an eye on it. He said that the babies seem to be doing great! And he told me unless I heard something about the 24 hour protein clearance, that...apparently, I have been cleared! :) We have three more appointments scheduled at the prenatal center...and then it's D-Day!!! Dr.D agrees with Dr.G's statement of that I have a 50/50 chance to make it to August 3rd... but says that I continue to do exceptional... and he really thinks that I may have a chance. Which means... if these babies keep it up...we might have 4-5 pounders!! WOO HOO!

One cute thing that happened during the ultrasound. We were watching Easton and he started doing this crazy thing with his lips. It was like he was sucking. We sat there for several minutes watching him "suck" and swallow!! You could see his little tongue poke out of his mouth and everything. It was precious...and yes, I did cry a little bit. AND since we rarely ever get to see their faces because of their tight quarters...we got an added treat :) PICTURES!! Now if Eli & Elliana would just show their little faces for their Mommy & Daddy!

I'd like to say that he is blowing kisses to his mommy!

OH! And one more cool thing. There was a student in the room for our ultrasound. A younger lady...and when I walked in, I thought I recognized her. But didn't really pay any mind to it. Well...when they left out to leave us to wait for Dr.D - Clif was like, do you remember her?

I don't know if any of you remember me complaining about Dr.S bringing a PREGNANT woman in the room for my IUI... BUT... it was her!! :) She remembered us too. AND she had her baby, and he is now 5 months old. Pretty cool.

i surrender...

I surrender all...I surrender all...all to Jesus, I surrender... I surrender ALL

Today has been...a day.



It actually started out last night when I checked my blood pressure and it was higher than usual. It really worried me, to the point that I almost called the doctor on call. :) But I refrained. Of course, as long as I was laying/resting it was more than perfect. Plus we had an appointment with Dr.G this morning.

We arrived and were almost immediately called back for weight,blood pressure & urine collection. I guess that's where it started because I didn't get a chance to sit and rest like I normally do. Clif had offered to drop me off at the door, but me being me insisted that I walk, which...really, it's not a long walk. But you've gotta realize that I've been on the couch for WEEKS with hardly ANY exercise.

My blood pressure was of course high. It normally is, well... not high, but "borderline" as they call it. Well today it was still "borderline"... but it made me uncomfortable. I was already having and off day because of the high readings last night, plus... I just felt weepy. By the way, I gained two pounds :)

My nurse came to get us soon after blood pressure was taken, and she always makes me feel better. I expressed my concern to her about my blood pressure from last night & this morning. She really didn't act like it was a huge deal...saying that they were used to high readings at the office.

I told her that it's not just my blood pressure... but I'm just a few days shy of being 30 weeks pregnant (with triplets!), and that my anxiety levels have been rising by the day. I won't lie... I think about things, a lot. But...how could I not? When the Three Little E's are napping, I wonder...are they okay? When my blood pressure goes up I worry... am I effecting their fluid? It truly is a constant battle to keep from losing it.

Be still my soul, the Lord is on your side...

I think of the things that must have happened during the days that led up to Lilly's passing. I think about things that happened within my body that I was never even aware of. And it doesn't help that I'm reminded at every single doctor's appointment about my loss.

Today's appointment with Dr.G went well, as most of our appointments have thus far. I was telling Clif before we were called back that I was anxious because I knew that we wouldn't be getting an ultrasound today... and our next one is not scheduled until next Thursday. I was worried about the babies, about their growth...the fluid levels.

When Dr.G came in the room, he said that we didn't have an ultrasound scheduled... but he was going to hijack T's exam room so that we could have one :) He actually did it himself, which, was pretty comical. It took him a while to figure out how to turn the machine on, and then he couldn't figure out which wand to use. Too funny. As soon as he told me what we were doing, he asked if i was okay with that. He just is really cautious about looking for the heart beats with the doppler (which is fine with me!). I told him how much better that would make me feel. It's like he read my mind.

It was pretty cool because, though we didn't hear our babies heart beats today...we saw them. And Dr.G, just by watching them could tell what their heart rate's were (okay, I know it's not that big of a deal... but it was cool).

We asked about the fluids, and he responded with, "well...they look a little lower..." I freaked out. My mind started racing (and Clif's too)... I was ready to tell the doctor that I knew what the risks were delivering this early, but I wanted to go to the hospital ASAP. :) He then went on to explain that as the babies get bigger...it's normal for the fluids to get lower. Which, after thinking about it... it makes sense. He reassured us that the fluids were normal, and showed us several pockets around each baby. Clif and I both asked him several times if it was normal, and if there was anything to be concerned about. And again, he assured us that it was normal.

Clif told him that I was worried about my next ultrasound being so far away (okay, only a week... but still). He asked if it would make me a little more at ease if when I brought in my urine collection (oh yes, 24 hour urine collection starts Monday morning...fun stuff!) on Tuesday, if I had an ultrasound to check on them. I could have kissed him on the mouth. I told him that would make me feel SOOOO much better.

He also explained to us that with the advanced equipment at the prenatal center, that they would be able to predict problems with my fluids & placentas before they occurred (in most cases). We are so praying that Dr.D wants to start seeing me twice a week starting after this coming up week!

I also expressed my concern about my blood pressure with Dr.G today, and we all agreed that instead of STOPPING the medication that we actually add another pill. Because of my "being so big" (yes, he said that)... the anxiety, and my blood pressure in general... it would be best to take the precaution.

Our C-section is scheduled for August 3rd, or at least we are assuming so. We weren't told a date or time... but then again, it's a good ways away. Dr.G also told me that I have a 50/50 chance of actually MAKING it to my scheduled c-section date. After reviewing the babies "score cards" from Tuesday, he says that Eli might be growing at a faster pace than Easton & Elliana. Which, I don't know about that... the boys are measuring pretty much the same. Easton actually weighs more. I explained that it had to do with the practice breathing, which he already knew. Again, he told us how their birth day could weigh on several different things. So we will see.

Two appointments this coming up week. One on Tuesday at Dr.G's office, but I'm seeing Dr.M. And then one at the PDC with Dr.D (not sure which one yet).

As for the random lyrics scattered throughout...today after the appointment, though we had a good report... I was still very anxious. Stressed. Whatever. Clif had to run in the grocery store, so I sat in the car and listened to Selah Hymns... and I don't know, it calmed me. I felt better. :)

"I surrender all" has been stuck in my head all day. And I am going to give it my darnedest to surrender everything daily until these little ones get here.

He has a plan for these babies... and nothing that I (or any of my doctors) do can change the course of that plan. They are in His hands.

I have one request, and then I will close. Please say a prayer for a friend, A, who had a routine prenatal appointment today (@16 weeks). They were not able to find a heart beat, and she eventually found out that their baby had passed away in the last 48 hours. The first words that come to mind are, "I can't imagine". But I can... and I hate that A and her husband are having to endure this pain. Please pray for them as they face the decisions (and days) ahead.

Doctor calling...

I was pleasantly surprised this morning when my phone rang, and it was Dr.G. I'm telling you...he has well exceeded my expectations with this pregnancy. Most doctors have their nurses call to talk to the patients, but he has been calling me to discuss everything. :) It makes me feel really good.
Funny thing... he called today, and I have an appointment with him at 9:30 tomorrow morning.
ANYWAY... he met with Dr.D (the lady I saw on Tuesday) this morning to talk about my appointment. She expressed her concerns about my pregnancy with Lilly, and all the complications that could occur with a triplet pregnancy. They have decided/agreed that I should not go past 34 weeks.
The lady at Dr.G's office that does all the scheduling is retiring, and her last day is today! SO...Dr.G called to let me know that he was going to go ahead and have her schedule my c-section for August 3rd. :) We should find out more about that tomorrow.
We discussed what Dr.D had to say with the placental issues with Lilly's pregnancy, and he said that that's why they are wanting to deliver by 34 weeks. The longer I go, the older my placentas get... and with that brings more risk for complications. AHHH!!! If nothing happens, my babies will be here in less than 5 weeks.
Of course, he said that it is very possible I won't make it to my scheduled delivery. I could go into labor on my own (I'm really praying that this does not happen), the babies growth could become an issue...OR he said that it could be something as simple as my health... my breathing or blood pressure could become an issue and they would deliver early.
*sigh* I can't believe that it's so close...and this part of the journey is coming to a fast close!
At my appointment tomorrow, I will be picking up a jug (I told him that it had better be a BIG jug) for my 24 hour urine collection. Fun stuff. He said that I'll probably collect on Sunday and then drop it off in the lab on Monday as well as have my blood drawn.
Apparently the urine collection is to do with kidney function. They want to have a base line to go by.
I also asked him about my biggest concern from the appointment with Dr.D. My blood pressure and the labatelol. He said that we could discuss it further tomorrow, but that we might take me off of the medication. I'm not really sure how I feel about that. He asked if I wanted to stop taking it... and I told him not really. I mean, not only is it helping my blood pressure... but it's also helping with my {ever growing} anxiety. I can definitely see me needing it in the next few weeks. He did say that it's a very low dose, and he thought that it'd be fine. He also told me that he was very impressed with how well my blood pressure has been this pregnancy, and that he honestly thought that we would have upped my dose several times by this point. :) So that made me feel good better.
I really feel that I will go before August 3rd, but I'm praying that God will keep these three little one's in my belly as long as He sees fit. We are trusting Him with our three babies, and we know that His plan is always the best.
As long as they are growing, and my fluid levels are good... I'd rather them stay in for the long haul (even though I am chomping at the bit to have them here with us). I'm praying praying praying that the boys make it to 4 pounds, and that Little Miss Dainty Elliana will make it to 3-3 1/2. She's smaller than her brothers already, which most of who I have talked to say that's normal... because she is the girl. :)
Time is flying...yet I feel like it's sitting still. HA! The bed rest has really slowed things down, BUT... having all these doctor's appointments has helped speed things up. If that makes sense. I'm hoping that Dr.G will continue to see me once a week (even if I am going to the specialist 1-2 times a week) - just because talking to him seems to calm me.
I cannot get over how very blessed that we have been this whole pregnancy. Not only have I been blessed with a relatively easy, complication-free pregnancy... and not only for good reports at all most of our appointments, but that we have been blessed with such amazing doctor's. Not to mention how much they seem to genuinely care about me and the well being of our babies!!!
Well, that's all for now... I'll update tomorrow if there is anything new after my appointment with Dr.G :) Well...okay, I probably will update because I should have a tentative birthday for our TRIPLETS! AHHHHHH! :)

*almost* 29 week specialist appointment

Well, today was our second appointment at the Prenatal Diagnostic Center. Last week we met with Dr.D (a man), but he was out this week so we met his partner, also Dr.D (but female).
The doctor that we met today is actually the doctor that Dr.G was talking to about me in the first place. I've heard mixed things about her ,so I wasn't exactly looking forward to our appointment with her. BUT... I actually liked her. Well, I'll say that I didn't dislike her. She's from somewhere north (no offense to my northern friends out there!!)... so her personality was a little different than ours, and she was very straight forward/ blunt. But all in all, we liked her.
I did feel like she was attacking me when she came into the room though - but I quickly got over it. She introduced herself as she came into the room, and then started in on me. "So, I heard that with your first pregnancy the baby died before it was born... pretty close to full term". I explained that SHE was actually PAST full term, and yes that she was still born. She asked how much Lilly weighed (she didn't ask if "the baby" was male or female, or anything personal...which was kinda cold... but I guess some people are just like that). We told her that she weighed 5lb9 1/2oz, and she asked if we had ever been told that "the baby's" birth weight was low. Well, no actually. I've talked with my doctor (Dr.G)...the one that DELIVERED Lilly, and he never really mentioned anything negative about it. I saw an RE for almost five months, the one the helped me GET PREGNANT this time... and he never mentioned it. I even met with her partner, the old man Dr.D last week....and he didn't have anything to say about it. Even the genetic counselor said that she was a "dainty" baby. But no, to answer her question... nobody has ever really addressed Lillian's birth weight with us. She said that after reviewing all the reports from my delivery that she thinks that the reason Lilly was so tiny, was because there were placental problems. I told her that I had problems with blood pressure during the last pregnancy...and that I was experiencing the same problems with this pregnancy. Difference being, I'm on medication. She was puzzled that I'm on bed rest, but still on blood pressure medication. So she will be discussing this with Dr.G.
Because of her thinking that I had placental issues with my pregnancy with Lilly... she is calling Dr.G and telling him that she wants a 24 hour urine collection done on me, to check for preeclampsia . Even though my urine has tested negative every single time. But I'm okay with that. I really don't feel that I have it, mainly because if I had it with Lilly, and that was part of my problems...she had a low birth weight. We know that. BUT, the thing is... Dr.D told us last week that "triplets shouldn't be this big at 28 weeks". And even Dr.D (the woman...this could get confusing) told us today that their growth is appropriate for a day shy of 29 weeks.
She told me that instead of every three weeks for growth scans, that she was changing that to every two weeks. So I will have an ultrasound EVERY week to check movement & fluids... and then growth every other week. Once I hit 30 weeks, I will more than likely be going to the PDC twice a week for ultrasounds, just to keep an eye on their fluids and such. Dr.D told us that most triplets are born between 30-32 weeks. She also said that I've made it to 29 weeks, that anything after that is "pretty much icing on the cake". :) That made me feel good. We are past the "scary" part. Ha! I don't know about that.... but yeah.
Basically she is saying that if they can get me to 32 weeks...GREAT. I really don't think that with my past she thinks that I will make it past 32 weeks.
Even though she is a very to the point doctor, it made me feel good that she is really looking at the whole situation. She definitely doesn't want to see anything happen to these babies...and I truly believe that she is going to do everything within her power to make sure that they get here as safetly as possible.
So, the only thing that really concerned me about our meeting with her was that she was surprised about the bp meds & bed rest. I'll be talking to Dr.G about this on Friday.
Also, I asked her about the spots on my legs and she said that it was definitely hormones. :)
As for the ultrasound, it went really good :) As always (at least up to this point). Our parents, my mom & dad and Clif's mom were able to go with us today too! So that was nice that they were able to experience that with us. Eli got a score of 8 for movement, fluids & breathing. Easton & Elliana got 6's because they were being lazy and not showing us how they breathe. We did see Easton "breathe" for a few seconds, but she said that it has to be for 30 seconds to count as a score. BUT, they normally don't look for this until 30-32 weeks. Dr.D told us that it's completely normal to not see it at this point, so that made me feel good.
Our biggest news of the day is: though she didn't do any measuring today... as far as the ultrasound tech could tell...Eli's kidney is...NORMAL! She scared us at first, asking that if when T did the ultrasound on Friday if she looked at the kidney. I was like, no... why? Has it gotten larger? She explained that from what she can tell that both of his kidneys are the same size now, that the left one had gone back to normal size. They say that it's corrected itself. I say that God corrected it. And though it was never a really "big" issue, we are still praising God for this news!!
As for positions...Eli (believe it or not) has flipped from Friday. He and Elliana were head to head at the bottom of my belly. Eli has now turned completely around, and his head is in the opposite side of my belly. And he's still a little breech baby. Easton has moved, again. His head is now under my ribs on the right side with his feet down, kicking his brother & sister in their faces. Elliana is still where T left her on Friday, head down and feet/butt up. :) Our kids are so crazy...and it never ceases to amaze me how they can move in such a tiny little space.
They told me that I should start paying attention to movement (ummm as if I haven't already!), and that if anything changes from my "normal" to call Dr.G and let him know.
Whew...that was a LOT packed into a short appointment. Our next appointment with Dr.G is Friday morning, and then we go back to the PDC next Thursday, the 7th at 1pm.
We still didn't get any pictures today...so I am asking Dr.G on Friday if it is too late to do a 4D scan. :) I'd really like to see if we can see what our little babies faces look like!
I can't believe how we can be SO in love with these three little people that live in my belly!! And they won't be living there much longer!! After talking to Dr.D today, I really believe that they will be here in 1-3 weeks. So exciting, yet VERY scary :)

28 weeks

A little late on this weeks update :) Today marks 28 weeks 3 days... getting closer to seeing my Three Little Loves' every day!
Yesterday was our doctors appointment with Dr.G - just an office visit. The morning actually started off with a bit of a scare...I had to eat breakfast quickly, because we had an early appointment. After eating, I got a painful cramp across the top of my stomach. I ignored it at first, but when it came back twice after the first time... I started to get worried. The "cramp" was lasting 20-30 seconds, and I had three episodes within 25 minutes. And then it stopped. Weird. For a minute, Clif thought that we were going to the hospital...ha! I was really thankful that we were headed out to the doctor's... because I would have been worried about it all day.
So we get to Dr.G's office, and I go to check in. The receptionist asks if I would be willing to see the nurse practitioner, T. I assumed that Dr.G must be on call, or out sick - so I agreed. Of course :) That means that even though I wasn't supposed to get an ultrasound, I was getting one!!! Yay!
I was called back to get started with my blood pressure,urine sample, and weight. My blood pressure was elevated...imagine that. If I had seen Dr.G and his nurse, they would have said that it's because I didn't get an ultrasound. :) The top number was actually 12 points lower than last week, but the bottom number was up by 2. T's nurse had me lay on my left side for literally 45 seconds, and it went down immediately. Also, my meds had barely had time to kick in - it had only been an hour since I took them. ANYWAY, they weren't super worried about it...and it's pretty normal for me. Urine came back negative for everything, thank God! That specialist, Dr.D got me all worried saying that triplets increased my risk for preeclampsia . Weight? I only gained 18 ounces in seven days. I was pretty happy with that... it puts me up to 46 pounds weight gain.
T came in, propped the table up for me...and started the ultrasound :) We were able to see our precious little ones, and learned that Little Miss Elliana has flipped since Friday. On Friday, she was head under my ribs, and breached. Yesterday, she was head down and feet up. Too funny. Eli is still in the same position, and so is Easton... believe it or not. Though, I'm not getting used to this...because it will probably be completely changed by time for our ultrasound on Tuesday afternoon.
T is pretty awesome, and always makes me feel great. When she started looking around at the babies she was going on and on about how good the fluid looks :) I couldn't help but grin...because I've been drinking anywhere from 14-16 eight ounce glasses of water every single day. She assured us that all the babies looked great. Since she has an old school machine, we had to use the doppler to pick up the heart beats...which wasn't a problem at all. She got them first off! I never get sick of hearing my babies little hearts beat away. A reassurance that every Mama should get twice a week!
I asked T about my legs, and the spots that have been there since like 14-16 weeks. I told her that the genetic counselor saw them and flipped....went and talked to the doctor, came back and told me because of my previous pregnancy/fetal demise that I should be tested for blood clotting disorders and LUPUS. T went off, saying that she appreciated what those people do... but for the most part they just freak patients out for no reason. She took a look at my legs, and said that it's definitely NOT a lupus rash... and has nothing to do with vascular. She said that it's more than likely due to skin changes in pregnancy, and weight gain. :) She was so mad that the genetic counselor had come up with Lupus. The thing is, it's not a rash... it's like circulation issues. But whatever.
We also asked about the cramps that I had experienced that morning. I told her that I really felt like they were NOT contractions, because it was only in one spot of my stomach...not all over. She said that it sounded like I ate to fast, and was probably my gallbladder giving me a fit.
:) T went on and on about how she couldn't believe that I am doing SO well at 28 weeks with triplets. AND that I should be proud, that 28 weeks was an accomplishment. *sigh* I love good doctor's appointments. And so far, since being pregnant with these three babies... there have only been two negative things during doctor's appointments.
#1 being at six weeks when Dr.S tried to get me hooked up with Dr.Christmas for fetus reduction, and then #2 at 24 weeks (?) when we were told about Eli's kidney. Other than that, we have received nothing but good news.
T says that though if the triplets were born this week, they would be in NICU for quite some time... that after looking at them, there was no doubt in her mind that they would live. She also said that it varies with each baby and mother.... that some babies might do really good at 30 weeks, and other babies still go to the NICU at 36 weeks. We are praying that our babies don't have to stay there long, but only time will tell.
One more thing, and I will be done. T asked me what I thought about the prenatal center, and I told her that I really enjoyed the ultrasound and Dr.D, but that I didn't care for the genetic counselor. I told her that we were seeing the OTHER Dr.D (the one that Dr.Garcia referred me to, to begin with) on Tuesday. All she said was, "oh". I told her that I had heard Dr.D didn't really have much of a personality, and she said that she was a good doctor, but that she really didn't care for her. Apparently, she is a doom and gloom kind of doctor...always wanting to tell you the worst case in EVERYTHING. Great...definitely NOT something that I need. :) But that's okay... I've been warned. And I don't think that we have to see the genetic counselor again this week...so that's a plus.
Well...that's my update for now... I'll try and add a picture sometime later. :)

God is good!

Today was our appointment with the specialist, at the Prenatal Diagnostic Center... and I am exhausted! Whew. We were told to get there around 12:45 to fill out paperwork, so we go there at 12:30 :) I thought it would be paperwork like I had to fill out when I went to our RE, Dr.S. So not like that at all... I had it finished within 10 minutes.
Our appointment for the ultrasound was at 1pm...we didn't get called back until 1:15ish. I really liked our ultrasound tech, but don't know her name. I thought it was strange that she didn't introduce herself. ANYWAY... I told her about my passing out issues, and she was able to leave me in a sitting position...so that was helpful :)
I have absolutely NO complaints about our ultrasound today...everything went perfectly. I did get a little hot and lightheaded at one point, BUT... after sitting up for a minute or two, we were back to scanning the babies!
Believe it or not... all three babies have turned since Friday. THREE days, and they have completely switched it up in there! Craziness. Eli & Elliana are both breached...
butt's down. :) Elliana is now head up, butt down...and feet to the side...with her face down (Friday, she was head down, feet up... and laying on her back). Eli is face UP, whereas on Friday he was face down. Easton's head (that WAS in my side) is now right under my belly button, and his feet are almost to my back. QUITE interesting... I couldn't help but laugh.
PRAISE is, Eli's kidney is still measuring 6mm...which is what it's been for the past month+. Dr.D (not the Dr.D that I thought we were going to see, we will see her next week) said that it's considered "normal" up to 5mm, but once I hit 30 weeks 7mm is considered normal...so they aren't really concerned about it. He reassured me that it's very common in little boys...saying that boys don't like to pee as much as girls do! :)
So far in this pregnancy, we have been told that fluids are "good", or "normal"... well, today...we were told that fluid levels are "great". That made my day. I asked the girl if me drinking a lot of water would effect that, and she said absolutely! I then told her that I have been drinking close to thirteen 8oz glasses of water per day. Not including milk and anything else that I might drink. Praise the Lord for GREAT fluid levels.
Baby boys are measuring a 29+weeks, due to their legs. Apparently they are going to be tall! Little Elliana is measuring 28w5d I think? It's hard to remember all the numbers, but they said that their growth (and comparison to one another) is wonderful and completely normal. Another huge relief.
Weight. Apparently Mommy isn't the only one that's been gaining a lot of weight. Eli weighs in at 2lb8oz, Easton is 2lb11oz, and Elliana is 2lb4oz (our little dainty girl!).
When meeting with Dr.D, he told us that it's a good thing... but triplet's shouldn't be this big at *not even* 28 weeks!! They totally exceeded the doctor's expectations... and they were genuinely impressed! Another HUGE praise. Chunky Monkey Easton is pushing THREE POUNDS!
OH! The ultrasound tech told us that they generally don't even observe the "practice breathing" of the babies until 30 weeks. We are not 100% sure of Easton & Elliana... but Eli is definitely practicing away :)
Dr.D said that if I make it to 34 weeks and go into labor on my own, they won't try to stop labor. If I were to go into labor before then, they more than likely would try to stop it. We also discussed the steroids before week 34...he said that if it looked like I was going to deliver early, they probably would try to give them to me.
I really liked the doctor, had a good sense of humor...and was very blunt and to the point which I liked. We talked about Eli's kidney, and he mentioned the amniocentesis  testing that they could do... but said that there is risk of preterm labor, especially with triplets. Of course, this wasn't an option anyways...so I promptly told him that I was not interested. He acted like he didn't like offering it anyway, but he said that he has to let people know their options. According to him, everything looked great when it comes to Eli, other than his little kidney. He said that in very rare cases it could mean downs syndrome. Still didn't convince us to have testing.
Appointment with Dr.D was awesome...I really enjoyed it, and left feeling great. We talked with both the ultrasound tech AND the doctor about Lilly, and things that happened. Both of them openly asked questions, which made me smile. They wanted to know what happened...was it a girl or boy, what was her name...ect ect.
NEXT was the not so fun part. Genetic counselor. :( SOOOOO was not happy about that. No one told me anything about having to meet with one. Dr.J was nice enough, but I didn't want to be there... and quite honestly, I didn't want to hear what she had to say. Mainly because of Lilly being still born. Seriously, you probably can see my eye roll from here. She asked us a million and one questions about myself and Clif, then questions about Lilly and what happened with all of that. THEN she did a "family history", starting with Clif & me...then our parents, our siblings, their children (which when I told her I had two older brothers and they each had two kids she was like, your older brother had one girl and one boy, right? Uhhh... I didn't say that... but yes, actually he does). Then she wanted to know about my parents siblings and their children. Really? She had this paper that she was drawing all kinds of lines, circles, squares, and triangles representing my family members. WEIRD. I didn't like it. Then of course, because of my last pregnancy resulting in "fetal demise" they thought it was best that I be tested for all kind of genetic things like blood clots, and LUPUS? Where did that come from. She saw my legs (that a re kind of splotchy, but I am almost positive it's my circulation because of gaining so much weight + not walking around), and made a big deal about that. Okay...well Dr.G looks at my legs and ankles every visit, and nothing has been said. I'll be asking him about that on Friday. She also told us that we might want to think about having the testing done for Eli's kindey... OH, and because Clif's dad died due to a blood clot (dislodged and went to his heart), they think that Clif needs to undergo testing to see if it's genetic. Though, I think that he should for HIS sake...but still. I just didn't like the whole experience. It's like they take your balloon and POP it. Oh well. :)
All in all, it was a great visit...and Clif and I left feeling even better than we already were. We had been so blessed throughout this pregnancy...and we continue to be blessed. :) Thanks for all the prayers going up for our little ones. They are SOOOO appreciated.
God Bless!!

I will not faint :)

Whew! What a day :) Not complaining, it's just been a challenging one...physically!

First off, last night was MUCH better than the night before. I actually was able to go right to sleep when we went to bed, and actually stayed that way for probably three hours or so! Then it went back to being restless, BUT...it was improvement. MIGHT have had something to do with the Tylenol I decided to take before I went to bed?

Seven thirty came early this morning... but I knew that I had to get up and get moving so I wasn't late for my doctor's appointment. Clif was sweet...while I was taking a shower and getting ready (which takes a lot longer than it did a few months ago), he scrambled me eggs and made toast!! The babies were very happy about this, or at least...I think they were because they were bouncing all over on the way to the doctor's office.

We arrived right on time...though, of course it's Friday...and we didn't get called back on time. We were scheduled for a quick ultrasound...just so they could check fluid levels and heart rates, which generally only takes about fifteen minutes. After we looked around and found out that Easton has flipped once again (yes, completely...his head is in my side again), she started listening to heart rates. Two of the babies were in the 160s and the other 140s...which she said all were completely normal. About half way through listening to the heart rates I started to feel light headed...and became extremely hot. I brushed it off, telling myself that it would only be a few more minutes and  it would be over. After a few seconds I decided that there was no more waiting...and quickly told Miss V that I had to sit up or I was going to pass out.

Never in my twenty three years have I ever fainted. Passed out. Whatever you want to call it. But I almost did today. Laying on my back, the room started to spin, and when I started seeing spots... I knew it was time to speak up. Then when I sat up, I felt like I was going to throw up. :) What an experience! I always wondered why V asked me constantly, "are you okay sweetie? You let me know if you need to sit up". Now I know...and I don't ever want to experience that again. Apparently it happens quite often? She said it's all the extra weight from my belly pressing down on my lungs and such, plus I'm not getting good blood flow to the brain. Hence the light headiness. Bleh. From now on, if she has to check heart beats anymore... it will be from my side! Needless to say, our two hour ultrasound should be eventful on Monday. I'll let them know what happened, and hopefully they can either do most of what they need with me laying on my side - or maybe even sit me up.

Anyway...moving on! Heart beats, as I said, are considered normal... and their fluids look good according to V. So that was a blessing and answer to prayer :) Of course, after that little episode... my blood pressure was up. It was borderline but definitely not "horrible". The whole passing out thing really freaked me out, good! We also stopped and talked to my nurse, J, for a while... Clif asked her about the specialist and why we were being sent there.

She reassured me that there is nothing "wrong" that they can tell...that Dr.Garcia just really wants to take every extra precaution possible with me. Especially with my blood pressure, and past pregnancy history, and "fetal demise" so late in pregnancy. I hate that phrase. :( So that made us both feel a lot better.

The appointment with Dr.F was actually good. He's definitely not my favorite doctor. I saw him once during my pregnancy with Lilly, and he seemed to have about as much personality as...Clif's big toe nail (I would say mine, but it does actually have some personality right now...it's painted a deep blue and has a pretty little design...HA!) However, this visit was quite the opposite. He came in, and introduced himself to Clif. He asked me if we had met before, and I told him that I had seen him one time during my previous pregnancy. Thank God Dr.F had done his homework, because he knew all about Lilly...and was actually rather nice about the whole situation. He told me that normally a situation like that is a freak thing, and more than likely had something to do with the cord. I told him Dr.G's theory about the fluids getting low and her rolling over on the cord and going to sleep.

Oh, and he pretty much called me a freak. Ok, maybe he didn't call me a freak. But it was still funny. He asked if I had artificial insemination...and I told him that I took Clomid and had an IUI. :) I seriously with that I could have taken a picture of his face. He thought we had gone through IVF. He looked at me and was like, "seriously? Clomid doesn't normally produce triplets...and you just had an IUI? Weird!" I told him that was Dr.Slackman's reaction as well...considering he had never seen triplets come from Clomid either. Then Dr.F told me that me getting pregnant with triplets off of Clomid was a freak accident. Ummm...pretty sure that nothing to do with my babies were accident. :) I prefer "miracle"... but whatever.

He was pretty excited that I'm going to the prenatal diagnostic center... and told me that each baby will get a "score card". Not only will they keep up with fluids and growth, but they will also monitor each babies "breathing", movement...blood flow, ect. So that was pretty exciting to hear!

:) He didn't even bother measuring me... he said that I looked great to be carrying triplets, especially for twenty seven weeks along! "No need to place my hands on your belly, or push around on it", he said.

All in all...a really good visit, once again. Praise the Lord.

Oh, weight gain. Yeah... I accidentally on purpose almost "forgot" to mention that part. >.< six pounds. Can you believe that? In ONE WEEK! Clif was really excited about it. I was excited that I gained more than a pound and a half in a week... but geez. Definitely cannot keep that up! So we are up to twenty seven weeks, and a whopping forty five pounds. :) Grow little babies grow!!

Thank all of you for your continued prayers for me, Eli, Easton and Elliana. :) If you think about it, say a quick prayer for us concerning our appointment on Monday with Dr.D (and pray that I don't pass out on the table!!!)

*almost* 27 weeks

At twenty seven weeks...

I am still hanging in there. :) Well, technically I guess I won't be twenty seven weeks until midnight, but whatever. Close enough.

Bed rest last week was rough, I was extremely bored... and very lonely on the days my mom wasn't here organizing everything under the sun.

This week...it really hasn't been that bad. Yet. :) Clif was off yesterday and today, and we've pretty much just spend the days together. He's cleaned and cooked off and on, but for the most part we have just been together. It's been nice.

I feel like a spoiled little brat though... he's been waiting on me, hand and foot. And I have to admit that I've really enjoyed it. Yesterday morning started with waking up around nine (?) and Clif getting up and cooking me scrambled eggs, toast & cantaloupe. YUM! He headed out the the grocery store to pick up a few things that we needed for the house, and stuff to make me lunch and dinner. :) When he returned, he made me fried bologna sandwich & Doritos...sounds pretty plain, but I love fried bologna. OH... and he surprised me with breakfast food to make me breakfast this morning. Bacon, eggs, biscuits and gravy. Last night, he grilled hamburgers...topped with sauteed onions (his first ever) with wheat bread, and crinkle cut french fries. Double YUM!

He's been a real sport, watching Lifetime movies and TLC with me. Yesterday he massaged my back and legs for HOURS, literally. :) Laying around all day has taken a toll on my circulation...not to mention just being fat. HA!

Today has been kind of a lazy day too... not really doing much at all. Clif DID cook breakfast (and lunch for me), cleaned the kitchen, attempted mowing our lawn (mower died)...and now we're just sitting around. Again, it's been nice.

We did have a little excitement this afternoon... I heard someone pulling up into our driveway, something rather large. It was the UPS truck. :) Clif went out to get the package, came back in...and it was addressed to me. From, Shutterfly. I have to say that I am extremely impressed with them!! I customized a mug for Clif on Shutterfly.com on Sunday evening...around 6:15. And it came TODAY! It was supposed to be his Father's Day gift (he told me that I wasn't allowed to buy him anything)... but I caved. I loved it so much, I decided (after much convincing from Clif) to let him go ahead and have it today. Pictures to come...it's just your average coffee mug...black, but it has ultrasound pictures of Lilly, Eli, Easton & Elliana. At the bottom it says "Best Daddy Ever!!". I love it...and was so impressed that they got it printed (or whatever you say) and shipped so quickly.

Well...yesterday was the 13th. It's been nineteen months since we lost our Lilly. And ya know, it didn't even occur to me until I was asking Clif the date. *sigh* It always kinda hits me...I don't think that will ever change. But that's okay. I will never look at the number thirteen without thinking of my precious first born daughter.

Pregnancy week 26 was *mostly* uneventful. I did have to call the doctor the day before my appointment about the cramping, but I'm still 99.9% sure that it's ligament pain. It comes and goes...some days without it happening at all. Last night, I think I had my first run in with sciatic nerve pain.

Laugh if you will, but because I never experienced contractions during my pregnancy with Lilly... I'm not sure what to expect. SO I think that every little pain is a contraction. :) I probably was up on my feet a total of twenty minutes yesterday (including my shower, excluding my trips to the potty). Laying around on the couch has definitely taken it's toll on my back. I went to get up to pee as Clif was grilling last night, and I got this shooting pain in my lower back that was quick to spread down my left leg. Kinda pressure-y, but not really in my tummy. Weird. Walking around definitely helped, and it only happened the once. After asking Dr.Google about sciatic nerve pain, I was pretty sure that's what I had just experienced.

Oh, got a call from the specialists office yesterday and scheduled my first two appointments. They couldn't fit me in this week (I will still be seeing a doctor at Dr.G's practice & getting an ultrasound this Friday at 9:30)...so my first appointment is Monday afternoon at 12:45. They scheduled me for a two hour ultrasound for the first appointment...it will be a full detail ultrasound. FUN stuff. From there on out we will having weekly, one hour ultrasounds. :)

I kinda started freaking when I head "prenatal diagnostic center"... but I quickly calmed when I heard that several friends and acquaintances have been there as well. I actually thought that I would have been going there all along...seeings how I thought that I would be considered a "high risk" pregnancy. So yeah. :) We'll have lots to update about in the coming week...appointment with Dr.F on Friday, appointment on Monday with Dr.D, and more than likely another appointment with Dr.G on Thursday...followed by my second appointment with Dr.D on the 28th. Whew.

Okay Aleisha, happy now?? :) My best friend texted me this afternoon and informed me that I needed to blog so she would have something to read!

Update #2

Whew...what an eventful couple of hours. Geez. :)

This morning I got a call on my cell phone. Let me just say that I'm really bad about answering the phone when I don't recognize the number. SO I had forgotten that I ignored a call this morning until around 11:30. I decided to check my messages...and it was my doctor. NOT my nurse... my doctor.

Dr.G has only ever called me one time. It was the day after Lilly's funeral...and I had broken out in a rash all over my stomach, and he called to check on me. So it startled me when I heard his voice on my voice mail. He said that it was NOT an emergency, but to call him as soon as I could. He had been talking to a specialist at the prenatal center, and he wanted to discuss a few options with me.

So I immediately call, and of course he is with a patient. And so is my nurse. :( I told the receptionist to have him call me, that he had left a message for me to call him.  That was at 11:45. I've been sitting around all afternoon thinking about what in the world these "options" might be. FINALLY, Dr.G called me at 1:30. :)

He said that he has been emailing with Dr.D all day. She's a specialist that has dealt with a number of multiple pregnancies. Dr.G had been telling her about my blood pressure problems, and things about my pregnancy with Lilly...and how it ended. He also told her that I am having weekly ultrasounds to keep an eye on fluids, and to check heart rates. Dr.D suggested that she start seeing me for weekly ultrasounds instead of having them done at Dr.G's office (even though we love you, Miss V!). Dr.D can do a much more in depth ultrasound that she said will take a good amount of time. Apparently their equipment is a lot more high tech than what Dr.G's office has. They also have a Doppler-type thing that can check the blood flow in the umbilical cord.

Dr.G assured me that they didn't see anything wrong with my ultrasound yesterday, but that he was thrilled that Dr.D had offered to take over the ultrasounds. He says that IF problems do arise, that Dr.D would be able to track them a lot better than Miss V. :)

Needless to say, my doctor just went WAY up on my "liked-doctor" list. I love that he is taking the extra time to get the best care possible for me and my little ones. :) He also asked Dr.D about delivery, and she says that with the weekly ultrasounds - if a problem arises, they will be able to tell if they should go ahead and take the babies. If not, I would more than likely go into labor on my own. Either way... I couldn't be happier with TWO doctors looking out for me now.

I'm waiting on my nurse, J, to call with my referral and appointment. SO looking forward to meeting this doctor...AND getting to see my little one's in depth EVERY SINGLE week. VERY exciting. I hope we get pictures!! :)

I know I already updated once today, but I had to share!! We are so blessed...