So, I've been meaning to write about the day that our precious peas were born... but, as I am sure that you can imagine... I haven't exactly had much time. :) But, today... I figured that I would give it a shot!
Everything really started on the Monday before they were born. Well, Sunday night. The whole night, I felt as if Eli was going to kick...well, OUT. Seriously felt like the kid was going to poke a hand or leg through the exit at any given time. I had an appointment with Dr.G that morning (Monday). When I explained my discomfort, saying that there was a lot of pressure - and that I felt like a baby was going to come out, the doctor decided to do an exam...just to make sure nothing was happening. We were told that my cervix had softened.
On Tuesday night, I was still experiencing a lot of pressure "down there"... accompanied by spotting, and braxton hicks contractions. Clif called the ER, and talked to Dr.F about it (who at first was convinced I was in labor). He said to rest, drink plenty of fluids...and call Dr.G in the morning to fill him in on things. I called first thing that next morning (Wednesday), and he wanted to see me. When he did his exam, I was told that my cervix had shortened...but I was not dilated. Dr.G sent me to triage to be monitored for contractions. I was having contractions, but they were few and far between and only lasting for 10-20 seconds each. Nothing to write home about. SO, I received my first part of the steroid shot - and Dr.G told me that he thought the babies would be here within 7 days.
By the time I was discharged, and we arrived home... I thought that I would have to go back to the hospital. I was having more and more contractions. But they subsided...and I made it through the night. Thursday started out uneventful...we slept late, and then headed to the doctor (again) to get the second part of my shot. After getting the shot, we went and got dinner... and then headed home.
Thursday night was not a good night. I struggled for several hours with whether or not I should call the emergency room. I knew who was on call - and I didn't want that doctor to be the doctor to deliver... so I waited it out. I had contractions all night long, sometimes 15 minutes apart...sometimes an hour. So nothing that was really timeable. My back ached...and I was feeling horrible. I was awake the majority of Thursday night, well into Friday morning.
Funny thing, Thursday night - I had told Clif that I thought we should pack my hospital bag... but he said that we would do it the following afternoon. Friday morning, I decided for myself that we should go ahead and pack the bag before leaving for the doctors office...Mother's intuition I guess.
Again, upon waking (or rather just getting out of bed)... I called Dr.G's office and told his nurse what was up. I actually had an appointment with the specialist, Dr.D that morning...so they told me to let them know there and have them check me. We thought we were going to be seeing the male, Dr.D (older doctor) - but ended up seeing the female, and very blunt Dr.D. Which we are so thankful for. We first had an ultrasound and were told that the babies looked really good...and all three were super active. I told the ultrasound tech about the contractions - and she said that the doctor would be in to do an exam.
Nope...Dr.D came in and announced that she wouldn't do a pelvic exam. She explained that since Dr.G had been doing the exams, she didn't want to miss something and think that there was no progression... or a lot, when there really wasn't. SO, she sent me back to triage to be examined by Dr.G, who just so happened to be the doctor on call that day. Yay!
When we arrived at labor and delivery, we were told that triage was full so they put me into a room. Which I was excited and nervous about all at the same time! I honestly think they had forgotten about me at one point, but FINALLY...the ball started rolling. They hooked me up to monitors and I was told that I was having 9 contractions every ten minutes. I was in full blown labor and had absolutely no clue. I mean... I was experiencing some discomfort... BUT... I would have never guessed that I was in labor.
Dr.G came in the room for my exam, and announced that I was 1cm dilated. Which was pretty big considering my *very* stubborn cervix. :) He told us that there were medications he could try to give me to stop labor, but with my contractions...and my progression over the last few days - that if he sent me home, I probably would be back in by that night. Reality kicked in at this point, and Dr.G told us that he advised going ahead with the csection...that day. He left to put me on the OR list...which took some time, because there were a few people ahead of me...AND not to mention that I would need two OR's.
Needless to say - much of the rest of that afternoon is a blur to me. Nurses were in and out of my room, preparing me for surgery. They started an IV and started pumping fluids through me like crazy...so I had to make a couple of trips to the bathroom :) They came in and gave me some anti nausea medicine (the same as I got before...yummy sour stuff!)...and told me that I was next on the list.
Dr.G came in a few times to keep us updated - and they let us know that the neonatologist that was on the floor would be coming to talk to us... preparing us for things ahead of us. Dr.P came in to meet us, and explain things that may or may not happen that afternoon. We talked about respiratory issues...along with about a million others. We asked him a ton of questions...and he said he'd see us later that afternoon.
Next in was the anesthesiologist. He left a lot to be desired. Definitely not like my very first experience with an anesthesiologist. :) But that's okay. I signed the consent forms...and they began rushing me around for surgery.
Poor Clif's nerves had been shot since Wednesday morning when our nurse, J, told us that Dr.G said if I was the least bit dilated, it was baby day! Needless to say, during the time we were in the room before surgery...Clif bladder went through a lot! Seriously, you would have thought that he was the one that was pregnant!
Oddly enough, during that whole time... I remained completely calm. I wasn't nervous about the surgery... I wasn't nervous about the babies being okay... I was calm. I had peace. I had prayed for this peace my whole entire pregnancy...and God granted it to me. I knew that this day, like any other, and our children were in His hands.
Clif and I got one last picture together, and then I was taken to the OR. Whew. One of two OR's reserved for my delivery. They explained that the first baby out would be taken to the second OR.
I walked in the doors of the operating room, and immediately saw Dr.G. Any nerves that I may have been feeling were gone. I knew that he would take care of me.
He was actually HILARIOUS... because he was walking around doing the NURSES jobs. He said that if he didn't help them with their jobs, that he would be pacing outside the door. :) I guess he was nervous too? He helped me up on the table... took my blood pressure, got out the doppler...found the babies heart rates...and then it was time for my spinal block. >.<
When I had my csection with Lilly, the spinal went smoothly. This time... not so much. The anesthesiologist started by sticking the needle in...telling me to arch my back. Really? He kept telling me to lean forward...lean forward...arch my back. I wanted to be like, "dude...have you SEEN the belly on the front of me? I only can "lean forward" so much!". Geez. Dr.G stood by my side the whole time...first just with his arm around my shoulder,rubbing my back...telling me that it would be okay. And by the time that the second needle poke on my spine didn't go correctly (did the needle bend?) and he had to ask the nurse for a new needle... I thought I was going to pass out. It hurt. BAD. At this point, Dr.G was standing in front of me...arms around me, up on a stool...holding on to me, to be sure I didn't fall off the table from leaning forward so much. It was super sweet...while holding me on the table (did I mention that he was having to BRACE himself on the stool? Embarrassing)... he continued to talk to me...he knew it hurt, it would be okay...ect ect. He even rubbed my belly! :) FINALLY, they finished with the spinal... and laid me down.
Things went pretty fast from that point. The nurses put in my cath... and the anesthesiologist placed an oxygen mask over my mouth (saying it was for the babies). That's when I freaked out. I'm claustrophobic...bad. And I hate having ANYTHING placed over my face. I literally thought I was going to pass out. I couldn't breathe...which is funny if you think about it. I was really about to have a panic attack when a nurse came to my side. She had a mask, and scrub hat on her head. She leaned down and whispered my name and said how happy she was for me...asked how I was... ect. I was thrown off by her talking to me, and then she whispered..."it's me. It's Heather". Omg. She was in the OR with me during my first csection. She checked on me numerous times during my stay in the hospital during November 2009. She is part of the S.H.A.R.E group in our area, and she participated in the Share Walk To Remember that Clif and our family went to last year. She heard that we were there...and WANTED to be there. At least, that's what I gather. How awesome is that?
I started to calm down, but still had an overall sense of panic. And then I saw him...Clif. Go ahead, you can gag now. But as soon as he was by my side...holding my hand... I was okay. At least one of us was! Poor Clif was hysterical. When he saw me, he started tearing up. Seriously thought we were going to lose HIM! He actually thought he was going to have to send my mom into the OR to be with me.
When he sat down next to me - we immediately started talking about how we were feeling...and then I heard Dr.Garcia say something about my bladder being out. I'll never forget looking up at Clif and saying, "umm...have I already been cut open?" Before I could finish my sentence...I heard them say that Baby A was out, and gave the time of birth...and then I heard Eli scream for the first time. Clif and I both burst into tears...well, I burst into tears...Clif CONTINUED to cry...and then sobbed. :) It was a precious time for our little family. Things went FAST then. We were able to peak over the sheet and see each baby coming out (once, Clif looked too soon and saw Dr.G's arm shoved in my abdomen up to his ELBOW!). What a precious experience that we will NEVER forget.
Dr.G should seriously get a reward for record time triplet csection. From the time he cut me open (without me even knowing it) until the time he sewed me up...twenty one minutes. Wow!
Our triplets entered the world...
"Baby A" - Eli Zayne - @5:28pm - 4lbs.06oz - 16 3/4 inches
"Baby B" - Easton Layne - @5:29pm - 3lbs13oz - 15 3/4 inches
"Baby C" - Elliana Rayne - @5:30pm - 2lbs15oz - 15 inches
Clif left me in the OR and went with the babies to the neonatal intensive care. We had arranged for my mom to come into recovery with me. I think that the average time in recovery is 1-2 hours. I was there for 45 minutes ;) I came out of surgery just fine, though I was told later that I did lose a good amount of blood. Though, it wasn't to the point of needing a transfusion. Praise the Lord!
After what seemed like forever... I was wheeled to the 14th floor. NICU. I was taken in, and was introduced to my precious babies for the very first time in person. They were absolutely BEAUTIFUL. I couldn't help but cry. Ahh...thinking back on it now just gives me chill bumps!
After twelve hours, both boys were off of CPAP... and on room air. Elliana followed the day after. Doctors and nurses were shocked out the size of our 31 weekers...and at how well they did.
The only one that really had immediate problems was Eli. Apparently he came out screaming, and then stopped. They gave him a dose of surfactin for his lungs, and the following day - a dose of caffeine because of his heart rate dropping. But other than that, the babies did wonderfully.
Clif and I were/are so incredibly blessed with a wonderful staff that cared for both me (during and after my pregnancy), and for our children. Dr.G will never fully understand how thankful we are that God placed him in our lives. In our children's lives. All four of them (at one point, don't remember when...Dr.G did acknowledge that we have four children).
As for the NICU staff...we couldn't have been more pleased. They were ALL absolutely AMAZING. Of course...we did have our favorites... :) And they know who they are!
Another way we have been blessed is with a wonderful group of prayer warriors. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to all the family, friends, and complete strangers that have prayed ( and continue to do so) for our children.
God is good...all the time...and we are living proof. He held our hearts through the biggest storm of our lives...and on January 4th, 2011 (actually if you want to be literal, December 23rd,2010)...he blessed us with not one, not two, but THREE rainbows.
Showing posts with label triplets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label triplets. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
Short & Sweet...
Busy busy busy... I feel as if all we have been doing is running around here lately!
Saturday, Easton was able to move to an open crib - and was followed by Eli yesterday! :) Such big boys! Elliana continues to do well since her surgery, her respiratory rate has been up and down - but they are saying that it's due to left over fluids AND the fact that she had to work so hard for so long to breathe. They started feeding Elliana again on Saturday (PTL!), and yesterday while we were at church...she took her first bottle! And drank it ALL (tho...she still only gets a VERY small amount). She managed to take another bottle during the night, and the nurse told us that she really wanted more after she had finished! :( That breaks Mommy's heart. She probably will not go up on her feeds for a few days yet.
Please say a prayer for little Easton. We were told a week an a half (?) ago that both Easton AND Elliana had heart murmurs. Easton's was small - and they said that more than likely it would close over time. We were also told that unless he started showing symptoms from the PDA (murmur), that they would not do another echo. Well, this morning we went in - and they heard the PDA again during his morning assessment. SO, they have an echo ordered for today. They don't seem to overly concerned. The nurse said that it's not loud enough to cause worry, but they just want to take a look at it. The "good" thing is that Easton has not been treated with the medication - so, if it gets to that point we are praying that the medicine might close it and that he will not have to go through the same surgery as Miss Elliana. :) We are trusting God with this situation, along with all others.
Another thing on the news front... the boys have begun nursing! Easton get's very frustrated...and normally ends up screaming, and being given his bottle (which by the time he gets to the bottle... he is so tired from screaming, it gets poured down his feeding tube!). Eli on the other hand is a Mommy's Milk Man. He nursed on and off for almost thirty minutes yesterday evening. They didn't even give him anything else down his tube because he nursed for so long, AND I'm producing a TON of milk. Not even kidding... I pump on average, nine ounces in less than 15 minutes. Yes, I'm a cow. I can't wait to see how Elliana will do once she gets to that point! <3
Well, that's all for now... we are headed back in to do the care times with the kids! God bless you all, and thank you for your continued prayer!
Saturday, Easton was able to move to an open crib - and was followed by Eli yesterday! :) Such big boys! Elliana continues to do well since her surgery, her respiratory rate has been up and down - but they are saying that it's due to left over fluids AND the fact that she had to work so hard for so long to breathe. They started feeding Elliana again on Saturday (PTL!), and yesterday while we were at church...she took her first bottle! And drank it ALL (tho...she still only gets a VERY small amount). She managed to take another bottle during the night, and the nurse told us that she really wanted more after she had finished! :( That breaks Mommy's heart. She probably will not go up on her feeds for a few days yet.
Please say a prayer for little Easton. We were told a week an a half (?) ago that both Easton AND Elliana had heart murmurs. Easton's was small - and they said that more than likely it would close over time. We were also told that unless he started showing symptoms from the PDA (murmur), that they would not do another echo. Well, this morning we went in - and they heard the PDA again during his morning assessment. SO, they have an echo ordered for today. They don't seem to overly concerned. The nurse said that it's not loud enough to cause worry, but they just want to take a look at it. The "good" thing is that Easton has not been treated with the medication - so, if it gets to that point we are praying that the medicine might close it and that he will not have to go through the same surgery as Miss Elliana. :) We are trusting God with this situation, along with all others.
Another thing on the news front... the boys have begun nursing! Easton get's very frustrated...and normally ends up screaming, and being given his bottle (which by the time he gets to the bottle... he is so tired from screaming, it gets poured down his feeding tube!). Eli on the other hand is a Mommy's Milk Man. He nursed on and off for almost thirty minutes yesterday evening. They didn't even give him anything else down his tube because he nursed for so long, AND I'm producing a TON of milk. Not even kidding... I pump on average, nine ounces in less than 15 minutes. Yes, I'm a cow. I can't wait to see how Elliana will do once she gets to that point! <3
Well, that's all for now... we are headed back in to do the care times with the kids! God bless you all, and thank you for your continued prayer!
Friday, July 29, 2011
life is good :)
Elliana is awake!! :) Talk about making a Mommy feel good. She was stirring a little bit this morning, but wasn't budging. Clif and I had to run some errands, so we didn't get to spend as much time at the hospital as we normally do. I'm sure that we bugged the nurses with all the phone calls to check on all the babies, but especially checking to see if Elliana had woken up.
We went back for the evening care times...and while I was pumping, she woke up! Her little eyes were so puffy from the fluids they gave her - it's hard for her to open them! But we did get to see her peek out a few times. :) I can't even tell you how much better that made me feel.
She still had her breathing tube in (she has been hooked up to a respirator since surgery), and her nurse tonight was chomping at the bit to get it out. :) She said that the tubes were actually hindering Elliana...that she was breathing on her own, and that she really needed it out. SO, the nurse finally got the "ok" from the nurse practitioner... and took the tube out! Thank goodness she waited until we left...but we just called back, and everything went well! She is breathing wonderfully on her own. Praise the Lord!!!
Eli & Easton are doing wonderful as well! They are both off of everything...except for heart monitors (which they will be on until they leave the hospital). Both of their isolettes are set at 27.5, which as soon as they get to 26.0, they can go into open cribs! They have started to wear clothes...which is absolutely adorable. :) They are wearing hospital shirts right now - but I just took their preemie clothes up there tonight! I can't wait to see them in real {little} people clothes! It will be PRECIOUS!
We were there for their weigh in's tonight...and...Eli is no longer the "big brother". Easton weighs in at 4lb3.3oz, and Eli is 4lb1.3oz. They are neck and neck! I was able to offer both boys their bottles tonight...Easton took 11ml for me, and Eli took all but 3 (out of 35) for me :) Made Mommy feel really good.
Tomorrow will {hopefully} be the day that I finally get to try to nurse them! YAY! :) I'm looking forward to seeing how they react! I think Eli is going to do great - he seems to have really good suction on the bottle nipple...so we shall see. And Easton tends to go NUTS when I'm holding him close to my chest, because he smells my milk :)
Well...it's been another long day, and I'm ready for some sleep...not before pumping, of course ;)
We went back for the evening care times...and while I was pumping, she woke up! Her little eyes were so puffy from the fluids they gave her - it's hard for her to open them! But we did get to see her peek out a few times. :) I can't even tell you how much better that made me feel.
She still had her breathing tube in (she has been hooked up to a respirator since surgery), and her nurse tonight was chomping at the bit to get it out. :) She said that the tubes were actually hindering Elliana...that she was breathing on her own, and that she really needed it out. SO, the nurse finally got the "ok" from the nurse practitioner... and took the tube out! Thank goodness she waited until we left...but we just called back, and everything went well! She is breathing wonderfully on her own. Praise the Lord!!!
Eli & Easton are doing wonderful as well! They are both off of everything...except for heart monitors (which they will be on until they leave the hospital). Both of their isolettes are set at 27.5, which as soon as they get to 26.0, they can go into open cribs! They have started to wear clothes...which is absolutely adorable. :) They are wearing hospital shirts right now - but I just took their preemie clothes up there tonight! I can't wait to see them in real {little} people clothes! It will be PRECIOUS!
We were there for their weigh in's tonight...and...Eli is no longer the "big brother". Easton weighs in at 4lb3.3oz, and Eli is 4lb1.3oz. They are neck and neck! I was able to offer both boys their bottles tonight...Easton took 11ml for me, and Eli took all but 3 (out of 35) for me :) Made Mommy feel really good.
Tomorrow will {hopefully} be the day that I finally get to try to nurse them! YAY! :) I'm looking forward to seeing how they react! I think Eli is going to do great - he seems to have really good suction on the bottle nipple...so we shall see. And Easton tends to go NUTS when I'm holding him close to my chest, because he smells my milk :)
Well...it's been another long day, and I'm ready for some sleep...not before pumping, of course ;)
Saturday, July 16, 2011
our little ones
Easton Layne
Eli Zayne
Elliana Rayne
:) You can find me, and more pictures on facebook. I'm under "Desiree Joy Smith"
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
*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 :)
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 :)
Monday, June 20, 2011
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!!
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!!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
About pregnancy week 27
How many weeks: 27 weeks today! <3
How am I feeling: lazy! bed rest has been a challenge... but I am willing to do whatever is best for my three Little Love's.
Doctor’s Appointment: Friday morning at 9:30 I have an ultrasound, and then appointment with Dr.F...which I'm not thrilled about. Dr.F is my least favorite doctor in this practice, but I'm excited about going to the doctor in general. Especially excited about seeing my little ones again! Also, we have an appointment with a specialist at the prenatal diagnostic center on Monday at 12:45!
Weight Gain: 39 pounds as of last Thursday :) I'm pretty happy with this... though I had hoped to gain a little more.
Maternity Clothes: HAHA!!! :) Maternity clothes are pretty much a thing of the past. I do have a few things left that still fit... but these days I am hanging out in my underwear and Clif's t-shirts. Not the prettiest site ever...BUT...it's comfortable, so yeah.
Baby Preparation: :) It's getting there. With me not being able to do anything, and there being TWO nurseries to prepare...it's been slow go. BUT my mom has been helping a TON, and I know we'll have it completed in the next few weeks. I'm not really worried about it. We have the essentials...so I'm happy.
Gender: two boys and a girl (in case you hadn't heard! haha!) Eli Zayne, Easton Layne and Elliana Rayne (we changed the spelling of the boys middle names). On separate occasions, they each have revealed their "stuff" to confirm what we found out at our 20 week appointment.
Name: Ooops :) Eli Zayne, Easton Layne & Elliana Rayne
Sleep: Good sleep comes, but mostly it goes. :) My nurse told me to take tylenol pm... but if you know me, I do NOT like the idea of taking medication while pregnant...and only take what I have to. I'm getting big...well, my belly is getting big. And I'm getting uncomfortable. Mostly uncomfortable because of my back, and I am experiencing "restless legs". SO that means a lot of tossing and turning during the night, which wakes me up...wakes the babies up...and wakes Clif up. I guess maybe it's God's way of preparing us for the NO sleep that we are going to experience.
Best moment this week: Feeling them all three move at the same time inside my tummy... and having my hubby there with me to feel them from the outside. LOVE my babies. :) And CANNOT wait for them to get here!!
Movement: For the most part, they move all the time. They have their resting moments. BUT for the majority of the time they are going CRAZY in there. LOVE it.
Food cravings: chocolate and soda!!! I know, that's horrible :) For most of my pregnancy I have craved "healthy" stuff. Recently I've been trying to eat a lot of carbs to pack on some last minute weight, hopefully meaning that my little babies will pack on weight of their own. But these last few days...all I have wanted to eat is CHOCOLATE and drink ICE COLD soda. :) I don't even drink soda anymore, which is the funny part. Even before I became pregnant... I didn't drink much soda. Mostly water, and tea..decaf. Two years ago, on new years eve I decided to stop drinking caffeine, and soda. I did really well for like three or four months, and then I started adding in some sprite and such. Before that I was completely addicted to Diet Cherry Pepsi :) Which is what is currently in my fridge! BUT...let me say that it's been in there for two weeks (it's a two liter), and I still have a fifth of it left. I only drink a TINY bit, sometimes not even every night. Seriously, maybe two ounces. But it's SOOOO good :)
What I miss: being able to reach the bottom of my feet in the shower. :) It's quite a sight...me trying to shower. Let's just say that I get the job done, it just takes a while. AND I miss being able to snuggle with my hubby in bed. First, I can't really get that close anymore because of my belly...and then, I am SO hot natured now... I pretty much can't stand for anything to touch me.
What I am looking forward to: My doctor's appointments and my little bundle's finally getting here! Only a few more weeks!!!
Milestones: We made it past 25 weeks, what they consider "viable"!!! :) It's such a relief knowing that if I were to go into labor early (which we are praying praying praying that I don't) our babies would more than likely survive :)
Prayer Request: Please pray for us as we go to our specialist appointment next Monday. It's a two hour ultrasound...and we are praying that Dr.D measurements will match those of Miss V. Also, please continue to pray that Eli's kidney will not get any larger, and that eventually correct itself. And last but not least, please pray that my body does what it needs to...that babies continue to grow and be healthy, and they stay in Mommy's tummy for as long as possible.
How am I feeling: lazy! bed rest has been a challenge... but I am willing to do whatever is best for my three Little Love's.
Doctor’s Appointment: Friday morning at 9:30 I have an ultrasound, and then appointment with Dr.F...which I'm not thrilled about. Dr.F is my least favorite doctor in this practice, but I'm excited about going to the doctor in general. Especially excited about seeing my little ones again! Also, we have an appointment with a specialist at the prenatal diagnostic center on Monday at 12:45!
Weight Gain: 39 pounds as of last Thursday :) I'm pretty happy with this... though I had hoped to gain a little more.
Maternity Clothes: HAHA!!! :) Maternity clothes are pretty much a thing of the past. I do have a few things left that still fit... but these days I am hanging out in my underwear and Clif's t-shirts. Not the prettiest site ever...BUT...it's comfortable, so yeah.
Baby Preparation: :) It's getting there. With me not being able to do anything, and there being TWO nurseries to prepare...it's been slow go. BUT my mom has been helping a TON, and I know we'll have it completed in the next few weeks. I'm not really worried about it. We have the essentials...so I'm happy.
Gender: two boys and a girl (in case you hadn't heard! haha!) Eli Zayne, Easton Layne and Elliana Rayne (we changed the spelling of the boys middle names). On separate occasions, they each have revealed their "stuff" to confirm what we found out at our 20 week appointment.
Name: Ooops :) Eli Zayne, Easton Layne & Elliana Rayne
Sleep: Good sleep comes, but mostly it goes. :) My nurse told me to take tylenol pm... but if you know me, I do NOT like the idea of taking medication while pregnant...and only take what I have to. I'm getting big...well, my belly is getting big. And I'm getting uncomfortable. Mostly uncomfortable because of my back, and I am experiencing "restless legs". SO that means a lot of tossing and turning during the night, which wakes me up...wakes the babies up...and wakes Clif up. I guess maybe it's God's way of preparing us for the NO sleep that we are going to experience.
Best moment this week: Feeling them all three move at the same time inside my tummy... and having my hubby there with me to feel them from the outside. LOVE my babies. :) And CANNOT wait for them to get here!!
Movement: For the most part, they move all the time. They have their resting moments. BUT for the majority of the time they are going CRAZY in there. LOVE it.
Food cravings: chocolate and soda!!! I know, that's horrible :) For most of my pregnancy I have craved "healthy" stuff. Recently I've been trying to eat a lot of carbs to pack on some last minute weight, hopefully meaning that my little babies will pack on weight of their own. But these last few days...all I have wanted to eat is CHOCOLATE and drink ICE COLD soda. :) I don't even drink soda anymore, which is the funny part. Even before I became pregnant... I didn't drink much soda. Mostly water, and tea..decaf. Two years ago, on new years eve I decided to stop drinking caffeine, and soda. I did really well for like three or four months, and then I started adding in some sprite and such. Before that I was completely addicted to Diet Cherry Pepsi :) Which is what is currently in my fridge! BUT...let me say that it's been in there for two weeks (it's a two liter), and I still have a fifth of it left. I only drink a TINY bit, sometimes not even every night. Seriously, maybe two ounces. But it's SOOOO good :)
What I miss: being able to reach the bottom of my feet in the shower. :) It's quite a sight...me trying to shower. Let's just say that I get the job done, it just takes a while. AND I miss being able to snuggle with my hubby in bed. First, I can't really get that close anymore because of my belly...and then, I am SO hot natured now... I pretty much can't stand for anything to touch me.
What I am looking forward to: My doctor's appointments and my little bundle's finally getting here! Only a few more weeks!!!
Milestones: We made it past 25 weeks, what they consider "viable"!!! :) It's such a relief knowing that if I were to go into labor early (which we are praying praying praying that I don't) our babies would more than likely survive :)
Prayer Request: Please pray for us as we go to our specialist appointment next Monday. It's a two hour ultrasound...and we are praying that Dr.D measurements will match those of Miss V. Also, please continue to pray that Eli's kidney will not get any larger, and that eventually correct itself. And last but not least, please pray that my body does what it needs to...that babies continue to grow and be healthy, and they stay in Mommy's tummy for as long as possible.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
*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!
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!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
26 week belly shot :)
Well...here it is, my 26 week belly shot. I'm pretty sure that I've had another "pop" in the last week or so. I'm getting to the point where my shirts don't cover my belly anymore! :)
Please excuse the "Guitar Hero" pj's...and my head being cropped out of the picture. Since I stay home all day every day, I was looking pretty rough...even after my shower. :)
Please excuse the "Guitar Hero" pj's...and my head being cropped out of the picture. Since I stay home all day every day, I was looking pretty rough...even after my shower. :)
Friday, June 10, 2011
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...
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...
appointment update :)
:) Time for baby updates! I had ever intention on posting last night, but I was SO exhausted after my afternoon out that I was out cold on the couch at 7:45.
The day before yesterday I called our doctor because I was having "crampy" feelings. Not really in my belly, but underneath it. It felt like menstrual cramps...kinda. But it didn't really hurt...it was just annoying. If that even makes sense. It actually felt like what ligament stretching felt like when my belly first started to get bigger. But it scared me, so I called.
I talked with our nurse "J"... and she said just to time it, lay on my side...put a pillow under my belly, and take a Tylenol. If they got close together, lasted more than a minute, and I had five within an hour, to call back. That's the thing though...I'd only feel "them" every now and again, and then sometimes it would last for a good while. Weird.
Talking with my doctor yesterday, and showing him where I was "cramping" at... he says that he really feels like it's my ligament stretching again.
With Lilly, I never experienced contractions...so every little thing worries me. :) Imagine that. But he tried explaining what a contraction would feel like. He said that my whole belly will tighten, and that I will experience cramping feelings all throughout my belly. Well, thank God that hasn't happened as of yet. Dr.G said even if I am having those type contractions, that unless they are consistent that there is nothing really to worry about.
My nurse says to just take it easy, and drink lots of water! Which, I've been drinking anywhere from 8-12 8 ounce glasses of water a day...not to mention I drink a glass of milk in the morning, and sometimes one in the evening. And then I might sneak a few sips of soda here and there.
Okay, well...that didn't really have much to do with my doctor's appointment... but I thought I'd fill you all in on that.
First (as usual) was our ultrasound. :) I'm always nervous going in for an ultrasound, just because of the ultrasound we had in the hospital the morning that Lilly passed away. I always fear that they are going to tell me that there is no heartbeat. ALTHOUGH, these kids have been going NUTS in my tummy for days. :) Including yesterday right before my appointment. But as soon as I see their little bodies, and their blinking hearts... I'm good. :)
Miss V decided to go ahead and do another growth check yesterday, because she was confused as to why Dr.G kept scheduling ultrasounds for every appointment. We tried explaining that he just wants to have the fluid and heart rates checked, because it's so hard to find each baby and be sure of it. Plus, with my placentas being up front, it's just easier. But she said that she was going to go ahead and do a growth check (again), which was totally okay with me.
Our little Elliana finally caught up with her "big" brothers. All three babies are measuring 26 weeks 2 days, exactly one day a head of schedule. :) My little over achievers. Ha! AND all three babies weigh the same. They are saying 2 pounds +/- 5 ounces. :) We have three little porkers growing in there! And we couldn't be happier.
Easton is the baby on "top", and we are told that he has the most room to move around. Which would explain why he is my most active little one at this point. I mean, this kid goes completely NUTS the majority of the time. When we went to the doctor two weeks ago, his little head was in my right side, and his feet towards the middle of my belly (at the top). However, yesterday... his feet are in to the right side, and his head is in the middle of my belly (at the top). Little boy has done a complete flip since the last time we saw him on the big screen :) I told Clif at the beginning of the week that I really thought that he had switched positions, because his kicks have been a LOT harder...AND he was really hurting me on Monday when he was, not kicking, but moving around in there.
Elliana has stayed in the same position...what a good little Mommy's girl :) She remains head down and feet up. She is my calm child... though she grows more active by the day.
Eli, not to be outdone by his brother... has switched positions too. But not as drastic. :) Two weeks ago he was head down feet up, yesterday he is still head down but his feet go to the right side of my belly (at the bottom) now. Crazy little kids!
Since we had another growth check yesterday, she went ahead and checked his kidney again. It's still measuring 6mm...which she said was good, because it hasn't gotten any bigger in two weeks :) So that was a major answer to prayer. She also said that the shape looked good. Apparently it's a nice rounded shape...and sometimes with enlarged kidneys, the kidney almost frays out? I don't know, I didn't really get what she was saying... but she said that all in all his kidney looks good. Still bigger than his other, but it looks good :) SO that made for one very happy Mommy & Daddy!
We had to wait a while to see Dr.G, because he was on call (AND I don't get to see him next week either, because he is out of the office. So he wants me to see Dr.F, which... I'm not to fond of). Dr.G actually just delivered two pound (?) twins yesterday afternoon :) Which he said were doing fantastic! It was good to see him, since I hadn't seen him in a MONTH! We told him about the cramping, and asked him about my blood pressure being "low" when I am laying around resting. Things like that. I also asked him how restrictive my bed rest is. He said that it's not SUPER restrictive, that I am able to get up and walk around some without it hurting anything. And that I could have company over, for no more than an hour at a time. He also gave me permission to go out to eat after my appointment, so you had better believe that I took that and ran with it :) I think we have made Red Robin a tradition after a good doctors visit! A yummy burger and fries topped off by an even yummier milkshake. YUM!
Dr.G says that if our babies were born today, they would be "viable"...meaning, that more likely that not, they would survive. Of course, they could have temporary problems, or long term... but there is a very high percentage that they would survive. :) Which made me happy, especially with the whole cramping scare. He says that average gestation for TWINS is 32 weeks, so of course triplets would be under that. He mentioned that he definitely didn't want me going past 36 weeks, and I was quick to remind him that we had discussed 34 weeks. He seems to think that I may go earlier than that.
My main concern and prayer is that our babies are "okay". I told Clif last night that I just can't wait to hear them cry for the first time. Just to know that my babies are alive and breathing will mean the world to me. :) I'm so looking forward to them being here. And if it were safe for them, I would say bring them on NOW!
Oh, I forgot to mention that during the ultrasound we heard the words that I listen for every single time. "Everyone's fluids look good". I think that's one of my main fears... their fluids getting too low. Like Lilly's did. That scares me to death. But yeah, I have two fears. Low fluid, and not knowing that I'm in labor. :)
Well...that's all for now I think. All I can think to update about at least.
Currently I have Eli either punching me "down there" or rolling head around...or something, whichever...it's not too comfortable. Especially with brother Easton having some body part of his own shoved under my ribs. :) Love to feel my babies move, but find it QUITE uncomfortable sometimes. Especially as they bulk up!
Will update soon...and add 26 week pictures! :) I am getting HUGE...even Dr.G says so. I am measuring full term, or so he tells me. Which, he says makes sense considering I've got about 6+ pounds of baby in me! Speaking of pounds, I almost forgot... I only gained 3 pounds in two weeks. Which puts me up to a whopping 39 pound weight gain. Believe it or not, I was a little disappointed with the weight gain... I had hoped that it would have been a little more. SO... I am really going to try and gain a little extra this week. I want these babies to be as big as possible when they come out in just a few short weeks!
Thanks to all who have been praying for us, and especially for little Eli. Please continue to pray that his kidney not correct itself, but that God might correct it for him :)
The day before yesterday I called our doctor because I was having "crampy" feelings. Not really in my belly, but underneath it. It felt like menstrual cramps...kinda. But it didn't really hurt...it was just annoying. If that even makes sense. It actually felt like what ligament stretching felt like when my belly first started to get bigger. But it scared me, so I called.
I talked with our nurse "J"... and she said just to time it, lay on my side...put a pillow under my belly, and take a Tylenol. If they got close together, lasted more than a minute, and I had five within an hour, to call back. That's the thing though...I'd only feel "them" every now and again, and then sometimes it would last for a good while. Weird.
Talking with my doctor yesterday, and showing him where I was "cramping" at... he says that he really feels like it's my ligament stretching again.
With Lilly, I never experienced contractions...so every little thing worries me. :) Imagine that. But he tried explaining what a contraction would feel like. He said that my whole belly will tighten, and that I will experience cramping feelings all throughout my belly. Well, thank God that hasn't happened as of yet. Dr.G said even if I am having those type contractions, that unless they are consistent that there is nothing really to worry about.
My nurse says to just take it easy, and drink lots of water! Which, I've been drinking anywhere from 8-12 8 ounce glasses of water a day...not to mention I drink a glass of milk in the morning, and sometimes one in the evening. And then I might sneak a few sips of soda here and there.
Okay, well...that didn't really have much to do with my doctor's appointment... but I thought I'd fill you all in on that.
First (as usual) was our ultrasound. :) I'm always nervous going in for an ultrasound, just because of the ultrasound we had in the hospital the morning that Lilly passed away. I always fear that they are going to tell me that there is no heartbeat. ALTHOUGH, these kids have been going NUTS in my tummy for days. :) Including yesterday right before my appointment. But as soon as I see their little bodies, and their blinking hearts... I'm good. :)
Miss V decided to go ahead and do another growth check yesterday, because she was confused as to why Dr.G kept scheduling ultrasounds for every appointment. We tried explaining that he just wants to have the fluid and heart rates checked, because it's so hard to find each baby and be sure of it. Plus, with my placentas being up front, it's just easier. But she said that she was going to go ahead and do a growth check (again), which was totally okay with me.
Our little Elliana finally caught up with her "big" brothers. All three babies are measuring 26 weeks 2 days, exactly one day a head of schedule. :) My little over achievers. Ha! AND all three babies weigh the same. They are saying 2 pounds +/- 5 ounces. :) We have three little porkers growing in there! And we couldn't be happier.
Easton is the baby on "top", and we are told that he has the most room to move around. Which would explain why he is my most active little one at this point. I mean, this kid goes completely NUTS the majority of the time. When we went to the doctor two weeks ago, his little head was in my right side, and his feet towards the middle of my belly (at the top). However, yesterday... his feet are in to the right side, and his head is in the middle of my belly (at the top). Little boy has done a complete flip since the last time we saw him on the big screen :) I told Clif at the beginning of the week that I really thought that he had switched positions, because his kicks have been a LOT harder...AND he was really hurting me on Monday when he was, not kicking, but moving around in there.
Elliana has stayed in the same position...what a good little Mommy's girl :) She remains head down and feet up. She is my calm child... though she grows more active by the day.
Eli, not to be outdone by his brother... has switched positions too. But not as drastic. :) Two weeks ago he was head down feet up, yesterday he is still head down but his feet go to the right side of my belly (at the bottom) now. Crazy little kids!
Since we had another growth check yesterday, she went ahead and checked his kidney again. It's still measuring 6mm...which she said was good, because it hasn't gotten any bigger in two weeks :) So that was a major answer to prayer. She also said that the shape looked good. Apparently it's a nice rounded shape...and sometimes with enlarged kidneys, the kidney almost frays out? I don't know, I didn't really get what she was saying... but she said that all in all his kidney looks good. Still bigger than his other, but it looks good :) SO that made for one very happy Mommy & Daddy!
We had to wait a while to see Dr.G, because he was on call (AND I don't get to see him next week either, because he is out of the office. So he wants me to see Dr.F, which... I'm not to fond of). Dr.G actually just delivered two pound (?) twins yesterday afternoon :) Which he said were doing fantastic! It was good to see him, since I hadn't seen him in a MONTH! We told him about the cramping, and asked him about my blood pressure being "low" when I am laying around resting. Things like that. I also asked him how restrictive my bed rest is. He said that it's not SUPER restrictive, that I am able to get up and walk around some without it hurting anything. And that I could have company over, for no more than an hour at a time. He also gave me permission to go out to eat after my appointment, so you had better believe that I took that and ran with it :) I think we have made Red Robin a tradition after a good doctors visit! A yummy burger and fries topped off by an even yummier milkshake. YUM!
Dr.G says that if our babies were born today, they would be "viable"...meaning, that more likely that not, they would survive. Of course, they could have temporary problems, or long term... but there is a very high percentage that they would survive. :) Which made me happy, especially with the whole cramping scare. He says that average gestation for TWINS is 32 weeks, so of course triplets would be under that. He mentioned that he definitely didn't want me going past 36 weeks, and I was quick to remind him that we had discussed 34 weeks. He seems to think that I may go earlier than that.
My main concern and prayer is that our babies are "okay". I told Clif last night that I just can't wait to hear them cry for the first time. Just to know that my babies are alive and breathing will mean the world to me. :) I'm so looking forward to them being here. And if it were safe for them, I would say bring them on NOW!
Oh, I forgot to mention that during the ultrasound we heard the words that I listen for every single time. "Everyone's fluids look good". I think that's one of my main fears... their fluids getting too low. Like Lilly's did. That scares me to death. But yeah, I have two fears. Low fluid, and not knowing that I'm in labor. :)
Well...that's all for now I think. All I can think to update about at least.
Currently I have Eli either punching me "down there" or rolling head around...or something, whichever...it's not too comfortable. Especially with brother Easton having some body part of his own shoved under my ribs. :) Love to feel my babies move, but find it QUITE uncomfortable sometimes. Especially as they bulk up!
Will update soon...and add 26 week pictures! :) I am getting HUGE...even Dr.G says so. I am measuring full term, or so he tells me. Which, he says makes sense considering I've got about 6+ pounds of baby in me! Speaking of pounds, I almost forgot... I only gained 3 pounds in two weeks. Which puts me up to a whopping 39 pound weight gain. Believe it or not, I was a little disappointed with the weight gain... I had hoped that it would have been a little more. SO... I am really going to try and gain a little extra this week. I want these babies to be as big as possible when they come out in just a few short weeks!
Thanks to all who have been praying for us, and especially for little Eli. Please continue to pray that his kidney not correct itself, but that God might correct it for him :)
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
another day...
I'm bored. Are ya happy Doctor's?
Yesterday I spent 97% of my day on the couch. The only time that I actually switched to the sitting position was for like an hour to sort through baby clothes we were given on Saturday, take off tags, and separate them into piles to be washed. Oh, and to fold crib sheets. (btw, does anyone know how COMPLICATED, and slightly ridiculous it is to fold crib sheets? Geez.
Mom's last two days have been productive, at least. She was here all day on Monday, and until almost three o'clock yesterday. She managed to take every single thing out of the kitchen cabinets, wipe the insides out, and wash the outsides down with Murphy's Oil Soap. Then we went through everything...well, I sat while she held up things and I told her what to do with them. I am getting rid of so much stuff...makes me kinda happy! My kitchen looked AWESOME until yesterday. :) That's when she started working on the living room/room that we never use. It was FULL of baby furniture, clothes, diapers...leftover flooring and tools. So now everything that doesn't belong in the house...is sitting in my kitchen, waiting for Clif to wake up and move all of it. Which, as soon as this post is written...he is getting started. :)
I also sent my mom to town yesterday to buy a dresser/cabinet type thing. We were in desperate need of something for our hallway (between the nurseries & bathroom). It's more like one of those lingerie dresser things, but it will serve it's purpose! I'm going to use it for crib sheets, and baby towels. OH, speaking of baby towels...the hooded ones... are you serious? Why does everything associated with baby have to be difficult to fold.
OH! Back to Monday. My mom left to go to her weekly weight watchers meeting, and then she and my dad were coming back for dinner. Clif had been working all day, and was to get off of work around 6:30. So I'm sitting at the house...waiting...waiting... and then finally my mom calls me to tell me that they are at the bottom of my driveway, and a massive pine tree has fallen across it. GREAT! So they had to walk up the driveway, Clif had to change out of uniform...my dad turned around and went back to their house for a chainsaw, and...well, it's still not cleaned up. They just cut it enough to get by, so that's another project for Clif today. Fun stuff.
Well...today has promise to be quite boring, but we shall see. :) I'm getting ready to go wake hubby up...and then I have a friend/soon to be sister in law that's coming over to keep me company for a while. I need people to visit so that I don't go insane.
Hope everyone is having a great week! I'll update more tomorrow, after our doctor's appointment. Please pray that all will go well, and that once I talk to MY doctor (this will be the first time I've seen him since before bed rest), he will tell me that my bed rest is not too restrictive. :) A girl can dream, right?
Yesterday I spent 97% of my day on the couch. The only time that I actually switched to the sitting position was for like an hour to sort through baby clothes we were given on Saturday, take off tags, and separate them into piles to be washed. Oh, and to fold crib sheets. (btw, does anyone know how COMPLICATED, and slightly ridiculous it is to fold crib sheets? Geez.
Mom's last two days have been productive, at least. She was here all day on Monday, and until almost three o'clock yesterday. She managed to take every single thing out of the kitchen cabinets, wipe the insides out, and wash the outsides down with Murphy's Oil Soap. Then we went through everything...well, I sat while she held up things and I told her what to do with them. I am getting rid of so much stuff...makes me kinda happy! My kitchen looked AWESOME until yesterday. :) That's when she started working on the living room/room that we never use. It was FULL of baby furniture, clothes, diapers...leftover flooring and tools. So now everything that doesn't belong in the house...is sitting in my kitchen, waiting for Clif to wake up and move all of it. Which, as soon as this post is written...he is getting started. :)
I also sent my mom to town yesterday to buy a dresser/cabinet type thing. We were in desperate need of something for our hallway (between the nurseries & bathroom). It's more like one of those lingerie dresser things, but it will serve it's purpose! I'm going to use it for crib sheets, and baby towels. OH, speaking of baby towels...the hooded ones... are you serious? Why does everything associated with baby have to be difficult to fold.
OH! Back to Monday. My mom left to go to her weekly weight watchers meeting, and then she and my dad were coming back for dinner. Clif had been working all day, and was to get off of work around 6:30. So I'm sitting at the house...waiting...waiting... and then finally my mom calls me to tell me that they are at the bottom of my driveway, and a massive pine tree has fallen across it. GREAT! So they had to walk up the driveway, Clif had to change out of uniform...my dad turned around and went back to their house for a chainsaw, and...well, it's still not cleaned up. They just cut it enough to get by, so that's another project for Clif today. Fun stuff.
Well...today has promise to be quite boring, but we shall see. :) I'm getting ready to go wake hubby up...and then I have a friend/soon to be sister in law that's coming over to keep me company for a while. I need people to visit so that I don't go insane.
Hope everyone is having a great week! I'll update more tomorrow, after our doctor's appointment. Please pray that all will go well, and that once I talk to MY doctor (this will be the first time I've seen him since before bed rest), he will tell me that my bed rest is not too restrictive. :) A girl can dream, right?
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
baby shower & week 25 belly shots!
Wow...it's been a few days, and I have a lot to update on! :) So please bare with me, and I'll try to make it as short as possible.
On Friday, we celebrated our four year wedding anniversary. We started off by getting pedicures (and for me a manicure & long overdue eyebrow waxing), and then headed to dinner at our favorite Japanese Steakhouse. YUMMY! It was a good night, hanging out... just the two of us. We enjoyed it, for sure!! Especially knowing that there won't be too many (if any) more nights like that for a LOOONG while.
Saturday was shower day :) YAY! I was able to sleep in, and even after waking up I lounged around the house...ate breakfast (which was actually grilled cheese for brunch), watched tv...and didn't even start to get ready until noon. Very nice!
Our shower was... awesome. I've never seen a baby shower like it. Let's just say that we know a lot of people. I've only ever had two "real" jobs... but I made a lot of friends along the way. On top of that, there were friends that we have met through Clif's jobs... friends we've just met along the way, family and lots of church family.
I must say... I've got the most awesome church family, at least... I think so. They really went out of their way to make our shower a success. I give the credit to my parents for getting the church decorated, and then me, mom and my niece, Katie, spent several hours making cupcakes. :) The ladies of the church stepped in and made a TON of food. And you definitely could tell that it was a pregnant lady that had requested the food...my menu included, veggie pizza, cucumber sandwiches, pineapple cheese ball (made by a work friend), sausage balls, pigs in blankets, queso cheese dip, cheese & pickle trays, meat balls, and fruit with fruit dip. YUM! Oh, and we washed it all down with my mom's homemade lime punch. :) LOVE that stuff.
We had an AMAZING turn out of 70 people. Clif and I were completely overwhelmed by all the people, the gifts... but most of all the love and support. We are privileged to have some pretty awesome people in our lives.
Starting out...my mom (the host) had everyone introduce themselves, and how they knew me. Then Mom's best friend, Pat, had a small devotional (thanks Pat!). Then games...put together by two pretty awesome ladies that weren't able to attend due to a death in their family (please continue to be in prayer for the "B" family with the loss of their father). We had to break up the gift opening...half before the refreshments, and half afterwards. Thank goodness! I was getting pretty hungry...which happens a lot these days.
All in all, the shower was a success. We saw people that we hadn't seen in AGES...which was such a blessing. :) Please enjoy shower photos, and also...my 25 weeks belly shots (a few days late!).
Tomorrow marks 26 weeks of pregnancy, and we have our 26 week appointment on Thursday at 1:30. :) Looking forward to that...and praying that Dr.G will tell me that we are going to start appointments every week now. It would be so much more peace of mind since I am home dwelling on my pregnancy all the time now! :)
Okay...shutting up...enjoy the pictures!
On Friday, we celebrated our four year wedding anniversary. We started off by getting pedicures (and for me a manicure & long overdue eyebrow waxing), and then headed to dinner at our favorite Japanese Steakhouse. YUMMY! It was a good night, hanging out... just the two of us. We enjoyed it, for sure!! Especially knowing that there won't be too many (if any) more nights like that for a LOOONG while.
Saturday was shower day :) YAY! I was able to sleep in, and even after waking up I lounged around the house...ate breakfast (which was actually grilled cheese for brunch), watched tv...and didn't even start to get ready until noon. Very nice!
Our shower was... awesome. I've never seen a baby shower like it. Let's just say that we know a lot of people. I've only ever had two "real" jobs... but I made a lot of friends along the way. On top of that, there were friends that we have met through Clif's jobs... friends we've just met along the way, family and lots of church family.
I must say... I've got the most awesome church family, at least... I think so. They really went out of their way to make our shower a success. I give the credit to my parents for getting the church decorated, and then me, mom and my niece, Katie, spent several hours making cupcakes. :) The ladies of the church stepped in and made a TON of food. And you definitely could tell that it was a pregnant lady that had requested the food...my menu included, veggie pizza, cucumber sandwiches, pineapple cheese ball (made by a work friend), sausage balls, pigs in blankets, queso cheese dip, cheese & pickle trays, meat balls, and fruit with fruit dip. YUM! Oh, and we washed it all down with my mom's homemade lime punch. :) LOVE that stuff.
We had an AMAZING turn out of 70 people. Clif and I were completely overwhelmed by all the people, the gifts... but most of all the love and support. We are privileged to have some pretty awesome people in our lives.
Starting out...my mom (the host) had everyone introduce themselves, and how they knew me. Then Mom's best friend, Pat, had a small devotional (thanks Pat!). Then games...put together by two pretty awesome ladies that weren't able to attend due to a death in their family (please continue to be in prayer for the "B" family with the loss of their father). We had to break up the gift opening...half before the refreshments, and half afterwards. Thank goodness! I was getting pretty hungry...which happens a lot these days.
All in all, the shower was a success. We saw people that we hadn't seen in AGES...which was such a blessing. :) Please enjoy shower photos, and also...my 25 weeks belly shots (a few days late!).
Tomorrow marks 26 weeks of pregnancy, and we have our 26 week appointment on Thursday at 1:30. :) Looking forward to that...and praying that Dr.G will tell me that we are going to start appointments every week now. It would be so much more peace of mind since I am home dwelling on my pregnancy all the time now! :)
Okay...shutting up...enjoy the pictures!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
seis
Day 6 :)
Last night was pretty productive...I guess you can call it that. I researched companies that have "multiple birth programs"... and found addresses & phone number so that I can call/mail proof after the babies are born to receive coupons ect. So that took up a while...
Eli, Easton & Elliana were VERY VERY active...and they still are this morning. As I'm sitting here typing, they are going NUTS. :) You can see my whole belly moving. I think it's mostly Eli & Easton this morning, but it's so hard to tell with the way they reposition themselves.
In case you didn't catch my last post here, today is mine & Clif's four year wedding anniversary! So hard to believe that we've been together for FOUR years... but then on the other hand, it feels like it's been 10 (in a good way, promise).
Fun filled day...(notice the sarcasm). Clif had to work last night, and has to work tonight...so currently, I am on the couch...and he is in bed sleeping until three thirty. I'll wake him up, cook dinner (Velveeta Skillet Sensations...I know, what a special dinner!!!)...and then he will head out again. :) But that's okay.
Tomorrow morning I am going to my mom's house to help make & decorate cupcakes for my shower on Saturday (that I'm getting SUPER excited about), and then after Clif get's up we are going to get pedicures & eat at our favorite Japenese steakhouse. SOOOO looking forward to the shrimp!! And steak...YUM! OH OH OH...and the rice, it's my favorite. Needless to say, I am going to need to drink LOTS of extra water tomorrow due to all the sodium that I'm going to be eating.
Well...that's all for now. You guys be praying that I don't go insane laying about on this couch these next few weeks...because it's already getting to me. I know that I need to rest, for the babies sake... but I'm also at that nesting stage where I want to get everything ready. :) My mom will be coming up next week to help me with getting the clothes finished up, and sorting out all the items from the baby shower :)
God bless!!!
Last night was pretty productive...I guess you can call it that. I researched companies that have "multiple birth programs"... and found addresses & phone number so that I can call/mail proof after the babies are born to receive coupons ect. So that took up a while...
Eli, Easton & Elliana were VERY VERY active...and they still are this morning. As I'm sitting here typing, they are going NUTS. :) You can see my whole belly moving. I think it's mostly Eli & Easton this morning, but it's so hard to tell with the way they reposition themselves.
In case you didn't catch my last post here, today is mine & Clif's four year wedding anniversary! So hard to believe that we've been together for FOUR years... but then on the other hand, it feels like it's been 10 (in a good way, promise).
Fun filled day...(notice the sarcasm). Clif had to work last night, and has to work tonight...so currently, I am on the couch...and he is in bed sleeping until three thirty. I'll wake him up, cook dinner (Velveeta Skillet Sensations...I know, what a special dinner!!!)...and then he will head out again. :) But that's okay.
Tomorrow morning I am going to my mom's house to help make & decorate cupcakes for my shower on Saturday (that I'm getting SUPER excited about), and then after Clif get's up we are going to get pedicures & eat at our favorite Japenese steakhouse. SOOOO looking forward to the shrimp!! And steak...YUM! OH OH OH...and the rice, it's my favorite. Needless to say, I am going to need to drink LOTS of extra water tomorrow due to all the sodium that I'm going to be eating.
Well...that's all for now. You guys be praying that I don't go insane laying about on this couch these next few weeks...because it's already getting to me. I know that I need to rest, for the babies sake... but I'm also at that nesting stage where I want to get everything ready. :) My mom will be coming up next week to help me with getting the clothes finished up, and sorting out all the items from the baby shower :)
God bless!!!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
please handle with care...
...my heart, that is.
I've been excited about getting the nurseries ready for the triplets. I've been DYING to get everything de-cluttered so that I can begin decorating, and getting everything put in place for my precious Eli, Easton & Elliana.
But at the same time...I'm still heartbroken. There still isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of Lilly, and I don't think that I will ever come to a point where she doesn't cross my mind.
Tonight was hard...
Dad finished up the second nursery (pictures coming soon). So I had my mom move some things from one nursery to another. Talk about a lot of emotions that hit me all at once...without really expecting them. I had to move HER things out of the way. HER things.
I don't want this to be an issue. I don't want to feel this way... but I do. There are so many things that I'm going to have to box away for the rest of my life. Things that never touched...things that she never used... but yet, they still belong to her.
I had to move dried flowers from her funeral. From her funeral. A parent shouldn't have to speak words like those following their child's name. I had to hide away a 2 dollar bill that Daddy saved for her, had to find a place for her "2009" penny that was supposed to go in her scrapbook. Her piggy bank, the wooden "L" that sat on her bookshelf. *deep breath* The first little fishing hat that Daddy bought for her. I threw away expired formula that should have been drank by her. Folded and stuffed away the quilt that her little body was wrapped in the last time I saw her. HER THINGS!
Things shouldn't be this hard. Preparing this for my babies on the way shouldn't bring tears to my eyes, and pain into my heart.
Don't get me wrong...I'm thankful for these babies, and I am anxiously awaiting their arrival. I love to just sit and feel them move inside of me. I love to look at their pictures, and to look back and watch how they have grown in my tummy.
But even though we are getting ready to start a very happy new chapter in our lives, it doesn't take away the chapter that came before. The painful one. The one that no person should ever have to endure. The chapter that tells about a young couple that lost their first born baby girl. The story about a mom and dad that sat in a hospital room and wept over their daughter's lifeless body. Then sat in that same hospital and wrote their daughters obituary...planned her funeral, and then had to say goodbye. I hate that story... but I relive it every single day.
Oh God,please, take the hurt away....
I've been excited about getting the nurseries ready for the triplets. I've been DYING to get everything de-cluttered so that I can begin decorating, and getting everything put in place for my precious Eli, Easton & Elliana.
But at the same time...I'm still heartbroken. There still isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of Lilly, and I don't think that I will ever come to a point where she doesn't cross my mind.
Tonight was hard...
Dad finished up the second nursery (pictures coming soon). So I had my mom move some things from one nursery to another. Talk about a lot of emotions that hit me all at once...without really expecting them. I had to move HER things out of the way. HER things.
I don't want this to be an issue. I don't want to feel this way... but I do. There are so many things that I'm going to have to box away for the rest of my life. Things that never touched...things that she never used... but yet, they still belong to her.
I had to move dried flowers from her funeral. From her funeral. A parent shouldn't have to speak words like those following their child's name. I had to hide away a 2 dollar bill that Daddy saved for her, had to find a place for her "2009" penny that was supposed to go in her scrapbook. Her piggy bank, the wooden "L" that sat on her bookshelf. *deep breath* The first little fishing hat that Daddy bought for her. I threw away expired formula that should have been drank by her. Folded and stuffed away the quilt that her little body was wrapped in the last time I saw her. HER THINGS!
Things shouldn't be this hard. Preparing this for my babies on the way shouldn't bring tears to my eyes, and pain into my heart.
Don't get me wrong...I'm thankful for these babies, and I am anxiously awaiting their arrival. I love to just sit and feel them move inside of me. I love to look at their pictures, and to look back and watch how they have grown in my tummy.
But even though we are getting ready to start a very happy new chapter in our lives, it doesn't take away the chapter that came before. The painful one. The one that no person should ever have to endure. The chapter that tells about a young couple that lost their first born baby girl. The story about a mom and dad that sat in a hospital room and wept over their daughter's lifeless body. Then sat in that same hospital and wrote their daughters obituary...planned her funeral, and then had to say goodbye. I hate that story... but I relive it every single day.
Oh God,please, take the hurt away....
Saturday, May 28, 2011
day 1
Of bed rest that is. :)
I have been awake since a little before 7am...on my first day of official bed rest! Geez...so much for rest. HA! I can't complain though, I DID sleep really well... just up and down to the bathroom (imagine that), and then Clif got in from work at 7am, took a shower, and came to bed...and started rubbing on babies. For some reason when I empty my bladder they go NUTS, and then they LOVE to be rubbed by their daddy. so needless to say, after several punches in the bladder...and butts being shoved in my ribs - I opted to go ahead and get up. Plus my tummy was growling for some strawberries, milk and peanut butter & jelly toast!
I am actually getting ready to shower and head out, just for a few hours. I'm meeting up with a co-worker to get some hand-me-downs for little boys! YAY!! I have SOOOOO much laundry to do, it's not even funny. You wouldn't believe all the clothes that friends have given us already, some old, and some new!!
Things are actually starting to come together with the room's for the triplets. One nursery was already complete, and since we are having a girl, we don't have to paint over the dandelion that I had painted when we were getting things ready for Lilly :)
A few weeks ago, Clif cleaned out the second spare bedroom, ripped up carpet, and pained the walls (yay!). This is going to be their "play" room for now. Also will be used for early morning feedings and such. We'll have a rocking chair, cradle, dresser, shelf...those sorts of things in there. I'm so excited about getting it all set up!!
We purchased flooring for the room on Thursday...so now all we are waiting for is Tuesday to come, so that Clif and my dad can get it put down :) We decided to go with lock in hardwood laminate...or whatever you call it. Just because it will be much easier clean up. Especially since in the future it will be home for two little boys!
My parents bought a dresser for their room, it's a three drawer (how appropriate) with a book shelf thingie that goes on top :) I am going to replace the knobs, and have decided that they will be color coded. A different color on each drawer, for each child. I've got to do something to keep things straight, right?? I figure since they are going to be so tiny, and the drawers are rather big, we should be able to keep the majority of their daily clothes (that they can wear at that time) in this dresser.
I've never really been one to organize things (well, sometimes I am...it just depends)... but I am going to buy Rubbermaid containers and separate the clothes by size. That way, when they grow out of the newborn stuff, we can throw it in a box, and pull out the next one. At least, that sounds like a good idea at the moment. :)
I can't believe that we are going to have babies here in just a few short weeks...well, really, months... but weeks sounds better. Hope and pray that each of you have a good weekend!!! Stay cool :)
I have been awake since a little before 7am...on my first day of official bed rest! Geez...so much for rest. HA! I can't complain though, I DID sleep really well... just up and down to the bathroom (imagine that), and then Clif got in from work at 7am, took a shower, and came to bed...and started rubbing on babies. For some reason when I empty my bladder they go NUTS, and then they LOVE to be rubbed by their daddy. so needless to say, after several punches in the bladder...and butts being shoved in my ribs - I opted to go ahead and get up. Plus my tummy was growling for some strawberries, milk and peanut butter & jelly toast!
I am actually getting ready to shower and head out, just for a few hours. I'm meeting up with a co-worker to get some hand-me-downs for little boys! YAY!! I have SOOOOO much laundry to do, it's not even funny. You wouldn't believe all the clothes that friends have given us already, some old, and some new!!
Things are actually starting to come together with the room's for the triplets. One nursery was already complete, and since we are having a girl, we don't have to paint over the dandelion that I had painted when we were getting things ready for Lilly :)
A few weeks ago, Clif cleaned out the second spare bedroom, ripped up carpet, and pained the walls (yay!). This is going to be their "play" room for now. Also will be used for early morning feedings and such. We'll have a rocking chair, cradle, dresser, shelf...those sorts of things in there. I'm so excited about getting it all set up!!
We purchased flooring for the room on Thursday...so now all we are waiting for is Tuesday to come, so that Clif and my dad can get it put down :) We decided to go with lock in hardwood laminate...or whatever you call it. Just because it will be much easier clean up. Especially since in the future it will be home for two little boys!
My parents bought a dresser for their room, it's a three drawer (how appropriate) with a book shelf thingie that goes on top :) I am going to replace the knobs, and have decided that they will be color coded. A different color on each drawer, for each child. I've got to do something to keep things straight, right?? I figure since they are going to be so tiny, and the drawers are rather big, we should be able to keep the majority of their daily clothes (that they can wear at that time) in this dresser.
I've never really been one to organize things (well, sometimes I am...it just depends)... but I am going to buy Rubbermaid containers and separate the clothes by size. That way, when they grow out of the newborn stuff, we can throw it in a box, and pull out the next one. At least, that sounds like a good idea at the moment. :)
I can't believe that we are going to have babies here in just a few short weeks...well, really, months... but weeks sounds better. Hope and pray that each of you have a good weekend!!! Stay cool :)
Friday, May 27, 2011
two dirty little words...
bed rest.
:) I'm not complaining...at least, not yet. Give me a few weeks...and I'm sure that I will get there. At this point, I am just ready for some rest.
These last few weeks really have been a struggle for me. Work has been long, and extremely tiring. I'm really looking forward to SLEEP! Might as well get it while I can...because in just a few short months, I will be getting...zero.
Today was a decent last day at work...or at least it started out okay. This afternoon, things got hectic and I was ready to stab someone :) But I made it through, and I'm officially done for a while. Oh, and I didn't cry!! I might have teared up a little once I got in my car, but I was rather proud of myself.
So it begins...bed rest until my Three Little Love's get here. :) Cannot wait.
:) I'm not complaining...at least, not yet. Give me a few weeks...and I'm sure that I will get there. At this point, I am just ready for some rest.
These last few weeks really have been a struggle for me. Work has been long, and extremely tiring. I'm really looking forward to SLEEP! Might as well get it while I can...because in just a few short months, I will be getting...zero.
Today was a decent last day at work...or at least it started out okay. This afternoon, things got hectic and I was ready to stab someone :) But I made it through, and I'm officially done for a while. Oh, and I didn't cry!! I might have teared up a little once I got in my car, but I was rather proud of myself.
So it begins...bed rest until my Three Little Love's get here. :) Cannot wait.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
24 week appointment & a prayer request for Eli :)
Well...I passed my glucose test. WOO HOO! Actually, it's cracking me up because as I type this post - I have a strawberry twizzler hanging out of my mouth. :)
I've deprived myself (and the babies) of candy,ice cream, bread & potatoes for the last week in hopes that I wouldn't have to go back for the dreaded three hour test. Bleh! They say that they make you come back for the 3 hour test if you sugar is above 145. Mine was 134, which they were very satisfied with. My iron is a little low (normal is 12, I am at 11.4)... but they said that it's normal at this place in pregnancy, with one! :) So, no iron supplement for me, unless I start to be really tired/fatigued. Yay!!
Oh, and let me go ahead and mention this...my blood pressure? 130/78...my nurse all but did backflips. :) I was SOOOO happy. It's the lowest it's been at the doctor's office so far. Which is funny, because at home it's normally 110-120s/170s.
We had our ultrasound, and even though our growth scan wasn't supposed to be until 26 weeks... it was done today. Don't really know why... but whatever. We were definitely NOT complaining about getting to see our babies for 30+ minutes!! Eli & Elliana are head down, and Elliana & Easton are butt first in my ribs. Too funny. For the last few days, I will get this hard knot at the top of my belly. I thought it was a foot or something, NOPE, it's their butt's. :)
Everyone measured right on schedule...Eli & Easton are both weighing in at 1lb8oz, and little Elliana is 1lb7oz...just one little ounce behind her brothers. :) I am 24w1d today, the boys measured in at 24w3d and Elliana at 24w1d. We couldn't be more pleased!!
We do have a small prayer request for our wild child, Eli. Miss V was measuring organs & such today for the growth scan, and one of Eli's kidneys is measuring slightly bigger than the norm. She said that they normally measure no more than 6, and his is between a 5 & 6. She kept telling me not to go home and worry about it, that it's extremely common in little boys. She also said that it almost always corrects itself in time. If it were to get where they would be concerned about it (between 8-12) they would send us to a specialist, and the little guy might have to have a procedure done when he is born. BUT, she said that as of now... it's still withing normal limits, it's just prominent. So they want to keep an eye on it.
I'm not really worried about it...especially since she said that it's common. She said that she's seen kidneys measure 12-14 and correct themselves. So we are trusting and waiting. :)
Heart rates were wonderful, and we got to hear them twice! Ha! We heard them during the ultrasound... Eli @ 143bpm, Easton @ 153bpm, and Elliana @ 151bpm.
I saw a new doctor today, Dr M (that delivered my best friend's baby last Friday). MUCH older than I had thought - but all in all, I liked him, He's a very "matter of fact" doctor... but sometimes, that's a good thing. :) He asked what kind of work that I did... and I told him that I am a teller manager until tomorrow. That Dr G had already written a note for my HR department, and that he is taking me out as of tomorrow. He was very pleased with that. He also warned me that he is an avid Wal*Mart & Lowes shopper, and that since I am being taken out of work - it does not mean that I can run around doing a million things. He says it defeats the purpose :) I promised him that I will be as much of a couch potato as possible.
I'm measuring at 37 weeks for a singleton...at 24 weeks with three!! :) He seemed to think that was pretty humorous. OH and when he first came in and introduced himself to us, he made a joke about meeting "a man like Clif". Apparently, Clif knows how to get it done. HA! I told him that we get an ultrasound every time to check fluid levels and heart rates - but he wanted to listen to the heart beats anyways! And he got them on the first try! :) So we got to hear our little ones TWICE today.
All in all, it was a GREAT afternoon!! After we got out of the doctor's office (two hours later...Dr M was on call, and apparently got backed up with his appointments this afternoon), Clif treated me to dinner at Red Robin. YUM! I will say that I ate like a pig... but I couldn't help it. I started off with a side of clam strips, which I have been craving for WEEKS...and then had a burger & fries. Followed by... a "Rookie Magic" milkshake. SOOOOO good. And I'm still full!! :) Babies didn't know what to do since I haven't been eating a lot of carbs the last few days.
Well...that's all for now...just wanted to update you all. If you think of it, please say a quick prayer for our little Eli. Again...not really worried, but still will be in the back of our mind. :) Thanks in advance!!!!
I've deprived myself (and the babies) of candy,ice cream, bread & potatoes for the last week in hopes that I wouldn't have to go back for the dreaded three hour test. Bleh! They say that they make you come back for the 3 hour test if you sugar is above 145. Mine was 134, which they were very satisfied with. My iron is a little low (normal is 12, I am at 11.4)... but they said that it's normal at this place in pregnancy, with one! :) So, no iron supplement for me, unless I start to be really tired/fatigued. Yay!!
Oh, and let me go ahead and mention this...my blood pressure? 130/78...my nurse all but did backflips. :) I was SOOOO happy. It's the lowest it's been at the doctor's office so far. Which is funny, because at home it's normally 110-120s/170s.
We had our ultrasound, and even though our growth scan wasn't supposed to be until 26 weeks... it was done today. Don't really know why... but whatever. We were definitely NOT complaining about getting to see our babies for 30+ minutes!! Eli & Elliana are head down, and Elliana & Easton are butt first in my ribs. Too funny. For the last few days, I will get this hard knot at the top of my belly. I thought it was a foot or something, NOPE, it's their butt's. :)
Everyone measured right on schedule...Eli & Easton are both weighing in at 1lb8oz, and little Elliana is 1lb7oz...just one little ounce behind her brothers. :) I am 24w1d today, the boys measured in at 24w3d and Elliana at 24w1d. We couldn't be more pleased!!
We do have a small prayer request for our wild child, Eli. Miss V was measuring organs & such today for the growth scan, and one of Eli's kidneys is measuring slightly bigger than the norm. She said that they normally measure no more than 6, and his is between a 5 & 6. She kept telling me not to go home and worry about it, that it's extremely common in little boys. She also said that it almost always corrects itself in time. If it were to get where they would be concerned about it (between 8-12) they would send us to a specialist, and the little guy might have to have a procedure done when he is born. BUT, she said that as of now... it's still withing normal limits, it's just prominent. So they want to keep an eye on it.
I'm not really worried about it...especially since she said that it's common. She said that she's seen kidneys measure 12-14 and correct themselves. So we are trusting and waiting. :)
Heart rates were wonderful, and we got to hear them twice! Ha! We heard them during the ultrasound... Eli @ 143bpm, Easton @ 153bpm, and Elliana @ 151bpm.
I saw a new doctor today, Dr M (that delivered my best friend's baby last Friday). MUCH older than I had thought - but all in all, I liked him, He's a very "matter of fact" doctor... but sometimes, that's a good thing. :) He asked what kind of work that I did... and I told him that I am a teller manager until tomorrow. That Dr G had already written a note for my HR department, and that he is taking me out as of tomorrow. He was very pleased with that. He also warned me that he is an avid Wal*Mart & Lowes shopper, and that since I am being taken out of work - it does not mean that I can run around doing a million things. He says it defeats the purpose :) I promised him that I will be as much of a couch potato as possible.
I'm measuring at 37 weeks for a singleton...at 24 weeks with three!! :) He seemed to think that was pretty humorous. OH and when he first came in and introduced himself to us, he made a joke about meeting "a man like Clif". Apparently, Clif knows how to get it done. HA! I told him that we get an ultrasound every time to check fluid levels and heart rates - but he wanted to listen to the heart beats anyways! And he got them on the first try! :) So we got to hear our little ones TWICE today.
All in all, it was a GREAT afternoon!! After we got out of the doctor's office (two hours later...Dr M was on call, and apparently got backed up with his appointments this afternoon), Clif treated me to dinner at Red Robin. YUM! I will say that I ate like a pig... but I couldn't help it. I started off with a side of clam strips, which I have been craving for WEEKS...and then had a burger & fries. Followed by... a "Rookie Magic" milkshake. SOOOOO good. And I'm still full!! :) Babies didn't know what to do since I haven't been eating a lot of carbs the last few days.
Well...that's all for now...just wanted to update you all. If you think of it, please say a quick prayer for our little Eli. Again...not really worried, but still will be in the back of our mind. :) Thanks in advance!!!!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
thankful for 22 weeks...
Twenty two weeks today :) Again…so thankful that we have made it this far with our little Skittle’s. Can’t believe it!! Things are starting to REALLY sink in. I’m going to have THREE babies in just a few months. But even though I get nervous thinking about everything… I couldn’t possibly be more excited!!
Today we had our 22 week appointment with Dr G, but before that… an ultrasound! We lucked out – only because we have a stubborn son that didn’t want to roll on his back so that we could see the front of his heart. Sheesh…what am I in for?
Once again…Eli was stretched out across the bottom of my belly, laying on HIS belly. Stubborn kid. After a LOT of convincing (and several kicks to my bladder and other parts) Miss V FINALLY got him to roll enough to get the shots that she needed. Praise the Lord! She said that as far as she can tell, everything looks great with all three babies. We were able to see each of them, and their little hearts pumping away. I love ultrasounds… they never cease to amaze me. Oh, did I mention that Easton has wedged himself up under my ribs, with his head towards the middle of my belly? And Elliana is standing with her head under my ribs on the other side. It was actually pretty funny watching them today. I have been telling Clif that Elliana and Easton play together – but I don’t think that he believed me. However, today, he witnessed it for himself. It was so cool watching them poke at each other – even from their separate sacks!! And little Miss Elliana was kicking her brother, Eli, in the head the whole time. Too funny. They are definitely getting big and running out of room… because they are right on top of one another. I love it.
As far as the actual ultrasound goes…everything went well. V says that all the babies look great (from what she can tell), Eli’s heart looks normal, and fluid levels are right on track! We are SO very thankful for such a great report.
After the ultrasound we waited for B to come and take my vitals :) She finally called me to check my weight and my blood pressure. Blood pressure was great… once again, I think it’s much better after my mind is put at ease… knowing that my babies are a-ok. Weight…was good for the babies, but not so good for Mommy’s self-esteem. I gained SEVEN pounds in two weeks. The thing is… I haven’t really been eating “bad”. I just eat often. Like…yesterday, I had a chicken salad for lunch (followed by some peanut m&m’s…but still!). I really try to watch my sodium, and I’ve been drinking a TON of water. So I don’t feel too bad about it. Dr G didn’t have anything “negative” to say about it…however when he pulled up my chart he was like, “hmmm…up a little this week, huh?” Well Doc, I’m carrying THREE babies in there. And to be completely honest… they stay pretty hungry. It’s pretty sad, and slightly embarrassing when you finish a normal sized meal that should fill the average person (and is generally more than I would eat when I’m not pregnant…) and you are STILL hungry. This happens more than just occasionally. Oh, and I drink a lot of milk :)
The book that I read a while back said that I should gain 35 pounds by 25 weeks. Or something like that. So if that’s the case… I’m right on track. I just want to do what’s best for optimal birth weight. Which the doctor in this book swears by carbs carbs carbs (the good kind). So we will see. V said that the babies should be right at a pound now.
The visit with Dr G went just as good. I am measuring at 33 ½ - almost 34 weeks, and still no swelling! :) He told me today…”well, you’re measuring more like an 8 ½ month pregnant lady!” Too funny. He is THRILLED with how well that I’m getting along. He keeps asking if I am miserable, if I’m having contractions, or if I am having severe back pain. No, no…and I have backpain sometimes… but nothing that me & a Tylenol can’t handle.
Dr G says if I continue to do as well as I am now, that I may be able to make it past 34 weeks. He also confirmed that we will be having an ultrasound every appointment from here on out to check fluids & heart beats. YAY! I was very excited. So far, everything looks great… but he will be keeping an eye on everything. He says that if for some reasons complication occur, that there is a shot that he can begin giving me to help develop the babies lungs. He also said that the NICU at the hospital where I plan to deliver is just as good as any in the country. They are completely up to date with all the new technology. Which, I’ve heard all that from other people… but hearing it from my own doctor made me feel really good.
We also learned (because my lovely husband HAD to ask) that there will be anywhere from 25-30 people in the operating room with me when I deliver. Isn’t that just fun to think about. When he started naming off all the doctors and nurses that each of us would need, I was amazed. I knew it was going to be a lot, but geez!!
So we go back in two weeks for an ultrasound, my glucose test (mmmm glucola) and an office visit with Dr M, because Dr G is on vacation. This will be on the 26th, and the next day will be my last day as a working woman for a while.
Whew. Thanks so much for all the prayer and support! We really appreciate it.
Also…please be praying for our friends daughter, M. She was taken to the hospital yesterday for breathing issues – and since then they have been told that she has pneumonia in both lungs. She is a little over one year old.
Thanks!
Today we had our 22 week appointment with Dr G, but before that… an ultrasound! We lucked out – only because we have a stubborn son that didn’t want to roll on his back so that we could see the front of his heart. Sheesh…what am I in for?
Once again…Eli was stretched out across the bottom of my belly, laying on HIS belly. Stubborn kid. After a LOT of convincing (and several kicks to my bladder and other parts) Miss V FINALLY got him to roll enough to get the shots that she needed. Praise the Lord! She said that as far as she can tell, everything looks great with all three babies. We were able to see each of them, and their little hearts pumping away. I love ultrasounds… they never cease to amaze me. Oh, did I mention that Easton has wedged himself up under my ribs, with his head towards the middle of my belly? And Elliana is standing with her head under my ribs on the other side. It was actually pretty funny watching them today. I have been telling Clif that Elliana and Easton play together – but I don’t think that he believed me. However, today, he witnessed it for himself. It was so cool watching them poke at each other – even from their separate sacks!! And little Miss Elliana was kicking her brother, Eli, in the head the whole time. Too funny. They are definitely getting big and running out of room… because they are right on top of one another. I love it.
As far as the actual ultrasound goes…everything went well. V says that all the babies look great (from what she can tell), Eli’s heart looks normal, and fluid levels are right on track! We are SO very thankful for such a great report.
After the ultrasound we waited for B to come and take my vitals :) She finally called me to check my weight and my blood pressure. Blood pressure was great… once again, I think it’s much better after my mind is put at ease… knowing that my babies are a-ok. Weight…was good for the babies, but not so good for Mommy’s self-esteem. I gained SEVEN pounds in two weeks. The thing is… I haven’t really been eating “bad”. I just eat often. Like…yesterday, I had a chicken salad for lunch (followed by some peanut m&m’s…but still!). I really try to watch my sodium, and I’ve been drinking a TON of water. So I don’t feel too bad about it. Dr G didn’t have anything “negative” to say about it…however when he pulled up my chart he was like, “hmmm…up a little this week, huh?” Well Doc, I’m carrying THREE babies in there. And to be completely honest… they stay pretty hungry. It’s pretty sad, and slightly embarrassing when you finish a normal sized meal that should fill the average person (and is generally more than I would eat when I’m not pregnant…) and you are STILL hungry. This happens more than just occasionally. Oh, and I drink a lot of milk :)
The book that I read a while back said that I should gain 35 pounds by 25 weeks. Or something like that. So if that’s the case… I’m right on track. I just want to do what’s best for optimal birth weight. Which the doctor in this book swears by carbs carbs carbs (the good kind). So we will see. V said that the babies should be right at a pound now.
The visit with Dr G went just as good. I am measuring at 33 ½ - almost 34 weeks, and still no swelling! :) He told me today…”well, you’re measuring more like an 8 ½ month pregnant lady!” Too funny. He is THRILLED with how well that I’m getting along. He keeps asking if I am miserable, if I’m having contractions, or if I am having severe back pain. No, no…and I have backpain sometimes… but nothing that me & a Tylenol can’t handle.
Dr G says if I continue to do as well as I am now, that I may be able to make it past 34 weeks. He also confirmed that we will be having an ultrasound every appointment from here on out to check fluids & heart beats. YAY! I was very excited. So far, everything looks great… but he will be keeping an eye on everything. He says that if for some reasons complication occur, that there is a shot that he can begin giving me to help develop the babies lungs. He also said that the NICU at the hospital where I plan to deliver is just as good as any in the country. They are completely up to date with all the new technology. Which, I’ve heard all that from other people… but hearing it from my own doctor made me feel really good.
We also learned (because my lovely husband HAD to ask) that there will be anywhere from 25-30 people in the operating room with me when I deliver. Isn’t that just fun to think about. When he started naming off all the doctors and nurses that each of us would need, I was amazed. I knew it was going to be a lot, but geez!!
So we go back in two weeks for an ultrasound, my glucose test (mmmm glucola) and an office visit with Dr M, because Dr G is on vacation. This will be on the 26th, and the next day will be my last day as a working woman for a while.
Whew. Thanks so much for all the prayer and support! We really appreciate it.
Also…please be praying for our friends daughter, M. She was taken to the hospital yesterday for breathing issues – and since then they have been told that she has pneumonia in both lungs. She is a little over one year old.
Thanks!
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