Great Multiples Book!

I have been reading a plethora of pregnancy and multiples books over the past few months, some helpful and some not so much!

The book that I have found the most helpful from the first page to the last page is:

When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets or Quads: A Complete Resource

This book has provided me with so much information, it's unbelievable! I heard it was good, and so many people recommended it to me but until I started it, I didn't know how good it really was! Every page is filled with so much valuable advice to follow! Most pregnancy books only have a page or two on twin pregnancies and normally it revolves around negative things happening...but this book really teaches moms and dads-to-be that a singleton pregnancy is NOTHING like a multiple pregnancy; and the information needed for a healthy pregnancy is very different!

I am so glad my local Mom of Multiples club let me borrow it...I would seriously be lost without it, even though before I got it, I thought I knew most things. Clearly, I knew nothing.

My Frist Bab(ies) Shower!!!!!

This past Saturday, I had my first beautiful shower in Dover, DE with my mom's side of the family. My best friend, Kim and my sister, Christine drove with me early Saturday morning to get up there in time since my Mom and Dad went on Friday night and Tim had to work on Saturday and couldn't make it.

I couldn't sleep the whole night before because I was so excited and well, I don't sleep much anyway so that was not really so surprising.

We dropped off my sister at my Grandma's and then Kim and I went back to the hotel to rest until the shower and change our clothes. Finally around 12:30pm, I called and begged my sister to let me come!

I walked in and everything was so beautiful (even all in pink) My grandma does such a great job hosting elegant parties and this was no exception. I am so thankful it was so beautiful. We had appetizers and talked to everyone coming in, which was so nice. We played some games and I got started opening gifts. (We were having a huge family dinner at the end of the shower with the whole family.)

My mommy and my sister!

The gifts were amazing, unbelievable, overwhelming...I couldn't stop smiling! We got LOTS and LOT and LOTS of clothes and socks! Oh my gosh, I think the girls have about 30 outfits a piece already! We have a lot of dressing up to do and lots of pictures to take already! The little socks are so sweet. We also got some blankets that were Pooh, which I love! My mom and my sister just gave me a small gift at this shower, which were beautiful lilac and white polka-dot crib sheets from Pottery Barn.

Off of our registry, we got the Pack-n-play, the soothing spa baby tub, a boppy with cover and the bottle rack.

My Aunt Carole (mom's sister) made me (the girl's) BEAUTIFUL baskets full of things! She made them each a blanket with a poem and a bottle holder...oh my gosh I was literally in tears! (see photos above)

I was saying..."it smells like babies!!!!"

The clothes were ENDLESS!!!!

LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of diapers and wipes...so thankful!

We then had dinner, homemade lasagna and sides! SO yummy, made by my Grandma! And then it was cake time and I almost fainted when I saw the cake! It was specially made and made so beautiful! And to mention it was soooo good! I have been eating it all week!

My grandma getting dinner ready!

My sweet cousin!

My Daddy!



Sooo worn out!



Those little girls were moving like crazy after eating a huge piece of cake!

24 Weeks/6 Months!!!!!

I know, I know.....two days late! Horrible blogger I am!

How Far Along: 24 weeks/6 Months! Wow! Hello Viability! :)

How Big are the Babies: The girls are each the size of a papaya, (the last week of being a papaya!) Watch what you say -- the babies are now able to hear outside noise from down in the womb. Studies show that each baby finds gentle music and your own voice most soothing. Nipples are starting to sprout, and those little faces are fully formed. And, they are starting to settle into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It shouldn't be hard to figure out when -- just pay attention to those kicks as they start and stop (thebump.com).

Weight Gain: Starting weight 126 lbs. and currently still right around 150 lbs......EKKK, never in my life did I EVER think I would be 150 lbs!!! But of course I don't care and I hope to put on lots more weight for these girls before they are born!

How Big I am Measuring: I totally forgot to go back and add that in last week, so I apologize! This week I am measuring at 36 WEEKS...about 40.5 inches around as of last night!

Symptoms: BACK PAIN! Tired, worn-out, out of breath easily, HEARTBURN (every single day, and it hurts), leg cramps, contractions (everyday, all day, still about 40 a day), swollen feet and ankles (you should have seen them after my shower on Saturday, WOW), tingly fingers. I can't get up off the floor or bend over hardly at all, without a big contraction at least afterwards.

Emotions: Getting more and more excited to meet these little girls! Now that their room is really coming together, ah, I am so excited!

Also, having moments when I think about how this might be my only pregnancy and that really saddens me. I know I am so blessed to carry these beautiful little girls, I just so hope I will be able to do it again, with just one baby though. I can never see this being my only pregnancy and my only babies. We will see, it's in God's hands, and I trust him completely to do what's best for our family.

Best Moment of the Week: My shower on Saturday (post coming), it was so great! I was so overwhelmed with all the stuff, I can't believe how generous people are, and I am sooo thankful!

Also, we finally purchased a dresser to fit into the closet in the girls room and Tim put it together last night and it's awesome! It's just a cheaper one, basically just to hold stuff for the next year or so, like socks and tights, onesies and sleepers. I didn't want to get one that was super expensive to fit into a room we have no where to put it!

Movement: All day, they seem to sleep late and then around 2-3:00pm, they wake up and are swimming around all afternoon and evening. I LOVE it and so does Tim.

Maternity Clothes: Everything, except my UGGS.

Stretchmarks: Still just a few on my chest, nothing more!

Sleep: Still the same, terrible during the night. Peeing a lot and still not really falling asleep until around 5:15am, and then I sleep til almost noon. Naps (when I do take them) during the day are great, I can sleep forever.

Food Cravings: This week definitely has to be BLT's! I cannot get enough of them! Also, double stuffed oreos! And of course lots of water, OJ and whole milk.

Genders: Three little princesses!

What I Miss: Wine, good sleep and being comfortable with NO back pain!

What I am Looking Forward to: My second shower this weekend!! SOOOO excited!

And here are my photos for this week:

Come on Phillies!!!!!

I mean....enough already, between you guys and the Redskins, someone is going to make me go into labor (probably the Skins though)! I can't take the suspense. Either pull it off or end it soon. None of this back and forth crap, I can't take it.

Just stop fooling around making errors and in turn making me wait. It's bad enough I can't fit into any of my Phillies shirts and have to wear my husbands. It kills my back to sit on the couch to watch you and if I lay in bed, you put me straight to sleep. Can we get some excitement here, this is the play-offs ya know.

Please win. Win this series and win the next, and in 4 straight games, if ya can manage.

Sincerely,

A Hormonal Pregnant Fan

How Quickly Life Can Change

(I had to post about this. I had to write about this. I am heart broken for this woman and her family.)

October 7 th --

I watched the news footage live of you being taken out of your car in that intersection, and hearing that the poor woman who was in the car, so badly destroyed, was a pregnant woman with twins and my heart ached for that woman. I couldn’t imagine and I silently prayed for her and her unborn babies.

October 14 th --

A few days later I heard on the news that that same woman and her husband had lost of on the twins and my heart ached even more. I couldn’t believe it and my husband and I prayed for your family over dinner that evening. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I kind of knew that person.

Today --

I wondered why you hadn’t been blogging, but never did I think I would read what I read this morning. I sat here sobbing after the first paragraph because suddenly I knew the poor woman in that car, the woman I have been praying for each night. Words can’t describe the heartache I have for you and your loved ones. I am speechless. I can’t imagine what you are going through. Life can change in an instant.

---------------------------

This is so hard. This poor woman. This poor family. Those poor little miracle babies. I am numb over this. Anything can happen in an instant. Never did I think in a million years that the woman whose blog I read each day, her getting ready for twin boys, me getting ready for triplet girls, (both conceived from IVF) and then suddenly it's gone in an instant, something you had no control over.

We all think we're invincible sometimes, that life is just given to us, but it is not. You go the mall just to pick something up, you drop something off at the post office and then something happens, you turn your head for a minute, you go to bed mad...whatever it may be, you never know.

I know God had a higher plan for this woman's son. I believe that, I have to, it's the only way I can somewhat comprehend it. Bu still I cannot imagine what she must be going through. How do you go home to a nursery full of stuff for twins? How do you move on from loosing a child? I can't begin to imagine, my heart just hurts for all those that have had to go through it. You are much strong women then I could ever be.

Please send some love to this woman and her family. Please, I ask you to pray for her.

http://adventuresinbabymakin.blogspot.com/

OB Appointment -23w1d

Today I went for my OB Appointment. All is well to report. Weight is great (so they say), blood pressure was good, again something in my urine (sending it out to the lab again, but no worries I never have any symptoms of anything and so I'm not worried), got my flu shot (big deal...I used to get nervous getting shots by IVF took care of that little fear). My cervix is still around 3.0, so ok for now, even though I have contractions ALL day long.

The girls are all OVER ONE POUND!!!!!!!!!! Each of them weighed in at 1 POUND 4 OUNCES! They are perfectly portioned and the nurse said whatever I am doing (meaning feeding them) is perfect! I told her that sentence made my day (since I am trying everything I can do to put food in my tummy)!!!! They are right at the 50th percentile on the graph. Which doesn't worry me, because I (and Tim too) were either in the 25th or maybe the 50th percentile our whole childhood and adolescent years, because were was so tall and skinny!

They were finally able to measure Madelynn's (Baby A) head circumference, (she's been burrowed down in my right hip like a little squirrel and they can't ever seem to get it). I was happy about that! All of them are measuring perfectly and right on track. But Madelynn is still in my hip with her head on my bladder...big surprise there, I could have guessed that one!

I was really surprised that the doctor talked to me about how sorry they were for telling us that Baby C was a boy. It was really sweet and even tough I kind of blew it off and said, it was no big deal, things like that happen, and it was a little early, he really made a point to say that they hardly ever make mistakes and that he was really sorry, and wanted us to know that. Super sweet of him and it did mean a lot to us. That's something I'll remember.

I talked to the doctor awhile for my severe back pain and the fact that I am in tears every.single.night!!!! He suggested physical therapy so I was more than happy to agree! I hope it helps. I can barely sit or stand for more than five minutes. I wake up and I have like an hour before it begins. It's absolutely terrible. The pain is not as low as you would expect in someone carrying a baby or 3, more right up, directly under my shoulder blades. P A I N!!! I have to force myself not to think about it because it is literally one of those pains that can drive you insane!

We did get a few photos but they aren't worth posting. The babies are just so hard to see, and to get them positioned correctly to get good angles is really hard, but I enjoyed watching them kick one another all around! SO sweet I tell ya!

Again, I CANNOT wait to meet these little girls!!!!!

Wordless Wednesday: The Girl's "Coming Home Outfits"

Ahh, I got these adorable outfits to bring the girls home from the hospital in! Surprisingly, I purchased them at Burlington Coat Factory's Baby Depot...let me tell you, they have some GREAT prices!!! I got each of these preemie outfits for $4.99!!! Amazing! Everything I look at is so expensive, especially when I need three, so when I saw the selection of preemie outfits that Burlington had, I was so excited and determined to find something beautiful or my sweet little angles!

These will be prefect to bring our sweet girls home in!

23 Weeks!

How Far Along: 23 Weeks!

How Big are the Babies: The girls are each the size of a papaya, (which will stay the same for the next week too!) Watch what you say -- the babies are now able to hear outside noise from down in the womb. Studies show that each baby finds gentle music and your own voice most soothing. Nipples are starting to sprout, and those little faces are fully formed. And, they are starting to settle into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It shouldn't be hard to figure out when -- just pay attention to those kicks as they start and stop (thebump.com).

Weight Gain: Starting weight 126 lbs. and currently right around 150 lbs......EKKK, never in my life did I EVER think I would be 150 lbs!!! But of course I don't care and I hope to put on lots more weight for these girls before they are born!
How Big I am Measuring: I FEEL HUGE!

Symptoms: BACK PAIN LIKE YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE!!!!!!!!!!!! Literally I have tears in my eyes by the time I go to bed each night. Tired, short of breath, my tummy is so heavy, itchy tummy and chest. LEG CRAMPS at night that bring tears to my eyes,but thankful to Tim for rubbing them out and making me get up and walk them out. Then my muscles hurt sooo bad for the next few days. CONTRACTIONS like crazy...between 25 and 40 a day. The more I do, the more I get. I bend over, I get one, I go pee, I get one, I put a pot away, I get one....I lay down all day, I get them! I only have about 3-5 a day though that literally take my breath away, where I feel like one of the girls are going to fall out and it hurts. My stomach gets AS HARD AS A ROCK and it's the weirdest feeling!!

Emotions: Fine, excited for my showers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I got a little emotional watching my best friend try on wedding dresses this weekend at David's Bridal, she just looked so amazingly beautiful. I cannot wait for her wedding and to be her Matron of Honor...and which will also probably our first night away from the girls.

Best Moment of the Week: Not doing much or having a real schedule to follow, just relaxing and eating!

Movement: All of the time!! I can really tell when the girls are sleeping and when they are awake. I am starting to see whole body parts (what they are I have no idea) sticking out of my belly when they move. Not just a kick, but a whole arm or leg popping up across my stomach. It's the coolest thing, I love it. My tummy just moves all over when they get started, so after we figure out the video camera we want, I will make a video of them and post.

Maternity Clothes: Everything.

Stretchmarks: A few sill on my chest but that's all to report. Amen.

Sleep: I get some sleep, it's not very good sleep. Still peeing a lot and normally I really fall asleep around 4:30am or so and sleep really good until late in the morning...I'm so ashamed to say that because I hate wasting the day away, but seriously, I don't have much else to do these days and rest is so good for the babies, so we are all benefiting.

Food Cravings: Well this is what I have been eating a lot of this week: apples with caramel sauce, choc. whole milk, vanilla pudding with bananas and cinnamon sugar, Reese's peanut buttercups (whoops), pizza, grilled ham, tomato and cheese sandwiches! I look at recipes all day long it seems while watching TV or laying in bed, and right now it seems that I want fried food (terrible, I know) but the fact of making homemade funnel cakes, apple cider doughnuts and apple fritters, makes me smile from ear to ear. Or homemade cinnamon rolls would work too, I can't wait to make those too!

Genders: Three little princesses!

What I Miss: Wine, good sleep, being comfortable.

What I am Looking Forward To: MY SHOWERS this weekend and next!!!!!!!!!!!

And here is my big belly this week!

Homecoming Football Game at PHS

Tim and I both graduated from Poolesville High School, Tim 2003 and me 2004. Of course if you have read this blog and our history, we never knew each other in high school, which is so weird since it's such a small school.

With our love for football, we try to at least go to one game per year. Tim has been trying to get into coaching either JV or Varsity football, so he loves to go and critize the plays and coaches. (PHS is terrible. The coach they have it horrible, a great teacher, but horrible coach. When we were in high school, the team was great, now not so much. But the stands are still filled with everyone cheering a prespective win and it's a fun way to spend a fall night.) So I thought I would surprise Tim and say, "let's go" and we did! (Actually I had been playing on us going and asked my best friend if her ad her fiance wanted to come too and so we were planning on it all week!)

For the first time, the school had set up a huge alumni tent with free food and a raffel for a free t-shirt, it was great! I was so surprised, since the school has never done something like that before. Kim, Roger and their neice, Kayla came and Kim atually won one of the t-shirts! Whaahooo!!!!

Back in 2007 when Tim and I first met, I brought Tim to one of the games early in the season, because my sister was a Varsity Cheerleader and I loved watching her cheer! We took this photo then; we barely knew eachother:

And on Friday night we took this photo: 

3+ years later, married and parents-to-be of triplets! Who would have known!?

It was FREEEEEEEZING! We actually left at the end of the 3rd quarter because Tim refused to bring his jacket was so cold, and the score was 21 to 2, Poolesville loosing. Me, on the other hand, was of course well prepared, as always...I brought a sweatshirt, a winter jacket, my gloves, scarf, blanket and seat coshion...but nope Tim wanted just a sweatshirt and seat coshion.

All in all it was a fun night, the burgers were great and I loved having my name over the loud speaker as an alumni! So fun!

OB Appointment - Moderate Bed Rest and an Irritable Uterus

Well, here's the deal...I was having pretty strong contractions since Saturday morning and even with all the resting I am doing (literally laying in bed or on the couch) the contractions became more frequent, harder, stronger and hurt more everyday that was passing. I was really starting to feel them lower and lower too, which also worried me. On Tuesday night, I almost made the call to the on-call OB but I did not want to go to the hospital and have everyone freak out about probably nothing. So Wednesday morning, I got up and got out of the house to run an errand and was only away from the house for an hour and 45 minutes and had contractions the whole time. Sometimes they are strong and sometimes not so much. Sometimes they are regular for a while and sometimes I go for hours without any. When I got home, I got right in bed, laying flat and drinking water but everytime I moved or got up to use the bathroom, I would get one or even a few.

I finally decided to call the OB after they opened from lunch and of course they wanted me to come in. I was ok with that, but it was the last thing I really wanted to do, but to make sure the girls weren't being stressed from the contractions was very important to me.

I met Tim there and we had one of our favorite nurses, she is so smart and really does such a good job on getting all the proper measurements of the babies. She measured my cervix and it had definitely gone down. Last Thursday it was 3.4 mm and today (only 5 days later) it was 2.7 mm! So yes, the contractions do have something to do with it but when the doctor came in he said that my cervix didn't really look any different than it did on Thursday, even though it was a few millimeters shorter.

Basically, I was to still quit my job and "relax" as much as possibly. Not complete bed rest but close enough. Not doing things alone, taking my time, drinking lots of water...all the things I already do....but the doctor spent a lot of time asking me, "what does relaxing mean to me"...and "do I know exactly what I am going to take out of my daily schedule to have more relaxing time"...felt more like an interrogation rather than my doctor giving me advice. Of course Tim loved it because he is always nagging me about doing too much.

I did get a contraction when I was being interrogated and the doctor felt my stomach and yes, confirmed that it was about a 3 out of a 10 sized contraction. I was glad to have Tim hear that I was really having contractions, since he keeps asking me am I sure they are contractions, and of course what should I think because I haven't been pregnant before and never experienced a contraction. But sure enough they are! So basicallyI have an irritable uterus and I am very sensitive to my body's reactions. Which I guess can be a good thing since I'm very tuned-in to what my body is saying.

So if they keep up the way they are, I will probably get one of those home monitoring devices and for now I am up to once a week appointments now. Lovely. However it looks like it will be one of the only times I leave the house during the week, unless I go to the grocery store, so I guess I should be grateful.

We did get some really great photos of the girls...well only Claire and Nataleee. Madelynn is still stuck down in my right lower hip cavity burrowed like a little squirrel.

The first three photos are of Natalee.....LOVE THEM!



Natalee...with her mouth wide open!



Claire

Claire

Claire

Wordless Wednesday: Baby Shower Invites Fnished and Sent Out!

Hopefully everyone recieves them! I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE EVERYONE!

22 Weeks!

How Far Along: 22 Weeks!

How Big are the Babies: The girls are each the size of a papaya, (which will stay the same for the next two more weeks too!) Watch what you say -- the babies are now able to hear outside noise from down in the womb. Studies show that each baby finds gentle music and your own voice most soothing. Nipples are starting to sprout, and those little faces are fully formed. And, they are starting to settle into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It shouldn't be hard to figure out when -- just pay attention to those kicks as they start and stop (thebump.com).

Weight Gain: Starting weight 126 lbs. and currently 144/5 lbs.

How Big am I Measuring: (new question I thought I'd add since most people don't get the luxury of expanding to triplet capacity like God has granted me with) So, measuring 38.5 inches around (taken right below my belly button) and my uterus is measuring at 34 weeks! I now wear my maternity support belt every day which is helping some, but still not doing anything for my back pain, like it says it's suppose to! Also, now have a bath stool in the shower to sit on to shave my legs and wash my hair. It was getting way too difficult to stretch and bend in all directions in the shower so I had been looking for one and found one at a yard sale for a DOLLAR! Heck ya! 

Symptoms: Peeing a lot, tired, out-of-breath A LOT, belly itches, my nipples hurt sooooo baddddd, CONTRACTIONS constantly and all day long! I probably have about 25+ during the day, some stronger than others, whether I am laying down all day or not. Swelling feet is a nightly occurrence now....but equals more "foot rubbies"! Sometimes after I am laying down for a long time, when I get up, my legs are tingly for about 15 minutes or so. (As I am writing this...I'm having a super big contraction!)

Emotions: Fine this week, as good as I can be. Each week that goes by I get more and more scared that I won't be able to carry these little girls to 34/5 weeks! I just use my motivational thinking and pray!

Best Moment of the Week: Of course, feeling the babies move all of the time will never get old.

Movement: THEY MOVE LIKE CRAZY ALL DAY LONG, KICKS, PUNCHES..I think when one moves and starts going, it makes them all get going. My belly just jumps and moves, it's so funny. I feel it constantly but as soon as my mom or sister out their hands on my tummy, all of the sudden everyone is asleep! It's so funny!

Maternity Clothes: Everything. I should mention that I can still wear some over-sized t-shirts and some stretchy shorts and yoga-type pants, but the shorts and pants are tight on my tummy. My mom bought me a few more winter items and so I think I am done for maternity clothes for the remainder of this pregnancy (I just don't plan on going out much when it does get cold and I grow to extreme measures so my limited wardrobe is fine with me)!

Stretchmarks: Still none on my belly, just those few on my boobies! :(

Sleep: Back and forth, some nights are better than others, still peeing a lot of course.

Food Cravings: This week, hands down, my favorite thing has been STEAK AND CHEESE! However, I have not been satisfied with the ones I have eaten (even with not wasting a bite), so I just keep going other places! Chocolate milk (with whole milk) I look forward to each day when I drink my big glasses of it, which I never thought I would be eager to drink milk!

Genders: Three little princesses!

What I Miss: Good sleep and good wine.

What I am Looking Forward to: My showers!!!! One is in two weeks and the other in three weeks!!! Yay, I CANNOT WAIT!!!! Also, going wedding dress shopping with my best friend this weekend for her wedding in May!!! Ahh!!

Weekly Wisdom: If pregnant with triplets, a MUST read is, When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets or Quads by Dr. Barbara Luke and Tamara Eberlein. AH-MAZ-ING!!!!

Questions: ???

And here is the belly photos this week! This is my new t-shirt (which is NOT maternity and super short over my big belly, but I LOVE it and got it at the MOM's Sale!) All the mom's had them on and I HAD to have one too....and for 10 bucks, it was a steal! I cannot wait to wear it when the girls come too and are growing up!

My new maternity support belt which I love!



You can see my brown line on my belly now too on the camera!



And if it looks like I am tired, it's because I am! Ok, off to finish watching Biggest Loser and eat my turkey sandwhich and OJ (gotta get in those last few calories) before bed!