First OB Appt!

I still can't believe I am writing about my OB Appt...with a new baby bean in my belly. Still so weird. Over the weekend, I read back through all of my first trimester and a few from my second trimester weekly posts with being pregnant with the girls and wow, did I have it easy then, but I thought I had it sooo hard. I mean I did have some things a little rough in the beginning, with falling and passing out, and the loss of blood flow to everywhere but my uterus, but nothing compares to this time around.

I know every pregnancy can be completely different, but I had no idea it could be night and day! I look back at what I read about being "sick" once or twice a week and thinking that was soo bad! Ha, I had NO IDEA! This pregnancy has been one thing: pure hell! I can't sugar-coat it, nor will I lie to everyone or myself.

But finally, after waiting over a month for an appointment, Wednesday, was the day I had been waiting for! Tim took off so he could come and I am so glad he did. I had to pick an OB (I never had an OB with the girls, I went straight from the fertility clinic to the perinatalogist) since the practice I had for the girls rudely told me (the nurse, not my doctor) that unless it was multiples, there was something wrong or the OB refused to see me after reading my chart, I couldn't come back. Truly, I was heartbroken. I loved, loved my doctor and one of his partners. I mean he saved my uterus, saved my life, and thus is the reason I am blessed with this newest miracle! But, I sucked it up and went to the new OB.

I was so nervous! I can't lie, I was so worried I would have another "episode" like I did many times with sonograms with the girls. I was up all night sick, running in and out of the bathroom, it was horrible.

So we went in bright and early today and waited what seemed like forever but finally they called us back and we got into the sonogram room. I didn't even feel nervous at all, it was weird. Finally, she loaded me up with warm gel and I have to admit I didn't want to look right away...I wanted her to be sure of how many babies she saw first before I looked myself. Finally, I looked up and said, "it's just one, right" and she said, "yes, I only see one!" AMEN!

We got to take a look for a few minutes at our newest little bean, and I knew I was right around when I thought I was because of how big the bean looked. He/she had arms and legs and a clear body and head. She measured and asked me how far along I thought I was, and I said, "I think I was 13 weeks on Monday" and she confirmed I was pretty right on, and I was measuring 13 weeks and 1 day! So, this baby is a birthday baby! Let's hope for a boy! My current due date is January, 31, 2012! Phew!

We got two photos and it was over. Really, it was all I needed for now. I just so needed to confirm it (more than just puking my guts out constantly), know everything was healthy and know exactly what I was measuring.

We met with the new Dr., Dr. A and he was wonderful. I had the same happy feelings I had when I met Dr. Pinkert for the first time. And to make things even better, they are really great friends. I get to go back and see Dr. Pinkert for many of my sonograms and basically they decided that they would "share" me. If I start going crazy with issues and problems, then Dr. Pinkert will take over, and if I continue with a normal pregnancy, then most likey I will stay with Dr. A. Either way, I feel at ease. I got to ask all of my questions and it was a really pleasant experience. I was really worried about asking him about a VBAC, and he was really positive about it. However, if I have the slightest issues with my uterus and he or Dr. Pinkert feel that it's too much of a risk that I will hemmorage again, then no way will I do it. I was a really special case and in 25 years of delivering multiples, Dr. Pinkert had never had a situation like mine happen, and no one would want that to happen again!!! So what does that tell you? I'm ALWAYS the statistic!

Anyway, I had the normal exams...lovely and lots of blood drawn which I layed down for so I wouldn't pass out like I did when I was 9 weeks with the girls.

I don't go back to the OB until August 25th but I get to see Dr. Pinkert on Monday! Whahoo!

And finally, here is a picture of our newest little addition:

Happy Birthday Christine!

Today my little sister is 20 years old! Wow, I can't believe were both in our twenties now! Phew! I remember I told my mom when she was pregnant with her that if it was a boy, that I was running away! Ha, and then I got so mad when she was born because she couldn't play with me!

I can't recall all the mean things I told her/did to her growing up...something along the lines of...

...she was raised by wolves in her first few months of life and we only took her into our family because we felt bad for her. I would make warewolf noises and say, "see, you hear that, they're coming back for you!" She would almost pee herself. I'm cracking up just thinking about it!

...that I always only wanted to be an only child and 5 1/2 years as an only child was not enough. I mean they don't call me Queenie for nothing!

...I cracked her head open only once by pushing her from the hallway into her desk in her room when she was like 4 or 5 because she was going to tell on me for something and she had to get 17 stitches in her head.

...even though she kept complaining that she didn't feel good while being out in the 20 degree snow storm with me when she was 3, I made her stay outside only to have to tag along to the hospital in the middle of the night because she had pneumonia, during an ice storm.

But she's turned out to be a pretty cool chic though, super beautiful and one of my closest friends. We do love each other and I would do anything for her!

Annnddd...guess where she is celebrating this birthday...

in CANCUN!

Brat!

I guess, I kinda hope she's having fun!

Bring me back something fun though, for your favorite sister of course!

Here's some photos of her blowing out her candles last week when the family celebrated her birthday!

Happy Birthday Christine!!!! We love you lots!

Sleepy Head!

Claire took a little extra long nap on Friday so I put Madelynn and Natalee to bed and thought Claire would like to stay up with me for a little longer....until five minutes later, I looked over at her and saw this:

It's so hard and tiring being a baby!

Bless her heart!

Aunt Megan came to Visit!

Aunt Megan came back from the beach one day early so she could spend the whole day (minus a few hours to go to her nephew's 1st birthday party during nap time) with us! She leaves to go back to New Mexico but she'll be back in just a month for over a whole week!! We can't wait!

Tim's softball team somehow wound up winning games all darn day on Saturday (if you remember this is the team for the past two years that NEVER won ANY games!) so he wasn't around much, so it was so nice to have Aunt Megan here to play with us!

She hadn't seen the girls since a few days after Christmas in the NICU when they were born! Needless to say, they have grown a lot!

Even though Aunt Megan's birthday was in June, we wanted to wait to give her our present!

Here's some of the bloopers of trying to get this photo taken....

Needless to say, it didn't work trying to have them hold the signs!

Natalee was like, "I'm doing a great job, Mommy, what are those crazy sisters doing?"

Here's the damage!

Thanks for coming to visit us, Aunt Megan! We can't wait to see you in September! We love you lots!!!!!

Madelynn, Claire and Natalee: You are SEVEN months old!!!

**Whahoo for Mommy actually posting this on your seven month birthday!!!!**

I know I say this every single month, but phew, where has the time gone! I have three seven month olds!!! Oh my goodness! I need to start planning your birthday party! Whahoo!

Food/Eating Habits:

This month I started giving you each banana puffs and sweet potato puffs and you girls LOVE them. Claire, you will scream for Mommy to give you more if I don't consistently put them in your mouth. You would eat the whole container if I let you. I have to put them into your mouth so far but I am really working with you each to try to pick it up off the tray and put it into your own mouth. Madelynn, you will pick them up and bring them to your mouth but you can't seem to get them really in your mouth, but you are trying sooo hard! it's so cute! Claire, you on the other hand, will just lick the tray and try to get them into your mouth. It seems to work which is crazy, I don't know how you really get them into your mouth, but you do! I also started giving you apple juice with water in a cup (first time on July 17th) and you each did great with it. I only give it to you with breakfast, because you will not be getting used to having juice all of the time. I'm kind of against juice, and prefer you to either have water or milk when you get bigger. Juice is just too sugary and I don't need three crazy sugared-up kiddos running around. So your morning cup of juice/water will be your only cup for the whole day, until you are much, much older.

Claire, here you are on the first day with your juice cup! My big girl!!!! It's like you knew just what to do!

The only new foods I have given you this month is some chicken mixed with sweet potatoes. You were not big fans of it, but you all did eat it.

We are going through 6-9 cans of baby food a day. This month I promise to start giving you lunch! It just takes awhile to get you all fed in the morning, so I would literally have to turn right around and give you lunch...so we might have to rearrange our schedule a little to accommodate. I give you fresh bananas (never from the jar) so those aren't included and I have also given you many other fresh fruits that aren't included in that. Plus, your puffs and baby cereal that you have each day. Last month I went through ten boxes (8oz each) of oatmeal or rice cereal. Here's just SOME (2/3rds) of your food for this past month:

You have definitely started drinking more during the day without having your night-time bottles (more on that below). Madelynn and Claire, you will drink about 8oz now and Natalee, you still drink between 5-6oz at each of your feedings.

Sleep Habits:

This past month I have been super serious about eliminating your feedings at night and it has worked really well. I followed exactly what I read in 12 Hours of Sleep by 12 Weeks Old and it really worked. I started going down one ounce of formula every three nights and thus have been able to get you to not want to eat. To be honest, they each didn't really wake because they were actually hungry, it was the routine of getting up at that time that they got used to, because even when I went down to one ounce, you guys could care less about it, it was that you got out of your bed and got to see Mommy for a few minutes. I made these feeding SUPER fast. It took no time at all to warm the bottle and by the time I would change your diaper (because if I don't you always pee through) you are done with your bottle and I could feed two of you  and be back in bed myself in ten minutes.

The only trouble I have had is that you each like Mommy to come in and pat your back if you get REALLY upset for long periods of time at night. You never, ever have cried yourselves to sleep. You go down really easily after drinking your last bottle for the day around 7:30/8:00pm, but if you wake up sometimes you either make a few noises and go right back to sleep or you scream bloody murder (just for attention) for awhile. I normally go in and pat your back, turn your music on and/or give you your lovey and only stay less than one minute and you are normally calm as soon as I walk in, but as soon as you realize I snuck back out, you start the process over again. Madelynn, you are my best sleeper and Claire and Natalee are my worst, but still it's not really that bad. Claire, you seem to get into this crazy cry and it's almost like you are sleep crying, because the minute I will go in and startle you, you completely snap out of it. It's weird. But you always put up a good fight and will cry for awhile before settling down. 

Natalee, you are just an attention lover and will scream and scream and the minute you see me over your crib you smile and stop, INSTANTLY. I know there is nothing wrong with you, you are just wanting me, but it's night-time and you need to learn to self-soothe yourself. I have noticed that after I go in after five minutes and you settle, and then when you start up again, you can go on and on and if I finally cave and go in to see you, you only cry worse and harder after I leave. So, I have come to the conclusion that it's better to just let you cry-it-out than to continue to keep going in and having you start the process over again. You always stop crying within an hour but that hour is pure hell for me. I HATE letting you cry but I know that you are old enough to learn and you need to. It just hurts my heart so badly because I know the only reason you are crying is because you want me and that is so HARD! Each night though, you have been getting better and better and you have really improved on self-soothing yourself, which proves to me that I am doing the right thing as hard as it is for me. Again, I will not let my emotions hold you and your learning back.

You each take great naps and normally sleep from 12:00 or 12:30pm until 4:00pm. I do not let you sleep past 4:00pm because you will not sleep good at night, I have noticed. Again, you each have no problem going down for nap and almost the minute I put you in your bed, you are out cold. Natalee, you still sometimes sleep in your swing for naps but Mommy has been getting better and better about putting you in your crib for naps, like your sisters. You just don't sleep as much as your sisters and that's ok, but you can't sleep in your swing forever so the sooner you can get out of that habit the better. Now that you don't have reflux anymore either, there really isn't any reason to sleep upright, so you are slowly getting back to your crib for naps.

Here you are one day on your nap with your lovey:

Claire



Madelynn

Each night, after going to sleep around 8:00pm, you will all wake up around 8:30am. Sometimes you will be up at 7:00am or sometimes you sleep until 10:00am, when I have to go in a wake you sleepy-heads up.

Natalee, you love to suck your left thumb now. It's the cutest thing ever!

This picture just melts my heart.

Playing:

You are all such happy babies. Everywhere we go and anyone that comes over always is so amazed how happy you guys are! I am very lucky to have such well behaved and happy babies! But sometimes I do wish you wouldn't leave you big fits for when it's just me at home!

Madelynn and Claire, you both love sitting up. You can almost do it completely on your own now. I can sit you up and you stay that way for a few minutes before getting tired of it.

Natalee, you aren't strong enough yet for sitting up, but we are working on it daily, of course. Natalee, you LOVE standing up and you will hold on to anyone's hands and stand-up for forever, waaaay longer than your sisters. You love it. I always say "BIG GIRL" to you and you love to say the words "geeee" and I swear you're trying to say "girl"! You are so funny! Daddy and I joke about how "you run the house" and "what you want goes". We have already been practicing walking with you, and you love that too. I bet you will be first to walk and maybe will surpass crawling and go straight to walking. My big girl!

You all love pulling off you bibs now, which gets to be old. Or you love to eat them, that hasn't changed. You all love screaming and yelling, and grabbing at one another. You love to still suck on each other clothes, arms and legs.

Natalee, you love to hold your piggy-toes all of the time, but you mainly just grab your left foot. You also know just how to get your Daddy to hold you. You scream this fake cry that's purely for attention and it's so funny. No tears, nothing. But you always win and Daddy always, always gives in to you.

Madelynn, you are scooting everywhere. You are so quick these days and when I put you down, in a few minutes you are somewhere completely different. Claire, you do the same, but prefer to roll where-ever you want to go. You have to have toys near you to put in your mouth. You have to have everything in your mouth, Claire, whether it's you fingers, hands, arms....just anything you can get. You still love to spit and blow raspberries everywhere. I constantly have to keep bibs on you both because you will either spit and get yourselves soaked or eat and suck on your dresses.

Madelynn, you still love to "swim in the air" as we call it where you wave your arms and legs in swimming motions. It's so funny but you did it so much in your bouncy seat that you made yourself get blisters on the back of your ankles (that's how hard you do it). I think you might be an Olympic swimmer one day!

You all still love Baby Einstein, of course. You aren't completely mesmerized with it like you were in the beginning but it still calms you guys during your fussy periods. It's so funny when we are upstairs and we have to rewind the video (since the dvd player is downstairs), you guys get SO MAD and as soon as you catch that it's back on, it's instant silence! Daddy and I crack up!!!! We have to get it on video!

You all LOVE your bath time with Daddy. We still give you baths every other day. Mommy's back is still in no shape to bend over the tub (especially now) so Daddy does majority of the baths and you guys love your time in there. Natalee, we normally give you the last bath and you can stay in extra long some nights because you love to kick and splash like a crazy girl.  You all have been much better about getting your faces wet and Daddy practices with you because we do not want you to be afraid of the water and getting your face wet in the future. So Daddy gets you undressed, and gives you the bath and then I swoop in and get you dried off, lotioned-up, diaper and jammies on and then it's on to the next little girl.

Growing:

I have had to put away many, many of your 3 month outfits now this past week. Some of my favorites, so it was a little sad. But I have gotten out so many more of your new outfits and so many of them your Aunt Megan bought you. You all are so lucky to have so many people love you so much and buy you such adorable clothes!

You are all in size 2 diapers, but I think only another month of them and we will be moving to size 3! So thankful for yet another month of free diapers! Thank you Diapers For Divas!! :)

Madelynn and Claire, your feet now touch in your excersaucers (well they have been for while, but now you can actually push up and turn all around with your feet completely flat) and you can turn and grab all the toys with no problem. Such big girls! Nat, I think you are going to be a little smaller/shorter than your sisters, and I have finally accepted that you might take after both of your Aunties...so you have some catching up to do.

Ok so here are your 7 Month photos! You all are actually in 6-9 month outfits and you couldn't look any more beautiful!

Claire (lt. pink bow)

Madelynn (dk. pink bow)

 

Natalee (white bow)



The Three Crazies: