A Quick Note

A, happy with a rose from the hospital!

Well, after a week on the inside (of the hospital, that is), I was finally let out last Wednesday.  It was really nice to enjoy the warm weather and the weekend with the fam.  The hard part is carrying around all the anxiety and fear of the unknown.  I just have this sneaking suspicion that I'll end up back in the hospital before this is all over.  But you know, there are worse places you could be when expecting triplets.  I love being at home with Addie and Brandon, but there is a certain calm knowing you are surround by a bazillion health professionals that can help you at a moments notice!

I have to go to the doctor 3x a week now, which is crazy!  They keep telling me the goal is now to make it to 28 weeks.  I never believed I would have these guys so early, and I still have to tell myself, "Self (and babies), if we can make it to 28, surely we can make it to 29, " and so on and so on until 34 weeks!  

Hanging out and watching movies while the boys are monitored!

Baby 'C' FINALLY decided to show his sweet face!

 

Time to Focus on the Positive

As a mother, both during pregnancy and after your child is born, you will do anything you possibly can to keep your child/children healthy and safe.  I guess that’s why I took it so hard yesterday when the high risk doctor told Brandon and I that he was concerned enough about little baby A’s growth that he wanted to admit me to the hospital for extra monitoring.  I weathered that news fairly calm, but when he said there is a chance we might have to deliver our little guys earlier than expected, I lost it.  My thoughts were all about what I could have done to help the babies a little more.  I’ll be the first to admit that while I have been on house restriction, I have been anything but strict with my movements.  I mean, did I really have to go to buy buy baby to look at diaper bags?  Now it all seems so insignificant.  I especially felt this way when the doctor said that studies show bed rest can have a positive effect on the growth because all the blood flow is going to them growing, and not to keep me moving.  How selfish have I been?  

So here I am, at the hospital for almost 24 hours and after many tears, I am finally coming back to reality and putting things back into perspective.  The first thing being I have had a wonderful pregnancy and passed all tests with flying colors, exceeding doctors expectations. Secondly, going into this, we were told it would be a very high risk pregnancy due to the fact that there is only one placenta feeding three hungry little boys, a fact that I can do absolutely nothing about. So it should come as no surprise that we have hit this bump in the road.  Third, although the doctors are worried about the rate of growth, everyone has told me how big our babies are for 25 weeks, a fact that I feel I can take some pride in as I have been the one putting on the pounds to nourish the little honeys!

No doubt, we are in for a long, stressful couple of weeks.  The doctors were originally hoping to get me to 32-34 weeks, but it sounds like 28 weeks would make everyone happy.  I agree, 28 weeks would be great (which coincidentally is Brandon's birthday), WAY better than delivering little guys less than 2 lbs. at 26 weeks, but there is still this mother’s instinct to protect my children and I have to believe that we can make it a little longer than that,  but I will try not to be disappointed if we don’t. 

Lastly, Brandon has been my rock during all of this and certainly has not gotten enough praise from me for all that he has done, and Addie has been my big bundle of joy!  All I wanted yesterday was to see her and give her hugs and kisses. I think she was a little confused to see mommy at the hospital, especially when she had to leave and I had to stay, but thinking of her and her mannerisms and funny things she says are helping me through the day.  Yesterday, after watching me get my blood drawn and a shot, she hugged me and told me I was brave.  It’s funny how your children can bring you to tears and make you so happy all at the same time, and I’m looking forward to that feeling four times over!

It's all good news

Well, my first week at home on restriction is complete.  To be honest, I feel much better than I did when I was working, so I suppose the doctor's know what they are talking about.  It's a tough job to lie around and focus on growing three healthy babies, but I guess I'll do it!  I had two visitors this week, my friend Kristy and her daughter Olivia and my friend Ingrid and her daughter Lena.  I hope the visitors continue because it's a nice way to break up the day.  We are also super thankful for Ingrid because she set up a weekly meal delivery for us from our friends at Haworth.

We had a doctor's appointment Wednesday and got great news.  All the boys are growing steady.  A (our little guy) weighs in at approx. 12oz.  B (the big brute) is 1lb. 3oz. and C (we'll call him the peacemaker, I can just see it now) is 15oz.  Even though A is smaller than B & C, the doctor's are not worried because he is growing steady along the growth curve.  I am also not showing any signs of preterm labor, so I still have some mobility to do things like take Addie to and from preschool and go out to lunch (those were the doctor's words)! Brandon and I couldn't be happier to receive such good news, and we're feeling really blessed to be having a healthy pregnancy for all. 

Baby 'C' was not cooperating

Baby 'A'-kind of lumpy!

Baby 'A'-was camera ready and willing to pose

A & B snuggled up (like they have a choice)

A lot of people have also been asking about how Addie is adjusting to the news.  I think she gets the concept that mommy has three babies in her belly, but I don't think anything can prepare her (or us for that matter) for the arrival of three babies at once.  She is really sweet and says she loves the babies and gives my belly kisses.  She also knows where they are in my tummy and likes to point it out, always getting really excited when she says "A"!  Addie also likes to "help" mommy get off the couch and walk to the kitchen.  She told her preschool teacher that mommy has lots of babies in her belly and soon all she'll be able to do is lay down, so she will have to help me out a lot.  I think I teared up when Ms. Nicole told me that story!

Wow, I started a blog

A, overlooking Lake Michigan

You could say I'm a little behind, only now starting a blog when it seems everyone in the world has one already!  BUT, given the big life event we are experiencing, I thought it would be a good time to start. 

I am 20 weeks, 5 days along with identical triplet boys!  To make a long story short, this was the shock of our lives.  We have slowly come to terms with it and gotten over the initial shock, but we also know we have a long road a head, not only to get me and the boys safely to 32-34 weeks for delivery, but pretty much for the next 18 years!

This is my second day on "modified bed rest" aka "house arrest", so  I thought it was the perfect time to start a blog since I have all this time on my hands!

We have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, so I'll have more updates then.