Week 24 ultrasound pics and weights

Cooperative Baby B and her little hand

Baby B facing the "camera"

I like how Julie A's belly and mine totally cover Mary!
Julie A. had her boy, Will, 5 days after this shower!!!

Congrats to the Arnold Family!

The darling cake and favor table

What in the world is Elle wearing?????? And WHY???? (check the last post for a clue)

Yummy cake- as tasty as it was cute!

Hello All- week 24 is just about over- making a full 6 months of pregnancy. And wouldn't you know it, things are starting to slide down hill a little. I must have had too much fun yesterday after the ultrasound eating at restuarants, three to be exact, and somehow had a TON of salt. I woke up today with one regular ankle and one huge swollen foot and ankle. I'm not sure why it's not evenly distributed but thank goodness I can hide it with long pants.

Also, a strange aliment has begun- carpal tunnel syndrome!

My trusty book told me that the swelling throughout my body can lead to pressure on the nerves in my wrists and hands. The book suggested using wrist guards until it goes away after the kids are born. Now my "trusty" doctor also had some plum advice- walk around with your hands in the air. I'm not lying- no joke- those are his exact words. Look at what you can do with medical degree!!! Needless to say, typing and writing are becoming a chore- typing is easier than writing so far. It really acts up during the night for some reason and when I wake up I have to wait for the feeling to come into my hands and slowly work the fingers so I can grab things. So, if I owe you a thank you note, please be patient- I can only do 2 at a time and then I have to take a break. Sorry- don't tell Miss Manners on me!!!

One bathroom has begun and now all my vertical time is spent dealing with that- getting extra tile, caulk to match the nifty lifetime no sealing EVER grout, and picking out vanity tops. I'm thrilled with how things are going but all the baby stuff is on hold. Dave is working very hard at his day job so I run all the errands that I can with my schedule of laying down 3 times a day. Then when Dave comes home he finishes whatever project I started and then stopped because it was too much for me and then tends to the bathroom project to make sure it's done right.

As you can see from the pics above, only Baby B was cooperative at the ultrasound. I have only 10 pictures and these two are the ones I can tell what they are- I have no idea what the other pics show. At least she was in a better mood than a few weeks ago. I am feeling lots of kicking from all three girls.

It may sound crazy but they now have the ability to hear so I started reading to them. I did this for Elle when I was pregnant and it really worked to resite the book when she was upset- almost like swaddling- a memory from the womb. I have been waiting for week 24 when they can hear to begin their book: Guess How Much I Love You. I read up to three times a day- during my down time when they are active and "listening". Dave thinks it's crazy and refuses to read the Baby Beluga book we choose for him to read to the girls. Party pooper!!!

I found the sheets for that darned crib mattress! UGH- it may be cute but it is a total pain. At least that is off my list. Also, my nifty diaper bag came today. I will begin filling it up for our first trip out... about 3 months after they come home from what I understand. Most pediatricans will want a preemie baby not to go in public for about 3 months. This is what some other triplet mom's have told me. We can have visitors so be sure to come by after the girls come home and check here for pictures of them and their progress. But beware, evidently I am going to become a germ freak about handwashing and holding the girls- apologies in advance. I have heard this from several multiple moms and books too.

Oh, by the way, my "trusty" doctor told me he didn't know what I was doing but it sure was working. I am doing great health wise, as long as my hands are in the air, and the girls are gaining significantly:

Baby A: 1lb, 8oz up 8oz from 2-22-10

Baby B: 1lb, 12oz up 11oz from 2-22-10

Baby C: 1lb, 10oz up 9oz from 2-22-10

I'm sure all this wonderful progress is the work of the prayers so please keep them up! I'm sure my lazy, grazy napping/feeding schedule is helping too- but I really think the prayers are the ace in the hole on this one!

Another Touchdown- Week 24

The rockin' good times wagon!!!

Gorgeous handmade blankets and hats

Elle with her "Co-Mommy" scrubs

Be sure to remember my dress....

Fun theme and awesome food!!

Hooray- 24 weeks of a healthy and wonderful pregnancy! I feel great- pretty tired but that's all. I have placed myself on a strict resting schedule that is extremely hard to adhere by- laying down 3 times a day for up to 2 hours each time. It may sound wonderful but it you really can't accomplish much before you realize you need to gather some food and head to the sofa AGAIN. I plan my whole day around these rest times and I know how much I will miss them once it's the girls that lay down 3 times a day and I will no longer have the luxury. I tend to lay there and survey all that needs to be done that isn't getting done because I'm laying there- not very productive.

The cribs have finally made it and one is put together. The sheets aren't fitting the mattress so I will need to figure out how to handle that- I believe that there are straps or clips to hold the sheet around the mattress. These mini cribs are a complete pain in so many ways!

I had two more showers in which my mother was more prominent than I. She is so darned excited that she just can't contain herself during games, food, or the gifts. She is a blast to have around for all of this because she is bubbling with joy. We received so many gifts and everyone's generosity was just overwhelming. We now have all the crib bedding, enough bumbo chairs, a rocking good times wagon, tons of bibs and blankets and some of the cutest handmade blankets and hats in the world. I am amazed at the talent of my friends and family and that they took time to make special things for our little girls. Both showers were very special with lots of cute touches, too many to mention all of them. Oh, yeah- I cried at every card and almost every gift. It was almost an out-of-body experience. I was opening these gifts for MY babies- finally!!! MY BABIES!!!!

The shower pics are from the "Friends and Family" baby shower on 2/27. The pics from the "Preschool Teachers and Families" will come on the next post- waiting for the disk to upload.

I go to another ultrasound again on Monday to see what the girls are up to. We feel them moving often and have had fun placing things on my belly and watching the kids make them jump. I usually only feel 2 at a time move but have felt all three before- pretty crazy feeling.

Elle is busy driving everywhere! It is so helpful to have her on her own and she really seems to be enjoying the freedom. She must have dented my car tonight because she offered to fill it up with gas- not a typical teenager.

Dave is currently beginning the demolition of the hall bathroom and the contractors come on Monday. I wonder if the contractors will be willing to make me a sandwich before they go on their lunch breaks?

I am picking up my triple stroller today, some free baby gates and I just found some bottles and the last boppy needed on Craigslist. I started doing all the tiny little socks and things in the laundry. I hate folding laundry and expect the cuteness factor will wear off quickly with so many tiny things to deal with. Hopefully within the next 2 weeks both nurseries will get finished and I can really move things in- right now it's just a mess! I can do almost nothing and Dave can't allocate time for the nurseries until he is finished with the demo of the bathroom. I guess I'll eat some more food, lay on the sofa and try to deal with it all!!! More pics of the other shower and the ultrasound on Monday or Tuesday!

Week 21.5 Ultrasound

Baby B appears to be using some "sign language"

Baby A's Face

Baby C's profile with a possible fist pump!

It has been quite a busy 2 weeks for us. The rooms are painted and coming along nicely. The downstairs nursery is a beautiful light blue and the upstairs nursery is a cream and light green. I am very happy with how things are turning out- all of the pretty pink things look so good against those colors.

I met up with a group of triplet/quad mom's for dinner last week and had a very good time. They all were very settled in with their label of triplet mom and probably didn't appreciate me bringing it to the attention of our waitstaff that I had triplets and between all of us at the table there were 61 kids. These ladies just wanted to go out and have some fun together and I just had to tell on us! Everyone was very, very nice and gave some great advice for the busy months ahead.

On Thursday Elle passed her driving test, got licensed and insured and drove off to work by 5pm! She is being very responsible about our rules and extremely helpful about running errands. I am thrilled to be finished with the driving and that she is all set to be able to take care of herself when I go on bedrest. (no date for that thank goodnesss!!)

I had a surprise baby shower at work on Friday that I ruined because I came in early that morning to get some work done before I begin training the new receptionist. I felt bad about ruining all of the hard work- I know they wanted me to walk off the elevator at 10am and right into the party but oh well- being the awesome people they are they understood.

I began to cry the minute I walked in the room- it was filled with pink and white everywhere and the HUGE cake had 3 darling babies in the center of flowers. Besides being so wonderfully supportive emotionally with everything, they absolutely spoiled me and the girls with gifts. I cried at almost every card and gift. Along with the gifts everyone brought food for a huge lunch buffet and also helped me load all the goodies to my car later. I have had so much fun unpacking everything- small diapers on the main floor, larger diapers in the basement, clothes upstairs, bottles and bibs filling my kitchen! Many gifts were handmade and just darling! Some cute little hats that have ears, darling burp cloths and then 2 out of 3 blankets knitted for the girls. I loved that the 2 blankets included an I.O.U. for the third!!! I don't know how she finds the time to knit all of that with a full time job. Everyone's thoughtfulness and extreme generosity to me and my whole family is amazing and makes me feel so special.

Now, about today's ultrasound. Those little angels are full of personality. Yesterday at church, Baby B would just go crazy when the organ played! We thought she was a fun little musical one until we saw the possibility of which finger she is using in the picture above- she may prove to be more difficult than Baby A. Baby A may just be shy instead of difficult. We had initially labeled (children LOVE labels-LOL) Baby C as the lazy baby but today she was moving so much the tech could hardly get the pictures. The whole thing was funny- Baby A wouldn't allow picture, Baby B might have flipped us off, and Baby C wouldn't stop moving. We are in for some serious fun with these three personalities.

Weight: Baby A: 1lb up 5oz from 2/1/10

Baby B: 1lb, 1oz up 7oz from 2/1/10

Baby C: 1lb, 1oz up 6oz from 2/1/10

The doctor is very happy with my progress and the girls growth so far. Things look good and I hope to make it through March at home taking it easy. I can't imagine how big I will be by April so I feel like the possibility of bedrest is likely then just due to my enormous size. I am putting myself on a strict schedule adding rest time as each week goes on. I feel so terrific with energy and exictement that I have to stop myself and rest. By the end of March I will probably be down more than I'm up! That should help my body deal with all the weight it has to carry around- or even just the chore of rolling over- UGH!!!

I hope to post more pictures soon of the shower, the showers to come, and the rooms as they get finished.

Please keep up the prayers for all six of us and also the people on the road while Elle drives. Tee hee!!!!

Happy Days!

Gifts from my parents for the girls to fight over!!!


Well, I have made my "first touchdown"... 20 healthy weeks for me and the girls. The doctor is very pleased with how well it's all going but has warned me that my body can only take so much before beginning to show signs of stress. I have had more energy the past week and have made it many days without a nap- woo hoo!!!

We have choosen paint colors for the nursery- light green and cream. We decided that we would have so much pink that pink walls would just be too much. I also gave in on the bedding for the nursery. We are going with a Winnie the Pooh crib set for each girl. We are using mini-cribs and the bedding for these is very hard to find so it just seemed easier to get what was readily available. We have so many projects and things to attend to that searching for bedding is just silly! Slowly but surely I am getting my priorities straight!!

Some things we still need to do: look at cars that fit 3 cars seats easily, find Elle a car, find Elle a college, paint (this weekend), rearrange rooms, begin bathrooms and probably some more. UGH!! I can only help the decisions, I won't pick up anything at all so I just get things organized for others to do them. To do the laundry, I slide the basket down the steps behind me as I go and then kick it to the laundry room. After the laundry is done, I kick the basket back to the stairs and wait for someone to take it upstairs. I like the system and may continue it after the girls arrive.

I have bought some cute dresses for my baby showers and was thrilled to find stuff that fit and was actually cute. So far, the big 'ole belly is still sort of cute- the rest of me has not caught up yet so hopefully I can wear some cute stuff before I completely balloon.

The one sad spot in all of this is my leaving my job. They have found a replacement for me and it just hit me how real it all is that I'm leaving. I have gone in daily knowing this time would come but just being busy with things and not really thinking about it. I have a week to get my things organized before I begin training. I know they hired a good person so it will be easy to transition her to what I do all day, well, 1/2 of all day!!!
It certainly does not help that I have 3X the hormones running through my body and could cry at a car commercial, I don't know how I will keep it together for the next 2 or so weeks. At least I have had a wonderful year and a half to get some great experience with the most wonderful people. I never thought I would find a job I would love as much as teaching but the environment at work has been amazing. So many terrific people have made my time there just plain FUN!
Also, I probably won't go back to teaching after the girls start school. Why in the world would I leave a house of 3 children to go to work with 16 children???? I will most likely work a late shift at a seedy bar so my life has some variety (my mom can't read my blog yet so I can say that!!!).

Please, please, please keep up the prayers- I KNOW they are helping me to be able to truly enjoy this unbelieveblely uncomplicated pregnancy. My next ultrasound is on Feb. 22- I will post more pics of the lovely ladies then!

IT'S PAYBACK TIME!!!!!!!!!

Here are the darling shirts that Elle raced out and bought during the ultrasound!

Baby C with her arm bent!

Baby B with her arm up!

Baby B profile

Baby A's arm

Baby A's profile

After all three of us waited an hour in the lobby we finally were ready for the tech to tell us the genders of our little loves. She rolled over baby A and found out it's a GIRL. Next, we discovered baby B is also a GIRL. Finally it was baby C's turn and wouldn't you know it... IT'S ANOTHER GIRL!!!!!!!!!! We have three darling angel baby girls on their way to us in a few months!!! I had thought of many scenario's of nursery colors, possible names, etc but I never thought of ALL girls- I have to start all over again looking at paint colors for the nursery. This is going to be lots and lots of fun!!!! Elle is already excited and helping with nursery ideas, there is so much cute little girl stuff out there it will be hard to choose.

The whole ultrasound took about 2 hours and when the tech took a break Elle went upstairs and we assumed it was for cell reception. She came back and gave me a gift bag from the hospital gift shop: 3 tiny shirts that say "I'm the little sister". Of course, I burst into tears of joy. I am so happy with all my 4 girls and can't believe how sweet, thoughtful and generous Elle is about all of this. Her reactions to everything make it all so much more special.

Everyone is healthy, me included. Dave maybe in some sort of shock but his general health seems to be OK. The doctor used the word FANTASTIC to describe our health. At our 15 week ultrasound the babies weighed: 6oz, 6oz, and 5oz. Today, the 18 week ultrasound showed their weights as: 11oz, 10oz, and 11oz. I like to post their weights so everyone has a point of reference of why I am so big! I will NOT be posting my weight, now or ever so don't hold your breathe!

I don't write very often because everything is going so well, no news is generally good news! I see my doctor in 2 weeks and another ultrasound in 3 weeks.

Please keep up the prayers!

Week 17

We love this photo of one of our little angels.

A foot!!!!

Elle and my belly (I hardly exsist with this huge thing in front of me!! LOL)

Week 17 belly!

I am finally feeling better, only tired. It feels great to be able to really enjoy these special days. I do best in the morning or shortly after my afternoon nap. My belly is rapidly growing as the picture show. I had a bit of a scare about 10 days ago with a severe pain that had me in the hospital but it turned out to be the ligaments in my body literally screaming at the rate they are being stretched. At that time we got a chance to see our precious babies but could not tell genders just yet. I have included their new pictures- I love the ones of the feet!!! My ultrasound to tell us the genders was then moved back to February which frustrated me greatly- I am just dying to know and get things rolling.

Work is terrific as always, it's great to be able to go into work and keep busy with my projects before I leave. I saw my job posted on Career Builders and about cried, it will be so hard to leave such a wonderful place. I sure hope the next person appreciates the job as much as I have.

I went to a meeting for mothers of twins/multiples and met some wonderful people, full of good advice and lots of fun too. They are a well organized group and they have a big sale of gentle used items this spring. I will be on bed rest during the sale most likely so Dave will be on his own with that one. It fills my old high school gym full of clothes, strollers, toys, high chairs etc.

We find out the genders next week so be sure to check back and please keep the prayers up- my doctor says I'm doing well and if my only problems are some congestion and being tired I think the prayers are working wonders!

Belly Pictures

The top pic is week 14 and the bottom pic is week 13- don't know why they loaded backwards but boy is there a difference! I am still in my clothes for the most part, using lots of belly bands to keep my pants on. So far my backside has not caught up with the front but I'll tip over if it doesn't start soon! Dave isn't fond of that really. I look like I am about 5 or 6 months along and I already move slowly and have aches in my back from sleeping on my side. There has been nothing gradual about this pregnancy- we just hit the ground running. I haven't seen my doctor in about 3 weeks so I'm very excited for my appointment on Tuesday to hear how things are going.

Christmas was wonderful with the babies all receiving lots of goodies. Elle's gifts were so sweet, she got the kids the book, "Guess How Much I Love You" that I can read to them when they develop their ears in the womb. The babies got her a board book to read to them also and she said she will read to them every day! She also gave them a "Mommy Bear" which is a bear with the sound of the mothers heartbeat as it would be for them in the womb. She was so excited about all the gifts, especially the book of Cool Baby Names. She has grave concerns for the old fashioned names I am leaning towards.

Dave gave me bubble bath for use in the new tubs we will soon be getting when the bathrooms are remodeled, chocolate covered Oreos, soft pajamas and a huge gift certificate to a really nice maternity store. I won't be in maternity stuff for long at the rate I'm going so it will be nice to have some pretty things to wears while I can. It was all so thoughtful.

My parents gave the babies a bunch of adorable sleepers with animal faces on the feet and each baby received their "First Winnie the Pooh Bear".

We have been so busy talking and planning for these little loves that it just blew me away to start receiving things for them. I have wanted another child since Elle was born 17 years ago and now that we are accumulating "stuff" it is becoming more real.

Dave started the nursery this weekend, we have separated out what to keep and give away and he is installing closet systems. I have colors picked out for paint but we have to wait to see the genders and if there is a variety of kiddos coming. I can't wait to hang all the cute clothes when he is finished with the closets!!!!

Thanks again to everyone for the prayers and excitement- it means a lot to all of us.

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!