No More Pity-party

Today I had an epiphany that maybe hospital life isn't so bad. This all started Monday when I attended a class with other mothers here on the HRP (High Risk Perinatal) floor. They are all here for various reasons (pre-term labor, premature rupture of membranes, pre-eclampsia, etc.) and are at various stages in their pregnancies. There were some women who were barely 18 or 20 weeks all the way up to women like me who were nearing the end of their pregnancy. I noticed a big difference in the women who had no yet reached the viability stage of their pregnancy meaning if their babies were born now they would not survive. The fear and worry was written all over their faces. Each new day brought them closer to their goal but each new setback they faced meant they could lose their babies at any moment. My heart ached for these women and I prayed that every one of their babies would arrive safely. Seeing these women made me so grateful for my own situation. Many times throughout this pregnancy and since I've been here at the hospital I've felt sorry for myself. I've felt like I had been cheated in many ways out of a "normal" pregnancy. But today I've decided to stop my little pity-party and be thankful for the miracles I've been given. So here are 5 reasons I am glad I am in the hospital:

1. Around the clock monitoring of me and the babies and doctors ready to take action
2. 3 hot meals a day served directly to my bed side plus all the snacks I want
3. Lots of visits from friends who may not have been able to come to Newnan to see me
4. An adjustable bed complete with comfy air mattress. My hips no longer hurt at night!
5. Hand rails in the bathroom and a chair in the shower- makes maneuvering my big belly in the bathroom infinitely easier

Thanks Northside!

32 Weeks- We Made It!

Another milestone in the books! We made it to 32 weeks and made it through 2 whole weeks at the hospital. With the holidays it was actually a really busy few weeks and went by fast. Plus I have had a ton of visitors to keep me company. Thank you to everyone who has come out. I can't possibly list every person who has visited since the start but I do want to say a big thank you to Ross and Sarah for coming all the way from California. Well maybe they were here for the holidays to visit family but they made time to come out to the hospital and it made my day!

The nurses monitor the babies and I every day and so far we are all still doing great. My blood pressure has stabilized and there is almost no protein in my urine so the immediate risks of pre-eclampsia have appeared to subside- great news! The babies have excellent heart tones, movement, fluid levels, and practice breathing (so they'll be ready for the big day!). They measured the babies this week and gave me their estimated weights. Although they don't think Sarah's weight is accurate (they couldn't get a good measurement on my "low in the pelvis" baby) they say she is at least 3 lbs. 13 oz. They did say she is probably actually over 4 lbs. They believe Jake's and Luke's weights are more accurate. Jake is estimated at 4 lbs. 1 oz. and Luke at 4 lbs. 9 oz. So I have like over 12 1/2 lbs of baby in there yikes! The belly is still growing at a super fast pace. I have posted a new pic below. Sorry it's a little blurry. I was alone and had to do the self-portrait thing. And the babies and I still enjoy visitors so come see us. We moved to a new room with a better view of the city. We are in room 126 in the Women's Pavillion. And we won't be going home anytime soon!

Merry Christmas! Day 12 on the HRP Floor

Whew- a busy few days! We had a lot of fun getting together with family and exchanging lots of neat gifts. It was weird this year being at the hospital instead of at home or at a family member's house. But it worked out great. On Christmas Eve, Mom, Terry, Mary, and Richard brought some Christmas cheer and goodies out to the hospital. On Christmas Day, Dad, Elizabeth, Memaw, and Bob came to bring us Christmas dinner and exchange gifts. Then later Tracie and the girls as well as Terry and Sarah stopped by for a quick visit. At the end of the day on Friday, Kurt and I were both exhausted but we had a great few days. Dad and Elizabeth surprised us with a very special and very needed gift. They bought us a 2000 Dodge Caravan so we can shuttle around our new family. They are driving it back tomorrow night from Elizabeth's mom's house in Alabama. We can't wait to see it!

Another Christmas surprise I was excited to get was to see Lady on Thursday and today. Both times Kurt and Dad coordinated a plan to bring her up to the fountain at the hospital. The nurses wheeled me down there and I got to spend a few precious moments loving on my puppy. I miss her so much! Just spending a little time with her has done wonders for me. My blood pressure was even better after I saw her! For the most part my pressures have been stable. I've had a few high ones but the doctors have been pleased with how things are going. Strangely, I've also lost several pounds this week. I am currently only 10 lbs. heavier than my pre-pregnancy weight. I was as much as 20 lbs. heavier at the highest weight during this pregnancy but now I am down to 10. Strange huh? The doctors say it is ok and that sometimes it just happens that way. Oh well, as long as the babies are growing strong I will just take it as it comes. Weird though that I am almost 32 weeks pregnant with triplets and only up 10 lbs. total. That's less than the babies weigh right now. The babies are still doing great though. I had an ultrasound this morning and the heart rates, fluid levels, and blood flow through the cords are great. So the babies appear to be happy as clams! Tuesday is our 32 week goal. Please keep the prayers coming.

Here are some pics from Christmas at the hospital! What a memory!

Drama on the HRP Floor

Last night was a crazy night on the HRP floor and more importantly in room 135 where yours truly is holed up. Yesterday afternoon my blood pressure spiked and continued to remain elevated the entire night despite my best efforts at relaxation and lying on my side. Around 1 am the nurse informed me I would have to get an emergency IV in place in case they needed to get blood pressure medicine in me very quickly. So now I have a capped off IV in place in my arm should the need arise. Luckily my blood pressure did stabilize somewhat and I did not need the medicine to bring it down. I was a little frightened at the intensity of the situation but didn't realize until this afternoon just how close to delivery I really was. Ginny (another triplet mom and L&D nurse) visited me and brought along her precious trio. I told her what had happened and she said I was about one step away from delivering. That really shocked me. So now I am taking this much more seriously and doing everything I can to keep my pressure down. My short term goal is to keep these babies in until Tuesday when I am 32 weeks. Then we'll just take it day by day. Please keep the good thoughts and prayers coming.

I did get a really awesome surprise today though. Dana and Dan drove in from Delaware and surprised me at the hospital. I had no idea they were coming! Now they didn't just come in town to see me, but it was great that they stopped in. It's a huge surprise to see a friend just walk in the door who lives in another part of the country. Thanks Dana, your surprise was the best thing that happened to me all day! Yesterday I got another out of town visit from Jana (who lives in San Fransisco) who came with Heather. I knew Jana was coming but it was still a great visit. So now everyone has gone home and I'm just relaxing in my room hoping tonight is not as eventful as last night. Wish us luck!

Day 7 at Hotel Northside

Wow- has it been 7 days at the hospital already? The time has actually flown by thanks to all the friends and family who have visited me and brought little goodies to make my stay more enjoyable. Meredith is the one who really started my stay off by decorating my room in fun Christmas decor. I get compliments every day on the lights around the room, the lighted Christmas tree, and of course the Charlie Brown window decals. Thank you Meri- you can't know how much you have helped me get settled in here. I can't wait for your next visit.

The doctors ran more tests today and everything has come back normal except for a small amount of protein in my urine. It's less than it was last week but still slightly above normal. So the prospect of me getting sprung from the hospital anytime soon is pretty much nil. I've accepted this and know this is the best place for me and the babies. I had an ultrasound this morning and each baby's fluid, movement, and heart rate are all excellent. So for now all 3 babies are snug as a bug in a rug. Tomorrow I will be 31 weeks. There are just 5 weeks until I will be "full-term". I plan on working toward this date but anytime the babies come, I know they will be healthy and strong. We're in the home stretch!

Day 4 at Hotel Northside

Today was a very busy day! It was Saturday at the hospital- day 4 of my little adventure- and I had lots of company to keep me entertained. Since I've been here, Mom, Dad & Elizabeth, Terry, Janna, Jennifer, Ashley, and of course Kurt have kept me company. Today I was entertained by Mom, Dad & Elizabeth, Memaw, Bob, Tracie, Krista, Keelie, Carla, Janna, Kristy, Amanda, Heather, and of course my dear hubby. It was so awesome! The Duluth gals brought our annual Christmas feast here to the hospital and it sure beat eating hospital food. Carla prepared rotisserie chicken, twice baked potato casserole, green beans, strawberry salad, biscuits, and pumpkin cheesecake with homemade cinnamon whipped cream. Are you hungry yet? Heather Tuggle also brought a little care package to the hospital with magazines, chapstick, and a Christmas tree kit. Heather, you so rock!!! Now I'm here alone at the hospital exhausted from a fun day. The babies are kicking like crazy. My blood pressure has been up and down over the last 24 hours so I am quickly losing hope that I will get released from the hospital before the babies arrive. I've sort of accepted this fact and understand it is for the best. But I am still bummed to miss Christmas with my family. But as long as the babies and I are safe and healthy then I am happy. And it's worth it.

Not your average doctor visit

So this Tuesday brought with it something very unexpected. It started off as a normal morning. I headed off to the doctor as I now have to do every week. I was having a little cramping (sometimes sharp) in my belly but was only planning to mention it to the doc. I got my scan done as usual and the doc noticed my cervix had shrunk from 3.6 to 2.6cm in just the last 7 days. That added to my complaint of cramping and the doc said I should go over to the hospital just to have it checked out. So I headed off to L&D at Northside for what I thought would just be a few hours of monitoring. Boy was I wrong! They hooked me and the babies up to all sorts of monitors. It turns out the cramping was not a problem (it eventually passed) and I was not in pre-term labor. That was the good news. The bad news was that while I was there my blood pressure spiked a bunch. At one point it was 156/110- yikes! So the docs wanted me to stay overnight for monitoring. Of course I agreed but fully expected to be released the following day. Wrong again! My blood pressures kept fluctuating and they found I had a small amount of protein in my urine possibly signifying the start of pre-eclampsia. If I did have pre-eclampsia and it went untreated it could possibly lead to seizures, stroke, or kidney or liver failure. So the doctors take it very seriously. So that is why I am still here 3 days later. Although my blood pressures have come down and things appear to be going well, the doctors still want to keep me for observation. I am hopeful at some point I will get to go home. Otherwise, all 3 babies are perfect. They are just busy and growing bigger every day.

A big thanks to Mom & Carla!!

I have to start off by giving a huge thanks to Mom and Carla for coming down to Newnan today. Before today everything for the babies was in complete disarray. There were clothes everywhere and the nursery had lots of boxes and bags scattered around. I was really getting stressed that we wouldn't have things organized by the time the babies got here. Never fear, Mom and Carla were on top of it!. They came to Newnan today and whipped the nursery into shape. Now all our newborn clothes are either hanging in the closet or folded in drawers. The changing table is stocked and organized. And we almost hung stuff on the walls but realized we need another expert to come in for the assist (thanks Sam :). We had a really fun day and I am so thankful to these awesome gals for so much hard work. I love you! Oh, and Mom is now satisfied that we have enough blankets- lol.

On Tuesday I will be 30 weeks pregnant. It feels awesome to be in the 30's instead of the 20's. I will be back at the doc on Tuesday for an ultrasound to check the babies and my cervix. This will not be a growth scan though. I won't have another one of those until 33 weeks. So hopefully everything is still going well. I am having a lot more contractions and cramping but as long as my cervix is still long and closed I can stay out of the hospital. Wish us luck!

Farewell to social activities

Today I am finally accepting the fact that I am not my normal self. I cannot keep up the traditional social pace I am used to. I am a woman in the third trimester of a triplet pregnancy. When you are a social butterfly like me, you are not content turning down invitations and sitting at home on the sofa. Last night was the Christmas Dinner of the Moms of Multiples Club. I've been looking forward to this dinner for several weeks. The women in this group are so nice and have so much information to share. When I am with the group I just soak up their experiences and advice like a sponge. But looking back on it now, I shouldn't have gone. I rested all day yesterday in preparation of going to the dinner. Once at the dinner, I sat down immediately and began drinking water to stay hydrated. Although I stayed seated and relaxed throughout the dinner, by the end I was contracting and cramping so bad I could hardly stand from the table. The pain and discomfort lasted all night and I didn't get much sleep at all. So now I am back on the sofa resting. I will try to use this experience as a reminder for the days ahead. I only have as many as 46 to go. But right now that feels like an eternity.

Back to the doc- 29 weeks

Another week gone by and the babies are still doing great! I went back to the doc today and of course it was raining and nasty outside! But I am leaving the house twice as early as I need to so I stay one step ahead of the rain and the Atlanta traffic. My cervix was the first thing they looked at and it is still very long and closed (3.6cm or 36mm). The doctor was so pleased by this. She says I must have a "bionic" cervix- lol. Then they checked the heartrates and all are perfect- still in the 150's or so. Next they measured the babies and came up with estimated weights. Sarah's estimated weight is 2lbs. 9ozs. Jake's estimated weight is 2 lbs. 14ozs. Luke's estimated weight was also 2lbs. 14ozs. So each of my babies are chugging on toward 3 lbs each which they'll probably reach in a few days! My blood pressure also was great- 120/72. Overall, the doc said the babies and I are doing outstanding. I like being an overachiever- lol! Starting next week (30 weeks) I will start going to the doc every Tuesday. Although it's a pain to drive all the way to Northside, I am glad they are watching me so close. I am having lots of Braxton Hicks contractions and sometimes I'm not sure if they are false labor contractions or real ones we should be worried about. At about 32 weeks or so, the doctor may have me come in twice a week. So for now all is well, we are just waiting. Only 7 weeks to go! My Mom asked me to post a new pic where I am holding my shirt tighter to see the belly better. So here are two pics. One is just regular and one is with me pulling my t-shirt tight over the belly. You can see it is not a perfectly round belly. I think the triplets make it odd shaped since there are 3 different sacs in there. But I still love my gigantic belly. Enjoy!

What a deal!!!

Yesterday I got an email from Motherhood Maternity letting me know they were having a great deal in their stores right now. The deal is if you spend $75 you get a free $50 gift card to restaurants.com. If you know anything about this store, they do not have a lot of sales and promotions. I, needing a few last minute maternity essentials, decided to check it out. Sure enough they were true to their word. I spent the money on maternity clothes and got my gift card. What a sweet deal?! I was so proud of myself for taking advantage of this. Go Kelly!!!

Wanted: To Borrow a Hot Tub

Does anyone have a hot tub that they want to let me borrow? Also, can you deliver it and set it up? If so, I'm home all day so you can just bring it right over. Oh, I wish I had some kind of giant tub to submerge myself in. My belly is getting so big and uncomfortable. At night, I often have lots of Braxton-Hicks contractions that make my belly painfully tight. The doctor said it is to be expected and there is not much I can do to relieve the discomfort. However, I have found that using pools and hot tubs (must be 95 degrees or less in temp) is very helpful for relief. Submerging my belly gives it weightlessness and takes a lot of the pressure off. I've tried using my own bath tub in the master bath but I just can't get all the way underwater. Since our neighborhood pools are now closed for winter, I'm pretty much out of options. I've thought of just spending the rest of my pregnancy in the Caribbean to take advantage of the warm water but somehow just can't Kurt on board. I wonder why?!?! Anyone have any other "real" suggestions? I'm desperate!

We did it- 28 weeks!

Another big milestone today- 28 weeks! I can't believe we have made it here! I am so thankful this pregnancy has been relatively complication free. I went to the OB yesterday and everything is just perfect. My blood pressure is great (118/82) and all my blood sugar readings have been just fine. The doctor could easily find the heart rates with a doppler. My weight is up just 9 lbs. from my pre-pregnancy weight. The doctor told me they "just couldn't be any happier with the way the pregnancy is progressing". This thrills me so much as the pregnancy is getting harder and harder on my body every day. My belly is so large and feels like it's stretched to its limits. Although I am up only 9 lbs. and still less than a weight I have been before even not pregnant, I feel like I must weigh 500 lbs. It's very difficult to sit up, to bend over, walk up a flight of stairs, take a deep breath, etc. And due to my intense hip pain, sleep has completely gone out the window! But I know this is only temporary. One way or another, in 8 weeks these babies will be living on the outside and my time as the walking baby hotel will be over. I'm sure there will be times I will miss being pregnant, but it is really hard to see that now. One thing I would do differently if I could do it over, is start working on the nursery earlier. Now that I am so large and uncomfortable, I cannot spend more than a few minutes working in there. There is still so much to be done and I'm afraid it just won't get done. I guess I was afraid to do stuff too early in case something happened to the pregnancy. But now I'm wishing I'd done more and not left so much until the end. Oh well, at least we have cribs and bedding in there so they have somewhere to sleep. Even if it's not decorated!

So long old friends...

Today I had to say goodbye to some dear old friends. It may not sound like much to most people, but to me it is a sad farewell. Today I had to part with my acrylic nails. I have been getting my nails done regularly since I was 15 years old. I've been through many changes from regular acrylic, to white tips, to pink and white or solar nails. I've been seeing the same nail lady since 1997. She is more than just a nail technician, she is a family friend. My nails are a part of my identity and now they are gone. I decided the nails had to go for a of couple reasons. First, I can no longer devote the time it takes to get my nails done. Time will be in even shorter supply once the babies get here. Plus I'm exhausted just getting up and getting a shower. So making it to the nail salon is extra effort I just can't devote right now. Finally, acrylic nails can be very expensive to maintain and we need to save every penny we can. The extra expenses of diapers, formula, child care, and more will be on us before we know it. So I bid farewell to my precious nails for now. But never fear, we will be together again someday old friends.

Back to the doc- 27 weeks

27 weeks?! How in the world did I get here? I'm just a week away from the next (and a very big) milestone. Very exciting! On Tuesday I was back to MFS for an ultrasound. I go again in 2 weeks and then will start going weekly. At 32 weeks I will start going twice a week. This visit was a great one! Each heart rate for each baby is perfect. Luke finally showed the ultrasound tech his spine so they were able to wrap up the anatomy scan for all 3 babies. It's only taken them 5 visits! Most just get one anatomy scan. My babies are very uncooperative and always seem to be in the wrong position! We did get profile pics of Jake and Luke at the visit but couldn't get any of Sarah. We also tried to get some 3-D pics of their faces but all 3 babies were laying face down toward my spine and we could not get them to turn. What do these children have against their pictures being taken??? The tech also checked my cervix and it is still long and closed- 3.7cm. That's close to what it was 2 weeks ago so none of the contractions or cramping is changing my cervix. The doctor was very pleased with this. She said she sees many women just carrying singletons that don't have those kind of numbers at 27 weeks. Good news! Also, my blood pressure was good and the 24 hour urine test was negative for protein. More good news! The prayers and good thoughts from all our friends and family are helping us tremendously. Please keep them coming. Enjoy the pics of Jake and Luke.

Baby Showers

Ok I promised I'd update about the fun baby showers I've had in the last 2 weeks. The first was an awesome party planned by Meredith MacKenzie. My sorority sisters came from all over Georgia and a few from out of state- Dana from Delaware and Megan from Virginia. We even got 9 month preggers Chantal to Skype into the shower from Vancouver! It was like she was really there. We played a couple fun games- name the baby food (gross) and a quiz about this blog. I found out so many of my sistas read the blog! We got so many neat gifts. I love you gals. Here's a group shot and a pic of Mee Jean and I with our big bellies. Well, mine is big. Isn't it funny she and I are due at roughly the same time?! She's having a little boy.

This past weekend Elizabeth hosted a shower at her house. We had yummy food and lots of laughs. Kurt came along for part of the shower and helped open a few gifts. It was great to have Dad and Elizabeth's friends and family celebrate with us. Kurt's mom Mary also brought some of her good friends, one lady we hadn't seen since the wedding. It was fun to get caught up with everyone. Below is a pic of me opening a gift from Kurt's Aunt Ginny. The other is a pic of the cake that had all the babies initials on it. It was so creative!!

Here is a photo from our dining room where we've been stacking the gifts from our showers. I think we need to get a bigger house for all the gifts. We've been so blessed by all our family and friends. Thank you everyone who had a hand in putting together such amazing baby showers. Kurt and I are so thankful.

Happy Birthday Sweet Angel Baby

Happy Birthday sweet Leyna. I hope you are surrounded by loving angels. I miss you every day. Although you were in my life such a short time, you made quite an impact. I loved you from the moment I found out about you. You were so loved and wanted by your Dad and me. Well, by all of your family actually. But we know we could not keep you with us here on Earth. God had a special place picked out for you in Heaven. We know, but we still miss you. One year ago today at 8:30pm you were born and then I had to say goodbye to you. I love you sweet baby. Happy Birthday.

Pics of the Nursery Bedding

Just thought I'd drop a quick note to show everyone the bedding we got for the babies. The boys' bedding has bumble bees on it and Sarah's bedding is a garden theme. These are not actual pics of the nursery because we have not yet finished anything in the nursery. These are just stock photos from their website. But enjoy!

Not too jovial this week

Last Sunday my sorority sisters from UGA put together an awesome baby shower. The fabulous Meredith MacKenzie played hostess even though she and Adam just moved into a new house. I will post lots of details and pics soon but just haven't had the heart to do it.

Maybe it's the hormones or maybe it's to be expected, but I just haven't felt very jovial this week. I've had a lot of fear and anxiety swirling around. First of all, we found out my Uncle Derick (Mom's brother) has a partially malignant brain tumor on his brain stem. In fact, he was just diagnosed this week after having a very painful headache that wouldn't go away. He had surgery on it this evening (Wednesday) and the docs are hopeful they got it all. But we'll have to wait and see how things go. Please say a prayer tonight for him and our family.

Then on top of that, my blood pressure is elevated despite my best efforts at bed rest. I spent today with my OB doc and they are not concerned enough to admit me to the hospital (thank God!) unless my 24 hour urine specimen shows protein. Sorry if that's TMI but there's no graceful way to say it. So tomorrow I'll be peeing in a cup all day- oh joy. As long as that is clean as well as some other blood work, I can continue modified bed rest at home. Please pray this is what the doctor orders.

Also, many of you may remember this is right around the time we lost Leyna last year. We found out on November 21, 2008 that she had passed away and I delivered her the following day at Piedmont-Fayette Hospital. This is such a bittersweet time. I am so thankful to be pregnant with these 3 little miracles in my belly but still grieving the loss of our first daughter. When my blood pressure shot up, I started to panic fearing I could lose Sarah, Luke, and Jake just like we lost Leyna. I don't know if that fear will ever subside until I'm holding those 3 sweet miracles in my arms.

Now that I've been seen by my doctor and we have a plan in place, I am breathing a little easier. Please pray for Derick and our family, for the triplets, for my good health, and for Leyna. And I promise to have a lighter post soon.

Kurt & Sarah

Something really cool happened last night. I was laying on my side in the bed and Sarah started kicking like crazy. So Kurt decided to see if he could get her to interact with him. He started by jostling her slightly then pausing to see if she would move. And she did! Then she'd be still and wait for him to jostle again. Then when he paused she'd kick in response. They did this back and forth for like 10 minutes. It was the cutest thing. We were both giggling. I can only imagine what Sarah was thinking. She already has Kurt wrapped around her little finger- lol.

The dreaded glucose meter!

Last week I was scheduled to do the 2 hour glucose tolerance test. The day before the test my OB Dr. Wooten decided he didn't want me to take the test after all. His rationale was that if I passed the test he would still worry about gestational diabetes because of the high-risk multiple pregnancy and if I failed the test it meant I already had gestational diabetes. Either way, Dr. Wooten wants me to be closely monitored. So he decided to cancel the test and just get me started on a meter. I am in no way excited about having to stick myself every day to measure my blood sugar but my main concern is keeping my babies safe. I will do whatever it takes to get all 4 of us through this pregnancy as healthy as possible. I took my very first readings today- one after breakfast and one after dinner. After digesting breakfast my reading was 98 and 110 after digesting my dinner. Both are great according to the booklet from the doctor. So while it's a pain to do this every day, it's great to know I'm right where I need to be.

Back to the doc- 25 weeks

So for the 3rd time in a row (are we jinxed??) the city of Atlanta is under a flash flood watch on the day we have to go to the doctor. The rain is coming down in buckets, the roads are flooded, and traffic is a mess! But this time we were smart and left more than an hour and half before our appointment and we actually made it on time. Hooray!

All 3 babies look great! They estimated the weights at 1lb 10oz for Sarah, 1lb 14 oz for Jake, and 1lb 9oz for Luke. Usually Luke is the biggest baby but Jake passed him over the past month. Of course the doc did say these weights are only estimates so they could be off by a few ounces for any of the babies. But they are all in the 45th-65th percentile for growth so they are right on track. All 3 heart rates were in the 140's-150's. They measured my cervix and it was a little shorter than last time (3.5cm) but it is still long and closed. The doc was very pleased with my progress at 25 weeks. Also my blood pressure was great (118/80) so being off work and lounging around all day must agree with me! The pics we got today were not great so I'm not going to scan and post them.

Otherwise things are going well with the pregnancy. I can't really complain. Oh wait, yes I can complain...a lot! Actually not too much but being pregnant does get harder every day. My belly measures more than the average pregnant woman at full term. It feels so heavy and it weighs me down. I'm constantly out of breath. I'm not sleeping well either. And the heartburn is no fun! But at least I'm not throwing up anymore. Little victories! I am looking forward to hanging out with my sorority sisters this weekend. They are throwing me a shower and I can't wait!

Baby Shower in Duluth

This Saturday was a fantastic day. My girlfriends from high school threw me an awesome shower and the Dawgs won. Who could ask for anything more?!?! The shower was such a blast! We played games, ate good food, and of course got lots of neat things for the babies. Some of the gifts included a car seat for Sarah, a high chair, lots of diapers, lots of baby clothes, blankets, bottles, things for the nursery, gift cards, and much, much more! Also, Kristy, Carla, and Janna surprised me with a scrapbook they made. It has pics of us growing up, pics of Kurt and I, and pics from the pregnancy. I had to hold back the tears big time! It was such a special and thoughtful gift. Also, another great surprise was seeing my good friend Ashley again after a decade at least. She is every bit the sweet, wonderful person I remembered from school. It was great to get caught up with her. I am such a lucky girl to have all these wonderful people in my life.
The first pic here is a group shot of all my Duluth girls. Then there's a pic of me with my Mom. And the others are from opening gifts.

24 Weeks

Today I've reached another milestone. Today I am 24 weeks pregnant. This is the point when a baby is considered "viable" meaning it could possibly live on its own outside the womb. I could not imagine having a baby this early and born this small. But with all we went through losing Leyna, it eases my mind that these babies are going to be ours to keep. With each milestone I have set forth in my mind, I can breathe a little easier when we sail past them. The first milestone was making it past the point in pregnancy when we lost Leyna. The second milestone is this 24 week "viability" mark. Next, is 28 weeks, a point where most will not suffer long-term complications although they will need a lot of help when they're born. Then is 32 weeks where most babies are healthy they just need a little help with breathing, eating, and staying warm. My preference is that the babies will stay put until their scheduled c-section date at 36 weeks. Only time will tell when we get to meet these sweet little babies. But for today I'm breathing a little easier that my babies are snug as a bug in a rug. Only 84 days until 36 weeks.

Thank you Ginny!

This weekend was a busy one for the Koenig family. Saturday was my 29th birthday and we headed to Duluth the celebrate. After a disappointing football game (I still love you Dawgs), we headed to our favorite Italian restaurant Provino's to celebrate! I got lots of yummy food and some pretty awesome gifts! Sunday, Kurt and I met my Duluth gals- Kristy, Carla (& Sean), Janna, Amanda, and Courtney for brunch. We ate at The Flying Biscuit and it was delicious. On Sunday we also met with Ginny (another triplet mommy whose blog I follow religiously-lol) and her family. Kurt and I bought her triple stroller. Ginny was sad to part with it but glad it was going to a family who will make good use of it. Her triplets are too big for it now. So now we have a stroller to cart our babies around- yay! Now we just need the snap in car seats for it. I hope we get those at one of our upcoming baby showers. Stay tuned. Below is a pic of what our stroller will look like once we get the car seats too. Enjoy!

The all Luke "Baby C" show!

Kurt and I are beginning to think we're jinxed when it comes to doctor visits. Today and two weeks ago at our visit, rain and traffic more than doubled our commute. It should not take 2 hours to get anywhere in the city! But we finally made it and it was a great visit! All 3 babies look fantastic and my cervix is still very long (4.4cm) and closed. All good news! My blood pressure was again elevated but the doc didn't seem concerned. Especially since she knows next week I'll be starting light bed rest. Friday is my last day at work until after the babies arrive. Today's visit was a little different though. Luke who is usually my shy child was the outgoing one today. We got several great profile pics and 2 face pics. The face pics are black and white 3-D and make him look like a little alien but I couldn't help but post them. He's our sweet little alien! Lol. All 4 pics are of Luke- none of Jake or Sarah this week. Also, they didn't do growth estimates this week but plan to at our next visit on November 10th. Stay tuned.

My first baby shower

Yesterday (Sunday) was my very first baby shower. My good friends in Newnan got together and threw me a great party. We had good food, good friends, and lots of goodies for the babies. When I got home, Kurt unloaded the car and we took pictures of the gifts from the shower. Enjoy! I have a few more in the upcoming weeks and am so excited! Back to the doc tomorrow.

Babies on the move!

Two weeks ago tonight I felt my very first flutter. What a difference just two weeks can make! Now I feel the babies moving every day, many times a day. A few nights ago I could even feel the movement from the top of my belly. I got Kurt to put his hands on my belly but it had mostly stopped by the time he got there. I'm sure he'll get plenty more chances to feel the babies kicking. Today I was working on the computer and I could feel someone moving around on the left and the right. I wonder if they were wrestling in there!

Some exciting things are coming up. On Sunday my awesome girlfriends in Newnan are throwing me a baby shower. It's my very first one and I am so excited! And then on Tuesday morning Kurt and I are headed back to the doc for our 23 week scan and check-up. The following week I have to go in for my glucose tolerance test to see if I have gestational diabetes. Please cross your fingers I don't! It is common among multiple pregnancies like mine. I can't wait to see the babies again and get an update!

We have names!

Kurt and I decided we were going to decide on the names for the babies once and for all so we just sat down and made a final decision. Drumroll please........

Baby A is Sarah Grace
Baby B is Jacob "Jake" William
Baby C is Lucas "Luke" Richard

So now that we've reached 22 weeks, there are just 14 weeks at the most until we get to meet Sarah, Jake, and Luke. Just 3 months to go! And now since we have names, I'm going to refer to the babies by name in the blog instead of by letter. I hope that makes it less confusing.

Remembering Leyna

Last Thursday was Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. Families all over the globe were encouraged to light a candle, say a prayer, or anything else that would commemorate the special child that was lost. Kurt and I lit a candle and made a small memorial for our sweet baby girl Leyna lost last year on November 22, 2008. Leyna passed away in utero during my pregnancy and I delivered her at 8:30pm that chilly November day. I took a picture of the memorial we made. In addition to the candle we lit for her, the memorial had a UGA onesie we bought when we found out we were pregnant, an ultrasound of Leyna, a blanket and hat knitted for her by the nurses in the hospital, a pretend birth certificate the nurses made (because you don't get a real one if your baby is not born alive), and the hospital bracelets she and I would have worn. The 2 little black smudges on the certificate are her very tiny footprints. Kurt and I had not looked at these things in nearly a year. I was surprised by how just seeing them again could bring back those old memories and feelings. I thought I had grieved and healed most of these feelings. But there they were all fresh and new. I felt transported back in time. But although this memorial brought with it lots of tears, I was glad we did it. We love and miss you Leyna. We will never, ever, ever forget you.

We have a plan!

So I talked to my boss yesterday about the plan to reduce my work schedule and he agreed it was a good idea. So I'll have a modified schedule for the rest of October. Then the first week in November I will officially be off until after the babies are here. I have mixed feelings about being off work. Part of me is happy because I'm so tired, not sleeping, and getting bigger and slower by the day. Part of me will miss working and my day to day routine. I have found that it's easier to rest, eat better, and stay hydrated when I'm not working. Plus it will give me additional time to plan for the babies. So it's official, we have a plan!

Am I bigger today???

Okay not to keep commenting about the ever growing belly but I think I'm bigger today than I was just one week ago. I'm wearing the same maternity top as I was in the 20 week pic I took. Here I am today at 21 weeks pregnant. You be the judge...

Back to the doc- 21 weeks

As is our routine every 2 weeks, we headed back to the doctor this morning. It took us about twice the time to drive there as it usually does because of the massive amounts of rain and traffic in Atlanta. But we finally got there. I love seeing the babies. All 3 babies are doing great! The first pic above is of baby girl A's front. She's looking right at the camera with her "alien" looking face. I think her fists are balled up in front of her. She kept opening and closing her mouth like she was talking to us. She was probably saying "stop poking me"! The 2nd pic is of baby C's profile. He is the most stubborn one and never stays still for a shot. This is the best one we've had so far. The 3rd pic is baby B's profile and he has his hand up to his face as if trying to suck his thumb. So cute! All 3 heart rates are around 150 (perfect) and they are measuring right on track. They estimated the weights at 12 oz. for baby A, 15 oz. for baby B, and 1.0 lbs even for baby C. The doc said baby A is probably a little bigger than the estimate because it was harder to get her measurements. Her brothers are sitting on her and make it tough on the doc to get a good look. They also measured my cervix and it is a whopping 5.0cm! That's great news because it means that any of the pains or contractions I've had are not shortening or opening my cervix. The one thing that was up today was my blood pressure. The doc is not too happy I'm still working full time. She asked that I talk to my boss about getting reduced duties for the next 2-3 weeks and be officially on leave from work by Nov. 1. If they cannot give me reduced duties then she will put together the official paperwork to take me off work sooner. So cross your fingers I can get a modified work schedule for the next few weeks. I'm not ready to go off work but don't want to jeopardize the pregnancy either! So all in all the visit was great!

20 Week Pic

I thought some of you might enjoy seeing an updated pic of "the beast" aka my huge baby belly. It is literally getting bigger every day! I've still only gained 4 pounds but the belly is taking on a life of it's own. It is so hard to get comfortable at night. I am having a hard time turning myself over in the bed and sitting up. I will probably only be able to work for a few more weeks. It is exhausting just getting out and doing my job. Over the last few days I have felt the flutters off and on and now I'm sure they are the babies moving. Back to the doc on Monday for my 21 week check up. Behold the Beast!

I felt flutters!

Every day I see someone who asks me "do you feel the babies move yet?". Every time I say "no" I feel worse and worse. Especially since I'm approaching 21 weeks. When will it ever start? I even contemplated just lying to people. Well now I don't have to. I'm pretty sure I felt my first flutter! Last night I was getting ready for bed and I felt a bubbling on my left side. After I laid down it kept happening off and on. It felt like a butterfly fluttering around in my low belly. It was so awesome! I know later on when they are jabbing me in the ribs I'll be begging not to feel every little thing, but for now it is so exciting. I can't wait to feel someone move around again!

Doctor visit- 19 weeks

Monday morning (7:30am to be exact) I went in for my bi-weekly scan. The babies all look fantastic! Each are growing appropriately and the heartrates are great- still in the 150's and 160's. We also got confirmation Baby A is a girl and B & C are both boys. Now let the shopping begin! We still haven't decided on the nursery theme but hope to pick that out by this weekend. The doctor measured my cervix at 4.5cm which is still nice and long and still locked up tight. This is great news. I have not had any contractions or any signs of pre-term labor which is what they check for every visit. With each passing day though I am getting more and more uncomfortable. I am still working full time but the doctors feel I will only be able to do this for another 4-8 weeks. I am hoping to stay as mobile as possible for as long as possible but it is getting so hard to do my job. The pictures they gave me are of babies A and B. Pic 1 is Baby girl's profile. Pic 2 is Baby boy B's profile. Pic 3 is of Baby A's girl parts. I already put the boy part confirmation pics on another post. Somehow they forgot to give me Baby C's pics this visit. But rest assured he is a healthy little wiggle worm. He just doesn't like the camera as much as his brother- lol. Some have complained that the black and white pics are not as clear as the 3-D color ones and they have requested I get some 3-D ones done. Those cost about $150 so if anyone wants to send me gift cards for Baby Dimensions...I'll gladly accept them...lol!

We all miss the non-pregnant Kelly

Kurt and I were sitting around the other night reminiscing about the "old Kelly" and we decided we both miss her. Kurt misses the Kelly that cooked dinner and helped with chores around the house. I miss the Kelly that ate meat and didn't run from the table to throw up. Kurt misses the Kelly that was romantic and loving instead of the "touch-me-not" grouch. I miss the Kelly that could sleep comfortably through the night without having to pee 10 times or turn over because her hips hurt too much. I miss the Kelly who could work through the whole day without practically falling asleep at the wheel. I miss the Kelly who didn't have to wear granny undies and elastic only pants. Truth be told, I think I miss the old Kelly more than Kurt does. About the only person around here who doesn't miss her is Lady. The pregnant Kelly sleeps a lot more than the old Kelly and Lady enjoys the extra snuggle time. It's getting harder and harder by the day to carry these 3 around, but I know it's all for good reason. And I wouldn't trade it for the world! Off to the doctor again tomorrow morning for my 19 week appointment. Stay tuned.

New baby pics :)

These pics are from last week's appointment. The babies each weigh around 7 ounces and are around 5 1/2 inches in length. Their heartrates were consistently in the 150's-160's. Everything is right on track! The individual pics are not as clear as some have been. Our wiggle worms are constantly on the move! There are also pics showing that "B" and "C" are big strong boys complete with boy parts. The final pic is of "B's" arm and hand waving to the camera. Baby B has always been my showboat!

The amazing growing belly!

I thought I'd post a few pics showing the progress of this crazy belly of mine. I am 18 weeks pregnant but the docs estimate I probably measure around 29 weeks or so. Most women with triplets consistently measure 10-14 weeks ahead because of course there are 3 times the baby in there. My OBGYN expects for me to have a full term 40 week belly at just 24 weeks pregnant. So in just 6 weeks I'll be "full term"- lol. Then the fun really begins! The funny thing is although my belly has grown and grown I haven't yet gained any weight. So I guess I must be getting smaller somewhere else. I wonder where??? The first pic was taken at 4 weeks pregnant- the day we found out! The next 3 were taken at 12 weeks, 16 weeks, and 18 weeks respectively.