NO preterm labor yet!

Yesterday was quite a long, suspenseful day…but overall turned out pretty good!  Throughout the weekend, my monitor was showing 5-6 contractions an hour.  That’s up to the threshold for preterm labor, so when Dr found out Mon. morning she wanted me to go on into the hospital’s labor & delivery testing center. Of course this worried me (being at 28 weeks now), but I wasn’t feeling many other symptoms, so I wasn’t thinking they’d arrive yet!

   At the hospital, they 1st  did a fetal fibronectin test which would tell them if they babies were coming within the next 2 weeks….and it came back NEGATIVE yay!!  So I’ll most likely keep them in till at least 30 weeks!!

Over the next few hours, they did a non-stress test on the babies (they passed with flying colors!!), and continued to monitor my contractions (they weren’t too bad!).  So I got some meds, ordered room service (the fajitas were actually really good!), and waited for a bit longer on the monitors.

Next, doctor wanted to see me so we headed to her office.  Babies all looked right on schedule:  2lbs 4oz- 2lbs 9oz.   And cervix had no changes yet which is also a good sign!  She said overall, she is NOT worried at this point, BUT  (there always seems to be a but right?!)  the problem is that i'm really limited with options to stop preterm labor once it starts!  Here’s why:    

--the main drug that has been used effectively for many years to help stop labor was JUST banned (3 months ago…crazy!) and dr. is not happy with that…it was  always their biggest defense in the past (and what I'd always assumed I'd be able to use too!)

--the next drug option she would normally use won’t work for me b/c she said I’m petite (not quite ha!) and my blood pressure is too low to handle it, so that’s out

-- 3^rd choice (Procardia) can’t be used long term, so she doesn’t want to start it now then have to go off since they're not coming too soon

-- next would be Magnesium, but you must be on hospital bedrest and it has really bad side effects--doesn’t think that’d be worth it yet either

SO, I’m left with only 1 option for now, and it’s a drug to slow contractions called Ventalin.  I’ll be taking that at home, along with coming in for progesterone shots each week.  Also, will be going back to testing room occasionally to do more monitoring, FF test, etc.    Not bad at all!

In the end, she said I get an “A” for this visit, and can even still move around the house and get out occasionally depending on how I feel (and avoiding the heat).  She could tell I looked more tired and run down, and said I’ll be the one to make adjustments as needed (which I’m already doing given the fact I have to lay down after just showering, and get out of breath walking to bathroom!)

Thanks so much for all the prayers and sweet thoughts!  I can promise you they are helping more than you know!!  Love you all!                                                                                                     

7 months woohoo!!

Made it another week!  Honestly, if I had a penny for every time someone asks, “when are you due?” or “almost there huh?”…. I wish I knew the answer, but just have no clue!  I’d love to make it one more month to 32 weeks (that’s the avg for triplets), but even at that point they’re still 2 months early, so it’d be nice to get to 33 or more.  Not likely, but we’ll try J

father's day...even got the traditional apron
at Taste of TX...must be officially a dad!

I’m really thinking there are changes coming quickly because the last 3 times I’ve monitored contractions there has been 5 or 6 an hour.  This is technically the threshold where I would either be put on drugs to stop preterm labor or hospital bedrest.  However, since I’m not having any other big symptoms yet, the nurses are letting me stay and keep monitoring several times a day (I’m still on the Home Uterine MonitorL) for now.  I’m just hoping to make it past the weekend without increasing contractions so I could go into my dr’s office instead of admitted to hospital!

Other than that, not much to report!  I’ve been able to do quite a lot this week:  Father’s day with both families, my longest friend visiting from Dallas, celebrating anniversary, another sweet friend’s baby shower, and spending time with sisters!  So happy I was still able to be a part of all those special events!!

how far along?  28 weeks

how are you measuring?  39 weeks
size of babies?  over 2 pounds each!

total weight gain  +32 pounds

stretch marks? No…still can’t believe it
sleep? Interrupted by bathroom trips….at least 6 a night!

best moment this week?  Too many to list, see above paragraph!--got to see family and friends so much this week!!

movement?   Oh YES—all 3 are very active all the time w/ big movements!

food cravings? Nothing really, still trying to eat LOTS of meat and eggs, really anything to put on more weight

what i miss:  going with mom and sisters to Vegas this weekL  had to stay home this trip!!

what I'm looking forward to:  Maggiano’s tonight yumm and dr. appt Wednesday

how are you feeling? A LOT more tired and moving slower than normal. Also getting out of breath really quickly, and overall quite a bit more uncomfortable than usual 

A look back....



Happy anniversary to my best friend and soul mate!  It has truly been the most amazing 3 years of marriage....lots of laughs, travels, new beginnings, and treasured memories!

  

 What's also special about this year, is that we met and started dating 10 years ago.  Tim came to my highschool to play baseball when he was a junior, and we were both 16.  Literally 3 days after meeting we started dating, were inseparable through hs, and within a month we knew we would be married some day.  

Let me follow that by saying we definitely didn't stay together ALL 10 years....dated other people during the first few years of college, but always were in touch and knew in our hearts we were destined to be together.  

Here is a quick look back at our journey...

  

16 years old-2001

  

at our favorite dance hall...yes we actually
 used to country dance

 

 



annual family river trip...can't believe how
 young everyone looks!



aggie game-2005







2006



beach trip 2007

engaged! 2006



sorority date party

thanks for the memories... I love you so much, and can't wait to start this new chapter of our lives together!!

Nursery is Done!!

Yahoooo!!  I honestly cannot believe everything is in it's place and organized before I'm on any bedrest!!  We couldn't be happier with how everything turned out....timmy calls it the happiest room in the house and I agree.  It's just really fits our personalities, and feels so warm & cozy :)

This was definitely a team effort since I am very limited in lifting/moving, etc.  Mom has been the biggest help (but then again anyone who knows her could have already told you that!)  She is so selfless and dedicated to doing whatever she can to make our lives easier, and I would be so lost without her!!  She truly made this all possible!  Timmy also loved his role in the room, and did awesome with installing the chair railing (w/ his dad's help), painting (with ash and al's help), hanging everything, and just being supportive of it all!

shelves were so fun to fill b/c we used several things from my old nursery and things my grandma made 26 years ago.

glad we have a big closet in there...it's filled on the 2 sides too, and diapers stacked 6 feet high where you can't see

thankful :)

Whew!  I made it through another appointment with no change in restrictions!! I was really thinking that by 26.5 weeks i'd for sure be confined to bed (actually I always was thinking 24 weeks, but survived that!)  Although we had to wait for 2 hours (thank goodness he had his Blackberry and Iphone on him or we'd be in trouble hehe), but the actual visit was pretty quick!  Babies are all doing well, and were amazingly all head down lined up together (see photo)

         Dr. also did the 4D ultrasounds again...crazy...but the pics weren't as good as last time--they were wiggling way too much to capture it!  I hadn't gained any weight since last visit-still 151, but she didn't seem concerned about that.  I am going to up my eating frequency (if that's possible!!) b/c I know this month is really critical in getting those babies ready for delivery!  Could be in a month at this point, although she is hoping for at least 6 more weeks (which would put me at 32-33 weeks)   I wish I knew exactly when it will happen, but I'm expecting some hospital bedrest if I make it to 31 or 32 weeks--they'll try to prolong it with me there, which i'd be totally fine with considering it means less NICU time!! Then again, I could end up there next week...you just never know!  But for now, i'm counting my blessings!

        Speaking of counting....I've also been counting my contractions unfortunately!  At least twice a day i hook my tummy up to a monitor (looks like an EKG machine), and have to lay still for an hour....if you know me, you know that's almost impossible :)   Then I send in the report to the hospital, and a nurse calls me back to report how many i had...it's been averaging 2-3 an hour (sometimes 4 which always worries me).  Apparently this doesn't mean preterm labor yet b/c with multiples you have more than normal.  The problem is that i don't feel any of these, so they could increase without us knowing!  Praying they will stay down so i can stay home!

      And speaking of home, you may wonder what I'm filling my time with here :)  

   Here is a random list of things i'm enjoying now:

- mindless TV: Today show, KLG and Hoda, Law & Order (esp. SVU), The Voice, NCIS, etc

- catching up w/ friends and neighbors at lunches or house visits

- eating, eating, eating!! 

- working w/ mom on organizing nursery (it is 98% done...pics coming soon!) and getting all the clothes ready! 

-reading:  Shopaholic series, Beth Moore devotionals, lots of baby books!

-Seeing movies at SMG:  really recommend Super 8...and the sweet potato fries there :)

-getting manicures and pedicures :) 

-did i mention eating?  :)

25 weeks!

 Can't believe another week has gone by...time's really flying!  Here's an update:

how far along?  25 weeks

how are you measuring?  35-36 weeks
size of babies?  Almost 2 pounds each!

total weight gain  +29 pounds

stretch marks? No, not yet!! (see pics below)
sleep?  Ok, not great but getting enough. Usually lay back in bed after breakfast and stay there till at least 10 J 

 best moment this week?  seeing the 4D ultrasounds!!  movement?   YES—all 3 are very active, especially when i have the monitor on! they get a bit scared of it I think, and all start kicked at the strap hah!

food cravings? Pancakes and syrup!…I’ve been making some HungryJack 3 mornings a week! Plus LOTS of scrambled eggs to get in my protein at breakfast

what i miss:  laying out in the sun…I had been reading outside some, but dr. said heat can effect me really quickly now, so to stay inside during this hot weather!

what I'm looking forward to:  my prenatal massage this week…upper back is killing me!  And lunch with the family after church today! mom has made a Christmas dinner essentially, but ham instead of turkey....yummy!!

how are you feeling?  Overall, I am feeling great for being this far along with 3! Still can’t believe I’m not on full bed rest or in the hospital by now!  So thankful!! 

I always swore I wouldn't post any "belly pics" b/c honestly most gross me out! But several people have wanted to see it in person and I would be curious too....so after I was looking at several pics on other triplet blogs and they had lots of stretch marks, etc at this point--I figured, hey mine's not too bad! So here's your ONE and ONLY look at what 3 babies look like :)  I won't be this open at 30 weeks I'm sure haha!!

amazed!

Wow!  Cannot believe we're already at 24.5 weeks!!  Not only is this a big milestone for triplets (they are now viable and could survive if they decided to come this early-but they won't!!), but things are still going amazingly smooth!

Had an appointment yesterday, and Dr. Hare was really pleased with everything:  My weight gain (slowly but surely got up to 151 woohoo!), no major contractions or cervix issues (so glad I got the cerclage done early!), and the babies' weight!  In fact, they were ALL 1 pound, 7 oz.--she said she's never seen triplets all having the exact weight at this point, and she sees LOTS of triplets!  Not a lot of stuff surprises her, but this really had her going!!

AND the best part was she did 4D ultrasounds on them....we were so excited b/c we weren't expecting that at all, and she said for us not to tell anyone she did those (so it's just between us!)  It was absolutely AMAZING to see them in that way!  I thought we were already spoiled by getting ultrasounds every 2 weeks, but this just took it to a whole new level and knocked the normal ultrasounds outta the park! 

   I'm already in love with those little noses and sweet mouths!  Londyn was apparently talking or singing most of the time haha!

Speaking of Londyn...dr said she's going to be a little stinker heh!  She was trying to hid behind brother most of the time, and kept moving as soon as we'd find her...then cover her face w/ her hands.  that's why it looks pretty blurry b/c of all the movement they were doing!
This last pic is yesterday too, but the regular ultrasound....now do you see what i mean....can't even compare! 

Overall, things are going really well right now!  I'm still allowed to do my outing each day, and not confined to the bed. However, i do spend a lot more time laying down/relaxing on the couch b/c I get so tired, and the heat is really rough out there too!  So many triplet mommies I've talked to or read about in their blogs were not this "free" at this time, and many were already on hospital bedrest, so I am truly thankful and amazed at how much God is blessing us!  Keep it coming please :)

As of today, I'm also set up with a Home Uterine Monitor to track/assess contractions that I may or may not be feeling.  But that's a whole other story with lots to tell, so i'll save it for next time!

thanks so much for all your prayers....please keep them up!! Love you all!