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Thursday, January 31, 2008

Short & sweet :)

WAAAAAHOOOOO!!!!! I got a call from my peri's nurse yesterday afternoon & she told me that my 1 hour results were back. She told me that it was perfect, actually better than perfect which made me SOOOOOOO happy! As always though, there has to be that 1 thing to be thrown in there to put a little damper on the issue. My iron levels are still low. Well, DUH! I've got 3 babies sucking me dry!

I asked what I could do, whether I needed to up my iron supplement to 3 times daily & she said she would actually prefer that I try to eat more iron rich foods. I can do that...come on pasta & rice! Especially now that I'm not diabetic, I can have all that stuff. Bring it on! If that doesn't work, then I will have to up the supplement & that comes w/ consequences...constipation.

Now, I don't mean to get off on another tangent but any pregnant woman can vouch for this...being constipated sucks during pregnancy. I don't mean to get too graphic but you can't strain so that leaves very serious problems if ya know what I mean. Needless to say, the last thing I want to do is become more constipated. I have finally started to become regular. PLEASE...NO MORE IRON SUPPLEMENTS!

Anyway, back on topic. Todd is going to go to the store tonight to stalk up on iron rich & fortified food for me. Apparently the babies are fine, I just can't handle them sucking me dry. We are really going to try to change that.

Alrighty then! Enjoy the rest of your week & thank you again for all the prayers! THey continue to work!

Monday, January 28, 2008

Another great perinatologist appointment!

WOOT! God has blessed us w/ another good report from the peri! First, I had to do the 1 hour glucose test. That orange stuff isn't nearly as bad as everyone claims it to be. I guess that maybe I have a sweet tooth? Now, it did give me heartburn which wasn't any fun & I also got a sugar buzz from it that left me a little shaky but otherwise, I tolerated it well.

Of course, I was worried about the cervix but to our pleasant surprise, it is still holding! There was no funneling when she pushed on it & it is still long like it was the last time, right around the 3cm range. I think that is what scares me the most from the whole visit as I know the babies are fine b/c of their movements.

On to the babies...they are doing marvelous! The peri is very happy w/ their progress & even called Gabi a "chunker" today. What can I say? Laying in bed, eating & not exercising along w/ the daily protein shakes can really help put some weight on the babies. They all gained between 4-5oz in 10 days! I thought it would only be about 3, maybe 4 as they have been gaining about 2oz a week. Here are their stats...

Gabi ~ A whopping 1lb 10oz!
Sofi ~ Coming in 2nd at 1lb 9oz!
Ian ~ Our little caboose is 1lb 8oz!

Since they are all so close in weight, it is a big relief. We hope they continue to share the nutrients & that their placentas continue to keep up the good work! It is most definitely a combined effort at this point! We are happy to report that we do not need to go back for another 2 weeks. That is great!

Besides the appointment today, I wanted to give a HUGE THANK YOU to all the girls at Just Mommies for throwing me a WONDERFUL online baby shower. I never knew the amount of support we were receiving until I opened all the gifts that came to us through the mail from women I have never met in real life. Thank you all for coming in to our lives & loving our babies!

Now, I wanted to answer some of the comments I have received so here goes...

Tami wanted to know where we got the bedding. It took forever to find a place that had cute mini crib bedding but I finally did at a place online called "Dress up the Nursery". The owner was also kind enough to give us a 15% discount for the triplets on everything we purchased! They also have beautiful full size crib bedding. I highly recommend it to ANYONE looking. The prices are also EXTREMELY reasonable!

Susanne wanted to know if Todd went to the University of Texas & the answer is yes...HOOK 'EM HORNS!

Thank you to everyone for the continued prayers. We really appreciate all of you. God bless!

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Our first shower!

Before I even get in to the details of the shower, I really want to thank my best friend, Stacey, & good friend, Brittnay, for throwing such a wonderful shower! You girls rock!

The shower got started at about 1pm. No one ever wants to show up first so it was a bit later than that but it was still GREAT! I have to say that I really enjoyed the fact that there weren't too many people there. I think all in all, there was 10 of us but that gave me the opportunity to really talk to some of the girls I hadn't seen in a while.

Now, I have to tell you I laid down the whole time which gives a new perspective to the whole thing. I wasn't all that comfortable b/c I was trying to keep my hair decent looking...hahaha! It felt great to get ready for a big event. My spirits were lifted by all the girls there & the conversations we were having. It also helps to get that nice shower (you know what I am talking about if you have ever been on bed rest for any length of time), wear real clothing, do my hair & put on makeup. I felt like a whole new woman, at least for a little while. Laying down doesn't do much for keeping the powder on or the hair lookin' fresh, if ya know what I mean.

Here are a few pictures for you all to see!





The gifts were plentiful! I never knew baby clothes could be so darn cute! I guess I never really paid any attention to them before. We also got quite a few diapers, at least a months worth. Of course, we had to put our math skills to use to figure that out. I figured we were going to go through about 200 daipers a week, times that by 4, and that gives you around 800 diapers a month! That is a ton of diapers. Seriously...we are going to have to get another trash can for outside just for diapers alone! Do you think we can bribe the trash guys to come more than once a week???

I want to thank all my guests! Julie, Jennifer F., Jennifer C. & Kayla, Amanda, Nora, my mom, Todd's mom, and of course, my 2 hostesses...Stacey & Brittnay! I really enjoyed my time w/ you all yesterday. Thank you for making my 1st shower so special!

Thursday, January 24, 2008

We passed viabiltiy at 24 weeks!

Can I get an AMEN?!? I think I can safely say that we have finally all sighed a huges sigh of relief! Seriously, 6 weeks ago, it was uncertain whether my uterus would be able to hold these babies & whether we would make it to this crutial point. Somehow, we have managed to pass the 24 week mark which was on Monday/Tuesday depending on which dr's due date you go by.

You can tell that everyone's spirits are higher b/c we have passed this milestone. I finally started purchasing items for the baby. We received our triple decker stroller this past Saturday & you should have seen Todd putting it together. He was adorable! It was his VERY first Daddy Duty! It really made me fall in love w/ him all over again. He was so proud! We are getting the infant car seats today thanks to my in-laws. Here are some pictures.





Besides the stroller, I finally got online & ordered the baby bedding. Nope, we don't have the cribs yet but know where we will be purchasing them from. I am so excited! Here is a picture of the pattern.




I haven't gone crazy buying things though. I have held back which is very hard to do. I guess I still feel that I will "jinx" the pregnancy although we are in a relatively safe place now. Maybe part of it is if I start buying clothing, the reality of the situation will set in...we are having THREE kids. Weird how it is the clothes & other little things that have me feeling that way. The big stuff, not so much. Maybe because I can't see it? Who knows!

Also, I am really looking forward to a string of baby showers that start this weekend. My best friend, Stacey, & another friend, Brittnay, are throwing this first one on Saturday. Then all my girls from Just Mommies have been so kind as to throw me an online shower! The packages are really pouring in. I'm sure my mailman & UPS guy are starting to wonder, lol! After this weekend, my mom is hosting a shower on Feb 2nd & my MIL is hosting one Feb 9th. I am praying that my uterus will cooperate & hold out until at least after the 9th. I have a good feeling though.

The babies have become very active lately. Their kicks are getting stronger & stronger. We bond every day by playing music for them via a CD player & head phones. We also poke at them & they poke back. Our next appointment is this Monday so please pray that my uterus & cervix are still holding strong. It is a wonderful feeling to actually go & get a good report.

Again, Todd & I want to thank all of you for your continued support throughout this adventure. God bless you all!

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Postpartum reality sets in :(

It is one thing to know that you aren't going to have much muscles left after being in bed for a long time, it is a complete other to be told you will most likely need physical therapy to really be able to get back on your feet! WOW! I know I am getting weaker & weaker by the day. Shoot, by the end of a 10 minute shower, I am winded & needing to get straight in to bed to calm down again.

Reality is setting in. I think part of me knew about what the recovery was going to be like but seeing that I needed 8 weeks after the c-section to recover & most likely longer b/c of the lack of muscles I have...well...it is a scary thought. I have always been use to being able-bodied & active. I am very self-sufficient. Now days, not so much. Todd has to help me out of the shower. He helped me dress myself b/c I was exhausted. He put deoderant on for me. Basically, without him by my side, I could not make it through a 10 minute shower. It makes me sad.

How am I going to do this after the babies are born? How am I going to manage healing from the c-section, going to physical therapy, visiting the NICU, & managing to just take care of the basics in between all that? I shudder at the thought of how miserable I am going to be physically after all this is said & done. Being in bed is the easy part, most days, but then to have to deal w/ 3 babies...geez...wow...HELP!

I have talked to a couple of triplet mommies here in the area & they said it took about a year to really get back to their normal states. A whole year to regain the muscle strength & stamina. A WHOLE YEAR! Yeah, I'm freaking out just a little but not so much that I am not up for the challenge. If I can make it through this...the bedrest...for 15 weeks which would put us at 34 weeks gestation, then that is the biggest hurdle of all. The rest will just be what it is. I'm just glad I realize the battle I have ahead of me. I know Todd will support me throughout all this. He is my rock.

Ok, I feel a little better now that I have written about it. I'll be A-OK! Please keep the prayers coming!

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Bedside potties DO work!

Hahaha...you are probably thinking, "What the heck?" Well, after last week's scary 4.5 hour appointment at the peri, Todd suggested that we get a little port-o-potty for right next to the bed. He was a darling in that he actually counted how many steps it took to get to the bathroom & back. 28 total, 14 there, 14 back. I told him I wanted the potty immediately so he went to Academy & found one for camping. It is perfect! It has also really helped me out quite a bit. I do not have to be vertical for very long at all which is giving my cervix the relief that it needs to do its job & keep the babies in.

LONG LIVE THE POTTY!

Now, how does that tie into the peri's visit we had today? Let me start from the beginning...

First, you have to know that the night before is tortuous. Seriously, I could barely sleep. I was up every 45 minutes to an hour to go pee or to reposition myself b/c I was uncomfortable. BLAH! Nerves & anxiety are no good for sleep. Finally, I decided to wake up & just get my contractions monitoring out of the way. I put on the belt & dozed in & out of sleep for the next hour. I am happy to report that there were no contractions the whole hour! I have found the solution to stopping contractions...SLEEP! Now, if there were only a way I could sleep through the next 7 weeks. Any suggestions?

After the good report, I got to lay down for a while & wait for Todd to come home. I no longer trust myself to shower w/ no one in the house. It is better to be safe than sorry! As soon as he walked in, I got my long awaited shower! I can't tell you how good it feels. It is something we all take for granted. So, the next time you shower, stop & enjoy it.

I put on a little bit of makeup so I didn't look like death warmed over & put on jeans for the 1st time in 5 weeks. I also wore my favorite sweater. I was determined to make a good trip out of this visit. We got in the car, me laying down in the back as to not irritate the uterus & cervix. Thankfully there was no traffic & we got down to the medical center in about 15 minutes. If you live in Houston, you know that getting anywhere in 15 minutes is a miracle, especially to downtown!

It gets better...we get to the peri's office & Todd puts the receptionists in stitches. He reversed our last name w/ my first name & they couldn't find me on the appointment list. Men, they never get it right! Then, they buzzed us right in. NO WAITING! That never happens at a doctor's office. I think I can get an AMEN from everyone on that right now, lol.

I did the normal pee in a cup. Nothing to be worried about. Then I got to go right back to the ultrasound room. WOOT! Anther good thing. The peri comes in & automatically goes directly to (insert the loud, booming voice) "The Cervix". I was watching on the screen as I know what to look for. Are you ready for this? There was NO FUNNELING! She didn't say the dreaded, "I don't like this. I don't like this at all." & just moved along to the babies.

Huh...what? Did that really happen? Where is the rewind button? I was totally in shock. I didn't even think to ask how long my cervix was measuring BUT from the looks of it, I would easily say it was back up to about 3cm! YEAH BABY...er...um...BABIES! How about them apples? I wanted to jump off of the table & do a happy cervix dance. Anyone out there willing to do one for me?

Back to the scan, the babies are doing well as always. This time I remembered to ask her if all their body parts & organs were in place. She said that from the looks of it, the babies are perfect. Hehe...I knew we would make good babies given the opportunity for the egg & the sperm to meet. HALLELUYAH! They are all well over a pound now. Sofi & Ian weigh in at 1 lb 4 oz. Gabi is up on them by an oz at 1 lb 5 oz. The kids were moving about...so cute! I love seeing their body parts.

I can't believe how blessed we are today. I am amazed at the power of prayer. More than anything, the potty worked! The peri even said so. Todd asked if it had anything to do w/ the fact that my cervix was better & she said most likely it was b/c I didn't have to be on my feet which puts pressure on the cervix. So...we are bowing down to the potty today. Todd is beaming w/ pride that he thought of getting one & I am giving him full credit this time around. I love my honey! Best of all, we don't go back to the peri for another 10 days rather than 7. That means she is happy w/ my progress. I'll be 25 weeks by the time we see her again! WWWAAAAHHHHOOOO!!!

PLEASE keep the prayers coming! We appreciate them all & know that it is helping us get through all this. God's power is amazing!

Thursday, January 10, 2008

BLAH...I don't like going to the doctor!

Yeah, well...I think I can officially say that I HATE to go to the peri. I don't like it, don't want to go...it is WAY TOO stressful for me. First, we get there & hardly anyone is there so we think we are in the clear & won't have to wait long. HA! Wouldn't you know it, someone was ready to have their baby so OFF she went to deliver. Then she came back & told us she was really sorry for having to go but this girl was delivering a DEAD baby. Um...yeah...give me some reassurance before we get down to the nitty-gritty!

She put the gel on my tummy & immediately looked at my cervix & as always, a frown came over her face. Ohhhh...I hate seeing that look. She said, "Your cervix is changing. I don't like this, I don't like it a bit." GREAT! Well, it seems she was referring to the wonderful funneling I have had since the 18the week but it seems to be funneling a bit easier & she didn't know what to do about it so we had to go to "the back room".

Mind you, the last time we went to "the back room", we ended up in the hospital. So when we heard that we were going back there, both of us started to realize that maybe we were off to the hospital once again. Also, it takes for ever for her to get back there. It was tough b/c I was thinking for sure that we were headed back. I lost it. I was scared & didn't know what to think or do. I sat there begging God to please give us another 12 days. All I want is to get these babies to the 24 week mark. Then they have a fighting chance. It is OBVIOUS that my body doesn't like being pregnant w/ triplets. I kept thinking that my body was failing the babies. I couldn't help but cry. It was just so hard to sit there & think that our babies would not survive if they came this early. Tough thoughts to deal w/ while waiting to know our fate.

Finally, after ions & ions of time going by, the peri came in & did an internal. OUCHIE! I was not very happy w/ it & she knew about it. She wiggled the cervix around a bit. Then she said, "It is holding strong. I think I feel comfortable enough to send you home for now." WHEW! You have no idea how that hour of waiting was before she said those words. TORTUOUS! I guess I need to get use to this part. How someone can do that, I have no idea.

I am going to monitor 3 times a day now, just to make me feel more comfortable. I just don't want to be having too many contractions at any other given time b/c I always seem to fly right underneath the radar every time I monitor in the morning & in the evening. If I break through w/ more than 4 an hour, my dose of albuterol will go from every 6 hrs to every 4 hrs & if that doesn't work, then I will get the terbutaline pump which would really suck BUT if it keeps the babies in, so be it. I don't know if anyone has had to experience that drug but it makes you really shaky & also makes your heart race. To top it off, it makes you very jittery & ready to jump out of your skin at any sound that is not expected. To give you an idea of what it feels like, think of that long night you didn't have any sleep & then the million cups of coffee you had the next day to keep you awake. Yeah...that feeling...that is what the terbutaline pump will make me feel like all day long.

I have been knocked down to 1 dose of my metformin (500mg) per day. I asked about when we could get the steroid shot for the babies lungs & she said not before 23 1/2 weeks. The babies' lungs aren't developed until that point so you can't give it before then. So, that is only 7 days away if we need it. If I stay stable, she will hold off until it is absolutely necessary.

For now, I am tucked into my own bed & greatful to be home. I am praying that I can stay here until I hit 24 weeks. After that, I will surrender myself to the hospital when they need me to go. What ever it takes...that is what I will do. Thank you all for the well wishes. It was a bit of a scare today but we made it through.

PLEASE keep the prayers coming! We only need another 12 days under our belt. Only 12 days.



PS ~ Jean Marie...you rock! I received your wonderful care package! LOVE YOU!

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Bad staff...bad, bad staff!

Ok, well...let me tell you a little story about what happened last Thursday when we had to go to the L&D testing center & then to the peri's office. First, my peri's REAL nurse is fantastic & we both really like her BUT her 2 NA's are a different story. Honestly, until Thursday, I never had an issue w/ them but listen what Todd had to go through...

While in w/ the peri, it was clearly stated that I did not need to be walking much except to the bathroom & showers or very short distances. Needless to say, he asked her about the walk from the office to the car & she said she rather me be in a wheelchair. Now, the peri told US that we needed to utilize a wheelchair. It was not our idea. SOOOO...after the peri left the room, DH went & asked for a wheelchair & was told by this 1 particular NA that although there was 1 in the office, we were not going to use it, that HE had to go downstairs to security to get one.

Off he went...for 15 minutes...first trying to FIND where security was & then just to be told that there wasn't a security department only an officer & he didn't have a wheelchair. The NA had totally LIED to him. How could she not know there wasn't a "security department"? He came back upstairs & ran into a nice lady that worked w/ another peri in the office & she was leading him to the wheelchair when the SAME NA stopped them &told her that she would allow her to get the chair for us. WHAT???? What is the point of having a FRIGGIN' chair in the office if you can't use it? Besides, who died & made you the BOSS? I would have been infuriated at this point as I am sure Todd was. Since I was still laying down in the u/s room, I had no idea all this was going on. The only thing that concerned me was that I had to pee really bad & that my husband was somewhere for a very long time!

So, finally he started to raise his voice & told the NA that she needed to give him a viable option as to where to get a chair. He told the NA that he would walk across the street back to the hospital to get a chair if that is what he had to do BUT he would not be given the run around any longer. Finally the REAL nurse came & told her that she would get the chair & she was being unreasonable. The nurse had no idea that the NA had made this whole situation so difficult. FINALLY...after almost 40 minutes of wheelchair chasing, we finally got one. The nurse told us to call the office manager & complain about how we were treated by the NA b/c that chair IS THERE for the SOUL PURPOSE of helping patients that NEED IT. Not only that, but the PERI had TOLD US to get one! Also, I had just had a terbutaline shot & my heart was racing already & I wasn't feeling all that fantastic. I had a really difficult time walking up to the peri's office from the 1st floor as it was & had totally lost my breath on the trip up. Between being in bed for 3 weeks & that shot, I was done...caput...not able to make the walk.

Todd was FURIOUS & was trying to keep his calm...poor guy. I know that the instinct to take care of me no matter what was raging inside of him but at the same time he was remembering that if he let loose on this NA that our future experiences at the peri's would be strained. What a difficult situation to be in & all for a darn wheelchair!

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Baby Registry, Baby Showers & Singing...

What do the 3 have in common besides the obvious babies...nothing except that it really makes what we are going through REAL. Let me start w/ the registering.

Now, obviously I can't go into the stores & register which really takes the fun out of it b/c you can put your hands on things & you can really see what they look like. So, when you are stuck having to register online, it isn't quite as much fun & it is very tedeous. Not that I don't mind b/c honestly...it takes up quite a bit of time to look & has made the past few days go by quickly. Also, being a first time mommy, I have no idea what I really need & what I don't. I know I am missing things on there so if you have any suggestions, please feel free to let me know!

On the flip side, I have been avoiding the whole registry thing b/c I feel that I am jinxing the pregnancy & am doomed. I don't know why I feel this way. It is really weird to think that by buying something which I have also avoided doing or registering for baby items will bring an early demise to the babies. It is just a feeling I can't shake BUT as the showers quickly approach, I have been forced to finally sit down & deal w/ this. I guess this stems from all the scares we have had thus far & also the fact that we have already lost 1 baby before this pregnancy. The innocence & joy of pregnancy has been snatched from me & I am trying to regain some of it. So far, so good & I have been able to enjoy picking out all the cute things for the babies. I guess you can say I have overcome a serious obstacle although I will still not purchase anything for the babies myself.

The way I feel about the registry is the same way I feel about the showers. I so badly want to enjoy them b/c they really are a time to celebrate the life that is growing inside you & also b/c you get showered w/ all the most precious baby items, love & support from those that attend. I have refused any showers before we hit 24 weeks. I just can't bring myself to allow people to bring me gifts for the babies until I know they are at least viable outside of their current home, my womb. After we hit that 24 week mark, I will sigh a big sigh of relief. Trust me, I know that it is still too early for them to come but at least they have a fighting chance.

With that being said, I am really looking forward to the several showers that are being thrown for me. Of course they are all going to be here at our home b/c I can't go anywhere else & honestly, that is fine w/ me. I will sit...ok, ok...LAY my happy butt on the couch & allow everyone to come around me. I hate that I can't move around & hug people all the way but ya know...that is the way the cookie crumbles. I am looking forward to seeing many people & also it gives me something to count down to besides each week we successfully complete. I have to say, it is about time I get the showers after having attended & thrown my own share.

Now for the last part...singing...what in the world am I talking about? Well, a conversation was started on the board I am a part of (Just Mommies) about singing to the baby. Well, if any of you know me well...you know I am a HORRIBLE singer. I can barely carry a note let alone sing a whole song, hehe. Everyone was talking about how special the experience is & how their previous children love it when mommy sings so I decided to embark on the adventure of singing to my 3 babies today. I started singing Twinkle, Twinkle Lil Star & didn't make it much further than that before I started crying. Yeah, I'm an emotional basketcase. Then I started to think about how one day I hope to be singing to them when they are out of my womb & that hopefully they won't start screaming at the top of their lungs at how badly I am doing at it. Maybe they will fall in love w/ my voice & one day beg me to sing them a song before they go to bed. Ah...that would be a dream come true.

Now that I can see how special the singing is, I need to learn a few baby songs b/c I have never had to sing them before! As a matter of fact, I think Twinkle, Twinkle is the only one I know all the words too, haha! Also, with every day that passes, we are 1 day closer to hitting our first goal...24 weeks!

Please keep the prayers coming & know that we really appreciate all the support & love we have been receiving. God Bless!

Friday, January 4, 2008

Our 1st trip to the hospital!

Yep, yesterday we had our 1st trip to the hospital with contractions. Ok, first, I didn't realize they were really contractions. I thought they would hurt but all it did was really make my tummy hard, almost like the babies were balling up. I could feel my tummy start to tighten & then relax again in about a 15-20 second cycle. They weren't too close together. I had 5 that I could count in about 1 hour & 45 minutes. So, I decided to call the peri's office. I spoke to the nurse & she said she was going to talk to Dr. Adam & then call me back.

About 15 minutes later, I received the call to go to the hospital to get monitored for contractions. I called Todd to come pick me up. Poor thing was already having a rough day at work but then to be calle by his wife to tell him, "We are off to the hospital"...well, I am sure that couldn't have been good for his stress level.

We arrived at the hospital & went to the L&D testing center. I was hooked up to the TOCO (monitoring machine) & for the 1st 20 minutes, nothing. Then out of the blue, I had about 4 contractions that were somewhere between 4-10 minutes apart. As soon as I saw that, I turned & told Todd, "Get ready b/c they are about to put me on some medication that will help stop them." He looked at me & you could see the worry in his face. It broke my heart b/c all I wanted was for my body to cooperate. I told him I was sorry that my body wasn't doing what it needed to.

The second I finished my sentence, the nurse comes in & proceeds to tell us that I would be given a shot of terbulaline to stop the contractions. If it didn't work, she was authorized to give me 2 more at 15 minute intervals & then my 1st dose of albuterol (drug normally prescribed for asthmatics but also for preterm contractions). Had this not worked, I don't know what the next step would have been but I am glad to report that the contractions stopped w/ the 1st shot!

From there I went to the peri's office b/c she wanted to put me on a home monitoring system & check the babies. The trips are doing fantastic & the peri is very happy w/ their growth & development. Apparently my body is doing it's job getting the babies fed! Thank God for little favors! Their stats are...

Sofi ~ 21w 4d, 1 lb
Gabi ~ 21w 4d, 1 lb
Ian ~ 21w 5d, 1 lb 2 oz

They are big babies & all ahead of their gestational age by 2-3 days! That brings me comfort. While there, they were moving like crazy. It was cute to see all their parts. I was also told that although my cervix & the cerclage was still holding, when pressured, I was still funneling. No problem! I'll stay off of my feet. I was also given a prescription of the albuterol to take every 6 hours to fight off the contractions. More meds for me!

As of now, I am still having some minor contractions BUT they aren't happening frequently enough to worry about it. The albuterol is doing its job for now. If I need to, the dose can be taken every 4 hours. After that, it is going to be a terbutaline pump. Boy, does that stuf make you jittery! I'm not sure that I would want to be on that 24/7 BUT if I have to be to keep these babies baking, I sure will!

As always, PLEASE keep those prayers coming! It is so hard to get through the days w/o worry but I am trying the best I can. The prayers definitely help! Love to you all!

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

3 more weeks til our 1st goal!

We have made it to 21 weeks! I can't believe how fast last week went & it is already Wednesday, January 2nd! Where did the time go? Seriously, I never thought that time would speed on by while stuck in bed but WOW, it sure did this week! I think that I can honestly say that the 1st week in bed was horrible. I was trying to get use to laying horizontally & keeping myself busy & that was really tough. See, normally I am a very active person. Before the pregnancy, I was active in martial arts, working out, cleaning my house, doing the yard (one of my favorite things to do), & just being active in general. So, to go from all that to...well...nothing...that was hard! Now that I'm entering week 3 on bed rest, I have gotten accustomed to being in bed & either working on the computer, watching tv, reading, or something else. It has really helped!

I think a huge help has been my wonderful husband. Todd treats me like a QUEEN & I am not lying when I say that. I am so well taken care of. Also, on his days off, he tries to either stay in bed w/ me to keep me company or he is around the house doing things that need to be done like laundry. For example, yesterday we spent about 5 hours in bed together watching Season 1 of The Sopranos. We both enjoyed the time together & the show. In between the episodes, my darling would do laundry! That is my honey! I can't live without him, that is for sure!

I have also had quite a few visitors which have helped pass the time. My best friend, Leslie, came in from New Jersey & spend all of last Friday with me. She is also pregnant & due only 3 days before me. The difference in our size is AMAZING! We had a blast laying around all day eating junk food. It all started w/ donuts & ended up w/ Chick-fil-A...YUMMY! We also bought things from her registry & just hung out being pregnant together. We always dreamed about becoming parents together. The only bummer is she is still living in New Jersey. Anyone have any ideas how to get her back home to Texas?

After 10 days in Pennsylvania, my inlaws are also back in town. It is great to have them back home. My parents are still out of town but will be back this weekend. Both sets of parents have been fantastic in helping us. I don't know what we would do without them! Some of my other visitors have been Stacey (my other very bestest frind in the world), her daughter Bailey who I have known since birth, Jeff, Julie, my brother, & Jesse. It is great having them visit me! I am looking forward to more visitors in the days/weeks to come.




OHHHH...I can't forget my beloved kitties! They keep me entertained. Jack & I play fetch every day in the morning. It is the cutest thing I have ever seen...a cat that plays fetch. She is very thorough about it. First, she brings me the ball & drops it where I can reach it. Then she gets herself all ready...perky ears, straight back, & starts looking around for the ball even before I throw it. Then I toss the ball from the bedroom to the living room & off she goes. She gets the ball & brings it right back to where we started. We can do this for quite some time! Who would have thunk...a cat that plays fetch.

Now, on to the babies...they have been moving & kicking like crazy! Seriously...it is like they are having a soccer match in there at least twice a day! Todd feels them from time to time. Leslie also got to feel them move. Every once in a while they rearrange themselves & one side of my tummy will stick out further than the other. Todd sees this & is just amazed! Honestly, so am I. We get to see our precious babies again next Tuesday, January 8th. I hope that my cervix is still holding up & that there isn't any more funneling. I have been following my bed rest orders very strictly so I am hoping that nothing has gotten worse. Well, I think that is about it for now.

Love you all!