November 7th, 2013 - 23 weeks & 1 Day - Surprise
Tonight my husband and I had the biggest surprise of this entire pregnancy (besides finding out it was triplets). Around 7pm three of my mother's co-workers came by the house with the excuse that they were coming to visit me as I had been feeling under the weather. What I didn't know was that they were coming by to deliver the three cribs for the babies!!!!! All three cribs were purchased by 23 of my mother's co-workers. Words can not describe how happy and grateful my husband and I feel towards each and everyone of these amazing women who felt it in their hearts to bless us with our cribs. I was so shocked that I couldn't even talk! God is good all the time and I pray that he blesses every single one of these ladies... abundantly!!!!!
November 9th, 2013 - 23 weeks & 3 days - Baby Shower
Was an amazing day! Today was our baby shower where we celebrated with family and friends. We had 106 family, friends and co-workers come out on our special day. My husband and I as well as the triplets were so blessed with so many things! We got all three mattresses, 3 high chairs, pampers, wipes, sleepers, outfits, socks, bibs, wash clothes, the diaper pail, bottles and so much more! My friends were so creative in their way of presenting their gifts as well... Everyone knows how much I love owls! The nursery for the babies is owls and so I got some pretty awesome owls made of diapers, bibs, and pacifiers. I even had 3 peas in a pod made of diapers, pacifiers, and receiving blankets. I mean people came up with such creative gifts. We are all so very thankful and grateful for everything we got. I must admit that about 1/4 of the way through the gifts my back and arms gave out. I was extremely tired and sore and therefore my husband had to take over in opening the gifts. It was funny watching him open the gifts and not know exactly what they were for... like the diaper pail LOL... Here are a few shots from the shower...
Here are five of my mother's co-workers who went in on the cribs. They have all been such a great support to myself and my mother during my IVF and pregnancy. We are truly blessed by these women.
Here we are with our 3 Mattresses one from each of our aunts - Carmen, Laura & Wally! Thank you so much!!!!
Here's Tito with his favorite bottles ... LOL ... Seriously the man fought me the day we went to do the registry... it had to be these or nothing... So babies you better like these bottles LOL - Thank you Vero, Vika and Chris for the bottles!
How cute are these? Here are 3 of 4 owl creations we received. They are so cute we haven't taken them apart yet! Thank you Chipo, Kristina, Krystal and Mimi!
Hadassah, Isabella and Cianna's first church outfits! Thank you Tio George and Titi Irene!
Out little peas in the pod thanks to Krystal, Kristina & Mimi. Sad story - my husband jam packed my car after the shower so they didn't make it. By the time we got home you couldn't tell what they were but at least I got some nice pictures of them LOL
How cute are these hats? These were made by Ashley - she did a fantastic job with them. I can't wait to use them on the girls.
The "CAKE." It's a strawberry filled, vanilla cake with buttercream frosting and pure white jimmy's. The message says "A gift from above, three baby girls to love." Sweets Eats Bakery did a fantastic job making this cake and Becky did a fantastic job cutting it LOL... I don't know how to cute round cakes... Anyway, So my mother and I were so busy with the gift opening that we never got to eat cake on the day of the shower. We finally had cake 3 days later LOL But the wait was worth it as the cake was very very yummy...
Here are the favors that I made for the shower. These are mason jars filled with Chocolate Chip cookie recipe and then I decorated the outside to look like owls. It took about a month to make 60 of them as I made about 1-5 a day LOL
Following the shower we went home and I sat in the nursery and went through every single gift bag. I got to finally look at everything in detail and of course write up my thank you list. I also made a list of everything that we still needed with the help of my mother and then I crashed! It must have been midnight by the time I finally went to bed, but all in all we had a wonderful time and we thank every single person who came out and celebrated the future coming of our three girls. Your love and support and generosity has not and will not go unnoticed. We love you all so so so so so very much!
November 11th, 2013 - 23 weeks and 5 days - Obgyn Visit & Shopping Day
I spent the entire day with my wonderful mother. Our day started out with a check up at the obgyn. Heartbeats were great and the Doctor seemed happy with my progress to date. She measured my stomach... I'm 23 weeks but I measured 29 weeks O_o and then we were on our way to shop for the babies. We went to Burlington Coat Factory, Walmart, Target, Babies R Us and Boscovs. With a list in hand of the items we still needed my mother and I headed out and braved the stores. We got the changing pad and covers, health and grooming kits, wipes, diapers, and so much more and the best part of it all... it was all covered by gift cards that we had received from the baby showers. So thank you to everyone who gave us gift cards. They truly came in handy!
November 13th, 2013 - 24 Weeks - Work
Today was supposed to be my second to last day at work. I was super stressed out and overwhelmed trying to get my cases in order before heading out on maternity leave. Around noon I started having what I thought were Braxton Hicks. I drank 5 bottles of water in 20 minutes and nothing stopped them. I went home and laid down and eventually they calmed down.
November 14th, 2013 - 24 Weeks & 1 Day - The Day It All Changed
Today I headed to Maternal Fetal Medicine with my mother bright an early for a growth check on the babies. The ultrasound started out great! The babies are thriving and growing at the rate a singleton would be growing. Hadassah weighed 1.6 pounds; Isabella was 1.5 pounds and Cianna was 1.4 pounds. They were kicking away and waving and looked so beautiful on the screen. Then came the internal ultrasound to check to my cervix opening & length. Up until today my cervix has been closed and long at about 4 inches long. But during the ultrasound the tech seemed worried and wouldn't even talk to me about the cervix, he just kept saying "I'll have the doctor explain." Panic hit me as my mother and I waited in the consultation room for the Doctor who took an hour to come and see us. He first reported that the babies are doing great! Their fluid was perfect, their weight on target and growth perfect. Then he says, " My concern is your cervix. You are 2 centimeters dilated." He went on to say that I needed to be admitted into the hospital today and that I would need a series of steroids for the babies, medications to stop my contractions and dilated, and that I would be admitted until the babies are delivered which could happen as early as this weekend and as late as a few weeks from now. I started crying, I couldn't help it. I felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest. I knew that the Doctors knew what they were doing but I just couldn't wrap my head around the possibility of giving birth to these girls this weekend. I knew it was too early and their survival rate would be minimal. I didn't want to lose the babies not after all we have been through to get here. So the Doctor sent my mother and I to go and have lunch and to come back at 1pm for the Echo scans on babies. I walked out of the office and I felt like I couldn't talk or move or eat. I called my husband, sobbing and trying to explain as best as I could what was happening. My mother called my father and aunts, brothers and sisters and before we knew it, it was time to go back to the doctors. We had the echo's done and everything was perfect with the babies hearts! I was so relieved. But then reality hit again and before I knew it I was being transported to the High Rick OD 3rd floor room #359 where I would stay for the long haul. My mother, father, Elvis, Aunts and husband all came to see me. But eventually they all had to leave. I cried myself to sleep. I knew this is the place I needed to be but I felt so alone. I missed my husband to the 1 billionth degree! I couldn't take it. And it was such a rough night. I had to get my IV put in as I was contracting. Then I got my first round of the steroid shot ( in the back side, which hurt like a mother). And the nurses were checking in on my every 20 minutes until about 3am.
November 15th, 2013 - 24 Weeks & 2 Days
Every hour that went by I said a thankful prayer to God for not allowing the babies to come yet. Every minute, every hour is an accomplishment and a second closer to delivering the babies later then expected. My contractions settled down and I was set to rest, rest, rest. I was told to only get up for the bathroom and that is it! I set up a Skype account and was able to Skype with my brother in Florida three times! It was such a blessing as I didn't have any visitors today. And then around 9:45pm my Prince (husband) showed up to spend the weekend with me in the hospital. He rocks my world.. just saying...
November 16th, 2013 - 24 Weeks & 3 Days
Another day down! Yay! I'm feeling better. I'm resting and the contractions are fewer in between. I'm getting my contractions, blood pressure and baby heart beats checked twice a day. The contraction monitor is easy and so is the blood pressure but the babies heart beats - not so much. They are tiny and have lots of room to move around in my tummy, therefore the give the nurses a run for their money every time they come to put those monitors on. Baby A - Hadassah is very low under my belly button but she is pretty compliant when we need to find her heart beat. Baby B - Isabella does not like to be found nor strained down by the pressure of the monitor therefore she spends all her time kicking the heck out of the monitor. Baby C - Cianna is always a pleasure to find and never gives us a hard time. But the end result is amazing as I sit and hear their strong and steady heartbeats. I got to skype with my brother again and my mother in law in California today. Skype is such a blessing! I had lots of visitors today. Becky, Ozzie, Jocie, Jasmine, my mom and dad all came by to visit me. My father brought my Cinderella Cheesecake - I was in total heaven! I'll always be his little girl. Tito and I spent most of the day resting, watching movies and tv shows. He brought the movie "The Heat" and I laughed so much! I must say that the food here is really great and I can order as many times as I want. In fact I was encouraged to order at least 6 meals a day because of the amount of calories I need to take in for me and the babies. I can barely eat 3 but I'm trying! I'm starting to settle into a routine here. I have my phone and laptop and my husband to entertain me. The nurses and techs are amazing and so sweet. I'm still feeling a little overwhelmed as this is all new to me but I'm getting somewhere. This is the best place for me and the babies - that's my comfort.
November 17th, 2013 - 24 weeks & 4 Days
Well it's Sunday so you know what that means... Tito has to go home and get ready for church and then worker tomorrow. I spent the entire morning talking with him and going over what stuff we still need for the babies. We decided to keep our registry's open with the rest of the stuff that we need. It's more like a shopping reminder list for us at this point. We prayed together and rested. And around 2pm he left. And the second the door closed behind him the water works started. This is by far the hardest part. I miss him every second that he isn't here with me. But we have Skype and he calls about every 30 minutes to check in on me. On the bright side, the Doctor came in today and seems so happy with my progress. She told me that tomorrow I'll be going in for another ultrasound and cervix check. She and I are praying for the best and that the cervix be closed or not any more dilated. She did tell me that she has had patients at 2cm dilated for months. She seems very optimistic that theses babies are going to make it to longer in my womb. She doesn't have a short term goal but did tell me that anytime after 28 weeks would be idle and beneficial for the girls. No matter when they are born they will need NICU time. So I'm schedule to meet with the NICU doctor sometime this evening. I'm also waiting for the arrival of my mother, father, brother, Erica, Tracy and Sherlon who are all currently on their way to visit me today.
To Everyone:
I just want to thank everyone for your prayers and support. It means everything to us. We can use all the prayers we can get. Thank you for all the Facebook messages, the text messages, the Skype calls and general reaching out that you have all done.
I love you so much. I know that it's not easy but your faith and strength will keep your strong. Thank you for sharing your journey with us. You will have the 3 babies at the right time because God has control of everything. I will continue to declare and decree the healthy birth of my triplet granddaughters. I love you honey!
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