Babies in bumbo seats.

I had heard and read that one of the best inventions for multiples was the bumbo seat. It's a seat that is made of a soft foam that babies can sit in from age 3 months to 14 months. It's supposed to provide good support and should help them strengthen their neck and back muscles. It's also made so that your baby can't get out or fall out as long as they are in the age limits. Well Lance's 10 month old niece and nephew managed to find their way out of them so you definitely want them to be supervised at all times. Anyway we were lucky enough to get three of them as gifts for the babies. Thank you again Aunt Jean, Autumn, and Dolora! I know our babies aren't quite old enough but they sure seem to like them. It does actually support their heads and then they can look around. I plan to use them for everything from playing to feeding when they get older. The babies are in order of their birth in these photos. Gabriella, Ryan, and Brooke.

The babies just turned 7 weeks on Wednesday and we can't believe how fast they are growing. This morning Gabriella weighed 9 lbs 8 oz, Ryan was 9 lbs 6 oz, and Brooke, who has become the lightweight, was 8 lbs 10 oz.

Now that I just got started posting on the blog again I may have to take a break again. We all seem to have caught a little cold over the holidays. It's only mild so far so hopefully it will be gone again soon. It just makes night feedings and baby cares a little tougher for Mommy. The babies seem to be coping well. So far Daddy hasn't caught it and we're hoping it stays that way. Mommy doesn't need another baby to take care of( Daddy can get a little whiny when he's sick).

We hope everyone has had a happy holiday and that the new year brings great things!!

3 naked babies.

My mom and I were having a little fun one day and took some cute photos of the babies. They were about a month old, I think. During this photo session, Ryan got really hungry and started sucking on the back of Gabby's head. We got it on video. It was so funny.

Rewind a bit.

Guess what? The babies are sleeping past the 3 hour mark right this instant and I have a spare minute to post. Never mind that there are loads of laundry and a sink of dirty dishes. Plus the house looks like a small tornado went through and left burp clothes, diapers, bottles, and toys. But, today I feel like reminding myself what brought me here in the first place. No I won't go into detail about the process of conception, I only want to talk a little bit about the birth of our little babies. I like to call it D-day, for "delivery day". As you can see in the photos, I am ginormous. Lance took these photos while we were waiting for our turn in the operating room. Even at this size it was hard for me to believe there were 3 babies in there totaling 16 lbs. Even to this day, if I didn't have the pictures, I wouldn't believe I carried them all. Maybe the doctors had one stashed somewhere in the OR and snuck it in and just told us it was ours. Even Lance didn't actually see them come out. We'll keep them anyway. The delivery was beautiful even though I couldn't see anything.

Well I'm going to have to cut this short because the babies are waking and it's time for the last feeding before bedtime. They will awaken again in 3-4 hours so the sooner we are all in bed the better. I will try and post more photos tomorrow. I have some cute ones of the babies. They are growing so fast. Gabriella and Ryan weigh over 9 lbs now and Brooke is getting there also.

Christmas photos.

Here is Ashlyn in her Christmas dress. She loves to get all dressed up. She has really grown up in the last couple of weeks. She has been good with the babies for the most part and has only accidentally hit them a couple of times. We took Christmas pictures of her and the babies sitting in the recliner the other day and she loved cuddling with them. She even tried to help us carry them all back to their crib when we were done.

Here the babies are all wearing T-shirts that say "All mommy wants for Christmas is a Silent Night". Gabriella is on the left, Ryan in the middle, and Brooke on the right.

Speak no evil, Hear no evil, See no evil.

Ok so Brooke doesn't exactly have her hand over her eyes, nor does Ryan have his hands directly over his ears but this is what I think of when I see this picture. The babies have been good most of the time. They are still sleeping about the same but starting to eat a little more and have slept 4 hours a couple of times instead of 3. You'd be surprised how much one hour can change your whole attitude. We felt like throwing a party. We are hoping some sleep for mom and dad is right around the corner. Remember how I said I would never say, "I can't wait until....."? Well it would be nice if they were sleeping a little longer. They will still be babies so I'm not wishing the baby stage away. I just think it would be nice if I had the mental capabilities of a normal human being again instead of feeling like I've had a lobotomy. Luckily no one has entrusted me to stay home with the babies by myself yet. My mom has been here almost every day and Vicky has come a few days and started coming in the evening twice a week so one of us can get a nap in. It has been so wonderful to have help because there is no way I could do it all on my own. I have fed all 3 babies at once a couple of times but it is no easy task and I would rather each baby get there own quality time. So far I have been able to breast feed one baby each feeding and I try to rotate so they all get their turn. Brooke is still a little slower with feeding so I usually pump for her. Ryan is gaining weight the fastest. I think he doesn't like that we tell him his sisters are going to beat him up if he doesn't grow a little. He is usually the first to wake up hungry and almost drank 4 oz last night. Gabriella and Brooke take turns wanting to be cuddled. Luckily there have only been a few times when they both wanted to be held at the same time. I have spent a few hours sleeping in the recliner with both of them which wasn't too difficult until I had to stand up. We are all practicing juggling 2 babies at once and getting pretty good at it.

Brooke is Home!!!

As of 8 pm on last Friday night, all our babies are home. It has been so great having them all home and healthy. They have been sleeping 3-4 hours at a stretch for the most part. Gabriella wakes up and cries sometimes and needs to be held but it doesn't take long to settle her down again. I have to keep this short because they will be waking up soon. We had a Dr. appt today and they have all gained weight. Gabriella weighs 7lbs. Ryan weighs 5lbs 15oz. Brooke weighs 6lbs 8oz.

Thanks to everyone for all the gifts, visits, food, or anything else you've done. Hopefully I will get formal thank you's sent out soon. At least before they graduate from high school.

Brooke may come home soon!!

We called this evening to check on Brooke and the nurse said she has shown improvement enough that they took out her feeding tube and she may come home Thursday or Friday. We are thrilled of course. We miss her terribly. I think Ryan and Gabriella miss her too. This photo is of her getting her hearing checked. I think she looks like a helicopter pilot. She also had her thumb in her binky. As soon as she comes home I will try and get a photo of big sister Ashlyn with all the babies.

Life around here is settling down pretty well. The babies have been good sleepers which makes it so much easier. They sleep about 3-4 hours at a time and then wake to eat and go back to sleep. They usually only cry when we change them or give baths. Ashlyn has even settled back down to her usually self. She has been so good and such a good helper. Lance and I were just saying it will be so fun when the babies start to interact with her and she has her own little audience. She will love that.

We plan to spend Thanksgiving at home unless Lance has to go pick up Brooke. I am too afraid to take them anywhere because I would feel very bad if anyone got sick. Hopefully by Christmas they will be ready to go visiting.

We took the 2 babies to see their doctor today and they have both gained weight. Ryan is 5 lbs and 4 oz. Gabriella is 6 lbs and 4 oz. Ryan is slowly catching up to his big sister, though he still looks like a string bean. We also asked what Brooke weighed today and she is 5 lbs and 8 oz. Which is only an oz. more than her birth weight but she looks so much like Ashlyn and she was a slow gainer also. I think once she comes home and spends time with her brother and sisters, she will pick up speed.

Well I better try and get some sleep. The next feeding will be starting in a couple of hours. I hope everyone enjoys their Thanksgiving and we will be thinking about all of you and how thankful we are to have you in our lives. We definitely have a lot to be thankful about this year.

Two out of three ain't bad.

Well we came home on Saturday with Gabriella and Ryan. Gabriella was discharged on Thursday and we kept her in Sioux Falls until Ryan was discharged on Saturday. Then we made the trip home. All babies slept all the way home, including Ashlyn. I even caught a cat nap, which was much needed. Brooke will have to stay until she can take all her feedings by bottle and none through her feeding tube. She is taking about half but has moments when she does better. We are hoping it won't be much longer since she is so far away and daddy has to work and mommy has her brother and sister. We miss her but it will be hard to visit. Grandma Vicky went down today to see her so at least she isn't alone today.

The two are doing great so far and adjusting to home life. They have been eating every 3-4 hours and sleeping most of the time in between. They seem to be good babies so far. Ashlyn is doing much better now that we are home and she is getting used to them staying here. The first night home she had a melt down and we had to call for reinforcments. Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Sarah came over to hold babies so mommy and daddy could spend some time with her.

Today started the first day of Mom and Grandma daycare. My mom has decided to quit her job to come and help out with the babies most days during the week. So far, so good. The babies haven't kept us running too much. We even managed to get a few things done around the house. Things will be a bit different when Brooke comes home. Especially when they all get a little older.

As much as everyone wants to come over and visit to see the babies, we are trying to limit the number of visitors due to it being cold and flu season. I have heard there are a lot of bugs out there and we are just asking that you use your best judgement before stopping by. If you or anyone you know has been sick or exposed to sickness, please try to hold out a little longer before coming to visit. I will try and post pictures here more often so you can see them. It takes a while to upload each photo so I can't usually post more than one at a time.

Well I need to go now and eat some lunch before the babies wake up to eat. Thanks to everyone who has called, visited, sent things, and prepared food for us. Everything has been much appreciated.

The babies are doing great.

By the way this is Cadi again and thanks to my sister for updating in my absence. I'm sure you all appreciate getting to see and hear about the babies sooner than now. This is the best photo I can post right now. It was taken quickly while the nurse was snapping the ones for the cradle roll. Gabriella was crying and we had to keep giving her her binky and then taking it away right before the camera flashed. Ryan looks mad but it passed. At one point he and Brooke were holding hands.

I just wanted to post a little and update you on their progress. It is pretty late, at 1:27 am, but apparently giving birth didn't help my sleeping issues. Guess that will help out when we enter the teenage years. I was released from the hospital today at about 2:00 in the afternoon. I am feeling a little better but still have a long way to go. I lost a lot of blood after the delivery, which the Dr. said is very typical of multiple births due to the uterus being so stretched and then having to return to it's original size. It was scary for a couple of hours and I was just praying I wouldn't have to go back to surgery. But things got better after the first day and now I just have to get my hemoglobin back up where is should be. Normal range for a female is 12-16 and mine was down to 7. I almost had to have a blood transfusion but instead they put me on some huge iron pills. It is coming back up slowly now. The only effects I am feeling now are extreme fatigue. Simple things like showering and getting dressed, wipe me out enough that I feel like I can't get my breath. So I decided to boycott showering for a while. Just kidding, I will just consider it exercise and I am well on my way to getting back into my bikini by bathing suit season. That was another joke. I promise I won't post a photo of my post birth belly. Just don't be surprised when you still see me wearing maternity clothes and sweat pants next summer. Right now I still look about 6 months pregnant. Plus I have that washed out china doll look that everyone wants now days. Lets just say my eyes and hair have never looked so dark next to my pasty white skin. Everyone at the hospital kept saying, "you look so much better than yesterday". I just can't imagine how awful I must have looked because I think I look like crap. An added bonus of the blood loss was all the fluids they pumped into me. If anyone saw how huge my legs and feet were before giving birth, you should see them now. I have been referring to them as my "pillow feet", and "elephant feet". I can barely wear socks, and shoes are out of the question. Unless I can find some in the clown shoe department. So anyway after being discharged we made the difficult decision to come home for one night so I could try and get some rest and recover a little bit. See how well I am at resting? Lance is going back to work tomorrow until Wednesday (he just wants to show off pictures of the babies) and my mom and I are going back to Sioux Falls tomorrow after we get some things organized. It was very hard leaving the babies but they are in good hands and so far don't even know we are gone. We called to check on them this evening and they were just as we left them.

So on to the good stuff:

Gabriella is still the best eater and the most vocal. We refer to her as the cry baby, which I'm sure will win her a ticket to therapy some day. Her favorite things in life right now seem to be eating and her binky. She also likes to snuggle. She was 5 lbs 9 oz. yesterday and the staff is already warning us that she may go home sooner than the others. She has been doing so well with her feedings that she hasn't had to have any tube feedings since yesterday, which was only once. Yah Gabriella!! None of the staff will even attempt to try and tell us when any of them will come home. I actually would rather they not try and predict a date because I know, working in health care, that it never turns out the way they guess it will.

Ryan is still under the bili lights. His numbers are coming back down and he seems to be feeling better. At first he seemed to really like the lights and would stretch out like he was tanning on the beach. It was even more authentic with his purple foam sunglasses on. He has been a lot more active now and seems to be fighting to get out and get some clothes on. He has been taking less from the bottle and more from the feeding tube lately. They always try the bottle first and then whatever he doesn't eat he gets through his tube. We have also been experimenting with breastfeeding and he seems to do well with that except that he falls asleep more lately. All three babies have at least had breast milk through the bottle, breast, or tube in addition to the formula. Gabriella shows the most interest while Brooke shows the least. They are still pretty little though and hopefully things will pick up soon. Ryan's weight was 4 lbs 6 oz. (I think) today. We still think he looks like daddy and will maybe have blond hair and blue eyes. He seems to have lighter hair all over and his eyes definitely are shaped most like Lance.

Brooke is also lagging in her feeding skills but seems to be improving. She did take half of her feeding through the bottle today at one point. She weighed 5 lbs 2 oz today. She is so funny to watch because she is the most quiet of the three and when she's awake she studies everything. She will sit and stare at everyone and everything for the longest time. I said yesterday she is probably amazed at what the world looks like because she spent the better part of the last few months with her face buried in my hip. I am also very relieved to tell you all that after her little ordeal the other morning she is just fine and doesn't seem to have any lasting results. Everyone has been watching her closer and they cut back on her feedings to try and get her to stop spitting up. I also want to tell everyone that it was the nurse who saved the day, not me. I was only jiggling her and calling her name, trying to find out what was wrong with her. Lance ran and got the nurse and she whacked her on the back which caused her to cough up the formula and start breathing again. Thank God that she is ok and hopefully we won't see something like that happen again. I can't even think about what might have happened if Lance and I hadn't stopped in one last time to tell her goodbye. Obviously it was meant to happen that way and God spared us the agony of losing our little girl. Lets change the subject shall we.

Ashlyn has been such a good girl this past week. She has been staying with Grandma Vicky and visited us at the hospital for a few days. She hasn't even gotten to see her new brother and sisters yet because she isn't allowed in the NICU but she has seen lots of pictures and is starting to learn their names. It will be interesting to see her reaction when she sees the real thing. At the hospital she knew right where my room was and learned real fast that the bassinets being wheeled by from the nursery had babies (these were the full term babies from the OB floor, not ours) in them. Sioux Valley does a great job having lots of play areas for kids and I think she thought we were on vacation.

Well I think it's time to go back to bed. I will regret this tomorrow, I'm sure. Thanks again to all of you that have sent gifts and visited, or even thought about us and prayed for us. I am constantly reminded how great God is when I see the faces of all 4 of my children. I will try and keep you updated but it will get harder especially when they all come home. We keep saying reality is setting in when we think about not being able to say to the nurses "well we are going to bed now, see you in the morning". I've tried to bribe a few to come home with us but the pay isn't nearly as good. Everyone at the hospital says how well the babies are doing and they are impressed that we were able to carry them so long. I officially take back every complaint I had about this pregnancy. Every minute was worth it when I see how healthy they are.

The Pictures Are In.

This is a picture of Ryan. He was the smallest of the three. He is the one Cadi said looks like Lance. He has already gained weight. He was up to 5 pounds last I heard.








This one is Brooke. The middle weight. I just found out this morning that she gave everyone a big scare. Last night during her feeding, from her feeding tube, Cadi laid her down and went to check on Ryan. They are in seperate rooms. When she returned Brooke was not breathing. Cadi shook her and wacked her back and she then coughed up some formula. Thankfully she was breathing again. So this just shows us how little and fragile they are. Please keep them in your prayers.


So this one is Gabriella. She is the biggest and yesterday she ate all of her milk from a bottle. Cadi called her the cupcake baby. She is the one who gained all the weight from the sweets Cadi ate. Someone told me it was said that she sort of had the same look as my son Nicholas did when he was little. I can see this in this picture. It is something in the eyes. I have a hard time telling them apart. They are all cute.

Babies, Babies, Babies.

I am writing this on behalf of my sister. For thoes who haven't already heard Lance and Cadi are now the proud parents of three more children.
To end the suspence they had 2 girls and a boy. I am sorry to say I don't have any pictures yet but will get them on as soon as I can.
Baby A was a Girl. They named her Gabriella Mae and she weighed 6 pounds. Cadi said her name means Her strength comes from God. She was the one on the bottom holding them all in.
Baby B was a Boy. His name is Ryan Lance and he weighed 4 pounds 11 oz.
And last but not least was Baby C A Girl. Her name is Brooke Elisa and she weighed 5 pounds 7 oz.
All are reported to be doing well. About the only thing they are concerened about is they aren't eating quite as well as they would like them to be. So they put feeding tubes in. They are eating some on their own though so this is a good sign.
Cadi is also doing well. She was hoping to do this herself, but still wasn't feeling quite up to it yet. She asked me to help her out since she knew everyone was waiting to her from her. They are very greatful for all your support and prayers.
Cadi also said she would welcome any visitors. Since she can't get around well yet the days get a little long. Well I guess that about sums it up. I will try to add more tomarrow.

If stretch marks make you sick, don't look at this.

I've had a couple of requests that I take a photo of my actual belly. At first I said I couldn't because I didn't want to disgust anyone. Then I decided if I could make it look somewhat tasteful by changing the color to black and white, I would like to have the photo for the sake of my memory. Also to show the kids someday when they are teenagers and complaining that I never do anything for them. So here I am in all my glory at 34 weeks and 3 days. As you can see, the babies have pretty much taken over my body. I don't even think this picture shows exactly how big my belly is. Lance kept saying, while he was trying to get the right angle, "your belly is so big, I mean, it's really huge". I said, thank you. Actually I'm proud of my belly, stretch marks and all. It was a lot of hard work to get to this point and I feel like I've earned the right to expose myself on the internet. So if you are offended or it made you sick, my apologies.

Everything else has been going pretty good, lately. I've been feeding my nesting instinct just a little here and there, but also resting some. It's so hard to just sit or lay around anymore. I am tired of people waiting on me. When you are used to taking care of other people it's really hard to sit back and let someone else take care of you. Even after I had Ashlyn by C-section and was a patient in the hospital, I was pretty much taking care of myself. The nurses would come in and everything would be done already.

Ashlyn has been very cute lately, as she usually is. We have been telling her the babies are coming out next week so she can see them. Now she lifts up my shirt and not only kisses and hugs them but keeps saying "out", "out". Then she puts my shirt down and says "night night, bye". She even waves to them. I can't wait to see her reaction when she actually does see them. She will definitely have a big adjustment to make but hopefully she learns to like them after a while. We got her a "baby" of her own that we will giver her when the babies come home. It has a little infant carrier just like the real babies have and a bottle. We are hoping when she is trying to "help" with the babies we can distract her by asking where her baby is. If anyone else has any suggestions for the transition I would like to hear them. I do plan to take a few hours a week where she and I can just have mommy and me time. I don't want her to feel like she is being replaced.

As for Lance, he is trying to squeeze in some last minute hunting over the next few days. He is also getting really excited about seeing the babies. Once they are out though we will actually have to come up with some names. So far they they have been everything from Hewie, Dewie, and Lewie to Curly, Larry, and Moe.

Well my legs are starting to feel numb and my feet are swelling even more so I will stop here. It is so great to hear from all of you. Whether its through email, the comment section, or word of mouth. I am so surprised that there are so many people reading my rambling thoughts. This blog has definitely kept me sane through the months. I will try my best to keep it up after the babies come home. Take care everyone and enjoy the upcoming weekend.

The babies decided to wait a week.

Just wanted to post a quick note to say that we had the Amnio done today and the lungs aren't ready so they scheduled a c-section for next Wednesday, November 8th. The Dr. said they put the sample of the amniotic fluid into a machine and it would show up as a number. The number should be between 0 and 140. The higher, the better, and around 100 was good. They only tested one baby which was baby C and it's number was only 35 which isn't even close. We were really disappointed because we really thought we were going to see our babies tomorrow. The Dr. said they will definitely be ready by next week and we are on the schedule for sure. We have to be there at 10 am to get ready for the surgery at noon.

On the plus side, we seem to have some big babies in there. According to the ultrasound today, which could be off, baby C weighs 5 lbs and 2 oz and baby A weighs 6 lbs and 2 oz. They couldn't get a weight on baby B because it was so squished she couldn't measure it's femur bone. In the past it has been almost an identical weight to baby C so I'm guessing that they should still be close. So that is why I have been having so much trouble walking, sitting, rolling over, and getting out of bed lately. It is truly getting painful and I don't plan to venture far from my bed this week. I just hope the time goes fast and I don't totally lose it by next week. I know, I know, it's better for the babies and they will spend less time in the hospital. I just hope I don't go into labor before then and I hope the pain doesn't get much worse. Lots of prayers will be needed this week so keep them coming. Well, I will stop here since I am totally exhausted from our trip today. I'll try and post in a few days and maybe have a picture.

Happy Halloween!!

Hey everyone!! Just wanted to post one last time before tomorrow. We are just doing some last minute things in case we don't come home until the babies are discharged. My nesting instincts are kicking in full force. I got a lot of things done today that I've been wanting to do and it feels good but I am tired. Hopefully I can sleep good tonight.

I just wanted to let everyone know that I hand copied everyone's email address so I can email everyone even if I can't get to my home computer. So if I have emailed you in the past and you don't hear from me but you know someone else got an email, I probably copied it wrong. My apologies in advance. Once I get home and can use my own computer things will be back to normal. Well, except I may have a couple of kids on my lap.

So thanks again for all of the support we've recieved. I know I keep saying that but it has definitely made this whole pregnancy easier. I couln't have done it without all of you.

I'll try to update tomorrow with the results of the amnio. If we can deliver the next day we will stay overnight in Sioux Falls but hopefully I can find internet access.

Keep your fingers crossed!!

33 weeks!!

Here is a photo that was taken last night. My belly is measuring 46 inches and I have gained 39 lbs according to my weight at the clinic yesterday. I think I am growing more down than out lately due to the weight of the babies. Even though I have been eating everything that's not nailed down I haven't gained anything in the past week. I think my own body weight is starting to transfer to the babies. At least I hope they are still gaining. My belly feels heavier every day. There isn't much to report about our appt yesterday with Dr. Benson. He said he was disappointed that he wouldn't get to deliver the babies but he also said he understood, and if it was him he would do the same thing. I felt really bad because they have taken such good care of us and I know it would be really exciting for them to deliver triplets again in Watertown. They delivered a set 7 years ago and the staff all still talks about it. But we are doing what we think is best for our babies. Just in case something went wrong we would much rather be in Sioux Falls then try to transfer there. So hopefully we will make it through this week without any surprises and do the Amnio on Tues next week. My cervix is still closed and Dr. Benson said he is amazed and that it's very rare to still have a closed cervix at 33 weeks with triplets. He also said that if the lungs are mature and nothing unusual happens, the babies might come right home with us after I am discharged. Usually they keep a mom about 4 days after a c-section if there are no complications. That scared me a little to think that we may be bringing 3 babies home at the end of next week. Of course Lance still doesn't see why I am so nervous. He just thinks it will be a piece of cake. So I am just lounging and trying to get comfortable for the next week and hoping that the lungs are mature on Tues.

We took Ashlyn trick-or-treating last Friday evening so I could still participate. We only took her to 4 houses and she made quite a haul. Her pumpkin bucket was full. She loved it, and I'm so glad that I got to share that with her. Thanks to everyone that allowed us to take her early.

2 weeks and counting!!

There is an end in sight, or I guess you could say a beginning. We turned 32 weeks yesterday and saw the Perinatologist in Sioux Falls. He says because the babies appear to be growing well and are healthy we may be able to deliver at 34 weeks. This was a huge relief to both Lance and I because at this point I can barely walk and even getting out of bed is difficult. In 2 weeks, I can't even imagine what it will be like. Here are the weights of the babies:

Baby A - 4 lbs 14 oz (tech said it had a lot of hair on it's head. It is still head down)
Baby B - 4 lbs (flipped head up again)
Baby C- 4 lbs (head is still wedged against my Rt hip)

At the rate they have been growing they should be at least 5 lbs in 2 weeks. So right now we are scheduled for an amnio (they take a really long needle and insert it through my belly to take a sample of the amniotic fluid surrounding each baby) on Oct 31 to see if the lungs are mature. If they are, then we will do a c-section sometime that week (the first week in Nov). If they aren't mature I think we will have to wait another week.

We are just hoping that now since we have a plan, I won't go into labor before the 31st. So far I've still been having tons of contractions but my cervix is still holding up well. I have no doubt in my mind that the babies will be healthy and hopefully won't have to spend too much time in the hospital. We are being optimistic and hoping it will be only a couple of weeks. Before they can go home they need to be able to maintain their own tempurature, suck from a breast or bottle on a regular schedule, gain weight, have no infections, be off all medications except vitamins, and be off oxygen. I think that's it but there may be more. The kicks these babies give me remind me of when I was pregnant with Ashlyn, and she is still very strong for her size, so I know they are little fighters.

So please keep us in your thoughts these next 2 weeks as we count down days and watch the clock. I am getting a little nervous but Lance is nothing but excited. I'm not looking forward to having an amnio or surgery but it will be worth it to finally see our babies. We will let you know is anything changes.

32 wk fetus.

Here is another photo from the book I have by Lennart Nilsson. It's called A Child is born. This photo is of a 32 wk fetus which is what our babies will be on Monday. The picture didn't come out as well as I had hoped but you can at least see how cramped they are in there. Now imagine him (if you look close enough you can see that this is a boy baby) to have 2 siblings knocking him around in there.

Ashlyn has added her 2 cents also. The other night I was laying on my side and she climbed up and sat on my belly. The baby on the right rolled onto its side and got stuck there. I had to stand up and push it back because it was very painful.

31 wks 4 days.

We are almost to 32 weeks which was our biggest goal to start with. We will be 32 wks on Monday. My appt with Dr. Benson on Wed. went really well. He did the test on my cervix again and it was still negative which means we should be able to make it at least to 33 1/2 wks. I have still been having a lot of contractions but they don't seem to be doing anything but driving me crazy. My cervix still had not changed. It is still closed.

Dr. Benson has told us that he would feel comfortable delivering the babies at 34 weeks in Watertown but so far we are too scared to take him up on the offer. But we have decided when we see the Dr. in Sioux Falls on Monday we will ask him if he would consider delivering at 34 wks. We feel that Sioux Valley is much more prepared should something go wrong. They also have a very good lactation department to hopefully get me started in the right direction regarding breast feeding. Yes, I do plan to attempt to feed as many as I can. I am not setting my expectations too high but any is better than none. So we will see what the Dr. says. From what I've read 34 wks is considered full term for triplets and I have also received one dose of steroids (I get the other dose today) to help the lungs develop. Usually at 34 wks the lungs are developed on their own but we didn't want to take any chances. The babies should weigh close to 4 lbs now and should be around 5 by then so we feel pretty confident that they would do well if born at 34 wks.

Now I come to the whining section of my post. I will try and keep it to a minimum because I just read about a mom who is 29 wks with triplets and has been in the hospital for 2 months. She can barely breathe and says it is excruciating to even move from the bed to a stretcher for her ultrasounds. They are praying to make it to 32 wks. As for me I am still somewhat mobile. I moved my bed to the pull out sofa in the living room because for some reason it is more comfortable than my own bed, plus I can lay on it all day instead of trying to fit on the sofa itself. It is getting harder to walk due to so much pressure on my pelvis and my hips feel like they are falling off. I actually drove myself to my appt in Milbank yesterday but I think that will be ending soon since it is getting harder to reach the gas and brake because my belly gets in the way. I also think I will be resorting to a wheel chair on outings soon which I have been too embarrassed to do yet. The motorized carts at Wal-Mart have caught my eye a few times but I'm afraid I would run into something, or someone, so I haven't fired one up yet. I told my mom that I hadn't used one yet because I was worried people wouldn't look hard enough and realize I was pregnant, and they would wonder why I was using one. She said, "Oh, I think they can tell". So I don't really have much to complain about but that doesn't mean I won't complain. I found a book that had the weights of everything you gain during pregnancy (placenta, water, baby, uterus, etc.) and I added them all up (I didn't even add the fat) and took it times 3 but used the weights of our babies, not the full term 7.5 lbs. It came up to 33 lbs. I have so far gained a total of 35-40, so basically I am carrying around a 30 plus pound belly. The rest I attribute to water since my ankles and feet are starting to look like tree trunks (and my cheeks must belong to the chipmunks living in them). I do have good days and bad days, though. Some days I even still love being pregnant. Other days I feel like Lance should hide the cutlery (because I would perform my own c-section, not slit my wrists). Actually I can't even mention a DIY c-section to Lance because he would be all too willing to try it. He has told me several times that he has gutted plenty of deer in his life, it can't be much harder than that. My anesthesia options would be either whiskey or biting a stick, or both if I really needed it. I think I have convinced him that the surgical team of 30 or so at Sioux Valley would be much more experienced but that depends on how desperate I get. Right now adding 2 weeks is about all I can handle. If they try and hold off too long I may be sharpening the knives myself.

The babies seem to be getting pretty squished. Usually if I stand up I can feel lots of arms, legs, elbows, knees, and whatever sticking out. I think they are all still head down but we will see for sure on Monday. Baby C still feels most comfortable with it's butt under my rib cage. We are getting anxious to see them and finally see what the sexes are. They still don't have any names but we are the kind of people who like to see them before we name them anyway.

I am still amazed that we have made it this far without any major problems. We are very grateful and are hoping that it will continue. Dr. Benson said at my last appt that he was worried since I have been so "lucky" that eventually my luck would run out. I wouldn't call it luck, myself. I feel it has more to do with all the love, prayer, and support we have been surrounded by. So thank you, once again for helping to keep our babies healthy and strong.

Ashlyn and her cousins.

Here is a picture of Ashlyn and 2 of her cousins. Then one on the left is Kayla (my sister, Sarah's little girl) who was born just 10 hours before Ashlyn. They are pretty good buddies, most of the time. They also like to fight and steal each other's toys. The one on the right is Abigail (my brother, Patrick's little girl). She lives in Colorado and Ashlyn can't wait to see her again at Christmas. They all had fun together at Grandma's house.

30 wks 4 days.

Here are 2 new belly pics. One is a side view and one is from the front. I don't think I even look pregnant from the front. Just chubby. But from the side, I could easily hide a large oak tree. Don't worry, you can crack all the jokes you want, I won't get offended. Sometimes you just have to laugh.

First of all I just wanted to post an update from our last appt which was Monday the 2nd. Everything looked really good. No change in my cervix. Babies were all active and had grown a lot since our last visit.

Baby A is still head down right over my cervix and weighed 3 lbs 12 oz. We got a picture of it's foot which you can see in the top right corner. I think if you click on them you can enlarge them to see more clearly.


Baby B is also head down again and had it's feet over it's head. It weighed 3 lbs 1 oz. We got a good profile of it which you can see to the right.

Baby C managed to flip to head down position also and was looking directly at my right hip. It also has its little butt wedged under my right rib cage which is pretty painful. Ashlyn did the exact same thing so there must be a nice pocket there. We were unable to get a picture of this baby because of it's position but it weighed 3 lbs 2 oz.

As of today I've gained a total of 35 lbs and my belly circumference is about 45 inches. I'm still retaining water, some days are worse than others. I had bought a cheap ring I could wear in place of my wedding ring which was getting too small. I got a size bigger and now that one doesn't fit either. Guess I'll just go ringless for a few more weeks.

We tried to get the Dr. to let us set a date for the c-section but he wouldn't commit to anything. He is still hoping for 36 wks which is Nov. 13 but he thinks I may go sooner because of the problems I've been having. I am 30 wks and 4 days today and they say that is good and any further we get now is like a bonus. Especially if we can get the steroid shots to develop the lungs in time. I guess there is a certain window before birth that works best.

Now with all that said we got to spend another lovely night in the hospital on Wed night. Ashlyn was sick with stomach flu on Tues night. I was really careful to wash my hands really good after cleaning her up but I must have been already exposed to it because I got sick on Wed morning. All of the vomiting increased my contractions so the Dr. wanted me to come in to try and stop it so I wouldn't break my water. I was given so many medications I can hardly remember what they all were. I finally stopped throwing up at 9:00 that evening and the contractions, which had been 2-3 min apart when we got there, slowed to 5-6 min. So I spent the rest of the night getting no sleep due to the uncomfortable bed and extremely dry mouth. He checked my cervix again in the morning and still no change so we were able to go home. If my water breaks, I have any bleeding, or my contractions worsen we are to come back. Since I have basically slept from the time we got home until this morning, I am starting to feel better and the contractions are hardly noticeable anymore. I think the only thing saving us is that baby A, although the head is right on my cervix, is turned enough so that the head is not engaged in my pelvis. If that happens I think I will actually start to dilate. Lets hope that doesn't happen for a few more weeks.

There is a battle going on between Watertown hospital and Sioux Valley. Both want us to deliver in their hospital. They both have very good points but we are not quite sure which way to go. Sioux Valley wants us because they have just built a new NICU with a special triplet room and they haven't had triplets yet since it was opened. They seem a lot more high tech and we really loved what we saw on our tours. I think the babies would have exceptional care there. Watertown hasn't delivered triplets for 9 years or so and I think it would be exciting for them. Dr. Benson says he would feel very comfortable delivering them there if we get past 34 weeks. Although he has been a great Dr. and we love the staff there, it's tough after seeing Sioux Valley and how much more prepared they are for multiples. Also it would be nice to not have to travel all the way to Sioux Falls and Watertown is much closer. We've decided to not worry ourselves about it and just wait and see when the time comes. We feel that the right choice will be clear when the time comes.

So anyway the babies are still doing fine and growing like weeds. If the keep this up I think they will be 5 lbs by 34 wks. They still move a lot and some days it almost drives me crazy but I will miss them when they are out. They were very active at the hospital. I think they could hear all the other babies and wanted to come out and play. There were 12 babies and 3 more on the way when we left. The babies have been pretty calm since we got home I think they are catching up on sleep just like mommy. Speaking of I think its time to go back to bed. I am still exhausted. I will update any new info that I get and my next appt is with Dr. Benson on Wed the 11th. I'll try to remember to have Lance take another belly photo tonight.

Take care everyone and thanks for the prayer.

Hey everyone, thanks so much for all of the support we've received since last weekend.

This is me in my pajamas at 29 wks 2 days. Sorry I didn't change into something better but that is what I mostly wear lately so I wanted to be authentic. Things have improved somewhat since then. At my appt on Monday they did a test on my cervix to see if I would go into labor within the next 2 weeks. It came back negative so we can be pretty reassured that they will stay in there until 31 wks, at least. That was great news although I think Lance was a little disappointed. I think he is more than ready to see them and take over some of the parental duties. It has to be a little hard for dads to not get to really bond with their babies during pregnancy the way mom's do.

So unless something else goes wrong the babies will keep being "roomies" in my belly. Though this is ultimately better for them it is difficult for me to imagine how many more weeks this could go on. I hate to sound like I'm complaining because I know it will be worth it in the long run, but it has been tough lately and the light at the end of the tunnel seems so far away right now. If anyone wants to really experience what it feels like to be pregnant with triplets, just take 3 miniature poodles (I hope they aren't that hairy) and swallow them. That may be exaggerating it a little but it sure feels like it to me some days.

Last night I got a small taste of what the future holds. Ashlyn has a cold (which she lovingly passed on to me) and she was awake from 3:00-4:30 am last night. Then just when we finally got her settled the babies decided they didn't like the sound of my stomach growling so they protested by jumping, kicking, punching and whatever else they do in there until around 5 am. I can tell they are growing daily because the wrestling matches get more and more fierce. I expect that if they don't come out soon, one day I will see a hand poke right through and wave. It's actually reassuring to me that they are so strong. Ashlyn was the same way and to this day she is a fighter, so I am positive that they will adapt easily to the outside world no matter when they are born.

I want to once again thank everyone for everything that you've done for us lately. Especially Grandma Vicky, I don't know what we'd have done without her. She has been picking Ashlyn up almost every day and even cooking for us on occasion. Lance has also been a super hero and deserves a medal. I told him I promised I'd give him something really great when all this is over. Something like..... 3 beautiful babies. He agrees that sounds fair. My mom and sister have been a huge help too by taking me to appts when Lance can't go and helping out with Ashlyn. And to anyone who has called and allowed me to ramble on and on, a special thank you cause I know that can be torturous. Lance also thanks you cause then he doesn't get bombarded quite as much when he gets home.

As you can see I have been cheating a little on my bedrest. Shhh!! I do take it easy for the most part and the contractions seem to have slowed significantly. Also my cervix has not changed at all so I think the bedrest is a little extreme. I think I will be able to recover from surgery faster if I get up some. I know my limits though and any time I feel rotten I head right back to bed.

Ok, I will sign off now and will probably not have anything important to say until after Monday, when we go back to Sioux Falls. We are hoping to start forming a plan of some sort with the Dr. about the birth.

Thanks again and hope things are well for you all.

I have to make this quick and it will be a while before I can post again unless I can get someone to post for me. I am officially confined to bed per doctors order. We ended up going to Watertown hospital at 1:30 am early Friday morning because I was having pain and contractions. They put me on the monitor and they were coming every couple of minutes and it felt like Baby A was trying to claw it's way out. We spent most of the day there and they started me on Procardia to try and stop them. They did finally slow down but I am to stay in bed except for bathroom privilages, and continue the medication every 4 hours until told otherwise. I am hating it already and the medication makes me feel awful. Poor Lance will be my slave for the next few weeks. We are still hoping to make it to at least 32 wks. Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers. I will find a way to update as soon as I can. I will still see Dr. Benson on Monday.

Hey everyone. Sorry it takes me so long to update my blog. The computer is becoming more and more difficult to use because of my ever expanding waistline. I can only sit for a few minutes and my back aches and my stomach cuts off the circulation in my legs. So I will make this quick.

We had a Dr. appt in Sioux Falls on Monday and the babies all looked wonderful. Lots of movement and they are experimenting with breathing. Babies this age practice breathing for when they are out of the womb by moving their rib cage in and out. It looks just like they are breathing. I'm sure there is a more scientific way of saying all that but that would be boring. The weights were:

Baby A-- 2 lbs 14 oz
Baby B-- 2 lbs 12 oz
Baby C-- 2 lbs 11 oz

They gained almost 2 lbs between the 3 of them and I only gained 2 lbs so they must be getting most of what I eat now. I have been sick off and on again due to crowding of all my organs. I have only vomited once but feel the urge often. It has been hard to keep eating like I should. I had heard this would happen so I'm glad now that I gained as much as I could during the past few months. My waistline is up to 44 inches now and there is always something, or should I say someone, sticking out. They are also starting to use my rib cage as a xylophone for their 3 baby band. I could say my cervix is the drum since it feels like someone is pounding on it. Baby A is still head down.....so I guess that one is a head banger.

Blood pressure was still fantastic. It's better than it was when I was pregnant with Ashlyn. I really think it has to do with not working. I was a full time student and working part time during that pregnancy. I have only been a full time toddler chaser this time. The only news that was different this time is my cervix is starting to change. I had some funneling, which means it is starting to open up from the inside and it had shortened from 3.2 cm to 2.1 cm. The Dr. did check to see if I was dilated from the outside and he said it was still closed but was getting softer. Sorry if that is too graphic for ya'll but when your a nurse it's second nature to describe body parts and functions in detail. I can't help myself. So anyway, Dr. Boyle was not concerned and said he would be more surprised if there hadn't been a change since I am 28 wks now with 3 heavy babies in there. It could very well go on like this for weeks. I have been having more contractions the past week but still nothing that told me to go to the hospital. I have an appt with Dr. Benson in Watertown on Monday the 25th. In the meantime if I have any bleeding or leaking of fluids, increase in contractions, or back pain I should hit the road, as Dr. Boyle said it.

I feel very grateful to have made it to 28 wks and hope to make it to at least 32. The days seem to be dragging and I am mostly miserable but I keep trying to picture how small they would be if they were born now and that helps me hang on. The majority of triplets weigh between 3 and 4 lbs and I'm pretty confident ours will be at least that. They seem to be gaining steadily.

We toured the labor and delivery wing this appt which is where I will be staying until I am discharged after my C-section. They have beautiful rooms that can almost compare to a 4 star hotel (you could even have the colon cleansing that seems to be so popular these days...except I think they're called an enema there). Cherry wood and everything. I can even say I am looking forward to my stay there. That is sad, isn't it? Maybe Lance and I could call it our 10 year anniversary getaway that we never got to have last month. The babies, if they are in the ICN (intensive care nursery), will be on the same floor but a different wing. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to see them until the next day, after my surgery, but they said I would be able to see them the first day. Mostly though I will be resting while Lance has baby duty. Let him hold them for a while, I've had them for long enough. If it's anything like Ashlyn, I only got to hold her when I nursed her for the first 2 days. Lance wouldn't share.

We only got one ultrasound picture this time because the other babies wouldn't cooperate. It was of Baby B. We got Baby A last time. They all look the same to us and definitely all have the same nose as Ashlyn. I picture 3 more with black hair and brown eyes just like her. I'm hoping for at least one blue eyed blondie but if they are as beautiful as she is, I can't complain.

Well my feet are asleep and my stomach is growling so I better stop here. I will try and post as soon as I can when the babies come but I'm not sure when I will be able to. There may have been computers in each of the patients rooms but they might just be for the nurses charting. We will try and call everyone with the news though and I promise I won't be hopped up on Demerol this time. Last time I had to start crossing people off the list as soon as I called them because I couldn't remember who I called and what I said. Until then I will try and update at least once a week. We will see the Dr. every Monday now so I should have some kind of news.

Take care everyone. I hope everything is going well for you too.

Talk about "Big Mamma". I have gained a total of 30 lbs and my waist is measuring 43 1/4 inches. I'm starting to run out of clothes to wear but since my trips out of the house are getting less and less, soon it won't matter. Anyone have any old bedsheets or drapes they want to get rid of? I am thinking of starting a trend. Togas can come back, right?

Mostly I have been staying home and taking it easy. That has to be the reason that this pregnancy is still going so well. We had a Dr. appt on Tues which was 26 wks and 1 day. Dr. Benson made me feel good by telling me that I was a model pregnancy for triplets. They couldn't find one thing wrong. Blood pressure was good (112/60), I had the gestational diabetes screening done which came back normal, and my hemoglobin which was starting to dip down over the last 3 visits was the highest it's been. So other than my belly getting too heavy for my legs to carry, I can't complain much. My hips were really sore at night, making sleeping next to impossible, but since I got a foam mattress pad I have been sleeping much better. OK, want to hear something cute? As I'm typing this entry, Ashlyn came up and saw my belly shot on the screen. Even though you can't see my face she points and says "Mamma". Anyway back to the Dr. visit. We got some really great news when the Dr. said that our babies had passed another milestone. He said that when babies are over 1000 grams, their chance of survival without any lasting birth defects are very good. 1000 grams is equal to 1 kg which is equal to 2.2 lbs. Our babies weighed in at 2.6, 2.2, and 2.3 lbs. So if they were born today they would have a really good chance of being normal, healthy babies.

A very cute thing happened during my ultrasound. My appt was at 8 am and when the technician started on Baby A we saw it yawn and roll away from us. Just like it was saying "leave me alone, I'm still tired". I said that one has to be a girl. Baby A is still head down resting right on my cervix, which explains the more frequent contractions. So far we have only had one evening when we were thinking of calling the Dr. If I rest and drink lots of water they seem to go away. Otherwise I only have them occasionally throughout the day. Baby B was sitting straight up with it's head right under my ribs on the left. Baby C was laying across the top and down the right side, with it's head right next to Baby B (I think they are planning something, hopefully not how to break out). It's feet were kicking my right hip.

Well Ashlyn is tiring of this game so I better find something more exciting for her to do. Luckily she still loves reading books because that is our major source of entertainment since mommy can't do bucking bronco like daddy. Take care everyone!! Our next appt is Sept. 18 in Sioux Falls. I told someone the other day that 32 wks was Oct 16th and took a big gulp when I realized that is next month!! I really hope to wait until after Halloween because I want to take Ashlyn trick or treating. She has a cute kitty costume and I think she will really enjoy going to houses this year.

We made it to 24 wks!! Now we will start counting down to our next goal which is 28 wks. At this point if they were born they would at least have a chance of surviving. We had an appt with the specialist in Sioux Falls on Monday and everything looked great. The babies are good weights: Baby A --1 lb 9 oz, Baby B --1 lb 7 oz, and Baby C --1 lb 9 oz. The heart rates were all similar and were nice and strong. The tech was even surprised to see all 3 babies are head down already. They may not stay that way but since we will more than likely have a C-section anyway it won't matter. That explains why I have been feeling more pressure in my pelvis lately. Somedays I feel like I am going to split in half. We even saw Baby A's head bouncing off of my cervix. I've been having feelings like someone is trying to dig their way out. That's the great thing about ultrasound. You can actually see what is going on in there. The babies are definitely getting cramped but seemed to be happy. We didn't see any fighting anyway this time.

I know I've said this before but I would like to remind everyone that we do not want to, or plan to, find out the sexes of these babies until they are born. It has been hard for us to share all of the excitement that each doctor's visit brings when we are bombarded each time with "Why don't you want to find out?". Lance and I discussed it and both agreed that we didn't want to know. We have been guessing for fun but are looking forward to the moment when the doctor pulls each one out and says what they are. I know it didn't make things any easier when Lance announced at Aunt Jean's that "we know, we just aren't telling anyone". He came up with this stupid plan to get everyone upset because he thought it would be funny. You all know Lance and his idea of humor. It isn't true but I'm sure he will keep saying just to get a reaction.

Anyway, back to our appt. We got a chance to tour the ICN (intensive care nursery) and it was a huge reality check for us. Sioux Valley just opened their new ICN a few months ago and we were very impressed. Each family has their own private room. There is even a triplet room so all of our babies can be together. Each room has a pull out sofa with a privacy screen so the parents can stay right with the babies. This is a huge difference than all of the families hanging out in the same room. Plus they have a neonatologist right there 24/7 in case the babies need something. All of this put us at ease but seeing all the tiny babies was very heartwrenching. We watched nurses working on brand new twins that were just brought up. They weighed around 4 lbs, which is a good size for preemies, but it was very difficult to imagine if that were our babies. I had to leave the room because I was starting to tear up. My raging hormones got the better of me. Then the last baby we saw was a little over 2 lbs, which is not much bigger than what our babies weigh right now. I gave my belly a good lecture after seeing that. They have strict orders to stay put for at least 2 more months. Speaking of my belly, I posted the latest photo which Lance took last night. I was 24 wks 3 days. I feel and look like I did right before I delivered Ashlyn. How I will manage 2 more months is beyond me but I know others have done it so it is possible. I am having a few contractions here and there but nothing to worry about. I have been doing a lot less at home and rarely go out anymore because my back hurts constantly now. Mostly I rest and play with Ashlyn as much as I can. She has been a comfort to me but I know she feels like mommy has turned into a couch potato. She loves it when daddy comes home and plays with her. At least she loves books so we read a LOT of books. Mostly the same ones over and over and over. I am just trying my hardest to stay out of the hospital because then I would never get to see her. I miss her when she is gone for half a day so it would be unbearable to be gone for any longer.

Well I think I have talked about pretty much everything now. The babies seem to move all the time now. I think they wake each other up. They seem to repond more to music and Ashlyn's voice. Yesterday Baby B rolled onto it's side and my stomach was lopsided with a shoulder sticking out. It was a little uncomfortable until it moved back. Lord help me when they weigh 3-4 lbs.

Thank you all for all the thoughts and prayers. Without all of you I don't think we would have made it this far and be doing so well. Our doctors are all impressed that we haven't had any serious complications yet. Also a huge thank you to all of you that have donated or allowed us to use their baby things. We already have a nursery almost packed. Oh, and I had another reality check when I bought 3 packs of newborn diapers thinking "I hope that isn't too many". I know for a fact that Ashlyn used more than one pack of newborn diapers so 3 will probably last me a few days. Yikes!! Good thing we are coupon people. Also I have learned that if I submit copies of the babies birth certificates to the major diaper companies, they will send lots of coupons.

So thanks again everyone. We feel so blessed that we were chosen to have these babies but even more blessed to have all of you for support.

Well it's after 10 pm and once again I hear snoring from both directions of the house and here I sit with 3 of my children jumping around like frogs. Of course they would happen to be the ones living inside my belly. I can almost hear them saying "Lets get this party started!". I just pray that they develop Ashlyn's sleeping habits early in life and then maybe I can get some sleep. I posted this picture of her, which was taken a few weeks ago, napping with 2 of her "pets". Don't' worry, she sleeps like her dad and a freight train couldn't wake her, so no harm came in the taking of this picture. I don't think there is much better in this world than to stare at your child while they are asleep. I have taken so many pictures of her asleep that Lance thinks I'm strange. I can be at times, but that's beside the point. I just want to be able to look back when she is away at college (or living in L.A. with Aunt Rita, if that is what she chooses) and see my little girl sound asleep in her crib, where no one could ever hurt her and she is still my baby. Yes, if you haven't already guessed, the hormones are building like a pressure cooker these days. I don't remember being this sensitive or sentimental (key word being mental) when I was pregnant with Ashlyn. I think it has something to do with watching a tiny baby turn into an independent toddler in a little over a year. I've realized how precious the time with your children really is. My mom gave me good advice when I was pregnant with Ashlyn. She said, don't ever say "I can't wait until she....." because they grow up so fast and soon they are gone. I have done my best to live by this. Even when she was waking every 2 hours to be fed I never complained once. So I have also tried to enjoy these moments with the babies all to myself. I realize this will probably be my last pregnancy (unless God has other plans that he hasn't told us about). Once they are born the days and nights will be so busy it will be hard to enjoy them the way I have with Ashlyn but you will never hear me say "I can't wait until they......". And my point is what, you ask? I don't know, forgive me if I don't really have one. Hopefully you can find something worth reading in this post. If not, at least maybe by spilling my rambling brain onto this page I will be able to sleep more and think less tonight, when I do make it back to bed. First I will stand at the crib and watch Ashlyn snore for a few more minutes. It has a much sweeter sound to it than the one that awaits me across the hall (sounds like a grizzly bear in hibernation). Good thing Lance never reads my babbling. He usually only looks at the pictures.

I hope everyone is well and that this didn't bore you all too much.

These were taken on Sunday. Two are from the Trainfest when we rode the train. Ashlyn was very tired and we neglected to pack a Binky, which she has never slept without. So daddy went and bought her this huge train-shaped sucker to try and "pacify" her. It worked, but she and daddy were sticky from head to toe by the time we got back. I never thought I would give my child candy to make her stop screaming, but I decided the rest of the passengers would not enjoy their ride unless we bribed her a little. Over all it was worth it because she really enjoyed the ride. We were worried that the train robbers would scare her but she loved them because they were riding horses.

The last picture is of that night when we were back home. After her bath we decided to wait to dress her until bedtime. She wanted to go outside and it was chilly so she wore snow boots and a fleece jacket. She loved the boots and had a great time outside.

Well yesterday I started my 23rd week of pregnancy. We will be happy to get to our first goal which is 24 weeks. Only 5 more days. Then the babies will be considered viable which means if they are born any time after that they will have a chance of surviving. Of course the longer they stay in the better their chances are so our next goal will be 28 wks, then 32, and then 34. Our Dr. in Sioux Falls says his average for delivering triplets is 34-35 wks. Though it will be torturous on my part to make it that far, the babies would be much better off so I will do my best. I seem to be getting bigger by the day. My belly measures 41 inches now and I've gained 20 lbs. Everyone says I don't look very big for triplets but I definitely feel like I did right before I delivered Ashlyn. So far no bedrest or hospital stays which makes me very happy. I would miss Ashlyn way too much. My blood pressure was up for a few days when Wilmot had their Harvest Fest and it was 100 plus degrees. But after resting for a few days it went back down. Over all I'm feeling pretty good. The babies should be over a pound now and close to a foot long. It's really hard to imagine 3 feet and 3 lbs of babies in there. I'm also starting to add to my stretch mark collection so that's another sign of my growth. I think Lance is amazed when he comes home from work each day and it seems like I've grown another inch. He always says "hey big mamma!" We go back to Sioux Falls on Monday to see the specialist again. I can't believe it has been a month already! We saw Dr. Benson on the 8th but they didn't even check for heartbeats and the only ultrasound we got was to check the length of my cervix. They will check this every appt now to make sure it doesn't start to shorten which would be a sign of beginning labor. Usually 4 or greater is good and mine was 4 1/2 to 5 so that was a relief. I'll have more news after Monday.

Here is Ashlyn eating sweet corn off the cob for the first time. She kept saying "mmm". She really seemed to love it. Since it has been so hot there hasn't been much corn to eat.

Here is my latest belly shot. I am 20 wks and 2 days. I don't look nearly as big in this picture as I feel right now. I think being tall really helps to hide it. I had to wait for Lance to take this picture for me. I tried taking one myself this afternoon but all I got was some great photos of my armpit. Don't worry I won't post them.

I just wanted to share this picture from a book I have titled "A Child Is Born" by Lennart Nilsson. If you could peek inside my uterus right now this may be what our babies would look like. It is a 4 1/2 month old fetus which would be a 5 month pregnancy and exactly where we are right now. Isn't it just amazing?

I couldn't resist posting this photo of Baby C. I think it's a pretty good example of a "butt shot". I loved looking at their feet which you can see on the left side. Although they look pretty big here, according to a book I have, at 22 wks (which is still 2 wks away) the feet will be the size of your first joint in your thumb. Can you imagine? Also I should mention that the babies will not be considered viable (which means they can live outside my body) until 24 wks. We have a month to go and I am counting the days. Even after that they are very tiny and would need lots of time in the hospital. A lot of women with triplets start experiencing pre-term labor at 20 wks but so far everything is ok with us. So keep the prayers coming please. I have been doing my best to take it easy and stay off my feet as much as possible.

This is Baby C, at 20 wks, who appears to look bigger than the other 2 in the photo but it may just be the magnification. I was amazed at how much they all look like each other. Maybe this is the way all babies look in-utero. I thought we were looking at the same baby 3 times until I saw the top of the photo said which baby was which. Baby B and Baby C had actually switched places in my uterus. B had been on my right and C on the left but they were just the opposite this time. How they can tell them apart is beyond me. All babies measured right on track and the heart rates were all between 140 and 160.

This is an ultrasound photo of Baby B. Still seems to be the clown of the bunch. Lance thinks this one is a boy. He swears he saw his plumbing but I was there and I didn't see anything. Knowing him it was probably the baby's leg he saw. This one is definitely more active than the other two but Ashlyn was also very active so it could be a girl.

Here is an ultrasound photo of Baby A at 20wks. This baby seems to get the hiccups a lot. Seems like it is always bouncing off of my cervix. This baby is at the bottom of my uterus. We think maybe it is a girl but it's anybody's guess. Feel free to email me with guesses to the sexes. It's fun to see what everyone else thinks. We have both pink and blue clothes so it doesn't matter to us.

Here was the final picture done at Walmart. They had to take it whether she was crying or not. She normally loves baths but apparently not when the bubbles are made out of cotton batting. Sitting next to her is her cousin, Kayla. They were born on the same day just 10 hours apart. They have been the best of friends and love it when they get to see each other. Kayla is trying her best to console Ashlyn. Either that or she is trying to steal her ducky, it's hard to tell.

Well I had planned to add a lot of photos today but for some reason I can't get them to upload. So instead I will just update information about our Dr. appt yesterday with the specialist in Sioux Falls. The triplets are all doing very well. They did a long ultrasound where they measured each baby and looked at all of the important organs to make sure they were developing as they should. They each looked great. They didn't tell us the length or weights but I think they are supposed to be 10 1/2 ounces and 6 1/2 inches long from head to butt (they say crown to rump in medical terms). I have been feeling lots of movement now and it was fun to see them kicking and playing with each other. The technition asked if we wanted to know the babies genders but we held to our decision to wait until they are born and be surprised. We think there are at least a boy and a girl but go back and forth deciding what the third is. Only about 12 - 15 weeks to go now. I am 20 weeks now and the Dr. says 32 - 35 weeks will be the delivery if everything continues to go well. We do plan to deliver in Sioux Falls when the time comes. They are used to seeing multiples there and they even have a new NICU with a special triplet room for them to stay in. We will get a tour at our next appt which is August 21. I will be 24 weeks then and supposedly the size of a person full term with one baby. Then I will have 8 - 11 weeks left. Ouch!! I am starting to feel a little uncomfortable especially at night. My belly is measureing 38 1/2 inches (started at 31) and I have gained 13 lbs.

Ashlyn seems to be noticing a change around our house lately. She has started wanting to be picked up just when I am not supposed to pick her up anymore. I try and have lots of snuggle time on the floor or couch. We've been trying to start organizing all of the baby stuff and she loves it all. She tries to carry her baby around in the carrier and likes me to dress her up. She is also trying to lay claim to the baby furniture. It will be hard to convince to her to give them up when the babies come.

Sorry that I couldn't get the pictures to work but I will keep trying. I just wanted to thank everyone for all the prayers and support that have come our way. We appreciate it more than you know. Well my stomach is growling so I better go eat.

Here are Ashlyn's photos done at Wal-Mart. She is 15 mo. now and growing like a weed. She weighed 21 lbs and was 32 inches at her last appt. She is talking quite a bit now and seems to learn new words every day. We are amazed at how smart she is. But of course we are a little biased. You would never know by looking at the pictures that she was grumpy that day. She has been cutting her molars and some days have been harder than others. Our days have mostly been staying home and playing together. I have really been blessed with the oportunity to stay home and raise my daughter. I wouldn't trade these days for anything. Lance can't wait to come home to her also. She hears the door and she drops everything and say's "daddy", then runs to the door.

This is a picture of Ashlyn taken last evening. She has a violet in her hand and we kept telling her to smell it. All she would do was blow on it. She loves picking the flowers out of our little flower garden. A few days ago I was weeding it and I looked up to see her pulling out flowers as fast as I was pulling the weeds. I guess she thought she was helping.

This is an ultrasound photo of Baby C taken at 15 1/2 wks. This baby is laying on it's back with the head on the left side. All of the babies were measured at this appt and were all right on target in size. According to my reading they should be about 4 1/2 inches long right now and weigh about an ounce and a half. They will have a growth spurt coming up where they will gain a couple of ounces and grow another couple of inches. At least that's what I think I remember. I'll try and keep you all updated as best I can. This is my first attempt at blogging so bear with me and if you have any pointers let me know. All we ask for is prayer in the next coming months (or years would probably be more appropriate) that all are healthy. Right now our goal is 32 wks which is Oct 16 and if I can make it past that it's even better. From what I have read most mom's pregnant with triplets start to experience preterm labor at around 20 wks. That will be at the end of July for me but hopefully everything will turn out ok.

Here is an ultrasound photo of Baby B at 15 1/2 wks. This baby is laying face down with it's head also on the right. This baby has been the most fun to watch because it is always playing tricks. At our 14 wk appt it had it's hands up on either side of it's face like it had it's thumbs in it's ears. Then during this ultrasound the technition put it on still to do the measurements and when we came back to "live cam" the baby had flipped completely around. If I had to guess I would think this baby is a boy but we won't know for sure until they are born.

Here is an ultrasound photo of baby A at 15 1/2 wks. The head is on the right hand side and it is laying face up.

This is an ultrasound photo from our 14 wk appt. It shows a picture of all 3 at once and the Dr. said it would probably be the last time we could get all 3 in one picture until after they are born.

Here is another photo with a side view.

This picture was taken with Ashlyn being almost 15 months old and me currently 16weeks pregnant. Do I look only 4 months pregnant? I compare my belly size to that of 6 months pregnant with Ashlyn. I have been feeling much better lately with the continuous nausea finally gone. I lost 8 lbs in the first 3 months because of this and throwing up most days. Now I am about 4 lbs up from my prepregnancy weight. The Dr. (Dr. Benson in Watertown) says if I gain 40-45 lbs total I will be fine. So I have been indulging my cravings a little to try and catch up. Ashlyn seems to be excited about the babies for what little she can understand. She lifts up my shirt and pats my stomach and has even given them a few kisses. She has also done this to Lance a couple of times. She loves babies so hopefully she will enjoy her new siblings ....... most of the time, anyway.

Hello everyone!! Glad you found our site. We thought this would be a good way to keep everyone updated on the babies. Keep checking in from time to time to see updates. My next appt isn't until July 24 so unless something happens before then there won't be much new info. Unless Ashlyn does something cute.

Lance and Cadi