25 weeks

This is going to be a long one.
25 weeks…where do I begin? I’m good. But, I’ve had what turned out to be a kinda rough week. I am starting to feel really crappy and its not going away.
Sunday night I started to feel tingly and numb, but I had been feeling over heated most of the evening and I figured that was the reason.
I woke up Monday and felt fine. My sister took me to Babies R Us to cleanup some of the registry – Thanks Pam! I spent much of the time sitting in their comfy chairs. It was a long day for her since she spent the entire time time waiting around for me and pushing the cart around and helping me up and doing everything for me. But she was so patient and wonderful. She really is an incredible caregiver. Really really wonderful. Totally positive and never made me feel bad for needing so much. Brian says that she deals with me (pregnant or not) better than anyone. Thank God for sisters!
Tuesday the tingling and numbness was back and I felt kinda weird all over. Really sleepy too. But the weather was really warm and I just figured the heat was getting to me. I have felt somewhat the same earlier in this pregnancy – during a heat wave or usually when I’ve taken too hot/too long showers, which I don’t do anymore. Don’t worry, I do still bathe. Usually.
Anyway, on Wednesday I called my OB’s office just to tell them I was feeling numb all over (my feet, face, shoulders, hands, etc). I wasn’t too concerned but Brian really wanted me to call. I figured I was feeling this way because of the heat. Admittedly, though, I was feeling crappier than I had ever felt. And the not being able to hold a spoon or pen or type very well was secretly concerning me. I couldn’t even feel my wide pregnant platypus nose. Very strange. The doctor’s office called me back and told me to come to L&D triage (as I previously posted). We were there for about 5 hours. I waited 2 of those hours in a chair sitting next to an 18 year old girl waiting to be induced whose baby daddy smelled so badly of cigarettes I thought I was going to puke. And he was singing along to his iPOD. OUT LOUD. Two feet away from me. Holy crap I almost smacked him – really – but I didn’t want to get arrested for assault in the maternity ward. And on the other side of me was a 41 week pregnant woman that was having contractions and smelled like Indian food. She was so sweet but she really smelled like Indian Food. And moth balls. The triage didn’t have any beds available. It was a full moon and everyone was in there getting ready to have babies! There were 4 chairs in the triage waiting area – 3 preggys and 3 baby daddies. So Brian was standing the whole time while “iPOD guy” sat on the floor. “Indian food smelling daddy” was able to sit in the chair next to his contracting wife, which I thought was appropriate. All of this probably didn’t contribute to the mood of the evening.
After a while, 2 people in triage were transferred to delivery rooms which opened up 2 triage beds. I was really looking forward to getting to lie down since I was the waiting the longest and had been feeling so weird and dizzy. But they made us wait a LONG time. We were getting really impatient as the staff had a shift change. I thought Brian was going to lose it while we sat there for almost 30 minutes and the beds remained empty. Finally a nurse came over and gave it to us straight. There were only 2 beds and they were not likely going to have anything open up until much later that night. This was a situation in which carrying triplets came in handy. After assessing each of our situations, the nurse determined that me and Indian food smelling lady got the beds and she sent 18 year old girl with Mr. iPOD away and told them to come back later. I felt bad for her, but I had been sitting there so long that I just wanted to lie down and I was so relieved that I got a bed.
Fast forward to a couple hours later. My blood pressure was fine. No protein in urine. No extraordinary contractions, just the usual little ones I’ve been having for a while that the doctor has deemed ok. Other tests were ok. Per the nurse, I didn’t “look” pre-eclampsic. All of the test results that they got back were good. We were just waiting on the blood test results and those would not be back anytime soon since the lab was inundated. The nurses were just saying that this is a multiples pregnancy and my body is just dealing the best it can with the increased stress that growing these babies add and that the only cure for feeling like this is birth. My body is working so hard to pump double the blood to 3 placentas for 3 little hearts etc…and still trying to get to all parts of my own body. Add to this, the heat...and you've got no fun at all. I need to turn the air on when I'm too warm and stay out of warm places. I can expect to feel this weird blood feeling throughout the rest of the pregnancy and have the all over numbness intermittently. Basically I am approaching the really hard part and can just expect to feel crappier as we go along until the babies are out. I can say I’ve never been so tired in my life. My body feels spent. But I am so grateful that I don’t have any of the really dangerous things that were initially feared when on the phone with the doctor’s office. I was starving by the time we got out of there at 10pm. I hadn’t eaten since 2:30 and they didn’t let me eat or drink ANYTHING while being monitored. Needless to say, I had a HUGE meal, like you wouldn’t believe, afterwards.

Looking hot in the triage:

The next day I went to my OB appt and my blood pressure still looked fine, BP was still fine 120/80 (although a little higher than before, she wasn’t concerned). I have gained 7 more pounds which would bring me to 40 POUNDS total gain! Blood test results showed that no elevated liver enzymes – that’s good. The babies looked fine (sorry no u/s pics) and huge. She says she’s not worried about the babies, they’re doing great. She’s worried about ME. She wants me to rest more. She reigned me in more and basically said I need to be laying down as much as possible. No problem, since I am so much more tired. I just have to keep listening to my body. No more preparing meals PERIOD. I can still take very short walks if I am going crazy but not every day. I can only go out to lunch about once a week now and I must be dropped off at the door and not walking across the parking lot. Basically, if I go anywhere, I need to be sitting/laying there. No mall. No driving. No walking up and down the grocery aisles and shopping trips. I’m DONE! She said basically the more I lay down (on my side) the more blood they’ll get and the better they’ll grow. Nothing unexpected. She actually spent more time talking about the time AFTER the babies are born.
My sister is the one who accompanied me to the OB appt and Dr. Lantry pretty much zeroed in on Pam and asked her “how many weeks are you taking off of work? How many months are you going to live with them?” She’s so direct. She told me again, like she always does that I need to hire full time/live-in help in the beginning. That otherwise, I could go 24 hours with no sleep – no problem. I told her again that hiring someone to live with us and clean the house, do laundry, wash bottles, stay awake all night and help me take care of the babies was not a possibility financially and that my mom or sister cannot just quit their jobs and move in to do this like she is always suggesting. She said that then only alternative is to be extremely scheduled and organized and NOT to deviate from the schedule for the entire first year. EVER. Never. Even if any of the babies are in someone else’s care. That I need to get everyone on board and 'respect' the schedule so I don’t get any flack for being too rigid and get the positive support I need. Brian and I have already talked about this and this is our plan. And she recommended the book Baby Wise, which I’ve already been recommended so I will definitely have to order that. She will also give me the number to a friend of hers that has triplets so I can get some insight and advice and understanding from someone else who did it already.

Triplets+ mom’s out there…did you have night help at first? Did you hire someone? How long did your hubby take off, if at all? I am just so curious.
I am feeling very hopeful, despite my wonderful doctor’s concerns. I know my house will not be immaculate and I will not be cooking much but I am not too concerned about that. I feel like things will work as far as taking care of the babies. Of all the things I am anxious about, this is not consuming me. I KNOW it will be SO difficult and I will be so tired and overwhelmed for much of the time. And trust me, people like to tell me how miserable I will be (thanks). I have no illusions about the fact that this will be the most challenging time for us. But I am still hopeful. I HAVE TO BE. I just don’t feel like God would give me 3 if I was not supposed to be able to find some way to make it work. We will find a way. A solution will present itself for each problem. We will get the help we need. And, yes, my sweet sister will be there a lot in the trenches (late nights and hard times) with us and I am so overwhelmed with gratitude and love for her. I can’t wait until I can return the help someday. This is going to be a challenge for all of us and our family has already done so much to help us through. I am confident that things will be OK. Please continue to pray for us!
Sorry this one is so long. I’ve wanted to post but I’ve just not been able to. I’ve been so annoyed with my fingers! My hands have just been too cramped and numb and they just don’t work right. I am so behind on my e-mails. And thank you cards…I am getting to them as quickly as I can. Using a pen is the hardest for me so please bear with me and excuse how long it is taking – your thank you cards are coming! I am looking forward to this improving so I can cut my own meat and write with a pen!!!
I also wanted to mention, so many of our friends have been affected or even displaced by the fires here in Southern California and I want you all to know I am thinking of you and praying.
The babies continue to be active and make it feel like I am popping popcorn in there! Its so crazy! And they are hanging out especially low today, which is NOT very comfortable. But I am glad they’re so active and continue to be healthy.
And now for 25 week pictures...

25 weeks and so tired:

25 weeks bare belly:


Guess who is making me laugh:



This one actually makes me want to cry. I can't believe I am showing the internet. How awful do these stretch marks look. I can hardly believe that this is MY SKIN.:




Sympathy Belly:


we're dorks:


Some bedrest friendly dancing-in-place to the tune of "Bringing Sexy Back" by my best friend in the whole world, Justin Timberlake. Surely, my mom will have a heartattack when she sees this one:


I will leave you with, quite possibly, the most beautiful picture you have ever seen. You wish your feet looked this good. I call this one "CANKLES". Holy crap, look at how awful and swolen they look! I have flintstone feet! OK...this one makes me want to cry too. I actually did cry about this one later in the evening. Thank God I can't see my own feet most of the time. And yes I am getting my toes re-painted. my friend is taking me to get my toes dealt with and my feet massaged which is so wonderfully nice of her:


I still have to update you on the shower and on the babies' room. These will come soon! Thanks for your patience.
Please continue to pray and thanks to all of you for your support - I'll return your e-mails as soon as I can!

Much Love,
Cindy