Well, believe it or not, I'm still at home. With each appointment, the likelihood of being admitted to the hospital increases...but so far we're still beating the odds.
Our appointment on Tuesday went really well. My blood pressure was almost back down to normal (well, normal for me anyway) at 100 over 72. The babies' heart rates were all great. Lori even noted that the babies are all active...I could have told her that. :)
Then the moment of truth - they measured my cervix and as crazy as it sounds, it's still holding strong at 5cm! When Dr. Donald saw it on the screen he just smiled, shook his head and said "Would you look at that..." He thinks we should call Energizer and tell them to ditch the Bunny...we've got a new mascot for them. I just keep going and going and going... At least we hope so.
I officially started my leave from work on Tuesday (the day of our appointment), though I just finished my last project this morning for our big event next week in Vegas. I told Dr. Donald that I'd be spending most of my time laying around and he was happy to hear that. We scheduled the next appointment for 2 weeks out (St. Patty's Day, actually). If I remember correctly, they'll measure the growth of the babies again at that appointment. Then I'll go back a week later, when they'll measure my cervix. This plan assumes, of course, that I don't run into any problems that require me to be admitted between now and then. (Keep your fingers crossed!)
I'm so incredibly thankful to still be at home this far into the pregnancy. There are still a lot of things we'd like to get done around the house before I'm admitted - and we're very happy to have the time to get them done. To help us, Pat and Don (Tim's folks) will come down this weekend and again next weekend. The following weekend, our good friends Brian & Jules will come with their girls. One thing I want to accomplish this weekend is to get some photos taken of Tim and me (and my belly) to post on the blog. (Keep your fingers crossed on that one too!)
Thanks again for all of your thoughts, prayers and support.
Love,
Tim & Kristin
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
Update at (almost) 25 weeks
This update (though a week late) will be short and sweet. Last Tuesday we went back to see Dr. Donald. They did a pretty thorough ultrasound to measure the growth of the babies - and I'm happy to report all are right on track. The tech (Lori) measured various body parts (head, abdomen, arm, leg) and used those numbers to estimate each baby's weight and "age". These are, of course, estimates and the margins of error are +/- 2 weeks and +/- 4 ounces:
Baby A: 25 weeks 0 days, 1 lb 12 oz
Baby B: 25 weeks 0 days, 1 lb 14 oz
Tommy: 24 weeks 4 days, 1 lb 8 oz
Joey: 23 weeks 5 days, 1 lb 6 oz
The photos at the top are all shots of the babies' faces. It's difficult to see, but the shots of A & B are profiles and Tommy & Joey are looking into the camera (though Tommy's left hand is partially covering his face).
My blood pressure is still running high (for me anyway), but hasn't raised any red flags for Dr. Donald. In fact, he told me that at this stage of the game, he's "looking for an excuse to admit me to the hospital". Thankfully, I haven't given him one yet. He sent me home with orders to get more rest and to keep eating a lot. :) We go back to see him tomorrow (just one week between appointments this time). They'll just check heartbeats on the babies and measure my cervix again. I anticipate that he'll either admit me to the hospital or put me on full-time bed rest at home. So, I've made plans to begin my leave from work starting tomorrow. I'll still help out with a couple small projects for the next week or so, as we've got a huge event in Vegas next week. Once that's over, I'll be done with work completely. It's kind of strange to think about not working, but it will certainly be a relief to remove that stress.
So I've been getting more time laying on my side - though this weekend proved to be pretty busy. Mike (Tim's brother), Kate, Chase, Jack & Addelyn came for a visit Friday night. We were so happy to finally meet Addelyn (just 2 weeks old) and to see the family. It was a short visit, but we are so happy they made the trip.
As they were heading out, my mom arrived. Mom stayed the night and helped us out with hemming some pants and some other stuff around the house. With her, she brought a car load of stuff for the babies. Thank you (you know who you are) to everyone that sent items down with her. While Mom was here, she even took me to the mall, where she pushed me from store to store in a rented wheelchair. The wheelchair was kind of a strange experience from my perspective, but it was so nice to get out and run some errands without the exhaustion & discomfort that walking and standing bring me these days.
Also this weekend, my brother Kevin called to tell us that our other neice was born: Sophia Elizabeth. His wife Nikki had been struggling for some time with on-and-off contractions and bed rest - and little Sophia waited until the day before her due date to make her appearance. We're looking forward to meeting Sophia sometime soon too.
Well, I wanted to include some belly shots to show all of you how big the babies are growing, but I haven't gotten anyone to take my photo yet. Hopefully soon. We'll have another update to post after tomorrow's doctor appointment - so I'll try to add a belly shot to that post. In the meantime, please keep sending us your positive thoughts and prayers - they really seem to be working!
Love,
Tim & Kris
Sunday, February 22, 2009
The Latest on the Nurseries and Other Baby Stuff
This weekend, with the help of our friend Kurt, Tim made some serious progress on the nurseries. They moved the bed and dressers out of the second nursery and into the room across the hall. This will remain our guestroom for quite a while.
The bed that was in that room is now in the second nursery - just temporarily. With all the visitors we anticipate until long after the babies come home from the hospital, it just didn't make sense to take down this guest bed until we need to.
Tim & Kurt also assembled the last 3 cribs. We are fortunate to have been able to use cribs and other pieces offered to us by friends and family. The furniture in each room isn't yet arranged in its final place, but we thought a few "in progress" photos might be fun to share.
This is the first crib that Dana and I assembled last week. I included this close-up shot so you could get a better look at the bumper pad and coordinating crib sheet.
These are the cribs and dresser that are in the first nursery. (Even the dresser came from friends!) The changing table will come from our neighbors or we'll use the one I got from Freecycle - both are an oak color, like the furniture already in the room. We'll start the babies in this room - two to a crib - when they first come home. They'll be tiny enough to share the space - and may be used to the companionship of their brothers.
These are the cribs in the second nursery. The crib on the right came from friends with a coordinating changing table. We'll also have my Granny's dresser in this room. Tim's dad is going to refinish it for us and have it ready in the spring. We're certainly not in any hurry for it, as the boys won't be in this room for a while. But at least we're getting everything in place.
I've also spent some time working on the "inventory" that Leza and I started a couple weeks ago. We're trying to determine what we still need, and which items we need to have before the babies come. To fill some of the holes, Dana and I went to Babies R Us yesterday to take advantage of some sales and coupons. We still have holes left to fill, but thanks to the generosity at our showers and all the wonderful hand-me-downs we've received, we're a lot further along than we expected.
We're looking forward to my mom's visit next weekend (hopefully the weather isn't like this weekend!). And perhaps the week after that, Tim's brother Mike and his family will come down for a visit too. They just had a baby girl and we're very anxious to meet our new neice Addelyn Rose. Then the weekend of the 14th, Tim's parents will be in town. We're always happy to have visitors and depending on my activity level - I'm sure I'll be anxious for the company.
I think that wraps it up for now. Everything else is good here. Tim's out shoveling the driveway - we're up to about a foot of snow for the weekend. I should wrap this up and get comfortable on my side for a little while. Take care, everyone! Talk to you soon!
Love Tim & Kristin
The bed that was in that room is now in the second nursery - just temporarily. With all the visitors we anticipate until long after the babies come home from the hospital, it just didn't make sense to take down this guest bed until we need to.
Tim & Kurt also assembled the last 3 cribs. We are fortunate to have been able to use cribs and other pieces offered to us by friends and family. The furniture in each room isn't yet arranged in its final place, but we thought a few "in progress" photos might be fun to share.
This is the first crib that Dana and I assembled last week. I included this close-up shot so you could get a better look at the bumper pad and coordinating crib sheet.
These are the cribs and dresser that are in the first nursery. (Even the dresser came from friends!) The changing table will come from our neighbors or we'll use the one I got from Freecycle - both are an oak color, like the furniture already in the room. We'll start the babies in this room - two to a crib - when they first come home. They'll be tiny enough to share the space - and may be used to the companionship of their brothers.
These are the cribs in the second nursery. The crib on the right came from friends with a coordinating changing table. We'll also have my Granny's dresser in this room. Tim's dad is going to refinish it for us and have it ready in the spring. We're certainly not in any hurry for it, as the boys won't be in this room for a while. But at least we're getting everything in place.
I've also spent some time working on the "inventory" that Leza and I started a couple weeks ago. We're trying to determine what we still need, and which items we need to have before the babies come. To fill some of the holes, Dana and I went to Babies R Us yesterday to take advantage of some sales and coupons. We still have holes left to fill, but thanks to the generosity at our showers and all the wonderful hand-me-downs we've received, we're a lot further along than we expected.
We're looking forward to my mom's visit next weekend (hopefully the weather isn't like this weekend!). And perhaps the week after that, Tim's brother Mike and his family will come down for a visit too. They just had a baby girl and we're very anxious to meet our new neice Addelyn Rose. Then the weekend of the 14th, Tim's parents will be in town. We're always happy to have visitors and depending on my activity level - I'm sure I'll be anxious for the company.
I think that wraps it up for now. Everything else is good here. Tim's out shoveling the driveway - we're up to about a foot of snow for the weekend. I should wrap this up and get comfortable on my side for a little while. Take care, everyone! Talk to you soon!
Love Tim & Kristin
Week 24 Update
Well, as some of you may have heard, we had our first little "scare" on Tuesday. I had been experiencing some intermittent pain during the day, so I called the doctor's office in the early afternoon. I explained the symptoms to the nurse - and she called me back after speaking with the doctor. They asked me to come in later that afternoon - just to check things out.
Being at 23 weeks 6 days, I had a feeling Dr. Donald might want to admit me to the hospital - depending on what he saw. So I called Tim, packed an overnight bag just in case and headed over to the doctor's office.
My blood pressure was a little high - but not high enough for concern. I'm sure a lot of that was from my thoughts of being admitted to the hospital. But the ultrasound showed that the babies are all doing fine and that my cervix (a.k.a. Super Cervix) is still holding strong at 4.7cm. Dr. Donald actually seemed surprised when he saw the measurement on the screen and said, "Well, there's no reason to admit you."
Above are a few pictures of the babies...though as they get bigger and more crowded in my belly, I find it more difficult to decipher the images from the ultrasound. Each shot above shows at least part of each baby's face - or so says Lori the ultrasound tech. :)
As a preventative measure, Dr. Donald sent me home with steroids to stimulate lung development for the babies. At 24 weeks, it's not uncommon to administer steroids for multiples. The chances of carrying the babies full-term for their lungs to develop on their own are slim to none - so administering the steroids now, gives them a better starting point in the NICU when they arrive.
Dr. Donald also explained that the pain I was experiencing was most likely due to pressure on my cervix. I am full-term size now and gravity takes its toll. He's instructed me to spend more time laying on my side during the day. Since I hadn't been laying down at all during the day, its definitely a reasonable request. :) So I've found ways to work on my laptop while laying on the couch at least 1-2 hours per side every day. I won't lie - it is certainly cumbersome. But so far, it's working out pretty well.
Well, because I saw the doctor on Tuesday, we moved our scheduled Friday appointment to this coming Tuesday - Feb 24. They'll measure the growth of the babies (which should each be well over 1 pound by now) and probably my cervix again - just to make sure things are still secure. I'm anticipating more restrictions to my activities and perhaps some "official" bed rest as of this next appointment - but to make it to 24 weeks as well as we have is truly a blessing.
Our neighbor and friend (and former pediatrician) Julie has made some calls to a couple people she knows in the NICU. We're hoping to set up a meeting with some NICU staff to ask a few questions and take a short tour of the NICU after our appointment with Dr. Donald on Tuesday. I'm sure it's a place that can be very overwhelming the first time you see it. I'd rather get that out of the way now - and be able to simply focus on our babies and their health when the time comes. We'll fill you in on that on Tuesday.
We're coming up on the most difficult part of the journey so far and will certainly continue to rely on our family and "extended family" for your love and support. Thank you!!
Love
Kristin & Tim
Thursday, February 5, 2009
22 Weeks
We had another successful appointment today!
The babies' heart rates are all well within the normal range - between 141 -160. They were all active and mobile - gearing up for their tag team wrestling matches, I'm sure. :) Space is at a premium in there, which makes it difficult to get good photos. We came home with a handful, but it's very difficult to tell what's what - even after the tech explained what we were seeing.
After the ultrasound tech (her name is Lori) did what she needed to do, she turned the screen so Tim and I could watch the action for a minute. We got to watch one of the boys give a good kick on the screen - while seeing the same movement in my belly. Way cool. We all said "Did you see that?!" And Tim added, "He gave you a good one!" :) He certainly did! It was amazing to see what they're doing in there to make those movements visible from the outside.
My glucose test for gestational diabetes came back normal - so that's good news. I don't have to give up chocolate or Ben & Jerry's ice cream. :) Dr. Donald did say that my hemoglobin is low, so he's added an iron supplement to my regimen. Evidently, when your blood supply doubles to provide for 4 babies, your hemoglobin gets dilluted in the additional blood volume. So taking the supplement will boost the level back up where it should be.
Dr. Donald also asked if I had experienced any contractions. I admitted that over the last 2 weeks, I've noted 3. Each of them happened after doing something I shouldn't have been doing in the first place - like pushing a 30-lb box on a shelf or bending over repeatedly to get clothes out of the dryer. So I've added those activities to the growing list of things I won't do any more. But because the contractions were few and far between - and each had a specific reason for happening - the doctor wasn't concerned. He encouraged more fluids and rest - as these will help avoid any further contractions. And he of course agreed that I shouldn't do those things any more. :)
So given all this, and even considering the fact that I'm inching ever closer to full-term size, I've been granted another "2-week pass"! No bed rest yet. More fluids, more rest, avoid any strenuous (read: stupid) activities and keep eating. We go back in about 2 weeks - on February 20. At that appointment, they'll measure my cervical length and also measure the babies' growth. We should have over 4 pounds of baby by then!
Thank you again to everyone for all your prayers and support!
Love,
Kristin & Tim
The babies' heart rates are all well within the normal range - between 141 -160. They were all active and mobile - gearing up for their tag team wrestling matches, I'm sure. :) Space is at a premium in there, which makes it difficult to get good photos. We came home with a handful, but it's very difficult to tell what's what - even after the tech explained what we were seeing.
After the ultrasound tech (her name is Lori) did what she needed to do, she turned the screen so Tim and I could watch the action for a minute. We got to watch one of the boys give a good kick on the screen - while seeing the same movement in my belly. Way cool. We all said "Did you see that?!" And Tim added, "He gave you a good one!" :) He certainly did! It was amazing to see what they're doing in there to make those movements visible from the outside.
My glucose test for gestational diabetes came back normal - so that's good news. I don't have to give up chocolate or Ben & Jerry's ice cream. :) Dr. Donald did say that my hemoglobin is low, so he's added an iron supplement to my regimen. Evidently, when your blood supply doubles to provide for 4 babies, your hemoglobin gets dilluted in the additional blood volume. So taking the supplement will boost the level back up where it should be.
Dr. Donald also asked if I had experienced any contractions. I admitted that over the last 2 weeks, I've noted 3. Each of them happened after doing something I shouldn't have been doing in the first place - like pushing a 30-lb box on a shelf or bending over repeatedly to get clothes out of the dryer. So I've added those activities to the growing list of things I won't do any more. But because the contractions were few and far between - and each had a specific reason for happening - the doctor wasn't concerned. He encouraged more fluids and rest - as these will help avoid any further contractions. And he of course agreed that I shouldn't do those things any more. :)
So given all this, and even considering the fact that I'm inching ever closer to full-term size, I've been granted another "2-week pass"! No bed rest yet. More fluids, more rest, avoid any strenuous (read: stupid) activities and keep eating. We go back in about 2 weeks - on February 20. At that appointment, they'll measure my cervical length and also measure the babies' growth. We should have over 4 pounds of baby by then!
Thank you again to everyone for all your prayers and support!
Love,
Kristin & Tim
Monday, February 2, 2009
Houser/McKay Shower - January 24
My aunts on the Houser side (Mom's sisters) threw this shower for us. My long-time close friend Julie "Jules" Rees co-hosted with them. It was a very nice party, girls - thank you! I handed my camera to Jules when she arrived to take photos for me. Here's a selection of the shots she took - starting with the cake Jules brought (above).
Above is a gift-opening shot featuring the bumper pad for the cribs (thank you Mom!). This was where I got my inspiration for the border on the walls in the nursery.
Molly Rees, Ruby Huermann and Emma Rees. Too stinkin' cute, aren't they?
This is what happens when you hand the camera over to Jules...this is not the only "belly" shot she took when I wasn't paying attention...
The next generation of McKay girls: Taylor, Meghan (holding Sabrina) and Lauren. The older girls here - along with their older sister Morgan and their mom Julie - have volunteered to help out with our babies when they come home. They are certainly naturals.
Thanks to everyone that was able to attend the party - and thank you so much for your generous gifts. We're certainly well on our way to gathering all the necessities for our boys when they come home in the spring.
Love,
Kristin & Tim
Coleman/Sasse Baby Shower - January 17
Well, now that Leza gave me a tutorial on downloading and modifying photos from our new camera, I can post a few shots from the baby showers.
Here are some photos from the Coleman/Sasse (Tim's family) shower. My sister-in-law Katie hosted the shower at her home (Katie and I are belly-to-belly in the shot above; she was at about 31 weeks at the time; and I was at about 19). My mother-in-law Pat and long-time close friend Leza Rebera were co-hosts. Thank you girls for putting on such a nice event. I'm sorry Leza couldn't attend - she and most of her family came down with a nasty cold just a day or 2 before the shower. But with SIX pregnant women and a gaggle of little girls present, she took the hit for the team to not be there. We missed you! :)
This pic shows some of the darling decorations the girls put out for the shower. I just loved this clothesline over the fireplace.
Look at all the pregnant women! (ranging from 12 weeks to almost 39 weeks) The other women at the shower were afraid to drink the water - for fear it was a contagious condition...
Our nephew Jack was my assistant gift-opener. He did a wonderful job!
I just had to share this shot - if you know me, you know I try to be "green". My fellow tree hugger Theresa LaVeck "wrapped" her gift in this handy reusable bag. I love it!!
Thank you to everyone who braved the elements to attend the parties. We certainly missed those that were snowed-in. It was a great day. Thank you!!
Love,
Kristin & Tim
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)