33+weeks

Kristen had a big appointment yesterday morning. Thankfully, I was able to make it as the doctors did a big ultrasound (an ultra ultrasound, if you will) to look at the sizes of the babies and how Kristen is doing. It looks like the docs are confident that Kristen will make it 35/36 weeks and will most likely on Monday or so SET A DATE for a couple of weeks from now. So, in 2 weeks, we could be parents. Don't know who sanctioned this, but I guess we'll have to go with it. Here are the new stats on the three babes:

Baby A (boy): 4 lbs 8 oz
Baby B (girl): 4 lbs 1 oz
Baby C (boy): 4 lbs 8 oz

AWESOME! It is funny how perspective changes on things: I used to want a 9 pound baby; now I am thrilled with the 4 pound babies and think they are big. Funny how that works.

So I have the three strollers all together and a new ride for the little critters. I am thinking that I now have a full Carrier Air Group (CAG). It will now be known as CAG 3A (there is already a CAG 3). Now to just come up with names for the vehicles.

Here is a pick of Kristen at 33 weeks. Lookin GOOD!

Still here....

Kristen is now 32 weeks and 5 days, and still pregnant. Everything has actually been very quiet on the front here. I still keep waiting for the call in the middle of the night saying I need to rush to the hospital, but wake up every morning realizing that it is going to be at least another day.

It is funny because the scale has tipped to the other side of the scared-o-meter. Where we once were scared that these babies would come out way to early, we are now scared they will make it to the 35/36 week mark and actually all go home with us! We are secretly counting on the staying in the hospital a couple of weeks so that a.)Kristen can recover from the C-section (which will be a little more involved since there are 3) and b.) the babies will start getting onto a feeding schedule! Obviously, the bottom line is we just want them all to be very healthy, but it would be nice if those two big wishes happened. You gotta love us Americans, right?! There's always something we want/need. It will all work out though.

So I made my weekly trip to Baby's R Us yesterday and picked up a double and a single stroller. This goes along with the triple stroller that we already have. Now if we can just get a quad stroller (for Fenway or something) we will hit for the cycle with strollers. Hey, you have to have goals right?! And don't worry: I picked up a couple more huge boxes of diapers. I just can't help myself anymore, and will probably have to check in for therapy at some point in the not too distant future (actually, probably many times over the next 18 years).

A lot of info and overwhelmed

Kristen's back pain has continued and gotten worse. We are thankful that this weekend we have been/are able to get some help in to work on it. Hopefully, the pain starts to diminish and she can sleep at night.

I have been getting my hands on as much info as I can about what to expect and how to prepare (which I feel will all be thrown out the window the minute they get here, much like all my premarriage info was thrown out the moment I got married!). I have read many books, spoken to some great people who have triplets, and looked at many websites. Here's a little of the info I have:

-You will need help, don't turn it down.
-Diapers, diapers, and more diapers (210 a week; I now have 5+months worth).
-Get them on a schedule (that's what we have Kristen for; I am here for organized chaos and fun)
-The amount of things we have/need is amazing (diapers, bottles, clothes, etc)
-I know WAY too much about breast feeding; some things a man just shouldn't know that much about
-Speaking of breastfeeding, I will be fairly irrelevant for a while. Yes, I will help with changings and such, but they will almost soley need their mother to survive. That is a pretty crazy thought.
-And, last but not least, the National Triplet Convention has been postponed for 2010 but will resume next year in Philadelphia with the theme, "Let THREEdom Ring." YESSS!

Long Week

It feels like it has been awhile since I updated everyone on how things are going. It has been a long week, for Kristen and myself. Kristen's back has started to give her fits. While it is great that she is getting close to 32 weeks (I still can't believe that she has come this far), I know she is also ready for this to be done. Just a little longer, and it will all be over. Man.....these kids owe her!

We've definitely started to see things pick up at night with contractions with Kristen starting to have hours where she has 6 or more. Fortunately/unfortunately (?) they aren't picking up during the day so I have no idea how close she is. This is playing havoc on the mind as I NEED to be here when the whole thing happens, but there is no way I can just stay here all the time (we live about an hour and 15 minutes away). So, it is all a guessing game and I make extra trips down if something starts moving a little different. At work, though, we have now got it all worked out now what we will do if I am going flying. If I am flying or just in the jet on the ground, the call will be given over the radio, "Operation Condor is commencing." (One of my buddies says that the correct call will be, "The Pampers are in the Crib.") In any case, we will then fly to Everett, where the USS Lincoln is actually docked roughly a mile out Kristen's window (no joke). We will have them "rig the wires," come in for a trap, and I will run over to the hospital. This will save time on everything and ensure I will be here on time. Okay, so that is not going to happen, but it is a good plan, right?! I see this working out flawlessly!

Hope all are well. Thanks for the prayers, and please pray for Kristen's back. I'll keep you updated on any changes.

30 Weeks (!), Macho Man, and ...... The Fen

Kristen hit a HUGE milestone on Tuesday by making it to 30 weeks. We are so thrilled, and so blessed, that she is here. And, while things are getting considerably more uncomfortable, she knows the best place for the little people is inside her. Adding to her discomfort are new compression socks, which help with circulation in her legs. Between those, lying in bed all day, and "air boots" that she has to wear most of the day to get the circulation going in her feet (all meant to reduce the chance of blood clots), she is definitely a tough cookie. I can see that, when the kids do something bad to Kristen and I say to them, "Behave; you have no idea what your mother did for you guys," I will in fact be telling them nothing but the truth.

On Tuesday, the day she hit 30 weeks, I had a big "manly" day. At work, we got the keys to the jet (so to speak) and went out over the WA/OR coast, flying around and having a blast. Good times! That night, to really emphasize my manly man status, I......SHAVED MY WIFE'S LEGS! Yeah, that's right, and I could do nothing but laugh. It was pretty funny to think about that day. We had a good laugh about the whole thing, including my impression of Mo'Nique on Barbara Walters talking about why she doesn't shave her legs. ("Now Miss Baaaaaabbbra, you know I don't shave my legs, girl....") Okay, you had to be there.

After all that excitement, we decided to calm everything down last night by bringing a 95 pound black lab to the hospital. That's right: Fenway made his first hospital appearance. And that dog went nuts! Other than the elevator ride (sprawled out on all fours, clutching the tile with his claws and completely freaked out), his bull-in-china-shop mentality upon arriving on the floor, knocking things over with his tail, and growling at the nurse coming in to see Kristen, the trip went smoothly! Seriously, though, it was a hoot. And they were both glad to see each other, that is for sure. Fenway says that he will continue to go to the hospital to spread his love and well being in his summer 2010 Goodwill Hospital Ambassador tour. Look for it coming your way.

Above are a couple pics from the event. Good stuff. Thanks again for all the prayers.

Due to popular demand....

Here are some pics of Kristen and her "art." You will notice the onesy (that is how I would spell it; know idea if that is right), of which there are 2 more. Also she is now an artist after successfully attending a few of the arts and crafts sessions at UW hospital. Again, as I have said before, all you have to do to imagine this is think of Ben Stiller in Happy Gilmore.

Here is another picture of Kristen, this one at 29 weeks. Enjoy.

Nothing to see here, folks....

Kristen made it through the night and really settled down during the day, thank God. Where we thought labor was almost inevitable last night, we now think she can go a bit farther on this road. With her mom there, I came back home for the night to get a little sleep and will then go back in the morning.

I tell you what, this thing is going to give me a heart attack! Most of the crazy rides I have been on and through in life, I have been able to figure out how best to handle them. With this one, however, I haven't been able to come up with anything. I can't seem to find the manual! Even after I keep myself "calm" when something happens, later (as in this afternoon/evening) I realize how much it has taken out of me. I am exhausted, to say the least. And Kristen still hasn't even had these little terrors!

I guess it comes down to the fact that not only can I not wrap my mind around the fact that I am going to be a dad (wasn't I just thinking only of myself in college yesterday?!), but that there are going to be three little babies. Tonight, I wrote out the letter we will send to companies that have multiples programs for families. Even writing out the baby's names now makes me pause for a minute and just look at them (yes, we do have names; you'll get them when they arrive so simmer down). I can't believe there are going to be two boys and a precious little girl in our house. I keep hearing, "boys are so fun, but a baby girl will change you as a man." If only from afar for now, I really believe it.

I am really looking forward to all that will be with the boys. From trucks and mud, to LOTS of baseball (!!), it will be craziness. And to teaching little boys to grow up to be men is something I really look forward to and cherish (even if I am still trying to grow up myself).

But there is something about having a little girl that is really capturing my imagination. I think it is partly the relationship I know Kristen and her dad have, and had growing up. Much of it, though, I think comes from having seen my dad and Bethany. She was definitely a daddy's girl in every sense of the word. And while I know he loved (okay, loveS) Nate and I equally (maybe, I don't know; still up for debate), I think he would admit he loved her in a special and different way. Well, dad, here's to watching that and to trying to have that myself. Thanks for the picture window I was able to stare through.

For now, I will sleep and still try to imagine what it will be like to have three babies and a Fen dog together in our house. CRAZINESS!

Crazy Day

Today has been anything but normal for Kristen and the babies. Last night, Kristen was told that she would be moved almost immediately back to Providence Hospital (in Everett and where we started this hospital deployment). 30 minutes later that was put on hold for today. Around 1pm today, she was moved back to Providence via ambulance and almost immediately started having massive contractions. The babies (especially the lowest guy who is always trying to make a break for it) were pissed! Everyone started freaking out (thankfully, her Mom got in yesterday and was with her). I left work early thinking this might be it.

Fortunately, they were able to get Kristen some much needed water through an IV and, while she is still having contractions, they are starting to lessen in intensity a little. Please pray that these come under control, the babies settle down, and she goes back to how she felt yesterday: good. We are thankful that she has made it this far (29 weeks, 2 days and counting) but would love for her to hold on to these babies a little while longer.

While at home yesterday, I was able to get a majority of the nursery done, including getting the bedding on. I want to know who the maniac is that thought it would be a good idea to make things like bumpers and bed skirts! Those things are ridiculous. Not a fan, but they are all put together. I am just glad that the babies can now be happy knowing that the bed skirts and bumpers are on the cribs (something they have been worried about for quite some time).

Now, I am just hoping and praying that Kristen and the babies settle down and life can go back to "normal" for at least a little bit longer before our new "normal" consumes us.

And another one!

Today, Kristen hit 29 weeks on the charts! Fantastic news. She is unfortunately getting more uncomfortable (that belly is getting big, as noted by the fact that Kristen can now set drinks, snacks, or a pizza on it), but is maintaining. If Kristen makes it one more week, we will actually be able to go back to the first hospital we were at, making driving much shorter for me!

Life for me has been crazy, as it is all consumed by work, driving and getting the house ready, particularly the nursery. I'll post some pictures soon, but the nursery has been an interesting ride. From buying the furniture department of Babys R Us out (the looks on people's faces their was priceless; moving it into our house wasn't) to getting it all set up, things have been funny and somewhat stressful. I thought Kristen would be the one to set everything up, but the day we were going to pick things up, she was sent on deployment (i.e. put in the hospital/clink). So the nursery does look good, and makes me laugh as it somewhat resembles barracks with the three cribs in a row! Also, when getting the curtains and putting them up, I have learned about things like "valances." Who knew what a valance was? I thought it was a guy who got shot (The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance; great western), not something that goes in front of curtains. I have learned way too much about this decorating thing, and need to just go mow the grass or make something that can't be used because it is ugly!

Oh well, until I can do that again (approximately 18 years) I will continue to get the house ready, and await the arrival of a few little kiddos, probably in the next couple of weeks! And I will get some pics of the nursery up here. Thanks again for the prayers. Oh, and if you can, please pray for a gal Kristen became acquainted with here at the hospital who WAS pregnant with triplets as well. She gave birth to them yesterday at 27 weeks. They all weighed right around 2 pounds! The mom is doing well, but the babies are just holding on. So please pray for them. Thanks.