Top Questions I'm Asked

Q: Are they natural?
A: If you mean were they cloned...no they were not cloned. We used Clomid at 50mg for one week in January. Clomid doesn't work for everyone so hoped it would work for us, but we never dreamed it would work so well.

Q: How are you feeling?
A: I feel great. I don't know what a singleton pregnancy feels like so this is my normal. I thankfully never had morning sickness, and am blessed to have a husband that does everything he can to help me be more comfortable.

Q: How are the babies?
A: As of our last check up they are doing great.

Q: Are you ready for 4 babies?
A: Ha! Who is ever ready for 4 babies?

Q: Do you feel them?
A: Yes I do more and more with each week. While eating the other day I placed my elbow on my side and when I moved it Baby C bumped in to where my elbow had been. As if to say it's crowded enough in here without you poking me!

Q: Do you have to eat a lot?
A: Yes I do, and before you say you wish someone had told you that or for me to enjoy it now. No you don't, and there isn't much to enjoy. Sure you eat whatever you want, but in the back of my mind I'm always wondering did I get enough calories today?

20 Week Update/Scan

20 Weeks Today

Baby A yes that right in his face is Baby B. Poor A never gets to rest without something in his face.

Baby A
HR 148 bpm
11oz

He was kicking the whole time, but they were able to get all the shots they needed!

Baby B
HR 165 bpm
12 oz

While A & B were cramped she had her legs fully extended most of the time.

Baby C
HR 140 bpm
11 oz

She did a flip right when the camera got on her side. Her legs were also extended, but she likes hers crossed.

Baby D
HR 153 bpm
9 oz

So far everything looks great. I saw the doctor today, and my goal is make it through the next four weeks. She said these are the 4 critical weeks because if we can make it past 24 weeks they can survive outside the womb. My personal goal is 32 weeks, but these small goals break up the long time frame. After 24 weeks my goal will be 28 weeks. As for now I gained another 7lbs which is great! I'm still behind on weight gain, but I'm doing much better.

I haven't much time

My day is filled with many tasks to do.

Just kidding.

I do need to work on the first of the baby blankets. The one I started in Feb., but put to the side when I found out there were four zombie monsters? I started it again this past weekend. Picked up where I left off, and can hopefully get rolling with it again. Baby blankets feel like they go on forever when I'm knitting them. They're good to do while watching tv, and I did that this weekend while watching a marathon of Deadliest Catch. I put it to the side for a few moments, and never picked it back up again. /sigh.

While I've been posted on the couch or in the bed Andy finished the front yard landscaping and it looks great! He bought shelves for the garage at Lowes so we're in the process of getting things together. He'll bring my books and cases down from the current office into the new office and I'll sit on the floor to put them away. Not sure when we'll get to that other things have to happen first. Like clearing the new office of Christmas decorations and other junk we just put in there a year ago. It also has baby swings and bouncy seats I've been buying one at a time. We have two swings, two bouncy seats, and one play gym blanket thing. We have a crib in the kitchen, and one on the way. We're going to try co-bedding at first. Some people say it works, and some say it doesn't. We'll see how it goes. I updated the registry over the weekend after getting the newest MOST magazine with a shopping list a mile long. I realized I didn't have everything I needed so I added what was missing. This will make it easier for Andy to go buy things when I am no longer able to go to the store.

Everyone usually asks how I'm feeling so here we go. I feel overall great. I can feel light movements inside from zombie monsters doing whatever it is they do. Some days are more uncomfortable than most, but I really don't have many complaints. Except that I wake up hot as hell every night while Andy freezes because the AC is set to 70 degrees. I turn on the fan and go back to sleep. It's getting harder to get out of bed. Two nights ago I thought I might be stuck when it took three tries to successfully get myself out of the bed at 2am. Andy said I sound like a horse when I sleep. I don't believe such things. He says he is going to record it for proof. I hope he doesn't.

So we're doing good. I have my moments of self doubt and wondering, but that is only natural. The unknown is a hard thing to face sometimes. You just have to know that God wouldn't lead you some where you couldn't go. It won't be easy, but it will be worth it. That is what shakes away the days of fear and anxiety. They're still there waiting for a moment of exhaustion, but so is God and that's all I need to know.

19 Week Photos

So these are the 19 week belly shots.



I took the above picture while Andy was sleeping, and Andy took the below picture about 10 minutes ago.

One Job

Andy tells me my one job is to eat. He said this after he found my half eaten large fries from lunch. I wasn't very hungry today, but I still ate more than the normal human. My food intake since he got back hasn't been as high calorie so we're working to fix that. He can't eat all the things I need to so we're looking for a solution not a balance. He does the dishes nearly every day because of all the food I eat. He's been great about picking up the slack!

So I've been eating because I'm behind on the weight gain. They'd like me to have gained 30lbs by week 20, but I'm only at 18lbs so far. I'm 19 weeks tomorrow. :-\ That gives me a week to shove all the food in as I can. Kidding. I'm focusing more on protein rich foods to help the babies. So now I'm up to 2 carnation instant breakfast drinks a day. Plus I need to eat peanut butter. I don't have to have a sandwich, but I can eat it by the spoonfuls or even on ice cream! Yummy!

Everyone has been asking how big my belly is getting so starting tomorrow I'm going to try to take a picture every Thursday wearing the same shirt. Well...I won't take it, but Andy has agreed to take one for me each week.

I can't believe it is 19 weeks tomorrow. I will have 9 weeks to 28 weeks, and I'm hoping to make it some where between 32-34 weeks. Prayers would be awesome that my body holds out and I can deliver the babies during that time frame. So far the greatest things have been prayers and a sense of humor. I'm not really sure how I'd be holding up during this time if it weren't for a sense of humor. When I'm feeling a little bit of anxiety or if I'm wondering how I'm going to do it I just to pray that all goes well, and then I make light of the situation and make jokes.

Well I just woke up so I think that means it is time for me to close and go up to sleep.

Taking It Easy

I've been reading the book When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads. It is very informative, and I wish I had it from the first day we found out about the quads. It has fun little pictures like one drawing with four women and the differences between someone carrying a baby, twins, triplets, and quads at 24 weeks. Poor little babies are crammed in there. I hope none of them a claustrophobic. ;-) Yes these are the things I think up during my days.

I woke up last night with this horrible burning just below my sternum. Maybe it was my stomach I don't know. Depends on where it has been pushed to. Zombie monsters just shove everything out of the way so they can have their own little space. Except ZM A he's shoved down under ZM B's booty. I listened to Andy, and called the doctor to make sure it's normal. I'm guessing it is heartburn, but we'll see what the doctor has to say. The good thing is it went away after about an hour, and I was able to go back to sleep. The cat woke me up puking up a hairball later, and then the dogs started howling at something only they could hear. I'm not sure where the hairball location is exactly. All I know is trying to find it would require a light to be on, and Andy is sleeping. I hope he doesn't find it when he wakes up by stepping on it.

Anyway on to nursery information.
Here is an example of how the nursery will look. We're changing the all over color from blue to a light light yellow, and our cribs are neutral or honey pine.

You can visit the website here...
http://disney.go.com/disneyhome/disney_color/rooms/poohuni/poohuni.html
I am not sure if I'll use the dragonfly, or if I'll go find a stencil at AC Moore. The main theme of the nursery isn't Pooh either. I know it's a pooh room, but we're just using the colors and not the pooh. I do love pooh, but I thought it would be easier to go without a theme.

Ok I'm going to on my daily run now. HAHA just kidding. I'm really going to watch some tv.

18 Week Ultrasounds

Baby D was stretching when we first saw her...probably why we couldn't get a good image of her.

Baby C

Baby A on the right with Baby B's booty on the left...right in his face. There wasn't a good shot of B so his booty will have to do.

Bed Rest Day 1

So I was put on bed rest yesterday at my doctor's appointment. I thought I can't wait to go on bed rest! Then when the words were said out loud I didn't feel like I thought I would. It was an uneasy worried feeling.

I did pretty well today until I realized I won't be going back to work. Not even for 4 hours a day. I felt like I was watching paint dry. It set in after watching Grey's Anatomy. It was probably just the sadness from watching the show that made me feel all the anxiety. Or it could have been the fact that Andy was outside working in the yard, and all I could do to help was water the sod he put down. BORING.

I'm pretty good at not getting bored. There are so many ways I can entertain myself. Sewing, knitting, reading, learning new crafty type things, and playing World of Warcraft. Today I was bored. I didn't want to stay inside or stand around watering sod. I followed Andy around for a bit between the pallet of sod and where he was placing it. I know it had to be annoying to have me trailing behind him talking about nonsense but I had nothing better to do. Well I did have better things to do...I just couldn't do anything that I would want to do. like clean the bedroom.

Do you realize how many household chores require bending over? I didn't. Feeding the dogs...bending over 4 times. Sweeping bending over twice to pick up piles. I don't think I'm supposed to be sweeping it makes my back hurt, but they said vacuuming not sweeping. Is that the same thing? I don't think so. /sigh Dusting...I can dust anything eye level or near eye level. Anything else is left dusty...not that I've dusted in a while. Dish washer loading...not allowed. Laundry not allowed. Changing the sheets constant bending over required. Just so you know everytime I thought of something I would like to do, and realized I shouldn't I would think this is some bull beep. I'm adjusting. I thought it would be more fun having Andy here to help with everything, but now I realize I shouldn't be doing half of what I was doing it takes the fun out. It is awesome having Andy home though so I can hug him all the time. That's fun for me :D

I started a notebook to help get things together for later on in the pregnancy/after the births. So far I've only put the folders and page protectors in the notebook. That's a step though!

I've found that I hate wearing shoes. I wear flip flops every where, and if I had some birks I'd wear them when I don't wear the flip flops. The cat peed on my last pair though. (FYI--I just spelled that pear). I think I'll look for another pair because honestly they were the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn. The croc sandles I have make my feet swell so I don't wear them anymore. I also don't wear my cowboy boots at this time. Not shocking since I did just type that I only wear my flip flops.

I'm also starting to wonder if I can knit 4 baby blankets for the babies. If they will be able to have them in the NICU. Or if they'll be able to have little hats. What size hats should I knit. If I start to knit them will it hit me how tiny they're going to be?

We had a friend give us a crib, and we found a crib up in VA so now we've gotten all of our cribs. The nursery will not be as previously planned. No cherry anymore...instead natural or honey pine. The walls won't be aqua blue, but light light yellow all over with colorful blocks. I'm not sure how many blocks there will be. It was an example nursery in a Disney pamphlet at home depot. There will still be an area in the nursery that is chalkboard paint. Not sure how much, but it'll be cute! I was going to recover the two bumpers I have, but I found two bumpers at Target that I love! A blue one and a pink one. The blue one has airplanes and the pink one has butterflies in the center on the front of the bumper.

The office will probably any color we have left over from painting the other rooms...as long as it isn't the dark blue from the bedroom, or the green from the bathroom. I hope we have enough of the blue from the living room because it is so calming. That's right people...no pink.

I think I'm going to finish watching What not to wear then on to Prison Break with Andy.

Yes! I'm awake...

Feeling slightly overwhelmed. Andy finally made it home...YAY! We came up to VA for a few days, and will be returning tomorrow. Today was a good day, but being around different people each day answering all their questions is tiring. So tonight I'm filled with anxiety and can't sleep. On a daily basis I think positive, and go one day at a time to keep anxiety at bay. My friends at work, and mostly everyone I work around have gotten past the shock so there isn't any OMG moments on a daily basis. Here we've answered many questions, and that is when it begins to wear me down. I don't like being the center of attention, but I've accepted we'll be getting attention anytime we take the babies out after they're born. Right now I'd like to just blend in like any other pregnant woman. Sure they don't blend in like someone who isn't pregnant, but when people hear you're having quads they tend to have the look of shock followed by questions. Some questions I don't mind...others I think are rude. I don't want a big deal made out of the fact that I'm carrying four. People have done it before, and I surely won't be the last. I guess it's the fact that you rarely meet someone carrying quads that makes people get so excited. Their shock and exclamations makes it hard to take it a day at a time. I begin to think forward wondering how long will my body be able to hold them, the time after delivery when they're in the NICU, and once they're starting to come home. Imagine taking it a day at a time to thinking about all of this, and you'd probably have a sleepless night too.

Overall I'd say I'm doing well. I take naps when I get tired, and sometimes I take them on accident. If I sit too long in an uncomfortable chair my back begins to ache, and if I walk for very long my hands and feet begin to swell. I don't like wearing shoes unless they're flip flops that I can easily slide off. My belly is getting bigger, and I'm usually most uncomfortable after I eat. It's always the area right below the ribs that feels like there just isn't any room. I don't mind these things...they're just things I'm getting use to.

I wish I knew the answers to some of the questions I have, but they're not ones that are easily answered. There in fact is no answer to the ones I want the most...all I can do is wait. Right now the best words I hear people say are "I'm/we're praying for you". It is appreciated more than anyone knows.

1,500 Calories

I am from the South where good food is always right around the corner. I love to eat. I love good food. I don't care much for looking like a cow, but I do enjoy eating. My favorite foods growing up? Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn on the cob, corn bread, fried okra, squash, fried eggplant, and the list goes on. Since I've grown up I have learned to appreciate collard greens when made correctly. Not out of the can. Fresh and seasoned with pulled pork...not bacon. These are all what I consider comfort foods. Reminds me when I was little and I could eat whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. To be a child again...what brings this on? My appointment today with the dietitian.

As it turns out I can eat whatever I want* whenever I want. I in fact need to be eating around 1500 calories a meal. This is the diet for someone expecting triplets, and let us not forget that I am carrying quads not triplets. She said she wanted to start me off with what someone expecting triplets would need. Here is how it breaks down...

Servings per DAY

Dairy = 10

Veggies = 5

Fruits = 8

Grains, breads = 12

Fats, oils, and nuts = 12

Eggs = 2

Meat, fish, poultry = 3 or 9oz total.

Now I'm from Texas so all I could think is "Good Lord! By the time this is over Andy will need a harness to walk me around the arena and sell me to the highest bidder." Yes this is my first thought. I.AM.GOING.TO.BE.HUGE. Then my good brain starts again, and I realize I can do this or I can ignore it. If I do it I'll be huge & I will have done everything I can to make 4 healthy babies. OR I can be vain and disregard what they say and hope for the best. I'm not saying I'm pessimistic, but when I hope for the best it is usually good that I expected the worst. This really isn't about me though is it? Right now this isn't really my body...it now belongs to four little zombie monsters. Once they're born I'll be running again (very slowly as to not cause an earthquake of course), and eating like a normal human being. Then my body will once again be about me. Until then...here's to eating what I want* when I want. Cheers!

*Side note I cannot have a strong drink or sushi. I don't drink often, but I really wanted that drink when I found out there were four instead of one, and sushi...well it's one of my favorite things to eat.

The Do's and Don'ts at 14 weeks...

Do...

Eat more protein

Eat more period.

Gain more weight

Drink Carnation® Instant Breakfast mixed with ice cream every day

Do take 2 Flintstones Chewable vitamins a day instead of Iron pills of death

Go on walks

Find a yoga DVD

Don't...

Carry laundry

Vacuum & other housework

Work more than 20 hours a week

Bend over a lot

Lift more than 15lbs

:) I saw A baby today a shadow really because it was a quick ultra sound just to check to see that all babies were moving and had good heartbeats. I couldn't see the other ones because the doctor was like oh see there is a baby and there is another baby I was thinking hmm it is pointed toward you so no I can't see it. I finally semi sat up to see one. ;-) I sat in the waiting area for 2 hours because there was a mix up. They thought I had an ultra sound I didn't have one scheduled so no one knew they should be looking for me. I couldn't remember when my appointment was I thought 9, but because they rescheduled it I couldn't remember exactly what time. I got there at 0850 after stopping off at Krispy Kreme YUMMY! I was reading so not really paying attention to the time, and when I realized how long I had been there I was getting ready to go up to the desk when one of the ladies asked if I had been called yet. I said no and she called the back to see what was going on. They called me back within two minutes and everyone I came in contact with apologized multiple times. They were all very nice just like the last time I went in. Very happy with my transfer to them. I go back in two weeks one appointment is to speak to someone about what to eat and how much to eat. The second appointment is to have another ultrasound! YAY! I also see the doctor the same day as the ultrasound. hopefully I'll have gained some weight. I can't wait until Andy comes home. Not only do I miss him, but it'll be easier when he finally returns and starts cleaning and changing the cat litter. :-D

11 weeks 2 days today

This past Wednesday I went to the new doctor, but they thought it was only a consult not a transfer. So it wasn't until I brought up that I was actually a transfer not a consult that they stopped saying what they might do and told me what they plan to do. More medication, and a longer appointment for an ultrasound. They do the 3D ultrasound which I haven't really liked because they look a little too creepy. That was until I saw the images come up on the screen. My blobs looked like actual babies and I was really excited! They were really neat it was the first time the babies looked like babies, and it made it feel real. Everyone wants to know if I am showing at all. I can see the belly forming, but if you see me you can't tell I don't think. Everyone also wants me to do belly shots which I think is a little odd at this point. I tried to add widget, but since I couldn't get the crazy thing on this blog I put it on my facebook instead.

I have been trying to study, but when I open the book I fall asleep. :( It is hard when you're tired the entire time you're home. I hope I can focus more so I can actually study.

Just Me Rambling

Sometimes you have to stop and face the things that scare you most.

I'm not scared of carrying quadruplets. I'm terrified of after they're born. How does one go from having only pets to having four kids? Terrified of how to care for 4 babies all at once. It isn't like a baby-sitter...no one is coming to take them away. How do you give 4 infants the attention they all need? How do you keep from losing your mind when they're all screaming and you only have 2 hands. It isn't something I can learn from a book. I have to wait for months to find out. Months and months and months of the unknown looming in the darkness. I'm excited...I'm thankful...I'm nervous. How do you stay optimistic when you have four coming, and you never got to try your hand at one you didn't get to give back. It is one of the scariest thing I've ever faced in my life.

I read I need to eat every two hours and with a quadruplet pregnancy I need to eat 4500 calories a day. How do you eat 4500 healthy calories a day? How do you eat every two hours? AND WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU EATING? 4500 calories sounds a lot like what it takes to get on the Biggest Loser. I'm not really worried about weight. Ok that's a lie. Some where in the back of my mind is the fear I will wake up after the birth of the babies to the headline HUMAN WHALE GIVES BIRTH TO QUADS. I get it though it isn't all about me. I have to eat to grow healthy babies. I have to eat as healthy as possible.

I have found a lot of people need to give advice to pregnant people. My "doctor" on base told me while he wasn't an OB he has three children so if I wanted to ask him any questions I could. This was right after he asked if I had seen an OB. How else would I have known I was having quadruplets? What did I go to the vet?

I think the time has come for me to go to bed.

Quadruplets

I can say that out loud to the internet now. I was outted on Facebook, once on the pregnancy and again with the fact that we're expecting quads. The quads weren't planned. They are in fact a shock.

Since most people want to know if we got pregnant naturally here is our story.

We tried on and off for 2.5 years, and when we couldn't get pregnant we went to have tests done. When we both had issues the Navy doctor we were seeing gave us the lowest dose of Clomid. After three months of seeing the doctors and having the tests we started our first round of Clomid. I felt horrible on it. I was moody and just felt ugh! As it would turn out we only needed one month. I had a blood test after about a week of watching the pregnancy tests get darker and darker.

My first appointment was scheduled for a Tuesday, but when I started to have problems I had to go in early. As it turns out I had many cysts from the clomid, and one burst. The fluid from the cyst caused the ultrasound to show nothing so I was scheduled to go back on Monday. On Monday I went back for another ultra sound. The u/s tech didn't really say anything, but when the doctor saw me in her office I knew something was up. She confirmed how long and how much I'd taken. Then she showed us the u/s pictures and started to count. yolk sac 4, now known as Baby D, wasn't expected to make it to the next week. It was so much smaller than the other three she really didn't think it would take. The next week though Baby D was there with a heartbeat, and this week he or she has caught up and the heartbeat is right there with the other three.

I've been so tired and feeling just ick. We're now at 8 weeks 5 days, and hoping to continue to have a healthy pregnancy.