The Adoption Chronicles

Hi everyone! We're still here! It's been just over two weeks since I've posted anything, which is unlike me I know. Actually a couple of times I did try to post more maternity photos from our photo shoot but our i nternet or the blogger site wasn't working and they didn't post. Anyway today marks 25 weeks and 5 days. I cannot believe we're already looking at 26 weeks! It's amazing. Each and every week is a milestone. Really, everyday is success because these babies have so much growing to do! I've been doing pretty good lately. We've had some little bumps in the road I guess you could say but overall things are going really well to be 25/26 weeks along. We're pleased and relieved to have made it this far! Starting where I left off we did our maternity photo shoot in Madison on Saturday April 10 th immediately followed by the baby shower. I was pretty wiped out even during the shower but it was great to see everyone, open gifts and hang out. It...

"Mom" and "Dad" blocks :)

The babies room is full of shower gifts (yea!!!), our play yard (thank you Aunt Karren!) and baby books so had to take this photo by the door instead of the usual weekly photo in their room! :) I'll write more later...but now is time for bed.

Thank you Cindy for opening your home and for the wonderful shower! Cindy is one of our lifelong family friends! Thanks mom for helping host too!! Megan (best friend since middle school), Ann (Meg's mom, my "second mom") and my mom, Debbie. Just like old times. Acorn, eggplant and pear wool hats my friend Grace hand-made for each of the babies! They're beautiful!

With long time friends from Madison Nadege and Grace. With Kyoko and her triplets! Mom and I helped her some when these three were only days old! Now they're 10, in 5th grade and adorable! Time flies! Time to eat! Look at all those yummy treats! Thank you Cindy and mom for hosting and making all the food!

It was so nice outside yesterday morning! We couldn't have asked for anything better! The sun was shining and the temperature was probably 60 ish but perfect! We really got lucky. My high school buddies Dave and Karl did the photo shoot for us! Thanks again guys! It was super fun! (It was pretty bright out! Notice how we're all squinting!) Its amazing that you can't actually see my HUGE belly in this photo. How is that possible? I have another photo where I'm laying down and you can't see my head or anything past my belly because it's taking over! Ha-ha! We put some white daisies in the grass and this photo was taken from above from the retaining wall. I can't wait to see the final images!!

My friend Laura and me. This photo was taken over a month ago so we've both grown quite a bit since then! Laura and I originally met through an infertility group and have been fortunate enough to be there for one another from our infertility struggles, heartache, adoptions, failed and successful embryo transfers and now our pregnancies. God has been so faithful to us through it all - we know our husbands are glad God brought us together too! :) This is a photo from "In the Womb: Multiples." Just thought it was interesting.

No one wanted to give their profile shots today but we got one of baby C quickly as he was moving around! It is much more crowded in there lately but all the babies are doing fabulously! Thank you to everyone for your prayers!!! Baby A's weight was 1.6 lbs. Baby B's weight was 1.4 lbs. Baby C's weight was 1. 4 lbs They're growing but still tiny. Just to give you an idea the sonographer measured one foot and it was less than 2 inches! Still pretty small. We don't want them arriving any time soon - they still have LOTS of growing to do! So, they're all on track and growing at the right rate, and together and everyone has plenty of amniotic fluid which is always a concern for multiples especially identicals when sharing the same chorionic sac. I guess we're never 100% out of the woods for Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome BUT everything looks perfect so far and our doctors don't have any concerns at this point which is amazing! These next few weeks (10-...

A HUGE Thank You to Cindy and Cheri for all your help in coordinating the beautiful shower today!!! Thank you so much! Thank you to everyone who came to the shower and for the wonderful gifts, signed cards and gift card! It was great to see everyone today! We really appreciate your support and kindness! Thank you so much, Clint and Rachel Opening gifts! Cute little duckies for the tub! The cake was beautiful! The babies were so cute too! I love how they're sleeping with their bottoms in the air :)

The weeks seem to be flying by...but then again I feel like I'm still getting to enjoy being pregnant. I guess the days seem long but the weeks seem short - does that make any sense at all? This morning for the first time I was able to watch my belly moving! It was really cool to just sit there and watch the babies all moving and seeing my belly moving the way it was! I can't explain how it felt or how excited I was but it was pretty awesome to be able to see them! Soon I might be seeing feet or fingers even instead of just bumpy belly. I love it!

Riding on the mini horse! :) Talking to Caleigh with Uncle Clint. All of us together...Sara, Matthew (my brother), mom with Caitlin, me, Clint and Cal. It was a really bright, sunny day out-can you tell by our squinting?

Phew, we both looked pooped! That was a lot of wonderful gifts to open! We loved them all :) Mom, thank you for taking photos at the shower! You can never have enough diaper cakes! ha! That's a lot of diapers...wonder how long they'll last though? 30 diapers a day on average is about right. Anyone want to help?

"I'm the big sister" from Michelle! Thank you! Caleigh (our dog) will LOVE her scarf! I'll have to post a photo of her wearing it. Caitlin helping open all the gifts...and wearing them - someones got to test them out! From Matthew and Sara. I loved all the clothes of course and this magnetic "I Luv My Triplets" sign is adorable. 3 Peas in a Pod outfits for the trips! So cute! Me and Erika. Thank you all for such a beautiful shower!!!

Me and Mom with the yummy cake! Loved the cute little ducklings - and all the candy Aunt Kathie made! Thank you everyone! It was so much fun! Me and Sara, my sister-in-law. Sara and Matthew are due with their second baby in June too! Our due date is officially August 6 th but the babies will probably arrive in late June or maybe the first week of July if they can go that long! Triplets typically arrive between 32 and 33 weeks on average. Our first goal is to make it to 32 weeks! Keep praying everyone! I know we've had a lot of people praying for us because they've done so well and I'm felt pretty well almost my entire pregnancy. Thank you! The Hostesses! Cousins Michelle, Erika and Amanda and Amanda's mom, Aunt Linda. Mom's sisters - Aunt Karen and Aunt Kathie. :) Time for CAKE!

I just weighted myself...I didn't think it was possible but here it goes...I'm 151 lbs! My start weight was 115 lbs. Typically my weight hovers between 118 and 121 but for the 6 plus months just before our transfers I ate more healthy and cut out sweets and without even thinking about it or trying to loose weight and I was consistently 114-116 lbs for several months before even our first transfer in September. 151-115...oh boy! 36 pounds gained so far and I'm 22 weeks today!!! I love it! haha. I've never been happier to look at the scale and see my weight climbing! Ha! When else in life can you say that anyway? It's a good feeling knowing all the babies are doing so well and growing and knowing I'm gaining weight too. I'm not worried at all about the weight...this isn't the time to worry about that. Plus I know if I can breastfeed, and I'm going to try my hardest (with supplements of course at each feeding - rotating which baby gets formula or bre...

Okay, so everyone should know I LOVE a good deal or a great sale and the last couple of days I've got a couple of great ones! What could be better? 1. I signed up to be a part of the Southeastern Wisconsin Moms of Multiples group (SE WI MOM's ) a month or two ago and you can sign up to receive "daily digests" from the posts at yahoo groups. So, I get these emails daily with posts from other moms of multiples. Some moms are asking for advice, others giving it and occasionally people are selling their outgrown multiple items. Well, this week I lucked out because I found THREE mattresses being sold for $20 a piece! I'd been looking for inexpensive mattresses and found some I'd thought about buying at Babies R Us. The ones I found were about the cheapest I'd seen at $89.99 (verses paying $200 or more per mattress )! I'd pretty much given into the fact we'd have to fork out a lot of money but when I saw the posting for these three mattresses for $60 ...

Yea! Today I'm headed to Illinois to see family, hang out for Easter AND our second baby shower!!! I'm super excited!!! Thank you Amanda, Erika, Michelle and Aunt Linda for hosting! I'll have to post photos when I get back on Saturday night...maybe Sunday. I can't wait! Next weekend Mom is throwing me a shower too in Madison! I'm really looking forward to that too! :)