The Adoption Chronicles

Hi everyone. This is Clint writing. Rachel is totally wiped out tonight, still recovering. All seems to be going well. The best news of the day is that Ellie and Clinton (aka Mr. Quincy) have been discharged from the NICU and are now in the "special care" nursery along with Adelyn!! They all seem to be thriving, albeit at different paces. Adelyn is rockin' it out. She's been a real superstar to this point. She's hanging out in the isolette, eating well, and loving to be held throughout the day (thanks to Auntie Laura!). Mr. Quincy is chillin' underneath the bili spotlight but seems very content. He is also eating fairly well. Ellie is improving, but slowly. She had trouble today with maintaining her temperature and had some perceived difficulty with feeding today (per the nurse). She's also in an isolette, still with an N-G tube but eating from the bottle pretty well. I fed her tonight and she took all 20 cc's, but she's a little slower and require...

Daddy holding Adelyn - he's a natural and pro! Clint would go back and forth from the nursery and NICU to report back to me on the babies while in recovery and afterward. He was so great about taking photos and showing me each baby. It still seems surreal. I don't know how else to describe it. We're parents now after so long and I just cannot believe the love I have for these three tiny miracles! I even asked Clint today while holding Adelyn "are you sure WE get to take them home?" lol. It just feels right to have them here. Thanks to God for his provision during the pregnancy, c-section and now for these little lives! It's incredible. I think its still sinking in! We were able to see Adelyn immediatly after they cleaned and bundled her. Ellie and Clinton were taken to the NICU for furhter evaluation. After Clint got to hold Adelyn and I was able to see her while on the table they took her to the special care nursery. It was amazing to see the bab...

Last pregnancy belly photos! 34 weeks and 2 days! We made it!

Hello everyone, Just a quick note to let everyone know that Rachel gave birth to the triplets this morning at 11:31 AM by C-section. Two beautiful girls and a handsome little boy! Everyone seems to be doing well. In order of birth: 1. Adelyn Claire Wood - 4 lbs, 14 ounces - 18 inches. 2. Ellie Marin Wood - 4 lbs, 4 ounces - 17.25 inches. 3. Earl Clinton Wood V - 4 lbs, 12 ounces - 17.5 inches. Adelyn went straight to the nursery and is doing very well. Ellie and Clinton (we may call him Quincy) went to the NICU due to some respiratory issues but are not intubated and not requiring oxygen, only a CPAP. Rachel is still recovering but doing fairly well too. More information to come as we receive it. Thank you for all your prayers and support, and please keep praying that these little guys will grow stronger and continue to do well. Love, Clint & Rachel + Adelyn, Ellie, and Clinton

I posted THE belly photo. Sorry if you're grossed out. I debated it for awhile then said who cares. It is actually pretty amazing to me just how BIG a belly can grow and I thought I'd share! The babies are still pushing all over the place - hitting my nerves (yikes), ribs (ouch!), cervix (double OUCH!) and I think they pretty much just want out...especially our little baby B! She's going to be a WILD one I tell ya! I'm so curious (and a little nervous) as to how big they will be. What will they weigh? All over 4 pounds? According to our last u/s they are all at least that big but you never know because of the margin of error. We have had wonderful techs/sonographers, perinatologists, nurses and O.B. We're very satisfied with our care and it will actually be hard to leave everyone here because we've become close over the last several months! Okay, I'm officially drained. Good night.

It all started with the swelling... We kind of just assumed that would happen at some point and weren't too concerned. On Monday night though Clint thought we'd better check my blood pressure so he just did it at home. It was fairly high, for me at least. I usually have low to average BP even for a pregnant person. Anyway we called the on-call doctor and he said rest and recheck in an hour or so and if it was the same or worse then to come in. Long story short we rechecked after resting and it was down slightly so we just thought we'd wait until the following afternoon when we had an appointment anyway. We went in to our appointment at the Maternal Fetal Care Center on Tuesday afternoon for the babies biophysical profiles (bpp). They were all looking fabulous and all received A+'s as usual :) Good babies! The perinatologist and sonographer spoke with our O.B. on the phone and all decided to do another check on the BP and just to be sure on urine protein count. They were...

Until our scheduled c-section that is!!! I hope we can make it at least until this friday, that is my goal. Then after that the following Friday and maybe even until July 12th for the c-section. I think we'll make it to this friday but I just don't know how much further after that. It is so crazy to think about!!! We cannot wait to hold those babies in our arms and kiss them a thousand times! Here's the 33 week profile shot. As a stranger told me yesterday "YOU'RE HUGE! You do know that right?!" Yes, thank you stranger woman, I know I'm huge. A reminder from someone I don't even know is really nice though ;) Ha. Oh well. The swelling is setting in now. Its been taking over for the last two weeks. I'm not too happy about it but we're on the homestretch and I feel so great to have made it to 33 weeks and 2 days today (yes, I am counting the DAYS). I think if I had a caption for this photo it would be "Hurry and take the photo s...

Our appointment went well this morning at the MFCC. I've been getting a little nervous the last three or so days - I just feel different and I'm just more anxious. Probably all the pregnancy hormones ;) I haven't been much of a complainer or very emotional at all, or at least I don't think I have. I think Clint would say the same thing...however, the last few nights Its been harder on me for some reason - some reason being I'm just feeling super uncomfortable and more pain. I feel like I've been doing so well despite it all but now its all catching up with me - emotionally, physically, mentally. I'm ready to have these kiddos but in another way I think I'm getting scared too. Scared something might go wrong, about their health, bringing home THREE BABIES and dividing my attention among them. Its just a lot to take in now that we're so close to meeting the girls and our little Clinton! We're super excited don't get me wrong but the fear of the...

60 pounds and counting...

Someone informed me my comments aren't working. If you have my email address would someone mind trying it then letting me know if it works or not. I've tried to fix it and I'm not sure what I did....I didn't think I even messed with it so I hope its okay. I've gone in to make sure comments are "on" and saved that way but it still isn't working apparently. Thanks! I love hearing from you all!

I've been getting emails and phone calls so it must mean I need to update this blog huh? No, I haven't gone into labor - although at 32 weeks and 5 days today its a very likely possibility! How am I doing you ask? Um, well...I'm almost 33 weeks pregnant with triplets - I'll just say that. This pregnancy hasn't been so easy on my body (after 22+ weeks), rather painful actually...but I'm hanging in there and would do anything for these babies to be big, strong and healthy so there you have it :) Tomorrow we have our weekly appointment at the MFCC so we'll get to see our trio and see their measurements which translate into weights. Last time (two weeks ago thursday) they were 4 lbs for A and 3 lbs 12 oz for B and C. We hope they've grown a lot since then however those are great weights! Our peri told us its amazing that they're on the same track growth-wise as singletons still! That makes us very happy of course. Last Thursday our O.B. told me ...

Says 60 DAYS today (which really means 30 for us...or less)!!! Ahhhhhhhh! :)

Or at least it seems! Here is the 31 week profile shot. I have to say a HUGE thank you to Holly L. for the super kind gesture to send a box full of comfy maternity clothes all the way from GA! Holly follows our blog and we've never met but she's been so generous. Thank you for everything! I'm wearing one of the dresses here in this photo below. SO much better than tight pants or shorts! Thank you!!!

I cannot even begin to tell you what a gift embryo adoption has been to us and to our friends Laura and Brad. We are so thankful to our donor families as they have helped us grow our families. Without them we wouldn't have had this amazing experience of being pregnant and knowing what it is like to love an adopted child(ren). Makenna arrived at 1:19am June 2nd weighing 7 lbs 10 oz and 20 1/2 inches! She is berautiful and has lots of dark thick hair! What a testimony to God's faithfulness and grace she is! We love you Kenna! "Uncle" Clint and "Aunt" Rachel

Everyone please say a prayer (or many!) for my embryo adoption buddy and awesome friend Laura today! She's in the hospital now waiting the arrival of Miss Makenna Best! I just cannot believe sometimes how far we've both come...I should say how far God has carried us! I cannot wait to hold Kenna!!! What a precious miracle of life she is! Embryo adoption ROCKS! Laura, if you're reading this (which you're probably not since you're in labor :) ...but you will eventually) I make no apologizes because you HAD to have known this photo was going on the blog! Besides, this gets you back for the photo you posted of me! Ha! Lol!!! We were eating frozen custard as usual together with the boys and this is what happened...nice huh!? This photo was taken last Fall ('09) I believe before my first and Laura's second transfer. Transfers were September 5th for Laura and Brad and September 15 for us. Anyway we always have a tendency to dress alike for some reason. It...

One year ago today we were in Knoxville, TN for our first visit to the National Embryo Donation Center for our "trial transfer." The NEDC likes to do a mock embryo transfer and the procedure is performed but without the actual embryos of course. WARNING : mild graphic information below! You've been warned ;) Prior to going you take estrace (basically birth control medicine) for several weeks a couple of times per day. They check things like your cervical lining to make sure its thick enough (7 is the magic number if I remember correctly) :) for an embryo to implant and make a decision whether or not to increase your dosage. The transfer consists of a catheter, just like the real transfer, going into your uterus and they measure the length and size needed based on the size and shape of your uterus. Its a bit painful (cramping ect) but not too bad. I remember it was so nice to finally be there and to be doing something instead of just waiting. It would be another ...