Insomnia Blog

Okay so to blog I have to be in the mood or just bored.  Everyone is in luck, because tonight I am both.  Chris is working a part time so he will not be home until 2 a.m.  So for anyone that knows me, I tend to be a night owl and suffer from insomnia unless the warden my loving husband is home to prompt me to go to bed at 11.  11 is Chris and my agreed upon time to go to sleep and complete the nightly ritual.  Chris learned soon after we were married that I like to stay awake, but want (will annoy) someone to entertain me. So we devised a specific routine.  Step 1 put on a television show or movie that I know by heart. The kind where you hear the words and can picture the scene in your head. Step 2 rub my legs. I know women you are jealous and men you are groaning, but for 5 minutes I am forced to relax and turn my mind off. Which brings us to Step 3 roll over and pass out.   Left to my own devices sleep takes approximately 2 hours with no help and not until somewhere after midnight with the three step plan I will be fast asleep 2 minutes after we roll over. Apparently my children take after their mom, because as I am typing this Jax and Adley are apparently cutting flips. Yes I can tell who is moving because they have distinct positions.  Jax is bottom right, Grey bottom left, Adley top and center and Dex is top right in the ribs.

Well since no one decided to read this blog to get my three step cure to insomnia I guess I should write an update on me and the quadlings.  So last week was Thanksgiving and I was very thankful to have a week off from the OB and the Perinatologist.  It really is the little things in life that make me happy.   Unfortunately that meant I had the privlidge of seeing both doctors this week.  So let's start in order.  Monday my amazing mommy drove in to take me to the perinatologist. I can not tell you how much I appreciate that she was willing to do that.  So we got to see all 4 babies on the ultrasound.   Jaxon of course was showing off and giving us amazing profile pictures (I have 3 new pictures of him.) Grey and Adley were not cooperating, but we were able to get weights and measurements finally.  Dexter is still the same, but by God and only by God he is not causing any complications.   They are concerned that he will stop filtering amniotic fluid and it will become excessive.  However he is hanging in there and doing what he needs to be doing and his fluid is within normal limits.   Sometimes I forget I am so used to seeing them on ultrasounds that I forget how amazing it is to see each of them.  Mom has not seen an ultrasound since I was 10 weeks today I turned 20 weeks.  I think it was good for her to see three healthy grandchildren as well as Dex and have the doctor explain what she was looking at.   It is a sobering reality, but it is also cathartic in a way.   The perinatologist is still impressed my cervix is holding at 4.3 and has said there is no bed rest in my immediate future.  However, I now get to see them every week for the duration of my pregnancy until I go into the hospital. YAY!! On Thursday I saw Dr. Labarre, my OB, and for the second time this week had the privilege of having both types of ultrasounds.  Oh yes, you did not misunderstand me, I get the special ultrasound every time.  Ladies feel sympathy for me and men ask your wife if you do not know what I am talking about.  I love the ultrasound tech at Dr. Labarre's office her name is Erin (how could I not like her) and she takes time and talks with me about each baby.  However she asked me if I drank caffeine that morning because not just Jax, but everyone was flipping and moving non stop, even Dex. Which makes for getting measurements extremely difficult.  I told her I had a root beer and she said well you definitely sugared them up.  Now for the exciting news (probably only to me) I still am on a two week basis with the OB and because the perinatologist is doing the special ultrasound every time I no longer have to get one at the OB!  We were also able to hear all four babies heartbeats on the Doppler, which can be almost impossible for multiples.   We have never had a Doppler done before and it was neat to hear each heartbeat.  Surprisingly they were all four very different and very distinct. I don't know who was more excited me or Dr. Labarre.

Okay update on Chris and I. I have been battling a sinus infection that went to my chest. This leads to coughing which leads to recreating the exorcist vomiting. The doctor finally prescribed Tussinex to help control the cough at night.   So hopefully soon I will have relief from that.   Sunday night I made my first trip to the ER as a pregnant lady.  That's was an exciting few hours and I had my first catheter experience. Turns out I had an asymptomatic bladder infection and was prescribed meds and sent home to realize Monday morning it was a full blown bladder infection.  So after two long days I can say I finally stated feeling better.   Greatest part of going to the ER is watching Christopher panic trying to get there as fast as possible.  I feel like if I was in real labor he would have had lights and sirens going on his police car.  He makes me laugh!!!

Praises:  Chris closed on our house in Bossier today! That makes me happy, happy, happy!!!! Now we need to get Chris's truck fixed and sold so we can be debt free and start saving to pay for having the quads!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! My house is now officially converted to Christmas, thanks to my amazing mommy!  Poor Christopher, he tells me it looks like snowmen threw up all over our house.  I however love it and think I may see another corner to put a new snowman in.  Christmas is my favorite holiday and I can't wait to have the kids to share it with.  Thanks for reading our blog and keeping us in your prayers.  The prayers are definitely felt and we are blessed beyond imagination.  

*DISCLAIMER* I wrote this blog while on prescription cough syrup, please excuse any grammatical errors or TMI statements.

Big Announcements and Updates

Since all the last blogs have been so heavy I have decided tonight to take a different route and post an approximately 73% positive blog. So let's start with updates and decisions Chris and I have made.  Chris and I are doing well! We were able to go to Deville this past weekend and visit family. I think my daddy was shocked at how big I have gotten since he has seen me last.  I am 17 weeks and measured at 27 weeks all baby still have not gained any weight but thankful I have not lost anymore.  We had a great and fast weekend, however Ari may still be recovering from the trip to Gram's and Grump's house. Speaking of Ari, I recently bought a pregnancy pillow (best purchase ever in my opinion) and she has now claimed it as her new dog bed.  Who knew I would have to fight my dog child and Chris to use my pillow. 

Okay I digress, I went to the perinatologist on Monday and he told me I was doing amazing and so were babies A, B and C.  Baby D still has catastrophic injuries.  Yes, that is hard to say and hard to write, but our God is mighty and omnipotent.  Baby D is not growing well even though there is a strong heartbeat.  That is good news, because it allows Babies A, B and C more space to grow.   The other thing that is amazing is that my cervix (sorry TMI) is holding at a 4.5 (anything below a 2.5 is immediate bed rest and hospitalization.) 

Chris and I decided against selective reduction because there was too many risks to babies A, B and C if we went ahead with the procedure.  My husband reminded me how much of a man of God he is by making this decision for us with such amazing strength and faith in our heavenly father that it lifted a massive emotional weight off of my shoulders. Chris said he could not have comfort in a decision that could potentially kill one of our healthy children, because in essence we were playing God.  He said that if God allowed something happened to A, B or C due to complications he could accept that only if it was at God's hand and timing.  So we have elected to pray for God's perfect will and accept what ever that entails.  Our perinatologists are both religious men and are supporting our decision 100%.  If Baby D does make it to delivery they have assured Chris and I that we will get to love and support our child until the Lord takes the baby home.  That is music to these parents' ears.  Okay time for fun stuff.  I was finally able to load pictures of the kids.  Prepare yourself there is a lot!!!!

This is Baby A and C (it is sometimes hard to keep them straight). I was 11 weeks at this picture and probably the last time we will ever see 2 babies in any ultrasound picture!

This is from the same ultrasound pictures at 11 weeks!

Baby D at 11 weeks.  You can tell how small compared to the other three.

Profile Pic of Baby B (technically Baby A now due to positioning)

Now to introduce you to our children! This is Baby C and It's a GIRL!!! Her name is Adley Grace.  Adley means God is Just and Grace is Chris's grandmother's middle name!

Baby B is also a GIRL! Meet Grey Alexandra.   I fell in love with the name Grey after I saw the movie Catch and Release.  It is about a girl who's fiance dies and then through the pain and the loss she discovers who she is.  My mom's real name Sandra (mom's real name is kinda like Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter series except she would be know as She-Who- Must-Not-Be-Named) is a derivative of Alexandra.

Baby D to the best of our knowledge is a BOY! His name is Dexter "Dex" Charles.   I love the name Dexter from the book Something Borrowed. My SIL asked if we were naming him after the tv show which prompted Chris to now refer to Dex as his little "lady killer." Yep that's what I married. Charles is Chris's dad's name and Chris's middle name.

Now on to Baby A who is definitely a BOY and I must say makes his father proud of how proud he is to show his manhood! His name will be Jaxon "Jax" Douglas.   Jaxon is a very special name to me.  He is named after the first child I ever evaluated as an OT by myself.  Jaxon taught me more about how to be a good therapist and to love a child unconditionally then he will ever know.  His parents have taught me with enough love and sheer willpower your child can do and accomplish anything. Douglas is my dad's name.

Jaxon is our most photogenic baby.  He will always give a profile picture.  Jax is also my most active baby.  The ultrasound tech typically makes comments how active he is. Last time she said "He has somewhere to go." Jax is definitely Chris's (ADHD) child.

More of Jaxon, I told you he was photogenic.  He also as you can see from the next picture is very proud he is a boy!

That is all for tonight! We have a few prayer requests:

1. Our closing of our house has been pushed back again.  Please pray that it will close before the end of the month.

2. One of my dearest friends who is also pregnant had some tests come back abnormally.  Please pray that God's perfect will be done and  these wonderful parents will have comfort in this time of crisis and uncertainty.

3. Pray for my continued health as well as the health of Jax, Grey, Adley and Dex.

4. Pray that I can avoid hospital bed rest until after Christmas. I want to go to Deville the weekend before Christmas for the annual Franks Christmas Party!!

Thank you so much for all of your continued prayers.  They are continually felt and are working!

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