Hello Week 20!

Finally, week 20 is here! Not that there's really anything different about week 20, I am just glad to be out of the teens.

We had another ultrasound on Tuesday. They took a good look at their hearts, and thankfully they all have 4 chambers.  Baby C is such a little stinker - that child is going to be giving me heart attacks for the rest of my life I think. He's already given me way too many in utero! He was being WILD and the tech couldn't get a good picture of his heart for the longest time. I was starting to get really worried that it wasn't just the fact that he was moving all over that was keeping her from seeing those 4 chambers. We are talking 20 minutes have gone by and still no chambers. Finally she got a semi-good shot, and announced it was a picture of the 4 chambered heart. Sigh of relief!

Baby A and B are currently 13 ounces each, and Baby C is lagging behind at 9 ounces.  I do hope he'll start to grow faster soon. I asked my doctor if he felt this was Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome, as my regular OB had mentioned that he was worried about it. He told me he didn't feel that all the signs were present for TTTTS and that he felt this was more likely just the natural consequences of sharing a placenta. I am sure his velamentous cord insertion isn't helping things either.

Oh, and apparently my babies are quite beautiful.The ultrasound tech said she was astounded at how photogenic they are. We are already fielding offers from modeling agencies. :o) 

Baby B in 3D/4D. The little blob sticking into his face is Baby C, trying to get in on the action. My boys are camera hogs.

I have been feeling the babies kick - mostly A and B right now as C is still small. Even my husband was able to feel them, and he was really excited. A's kicks tickle because he is so low in my abdomen. It's fun being able to feel them in there!

Personally, weeks 19 and 20 have been a doozy. I have been very sick with bronchitis and barely slept for days. I just assumed that there were not any medications I could take to help since I was pregnant, so for a week I just suffered through it. At my ultrasound on Tuesday, my doctor was so concerned about my health that he called my family doctor right then and there and asked her to see me immediately. We drove straight from the perinatologists' office to my family doctor and were seen very quickly despite the full waiting room (I could totally get used to the royal treatment!).  She prescribed me several things and I have noticed an improvement in the last few days. I just can't wait for the coughing to subside. Every time I cough I feel like my belly is going to tear apart!

I don't know if it's from the bronchitis and coughing or if this is just the natural progression in a triplet pregnancy, but my back is KILLING me. I spent most of yesterday sitting against a heating pad. I am hoping it will subside as the coughing lessens and that I will get a few more weeks of respite before the real muscle pain kicks in, but we will see!

My belly also feels really heavy, and that, combined with the aching back, make it really hard to support myself while walking. I find myself holding on to tables, walls and door knobs a lot. Again, I hope this is a side effect of the bronchitis and not a permanent thing for the rest of the pregnancy. Just in case, though, I ordered a maternity support contraption thingy called the "It's You Babe Prenatal Cradle", because I heard from a recent mother of twins that it was a lifesaver and really helped her in those last couple of months. If I am feeling this out of breath and this achy already, I will try it!

And now for my favorite part of this pregnancy: yet another small miracle happened this week.  My husband brought in the mail and found a hand-addressed card. There was no return address and the zip code didn't print on the postmark (yes, I am a snoop). Inside the card he saw a typed letter, opened it, and $200 fell out. We were both so deeply touched. We are so blessed to have loving and kind friends who sacrifice what I am sure are needed funds in their own family for us.

My ward family has also been fantastic. Members of my ward have brought dinner several times this week and they have had babysitters here every day that my husband is working (he works some crazy long hours in the summer). It has been such a blessing, especially being so sick. My dearest friend drove me and my kids to the pediatrician since the medicine I was on made me too dizzy to drive and both of my children came down with bronchitis too. My sister-in-law also just brought me dinner for tonight, which is awesome considering the aforementioned heavy belly and aching back. I am so lucky to have wonderful friends and family! I don't feel worthy to receive such blessings!

Babies B and C fighting for the spotlight