The "Incubator" is Home Sweet Home

The day that I never thought would come finally did...the doctors let me go home from the hospital!  I was able to come home on Saturday, May 26 after a few tests and final evaluations.  All of the doctors agreed that it would be good for me to get out of there and rest at home for a little bit before the arrival of all our little ones:)  I was thrilled and couldn't wait to get home, although a little nervousness went along with that excitement.  I expressed my nervousness with the doctors and they all reassured me and said that everything we were doing in the hospital to prevent any problems could be done at home and that if I started to have any new symptoms to come in right away.  Now I was told I could go home on Friday, but Brian and I both agreed that Saturday morning would work out better as we literally had to move out of our room...you would be surprised how much stuff you can accumulate while in the hospital on bed rest for 38 days.

Since I've been home, things have been great!  I've been sleeping better, eating food I actually want, and I'm able to sit on the couch and watch a decent TV instead of the 20 year old, tiny screened one in my hospital room.  Of course one of the main concerns the doctors had was if I would be alone at all while at home on bed rest and we've been super lucky to have Brian's mom, my mom and my dad here over the past 12 days to help us out.  That way, Brian can still go to work and not have to worry about me at home.

On Friday, June 1, I went in for my regular checkup and found out that the babies are all around 3 pounds.  The little boy weighed 2lbs15oz, and the two girls weighed 2lbs13oz.  They are in the 45th-51st percentile for a single pregnancy which is right on track for triplets:) 

Tuesday, June 5, was the only time we've had any scares since I've been home.  I woke up a lot Monday night and was having a bunch of contractions when I woke up on Tuesday.  Naturally, we (my mom and I) kinda freaked out so we went in to the doctor's office and got checked.  Everything was normal and unchanged, and best of all, the babies responded well to the non-stress test and my fetalfibronectin test was negative (meaning that it's unlikely for me to go into labor in the next two weeks).  Although I was still having contractions, the doctor decided to send me back home and for me to just be extra sensitive to any changes.  All good news!!

This past Friday, June 8, we went back to the doctor for my weekly checkup and I was told that we could schedule a c-section!!  It's kinda funny how it all happened because I left the waiting room to go back to go to the bathroom and ended up running into one of the doctors who took care of me a lot in the hospital.  I was so excited to talk to her and tell her how everything was going and she was happy to see everything going so well!  She said that the main doctor (that really important doctor guy that I've talked about before) would want to see me since I hadn't seen him in a few weeks.  He was so impressed with how far I've come since I was put in the hospital at 22 weeks.  I told him that I need an end date so I have something to look forward to and to motivate me.  He told me that he won't electively do a c-section on triplets until 35 weeks, so he told me to pick a day.  He looked at his calendar and said "So how does 7/11 sound?".  Anything sounds great to me...and the fact that I have something to work towards really helps me out and lets me put things in perspective.  All this time, Brian and my dad were worried in the waiting room!  Luckily, when I waddled back out to sit with them, I had some good news!  Everything else at the appointment went great:)

Now for all my pregnancy-brain word vomit/my random thoughts and information that you might find fun and interesting...

• Brian went into nesting mode big time...he bought a new washer, dryer, and refrigerator (for the garage), hung up a pantry organizer, bought all 3 car seats and installed them, hung up curtains in the babies room, rearranged the babies room, organized the garage and cleaned out our office.  I have to give a shout out to my mother in law for helping him with all this too!
• I'm 30 weeks 3 days today hence the nickname "The Incubator."
• I've been on bed rest for 10 weeks which means I haven't driven a car for 10 weeks, stepped in a grocery store, been to a movie, been more than about 20 feet from any given bed or couch...you get the idea.
• I've gained 56 pounds in 30 weeks and I feel like a whale.  Gaining that much weight in combination with bed rest has really made me feel super uncomfortable.  My muscle mass has definitely deteriorated so the 56 pounds really feels like a ton!  I can't roll over very easily in bed anymore and every time I stand up, I feel like I'm doing a squat.  
• At the doctor's office last Tuesday, the nurse looked at me and said "Your face looks kind of swollen."  Now I don't know about you, but to me, swollen means there is an injury or reaction of some sort...I wanted to say, "No, I'm pretty sure I'm not swollen.  I'm pretty sure I'm just chubby...that's what happens when you're pregnant with triplets."  I guess if she would have said fat or chubby I would have been thrown off by that too...oh well!
• We have a stockpile of diapers (literally about 2000 diapers) that we calculated we should run out of within the first 3.5 months or so.  It's estimated that we will change about 7000-8000 diapers in the first year.
• The skin on my belly feels numb...I'm assuming it's because it's growing so fast that the nerves can't keep up.
• I can't tell if I have stretch marks or not...sometimes I think I have some but then I decide they're wrinkles in my skin from laying down on that side.  I never stand up long enough for them to go away and I usually always lay on my left side for some reason.
• My maternity clothes hardly fit anymore...I'm getting to the point where I have to wear XL maternity clothes just so it covers my belly and I don't look like I have a beer belly hanging out.
• I had an infection at my IV site which looked pretty nasty and was pretty uncomfortable.
• The babies' room is pretty much done for now...we only have 2 cribs set up as all 3 will sleep together for a while.
• My lungs feel like they are in my throat.
• Only 4.5 weeks left if I make it all the way to the c-section date on 7/11!!

Finally, again we want to say thank you to all of our friends and family who have been asking/thinking about us and praying for us.  We are so blessed to have made it this far and hope to hang in there for a few more weeks.  I also have to give Brian a little credit...this is definitely been taxing on me but I know it hasn't been easy on him.  He's been so supportive and at my beckon call the past 2.5 months and I couldn't ask for a better husband...and he's done all of this with out complaining.  These babies are so lucky to have such a wonderful daddy!

Nursery - glider

Nursery - changing table

Nursery - dresser

Nursery - closet

Nursery - cribs

garage - aka diaper depot

My awesome IV infection site - gross I know.

 My love bugs:)

 Just hanging out in the field behind our house...I venture outside every so often believe it or not.

 30 weeks 1 day - notice how my shirt doesn't really fit the bottom part of my belly...I look like a hillbilly when I sit down cause my belly just hangs out. 

 Me and my hubby!

 The randomly colored blanket I crocheted...not perfect but not bad for just learning.

All the pills/vitamins I have to take everyday.