Well, I'm currently washing the SAME load of clothes for the third time. Know why? Because a teddy bear that Brooke got for her birthday and got dirtied exploded. The stuffing came out. This little 9 inch bear has a lot more stuffing than I thought it would. The stitching where the stuffing is put in the bear in the back came loose. You wanna know where this bear was made? Two guesses. Not the USA. Not Cambodia. In good old China. I've checked the bear for lead and lead based paint on the eyes and in the stuffing.
How can we elect China to hold the Olympics when they can't make a stinking stuffed animal? I think I'll go on a China boycott, but I have a feeling that I would be naked and the kids wouldn't have much to play with.
O.K. a baby is crying... again. I can't think. I'm going to put the computer down and back slowly away.
Whats going on in the Callaway household? Well, Scotts on his boys weekend trip. I'm guessing he's getting a pedicure, drinking margaritas and complaining about his spouse like women do on their weekends away. But I wouldn't know. I have never had a weekend with any of the girls. Poor me. I wouldn't necessarily need a whole weekend. Maybe just a night. Or to sleep 12 hours. Or a nice spa day. Its something to dream about.
Jacob is sleeping over at Grandma Callaways house. This will be the last time he sleeps at their old house. They are moving closer to us at the end of April/beginning of May. Jacob is excited about his new room at the new house. Jacob's thumb is kinda gross yet. But he's on day four of his antibiotics. Since watching the Dr. Phil show on MRSA, I'm afraid that he'll get that. I have Lysoled most of the germy things at the house too. And I always wash the kids hands after we go outside or to the store.
My parents came over tonight and we ate pizza and played with the kids. John was so full of himself playing with this helium balloon that was losing its helium so it would float up and then float down. My dad would hold it just out of his reach and he's giggle and try to jump to get it. He was so funny.
Brooke played with her doll and wrapped her in blankets. She smothered her too. I guess its a good thing we don't have babies around here.
Matthew ate a whole slice of pizza tonight. I think the kids are on a growth spurt anyway. I know I am. :) He was playing with a deck of cards most of the day that Jacob forgot to put away. Its funny because he likes to do the same things that Jacob liked to do at that age. He also loves to play with the play kitchen. He is just the sweetest boy. This is why I was so upset that I almost lost him the other day. People can tell he's sweet and easy to manage so thats why they'd want to take him. They aren't going to take the kid that throws temper tantrums or licks carts.
I forgot to mention a funny story from the doctors office the other day. Dr. Acosta and I caught up during our appointment. I miss seeing him and his nurses every week. Or at the end, it was every day. He was looking over my chart and he said, "Why are you taking Zoloft?" And I replied, "I have triplets." And he just smiled. Really, I don't feel like I have to justify why I take anxiety medicine. I am a worrier and a planner and God gave me triplets. This just proves that God has a sense of humor.
Random fact #8 or 9
I do not like stuffed animals - especially when they explode in the wash.
Showing posts with label Dr. Acosta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dr. Acosta. Show all posts
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Triplet Questions
Here's a Q & A of triplet/multiple questions that Scott or I have gotten in the past two years.
#1 Question "Where you on fertility medicine?"
Yes, I was on fertility medicine. Clomid 50 mg. I have endometrosis, my symptoms were coming back and I wasn't ovulating. Dr. Acosta gave me the low down on Clomid. 5 to 8% chance of multiples (and later I found out 1/2% chance of triplets). AND, I was on the lowest dose.
#2 Question "How do you handle it?"
God gave us them and I'm hoping he also gave us coping skills. I think I'm an organized person and that helps a lot because as their caregiver you have to keep schedules, right things down, keep them on a schedule of sorts so you can get things done. We are blessed with family right here in the area. We have awesome friends that help out too. Our church stepped up and had a diaper drive, meals for about the first 5 months, and we still have a few people who love to come over and get some triplet love.
#3 Question "Do they sleep in the same room?"
They have always slept in the same room, but separate cribs. They have crib tents over their cribs so they cannot climb out. They don't seem to wake each other crying. Although sometimes naptime can be hard if one doesn't want to go to sleep and the other two do. I have no plans of separating them until they ask that they want separate rooms.
#4 Question, "Can you breastfeed triplets?"
Yes, you can. I have a friend that has triplets that does breastfeed her babies and has not had to supplement. I was blessed with high-production milk glands and was able to pump for 13 months. (I was runner-up at the Wisconsin state fair '06 and '07) Because the babies were premature and in the NICU, they got used to a bottle and to leave the NICU they had to take 60 mls (2 ounces) for 24 or 48 hours. Well, its hard to work on breastfeeding in the hospital when i was only there for one feeding a day for each child. I had to take care of Jacob. And then when I got home, I realized how hard it was to teach a child to nurse while listening to the others cry. So I did what I had to do and just pumped. They also needed a supplement to gain weight, so this was the easiest for us to mix the milk with the supplement.
#5 Question, "When did you find out?"
I went for my regular 16 week appointment and I was measuring big. The doctor said I was measuring like I was 24 weeks along versus 16 weeks. Sooooo, it could have been the wrong due date, twins, or something else like a tumor or growth.... I got the 2:45 appointment the next day for an ultrasound and Scott and I went. I blogged previously that's when I found out that we'd be parents of triplets and we did find out that day that there was 2 boys and 1 girl.
I'm glad I didn't find out sooner because I would have been paranoid about everything. I was sick from week 5 to 12 throwing up and really nauseous. Then at 12 weeks I got an electrical shock unplugging a computer and I was scared that it may affect the baby. But, they were meant to be...
#6 Question (or statement) I can't imagine!
No you can't.
#7 Question "How do you feed them all at once?"
Easy. Really. The best way to feed two at once are to sit them in bouncy seats on either side of you and feed them. Usually you have a faster eater than the other so then you just burp one on your shoulder or sitting up and keep feeding the other.
#8 Question, "Are you done?"
(Having multiples really opens the door to some thoughtful (or thoughtless) questions.) Depending on my mood, sometimes I say, "No, I'd like to have more." Or I say, "Four healthy children is enough for me." Or I say, "I always wanted to have my children close together, so I had them a minute apart."
#9 Question, "How do you tell them apart?"
I STILL get this question a lot. Well, if its got an outtie, its a boy... or in Jacob's words, "John has the standup hair", Matthew is bigger, and Brooke is a GIRL!
And finally, some of the things that I could not do without...
God, family, friends, Medela Pump N' Style, swings, Jumperoo, the burrito hold, Zoloft, HoMedics noise machine, Runabout Triple Stroller, disposable diapers, NUKs, my planner, alone time with Scott outside the house, Laurie Berkner DVD, Ultimate Baby Wrap, Superyard Gate, Duct tape, Robeez shoes, harnesses, Leap Frog Musical Activity Table, exersaucers, crock pot to warm up bottles, and the DVR.
#1 Question "Where you on fertility medicine?"
Yes, I was on fertility medicine. Clomid 50 mg. I have endometrosis, my symptoms were coming back and I wasn't ovulating. Dr. Acosta gave me the low down on Clomid. 5 to 8% chance of multiples (and later I found out 1/2% chance of triplets). AND, I was on the lowest dose.
#2 Question "How do you handle it?"
God gave us them and I'm hoping he also gave us coping skills. I think I'm an organized person and that helps a lot because as their caregiver you have to keep schedules, right things down, keep them on a schedule of sorts so you can get things done. We are blessed with family right here in the area. We have awesome friends that help out too. Our church stepped up and had a diaper drive, meals for about the first 5 months, and we still have a few people who love to come over and get some triplet love.
#3 Question "Do they sleep in the same room?"
They have always slept in the same room, but separate cribs. They have crib tents over their cribs so they cannot climb out. They don't seem to wake each other crying. Although sometimes naptime can be hard if one doesn't want to go to sleep and the other two do. I have no plans of separating them until they ask that they want separate rooms.
#4 Question, "Can you breastfeed triplets?"
Yes, you can. I have a friend that has triplets that does breastfeed her babies and has not had to supplement. I was blessed with high-production milk glands and was able to pump for 13 months. (I was runner-up at the Wisconsin state fair '06 and '07) Because the babies were premature and in the NICU, they got used to a bottle and to leave the NICU they had to take 60 mls (2 ounces) for 24 or 48 hours. Well, its hard to work on breastfeeding in the hospital when i was only there for one feeding a day for each child. I had to take care of Jacob. And then when I got home, I realized how hard it was to teach a child to nurse while listening to the others cry. So I did what I had to do and just pumped. They also needed a supplement to gain weight, so this was the easiest for us to mix the milk with the supplement.
#5 Question, "When did you find out?"
I went for my regular 16 week appointment and I was measuring big. The doctor said I was measuring like I was 24 weeks along versus 16 weeks. Sooooo, it could have been the wrong due date, twins, or something else like a tumor or growth.... I got the 2:45 appointment the next day for an ultrasound and Scott and I went. I blogged previously that's when I found out that we'd be parents of triplets and we did find out that day that there was 2 boys and 1 girl.
I'm glad I didn't find out sooner because I would have been paranoid about everything. I was sick from week 5 to 12 throwing up and really nauseous. Then at 12 weeks I got an electrical shock unplugging a computer and I was scared that it may affect the baby. But, they were meant to be...
#6 Question (or statement) I can't imagine!
No you can't.
#7 Question "How do you feed them all at once?"
Easy. Really. The best way to feed two at once are to sit them in bouncy seats on either side of you and feed them. Usually you have a faster eater than the other so then you just burp one on your shoulder or sitting up and keep feeding the other.
#8 Question, "Are you done?"
(Having multiples really opens the door to some thoughtful (or thoughtless) questions.) Depending on my mood, sometimes I say, "No, I'd like to have more." Or I say, "Four healthy children is enough for me." Or I say, "I always wanted to have my children close together, so I had them a minute apart."
#9 Question, "How do you tell them apart?"
I STILL get this question a lot. Well, if its got an outtie, its a boy... or in Jacob's words, "John has the standup hair", Matthew is bigger, and Brooke is a GIRL!
And finally, some of the things that I could not do without...
God, family, friends, Medela Pump N' Style, swings, Jumperoo, the burrito hold, Zoloft, HoMedics noise machine, Runabout Triple Stroller, disposable diapers, NUKs, my planner, alone time with Scott outside the house, Laurie Berkner DVD, Ultimate Baby Wrap, Superyard Gate, Duct tape, Robeez shoes, harnesses, Leap Frog Musical Activity Table, exersaucers, crock pot to warm up bottles, and the DVR.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Shoveler for Hire
This morning I woke up to the sound of heavy boots going up and down the stairs. Jacob had gotten up before me and saw that it had snowed. He got himself ready. He put a t-shirt on, left his pajama bottoms on, put a hat, scarf, two different colored mittens, his boots and his coats on and was ready to go outside to shovel.
Scott told him he had to wait until I got out of bed to go outside so I could watch him from inside. Well, I got out of bed and saw him ready to go and told him to go outside. He was outside for a whole hour shoveling the driveway and sidewalk. I came out to help him for a little while and when I went back in, he thanked me for helping him.
Sometimes I under appreciate my son. He is such a great helper. I'm very lucky God gave him to me.
However, I am willing to hire him out to others as long as you supervise and make sure he doesn't go to closely by the road. He will even bring his own shovel. Payment can be wired to his T Rowe Price bank account for high school and college.
Another change in luck for me! The whole family has to switch doctors because we switched to Network insurance this year. My OBGYN's nurse called me when she got my request and said that as of 1/1/08, Dr. Acosta takes Network too. YIPPEE! I'd really like to keep the people that have intimate knowledge of me down to a select few. So I'm really happy I don't have to switch!
Monday, December 31, 2007
Stick a fork in it
The year in review... isn't that what we're supposed to do on New Years Eve? Or is it to drink ourselves silly with strangers in a bar? I have never been into the whole New Years scene, I'd rather just spend it with Scott and the kids. So this afternoon we took Jacob to Funset Boulevard and we had a lot of fun on the bumper cars and playing video games, air hockey and trying to earn those tickets.
However, it is always worth reflecting on the past year or some of the events or people that have come and gone that have made an impact on me.
1) Take one day at a time and sometimes one minute at a time
When I was in the hospital "growing my babies", I was on Magnesium Sulfate to stop my contractions. This stuff was given through IV and made me really sick. Nausea and one of the side effects was the burning pain in my chest. It was so intense that it made me sick. So... I always try to look at the brighter side of things and I thought of people who were terminally ill or being treated for cancer and had to take "poison" to make them well. That's really what the Magnesium felt like for me. So I concentrated on the fact that my nausea would only last until my babies were ready to be born and that I really took one minute at a time. I didn't overwhelm myself with the bad stuff - that this would last until the babies were born and that could be weeks!
2) Its O.K. to cry
The babies were in the NICU at Theda Clark from April 3 to April 26th and April 28th. I met some incredible people during that time. The nurses that took care of me, the nurses that took care of my babies, the doctors at the NICU. One of the nurses, Ann, came up to me a few times and told that "its o.k. to cry." She had been in my shoes twenty plus years ago. She had a singleton 18 months older than her twins. She said that at times she would put all three in the stroller and just walk and cry.
I think she new I was putting a brave face on and she also knew what I had yet to realize... taking care of three infants and a then 3 year old is worse than you can imagine. So I think of her advice often and realize that I can't be perfect, my kids are needy, and its o.k. to ask for help.
3) Don't worry, put it in God's hands
During one of my many ultrasounds that I had during my pregnancy, the tech found a soft marker for Trisomy 18, Edwards Syndrome. The doctor came and told us about it after the ultrasound. Baby A, Matthew, had a cyst in part of his brain. About 1% of babies are born with cysts in the brain and of those a marginal percentage have Edwards Syndrome. So, the Doctor Acosta, Scott and I talked about it and we decided to do nothing. We could have more tests done, but that would risk miscarriage. So we decided to take what God had given us. For me, it took a couple days of worrying and stressing out to realize that it doesn't pay to worry. I needed to be calm during the pregnancy and think positively. I realized that worrying is a huge part of my life and some things I can't change or control, so I needed to let God take care of me. So, fast forward four months. Matthew was healthy, the NICU doctors did another ultrasound and said that he had two small cysts in his brain and they called it a variance of normal. Ultrasounds are being so detailed that they pick up so much compared to years ago. And we don't have to worry about it again. Ever.
4) Don't take your blessings for granted
It was March and I was still working and not pregnant with Jacob... so probably 2001 or 2002. A co-worker got a phone call - the kind we never want to get- her daughter had died in her sleep. April was 22 years old. The reason for her passing was unknown. Blood tests and the autopsy showed nothing. April's name was written in The Book of Life that day. What I learned from her mother Sharon was that you never take your time for granted. You love and cherish your children and count your blessings each day. Tell them you love them.
This year a woman who I had met through FVMOM had went for her 38 week appointment at her doctors office. The ultrasound showed that one of her twins had passed. An emergency C-section was done to save the other twin. This family found out that their 13 year old, Karly, had a rare form of ovarian cancer in November and is being treated aggressively with Chemo at CHW.
I think back to when I had to take Magnesium to stop contractions and felt like the film on the inside of the toilet and compare what Karly is feeling and going through. She's fighting for her life. It doesn't compare.
Now, about the monkeys.
I think their hair is growing by leaps and bounds. Brooke just may be ready for a barrette in a couple of months. Matthew has a warmth to his hair. i.e. red on the head He's got the same texture of hair as Jacob did at that age. Its got the same wave to it.
Brooke and John, on the other hand, are stick straight. John's literally stands out from his head and looks like he's been electrocuted. Brooke's hair lays down more. I'm going to have to get the conditioner out soon for the both of them.
I've been hearing more and more words and 2 and 3 word sentences out of them. When reading books, they say, "whats that?" or they name the object, and "theres the duck." However, their favorite means of communicating is still whining, screaming and pointing and saying, "eh, eh!" I think this next year will be a year full of temper tantrums and learning to share. Adults can't even share, so what makes it easy for toddlers to share?
Jacob went ice fishing today with Scott and his friend. Jacob caught a snake... a smaller Northern Pike. He just loves to be outdoors and loves to fish. He's such a good sport. Sunday morning at 9 a.m. I heard some shuffling and some closets being opened and closed. Jacob had put his boots, hat, coat, gloves and MY scarf on and went outside and shoveled. He thinks that the back patio has to be shoveled too. He spent an hour shoveling before coming in. His latest thing is turning off all the lights so we don't waste energy. So, I'll be in a room doing something and he'll turn off the lights on me. I'll tell him to turn them back on and he says that we don't need lights on for one person. I did ask the pediatrician if 4 year olds can be diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive syndrome and she said that they could, but it is more likely that they have some tendencies like OCS. (I'm not making this up, this was an actual conversation)
Another Jacob story... today, when we were driving to Funset, Jacob says to us, "that woman doesn't know how to drive" Scott and I looked at each other and raised our eyebrows. Scott said, "that was a man in the car next to us" and Jacob still mumbled something about women not knowing how to drive. WHERE DOES HE GET THIS STUFF FROM??? I've never heard Scott complaining about gender while driving and I don't either. Sometimes I just sigh and sigh and sigh...
However, it is always worth reflecting on the past year or some of the events or people that have come and gone that have made an impact on me.
1) Take one day at a time and sometimes one minute at a time
When I was in the hospital "growing my babies", I was on Magnesium Sulfate to stop my contractions. This stuff was given through IV and made me really sick. Nausea and one of the side effects was the burning pain in my chest. It was so intense that it made me sick. So... I always try to look at the brighter side of things and I thought of people who were terminally ill or being treated for cancer and had to take "poison" to make them well. That's really what the Magnesium felt like for me. So I concentrated on the fact that my nausea would only last until my babies were ready to be born and that I really took one minute at a time. I didn't overwhelm myself with the bad stuff - that this would last until the babies were born and that could be weeks!
2) Its O.K. to cry
The babies were in the NICU at Theda Clark from April 3 to April 26th and April 28th. I met some incredible people during that time. The nurses that took care of me, the nurses that took care of my babies, the doctors at the NICU. One of the nurses, Ann, came up to me a few times and told that "its o.k. to cry." She had been in my shoes twenty plus years ago. She had a singleton 18 months older than her twins. She said that at times she would put all three in the stroller and just walk and cry.
I think she new I was putting a brave face on and she also knew what I had yet to realize... taking care of three infants and a then 3 year old is worse than you can imagine. So I think of her advice often and realize that I can't be perfect, my kids are needy, and its o.k. to ask for help.
3) Don't worry, put it in God's hands
During one of my many ultrasounds that I had during my pregnancy, the tech found a soft marker for Trisomy 18, Edwards Syndrome. The doctor came and told us about it after the ultrasound. Baby A, Matthew, had a cyst in part of his brain. About 1% of babies are born with cysts in the brain and of those a marginal percentage have Edwards Syndrome. So, the Doctor Acosta, Scott and I talked about it and we decided to do nothing. We could have more tests done, but that would risk miscarriage. So we decided to take what God had given us. For me, it took a couple days of worrying and stressing out to realize that it doesn't pay to worry. I needed to be calm during the pregnancy and think positively. I realized that worrying is a huge part of my life and some things I can't change or control, so I needed to let God take care of me. So, fast forward four months. Matthew was healthy, the NICU doctors did another ultrasound and said that he had two small cysts in his brain and they called it a variance of normal. Ultrasounds are being so detailed that they pick up so much compared to years ago. And we don't have to worry about it again. Ever.
4) Don't take your blessings for granted
It was March and I was still working and not pregnant with Jacob... so probably 2001 or 2002. A co-worker got a phone call - the kind we never want to get- her daughter had died in her sleep. April was 22 years old. The reason for her passing was unknown. Blood tests and the autopsy showed nothing. April's name was written in The Book of Life that day. What I learned from her mother Sharon was that you never take your time for granted. You love and cherish your children and count your blessings each day. Tell them you love them.
This year a woman who I had met through FVMOM had went for her 38 week appointment at her doctors office. The ultrasound showed that one of her twins had passed. An emergency C-section was done to save the other twin. This family found out that their 13 year old, Karly, had a rare form of ovarian cancer in November and is being treated aggressively with Chemo at CHW.
I think back to when I had to take Magnesium to stop contractions and felt like the film on the inside of the toilet and compare what Karly is feeling and going through. She's fighting for her life. It doesn't compare.
Now, about the monkeys.
I think their hair is growing by leaps and bounds. Brooke just may be ready for a barrette in a couple of months. Matthew has a warmth to his hair. i.e. red on the head He's got the same texture of hair as Jacob did at that age. Its got the same wave to it.
Brooke and John, on the other hand, are stick straight. John's literally stands out from his head and looks like he's been electrocuted. Brooke's hair lays down more. I'm going to have to get the conditioner out soon for the both of them.
I've been hearing more and more words and 2 and 3 word sentences out of them. When reading books, they say, "whats that?" or they name the object, and "theres the duck." However, their favorite means of communicating is still whining, screaming and pointing and saying, "eh, eh!" I think this next year will be a year full of temper tantrums and learning to share. Adults can't even share, so what makes it easy for toddlers to share?
Jacob went ice fishing today with Scott and his friend. Jacob caught a snake... a smaller Northern Pike. He just loves to be outdoors and loves to fish. He's such a good sport. Sunday morning at 9 a.m. I heard some shuffling and some closets being opened and closed. Jacob had put his boots, hat, coat, gloves and MY scarf on and went outside and shoveled. He thinks that the back patio has to be shoveled too. He spent an hour shoveling before coming in. His latest thing is turning off all the lights so we don't waste energy. So, I'll be in a room doing something and he'll turn off the lights on me. I'll tell him to turn them back on and he says that we don't need lights on for one person. I did ask the pediatrician if 4 year olds can be diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive syndrome and she said that they could, but it is more likely that they have some tendencies like OCS. (I'm not making this up, this was an actual conversation)
Another Jacob story... today, when we were driving to Funset, Jacob says to us, "that woman doesn't know how to drive" Scott and I looked at each other and raised our eyebrows. Scott said, "that was a man in the car next to us" and Jacob still mumbled something about women not knowing how to drive. WHERE DOES HE GET THIS STUFF FROM??? I've never heard Scott complaining about gender while driving and I don't either. Sometimes I just sigh and sigh and sigh...
Thursday, December 13, 2007
No more babies!
I caught myself twice today calling the babies kids instead of babies. Instead of saying, "the triplets need this or that, I ALWAYS say, the babies need this or that." The realization that they are closer to 2 than to 1 is very scary. I don't want them to get bigger. I love having babies (having them around, not HAVING them). The cuddling, looking at them sleeping in their cribs, the chubby cheeks, etc... The maternal instinct kicks in and I want more babies. But Dr. Acosta took care of that little issue during my C-section. He cut, tied and burned my fallopian tubes. Still, I have a 1 in about 500 chance that they will grow back. (I had a 1 in about 200 chance of having triplets too)
Its just hard knowing that these are my last babies. One side of me knows that a) Scott would move to Mexico if I hinted I wanted another child and b) we can't afford it. But on the otherhand there is nothing better than nursing and cuddling a little one. I love their sounds and smells. I guess the kids are going to be bathing in Johnson & Johnson for quite awhile yet.
About two years ago, on December 9th, 2005 at 2:45 p.m. Scott and I went in for an ultrasound because the Dr. thought I was measuring too big. I was 16 1/2 weeks at that point. The ultrasound tech smeared the goo all over my belly and she did that first initial swipe with the device. Even though the first swipe was probably only two to three seconds, I saw three heads on the screen very clearly. So a split second before she said, "I see three heads and I'm going to look for a fourth." I knew it. Its one of those situations I'll remember very clearly. I don't know if I said it outloud or thought it, but I said to myself, "you better not find a fourth" How scary is that? I don't believe in selective reduction. And I knew the chances of having three to full-term were slim to none... but four... almost none. And as Jacob says, "We get what we get and we don't throw a fit!" So I was praying for separate sacs and healthy children. Whic
h if we fast-forward two years, we can see that they are very healthy.
h if we fast-forward two years, we can see that they are very healthy.So anyway, great memories, great experiences, but its all going too fast. I think I'm going to go crawl in bed with one of the babies. I'm sure the cribs can hold at least 150 to 200 pounds.
20 months and still growing!
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