I know I'm a bad blogger!

Well, it’s been awhile since we last posted but since we had triplets 11 weeks ago I think we get a pass. The fact that we have time to write at all is a testament to how things are finally starting to “normalize”. (So future triplet parents there is hope!) Going to try and get everything caught up on our happenings but I’m sure we will leave out stuff and have to do follow ups.

Let’s start with stats
Bottles: from birth to 2 months they were on a strict 3 hour feeding schedule @ 4oz, so doing some quick math that’s 24 bottles a day and 96 oz of formula a day. Each can of formula makes 90 oz so we used a little more than a can a day. Now we are finally on a 4 hour feeding schedule and what a difference that makes! (Sleep/Free Time) They have upped to 5 oz now so that factors to 90 oz a day, which is weird but they are still gaining weight.

Diapers: I can’t believe it but we are in a size 2 diaper now, these kids were suppose to be preemies but you wouldn’t be able to tell based on their weights! Georgia recently moved from size 3 to size 4; give Sophia a few weeks and she and Georgia can share diapers.  We change the babies at the same time that they feed, unless there is a blow out, which is frequent so we go thought about 150-160 diapers a week just for the triplets. We are up to our eyeballs in poop!

The Nights

Here’s the rundown: Danielle is awakened by one or some of the babies, she beats me until I get up and begin changing all three diapers. She runs to the kitchen and makes bottles then hurries back to prop the bottles. I go back to bed and fall asleep, she beats me until I get up to help burp and put them back to bed. We do this exact process about 1-3 times a night.
The nights have started getting better, every once in a while when they are feeling generous they will go 5 hours. We shoot ourselves in the foot most nights because they will go to bed around 9-11 and if a feeding is coming up rather than sleep we will stay up and of course that’s the night they want to give us a little extra sleep. Which has led us to our QVC addiction, their chatter and back and forth provides us a good laugh  (I’m pretty sure I could sell the crap out of some QVC) but one night their “Today’s Special Value caught our eye and our viewing addiction turned into a financial one. Future triplet parents, our Keurig has saved our lives, and with easy pay anyone can afford it! At night the schedule goes out the window and we don’t wake them until one of the babies sounds the alarm. In an effort to be completely honest in this blog I have to admit that the first few weeks Danielle and I were verbally abusive to each other at night. The lack of sleep was intense and we were doing it all alone. It’s an embarrassing truth but it is what it is. If you were a fly on the wall you would have thought divorce (or murder) was imminent but alas the babes are sleeping “somewhat” through the night and so are we! We have been together for 12 years and been through much harder times than this so I’m glad to announce yet another hurdle surpassed!

Public Outings

Before we had our 1st outing I was excited about taking the girls out, after all I’m very proud of my 4 girls and love showing them off; that quickly changed about 4 minutes after our 1st time out with the triplets. We aren’t private people, we don’t mind answering questions and I can talk about my girls all day long. However there are those “crazies” with no manners that ruin it and make outings very stressful and overwhelming for us. There are people that come up to us look and ask, they don’t touch and don’t ask what I have deemed to be stupid questions that people ask when they are too shy to ask the real question they want the answer too; this is the good bunch. The other group will come up and touch, move blankets, take pictures, or want to chat when you can clearly see that we are having issues and need to move on. Another thing that just drives me crazy is when people are talking about within ear shot but not too you, I have my routine down, if you don’t ask me direct then when I walk by and you are talking about us don’t expect me to answer, I put on my “I’m looking really mad/constipated and will study whatever product may be on the shelf on the aisle we are on and act like I don’t see/hear them“. There are even people that will run over to where we are and “act” like they are looking for something that just so happens to be covered by the girls.

We have a twin Snap N Go stroller and a baby sling, I push the limo and wear the baby so the attention is on me since Danielle doesn’t like it on her, plus she is more likely to stop and let people touch, hold and kiss them, since she has a problem being direct and rude when needed (I don’t). I cringe when I hear what starts every encounter “Oh my god twins, how sweet! Oh wait you’re wearing one, TRIPLETS?!!!!! Then the questions/comments start:
All boys? - No all girls, notice the pink car seats, bows, and pink dresses
How do you do it? - How do I do what?
I bet your tired- What makes you say that?
Are they natural?- What they want to know is if they were test tube babies or spontaneous but don’t want to just ask; so I answer yes, they are real babies, although I want to answer no they are aliens.
Do triplets run in your family?  - Ugh does that even happen?
The worse of all is “Better you than me”  - Ummm having triplets isn’t a tragedy, we love our girls and yes we are glad its us and not you too! (But we don’t say that cause duh we have manners!)

Baby Stats -

Here are their 2 month stats,

Harper - The Oldest (Harpsicle)

Harper is….high maintenance, she is the oldest triplet so she is the boss, and we usually follow her lead. She was the 1st to roll over, doesn't like to sit still, she’d rather be bouncing or sitting up and looking around. She has great head and neck control. She likes to look back and forth really fast which we find ADORABLE! She has the most beautiful complexion and no cradle cap at all! Her skin just glows and her cheeks are rosy. Her hair is blonde and her eyes are blue.
2 month - 10 lb 12 oz 22.5 inches

Sophia - The Smiley Chunk (Sop or So-fee-na)

Sophia is always smiling and so happy, until she needs a pork chop (I mean bottle) and then her scream is straight from her gut! She was the last to roll over, partly due to weight issues, but loves to just be talked too, or she loves watching her best friend- the ceiling fan. She hates being on her tummy, again maybe a weight issue? Sophia is the only one with my blood type and her family names are from my family in Hawaii so it would figure that she would be the chunky baby. AND she smiles all night in her sleep. She has cradle cap but not too bad. Her hair is dark brown and she has blue eyes. (Georgia’s best friend)
2 month- 11 lbs 6 oz 22.75 inches

Emma - The sweetheart (Emi Claire)

The youngest and the sweetest of them all, I think she can tell that she is the baby of the group. She is my soul triplet and she has the saddest cry you have ever heard! She too doesn't like tummy time and she quickly rolls over to get back on her back and look around with her big blue eyes. Danielle thinks she looks like a turtle because of how she moves her head, although when hungry she will strike like a viper! Although the smallest she did all her growing in length and is the longest. She has the worst cradle cap of the three but still not too bad. She has dirty blonde hair and blue eyes.
2 month 9 lbs 12 oz 23 inches

These girls have really tested our endurance and pushed us farther than we ever thought we could go. We are blessed and so happy they are ours forever. Our marriage is stronger now because of the struggle to have our family and I wouldn't change anything. As a matter of fact we are so happy and in love with our kids that it isn't hard for us to picture having more. Maybe not for a few years but it’s definitely not off the table.

PS- Keurig if you're feeling generous we love our Vue!

Soon

Sorry hands have been full but I will be updating the blog this week!

Birth Part 2

After we had pictures of Danielle, Emma, and I done, I was told to get up and go to the nursery with the babies. I carried Emma from the OR to the nursery, Dr. Lipscomb walking with me telling me that this is how it’s suppose to be (walking the baby to the nursery). I walked into the nursery all eyes on me as I walk with the last of the Vereze triplets and I place her into the warmer. There was so much activity swirling around in that room. I just stood there and watched, not knowing where to look since there was more than just one to pay attention too. Each of the doctors were busy working, nurses were writing down orders and stats, respiratory was standing by each baby, and alarms were flashing and going off. It’s very overwhelming for one baby to go though that, but multiply that by three and it’s almost unbearable, and there is nothing you can do but stand back and trust the team that you have put together. It was scary to even touch them, they are so small and a room full of people are watching you and you don’t want to make a mistake. I took a deep breath and went from baby to baby checking in, getting reports, asking questions, giving them a quick pat on the back, taking a quick picture for the family and moving on to the next one. In the nursery I was told that Harper had a true knot in her cord, Sophia was in distress and her placenta was starting to come apart, and Emma was perfect. I was told by all the doctors that if it wasn't set up for them to be delivered today, they would have came anyways. The babies were all doing so well, Sophia needed some oxygen, all the babies were on monitors and IV fluids, but doing fantastic.

About 30 minutes after they were born and they were doing good, I left to update the family. When I saw them I just broke down, I couldn't hold it in we just had three babies and they were all perfect. After showing off pictures I went back to the nursery and soon after they opened the windows and the viewing area was open for the public. After the doctors were finished working on the babies I was allowed to bring in a grandparent so we brought in my mom and then Danielle’s. I think they fell in love instantly. It’s pretty hard not too since they are so cute. About an hour after birth Dr. Cutler and Dr. Alexander walked in heads held high, and all smiles, Danielle had done a great job during surgery and they were able to save her uterus. After that report it was like there was a collective sigh of relief from the hospital. I was then led out of the nursery to ring the bell three times (TMC has a button you push when a baby is born, it plays music throughout the hospital) we were officially the talk of the hospital. (I really wish I would have gotten a picture of video of Captain Cutler's A Team swagger walking in).

Emma 

Harper

Harper

Sophia

Your passport to the nursery

I left to check in on Danielle, who was finally awake in recovery and doing well, in high spirits and ready to see the babies. I showed her all the pictures I could and then went back to face time and show them off to their momma. Shortly after we were transported back to her room, our home away from home 318. On the way we went by the nursery viewing area, kicking out, what was the start of the constant crowd of people looking at awe of our babies and what we were able to accomplish. After Danielle was settled back in, the hospital’s PR person came to ask me some questions about the triplets, take some pictures, and see if it was ok if they do a press release and me do an interview with the media. I was really in shock, I didn't think that this would be something they would put on the news. Danielle refused to be on camera, so she left it to me.

It was so strange walking around the hospital and everyone knowing and saying  “there is that triplet dad” from the cafeteria, people waiting in the lobby, and other people working at the hospital. It all was surreal  and again strange that so many people would care. Around 1am the next day we were able to get Danielle up out of bed and into a wheel chair to see the triplets for the 1st time. You could see the joy and love on Danielle’s face with a slight hint of greed. I say greed because I know she was thinking in her head “OMG these are all MINE!”. If you know Danielle then you know of her great love of all things baby. She was in heaven. Her dream of four daughters at last accomplished.

I know I left some things out, but it was an overwhelming day with so many things going on at once it is hard to remember everything. I know that every doctor I spoke with and nurse had one thing they kept saying to me “this wasn't suppose to happen”. They were in shock and so happy that everything went off without a hitch. They couldn't believe that they were doing so well. It was a miracle!

This never would have happened without the nurses and doctors at Texoma Medical Center. I can’t sing their praises enough. They supported us, encouraged us, pushed us, and cared for us like family. We really felt like these people were invested personally into the care and well being of our children. We couldn't be happier  and more impressed with the care we received and so happy with our choice to have our triplets there. Four days later Danielle was discharged, babies had to stay, and it really felt like we were leaving family. All of our doctors, were fantastic and really went along with the hospital and nurses above and beyond, we are forever indebted to this group of people.

More to come from life from the nursery, and homecoming.

http://heralddemocrat.com/sections/news/local/blog-birth-denison-couple-welcomes-three-babies.html

Harper Ann Vereze

Emma Claire Vereze

Sophia Jane Vereze

Georgia looking at her sisters

Danielle's Drive By

Danielle's 1st View of the Babies

Harper and Emma (1st time we got to hold them (3 days later)

Harper and Emma (1st time we got to hold them (3 days later)

Complete Family (holding Sophia for the 1st time, a week later)

3 Days Post Triplets

What you collect staying in the hospital for 2 weeks

Sophia

Quick Update

Just a quick note on what's going on since I'm still working on writing the birth story (very long)! Danielle was sent home Monday, babies they are thinking will stay until the 37 week mark. Sophia was on oxygen for about 12 hours and both Harper and Emma have been on room air the whole time. All IVs are out and Harper and Emma are in cribs and Sophia is about a day behind. Feeding tubes were put in today because sometimes they get too tried eating to the point that they need to. They have had to use it once and the rest of the feedings have been without.

Sorry if there are typos writing this on my phone isn't very easy! Birth story will be more detailed.

Josh and Danielle

Go on Bed Rest, do not pass go, do not collect $200.00!

On Monday we were officially grounded by Dr. Cutler, I frankly was surprised that we made it to this point, but with Danielle’s cervix of steal and Cutler’s un-willingness to move up the C-Section we are making it…for now. Monday morning as I was on my way out of town to visit family that we don’t get to see enough, Danielle called to say that she told Cutler that it was time, and so Monday started our 21 day journey to doubling our family. 16 days of bed rest, followed by 5 days post c-section recovery, so three weeks in the hospital! So far during this week there have been a few issues pop up, Tuesday Danielle was having contractions, so they were watching those very closely however, it wasn’t “progressing” anything so it was fine.

Yesterday, Danielle had an ultrasound and the babies have all each gained 10 oz in 10 days, these kids are going to be big! Emma is 1 oz away from being 6 pounds, and the tech said it looked like Sophia had hair and was waving her hands though it! Harper is going to be our mystery, we haven’t seen her in months and she is really hard to get any stats on since she is so low. Emma has also changed positions from being head down to across the other babies some how, I don’t know how any of them have any room to move at all! Hospital has been getting everything ready for us and ordering equipment and putting the finishing touches on the war plan with all the doctors and nurses. Everyone is on call just in-case Danielle goes into labor before our 9/19 deadline.

Today, Danielle got her 1^st round of steroid shots to help develop the babies’ lungs just in case they want to come earlier than our D Day. The cut off is 34 weeks, which is tomorrow but it can’t hurt to get them and be ready for anything!  

The excitement is in the air people!

Oh and thank you to everyone for visiting and praying for our family, we really do appreciate it more than we will ever be able to show!

31 Weeks Picture and Monitoring

Danielle had her non-stress test and BP monitoring yesterday and an ultrasound on her legs to check for clots. While Danielle was doing that I took Georgia “I can’t sit still for 2 seconds” Vereze to Chucky Cheese for some running around fun and pizza. They said everything was fine, BP was a little high but I think with us gone Danielle can relax so it goes down! Waiting for some results to come in tomorrow and then we are set for our 32 week appointment with Dr. C on Monday.

31 Weeks!



31 Week Update: We have a timeline!

Today Danielle went in for her 31 week appointment with Dr. Cutler, blood pressure was on the high side. (138/90 and 98bpm) Did our ultrasound to find the heart tones on the babies, all are doing well. Sophia is now head down with Harper and Emma. So that’s 30 toes, 6 feet and legs in Danielle’s ribs, and 3 small bowling balls in her pelvis.  After that they took her BP again, this time it was in the (150’s / 90’s). Dr. Cutler came in, standard questions, and starting Wednesday we will be having weekly appointments at Texoma Medical Center for fetal non-stress test to watch the babies and monitor blood pressure for a few hours. He said that we need to find out weights of the babies which we will find out on the 30th from Dr. Zaretsky, and after that appointment Danielle will be admitted into  Texoma Medical Center until the babies are born. So to recap

Today - Appointment with Cutler (BP, Heart tones)
Wednesday 8/ 22- Non-stress test at Hospital
Monday 8/27 - Appointment with Cutler (BP, Heart tones)
Wednesday 8/29- Non- Stress test at Hospital
Thursday 8/30- Dr. Zarestsky for growth and BPP(Biophysical Profiles)
Friday 9/7- 34 Weeks Checking into TMC until it’s baby time

All this hinges on Danielle’s blood pressure holding out. There is a good chance that we won’t make it to our goal, the high BP and preeclampsia will cause the babies to be born; not cervix or preterm labor it will be this. Danielle’s hands and feet are itching too which is a sign that there is a liver disease that only occurs in pregnancy. Both conditions are only resolved by having the babies. Dr. Cutler said that Dr. Lipscomb (the BEST and Georgia’s doctor) and Dr. Kalil will be  the attending doctors when the triplets are born. We know that Dr. Lipscomb trained to be a neonatologist and we have already talked to him about delivery and I believe that Dr. Kalil is a neonatologist as well so we will be in good hands.

So things have starting happening, I think I have had a lump in my throat all day! Updates will be coming more quickly I promise!

P.S. Taking suggestions for a phrase to alert those on the phone tree (text) when it’s baby time. Example from Juno (Thunder Cats are a go!) So get to thinking folks!

30 Week Update

We are trucking along here trying to hold off as long as we can. We really need to make it to the 35 week mark, and medically according to the doctors she can, but emotionally it's going to be a challenge. Danielle gets little to no sleep every night, going from the bed to the recliner and back all night; only really getting good sleep when it's time for me to roll over and go to work and when it's time for Georgia to grace us with her presence. Going to the bathroom has become another task within itself, now the only way she can use e bathroom is to doing it standing, but hey do what you have to. She can't walk more than 5 minutes without having contractions, and I'm pretty sure her belly button is going to turn in on itself. The belly is huge (had to get permission to use that phrase) and I think when you see it in person under clothes people get a little disappointed because it's not bigger. I think people expect her to have to carry around a wheel barrow to hold it and walk, it's not that big, but believe me folks it's impressive! Still getting the "you don't look big to be having triplets comments" which Danielle being Danielle would just smile and say "yeah" and then we would have our standard 3day conversation about it. Now she is to the point of wanting to fight people for saying that so watch out! "You don't look like your carrying triplets" are official fighting words for this house!

Girls nursery is slowing getting together not completed, but starting to get there. I really need to paint but I don't see that getting done. Getting the rest of the stuff that we need for the girls in the next two weeks and we will be "ready".

Monday Danielle saw her regular OB for her weekly check, Blood Pressure was high then, and when testing at home was high too, so we called today and he wanted us to go to L/D to be monitored. Took Georgia to her granny's and made our way up, and to our horror we were put back in the dreaded triage room. This room might as well be a torture chamber for as uncomfortable the room is. Blood pressure and blood work all came back good, and Danielle vows to never come back until it's baby time. Plus side is all the nurses here are awesome, so they make things a little more bearable. Dr. C next week for another check (cervix, BP, urine, and heart tones). Dr. Zaretsky on the 30th for what could be our last appointment.

Since BP is ok Danielle is getting ready for tax-free weekend to get Georgia ready for fall, which means I'm wheeling her around, so watch out shoppers!

Update next week!

At the point of no return…

OK,it’s been awhile since I have posted an update, so this post willbe very long since we have a lot of topics and pictures to post.

Let’sstart with Dr. C’s routine OB appointment at 23 weeks. Babieslooked great, all three had very strong heart beats and were as usualfighting with each other. Dr. C and Dr. Z decided that it was timefor us to start seeing Cutler every 2 weeks for a checkup, and cervixcheck. Talked to Dr. Cutler about how the delivery would work if wewere to deliver at Texoma Medical Center, he said that we would needto be at 35 weeks (9 weeks away) and the babies be at 5 pounds each.(Which really is almost unheard of…but keep reading) Our concernwas that there would not be enough staff to care for all of the girlsbut he reassured us that there would be numerous nurses and severalpediatricians on hand for the delivery.

Dr.Thyroid – Well after waiting a month to have her thyroid biopsy,the doctor’s office called to confirm a follow up appointment.Problem was that we hadn't even had the biopsy yet! So they rescheduled for the following Monday. I know that people makemistakes; I get it, but come on. (Another reason we steer clear ofWNJ) It’s just a good thing that they talked to Danielle and notme, I have a very short fuse right now! Biopsy completed, notsomething that you want to have done, it was quick but kinda painfulbut it may have taken some of the focus off of her back for a day.The results came back and everything is great! I think they want tosee her again around the end of September but that’s baby time sowe will try to slide that in somewhere down the line, but as of now Ican cross Dr. Thyroid off the list.

Wehave reached viability! Once we hit the 24 week mark we officiallyhit viability, a major milestone in pregnancy, so to celebrate weunpacked car seats, and the pack-n-play. Georgia loves playing withthem and putting her babies in their seats, and then kicking them outof the seat so she can get into it herself.

Weare getting excited about Danielle’s baby shower on the 15^th, I would think that she would be happy about seeingpeople and looking at baby stuff, but this momma has 1 thing on hermind…and that’s food. She doesn’t care about anything else butfood, so if you’re coming Danielle will more than likely be the onehovering at the food table. Dr. Z told her that she has a freelicense to eat (what, when, how ever much) he wants fat babies.

TheState of Texas has determined that Danielle Vereze is now officiallyhandicapped! The explorer has a new decoration hanging from themirror. Which to be honest we really need, Danielle is ok for veryshort walks, but anything too long she starts having contractions. SoI also ordered her a wheelchair so that she can keep getting out ofthe house and shopping but doesn’t have walk or use the electricchair. Believe me folks, don’t let Danielle drive the electricwheelchair! She used it at Wal Mart in Sherman a few weeks ago, andgot stuck in the baby department, so she backed up and rammed her waythrough to get out, I couldn’t even look at her for the rest of thetrip. The explorer is out of cargo room with a stroller andwheelchair in the back which is a good and bad thing, good becauseit’s less things that she can buy and bad because it’s lessthings that I can buy.

Tothe Nay Sayers- This time around, if you want to get Danielle going,tell her “you don’t look very big to be carrying triplets” thiswill send her right over the edge and I have to hear about it fordays later. We are going to start putting up bi-weekly belly shotssince Dr. Z confirmed Thursday that she is measuring full term and isonly 25 weeks. I really don’t know how she is going to go 9 moreweeks I think she looks like she did when Georgia was born, and shewas almost 9 pounds!

MyGeorgia Bear will be turning 2 in 3 weeks (July 30^th)and she is getting so big. Everyday she is doing something (good orbad) that makes me laugh and realize that all this is worth it. Hernew favorite thing to do is get in trouble (not hard) and run to theother parent, and fake cry and point and say “they mean”, I can’thelp but laugh when she does it. She has also learned one of the mostdreaded words for parents “Why?”. I don’t know if she knowswhat she is saying, but she sure will tack it on to the end of anyrequest! Sometimes when thinking about what’s going to be happeningin a few weeks, I get so stressed out and nervous, but I just have toremember how great life became when Georgia was born, and how muchhappiness and fulfillment we have gotten in just 2 years, and that’sabout to be multiplied by 4. I really don’t think we could do thisif we hadn’t already had Georgia to guide us.

Ohand our blog is also now on http://www.multiplesandmore.com/blogroll/  under blog roll and expecting parents. I think we are one of the fewon there that are still blogging and updating.

Also, I just want to show how many pictures we get from Dr. Z when we go to appointments, and we have gotten this many every time we go! The DVD wasn't as good this time around so the pictures of the girls that we get aren't there, so I had to take pictures of the ultrasound shots to post. 

Dr.Zaretskys' Ultrasounds- Great news! The hole in Harper's heart iscompletely gone, like it wasn’t ever there! The Ultrasounds arestarting to get very hard to do, since there is so much baby hangingout in there, and getting good pictures is near impossible. Harper ishead down so no more face pictures of her since she is pressing onDanielle’s cervix ready to go like she is the only one inthere. Dr. Z was thrilled with the babies and couldn't have beenhappier with the stats. He called Danielle a “Baby Making Machine”and wanted her secret (Lucky Charms and Sweet tea....and a lot ofeach). Babies should be a little more than 1 pound right now, but ourbabies are almost 2 pounds and each are measuring larger than what asingleton would be right now. So back to Texoma Medical Center'srequirements, it looks like we may have a fighting chance to get tothat mark, Dr. Z is confident that we will hit the 32 mark, but as hesays “his crystal ball gets fuzzy after that” So the next time wesee Dr. Z, unless there is a complication, is 30 weeks which isalmost baby time!

Harper-25w2d 1 lb 13oz

Sophia-25w1d 1 lb 12oz

Emma-25w5d 1 lb 14oz (once the smallest)

Emma's 25 Weeks

Sophia's 25 Week

Sophia kicking Harper in the butt! Pay back!

Sophia