February Fourteenth

Esther's first bouquet of flowers. From her Dad.

Actually all the important girls in Tyler's life received flowers.

The kids did a little scavenger hunt to find their Valentines prize.

Definitely not my favorite holiday but seeing my girl's faces light up when they get flowers makes it pretty darn successful.

{Esther @ Eighteen Months}

.TEAM BABY.

It seams as though a lot has been happening over the last couple of weeks:

:Tyler's Mom came to save the day. She will be staying with us until the babies are born and I'm recovered. I'm not on bed rest yet but it helps so much not to have to worry about meals, cleaning or the kids.

:Kim had her Utah baby shower. It was awesome. She got all kinds of goodies for the babies. Even all my friends were nice enough to pull together money for the babies. 400.00 worth actually. I was in charge of the shopping (I enjoyed every minute of it) and the theme was "eating". From Boppy's, boosters, bibs and burp cloths. I think we got them covered in that department. I may just have the best support system.

:I hit my 24 and 25 week marks! This is huge and I feel so lucky that I'm not on any sort of bed rest yet. I thought for sure I would by now.

:The tummy is sure growing a ton. I can't believe the difference from 19 weeks to 24 weeks can make. I have about 3 more weeks of real good growth before they say things start to slow down. 

:We had yet another big ultrasound on Monday and I was shocked about how big the babies were. I was thinking they were barely 1 pound each but no. Baby A measured 1lb 14 oz, Baby B was 1lb 10 oz and Baby C was 1lb 11 oz. I was so pleased that they are all thriving. 

:I guess Gestational Diabetes is more common with high order pregnancies. It's the placenta's (which I have a few of) that send off a hormone that blocks my natural ability to absorb sugar.

:So Monday I had my 3 hour glucose test...... which I failed. So frustrating but I received a crash course on being diabetic and I'm monitoring my glucose now. I'm just a little confused because I haven't changed my eating habits and my glucose is always perfect when I test it? So I don't know if I just had a bad day when I tested or if I was just borderline? We'll see how it goes. I'm not too worried about it.

:I weigh now what I weighed full term with my other babies. But I've kind of been stalled at this number for a month. It will be interesting to see how much I really gain. It's craziness. 

:They monitor my cervix through ultrasound and it's still thick. This is why I haven't been put down on bed rest. So proud of my little cervix, even after 5 pregnancies it's still going strong. But things can change at any moment... so I'm just enjoying my freedom for now!

Phoenix

Tyler has these Publisher conference's twice a year where Publisher's from across the country get together and share ideas. I go when I can, especially when they are held in Mexico (which will be next year). 

We thought we would take Esther with us since she fly's free and so that the older kids can have more fun with Uncle Curtis and Aunt Kim. It was so nice to have one on one time with our baby. We are definitely the youngest ones there and so all these people have teenagers or above (and they don't bring them). Meaning Esther was the total center of attention at every event.

The last time we were in Phoenix was when Olivia was Esther's age. It's such a great place. I could totally live there in my dream Spanish style house. But I won't.

I took two pictures the whole weekend. But they were good ones.

I got to go out with my two good friends from High School. Me and Chante are due the exact same day! And she's having a girl, which means she did the Girl Boy Boy Girl thing just like me. So Excited for her. Jaesi Jaesi Jaesi is a hoot. We hardly ever get to see each other in person but we have internet affairs frequently. She recently started making these string art plaques which have really taken off. She can make anything. Obviously, if she dreamt up this gift for me! I love it dearly. Visit her Facebook page for some more great ideas HERE.

Then we spotted the "Dog Whisperer" at our hotel and chatted with him for a little bit. Nice guy.

Turned out to be a good, wet, quick weekend and we were just grateful we got home.... although hours after planned because of Salt Lake Airport closures. It was crazy.

Organize me

I guess I'm the sentimental type. I love memories.

I've posted before about my box in the kitchen. The box that holds the really impressive school stuff. School pictures. Report cards. Ect.

The box is just supposed to hold the current school year but I'm just getting around to emptying last years things.

Now they each have a little file for all their school years. And remember I'm not a keeper. So there is maybe 10 things in each year.

This lead me to thinking that they each needed a box. A box to hold random pictures (yes Olivia and Drew were born before digital pictures), their baby book, their little onesie from the hospital, hospital bracelets, the ball Alex got stuck on his finger for a day, the girl's favorite baby doll (when they are done with them). I'm loving a little place for for their little keepsakes. 

We are officially out of any extra storage. Like there's none. So these boxes will be held in their own rooms, up high in their closets. My next house, far far far from now, will have so much storage.

.TEAM BABIES.

{Random Happenings}

- My resolutions for 2013 are weird and probably a lot different from anyone else's. And what's hard is we make all these goals with the Doctor but they are really things I can not control. But it's so good to have milestones with a pregnancy like this. And I can't even think pass the next few months, I have no plans or goals at this point after the babies are born. I just have to take one thing at a time I guess.

- 24 weeks gestation is and always has been a huge milestone. And we're almost there! The babies can't live outside the womb before 24 weeks. 

- Obviously I don't want to be on bed rest so the farther I can get would be awesome. The only two people I know personally with triplets were put on bed rest around 17 weeks.

- And I would LOVE to not be put on bed rest in the hospital. Which happens all the time. Being away from the kids would be super hard so if we can avoid that, that too would be awesome.

- I just want to get to my thirties. After that, every day is just a bonus. The Dr. I know would like 34 weeks but I'm not getting my hopes up. 34 weeks just seems impossible but who knows....

- I've been trying to get things done around the house before I can't anymore. I feel like a ticking time bomb. I've got a lot done though. Mostly organizing. It's never ending...

- We are still getting some meals brought in to us which is so nice. People are so nice. Something that is interesting to me, as I reflect on ALL the meals that have been brought in since the beginning of this pregnancy, like 90% of them have been from people outside our ward family. I would have never guessed that? It just shows our amazing support system. 

- Tyler and Kim's Mom is coming around February 3rd. We are so EXCITED! We all know I NEED to get off my feet more but it's so hard with 4 kids. So she's coming to take over until the babies are home. 

- I wish they were coming to my home.... Kim and Curtis are still trying to pin point where in California they will end up. I think they are realizing they need to be closer to Tyler's parents so that the help is just a little drive away. They are going to need help for like 3 years! 

- The babies will be blessed in Utah when they are released so I'm hoping I get some good quality time in before they leave for Cali. I'll even probably try to steal one. 

- Another goal is getting some blog books done in the next few months. I have NEVER printed a blog book. I'm 5 years behind. 5! It's such tedious work but so worth it in the end. I work so hard on keeping my blog updated and it would a shame if I never printed it. Plus I figure when my Mother-in-Law comes I am giving myself mandatory resting throughout the day, time that I will use to blurb. I will never get them all done but anything would be great.

- Tyler and I are going to Arizona in a couple weeks. Just for the weekend for a work retreat thing. It will be nice to get away one last time. Kim and Curtis are taking over here at home. The kids can't wait. They love them more than us. But I'm not worried, these triplets will switch over to our team with a little time.

- We switched to 9am church. I'm loving it. I get a nap! Tyler's first meeting is at 6:30am and he doesn't come home until after 4pm. Poor thing is starving when he gets home. It's tricky doing everything by myself but my organization skills come into play and we are out the door even a little early. If you know me, you know I DON'T do late. And I'm just grateful we get the afternoon with Tyler because we didn't when we have 1pm church. He wouldn't get home until after all the kids were in bed. 

- So in another words we are making this Bishop thing work. I can't believe I don't complain more. I've been blessed with more patience I guess. Tyler is gone a lot and I do get my share of random calls during the day, every day asking for Bishop Dabo (People, he works! Like a normal person). But other than that it hasn't been that bad. And it will be easier once I'm not pregnant with triplets.

-The next few months are going to be crazy and lets not forget FUN! Wow I don't normally ramble on and on. Just so much going on I guess.

20 WEEKS! Always a good milestone to hit!

(Gotta love bathroom shot. The only mirror in my house low enough.)

another year down

My Dad died in December. When the day comes each year I'm not crying or moping around. But I sure don't like the day. And this year all those kids and teachers were shot and killed on the same day. I swear the day is cursed. We don't celebrate that day of course. We just try to have it pass as quickly as possible.

We do celebrate another day in December. My Dad's Birthday! It's New Year's Eve. This day I can celebrate and appreciate the 19 years I had with him. The kid's really have no idea what they are missing but I want to make sure they always remember there is another Grandpa.