20 Weeks

It's a ... and a ... and a ...

It has been a few weeks since I posted but we finally have the answer to the mystery of Baby A. At our 18 week visit with the Maternal-Fetal Specialists, we had the ultrasound that evaluated the full anatomy of each baby. The doctor checked everything including the heads, bladders, livers, hearts, blood flow, stomachs, arms, legs, hands, feet, and faces. The babies were all measured and were measuring in at sizes equating to 18 weeks 5 days on their 18th week and 3rd day. As such, we are all developing on target which is the really the most important thing. However, Grandma Sally, Mike and I were all really anxious about finding out the sexes of three babies.

Baby A, which will always be the most difficult to view as he/she is located on the bottom of all three babies, was a challenge to evaluate. The ultrasound tech tried really hard (and I mean really HARD) but was unable to determine the sex of Baby A. So, at 18 weeks, Baby A remained a mystery. Baby B and Baby C were not as difficult. It was great to confirm what we learned at our 14 week visit. Baby B and Baby C are BOYS!!! Evidence from 18 week ultrasound:

BABY B IS A BOY!!

BABY C IS A BOY!

So, we left without knowing the sex of the Mystery Baby A. Another thing to point out is that I will be monitored frequently to determine the length of my cervix. This is the best predictor of pre-term labor. As the doctor was informing me that from this point forward, I will be monitored weekly and that the average cervix length at this point is 3 cm, the ultrasound tech measured my cervix at 5cm. After this information was revealed, the doctor set my next appointment with him for 4 weeks. So, it looks like these babies are going to bake for a while longer. All in all, we are all doing very well. So far, so good!

At 20 weeks, we visited my OB/GYN. As with all of these appointments, the visit started with an ultrasound. The ultrasound tech, knowing that we were still wondering about Baby A, went on an expedition to determine the sex of Baby A. While we did not get the photographic evidence, we learned that Baby A is a.....

BOY!!!

Yes, it's true.... all three Eskimos are Boys! Boy oh boy! It's a really good balance for the full Team Darnell. Mike has 3 girls already and it was apparently time for some boys. This will give us 3 girls and 3 boys. Mandy (age 11) and Veronica (age 9) were here and able to attend the ultrasound that revealed they were gaining not only 2 but 3 brothers. The babies are getting better at getting their photo taken and Baby C had the best photo during this visit. He must have known his sisters were present as he was caught waving at the camera:

This visit went smoothly and all is well. I learned that I should start planning for bed rest starting at about Week 26 which starts February 5th. While this is not a guarantee, it's what is typical for triplet pregnancies. I have started to feel "something" that I have learned is the babies movement. They are also really taking over my body at this point. I have trouble eating much at one sitting, I loose my breath quickly, I am not sleeping well and I am most comfortable fully reclined in a recliner. How many weeks do I have left....... Our next appointments are on Jan 11th and Jan 14th.

I think this pretty much brings everyone up to date! 2007 has been an exciting year for Team Darnell and it will only get better in 2008.

Happy New Year to everyone!

Take care,

Kellie

17 Weeks

We have recently returned home from our visit with Dr. Dixon. The good news is that all babies still have strong heartbeats and all seems well. They were all very active during the ultrasound. During the ultrasound, Dr. Dixon did comment about how they are starting to get crammed in their. We did not find out the sexes of the babies today as we hoped. He deferred this to the "guys upstairs." This is not a spiritual reference but a reference to the Maternal-Fetal Specialists office that is directly above his office. He indicated that because they will be doing the detailed ultrasounds for measurements, weights, baby health, anatomy, etc., our visits with him would only include brief ultrasounds for heartbeats only. There were no photos provided today either. Our next appointment with the "guys upstairs" is next Friday, December 14th. So, we wait another week to find out the sexual make-up of the Eskimos.

Take care and stay tuned,

Kellie

We have a stroller!

Check out Papa Darnell and his hot new wheels!! The joy in his face is too much to handle :-) Let's just say he was not in the mood to model. Regardless of the look on his face, we are very happy with our first baby purchase. We were able to find the entire set for a great price and in the process, I met a very nice woman also experiencing a triplet pregnancy.

Thank you Teresa!

The infant carriers are Evenflo for all of you out there already planning to purchase things for the little Eskimos! We are 17 weeks tomorrow and are scheduled for a doctor's appointment (ie. ultrasound) on Friday. At this appointment, we should find out the sexes of the three little Eskimos! Stay tuned!

Kellie