Odds and Ends

I am officially on the injured list. I have no idea what I did to my shoulder, or more precisely, what my children did to my shoulder, but I have been in pain for more than a week now.

Tonight I have succumbed to the lure of an old bottle of Vicodin. It's leftover from when one of my beautiful boys disclocated my ribs during my triplet pregnancy. I'm praying that it's got enough kick left to let me sleep well tonight. And that my children cooperate on that front, too.

So that's the reason for this post of random bits and pieces. Please excuse me if I ramble.

***

This weekend we bought three gently used 12-inch bikes for the boys. We bought them because Alex can already ride the one small bike we have. Yes, that's right. I have a 22-month old who can pedal and steer a bike. And his brothers are desperate to do the same. The only things preventing them from doing so is a little bit of height.

Please feel free to pray for us.

We got a great price on the bikes, although none had the training wheels anymore. Luckily, training wheels are cheap, too. Helmets, on the other hand, are not so cheap. But I'm thinking I can get my money's worth out of them by just teaching the boys to wear them from morning until night, regardless of their activity.

Swings? Helmet. Sandbox? Helmet. Color crayons? Why not? Slides? Definitely a helmet.

Fortunately, I don't need to use my shoulder to chase boys down the driveway.

***

Amelia went on a field trip to a dairy recently. She saw a cow give birth to a calf. She told me it was her favorite part because the calf was, "spindly" and looked funny trying to stand.

Then Amelia said, "But Mom, that cow had baby cow parts sticking out of her bottom! Gross!"

There was really nothing I could say to that was there?

***

Apparently I've hit a home run with my Italian Chicken recipe. Several of you have emailed that it was delish. Glad you liked it! If you haven't tried it yet, whip out your big skillet and a can opener. You can have dinner ready in 15 minutes.

***

I have recently developed a fairly serious addiction to Haagen Daas Dulce de Leche caramel ice cream. Oh. My. God. It is the best!

It all started when Jeff and Amelia went back to the Frozen North. The local grocery store had a sale on those little single-serving cups of ice cream. So I bought one for each night Jeff was going to be gone. It was part treat, part self preservation.

It was a mistake.

Now I can hardly resist the stuff. And yes, I KNOW how many calories are in a serving. At least the yum factor is high enough to warrant the calories.

Fortunately I am on a rigorous exercise program that involves trying to keep up with four little pairs of feet.

***

Peace out. Here's to good prescription drugs and a good night's sleep.

© Trippin' Mama 2010

Not Enough Advil in the World

I must confess that I hate working out. I like how I feel about myself afterwards, but the actual act of working out? Thanks, I'll pass.

And after tonight's workout? Pass the Advil. Our sub clearly was determined to make sure our regular instructor never asked her to sub again.

Of course these days, working out is almost worth the effort just because it's an hour I get all to myself.

For the last three months I've been doing Pilates at the local Y every Monday. I used to do Pilates all the time, even up until a week before Amelia was born. I had to quit doing Pilates while pregnant with the boys when I hit about 15 weeks, but only because my instructor was too freaked out to teach me.

Anyway, it's a great workout and I like that I'm regaining strength in my abs. I need those muscles to be strong so I don't hurt my lower back with all the lifting I do around here.

My problem isn't the class. It's the day after. I always try to hold back a bit during class so I can handle the next day's workout! The triplet workout consists of light weights, lots of reps. In and out of highchairs. In and out of cribs. On and off the changing table. Whew! Throw in a little cardio chasing boys around the yard and I'm good to go.

Even though I get a good daily workout, it's still important for me to go to class and really focus on being healthy and strong.

As for liking it? Well, if only I could find an exercise class where the instructor would ignore the fact that I'm napping in the back, I'd be all set.

© Trippin' Mama 2010

Much Better, Thanks!

The neck is much better this morning. Still a little tender, but not bad.

So how did this all happen? Well, I saw the massage therapist on Tuesday because I was having pretty bad sciatica pain that the chiropractor alone wasn't taking care of. The massage therapist worked on my neck, too, and I felt sooooo good.

The chiropractor said that was probably part of the problem. My muscles were all relaxed and they aren't used to being relaxed. No kidding! That let something in my neck slide out of place a little and then when I turned my head just right (just wrong?) in the shower it popped way out.

So the moral of this story is don't relax.

Or don't shower.

At least I'm back on tap for some Halloween fun today!

What A Pain In The Neck

What a pain in the neck, literally! The boys did pretty well last night, but Alex and I were up early. So, I decided that since I didn't get a shower yesterday, I would hop in quick before Jeff left for work.

I got in a nice steamy shower, turned my head and POP! Blinding pain. I almost had to sit down on the floor of the shower. I would have cursed, but the pain took my breath away.

Seriously? I just wanted a shower. Is that too much to ask?

Thankfully it was a day when Jeff could do some work from home and take a little time off, because I couldn't even turn my head, let alone take care of four kids all day.

My friend Ellen came to our rescue this morning, taking me to the chiropractor so we didn't have to load up all the kids to go. Because there was no way I could drive myself there.

It took two adjustments, a Vicodin and near constant ice, but now I can turn my head. And the sudden screaming pain when I moved a millimeter too far is gone now. I was even able to make supper and hold the boys a bit before bedtime.

Another Vicodin, some rest and a little more ice and I hope to be right as rain by morning.

This injury reinforces yet again that we are playing a team sport here and injuries really impact our game. I'm just glad we've got some good people on the bench that we can call on in a pinch!

Breaking the Cardinal Rule of Motherhood

I broke the cardinal rule of motherhood the other night. That is: Moms don't get sick. This one sure did. I greeted Jeff at 6 p.m. with, "Take this baby. I have to go throw up." And I abandoned him with three fussy babies who were also getting sick and Amelia.

I did call in some reinforcements for the night feeding and for the evening. When you call someone and say, "The babies are throwing up and I am too. Can you come hold babies for a little while?" and they show up, those are GOOD people!

I threw up until midnight. The boys started a few hours after I did and threw up about 6 hours, too. Jeff slept in the nursery with them in the crib and in pack and plays. He put towels under them and just kept changing the towels. On the plus side, the boys just wanted to go right back to sleep after they threw up.

At 4 a.m., Sam needed to be walked, and by then I wasn't nauseous, so I took him for a while so Jeff could sleep. That next day was a little rough, since my whole body hurt from throwing up and the boys weren't feeling well either. One of my terrific neighbors did come over for a couple hours in the afternoon to help hold fussy babies. We rocked and walked while we watched the NCAA games. We even got two of three babies down so I could take a quick nap, which helped a lot.

Jeff spent Thursday at a conference where he had to do two presentations, so he didn't have an easy road either. But, we made it through, again with a little help from our friends.

Fortunately, the virus was short-lived, and mostly contained to throwing up. Sam and Isaac both ran a little low-grade fever the next night, but no scary high fevers or anything like that.

Now we're headed into the weekend and the boys pretty much back to their usual bright-eyed, happy selves.

Oh, and in cheerier news around here, Sam rolled from his back to his belly on Thursday and Isaac did it tonight, so all of the boys can roll over both ways now. Pretty soon they'll be rolling across the room -- undoubtedly all in different directions at once! I know that news calls for a new picture of each Sam and Isaac, but that will have to wait until later. Now I need some sleep!

Reinforcements and a Health Update

I'm typing this with a fussy baby in my lap, and I hope this is not an indication of how the night's going to go. Luckily, Jeff's dad, sister and brother arrived yesterday, so we have reinforcements for a couple days. Last night I didn't have to get up for the 1:30 a.m. OR 5:30 a.m. feedings. It was wonderful, even though I was up with Amelia at 3 a.m.

For those who have been asking, my shingles are improving with the medication. I have started taking the medication for nerve pain, but I hope to only need it a day or two. And, of course, I went to the chiropractor for an adjustment since the virus that causes shingles is harbored at the base of the spine. It certainly can't hurt.

Today we also took the boys to the pediatrician for their one-month checkup. They are all growing well and getting even bigger and stronger by the day. Here are the stats:

Sam - 7 lbs. 7 oz.
Isaac - 6 lbs. 15 oz.
Alex - 8 lbs. 4 oz.

The boys are doing great. It's the rest of us who need sleep that I'm worried about!

My Body Is Rebelling

After carrying the triplets for 36 weeks and 3 days with virtually no problems, my body is now rebelling. Two days ago I noticed a little rash on my arm near my armpit. I put a little cortisone cream on it. The next day it had spread to my armpit and down my arm. Then it began to blister and ooze and really, really hurt.

This can't be good.

So, I called the doctor and went in today. She told me it's shingles.

CRAP.

The doctor asked me if I'm under any stress and if I'm getting enough rest. HA! This was a doc at my family practice, so they haven't seen me since last year's physical. I saw my OB while I was pregnant.

I told her I had month-old triplets at home, and she said, "That would do it."

No kidding.

So, I started the anti-viral medication today, which is approved for use while nursing. If the pain continues I'll have to take something specifically for nerve pain and inflammation, which is not approved for use while nursing. Hopefully this will clear fast and I won't need the pain medication, but my doctor said not to ignore it if the pain continues for more than 48 hours. Apparently shingles can cause nerve damage and the inflammation can lead to chronic pain. I certainly don't need that!

If you need me, I'll be right here watching my body go to hell in a hand basket.

Itch Relief!

I've been using the steroid cream the doc prescribed for two days now and I have to admit that the itching is much, much better. I still have some patches that crop up itching, and the earlier patches are still red and splotchy, but it's not nearly as miserable now. Hopefully the medicine will keep things under control for here to the end.

Today's laugh for the day is this. The babies' Libra horoscope in today's local paper starts out with: "Beware of holding on too tightly." HA!

Duct Tape? Super Glue?

Seriously, what is holding these babies inside of me still? Duct tape? Super glue? Magnetic force? A stubbornness (theirs, not mine) that will be the bane of my existence when they are two?

The doc says everything looks great, but I am showing NO SIGNS of having these babies yet. He optimistically moved next week's appointment to Monday instead of Wednesday, and is willing to schedule something for next week if the rash has me going crazy, or I show any other indications that my body's going to give up these babies. Otherwise, he'd like me to hit 37 weeks -- which would be considered full term.

Perhaps it's time to change all those prayers from, "Please God, help her carry these babies to be big and healthy," to "All right already, God. Let's meet these little ones!"

Move Along People. Nothing to See Here

I know many of you are checking, checking, checking as you wait for baby news. So, I thought I'd do you a favor and post early -- before I take my nap.

The title pretty much says it all: nothing to see here -- except an excess of hives. Seems my whole body is rebelling against something. Probably the pregnancy! It's not PUPPS, exactly. It just looks like I spent a week naked in the woods with no mosquito spray. Maybe the rash and itchy hives will cause my doctor to have mercy on me tomorrow and schedule a C-section.

35 Weeks and Still Standing -- When I Have to

Today marks 35 weeks for us. It's amazing to think how far we've come! It's getting tougher by the day now, so it's also comforting to look at what a short time we have to go.

I've been struggling with an itchy belly, but found some good lotion and something with a little calamine in it that really helped. But now I've started to get hives on my hands and arms, around one knee, and most cruel of all -- on my feet and between my toes.

My doctor recommended cortisone cream and oral Benadryl. Neither is helping tons, and now the rash is spreading up my arms and to the back of my neck. It is probably PUPPS, which is an itchy skin condition that can happen late in pregnancy, especially in a multiple pregnancy, likely because of hormones. But my hives aren't exactly following the expected pattern for PUPPS.

I gave in this morning and did not go to church, but stayed home to rest instead. I read the daily devotional and thanked God for these babies, and for the fact that I'm not riding toward Bethlehem on the back of a donkey about to give birth any day. Just goes to show it could always be worse.

I'm actually still able to do a fair amount, between applications of anti-itch lotion. I can still drive, though my belly's about to start rubbing against the steering wheel, and I can do errands that don't involve much walking, like picking up Chinese takeout or getting my prescription at the pharmacy. But, these babies are really starting to sap my energy now, so even that amount of activity is quickly coming to an end.

Here's my 35-week glamour shot:

My "waist" now measures 48 inches around. Which make me just 14 inches taller than I am around. My mom keeps saying that the pictures really don't do it justice, but you'll have to take what you can get. Her analysis is that I look just like I always have from the back, but from the front I look like I swallowed an exercise ball.

Reality Bites

I know that I have lots of readers out there who are also expecting triplets, or who have a family member who is. So for all of you, a little reality in this post.

My pregnancy has gone very smoothly, but that doesn't mean it's been easy. And now, it's getting harder every day. You cannot underestimate the physical demands that three babies put on a mama's body. As another triplet mom told me, just because the pregnancy has been going well from a medical standpoint doesn't mean that it's not still hard.

In the past I've posted about being really tired and growing at an unbelievable rate. I've written about my sciatica and how I wouldn't be on my feet without the help of my chiropractor and my massage therapist. I've written about not being able to pick things up or shave my legs. I've tried always to have a sense of humor about all of it, because really, what's the sense of moaning over every little thing? It's in everyone's best interest for me to carry these babies as long as possible, regardless of how hard it is.

But, I'm afraid that it's easy for people to read that I took my daughter to the zoo more than a month past the point where many triplet moms are on bed rest, or that I worked up until 32 weeks, even still going to the office 3 days a week, and get an unrealistic impression that a triplet pregnancy is no big deal.

It is a very big deal. Even if it goes smoothly. Which it doesn't for everyone. You have to listen to your body and not do too much. (All you pregnant moms out there, I'm talking to you!) I have been fortunate to be able to do quite a bit throughout this pregnancy -- at least to this point.

I've now reached the point where I'm only good on my feet for about 5 minutes, 10 if I absolutely have to be. Then my legs start to shake from the effort. My back sometimes aches so much at night that I have to move to the couch so I can get a little back support. Today, the pelvic pain was so bad that I had to stand still and catch my breath every time I stood up, and I could hardly lift my leg high enough to go up a small step. When I lay down at night, my dislocated rib hurts and my left hip kills from the effort of supporting all this weight.

I don't tell you this to complain, but because I think it's important for everyone to understand the reality of being so "full of babies." Have other mamas had it harder? Sure. But that doesn't change the physical challenges of my pregnancy at all.

Be inspired by my smooth journey to 32 weeks 6 days and more than 12 lbs. of baby, but know that it's not without its challenges.

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I joked that God knew what he was doing when He put moms through pregnancy. It taught me to get up every couple hours, just like I needed to once Amelia was born. The same applies this time around. I'm sure the challenges I'm going through now will look like nothing compared to dealing with three 2-year-olds!

Off to try to get a good night's rest and keep growing these babies. Keep those prayers coming! We're in the home stretch now.

Off to "Rest and Grow Babies"

Today was my last day in the office before I officially, at 32 weeks, start leave from my job. My doctor says that my job now is to "just rest and grow babies." So that's what I'll do.

Of course, it was tough to leave the office. I'm lucky enough to love my job and to have colleagues who are fun to work with, so leaving is hard. Fortunately, my mom arrived this evening to wait it out with me, so I'll have some company.

While I'll miss my colleagues and my work, I am looking forward to the fact that I don't have to get up in the morning, shower and find something that fits. Frankly, that's getting to be a lot of work! And, as I'm not sleeping all that well at night, it will be nice to be able to take a nap now and then.

I should be able to sleep better tonight since the chiropractor returned my dislocated rib to its proper place. It's a little tender from the adjustment, but at least I can breathe without pain today!

Another Uneventful Doctor's Visit

You know your triplet pregnancy is going well with the first thing the doctor says after "How are you?" is, "So what's your commentary on this week's political events?" Yes, yet again, the doc and I spent most of my appointment talking about things outside of the pregnancy. It cracks me up!

There's not much to report, which is a good thing! My blood pressure is nice and low, and I'm measuring 42 weeks, though I didn't gain any weight this week. That's stunning, because I'm still eating like a horse. I have reached the point where everyone says, "That baby must be due any day now!"

The doctor did check out my self-diagnosed dislocated rib and told me I was right about that. Ouch! The babies need to build their new addition some place else. On the plus side, I felt more rested today than I have in weeks. That Vicodin really worked. I slept 5 hours straight before I woke up. I'm surprised I didn't wet the bed! And I had no trouble going back to sleep either.

The rib's not too bad today, as long as I don't try to take a deep breath. The massage therapist helped a lot, and I'll get in to the chiropractor on Friday morning, so that should help, too. All in all, a pretty minor complaint at 31w 3d with triplets.

Dr. Star asked, as he always does, about my contraction pattern. And I replied, yet again, that I don't have a pattern because I'm not having contractions. So, he's revising his 34 week estimate and saying he's cautiously optimistic I could make 36 weeks, especially as I'm finally going to quit working and rest a lot more. But, we'll know a lot more next week when we have another ultrasound.

Now for the story of the day. I mentioned my dislocated rib to a party who shall remain nameless, and the response was, "What were you doing?"

What was I doing? I must have hurt it when I was bull riding the other afternoon...

A Vicodin-Induced Post

Jeff suggested the title for this evening's update. Because of the Vicodin I will keep this short. I have had some very sharp pain on the right side of my back where the babies have decided to get themselves a little more room by dislocating one of my ribs. The Vicodin makes it tolerable, and tomorrow the chiropractor and massage therapist should take care of it, I hope.

In other news, Amelia went to daycare today in big girl underwear and stayed dry ALL day! The idea of having just three in diapers instead of four is almost as good as the Vicodin.