Chan Quintuplets

2011-11-21T01:32:00.000-05:00

So glad to finally have the time to write a post again. It's a late Sunday night....the kids are currently at my parent's house...which is typical since I work during the day on Mondays. It's quite nice to have the entire night off from the kids once a week. Jamson and I get the chance to go out to dinner, clean the house a bit, prep for the week (meals, LOTW worksheets and other activities), bills and maybe relax for a bit. And not to brag, but that's also on top of a Friday or Saturday date night. I absolutely love my parents and siblings for being able to give us the chance to still have time for each other. I wouldn't be alive and sane if not for them :) In fact, just a couple of weeks ago, Jamson and I got back from a long weekend trip to Orlando while the kids hopped around from my parents to siblings. I got the taste of Disney World and Universal Studios. I've never been to Orlando, and I wanted to check it out before taking the kids there. We had such a great time and definitely look forward to going back next year!

This fall season has been a little different from the past three falls. I'm able to take the kids out of the house (by myself :) to places such as My Gym, the Y, and on play dates...maybe even to Target if I'm really in the mood. I love that they're a little bit bigger and not so susceptible to catching colds/etc. And I try not to be too protective of them when it comes to that anymore. Knock on wood, we've been blessed to be keeping away from the hospital or any serious conditions in awhile. My Gym is such an awesome environment for them to interact with other kids. If you've never heard of them, just click here to go to their website. The owner worked out a great discount for me that I really couldn't resist...and the staff are awesome that the kids look forward to going there. We go there about once or twice a week. And just last week, I took them to the Y for the first time...which they also enjoyed. I try to offer the kids different things than just sitting at home so they don't get bored! Plus, with the cold weather and not being able to play outside, they need to get out of the house or we'll all go crazy. When we're at home....I enjoy keeping them busy with different activities. Our pediatrician always reminds me to keep TV at 2 hours max a day and I actually really try to follow that. Granted, there have been days when I'm just so exhausted that I have to resort to the TV. Fortunately, only the boys are into watching TV. My girls can only handle it for about 10 minutes and they're off to destroying something else.

Some things to keep my kids entertained that I've done the past few weeks:

Learn how to use the chopsticks by transferring poms from one cup to the other (since Jamson and his family uses them a lot!) I actually even did a sushi themed lunch one day to go with the chopstick theme :)
Lego time! Not only do the kids love this, but I love love Legos! This will keep them absolutely busy for a good hour or so. We've introduced the regular (smaller) pieces to them and they enjoy that better than the jumbo pieces.
Bean time! This was something I introduced to them about a year ago after my friend Leslie told me about it. It was more for sensory purposes, and they still love it! I just give them a bunch of different spoons, cups and what-nots to scoop and transfer with...and that's another hour of entertainment.
Cooking....we made pizzas, they help me snap off ends of green beans, help mix batter, decorate cookies...anything I can get them involved w/out making such a mess.
Play doh. My kids can do this all day long if I let them, but we wouldn't have any play doh left by the end of the day since they somehow manage to get all over the floor. This is such an easy, no-prep activity...but I try not to use too much in case they get tired of it.
Look and Find books. Similar to Where is Waldo?, my kids love doing this! It can get a bit crazy with five kids, but it gets their brain really working so I'm sold.
LOTW worksheets from Confessions of a Homeschooler and other home-made worksheets. I'm so thrilled that the kids love worksheet time! When we first started it in August...we were only doing 2-3 worksheets, but they are so into it, that I sometimes have to have 5-10. It can be from tracing numbers, letters, their names; do-a-dots; cut/paste; coloring; cutting patterns; stickers; matching; painting; free drawing; and patterning. I'm not really the kind of parent who has to have their kids constantly learning, but if my kids are enjoying it...why not take advantage of it. And to be honest...I just love the whole planning part of it too. It feels like work to me in some ways.
Story time. They really enjoy it when I read to them or when we listen to audio books.
Just laying on a blanket and just talking to each other. I think sometimes I get so caught up with chores around the house...and so when I sit there and really just focus on them, they love it! It gets their imaginations going...and I learn so much more about my kids who are changing and growing each day.
Ipad, 2 Iphone, Itouch. Yes! We have a total of four! Believe it or not...they have learned so much from those. But it is definitely a privilege to use these. I even use them as a reward. It's quite amazing how good they are with using them too at their age :)
And many others...but I would be on here all night.....

I really love my job as a stay at home mom. I know that there will be a time...maybe soon....when I will have to go back to work. But I will never regret not having fun with them. I like to think I've made the most of what we have. All of it thanks to the Lord!

Hello again....

2011-10-19T00:06:00.001-04:00

I can't believe it has been yet another SIX months since I have posted anything. I intended on at least posting once a month (mainly for mine and the kid's keepsake) ...and yes, my lousy excuse of being busy with my five kids is all I have. So here I am, back at it...and hoping to try harder to post more often.

Here's a wrap up of things that went on with us since my last post:

The kid's turned the big 3 in May! Whoever called it "Terrible Two's" is so wrong....it's definitely the Terrible Three's and NOT Terrible Two's. Since turning three, they have been keeping me on my toes with the fighting/bickering with each other, the constant loudness, the never-ending back talking, and the curiosity with every bit of surroundings. They were discharged from First Steps (Speech for all and OT for Gabi) at three years old and not doing too bad without the therapy. They have created their own little language that I am still trying to figure out. But it's so much fun to watch them talk to each other in their made up words even though not one bit of it makes sense to Jamson or I.

The summer kept us busy with a visit to MN and preparations for my sister's wedding that took place in August. Also in August, Jamson accepted an offer to a new job working from home. The kids love having him at home. Because the boys have decided to move into the girls' room since Thanksgiving of last year, and no intentions of going back to their room, we turned their room back into an office for Jamson's use.

I had also planned to do a little bit of homeschooling with the kids this school year. Mostly because I wanted to do something that kept me busy, structured, creative, and organized :) The one thing I really enjoy about being at home with them too is all the fun, creative things I get to do with cooking/baking and crafts/activities. I'm really enjoying being able to use my artistic side. Plus, I'm my own boss who can make up my own schedule..you can't really beat that! For their school activities, I found this awesome preschool curriculum from Confessions of a Homeschooler blog called Letter of the Week (or LOTW). It pretty much says it all! Since we decided to hold them off from actual preschool one more year, I thought that doing a little bit of school work at home would keep them up to par for next year.

I also started working part time (about 15 hours/week) at my friend's salon. It's been almost 3 months and still loving this decision I've made. I love the girls I work with, and I get to interact with adults again! Who knew going to work would be something I looked forward to.

As the summer ended, despite plans of still doing some home school with the kids, I decided to put them into part time preschool to get them out of the house and around other kids. I wanted this to be a way for them to learn more social skills than anything and for me to have some "me" time. I found an awesome coop preschool that is affordable, so they enrolled in October (on a trial basis). Unfortunately, going into their third week, we are deciding to pull them out. The coop structure it such a wonderful idea, but for our family, it doesn't seem to work at the moment. I'm really going to hate leaving behind the families I've met so far.

And finally, we have started potty training a few weeks ago. Ariel is now wearing her "big girl underwear" with accidents only when she's not around me. She still wears pull-ups to bed at night. Addison was actually the first one to potty train and wear big girl underwear, but after we started preschool, she started having accidents more and more...and I've decided to put her back in pull-ups. I will try again in a couple of weeks. Brayden is not quite in big boy underwear, but he is using the toilet for #1's most of the time. Gabi is interested in using the toilet, but not quite there yet. Micah, on the other hand, has NO interest at all! It's been about a year now since we haven't gotten diapers for free from Operation Blessing so it is really helping to have some kids potty training. But my friend Leslie told me about buying cheap diapers from Amazon Mom (through Amazon.com)..which I do now...so I definitely recommend this to other moms out there.

Well, that's a summary of the last half year! I'm thrilled for the rest of the year with the holidays coming. I plan to do so many fun things with the kids. I love this time of the year with Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas! They're such great holidays to do so many fun creative things for the kids. I've just recently found a ton of blogs and sites that have so many great ideas I can recreate and use with my kids. Will definitely have pictures to come in future posts!

2011-04-26T22:53:00.000-04:00

Updating this blog has been easier said than done! With my kids almost three years old, they have been so much more fun to be around with...and definitely more rewarding, but always keeping me busy. About a month ago, we got back from a big family trip to the Philippines. We were there for two weeks visiting family. Our main purpose was for the children and siblings' significant others to meet my grandparents. My grandparents are in their late 80's so visiting with them was very important to us. Fortunately, they were still well enough to remember us and get to know the kids. We were also able to see other family members that we rarely see. It's quite amazing to see how different our lifestyle is from theirs. Definitely a good reminder of how fortunate we are. Here are some pictures from the trip:

3 a.m. at the Indianapolis Airport

Addison with my sister and her fiance (the kids were split up between Jamson and I, my brother and his wife, and my parents)

sleeping on the long flight...the kids did so well!

lunch with some of my mom's side of the family

at Quiapo shopping for cheap gifts and souvenirs

tricycle ride

the kids visiting with my grandma

family picture in front of Taal Volcano (this was our view from the restaurant)

family picture with some of my dad's side of the family

family picture with my grandparents, siblings, and parents

my grandma hugging Micah (with tears)

Besides the trip, Jamson and I have been busy keeping up with our growing quintuplets. Not much growth in size, but they're definitely not babies anymore. The never ending talking (or shall I say noise :) and curiosity (or shall I say chaos). They've turned infants to monsters! Moms...please help! I can't believe they are able to back talk at this age. "I didn't do it!" "No! I don't want it!" "No way!" I'm not even sure where they learned this. Or how about the constant fighting with each other. I feel like I've become more of a referee than a mom.

But the advantage of having them at their age is that they are able to understand more. I can actually hold conversations with them. Ask them what they want to eat or do. I can ask them to do things for me like feed our cat, put away their shoes, put on their own clothes, put dirty clothes in the laundry, put dirty dishes in the sink, grab a diaper/wipes, get mommy's cell phone, and more. I might as well take advantage of this now while they don't realize that this is actually not fun!

We also recently visited the dentist for the first time. And thank goodness for no cavities! Although, night time routine of flossing and brushing is always time consuming. I'm lucky to have five kids who fight to have their turn with flossing and brushing though.

Just recently, I also decided to keep my kids with me at home for one more year (or until financially able)! I was almost sure that they would start Pre-K 3 this fall. But it was one day a few weeks ago that I was taking them for a walk when I realized how fortunate I am to be able to stay home with them. They will only be this age once and eventually, they will be going to school for the next 16 years. They'll grow old and not want me around so much. Right now, I'm their most favorite person in the world regardless of having me around ALL the time. It makes me feel good...it makes me feel that I'm doing something right. There's not a day that I am not happy to be home. I know that this is the opposite from how I felt about a year ago. When your child comes up to you and tells you "I love you mama" or wraps their arms around your neck with a kiss on the lips out of nowhere, that feeling of frustration immediately goes away. I remember being pregnant and picturing my children piling up on my lap...it's been a dream come true! I'm loving every second of it! Being a mother to my quintuplets has been the best job I have and will ever have.

2011-01-12T16:21:00.007-05:00

Our family had a wonderful holiday! I hope that everyone did as well. The kids got more gifts than they needed, then got sick over New Years with a stomach bug (throwing up and diarrhea). Here are some pictures from Christmas Eve and Day.

Now that the holidays are over, we are in the process of packing for our big family trip to the Philippines to visit some of my family in a few weeks! I'm very anxious and excited for this trip. I've even started packing...7 luggages and 2 hand carries starting to fill up! We're expecting to be bringing at least 8 luggages and 3 hand carries. To all my blog friends: Please let me know if you have any suggestions or tips on how to make this international travel go much more smoothly with 5 2-year olds. I really need some tips on different activities for the plane ride, maybe some sleeping meds to give them :) that are not harmful, and different gadgets to bring with me to make things easier. Fortunately though for Jamson and I, we will have 8 other adult family members to help with.

But besides packing, we've been keeping ourselves busy with different activities that keep us sane as we are stuck in the house from this crazy winter weather. I've noticed that the kids really love doing different crafts and activities aside from playing with their toys, which I'm very glad about. We've done color sorting of beads, play doh, spoon shake and pour with beans, Christmas and Valentine crafts, and shape search. I'm really working hard on getting them to learn their colors...which has been tougher to teach than letters, numbers and shapes. I've also been having trouble with nap time since they are able to climb out of their cribs! I'm just hoping the crib climbing is a stage, but in case not, we plan to move them out of their cribs by summer time. In fact...as I'm writing this blog post...I hear Micah running around when he's supposed to be napping...ugh. Well enjoy more pics and until next time.

I'm back!!!!

2010-12-27T22:40:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm back! After my kids were born, I had planned on writing them letters...my way of recording my feelings, their developments, and everything else going on in our lives. Unfortunately, that only lasted a few letters, and here I am two and half years later with no way of remembering where time has gone and what happened. It's been about one and a half years since my last post, I forgot how to get into this blog account, and quite frankly...there's much to catch up on.

To summarize:

Jamson and I ARE still together :) and happy! Although I would be lying if I said our relationship has been perfect. We've had plenty of fights...most especially about MY life being so different. By that I mean, I miss going to work and having time for myself. I loved my job and had planned to advance in my career. I loved having all the time to do anything I wanted to do. Obviously this has all changed and I resented Jamson for it! I was determined to go back to work. Our fights got worst over time and I decided to do something about it. Deep down, I knew something was wrong with me and decided to talk to my doctor to find out if I was going through postpartum depression. Sure enough, I was...and I'm not ashamed to say that I am now taking anti-depressant pills. I am less irritable and much happier. I've realized that my being at home is the best thing I can do for my kids and our family as a whole. I'm happy which means Jamson is happy! Thanks to my parents and siblings, we are able to go on date nights at least once a week. Jamson relieves me from the kids two nights per week and some Saturdays. Jamson also gets one night a week off and some Sundays. The divorce rate for couples with multiples are apparently higher, but Jamson and I want to beat that. We loved each other very much before the kids, and we love each other even more now that we have our kids. We're here to stay....TOGETHER.

The quints are now 32 months. And they're doing all things terrible! They're still small for their age...with Gabi as our smallest at 18 1/2 lbs and Ariel as our biggest at 24 lbs.

Gabriella/Gabi moved into the girls' room from our room a few months ago. She is still fed by g-tube, but will eat by mouth when weaned (sp?). We are hopeful to have her off the g-tube by summer time. She's still as feisty as ever and very independent. Gabi is probably the biggest bully of them all even at her size. Jamson doesn't like to admit it, but Gabi is daddy's little girl :)

Addison is doing absolutely great regardless her short gut. In fact, besides being lactose intolerant, her diet is as normal as can be. She's actually our best eater, but you wouldn't be able to tell with her size as she's only a little under 20 lbs. She's become quite an artist...she loves to draw on her magna doodle. She's bossy like me and likes to be the leader of the group.

Ariel is our friendliest and most helpful child. If I need someone to do something (i.e. pick up toys, grab diapers/wipes), she's the first one to do it! She's our messiest eater. And she's also a follower to Addison. Ariel is our mutual child because she plays well with her sisters and her brothers. She's very active so she can catch up well with her brothers.

Brayden is our little monkey. He's too tall for his weight. People always assume he's our nicest child because he's so calm and gentle. But really, he has a temper in him (thanks to the Salazar side)! He loves to do things hands on....we always say he's our little engineer....very detailed and careful.

Micah is our little booger. He's all things monster! Okay..so maybe he's not so bad. But he has so much energy in him! He loves to jump, run, climb and wrestle. He is absolutely obsessed with Bob and Larry from Veggie Tales. By obsessed, I do mean OBSESSED! The very first thing he says (still in his crib) is "Bob and Larry?" He has to constantly hold something with their picture in it and is constantly asking us to draw a picture of them on the magna doodle. Micah is the hardest child to discipline..and that's still a work in progress!

Taking care of my five kids is not easy! It's sometimes not fun...but its my job and I will continue to do it for as long as I can. All in all, our children are healthy and always a reminder to us that God is Great! Not a day goes by that we are not thankful for His blessings!

P.S. Updated (with some older) pictures to come......

Beware: Long Post!

2009-07-20T20:23:00.000-04:00

This has been officially the longest time I have gone w/out writing on the blog. As you may all guess, the kids and the sun has kept me busy. The kids are almost 15 months and they continue to be more active with each passing day. Ariel and Micah are starting to walk. Gabi is starting to do much better with her feeding...she drinks water from the sippy cup and has put puffs and goldfish in her mouth a few times. Addison...I think...is doing great regardless her short gut (her bloodwork still shows that her liver enzymes are elevated). She's able to tolerate all the food we have given the others. They're officially on sippy cups, except for the morning bottles. Micah, Ariel and Brayden are all drinking whole milk. Gabi is being fed with the pump throughout the night and it is helping her to grow and not throw up during the day.

This summer, they've swam, been to the park, had their first meal at a restaurant, gone to our church festival, stayed the night at lola and lolo's house (lola=grandma and lolo=grandpa in Tagalog=Language spoken in the Philippines), and even traveled all the way north to Minnesota to visit yay, ta, and their new baby cousin Ariyana Malis (yay=grandma and ta=grandpa in Cambodian). Yes, our kids will be the most confused kids with the three different languages we are teaching them.

They absolutely love the pool! Here are some pictures taken at home and at the Monon Center in Carmel:

at the Monon Center

from L to R: Lolo and Micah, Tita Regina and Brayden, Tita Gracia with Ariel, Jamson and Addison, Tita Kristin and Gabi

(Tita=Aunt in Tagalog)

Our trip to Minnesota was very interesting. It took us 11 hours to get there. The kids cried...and so did I (seriously!). To make our lives much easier there, we pulled a trailer behind the van that contained all the things the kids could have possibly needed. My packing list included things such as:

feeding table

superyard

3 strollers (2 double/1 single)

4 pack and plays

diaper bin

monitor

floor mats

various toys

CD player

CDs and DVDs

1 large suitcase for the boys

1 large suitcase for the girls

1 small suitcase for their bathing/grooming needs

1 storage bin for their feeding supplies

2 cases of formula

2 1/2 large boxes of diapers

1 box of wipes

1 beach bag with their swimming gear

First Aid kit with all the medicine a child could possibly need

and the list goes on...

Besides the drive up there, everything else went well. We celebrated July 4th with his family and friends at his sister's house. We finally got to see Ariyana for the first time. She was so adorable...and already as long as Gabi...possibly soon will be as heavy as Gabi. We visited the Mall of America, spent time with Jamson's friends...and most of all...spent time with Jamson's parents and sister's family.

Here are some pictures from our trip to Minnesota:

Eldridge Family

Brayden and Ta

July 4th Family Picture

the men in my life!

July 4th Meal..cheesburger, coleslaw, corn and potatoes

Bu Mike and Gabi

(Bu=Uncle in Cambodian)

Gabi, Ariyana, and Addison

Addison at the Mall of America

Family Picture

Eldridge Family

Ariyana

Yay feeding the kids

With their cousins...Kylie with Addison and Anika with Ariel

Here are more pictures of them out in the sun and out to lunch at Red Robin:

Gabi in her shades

Ariel and Addison

Brayden and Micah in their shades

At Red Robin

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

I love the above passage because the kids are at the stage where they require so much more than before....the reason why I haven't updated this blog. My life as a mom of five is definitely fun...but is getting more and more exhausting! Our typical day is as follows:

8:00 a.m. I wake up and make up bottles

8:15 a.m. I get the kids, give them their bottles, change diapers and clothes, and they play

9:30 a.m. Whip up breakfast and feed kids (i.e. cheerios or french toast when I'm lazy or omelet when I'm in the mood...with banana)

10:45 a.m. Nap time

11:00 a.m. Shower/laundry/clean house/make lunch

11:45 a.m. Kids wake up and play

12:30 p.m. Lunch time

1:30 p.m. Play/Go outside/Read books/Watch Veggie Tales

3:00 p.m. Nap time/more laundry and cleaning/sometimes I get to watch TV

5:00 p.m. Jamson wakes up the kids and they play while I prep dinner

6:00 p.m. Dinner time

7:00 p.m. Bath time if needed

8:15 p.m. Kids' bedtime/Jamson and I clean their mess/make and eat our dinner/more chores

11:00 p.m. Get ready for bed and relax

12:00 a.m. Off to bed for Jamson and I

Must love dogs and cats!

2009-05-29T21:56:00.000-04:00

Jamson and I were quite worried that once we have the babies, we would forget about our pets. I have to admit that in the first few months, the pets were on the bottom of the list. But we're glad to say that things have gotten much easier as the kids have gotten older and we love our pets just as much. During the first few months that the babies were home, our pets chose to stay away from the babies. They did well finding comfort in each other...especially our female cat Frizzy and dog Ashlee. Those two love to cuddle in bed! Now that the kids are older and more active, I've noticed that the pets are coming around more. Although, I don't think the pets quite enjoy it when the kids pull their hair and whiskers. Our dog Ashlee is 16 years old so she sleeps most of the time, but those kids just love to keep her awake by patting at her. We're teaching them to be more gentle with them, but I don't think they understand it yet. Addison loves to chase the cats and play with them. So far, she's the one that gives them the most attention. Jamson and I plan to invest on buying a huge bed that will fit all five kids and three pets. But for now, the pets still have their spot in our bed..and maybe two kids.

Happy 1st Birthday Babies!

2009-05-01T22:53:00.000-04:00

We've finally made it a whole year. The week before their birthday was a very emotional time for me. I remembered our journey before and after the babies were born. From the first day we found out we were pregnant (which was one of my best days) to the day we found out we were having quintuplets (a very complicated day...I'm not quite sure if it's right for me to say that it was one of my worst days since I am absolutely happy with our decision to go through with the pregnancy, and the fact that the babies are all healthy and the love of my life), through the grueling 29 weeks and 5 days of pregnancy (the last two months were especially the hardest while I was on bed rest. I had plenty of time to think of the what if's, how, and can we), and finally through the NICU days (definitely a time in my life I will never want to live through again, but definitely a memory I will always treasure).

My days with the kids are crazier than ever now that they are more mobile. I definitely have my days when I just want to scream and pull my hair out. But I have more good days. I'm not the only one who can take credit for taking care of the babies this past year. My husband does half of the responsibilities when he's home. He even lets me shop while he takes care of all five :) Of course, we wouldn't be able to make it at all if not for my parents. They have given us the most help. I really don't give them much credit on here, but they are at our home about 50% of the time to relieve me with errands or when Jamson and I need to go out (which is at least once a week). I also have my sister who comes on Tuesdays and a friend's mom, Arlette aka "Grandma Gray", who comes on Fridays. Then on Friday nights, my brother and his fiance comes to help too. We have a great support system!

The babies are sleeping 8 to 8 now. What a relief! Life is definitely getting easier in some ways, but also difficult in other ways. Here's an example....

Unfortunately with all the things going on, I have barely had time to snap pictures of them. But I was lucky enough to have a friend who is now a professional photographer who offered to take pictures of the babies for their one year birthday. Leslie Ober was a friend from highschool who is now one of my greatest friends. The main picture above was one of her shots...and here's a sneak peak....

Or you can check her blog at http://blog.leslieober.com/ for more pictures. I will post more pictures soon.

As for their birthday, below are a some pictures....

Here they are playing......

with their cousin Kamille...

eating their birthday cupcake...

11 months!

2009-04-20T22:33:00.000-04:00

My babies are so much fun at this age! There's so much to do with them.

We started using their table this month. Special thanks to the Wright Family for passing this down to us. We also celebrated a holiday outside of our home...Belated Happy Easter! And...they took their first bath as a group. See pictures below.

I can't believe they are turning one in less than two weeks. Unfortunately, they got sick with a cough, cold, and ear infection the day after Easter...so I've been chasing them around with the nasal aspirator (yuck!). But other than that, they are all doing well as always. Gabi is doing much better with the Prevacid. She's not throwing up during the day anymore...only at night when we have to give her her last feeding while she sleeps. I've started taking them out of the house in shifts. They seem to be enjoying their time alone with Jamson and I. We love it too!

Also, we got to spend some time with current and new friends this past weekend. The Wrights, Manleys, and Tyres. Four couples out together each with a set of quintuplets at home...(except for the Tyres who have two additional children...brave!) It was a good time and hope to make it a tradition. I hope to have a picture with all of us and our children. Wouldn't that be a cool picture?!

Check out pictures below and enjoy!

Group bath...I'm not sure we'll be able to do this every time. It got too crowded!

Easter Sunday (Addison, Ariel, and Gabi) Easter Sunday (Brayden and Micah) Easter Family PictureDinner time! Parents Day Out! (Brooks and Sara Tyre, Jamson and I, Emily and Rob Wright)

Gabriella and her reflux...Help!

2009-04-01T10:21:00.000-04:00

Gabriella had her G-tube placed on March 10th in hopes that she will start growing and stop throwing up. Unfortunately, this is not the case. She's still throwing up about the same amount as she had with the NG tube. She hasn't grown since her surgery either. Gabi has been and is currently taking Prilosec and Erythromycin to treat the reflux. We've tried Reglan and Zantac also, but these have not really helped. We are in the process of switching her from Prilosec to Prevacid to see if that will work better. She was given Prevacid in the hospital and she didn't seem to throw up when taking that. If anyone out there has had the same issues...please feel free to comment and let me know what treatment you have used.

Our next option is to get the G-J tube. The G-J tube is inserted through the stoma and threaded through the jejunum. Basically, it will drip the milk right through the beginning of her intestine and it would be less likely for the milk to go back up. The draw back with this type of tube is that it requires more maintenance. It's easy to do with one child, but when there are four other babies to care for...I'm not sure it would be worth it. Also, it can fall out easier than the G-tube. Her G-tube works great (aside from the vomiting)! Any comments would be appreciated!

By the way, Gabi got her glasses and she's just too adorable with it. I will post pictures soon!

2009-03-25T20:46:00.000-04:00

Sorry for not posting in so long. As you can imagine, things are becoming busier with babies crawling, climbing and standing. I can't believe they're turning one in less than two months. The babies are doing so well. Quick updates on each:

Brayden 14 lbs--has two teeth; army dragging and sometimes crawling; climbs all over his siblings and baby furnitures; pulls up to a stand and will side step with the help of furniture; loves his sippy cup; claps on demand; and always loves to smile!

Ariel 15 lbs 12.5 oz --has four teeth; crawls VERY fast; climbs all over her siblings and baby furnitures; pulls up to a stand and will side step with help of furniture; says mama, dada, and baba; and holds her own bottle (allelujiah).

Addison 13 lbs 6 oz--sitting up well; army dragging; says dada; tolerates all types of baby food so far (remember she's the one with the short gut); claps on demand; and holds her own bottle also!

Micah 16 lbs .5 oz--has three teeth; crawls even faster than Ariel; climbs all over his siblings; pulls up to a stand and side steps with furniture; claps on demand; babbles; and holds his own bottle too!

Gabriella 12 lbs 3 oz--recently had G tube placed and is doing well; says baba; working on sitting up; claps on demand; and is spoiled rotten!

Here are some recent pics.....

Tough Love is tough!

2009-02-17T11:00:00.000-05:00

So we've been working on the babies to sleep through the night 12 hours straight. We are practicing tough love..and it's definitely tough. I think more so on us than on the babies. The boys cried for two hours straight last night...while I stayed awake peeking into their room every few minutes to make sure they're not hurt. I think at one point in time...I started to cry with them. I was so tired and just wanted to get some sleep, but I couldn't. I felt so horrible...and they were so loud! We just started this last week. Some nights are easy, but some are not. I'm not sure if we're doing this right or not. The upside to this is that the babies are starting to get used to their roommates' cries.

On another note, Ariel is crawling...and she's quick. She's also sitting up for long periods of time, as well as Addison, Micah and Brayden. Gabriella is getting glasses (maybe contacts). We took her to the eye doctor yesterday and her eyes are worst than mine. She's near sighted with a -6 (Left) and -10 (Right). We got her some really cute pink glasses to wear. Of all the babies, she's definitely the one that can pull off the glasses well! I just hope her eyes don't get worst. But at the same time, things could be worst.

Confessions of a Quintuplet Mom

2009-01-27T23:25:00.000-05:00

There's a reason we never went to the media regarding our babies. We hate the attention. We've had to take the babies to the doctor all at the same time to get their shots and it's not fun. We've even taken them in just twos or threes and that has still been such an attention getter. I can't imagine what it will be like as they get older and they are able to go to the mall, zoo, grocery store, or the park. The attention will not be fun!
I can't wait for the winter to be over! The babies get to go out of the house...and more importantly, I do too. This is definitely a contradiction to #1, even though I hate the attention, I have to accept that there's no way of escaping it.
I love holding my babies to sleep. Having multiples, this is definitely a priveledge. It's a lot easier to be able to put them to bed and let them sleep on their own, which we practice most of the time....but I can't help but to cheat sometimes.
When I hold them to sleep, I find myself with tears of joy. As I hold them, I remember my experience during pregnancy and their stay at the NICU. I look at them and hold them so tight while I pray to God for all the blessings he has given our family. It is truly a miracle that they are alive and healthy.
I sometimes wonder how different our life would be if we had reduced the twins. I'm glad that we decided to go through with the pregnancy as God planned. I can't imagine my life without Gabriella and Addison.
I'm a bit stubborn when it comes to asking for help. It's the reason why I never had anyone else help us (except for a very very few select family/friends) with taking care of the babies. I'm not sure if I blame it on pride or being controlling...but I enjoy taking care of them by myself. In fact, my house is cleaner and more organized when its just me in the house with the babies.
I love the fact that I'm 28 and have five babies. Jamson and I have always wanted a big family and I wanted to have all my kids by the time I turned 30. This way, we only have to go through each stage once. It may sound crazy, but I actually think that having quints is easier than having one baby at a time four times. I say four times because we always said we wanted to have four children. Five is even better!
I'm lazy when it comes to reading books about how to take care and raise my babies. I've tried, but they are just never helpful. Most of the books are based on raising single babies...and not five. I just can't relate. Instead...I just wing it! Plus, each baby are different and require different techniques.
I love to shop and I love using the babies as my excuse to shop. I am always buying them clothes and other nonsense things like Halloween and Christmas placemats; winter plates, bowls, and glasses; baking supplies for when I can bake with my girls (even though I don't do much baking now).
I have favorites. Well, they change day by day and they all end up being a favorite at one time or another. I treat them all the same, but one or two babies seem to get more of my attention on certain days. For instance, Ariel seems to always be ahead of the bunch and I love it when she does something new...like crawling. Or when Gabi just happens to be the only good baby that day while everyone else is fussing. Or when Micah and Addison melts my heart with their adorable smiles when they see me approaching their cribs to get them out after a nap. Or that Brayden laughs at everything I do when I try to get him to smile.
I count them! When all the babies are sprawled out on the floor...I catch myself counting b/c it always seems like someone is missing. I'm so used to the fact that there are many babies on the floor and I end up counting to make sure I have all five and one hasn't escaped to the other room. I guess that's what happens when you have so many.
I love being a mom and all that comes with being a mom. I always thought I would be a career mom, but I enjoy the fact that I get to stay home with them. I look forward to all the things we can do together at home.
Finally, I don't think I can do this with anyone else but Jamson. He's my opposite but somehow it fits.

More updates

2009-01-12T00:07:00.000-05:00

So I've been getting really excited with the babies' 1st birthday coming up in four months that I started planning already. Not only does it mean they turn one, but it also means that they can finally get out of the house other than just for doctor appointments. Four months sounds far away, but I know its just around the corner. I can't believe how much they have grown and how healthy they are. I still amaze myself when I see them all on the floor trying to crawl and play with each other. I gave birth to all five and they are perfect! Gabi is doing much better with the vomitting. She had a gastric study done and we found out that she doesn't have delayed gastric emptying. Yay! The throwing up is due to reflux. We are working on that through medication. We will soon be trying her on bottlefeeding again once she gains some more weight. We bought a scale so we can keep track. Other than that...I think she's also battling a cold. Ariel and Micah have teeth coming in. Both have two on the bottom. They have been wonderful teethers. Addison still has a cold and is now on antibiotic. Brayden should be over his viral infection but has not been eating well...I will probably take him to the doctor again this week. I swear....I'm at the doctor almost every week. Ariel, Brayden and Addison had their eye exam at Riley and all have perfect vision. They don't need to go back until kindergarten. Below are some pictures of this past weekend and week.

Typical weekend with just Jamson, me and the babies. Here's all of us just hanging out playing on their new mat from my brother and his fiance!

Micah and Brayden dressed up in their new pj's from my sister.

Micah close up with his crazy hair....just like Jamson!

Addison under the couch!

Brayden under the couch!

Brayden eating Ariel's bib...that's pretty much the same with everything and anything he can get a hold of.

Addison's new chubby face. She's gained 3 lbs in the past 3 weeks.

Micah trying to crawl.

I didn't take very many pictures of Gabi and Ariel b/c they hate the flash. I'm investing on buying a new camera.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-23T17:23:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas to all!

Few quick updates....

Addison was taken to the ER and admitted at Clarian North last Friday, Dec 19. She's been home since Saturday night and was diagnosed with dehydration and possible viral infection (she lost 18 oz in one week). Addison was recently switched from a pre-digested formula to my breast milk b/c we thought her bowels would be able to handle, but unfortunately, not quite yet. Although now, she is recovering well and probably gained every oz back if not even more.
All babies, minus Gabi, have been acting fussy lately and we also took them to our pediatrician. Brayden has a viral infection...blisters in his throat. So, we are assuming the others have it or are about to, which explains the fussiness and loss of appetite. Otherwise, they are all beginning to crawl. In fact, our biggest...who still remains Ariel is over 14 lbs.
Gabi has been doing much better with the bottle. She hast taken 1 1/2 oz at one of her feeds. If we can just get her to 4 oz...then she may be free of the NG. We're working diligently on her. We've actually bought a scale so we can keep track of her weight.

Christmas was wonderful and we were able to spend it with Jamson's parents who are in town from Minnesota for the week. We can't wait to start the new year with our wonderful babies!!!!!

Here are some pictures to remember 2008 .....

I hate to post this picture, but many have asked how big I've gotten...and here it is. My belly was 30 lbs.heavy and 41 inches around. This was the night before my C section.

Addison Catalina

Brayden Jamson

Micah Joe

(He was named after my Uncle Joe who passed away in 2004 and also whose birthday is today on Christmas. Happy Birthday Uncle Joe!)

Gabriella Isabel

Ariel Marie

Ane now...here they are, perfectly healthy!

Daddy's thoughts

2008-12-08T08:53:00.000-05:00

Well....I thought I'd give my thoughts as well. First off, I'd like to say my wife is amazing, and is doing an amazing job handling all this. I know I'm exhausted, so I can't imagine how exhausted she is. I woke up this morning wishing I could just spend the whole day in bed sleeping... I could barely stand up when I got out of bed, but I knew I had to get up and feed our baby Gabi. When I was changing her diapers she woke up and gave me the biggest smile. Right then, it was all worth it, and I was no longer tired. We had the babies to ourselves Friday and Saturday, and it was so nice to just have them all to ourselves. For the most part they behaved very well. I do appreciate the help from her mom, but I love it more when it is just us. The babies seem to be more calm and relaxed. By Sunday, I think we needed a break. Paula and I went the Pacer vs Celtics game, and it was a great time...our team won!!!. Sorry Pacer fans, but we were rooting for KG and the Celtics. 5 babies...wow...we have 5 babies. It is so surreal to think we have 5 babies. Each one has it's own personality, and has to be cared for differently. This has to be the hardest thing ever! Although we enjoy seeing them at this stage, I think we both can't wait for the day when they can eat, talk, walk, and interact with us. This year has gone by so fast, so that time will be here before we know it! Okay, I think I'm babbling now so I'll end it by saying...yes, we are extremely tired, and yes, taking care of 5 babies is very hard. But I am happy to have such a wonderful partner, and I could never imagine going through this journey without her. God gave me the best things in life. He blessed me with a wonderful wife, and 5 wonderful babies!

I need to vent...ahh...

2008-12-05T00:31:00.000-05:00

Well, the past month has been kinda rough for us. Gabi has been throwing up about half to all of what she eats. She's our baby who is still with the feeding tube. We took her to the doctor last week and she hadn't gained weight in the past month. We have her scheduled to see a GI (gastrointestinal) doctor on the 26th of the month. It's not soon enough, but we are on the waiting list in case someone cancels. We also took her to the hospital on Wednesday to get an abdominal ultrasound and an upper GI x-ray. At first, the ultrasound was borderline abnormal. We then had the x-ray done and it didn't look like her stomach was emptying her food into the intestine. The radiologist was afraid it had something to do with her pylorus, which is what connects from the stomach to the intestine. She said something about the opening being blocked in which the food can't get through. Thinking this might be the problem, she performed another ultrasound and saw that it looks okay. Thank goodness...b/c it would have meant surgery AGAIN. Unfortunately for us, we still don't know what's going on. We're down to feeding her every two hours at two ounces per feeding...and we make sure that the food goes down slow enough that it allows the stomach to not stay too full and to back up and cause vomitting. Anyway...this is definitely not what I was expecting with Gabi since we had started seeing a speech therapist. We were really hoping to have some progress with her. I have been hoping to get her off of the NG tube and drinking from the sippy cup and eating with the spoon. My mom will be going back to work in the beginning of next year and I will be taking care of the babies by myself for the most part. And I was really hoping to have things a little easier by then. I am working on a few trusted family and friends to help me a few hours each week while Jamson is at work. You may think I'm crazy for thinking I can do it on my own....but I'm actually looking forward to it in some ways. My mom has been such great help with the babies, but I feel like we haven't been able to have any kind of structure with them. In fact, she's so good, that they are getting a little spoiled. And there's just no consistency with the care. I'm trying to practice tough love, while she can't stand to hear them cry. I just can't have that with five babies.

I love all my babies, but there are definitely times when I wonder what it would be like if we have less than five..maybe three. I love being at home with the babies...but I remember back to the days when I felt tired and stressed from work. That feeling sounds good to me right now. It was nice to be able to escape work at home. This has no escape. I'm not sure if this is a phase for me b/c the babies have not been sleeping well the past couple of weeks. Ariel is teething...and I suspect the others are also. Micah seems to be at a growth spurt and wants to eat all the time, which includes the middle of the night. Brayden only wants to eat baby food and not drink his milk. Addison is starting on breast milk, which she's not used to and not liking. Gabi can't be left alone in case she throws up. There's never ending things to do in the house, especially that we are running out of room to put anything (side note: I hate to say this here, but I actually have to make time to shower...you wouldn't believe the drool, spit up, vomit, boogers and sneezing five babies can hit you with.) And before I forget, crawling is in the works for Ariel, Brayden and Micah. Yikes! I'm exhausted and I can't believe I'm finally saying it. I can't believe it's taken me 7 months to feel it. It could be just my mood tonight...and will probably regret writing this tomorrow. But, regardless of all this...I do look forward to all the things I can do with them in the future. They are wonderful babies and we are blessed to have them. Once they are able to hold their own bottles (which Ariel is close to doing) and put their pacifiers in their mouths...I'll feel much better :)

P.S. If you think you have any theories on what's going on with Gabi and can make things better, please let me know! I really should take the time to do some more research, but just can't find any time. So far, my pediatrician thinks its reflux. Hopefully the xray and ultrasound will help to determine the real problem if its not reflux.

3 things.....

2008-11-04T01:03:00.000-05:00

Be sure to vote!!!! I don't know why I'm all of a sudden being such an advocate to voting but I am.
My brother's new work opens on November 4th and I'm so excited for him. Check out Tulip Noir where he and owner will be running the kitchen. They're open for breakfast and lunch on weekdays.
Here are some pics of the babies on their first halloween night. Enjoy!

Trick or Treat!

2008-10-31T16:21:00.001-04:00

Happy Halloween to everyone! Here's a treat for everyone to enjoy. These are pictures from their photo shoot a couple weekends ago. Enjoy the pics below.....

2008 Halloween Photo

Brayden

Ariel

Addison

Micah

Gabriella

2008-10-23T08:57:00.000-04:00

I know its been too long since we've last updated this blog. The babies are nearing 6 months and they are all doing great! Let's see....Brayden, Ariel and Micah started rice cereal last Friday. Addison was switched to a different formula and we've started Gabriella on bottle feeding. Unfortunately, Gabi is still not completely bottle feeding. She still has the NG tube. We know she can do it...she's done it before. We just think that it hurts her to swallow b/c of her gag reflex so she chooses not to drink. We're being patient with her b/c she'll drink when she's ready. This past weekend, we had some pictures taken of the babies and the family. They turned out wonderful!

I enjoy being a stay at home mom. I was going back and forth with whether I should return to work or not. I was hoping to go back part time, but since this didn't work, I decided not to go back at all. This turned out for the best. I love being home with the babies. The babies are so much fun to be with at this age. Brayden giggles, Addison babbles, Micah flirts, Gabi smiles, and Ariel screeches. They can all pretty much roll over from tummy to belly. Brayden is trying to get on all fours while Micah scoots on his back. We started out with getting help from family and friends. But now, it's just me and my mom the majority of the time with a few help here and there from a select few friends. Of course, my family is welcome anytime to come over and help. My brother, sister, and brother's fiance Kristin help us tremendously throughout the week and especially the weekends. I like this arrangement much better. Taking care of the babies is really not so hard. They nap a few times during the day and sleep through the night. They're happy for the most part. Of course I'd be lying if I didn't say they have their cranky days and that I'm not tired. I miss my alone time with Jamson, but I miss not being around the babies also. Jamson and I tried watching a movie one day and we started out with all babies sleeping and ended with five babies awake and around us. But we finished the movie so that's all that mattered. I still wonder how we've done it this far, but we have an we love it! I look forward to the next day I spend with them. Here are some pictures from the past few weeks. Enjoy!

Ashlee and Gabi

Ariel

Ariel

Brayden eating his first bowl of rice cereal

Micah...what a mess!!!

Ariel

Addison

Addison and Gabriella

#1 Colts fan, Micah and Brayden

The Chans visiting the Johnsons and their new cousin Mia Lara.

Home Sweet Home

2008-08-27T01:32:00.000-04:00

We finally brought the last two of the quintuplets home! Gabriella and Addison came home on Monday, August 25th. This was probably the most excited we have felt in a long time. The first night was definitely tough...which made us realize that we really will need the help of others. Gabi and Addison are on three hour schedules (2, 5, 8, 11 am and pm) while the other three are on four hours (3, 7, 11 am and pm). Gabriella came home with a monitor and on tube feed. You would think that feeding five is hard...I have to feed five babies each having a different type of milk/formula mixture.

Gabriella: milk and 27 calorie
Addison: Progestemil and 27 calorie
Ariel/Micah: milk and 22 calorie plus rice cereal
Brayden: milk and 24 calorie

Current Weights:
Gabriella 6 lbs 8 oz
Addison 6 lbs 5 1/2 oz
Micah 9 lbs
Brayden 9 lbs 2 1/2 oz
Ariel 9 lbs 5 1/2 oz

Now that they are all home, I feel even more blessed to have such healthy babies. I know that Gabi and Addison will thrive as well as the other three have since they've been home. Ariel weighs 9 lbs 5 1/2 oz. Micah and Brayden are trailing behind at 9 lbs and 9 lbs 2 1/2 oz respectively. Addison and Gabi weighs 6 lbs 5 1/2 oz and 6 lbs 8. Addison will have some slow growth due to such a large part of her bowel missing, but we have been told that she should eventually catch up as her bowel grows with her.

Please continue to pray for our babies as they start their journey at home. Also, please pray for Jamson and I that we continue to stay strong for our family.

I will be recruiting help soon. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to help in anyway.
Special thanks to our church, St. Simon, for donating diapers and wipes!! Also, thanks to the Manleys and Wrights (who both have quintuplets here in Indy) for their advice and support.

Our babies' reunion, in the same order as last.....

Our boys, Brayden and Micah

"The Princesses".... Addison, Ariel, and Gabriella

Addison and Gabi's first day home!

Addison

Brayden and Gabi

Yay for Gabi and Addison!

2008-08-11T21:21:00.000-04:00

It's been a week since the twins, Gabriella and Addison, have had their surgeries. They are back in Module 4 of the Riley NICU, which was where they were before the move to IU's Special Care Nursery. We're a little sad to leave the Nursery, but also glad to be back in Mod 4. After a few weeks of being at the Nursery, we eventually adjusted and enjoyed the care of most nurses. Thanks IU Special Care Nurses!

Last Friday, I went to visit Gabi and was successfull with bottlefeeding. In fact, she did so well, I had to double check I was feeding Gabi and not Addison. She took all her bottle w/out even choking once or dripping. I was so proud of her! She has been bottlefeeding more since Friday. She's also off of the nasal canula again, which is a plus, b/c we really didn't want to have to bring her home with that. And for Addison, she finally pooped Sunday night. Believe it or not, I have never been thrilled for my baby to poop! We have been waiting for her to stool before they could feed her again to show that her bowels are moving. Our goal is to have both girls home by the end of the month, and their Dr. now seems to think this will happen. Yay for the twins!

As for the three at home, they had their Developmental Pediatrics appointment last Friday and they all weighed 7 lbs 10 oz. Micah has caught up! They are still on the four hour feeding schedule and doing much better. I'm a little worried for when the twins come home b/c they will be on three hour schedules so that will be a little complicated. I was hoping to have the three sleeping through the night by the time the twins come home, but I don't think that will happen.

As for me, I hate to admit it, but I am truly exhausted. I have been able to manage taking care of the three at home all by myself during the day. Jamson helps me when he gets home from work. Poor guy, he also does the night feedings with me, which are at 11 pm and 3 am. So basically, we get three hours of sleep in between the feedings. My parents have been coming to stay with us on the weekends and we get about 5-6 hours of sleep at night then. That's been really helpful. I know....you're probably thinking I should be getting help now. For those who know me well, know that I don't like the idea of people coming in and out of my house. So really, I've been trying to stall getting people to come and help. Eventually, I will have to surrender, but for now....I think I can still do it.

Well, here are more recent pics.

Addison

Gabi finishing up her bottle!

Gabi passed out after eating.

Micah and his chubby cheeks.

Brayden holding his paci.

Ariel passed out as always.

3 Months Old...

2008-08-05T20:54:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone....so today was a crazy day, but I'm happy to say that Addison and Gabi made it through their surgeries just great! In fact, they have already been excubated (sp?). Their wonderful surgeon Dr. Rouse performed both surgeries for Gabi's hernia and Addison's takedown. He also discovered that Addison's small intestine were a lot longer, about 20 cm, than it was after he had removed 50% of it at her first surgery. Let's continue to pray that they both recover just fine.

I can't believe we've made it through 3 months with our wonderful babies. It's so unbelievable that we have five very healthy babies. We are truly blessed. I look at the three we have now at home, and they are just perfectly normal newborns. Therapists came to assess them last week and was glad to tell us that they don't even need therapy b/c they are doing so well! I can't thank the Lord enough for how things have turned out. I can't say it enough, but we are truly blessed that they are doing so well. And that's many thanks to everyone who has traveled this journey with us with their prayers and support.

The babies will need to stay in the house for the first 4-6 weeks that they are home. Then, also through the winter time (Oct to April) due to RSV season. I know there are many who want to visit them, but we are trying to fit those visits here and there so the babies are not overwhelmed and are not exposed to too many germs. Also, no kids under 13 and no sick visitors. These are doctor's orders! I wasn't too thrilled about not being able to show off the babies, but their health comes first. I guess I have the rest of their lives to show them off!

More Pics

2008-08-01T00:07:00.000-04:00

Brayden w/ Jamson

Ariel's 1st bath at home

Micah's 1st bath at home

Brayden's 1st bath at home

Brayden and Micah chillin'

Tummy time.....

Micah's work onesie

Addison can't live w/out her pacifier

Gabriella

Addison

Quick Update

2008-07-28T21:41:00.000-04:00

Weights as of Monday, July 28, 2008:

Brayden – 7lbs 5oz

Ariel – 7lbs 4oz

Micah – 6lbs 15oz

Addison – 5lbs 2oz

Gabriella – 4lbs 10.4oz

____________________________________________________________________________________

Brayden, Ariel, and Micah have been enjoying themselves at home. Eating, Sleeping, and Growing. Paula and I are exhausted, but it is very rewarding. Their personalities are starting to show, and they are the sweetest little babies. They get fussy while feeding because of their reflux, but for the most part are obviously eating well. Addison and Gabriella have surgery on August 5^th. The surgery for Addison is to reconnect her bowels and for Gabriella to repair her hernia in her belly. Please continue your prayers for baby Addison and baby Gabriella. We hate the fact that they are not home, and it has been hard going back and forth with our babies at home, but we are staying strong. We hope they will be able to come home soon.

Brayden

Ariel

Addison

Micah

Gabriella

Brayden and Micah

8 years = 5 babies

2008-07-07T23:41:00.000-04:00

I can't believe that Jamson and I have been together for over 8 years. We officially started dating July 4th of 2000 and have been together ever since. And here we are, 8 years later, with five wonderful babies. We're both still so happy and in-love....and the babies make our relationship so much more stronger. I'm in a place in my life where I can definitely say I have it all!

Some quick updates on the babies.....

Brayden, Ariel and Micah are all home! Yes, we've finally made it here. They're all close to 6 lbs and doing wonderful. Please keep them in your prayers! They are all doing much better at home with their reflux too.

Addison is doing okay. We had a little bump in the road a couple of days ago when her output (stool) was almost the same amount as she was taking in. Please continue to pray for her and that she will soon be able to completely tolerate her feedings so she can just focus on growing and coming home. She's already doing so well bottle feeding. I think she's doing better than all the others. She will be having her surgery in the next couple of weeks to reconnect her bowel. This is supposed to help her grow.

Gabriella is finally getting bigger. She's just a few ounces under 4 lbs. I can't even believe it! Addison and her are just about the same size. Right now, her ROP has gotten a little worst and she might have to have laser surgery next week. Please pray that it will be better by next week and they will not have to do the surgery on her.

Here are some recent pics of the babies at home and at the hospital:

Maing staring at Brayden

Mommy and Micah (with Ashlee)

They love their boppies!!!!

Micah, Daddy and Maing

Ashlee with Brayden

In their carseats when they first arrived home.

Ariel passed out in her boppy.

Gabi and Mommy

Not Home Yet!

2008-06-28T01:47:00.001-04:00

First of all, thanks for everyone who emailed me or left comments on the blog regarding their pediatrician. We are still deciding who we will choose for our babies. This is really difficult since there are so many things to consider.

But anyway, Brayden and Ariel did not get to come home with us today, Friday. Brayden decided he would desat, which he hasn't done in so long. Jamson and I are not too disappointed though. We want to be sure that the babies are ready to come home. And it was almost too good to be true to bring them home a couple weeks before my due date. We will probably have a couple or three babies home in the next week or so. There's still plenty of things to do around the house to prepare for their arrival. The nurseries are almost done and I can't wait to post pictures to show off.

Also, our stay at the Special Care Nursery has gotten better. I've gotten to know the nurses more and are starting to feel more comfortable with them. I've still asked that Addison and Gabi be transferred back to Riley, but since Riley is still full, they remain at Special Care.

Pediatrician anyone?

2008-06-24T08:44:00.001-04:00

I need to find a pediatrician soon!!!!! Ariel and Brayden are coming home this Friday and Micah sometime next week. Can you believe it!? In fact, Brayden was scheduled to come home tomorrow (Wednesday), but I'm not quite ready yet....and I'd rather have at least two of them come home. So, for those out there who have any referrals to a WONDERFUL pediatrician, I would love to hear about it. Please email or comment back. As you all know, I'm on the Northeast side. By the way, Addison got another blood transfusion and some lasik (sp?). She seems to be doing better after that. She started bottlefeeding over the weekend also and has done wonderful. She weighs over 4 lbs now, but it could be from the fluids and blood she has gotten. She had her head ultrasound yesterday and results came back saying she has a germinal matrix bleed grade 1 just like Brayden. Like his big brother, we hope and pray that it will also resolve itself. Brayden and Micah got circumcized yesterday. Poor little boys! The three going home soon will also be getting their shots today. As for Gabriella, she's just still little. Actually, she'll always be little to us, but in fact, she's grown. She's almost 3 lbs. I wouldn't doubt she'd hit 3 lbs. by the end of the week. Addison and her are starting to look so much more alike. It's a good thing I found a trade mark on Gabi's ear awhile ago that Addison doesn't have. Otherwise, I might not be able to tell them apart :) Actually, Gabi and Brayden have this trade mark on their ears just like Jamson. It's the sweetest thing I've ever seen. As you can tell, I'm trying to keep my spirits up. It's all I can do to really keep myself from having a break down, which I thought I had Sunday. One of my best friends Leslie told me on Sunday that if you're feeling at your lowest, the good thing is....it can only get better... and she was right. From here on out, it should only get better...at least that's what I'm praying for. I'm nearing the end...three babies coming home before July 4th is exciting!

Addison

2008-06-22T09:10:00.000-04:00

So I get a phone call from the nurse practicioner of the IU Special Care Nursery this morning to tell me that there was an error that had occurred last night. The dosage of fluids for Addison's ivy was doubled at around 8 p.m. Thankfully for us, it was just ivy fluids, but what if it had been something else.... I have been very unhappy with the care at this Nursery from the beginning. Nurses not attending to the babies when their monitors go off. The sanitizing of hands from one baby to another. And as far as the patient load per nurse, I'm not sure how the logistics work, but one nurse can have up to 4 babies at one time. This causes my babies' feeding schedule to have to be adjusted b/c they can't handle keeping them on the schedule they were on to begin with. I can't even keep track of when my babies are supposed to be fed b/c it changes all the time. Last night, when I arrived at the Nursery, I noticed that Addison had gotten puffy especially around the face. I honestly had to look at her closely to make sure it was even Addison. I immediately cried and was worried. I know that having ivy fluids can cause some swelling so I kinda had an idea that could be causing it. But I have seen her puffy before, and this was even after her surgery. But this time, she just looked different. I asked to speak to the nurse practicioner and she tried to reassure us that she was okay. The same nurse told me this morning that the doubling of the dosage for a couple hours couldn't have caused her swelling. But anyway, what if it had been some kind of drug that could have killed my baby. I almost lost Addison once.... and again, I feel like I will if I can't get her better care. I'm more worried about my babies now that they're in Special Care than they were at the NICU. How ironic? They're older and yet I'm more worried.

Picture Perfect

2008-06-19T22:24:00.001-04:00

Hello once again!!!!!

I have been looking forward to posting this picture of the babies, but have been so busy this past week. I was also hoping to send copies out in announcement cards with the picture, but haven't been able to find the time. This picture was taken on Saturday, June 13th. The nurses were so wonderful for helping us out with getting the babies out of their beds and monitors! Actually, they did all the work while Jamson and I just snapped the pictures and video taped the babies.

Just some quick updates...

1) We finally got our van on Monday. I'm liking it more and more each day. I'll love it even more when the babies are in the car with me.

2) The babies were moved from Riley NICU to IU Special Care Nursery on Monday. I have a lot to say about how I feel about this, but I'll be short. I hated the fact that it was sprung on us w/out very much notice. I know that it had already been in the works for much longer, but they told us w/out even a 24 hour notice. I'm having difficutly adjusting to the way the nurses are taking care of my babies now. I got so used to how much attention they got from the nurses at Riley. I understand that they're older and much healthier, so they don't require as much attention.

3) Addison's feeding had to be stopped yesterday, Wednesday. Long story short, she's not tolerating her food. She's taking out more than she needs to. We are hoping to start feeding her again tomorrow. But we will have to start little again and work our way up slowly. This is frustrating b/c it will take her longer to get bigger and to come home. Although, I have to remind myself that I should be glad that she's even here with us right now. She may be at the hospital the longest. Please continue to pray for her! I just fear the day when I will have a set of babies at home and the rest still in the hospital. I'm going to hate having to split my time between each set. It's hard enough traveling back and forth from home to hospital....it's going to be even harder when I have babies at home and still have to go to the hospital. Then having to wait for Jamson to come home so that he can watch the babies and I can visit the rest in the hospital. Plus, I'm going to feel bad for the babies left over b/c I won't be able to spend as much time at the hospital as much as I have.

4) Ariel, Brayden and Micah may be going home soon! They're bottle feeding great!

So finally, here's the picture. To family and friends.....I will be sending out our announcements in the next week or so with this same picture. (From left to right: Brayden Jamson, Ariel Marie, Gabriella Isabel, Addison Catalina, and Micah Joe)

Quick Update

2008-06-11T23:05:00.000-04:00

Brayden--
Last Monday (June 2), his head circumference increased 2.5 cm and the average increase is only .5 to 1 cm. A head ultrasound was ordered and they found a slight or stage I bleed in the germinal matrix in his brain. Bleeds in the brain can cause hydrocephalus so the nurses and doctors will keep an eye on him. This past Monday (June 9), his head circumference increased 2 cm so another head ultrasound was done. The bleed has gone down, which is good, and there are no signs of hydrocephalus. Still not quite sure what is going on with the growth, but it could be that he's just going through a growth spurt. He's getting really big!!! He actually looks chubbier than the picture of him on the left. Tomorrow, he will be moved from the isolette to the crib. Exciting! His eye exam this week showed mild stage 1 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

Ariel--

Nothing much with her except that she's still the biggest baby and has been moved to a crib today. As for her picture...Ariel is our sleepy head and she refuses to open her eyes for pictures. But when she's awake, she's simply adorable.

Addison--

She's still recovering very well from her NEC surgery. She's slowly growing....hopefully, she'll be able to move into a crib in the next couple of weeks. She passed her hearing test today.

Micah--

Not much change with him. He will hopefully be moved to a crib in the next couple of days. He's had some reflux issues. His nasal canula was taken off last week. He passed his hearing test today.

Gabriella--

She's still our smallest baby. She's recovered well from her PDA Ligation. We just hope she will continue to grow from here on out. Like Brayden, she also has mild stage 1 of ROP. We are hoping that it won't get worst and that it will resolve on its own.

If all goes well, we hope to bring Brayden, Ariel and Micah home soon! You have no idea how much we appreciate all the prayers. As you all can see, it is working and we are so thankful! Please continue to pray for them.

One day at a time....

2008-05-24T23:01:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone,

Sorry for not updating the blog sooner. It has already been a busy past three weeks even without the babies home yet. The first few days of the babies being in the hospital was great! The nurses kept telling us how lucky we were to have such healthy babies. But of course, we forgot that they are still preemies and they are susceptible to so many infections at their age and size. Now, we've learned to take it one day at a time.....it's the only way we can stay sane.

BRAYDEN:

He's doing great. Brayden has gotten more lively each day. He always has his eyes open and loves to smile back at us, especially when we are kangarooing him. I can already tell he's going to be very laid back and sweet like Jamson. A few days ago, he started to have some apneas (A's) and bradycardiacs (B's). With preemie babies, this is typical, but when they are having it more than often, then it is usually a sign of something wrong. They found out that his blood count is low, but he is currently on iron and they seem to think that his body is trying to produce more blood and fix the problem on his own. This is a good sign that his immune system is getting stronger. They were going to wait and just keep a close eye on him. Fortunately, he's not having as much A's and B's and the doctor's do not feel that he has to have blood transfusion. So far, he's the only one that hasn't been given blood. Otherwise, he's at full feeding with added calories to get him to gain weight. He weighs 3 lbs. He's even started wearing clothes!

ARIEL:

She was diagnosed with a bacterial infection Saturday night before Mother's Day. It was a very stressful weekend, but the doctors at Riley were on top of things and were able to treat her as needed. They treated her with antibiotics for 10 days. She's doing great now and is growing so fast. She's also at full feeding with calories. She's now 3 lbs. 7 oz. She's still our biggest baby! Ariel looks like her aunt Amra (Jamson's sister). You'll barely catch her with her eyes open though.....she's our sleepy head just like her mom. She has also started wearing preemie clothes just like Brayden.

ADDISON:

Addison is a lively little thing! She loves to open her eyes especially when Jamson and I are around. Last Sunday (18th) at 3 am, Jamson and I received our first late night/early morning call from the NICU. We knew as we saw the hospital's number on caller ID that something was wrong. The call was regarding Addison and she had apparently stopped breathing and her blood pressure dropped. They had to put her back on the ventilator. Prior to this, she had been off of any respiratory support and was doing the best out of the five. During her episode on Sunday morning, they also noticed that her abdomen was distented. They took an xray of her abdomen and saw signs of an infection called Necrotizing Etercolitis or NEC. This infection/disease is very common with preemies. Unfortunately with Addison's case, her's was very severe that she had to have an emergency surgery. When we arrived at the hospital that morning, the surgeon warned us that there was a very good chance that her entire intestine had been infected and she would not make it. Only the surgery would be able to tell for sure how much of her intestines were infected. This had to have been the worst day for Jamson and I. We were able to spend some time with Addison as she was being stabilized before her surgery. To look at your baby thinking that that could be the last time you would ever see her alive was the hardest thing I have ever had to experience. Addison was awake the entire time we were there as if she knew what was going on. I don't think I have ever cried so much in my life. I can't even explain how it felt. Jamson and I were able to walk alongside her isolette to the OR and say what we thought would be our last words to her. We waited for two hours at the waiting room with my family. I was able to find comfort by calling family and friends to pray for her. When the surgeon finally came out to talk to us, it couldn't have been anything but a miracle for him to say that she made it through. They took out 43% of her small intestine and 10% of her large intestine. Since her surgery, she has been recovering quite well. We pray that she will continue to have a smooth recovery. She weighs 2 lbs. 13 oz. She will probably lose a couple more ounces from all the fluids she was given from her surgery. She's off of any respiratory support once again...and will be fed milk 10 days after surgery. We're praying now that there won't be any further complications resulting from her surgery.

MICAH:

Micah had a slow start with feeding the first week at the hospital. He was not tolerating the milk quite as well as the others and he had to have a few xrays of his belly. The doctors wanted to make sure that he did not have NEC. But his xrays always looked fine! He's feeding great now and just growing and growing! Micah loves to stare at me when I kangaroo him. Otherwise, he loves to wander his eyes and hold on tight to my hands when he's in his isolette...at least when I'm around. He's also pretty squirmy while sleeping. It's very evident from the picture how charming he is, just like his dad! Micah weighs 3 lbs. 3 oz. I think he's trying hard to catch up with Ariel. I won't be surprised if he surpasses her.

GABRIELLA:

Gabriella is still our smallest baby, but she is definitely trying to grow. The day Addison had her surgery, they also suspected that Gabriella may have the same disease as Addison because her belly was distented. They immediately stopped feeding her milk, and she was put on a NEC watch. They started antibiotics for a couple days and ordered xrays every 12 hours. The first few xrays showed some abnormality in her intestines, but it was not anything near to what they saw in Addison's xrays. They observed her closely until her xrays went back to normal. She's now back to feeding and tolerating it just fine. Currently, the only other thing that is a bit of a concern with Gabriella is the PDA in her heart. She doesn't seem to be symptomatic so they are just keeping a close eye. Worst case scenario, she will have surgery to close the duct. The surgery is not as invasive, but we are just praying that the duct will eventually close on its own instead. She weighs just a few grams under 2 lbs. She moves a lot and tries to wiggle her way out of her snuggly. She's definitely always awake when we change her diaper. She also loves to squeeze her dad's finger real tight when he's visiting with her.

I can't say it enough.....I love my babies!!!!! They are the best thing that has ever happened to me, along with meeting and marrying Jamson. God couldn't have given us a better gift. For those who have read my blog from the beginning, you all know that there was a time when reduction needed to be considered. Thankfully, God gave us the strength to make it through the situation and guided us with every decision we needed to make. Now, I couldn't imagine my life without my FIVE babies. Jamson and I used to worry about how we would manage mentally, financially, and physically when the babies arrive. But after almost losing one of them, now those worries seem so minor. We weren't chosen to have five babies so that the Lord can watch us fail, we were chosen because he knows we can do it. And fortunately for the seven of us, we have wonderful family and friends who are constantly supporting us in all ways.

1 Week Old!!!

2008-05-08T10:32:00.000-04:00

Our babies are 1 week old today!!! The babies are doing great so far, and we are so happy and grateful. They are getting more and more adorable by the day! We fall in love all over again every time we look at them.

Mommy is still recovering, but doing great. She is almost there. She is pretty anxious to start doing stuff on her own, and prepare for the babies' arrival. She was able to Kangaroo Care Addison the other day, and she absolutely loved it! We should be able to do it to all of them here soon. I can't wait!

I can’t believe I am a father. I have so many emotions going through my head. They range from being scared out of my mind to being the happiest man alive. Every time I look at our little ones all my fears go away, because I know that I will do anything and everything to make sure they have a good life. But I can only do my part….I can’t imagine how my wife is feeling. She has gone through so much physically and emotionally. I do know she’s feeling 100 times or more than how I’m feeling and I know she is overwhelmed and exhausted. She has been amazing through it all though, and she gives me more reasons to love her. I know this is not the end, but the beginning. My wife will need me more than ever, and I will always be there for her through hard times and good times. Things will only change for the better, and we both know our life together will not be what it was. But I love her more than ever, and I know somehow we will be fine. We’ve been waiting for this. A chance to be parents, and we are thankful for this awesome blessing.

Please continue to pray with us, because we are not completely out of the clear. They are still preemies, and although they are doing great so far, we still continue to pray every night for them to make it through each day.

2008-05-04T15:42:00.000-04:00

I am sure everyone is anxious to hear how everything went….. We are proud parents of 5 of the most beautiful things we have ever seen, and most important everyone is healthy and doing well so far. They were born on May 1^st 2008 all between 838am to 841am give or take some seconds. The C-Section went very well, and we give special thanks to Dr. Padilla and all the staff involved for making this journey go so smoothly. We also want to give special thanks to the NICU staff for taking outstanding care for our babies. Paula has been recovering and is doing well. She is very anxious to spend time with our babies that she has been carrying for all this time. (29 weeks 5 days!!! Amazing!!!)

Let me start by names and birth weight in the order they came out:

Names	Birth Weight
Baby A – Boy – Brayden Jamson	A – 2lbs 5oz
Baby B (Who was baby E) – Girl – Ariel Marie	B - 2lbs 12oz
Baby C – Girl – Addison Catalina	C – 2lbs 3oz
Baby D – Boy – Micah Joe	D – 2lbs 4oz
Baby E (Who was baby B) – Gabriella Isabel	E – 1lb 15oz

Micah was the only one that did not have to start out with a ventilator. The rest followed shortly after, and Gabriella was the last to be off. Our feisty little fighter wanted to catch up with her brothers and sisters.

The first names we named after months and months of searching for the perfect names. They fit so well with each of them, and it worked out perfectly. Gabriella (formally known as Baby B) we specifically named because of the meaning “Might of God”, because of all she has gone through, and how strong willed she is. The middle names have meaning also. “Jamson” named after his daddy, “Marie” named after Maria (Everyone in the family calls her Ria), “Catalina” is Grandma Alice’s mother, “Joe” is in honor of Paula’s uncle, and “Isabel” after Grandpa Carlos’s mother.

I know everyone is anxious to see our adorable little ones, but at this stage in their lives they are susceptible to catching viruses, getting infections, and other things that come along with being premature. We were excited to show off our little ones at first, but we now feel that we need to limit visitation to allow our babies to get stronger. We want to thank you in advance for understanding. We will definitely post pictures for everyone to see in the near future.

My last ultra sound!

2008-04-30T20:35:00.001-04:00

So I had my last ultra sound today....babies measured:

A-----2 lb 3 oz
B-----1 lb 6 oz
C-----2 lb 3 oz
D-----2 lb 1 oz
E-----2 lb 12 oz

Not much growth except for Baby E....and there were signs of restrictions with four out of five babies. My doctor was gone most of last week and when she got back on Monday, I was determined to get a plan out of her that night. So we had originally planned to do the C-section on Friday. Then there were rumors of the date changing and I was a little worried b/c I had already told family and close friends. And of course, I had already had my mind set. Then today, my oh so great and wonderful doctor, Dr. Padilla, gave me a choice to either go day by day or move the delivery tomorrow. I decided on doing it sooner than later. Signs are pointing to that so I'm pretty confident! So is Jamson. I have had wonderful experience here at the IU Medical Hospital and grateful for all the nurses and doctors who has taken care of me.

As for my body, it had literally changed course the past couple days that showed signs its pretty much time. My ankles were wider than my feet today and I'm barely moving anymore, but I'm still managing to walk on my own and to my neighbor and new friend's room. My belly measured 45 inches around!

We will try and post pictures tomorrow night or Friday b/c I know you are all just excited to see our wonderful babies. Thank you for taking this journey with us, and we are definitely just at the beginning. We love you all and continue to keep us in your prayers.

THANKS TO ALL THE FAMILY (Our Parents and Siblings most especially) AND FRIENDS (You know who you are, Clarian IS Family, and ISBA Family). Thanks for visiting, calling, praying, gifts, and just the overwhelming support throughout this hard but wonderful time!!!!!
Our babies are lucky to have you all a part of our lives.

Happy 28 weeks!!!!!

2008-04-21T13:10:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone,
Sorry its been so long since I posted anything on here. Thanks to Jamson for keeping everyone updated. The past couple of weeks at the hospital has been very difficult for me. But I'm not going to go into detail with that. But I would like to thank those who have visited me so far or sent gifts.

More important....today, we measured the babies! It wasn't scheduled to be done until this Wednesday, but since Dr. Padilla will be gone from Wed to Sun, she must have felt she needed to be here in case there were any big changes. So here are the measurements:

28 weeks
A-----1 lb 15 oz
B-----1 lb 3 oz
C-----1 lb 14 oz
D-----2 lb 1 oz
E-----2 lb 4 oz

26 weeks (in case anyone was curious since this was not posted the last time)
A-----1 lb 8 oz
B-----1 lb 3 oz
C-----1 lb 8 oz
D-----1 lb 11 oz
E-----1 lb 10 oz

These numbers look great, except that baby B did not grow in the past two weeks. This is worrysome and we are definitely starting to think aggressive with the pregnancy. We will be monitoring their dopplers every day instead of only Mon Wed and Fri. We will also be doing stress test every day for all babies to check on their heartbeats. My hopes are to get through this week and to the middle of next week....then maybe plan to do the C-section. Jamson and I do not want to wait too long and risk baby B, but also don't want to go too early to risk the others. I'm going to be talking with Dr. Padilla more tonight so hopefully I'll be able to get more insight on what she thinks is best for the babies. But she did definitely say that delivering at 28 weeks is not necessary at this time. As for me....my blood pressure has been normal and there has not been any swelling. Contractions have lessened since I was first admitted. My weight is also still the same since I was admitted (around 140 lbs....gained only 30 lbs).

Well, that's all for now. Thanks for all the prayers, but please keep them going!

1 Week in the Hospital

2008-04-14T09:11:00.000-04:00

She's made it 1 week in the hospital......but it was a hard 1 week. She misses being at home, and being around our pets. Who wouldn't though? They are really adorable. On top of all that she has the fears and worries of what's to come. Her belly is growing, and she is feeling more and more uncomfortable ....poor thing. She hasn't been sleeping very well, because how uncomfortable she has been feeling, so I'm a little concerned about that. She has had a lot of visitors, and that has been good for her, but when she is alone, she starts to get sad again. She's hanging in there, and trying to stay strong. I slept over this weekend, and it was nice to sleep next to her again. Trying to juggle spending time with her, the pets, and work is getting harder. I wish I could be in different places at once. All I can think about is how she is doing, and what I can do to make her feel better. On Friday, my co workers decorated some flowers, and put a blown up picture of my face, along with chocolates. She loved it! It makes her smile everytime she looks at it. They have been so supportive and great! Also thanks to all her friends, family, and co-workers that have visited her. She really appreciates the company.

THE BABIES.....She has had several ultrasounds during the week, and the babies are still doing well. Baby B has grown and has found more space. She is still lagging behind the others, but the fact that she is growing is a great sign. I believe she has grown from 13oz to 1.3oz, and the others avg around 1.8. All 5 babies are breathing, so all is going well. This morning I sat in on an ultrasound, and I was able to see the babies profiles pretty well. They are so cute! I can't wait to see them in person. It is so amazing how much they are developing. I'm glad they are keeping close eye on the babies. They give her 3-4 ultrasounds throughout the week. Sounds excessive, but I am glad they are.

Well....we are in the 27th week, so please keep up the prayers, and God Bless You!

Words from Daddy and Husband

2008-04-07T16:06:00.000-04:00

Today we admitted her to the hospital.....It has come to a realization that we are that much closer to becoming parents to 5 wonderful babies. It was hard for her to leave her our home and our pets, and it was definitely hard for me. My wonderful wife feeling all these emotions and stuck at the hospital. I feel guilty for not being there with her every second of the day. We know it's best for her and the babies, but I will miss her. It was her birthday last Thursday, and we had a few friends over Friday night to celebrate. It was a good time. We couldn't do much, but at least she was able to hang out with other people for a little bit. I know being on bed rest hasn't been the funnest for her. It's amazing how we take life and our moms for granted. Never again. The things they have to go through to create us, I can't even imagine... Us men, wouldn't stand a chance. So all I or we can do is be there for them, and get them whatever they need or want, because they are carrying our baby(ies). She's been great through it all, and I am very proud of her. She's going to be a great mother, and I am thankful to have her. It's going to be strange going home, and her not being there, but it does comfort me that she's in good hands, and that there is someone there around the clock.

Hospital Here I Come....

2008-04-03T23:57:00.000-04:00

Well, I have until Monday and I finally get admitted to the hospital. In fact, if not for my birthday excuse (of course I like to think that's the reason), I would have been admitted today, Thursday, April 3rd. I was monitored for contractions at my appointment and was found that I am contracting every 15, 8, and 6 minutes. It's to be expected because of my size, but it doesn't seem to worry the doctor too much at this time. As for the babies, we were not able to measure them since they can only be measured every 2 weeks. From what I've gathered though, nothing has changed. That's neither good or bad. Baby B and C are still of concern, but they will be monitored more closely. I'm still praying that they can at least hang on until 28 weeks. If so, Jamson and I may decide to go ahead and have the c-section then. Unless of course we see that they are getting better....then we would wait for as long as we can. But for now, there is no reason to make drastic measures.

With it being my birthday, I was really hoping to have a great day! But when I came home from the doctor, it really hit me how much closer I am to delivering. I was somewhat a wreck tonight worrying about having to stay in the hospital. Jamson and I have only been apart when I had to go to the Philippines a few years back. Other than that, we have been together ever since he moved here in October of 2000. He won't be able to stay at the hospital with me very much because of the pets. Plus, he probably will not get a good night's rest at the hospital especially that he still has to work during the day. On top of that, I'm going to miss Maing, Frizzy and Ashlee (our pets)...my bed, and the comfort of being at home. I'm thrilled to be getting closer to meet my babies, but at the same time, the journey of getting there has been and is still pretty rough. I'd like to say I would do it all over again if I could, but maybe I won't. Although ask me again when the babies are here. I feel like so much has changed for me. I've had to temporarily stop working. My body has drastically changed so much in the past couple months that I can barely even walk anymore. I have to rely on Jamson for everything...including bending down to pick up something off the floor. I dropped the remote control this morning and there wasn't anything I can do about it. Fortunately, the only thing I couldn't change was the volume, unless I got up to the TV...but it was pretty pathetic. I'm definitely ready for this to be all over with, but with the best interest of my babies of course. Yes, I know....this is just the beginning....we still have the NICU, then their first few months at home....and it just keeps going and going.

P.S. I will be posting something about my baby shower in the next couple of days. For those who took pictures, please send them to me via email so I can add them to the slide. Thanks!!!!!

Measurement Updates

2008-03-26T13:45:00.000-04:00

I finally had another doctor's appointment yesterday, March 25th. It seemed so long since my last one and probably because I've been at home. We were hoping for good news, but unfortunately, we didn't quite get that. The babies were measured and they are as follows (keep in mind that I'm at 24 weeks and can possibly deliver the babies anytime from now to the next few weeks):

At 24 weeks...............At 19 weeks:

Baby A 1.5 lbs....................10 ounces
Baby B 13 ounces ................7 ounces
Baby C 1.4 lbs.......................9 ounces
Baby D 1.4 lbs.......................9 ounces
Baby E 1.6 lbs.....................10 ounces

These measurements are only estimates and the babies may possibly be more or less. I'm hoping for more at this time as the doctor says they are only on the 25th percentile. Baby B is on the 10th percentile. Besides the time my doctor said that Baby B had a thickening in the neck back in December, this is the only other time that she seemed to me somewhat worried. A few appointments ago, I remember asking her what would take me to have an emergency C-section, and I recall her saying that one of the main reason is when one or more of the babies are not growing well....if they are in the 10th percentile. Well, here we are with Baby B and she's not growing as well as the others if you compare the measurements from Week 19. The possible cause for Baby B's low measurement could be twin to twin transfusion syndrome. We have three options:

1) early C-section
2) laser surgery to seal connection between B and C
3) amniotic fluid reduction

Jamson and I have decided not to be aggressive at this time. We hope that at our next appointment on Thursday April 3rd, which happens to be on my birthday, we will have good news. Please always keep us in your prayers. We're so close....Baby B has been a fighter and I hope she can hang on for another few weeks.

We found our van...

2008-03-19T00:49:00.000-04:00

We've been looking around for a vehicle that will fit five car seats for quite some time now. For awhile, we were even contemplating on getting a Suburban, but those are very expensive. Jamson and I wanted to steer away from mini vans as much as possible, but we've decided it is the most practical transportation for the size our family will have. Fortunately and thankfully, our great friend Terry works for Tom Wood Toyota and he showed us the Toyota Sienna. This is the largest mini van there is and if purchased with the 2nd row bench, we were almost sure it would fit the three car seats in the 2nd row and two car seats in the 3rd row. The first couple times we visited the dealership, they didn't have the van with the 2nd row bench seat so we had to wait until one arrived. We were finally able to see one this past Saturday and drove it to Babies R Us. We fitted the car seats and it worked!!!!! We were so thrilled. The hunt is over and that's one less thing to worry about. Now, we just have to find the right time to order and lease it. Below, is a picture of the van.

Bed Rest at Home

2008-03-11T14:30:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone. Sorry for not posting in so long. The past couple weeks has been very hectic trying to transition from working to staying at home. I'm finally on bed rest at home starting this past Monday, March 10th. It hasn't been all great to say the least. I'm not sure if I'm just having a bad week or what. First of all, I haven't gained anymore weight. I still have only gained a total of 20 lbs since the beginning and I only have a few weeks left to go. I have been seeing a physical therapist for a couple weeks now due to my ribs and my back. My ribs and back have been giving me discomfort especially at night so I've been lacking in sleep. And on top of that, I've been having crying spells the past couple of nights. I'm thinking they're anxiety attacks...they started a few weeks ago, but the crying didn't start until recent. Now that I'm at home, it's getting worst. Reality is settling in that I will soon have these babies and I'm not prepared. The house is still a work in progress and unfortunately, I can't do much about it. I feel horrible that Jamson has to do all the work on top of already working a full day. But he's been wonderful about it. I still try to pitch in where I can.

On a good note, the babies are doing well. They are definitely moving so much more now. We didn't measure their weights this past Thursday at my doctor's appointment, but I would say that they are around 1 lb each. I go back to the doctor on the 25th and hopefully I'll find out how long and how much they weight. After that appointment, I will probably be going every week...and soon after going on hospital bed rest. My doctor says to expect hospital bed rest at 24 to 26 weeks. I'm 22 weeks now...yikes! By the way, I do have some pictures of my belly, but I can't seem to find the camera cord so I can't upload them to my computer. I hope to do that soon!

Longest Ultrasound of My Life!

2008-02-19T17:25:00.001-05:00

Today was a busy day! I had my baby shower at work and an extensive ultrasound at the doctors. Thanks to all my co-workers for the generous gift! Jamson and I can't wait to go shopping at Babies R Us with the gift card we got. The shower seems early, but I only have 3 weeks left of work.

As for the doctors, the ultrasound took a whopping 3 hours long. They checked on all the babies' hearts, kidneys, bladders, arms, legs, brains, and profiles. To sum it up, they all looked great! The weights are as follows: A is 10 oz, B is 7 oz, C is 9 oz, D is 9 oz, and E is 10 oz. Baby B is smaller than the others, but there's nothing to be conerned of for right now per Dr. Padilla, especially that she's so active! They also found a white spot on her heart, but again, still nothing to be concerned! But I appreciate if everyone can keep the prayers going especially for Baby B and C. It was so nice to see them again! They're growing way too fast. The size of my uterus at 19 weeks is comparable to a 30 week singleton pregnancy. I officially saw movement in my stomach late Sunday night. I believe it was Baby E! If that special moment made me cry, I can't imagine what I'll be like when they're finally here.

For those who have been curious....we do have names for all of them (including middle names), but they will be revealed when they're born. Thanks for all those who read our blogs! Hope to see you all soon!!!!!

Belly Pics

2008-02-12T18:46:00.000-05:00

17 weeks

Maing kissing my belly! He can't wait for their arrival.

Frizzy keeping the babies warm. She's very gentle with my belly too...what a sweetheart.

Babies Everywhere!!!!!

2008-02-05T13:05:00.000-05:00

I had another wonderful doctor's appointment yesterday, February 4th. My cervix is very long and closed and the babies seem to be doing very well. We didn't measure the babies this time, but we did check on their heart beats and fluids in the placenta. They all seem fine!!! Yay...I'm so happy. A couple days before, I was just telling Jamson how much I couldn't wait for our appointment because I was starting to really miss the babies, and of course he replied and said, "They're with you all the time...what do you mean?" I guess I didn't know why, but maybe I just wanted to see them again. I've been starting to officially feel them the past couple of weeks, but you can't really see it in my stomach yet. I'd say Baby D is the one who moves the most, but at our ultra sound yesterday, he was just chillin'. Literally....he was laying there like he was on a hammock. He's so cute! Maybe he'll be laid back like his dad. Well, my doctor says I could possibly go longer than 28 weeks if I keep up staying healthy! This is great news! I'm taking advantage of getting all the rest I can. So far, I've gained 10 lbs total...not enough, but not bad either.

As for preparations, Jamson (along with the help of family), is almost finished with our attic space. We originally had it unfinished and used it as storage. Unfortunately, it can't be used as a bedroom b/c it doesn't have windows, but we will continue to use half of it as storage, and the other half for our cats. We're giving them their own space in the house so they won't feel left out when the babies arrive. They'll love it when Jamson gets done with their room. The storage is pretty much done, but the cat's room still needs to be painted. Hopefully starting next week, he can start building their ledges and posts to climb on. We're also gradually starting on the nurseries. Both rooms upstairs will now be turned into a nursery. The bulk of the work is going through our things and organizing to make space for the babies' things (especially in those two bedrooms). I almost have one cabinet emptied out for the babies in the kitchen! Making room for FIVE babies is not easy, but its definitely fun and exciting! We may not be able to spoil them by getting them all the material things they want in the beginning, but our attention and love for them will definitely make up for that.

Pink or Blue??

2008-01-21T22:29:00.000-05:00

I survived my cerclage placement on January 10th. Actually, there wasn't much to survive. Thanks to the wonderful doctors, surgeons, anasthesiologist and nurses (especially my OB, Dr. Padilla) of IU Medical Hospital. The surgery gave me a glimpse of what a C-section would be like....having had the spinal anasthetic, going into the OR, getting an ivy and staying overnight at the labor and delivery section of the hospital. I can't be any happier to have chosen the group of medical professionals and facility to help me deliver my babies. Before my surgery, they discovered that I was already mildly contracting every two minutes, so I was given magnesium sulfite to stop it after the surgery. Post surgery was even easier. I had no complications in and out of the hospital. I've been on bed rest for about a week and a half and was glad to get the rest that I got. In fact, I took advantage of the bed rest! Having found out that I was already contracting made me realize how much I need to slow down and take care of my body and the babies. That's exactly what I'm doing from here on out. Jamson has been great help throughout. He has taken over most of the house chores. My parents bring us food at least twice a week to last us for a few days.

Now for the wonderful news. Since January 10th, I have had two ultra sounds. Both times, we have asked the technicians to see if they can tell the sex of the babies. The first time, we were guaranteed one boy (Baby A). The others are still a maybe and are as follows: Baby B and C are girls, Baby D a boy, and Baby E a girl. 3 girls and 2 boys! The second ultra sound still had the same results. We're almost sure it will stay that way. My most recent follow up at the doctor was great! My cervix is still very long and closed....and most importantly the babies are healthy!!!! I just need to focus on my weight gain. I'm still fluctuating between 110 -115 lbs. By now, I should have already gained about 25 lbs. But my stomach is growing and you wouldn't think my weight is still the same. Below is a picture of me at 14 weeks. I'm growing so fast so I will be sure to start taking pictures every two weeks. In fact, as of today, my stomach has already grown even more. Dr. Padilla says, that the size of my uterus is the same of a 20 week singleton pregnancy.

15 weeks to go....

2008-01-07T11:38:00.000-05:00

It sounds weird to say that I may only have 15 weeks left of this pregnancy since the average gestation for quintuplets is 28 weeks. I am still praying to carry these babies to at least 30 weeks. This Thursday might be the appointment we will find out the sex of the babies. Jamson and I are very excited! We've been cooking up some ideas on what to name the babies, but its so hard when you have to come up with so many at a time. We like to think that three of each would be a safe bet, but honestly, we could have all five of the same sex. But regardless if they're a girl or boy, we just hope they'll be healthy. I will also go in for a minor surgery this Thursday to have a cerclage...(sp?) It's when they will sew my cervix closed. I'm only in the hospital for one night, but will be on bed rest for almost two weeks.

I've been feeling a lot more energetic, but I'm still getting sick here and there. This past Saturday was the worst....I wasn't able to keep any food or fluids down until about 10 p.m. I'm hanging on though. All this will be worth it when the babies come! 50 tiny fingers and 50 tiny toes! Can you imagine!

Last week, we finally met the Manley parents. I'm not sure if any of you have heard of them, but this past October, the couple gave birth to a set of quintuplets here in Indianapolis. In fact, my doctor delivered their quints. I got the chance to visit the babies at the NICU two Fridays ago. We had dinner with the couple (Dave and Manna) on New Year's Eve and they are such wonderful people. Very inspiring! We all can't wait to have play dates when the babies are older!

Well, that's it for now! I''ll be sure to have some updates this weekend or next, especially if we find how many of the five are girls and boys! As always, thanks for your prayers and support....

Good News!

2007-12-28T10:26:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. It seems everyone's thoughts and prayers are working. We visited the doctor on Thursday, December 27th and Baby B looks good! His/her nuchal translucency, which refers to the thickness of the back of the neck, is now normal. This does not ensure the babies' health for the rest of the pregnancy, but this is definitely a step closer. They will be continued to be monitored every two weeks with thorough ultrasounds. In fact, we were able to record their most recent ultrasound. I've been feeling pressure on the lower part of my abdomen and was almost sure it was one of the babies moving around so much. The ultrasound proved me right and Baby A was as energetic as can be. I can't wait for them to come! It'll be crazy in our three bedroom home, but it will be the best thing to ever happen to Jamson and I.

My doctor says that on average, quintuplet pregnancies go on bed rest around 20 weeks (that's the end of February for me). I'm hoping to beat the odds and make it until around 25 weeks. I would hate to be stuck at home for too long, but I'm willing to do whatever is best for my babies. With this in mind, there's so much preparation to do around the house. We actually need to start looking around for a van in the next week or so. Yuck! We're also now in the process of determining which of the two bedrooms will be used as the nursery. It'll be tough trying to fit three cribs in a tiny room, but fortunately, they'll be so young they won't notice it. We'll definitely need to move to a bigger home in a couple years. On this blog message, I'm definitely making it sound like I'm not worried anymore, but believe me.....there's still so much fear. I'm always questioning how we will be able to manage taking care of five babies...especially financially. And yes, I've heard plenty of people telling me that that's the last thing to worry about, but let's be honest, that part of the equation will always be there. But....I know in my heart, Jamson and I will manage it one way or another. I feel like during this pregnancy, God is gradually building us to be stronger so that we will be prepared for the arrivals of the babies.

Again, thanks for reading. If anyone has any suggestions on what we can do to easily prepare for the babies' arrival, please let me know! Please keep up your thoughts and prayers! We love you all! Hope you have a safe New Year's!

Ultra Sound Pictures!!

2007-12-20T14:00:00.000-05:00

I had a doctor's appointment this morning, but I am choosing not to write about it. I've noticed that my past messages have been so emotionally depressing that I want to talk about the positive side of my pregnancy.

Below are pictures of Baby A-E. The babies are labeled according to their location in my uterus. Baby A is closest to the cervix and Baby E is furthest. Baby B and C are the identical twins! When I had the ultra sound today, it was amazing to see how much they have developed. Jamson and I were able to see their tiny fingers and they still looked transparent enough that you can even see the bones of their fingers. I can't even explain how it felt to see them the way they are! A couple of them were bouncing around the sacs and just goofing around...one even looked like they were sucking on their finger. As you will notice, Baby B is the one with the fluids from the neck to the back. Unfortunately, the pictures are not as defined as the actual ultra sound. At our appointment next week, we will be sure to bring a DVD to record the ultra sound. They all size up just normal as well as the rate of their heart beats. Dr. Padilla also says that we should be able to find out the sex of the babies by 15 or 16 weeks. I can't wait!

As for me, I'm not quite showing yet, but I'm definitely not fitting into any of my pants. The past week, I've been having problems with sinuses and some morning/evening sickness, but nothing unusual. I've only gained about 3-4 pounds...so I'm still about 46-47 pounds away. I don't think the babies like greasy fattening foods b/c I've been craving more healthier foods. Which is not like me at all! They like to eat yogurt or oatmeal for breakfast and snack on fruits at night. I've noticed an increased appetite to soup as well.

Thanks for reading! Please keep us in your prayers. Jamson and I have so much to think about in the next couple of weeks, but we're very glad to know that we have such great friends and family that are here to support us. By the way, holiday cards will not make it out in the mail this year with everything going on, but you'll have next year's to look forward to with the pictures of the babies! Thanks for those who have already sent us pictures and cards.

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Baby A

Baby B

Baby C

Baby D

Baby E

9 1/2 weeks

2007-12-12T12:09:00.000-05:00

Two weeks ago, we saw my high risk OB for the very first time. She's wonderful! She's with the IU Med Center and has been highly recommended to us by my co-worker Paje. The appointment gave us more information on the pregnancy, but mainly talked about the risks to both me and the babies. There are plenty! We learned that the average gestation for quintuplets are 28 weeks. At 28 weeks, the babies have a survival rate of 80%...and this number varies from doctor to doctor. In fact, I spoke to a doctor from Pheonix AZ, Dr. Elliot, who is known to be the best OB for mothers with multiples. His rate was 90%. Of course, he's also the most experienced doctor...at least that's what I've been told! At 28 weeks, the most common complications are bleeding in the brain (IVH), their inability to eat, lung development, and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). The main concerns are the IVH and the lung development, but after speaking to Dr. Boyle, Director of Neonatal at Riley, we were confident that we will be in good hands. Another factor that makes my pregnancy different from most quintuplets are the fact that we have two babies sharing a placenta. They are at mosk risk than the other three.

So with all information we had, we felt there was a decision to make. A decision on whether to reduce or not, to determine what is safe for the babies and me. The past couple of weeks have been very hard for Jamson and I. We struggled to try and make the right decision for the both of us and for our babies. But after so much argument, research and soul searching.....we ultimately decided not to proceed with the reduction. We felt that the reduction had so much more consequences and to be honest....we were afraid of what God would think of us. Of any one person, it was His approval we were waiting for. His sign or way of saying that it would be okay. We never found this. And in the end, we came to realize that maybe there's no need to make a decision. There are things in life that is out of our control. And God is reminding me of this (because for all who know me well....I'm a very controlling person :)). I immediately surrendered my fears to him. In fact, it makes me feel better to just leave it up to Him. After all this, Jamson and I can finally move on with this pregnancy. We can start to plan for their arrival. It felt great!

Today, December 12, was my second appointment with Dr. Padilla. I had a physical exam and everything looked great! My due date has changed to July 12....so this pushes me back to 9 weeks 4 days as of today. We did another ultra sound and the babies have grown. Heart beats are strong. BUT, as we kept going, we found something on one of the twins. There were fluids and swelling from the neck to the lower back. Because it is so early on, she can't really tell what it is, but she suspects that it can either be a heart problem, rare genetic disorder, or a chromosome problem. And more than likely, the other identical twin has the same problem. What does this mean? Well, chances are, the one twin may miscarry, causing the other to miscarry or have neurological problems (due to the sharing of the blood stream and placenta). What are our options? Waiting or reduction. Back to square one! I couldn't remember what the risks are with the other babies, but there are risks to them especially if the twins miscarry later on in the pregnancy. But point blank, our doctor said that the twins are in jeopardy. I'm not losing hope. I know that whatever is happening is for the best. God knows what He's doing.

**Once again, everything I've written is not accurate and not verbatim to what the doctor said. It's everything I can remember and tried to remember at the appointment.**

To all our friends and family, please keep us in your prayers. That's about the only thing we can ask from anyone. I will try to write next week after my appointment with Dr. Padilla on Thursday. We are also considering on getting a second opinion.

7 weeks

2007-11-26T23:11:00.000-05:00

So here we are....we've made it another week. People have told me that this pregnancy should fly by, but so far, each and every day has been agony. Our next appointment with the doctor was scheduled for Tuesday, November 20th. I couldn't wait to find out what the fourth sac would look like. In between appointments, our immediate families have been very supportive. We wouldn't be able to do it without any of them. In fact, my mom had already reassured me she would quit her job to watch her grandchildren. That was a relief! For those of you who have children....day care can be quite a drain in the bank account. Of course, there are still possibilities of miscarrying, which is why a lot of couples opt not to tell the good news to anyone until after the 1st trimester. In our case, we were dying to tell people. How often can you brag about maybe having 3 or 4 babies. Plus, we needed everyone's prayers. We decided to wait until our appointment to tell more people though.

On Tuesday, November 20th, I was almost sure there were going to be four heart beats. I went to the appointment alone and it had to have been one of the worst and best days of my life. As we were looking through the image on the screen, we were able to find the heart beats of the two sacs immediately. In fact, I was able to hear them also. At the third sac, once again, my doctor and I were shocked. IDENTICAL TWINS! Who would have thought. We found the last sac and the heart beat. Now we're at five! All heart beats were over 100 bpm which is a good sign. My mind was going crazy at this point....I was trying to figure out how my body can even expand to carry five babies. Four was hard enough....and now five. I was just finally getting info on quads and now quints...I haven't even started doing any research on quints. Are there even any info out there? I left the office crying. I ran to my car and called Jamson to give him the news. I was so upset! I kept thinking about how I couldn't do it. I wanted to give up. I understood that it was still early into the pregnancy and that anything can still happen. But at that point, I wanted to miscarry at least one. My fear had nothing to do with money....I was just scared that it will be so hard for my body that I will end up going into labor early and that my babies will have so many complications. Or what if I have complications....the last thing I'd want to do is leave Jamson to care for five babies on his own. Of course, all this fear comes from lack of information. Jamson and I went to different websites to learn about this kind of pregnancy, but there were not many. My doctor referred me to a high risk OB immediately. With Thanksgiving just a couple of days away, I tried to stay strong and positive. We were going to visit Jamson's family in Minnesota and I saw this as an opportunity to relax from everything going on here at home. Unfortunately, all three days we were in MN, I was sick. My symptoms have worsened and I'm not eating anything. I can barely keep fluids down.

Monday was a new day and I was ready to start the week. I was ready to return to work and keep myself busy. I was feeling positive about the five babies....I was excited! Five little bundles of joy that could either look like me or Jamson or the both of us combined. I pictured us in our mini van (which I never thought I would ever have to get) with the kids in the back bickering and fighting for food or toys..."Mom, she's taking my toy"...or "Mom, I need to potty." "Mom" is a word that some mothers take for granted when hearing. Not me! I'm always going to look back at all the experiences Jamson and I had to go through to get them here safe, and I will cherish every moment they call me "mom". Well, now back to the present time....I'm at work and on my way to lunch when I discovered I was bleeding. My doctor asked that I come in to get checked. I had an ultra sound and five heart beats were still present. Although one of the embryos were smaller than the rest. I didn't know what I wanted to happen. Did I want to miscarry in some way....do I want to miscarry for my own convenience? I felt bad thinking those things, but I just really wanted healthy babies. The more babies I carried, the more riskier it would be. My moods are back and forth....I'm happy then I'm afraid. Our next appointment is set for Tuesday, November 27th with the high risk OB.

6 weeks

2007-11-26T22:22:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday, November 14th was our first appointment with the ultra sound. We were so excited to see what was going on in my body. As soon as the ultra sound image came up, we immediately noticed that there were three sacs....and of course, Jamson and I turned pale and speechless. The doctor was also shocked and kept looking around. Long and behold, she found another sac. A total of FOUR!!! Fortunately enough, we were able to see flickers of heart beats on three of the sacs. The fourth was the furthest from the probe, but implantation was evident. In some ways, Jamson and I were hoping there would only be three. For those of you who know...I'm only 5 feet and about 110 pounds. My doctor expressed her concerns of my body carrying four babies at my size. So were we! And not only that, but four? We were not prepared for this at all. Jamson and I always talked about wanting a big family of three to four kids. But we had not planned on having them all at the same time. Our doctor mentioned a procedure called selective reduction. This procedure was legal but not performed in Indiana. We would have to go to Chicago or New York. Basically, after genetic testing to determine which sac is the least healthiest, the surgeons will inject two of the four sacs in my case...that will eventually kill off the embryo. (This information is not accurate. This is based on what I was able to remember from my conversation with the doctor.) From my doctor's reaction, selective reduction seemed like a practical option....but after a few days of crying/fighting/stressing, Jamson and I decided that we will leave our situation in God's hands. Our soon to be four babies were a blessing from God and we can't wait for their arrival. In fact, I told a friend about the news that same day we found out...and she was so encouraging. She told me that we should feel lucky to have been chosen by God to carry these babies. And we do!!! This experience so far has brought Jamson and I closer to each other than ever before. We love each other so much and no matter what happens, this will be our journey together.

By the way, if we were only having one baby, the due date should be around July 8th or 9th. But because there's a possiblity of quads.....this bumps me up to a much earlier due date. The doctors will probably have me on bed rest for awhile to keep me from going in to labor. The later the better. But on average, women with quads go into labor at 30 weeks.

4-5 weeks

2007-11-26T22:12:00.000-05:00

October 27th was one of the best days of our lives. Jamson and I found out we were pregnant. Prior to finding out, I had been having severe pains in my stomach which triggered the phone call to our RE. We were afraid I was having early signs of miscarriage. But on Saturday, October 27th, we visited our RE for a pregnancy test and a couple hours later, we received the phone call from the nurse that it was positive with HCG levels of 86. Of course, it would be another two to three weeks before we can come in for the ultra sound to find out if the baby was okay. The waiting period felt like the longest time of our lives. But finally it came!