Week 23

Mother's Day...I have considered myself a mom for quite a few years having been a teacher and having my furry babies. But this mother's day was different; I truly felt like a mom. How special and strong the bond I have with my four growing boys. Every kick, push, or pain I feel brings me excitement! Feeling them makes them real which makes motherhood apparent. Although they are not "here" for me to feed, rock, or nurture; my womb is doing all of those things; they need me just as I need them. I know every mom has a bond with thier child; but I just feel a connection with my boys that is beyond description. This has been a roller coaster of a pregnancy and my boys have endured it all with me; they go through everything that I do which has made us all stronger, I believe.Jeffrey made my day even more special by surprising me with a card, bear, and pearl ring; something I will cherish forever! Closing out on our 23rd week we are coming up on a milestone week; week 24...something that seemed so out of sight just a few weeks ago. This is one Mother's Day I will never forget and which holds a special place in my heart!

My days all go by the same...I lay in the same recliner day in and day out, I have my daily show line up, I talk to my mom 20 times a day, & I look forward to the same time of day (lunchtime when Jeff comes home from work). As monotonous as my life is on bedrest; time passes! Everyday that passes brings me one day closer to meeting my boys and gives my boys one more day to grow healthy and strong. How can I not be blessed!? I guage my weeks by my weekly high risk appointments. It gives me something to look forward to as well as breaking up the monotony. I get a chance to be human again; I get dressed, put on some makeup, comb my hair and get to leave the house!!! What most people take forgranted; I cherrish! It is also the time that I get to be reassured that my body and the boys are holding on strong; ultimately allowing me to stay home another week!

I wrote out my list of questions, concerns, and medications I need refilled to bring to the Dr and off we went on Wednesday afternoon for my weekly outing. Once wheeled upstairs; my weight and vitals were taken. I am now at 145; up a pound from last week and all of the other numbers are looking good. We went with our normal ultrasound tech and she mesured my cervix and monitored each baby's heart rate, doppler velocity, and fluid. This time of the appointment is when I say a prayer knowing that God is in control. My cervix was unchanged and all of the babies looked great; even after I have been on the Indocin (to control contractions)  for about a week again. Relieved I was! The Dr came in to review everything and to take a look himself; which he seemed to be pleased on how everything was going. I have had an extreme pain in my right ribs that I thought was either a baby or an organ being pushed into them. I told my Dr about it and he took a look with the ultrasound. He said the only thing that was against my rib at the time was Grayson' manhood; and as much as his Daddy would like to think it was the cause of my pain, I an the Dr highly thought not. He said that usually your ribs expands over weeks to accomodate for when a belly grows; mine however has not had that same opportunity to grow and cannot keep up with my daily growing belly; hence the pain. I was already prescribed pain meds for when my back or cervix aches; but it does not ease the rib pain at all. He said this could be another variable as to when we would deliver; although I am praying thtat my body will begin to grow as it is needed to accomodate my four growing boys.

I am so blessed that everything is going well and look forward to being on bedrest for the health sake of my boys for a few more weeks! God is good and has proven that he is in control and can make anything happen out of any situation!!!!!!

Me at 23 weeks

Brock's big mouth at 23 weeks

Camden at 23 weeks



Grayson at 23 weeks (Keaton's picture is MIA at the moment)