My babies are 2 weeks old!

or "34 weeks"

Oh my!

My "goal" was 34 weeks, but what a wonderful surprise

 to get to meet them earlier than expected.

How blessed we are that they are so healthy and learning what they need to come home with us! 

Over the past week they have lost alittle weight, but then gained it back plus more. Asher and Aspen are wearing big boy and girl clothes! No more just diapers. Cross our tiny boy wore his first outfit today! He just needs a bit more fat to help him maintain his body temp and will be catching up soon!

Last week Aspen and Asher's oxygen was removed, Cross did not require any since birth, no more IVs, they are now feeder-growers! They are tolerating their feeds and taking their vitamins:). 

The doctor ordered a brain sono just as a precaution, major problems are rare at 32 weeks, but I'm thankful for the extra Checking. Everything was normal. 

They are starting to learn how to eat orally, they are making great progress and eating more everytime we try. Aspen is food motivated! Most of the time she takes her whole feed in the bottle, if she keeps this up she will be coming home first!

They love to be held and we love to hold them... 

They make the sweetest noises like little baby dinosaurs. 

The last few days have been pretty exciting (for me). 

Saturday

We had a photographer from "The tiny footprints project" come take photos of them. It's a wonderful organization that provides this free service to NICU families. We will look back on these memories and smile. We are so blessed. There is currently only photography for the DFW area, so if you are a photographer please consider donating alittle of your time- what a beautiful service you'd be providing. 

Today 

I got to snuggle them all skin to skin -together- for the first time. Cross thought he was an only child and was enjoying his freedom... He was a worm and fussy, then he got some lunch in his tummy and settled down alittle. It was pretty magical.

 I still can't believe they are mine... 

Here are some pictures our nurse took while the photographer was there so I could have a few now, I'm so impatient! 

And some pictures from today... Our skin to skin time. 

Thanks to everyone for being apart of our journey. We have no clue how we got so lucky. 

This is what a MIRACLE looks like...

Aspen, Cross, Asher 

If you think my hands are full, you should see my heart. 

Soon enough they will be too big to hold together. 

God IS Good.

Triplet Nursery

My super awesome handy man husband transformed our nursery.

(With my design guidance of course)

First we sheet rocked, sanded and textured the walls.
Then put in the new flooring, and The accent wall. 

{befores}

I've taken up the motto {awhile ago} less is more. 

{unless your talking about diapers and wipes, and in that case more is more!}

{afters}

When you have a very small space every.inch.counts.!

So I've shown ways we've tired to maximize space. First major hurdle is we don't have a "real" closet, but eventually the rod will go all the across versus the small sections, and the dresser will move to another wall. The dresser is stock up with tons of sleepers/onesies/swaddles -matching sets of 3-

I've been really impressed with how we've made it work. 

Next storage- Under cribs- AKA Diaper/wipe stock pile storage

We've managed to fit over 1000 diapers, and 10 boxes of wipes. {and still going}.

A peak of our wipe pile and just a few diapers.

The compact book shelves are ideal, small, functional and handmade (aka cheap!) 

And I have a hanging organizer behind the door with my random small stuff.

Snuzas, batteries, samples, etc. 

next project-{door to be painted}

-target-

SHOUT OUT TO

4moms who sent us 2 more mamaRoos! 

Impressed by a company that has such a love for their fans and supportive of multiple families.

We can't wait to have our babies enjoying them in a month!

We are 31 weeks today!
We are so excited to be meeting them at some point in the next month.
We can not believe we've made it this far, we are thankful for my health and theirs.
GOD IS GOOD.

Life after Loss...

x3

With each day comes a new challenges. 

A new dilemma I have to figure out how to navigate. 

Like the time between then and now. The time makes them feel further away. & I find way to reel them back in. 

I have to learn ways I can remember them and have them as a part of my life without being on the verge of tears everyday. 

I'm learning to be their mom, relating to moms, even though I only knew them 19 weeks.

This is challenging. 

Having hope for the future and happiness for the present,

Is by far the most delicate and difficult balance. 

The most challenge obstacle is dealing with people who don't understand, or don't care. I like to think everyone cares... How can they not. Truth is to the outside world 3 babies died at 19 weeks, and yes it is sad. But they did not know them, they had no bond, But to me my future died with them. 

The littlest loves of my life are buried under a tree.



I am 26, I've lost my first and only children, I have to live without them for the rest of my life, a constant missing piece. 

Learning how to navigate the never ending announcements of pregnancy and new births.
I take a kick to the gut every.single.time.
It brings me to my knees and have to rebuild myself.

To me my world has stopped. It has died. My passion, my drive, my dreams have died with them. I struggle to find a purpose.  My life has stopped... while everyone else around me keeps moving forward.

 One day I'm sure I'll have it all back but for today I am empty, I am sad, anxious, I'm a shell. 
Old me is gone, new me is trying to figure out who I am.

 IF you haven't walked this you will NEVER come close to the heaviness we carry. 

Is Ignorance bliss?

Would Not knowing what it's like to be their mom make my life "easier"?

Not having known my children would mean I wouldn't miss them every second of every day.

 I wouldn't have to look into the future and realize they will [forever] be missing. 

Missing from family photos... Holidays... Birthdays...

I wouldn't have to face the fact I'll never see any of their milestones. First steps, words, graduation, weddings. 

Big or small.

I wouldn't have my heart shatter at the silence that should be full of their cries and laughter. 

The words "I love you mommy" wouldn't be missed and longed for. 

I wouldn't be suffocating in tears every time I realize this is real, they are not coming back, I can't wake up, I don't have a second chance. 

I wouldn't have to feel the heartache, have reason for the gallons of tears, I wouldn't have puffy eyes and dark circles, & I wouldn't be a mess.

I would be blissfully ignorant. 

Pregnancy did not happen easy for us.

It took years, it took praying, it took crying and begging.

Then, like a miracle, my cries were heard, prayers answered and the wait was over.

Then overnight gone. 

Is ignorance bliss? 

No.

 As painful as every second and everyday will be, no matter how many tears I cry and no matter how many children I go on to have.  They are my unique gift not many get. 

They are apart of my story and, they are, my favorite chapter and also my most tragic.  

I will talk about them, celebrate them, cry about them.

I can't see them but if I quiet my aching heart I may feel them.

“The risk of love is loss, and the price of loss is grief.
But the pain of grief is only a shadow when compared 
with the pain of never risking love.” 
- Hilary Stanton Zunin 

TRIPLETS, High Order multiples STATS

Most people do not know or understand the risk involved with twins, triplets and other high order multiples...  It's not all rainbows and butterflies. The families you see on TV are the RARE except to the rules... they are not the rule. They may have had access to extremely technologically advanced facilities, or doctors that have done this a million times. 

Even with all that on your side... failure could be just right around the corner.

Even a singleton pregnancy has many risk. 
Lets multiply those risk x3.
Having major risk makes you look at others peoples pregnancies with a different view. You will never appreciate your perfectly healthy pregnancy-Until the unthinkable happens to you, you will never see how lucky you are. Your morning sickness you complain about is nothing. Your back pains are nothing. Your headaches, your extra weight, how huge you are... all your complaints are nothing. Keep in mind all the woman who can not get pregnant, struggling to get pregnant or can not stay pregnant next time you decide to complain about one of your petty problems.
When your 40 weeks pregnant complaining you want the baby out...
Instead be grateful.

{back to multiples}

Be prepared. 

The entire time I had a "feeling" this was too good to be true. 

{some think we were crazy to be having triplets,

 It wasn't chosen... it was given to us.}

 I tried so hard to be excited and stay positive. I really did not want to purchase anything until after 26 weeks (even then they babies would face many weeks in the NICU and struggle .. but they had a chance). I was very stand offish when I would talk about "what we needed". I tried not to buy too much stuff, tried not to talk to much about how excited we were. Everything was going well, growing, I was healthy, strong heartbeats...I had no reason to be worried... until the past month. My body started to fail me.
When you carry multiples you grow much faster, meaning there is more weight pressing down much earlier than a singleton pregnancy.    

My feeling was right and devastation is an understatement. 

_______________________________________________
THE FACTS:

Although there are many joys for these families, far less well know are the higher risks for the mothers and babies. Prematurity and low birth weight are the main reason for increased mortality and disability for these children. 

Sadly, much of these pregnancies involve losing one or all babies, or caring for one or more children with cerebral palsy and other health and developmental problems.  

Complications:

Preterm Birth

Preterm labor and birth pose the greatest risk to a multiple pregnancy. Sixty percent of multiples are born prematurely (<37 weeks) compared to about 10% of singleton pregnancies. Feasibility of a vaginal delivery depends on the size, position, and health of the infants, as well as the size and shape of the mother’s pelvic bones. Cesarean section is often needed for twin pregnancies and is expected for delivery of triplets.

The chance of preterm delivery at 24 to 32 weeks is about one per cent in singleton pregnancies, five per cent in twins, 20 per cent in triplets and 10 per cent in triplets reduced to twins.

"Selective" REDUCTION:

Lets talk abut the fact you are asked to basically abort some of your babies. You are encourage out of the best interest for yourself and your pregnancy to reduce down to either singleton or twins.
I refused, and absolutely have no regrets. It was all or nothing...

In the management of multifetal pregnancies there are three options: 

• Continuing with the whole pregnancy 

• Termination of the whole pregnancy 

• Embryo reduction to twins

Maternal Complications:

• postpartum hemorrhage
• preeclampsia 
• HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets) syndrome
• intraventricular hemorrhage
•  The perinatal mortality was 41 per 1000. (Death few weeks before or after birth)

I was shocked by that number...

________________________________________________________________________________________________

This is only a small glimpse of what we deal with, what we face and what we agree to when we embark on such an emotional journey.

{There is lifelong heart break and lifelong suffering which is so often underestimated or forgotten by professionals and the public.}

I don't know why we were chosen for this pain and others are not. 
That is the one question I keep asking. Some woman can have 2,3,4,5,6 babies, ok even 8- at one time. Why could I not carry mine?
I should stop asking because I'll never know... and what benefit would it be to me if I did get my answer. 
I can not change what has already happen.  
-and that is the key.

-Samone-

Back from vacation, & Today is a good day

This is our first day back from a weekend get-away with our {great} friends to 

Perdido Key , FL.

It's was beautiful, relaxing, and refreshing

It’s also the first day I haven’t laid in bed until 1pm -

 { except vacation… no one would allow that! }

Only thinking about what I could be doing or what needs to be done. 

Today the pain isn’t so paralyzing.

 The days seem to be getting slightly easier, not better, but brighter.

I still cry at least once a day, I'm not moving on... just becoming more optimistic.

 I am starting to enjoy this new chapter of being a “Stay at Home Wife”, 

or what my husband calls… "Trophy-wifein’.

I think about them, Jax Stella and Beck, everyday and that has not changed and I never want it to. Their lives are apart of our love story. They will be apart of their future brothers or sisters story… they will never be forgotten and will always be apart of this family, 

They just get to live far away in the clouds. 

I am starting to enjoy cooking again. I look forward to making dinner, and trying new ideas. I am doing laundry and dishes 

{which is a miracle and I know Jordan is THRILLED}

I am hoping this is an upward trend, and my motivation doesn't run dry.

Maybe tomorrow I will start going to Yoga again.

Today is a good day.

-Samone-

you think you know?

This kinda goes along with my "VENT" I posted recently. I'd like to "pretend" like I want to apologize for some of the negativity and my bad attitude, but SORRY NOT SORRY.

It's my right.

{Please understand that I so appreciate your effort to reach out and let me know you sympathize.}

Recently, two or three times, I've been told, "I know how you feel" "I've been here". I'm sure it not the last time I'll hear, but lets clear a few things up-

You know how I feel?

SO, you know what it feels like to be having triplets, one day everything be healthy and normal, and the next your fighting to keep them in your body. 

{You know what it's like to pray everyday to be the exception, not the rule.}

Terrified you may become a statistic, you don't want to be included in that portion of multiples that do not make it to viable birth age.

 You understand the fear of laying in a hospital bed after surgery hoping everything will stay stable for 20 more weeks. Listening to your OB and Specialist fight-it-out over what it best for me and the babies. 

You know the feeling of labor coming, and knowing your babies can not survive outside of you, nothing works to stop the one thing that CANNOT be happening!

You know what it's like to be told you almost did not make it through labor. It was very serious, they chose to save me, because without me the babies could not survive.

And I will never understand the trama my husband had to go through watching me give birth to our 3 babies knowing they would not survive if born... holding them alone. Me unconscious not knowing if I was going to be ok. 

That day he almost lost all 4 of us.

Most of all, can you fathom the emotional devestation of holding your 3 babies, that just 2 days before were healthy and growing, in your arms. Seeing their faces, features, watching your husband cry, feeling helpless, confused and angry. Then picking out a head stone for your children, wrapping them up together and placing them in their tiny baby casket, then burying their little bodies.

and if we needed, the cherry on top, the after effects of childbirth... 

the constant reminders of what you have gone through, and in the end you don't have your babies.

Everyday there is emptiness.

Yes you may be angry at your body just like I am, you may be angry at everyone that is happy and has their child. you may understand your own loss, the dream of what could have been- but you don't understand mine. you did not lose 3 miracles all at once- that were wanted SO badly.  The fullness that we felt immediately. The love we had, excitement ahead.

We will all face our own grief and we deal with it the best we can.

and if you still think you "know how i feel" "I've been here also" - Bless your heart. 

I'm here for you, if you need to talk. 

It's confusing, heartbreaking, and doesn't seem like reality most of the time.
{ I feel like I'm living half way between reality and a bad dream. }

The best thing I have been told, "I know what it's like to lose a child, but I don't know what it's like to lose babies... I can understand a little of what you are going though" 

*it was a breath of fresh air*

-Samone-

Why I write...

“Better to write for yourself and have no public,
 than to write for the public and have no self.”

-Cyril Connolly



I don't write to gain an audience, if someone stumbles across my public diary and it encourages them or shares awareness... then I have written well. I am not an english major... or even a great writer, I misuse punctuation and misspell words, but I write for the angels below now living above. They will be known and live in my words.

Jax, Stella and Beck 

Worth the Cost

Your life here on Earth
Was not meant to be,
But I don't regret the cost
of trying to bring you here with me.

Although I only held you briefly
Before they took you away from me.
It was worth every pain, every tear shed,
Because I treasure the love you inspired in me.



-Samone-

It's OK to be bitter, angry and disappointed. {VENT}

Just a public disclaimer: these sayings/quotes...  

DO NOT work in every situation, They do NOT apply to every life event. 

______________________________________________________________

Sayings that I now HATE: 

{Everything happens for a reason. }

{It's worth the wait. }

{If it's meant to be it will find a way. }

{Good things fall apart so better things can fall together.}

{There's a bigger plan.}

Drumroll please: {I'm sorry for your loss}

No. Not everything happens for a reason, why would I want something good to fall apart... What could be better than the greatest thing that's ever happened to you... A bigger plan? Because triplets can't be that BIG of a deal. 

{LOSS? Last I checked I was having 3 babies... then I lost 3 babies!}

Losses.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Keeping a good attitude is is obviously important and some will make you believe it's the best way to make through day to day- but sometimes you just can't. You hate everyone, no one understand and you feel like having a pity party- and it's OK. Not everyday has to be perfect. You don't have to be strong, you don't have to put on your fake smile and your fake laugh. 

{We only do that to make other people happy and feel more comfortable.}

I'm not perfect, my life isn't perfect, I'm not going to be in the perfect mood everyday, but I try to be respectful to anyone I see or talk to. Just know sometimes it takes more of an effort than you know. When you ask how are you doing, and I say fine... Good... OK...

What would your reaction be if I said I'm angry, sad, im not OK.

You'd probably be uncomfortable and confused and not know what to say next... 

I have memories of this life that I feel never existed... 

AND So if your curious 

that's how I am doing... 

Somedays are better than others.

-Samone-

Can you feel a broken heart?

This other morning I woke up with some uncomfortable chest pains. 

{trying not to be dramatic}, 

but I thought i was having a heart attack. Everything that has been going on and with how our lives are playing out recently, 

I wouldn’t be surprised if I was having more medical issues.

I told myself maybe you need to eat better and more often, I’m not really hungry, and when I do eat it’s not healthy like I usually try to stick to.  

Maybe I need to get active, drink more water?

I thought some more… maybe thats pain from a broken heart.

Maybe God is waking me up, telling me to go. Go do something, stay active, busy, keep yourself healthy- a light it coming.

I did not felt the pains again …

He is near:

Psalm 34:18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

-Samone-