Happy Birthday Jackson, Brayden, and Emma

My Sweet "babies" turned 3 February 22nd.  The house was plagued with a stomach virus so we had to push their birthday party off a week.  Luckily, they are still too young to really know the difference.  This was the first year that they are really getting into the birthday thing.  They loved the attention, and I really enjoyed watching each of them respond differently being the center of attention.

These are a few shots from their 3 year shoot and Valentine's Day Mini session.

AND...

A link to their party video.

Singing Happy Birthday!

Kasey Van Norman » 3 Truths that Helped me Forgive

Kasey Van Norman » 3 Truths that Helped me Forgive

October

I LOVE October!  Just popping in to let you all know I still exist and brag about how beautiful my kids are.  Happy Fall, Ya'll!

Valentines Day

This is what love looks like.  Happy Valentine's Day from the sweetest little heart breakers I know.

Christmas Minis

Last month, we did a Christmas Mini session with my friend and fantastic photographer, Mandy Owens.  It was super hot that day, and I felt a little silly having them all dressed up for Christmas, but I was so tickled when I saw the end results.  Here are a few pictures to make your spirit bright =)

*Photo from 18 month shoot.


Hello all!  I just wanted to stop by and share a quick update.  The babies will be 20 months on the 22nd of October.  It's unreal how fast they have grown.  They are into EVERYTHING.  My divorce was final back in July.  I am still living in Cullman, but I have a potential buyer.  Assuming they get all of their approvals through FHA, it looks like I will be moving back in with my parents pretty soon.  I'm hoping to take this time to save some money, pay off some debt and figure out what will be best for my trio and myself.  As always, I ask for your prayers.  This is a huge time of transition for all 4 of us.  I hope all is well with all of you.

Single MoM

I never in a million years would have guessed that I would be raising triplets on my own. I cannot fix my marriage. I cannot fix my husband. I will have to muster up the strength to continue to pray for him and his spirit as he crushes my heart and dreams. The divorce papers are drafted and awaiting his signature. This is a nightmare. The only things keeping me sane are God, 3 little miracles from God, and my family.

The Post I Never Wanted to Post

A while back I posted about some personal issues that I wasn't ready to talk about.  I'm not sure why, but today I feel like I need to get it off my chest. 

I realize there are some people who follow my blog that I know in real life, and I ask that you be respectful after reading this and not discuss it with anyone, and I'm not really sure how all of this will play out.  Please be vigilant in prayer for my family, and I appreciate your consideration for my privacy.

Nick and I are separated.  There, I said it.  It hurts.  It's very confusing.  It's very painful.  I don't know what to expect for my family or my marriage.  Nick and I have never had the perfect marriage, but I never expected him to leave.  I never saw it coming.  We have been apart since November, and I have so much anger and resentment about how it has impacted all of my babies "firsts."  I don't know if this seperation will end in divorce, or if we will try to find a common ground and make it work.  I do know this:  I want my children to have their family together, but I do not want to live in a marriage where I am not loved or not put above all others (aside from my children).  Being a single mom to triplets who are about to turn one isn't easy, but I have been blessed with great family and friends who help me out.  Nick will come help when I ask, but it's a pride thing on my behalf.  I don't like to call unless I have to....plus it confuses me to have him around. 

For now, I'm seeing a counselor.  It's been helpful.  I just have a hard time not know what my life has in store.  I've always known this about myself.  It's why I felt like I had such a hard time with infertility.  I can't stand not knowing. 

I will end again by asking for your prayers. 

9 months

My precious babies turned 9 months old yesterday. They are growing so fast , and they have brought so much joy to my life. I do ask for prayers for a much deeper personal issue that I'm not ready to blog about. I will say please pray for my family. Ask that God brings us together to be a strong family unit as he planned for it to be.

7 months

It's incredibly insane that the triplets are 7 months old. Jackson and Emma cut teeth in September, and there are no teeth for Brayden yet.

All three are scooting around, and I'm positive I will have crawlers in the coming weeks.

Life is busy and my blog has suffered, but here are a few pictures to share.

A new name and a few pictures...

I thought I would give my blog a new name....I didn't think it was possible, or it's something I would have done a long time ago.  Shows what I know about blogging.  Ha!

I uploaded some pictures to discover that my camera is HORRIBLE, and I need a new one...most of my images are blurry.  However, I thought I'd post a few for your viewing pleasure. =)

First Time Swimming

 Brayden and Jackson

 All 3 tuckered out

 Sweet Em

 Sweet Jackson

 Sweet Brayden

 We love the turtle float!

 Too cute, huh?

Pigeon Forge 1st Vacation

 Lounging in our jammies

 Good Morning, Jackson!

 Brayden is bright eyed in the morning!

 Emma was talking to Mommy.

The babies slept through seeing the bears. =)

Until next time...

4 Months

Hello everyone! If you haven't noticed by now, having triplets makes it pretty difficult to blog! I have been enjoying ever day with them, and I'm beginning to prepare myself for going back to work...which is going to be SO hard.

Jackson, Brayden, and Emma are getting so big. They had their 4 month check up today. Jackson weighed in at 15lbs 2oz, Brayden was 14lbs 6oz, and Emma was 11lbs 12 oz. You would never know they were 6 weeks early! Emma decided to show off on Tuesday, and she was the first of the trio to roll over. Jackson couldn't stand to be shown up, so he rolled over on Wednesday. Brayden isn't very competative, so he is in no hurry. lol

Jackson needs me now, those shots did a number on him =( I will try to update more soon

Time Flies...

...when you're having fun. It also flies when you aren't getting much sleep. The babies are 5 weeks old this week, and they are growing so fast. Each of them are so precious and different from one another. Jackson Ryder, "Baby A" is our laid back boy. He loves to eat..currently weighs the most, and hardly fusses at all.

Brayden Campbell "baby B"loves to be held. His Ma's (my mom) and Nana (dh's mom) have spoiled him when they are here...but that's okay...babies are meant to be spoiled.

Emma Lee "Baby C" is our princess/diva. She was so still and quiet when she was in my belly, but now she likes to make herself known. Everyone says she will have to be loud with 2 brothers. Everything has been going great since we've been home. Of course I doubt myself from time to time, and I have made mistakes, but I learn each day what works. We had a scare with Jackson this week that sent us all to the doctor to deal with reflux. We've cut back on how much they are eating, and the problem has really corrected itself. The doctor only charged us one 30 dollar co-pay this time, so that was an added bonus. I don't have a lot of time to blog anymore, but I promise to update when I can. I hear the babies stirring, so I'd better go!

Triple the blessings!

It's super early, as I have just finished pumping some milk for the babies. The past 5 days have been a whirlwind for us. Tomorrow I will be discharged and, the babies will be staying in the NICU, which is something I always expected from the beginning of the pregnancy, but that doesn't make it any easier. Jackson and Emma (baby a and c) are progressing very well. They have been breathing and eating on their own for a few days. Brayden (baby B: my biggest baby) has been having a harder time of it all. In multiples he is what they refer to as the wussy/wimpy white male. For some reason, the biggest boy always seems to have a more difficult time. He has not yet been able to be taken off of the iv, or tried to eat on his own, but he does get some of my milk put in his cheek for the nutrients. He was put on Cpap they evening of their birth, and seeing him struggle to breath has been one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. )Yesterday, the doctor took him off cpap because his chest xray showed that there was some streaking on his right lung that indicated that the pressure from the cpap was causing a few leaks. So, as it is now, he is still receiving oxygen, but through a nasal tube alone. We hope he can stay on this and improve without having to go back to cpap or possibly a ventilator. Brayden was also put on some photo therapy yesterday. Being on the iv for so long has caused him to be a bit jaundice, but we aren't really concerned with that. Finally, the doctor did an ultrasound on his heart and was able to determine that a blood vessel that is supposed to close at birth is still partially open, which can cause lung trouble. However, the doctor referred to a cardiologist and together they determined it was something they were willing to let work itself out, as the drug treatment can usually put a strain on the kidneys and decrease urine output.

We are so blessed to have each of these babies in our lives, and we are equally as thankful that we have such supportive family and friends. Without you guys, we couldn't do this on our own. Please continue to pray for our new family of 5, especially for the babies and for strength and healing for Brayden. Mommy and Daddy can't wait to hold him, but he has to get better first.

They're coming!

That's right! I'm writing from my hospital bed in labor and delivery. When I came to the hospital yesterday for my non stress test, my blood pressure was through the roof. The doctor came down and told me it was time. It is almost 5:21 on Tuesday morning, anf my c-section is scheduled for 7:45. What a night of anxiety I've had! They gave me a sleeping pill, but I barely dozed all night. I'm such a ball of emotions right now. Please keep us in your prayers. I'm not sure what today will hold in store for us, but I will try to keep you updated.

Sleepless in Cullman

Up in the middle of the night, which isn't a strange happening these days. Tonights sleeplessness has 2 culprits. First, I've been having some joint pain on my right hand's middle finger. I assumed at first that I must have slept on it wrong, and figured it would get better with time, until just now when I got up to use the restroom. The finger was kind of locked in the bent position and it popped to straigten it, and after some left hand inspection, I discovered my left middle finger was really sore too. Dr. Google says its from fluid retention and could be carpal tunnel. I plan on mentioning it to my doctor on Monday to see if it's something I should be really concerned about.

Secondly, I spent about 4 hours in labor and delivery Friday afternoon. I went in for my regular appointment, and I felt fine. The ultrasound went great, I've got some big babies in there. It lasted about 30 minutes. After I got up, I went to give urine strip, weigh, and do blood pressure. Only when she was taking my BP, I felt my heart beating all over my body, so I knew it was going to be high. It was 142/100...yuck. So, the doctor sent me down and admitted me. They took my bp every 5 minutes and it seemed to be headed back to normal, but then shot up again. They had me lay on my left side then the numbers started looking great. So the conclusion? Laying/sitting on my back (like for the ultrasound) causes my BP to rise. He had given me a prescription for procardia a while back when I had a few contractions, but I didn't take it because I'm a freak when it comes to medications during pregnancy...but he insisted I take it daily now.

The next step is twice weekly appointments, starting Monday. I have to return to labor and delivery for an anti/non-stress test. Then, I will be seen every Monday and Thursday until he feels it's time to take the babies...which he said would be no later than 35-36 weeks. Wow! It's so close.

31 weeks

Hello all! Just wanted to check in again. Yesterday I was officially 31 weeks pregnant. I have my final 2 week appointment tomorrow, then I will be seen weekly. We are praying that everything continues to go as planned.

It's hard to believe that I could have triplets any time now really. Doc says 36 weeks is the longest he'll let me go, and if I do make it to 36 weeks, the triplets will arrive on my birthday. I'm getting pretty uncomfortable these days. Baby B stays under my right rib, and sometimes breathing or bending is really difficult. I will survive! It's a small price to pay.

Many congratulations are in order for several of my blogging friends. Congrats on your adoptions/pregnancies ladies!!!

I'll try to be more diligent in blogging, but picking up the laptop has become a tad more difficult than I ever expected. Prayers for you all!

27 Weeks

Well, if you want to get technical, I'm 26w6 days. Things have been going well around here, a lot of big changes going on with my house, my body, and my babies. The house has been painted and new carpet has been put down. HUGE difference. My body has grown grown grown, with about a 30 lb weight gain. EEK! My doc says that's good for triplets, but I had gained a lot of treatment weight prior to the pregnancy. The babies are all measuring a little ahead, and today I learned that I have about 8 lbs of baby growing in there! My belly measures full term for a singleton pregnancy, but he assures me I have plenty of room to grow. I ran across a quote from The Sleep Talkin' Man. I follow his blog, and it's one of my guilty pleasures. "I'm not fat. No. It's just my awesomeness swelling up inside me." It made me smile, and I hope some of you could find the humor in it too. Now for a few pictures, and then I'm going to go lay down.



I know I look exhausted...I was! Christmas was fun, but I could hardly manage to keep my eyes open.

Jackson: This picture prompted much confusion from me when I looked at it leaving the office. It's blurry, but it says "face." I could finally make it out.....I'll let you figure it out. =)

Brayden: Profile picture with his mouth wide open. Probably trying to tell me that it was time to eat!
Emma was happily tucked away facing my back. She was being shy, but felt brave enough to show of her leg.

Alright, I'm off! It's time for some more rest! God Bless you all and prayers to you in your journey.

Ultrasound pictures

I wanted to go ahead and give you a glimpse inside my uterus. =) Also, we have names!

Introducing: (pictures were taken at 18w6d --I will be 21w on Wed.)

Jackson Ryder Parks (Baby A)

Brayden Campbell Parks (Baby B)



Emma Lee Parks (Baby C)


We so love the fact that Emma has her hand on her forehead in her picture. I can just imagine what she was thinking with both her brothers kicking her and the ultrasound tech moving all over my belly.

New weird body things:

-My "girls" seem to be leaking just a little. Ah! I know it's early, but from what I'm told it happens.

-Strange tightening/pulling (slight pains when I move too quickly) at the top of my stomach, just under my boobs. I called the doctor today. He very casually says, "Oh yeah, that sounds like your muscles attached to your ribs are stretching and quite possibly ripping away from your ribs. It's completely normal."

-Not so new, but ever growing belly hair. I noticed an increase of hair just about everywhere as soon as I found out I was pregnant, but now it's kind of starting to look like a happy trail.

Some recent Reflections:

-Thanksgiving- Very bittersweet for me as November 27th was my due date for my first pregnancy. I have very conflicting emotions about this day. I know that without experiencing the loss of our little angel, I would not have these precious babies growing inside of me now. However, I still miss that baby and grieve over the loss.

-I do have so much to be Thankful for now. In fact there are too many to list in one single post.

-Tomorrow is my last day of work before modified bed rest. I also have mixed feelings about that. I will miss my co-workers and students, but I am relieved that I can take it easy for these babies now. We FINALLY found the perfect replacement today. We interviewed 3 today, and I told my principal I just had a good feeling about one in particular, so he went with my feeling and offered him the job!

-The girls at work are throwing me a shower tomorrow at work. Initially, when they told me they were going to do this I freaked out because it's so early, but they really allowed me to set up some boundaries, so I feel comfortable now. It's now just a gift card shower, and I've also made commitment cards for donations of sick days. They can't really donate until I'm out of my own days, but I figured the more I could get to commit to it now, the better off I'd be. The school nurse said she'd email out a reminder when I was out of days so everyone wouldn't forget to fill out the appropriate paperwork for donations.

Well, I'm off to figure out what to eat for dinner. Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving.

Happenings

I know I've been the worst blogger ever, so I thought I'd give some of you what you've been asking for.
20 weeks 1 day

I've been trying for quite some time to upload the latest ultrasound pictures, but for some reason when I hit the upload picture icon, nothing happens. So, It'll have to wait until next time.

Finally, 20 weeks in...this is starting to feel real. At the same time, I'm beginning to become terrified. You try for so long to get pregnant, that once you finally do, it's almost like shell shock. Don't misunderstand me here...I want nothing more than to be a mother, and I am thrilled that I am pregnant. It's just been difficult for me to really see the end result here, and now I'm so worried that these babies are going to come too early. I guess the worrying is just part of it. My husband once asked me when I was going to stop worrying.....I told him I would stop worrying when my children are grown with kids of their own, and it's time for me to go see Jesus.

As I am closing, I realize I haven't told you all the genders of our sweet little trio. So, please pray for my boys, their sister, and their mom and dad!