The ABC's of Love...

If you have been following along for a while, you know that our multiples have been "Baby A", Baby "B", and Baby "C", as we've progressed through this crazy, roller-coaster-like journey that is Gestational Surrogacy with Triplets.   As kids tend to do, they threw us a little curve-ball when they arrived, and changed up the batting order for the starting line-up last week.

Baby "A", aka Caitlin Marie,(4# 14oz, 18") was always our "Baby A", the larger of the two girls.  She is shaping up to be a natural born leader, as most first-born children usually become. 

Baby "B" was our son during pregnancy, but he got "sent down" to the little leagues, and our (former) Baby "C" took his place.   Kelsie Jeanne decided that she would be 2nd born, after almost 34 weeks of  being in the back-seat.  She is small, coming in at just 3# 11oz, and 17"; but don't count her out!  In just a few short days, she has proven in many ways that she is the stronger of the three.

Baby "C" - formerly "Little Girl Houdini" - is now our son, Riley Connor.  He appeared last, but the largest - 5# 4oz, 17".    Riley came out of the Operating Room in the best condition, but took a few steps back on his birthday.  He LOVES to be wrapped up, and under blankets (just like his Daddy!), and he is showing signs of being very independant. 

As I write this post, I am sitting in the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit, aka: NICU, at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, California.   We've had a busy few days, but have finally settled into the NICU/Hospital routine.  The staff her has been AWESOME!! Not only have they been taking care of the kids, but - as I'm sure they do all too often - they have been slowly training Daddy Aaron and Papa Sid.   So far, we are taking temperatures, and diapering.  We've began to help moving the babies, and re-positioning.  We are definitely Daddies-in-Training !

Our babies wound up being born at 33 weeks + 6 days gestation.  In the Triplet world, that is AWESOME!!   Heidi out-did herself.  We will post some details of the "main event" soon - I'm not up to that just now.  Luckily she was discharged from the hospital on Monday, and is home recouperating.   Our families were able to be here to meet our new arrivals; they've all gone home to work and school now, but will be back over the long weekend.   Otherwise, Sid and I are content to hang out in the NICU, starting into our childrens eyes, and rotating the "Daddy Time" holding schedule.

The "Team" headed to the Big Show !! Guys are dressed in "Daddy Suits"

The Kids have arrived !

They are here!!

Born 8/26 at 10:07, 10:08, and 10:09 Pacific time!

• Caitlin Marie -  4# 14oz,  18"  
• Kelsie Jeanne -  3# 11oz,  17"   
• Riley Connor -  5#   4oz., 17"   

Our Awesome SurroMom, New Dads, and Babies are all doing well... More pictures to follow soon !

We are Banded !! One for each Baby, and the Green one for the NICU

"The Parent Zone".... Getting Closer !

We made it past 32 weeks, woo hoo! There are so many reasons that this is good news, of course the main one is that the kids will be that much healthier when they do finally come, however another great benefit is that everything that we haven't accomplished yet we can try to get accomplished (finally!).

First things first... The most recent doctors appointments continue to report good news. Heidi and the babies are all doing great! The babies continue to grow, and all of them should be over 4# now (estimated weight), which is great! The ultrasounds continue to show lung development, and who knows how they are doing this, but they are flip-flopping all around and keeping the Doctors guessing who is who.

Next... Must get stuff closer the the babies: We packed up the car on 8/19, and off we drove to California. After a pit-stop in LA visiting Sid's Family, it was north to Sacramento. The drive wasn't bad at all, it really helped to stretch it out over a few days. We drove right up to Sacramento, and met at Heidi & Jeremy's house to hang out. Sid made dinner for everyone, and we had a very nice visit. On Sunday, we headed over to the hospital to give Sid some idea of where he needed to go when he came back to the hospital with "other things" on his mind. We were also able to get the hotel situation figured out. Everything is falling into place... Go team !

Beyond being week #33 this week, there were some other significant events. Heidi has been driven to make it beyond 8/24 for two reasons: that day is both her oldest son's birthday, and was supposed to be her youngest sons first day of school. All was going well, until - boom (literally)!! There was a rail-car tanker fire in Heidi's neighborhood - a tanker car full of Propane caught on fire! Yikes! Not only just a simple fire - this one has made the national news. Thank goodness no evacuation so far - this is so not a stress that she needed . Hopefully things work out. Since they used the school for an evac center, school was delayed. If all works out, hopefully first day of school will be Monday.

On the delivery front, assuming there are no surprises, we will find out just after Labor Day when the scheduled c-section might be. We are getting so close! Sid and I are anxious to meet our children, but another week or two would be awesome. 35 week Triplets are very rare, but its looking like a possibility. We really feel blessed.

The countdown continues.... Thanks for stopping by !

Car Packed and time to go North !

P.E. - and not the "Sweaty Sock kind"...

For any of you that are familiar with Surrogacy, you might understand the title.   For those of  you that don't, let me explain.... One of the more peculiar parts of the surrogacy process is that after months of bonding with your Surrogate, her family, and friends, and forging a life-long friendship, the "IP's" (Intended Parents) are forced to sue the surrogate, and her husband if she is married.   We were shocked!  We don't want to sue this wonderful woman and her husband.... but that is actually the only way for us to be named the legal parents of the children.   It kind of makes sense, its hard to argue the "parental" relationship when the children are still in the surrogates womb, but it is still a little harsh!

The process is known as "Parental Establishment".... and I'm very glad to report that Sid and I are now the full legal parents of our genetically related children - Baby A, B, and C.   The original judgement was entered in July, and due to  technical issues, the amended judgement was entered on August 1, 2011, officially severing the rights of our surrogate and her husband, and naming Sid and I as parents!!   We are so excited!   With the judgement entered, the hospital is now "compelled" by the Court to issue the birth certificates in both of our names, and according to our wishes.   This is the last legal hurdle we had to get through, and thank goodness the "paperwork" portion of this process is coming to an end, and the fun part is about to begin... the part where we can hold, kiss, and snuggle with the babies!!

So, since we've just sued her, would it be wrong to refer to her belly as "our kiddie storage locker"??  That is probably going too far, huh??   Just kidding - we  have so much respect and admiration for everything she is doing.  Things are getting crowded inside and uncomfortable, but this is the "million dollar" smile that she still has.... she is just AMAZING !!  As I write this, we are over 1/2 way through our 32nd week, with 3 very active babies still "hanging in there" (literally).   Everything is going well, and we couldn't feel more blessed.  

Thanks for stopping by to catch up with our journey!

Heidi at 31 weeks and going strong !

Papa Bear Builds a Chair...

Things are definitely in high-gear around here these days!  Sid and I had another "marathon" Babies R'Us day on Saturday.  The plan was to just "fill in the gaps" with a "few things" we needed for when the babies come home...  3 hours, and about $1,500 later... we left with "just a few things".   There were some big purchases in the mix - a Rocking Chair, and a Video Monitor to name a few.   Luckily all of the gift cards from friends and family came in very handy, and significantly reduced the out-of-door cost for us... Thanks again everyone!

This week the nursery was painted.  We kinda gave in to the pressure of a new choice, and decided to keep the room the same colors it was (3 walls beige, and 1 dark green) - besides a profound lack of creativity in finding a nursery theme for 2 girls and 1 boy - we thought the existing colors would go well with the jungle/monkey (ie: 3 little monkies) theme we finally decided on.   Our GREAT friends, and long-time housepainters, John and Marcella, came over Tuesday and put a fresh coat of paint on the walls.  They are such great people!

Now the hard work... final placement of the furniture.  On the plus side, the "damaged" changing table hutch was delivered on Wednesday, and the rocking chair came in also... things are falling into place!

Here are a few pictures of Sid building the chair.  I told him that I would build the ottoman (it came put together in the box already...) if he built the chair... haha....

Harry and Sid concentrating hard...

My two "guys"... soon to get a new member of the club... Baby Boy "B"

Only a few more screws left...

Ahhh... Comfy !

We are gonna spend A LOT of time in this chair I have a feeling...