Our 3 Miracles

On tuesday July, 28,2009, Julianne and I welcomed our sweet little babies here to earth. Julianne came in for a clinic on monday. They soon realized that they need to admit her due to the fact that she was experiencing symptons on pre-eclampsea. She was retaining all of the fluid on monday. So they decided to give her a shot to help develop the lungs for the babies and give a booster shot on tuesday. Things got progressivley worse and the decision was that they were going to take the kids on tuesday. I was at work when julianne called me and told me that I should come because we were going to be having kids in a half hour. I rushed up to the University of Utah hospital and got there at about 10:30 and they wheeled her in to get preped at 11:00. They came and got me and 11:30 and at that time they did a c-section. Our babies were born at 11:40, 11:41, and 11:42. First to come out was the boy, which we named Hunter John Ricketts which he weighed 3lbs 10oz. The next was our sweet baby girl which we named Madison Ricketts and she weighed in at 3lbs. 8oz. Our next little sweatheart was a little harder to come out and she was our little one that was not growing as fast as the others, but she came out weighing at 2lbs. 14oz. She was the first one off of the c-pap. She pulled the c-pap and tube out of her mouth and started to breathe room temperature not even an hour after being out. The other two were off of there c-paps the same day. All are breathing on there own at room temperature. Which is amazing to me. They started there feedings already, with some sugar and electrolites and today started them on some minerals and vitamins. They are now taking up to 8 tenths of a ounce. I get to go in every two hours and check there temperatures, change there diapers, check there vitals. It is just amazing. Being there with them is the most precious thing in the world. I love these little ones so much, and I know that we have had a lot of prayers and a lot of phone calls and just a lot of people checking up on us and juliannne and I just want to thank everyone for there thoughts and prayers it really mean a lot to both of us. Julianne in the meantime is still really sick. She is on some pretty strong medications and have gotten her to get up and walk around. She still has a lot of fluid left that needs to come out and she is still pretty swollen. She is a trooper and I can't thank her enough for everything that she has been through. She has beaten the odds and have kept these babies inside her small little body for so long and it shows in our little kids. I love her! I will try and post some pictures up. The NBICU have taken a lot of pictures for us and we have taken a lot of pictures. When I get time I will post some of them up! Thanks again everyone!

Soon to be PARENTS

I am not really sure how to blog or if I am even doing this right. I just wanted to let everyone know that they are going to be delivering our babies on wednesday, via c-section. Not sure yet what time. With all of the tests that they have been running on julianne they feel it best if the kids on wednesday. I hope all goes well and I will try to update as soon as anything changes!

30 weeks and pregnancy why's....

WOOT WOOT! I made it to 30 weeks! Can you believe it? I sure can't. I'm so happy to have made it to such another big milestone. It is huge fore the babies. The average length of triplet pregnancies lasts 30-32 weeks so I have made the goal. The doctor is excited and happy to have made it to this point, especially with doing as well as I have! I have been extremely blessed to be able to carry these 3 babies. I truly did not know if I could make it. Even the doctor didn't know what to expect because I am so short and have other medical issues. I know there are many mom's out there that have gone through a lot more than me with their pregnancies but really this has been one of the hardest things I have ever done. The pass 3 weeks I wasn't sure if I could make it to this goal and I'm so happy I have.

Here are the "whys" of pregnancy that talk about a few things I have been going through that I just don't understand sometimes...

-Why does nausea come back at the end of pregnancy?

-Why is nausea the worse when you lay down and are trying to sleep?

-Why do my babies tell me that I am starving yet my stomach is so smashed I can hardly fit any food? It's not a comfortable joke.

-Why does my baby boy (also known as baby A, the lowest baby) think that every single night when I'm ready to go to sleep he needs to wake up? It causes serious issues with my bladder.

-Why do you feel like you are going to pee your pants and then hardly any comes out? (TMI!)

-Why am I told to drink more fluid to help with all the fluid I'm holding in my legs? It doesn't help, it just makes me have to deal with the prior why.

-Why is it that no matter the number of pillows, kicking Brack into another bed, and taking sleeping medication I still can't get a good nights rest?

-Why is it that water can even give me heartburn?

-Why do I have to have so much fluid in my legs that I can hardly bend my knees?

-Why does baby C always push against anything that touches her? She doesn't like to be bugged. (We're in for it)

-Why do the babies move like crazy until someone besides me touches my belly?

-Why does pregnancy cause you to forget EVERYTHING? I used to think this was fake until I got pregnant. You really lose brain cells I think.

-Why, no matter how hard I try, can I not avoid spilling on myself at every single meal? It drives Bracken nuts!

Ok that is all that I can think of for now. Some of those things I know the answers to, but I want to remember some of the things that I have experienced.

28 1/2 weeks

30 weeks baby!

So for week 30, I have an appointment tomorrow. We will have an ultrasound to see how big the babies are and I can't wait to see. I hope they are big and healthy. As of now my blood pressure is still creeping up. It is 140-150/80 but has been at this point for a little over a week now. They checked me at my last appointment and there were no signs of pre-eclampsia. I had a steroid shot to mature the babies lungs already. That made me happy because I felt like if anything happens we will be ready now. I am holding a TON of fluid on my whole body but mostly the bottom half. I look like I have elephant feet and no knees. It is annoying. At first it would go down at night but now it is just constant. Little boy is just sitting so low that he is cutting off circulation. I keep my legs up almost all day and as long as they are up they do not hurt. Once they are down and the circulation is worse, the pain comes. I mainly feel it in my knees and ankles. The doctor doesn't seem to be too concerned with it. It could be a sign of pre-eclampsia but we are watching that so closely and I do not have it yet :) It is just annoying and uncomfortable for me. I still have not been placed on Dr. ordered bed rest but because of this puffiness and lack of energy I do spend about 90% of my time down. I do not go out shopping or running errands but I occasionally go to my parents or to get a bite to eat with Brack. As of last week I was measuring 44 weeks! If you can imagine, I'm big and uncomfortable. I don't have a lot of clothes that fit over my belly or my big, fluid filled legs, so I'm in my pajamas most of the day. Other than that, not a whole lot is going on. We are basically done with the nursery and organizing all of the clothes, etc. There is still a little decorating I would like to do but it might have to happen after these little ones come.

Bracken has been such a huge help while I have been down more. He is busy and stressed at work and comes home and is busy taking care of me and the house. He doesn't complain and just wants what is best for me and the kids. He knows I am quite miserable and tries to do anything to help. He is going to be such a good dad, I cannot wait!

Also, my family has been such a huge help. I really don't know if I could have made it this far without them, especially my mom and sister. They have been there to drive me around, take me to doctor appointments, feed me, help with the babies room, rub my puffy legs, paint my toenails, etc. They have been amazing. I cannot thank them enough for all that they have done for us.

This post has ended up being a lot longer than I had planned. I just want to be sure to document when I can because I'm not the best at writing in my journal lately. I'm excited to go to my appointment tomorrow to see what the plan is and how things are going. I can't believe I could be a mommy so soon! Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers. I know I could not have made it even to this point without them. We are so blessed.

Happy 4th of July!!!

I had to get a post in here about the 4th! This is one of my absolute favorite holidays. I made a goal to myself to stay out of the hospital until after the 4th so that I could enjoy it with my family. I was SO happy to meet my goal. It wasn't the exact same as every 4th because I couldn't do as much but I still loved it!

Earlier in the week my sister Kristina and her cute kids, Jake, Emma, and Pete came up to play for a few days since they weren't going to be able to spend the 4th with us. We had fun blowing bubbles, doing a little swimming, and of course playing on the jungle gym (a.k.a. uncle Bracken).

Little Em with her makeup on. She is gorgeous.

Say "Cheese"--cute Pete!

Snuggling "Nana"

Emma snuggling with McCoy

Brack started the day off by going to the DATC with his dad for the annual breakfast, which he loved like usual. For the first time my family decided to stake out a place the day before for the parade to be sure I had shade and a big enough spot for us. It was genius. Jeff and Brack picked a perfect spot toward the beginning of the parade so we were able to make it out of there quickly. We had a nice canopy, chairs, (I sat on a lawn chair with my puffy feet up), and had a cooler ready for drinks. All of our planning was great but it did up being PERFECT weather for a parade. It was warm but cloudy so we wen't dying from the heat. It ended up being my parents, my sister Nat, her hubby Jeff, and their boy McCoy and us. McCoy loved everything about the parade. He couldn't stop clapping! It really got me excited to add 3 little ones to the festivities next year. After the parade Brack and I went to his parents for a little lunch. I then went home to sleep while Brack swam with his family. It was hard to pass up swimming but my sleep is oh so important ;) Later during the day we went to my parents for a BBQ and fireworks. My brother Bobby and his family came over and my nephews all did a little swimming in the kiddy pool at my parents. I love watching them all play. I love them to death!!! This is little Gavin, getting so big now! I still can't believe that once my babies are born my parents will have 6 grandkids within 1 year of each other. It's going to be SO crazy and SO fun!

Mom, Dad, Nat, and Jeff (we all had matching 4th of July shirts, aren't we cute?)

Cute Brack, even though he won't smile

Our candy grabbers

McCoy enjoying the parade

My set up at the parade. Hate the pictures these days but have to document things...

McCoy playing with me

Cute 4th of July baby with his cousins :)

Me and baby Gavin

Cousin loves--McCoy and Brody

After playing with the kids and stuffing our face, we went out and Brack set off some of his own fireworks. It was fun to do because Brack and I haven't done our own ever since we were married. Once again, little McCoy LOVED it! By the time we finished that, I was EXHAUSTED!! Although I spent most of the day trying to keep my legs up, my feet and legs hurt so bad. So we headed home from my parents and as we got close decided to park and watch the Kaysville fireworks. Of course, they were awesome. Kaysville really knows how to throw a party on the 4th. There is nothing like it! I was so glad to be able to enjoy the holiday! I cannot believe next year it will be so differnt with the kids. I cannot wait!

Brody playing with "snaps"

Harley during the fireworks, she actually did really good

Brack doing his fireworks.

We hope everyone had a great holiday!

"I'm a Rockstar!"

Yay! I have made it to my next goal, 28 weeks. I cannot believe it. I finally am in the "safe zone" according to my doctor. At this point if the babies were born they would be fully developed, just small and need to grow. I had an appointment last Wednesday and things are still looking good. I heard all 3 heartbeats, which still amazes me. I also got measured and I am measuring 41 weeks!!! Yes I said 41 weeks. I have grown huge lately but hope it just means that I have growing babies. At just over 26 weeks baby A measured 2 lbs. 7 oz., baby B measured 2 lbs. 3 oz., and baby C measured 1 lbs. 15 oz. So all good sizes at that point!!

My cervix was checked and I'm not dilated but I am 50% effaced which they said is normal at this stage. My doctor and his nurse midwife were so excited with where I am at this point. They both told me I was a rockstar and that I was awesome. It was quite the pick-me-up that I needed :) So although, I'm having contractions everyday, they aren't too worried because it hasn't made a change in my cervix. I do have to take a medication, nefedipine, when I have 5 or more in an hour. If that doesn't slow them down, I have to go into the hospital. So far, it has worked good though. I also started being a little puffy this past week but it has gotten A LOT worse the pass 3 days. I can have my feet down for 5 minutes and the circulation is cut off and bam, I have huge legs and feet. It stinks. I'm holding so much fluid in my ankles and knees that they constantly hurt. I have been checking my blood pressure multiple times daily though to make sure I don't have pre-eclampsia and sure enough the blood pressure is low. So we'll see what the Dr. thinks on Wednesday.

Things are definetely changing at a faster pace with my body and it is hard sometimes but I'm so happy to make it to this point and hope to at least last a little longer. If it weren't for the puffiness, contractions, nausea, and fatigue I'd feel great :) (I can't lie and say everything is super easy.) But it is all worth it each and everytime I feel these babies kick inside me. I pray that they will continue to grow and be healthy! Each day in is a big blessing. I'll update on the babies again after my appointment on Wednesday, hoping to still be able to be home and not in the hospital.

Here is a picture of me at 27 and a half weeks. Wowsers :)









Also I had a few more FAQ's asked after my last post so I'll answer those. Feel free to ask any questions you want :)


#1- Are you planning on having a c-section? I am planning on a c-section. From what I have read about 95% of mothers of triplets have c-sections. The risk of a normal delivery is too much for me to think of. Plus, baby A (who will come out first) is breech right now and has been the whole time. The dr. doesn't think that he will turn so there would be no choice if that is the case. Regardless though, my doctor and I are planning on a c-section and I'm happy with that. I know they scare a lot of people but they don't scare me, maybe because I knew from the beginning that is what I would most likely do.

#2- What are you doing for a car? Do you have to get a van? Well luckily about 9 months ago, before the babies, we bought a Honda Pilot. I actually wanted a smaller SUV but Brack talked me into the Pilot and we got a killer deal on it so I really couldn't say no. I LOVE my car! We can fit 3 car seats in the middle seat and all the gear in the back (if we don't have to put up the 3rd seat). So for us, it will work good. Chances are that we will eventually need a van but we are going to stick with the Pilot for now.

#3- What carseats did you get? We got Graco Snugride car seats. They fit the best for 3 in a row and were the best cost for the quality. So far, we are happy with them :)

That's all for now. I'll be posting about July 4th soon. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weeked!!