20 weeks and growth spurt!

Here's my 20 week picture! Wow have I grown! So far, so good! I've gained a whopping 35lbs so far - really most of it in the last 8 weeks (since seeing the dietitian). I've got an OB appointment on Thursday, so will post another update then! Oh! Exciting news too! We've picked names!

Brennan Nicholas
Landon James
Brooklyn Danielle
Katelyn Marie

We're not sure who will be who and very well may not decide until after they're born! The boys middle names are after Nich (his middle name is James). Danielle is after Nich's Dad, Daniel. Katelyn is from my grandma's middle name, Kathleen. Marie is my mom's middle name. It's hard to pick 1 name, let alone 4, but we're real happy with them. :)

Thank You!

Thanks so much for all of you who have blown us away with your kindness and generosity as we prepare for these babies! I think total we have seen about 150 people at showers (who are all on babysitting list when they get here! :) and we are overwhelmed with your love! Britt took pictures and posted them from a shower and I'm gonna take the easy way out - click here for Britt's post of the shower! :) If any of you have other pictures, we'd love to have a copy so we can show them just how many people helped us get ready for them, well before they were born. We are so blessed!

I also wanted to thank everyone who has been praying for these little guys! Last week, after one of my dr appointments, there was an older woman waiting for her husband to get the car, a complete stranger just making conversation. She said it looked like I was almost due and wished me good luck, I said actually I'm only 4 months with quads! After the shock and her immediate "shut up!" :), she put her hand on my shoulder and said "know I am praying for you, everyday this stranger is praying for you." I promise not to get sappy, but sometimes Nich & I are just overwhelmed by the encouragement and support we feel from each one of you! It is going to be such an incredible road ahead, and we definitely cannot do it on our own. We have a body of believers praying these miracles through - and us too!

19 weeks

Time for another comparison!! Here's me 8 months pregnant with Hailey....



Now 19 weeks (almost 5 months) preggo with the Quads!



Things are still going pretty well! Had a couple small contractions this weekend, but nothing hydration and relaxation couldn't cure! :) I've gained 30 lbs so far, it's just piling up while I'm on bed rest. Some days I think "man, I should've eaten more", but when I look back at all I did eat that day, it's far more than I usually do! My feet have started swelling quite a bit more and way more easily so it's been fine with me to keep them elevated. The doctors did give me some exercises to do to keep up my circulation. I've also started creating a list:

Best and Worst of Bed Rest

Best -
Get to sleep in
Piling on the pounds
Relaxing on the couch/bed all day
Netflix
Watching the babies move all day
Having time to catch up and get organized

Worst -
Have to sleep downstairs - Nich does tuck me in at night though! :)
Messy house and can't do much about it
Daytime Television

Luckily I have the MOST AMAZING husband who is Dad, Mom, Breadwinner, Chef and Cleaner all in one! I continually thank him for yet the 30th refill of my water bottle and ice cream :).

We also had a couple great showers over the past couple days, a HUGE thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generosity, support and constant encouragement!

Planning a wedding

It's true! Ever since our cousin Christine & Kurtis' wedding a couple weeks ago Hailey has been planning her wedding. Here's proof! Luckily her prince is Daddy :)

Think she's been to a lot of weddings lately?!



She has been looking at Nich & I's wedding album just about everyday. She's all dolled up with her pink princess dress, bracelets, veil and glass slippers. She's pretty insistent that she's wearing a pink dress on her wedding day and I get to wear my white dress (my wedding dress). I wouldn't be a bit surprised if everything during her wedding is pink - look out prince!



After the wedding, here's Hailey dancing at her party! (That what she calls a reception) Here's a video of her dancing to her Daddy's beat. Nich is humming the beat to a song and Hailey is dancing right with the beat. We've got a performer on our hands.

4 Big Babies!

We had the second half of our anatomy ultrasound yesterday, continuing to measure and find each of their tiny parts. Each baby measured right on target, actually well above target for weight! The boys are 10 oz and girls are 9 oz, which puts them in the 90th percentile for single babies! The perinatologist told us they most likely won't keep this up, but they have a great start! Each baby looks great and they were all showing off quite a bit this time! Here's the much awaited pics!

All 4! Babies A & B are boys on top and C & D are girls on the bottom row.



Baby A - just chillin! When they were scanning him, they saw 4 feet right on top of his head! This little guy is really squished, but keeping up with everyone else!



Sweet baby boy B! The placenta is the fluffy looking stuff right above his face. Keep this little guy especially in your prayers. Yesterday they saw air pockets, little systs around the part of his brain that makes the fluids. They said this is a sign of an extra chromosome, but he doesn't have any of the other signs. These babies are usually much smaller than the others, and he was actually the biggest! The doctor considered it a normal variance and not anything to worry about. We're praying he continues to keep up with everyone else and these go away. We have another ultrasound in 4 weeks and they'll take another look then.



Baby B laughing! We actually saw his mouth opening and closing!



Baby C, she wasn't up for many pictures.



Baby Girl D - this one was twisting and moving all around!

We absolutely love ultrasound time! For 2 hours we just watch in awe as we get a glimpse inside and can see their personalities. They also measured my cervix - it was 3.6 cm. Last ultrasound, 3 weeks ago it was 3.9, so a little smaller but longer than the norm. It was a long, long day so I rested on the couch for the entire evening, not really doing much. We saw the dietitian yesterday at 1, got blood drawn at 2:15, then ultrasound at 2:30. Way to much for one day! Got a good report from the dietitian too - I've gained 28 lbs total! 6 lbs since last Thursday! That's what bed rest will do for ya! :)

Thanks for all your prayers and encouragement! God is so good!

Officially on bed rest...

You might get sick of my blog now!! :) Today the highlight of my day was that I clipped and painted my toenails! Not sure how much longer I'll be able to reach them - actually have to tell you I did one foot at a time with 15 minute break in between to stretch back out! I've emailed, read, watched TV, ate a lot and took a nap. I'm going to have to come up with a schedule to pass my 12 weeks of bed rest. Got a couple projects lined up. The doctor said I need to be resting with my feet up, luckily that'll help the weight pile on easier. :) The babies are supposed to be doubling and in size over the next couple weeks so I will need all the energy and comfort I can get.

On a different note, this miraculous pregnancy has really strengthened by relationship with God, daily I put my faith in Him and trust He's got these babies in His hands. On Sunday we sang a song, "from this moment on, for the rest of my days I want to offer up my life as a sacrifice of praise." That could never be more true. God has truly blessed us with 4 healthy babies and I want our life and our family to be a testament to His awesomeness! The doctors are saying this is the healthiest set of quadruplets they've seen yet, and I'm not surprised. God has a plan for these little guys and daily, no matter how exhausted and stressed we may get, I want to remember these are 4 little miracles He's entrusted us with.

When Nich gets home I'll take an 18 week picture. :)

17 week update

Still going strong! My belly grows every couple days! Sunday I hit the gain 20lb mark! I was so excited I almost called the dietitian, but I'll see her next week. I have a dr appointment this Thursday and we're planning on bed rest starting this weekend. We'll see! I'll post after the appointment to let you all know! On an exciting note, I can feel the babies quite a bit now! I can't wait until Nich can feel them!

4 months and still trucking!

I know I haven't posted too much, I have been EXHAUSTED! Growing 4 babies really takes the energy right out of you! Here's the 16 week picture...for both of us! (Hailey's babies are growing great too!) So far I've gained 18lbs! Just 2lbs shy of my goal for July. If I gain 20lbs in August we'll be in great shape! I've updated the post below for the ultrasound too - take a look at the miracles God is making!