Babies! Babies! Babies! BABIES!!!

The babies are HERE and doing FINE!!

Amber and Mike made a good team!!

I have no idea which baby this is.......

Mike did a great job of taking pics.

We were just outside the OR waiting for them.....

They are all doing GREAT!!

I could hear 3 out of 4 of them crying!

Two to a crib!

It's been a big party around here today!

Amber did an amazing job!!

She is now back in her room and beginning the recovery process.

She is so thirsty she just wants to stick her head in a bucket of water and DRINK!!

Louis Dean and I are off to the NICU to see these precious babies!!

I'll post more pics later.

Thanks for being a part of all the joy of this day!!

Delivery Day!!!

They have just taken Amber to the OR.

She has been having heavy contractions for the past 15 hours!

My beautiful daughter and son in law......

Time to go.......

 I just wanted to take a minute to share this moment with all of you who have been such a part of this Quad Squad Journey. Thank you for each prayer.

She is basically a 30 weeker! Praise God!

This fourth baby warmer is just outside the OR ready and waiting.

My next post will be of the BABIES!!!!

Now I am off to hover around the OR door where they said they would wheel the babies by for us to see them on their way to NICU.

After an hour we will get to go up and spend some time with them.

I can't tell you how thrilled, humbled, scared and excited I am!!

The First Official 'Unofficial' Prediction!

Today marks 29 weeks 4 days 18 hours.

While this has been such a tough ordeal for Amber - the nurses have been such a blessing to her!

Yesterday one of her favorite nurses - and she has several - finished her 48 hour shift and officially started her vacation......by dropping by Amber's room for a visit!
Lisa is such a breath of fresh air and always has a smile and words of encouragement!
She also made the very first official UNOFFICIAL prediction as to when this Quad Squad will make its appearance!

SHE predicts 6/4/2012

June - because Amber wanted 'Summer' babies.

Four - for QUADS!

All even numbers.

Sounds good to me.

She even predicted the birth weights:

Harrison - the BIG 'Little Man' - 3 lb 3 oz

Trystan - the Gatekeeper - 3 lb 0 oz

Kailey - 2 lb 8 oz

Logan 2 lb 14 oz.

Amber's birthday is next Wednesday.

Amber's GRANDMA has a June 6th birthday.

That's my girl! She is such a trouper.

Today has been a 'berry bad day' as she used to say.

The mag IV or the preclampsia - who knows which! - has given her such a bad case of double vision she can't even see people's faces. The doctor lowered the mag IV down a notch so hopefully this will help.

The sonogram this morning showed all four babies still doing great.

I brought Louis Dean up here with me today and we have both been at loose ends.

Bless his heart! We went for a walk and it did him in!

I just found a bench and chilled out.

Speaking of Louis Dean - he left the room when the nurse came in to give Amber her progesterone injection......that was 2 hours ago...... and I haven't seen him since!

I better go look for him.......

It's a Waiting Game!

After being 'off duty' for three days and back at the hospital this morning we continue to play the waiting game.

Amber has been napping off and on all day. She is still having contractions - they just have not escalated as of yet. They will not be giving her any more Indocin because it can now do more harm than good. It is official now. Amber has preclampsia. They are watching her closely. She also decided against another round of steroids which they give to help the babies' lungs. The babies may become stressed due to the preclampsia and the steroids would further stress them.

I was with her when she had her daily sonogram this afternoon. All FOUR babies once again scored 8 out of 8 on the Biophysical Profile. The fluid levels are good on all of them. Breathing, heart rates, EVERYTHING looks good! We are right at 29 weeks 3 days and 17 hours.....and you can tell I AM counting!!

Louis Dean and I enjoyed our Memorial Day. LD had a good time and I have proof!!

Just look at that bathing beauty!

We made a Goodwill run to pick up a couple of swim suits.

This is the very FIRST time LD has been near a pool or beach that he wasn't dressed up all in BLACK!!

It felt good to be out in the sun for awhile.

When we are home we are always working in the yard or something.

Now we have been inside for the most part of the last three weeks.

The vitamin D was wonderful!

Poor Amber. She is a real Beach Babe and hasn't seen the sun other than through her hospital window in some time now!

Amber and Mike were both impressed LD actually got IN the water and did some swimming!! He told the life guard not to laugh! He said, "I'm not. I was just smiling!"

I don't even pretend to swim!

Amber may be a synchronized swimmer and LOVES being underwater -

but I do NOT like to get water in my ears, nose or eyes!

So I simply float around!

It was a beautiful day! Perfect for slicing open a fat watermelon!

We came home to four little doggies sitting pretty for their treats.

Seems like this should be Monday instead of Tuesday.

LD will come with me tomorrow.

We will continue to play this 'Waiting Game!'



Church and a Field Trip.....

I stayed late at the hospital on Friday and - since it was the beginning of a holiday weekend - the Interstates were a disaster! I was stuck on my second highway when I called Mike. He has all sorts of apps for his phone and was able to direct me OFF the freeway and along a quiet UN-intimidating street that meandered through a very pretty section of town before spitting me out at the next Interstate where I could head for home! (Traffic - especially STOPPED dead traffic - has been known to make me feel a touch of panic. I arrived home just in time to join a group of neighbor/friends in the driveway across the street......all chilling in lawn chairs with cold drinks and good conversation! A more gentle evening after a stressful drive!

When we are down here it enables Mike to spend more time with Amber - which is exactly what he does. He takes food in and special treats. By his very presence Amber calms down and can do so much better.....simply knowing he's here with her.

He snapped her 29 week pic!

I am AMAZED at the strength this girl has!

Determination.

Yesterday they were given a tour of the OR......and noticed THREE little baby warmers in there only to then notice ONE MORE sitting beside the alcove with a sign that says:

'For The Quads. Please do not remove.'

Good feeling to know all is prepared and waiting!

You can read all about this at "Quad Squad 29 Weeks!"

So Saturday, Sunday and Monday have been free days for LD and me. What to do??
Saturday we shopped for a few groceries, I sewed on a quilt and we played dominoes, watched TV and gave all the critter care we could. Their dogs and cats + our dog and cat can be pretty good entertainment!

Sunday we went to church.

This is the church where the father of OUR pastor is pastor.

Ed Young being their names!

GREAT service! GREAT message! GREAT music!

 (Choir and orchestra - LD was in heaven!!)

The people were all friendly and the atmosphere was charged with spiritual energy.

We were definitely in need of some.

Let's just say - we got our batteries recharged!

Since we were foot loose and fancy free - and had just checked in with Mike and knew that all was calm for the moment with Amber actually napping - well, Louis Dean and I decided to see some sights!

We chose the San Jacinto Museum of History and Monument.

We rode the 489-foot ride to the top of the monument for some breath taking views!

That's the Battleship Texas out there - something we plan to do on another trip.

Louis Dean found him an old fashioned fruit cake recipe.

I know with every fiber of my being he will be making this come fall!

I imagine the sentence under the caption of Domestic Life was pretty true.

"Texas was heaven for men and dogs; but hell for women and oxen!"

Louis Dean never misses an opportunity to snap a pic!

It was good for us to get out and about for awhile!

All that walking is good exercise!

This was an inspiring......

The Battle of San Jacinto.

By the time our feet grew tired we were ready to head for home.

A good Memorial to visit on this Memorial Day Weekend!

For dinner I made Amber's 'Apple Cider Sausage Skillet Dish!'

This is one of her signature dishes and I followed the directions to a T!

Still......it doesn't taste nearly as good as hers does!

Mike took some up to her when he left this morning.

I am going back tomorrow so for the rest of this day we are going to kick back and relax. We have watermelon, hot dogs and chili. There is BOUND to be SOMETHING on the TV down here. If not - I guess we can always read or play dominoes!

It does feel strange to not have a dozen projects calling our name as would happen if we were home.

Soon enough! But for now we are 'waiting for some babies!'

No 'News' is GOOD News!

All is quiet for the quad report today. I haven't been to the hospital but I have talked to Amber and Mike and they are having a quiet day. 29 weeks!! While she is still contracting - they are more sporadic today and that is good. All these contractions will eventually wear down her cervix but another day in the womb is equal to 3 LESS days in the NICU!

Louis Dean and I have spent the day here with the critters. It has been a HOT day in Texas! The dogs decided to chill out on the concrete and take a nap!

LD made up some sausage/biscuits (adding a fried egg to a couple of them!) for easy grab and go breakfast next week. He uses one pound of Jimmy Dean sausage HOT and 1 pound of the maple cured sausage. Then he mixes them together and comes out with the perfect combination.

I spent a good part of this afternoon working on the birthday quilt for my step son.

Glad I am in Amber and Mike's house because there is enough floor space to spread this HUGE quilt out!! If I were at home it would have been out on the driveway!

I hope to finish this so we can take it to him on our way home - after the quads arrive.

I think I have done enough work for today and LD and I have not played Dominoes in SO Long!! We picked this set up at Goodwill down here for $2.99.

There's a little metal brad in the center of each domino.

It's a nice set but I just read on the bottom of the box that Hornitos is a tequila!

That's okay! I'll just pour us a glass of wine.

Now......let me look at those rules again!

A Better Day!

Today has been a better day for Amber. They started her on Indocin yesterday and the contractions eased up and allowed her to rest some. She actually took a pretty good nap this afternoon sleeping for over an hour and a half!

We are certainly nearing the end of this journey as she just had a couple of long strong contractions. The doctors and nurses all agree this will just go on and on until they get so far along and WON'T stop. Good to know.

Amber's 'Table of Encouragement' holds flowers and cards from friends and family.

The lovely flowers in the foreground just arrived today from Summer.

Flowers really DO have a way of cheering you up every time you look at them!

I took the little blankies home and washed them again.

They are all clean and ready for the big day.

I left Louis Dean at home today doing Critter Care.

I am just about to pack up my stuff and head out.

Not sure if Amber will make it through the weekend!

She feels more comfortable knowing her doctor is on call.

I don't plan to come back until Monday unless the action picks up.

I WILL call and check on her before I put hair color on tomorrow afternoon!

Rhythm and Routine

There is a rhythm and routine to our days and weeks. It is a comfort to be here as Amber is drawing ever closer to the births of her quads.

LD and I do the critter chores every morning, have coffee and do our Bible reading together. I arrive up here at the hospital about eleven-ish after stopping for a Smoothie King, Sonic drink or Starbucks green tea for Amber. We usually pack a home cooked meal for their supper/dinner. There is a small fridge in the alcove area of her hospital room and a microwave by the nurses station. While I am up here Louis Dean stays at the house and practices his music and does housewifely chores! He is just about trained now! Yesterday when I got home he had done the following:

Laundry

Made tuna salad

Did kitty chores

Fed and watered all four dogs and three cats

Cooked some GREAT chicken fried steaks!

He's a pretty amazing fellow!

Since he got so much done.......

we kicked back and put our feet up and spent the rest of the evening out on the driveway!

Every morning LD goes through the scales on his penny whistle.

Snowball comes up to eat as he plays!

Pretty kitty cat!

Here is July in the new bed Amber ordered for her.

Let's just say she sleeps a LOT and stays in her bed so much she completely wore it OUT!!!

Louis Dean comes up with me on Thursday.

I snapped this pic from the NICU floor. We will graduate up here once the babies arrive.

Every day is a rough day for Amber now. Or I should say ROUGHER!!

It is getting harder and harder to get the contractions to stop or at least ease up.

She has been contracting all afternoon and they are lasting longer.

The nurse called the doctor and they started another round of Indocin at 6:00 pm.

Hopefully this will help her make it through the weekend.

Amber is pretty adamant - she does NOT want to have the babies on the weekend and she does NOT want to have them in the middle of the night.

Since Monday is Memorial Day - she probably doesn't want to have them then either.

And if you know Amber - then you know things usually go the way SHE wants them to go. USUALLY! We'll see......

Mike brought in Red Lobster for their dinner tonight.

Louis Dean and I are heading to Casa Maria......

that's become our thing for Thursday.

Who knows what future Thursdays will be like??

28 week 5 days and 20 hours.......and still counting!