"Non-" stress test?

HAPPY 31 WEEKS to everyone!!!!!!

Another busy few days for us!  I went to see my coworkers on Tuesday for a little bit- I miss them so much.  It was great to chat and joke around with them.  I got caught up on events happening on the floor, and even though I halfheartedly offered to hold peoples' pagers for them so they could have a break, no one actually took me up on my offer...  :)

Afterwards, I went on a little trip to the Costco to pick up some things for the house.  It never ceases to amaze me at how oblivious some people can be when there are free samples in their vicinity.  Totally blocking aisles with their carts, refusing to move out of the way when I try to ask them politely, etc.  At one point, I was forced to bring out the "pregnant lady coming through!"

Yep, my maternity swimsuit is pretty

much stretched to the max...

But I have found that most people are at the opposite end of the spectrum.  They offer to help me lift things, open doors, and other helpful things like that.  On Tuesday, there was a very elderly gentleman in the Costco checkout lane that started emptying my cart contents onto the belt because, as he told me, he "didn't want me stretching any more than I had to."  Now forget the fact that given his age and infirmity, I should have probably been helping him with his own cart!  Once they see my tummy, most people go out of their way to be gracious and considerate.  Sometimes I just want to show people that I can open my own door, but I remind myself that they aren't doing this for me- they're doing it for the babes- and that makes it much easier for me to accept their help.

Jason hung the birch trees on the wall-

our nursery's forest theme is really

starting to come together!

On Wednesday, it was all about getting things accomplished at home.  I completed a ton of organizational paperwork in anticipation of our eventual munchkin delivery.  I'm not going to lie- I'm a bit of a nerd at times when it comes to organizing things.  I even typed up a list of my current medications along with space to write when I last took the meds prior to hospitalization (one of my pet peeves when I admit patients myself at the hospital- it's so hard for them to remember this info!).  Janelle was over at the house, and she declared me to be a little bit of an overachiever with that move.  Is it so wrong that I want to make things easier on my nurses?  :)

Closet curtains hung!

A little bit of a sobering note- I finally completed my advanced directive forms Wednesday.  For those of you unfamiliar with this document, it's a form that EVERYONE should take the time to complete (you can find the forms for free online!).  An advanced directive basically lets your doctor, family and friends know your health care preferences that you want, or don't want, at the end of your life.  I've been meaning to do this since my first semester of nursing school and always put it off.  The form itself actually took a very short amount of time to complete, but I feel so much more comfortable heading into a surgical delivery now.  Granted, women have C-sections all the time with few complications.  And most likely the biggest complication I'll have to deal with is a severely stretched out tummy after our munchkins vacate the premises.  But having worked in healthcare (and being a new mommy), it would be so irresponsible of me to go into this surgery without having accounted for any potential drama and complications.

Janelle and I went through our latest shipment

of newborn clothes courtesy of my mom's book

club friends.  They are so sweet!  (both

the clothes and the book club ladies!!)

Absolutely love them-

Janelle and I hung curtains in the nursery, did some more laundry for the babes, stocked the drawers with more newborn clothes... it's becoming a real nursery!!  We also packed my bag for the hospital, and because you can't be too prepared, we even stocked the newly arrived diaper bag with essentials too.  I'm waiting to see what size the peanuts are when they pop out before I throw diapers and outfits in there though...

Hospital bag packed and ready to go...

I found out Wednesday that the doctors want me to start doing twice weekly "non-stress tests".  Dr. Gilbert had originally mentioned that I'd start them doing week 32, but Dr. McElvey decided to have me start them during week 31.  No big deal- bring on the tests!  During a non-stress test, I get hooked up to monitors that can track each babe's heartbeat.  During the 30ish minutes of the test, their heartbeats are monitored to see if they accelerate after fetal movement.  If they do that at least twice for a certain length of time during the test, they pass.

A proper indication of how big my belly is now-

Jason has to tie my shoes for me.  I can't reach

too well!

I was a little nervous going into the test because it was a new experience for me.  It took the nurses a while to be able to get each of the babes on the monitors-- and it actually took three of us to hold down the devices on my belly (and track the babies) because the babies were moving around so much!  All three of the babies passed with flying colors.  In fact, Baby A (the one whose lower weight gain is most concerning to the doctors) was actually the most active and passed the test before his brothers.  He was a little motor boat throughout the entire test!  But the important thing is that all three of them did really well and passed.  I'm so proud of our little munchkins- they're little superstars and they haven't even been born yet!

Baby shower

Just over a week ago, Jason's coworkers threw a baby shower in our honor.  It was so incredibly sweet of them to do so, and it was a fun time had by all (I didn't know before that you could fit almost 200 jelly beans in an 8 oz baby bottle!).  What made me the happiest about that day, however, was seeing how supportive Jason's coworkers are of him.  Since we announced our pregnancy to the world at large, I have personally been surrounded by coworkers that have been nothing short of amazing in supporting me.

But I think (luckily so!) that is perhaps a more natural extension of the caliber of coworkers I am blessed with and the nature of my profession.  Nurses by their very calling are caretakers of others, and my coworkers have continued to exemplify that in their actions (seriously- how blessed am I to get to work with my idea of what dream coworkers should be at the tender age of 32?).  The next statement may be naive or shortsighted of me, but I wouldn't necessarily expect a host of accountants and commercial real estate developers to conduct themselves in the same way.

Jason's coworkers did a little

creative decorating for the shower

So it made my heart smile to watch Jason's coworkers that day and observe the way that they have pulled together to follow our story and take care of Jason.  If I'm remembering correctly, Jason has worked for that company for around 12 years, and they have really grown to be another family for him.    My coworkers have become a sort of newish California family for me, and I'm so grateful that my beautiful husband has the same...

A close up of their version of our "future baby"

Jason and I did some shopping this past weekend for the babies, running to a few stores to pick up some needed things for the nursery.  I have some curtains to hang once they arrive from Minnesota.  My mother, who is quite talented at sewing, has been working on them for the munchkins' room.  It almost wouldn't seem right to call it a nursery without some of her sewing handiwork in there!  After that, Mom will be making bedskirts for all three cribs as well.  I don't think that many new mommas can brag about having their own personal sewing craftswoman on retainer!  After that, I want to switch out the framed picture that I currently have hanging in there (a large poster print of one of my favorite places in the Boundary Waters- although I love the print, I think the room needs something different).

The latest version of the sign hanging

outside of Jason's office- they just keep

adding to it!

I've been slowly going through the nursery and prepping smaller things for the babies' arrival...
-setting out possible "coming home" outfits for the munchkins
-washing/folding blankets and swaddlers
-putting garbage bags in the diaper caddy
-making up the cribs with sheets so they are ready for sleeping babies!
-prepping new bottles for the dishwasher so they are ready when the babes come home
-gathering together the supplies we'll use to give the munchkins their baths

It still continues to fascinate me that preparing for their arrival takes so much work.  Each time I go into the nursery, I just sit in the rocker and look around the room for possible things that I can prepare now versus waiting until later.  Yesterday, I even practiced putting one of the stuffed animals into a swaddler garment- just to make sure that I remembered how to do it correctly!  It was a little bit of a surreal moment for me.  I felt as if I was playing with my dolly like I did when I was a child (pretty accurate assessment actually!), but it made me so excited to think that soon I'll get to do that with my own three sons.

The babes have continued to be very, very active.  You can literally sit across the room from me and see my belly move!  I love watching their little feet and arms trace across my tummy.  They are all getting strong enough that sometimes their movements actually hurt a little.  And when two or more of them decide to do some big body movements at the same time, I almost can't move my own body because it can be that uncomfortable.  But I don't usually mind too much- I keep thinking about how lucky we are to have three babies in my tummy that are big enough and strong enough to do that to me!  Keep marinating in there, my munchkins...

Yesterday's ultrasound

We had our 30 week growth ultrasound yesterday!  So here's the update...

Momma's doing pretty well.  They didn't check my blood pressure, but I have had absolutely no signs or symptoms of high blood pressure and my daily urine dipstick is not showing anything alarming, so everything seems okay on that front.  And my cervix has not changed at all over the last week- hooray!

I've gained another couple of pounds over the last week (with no increase in ankle swelling!), so that is awesome.  Who knew that I'd be rejoicing over my own weight gain?  The morning after we found out we were carrying triplets, I read that the average weight gain for  a triplet mommy is 50-70 pounds, which had originally led me to bawl like a baby thinking of the toll that would take on my body to gain that much (I've always joked with Jason that we might need to widen the doorways if I ever got pregnant, and that much of a weight gain made it seem like that would be a significant possibility!).  

For those keeping track, I've officially gained 55 pounds so far, and I am still trying to gain a lot more.  The dietician that works with the Mommies of Multiples program has told us that with higher order multiples, increased maternal weight gain is associated with a DECREASED risk of premature labor.  So bring on the food, and bring on the weight gain!  This usually means that I start my day with a lovely breakfast around... 3:30 am.  I'm basically like a hobbit- first breakfast, second breakfast, midmorning snack, first lunch, etc...

The babies seem to be doing pretty well too, so keep those prayers coming.  All of their heartbeats are right where they should be and it still thrills me to hear them on the monitors.  Our boys are so strong!!  I seriously think my heart skips a beat when I get to hear theirs.  

They are all sitting in ample amounts of amniotic fluid, which is amazing as well.  The amount is very, very slowly going down (totally to be expected with any pregnancy) due to a couple of factors.  First of all, the little peanuts actually swallow amniotic fluid while they are in the womb, which helps them develop their lungs and digestive systems.  Second of all, as the triplets themselves grow, there is just less physical room for amniotic fluid.  

Each of the babes was measured in multiple ways (head circumference, femur length, etc.) which is how they determine an estimated baby weight.  Baby A, the one positioned lowest in my pelvis, is weighing in at 2 pounds 12 ounces, which puts him at the 7th percentile on the growth chart.  The doctors have been concerned about his low weight for weeks now, BUT they keep reminding me of a few things.  Firstly, it's actually quite common for either the baby lowest in the pelvis or highest in the uterus to gain weight the slowest.  Secondly, he IS gaining weight.  Since the last time he was measured, he increased his weight by almost 50%!  Way to go peanut!  

They also checked the blood flow through his umbilical cord to make sure that there weren't any problems with cord insufficiency or blood flow to account for his slower weight gain.  We were so grateful to learn that there is nothing wrong in that area.  Basically, our little peanut just has the misfortune of being on the bottom and having two little piglets sitting on his head.  :)  He still has his head resting on my cervix, which makes me think of him as the "gatekeeper".  Whereas his brothers might think, "Hey, let's get out of here and see what's out there", he's just patiently protecting their exit point!  :)

Baby B continues to hang out in the middle of my uterus and is weighing in at 3 pounds 14 ounces, which puts him at the 87th percentile on the growth chart.  He's my little performer, always putting on a good show for us during the ultrasounds.

Baby C is at the top of the uterus and is topping the charts at 4 pounds 5 ounces.  He's comfortably sitting at the 98th percentile on the growth chart.  Apparently I'm growing some really big, healthy babies!!

All three of the babies were moving around and kicking during the ultrasound, which made capturing some of their measurements a little more challenging than normal for Athena, the ultrasound queen (I love her.  I seriously love her).  I didn't have the courage to tell her that it may have been my fault that they were moving so much- I'd decided to treat myself to a decaf caramel frappachino from Starbucks about 30 minutes before the ultrasound.  The babes were on a sugar high!

While we (Janelle came with me- she's been so amazingly supportive!) waited for the doctor to come in and talk with us about Baby A's weight gain and any changes to the plan of care, I was a hot mess.  I was so worried about Baby A and whether or not his weight gain was enough to justify them letting me continue the pregnancy (versus inducing labor).  They should have checked my blood pressure then- I'm sure it would have been off the charts!  Janelle was so patient with me as I was trying not to freak out (too much)- a nice hand massage came in quite "handy".  Because Jason wasn't there, I was so scared that I'd have to call him and tell him to hightail it over to the hospital...

Dr. McElvey (one of four doctors in the office- I've been seen by all four at one point or another) came in and while matter of fact with me, she was actually pretty positive as well.  Yes, Baby A's slower weight gain is nothing to be ignored, but it doesn't warrant any additional interventions at this point (thank you, thank you, thank you).  And she felt that the next scheduled ultrasound, which is in two weeks, was just fine.  We talked about bedrest and if I need to add in any additional restrictions, but Dr. McElvey thought that my self-imposed bedrest and activity restrictions were just fine!  

So we've officially hit the 30 week mark (Happy 30 Weeks everybody!), and things are just cruising along pretty nicely.  Even though I've shed more than a few tears of worry for Baby A over the last 24 hours, I'm feeling so blessed that things are going as well as they are.  All things considered, we are just so lucky that they boys are doing as well as they are and that my body is tolerating everything as well as it is.  I will continue to deal with all of the not-so-pleasant physical issues associated with the pregnancy (and celebrate them too!) if it means that it will give the munchkins more time to marinate in my tummy.  Everyday that they spend in there is a gift.

Being goofy

So many people have been telling me that I don't look pregnant from behind, which I find pretty hard to believe.  I guess I could kind of see what they're talking about after looking at my silhouette this evening.  I'm the one on the right...

I think I just look like I've got some hips on me

in this picture when I face the camera.  Not too

pregnant- just "hippy"

But when I turn to the side... it's a different story.

Wonderful wedding

On Saturday, Jason and I travelled into the Bay Area for the wedding of one of my dear nursing friends, Ashley.  Jason was pretty worried at first about being two hours away from our doctor, but I got the okay from Dr. Gilbert to make the trip.

Cue me needing to go shopping for an outfit!  I went to the mall expecting to have some difficulties finding something to fit the belly, and I wasn't disappointed.  First stop was to Motherhood Maternity, where I've had some luck in the past.  Unfortunately when it comes to clothes shopping, my belly is just not in any way proportional to the rest of my body!  If it was a short dress, I ran the risk of showing my business in the front because my tummy raised the hemline so high.  If it was a long dress, I looked like I was trying to erect a six-man tent with all of that fabric.  I finally found something suitable there, but I decided to stop at the Pea in The Pod store just to see if there was anything there that I liked.

The sign says "expectant mother parking"

(finally got to park in one of these spots

at the mall!)

And that's where I really just had a reality check.  Apparently they hate pregnant ladies there because the largest size they carry there is a LARGE.  Ummm.... probably not going to work for me!  But the saleslady was very kind and so I decided to try on some of the dresses she thought would fit me.  I actually got one of them over my head, but I got one of the biggest kicks out of her expression when I said it looked like I was wearing a sausage casing (it was TIGHT and the seams just went all over because of the tummy!).  She tried to reassure me that I wasn't fat and that I looked lovely, but I just had to laugh.  I personally think I've never felt more beautiful than I am right now (something about being able to sustain three lives in your belly will do that to you), so I wasn't at all put out by the fact that nothing fit me there.  I just think it's perfectly ridiculous to not carry big girl sizes in a maternity store!

Didn't have to execute my original

plan, which was to wear a toga made

from a bed sheet to the wedding

Enough complaining.  The wedding on Saturday was absolutely lovely.  The bride looked absolutely stunning, the ceremony was wonderful, and Jason looked amazing in his black suit (I love my husband).  And apparently the babies LOVE Catholic wedding ceremonies because they started moving and grooving during the wedding like crazy.  I actually had a hard time paying attention to the readings and music because I was fascinated by the munchkins' visible movements across my tummy!  We had a great time visiting with one of my other nursing school buddies, Cynthia, and her husband who are 15 1/2 weeks pregnant.  Jason was quite the gentleman, making numerous trips to the bar to get us the heavy stuff- Shirley Temples...  :)

Brittany and Cynthia-

made it through nursing school together

and now we're making it through pregnancy

together too!

I wanted to dance to one slow dance before we left, and my wish was fulfilled.  Jason and I were laughing so much on the dance floor because with the size of the tummy, either he has to really lean over to get to me or I have to turn sideways to him.  I'm sure we looked goofy out there, but we definitely enjoyed ourselves!

I'm pretty sure I had the best looking date there!

So the babies have not really stopped moving since Saturday.  They've been super active the last 48 hours (to the point of keeping me awake at night), which means that I haven't gotten much accomplished because either I'm totally engrossed by watching them or it's too uncomfortable to be moving around myself when they're moving.  I'm pretty sure either Baby A or Baby B did a full flip right after Jason and I got into bed last night (my belly literally looked like it was a conehead for a few minutes).

I'm getting so excited for these babies to come.  Seeing those movements across my belly just reinforces to me that the peanuts are growing and will be here with us in no time.  I have to keep reminding myself that I don't want to see them out of my tummy for another six weeks!  I can't wait to see their little faces and hold their little bodies close to mine.  I can't wait to see Jason cuddle with them and see our friends and family fawn over them.  I can't wait to give them each their first ever kiss on the cheek.  I can't wait to hear their little cries for the first time and smell their little baby smells.

Sigh... six more weeks.  Stay in for six more weeks munchkins!!

Great news!

Happy 29 weeks to us!

Every week that these babies marinate in my tummy is just a gift... 29 weeks is so amazing to me and brings tears to my eyes (slightly hormonal here!).  Our next "big goal" is to get to 32 weeks (which would equate with better lung development for the munchkins), but I celebrate every week as a total gift.

Another ultrasound and doctor's visit.  Pat and Janelle came with for moral support- I'm sure not many ladies can say they show up for ultrasounds with their own doctor (Pat will be the munchkins' pediatrician) and NICU nurse (Janelle) in tow.  But hooray for positive news!!!  My blood pressure was actually a little better (meaning lower) than on my previous visit, so that is excellent.  Elevated blood pressure can mean complications for both the babies and me, and of course I get super nervous whenever they throw a blood pressure cuff on me (which can elevate my BP!), so I was positively thrilled to know that my BP is staying in check.

29 weeks tummy shot

I'm literally outgrowing my maternity

shirts and dresses at this point...

I've officially gained 50 pounds (after losing an initial 10 pounds during first trimester), which people keep telling me has all gone to my belly.  I'm not sure I totally believe them when I see my double chin in the mirror, but I'll go with it.  That extra 50 pounds helps me to understand why it is hard for me to move around, why I get short of breath doing simple things, and why my sense of balance is totally different now (although it's still pretty darn good- I attribute that to 15 years of dance lessons sticking with me!).

And most excitedly, my cervix hasn't really changed too much at all over the past week!!!!  In a little change from the routine, the doctor wanted to check my cervical length at the beginning of the ultrasound.  Janelle told me that as soon as the doctor mentioned checking my cervix, she could see me totally tense up.  Well, you would too if yours had shown that it was shortening at your last visit!  But it appears that all of the resting and laying on my side, which serves the purpose of taking the weight of the babies and uterus off of my cervix, have not been in vain.

So that's the update on Momma.  Now let's talk about the stars of the show- the babes!

Baby A resting his forehead on my cervix

(head on the right just above the words

"Fetus A")

They're doing great!  This wasn't a growth ultrasound, so we don't have updated estimated baby weights (next Thursday will be a growth ultrasound, so stay tuned!) yet.  Athena, the ultrasound goddess, did take a measurement of Baby A's abdomen.  This measurement gives the doctor a "quick and dirty" guess as to how Baby A's doing in relation to expected growth.  Keep in mind that Baby A, sitting lowest in my pelvis, had not been gaining weight as quickly or reliably as his brothers.  But based on his abdominal measurement, his weight gain is probably keeping pace with his previous measurements.  At the very least, he's doing no worse.  While a part of me wants him to just be gaining weight like crazy and be as big as his brothers, the likelihood of that happening is practically nil.  So I will choose to celebrate that he's not doing any worse than before.  That's my little man- so proud!

Baby C was a little shy today and kept turning his head

away from the camera

All of the peanuts' hearts are beating like the doctor wants them to be.  Each of the babes is sitting in a nice full bag of amniotic fluid like we want them to be.  Baby A continues to lay in my uterus with his head covering my cervix.  Although I keep telling him to "get off my cervix dude!", I'd much rather have his head on my cervix versus his foot or hand- much less risk of him kicking through it!  :)

Baby B was shy at first like his brother...

Baby B continues to hang out in the middle of my tummy- I think he's the peacemaker of the group, the one trying to bring his brothers together...

Baby C did a 180 over the past week and now has his head on the right side of my belly as opposed to the left side.  Definitely a future gymnast...

I'm so proud of my boys.  They're fighting every day to grow big and strong and I just can't believe that things are going as well as they are.  It makes all of Jason's and my sacrifices just seem so paltry in comparison with what our boys have to do to survive and thrive.

but then Baby B decided to give us a strong

profile shot (along with a quick glimpse of his

umbilical cord in the upper right hand corner)

before he...

I was nervous for this ultrasound.  SUPER nervous.  I had a hard time over the previous few days waiting for the appointment.  Last Saturday, I wasn't watching where I was walking as well as I should have been and almost fell over a sprinkler head in the yard (those things are hard to see in the dark when you haven't been able to see your own feet/legs for months in the daylight!).  I didn't actually fall to the ground, but I had to do some quick maneuvers to keep my balance and I was worried that I might have done some damage to the babes in the process.  I only worried more over the next few days because the peanuts decided that Monday and Tuesday were really good days to be less active than usual.  My hormones kicked in, and I basically made myself sick with worry.  Luckily I have a doppler ultrasound here at home (thanks to my sister-in-law), so I was able to check the babes' heartbeats everyday (they were normal!) to keep from sending myself completely over the edge.  Had I not, I'm sure Dr. Gilbert would have been getting some panicky phone calls from his neurotic patient!!

Started sucking his thumb!!

(Baby B was quite the performer today)

Jason and I continue to prepare for the munchkins- spent time over the last few days doing more laundry loads of baby clothes and blankets, cleaning/sanitizing baby swings and car seats, assembling our new rocker, etc.  I like to sit in the rocker everyday now and talk to the babes, telling them how excited I'll be to hold them in my arms someday and rock them to sleep.

Rock A Bye Baby- I have the

feeling we'll be spending many

hours in this spot...

Funny moment #1037:  I went to get into my car yesterday after a late lunch with Janelle and had a reality check on how big my belly is.  Unfortunately, the car next to me had parked close enough that I couldn't maneuver my belly through the door opening of my car!  I knew there was no way I'd be able to crawl across the passenger seat to rectify the situation.  Cue me having to chase down Janelle and ask if she'd back my car up for me!

Janelle laughing at my inability

to even get into my own car (maybe it's

because I had just wolfed down a foot long sub!)

Late nights, early mornings

Lots of thoughts on my mind, but no coherent thread running through them.  Perhaps we can attribute that to the major insomnia I've been having the last few nights.  Last night, I woke up around 2:30 am and couldn't get back to sleep until after 5 am...

The clock on my bedside table this morning.

I see this particular sight/time frequently...

Insomnia is a common occurrence in pregnancy, especially in the third trimester, which I'm in now.  Usually I wake up for a bathroom run multiple times a night (we'll probably have to replace the carpet in our bedroom when all is said and done because I feel like I'm wearing down a permanent pathway between my side of the bed and the bathroom!).  Whereas before I could usually fall back to sleep after that first bathroom run of the night, that doesn't appear to be the situation anymore.  

I do a lot of reading.  I've gotten pretty good at the Solitaire and Freecell apps on my phone, and I've also gotten some good thinking in.  I'm getting very familiar with the nighttime sounds in our neighborhood- never knew before that one of my neighbors gets up and goes to work at 4 am.  I'm now used to hearing our sprinklers and our neighbor's sprinklers go on.  I've gotten to do what most pet owners can only dream about- observe their dogs sleeping in different places every night.  There's a whole different world that exists in and around your home between midnight and dawn, and I'm getting to be very intimately knowledgeable about it, which I'm sure will come in handy once the munchkins come home from the hospital after delivery.

And I'm sure Jason appreciates it when I treat this late night/early morning period as a good time for breakfast in bed.  Here's a list of things he's caught me eating between 3-4 AM in our bed (it's the most comfortable place to eat at that time as I can curl up nicely with a bowl perched on my belly)...

-cold cereal (this is my most favorite)

-oatmeal

-yogurt

-bagels and a tub of cream cheese and/or peanut butter

-ice cream

-pasta

-meatballs from Ikea (just meatballs- nothing else with them!)

-chips/pretzels/popcorn

-protein bars

-cold leftover pizza

-hard boiled eggs

-Runts candy

-half a watermelon (I literally took a spoon to half a watermelon- it was way easier than cutting it up into pieces)

-grapes/prunes

I'm sure there's more culinary delights that I've forgotten to mention, but that gives you a pretty good idea.  Jason's back to work today after taking a little "stay-cation".  I miss him already even though he left the house less than an hour ago.  Of course, I'm probably also missing the almost daily omelets and bacon he'd make me for my second breakfast too...

Jason and I had a lovely dinner out with my in-laws, Ken and Lois, last night.  It was fun to sit and laugh together as a group at some of the funny things that come along with having triplets.  They've been very helpful while they've been visiting- Ken's been instrumental in helping Jason get the new storage shed assembled, and as I type this, he's out in the garage installing some newfangled storage contraption to hang from the rafters.  Lois accompanied me to a consignment sale for babies/kids stuff last week and helped me pick up some good things for the munchkins (as well as another stroller!).  It's been wonderful to have the different family members visiting and pitching in this summer to help prepare for the munchkins' arrival.  We're very blessed!