Tuesday, November 2, 2010

a year at a glance

i've been wanting to start blogging again since there are thoughts i have everyday that i would love to remember and share with loved ones.
this is more of a journal entry to catch up to speed. it's long but it has been a year! :)

this past year has been quite a crazy one! at the beginning of the year, we moved... just down the street. after looking for months for our perfect house, we ended up here.. in the same ward , same school, same friends. i was happy to be in the familiar community but i must confess, a little disappointed that we hadn't found our dream home yet. the house we are in now is older, smaller but cozier than our previous one. i was determined to make the best out of it and not to let my home define me or my happiness. as we moved in, i painted the walls and we put our mark on it and now i love it. love love love it.
the day after valentines day we found out i was pregnant. clay and i had been hoping for another child for about two years. finally, we made the decision to do some mild fertility treatments for a month or two and if i got pregnant great but if not, we were thrilled with our wonderful three kiddies we already had. i remember i tried not to get my hopes up as i reflected back on the struggles (physically, emotionally, etc...) i had for years of infertility before the twins came 7 years ago. well, our first month trying i was pregnant and so very excited. i called my doctor and told him about the positive test. he asked me to go into to his office and do some blood work. i did and then he called me later that day a bit concerned. he said that i was definitely carrying multiples.. he just didn't know how many yet. two weeks later, i went in for an ultrasound and we saw three tiny embryos. needless to say, clay and i were in a state of not only shock, but denial. crazy! then, as the news sunk in the following days and weeks, my feelings changed.
for the most part i was excited. my other two pregnancies i loved being pregnant. i love knowing that i'm creating something inside of me. i love feeling them move in me. i love the anticipation and the spiritual feelings that come along with the experience. with three inside, thriving and growing, i pretty much felt like a walking miracle. it was an exceptional experience that i wish i could explain in words but i can't. i had never been so scared, nervous, proud, happy, excited, worried, curious, grateful all at the same time for such a long period of time.
this past summer was hot. very hot and i spent most days on our couch. as difficult as those 35 weeks were, looking back i just remember the good feelings. getting choked up during the many ultrasounds, laughing at how ginormous i was, and clay and i looking at each other in disbelief that this had really happened to US! that WE were going to have TRIPLETS!! we would just shake our heads and laugh (and sometimes cry) at the thought of us juggling three little babies.
the long summer days usually included the kids spending a large amount of time outside. swimming at a friends house or playing in our neighbors yard were basically all they did. once in a while a friend or family member took them fun places for us. i was so grateful to them and was happy to know that my somewhat motherless children were being entertained. one unexpected lesson i learned was how the simple life is a better life. i read a lot to the kids this summer. we sat around and had deep conversations and wonderful teaching opportunities. i taught gracie how to crochet and they all tended to our garden religiously every day. we grew closer during those few precious months. i will never forget the good that came of us slowing down and how happy they were with this simple life.

towards the end of my pregnancy i was, needless to say, miserable. i was huge and there was really no comfortable position. i was counting down the days and hours to mid september, when my doctor said they would probably arrive. every doctor appointment i would hope that he would tell me to go get my bags and run to the hospital, but he never did. all he would say is "you're doing great! keep it up!" lol. it should have made me happy but i wanted to say "no i'm not! i want these babies out today, like, RIGHT NOW!!" thankfully my last appointment (when i was measuring 7 inches bigger that full term) we scheduled my c-section for september 20th. i was so excited to know that the end (and the beginning of a wild adventure) was near!
the morning of monday, september 20th, clay and i dropped off the kids to school and headed to the hospital! before long i was walking into the o.r.

i was overcome by a feeling of gratitude and excitement as i observed the doctors and nurses busily preparing for the rare delivery of triplets. everything went perfectly and it seemed like the easiest delivery ever!
cole hardy came first at 12:43 weighing in at 5lbs 11oz

then ava at 12:44 5lbs 8oz

finally henry robert at 12:45 4lbs 13oz


i stayed in the hospital until friday afternoon and came to hospital every morning for a few hours. this really wore me out as i was still recovering from the surgery. i did this for a week and the following friday we brought the babies home. it was general conference weekend and such a lovely two days. i felt as though i was in heaven. the spirit the babies brought was so touching and combined with the inspiring speakers it was an incredible experience.
ever since we've thoroughly enjoyed these new sweet additions to our home and lives. jack, grace, and max have surprised me immensely. they have been serious helpers and they are soooo in love with the babies. they ALWAYS want to be with them and hug and kiss them. it's so cute. a few days after we brought them home all three babies were laying on the floor and their big brothers and sister were singing them a song they made up. " i love you, i love you, i love you very much. i love you, i love you, i love you very much" to a tune i've never heard before. i scrambled for the video camera and clay and i looked at each other with tears in our eyes.
this is what life is all about!

more to come on the babies and our new family happenings soon!

11 comments:

CIRACA said...

Good to have you back in the blogging community:) haha. your little babes are adorable.

Lisa Lou said...

Welcome back!
I missed reading your posts.
A year goes by so fast!
Congrats again on the babies and your beautiful family.
When Andrew and I get around to having one I know who I'm calling for advice!
XOXO
Lisa

Hubba's Thoughts said...

I knew from the second you told me you were having triplets you would be an amazing mom to all six of your kids! You're so loving and you are a great mother!! Love you!

Nicolle said...

They are beautiful and I want to come and see them!! It was so good to run into you at Costco the other night...you look amazing as always!

Susan said...

Kristen, Thank you for sharing. What inspiring thoughts. You and the babies are truly a miracle. I'm 34 weeks now and quite miserable at times. I can't even imagine how you were feeling. I'm so happy everything went well, and even for how miserable you must have been at the end, every week, even every single day helped those babies to grow bigger and I promise, you would have been more miserable if they had to spend any more time in the NICU. You are so lucky, no blessed. They are beautiful babies. Congrats to you and your family!

Tecia said...

Kristen...you are amazing (and gorgeous). Your kids are amazing (and gorgeous!) Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

the Lola Letters said...

You updated! Yay! I love what you said about a simpler life being the better life. SO TRUE! (Just ask the girl who had a cookie decorating party for 30 2nd graders yesterday! ;)

Holly said...

I'm so glad I decided to check your blog tonight! I just love you, thank you for sharing this! It's helping me be more grateful for my girls and this baby on the way (Dave's been out of town all week, and I'm exhausted!).
xoxo

~j. said...

How wonderful to hear an update from you. I hope you know how many people you have cheering you on. You're wonderful and beautiful and awesome. Love you!

roxann said...

That was wonderful kristen. Thank You for sharing your story with us. They look like they are growing so well. What a sweet little family.

Jill T said...

Oh, I LOVED this post! Feeling a little nostalgic here...

I'm so glad you're posting again so I can see more of the early life with your triplets!