D-Day has been set - September 20

The date has been set: September 20, 2011. We visited Dr. L yesterday and were told that Mikki still looks good with no signs of premature labor. While Mikki is sooo done with being pregnant, she is motivated to give these boys more time to mature prior to delivery. With that said, two weeks sounds like an eternity to Mikki. So, we are taking it a day at a time and today is 32 weeks and 6 days. Every day in the womb from this point forward equals multiple days the boys will not have to spend in the NICU.

We have been so blessed to have our family helping out over the last few weeks. Different members of our respective families have been cooking, cleaning and driving our current trio to their various after school activities (essentially taking over for Mikki so that she can spend more time off of her feet). I’m not sure that we could do it without them, and we certainly can’t thank them enough.

We have posted a new (and likely last) belly pic to the belly watch slideshow. Mikki’s transformation has been nothing short of phenomenal. She is carrying around 15 pounds of baby! Sheeish.

Also, check out these blankets that my Aunt Jana quilted for the boys. They are awesome. You can just imagine the boys dragging these things around for years to come.







We go back to see Dr. L next Tuesday, at which point we will get to see the boys on ultrasound again. If all looks well, then the final countdown to September 20, 2011 will begin!

Oh, and Geaux Tigers!

Hunter and Mikki

32 WEEKS!

Well, today Mikki hit her initial goal of 32 weeks. I'm so in awe of her and the boys are so lucky to have her. This has not been easy - especially the last few weeks. Hopefully we are fortunate enough to make it a few more weeks. I know that Mikki is motivated to keep these boys cooking a while longer so that they are as healthy as they can be when they enter this world.

Please send Mikki your thoughts, prayers and inspiration to get her through these next few weeks!

Quick Update - Last MFM Appt.

Today turned out to be our last MFM appt. Mikki is 31 weeks and 5 days. The boys have grown a pound a piece in the last 2 weeks; Jackson is now 4 lb. 13 oz., and Maxwell and Harrison are both 4 lb. 3 oz. Jackson is in the 81st percentile and M and H are in the 64th percentile - on the single baby chart. All of the boys, and all of their parts, looked really good. So, MFM decided that they did not need to see Mikki or the boys again. They told us that we can look forward to scheduling the c-section b/w 34 and 35 weeks, assuming, of course, Mikki does not go into labor prior to then. That would put the boys' arrival between Sept. 15 and Sept. 22.

We visited with Dr. L after MFM. She found that Mikki's cervix was holding, but she recommended that we (and by we I mean Mikki) go forward with a steriod injection to bolster the boys lung development. Mikki received one shot today and she will get a second shot tomorrow. Maybe the boys will come out ripped!...ok...ok...that would just be weird. Mikki then signed all of her consent forms and we were given a copy of her file in case she goes into labor unexpectedly. Dr. L scheduled us for another appointment in one week, at which point we will (I think) schedule the c-section.

We did not get any good pics of the boys today as they are just a jumbled mess. We will try to post some other photos (baby stuff and perhaps THE belly) this weekend.

It's starting to get very real! We will soon be the parents of triplet - possibly identical - boys. Whoa.

Week 30/31 Update

Amazingly, and anxiously, we are nearing our initial goal of 32 weeks. The past 16 weeks have been such a blur, especially the last month. In fact, I’m trying to recall how the last 17 days have passed without a blog entry. Hmmm. Our apologies go out to those that have been following us and have been wondering if all is OK. Happily, we can report that the boys are still cooking (growing) and Mikki is doing wonderfully (but for the pressure, pain, uncomfortable-ness, sleeplessness, breathlessness, internal furnace, swelling, and fatigue). We are hopeful that Mikki and the boys will hang in there for a few more weeks.

We last went to the doctor on August 16. MFM confirmed that ALL of the boys are still growing together at an impressive rate. They are all measuring above average even for a singleton. Their fluid sacs looked great, and their little noses, lips, hands and feet all looked perfect. And, they have hair (lets keep the bald jokes to a minimum). Jackson (Baby A) had managed to perform a somersault since our last appointment, likely because he grew tired of Maxwell sitting on his head. He remains on Mikki’s left side, butt down and head up. His legs/feet were curled up very tight under him and he was facing Mikki’s back. Jackson weighed in at 3 lb. 8 oz. and his head measured in the 98th percentile (that’s right….big brain). Maxwell (Baby B) was positioned very similar to Jackson, but on Mikki’s right side. He weighed 3 lb. 4 oz. Harrison (Baby C) remains at the very top, though his brothers have been encroaching on his space. Harrison has become the most active…we like to think it's because he is trying to push his brothers back down. Harrison was laying horizontal with his chest facing up. His head was facing towards Mikki’s right side and he was actually starting to slide under Maxwell. Harrison weighed in at 3 lb. 3 oz.

We left MFM with a glowing report and headed downstairs to see Dr. L. Once there the good news continued as Dr. L found no signs of pre-mature labor (i.e. the cervix is holding). Mikki was told that she is doing fantastic and there is every reason to believe that she will go past the average of 32/33 weeks. All of the doctors and nurses that we saw were amazed at how great Mikki’s body was holding up. We have been so incredibly fortunate up to this point!

We have posted some new pics of the boys from their 30 week appointment – look to the right. Here are a couple worth highlighting:



This is a 4D shot of Harrison. He looks so snuggly with his hands up near his face. I cannot wait to hold him.



Here is Jackson’s alien face.



And Maxwell’s hand/fingers. We will soon get to hold that hand. Wow.

We are starting to feel a little more prepared – though we take comfort in knowing that it is impossible to be completely prepared for the circus that is coming. With the help of Mikki’s parents, we put together 3 baby beds last weekend. All of the beds were given to us or are on loan (you know who you are and thank you!). We have set all of them up in our room along with a changing station. It looks like we are running a daycare center. We put a second changing station out in the hallway for those days where we have help and are able lock ourselves in our room for nap time. We also have bassinets that will allow us to roll the babies into other rooms (and out of our room) when we need a break. We have three bouncers setup and a few swings. And, thankfully, we have received enough donated clothes to get us through the first 18 months or so.

Let me just say that we are so incredibly humbled by everyone’s kindness and generosity. It really does take a village, and we have a great village. Another example was the shower put on by the “dance moms” at BRDC. Have you seen the reality show Dance Moms? Our group of dance moms (and dads) are nothing like that. Instead we have a great group of parents, kids and teachers that are supportive, caring and thoughtful. They surprised Mikki with a shower that ultimately resulted in about a three month supply of diapers. In fact, our diaper supply has reached 2,200 or so and takes up almost all of the boys future closet. We have calculated that we will need about 24,000 diapers….so…we are almost there….(!) Thank you dance moms and dads and teachers!

We are going to try to take pictures of some baby stuff (and maybe an updated belly pic) and we will share those pics in our next update.

As for our current trio, they are starting to settle into their school routines; Coby in 8th grade, Claire in 3rd grade and Caroline in 1st grade. All are off to a great start. Life with our kids is busy and hectic, yet fulfilling. We try to imagine adding the triplets to our life and we have no idea how it will work….but we know that it will. We’ve been watching Making Room for Multiples on TLC in an effort prepare ourselves. The other day a new mom of triplets was asked “how in the world do you care for three babies at one time?” She responded: “how do you not?” We liked that answer. Maybe we will have t-shirts made.

Please keep Mikki and the boys in your thoughts and prayers. We are in the home stretch.

Hunter and Mikki

Rolling Right Along (28/29 Week Update)

We are a little behind on our weekly posting. I guess having no urgent news to report is a good thing. Mikki hits 29 weeks tomorrow. It’s amazing to me that she is still getting around so well. While she is spending a lot of time resting, she also continues to drive our current trio to their various activities. I even caught her demonstrating to Claire the proper technique for a double turn the other day….that is just ridiculous. However, our challenges are certainly increasing starting with this week. The kids begin school tomorrow and Claire has already begun her new year of dance.

As for the boys, they seem to be doing great. We saw MFM and Dr. L last Monday. The reports were unanimous – everybody looks good. Mikki is showing no signs of pre-term labor and her weight gain has been really good. The boys continue to grow and get stronger at an impressive rate. They are all weighing in at well above average for even a single baby. All were between 2lb 8 oz and 2lb 12 oz. The tech kept talking about their “big heads”. Their head sizes were in the 90th percentile – obviously they must have big brains. Their stomachs were in the 70th percentile. There little legs were closer to the 40th to 50th percentiles. We smile every time we think about their big heads and small little legs…such funny, alien like creatures at 29 weeks.

We have just a handful of pictures from this last appointment. Here are two of our favorites:



This is a good example of Jackson’s never-ending plight. He continues to get pushed farther and farther down. Here, you can see that Maxwell is sitting on poor little Jack’s head. We got a very similar shot at the appointment before this one, which suggests that Max has been sitting on Jack for the last two or three weeks. Poor dude. Do babies pass gas in the womb? Hmmm.





In these shots Harrison is showing us a little love. Comparatively speaking, this little guy has it made. He has room to move and takes full advantage. He also provided us with a very cool moment at the last ultrasound. I was sitting to Mikki’s left as she lay on the exam table. During the ultrasound we could feel Harrison moving very high in Mikki’s stomach before he finally settled in. We asked the tech how he was positioned and she quickly investigated. What we found was that Harrison had turned his head to where it appeared as if he was looking right at me. His little face looked as if it was right up against the inner wall of Mikki’s stomach….as if he was peering out at me, listening to what I had to say. We could feel his head pushing against Mikki’s belly. It was a great moment.

We recently found a few pictures of the boys that we have never posted. These are long lost photos from the first ultrasound at 12 weeks. They just grow up so fast!











Keep those prayers coming. They are obviously working for Mikki and the boys. It’s amazing (and scary) that these boys will be here in just a few short weeks. I don’t think there is any way for us to appreciate just how challenging (and crazy) our lives are about to become. There is no way for us to be completely prepared. We’ll just take it as it comes. One day, one week at a time. It’s sure to be a fun ride.

Fun fact of the day: total number of baby beds that I have set up to date – zero. We are not ready!

With lots of love,

Hunter and Mikki

Name Game Announcement (27 weeks)

Our poll has ended and we are ready to announce names. We appreciate everyone’s participation in the poll and we have enjoyed almost all of the advice and input you guys have offered us. As you may recall, we started the Name Game on a mission to find strong, masculine and enduring names for our boys. We also wanted names that could be easily shortened into something fun.

What we haven’t shared before are our thoughts on middle names. We have decided to use family names that have special meaning to us. This has proven to be a difficult task that has taken a considerable amount of thought as there are so many people in our family who possess qualities that we will strive to instill in our boys - kindness, strength, and integrity, just to name a few. We are hopeful our boys will be sweet and gentle, yet independent and strong. We want them to be leaders and patriarchs who are blessed with the desire and ability to help others and put their family first. Of course, now that I’ve written this, they will surely be tyrants!

Without further delay, we introduce you to our boys:

Baby A – Jackson Robert (Jack)

Jackson is the rock and pillar who has propped up and protected his brothers and mother. If ever he would have given in to the pressure, the whole house of cards could have fallen. For his efforts he has been kicked, elbowed, sat on, and slept on. We thus picture him as being strong and tolerant. He will likely be the first born…the older brother…the one the others will look to and lean on. His name sake, Robert, is Mikki’s grandfather whose life and memory personifies these qualities that we already see in Jackson.

Baby B – Maxwell Francis (Max)

Maxwell is strong-willed and independent. He will surely cause a little trouble, but he will also stand up for what is right and protect the ones he loves. He may get knocked down, but he will never stay down. He will be a fighter. Maxwell’s namesake is Frances, my grandmother. She personified strength, love and determination. She had an unbelievable love for her family, and she always put us first. Every game, every awards presentation, every time we needed her…she was there. She was also a fighter whose battle with cancer was, and will always be, inspiring.

Baby C – Harrison Kent (maybe we'll just call him Harry when he has been bad)

Harrison is kind, gentle and sweet. Closest to Mikki's heart, he is a big teddy bear type, perhaps even a momma’s boy. He will always be there for his brothers. He will be quick to lend a hand and take care of others in need. He will be loving and caring, and appreciative of the fact that he was born with his two best friends. Harrison’s namesake is my father, Kent. Not to say that my father is a momma’s boy; but, he has a gentle soul that I hope is passed to at least one of my boys.

With great optimism, we will soon welcome Jackson, Maxwell, and Harrison into our world. We are certainly not naïve enough to think our boys will be perfect; but, as their parents, we get to hope and dream. It's all part of the fun of parenthood.

Now all we have to do is keep them straight once they are born!! “Is that Jackson?…no that’s Maxwell…Jackson is over there….I think…. Or is that Harrison!?.” This is going to be fun….right?!

Hunter and Mikki

Week 26

It's been a fairly uneventful week, at least in regards to the boys...which, I guess, is a good thing at this stage. Mikki hit 26 weeks last Thursday and is already creeping up on week #27. The boys have been very active, which means Mikki has been increasingly uncomfortable. It's hard to imagine that she can physically grow much larger. In honor of her amazing feat, we offer the 26th week photo:



Why, you ask, is she holding a tape measure? Fair question. The tape measure is set at 43 1/2 inches, which illustrates the approximate combined length of the boys. How all that baby is stuffed into that stomach is anyone's guess. I can't imagine how it must fill to carry around that load 24 hours a day. I feel uncomfortable after a single large meal.

Well, it's about to get very busy for the Bertrand 8. Claire starts her new year of dance on Monday and the kids start school shortly thereafter. Coby is having his 8th grade orientation today and the girls have their orientations next week. All the while, their momma (and chauffeur) is nearing all out bed rest. What is the plan you ask? Another good question. We are largely flying by the seat of our pants right now. It's difficult to plan for the unknown, i.e. when will Mikki be unable to drive, when will she go on full bed rest, when will she go into the hospital, when will these boys decide to make their entrance into the world, how long will the boys stay in the NICU before coming home? We can only plan so far in advance. For now, it's good knowing that we have great family and friend support on standby to help as needed.

We go back to Dr. LaFranca and MFM on Monday. We will of course pass on any news and new pics after our visit. Also, as a teaser, we are nearing the end of our Name Game, which means we will be announcing the boys names soon. Stay tuned!

Hunter and Mikki.