24 weeks (4 weeks until the big milestone)

Gestational Age: 24 weeks
My weight: 196 lb
Symptoms: Big belly, we've noticed the faint darkened line appearing that runs down the center of my tummy, the belly button still has a lip...it's fighting the urge to become and outie (plus, I push it in as much as possible), back starting to hurt when I lie down on my side (that sucks), feet are swollen little pillows and sometimes my toes get all tingly because of it

According to our book, each baby should be about 1 1/2 pounds. That's a singleton rate and triplets start to fall behind singletons as we approach the mid to late twenty weeks. But my babies were all over 1 pound last week so I'm pretty sure they all hit that for this week at least.

Last week, the doc ordered me to up my calcium and protein intake. I also read that pregnant women who don't have enough iron will be more tired and supply less oxygen to their babies. Since my baby has a heart defect, I can't have that happening. So, I've begun taking calcium supplements, plus a prenatal vitamin, and an iron pill. And I drink a breakfast replacement drink as a snack every day. I think it's better but I don't think I'm getting enough, I may have to up my calcium just a bit. But it's hard. The drink fills me up and one time I drank it and then I couldn't eat dinner. Stomach small and squished by now. I have to work on protein because right now the babies are starting to build up their fat stores and muscles. Too bad there's no protein pills.

Some days I have tons of braxton-hicks even when I'm just lying down or doing nothing and some days I don't.

I read the threads on triplet forums about parents who have lost one or more of their triplets. It made me realize how many people give birth super early...and these next four weeks are critical. so many of them were because they went into labor between weeks 23 and 28. It has scared me and even though our house is a mess, dirty, and completely unprepared for any baby, I'll have to just let it go and work on growing fat, old babies.

I tried to go on Amazon yesterday and look up some preemie clothes. I wanted to buy little hats and then I started crying when I didn't know to buy 2 or 3. Gizmo will be with us for a little bit and I want her to be dressed...but for how long will we have her. Then I saw these little preemie dresses and started crying. I should buy her a nice outfit. I started crying so badly, I had to stop shopping. I found this website blog about a mom who discovered her baby son had a terminal heart defect. he lived for almost 11 hours after birth and I just sobbed uncontrollably reading it. I know it will be such a blessing to be able to meet and hold and hug and kiss Gizmo...but I have no idea how I'm going to be able to survive losing her. I really hadn't thought about how hard it was going to be until I read this mom's account. Just last week, I was watching this special on the mermaid girl. This sweet 10 year old girl with mermaid's disease who wasn't supposed to live more than a few weeks. She was just captivating, what an endearing little girl. She came down with a lung infection and the family spent time with her in the ICU before she passed away. Oh, I just bawled and bawled. I just don't want to do it. I don't want to lose gizmo, I just don't.

Please Lord, keep all my girls safe. Keep them growing and healthy and happy. Thank you for them and every day I have them.