We know the meaning of shock and awe

On June 3, 2008, Ted and I were elated to learn that I was 4 weeks pregnant. We spent the next couple of weeks making plans and smiling nonstop. When we went for my first ultrasound, at the 6-week mark, we were just praying to see a heartbeat. So imagine our utter surprise when we saw this:

Ted was speechless, and I just had to laugh. Even our doctor was stunned. Quadruplets!! Never in a million years did we imagine having more than two children total. In an instant, our entire life as we had planned it went out the window.
The doctor told us that it's not unusual for a multiple pregnancy to self-reduce this early in the game, so he warned us not to spread the news until we came back the next week for another ultrasound. When that day finally arrived, it was clear that they were all still there and growing (which is why they no longer fit into a single shot):

With this news, my doctor immediately referred me to a maternal-fetal specialist. We had our first visit with the new doctor a couple of days ago, and the ultrasound showed that the babies are all measuring approximately 1.5 to 2 centimeters. The ultrasonographer verified that none of them are identical, and she even named them for us: A, B, C, and D. Here is what they looked like at 8 weeks:

We are thrilled and feel so blessed to be having quads, but we are also terrified and very nervous! Not only do we have to worry about how we are going to afford to raise four kids, but we must also do everything in our power to keep these babies from coming too early. Quadruplet pregnancies are very risky, and preterm labor is the norm. Although my due date is February 9, the doctor says that these babies will almost certainly come before the end of the year (and spend several weeks in the NICU). He says that for them to have any real chance outside the womb, the first major milestone is 28 weeks (November 17). Ideally, however, they'll stay put until at least the 30-week mark (any time in December would be swell; the later, the better). To maximize my chances of carrying them that long, I will be going on bedrest around 20 weeks (September 22), at which time I should measure as large as a full-term singleton pregnancy!

As you can imagine, our minds are constantly racing with thoughts of everything that needs to get done before I go on bedrest, and then what needs to get done before the babies arrive, and then what needs to get done when they come home. Please pray for us as we make this big adjustment and figure out how to make it all work, pray for me as my body goes through changes that it was not really built for, and pray for our babies as they develop so that they may arrive healthy and strong. We plan to update this blog as often as possible to keep everyone posted on the status of the quads, so check back frequently for the latest news. I'm sure there won't be a dull moment!