A roller-coaster week

My first week of bedrest ended on a high note, with a baby shower thrown by my mother-in-law's friends (don't worry, I had permission from my doctor to attend). I had met most of them only once or twice (several years ago, when I was but a blushing bride), and some I had never met before. The ladies immediately put me at ease, however, with their excitement about the quads, myriad questions about how things are going, and offers to help out when the babies arrive. Ted and I were so surprised by their generosity; it's clear that they must love his mother dearly and we are so thankful that they extended that love to us. The hostesses did a fantastic job and, as you can see, I got another cute cake out of the deal!

Unfortunately, the days following this final baby shower haven't been quite as much fun. At my doctor visit on Tuesday, they found a small amount of protein in my urine. Since this could indicate the onset of preeclampsia (click on the link if you aren't familiar with the condition), the doctor decided to run some additional tests (results should be available tomorrow afternoon). On top of this, I've had contraction monitoring sessions registering five, six, seven, and even eight contractions in the past few days. For this reason, my doctor has put me on Procardia, which is usually used to treat high blood pressure but is also effective at relaxing the uterus. I am not very happy about being on meds already, but I'd rather take a pill than be in the hospital or lose my babies. Hopefully this Procardia will do the trick, and my uterus will stay nice and calm for a few more weeks.

I should be used to the highs and lows by now, but I admit that it's been hard for both Ted and me to balance excitement about the quads and the realities of a high-risk pregnancy. Fortunately, we are a team and we are growing stronger every day. I haven't enjoyed losing my independence (even if I weren't on bedrest, I have no energy and I just plain can't move like I used to), but it's definitely given me a chance to appreciate how much Ted loves me and the babies. I couldn't do this without his help, and I try to let him know every day that I don't take his willing sacrifices of time and energy for granted. I am so blessed to have his support, both physically and emotionally. He is going to be a great dad!