Harper & Lee Plus Three

Week 18

I sat propped up in bed, reading a story to the two girls. Lee was out and about, getting "man time" with Lukas. It was a beautiful early-spring day. The windows were open, the birds were singing, and our room was full of cameras.

"'And I said, Princess is the prettiest kitty I know. I don't care that she looks a little bit different,'" I said, turning the page. "'Princess will always be my pretty kitty, no matter what!'"

I finished the book, the girls dispersed, and I sat there chatting with Jamie about how I was feeling while the cameras rolled.

"It's legit so hard to walk. I seriously can't move," I said. "It's kinda scary because I want to take the kids out and make them their snacks and stuff, but I'm physically unable to. It's so different from last time. When I had the triplets I could still you know, walk."

"And today is your doctor's appointment?" asked Jamie.

"Yeah. I go twice a week. Tuesday and Friday. And for the past couple of weeks they've been telling me it could be the time to go to the hospital, but it hasn't been yet."

"But it's a possibility."

"Yeah, I've had my bag packed for a few days now. It's sitting on the floor, ready to go. I bring it to my appointments with me each time in case she tells me I have to go directly to the hospital. Which, you know, once I got past fifteen weeks that was a possibility."

"Hey, we're home!" said Lee, holding Lukas.

"Mommy!" said Lukas.

"Hey, come here my big boy!" I said. Lee placed him on the bed with me. "Did you have fun looking at the new house with Daddy?"

"Yeah!" he said. "It's big!"

I laughed. "I know, buddy. It's big because we're filling it with so many kids! Are you excited to have more brothers and sisters?"

"Uh-huh," he said.

I set him down since he was starting to squirm.

Lee looked down at me, kissed me on the head, and asked, "Are you ready?"

"Yeah, I guess so," I said.

He helped me out of bed and over to the stairs. I was almost in tears by the time I got to the bottom. Every step was agony. I couldn't bend down, so I quickly patted each of my kids on the head.

"Remember, Mommy may have to go to the hospital," I said.

"We know!" they all said at the same time.

Lee got me into my wheelchair and then into the car. I sat there waiting for him while he got all the kids jackets and shoes on. They were starting to move pretty quickly now that they were nearly two and a half. If they had slip-on shoes, they could get them on by themselves.

With the kids in the car, Lee went inside one more time and put their stroller on the hitch. Then we were on our way downtown to the doctor's office. Not even two minutes into the ride, I heard a wail from the back seat. I looked in the mirror and saw Zophia crying.

"Zophia, what's going on back there?" I asked.

"Ella hit me!" she said.

"Noella, stop it right now!" I said.

I shifted in my seat, trying to get comfortable. I struggled to manage my three kids. I had no idea how we were going to handle six more of them.

When we got to the office, Lee got the wiggling, screaming kids into their stroller. Then he helped me get into the wheelchair.

"Okay Momma, you ready?" Lee asked.

"Yup. Let's do it," I said.

My man, this absolute legend, pushed me forward while pulling the kids backwards in

their stroller. I never thought there was such a thing as an actual "super mom" or "super dad," but that was Lee. He did this every time I went to the doctor's when we didn't have anyone to watch the kids.

A nurse held the door open for us. I thanked her, and Lee got me all checked in. I sat next to the kids. Lukas was asleep in the back seat of the stroller. In the middle, Ella was playing with her favorite Baby Yoda doll. Zophia kept pressing the sound button on her R2-D2 plush. I could see some people starting to stare, but I was carrying six babies. Everything hurts.

"Are you guys ready to see the babies?" I asked them.

"Yeah!" said Zophia.

"Uh-huh!" said Ella.

"Harper?"

I looked up and saw the nurse. She generously pushed me into the ultrasound room while Lee pushed the kids in their stroller. Shannon, the tech we always had, was waiting for us.

"Oh, you brought your whole crew!" she said. It was her first time meeting the triplets.

"And they know to stay quiet, right guys?" I asked.

"Yeah," they all said.

Shannon and Lee helped me onto the table. I lifted my shirt, Shannon turned off the lights, put the gel on my enormous belly, and got to work.

"Okay, let's check out the heartbeat of baby A," said Shannon.

"Are you guys looking?" I asked the kids. They were all totally distracted by the snacks Lee was giving them.

Shannon played the heartbeat for Baby A. She went around and did B, C, D, and E. All looking good.

"Okay, ready for the last one?" she asked. "Let's cross our fingers."

She focused on little Baby F, who was the smallest. I held my breath as she hit a button on the machine. There was no peaceful gallop like everyone else had. Baby F's heartbeat was all over the place. I tried my best to hold back tears. I knew this was it.

"That doesn't sound good," Lee said.

Shannon sighed. "I'm sorry, guys. You'll have to see what Doctor Andrews wants to do."

She turned on the lights and rubbed my belly off. I pulled my shirt over it and Lee helped me up, then into my wheelchair. He pushed me and the kids down the hall to the room where we'd see Doctor Andrews. Lee helped me lay on the table.

"Noella, Zophia, and Lukas, listen closely to Mommy, please," I said to them, snapping my fingers. They all looked up. "The smallest baby is still having a problem. The doctor may be sending me to the hospital so that nothing happens to the baby and that nothing happens to Mommy, okay?"

"No! Don't go!" Ella whined.

"I have to go. If I don't go, I could get very sick," I said.

Zophia started crying, saying "No, Mommy, no!" Because she was crying, Lukas started crying too.

The door opened. Doctor Alyssa Andrews came in, her curly hair in a bun, just like her sister's.

"Hey, hey, hey! What's all this crying? I know what will help!" she said.

She reached into her drawer and pulled out three lollipops. Each kid took one, and once Lee got them unwrapped, you could hear a pin drop in that room.

"I'm going to the hospital aren't I?" I said.

Doctor Andrews sighed. "Because at this point, there's a high possibility Baby F won't survive, you know we've always been worried about you getting sepsis if they pass away. I'm sorry, Harper, but it looks like today is the day. You'll need to go to the hospital."

I wanted to cry on Lee's shoulder more than anything, but not with the triplets there. No way. I had to be strong for them, and I knew I had to do what was best for my smallest baby, who I knew was going to beat the odds, no matter what they tried to tell me.

"Okay, then we'll go," I said.

I got back into my wheelchair with Lee's help, and we were off to the hospital. It was going to be a long next couple of weeks.