31 weeks

Well I have successfully made it 1 more week on "relaxation rest mode."  It's been pretty quiet at our house... reading, catching up on some shows, starting a new HBO show, and reading the pile of magazines I've been meaning to catch up on.  Matt has allowed me one field trip/small outing per day.  Yesterday we visited my friend and her husband and got to hold their new baby of only a few weeks.  I figured it was good baby mojo to hold baby Bronson, so I indulged. It is, however, a bit harder to hold a baby with a big baby bump in the way. You can't quite snuggle as tight.  

Today we ventured out to church, and I made a quick return to Buy Buy Baby.  I don't mind staying quiet if this is what it is going to take to get these girls to a "safe" time of delivery.  My hope is that we can walk out of the hospital two full car seats in hand instead of empty handed like we did last time.  Although I know they would be fine and safe staying in a NICU, part of me hopes and prays that that will not be the case.  

For those that are worried that I don't know how to sit (cough cough Dad) I am trying, I really am.  And for the sake of actually having healthy children the small sacrifice of slowing down and resting is just a small price to pay for the greater good.  So don't worry. I'm not walking around the block. I'm no longer working. I'm just relaxing, waiting for Baby A and Baby B to make their precious little arrival... Just not too soon.  

Since I have officially made it out of my 20's and into my count down in the 30's, my next goal is to make it to 32 weeks.  Next weekend will be such a huge milestone for so many reasons. 32 weeks marks the last big development...The lungs.  And for more selfish and emotional reasons marks a celebration, a baby shower, that Baby A and Baby B are going to be joining us so so soon and I can for once celebrate something joyful in my pregnancy rather than hide my emotions of sadness and disappointment.  Almost 4 years of trying and yes we have celebrated quietly the moments and milestones where we got "just a little further" than before but the 5 times we have celebrated have ended with a sad and disappointing loss.  So this time dang it we are celebrating with friends and family the biggest milestone yet.  

Just for fun a few pictures from my afternoon of relaxation with Matt.  

Holy belly watch out ... It's growing like a weed.  

How Far Along: 31 weeks 1 days

Total weight gained:  36 pounds

Cravings: I was really craving some fresh squeezed lemonade and a DQ blizzard (Oreo and Heath that is)

Stretch Marks: sad to say I spotted my first one.... on my right boob, not my belly.  Who would have thought but the girls are growing too so I am not surprised 

Sleep: I slept great since I got home from the hospital.  Poor Matt has to cover up with extra blankets these days while I have the AC cranked, the ceiling fan going, and barely any blankets on.  Besides peeing 2-4 times per night, I've actually slept pretty well.

Nausea or Queasy: yes... For eternity it feels like.  But it's only every couple of days and seems to be if I haven't eaten or had enough protein 

Wedding rings on or off: off although I did smash my sausage fingers in them today. 

Signs of labor: not anymore thank goodness 

Gender: 2 baby girls

Looking forward to: hitting 32 weeks and the baby shower my mom and sister are hosting for me. 

Belly Button in or out: in... Barely. 

Movement: yes and lots of it. My belly rolls all over. 

Baby Dreams: hmmm can't remember any

Complaints: growing bigger and bigger sometimes I feel like a turtle on its back.  It's a bit hard to get around as I did before.  I breath kind of heavy and it takes a bit more effort to go from laying down to sitting/standing up.  

 (Thanks for the hand-me-down dress Jenn)

 

I'm home!

I'm home and so happy to be home.  My body cooperated and the medicine (indocin) they gave me along with some fluids, rest, and monitoring worked.  Baby girls are still all snuggly in the womb and hopefully aren't going to make a surprise appearance for another few weeks.  My doctor is hoping for at least another 4 more weeks which puts me at about 34-35 weeks.... Much better than 30.

So now what.... Well I'm thankfully not on bedrest.  I'm in "sit your butt down and relax" rest.  So. O working, walking, lawn work, life and running around like I had been.  Sometimes I think I can do it all, then my body reminds me when I'm pregnant it's a. It like glass, although I try to be tough.  For some reason my body is just a bit more sensitive than others when I'm pregnant.  Oh well if it means I can try to avoid having the girls in the NICU I will do what it takes.  So if you're bored feel free to text, call, or e-mail me.  I have plenty of time to catch up!

30 weeks

Stay in little ones!!  I had quite the eventful Sunday!  I think I would like to insert foot and shut mouth since lately over the past few weeks I've been telling people I'm feeling great and things have have been progressing great.  Well come on, it wouldn't be right if it were all too perfect and I actually showed up for my scheduled c-section in 7.5 weeks.  

I had been having some cramps on Saturday night but I just chalked them up to growing pains, hello two babies, you can't really expect to feel nothing... And if you think that, well then you're crazy.  For all the ladies who have never been pregnant it's just important to decipher what's normal and not normal, which isn't always easy.  So anyways I had some cramping on Saturday evening and night but it went away so I just ignored it. I had a little more on Sunday morning, just light, and that too went away so I didn't think much of it.  I then went to brunch with some friends and then when I got home after a few hours I had the cramps again late in the afternoon but this time they didn't go away.  So without trying to totally panic I asked Matt what I should do when he got home from golfing.  He said if I think I should call my doctor than just call, ok thanks for the help buddy.  Jk he and I have the same mentality... If we just ignore things it will all go away.  Except they weren't going away so I paged my doctor. 

He thought it would be a good idea to come in and get monitored and make sure I wasn't having contractions and to make sure nothing seriously was wrong. So off we went and after being monitored the resident said I was just having uterine spasms and was maybe a little dehydrated but no contractions.  So we agreed I was safe to go home and she was going to discharge me.

Well right before my nurse was going to take me off the monitor and and take my iv out my pain got worse so I told her that so she looked at the monitor and I was having contractions, not intense, not frequent but my "pain" meant more than something we could ignore.  So they decided to keep me and monitor me and give me medicine (indocin) to stop the contractions.  They also have been monitoring to make sure the babies are safe and don't need to be delivered emergently.  So far so good. I'm status quo for now and will hopefully be going home tomorrow.  I did get some steroid shots (more needles yay) just in case I go into labor early it will help with the twins lung development.  

Sooo as always never a dull moment or easy walk in the park.  I'm most likely going to be on bedrest or modified bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy but that's ok, perhaps I needed to slow down.  I've been trying to do it all lately and maybe this was my body's way of saying oh no girl, you mustn't do that!  So for now we are safe, not in labor, the babies are kicking, growing, and look great.  I'll keep y'all updated.

No cute 30 week picture this week... I'll just have to do it next week!  

And here is Matt... Be the best supportive husband while we are at hotel de university of Chicago hospital! 

29 Weeks

This week we finally finished getting all of the baby furniture for our sweet little peas room.  It's a bit tight but we fit it all in.  I'm not sure what my obsession is with a comfy bed and any nighttime so others but I was adament about making sure we had everything completed in the girls room just in case they come early.  So now we have beds, binkies, a bunny, and blankie to cuddle with.  I hope they like their room just as much as I do.  Here's a few snap shots of the final product.  We still need to hang stuff on the wall but I'm still trying to decide what I want to put on.

              

So hard to believe that in just 8.5 weeks (or sooner they will be here).  People keep asking how I am feeling and doing and overall I feel pretty good.  My tummy gets pretty heavy by the end of the day and I retain about 5 pounds that I pee out at night but overall my cankles have been kept to a minimum and my back is really only super sore if I stand or sit for too long.  Thankfully my job has been super flexible and amazing and has allowed me to work less and work from home so I am not commuting or in my feet/sitting for 12+ hours.  Here I am 29 weeks and growing.  1 more week until I mKe it into the 30's and the final stretch. 

                                          

How Far Along: 29 weeks 3 days

Total weight gained:  36 pounds

Cravings: I really wanted this cinnamon bread from a local bread company in Grand Haven called Great Harvest.  We usually have it around the holidays at home.  Naperville has a Great Harvest but when I called to see if they made that particular bread, she said they didn't at the Naperville location.  So I guess I'm just going to have to move on to my next craving. 

Stretch Marks: still a no

Sleep: I slept terrible this past week.  I am getting bigger and slightly more uncomfortable at night but even the 6+ pillows that surround me aren't enough.  I wake up for about 1-2+ hours and am having a hard time sleeping through the night. I suppose I am just practicing for the babies so I can't complain.

Nausea or Queasy: poor Matt had to listen to me Ralph my brains out the other night for about 15 (or what felt like 15) minutes.  That was rough, and yucky. 

Wedding rings on or off: on

Signs of labor: nope

Gender: 2 baby girls

Looking forward to: hitting 30 weeks next week

Belly Button in or out: in... Barely. 

Movement: yes and lots of it.  People often wonder what does it feel like to have two babies kick and move inside of you instead of one... It's kind of surreal and hard to describe.  Usually it starts with one side (right is baby A) and (left is baby B) and once one starts kicking or moving it wakes the other and then I either feel them both move at the same time or one side followed by the other.  I think I've enjoyed feeling the movement of "life growing inside of me" the most out of pregnancy.  It's a bond that I never really got to experience before. 

Baby Dreams: I have had some pretty crazy vivid dreams lately but no baby specific ones 

Complaints: not this week... 

Prenatal Cradle

 Check this Polish move out.  Matt tide me to the chair so the blanket would lift up my heavy belly.  Haha I just had to share!  By the end of the day my stomach feels about 5 pounds heavier so this actually feels great!  

Happy Mother's Day

I read a great article on my support group page and wanted to share.  Mothers Day is a beautiful day to celebrate but it is also a day that can come with a lot of pain.  Here is the link if you care to read or have struggled with a loss ....  

http://theaccidentalokie.com/to-the-miscarriage-mamas-on-mothers-day/

28 weeks

I know I know I missed the 27th week update and picture and you were all thinking... come on where is she.  Just kidding, well kind of.  We've had another busy week but have FINALLY made it to the third and final trimester and oh my goodness I cannot believe it.  If you asked me 6 months ago if I was going to make it to term I would have told you probably not.  Ask me now and I'll say, I think so. Ask me in 1 month, and I'll probably say I think this time I'm going to make it!  

I had my 28 week appointment and all is still well.  The girls are growing and getting bigger.  Baby A was 2.4 pounds and Baby B was 2.2.  They are still quite tiny little peanuts and on the smaller side. According to my doctor they are "normal size" for twins and there is nothing to worry about.  Baby B is quite a little wiggle worm and at every other appointment flips from laying head up or down.  This time she was head up (breached) so we will see what position she is in in 3 weeks. Baby A is still head down, and hasn't budged.  Neither has her placenta. It's still low lying, but not causing me any problems at this time.  

I passed my glucose test. Yay for no diabetes and I go back in 3 weeks.  At my next appointment I'll schedule my c-section.  I cannot even believe how far I have come.  It's still a little surreal but Matt and I are (cautiously) getting more and more excited each week.  

The ultrasound pictures didn't turn out real great this week but here are a few.  

  

How Far Along: 28 weeks

Total weight gained:  34ish

Cravings: hmmm nothing special this week

Stretch Marks: still a no, thank goodness but man oh man the veins in my growing belly are getting icky, I am (no offense to the ladies who like being pregnant) a fan of a pregnant belly

Sleep: I actually slept really well the past week. I think I'm getting a little more tired these days so it makes sense. 

Nausea or Queasy: unfortunately the vomiting is back... It's rough but thankfully only 1 time maybe 2 times per day but not every day.  I have to be diligent with eating or else I get sick. 

Wedding rings on or off: on

Signs of labor: nope

Gender: 2 baby girls

Looking forward to: finishing the last trimester just as I did the first and second

Belly Button in or out: in... Barely. 

Movement: you bet, I feel like I have a boxing match going on.  Matt had a few special moments this week.  He called it his daddy daughter time.  I was sleeping and Matt was up working late and came into bed after I did and each night this week he touched my tummy to say good night and instantly the girls started kicking him... Like they knew it was him.  I'm not going to lie, it was pretty cute. 

Baby Dreams: I had a dream that Matt and I went to France on a baby moon and I went into labor while in France and I was so mad that my doctor left, don't worry we are not leaving Naperville or the Chicago area any time soon.

Complaints: I wish I didn't ever throw up, it's just really gross 

Daddy has been busy!

Matt's been hard at work helping me register for baby things and prepping the nursery.  He agreed to let me pick out pink for the girls room and finally finished painting the girls room.  It took quite a few layers of paint to cover the blue but it looks great.  Poor guy has been working so hard the last few months during busy season only to spend his "free time" catering to me.  Gotta love him though, he secretly has been enjoying every minute of it and is getting more and more excited for the girls to get here.  10.6 more weeks until they are here (as long as they make it to 38 weeks).