24 week doctor appointment

Well the girls behaved again while they got their picture taken.  Just kidding.  That's what Matt said about this weeks doctor appointment and ultrasound.  I had my 24 week check-up and all is well in the womb.  The baby girls are growing nicely and just under 1.5 pounds each.  Baby A was 1.4 pounds and I didn't get Baby B's weight.   I'm still feeling ok but am feeling myself slowing down a little.  Matt noticed that I no longer walk as fast as I used to.  For anyone who knows me my "normal" walk is a power walk and I'm currently about as fast as a turtle.  I even get past by the grey haired ladies these days.  It's not that I cannot walk that fast I can, it's just uncomfortable and my stomach does this squishing movement that I do not like so I'd prefer to listen to my body and slow down albeit kind of hard to do.  

24 weeks marks my first goal for myself that I wanted to reach in this pregnancy.  The babies are now considered viable and if I went into labor they would be micropremies in the NICU, but big enough to try and save and grow in a controlled environment.  Although I would prefer to not go into labor for another 12-14 weeks part of me is proud of my body and for us ( Matt and me) for trying everything possible to have me carry our own children.  

So many times during the 5 losses and 5 rounds of in vitro and multiple drugs, shots, and pokes I've questioned whether what I have put my body through will be worth it.  The further I get the more I realize it is and will be.  

I've been thinking a lot lately about what life would be like if I had a two year old running around my house.  That is how old Collin should be had he been born on his due date of April 1,2014.  I get real tearful thinking about him and what life should be like but then I realize it was just not part of gods plan for Matt and me.  Maybe one day I'll know why but for now I resonate with the beautiful things this journey has given me and I find peace and happiness in that.  It's ironic how tragedy can be a beautiful thing, but I am learning that it really can be. It's just not always easy.  

I just have to keep my head high and the positive vibes going with this pregnancy.  July will be here before I know it.  I'm slowly making this pregnancy more real and Matt and I are slowly getting things ready for the girls.  We started working a little more on the nursery this week.  It still scares me half to death to do anything but I also cannot be 36 weeks pregnant without twins and just starting to get things ready.... I'll be kicking myself (and Matt) for waiting.  So I am taking the advice of my twin friends/acquaintances and starting sooner rather than later.  

Here are some pictures from this weeks ultrasound.  They are still a little creepy and alien like but the 3D pictures are showing the babies looking more like true babies and less like an embryo or fetus.