Hospital Tour

Last night was our last labor and birthing class at the hospital.  It's a 4-week series, but the last class is next Thursday and we'll be in Cleveland for my sister-in-law's wedding. 

Our class also included a tour of the Women's Pavilion and Birthplace at WakeMed Cary.  It is a very nice facility.  They have free, easy parking, which is great.  The pavilion itself was just completed in the past couple of years, so the facilities are very new.

They have a website where you can see the recently born babies.  Maybe this will be useful for some of you to check out some first pics of our tiny stars.

The labor and recovery room is very nice, with a gliding rocker and another recliner for Jason to hang out in.  They have televisions with VCRs and DVD players.  I can bring my laptop and they have free wireless (because I'll definitely be sending emails between contractions... right...).  The rooms also have jacuzzi tubs. 

They have a coach's lounge with food and drinks for Coach Jason.  We'll labor in the labor room until it's time to push (hopefully, if we're not having a c-section), and then they will move us to the operating room.  Even if the babies are delivered vaginally, it will happen in an OR in case they need to do an emergency c-section (especially if something goes wrong with our little girl, who should be born second).  After the delivery, they will take us all back to the labor room to recover for an hour or so, depending on how I'm doing.

If the babies are delivered via c-section, they may take them into the nursery for a little while.  If not, then they will keep them with us if we like.  We got to see the nursery last night.  We could see through the nursery into the NICU in the back, but we weren't allowed to go back there.  If our babies go there, we would be allowed back to see them, of course.  But the general public can't go into the NICU (or even into the hall to get a better look).  I'm hoping that we don't have any reason to be in there.

Then they'll move us to the postpartum room.  These rooms are very similar and also very nice.  They have a full-size pull-out sofa that Jason can sleep on.  We can have visitors between 11 AM and 8 PM only, but no children under 12 are allowed past the waiting room outside.

They said that we would stay 2 nights for a vaginal delivery and 3 nights for a c-section, typically.  Our insurance covers up to 5 nights for a c-section if we need it.  I'm not sure whether I'll be scared to go home or whether I'll be dying to go home.

25 Weeks

We were at 25 weeks yesterday.  I'm so glad that we're getting close to 30.  Every day is a day closer to meeting our babies.  And every day I feel like I get more acquainted with them as I feel them moving around and kicking and punching.  I really enjoy watching my belly dance in the evenings when I'm lying in the recliner.  (I now live in the recliner when I'm not working.)

The babies should be 13.5 inches long and a pound and a half.  I'm proud to announce that my babies are 1.5625 and 1.625 pounds, just a wee bit above average.  I think that's outstanding for twins.  I'm proud of them already.  =)

The structures of their spines are developing, including 33 vertebrae (rings of bone), 150 joints, and 1,000 ligaments.  So for us, that's 66 vertebrae, 300 joints and 2,000 ligaments.  If the babies were born now, they would have an 82% chance of survival with aggressive ICU treatment.  Of course, we hope that they aren't born for at least another 11 weeks (maybe even 13).

I feel pretty good.  I'm still having a weird problem with some sort of nerve pinching on the front of my ribcage on the right side.  I ice it each night, and I also ice my back (though my back hasn't hurt since I starting going to a chiropractor).

It's definitely less than 100 days from when we'll meet our babies.  Wow.

Wonderful OB Appointment!

We had a wonderful OB appointment yesterday morning.  We started by getting a growth scan (ultrasound) first thing in the morning.  They checked to be sure that the babies are growing well.  Baby A is 1 lb. 10 oz. and Baby B is 1 lb. 9 oz.  I was glad to hear that they are both right on target, because I feel Baby A (boy) kick a lot more frequently (or a lot harder) than the little girl.  I'm glad that she's doing well in there.  I was starting to worry about her just a bit.

For the first time, we could see one of their faces very clearly.  We could only see Baby B's face, because Baby A's face was getting interference from the other baby (either that or a bad angle or something).  It's hard to capture her little face in the still shots that they print for us, but we were able to see it very clearly live at the ultrasound.  I cried when I saw her, of course.  She just looks like such a perfect little person.  It's amazing.  I can't wait to meet her.

The babies are both still head down, which is great.  I'm just hoping that they stay that way for another 3 months or so.

They also took another measurement of my cervical length during the ultrasound.  It was back up to 4.2 cm!  I'm thrilled!  We were at 4.5 cm around 12 weeks, and then somehow got down to 3.1 cm at 19 weeks (which is not good).  The cervix is basically what holds the babies in, so you do not want it getting smaller early on in the pregnancy.  I'm still not sure whether the 3.1 cm measurement was a fluke or a mistake in the records or if my cervix can actually get that much smaller (30% smaller?) and then jump back up to 4.1 cm again.  That's a little confusing, but I'm just happy that it's back to 4.1.  The measurement technique that they used yesterday is supposed to be more accurate than the one that was used for the 3.1 measurement, so that also increases my confidence.

We also had an appointment with the OB, who said that everything looks great.  My blood pressure is something like 106/68 - awesome.  My iron is right on track (just over 12 - not surprising, considering that I eat red meat and about 3 eggs every day).  My weight looks good, and the babies are thriving.  The babies are also the same size, which is great (one of them isn't taking the bulk of the nourishment and starving their sibling).

The OB said that they wouldn't let me get to the 40 week mark (August 11).  So our babies will definitely be born in July at the latest.  Of course, we hope that they do not come before July, because we want to give them plenty of time to develop strong little lungs.  My biggest fear is that they will come early and we will have to leave them in the NICU.  I don't think that will happen, though.  Positive thoughts, positive thoughts...

It was just a great appointment.  I'm so thankful that my babies are growing - now if we can just decide on what to name them!

Here are the pictures (if you click on a picture, you can see a larger version of it):

This is Baby A (boy) showing off his boy parts.  They love to give us pictures of their genitals for some reason.

Here is an assisted picture with labels so you can more easily see what you're looking at.  It's like looking at him from the viewpoint of the seat of a chair.  You're looking up at his thighs and cute little hiney.

Baby A (boy) from the front.  This one has lots of shadows, so it's hard to figure out without assistance...

... and here is some assistance.  Here is the little guy with his Groucho Marx get-up.  You can more easily see where his eyes, nose and mouth are in the above picture.

Baby B (girl) showing off her girl parts.  They are much harder to see than the boy parts, of course.

Here is some assistance.  The lines running down each of her legs are her femurs.  This is the same as the first picture of Baby A - it's like you're looking up at her from the viewpoint of the seat of a chair.

Here is our beautiful little girl. 

And her gorgeous profile.  She takes after her daddy.  =)

And here is a combination of her perfect profile a shot of her from the front.

Here is a shot of both babies from the front.  The little guy is on the left and our little lady on the right.

No More Wedding Rings...

We had a great OB appointment this morning.   I need to scan in the pics and post the full story.

Today I took off my wedding rings.  It's so sad!  The OB said that my hands looked swollen and that she's had some patients who wore them too long and had to have them cut off.  Eek!  I think she said that it can be worse for twin mommies.  She recommended that I just go ahead and take them off to be safe.  Some women wear them around their neck on a chain.  I'm worried that the chain might break and I would lose my rings, so I probably won't do that.  My left hand just looks so naked now!

So at least for the next three months, I'll look like a single, very pregnant lady.  =)

Adorable Laundry Room Art

I finally bought some art today for my newly painted (and extremely bright yellow) laundry room from a great artist on Etsy (her shop is here).  I couldn't resist.

I bought them each in 8x10, printed on canvas, and I'm going to try to use coupons at Michael's to buy some frames for them.

She was also having a sale where you can buy 2 prints, get 1 free, so I got this print:

It might end up in our guest room.  I'll have to take pictures when they get here and I get 'em framed.

Big thanks to Dad for helping us putting up the cabinets in our laundry room.  We love you!   =)

Bridesmaids Dress Update

A while back, I wrote about ordering a bridesmaid's dress for my sister-in-law's wedding (read here and here).  After speaking with the David's Bridal folks, who encouraged me to buy a size 18 (EIGHT sizes bigger than my early first trimester size), I spoke with another seamstress in Cary who suggested I go for a size 14.

Well, I tried on the size 14 this week, and it actually fits pretty well.  I'm completely shocked.  I took it to the seamstress today, and she did a few quick little tricks and basically only had to pull the straps up (way, way up, because it was looking completely inappropriate on top).  $10 and it fits like a charm!  I'm thrilled that it was so easy, and I'm so glad that I found a great seamstress who could steer me in the right direction.  She even adjusted the straps while I waited. 

I looked for silver shoes for the wedding and actually bought some little silver flip flops.  I would usually want a great pair of heels, but I figure heels would be an extremely, extremely bad idea right now.

I'll have to upload a pic of the dress so that you can get a preview.  I'm excited to have my picture taken with Jason in a tux again.  We haven't done that since our wedding.  And I'm glad it will happen before I bust past the 200 pound mark.  =)

Labor & Birthing Class

We have started going to a Labor & Birthing class for multiples at the hospital where we're going to have the babies, WakeMed Cary.  The first class was sort of ho-hum... not much information that we didn't know before from reading books.  It has been fun to meet other parents expecting multiples, though.  (Luckily, the class is nothing like the pioneer birth scene above.  We've come a long way since 1877.)

Last night was better, I think.  We talked about vaginal birth, and we learned about all the stages of birth and the hormones involved at the different stages.  We practiced a lot of different positions, breathing techniques and soothing techniques.  Jason had to massage my back and hands a lot, which is a definite bonus.  I'm a fan of the hand massage for sure.  Well, I guess I'm a fan of all of the massaging!  =)


All in all, I'm glad we're taking the class.  We'll miss the last class to go to my sister-in-law's wedding, so next week will be our last class (it's a 4-week series).  We'll talk about c-sections next week.  50% of twins are born via c-section, so we need to be ready for that possibility.

After the class last night, Jason took me by Chipotle to grab a steak bowl on the way home.  I'm trying to eat more protein.  I'm supposed to eat 176 grams a day, which is a LOT of protein.  For the past 5 days, I've been over 120 grams per day.  Over the past 3 days, I've had between 160 and 185 grams of protein.  This is a lot of eggs, protein shakes and steak.

We have a growth scan (ultrasound) and another doctor's appointment on Tuesday morning. I'm hoping that the babies are still both head down.  We would love to have a vaginal birth if we can, because it's better for the babies (and generally a faster recovery time for me).  I'm also hoping that I get a good cervical length measurement.

Little Kickers Like Chili

I think the babies may like chili (or maybe it's that they really don't like chili).  I had some chili for dinner last night, and they started kicking and punching like nobody's business.  It was mainly the little guy, of course, but the little girl jumped in there, too.  Maybe they're already fighting for room in there.  I seriously think they kicked and moved for at least 30 solid minutes.  My belly was bouncing all over the place.  It was fun.  I'll have to eat chili again today. 

Here is a picture of my beautiful sister-in-law with the blanket that I made for her.  This is the only picture that I have of it.  I should have remembered to take some before her shower.  I hope it keeps little Elizabeth warm during the freezing California winter. : )

24 Weeks Today - Happy Birthday to Me

We are 24 weeks today - a wonderful birthday present for me.  The day started out with Jason walking into our room singing "Happy Birthday" to me with breakfast in bed (french toast, my favorite, and a sliced banana... so good!).  He's such a great husband.

Now that the babies are 24 weeks, they are just over a pound (up to a pound and a half) and 8-12 inches long (about the size of an ear of corn).  They should be able to hear any loud sounds, though they will sound muffled for them because of all the fluid.  They don't have much fat on them, but hopefully they will fill out in the next few months.

My belly button is getting more shallow by the week.  It's still there (and still indented instead of "outdented"), but I would love to hear your bets on when you think it's going to pop.  =)

My Discount Azalea Survived!

This is not baby related, but I bought a clearance azalea last year from Lowes for $1.  I literally just dug a hole in the ground in the woods behind our house and plopped it in there, not thinking that it would really survive.  I noticed yesterday that it's blooming!  The azaleas are in full bloom here, and my little guy survived the year through.  Here are some pics with our new camera:

The babies are kicking right now while I'm posting this.  Baby A is much more energetic than Baby B.  But every now and then Baby B gives me a good shuffle so that I know she's still in there.  :)

Concerro Shower Pics

Here are some pictures from the shower that my sweet colleagues at Concerro threw for me... such a fun time...

 Here is the cake that said "Best of Both Worlds."  So cute!

Expectant Mommy Parking, A New Chair and Belly Pics

I had a fun weekend visiting my parents in Georgia.  I went to my sister-in-law's baby shower.  She is due in June with their first baby, a girl named Elizabeth.  I'm glad that I could be there for her shower.  She lives in California, so I won't be able to see her for a very long time.  I crocheted a pink baby blanket for little Elizabeth.  It was fun to finally be able to give it to Mary.  I should have taken a picture!

After the shower, Mom and I visited our friend, Johnna, who just had twins a couple of months ago - a baby boy and girl.  They are so tiny and sweet.  I can't wait to meet our babies.  It was nice to be able to talk to Johnna about what it's like being a mommy of twin newborns.  She also has an adorable 3-year-old son, so she certainly has her hands full.

On the way home, Mom and I stopped to eat at Truett's, and I got to use the Expectant Mommy parking:

I was able to fly there and back for $22 each way because of my dad's discount from being a Delta pilot.  On the way back I sat in first class - not bad for $22!

When I got home, I got to try out our new recliner.  My back and my upper abdominal muscles have been very sore lately.  I get very uncomfortable sitting on the couch every evening.  My parents offered to buy us a recliner.  We put it downstairs in the family room, and I think there will be many days and nights that I sleep in this recliner with my babies.  My chiropractor mentioned that this would be a good sitting position for me to help with my back.  Thanks to Mom and Dad for the wonderful chair!

I broke the chair in today with a good long nap.  It was very comfortable.

I put a coat of white paint on the changing table (bought on Craigslist a few months back) today while Jason mowed the lawn.  I'll have to post some pictures of that soon.

Here are some updated belly pictures at 23.5 weeks:

The twins and I at 23.5 weeks.

Jason at 23.5 weeks.

Finally, these are pictures of our dear friends' son who is somewhat captivated by my belly and now his own belly.  His mom says he talks about how big his "bew-ye" is getting now and that it's as big as Miss Leslie's.  I love this little guy!  =)

23 Weeks

We're at 23 weeks today.  I can't believe we're only a little over halfway there.  It seems like we should be further than that.  I can't wait to meet the babies!

We still don't have names for them.  I think Jason and I just stalled once we got it down to a handful of names.  We like our girl names, but we're not overly excited about any of our boy names yet, so it's hard to decide. 

My back has still been hurting a lot lately, so I started going to a chiropractor for the first time this week.  She specializes in pregnancies, and I really like her a lot so far.  We have great coverage for chiropractics ($20 co-pay with up to $3600 of treatment fully covered), and I'm very thankful for that.

According to the websites, our babies are about 11 inches long and weigh just over a pound (a little more than a mango).  I can see them moving underneath the skin of my belly, but it still looks like big belly twitches - no slow movements yet, more jabs and kicks.  I feel Baby A (the little guy) move a lot more than Baby B (little girl), but I hear that that is normal for twins.  Blood vessels are developing in their lungs to help them prepare for breathing.

My belly button is getting more shallow by the day, but it has not popped yet.  I'm just starting to be able to see a faint linea nigra (line down my belly).  I wonder if it will get darker or stay the way it looks now.  Only time will tell.

I read this quote by Erma Bombeck in a book that I'm reading:

"If I had my life to live over, instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I’d have cherished every moment and realized the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle."

I don't completely agree with it, because I think there are many other ways that we can assist God in miracles throughout our lives.  But I thought it was a beautiful way to look at my pregnancy.

Consignment Sale

At church on Sunday, another woman was telling me about a consignment sale happening in Holly Springs, near where I live.  I ventured out yesterday to see what I could find.  They had some really cute things, and I think I got some great deals.  Here's what I got for $45:

• 17 onesies (girls & boys)
• 12 bibs
• 20 pairs of socks (girls & boys)
• 1 cute dress
• 1 cute outfit for the little guy
• Maternity swimsuit (super sexy)
• Cloth diapers used as burp cloths
• Dishwasher basket for bottle nipples & other small things
• 4 baby washrags
• Wipe warmer
• Baby bathtub

Overall, it was a very successful trip and I got a lot of basics that we still need.  I can't wait to go to another consignment sale with another girlfriend in just a couple weeks!

Oh, and Glee is back tonight!  This is probably one of my favorite shows ever.  I have been waiting for this night for so long...

Big Foot

Today, my back is feeling much better.  I'm thrilled about this because the pain I was having last night was immobilizing - at least it prevented me from wanting to do anything but sit or lie down.  Today it feels a lot better.

Last time I had a doctor's appointment, she suggested that I get a maternity support belt.  It came today.  I can't wait to wear this bad boy:

I will not be posting a picture of myself modeling this thing.  =)

Jason and I went recliner shopping today.  I think having a recliner to sit in would help me overall with this back pain.  Plus, we really need to replace the ratty chair that I bought on Craiglist for $30 last year.  I think we found one that we like, but we haven't bitten the bullet yet.  We don't like making expensive choices in a rush.  On the other hand, my back makes me want to rush this more than I usually would.

We also went to DSW so that I could look for some shoes for my sister-in-law's wedding.  I tried on some size 11 shoes, and they fit.  This scares me.  It's interesting that your feet can get bigger with pregnancy.  The ovaries secrete a hormone called Relaxin that causes pelvic and cervical expansion by loosening the ligaments "down there" so that it's easier for the baby (or "babies" in our case) to be born.  Relaxin can also cause the ligaments in my feet to expand, resulting in a larger foot.  This change is generally permanent.

The bad part about this is that I may end up in a size 11 shoe (though some of my 10's still fit).  The good news is that this is an excellent excuse to buy all new shoes.  And everyone knows how much I hate shoes...

On an unrelated but entertaining note, Jason found a new passion for yard work today.  He mowed the lawn, and then proceeded to prune bushes and then start to completely remove shrubs from around the back porch.  At one point, I was outside with him snipping away at this vine (trying not to exert myself, which is hard for me) while he ripped this gigantic shrub stump/root system out of the ground with his bare hands.  He then lifted it over his head (with dirt raining down on him) and then body slammed it to the ground (literally), saying something to it.  I can't quite remember what he said to the stump itself, but then he started comparing it to a hunter holding a buck head and he asked me how many "points" this buck would be.  I wish we had had the camera out.  Needless to say, I laughed a lot.  I love my husband.  He's going to be a fun dad.

Sciatica?

I have discovered a new level of pregnancy discomfort.  I think I have sciatica.  This evening, I started feeling this shooting pain down my rear end (fun, huh?).  Then I realized that it shoots through my left hip pretty much any time I use my left leg.  It's a jarring, sudden sharp pain that usually results in an audible expression of discomfort. 

I'm hoping that this is something that will go away as quickly as it came.  I did my 2-mile walk today (the doc said only to walk 2 miles a day??) just fine with no discomfort.  Then around 6 pm tonight, it started hurting.  Now, I feel like I'm walking around like an elderly woman.  Surely this cannot last another 3 or 4 months, right??

Regardless, these babies are still worth it.  At least I'm relatively comfortable sitting & lying down.

22 Weeks

Well, we hit 22 weeks yesterday.  We're getting up there but it still seems like we have such a long way to go!

Our babies are about 8 inches long and should weigh about a pound.  They are developing their senses of touch & taste.  They are developing a good grip now, and one of the books says that they might hold onto their umbilical cords because there is nothing else to grab onto in there.  They can also hear sounds, though the sounds are muffled from the amniotic fluid. The babies have eyebrows, eyelashes and some hair, though their hair is bright white, because they don't have any pigment yet.

They are moving around like crazy now.  It's so neat to feel them move.  Jason felt one of them kick a couple nights ago for the first time.  I can see my stomach move when the babies move around in there.

I seem to be sleeping a lot better lately.  That might be because I'm still in the wrong time zone from traveling to the West Coast, but I'll take it!

We're still not settled on names, so I just call them "little girl" and "little guy" or "little man."  So far, they're ok with that.  My work colleagues named them Desi and Lucy... maybe we should just stick with that (JUST kidding).  =)

Baby Shower

While I was in Los Angeles, some dear friends of mine threw me a wonderful baby shower.  The evening started out with some ridiculously good food - brownies, fresh cut strawberries, this ridiculously good toffee chocolate cake, a Porto's fruit tart (soooo good), little buckeyes (peanut butter & chocolate)... it was delicious.

The girls had decorated Stephanie's apartment beautifully with streamers and balloons.  It was so cute.

The best part of the shower was seeing so many people that I haven't seen in such a long time.  The girls from my original life group waaaaaay back were there - Stephanie, Katie, Jill, Melissa and Liz.  Kathy, one of my dear friends from JPL, was also there (I was so surprised to see her, because she skipped Good Friday service at her church to come to my shower - so sweet).  I also saw Ashley and Erinne, who are friends from our last life group before we moved to North Carolina.  It was great to see Erinne, who lives in Oregon but just happened to be in town that weekend.  Amanda, another friend from JPL, and Heather, a friend from my current company, Concerro, were also there to celebrate with us.  And, of course, my mom, sister-in-law and niece were there, too.  It was great to see everyone.  I just wish that I had had more time to visit with everyone and hear updates on their lives.

We played games (complete with prizes).  One game was a quiz on celebrity twins and then there was another quiz on my pregnancy and my birth.  Ashley won the quiz about me (and I honestly think she got more correct answers than I would have gotten - I'm not even kidding!).  I had to wear a blindfold and guess the baby items in this little bag.  I did pretty well, except that I couldn't guess the colors (which is fairly tricky with a blindfold on).  =)  We also tried to guess people's baby pictures, which was very challenging.

 I got so many lovely gifts.  I will have some well dressed babies!

One of the other highlights of the evening was that my friend, Katie, shared with our old life group bunch that she's expecting her first baby in October.  I could not be happier for her.  She's going to be a wonderful mother.  It's fun to go through pregnancy with her.  I really wanted to have a gift for her and for Mary (my sister-in-law, expecting in June) that evening, but I wasn't able to pull my idea together in time.  They'll just have to be looking for packages in the mail.  =)

It was an amazing time with good friends.  A huge thanks to Jill & Stephanie and everyone else who helped with the shower.  It was so good to see you all.  I always just wish that I had more time with each of you.  I love you ladies!  You mean the world to me.

Pregnant Sisters

One of the highlights of my trip to California was seeing my brother, sister-in-law, niece and my mom.  My sister-in-law, Mary, is about 2 months ahead of me in her pregnancy and she's the cutest pregnant lady ever.  She's going to be a great mom.  They are having a little girl named Elizabeth, who I just can't wait to meet.  Unfortunately, I probably won't get to meet her in person until around Christmas if they're able to come back east for the holidays (between our babies and Elizabeth, none of us will be able to travel to each other).  Mary's due date is June 5.

It's been fun for us to go through our pregnancies together!

California Visit

I'm back from California and have so much blogging to catch up on - wonderful visits with friends, the best baby shower ever and seeing my family.  I'll probably post updates individually.  Here's the first one...

On Wednesday of last week, I went to some dear friends' house to visit them and their beautiful 10-month-old daughter at their gorgeous home in San Diego.  Their baby girl is SUCH a cutie!  She has just recently started to crawl, and, man, can she move!  I kept trying to imagine me and Jason (or just me when Jason is at work) chasing around two 10-month-olds.

I had fun reading to her while she was devouring her Cheerios, cheese and bananas.  Now just imagine that there are two high chairs and two babies... it's going to be fun!

Over the "river" and through the "woods" ...

(Jason signing in here)

With Leslie in LA visiting family and friends, I found myself with a wide-open Easter weekend.  So far, the weather has been spectacular!  Spring in North Carolina is my favorite time of year (followed closely by Autumn).  The weather is starting to turn warm, the trees and flowers are returning to color, and for a brief moment in time we have neither a heating nor a cooling bill to pay.  I've been sleeping with the windows open ... and I'm loving it.

With the babies on the way, Leslie and I wanted a better way to document their childhood than our current point-n-shoot camera.  It's convenient and it's small, but it doesn't take great pictures.  After a little research, I settled on a new Canon T2i.  And since Leslie and the babies are out of town, my first test photos were of our current babies ... the cats.

Chloe with her classic "empty stare" pose

 Noah doing what Noah does best (besides eat)

Of course I miss Leslie like crazy and nothing is the same without her, but I did get out and enjoy a stroll through our neighborhood today.  There are miles of "greenway" paths all throughout town.  Here are a few pics from the walk.

The "river" (more of a creek)

The path through the "woods"

I'll have to come back and check on the future parents.  Can't wait to see their little ones.

I love the colors