One Week Old

This will probably be the last post on this blog... moving back over to the "big blog" now since we're officially home as a family of five :)

The past week ended up being insane. I thought it was going to be easy going once we got home from the hospital and were waiting on little P, but it wasn't so much. It was emotional and stressful in that every day we were told "hopefully tomorrow". Friday we were going to visit but I was SO tired, I had about 4 hours of sleep since going into labor Wednesday morning and we figured we'd head up Saturday morning once we were rested, got Maya home, and got a little settled. Saturday they said not to worry about visiting (they knew what a hike we had) because he was on the track to going home for Sunday, but Sunday morning they called to say he wasn't maintaining his body temp and they had to turn on the warmer. I had a breakdown and we went up there, where I was able to hold him finally and feed him and change his diaper. It was totally worth it for that little bit of time spent-and thanks to my pump having a battery attachment I was able to pump on the way out there (might as well since it takes so long) and give him a little breastmilk (which I guess he hogged down that night!)

We were going to go up on Monday hopefully prepared to bring him back with us but he had a higher bilirubin level than they'd like, not high enough to use the lamps but on the higher end of normal so they wanted to recheck him the next day to make sure it was going down and not up. I had a bigger breakdown then since we were told to pretty much prepare as long as his feeding was ok and he was maintaining his temp, which he was. We didn't go up because Ava had a checkup a little after noon, and we'd have another late night of driving coming back (not a fan of driving a dark two lane road with our little bean in the van!) ...we decided to go home, get our bags and everything packed, head to Charleston early to visit regardless of what news we got and just come prepared and hopeful.

We headed out Tuesday morning, and I called on the way to see how he had done the night before-and they said as long as he passed his car seat test he'd be good to come home! Amazing news to us but we didn't even know a car seat test existed so we were kind of frustrated and hoping and praying he'd be fine. Turns out the parameters for the test are absurd and had he failed, he REALLY deserved to still be there! We got there, I popped in to see him, they were able to start the test right away since he had just finished a feeding (perfect timing-otherwise we would've had to wait another 3-4 hours!) and he passed! It was a long afternoon of just waiting around, Patrick took Maya down to this really neat play center and I sat with Ava in the waiting room (neither one of the girls could go into the Special Care Nursery, where he had been moved to Saturday or so).

I'll tell you what-our 6 days, although super stressful to us being there and seeing other babies and hearing their stories really puts things in perspective. I'm so fortunate to have carried them for as long as I did, and to have two babies sleeping in the pack & play next to me is more than I could have hoped for. I'm thankful for all of the support and encouragement we had from family and friends, and for the prayers most of all. That made his stay only a 6 day one! I'm glad it's over though, and that they are both home and we are learning how to be a family of 5. It's definitely had its challenges, especially with Maya, but we'll get there.

In the meantime-here are some pictures!

Here's an honesty shot :) 36 weeks, 4 days before their arrival!

Maya's reaction when Patrick told her the babies were coming!Ava PatrickAva-sooo much hair!
Little P-man
After he had to go under the oxygen hood
Holding Ava for the first time
Went to see him for the first time, before his helicopter ride
Maya is such a good big sister!
Patrick went up to Charleston on Thursday to see little P-this is while he was still on CPAP and a feeding tube
Going home!
Holding my little man finally!
Teeeeeny! 4lbs15oz here-on Monday
Finally together :)

They're Here!/Birth Story/3 Days Old

Well, apparently that bad mood I was experiencing on Tuesday WAS an insane surge of hormones... leading to labor!

*Disclaimer: if you don't want to know the gory details, skip this part! Because some are gooory :)

I went to bed before 9 on Tuesday night, following my super duper bad mood post. In the middle of the night (4:30am), I felt the gush... and unlike when it happened with Maya and I thought I peed the bed, I knew exactly what happened. I tapped Patrick on the shoulder, told him that my water broke, and he shot up in bed and was awake... I rolled over (and I RANDOMLY had a regular pad on that night-just because we were out of liners in that bathroom, and I had to wear them because of my plug loss, so all the initial gush was absorbed by that-definitely wouldn't have been that way with liners!) and made it out of the bed and into the (linoleum floor!) bathroom before it started splashing all over. I made it into the shower and just kind of stood there while it ran like a hose... I had Patrick grab my phone so I could call my (amazing!!) neighbor Lauren to tell her it was time. (Ironically, she had just been lying there awake, and she didn't know why.) I insisted on taking a shower because I felt disgusting and had amniotic fluid all over. I hurried as much as I could, but my contractions started about when I got out of the shower so I'd have to slow here and there... we finished packing the last minute stuff in our bags, Patrick woke Maya up and told her the babies were coming (she was THRILLED) and we headed out.

When we got to the hospital it was about 5:30. In the parking lot I had another massive gush that soaked my shorts and made my flip flops super slippery. My contractions had gone to about 5 minutes apart-I had 2 or 3 just on the drive to the hospital, and had one in the parking lot that I couldn't walk through. We got in there and thankfully (THANKFULLY!) Patrick had called ahead while I was in the shower and told them that we were coming in-so they were waiting with my chart, and waiting with the water breaking paper and just did a quick swipe with me standing in the bathroom and skipped a whole lot of steps of being admitted to antepartum, yadda yadda (which probably bought us some very very precious time). I walked on into the labor room and we got the long, stupid, ridiculous process started.

Funny conversation when we got there, as we were testing my water and stuff-when I walked up I asked who was on duty that night to deliver, and she said Dr. B-one of the two who would deliver him breech-was on. I already knew the answer, but asked anyway, when the shift change was-7am. I asked who was on next, and it was one of the doctors who would do the c-section if he didn't flip... and I said well lets hope we can get them out by 7, and we all had a good laugh. But I was nervous.

So I got changed into my hospital gown and they had me shove a towel between my legs because water was still gushing here and there. They checked me and I was at a 5 and I forget how effaced, Patrick is pretty sure it was 100% though. I warned them that with Maya I went from a 4 to a 10 in an hour.

The admission process was insane. We just had to literally sit there and wait until I was technically admitted into the hospital-they couldn't do a thing until then. The contractions started picking up.

Finally like a half hour or more later I was admitted, and then we had to start the consent process. RIDICULOUS. I don't know why I couldn't have consented to half of this stuff beforehand. They'd have to read me the paperwork/give me the gist of it, and then some of it I had to do times two because of the twins. And then I'd have to sign. By the end, all my "signature" was was a few scribbles, because my contractions were coming about 20-30 seconds apart and were very intense-way more intense than pitocin ones with Maya.

After I signed my life away I had to have bloodwork done. At this point, since I knew I was getting an epidural (I said no initially, but if we had to go to a c-section I'd have to be put completely under and Patrick would have to leave the OR-so in that case I chose the epidural because I didn't want him going anywhere) I just wanted the thing because it was just SO intense.

Then the anesthesiologist came in. I told him that I didn't have faith in an epidural. He told me he'd prove me wrong. I was checked and was at a 7. The nurses tried to sit me up for the epidural and get me in position, but I literally could NOT-I was in so much pain-they were kind of getting mean and told me I HAD to, and I just made noises and said I couldn't-but realized that the towel in between my legs might have something to do with it. So I told them that, it was removed, and sure thing, I could sit up. Epidural was then administered and life was good pretty much right away. Dr. B checked me immediately, and we were shocked that I was at a 10 and her head was right there (probably why it hurt so bad to sit up for the epidural-her head pressure was basically pushing up against that towel!) ...time to fly.

They were moving then. I was having the urge to push. They were telling me to breathe through the urges as they wheeled me into the delivery OR-and then somehow I had to try to get on the stinking OR table (at this point I'm just thinking are you for REAL-she's going to fall out) I look around, doctors and nurses are saying hi and are introducing themselves, and then all of a sudden I see Dr. D, who is the other doctor who would deliver breech. I asked if Patrick could hurry up and get in there (I was really worried that he'd miss the delivery) and he did. I don't know how many pushes it took to get her out but it wasn't many at all. Ava Elizabeth was born at 7:07am, weighing 5lbs5oz and 17 1/2 inches long.

Since the pressure of needing to push had been fulfilled, I could have gone to sleep. We needed to get him out though. The doctor reached in and broke his water and then started to fish around in there. Yes, fish around. He was in there pulling down on him... I don't know anything about the logistics of it but there was a lot of pressure and it just felt really weird. Then it was time to start pushing him out, once he was in position-I was getting really tired really fast, so it wasn't as easy as her. He hurt a lot more coming out as he was completely frank breech (came out peeing and pooping they said!) AND the doctor's hand was in there trying to guide him out. Finally it was over, it took a little longer for him to cry which really worried Patrick. But he was ok. Patrick Neill was born at 7:20am, weighing 6lbs even and 18 inches long.

I was kind of in a quiet, happy haze after it was all done. Patrick went to go see the babies (they had gone immediately to the nursery) and I was being stitched up (1st degree tear, no biggie) and I was just kind of in a non-pregnant they're here glow.

It wasn't until we were transferred to our postpartum room that we found out there were going to be some issues. Ava was completely fine and was going to be with us shortly but Patrick was having breathing issues-it was just really hard for him-they call it "wimpy white boy syndrome", as in the hierarchy of preemie babies with lung issues white boys are most likely at risk (RDS, respiratory distress syndrome-is what his official diagnosis ended up being and the technical term for it). He was going to be monitored for awhile before they made a final decision on what to do, and finally after a couple of hours they decided to transfer him to Charleston where he could be on the more appropriate vents for what was needed.

We got to see him for a few minutes before he was gone. Right before they flighted him out they brought him in to say goodbye-he was in a massive incubator on wheels, sedated, and intubated. It was SO hard to see.

We've been able to bond a lot with Ava, and it feels completely unfair that he's not here... but he has a heck of a story, he was the first of any of us to ever take a helicopter ride :) He's done great in the NICU there-by Thursday morning he was on 21% oxygen (room level) on CPAP, and had no residuals from his feed... Patrick went up to see him and was able to hold him and spend some time with him, which I am SO glad for. Friday morning he was on room air and had a bottle (vs his feeding tube) and Saturday morning (this morning) he was considered to be a "feeder and grower". The news is that hopefully he'll be able to come home tomorrow, as long as he feeds well tonight! We'll hear either way sometime tomorrow-and you can better believe we'll be showered, ready, and waiting just in case! We won't be having any visitors come over for the next week or so so that we can work on bonding time with him-I'm ready to be completely selfish :)

Ava is a complete sweetheart. Now that we have a feeding schedule kind of down, she basically eats and sleeps which is no surprise at all (and last night we actually had a great night of sleep-yay!). We are having to supplement a bit because at discharge her weight was down to 5 pounds, but my milk came in today so hopefully we won't have to do that for long. We are completely in love with her and can't wait until she and her brother are reunited!

Pictures to come tomorrow :)

36w3d

It started this morning. Well, every morning the past few days... woke up in the most wicked mood ever. Pure evil. Completely mad. Patrick has a very sarcastic, goofy sense of humor... I usually love it, but the past couple of days that's the last thing I want to hear is a "silly" comment because even though I KNOW he's just trying to cheer me up, it doesn't work. And then Maya is just being her usual completely sweet self, though sometimes quite loud, and very, eh, active. She jumps as her mode of transportation. A lot of times she forgets to be gentle with me and launches herself at me, which hurts, and is NO fault of hers but in this mood... I really have to try my hardest to not snap on her. Evie nearly pushed me over the edge today too-it actually earned her a trip to the grooming salon-she got excited and jumped upward toward me (which she rarely does to me because she knows I hate it) and scratched my belly. An hour later she was at Petsmart for the afternoon (and came back delightful and squeaky clean and her undercoat all brushed out).

So the morning carried a rotten mood, the afternoon was ok even when my nap was interrupted by the breastfeeding support lady, and this evening is back to being awful. I'm crampy and Patrick accidentally overcooked my pasta so I'm hungry. And now I'm pouting and just not taking the initiative to make something else because I'm crabby about it.

Just keeping it real, folks! :)

36w1d

Mission of the day was to make and freeze meals. It took all day-but I got it done! I started around noon and put together two veggie lasagnas, two pans of enchiladas, and two pans of mac & cheese (with a third going to be put together tomorrow morning-I had to run to the store for more ham this evening and when I got back (with my KFC too, hah) I didn't feel like steaming the broccoli or cooking the macaroni for it). Not the healthiest of choices, but they are easy, freeze well, and are favorites of ours. I got a lot more suggestions from friends that I'll make and freeze next, if we end up finding a deep freezer-absolutely no more food can fit in our kitchen freezer now.

I took a break in the afternoon from my cooking extravaganza and took a nap-I woke up and couldn't walk. I've overdone it for the past two days now and hopefully it's done something in the progress department-at least with moving her down, if not anything else! Tonight my feet look like hobbit feet, minus the hair of course. I'm ready for a foot rub, "sleep", and a relaxing day tomorrow!

36w

Honestly, I didn't think I'd get this far! I'm super glad I did-most worries of NICU time for the babies has passed by now, thankfully! Chances are, we'll have take-home kiddos :) Today's picture is a whole one, so you can see what my ridiculous belly looks like compared to my (lack of) height, since you can't really tell with the "just belly" shots.

Today was a teensy bit miserable, but sort of self-perpetuated. We had a lazy morning, I organized our shopping list, and we hit the commissary. Took an hour and a half... mainly because of my (lack of) speed and feeling kind of icky from the start. We got our shopping done though, got home, and I tried to nap-I completely hit a wall after all that walking and then sitting in the van on the way home.

Conveniently, though, the TOILET in our master bathroom is all of a sudden on the fritz. I'm guessing it's a seal issue but as we have shelves over it we can't get to the insides easily... we have to take apart the shelf system and move it out of the way and then investigate. It makes this horrid squeaking filling-up noise every few minutes... I'm a light sleeper anyway, and since the bathroom is literally right there... well it just doesn't work. So I laid in bed just angry. And inally got up because I was so crabby. And was thankful that yesterday Patrick got me a Kit Kat that I hadn't eaten yet. If it does it all night tonight I'll be blowing up the air mattress and sleeping in the babies' room, that's for sure!

My legs continue to be complete tree trunks. They as a whole ached today and looked as if I've put on (seriously) 100lbs or more. And to tie into that, some lady called me fat yesterday-in the context of saying to Maya "Oh your mommy is so big and fat!" ...it's a good thing my kindness and patience was ruling yesterday instead of hormones. I am NOT fat. I am unbelievably swollen and unbelievably super pregnant-NOT fat. I've gained weight, yes, but it's still on the lesser end of what the doctor said (50-60lbs) and every single pound is to make for bigger babies. It doesn't bother me what I've gained or what I look like. I'm secure enough in what my job is right now. Her comment annoyed me. I just kept my mouth shut and kept talking to the other women who were there. Still, I can't wait until all of this swelling goes away-it hurts.

9 days or less!

35w5d

Last Savannah scan was today! I'll be honest-I won't miss that place or the more-than-half-the-day trips there.

It was very basic-between them being pretty big and me having a lot of fluid on my belly it was hard to see a lot of things and hard to get many good, accurate measurements. No pictures today because it was really impossible to see much (though she was going to give us pictures of their hair-which has grown! They both have a lot of it! But she forgot, and so did we before we left).

Her heartbeat was at 120 (she was chilling out being lazy) and his was at 136. He was moving all over the place by the end of the scan. They were both "breathing" through the entire scan-which the tech said was awesome. The tech also noticed that little lady emptied her bladder-when she scanned her first her bladder was full, and then when she came back later to measure her belly it was smaller and emptied. I think that's funny. And good that her little system is working!

She's measuring at 5lbs 5oz, 45th percentile, and he was at 5lbs 13oz, 65th percentile. I know that measurements aren't always super accurate, and she said they might especially not be this time since there were less available body parts to measure and the babies weren't at ideal angles to get accurate measurements (and there was no room to move the scanny stick thing around to try to get those correct angles). They should be at LEAST those sizes though, that would be a little under 2lbs gained each in the past four weeks-bigger would be awesome! There's only a 7% difference between their weights though so the whole her being head down and possibly him delivering breech isn't an issue. (Though it kind of bothered me that the tech popped her two cents in about delivering a breech baby B-she thought it was nuts and she would just opt for the c-section-well, not her babies, not her body, not her delivery!)

Apparently I was supposed to be having non-stress tests and a biophysical profile done on the babies twice a week and someone somewhere along the line forgot to put in the paperwork for it. The tech was super surprised but after talking to the Perinatologist they decided just to skip it-basically I'd have three more done at the most, today and then two next week, and since they did so good with the scan today (heartbeats, practice breathing, fluid levels great) it's just not necessary at this point. I'm SO glad. I definitely don't feel like going to Savannah twice next week on top of an appointment at Naval-and Naval checks my fluid levels anyway.

I treated myself to one last manicure and pedicure tonight! Now my fingers and toes are happy and nice and pretty for the babies to come. If my legs are massively swollen from all of this fluid, at least my toes look cute!

35w4d

Doctor's appointment today-if it went well or not depends on who you ask, Patrick or myself! He's distraught that there hasn't been progress, I'm comforted by the plans that were made and things that were discussed.

Heartbeats were good-hers at 142 and his at 148, fluid around the babies looks great, they are STILL in the same position as they've been in. I had my Group B Strep test today, and was checked again-still at 1cm, 50% effaced (not sure how effaced I was last week-she didn't tell me) and I am measuring at 46w.

We talked about labor details today and induction, and I'm SO glad I had the doctor I had today. He's our favorite, and the one who initially ordered the twins' ultrasound in the ER way back when. I just felt like he came in and any questions and concerns I had about the things we're about to face he addressed without me even asking... he's all for letting me go as long as I'd like, with minimal/no interventions during labor, and said that so is one of the other doctors (the one who did the scope on my tubes in September). They will both deliver a breech baby B if he doesn't flip/they can't flip him after A comes out (she's totally prime candidate for delivery and I shouldn't have any problems with her). I am comfortable with a breech delivery as well, so as long as I have one of those two providers I'm going to have the birth that I want (as long as no problems arise-in that situation though I'm not stubborn enough to not be flexible at the last minute).

The problem is if I go into labor and one of the other two doctors are on the delivery schedule for that day. They are not comfortable with delivering breech, so if he doesn't flip they'll deliver him by c-section (which is lovingly referred to in the multiples world as a "double whammy"). I would be very disappointed, but I'm not going to hope or expect a doctor to do something they are not comfortable with. So. Everyone hope and pray I don't have either of those two doctors :)

I had an issue before with the fact that they were going to induce me earlier than I wanted to be induced. The doctor today made a point that I completely agree with-he completely supports what I want to do as far as L&D plans, and the easiest way to try and manipulate that situation is to induce as soon as it's "smart" to with one of the two providers that are going to most likely give me the birth I hope for. I turn 37w on Saturday the 9th-and the first time one of those two are on duty is Monday the 11th, so the doctor is going to discuss that with the other one (who is the one who will be on) and then put in my induction paperwork-I should know a final answer when we go for our appointment next week. I'll be 37w2d, the babies will be well over 6lbs each, and hopefully very healthy at that point. I'll ask for the Pitocin to just try and give me a kick-start to labor, and then we'll go from there. So-in this situation I am okay with the induction. He'd personally let me go as far as I could or wanted to but the further we go the more we chance not getting one of the two that will deliver breech (I feel like I'm being redundant, I just have no brain to explain myself).

There is of course the chance that I'll go before that. July 11 is still 12 days away. I have NO idea how I still have plug left-it must be regenerating at lightning speed-but I keep losing it. In the case I do go early, please be praying I get one of the doctors we're hoping for!

If you asked me if I was ready just a few days ago, I'd say no. But now it's a yes. It doesn't bother me, the thought of still having almost two weeks to go, I'd be fine with that because I know how fast it's going to fly. If I went into labor though I wouldn't-couldn't-be disappointed anymore. I'm over 35 1/2 weeks pregnant. I got this far, and am so thankful, it's further than some make it. They'd be big, and strong. Patrick is COMPLETELY ready. If he could sweet talk those babies out he would. Poor guy is so stressed, can't work efficiently... just over the anticipation that it could be any second that I call. I guess that's the one downfall of my water breaking with Maya (though I hope it happens that way this time!) -it was an all of a sudden thing and could very well be again.

Tonight I made cayenne brownies. Tasty. They are supposed to put people in labor but they've not worked a single time for the people I've baked them for/shared the recipe with. I've also started drinking raspberry leaf tea to prepare for labor... but still no walking yet, I'm far too tired for that! :)

Last growth scan in Savannah tomorrow... can't wait to see them and see about how big they are!

35w2d

Very interesting day, and it has the potential to get more interesting.

If you are reading this and am friends with me on Facebook... don't say anything, please! This is more for documentation purposes so consider yourself special.

Very long story short, for one: I went back and forth for a couple of hours tonight trying to decide whether or not to go get checked out in antepartum for my swollen feet, which are still pitting. There are things that "could" be attributed to pre-eclampsia but could also be (and are probably) just other things. I didn't go.

And then later this evening I noticed ma-jor plug. Twinged with blood.

Here we go... only a matter of time now!

35w1d

Woke up feeling awful. I could hardly move, my wrist was in some crazy intense pain, and I told Patrick I wouldn't be surprised if I went into labor today.

More plug loss, more contractions, and some insane swelling of my legs and feet. Thankful I've kept them in for one more day though!

35w

Yay yay yay! We made it to another milestone!

Barely, I feel like-comparing pictures from this week and last week, I've definitely dropped. I already knew that though-I can feel her little head just bearing down! Ow, for sure.

Patrick ran his first half marathon today-I'm so proud! We have always joked that since he was running it today would be the day I went into labor-he was going to run with his phone in his pocket until I insisted (for the 500th time) that it would be a distraction and to leave it with one of the volunteers-but he just called, he's finished (and it's only across town) and I'm definitely not in labor :)

34w6d

Well chances are I'm not going to high-tail it through all of the stages of labor in a little less than four hours... so I'm excited that we'll be making it to 35 weeks!

We've got more little "signs" over here. Not necessarily meaning I'm going into labor tonight but meaning it's coming soon-I lost a little bit of my plug today (SO strange to me because I didn't (knowingly) lose it with Maya). Could mean labor is starting in a few hours, could mean it's happening in a couple of weeks... the plug can replenish itself, and I didn't lose a ton in the first place. Just a little more confirmation that it is indeed going to happen before long.

Also tonight I had an odd eyesight spell again-like a few weeks ago after Patrick's triathlon. I drank a Gatorade and had some dinner and it was better-still have a horrible headache though, and am having contractions here and there.

This morning (jeesh I'm all over the place) my neighbor took Maya to play again... so I got to do nothing but lie here on the couch for a couple of hours! It was delightful. But it lets me know, since I've been SUPER lazy since my appointment on Wednesday, that these babies are on their own agenda... I think we won't start walking until we hit 36 weeks, because it seems like they want some encouragement!

34w5d

I've been super crampy since I was checked yesterday. Last night was the worst-I think I set a record for "times up to get to the bathroom" for one and so it was a painful cramp-filled challenge every time I did. I still haven't felt much better throughout the day-just tired, sore, all that fun stuff. This morning I was insanely moody but that went away.

Thankfully, Patrick knows how to make my day-he came home from work with a king size Kit Kat bar and a bag of Red Vines for me! Not that they really sound appetizing at this exact point in time but he's the best for it anyway :)

34w4d

Doctor's appointment went well-thought I'd have to go in prepared for a fight regarding an induction date, but we didn't even talk about that today (woohoo!) ...heartbeats were good, hers was at 135 and his was at 141. Weight gain is at 42lbs which is a good amount for right now. The doctor two weeks ago said I'd have to get the GBS test today, but since I'm only 34w4d and not 35w apparently they can't do it... not accurate yet... something, even though they had me covered with a sheet and all ready for it. I'm measuring at 44w today which I can do nothing but laugh at the ridiculousness of it.

She checked my cervix, and surprise-I'm dilated to 1cm. She could also feel A's head right there, which is good because her chances of flipping back over are pretty slim at this point so it looks like she'll definitely be able to be delivered at least and then we'll just have to see what B does. I'm anxious to see how long it's going to be after this until I go into labor. This here is what happened the day before I had Maya-wasn't dilated at all-I know all pregnancies and labors are different but I'm just so curious. I guess we just continue to play the waiting game now!

34w2d

I'm glad I don't have TOO much further to go-opening the door today was like opening the door to the oven! It's consistently been in the high 90's with the heat index well, well over 100-but today actual temps were over 100 and heat index/humidity made it completely unbearable. Not good since I am pretty sensitive to the heat and swell quickly (I did with Maya too).

I'm completely amazed at how my seemingly nonexistent energy level continues to drop. Yesterday for Father's Day we went to brunch on base... so basically I got up, showered, went to eat a meal I didn't prepare, and then ran in with Patrick to get his hair cut since we were already there and I didn't feel like sitting out in the hot van or wasting the gas keeping it running... and it was all I could do after we got home to drag myself into the house, change into some "comfortable" clothes (I say "comfortable" because nothing fits) and flop myself into bed. I'm definitely thankful to have an understanding, helpful husband that just lets me go and takes care of Maya and the house when I need it-which is now pretty much every day!

Today I gave in to some pretty intense cravings. The KFC commercials have been showing a random bowl of mashed potatoes and gravy... and every time I see it I about claw out my eyes wanting it. I haven't eaten KFC since I was pregnant with Maya-but today it finally got to me. So Patrick and Maya sat down to eat their nice healthy low-sodium dinner of grilled chicken breast, salad, and strawberries, and I headed down the road to fulfill my craving induced dreams. I got a meal with two bowls of mashed potatoes, got an extra two biscuits (and then they jipped me out of my original biscuit!) and some chicken strips that were actually pretty good since I seem to hate chicken these days. And then I stopped at BK to pick up a cherry slushie. Boy it's a good thing we don't live right in town-I'd be enormous and we'd be poor!

(Also: got a bill today from my fun afternoon being monitored a couple of weeks ago (I thought I was preregistered but I wasn't apparently-whoops! No worries-it'll be taken care of tomorrow). It was an insane $563. For three hours of being hooked up to monitors. Thank goodness for insurance-there's no way we could do this without!)

34w

Another week, another pound of babies in my belly!

Today has been really wacky. Evie won't leave me alone, Maya's been super clingy, we've gotten random texts and phone calls asking how things are going, we finished the biggest three tasks on our miniscule remainder of a to-do list. Doo doo doo doo... I'm wondering what the world can sense that I can't.

Nothing else fun to update for today except that right now I am going to make funfetti cupcakes for my dinner.

33w6d

Patrick and I watched "The Business of Being Born" tonight... made me a lot more confident in the choices I've made regarding the twins' birth! Reading some things on the MoM board I lurk on I was starting to second-guess myself... but after a conversation with another twin mom (who did a homebirth! I wish!) and watching this I feel pretty ok... and Patrick now understands why I want things the way I do :)

33w5d

Is unbelievable irritability a pre-labor sign? Haha.

33w3d

I've had the most insane heartburn since I woke up this morning. Well, since I ate breakfast. Which started out with a cookie or two.

Another thing I'm ready for, as far as not being pregnant anymore: being capable. Being able to function. Tonight we had one last big shopping trip before the babies get here and when we got home I tried to put things away... and Patrick definitely had some choice words to say, which basically summed up was "sit down". I think this has been the hardest thing this pregnancy for me!

33w2d

Today I had three pieces of pizza and three cookies for dinner-so far. It's ok with me. Especially the cookie part.

I earned my keep though-the house is pretttty clean! We had visitors come-our Pastor and his family from NC, it was wonderful for them to stop through on their way back from Florida-so of course nothing kicks us into cleaning mode like people coming over. Problem is I forgot they were stopping until late last night-so it started early this morning, included a couple of small projects on our to-do list, and now as long as we can keep up with things we'll be in good shape for when the babies arrive. But now I'm exhausted, I can't walk (on account of my back AND super swollen cankle-y feet) but I feel super accomplished so it was a good day overall.

I'm going to talk about an odd thing I noticed with this pregnancy... so if you don't like gory details about pregnancy, feel free to skip (but it's obviously something I don't mind sharing on the internet so it's not THAT bad). Stretch marks. Underneath my belly. I got them with Maya (stretch marks don't bother me, it's not like I have ever been one to walk around in bikinis anyway!) but something interesting is happening with them-I think since there is so much weight pressing down on my stomach, the stretch marks are popping out. For example-typically you'd expect a stretch mark to be like a small ditch/trench/what have you, but it's opposite-like I just planted rows of corn or something. They hurt too, very sensitive, as of course raw stretched skin is. Sooo odd though. And some of them are deep purple. Hello, pressure! The ones on top are stretching more than they did with Maya so they are bright red in the capillaries popping sense, but the whole under my belly thing is so strange-and giving my belly an odd shape from the front view.

And-I'm wondering if I'm getting an ear infection. Not positive as I have never had one before... but my right ear has been aching a lot today. Anyone out there have any good home remedies? Definitely don't want to take meds at this point... but I wouldn't want it to get horrible either, if it is what it is! Just gotta play the waiting game I guess.

Now off to sync my iPod with the playlists I made for labor... one more thing to check off my list! Woohoo!

33w1d

Today church threw another pregnant member and I a baby shower... boy are these kiddos blessed and super loved! I'll post pictures here once I have them.

I think we're ready for them now. Mentally and emotionally, that is. It's taken a lot to get to this place, and I hope they stay cooking, but we're ready. The house isn't completely, haha, but hopefully our to-do list will be finished soon!

33w

Just a quick update for tonight-I'm so super tired! (Surprise)

There's a significant change from last week, I think... probably due to the massive growing phase they are in! (Around a half pound a week each, I'm pretty sure.)

Super thankful to make it to this point... now that it's getting closer we'll celebrate each extra day pregnant, not week. Well week too, but each day is significant now. You know what I mean.

32w4d

This is random, but I keep forgetting about it: I've got the wonderful linea negra this time! I didn't have it with Maya at all, and right now it's super super faint-not even sure if someone could tell if they saw it. I'm guessing it's because the incredible increase in hormones this pregnancy? Just kind of makes me laugh because it's one more thing that makes this pregnancy polar opposite :)

Also, today has been more than just hitting a wall-it's like me sitting crumpled up at the bottom of a wall! I think that I'm having some iron issues although I am taking my iron supplements, I just feel nutritionally depleted and more exhausted than I ever was even in the newborn stage with Maya (when we were up every couple of hours for feedings and she was colicky the rest of the time). This too shall pass-but days like today I am super thankful for my neighbor! She had asked me this past weekend if she could take Maya for a playdate with her little man this morning (we used to do Wednesday morning playdates every week but I'm just too tired now) so Maya went to her house and I got to sit here and bask in the quiet and do nothing. It was simply amazing. Lauren, if you are reading this, thank you again! It meant so much just to have those couple of hours... and Maya talked about your playdate all day :)

32w2d

Had a doctor's appointment this morning. I was glad to have it-last night Patrick tried to put his arm around my belly when we were about to fall asleep and I kind of yelped in pain-my entire belly hurts when I'm lying down. I figured it's pulled ligaments-I have them on both sides on the bottom of my belly-it was nice to get confirmation that yes, that's all it is. Also this morning I had pain so horribly on the top of my belly (not to the side in pre-e worry style) that I thought I was going to have to sit down on the floor to finish getting dressed and call Patrick to come home. It passed though. It did it again this afternoon after my nap, and I had mentioned it to the doc when I was there but it's all typical being super enormous stuff apparently. My body thinks I'm completely full term-so it's going to act that way.

Appointment went well though-her heartbeat was a high 190 but she was in the middle of wiggling around quite a bit, and his was in the 140's. Blood pressure is good, reports from my scan came back great (so no non-stress tests for me!) and there is only a 5% discrepancy between their weights which is very good when it comes to what I want to do regarding labor and delivery. I go back in two weeks, when they will do my group B strep test and start with the checking of my cervix (I asked her not to this time-she couldn't see it on the ultrasound so we're just continuing to hope and pray that it's not starting to open). I am measuring at 39 weeks now, so I'm officially bigger than I was with Maya when I delivered her at 38w4d... I had only been measuring 6 weeks ahead (used to be 8 when they started measuring) so now that it's back to 7 they must be gaining a little faster-which I'm thrilled about. Big babies are healthy babies!

As far as delivery goes, I feel like they keep pulling back my dates. The doctor said if I start labor between 34-35w they will keep me here at our hospital and just deliver (not sure if it's since they are pretty good weights and my pregnancy has gone as smooth as it possibly could have or what, or if it'll depend on what doctor is on duty) and they will induce between 36-37w (heeeck no-I wanted to fight for 38w-I'm NOT going to let them induce before 37, unless there is reason to-babies start to be stressed, my BP gets funny, etc) ...soooo I'm kind of in a dilemma. I don't want to induce in the first place so I think around 34w I'll start walking. That's a lot earlier than I hoped but... it's not like this is a singleton birth.

As usual the doc asked about my plans for L&D (can I really just opt for a c-section? I can't imagine just wanting that off the bat... no offense to people who do) and she agreed that since baby girl is head down and so far down things are looking good for a delivery (!!!). Patrick was kind of dumbfounded when the doc was talking about the logistics of baby boy, about how a breech delivery COULD possibly be easier (and definitely allowed for me, going back to the 5% discrepancy, he's bigger). It's so funny thinking about how they might not just come out one after another, it could be quite some time apart... I guess you just don't really think about stuff like that.

Regardless, it's going to be soon. It's completely insane to me. Patrick said he kind of had a "moment" at work today when it just hit him that this is really happening... could be tonight, could be a month from now. But it's soon. I'm so thankful to have made it this far-and with no complications, no bedrest. I've really enjoyed this pregnancy even despite the aches and pains. I'm going to miss it-feeling them fight inside (soon I'll be watching them bat at each other!) and this ridiculous belly. It already makes me long for another pregnancy, though talk of that would be FAR later down the road (especially since my odds of twins again definitely goes up. By like four times).

And I just have to say-having a contraction with a full bladder is the worst thing in the world.

:)

32w1d

Fun quick tidbit of today: I felt a foot!

With Maya all I ever felt was the occasional knee or elbow or heel, never too sure what it was... same with these kiddos. Today I was playing with the babies (poking limbs back in when they poked them out) and I NO KIDDING felt a foot! It was the most insane and cool thing ever!

32w

Well 32 weeks sure came in with a fanfare... woke me up at 6 this morning with some intense contractions! The one that actually woke me up was a few minutes long... I was really crampy (back and front) and the contraction was so tight that I couldn't even roll over in bed to try to get OUT of bed to walk around and attempt to alleviate it... since it wasn't just going away on its own. I finally got out of bed and I walked around looking for the L&D number for the hospital but it went away... so I parked myself on the couch with a Gatorade, a Fiber One bar, and a blanket and just tried to relax.

After Patrick got up a few minutes later to go to his 5K I climbed back in bed and fell asleep... but it wasn't good sleep because I kept waking up to the contractions (I never had them with Maya until I was started on Pitocin after my water broke at home, so this is totally new for me) and I finally just got up when he came home. They continued through the morning and the early afternoon when I went and ate lunch with some friends, so I popped in to be monitored.

3 hours later... I was indeed having contractions, quite a few of them, but nothing time-able or consistent (which I knew but was just hoping that they weren't making progress). The nurse checked me and my cervix is soft but still closed, and I had an fFN test but came back negative (which means that the chances of me going into labor in the next two weeks are only like 1% or less-woohoo!) and I don't have a bladder infection (which they randomly tested for too). So my instructions for coming home were to just rest a lot... thankfully no bedrest still! And I'll definitely obey the "rest a lot" instructions-I'm SO tired and I'm still contracting so I'm a little uncomfortable as well.
This, though, kicks our motivation into high gear as far as finishing our "getting ready" things. I need to update my iPod, which I can do just being lazy, and there are a couple of things for Patrick to do and we'll be good. The countdown sure has begun-though hopefully we still have a little bit!

31w5d

I will NOT lie-I was really nervous about today's Savannah scan! Thankfully it went great and it was a huge reassurance that everything's going just fine and we have no reason to not expect them to go completely full term!

The tech couldn't really see my cervix too well (whoops, had just used the bathroom) but she said it didn't look open at all so that's good. I'm going to ask them to check it (via ultrasound of course) when I go to Naval on Monday for my checkup there. I've really been hoping these are just BH that I've been having and wanted to double check that it's not progressing anything... I guess nothing too much!

Babies look great-they are growing, and getting quite cramped! She's back to head down and he's transverse/breech depending on what minute you are looking at him-so hopefully they stay that way! The scan was only about a half hour since there's so much less you can check at this point with the lack of space-it was very nice on my sciatic nerve :) I usually have a problem with it there since I have to lie on my back on the table for so long.

A is still a girl (I crack up at this point when they say "still a ___" because yeah... after this many scans, if it changed, it would be an act of God!) ...her heartbeat was at 140, she's measuring 3lbs12oz (39th percentile-up from 31st last time) and has a bit of hair! They were both very wiggly today, both of them practice breathing (woohoo!) and she kept putting her hands to/in her mouth while we looked. It's fun kind of having a little window to what they are up to!

Nose picker? Hahaha just kidding.

Here's her hair, where the arrows are pointing!

Face shot-super rare with her

B continues to be a little bigger than his sister, which really isn't too much of a surprise. His heartbeat was at 146, and he's sitting at 3lbs15oz (WOO HOO!! Almost 4lbs! 55th percentile, amazingly, up from 39th last time). He was sitting with his face pointed at my back so she couldn't get any good pictures of him at all... usually he's the photogenic one too. He does have a little hair too... less than his sister, but you can see it in this picture:
What a sweetheart! I can't believe we're chugging along and the day after tomorrow I will only have three weeks until Naval won't stop labor. Craziness to me. I know I say it all the time-but the feeling is all the same, a little bit of panic that it's so close but mostly wondering where time went! I guess that's what happens when you take the time to enjoy a pregnancy? Just need to keep shoveling in the protein-I've been trying to drink more of the Carnation breakfasts (not for breakfast, through the day) lately.

My feet are the most swollen they've been yet today. It's still been SO hot-mid 90's, heat index around 100-but even though I stay indoors in the AC (and today in the car in the AC, there honestly was only a little bit of time I was outdoors-walking to and from the car mostly, and not tons of time on my feet) it's been awful. They hurt right now, but I'm too tired to go soak them or anything. I'm so glad I took my wedding rings off a couple of months ago-there's no way I could wear them in this! When I took my flip flops off in the car there were even pathetic little indentations-poor things!

31w3d

Got the carseats installed today-which was an interesting time, but different story for a different day-basically Maya's about to get a new carseat because she's outgrown hers, thankfully the ones for the babies are completely installed, registered, and ready for them! Our van looks sooo crazy now... here's a phone picture that I snapped.


I didn't sleep well last night (surprising after our long, busy weekend) and had to get up early this morning to go to Hilton Head do do the carseat install-after that I ran to Michael's and Target and had a delicious lunch with a friend-that much completely wore me out. I could barely stumble in the house (I am so stinking pathetic!!) ...thankfully Maya was cooperative about taking a quiet time, and even though she didn't sleep and she talked to me here and there the whole time (so I didn't sleep) I at least was able to curl up in bed and rest.

I've been having contractions pretty often-some that wake me up-but I'm not sure if they are BH or real contractions. They've started to become uncomfortable when they happen-and usually make my chest tight, too, like the contraction is going all the way up, different than the ones I've had in the past few months. My scan on Thursday will tell us if I've been having real contractions that have made some progress (pray it hasn't!) and if I need non stress tests twice a week for monitoring.

Please pray for sleep tonight-I need one good night to rejuvenate!

31w1d

32 out of 46 items on the to-do list crossed off. Tomorrow is just going to be little things... hopefully.

Thank you thank you thank you, body, for cooperating! I swear tomorrow I'll give you a nice awesome nap. I don't know how I've made it three days in a row like this. And thank you to whoever invented the heating pad!

31w

Holy cow! The countdown to the babies' arrival is now in the "insane" category. Four weeks from today Naval will consider me full term (TWENTY EIGHT days! That is NOT a lot) and, pre-fight, six weeks from now is the latest it'll be (forty two days. Again-not a lot). Oh. My. Goodness.

We've been spending our lovely holiday weekend crossing things off our massive before-the-babies-come to-do list. The list started at somewhere around 45 things (I spelled it all out Barney style, so it's really not as horrible as it sounds) and right now we've crossed out 12. Today we hit the backyard hard-redoing our patch of pavers so it was done right and we won't have pesky weeds poking up like what happened when the spring came-don't worry, Patrick did all the work and I just sat there swatting at bugs. We had to go to Lowe's to pick out the things we needed and that half hour or so in the heat just walking around did me in. That's one of the big pre-pregnancy things I miss... my energy, my ability to do anything at all! It'll be nice to be able to help again, Patrick has been a trooper for hitting this to-do list hard. We're hoping to get it all finished so that the only thing that's left to do is keep up on the housework and wait for babies!

30w5d

Last night started an interesting thing that happened with Maya too-going numb while sleeping. My shoulder, arm (and later on with Maya my wrist, old carpal tunnel issues flared up) and hip on the side I happen to be snoozing on at the time just goes completely numb and wakes me up-I'd say every half hour to hour-and I have to flip over to the other side. Fortunately I fall back asleep from that very quickly, it's not like bathroom breaks-but I feel like a little rotisserie in my bed! Must be how my circulatory system works when I get bigger or something...

30w4d

Doc appointment today, and good news... she's back to being head down! Woohoo! Of course she could flip again tomorrow (or could have already!) but lets all pray she stays how she is, shall we? :) He's transverse again, I swear that's his favorite way to be... he can do whatever he wants though!

Everything else went good though. She wasn't too concerned about how I've been feeling, as my BP was just fine today and hasn't been high when I've checked it, so I guess this is just typical "end of a multiples pregnancy" stuff. Keeping up on the hydration, staying out of the heat, and resting a lot-including my now almost daily naps-are what is going to get us safely and successfully through the last of it!

We talked a little about delivery, and after she talked about the whole "delivering at 37 weeks" thing I asked if there was any way I'd be able to get to 38... and she just responded with "typically lately they've been delivering at 37". So, I'll save that fight for when they actually schedule the eviction date for the kiddos-I think after the next appointment I'll start requesting my favorite doc, who I think is the most likely to let me go the longest. Regardless I'm going to start walking Walmart around 35-36 weeks (too hot to just walk around my neighborhood here-especially if we get to July) because I'd rather walk them out myself than be induced. That's what I did with Maya and it made for quite the great L&D experience!

...And speaking of delivery... I had two random people ask me today in conversation if I was going to have a c-section, and when I politely responded with hopefully not, they were surprised. Why is that surprising? Once again, I'm in the "whatever's best for the babies" camp, especially if she's breech when it comes time or there are issues that arise, but it's not exactly an "easy out".

As far as little details from the appointment go-his heartbeat was sitting at 137 and hers 142 (again, further disputing the old wives' tale about heartbeats-their heartbeats have been sitting about 5bpm different since the beginning-at every single appointment but one in the very beginning, actually). I've gained 32lbs so far, and I'm measuring at 36w which actually worries me a little bit, because my gain isn't consistent-but we'll know more about how they are actually measuring at my Savannah scan next week, it could have been just how they are sitting. I'm just worried they aren't gaining enough because they are on the small side as it is and I'm having a horrible time eating, thus not getting them what they need. Big babies are healthy babies... that's all I want!

30w2d

Still feeling like ick-so Maya and I made it a nice, lazy day today. Called Naval to see if I needed to come in or if I could wait till my appointment on Wednesday, and Wednesday is the answer (and pretty much everything the nurse said yesterday I was told again today). So today and tomorrow are full of food, rest, and hydration yet again. We had to run to our favorite store in the world tonight so I checked my BP again-106/65, which is a lot lower than usual for me. That combined with how I am feeling I'm really thinking it's going to end up pointing to a hydration issue (which would make sense because the heat and humidity have all of a sudden shot up-mid/high 90's for temp, humidity making it feel worse). So we'll see. They are still moving around like crazy in there!

I've started the letters for their wall, since it's a good one to do parked at the kitchen table. I have hers completely finished and his started, and hopefully will get them all done tomorrow. Want a peek and a hint at what their names are? (Don't mind the cell picture... I'm lazy. His colors are green, white, and yellow and hers are purple, white, and yellow though the lighting makes it look off.)
That's right... both of their names have a's in them! Bahaha!

30w1d

Well this morning started out better than I felt last night. By the time I was done showering I was tired and by the time church was done I was antsy and tired and ready for food and a nap. Food happened but nap didn't, and by afternoon I just progressively felt ickier-not nearly as bad as yesterday-but still off. I had a massive headache start when I tried to take a snooze, which is still here, and the only way I can describe how I'm feeling is how I feel when one of my bad migraines are starting (which thankfully, as migraines do and as they did with Maya, they've been long gone since the beginning of the second trimester or so). I'm going to try and switch this week's appointment from Wednesday to tomorrow if I can, but in the meantime it's more hydration, more Tylenol and more sleep for this girl! :)

30w

Overdid it today but it's totally my fault. Kind of.

Last night I really didn't sleep. Between the dog next door barking incessantly and Patrick grinding his teeth (he has a night guard but he ground through it, so he needs to go get a new one made... every time I'd punch him and snap to stop grinding his teeth he insisted that he wasn't grinding, he was just making a noise. Of course when he got up he had no recollection of this whatsoever)... it was an awful night. I think I dozed here and there between 2-4, but by the time my alarm clock went off at 4 I was completely wide awake, and I contemplated just not getting up and going to Patrick's Triathlon with him (he was running it in a relay today-it was really neat!) but I was awake and crabby and didn't figure I'd fall back asleep anyway so I just got up and went.

I felt fine-just tired-until toward the end. It started to get hot, there wasn't anywhere to sit down (I forgot to grab a chair, and you've got to be kidding me if you think I could sit on the ground) ...I was hungry (despite the three packets of oatmeal I scarfed down at 4:30) and I needed water but had to go to the bathroom so badly in the first place-there were oddly no bathrooms-that I didn't want to add anymore to my already about to burst bladder. By the time we left my hands and feet were super swollen and I was calling to the AC in the van (we need a remote starter for that sucker so it can cool down before we get in there! Although it cools down quick-I'm just a baby).

That's when I started getting a bit freaked out. The whole "blurry eyesight" thing started to happen-it looked like oil floating in front of my eyes-I didn't want to scare Patrick because he would have taken us to the closest ER, so I just told him in my most stern voice to lets just go straight home (I was planning on making a pit-stop to Michael's really quickly for the wooden circles the babies' names will be painted on). I decided that if I got myself re-hydrated, food in me, and had rested and still felt the same we'd promptly go in. Thankfully things got a lot better after I downed a bit of water, so I went ahead and ran into Michael's, we waited till we got home to eat and then I fell asleep for a good three or so hours.

Now I'm feeling slow and sluggish, and still kind of "off". Patrick got us Moe's for dinner and bless his heart is currently at the store getting milk, ice cream and queso now (thanks Moe's for giving us chips but no salsa) and I fully plan on stuffing my face in Dinner Round 2, having yet another Gatorade for hydration, taking a Tylenol and Benadryl and cozying up on the couch till I knock out. Don't worry, those of you who I know worry-if I know I'm fed, hydrated, rested, etc. and am still feeling cruddy I won't hesitate to go in but I'm not going to waste my time and theirs (and have to get Maya to a sitter's) if it's something we can remedy at home. My idea of a good time isn't to be hooked up to an IV for fluids-I'll snack on a few G2's and be lazy watching a movie. With Maya cuddled up next to me. But if I have to, yes, don't worry, I'll go in.

Here's to today being our only "speed bump" for the week, though, and for tomorrow to be completely different!

**edit: thankfully, my BP is sitting pretty at 117/77. I'm thinking it may be a hydration issue. Here's to lots of Gatorade and waking up every half hour for the bathroom!! :) Good thing these babies are worth every bit!

29w5d

I feel like I got SO much accomplished today! To the Average Joe it may seem just like a couple hours of tasking... but I'll tell you what, it definitely took a good chunk of the day.

I made lists of what Maya will need and what we'll need, and which bags everything goes in (when I had Maya we brought EVERYTHING in the car. That proved to be quite obnoxious. This time we'll have a small bag for L&D and then everything else will come in after they've arrived!) ...I started Packing Maya's bag and will start ours tomorrow. The babies' bag is completely packed, Boppy pillows ready to go, and I organized their closet so that all of the random stuff is put away. Bouncer #1 is put together and needs batteries (which I'll grab tomorrow), Monitors are out and put in their places.

And wow, now that I type it all out it sounds pathetic. But I swear it was a lot, and so much was organized, and I feel a lot better actually having lists together.

Exciting day, huh? :)

29w4d

...and then the heavens parted and both of them have names!

(But we're this close-so we're still not squealing. The only way to find out would be to visit my house and see the letters hanging above their cribs once I get them painted this weekend!)

29w3d

Last night I went into mini-freakout mode.

Patrick has been going to bed super earlier than normal this week-he's on the rifle range (and though it stinks I'm SO thankful it's now and not next month-or later this summer after the babies arrive!) and so I just cozy up in bed too, but I'm awake for awhile. And then I think. And then I get paranoid, especially since I've been continuing to have a LOT of BH and lately I've had quite the cramps in the evening-period like cramps-which I need to watch since they can be a sign of preterm labor.

So of course I'm starting to freak out about preterm labor (or heck bedrest even). Not necessarily that I'll go into it, I'm trying to be the conductor of the positivity train over here, but the fact that IF it happened we're completely unprepared. I'll be 30 weeks on Saturday. I'm pretty much where I was full term with Maya. I have no bags packed (and this time I have to have bags for us, for the twins, and for Maya), no plans written down, no new in loco parentis appointed... so if something happened I'd have to try and dictate to Patrick what to do/try to find and bless his heart I think he'd be more frustrated and stressed than if I just got it done now.

Also, I've been having a strange variation of round ligament pain-it's kind of opposite of RLP, in that I get it when I'm sleeping and it wakes me up and I have to get out of bed and walk around in order for it to go away-kind of like a charlie horse in my belly. Most often when I'm lying on my left side. It's odd, and it hurts!

On a good note-we have a few of the last "little things" bought and ready-pacifiers, bottle nipples (we have the bottles from Maya) and liners, boppy covers. I found all of Maya's little hats and mitts and bows and they are in the washer now! The car seats are stripped and the fabric part of the seat will go in the wash in the morning so they can air dry by the time we (hopefully) get the car seats installed in the van on Saturday.

Still enjoying all the kicks and movement-I know how much I'm going to miss this soon!

29w2d

Cramps cramps cramps!

28w6d

I'm. So. Tired.

I woke up at 9:30 this morning, nice and late... took an hour or so nap this afternoon and it's not even 8 and I'm completely ready for bed. Patrick's gone for an evening 9 mile race, and I'm hoping I'm still awake when he gets back!

Our sheets came in today! I had to order them online since they were out of stock at the store in Savannah, but they are all washed and on the cribs and really things are pretty much finished in there now (and no we didn't order the whole set, just the sheets, though the set is super cute-I never ever used Maya's comforter so it was kind of a waste, and we're going to go with the breathable bumpers-and we wanted to make the room kind of our own creation!). We need to pick names and make the letters for the wall... but I think that's it as far as big stuff goes. I could do nothing until I delivered and their nursery, at least, would be ready for them! Soooo glad, because the whole doing nothing might be a reality :) :)

I talked the other day about the Amy K books-I spent the greater part of yesterday afternoon and evening filling out the things I could now (took so long since I had to do the baby books and the sibling books each x2!) ...and Maya added the part she could right now-drawing a picture for the babies. Each of theirs looks different but she told me that both of them are pictures of the babies. (Apparently she's into zig-zags now... a few weeks ago it was circles!)


Also-last night I had a dream that I had the babies and Patrick missed the birth (he was just late, he didn't deploy or anything) and our little man was still nameless (we're pretty set on our girl's name). And for some reason they looked like hot dogs. Oh pregnancy dreams. Moral of the story: we really need to find a name for him... or at least some options that we really really like.

28w4d

Today was a pretty blah day. Got up early for a weekly playdate and could just never fully wake up and get functioning... by 11:30, after I gave Maya a bath and Patrick came home for lunch, I was just done. I had errands to run-just a couple-but I knew I wouldn't get through them. So by noon I was parked on the couch with the heating pad, dozing in and out... I felt horrible, but today I totally let Maya veg in front of the TV. I learned my lesson back when I was battling migraines horribly and Patrick was deployed that I have to be ok in order to be a good parent to Maya. So-we watched a little PBS kids and then I turned on Cars-all blessed 2 hours of it-and she just hung out on the couch with me while I dozed, bless her heart. I just couldn't do anything. It was a long day.

On a good note, the baby books came today! I ordered them Monday night with the free 2-day shipping on the Amazon Mom program-and boy, am I going to be spoiled by that-they got here so fast! We love Amy K-we have the Belly Book for both pregnancies, the Birthday Book for Maya (and will get them for the babies before their first birthday), the Sibling Book (one for each) and now the Baby Book (I wish she had published this when we were looking for baby books for Maya!) ...I love them all, and I wish we were able to buy them for all of our pregnant friends/friends with kiddos. Excessive to have them all, maybe, but they are just such neat books that I hope they will love to have in the future. It took me QUITE awhile to fill out the things I could now, the pre-baby stuff (and then I had to do it x2) but I'm glad to have it done. Once I get the pictures in, they'll be ready for the babies to arrive!

28w3d

Finished putting the decals on the walls today! I was so excited to get the fish in yesterday-we finished them when Patrick came home from work this evening. Now all we need for the walls is to figure out names and make the letters to hang-who knows when that's going to happen! At this rate it'll be after they arrive.

(Fish purchased on Etsy from Grey Wolf Graphics-visit her shop if you need decals, they're awesome!)

This is my favorite side of the room! Helps that I love the new shades and curtains in there too.

Funny thing about this little guy-we bought this when we were in Michigan last fall, about a month before I even got pregnant. We were at Hobby Lobby and picked a couple of animals/bugs for Maya's door, and saw this and thought "well maybe if we get pregnant again we can do a fishy room". It's funny that we actually did decide on the fish! (I just found it tucked away somewhere-I'm glad I noticed it now!)

This wall I like a lot but don't love. I love the seaweed and love the fish, but not sure if I love all of the bubbles. It looks a lot different in person, and I'm hoping that once we're in that room more (gate arrives tomorrow so we can keep the door open and little paws and little feet out!) I'll get used to it. Otherwise I'll pick a few off :)

I just can't believe how fast the weeks are flying. I had to order their sheets online (they were out of them at BRU & I wasn't going to wait four more weeks till we go down to Savannah for the next scan to see if they are MAYBE in stock again) and they'll be here soon and we're pretty much ready. We need to organize their closet a little more, and get Patrick's weights in the garage, and attach the new hardware to the changing table-but thankfully the nursery is just about there. Good thing because I'm at the point where I can be awake for 4-5 hours and then I need a nap or a closed-eyes rest at the very least-the days are hard when that can't happen. So I'm losing functional ability and it's going to be nice to enjoy these last 9 weeks at the most just relaxing, for the most part!