They're here!

Sorry fort he delay in posting, but things have been a bit hectic the past couple of weeks.  So I plan to blog my entire birthing experience later when I have more time, but the short version is that after being in labor and pumped full of pitocin for about 40 hours, I ended up having to get a c-section after all.  The result was two beautiful healthy babies: Milo Joseph (6 lbs 10 oz) & Serena Lillian (6 lbs 7 oz).

They were born December 20 and came home with us on December 23. Since then it has been a whirlwind of feedings, pumping, diaper changes, repeat.  We did find time to dress them up for Christmas:

We have good days and bad days, but overall it's amazing. We realize how unbelievably lucky we are, not only to have these two gorgeous babies, but for them being so healthy and not needing any NICU time.

More to come when I have some time!

Countdown is on!

Yep, I look like I have a balloon under my shirt, or a beachball. I am ready for it to be popped! Just a quick update this week - I am no longer working so sitting in front of a computer isn't that appealing when I am not being paid to do it :)

Had my first (and only) NST yesterday and everything looked great. Saw my Dr. today and we are all set for induction next week. 8 more days...I am SO ready! Don't get me wrong - I am absolutely terrified of labor, but so ready to not be pregnant anymore.  I still hope they might decide to come before then on their own, but at least now making it to the end date seems managable. Not working definitely makes things easier as I feel less pressure to try to sleep through the night, and I can just take naps throughout the day. Seems that I can't really sleep in much more than 45 minute increments...I guess it is good practice for what is to come.

In other news, we interviewed a nanny over the weekend and really liked her, so we went ahead and offered her a position. She won't start til March when I go back to work, but what a relief to have that settled - I was pretty nervous about finding someone that would be a good fit. I felt very comfortable with her, and she's worked with both twins and triplets in the past so I feel confident in her abilities.  Things are really coming together!

Now I just hope that labor goes as smoothly as my pregnancy has been, and that my babies are healthy.  Wish me luck!

Crazy Prego Lady

It's official. I have become the crazy prego lady. I think I did a pretty good job of staying sane for the past few months, but I think the hormones (and lack of sleep) have finally taken their toll.  Case in point: my dr. appt this past Monday...

I had my u/s appt at 8am. Of course, they didn't call us back until about 8:30.  Since I'd hardly slept at all the night before, I was already pretty cranky.  It didn't help that the u/s itself was extremely uncomfortable...lying on my back and having someone push hard on my tummy is not fun.  This was thankfully my last one. The "little" ones are now estimated at 6.10 and 7.1! No wonder I am in so much pain...
Then we had our dr. appt.  After waiting another HOUR, they finally called me back. They had to re-do my strep test bc the hospital apparently hadnt put the results in my records...grrr. For those of you who have been pregnant, you know what I mean...for some reason I always assumed it would be a mouth swab (ha, yeah right).
So I asked Dr. again at what point he would consider inducing and this time he said if nothing was wrong I should go to 40 weeks! Meaning 1/4/12. I just lost it and started crying. Like a three hanky emotional breakdown. DH jumped in and said he was worried about my health, that I wasn't functioning well, etc etc. Anyway, I guess we finally wore him down, because he said that since this time of year is somewhat hectic, he would go ahead and schedule an induction at the hopsital for 38 weeks.  That way we have an appt in case we need it, but if something happens before then, or if I decide I'd rather not be induced (haha), then we can always cancel it.  So now we are scheduled to go in the evening of Dec. 21 for delivery (vaginal) on Dec. 22. It is SUCH a relief to have an end date in sight. I still hope they decide to come on their own before then, because I have heard pitocin is not pleasant, but really, I can't imagine another month of feeling like this. Plus I really worry that they are getting cramped in there. My belly is huge, yes, but there is still only so much room.
Dr. also is still advocating for vaginal birth. Not only that, but he asked if I wanted to do it naturally. HA! Are you kidding me? I told him politely that I would like any and every drug possible, please. I am kind of surprised by this because I've read that most drs. require moms of mulitples to get an epidural in case they have to move to emergency c/s.  I guess he is really confident that I won't need one...that makes one of us.
Next appt is Monday morning for NST (my first one at 37 weeks) and then Dr. appt on Tuesday. 

Weekly Stats

How far along: 36 weeks

Weight gain/loss: Still gaining, but it is slowing down thankfully.

Maternity clothes: Dresses and leggings are my friends these days.

Stretch marks: Not really, but these ripple things just above my belly button could be mini stretch marks?  They don't go out to the sides of my belly or anything, but they aren't exactly cute...

Sleep: I am so tired, and yet I dread bedtime because I know how uncomfortable it is going to be and how I am going to be up half the night. I may try taking something to help at this point.

Best moment this week: Today, because it is my last day of work. Woohoo!

Food cravings: Orange Juice for my sore throat.

Movement:  Yes. Painful jabbing and rolling. My belly looks like an animal has been put in a balloon and trying to bust out.

What I miss:  Coherent thought. Sleep. Energy. Sleep.

What I'm looking forward to:  Not being pregnant anymore. I hate to say that, and it has been an amazing experience that I am so so thankful for, but, my body is done.

Milestones: Induction date set! Thank goodness!

December...

Wow. It's hard to believe that December is here. It seemed so far off a few months ago. In some ways, this pregnancy has flown by, and in other ways it feels like I've been pregnant forever!
I think my last post was somewhat cranky, so I want to emphasize how absolutely thankful I am to have made it this far with no major complications. I realize I am extremely lucky, particularly in light of some recent events. 

Last week, one of my dear friends welcomed his son early, at 26 weeks, 2 days. Little Dylan weighed only 2lbs, 2oz, but as far as I know things are going as well as they can under the circumstances. He will of course spend alot of time in the NICU, but hopefully without any major complications.
Also last week, another person that I've never met but feel like I know from following her blog, gave birth to twins at over 37 weeks. Even though everything seemed fine at her last u/s, 3 days later when she had her c-section, she lost one of her babies.  Thankfully the other one seems to be doing very well, but I can't even imagine the pain she and her family are going through. I hope anyone reading this will keep both of these families in your thoughts.

Anyway, as for me, I'm over 35 weeks now and still continuing to somehow get bigger:

(yay, it's not sideways!)

I'm pretty uncomfortable and not sleeping much, but overall doing well. I am just getting anxious for these kiddos to join us!

Weekly Stats

How far along: 35 weeks, 2 days

Weight gain/loss: Continuing to steadily gain a couple of lbs each week. Almost 50 total.

Maternity clothes: not much fits at this point so I am wearing alot of the same things over and over. I am SO thankful that so many people loaned or gave me clothing. I hardly had to buy any maternity clothes and I was able to have a relatively expansive work wardrobe for most of my pregnancy.

Stretch marks: Not that I can see, but my stomach is starting to get...ripples? That's the only way I know how to describe it.I just have a hard time believing that my stomach skin is ever going to go back to the way it was.  Oh well. I just want to be able to fit back into my pre-pregnancy wardrobe at some point.

Sleep: Sleeping less now than ever. I tend to be able to sleep in bed for a few hours, but then have to get up and sleep on the sofa propped up for the 2nd half of the night. And by sleep, I mean close my eyes and wait til I have to get up and pee again. It's not a big deal when I am home during the day because I can nap, but when I am in the office it definitely takes a toll and I find myself exhausted by the end of the day. Thankfully my workin days are winding down! (for now)

Best moment this week: Oddly enough, it was probably when DH and I went to the hospital in the middle of the night on Sunday as I was having alot of contractions, and some were painful. They monitored me, and indeed the machine picked up that I was contracting every 5 min or so. It felt good to be validated and know I hadn't gone in for nothing. My cervix was still completely closed however, so after drinking alot of fluids, the contractions slowed down and they sent me home. I think we both knew this wasn't going to really be it, but it was nice to go in and know what to expect when I really do go into labor. Plus everyone was really nice, and, freak that I am, I like being a patient and being monitored. I never knew this about myself until I went through IVF and the medical procedures that went along with that process.

Food cravings: My throat has been pretty sore lately, so I've been wanting alot of ice cream to soothe it. And decaf gingerbread lattes from starbucks :)

Movement:  Somehow they still have room to wiggle all around and kick and poke. I really need to get a video of my stomach because there's no way to fully describe it.

What I miss:  Uninterrupted sleep.  Guess I won't be getting that anytime soon!

What I'm looking forward to:  Dr. appt and ultrasound on Monday morning. I am really curious what the Dr. is going to say about their size and (fingers crossed) maybe an induction date?  Or even better, maybe they will decide to come on their own! 

Milestones: I finally feel ready. I feel like we've done pretty much everything we can to prepare and get the house ready; hospital bag is packed, carseats are installed...bring it!

Seriously? Seriously.

So this was somewhat of an eventful week. I had an u/s and dr. appt on Monday, which was almost comical.  For whatever reason, I saw the Dr. before having the u/s.  Everything is thankfully still going well, so I asked him at what point would he induce if I don't go into labor on my own. He said he saw no reason to intervene before week 39. He is obviously delusional if he thinks I am carrying these linebackers until December 28. Speaking of, their estimated weights are now 5.5 and 5.9 lbs!!  Once the u/s tech saw this, he said he is guessing I will deliver closer to 36-37 weeks. Uhh yeah, that's more like it. If these estimates are correct, I am already carrying arounf nearly 11 lbs of baby. And for those of you that don't know me, I am quite petite. Both DH and I were around 6 lb singletons when we were born, so I am not trying to have 7-8 lbs twins.

Which brings me to the next issue. Apparently my fabulous megababies are both head down, making me a perfect candidate for vaginal birth. Now, some people would probably be thrilled by this. Me, not so much. Especially if they are going to be as large as they are on track to be! I was totally psyched for a c-section, and completely comfortable with the surgery, and the recovery time, and the drugs...I digress.  This whole labor thing is what I was trying to avoid. But I don't feel comfortable going against what the doctor recommends, so if the day gets here and he still wants me to push these watermelons out, I guess that's what I will do (after getting an epidural ASAP and any other pain medication I can bribe them into slipping me).

I think at this point most people carrying multiples are seeing their doctor every week or so.  But with me, they don't want to see me again for 3 weeks, I guess since I seem to be doing so well. Again, I know this is great news, but there is definitely a part of me that would prefer to be monitored a bit more closely. I will be nearly 36 weeks along by the time I go back.  I'm just going to not hesitate to call and/or carry myself directly to the hospital if anything feels strange. I haven't had any flase alarms or trips to L&D yet, so I feel like I can do that without them thinking I am overreacting. Plus, just look at me:

(OK, this photo is not sideways on my computer, it flips when I upload it, and I don't have the patience to figure out WTF I am doing wrong. But you get the idea).

Weekly Stats

How far along: 33 weeks, 2 days

Weight gain/loss: Gained another couple lbs last week. We had friends visiting last weekend and went out to eat alot. Basically at every meal, I pigged out and then felt completely ill, like after thanksgiving dinner times ten. And then proceeded to do it again at the next meal.

Maternity clothes: Yeah, whatever, it's all abotu comfort at this point. I'm wearing leggings at work today which I never thought I'd do.

Stretch marks: No, just alot of burning and stretching. One twin mama told me her skin blistered and peeled open by the end and I am just REALLY hoping that doesnt happen to me. 

Sleep: We got a humidifier and that's at least helping me breathe a little better, although I am still pretty congested. Plus every time I roll over, it's like I have 10 bowling balls on top of me, so I have to roll really quick which is of course not easy.

Best moment this week: Probably anytime I could sleep more than an hour at a time. And of course everything going well at the Drs.

Food cravings: Blah. Food and eating now equates to me feeling sick, so I am just over it.

Movement:  Yes, lots, and sometimes quite painful. They are moving alot more towards the bottom now, where I guess they have their hands by their head, and it feels uber weird.

What I miss:  Same old stuff as usual. Just feeling like I'm not lugging around a sack of potatoes all the time.

What I'm looking forward to: Finally seeing these kiddos! Going on maternity leave in the new couple of weeks.

Milestones: All discussed above.

It's been a busy couple of weeks, so this week's update will be fairly brief...

Weekly Stats

How far along: 32 weeks, 2 days

Weight gain/loss: One pound since last week, for a total of around 42 lbs.

Maternity clothes: We got lucky with a few unseasonabley warm days this week, so I was able to wear dresses and flip flops. I think fall is officially here now though, so pants and boots are going to have to be worn.

Stretch marks: Not that I can see.

Sleep: Slept a little better this week than last.  Although I am snoring big time now and poor DH isn't sleeping too well b/c of that.

Best moment this week: Had a very nice intimate little shower at my MIL's house last weekend. Got some more cute clothes and a few other things. I feel extremely lucky that I had 3 showers, plus DH's co-workers' gifts...we've really been overwhelmed by everyone's generosity.

Food cravings: So ever since my brother married his wife, who is Persian, I have craved these cookies they had at their wedding (this was like 15 yrs ago). I finally found a bakery that has them (they're called chickpea cookies, at least that's the american name) so I was able to get a bunch of them! Yum :)

Movement:  Oh man, it is starting to get painful. They really push the limits of how far my skin can stretch out.  Even worse are the internal kicks when they hit organs or nerves. But it's pretty cool that I now know exactly where they are and can usually identify the body part that I'm seeing.

What I miss:  Just not being in pain and out of breath all the time.

What I'm looking forward to: Another ultrasound on Monday. Anxious to see how big they are now. I also want to talk to my Dr. about scheduling a date to get these kids out! Last time I brought it up, he wasn't really on board, but I think I am going to push a bit more. If I am going to spend Christmas in the hospital, I'd rather know now! 

Milestones: Well, I think we finally settled on names! I wouldn't say either of us 100% got what we wanted, but it's a nice compromise and we are both satisfied. I also went to a breasfeeding class this past week. I am still a bit traumatized from the experience...

So close, yet so far

Well I have officially passed the 30 week mark. This day seemed so far away a few months ago, but time really has flown by..at the same time, it feels like I've been pregnant forever :)

Here is a pic from this morning, 30 weeks and 2 days. DH left early so I had to resort to the mirror photo:

I call this The Great Pumpkin shot.  It's really too bad that I don't have any motivation or reason to dress up for Halloween, b/c I am sure there are alot of really creative costumes one could come up with to incorporate my big ole belly.
Weekly Stats

How far along: 30 weeks, 2 days

Weight gain/loss: After holding steady for awhile, I jumped up 3 lbs this week for a grand total of 40 lbs overall. 

Maternity clothes: Looks like the cold weather is finally here to stay, so I guess I have to find some shoes to wear other than my flip flops. I put on some boots this morning that I knew were a little loose normally (so I could actually get them on my swollen feet) and then as I was walking the heel broke. I guess they couldn't handle the extra weight! So yeah, shoe shopping this weekend I suppose. I miss just throwing on a dress and being ready. Pants are tough because almost all of them are too long on me.

Stretch marks: Not yet, but belly is getting itchy so they might be coming...

Sleep: I'm so tired all the time now. I nap almost every afternoon. At night I sleep a bit here and there and get up before the sun. It's just so uncomfortable lying down - my hands go numb, I can't breathe well... I am sure in a couple of months I will totally look back and think what was wrong with me for not sleeping any possible moment that I could!

Best moment this week: Getting some amazing gifts from both my co-workers and my husband's.  DH didn't have a shower at work but a bunch of his co-workers went in together and sent us a ton of stuff - both of our carseats, a pack-n-play, a carrier, etc. It was like winning the lottery!

Food cravings: Fruit. Fruit smoothies, raw fruit, fruit chew things, fruit-flavored popsickles...

Belly button in or out?  Still somewhere in the middle.

Movement:  Yes, mostly in the evenings. Sometimes when they are really at it I feel like they may push right through my skin! It is kind of freaky - sometimes I think DH gets grossed out by it. It's still super cool though :)

What I miss:  Being able to go somewhere without people staring and asking 20 questions. Especially when they say that I must be due any minute. Sigh.

What I'm looking forward to: Hmm. Really just getting anxious to meet these little guys!Milestones: Nothing major this week. Just happy that I have made it this far and things are going well!