34 Week Ultrasound Appt

All is good! We are now 98% sure there will be no Christmas babies, which is a good thing. Even though we have decided to do a c-section, both babies are head down and perfect. So, we could "technically" do a vaginal delivery, but I still don't want to chance it. And the even better thing is, if I don't make it until January 8th, I get to come in at the first signs of labor, so none of that will be very painful. (and yes, I know how painful it will be post-birth). My cervix has shortened a bunch, now at 2.7cm, but still very normal. And it is still closed up very tight. So, it looks at this point we are still doing good for Jan. 8th!

PUPPPS

Did you guys think this would be a post about doggies?? Ha! I wish...

Nope, it turns out all the itching and scratching I have been doing is not a result of stretching, winter skin. Nope, apparently I have PUPPPS (Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy). It is very common in first pregnancies and usually occurs in the third trimester at 35 weeks (or earlier with twins). They also think sometimes it develops due to the male DNA. So, its usually women who are delivering a boy during their first pregnancy, which I am. (thanks boy) There is no cure for it except delivery - NICE! And some pictures I have googled are really gross looking. I don't even look like I have any type of rash. I do have some stretchmarks, but you really can't see any rash unless you look really really close.

It is very, very itchy and at times I want to claw the babies out. But, they did tell me about some lotion that is helping a bit. If it doesn't get any better then they will send my to my dermatologist for a steroid shot.

But, I guess I will survive it. If this is the worst that will happen, I'm ok with it :)

33 Week ultrasound appointment

Woohoo! Another perfect report. I honestly cannot believe this. This could either mean one of two things:

1. Because we tried to get pregnant for so long, God is being very, very
good to us and letting us have a very healthy pregnancy and babies...or

2. Because I have had a very healthy perfect pregnancy, my babies will be
little devils and colicy and acid-refluxy and refuse to sleep and keep us up all
night.

I wonder which it will be? Hopefully #1. Everything at the moment though is looking great. Baby Boy is still is the same position: head down, in the center. Baby Girl, however, has decided to move AGAIN. I swear, is no wonder she weighs less that Baby Boy. She is doing aerobics in there! She has completely flipped around AGAIN, as her head was on my left side, feet on the right. Now, her head in on my right side, feet and legs on the left. Her head is more down now, too, so she is more "head down", or diagonal again. I honestly don't know how she has the room to keep doing this.

My cervix is now longer than it has been on my past two appointments. (at our 32 week appointment, which I didn't post about, it was fine. Longer than at my 31 week one) Well, now at 33 weeks, its even longer. My doctor has been joking that most babies are ready to start coming out and that is why cervixes shorten. My babies, however, apparently love it in my belly, so they are moving UP instead of down. LOL. Fine by me!

Now on to the good part- their weight! Baby Boy is weighing now almost 5 pounds: 4lb,15oz. Baby Girl is a little behind him, at 4lb, 6oz. She is actually right on target. He is ahead of schedule. I can't believe they weigh so much. Jake and I both thought they would weigh 4.5 pounds at delivery - and they are both that and beyond, and I still have (hopefully) three more weeks!

We go back on Wednesday (the 23rd).

32 Weeks - Update on Me!

Woohoo!! Another Milestone! 32 Weeks is CRAZY! And many-a-twin are born at 32 weeks, and perfectly healthy, so I am muy excited. Of course, we don't want to have them yet, but it's reassuring to know that if we do, hopefully all will be well. The next biggie milestone is 34 weeks. And as long as things are going the way we are now, we are golden!

We have found a pediatrician. Very excited about that. We are going to use Dr. Leeper out of the Brentwood Children's Clinic. he has been recommended by three different people, so I feel pretty good about him. I am going to meet with him on the 23rd.

Okay, so I sent an email to our "all eggs in one basket" daycare to check where we were on the waiting list and to let them know we are still very interested. Well, I have YET to hear back from them, and that makes me quite the Nervous Nelly. So, everyone keep your fingers crossed!

We have "officially" graduated from our birthing classes! We got a certificate and everything and got to go up in front of class and everyone applauded like we were head of the class. (Well, in fairness, EVERYONE got certificates and got applause, but who cares).

Names are still no better. It is just going to be a game-time decision I believe. Maybe I will get a sympathy vote for having major abdominal surgery and get to pick my favorite, but I am still thinking thats not going to happen easily.

The nursery is almost 100%. I will post pictures as soon as I get the crib bumpers, b/c I want everything perfect before I debut it to the world. So, please be patient por favor. (don't know what my deal is with Spanish today)

How far along? 32 weeks, 5 days
Total weight gain/loss: Uggg, I swear, I still look cute from the front. However, water retention has set in and I could just sit by a trough all day and graze. But, I am still very much on target at +34 pounds, and still haven't caught up to Jake's weight yet. Whew.
Maternity clothes? No, I am done. Surely I can survive a few more weeks.
Best moment this week: We had another great ultrasound on Monday. Everything is back to normal and I got "perfects" across the board. And this week, I realized that I have four more workdays left of work, then its off for Christmas, then off for babies! Woohoo!
Movement: They are "kind of" moving like crazy. And what I mean by that is now when they move, I feel like I can't move. They are obviously getting bigger and don't have a bunch of room. When Baby Boy moves, I feel like I have a watermelon attached to my girl parts, and when Baby Girl moves, I feel like I'm having a small heart attack b/c I can't breathe and she goes up in my ribs. Good Times.
Waist Diameter: Almost 44 inches. I am also measuring at 42 weeks for a single pregnancy. People stop me now all the time and say, "WOW! You're about to pop! Due any day huh?" Then I say, "No, about a month or so, I'm due with twins". then they say, "Oh, well, you're TINY for twins!". WTF? Make up your mind!
Food cravings: Still onto the chicken quite a bit. But, now I can also eat lots of ice cream. And I do mean ALOT of ice cream. I know I am allowed to, but this is getting ridiculous the amount I can hold in my belly.
Gender: Baby Stribs are a boy and girl. No extra parts.
Labor Signs: Cervix is nice, long,and normal thanks to my huge ovaries. Thanks ovaries.
Belly Button in or out? We are still in outie-ville.
What I miss: Sleep used to be nice. And clothing that fit. And when my skin didn't feel like I wanted to rip it off. But its all worth it!! We are getting babies soon!!!
What I am looking forward to: Monday's ultrasound. We get to find out the weight and do another growth scan. I am DYING for this. The previous ultrasounds have been so boring, and not telling me what I want to know. But, they will only do the growth things every few weeks.
Milestones: I'm there this week! 32 weeks baby!!
Realization of the week: They could come. Now. Anytime. Tomorrow. Next week. Next two weeks. AAAAHHHHH!!!!

32 Weeks- a Jicama??????

Okay, what the 'F' is a jicama?? These are getting ridiculous!!

Baby Stribs - 32 Weeks

How your baby's growing: By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. (WOOHOO!! - not the taking up s[ace part, but the weight part) You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. (Actually, I am gaining about 2 pounds, which is the normal 3T weight gain for twins, however, I am not 100% certain that a pound of that is going to the babies. I am thinking they are going to my thighs, arms, and face - what happened to them taking all the food I am eating?? I miss those days!) In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

How your life's changing: To accommodate you and your baby's growing needs, your blood volume has increased 40 to 50 percent since you got pregnant. With your uterus pushing up near your diaphragm and crowding your stomach, the consequences may be shortness of breath and heartburn. (or all of the above, in my case) To help relieve your discomfort, try sleeping propped up with pillows and eating smaller meals more often.(sorry, can't do it. I am a constant hunger monger, and smaller meals are not going to cut it)

You may have lower-back pain as your pregnancy advances. If you do, let your caregiver know right away, particularly if you haven't had back pain before, since it can be a sign of preterm labor.

Assuming it's not preterm labor that's ailing you, you can probably blame your growing uterus and hormonal changes for your aching back. Your expanding uterus shifts your center of gravity and stretches out and weakens your abdominal muscles, changing your posture and putting a strain on your back. Hormonal changes in pregnancy loosen your joints and the ligaments that attach your pelvic bones to your spine. This can make you feel less stable and cause pain when you walk, stand, sit for long periods, roll over in bed, get out of a low chair or the tub, bend, or lift things.

31 week ultrasound appointment

These updates might get boring from here on out, as we are now going weekly. But, we had another good ultrasound appointment! Jake couldn't go to this one b/c he had a work thing, so I went solo. Babies were being busy as ever. They didn't get weighed, because they only do that about every two weeks or so. The kidney issue that I talked about months ago with the boy is looking very good, to the fact that it has basically cleared up all by itself, which is great news. They are now checking the umbilical cord at every appointment too, to make sure there is blood flow through every section, and that is all fine too.

The only "problem" right now is my lovely cervix. Its not a "problem" per se, but just something a little worrisome. Before this week, my cervix could have won the award for Longest Closed Cervix in the World. Which I was happy to accept. It was well above average. Well, this week, it has shortened dramatically in a week's period. Its still not bad at all, in fact it is still very, very normal. My doctor was just worried about the quickness of the shortening. So, I go back on Monday and we'll see it again!

Oh, and riddle me this: they have moved AGAIN. Why can't they stay in the same spot? It has been only a week! Baby Boy is still the same, head down, on my right side. Baby girl has now completely flopped: her head in now on my left side, horizontal across me, with her feet on my left side. (remember last week, she was also head down, next to the boy, with her head on my right side). CRAZY!

The pictures aren't really great this week either. Baby Boy was being completely camera shy, so we only got a good peek of his spine. But Baby Girl was her usual ham self.

Baby Boy, nice picture, huh.

Baby Girl. The perfect profile shot.

An invention idea

I have a marvelous idea for an invention. Something maybe with these huge claws on it that will satisfy my need to scratch myself. Every part of my body itches. Yes, I know its winter time, and yes, I know that this is a little common in the winter. But, let's try multiplying that by 1,000 since I am pregnant. And forget about my poor stomach. You are talking about the winter itchies, stretching skin, and stretch marks. I am scratching so hard sometimes, these poor babies probably think I am trying to come in and get them out.

Wonder if this will work... too harsh maybe?