Baby, Baby: 33 Week Bumpdate

The Kidlets

(cropped) via

How Far Along?

33 weeks :-)  Five weeks or less until they're here.  Five more weeks sounds like forever, so I'm focusing on 36 weeks (full term for twins) as my next goal.  Three weeks sounds more manageable :-)

Genders?

One girl, one boy.

How big are they? 

About the size of two heads of cauliflower (which I know we've done before...), two honeydew melons, two durians, two pineapples, or two spaghetti squash.  Whichever you pick, that's a LOT of produce!!

Changing Momma

Have you started showing yet?

Yep.

Weight Gain?

I'm up 32 pounds total.

Maternity Clothes?

This week, mostly PJs and one of my new (non-maternity) maxi skirts :-)

Stretch Marks?

Like whoa.

Belly Button In or Out?

Almost completely flat!

Momma's Feeling

Cravings:

Soft-serve ice cream cones. <3

Anything making you queasy or sick?

I refilled my large popcorn as we left the movie theater last week, and munched on it through the week... it got me pretty badly one night. :-/

Happy or Moody Most of the Time?

Mix of both pretty strongly.

Movement?

Almost constant <3

Sleep:

What's that?  Last night was one of the worst nights of sleep yet...

What I Miss:

The usual. 

Other Symptoms:

Heartburn, Braxton-Hicks, swollen feet and hands, achy joints... basically just falling apart over here ;-)

Highlights and Coming Soon

Best Moment of the Week:

I got their coming home outfits put together and packed <3

 

Looking Forward To:

Growth ultrasound (with all the fun measurements and weights!) on Friday!! 

Doctor's Appointments:

This past week, I only had one, and we just did an NST.  Baby Boy gave the nurse some trouble trying to find him, but once everyone was accounted for and monitored, they did beautifully :-)  Next week, I have an NST on Tuesday, and an NST and growth ultrasound on Friday.  I love these growth ultrasounds because we get to visit with them for a good long time and get lots of fun pictures :-) 

Baby, Baby: Twin Maternity Photos

We had a great time having our maternity pictures taken by Robert at No. 9 Images Photography, and we are so happy with the results :-) 

Check out some of our favorites! <3

Baby, Baby: 32 Week Bumpdate

The Kidlets

via

How Far Along?

32 weeks!  Our doctors have been telling us all along to really focus on 32 weeks as a goal, because while babies born after 32 weeks may still need some NICU time, they will most likely not have any longterm complications from their prematurity!  Yahoo!!!  Obviously, the longer they can hang out on the inside, the better shape they'll be in at birth, BUT I am immensely relieved that I've managed to carry them to a point that they would eventually be okay if they were born any time :-)

Genders?

One girl, one boy.

How big are they? 

My achy breaky body says "BIG."  My apps say around/a little over 4lbs each, 17-18 inches long.  Similar in size or weight to a jicama (what?), a squash, a head of lettuce, a cantaloupe, or a Florida pomelo (whatwhat?)...

Changing Momma

Have you started showing yet?

Yep.  A lady at the Chinese buffet this week was exclaiming over how I must be due at any moment :-) 

Weight Gain?

Didn't get weighed this week.  Still hovering around 30lbs as far as I know!

Maternity Clothes?

Yep.  But we did pick up two non-maternity maxi skirts yesterday... I've been wearing my maxi dresses a lot, but they're not ideal for all the belly-baring at the doctors' office.  :-)

Stretch Marks?

I am one STRIPEY little tiger!

Belly Button In or Out?

Still in...

Momma's Feeling

Cravings:

Bacon and crab :-)

Anything making you queasy or sick?

Just morning sickness... that crops up randomly and goes away suddenly. 

Happy or Moody Most of the Time?

Happy week!

Movement?

So much :-)

Sleep:

About the same, but I'm starting to adjust.

What I Miss:

The usual...

Other Symptoms:

Braxton-Hicks, itching... lots of heartburn breaking through the Prevacid... and I cried through a preview at the movie theater yesterday.

Highlights and Coming Soon

Best Moment of the Week:

Getting to peek at our darlings on Thursday. <3

 

Looking Forward To:

Getting the nursery finished up... other little organizing projects so we can have a deep-cleaning done on the house :-) 

Doctor's Appointments:

This week's appointment went okay... the NST was perfect, and my BP was 121/75.  The fluid check showed that Baby Boy's fluid is still a little bit high, but no higher or lower than before.  The doctor decided to do a fluid check weekly from here on out.  Everyone at the office keeps saying not to wory, but it is a little alarming (and honestly, makes me feel a little defeated) to have so much increased monitoring when we were only expecting one or two more ultrasounds total.  Also, after 32 weeks, they increase NSTs to twice a week.  So starting next week (I think), I will be at the office twice a week - once for just an NST and once for an NST and a fluid-check ultrasound.  At least we get to see the babies every week :-) 

Baby, Baby: 31 Week Bumpdate

The Kidlets

via

How Far Along?

31 weeks!  We kind of have goals set every four weeks, so I'm so excited to be this close to the 32 week goal!  Less than seven weeks until we have our babies in our arms!

Genders?

One little Miss, one little Mr. <3

How big are they? 

Probably over 16 inches long, weighing about as much as a coconut, and as big as a pineapple or head of romaine lettuce. It's been a week since they weighed 3lb6oz each, so I'm hoping they're both over three and a half pounds now... not sure we'll know another set of weights until May, though.

Changing Momma

Have you started showing yet?

Yeah, you could say that.

Weight Gain?

I'm actually down a half-pound from 2 weeks ago?  I'm guessing it's the difference in my clothes.

Maternity Clothes?

Maxi dresses and nighshirts are easier... I did manage to slip into a pre-pregnancy skirt with an awesomely stretchy waist for Easter, though

Stretch Marks?

So. Many. Stretch marks.

Belly Button In or Out?

Still in :-/  I want my outie!!  If I were just having one baby, at the size I am, the baby would be here and I'd have never popped!  

Momma's Feeling

Cravings:

Spicy... Skyline, Hot Head, Mexican...

Anything making you queasy or sick?

Just the mild morning sickness that's come back... I didn't know that was a thing, but my nurse seemed completely unsurprised.  Ugh.

Happy or Moody Most of the Time?

A little more irritable than usual, I think. 

Movement?

All the time.  The feeling of a busy baby who is head down, low and engaging... it's a lot like the warning feelings before a messy bathroom situation. 

Sleep:

I love sleep.  I think I'm adjusting to the constant moving I have to do to keep comfortable.  I'm still doing the moving, but it isn't ruining the whole night of sleep like it had been.

What I Miss:

The usual... caffeine was a big one this week.  I want a McDonald's diet coke sooo badly!

Other Symptoms:

Braxton-Hicks have gotten pretty uncomfortable a few times this week.  We had a long, active day yesterday, and they were pretty miserable as a result.  I also itch constantly, as my belly just.keeps.growing :-)

Highlights and Coming Soon

Best Moment of the Week:

We picked up our new (to us) minivan yesterday!!  That's pretty exciting :-)  We also got a phenomenal deal on it... which is even more exciting ;-)  Also!  We got a few sneak peek pictures back from our maternity session, and they're awesome!!!

 

Looking Forward To:

I got a call on Wednesday that the doctor wanted to add an ultrasound to my April 16 NST to check on Baby Boy's fluids.  While I'm a little down that there is cause for a little bit of increased monitoring... at least we get to see the babies briefly again!  And our disc of maternity pics should be coming in the mail in the next couple days!  :-)  There may be a special mid-week post again this week :-)

Doctor's Appointments:

NST yesterday went very well.  I was showing contractions, but not in any kind of regular pattern or anything, so no worries.  Both babies behaved and had excellent responses :-)  We also got to meet with one of my doctors (our favorite - shh, don't tell them we have a preference), who was awesome about reassuing us about Baby Boy's fluid.  Getting a call mid-week to schedule additional monitoring made me pretty anxious - what changed in their head to go from "no worries" to "maybe worry some" - but Dr. M. said that those measurements are notoriously inaccurate and that with my diabetes control, and the fact that it's only affecting one of the two twins, and the fact that each baby has his/her own placenta, if there IS a slight increase in fluid the cause is probably idiopathic and there will probably be little to no effect on sweet Baby Boy.  He also said that with ALL the risk and complicating factors in my pregnancy, if this is the first and only cause for increased diligence, he's very unconcerned.  This did my momma heart so much good to hear!!  So now I can chillax until Thursday when we see them again :-)  

We have an ultrasound and NST on Thursday, and NSTs every week from here on out... plus our last growth ultrasound (probably) on May 1.

Baby, Baby: 30 Week Bumpdate

The Kidlets

via

How Far Along?

30 weeks!!  8 weeks or fewer until we meet our little princess and little prince!

Genders?

One girl, one boy.

How big are they? 

At our ultrasound appointment, the sonographer calculated their weights at 3lbs 6oz each!  Their weights are within 1% of each other, which is really good!  They should be about 17 inches long now, and my apps compare them to cantaloupes, cabbages, cucumbers and acorn squashes.

Changing Momma

Have you started showing yet?

Yep.

Weight Gain?

I didn't get weighed at this appointment. Darn ;-)

Maternity Clothes?

Yes, but my non-maternity dresses from Target (similar here and here) have been my go-to lately.  I'm outgrowing a lot of my maternity shirts.

Stretch Marks?

I'm a mess.  I honestly don't care for vanity purposes (very few people ever see my belly anyway, and I worked darn hard to earn these stripes)... but it's a little intimidating when you think about what is going on in/under the skin to CAUSE these marks.  My skin is basically shredding.  Eek!

Belly Button In or Out?

I'm starting to think it's never going to pop :-(  But a couple days ago, we were watching Baby Girl dance across my belly, and she was pushing right behind my belly button.  It was funny to watch it go almost flat and then sink back in.

Momma's Feeling

Cravings:

Orange juice!  Suddenly, I can't get enough of it :-)

Anything making you queasy or sick?

A couple random bouts of mild nausea I really couldn't attribute to anything in particular...

Happy or Moody Most of the Time?

It's been a fairly moody week.

Movement?

Almost constant, from one or the other if not both.  It's nice to have company when I get up in the middle of the night!

Sleep:

I've had a couple of decent nights lately, which make the all-too-frequent lousy nights easier to deal with.

What I Miss:

The usual.  Also, there's a Cracker Barrel about 6 miles from my hospital... praying it's still open when I'm cleared to scarf devour snack on some pancakes and syrup after delivery. :-)  Anyone know of anywhere that sells pancakes with good syrup 24/7 in the Dayton, OH area?

Other Symptoms:

Itching, backaches, round ligament pain, and Braxton-Hicks contractions.

Highlights and Coming Soon

Best Moment of the Week:

It was a banner week!  Our ultrasound and appointment were probably the best of the best this week... 

Maternity pictures were SO much fun!  I'm so glad we were able to do them, and I think we're going to have lots of great images to remember this crazy-awesome time in our lives.  

The hospital tour was intense... I had slight panicky feelings when I smelled the OR (why must they all smell scary?), and a deep sadness touring the NICU.  But we had lots of questions answered very satisfactorily... they believe strongly in skin-to-skin and the magical hour of bonding, and try to observe and practice them even with c-sections (if we end up needing one).  There is no reason Ethan and I will EVER be separated unless we choose (like if I want him to follow one/both of the kids to the nursery)... many of my little fears and insecurities were calmed.  Except the big fear of people handing us two helpless, tiny humans and expecting us to keep them alive and happy.  But we'll cross that bridge when it comes ;-)

 

Looking Forward To:

Meeting the babies in less than two months!!  Not much else on the horizon I can think of... we tried to have most everything scheduled and done by 30 weeks, in case of bed rest, early labor, etc.  So basically, we now have until they arrive to straighten up, clean, organize, and daydream!  

Doctor's Appointments:

My NST was a little difficult because both babies kept wiggling away from the heart rate monitor.  The poor nurse had to sit there the whole time and search and press on my belly.  Ornery little people. :-)  The ultrasound went really, really well!  The NST must have tired out the kiddos, because they were super-cooperative for the ultrasound.  Baby Boy is still breech, laying across the top of my belly.  Baby Girl is head down!!  WooHoo!!  The doctor doesn't think that she's likely to change position, so we had a great conversation about prepping for a vaginal delivery.  All of the doctors in that practice are comfortable and experienced with delivering breech Baby Bs, so his position is fairly irrelevant, but they won't attempt it without a vertex Baby A.  SO excited that we have one now, and really hoping she stays put!!  Baby Boy's fluid is a tiny bit high, but they're not concerned because everything else looks great, and Baby Girl's fluid is totally normal.  It's apparently not uncommon in diabetics to have extra fluid... it just means I look (and feel) even a little more pregnant than I am, and that Baby Boy has plenty of room to roll and play ;-)