It is so hard to believe, but this time tomorrow Dan and I will be parents to our wonderful little babies! We had our last round of labwork at the hospital today, so now all we have to do is wait, wait, wait!
My dad and stepmom will be here tonight, along with Dan's folks, and they'll be at the hospital with us tomorrow. It will be nice to have them there supporting us as our world completely changes. We have to be at the hospital around 9am, which makes us happy. No 5am wake up call for us! We'll have plenty of those over the next several months anyway!
We are scheduled to begin the c-section around 10:30am, which means at least 11am in hospital time! We are hopeful things will go well, and we'll be holding our babies by mid-day. We'll be sure to post pics and finally announce their names as soon as we can.
Thanks to everyone who has followed our journey and supported us along the way. It seems like it was just Easter Sunday, and we were announcing that we were finally pregnant. Soon our family will be complete, and we just couldn't feel more excited or blessed!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
A New Due Date
Friday was filled with doctors appointments once again, and the babies were very restless by the end of the day! I think they were ready to be left alone!
We started out at the perinatologist's office and got very good news...the babies are growing great and there is a small chance they'll have to spend any extended time in the NICU! Dr. Nathan was very happy with our progress. Baby girl weighs around 5.15 lbs and baby boy weighs around 6.3 lbs. That's 12 pounds of baby...whew! He also wants to move my due date up 1 week because of the cholestatis and the fact they are already a good size. So depending on the doctor and hospital schedule, it will be Nov 30th or Dec 1st. Ten days or less!!! We will go back next Wed. to make sure things still look good. He seems to think I'll go into labor on my own before the new date, but only God knows the answer to that.
Then it was off to the OB's office for a quick check. I'm am still showing signs of early labor, but that's to be expected. I'm now measuring around 41 weeks. They agreed with Dr. Nathan to the new due date, and we should know for sure once we speak with their scheduler on Monday. We have a pre-op appt on Tues and once last check before delivery.
Now that the time is near, I'm getting a little anxious about the delivery itself. We talked with Dr. Alarcon about what the c-section involves and what we should expect. Thank goodness Dan will be by my side every step of the way, because he will help keep me calm and focused on the ultimate gift ever...hearing our babies cry for the very first time!
We started out at the perinatologist's office and got very good news...the babies are growing great and there is a small chance they'll have to spend any extended time in the NICU! Dr. Nathan was very happy with our progress. Baby girl weighs around 5.15 lbs and baby boy weighs around 6.3 lbs. That's 12 pounds of baby...whew! He also wants to move my due date up 1 week because of the cholestatis and the fact they are already a good size. So depending on the doctor and hospital schedule, it will be Nov 30th or Dec 1st. Ten days or less!!! We will go back next Wed. to make sure things still look good. He seems to think I'll go into labor on my own before the new date, but only God knows the answer to that.
Then it was off to the OB's office for a quick check. I'm am still showing signs of early labor, but that's to be expected. I'm now measuring around 41 weeks. They agreed with Dr. Nathan to the new due date, and we should know for sure once we speak with their scheduler on Monday. We have a pre-op appt on Tues and once last check before delivery.
Now that the time is near, I'm getting a little anxious about the delivery itself. We talked with Dr. Alarcon about what the c-section involves and what we should expect. Thank goodness Dan will be by my side every step of the way, because he will help keep me calm and focused on the ultimate gift ever...hearing our babies cry for the very first time!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
So many appointments!
We met with Dr. Bauer on Friday and we are officially scheduled for delivery on Monday, Dec 7th. That is only 3 1/2 weeks away! However, he seems to think I'll go into labor on my own before that date. I am measuring around 40 weeks now, and it's ALL belly! I can't bend forward or I'll just topple over! He said everything else looks good for now, and to continue to monitor the babies movements frequently. They are pretty active, and I can feel every movement, as they have to be getting tight on space now! It's so funny to see Dan's face when my stomach starts moving. He said it looks like the movie "Aliens!"
We will also discuss the cholestatis condition with our perinatologist next Friday and see if we will need to deliver sooner. Anything scheduled before 37 weeks will probably require an amnio, which we would like to avoid if possible. However, it's all in mother nature's hands now, and the babies will come when they are good and ready!
It's interesting how being pregnant already prepares you for parenthood. Your time (or your body!) is no longer yours, things happen according to their schedule, and you constantly worry about their well being. The list goes on and on. But we are SO ready, and we cannot wait to be parents!
Also, congratulations to our good friends Lisa and Dan Paul. They welcomed their first baby, Anderson Hanger Paul, into the world Friday afternoon. He is such a cutie, and it'll be fun to share baby stories with one another since our babies will be so close in age.
We will also discuss the cholestatis condition with our perinatologist next Friday and see if we will need to deliver sooner. Anything scheduled before 37 weeks will probably require an amnio, which we would like to avoid if possible. However, it's all in mother nature's hands now, and the babies will come when they are good and ready!
It's interesting how being pregnant already prepares you for parenthood. Your time (or your body!) is no longer yours, things happen according to their schedule, and you constantly worry about their well being. The list goes on and on. But we are SO ready, and we cannot wait to be parents!
Also, congratulations to our good friends Lisa and Dan Paul. They welcomed their first baby, Anderson Hanger Paul, into the world Friday afternoon. He is such a cutie, and it'll be fun to share baby stories with one another since our babies will be so close in age.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
A new development
Well, it looks like it's not PUPPS afterall. I tried the benadryl as Dr. Bauer suggested last Friday, and it did nothing. Neither did the oatmeal bath, Aveeno lotions and body wash, cool showers...pretty much nothing worked. So I called the on-call doc on Sunday and she prescribed me something called vistaril. It really didn't seem to help either, so this past Monday I went in for some bloodwork. They were concerned I may have a rare condition called cholestasis, which is present in only about 1% of pregnancies, but most common with twins. It is a liver disorder in which my body doesn't process the bile, which backs up in my system, and therefore causes the itching.
I just got the results and they confirmed what Dr. Bauer suspected. Normal bile salts should be between 0-19, and mine were 63. He gave me another prescription that makes the itching somewhat tolerable, but unfortunately the only real cure is delivery. In rare cases this condition can cause distress to our babies, which has us very concerned. I am seeing my OB tomorrow and they are talking with the perinatologist to see what our next steps should be. I can manage the itching and anything else I have to, but I am concerned for our little ones right now. Please say an extra prayer for them. We have come too far and we are so close to seeing their tiny, beautiful faces!
I just got the results and they confirmed what Dr. Bauer suspected. Normal bile salts should be between 0-19, and mine were 63. He gave me another prescription that makes the itching somewhat tolerable, but unfortunately the only real cure is delivery. In rare cases this condition can cause distress to our babies, which has us very concerned. I am seeing my OB tomorrow and they are talking with the perinatologist to see what our next steps should be. I can manage the itching and anything else I have to, but I am concerned for our little ones right now. Please say an extra prayer for them. We have come too far and we are so close to seeing their tiny, beautiful faces!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Our Temporary Nursery
Here are a few pics of the "nursery" we have put together for when our babies come home. While it would be nice to have all of their furniture in their own rooms in our new house, they really won't know the difference between a pack-n-play and their cribs for the first few weeks anyway. At least that's what I keep telling myself! We are so ready to be settled, but at least this process has taught me some patience, which I will be needing lots of in the future!
Friday, November 6, 2009
Another OB Appointment
We had our weekly check up with the OB today and things are progressing well. I am measuring 38 weeks, my BP was 110/70 and my iron still slightly low at 11.8. I will continue on the iron supplement until delivery, which will be scheduled as of now for sometime during the week of Dec 7th. However, the doctor doesn't seem to think I'll make it that long since my cervix has thinned and I am already dilating.
I have also developed a condition known as PUPPS, which is nothing serious and more annoying than anything. It simply means my entire body itches 24/7, and nothing seems to help. I have these little red dots on my skin, which is considered a rash of some sort. Ah, the little known facts of pregnancy! It is nearly impossible to sleep or rest comfortably (as if it weren't already difficult!). He told me I could try benadryl, and if it doesn't work he will send me to a dermatologist. The only real cure is delivery. Darn sensitive skin!
We go back next Friday for another check-up. It won't be long now!
I have also developed a condition known as PUPPS, which is nothing serious and more annoying than anything. It simply means my entire body itches 24/7, and nothing seems to help. I have these little red dots on my skin, which is considered a rash of some sort. Ah, the little known facts of pregnancy! It is nearly impossible to sleep or rest comfortably (as if it weren't already difficult!). He told me I could try benadryl, and if it doesn't work he will send me to a dermatologist. The only real cure is delivery. Darn sensitive skin!
We go back next Friday for another check-up. It won't be long now!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Dan vs the Double Stroller
Since we are going to be delivering our babies in GA (and hopefully moving soon afterwards; we hope to get a closing date this Thursday), we decided it was time to get some of the basics we were previously waiting to purchase. These things included, first and foremost, the stroller and car seats. It is amazing how much space these 3 items alone take up in a car! We are certainly going to have to change our method of packing when traveling in the future!
The car seats come pretty much ready for use out of the box, but the stroller took a little more effort. I took some pics of Dan while he was putting the stroller together, including proof that he actually referenced the instruction manual (which made me breathe a sigh of relief it was put together correctly!) We also put our temporary nursery together as well, including washing 5 loads of clothes, blankets, burp cloths, etc. I have to give most of the credit to Dan for the work, as I was only able to supervise! Pics to follow soon of our temporary nursery. In the meantime, here are some pictures of Dan and stroller...with a little help from our cat, Piper, as well!
The car seats come pretty much ready for use out of the box, but the stroller took a little more effort. I took some pics of Dan while he was putting the stroller together, including proof that he actually referenced the instruction manual (which made me breathe a sigh of relief it was put together correctly!) We also put our temporary nursery together as well, including washing 5 loads of clothes, blankets, burp cloths, etc. I have to give most of the credit to Dan for the work, as I was only able to supervise! Pics to follow soon of our temporary nursery. In the meantime, here are some pictures of Dan and stroller...with a little help from our cat, Piper, as well!
Monday, November 2, 2009
OB/Peri update
Last week we had two doctor appointments, and we are getting excited that we'll get to meet our babies in just a few weeks! Monday we went to the OB for a basic check-up. My BP, iron and weight all look good. The babies are still measuring around 37-38weeks. We spoke with Dr. Alarcon regarding possible delivery options and time-lines. He said they won't schedule me to deliver until 38 weeks because they want their lungs to be as developed as possible. While it seems like forever, I can deal with the discomforts as long as they are healthy. I will go back next Friday and we will begin to look at the calendar and try to schedule a date if possible. Unless baby girl turns, it looks like I will be a scheduled C-section.
Then we went to the perinatologist on Friday, and my friend Karen was able to come to the appointment with us. How often do you get to see twins on an ultrasound? The good news is they are both right on track from a growth perspective. Baby girl has really hit a growth spurt, and unbelievably they are both weighing the same...4.6 lbs each! His heartrate was around 156 and hers was around 150. Their measurments were right on track and Dr. Nathan is pleased with their progress. Baby boy is still laying head down oblique across my abdomen and baby girl is transverse across my abdomen, which means almost certain c-section.
I will go back in 3 weeks, and he said they could probably schedule me for delivery sometime during the 37th week. He will discuss the options with my OB as his concern is that my uterus can only stretch so far, and I am vertically challenged to begin with! So it looks like we'll be delivering sometime between Thanksgiving and the first of Dec (unless the babies have plans of their own!) That is only 3-5 weeks away, and I am counting every second! I can't wait to feel "normal" again, and even more, I can't wait to finally hold our little boy and little girl!
Then we went to the perinatologist on Friday, and my friend Karen was able to come to the appointment with us. How often do you get to see twins on an ultrasound? The good news is they are both right on track from a growth perspective. Baby girl has really hit a growth spurt, and unbelievably they are both weighing the same...4.6 lbs each! His heartrate was around 156 and hers was around 150. Their measurments were right on track and Dr. Nathan is pleased with their progress. Baby boy is still laying head down oblique across my abdomen and baby girl is transverse across my abdomen, which means almost certain c-section.
I will go back in 3 weeks, and he said they could probably schedule me for delivery sometime during the 37th week. He will discuss the options with my OB as his concern is that my uterus can only stretch so far, and I am vertically challenged to begin with! So it looks like we'll be delivering sometime between Thanksgiving and the first of Dec (unless the babies have plans of their own!) That is only 3-5 weeks away, and I am counting every second! I can't wait to feel "normal" again, and even more, I can't wait to finally hold our little boy and little girl!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Groundhog Day
I'm sure everyone remembers the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. That is pretty much how life has felt for the past few weeks! Every day is basically the same. Breakfast, trying to find a comfortable position, once finding said comfortable position having to go to the restroom for the hundredth time, re-finding said comfortable position, snack time, restroom, lunch...well, you get the idea! But I am counting down the days until we meet our two little bundles of happiness, and all the pain, discomforts and worries will be worth it!
I have two doctor appointments this week (OB Monday and perinatologist Friday), and we are hoping they will provide some more information regarding delivery, how much longer, etc. It looks like we won't be able to close on the house in NC before they arrive afterall, so we are making new arrangements to deliver in GA at Kennestone Hospital in Marietta. Dan in on his way to Charlotte now to pick up some things from our babies shower in August, so we can begin preparing a temporary nursery here. Although it is not the ideal circumstances we had anticipated, we are making the best of it and rolling with things as they come. The babies won't know they didn't come home to a fully decorated nursery (or even a crib!) right? We figure they'll be living in the pack-n-play for the first few weeks, anyway. At least we'll have lots of people in GA to help us out in the beginning (hint, hint, wink, wink!)
I have two doctor appointments this week (OB Monday and perinatologist Friday), and we are hoping they will provide some more information regarding delivery, how much longer, etc. It looks like we won't be able to close on the house in NC before they arrive afterall, so we are making new arrangements to deliver in GA at Kennestone Hospital in Marietta. Dan in on his way to Charlotte now to pick up some things from our babies shower in August, so we can begin preparing a temporary nursery here. Although it is not the ideal circumstances we had anticipated, we are making the best of it and rolling with things as they come. The babies won't know they didn't come home to a fully decorated nursery (or even a crib!) right? We figure they'll be living in the pack-n-play for the first few weeks, anyway. At least we'll have lots of people in GA to help us out in the beginning (hint, hint, wink, wink!)
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Atlanta Babies Shower/Going Away Party
This past Sunday our friends Karen and Yvette hosted a babies shower/going away party for us, even though we aren't quite ready to leave Atlanta yet. We are still in the process of closing on the house, but that is another story for another blog post! But as the pregnancy is progressing and I'm getting more uncomfortable, we thought this would be the best time to have the party. Once the babies arrive, it will be even crazier, and we may be moving in a short period of time without much time to plan.
It was wonderful and bittersweet at the same time to see everyone. It really started hitting me that we will be leaving lots of great people and great times once we move to NC. And it reminded me that we will have to visit often! I think we also broke a record for the most pregnant women in a room not attending a birthing class-5 at one time...7 babies total, 5 boys, 1 girl and one surprise!
Thanks to everyone for being so generous and giving up your Sunday afternoon to spend time with us. We are glad to know we will have so many babysitters! =)
Here are some pics from the memorable day:
It was wonderful and bittersweet at the same time to see everyone. It really started hitting me that we will be leaving lots of great people and great times once we move to NC. And it reminded me that we will have to visit often! I think we also broke a record for the most pregnant women in a room not attending a birthing class-5 at one time...7 babies total, 5 boys, 1 girl and one surprise!
Thanks to everyone for being so generous and giving up your Sunday afternoon to spend time with us. We are glad to know we will have so many babysitters! =)
Here are some pics from the memorable day:
Sunday, October 11, 2009
6.6 Pounds of Babies!
I went for my check up with the perinatologist Friday and just like usual, one baby cooperated, and one didn't. Is this a sign of what's to come? This time our little girl was posing for the camera like she was on Project Runway, while our baby boy had his face buried so deeply it looked like he was in the witness protection program! We were barely able to get his head measurements.
Our baby girl had a heart rate of 141 and weighed 2lbs, 14 oz. Quite the growth since my last appointment! She had her eyes open, was yawning and stretching her arms (well, as much as she can in that tight space!). It was pretty amazing to see her so active, especially since her features are more fully formed now. She was laying completely horizontally across my abdomen. Her measurements looked good and were within the "normal" range.
Our little boy had a heart rate of 153 and weighed 3lbs, 8 oz. He was laying diagonally across my abdomen, so not only is he taking more of the nutrients right now, he is taking more of the space! I'm sure his sister will remember that after they are born! Her face was laying right by his little booty. We weren't able to see his face clearly this time because we couldn't get him to flip over, but thankfully his measurements were also in the "normal" range and that is what really matters.
Dr. Nathan was slightly concerned with their weight variance (18%). He would like it to be less than 20-25%. But so far it is ok and we are just going to monitor it throughout my appointments. I am now going to the OB every 2 weeks and the perinatologist every 2-3 weeks. The appointments are one of my few adventures out of the house since I'm still on restricted activity. My cervix was measuring a little short again, so he told me to continue to stay off of my feet as much as possible. Dr. Nathan seems to think I'll be able to get to 34-36 weeks as long as there are no unforeseen problems. I can't believe we'll be parents by Thanksgiving!!!
Our baby girl had a heart rate of 141 and weighed 2lbs, 14 oz. Quite the growth since my last appointment! She had her eyes open, was yawning and stretching her arms (well, as much as she can in that tight space!). It was pretty amazing to see her so active, especially since her features are more fully formed now. She was laying completely horizontally across my abdomen. Her measurements looked good and were within the "normal" range.
Our little boy had a heart rate of 153 and weighed 3lbs, 8 oz. He was laying diagonally across my abdomen, so not only is he taking more of the nutrients right now, he is taking more of the space! I'm sure his sister will remember that after they are born! Her face was laying right by his little booty. We weren't able to see his face clearly this time because we couldn't get him to flip over, but thankfully his measurements were also in the "normal" range and that is what really matters.
Dr. Nathan was slightly concerned with their weight variance (18%). He would like it to be less than 20-25%. But so far it is ok and we are just going to monitor it throughout my appointments. I am now going to the OB every 2 weeks and the perinatologist every 2-3 weeks. The appointments are one of my few adventures out of the house since I'm still on restricted activity. My cervix was measuring a little short again, so he told me to continue to stay off of my feet as much as possible. Dr. Nathan seems to think I'll be able to get to 34-36 weeks as long as there are no unforeseen problems. I can't believe we'll be parents by Thanksgiving!!!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Happy Anniversary!
Dan and I celebrated our 6 year anniversary yesterday. It's hard to believe we have been married for that long, and what a wonderful present we received this year. Actually, two wonderful presents! Since Dan has been traveling so much, and I'm on bed rest, it was a pretty low key day-which was perfect!
We try to stick to the traditional gift giving, and the 6th year gift is candy or iron. The candy part was easy (snickers and smarties!) but the iron part a little more difficult. We agreed that iron was a type of metal, and decided to go that route instead. He gave me a heart locket and two little heart lockets to match, and I gave him a die cast Atlanta Braves OCC replica motorcycle. And we had breakfast for dinner...yummy!
Happy 6th Anniversary, Dan. I love you more today than the day we said "I do!" Thank you for the two most wonderful presents ever! Hope you enjoy the memories...and here's to countless more.
!
We try to stick to the traditional gift giving, and the 6th year gift is candy or iron. The candy part was easy (snickers and smarties!) but the iron part a little more difficult. We agreed that iron was a type of metal, and decided to go that route instead. He gave me a heart locket and two little heart lockets to match, and I gave him a die cast Atlanta Braves OCC replica motorcycle. And we had breakfast for dinner...yummy!
Happy 6th Anniversary, Dan. I love you more today than the day we said "I do!" Thank you for the two most wonderful presents ever! Hope you enjoy the memories...and here's to countless more.
!
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