a big decision

So, yesterday I went to my weekly doctor's appointment and it was fairly routine. Blood pressure still really good, so no preeclampsia still. Which is a very good thing! Just legs that keep holding more fluid; just when you think they can hold no more.

Then we started talking about the due date, and how if things kept up this way (nothing happening cervix-wise, and baby A still not dropping down further), that I'd for sure make it to 38 weeks. But THEN she said in the same breath "but since the babies are such a good size, I could always induce you a week earlier at 37 weeks since you're so uncomfortable."

Wha? She has never mentioned anything like this before; probably because twin pregnancies quite often don't even make it THIS far. I was kind of shocked, and instantly confused about how to respond. She told me to take the week and think it over, and let her know next week.

Now, as I was getting dressed to leave, and as it took almost 10 minutes to put my pants, shoes and socks on due to my lack of ability to really bend my legs or ankles anymore; I have to admit it sounded tempting to go one week earlier. Get rid of this water. But, since I'm done with work after today, I'm hoping that things will improve and I'll get a tiny bit more comfortable.

If we DID decide to do it, they'd test their lungs the day before to make sure they were mature, and then the next day they'd induce. It's a hard decision! On the one hand, they always say that at 37 weeks, a baby is fully cooked. And if they truly are over 5 pounds now (baby A almost 6) then they'll be even better off in two more weeks.

Then again, they always say you should keep babies in as long as you can; it's the best place for them.

Then AGAIN, my thighs are currently the size of my former waist; my calves and ankles the same size as my former thighs. And my feet- well, I can't see any veins or bones anymore. And it's all very uncomfortable. So, if things don't get better now that I'm done working- I'll be tempted to just go for it one week early.

So- that's our decision we need to make by next Wednesday at my appointment. It seems like such a big decision! Like playing God or something. I feel like it's a lot of pressure. Even though it's only one week sooner; it feels like a big deal.

In the meantime, this weekend will be full of lots of resting, thinking and discussing.

Bottom line; we're either meeting these girls in 2 or 3 weeks from today. And that's pretty darn exciting. :)

~M

P.S. Every 3 months, they re-set the rankings on Top Baby Blogs. Will you take a minute and click on the button below and vote for me? I'd be ever so grateful! :) You can vote every day too; you know, if you feel like it. :)

Have a great weekend!

they're a growin'

Well, today I had my final growth scan for the girls, and the girls made great progress! The last ultrasound was done at 32 weeks, and at that time, here were their estimated weights:

Baby A: 4 pounds 11 oz
Baby B: 4 pounds 2 oz

And this morning:

Baby A: 5 pounds 14 oz
Baby B: 5 pounds 2 oz

Grow, babies grow! If these weights are accurate (which, who knows...) then I've got 11 pounds of baby I'm carrying around! Wowzers. :)

We've hit 35 weeks! We're so close to the end, it's crazy! In two weeks they'll be considered "fully cooked", and in 3 (if I haven't delivered on my own), I'll be induced. So, the longest we'll have to wait at this point to meet our two daughters, is 3 weeks! This is so wild and just unreal to me. I look around at our house and see that we're ready technically. Crib, diapers, monitors, clothes; we're all set. But as far as the whole "parent" thing goes; well, that's just uncharted territory right there! I'm excited, but wow. Two new lives we're responsible for, in just 3 weeks!

Tomorrow is my last day in the office, which is good. It's been very hot here the last few days, which isn't helping with the swelling. But, I sit on my butt for most of the day, every day when I'm at work, so I believe that contributes to the swelling the most. So, not having to do that will be a great help. It's crazy that I won't be at work after tomorrow! My how life is about to change in so many ways....

Speaking of work, Ian's co-workers threw him a surprise baby shower yesterday. I was part of the surprise. One of his co-workers, Sarah, called me several weeks ago telling me the plan. He was very surprised to see me there! They did such a good job! It had a theme; superheroes. If you know Ian at all, you know he has enjoyed comic books and superheroes his whole life, so it was a very thoughtful theme. When I arrived, I was made to put on a homemade "supermom" cape, and then when Ian walked in and got over his initial shock, he donned his "superdad" cape. Pretty darn cute:

They had lots of treats to snack on and beer, and of course baby gifts. Just so sweet of them! And I think the cape suits him well. I do believe he'll be a pretty darn super dad. :)

Well, that's about all that is new around here! We're just anxious with anticipation and excited for the next few weeks and what they'll bring!

We love you, baby girls, and we just can't wait to meet you!

~M

weekly wednesday update

How far along? 34 weeks 6 days!

Total weight gain/loss: I got weighed last week and had gained another 7. Sigh. I really hate this fluid retention. Total gain thus far- 41 pounds. Which I know is still totally reasonable for twins, and that a lot of it is water; but still. C'mon body!

Stretch marks? Yes.

Maternity clothes? Yep. This Friday is my last day in the office before the babies come, so I just have to squeeze a few more uses out of my work clothes. Then it's jammies and sundresses and jeans for me for the rest of this pregnancy!

Sleep: The same. I am thinking I might try to nap during the day once I'm off work to help make up for the lack of sleep I get at night.

Best moment this week: Not really one best; but many good ones with Ian when we'd just be talking and one of us would say, "We are going to have babies any day now! Whoa!" Pretty darn exciting. :)

Movement: Yep! They're pretty active still, but it's obvious that they are running out of room. It's crazy though; since they're getting bigger- when they shift it can really change the shape of my belly!

Food cravings: Yesterday I thought corn on the cob sounded good; but I think that's more because it's summer food :)

Genders: Still two girls!

Labor Signs: Definitely having more Braxton Hicks contractions. But cervix is still closed.

Belly Button in or out? Semi-out and just odd looking.

What I miss: Being able to get off the couch or out of bed easily. It's quite the process nowadays! :)

Weekly Wisdom: Although I felt guilt about leaving work before my due date, I know it's for the best. It's just getting too hard to do the commute in the morning, especially with swollen legs.

What I am looking forward to: Babies! And seeing my mom (who is coming for the birth) and then after that my mother in law. Lots of quality mom/daughter/grandma time!

Milestones: I was wondering when this was going to happen, and it finally has. Complete strangers asking me when I'm due. :) Seems to happen daily now. And most people now also say something like "well, you MUST be having twins." Good thing I am; or that'd be insulting!

And here's me, 34 weeks, 6 days! Last photo in the work bathroom!

Have a wonderful day!

~M

loot

Yesterday I had another baby shower. Not the traditional kind that a friend or family member throws you; but the kind where you pay to get in and they give you all SORTS of crazy loot. And, ok, it wasn't just for ME; it was for me and hundreds of expecting moms in New York City.

This particular shower is held once a year in NYC, and it's called "The Biggest Baby Shower"; and it's put on by a group called Big City Moms. Basically, you pay an entry fee ($68.00) and you gain entry into essentially a wedding show type thing; only for expectant moms.

Hundreds of vendors are there, prizes are given away, seminars on raising kids take place. This year, everyone who attended got an Aprica stroller. I bought my friend Angela a ticket, so she could come with me, and then I'd get two of everything. Two strollers being the main exciting thing. These strollers are about $150 each- so it was well worth it; not to mention- look at all the other loot I scored!

Upon entry, you were given a "bingo" card that had all the names of the vendors on it. You had to visit 20 vendors to claim your stroller and gift bag. You also had to attend one seminar. Angela and I powered through and got to about 14 vendors before we went to a 7:30 seminar on "Raising a Chemical Free Baby", by Dr. Sears. Once that was done, we quickly visited our last 6 vendors and were on our way! We got in line to get our strollers and bags of gifts, and headed home.

Anyone in the NYC area that happens to find themselves pregnant in the next year, I believe these baby showers are usually held in the late Spring, early Summer. You can check out the website here to keep in the loop for the next shower. I had a great time and it was well worth it!

~M

P.S. I'm not being paid by Big City Moms in any way; I just wanted to tell you about my fun adventure!

another week gone by

Happy Friday everyone! Sorry I was MIA yesterday; I had a busy day! In the morning we had a meeting with our future pediatrician, and then late afternoon I had another follow up doctor appointment with my OB.

The meeting with the pediatrician went well. We really liked her and she is quite close to our apartment which is nice. We felt a little silly, because all the books say you’re supposed to meet with/interview your future pediatrician beforehand; but we really didn’t know what to ask. I looked a few questions up on line on the bus ride there, but mostly we just chatted with her. We talked about immunizations (we’re just going to stick to the standard AMA schedule of immunizations), breastfeeding, etc. She was very nice and her practice seems great; so we’re pleased.

My OB appointment went fairly well also. My swelling is even worse this week (honestly? I did not think it was possible, but sadly, yes.) but my blood pressure is still great (110/70) and I had no protein in my urine. (Don’t you love getting updates on my urine?) So, no preeclampsia yet! My doctor still thinks I could be at risk for it, since my swelling/edema is so bad, so I will go in weekly to be checked out from now on. She took some blood again just to be safe and I should get those test results back today.

My legs are so crazy swollen. I almost had to ask the nurse yesterday after my appointment to help me put my socks and shoes on, because I was unable to bend my legs- my skin was so tight! Yikes. Also, I gained another SEVEN pounds in one week; and I know it’s mostly fluid because my babies sure didn’t grow that much, and I know I didn’t gain that much fat in one week. So, just more fluid. I really hope I reach a point where I can’t possibly retain any more. I took a cool bath last night, hoping that would help. Online it says swimming helps, so I thought a bath might help too? I don’t have access to a pool, so it will have to do. I might try to take one every night to see if that helps at all.

As promised, here’s where we are with our “to do” list. We’re almost done! I’ll pack my hospital bag this weekend, and maybe do a couple of the other things; but we’re pretty prepared! (You know; as prepared as anyone CAN be for something like this….)

1. Talk to insurance company and get any and all info we need for hospital stay, adding babies to insurance, etc.

2. Take our classes! This is coming up soon, and I’m excited. We start our Childbirth class series on May 1st! This goes for 3 Sundays, and then we have breastfeeding and caring for a newborn in mid May.

3. Find a pediatrician. My OB has one that she’ll have us use in the hospital on the day, but still we need one for after that. Found an awesome one and she’s only about 20 blocks from us!

4. Do some spring cleaning. We need to deep clean the house a few more times (or perhaps hire someone to do it towards the end) before the babies arrive. I also want to do another “purge” of things we can give away to the Salvation Army. Have already had the cleaning lady come once (from my awesome Groupon deal) and have one more. Will probably use it in the next couple of weeks. Not sure if we’ll get to the purge part for Salvation Army, but we’ll try.

5. Buy our cloth diapers and some wet bags. Yes, we do plan on cloth diapering. At the beginning, we’re going to do a mix of disposable and cloth, and slowly move towards just doing cloth as they get bigger/we get better at it.

6. Wash all newborn clothes, crib sheet and mattress pads.

7. Stock up on food, toiletries, cat food & litter.

8. Test out breast pump and make sure I have all necessary parts. Wendy SO generously gave me hers, so I just need to take a look at it and make sure I understand how it works. Still need to sterilize.

9. Purchase a few last minute items like a baby monitor. Mostly we have what we need though.

10. Line up a cat sitter.

11. Pack hospital bag.

12. Make a birth plan.

13. Buy some nursing tanks and bras.

14. Put the bassinet together.

15. Attach the changing pad to the dresser.

16. Make a few meals ahead of time and freeze.

It’s so crazy that SO soon we will have a family of four instead of two- family of five if you count Lucky the cat. :) It could still be four more weeks, or it could just be a couple of weeks away. Wow!

That’s all for now! I’ll be better about blogging next week; it should be a little calmer of a week. Have a lovely weekend everyone!

~M

weekly wednesday update

How far along? 33 weeks 6 days!

Total weight gain/loss: Haven't been weighed since Friday. As of Friday, I hadn't gained any more weight- so I am still up a total of 34 pounds. I know that at least 8 of it is water retention. What a relief it will be when I finally lose all this extra fluid!

Stretch marks? Yes.

Maternity clothes? Yep. My work pants aren't fitting as well around my belly. They fit everywhere else, but I'm sure not going to buy more work pants if I might only be here just a short while longer. I'll make 'em work!

Sleep: Not great, but oh well. Feels better now though that we have the AC on!

Best moment this week: Being told that all is well with both babies when we were at the hospital, and also being told that all is well with me so far. Let's hope it keeps up!

Movement: Yep! Even more hiccups this morning. I kept my hand on my stomach for a good 15 minutes on the bus this morning, just feeling the tiny hiccups. So cute!

Food cravings: Nope!

Genders: Still two girls!

Labor Signs: Definitely having more Braxton Hicks contractions. I have a doctor appointment tomorrow to see what my cervix is up to.

Belly Button in or out? Semi-out and just odd looking.

What I miss: Being able to walk at a quick pace. It's hard getting around New York when you're just slowwwwwwly walking and can't go faster.

Weekly Wisdom: Listening to your doctor is a very good thing. I'm glad I took a few days at home last week, even if I got bored. I think it was a well needed rest. Still pretty tired though. I'm just trying to rest as often as I can now!

What I am looking forward to: Babies! After our little scare this week, we decided to kick it up a notch and get some more things crossed off our list (I'll give you an update on that tomorrow). We realized at this point they could really come at any time, and we need to be ready!

Milestones: Not sure how many milestones are left. I guess "moderate bed rest" last week was a milestone.

And here's me, 33 weeks, 6 days! Back in the work bathroom!

Thanks so much for all of your votes every day on topbabyblogs.com! We're up to # 39! Wow!! You guys are the best. :)

Have a wonderful day!

~M

hot in the city

So, summer has officially descended on New York! It is in the upper 80's today, and VERY humid. Normally it's not my favorite, but it's especially unpleasant while I'm pregnant. It's only going to get warmer though; so I'm glad I won't be pregnant in July and August!

I started back at work today on a "see how it goes" basis. I have to say, my swelling is just as bad as it was last week. Sitting all day; no matter how many little breaks I took, still takes its toll. I have a doctor appointment on Thursday to check back in (check my BP, urine, etc.) and she'll give me her advice about continuing work then.

It's hard, because even though I'm uncomfortable at work; it's so boring at home on bed rest. And so hard to lay there all day with your feet elevated above your heart. So, both have pluses and minuses. Of course, if mine or the babies' safety were at stake, I'd stay home for sure- no question. We'll just have to wait and see what my doctor says.

Today I started my new method of commuting; the express bus. Normally I take the subway to 42nd street and then transfer to the cross town shuttle. With the express bus there are no transfers or subway stairs. Plus, there's no waiting underground in the hot summer for a train. It DOES cost more, and surprisingly takes a little longer because of traffic; but I think it will be good. Less stairs is always good with puffy feet and a super heavy belly!

I wonder if mother nature makes the last bit of pregnancy so uncomfortable, so that you're even MORE excited to meet your baby. If so- it sure is working! :)

I hope everyone had a lovely Memorial Day weekend!

~ M

*photo found here