35 wks...

So I started having pains on my left side on Wednesday, and was just ignoring them because I figured they were muscles stretching and stuff. Well each day the pain got worse and my sleep was becoming less and less. I couldn't lift my left leg without help, and I couldn't sleep more than an hour at a time. I woke up at 5 am Friday and was in so much pain I didn't know what to do. I found that a bath had helped the night before, so I got back in the bathtub looking for some relief. Kevin came in around 5:45 am to see how I was doing and I wasn't doing much better. The bath wasn't helping like it had the night before. So he had me call the hospital & they told me to come in. With twins they said they couldn't take any risks. Most of you know I have a VERY high tolerance for pain and I don't say anything unless its really bad. With pregnancy though, it's not just me I have to worry about! I was worried that something may be wrong with my kidney's or liver or some other organ and then toxins were starting to be released to the babies. Mainly because the pain continued to get worse and it was so much work to just get out of bed, where as the week before I could do so much more!

So we went to the hospital at 6 am and they hooked me up. They monitored me for a few hours and the boys did great, just moved around a lot and Baby B even kicked the nurse when she was trying to reposition the monitor! It was funny, she got a kick out of it! She had had triplets so she knew what I was going through! I was having contractions every 2-3 minutes and they were good size ones so I got my 3rd shot of terbutaline! I still wasn't dilated though which was good! Then they found blood in my urine so they had to test it further for possible kidney infection or kidney stone, but all turned out to be fine! They made sure they had all the info they needed so I didn't have to come back later for my non-stress testing. We left at 8:40 am only to return right across the street for our 9:40 am doctors appointment.

Our appointment went great. I measured 43 weeks. The doctors and nurses still continue to tell me how small I am for how large my little guys are! I think I must just carry them well! And they said I was doing so well and they were so happy with how far I have made it! It seemed like they expected my little ones to make an appearance before now! So I guess the perinatal doctor was right when he said I was the perfect specimen to carry twins! :) So next week we will find out whether my c-section will be done at 37 or 38 weeks!!! That's if I don't go into labor first! :)

Also, I have pics of the belly & hope to be posting them soon as I finally got a card reader to replace my one that died!

34 wks...

So we had our appointment with the perinatal specialist today. Both babies look really good. Stomachs, Kidneys & Bladder all operational! They were also doing the practice breathing which was really good!

Baby A was breach & appears to weigh 6 lbs 1 oz, which is large for his age. His heartbeat was 150 BPM.

Baby B was transverse & appears to weigh 4 lbs 8 ozs, which is normal for his age. His heartbeat was 140 BPM.

So I have almost 11 lbs of baby in me right now! Not to mention the 2 bags of amniotic fluid & 2 separate placentas!!!

So it appears I will be a c-section as my doctor said this ultrasound would determine that. They were both head to head & I guess forming an upside down "L" this time. Baby A is sitting on my cervix & facing my spine, while Baby B's head is on my left and feet are on my right facing my spine as well. So needless to say we didn't get any new good pictures.

Here are the two little heads...

And here is the back of Baby A's head...

And the back of Baby B's head...

We made another appointment with the perinatal specialist just in case, but they don't think I will still be prego by then!!! Crazy how soon they will be here!!!

...OB dr. appt...

So I had my weekly doctor appointment. So far so good. Still not dilated. We discussed preeclampsia further...and I learned how scary it could be. With preeclampsia the only cure is delivery. But once you have reached clampsia, basically the mother can have seizures which will cut off the blood supply to the babies. Obviously not good! Doc said it's seizures, coma & then death! In that order, if not treated properly & in time! He said the more I try to do without staying down, the tighter I walk the line and am at risk for falling over! He said it is rare, but with twins I am at a higher risk for it! So they are keeping an eye on me...

Doc also said I gained 6 lbs in a week, but he could see that it was all water weight in my feet, ankles & hands...which told him I was doing too much. I told him I was staying down & only going downstairs 3-4 times a day to heat up food that my husband had made & left for me. But otherwise I was being good. He said all women say that, but he bets that if he looked through my window he would see me doing way more than I should. My blood pressure had dropped from last week so that was good news!

So apparently I need to take it more seriously. I thought I was, but apparently not! We see the perinatal specialist tomorrow & my doc said what position they are in will determine whether I have vaginal or c-section delivery...oh my goodness! It is getting so close!!!!!!!!!!!

...apparently my weekly visit now...

So I have been trying to stay down & be on official "bed rest". I have been doing really well with it. Wednesday though, I thought that my water may have sprung a leak. So finally at 10:45pm I talked to Kevin & he thought I should call the hospital to see if I needed to come in. It took me all day because I didn't think this was what it could be...so I called the labor & delivery department at the hospital and told them. I spoke with the same lady that had monitored me last week and she told me I needed to come in & she would see me in a few minutes.

I had been on the phone with my girlfriend Amy and she said she was coming to get me. So at 11pm the adventure began. We went to the hospital and the nurse hooked me up to the monitors. They watched them for a while & they looked good. Then once they took my blood pressure they told me it was high, but would take it again later...well it was the same. They then tested my urine & found protein in it. So these are 2 major signs for preeclampsia, and since I am prego with twins I am at risk for preeclampsia. Not knowing much about it, I was still in shock & it hadn't set in what the risk really was. They drew blood to find out more & while we were waiting for the results, they did the exam and found that my water had not broken yet & I was still not dilated. So that was good news...

Poor Kevin was sitting at home waiting to see if he needed to hop in the car & race home. Only cure for preeclampsia is delivery. Thankfully the blood work came back and all was well! They said I was good to go! It was so good to have Amy there with me. I was going to try to go by myself, but I'm glad she came with me! I was a lot more calm having her there! I felt safer and she kept my mind occupied when I need it most!

So Amy & I arrived home at 2:30 AM!!! And I had a doctor appt at 9:30am...so it was off to bed for me! She had 3 kids that would be up in a mater of hours...not sure how she was going to pull that off! She is amazing! She was in high spirits the whole time & never once complained or made a comment! Amy you are incredible!!! :)

...ooppps...

So after talking with Kevin last night I found out that I misunderstood my bed rest. I thought it was okay for 1 activity a day, but it turns out...no! I was wrong! I am on bed rest, but instead of only being able to go to the bathroom & back to bed, I am allowed to heat up my own food & quick computer time (like 15 mins)...which as most of you know will be a killer for me!

Kevin made me stay in bed all weekend & the contractions were drastically reduced. So it is doing what it is supposed to! I had my Non-stress testing today, and the contractions were on the boarder where they would either make me stay or I could go home. Thankfully they were on the lower side so I slide past & was able to go home!

So, sorry if I am unable to return emails. I am big on texting now & have my phone by me at all times, but I am also trying to take some naps!

Hard to believe the little ones will be here so soon! I can't wait to meet them, hold them & see their cute little faces!

So this week, I had my non-stress testing today. I have a doctor appointment with my OB on Thursday, then I have an appointment with the perinatal specialist on Friday (where we get to spy on our little guys & get more pics!!!) and then more non-stress testing Friday. I feel like I am living at either the doctors or the hospital now!

our dr. appt.

So we had our "emergency" doctor appointment on Friday from all of the contractions. I still wasn't dilated & my test for pre-term labor in the next week came back negative. So the doctor said he thinks this is just how my body is dealing with the twins. He said everyone's body is different and apparently I am going to have the real contractions as my body gets ready. But if they change in any way I am to get my but to the hospital! He wants to monitor me more closely and see me every week. I am on bed rest. Which he said not recliner rest, not sofa rest, but literally in bed on my side! But thankfully as long as I stay in bed all day long I can still do 1 small activity a day. Like scrapbook night, mutual, low key girls night, go to church, etc...

And apparently the meds he could give me, like the terbutaline (shot or pill kind), only last for 30 mins so he said they are pointless. Which now makes sense since both times I started having contractions around 1 hour after I received the shot!

And the biggest news to me...he said he just wanted to keep them in there for 3 more weeks! Oh my gosh! That is so soon! I feel so unorganized & not ready at all!!! So...now it's crunch time to get ready!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...and so it continues...

So after everything that happened Wednesday, the nurses had me watching everything I was doing, and what my body was doing. I had my first contraction around 10:30am...and then I got on the computer for a few hours & then finally went back up to bed (since I was put on bed rest). I wasn't really watching my contractions until later on in the day & I had been laying down for a while. The nurse told me I had to come back if I had 4 contractions in an hour...well once I started monitoring...I was having a contraction every 10 minutes and this went on for 2 hours. I was hesitant to do anything because I my car battery was still disconnected so I was going to have to bug someone again.

I finally got to talk to Kevin & he told me to get my but to the hospital. So I had to take a quick shower and quickly get ready. Once I got out of bed the contractions were coming closer & closer. I had my girlfriend Erika drop me off at the hospital. Bless her heart, she is due in 3 weeks & had to get her little guy out of her ribs so she could drive! In the 10 minutes I was monitoring on the way to the hospital I had 3 contractions. Kevin was flying home & would be there in a few hours, and after the ordeal from Wednesday I figured I would be there for a few hours! They hooked me up & after 20 minutes I had 3 big contractions. The nurse came in shaking her head with terbutaline in hand. Thus I got my second shot. They monitored me again & the contractions stopped. Not one during that time. The nurse told me the doctor was going to have to do something, put me on meds, permanent bed rest or something to stop the contractions.

So they released me because I still wasn't dilated & I was seeing my doctor at 9am Friday morning, so only a few hours away.

As I was signing the paperwork my girlfriend Amy called me & asked if she could come sit with me. I told her actually they just released me & she said she was on her way to get me!

Amy didn't want to leave me until Kevin got home (she is such a sweetheart!), so she stayed with me. Against my will she unloaded my dishwasher, re-loaded it and dished me up some ice cream. I couldn't believe it1 Then she stayed with me until it was only 30 more mins till Kevin got home. I love her to death!

Again I was blessed beyond belief with my incredible friends! I love you girls!!!!

What a fun day!

Ok so I just have to tell you of what an interesting day I had yesterday! So I usually stay down all day & do 1 thing a day. Well I had my non-stress testing scheduled for 1pm. I figured while I was out I would make a quick stop at ULTA & another at the library to pick up a book I had reserved. I got ready & went out to the car, and I was going to be early to my test at the hospital, which since I have been pregnant I can't be on time to save my life!!!

So I put everything in the car, I had the passenger door open & reached across & put the key in the ignition to get the car started. Well there is a security mechanism on the alarm and some how I set it off! The alarm was going off non stop & was so incredibly loud. I tried everything I could to stop the alarm, to no avail! This happened once before but Kevin was home & fixed it. I called Kevin on both of his cell phones & could not reach him. I called him at the office & they tracked him down for me. I closed the garage so the neighbors wouldn't be disturbed by the alarm as much.

Basically I came to find out that the car was disabled now & I couldn't drive it. I called my girlfriend Nicki & she was able to take me to the hospital for my testing. While she was on her way over I had to figure out how to disconnect the siren for the alarm. I couldn't have Kevin walk me through it on the phone because I couldn't hear him with the alarm going off. So he told me what to do & then I was on my own! I hadn't realized until now that I had never popped the hood of a car & looked under all by myself! So I popped the hood (I did know where to find that thank goodness!) :), but then I had to find the latch to get the hood up. The alarm is screaming at me the entire time & it's echoing because I still have the garage door closed for the neighbors sake! I finally get the hood up, but I can't find the stick to prop the hood up. I found the wire I had to disconnect & I needed a screwdriver. So I set the hood down, grabbed a screwdriver & went back to the car & of course the hood re-latched so then I had to mess with it again.

I was running late at this point to I am totally flustered. When I start unscrewing the screw to release the wire, the alarm has another security feature that it screams even louder & more rapid! My ears were killing me & I can imagine what my 2 little guys were going through since they were closer to the action! I had to take the screw out completely because otherwise it still kept chirping! The alarm was still going off, lights flashing & all, but at least it was quiet now!

Nicki got to my house shortly after & we left. I got to the hospital a few minutes late, but we were good! This was only supposed to be a 20-30 minute test...yeah I should have known with the day I was having! It took the 1st nurse a while to find both heartbeats, & so she called in another nurse to find the other heartbeat. We get the heart beats on there, but the 1st nurse forgot to put on the contraction monitor! So we had to start our time over again.

One of my little guys heartbeats would disappear every time it peaked so then they had to do an ultrasound. While we were waiting for the ultrasound tech to come up they watched my contractions. I just figured I was always having braxton hicks, apparently not! So then they had to run more tests. They needed to check me to see if I was dilated & then do a test to see if I was going to go into preterm labor within the next wk or 2.

Nicki had to go get her kids, as well as Melissa's & Tammi's from school so I told her I would call her when I was finally done since I didn't know when that would be at this point!

The ultrasound techs arrived a little later & told me they would be doing a 8 point test on each baby & would take an hour! A half hour for each baby! Both babies were perfect and scored 8 out of 8. There first test and already 100%! That's my boys! :) Anyway, then after they spoke with the doctor he wanted them to give me a shot of terbutaline and monitor me for another hour, and then recheck to see if I had dilated any. I only had 1 contraction in the hour after my shot & was still not dilated so they allowed me to go home, but told me I had to come back if I had 4 contractions in a hour. I have to go back Saturday for more monitoring and then see the doctor on Monday. They put me on bed rest until I see the doc on Monday.

I called Nicki & went to wait downstairs for her. I had 1 contraction while I was waiting, then another one right after I got in the car, and a 3rd right after I got home! Needless to say I was running to bed! Kevin called our wonder neighbor Charlie & he came over right away with his son-in-law & disconnected the battery of the car so the alarm would stop!

On top of all of this I was in charge of the Mutual activity for church last night which was a big one, "Standards Night". We were playing human CLUE with around 30 teenagers! All the ladies took over & got it done. They are so awesome & I appreciate their help sooooo much! You girls are the best! I heard everything went well & the kids had fun which was the point of the whole thing!

So now I am on bed rest until further notice & have no wheels, which I guess technically I don't need right now... :) I am truly blessed to have sooooo many incredible people in my life right now! I never ask people for things because I never want to inconvenience anyone, so this was a HUGE learning & growing experience for me! No one hesitated and everyone was there for me! Heavenly Father has truly blessed me with so many incredible friends! I feel so incredibly lucky to have my husband, my 2 little miracles on the way, my little son Tigger, and especially the friends that I have out here! I don't think anyone is more blessed than I currently am!!!

32 wks...

We had our 32 wk appointment and everything looks great. I measured 41 wks. They still tell me how small I am for how large the babies are. I am having contractions, I'm not dilated yet (which shocks me some becuase Baby A kicks the opening as though he is trying to escape! I am effacing though. They are sending me to do non-stress testing 2 times a week now! It's getting close!

Midnight Sun...

Showing some support for Stephenie...hoping she will reconsider & finish writing & publishing Midnight Sun! All of her fans would still buy the book & wait for it! We need it Stephenie...please...for your true fans!!!