Great news at today's appointment

Everything looked good at today's OB appointment - and the best part is that I can gradually begin to increase my activity over the next week! I should still try to take it easy, but once I hit 36 weeks next Friday, she said I can do whatever I want (within reason), because with any luck it will help me go into labor.

She said that now that I've reached the 35 week mark, they won't try to stop labor should it start. In the same breath she told us that she couldn't believe I was still pregnant :) She also mentioned that if it looks like I'll be hitting the 38 week mark, we will schedule an induction, meaning that these babies will be here within 3 weeks! It seems so crazy to me that after all this time the end is finally in sight - we will finally be meeting our babies. The closer it gets, the less real it seems, for some reason. Maybe its because I'm starting to feel as though I've been pregnant forever ;)

The first thing I did after the doctor's appointment today was go get a pedicure - there's a place in Newton Center that has a special pregnancy pedicure, and it was amazing - so nice and relaxing. And tonight, Larry and I are going out to dinner. We can't go down to the Cape this weekend (the dr. didn't want me to be that far from the hospital), but at least I won't be stuck on the couch! I feel like a new woman!

Concern over some swelling

Yesterday morning I woke up with swollen feet, legs and hands. My hands have been falling asleep a lot while I'm sleeping, and my knuckles were very sore. Also my palms and feet were red and somewhat blotchy. Of course, I was a little bit concerned, especially knowing that conditions like pre-eclampsia are more common in twin pregnancies. Though my blood pressure has always been very good (high bp is an indicator of pre-eclampsia), I hadn't been to the doctors in a week and a half and decided to call my OB. The nurse that called back suggested we go to labor and delivery at the hospital for a blood pressure check.

We made our way to the hospital, trying not to be nervous. We didn't have to wait too long to be seen by a nurse - luckily my blood pressure was fine. They hooked me up to the monitors - both babies' heartrates were great, and I wasn't having any regular contractions. The downside was that we had to wait about 3 hours to see the doctor so we could be discharged. They did run some bloodwork, and my platelet count is still low, but the doctor didn't seem too concerned. As we were leaving, the nurse told us she hoped she wouldn't see us for four more weeks :)

Both the nurse and the doctor said we did the right thing by coming in, even though it turned out that nothing was wrong. I actually have carpal tunnel syndrome in my hands due to all the increased fluid, which is why my knuckles are sore and my hands are falling asleep. I know I felt better knowing that everything was normal/okay. Hopefully we won't have any other scares until it's time to deliver these babies!

34 weeks today!

Woohoo! Can't believe we've made it this far! 3 more weeks or so should be no problem - especially if I'm allowed out of the house after next week :)

What I REALLY can't believe is that these babies are really going to be here in less than a month. Like, really. As in two little lives will be completely and utterly dependent on Larry and me for their survival and growth and health and happiness. Very soon. Wow.

I want to say we're almost ready, but I don't think we could ever truly be ready for what's on the horizon. We're almost ready in terms of stuff, and baby gear and the like (still waiting for that Babies R Us completion coupon - I called so it should be on its way), so that makes me feel a little bit prepared, at least. My hospital bag is mostly packed. I keep thinking of things to add to it; they're probably going to think I'm moving in. I think next week I'll convince Larry to install the car seats, just in case.

On the bathroom front, we should be 99% done after this weekend, with the only hold-up being the shower door for the master bath, some bathroom fixtures we forgot to order, and there may be some shelves that need to be painted. Thank goodness the end is in sight! Haha - that actually applies to BOTH of our "projects," - the bathrooms and the babies!

33 weeks and I can't find my ankles

33 weeks and these little ones are still cooking! I'm still feeling okay for the most part -they are definitely getting heavy though. Every time I get up from the couch I have to hold on to my tummy because it's a lot of weight that has to settle! Add to that a constantly full bladder and I'm starting to be pretty uncomfortable. I noticed this weekend that my feet and ankles are definitely swollen, which is surprising since I spend the majority of my time with my feet up.

With any luck, the bathroom project will be completed this week. Last night Larry and I did a couple of loads of laundry in our NEW LAUNDRY ROOM, which was awesome. It feels like the whole upstairs is like a new house, and I'm just dying for it to be done.

Great appointments this week!

Today I had my peri and OB appointments, and everything looks great! My cervix is holding steady at 1.5 cm (it was 1.5 two weeks ago; I think the added length is a result of Baby A being head down instead of having his foot in my cervix :) and both babies look great. They are measuring 4 lbs 1 oz, and 4lbs 2 oz - that's over 8 lbs. of baby! Only negative thing is that Baby A's fluid level seemed to be on the low side of normal, so I will have to go back in 2 weeks for another ultrasound. The peri didn't seem concerned, but she did say we should keep an eye on it.

At the OB's office, everything looked good as well. I weigh almost as much as my husband, which no woman ever wants to hear, but I know it's all for a good cause. The doctor did say that she's never seen anyone lose weight like a breastfeeding mother of twins, so I'm very hopeful that many of the added pounds will come off easily. All in all, everyone was very upbeat, which is such a change from 7 weeks ago when they first noticed the shortening. The OB also said that at my next appointment they will allow me to increase my activity. I had been hoping they would say that this week, but my actual OB is on vacation, and the OB I saw said that taking me off bedrest while my doc was away was pretty much a guarantee that I would go into labor (just superstition, of course!).

So, here I shall sit for another 2 weeks. Of course, by the time they can tell me that I CAN move around, I doubt that I'll want to - it's already getting difficult enough! Kim was here today and took some pictures of me - this belly just seems to have a life of its own!

32 weeks + and still cooking!

Well, I've already beaten the odds that one of my doctors gave me when she said she didn't think I'd make it to 32 weeks! Generally I'm feeling okay, although I've been extremely exhausted the past few days. I had a hard time getting to sleep last night because these babies are moving around so much - then I woke up with Larry at 6am and couldn't go back to sleep. Hopefully I will take a nap later on. Yesterday I was a little dizzy and felt a bit weird, but I think I just needed to eat and drink more. I felt better after a good nap ;)

However, those napping days are numbered, I know! I think at the outside these babies will be here in less than 5 weeks, which is just unbelievable! We've been waiting for this for so long, but now as it gets closer I have to admit we're freaking out a little. I think we'll feel better once the bathrooms are completed (nothing really new to report on that front - all the finish carpenters did last week was put up the beadboard, and the painting hasn't been done yet) and our house is nice and clean and organized.

Oh, and our car died on Saturday, the SUV. Larry thinks it's the alternator; it was towed to the service place this morning so hopefully it doesn't need too much work. But anyway, that doesn't help our feelings of being unprepared. I did finish the thank you notes from my shower, though, so as a reward to myself I have started going through all the amazing gifts we received! I've separated out all the clothing and blankets and today I'm going to take off all the tags to get them ready to be washed. I also ordered some drawer and closet organizers to make things easier to find, since the dresser drawers in the nursery are already practically full!

I have appointments tomorrow with the peri and with my OB's office, so hopefully everything is still stable and looking good. I have to say though that even if they allow me to increase my mobility, I've been so tired lately that I don't think I really would be able to take advantage of that. But I guess that comes with the territory :)

Rain rain go away

What a yucky day! Although when it's raining like this, I suppose I'd be stuck inside the house anyway, right?!

My baby shower was this past weekend - it was so much fun! I really enjoyed seeing all my family and friends, and also getting so much of what we need for the babies. My sisters, mom and aunt did such a great job putting everything together, but I can't believe that now it's over - I feel like bridal and baby showers are rights of passage, you know? And now I've had all the showers I'm ever going to have :( That said, it's hard to feel anything but excitement about getting to meet these babies soon! My friend Kim brought her new daughter Isabelle, who is only 3 weeks old. I got to hold her, and all I could do was stare at her! Babies are such little miracles - it's so amazing to me that these little tiny squirming bundles develop so quickly into little people who have their own thoughts and feelings and opinions... like I said, it just makes me so excited to meet our babies!

On the bathroom front, things are still moving a bit slowly, but I've been assured that they're about to start to pick up. The tile should be just about finished after today, and tomorrow the finish carpenters are coming in to start putting back all the woodwork and everything. They're also going to put up the beadboard in the guest bathroom. Our contractor, Chad, promised that we would have a shower by this weekend, and the painters could start as early as Saturday, if not Monday. By next week things should start to feel very close to finished! Our new master shower is amazing, it feels so big and spacious, and the tile looks beautiful. I can't wait to use it!

31 weeks today!

August is here! We made it through July and these babies are still cooking! Otherwise, not much new to report - although Larry hasn't been feeling well, and is at the doctors right now. I wish I could be there with him.

I'm feeling okay, looking forward to my baby shower this weekend, and to having a working shower next week! Our new washer and dryer will be installed on Wednesday, and the tile work will all be done by then. Hopefully with the tile down everything else will start to move more quickly, because this project is definitely starting to wear on us. I'm not concerned about it being done before the babies arrive, but I am concerned about it being done before we go crazy :) I guess only time will tell!