1 year down, 20 something years to go

Time really does fly!  Jonah's last day of preschool was last week and we had a fun time celebrating with him.  He loved preschool this year.  It took some adjusting to but he learned a lot and enjoyed his first year of school.  To end the year, the kids put on a program for the parents and sang songs and took us through their typical day at school.  Jonah seems to be quite popular with the girls in his class.  One minute he loved the attention and the next, he was telling them to back off!  It was certainly entertaining to see him interact with everyone.

Goofing off before the program starts.

I pledge allegiance...

This was hilarious.  There was one song about thunder and lighting that he hated because it was scary.  He looked like he was on the verge of tears the entire song.  As soon as the next song came on, he was back to his full-mouthed, grinning self.

Skitta marinky dinky dink, skitta marinky doo, I Love You! (Jon and I were both getting teary-eyed during his singing.)

The following day was field day.  The kids played tug of war, had a sack race, road the train, ran through an obstacle course, and decorated visors.  Sophie enjoyed the activities just as much as Jonah did!  One thing we discovered about Jonah is his competitive nature.  We've seen it at home with his sister and some friends but it was even more apparent watching him participate in these games.  Things didn't always end happily for him, which resulted in a small tantrum about how he didn't win.  (Jon and I both confessed our similar behavior as kids.  No wonder he is the way he is.)

This site quickly turned to...

 this one.  Panic, horror, frustration that he wasn't winning. (It makes me giggle)

Daddy and Sophie had their own events for the day.

Here is a picture of Jonah and Ms. Dayna.

That's as close to a smile as he was going to get.

They just laughed at me...

I had my 32 week appointment a couple of days early this week so that I could see if our "planned" trip to Colorado could be realized. 

Today was the first appointment during this pregnancy where they checked me for dilation.  The doctor from last week (there are 5 in the group) said he'd feel OK with me going to Colorado as long as I wasn't dilated at all.

I told the doctor today what the last one said and he just shook his head and told me they really don't want anyone with twins traveling past 30 weeks.  It's just too risky.  And I ended up being dilated 1cm anyway.  I guess that's 2 no's. 

Needless to say, I was quite disappointed that we won't be making our trip this weekend.  It was our last getaway before being house-ridden and finding myself topless for most hours in the day.  Yes, I'm going to attempt breastfeeding these twins--at the same time.  Not a lot of room for privacy or modesty there.

As I started to leave my appointment, I realized I hadn't scheduled my non-stress test for this week yet so I turned around to ask the doctor about them.  He said I'll be doing 2 NSTs a week until I deliver.  Basically, they hook me up to a couple of machines to monitor both babies' heart rates and monitoring me for contractions at the same time. 

One of the other doctors came out of his office at that point and asked, "How far along are you now?" and I told him almost 32 weeks.  Then my other doctor who examined me said, "Yeah, and she thinks she's going to Colorado this weekend!"  Then they both just laughed!  I laughed too and I wasn't offended by the apparent comedic nature of my desired vacation but the fact that they were actually laughing made me realize I shouldn't attempt it. 

I left my appointment feeling quite nervous about the fact that the babies may arrive at any time.  I've never made it past 2cm at a normal doctor's visit before going into labor.  Let's just hope I'll dilate slower this time around and that I'll be able to make it at least another 2 weeks (4 is much better...and 6 would be a dream!).

I talked to my wonderful mom this evening and informed her that we wouldn't be coming and might have vented my frustrations that I can't make my body keep these babies in and she gave a most wise response, "Honey, it's better to worry about things that we can control."  Enough said.

How about a little optimism?

Cats and dogs--I believe that's the phrase often used to describe large amounts of rain.  To give you an idea of just how much its been raining here, Jon asked me the other day, "So now do you think you'd like living in Seattle?"  My response was, "Well, in Seattle you'd expect rain.  This is Utah."

Things are certainly lush and green right now--a scene not so familiar in the Utah desert.  I'm used to the inevitable ugly brown color which eventually washes over the landscape in the warm months.

It's been hard to be stuck inside the last couple of weeks when just days earlier, the kids were out in the yard playing on the slip 'n slide and in our inflatable pool.  I decided I needed to be a little more positive about the rain since, well, I can't change a thing!

 Pros                                             Cons
1.  I'm not hot                           1.  The kids have trashed the house
2.  I'm not hot                           2.  It sure is depressing
3.  I'm not hot                           3.  I can't plant my garden yet
4.  I can still wear my                4.  Boredom has set in like thick fog
winter maternity clothes
5.  I'm not hot

How's that for glass half-full?

31 Weeks

I love it when people ask me if I'm due any day now.  No.  I'm not.  But it did become even more a reality today when I had my 31 week appointment with my doctor.  I didn't have an ultrasound this time.  He measured my belly and told me I was doing wonderfully!  That's always nice to hear and reassuring that things are going as they should.

I measured at 40 weeks today which is full term for a single baby.  No wonder I feel "cooked".  When I asked the doctor what I measured, he said, "Big...you're big."  I'm not sure if he was hesitant to make me really feel my actual girth but he hesitated to say the number of weeks.  I just laughed.  It was no surprise to me!  I know I'm larger now than ever because my stretch marks are having babies of their own!  One of these days I'll brave a bare belly photo just so you can admire the forest of veins and stretch marks that have overgrown my once smooth belly.  My belly button has literally been turned inside out.  There is no more room for it "give".

I went to my visit today with a number of questions.  Sometimes I ask the same question to multiple doctors just to see if they're on the same page or if I'll get a variation of the last person's answer.

1. I've been having strange cravings:  fabric softener, bleach, dishwasher detergent...really any cleaning product makes me drool.  I switch the laundry loads and have the urge to take a bite of the clothing.  I can see myself gnawing on a shirt or pair of shorts like a donkey.
1. Answer: You need more iron!  I asked if it was normal and he paused and smiled and said, "Well, not really, but it usually means your deficient in iron."  I assured him that I wouldn't give in to the craving.
2. How does my body know to keep these babies in any longer??
1. Answer:  It doesn't!  (Oh good, that really doesn't help my paranoia of pre-term labor.)
3. Can I go on a short road trip to Colorado next weekend?
1. Answer:  We'll start checking your cervix next week (WHAT?? Whoa!!!) and if you're closed, you can go, if you're dilating, we'd rather you stay here. (I knew they'd be checking me starting at 32 weeks but it really put things into perspective that these babies could arrive any day now.)
4. Are there doctors that aren't comfortable with breech deliveries?  
1. Answer: Everyone is comfortable with breech deliveries.  We are cautious about them but we're all capable of doing them.
5. When should the babies be in position (Vertex = head down)
1. Answer: Um, now! (Yay! Both babies are vertex!!)

So, I left my appointment feeling pretty happy but seriously nervous that I'm not going to make it as long as I hoped I would.  I asked the doctor at what point the babies would be able to go home with me and he said by 35 weeks and sometimes 34, babies are usually good to go home with mom.  This was very reassuring news for me.  I've been telling myself all along that I wanted to make it to 38 weeks.  This last month or so, I've been telling myself that I'd like to get to at least 36 weeks.  I guess what it really boils down to is that I want my babies to come home with me.  I'm still hoping for big babies (relatively) and shooting for at least 6 pounders, hopefully 7, but with how huge I am right now, I'm just not sure that's going to be a possibility.

Anyway, I leave you with my latest belly bump:

31 Weeks (measuring 40 weeks)

To Be A Mother

I've been thinking lately how strange it is that I almost have as many kids as my own mom has.  It's a weird feeling.  You can never truly appreciate what a mother or parent does until you have kids of your own.  I often ask my mom how she did it and she looks at me and says, "I don't know.  I think I've blocked it from my memory!"  Maybe it's the same thing that happens after you have a baby.  Eventually you forget the pain and misery and only remember holding that newborn baby in your arms.  Nature has a strange way of making you go through it all again!

I can't say enough good things about my mom.  She has truly been a rock in my life.  I always know I can go to her with my problems and she'll know just what to say to make it better.  I hope I can be like that for my kids.  She's my best friend (along with my sister and most of all, my Honey...I guess you could say my whole family are my best friends!). 

I think I have the greatest job in all the world.  I relish being a mommy.  My kids bring me more joy than anything else in life.  It's both trying and ever-so rewarding.  Each night after we put the kids to bed, Jon and I relate the day's experiences to each other and it's usually all to do with the kids and the funny things they said or did.  I'm happy to say that all frustration melts when I open their bedroom doors after they've fallen asleep and I see them lying there peacefully.  Sometimes I wish I could climb right in with them and snuggle them to my heart's content!

Motherhood is also wonderful because I get to be a mother with the best father around.  Jon is the best partner to have in raising my kids.  Sundays are a difficult day to provide any pampering but he gave it his best even when he was feeling miserable himself!!  He truly sacrifices so much for me and the kids.  I love him.

Last night, just before the kids got in bed, I got the best Mother's Day card ever made:

29 Weeks

I had another ultrasound today to monitor the growth of the little chicklets.  I have one more regular appointment in 2 weeks and then I'll be going weekly!  I can't believe I'm already to that point!

They doctor measures the circumference of their heads and bellies and then measures the length of their femur.  They were measuring just 2 days apart which is perfectly normal and could even be closer than that based on the tiniest error in measuring so, we're happy!  They each weigh about 3 lbs right now.  That means I have 6 lbs of baby in me already.  I feel it!

Baby A is head down (vertex) and Baby B was head up (but think she has since turned).  This could change still so I'm not really worried to much about positions at this point.  As long as they're head down by 32-34 weeks, we're go for natural labor!

I'm grateful things are going so well and can't wait to hold these little girls (but I can wait because I want them to double in size first)!