Sweet and Sour

From the Twin Daddy:

We have had a decent dose of sour recently when our current landlord told us that the owner wanted to sell the house we were living in and we needed to be out by August.  On the list of things I wanted to do between now and the boys arriving, packing my house and shipping my pregnant wife across town was not on it.  To be certain, I double checked the list.  Nope.  Not there.  Personally, I think that sounds terrible.

We had a bad day or two as we worried about where we would end up and how things would turn out.

Today, we get a dose of sweet as we sign a new lease on a larger house.  It has roughly the same commute, more space, lawn care included, and sits just off a well-maintained public park.  I think the key to making lemonade from lemons is finding the right sweetener and getting more space for Alexander and Dominic made this stressful situation something that Mary and I can both happily anticipate.

Babies Countdown – The Double Header

We have reached 23 weeks and 1 day.  Our OB-GYN has told us that she wants to deliver the kids by week 39 at the latest which means I get to bump my countdown forward from September 9 ( or 8 ) to September 2.

112 days until September 2

• Wednesday, May 19 is our “Getting to Know You” appointment with a Pediatrician.
• Thursday, May 20 and the twins become viable as early as 24 weeks.
• Monday, May 24th is an appointment with the Perinators.
• Thursday, May 27 is our next OB-GYN and 25 weeks.
• Thursday, June 3, Mary makes another appointment to test for gestational diabetes.
• Thursday, June 17 is Homefree Day. 90% of children born at 28 weeks survive and the odds only improve.
• Sometime in mid-July Mary gets fitted for her nursing bra and takes the super-sucker in for cleaning.
• Thursday, August 12 and we hit our goal of 36 weeks minimum. From here on the twins could come at any time.
• Thursday, September 2 and we reach 39 weeks.  The OB-GYN has said she doesn’t want Mary to carry beyond this date.
• Thursday, September 9 and we hit 40 weeks. This is our due date even if we know the twins will be here sooner.
• 2 weeks Post Delivery – Schedule a follow up appointment with the Lactation Lady.
• 4 Weeks Post Delivery – Look for baby smiles.
• After the Delivery – 4.5 months of the Twinsanity Interval.

So, our boys have developed a new interest – renovating Chalet Mom, though they’ve made the grave error of not clearing their plans with the current property owner. Still, they have both thrown themselves into their renovations. Dominic feels that an expanded wing should be added to the left side of the house, and he’s been applying some of his muscle to moving the walls a few inches out. Alexander, on the other hand, believes the chalet would be improved by a larger front room, and he’s really put his head into the project. The exact results of their remodeling are yet to be determined, but we’ll keep you updated!

At our last Ob/Gyn appointment this past Wednesday, they did a quick ultrasound to check on our boys, and both were looking fine and active. We received further assurance that Dominic and Alexander are still matching each other in growth and have a reasonable amount of amniotic fluid, and we even got to see one of our sons discovering the joy of sucking his thumb. You can just make it out in the ultrasound photo.

Gigglequakes

I tend to be a fairly happy pregnant lady, inclined to giggle at the slightest amusement. Puck often teasingly chides me, “Stop shaking our babies!” What must they think when their world starts to rock and roll to the rhythmic sound of their mom’s laughter?

Tummy Monkeys

In the last few weeks, Dominic and Alexander have really started to take their acrobatic training seriously – especially if they receive a dose of energy-boosting sugar. About two and half weeks ago, Alexander had an evening where he pushed, prodded, danced and bounced around on the right side of my belly for almost an hour. Puck and I sat fascinated with Puck’s hands on my belly to tactilely catch the show (inspired by a banana snack). Around May 28th, Dominic decided he couldn’t be out done by his brother, so he also gave us an evening performance and demonstrated his strength and agility (inspired by an oreo shake). He definitely had his mommy exclaiming, “Wow!”

Since those first evenings of intense activity, our boys have continued their acrobatic training – though generally they spread out their exercise routines and stick to daytime practices (so far). They seem to prefer the evenings, but earlier this week, they decided to have a long training session from around 9 AM until the early afternoon. It’s amazing how strong they can be, and sometimes you can see a little bump where they are pushing out on my skin.

I’m doing well. My pulse and blood pressure have been holding steady, my cervix seems to know that it still has several months of work left to go (it’s not trying to start thinning), and according to the Ob/Gyn my weight gain is on target. My belly continues to grow (or perhaps my maternity clothing is mysteriously shrinking?), and I go in for my next gestational diabetes test in about 4 weeks.

It’s been awhile since I’ve written, so here is an update about the ongoing changes in my life and body:

Time: It’s getting more difficult to find time to get everything done. I still seem to need a daily nap, and we seem to have a never-ending series of appointments with ob/gyns, diagnosticians, and perinatologists. Plus, this month we are hunting for our new home, we have an appointment to meet a possible pediatrician for the boys, and I’ll be visiting the dentist (good dental hygiene is even more important during pregnancy!).

The Shark Fin: When my stomach muscles tighten now they form a rather amusing shark fin. Supposedly, it’s fairly common for a pregnant woman’s abdominal muscles to separate, even more so in multiple pregnancies, and this ridge is a sign of that condition. After the boys arrive, I may have to do some special exercises to try and encourage my abdominal muscles to reattach.

Tingly Hands: I am also one of the lucky women who develops carpal tunnel during pregnancy. I first noticed that pregnancy was turning me into a bit of a clutz. I have been much more likely to drop things, and my hands just aren’t as strong as usual. (I often have to call on Puck to open jars for me now.) Then, I started waking up at night (often multiple times) because of the numb, tingly-burning sensation in my hands which was sometimes accompanied by brief but sudden leg cramps which hit shortly after I woke up. Imagine a frustrated pregnant woman great with children waving her hands in the air in the middle of the night and then rubbing them to try to return blood flow with little success.

At first, I thought my hands were just falling asleep because I was sleeping on my side more, but often it was the hand that was free on top that hurt. With a little research, I discovered that pregnancy swelling can cause carpal tunnel symptoms. I’ve started rubbing down my hands and wrists under very warm water right before bed (which feels wonderful), and I’ve changed the positions of my wrists and hands too – making sure not to bend them. This has significantly reduced my night-time numb-hands drama. (There are wrist braces you can also get to hold your wrists in a good position at night.) I occasionally have problems with numb and tingly hands during the day, but that is fairly manageable. Plus, this should start to clear up after delivery.

Swelling: Yep, I’ve started to notice swelling, most visible in my fingers and ankles. It is nothing too dramatic at the moment.

Stretch Marks: Surprisingly, I haven’t started getting stretch marks yet. I’m still expecting them to make a showing before the end of the pregnancy, but I appear to have pretty good genes for stretchy skin (Thanks, Mom!). Considering that I’ve gone from barely showing at 10-12 weeks to looking approximately 8 months pregnant at 22 weeks and gained 30 pounds (I should hit around 50 pounds by the end of the pregnancy), I’m pretty amazed stretch marks aren’t already decorating my belly. Most women’s bellies go through this change over the course of 5-6 months, while mine has morphed to a full moon belly in less than three months.

When Are You Due? Along with my rapidly expanding belly, the number of times I’m asked, “When are you due?” has greatly increased. I take a certain joy in saying, “early September” and watching the surprise on their faces. Then, I explain, “but they’ll probably arrive in late July or early August.” Over the last few weeks, I’ve also noticed an increase in the knowing smiles and nods at my belly as well as the number of people who hold doors open for me and offer to carry my roller bag up stairs.

Foot Rubs – One of the Joys of Pregnancy: Women’s feet take a great deal of abuse during pregnancy. For one, we are making them carry a lot more weight around. Plus, hormones are causing our muscles to loosen which often results in feet expanding and stretching a bit (which is why many women end up needing shoes a size larger during and after pregnancy). So, it is little wonder that even a brief foot rub can be a moment of ecstasy. I’m fortunate to have a husband who will often surprise me with a foot rub – working the pads of my feet, the arches and the heel. The last couple of times we’ve gone to the Ob/Gyn and been waiting for the doctor, he has given my feet a rub down, and I started giggling because someone standing outside the door might think we were engaged in a more risque activity. Foot rubs = moments of bliss.

Belly Rubs: Puck also regularly rubs my belly down with lotion and sometimes gives me and the boys a gentle belly massage. It feels so good it makes me want to purrrrr.

Tears – Not Always a Bad Thing: I have not been immune to the influence of all those hormones in my body. I am much more likely to cry for a whole range of reasons. Stress can definitely start the tears flowing, but more common for me is that I cry because of warm, fuzzy feelings. For example, one of my nieces will be receiving a bone marrow transplant from a 19-year-old fellow. Every time I think of that young man taking the time to be put on the bone marrow transplant list and being willing to go through the process to help another person he will probably never meet, I cry at the generosity of that act. When we discovered we would have to move and so many friends and family offered their help, their love brought tears to my eyes again.

Most recently, we were in our breastfeeding class, and as the presenter discussed the importance and benefits of skin-to-skin contact between both parents and babies (she called it the triad, though in our case it would be a quad), I started to imagine Puck and I with our new little boys on our chests, and yep, there came the tears. The presenter stopped to ask if I was okay, and I had to say, “No, I’m just happy thinking about all of us together.” Everyone in our little class was pretty amused, and they passed a box of tissues down to the happy, pregnant lady.

Overall State of the Mom: It still amazes me to think that I have two little fellas growing inside me. It’s truly a miracle to watch the transformation in my own body as it makes room for them and supplies them with the nutrients they need. I’m thrilled to be heading toward the third trimester, and I’m looking forward to meeting our boys. I also treasure those moments when Puck rests his hands on my belly, and we share the joy of feeling our little ones kick and push.

From the Twin-Daddy:

Today we reach twenty-one weeks and six days.  To anyone who might be expecting a premature child, this is a number that may have some meaning to you.  The earliest human infant ever to survive is Amillia Taylor who was born at 21 weeks, 6 days when her mother went into pre-term labor.  Knowing how early she was, Sonja Taylor lied to her doctors about her gestational age in the hope they would fight on Amillia’s behalf, but the greatest fighter in the story is Amillia herself who was only 10 ounces at birth.  Blessed with rugged skin beyond her natural age the doctors were able to stitch her injuries and she was even strong enough to cry on her own.  Kept in NICU for four months she needed some minor surgery on her eyes, and she survives today without any other serious issues.

Real Men Love Tough Women.

Here is my personal tip of the hat to all the tough fighting girls out there and especially Amillia who will turn five years old this year.

For us, passing this day means that every new sunrise gives our sons a better chance.  We are very much looking forward to June 17 which is our Homefree Day and provides us with a 90% probability of survival.  Even at our final childbirthing class we are the gestationally youngest couple there, and last night everyone there talked about how glad they were to make it past week 28.  In fact, these couples seemed to have transitioned from worrying about making it to the finish line to worrying about what it would mean when they got there.

One of the other fathers there said, “Oh dear, this is actually happening, isn’t it?”

Yes, yes it is.

Babies Countdown – The Double Header

As socially awkward as it is, I have added a new item to the list.  Mary will be going in to get fitted for a nursing bra in mid-July, and my little blog countdown helps us to remember stuff like this.

126 days until September 8

• Today is our next OB-GYN appointment.
• Wednesday, May 12 is our next appointment with the Perinators.
• Thursday, May 20 and the twins become viable as early as 24 weeks.
• Thursday, June 17 is Homefree Day. 90% of twins born at 28 weeks survive and that number only gets better from there on out.
• Sometime in mid-July Mary gets fitted for her nursing bra.
• Thursday, August 12 and we hit our goal of 36 weeks minimum. From here on the twins could come at any time.
• Thursday, September 9 and we hit 40 weeks. This is our due date even if we expect the twins to possibly come sooner.
• 4 Weeks Post Delivery – Look for baby smiles.
• Sometime After the Delivery – 4.5 months of the Twinsanity Interval.