Category: Uncategorized

I’m done growing babies.

So, I'm 36 1/2 weeks now, nearly full term for twins and I am DONE growing these babies.  I've been gaining the optimum 2 lbs a week for ages now, my belly measurement is 45 1/2 cm, seven cm more than the average singleton preggo belly at full term, the last ultrasound had each baby at or around six pounds… they are fine.  I'm all done with the ice cream spiked protein shakes and general protein loading I've been focusing on, done with the calorie feasting and water logging…  They are in great shape and I honestly do not want them to get any bigger.  I'm huge!  What's weird is that I'm actually getting more comfortable lately and less achy.  I'm feeling more mobile and less contractions during the day.  I wonder if they are just settling in for the long run.  They can't stay in there forever!  I'll have to waddle my way around a lake or something soon.  But then I'm also pretty nervous about labor and even more anxious about those first few months of transition from two to four at home.  It's going going to be hard on all of us.  Wish us luck!

Frozen brunch, huge massive jumping thing.

On Sunday we had a gathering of friends and family over for brunch. To see folks, but also to stock up on a plethora of tasty frozen food dishes. Thanks to everyone who showed up (I didn’t take a single photo which was dumb), and a big thanks to those who had time to cook us up a dish. It’s just invaluable and really appreciated!

There were going to be a number of kids coming so I decided to rent one of those big jumping blow up things. I immediately regretted it and felt a little embarrassed when I realized how MASSIVE it was. But I settled myself with the thing and it actually ended up being alot of fun for all the kids and a great way to keep them occupied while parents chatted.

Enjoying our precious time.

Perhaps it's because our days as a threesome are numbered or maybe it's just because we're all in great moods, but Art, Lewis and I have been thoroughly enjoying our evenings together lately.  I hobble around while they play with trains, watch a show or otherwise occupy themselves.  They accept my limited mobility and energy level and I just do the best I can.  We eat dinner together and talk about the food and make little jokes or just say the same silly thing over and over and over (tonight's was "My feet stick out of bed all night!").  Bedtimes have been mostly easy going and joke filled as well.  Oh!  I'm not saying there aren't moments when I lose my cool!  Tonight Art decided that he "hated" the book we were reading and protested by hopping up and down in bed and yelling, "No, no no no!" until I lost it and pushed his hopping body down, a move that Ben does all the time in silly wrestling, but Art knew it was not silly and I knew it was a hostile move on my part.  He got upset, I held him, he listened to the book and started noticing things and being regular Art. 

Then a baby started moving in my belly.  
Art and Lewis put their tiny hands on my giant belly and waited to feel something.  Art thought maybe the baby moved because I had just moved, so I moved around again and got some action.  Lewis was excited!  Then there was a really big, visible squirm.  Art was thrilled!  "That was a really big head!"  He wondered what the baby was doing or if the two babies ever play together in there.  I told him that he could talk to them and both Art and Lewis started saying hello.  Lewis said, "Hello in dere!" and Art commented that the babies can not understand what we are saying and that we can't understand what they are saying.  This is all part of his theory, which I think is brilliant, that the babies will be able to understand each other because they are both babies but we won't be able to understand them until they can use our words.  Then Lewis said, "I have a baby movin' in mine belly!"  I put my hand on his little toddler belly and pretended I felt something.  Laughing all around.  Art played along, too and felt Lewis' baby.  Then Lewis put his hand under his shirt and said, "A baby movin!" Then two hands in there so there were two babies moving.  Art did it, too.  It was really funny.
So precious that we can share this special time together.  Both Lewis and Art seperately wondered if the babies were trying to get out.  Hey, I wouldn't put it past the boys to predict – without being told Art said, "Baby coming out!" when I was in early labor with Lewis, and I thought I was playing things really cool.  So let's see if I am still pregnant this time tomorrow, everyone!  The fortune tellers are reading the cards…

So here it really is. How I’m doing:

Ben says he gets asked all the time how I am doing – how am I feeling, how am I managing, etc.  So here it is, if there really is a need-to-know public out there.

I'm achy.  I ache a lot when I get up from any sitting or laying down longer than a few minutes.  Heavy babies settle into crevices of my body and swollen joints freeze up and squeak their way free as I rise.  Not fun.  And I'm short of breath most of the time, even just sitting down, because my lungs are squished.  I love not taking my iron supplements because my system flows more freely, if you know what I mean, but the trade off is really bad restless legs at night so I only take a few days off at a time.  It seems like I'm always getting ready for a nap.  I really have been taking two naps a day most of the last week or more.  My back hurts by the end of the day, my belly hurts from being so heavy and my hands hurt a lot when I wake up in the morning.  It's from the swelling.  I can barely open a jar when I first get up, they're so stiff and sore.  
But my spirits are mostly really good.  The house has never looked better, we've never been more organized about our laundry or where we put our files or lots of things.  Our bedroom is beautiful and so grown-up and lovely.  The kids have been getting along real well most of the time…  I'm pretty terrified about dealing with labor and I'm trying to brace myself for the sleepless chaos that will come once the babies are born but I'm so looking forward to meeting them, holding them and NOT being pregnant anymore.  
That is the update in a nutshell.  Hope to see some of you friends at Frozen Brunch this Sunday!  As long as I'm not birthing I plan to be sitting on the couch accepting admirers…