31 WEEKS - Groundhog Day

Another week has been marked off of our calendar. Today we are 31 weeks! Chad has been marking through each day on his calendar. I was keeping up with all our appointments, but lately my planner has stayed in my hospital bag so I can keep track of the boys’ progress as soon as they get here. 

We had an exciting week 30. Mom brought up a gift from Mrs. Kervin in Troy. I opened it and realized she crocheted the boys each their own blanket. She also enclosed a note letting us know she prayed over the blankets for the boys while she was making them. What special and beautiful gifts!!

Mom and I loved our massages from Chad. We went to the spa a little early and relaxed before our massages started. I was wondering how a prenatal massage would work. You actually lay on your back (propped up of course). My neck and shoulders were very tight from all the stress and really needed the massage.  I’d highly recommend a prenatal massage to anyone in the 3^rd trimester of their pregnancy and it’s a great gift to receive from your husband. 

After our massages, we came home and mom cooked chicken pot pie without the vegetables (my favorite food). We stayed up late and watched a movie. Sunday, Mrs. Lisa cooked for us at lunch and mom got to see her new house. 

Monday was another day at the high risk doctor. Doctor appointment days are starting to feel like Groundhog Day for Bill Murray. I’m fine living the same day over and over again as long as it ends with good results! We happily unpack the car after every appointment.

 Mom left after the doctor's appointment and lunch (Mexican, of course) and I definitely teared up a little when she left. 

 

Wednesday we went back to see Doctor Adcock (who will deliver the boys). We haven’t seen him since the end of Week 25 when we were expecting to deliver the following week. He was shocked to see we have made it this far. One of my favorite things about his group of doctors is they are very religious. The nurses and doctors in his group have prayer time on Monday mornings and they have been praying for our boys for weeks now. All of my bloodwork looked great and my blood pressure has started to rise but is still at a healthy range around 120/80. Doctor Adcock did mention that he thought he would take the boys between 32 and 34 weeks since Baby B is so small. He believes at that point, Baby B will be safer on the outside so he can grow more and not fight so hard. We go back to Doctor Adcock on Wednesday, September 2^nd. If we have not already delivered due to blood flow, we will set a date then. Yesterday was back to our high risk doctor. He recommends taking the boys at 36 weeks as long as the boys are still holding on and my body is still hanging in there. We will let the doctors decide but if we make it through our next three doctor’s appointment then it looks like we will definitely have September babies!! My mom’s birthday is September 20^th and my brother’s birthday was September 23^rd so I hope we can make it that far! 

 

 This week we continue to pray for our boys and we also add prayers for the doctors to make the best decision possible on when to take the boys.

30 WEEKS!!!!!!

 I am officially 30 WEEKS PREGNANT!!! After our 25 ½ week appointment we never dreamed we would be here. That was the appointment where the doctor told us the reason Baby B wasn’t growing on schedule was because of his placenta. We realized he also had little blood flow and we would have to deliver as soon as his blood flow dropped any lower. My first question was, “Do you think we could make it to 30 weeks?” The doctor looked down and shook his head no.  Well here we are at 30 weeks and the doctor is just as shocked as we are!! 

On Thursday, the Accounting Department at work surprised me and we celebrated 30 Weeks (2 days early). They decorated my cube and cooked so much food. They also gave us cash to use in the hospital and for all the parking fees. I’m blessed to work with such caring people. 

 

Mom came up yesterday to go with us to the appointment and she will stay until Monday so she can go back with us to the doctor. She is also cooking for us this weekend and I am being so lazy. It’s great to have my mom here!! 

 

When we left the doctor yesterday Chad gave me an envelope to celebrate making it to 30 Weeks. 

When I opened the envelope I realized, I’m getting a prenatal massage today from a resort near us. He even got a massage for mom so she gets to come too! I can’t wait. I love my growing baby bump but it is starting to take a toll on my body and this massage is going to feel amazing.

 

 30 WEEK UPDATE 

How far along? 30 Weeks - HUGE MILESTONE!

Total weight gain: 26 pounds (3-4 of these were in the last week so now is time to really grow)!

Maternity clothes? My maternity clothes are definitely getting tighter! I'm so thankful a neighbor gave me a huge bag of clothes to get my collection started. The dresses that used to be way too long have definitely gotten shorter.

Stretch marks? None yet but my belly button is now an outie.

Sleep: I love afternoon naps. I go to bed early but I tend to wake up for an hour around 2 or 3 in the morning to two kicking babies. I use this time to eat an extra snack. 

The usual: We are still seeing our high risk doctor every Monday and Friday. I am working until 4, coming home for a short nap, and watching Downton Abbey on Amazon Prime until Chad gets home.

Best moment this week:  Seeing the boys both doing breathing exercises on the ultrasound on Monday. The nurse said this is a great sign because it means their little lungs are developing. 

Miss Anything?  DIET DR. PEPPER - I told Chad after I deliver the boys that I want a 2 Liter Diet Dr. Pepper with a straw in it. That was definitely a bit of an exaggeration, but I would love a 20 ounce one.                  

Movement:  Both boys are breech with their heads side by side. Baby A's kicks are a lot stronger but B Man loves to stick his head out right beside my right rib. Usually he sticks his head out right after I start eating. On Monday's ultrasound Baby A had his leg above his head. On Friday's ultrasound B Man was sucking on his knee. Wow babies are flexible!   

Food cravings:  Blueberry donut holes        

Symptoms:  I have a very ugly vein behind my knee.  

Anything making you queasy or sick:  No

Labor Signs:  Not yet

Wedding rings on or off? On but they have definitely started getting tighter this last week.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy until the morning of a doctor's appointment and then incredibly nervous.      

Looking forward to:  Keeping these boys cooking!! Our next goal is to make it to September! We have 17 days to go. 

How can you help us? Please pray that Baby B's blood flow stays where it is and that he puts on some weight!!!

29 WEEKS TOMORROW!

I used to wonder, how could anyone get postpartum depression? Surely everyone is excited once they are able to actually hold their babies and no longer carrying all the extra weight. Now that I am pregnant, I have a completely different outlook. I am going to miss these little kicks and hiccups. I also feel like the twins are safe inside. For now, they get to stay inside a little bit longer. We made it through another doctor’s appointment today. The doctor asked if I had some kind of magic potion because Baby B has been able to maintain his blood flow for way longer than anyone expected. Prayers have been our potion! 

We have known Baby B was tiny but it’s always hard on measurement day. I want to hear both the boys have grown more than anyone thought they would. We did not hear that today. On a positive note, the boys are both growing. Baby B is now at 1 pound 7 ounces and Baby A is 2 pounds 7 ounces. My weight has really started increasing the past 2 weeks. The left side of the picture is me today at 28 weeks and 6 days. The right side of the picture is from exactly two weeks ago. 

 

On days when we go to the doctor, we eat Mexican to celebrate. It looks like we will have Mexican again tonight and return to the doctor on Monday. People have still continued to amaze me with their kindness. The top picture on the post was sent to me from a premie mom and when I got to work on Tuesday I had this devotional on my desk. 

 

God is GREAT! 

Tomorrow = 29 WEEKS!