Scare.

This weekend was insane. I'll give the details in a later post but essentially we were jam packed with fun family functions from Friday afternoon straight through Sunday night. Friday morning - while running some errands for the weekend - I threw my back out while carrying Alaina into a store. I know, I know. I'm not supposed to be carrying her around. But she was asleep when we arrived at the party supply store and those balloon bouquets were NOT going to order themselves. Thankfully there were lots of family members around to help with the kids on Friday night and during the day on Saturday.

Saturday night I rested, watching - and critiquing - the Olympic gymnastic trials with my Brian, Paul, Liz and my dad. As I was getting ready for bed, I went to use the bathroom one last time and that's when I noticed the bowl was filled with blood. Not good.

I grabbed Brian and we were off to the hospital, calling the doctor on the way. Immediately they wanted to know if this could possibly be a U.T.I. Um, no way. The listened for and found the heartbeat right away and hooked me up to the monitor to see if I was having any contractions (I was not).

After about an hour (the bleeding had slowed and then stopped by that point) I was seen in triage by a midwife. She determined the bleed was from the previa. Apparently the same lifting and carrying that led to me throwing my back out also was too much for my placenta to handle. She assured me the bleed was not "active" which was good. She then proceeded to freak me out by referring to it as my "first" bleed, which leads me to believe there will be more. I was sent home and told to stay 100% off of my feet the next day which would prove to be impossible with the weekend activities, but I did my best.

I returned to my OB today for my regular 17p injection and a quick follow-up with the 4th and final doctor in the practice. He told me not to have any more days like Saturday - basically to take it more easy. But aside from pelvic rest, I wasn't given any more formal restrictions, which I appreciate. He ordered a follow-up ultrasound for next week to check my placenta again.

So, a little scary but seemingly a good end. If nothing else, a good reminder to us all that this is still a high-risk pregnancy and even though I feel good, I shouldn't make light of it.

19 Week Ultrasound. It's a...

BOY!!

The appointment didn't start off on the right foot. In the waiting room, Alaina started to get annoyed because there was no actual "baby" to be found. Even though she went to ultrasounds when I was pregnant with her brothers AND we had been prepping her all week for what was going to happen at the appointment, she didn't want to look in Mommy's tummy. She wanted to see the baby. The baby GIRL. Oy.

I finally got her calmed down but then she wanted to lay on the table with me while I had the U/S. She was able to do this when I went for the boys but the table this time was not as wide and there was no room. So that upset her.

Then came the big moment - the viewing of the penis. Oh boy. "YOU TOLD ME I WAS COMING TO SEE THE BABY GIRL." Okay, appointment over!

So, besides Alaina's clear disappointment, the rest of the scan showed all positives. The baby is looking good, coming in at the 46th percentile for size. He has a beating four-chamber heart, all of his organs are in place and doing what they're supposed to.

The scan also showed that my cervix looks great! It's about as long as it could be. Alaina went home with Daddy once the scan was over and I went in for my regular check up with another doctor in the practice. He then broke the news to me that while my cervix looks good (yippee!) I have a placenta previa. Ouch. This means my chances of a VBAC went from "excellent" to "we'll see". I had this with Alaina also but it appeared at 9 weeks and disappeared by my 20 week ultrasound. This time I'm 20 weeks and ... there it is. The doctor was not super optimistic but on the bright side, it means I'll get a few bonus ultrasounds to keep checking it. The good news is that it can't/won't get any worse; if there is any change, it can only get better. I'm going to delay, delay, delay on scheduling a C-Section until as late as possible. I read a post on Babycenter of a woman whose previa disappeared in the 34th week! So there's hope 'til the end.

So, an appointment that didn't go the way I hoped but in all reality, I can't complain because I have a perfect, healthy baby in there and that is all I can ask for. We're starting to talk names and we'll see how that goes. All I know is that we are going to be getting a run for our money with 3 boys 15 months apart!

Another Pale Summer

While I was at work this morning, my cell phone started vibrating on my desk. When this happens it is almost always daycare calling telling me that 1) we are out of milk/food/diapers/wipes and need to bring some more. Now. Or 2) someone is really sick and needs go home. Now.

But today it was my new doctor's office calling. I found this strange as I had just been there and I am not scheduled to return until June 6th. When I left they told me everything was fine. I better not have HIV....

When I answer the nurse sounded pleasantly surprised that I have taken her call and she doesn't have to leave a message. She informs me that the doctors have discussed my "case" and with my history of pre-term deliveries, I am now a top priority. I'm not sure why it took almost a week to move up the ladder of importance, but nonetheless, I'm happy for any special attention I may receive.

She proceeds to tell me that the consensus of the group is that I should start receiving weekly injections of 17P (17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate) starting at 16 weeks. Which would be...this week. Apparently this is the new recommended course of action to try and prevent a repeat pre-term delivery.

I agree that sounds good. Anything to keep baby cooking a little longer. But Daddy raises the red flag. Sure, all of our kids have done their fair share of NICU time but at what *real* consequence. What are the risks of this treatment? Are we setting ourselves up for something worse in the long-term.

Huh. Hadn't thought about that.

So, I hop back onto the phone, this time with my dedicated Aetna nurse/case-worker (a nice service for us "high-risk" preggo ladies) and address my concerns. She makes me feel better. Although she does inform me that a down-side for the mother while receiving these injections is a heightened sensitivity to sunlight. So I'll be spending another summer NOT getting a tan. Oh well. I'll share the children's SPF 1,000 sunscreen and use this as an excuse to wear a funky big hat.

She also told me that my coverage affords me an at-home teaching session, where a nurse can come to our house and show my daring husband how to inject me. That way, I don't have to go to the doctor every week for a 30-second injection. That is, until I have to go to the doctor every week for a cervix check. But, at least it will buy a month (or hopefully two) of convenience.

It looks like I'll start my injections on Thursday or Friday of this week. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that they will help me carry this baby longer than any of the others!

9-Month Well (and unwell) Baby Checkup

This morning we took the boys to Dr. P for their 9-month well baby visit. The timing was good as they have both been battling congestion for a few weeks (please, please, please, not another ear infection) and haven't slept well in three nights. Here's the recap:

Growth Checks: They are both still in the 25th percentile for both height and weight (actual age) with Aaron weighing 18 lbs and Brady weighing 17.5. Aaron also checked in at a 1/2 inch taller than Brady.

Motor Skills: Basically the boys are both right on track. Currently Brady is "parachuting" better than Aaron and seems more ready to balance himself (i.e. start walking). But since Brady also expressed interest in crawling WELL in advance of Aaron and Aaron actually crawled first, no one is concerned about Aaron being behind in this area.

Vaccinations: None today. Yippee!

Hearing Test: Skipped due to congestion. We need to come back next month and try again.

Blood Work: They both had their fingers pricked today to do a quick check of iron levels. Apparently both are perfect. Aaron screamed for the prick and Brady didn't even seem to notice it had happened. Both were trying to get their band-aids off when we put them in their car seats. I'm sure they both ate them by the time they got to day care.

Diet: Hallelujah! We were told that they can start having half & half bottles of whole milk and formula next week. Once we've gone through the formula we have on hand, it's on to whole milk full-time. With Alaina we were told not to introduce cow's milk until 12 months. But since I drank milk while I nursed the boys, and they are on a milk-based formula, Dr. P assured us that it is perfectly fine to make the switch now. Awesome! Everyone knows how expensive formula is. And when you're buying for two....Let's just say this is the best (financial) news I've gotten in a while!

Issues: The boys have both been congested for some time now. Runny noses, coughing, etc. Since we are treating said congestion with saline rinses of the nose, we buy saline...all the time. Today we were finally given the (not so) secret formula to making our own saline flush system at home. Appreciated as paying $4 for a bottle of salt water seemed ridiculous. And when we pay that every day, it's sort of insane.

We also addressed the issue of the recent sleepless nights and it was confirmed that we are, in fact, dealing with night terrors. I thought the only way to deal with night terrors was to just let them pass; don't wake the baby and let them work it out on their own. Torture for the parent and also, there is the fear that the second baby will be scared awake from the screaming. But Dr. P told us we could hopefully intervene before it happens. We should wake the boys up (WHAT?!?) in advance of it happening and then when they go back to sleep, they will sleep more peacefully. I don't like the idea of waking them up but I do like the idea of sleeping more peacefully. And when we wake them, we can give their noses one more rinse (did I mention the congestion?) so hopefully they won't wake up gagging from congestion either. I'll let you know how this turns out.

All in all a very happy visit. I can't believe they are 9 months old.

12 Week Appointment

I was back to Dr. M today to discuss my ultrasound findings and the plans for going forward. I have to say, it was essentially a waste of time.

Normally I see him in a satellite office where I am seen quickly, examined thoroughly, and leave feeling like I have been well taken care of. Since the main office for the practice is right down the street from Aaron and Brady's daycare, I made my appointment for that location today. Mistake. It was a ZOO in there. Ladies coming and going, nurses running around....

So, we discussed that since I have not had problems with my cervix in early pregnancy (historically) that I do not need to go back to see him until 16 weeks. However, I do need to take it easy - no extended physical activity. At 16 weeks, he will schedule me for the ultrasound to have my cervix measured; he will refer me to Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM); and I will start being seen every 2 weeks, like last time. That all sounds good. Just one thing.....

I informed him that I will be needing to find another doctor - one who will deliver this child in Massachusetts, not Connecticut. Oh. So, he is getting back to me on a few referrals closer to home. He has two people in mind and wants to discuss the "high risk" factor with them before shipping me off.

Now, if I had this discussion with him in the satellite office, I would have confidence in that conversation and probably would have already received a phone call. But since I was at the main office, I am sure I'll be calling to follow up on this in a week.

Anyway, after all of this he listened for the heartbeat. No easy task this time. It took a WHILE. I would have started to get nervous except that there were placental noises that he assured me were kicks. Finally, we heard the HB and all was well. I was also informed that I have gained no weight and I should "get going on that" - heh!

Back to see either him or my new doctor (TBD) in four weeks.

Stay tuned!

First Ultrasound = 11 weeks and ONE baby

Now that we are "out" with this pregnancy, there are just SO MANY things I want to say about it. But, first things first. Ultrasound pictures!

I was sent for an ultrasound on Monday for two reasons. First and foremost, to check my dates. Since I haven't technically had a period since before I got pregnant with the boys, I couldn't tell Dr. M when I missed one. So, really, we didn't know how far along I was. The other thing we were checking for was number of babies. Although the odds were not really in favor of another set of twins, it was still a concern.

Here's what I saw on Monday:




I also saw and heard the strong heartbeat.

While I was at the surgery center I had my initial blood work done (including my 6th? HIV test in three years...pretty confident in THAT result at this point...) and I am proud to say that I did not faint this time. Always a major accomplishment for me.

So the journey continues....

Irish Triplets

The Internet's ultimate source for all quality information, Wikipedia, states that the term "Irish triplets" refers to three siblings born in two years.

As of this fall, that's what we will have.

Estimated Due Date: Halloween 2008

More information and ultrasound scans coming soon!!

100.9: More than just my favorite radio station

100.9 is the temperature both boys were running when we snapped this photo:

Aaron was down from 102.8 while Brady was on his way up from 99.9. You know they felt crappy because they allowed us to put freezing cold, wet washclothes on their heads.

A trip to Dr. P this morning confirmed: they each have another round of double ear infections. Not to be outdone, Alaina informed the doctor that she was also sick and did her best-ever fake cough for him. She was given a purple lollipop for her efforts.

So this is three double ear infections in 7 months. That can't be good. At least this time they got them simulaneously so we only needed one trip to the pedi. Thank God winter is almost over....

6-Month Check Up

Today the boys returned to Dr. P’s office for their 6-month check-up. At their last check-up, we were told this one would take a bit longer so I took a half-day vacation from work. Apparently on the way to the appointment, hubby was thinking to himself that he could have handled this and I didn’t need to miss work. On the way home from the appointment, he thanked me for going. Turns out, the extra set of hands was greatly appreciated today. So…how did they do? Let’s review:

Growth: As predicted both boys have moved out of the 10th percentile for their actual ages and all the way up to the 25th in both height and weight. This is thrilling! It was especially exciting for Aaron as we had watched him lose so much weight not that long ago. Aaron is weighing in at 15 lbs 10 oz while Brady is just slightly more slim at 15 lbs 4 oz.

Shots: Yes, they got them. A bunch of them. There was screaming. Mommy doesn't want to talk about it so let’s move on.

Development: So far, so good. They seem to be tracking somewhere in-between actual age and adjusted age (about 5 weeks difference) which is good. We were told to really have them practice sitting unassisted. While they both can do it for very brief periods, I wouldn’t say they have got it down by any stretch of the imagination. We were also told to start a fruit or veggie next week (after they calm down from receiving all those vaccinations) so that they have two “meals” per day.

They also had a vision test at this visit which was interesting. Unlike a grown up or older child, there was no reading the letters on the wall (“Line 3, left to right, please”). Since they are babies, their vision is actually tested by monitoring their brain waves. The nurse applies three sensors to the head and places a patch over one eye. To complete the look, the patch even had the international symbol for “Pirate”: a skull and crossbones. The humor here is obviously lost on the infants, but it is nice touch for us easily-amused parents.

Brady went first. Brian held him on his lap in front of a screen. The lights were turned out and a series of short videos popped up onto the screen (complete with distracting music). Each was just a few seconds long and included varying patterns of gray and white with movement. After a minute or two, the patch was switched to the other eye and we watched the screen again.

Unfortunately, Aaron was also watching during Brady's turn. So by the time it was his turn, he was bored with what was on the screen and not paying attention. As a result, it took longer for them to get what they needed with him. A lesson learned for parents of multiples whose children may be getting such a test: don’t let the second watch while the first is being tested.

Bottom line is that they can both see just fine. Phew.

Random notes: I had been worried lately about Brady’s breathing in the middle of the night. Sometimes he sounds like he’s laughing, but mostly he sounds like he’s gasping (short, rapid, intakes of air). I have never heard Aaron (or Alaina do this). And since he had a few apnea episodes in the NICU, I was scared. Turns out, he just has a very pronounced “startle” reflex; nothing to be concerned with.

The whole time we were there, the nurse and Doctor kept saying “Can you believe it’s been six months already?” No. We cannot. The first few weeks seemed never-ending. Then in (literally) the blink of an eye, we’re talking about sitting, crawling, talking, eating fruits and veggies. Where has the time gone? Maybe it’s time to start thinking about another…. Just kidding.

Sort of.

Happy Four Months!

Aaron and Brady turned 4-months old this week!

It is amazing how much happens between three months and four months. The newborn stage is officially out the door. Gone are the days the of sleep, eat, sleep, eat rotation. Now, the days also include talking, playing, laughing, etc. Personalities are developing and every day is a learning experience. While I am sad that we have left the newborn "cuddle all the time" stage (mostly because I don't think I'll be going through it again) I am excited to enter this new phase. Let's face it, it's just so much FUN!

So, the downside of turning 4-months is going in for another round of vaccinations. The boys are clueless about this but I, The Mommy, hate these appointments. Thankfully Alaina was there for some comic relief and Brian, again, was the one who stayed in the room as each boy took their turn with Nurse Lori and the needles. I kept the second boy and Alaina in the waiting room so they (and I) wouldn't be traumatized by the screams of the child receiving his shots.

The boys did well. Aaron is weighing in at 12 lbs 15 oz and Brady is 12 lbs 12 oz. They are both currently in the 10th percentile for their ages (actual, not adjusted). We were finally given a prescription for Aaron's still unresolved blocked tear duct. If it doesn't clear up by the 9-month check up then he will be sent to a pediatric eye doctor. I have an intense fear of the eye doctor so let's hope this thing works itself out and I don't have to take my infant to see one.

Their development is right on track for their ages and they do not seem to be experiencing any delays due to prematurity. This is, obviously, a huge relief but not too much of a surprise. I think I have said before that they seem to be tracking the same as Alaina (week for week) and she has never shown any signs of delay.

We were told today that we could start them on solid foods if we felt they were ready. The P.A. said it "may help them to sleep through the night". Well, they have been sleeping through the night just fine for a few weeks now. And they never drink more than 6 oz at a time (from the bottle, I obviously don't know what they are taking when they are nursing) so I don't think they are hungry for more at this point. When I think of the chaos that feeding two babies solid foods must entail, I think we'll wait it out a little longer. Alaina didn't start solids until 6 months so, unless the boys start demanding more food, I think I'll try and hold off until that point for them as well. Although, I'm sure Kayla is looking forward to having two more children start eating (and dropping food on the floor).

An unpleasant first

In the lives of children there are many, many celebrated "Firsts". Then, there are those we would prefer not to acknowledge. Like their first illness....

It started about 4:15 Friday morning with coughs and stuffy noses. Both boys felt a little warm so, as Alaina had been coughing for a week already, I decided it best to take them all to Dr. P to get checked out. As usual, the boys enjoyed their time at the doctor although Alaina was a little more unsure. She wailed as the nurse tried to take her temperature and then again when it came time to step on the scale. Although, she was fine when it came time for her ears to be checked and she was very adamant that the doctor check everyone's eyes with the light (not sure why, but it was important to her)

We did manage to get all of the weights updated and it seems Aaron and Brady have finally evened out, both weighing about 11 lbs 3 oz. Alaina has crept up to 29 pounds (in case anyone was keeping track of HER weight).

The end result was that Aaron had an ear infection and the other two just had bad colds. Aaron was given the miracle that is Amoxycilin and we were told to just keep Brady upright when possible and watch him carefully. Alaina was instructed to take an over-the-counter medication, however, when I went to purchase it, I found had been pulled off the shelves. She did not like the alternative that I bought which made for a weekend of pleading and bribing to get her to open up and swallow!

Anyone who has had one sick infant knows how frustrating it can be to soothe them. Try it with two. And only one was getting anything to ease his illness. Then add in a third sick child who only wants to touch and "help" the other two and you have a great circle of germs. Friday night was sleepless. Saturday was exhausting. But over the course of the day on Sunday, they all seemed to be headed back on the right track.

Today I am back to work and the boys are back to day care. I can't say I'm sad about that. The break is nice.

2-Month Checkup

The boys reported to Dr. P for their two month check up today. The great news is that they exceeded his expectations for growth. Aaron weighed in at 9 lbs 10 oz and Brady has closed the gap weighing in at 9 lbs 8 oz! They are both in the 10th percentile for their age (actual, not gestational).

The bad news is that they had to get vaccinations at this visit. They were nice and did one twin at a time, so the other did not have to be witness to his brother's trauma. As I do not hold up well in such situations, Brian volunteered to stay in the room with the boy receiving the shot, while I removed the other - and Alaina - to the waiting room to hang out. The arrangement worked well for me as I was not associated with any bad experience AND I got to be the hero upon returning home when I was able to nurse them back into a comfortable state of being. Thanks, Brian!!

In other news, Aaron has a blocked tear-duct that they will keep an eye on for the next few months, in which time it should resolve itself. And the P.A. heard a little something "suspicious" on both boys when checking their heartbeats. The doctor said is was normal but again, they'll keep on eye on them over their next few exams.

Alaina received a lollipop for her good behavior while the boys were being examine so, all in all, a good visit!

Here we Grow!

The boys went back to Dr. P for another growth check today. Aaron has put on a whopping 3/4 of a pound since last week, bringing him up to 6 lbs 14 oz. Not to be left behind, Brady packed on a 1/2 pound and weighs in at 6 lbs 7 oz. I guess I can stop worrying that I am starving them! We do not have to go back for anymore newborn growth checks. The visiting nurse will have her final visit tomorrow and then then Dr P doesn't need to see them back again until their 2-month check-up. Yippee!

Growth Checks

We have had two appointments with our pediatrician (Dr. P) so far. The first was 8 am on Saturday morning. At that visit we were told that Aaron had gained 4 oz since being discharged from the NICU and Brady had gained 3. I was happy but tried not to get too excited since they were obviously weighed on a different scale at the doctor's office than they were in the hospital.

But we went back today for a second growth check at Dr. P's and they have both gained 4.5 oz since their visit on Saturday!! Everyone is thrilled with their progress - especially me as it makes all the work of nursing worth it! :-)

OB Appt - July 13 and ... The Birth!

I had my regularly scheduled appointment with Dr. M scheduled for 2:15 on Friday the 13th. Earlier in the week I had said the boys would be born on this lucky day but as the time for the appointment approached - and I still felt fine - I gave up on that theory.

We were seen my Dr. M a little late, more like 2:45. He started to tell us a story about a woman he had as a patient a long time ago and was very into the story as he did my internal exam. The fact that he lost his train of thought and stopped the story for about 30 seconds was a signal that something was probably different that day. After he finished up his story, he said that I was now slightly further along than I was the previous visit. Meaning, I had gone from about 1 cm to 1.5 (or so) cm and was now almost 90% effaced. What followed was what turned out to be a very fateful exchange:
Dr M: You have two choices - go home and wait it out or go down to Hartford Hospital and have them monitor you for a little while. They'll probably send you home tomorrow morning. It's not like you're having contractions right now, right?
Me: No, definitely no contractions.
Dr M: That's a good thing.
Me: But, I may as well just go get checked out. I'm getting a little paranoid at this point.
Brian: Yes, let's go. Now.
Dr M: Ok, I'll make the call. See you next week.

If I had decided to go home, how differently this day may have turned out. But, back to the story....

Brian and I leave the office and take about 35-40 minutes to get to Hartford Hospital. I am checked in without any delay and immediately examined. The resident's face shows a little surprise and she says "You're 2-3 cm. Welcome to Hotel Hartford Hospital."

At this point I'm due for my Terb pill and I am (naively) thinking that if I take that, everything will slow back down. I am told to hold off until the attending physician checks me out. She asks if I'm thinking C-Section or Vaginal delivery. I say I'm not sure. I haven't decided. She gives me a serious look and says that now would be the time to make that decision.

Another physician arrives not 10 minutes later (still not feeling any contractions, although the monitors say differently) and proceeds to do an ultrasound to check the babies positions. Baby A is still head down but Baby B has changed to transverse. No one says I MUST have a C-section but I am convinced that the transverse position is a sign and I agree to an elective C-Section to avoid the risk of an emergency procedure halfway through. Another fateful decision!

The attending arrives and examines me. His announcement "we're having babies tonight!" I am now more like 5 cm dilated. Brian and I start thinking, Wow, some time tonight we're going to have the babies. But we are immediately corrected. We will be in the OR within the hour. Someone else is finishing up and as soon as the room is free, we're in. WOW. 15 minutes later and the attending is starting to panic "free the room now before her water breaks". Have a mentioned I still don't feel any contractions? Good thing I didn't go home to wait it out, I'd still be waiting for a signal to make me call the doctor....

Into the room we go. The spinal is put in with relative ease. Turns out my spine curves slightly to the right (who knew). Soon my legs feel like lead and I am laying down flat. Brian comes in and we get started. I haven't even had time to think or process this yet and I hear a cry. WHAT? ALREADY? 6:32 and Aaron Denis emerges screaming his lungs out. Brian is told to "sit back down" and they get to work looking for the next baby.

6:36 and out comes Brady Roy. No cries this time and I panic. Brian says he's fine but he says it in "that" voice. Sure enough after an eternity (or 30 seconds) I hear a little cry. Whew. Turns out, his cord was wrapped not once but twice around his little neck. Good thing I didn't go for that vaginal.

I can't believe that's it. Not even 4 hours since I walked into Dr. M's office!

Again Brian is told to sit down and they remove my placenta. This sets the OR buzzing. Apparently the cords and the placenta are "amazing" and "awesome". They talk about it all the way through recovery. They demand to know what I've been feeding these kids. I give all the credit to my Boost shakes. When they announce the birth weights the whole room is impressed and I breathe a sigh of relief.

Into recovery and shock sets in. Brian leaves forEVER to make phone calls. I make a total of two calls and then sit in a sort of after-glow. How did I just go from sitting at home watching reruns of Gilmore Girls to having two babies in a span of 5 hours?

Brian accompanies the babies to the NICU and I set about getting settled in my new room. He comes back to report that Aaron is getting some assistance breathing and Brady is doing great. What a relief!

Fortunately this combination of shock, delirium and good drugs gets me through the night pain-free. I slept for approximately 7 consecutive minutes (with Brian snoring in the bed next to me for more like 7 consecutive hours). I spent the night anxiously awaiting the first meeting with the boys which would take place the next day and thanking God for this amazing miracle! And I am thankful I didn't go home after my appointment because I maybe would have had the babies on my living room floor....





Aaron Denis

Brady Roy

OB Appointment and NST - July 6

So today was filled with appointments. We started with the NST in Hartford at 2 pm. It was fairly uneventful with both boys being good and staying on the monitors the whole time. We got a very quick (and unclear) view of the boys while the technician was checking fluid and we were able to see that Baby A has a decent amount of scruffy hair on his head! I was sad for this appointment to end as I had a nice comfy bed in a quiet and very cool room. Oh well, back home to the warmth and noise.

After being home for about 45 minutes (enough time for an ice cream snack) we headed back out, this time to see Dr M. The scale was nicer to me this time saying I gained a more realistic 1.5 pounds since the last visit. I am still holding strong at 1 cm. Only 2 weeks left to go until I can deliver at Johnson and only 4 more weeks until they induce me. I can't believe how fast this last part is going by!!

OB Appointment - June 29

So, this appointment didn't start off well. When we arrived at 2 pm, there were no other cars in the parking lot. Hmmm. I know I get days of the week confused these days, but since doctor's appointments are my only contact with the outside world, I'm usually pretty confindent that I have the right time/date for them. I called the main office in Enfield and was told that his appointments would be starting at 3 pm this afternoon. Someone had tried to call me during the week, was my phone turned off? Ooops. Yes, we did change our home phone number and forget to contact that office. They told me to come back any time after 3 pm and they'll squeeze me in. This is fine except that car rides are like torture at this point and I'm not up for two in one day. My mom is driving, though, and she treats our driveway a little more gently than Brian so it wasn't so bad.

When we arrived back at 3:30 pm, the waiting room was PACKED. And it was packed with very pregnant women. So I knew that I wasn't going to get any special treatment. Fortunately, I was in and out within 45 minutes. I really like Vicki the nurse.

So, the recap: I stepped on the scale and was floored. Dr M then looked at my chart and told me that unless you are purposely packing on pounds for a Hollywood movie role, it is physically impossible for someone to put on 7 lbs of fat in one week. He is attributed at least half of that gain to water weight from the heat wave we've just had. He then proceeded to check my feet and ankles for swelling and came to the conclusion of "not bad". The heartbeats were quickly found and sounded good and I am still holding strong at 1 cm dilated, despite all the recent contractions. He said he thinks I am still fine to be HOME on bedrest and not in the hospital. I have mixed feelings about that at this point but so far he has been right, so I didn't argue. That may change next week though!

Still hanging in there and still cooking these kids. Back again in one week!

Perinatologist Appt - June 28

Yesterday's peri appointment was an adventure as we decided to be brave and take Alaina. Surprisingly enough, she was actually interested for about 10 minutes! The technician was very impressed. She was distracted when we heard a helicopter approaching for a landing on the roof of the building next door and once she saw that, she was done with Mommy and the babies.

We did have to stop briefly when my blood pressure dropped and I had to roll to my side. A side effect of being this big and laying flat on your back for too long. Once rolled over, I was fine. I'm just glad I didn't faint in front of my child!

So, onto the good stuff:

Due to the size and very close proximity of the babies, it was hard for the technician to keep them straight. But she did and we got some good info. Both babies are now head down. And their heads are both VERY low down which explains the massive amount of pressure I've been feeling lately. Baby A is weighing 4 lbs 9 oz and Baby B is 4 lbs 5 oz. The Peri was pleased with this. Their fluid levels are still looking nice and even so TTTS isn't a concern even with the slight difference in weight.

While I was there, they decided to have me start the NSTs. This meant 20 minutes hooked up to the fetal monitors. Needless to say Alaina couldn't handle that kind of sitting still so Brian took her on a tour of the hospital: riding elevators, buying stickers at the gift shop and walking the airwalk to the parking lot. Meanwhile I sat and stared at the wall for 20 minutes. The whole time I was contracting but since I was due for a Terbutaline pill at that time, the technician wasn't too concerned. Especially since I barely felt anything. In fact, if she hadn't told me contractions were showing up, I would have just thought it was baby movement.

I will now go back in 3 weeks for another growth check and will be back weekly for the NSTs. I am hoping I can arrange to have the NSTs done at Johnson instead of traveling to Hartford every week. The car ride is killing me and Brian's patience with me as a passenger is wearing thin!

I see Dr. M today so more info later....

OB Appointment - June 21

Back to Dr M for the weekly check-up. This time everything was just a little more of a challenge. To start with, catching urine in a tiny cup when your stomach is this big and your balance is totally off is almost impossible. I got lucky though and got just enough to be usable.

Next up, the scale. This time I gained 4 pounds so that was good. I guess that it helps that Brian know adds a scoop of fudge swirl ice cream to my daily Boosts and makes it into a milkshake!

After much effort, I finally heaved myself up onto the exam table and heard the heartbeats which are still great. My blood pressure was very, very low this time but he wasn't too concerned because it rose again once I sat up. I am still holding steady at 1 cm dilation, although Baby A's head was felt and he is definitely putting pressure on my cervix.

I was told to "drink more, do less" which is not a problem. The only thing I am currently doing is getting up to use the bathroom and even that is painful now with the constant joint pain I am experiencing. So, a positive visit overall. Next week I will go back AND I will go back to Hartford for the Perinatologist.

To end the day yesterday, Brian looked at my stomach before bed and said "Dear Lord you're huge. How can you possibly get any bigger??" Ah, love.... :-)

OB Appointment - June 14

Back to Dr M today. He was thrilled that I made it through another week. He was so excited, in fact, I thought he may give me a high-five when he entered the exam room. Thankfully, he did not.

I was very nervous for today's appointment because I had a horrible 24 hours beforehand. I had contractions and nausea and all the things I was sure were going to send me to the hospital. But, upon exam, we discovered that I am still holding steady at 1 cm dilation and, even better, the babies were both "high" today (e.g. he didn't feel any heads this time). I did not gain any weight in the last week but my belly is still measuring at 5 weeks ahead of schedule so nothing to be concerned about.

Back again next week!