Friday, October 23, 2009

It's been awhile


Well gee, I think I have a bunch to catch up on. Last report was about the visitation. We ended up having a bday party for Bear outside on Sunday instead. Not everyone could attend though because of the short notice of the change and also the swine flu. Ashby, our niece, came down with the swine flu earlier in the week. Because of that Nicole and Sophie needed to stay away because we didn't want Bear or me to get sick. So it was a small party, but he had a good time. I think we've just decided that when I get home we will have one big celebration for our anniversary, Bear's bday, my bday and the girls' bday...it will be fun :). Louis and Bear did come in after the party and stayed for a few more hours so it was a nice day. I didn't get to see my little man on his actual birthday....but Louis put me on speakerphone so we could sing to him together. He's gotten so good at talking on the phone, so that helps too!
I had been contracting when I was monitoring right before Bear's party but they weren't about to tell me I couldn't go outside, that was the nurses words exactly :). So after his party I was still feeling them and got back on the monitor. I had to get a shot of terbutaline which stops contractions. It's not a fun med because it can make your heart rate increase, make you shake and anxious. I got the shakiness but that's about it. It lasted for about an hour and then I felt normal. Babies have been looking great though!
I had another growth ultrasound this Thursday. Baby A weighs 4lbs 7ozs and is 9 days ahead and Baby B weighs 4lbs 6ozs and is 5 days ahead....so big girls! I have been talking a lot with the staff about when the right time to deliver them is....and have been having a lot of axiety over the decision. I will be getting a booster shot of steroids on Monday to help with lung development. It takes 48 hours to have any effect and lasts for 3 weeks. Every doc seems to have a different opinion. Some say we should just schedule a c-section at 34 weeks and some say we should do an amniocentisis at 34 to determine if the lungs are mature. If they are we take them out, if not we wait another week. I also talked to a NICU doc to get their perspective and as I assumed he said the longer the babies are in the better. But he did say that at 34 weeks + babies do extremely well and we may be looking at a week to 2 weeks in the NICU. The things at this gestation that are the issue is breathing on their own, feeding on their own and maintaining their temperature......so all of the scary stuff like brain bleeds, etc we have passed. The concern with waiting another week is that they are getting bigger and running out of room which means the cords could get compressed a lot easier. I could monitor more during that week, like throughout the night, but I have my fears that the nurses aren't paying attention as they should be so is it worth the risk. I have not been sleeping well lately because I am afraid that something is going to happen while I sleep, and my mind can't shut off about what's right and what's wrong. So I talked to the doc yesterday and voiced all of my concerns about the nurses not paying attention and how i don't know what's right or wrong. She prescribed me an anti-anxiety med to help me sleep which I took for the first time last night and slept like a rock...so that was great! And I think the conclusion we came up with for now is we will schedule an amnio but from now until then just see how the babies look. She said that the NICU perspective is from a live baby stand point and that the perinatologists (my docs) perspective is from delivering 2 live babies as opposed to 2 still born. Louis and I have discussed going to 34.5 weeks and doing a csection on 11/11 :).....as long as the monitoring is continuing to go well. What a fun birth date for identical twins.
Today is my birthday. My mom brought Barrett down yesterday and I met them outside so we could play for a bit, so I didn't get to see him today....but I was woken up with a phone call of him saying "Happy Bir-day Mommy!" He's so precious! Anyhow, my favorite NP bought me a muffin from the coffee shop and brought it to me this morning singing Happy Birthday. Then at lunch all the nurses came in with a cake singing Happy Birthday. Louis came down after he got done with work and had picked up a cake that our friend Christina made me and he sang Happy Birthday....so lots of love and cakes today :). Not the best birthday I could have...but my belated presents Charli and Lili will be right up there with my other favorite early birthday present Barrett.....man, we all need to do something really special for daddy's bday in July since he is all alone out there :).

So all in all, the last week and a half since I have really posted much of anything not too much has changed with the girls status. It's all still just a wait and see game and praying that each monitoring session goes well. Also praying that the girls continue to grow, but to not move too much so they don't compress each other's cords. it's still a scary road and one that is wearing on me thin. I have done my best to maintain a positive attitude throughout this entire pregnancy and most these last 8 weeks....but it's getting tough when things like seeing my son every day and seeing my husband are now limited. But on the up side, I am 32 weeks tomorrow which is HUGE!!!!! WOO HOO!!!! And that means I am only looking at 2-3 more weeks...probably closer to 2. As we approach 34 weeks I will be sure to keep you posted on what we decide to do. I'm sorry I haven't been posting more as it is....Louis has had the computer. Thanks as always for your love and support.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Damn Swine Flu

So just went I think I am on the down hill slope and it's going to get easier, it gets harder. Due to the swine flu, they have changed visitation at all the hospitals. Originally all children under 18 were not even allowed in the hospital, and I am only allowed 4 visitors, plus Louis, on a list that are allowed to come visit me. The visitors rule has not changed, but the manager of Labor and Delivery fought to get the moms who have been here long term and are going to be here for longer than a few days, visitation from their children once a week for 2 hours. I am very upset by all of this. I know seeing him 1 day a week is better than not seeing him at all.....but his little world has already been turned upside down and now he only gets to see me 2 hours a week. It just sucks! I know in the end this will all be worth it....but man has this been tough. We obviously had to cancel his birthday party too. I know he won't know any different...but I do. We will have to have a late birthday party for him when I get home. It's a good thing we have all of our family here or i just don't know what we would do. It's going to be tough for me to get to see Louis through the next few weeks too because of this. When I think of there being 3-4 more weeks until I meet my little angels I think "Holy crap it's going to fly!" But when I think about seeing Barrett only once a week and Louis only a couple of times a week probably I think "Oh my God this is going to take forever." So......I am trying to stay as positive as possible, but some times it's just tough and I have a crappy day.....today is one of those days.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Out of the 20's

I am 30 weeks and 2 days today, 6 weeks inpatient, and finally out of the 20's :). I can't believe 6 weeks have come and gone and there are only 4 more to go. I am SO excited to meet them! They are doing great. I had my ultrasound on Thursday. Baby A is 3 lbs 6 ozs and 8 days ahead and Baby B is 3 lbs 3 ozs and 4 days ahead. We got to see them in 4D. They weren't in positions to get very good pictures of their faces though....maybe next time. The monitoring is going well too. So they just need to continue cooking in there and I will be happy :).
Yesterday was mine and Louis' 1 year wedding anniversary. What a year it has been....not a normal 1st year of marriage I would say. Between having an ectopic pregnancy at the beginning of our marriage to getting pregnant with one of the most high risk twin pregnancies possible, it has been stressful...but I wouldn't want to go through any of this with anyone else. We have our moments, but he is the best thing that ever happened to me and I love him more than words. He made me a home cooked meal and brought it in last night. Barrett went and stayed with grandparents and Louis and I had a "romantic" evening here at the hospital. We watched a movie and he spent the night. We'll make up for it when I get home and go out for a true romantic evening. I was just glad to have the time with him.
Other than that, I just keep plugging along. I think I am giving up on my knitting project and passing it off to my mom. I was a little ambitious I think in the blanket that I was planning on knitting when I have never knitted anything in my life. I have the hang of the general idea, but keep screwing up somehow when I go to add a new color block. I knew I needed to start with "Knitting for Beginners" or something along those lines...but the knitting store we went to didn't have a book like that. Oh well....maybe some other life time :). I need to pick up a book and start reading again. I read the 2 and half books in my first 2 weeks and haven't read since.....maybe I will do that today.
So that's that here. Barrett's 2nd birthday is October 19th so we are having a little party for him this weekend. Other than that, nothing planned for the week so I will update if there are any changes. As always, thanks for the love and support.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

We have 1st names...now to just pick middle

We decided it was time to nail down names. We picked 10 names that we both liked, or at least liked some. We put them in a basket and chose 6, Louis chose 2, I chose 2, Bear chose 1 and Nicole chose 1. From that we eliminated to 4 and then 2. One of Louis's favorite names is Madison.....which I think is a beautiful name but his cousin is named Maddison and goes by Maddie, which we would have done. Well in the final drawing Madison and Charlize were chosen. Charlize is a name I LOVED when I was pregant with Bear (not knowing he was a boy). I thought it would be cute to call her Charli. When I found out I was having girls we all thought that name was a given, but Charlie seems to becoming more popular for girls. After much thought though, I decided I am not going to let that affect my decision to name my daughter that since it was a name I felt so strongly about before. So we were both great with Charlize....it was Madison I just wasn't excited about. We did the name pulling a couple of more times and Madison kept showing.....but Louis also kept saying he wasn't opposed to switching it out with Liliana which is another name we both loved. I asked him numerous times ti be sure because I didn't want to steal that away from him if it's what he really wanted...but he said he is completely happy with the names we have. So long story short, the first names are Charlize, whom we will call Charli for short, and Liliana, whom we will call Lili for short. I'm not sure which will be named which. I actually asked the NP tonight if Baby A is delivered 1st in a c-section but she said it can be either or especially with momos. I looked up the meanings of the names and Liliana means purety and beauty and Charlize means little (I also found one that said free man....but since it's a girls name to be pc that would be free woman). Anyhow, since Baby B has measured just a smidge under A then maybe we should name her Charli??? I dont know....we'll see, Just wanted to share those thoughts. I'm pretty excited that Baby A and BabyB can now be called Lili and Charli instead :).

Monday, October 5, 2009

Half way there!

5 weeks down, 5 more to go! It's been an uneventful week....but that's a good thing. Babies are looking great on the monitor. They are each having normal accelerations and normal decelerations. I'm pretty sure they are growing like weeds :). I gained 4 lbs in the past week!!! I feel huge and have had a few days here and there where I am pretty uncomfortable. Turning over in my sleep is a struggle. Both babies are head down so there are days where it hurts to walk and it feels like I have been run over by a truck from my belly button down....I have no idea how moms with more than twins do it. Makes me have a whole new respect (not that I really had one before though) for Kate Gosselin!
I got off room restriction on Wednesday. I was allowed to walk to the kitchen but had to keep a mask on. Thursday night I went to Bingo and the girl who exposed us to the flu was there. She said she felt horrible we all were confined and thought we would all hate her. I felt bad for her. She's from WY so she is already here alone and then worried all week that the women she could vent with were going to hate her....poor thing. She said she only got mild symptoms and baby is ok. Friday was the official day we were off restrictions completely, meaning no more masks. It was nice to be able to see my nurse's faces again. The pool was still closed all weekend though for extra precaution. We got to go back today and boy was it nice.
Friday night some friends came to visit. Our friends Corey and Cassie were in town from Chicago and they came for a visit. They are having their first baby in March and she looks wonderful. It was nice to see them and can't wait until they move back! Then our old neighbor Aleesha came to visit. She brought me some fun arts and crafts which was so sweet of her. She got me this kit with a strand of lights and 7 different punch out patterns to make to put over the lights. I chose to do the waterlillies and they make my room feel homey-er....so thanks a bunch Aleesha :)!
Saturday Louis and Bear came to visit for a bit. I suggested Louis bring Bear's trike down because he was throwing a fit that he couldn't go for a ride. Louis wheeled me outside and we went for a ride around the hospital with Barrett. It was SO nice to be able to see him ride. He hasn't figured out the pedals yet and does the whole Flinstone thing...but man is he FAST! I couldn't believe it. It was a gift to be able to do that and makes me realize to appreciate the little things in life. We just bought his bike before I came in so I didn't get to take him for a ride or anything because I was on bed rest. So to be able to go on a "walk" with him like a normal family was just wonderful! They spent the night again last night. I guess Barrett was telling Louis they were going to "mommy's house"....cute, but sad :(. Another great morning to wake up though hearing my little man say "hi mommy"....nothing better.
I have my next ultrasound on Thursday so I will let everyone know how that goes. Thanks for all the love and support.