Lavendar + Birds + A Tree = Nursery

Here are some clues as to what's a happening in the girl's nursery...


More pics to follow hopefully soon! I am moving tortoise slow these days. A little here and a little there gets accomplished each day. All my fingers and toes are crossed that the girls will remain quietly content in the belly so that all will be ready for their arrival.

A girlfriend helped me to install their infant car seats in the van this afternoon. Goodness, did that ever change the vehicle. Shocking. It shows me that deep inside, I haven't truly grasped the concept that two babies are really entering our family, at once. Two people. Two.

31 Weeks

I had another visit with the baby doc today. Do you want to know the good news or the bad news first? I guess I get to decide, I'm going with the bad first.

The Bad News: Cesar's blood is positive for the antibody. The bad news might still turn out to be fine in the end. I have another ultrasound scheduled for next week where the docs will track the babies blood flow in their umbilical cords and brains. Supposedly, everything looks normal at this time.

The Good News: I should really call it The Fun News!
Baby A weighs 4 lbs. 4 oz.
Baby B weighs 4 lbs. 10 oz.
Baby A is head up while Baby B is almost in the right down position. The doc said that once their in the down position it's very unlikely that they'll change position again. Good girl Baby B!

A Lap With A View

This is what I see when I look down. My lap is disappearing rapidly.

My girlfriend Ruth Anne stopped by late this afternoon. She joined me at the dining room table as I cut bird shapes from fabric and we talked over some chilly ginger ale. Mid sentence she stopped talking and began to laugh and laugh. She apologized for her laughter as she covered her mouth with her hands only to have more laughter pool up from her throat. I was a bit baffled at her silliness as our conversation had been on the serious side. The beans were spilled, she was laughing at the size of my bulbous tummy. I looked down and there it was. I agreed with her that it's truly some sight to behold. She said from her vantage point, it looked as though I had cut a basketball in half and simply stuck it under my shirt. Oh so quickly, she corrected herself and said, "Not a basketball, I mean a beach ball!" Que more laughter.

I can't wear my maternity jeans anymore. I pulled them on today as I hurried to get Hugo to school on time. They just about cut off my circulation to the lower half of my body while I drove the five minutes to his preschool. The way they're cut low in the crotch for the tummy panel is not nearly low enough for my stomach. I really need the maternity panel to begin down at the crotch seam. I about died trying to climb the wide steps in front of his school. From behind, I must have looked like some bowlegged sailor man fresh off the high seas with my legs needing to swing out left and right to climb each step. I mostly wear just awesome looking stretchy pants and leggings all the time now. The girls are hanging low low low low.

p.s. - My mother wants me to wear a jumper. She cracks me up! Stretchy pants from the juniors department, we're on.

30 Weeks

This first half of the week has been full of doctor visits and tests. We've learned that my blood is negative for a certain antibody but the docs suspect that Cesar might be positive. This was not an issue during my pregnancy with Hugo so it's all a big surprise. Through further blood tests it has been determined that these levels in my blood are rising, causing some concern. An ultrasound was ordered for yesterday morning. It showed the blood flow within the girls umbilical cords and brains to look normal at this time. What may happen is that these two areas of their bodies might begin to suck up their blood and cause the girls (one or possibly both) to become anemic. If this happens, the babies will have to come out early.

We might not have to worry. This past Monday, Cesar had his blood drawn to find out if he is negative to this antibody like me, or positive. If he is negative, we can cancel the next scheduled ultrasound and move on with our nice, quiet pregnancy. On the other hand, if Cesar is positive, well, we'll just deal with all that that entails when the time comes. Today the Doc told me the lab ran Cesar's test incorrectly. They have enough of his sample left to redo the test and hopefully the results will be in tomorrow or Friday.

I've learned that identifying a problem with this antibody is relatively new within the past few years. It's hard for me to wrap my brain fully around the doctors words. I keep getting biology lessons from them, each spinning blood types, antigens and genes in a different way trying to explain it to me but um, the info isn't sticking. I hope this means that my subconscious knows that all will be well and that I shouldn't worry. Not that I'm acting the part of an ostrich with my head buried in a deep hole in the ground.

p.s. - Baby A is weighing in at 3.7lbs and Baby B at 4.2lbs. The doc told me today that these early weights are about 85% accurate. We shall see. I can tell you that the girls feel like they weigh a lot. Like a ton. Each.

Sleepy

I woke last night to the tune of 2:30 am for my usual tinkle time. I could not fall back asleep. The mind was a whirling and a whirling. I decided to be a tad productive while not disturbing the sleeping husband, and slipped into the next room. Not too productive mind you, just the 'lets make a to do list for the next few months' sort of productivity. It was just the sort of activity that my very awake mind needed. The written page filled up a bit too quickly. I'm not sure where the past few months have gone? Baby-ies-ies will be here before we know it and boy oh boy is there a lot to accomplish first. Kinda frightening really.

I heard Cesar's phone alarm sound off and snuck back into our room. We chit-chatted a minute while he dressed for the day and I stuck pillows here and there around my growing body. With a quick smooch for me, a scratch for the kitty and some I love you's, he was out the door. I tried my best to close my eyes and count sheep. I think I actually drifted in and out of sleep a few times. I was comfy and cozy.

There was a thump and a squeak and the sound of Hugo's elephant footsteps coming my way. I lay there silent. I wondered where his point of entry to the top of our bed would be? He avoids me like the plague since he knows I'll march his little behind back to his own quarters. He walked towards Cesar's side but doubled back to the middle of the bottom of our bed to pull himself up. I couldn't resist giving him a squeeze and a smooch as I covered him up. He doesn't like to cuddle remember, so he rolled towards Cesar's side. I tried to close my eyes once more. Counting sheep, counting sheep, counting sheep...

After a long bit, the sheep were no longer being counted and Hugo was silent but still awake. I carried him back to his own bed. He hadn't been bothering me in any way, he just wasn't sleeping. I told him I was going to carry him back "so please stand up for me", I asked. He was fine with it. No tears, no pleading, no promises of being still and quiet. He just didn't want me to forget his slippers. Isn't that cute? We only pulled his slippers out of summer hibernation a few days ago and he is already in love with them all over again.

Okay. Back under my own covers. Pillows are in place. A bird is kinda sorta singing and a nice breeze is coming in through the window. Closing my eyes... I think I drifted in and out of sleep again.

There was a thump and a squeak and the sound of Hugo's elephant footsteps rounding the hallway, not my room. His voice called out to me explaining he needed to tinkle. Okay, I replied. "That's awesome hun." A strange sound... Hugo sorta upset asking what this was??? Well, I didn't know. I needed to lift and roll my stomach so that I could turn to the side of the bed with the lamp. Cesar said we should get me a clapper and I think he might be on to something. Anyway, Hugo had gotten himself caught up in the giant shop vac hose which was out of place in front of the linen closet doors. He didn't cry, he was just very surprised. After explaining I was sorry the shop vac was in the hall, I helped him into the bathroom. While tinkling, he became very chatty. He wondered over how bright the light from my room was. "Yes, yes" I said. "It is very dark outside so the light seems extra bright to our sleepy eyes." "But Mom, that light is soooo bright." "Let's not talk sweet pea, it is night time and we need to stay sleepy and quiet." "Okay Mom." We walked back into his room and covered him up again. I smooched the bridge of his nose, told him that I loved him and closed his squeaky door.

Back under the covers for me. Pillows arranged around the twin cooker of a belly of mine. The cat Evie needed a scratch or two and I was out....

I opened my eyes to the sound of Hugo's voice this morning, again. My room was bright, the sun was shining. Hugo sounded far, far away but he was standing right in front of me. I blinked my eyes to focus myself better. His eyes and a bit of his nose peered over the mattress at me as he smiled and said, "Momma, it's 14 o'clock, time to wake up. No big deal."

Everything these days is no big deal in Hugo Land. And we hear a lot of "I know" and "I told you" and "Jeez Louise" and "you silly goose!". He told me yesterday that some "big kid called me dude Mom!" It was funny to hear the word dude come out of his mouth. I'm liking his fascination with time best of all.

28 Weeks

My tummy is hanging l-o-w, low. I remember during my last pregnancy women telling me that they knew I wasn't ready to pop because I hadn't dropped. I don't know if the bulge has ever been "up" with these girls. My tummy hangs so low, that it is very, very hard to keep my pants on my rear end. This is one fall season in which I especially wish the Indian Summer weather would drag out forever. I need to be able to keep wearing my dresses! Oh, and I must keep bare legged. I shutter at the thought of pulling tights up and over the bulge, the watermelon, the torpedo, the twin cooker of a stomach which is mine. How would I keep them up? Clothespins? I have been worshiping the bulge with oil morning, noon and night. Please stretch prettily oh skin of mine, please. We've a ways to go yet.

Breathless At 27 Weeks

I * am * out * of * breath - like all the time! I'm not kidding. A walk from the living room (once I roll myself up and off the couch that is) to the kitchen can leave me breathless. Not all the time, just randomly. Now, a walk up the stairs for say... Hugo's nap time or to get my slippers or to heaven forbid clean, leaves me breathless, and panting. Drinking a glass of water can leave me breathless. Singing a song can leave me breathless. Reading a storybook aloud can leave me breathless. A walk to our mailbox and back is the extent of my distance walking abilities. Our driveway dips downward on the trip to the mailbox leaving me to carefully watch and calculate my steps. The return trip home is a steady uphill climb where I end up breathing heavily with my mouth wide open and my eyeballs popping in search of a place to plop down my weary tush. It's amazing I haven't swallowed any flies or squitos yet.

Hugo had his second day of preschool today and was happy as a clam again. He stamped colored dots onto a giant cut out of a frog and placed googly eyes where they belong. Half way home in the van he informed me that he wanted to go home. I said - No problem! We ate lunch together and he could hardly keep his eyes open. He wouldn't walk upstairs though. He wanted to watch TV. Nope, was my answer. He stuck himself to the floor and was impossible for me to budge. I tried all my tricks, even the counting thing, you know 1... 2... 3! You're in trouble Mister! - nothing worked. I think he knew there was no way that I'd be bending down anytime soon to make him do much of anything. Eventually, he asked for me to carry him. What!? Okay, we'd try. You see, I miss carrying him. I miss that little bit of snuggle time with Hugo. I can barely fit him on my lap to dress him these days. When he stands in front of me I bonk him with the belly by accident, that just leads to trouble. He doesn't view the bulge of my stomach as belonging to me. He already knows that little sisters, which he has been designed to torment, reside inside. My tummy is no longer mine, but I will have it back I try to remind myself. I instructed Hugo to stand up on the couch so I wouldn't have to bend. He wrapped his little arms around my neck as I scooped up his body, shifting his legs to the left side of my baby bulge. I made it up the steps. I was proud of myself. Then I realized that I had stripped his bed earlier this morning and neglected putting clean sheets back on. Bummer...

This strange photo is from my ultrasound this past Tuesday. It's a view of the tops the twins heads. I'm not sure how it was taken because the girls are still forming a "T" in my belly but there you have it. Hugo loves looking at these photos.

Two Little Beans

I took this photo a few weeks ago in my Mother-in-Law's garden. I've been holding onto it, saving it for some sorta pretty post. Today is the day to share it with you because, I'm gonna talk about my girls.

I had another ultrasound at the doc's office today and got to see the girls. Oh, and yes, they are still girls! I asked the ultrasound lady to check their genders once more because my brain is still partly in denial. With all the stores in full sale mode, in spite of my doubts, I've purchased a few outfits for next summer. In the back of my mind, on delivery day I've imagined that one girl and one boy are still gonna pop out. I've saved the sales receipts wondering if I'll be making exchanges. The ultrasound today was pretty clear that the babies in my tummy are both girls. Would somebody please tell my imagination to settle. Girls, girls, girls, I am having girls. Two of them.

The girls are in a "T" formation within my womb. Baby A, as the Doc refers to them, is vertical, feet down. Baby B, is horizontal and she has been for the past month and a half. Since she is so comfy in that position, I am trying to prepare myself for the strong possibility of a c-section. Don't get me wrong, I do not want a c-section by any means. I am simply trying to prepare myself that this could very likely be my birthing reality all too soon. I'd like to avoid a personal meltdown in the delivery room in front of a load of strangers if at all possible. I've never broken a bone, I can't imagine being cut open like that. The Doc asked, if the c-section does happen, would I want my tubes tied at the same time? He said my uterus would already be out (out?!, oh my!) and it would only be a matter of clamping off two tubes. I do not want my tubes tied. I'm not sure that I'm in a state of mind to think clearly about the possibility of another pregnancy in my future, but I want my options open. Plus, it has been so difficult for Cesar and I to make a baby on our own that if it happened, I'd feel it was meant to be. My fingers and toes are all crossed that Miss Baby B will get with the birthing program and begin to turn, head first, southward and not be so stubborn, like her Momma.

Not much of a surprise due to the size of my abdomen, I learned that the babies are both growing at very healthy rates. Baby A weighs 1 lb 11 oz and Baby B weighs in at 1 lb 13 oz. Good weights for a singleton pregnancy, awesome news for twins. I pray each day that the babies will have a chance to grow big and strong within my body before they arrive out into the world. I hope to be blessed with babies being discharged the same time as myself from the hospital.

*p.s. - I believe we are narrowing in on names. They have changed a bit recently and I'm not sure that Cesar is on board with my new choices. I've got Hugo chanting them out loud with me. Together, we'll win him over! Still working on the middle names. I've wanted one daughter to have a Portuguese middle name after Cesar and our other daughter to reflect my melting pot heritage. My Dad just called and gave me an interesting suggestion from our family tree. We have a Cherokee Indian lady in our southern past. We've known that she went by the name of Puss Dobbs. Very recently a woman helped my father with more info on Ms. Puss, her given name being a part of that our records missing (Puss was her nickname) info. It just so happens to match up with a name I've had rolling about my head for a long while... Prepare yourself Cesar!

24 Weeks w/Twins

Side View

Cesar spotted me entering the pantry and really looked at me. All he could say was, "Amazing. It's amazing that the human body can grow like that." He finally noticed that it isn't just round. My belly is actually pointy shaped. We had a good laugh at it, my torpedo shaped abdomen.

Frontal View