24 weeks means... VIABILITY!

24 is one of those milestones I was waiting and waiting for.  And today it's here!  If babies came today, there would be a chance they would survive (with lots of NICU love).  We hope and pray that they don't get any thoughts of vacating any time soon, but it's nice to know that if they did, there would be a shot at life.

This past week was crazy... I had a lot to do at work Mon-Wed and it seriously wore me out.  This week, I also started getting contractions and swelling... yikes!  It was no more than one contraction per day, and wasn't painful, but I could feel my stomach/uterus tighten up and get hard, and my heart would race.  I had my appointment on Thursday, so they checked my urine for protein, cervix by u/s and internal, and luckily everything is okay.  Braxton Hicks it is. :)  It's a big reminder that I need to sit down, put my feet up and stop running around so much.

Babies looked great in our u/s- still girl/boy, weighing an estimated 1 lb 5 oz and 1 lb 6 oz respectively.  Both had heartbeats in the 150s, and were wiggling around.  We got another great shot of A, and B decided this time to have his legs over his head, so only good 2d profile shots.  Oh well. :)  Those weights are still good, but I have to admit that I haven't been packing the protein as much as I should.  Lately nothing sounds good, and I have to make myself eat.  I know I'm supposed to be really hungry all the time, but I'm just not.  I'm hoping this week I can get back into the habit of breakfast - snack - lunch - snack - dinner. 

This weekend we also accomplished all of our Christmas shopping in 2 hours! lights are up outside, presents are wrapped and Christmas cards are addressed.  This coming week is going to be crazy... between work, Christmas parties and a packed-full weekend I don't know that we'll get much rest. 

23 weeks

One week to viability!  Babies, don't get any ideas.  You'd better stay put for a good 13 weeks, if not more. :)

This week was a busy one, and we finally accomplished several things:

• Finished our registries! I still need to figure out the whole monitor situation, but feeling pretty good about that
• Got cribs that weren't broken! WOOT!
• Put the cribs together.  Well, Mr. M did that, but we have cribs!
• Found material that will work for the curtains. in the form of clearance shower curtains from Target! :)  Now I need blackout fabric and to get to sewing... that may not happen until after Christmas
• Got the bookshelf for the nursery from my parents' house.
• Got more clothes for FREE with Kohls cash and a coupon. I think we're pretty set when it comes to clothes, since I bet we'll get some at our showers and after they're born as well
• Registered for a breastfeeding and childbirth class after people at work convinced me we needed to do that

We also have lots coming up.  Our next appointment is Friday and I CANNOT WAIT!  We've been with the NP the last two times, and I'm ready to see our Dr. again.  That also means I can schedule the rest of our appointments, which will be wonderful.   Next week also starts a mad rush of holiday craziness.  Thank goodness the decorating is done, and Mr. M will put up the lights on TuesdayLuckily this weekend was pretty chill, and next weekend is free too, but this week and next I have busy weeks at work (including an interview...!) and the holidays are going to sneak up on us fast.  I haven't even done my holiday shopping yet! (Due in part to slacker family members who need to send their lists)  Starting in January, I'm going on lockdown.  I'm doing NOTHING.  Today a quick run to Kohl's and the grocery store for the basics was too much for me.  I wear down so easily now.  And it's critical that I relax-- these babies don't need any stress, and my body has to hold out for quite a while longer.  The good news is that last night when I was super worn out (from doing very little) I took my blood pressure, worried about what was going on and it was 102/50.  I can handle that!  Fingers crossed that Friday is a good appointment!

22!

So minus the crib fiasco this past week, things are the same. Working, stress from job change, prepping for babies!  This week also had the Thanksgiving and black friday craziness added to it, but also brought a nice break as we had several days off work.


Let's talk about the cribs... took us forever to pick them, then forever to order them, and they finally showed up on Tuesday.  Mr. M planned to set them up this weekend.  When they showed up, the brought the boxes in the nursery, and while they were kind of dinged up, we didn't notice much.  I went in on Wednesday to look at something else and noticed big gashes on the boxes on the sides facing each other.  One gash was in the shape of a V, so I peeled back that cardboard (box still closed, mind you) and could see a crib rail completely smashed. :(  Two long, annoying calls to BRU later and dealing with majorly incompetent people who lack the ability to offer good customer service, and a call to UPS to schedule the pickup, we thought we had it taken care of.   UPS said to expect pickup on Friday, and BRU said the cribs were on the way.  So Mr. M hauled them back out to the porch again Friday and off we went to shop.  By 5:30, they were still there.  So I called UPS.  Turns out that they got mixed up when I talked to them about their holiday schedule, and now they won't pick them up until Monday. UGH.  Oh, and add to that that nothing has happened with the status of the new cribs ALL WEEKEND LONG.  If these have so much as a dent, I'm demanding a refund+ some kind of credit and ordering from Amazon, who we should have ordered from in the first place.

On the bright side however, we got a Flip and a DSLR on black friday deals, and didn't have to go to the store! Thank you Best Buy online!  We woke up at our leisure that morning and headed out, where we proceeded to buy crazy amounts of baby clothes. :) YAY! So fun!

Thanksgiving was great with my family.  We also got our tree up and all of the inside decorating done!

Really excited that we're getting closer to our next appt on the 10th, and 24 weeks (viability!).

thankful

on this Thanksgiving (and every day, really) I am thankful for:

• an amazing supportive husband who loves and supports me
• these amazing little blessings we've been entrusted with
• when those little blessings kick and let me know they're doing okay 
• that those little blessings are healthy, and for every doctor's appointment where they tell us that again
• a home that is safe, warm, and comfy
• jobs that pay the bills
• that my husband has found his passion and is so darn good at it
• family that is so supportive and generous and already loves our little girl and boy (even if they don't know that they're a girl and boy yet!)
• great friends
• and so much more....

21!

No way are we at 21 weeks!  I know I say that every week, but seriously.  This is unreal.

This week we got bigger kicks, but babies are still evading daddy.  I call Mr. M over every time there is a kicking fit, but the minute he puts his hand on my stomach they quit!!  This morning, I'm pretty sure he felt one, but he said it was so light he wasn't sure.  This week was mostly full of work for both of us, trying to get things done before Thanksgiving.  We're both so ready for it!

This week/weekend we also:

• assembled the dresser for the nursery
• got the crib mattresses
• did some cleaning and changing of the decor for Christmas
• waited with anticipation for the cribs... only to find out they won't be here until this week

Physically I'm feeling quite a bit better-- I think it's because I was able to sit most of last week at work and wasn't standing/moving around as much.  I'm going to try to stick with that as much as possible!  It makes a huge difference.  It will be hard the weeks that I teach, but I'm going to try.  I'm really feeling pregnant and HUGE now (up 20 lbs which was my bogey for this point in the pregnancy-- and they're measuring big which is GREAT, but still...) 

Can't wait for Thanksgiving this week!

20 weeks

Seriously. This seems like a huge benchmark.  It was a crazy week, but it's wonderful to hit the big 2-0!  Even though my halfway was a  week and  a half ago or so, this still seems like a big accomplishment. :) Four more weeks to viability!!

This week I decided that I don't have enough stress in my life :) so I decided to apply for a new job.  My job at work currently changed, so either way change is happening, and I figured I should just go for it.  Staying at the same company.  We'll see how that all goes... It's helped me not sleep so well this week.

In exciting news, while Mr. M was gone at a conference, my mom went marathon baby shopping with me!  We were looking for fabric to make crib skirts and curtains for the nursery.  After several stores, I couldn't look at fabric anymore.  It was so overwhelming!!! Great choices but hard to pick something that was gender neutral and went with the green that is already on the walls. 

After that, we went to BRU so she could look at cribs for her house and I could check out some stuff for the registry.  I ended up adding quite a few things to the registry, and it was a great trip.  While there we looked at bedding trying to find something I liked (I don't want a set- just skirts and sheets) but no luck.  We were exhausted, but my mom suggested we stop by a baby specialty store before heading home just to check it out.  So we did.  And guess what- we found our skirts, and bought an extra one to add a border to curtains. YAY!

Also, my sweet mother deep cleaned my kitchen and steam cleaned the nursery this weekend. SO nice to have that done and not have to clean until I feel like passing out.

This weekend on Mr. M's trip, he also stopped by IKEA and got our dresser.  WOOT!  This week (tomorrow probably) we will order cribs finally, and then we're set for a while. It'll be nice to get that done.

19 week appointment

19 weeks! Big ultrasound! YAY! here are the highlights:

• up 19 lbs. Which is what I'm supposed to be but still. Ugh. that's a lot of weight
• A is a ... GIRL!  B is still a boy!  No way are we having b/g twins!!
• Both babies measure well- A is 10 oz, B is 11oz
• Both babies have all of the body parts they were looking for
• I'm no longer traveling for work

A was pretty chill during the u/s for a change- not wiggling too much, got great pictures.  B was the one who didn't want to cooperate this time.  Then, when we went back for the actual appointment, A was kicking the crap out of the doppler again. :)

A is still kicking all the time, and I definitely feel it.  B is harder to feel, or doesn't move around as much.  I mentioned that at my appt, and they said I would be feeling him more because he's so close to my skin!! The last couple of days, I haven't felt him as much so I've been listening with the doppler, and he's been quieter too... I get the heartbeat and it's a good rate, but it's faint and I can't get it close. Today I got a good listen, so that made me feel better, but still. I wish he would wiggle more! (Talk to me again in a few weeks and I bet I change my story!)

Anyway, all is good.  The nursery is officially cleaned out and this weekend we will steam clean the carpet.  I'm also going with my mom to pick out fabric for the curtains and bedskirts. Mr. M is picking up the dresser and some other needed items as well. Next week, we'll order cribs (we need to have them delivered after we get the carpet done and it's dry.

So much to do!