Our Kids

Alright, then… we’ve got a cool ultrasound later on in the day, but we also had a doctor’s appointment on Wednesday for an update on Mystique’s bigger glucose test. She passed, of course, with flying colors… I think everything except one measurement was well-below what it should be. The one reading that wasn’t is alright since there’s only one.

As an added bonus, Mystique’s blood pressure was even down from her last appointment, which is great since that was yet another caution flag that they wanted to look at. Overall, everything’s looking good for Mystique and the kids, and I’m sure we’ll here more of that sentiment later on today during the ultrasound.

In other news… with the four-day weekend we were able to get the changing table just about done. We’ve got some painting to do, but it won’t be all that hard to get that done. I’ll take some pictures when it’s ready.

Other than that, not much going on… according to Mystique (and I can bear witness to a couple events), the babies are moving around a lot and differently than before. They’re in some tight quarters now so any sort of movement is sent directly to Mystique.

And finally… today is my brother’s birthday. Happy birthday, JJ! We’ve sent Ember to you via federal express as a present

Well, we got our cool stroller today in the mail… very nice! It’s a Combi stroller made for two, but it’s designed to be really lightweight and small. It’s a side-by-side stroller, but it actually fits through doorways, which isn’t that easy for twin strollers. It also folds up easily so you can drop it in the trunk of your car, or slide it out of the way at home or anywhere else. It even has a carrying strap, but let’s not get too crazy… I think we’ll be rolling it around.

I’ve got high hopes for this four-day weekend ahead of us… I hope to finish up the changing table and maybe get more work done on our new guest room. The changing table’s the biggie, though, but it really should be too hard. I just have to be careful… measure twice, cut once. Usually I reverse those two things.

Got some kid stuff in the mail last week from some nice folks in Arizona… our kids already had some Auburn gear from some other nice folks in Texas, but now they’ve got the other side: Arizona Wildcat garb! Got some good stuff, so while Lela’s the Tiger, Piper can be the Wildcat. And vice-versa, of course! Thanks to both sets of folks for everything!

Today I did my fasting glucose test because I failed my first test. No I have not been sitting around eating candy bars although I have used the pregnancy to eat more cookies, ice cream and cinnamon rolls than I normally allow myself. I don’t think my side of the family processes sugars too well anyway so I think the “failure” is more along those lines than anything having to do with the pregnancy. I peed in a cup four times and was pricked five times, in the hand since my veins are hard to get. I thought it was all going well until the last one and after that I could tell that I had not eaten in a long time. I could barely keep my eyes open and was sweating and getting the shakes:) But Jason was such the gentleman and drove me back and forth from the hospital each time and then whisked me away for lunch as soon as I was finished. He is such a treasure to me. I think he feels slightly guilty as if all the poking and proding the doctors are doing is somehow his fault, which we all know it is not. He is so grateful that I am carrying the girls and he tells me that often. He is going to be a better dad to them than they could ever wish for.

They were pretty active all weekend and their kicks are getting stronger so I think that means they are continuing to grow. We have another ultrasound on the 29th so we will be able to see just how much they have grown in two weeks. We don’t get photos of them anymore because they are just too big and the photo would just be of some body part, probably a kidney since we see those pretty clearly:)

I had a very restful weekend, sat with my feet up and was pampered like a princess. This is a short week so I am expecting more of the same this weekend. I have another check up on Wednesday to check my blood pressure and teetee sample again and to get the results of today’s tests. I guess that is all the news for now.

So the girls are doing great and doubled their weights again. The weights they gave us (plus or minus 5 oz) are 2lbs 6 oz for Lela and 2 lbs 2 oz for Piper (or there abouts, my mind is definitely going). They both look fit and were active during the ultrasound. The doctors seem really pleased with their growth patterns and can find no cause for any concern. So that was a good visit. The ultrasounds are not as fun as they used to be because the girls are getting so big you can hardly tell what you are looking at, unless you are a radiologist:) We did see their hearts beating and they were both around 142 beats per minute which is great for babies.

Piper is still in the head down position making sure she will be the first one out and Lela is head under the rib cage and feet to the outside, which explains the strange kicks in that region. We have a visit with Dr. Peters on Friday and I should get my glucose results back and he will take a look at the ultrasound report and let us know what he thinks. So all in all a good week for me and the girls.

This is an exciting week for me and the girls. Their heads are finally in proportion to the rest of their bodies. They are continuing to gain more fat under the skin and their brains can control breathing and body temperature. The can use their eyes to look around their environment and continue to be sensitive to light and sound.

The kicks started changing last week and can be pretty strong. Often times I can’t tell who is kicking what or where anyone is in my tummy. I am excited to see them today so we can see how much they have grown. I am expecting them to be between 13 and 15 inches and 2.5 lbs. I know that their “hotel room” is getting cramped so they will either kick me harder or not kick me so often. Since they are in seperate sacks with seperate placentas that takes up even more of their room but it is safer for them so we all adjust:)

Had a nice productive saturday this weekend… we finally have most of the kids’ room put together. We still have a bit of shuffling to do (trying to make space for a rocker and changing table), but we put together both of the cribs which is nice.

A couple things I really like are some things that Mystique made for the kids. I put a couple links to pictures on the right (called Room 1 and Room 2). One pictures shows the three paintings Mystique made, and the other shows a mobile that she did, all continuing our jungle theme. Good stuff — I’m certain the kids will love staring at the bright colors.

Monday brings another ultrasound which I’m looking forward to just to see how much the kids have grown. I believe we’ll be at the start of our 28th week, or so, so it’s kind of scary to think that the girls could be here in just eight weeks or so. With the holidays coming up, that time will just fly on by.

Nothing else too exciting to report… if we get some good pictures tomorrow at the ultrasound, I’ll of course post them. We’ll update everyone on their sizes when we find out!

So you can tell that this week it is all about ME! I haven’t even updated on the state of the kids but judging from the 1.5 inches my stomach has grown this week and the kicks that can move my entire stomach I am assuming they are A-OK.

My skin is getting a very red color to it which is different from my normal greenish palor. The extra blood that I am carrying for the twins is the culprit but it always takes me by surprise when I see myself in the mirror. I have had to give up on wearing any rings and actually got asked by someone if I was married the other day. I told her yes but my fingers were just too swollen to wear any jewelry.

A girlfriend of mine is pregnant and as far along as I am and her belly button is visible under her shirt. It looks like a button you would push for the elevator:) Mine is doing the opposite, instead of poking out it is getting more and more flat every day. Soon I think I will be belly buttonless and that will be kind of freaky. My stomach is getting into the freaky range for me, I looked at it in the mirror last night and it is really sticking out there.

I am excited to see the girls on Monday for our ultrasound and I guess I will break down and go and get my glucose test tomorrow. I hope I don’t get put on a diet:) What will I do with the 4 quarts of ice cream I made Jason buy the other night……well I guess there is always tonight, wonder if I can eat them all.

That is what I have come to call my fat chubby fingers and swelling feet. Now don’t get me wrong I am drinking a lot of water and trying to drink more, staying away from caffiene and putting my feet up. In fact I have my feet up right now under my desk and when I get home I sit in a chair and put my feet up. So I am doing all the right things it is just that time in the pregnancy where things start to swell:)

Some days the swelling goes down and I am quite normal:) Others I can’t recognize my hands and my feet, well I can’t see those anyway:) I just know my shoes are tight. I might actually have to put away my wedding ring for a while lest they have to cut it off later!

Everyone is fine and we are doing great. We have a busy weekend ahead of us with friends and projects. Fall is in the air and in the morning it is crisp and frosty and in the afternoon beautiful and sunny.