31 week belly pics

How far along? 31 weeks, 4 days

Total weight gain/loss: + 8 pounds
Stretch marks? sadly, yes.... i feel like my skin is going to just tear open. i can't see them yet, but i'm 99% sure they are on their way to making an appearance.
Sleep: horrible. i've gotten to where i'm waking on my own before my alarm goes off to take my 4am procardia dose.
Best moment this week: getting out of the house and going to church.

Movement: keeping me up at night. it's almost to the point of getting painful when they don't settle down.

Food cravings: strawberry toaster strudel.

Labor signs: contractions have lessened significantly since being home and on the procardia - thank god. still had the + fetal fibronectin, which makes me nervous, but we're just taking it one day at a time.
Belly Button: top half is an outie and bottom half is an innie. eww.
What I miss: getting in and out of the tub easily.
What I’m looking forward to: another dr's appt. on wednesday - hoping there's no change!

Weekly Wisdom: nothing new to add.

Milestones: 5 and a half weeks left!

30 week belly pics

How far along? 30 weeks, 4 days
Total weight gain/loss: not really sure... because of all the iv fluids, i gained 8 pounds in the hospital, but my swelling has gone down siginificanly, so i'm assuming the weight gain did too.

Stretch marks? sadly, yes.... i feel like my skin is going to just tear open. i can't see them yet, but i'm 99% sure they are on their way to making an appearance.

Sleep: horrible. can't roll over, can't get up to pee easily, can't lay flat on my back.

Best moment this week: i finished two more baby blankets. since being put on bedrest, that's all i've been doing. at the rate i'm going, i'll have about 20-30 itty bitty blankets to donate to the NICU by the time i go in with these two. =)
Movement: keeping me up at night. it's almost to the point of getting painful when they don't settle down.
Food cravings: rocky road ice cream from baskin robbins.
Labor signs: contractions have lessened significantly since being home and on the procardia - thank god. still had the + fetal fibronectin, which makes me nervous, but we're just taking it one day at a time.

Belly Button: top half is an outie and bottom half is an innie. eww.

What I miss: being able to just pick up and go somewhere whenever i feel like it.

What I’m looking forward to: another dr's appt. on wednesday - my one chance to escape the house.
Weekly Wisdom: nothing new to add.
Milestones: i can't believe we're down to 6 and a half weeks left.

home on bedrest.

a quick update!

i was sent to the hospital saturday because i was having contractions and not able to hold anything down (again). got hooked up to the monitors - this time, three - and was contracting about every 3-5 minutes. they bolused me with 2 liters of fluids, hoping it would help, then gave me two more doses of Brethine to stop the contractions.

the kicker, though, was the doctor ordered a fetal fibronectin test, which can predict early labor. if the test is negative, it's very reassuring. a positive test indicates that your chances of delivering in the next two weeks goes up by about 20%... and mine came back positive.

because of this, i was sent up to labor and delivery, where i spent the most awful night of my life. i was still hooked up to all 3 monitors, and i literally couldn't move in the bed, because every time i would shift positions, one of the babies would disappear off the monitor and the nurses were coming in to readjust everything. my ob also ordered the 48 hour round of steroid shots to help speed up the babies' lung development, just in case anything were to happen. sunday morning, i was taken off the monitors and sent up to the med/ob floor for observation, with plans to go home monday morning.

monday rolls around, and lo and behold, the contractions return.... 10 to 12 an hour. the specialist came in and told me he was going to start me on procardia, which is a cardiac med that works on all smooth muscles, including your uterus. my ob came in next, and told me that he was going to keep me another night to see how i tolerated the procardia and if it would work.

tuesday morning - contraction free - thank goodness! i had been in bed, hooked up to a continuous iv for almost 72 hours straight. i was discharged home, but on bedrest orders until these babies decide to arrive - which hopefully isn't for another 7 weeks!

i missed this week's belly pic, but will catch up at the end of the week with a 30 week pic. but here's one for you of my grossly swollen cankles from all the iv fluids:

a few new pics

today's appointment with MFM was good - both babies still head down and active as ever! sadie weighs in at 2 lb, 10oz and jeffry weighs 2 lb, 6oz. both were smacking their lips, swallowing, and doing their practice breathing. =)

jeffry:

sadie was facing the back, so we couldn't get any good face shots of her, but jeffry was positioned perfectly. sadie decided to stick her hand in the picture, so that's all we got of her today.

28 week belly pics

How far along? 28 weeks, 4 days

Total weight gain/loss: + 5.5 pounds
Stretch marks? none yet!
Sleep: better, as long as the central AC is on 69 and the window unit is going full blast at 68.
Best moment this week: my shower - now i just have more to organize and play with! =)

Movement: less kicks and punches and more rolling... they are running out of room.

Food cravings: apple juice

Labor signs: lots of contractions, but nothing progressive.
Belly Button: turning into a gross looking outie. and i'm getting that lovely dark colored ring around it too. =(
What I miss: being able to bend over and pick things up, put socks on, etc.

What I’m looking forward to: MFM appointment on Wednesday - another ultrasound!

Weekly Wisdom: nothing new to add.

Milestones: on thursday, we'll have 8 weeks left!

these babies are so loved. =)

my shower was today, and i must admit, i am completely overwhelmed at the love and generosity that everyone has shown my two babes. we had about 30 people in attendance (including one surprise guest - you know who you are!), and had a great time socializing, eating, and celebrating jeffry and sadie's impending arrival. =)

my awesome cake from fairy dust cakes:





my awesome hostesses (and a pouty niece):



and here's the unpacked stuff.... i apologize for the cameraphone pics but i am so exhausted i didn't feel like hauling my 40D in to use it....















to everyone who attended, from the bottom of my heart, thank you!!!!!!

squee! bedding is here!!! (and some random stuff)

my purdy new diaper bag

cute but impractical burp cloths

jeffry's bunny and booties

sadie's bunny and booties

and their coming home outfits