Monday, May 30, 2011

Catherine & Emily's Nursery







Well the nursery is, for the most part, complete! I LOVE how it turned out. We started it a long time ago and just kept getting little pieces and parts here and there. I totally have to give ALL credit to Brian though - he did everything! From painting the walls, to installing the chandelier (my favorite thing in the nursery!) and to putting the cribs and changing table together, the entire nursery is a product of all his hard work! I love being married to a man who's handy!!!

Monday, May 23, 2011

Update!

This morning I felt a few more contractions (nothing bad, but now I'm paranoid) so I went to the dr. and got some VERY reassuring news!

The contractions are segmented (meaning my whole belly does not get tight, just certain areas) which she said is far less concerning then if I was having full belly contractions. Also they are still pain free which is good.

She decided to check my cervix again and she said that not only has there really been no change, she feels it's tighter and longer then it was when i was in the hospital. She said I still have a very decent amount of cervix left (so I'm not too effaced) and she said that I'm absolutely no more than 3cms (which is what I was in the hospital) and if anything I'm closer to 2cms! eek!

So I told her my goal was to get into June, and did she think I could make it that far? and she said absolutely I could! She thinks I can very easily make it to MID June! eek!

So I am just going to keep doing what I'm doing....and that's absolutely nothing! But it's working and I feel so reassured by that! So it was good news today! :)

Friday, May 20, 2011

32 Weeks

Well, we have had an "exciting" week to say the least!

Last Sunday (the 15th....my birthday). I noticed that my braxton hicks contractions were becoming timable, which isn't quite normal for me. They were coming every 8-10 minutes. I rested, drank lots of water, etc. and they didn't seem to ease up very much. So I called my Dr. who told me to go to the hospital if they persisted.

And they did so we went. I got examined right away and was told I was 3 cm's dilated and was indeed having contractions. I was admitted right away and started on Magnesium to stop/slow down the contractions and was very quickly given a steroid shot to help mature the babies lungs, were I to deliver. The "dose" for this shot, though, is 2 and they need to be given 24 hours apart. In addition, in order for them to be completely effective, labor needs to be held off until 24 hours after the 2nd shot.

so once I got in bed and settled down, the contractions settled down which was good. I was hooked up to monitors all night to measure the babies heartbeats and contractions. The first night I only had 4 contractions ALL night which was good.

Throughout the entire thing, the babies were rockstars. Their heart rates were awesome and they were SO active and kept kicking the monitors off which annoyed the nurses a little, haha, because they had to keep come in to readjust. But they all laughed it off and said it was good to have such active babies.

The next morning I was sent downstairs for an ultrasound to check the babies growth, etc. They each measured in a JUST under 4 lbs a piece which is awesome for 31 weeks! They looked good and healthy and are growing appropriately.

So the 2nd day at the hospital was by far the worst. The magnesium (which I previously didn't think was that bad) kicked in and made me feel like death. I was SO hot and tired but I couldn't settle down and fall asleep. My room was ice cold but I felt like I was burning up and they had to keep putting cold packs on my head. I also felt a little sick so I couldn't get down anything but yogurt. So 24 hours after the 1st steroid shot I got the 2nd and was told my magnesium would be turned off 24 hours later.

So after resting that night, I woke up feeling somewhat more refreshed for day 3 at the hospital. I felt a bit more awake and not so physically hot. Then in the afternoon the magnesium was turned off. We all breathed a little sigh of relief that I had completed the course of the steroid shots. So now if the babies are born, their lungs would be much better off than babies who hadn't gotten the shots for this gestational age.

So after that they monitored me for another day and on Thursday afternoon I was discharged! My contractions are next to nothing now which is awesome. I am on STRICT bedrest - meaning bathroom trips ONLY. They also checked my cervix one last time before I left and it hadn't changed so that's good.

So now the plan is to just keep these babies cooking as long as possible! But now we are 32 weeks and have gotten the steroid shots so if they were born tomorrow their prognosis is very good. They would of course need NICU time to get nice and big like a "normal" newborn, but health wise they should do very well at this point. My next little goal is to make it to 34 weeks though, so we'll see!

So that's the story - so far we're all still doing well and keeping very very quiet!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Baby Shower # 2!

Last weekend we had our 2nd baby shower - what a wonderful day! We had it at my all time favorite restaurant and so many of my friends and family members were able to attend. I am just overwhelmed with the generosity shown to us. We literally got everything we needed - there were THREE things left on my 60+ item registry after the shower!!! Plus, I got tons of Babies R Us gift cards so we are truly all set with everything and can now save some money for all the other things these babies are going to need after they're here! I am feeling really prepared, which is good just in case the twins decide to come early! The nursery looks like a bomb went off in it, but it'll get cleaned at some point!

And of course, some pictures for your enjoyment!

At our house before the shower - 29 weeks exactly!


The amazing cake my cousin's wife made! Not only was it adorable, it tasted out of this world!
My mom and I!
My cousin and I!Our very large twin stroller!!!

My very best friend (and the one who took all of these awesome pictures) and I!