33 Weeks and Still Going Strong

Well, I say strong, but the past 2 days have really taken their toll on me.  I had tons of errands to run yesterday so was out in the heat and by the time I finally got my body to settle down and rest, I was miserable.  I don't know if that I over did it and that was the problem, but I've just been hurting alot today. 

We went to the doctor Tuesday, August 2nd, which happened to be my 35th birthday.  I cannot believe that I turned 35 years old and am about to have 2 babies.  Anyway, we were there forever because the doctor seemed to be behind, but not because there was anything wrong or happening.

We started off with the routine ultrasounds. I wish I could report some information from that 10 minutes that cost us mega bucks, but not much took place.  We basically only did the biophysical profile.  From that, we learned that the fluid is still good, the babies are breathing on their own as they should be, and they have great movement.  One baby had a heart rate of 131, but once we left and got to lunch, I was thinking about this and realized that she forgot to listen to the other baby's heartbeat.  See???? So routine, not much happens.  We did not get a weekly measurement since they were just measured last week. 

Then we went to wait to see the doctor, and we waited, and we waited.  My appointment was at 9:30 to see the doctor and I don't think we were called back until after 11.  I know we didn't leave until 12.  Anyway, the doctor did measure my belly and it measured in a whooping 44 WEEKS.  Ya'll, that means my belly is the size of a woman who has gone 4 weeks past full term with one baby.  And we still have how many more weeks to go????  My blood pressure looked good and from the pelvic exam, we know there is no progression towards labor.

I told Dr. North that as uncomplicated as I feel like this pregnancy has been that we will just go until he calls it time.  I do not see something happen, either to where we need to take them, or my water breaking, because they are just in there enjoying themselves and everything is just perfect.  Dr. North made eye contact with me at that point and said, "This won't last.  At some point, things will go south."  I didn't want to hear that.  He said again, that we were at 32 weeks and could breathe, but he'd like to now see 36-37 weeks, but doesn't think it will happen. I don't know why, but I sort of do. I may not be able to move or breathe by that time, but the babies themselves are fine and I honestly think they will stay put.

I don't look at alot online with regards to this pregnancy because  I mainly haven't needed to know much, but also because there really isn't alot out there on the growing of twins, or the birth.  All I can find are things related to raising multiplies.  But I do sometimes wonder what it looks like on the inside of my body and so here are a few pictures of what I found the other day when searching around.

Neither Elissa nor Ellie are head down.  In fact, Elissa, which is Baby A and way down low, has always been feet first.  Ellie changes around from time to time.

But I still think it's so interesting.  These babies look snug as bugs in a rug, but I can tell you that Elissa and Ellie somehow find the room to move around quite abit.

I go back to the doctor next Tuesday, August 9th and will be between 33 and 34 weeks.  I can't wait to get measurements next week. 

So, Mom and Dad came to town last week and I just have not had the drive to blog about it.  But this is what they arrived in.

Yes, that thing happens to be parked in our side yard.  hahahaha! I think this is sooo funny and if you know my mom and dad, you probably do, too.  But I was quite impressed by their big rig.  Bailey called it a mot-her home and then a school bus.  I didn't get any pics of the inside of it this time.  They weren't here very long, but at least they did make the trip and practice setting it up and taking it down.  I think the thought behind the motor home is that when the babies do get here, and I NEED HELP AND I WILL WANT MY MAMA FOR THAT HELP, they won't have to stay at a hotel or somewhere else.  They will be right here.  We just don't have room adding 2 more babies to the house for anyone else to lay their heads unless they won't to sleep on the floor or the couch.  Mom could deal with that, Dad. not so much!  They also have some thoughts as how to put this recreational vehicle to some recreational use, too!!!  I think it's kind of cool they have it!!

Mom brought the bedding and such for the twins' nursery but I want to save a picture for when it is completely done.  I love what she has so far.  The decorations and curtains are complete yet and I think for what she has planned, they will for sure complete the look.  So I'm waiting for a peek at that, but we loved what she came up with for the bedding.  It amazes both of us how she can pull thing a from here and thing b and c from there and go back over here for thing d, and it just goes together.  I am the "buy it in a box/bag - it all has to match" person.  Mom has the touch and we love both rooms!

I believe I have been in a little nesting mode lately.  I had Sid get the carriers down and I washed the covers and Clorox the seats and bases and they are now ready to be installed into the sister ride and bring those sister's home.

Amy got us the little strap cushions and I got those put on, too.  I stressed over what to do about the car seats. I just hate not to follow regulations and then have something happen.  I'd never forgive myself.  The car seat on the left was bought second hand, which "they" say never to do because you don't know what it's been through.  But we know who we bought it from and were able to ask questions and trusted it.  The car seat on the right is the one we bought with the travel system before Bailey was born.  The left car seat was made in 2005, the right one made in 2008.  The recommendation is to replace them, or that they expire, every 6 years.  The reason for this is due to sun/heat damage, the breakdown of the mold of the seat, new features are added, etc.  Just sounds like it's safer not to use a seat that 10 years old.  We will only use these seats for 10-12 months, and I made up my mind that I for sure want carriers when they are newborns for the ease of getting them in and out of the seats in the house.  At 1 year, we will splurge on rear facing convertible car seats.  So, that being said, we will use one that is 6-7 years old and one that is 4 years old.  I don't really have a problem doing so because unless there is damage I can't see, they are perfectly fine and not really that old.  Now, if one of them was made in like 2000  or 2002, yeah, we'd have to get another one. I got the girls' coming home dresses washed and ironed and ready to go, also, over the weekend.   Today, I got all the burb clothes and bibs and extra blankets washed and dried.  Tomorrow I will get them folded and put up.  As soon as the decorations are done in the nursery, which certainly doesn't mean the babies can't come yet since it isn't done, and I get the bottles washed and put up, and I get our bags packed, we should be just sitting on go.  I can't get the bottles put up yes, because I have no idea where I will put them when they are clean.  The area we did use for bottles is now used for Bailey's cups.  Ideas on storage in the kitchen for all this baby stuff????????

And last but not least in the Whitehead household, Bailey has the most sensitive bottom I have ever seen.  With the heat and moisture at the fair last week, she developed a very ugly looking rash on her bottom.  I have been at my wits in trying to clear this rash up.  I bet you at one point we were putting like 5 different things on her.  About 5 days ago, I ran her a small tub of water and she had fun pouring baking soda in the water and playing.  I could see an almost immediate difference.  However by the time she would get back home from daycare, being hot and playing, it would be flared back up.  Finally, yesterday, I realized it might be a yeast infection from the heat and moisture from the fair.  Sid got some over the counter lotion for it last night and by this morning, I could see a big big change.  So, today I called the doctor and got some prescription cream for it. I so hope this helps because it's been going on for 2 weeks and I know she is miserable. 

I say all that to so you this picture.

We usually just get in the tub and get our business done and get out.  There is no way this mama can lean over that tub for more than about 2 minutes. But since she has been taking baking soda baths, I would just check in on her from time and time and let her play.  Side note: I know bubbles are terrible for yeast infections.  But anyway, I was in the den, sitting on the edge of the couch, about 10 steps from the bathroom talking with Sid while Bailey played and "soaked" in her small tub of water.  I kept hearing the water turn on and off, but that's not unusually because she loves to play in running water.  Finally, we finished our conversation and I went to the bathroom.  This is what I saw.  Somehow, she had reached her shampoo and that water had been turned on and off one too many times I guess.  I'm telling ya, 10 more seconds and those bubbles at the front of the tub would have spilled over into the floor.  I thought this was funny because she is just such a stinker.   That tub was slam full to the top.  And she was loving it!! Needless to say, I have moved the soap and she doesn't get for more than a minute or two alone now!!!

As a last note, I will say for those of you who do not know, I thought I was going back to work at the start of this school year and be off for a maternity leave and then go back to work right away.  It seems that wasn't the plan that was suppose to be and for now, I am not working at all, with no job to go to after a maternity leave.  That is only for now, but I hope to have something worked out with that by the time I would normally finish a maternity leave.  This has been hard for me and with my emotions running high in the first place, the situation has been just magnified.  The best thing I can say about the situation is that I know God's will will be done and shown to us in time.  His time.  His time is sometimes hard for us mere humans.  And the lessons we as humans learn the hard way are sometimes taken harder than they were maybe intended to be taking. I'm sure the good Lord doesn't intend for me to beat myself up every second of every day for mistakes made and lessons to be learned.  I have to put things in perspective and remember that I have a family, the Self family and the Whitehead family, that love us all very much and are very supportive of the changes our little family of 3 is going through. I have to remind myself that we are healthy, that these babies are healthy and the one daughter that I do have here with me now is the most beautiful, funniest, smartest, sassiest thing I could ever ask for.  She tells me every time I pick her up I'm so pretty and she loves me.  (I'm sure she gets that from me telling her that.)  I know that because the plans I had all summer fell through at the last minute, that there is a bigger plan, a better plan, and that plan will come along.  I just never intended not to work and now that school has started and I did not start, I'm taking it all very hard. As one person reminded me this week, there was only one perfect person that has ever walked the face of this earth, and he died for us because we aren't perfect.  I'll say AMEN to that!  If you are reading this, and you know us personally, just know that we would love your prayers of guidance and for us to just listen to what the Lord's will is for our family right now.  I know in my heart he will provide.  My mama and dad didn't take me church since I was days old for not to learn that somehow, the good Lord provides for our needs.  And I know this is where the faith comes in, I know, I believe, but I don't know how it will work.  So I have the faith it will and pretty soon, these sweet girls will be here, and I'm going to love nothing more than focusing on all 3 of my sweet baby girls. 

One last thing, Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad.  I know that you aren't on some big trip right now, or at least I'm pretty sure you're not, but I hope it's been a great day for the two of you!!!!

Much love! Barbie