32 Weeks + Baby/Momma Update

long sleeve undershirt / Gap Maternity * 

button down top (non-maternity) / (last season) Nordstrom: similar *

leggings / Gap Maternity * hair pin / Loft

How far along? 32 Weeks 2 days

Total weight gain: Well, folks.  I've hit the 30 pound mark.  three-zero.  That means in one week's time I gained three pounds.  I will say, in my weight gain defense, the girls themselves have added another pound of weight, so I could really say I've only gained two pounds this week...?  Whatev.         

Maternity clothes?  Why yes, of course.. but I have a growing pile of clothes that no longer cover this bump of mine.  A few of the tops that I bought early on at the end of my first trimester definitely do not fit.  Well, they fit.. everywhere but the bels.  Now that its a little bit cooler out, I'm starting to wear a couple of my fleece pre-pregnancy pj bottoms.  If you could see me, I have a glimmer of gladness in my eye at the thought of this.            

Stretch marks? Noooo:) 

Sleep: Comes and goes.  Still waking up multiple times a night- heavy belly syndrome makes me feel as if I can't breathe.  5 am is regularly becoming the time when I wake up for a few hours and then back in bed I go for a morning nap.  This past week I've had to get in a nap almost every day.  I've been really tired.  I sleep better during the day than I do at night.  Go figure.       

Best moment this week:  Last weekend was the opening for quail season, so Jordan and his dad made a short 3 1/2 hour trip to The Ranch (his grandfather's land) for  couple days to get in their first hunt of the season.  My doctor appointment was on Tuesday morning and sweet Ashley came Monday afternoon to play the 'bed rest game' with me- making me dinner, watching Disney movies, and carting me around on Tuesday while J was gone.  I was so excited for her to come along to my OB visit- so she could really see what I go through at my weekly appointments!  She was by my side during the non-stress test and sat in on the sonogram (she had never seen one before) and got to see my sweet girls on the screen.  Dixie did a great job in explaining everything we were looking at.. making it really easy to understand the whole process.  She also got to finally meet my amazing OB.  I talk about this woman like she hung the moon, so I was glad Ashley got to witness for herself why I love Dr. Walsh so much.  Anyway, Monday/Tuesday while Jordan was away was such a great time with this girl.  So thankful for amazing friends.           

Miss Anything?  Sleeping like a normal human being.             

Movement:  You betcha.  Their movements are incredibly strong now, actually waking me up in the night.  If they happen to be awake when I am trying to fall asleep, sleep ain't happening until they decide to calm down.  You can feel baby limbs and I can tell if I'm rubbing a baby back or grabbing a baby tush:)  Love these sweet little ones.     

Food cravings:  Not at all really.  Except.. one thing.  I would die for a Big Mac.  If I get to enjoy this Big Mac (and large fries) any time soon, it will be a secret.  I'll never confess to eating McDonald's.. especially if I'm ordering the biggest sandwich on the menu.     

Symptoms:  Heavy belly.  Sleepless nights.  Congestion has returned in full force.  Often times, mostly in the evening, I'll cough my head off.. ever since I got that yucky crud a couple weeks ago I haven't been able to drop that cough.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope.

Labor Signs:  None really.  Still taking Procardia twice a day.  This week's NST showed that I continue to have uterine irritability but I didn't ever see/feel an actually contraction- but I'm no doctor.  Dr. Walsh wasn't concerned over what she saw on the results of the NST, so I assume the second round of Procardia every afternoon is doing what it's supposed to.       

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Emotions continue to run high.  List making is all I got to go on when I'm stuck in the bed.  Some days it drives me mad that I can't get out whenever I want to grab something (I haven't driven a car since August 30th), or when I can't stand long enough to really organize the nursery the way I want.  Jordan promises me that this week/weekend we will be finishing what we need to do for the girls.  

Looking forward to:  All of it.  Anything and everything that remotely relates to the babies.  The nursery bedding is scheduled to ship this week and we plan to make the last few purchases we need before the girls come.  Hospital bags are (halfway) packed.. I've ordered a couple of items that I think I will need during my stay in the hospital post babies.   Even though it isn't on my time that the checklist of things to be done is getting completed- it's all getting done and coming together.  If being on bedrest has taught me one thing, its the fact that me and my dietitian brain cannot control everything.  

Sometimes I just gotta let it go.

Baby Update (Yaay!)    

I LOVE getting to see them on the monitor on a weekly basis.  I'll have to be sure that Dr. Walsh knows she will have to spoil me with sonograms during my next pregnancy or else I'll be a sad mamma!  

Girls are looking perfect.  The NST recorded their heartbeats to be completely in sync.  I actually thought for a while that both monitors were picking up on one baby's rhythm,  they were that close.  But then one baby would have an elevation and then go right back into sync with her sister.  Really cool.   

The girls' measurements were also in sync.. actually, both girls are measuring a few days ahead of schedule.  Jolie is weighing 3 pounds, 13 ounces (I swear that girl decides on her own when she is going to grow.  The past two measurements she has been small for gestation.)  and Parker is an even 4 pounds.  That's just about 8 pounds of babies, people!  Dr. Walsh measured my belly- I'm measuring like I'm 39 weeks along.. I had assumed this was the case, but it explains the regular head snaps and stares from complete strangers.

Jolie gave us a beautiful profile.. looking just so precious and getting bigger by the day!

Parker, however, was facing towards the sono screen and Dixie couldn't get her to roll over.  She had the hiccups- which was so funny to actually see on the monitor.  Both girls get them on a daily basis (Jolie more so than Parker), but seeing them react to hiccups makes it all pretty real.  I've got little humans growing in there (duh..)

Last week Parker had her back to the sono screen and we couldn't get a profile, and again this week she was uncooperative.  Silly baby girl.  You can see her lips, nose, eyes, and sweet little hand if you look carefully.

How is momma bear holding up?  

Sonogram check showed no funneling (whooo- bed rest continues to work!) but, my cervix has lost a lot of ground in just one week.  Last week at the perinatologist appointment I measured a 3.8.  Tuesday, Dixie measured me at 2.46.  Yikes.  Walsh did say that the sonogram looks GREAT- and even my cervix is still looking good.  I, of course, questioned her and she went on to explain that at my gestation, she expects it to shorten the way it has. That being said, the cut off for hospital admittance due to shortened cervical length is 2.5, BUT, I am her most compliant patient (good mommy points for for me!), so she wasn't going to fuss over .04 and send me across the street to Presby (poor Ashley nearly hit the roof and died of a heart attack when Walsh started talking about the hospital.)  Once I reach 34 weeks my cervical length cannot be below 2.0 or she will have me in the hospital for the remainder of my pregnancy.  

SO- what does all this mean for me?  My appointment next week will be the deciding factor on hospital admittance.  While I am thankful I got to come back home this week but, at this point I'm o-k if I end up being admitted next week.  I'm doing all that I can for these babies, and if a hospital stay is in my future, so be it.  Dr. Walsh is pleased with how well I've done with bed rest, and my shortened cervical length really has nothing to do with if I'm on my feet or not.  She would just feel more comfortable having me on the high risk maternity floor- right down the hall from labor and delivery then to have me go into preterm labor at home, progress to quickly, and prevent them from being able to stop contractions if it is too early.  Both Jordan and I agree.  The closer I am to 37-38 weeks, the better chances of us being able to bring them with us when I get to come home:)  

I pay for the time and effort now, so my baby girls don't have to later.     

Bigger concern?  My blood pressure was slightly elevated on Tuesday morning (120/88) causing concern for pregnancy induced toxemia.  It isn't super elevated from what is considered 'normal' (120/80), but, my normal BP range is around 90/60. Over the past month it has gradually creeped its way to 120/80 and then Tuesday's reading was a bit too high for comfort.  I go back tomorrow (Friday) for a nurse's visit and BP check- just to be on the safe side.  Apparently I can be thrown into toxemia without even knowing it, putting myself and the babies at risk.  Good thing is that I am not having any symptoms related to preeclampsia.          

Whew.. ok.  Rambling is over.  A lot to cover after this week's doctor appointment.  I'm thankful my bestest was there with me when Jordan couldn't.. but hearing all that made me wish he was there, too.  I'm no so great at explaining after the fact, especially if I'm uptight or excited about any of it.  Even with some slightly stressful news- the main thing is that my little babies are still doing wonderfully.  Keeping all good thoughts.  

Until next week- I'm keeping this belly safe in my bed!