Who knew it was so hard to schedule a c-section?

Last week my doctor asked me to come prepared to my 34 week appointment with a date in mind for when we would like to schedule the c-section (since Logan is breech and Riley is transverse and they told me that my chances of anything but a c-section are zero) should the babies make it past 37 weeks. At first when she asked if I wanted to schedule an appointment right then and there I was totally taken aback. I was like... pick a date? But what if the babies don't want to wait that long? She explained that if they came earlier, fine... this was just our "pull the plug" on the pregnancy date. I was at my appointment alone and felt ill equipped to make a decision on the spot, so I asked her if I could talk to Steve first. That's when she told me just to have a date in mind for the following week's appointment. If only I had just sucked it up and picked something!

Yesterday was my 34 week appointment, which was just standard fair, nothing new (babies are still doing great). The only thing is that the NST nurse (not my normal lady) forgot to check the schedule and long story short, left me in the waiting room for 30 minutes when she was supposed to get me right away.

Side note: while the NST was not a great experience because this lady is easily distracted and should not do NSTs (on Friday she left the room for like 15 minutes and one of the babies kicked off the sensor and it was beeping like a flatline on  heart monitor for like 8 minutes - so annoying!!!) it was pretty cool that once someone else stepped in and got the sensors working I got to see what it looked like on the monitor for Logan to be asleep.

Anywho, because of the hold up it was late by the time I finally got to see the doctor. I asked what exactly it looks like scheduling wise - do you pick a day and they call you any time that day? She explained that there were four time slots each day and that they stick pretty close to them. She suggested the am because you can't eat after midnight the night before and that a 3:30 time slot could be pretty rough. I requested Thursday, 3/22 as my first choice (which I later realized that all three of my babies would then have the same bday) and Wednesday, 3/21 as my second choice. We couldn't set it up yesterday because it was after 5 by that time, and the nurse who sets the appointments up had gone home.

Well, I got the call today. Apparently, the way LVH sets it up is that they will only book two appointments in a day until every other day that week has two appointments. Then they will book the third for each day, then the fourth. So basically, even though there are spots open on Wednesday and Thursday, I can't have them because there is still an open time slot for Tuesday. I even tried for Friday, but no... Tuesday is the only day with the open slot (they won't schedule for any other day until that open Tuesday is filled). You may ask, why not just take Tuesday? Well, for one thing, that does not work very well for Steve's schedule - he would end up cancelling class almost every day that week, which is no good. The other issue is that my dad already told me that Tuesday, 3/20 is literally the only day in the entire month of March that he can not get out of work.

The nurse from College Heights went to bat for me and the LVH nurse suggested that we wait and see if someone else takes that slot, opening up a slot on Wed or Thurs. That means right now we are just kind of hanging out without a plan.....


In other news, I'm currently in my second official day of maternity leave, which is boring! In the words of Steve, I am horrible at entertaining myself. TV bores me, I can't read for long stretches of time, I don't really like video games, I've done almost all of the nursery prep, and napping (and sleeping in general) has been difficult for me for the past month. I am happy to say though that I think I may have discovered the key to napping - Penguin! Cuddling with Penguin puts me just in the right position to be able to fall asleep for a little bit. What would I do without that little girl? She is such good company and I'm so lucky to have her!

And so week 33 begins...

Upon request, here is the 32 week  photo, although I admit that its really more like a 32 weeks and 5 days picture because we kind of forgot until Saturday night. (Week resets on Mondays)

Today I had another non-stress test and biophysical exam. Twice a week tests feel like they are just about every other day! I'm already tired of them and it was only my third one... I shouldn't complain though, because they said everything is going wonderfully. Both boys received 10/10 on the biophysical exams. Maria (the NST lady), Elaine (the sonographer), and the doctor all made comments about how active they are. They definitely didn't need to tell me that - I feel like they never stop moving! The doctor told me that the chances of them both getting into position (head down) at this point is very slim and that she feels confident saying that it is going to have to be a c-section. She did say, however, that since they are doing so well, she thinks they are going to go the distance and make it to the end of week 37 when we pull the plug. I said that maybe they could, but I didn't know if I could last that long!

Week 32, Appointment 2

So Friday was my 32 week growth scan and another non-stress test and biophysical. My parents came along and I warned them that the first appointment was going to be way more exciting than the second one. The growth scan was at Maternal Fetal Medicine, and I had my favorite sonographer, Kristin.  She spent a lot of time with us showing us all sorts of cool things, like Logan’s hair! Not only does he have a lot of it, but it’s pretty long! Riley, on the other hand, only has a little hair and it is short. Hooray for a way to tell them apart right off the bat! I’ve heard that many kids lose that hair right away, but I hope Logan holds on to it –it will make life so much easier.  Kristin also showed me exactly where Logan is (they keep on moving!) – his head is up by my lowest rib sort of on my left side, but fairly close to the middle. His but is down by around the same level as my hip bone, and his legs are stretched out to the right side of my body, like he’s sitting on the floor. Riley, on the other hand, is curled up into a ball. Kristin showed us how his knees were by his head. He is in a more transverse position at this point. (The sonographer at the regular ob saw that and said “wow, they really don’t plan on leaving any time soon.”) Their heads are right next to each other. Kristin tried desperately to get a good 4d picture of them, but the babies would not cooperate. Logan was not facing the right way, so he was out of the question. Riley was striking the “no paparazzi” pose with his hand in front of his face. We did get to see half his face – an eye, his nose, and an ear, and Kristin was angry that she didn’t take the picture right then. She was convinced that she could get a better picture, but after 15 or 20 minutes of trying, she finally gave up. She tried from different angles, but it was limb city! Logan’s arms, Riley’s arms, Riley’s legs, and Riley’s umbilical cord were all in the same area blocking off the good shots. Oh well, we tried! She did take two profile pictures of Riley. Logan was just not in a position that his picture would look like anything.

Seeming as though it was a growth scan, we did get their new weights. Logan is now 4 lbs, and Riley is 4 lbs, 1 oz. I find this interesting, because before Logan was the bigger one. Not by much, but still. They are now only at the 30^th percentile for singleton babies. That made me a little sad at first, since they were at the 50^th only 4 weeks ago, but I know that twins drop off and just aren’t typically as big. I had the really rude doctor from last time, but he was very pleasant today (I wonder if that’s because I called and complained about him). I asked him if their weights were good for twins, and he said they were. If they keep cooking for 2-4 more weeks they should be 5 or 6lbs.

The biophysical and non-stress test were pretty boring, although my mom did tell their sonographer the story of how she found out she was going to have two grandchildren, since I pointed out that this sonographer was the one who told Steve and I it was twins. Riley definitely was moving around for the NST, but not quite as much as last time. I tried desperately to video him kicking the sensors, and he was definitely moving them, but the videos don’t look like much. I can always try again on Tuesday!

In the meantime, please enjoy this alien baby video.

Baby Shower # 3! Are we lucky to know so many great people, or what?

On Saturday, Steve and I had plans to go to his coworker Isaac’s house for a game night. These were long standing plans, although I had warned Steve when the plans were first made that it was after my travel window (I had declared a few months prior that I would not be traveling farther than work after Valentine’s Day).  The bad news is I woke up feeling awful that morning. I was aching EVERYWHERE and was completely exhausted. The good news is that Steve waited on me hand and foot until I felt better. I am talking breakfast in bed, getting me Tylenol and anything else I requested, making me a milkshake, making me lunch, working in the nursery as I sat on the couch in there and told him what I wanted done, and taking a nap with me (ok I took a nap, he watched I-robot). Since I felt better, I agreed to go to game night.

When we got there, I discovered why Steve wanted me to go to Isaac’s so badly. We walked in, and everyone yelled SURPRISE! I stood there like an idiot, looking confused, and said “surprise what?” Of course at that point, they let me know it was a baby shower for us.

You know, I thought something weird was going on when Steve called Isaac to tell him we were going to be 15 minutes late. I even asked him about it, saying that I didn’t think that you had to be at a game night at a specific time. I chalked it up to Steve just being weird, because I really didn’t even consider that Steve’s coworkers would have a shower that was a surprise for me!

The food was good, the conversation was good, and Penguin had a great time playing with Sam and Derby. I can’t believe how generous Steve’s coworkers were! They gave us such nice gifts – many of which were things that we need that we never would have thought to buy (yay mothers of young children who have learned from experience!)  We also got some of the cutest toys and clothes ever. Our boys are going to be living in style! We are so appreciative of everything everyone did for us! It was so kind of them! (I even had a peanut butter cheesecake made especially for me!) 

Week 32, Appointment 1

Today I had my first non-stress test (NST), biophysical exam, and normal 32 week appointment. The title of today's post says appointment 1 because on Friday I have my growth scan at Maternal Fetal Medicine, and directly following that I have another NST and biophysical.

I would be lying if I said the NST and biophysical were as exciting than I hoped... but the good news is, the babies are doing GREAT! We started with the NST, and I sat in a funny shaped chair and they strapped 3 sensors to my stomach. The sensors recorded their heart rates, which are apparently supposed to spike at least twice every ten minutes. Then I had to hold what looked like a Jeopardy buzzer and press the button every time I felt them move. Apparently, they are watching to see if there is any heart rate reaction to movement.

We need a chair like this at home... I might actually sleep!

So anyways, they strap me up, and tighten the straps so that the sensors stay in place. Well, Riley did not like this.... not one bit. He proceeded to try to kick the sensor off of him... through most of the 20 minute test. When I go back on Friday, I plan to bring the Flip and see if we can catch it on film (although they often cease all movement at the sound of the Flip turning on). It was amusing because as they moved, the sensors would pick up the sound.... and man, they did not stop moving! The chart the machine printed out looked a whole lot like a lie detector test. The two different colored lines on the left are the two babies' heartbeats.

It didn't mean a whole heck of a lot to us, but the nurse said it was the best you could possibly ask of them.

Next, it was time for an ultrasound. Sorry, she did not even offer us pics... but I'm sure MFM will give us some Friday. In the ultrasound, they measured the amniotic fluid and showed us how they can tell the boys are breathing. They also showed us that despite my suspicions, Logan is still head up. She said their heads are pretty much on the same level, but Logan is head up and Riley is head down, which means Riley is a lot higher. I had suspected otherwise because I have felt Logan move significantly more lately and he has had a lot of alien baby moments, which were previously Riley's thing. Also, my stomach is definitely lower than it used to be. I guess Logan has just moved down and forward a bit.

When we met with the doctor, we just chatted a bit, he asked about their movements, and I shared that Riley is the trouble maker of the two. That part of the appt was mostly question/answer, but the important news he gave was that both babies scored a 10 out of 10 on the biophysical exam. He said that they were both doing wonderfully.

How am I, you ask? One word: tired. These boys do not want to let me sleep, and they have not even been born yet! Infants may be a relief! I don't seem to sleep for more than 2 hours at a time these days anyway. Laying on my side becomes less comfortable daily - it hurts my hips and back and causes a lot of tossing and turning (poor Penguin). I had tried propping myself up into an almost sitting position, which worked great the first night (I slept almost 5 hrs straight) but now the boys have decided that that position means its play time. They move so much that it becomes impossible to fall asleep. They are strong boys! They hit hard! Oh well... only 8 school days left! (And 3 IEPs and 2 ERs).

When will they arrive???

Steve and I thought it would be pretty fun to have people guess when they think Logan and Riley will make their grand appearance. I am not sure how to make a calendar that anyone can edit, so I made a google calendar that hopefully you can see below. Just post a comment to pick a date, or email or text Steve or I, and we will put your pick on the calendar.

I hope this works - I am new at this, and am figuring it out all by myself while Steve is at work :)

You should see the calendar below:
(most people are going with March, so hit the arrow to see the March guesses)



If not, here is a link: Twin Arrival Calendar

Just remember, the doctor said she would not let me go past 38 weeks. Happy picking!!!

Baby Shower - a man's perspective

So by now you’ve read about how the grandmothers-to-be threw us a baby shower in NJ back at the end of January. It was the first time that I’ve ever been to a baby or wedding shower in my life, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Carrie wanted me to be there, though, so I braved the room full of 40-some women to help open presents and load the car.

And you know what? I had a great time.

We got to see a lot of people that we haven’t gotten to spend a lot of time with since the wedding. Not only that, but we finally got to meet Natalie’s little girl, Dahlia. She’s 10 months old now, and we hadn’t gotten to see her yet. Needless to say, when placed in my arms, she immediately started crying. Not really a great omen for me, but she did eventually warm up to me.

Still not sure what to think of me...

I also got to spend time with my nephew, Alex. It’s been a while since we got to hang out, and I’m glad he wanted to hang around and help me out with boxes and things. Besides, I think it’s hard for a growing boy to turn down prime rib sandwiches and cake.

One of the few issues we had was the arrangement of the tables. Between people talking and the servers working their way around, Carrie had a bit of a problem maneuvering her belly in the tight spaces. I’m a bit more used to having to keep my stomach out of the way, so I got to walk around and talk with everyone. I can’t say enough how great it was to see all of our friends and family come out to see us.

A few more pics:

Not sure this one's gonna fit me...

Showing off our non-overly-feminine diaper bag.

Yeah, Chris, we get it. I've heard women think babysitting is sexy.

I should also thank everyone at Boyertown JHE who managed to surprise Carrie with even more cake! I’m glad I was able to make it to that shower, too. The amount of support we’ve gotten while getting ready for Riley and Logan’s grand entrance has been unbelievable.

And in less than 2 months, we’ll all finally get to meet them.

- Steve

P.S. – for those of you who are asking for nursery photos, I still have a little bit of work to do before we post those. All the painting’s done, though, and it looks fantastic! Stay tuned!

Baby Bump Pic - Week 31

We realized we missed week 30 for a baby bump update, so we'll just have to pick up here. Penguin decided she wanted to be on the internet, too, so we decided to cooperate.

4/5ths of the family, all in one picture :-P

Baby Shower

     Sorry this took so long… I was hoping to get pictures from other people since every picture on our camera is of Steve and/or me.  I finally decided that instead of waiting any longer, I should just post, since I can always post more pictures later.

     On January 28^th we had a baby shower thrown by the grandmas to be. Riley and Logan are lucky to have such wonderful grandmas and so many fantastic family members and friends that already care so much about them!

     The shower was at a restaurant in my home town and my super creative mom did a great job decorating. It was a monkey twin theme and was absolutely adorable.

The favors, filled with homemade cookies and lollipops!

We had baby lottery tickets in our goody bags, which I found hilarious. You scratch off a bottle to see what you put inside. Mine had a rubber ducky in it and said “That goes in the bath!” Steve got the winning ticket because he had a carton of milk in the bottle. I may not be a mom yet, but I’m pretty sure you are not supposed to put milk in a baby bottle…

     I think my favorite shower item was the mat of the babies’ ultrasound pictures that was sent around for everyone to write notes to Riley and Logan. It was a really cute idea and I bet they will love it when they are elementary school age. My mom also decorated an advice book which I can’t wait to read – she said she flipped through and some of the guests wrote really funny things!

This is really cool! Now we just need a frame to hang it in the boys' room.

     Steve and I really enjoyed seeing some family members and friends that we have not seen in a long time – some of them since the wedding! I wish I got to talk to everyone more, but my giant belly kept getting in the way of the servers.  I do think, however, that we scored ourselves a whole list of future babysitters (do they realize there are TWO babies?)

    I can’t believe how incredibly generous everyone was. Steve and I are now feeling much more prepared for the boys’ arrival (well, maybe not mentally, but we have everything we need!) We received car seats, pack’n’plays, high chairs, a swing, clothes, toys, mobiles, blankets, diapers…. everything we could possibly need! Thank you everyone! All four of us are so lucky to have you in our lives!!!

JHE Baby Shower

Yesterday I was totally caught off guard by a baby shower at work. Brandy, my co-teacher, had mentioned more than once that they would have something at East for me, and I realize that every teacher who has had their first child while working at East has had a shower, so it's not that I was surprised that they threw one... it was the timing that got me.

Based on the previous showers I've gone to, I definitely thought if they were going to have a shower, it was going to be tomorrow, since we have a half day in-service. I was starting to think otherwise because I had no hints or clues from Brandy, who tells me everything (not that she's ever really had to keep a secret from me before). Anyways, there I was, working on a test for next week, when I heard my principal's voice over the loudspeaker, announcing a stand up meeting in the library. His voice sounded upset, so as I walked toward the library, I was imagining what horrible thing may have happened. As I walked past the side door of the library, I saw a coworker and a present through the skinny window, and I knew. Of course my face and ears got all hot as they all yelled surprise. The biggest surprise, however, was when Steve came strolling in. I couldn't believe that 1. he drove all the way there from Wilkes-Barre, and 2. he knew about the shower and didn't give it away!

The cake was delicious, and my coworkers gave me a bunch of really fantastic presents, including the cutest dino sleep'n'plays I've ever seen, as well as personalized onsies. I am so appreciative of everything they did for me!

Although I got so many fantastic things that I LOVE, here is my absolute favorite:

Maureen, you are so creative it is insane!