38 Weeks

Thursday, February 1 - 38 weeks
This is it, Brother! We're in the homestretch! You did excellent on your ultrasound today - you were breathing a lot, way head down and facing my back. The tech said "baby knows how to exit!" After the ultrasound, I met with the nurse practitioner who checked my cervix. She said I'm about 2-3 centimeters dilated, that my cervix felt a lot lower than two weeks ago, and she could even feel your head. I asked her if she could help move things along a bit, so she went back in a swept my membranes. This means she tried to separate the fluid sac from the uterine lining. Sometimes this helps encourage contractions and labor, so I'm hoping it'll work for us. Since having that done this afternoon, I've had several contractions and some cramping. But now that I've been sitting for a bit tonight after doing my treatments, it's seems to have slowed down. Part of me wants to go straight to bed, another part of me wants to walk around the house to get things moving again. I'm just so antsy to meet you! We'll see how it goes tonight...

Oh, and how could I forget?! Your cousin, Adler, was born this afternoon!! I'm so excited to watch you two grow up together with your other cousins. :)

Friday, February 2 - 38w, 1d
Well, unfortunately nothing happened overnight except me being uncomfortable while I slept. I'm still having some bloody, mucus-y discharge every now and then, so maybe being up and moving at work today will get things going.

Sunday, February 4 - 38w, 3d
I'm still pregnant! All signs of labor beginning have tapered away. I've given up that you're going to make your appearance this weekend. I'm still really uncomfortable, but planning on trying to keep busy today to keep my mind off of not going into labor, and maybe tricking my body into go into labor, haha! Either way, I have five more days of work and just over a week until you're being evicted, so there is an end in sight! Daddy and I have also narrowed your name choices down to two, which is kind of exciting. Now to discuss a middle name....

Monday, February 5 - 38w, 4d
I had my last non-stress test today which was fairly uneventful. I did have about 4 contractions in the half an hour I was hooked up, but they didn't seem to care. I also had them every eight minutes on the drive back home, but then slowed down once I was up and moving for the evening. Even if you decide not to come on your own, it's very reassuring to know that you'll be in our arms in a week! I'm actually starting to look forward to the induction because I know the end result will be SO worth it, even if I don't necessarily want to be induced.

Today also marks one year since our twin boys were born and left this earth. I thought about them quite a bit today, and a lot over the weekend. It's hard to believe an entire year has gone by since we were able to see their faces, hold their tiny little bodies, and kiss their little heads. I'm really glad that Brother did not make his appearance today because I really wanted our boys to have separate birthdays. I'm also very thankful that this pregnancy has been going so much smoother than theirs. It's wonderful to see that my body still knows what to do after such a tragedy. Not a day goes by that I don't think about those two little sweet faces. I am so happy to have their footprints permanently on my body to remind me of our two boys who are no longer with us, but never, ever forgotten.

Tuesday, February 6 - 38w, 5d
It's been a rough day for me. I woke up feeling very uncomfortable and basically remained that way all day. Brother was sitting super low, so I tried to balance sitting down at work for comfort, but walking/standing to try to help convince him to come out....no luck. This evening I tried to take a bath to relax, but with a 3 1/2 year old in the house, that didn't go over so well. I spent the next hour or so trying to catch up on work and homework -- got all of my work caught up, not so much my homework that's due Sunday night. I am SO ready to have this baby! Three more days of work this week and then we just have to get through the weekend. Monday cannot come soon enough right now!

36 & 37 Weeks

Thursday, January 18 - 36 weeks!
9 months pregnant, here we are! I didn't know if this day would ever come again for me after having the twins so early. I didn't know if my cervix would ever be able to carry another baby to term, but we've made it (technically, full term is next week, but still). I can't wait to see how big you are today, they're finally measuring you again. A month ago you were estimated to be just over 4lbs. I wouldn't be surprised if your'e right around 6lbs today, we'll see. A lot of people have commented on how big I've gotten over the last couple weeks, so you're definitely growing enough that people are noticing.

Thankfully, I'm still feeling pretty good. I have to waddle whenever I walk, but I'm really not that uncomfortable while at work. I've been pretty good about balancing my sitting, standing and walking around which helps. I just have to make sure I wear comfortable shoes, otherwise my back does begin to hurt after a while. Sleeping hasn't been too terrible - I think I'm just getting used to having to turn over several times a night. It's very uncomfortable if I wake up on my back, so I try my best to stay on my side all night. I just have to flip (which is a process!) back and forth all night because my hips get sore. My contractions are still very inconsistent, but I've noticed over the last day or two they are getting a little lower in my uterus and a little more uncomfortable. Brother is also getting so big that he sometimes stretches and/or kicks way down in my hips which does not feel good. Really though, these are all pretty small things. I am very happy that I am still able to work and plan to work up until I go into labor, basically. I've even joked with my coworkers about my water breaking at school! I'm going to start keeping mine & Brother's hospital bags in my car, I think, just in case that really does happen.

Friday, January 19 - 36w, 1d
We had a good appointment yesterday, Brother! I've gained about 16lbs this pregnancy and it seems like a good portion of that is you right now! You passed your biophysical profile - you were moving a ton during the ultrasound, practicing your breathing and you had a good level of fluid. The ultrasound tech also took your measurements and you're estimated weight is already over six pounds (6lbs 8oz, 64th percentile)!! Now, I know that ultrasounds are not the most accurate, and I did ask for a tech who could speed through my ultrasound yesterday because I had to get Anna to swim. I'm guessing you're closer to just six pounds right now, but we'll see. Either way, you're growing very well and the doctor said that you'd be just fine if you were born any time now.

After the ultrasound, they did my Group B strep test (a swab down below) and then she checked my cervix. She said it was way back there, but it's about half way thinned out and about one centimeter dilated. She said if she pushed a little harder, she probably could have felt your head, but she didn't want to make me too uncomfortable. You were way head down during your ultrasound, so that's good, too.

There's been talk of inducing me a little early due to my gestational diabetes, but I'm still on the fence about it. Although it would be nice to have an "ending date", I'd really like you to come on your own when you're ready. But, on the other hand, the doctor said that if we wait too long, it could cause some complications due to the gestational diabetes...plus, you're already getting big (but they are not concerned about your size, you are not "too big" right now). So, it's a discussion that we will continue each week at my appointments and just kind of see how things are going. I was scheduled for an induction with Anna and never ended up needing it because she came on her own, and I'd really like the same for you, but we'll see. Either way, you'll be here in just a matter of weeks!! :)

Friday, January 26 - 37w, 1d
37 weeks seems so close to the end, yay! As usual, I had an appointment yesterday and, as usual, you're doing great. Your head was way down low so there was no chance of seeing your little face. Your booty is up high and always wiggling around. Your fluid level still looked good, you were moving like crazy and practicing your breathing -- everything you're supposed to be doing.

I'm still hanging in there, luckily, still not terribly uncomfortable. I'm big, I'm waddling, but I'm not in pain. I'm just inpatient and ready to hold you!! My contractions have continued, but still irregularly. A couple days this week, I thought I might have been dripping some fluid, but it turns out I might have just been dripping some pee instead...oh the joys of the end of pregnancy!

My group B came back positive (did with Anna, too), so I'll be sure to get a round of antibiotics during my labor to help keep you healthy during delivery. We have an induction date set - I reluctantly agreed. Originally they wanted it to be at 39 weeks, but I pushed back a little and we compromised for a few days later. Doctors do not want me going past my due date because the risk of you being stillborn increases because of my gestational diabetes and my need for insulin. As I've mentioned before, as much as I can't wait to see you and hold you, I really don't want to have to be induced. I'm worried it'll not work or lead to a c-section. I voiced my concerns, but my doctors feel I'll do well with an induction because my body is already (very slowly) beginning to prepare for labor and because I've had a successful vaginal delivery in the past. So, if you could come on your own any time now, I'd be totally okay with that! :)

I'm very lucky to have an awesome maternity leave sub who's going to fill in for me while I'm gone at work. She's been coming in to watch me, get to know the kids better, and see what we're doing for the last week or so. It's wonderful having an extra set of hands around sometimes, and it's been really nice getting everything set for her. Unfortunately, I'll only be able to take six weeks off because that's all I have sick time for. So really, the later Brother comes, the better for me because it'll get my maternity leave that much closer to backing up to spring break.

Wednesday, January 31 - 37w, 6d
Tomorrow is officially baby month! I am so ready! Last night I was having inconsistent contractions for a couple hours, but eventually they slowed down and disappeared overnight. Brother felt a lot lower this morning and I was pretty uncomfortable at work today for the first time. I'm hoping the contractions keep up so that he can make his appearance soon. :) Tomorrow I am going in for my scheduled appointment and the NP should be checking my cervix. I'm hoping that'll help get things moving along, too.

32 & 33 Weeks

First day of winter break, woke up early with
Daddy so he could get my picture before leaving for work

Thursday, December 21 - 32 weeks
Not too much to report today, other than that shirt barely fits me anymore! Anna had her first dentist visit today and was a total rockstar! No tears and she did everything they asked her to, some of it even with a smile on her face. :) After the dentist, we went to the bank, the library and then out to lunch together.
This afternoon, she took a nice, long nap while I relaxed on the couch. You had the hiccups (again - you get them at least once a day!) and were rolling around quite a bit. I think I had several Braxton Hicks again, but sometimes it's hard to tell if that's what it is, or if it's just you laying/pushing in a weird position. I'm glad I have a doctor appointment tomorrow so they can check you and your growth. I'm going to the local clinic since my regular MFM team isn't in the office on Fridays. I'm curious about what they'll say about everything. I'm on to weekly appointments right now, and starting in January, I'll be going twice a week. As much as it's going to suck driving there and back two times a week, it'll be nice and reassuring to have you monitored so often. Some days I feel like you're due date is so far away, but then other days (like today with the Braxton Hicks) I worry that you're going to come early.

Friday, December 22 - 32w, 1d
Good appointment today, Brother. :) Four weeks ago you were measuring small/normal in the 16th percentile. Today, you were measuring in the 37th percentile! You're weight was estimated to be about 4lbs 3oz - up almost two pounds from four weeks ago. I'm so proud of how well you're growing! No wonder I'm starting to feel huge and uncomfortable. I know that ultrasounds aren't always the most accurate, but it's reassuring to see you growing so well.

Tuesday, December 26 - 32w, 5d
We've made it through Christmas and I am so ready for you to be here! My plan for today is to get all of Anna's new toys put away so we can start taking down the Christmas decorations. I feel like it's Baby Crunch Time and finally time to focus on getting your room finished. Daddy has to put up the moulding, finish your rocking chair, put up your shelves, assemble your crib...and then I think we can finally start organizing your room. I can't wait to get in your closet and pull everything out. I've been itching to organize for months, and now that Christmas is over, there's nothing else in the way.

Thursday, December 28 - 33 weeks
One more week of winter break. Christmas decorations and toys are all put away. Daddy started working on the crown and moulding in your rom. He also started reorganizing the basement a bit so he can put all of the extra stuff from your room into the basement. Slow and steady....we're getting there.

The last few days I've been really concerned about catching the flu when I go back to school. I've seen so many people posting on FB about catching the flu and how they've never felt worse - it makes me nervous to go back to school. I'm worried that I'll catch it and need to take several days off work and possibly end up in the hospital. I can't really afford to get sick right now, plus I barely have enough sick days available for maternity leave, let alone sick time before you arrive. Yesterday, Anna and I had to run a bunch of errands, and I ended up wearing my mask in all of the stores because I was afraid to catch someone else's germs. I wish I could quarantine myself for the rest of your pregnancy to make sure that both of us remain healthy! I'm going to ask the doctor today if I can have some TamiFlu to keep on hand in case I start feeling crumby over the next few weeks.

Saturday, December 30 - 33w, 2d
Your appointment on Thursday went well. You were moving, practicing your breathing and had a good level of fluid. Every week from here on out, they'll be checking those things through an ultrasound until you're born. I'll also be getting weekly non-stress tests, where they'll monitor your movements, heart rate and if I'm having any contractions and how you react to them. My first one is on Monday. You'll be measured in another two or three weeks, but at the rate you're growing, I'm guessing you're going to be bigger than Anna was when she was born.

30 & 31 Weeks

Thursday, December 7th - 30 weeks
Something about getting to 30 weeks today really gets me excited and feels like an accomplishment. It's like we're in the home stretch! The longer you're in there, the less nervous I get about you being born early. I know that nothing is guaranteed, but I feel like as each week passes, your chance of survival just increases that much more.

Your movements have been getting so much more interesting. You're still sitting pretty low, but because you're getting bigger and running out of room, your movements are a lot more noticeable from the outside, especially when I'm reclining or laying. It's so fun to watch you jerk around and guess what we're seeing - a head, your back, legs, arms?! Sometimes it feels like you're doing the worm! You've had some really strong kicks/punches lately which always catch me off guard! But this is absolutely my favorite part about being pregnant. I love feeling you move all day long and I especially love watching you move in the evenings. Every little (or big) jab is an excellent reminder of how lucky we are that you're still doing well. Along with your movements, comes some tightness in my belly sometimes. I can't tell if these are Braxton Hicks or just the way you're positioned at the time. They don't hurt too bad, just a weird tight feeling and don't typically stick around for long. I know it's pretty normal to be having Braxton Hicks around this time (and I think I did with Anna). I'll have to run it by my nurse on Monday and see what she thinks.

Sunday, December 10 - 30w, 3d

Your room is painted! It was a big deal for me to get the room painted because it's one step closer to becoming your room and farther away from being the office. I love the blue we chose - it looks excellent on the wall and on your crib.

One wall is blue and the rest are gray

Your room is far from done and ready, but I feel like we made good progress this weekend. It's going to be tough getting anything done the next two weekends because of family Christmases, so I foresee Daddy working some evenings after work to keep going on some projects. We're quickly running out of time before you're here, but I don't care, I'm getting so excited!

Your little head or booty sticking up!

Monday, December 11 - 30w, 4d
I had an appointment today with the nurse practitioner at MFM and everything is going well. Sugars have been decent the last two weeks and your constant movements let us know that you're doing well, too. Your heart rate was 140s-150s today, my weight gain is good (about 13lbs so far) and that's about it. Nothing exciting, which is good. Even though we're within single-digit weeks of you being born, we need you to stay comfy for several more!

Thursday, December 14 - 31 weeks
We're two months (and one day) away from your official due date! I'm heading to CF clinic today, so I'm curious to see what my numbers look like. I started inhaled TOBI about a week ago and it slowly seems to be helping. I'm guessing (and hoping) I won't have to go back until after you're born. I am not looking forward to the long drive today!

Monday, December 18 - 31w, 4d
My clinic appointment went well on Thursday. My lung function remains at 85% and my small airways even increased slightly, so that's always good to hear. I'm not a big fan of the way TOBI is making me feel (scratchy cough, dry mouth), but it seems to be helping for now. Dr. Dowell did say that I am welcome to stop TOBI at any time and get back on Cayston. I'm coming up on two weeks on TOBI, so I'm hoping to stick it out the full four weeks to introduce my lung bacteria to a new med that it hasn't been exposed to in years.
The doctor wants me to come back one more time in January, but as long as I'm feeling well, I'm not planning on going. I do not have enough sick days to cover my maternity leave, so I don't want to use up one more before I have Brother.

We celebrated our first family Christmas on Saturday with Tim's whole family. It was a lot of fun hanging out with everyone! Anna had a good time with her cousins, even took a nap for a while in between all of her fun. It was all fine and dandy until Anna threw up four-five times on the way home. It's an hour drive between Grandma's and home, but Saturday night took us about two hours. The poor girl was complaining of a stomach ache about 20 minutes into our ride, so we figured she had to go to the bathroom and told her we'd stop at the next gas station....until we heard the all too familiar sound. :( We pulled over and got her cleaned up as best as we could. Thankfully she had received some new clothes and jammies that day, so we changed her into those. This happened three more times on the way home and we were quickly running out of things to clean her up with and things to change her into. It was a long, exhausting, late night.
It turns out, whatever she had eaten must not have agreed with her. Even though we all ate the same stuff, her body did not like something. She ended up puking up absolutely everything in her tummy, even after we got home. Finally, around 4am, she was done and was able to get some sleep. Thankfully, when she woke up yesterday, she was on the mend. She was able to keep down water, then some medicine, then apple sauce and toast. By early afternoon, I had to keep her from jumping on her bed - she was feeling back to normal! I'm really grateful that she didn't have a fever to go along with it and that it only lasted those 12ish hours. I'm also very glad that she is feeling back to herself and can go to school for these last few days before break, and that Tim and I didn't get sick right along with her.

28 & 29 Weeks

Thursday, November 23 - 28 weeks
Happy Thanksgiving! I am beyond thankful to be having such a normal, easy, healthy pregnancy this time around! I'm so excited to officially be in the third trimester now -- you'll be here before we know it!
Today was a busy, but productive day. Daddy finished the ceiling in your bedroom and hung your ceiling fan. Tomorrow I'm hoping he'll clear out the room so we can finally paint the walls! We also started putting up our Christmas decorations around the house today. I'd love to get a tree soon so we can put the presents around it, since they've been wrapped since Halloween. This year we have six stockings hanging along the mantel. Mommy, Daddy, Anna, Baby A, Baby B and yours. :) It was a little sad seeing their little stockings and name plates from last year, but I plan to keep them up in memory of your brothers.

Sunday, November 26 - 28w, 3d
Back to the daily grind tomorrow and finally another ultrasound! We had a great, relaxing yet productive weekend. I always look forward to this weekend because we get to spend so much time together as a family. Its the longest weekend we typically have off together all year.

I'm really looking forward to your ultrasound tomorrow because it's been six weeks since you've been measured and about a month since we've had an ultrasound. I'm sure you're going to look so much bigger! I just hope you're not getting too big.

Tuesday, November 28 - 28w, 5d
I had your appointment yesterday and everything went very well. You are definitely not too big, in fact, measured small-normal at around the 13th percentile. At first this concerned me a bit because the last time you were measured, you were in the 45th percentile, so that seemed like a big drop to me, but the nurse assured me that they aren't worried at all. She said you could have been going through a growth spurt the last time you were measured.

Needless to say, I don't think we're going to have any issues with you getting too big by the end of this pregnancy. I think we're actually going to be more aware that you're not too small...just like we did with Anna. Your estimated weight was about 2lbs 7oz which is right on track according to the nurse and my apps, so that's really good. I thought you looked so big in there, and completely squished. You were moving all around while the tech was measuring you and had your legs in front of your face pretty much the whole time. Every now and then you'd peek out between your legs and we'd see your nose and lips. You were also clapping the bottoms of your feet together at one point which was pretty funny. We also saw you practicing your breathing, which is excellent that you're doing that already.

I'll go back in two weeks for just a regular check-up, no ultrasound. And then after that, I go back right after Christmas and I'll be 32 weeks, so that's when the appointments will start happening twice weekly because of the gestational diabetes. Speaking of, my sugars have been better - although, not the best when we eat out at Chinese or Culver's! But, for right now, they are not increasing my insulin since overall the numbers seem to be getting better, so I was happy about that. Yesterday, I also got the whopping cough vaccine, so that I can pass some of it on to you before you're born.

Monday, December 4 - 29w, 4d
Wow, December already - that means you'll be here in just two short months! I'm so excited! I can't wait to snuggle your little squishy self! Although, it's going to be a long two months because the last few days my discomfort has really kicked in. I've been having a hard time getting comfortable when sleeping, standing/walking for too long makes me hurt, and standing after sitting or laying is not fun either. I don't know how I'm going to make it another two months - lots of sitting.
A coworker made the comment yesterday, "you better watch it because that's how it all started last time". I didn't even think of that, but she's right. I was getting really uncomfortable like this a few weeks before I had the boys. But somehow, this feels different. This feels like normal pregnancy progression discomfort. I'm not having any leaking or discharge and Brother is moving around all the time, which is really reassuring. I go back to the doctor a week from today, so we'll see how I feel then and I'll definitely be bringing it up if I become concerned.
In other news, we are still completely stuck on what to name you! I thought we had it narrowed down to a couple choices, but then we look at lists again and add/change things. I really hope we can choose soon because it's driving me crazy! I had a dream the other night that we had you home from the hospital for a week and you still didn't have a name. Your name is going to end up just being Brother! Ha!

26 & 27 Weeks

Thursday, November 9 - 26 weeks
Good morning from Milwaukee, Brother! We'll be spending the next three days here learning about teaching science with several of my coworkers. I'm really happy that I'm feeling well enough to walk all over for the next few days - there would have been NO way I could make this trip when I was pregnant with your brothers.

You were so squirmy this morning, as soon as I woke up. It was a nice thing to wake up to. :) I'm excited to see what Daddy and Anna get done at home, while I'm gone, on your room. Last week Daddy was able to put drywall on the ceiling, so now he just has to patch the hole in the wall between your room and the kitchen, then I'm hoping we can start painting before he does the wood on the ceiling.

Thursday, November 16 - 27 weeks
We made it to another "viability milestone" this week, according to my app, because your lungs "are developed enough". Your organ systems are mostly developed by now, so the rest of the time will be focused on developing your brain and growing some fat on your little body. The closer and closer we make it to your due date, the more excited I am about bringing you home, and the more it's becoming a reality. You still have lots of growing to do, so stay cozy in there for several more weeks, please.

As I get closer to my third trimester, and since I'm officially a gestational diabetic, they're going to be keeping a much closer eye on both me and Brother. Once I hit 32 weeks, I'll be seen twice a week! One of those days will be a non-stress test and the other will be an ultrasound. Since I'm now on insulin, which seems to be helping, they want to monitor Brother's growth and fluid level, especially as this pregnancy progresses. As long as he's not getting too big, he'll hopefully be able to stay in there for a long time.

I'm supposed to be starting a meal-time insulin (faster acting) with dinner, but I'm waiting on Walgreens (or, most likely, insurance) to tell me it's approved. The overnight insulin I'm on seems to be helping my fasting sugars, especially now since we increased the dose to 8 units before bed. Everyone involved in this process - CF doctor, CF dietician, high risk team, and high-risk OB dietician - have all been communicating really well with each other, keeping my CF in mind and Brother in mind. It's really nice to have support from all sides and I'm glad we're all finally on the same page about insulin. They all tell me that my sugars are basically going to get more uncontrollable as I continue to progress through this pregnancy, and that I'll probably have to continue to increase my insulin dose until Brother is born. It was frustrating at first to see my sugars all over the place, even after eating healthy meals, but I'm glad I'm not doing anything wrong. It's just a combination of baby growing, CF, and pregnancy.

This week, the waddle is in full-effect. Brother is sitting very low and sitting/standing for too long makes me uncomfortable - also, transitioning from sitting to standing, or the other way, is sometimes uncomfortable. I can only imagine what it's going to be like teaching in January with an even bigger baby to lug around, but I know I can handle it.

I'm looking forward to getting more done on Brother's room over Thanksgiving weekend. That's the one time of year where Tim and I have 4 days off together, and we are typically very productive. Brother's room needs a ceiling and some paint on his walls before we can start with the fun part - decorating! I can't wait to get his crib up, start arranging his furniture and washing/organizing his clothes!

Wednesday, November 22 - 27w, 6d
The ceiling coverage began last weekend and will hopefully finish tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to painting the walls in your room because it's going to start making it seem more like "your room" instead of the office still (or as Anna still calls it, my "treatments room").

I started a mealtime insulin on Friday night that seems to be helping. It feels really good to be able to eat what I want now without worrying too much about my sugars. I'm hoping that keeping them in better control will help keep you healthy when you're born. At my last OB appointment, they checked my A1C level and it was 4.6 which is actually lower than it was at the beginning of my pregnancy, so I was very pleased. I'm looking forward to your appointment on Monday because they're finally going to measure you again. I can't wait to see how big you're getting. Your big movements are getting more visible from the outside, and your smaller movements are getting more noticeable throughout the day, even when I'm standing, and you've even had the hiccups a couple times within the last week or two. :)

I just can't wait for you to be here - I can't wait to snuggle you! Bring on the third trimester and let's hope it goes by just as quickly as the last two have!

24 & 25 Weeks

Saturday, October 28 - 24w, 2d
We've made it to "viability" gestational age. I had my last cervical check on Thursday and everything looked good. Brother looked completely squished in there, but the tech assured me that he still has plenty of fluid and was just in a weird position. Even though Brother could be viable if he were born now, that thought is terrifying. He's still too little and has a lot more development to go. I feel like this entire pregnancy has been "one week at a time" and I'm still in that mentality. Although, as the weeks progress, I get a little bit more confident that we are going to be bringing this little guy home with us later this winter.

As you can tell from this week's picture Daddy is making progress on your bedroom. Two weekends ago he tore the ceiling out and then last weekend he put in new support beams. As soon as he gets the brakes fixed on the truck then he'll be able to go buy some drywall to patch the wall leading to the kitchen. Once the ceiling and walls are done, we'll be able to paint and then finally start decorating. :)

Monday, November 6 - 25w, 4d
You're so wiggly this week! Your movements have been getting stronger and a bit more noticeable from the outside when I'm laying down or reclining. It's fun to feel you stretch out, roll around, flip, and flail your arms and legs. You're getting bigger and heavier which is making me a little uncomfortable when I'm standing for a while or get up after sitting for long and I'm also noticing that I'm starting to waddle...

I started insulin last week - been on it a week now. I've been struggling to keep my post-dinner and fasting sugars in control, so I felt it was the best. The dietician at the OB's office told me it's basically going to be harder to control with diet the further I get in this pregnancy. Between my CF, your placenta growing, and my hormones, my sugars are going to continue to rise until you're born. In order to keep you safe, we all decided that I needed to start insulin at night. My CF doctor and CF dietician don't want me to cut carbs or anything out of my diet, so that I'm still getting the proper amount of calories, but I'm noticing that carbs really do make my sugars spike, so I'm trying to make a balance. It's been tough and I'm guessing my insulin need will also increase as the pregnancy progresses. It's all worth it though, whatever I can do to keep you safe and to keep my hunger satisfied -- I'm constantly hungry, still!

16 & 17 Weeks

January 11 - 16 Weeks today!
Morning:
According to my apps (yes, I have three), you're about the size of avocados - around 4.5 inches long. That's nine inches of babies!! All of my apps say that I should start feeling you soon, and I cannot wait! I can only imagine the shapes and sizes that my belly is going to be with two of you moving around in there!

The products I ordered should be complete either today or tomorrow, so we'll be revealing your genders before the weekend. People (especially co-workers, haha!) are getting very antsy - it's been pretty funny!

Evening:
The order is here! Waiting anxiously for Daddy and Anna to come home so we can make our little announcement. :) I am so surprised at how involved everyone has gotten (especially at work) with these two little beans already. I don't know if its because you're twins that makes it more exciting or what, but it's wonderful knowing we have so much love and support for these little ones!

January 13 - 16+2 weeks
The word is out:

You're both boys!! Anna is going to have two little brothers (even though sometimes she still says you're "girl babies")! I love the way my shirt turned out and Anna is very proud to wear hers - she even added in her own touch of the cape for the picture, which I thought was so perfect.

The shirts came in a day early so that was exciting because people were asking me like crazy! Daddy and I had a bit of fun with it and only showed one side for about an hour before posting the picture above - just had to drive people nuts one last time! :)

Yesterday we received your double stroller in the mail and we all couldn't wait to open it. Of course Anna had to try it out right away and she loved it. Unfortunately Anna's old infant car seat isn't really compatible with the new stroller, so we'll be looking to sell her travel system set and purchase two smaller infant seats for you guys.

Now that we know & have announced your genders, I'm getting very anxious to start on your bedroom! We don't have a specific theme picked out yet, but have a couple ideas. We also don't have any names set in stone and probably won't for a while. I'd like to keep your names to ourselves until after you're born so there's a least some element of surprise.

It's crazy to think I'm almost half way through this pregnancy already!

January 14 - 16w, 3d
Horray for a three-day weekend! Right now, my biggest struggle is food, and I hate it. I want to eat everything in sight, but I have to watch my blood sugars so I don't develop gestational diabetes. It was around this time in my pregnancy with Anna that I struggled with post-dinner time highs, and I wish I would have written down what we ate all the time!
I'm struggling because I'm trying to eat healthier, but I don't feel like I'm taking in enough fat and calories that way, and I don't seem to ever feel full. Last night I cheated at ate a ton of pizza because I was just so hungry! I'm hoping my CF doctor and dietitian have a few ideas and suggestions of fatty foods that are not going to spike my sugars.

January 18 - 17 weeks!
Anna and I went shopping over the weekend and got better snack and meal (breakfast & lunch) options for me. It's slowly starting to come back to me about what I lived on -- peanut butter, jerky and cheese! I've also started drinking one Boost drink with my lunch at work to help get a little extra calories and protein instead of having water. I'm curious to see what my weight will be next week at my CF appointment. I'm also wondering what my lung function will look like. I don't feel like the boys are squishing my lungs at all - in fact, today they felt so low they were going to fall out! By the time I get to my appointment, I will have been off Cayston for just about two weeks, so we'll see how they're still holding up.

I went to my first local "Moms of Multiples" meeting last night at a church in town and met with three other moms who have twins (and some with other children, too). It was so nice being able to chat and hear their twin pregnancy experiences. I've also been able to meet another local mom with 18 month old twin boys, who loaned me a book about being pregnant with multiples that's been pretty interesting so far. One of the women from the group last night met up with me today to lend me her belly brace/support. As soon as I found out we were having twins, Tim and I always joked that I would need one by the end of my pregnancy -- we were right! I'm almost half-way through (which is crazy!) and I definitely feel "heavy" sometimes. I think it'll really help this spring when I'm getting a lot bigger and still working. I've been trying to, and will continue to try more, to sit as much as possible throughout the day, but sometimes the discomfort is worse when I get up after sitting for a long time. Sometimes I feel it's best do shorter intervals of sitting/walking/standing. I just keep reminding myself that the discomfort I'm feeling now is nothing compared to what it can/will be later, so I'm really trying not to complain!

Speaking of almost being half-way through, twenty more weeks and these little guys will be considered full-term. That would put us at June 7th. I really hope I'm able to make it past the end of the school year so that I don't have to use my sick days/maternity leave for bed rest. As of right now, on our last day of school, I'll be exactly 35 weeks, so I feel like it's do-able, but I'm really going to have to take it easy in April and May at work.


January 20 - 17w, 2d
I was really uncomfortable yesterday throughout the day, but mostly in the evening. I don't know if I stood too much at work, plus taking Anna swimming was just too much on my body, but I was sore. Plus, it felt like the babies were teaming up and laying together on the lowest part of my uterus! At some points I couldn't tell if I was starting to get mini Braxton Hicks, or if it was just the position of the babies, because my whole belly wasn't hard, just the bottom part. Either way, I had Tim help me put Anna to bed so I didn't have to lift her the rest of the night, and I tried to go to bed a little earlier.

This morning I woke up and had a little bit of pinkish-brown mucus-y discharge when I went to the bathroom. From what I've read and talked to people, pink/brown is old blood and if it was red, it'd be new blood and potentially a problem. I'll definitely be calling MFM this morning, just to let them know, but I'm feeling totally fine this morning and definitely not as uncomfortable as I did last night.


January 22 - 17w, 4d (Sunday)
You two have been keeping me on my toes these last couple days. MFM wasn't too concerned about my call on Friday morning, saying that as long as it wasn't bright red and I wasn't having any contractions, I should be fine. Then Friday afternoon it came back as I was packing the car to head to Bloomington then DeKalb - of course...

So I called MFM again, just to be on the safe side. I was uncomfortable throughout the day on Friday, but tried to sit as much as possible. After talking with the nurse, and she consulted the doctor, they decided it was better to have me come in and get checked just to make sure there weren't any problems. So I headed off to Springfield to see what these little boys were up to! First they did an internal ultrasound to check my cervix and the tech was "very pleased". It was measuring just fine and showed no sign of thinning or shortening. Also, we were able to see Baby A's little head way down low, so that confirmed the very low discomfort I'd been having! Then she did an external ultrasound and you two were moving all over the place! I even saw (I think) Baby B moving his arms back and forth, looking like he was trying to push/hit his brother!! Both placentas looked great, fluid levels were normal, both heart rates were in normal range and both boys were very active. All in all, everything looked great. Phew!

They gave me the all-clear to continue my activities as planned, and didn't even tell me to take it easy. They're going to call me on Monday to follow-up and see how I'm doing. Yesterday we did lots of shopping with Linda & Roger, and I had to sit for breaks frequently, but I was able to get a lot more rest/relaxation today which made me feel better. I'm really going to try to take it easy at work this week - wear comfy shoes, sit when I can, drink even more than I am now, etc. I'm hoping this is just a growth spurt/position issue and it goes away. I cannot imagine being this uncomfortable (plus more as they get bigger) for another 20 weeks!

January 23 - 17w, 5d
Oh boys - you just can't let me relax! It's been one heck of a week! I woke up this morning with a terrible headache and tried to get myself to drink lots and lots of water to help get it to go away, but nothing seemed to help. Aside from the headache and feeling really tired, I wasn't feeling a ton of pressure or discomfort down below like I had been Friday & Saturday. I was still having a little bit of discharge, so I was keeping an eye on that, too. Well, around 10:50 this morning at work, I started bleeding - like a period! Thankfully I have amazing co-workers and I was able to leave to head straight to MFM to get checked while I knew my kids would be in good hands.

Originally, the MFM office suggested I go to the local ER because they typically don't see patients for things like this before 20 weeks, but I told them I'd be much more comfortable seeing them (since they know about my CF & history) than a random person in the ER. The nurse on the phone talked to the doctor and he agreed to see me. When I arrived, they checked my blood pressure which was completely normal and pulse ox was 99%. I had another internal ultrasound to check my cervix. We saw Baby A's feet kicking away way down low, which means he was now breech. My cervix looked just fine - again, no signs of labor, thinning or shortening.
She then did an external ultrasound to check on the boys. They both had high heart rates today because they were so active. Baby A was 175, and Baby B was 168. Baby B was nice and squished, folded in half and we saw him kick himself in the head at one point. The tech was great, took her time, measured what she needed and took lots of pictures for me. One of the 3D pictures, I swear Baby A looks a lot like Anna did from one of her 3D pictures. Baby B was harder to see because he was rolled up into a ball. The tech was very pleased to see them moving so much and also said my fluid levels and placentas looked normal.
After the ultrasounds, they did an exam to check for any active bleeding. She could not see any - just brown old blood. So, overall, everything looked normal again, which is good to hear, but also annoying to me because I felt like I got no explanation as to why I was bleeding!
After everyone looked me over, the doctor came in to chat with me before I left. He said that it's not completely uncommon for women to have bleeding in twin pregnancies due to the extra blood supply and pressure. He said I could probably expect to have spotting throughout the pregnancy and this could potentially put me at risk for preterm labor (which I'm already at risk having twins), but everything looks completely normal today. He was very happy that I was willing to come into MFM today instead of going to the ER because he said they know me (CF + twins) and any time you have bleeding, it could be a sign of labor, but thankfully today its just there to stress me out - haha. We joked about how Anna's pregnancy was so easy, that this one couldn't be just as easy, too!

I am so thankful to have such a wonderful team taking care of me. Not once, Friday or today, did I feel like I was inconveniencing them by coming in on such short notice. Everyone was kind, took their time with me, and answered any questions I had. They all commented on how I can call any time I have questions or concerns.
Hopefully I won't have to go back within the next two weeks, before our big anatomy scan coming up. I'm looking forward to watching them spend lots of time examining and measuring each baby. They seem so big on the screen, but I'm curious how they're measuring for their age. Let's hope I don't have to go back until then, and that they behave!! :)

January 24 - 17w, 6d
Bleeding slowed down a significant amount last night after my appointment and seems to be back in brown stage as of this morning- which I'm hoping means it's the end. I still have a slight headache, but they gave me the okay to take Tylenol, so I'll probably keep that handy today.