Pregnancy Update

I realized I hadn't done a good update in a while. In fact, I hadn't even taken a belly pic since we found out all this crazy stuff, and I was doing SO WELL before!

Anyhow, I'm just about 23 weeks now. I just had another appointment yesterday. Dr. Schemmer was out, so we added another new doctor to the mix, Dr. Gaynor. I really loved her actually. I had been brave enough to bring Addison along with me, she had said she wanted to come too, and I thought it would be cool for her to see the babies on the ultrasound. When I went in for the preliminary ultrasound, a student came in as well (I've had a lot of students come to observe my ultrasounds, I guess its pretty interesting and good training - at least I am useful for something) and he was the sweetest man training to be a nurse. He spent the whole appointment playing with Addison and reading her books while in the ultrasound room with us. When his trainer left, he asked if he could just stay and play since he felt like that's where he could be most useful. I was super grateful for the help and feel better about bringing Addison along in the future.

The pics all looked good. He still has a very strong heart that is functioning normally. The doctor's all seem surprised that things have stayed so stable thus far. But I think we just have a strong little kid in there and he is just doing what he has to do. Yesterday the pictures were hard to get because both babies are laying right beside each other, so we couldn't get very good profiles. I think that as long as we make it through the holidays, I can just be admitted and we will be more or less out of the woods. On one hand, I hate the idea of being in the hospital for so long away from Justin and Addison. On the other hand, I would hate to refuse to go in and do outpatient instead, and have something happen to the babies that would have been caught had I been monitored 24/7. So it is what it is.

Keep the prayers coming! I found out that one of my neighbours had a set of twins and lost one to SIDS at 2 months. She was over at my house talking, and she was so helpful when it came to questions I had, as far as what do you tell the surviving twin, how does it affect the surviving twin. I had so many questions regarding separating the two when they have spent all this time together, if it would affect the healthy baby at all. Her surviving twin is now 19, and she had all sorts of ideas and insight on the subject that I can't get from doctors or reading research on the internet. It's amazing the people and circumstances you run into. I am naturally a very independent person and don't like help in anyway. In this whole situation, I've had to open myself up and accept the help, and it's been super humbling.

So, here is the glorious belly. I'll give you the comparison of Addison's baby belly vs these boys. I can't even believe how BIG I've gotten. I am ridiculously lucky if I can find a non maternity shirt to wear, let alone pants. I've been rockin' the full-on mat stuff for about a month now. Le sigh.

22 Weeks with Addison. AND I'M PUSHING OUT!


23 weeks with the boys AND I'M SUCKING IN.

Justin and I bet a whole week's worth of remote control of how long it would take me to get back to a normal size after this. He says a month. I laugh. I say never.