Up One Day and Down the Next

I meant to update on Tuesday following my 8 week Doctor appointment, but I came down with a headache, which lingered into nausea and lasted till this morning (more then the 24 hour flu), but bug is gone now. :-)

We have a Baby A and a Baby B. I always wondered the naming convention, but it come down to the one that wants out first and postions themselves nearest the cervix. Baby A is closest to the cervix, at 6:00 and Baby B is hanging out at 3:00. Most likely over time they both more around 9:00 and 3:00 with one being a bit lower, but time will tell.The kids are the size of kidney beans this week. Which seems an appropriate comparison, since they are curved like a a kidney bean of which half of their size is their head alone! They are bound to be very smart! Their hearts are beating very fast 174 and 171 (last ultrasound at 6 1/2 weeks, they were 3 beats apart). This hight hear beat is normal for 8 -10 weeks as they peak out and will dip a bit afterward. The embryos measure1.5 and 1.6 cm in length and figures in my book state they weigh about 1/1000 of an ounce. I better start eating to get them to grow! Oh heck there is still 7 months to go!

Our schedule for the next months looks like an ultrasound and appointment every 4 weeks: so weeks 12, 16, 20 and 24. Then we'll begin appointments every 2 weeks with the 26 week on, I think because of multiples, keeps the sybiling confilict down. Sevi and I told kids when we were younger that when we were in-uterus that we played football. The imagination of kids, as I have no idea how the football got there (ouch!) and where we threw it, since we were jam packed in our mom. Sorry mom, the kicks weren't us they were the balls fault!

I am feeling the evening uterine twitches, so tine to lie down, and hydrate from yesterday.

Blueberry Double Delights

The embryo's in my belly are the size of blueberries, although they don't resemble them in color. I would imagine they are red instead but not as big as rasberries yet. If someone was eating a blueberry in the vicinity I could surely tell you. I can smell Bill's Cheerios every morning while I am in bed, with the door still closed! I am being serious, not relying on the routine nature of my husband. At the dog park I had to triple bag the Lily's poop today, as they smell was nasty. I am certainly not complaining, because I can only identify the smells, and the smells don't make my mouth water or make me want to loose my "cookies".

My "blueberries" make me very tired. Last week I realized the need to lie down for a little while in the afternoon, to change it up, but now it seems every time I lay down, I seem to drift off to sleep. I am learning to deal with the TNS (Toxic Nap Syndrome, named by Bill), that I face after a nap. I seem to be groggy and kind of crabby for a while, but if this is the least of the attitutal pregnacy symptoms those around me are faced with I think we will all survive!

I have my first OB appointment next Tuesday (8 Weeks). I am looking into mom's groups in my neighborhood and for multiples. There are 3 multiples garage sales in March that I plan to check out. It is too early to buy but I want to get an idea, of what deals might be found. I plan to focus more on matching college degrees for these kidos versus matching high chairs, car seats and the the other necessities (except I will find some matching clothes!).

I am off to retire to the couch for the evening and get some food in me...

Incase You Missed the Big News Yesterday

Hidden at the end of yesterday's entry was the latest big news. At our ultrasound, there were two heartbeats and this means two babies of course. We are super excited about Twins! I had a strong feeling there were two since they told me about the really high HCG back at 4 weeks. Two is the magical number now!!!! Are there two girls, two boys or one of each? This we'll have to wait a bit longer on to find out, might be as long as 12 -16 more weeks, but the cool thing is the babies are already a pink or blue in costume.

Our babies are about 0.42 centimeters (a little bigger then a lentil) and their hearts beat much faster than an adults at 115 and 118 beats per minute.
I will upload a picture of the ultrasound later in the week.

Afternoon Appointment

So today is the 6 1/2 week ultrasound....it is at 3:15 pm ,the last appointment of the day. Bill gets to leave work a bit early to kick of the Presidents Day and Valentines Day weekend and come for the show.

On Wednesday they decreased my progesterone shot to every-other day, so basically, I skipped yesterday, and I reduced the estrogen patch to one instead of two. They will retest my Progesterone and Estrogen today. The goal is to wean me off, so my body produces the full
amount of both. These hormones supplements are one of the ways "fertility assistance" helps maintain early pregnancy.

I don't think they they will retest the HCG, I heard numbers get up in to the 60,000 and beyond.

My love handles are both so bruised from the progesterone shots for over the last 3 weeks in the same general area. Remember these are the 1 1/2 inch long needles put directly into muscle, versus the fatty later of skin in the belly (which we all have, not matter how skinny your are). Really puts into perspective how much more area you have to work with on your belly, especially when all the meds don't cause bruises. I think the elastic on my PJ's bottoms are agitating the issue, because when I get up in the morning, the sleep marks from the elastic are itchy on top of the bruises, a bad combination. A good time to divert my attention to drinking my daily glass of prune juice!

So it is now later in the day...Good News! There were two black dots in the ultrasound each with a heartbeat. The heart rates were 115 and 118.
Next step is to get weaned off the Progesterone and Estrogen then go to my OB at 8 to weeks. Looking good! I am off to eat and kick my feet up, isn't that what all mom's of twins should do?

Away from Home

After being home for the entire month of January I am in the mountains at last. I am in Vail with my mom and Wendy. They get to ski of course, and I didn't to join them. I've got to keep the treasure(s) safe and sound for a bit longer. I did get to the YMCA yesterday, and got a short bike ride in getting my rate up, and today my quads are a bit fatigued, almost like I skied yesterday, what a fake out!
I feel good. My sniffer is still very strong, seems one of the smells I can identify anywhere is fabric softeners. I was a movie theatre the other day and obviously someone around me used a dryer sheet, I personally find them to be a pain, as they seem to cling to everything and drop out somewhere else but the trash can. I will do my best to send and open mind to out kids, and they can find their own quirks.

More Blood Work

I gave more blood this morning to test my Estrogen and Progesterone levels. The phlebotomist commented on my "good numbers", I believe she was referring to the HCG numbers tied to my Social Security number from last weeks test. She said at least there shouldn't be octuplets. I am still amazed at the breaking news this last week on the first set up octuplets in the US where all eight have survived. It is so true of humanity to take this gift of having a child through this process, to have someone, intentionally try to have a litter of kids for their own personal fame and financial gain. I am hoping this is not the truth, but it is probably so. To each his own.

Last night I managed to stay up until 10:00 pm watching The Bachelor on Tivo, which was good, since the night before I was asleep on the couch at 8:00 pm.
I am feeling good. I have been craving Mexican food all morning, so I know that will be a must for lunch today.