Pregnancy Update Overload

Bed rest - Orders to get into bed and stay there sounded scary once upon a time.  I've met mommies of twins who have been given that directive at ten weeks, twenty weeks, and two weeks before induction.  At each of their stories I had previously felt pity.  Now I just feel jealous.  Just three months ago, before the news of the twins, I envisioned the 1st month of summer as a fun time of nesting and squeezing in extra special memories with Thomas before the "baby" arrived.  Now, I fantasize about making it to the end of the school year, handing in my keys at the office, and collapsing into bed for a self-directed, but no less legitimate, prescription of bed rest until the boys decide to make their debut. Heaven.

Thomas & the Twins - He continues to insist their names are Penguin and Peanut Butter & Jelly. Or some other version of that but always with two names that start with Ps.  Tonight, he pulled up my shirt and down my pants band to get a full exposure show of what he sees as the twins' feeble attempt to break out of jail.  Yesterday, I stopped walking and winced at some pain.  He said, "What's wrong, Mommy? Does your belly hurt? Here. I can rub it for you."  Good kid, that Thomas.

Back Pain - I had none with Thomas. And already, at 28 1/2 weeks, I've reported to my husband that I have the slight inclination my tailbone could snap off.  I took two naps this weekend.  I was more sore than I was tired.  This doesn't bode well for making it several more weeks.

Loving the Boys - Here's a little bit of an embarrassing confession.  I have been so stressed, preoccupied, in tears, or worried from the moment we found out the one was two, that I gave myself little license for excitement.  Last week I let some true happiness bubble up inside me (felt great!) and this morning I woke up and felt this big swarm of love for these two souls I'm going to meet and know and cherish as individuals with their own personalities and dreams... even if it was momentarily before I went back to cursing my size triple G bra and the fearful feat of shaving my legs which had me genuinely concerned I would topple over at the slightest lack of poise.

Freeze-a-thon - My mission of cramming my freezer full of food is a success.  We've got oodles of French toast, soup, chicken and fajita veggies, taco seasoned beef, chili, and some other stuff I can't remember right now.  Every time I think I'm going to slow down in this race to not cooking for as long as possible post birth, I remember that even today making my way up stairs for the copier proves an Olympic feat so I better utilize my faculties before I completely give out.

Small Talk - In those twin books, there were so many quips of advice from snarky mommies of twins.  Their frustrations with strangers' questions made for an indignant reader on my part.  Oh, I would never be sarcastic with someone's sweet questions - OR - Really, people? They're just harmlessly curious.  But I'm kind of burned out with the same sweet and harmless questions, so I've dipped into some outside-the-small-talk-box thinking.  At the grocery store this week, after the cashier wishing me good luck with twins plus one I looked him straight in the eyes and said, "You should pray for me.  Even if you aren't the praying type. Ok. Have a great night!"

Car seats - There are now three car seats in the back of my Vue. To say that buckling Thomas in takes a knack for contortion would be quite the underestimation.  In one particularly dismal attempt to hear that sweet click Thomas said from his scrunched position beneath my arm, "We're in a nightmare." Yep. That about sums it up.

Stretch Marks - I'm at the Valentine's Day card stage.  You know the ones that are cheap illusions: turn it slightly to the left and it's Sponge Bob with hearts in his eyes; turn it slightly to the left and it's Patrick drooling. Turn me slightly to the left and my belly appears unscathed.  Turn me slightly to the right and my stretch marks say Why, hellllloooo there!  Yep. It's awesome in a I-can't-believe-this-is-happening-to-my-body-and-there's-nothing-I-can-do-to-stop-it-now kind of way.

Names - For once, something exactly like my pregacrazy with Thomas.  We picked out names quickly.  I love them.  But I've also gone over them a disturbing amount of times in my head, in the shower, and in any space where I find myself alone and able to whisper their names obsessively aloud as if the 1,238,257th time doing so will elicit some kind of aha! kind of finality to the decision.  I did the same thing with Thomas's name, questioning it over and over until the end even though we both knew that's what we wanted.  I'm a bit of a commitment-phobe.  I'm absolutely the last person on Earth to consider getting a tattoo. You think I'm joking. I'm not. The commitment of permanent art on my body would send me right over the edge.  The thought that one of the twins' names will be superior to the other sends my eyes into a twitching fit.  When you finally do hear the names, just be grateful you didn't have to pick out two at the same time and feel free to say something encouraging to me like, "I'm glad you decided to not let your children go nameless" -or- "Oh great. You thought to pick out two!"

NICU - We did the general tour of labor and delivery this weekend. Then we asked to see the NICU.  It just so happened there were twin babies the exact gestation as the boys. As soon as I saw the first teeny tiny little baby girl curled up I announced to everyone I was going to cry.  And then I cried. Not because the NICU was scary or that I was sad we will very, very likely be spending a great deal of time there, but because I was so touched to see a sweetie the same size as my babies. It made me want to meet them SO bad... but not enough to go into labor and then hole up in the NICU for three months.

Numbers - 28 1/2 lbs gained.  28 1/2 weeks pregnant.  3 - 7 weeks left until I kiss my boys.

22 weeks

24 weeks

25 weeks or so

28 weeks