OB Appointment

I had another good visit with my OB, Dr. Wood today.  She said I am doing great, wonderful blood pressure, no swelling, and weight is perfect!  My fundal height was 38 inches today, which means my uterus is the size of a 38 week pregnancy!  No active labor, so it looks like I will avoid the dreaded bed rest of most mothers of multiples!  She did mention that she hadn't seen a ferritin or iron level as low as mine, guess it is a good thing I've been taking my iron pills!

The babies looked great on ultrasound, they were both transverse breech today, still changing position!  Mackenzie's head was on my right, so it was hard to see it under my fibroid, which the ultrasound technician thought was a baby yesterday!  I really hope that my OB can remove it at the time of delivery, it has gotten HUGE!  

I have another appointment with OB in 2 weeks and will continue to have the monitoring in maternal fetal medicine weekly.  In 2 1/2 weeks I have another growth ultrasound. I am so anxious to see how big they have gotten! They are so HEAVY now!  

I will be 33 weeks tomorrow. One more week to get through, and then they can safely be delivered at any time!  

Installing the Infant Car Seats

Mitch did a great job putting our infant car seats in my car tonight. I didn't even have to ask him to do it!  I think he felt confident after the police officer showed him how to do it in his Daddy Boot Camp class yesterday.  We are going to try and get the local fire department to check the installation, but we are having a difficult time finding a place that can do it in the next 2 weeks.  At least they are now in the car, so we can bring Cooper and Mackenzie home safely!  

Weekly Maternal Fetal Medicine Appointment

It is so much fun to get to see Cooper and Mackenzie weekly now. Although they are getting crowded so they are all jumbled up on the screen, can't tell whose legs and arms are whose! They looked great this morning, still changing position some. Mackenzie is still Twin A, lower down in my belly but now she is transverse or sideways with her head on my right. Cooper is Twin B, and is breech or head up, which is now uncomfortably wedged under my ribs!
I also had another NST (non stress test) and they looked great, heart rate responded appropriately for their movements. I continue to have regular contractions and now that I can watch the monitor, I am starting to feel the difference between the contractions and my fibroid.
I see my regular OB again tomorrow and plan to talk to her about the contractions.
Just 9 more days before I hit the 34 week mark, which means if I go into labor, they will deliver Cooper and Mackenzie. Ironic that it is Labor Day Weekend.......

Mitch with the Pregnancy Empathy Belly

Mitch attended a Daddy Bootcamp class today, which was similar to my Mommy Survival class. It focused on newborn babies and what to expect as well as how to care for them.  They also had a police officer come and show them how to properly install the infant carseats, which we need to do!  

At the end of the class they were given the opportunity to wear a pregnancy empathy belly of 35 pounds!  I was fortunate enough to get to witness and photograph this with Mitch!  The look on his face was priceless when he tried to sit!  I watched (laughed) as he performed many simple tasks, such as tie his shoes, pick things up off the floor, and walk up a flight of stairs. He mentioned several times that the pressure on his bladder made him feel like he had to pee.........um yeah!  He also had to lie on his back and then roll from side to side like I do in my sleep!  

It was so much fun to get to be there and watch him!  Not that he hasn't been empathetic, but this will give him a little more perspective!!!

New Baby Mobile!

Mitch and I decided that the Jeep Wrangler isn't the safest thing for Cooper and Mackenzie so........ we started talking and decided that an old Toyota Land Cruiser was just what we needed to haul around the babies, dogs, and all the gear!

Mitch found a 1989 Toyota Land Cruiser in Sacramento and it was delivered on Thursday!  

Nursery Update

Mitch and I have been working hard and the nursery is almost finished!  

We just need our rocker and a painting from my friend Amber to be delivered and it will be finished.  

Mitch did a great job putting the curtains up and hanging the lion and zebra prints today. I have had so much fun making their nursery a place that I love.  

Appointment with Maternal Fetal Medicine

I am now 32 weeks!!!  I had an ultrasound today and we were able to watch Mackenzie and especially Cooper move around like crazy!  The technician got a kick out of watching Cooper.  They both look great and have plenty of fluid around them, which is why they are able to perform gymnastics in my belly!

They didn't do a growth ultrasound, so we didn't get to find out how much they weigh. I was disappointed, but at least we got to see them again today.  

I then had another NST (non stress test) only for 20 minutes this time.  Everything looked great, babies heart beats and my uterine contractions were infrequent and mild.  I will now have weekly appointments with Maternal Fetal Medicine as well as appointments with my OB.  

I am headed to the Gaia spa in La Jolla tomorrow morning for an expecting mother massage and facial (Mitch's birthday gift to me!)  

Tour of Labor and Delivery Ward

Mitch and I took a tour of the Labor and Delivery ward of the hospital today. We were able to see the rooms and find out the policies for security and visitation. 

It was exciting and at the same time made Mitch and I anxious.  I know they will take good care of us, but there are so many variables and unexpected things that can happen with twins!

I am anxious for my appointment tomorrow.  We will get to see Cooper and Mackenzie and find out how much they weigh now!  Any one want to make a guess????  I also want to know guesses for when you guys think Cooper and Mackenzie will be joining us!  If we get enough people to guess, we may have to come up with a PRIZE!!!

Mommy Survival Class and MOM's meeting

Yesterday I attended a mommy survival class at the hospital. It was a class on how to care for a newborn.  I actually did learn a few things and it was fun to practice putting on diapers and swaddling the baby dolls.  MUCH easier than doing it on a live squirmy baby!  I enjoyed the class, but kept thinking "how am I going to do this with two?!?"  Mitch is attending a baby bootcamp class next week, the military's version of how to care for babies for dads.  We were told they will get to wear empathy bellies!  I HAVE to have a photo of that!  

Last night I attended my first MOM's meeting (mothers of multiples.)  It wasn't what I was hoping for, but I did get to meet nine other ladies that seemed very nice.  It was an educational meeting on how to navigate their new website. I was hoping for a social meeting to get to know other mom's or even an educational meeting about caring for multiples.  I'm glad I went before the babies come, because I won't have the time once they arrive!  

First Visit to Labor and Delivery

I got a little concerned today when I didn't feel Mackenzie and especially Cooper moving around. I also felt terrible yesterday, just generally didn't feel right, so I called the triage nurse and she told me to come to labor and delivery.  They got me right in and hooked me up to a fetal monitor.

After an hour, I got a little concerned that they had forgotten about me, they did!  I was there over lunch, and when my nurse got back she found me very uncomfortable and still hooked up to the monitors!  They were very apologetic, but reassured me that the babies look great!  What a relief.

However, the monitoring showed that I was having regular contractions.  She did an exam and all is good, no active labor!  She asked if I had been feeling the contractions, it is hard for me to tell because my fibroid has been causing pain the entire pregnancy.  

I am still going to pack my hospital bags this weekend, just to be sure..... 31 weeks and all is good!  

OB appointment

This afternoon I saw another OB, wasn't able to see Dr. Wood this time.  She was able to get their heart beats with the doppler, which is always fun to hear!  I was a little disappointed because I've gotten used to having an ultrasound and getting to see them.  Mackenzie's heart beat was in the 160's and Cooper's was in the 140's, which is GREAT!  She measured my fundal height (a way to measure the growth of the uterus) and I am measuring 35 weeks, which is normal for twins.  My blood pressure and weight are great!!  

I had labs drawn after my last OB visit, and I have iron deficiency anemia. They started me on iron pills about 6 weeks ago, but they give me horrible stomach cramps!  My new OB really wants me to take an iron supplement three times a day!  I know it will help me and the babies, but I don't know if I can do it.  

I was also given a birth plan to go through and will discuss with Dr. Wood at my next appointment in two weeks.  The OB I saw today was just out of school and seemed less confident, so I am very happy to be scheduled with Dr. Wood :)  I see her again in two weeks!  

Next week I have an appointment with the perinatologist to assess the growth of Cooper and Mackenzie, can't wait to see them again!  

Nicole's 33rd Birthday

Mitch and I drove down a couple of blocks to the local Sunset beach this weekend.  It was too steep for me to climb down (didn't want to end up in labor and delivery on my birthday!) We made our own beach area and spent a couple of hours relaxing and watching the surfers in the ocean and a wedding on the cliffs!  Mitch baked my favorite cake (red velvet with cream cheese icing!)  He also gave me an new water bottle (sorry Nick I've used the one you got me for Christmas so much that I needed a new one!)  After thinking that was all he was giving me, he told me to open it, inside was a letter for a pregnancy spa day in La Jolla. Can't wait to get it scheduled!!

My actual birthday, yesterday, I had to spend in a Command Orientation at the hospital and it was a complete waste of time.  The day wasn't too terrible, I did get a call from Pottery Barn Kids that the mattress for Cooper's crib was ready to be picked up!  We drove out to the store in La Jolla and picked up the mattress and an awesome changing table organizer (I can always find something in that store!)

Afterwards we went to Roy's in La Jolla for dinner, which was wonderful!  I even got a chocolate dessert and birthday candle without too much attention :)  Every one of my friends and family wished me a happy birthday either by email, phone or text!  You guys are awesome and mean the world to me!!!

New Stroller

The double Snap-n-Go stroller loaded with our infant car seats for Cooper and Mackenzie. 

Ready to head out the door!

Changing Table for the Nursery

I am so excited to have the changing table in the nursery now!  It is slowly coming together.  Mitch even bought our first two cases of diapers, we will be going through an average of 20 diapers a day!  

Mitch and I practiced on the stuffed monkey Kristi gave us, just to help figure out where to place the wipes, diapers, and diaper pail :)

This is a great built in storage area in the hall leading to the nursery.

Nicole's 33rd Birthday weekend

I hit 30 weeks on Friday! Just a few more weeks before Cooper and Mackenzie will be here! 

Mitch and I went to dinner at Flemings in downtown San Diego with some people I work with at Balboa.  We were sending off  a Corpsman (surgical tech) to Afghanistan and celebrating my 33rd birthday!  Dinner was WONDERFUL!!!  

We enjoyed getting dressed up and going out and appreciate the fact that it may be one of the last times in a LONG time. I also wanted to get some photos of the growing belly for everyone to see :)

I'm waiting now for our changing table to be delivered from Pottery Barn Kids.  It is slowly coming together in the nursery :)

Clothing for Cooper and Mackenzie

This is one of many loads of laundry I did to prewash all the adorable things we have for Cooper and Mackenzie to wear!

Lots of pink and blue newborn outfits.

Their closet is already filling with very stylish clothing (thanks to everyone for the  gifts!)

I got home today and had a box from Jen McGuire filled with the clothing and books in the last photo!  Thanks Jen!

Baby Stuff Is Here!!!

We finally got our shipment of baby stuff, mostly from the showers I had in Memphis, but also some things I've picked up along the way :)

Mitch did a wonderful job putting together our BOB revolution twin stroller (thank you to my dad for the gift!) It is quite large but surprisingly easy to use.

I spent awhile figuring out the infant car seats, yes I even followed the manual! I then added the Cuter Than A Duck's Butt (no idea why they are named that) covers so that one is pink for Mackenzie and blue for Cooper. (Just looked it up and now the company is called itzy ritzy, they also make shopping cart covers.)

Mitch also put together our pack-n-play and then broke it down and got it into the travel bag it comes with. I was VERY impressed!

As I work on the nursery more this week, I will post more photos of the other goodies that were in the shipment. Now I just need my changing table (supposed to come this Saturday), my rocker/glider, and curtains for the nursery!

29 Week Growth Ultrasound

I am carrying 6 pounds of babies!!!!!!!   Both Cooper and Mackenzie looked great on ultrasound today. The technician spent a LONG time looking at them and kept getting confused about which was which! They are both breech with Cooper's head under my left ribs and Mackenzie's head under my right ribs (and that is exactly where they have been bumping lately!)

Mackenzie is a little bigger weighing 3 lbs 3 oz and Cooper weighs 2 lbs 14 oz, so they are great weights for right now.  They were both making sucking motions with their mouths and Mackenzie even gave us an adorable yawn.  

At my last OB appointment (last week) Mackenzie was head down (vertex) on my left, now she is head up (breech) on my right! Cooper was head up (breech) on my right and now he is still head up but on my left.  They are active babies!!!!!

I have another OB appointment next week, I am now seeing the OB every 2 weeks.  I will see the Perinatologist (OB with 3 additional years in high risk pregnancy training) next week for another ultrasound and NST (non stress test) to assess the babies. I will see the Perinatologist every 2 weeks, so that means at least one appointment a week, which is fine with me :)