10.18.09
Brave new world
Today I braved grocery shopping with the twins. I decided to go to Tom Thumb because they have the smaller carts, which I figured would be easier to pull behind me while pushing the stroller than the big carts. Unfortunately, the little carts are apparently gone! 
I didn’t see any at all and have no idea why they would get rid of them. I attempted to pull the big cart, but it just wasn’t happening. So instead I hooked one of the hand baskets to the handy-dandy hooks on the stroller handle, even though I knew I would need more space than the tiny basket would hold. When I filled it to capacity, I approached a checker and asked if he could hold onto my full basket while I took another basket to finish my shopping. He agreed and I filled the second basket as well, carrying the milk (the final item on my list) in my hand to the checkout line. The sacker asked the usual “Would you like help out to your car?” and I responded with an enthusiastic “Yes, please!” 
He had to go get a cart to carry the bags, since I didn’t have one, and when he came back and started loading them up I said I would go ahead to the car and he could catch up. He wasn’t far behind me, and by the time I reached my car he was right beside me. I had him load the groceries in the passenger seat while I loaded the kids in their seats and the stroller in the trunk. He finished way before me (probably because he didn’t have to buckle the groceries into the seat!), and left before I had a chance to try to give him a tip. I was very grateful for the help!
Tuesday I will be braving yet another frightening task. A four hour drive to visit my mom! By myself! 
Here’s hoping I’m as successful in that venture. 
06.07.09
No babies yet…
We went in to L&D last night around 9 PM. We found out that LD was 4 cm dilated, 50% effaced, and at “station 1″ (whatever that means). We expected the babies to make their appearance before the end of the night. N came up and arrived around 1 AM. However, at noon today she had only made it to 6 cm and we were given the option of giving her pitocin to speed things up, or coming home (LD’s home, not ours). We chose home. Looks like the babies just wanted to tease us. Please pray we’re back at L&D tonight and it’s the “real deal.” I know we’re all very anxious to meet Kyla and Lucas. Not to mention a tiny bit disappointed that they didn’t cooperate last night/this morning. If they don’t come tonight, we have an OB appointment tomorrow, so I’m pretty sure we’ll end up with babies tomorrow if nothing else (LD thinks he’ll push the pitocin and she might agree this time). I’d rather them come tonight, but God (and they) doesn’t always want the same things I do..
06.06.09
Hola from Oklahoma
I made it in last night around 9:30. Of course, LD had a pretty quiet day as far as contractions went yesterday, but at least now I’m here if something does happen. Also, if D has gone to work I’ll be here to drive her to the hospital. I think that was another big worry for all of us.
This morning she came in and showed me that the babies have dropped significantly. Lucas is not in her rib (as much) anymore, and Kyla is WAY low. Also, her back is hurting down by her tail bone. We’re hoping all this means they’re getting into position to make their debut, but who knows?
All of us girls (LD, K, S, and myself) went and had pedicures done so that our toes will look pretty for the babies. K has blue toes with white polka dots, S has pink toes with a flower on the big toes and polka dots on the others, LD has a light purple (no decorations), and I have bright red toes with a white flower on each of my big toes only. LD loved sitting in the massaging chair. I’m so glad I could give her a little pampering. I wish I could do even more.
Right now she’s not feeling well (nausea, and “just not right”). She is laying down hoping that will help her feel better. I feel so helpless. I wish there was something I could do to make it better. I’m betting I’ll have that feeling a lot here in the next few days. I just hope that these babies decide to come sooner rather than later so that she doesn’t have to feel so miserable for much longer. My prayers have been that they come tonight. I think that’s LD’s hope as well. Neither of us want to make it to her next appointment (Monday) and face talking to Dr. K about a possible induction.
06.05.09
FYI
Just thought I’d let you know what is going on (or not going on) as far as the babies go.
They cooperated and let me finish the school year without a problem. When LD went for her appointment on Monday she was not even remotely dilated. The OB had her stop taking the meds to relax her uterus and said that if she didn’t have the babies by 37 weeks (June 11) he would want to induce labor.
Well, since being off the meds she has been having more and more contractions, which are becoming painful. Last night they were coming about 5-8 minutes apart and we thought there was a good possibility they would decide to come on their cousin’s birthday. However, by morning the contractions had died down and all that was left was a back ache.
To put her mind (and mine) at ease, I am going to go up there to stay until the babies arrive. N will be staying here until he gets “the call” simply because he needs to work and we’d rather not board the dogs until we have to. I’d hoped to have a couple of days after school let out to clean the house a bit, but it looks like the babies would prefer to start out in the filth, rather than build up to it. N fully expects to get a call tonight saying “get up here” but says that if he were to come with me there would not be any sign of them coming any time soon. We shall see. We’re still working on how we’ll get two cars home after they arrive, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it (if anyone has an idea, we’re all ears ). Hopefully I’ll be able to hook into LD’s internet and stay connected to you all this way. If not, I’ll have my cell.
It is a bit odd thinking about the fact that this will be the last time I will see my dogs, my house, my life without our children in tow. Goodbye old life, hello parenthood!
06.01.09
Ft. Knox
Apparently LD’s cervix is still sealed tighter than Ft. Knox. No babies getting out just yet. She had an appointment with Dr. K today and convinced him to check her. We’re surprised there has been NO cervical movement, since she’s been having some pretty good contractions, but apparently Kyla and Lucas plan on sticking around a while longer. He did tell her she could stop taking the terbutaline, so that could move things along a bit faster. Who knows!
LD asked when Dr. K would want to induce if it comes to that and he said “In a week and a half, at 37 weeks.” Wow! That seems so soon and yet so far away! LD says she might push him to 38 weeks, depending on if Lucas will get out of her rib or not (I’m betting not at this point, the stinker ). I think I’m going to go up to stay starting on Sunday. I’ll feel a lot better knowing I won’t miss the whole thing (but I wish N could come too!).
05.09.09
So this is what nesting feels like…
LD continues to have contractions that come and go. We know this is fairly normal with a twin pregnancy, but it doesn’t stop us from worrying just a little that our wee ones are planning an early arrival.
So the panic has set in to get everything ready. Today I spent the whole day doing baby laundry (5 loads) and reorganizing things in the nursery so they are more compatible with our needs (when I got it all back into the room for the party it was pretty much a free-for-all, putting things wherever they fit).
I also started packing the diaper bag. Only, I don’t know what size clothes or diapers to put in there. I’m thinking I’ll just stick a pack of premie diapers and a pack of newborn diapers into the trunk of the car, and whichever we need is the one we’ll open when the time comes. After all, the hospital will provide some for while we’re there. As for clothes, I have some onsies that say “0-3 months,” yet appear to be the same size as the premie ones I’ve got (but I assume they stretch). So I’m thinking I’ll take those and if they’re a bit big, so what. Plus, they’ll have clothes from the hospital too.
I hope to have both the babies’ bag and our bag packed by the end of the weekend. LD says she got hers packed today. My prayer is that by being ready, Kyla and Lucas will decide to settle in for a bit longer. Actually, N and I think they’ll probably come either in the middle of Video Race, or the next morning, after we’ve been up for nearly 48 hours straight. It would be just our luck.
Anyway, we do appreciate all the prayers that the twins stay put awhile longer. And we know that you will continue them. Hopefully God’s plans and ours will coincide just a little this time.
04.21.09
The nursery
Apparently these things don’t do themselves… You can’t just come up with a cute theme for the babies’ room and then have it magically happen overnight. Nope. You have to actually put some work into it… Who knew!
So Friday N got started on the room. He taped the edges of the room and started the first coat of paint by the time I got home from work. I helped a little with the painting and then we called it a night. Saturday my MIL came over and we got a lot of painting done. We did a little more on Sunday and now the only thing left (as far as paint goes) is some touch ups. Yesterday N started getting sick, so he didn’t get as much done as he would have liked. He did put together the crib, though. It is now sitting in our dining room. I rough-cut the fabric for the curtains and threw them in the washer. Today I need to get that fabric ironed and pinned so I can sew them. Shouldn’t take long, once I get motivated enough to get started.
It would be great if we get the room done by Saturday, but I’m nervous it won’t happen. I just want the room done enough to get all of the boxes and bags out of my living room and breakfast nook (not to mention the crib out of the dining room). Plus, we need to have time to do some actual cleaning! I don’t want my friends and coworkers to realize what slobs we really are (of course, my coworkers probably have a clue if they’ve ever looked in my office. )!
PBO done!
Today I got a text from LD that the PBO has been signed by the judge and is being filed with the court! 
For those of you who don’t know, the PBO (Pre Birth Order) is the document that is filed with the court that says N and I are the biological parents and we will go on the birth certificates. I guess now that it’s done I’m officially the mom in the eyes of the law!
02.08.09
Friday/Saturday/Sunday
Who would have thought that the weekend would be more difficult to fit in all of my pumpings than the week days? But apparently it’s true! Friday I managed 7, but barely. Saturday I only got in 6, and that was thanks to the dogs waking me at 5:30 to let them out. I went ahead and pumped before going back to sleep. Today I’ve gotten 3 so far. I doubt I’ll fit 4 more in before the end of the day. Six is probably doable, though.
I guess the main reason it’s so much harder is because I’m not in a routine on those days. On week days I’m in exactly two locations. My house, or work. But on weekends that isn’t the case. I may be home all day, but I’m just as likely to be out and about. Like yesterday, I went up to Oklahoma to see LD and her family. I had to pump right before I left, then again as soon as I got there. I managed to pump three times while there, then had to make the three hour trip back again. I didn’t actually pump the sixth time until after midnight (so maybe that one should count for today? ). Today I had errands to run. I had to pick up dog food, get gas in my car, and go to the grocery store. But I also wanted to go to Babies R Us and look at some things. So, in order to accommodate my errands and pumping, I came back to the house in between errands. Fortunately I haven’t been going very far from my house for these errands, but still…
Speaking of those errands, I mentioned that I went to Babies R Us today. I actually left without the stuff I’d intended to get (oops), and instead got distracted by all the “stuff.” I started off looking at the little girl clothes. I thought maybe it could help me get happy again if I actually bought something for the babies. You know, help me feel more involved. But there were too many cute things! I couldn’t decide. So I got nothing. I also looked at cribs and think I figured out which one I’d like (if we go with one from BRU). Then I looked at the dressers that come with it. I didn’t like them. They all have knobs. I think it would be better to have ones without knobs so the little ones won’t be as tempted to pull drawers open and shut. I then moved on to the strollers. They actually had the snap and go that I had been thinking about so I was able to look at how flat it folds and get a better idea of how big it is. I also looked at bedding, blankets, pack’n'plays, and a bunch of other stuff. I finally left thinking I’m going to need to get N to come with me one evening this week so we can do some serious registering.
02.01.09
Amazed
So when I prayed for some encouragement, apparently He took me pretty seriously. I pumped 8 times today (3 AM, 6 AM, 9 AM, 11:30 AM, 2 PM, 5 PM, 7:30 PM, and 10:30 PM), and when you total it all together I got 30 ml (1 oz) of milk! That sounds like so little, but it’s amazing to me to be getting this much when yesterday I wasn’t even getting a full ml. Also, it’s flowing much more than yesterday. I think it’s switched from colostrum to milk!
My breasts have been feeling “different” today. I’m not really sure how to pinpoint what is different, but there’s definitely a slow change taking place. I’m thinking that this is not usual for someone who isn’t using domperidone. After all, my OB/GYN felt that pumping for 4 months would be necessary to get a full supply. I’m starting to think I’ll be there long before the babies are. Which is completely awesome. I’ll have a nice supply stored up for them, if I even need it.
I probably shouldn’t get too cocky. I know I could end up stalled right where I am (or even go back wards). But I’m very encouraged and have faith that I will get to the point where I can feed my babies at my breast. How cool is that!
To summarize:
- Pumped 8 times, for a total of 1 oz of colostrum. (see above list of times)
- Took More Milk Plus and Goat’s Rue 1 capsule each, 4 times.
- Drank 2 cups of Mother’s Milk Tea in the morning.
- Ate whole oat cereal for breakfast.
