31 Weeks and hospital life....

Today marks 11 days in the hospital and tomorrow marks 31 weeks in our pregnancy, both of those are milestones for us!  When we arrived at the hospital 11 days ago we were preparing ourselves for the delivery of our babies that weekend.  We met with NICU nurses, looked at plane tickets, discussed possibilities and began to mentally and emotionally prepare ourselves to dive into parenthood 11 weeks early.  When my blood work and blood pressure improved, we were able to make it another week.  This past week on Friday, we had the same conversation with the doctor, be prepared to deliver this weekend.  My blood work was reaching numbers that were pushing her to believe a c-section delivery was in our very near future.  We began looking at plane tickets and preparing ourselves again.  Within two hours, my blood work had come back and we were seeing improvements which meant more waiting!  Since Friday, my blood pressure has been running on the high side but has been maintainable and my blood work had improved over the course of the weekend.  Tomorrow marks 31 weeks, which is just more time for these girls to be where they really need to be, growing and developing on the inside!

Hospital life has not been too bad, and remembering the reasons that I am here are helping me to get through each day.  It is pretty busy with nurses and doctors coming in and out, visitors stopping in and trying to find some time to sleep.  I try to keep a bit of a routine and at least make an effort to shower and get dressed everyday!  My days generally begin around 6 am when I take my first medication, have a spot check (a quick check of the babies heart rates), and vitals taken.  Within the next hour the doctor comes through to check in and somewhere between 6 and 8, the phlebotomist (person who draws blood from the labs) comes in to take my labs.  I usually order some breakfast, complete my non-stress test, take a morning nap and lounge around between 8-12.  By noon, I try to shower, get dressed, 'clean up' around my room and do something productive... I am still having my vitals checked every 3-4 hours and spot checks done on the babies throughout the day.  My evenings consist of dinner, meds, non-stress tests, and movies in bed. The days really are going fast and I have been grateful for the wonderful family and friends who have been here to visit and help my time pass!!

Truth be told, every day is difficult.  There are times, most times, when the only thing in the world I want is my husband to be here, when I am overcome with sadness that we aren't doing this 'together'.  There are days when I'd rather just sleep it all away for the entire day and not have to face the reality.  There are times when I look at the fluid and swelling consuming my body and wish I could just be done with this pregnancy!  But, there are also times when I lie in bed and feel my babies move all over and it is a feeling I am so not ready to sacrifice.  There are times when I am so grateful that I get these babies all to myself, there is no one who can take them from me!  It is a tough battle, one where I imagine what it will be like to hold them both against my chest and feel and see them and my aching, swollen body will begin to return to normal but the knowing I get them all to myself right now and feel them toss and turn and kick and push from inside is simply the most amazing thing in the world.  Regardless, they are worth every.single.second, every.single.suffering, every.single.sad.happy.hard.challenging.amazing.moment!  I truly cannot wait to see them, hold them, be their Mom but I am cherishing, the best that I can, the moments that remain of 'just the 3 of us'.  I didn't know I could love something so much, I cannot even begin to fathom the way I will feel when they are here!

 How far along? Tomorrow is Week 31
Maternity clothes? With all my swelling, many of my maternity clothes are even a struggle...
Stretch marks? Yes.. I was doing great, and Tuesday overnight I woke up to some skin irritation, looked in the mirror and was shocked - they just appeared!!  They are painful!
Sleep? The first 8 nights in the hospital I didn't sleep much, the past few have been better!  
Miss Anything? Unswollen legs, hips, stomach... Being home... My dogs... My husband...
Anything making you queasy or sick? Nah.
Mood? Not too bad.  Looking for the best in each day and cherishing the moments of quiet and time alone with my babies
Weekly Wisdom? Things can change so fast, and you never know when/where/how.  Be prepared early!!
Looking forward to? The swelling going down.. Meeting my girls... Brayton being home...
Total weight gain/loss? Last I stood on the scale, prior to the hospital, I was up almost 40 lbs.  The fluid is adding a lot of extra weight!
What’s new this week? Grateful for another week of babies growing on the inside.
Measurements? Not sure.. I need to ask the nurse to measure me, or get a tape measure... Ill update next week!
Best moment this week? Finally getting a good nights sleep!
Movement? All the time and I cherish it <3
Food cravings? No
Gender? Still two girls
Labor Signs? No, apparently I am having some Braxton Hicks contractions but nothing major!
Belly Button in or out? Very flat.  I've been coughing and every time I cough, it pops out!
What is the baby up to? According to Parents.com and WebMD Pregnancy and Baby Center during Week 31 your babies measures over 16 inches long. They weigh about 3 1/3 pounds (about the size of a coconut) and are heading into a growth spurt.  They can turn their head from side to side, and their arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. They are probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy. They are also going through major brain and nerve development, eye development, too. Their irises now react to light and all five of their senses are in working order.

29 weeks, 5 days

Set up for Non-stress test - monitoring babies heart rates

30 Weeks

My new feet...