Home with no babies! Ughh!

Here is a summary of our night/day in labor and delivery. It didn't turn out as we expected...

I went in last night as planned and had cervidil inserted into my closed cervix (PAINFUL!) After a few hours I was still not sleeping and having contractions every 1-2 minutes and even though they were not intense, I could not sleep. At 4AM I was checked again and was 1cm and 70% effaced. The nurse put a little something in my IV to help me "relax" and I fell asleep for a few hours. Around 8AM my doctor came in and checked me again, my cervix had made no progress. Because of all the contractions I was having, she did not want to give me another cervidil. She also did not need to give me pitocin because I was obviously already having contractions.

So we were sort of stuck, waiting for my cervix to dilate. So we went walking around the delivery floor some and I bounced around on an exercise ball. I was checked about two more times before 1:00PM and still there was no progress. My doctor wanted me to be 3-4cm dilated before she could break my water. She said I would need an epidural for her to break my water before 3cm and once that was inserted I would be "committed" to staying in L&D for the labor, which she thought would be at least two days. Her strong suggestion was that I go home and come back when my contractions are strong enough that I need to breathe through them or when my water breaks.

She saw no reason for a c-section because the babies are doing great and would be fine to stay in for a little while longer. It is pretty disappointing but Brian and I know it is for the best. There is no reason for me to have surgery or be miserable in the hospital when our babies are healthy and still enjoying their current home.

It just SUCKS! I thought a scheduled induction was our guarantee, but I guess even a scheduled induction can have to be re-scheduled. So now I am trying to go into labor on my own and I see the doctor Monday to check my cervix and reschedule round #2, if needed. I know a c-section is a possibility, which is OK with me, but it might be worth waiting it out to avoid it.

I am still having contractions but they aren't strong. I am looking forward to a nice long walk with Brian, spicy food, and all the other ways to naturally induce labor that people have been telling me. There is one thing we still haven't tried...and tonight is the night. So be thinking of us :)

The final countdown!! :)

This is my last pre-baby post! Please excuse any formatting problems, I am experimenting with Blogger on my iPhone. Brian and I checked into labor and delivery around 11 tonight and are very excited. I should be getting some sleep but I am hooked up to an IV and all kinds of monitors so it is a little tough. Our labor room is so big and nice! It is a private suite with a bed for me, a pullout couch, a TV, shower, some chairs and drawers. When I am in active labor we will be moved to an operating room in case there is a need for a c-section. Brian and I weren't planning on having anyone else in the room during the actual delivery process, but that decision was already made for us when they said only one person could accompany me in the OR. Of course that would be Brian! So it looks like we were making the right decision all along.

I was told that I couldn't have any food or water after midnight so Brian and I stopped for dinner at Olive Garden on the way to the hospital. I was looking forward to the soup and salad all day, and it was delicious!

It is about 1:30AM and I'm going to be checked in a few hours to see how things are progressing :) hopefully things are moving quick!!!

Pre-delivery poll!!

How far along? 37 weeks, 6 days

Total weight gain/loss: 59 lbs

Maternity clothes? Yes. But I'm currently wearing a hospital gown :)

Stretch marks? I guess I have been pretty lucky that my stretch marks have contained themselves to just the basic areas. Although I heard they can get worse after delivery, I hope that is not the case for me.

Sleep: Not much! Between my back, the babies moving, and having to go to the bathroom all night -- I have been sleeping in 2-3 hour stretches at the most.

Best moment this week: Spending time together with Brian and just enjoying each other.

Movement: They are still moving so much, but they are really cramped for space in there

Food cravings: Chocolate was really the only craving I had, and it wasn't until the end.

Gender: One boy and one girl!

Labor Signs: I didn't think so, but after being on the hospital monitor for less than an hour, the nurse said I had 3 contractions. I didn't even realize I was having them.

Belly Button in or out? Out and it pokes through my clothes.

What I miss: Sleep!

What I am looking forward to: Meeting the babies TOMORROW!!!

Weekly Wisdom: try to relax :)

Milestones: Checking in to labor and delivery.

Thank you so much for all the love!! People have been calling, texting, e-mailing, and facebooking to let us know they are thinking of us and praying for us. We are truly blessed to have so many great friends and such a supportive family. Thank you for thinking of us! :)

My next post will have baby pictures, can you believe it??!?

Monday morning...

No babies!

If you are wondering if I have had the babies yet, please feel free to check out

www.haveyouhadthatbabyyet.com. :)

Trust me, I am trying here! But nothing is working. People have all these ideas about naturally inducing labor, but it just isn't in the cards for me!

One interesting technique is to eat eggplant parmesan. Sounds easy enough...because it is delicious!! So I followed a recipe that I found from a restaurant in Georgia. Supposedly hundreds of babies have been born within 48 hours of eating this. They have all the adorable pictures to prove it. So I gave it a shot. Technically I still have around 12 hours to go, but I am not holding my breath.

In case you are interested in the recipe I used, here it is!

Ingredients

3 medium sized eggplants

1 cup flour

6 eggs, beaten

4 cups fine Italian bread crumbs, seasoned

Olive oil for sauteing

8 cups of marinara sauce (recipe below)

1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 pounds of mozzarella cheese, shredded

2 cups of ricotta cheese

Directions

1. After you wash the eggplant, slice them into 1/4-inch thick slices. You may choose to peel the eggplant before you slice it. However, you may want to leave the skin on since it contains a lot of vitamins.

2. Place the eggplant slices on a layer of paper towels and sprinkle with a little salt, then cover with another layer of paper towels and hold it down with something heavy to drain the excess moisture. Let them sit for about an hour.

3. Working with one slice of eggplant at a time, dust with flour, dip in beaten eggs, then coat well with breadcrumbs.

4. Saute in preheated olive oil on both sides until golden brown.

5. In baking dish, alternate layers of marinara sauce, eggplant slices, ricotta, parmesan and Romano cheeses, until you fill the baking dish, about 1/8 inch from the top. Cover with shredded mozzarella cheese, and bake for 25 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Scalini's Marinara Sauce

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons of chopped garlic

3 Tablespoons of olive oil

8 cups chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned)

1 cup onions, chopped

1/2 cup of fresh chopped parsley

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper

1/8 cup of fresh chopped sweet basil

Pinch of thyme

Pinch of rosemary

One teaspoon salt

One teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Lightly saute the onions in olive oil in large pot for a few minutes.

2. Add garlic and saute another minute.

3. Add tomatoes and bring sauce to a boil, then turn heat low.

4. Add remaining ingredients, stir, cover and let simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.

Recipe courtesy of John Bogino, Scalini's Italian Restaurant, Smyrna, Ga.

www.scalinis.com

I did have some modifications, maybe that is why it didn't work! I did not fry the eggplant, instead I broiled them for about 4 minutes on each side to get them a little crispy (that is a good calorie saving tip FYI!)

So it is almost two days later and I have half a pan of eggplant parmesan in my refrigerator and two babies in my belly. I guess it works for some people, but not me. Bummer.

I also thought the babies might make their appearance Saturday night after seeing Rock of Ages at Ruth Eckerd Hall. Rock of Ages is a fantastic Broadway musical set in the mid 1980's. It is basically an 80's rock concert. I thought for sure Brett and Emma would have been air guitaring their way out of me by the end of the show. But NOPE!

For breakfast yesterday I ate a pineapple. Well half for breakfast and half as a snack later. Obviously that did not work either. I guess Brett and Emma just want to stay put. I hope they are enjoying it because on Wednesday they are coming out, like it or not! And Brian says they are both grounded for making us wait so long to meet them!

So we are just going to enjoy today and tomorrow baby-free. On Wednesday everything in our lives will become crazy and exhausting! So I guess we should be treasuring these last couple days together. Which we have been. If Brian and I love these babies only half as much as we love each other, they will still be the most loved babies in the world!!!

"Baby" playlist by DJ Brian!

Last night Brian stole my iPhone and made a "baby" playlist. I was laughing so hard, I had to share his choices! :)

1. Push It - Salt N Peppa (My personal favorite!! Haha)

2. Hey Mama - The Black Eyed Peas

3. Sweet Emotion - Aerosmith

4. Baby - Ashanti

5. Mother - Danzig

6. Hey Baby - No Doubt

7. Dear Mama - 2Pac

8. Mama Said Knock You Out - Def Jam

9. I'm a Believer - The Monkees

10. Watching You - Rodney Atkins

11. Mom - Earth, Wind, and Fire

12. Baby - Justin Bieber

13. Mommy - Missy Elliot

14. Two is Better Than One - Boys Like Girls

15. Baby - Dave Matthews

16. Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns and Roses

I thought this was so cute of him to do!!!

So we are only 6 days away from meeting Brett and Emma! Brian and I could not be more excited. All day he asks me if I am going into labor or if everything is OK. I wish I had a more exciting answer, but there is no news! No signs of labor. I am having a lot of stiffness in my hips and it has been a little issue. I am hoping I don't go into a big flare before next week, so I am just trying to relax at home as much as possible. I have a Humira injection pen (RA medication) waiting for me next week after I deliver! Luckily my RA meds are safe for nursing, so I can start back on them right away and get off of the steroids I am on now.

That is all for now...more updates soon! :)

Eviction notice! :)

Well, it is official!! I have an induction scheduled for Wednesday, January 26th! I am hoping to go into labor on my own, but it is nice to know that the babies will be here by next week :)

My appointment today went really well. Both babies were moving and practicing breathing right away, so that part did not take too long. They were measured and Brett is estimated to weigh 5lbs, 8 oz and Emma is estimated to weigh 6lbs, 5 oz! In the next week they should gain about 1/2 a pound each. I am excited to see how close their actual weights are to the estimates. Both babies are still head down, so a c-section is not necessary. Obviously things can always change, but they are looking really good right now.

So we have one week (or less) to make sure everything is ready for Brett and Emma's arrival. And guess what I am going to do right now....take a nap! I didn't get much sleep last night, which is pretty typical these days. When I wake up though, I am sure I will have tons of energy to get some things done :)

ALMOST 37 weeks! :)

37-ish Week Poll

How far along? 36 weeks, 4 days
Total weight gain/loss: 58 lbs
Maternity clothes? Of course :) But I haven't bought any in a while! I am starting to grow out of the ones I have but hopefully I won't need them for much longer!

Stretch marks? Whatever. I guess I should just accept it. I was using some lotions that do really help with the itching/burning, but the stretch marks still came! I am sure they will lighten up after labor. If not, there is always Celtrixa!

Sleep: My sleep has been getting worse and worse! I wake up to go to the bathroom 4-5 times a night most nights. My back hurts so I am rolling all around and that wakes me up, too. It takes a nap or two to get me through the day.
Best moment this week: Clothes shopping with Brian. He was picking out the cutest newborn outfits! We got A LOT of clothes at our baby showers, but we ended up with barely any newborn outfits. So we picked some up yesterday.

Movement: I can still feel the babies move a lot. I don't feel a lot of kicks, but I feel the babies rolling around and making a lot of big moves. They have stayed head down for a few months, but they are still always twisted in different positions when we go in for ultrasounds.
Food cravings: Still just chocolate.
Gender: One boy and one girl!
Labor Signs: I wish! I am having some cramping and pain when I move around a lot. So I have just been resting most of the day.
Belly Button in or out? Out and it pokes through my clothes.

What I miss: Sleeping all night long!
What I am looking forward to: Meeting the babies
Weekly Wisdom: Don't drink water before bed.

Milestones: Checking some things off the to do list.

We have an appointment tomorrow morning and the babies will be measured, YAY! I cannot wait to find out how much they weigh. Last month Emma was estimated at 4lbs, 9 oz. and Brett was estimated at 3 lbs, 13 oz. So tomorrow we will see just how big these watermelons are!!!

FAQ's

Soooo I just left Publix and after about 30 minutes of shopping I had probably been stopped at least 5 times and asked the routine of questions I get over and over in a typical day. Usually I play along and answer nicely, but sometimes I want to mess with people. It isn't their fault that I am sick of the interrogations, but some people have no issue with invading another person's privacy. Here is a run-down of my repeated conversations:

Frequently Asked Questions:

About pregnancy:

Wow, when are you due? A couple of weeks.

Is there more than one in there? Yes, I am having twins.

Are you going to have a c-section? Not unless I need one. Which currently I don't.

About twins:

Do they run in your family? Yes, actually they do!

Oh so you didn't do fertility treatments? Blank stare.

Are you having boys or girls? One boy and one girl

Are they identical? No, actually a boy and a girl cannot be "identical." (This really should be a blank stare, but I feel the need to educate people on this!)

Everything else:

Are you going to breastfeed? I plan on it.

How? Another blank stare.

So, that was my night at Publix! I went grocery shopping and bought some foods to make freezer meals. I am starting with chili. It is a favorite of Brian's all year round. It will be the middle of summer and he will ask me to make chili! I can't really blame him because it is so yummy!!! I will post the recipe and a picture when it is all finished :)

While at Publix I started to have trouble walking. I felt like I was going to pee my pants! (TMI?) So I tried to hurry along and went home. When I got home I went into the bathroom before even unloading my groceries. Apparently I didn't really need to go to the bathroom at all. So I stood back up and went to get the groceries and I was STILL feeling it! I put away the groceries and took the dogs outside. Rocco is in potty training, round 2, so I have to keep him on a leash and "walk" him in the yard. It was so tough, I still felt like I was going to pee my pants! So now I am laying on my couch and this is where I intend to stay for the rest of the night. I am not sure what is going on. I know that Brett's head is right on my cervix, he is very low. And Emma is right near him. Hopefully this uncomfortableness passes soon, or else I am going to be waddling around like a penguin with an overactive bladder! Which, by the way, is probably what I looked like at Publix!

The hospital bag!

36 weeks today, YAY! Brian and I are so excited :)

I wanted to have the hospital bag packed by today, but that didn't happen! By the weekend it will definitely be done. The first step was getting a bag. How crazy is it that I do not own one duffel bag! I have a couple of smaller overnight bags and some suitcase luggage, but nothing mid-sized. So obviously getting a cute bag for the hospital was the first step! For my birthday I got a very cute Vera Bradley tote bag from our good friends Adam and Marissa. So I decided to order the matching duffel from Amazon.com. I really love the pattern, it is Buttercup. It should be arriving any day now, and will be filled up with everything we will need in the hospital.

So, what exactly will we need?? That is a great question! After asking around and finding some lists on other blogs and websites, I was able to figure out everything I think we will need.

The List:

• Insurance Card
• Nursing bra and tank
• Nursing pads
• Chap Stick
• toiletry bag (shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, hair brush,toothpaste, toothbrush, razor, deodorant, face lotion, body lotion, contact solution and case)
• glasses
• flip flops
• baby's grooming kit
• glasses
• hair ties, headband, and bobby pins
• snacks for Brian!
• cell phone and charger, headphones
• digital camera
• flip video camera
• laptop and charger
• books/magazines
• boppy
• receiving blankets

• outfit to wear home
• coming home outift for babies one newborn and one 0-3 month for each
• car seats installed in car

So for now I am piling everything up in the nursery so that I can fill my new duffel as soon as it arrives! If I forgot anything, please let me know :)

Once the bag is packed, our to-do list will be almost complete! Here is what we have left:

• Change blinds in the nursery to white
• Hang two shelves in nursery
• Hang picture frames in nursery
• Pick out coming home outfits in newborn and 0-3 months
• Install car seats and get them checked at the fire dept
• Trash can for nursery

This week I ordered a cute side table to go next to the glider and a window seat cushion for the bay window. The table is from homedecorators.com, my new addiction! I also ordered the nursery rug from here and LOVE it!

This is the side table, I think the shape of it goes really well with the Dr. Seuss theme!

And here is the faux sheepskin rug, which I ordered in 8 foot round, not rectangle like it is pictured. It is sooooo soft! Brian and I laid down on it and did not want to get up, it was so comfy!

I really need to get some pictures of the nursery on here! Now that we finally have all of the clothes put away and things organized, I can take some good ones. So be on the lookout for that :)

So...we are ALMOST done. It is so hard to believe!!

But, that is enough about that! How in the heck are the BABIES doing?!

"It’s the calm before the storm. Changes in your baby's weight have leveled off with only a few ounces of fat added this week. At this point your baby should weigh in at around 6.3 lbs and 19 inches (with boys somewhat heavier and longer than girls). Happily, as far as internal organs go, they are now developed enough to function in the outside world although the oh-so-important immune system is still developing and will continue to do so after birth. With a large boost of antibodies provided by breast milk when nursing begins. Fighting infection and staying healthy should be well within their physical capacity when your little fighter is born."

And these babies aren't honeydews anymore! Now that I am 9 months pregnant, they are a little bit bigger...

So that is everything for now!! Next week the babies will be measured again and we will know their estimated weights!

35 weeks!!

Hello!! The end is near :) Just a few more weeks to go! YAY! It is so hard to believe.

I found this picture online and thought it was hilarious! And it sums up how I feel, haha!

So I am officially past the 35 week mark! My doctor said I would deliver between 35-38 weeks. So anytime now, babies! I know they are enjoying their current home but I think it is getting to be time to move on out :)

Here is some info on how the babies are progressing:

The countdown continues… and in fetal developments: most of the bones (soft skull aside) in their little body are now completely hardened, providing a solid structure from which they can now make their grand debut into the world. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we are structurally ready for a secure launch. In physical fitness news: their muscle tone has also improved over these past few weeks, and you’ll definitely be impressed by their steel-like Ulnar grasp (a newborn reflex that occurs if you lay your finger in their palm). And in genital development: if you’re having a girl, her labia are now fully developed. Finally, in the fluids/excretion department: the amniotic fluid-to-baby ratio has fallen over these past weeks, although they’re still swallowing fluid (building up even more meconium for that historic first poop), and some vernix caseosa. They will be more than ready to swallow and digest milk after birth. Just in case you didn’t get it quite yet: you’ve got yourself an adorable and hungry 6.5 lbs 20 inch baby—are you ready?

35 Week Poll

How far along? 35 weeks, 3 days
Total weight gain/loss: 55 lbs
Maternity clothes? Yes, and I have a lot of them!

Stretch marks? ugghhhhhhh

Sleep: Sleep has been interrupted by waking up to go to the bathroom about every 2 hours. Luckily I can usually sleep in as late as I want, but getting a straight 6-8 hours has not happened in a while. And I have a feeling it will be a very long time!!
Best moment this week: KNowing that the babies will be here very soon!

Movement: Yes! Emma is moving like crazy this morning and it is actually pretty painful. A lot of rolling and tumbling going on and I worry she may be turning or flipping.
Food cravings: Chocolate!! The only craving I have had all pregnancy but it is getting pretty intense.
Gender: One boy and one girl!
Labor Signs: Nope.
Belly Button in or out? Out and it pokes through my clothes.

What I miss: A lot of things!
What I am looking forward to: Meeting the babies
Weekly Wisdom: Get lots of sleep.

Milestones: I made it to 35 weeks!! My doctors said that the babies can be born anytime now :)

That is all the news for now!