23 weeks - 25 weeks

I'm behind. Sorry. I still have some energy and I'm taking full advantage of it before I'm stuck on the couch or in bed. The days and weekends keep flying by as my time is fully occupied by work followed by the hundred things on our to-do list (which is getting longer, not shorter). Highlights from the past few weeks:

• Weight gain - the goal given to me was +24lbs by 24 weeks. I hit +23.5lbs at 24w0d. I'm calling this one a success!
• Still lots of kicking from the babies. 
• We hit 24 weeks which is the first point (generally) that babies have a chance of living on the outside. Some key lung development occurs just prior to 24 weeks that allows babies to breathe air. Obviously they need to stay in for much longer, but there is still something reassuring about reaching that point.
• Braxton Hicks contractions continue. I've relaxed about them a little because they happen so often, but I do pay attention to the timing if I feel like I've had several in a short amount of time. I could still do without them. :-/
• I must be starting to look big because I was asked by three different people at work last week how much longer I planned to come into the office. The answer is I don't really know. Sometime over the next few weeks, I'll start working from home 1-2 days per week and other than that, my Dr and I will reevaluate at each appointment.

April 12: Baby Basics Class
We attended a class at our hospital on how to care for a newborn. One of the most helpful sections was a series of pictures showing what is normal for a newborn baby. Besides that, the highlight was watching Chris bathe and redress the doll. The diaper was no problem (all of our visitors and I are very thankful for this). But the little shirt was another story. For any of you who know Chris, I'm sure you can imagine how this went down. He was the last one finished and when he held up the doll neither shoulder was fully pulled up and the snaps were mismatched. He may have yelled, "dammit" in front of everyone.

April 18: MFM Appointment
This was my last cervical check and another routine growth scan for the babies. Cervix is still long and closed. I believe the MFM called it, "embarrassingly good." Whatever that means, I'll take it. The babies looked great. Here are their stats:

Baby A
Sex: still a boy; as I said before, no question, this will not change
Position: Breech
Heart rate: 172 - he was really active during the scan
Estimated weight: 1lb 4oz

Baby B
Sex: still a girl
Position: Vertex (head down)
Heart rate: 148
Estimated weight: 1lb 4oz, yes same weight as A. MFM was happy with their weights.

Next growth scan was scheduled for four weeks later on May 16. They captured a couple short videos (we haven't figured out how to keep them private on YouTube and embed them in this blog, so apologies for just links for now):

1) Baby boy noms his hand. He is facing us in the middle of the frame with his body to the right. The dark circles are his eyes, the parts that moves are his lower jaw and cheeks. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E5gukpgNmE

2) Baby boy kicks baby girl. Her face is visible with her body to the left - you can see her heart beating. His legs are over the top of her head. Toward the end of the video his little kickers get going and her chest gets booted! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-90i14CSp4

April 20 - 23: Mum and Ally Visited
Mum and Ally came to Columbus to spend the weekend with us and we had a really fun time. It was so nice to see them. We hadn't seen Ally since her wedding last September - that is too long to not hug her in person! Thankfully, we had lots of time for hugs and they got to see and feel the babies kick. There was also some baby shopping, of course. Thank you both so much for the furniture for the babies. It is scheduled to be delivered this week!

My beautiful sister and mum! 

Saturday, April 21: 5th Anniversary
This month also marked 12 years of being together and we have no idea how time flew by this fast. I am so grateful to have such a wonderful partner in life. I love his hugs, our conversations about nothing and everything, the vacation plans we dream of taking in the future, his sense of humor, that I feel like I can be anything and do anything with him, and I love the way he loves me, our babies, and the kitten. We have promised each other to do everything we can to keep our friendship and laughter with twin infants. I've been told it won't be easy and we fully expect this to be a challenge. I just can't imagine life without enjoying each other, even if it's only for 10 minutes in the evenings or a quick dinner date on a weekend.

April 22 - April 28: National Infertility Awareness Week
I'm in process of writing a post on this and will get it up shortly.

Bump pictures:

23w0d

24w1d

25w0d
Uh oh, that maternity shirt is starting to look a little short.
Perhaps my time to leave work will be dictated by when I don't have
anything left that fits.