33w 6d update

Well, here we are at 33w 6d. I just got back from my weekly BPP ultrasound at the Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) clinic. The boys passed again with perfect scores!! I swear the nurses at MFM are going to throw me a party once these boys are born. Today, I was greeted with such enthusiasm...."Hilary, you look great! You've just done so awesome...look how far you've made it...." Lots of comments about what the hell happened with my first pregnancy...it doesn't make sense that I'd carry twins this long. But here we are...yay! That being said...I must have these babies by Christmas week...that will be 37 weeks so it's not like I'm trading the health of my babies for anything...BUT...my short-term-disability runs out on the 26th and we have $1500 left in our FSA for 2008...but, finances are finances and are absolutely secondary. So, how about the fact that I can barely walk...let that be the reason for delivery at 37 weeks...that is 3 weeks away though, so why worry now. I do, however, find it interesting that my clinic won't deliver before 38 weeks and the Twins book I'm reading doesn't even cover anything past 36 weeks since that is full-term for twins. There is a 28-32 week chapter and a 32-36 week chapter...and that's it!! There is NO 36-40 weeks chapter!!!

The Twins book also has a chapter on what to expect in the NICU and it's organized in pre-34 weeks and 34 weeks and greater...making it to 34 weeks makes such a difference in the health of the babies...'course all babies are different...Ethan at 32 weeks had typical preemie issues, but not as severe as your average 32-weeker (ventilator for only 12 hours!!)...some 34-weekers might go home, and some might have some pre-34-week issues...you see what I'm saying?...regardless, it's great. I am so much more comfortable with the idea of delivering at this point on. The January 2009 EDD message board on babycenter.com already has lots of birth announcements...lots of twins born in November, and even October...parents hoping to bring their preemies home by Christmas. I'm hoping to have ours here by Christmas too, just without the NICU time.

After my appointment, I stopped by Target to pick up the Terbutaline refill I called in yesterday. The pharmacist that helped me was the same one that helped me last time...she remembered me and asked how the boys were doing...she even remembered their names...uh oh...don't head to the York Ave Target Pharmacy and start asking around!! I told her the names when she asked me last time I saw her...thinking, seriously, I don't know this woman and she doesn't know anyone I know.

I am such a spectacle out in public. You'd laugh if you saw me get in and out of the van...I actually think I'm getting to the point where it might not be such a good idea for me to be driving myself around anymore...but the options are limited!! It's also cold in MN and I can't button my regular winter jacket. So I wear a long scarf and cross it over my belly and then button the top button of my jacket to hold the scarf in place. It's goofy-looking, but I'm past the point of being vain!

Wherever I go, someone asks me about my due-date or talks to me about something pregnancy-related. I went to the Starbucks in the Target before leaving to get a fake coffee and the clerk was 25-weeks and she asked me all about caffeine during pregnancy...I'm no expert, I just decided not to drink any (Andy did make me a cup with decaf beans/caf beans/milk last Sunday...it was pretty milky so I think I ingested minimal caffeine...but I drank it in like 3 sips it was so good). I ordered a medium decaf mocha with skim milk but said yes to the whip cream....apparently this was very funny. It's half-healthy, and really, do you think I'm concerned about the calories of the whip at this point?! I ordered skim out of habit and because I think all other milk looks chunky and the idea of it in my "coffee" makes me want to gag.

I was supposed to have my shot this morning...I never received the FedEx with my next 2 shots (my old nurse, Pam, forgot to order it until yesterday)...So I called Jen this morning and she picked up a vial on her way...but forgot the syringe. So, we did the rest of the visit stuff and she's coming back to shoot me up this evening. I think next week is my last week...still uncertain if we're going through 35 or 36 weeks with these shots.

Tomorrow morning is my weekly prenatal visit. Curious to see if I'm dilated at all...they couldn't tell at the US today because Baby A is like WAY down there...like, they were shocked how far down he was and that I wasn't dilated (according to last Friday's check)..so given that, and some recent wicked contractions (knocked out with Terb still), I am hoping for a 1 or a 2...come on, boys...give me something here!! You can still hang out until 36/37 weeks, but give me some sign that you are at least thinking about coming out to meet us!!