Journey’s End…Sorta

So, roughly 24 hours ago, Kristina and I were at the final routine visit before the scheduled delivery of the twins on November 1. There had been a little excitement earlier in the day as Kristina was trying to decide whether an incident was simply some pregnancy-related incontinence or whether she may have had a sign her water might be about to break. With her first pregnancy there was a similar incident that occurred a few hours before her water broke.

Not Big Enough

So, we are beyond 34 weeks now and nothing is big enough.

A Letter To My Sons

Dear Grayson and Bennett:
 

There are only days remaining before I get to meet the two of you. This is a very exciting time for your mother and for me. We are nervous, eager and thrilled about your arrival.

Pick A Date

I set myself up for disappointment this week. I convinced myself that the doctor would tell us we needed to deliver a week or two earlier than planned, but that did not happen. We are still on the same target week, just one day different because of our change in choice for the delivery location.

Milestone 32

This week is somewhat of a magical milestone. It is the “last marker” before delivery, and what our doctor refers to as the safety point. Although, optimal is full term, twins rarely make it that far. However, at week 32, all the critical development is complete, and key abilities to survive outside the womb are in place.

No Work; A Lot Of Labor

Yesterday the doctor put Kristina on bed rest. “Modified bed rest” she likes to remind me. And in all fairness, the doctor gave a generally vague guideline for what should could and couldn’t do. I pushed for a weight limit (lifting, that is) but no specific number came from that conversation. But – at the end of it all – she was no longer permitted to stay at work. So, early maternity leave has begun.

The Big Three-O

It seems crazy that we are only a few weeks from delivery. A friend of Kristina's who had twins last year reminded us that she had already delivered by this point. Of course, hers spent some time in the NICU because they were so early, which we'd prefer to avoid, but Bennett and Grayson will come early if they choose to do so.

The 29-Week Visit

Today we visited the perinatal specialist for a routine ultrasound and check-up. The boys are healthy and fine. Grayson weighs 2 lbs 9 oz, and "little" Bennett came in at 3 lbs 2 oz. I jest about "little" Bennett because he was the morula and implanted about 24 hours after Grayson; however, he has made up for it now. Of course, who knows which will be bigger in eighteen years?

Can't Believe It's 27 Weeks

Nothing significantly different has occurred since the last post except perhaps Kristina "waddles" a little more. I tried simulating her walk, but she just laughed at me because I can't arch my back and balance myself without bending my knees. My imitation looks more like a fiddler crab singing "I'm a Little Tea Pot." She's much better at being pregnant than I am.

Toni Braxton Visits

Ok, so the visit wasn't really from the singer-songwriter, Toni Braxton. Rather it was Braxton-Hicks, which does sound like a R&B-Country crossover.

Two Dozen Weeks

It was a much better and calmer week...until last night. Kristina just seems to collect quick-passing kidney stones. I suppose the quick-passing part is a blessing...and at least this one didn't land us in the hospital.

The 23 Enigma

Last week I mentioned stress coming down on us at this phase of the pregnancy. Many wished for us to have some relief. Well, it didn't come immediately as we were in the hospital last Saturday to treat the second kidney stone Kristina had developed.

Tick-Tock

It has been a stressful week. We had our one-year old SUV break down over the weekend and had to be with loaners for five days. Granted a loaner vehicle is better than no vehicle, but it did throw a curve in our routine. More details would be just complaining...

BlackJack

No, we're not in Vegas. But this does mark week 21.

Venti

We have reached the twentieth week of Kristina's pregnancy. I have too many thoughts, as well as too many distractions, to properly express what is going through my brain about the boys' development. We have classes we are taking to help us prepart. There are doctors visits o'plenty. And let's not forget nursery plans to complete.

Half The Way There

So tomorrow marks 19 weeks. This makes it officially the half-way milestone as the OB/GYN has stated she does not plan for Kristina to carry the boys beyond the 38th week.

End of the First Trimester

The timing of our posts have not been quite what we expected. What I mean by that is the due date, and thereby how far along, has shifted by a day or day as we progress. First it was moved forward, then moved back a day. We were trying to post the new-week update on the precise day. However, we've given up on that kind of precision.

A Dozen Weeks Now

We are nearing the end of the first trimester. It's hard to believe we're about to hit such a milestone. It seems like it was merely yesterday we were having the embryos transferred. It won't be long before the twins are here (on the outside).

11 Weeks Along

We are now eleven weeks along in the pregnancy. The most exciting news noticeable is we have stopped with the progesterone shots. Kristina and I both are pleased that phase is over. We despised this necessary evil.

Everything In Pairs

So, we joke that we do everything twice. We got engaged twice. I bought the ring twice. We set the same day twice. We went through in-vitro twice.