Sunday, February 22, 2009

They're all a bunch of liars! ;)

Every time I go out, especially to church, people tell me I'm "not that big for having twins." I don't believe them. I look about 6 months along when I'm not quite 4, which is exactly where I'm supposed to be.

I suppose it's the result of our weight-obsessed society. There's nothing more horrifying for many women than the prospect of gaining 40+ pounds in 9 months, so to make her feel better we tell her how small she still is.

I don't really feel that way, though. I'm not getting fat, I'm growing life. What could be more miraculous and beautiful? It is a privilege to see my body do exactly what God intended it to do at this time in my life.

So to all of the well-intended people trying to compliment me, you're wrong. I'm HUGE! And I love it!

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Happy Birthday to Me

What's worse than having the flu? Having the flu and bronchitis.

What's worse than having the flu and bronchitis? Having the flu and bronchitis while pregnant.

What's worse than having the flu and bronchitis while pregnant? Having the flu and bronchitis while pregnant with twins.

What's worse than having the flu and bronchitis while pregnant with twins? Having the flu and bronchitis while pregnant with twins on your birthday!

Yes, I'm throwing myself a pity party. Thankfully, I am on the mend and will be able to celebrate with the family this weekend. Of course, it's not easy for Papa Runner either. He had to deal with a wife who is sick with the flu and bronchitis while pregnant with twins on her birthday...on HIS birthday.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

And the answer is YES

Yes, we had lost our minds. Thankfully it was temporary. I so appreciated all of the comments on my last post, especially from the twin-mamas who have BTDT. To make the decision even easier, I spent the last two days getting Sweetie's room finished. And by finished, I mean:

removing all furniture
sweeping cobwebs from ceiling
wiping handprints from walls
repainting all trim
spackling and painting any touch-up spots on the wall
and steaming the carpet

I still need to get the curtains back up, put the door back on, and move the dresser back in. I had to rush to get it all done because the bunkbeds are coming on Thursday. I think I'll wait a month or so before moving Smartie over, but I want lots of time to get her current room ready for the twins.

I am so exhausted, I don't think I can move. No way could I do this to the whole house, so moving plans are on hold for at least a year.

Other than majorly overdoing it, the pregnancy is going really well. I've been blessed that the second trimester is usually pretty easy for me. It's not until the third that things become questionable. Who knows how it will go with twins, but for now I'm feeling good.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Have we lost our minds?

Papa Runner and I have been talking a lot about how much longer we can stay in our house. There isn't a lot of storage space, the yard is small (and un-fence-able due to easements), and there are only three bedrooms. We knew we'd be tight with a third child, but with twins....

If we stay, Smartie and Sweetie will be sharing a room and the twins will share a room. Our nursery is too small for two cribs (co-sleeping never worked well for us), so they're going into the "big" bedroom, and we're putting bunk beds for the girls in the nursery.

So we'd like to move in the next year. That means I have to clean the house to selling standards and maintain those standards while pregnant and/or caring for two infants. This does not appeal to me. My plan is to start packing anything not completely essential now. I also want to empty any rooms I can--Smartie's bedroom, the second bathroom, the living room, what little storage we have--and consolidate the living space as much as possible. That would give me fewer rooms to maintain and less packing to do later.

On the other hand, Papa and I have both travelled in third world countries and know that families bigger than ours can survive just fine with a lot less space than ours. If we had to, we could put off the move for another year or so. And with the housing market like it is, we may not be able to sell our house for a while anyway. And we also have to consider that this is a high-risk pregnancy. I don't want to endanger myself or the twins by taking on too much stress. I just can't decide what would be the lesser of the evils.

Either way, I start my first major cleaning project tomorrow. The bunk beds will be delivered on Thursday, so Sweetie's room needs to be cleaned from top to bottom and any touch-ups finished before then. That'll be one less to worry about.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

New Poll

March 16 is my sono where we'll hopefully find out the genders. I've added a poll on the left for your guesses!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

I LOVE my Midwife

I probably should have put this in with yesterday's post, but double pregnancy-brain has really taken its toll!

So, I liked my midwife, Sarah Leeper, right from the start, but I think I intimidated her at first. Before midwifery school, she had worked in a high-risk OB's office and had never seen a case of recurrent pre-eclampsia before. So my history was unusual to her, and adding in that I'm her first set of twins was extra scary. She had talked my case over with Dr. Fulk, and they planned to jointly manage my care with Dr. F taking over as primary at 20 weeks.

When I went in yesterday, she told me she had spent the last 4 weeks researching recurrent PE and was much more comfortable with the situation. We will, of course, still consult with Dr. F, but Sarah is hoping to remain my primary for as much of the pregnancy as possible. And if I avoid PE this time, that would be clear through delivery! I'm really excited about this.

If you're looking for a new OB/Gyn and are considering trying a midwife, I definitely recommend Sarah. She works in Drs. Santiago and Fulk's office.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Check Up Today

I had my 15 week appointment today. Everything is looking good. Both heartbeats are strong. I've been feeling flutters more and more over the last two weeks. "Addison" seems to be a little more active, or maybe just in a better position to be felt. Next month: Sono and (hopefully) we'll find out the sexes.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Heartwarming Breast Feeding Story

This mother is trusting God and strangers to provide breast milk for her sick daughter.

Monday, February 2, 2009

I'm not sure she gets it...

When Smartie came from Sunday School yesterday, she had a picture of the four friends who brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus. I asked her what she learned about.

"They put this man up on the roof. Then they threw him off! They just threw him right down to Jesus."

Exciting New Research into Pre-Eclampsia

Researchers at Yale University have discovered a "misfolded" protein in the urine, blood, and placenta unique to women with pre-eclampsia. They have developed a urine test using dye that can accurately identify pre-eclampsia patients as much as 10 weeks before diagnostic symptoms show up. It may be a while before this test is available at local labs, but the research potential is so exciting.