Sophie Came Home

Sophies coming home outfit. I have waited a long time to have you guys!!!

My wonderful little babies....yes it is a Michigan blanket. We decided to start him out young-Go maize and blue!!!

Well we got the greatest present ever-Sophie got to come home today. I am so happy about that. Our family is together for christmas and that means a lot to me. I didn't want her to be at the hospital if at all possible. I do have a home care nurse coming out to the house to check on her monitor on Wednesday. She seems to be doing fine. We did have an apnea alarm tonight-scared me but I just rubbed her and she started breathing again. I am so happy that we have that thing. I don't know when I will ever feel safe giving that thing up. It alarms after no chest wall movement is detected for 20 seconds. She was in her car seat and the leads could have moved or just not picked it up and she really was breathing but I am not about to take any chances!!! She is doing well and the babies love being together so I will keep them at the bedside with me so I can micromanage everything! LOL I am totally exhausted and ready for sleep. I know that sleep is a long way off. How about a nap? I will take that right now. I love them so much. I wish I could put them down long enough to get some rest. That is just not the case because in my opinion they are so darn cute that I must just look at them in Awe! Merry Christmas!!!!

Sophie will be home Christmas Eve!!!

Well we went to the apnea monitor class today and learned infant CPR. The monitor is much smaller than I thought it would be. Sophie will be wearing that for several weeks until we are fairly sure that she is not having any episodes. I worry about her and I am so glad that she will have the monitor so that I can sleep a little. Otherwise I would have to sit at her side all night and make sure she is breathing...I went to see her tonight and I put her in one of her cute preemie outfits...all the nurses were cooing over it!

Riley is doing well. He is eating well and just looking about at his new home and his big brothers keep him pretty busy showing him all kinds of toys and games! I can't keep my mitts off of him and keep kissing him all over like I do my older boys. He is so wonderful and I am so thrilled to be bringing his sister home soon.

On a lighter note I am able to get my wedding ring back on and I love it! Bye bye swelling! Also for anyone else having milk issues due to pumping or whatever reason...I talked to the lactation RN at the hospital and she recommended that I take Reglan to increase breast milk production. I did not know anything about this or if I did I forgot!!! Anyhow I just want you to know that I am on day three of the 12 day regimen and it has more than doubled my volume! I am so thrilled! I want to be breast feeding right now but I have to wait until I am done with that crazy Cipro! I am thrilled that the UTI is gone however I want to get on with it! LOL Just thought that I would throw this little tid bit on here. Dont give up with the breast feeding!

Riley Came Home Yesterday!!!!

This is what my little angel looks like without the feeding tube in. She is so cute. :)

Here is my sweet little flower! She is so wonderful and spunky! A little spitfire. DH says she is a chip off the old block!!!

Two little peas in the pod!!!

This little outfit was used to bring home my other two boys so it is only right that Riley come home in it. It is really sentimental to me....

Getting Riley dressed to come home.

I just love this photo of my baby boy! He is absolutely sweeter than honey! (just like my other fabulous boys!!)

Riley came home yesterday and what a sweet homecoming day it was. The boys are so in love with him it is crazy. DH and I have been sucking him up as well. It is so great to be at home with him and not have to be on display at the hospital. I was able to sit and check him out completely!!! He is so wonderful and perfect! I love love love him. I got everything set up and put a bassinet right by my bed so that I could keep an eye on him all night. He is on Neosure formula-35-40 cc's every 3 hours. I set my alarm clock to get up and he woke up about 15 minutes before my alarm every time. His own alarm system seems to be working just fine these days. I still have to pump and dump due to an antibiotic that I am taking for the darn UTI situation. So after I feed him I have to pump and by the I get everything done I have about an hour to an hour and a half and he will be up again. Didnt sleep well or long at all last night...partially because he was awake and partially because I was awake looking at him in awe! I am so thrilled with him and I am taking every minute to enjoy it and not take it for granted.

I got the call from the home care team and we are taking the monitor class and infant CPR tomorrow at the hospital for Sophie! She has not had any more apnea! Yeah! Lets hope that Cafcit keeps working and she continues on this path. I worry about her coming home with no monitor but thank goodness they do use one. That can really be a scary thing for a mother....no breathing=FREAK OUT ATTACK! Anyhow I make trips to the hospital at night when I get the boys in bed and snuggle her up with kangaroo kare. She is wonderful and I cannot wait to get her home. We need her energy around here.....Then we will be complete! She is so adorable and her little hospital photo turned out so cute. I can't wait to post it. Lots of pink...my kind of photo!!! She got her tube pulled and she is taking regular bottles now and progressing nicely. If things keep up this way she will be home on Christmas Eve day! So exciting!

Now for me. Things are going well. I am able to move around so much better. Thank goodness. It has been nutty from that surgery. It was tough. Anyhow I am happy that I can do things for myself now. It is hard to ask for h-e h-e-l h-e-l-p! I dont know why I think that I have to do everything. I am really trying to let people help that want to. I dont want to be overloaded and alone!!! Thank you to all who have offered your help. It is greatly appreciated.

Sophie Ate!!!

Well little miss Sophie hasnt been eating but today she decided to nipple about 35 cc's which is her whole bottle! I was so proud of her. That is wonderful...one step closer. She has been without any apnea alarms for a little over 24 hours. She needs to be alarm free for 5 days. The doctor did up her Cafcit to 19mg per dose which should keep her a little more alert to be able to breathe. If she continues to stay alarm free she can come home on Christmas eve! She will come home on medication and an apnea monitor. That will make me feel better!!! How wonderful! That would be so great!!! I am praying that she does well. We just have to take it one day at a time. Other than that she is gaining weight consistently and very snuggly!!!

Mr. Riley is doing great. He is without a feeding tube for a couple of days now and eating well from the bottle. This is a great sign. The doctor said that he might come home either tomorrow or Friday! Yippie! I hope that this is the case. He is so calm and easy going with everything.

I am preparing the house for their arrival-setting up diaper changing stations upstairs and down and getting everything out that I will be needing for them! I am looking forward to them coming home-so are my boys!!!

Update...

Well last night I had to make a trip to ER-Severe bladder and kidney infection. I also may have cellulitis on my lower belly where all that swelling was. Oh great just what I need. I had a friend take me to ER and I got right in and they took the staples out and put steristrips on. It feels better with regard to that. I was cramping so bad and had SEVERE back pain on the left. I was bawling and carrying on and they gave me Morphine to help with the pain and it only worked for minutes. My white blood cell count was through the roof indicating infection and they did a UA. Apparently it was a really bad UTI. How horrible. I didn't get to see the babies because of this and it was making me mad. I did go up earlier in the day and love on them and take photos of them and all. They are so wonderful!!!

BABIES INFO:

Riley made his first weight gain instead of loss today. He weighed 5 grams more than yesterday. Every gram counts when you want them to come home. They changed his formula from 20 calories per cc to 22 calories to help him gain some weight. That is a good sign! He is nippling mostly all of his feedings. He only had to have 10 cc gavaged through the feeding tube for the whole day so that is not bad at all. Good Boy Riley!!!

Sophie is gaining weight well. She is always putting on a few grams at each weigh in. Her deal is the apnea-which they are giving her Cafcit-caffeine to help her stay stimulated enough to breath. It is really helping. Unreal. A little baby mountain dew and she is breathing better. That is awesome!!! She is not nippling her feedings as well as Riley, so they are having to use her feeding tube more often than not but at least she is putting on weight. She usually eats about half or a little more. Good Girl Sophie!!!

NEW Photos!!!


My sweet Riley boy looking around after his meal. He was happy.

Time to drift off to sleep after Grandma held you. She ate you right up! You had tons of snuggles!

These photos of Sophie were taken after some Kangaroo Kare. She loved it. I held her because when we got to the nursery she was wailing! It is just instinct to go to your crying baby. So I was able to comfort her and she started crying when she was hungry and it was about 20 minutes until her feeding time. That is a good thing! She was telling us that she was ready. I can't wait to bring these guys home to join our family!

Just after Kangaroo Kare.

I am Home!!!!

Well guys here are the awaited photos! DH still has a lot on his camera that I will add of the actual birth but for now I hope that these will do! MY PRECIOUS RILEY AND SOPHIE!!!!!



The Proud Big Brothers!!!! They were so excited. Isaac wanted Riley and Spencer wanted Sophie!

My little Glow worm!!!!Riley boy on his Biliblanket

My sweet babies! I ate them up with love!

My dear daughter-Sophie Marie-she is so sassy already!!!!

The hospital gave them red and green hats in light of the holiday. I have other plans...although they are cute....

2 Peas in a pod!!!!

RILEY

Nice belly-stretch marks and all. So glad we got this one! LOL

This was taken the night before because I caught sight of it in the mirror after putting the boys in bed and I was like-Whoa that is huge!!!

Comments

Thank you guys so much for the wonderful comments. I took my laptop to the employee pharmacy in the lobby today to get my discharge RX's and I started to read your comments and then started to tear up right there and I had to look like like I wasn't because it is lunch time and there are a ton of people down there right now!!!

I am still quite sore. I will be glad to come home to take my pain meds when I want to! It is slow moving for me these days which really isn't my style so it is taking some adjusting.

I spend all of my available waking moments in with the babies. They are wonderful! I think that they look a lot a like. I will be posting photos tomorrow when I get home. So stay tuned for that fun. They are eating from a bottle although not well. They take in a few cc's and then they are done so they are talking about putting feeding tubes in them just so they don't have to work as hard. They will suck what they want and then lavage the rest down the tube. Sounds like a plan to me. They are both on biliblankets as their bilirubin levels are high. (Normal for preemies)They really do look like glow worms!!!! They were able to pull their IV's out yesterday so that is a step in the right direction as well. Sophie does have episodes of apnea but overall she is doing well. Riley is breathing just fine. He looks just like my boys!!! I can't wait to get the photos up and running!!!

Time to feed the babies!

Talk to you later!!!!

The final Appointment!!!!!

Well here's the deal...I had been having contractions about every ten minutes or so all weekend and basically just felt bad. I went to my OB appt. on Monday and told him of the weekends events and he suggested that I go to L and D and get monitored. So I do. I went very reluctantly as I am hormonal and huge. It turns out that I was starting to dilate...to a 1cm. Then they decided to draw blood and run the PIH panel as well. Well things came back worse than they were last week. My liver enzymes doubled what they were just a week ago. My uric acid level went way up compared to what it has been and they decided that it was a good idea to deliver me STAT. DH was still on his way to the hospital from work...I am sweating waiting for him!!!! So anyhow it was a flurry of nurses and doctors all coming together to make this whole thing work out. I was signing papers, getting IV's and a catheter, shaved, etc. Anyhow, I get into the OR and had to sit for the spinal...Can I just say OUCH! It was a toughy!!! Anyhow after I got that done and ten minutes of bawling I was all strapped down for the long haul! It was a rough surgery...but within a few minutes really I heard the loud sounds of Riley bellowing throughout the suite! Then a minute later I heard Sophie crying out!!! It was so amazing! I started crying when I heard them and I knew that they could breathe well. Then they briefly showed me the babies and then DH went with them to the nursery and I stayed there and got stitched up. Fun fun. I went to recovery for about an hour and after lots of tears and pain medication it was finally at a tolerable level. Then they took me on the bed to the nursery to see the little nuggets. They are sooo cute. I will be posting photos when I get home and have equipment that works. I have a defective card reader with me....uuugghh!!! Anyhow, the babies are so adorable! Sophie weighed in at 5lbs 8 oz and Riley weighed in at 5 lbs 5 oz. I do not have the length yet. They both have hair!!! Sophie seems to be a little spitfire just like her mother and Riley is a calm baby just soaking things up! Both are way cute! But that is a biased mothers opinion. I will for sure get some photos up as soon as I get home. They will have to stay longer than me but that is OK it is for their good and I can heal up. It will kill me to leave them though. I plan on visiting for the better part of all the days they are here. Well that is my story and I am sticking with it!

NST today

Today I had my NSt-took 3 freaking hours!!! Like I have that kind of time to be strapped to a monitor on my back! Anyhow the babies are looking good and my labs were still a little shaky. The resident came in and I asked how everything was looking and he was like well I dont think that we will have to deliver you today but I am going to call the peri to see what she thinks. Anyhow he came back in and said that if I continue to go up (liver enzymes, protein, creatinine, etc.) they are going to keep me and deliver the babies. It was a close call today. They like the protein under 300 and mine was 298. Blood pressure was awesome again-124/71. I was pleased about that. Other than that I have nothing new to report! I wanted to be able to go home though and I am glad that I just cleared the protein deal! Almost there. I am in much better spirits than yesterday. I took an ambien last night and it really helped. I needed sleep so bad. So now I just wait until Monday for a BPP and OB appt.

Ob appt and BPP today...and on and on.....

Today was a day like all other days! Filled with doctor appointments and waiting. Lots of waiting. I had the BPP and everything turned out well for that. Riley is weighing in at 5lbs 7 oz and Sophie is weighing in at about 5 lbs 4 oz. I am not sure how accurate these are considering I had the bad tech. Dang! I thought that I made my appt.'s around her schedule. Oh well. This is the idea they have. Not bad. You could see some of the vernix floating in the amniotic fluid. They are starting to shed that coating already. That is a good sign. Anyhow they are both head up today. Lots of fun for mom! Then I headed out for my OB appointment which was pretty uneventful. BP was 124/89 and no protein in the urine so that is a good deal. I was asking the doctor about healing after the c-section, with all the swelling that I have in my lower abdomen. He said it is like a 50/50 with that much swelling. I was like what? He said that it may heal up good, they may have to put a drain in it or it may not heal well at all and continue to be weepy. That is all I need with 2 newborns! So it is a wait and see game. I hope that it heals up just fine and I wont have to worry about it. He said that they will give me antibiotics prophylactically.

I measured 48 weeks-YIKES! That is huge!!!

He said he noticed a real difference in my coping ability! He asked me what was wrong and I lit into him! I am so tired first of all. I hate the clinic. By the way they are refunding my money from the 3D ultrasound because both times the video is horrific. That's beside the point. I cannot sleep. I mean I absolutely cannot sleep without taking something. It is horrible. Then it got too late last night to take something so I just paced the floors...It was bad. My ear is aching and I can barely talk still......So needless to say I was very very grumpy! He was like whoa! She opened a can on me! LOL He said to hang in there and for every day between now and the 26th that they stay inside that would be about 2 days less that they would be in the nursery. That is incentive right? So here I sit hanging in there.


Upcoming Appt's:
Tomorrow-Drop off 24 hour urine and get an NST
Monday-OB appt and BPP
Tuesday-Perinatologist and NST with blood work
Thursday-NST with blood work
Friday-Pre-op Appt. for C-section

Peri and NST today

This photo of Riley was taken to show how much hair he has. The tech was like "Wow! he has a lot of hair!" I asked her how she knew and she said that instead of a distinct line where his skull is, it is fuzzy and she put and arrow to show the hair. (All of the little lines coming from his head) How cute! My boy is going to have hair!!! We could not see Sophies head so I am not for sure how her hair is coming along.

This photo is both neat and creepy! It is a photo of Riley's face. His mouth was open and he looked directly at the "camera". I thought that it was really interesting to see this.

These last two ultrasounds were done on 11/27. She forgot to give me the pics so I got them today. I thought that the top one was so cute of Sophie's feet on Riley's head of course. I mean where else would she put them? I just thought it was such a neat photo of her little foot!!

And the bottom one is both of their heads together and again that is her little foot by his head. Cute little toes though.

I had an appointment with the perinatologist today for a cord doppler and a fluid level check via ultrasound. Every thing looks good there. Both babies were moving around and they were positioned like the yin yang symbol!!! Riley's head is down with his feet up across my ribs and Sophie has her head under his legs and her feet are down by his head! It was interesting. Needless to say we could not get a photo of her face-due to legs being in the way. This appointment was good and it was fun. Just a quick peek at them to see how they are doing. I go to the clinic that I love so much on Thursday for a BPP and I think that they will check growth at this appt. I am not for sure.

After I left the peri's office I had an appt. in L & D for my NST. They did the normal urine and blood work and things are not looking good again. My liver enzymes went up and my creatinine was off. Pre-pre-eclampsia signs if that makes any sense. They were talking of keeping me possibly. I about freaked out! my blood pressure was good at 121/74-that is VERY good for me. This new BP med is working out really well. For that I am thankful. Anyhow the RN was able to get both babies on the monitor well. I was having a few contractions here and there but nothing huge to report. I have to do another 24 hour urine and go back like everyday! Unreal. So many appointments so little time! LOL

32 Week Belly shot

Here is an updated Belly photo taken yesterday in front of our tree. I certainly feel like I am going to blow up! Even if it isnt a realistic thought that is how I feel. It is really hard to do anything. I feel like it is a challege to get some water from the kitchen! Only a few more weeks to meet the little nuggets!

NST today

Ok today was my 2nd NST for the week and after 2 hours on my back on a gurney they came in and said "oh we didn't see what we would like because the babies are not staying on the monitor" so they did a BPP u/s and in 15 minutes had the information they needed. Now I ask was it really necessary for me to stay on my back for that long? Ugghh! I am just being hormonal I guess. Anyhow, my back is killing me among every other ailment that I have! LOL My blood pressure was good at 119/89, 24 hour urine came back great with protein at 276 and they like it to be less than 300 so we are good there. Babies are just a moving around in there like crazy! I am getting more and more excited to see them by the day. I still cant imagine holding 2 babies at once that are mine. Its strange. I have their bag packed as well as mine now and everything is ready to go. Just have to wait until 12/26. I did get a 4 gig card for my camera in anticipation of many photos and movies!!! As far as next appointments I have a peri appt on Tues. at 8:30 am and another NST at 9:30am the same day. Should be at the hospital most of the morning anyhow. So much for this bed rest thing! LOL

I just want to say that I got a call from an online friend who is having twins. She is in labor and almost ready to have them. I also want to add how touched I was that she had her family call me. How sweet. Thank you so much I really did appreciate it and in my hormonal state almost started to cry! Good luck to you and your twins I am really looking forward to hearing how it goes and seeing photos!!!! Yippie! What a Christmas gift I tell ya!

Thursday later update!!!

Ok so I get home from the non-OB appointment and my family doctor called and she was going nuts because yesterday I had attempted to leave a message on their med-line to renew my BP medication. They could hardly understand me since I can't really talk due to the throat thing. Anyhow she said that she wanted me to come in right away to get looked at-make sure I didn't have strep or anything. So I go in and my BP was good today 120/84 and then they did the horrific swab of my throat-I almost puked on the girl. Anyhow...she asked about my ears and I have had an ache in my right ear for about 3 days now. I just figured it was my sinus pressure and I dont like to complain about EVERYTHING!!! Just a few things at a time! LOL So any how she looked and I have a bad ear ache with a ruptured drum on top of everything else. Good Grief! So I got an antibiotic to help clear that up and hopefully the throat. I was telling DH that I feel like a hypochondriac!! I am like my back hurts, my feet are tight with swelling, my throat hurts, my ear hurts........It was getting out of control. All validated though but nevertheless.....I still have a lot of swelling and my guess is that I will have that until the little nuggets come out. It is a chore I am telling you to walk these days. It really is. Looking forward to seeing them!!!! That is the latest and greatest.

Todays OB appointment

OK here's the deal the crappy clinic where I go said that my appointment was for 3. I never make them for this time because I have to pick up my boy at that time. So anyhow...My card said 11. She wanted me to come back at 3. I went nutty and told her no way was I coming back at 3-it was hard enough in and of itself to get there at 11. I can hardly walk and by back is killing me. So needless to say I didn't have the appt. today. I asked to reschedule and she said that she didn't have anything for weeks. I have an appt. already for Dec. 11th although I am supposed to be seen once a week. I told her that I really didn't care because if she had no openings what was I going to do anyhow. She was like but you are supposed to be seen every week. I just looked at her and couldn't believe it. Was she dumb or something? I was all hormornal about it because it is stupid. So I want to be looked at-I called my peri and she is going to start seeing me every Tuesday. That is a good deal. I like her better than the sucky clinic anyhow. That is where I am at right now. I turned in the 24 hour urine today and I will be seeing her next Tuesday. I have an NST and blood work tomorrow to see how things are coming along. No biggie.

Peri Appt. today

Well I ended up being at the hospital for about 4 hours!!! Yikes! Anyhow...The BPP went well. Both babies are measuring 35 weeks-I am 31W3D. (In my wrestling announcer voice) In one corner of the uterus we have Sophie weighing in at 5 lbs 1 ounce and in the opposite corner we have Riley weighing in at 5 lbs even!!!! The tech was like oh my goodness they have taken a growth spurt in the last 8 days....if you remember they were measuring about 4 lbs each. I was thinking about this as I have 29 days left until the c-section...if they are putting on a pound a week that would put them near the 8-9 lbs range. I will die! Lets hope that this guestimate is way off. I mean I want them to be big healthy babies and all but wow that is a lot of babies in there....I already feel stretched to the max!!! Both babies are still head up-again the reason for all of the pressure up high....lovely. Oh my goodness-When the tech came across their heads guess whos feet were kicking Rileys head? :) It was unreal. Sophie is breech as all get out. I mean that her legs are straight and bent at the hip. Her feet are pushing on Rileys face-AGAIN!!! My poor boy-he will come out all beat up!

Anyhow when my perinatologist came in she said that my swelling was markedly increased-i totally agree with her. My legs are like those foam bed cover things and you push your hand on them and it leaves a print. That is what is going on with the legs. Anyhow after she looked at that she took my BP-150/90-not good. It is going up a little. Just to be on the safe side she wanted an NST and blood work. I had to wait forever and everything looks basically stable. I have to do a 24 hour urine tomorrow and on Thursday I see my OB. Well that is about all I have for you. I think that I am going to make a paper chain with the days left on it....The boys will love to cut one off every day.

NST today

Well I went for my non stress test today and all is looking good with the way the babies heart rates reacted. My blood work came back stable as well so I am happy! More time for them to cook and me to be outta the hospital. I have been having a lot of contractions though. Some of which I cannot talk through. They are really a pain in the gut! :) My back is still out of control...Do I need to post that? I know I tell you guys all the time but it is true. Having a lot of trouble walking and getting up from a chair. It is horrible. I cannot wait to meet these little nuggets. I really can't!!!! I was looking at their clothes and I am sooo excited.

I have a perinatologist appt. on Tues and my regular OB on Thurs. with another NST and blood work on Friday. Geeze...enough appointments???

I'm Home!!!!

Well here I sit in bed trying to get a NST of both babies and it wasn't working out so well. It was hard to keep both of them on the strip at the same time. I had to wear these compressions stockings on my legs so as not to get blood clots while in bed.

This is a photo of my best friend Cristine and myself. She was trying to "hold" both babies!!! I feel like a house.

I finally got released by the doctors...man does that take a long time. I was in a near state of panic!!! Anyhow...I pretty much feel bad. I am so tight and I can barely eat anything without it feeling like it is going to come back up! There is no room in the INN!!!! My back hurts when I get up...blah blah blah all of the pregnancy things. Anyhow I am planning on taking a wonderful bath tonight to relax. I did get a RX for Ambien so I can rest well tonight. I have to go back on Saturday for NST and blood draw-The doctor said that if it looked suspicious then I would have to be admitted again. I am going to pack a bag tonight to keep in my car. Just in case. They told me a million times....we are only letting you go because you are a reliable patient and we know that you will come back if you have any strange signs or symptoms. Of course I will! What moron wouldn't?!?!?!? I did get the paperwork for my pre-admission testing for the C-section...I have to go to the hospital on Dec. 13th to get all the labs done.......Anyhow-that is it with me. I have been laying in bed since I got home-way more comfy!!!!

Still waiting and waiting...

Why is that all we ever do?Wait wait wait. I am going nuts here! I am so ready to leave but I need an order. I may have to start going preggo on some of the people here. I need to get out of this joint! LOL Anyhow I am just sitting here waiting for that little piece of paper. All of my labs came back OK. My protein went from 324 to 376 but as long as it isnt over 400 we are good to go. Liver enzymes still went up again from yesterday but we are just going to watch them for now. I will have a lot of appointments as outpatient but thats OK! I think that I can handle it-anything is better than this jail cell so to speak. When my doctor came in today he was talking to me about being on bed rest....I was chagrined at this thought and my face probably showed my dismay because he said if you don't think that you can do it we will have to keep you here where I know you are on bed rest. I about freaked out at this thought! I will be fine. I already cleared driving around for the boys and how am I supposed to get to all of these appointments? Do they offer a shuttle service? No I don't think so. That leaves me to drive myself. Oh well.....enough rambling for now. The good thing is that the three of us are doing well.

The Perinatologist was in.....

Well she stopped in and here is the scoop-She said that it is very likely that I will be developing pre-eclampsia in the weeks to come. She doesn't know when and right now she is concerned with the early stages of HELLP syndrome. It is hemolytic anemia, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet counts. My liver enzymes did go up a little more today and she thinks that it could be the beginning stages of this condition...maybe not but maybe. She is very conservative and I really like her. Anyhow this can all lead to pre-eclampsia. She said that it comes on fast so that is the reason to keep me in the hospital. Her inclination is to keep me but she said since I am a "reliable" patient that she would feel comfortable letting me go home and be monitored three times a week with NST's, blood pressure checks and protein in the urine. On top of that I will be seeing my OB for BPP's (biophysical profiles) and weekly checks. Wow!!! Anyhow, if my 24 hour urine comes back tonight with numbers close to what we had on Friday and the AM labs look basically the same she said that I could go home tomorrow. She said to take it easy and just relax. She is very concerned about my BP going up with all of the running around all the time. I did ask her about a few situations such as shopping and driving the boys to school and she said that it would be OK if I was sitting down. Hello wheelchair!!! I am looking forward to going home and chilling out there! Much more comfy of course. So I have my chin up tonight as I know that the babies are doing well and I am OK.

Now for my little rant...I'm sure you know how I feel about the clinic that I go to. Well none of the docs came to see me today! I am a little upset about that. I mean what up with that? I am a patient. I am in the hospital and they didn't come. I have no idea what they are thinking about any of this. I guess it really doesn't matter as I like the peri so well but come on fella's. Anyhow...I will update more when I get the info.

Still waiting.....

Well I have been waiting to post for more information. I do not have hardly anything for you yet! My liver enzymes did go up again a little. I will have to get the exact amounts. They did do a bunch of blood work today...creatnine clearance, bilirubin level, chem 18, etc. I have to ask the nurse the results of these still. They dont have all of the results in yet and I want to wait unitl they do. I am still here hanging out......doing NOTHING!!!! I am so hoping that they will let me go home tomorrow. That is what is in my plans anyhow. Unless I can sweet talk them today if everything looks OK then why not? I will post more when I know-the doctors come in after hours on the weekdays......

Thank you for your comments

I just want to say thank you all for your comments. I really do appreciate them and I read each one. It is encouraging. Thank you all for stopping in to read up on the saga!

Waiting for the perinatologist opinion

Well here's the deal....Things are about as they were yesterday. All of my NST's look great. Babies are responding well. I get at least three a day....not fun being hooked up to the monitors but at least I get to see their reactions. I started the day again with horrible contractions. I really hate those. Anyhow my liver enzymes went up again. So my doctor said that he can buy me some time but he wasn't sure just how much. He also said that it is a fine line that we must draw between keeping the babies safe and keeping me safe. Ideally you want to walk to the edge of the line and then deliver but where that point is.........He said that he wanted to talk it over with the peri. So now I am just waiting for him to do that to decide what is going on. They said that if they decide to deliver I will have to be transferred to the hospital with a NICU. This hospital where I am at can only accept babies after 32 weeks. I am so hoping that my body can make it at least another 2 weeks. If not more. So now I sit and wait. Just waiting to see what my fate will be and the fate of the babies. I know that they should be OK its just I don't want to have to go through with this if I don't have to.

Today...

Well last night I was able to sleep pretty well. They gave me an ambien and I slept the best I ever have!!! I told the nurse I haven't really slept well since like June! It was good until I was awakened with contractions at 5:30AM. They were pretty strong. I just let them ride thinking Braxton Hicks until I was crying by 6:30AM. I paged the nurse and I said I think we might should hook up the monitor because these contractions are much stronger than the usual ones. Then I was really uncomfortable. I was just going nuts and panicking and bawling. It was horrible. Then they gave me a fluid bolus through my IV and it didn't really help. They kept up every 2-4 minutes until about 10:00 AM. Then I was able to walk around and it really helped to relieve the pain. Then I have been having sporadic contractions throughout the day but not bad ones. I am so ready to go home and have my own bed! My back is killing me and they have no additional padding available. Anyway-My fetal fibronectin came back negative. That is good. Liver enzymes are still elevated and I got my second dose of steroids today. I took a wonderful shower and I feel so good tonight. Just relaxed and enjoying life! My babies are looking good every time they are monitored and they are moving like crazy. Every time I get hooked up they try to run away! It is really funny. I love them so much and I can't wait to meet them!

In the hospital today....

Well I went for the nonstress test today that turned out well-yippie and I asked about all of this swelling. My lower abdomen is swollen up nicely. How weird! What a weird place to swell...anyhow I asked the doctor about it today because it is quite painful to the touch and he said well lets just run some blood work to see how you look there. It turns up the my liver enzymes are elevated. Not a great deal but I guess this is the start of pre-eclampsia. I am considered high risk because I am having twins, I had it with both of my boys, I have chronic high blood pressure without being pregnant, etc. Anyhow, they did put me on the monitor and I am having irregular contractions (very uncomfortable) and they did give me the first shot of steroids to help mature the babies lungs. I will get the second one tomorrow and I have to stay here for 3 days to be monitored and get blood work done. This type of bed rest is really hard! I have no laundry, no dishes...essentially no micro-managing to be done here! They are doing a 24 hour urine on me just to check protein levels. If my liver enzymes stay the same or go down we are good. If on Monday they go up a lot I have to be transferred to a hospital with a NICU and they will be delivered then. I am hoping that everything looks good on Monday. I am not ready to have them yet. Well OK I am but not really. I want to make sure that they are looking good in the lung department! I had a friend bring me my computer so I will have something to do-thank you so much! Well this is the latest and the greatest and I will keep you informed as soon as I know anything else. Oh yeah I did have an ultrasound with the high risk doctor and the tech started to laugh when she looked at Sophie...She has little "chub" rolls!!! You can see them on the black and white u/s!!! It is so cute. I cant wait to meet them! I really can't...........

My complaining....

I feel like crap today. I really feel bad. My back is killing me and I feel so tight that I am going to actually blow up before the kids arrive! I am just sooo tight from them being in the head up position. They really like to stand and push even more! lOL I feel like I am imitating a beached whale when I try to sleep because of all the tossing and turning which was a lot easier when I was not pregnant. I do feel so thankful for these babies and I certainly cannot wait to meet them but every day is a challenge now. I had to sit on the floor to get the laundry out of the dryer today! Also I went to Target to make a quick stop for a Christmas gift that I need and the clerk was very loud and saying "OMG I have never seen a belly that big before-EVER!!!" I was dying. She kept saying things like this and then there were the onlookers....I had several ladies looking at my belly going on and on. It was totally unbelievable. I feel like people are staring where ever I go. When I left the clinic the other day there were a bunch of people looking at me and saying wow it must be any day now eh?? I wanted to chew their faces off but I just smiled and said not yet and kept walking. Not only do I feel like crying half the time....I am just feeling miserable!!! I just can't wait to see these little babies on the outside!!! Well there is my rant for the day.

Todays Appointment

Here is Sophie's foot on Riley's little face-In the movie she is kicking him!!!

This one is of Sophie's little foot kicking Riley's mouth! She was an active little bugger today.

Sophie with her hair showing! The tech said that they have a little bit of hair now.

Sophie scrunched up!!! Look at those chub cheeks will ya???

Sophie with her umbilical cord just under her chin.

Sophie telling us no more photos with her hands over her little face.

This photo was taken when she was opening and closing her little hand and making a fist and then waving "hi". It was so amazing to watch her moving around like this. I could see all of her little fingers! It was so awesome!

This is the best she could get of Riley and it is not because she didn't try!!! Poor baby was being beat up by his sister!!

Both of these photos are of the babies heads together. Sophie's head is right next to Riley's. His is behind her hand.

Well today's visit was a good one for the most part. I always make my ultrasound appointments for Mondays now if at all possible because the good lady is there. She was today and she worked her hardest to get good photos of Riley because he decided (from Sophie's constant kicking his face) that he was going to curl up in a big ball and not show himself very well. I rolled all over the table like some kind of beached whale!!! He still wouldn't do it. Sophie was very adamant that she was going to keep kicking his face and his chest so I can see why he was trying to hide. There is not much room in there now! I am measuring 45 weeks!!! Both babies are still breech and my cervix is measuring 5.45 cm!!! I was hoping for some thinning, some dilating?!?!? no such luck. It is measuring longer now because it doesn't have Riley's head putting pressure on it like it did before. Just an occasional kick here and there. Riley weighs in at 3 lbs 14 oz and Sophie is weighing in at about 4 lbs even. They are a still measuring ahead at 33 weeks (I am currently 29W2D) so the main thing is that they are measuring ahead together. That is what they look for at the growth scan appointments. I have to start to see the doctor every week-joy joy! I am also starting to go in for NST's (non-stress tests) every week. More freaking appointments to add to my schedule!!! Plus I go for the BPP scans every week. I kind of think it is out of control with that but who am I? Just a measly patient!!!!

I am still not sleeping well. I am up a good portion of the night just moving around trying to get comfy...I rock and cry half the time because the back pain is so tremendous. It stinks. Tom is a good help, he rubs my back for me and helps out around the house. It is a great help.

I am trying to get all of my Christmas presents wrapped! I want to do this before it literally is impossible. I can't imagine the fact that I still have about 6 weeks to go! Holy cow!!! Will I be able to move? LOL

The Shower

This is a photo of me and my sis. Glad that she was able to make it....She got the babies each a booster seat for feeding time! They are handy little chairs that you can use before you have to pull out the big guns-high chairs. Thanks Jame!!!

This is a few of my friends diving in!!! Time to chow-I am always ready for that action...

My friend Fay got me the Michigan cheerleader outfit for Sophie and got both babies matching Michigan blankets! They are so cute and I have wanted one of these little outfits for a long time!! It is so darn adorable-Riley will be sporting a Michigan jersey.

Belly photo at 29 weeks and counting. I can't believe it has been 29 weeks already. It has really went by fast.

This cake was so cute! And it tasted really good as well. It isnt that really sweet frosting. Like whipped cream! Yummy!!!

This is a photo of the two bouncy seats that I got from my co-workers. They are really cute! I can't wait to put the babies in them and let them check out the lights and sounds.

Well I had my baby shower with just a few close friends. It was so wonderful! I loved being in the presence of all of the women that attended. It was a great time and we were all able to chat and eat! What could be better? Food and good friends. Some of them I have not seen in a while! All in all I had about 15 people there and it was so neat. I love getting together with friends and it seems that for some I dont see unless it is a baby shower, wedding shower or wedding. Why is that? Why does life have to be so busy these days? We do what we dont want to do and we dont get to do what we want to do! It is really nutty....Anyways....I got so many nice things-I think that the babies are just about set now! Tom was like do we really need anything else? What could we possibly need? Men! I am "nesting"-trying to prepare for every possible problem I could encounter when they are born and who wants to take out two new babies in the dead of winter for some little item that you need but dont have? Not me I assure you! Thank you everyone! Loved having you over!!!