Truly, Wonderful, Amazing

...FRIENDS AND FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have a new home. That's right. I was moved out of labor and delivery this morning to a new HUGE room at the hospital. I actually have a window and can see sunlight. Praise God! My labor continued to hold off during the night and we have made no new progress in that department. Everyday that we get past the steroid shots gives the twins an even better prognosis at birth for breathing on their own. According to the bump.com the suck, swallow, breathe reflex shouldn't be too far behind. Thank you God for getting us here!!

I failed to mention yesterday that we did have an ultrasound to get a quick view of the babes. They both remain head down which is great. Then, Worth weighs in at 5 lbs 2 oz and Caroline is around 4 lbs 7 oz. Weight wise, they both seem great. It's hard to imagine that I have almost 10 lbs of kiddo inside of me. The sonogram tech said that Caroline has a head full of hair and Worth has "peach fuzz." TOO CUTE! I can't wait to kiss those little heads!

In other news, I have the MOST amazing friends in my life. Last night 4 of our dear friends went to the house and cleaned from top to bottom, finished everything that could be done in the nursery, etc. They sent us these pics of the beds with the names hanging above them. They are cell phone pictures, so quality isn't the best. But, you get the idea. My curtains should be done soon. I have my fingers crossed tight that my changing table will still be ready Monday and my chair will be here Monday.

I will keep you all posted on any new developmnts. Thanks again to everyone for everything!

Update

(warning... long post ahead)

First I want to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts for all of the prayers going up for myself and my two precious babies (who at this time I’m proud to say are still in utero.) Please continue to pray as we aren’t quite out of the woods yet.

Here is the back story, middle story, and current condition.

As I posted last week, I was put on bed rest at 32 weeks 1 day with high blood pressure. I was to take my BP every AM and PM and record a log. I was also instructed by my sweet doc if I had a lingering headache that Tylenol wouldn’t help and it persisted for more than 2 hours to call in.

On Monday night I went to bed with a terrible headache. My BP was high, but nothing higher than it had been. I tool Tylenol pm and went to bed. I woke up Tuesday morning with the same headache and high BP. I didn’t call the dr… because I knew I would end up in the hospital, well and I’m hardheaded. Finally after an entire day of feeling awful and strong words of “encouragement” from family and friends I called the dr. Hospital it was. With routine procedure, they hooked me up to the fetal heart monitors and the contraction monitor. My doctor says, do you feel these contractions?

Contractions, what? He checked me and I was ½ to 1 cm dialted. They immediately started me on brethine ( a med to stop contractions) and begin a 24 urinalysis to determine if I was indeed preeclampsic. (Which I am.) And, I received a shot of betamethasone (a steroid to help develop the babies lungs.) During the night my body started to show signs of change (I will spare you details) and I mentioned them to the on call dr on Tuesday morning. He checked me again and I was 1 ½ cm and 50% effaced. They immediately started me on magnesium sulfate a VERY STRONG medicine to stop contractions. It is was pretty rough. You feel like you have the flu and are SO FREAKING HOT. Yyou aren’t permitted to walk or get out of the bed so other lovely tubes accompany the IV. Also, you can’t eat or drink. TORTURE!

After a really scary reaction to the magnesium sulfate I had to be taken off for a period of time. Slowly but surely they were able to put me back on it and decrease my contraction volume and frequency. I had dilated to 2cm by this point. I was given a second and final dose of betamethasone for their lungs. During the night the magnesium sulfate continued to work, and I got good drug induced sleep... nothing like it! :)

I woke up feeling good this morning and not contracting regularly. I also haven’t progressed anymore in the dilation/effacement neck of the woods So, much to my delight I am off of the magnesium and my sweet mommy is on her way downstairs to get me a subway sandwich. WOO HOO!

We saw the Perinatologist (a high risk OB dr) this morning and he says if things continue to go well today, my BP stays down, and don’t progress anymore they move me from labor and delivery to a regular room where I will remain on hospital bed rest until the time of delivery… could be a day could be 3 weeks. Who knows.

Now, here is where the prayers come in. If my blood pressure goes back up high, my contractions return in a patterned way, of if I get another terrible headache then it’s “go time” as my brother says. They will put me back on the magnesium due to my toxemia. It will help to keep my BP lower and reduce the risk of seizures that in a worst case scenario would be brought on by the high BP. Please pray that if early delivery comes, by body handles it safely and these babies get here ahead of the curve.

With the two steroid shots their lungs could POSSIBLY be compared to a 36 week newborn… best case scenario they would not need the Vent. They will still need lots of help eating if born right now. They do not develop the suck, swallow, breathe technique until 35-36 weeks they said. So, feeding tubes will be a must and they would have to have IV fluids just for being preemies. We also know that the more premature they are born, the longer it will be before we can have then in our arms and ultimately at home with us.

We of course are quite nervous and would love for the these babies to stay in as long as possible. I know that we are in the Lord’s hands and whatever happens everything will be OK.

Thanks again from the bottom of our hearts!

Love, Eugene & Katie

Cankles are the new black

... and my sofa is my new home. Yes friends, I'm on bed rest. We went to the doctor this morning for a sonogram and 32 week check up. My blood pressure (as I said in my last post) was a little high. Well, today it was highER and I had gained 2 pounds in a week. She said that was probably mostly fluid due to the size of my ankles!! It's not pretty. I do like Gracie's way of finding the silver lining in every situation though. Shaving my legs has become far less tricky. I don't have to be careful around my ankles because they are the same size as my legs. Nice! I go back next Thursday for a BP check and depending on what it is we will either be looking at a stay in the hospital, steroids for the babies, continued bed rest, or maybe modified work if it really goes down. In case you don't know what a cankle is (mom) here is a diagram for your education:

Also, today is amazing day. I have been married to my wonderful husband for five years. It's hard to believe how fast the time has gone by. I feel like it was just yesterday that I was walking down the aisle. Thank you for being such an amazing husband. I love you so much and can't wait to watch you as the father of my children.

Just another day in "pair'adise...

Well, here I am. 32 weeks and can officially say pretty miserable. Don't get me wrong, I know it could be worse. I could be on bed rest, in the hospital fighting contractions, or a number of other things. I am thankful to still be free from all of that.

In other news, my face is now pregnant. Apparently my cheeks and chin didn't get the memo that the babies grow in the tummy not the face.

I went to the doctor on Friday and she said that everything looks great. My blood pressure was slightly elevated at 130/90 (should be 120/80). She said for now we will just watch it. Apparently high BP is more normal with multiples. That doesn't make it anymore ok though. However, since my appt I have really started swelling. My ankles are a thing of the past. I am trying to drink water and eat smart to avoid any extra fluid retention but nothing seems to work.

We start our WEEKLY visits now! So, we go this Friday for another sonogram. I am really hoping that both babies are over 4 lbs and looking great. She told me that if I haven't had them by APRIL 2, then that will be the day. I will be 38 weeks. I just pray that they both stay head down so maybe I won't have to have a C-Section. It's hard to believe that by looking at the picture of me I still need to grown another 6 weeks. WHOA!


The nursery is almost there... that's a BIG almost. The painters are working this week to finish painting upstairs (which is really almost done) and will paint the nursery as well. So, by this weekend, I hope to have my upstairs fully renovated and my nursery 95% done. The only things that should be lacking will be curtains (currently with the seamstress), the changing table (should be finished by the end of Feb), and our rocking chair (should be here the last week of Feb.)

Please continue to say lots of prayers. I hate to complain or even elude that I am uncomfortable. I know the best place for these two right now is in my tummy. I can do it! I can do it!!

Virtual Baby Shower

I think I had the most memorable baby shower EVER on Saturday. We got hit hard by a big winter storm and got lots and lots of snow. (pics to come later) Anyway, the roads were pretty scary, and it just wasn't safe for me to drive to Jackson, MS. Because my friends are amazing, they kept the baby shower going. The neatest part... they Skyped me in! It was so much fun!!! Thanks girls for all of your hard work to pull off a shower that I didn't even attend. And, thank you friends and family for coming to a shower without the big pregnant one present.

I have to give a big special thanks (I feel like I am accepting an award) to Cathy Lowe! This sweet girl gets the "sweetest friend" award. She drove from Oxford and learned halfway to Jackson that I wouldn't be there but didn't turn around and go home. Then drove back to Oxford after the shower. THANKS CATHY! You are such a great friend, and I am so sorry I wasn't there to present your award in person.

Beautiful flowers and gift table

Maybe the funniest hostess picture ever. Gracie is missing... her roads were bad too.

Look at all my wonderful friends! Thanks again for coming everyone.


Family pic... my mom, niece Ava, and sis in law Katie with my aunt and cousins.