Remember how I did promise that even if I didn't post every week like I was hoping, you'd be getting one this week because of the ultrasound? Well, this is me keeping promises. So there.
I've officially given up on keeping my house clean for the next, oh, maybe four years. Probably longer. So nobody be surprised if you show up and the floor hasn't been vacuumed in a month, the dishes are piled up, and it's impossible to make it across the room without tripping on something.
This is because I have officially been told to "take it easy." And if everything goes perfectly and I have no weird or unusual pains or cramps and if the boys are perfectly healthy and normal and if I don't get put on real bed rest, I only have a few weeks until I'm glued to my couch on "modified bed rest." Whatever that means. Come 28 weeks and it happens automatically. Can't wait until February 4, that's what I say. Katie is going to hate this winter.
As mentioned, we did indeed have our big 20-week ultrasound this week. It was pretty awesome. Now, we do have an ultrasound every single appointment just because they are twins and we have to be extra careful. But that's usually just a minute or two making sure they have heartbeats and that the membranes are all cool and everything. We never get to just sit and watch them. But this time we did. And also we did some giggling. Or, at least, I did. Mike was excited and amused in a very manly sort of way.
The only yucky part is how long I had to be on the table. If you've had one of these for a regular baby, you know it's uncomfortable lying on your back that long anyways. But I actually had to block out two appointments' worth of time because she had to inventory two babies. That doesn't mean two hours on the table, but it sure felt like it. By the end, all of my limbs were completely asleep. Tingling and painful. Blegh.
But it was good fun. She went through all their little body parts and everything looks healthy (and Mike was all happy because he kind of knew what was going on anatomically). We did have some brief trouble with Thing 2 (medically known as Baby B because he's up top and will be last to come out--he is in no way inferior to his brother). Thing 1 was all cooperative (mostly), only wiggling a little bit when we jabbed at him too hard with the ultrasound stuff. But Thing 2 was all over the place! She'd try to get a good view of his spine and he'd get excited and do a somersault. So now, when I tell Mike that I think I'm bruising on my upper left side because somebody keeps punching me, he knows I'm not lying.
They were pretty good, overall. And even though they were wiggly, we had a really good ultrasound tech who's been doing this a while and could be quick when they wouldn't hold still. She was a good sport. And they were especially not shy when it came to confirming that they were men. It even made the technician laugh. "Hey, mom and dad, we're BOYS!" They just wouldn't let us see their faces really well until we went over to Dr. Lowder and his super technology that does 3D, color ultrasound stuff.
Want to see the pictures? (Well, I'm showing you regardless of what you actually said to your computer.) (Why were you talking to your computer anyway? Most people would think you were starting to lose it . . .) I was going to put up the videos so you could see their manly little hearts beating and see how uncooperative they were being, but, well, I'm being smart about my internet privacy and I don't have the software to edit my full name out of those.
Here's Thing 1:
Here's Thing 2 (being deceptively cooperative) (even if it's a little creepy that you can see the lens in his eye):
Okay, now I'll just show you my favorite picture. It's of Thing 2's feet. (We do have the 3D pictures from Dr. Lowder's fancy equipment, but those we didn't get on the CD, so I still have to scan them in. Maybe if I post again before Christmas I'll put my favorite one of those up.) (There's even one of Thing 2 elbowing his brother in the head.)
Doesn't that just want to make you giggle uncontrollably? (Teehee!)
Anyways, back to business. As if I hadn't already made a long enough post. You probably want me to just leave you alone and do a post all about Katie next time. But ha! I won't do it. Well, maybe I'll post again before Christmas, but I'll talk about everybody then too.
Katie's big news is that this weekend we're switching to her toddler bed, mostly because I really can't lift her any more without hurting myself. Never have I been so disappointed that she's actually gaining weight. The good part is, it also gives us the opportunity to dig out all our baby stuff and food storage and reorganize so that we're ready for babies and moving in 2013. Mike probably doesn't realize what he said yes to helping me do. Well, if he refuses, I'll just threaten to do it myself and he and my mom will both freak out about me overdoing stuff.
Speaking of Mike, did I tell you he got into medical school? We've paid the deposit to hold a spot at Midwestern University in Chicago, so we definitely have one place to go next summer. But he's got two more interviews--University of WA and Albany Medical School --both of which are MD schools. So we're working really hard to get ready for those. And we could either be really close to family at UW or we could be as far away as staying in the continental US will allow. And I'll have a toddler and newborn twins. No big deal.
Yeah, I'm doing okay. You know what my latest freak out has been? I'm cool on having twins, I'm cool on being totally destitute and in debt for med school, and I'm even starting to be cool (sort of) with moving wherever we feel is right for us, regardless of proximity to supportive grandparents (again, only sort of). My most recent freak out happened at stake conference this weekend. We were in the back in hard chairs (surprise) and Katie was being kind of booger-ish (she can't help it: she's almost two). And I was watching all the other toddlers and their exhausted parents. And I started thinking, "Holy mackerel, I'm going to be going to church with three toddlers. Maybe even on my own if Mike has a rotation in the hospital on a Sunday."
I am a crazy person.
On the other hand, isn't that what the happy grandmothers in our ward are for? Helping me when I'm about to lose it and throw a temper tantrum right there in the aisle of the chapel? I'm so grateful for the church and for Relief Society, even if it's only for the instant circle of supportive friends.
So, yesterday I found a sticky note on my door from the UPS guy saying "I tried to come, but you weren't here to sign for your package, so you never know when I'm going to come back! BUAHAHAHAHA!!!!" (Maniacal laughter added.) So I've been dutifully sitting here blogging, waiting for the UPS guy to come back and have me sign for my apparently-too-valuable-to-leave-on-the-doorstep package. But no such luck. He's going to wait until I'm in the shower tomorrow morning.
In case I don't blog next week before Christmas, Merry Christmas! Hope you all plan to be with family and have a wonderful time!
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