Happy Halloweenie!

We boycotted last Halloween. It gets kind of old handing out candy to cute little kids year after year...especially when you wish you were out there with your own kids trick-or-treating. As a matter of fact, we were burned out by most holidays because most of them revolve around having kids.

This year is different. We had a great time handing out candy this year. Unfortunately, I ate most of it...but it's all good. I even got creative and made a cute little Halloween shirt to wear!

We have a reason to celebrate because we have two little miracles baking in the oven! This time next year, we will have two precious boys to dress up and enjoy as a family.

Finally.

Happy Halloweenie!

19 Weeks!

How far along?

19 Weeks 1 Day...eeek!

Baby's Sizes:
Mangoes! They are about 6 inches long (crown to rump, not including legs) and weigh about 12 oz each (according to our sonogram today).
Developmental milestones?
Their brains are designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Kidneys are making urine, hair on the scalp is sprouting, and the vernix caseosa (waxy coating) is forming on the skin for protection.
Weight Gain:
About 20 lbs. Made a little progress the past month. k. Noticed a little cankle activity occurring last night, so the TED hose are on board. Love it:)
Stretch Marks:
Underneath boobs.
Innie or Outie?
Starting to flatten out, but not quite there yet!
Cravings?
Popcorn...every day. Caffeine free Diet Coke with cherry syrup...yummmmmm. Peanuts. Werther's Originals. California rolls. Andy's Tofu Fruit Smoothies blended fresh every evening:) 
Throw it in the trash?
Meat. At times.
Kicks and Punches?
The kicks are getting a little stronger. I still cannot see them from the outside, but I can feel them!
Best Moment this week:
Seeing our baby boys...they have grown so much in 5 weeks.

What do I miss?

Besides Ellie May, nothing. Infertility stole enough of my life and I'm actually looking forward to our future for the first time in years.
What I'm looking forward to: 
Continuing to work on the nursery, and finishing up our childbirth classes. We have about 2 months to get our affairs in order before I have to sit my butt down in the 3rd trimester. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Last night, we started the first of four weekly childbirth classes at our hospital! I have imagined taking this class for years and I can't believe that we are actually a part of it now. There were 10 couples in our class, so we're looking forward to making some friends as well. 

I had my 19 week appointment today and all went very well! They performed the Level II ultrasound where they measure every single thing from head to toe. They are measuring 19w5d and 19w6d, so well ahead of schedule. Heartrates were both 145. According to our sonographer and doctor, everything is measuring perfectly!!! They are both breech and facing each other. It looked like they were beating each other up the entire time. She made a video of the sonogram, so it was neat to come home and watch it again...I can't believe how blessed we are. My mother was able to come to our appointment today and was able to see them in action. So glad we could share it with her. Without she and my dad, we wouldn't even be there. They may not be able to retire, but they gave us the best gift ever dang it!

We have the nursery painted and the chair rail up. We will eventually piece it together over the next few months as we save up. We decided on a turquoise/chocolate brown theme, with splashes of apple green and white. My mom's friend is a seamstress and has offered to make the bedding for us...this will definitely save a ton of money and we are so grateful. It will be original and beautiful!

Here are my 19 week pics (in the nursery!) and some shots of the babes from today's appointment.

 Boom Boom was a bit more active today!

 I don't know if that is Pow's arm or leg. This is our wild child.

 Our miracle babies. Boom Boom must be sucking in some bubbly fluid here.

 I spy a freak in a Crystal Gayle tshirt.

Ellie May

We lost our poor little Ellie May last Friday night:( I'm not sure what is going on, but it has been a crazy, crazy year around here. Three friends of mine have lost their young parents unexpectedly in the last three months. My sister's dog was attacked by a neighbor's dog and almost died. Andy's parent's dog passed away in September. My parents dog passed away three weeks ago. My grandmother last week. Now Ellie May.

Thank God I have been blessed immeasurably this year, but the stress of everything going on around me is out of control. When it rains, it pours.

Please be forewarned...I don't want to offend anybody. The following contains a graphic description of what happened.

The day after my grandmother died, she started acting really weird and reverted to using the bathroom in the house. I took her to the vet and she received IV fluids and ended up being diagnosed with a UTI/cystitis. The doctor did feel a pea-sized soft tissue mass in her bottom, but didn't think anything of it.

Last Wednesday night, we noticed that she hadn't been eating much and was straining to urinate. By Thursday night, she couldn't pee, poop, and her breathing was really labored. To the point of her abdomen sucking in at the sides as she was gasping for air. We were worried sick and up with her all Thursday night trying to comfort her and take her to the water bowl.

I went to work Friday morning and Andy took her back to the vet. He called me around lunchtime upset because the mass had increased to the size of a grape, her heart was enlarged, and she had fluid all around her lungs. Our vet said that we should probably take her to the emergency vet to get a closer look with an ultrasound. I had to leave work because I was hysterical, and met up with Andy to take her for the ultrasound.

The ultrasound showed a pelvic mass, masses on her liver, enlarged liver vessels, a possible mass on the bottom of her heart, fluid around her lungs, and a paralytic bowel. It was likely cancer, but it couldn't be confirmed without a biopsy. Our only options were to wait until this week to get an appointment with a specialist in Columbia, or put our poor baby to sleep. All financial issues aside, even if she would have seen a specialist/surgery, there is a chance that it was so bad that she wouldn't survive anyway. The way she was acting, we don't feel she would have made it through the weekend.

By this time we were both crying like babies and watching her struggle to breathe. She was suffering. We both agreed that we couldn't go another night watching her like this. It was the hardest decision we've ever had to make. We sat there with her saying our goodbyes and just holding her. So horrible. I think that I would much rather come home and find her gone from old age, then us having to make this decision and watch a doctor put her to sleep. Kudos to those who have had the strength to put your dog to sleep.

I had to leave the room and go sit in the car. Andy held her. They brought her out to us, and we buried her in my parent's backyard. Griswold is so confused...even though she did her best to avoid him, he really did love her. He has been searching for her around the house every day, and it breaks my heart.

 

We rescued Ellie at the same time we started trying to conceive in 2005. We took her home later to find out that she had glaucoma and was completely blind. She basically had a migraine 24/7 from the eye pressure. She had surgery to remove her eyes and was a completely different dog...no longer in pain. From what we gather, her previous owner didn't want to deal with her health issues, so they dumped her at the pound. We are not exactly sure how old she was, but gave her a life that she wouldn't have had otherwise. Yes, she was our problem child and very territorial, but this was because of the fact that she was blind and was never socialized as a puppy. She loved us unconditionally and knew that Andy and I came into her life to protect her. She trusted us. Now, I am finally pregnant and we had to say goodbye.

People who have never owned pets just don't get it. You are around them constantly and they become a part of your family. Since we couldn't have children, our dogs are our children. She has been a companion to us through all of these years of infertility. When we didn't have anyone to come home to, there was Ellie May...always growling and waiting for a treat and a belly rub. Girl could eat. That's probably why she was overweight. But, she was happy and that's all that matters.

I put together a slideshow of our time together. Rest in peace Ellie May...we know that you are in puppy heaven prancing around with a skinny body, a good knee, all of your teeth, and 20/20 vision! I know you still have that gremlin growl and are trying to bite strangers though. That's my girl:)

18 Weeks and the Circle of Life

I lost my sweet grandmother last week. My last grandmother. Thanks to years of infertility, I was never able to give them great-grandchildren.

Until now.

Two grandmothers gone in one year....and two miracle baby boys nestled in my womb. Funny how that circle of life works.

I am sad that they will never meet their great-grandsons, and sad that our boys will never get to know two wonderful women. However, I can smile and be at peace because there are two angels watching over them now.

My Memommy was so excited that she had two great-grandsons on the way. It weighed heavy on her heart that we had so much trouble conceiving for all of these years. The last time I talked to her was on the day we found out that we were having two boys, two weeks before her passing. She giggled in excitement and told me how happy she was for us. "Oh dahlin', I'm so happy for you and Andy!"

She then proceeded to tell me a funny story about a name that we should use. I'm so glad she knew that I was finally pregnant before she passed. I think it would break my heart even more for her to have never known during her time here on Earth.

A woman of true southern grace, with a giggle that would send you into hysterics. Her favorite word was "shit", with a southern drawl of course. She absolutely loved to read about and collect angels. She was usually sporting the cataract sunglasses if you were around her during the daylight hours, and always with a glass of white wine in the evenings, chilled with one ice cube. "Honey, would you please get me another ice cube for my wine? Just one. This one already melted."
 
I'm going to really miss her...and I can't wait to give one of our boys the name we spoke of the very last time I talked to her.

Our last Christmas together...2010

 

Our last Mother's Day together, 4 generations, May 2011

17 Weeks

                     18 Weeks                   

See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.  

Exodus 23:20

16 Weeks!

I guess that I'm going to try out this whole Q&A thing so that I can document the journey that we've waited so long for! I'll try to keep it simple. And no complaining.

How far along?

16 Weeks...I can't believe I'm writing this.

Baby's Sizes:
Avocados! They are about 4.6" long and weigh about 3.5 oz. each.
Developmental milestones?
Tiny bones are forming in their ears...they can now pick up my voice! Eyebrows/lashes/hair are filling in, and taste buds are forming.
Weight Gain:
About 11 lbs.
Stretch Marks:
Underneath boobs.
Innie or Outie?
Still an innie!
Cravings?
Werther's Originals, peppermints, popcorn, cherry coke, California rolls, Japanese white sauce, and calamari. And milk. And apple juice. And bagels with a thick layer of cream cheese. And boiled peanuts. k.
Throw it in the trash?
Meat.
Kicks and Punches?
I feel little bubbles popping!
Best Moment this week:
Everywhere we go, we see twin boys...it's fate!

What do I miss?

Nothing. Infertility stole enough of my life.
What I'm looking forward to: 
Starting on the nursery! We're going to take down the guest bedroom this weekend and start painting!

The Bumps:

Yes, we're freaks.

15 Weeks!

15w0d...they are kickin' up a storm in there. God is good.

Our first little hand-me-down gift...a swing!! Planning on getting Griswold used to it being in the room so that he won't be as interested when there is a real baby in it! As a matter of fact, I need to get used to it being in the room. So surreal.

Their first little gifts from grandma...makes me want to cry. So sweet!

At 15 weeks, they are beginning to grow eyebrows, eyelashes, and hair. They are now able to sense light, and will grow faster than ever over the next month. Right now they are about 4 inches long and weigh 2 ounces. Such a miracle:)

All is well here...just trying to keep our world calm and stress free. I downloaded some classical music to let the babies listen to each morning and night. We also picked out the paint color for the nursery and got some names narrowed down. We've decided to keep them a surprise for now because we're good at changing our minds last minute;)

We will be celebrating Andy's 38th birthday this weekend! We have company coming in town to stay with us, and have plans to head up to the Auburn/South Carolina game in Columbia to hang out with some old friends. Should be a good time!

Happy Birthday Andy Ann! I love you and you are going to make THE BEST daddy ever!

It's a....

We had our 14 week visit this morning, and all is going well...praise the Lord! Boom Boom and Pow are growing right on target with heart rates in the 150's! And guess what! Hematomawhore is officially GONE! Take that biotch.

My blood pressure and glucose were normal, and they sent off a bunch of routine blood work. I believe that I've gained around 11 pounds so far. It's hard to tell because I lost quite a bit during the first trimester. Time to play catch-up! I'm almost out of my regular clothes and starting to incorporate maternity clothes into the mix. It feels so weird...I feel like an impostor sometimes. I never thought that this would be me, so it's really hard to wrap my brain around it!

The most exciting news of the visit was during our sonogram. Our tech was able to immediately tell what gender Pow was, and after a little shaking and bouncing we were able to wake Boom Boom enough to show us the goods. She told us that she was pretty certain of the genders and could tell us what they were today, unless we wanted to wait for our 18-20 week checkup. Ummmm...today please!

Since I am being reprimanded by my family and friends for not providing them with weekly bump updates (lol), I am going to let you guess what we are having. It's all in the outfit!

 

We are having...TWO BOYS!!!

They definitely have penises! No mistaking! Did you know that a plural form of penis is penes? Just thought that I'd humor you with that little piece of useless info. We are so excited and are so blessed. After almost 7 years, God has blessed us with two boys. Unbelievable. I am still praying for all of my blog buddies who are still being tortured by the infertility gods. Keep your faith and NEVER GIVE UP.

I started feeling them move earlier this week...at first I was like, what the hell is that? It feels like little bubbles popping and light brushes right now. I confirmed it with my doppler when I felt that same sensation whenever the heartbeats would drift away, meaning they were moving around. Such an amazing feeling.

Here are the penis pics...they were flopping in the wind on the monitor, but unfortunately the pictures come out grainy and it's hard to make anything out. The perspective is as if you are looking up at their butts. The arrows are pointing towards the penises.

Here's a picture of them side by side...they can't fit them in the same picture anymore. I had to rotate the picture because they are floating upside down.

 Little boys! Pow is Twin A, Boom Boom is twin B.

Sooo, time to start thinking about names, the nursery, and we get to shop for clothes now! Yay! Thank you God for blessing us. 

We're having penes! So grateful!

12w0d...and a free 3-d ultrasound!

Our RE was training staff on 3-D/4-D ultrasounds today, so they asked if I wanted to be a guinea pig! I said heck yeah...of course! Who would turn that down? They were all up in there for about an hour and a half and it really was awesome to see the babies at such an early stage. The pictures are kind of hard to make out, but I can assure you that it looked much better on the screen! We thought that they would look like aliens, but they're actually starting to look like little...babies. Unbelievable.

They *think* that Boom Boom is a boy, and Pow is a girl. It is still very early and these are definitely guesses, but we did see an appendage in between Boom Boom's legs, and never really saw anything with Pow. One of each...that would definitely be a blessing! We will find out for sure in three weeks!

The nurse practitioner said that they look perfect...no apparent defects, great bone structure, spine, brain, hearts...and lots of wiggly arms and legs to match! We are so lucky!

Here is the 2-D of them spooning each other. Boom Boom is measuring 12w2d and Pow 12w4d. They both had heart rates of 159!

Here is Boom Boom! They think that he is a boy. He was still chill like last time and kept his arms crossed while intermittently sucking his thumb. It was difficult to get a clear view of him, but he is facing forward and it almost looks like his chin is resting on his arm. They nicknamed him "The Football Player".

They think that Pow is a girl! She was still using my uterus as a trampoline and showing off the entire time. They nicknamed her "The Ballerina". In the first pic she is facing us...you'll see in the second pic that she immediately turned around and mooned us! I think that we're going to have our hands full with this one!

Here is the pic where they think that Boom Boom is a boy. It could be part of the umbilical cord, or it could be a penis. Head is at the bottom, then torso, point at bottom is penis? The two dots on each side are knee caps. The disconnected gray area is the umbilical cord. Who knows!

Annnnd... the 12 week bump

We're technically not out of the first trimester until the end of this week, but we've started opening up more about this pregnancy. I think that we both feel comfortable enough with telling people now. Like my sister said, the more prayers the better! Sooo, we are lifting the no-talk rule. I think that a lot of people have been scared to approach us about it, but we're in a much better place now. Thank you all so much for respecting our wishes during these nerve-racking 12 weeks! I have a few close friends fighting the infertility battle, so out of respect for them I don't plan on making the annoying "I'm pregnant" facebook announcement. I don't mind people writing on my page about it, but don't look for an official status update from me. That is all. So grateful!

Because of your faith, it will happen. 

Matthew 9:29

The Bump

This can't be real life. We've waited for this moment for such an incredibly long time...so long that I was almost sure that I would never experience what most normal creatures of Earth can. Earlier this year, I wrote a post about Faith and it gives me chills to go back and read it. There are reasons that our lives are put into holding patterns at one time or another. God knows the purposes for His delays. If we remain faithful, He will reward us with something MUCH bigger and MUCH greater.

That, my friends, is where we are at. If we wouldn't have been through 6+ years of infertility hell, blocked tubes, endometriosis, epileptic sperm, two surgeries, seven failed IUIs, two failed IVFs, a miscarriage, countless fights, millions of tears, and a mountain of debt...we wouldn't be where we are today. We are being doubly blessed with two babies. Two.

I continue to pray every day for all of my real life and blog friends who continue to struggle. I still feel the sting whenever someone announces their pregnancy...that will never, ever go away. I'm still having a hard time believing that this is real...I think that I have brainwashed myself into thinking that I'm not good enough to experience motherhood. I feel like someone has been holding my head underwater for the past six years and I'm pretty sure that it has done quite a bit of psychological damage. We have spent over HALF of our marriage fighting this evil, and grieving every single month that passes without a child. If we have made it through this, then I'm pretty sure that we can make it through anything! I hope that our story serves as an inspiration to others to NEVER GIVE UP.

That is what I call a plan much bigger than we could ever imagine.

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! 

Isaiah 43: 18-19 

7w1d

 8w0d

9w0d

10w0d

11w0d

42w3d. Lol.

We've Graduated!

Today was our first OB appointment at 10w1d. Everything went really well! I have been going to him for years, so he has been with us every step of the way. He and his wife actually did sixteen IUIs before becoming pregnant through IVF. Yes, sixteen. It definitely helps to have an OB who has walked the crappy road of infertility.

He said that once we make it to 11-12 weeks, there is an excellent chance (95%) that this pregnancy will progress normally. Well, normally for twins anyway. He said that twins are always considered high risk and that wonky things can happen down the road, but for now he is going to treat us as a "normal" pregnancy as long as things are looking good. I will have more sonograms than with a singleton. He will start out at every 4 weeks, and then it will go to every 2 weeks in the third trimester.

My RE told me to stop taking my estrogen and progesterone, cold turkey, at 9 weeks. I never did. Come to find out, my satellite RE and OB want me to stay on everything until 11 weeks and then wean myself over the course of a week. I should be off everything by 12 weeks when the placentas are producing enough on their own. It is normal practice to stay on the meds longer if you have SCH. Awesome, RE. Awesome. I wonder what would have happened if I would have quit cold turkey last week? Be your own advocate people. So, cheers to another 2 weeks of PIO in the ass cheeks.

We didn't take a video today because we realized that whoever is taking the video can't actually watch the ultrasound. So, we decided to just chill out and enjoy the babies! Hematomawhore is almost gone. The tech said that I might spot a little more in the coming weeks, but that it should resolve soon. Boom Boom decided he wanted to sleep the whole time, whereas Pow was using my uterus as a trampoline! It was so cool! She would take her leg and push off the wall and fly backwards. Such a miracle. We are humbled by God's blessings!

Boom Boom is measuring 11w0d with a heart rate of 170

Pow is measuring 10w2d with a heart rate of 180. She is probably mid-flip in this picture.

Here they are together!

The tech gave us a little perspective today. They are side by side in my uterus...if you are facing me, Pow is on the R side and Boom Boom on the L. Just like the picture above. Pow is considered Baby A because she is closer to my cervix, therefore she will be most likely to deliver first. But, they will move around the entire pregnancy.

Our next appointment is September 22...BUT, we get to sneak in the free 3-D ultrasound in two weeks...so excited!

They....Move!

Our 9w1d ultrasound was pretty incredible this morning. Our babies can...move! Their little nubs were kicking and waving, and their heads were moving around as well! It had to have been the coolest thing we have ever seen in our lives. We've waited so long for this moment. We tried to get a good video, but it's kind of hard to tell because our doctor kept moving the dildo cam around. Hematomawhore is still there, but the twins are quickly taking over her space. She is measuring the same, so it is a good thing that she has not grown any larger. Kick her ass out of there Boom Boom and Pow!

We went to our satellite doctor this morning who has been somewhat negative towards us in the past. However, he had nothing but positive words this morning. He had a smile on his face and said that they look like very healthy babies. Yay!

Their measurements were kind of wonky when compared to last week's, but that is because they were done on two separate machines by two different doctors.

Boom Boom is measuring 9w4d with a heart rate of 173! Hematomawhore is between them.

Pow is still hiding back there and measuring 9w0d with a heart rate of 175!

If you watch very closely, you can see them move! They're alive...eeek! Please ignore my redneck accent.

A lot of you have been asking for baby bump pics, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to go there yet! I still want to make sure this is the real deal! I promise that I will post them eventually. There is definitely a rising growing down there...so exciting. I can't even bring myself to buy anything maternity yet...and I can barely pull my pants up. Lol. Oh well. Maybe I'll get a belly band this weekend.

Andy is letting me eat Waffle House tonight...woohoo! No fruits or veggies! Ahhhhh. Peace out!

Hematomawhore

Well, I thought that she had finished making her existence known a couple of weeks ago, but she decided to rear her ugly head again this weekend. I had some more bleeding, but this time it was just dark brown. Thankfully, I haven't seen any bright red like last time. From what I've been told, this is normal for SCH and is a good sign because it is "old blood". I will probably have bleeding like this until she is GONE. I hope that she is going away soon. Until then, I will just have to continue to take it easy. Grrr.

I wonder...could this just be creeping up from my ultrasound last Thursday? Apparently they are going to disturb Hematomawhore with the dildo cam every week and cause me to bleed. I'm pretty sure that the vajayjay suppositories every night aren't helping matters either. I cannot wait until I can start having abdominal ultrasounds.

I should finish up my PIO injections, prometrium suppositories, and estrogen this week. My next ultrasound is this Thursday! If all goes well, I get released to the land of normal women. My clinic stops all medicine at 9 weeks. I asked them if they were going to check my levels to make sure that my body was producing enough on its own, but they said no. No?? Is this normal practice? It seems that most of my blog friends are on this stuff through 11-12 weeks. I'm going to ask my regular OB if he would recommend I continue it for a little longer.

The PIO injections are literally a pain in the butt, but if they keep Boom Boom and Pow alive I will do whatever I have to do. My butt cheeks are so swollen and painful to the point of where I can't sit, walk, or lay down at night! It really is like injecting molasses in your butt cheeks every day, and Andy has been giving them to me since the first of July. Ouchy!

Spongebob keeps me company though. I trusted Andy to grab some band aids at the store, and this is what I'm stuck with every morning.

Classy.

8w1d Ultrasound

We went to Charleston this morning to check on Boom Boom, Pow, and their evil stepsister Hematomawhore. The babies are still alive! High five!

Hematomawhore is still there, but since the sacs are bigger it is smushed to the side and more oblong. My doctor said it is a good thing that I haven't had anymore bleeding and that it will probably eventually resolve itself. He mentioned that only a small percentage of women miscarry from it. Since mine was diagnosed early and was small to begin with, he feels that if something was going to happen it would have by now. Side note: we all know that if it only happens 1% of the time, Andy and I have always fallen on that side of the odds, so we're still going to be a bit cautious, ha! Of course he said that I don't need to overdo it, and it would be best if I continue to take it easy. He made me feel better after he said that walking around a little bit wouldn't hurt the situation, and laying in bed for the entire pregnancy wouldn't help either. There is absolutely nothing we can do to fix it...we just have to trust that it will heal itself! His advice was, "If you start to spot again, go home and rest for the day. That's all you can do."

Okey doke.

On to more exciting news...the babies have doubled in size! We couldn't believe how much they've grown in just one week. They both measured 8w5d, so well ahead of schedule. We didn't get to listen to their hearts this time, but it was more than obvious watching them flicker on the screen. Such a miracle! So far, I have had no bleeding today from this ultrasound!

We go back to our satellite doctor in Augusta next Tuesday or Thursday...I'm waiting on them to call me with the appointment. That will be our final checkup at 9 weeks. If all goes well, I get to stop all of these dang medicines and will be released to the world where normal pregnancies reside. I called my OB to schedule my first appointment with him which will be August 25. I should be 10 weeks. I don't know how I'm going to handle a world where they are oblivious to infertility and IVF! I had to explain to the girl two times that I did IVF and the reason I have waited so long to call them was because I'm still under the care of my RE! Her question, "Did you have a positive pregnancy test?" Oh. My. God. Girl, if you only knew. Once upon a time in the year 2005...

My RE did tell us that we may be referred to a high-risk OB, but that our OB will make that decision after our first visit with him. The last words he said to us were, "Make sure you bring those babies back to me so that I can see them." All smiles:)

One more exciting piece of news...my Augusta RE called this afternoon and said that they are training staff to do 3-D ultrasounds and want to know if I would like to be a guinea pig! Um, hell yes! It will be in September when I am 12 weeks. They'll probably look like little aliens, but how awesome is that? So excited! I wonder if you can see gender that early. Anybody know?

Here are today's pics!

Boom Boom in the big sac, Pow is deeper and bottom right, and Hematomawhore is top right. My doctor drew a little picture of how Boom Boom is positioned, lol. They have legs and arms now!

Pow is still hiding and harder to see. Hematomawhore/placental separation is above him.

Tried to get a picture of both of them at the same time...Pow is being difficult! His sac looks smaller because it is a bad angle.

I can't believe this may really happen!

Bedrest Is...Awesome.

Aside from my lower back killing me from starting at the ceiling for five days straight, I would have to say that things are going pretty well. I thought that the bleeding had stopped yesterday, but then noticed some light brown when I went to the bathroom a little bit ago. Still, it's a lot better than it was. No bright red since last Wednesday. I'm going to attempt to go back to work tomorrow (after I call my nurse) and see how things go. If it comes back, I'm headed back to the bed until it resolves again. I will be eternally pissed off if, after all we have been through, lose these babies from placental separation. Damn SCH. Just my luck! Grrrr.

Andy has been home all weekend and has fixed the four of us some delectable treats! I have been having serious hunger pangs about once an hour. My stomach feels like it is eating itself! These babies are bottomless pits! Andy keeps a pretty good check on my diet, but I like to sneak in some junk every once in awhile. Like that entire bag of cool ranch Doritos yesterday. Then the bag of popcorn and popsicles today. He did give in and let me have pancakes last night. One of these days I'll sneak away to the Mexican Restaurant.

Here are some Andy meals from my week in bed:

Yogurt & granola with strawberries/blueberries, english muffins with melted colby jack

 Veggie/Fruit/Cheese Plate...I spit the cauliflower back out

Annnddd....Poor Griswold. On me like white on rice.

Welp, that's about all for now. Gonna eat some dinner and pass back out. Again, thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers. This too shall pass!

SCH Update

So far so good, I hope! I haven't really moved since Wednesday. I need to shower and shave, like bad. Oh well, I'll do whatever I have to do for the babies!

I have continued to spot, but it is no longer bright red. It is dark brown/sludgy and varies in amount. There seems to be a little bit more in the mornings, I guess because of the nasty Prometrium suppositories making their way out. During the course of the day, the flow decreases. I am excited to see anything but bright, oxygenated, thriving red blood. I am still feeling little twinges and cramps, but it kind of scares me now! Evil SCH. Get away from my babies and go far, far away!

I have been talking back and forth with my nurse and giving her daily updates. She is optimistic and told us to come to Charleston for another ultrasound next Thursday to make sure everything is okay in there! This is a relief because we won't have to wait and wonder another two weeks. We will also be able to see if the SCH has decreased in size.

Thank you all so much for you positive and reassuring stories about SCH...I have been reading through the blogs you have referred me to and it makes me feel so much better knowing that everything will probably be okay!

I am laying down for the majority of the day, and staying extra hydrated. Andy has been treating me to breakfast in bed every morning, and my parents have been bringing me lunch. I am to call my nurse on Monday with an update, and will hopefully be allowed to go back to work next week if the spotting goes away. Until then, I will stay glued to the bed/couch and catching up on my DVR. Please keep the prayers coming!