Who's Counting?

As my doctor asked me yesterday how many more weeks until 24 weeks. I was able to easily calculate 2 more weeks and a day. I must have calculated really fast because he laughed at the large pregnant lady and asked, "but who's counting, right?"

This week was another great week at the doctor. The babies continue to surprise us with their awesomeness. Zed was able to Skype in with us in this appointment, which I thought was awesome. It was the middle of the night for him, and he has roommates, so he just sat in his room quietly watching the pictures. He said it was cool so I just assumed that he had a good enough view of the screen.

Yesterday we did ultrasounds of the babies to check up their full anatomy. They are measuring almost right on track. I was 21w6d and the measurements were coming in at 21weeks and between 3&5 days. One baby weighs about 14oz and the other 15oz. Almost a pound each is pretty good considering how far along I am. Everything was looking good though.

They were tough little babies though. Or at least they are going to be tough little babies. During the ultrasounds they didn't hold still very well while getting their heart rates and checking cord flows. They were moving all over the place. While watching, sometimes it was obvious that one moved because the other kicked it.  One of the babies had turned back around to a head down position this week, but like I said before, everything still looks great. They were laying one on top of the other with feet in each others face, and the occasional bum on the face.

In order to more easily follow the umbilical cords we got to do some 3D (or is it 4D?) ultrasounds which are awesome. While doing this we saw that one baby is totally a thumb sucker. The thumb sucker was getting kicked in the face a lot and we got to watch him pushing at his brother's legs and feet to move him. They both were really moving, pushing, and kicking a lot through the whole thing. It's so cool to feel a kick and watch the effects on the screen at the same time.

One really interesting that we saw in the 3D imaging was the mass of cords that are all tangled up. In the regular ultrasound shots we can see the cords all twist tied together when they are watching blood flow and we see the red and blue colors all interwoven. But the 3D image made it more evident to me what kind of knots we are really taking about. Parts of it look braided, but then there's extra loops and twists and it's all so thick! Basically, I feel like it's a complete miracle in and if itself that these babies are getting enough of everything to be as active as they are.

Hands on his face, and brothers foot on his head

Our thumb sucker

Great profile shot

First hand print?

I'm pretty sure that is his brothers foot on his head again. They are in pretty close quarters.

Loved these views!

We also saw that the Vasa Previa veins are still in place, but they aren't a concern unless I go into labor on my own. So I am just going that I am consistent. With my other 2 pregnancies I didn't go into labor until 40+ weeks. So let's hope that I don't try going into early labor at all with this pregnancy.

21w 6d

So I am up in the middle of the night now. For no good reason my body just decided sleeping at night was totally overrated. So I'm blogging from my phone. I'll try to come re-read this soon and check for typos, but forgive me if I haven't done that yet!

When I got home I was of course, totally spent. For those of you who don't know, when you ate pregnant your pelvic bone spreads. With my other 2 pregnancies I didn't feel the effects if this until I was massively pregnant, in the later part of my 3rd trimester. Well with twins I feel it pretty seriously now. Walking and getting into a standing position are so painful and hard. The return of my back and hip problems doesn't help at all. Unless I am laying on my bed I am uncomfortable. And I complain about it a lot to Zed. Pretty much everyday has 1 email to him telling him how much I hurt.

Last night I felt pretty lucky though. My doctor told us a few weeks ago that I am to act like a princess. My mom told that to my boys and now it's part of a lot of their games, that I'm the princess and I'm likely sleeping. Otis even calls me princess quite I bit, I could get used to it. Last night at dinner I mentioned being a princess to my dad who appropriately responded that, of course I am a princess at his house! I love getting to be my daddy's princess. But last night my dad brought me a fresh apricot off his tree in the back yard. I mentioned to my mom how good it was. Well apparently the princess got a fresh apricot, but my mother didn't. I am sure getting some special treatment. I could get used to it.

Grandma let Mr J use one of her blankets. He is almost as attached to it as Otis is to his blanket. Ok, that's not even possible, but he has fun with it!

Crazy Ates is their favorite game. I love that my mom will play games with these guys, even Bear.

21w 5d Mirror shot. My shirt says "I Make Cute Babies".

Last night in the middle of the night when I was awake and wondering the house I found the boys sleeping very similarly to this (this is them earlier in the day). 

My kids love playing cards games with grandma. They play Crazy Ates about a dozen times a day. And Otis' Bear gets dealt a hand almost every time too. I took the picture of the boys wrestling a few hours before my appointment. My mom and I were reminded of Mr J and Otis a lot watching Baby A and Baby B wrestling. I guess I'd better be ready for a while house full of active crazy little boys!