Freak Show

Giant, round, bloated, wheezy and slow. That's the perfect description of a beached whale attempting to get back to the water. However, that's also the perfect description of me in the present day. I am bigger than I ever imagined, slower than I've ever been and I have never weighed this much in my entire life. Aside from all those crazy side effects of this twin pregnancy, I am doing well and am happy.

After the fall last week and the ultrasound that showed that the babies turned I was just looking forward to the next visit to my OB doc to get a full check up and make sure that the girls and I were in good shape and form. Like I mentioned in my last blog - What should be just isn't in the cards. I have developed the oh so fun symptom of swelling. My face is swollen, my legs and ankles are swollen and my shortness of breath is becoming annoying. I have never experienced swelling with either one of my other pregnancies, so this is a new and quite un-enjoyable event. Anyways, the arrival of this symptom, accompanied by 5 days worth of headaches, got me a front of the line ticket right back in the maternity ward at the hospital to evaluate and monitor for the possibility of pre eclampsia. Never had that before either. And, lucky for me, that wasn't my problem now. In fact, my blood pressure was fine and though they couldn't tell me the reason behind my sudden swelling, I was really in pretty good health. The nurses couldn't get the heartbeats of the girls for longer than a couple seconds at a time, so the NST (non stress test) that they were supposed to do on the babies was quite unsuccessful. It was frustrating for them, as they worked for over an hour to try to get the beats to register. I just laid back in the bed and let em' have at it. I wanted to help - I'm a stubborn broad and I still believe that I probably could have found the heartbeats better than both the nurses that were working on me. But, I was good, and kept that little opinion to myself. I didn't ask if they wanted any help, but let them ask me when they needed it. Ha.

My OB visit today revealed that everything was fine. I have developed anemia, but it's not anything that I can't regulate with some Iron supplements. My weight, though the number I see is ridiculous, is back to it's normal 1 lb a week gainage. I am happy about that. The babies are still head up. The doctor told me today that the chances of the girls moving again before they arrive are still very good. In fact, she told me, they'll probably do several summer saults before settling into their birth positions. YAY! I am still very hopeful for a natural delivery and the doc helped to make that wish more of a realization today. This doctor wants me to return in 2 weeks, instead of next week - And then, after 32 weeks, begin the weekly visits. They still want ultrasounds ever 4 weeks, and when I start my weekly visits to the OB doc, I'll also have weekly NST's at the hospital. Oh, fun.

Corey signed Katie up for little league tonight. It doesn't start until the end of March - Maybe even beginning of April, but little league in this area needs the sign ups done as early as possible. Cooper has been an angel today (Corey will argue that he's angelic everyday.) He has been full of hugs, kisses and tummy tickles for everyone and his laugh today was just contagious. I love those days.

Being pregnant has had it's ups and downs in the past few months. Mostly ups. I've also had my fair share of oddball run ins with congratulatory strangers, well wishers and the occasional freak show who suddenly bursts into story about someone they knew who had multiples. Today, while I was picking up lunch, an unkempt man walked into the restaurant I was waiting in and uninvitingly asked me "So, is there one or two in there?" I replied 2, and he began his unrestricted ramble of his friend who was left alone with triplets that he had to help care for and that he loves kids so much that he can't help but "watch the kids in the park." I looked at him with accusing eyes when he made that comment and he quickly retracted with "I mean, I can't help but watch OUT for the kids in the TRAILER park that I live in." Oh, well that's different. He finished his senseless ramble with "Well, at least we know your man's not shooting blanks!!"
Not the conversation that I would ever hope to have with someone like that. I walked out as fast as I could with our food in tow and I hope to GOD that I never see that crazy man for as long as I live.
And on that note, I'm escaping to bed.........