Ok, identical twins it is! 12 1/2 weeks pregnant

Yesterday (4-2-08) we ran around hectic as any morning, running boys out to the school bus at 8:05 (please don't be late!), quick shower, throw on clothes, grab hubby (who, thankfully stayed home that morning), drop off Morgan at babysitter, drive like the wind. We got to our appt. with the high risk doctors (a little late as usual), signed some paperwork and waited. My stomach was in knots. I was nervous to find out exactly what was in store for me for the next few months. Tom, of course, checked his Blackberry a few times and chatted about work. He is very calm when it comes to all this. Of course, I don't exactly freak out, but I do have moments of temporary insanity! They called us back for the ultrasound and our day got better :) The tech (who is also an identical twin) was very excited about taking pics of our babies. You could tell she really loved her job and made us feel comfortable. I mentioned something about mono-mon twins and she said "they told you they were mono-mon?" Well, apparently, it is very common early in the first trimester to make that mistake. The membrane between the babies is so thin at that point, it is very hard to detect. Both Tom and I breathed a sigh of relief and began listing all the things I would once again be free to do for our family this summer. No hospital stay, not as much risk for babies, hopefully no NICU, maybe no C-section....these wereall things that were great news to me :) I actually started getting excited about this whole thing. When doctor Oxford had told us 3 weeks ago that there was a 20% mortality rate for mono-mono twins, and I would have to be hospitalized for months, then come home without our two tiny preemies in the NICU, I was not too excited about what was to come. This ultrasound changed it all for us! We got lots of great pictures of the babies, though baby A is a bit camera shy(like dad). I am actually getting kind of excited :) as long as I don't think about all the many sleepless nights, feedings, two sets of diapers, etc. etc. My friend Cathy tells me I will be really excited and enjoy them only when they are finally 18 ;) So, at this point, the babies look pretty close to the same size and no early indication of downs syndrome. I am free to see my regular doc with ultrasounds every two weeks to measure baby growth. Twin to twin transfusion syndrome is the main concern. As long as they grow well and all looks good, I may end up carrying them to term. My due date is Oct. 11, but for twins it is typically 36-37 weeks. I could end up with 8 pound twins after all! Well, we can only hope they are that healthy :)

We're having what?!!

We were happy to find out we were expecting baby number 4. I have been very sick to my stomach and already feeling like maternity clothes were my only option for comfort at 8 weeks pregnant. My other 3 pregnancies had been fairly smooth. No significant nausea, no complications...just big healthy babies. Ugh, is it because I have already had 3 kids?? Maybe my body is getting to ol d for this routine?? So, I remained miserable until my doctor's appt. on March 12, 2008. First they did an ultrasound. All seemed normal and looked good. As the tech was poking around, she asked me how I had been feeling......BLECH! was the only word I could use to describe how I felt. "Well, she said, that's because you are having twins!" "You are kidding me!" But, no, it was not a joke, there they both were, trying to duke it out already (though their arm buds and leg buds were much too small to even reach each other, they tried). My hubby sat in the corner smirking as only those who know him well would recognized this. He wasn't shocked, but I was feeling a little more nauseated than before. Ok, so she continued to check them out and told us they looked great so far, but it appeared that they were sharing the same amniotic sack. This news, which we found out later, was not good. There are many risks already involved with carrying twins, but this 1 in 10,000 chance was the worst case. We sat in the doctor's office for a good half hour discussing how the heck we were going to deal with not only 4 kids, but now 5! Dr. Oxford came in and proceeded to tell us all the gory details. This type of twin is identical, they share a placenta and both outer ( chorionic) and inner (amniotic) sack. They worry about cord entanglement and twin to twin transfer syndrome (where one baby takes more nourishment from the placenta than the other, causing problems with both babies). These were just the top two scary things! The regiment for Mono-Mono, or mono amniotic twins (that is their term) is hospitalization at 24 weeks pregnant and a C-section birth at 32 weeks pregnant. Yikes...she continued to tell us the percentages of things going wrong, and said it was a huge commitment. Wow, that is an understatement! We scheduled an appt. with the high risk pregnancy group for 3 weeks later for another ultrasound and consultation with them. The next 3 weeks we (well, maybe mostly me :) ) spent trying to figure out how our family was going to function with me incarcerated in the hospital for 2 months! It was likely that they would send me to Swedish medical Center in Seattle.....this is far from home, but Tom works just 2 blocks away. Family and friends instantly stepped up and offered help with kids, meals, etc. Thanks to all that are offering help!! I have spent hours researching this on the internet, reading personal experiences from others (very interesting and quite encouraging too, check out Faith and Grace Pruetz's story, scroll down to May 24, 2006 for pics http://thepruetzfamily.blogspot.com/2006_05_01_archive.html), medical info, and lots of other scary stuff. My dad and hubby gave me a Priesthood blessing and I have been offered to be included in lots of prayers.....Well, we had our visit with the high risk docs yesterday and it has all changed! Read my next entry for details :)