Thirty One Weeks and SO Happy to be Here!

Today is a good day.  We were planning on having to deliver the boys today at 31 weeks and one day, but they gave me a little break and we most likely have a few more days!  I can't tell you how happy I am that we have more time.  J & C need to get bigger and we'd love to at least make it to 32 weeks and 4 pounds each.  They measured at 3 pounds 6 ounces each on Monday, so we have a good chance of making it there!

Speaking of weight, I was measuring full term at my appointment on Monday (when I was 30 weeks and 5 days.)  Although, I've actually lost a lot of weight since I've been on bed rest.  I was so swollen that I lost 15 pounds of water weight since checking in!  (Trust me I'm eating plenty.)  It seems crazy that I was that swollen, but if you saw me beforehand you would have believed it.

31 weeks with twin boys

 At our sono on Monday the boys looked great.  They are growing well and moving around like crazy.  The doctor showed me that they are perfectly following the growth curve, which is great to hear.  Its much harder to get good images of them now on the sono, but we did get J's profile again.  You can already tell that he looks like just like his daddy!  He and C obviously have different profiles, so I'm no longer thinking they might be identical.

'J' at 30 weeks 5 days

So now for all the technical jargon.  The reason we may have to deliver soon isn't because of the babies, it's because of me.  My blood pressure hasn't gotten any higher than it was when I came in, but I am taking a medication to stop contractions that lowers your blood pressure.  So it is most likely higher, but its being hidden by the medicine right now.

My doctor knows that the disease is progressing because my urine protein has gotten so high that it's starting to cause problems with my kidneys and liver, (although I don't feel much different,) which in turn could cause problems with the boys.  I've also started to get really swollen again thanks to the protein messing with my blood.  I gained 4-1/2 pounds overnight on Tuesday, so that definitely tells us something.  We were expecting bad lab results back today that would cause us to deliver, (given that on every other occasion the protein has more than doubled,) but it had the slowest increase yet! Our prayers were answered and I thank god for giving us more time!

Ross and I toured the NICU a couple of days ago and it was very hard.  We are at an amazing facility with lots of babies younger than ours, but it was hard to see them so little.  For every day they stay in that gives us 3 days less in the NICU, so even one day makes a difference!  Unless something changes drastically they will redo my testing in a few days, so we may make it to 4 pounds after all!  We really appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers and thank all of our friends and family for being so amazingly supportive!  We love you all!

I leave you with the adorable little K-state hats sent to us by my Grandma and sisters!  The boys can wear them in the NICU and they'll be ready for football season! :)