Monday, September 29, 2008

17wks

Wow, long time no write!

As all, or most of you at least, are aware, I was recently in the States for two weeks. Shawn and I flew in for my sister's wedding, which was absolutely incredible. Unfortunately, the day before we were scheduled to leave, my grandmother died. We were able to delay our return tickets and my marvelous husband found a way for him to get in to Minneapolis from Toronto, for me to get in from Boston (since we were in different cities for the weekend) and for us both to leave together on a flight to New York from whence, several hours later, we were due to fly back home.

It was a full circle of life experience, especially since my mother, despite being in a state of mourning, managed to happily tell every visitor that walked through the door how I was pregnant with twins. Marriage, death, birth...all encompassed in this one little trip. The wedding was great, the funeral was very sad (but I was really comforted by being able to be present at it and the first few days of shiva), and all in all it prepared us to return home (to our messy, unpacked, unpainted new apartment) and prepare for what the upcoming year will bring.

So, in accordance with such preparations, yesterday I had a doctor's appointment and an ultrasound. It was an early internal screening of the babies' organs and bones to make sure everything looked like it was progressing well. They're still small so there was only a limited amount of detail we were able to see, which is okay since we have a more advanced version of the same test due in five weeks. But we could see their little hearts, kidneys, stomachs, and bladders. They're heads had perfectly formed, albeit small human skulls..it was really amazing! They're growing well, laying one on top of the other, the lower one being the slightly bigger of the two which the doctor says is normal. Their weight is good which I was very relieved to hear since I started this pregnancy losing 20lbs and since my last checkup a month ago I've only gained 650 grams. My stomach though is definitely getting bigger, many of my old shirts no longer fit well but fortunately my aunt took me maternity shopping while I was in the States and I now have a selection of outfits to wear as I continue to grow.

Tonight is Rosh Hashana and despite only having guests for one meal I am cooking up a decent-sized meal. Shawn loves having a turkey for the holiday so once I am already doing that it's not hard to throw together some other holiday favorites. If I'm feeling really industrious I'll even make a cabbage kulebiaka, since I need to do something with cabbage anyway for our Rosh Hashana Seder (no heads of fish or lambs in this household...a head of cabbage will have to suffice).

As the new year approaches I of course can't avoid thinking about how many wonderful changes this coming year will bring the Yonah family. We are about to double in size. Seeing our babies yesterday made the reality of one day bringing them home from the hospital all that much more absolute. Studying their little arms and legs so intensively through the blurry ultrasound makes me think of how soon enough I will know every inch of their skin my heart. I will be bathing and dressing these life forms that are growing inside of me. It is an overwhelming concept, but it feels so right in so many ways. This new year will bring me my children.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

14wks, 1day

Tonight we're leaving for the States (well, technically tomorrow morning). We have a nice long layover in Amsterdam and plan on leaving the airport ti visit the city a bit. Being in my present condition I'm not at liberty to, how shall I put it, partake in one of Amsterdam's most popular pastimes. But it is of no great loss as obviously I would much rather be pregnant and there is so much we plan on doing as is. I found a canal museum tour, a hop-on-hop-off tour of the city going past the major museums with a discount on admission, so likely we'll do that.

I'm feeling good. Tired, but not nearly as exhausted as I was a month ago. Most of all I am very excited for this trip. It serves as a wonderful culmination of all the happy events that have been going on this summer. My sister is finally getting married, Shawn and I are home owners, and I finally get to share the pregnancy with extended family members. It feels great to be off work for two weeks and when I get back the holidays hit so, while it's not great on the wallet, I'll have an irregular schedule till after Succot (which is another vacation since the office is closed during chol hamoed) which will be a nice opportunity to relax.

However, at the moment, we are T minus three hours and twenty minutes away from when our ride to the airport picks us up, and have not yet packed, so there is much I ought to be doing rather than posting here.

Looking forward to seeing many of you soon! Oh, for whom it concerns, we're bringing the ultrasound photos we have to date with us. I'll send them to Toronto with Shawn to show folks there.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

13wks, 6days

I just found out there is a tipat chalav (well-baby clinic) a mere five minutes from my front door. In fact, it is the one first lady Laura Bush visited on her recent trip to Israel. Very cool. I thought the closest one was going to be the one in Baka (about a fifteen+ minute walk away). This one on the other hand I pass daily on my way to catch the bus to work.

In other news, I finally got travel insurance today. It was very difficult to do so since most plans don't cover pregnancy with twins. It cost more than double what Shawn's regular travel insurance cost, but at least I'm covered in case of emergency (which, of course, there won't be one since I long ago decided this will be a perfectly healthy pregnancy).

Oh, also one final bit...not that this is terribly pleasant, but it is pretty cool. I think the kids are leaving up against my intestines today. Every now and then I feel pressure there and while it feels like a bathroom thing, it's not. The pressure lasts for a minute or so then goes away, but comes back every now and then. As I said, not pleasant, but cool.

Saturday, September 6, 2008

13wks, 5days

Okay, I will make one teensy, weensy complaint...getting up three times a night to pee is getting to be a pain in the tuchas!! I know it won't compare to getting up even more often to feed the babies, but I was hoping to at least have a few months to sleep before they come and keep me awake 24/7. All the books say the frequent urination is supposed to be slowing down in the second trimester...well, obviously those books are not talking about twins!

Otherwise, Shabbat was great. Lots of relaxing, lots of sleeping (or attempts to do so) and settling in to our new digs.

Friday, September 5, 2008

13wks, 4days

A lot of people have been asking me how I have been feeling. The truth is I've been feeling pretty great. I've been tired much of the time, but the intense insane exhaustion from the first trimester seems to have, for the most part, passed (either that or it's just the adrenaline rush from moving and the upcoming trip that are keeping me going). But even before, when I was so tired, it just made me sleep in (nothing new there. What was new was that I was actually going to bed before midnight). I still managed to keep up with work and packing so I guess it really could have been worse.

As for morning sickness, I suppose I must have been one of those lucky few who avoided it. Sure I got the occasional mild bout of nausea, and I hardly ate much for a couple of months and I hear lack of appetite can be a mild form of morning sickness. I ended up losing 20lbs but as my doctor loved to point out, the fetuses are parasites and will take what they need from me, even if I'm not eating much.

These days though my appetite seems to have returned. I can't eat much in any one sitting but I've learned to carry a snack on me because when I feel hungry, albeit it being satisfied by a mere apple or a couple of crackers, I get ravenous. I also find I feel a lot better when I stay ridiculously well hydrated.

I've had, thank God, no bleeding nor any major cramping. As far as I can tell (and this is just to make you mothers out there insanely jealous) I've been having a pretty great pregnancy. Or maybe I'm just one not to complain, I don't know. What I do know is that I want these babies so badly, there's no point in complaining too much about what is necessary to have them; I expect pregnancy to have its discomforts. I know things will get harder further down the road (do you have any idea how large a twin belly gets?!?! It's like Godzilla!!) so who knows how much complaining I'll do later. But for now I feel pretty darn good.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

13wks, 2days

As of last night we are officially "out" about our big news. Being pregnant itself doesn't seems to come as much of a surprise to people and I'm not shocked by that. After all, we recently celebrated our second anniversary, have just bought a three-bedroom apartment, and Shawn is about to start actually working at the hospital as a student nurse in addition to his studies.

But what is a surprise is how every now and then an extra sperm meets an extra egg and before you know it there are two heartbeats in the ultrasound and you find yourself incredibly grateful you planned for a big family when you bought your home (I know three bedrooms doesn't sound very big to the Americans and Canadians who are reading this, but in Israel it's quite common to have two or three kids -or more if you're haredi- per bedroom, and the rooms at our new place are a very nice size by Israeli standards).

Anyhow, I have created this blog as a way to update friends and family who care to be updated, especially useful since all parental units (soon to be grand-parental units) are currently abroad and would, no doubt, like regular updates. I'll post ultrasound pictures and belly pics too I guess.

In short, a quick recap of the last three months for those who weren't "in the know" till now:

Due date: Supposedly March 9th, however as twins are considered term at 37 weeks, we're expecting February babies (see, dad?! I do listen to your requests!).
First ultrasound (5wks,1d): Saw two tiny sacs, no yolk sacs yet.
Second u/s (6wks, 1d): Saw two tiny yolk sacs, fetal poles, and, best of all, heartbeats!!! (Also, for the record, the same day we signed the contract on our new apartment)
Third u/s (9wks, 3d): Saw the babies move! Not really recognizable as humans yet, but definitely rocking around a bit, heartbeats still going strong.
Fourth u/s (12wks, 6d): Nuchal scan (a test to check for fluid in the back of the neck that could indicate Down's syndrome) - All clear! Risk less than 1: 6,600. Got to see the babys' heartbeats, spinal cords, brains, and, cutest of all, fingers and toes!! They're at the alien stage, where any angle of their face really looks like something strait out of Roswell. Nonetheless, their bodies are magnificently formed minatures of real human beings.
Next u/s ( 23.9.08 - 16wks, 1d): An early comprehensive scan to check out all the internal organs and make sure everything is looking good.

Yes, it's more scans, and more OB appointments, than most women get, but with double the fun there's double the risks, so the Dr.'s are doing a good job at keeping a close eye on me.

That's it for now, more later!