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.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This was really beautiful. I am so happy that you got to see your sweet babies! Congrats Mommy :)