The Kids are All Right

As per usual, my panic and dread was for no good reason. I have been cut off from reading negative things on the internet by the people who love me the most, all of whom saw me sliding into a hormone and stress induced depression last week and who intervened with a care-frontation of the first degree, in which they took turns calling me and speaking of the evils of the internet. Thanks guys. Whenever I have the urge to search for whatever I fear might be wrong with the babies now, I re direct to search for something more cheerful. Like puppies. So far it's working ok.

The appointment today went pretty well. It was great to see the babies on the big screen (they have about a 52" monitor, it's crazy after squinting to make out little jellybeans at the RE's office). I can not believe how much they look like... babies. For real. And how much they were moving! Baby A especially- that little guy was dancin' all over the place! (Hopefully they will be a better dancer than me, I am positively the worst.) Baby B was moving too, it looked like s/he was putting it's little hand in its mouth. How is it possible that I can not FEEL that? The most hysterical part was when we had them both on the screen, we were talking about Baby B and Baby A (I am not making this up) turned right toward the camera and WAVED. The ultrasound tech was like, "Did you see that? A is trying to get out attention down there!" We were all laughing, and it felt so good. To be looking at our babies and laughing.

The Dr. seemed pretty cool (young!?! or I am getting old?) and said things look great. Baby A measured 10w1d with a heart rate of 167, baby B was 9w5d with a heart rate of 176. I am 9w5d today, so B was right on track and A was a little ahead! She did have one small concern, I have a small subchorionic hematoma, in layman's terms a small blood clot on the periphery of Baby B's placenta. She said it is not uncommon, just something to watch to be sure it shrinks instead of grows. She said usually they heal themselves. Still. Also we talked to her about delivering at the reputable Win.nie Pal.mer hospital here in town, and her reaction was not what I expected. Part of the reason we changed ob's is that we wanted to deliver there--they have a crazy amazing NICU and they deliver like 50 babies there a day. It is supposed to be top-notch. She agreed it can be, but warned us that if you are anything other than VERY high risk to forget it. They have so many urgent cases there that if you are not in NEED of their services, you are pretty well brushed aside. I totally understood what she was saying, but I was really surprised. Our friends who had babies there all had amazing experiences. Then again, they were all very high risk. Hmm. Even MORE food for thought is what she said about working. I explained to her what I do and that I am on my feet pretty much all day. She said she would expect for me to call it quits around week 20. WHAT? Not that she is demanding it, just that with my small frame, she thinks I will be very uncomfortable and probably start contracting around that time, and that in her experience I will probably be ready to be off my feet. I expected her to say 28 weeks, I was hoping to make it through Christmas break. She said push for Thanksgiving and see how you feel. Of course the financial ramifications of this concept are very troubling, especially because I carry the insurance through my employer and was hoping to cling to it for

 as long as possible. Eek.

What? Enough boring talk? You want to see pictures? Well...ok. Just because I like ya.

Baby A. Um...upside down, head is to the left. Child would not hold still long enough to get a great shot.

Here's B, just chillin'. See its little hand?

The 2 of them, when A (on the bottom) was waving. So cute!