Part III: The Tour

After our appointment, we headed over to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for a tour of that. Aaron and I left with different feelings on how it went, which is kind of funny.

One of the charge nurses took us around and gave us a rundown of how things work up there. We learned things like: no matter what, if the babies are born 35 weeks or before they will go to the NICU and nobody under the age of 14 can be allowed in the NICU until May (because it's cold/flu season), which means the kids wouldn't be able to visit.

We did see a few babies in the rooms as we were walking by. Oh my gosh, they were just so tiny! I just wanted to cry. For someone who has had almost a 9 lb. baby and an almost 10 lb. baby, it's so hard to imagine having one half that size or smaller.

Aaron thought it was a good reality check to visit that place and it did nothing but scare me to death! I guess it gives me good inspiration to take it easy and put my feet up, so I can carry this babies as long as I can. The longer the better for sure.

Part II: OB appointment

We had a routine OB check-up and another comprehensive ultrasound to check on the growth of the babies back at the Perinatal Center.

During the ultrasound, we learned that Baby B, a.k.a. our little monkey, has once again flipped and is head down. That means that both babies are currently head down. Baby A is estimated at 5 lbs. 1 oz and Baby B 4 lbs. However, Baby A really is probably closer to the 4 lb. mark because they base the weight on the stomach measurement. Obviously with the extra fluid around the lungs it's making him seem a little larger than what he probably is. With the 4 lb. estimate I am measuring a week ahead of schedule (good news!).

Unfortunately, our regular doctor was out of the office and so we had to meet with Dr. Negativity, who was the doctor we met with the very first time back in December. We hadn't seen him since then and really didn't want to meet with him again. Once again, we left with bad feelings in our stomachs and frustration and annoyance.

He walked and said the babies are growing well. After that, things went downhill. He pretty much told us Baby A is going to live for 10 minutes after birth and we need to have a plan in mind because he's sure the lungs won't be developed enough to keep the baby alive. To say we were both mad is probably an understatement. Our regular doctor is pretty confident that the lungs are developing as they need to. Aaron said he just tuned him out after that and I just kept nodding.

I get that doctors have to deliver bad news sometimes. But, for him to be at a complete 180 from what his partner has been telling us (someone who's dealt with a situation like ours) was just annoying. Plus, the guy has no people skills! Grrr....

The only other thing of importance that came out of the consult was that with the low amniotic fluid in Baby A's sac a regular deliver might put too much pressure on the umbilical cord and we may have to look at a C-section. I voiced my opinion that I wanted a C-section. The whole delivering twins thing has been scarying me for awhile now.

Anyway, we head back in two weeks and they'll put me on the monitor to watch the heart rates and also see if I'm having any contractions.

Part 1: Pediatric Kidney Specialist

We had a very busy day on Friday. We had two doctors appointments and a couple of tours. I'm breaking this up into three parts because I think it might get too long otherwise.

We met with Dr. Aron, the kidney specialist, first at Blank Children's Hospital. We got no definite answers from him and we know we won't have any until the babies are born on exactly what is wrong with Baby A's kidneys. However, he took us through a broad spectrum of possibilities from the not so bad to the worse case scenarios.

Aaron and I really liked this doctor! We learned he is the only pediatric kidney specialist in Des Moines and he was so personable and knowledgeable and really took his time with us and we appreciated that.

The next time we see him will be after the birth of the babies when he'll come do an ultrasound on Baby A and also some other tests to try to figure out what is causing the fluid around his kidneys. The most important thing though is that the kidneys are able to function. We continue to keep thinking positive thoughts that the kidneys are functioning and the problem can be fixed.

My Girl

My girl is so not like me. She likes to dress up with jewelry and dresses. She likes to dance around in her underwear with her fancy shoes on. Sometimes I wonder if she was switched at birth, except for the fact she looks just like me. The thing is, I know when Jenna and I are outnumbered and being overtaken by all the testosterone in the house, we'll be glad we have each other.

I love this girl and wouldn't trade her for anything! Here are some pictures of her dressed up and dancing around.

Looooong Week...

We've had a long week at the Burdorf household. Brody has been fighting a cold since last Thursday (going on day 10). He has been miserable, as have the rest of us dealing with a tired, cranky boy. Brody started with a bad cough, runny nose and fever the first couple of days. The fever went away, but his cough/running nose persisted and I called and talked to the doctor's office about day seven, just because Brody has never been this sick for this long EVER.

The nurse told me it's been a horrible winter for this type of thing and it's viral and lasts about 10-14 days. She told me I didn't need to bring him in unless the fever returned. Thursday at lunch, the fever returned, so Friday I ended up taking him in. He had some fluid in his ears and we got a prescription, but otherwise he's ok.

It's hard to have a sick kid when you are trying to work, your spouse is trying to work, there's district basketball that you're supposed to cover for the paper and Aaron is doing the radio for, and on top of that our daycare gal's father-in-law was moved to Hospice this week. Thank goodness for flexibility!

I've been crazy-mom about germs! I make the kids wash their hands all the time and I wash my hands non-stop since I'm wiping a nose every 5 seconds. I'm hoping whatever Brody has the rest of don't get, especially me since the drugs you can take while pregnant are very limited.

30 Weeks

I can't believe it, but I'm already 30 weeks along! I guess we're heading down the home stretch here. I don't know why it feels like such a milestone, probably because I know two other moms who delivered their twins at 30 weeks and today they are both doing just fine. That being said, I want to keep these baby boys in there as long as I can so everything can develop and mature like it needs to.

I've been feeling really, really good (knock on wood). I still tire out easily and our night time routine consists of putting the kids to bed at 8:15 and me falling asleep in the chair at 8:30 PM and then heading to bed when Aaron wakes me up. :)

So far, I've been still sleeping well. I get up 3 times or so for potty breaks, but it's not because I'm uncomfortable. Turning over is something I have to wake up for to reposition myself and the pillows, which also causes the babies to shift, which usually means pushing on my bladder.

Anyway, here are me and the belly.

5 Question Friday

I haven't done this for awhile, so I thought I would today...

1. Would you rather be on ABC's Extreme Home MakeOver orTLC's What not to Wear?

I guess since we don't own our house, I'll say What Not to Wear.

2. Do you have any tattoos?

NO! And and I never will.

3. Do you tell your kids about things you did growing up?

Sometimes and I probably will tell them more as they get older.

4. If the traffic signal turns yellow, do you stop or speed up?

It depends how far away I am when it turns yellow. When we lived in Sioux City they had long yellow lights, so I would always speed up.

5. What's your preference: chocolate or chips?

CHOCOLATE! Although, lately I can't seem to stop eating the Harvest Cheddar Sun Chips. I love those things!

The things kids say...

I figured I better write down two recent conversations that I've had with each of the kids before I forgot. One made me laugh and the other pulled at my heartstrings.

While driving into town on our way to preschool one day Jenna and I had a talk that went like this:

Jenna: Mom, why are we having twins?

Me: Well..

Jenna: (interupts me) Oh, that's right because God chose us. He chose our family.

She said it so matter-of-factly and sincerely that it almost made me cry. Jenna is just wise beyond her years sometimes.

While sitting in the recliner one day Brody comes in munching on a cheese stick and that conversation went like this.

Brody (with his hand on my belly and speaking directly to my belly): "Babies, you kick me?"

After waiting for a few seconds and getting no response he looked at me, shook his head, looked back at my belly, held out his cheese stick and said, "Babies, you want some of my cheese stick?"

He was so cute and hilarious! I thanked him for offering to share, but told him I didn't think the babies wanted his cheese stick.