29w3d: Sunshine

After weeks and weeks of rain and clouds, the weather here has been gorgeous this week. Today was especially lovely, and even better, a friend came over for a visit with her 2-month old baby. She brought me a yummy lunch and it was great having some daytime company. We sat in the living room, and after she left I brought my laptop out to the living room and worked in the sunshine coming through the big window at the front of the house until my battery ran out. The cat joined me in the sun, which was fun too.

I was wondering if my pasty white legs might pick up any color through the window, and it turns out that yes! you can tan and burn through a window. It's obviously not as strong as being outside, but there's something. The window glass also filters a lot of the worst rays too.

Tomorrow I have an ultrasound, a doctor's appointment, and my meeting with the dietitian. I'm really excited to see the babies again--they have been moving like CRAZY this week--and I'm interested to talk to my doctor about short term disability. I still have a lot of work to finish up before I'd feel comfortable abandoning my job, and I hope everything will cooperate to let me get it all done!

29w2d: Bed Rest Book Review

In November 2008, I started a book club. It's mostly friends from grad school, and we meet about every six weeks at someone's house for wine and snacks. We usually talk about the book 50% of the time and catch up on each other's lives the other 50%. Attendance varies--there are probably about 20 women on the email list, and we usually have about 8-12 people at each meeting. The hostess generally chooses the book, and it is fun to see people's different styles. I've read a lot of books that I don't think I would have picked up otherwise, and it's nice being exposed to different types of literature.

In February, we were supposed to read The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski. I didn't get a chance to read it before the discussion, but I picked it up from the library afterward and I finished it over the weekend. I really wish I had read it before the meeting because now I'd like to have a discussion about it! Oh well.

It was an Oprah book selection back in 2008. We always try to pick books that have been out for a bit so that people have a better chance of finding them in libraries, used, or in paperback.

I had read a bit about the book before going to the meeting in February, so I knew it was a Hamlet allegory before I began reading it. I'm not sure I would have picked up on it otherwise--I'm not the sharpest at seeing connections like that. But with an uncle named Claude, a mother named Trudy, visions of a murdered father's ghost....okay, maybe even I would have seen the parallels. It was a pretty neat idea, and I don't mean to imply that Wroblewski's book isn't original. It is. But having the structure and certain character traits borrowed from one of the greatest works of English literature doesn't hurt!

I love dogs and I grew up with a dog, and I think that helped me really enjoy reading Edgar Sawtelle. My dog was purebred, so I also know something about breeding genealogy. I'm not sure that someone who does not like dogs would like the book as much, because there are a LOT of pages that are just all about dogs--breeding, training, bonding. There are a lot of pages that are fairly extraneous in general, frankly--my biggest criticism of the book is the pacing. I understand and appreciate a slow build, but I skipped about 75 pages of the "Henry" section and I don't think I missed anything. I think the book could have benefited from better editing.

I really liked the relationship between Edgar and Almondine. The chapters told from her point of view were really special. I also thought the Gar-Claude relationship was well done. I have questions about Trudy's character....did she realize Claude killed her husband? I don't think she did, which is a marked difference from Gertrude in Hamlet.

The speech pathology information was very interesting, and I thought the descriptions of Gar's and Trudy's feelings about their pregnancy losses were very compelling and moving.

I would recommend this book, although with the caveat that it's not going to hurt to skim parts of it if it's just getting too prose-happy for you. I wonder what Wroblewski will do next--if his next book is also based off a Shakespeare structure, I think it'll seem like he's using the past as a crutch, which is disappointing.

29w1d: What Not To Do.....

Today's post is in honor of David, who ran a great time in his half yesterday. Not great by his standards, but great by normal person standards.

So in 2009, David got pretty serious about running. He ran his first marathon and started running regularly. I....am not a runner. I am not athletic. I like yoga and Jillian Michaels DVDs and playing kickball, but I'm just not an athlete. However, I wanted to try to participate in David's new passion. So I signed up for a half marathon. It was a beautiful, flat course, and I actually really enjoyed it. My time was not good, but I had fun.

Here I am after finishing in 2009. Good times. It also helped that we stopped at a Red Lobster on the way home and I got to have those amazing biscuits. I love all the independent, non-chain restaurants in our area, but every now and then a girl wants chain food.

Fast forward to August 2010. I think, let's sign up to do the half again! David is on board because it's several weeks before the marathon where he planned to attempt a Boston qualifying time (he made it, yay!). Another friend of ours who is a runner decided to sign up with us. Now all I had to do was train.

Except....I couldn't train. I was exhausted and work was busy. And....turns out I was pregnant (but we didn't know they were twins yet). I wasn't embarrassed about walking, but I had hopes that I could beat my time from last year--I hadn't trained very well for that race either.

Except....I wasn't pregnant last year. This time around, my sciatic never wouldn't let me run. The impact of each step made me want to cry. I was so thirsty and needing fluid to stave off morning sickness, but as soon as I had anything to drink I would have to go to the bathroom. I think I visited three porta potties on the course. The course was still beautiful and flat, but it overcame me.

But did I stop? No, because I'm a stubborn idiot. I kept going. Mile after mile after mile. By the time I finished, David had already gone back to the hotel and showered and returned to the course to collect me. He ran/walked the last mile and stub with me to help me keep moving. It was miserable.

No pictures of my finish this year because I was so annoyed with myself that I wouldn't let him. (And for me to deny pictures is a big deal.) I'm still not sure if I was more annoyed about (i) my horrible time or (ii) that I hadn't given up when I'm fairly certain I should have.

Ugh. Anyway, I'm going to sign up for the 2011 half, and I'm going to use that as my goal for getting back in shape after the babies. I'm excited again and this time I swear I'll beat my 2009 time. It would be hard to do worse than I did in 2010!

Edit: I know that there are lots of women who successfully run throughout their pregnancies, even multiple pregnancies. I do not happen to be one of them. I think it's important to listen to your body (and your doctor), and for me, completing the half was a mistake. Fitness during pregnancy is very important, and every woman should find what works for her and her body.

29 weeks!

(I'll have to add a picture later....I have to ask David to find the little thing for transferring and uploading!)

How far along? 29 Weeks!
Total weight gain/loss? About the same as last week, I think. I'll get weighed on Thursday. I really don't mind the weight gain because I know I'll lose it, but it's so crazy seeing those numbers on the scale and realizing that's what I weigh. My weight has always been really steady ever since college, and it's hard to associate that weight with me.
Maternity clothes? Oh yes. I'm having trouble with jeans at the moment. I have two pairs of maternity jeans--a medium that I bought and a large that a friend gave me from her pregnancy (also twins). They're from the same store. The mediums fit my body, but the panel is now too tight for my bump. The panel on the large fits the bump, but the jeans are too big for my hips so they keep falling down. I'm kind of a mess, jeans wise!
Stretch marks? Not so far! But I feel like my belly is having a growth spurt, so who knows.
Sleep? Becoming less and less comfortable. My hips hurt, and putting a pillow between my legs hasn't helped. Once I wake up, it's hard to fall back to sleep.
Best moment last week? Finding a pediatrician that we can WALK to.
Movement? I love feeling them move. I'm going to miss that after they're born!
Food cravings? Fruit. :(
Gender? Girl and a boy!
Labor signs? Braxton-Hicks, Braxton-Hicks, Braxton-Hicks.
Belly button in/out? No change--mostly out. If I'm lying on my back it falls back in a bit.
What I miss: Dessert.
What I am looking forward to: Getting the bathroom remodel underway (lots more about that will follow).
Milestones: 29 Weeks! 30 is just around the corner!

28w6d: Happier Things

Wow, okay, so that was depressing. I'm really a very optimistic, cheerful person. It's not in my nature to be so down. It's hard for David when I'm sad because not much gets me down, so he doesn't have a lot of experience cheering me up. :)

So anyway, let's rewind a month to my shower in Pennsylvania. My MIL, SIL, and cousin did a great job. My best friend (she was my maid of honor; I was her matron of honor--she's the bride from the Little Bear story) is a pastry chef and she did the cake. If you live in eastern Pennsylvania and want her contact information, let me know!

Here's FIL putting up the signs to help people find their way.

The shower was at the church where I grew up and where my parents were married and where I was baptized, confirmed, and married. It's also where my mom was buried. The chairs in the room where we had it were bought with the donations given after my mom passed, and I felt like that was a nice little way to have her memory there.

I got a lot of nice gifts! People were really, really generous. And amazingly, everything that was given at the shower fit into my two suitcases! People shipped the bigger items to us in California (more on that later) and just included pictures with the cards.

Here's the cake--the bottom layer was chocolate with peanut butter icing, and the top layer was red velvet with cream cheese frosting. It was TO DIE for. Her sugar cookie recipe is also the best I think I've ever had. The cookies were shaped like little onesies, and she had sheep, lady bugs, turtles, and duckies decorating them. So adorable (and delicious!).

Here's the fondant topper. It matched the image from the invitations, and we're letting it dry out for a couple months--and then it can be shellack'ed and used as a decoration. I think the detail is incredible!

My dad has a great time at the shower too. He is so excited to become a grandpa! He really enjoyed seeing everyone and catching up with some of the ladies that he hadn't seen in awhile. As much fun as I had, it was a slightly bittersweet day for me because I know how much my mom would have loved being there and what a great job with planning she would have done. But I know she's watching over us, and my babies have the best guardian angel possible!

28w5d: Dx - GD

I called the peri again to ask about my glucose test results. They still weren't in, and the receptionist said she would call Quest Diagnostics to ask for them. Half an hour later I got a call from a nurse to tell me that I have gestational diabetes--my sugar was high at each of the three readings. So my body is not processing correctly and I need to change up my diet. I talked to the dietician afterward, and she gave me a lot of guidelines over the phone. I'm meeting with her on Thursday after my regular appointment with the peri.

I started crying on the phone with the nurse. I couldn't help it. I know this isn't my fault and I know it's treatable, but I am just so sad. I feel like I can't do anything right for these babies and everything I do is wrong. They didn't ask to be twins, and my body is failing them. I called David and probably sounded completely hysterical. He left work early to come home, and I did feel a lot better seeing him. Still, I just can't help feeling like what's going to happen next? Pre-e? IUGR? HELLP? pPROM? My body has never let me down before, and I just can't get over that it's failing now.

A friend is coming over for dinner tonight....really looking forward to it as I could use some cheering up.

28w4d: Fun Survey

I have a great pediatrician update, but I want to do this "what have you done" list. Copy the list to your blog and bold what you've done! (Stolen from Mari2003!)

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (does junior high/high school band count?)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland and/or Disney World (both!)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped (this was actually a question when we applied for life insurance--I feel like our premiums would be higher if we had!)
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightening storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked (not personally, but I've picked up hitch hikers--in Yosemite and in Cairns)
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon (a half!)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language (I know some German, but I didn't teach myself!)
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving (same thing w/ life insurance--those questions are so odd!)
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican (FWIW, this seems duplicative of "Seen the Sistine Chapel", supra)
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve (in Rome, no less!)
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby (not yet!!)
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit (the lawyer in me says "define involved")
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

100. Seen the Pyramids of Giza

I added #100 because the other "foreign travel" ones seemed very Euro-centric. :)