35 weeks, 3 days

We made it to today, the average gestational period for twins in the US--35.5 weeks. Hooray! I only wish I had known we would make it this far way back when I was in the hospital in NYC and being asked to make "choices" about the babies if they had been born that day, February 28.

At my doctor appointment this week I weighed in at 222 pounds. I am now heavier than most people I know. I will not embarrass those I know who weigh more by calling them out here, but you know who you are. I probably weigh more than whole families in India or sub-Saharan Africa. Still, I have no stretch marks! It's amazing what a body can accommodate. I think part of the reason is that I followed the advice of my great multiple pregnancy book (http://www.amazon.com/Youre-Expecting-Twins-Triplets-Quads/dp/0061803073/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305380470&sr=8-1) to gain weight early, stop exercising, listen to my body and instincts, and take bedrest seriously once I was on it.

Even better than my record weight is that my doctor believes the babies are at least 5.5 and maybe as much as 6 pounds each. I am so proud of this. Also, in a complete reversal, everyone at my doctor's office now believes I am going to go until 38+ weeks based upon how high I am still carrying and the fact that nothing has changed in such a long time. Of course, since I defied their expectations for 10 weeks that I would deliver any day, I feel this new expectation will somehow work against me. I am superstitious like that. But they are very healthy, moving around as much or more than ever, and doing everything they are supposed to be doing. My mom believes that a bad stomachache I had about a week ago caused them to turn around like my Aunt Rita 30 years ago, because on the non-stress test (fetal monitor test) this week the nurses finally got both babies' heartbeats down quite low in my belly. The scheduled sonogram next week will tell us for sure. It would be funny if baby A really had turned head down! I don't really believe it, though, because I haven't experienced any rib kicks in at least 5 weeks and feel lots of cervix and bladder kicks. But we'll see! I am so uncomfortable much of the time that it's hard not to wish for it to be over, but the babies would still benefit from more time incubating. Only 20 days until my scheduled cesarean birth, so the discomfort seems finite and tolerable.

The babies love Sim Redmond Band!

As per Jeff's suggestion, I try to play Sim Redmond Band music as much as I can. I turned on the music a few minutes ago, and the babies started totally rocking out! Not the effect Jeff was hoping for, but cool nevertheless!

Happy Mothers' Day!

My goal for a while has been not to give birth before Mothers' Day, and hooray! I did not. Happy Mothers' Day to all the mothers and mothers-to-be I love, and those who have supported and loved us but are not our biological mothers: Tricia, Renee, Deb, Grandma Grinnell, Grandma Genovese, Peg, and others.

I am still reeling from the amazing Mothers' Day presents I received this year, without even having to do the tough work of mothering yet: a new fancy phone from Daddy Lovebo, money to help with house projects from Grandma and Grandpa L-G, and a sitting and charcoal drawing from my dear friend Kristina. When I get it back from her I will post a picture of it here if Daddy Lovebo will let me. I feel so lucky!

I also realized I forgot to post news about my 34 week doctor visit last week. I finally got to see my doctor again, instead of the two different NPs I had seen the two weeks prior, and I am back to feeling good about my health care. She answered all my questions and was reassuring and calming as always. At this point, if I go into labor, she would not attempt to stop it. If I made it to 36 weeks (May 18, but who's counting?) there would not even be a NICU team present at their birth, though the babies might be assessed and determined to need a pit stop there for some number of hours or days. My doctor is happy I have made it this far and satisfied that the babies are healthy and big. So hooray!

Sorting baby clothes

Milo, this is what happens when you decide to start playing and swatting at me as I am sorting baby clothes (thank you, Kate and Aaron, for so many WONDERFUL clothes!). The cat is just lucky I didn't have a onesie in front of me when I got the idea.

Attention Movers!

Of special interest to those who graciously helped us move this past weekend: we solved the box spring problem! We thought we needed to buy a split box spring to get it up the stairs, but it turns out there's a clever solution involving a few household tools and some serious man- and woman power. My friend Laura (AKA McGyver, who travels with her own screwdriver) and her trusty sidekick Daddy Lovebo (motto: "I'm going to need a beer for this") cut, chopped and bent our queen size box spring into a shape that would easily fit up the stairs. And more importantly, bent it BACK so that it is good as new, saving $200!

Check out the website where we got the instructions: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Moving-Furniture-2016/2008/2/Queen-Box-Spring-upstairs.htm

Almost 34 weeks!

It is hard to believe we have made it this far. The babies' lungs should be almost fully mature, and their brains are working hard to develop. They may weigh as much as 5 pounds apiece by now--which means I'm carrying close to 10 pounds of baby in my belly! Their main job in the next few weeks is to pack on the pounds so that they can stay warm outside an incubator.

In Mama Lovebo news, I am feeling much more energetic and healthy since moving into the new house. There is so much to do and I feel more mobile now that there are bathrooms on every floor, so my time downstairs is not limited by my fluid consumption. I'm still not doing MUCH, but at least I can try to accomplish one or two house-related tasks a day. Today's agenda: cleaning and filling the linen closet; ironing Jeff's ties so he can put them back on his tie rack tonight.

Moved into the new house!

With MUCH, MUCH help from dear friends and family (from Ithaca: Joanne and Alex, Karen and Andy, Bryn's dad; from Johnstown: Kathy and Greg; from Syracuse: Jon, Pat) we have moved out of our old house and into our new house! We would not have been able to do it without everyone's help. We also owe a big thank you to Lauren and both sets of Team Lovebo grandparents for the help cleaning, cooking and packing prior to the move. We still have lots of unpacking and organizing to do but we are thrilled to be here, with babies intact!