DE-CON-DI-TIONED!

Less than a year ago, Lucas and I walked with our friends, Chris and Kim, to Cambridge (roughly 5 miles to our destination). While the walk made us hungry and we were tired, we weren't exhausted. It was exhilirating. I'm trying to remember being able to do that once because yesterday I discovered that a few weeks of bedrest cause deconditioning pretty quickly.

I thought that I would be out of bed as much as possible except to sleep. I imagined myself walking the halls constantly. In reality, I discovered that I can only handle about 1 loop of the floor before needing a break (my legs start to feel like jell-o), and that there are definitely moments when the comfort of my bed called to me to rest and recuperate from my sudden increase of activity. It feels pathetic to come back from a walk that would not even be equivalent to a walk around the block and have sore legs, a sore back, and labored breathing. At the same time I know that the last time I walked even close to that length the babies were smaller, I weighed less, and I was conditioned to walk more. It will just take time.

I am more determined to keep up my walking and work on building up my strength (regardless of whether or not true labor begins as a result) because I'm concerned about being able to realistically care for 2 babies at my current endurance level! I'm sure I will feel better when they are no longer in my body, but I want to make sure that I have the energy to keep up with them (not that they will move a lot, but I know newborns take energy).

The good news is that, even with one day of fairly limited mobility I have felt a lot of changes. Already today my legs felt stronger and walking around the room doesn't feel as rigorous. I noticed that some places that swelled due to fluid accumulating there as a result of my bedrest, seemed to have gone down (I will have to remember to keep my feet properly elevated though because I imagine it will all settle there). And best of all, my mood has definitely improved. Just being able to walk out and refill my water pitcher whenever I need (rather than calling a nurse or asking a visitor) has given a boost in my spirits. A little bit of independence feels good!

Tomorrow we enter the 2 week window in which the doctors originally predicted (before the hospital, before the bedrest, before there were any problems) that the twins would be born. The doctors told me 36 weeks would be great, 34 weeks would be a more realistic goal, and to go beyond 36 weeks would really surprise them. Tomorrow that window begins, and it feels good (and a litte strange after the roller coaster of the last 7 weeks) to be in the original predicted window of their arrival. It is also getting more and more exciting every day to know we are getting closer to meeting these babies!

These Hospital Booties were made for Walkin'

This morning, a monumental event occurred...I was cleared to walk around as much as I want and to sit in a chair as much as I want!!! I cannot tell you how exciting this is!

After being on bedrest (the bathroom and my daily shower being the only time I was allowed up for 7 weeks, it feels so good to be able to be up and about (well, actually I got tired really quickly, but I'm resting up for my next venture out!). This morning, pretty much immediately after the doctor cleared me to be up and around, Lucas and I took a walk to the nursery to look at the babies and around my floor. It felt so strange to actually walk around the place where I had been living for 2 1/2 weeks. All I've seen is my room (with the exception of my weekly trip to get an ultrasound)! Now I've explored the rest of the floor!

The best part of this news...I've beencleared to get up and walk around with the understanding (and hope on my part) that this will get things moving. We are essentially 34 weeks now, and the babies are safe to come whenever (and I think the dr. is startingto sense the exhaustion of my discomfort). Yay!

So if you call, and I don't answer, it could be because I'm out and about enjoying a walk!!

My favorite things

After the last post I started to feel badly. I mean, I made it sound like everything is so miserable when really, up until recently I LOVED being pregnant. And even now, I'm sure that if I really look at the day there are more moments that I love than those that make me want to throw in the towel. So, I wanted to go on the record with some of my favorite things about being pregnant:

1) Until recently - getting bigger. There is just something magical about seeing a stomach grow and know that there is a baby in there. A human life is growing unseen. The ever enlargening bump is a little person (or in my case persons) that you will eventually meet. It really is incredible. Even now - when it is incredibly uncomfortable, I can't help but think about what a miracle it is that there are babies in there!

2) Weight loss commercials - I know this will probably sound crazy, but I LOVE watching the weight loss program commercials, meal program commercials, diet pill commercials and exercise shows because I not only don't need them, but cannot even try them! There is something so freeing about being the largest I have ever been in my life and still being able to watch those commercials guilt free! However, I know the time is quickly approaching when that will no longer be the case...

3) Hearing their heartbeats. I know anyone who has ever had a baby will say there is something so incredible about hearing the heartbeat. I will say there is something magical about the first time, but I love every time I hear the clip clop of their heartbeats. I am also spoiled because, in the hospital, I get to hear their heartbeats at least 3 times a day, and one of those times on the monitor (which means I hear it for 30-60 minutes!). Everyone expects it to get old, but it never does!

4) Ultrasounds. I know I've mentioned it before, but I love peeking into that private little world, seeing what I normally only feel, watching the little people I will someday meet. I actually was worried at one point that I might have the babies before our next ultrasound and miss out on seeing them and Lucas pointed out that if they were born we would actually SEE them. While that point had escaped my hormonal brain, I was still a little said that there would be no more ultrasounds...

5) This is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE - feeling them move. Perhaps it is because they are not yet big enough to deliver a really strong kick to my ribs, but I LOVE feeling them move. I love the kicks and the punches and the barrel rolls (at least that's what it feels like). I love feeling when they have the hiccups and their little reflexive movements when I know they are sleeping. I especially love when they both get going and do their "popcorn" impressions and my whole stomach moves. I will miss this the most.

So, there really are a lot of things I love, and will miss,about being pregnant. And while I definitely have my "That's it, I'm done!" moments, it is all totally worth it.

One quick update - last week the babies picked the final 4 for American Idol! They moved for the 3 who made it through AND Nick/Norman who was the last one standing who didn't make it through. This is further proof to me that they have good taste! We'll see how they do tonight!!