I think we've got everything. Except a clue.

I had my first weekly appointment with Dr. Eck this week. It consisted of:

• An ultrasound with a biophysical profile
• A doctor's check-up/appointment
• A non-stress test

And, I will be doing this routine every week until delivery.

The ultrasound was to check the baby's growth and measurements (even though this gets less and less accurate the further along in pregnancy you are).  Boy (A) weighs approximately 3 pounds 13 ounces and Girl (B) weighs about 3 pounds 5 ounces.  Normal measurements since B always tends to be smaller and girls also tend to be smaller as well.

The other part of the ultrasound was the biophysical profile.  The test is checking on 4 things for each baby, which they get 2 points for each thing- his/her body movements, muscle tone (flexing arms/legs or opening and closing a fist), breathing movements, and the amount of amniotic fluid surrounding them.  They both got 8/8.  Their first A+.  Bam.

Right now, Baby A is head down and quickly running out of room.  Baby B is head up and is facing my back with her head tucked up (and slamming into) my ribs.  Her feet are either over her head or slamming into her brother's head (which is below her).  We will continue monitoring which positions they are in as we get closer to delivery time.

Of course, we got pictures but little girly wasn't cooperating.   She would rather ram her head into my ribs.  The sonographer popped over to the 3D option (or is it 4D? I never know.) and got a sweet picture of Herbie, though.  He looks like a real freaking human being!!!!  No longer a little seahorse or  a huge headed alien or really gaunt looking baby.  He looks cute (minus the umbilical cord in front of his one eye)!

And then.  Then.  To top it off?  She went ahead and showed us this.

What is this craziness?  The 2 dots in the middle of the picture are blurry arrows pointing to the blurry/cloud poofy things to the left.  But, the amazing thing is that the cloud/blurry things on the left is hair!  That's a head (I forget who owns that one) with little peach fuzzy hair.  And they both had it.  And that, my friends, is the cutest and sweetest thing I have seen in a long time.  Baby fuzzy hair on little noggins.  You can't beat that.

After that I had my doctor's appointment where I got my fundal height measured (don't know what it was), blood pressure, she squeezed my cankles for awhile, and we talked about delivery.  Here's the plan/deal/decisions we need to make:

• The latest I will go is 38 weeks (that is December 19 I think).
• If Baby A (boy) stays head down I can opt for a vaginal delivery.  I could deliver him and then she would go in and flip girly girl around (if she is still breech).
• Of course, there are risks for delivery vaginally, which we discussed (risks that you would have with just one baby two, but also additional ones that come with 2 babies).
• If I wanted, I could just opt for a C-section.
• She said that there is more stress on the mother for a c-section (especially the recovery afterwards) and more stress on the babies during a vaginal delivery.
• In addition, it could happen that I delivery one vaginally and something happens and I have to have a C-section with the other one. Which would be dumb.
• So, we haven't made any decisions yet.  And, we don't have to at this point--until we get closer to delivery time.
• I am not one of those people who must have a natural delivery or must deliver vaginally or whatever. I know there are risks with both and that having a c-section is major surgery.  However, my goal is not to win the award for least meds used or most natural delivery. My goal is for my babies to be born-- alive, healthy, screaming, and with the fewest complications and stress on them.  That is my goal. Nothing else.  

I then did my non-stress test. Lay there with a pink and blue tube top around my belly with monitors strapped on my belly for heart rates and contractions.  I then got to press a button whenever I felt movement.  Results from that looked good and normal, too.  But, let me tell you.  If you ever want to relax and almost fall asleep, just have some background noise of listening to heartbeats. It's ridiculously relaxing.

I am feeling okay. I would be lying if I said that I was feeling fantastic.  I am struggling but keep thinking about the outcome and why I am doing this.  I will make it through this- millions of women have done this.  And it ends eventually.  And I don't want to deliver now--they need more time to bake and gain weight.

This last weekend I went to the store and got all of the must-haves before they arrive so that I can start packing my hospital bag.  There were a few things that we still needed and I think we are all set (we will get the rest of the stuff after they are born).  Now, I think the only thing we still need is a clue on what the heck we are doing.  But my sister said you never have a clue as a parent.