Another Sonogram

The Missus had another sonogram today. The babies are doing fine and passed with flying colors. (I've always wondered what colors exactly, and how are they flying?)

The boy was measured at 4 lbs, 14 oz. The girl, 4 lbs, 7 oz.

A Break from Baby News

A neat geography test. See how you do!

Calm Before the Storm

It's been a tough couple of months for the Missus, forced to stay in her prison cell, er, I mean her hospital room. She's had surgery, contractions, shots, babies squishing her liver and she hasn't been able to feel her ribs since mid-March.

It's been a tough couple of months for me too. I've been really busy at work, and when I'm not in the office, I'm either driving to or from the hospital, or at home trying to put together some kind of baby-related thing.

But the scary part is: this is the "calm before the storm." (Pardon the use of this overused cliche--if you Google that phrase you get more than 175,000 hits.) Everybody keeps saying that the real fun hasn't even started yet. I'm not looking forward to the sleepless nights and general anxiety that comes with being a new parent.

I really can't wait to see them though. Every morning I wake up and see the two bassinets in my bedroom and I picture two screaming wailing babies, and I just can't wait to see them. They already have me wrapped around their proverbial fingers.

The little punks.

Getting bigger

Frick and Frack are growing all the time. The Missus can see and feel various baby parts sticking up through her stomach periodically, which is both a treat to watch and really weird to see.

This week has been pretty much status quo, though we did have a little scare on Tuesday. Trixie's heart rate dropped while they were scanning her. They had the Missus roll over to her other side, and the baby's heart rate went back to normal, but they kept a close eye on her for a while. The doctors and nurses think that the baby was either lying on her umbilical cord, or might have even been grabbing onto it. All is well now.

It's a rainy day here and so we were unable to go outside during our weekly wheelchair ride, but the Missus still enjoyed getting out of her room.

She was also happy to see the new curtains that we got yesterday. If you are interested, you can see some pictures of them. If you actually are interested, I suggest maybe you get another hobby.

Bad Day, Good Day

Sunday was both a bad day and a good day for the Missus.

Early Sunday morning she woke up with contractions. Though she was given a couple of shots of terbutaline, the drug she's been taking to prevent pre-term labor, the contractions continued for a couple of hours. They finally stopped, but she didn't get much sleep. They haven't returned, and the doctors remain optimistic that we'll have a couple of weeks more before Speed and Trixie make their entrance.

The good part of the day was in the afternoon when some of her friends from the Diabetes Center came to the hospital to give her a baby shower. These nice ladies gave up a beautiful Sunday afternoon to bring a little joy to the Missus. She had a great time and some delicious carrot cake. (I got to sample some of that myself!) Since she was able to sleep in the morning, the Missus was fairly well-rested by party time, and really enjoyed herself.

Speaking of baby showers, here's a slightly blurry picture of the Missus and myself at the family baby shower on April 2nd.

Approaching 30 Weeks

This Wednesday will find Speed and Trixie at 30 weeks, another milestone according to the doctors. Every day is another milestone according to me. The longer they stay in, the better.

Late last week, we had a little scare when the Missus started having some contractions. She was given a shot containing a higher dose of the anti-contraction medicine she's been taking. (Usually she takes a pill.) This seemed to do the trick: the contractions stopped and so far haven't returned.

Everything else is going well, except for the terrible meal service the Missus has been getting lately. She's been getting her food late, or getting the wrong food. One night they didn't deliver her dinner at all and I had to run down to the cafeteria for her. We are both hoping they get these problems straightened out.

I still intend to post some pictures, when I get around to downloading them from my camera. Soon!

40

Today is my Mom and Dad's 40th anniversary. Congratulations to them on their day! That is quite an accomplishment.

I forgot to get them a card. Damn!

"I'm signing at 3:15..."

Sean and George and I headed up to Philadelphia on Monday to see the Washington Nationals play their first game ever against the Phillies. It was a nice day for a baseball game.

Citizens Bank Park, the new stadium, is beautiful. I was very impressed with the layout and sightlines. The concourse areas are spacious and there is plenty of room to stand, spread your grub out and eat. It's very much like Camden Yards, but sort of a second-generation, with subtle improvements.

In Camden Yards, there's Boog's Barbeque, headed by former hefty Oriole Boog Powell. In Philadelphia, there's there's Bull's Barbeque, headed by former hefty Phillie Greg "the Bull" Luzinski, a personal hero to Sean and I who grew up in the Philadelphia area during Luzinski's heyday. If I call Sean's work and get the receptionist, when she asks me who's calling, I always tell her "Greg Luzinski." Sean knows it's me.

At Bull's Barbeque on Monday, we saw the Bull standing behind the counter. Sean ran over to a souvenir stand and bought a ball and pen. He strode over to the bloated Luzinski and asked for his autograph. Sean's face fell and it was clear that he didn't get the signature. We asked him what the Bull had said. Sean told us: "He said, 'I'm signing at 3:15...'" It was only 2:30. The bastard.

From now on, when Sean's receptionist asks, I'm "Garry Lee Maddox."

Sonogram Today

The Missus had a sonogram today. Both babies are about three pounds apiece now and doing fine. They are developing normally and look perfect, to my untrained eyes anyway. The doctor is very pleased with their progress.

As they grow, the room in there is getting tighter. It may have been a sonographical illusion but I could swear that the boy was kicking the girl in the ear, while she was kidney punching him. Hopefully I saw that wrong.

I'll post some pictures when I can scan them in.

Tomorrow's a big day--the baby shower.