First Week in the Hospital

My first week in the hospital has gone by pretty quickly. I'm hoping that the next few weeks go just as fast. I have to say I am one blessed person! Jeremy has been here constantly, when he's not working, taking care of me. In addition, he's having to take care of everything at home. I know that this hasn't been easy for him, but he seems to be handling it really well. I'm also very blessed because I have such amazing friends. Over the past week I've had so many visitors, which always brightens my day. When you're confined to a small hospital room 24 hours a day, it's always nice to see someone who loves and cares about you. The other night I also had a surprise visit from my dad, I had no idea he was coming!!

While I've been here my friends have been decorating my room. Misty and Udele set up a princess tree in my room for the twins. My friends Meredith and Sara set up the cutest little pink tree. All of the nurses come by and admire he decor in my room.

Each day my routine seems to be the same. Currently, I'm only able to shower every other day. They don't want much pressure on my cervix, so that's why I'm restricted on showers. If you know me well, then you know this is really hard for me. I usually shower twice a day! Meredith was so sweet to bring me dry shampoo to spray in my hair on the days I can't shower. She also painted my toe nails too! Let me tell you they needed it. Each morning and night they monitor the babies heart rates and to see if I'm having contractions. This is what my belly looks like when I'm all hooked up.

Monitoring goes well when Harper is cooperating. She does not like to be monitored! Most of the time she will kick it and move away from the monitor. Then they have to undo the straps and find her again. It's amazing how her little personality is already shining through.

I'll post another update as soon as I know something.

26 Weeks with Avery and Harper

Please excuse the quality of the picture. It's hard to take in the hospital room.

How Far Along: 26 Weeks

Size of baby:

Gender: Two precious girls...Harper Faith Kendle and Avery Ryan Kendle

Maternity Clothes: Now I'm wearing PJ's and gowns since I'm on bed rest.

Weight gain: 12 pounds total

Sleep: Still love the body pillow!

Symptoms: Just a little cramping from the steroid shot. The nurse assured me that it's not enough cramping to change my cervix much.

Cravings: Nothing in particular.

Best moment this week: Seeing my belly move all around. They have been very active lately!!

Pregnancy Highlights: The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. They may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. They are inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of their lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when they are born and takes that first gulp of air. And they are continuing to put on baby fat. (All information taken from babycenter.com)

Harper 26 Weeks

Avery 26 Weeks

Notice how similar their profiles look. It will be interesting to see how much they look alike.

Holiday's 2011

Although the holiday's are not going to be the same this year. All I can think about is next year, Harper and Avery will be here with us. It will be so much fun to experience the holiday's with two sweet little girls. Over the weekend (before being admitted to the hospital), I put up the Christmas decor in our house and finished shopping for our family. We were planning on taking one last trip to Kansas and Oklahoma to see our family for Thanksgiving. I planned on dropping off their Christmas gifts, since I knew we wouldn't make it back for Christmas this year. Oh well...things don't always go as planned. Jeremy will just have to mail their gifts. Here is a picture of our Christmas tree this year. Hopefully Jeremy and the dogs can enjoy it for a few weeks.

Christmas 2011

Changes, Changes, Changes

Today I'm writing this post from a comfy and cozy hospital room....ha ha! Yesterday I went in for a routine appointment for my gestational diabetes test (I passed) and an ultrasound. During the ultrasound they discovered that my cervix has started to shorten. About 3 weeks ago it was 36 mm, yesterday it was approximately 17 mm. Due to this drastic change they admitted me into the hospital. Dr. H doesn't know if I will ever be able to go home on bedrest. I'm in hopes that I will if my cervix starts to settle down. Avery and Harper are doing really well!! Both of them had heart rates in the 150's and they are moving around a lot. They gave me a steroid shot yesterday to boost their development. Today I'm expected to get another one. Yesterday was really hard for me emotionally. I thought for sure I could work right up until they were born. Everything has gone so good so far, I thought for sure it would be smooth sailing from here. The nurse mentioned that several things could have played into this happening...the babies are growing, I'm a small framed person and I'm a teacher. Teaching is hard because it is stressful and I'm on my feet all day long!! Dr. H feels that if I'm in bed laying down that this will keep the babies baking as long as possible. Our goal is to make it to 37 weeks, which is about 11 more weeks. This will all be worth it once I'm holding Avery and Harper in my arms.

See pictures below of Avery and Harper yesterday. The nurse and I think they have the same profile. I cannot wait to see what they really look like.

Avery at 25 weeks 6 days. She weighs 1 lb. 9 oz.

Harper at 25 weeks 6 days. She weighs 1 lb. 7 oz.

25 Weeks with Avery and Harper

25 Weeks with Avery and Harper

How Far Along: 25 Weeks

Size of baby: Approximately 13.5 inches long and weighs 1.5 pounds

Gender: Two precious girls...Harper Faith Kendle and Avery Ryan Kendle

Maternity Clothes: Some regular shirts and dresses, but mostly maternity.

Weight gain: 12 pounds total

Sleep: Still love the body pillow!

Symptoms: Feel like they've grown a lot. My tummy feels heavier than it use too.

Cravings: Nothing in particular.

Best moment this week: Feeling Harper and Avery move more and more. It is such an amazing feeling.

Pregnancy Highlights: They are beginning to exchange their long, lean look for some baby fat. As they do, their wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and they'll start to look more and more like a newborn. They are also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture. (All information taken from babycenter.com)

24 Weeks with Avery & Harper

24 weeks with Harper and Avery

How Far Along: 24 Weeks

Size of baby: About as long as an ear of corn.

Gender: Two precious girls...Harper Faith Kendle and Avery Ryan Kendle

Maternity Clothes: Some regular shirts and dresses, but mostly maternity.

Weight gain: 12 pounds total. The nurse at Dr. H's office told me to start indulging from time to time. I should be gaining, not losing weight. I will be indulging a lot at Thanksgiving!!

Sleep: Still uncomfortable to sleep, but the body pillow does relieve hip pain.

Symptoms: No symptoms this week.

Cravings: Nothing in particular.

Best moment this week: My best moment and worst moment are all wrapped up into one. On Monday, I started cramping in my lower abdominal area and back. I called my doctor immediately and he advised me to come in right then. They did an ultrasound (best moment) and the twins looked great! They were moving around and their heart rates were good too. They checked my cervix and it looked good as well. He sent me home to rest for the day and monitor the cramping. If it would've started to get worse, then he would have sent me to labor and delievery. Luckily, I only had a little more cramping and haven't had it since. I guess the babies were just having a growth spurt! Of course this all had to happen while Jeremy is out of town. This is his first long business trip since I've been pregnant.

Pregnancy Highlights: The babies have gained about 4 ounces since last week. (Not sure how true this is because it's based on a singleton pregnancy, not twins). That puts them at just over a pound. They are almost a foot long, they have a pretty lean figure at this point, but their body is filling out proportionally and they will soon start to plump up. Their brain is also growing quickly now, and their taste buds are continuing to develop. Their lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help their air sacs inflate once they are in the outside world. Their skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon (All information taken from babycenter.com)

Harper 23 Weeks. She is still looking down at her sister.

Avery 23 weeks. She has her little legs above her head, it's just hard to see in the picture.

23 Weeks With The Twins

23 Weeks with Harper and Avery

How Far Along: 22 Weeks

Size of baby: 11 inches and weighing just over a pound. About the size of a large mango.

Gender: Two precious girls...Harper Faith Kendle and Avery Ryan Kendle

Maternity Clothes: Some regular shirts and dresses, but mostly maternity.

Weight gain: Still just 15 pounds. Watching what I eat has really helped!

Sleep: Still uncomfortable to sleep, but the body pillow does relieve hip pain.

Symptoms: No symptoms this week.

Cravings: Nothing in particular.

Best moment this week: There are a couple of great moments that happen this week. Earlier this week, I got a haircut. It's only taken me 5 months to go visit my hairdresser. On Thursday, we meet with the babysitter. She is full of energy and I'm thrilled with her program. It's an in-home daycare, but she's also a certified teacher. The girls will have a curriculum that they will follow starting at 1 year. She's a little pricey, but well worth the money. We will just have to cut back in other areas!

Pregnancy Highlights: The girls are able to feel my sense of moment. And now I may be able to see them squirm underneath my clothes (I have a funny story about this). Blood vessels in their lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that our baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing their for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as our dogs barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze them when they hear them outside the womb.

 

(All information from babycenter.com)

 

I have a really funny story that I have to share with you. Last week, while reading to my students, I felt Harper moving a lot. I looked down and you could see where she was kicking. I told my students to look really closely because they could see one of the babies kicking me. They all saw it and said "that's so cool"! Then one sweet boy said, oh my goodness Mrs. Kendle...she's hatching, she's hatching, she's hatching. I laughed so hard and reassured him that she's not hatching. Another student said, "remember the babies won't be here until February, they can't hatch yet." This is why I love teaching 1st grade. They will say anything that comes to mind and you never know what they will say.