Preggers II -- Twins: 33 Weeks

How far along?  33 weeks

How I am feeling?  Really well.  This week marked several milestones and big things I could cross off my To Do list... and it even allowed for some bonus tasks to be accomplished, which makes me feel great.  I definitely am tired at the end of the days, and I am uncomfortable from time to time, but I am feeling really well and excited for Christmas and preparing for the birth of our Savior... and the births of our children.

How big are babies?  The size of pineapples... between 4.2 to 5.8 pounds and 17.2 to 18.7 inches long

Sleep:  Much better now that I'm on some specific heartburn medicine.  Also Tracey Ann seems to be sleeping more soundly as well... so I've been sleeping much better.

Boy/Girl, Boy/Boy, Girl/Girl Predictions: Two babies

Babies Nicknames:  Babies, or Twins

 

  Best moment this week:  I've had several best moments of this week  -- administering the final exam for the college class I teach, grading it, and officially being DONE with those obligations; I got my last haircut before the twins arrive and combined it with a day of Christmas shopping with my parents while Hubby watched Tracey Ann; We decorated our Christmas tree over the weekend, and all of my parents, Hubby, and I have made major strides on unpacking our house.  This was a really great week!

Food cravings:  Nothing specific... but I do get very hungry every few hours.  Food is very important to me these days.

Missing:  Well, I thought I would have said something about the ability to reach up high on our Christmas tree to decorate, but I think the fact I wasn't able to decorate the high parts of the tree made it more of a family effort, which was really fun.  So, I guess I'm missing my usual throat and nose... which is currently sore and stuffed respectively.  But that has nothing to do with pregnancy, just winter.  I've been very fortunate to have avoided any and all illnesses thus far throughout the fall and winter.

 

Movements:  Yes, and I love them.  Sometimes the jabs get a little rough, but for the most part, I absolutely love them and will miss them when the babies are born.

Labor Signs:  Not yet

Comparison:  Here I am carrying Tracey Ann at 33 weeks

and here I am 33 weeks with the twins...

and a side-by-side comparison:

 

 

General Attitude: I'm really getting excited about Christmas and the knowledge that after three more work days, I will be on maternity leave -- and still have my parents here to help.  I'm hoping we can finish settling into this house, prepare for Christmas, and do more preparation for the twins before they make their grand entrance.

 What I am looking forward to this week:  Three more work days AND DONE!  Also, I am excited that every week the babies grow more and more, and I am very hopeful that we can avoid the NICU when they do arrive.

Milestones: Well, with my reaching 32 weeks, my doctor's office scheduled me for twice weekly Non-Stress Tests (NSTs)... a very ironic name given that the experience of my first one was the most stressful event, thus far, in this pregnancy.  The test involves being hooked up to three monitors, which track the babies' heart rates over a period of 20 minutes minimum.  If the babies move or squirm, their heart rates are not recorded until the nurse finds the heart rates again, and the whole process can take much longer than 20 minutes.  Mine, for example, took over 2 hours before they decided to scrap the NST and take an ultrasound to check on the babies instead.  I was at the doctor's office for over three hours.  So, that is not a great milestone, but after my first test, my doctor said that she thinks this test is only necessary once a week for me instead of twice a week.  Depending on how my next NST goes, I may be declining even the weekly testing.

Also, today being December 14 marks one month from the day they will induce labor if I have not had the twins yet.  I am officially in my last month of pregnancy.