To blog or not to blog

Since this was set up as a pregnancy progress blog, I'm thinking that I'll take it down now unless I get enough posted comments saying that you'd like to see periodic updates on the girls. So, give me your "yea" or "nay" and we'll see where it goes from there.

Here's an update--

The girls had their 2 week check up yesterday. They’re both doing very well. They both gained 9 oz in the last week, which means they’ve now regained their birth weight and then some. That’s good because now instead of having to feed them every 2-3 hours (which made for hellish nights), we only need to feed them when they want it (though 4 hours is the max between feedings). Last night, though, they were both being fuss-muffins and didn’t let us sleep more than an hour or two at a time. I don’t think they were both asleep at the same time (allowing us to sleep) until after 3:00 am. Kate's lost her umbilical cord stump, but Corey still has hers.

Tessa’s mom and dad were in town for a week, having left yesterday morning. It was a good visit. We didn’t go anywhere or do anything, just stuck around the house. They helped out a lot with cooking, cleaning, errands, and feeding/changing/holding the babies. A couple of times they watched the girls while we took naps or ran to the store, once while Tessa and I went to her obgyn. Now we’re on our own again! Eeek!

They're here!!

We’re very happy to announce the birth of our daughters—

Katherine Grace
6lbs 14oz

Cordelia Faith
5lbs 4oz

On the enclosed photo close-up, Kate is on the left and Corey is on the right.

They were born on 3/14 at 2:50 and 3:00, respectively, via C-section.

Mom is doing great! Her stomach hurts, as can be expected, but other than that, she is just as happy as can be!

Of course, we’re both sleep deprived, but it makes us just feel punch drunk most of the time.

March 12

Tessa's rash stumped her obgyn, so she had to go to a dermatologist this afternoon. She set her up with some steroid ointment, which seems to have helped the itching.

Unless something happens in the next 33 hours, inducement is Wed. at 8:00.

March 9 & 10

Definitely our last weekend as a two-person family! Friday I pushed like crazy to finish another part of my project at work--a milestone since the other two parts remaining are quicker, simpler, and could be picked up and worked on by someone else if the need arises. Tessa's not doing very well. The babies are fine, but she's broken out in a bad rash. It started off small and extremely itchy, but has spread to most of her body (and has remained extremely itchy). Apparently it's not uncommon in late stages of pregnancy, according to the books and the nurse she called. She did get some prescription-strength antihistamines, but they only work so much for so long (definitely not the entire 6 hours she's supposed to wait before the next dose). I got her some oatmeal bath stuff, which also seems to help, but only (again) so much for so long. It's uncomfortable for her to do much, so we haven't done much this weekend. We did go out for dinner Saturday night, though. None of the movies out right now really held that much appeal, so we didn't do that. The car was acting up Saturday--transmission was shifting really roughly. Great timing, huh? Don't know whether to take it in to Firestone today and hope Tessa doesn't go into labor while it's being worked on, or let it go and risk a problem on the way to the hospital if she goes into labor. Bleh.

Mar. 8

Less than a week to go, tops! Tessa says the girls are really pushing on her today, so they may come sooner. We're pretty much as ready as we're going to be. There are a few things I'd like to finish at work--and I'm aiming to get them done by the end of the day Monday or mid-Tuesday at the latest. It'd be nice to have one more weekend for just us--maybe catch a movie or go out for dinner. We'll see what happens. The weather's been so beautiful, just sitting outside for an afternoon would be nice. I'm really looking forward to working on the Spring garden with the girls and the pup, even if none of the three is much help!

March 7

Last sono today! The girls still look great! Now it's a week until inducement day (3/14), but we're hoping they'll come before that!

Been working little by little on the room, as you can see in the pictures. We had the Degas pictures from an old calendar and the frames used to hold the 8 1/2 by 11s of our wedding photos (before I had them framed properly a few years back). We picked up a few shelf/cube units for storage. The Cheshire Cat that is on the shelf (center square) is Tessa's Christmas present from me in '88. The heart mobile hanging from the ceiling is something she's had since before we met. Lots of neat little things we get to put in the girls' room. (And yes, that's a pink trimmed diaper thingy in the right bottom corner of the photo over there--------->

March 4, 5, 6

Wow, quite a jump! Missed a few days there. Not much to report. OBGYN visit on Monday was nothing exciting. The babies could come any day, or they could wait until the 14th and get induced. Either way, little over a week is our max waiting time. We've been able to go for short (4-5 block) walks in the neighborhood, but it's pretty slow going and Tessa is worn out pretty quickly. Still, it's nice to get her out in the sunshine.

March 3

All seems to be fine with Tessa. I think she's feeling very much like a normal 8-month pregnant woman, rather than a "high risk pregnancy" anymore. She's always had a great attitude about the whole thing--keeping her hope, faith, and calm (letting me be the freak-out of the family)--but, still, now she seems much happier and relaxed.

Saturday was very productive. We went to the Mothers of Mulitples garage sale (HUGE) and a few second-hand stores looking for more nursery stuff. We found a nice dresser which can double as a changing table. Our friends Kathryn and Michael helped us pick up and set up the crib and dresser and we all went out for a nice dinner at Evangeline Cafe. Now that we have the crib and dresser set up, we feel much more ready. There are many small chores to work on, but those don't feel nearly as important. We'll probably spend the day whittling away at that list. Does it LOOK like a nursery now? Of course, this is all an illusion since once the babies come, we'll haul the crib into our bedroom.

March 2

Tessa may or may not have been having contractions in the night and early morning. Nothing painful, though. We were on the ready, but nothing materialized. By the afternoon she was fine enough that I could take off from the house for a couple hours on a business trip (40% business, 60% socializing with an old work friend--you know who you are!!). After that, we went out for a lovely dinner for two at Subway (Tessa was hankering--not craving--a tuna sub), then had a fruitless search for dressers at the RoomStore, USA Baby, and Target. Babies-R-Us was already a miss earlier in the week. Our crib did come in today and we're hoping to pick it up and set it up tomorrow!

March 1

Alllllriiiiighhhtttt! We made it to March! Last night at midnight was the last dose of the meds Tessa was on to keep the contractions away (no signs of them coming back, yet!) and tonight was the last class we were signed up for (breastfeeding for multiples). So, we are set!! (OK, not really, we still don't have a crib or dresser and there's still 30+ boxes of comics in the nursery, but that's neither here nor there!!)

Still got a lot of work piled up (work work, not house work or baby work). I honestly know I'm not going to finish the high priority stuff and someone is going to get stuck finishing it off--and yet it's still keeps coming!! I just wish we could take assignment #1, focus all my energies on that, and *if* I finish, then give me something else. The piling on is just stressing me out.

Bought Tessa some nice "nursing jammies" for the trip to the hospital and postpartum. I thought it'd be nice to get her something special. I may just post a photo once I take one.

So, any day now. (and the "induce" date has been set for March 14, so hell or highwater, we're going to be parents in less than two weeks!)