This week began with my long Monday appointment at the maternal fetal specialist. The boys’ non-stress tests (NSTs) were excellent, but there was some concern regarding the ultrasounds. Gabriel’s Dopplers were a little elevated and he still weighs a significant amount less than his brother. Zeke is 3 pounds, 13 ounces, and Gabriel is 3 pounds, 1 ounce.

However, Gabriel scored perfect on his biophysical profile (BPP), but Zeke scored a 6 out of 8 because he was snoozing and didn’t feel like practicing breathing. None of this was cause for freakin’ out (yet), says the doc. Regardless, my mother-in-law Judy and I left the three-hour round of testing feeling somewhat concerned and drained. Oh, and did I mention that the twins have switched sides again, returning to their original positions in the womb (Gabriel is on my left and Zeke is on my right)? I do believe their going to be hyper just like their big brother.

 

On Tuesday, the twins had their final echocardiograms, since the cardiologist says both boys’ hearts are looking great!

Wednesday started with a trip to Houston’s pediatrician for a wellness check-up. He weighs 30 1/2 pounds and is 34 1/2″ long, and his head is 19 1/8″ around. Yes, he is quite the big boy, donning 2T clothes and a size 7 shoe.

I had an afternoon appointment that same day with my OB. Dr. Stringer and I discussed Monday’s findings, and he explained the pros and cons of keeping the babies inside of my increasingly fragile placenta for as long as possible vs. having them delivered early to stay in the NICU, and induction for a vaginal delivery vs. having a c-section. He offered me guidance, but said that these vital decisions were ultimately up to Stephen and me and that no decision is a wrong decision. With the semi-negative findings from Monday in conjunction with Dr. Stringer’s input, I left this appointment feeling as if I might be having these babies sooner rather than later.

 

Today’s ultrasound showed that Gabriel’s head is still really far down, well below my panty line. He seems to be knocking on the cervical “gate,” but the doors remain closed for the time being. Zeke, whose head is right on top of Gabriel’s noggin, is stretched out across the right side of my tummy and his foot firmly pressed up into my rib cage. Ah, the joys of motherhood!

We also had another round of NSTs, Dopplers and BPPs today, and the boys passed all of these tests with flying colors. Dr. Mertz said that in her professional opinion, my placenta is currently providing Gabriel and Zeke all the blood and nutrients they need. Therefore, we are going to continue prolonging this high-risk pregnancy for as long as possible, reevaluating my placental health (and thus, the twins in-uterine health) from appointment to appointment. I now have two specialist and one OB appointment a week, so any anomaly would hopefully be discovered quickly, and then a swift and appropriate course of action would immediately follow.

Houston is loving having play dates with Dixie and Gracie, heading to the park, Target or Pet Smart with Gramsey, or staying back at the house with Granny when my father-in-law Clarence takes me to my many prenatal appointments. Our outdoor boy is spending tons of time in the yard now that the beautiful fall weather is in full swing. Click the above photo of Houston helping Daddy wash his motorcycle to see some of his latest pics.

Gabriel and Zeke made it to 32 weeks on Tuesday and are still hangin’ tough. On Monday, the babies had Dopplers, biophysical profiles and non-stress tests, and passed all three with flying colors. They are constantly moving around inside of me, and you can visibly see them pushing and kicking against their uterine bastille, as Stewie from “Family Guy” would say.

Check out the 4D photo of Zeke with his little hand over his eye taken a day before 32 weeks gestation. Note: There is no ultrasound pic of Gabriel from this day because his head was too far down into my pelvis to get a good shot. Can I get a hardy “Uggh!” from all the mothers out there?!?

As far as my physical health is concerned, my ligaments are stretching to unthinkable extremes, causing sensations akin to being hit by a sledgehammer right in the crotch; my nerve endings are tweaked to hell, causing sharp burning pains across the great expanses of my ever-stretched stomach; and my bladder is being squished by two growing boys, causing incessant, yet fairly unfruitful trips to the toilet.

Mentally, all of us here at Clan Dillingham are drained, growing weary and counting down the days till we can finally meet and hold sweet Gabriel and Zeke. What a magical moment that will be for everyone who has sacrificed so much to make darn sure that these boys be born healthy and safe.

Houston is saying all sorts of words these days, like binky, hot, Stanley, bubbles, more and pumpernickel (his favorite type of bread), and continuing to sign up a storm. Some of his new signs include airplane, light, baby and drink.

We are currently trying to get a handle on Houston’s nap schedule. He was still taking two good naps a day up until recently, when he started taking only hour morning naps and fighting his afternoon snooze, leaving him ornery and utterly exhausted by bedtime. Gramsey and I did get him down for a second nap just a while ago, so who knows what the next stage of “toddlerhood” holds for us. Luckily, Houston does still sleep soundly throughout the night, spanning anywhere from 11 to 13 hours of restful slumber. Like his grandmothers say, Houston’s a boy who plays hard and sleeps hard.

Click the wheelbarrow photo to see some recent photos of Houston and company from late September.