nursery- part 1

Jamie has been off of work this week, so he was able to make some progress in the nursery.  He emptied the (former) computer room, went into the attic and ran cable to move the computer into Presley's room (our lovebird), and started priming the ceiling and walls.  Here are a few shots of what the room looks like, starting with a straight on view from the doorway and working clockwise around the room:

view from the door
the dresser/changing table will go between the windows

either the tall dresser OR a small bookcase (that I haven't found yet) will go between the closet and door

my chair and ottoman will go on this wall

the main event:  our Peter Rabbit Mural will go on the top section of this wall
both cribs will be underneath the mural, headboards in the back, facing out

Hopefully this weekend we can decide on a paint color for the walls.  It's still either going to be a very pale blue or light green that's pulled from the mural.  We're still unsure whether we want to have a ceiling light or just a lamp or two.  Jamie's an electrician, so putting in a box and the light fixture in the ceiling isn't a big deal, but he'd like to do it before the ceiling is painted if that's the way we're going to go.  I've been looking at nursery chandeliers that have a florally/gardeny feel to them to compliment the mural, but I'm not entirely gung-ho on any of them yet.  Here are a few that I've found so far:

potterybarnkids.com

annabean.com

ababy.com

tummy shot: 18 weeks

At my ob appointment on Tuesday I was measuring 22 weeks.  Both heartbeats were strong; they just used a doppler to hear them so I don't know how fast they were.  I saw the other doctor in my practice and he informed me that Baby A has a low-lying placenta (basically, it's just that- low and close to my cervix).  They are hopeful that as the weeks progress the placenta moves away from my cervix a bit, which I guess is somewhat normal.  They'll keep an eye on it so placenta previa doesn't become an issue for me. 

So here I am at 18 weeks:

tummy shot: 17 weeks AND my phone call

Here I am, hopefully not looking at utterly exhausted as I feel:

Rewind to last night- At 9:15ish my ob calls back (without having to be paged, thankyouverymuch).  In a nutshell, part two of my sequential screening came back negative, which is awesome.  My odds of spina bifida are 1 in 1,100 (cutoff for a positive result was 1 in 145).  Now, with part one my odds for down syndrome based on just my age were 1 in 750, but after bloodwork it jumped to 1 in 1,200.  Here's what he wanted to chat about:  the cutoff for part two was 1 in 240.  Based on my age, my odds were 1 in 740, but after bloodwork it dipped a bit to 1 in 690.  Still well above what they'd worry about, but I don't like being a higher risk than I should be for my age.  He reassured me that everything has looked fabulous on our ultrasounds so far, and at the 20 week u/s, that'll really ice the cake that we're all doing great.  He went into a lot of detail about how with a "syndrome" more than one bodily function is affected, which is why he'll certainly be anxious to see the brains, hearts, kidneys, necks, and noses, but this momma knows that it'll all be picture perfect.  He inquired if I'd want an amnio (which he was NOT suggesting, but rather letting me know further testing could be done), but he and I had already talked about this at my first appointment and the risks do not outweigh the benefits.  1 in 200 amnios end in miscarriage, and they'd have to amnio both of my babies.  I don't f'ing think so!  He also brought up that if the hypothetical amnio showed anything, would that change anything for us (which, again, he already knew but just wanted to hear me repeat)?  No f'ing way!!!  I'm certain that both of my SnuggleBugs are fine and healthy, but God-forbid a baby had a medical condition, that would in no way shape or form change anything for me or Jamie.  I know he was just being extra cautious and giving us all of the information, but I still took it pretty hard.  The bottom line in terms of the testing is everything came back negative.  If we're talking black or white results, it's clear that we're all just fine and dandy.  There are always shades of gray, but trying to analyze them will make me crazy and can not do anything positive in the next three weeks for me or my beautiful babies.  So that's where we are.  Any thoughts and prayers that could be spared are always appreciated! 

stressed

So this evening just after 6, I missed a call on both my cell phone and our house phone (we weren't home) from my ob.  Last week I had the second part of the sequential screening done- just bloodwork, so it was not biggie.  My doc left a message at home saying that he had results from one of the tests to go over with me.  He'll be in tomorrow from 1-7.  I know the second part of the test was to get a more accurate picture for down syndrome and also spina bifida.  I am sure everything is totally fine and he just wants to give me the odds, but I'm still nervous.  I called back but got a recording.  They were there from 9-4 today, so when he even called, he was staying late, I'm sure with phones off to incoming calls.  I'm stressed.  Why couldn't he just have said "everything looks ok/normal/good/fine, but I want to go over the results tomorrow"?  I called my peri's office, and that dr was gone too, but I spoke to his receptionist (before knowing he wasn't there) to plead my case, not for specific results just a simple "no need to worry".  She was very understanding and tried to get me through to my ob on their backlines, but everyone was gone.  ::sigh::  I thought long and hard about paging the doc on call, but I know they won't have results to share, unless it was my guy (although there are only 2 of them...).  I called my ob back, all prepared to page, but when the recording said "if this is a medical emergency, please stay on the line and an operator will be with you shortly" I hung up.  This is not a medical emergency.  This is just a nervous first-time momma that worries a lot.  While nobody likes getting checkmarks by their name on a medical chart or receiving demerits, I'd risk it if I thought the chances were good I'd get results tonight.  So, my plan is this:  tell my principal and the secretaries that I'm waiting for a very important call from my doctor, call at 1:00 and leave a message with my school number if I can't speak to him right then, then when my call comes back, someone will just have to cover me so I can take it.  I refuse to play phone tag all day tomorrow.  ::sigh::  Here's hoping that tonight's not too long of a night and that I can sleep.

making some progress

There hasn't been a whole heck of a lot to write about lately.  A few updates I do have to share are that we are pretty much done registering.  We did both Buy Buy Baby and Babies R Us, although BBB's list is significantly longer.  Not all of our shower guests live nearby, and I know there are a lot more BRU around for out of towners, which is why we did both. 

We ended up ordering the Peter Rabbit mural!  It arrived at the end of the week and is even more vibrant and beautiful than I had imagined.  I can.not.wait. to post pictures of it.  We're looking at paint samples and will likely go with either a pale green or a super duper light blue. 

Yesterday we bought the most fabulous, comfy chair ever.  Jamie will go back to pick it up today (with my brother?).  It'll likely join the rest of the nursery furniture in our living room for now, but at least it'll all be here. 

Since I'm off of school today, I'd like to say that I'll work on cleaning the junk out of the computer room/ soon to be nursery.  If I'm being honest, though, I'll more likely watch tv, read from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and perhaps work a nap in there somewhere.  I woke up today with a slight headache that I haven't shaken yet.  I try my best to hold off on taking Tylenol, but headaches are simply the pits. 

u/s: 16 weeks

Baby A:

heart rate of 145 bpm, weighing about 5 ounces

Baby B:

heart rate of 143 bpm, weighing about 6 ounces

tummy shot: 16 weeks and some interoffice mail

My headline says it all...

16 weeks

As much as I love my tummy, I was not oogling it at the moment.  Jamie commented that this shirt didn't show off my bump very well, so I was looking down to take a peek and he got snap happy.  I just thought it ended up being a kinda cute shot- the decisive moment it was called in my college photography class, where Brooke and I met!!

As a teacher, I don't get interoffice mail very often.  When I do get it (or send it for that matter) it's between me and my friend Cindy and it makes my day!  We both taught at my first school together, and both put in for transfers from there two years ago.  We interoffice each other the big seasonal Reese's peanut butter cups (you know, the pumpkin, heart, or egg ones) and festive socks.  She always got a kick out of my cute, festive footwear, and I got her hooked.  So, yesterday at lunch I have a package in my mailbox.  Here's it's contents: