33...

33 is:

-The age of my husband
-The coming age of a hobbit in the Lord of the Rings
-The international code for dialing France
-The mysterious number printed on Rolling Rock Beer labels
-The name of a Nigerian brand of beer '33'
-The atomic number for arsenic
-The number of miracles performed by Jesus, and his age when crucified
-Patric Roy's jersey number for the Montreal Canadians
-Larry Bird's jersey number for the Celtics
-Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's jersey number for the LA Lakers

It is also the number of week's I've managed to stay pregnant. Two of my doctors came in this morning shocked that I am still pregnant... It's truly amazing to think that I checked in to the hospital at 22 weeks, wondering if I would make it to 23. I am still 3 cm dilated and 100% effaced. It could happen any minute.

Rich and I are in waiting... We are in hosptial room lockdown... Wondering when our miracle boys will join us.

I am enjoying every kick and every movement of these two boys, knowing that it is only a matter of time...

Adventures as Womb Mates

Four times a day, the nurses put monitors on Kelly’s belly to measure her contractions along with the heart rates and movements of the twins. The monitoring is meant to alert hospital staff to signs of impending labour, and to flag any signs of distress among the babies. But it also provides Kelly and me a window into what I imagine to be a great friendship, full of adventures, developing between the boys in the womb.

Last night during monitoring, we saw the twins’ heart rates start to race – first one topped 170 beats per minute, then the other. The monitors were picking up lots of movement, kicking, swiping, stretching. The monitors themselves – plastic discs about twice the size of a silver dollar strapped to Kelly’s belly – were moving up and down with the kicks as if the boys trying to shove them off.

“Those boys are happy in there!” said the nurse.

Perhaps the boys were travelling together on a trip to the moon, leaping against the near-zero gravity in huge arcs through space, defending themselves against lovable moon creatures. Or maybe they were dancing together to an amazing tune that only exists in their world, to the rhythm of Kelly’s heart. Or perhaps they were playing a game of neonatal patty-cakes that was accelerating to crescendo – we’ve seen ultrasound images of them, head to head, hands touching eachother.

A few minutes later, they settled down a bit. One of them started hiccupping. The other apparently took a nap.

I hope they can remember their adventures as “womb-mates”. I’d love to hear about them. What does a baby who’s never seen the world dream about? What does a twin think of his brother before they’re born?

Whatever the answers, Kelly and I are getting the impression they’re exploits, squashed together over the past 31 weeks, have already laid the foundation of a lifelong love.

Who's in charge? by Rich

The twins are small, but they’re definitely pulling the strings around here.

On Tuesday, they decided to stir up some trouble by triggering some strong and regular contractions in Kelly’s belly.

On their cue, Kelly was readmitted to the hospital – the same room in which she’s laid flat in in for most of the fall – and I jumped back on a plane from Senegal after just 36 hours on the ground since returning from Christmas vacation in Maine.

When I got to the airport in Portland, my Mom and much of my family were waiting for me, thrilled I’d made it in time for the birth and excited as can be to meet the new ones – certain to come within hours! We drove in a convoy to the hospital, weaving in and out of traffic, fueled by adrenaline.

When I got there, I found my sweet wife getting checked out by nurses. She was having contractions every six minutes and had signed a consent form for a c-section that could happen at any minute. The twins, both over four pounds despite their early gestational age, were gearing up to join the planet earth.

But this adventure has been full of baby-driven U-turns, and so there was another. Within a half hour of my arrival, the contractions stopped and things stabilized. Kelly and I sent the family home and spent the rest of Wednesday watching soap operas and movie videos, and eating Thai food.

So far, on this wintry New Year’s eve day, things appear to be staying quiet.

Will the babies come today? Tomorrow? Next week? In two weeks? Its unclear. A big storm is coming – and some people say the drop in barometric pressure will trigger it for sure. Also, it is a full moon – and amazing things happen during the full moon. But the truth is, no one can know for sure.

The people in charge haven’t arrived yet.

Blessed

Getting discharged from the hospital was bittersweet. It took a few days to relax at my mother in laws house, as anxiety of not having constant medical care at my bedside alarmed me. But after a few days I began to relax with Richard at my side and beloved family at Christmas. I also realized that bed rest at home is far easier emotionally; eight weeks in the same hospital room really can make you go a bit stir crazy. My 're-entry' to the real world after leaving the hospital was quite bizarre...seeing people walking around, driving past shops, and seeing the daily routines of normal life outside that of an 8x8 hospital room. It certainly reminded me of our week long canoe camping trips where we were in complete isolation with wilderness and no human contact...the reentry can take some adjusting.

Bed rest at home did not last long. Tuesday I was readmitted to the hospital at 3cm dilated and 100% effaced. What a pregnancy this has been! I am 32 weeks and 1 day, and my mom reminded me of a blog entry I posted when I had just hit 23 weeks. I wrote that I would be blessed if I could make it to 32 weeks.

Well, I am certainly blessed.

Home Sweet Home

As some of you may know, I have flown back to the US due to complications with this pregnancy. I am so grateful that our doctor in Senegal told us to get home as soon as possible.

I am now at Maine Med, where I will be on hospitalized bed rest for at least another month and half, possibly more. Although the hospital setting can be alarming, I must admit, there is a part of me that feels so safe and relieved to be here.

• I have a beautiful private room.
• There is an extremely caring nursing staff that are taking good care of me.
• The Hi Risk Doctors are experts.
• I have cable. Better yet, there are English speaking channels.
• I can order off the menu any meal I want. And, I can read every item and don't have to use my translator.
• There are no lizards roaming around this hospital.
• I can take 1 1hour wheel chair ride a day. I am considering coordinating wheelchair races with the other ladies here.
• I don't have to wear anything but pajamas all day long.
• I will be an expert in day time soap opera television.
• I have a beautiful view of the changing foliage out my window.
• My godson, Liam, runs around the room and hall saying 'Auntie Kully' repeatedly and makes all around him smile and laugh. I think he should pursue a career in hospital therapy.

I don't know what I would do without my friends and family. You know who you are...my room is cozy, I have everything I need here, your support means the world to me, and I count the minutes until your visits. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

The only thing that breaks my heart is leaving Rich behind. I am worried about him, he is worried about me, and we are both extremely worried about our two healthy beautiful boys. As hard as this is, we know that I am getting the best care possible.

Some like it hot...

Summer months in Dakar are August, September, and October. Despite being the rainy season during these months, we have yet to see a bit of rain. Temps during the day hover around 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Being pregnant, and officially 'large', my ankles have seen better days. In fact, for the last few days, you can not even see a bit of ankle bone. When I can, I have tried to listen to my body and rest by the pool or take afternoon naps. Pregnancy and this constant heat is not easy... A/C is a luxury and most places, even restaurants may not have it.

Wow...if I can survive this heat now, imagine how easy it will get when I am not pregnant!

Rich is in heaven with the waves here in Senegal. On days when he works the late shift at work he will surf in the morning. On days when he works the early shift he will surf in the evening. It has been almost 10 years since he has been able to surf everyday, and he is absolutely thrilled. There are many places to watch him surf that have cabana bars; in the evenings I watch him while I enjoy the sunset and a cold coca-cola! His surf talent is incredible...he rips through well over head high waves without any problem. Okay, I'll stop bragging. Videos to come soon.
xo

The Twins

2 boys. 2 boys. 2 boys. 2 boys. 2 boys. 2 boys. 2 boys. 2 boys. 2 boys. 2 boys. 2 boys. 2 boys. 2 boys. 2 boys. 2 BOYS!

26.2

For 5 months, I have been banned from running. This may not seem like a big deal to some of you, but for me, it has felt like something in my life has been missing. There is nothing better, than waking in the morning and starting the day off with a nice long run.

My favorite runs were those when I was by myself, without headphones, with drizzle soaking me, and the repetitive sound of my sneakers hitting the pavement consuming me. My love/hate runs were those during marathon training seasons...squeezing in 22 miles along the Hudson was a long, straight, and boring run. Starting in Harlem, I would follow the Hudson along the west side of New York City, past Chelsea Piers, past Canal, as far as I could go. Turning around, I would retrace my steps and head all the way up to the Cloisters and home. Those runs mentally killed me but always left me feeling like superwoman after.

Running is my Zoloft. It keeps my head relaxed and makes me feel invincible. It is my therapy and keeps me sane.

Because I am a high risk pregnancy, running is a no-no. In fact, yoga and walking are my only escape. Anything that breaks a sweat is out.

After months of feeling sad about this 'ban', I realized this week why banning high impact activities during pregnancy may be a good thing. Thanks to the Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy.

1. Let's face it, no matter how much you exercise, you are still going to get HUGE.

2. Even though you may love showing off that baby bump, you will look absolutely ridiculous in your spandex to others.

3. The old expression goes like this, '9 months up, and 9 months down, NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO'. Hopefully that holds true.

4. You might endanger the pregnancy. In fact, I remember a friend of mine bragging about how she was 8 months pregnant and still took spin classes. Biting my tongue, I held back the word 'Idiot' that kept running through my head.

5. If something terrible happened to the baby after an aggressive workout, you will forever wonder if your desire to exercise caused it. This to me, is reason enough, to slow down and relax.

6. 9 months is not a long time to nurture this beautiful growing baby. You can give up anything for 9 months. So lets curb those addictions and think of that sweet little baby we are responsible for.

Last night, I dreamt of being a long run in Central Park.

Tomorrow, my Bob Jogger Stroller will arrive. Rich has 4 months to put it together.

Glamor-less

My sister once warned me, 'there is no glamor in the first trimester of pregnancy'. She couldn't have been more right.

For 13 weeks, I have vomited on most days, slept 12 hours plus a night, taken 3 hour naps, had zero motivation, and have struggled with a lack of appetite. In recent weeks, a 'not so sexy' beer gut has developed in my midsection. Today, I shopped for elastic band waisted bottoms as I have grown out of my pre-pregnancy bottoms. Elastic band? Uggh.

Before this pregnancy, I envisioned the first trimester food cravings to be eclectic, daring, and creative. I was so excited about the creative eating that pregnancy allowed. I imagined myself eating Doritos dipped in vanilla frosting, pizza and blue cheese dressing, and pickles galore. The only thing I could manage to stomach for weeks was pepperoni pizza, general tso's Chinese chicken, ramen noodles, Nana's pepperoni sauce, and ice cream. Fish of any sort was my trigger food...and by trigger, I mean if it was cooked within 50 feet of me, it would send me running to the porcelain Goddess. This was not ideal as my husband has a love for fishing and for the first time, has a residential lobster license in the state of Maine.

My first trimester is officially over. We have shared the exciting news of our pregnancy, and now, friends and family are touching and eyeing my tummy with excitement.

Whats even more crazy? I wouldn't change anything about the last 13 weeks. These unpleasant symptoms of pregnancy reminded me everyday of what was happening inside my body. Every trip to the bathroom, and the many days waisted napping on the couch, were all a reminder of what this all means.

Rich and I are going to have a baby! Better yet, we are having 2!