I'm Alive! Welcome Sushi Nuggets!

So whenever I've ever thought about what song I would be using in my player when posting my pictures of the sushi nuggets final arrival, I would have NEVER thought it would be a Xanadu song...but when I finally got out of the hospital on Tuesday and was standing in the sun on a warm spring day waiting for mr. Sushi nugget to load all the gear plus them in our car...it just seemed like a natural fit as to what was playing in my mind. If you happen to read blogs with your sound on, enjoy this flashback to the eighties? or was in seventies? Anyhow! ....



So without further delay...here they are!

I seriously can't believe they are here and I'm their mom. Seriously, what kind of craziness is that. The whole time checking into Labor and Delivery and prepping for the c-section I kept thinking to myself...this has got to be better than the D&C experience and it certainly was.

I'll put up a whole post on details later but I just wanted to thank you for all your well wishes. It was probably the most surreal experience I've ever had in the OR. I still keep thinking about it.

On the flip side both nuggets have already grown into their own separate nicknames. So may I present to you:

Sushi nugget girl otherwise known now as "Delicate Flower":

And the Garden Gnome, or the travelocity Gnome as Mr. Sushi nugget calls him:





I have so much to update but will have to do it when I have more time (yeah right!). Just got out of the hospital on Tuesday due to my recovery being a bit slow and because they have/had jaundice. Thankfully those levels have been going down since going home. And since Tuesday as you can imagine it's been just a blur.

Sushi Girl nugget was about 6.5 pounds and sushi boy nugget was almost 7 pounds! Both were 18.5 inches. Everyone including all the doctors were raving about how big they were for twins at 37 weeks. Now I know why I've been so uncomfortable! That's a heavy load there!

Overall the experience was just the most surreal wonderful experience I've ever had. It was so weird to go into the operating room with no babies and then minutes later hear the squeaking sounds of little baby cries. I mean I obviously know they were in there but seriously it just didn't seem real when they came out. I still look at them and feel like this is just a fun week of taking care of someone's kids. It's so strange to know that they are mine forever! I thought I'd never have this chance.


More to come soon!

Twas the Night Before... 37 Weeks

I could go through and try to some feeble attempt at my own "Night Before" poem but seriously, patience is limited tonight.

So this is it...tomorrow morning I need to be at the hospital at 5am. I would normally groan at that except I've been getting less and less sleep anyhow with how uncomfortable I am. They have have formed some sort of schedule (which I'm sure will continue when they are out of the womb) to be up bumping around in me from 2a-4a. Fabulous.

Tonight I had my last supper, which was coconut shrimp at out.back.steak.house. I just love the coconut shrimp there. And I was in full shlub mode. I had my grey sweats on that still had the dried doppler goop on it from this morning's non-stress test along with no bra and a sweater, plus my hair up in a pony tail in a baseball hat. All I was missing was the spit up. Apparently I'm adapting well to new motherhood already.

Today was sort of strange...actually the last few days have been strange. I go between just being in awe of what is going to become of my life and just doing basic things...like this afternoon I planted flowers. Seriously...how hysterical is that.

Well I better finish this up because someone is majorly kicking my bladder YET AGAIN. As they say at 2a when bars are closing up, "You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here nuggets." Tomorrow is eviction day. And I can't wait :)

See you all on the other side!

Week 36 - This is definitely not my most attractive moment

Okay so first off everyone is doing fine. At my last non-stress test Girl Sushi nugget wasn't moving that much but her heart beat was fine and the doctor said it was perfectly fine. Well somehow she must be making up for things because she seriously is rocking and rolling today. I've noticed myself that my stomach has dropped well beyond obvious proportions. Does this mean I will be going in sooner?

I am so friggen uncomfortable that I'm wondering how I can go for another week. I'm pretty much trapped at home because I can't walk that much (although my foot has gotten better) and I can't stand for very long. My cleaning lady came today and cleaned the whole house (which makes me feel much better) and I just sat there. That was pretty much the extent of my activity for the day except talking to my mother in law on the phone and going out (because I couldn't handle it anymore) to pick up some dinner. Mr. Sushinut had to work today...which wasn't so bad because I've gotten to that point where EVERYTHING agitates me. Which brings me to the next complaint...

If I hear one more crack comment from any stranger or even worse my mother about random weird pregnancy things I'm going to sock someone. Seriously.

My mother called me yesterday to let me know that I'm going to have a spinal (epidural?) for the c-section. My response... "well I friggen hope I have SOMETHING". She thinks because she had a c-section 37 years ago she is all knowing. Then she went on to tell me some crack story how the nurse kneed her in the stomach really hard so that she would bend over more when she got it and to tell my doctor that I didn't want that done. I was like what in GOD are you talking about woman!

The day before she called to tell me that my children need to have two separate pairs of god parents not one pair.

And last week it was something about not getting my carpets cleaned with toxic chemicals. Yes mom...I made sure to seek out the companies WITH toxic chemicals when choosing a place to clean my carpet.

And then there's all the random older women that keep telling me to make sure to exercise as much as possible because it makes for an easier labor. I would say so...If I did any type of exercise now I would end up going into labor right now! So I then have to explain that in my condition my doctor has ordered no exercise for me. That seems to bewilder them. I feel like screaming...listen! No pregnancy is the same! Just deal with it!

Oh and then my mother also called to let me know that she really has an issue with sushi girl's middle name. To which I just replied. "Gee I'm sorry to hear that, but it's not changing".

All these comments along with the horrified glances of how big I've grown (from even pregnant women!) has just made me down right irritable. And that's not even going into the pregnancy brain.

Let me explain my personal experience with pregnancy brain. Now don't be confused...I am not bragging or anything but seriously I feel the world has lost their mind. My husband when taking me around seems to be driving more irratically than ever, and this coming from a man who I used to say drove like a grandpa. He almost mowed a poor older lady down the other day crossing the cross walk because he didn't notice her. If it wasn't for me screaming at the top of my lungs, "WATCH THE LADY!" that poor woman may have not had a chance. He turns left when I tell him to turn right and misses turns so that we have to circle around the block umpteenth times. Before I left work my whole staff had pregnancy brain for the last 3 months. And just last week I went to put a deposit into an IRA account and I had to remind the darn bank clerk to actually take my money. He seriously was just going to say that I deposited 2k without even a check for the money. I had to remind him! Made me wonder what would have happened if I hadn't.

For me everything seems perfectly clear as a bell. I mean, despite the occasional forgetting a word or something...like I'll want to use a word like psychiatrist but forget the word. Annoying things like that...but at least my thoughts are clear. I'm not sure which is worse these days though...trudging through in some pregnancy daze? Or being surrounded by others in a daze. I think I'm expelling some sort of toxic pregnancy chemical that is affecting everyone around me!

# 567 to do on my list - update Blog

First off....nope no sushi nuggets yet. Can you believe it, my counter says 10 days left. Holy Crap! Can that be right? This time around I haven't updated because I've had so much going on that I just haven't had time.

I am now 35+ weeks. I've been having what I call my "stressful" non-stress tests twice a week since last week. The first time I went in we experienced major stress because Baby Girl sushi nugget's heart beat could not be found. Seriously the tech tried for about a half hour, with me getting more and more concerned every minute. Finally we went in for an ultrasound and the doctor found her way way at the bottom. I kept telling the tech that she was way down there but she just couldn't find it. Feeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwww.

The second non-stress test involved me getting there and instantly seeing a woman just bawling outside in the waiting room. You didn't have to tell me what happened there...been there done that many a time. It's obvious she just found out she lost her baby. It was all I could do in my hormonal state to not start bawling even harder for her. It's still such a sensitive matter for me and as we all say we'll hold on to those feelings forever. My husband quickly wheeled my wheelchair around the corner so she wouldn't be in sight. (That's right wheel chair...do to the fact that I have hurt my foot - more on that later and that I can't walk fast or much any more and that my doctor's office is clear on the other side of the hospital, I have to borrow a wheel chair each time I go in).

Each non-stress test involves a ton of goop put on on my stomach, with all my mega stretchmarks in full view and those scratchy darn Velcro straps all over me. Not to mention that it's freezing in that room so my stomach gets cold easily. It's like some new type of torture. And we've now come to the realization that Girl sushi nugget is way at the bottom and in the back so I end up holding that doppler against my stomach for about a 1/2 hour and getting hand cramps. Yes I know...there are worse things out there. And that's what I tell myself each time.

So far I've had no contractions during the tests and my fluid levels still look decent. But in this last appointment on Monday the doctor freaked us out by saying, "Well they could come any day now...twins often come around 35 weeks. If you haven't had them yet, we'll see you on Thursday." EXCUSE ME? DO YOU MEAN THIS THURSDAY??? AS IN A FREAKING COUPLE OF DAYS AWAY?! My husband and I were quite quiet on the way home and then we went into operation "GET IT DONE" mode. I started doing baby laundry like no one's business and he started making lists about what meals he was going to make and freeze. Since Monday (what was that yesterday?) we've gotten a lot done. We've at least attempted to start packing a hospital bag (I know, I'm not sure why this has been so difficult to do thus far...it should have been done weeks ago) and two of our 3 nursery pieces were delivered yesterday after me having a "talk" with the store last week after hearing a message on my cell with the comment from the sales girl "Good news! Your furniture will be here in about 3 weeks!" Uh, how is that good news if it's 3 weeks later than you promised. I DON'T THINK SO. So I pulled the "twins card and the I shopped at your store instead of a big store because I believe in supporting the small business owner and the in this economy you should really focus on making it convenient for your customers and not creating disappointment...if you know what I mean, card." And whalla! Crib and dresser are delivered on Monday. Seriously people...don't mess with a woman with hormones - that's the lesson here.

Let's see what else...oh on the work topic...I'm not sure who that woman was that posted that she felt guilty about quitting work two weeks out from her c-section date but I soon got over it when that weekend I ate some slightly more spicy food than I should have and had a horrible night. I felt lots of cramping, nausea and heart burn and feared I would go into labor that night. By the way, I totally believe that spicy foods brings on labor now - which I truly thought was a myth before. I do appreciate all your comments about not feeling guilty...that definitely helped too. I never thought about the fact that I should rest as much as possible before hand since I obviously won't have a chance after they come.

I called my doctor and told her I want my last day to be Friday and it was done. I was tired of getting all those creepy horror looks from people in the office that didn't know me anyways; like I was some person with three heads or something. Seriously people haven't you ever seen a person 8 months pregnant with twins? Which also reminds me I need to post some belly pictures. I've gone from "wow you're kinda small for having twins" to "yeah you look like you're ready to deliver any minute". How did that happen?

So as of this week I am free from work and it feels UNBELIEVABLE. Such a relief from the stress. All I do is nap, eat and put my feet up...in between freaking out and trying to get the babies room ready of course. But I can definitely feel the difference and am so happy I did it. It was the right thing for me.

And now...what are we feeling at this point? Well I'm feeling quite huge, can't walk much, and have somehow hurt my left foot. It's been like this for about a week now. It happened the day after my husband was giving me a foot massage and it felt like something was broken or sprained. Which is ironic because while he was giving me the massage it didn't hurt at all. Mr. sushinut kept on saying that it was just the pregnancy and that feet in pregnancy hurt all the time...but I kept on explaining that it was only one foot...why only one foot? I think he's coming around now when I show him how if I walk for awhile that one foot swells up a bit, and it hurts for me to put pressure on it. We asked the doctor if it's safe to get an X-ray on it and he said it was fine and won't harm the nuggets. But as soon as we asked, I swear it's been feeling better. It's the area on top of my foot right below my last 3 toes. Very strange...but it does seem to get better the more I have my foot up...so I'm trying that as best as I can before I ask for an X-ray...I have a feeling it's just a sprain or something because if it was broken I assume I wouldn't be able to walk at all on it.

Other than the foot issue, I've been seriously itchy...I think it's from dry skin or just plain stretching. I've been eating more...not sure if it's because I'm home or because I feel more hungry...but I still eat small meals often so I don't get nauseous. Sleeping at night proves to be a challenge because either they wake me up with their kicking our I get a sore hip from laying on my left side. But I can't change to my right side because I feel that they kick me more when I do not to mention I get more nauseous and feel out of breath when I sleep on that side. It seems like I enjoy shorter 2 hour naps during the day, which I guess is getting me prepared with what I'll be able to do when they get here. I get some what of a backache when I sit in one place for too long but that's been happening for awhile. My breasts still haven't gotten any bigger but are still sore from time to time each day. Let's face it...overall I just feel like a bull in a china shop.

So far we've done the following (this list is more for making me feel more prepared than anything): We've done our infant CPR class, I've taken a breast feeding class (extremely helpful by the way if you can find a good one and you haven't ever done this before...I feel much more confident), we currently just have one more "Baby Care" class to take this Thursday, which was helpful for both of us...especially mr. sushinut who's only held a baby like twice in his life. I especially like the class that went over all the medications etc. It's taught by a nurse so she's super knowledgeable. Car seats are installed. Stroller is in back trunk. Crib and dresser are setup. Bassinets are set up and ready in our bedroom. Most baby clothes are washed. Diapers are stacked in organizers all over the house. And an email explaining hospital hours and location information has been sent to family.

My goals for this week: Finish packing hospital bag, finish putting away all baby clothes. Dropping off a deposit to a day care...we are still pondering which one to use. Planting some spring flowers in front so when visitors come it looks welcoming. And getting my taxes done so the sushinuggets don't have a mom who's gone to jail. Well at least if I do go to jail my home looks springy with flowers outside. Right? Priorities, priorities. Yup it's official...I'm a mess.

33 1/2 Week ponderings - to work or not to work

So...this post is going to be more about me than the sushi nuggets. Well in a way.

First off I seem to have issues with my upcoming leave from work. Today I realized that if I go by plan I have only this week and next week left of work and then I am supposedly supposed to take the 2 weeks prior to delivery off. Completely. I keep going back and forth on whether I should continue to work from home at that time or just cut cold turkey and feel completely guilty for leaving work. Yet I also feel completely guilty that if I don't take this time from work the nuggets may come early and it will be all because I've over done it. Sigh.

All signs seem to point to taking the 2 weeks before the planned c-section off but I just can't visualize myself not working. Not to mention poor mr. sushi nut is only working sporadically as a contractor due to a cut back in patients due to the economy. It just doesn't seem right to stop working. I know at the beginning I will be paid but later after birth this time prior to birth might edge into some of my pay.

At my last dr. appt. I asked the nurse about how the doctor does her note to ask for leave and start disability. She said, "You're not working still are you!???" I was like "Uh, actually I am but I am going to start working part time from home." She asked if the doctor was aware of this...and I said yes. She said it was almost unheard of for a woman carrying twins at that practice to be still working at all...home or not. Not to mention I'm increasingly uncomfortable...every single freakin minute! I was in a meeting this morning and couldn't barely get through the hour. I can't sit at my desk comfortably, I can't sleep comfortably at night...and therefore feel like taking a nap at home in the middle of the day but because I'm trying to keep up with my work (both at home and in the office) I really don't have time for a nap mid day. If I were completely off work I obviously would. I can't really walk comfortably...just getting in the car is a chore. Getting ready for work is a chore. And carrying my heavy laptop from home to work is a chore.

Earlier this evening it just hit me...I will be having 2 little babies in hand in the near future if all goes right. How did I get here? Me, the work-a-holic will have to leave all behind to take care of them. Don't get me wrong...once on leave I usually leave work behind quite easily. It's just the first few steps that are the hardest. Am I crazy? Or has anyone else felt like this? Is taking the last 2 weeks before your c-section while pregnant with twins completely selfish? Or am I obviously completely out of whack with my perspectives? I always thought maternity leave was a god send...like you are having a baby and it's completely beyond your control as to whether you need to leave or not...but in this case...I just might be able to extend things a little longer? Or would I? This is the risk I would take. Sigh.

8 months update

So apparently the "fall" that I had talked about in the last post had no effect on the little nuggets (as many suggested it wouldn't - thank you) ...what a relief. My appointment on Monday went as well as I could have hoped for. The nuggets as my peri says are doing very very well. And are growing well. Our little girl nugget is averaging about 4 pounds and our boy nugget is 4.5 pounds. Both have the correct amount of amnio fluid still around them and there doesn't seem to be any issues. My blood pressure (knock on wood) still continues to be good.

And for all my worrying or should I say my mother who makes me worry, continuously telling me that I'm not "big enough" to be carrying twins...aka there must be something wrong; my ob is measuring me at 39 weeks even though I'm only 32. So there!

I feel as big as a house so that should make sense. The stretching is just insane at times and their movements and kicking has come to be almost abusive at times, which freaks me out and consoles me all at once. If that makes any sense. Other than that nothing else much to report...except that I seriously cannot walk very far now at all and have started (finally) feeling warmer. This whole pregnancy I've felt cold or normal I guess even though they say pregnant women should always feel hot. I can tell that I'm becoming by far more irritated. Especially at work. I consistently wonder how all these people are going to handle the simplest of duties when I'm gone...And everything just annoys me to no end. I am feeling a lot more tired now too and at times feel like taking a nap in the middle of the day...which I should really start giving in to.

All in all, I seriously just can't believe I'm at this point...I mean 8 months? I only have another month to go! Which I know will absolutely fly by. My goal still is to have them stay in there until my planned c-section. Still working 1/2 days from home and going into the office the other half, which for now is working fine...except for the fact that I'm fresh out of patience with everyone at work. But I guess that's all part of the fun. I'm convinced everyone has pregnancy brain and I don't ;) I still think pregnancy brain is a myth by the way...I feel it's simply what happens when a woman doesn't have caffeine for 9 months. Seriously anyone would forget things then!

30 Weeks and counting...

Once again everyone thank you so much for the well wishes and advice. Seriously, just keep the suggestions coming because lord knows I don't know what I'm doing. I had a friend ask me before my shower if I'm a "Pampers." mom or a "Huggies." mom. To which I replied, Hell if I know! You pick for me!

My baby ticker says that I have 43 days left which just freaks me out. I've been consistently flipping between fear of premature labor and just wanting this pregnancy done and dusted. I just keep thinking of what "Kate" said in the popular show John.and.Kate.plus.eight, or maybe it was in their book (which I received as a christmas present)...she worked her way through bed rest every day by reminding herself that she at least needs to get to 30 weeks for the sextuplets to be healthy. Of course I'm not carrying 6...but still...getting to the big 3-0 makes me feel a little better.


As of the last peri appt. (at what was it? 27 weeks, 28 weeks) the nuggets continue to be utero superstars and are measuring right on target for their age. The boy nugget weighing in at an approximate 2 pounds 14 ounces. And the girl nugget at approximately 2 pounds 12 ounces. The girl was pretty much hogging the camera the whole time (as any female should) and we got a shot of her face but because the boy was looking directly towards his sister it was difficult to get a shot of his face.

They are both currently in breach position, thus me thanking my ob for already scheduling a c-section. People are still saying a look pretty small for twins but the doctor lovingly said I was just all baby. That's the first time for that! I've never thought I'd be one of those girls that are "just all baby" but hey if that's what he says, who am I to argue!?


At my last OB appt. I also spoke to my dr. about possibly working from home. It freaks me out that a lot of twin moms are on bedrest by now and I'm still hauling my ass to work for a 9-10 hour day. Seriously last week I was thinking I don't know how I was going to get through February. But my OB took it a step further from my thought of starting to work from home in March and said that now was the time that premature labor was a risk...so we negotiated and I'm doing 1/2 days at home starting this week. Which has made me feel soooooooooooo much better.

I've had my 2nd meeting with HR trying to figure out exactly how much time I can take at the most pay possible to which I am still utterly confused, but am thinking that 4 months should be acceptable for twins, and a c-section. I feel a little guilty taking 4 months post birth and not 3 but seriously people...it's twins! I can't just slap them in day care the day they get out of the hospital! If all goes well and they are delivered ala c-section on 3/27 that will make them 37 weeks. Still not entirely full term.

Speaking of premature labor does anyone know if falling can cause premature labor? Yes seriously...I fell today at work tripping over my own feet. I've been so careful lately too because I have stairs in my home and am freaked out about tumbling down them or falling in the shower. But no...I just fall at work in the hallway. Luckily I landed on my left knee (as I did last time) but also last time I started bleeding that night awful clots which led to an emergency scan on Saturdary morning at Dr. frozen embryo's office. All was miraculously okay with the nuggets but what does this do to them at 30 weeks? People were freaked out at work but I seriously felt fine...just a little in shock. They've been moving all evening long and I haven't noticed any cramping (knock on wood). I guess we'll have to wait til tonight if we see an encore of anything major. And of course tonight is the night that mr. sushi nut is staying at his parents. So if I go into labor I'll be driving myself to the hospital.

I have been having a few braxton hicks contractions tonight but those have been usually regular for the past few weeks. At least I think they are braxton hicks since a random bump on my stomach (sometimes on a side or sometimes in the middle) become super stretched and hard. No pain...just a lot of stretching. And then go away a few seconds later.

Also since the last time I posted I had my baby shower. It wasn't as bad as I had thought it might be... games were kept to a minimum and everyone seemed to have a nice lunch. Personally it was just nice to sit back relax and let someone else plan the event for once. We received plenty of great gifts, although there is still much to buy. And best of all we had a diaper raffle where if you brought a pack of diapers you would be entered to win a great prize. And so now sits a towering diaper pile in my soon to be nursery.


Speaking of the nursery it is painted and ready for the carpet to be shampooed which I would like to get done asap so that it can air out for at least a month before they come. But of course wouldn't you know it the few weeks of rain we do get here in California are here now making getting carpets cleaned a disaster with this wet weather.

Other than that we trek along going on tours of day cares. We've seen a few good ones and one that I really like but it's sort of pricey. So I'm getting closer hopefully on a decision. We've chosen a Pediatrician and I'm going to pre-register at the hospital next week. Only thing is that we missed this month's darn hospital tour and so I'll be going next week. I can't really walk very fast or much now so next month should be interesting for a hospital tour. I asked if I could use a wheel chair and they said they'd accomodate. I hate to be the prissy twins pregnant lady but I will seriously be holding up the group if they wait for me to follow...not to mention I just might go into labor due to the walking. Or worse trip...or worse both!

Oh and one final thing we did do was join a local twins club. Looks like we have a darn good one too because these people are the best ever with their advice and what not. Even mr. sushi nut came to a meeting and felt relieved talking to everyone. I'm so happy I found them. The only thing is that mr. sushinut and another member had a brilliant idea of us going over to a newbie twin parents house and helping out to see how it really is to have newborn twins. Unfortunately I'm not a spry 20 weeks pregnant anymore and I really don't know how much I'll be able to do but I'm certainly willing to give it a try.

Other than that I'm just freaking out randomly about anything and everything and trying to refer back to my favorite twin blogs about what their pregnancy was like at 30 weeks. Bare with me...only 7 weeks to go!