Six Weeks

It's still very early.  We know this, but it's hard not getting ahead of ourselves and thinking about names and needing a bigger house in a better public school district.  How are we going to manage travelling for a wedding when the babies are only four or five weeks old?  How much time am I going to take for maternity leave?  Do they make saddles for dogs to carry babies around on?

Yesterday we were in for our first OB ultrasound.  Most expectant mothers don't have an ultrasound this early on, but given how I came to be pregnant, we get to see what's going on a few weeks earlier than most.  The doctor came in and said "I'm so happy to see you guys in this room!"  We were pretty happy to be there too.  And then, moments later, we're looking at the monitor on the wall and he's pointing out the yolk sac and heartbeat of our growing baby. 

I cannot even begin to describe the feeling of awe looking at the little pixel fluttering on the monitor. That's a heartbeat. Wow! Eric jumped up from the chair beside me and got up close to the monitor. I swear he would have hugged it if he could. All I could do was smile.

And then the view was adjusted a bit and the doctor is pointing out the yolk sac and heartbeat of our other growing baby.

Eric choked up and put his hand on my shoulder and said, "I'm not one to say this very often, but I told you so."  You see, he had a feeling all along that two embryos implanted.  I didn't really have a sense of one or two and hadn't really thought too much about it.  All I really knew was that I didn't want all three to implant because I didn't want to undergo the selective reduction procedure.  I didn't want another surgery and I didn't want to choose.  Thankfully, we don't have to think about that anymore.

My activity level is still very restricted for now.  I'm in for weekly ultrasounds, blood work and blood pressure and weight checks for at least the next four weeks.  Assuming everything looks good, I'll be released to my OB after week 10.  Already the various hormones I've been on are starting to be reduced which makes me very happy.

Eric was more emotional than I was at the doctor's office.  He's a softie and I love that about him.  I just kept beaming a smile all day.  It's amazing to have all the stress and frustration of the past year and a half of trying to be replaced with the joy and excitement of finally expecting a baby -- babies! -- to arrive mid-2011.  Of course, when I got home I had a few teary moments of pure happiness.

The doctor cautioned us to not tell anyone that I'm pregnant or that we're expecting twins.  Like I said, it's still very early in the pregnancy and things could still change, but we're just not very good at keeping things to ourselves.  (Although we're not telling the doctor that we've told anyone, so don't anyone get any funny ideas.)