Saturday, March 13, 2010

Chaos ensues

Yesterday absolutely kicked our butts. All four of our butts, ranging from petite toddler size to hugely-pregnant-with-twins size.

First, it was the one-year anniversary of losing my Aunt too soon. Naturally that cast a crappy cloud on us, especially my Mom. It really just couldn't have been a good day.

Then Bean was up before 6 am. My Mom tried in vain to get him back down, and she ended up rocking him for over an hour. That makes for a tired Bean and a tired Grandma. They did manage to run a couple of errands, but Bean reached his limit before they could hit all the stops. At home, Bean kept asking for food but not eating it, meaning my Mom was busy making meals and then throwing them away. He wanted to be held constantly (this is not new) and also complained that his ears hurt. He was a grumpy little munchkin so she put him down for a nap early. Of course he didn't sleep long, so it was Tired Bean and Tired Grandma: Part Deux all afternoon. And as you know, the sequel is never as good.

Meanwhile I was super uncomfortable just laying bed. Not surprising; I think all moms of twins are ready to post an eviction notice on their uterus by this point, but it makes the days sooo much longer. Every time I stood up, I would immediately get lots of Braxton Hicks contractions. Not painful ones, but still rather fast and furious. Fortunately when I laid back down, they would subside. Nevertheless, I was constantly thinking labor could kick in any minute. I would feel sharp pain now and then, but when I would check my belly, instead of feeling a contraction I would get a swift kick from one of the boys. I'm glad to know they are active, but dang... ouch.

DH came home from work with take-out (and a flower for my Mom, the big sweetie) and that's when the evening got really crazy. A woman came by to look at the china cabinet we posted on craigslist. Fortunately she did want it, and she and her son spent a while going in and out of the house loading it into their truck while my dog yipped annoyingly at them from behind a baby gate. Bean sporadically complained about various body parts hurting... from his knee to his stomach to his ears. But in between complaints, he was laughing and playing. We wondered if we should continue with our plan to move him into his new "big boy" room that night -- we'd already put it off four weekends for various reasons, but we wanted to make sure any protests he made were not due to an underlying illness.

Then after dinner I logged into my email and found that I had been hacked. Some jackass sent out spam to every. single. person. in my contact list, including people I haven't spoken to in years. Because nothing says "Hi, howya doin', it's been too long!" like a link to a Viagra advertisement. So then I started panicking, trying to secure my account. I was also worried about Bean's random physical complaints, I couldn't get up and hug him and check him out. Bean's temp was normal, and my Mom and DH suspected it may be growing pains. We decided to see what happened overnight and take him to see the pediatrician in the morning if we were still concerned. Partly due to the stress of the evening, I started contracting like crazy. I was drinking lots of water to stop the contractions, which in turn made me have to pee, which in turn made me contract because I was constantly having to get out of bed.

DH was trying to put out tons of fires at once -- helping me send out emails to everyone in my contact list telling them not to open the link, running virus and malware scans on both computers, writing down the time of all my contractions, checking that our hospital bag was entirely packed, and then heading out to get gas in his car because the tank was empty and we wanted to leave the minivan for my Mom. As much as I'd prefer for the giant mess to take place in DH's car than mine, I was less than enthused about the prospect of giving birth in a stalled out Mazda 3 on the side of the highway.

My Mom, who was ready to collapse by then, had to give Bean a bath because my DH was occupied. When DH got back from the gas station, he was able to take over the Bean bedtime routine. We held our collective breath when DH left Bean in his new bedroom. But this part is worth saying in huge letters because it's incredibly awesome:

Bean cried for no more than 30 seconds when DH closed the door, and then he slept the entire night in his big boy bed without so much as a peep. He didn't wake up until just after 7 am. !!!!!

I was actually worried about him, because that's a mom's job. Worry when they cry out at night, and worry when they don't. DH remarked that Bean is a total rockstar, but I'm withholding judgement on this whole operation until we get some consistency. The way I figure it, either he will regress and start crying at night because he misses his old room and crib, or this will be balanced out in the future by at least one of the twins being a complete nightmare when it comes to transitions like this.

Optimistic, huh? But there's no way I could be lucky enough to have three easy kids. And something about this pregnancy hints to me that twins are challenging.

DH was up late changing the passwords on all of our important web site accounts while I watched a recorded episode of The Marriage Ref, trying to decide if it was cute or just dumb. When he climbed in bed, we both agreed that I would probably go into labor in about an hour, when both of us were in the middle of some much needed REM. But miraculously, we all made it through the night in our own rooms, and so far the morning has been calm. Bean has not complained about any more "hurts," my Mom and DH seem to have recovered from yesterday, and our twins are still happily practicing karate on their mama's insides.

The frequency of contractions and general pressure that I've been feeling for the past couple of days makes me feel like I won't be pregnant much longer. But then again, I said that last weekend, and here I still am. If I make it to tomorrow, I will be 35 weeks along. The average NICU stay for this gestation on my twins forum is 5 days. FIVE! I know I can't count on being that lucky, but the number gives me hope -- compared to the 110 day average at 25 weeks gestation when I first went on bedrest. And I have two IRL friends who delivered singletons at 35 weeks who needed no NICU time and are now a fabulous toddler and preschooler.

It's bizarre to think that at most I have 8 more days on bedrest. I'm already kicking myself for not accomplishing in the past 10 weeks one of the main tasks on my to-do list: read the manual for my new camera and figure out how to use it. Because call me crazy, but I have the sneaking suspicion I won't have the time or focus to do this once the twins are born.

Here's to an uneventful weekend...

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25 comments:

Jingle said...

Glad to hear some good news about Bean!
Happy Saturday!

Jen said...

I know those kind of days well minus the bedrest and contractions. You are getting soooo close!

Martha@A Sense of Humor is Essential said...

Best Wishes with the new camera, hmm 8 days of Bedrest, then Game On!!
So sorry for tired Grandma and Bean, and sending you Big Optimistic Parenting Vibes!! You are Fabulous and kids survive us parents, don't know how, but they, and WE all do!

Kate said...

Hope Bean continues to sleep well in his new bed!
I was a 34 weeker 35 years ago, and was at the top of my class all the way through school, survived med school and engineering undergrad, and haven't had any chronic health issues (other than PCO and infertility). So hey, if you make it to 35 weeks with the twins, I think you don't have anything to worry about!

Coffeegrljapan said...

What a day! I'm so excited to hear that Bean spent one whole night in his big boy bed. Small steps! It gives me hope that we can find some night-time solution too. We're going to need to transition from the crib to a big girl bed at some point, but we've been putting it off while in Japan and just trying to keep her in her crib with the hopes that once we're back in the US we can get a big girl bed and she'll just sleep in it. The fact that she's spent the better part of the last 2 nights in bed with us....well I'm hoping that's just about the incoming molar and not some new long-term behavior we'll have to undo. You give me hope!!

All those contractions can't be fun. Hang in there! You guys are doing great! Kudos to Mom and DH by the way. Clearly they had their hands full on a crappy day.

Erin said...

Sounds like a crazy day!! Glad Bean slept in his room in his big boy bed. I hope he continues for your sanity ;).

35 weeks is no small feat with twins!! Hang in there. You are doing great. And also, there might not be any NICU stay, ya never know ;).

Alyssa G said...

8 days!? You can do 8 days!!! That is so awesome!! Those babies are gonna be so cute and healthy!!

Kristina P. said...

I can't believe someone hacked into your accounts! How scary!

You hang in there. You don't have too much longer!

Red said...

Wow - I can't beleive it has been 10 weeks of bedreast for you! I am sure it feels like it to you though.

Glad Bean is sleeping well in his big boy bed. I am too much of a chicken to try it with Champ until after the baby is born. I just want guaranteed sleep for another 6 months!

K said...

Wow that is a LOT going on I hope the people who got "your" e-mail didn't actually download anything. Dang that is scary.

But more importantly congrats on bean sleeping through the night in his brand new room!

I can't believe you are so close to meeting your little boys. Time flies (when you're watching from afar ofcourse :)).

..al said...

Wook Wook Wook!

You had an absolute tizzy day!

I hope that the next few days are a little less 'action-packed'.

It is so precious that Bean's Grandma is there to take care of him.

Boo to the hacker.

IF Optimist, then... said...

Well Sunny, I'd actually say that you have an entire FAMILY FULL OF ROCKSTARS. Bean for being a brave little man in his new room, your Mom for going above and beyond in care of her family on a sad day, your DH for the flowers and take out and super dadness and finally for you because 35 weeks with nice big boys kicking away is awesome. Hope you make it another week just to prove who is The Queen.

AFD said...

You think Bean is a rockstar? He certainly is, but where do you think he got that from?
Love you!

Michelle said...

Well I guess you did have a pretty eventful day. I hope the rest of your weekend was nice and calm. I am so happy you have made it this far. You are the rockstar! And YAY for Bean making it through the night.

When my sister had to put her 2 year old in a big boy bead due to the new baby he was good for like a week because he was excited and then he reverted back after baby was born so be fore warned. I hope that does not dampen it. Good Luck with the big boy bed!

Lisa said...

You have so much going on, that is some serious discipline but everyone sounds great. I don't know how you have managed that bed rest for so long! It's awesome news though and soon you will be back on your feet with a whole bunch of people ready for your hugs.

Beautiful Mess said...

WAY TO GO BEAN!!!! I hope all is well today and he stayed in his new room and bed last night.

Give that mama and that DH of your big HUGS! They rock so much, but of course you know that.
*HUGS*

Sarah said...

My nephew took to his big boy bed with zero problems and stuck with it. Halle went into her "princess bed" for the first night with zero problems, but then after that, she wanted to go back into her pack 'n play. It was sort of a battle. I think much of that had to do with the fact that we just moved. Once we got out of the temp apartment and into our house, per our discussion with her, the pack 'n play was "left behind." She was ready to sleep permanently in her bed. Sometimes we get some "curtain calls" from her early in the morning...but if she doesn't wake me, I don't care...
I know you are uncomfortable, but I am still hoping for 36 weeks!!!

Kristi said...

Yay for Bean the rockstar Big Boy Bed Sleeper. That must have been such a relief for you after what sounds like an awful day.

You are in the home-stretch, mama!

Furrow said...

If you didn't go into labor on that crazy day, I think those boys are in it for the long haul.

Good for Bean on his big boy bed transition. I hope things are still going well there.

K said...

Hi Sunny, thanks for the reality check on my blog about induction. I didn't realize all that though now that you mentioned it all. . . duh! I guess I should have mentioned I think I'm going to get induced anyways not necessarily because I'm a first timer but because all my friends who've had GD have been induced due to the size of their babies but you raised a really good point, thanks, I am reconsidering and will do research to get more educated!

Also, i had a question about slings because I saw the site you talked about and the slings are SOOOOOO cute!!! You mentioned it works great with a toddler, did you use it with bean as an infant? did he get lose in the fabric when he was too little? That is exactly what I wanted to get.

Alisa said...

My question is, will you reveal the twins true identity or will they have blog names like Bean?

niobe said...

Loved this post! It made me smile. Like, a lot.

Furrow said...

Hmmm. Sunny has been quiet for a while. Any big news, I wonder?

Chad and Gena said...

Wow, congrats to bean in making the transition so smoothly.

Sorry everyone had such a rough day, I hope the rest of your weekend went well and congrats on making it 35 weeks...you are a super star :-)

Nicky said...

Good lord you're amazing for hanging in there for so long! Go you!

Ignoring all the good news about big boy beds and continued gestation to say... you're the fourth person I know who had her email hacked in the last week, after literally years of it happening to nobody I know. Global conspiracy? Or is it somehow MY fault? :)