December and January Update

On Thursday December 5th I had a doctor's appointment. By then, the Christmas season had already begun. The previous Sunday on December 1st I had played two solos and accompanied two pieces on the Huntsville children's and youth chorale concert. On Monday December 2nd we had driven to Boaz and back for a three hour Ceremony of Carols rehearsal at Snead State Community College. At this appointment I was supposed to have my ultrasound, then do my pregnancy profile with the nurse, then have an ob appointment with the doctor, and then have my blood profile at the lab. Unfortunately as I watched the minutes tick by, I knew I had to leave. I had my after school choir rehearsal at 3:00, and we had a concert coming up. I told the nurse I couldn't stay and I would have to reschedule, she didn't seem assured. She asked when I could come back and I just panicked, I didn't know what to say. The next two weeks were completely booked with school all day and rehearsals/ performances all night. I told her as a harpist, my Decembers were crazy and I wasn't sure, she didn't seem comforted. She went to the doctor to see if he could see my really quickly, but the doctor said it would be okay if we just waited four weeks until January for my next appointment after Christmas was over. I felt really guilty. It's really hard finding yourself in these no win situations, when everyone expects something from you. Already, just to make it to that appointment I had cut out early from one class and felt guilty about that. I felt guilty that school should be my priority or should the twins be my priority. It's a hard place to be. I did have the ultrasound that day and Baby A measured two days ahead and Baby B measured one day ahead. They were looking great! She did not tell me what their heart rates were though. I left and had my after school rehearsal, and for the first time in two years, I did not have a snack for them. :(

On Sunday, December 8th the real fun began. The church orchestra played that morning for the Hanging of the Green service and then I had an extra rehearsal for a couple of pieces for the Living Christmas Tree later that afternoon. On Monday December 9th, the middle school choirs sang in the middle school assembly and after that Isaac had his two year doctor's appointment. On Tuesday December 10th, we went back to Boaz for the dress rehearsal of Ceremony of Carols at Snead State Community college. On Wednesday December 11th, I went to an hour of the Living Christmas Tree rehearsal and then the dress rehearsal for the Lovefeast at Wetherly Baptist Church. On Thursday December 12, I had my after school choir rehearsal and went straight from there to Boaz for the the Ceremony of Carols concert at Snead State Community College. On Saturday December 14th, we went to Arab for a Lessons and Carols Christmas rehearsal. On Sunday December 15th, we went back to Arab in the morning for a Lessons and Carols performance during their morning worship time then went back to Huntsville where Noah went to the Living Christmas Tree dress rehearsal and I went to the Lovefeast service at Wetherly Baptist Church. On Monday December 16th, we went back to Arab for the last time for an evening performance of the Lessons and Carols service. On Tuesday December 17th, we had a two hour dress rehearsal for the Candlelight Concert in the afternoon followed by the Candlelight Concert that evening. On Wednesday December 18th, we had the dress rehearsal for the Living Christmas Tree. On Thursday December 19th, I had an afternoon rehearsal on a piece for the Living Christmas Tree followed by a performance that evening. On Friday December 20th there was a performance of the Living Christmas Tree. On Saturday December 21st there were two performances of the Living Christmas Tree. On Sunday December 22nd, we played in morning worship followed by two more performances of the Living Christmas Tree. And lastly, on December 24th, I played at the Christmas Eve service at Trinity at 10:30 finishing my last Christmas gig at midnight on Christmas morning. 

At four and five weeks pregnant I was feeling well. I was worried beyond belief about the health of the babies. I was worried that I wasn't feeling sick. At six weeks I began to feel a little nauseaus. At seven weeks I felt like I was going to die. I had to eat constantly, if my stomach was even slightly empty then I would either gag or throw up. I woke up at 4:30am on Thanksgiving morning throwing up, Noah ran to McDonald's and bought me a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit. I was so thirsty but I couldn't drink anything. Everything made me gag. It was the sugar. I couldn't handle sugar AT ALL. I eventually found the one thing I could drink, orange juice. I don't even like orange juice. But now, I drank multiple glasses a day. Noah couldn't keep enough orange juice in the house. Even though it has a lot of calories, I consoled myself by saying there was a lot of folic acid in orange juice and Noah got the calcium supplemented kind. I did not feel like this with Isaac. This was really rough for me, especially with my busy schedule. Before school started back, we called the doctor and got a prescription for Zofran. I only take one a day as needed now.

Surviving Christmas was a true challenge, with how tired and sick I felt and all the extra responsibilities, but we did it. 

On January 2nd, we had another doctor's appointment. I was twelve weeks and three days pregnant. The babies' heart rates were 178 and 174. Isaac's heart rate at twelve weeks was 176. The babies were growing and looking great. I had my blood profile done. Everything looked great. I also started taking a prilosec everyday to help with the heartburn. 

On Wednesday night January 8th, Isaac got sick and threw up all through the night. Noah took a sick day the next day and took Isaac to the doctor. We kept him home Friday as well. On Saturday, my dad got sick, and then Saturday night I woke up every half hour to throw up. I was drinking Gatorade but could not keep any down. After a very long night, we called the doctor's office emergency line to see what we should do. We were most worried about dehydration and the health of the babies. The nurse's office told us we could go to Labor and Delivery at Huntsville Hospital but when we got there we were turned away to go to the Emergency room. We decided to go to Crestwood instead. At Crestwood, they gave me an I.V. of zofran and fluids and did some lab work. When we left they gave me a prescription for phenergan which was the first thing to make me feel better. I slept the rest of the day.

On Monday January 13, I called the doctor to see if they would check on the babies. I had another ultrasound and the babies looked great. I could see them playing around and moving. Both babies were in perfect profile position. They were stretching their legs all the way out, they still have plenty of room. I was relieved to know they were okay. It's hard to keep tabs on them myself because I cannot feel their movements. I will be very glad when I can start keeping track of them by feeling movements. The ultrasound technician asked me if she wanted me to check and see if she could tell what gender they were, and as tempting as that was, I didn't want to make that decision without Noah. We have talked about a gender reveal party so I didn't want to make that decision by myself. We have another appointment in two weeks so we won't have long to wait and probably it will be easier to tell then. (Though with those heart rates, I am really expecting two boys).

I'm so very grateful the babies are healthy and growing and everything is looking good. The doctor told me at this appointment that I am just now reaching the point where I will start being bigger than I would be with a singleton pregnancy. I know there is a strong possibility that I will not really feel well until after I have delivered, but I can make it through these next six (hopefully) months. We have a lot to do to get the house ready for the new additions, just cleaning and culling mostly, so we can paint the second bedroom and get it ready for a nursery. We're not anticipating a lot of purchases, I know what a trap that Babies r Us store is. We'll look for consignment purchases. Probably another swing or infant bouncer and another infant carrier and a double infant carrier stroller. We're not looking to purchase a second crib since we have one crib, one bassinet, and one pack n play. If we do end up having two boys, we'll be well stocked on clothes, because Isaac definitely had enough clothes for two babies thanks to grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Lots to do, but we are so blessed to have family and friends who watch over us and Isaac.


Pictures at 14 weeks. I didn't upload the ones at 8 weeks or 12 weeks. Bad quality, because I am using my phone.