Avocados!

March 6th has come and gone...that was the date of our next baby appointment. It's disappointing to go for these check-ups, I anticipate so much more excitement and really the doctor talked to us, measured my belly, listened to the heart beats, and sent us on our merry way. I don't know what I was expecting - but there isn't a whole lot of fanfare that goes with check up appointments. What she did say (that I was very surprised to hear) is that I haven't gained enough weight! Since the new year I've gained 7 pounds, which is pretty much just the 1st trimester. I thought that was a lot, I don't think there's really any reason to gain weight in the first trimester at all. And considering my eating roller coaster I'm surprised that it is only 7 pounds! Doctor recommended that I should be grazing all of the time, and eating "smart" foods - fruits and veggies are good, but I need to pack on the protein and calories so she recommended lots of milk, cheese, Ensure, peanut butter, etc. I don't know what she's talking about, I don't see how I only gained 7 pounds when none of my old pants fit and my bras are all way too tiny. She shouldn't worry...that weight will all pack on very shortly...

This week's fruit was AVACADOS. Looks surprisingly like the limes picture but they are different!

We also went to our first baby prep class - Preparing for Multiples. Again, kind of disappointed, not sure what my expectations were. I was hoping it would be a full class, meeting other young moms, networking...there were 2 couples in there including the Burchie's. The other couple in the room was a very nice domestic partnership couple who also went through USF IVF to have their babies; nice ladies, just not people that I think we'll be lifelong friends since they were a bit older than we were and lived over the bridge. We did get some good nuggets of knowledge that I didn't know regarding Tampa General Hospital and how they deliver multiples:

• Multiples are guaranteed the bigger rooms (YESS!!!). They have small rooms, and then they have the larger rooms and multiples are guaranteed to have the larger private rooms on the 4th floor of the women's center. during the general TGH tour of the hospital they only show the small rooms to set people's expectations but not for us!
• Multiples always deliver in an operating room, even if it's not a C-Section. Just in case there is a complication they like to have the OR ready to quickly retrieve the babies.  So, VERY glad to hear that because that means it will be guaranteed to ONLY be me and Todd in the room when the babies come out :) No audience for me.  And, there will be a nice peaceful recovery time for me alone in the OR with the babies alone for a good hour while they sew me up. I get really excited and even get the chills when I think that perhaps our babies can be delivered in the exact same O.R. that they were implanted in!! Retrieved, concieved, implanted, and delivered all in the same room would be the coolest story ever.
• We saw a video of C-Section. Remarkable. And of course, Todd cringed so we know he will only be on the front side of the sheet and not anywhere near the delivery area. If it's a planned C-Section I can skip all of that back pain, heavy breathing, water breaking nonsense of labor which would also be awesome. The recovery would just really suck. And with a planned c-section it takes longer for the milk to come in unforunately so that is another downside to it.
• The nurse gave some really good advice regarding some home preparations for us to consider. for example, instead of buying infant bath tubs and having to bend down to give a bath after a c-section, she said the kitchen sink works great and it will be easier on my abdomen. (Just have to get the dirty dishes washed first...) I wouldn't have even thought about the pain of that.
• For a shower, if people don't want to give a gift they can give an alternate gift of "their time" and have a sign-up to bring over dinner or offer to do a chore for us one night after the babies are born. Isn't that a clever idea?
• Bed rest before delivery is almost guaranteed (Noooo!!).
• Babies get into their "routine" after about 2-3 months. Which, of course, is convenient for Todd and not me. The plan is for me to take my 12-weeks leave to care for the babies and then Todd would take an unpaid 12-weeks afterwards to care for them so we do not have to have child care services until 5 months old. Of cousre the babies will be in a nice routine by the time I go back to work...
• Most importantly, she emphasized that a postive attitude will lead to a positive pregnancy. Multiples pregnancy can be more difficult, but that is only if you think it will be difficult.

We have been productive around the house - we emptied out the front bedroom so it is ready to be transformed into a nursery. That was a big step to figure out how everything will fit in a small room. Hopefully the space constraints will prevent us from accumulating too much crap that we don't really need. Next big step is to think about registering and what we actually need. Any advice on what is "required" to have for newborns??