2 plus 3 makes 5!: 31 Weeks

Wowsers! Things are really getting close now. It is amazing to think that it is possible that they may arrive as early as tomorrow (hopefully not!), or keeping in mind that I'd love to make it to 35-36 weeks. That is 4-5 weeks away! Insane. Truly it is. However, I have just 12 days left until I get to 33 weeks, the elusive date set by the pediatricians for me to give birth naturally at Nambour. It is so close I can almost touch it! I keep telling the babies that they need to stick in there a little longer, I'm hoping they listen to their mumma.

I've really been feeling super heavy at times this week. It almost feels like sometimes there is a baby's head about to pop out with all the pressure. I've blamed this on when I've been sitting on a chair too long or in the car. The only place I am completely comfortable is on my recliner, lying slightly back. Completely the wrong position to be sitting in to encourage anterior presentation, but you do what you can hey? Apart from the pressure, rolling over in bed and getting out of bed with a full bladder is really hard. The last few nights I've woken up needing to go to the loo but at the same time, having a Braxton Hicks contraction. Let me tell you, it is not ideal to be moving during one of these, nor walking to the loo, nor trying to actually wee! Very uncomfortable. Still trying to get rid of this cough. I think it will hang around until they are born and my body finally starts looking after itself again.

Seriously though, these are such little complaints, I am very blessed. The Gestational Diabetes is going pretty well, I have highs here and there, but when I do I feel completely fine and can usually pin point it to some particular food I've eaten. I have another appointment with the dietician on Tuesday so we'll see what she says. Unfortunately in the last 2 days my itchiness has come back ten fold. I have a sneaking suspicion that my levels have gone back up. The only thing I can pin point that I have done different is not drinking gallons of water in the last few days. My excuse - I lost my water bottle. Pathetic I know! I have another blood test tomorrow and will get the results on Wednesday when I see Ted again.

That brings me to another topic - appointments. I swear I am resting lots - except for all these appointments. I know they are important with it all looming so close, but it sucks! Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week at the hospital, last week it was Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (got my first 2 shots of steroids to mature the babies lungs), then this week I also have to get the capsules installed (exciting!) on Thursday, then next week Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday again at hospital and having a scan........phew! Gets me out of breath just typing it all down.

Apart from the appointments and driving Jordan and Amali to school and kindy a few times a week, that's me. That's all I do. I come home and veg out on the recliner watching the Olympics. Hopefully Foxtel keeps their coverage going for the paralympics, otherwise I'm going to get super bored in the next few weeks! I cook dinner (sometimes), pack lunches, maybe put some washing on and then in the dryer, and sit in the kids rooms and tell them what to clean up. That's my life at the moment! Which is good - keep these bubbas cooking for a bit longer.

Ailah constantly feels like she is trying to kick her way out. I don't know if they'll be able to tell, but when I do go into labour I bet it is due to her breaking Isaac's waters from jumping up and down on him! I am so glad I have Isaac on my cervix, he's nice and quiet. Dylan would be the next best choice as he doesn't move around too much, but he is the biggest so I doubt my cervix would stand up to him as good as little Isaac.

The other night I watched a home birth video of twins. It was really surreal watching the first baby come out into the world - he cried and cried and cried the whole time until his mumma started having contractions again to push out his little sister. It was like he completely knew that there was something bigger than him happening, and he was just lying there, quiet and observant, huge big eyes looking around, taking it all in. It was a beautiful thing to watch. I then was in the birthing mood so I put on my son Jordan's birth video, which was a very long labour and pushing phase. I watched his head come out and go in for so long I ended up fast forwarding! Then I watched my daughter, Amali's birth video. Such a quick labour and I probably only pushed 3-5 times and her head came straight out. They were big babies, 9lb4oz and 8lb8oz respectively, so this time is going to be a breeze. I went to bed feeling completely at ease and blissed out. And woke up the same the next morning, and this has continued. I don't think I was concerned at all about giving birth, but watching the videos made me realise how empowering it was to birth Jordan and how easy it was to birth Amali and how much I love giving birth. I'm excited!

In other news, my beautiful Nana turned 80 this week! Lots of great Aunts and distant cousins came from all over Australia to help her celebrate - most were a surprise to her which was lovely. The big celebration was Saturday night, here are a few pics.