October Scare!

So we had a little excitment around here the last few days. The kind I quite frankly don't like. But since everything has turned out okay, I guess I can share....

On Wednesday, I picked Connor up from daycare (Lonny works from home those days) and after I got him in the car (thankfully, so he wasn't a witness) he told me he forgot his toy so I ran back in to get it. Mistake #1 - going back for the stupid thing, which should have stayed at home in the first place. Mistake #2 - running. Pregnant women with kankles and cheeks that practially flutter when I am walking so just THINK about what they are doing when I am running (and yes, I mean BOTH sets) can't be an attractive. I won't go into the dirty details, but as I was hurrying back out to the car, I tripped in the hallway and fell. Face planted. Not pretty. No one saw me, but they did hear me as my keys and the stupid toy went flying and I am not confessing to anything here, but an expletive of some sort may or may not been involved. The staff couldn't have been nicer, but I was quite shaken up and teary. You know how when that happens, you don't want any sympathy or anyone to really talk to you for fear that you might burst into tears right then and there? Well they did and I did. It was just bad. By the time I got home I was practically in hysterics and my poor little boy who already has eyes as big as saucers, was pretty much, to quote an incredibly cheesy 80's Billy Idol song whose lyrics I still don't get, "Eyes Without a Face". Poor guy.

I was so scared and so worried that I had done something to hurt the girls (I mean the ones in utero, but I was a little concerned about the girl pillows too, as they have expanded in size as of late - I laugh out loud everytime someone asks me "How are the girls?" and I say "Which ones?" I'm soooo funny). Here's the kicker.....for every weird symptom, twinge, strange hair (just kidding, sorta) swollen finger, etc. I always look it up in "THE BOOK". You know the one...."What to Expect When You're Expecting" or one called "The Pregnancy Bible" that my friend Breezy gave me and is awesome. This time, I was so busy feeling sorry for myself, I never did CONSULT THE ORACLE about what to do when you wipe out.

Later that night, much to my relief, both Cocoa and Pebbles had checked in so I felt like everything was fine. My back hurt a little, but no other signs of injury, but my wounded pride. But around 3:30 a.m. (it's always then, right?) I started having some worrisome pain in my lower abdomen. A dull pain, but like a cramping sort of feeling. Off and on. Off and on. I decided I would call my dr. in the a.m. and just check in.

Went to work, still feeling a bit uneasy (listen to your gut, I always say, that's God talking to ya...but do I do it? HA) and finally had the chance to call the nurse. She freaked on me, asking me if I went to the hospital after the fall to get monitored (?) told me I could be having contractions and to get to Labor and Delivery immediately if not sooner! So, I grabbed Lonny and off we went.

I was taken in right away and had monitors strapped to me that would listen for the babies' hearts and one to check for contractions. Pretty scary because for a while, we could only hear Pebbles' heart. When we would check for Cocoa's....nothing. Then after hearing it and feeling relieved, the nurse says that it could still be Pebbles' heart...they could be too close together to tell. It's one of those "please God please God please God" moments when the bargaining starts. You know what I mean. After a while, everyone was pretty sure we could hear both of them seperately (whew) but they wanted to do an ultrasound to be sure. I have not spent a lot of my life in those backless gowns. Man, it was COLD. They took me over to radiology in a wheelchair (another thing I have not a lot of experience in). Lonny had been right by my side until just before that when he went to get us food. (My hunter and gatherer) He found us and we started the ultrasound. Right away there was that WHOOSH of relief as she announced that both of them had heartbeats and were moving. And I could sure feel them! Everytime she pressed the wand down, they would kick at it! It was like a game. Until Cocoa appeared to try and kick Pebbles right in the face. It's always fun til someone gets hurt! (I decided not to scold her because I was so happy she was okay.). It wasn't the best of circumstances for me, I couldn't see the monitor at all times, but Lonny got to see them head to toe. And they are just fine. In fact, their kicking has gone into overdrive ever since. I think they dug all the excitement. The ultrasound was over an HOUR long. I know that sounds like so much fun but after a while, I just wanted that goop off me and some warm clothes (particuarly UNDERWEAR) back on.

At the end of the day, babies are fine (1 lb 3 oz a piece), mom is fine, dad is awesome and Connor's eyes have returned to their normal, big brown size. They still haven't figured out what was causing the pain, but it was primarily on my right side, which took the brunt of the hit, so I may have just pulled something. I am in bed until it subsides, which it already has by a lot. I go to the doctor on Wednesday, and I feel so much better.

We really are blessed to live in a day and age where technology can help us through the scary times. So can prayer. And so can a great husband, and friends who texted me so much that the staff thought it was their machines beeping instead of me. (My apologies to the staff of Alta View, but my gratitude to good friends checking in every 5 minutes - again....technology!)

All is good. But no more running!