Pink, Pink, Pink!: 36 Weeks and 4 Days....

No baby news yet :) I'm still hanging in there although I have to admit that these past few weeks have been the most physically demanding on my body and it's getting very difficult. I've almost gained the recommended 50 lbs, so my legs, back and feet are really hurting under the added weight. My calves, ankles and feet are SO swollen. I am down to one last pair of shoes (flip-flops) that still fit. Also, who knew that carpal tunnel is something pregnant women can suddenly suffer from? In the past few weeks, I've had extremely painful and swollen fingers/knuckles. My OB told me it's a normal pregnancy symptom but that not all pregnant women experience it. Lucky me! What else? The heartburn and acid reflux are the worst I've ever had. The good news though is that I am sleeping better than I have in months. I've finally found a very comfortable spot on the couch. I lay on my left side with my back propped against the back of the couch. I have a pillow under my head, another under my belly, a body pillow between my legs to prop my top leg and another pillow under my swollen ankles. I'm sure it's quite a sight to see me finally "tucked in" each night, but I'm willing to go to the efforts in order to get some good sleep. Sleep will soon be non-existent so this is very important to me right now. I think it's fine with Chad too because now he can sleep through the night without hearing me get up every hour or two to use the bathroom and then to get re-positioned comfortably. The things we're already doing for our kids!

Perhaps the best news of all is that I'm past the 36 week mark!! The chances of a NICU visit for either baby is now greatly decreased. Odds are good that they'll be just fine and will be able to stay with us in our room rather than being in the NICU. I'm pretty proud to have carried them this far. I was so afraid I'd go into preterm labor and they'd be born too early but now we've no need to worry about that. Woohoo!!

I continue to feel a ton of movement from the babies. It's pretty amazing to watch my stomach distort and wiggle all around. I told Chad it feels like I have an octopus squirming around in there. Then he pointed out that with two babies, it IS 8 arms and legs so the octopus feeling makes sense!

Here's a 36 week shot of my baby bump:

Here are two shots of our nursery. We haven't decided what to put on the walls above their cribs. We'll probably either hang their names over each crib or I will put up some of the portraits from their newborn photo shoot. We'll see... The dark furniture was Lauren's when she was a baby. The white crib is gently used and was purchased from a friend of mine who didn't need it anymore. At first I thought I'd want the cribs to match one another and then I came to my senses. We saved more than $300 by buying the white crib. I don't think the babies will care that they don't match!