Ho Ho Ho!

No, that is not me calling out for Julie, Grrl and Danae, although you would be forgiven making that seemingly obvious assumption.

Instead it is me injecting a little festive cheer into this marvelous day of 34 weeks!!!!

Wooofuckinghooo!

34 weeks.  Who would ever have thought?  What a fantastic Christmas Eve gift.

V v happy today.  I will do my best not think about placenta failure, cord accidents, severely reduced amniotic fluid, dead babies or any other things like that.  Instead I will allow myself special treats that seldom get taken out, like imagining what they will look like.

Ho Ho Ho indeed.

Comments

[KJB]

34 weeks.... wow Tertia! Happy Holidays indeed. :-)

[Woodys Girl]

Absolutely the best Christmas gift, Tertia! I'm beyond thrilled that you've reached this milestone, and am supremely confident that you will pass it in style.

Merry Christmas, Adam and Kate! You just stay put until after the New Year, k?

Enjoy those indulgent thoughts, my friend. They will soon become a reality. ;-)

Love,
Jennifer

[Moxie]

Merry Christmas!

HBI late J!

[beck]

CONGRATULATIONS!!! I'm so excited for you. =)

[L. E.]

Congratulations!! I am so happy for you.

Just checking through all of the great suggestions for things to take to the hospital, I did not see the most important thing. (Maybe everyone is too polite to talk about poop, but I am 58 and beyond that.) Based on my experience with my first (1970, vag delivery, girl) when I almost popped my eyeballs out of my head trying to have my first bowel movement, I learned a lesson. Sixteen years later when I had my second girl (back labor, C-section) as soon as I could eat solid food I cracked open my box of prunes! Made such a difference.

By the way, you, and a few others, (Julia, Getupgrrl, Julie), I check on you everyday, pray for you and your families. Thank you, and Bless you. le

[beaver girl]

Enjoy it, sweetie!

[Debe]

Ho ho ho indeed! Wonderful 34 weeks
HBIJ!

[karyn b]

Fantastic Tertia! Go cervix go!

I can't even describe how happy I am for you and dh.

Merry Christmas and here's to two beautiful babies in 2005.

[PKD]

Regarding L.E.'s comment, I agree. But I suggest oatmeal. The older you get the more you appreciate it.

[wishIknew]

Ho Ho Ho Indeed!
Great to read the good news!
Great to see you celebrating!
Have a very Merry (or do you say Happy) Christmas!

'wishIknew'

P.S. The nursery looks great too! Wow - I have NOTHING done compared to you and I'm only 5 weeks behind. (haven't had a shower yet, haven't painted room yet, funiture ordered but won't be in until close to due date if not after....)

[Abby]

Happy Christmas Eve! But remind Adam and Kate that 2005 is supposed to be a great year to be be born!
I'm so glad for all of you!

[Rhonda]

34 weeks! What a wonderful milestone! Your wait is almost over!

[Boulder]

Yay! WoooFuckingHooo indeed!

PS - Dear Santa, thank you for making our Christmas wish for Tertia come true.

xoxo The Internet

[Angie]

You're in the home stretch now! Way to go!!! If born now the babies would do GREAT! I'm so excited for you! Some may think I'm crazy but I actually miss the days my twins were newborns. I loved getting to know them and memorizing every little line and wrinkle they had. It was so neat how quickly I could know who was crying just by hearing them cry.

My Doctor told me he would be happy if I made it to 34 weeks when I was pg and that the babies would do fine at that point. When I hit 35 weeks he said that he would not bother stopping labor if it happened. At 36 weeks my twins were born screaming and breathing perfectly and came home from the hospital when I did.
I belong to a large Parenting Multiples support group and I know of a couple of twin Mom's who's babies were born at 34 weeks and came home when they did and SEVERAL who's were born at 35 weeks and came home when they did. At this point Kate and Adam are going to be fine! Now it's just a matter of them growing a little more and gaining some more weight before they make their grand appearance.

In regards to your hospital bag, I can tell you a couple of things that I was glad I brought.

My own pillows...our hospital was stingy with pillows. Snacks and drinks for Dh to have in the room and plenty of change for the vending machines. Calling card for calling long distance relatives.
My own sanitary supplies. The ones with wings. Those were so much better than the hospital ones. I did like the underwear they provided me with. They were made out of stretchy netting and so much more comfortable than my own underwear on my C-section incision. I wore the hospital gown for the first day and then my own nursing nightgown the days after that while I was still in hospital.
Baby nail clippers. In America the nurses do not cut the babies nails. And babies are often born with long razer sharp nails and seem to scratch themselves in the face. You could bring little mittens for them to wear also.
And I didn't need my breast pump at the hospital. They provided me with that to use while I was there. I'm sure things might be done differenty in SA than they are in the US so please disregard anything I might have said that doesn't apply to you.
They also provided me with everything the babies needed while we were there. Including blankets, clothing, diapers, wipes, and pacifiers. One thing we had trouble with is that they gave me newborn size diapers and they kept leaking everywhere. My twins were born at 36 weeks (due to my Preeclampsia) and weighed 5 and 6 pounds (not sure how to convert that for you) but needed preemie size diapers. Luckily we had some at home and Dh had to go out shopping to get more. We used them for the first month. They also wore preemie size clothing for the first month as well.
Your nursery is beautiful and I loved seeing the pics of all of your baby things. I hope you will share photos of the babies once they are here. It won't be long!
Congratulations Tertia! Being a Mom to twins is such a wonderful thing.

[Jaine]

Ho, ho, ho, INDEEDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

p.s. wonderful post about Marko...recognition so duly warranted...when the time is right, of course!

I can(not -- until it's absolutely right) wait to see Kate & Adam!

[Mollie]

Merry Christmas and glad you got the perfect gift. My gift to you is that I won't call you asshole... today.

Instead, I'll just say that it's been a long haul, not just for you but for all of us sappy naffs out here who really, truly care so much about you and your uterine cargo. Your babies have an enormous cheering section and the crowd is going to go wild when those two make the scene.

xoxo

[Jess]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Have a fantastic Christmas!

[B. Mare]

That is GREAT, Tertia. I am so so pleased for you.

A very happy holidays to you and your family.

[Lis]

Hooray! HBIJ!

[Lioness]

Dahling, YOU HAVE ARRIVED!!! I'm so happpy i will not call you an asshole, almost! Bloody brilliant, this is!!! YEY!!! Merry Christmas Tertia, have a lovely one!

[LauraN]

YIPPIE! I knew it, I knew it! So happy for you!

Socks and slippers, your pillow (you will need it to support your belly when you get in and out of the car since you will have a c-section), a robe (sp?) to cover the hospital gown, toiletries and even make-up, lots of pads as I was told that the hospital ones were horrible, a comfy outfit with lots of room for my jelly belly to go home, nursing bras, nursing pads, nursing book. Coming home outfits for babies, pacifiers, diapers, burping rags. Camera WITH film, videocamera WITH charged batteries, phonebook to call friends etc. Regarding BM's, what worked for the constipation following my laparotomy was flax seeds soaked in warm water (not sure they are indicated when nursing).

You are so close to holding your precious babies. I can't wait to read it all.

LauraN

[LauraN]

Since I am currently in Venice I want to wish you TANTI AUGURI DI BUON NATALE! A very happy Christmas indeed.

LauraN

[LEB]

Brilliant indeed! I'm so glad you're allowing yourself a happy day :) It is not fair that you haven't been able to up until now.

Have a very merry Christmas (just imagine what next Christmas will be like!!!).

34 weeks so fucking fantastic!

[Toni]

CONGRATS!!! Would it jinx it if I said Adam and Kate are coming in 2005??? Did you ever think THAT???

Time to change the name of the blog from So Close to So Happy.

[Shelli]

Merry Christmas from Australais to the 4 of u :)

[Shelli]

erm Australia also hehehehe *puts vodka away*

[Faerie]

Oh how wonderful!!!! What a wonderful Christmas present indeed!!! I am so excited to see the birth of your twins, who knew one could ever fall in love w/ someone's in-utero twins, halfway across the world, who they will never meet!!! Congratulations and you are doing a FANTASTIC job!!!

[blackbird]

Merry Happy.

[eM]

Imagine this time next year - oh my ! x

[Kinneret]

It's good to see you so deservedly happy! The best of the season to you and a wonderful New Year! I can't wait to see pics of you and those beautiful babies.

[Julie]

THIRTY!

FUCKING!

FOUR!

[Sarah]

ROCK ON, GIRL!!!

THIRTY FOUR WEEKS! This is amazing, wonderous, beautiful, just like YOU.

Merry Christmas to you and your family, T. It is truly a miracle to read your excitement and happiness.

HBIJ!!!!

[Moxie]

PKD is right about the oatmeal, so bring a bunch of oatmeal cookies along with you. Oatmeal also, for reasons unknown, increases milk supply.

[Amber]

YOU made it to 34 weeks, yet some how it feels like a Christmas present for ME. I am so giddy!

[Lily]

You're gonna have two ba-bies! You're gonna have two ba-bies! na na na na naah na

Don't forget the gripe water, and granola, and gummy bears, and all sorts of things that begin with G.

Just have two healthy babies, I don't care if you're buck naked and unshowered and starving!!! (well, that's kinda mean, but you know) Babies, babies babies!!!

[Danae]

34 Weeks!
YAY, TERTIA!!

[Summer]

Go Tertia! Go Tertia! Go Tertia!

What a happy Christmas.

[terri c]

Thirty-four is a beautiful number. Oh happiness!

[karenw]

Tertia -

You don't know me but I have posted on IVCF for over 2 years so I am familiar with your story. I now "stalk" you on your blog to keep up with your pregnancy. You make me laugh so hard sometimes that my face hurts!
I just wanted to say that I am so happy for you and your husband! How incredibally wonderful it is that you are almost there!
You deserve all the happiness in the world!

Merry Christmas,
Karen W

[Laura]

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

[Rebekah]

Merry Christmas Eve, Tertia!! You have given us ALL a wonderful Christmas gift ... you are happy and healthy, Kate and Adam are doing SOOO well and January is just around the corner. Unbelievable! I think you're going to beat my 35 weeks! =)

God bless you and your lovely family today and the rest of this Holiday season.

XOXO

[JuliaKB]

So awesome! Thrilled for you!
The best thing I heard all day.
Rock on.

[susan]

Wow. I'm on vacation right now but I just had to log on to see how you and the kids were doing. Very well done, Tertia. Keep up the good baking....Merry Christmas indeed!

[Julia S]

Merry Christmas Tertia, I adore you.

[j]

Merry Merry Christmas, Tertia. Nothing could be better than to have everything going right on such a special day. What a magical (and probably uncomfortable) Christmas you will have. It must be hard to even believe that you are still pregnant on Christmas Eve after all you have been through. I got a chill reading your post. Four years ago on Christmas Eve, I found out that my low beta, after my third IVF, had doubled. I remember how my hands shook as the nurse read me the number, and how shocked I was. I knew I was still in the those deep dark woods, but it was the best news I could have gotten. I'll never forget driving to my in-laws, singing Christmas carols, and daring to imagine that maybe the next Christmas, we might have a baby in the car with us. Last year, I was in the hospital, getting steroid shots for my girls' lungs, on Christmas Eve. I was sooo sad to be away from my son on Christmas Eve, and went home Christmas day, only to end up back in the hospital the next day. They were born on December 30. What a holiday season that was! But here we are this year, and they are crawling around in their Christmas dresses, and they just emptied every single DVD and videotape off my shelf, and I couldn't care less. Have a wonderful Christmas, and dare to imagine what they will look like next Christmas, in their adorable little Christmas togs.

[Sheridan]

Woofuckinghoo indeed! Absolutely thrilled for you, from another who has held her breath the whole way through your journey.

I'm about three hours off Xmas Day in SA, but it's Xmas morning in Australia, and I'm up early with excitement. Funnily enough, you're the first person I wanted to wish a very merry Xmas - you deserve this more than anyone I know.

HBIJ - a great (late!!) present for all of us.

Best wishes to you, Marko and Adam and Kate.

[JenL]

"Yay" doesn't begin to cover it.

Happy? Understatement of the century.

I hope you truly relax and celebrate such a wonderful milestone. Step on outta those woods and take a long inspiring gaze at the new landscape...no need to go barreling out into it *just yet*...just soak it up!

Adam and Kate? They are gonna be beautiful...little internet superstars who deserve every fan they have.

[Mia C.]

NOw we just need to know, what would your cervix like for Christmas? After all, it has been nice, not naughty, and it's working hard in there.
My suggestion would be chocolate. Sure, it can't have it directly, but you could sort of toast it.
"One piece for me, and one piece for someone I just can't thank enough, who if not for it, I would not be sitting here today at 34 wks. Ladies and gentleman, raise a piece of chocolate to my wonderful cervix!"
And yeah, I know what you were thinking...Toast it? But it's already fairly warm in there...

[Stacey]

WOO FUCKING HOO!!

Merry Christmas Tertia, this is awesome. :)

[Minna]

Merry Christmas indeed!

Excellent job! Way to go mommy & Adam and Kate!

Hyvää Joulua!

[Jan]

Frabjous day, Merry Christmas!
I cried a little over the clothesline photos -- in fact a luxury. My mom used to hang out our laundry; there's nothing like the smell of that. But the air is so polluted here now....

[Lese]

Just a little side note about your supplies for your twins.
I have a 8-week old boy and he only likes the pacifier from the hospital. Who would think the little bugger would have a preference? Some babies like silicone (nice and smooth) and some like rubber (more like mum's nippie)
Here is a website for it-they come in preemie sizes too, just in case.
www.childmed.com
Merry Xmas!!!!!!!!

[tess]

i would have thought it. and have, from the beginning. it is wonderful to witness a miracle.

[Kathy]

Crawling out from under lurker's rock again to do the...

HAPPY DANCE! HAPPY DANCE!

Still cheering for you here in Arizona!
Go, cervix, Go!

Teary, jubuliant hugs,
Kathy