19 Weeks

We had THE sonogram last Friday. The tech asked if we wanted to know what the genders are and we both shouted "yes!" at the same time. "Well, I'll do the first one for you," she said. "Baby A is presenting and - oop - there you have it - it's a boy." I have to admit that I said a silent prayer then that the other one would be a baby girl. I've heard that there can be a fair amount of fussing around while the tech tries to ascertain girlness on girls since she's usually looking for an absence of something. But there was no fussing here. She found our baby and announced - "It's a girl."

So we're having a boy and a girl. Both babies seem to be in good health. The boy is measuring about 20 weeks and a few days. The girl is measuring right about 18 1/2 weeks.

This sonogram marked our first meeting with the high risk specialist. The doctor we met is one of three in the practice. He was polite and explained generally how we'll be working with them along with my OB. No warm fuzzies at the practice but I get the feeling they know what they're doing.

I was disappointed when he told me that vaginal deliveries are "rare" but since he's probably not going to be delivering me - and since the majority of his patients are ones who develop complications outside of a simple twin pregnancy I didn't sweat it too much.

Right now the babies are in pretty good position. The boy is on my right side "knocking at the door" as John likes to say - head down and ready to go. The girl is behind the boy but to the left. She's farther up and it would be easier for her to flip if either of them did. While I do like the freedom planning a c-section offers, I really don't like the idea of surgery. So for now, I'm planted firmly in the "praying to give birth vaginally" camp.

As I edge closer to my due date - which admittedly is still a long way off - I'm edging closer and closer to insisting the doctor let me try to give birth without an epidural. I know it sounds crazy and it's not that I forgot the pain of birth. Believe me, I have not and will not EVER. How some people can forget it is beyond me. But all I've read leads me to believe it's the best for the babies and it's the best for me. I am open to doing "natural light" like my friend Maura did (having a little epidural.) My biggest concerns are the spinal headache, paralysis (I know it's rare but come on - when someone stabs your spinal column with a needle there's a risk), vomiting and nausea, and an increased risk of needing a c-section.

So there you have it.

In other news, Go Packers. What a nail biter Saturday's game was. Thanks to the Giants who pulled off an unexpected win against the Cowboys on Sunday giving us home field advantage for the NFC Championship. This will be the first NFC championship the Packers have hosted since the 1996 season. They won the Super Bowl that year... against the Patriots.