Interlude

Thank you so much. The suggestions on the last post were terrific. I am very very grateful to you. I requested the first twenty books mentioned (more or less literally) from the library and Steve has been very accommodating in shuttling over to pick them up. I also had a friend drop off a stack of things to read and have been grabbing them out of the bag at random. I just started The Calligrapher by Edward Docx and am very pleased. His is a stately and elegant prose. With swearing.

The contractions picked up last night and this morning so they have upped my dosage a bit. Steve keeps talking hopefully about this magical appointment on Friday at which I will suddenly be released to my own recognizance (perhaps with a gentle admonishment to limit my rugby playing) but I am less sanguine. I took a shower yesterday (WOW. it was GREAT) and had about seven contractions in ten minutes (well, great except for that part).

Right now I am feeling sort of contract-y and... unpleasant in the nethers. Pressure? Baby poking cervix? Bad gunk? Normal gunk? Can't tell. I may have to call the damned doctor but I think first I will stop this, drink a hogshead of water, lie perfectly still and see if that helps.

More later. I just wanted to check in.

Comments

[Denise]

So glad the babies are OK, and so glad you checked in.

[sheilah]

Babies!! Back away from the cervix!!!

Leave your momma alone for a couple of months. You will have the next 20 years or so to drive her crazy.

[VirtualSprite]

Ah, yes.. I remember these days. Granted, I just had one in there and not two, so you have quadruple my sympathies.

I kept busy by doing online genealogy when I got sick of reading. I got my family tree back about 7 generations while I was on bedrest.

Best of luck and hope you stop contracting soon!

[SprengBlingBling]

I have been there and have true empathy for you re: the bedrest and the PTL. I was able to control mine (mostly) with the Procardia, but I also did a three-week stint on hospital bedrest with steroid shots from weeks 24-27. Did you try getting a shower seat? It really helped me to be able to sit down and shower. In fact, I kind of miss that now...

[Amy]

I'm not religious, but I'm praying very hard that the contractions will ease up and that you'll be back on your feet soon. I'm so sorry you're dealing with this added worry.

[Molly]

Thanks for updating. You are now suffering the bloggers' burden--that of having hundreds of people who are actively thinking about you and worrying and compulsively checking your blog several times a day to see how the 13's are faring.

[Molly]

Thanks for updating. You are now suffering the bloggers' burden--that of having hundreds of people who are actively thinking about you and worrying and compulsively checking your blog several times a day to see how the 13's are faring.

[wealhtheow]

Julia, thanks so much for checking in. I know I've been visiting a few times a day hoping for confirmation that everything is still okay. Hope everything continues to get better for you.

[Dara]

Hang in there, Julia and Babies!!!

[Nina]

Hi Julia - if Patrick can write actual words (I get the impression he can) - try this: have him bring you a pad of paper and a pencil. Write a word and hand him the pad and pencil. Then ask him to write a word he thinks should come next - and not show it to you. You then supply him with a word - anything that comes to mind - and have him write out that. He then adds another word, again without showing you what he has written. You do this back and forth until he thinks the "poem" is finished. It sounds nuts but it can be fun and the stuff you come up with can be very funny. You can also do it line by line instead of word by word. Again - not sure if his writing skills are sophisticated enough yet - but if they are, give this a try. Hope this helps and that you and the 13s are having a good day. I think of you all often.

[nimblesixpence]

I was over at REDBOOK and I'm popping over here for some quiet activity suggestions: write letters to people you know who live far away, have a paper airplane contest (make different kinds of planes and see which flies the furthest--Patrick would run and fetch, of course), create sculptures out of play-doh or clay.

[nate]

Thanks so much for the update. I hope you won't have actual need of that reading list--otoh, it may come in handy when you're sitting around nursing those 2 full-term babies, wondering whether you'll ever be able to get up from the glider again. Lord knows I did a *lot* of reading then. Anna Karenina, A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry, but don't read it until you're in the mood for multi-generational tragedy of the Indian Subcontinental variety).

One other possible recommendation for now--my MIL just sent me "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver, and although it's not exactly light reading, it's quite absorbing.

Hang in there, babies!

[Beth]

Thank you for taking a moment to check in. I'm so sorry you're going through this and am appealing forcefully to what ever powers there may be (animal, vegetable, celestial) that the 13s remain safely ensconced within for several weeks to come.

Take care.

[Audrey]

All right, you little stinkers, back off and settle down--Mom is not that eager to meet you yet! Chill out, relax in your personal pool, play with your sibling, and give Mom a rest (just not the bed-only kind). Besides, if you show up this early, one of you might end up being named Draco.

In all seriousness, fingers (and legs) crossed and hoping for the best for you and the 13's!

[Christiana]

Julia - thanks so much for the update. I'm sure it's a double-edged sword that so many care about you and yet it's hard to let us know what's going on. You are in my prayers and I pray that you and the 13s are safe and settled soon.

My favorite books these days are the O'Malley series by Dee Henderson. They are Christian fiction, which doesn't bother me (since I am religious), but I don't know your feelings on it, os I thought I'd warn you. They are a nice mix of mystery/romance/religious questioning.

[victoria]

Oh, thank you so much for posting! I'm so, so, so glad you're (relatively) ok and so are the babies.

[Henny Penny]

My dad has these building blocks called Anchor Stones and they seem to keep 5/6 year olds that I know quietly engaged for extended periods. I have a feeling they are expensive though because they are so sturdy and nice.

My thoughts are with you. May Friday bring an end to contractions and bedrest.

[Elizabeth]

More book suggestions:

Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

Terry Pratchett in general -- very light weight and clever. You could start with "Monstrous Regiment."

[Eliza]

Gaaaah I know just what you mean...my husband would always talk about the next OB appointment like all of the unpleasantness would be over with when the MDeity waved their magic wand festooned with antitocolytic tinsel over my belly and fixed me. And then act as though he'd been horribly mislead when the doctor would feel around, make that face they make while they grab for your tonsils, pronounce my cervix to be perfectly fine and then order me back to bed. Tell those two little jokers you're sharing your skin with to knock it off already, because the whole internet is dead set on our happy ending. Seriously.

[Geohde]

Thanks for the update.

I continue to hope like hell that things will go well for you.

J

[tgsdmom]

If you need ideas to keep Patrick occupied, I recommend Wedgits or Tangram.
Worried and hoping for the best...

[Lisa]

Hi Julia, longtime reader, sending my very best wishes and hopes your way.

Have you ever read Gabriel Garcia Marquez? Love in the Time of Cholera and One Hundred Years of Solitude are two of my favorite books. And if you want to watch a good show, not sure if you've watched "Weeds" but we just watched the first season -- really good -- and we have the second season arriving tomorrow.

[colicmommy]

Patrick Fun Time Ideas:

1) Mad Libs. You have him come up with the words, then you read him the story, or you have him read the story I guess since he can read!
2) Maybe this sounds lame, but hot and cold? In other words, you close your eyes and tell him to hide an object in the room. Then when it's hidden, you tell him where you think it is, and he does the hot/warm/cold business till you figure it out?
3) I like the idea of language videos or tapes.
4) An old sheet and washable markers. You put the sheet on the side of the bed you aren't on, and you both scribble away. Steve gets to wash the sheet. :)
5) How about you make up math word problems in your head and have him answer them? Or read them from a word problem book.
6) Lite Brite. Remember the thingy with the pegs from childhood? They still sell it. You could have him prop it on the bed and I think you both could do it with you lying on your side.
7) Dictionary Quiz. You get a children's dictionary, and you ask him what words mean. Most kids would hate this, but I'll bet Patrick is the type who would find it funny. If he doesn't know, you guys can look at the definition together. Or Spelling Quiz. Same idea, but he has to spell stuff.
8) Does he like mazes? You can get a big book of mazes and you guys can do them together or you can admire him while he does them. (my mathematically-inclined son loves to have me watch him do mazes.

Okay, I'm out of ideas for now. Sorry if some of them are lame. I'm basing them a little on my "math boy" 4.5 year old and a little on my childhood and a little on your posts about Patrick, but of course I don't really know you, so some the of the suggestions will suck for you guys. :)

Keep us updated just a little when you can...even a line or two is fine! Keeping good prayers going.

[Carolyn]

So happy to see this post and continuing to send many, many good thoughts your way. STAY PUT, LITTLE 13s!

[Jen]

Learn a whole bunch of languages online?

trymango.com -- free and it'll take a while to get through any one of them!

[Anna in IL]

Yikes, yikes, yikes! Stay put and try to stay sane. Thanks for updating us.

[Tonya]

Thank you so much for the updates. I have been checking obsessively and fervently hoping the absence was not hospital-related. Keep on baking, babies....

[Shannon]

Keeping my fingers and toes crossed all continues to go well! I have a 28-weeker who is an awesome AWESOME kid, but still, I would have preferred to go full term with her.

GOOD LUCK!

If you want a good preemie book, I'd be glad to send you my most favorite (just in case) since I am DONE after two preemies.

[Beth]

Stay reclined with that computer! This is sounding eerily like my contracty twin pregnancy. Expect no more rugby. Best thoughts with you.

[Kristen]

Have you read Rebecca West's collected letters? Great stuff, especially if you feel like dipping in and out of something. I love reading people's letters in general - it feels deliciously like eavesdropping - and hers are spectacular, as you would expect. Her book on the Nuremberg trials is also fantastic but, well, just a wee bit depressing.

Hang in there.

[Amy]

I believe my aunt, on bedrest, amused herself at times by driving a remote-controlled car around (and chasing the cat?). You'd even have Patrick to run and right the inevitable overturns/disappearances into corners (I think my aunt had to "drive" slowly and cautiously, not having a helper).

[Kate]

Bed rest sucks. I was in the hospital from 22 weeks until 33 1/2 weeks. People underestimate how much work it is being lazy! ;)

Tell those little buggers to stay put!

[Genevieve]

So glad to hear things are still relatively fine. Sorry that you're contracty with little movement -- sounds like Friday may be Steve's impossible dream. Glad to hear the terb is settling in a bit.

Low-impact Activities with Patrick (doesn't that sound like a class at the gym?):

-Play Dots and Boxes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dots_and_Boxes

-Play the geography game: one person says the name of a place (e.g. Sacramento), the next person says the name of a place beginning with the last letter of the previous place (Oxford), and so on (Denver/ Rhode Island / Delaware / Ecuador . . . ). This is what keeps our kiddo occupied in restaurants when he's done coloring on the menu but the food hasn't come yet.

-Play almost any board game, with the game board on the floor next to your bed. Patrick is responsible for moving both his pieces and yours, and informing you what space you've landed on. (This is what I do when I have back trouble or a medium-bad migraine.)

-Make fancy snowflakes. Cut them in circles instead of squares (just trace tupperware tops or mug bottoms), fold in halves then thirds, and cut. They'll be six-pointed like real ones. Easiest with thinner paper (definitely not construction paper), and with more practice, you get fancier.

-Get a basic origami book and learn along with Patrick how to make little animals, boxes, and hats. Then you can color them.

-Brainquest cards - a fun quizzing game thing. My son used to love them in the car when he was Patrick's age. They come in different ages (though for Patrick, go a year or two above what it says on the box).

-fun movies for both of you: A Little Princess (fabulously done, though they moved the location to NYC), The Secret Garden, Anne of Green Gables (the first one is great, the second one is OK, the third one is horrendous as they start making up ridiculous stuff); The Princess Bride; musicals like Singin' in the Rain, Mary Poppins, the new version of Annie choreographed by Rob Marshall, the Brandy version of Cinderella choreographed by Rob Marshall; the new version of The Parent Trap; the campy Batman movie from the 1960s, etc.

[Cindy]

When I was on bedrest, my daughter & I did MadLibs. I bet Patrick would love those, since he is so good with words! Count me as another webby friend sending "stay in" vibes to those 13s!

[Anita]

Just cross your legs until they are 2 lbs each.

I have been thinking of you without stop.

[JuliaKB]

I am afraid that Steve is not likely to get his dream magical appointment on Friday. But I do so wish and hope that the extra drugs and the extra water do their thing and nothing particularly exciting happens for a great long while more. Weeks and weeks.
I am thinking of you, if that helps any.

[Mary]

Good to hear things are settling down (at least a little bit!) Hang in there, and as one of my OB team from the first round kept admonishing me, "Think calm, relaxing thoughts. Are you thinking calm relaxing thoughts? Calm!"

That was for blood pressure, not preterm labor, but you get the drift...

[Stephanie]

I don't think I've ever been so happy to hear from a blogger before in my life.

Hang in there little family!

[lizneust]

I second the Mad Libs nomination - great giggly fun. Also Chess/Checkers/Backgammon (a magnetic set won't get upset by movement in/on the bed). In fact, almost anything designed for long car trips would work.

As for movies, we ADORE almost anything from Studio Ghibli - My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Howl's Moving Castle are especially terrific.

Stay put, 13s! Good luck and sanity, Julia!

[Alex]

I am so relieved you and the 13s are hanging in there. I hope the pattern will persist for an appropriately long time. I am not enough of an optimist to hope for, you know, rugby.

Could you and Patrick play card games together? I am guessing he would be quite capable of learning the rules of games noticeably more complex than War and Go Fish -- maybe he already has? -- and it seems like the mathematical aspect of at least some games would appeal to him.

[sadie]

Dominos? Jenga? Uno?

but we're talking Patrick so..... Risk?

Thinking of you, Julia.

Every week, every day, even every hour those precious babes stay inside you, eating and breathing through you--- is invaluable. So when time is dragging, know you're "accomplishing" a great deal.

Also--- am so glad to know you had the steroid shot for their lungs. The steroid shot is pure gold.

Anyway-- here's to hoping it was all for naught, and the 13s are just having a rockin' party for two.

[Marsha]

It's probably not too early to teach Patrick a little bit of Texas Hold 'Em. He can probably keep track of the cards totally without letting on, which will annoy you but could come in handy someday.

[Leggy]

Please babies, please stay put at least a few more weeks. Pretty please?
Julia, when you post, can you let us know how many weeks/days you are as of that posting? I know at one point you were almost 25 weeks, but have you made it to 26 yet? God I really hope you at least get to 28 weeks (and then 30, then 32, etc.).

[Jill]

Maybe try sitting down in the shower? I used a lawn chair, and it really helped. If you have a traditional tub, you might put a towel down first so you don't scratch it.

Hang in there. Every day counts.

[Ann]

A shower seat sounds like a good idea! Thank you for the update (but don't feel like you HAVE to update us...)

I hope the water and rest did the trick. Did I mention guided meditation cds? They've been shown to help with bedrest... I'm sure the medicine is making you jumpy as hell, but a little deep breathing never hurt.

Continuing to wish you and your babies the best.

[Kate]

BTW, I forgot to mention, I had a positive fetal fibronectin at 28w6d, and managed to keep him inside for almost 5 more weeks... so they're not always right- someone's gotta be the 0.0009%! =)

[Accidental Poet]

Yes thank you we kind of wanted you to check in, too.

[Accidental Poet]

Oh and I bet Patrick would LOVE the game "Set".

[King Rat]

No time to log into Redbook and leave a comment there, but I thought of an idea for the bedrest activities with Patrick. Hangman - seems like it would be right up his alley.

[Hetty_Fauxvert]

If you don't have one already, I strongly recommend a shower chair, rather than standing in the shower. Back in the day, sitting under the lovely warm water (ahhhh, cleanliness!) seemed to be easier on things than standing.

Want to second anything by Terry Pratchett, especially GOOD OMENS (w/Neil Gaiman). You will snort your socks off!

We are thinking about you and those little ones a lot out here in Blogland. Stay prone and bored!