Physics & Forces

Today we broke out a kit to help learn about different forces. It was a fairly simple example of how levers work. The experiment showed how using a lever makes it easier to move an object using very little force. By having a long lever, an object that was very difficult to remove using our fingers, came out extremely easy. The second example of force we had was making and using a scale. We were able to see how objects with different weights affect the way the lever on a scale changes positions. It was fun to put different objects in our scale and guess which would be heavier.

36 Weeks

Belly button is long gone!

       I have been doing weekly NST and fluid tests at the hospital, I finally had to put my foot down about growth scans as all of a sudden the OBGYN wanted to do them every 2 weeks which was completely unnecessary given the type of twining di/di and my history. My blood pressure has stayed at a very steady normal range I have gained 26lbs now which is amazing for twins with a fundal hight of 43cm. I gained more my last pregnancy.  Last Friday baby A was head down and engaged and B was transverse again.  Baby B position  really doesn't play into anything because as soon as A is delivered often B goes for a swim and gets comfy.
Sleep hasn’t been all that great this week, I’m waking up every 90mins- 2hrs to go to the bathroom or just to turn and try to find a comfortable position. It’s getting harder and harder to walk and do daily tasks.  I have a huge desire to nest but  physically can’t do it!
The skin on my belly is so sore it feels sunburnt and looks it. Old stretch marks are flaming red, clothing hurts when it rubs.
Tuesday I was particularly sore, I was cramping all day! I tried a bath a shower then a nap but when I couldn't sleep though the  contractions I decided to go to town and relax on my mother in laws couch and be closer to the hospital.  After a few hours and nothing was picking up I decided to go home to my own bed.  I continued to cramp through the night, waking up at 4:30am still in pain but then woke up at 6am with nothing.
Pre-labor is pretty typical for me for a couple weeks before hand but with needing to be by the hospital this time I'm not as relaxed to just let things roll.
 I decided to test this time for group B strep which I had refused my last 3 babies, but at the risk of preterm labor I thought I probably should.  A week before the test I started taking 2000mg of vitamin C as this can help your body get rid of the bacteria and sure enough I tested negative. I was thrilled as I'd be pretty bummed about wiping out mine and my babies guts right from the get go.
My appetite is pretty much gone and I have to remind myself to eat, twins really rely on the mothers nutrition  at this point and tend to gain less than a singleton. 

This week was a rollercoaster for sure, I had many ups and many many downs!  I feel quite emotional needing well meaning people to leave me alone ( don't worry if your reading this it's not you)  and really wanting other people close. I'm sure it's the lack of sleep this week. My midwife has been an amazing  source of support with facebook chats when I feel like I have hit a wall and a couple phone calls. I'm sure she is one of the reasons I have made it so far.

A Little School Update

 Aside from our basics we started to go a little purler bead crazy. We recently watch Despicable Me and Pintrest has some great idea's. One day they spent 4 hours! creating things from the oldest to the youngest.
I will admit it's been difficult finding learning opportunity's when our days are staying pretty routine.
I was trying to go into our weekly ladies bible study and dropping my older three off at the public pool with a couple other home schooled kids to make sure they are getting out.

We had a surprise Thanksgiving Day when the RCMP showed up at my moms door. I guess my brother was on a surveillance video walking through  around the same time a store was robbed.  It wasn't him but the officer had to question him. The officer was very friendly and asked Chris to bring all the kids out to see his truck. I think he was bored he stayed for 45 mins talking to Chris about family size and how to afford "so many". In the end it was a neat way for Chris to share about our family. The kids (the younger ones) all got a chance to sit in the drivers seat turn on the sirens etc..

  A neighbor had got Rachael a terrarium for her birthday. As soon as she opened it she had to get started.  It's like an aquarium, but for plants instead of fish. It is made in just about any glass container. It is planted to look like a miniature garden or forest enclosed in its own little world.  own mini-climate. The container has just a small opening or sometimes even a lid to completely enclose the container. That makes a terrarium like a greenhouse. Sunlight enters through the glass and warms the air, soil and plants the same way that sunlight coming through the atmosphere warms Earth’s surface. The glass holds in some of the warmth, just as the earths atmosphere does.

34 Week Update!

  
    We made it to 34 weeks o yeah!!!!!! It feels so good to know that if they come any time after this point we are past so many major health risks! Yes of course we want them to stay longer and keep developing and keep getting bigger (but not too big, LOL).  Had a fluid test Friday afternoon which measures the fluid around babies and blood flow going through their umbilical cords. We got a new weight on them 5lbs -9ozs and 5lbs- 3ozs. Healthy little boys in there. Baby A was tucked away curled up in behind his brother playing shy while B was being quite the show off giving us this beautiful face shot.
   It’s crazy to think that there is a good chance that the twins could be here within 1-4 weeks. I’m still praying for 37-38 weeks 6-7lb babies  but I know so many mom’s of twins that have went in their 35th week. But then again I know a lot of mom’s that have made it to 38 weeks also and even 40 weeks.

This past week also marked my weekly NST's there's nothing like being up on labor and delivery NOT in pain but listening to other women. I whispered to Chris "I can't believe we are doing this again hehe"

My belly is out of control. Each day that goes by, it gets bigger and bigger and heavier.  Overall I am sleeping deeper and feeling more rested, defiantly needing to sleep in the day. Had a couple really rough nights where I would wake up around 1:00am and go have a bath and that seemed to help.

I’ve started loosely working on a birth plan! And I must say it’s much harder with twins. Still planning on a non medicated birth in a normal delivery room. I’m aware if they come sooner than 36 weeks there will be more concerns and possible NICU time.

Also working on who will be in the delivery room! If it was up to me I would have 20 of my girl friends in the room but I know that’s just not possible!!!  I also know that we have no control of when it will take place so some of my friends might not be able to make it! With each delivery, my labors have gotten faster and faster. We will just have to wait and see how it all works out!

Last weekend our friends threw us one of the most amazing showers. All diapers!!!  Zachary did the math and if we used 12 diapers a day they should last 176 days! So amazing! I was reminded that night of the support we have in our walk. Chris and I are so thankful for how many people just continually show us love .

Fall Craft Time

 

Paint a simple rectangular trunk and then some branches out from the trunk with the q-tip. Dot on leaves in different colors. (Draw a circle around the trunk in light pencil if you want a circle shape for the leaves.)

Magnetic Fields

Guest post by Dad. (Chris)

 

Presley and Rachael had their first lesson in magnetic fields.  We unpacked a kit made to teach all about how magnets work and the fields they create.

The first thing they did was learn how to be careful with the magnets as they can be quite delicate if they hit each other with force.  They each played with a couple of magnets to learn about the opposing and attracting forces of the North and South ends(poles), at this point I also explained that like a magnet the earth also has a North and South end(pole).  To show this we used the compass provided in the kit to see where the North pole of the earth was located, however when we placed the compass on the table it did not point to what I knew as true North.  We learned that this is caused by the fact that the compass was stored next magnets in the box therefore altering the compasses reading.

We were able to correct this by placing a magnet at the north point on the compass and having the needle point towards the magnet then slowly turning the magnet so the opposite end was pushing the needle away from the magnet.  This procedure actually reset the compasses ability to read true North.  Now the kids were able to find where North actually was and also learned how to find East, West and South based on where the needle pointed.  

            Our second experiment was to view the opposing forces of a magnet.  We made two groups of three magnets and placed them in the spine of a book.  I explained that if the North end faces the North end they will not want to stick together but if you flip one set of magnets so that the South end faces the North end they will stick together.  I strategically placed the same two ends together and as they pushed them towards one another one moved away from the other magnet.  They were able to identify that the ends facing each other were the same.  Rachael asked what would happen if you flipped one over.  I told her to try.  As she flipped over one set of magnets they quickly attracted to each other catching her finger in the middle to the amusement of everyone at the table.