36 weeks: We have a date!

I saw Dr. Bradford yesterday. Everything looks great with the babies. I have had itching just about on every part of my body since Tuesday. Showers and baths seem to help but of course, I'm not a fish so I can't stay in the water all day. I've drowned myself in baby oil and every kind of lotion I can find but nothing lasts long. My eyelids even itch! Because of the itching, the doc ordered a blood test to check on my liver function. Everything came back normal. The only conclusion now is either dry skin, allergies, or hormones. I guess it could be a combination of all three. It isn't pleasant at all, though. Stretch marks have spread in a week! My whole stomach is nearly covered in them and boy do they itch. Once again, nothing helps for more than five minutes. The doctor just said I'll have to deal with it until the birth. I'm going to go crazy.

Speaking of birth, we planned a cesarean date. Since 37 weeks is considered full term, we set up the cesarean for Friday, August 20th at 7:15 a.m. We have to be there at 4:15 and we can't be late. I can't eat, drink, or chew gum for at least 8 hours prior to the surgery. Urgh...that is going to be a rough morning. Maybe I'll be too nervous to notice the hunger and thirst. The doctor gave me a rundown of everything to expect. I will check in, hooked up to an IV and monitors, I'll meet the anesthesiologist and nurses, and they will go over my medical history. Then, they'll take me to the operating room and prep me for surgery. The doc will put tape over my belly to lift it up so she can make an incision in the right spot and a nurse will put a sheet below my neck to separate me from the surgery. I am allowed to have two support people there, so my mom and Kevin will both be in the room with me. Mom will be taking video and Kevin will be taking pictures. If the babies are taken out of the room, I asked Kevin to go with them. Mom will probably stay behind to support me unless the babies go to different places. There is going to be an army of medical personnel in the room! Without the actual baby team, there will be 9 people there, including me and my support people. Each baby team includes 3 medical people, so add 6 to that 9. There will be a total of 15 people in the room! Wow! It's going to be a party in there. I have to say that I am excited.

I can't wait to meet these mysterious little creatures who have been moving around in and distorting my belly for several months now. It's amazing that I haven't even met them yet and I already love them more than anything. I am a little nervous that these little tiny people are going to be ours and will rely on us for everything for a while. It's incredible to think that one week from today, our family will go from two to four! We are going to be parents in a mere 7 days. Wow!!!!!

Here are some of my last pregnancy shots at 35 weeks:

Love,
Charla, Kevin, and Babies