"Preparing for Birth"

Tonight was the first of five Wednesday night classes at St. John's Hospital designed to prepare us for labor.

There were about fifteen couples ranging from just about half our age to our age at most. (Okay, half our age might be a slight exaggeration but you get the idea.)

Heart Surgery Update - Home in about a week

Last Tuesday Christine's dad was moved into a regular hospital room. On Saturday he was released from the hospital to a transitional care center (Minnesota Masonic Home in Bloomington). Today he learned that he will likely be able to go home next Wednesday.

Doctor's Office

Today was Christine's fourth visit to Dr. Randall. The twins are fine, with heart beats near 160 beats per minute. Christine's various aches and pains are all normal. (She did however get a prescription for the heartburn.) Her blood pressure also checked out as normal so everything seems to be on track. Her belly measures out to 28 or 29 weeks along, which is also normal for twins at 21 actual weeks.

Normal. Normal. Normal.

Normal is good!

Heart Surgery Update

Christine's dad moved from the ICU to the less intense Heart Center ICU on Sunday afternoon. By Tuesday he had done some walking and had all the tubes removed. His heart rhythm has been steady and they no longer think a pacemaker will be necessary.

Camping = Worst Night of Pregnancy

Christine had to get up at 3am on Friday morning to get to her dad's place and get him to the hospital by 5am. That, plus a day of waiting in the hospital, plus an evening of camping should have left her tired enough for a good night sleep. Instead the cold weather combined with heartburn, acid reflux, ligament pain in the belly, backache and thigh pain that an air mattress did not help all added up to "the worst night so far." She slept at home Saturday night but joined me again for Sunday breakfast at the Lake Elmo campground.

This was the weekend for our annual camping trip with friends from church. There were 22 adults and 29 children and we were on Saturday breakfast. So yes, right after the worst night ever we were cooking breakfast (with another family) for all those people.

We now have less than a year to get ready for camping with the twins!

Future Grandpa Has Heart Surgery

Christine's dad had open heart surgery this morning at Fairview Southdale. It started at 8:15am and lasted until 3:15. He had a triple bypass and the aeortic valve replaced. The surgery was considered a success but his heart rhythm is irregular and a pacemaker might be necessary.

The Cribs

When we ordered the cribs in late May we were told that they should arrive sometime in July. So, when the call came last week that they were already in, plans to get the ceiling painted, etc. went out the window. Last weekend we dismantled the (now former) guest room and this last Thursday and Friday evenings were spent assembling the cribs.