24 weeks, 3 days: Viability, baby (and other big news)

My friends!

Where do I start?

I think I’ll start here, with my two little beans. I added a couple of more photos to their page from my most recent scan if this does not satisfy your baby photo desire. I also added approximately a gajillion bump photos. But, anyway, here they are. Baby B reaching back to find and touch Baby A. Incredible.

These inmates are now technically considered “viable.” I am so so thankful to have made it to this point. However, it is not good enough by any means. My dad, the pediatric intensivist, jokingly (as is his style) tries to make me feel safer by saying things like, “pshhh, 24 weeks? no problem.” But a 40-50% survival rate is still very far from ideal, and my line of work makes me quite familiar with the lasting consequences of extreme prematurity. The consequence of birth at 24 weeks gestation is either death or moderate to severe neurodevelopmental disability for about 70(ish)% of babies. (You’re welcome.) So while I am thrilled that this means that I will, in all likelihood, have two children by mid-March (WHAT. SO WEIRD), I would prefer for them to keep cooking until mid to late February AT LEAST, pleaseandthankyou.

Now. Onto less morbid stuff.

Remember the envelope?

Yup. We looked at it.

We did it on a whim, while riding in the car, when we at last decided we were ready. It was evening. We had spent the afternoon on an impulsive mid-week hike. The drive home from the park was about 2 hours, and halfway back we decided it was time. We pulled off the of the highway and into a well-lit parking lot, set up the video feature on my camera, and placed it on the dash. With the dogs snoozing in the background, I pulled the envelope out of the dashboard, reached in and took out one of the folded peices of paper, and handed it to The Artsy Engineer. The video is hilarious (and so sweet), because apparently when I get nervous, I get bossy. And when AE gets nervous, he makes fun of me. It makes for good viewing. First, he opened his, and then I opened mine, and then we switched. And then we yelled. And high-fived. And cried and kissed. I believe at some point The Artsy Engineer pumped his fists and shouted WE WON!!!

My friends, Baby A is a girl. And Baby B is a boy.

And they are so beautiful.