Happy, happy, joy, joy (cue happy dance)

So us Heiningers had our high-risk OB appointment today at Cape Perinatology Services in St. Francis Medical Center.  The idea of going there was pretty nerve-wracking; just the "high-risk" part sounds so ominous.  But, praises be, it all turned out okay.  We were there primarily to check what kind of twins our little darlings are.  Turns out (info for us common folk) there are three types of ways twins can exist in the womb.  DiDi twins have their own everything; they have their own placentas and their own outer and inner membranes to grow in.  Kind of like living in a duplex, you have your own kitchen are are just basically aware of your neighbor (all fraternal twins are DiDi).  MoDi twins share a placenta and the outer membrane but have their own inner membrane space all to them selves.  This one is like having a bedroom next door to your sibling; you get your food from the same kitchen, but you get your own sleeping space.  MoMo twins share it all, placenta, membranes, everything.  They are completely together, like having to share a bedroom with your sibling and them getting all up in your stuff.  This last type is the most dangerous because of the risk of the umbilical cords getting tangled and potentially cutting off food/oxygen/blood supply to the babies.

So that's where our fears were coming from.  That and my crazy terror that one or both would be gone because I love them and I worry about everything.  But I got my fears abated there.  We got to hear lovely, thumping, exciting, most-beautiful-sound-in-the-cosmos heartbeats from both Thing 1 and Thing 2.  We even got to see them move around a bit.  It was so weird/neat to see them and know that they are inside of me, living and growing and thriving.  And as for their living arrangements, they are MoDi twins!  They share a placenta but they have their own bedrooms to grow and move around in without fear of disrupting their sibling.  We are so thankful and excited and relieved.  Because they share a placenta (calling it a kitchen makes me giggle), there is still some risk of what is called Twin-to-Twin Transfusion where blood from one baby goes into the other baby but not back out.  It can be risky but that is not something we worry about now.  The OB said he has seen two of those in five years at St. Francis which was a bit comforting.  It is something that just needs more prayer and happy thoughts and I know there is a Plan for it all.

A big thank you to everyone who sent up prayers for us about this.  I know without a doubt that our MoDi twin diagnosis was a divine gift.  Oh, the MoDi twin thing also means that the OB is pretty certain that the Heininger babies are identical!  So they really are Thing 1 and Thing 2.  I am not as upset over that as I thought I'd be.  I used to always say I never wanted identical twins but I must say the idea has grown on me and now I can't wait.  Can't wait to see how they develop into their own people and attitudes and likes and dislikes even while sharing identical genetics.  Can't wait to laugh with them as people mix them up and have to guess and watch them exploit that just for fun.

So that's all from our batcave for the time being.  I'm going to get some much needed peaceful sleep knowing that my babies are safe and healthy in their own rooms.  Oh and it must be said that I am being taught daily that Jay was really chosen for me because he is awesome.  He does so much to keep me calm and centered and is so excited about twins and is so amazing about distracting me from my worries with joy and laughter.  Tonight I am the saved citizen and he is the superhero in our house.