2010

A year in review...
What a year it has been! So many words to describe what this year has meant and been for me. The year that I prayed for year after year. 2010 the year I would have my twins. My family.
Heartache for when they came early and fear for the same reason. Hope for a healthy future, or at times, a future at all. Faith that God would know what the outcome would be and Trust in His plan.
Happiness for the day that I finally had my babies home. Exhaustion for all the sleepless nights. Frustration for trying to "make it all work". Elation for those first smiles. Excitement for growth.
Pure Bliss for being able to hug and kiss them on a daily basis. Compromise within my marriage. Understanding from my husband, even during those "not so understandable" times. Support from my family. Challenges from the NICU to routines at home. Embracing my new role as mommy. Joy that my babies are here and living.
There is not enough words in the English language to describe how my heart feels when I see my children. It is truly almost as incredible as the day that I married my husband. Though this year has been a wave of emotions and a crazy roller coaster ride, I wouldn't change it for the world. We are blessed that God has been working in our lives and allowed us the privilege of being parents to Libby and Sawyer.
So tonight we ring in the New Year. We begin 2011. A year of new milestones. A first birthday to celebrate. I am so excited to see what the future holds and forever grateful that I have the opportunity to enjoy every moment that shall present itself.
So to complete 2010, instead of raising my glass, I shall tip toe into the nursery to stare at my miracles, knowing that 2010 will be a year I will never forget but looking forward to all that the new year will bring.

1st Christmas

Our Dearest Libby and Sweet Sawyer,

Today we celebrate your first Christmas. 2 years ago I couldn't even imagine sharing this holiday with children of my own. Now, today, I can hold the two of you and feel so blessed and over joyed that sometimes I think my heart is going to burst out of my chest.
You two are truly our little miracles. I could watch you sleep for hours, listen to your babbles and giggles non-stop and your smiles, oh the smiles! They make my days brighter!
Thank you for letting us be your parents. We love you to the moon and back. All our Christmas wishes have come true and they came in the form of two tiny packages!

Mommy & Daddy

Photos and update

Well we had the twins 9 month check up this week. Sawyer is a whopping 12lbs 8.8oz and Miss Libby is still my tiny at 10lbs 15oz. I told her that people have babies as big as she is. No thank you! LOL Both babies are doing really well. They are so far on track for their adjusted age. It is such a blessing to have good check ups.

I am really looking forward to Christmas. Though I know they won't remember, it just puts me in a good place to think of how far they have come and how truly blessed we are to be celebrating Christmas this year as a family of 4, together, at home. So many don't get to come home, some don't make it out of the hospital. I pray for them daily, we have been there.

On a lighter note...here are some photos! Hooray for photos!


Happy Boy

Happy Girl

The 2 Toofas!

Gotta brush those teeth!
*forming good habits-fingers crossed*

Just a plain cute Christmas photo

9 Months

Its been great having Dave's dad here with us. He really loves those babies. I have yet to get a video of him chatting with them, but Ill get it for sure! Its just adorable to see an elderly man chat with a new baby...like they have a secret connection.
We gave the babies prunes and they loved them. Libby is liking all kinds of food and actually cries when the jar is empty! Its Christmas time and so I had to take Christmas photos of course! The babies did great and I must say I got a dang good Christmas card out of it too!
Here are some photos to win, er uh, I mean, tide you over!

We like prunes!

9 months old

Merry Christmas!

HAPPY new year!

Grandpa Bob and the twins

Toofsas

Well it's happened...my little baby boy has officially sprouted two teeth on the bottom.
Two sweet little white spouted buds of teeth. Which means I still haven't found the pause button to slow down this time with my babies.
Now while I am happy to see my sweet baby growing, getting stronger and developing well...I am not sure how sweet I will think it is if (or might I say, when) he decides to "bite" while nursing.
On the up side....both babies love sweet potatoes. Libby more than Sawyer. I love trying new foods with them. For the time being right now we are using jarred foods, but in the next month or so we plan on switching over to homemade food. Yipee for new adventures!

Time

Time of innocence

Time of fondness

Time for Thankfulness (Thanksgiving 2010)

Time of joy

Time is a funny thing. It goes by so quickly whether you are young or old. Sometimes I still feel like I am 20 in my head, then other days my body feels 90.
As I watch my babies grow I know it is just a matter of time, mere seconds, before they are up and running around, a matter of minutes before they are off to school, only hours before they are married and having children of their own. Even with our being preemies and on average smaller than most 9 months old, I still wish there was a pause button.
Both Libby and Sawyer are now up on all fours. Just starting the rocking. They haven't mastered sitting on their own yet, but by golly, they will be mobile! LOL
Yet another...only a matter of time moment
The twins got to meet Dave's dad for the first time this week. Though he has other grandchildren, these two are the first with his bloodline. So it was a rather touching moment when our daughter took to him and was in awe of his presence. Again...a sweet moment in time.

Time of reflection

apples and bananas

So the twins are just now getting the taste of some solid foods.
We tried the cereal but they were less than thrilled with it and since there is no nutritional value, we decided not to start with cereal and bypass it completely.
They are still nursing for their primary source of food.
As of today they have eaten:
Pears
Applesauce
Peas
Bananas
Carrots
So far so good! No allergies or reactions. We try a new one every 3-4 days. At first Libby had to learn how to use her tongue instead of just sticking it out. But now, both love there snack meal time!

November

Okay....so lets try to stay on top of this now!! Whew!!
November...so many things to be Thankful for! Healthy babies being at the top of that list!
They had their first road trip down to LA for Thanksgiving. They did pretty well, but the last 2 hours of the ride, they were clearly done being in the car.
Libby actually started laughing out loud when I made faces at her (11/27). How wonderful to hear the giggles of your babies. It makes everything right in the world.
They got their first RSV shot on 11/9. They will continue to get these shots every 4 weeks until March. As of 11/9/10 Libby is 11lbs and Sawyer is 12lbs. Funny to think of our tiny boy, the big one now! Sawyer only has 2 more appointments with his oxygen doctor and then he is cleared! Whoot! Both babies are getting big and strong every day!
They are full of smile and giggles and rolling all over the place! They sleep in their own cribs in their room. Though Sawyer still wakes 1-2 times a night. Not sure if its because he needs to actually eat or just wants mommy. A work in progress, obviously. Libby..well she sleep like a champ! Unless of course she is woken by her brother on some occasions.
It is so fun to watch their personalities emerge. Sawyer likes attention all the time, lots of stimulation, but also loves to just have screams of joy for no reason and blow bubbles while he chats away to a toy on the floor. He is a big smiler! So happy to give them away freely to anyone who is willing to look. Libby is super mellow baby. She is content just watching her surroundings and evaluating the situation. Her smiles are saved for those special moments, when she feels it is smile worthy. She also loves to chat, but it is so soft and gentle it just makes me melt. She loves her swing and any toy that she can shake to make a noise.
We have another High Risk assessment in February to make sure they are meeting their milestones. They are now almost 9 months old, but developmentally 6 months. It is hard to believe that our babies are almost 1 year old. It has been a roller coaster of emotions but soo worth the ride!

Pictures Take 2

Happy Halloween!

Sawyer all smiles - Love that dimple!

Happy girl Libby!

Brother and Sister (10/10/10)

My babes! (9/9/10)

Home and beyond

Finally everyone is home! It's alot to take in. Yes, we were exhausted. Yes, our house was a mess. Yes, we rarely prepared a good meal, but most importantly Yes...our babies were home with us!
I can't say much eventful stuff happened in the months after the babies got home.
Lots of appointments. Sawyer had bi-weekly eye exams, which totally stunk! Libby had follow up brain scans for ventricle growth, which she was cleared until she's a year. Sawyer did have his brain bleed, but while still in the NICU they had done an MRI, so that cleared him until he is a year as well. He still had the bleed, but it was very slowly decreasing in size. Only time will tell, but in the mean time, he is our perfect boy!
At first when the babies got home we had lots of weight checks, weekly! The babies weren't necessarily gaining at a rapid weight. So we did bottle feeding with breastmilk to see what they were getting. Long story short, I was determined to nurse. 2 lactation consults later, me losing my mind and finally throwing everything out (scales, timers, charts, etc), and letting my body and my babies control ... they nurse! It took some time and LOTS of patience but they are doing well. Are they big ol' babies...Nope...but we are okay with that!
They had their first 4th of July in Colfax with my family. It was nice. They even "saw" a parade. Sawyer was on oxygen until the end of July, when he was finally strong enough to no longer require it, day or night.
In August they had their first overnight stay in Oroville (we only bring our children to the best towns! LOL) We went with my parents on their new boat. So lots of firsts, water, boat, overnight! They did really well and LOVED the water. I cant wait until next summer. Yipee for water babies!
September/October - not much went on, that I can recall. The babies are getting bigger and bigger. RSV season is coming up. This is very scary for premature babies so we will basically be on lockdown for the winter. The babies lungs will not be "fully" developed until the age of 2. So we have to take extra precautions until then. They celebrated their first Halloween as Mickey and Minnie, but weren't able to stay awake long enough to trick or treat or even greet!

Pictures

Holding my babies together for the first time (5/5/10)

Sweet Sawyer -- Shhh

Sweet Libby

Happy Easter - In her Easter Dress

Happy Easter sweet boy - We love you!

Lets Face It....

I seriously need to update the blog! Our babies are almost 9 months old and the blog is only on 1st month?!?! Let's get real...I just dont have the time that I used to. Between bouncing babies, burping, feeding, changing diapers, laundry, eating, sleeping and trying to use the bathroom somewhere in there and MAYBE catch a shower, the blog has been severely neglected. Sooo....lets do a fast track:

2nd Month (April)- Alot of the same as month #1, not quite as scary as we got used to the NICU and the terms used. Still lots of up and downs. The kids celebrated their first Easter in the NICU...yes we even had a dress for Libby and a bow as big as her head! Libby moved to nasal cannula and Sawyer finally moved down from a SiPap to CPAP to Vapotherm. Both starting using the bottle and recreational nursing. Both babies got moved into an open crib, meaning they could finally keep their own body heat!

3rd Month (May) - Babies are finally starting to fill out and look like full term babies, even if they only weigh between 4 and 5 lbs! My first Mothers Day...Libby was supposed to go home, but had a brady (breathing) episode and so the 7 day clock started again. She also stopped eating so they had to run tests, get a urine sample (which meant a catheter) , it was terrible. We did get to room in with her before that, which was a pure joy to hold our babies with no wires attached.
The babies finally got to co-bed together as well. Something we wanted from the very beginning! Libby made it home on May 16th - 1 week before her due date. Sawyer followed behind on May 23rd - 3 days before due date. Sawyer came home on 1/16 of a liter of oxygen.

1st month

So the first month of the twins lives was a bit of a blur. Lots of "rollercoaster" rides, as the NICU so loving calls it. So many terms were thrown at us, so many decisions to be made, papers to sign and tears to cry.
The first couple of days were the scariest. Babies go through what they call a "honeymoon" phase. The twins did good for the first 24 hours. Then they "realize", so to speak, that they are no longer inside of me and kind of forget how to cope. Well, basically because they aren't supposed to have to cope at this point. I had always told Dave that what would make me feel better thoughout my pregnancy was to have a translucant belly so I could watch my babies grow. I guess, in a weird sort of way, I got what I wished for. I got to watch our babies grow inside of the incubator. But it wasnt nearly as cozy as inside of me was for them.
Sawyer:
He started out what is called C-pap. A sort of contraption over their head and nose. Sadly, that form of breathing was not enough support for him. So he had to be put on a ventilator called an osicalltor. It breathes in small short breaths for him, which is easier on his very fragile lungs. He has to be sadated on this machine. Im not gonna lie, my son looks scary at this point. He is gray and boney. He also had a collasped lung, which in turn, the doctors had to put in a chest tube to help reinflate his lungs. We are also told that Sawyer has a brain bleed in his cerebellum. At one point we are actually told by his doctor that we may have to make a decision on his care. They are not sure if he will survive or what kind of life he will lead, so we are told to be prepared we may have to make a decision on keeping him alive or not. Ultimately, we know this is God's decision and not ours to make.
Sawyer has lots of issues in that first month. Lung, brain, weight, pooping, heart, blood transfusions, bilirubin levels, lots for us to take in. It took 2 days for them to get a PICC line (an IV that goes to his heart) into him. Thank you nurse Penny! He lost weight and went down to 1lb 9.9oz. at one point. He had to get blood transfusions through his little head, which was terrible to see. On 3/18 Sawyer was able to get off the osicallor and move to the regular ventilator and on 3/27 he moved to the Si-Pap. Even at 19 days old his bili levels were still high so he continues to be under the "blue" lights. He loves being on his stomach and all snuggled in. He eats tiny amounts of my breast milk, 12ml as of 4/1/10. By the end of the first month he weighed 2lbs 15oz, his heart PDA had corrected itself, his infections had past and the best part was the we got to hold him for the first time 1 day shy of his month birthday!
Libby
She started out on a easier path than her brother did. She started on a ventiltor but was able to move to the Si-pap by 3/16/10. Her brain scans turned out good. She was able to start feeding on the 15th through a syringe and feeding tube. She also had a PDA that was able to be corrected with medication. She also lost weight but not as much as her brother. On 3/17 she weighed 2lbs 4oz. Just two days after being on Si-pap she was able to move to Vapo-therm, which is just nose prongs with a bit more pressure than a regular nasal cannula. She was able to move to the nasal cannula on 3/23/10. Overall, she is a pretty mellow baby. She doesnt like to have dirty diapers and is a wiggle worm, but so sweet and gentle. Libby also had PICC lines and blood transfusions. We were finally able to dress her when her PICC lines were taken out at the end of the month. By the end of the month she weighed 3lbs 3oz and growing well. A day shy of her 1 month birthday, I was able to recretional nurse her. Basically just set her on my chest and let her explore and smell. It was great to have my baby next to me!
1 month down...

Delivery

March 9th, my 33rd birthday. We have another ultrasound today to check on the cord of baby B. They roll me down to the ultrasound room. Dave sits by my side. We watch intently. Then we see it. Those wavy lines that we see each time are now below the dreaded line they need to be above. I say..its below. The ultrasound tech tells me not to jump to conclusions. But I know my fate.
I sit in the hallway waiting for my nurse, while Dave goes and gets breakfast for us.
They wheel me back and Dave arrives with my hash browns that my mouth is already watering for!
My nurse is entering data into the computer and her phone rings.
"Seriously""Well wow, okay".
Then she looks at me. I simply say,
"It was below the line huh? Its time."
She just nods and says yes. My c-section is scheduled for 5pm. So no hash browns for me. Instead I get an IV started.
A wave of emotions come over me. I just cry and cry. Not only would they have to share a birthday with each other but now their mom too!So many thoughts,
They will be so tiny
Will they be okay
What should I be prepared for
Surgery is scary
The spinal freaks me right out
Needless to say, it was one of the longest days of my life. At around 5pm they wheeled me into the OR. Dave was left with my parents to get suited up.
I had an awesome team and even better spinal guy. He made me feel much better about it.
Though I was still nervous, my nurse Ivanka, was nice enough to let me hold her hands as much as needed!
I'm ready to go. Dave comes in all cute and suited up with camera in hand. And so it begins.
Dr. McKay and her assistant Dr. Zimmerman were fantastic.
They go it to grab baby A...this one is a feisty one.It's A Girl
Now for baby B....this one wants to stay cozy inside, but we know that they are the reason we need to get out!
It's A Boy
One of each. I couldn't stop crying! God's miracles were finally here! They were precious and tiny and total blessings!

Dave..all ready to go! And I am sure a ball of nerves as well!

Twin A: Libby Patricia
3-9-10
5:33pm
2lbs. 8oz. 14in.

Twin B: Sawyer Kelly
3-9-10
5:35pm
2lbs. 1oz. 13in.

One happy Mommy! Happy Birthday to me!

I made it 28 weeks 6 days into my pregnancy, 11 weeks before my due date

Classes.....Appts.....Hospitals

Well, long over due update, but you will soon find out why!
We took our Parents of Multiples class. VERY informative and got the tour of the NICU, labor and delivery and recovery rooms. Glad we took the class.
We also took our Newborn Care class. I swear we are the only people on the planet that don't want to know what our children's sex is. We were the only ones in each class that didn't know. Oh well. Anyway, that class was also good to take. I wish it went into more detail about diapering, swaddling, etc., but still glad we went and got some questions answered.

We had our 27 week growth scan appt on March 1st. Dave had to work that day, so I went by myself. The day that will forever change my life. The sonographer took all the normal pictures that we have always gotten. Then she also took the umbilical cord blood flow of each baby. She said they do that at the 27 week appointment. Which I later found out isn't always the case. Anyway, she spent extra time on Baby B. Then went into her little room, made some phone calls and told me that I was done. I called Dave on the way home and said something is wrong. I just had a gut feeling.

When I got home I got a call from my Dr. She said that I had an appointment the next day with a Perinatalogist (high risk pregnancy doctor). They had found that Baby B had "end diastolic cord blood flow". So the baby wasn't getting has much nutrition through the cord as needed. But they wanted to be sure so that is why the new appointment. I asked what worse case scenario was...they send you to the hospital tomorrow, give you steroids and you deliver in two days.
OMGosh!! Talk about a scary night.

The next day, March 2nd, we (Dave got the time off, thank goodness) went to the Dr's for the additional growth scan. It confirmed our worst nightmare. Baby B was indeed in trouble. I was told to go home, pack a bag and head to the hospital. I was admitted into the hospital at 6pm that night. Babies were on full time monitoring and I was on bed rest except to use the bathroom and shower. It was near impossible to move anyway, since the monitors needed to be on the babies continuously.
It was a very scary time. The Dr said she gave it 1 week maybe 2 before I would be forced to deliver via c-section. WHAT!!!! They would be so little. It really scared me to death! Especially the c-section! LOL Go figure! So there I sat, in the hospital, on monitors, worried and scared. But I had a goal...to make it to at least 30 weeks.


Me and my diggs! Room 224....accommodations: Flat screen TV with DVD player, WiFi (yeah for laptops!), my blackberry, great nurses and doctors, visitors and a very attentive husband! :)

Monitoring the babies

28 weeks 3 days
My goals!!

So Close...yet well yes ... close!

So I keep thinking I have all this time to be pregnant. Which I don't. I have under 100 days here people. And truth be told, it will be probably 3-4 weeks before that! I can't believe that next week I will be in my 3rd trimester! Where did the time go!
I have yet to paint the nursery, set up cribs, get carseats, etc. I know it will all get done...but wow time is creeping up!
I do have some aches and pains. Mainly my hips when I sit to long or especially at night while sleeping. The pressure that the twins cause while pushing me from the inside out is a surreal feeling. Uncomfortable and bizarre!
I am getting tired once again. I try to take naps in the afternoon or early evening. I need to take my 3hr glucose again, which I am terrified I will fail drastically.
I have another formal ultrasound on March 1st, which I am excited about. 28 week appointment on March 4th.
That's my update so far. :)

As promised

Here is a full frontal .. that is just how crazy I got!! We get our maternity photos this Saturday. So we will get some good ones out of that! I am stoked!


And here is the progression collage. Now, I don't think (nor feel) huge at this point. Most say "for twins I am small" which I am okay with. But other twin moms assure me that in the last trimester they gained most of their weight. Which I have only gained about 8-10 lbs so far. My OB isn't concerned since I was "fluffy" before I got pregnant. So anyway, I assume that in the next couple of weeks I will surely "pop" or just have tiny babies!

27 weeks ... Limitations

So I am 27 weeks today. I will take a picture tonight and post it and maybe even a progression photo....who knows?!?! LOL I just might get that crazy!
Anyway, you always here people say how much they hate moving. It has never really bothered me that much. I always looked at it as a fresh start...new beginnings and a time to rearrange the kitchen of course! Well........moving while pregnant .... that is a whole other ball game! It truly does stink! I am used to being able to be 1) mobile 2) lift things 3) move things ...none of which I can really do at this point if I don't want my husband, mother and father screaming at me! So its a very slow process. My house is usually unpacked and put away within a week at most .... this time...well not so much. Dave says I have to give it 1 month before I am allowed to complain. Sheesh...1 month! Truth be told its been almost 2 weeks and things are looking pretty good. The rooms need some final pick me ups and the garage, well that is another blog in and of itself! But I am actually calming down from my irate and irrational state at the beginning of the move in. I am sure Dave is happy about that. :)
There are, of course, daily limitations that I am taking in stride as well. Things that, well I, took for granted I suppose.

• Bending over
• Washing my feet and legs in the shower
• Putting on pants (which I now must sit on the bed to do)
• Folding laundry (again, sitting now)
• Sleeping ... oh the aches that come with sleeping .. I get sleep but at the cost of my hips exploding since I can only sleep on one side or the other. And me...I am a total belly sleeper...so you can just imagine.
• Sitting straight up - leaning back is much more comfortable, maybe the babies have more room that way.
• And sadly, yes, waddling to walk is much preferred at this point.
  

Tomorrow we have our Multiples class (that was rescheduled) in the morning and our Newborn care class at night. We are really excited for the tour of labor and delivery. And me...I'm excited to see Dave diaper a baby! LOL

Scare

So last Friday (Feb. 19th) I got up to use the bathroom in the morning. **TMI FYI** I wiped and there it was...my worst fear...tinged reddish/pink/brownish toilet paper. **End TMI**
I tried my best not to panic. Dave was already at work, and my parents were on the way to my place so I could drive them to the airport. So I calmly, yet quickly, called the pre-term labor nurses. They asked about cramping...nope, contractions....nope. She had me lay down for an hour, check for contractions and she would call me back. So that is exactly what I did. Nothing. Whew...
She called back, I reported my non-findings. She advised that it could have been old blood from when I was first bleeding in the pregnancy. WOW....that stuff really hangs in there!
So I was told to go on bedrest for 24 hours. I told her I had to drive my parents to the airport...I was told, drive them there, drop them off and come back home and get into bed. So that is exactly what I did. Nope...I didn't tell my parents what had just happened. They were on their way to vacation, I didn't want to spoil or worry them.
So I finally told my husband on the way home from the airport. He was at work and I didnt want to worry him either.
The rest of the day was well, spent in bed. I had no other issues and haven't seen then. I was super spoiled. Dave catered to my every need. Lucky me. I was brought a yummy lunch and a terrific dinner. He even got the wireless working so I could lay in bed and still surf the web!
So that was my scare....and I will be happy with no more of them...thank you very much!!!

Baby Names

Okay, so I have always since I was a little girl been obsessed with baby names. I had baby name books when I was naming my dolls!
After the movie Splash, I was determined to name my future daughter Madison Grace. Now of course, Madison and Grace are pretty common names and luckily I have moved on from that name choice.
Now being one of the few in my age group that are having children a bit later, lots of names are "taken" so to speak. We find names we like and then find a friend who's child has that name, or the neighbor boy, or a person I went to high school with named their child that.
So as much fun as I had picking names as a child, it is increasingly difficult when I actually have to really consider these names now.
I mean this is there name, there "label" so to speak. And yes, for those that know me, I realize they could just change their name when they are 18, just as I did. But for the first 18, what we choose is it. That name will be on school papers, on report cards, on tiny handprints made in preschool.
And for those that know me, know that I am not a common name person but I don't want something so out there that people have a hard time with it either. No D names, it just doesn't go with our last name (too many D's) and no names ending in "son", cause again, it doesn't flow right with our last name.
So we have a couple of names picked out, we toss so out and throw more in. Our goal is to go to the hospital with about 4 names for each gender and decide when we see them.
And those names are....
Well again, sorry, we aren't sharing that information either!
So...no gender and yep, you don't get to know the names we've come up with either! LOL
But, we are always up for new name suggestions ... so let's here them!

**And nice try, but Tammie and Harold are out of the running! LOL - you two would suggest those!**

I'm not complaining...but

Man oh man sakes alive .....

Do my hips every hurt!! Mainly my left hip and knee. I feel like a 95 year old sometimes. Grabbing walls to walk....it's insanity!

Now don't get me wrong, I know there are so so many other things that could be ailing me. No sleepless nights (yet), I didn't have morning sickness, smells still don't really bother me, so I know it could be worse.

So, again, I'll take it! I'm not complaining!!

New Favorite Hobby

My new favorite hobby ....

Watching our babies move around inside of me! :)
I love feeling their little kicks, which remind me of bubbles popping. I know as they grow this is going to get more intense, but I am not complaining!

It's my new favorite hobby....feeling my babies grow and move!

Now they just need to turn so they aren't laying across me and are facing the right direction. :)

Double Digits

Well I am almost 26 weeks so far. As my baby ticker shows I have 99 days to go!!! Yikes...under 100 days! Though I am sure that was true awhile back. My goal, as I have said before, is 37 weeks. So the first week in May. That is considered full term for twins, so that is what I am aiming for. Things are good so far. I do have a 25 week picture but with moving and getting computers set up, you are just going to have to wait for it.
Our parents of multiples class was re-scheduled for Feb. 25th, because the instructor was sick. So next week we have that class and our newborn care class. Should be fun!
It's still surreal to me how close this is getting. We are now moved into the home which we will bring our babies into. Weird to be considering one of the rooms a nursery, after years and years of hoping for it. I do love hanging the baby clothes in the closet and I bought our first pack of diapers the other day. I wanted to buy there first pack, even though I know it won't be the last pack I buy! LOL

6 months

Well Sheesh! I guess it is time for an update! Between packing to move and unpacking at the new place, having company and not near as much energy, time escaped me.

I am now 24 weeks (6 months) pregnant!! I can't believe it! We did have to go back for another formal u/s on 1/25, since they didn't get all the photos of the babies that they were looking for. Having the formal u/s is something I will be doing at 28 wks, 32, etc., just to keep track of their growth and development. Its a process and long appointment, but I don't mind seeing the babies!!
They did notice on one of the babies a bit of a bright spot on their heart. Scared me...but the doctor says it pretty common and usually nothing to worry about. But of course I will until that "spot" isn't there anymore! So please send some prayers! Their heartbeats that day were good, Twin A 141 and Twin B 148.

We had our 24 week appointment on 2/4 and we met with the pre-term labor nurse that day as well. Kinda weird and surreal to meet with the pre-term labor nurse. I kept thinking "Im only 24 weeks". The nurse advised that with multiple births, previous preemie babies, or incompetent uterus's, they always have the pre-term meetings. So I guess I do fall under that category! LOL She went over how to feel for contractions, which I have to do twice daily for an hour. Also, what my activity level can be, eating habits, kick counts, etc. It was alot of information, but I know it is necessary, so Ill take it! Dave, I think, thrives on the idea that now, officially on paper, we have that I can not do....well very much! No lifting over 10-15 lbs (though he says 10), no standing for long periods of time, no grocery shopping, if I do go out I have to come home and rest for 30-60 mins, no standing for long to cook, no vacuuming, only use the stairs 1 a day (good thing we are moving to a one story this week!), the list goes on. Again, some of it is scary to me...to think that these babies could come....whoa!! So I will be doing what I need to so that I can try my best to keep them inside for all that much longer! Not working does help..so I am very grateful for that. The rest of the appointment went at usual. Dr. R checked the babies, all good, my uterus is measuring 32 cm (not sure if that is equal to 32 weeks as well). I haven't gained any weight since last visit, but since I was a bit "fluffy" before hand, she isn't concerned. Guess Im just all babies! :) She, as usual, knows the sex of the babes, so teases us, but it doesn't bother us. We still don't want to know!

We have our Parents of Multiples class on Wednesday which should be exciting. We get the tour of labor and delivery and the NICU. I need to check out the labor video that is offered at the health center as well. If I get my act together, hopefully I will post about the class!

I did however go to a multiples meeting that meets every month and is mom's in the area that have twins or higher order multiples! I loved it!! Totally worth the $35 a year. You get to meet with other moms and chat. They have other get togethers throughout the month, giveaways, advise and also sales for baby things, which is great, especially since they are all multiple mommys too! I really like the idea of getting together with other women to chat and get ideas. Afterall, I may have been around kids my entire life, but I am still new to this mommy thing!

Our cribs also came in...which is like 3 weeks earlier than we expected! LOL So we are waiting to pick them up until hopefully the nursery is painted. We are discussing colors on that at the moment!

Well I think that is as much of an update as I can give at the moment. I am going to try to keep up. Keeping a record is important to us....cause I am afraid I will forget! LOL Ill leave you with a picture at 23 weeks....

Thank You

To My Husband,

Thank you. Thank you for loving me unconditionally. Thank you for calming me, when the world is spinning around. Thank you for being a strong shoulder, when I just need to cry. Thank you for being my safety when I step out of the bathtub. Thank you for asking if there is anything you can help with, even before I have to ask for the help. Thank you for taking care of me. Thank you for the children that are growing inside of me. Thank you for talking to them on a daily basis, just so they can hear their daddy's voice. Thank you for rubbing my back, in the middle of a store, because it hurts. Thank you for making me laugh, when all I wanted to do was scream. Thank you for riding this crazy emotional roller coaster of emotions, even if you don't understand. Thank you for trying to understand. Thank you for everything. Thank you for your smiles and your laughter, for your funny voices and silly dances. Because I know I don't tell you enough, Thank you.

And thank you for being there in the moment this morning, when for the first time, you, their daddy, felt the tiny precious kicks of your unborn children. Thank you for loving me and them, beyond my wildest dreams.

I love you.

Time

Hey did you notice that, according to my little side ticker to the right, I have officially pregnant been longer than I have to be pregnant? Wow less time until delivery than I think. I just thought that was so amazing. Finally less time to be pregnant than I have actually been pregnant.

*you can change the ticker options by simply clicking on the numbers below the twirling twins*

Also...don't forget to cast your vote on the genders of these precious babes. Inquiring minds want to know!

22 Weeks

Not much new to report this week. Amazing to think that the babes are the size of spaghetti squash! They are starting to feel much heavier, so that is a great sign that they are just growing and getting fatter!! I still feel the kicks, pretty consistently during the day and especially when I lay down at night. I tried to have Dave feel them the other night, they kicked 3 times, but he still wasn't able to feel them. Suppose I do have a slight advantage since I can feel them on the inside! Kinda cool, its my own secret little moments with them. I love it!
It is getting increasingly harder to bend over, especially to wash and dry my legs. Any suggestions?? I am thinking of putting a stool in the shower. Another thing that I am not used to is thick hair. Honestly, I like my thin, straight hair. I have always been able to just run a comb through it without any problems. Not lately! It turns into a rats nest! Again, suggestions? I was thinking maybe a children detangler shampoo.
We will be moving into another house mid-Feb, so I am busy trying to pack up for that. It is more difficult since I cant really "move" anything. I just pack it and it stays were its packed! I am trying to really go through things though and de-clutter. I figure we will have more than enough "stuff" when the twins get here, so less is better for now! Plus we are moving into a smaller home, but more affordable, since I will be staying at home. I actually really excited to move. Simplify things, at least while we can. Then we can really start preparing for these babies. I am looking forward to setting up the nursery!
So here is a progression picture. I know that I have grown, obviously. But I still don't think I am "that" big. I know my time will come! LOL

Bravery

Many people have said that we are so brave for not finding out the genders of our little babes. Brave, really?? I am not sure that is what I would call it.
I think rescuing someone from a burning building is much more brave than keeping baby gender a surprise.
Some say they just "needed to prepare". Which makes me kinda giggle in the first place. Last time I checked babies, whether boy or girl, need the same things. Lots of love, diapers, burp clothes, onesies, wipes, blanket and a good nose sucker!
Finding out whether you are having a boy or girl is obviously the preference of most. Just not us. We are the weird ones. I don't have the smallest (okay many teeny tiny, grain of sand) want to find out the genders. I don't feel the need or pull to have pink this, butterfly that or blue this and baseball that. I just pray for healthy babies. Which I know every parent does.
So much of this journey has not been a surprise. Actually pretty much the whole darn thing. I didn't get to "surprise" my husband with an "im pregnant" anything. We were poked, probed, put under, and everything else just to get where we are today.
So to us, our babies genders, is the nice surprise, at the end of what has been a very long tunnel. Its our moment, that we don't have to share with anyone (except the doctors who deliver). Our little secret when they are placed in our arms. Even if only for a moment, we get to be the parents who know our children and who they are, we get to know first.

**with the exception of our doctor who already knows... LOL and no you can't pay to find out, Grandma already tried that one!**

So what do you think? Is it bravery? Or just a hyped up Hallmark situation, where the consumer gets sucked into colors and themes?

Best Invention EVER!

I have decided and am shamelessly admitting that is this the Best Invention Ever!!

I don't think that I would even survive an afternoon out without my beautiful support belt! These babies are already heavy and I am just barely half way through. Oh my!

20 week formal Scan

I had my 20 week formal scan done on Tuesday, January 12th. I barely slept the night before. Awake from 4-6am, when I finally said "please Lord, let me sleep for even 45 mins". Got up at 7 to get ready. As I am getting ready, my nerves are jumping around. This is a big scan people. All the little important parts, kidneys, brains, limbs, hearts. So my nerves got the best of me and I got sick.... this was the result....

Pretty huh? Doctor says its normal in pregnancy and will go away with time. In the meantime, well it just looks plain gross to me!

Anyway, the scan went great! My mom was able to come along and see the babies as well. All limbs, kidneys, hearts, brains, bones are accounted for. They were active little things, moving all around. Twin A is in the lower part of my abdomen (head to the right, legs left, face down) and Twin B is on top (head to left, legs right, face down). Twin B did turn to face up during the scan though.

They didnt get all the pictures they wanted, because of the babies positions. So I will go back at for another one, just to get those few more. Since we are having twins I do get these formal scans at 28, 32, and so weeks, just to make sure the babies are doing well and one twin isnt triving over another.

I say that Twin A is a girl and Twin B is a boy simply because Twin A wanted to be in all the pictures! Dave still says Boy/Boy.

Here are their stats: (you can click on each photo to enlarge)

Twin A

Heartrate - 150 bpm
Measuring 20 weeks 4 days
Weight - 12 oz

Twin B

Heartrate - 157 bpm
Measuring 20 weeks
Weight - 11 oz (+/- 2oz)

Here are the twins together - As you can see Twin A, getting in the spot light!

This one is my favorite ... Twin A kicking Twin B in the head. So Classic and a great story to tell later on. I did feel bad, even though it was funny. Poor little Twin B's head was just bobbing back and forth from being "nudged". :)


As you can plainly tell Twin A is a feisty one. So feisty in fact that the tech took a whole series of spine photos for Twin B...then realized that Twin A had snuck in there and it was actually their spine that she photographed! Sneaky!!

And just to ease everyone's curious minds.....no we still didn't find out the genders of the little ones. Soon enough the world will know who they are and their names....because I can't possibly be pregnant forever...right?!?! LOL