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

21 weeks

Okay so I am way behind on updates! So I will take the next few days to catch up! This should be fun!

So I am 21 weeks now and many people have said...."WOW" you look great for carrying twins!
While I do take this as a compliment, I also wonder.....Are they just being nice?

You tell me!




Not much has changed. I feel good. I do take occasional naps when I get the chance. Baby flutters are much more frequent and I have even started to actually feel the little kicks....yes both on my right and left side! Which I love every little one...but get back to me when I am 36 weeks! :) I had bouts of heartburn, which is no fun, but nothing that I cant bare, more annoying than anything. My back is starting to hurt, but nothing that is too bad, since I know it likely will get worse.
All in all I can't really complain much about that pregnancy. Besides the bleeding in the beginning, I haven't had any complications. Knock on wood it stays that way. I think that staying home and resting lots will help for sure!

Not such fun things

Here are just a few things that are, even though, a blessing.....still are a bit annoying!

• Heartburn as soon as you lay down...man that hurts!
• Stiffness....in my hips and lower back. Sometimes I walk like I am 105 years old!
• Lower abdomen pressure....like a brick is sitting down there!
• Not being able to sleep on my stomach!
• Arms falling asleep at night and having to "flip" ever so gently so you can re-gain blood flow
• The "not so much relief" pee (ya know...you feel like you HAVE to go and only get 3 tiny drops!)
• Being hungry even though you just ate 30 minutes ago
• 100 degree baths....well they just plain bite!
• My nails not growing into beautiful, long nails that everyone is envious of (even with mass quantities of folic acid!)

Truth be told, I can not complain much. This pregnancy has been beautiful. And I am truly grateful for it! These little annoying things I can get over ..... as Dave says "Its the end result that matters!" Thank goodness he is around to remind me!

Half Way!!

20 weeks! Wow...half way. Seems like I was just finding out a week ago!

Dr. appt went very well today. We just love love our OB. She is fantastic! Truth be told, I was very nervous about our appointment today. Having not seen the babies for a month, which is the longest time we have gone without seeing them, it worried me a bit. My worst fears, of course, kept replaying in my head. We had tons of questions, which our Dr is so great, as she sits there and lets us ask everything and doesn't rush us.

We did get our 12/16 week genetic testing results back. All negative!!! WHOO! Babies look good.
And of course, since our babies are in God's hands, He is keeping them safe and telling them lots of stories!

So our ultrasound was beautiful, as usual!! Babies were dancing all around. I did ask about not feeling them kick yet. She said the placentas are anterior (which means in front of my stomach) so it may take a bit longer to feel them. She said likely in the next 3-4 weeks, so not to worry. I do feel movements, like a balling rolling around in me. So I know they are in there, moving around.

Heartbeats were in the mid 150s. Though since they were so active, she said that could be why they have high heartbeats too. Also that both babies are transverse (laying across my stomach) with both heads on my left side.

I felt like I wasn't gaining enough weight, but since the babies are doing fine, she isn't concerned. She did measure my belly, which I still don't see as being a "pregnant" belly just yet. But apparently I am wrong, since I am measuring at 28 weeks!! Whew....but it is normal for twins. Which explains why my back is hurting, since I am "further along" than what I really am. She said look into the support belt, because they are worth it!

Now, yes, Dr. R could tell what the babies are. Apparently our babies are not shy and were ready to show all their glory! But she knows that we don't want to know, so she kept the big "secret" to herself. She asked us about names and even took time to chat with us after the ultrasound. Like I said, she is great! Unfortunately, we only got 1 picture of Twin A, since we didn't want anatomy shots of the babies. You can all hate me later!

Now to take out that anger....cast your vote (on the right side of this page) and let me know what YOU think we are having.
Dave says Boy/Boy....I say Boy/Girl.
Enjoy!

Twin A....face up...scary skeleton face...but we love it all the same!

We have our formal scan next Tuesday. Hopefully we will get some really good pictures!! And, no I don't mean anatomy shots! :)