30 Weeks - Update on Me!

I cannot believe how fast this is all flying by. I swear, it is going faster and faster. I remember it going SO SLOW around 20 weeks, and it took forever to get out of the first trimester, then to 24 weeks. But, now, everything seems to be moving on cyber speed.

Not a whole lot to update on this week. We got our maternity pictures back (which you may have seen already). We also had a beyond excellent ultrasound appointment. I am just so amazed and so blessed to be doing so well. However, all is not all roses. I am still severely anemic. I just don't understand this at all. I have added more nutrition bars in my diet, which have at least 35% of your day's iron in them. I eat Total cereal every morning and as a snack, which has 100% of your day's iron. I eat alot of protein. I take two iron supplements a day as well. My doctor says that the babies are fine though. Basically, they are taking it all and leaving none for me. Those rascals. At least I haven't had any of those weird iron deficiency cravings while pregnant, such as dirt, laundry soap, starch, hair, matches, etc. This is all true by the way. The condition is called Pica. So, see? It could be worse.

Its Thanksgiving this week - YEA!! That means I get to have two huge meals. And if you count the Thanksgiving potluck at work last week, thats three. Woohoo!! Me likey Thanksgiving food. Speaking of work, I have been off all week, which has been wonderful. Its nice to be able to do the couch thing and rest a while.

Our next step in all this is to find us a pediatrician. We are going to start looking at them next week. We have had lots of great recommendations, so hopefully it won't be too hard.

How far along? 30 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: +32 pounds. Yes, this is still really good, and its obviously good for the babies b/c they weigh so much, but to go past the 30 pound mark is a little scary. Even scarier is that it is all still in my belly. I'm 5'1"!!! How am not tipping forward at this point?
Maternity clothes? No more have I bought. I think I am done. Hopefully I won't grow out of anything though. And if so, oh well.
Best moment this week: Having a GREAT appointment. I am so, so excited they are weighing so much. They have put on a pound each in less than three weeks. (well he has, she almost has put on a pound, but still very good). The more they weigh, the better!!
Movement: Still moving like crazy. I literally lose my breath when they flip or move around. They are so tight in there it makes my breath stop. They are now like train tracks, both head down (diagonally though) with their feet up on my left side.
Waist Diameter: 43 inches
Food cravings: Just lots of chicken. I have decided that I actually am wanting chicken more than any other meat. Not necessarily steak or beef or fish, just usually chicken.
Gender: Baby Stribs are a boy and girl. No extra parts.
Labor Signs: No, thank God. Everything is still closed up nice and tight.
Belly Button in or out? We are still in outie-ville.
What I miss: I can't believe I'm saying this, but I really miss working out. I was reading a magazine the other day and there was a Reebok advertisement. The girl was working out and had really toned legs and some cute new tennies. I miss that.
What I am looking forward to: Delivery! We have a date! Hopefully I'll make it that far - January 8th!
Milestones: 32 weeks is our next milestone. If we make it to 32 weeks, they should be fine! (in the NICU for a while, but still fine. Lots of twins are born at 32 weeks)
Realization of the week: We are getting closer and closer. This is SO COOL!!!!!!!

30 Weeks - Head of a Cabbage

These are late - sorry!! I am actually 29 weeks, but I like being on a every 2 week update schedule, so there are from last week that I forgot to post.

How your baby's growing: Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). (Baby Girl weighs 3lb, 1oz, and Baby Boy weight 3lb, 8oz) A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

How your life's changing: You may be feeling a little tired these days, especially if you're having trouble sleeping. You might also feel clumsier than normal, which is perfectly understandable. Not only are you heavier, but the concentration of weight in your pregnant belly causes a shift in your center of gravity. Plus, thanks to hormonal changes, your ligaments are more lax, so your joints are looser, which may also contribute to your balance being a bit off. Also, this relaxation of your ligaments can actually cause your feet to spread permanently, so you may have to invest in some new shoes in a bigger size.

Remember those mood swings you had earlier in pregnancy? The combination of uncomfortable symptoms and hormonal changes can result in a return of those emotional ups and downs. It's normal to worry about what your labor will be like or whether you'll be a good parent. But if you can't shake the blues or feel increasingly irritable or agitated, talk to your doctor or midwife. You may be among the 1 in 10 expectant women who battle depression during pregnancy. Also let your caregiver know if you're frequently nervous or anxious.

Maternity Photos!!!

Here they are!! Maternity Photos are here! I really like them. They are so sweet. I only wish I had worn my hair straight, but oh well. Otherwise, they are fabulous. Again, they were done by the fabulous Josh Harris out of Hendersonville. So excited about how they turned out! Hope you like them. The quality isn't the greatest, b/c I converted them to a slideshow, but you get the idea.

30 Week Ultrasound appointment

Well, I guess we are now considered on the fast track. It has been about 2.5 weeks since our last appointment, and now we are at the "go every week" point, which is crazy scary. That means soon we will be having babies!!

The appointment went GREAT. I am amazed at how good I am doing. I never in a million years thought I would do so well. And as it turns out, my crazy large ovaries are actually a GOOD thing! Because my left ovary is really big and low down on my abdomen, it is actually pushing my cervix closed. How cool is that? (For those who don't know, when your cervix starts getting thin, short, or open, thats when the bad things happen: pre-term labor, early delivery, etc, especially with twins. Gravity is against you there, and two babies put alot of weight on it, causing it to possibly open).

The babies are doing wonderful. Baby Boy has sped ahead. He weighs 3lb, 8oz. He is measuring very well ahead of where he should be. Baby Girl is doing great too, she is right on target measuring 3lb, 1oz. She kept yawning during the ultrasound, which was beyond cute. Our tech pointed out her fuzz around her head, which was hair! She also said that she thought they didn't look alike, which I was pretty excited about. Not that I don't want them to look alike, but I also want them to not look like mirror images of each other. They are now parllell to each other, kind of diagnol. Both are head down, but Baby Girl is stacked right on top on Baby Boy.

Oh, and the BIG news - we have a delivery date!! Now, I know that this, of course, may not happen. After all, the babies will come whenever they want to. Buuutttt, since my doctor thinks we'll go full-term (for twins anyway) she wanted to go ahead and set and date and book the operating room for our c-section. So, here we go!!! It will be:

Friday, January 8th at 8:00 am

How exciting is that??? Its honestly unbelieveable. It seems like tomorrow. Whew...

Our next appointment is next Wednesday, and we will go every week thereafter until delivery!

Pics are below :)

Emergency! Emergency!

THE FIRST SIGNS OF STRETCH MARKS HAVE APPEARED!! AAAACK!!!!

Thats all.

28 Weeks- Update on Me!!

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We are officially in the 3rd Trimester!!! Can you even believe it???? I can't!! Hell, I still can't believe I am actually pregnant, that there are actual babies in here, and that there will actually be babies in my arms in less that two months!! I am still just Alice in Wonderland - in a make-believe fantasy world. After all of the trying to conceive, heartbreak, months and months of wishing and hoping, we are really in a semi-safe zone. (Of course I am still freaking out - I haven't yet opened #2 of things we are getting at baby showers, just in case something happens - I know - I am insane, right??? I really need to relax)

Birthing classes are going very well. Well...if you ask ME, they are going really well. If you ask Jake, well, thats a different story. He's not as gung ho as thinking they are worth the $100. If you ask him, he says he can give me a massage at home for free. LOL - they make the boys give massages to us at the end of each class, ya know, learning how to be a "support person" and all. (but the thing is, he is forced to give me a massage too, and its wonderful!!)

Names....oh, to find a name for these little munchkins. We are still no closer to naming them. I know we still have time, but we just can't decide. Every week we like something different. So, we promise we will tell you when we've decided! You guys have voted on Jackson and Julia on the separate names poll, and Jacob and Jillian on the twins poll. So, you all are obviously no closer than we are.

We, so far, have had three FABULOUS showers. I honestly could not have asked for more special showers. They were all so special in their own separate ways. I will talk about them later in separate posts. But I am so excited!! We have received so many beautiful and useful things. We only have to buy a few things here and there ourselves, which is such a blessing. I never in a million years would have believed it. We have one more left, which Jake's work is throwing for us.

Nursery is looking beautiful, if I do say so for myself. I will post updated pictures soon, but I want to get a couple of more things done first. I just am in love with it. So classy and beautiful. It is exactly how I wished it would be.

The maternity photos are done!! I haven't seen all of them yet, as I don't have the CD of images yet, but I was able to get a sampling. I will post them all once I get them, but here are a couple....

How far along? 28 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: +28 pounds. Still under where I need to be, and I honestly am eating like a cow. I think I probably don't need to worry too much though b/c apparently I will gain about 11 pounds this trimester. Yikes.
Maternity clothes? I haven't bought anything in two weeks - yippee! And probably won't buy any more. My showers are basically done, as are the maternity photos, so no more pictures! LOL
Best moment this week: Wow, this question is hard this week. We had a great u/s doctors appointment - my doctor said I was the "model twin patient". Everything is just going perfectly, which is amazing. She also warned me that anything can change in a day, BTU I'm still happy. The three showers are done, and they were all perfect - I couldn't ask for better friends and family.
Movement: They are still moving around like crazy! The girl is still diagonal, but now she has flipped completely backwards. Her head is now on my right side, and her feet on my left. The boy is now diagonal as well, with his head on my lower right, curved around my belly button up with his feet more to my left. Absolutely crazy how they have moved so much in two meets!
Waist Diameter: 42.5 inches. I don't understand this at all. I feel HUGE. And I am! I am currently measuring 37 weeks (for single pregnancy). So, I am growing, growing. Just not out, which I don't understand. I really expected this one to be much larger.
Food cravings: Mmmmmm...chicken biscuits. Mmmm....baby shower cake...Mmmm, anything spicy or chocolate....
Gender: Baby Stribs are a boy and girl. No extra parts.
Labor Signs: No, thank God. Everything is still closed up nice and tight.
Belly Button in or out? We are still in outie-ville.
What I miss: I am now so achy when I wake up in the morning, after I do things in the nursery, after I do laundry or any housework, or after working a long day (Oh heck, let's face it I feel like a 90 year old woman now). Everything is achy. My hips, legs, shoulders, etc. You name it.
What I am looking forward to: Getting the nursery 100% completed. And at our next doctors appt, we get to do another growth scan - woohoo!
Milestones: Is there a better milestone that to be in the third trimester now??? I think NOT!
Realization of the week: I cannot do everything I used to do, and I need to be ok with that. Now is the most important time to take it easy. I need these babies to stay in there as long as they can!!

28 Weeks - a Chinese Cabbage

These are late - sorry!! I am actually 29 weeks, but I like being on a every 2 week update schedule, so there are from last week that I forgot to post.

Literally.....huh? A chinese cabbage? These are just getting silly. However, they usually feel like cabbages in there.

Baby Stribs - 28 Weeks

How your baby's growing: By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. (Mine weighed over 2 pounds at my 26 weeks appointment- so we must be way ahead of schedule)She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

How your life's changing: You're in the home stretch! The third and final trimester starts this week. If you're like most women, you'll gain about 11 pounds this trimester. (Oh Great!!!)

At this point, you'll likely visit your doctor or midwife every two weeks. (Already have been for a while now) Then, at 36 weeks, you'll switch to weekly visits. (Oh I can already have the babies by this point) Depending on your risk factors, your practitioner may recommend repeating blood tests for HIV and syphilis now, as well as doing cultures for chlamydia and gonorrhea, to be certain of your status before delivery. (Already done, and passed - Whew!, LOL - just kidding mom) Also, if your glucose screening test result was high and you haven't yet had follow-up testing, you'll soon be given the 3-hour glucose tolerance test. And if the blood work done at your first prenatal visit showed that you're Rh negative, you'll get an injection of Rh immunoglobulin to prevent your body from developing antibodies that could attack your baby's blood. (Mine is, so I have already has two shots throughout this pregnancy so far - yea...)

Around this time, some women feel an unpleasant "creepy-crawly" sensation in their lower legs and an irresistible urge to move them while trying to relax or sleep. (Well, I haven't "relaxed" or slept well thsi entire pregnancy, so hmmmmm) If this sensation is at least temporarily relieved when you move, you may have what's known as restless legs syndrome (RLS). No one knows for sure what causes RLS, but it's relatively common among expectant mothers. Try stretching or massaging your legs, and cut down on caffeine, which can make the symptoms worse. Ask your caregiver if you should try iron supplements, which can sometimes relieve RLS.

Birthing Class #2 (a little late)

Sorry for the late post. Our second birthing class was last Wednesday, and our third is tomorrow, which reminded me to update on class #2. Ooops!! Pregnant Brain - what do you expect??

We were a little tardy to class number 2 by about 15 minutes and I felt really bad..but we had to eat!! And by the time we got there I had to go to the bathroom soooo bad, but decided to wait b/c I felt like we were in trouble when we got there. The good news was is that there were mini pumpkin cheesecakes there as snacks, and they were quite yummy!

The class over all was, I think, good?? This class was all about labor, which hopefully, won't pertain to me as I am expecting a c-section, but thats beside the point. We got to watch multiple women go through a natural childbirth and through all stages of labor (NATURALLY!!!) I know there are probably a few of you out there that did this, and more power to ya, but no thanks for moi. And I do mean, NO THANKS. Those poor women looked miserable. And even worse was they kept putting time frames up on the screen, so then it went from 2 hours, to 4 hours, to 8 hours, to 16 hours, to 24 hours, etc. CRAZY SCARY. And what was worse is we (again) had to watch the births and again, these women really need to take into consideration that they are on a birthing class video and might have needed to groom a bit down there. That almost made me sicker than anything, LOL.

Anyway, the next part we focused on was breathing and we breathed through some contractions and I think I did outstanding at that, (although no contractions, LOL, so it was pretty easy). Then Jake learned how to be a perfect support person. He learned how to give a labor massage and at the end of class he got to massage me for a good ten-fifteen minutes. Woohoo! I REALLY loved that part. He didn't say, but I am almost positive he loved it too. Ha!!

Our homework for this week's class is to bring a "comfort bag", which will include all kinds of things from your house to help you through labor, like massage tools, music, pictures, etc. I wonder if I can bring my kitties.