24 Week Update

Well, almost 24 weeks...23 weeks and 5 days to be exact. Doctor visit went well today. He is very happy with how my pregnancy is progressing. My blood pressure is 120/70. I've gained 12 pounds which is neither too much or too little. He is very happy with all of my measurements. My cervix is staying strong which allows me to go another three weeks until I have to see the doctor again.

The doctor did another sonogram of the girls. Everything is still looking good with them. Baby A (left side) is head down. He got some good pictures of her today that I will post. Baby B (right side) is head up, but was looking down towards Baby A, so no good facial picture of her today. They are starting to get their baby fat and look like babies now instead of scary aliens! I go in for another in-depth sonogram on November 24. This sonogram is to make sure that both babies are growing at the same rate.

I see the doctor again on December 2. This might be the last time I get to stretch my visits to three weeks. He said he wants to starts watching me more closely in the coming weeks. Apparently carrying twins makes women start having contractions around the 30-32 weeks. He wants to make sure I don't go into premature labor. I have a feeling I better get my running around out of my system before I'm no longer allowed to leave the house.

The babies move a lot now. We can actually see them move through my skin. Matthew got to feel a hard little bottom for the first time last weekend. I think it freaked him out a little! His reaction was priceless! Baby B seems to somersault a lot. The doctor did say that eventually they will run out of room to have much movement other than kicking, stretching, and moving side to side. Their heartbeats can also be heard through my stomach without a stethoscope!

I'll keep everyone updated as things progress with the babies and nursery and anything else that might pop up along the way!

Coming Along

Our nursery is coming along. Mom and Dad helped us paint it a couple of weeks ago. Matthew and dad put in the new floor and chair rail on Friday. Matthew and I put the crib and changing table together on Sunday.

Then we moved around every other bedroom of furniture in our house! It was a busy day, but things are finally coming together. I will post more pictures of the nursery as we get it finished. The rest is up to me. Finally! I have a project! I'm thrilled that I get to do something!

Doctor appointment tomorrow. I'll update again after that! Enjoy the pictures.

Before

After

Tiny Dancers...

It’s been a minute since I’ve had the opportunity to update everyone. I saw the doctor on the 21st. He informed me that the results of my 20-week sonogram were good. Everything looks great with both babies and they are growing as they should. This was fantastic news to hear. I am also doing great carrying both babies. The doctor no longer talked about me going part-time in November. I see him again on November 11.

Back-tracking to the 18th, Matthew and I were spending a quiet evening at home watching the University of Texas football stomp Missouri. Well, it might not have been a quiet evening. I tend to get a little rowdy over UT football. Anyhow, Matthew got to feel the baby on my right kick for the first time. Both girls were all kinds of wiggles in my tummy that night. I told Matthew it must be that our girls are also going to be UT fans! He didn’t think this was funny. He’s too much of a Texas Tech fan…I guess we’re going to have to work on converting him! Hehe! Really, how many sets of batting eyelashes can he resist?!?!

Matthew moved the furniture out of the nursery, and we got rid of a bed and recliner to make room for the babies and their new furniture. My parents painted the nursery last weekend. Matthew and my dad will install the new floor and chair rail next week. I can’t wait to get the furniture in there and get the room decorated! It is definitely going to be a little girls’ room. I am going to put my crafting skills to work this weekend and work on making cute letters that spell their names to hang on the walls. I’ve been looking forward to adding my personal touch to things since I wasn’t allowed to paint the nursery.

My tiny dancers are more active by the day. Sometimes one of them lets out such a big kick it startles me and makes me jump! That’s a little embarrassing when you’re in a meeting and then everyone stares at you! Getting used to the babies movement has definitely taken some getting use to. At first I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. It was weird and unlike anything I could even compare it to. Now, I welcome the kicks and jabs, and if they haven’t moved in a while I worry that everything is okay.

I’ve noticed my energy level draining by the week. Some days I believe I must have a guardian angel that guides me home as it is a wonder I don’t fall asleep at the wheel. I miss having energy to go all the time and I really miss working out. I look forward to when I can return to the gym.

Baby Shower planning has been in full force. Invitations went in the mail last week. My shower will be on November 15. Registering was the biggest task ever. I don’t think I’ve ever been so tired after walking through a store and mind boggled. It’s like a whole new baby world out there! Yikes! Matthew and I have much to learn. We are going to take a Saturday birthing class at the beginning of December. I’m sure this will either answer a million questions we aren’t quite ready to face, or scare the crap out of both of us! Either way, it will be interesting!

I’m posting a picture of me at 22 weeks, 0 days. Matthew actually took it this morning.

A Sea of Pink!

Today I had my 20 week sonogram, even though I’m 19 weeks and 5 days. Wow! Really, I have more to say than that, but it’s unbelievable! First of all, we found out that we are definitely, 100% having GIRLS! (The proof is in my pictures!)

Matthew got to hear the heartbeat of both babies for the first time today. Baby A (left side) has a heart rate of 140 bpm. Baby B (right side) has a heart rate of 152 bpm. Both babies have all four chambers of their heart.

We also got to check out their brains, which look good, stomachs, bladders, kidneys, and diaphragms. The technician measured each one and estimates them to both weigh 10 ounces. Everything looked good. I see the doctor again next Tuesday. He is receiving a copy of my sonogram and will probably go over it in more depth then.

Both babies were exceptionally wiggly. The technician had a hard time getting Baby A to turn over and smile for the camera, but at last she finally gave in! I have been feeling them move in my tummy for the last couple of weeks. It’s the weirdest sensation. When I eat, they get really squirmy!

Oh, and in other interesting news, we have to wait until they are born to find out if they are identical or not! Ha! Yeah, that chance has not been ruled out.

19 Weeks, 1 Day

My heart stopped...

...today when my husband told me over the phone that the dogs were missing. He went out in the backyard to make sure they had enough water and the back gate was open. Matthew spent an hour and a half looking for Jack and Izzy with no luck. Of course he calls me around 1:00 to relay the bad news, but I don't get the message until 1:30.

I literally felt my stomach lurch and had to tell myself to keep breathing as I'm yelling at him over the phone and asking why he didn't call my mom and have her continue looking when he had to go to work. I felt like I had lost a child. All I could think about was living in BFE and all that could happen to our pampered pooches.

I called my mom and she was quick to head out to our house with my aunt and cousin in tow. By sheer luck of a miracle, someone had found our dogs and put them back in our yard and closed the gate. Matthew left it open in case they came back. They let the dogs in and got them squared away in their kennels and headed back into town.

By the time my mom and I made it back out to the house, the back gate was open again. Obviously the dogs hadn't figured out to unlatch it because they were in the house. It was a stiff push to get the gate closed back tight and latched. Anyhow, Mom chained and locked all four of our gates.

I have never been so thankful to see a poop covered Izzy and dirty Jack. Yes, that's right, Izzy relished her freedom by rolling in poop. Jack and her were both punished with baths. They spent the rest of the night sleeping. I can only imagine what kind of adventure they had together. I'm just glad they are safe and at home.

Oh, and the stupid bastard that keeps opening our gate...don't you know you'll get your ass shot in the country for doing shit like that?

Baby x 2 = Update

Today I had my third prenatal checkup. I am 17 weeks and 5 days along (almost 4 ½ months). Matthew had to work so I took my mom along for my visit since I knew the doctor was going to do a sonogram.

The babies are so much bigger now that he can no longer get their entire body in the picture. They both look great and very healthy. Their spines are straight. We even saw their ribs and diaphragm. It was amazing to see how much more developed they are in three short weeks.

Both babies have a strong heartbeat. I got to hear this for the first time today. It was fast and loud! I am so thankful that they are growing and developing as they should.

I go in for my Level 2 sonogram on Tuesday, October 14. This sonogram will go over all the health aspects of the babies. We will know then for sure what we are having. In the meantime, the doctor looked between legs today and didn’t see any little pickles. He is 80% sure that both babies are girls.

Right after I found out I was pregnant I had a dream that I was pregnant with twins and that they were both girls. Maybe my intuition was right after all. Kinda freaky to think about!

Anyhow, my cervix is holding up, but the babies are putting pressure on it. The doctor has decreased my workout activity to a quarter of a mile. He said that is like walking once around the block. He said I can no longer bend and lift anything. I’ve gained three pounds. He sees me again in three weeks.

He also told me ideally it would be best in November if I only worked part time. Not sure what’s going to happen yet, but it looks like I could end up on bed rest a lot sooner than expected. I’m going to talk to my principal and see if my mom can volunteer in my room and do my walking back and forth to the office for me. That might prolong my chance to stay working longer.

The main thing is keeping these babies in as long as possible. I’ll do whatever it takes to give them the best chance and start to life in the outside world.