Week 32 - November 18, 2012

How Far Along: 32 Weeks (oh. mah. gah.)

[caption id="attachment_525" align="aligncenter" width="201"] This is me smiling - see? Smiling. Definitely not grimacing.[/caption]

Do you remember when I waxed poetic about the sheer joy that pregnancy clothes, particularly pants with the stretchy panels brought me?  Those days are gone, my friends.  These days, all my big belly wants to do is bust out of those stretchy confines into, say, a nice mumu or something along those lines.  I find myself wearing mostly skirts and dresses these days.  My burgeoning belly has also led to some rather interesting, uh, wardrobe malfunctions.  Luckily, nothing in public, but let's just say that Nick has had to rescue me from both a pair of maternity jeggings (I know - totally insane, right? The reviewers on Old Navy LIED) and a maternity/nursing tank that, in my defense, needed an instruction manual.  I am basically two different sizes - my belly and then everything else.  And the two do NOT agree.

Doctor's Appointment Update:
This week, we had our first biophysical profile; there are certain tests the babies have to complete within a 30 minute time period - large movements, smaller movements, breathing practice, etc.  Both babies passed so that is good news - means they are nice and healthy!  Baby Girl is measuring at 4 lbs 5 oz and Baby Boy is measuring at 4 lbs 2 oz.  Things still look good on my end as well, although my blood pressure was a little higher than normal; I told the doctor that I was pretty sure six weeks of not sleeping was bound to raise your blood pressure and he agreed.

The doctors also told me they would like me to get to 38 weeks...not the 36/37 we had discussed earlier in the pregnancy.  Interestingly, 38 weeks would be Christmas Eve.  Obviously, a lot can change between now and then so we're just going to keep playing it by ear and not worry about things too much.

I think I forgot to mention that I got the Tdap vaccine (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) at my appointment last week.  Because of the increase in cases of whooping cough/pertussis, they are now recommending that pregnant women have the vaccine in their third trimester.   I had asked about the vaccine a few weeks ago and was told that they didn't carry it in the clinic.  When I asked again last week, the doctor I was seeing 1) seemed horrified that the vaccine wasn't available in the clinic and 2) basically demanded that someone track down a vaccine for me and refused to let me leave until I had been given it.  When the nurse told her that this 'might cause an insurance problem', she said 'I don't care'.  I was both scared and impressed.  Nick and the grandparents have also had the vaccine and word on the street is that my brother, who is dating a very lovely public health nurse, might be getting one as well. :)  Interesting article about the rise of whooping cough can be found here.

We also met and picked out a pediatrician, which is another nice thing to mark off the list.  We chose a D.O. at a children's clinic near our house and really liked her.  Okay, Nick really liked her.  I was slow to warm up because I am all suspicious-like and feel the need to cross-examine anyone who is going to take care of my babiieeeeezzz.   But, I warned up to her and after we talked about her philosophy of care (no antibiotics unless absolutely necessary, homeopathic remedies where possible), I felt better.

Size of Babies:  Squash

Cravings:  Despite one notable 'happy hour' pig-out with a couple of fellow pregnant friends (don't worry - our drink of choice was bubble tea), I have to remind myself to eat.  I'm not really hungry...nothing sounds terribly good...and I'm too tired to prepare anything.  I know...first world problems.  I haven't gained weight in maybe 4-5 weeks?  But the babies are continuing to grow at an excellent rate, so they must be getting enough.  I've said it before and I'll say it again - pregnancy is weird, y'all.  Although Thanksgiving is next week, which means....MASHED POTATOES.  Oh, I guess Nick did have friends from St. Louis in town this weekend and my only request was smoked sausage, but I'm not sure that's actually a craving.

Sleep:  If one more person tells me to 'get my rest' or 'sleep now while I can', I will shoot them.  I would LOVE to rest and to sleep, but my hips feel like they are being stabbed if I lay on them for more than 20 minutes, which means I rotate back and forth from side to side every 20 minutes all night.  Luckily Nick is a sound sleeper.  Although it is incredibly irritating to be struggling to sleep and look over at your partner to see them peacefully sleeping (cue the Debussy)...sort of makes me want to do things irritating enough like turn on all the lights or stomp around when I have to go to the bathroom BUT I RESTRAIN MYSELF.  Because I'm a giver.

I finally talked to the doctor about the lack of sleep because I was beginning to feel vaguely crazy.  He gave me three options - two over the counter and Ambien.  After he assured me that the Ambien was safe and I tried out the OTC options with no luck (and with some convincing from Nick), I gave into the Ambien.  The pharmacist asked me 70 times if my doctor knew I was pregnant.  Yes, I am pretty sure that the doctor that is treating me for PREGNANCY knows that I'm PREGNANT.  Thanks, Walgreens.  I won't say the sleep is great on Ambien but it is an improvement from waking up every 20 minutes all night and getting up between 1-4 AM Every. Single. Night.  I realize I'll be sleeping less when the babies are here, but I would imagine during the time I'm sleeping, I will ACTUALLY BE SLEEPING.  Big difference.  (If you think differently, PLEASE DO NOT KILL MY DREAMS!)

Nursery Update:  There are still some odds and ends to complete, but I finished the name artwork to put over the cribs (thanks to some great help from my Mom and Dad!) and things are organized-ish.  Here's a sneak peek of one corner while we continue to 'zhush' up the rest of the nursery. :)  The artwork is the lyrics to L.O.V.E. by Nat King Cole - the first song we danced to at our wedding (and by we, I mean Nick, because I never practiced our choreography in my wedding dress, so Nick basically had to drag me around the floor.)



Symptoms:  Nothing really besides the lack of sleep! (knocks on wood)  I have a few Braxton Hicks here and there, but still pretty minimal.

Fetal Movement:  No slow down here...although I did learn that what I thought was Baby Girls' butt is actually Baby Boy's feet now.

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Week:  Thanksgiving!  Our plans are a little bit up in the air; we have a doctor's appointment on Tuesday and we'll talk to the doc then about whether or not we are okay to drive to St. Louis.  We would really like to make it to spend time with Nick's family, but we are playing it by ear at this point.  We are also celebrating Thanksgiving with my family today - hooray!

Best Moment of the Week:   My work threw me a very sweet shower...I am overwhelmed at how generous they were to Nick and I and the twins.  You wouldn't think we could possibly need anything else, but it turns out - we do. :)

Special Thanks To:  Ambien...and also to Nick.  He has tried to help as much as he can while I'm dying  suffering from sleep deprivation.  He also finished  Baby Boy's stocking this week and it looks amazing!  On to Baby Girl's...I've even been drafted to help with hers.   We're running out of time; obviously the babies can't come until we finish.

What I Want The Babies To Know This Week:   Nothing, other than your momma and daddy are already completely in love with you and think you are the most adorable things everrrrrr.  And, as I said on Facebook this week, we love that you already make us laugh and can't wait to share these pictures at your weddings. (Too lazy to scan again this week, so you get cell snaps).

[caption id="attachment_533" align="aligncenter" width="300"] A little sneak peek of Baby Boy's face...[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_534" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sweet baby girl's face...and her brother's butt...again.[/caption]

Week 31 - November 8, 2012

How Far Along: 31 Weeks

[caption id="attachment_503" align="aligncenter" width="225"] 31 weeks, possibly the last week I wear pants.[/caption]

Week 31 - lots of excitement!  We had our first vaguely emergency trip to labor and delivery.  I had some symptoms I was concerned about and when I called the triage line, the resident I spoke to told me I should head to the hospital.  Whee!  I was at work at the time, getting ready to leave for the day, so I quickly called Nick and told him (calmly) to meet me at the ER...and then I stupidly spent 15 minutes quickly cleaning off my desk and leaving helpful notes so that someone could make sense of the piles of paper.  I think I am one of those people who gets freakishly calm under stress, so at the time, this made sense to me.

When I finally got to the ER, Nick was already there and it was kind of a mad-house.  They found someone to take me up to Labor and Delivery, which was also a madhouse (apparently) because they couldn't fit me into the triage area and instead put me in Recovery.  No one else was there, so that was kind of nice.  It was like having my own room and dedicated nurse.  Anyways, they asked me a million questions and ran a lot of tests and obviously, everything was fine.  Which is good - stay in babies!  You still got cookin' to do.   All in all, I felt very good about what I dubbed our 'practice run'.

Doctor's Appointment Update:
All good news still...I was supposed to just have a clinic visit, no ultrasound, but the doctor decided she wanted to 'lay eyes' on the twins.  I told her I never turn down an ultrasound.   Babies stats are good, my stats are good AND....Baby Girl has finally moved around into a position where we can see her sweet face.  Which, of course, meant that her brother was utterly uncooperative.  Forgive the sort of sad camera phone picture; I didn't have time to scan this photo yet.

[caption id="attachment_507" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Baby B and her brother's foot. :)[/caption]

Size of Babies:  Pineapple

Cravings:  Still nothing really.  In fact, this week marked the first time ever that our refrigerator was nearly completely bare.  It also may have marked the last time that I get groceries while pregnant as it is just too uncomfortable for me anymore.  By the way, Nick would gladly take care of the groceries; I've just been holding off on transferring that very important duty because normally I really like doing it AND I'm kinda picky.  I know - you're shocked.

Sleep:  Another important milestone this week - the week I tried sleeping in an upright chair...it worked surprisingly well for a few hours last night, so I see this becoming a regular thing.

Nursery Update:  You can see the floor again!  Huzzah!  Things are looking really good.  After an important curtain consult with my parents (and a brilliant curtain hanging idea from my dad), those are up.  The closet is getting put back together.  Artwork has started going up on the wall.  Overall, I feel less panicky.  And, yes, I do realize that the babies could have come home even if the nursery wasn't done, but it is one of those things that makes me feel better about having completed, so there.  Only a few things left to do - my mom and I are working on a DIY project with the twins' names to hang above their cribs...finish organizing stuff...style the shelves...and maybe look for a rug.  But, all in all, it is coming together and I can't wait to share pics!  Nick has been working his you-know-what off between the nursery and the stockings; he's such a good dad already.

Symptoms:  Just poor sleep and the resulting fatigue!  And leg cramps.  And some waddling, I suppose. :)

Fetal Movement:  Still going strong!  Around 8pm at night seems to be their favorite time to really get their groove on.

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Week:  Eeek - next week is really crazy for me at work, so I guess I'm looking forward to...surviving the week?  At the end of the week, I have a baby shower at work planned, so that will be fun.  Oh, and we have our newborn/breastfeeding class.

Best Moment of the Week:   Sorry, I know everyone is tired of talking about the election, but I am really happy with a number of results and since the purpose of this blog is to document everything during the pregnancy, I feel like I have to talk about it.  So - yay!  For me, anyways - Obama was re-elected, Akin was defeated, gay marriage passed on several state ballots AND Elizabeth Warren won?  It was like Christmas and Easter and Halloween all rolled into one.   Gives me hope for the future.  Additionally, I had started saying that I wasn't going to have these babies unless Obama was re-elected, so a big 'phew!' there. :)  I know not everyone is happy with the results, but my biggest hope is that our children will be born into an era of political cooperation.   Fingers crossed anyway.  At a minimum, I feel like, in particular, the growing support for gay marriage means that our children will grow up in a country where that might just be the norm.

[caption id="attachment_505" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Obligatory 'I Voted' sticker on bump.[/caption]

Special Thanks To:  the nice people in line in front of me to vote who let me cut in line when the weirdo behind us started making some decidedly rude comments about voting for Obama

What I Want The Babies To Know This Week:   Kids, it's like I don't even know your dad anymore.  Someone that used to generally eschew politics is now 1) actively reading, listening and seeking out information and 2) wanting to talk politics and policy issues with me on a near daily basis and 3) will WILLINGLY watch cable news with me, although we have to take turns between all the stations.   Now, don't get me wrong - your father is brilliant...he's just always not been terribly interested in these things.  He also just discovered that he's a Libertarian (which, by the way, I have been telling him that for-EVER) and thinks that is the greatest thing since sliced bread.  All in all, I am super pleased with all of these developments (despite the fact that we now disagree on some candidates) and think that at least, in some part, we have you two to thank.  It seems like having kids does add another layer to how I think about government and politics and I suspect the same is true of your dad.   Now that said, if you have any questions about politics or government, you should DEFINITELY come to me first. :)  Your Dad can handle math and science homework.

Happy Fall Back Day!

In honor of Daylight Savings Time, I thought I would share a recipe I just made up to celebrate the extra hour today...(Good for You) Pumpkin Pancakes.

I took the Biggest Loser's recipe for pancakes and adapted them.  Fair warning - these are not light and fluffy pancakes...they are more dense and cake-like...but they do serve a couple of important functions 1) PUMPKIN. 2) Making you feel like you are eating pancakes and 3) They are actually good for you. (mostly)

1 cup rolled oats (pulverized in the blender or food processor...I took the latter route since when I turned on the blender this morning, it started smoking.  RIP, Cuisinart!  We had a good run.)
2 eggs
1/3 cup lowfat cottage cheese
1/3 cup canned pumpkin (or fresh puree, if you're all Martha Stewart and happen to have some on hand)
1 tsp. sugar (I used organic cane)
Pinch of salt
Pumpkin pie spice to taste (I probably used at least a 1/2 tsp)

Mix all ingredients well.

Heat the griddle or pan to medium/medium high heat and add your oil of choice (I used coconut).  And then...you know...cook the pancakes.  I have no idea how long it takes to cook each pancake side.  Just make sure there's nothing runny inside left.  Makes 4 medium sized pancakes.

Serve with REAL maple syrup (just a bit!)...so help me god, If you use pancake syrup, I will hunt you down.

Week 30 - November 3, 2012

How Far Along: 30 Weeks

[caption id="attachment_493" align="aligncenter" width="164"] Seriously considering getting a tee shirt made that says "I'm pregnant with twins and due mid-December" so that people stop asking me.[/caption]

Doctor's Appointment Update: From here on out, I am getting weekly doctor's visits...in two weeks, those will include bio physical profiles, where they measure a whole range of items about the babies - their weight, the amniotic fluid, muscle tone (the babies, not mine - thank goodness), etc.  Everything was still looking good at this week's appointment, so I'm grateful for that.  We also did a hospital tour, which had the effect of both simultaneously giving me relief and utterly terrifying me.  The labor and delivery suites are pretty swanky (as my mom pointed out, the website notes the "Italian Riviera" style bathrooms...I doubt any woman ever giving birth has noticed) though the mother/baby rooms are pretty standard (my mom also pointed out that this is probably so you are more apt to go home).  We also swung by the NICU so we would be familiar with that and talked about at what point there would be automatic NICU time (even just for a few hours)...which is anything prior to 36 weeks, I believe.  There is something a little heartbreaking about thinking about your babies not being with you right away, but obviously 1) we want the doctors to give our babies the best care possible, whatever that means and 2) We have had many friends and family with babies in the NICU for long periods of time - which is hard for me to imagine, but also gives me strength.

Speaking of the NICU, I have obsessively watched the video of the evacuation of the NICU unit at a hospital in NYC this week.  It is almost incomprehensible how scary that must be, not just for the parents, but for all of the staff...it's also a nice reminder of all the good that is out there in the world.  I will admit - I've been grumpy off and on this week, but watching all the coverage of Hurricane Sandy has reminded me how lucky I really am.  That probably doesn't mean I'll stop being grumpy, but it will be more of a grateful grumpy.

Size of Babies:  Head of Lettuce

Cravings:  Nothing really this week - I'm mostly too tired to care.

Sleep:  The snoogle has run its course and is no longer helping me sleep, but is in fact, a hindrance.  I've developed a new complicated system that seems to be helping...sort of.  It would be a lot better if it hadn't coincided with Ernie The Multi-Toed Wonder Cat's new-found obsession with sleeping ON my belly at all times.  I can't blame him - I bet it's very comfy and quite warm.  Still, though, not great for sleep.

Nursery Update:  Coming along!  Nick and his dad finished up some bookcases and put up a few shelves last weekend.  I'm starting to see an end in sight...and the carpet on the floor again (now that I'm actually able to put some things away).  The chair came in and I love it - it is super comfy, despite being smaller, and I think it's something we can re-use in another room when it outlives its purpose in the twins' room.  Since I've selfishly shared very little with you about the nursery, there's a pic of the chair below.   This weekend, we are tackling the closet, I'm going to put up some artwork, and maybe get the curtains up.

[caption id="attachment_485" align="aligncenter" width="240"] For all your gliding and swiveling needs...[/caption]

Symptoms:  This was a bad week for symptoms...so bad, in fact, that I'm not going to go into the details, except to say that I had to create and purchase the Walgreens Pregnancy Shopping Cart of Shame.

Fetal Movement:  The doctors keep telling me that the movement should be slowing down, but I see no signs of that whatsoever.   In fact, if anything - I can now feel Baby B's kicks and punches even harder.  It will be interesting to see at our next ultrasound in a few weeks how the babies are positioned.

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Week:  I love Daylight Savings Time...I know, I'm probably the only person in the world that does.  And actually, it's not the change in the time that does it for me, I just really like the extra hour we get this weekend.  More time for nursery projects!  I'm also looking forward to the election; I read an article the other day that said you should take your kids with you to vote to highlight the importance of voting.   I guess I'll bring the twins along. :)

Best Moment of the Week:   A couple of things - 1) we had a great time with Nick's parents last weekend and super appreciated their help with some nursery 'stuff', as well as a great dinner with both of our parents (the best part being that Nick BBQ'ed and the moms did the sides, so all I had to do was show up - score!  My contribution was picking up pies from The Upper Crust.),  2) My mom has decided to purchase something utterly adorable for the babies' arrival...let's just say that the love of babies in outfits that involve ears might be genetic and 3) Nick has been working diligently on both the Christmas stockings (Baby Boy's stocking is nearly done!) and some other special projects.   Exhibit A: Custom Made Transformer Onesies...the only dilemma is who will be an Autobot and who will be a Decepticon?  It's important to note that GREAT CARE went into purchasing EXACTLY the right shade of onesies for this project.  Daddy has a matching shirt, as well.  Mommy - not so much.  Maybe that's what I'm getting for Christmas this year. :)

[caption id="attachment_489" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Their War. Our World.[/caption]

Special Thanks To:  My new favorite doctor at the clinic, a resident, who told me this week that the things I have going for me in this pregnancy with twins are that I am young and slim and in good health.  I nearly jumped off the exam table to kiss her on the mouth.  She might have been bluffing, but I don't care.  Bless you, kind doctor, bless you.

What I Want The Babies To Know This Week:   I am going to be really, really sad when you all stop letting me pick out your Halloween costumes in favor of picking your own - i.e. whatever cartoon or superhero is popular at that time.  Not that I don't want to you to enjoy Halloween and the option of picking out your own costume.  It's just there are so many great options for twins (thanks, Mom, for sending me a website with ideas!).  Sigh... also, your father probably will not be allowed to hand out Halloween candy as he gave out such huge handfuls of candy this year that we ran out early and had to turn off the porch light and hide in our own house.

Week 29 - October 27, 2012

How Far Along: 29 Weeks

[caption id="attachment_472" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Still smiling, but wondering how it is at all possible that I could actually continue to get bigger.[/caption]

Twenty-Nine Weeks was considerably quieter than the last month...a much needed break.  I did have another gestational diabetes screening (with multiples, you get an early screen and the standard 28-30 week screening because your risk is higher for GD), and while I was waiting for the one and two-hour blood draws.  I was treated to young pregnant woman repeatedly blowing chunks in the waiting room.  I wanted so badly to be charitable and feel badly for her, but all I could do was try to suppress my own sympathetic vomiting instincts.  I must have looked a little green around the gills, because the office staff asked me repeatedly if I was okay (which I was).

I am in full-on nesting mode...do not get between me and my plans.  I crossed all sorts of things off my list this week, including setting up a hospital tour, making an appointment with a pediatrician, setting up newborn care and breastfeeding classes, various nursery 'stuff' and MOST importantly, buying the twins their requisite 'coming home from the hospital outfits'.  Spoiler alert - there are bear ears involved.  In fact, when I took them out to show them to Nick and said (in all seriousness), "this is happening", all he could do was laugh and nod his head.

The down-side of the nesting mode is that is has also coincided with a general exhaustion/lack of energy mode.  It is beyond frustrating to have so many things you want to accomplish, but not be able to physically do them all.  Luckily, Nick and our parents are stepping in to help out.  I am pretty focused with the things that can be done via laptop...i.e. buying adorable coming home outfits.

Size of Babies:  Butternut Squash

Cravings:  Chocolate and nutella...I think at this stage in pregnancy, there is so little enjoyment to be had (due to constant discomfort and the effects of ongoing lack of sleep), that chocolate is the only thing that can truly be enjoyed.  Interestingly, I'm not normally much of a chocolate person, but the father of my children has wisely picked up on the virtues of chocolate and brought it to me several times this week.  He's a good egg, that one.

Sleep:  Nothing new here, but my friend Ali, a new mom, just told me that newborn tired is totally different from pregnant tired...in a good way.  I suspect she may just be telling this to make me feel better, but I'm going to play along nonetheless.

Nursery Update:  Squee!!! I mean, it's still a disaster, but now it's a CUTE disaster!  My parents came over last weekend and helped me sort through all the 'stuff' and come up with an organizational plan.  Nick and I have some work and rearranging to do and then Mom and Dad are coming back to help with Nursery Organization: Phase 2.   Additionally, Nick's parents are in town this weekend and have generously pledged to help with the nursery.  My suspicions are that all these offers for help are really just clever ploys to look at adorable baby clothes all day, but I'll take it. :)

The crib bedding and curtains also are in and I am so happy with how it turned out!  No sneak peeks just yet, but I'm really pleased with how my 'artistic vision' (insert groan here) is turning out.  Sometimes Nick and I just go stare at the cribs and bask in the cuteness.  Still to complete -a couple of DIY projects, hanging some artwork, hanging the curtains and waiting for a chair to be delivered.

Symptoms: The usual - backache, fatigue/lack of sleep, general grumpiness.  When the weather was warmer earlier this week, I was looking a little puffy, but now that it's cooled off, that's much better.


Fetal Movement:  Still lots of it...and apparently I'm supposed to now do daily kick counts (twice a day measure how many movements happen within an hour).  I decided to do that once and gave up after about 30 movements in less than half an hour. Um, they are moving - and a lot...so unless I notice a marked difference, I'm not going to count.

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Week:  Nick's parents being in town, more nursery progress and a hospital tour!

Best Moment of the Week:   A much-needed happy hour with my gals Jenni and Jill!  Thanks for the girl talk and for telling me that I still look great because I pretty much feel like a roly-poly.  :)

Special Thanks To: This is sort of a carry-over from last week, but now that I have pictures, I have to thank (again) my friends Amber, Ashely, Courtney, Elizabeth and Shannon for the rainbow-themed shower they threw (and the subsequent tears it induced), as well as my dear friend Brooke for taking pictures, as well as everyone who attended.  Brooke has just started a photography business, so check her out...and while you are at it, take a look at some of the pics from the shower!

What I Want The Babies To Know This Week:   A few weeks ago, I attended a work event that involved a children's book signing for the author.  Not knowing that much about the book, I picked it up as I sat at the registration table with a fellow co-worker.  When he noticed I was reading the book, he got up rather abruptly.  Perplexed, I started reading through the book and realized quickly that I was reading the Saddest and Yet Best Children's Book Ever.  I immediately started crying and luckily, the co-worker's errand turned out to be tissues pour moi (apparently, it had become well known amongst staff that the book was a tear-jerker...I suppose I also looked like a likely candidate for tears).  Although tear-inducing, I can't say enough good things about this book; it's called Meet Me at the Moon and in addition to beautiful illustrations of life on the savannah in Africa, its message about loved ones never being far from our hearts was so beautiful.  I actually picked the book up again on the day I found out my grandmother passed and it brought me some comfort.   In the words of the great LeVar Burton, "you don't have to take my word for it"...but you should.  Plus, the author was adorable and sweet and she autographed the book to the babies, which of course made me teary all over again.  I can't wait to read it to you someday, sweet babies!  Just ignore my leaky eyes and snotty nose, okay?!

Week 27 and 28- October 19, 2012

Hola, friends!  Long time, no blog posting.  In addition to a really busy couple of weekends and getting over The Black Plague, most of you know that my 105 year old Grandma Ruth passed away (many thanks for all your good thoughts).  So, I'm a little behind and hence...the epic combo post.  Lots to update!

How Far Along: 27 and 28 weeks...I am now officially in the 3rd trimester!  Yay!  And $#@%!

Size of Babies:  27 weeks - head of cauliflower and 28 weeks - Chinese cabbage...according to our doctor's visit, though, Baby Boy is 2 lbs 11 oz and Baby Girl is 2 lb 13 oz.  I can't believe how close they are getting to three pounds!

Doctor's Appointment Update:  We had a 28 week growth scan and doctor's visit - everything continues to look really good.  The babies are developing really well and all my stats look good, too.  I will say that ultrasounds later in pregnancy are far less 'cute'...particularly with twins.  I have to actively look at the screen and try to figure out what it is that I'm looking at.  It's just a jumble of body parts floating around in there to me.  Plus, both babies are now being camera-shy so we don't even get to see their faces.  Harumph.  The only bit of bad news is that the doctor told us that the off and on bleeding I've had does indicate a higher chance of pre-term labor...that makes me a little nervous.  And is also good incentive for getting sh*t done around here. :)

Because of the craziness of the last two weeks (and admittedly, our less than stellar impression of the first class), we've missed sessions 2 and 3 of our birthing class.  We plan to go back this week for the final class, which includes the hospital tour and then decide if we need to look somewhere else for supplemental classes.  I know we're looking at a breastfeeding class for sure and potentially a newborn care class.  You know, assuming we can find time for all of this. :)

Cravings:  Pumpkin...anything.  But that really has nothing to do with pregnancy and everything to do with glorious, glorious fall.

Sleep:  I basically only have one side that I can sleep on anymore.  Baby Girl's head is jammed up into my ribs on the right side (I spoke too soon in a previous post about her moving...really, she just substituted one body part for another).  And I managed to pull a muscle on the same side.  I am a mess.   So, left side it is.  I am writing this at 4AM having been up since about 3AM...

Nursery Update:  Nick has worked on painting some furniture and I finally started semi-organizing stuff.  Luckily, my mom and dad are coming over this weekend to help me organize.  I feel a little overwhelmed by all the gear...particularly when you account for the fact that we have two of many, many things.  And today I am picking up the curtains and crib bedding, so I'm super excited to see how that looks.

Symptoms: Things are better on this front - at least for my feet, which have randomly stopped swelling for the most part.  It's pretty much just lack of sleep and the general discomfort of carrying around a bowling ball under my shirt.  I did finally invest in a pregnancy support band...anything that involves standing for long periods of time was getting difficult with the weight of the belly.  It looks sort of ridiculous, but it does help...and it means that I can get back in the kitchen.  That was becoming increasingly difficult.  I'm also having a few contractions here and there.   I mean, I think they're contractions - I'm not entirely sure.

Fetal Movement:  They are all over the place in there...I feel like my uterus is a night club and the babies want to dance all the time.  The movement is much more pronounced and you can see my stomach move as they do...particularly in the case of Baby Girl, who does a lot of butt-shaking.  Hopefully they inherit their father's dance moves and not mine.

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Week:  Just hanging out at home and getting caught up with stuff.   I need some quiet.

Best Moments of the Weeks:   So many!  We've been blessed to have so many people in our lives want to share this special time and we were honored to have the opportunity to celebrate with many friends and family in the last couple of weeks.  I am humbled by all the love and support and sweet gestures.  And of course, there's the cake.  :)  More showers = more cake!!

• My BF Jenni threw the sweetest shower...she and I share a deep-seated philosophy that the two best parts of a meal are appetizers and desserts, so the food certainly didn't disappoint.  :) And she and her sister got all crafty with lots of beautiful poms and some awesome personalized onesies. AND she made cream cheese mints that are to die for...sigh.  Nick had never had cream cheese mints before and now he's hooked.  :)  We got lots of teeny-tiny Mizzou gear at this shower, so here's hoping that our football team figures out what they are doing for the 2013 season.


• A group of former and current co-workers put together an adorable Very Hungry Caterpillar themed shower...complete with caterpillar cupcakes.  And egg rolls.  Because none of our get-togethers are complete without Vince's egg rolls.   This shower wins the award for latest night out...I don't think I got home until midnight, which is pretty impressive for a girl who routinely is attempting to sleep by 9pm.  Or 8pm.  Or sometimes, 7pm.


• Another group of friends threw a rainbow themed shower.  I'll have to share the pictures separately once I get them, but they pretty much went all out Pinterest.  :)   They also win the award for making me cry within 5 minutes of arrival - here's why.  I knew the theme was rainbows as soon as I walked in, but my dear friend Amber asked me if I understood why. I couldn't come up with an answer right away and she started telling me that it was because of all the rainbows I had seen during our most recent IVF cycle and how we had seen them as good-luck signs.  Cue the sobs...these girls had this shower planned for a loooooooong time.

A few pictures...

[caption id="attachment_454" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Me and grandma-to-be![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_459" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Sweet friends and special guest star, Lydia[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_457" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The hostess and I...and the cake...and the cream cheese mints.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_455" align="aligncenter" width="300"] More adorable onesies![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_456" align="aligncenter" width="300"] And....more adorable Mizzou stuff![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_460" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Very Hungry Caterpillar Cake[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_461" align="aligncenter" width="300"] (Not So) Very Hungry Co-Workers...we just stuffed ourselves before this picture.[/caption]

Special Thanks To: Everyone for their notes, calls, texts, emails, etc sending our family good thoughts after my grandma passed.

What I Want The Babies To Know This Week:   (Or more accurately, what I want the babies to know about their Great Grandma Ruth this week.)

From the time I was about three until I was 11, I spent my time before and after school and during the summers at Grandma's house.  This week, I was thinking about things that I learned from her during that time and thought that I should document them for you here, for posterity's sake.

• A love of cats (well, all animals really) - somewhat begrudging at times, but it was there nonetheless


• Everything tastes better made with butter...or lard.  And made on a cast iron skillet.


• It is perfectly acceptable to hide from door to door salesmen.


• Waste not, want not.


• Spoil the children in your life with attention and love, not things.


• Days of Our Lives was the greatest soap opera of all time; about this, there can be no argument.


• There is no limit to the amount of potatoes you can serve in one meal - mashed, fried, French fried, salad...the more potatoes, the merrier.


• Hard work is good for the soul.


• If you don't know what to say, a simple "Well..." will always suffice.


• If your coffee doesn't make your hair stand on end, it's not strong enough.


• Line dried clothes always smell better.


• There is never a wrong time for pie.


• When life hands you challenges, accept them gracefully.

Goodbye, Grandma Ruth - we will all miss you dearly!

Week 26 - October 6, 2012

How Far Along: 26 weeks

[caption id="attachment_373" align="aligncenter" width="266"] 26 weeks, obligatory hand on the belly pic[/caption]

Twenty Six Weeks...otherwise known as the week where pregnancy tried to defeat me.  But more about that in symptoms.  Most notably, 26 weeks brought the twins first shower which was expertly planned by my dear mother-in-law, Rose ('shower' is her middle name) with some St. Louis family and friends.  As expected, the food was delicious, the cake to-die-for, and the company - second to none.   We got so many wonderful things for the babies; I can't believe how lucky we are.  Now, to find a place for everything. :)   Because St. Louis BBQ Bash was happening and many of the family were involved in the BBQ competition, we stopped by to steal some free BBQ say hello.  Much to my surprise and delight, some of Nick's cousins put together a little mini-shower on the team's site and took a break from preparing delicious food to have a few more presents and of course, cake.  It was such a fun weekend and we had an equally great time at all the events we crammed in, as we did just hanging out with the family.  Just a few pictures, for the non Facebook folks.

[caption id="attachment_377" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Aunt Pat, Sister in Law Becky, Rose and Moi[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_375" align="aligncenter" width="300"] I had the genius idea to take a picture with my also expecting friend, Jean. Nick took the picture but made sure we knew we were being utterly ridiculous. You be the judge.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_374" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Mobile shower at the St. Louis BBQ Bash (where, coincidentally, Slabs a Smokin took 4th place in ribs - go team!)[/caption]

Size of Babies:  Cucumber...an English hothouse cucumber to be specific

Doctor's Appointment Update:  We had a 'quick'  check-up this week (doctor's appointments are never quick, but this one was slightly shorter than normal).  No ultrasound - just checking in on me and the baby's heartbeats.  All continues to go well - good blood pressure, good weight gain, good heartbeats.  Twice now I've been told I'm the most boring high risk patient ever and that's the way I intend to keep it!

Cravings:  Chicken noodle soup - you'll see why further down.

Sleep:  What's this 'sleep' you speak of?

Sex of Babies:  Now that we are starting to get gifts, I'm realizing just how AWESOME having a boy and a girl is...it's really the best of both worlds, especially when it comes to all things adorable - blankets, clothes, hats, socks, hats, etc, etc, etc.

Nursery Update:  No progress here.  In fact, it's sort of a disaster - we just sort of threw everything in there.  Tomorrow we have plans to work on a few things.  And by we, I mean mostly Nick.  I will sit next to him and entertain him.

Symptoms:  So, I felt really good most of the weekend.  A little tired from all the excitement, and my feet were a little sad and piggy-like, but overall, good.  And then Monday hit.  It's like...at week 26, all of the pregnancy symptoms I've been reading about hit simultaneously.  I had been operating under a false sense of security, thinking that I was 'winning' at pregnancy.  Oh, my friends, I bow down to the pregnancy gods.  First up, I caught a cold...which turned into a worse cold...which turned into a cough...which nearly killed me.  Oh, okay, I'm exaggerating.  But there isn't much you can take for a cold/cough when you are pregnant and when my doctor told me what I could take, she followed it up with..."but only take it if you REALLY need it".  Well, geez, lady - you might as well not have told me anything because as soon as I heard her say that, I thought to myself "I will tough this out and take NOTHING.  Do you hear me?  NOTHING."

The first sign that perhaps I really 'needed' it was mid-week when Nick mentioned in passing that my mouth breathing and groaning had kept him awake the previous night.  I briefly imagined what he would look like roasting on a spit.  I recovered, of course, but already I was planning when I could make a run for the drugstore.  Wanting to kill your spouse (even briefly) is surely a sign that you need some relief.  Essentially, I sneezed, sniffled, coughed, hacked and generally spewed mucous throughout the entire week.  This was particularly fun when I attended several important work meetings and lunches.  Nothing says "professional" like a stash of kleenex stuffed up your sleeves.   At night, I (apparently) mouth-breathed, groaned, and did my best to expel my lungs through my mouth.  By Wednesday, I was operating on next to no sleep and that's where the fun REALLY started.

Some of the other symptoms of pregnancy then decided to make their appearance - SEVERELY swollen feet - check; um - intestinal distress - check; lower back pain - check; several instances of bleeding - check; leg cramps - check and so on and so forth.  Despite his comments about my mouth breathing, Nick handled me quite well - offering lots of sympathy and care, but mostly steering clear of my misery (wisely).   Hence, why it took me so long to write this week's entry - I was too busy dying.  Now, of course, things could always be worse and we are very lucky that I've been so healthy all along, but week 26 - you (mostly) sucked.  Good riddance!  I am feeling a lot better now, but am humbled by the pregnancy gods and whatever I did to upset them, I promise never to do it again, sohelpmegod,amen.

Fetal Movement:  Baby girl has moved away from my ribs, slightly. So when she kicks and punches, that's slightly less moan-inducing.  Their movement gets pretty crazy at night still.  It's weird - I feel less kicks and more...re-positioning if that makes sense.  I'm pretty sure I can feel their little butts moving from side to side and flipping around.

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Week:  A shower with family and friends in Kansas City held by my best friend, Jenni - so looking forward to this!

What I'm Not Looking Forward To Next Week: Ugh, the childbirth classes.  We started them last week.  Might as well be called Childbirth for Dummies.  More about this later, but it's not a good sign when three of the ten couples in class are due within a week of the first of four sessions.  (Did it really not occur to them that perhaps this was poor timing?)

Best Moment of the Week:   Well, I think I've waxed poetic enough about the shower, so I will just be honest and say the moment that I decided to give into the sweet sweet relief of doctor-approved cold medicine.   :)  Oh, also - my good friend Ali gave birth to her baby boy this week, so I'm excited that once I stop dying, I'll be able to meet little Tyler!

Special Thanks To: My Neti Pot.  I love you so.  Never leave me.

What I Want The Babies To Know This Week:   Should your dad and I ever both get sick at the same time, you should probably just call your grandparents and hope that they take sympathy on you.  Or perhaps make friends with the cats.