As I get farther along in this pregnancy, it's becoming so normal that I struggle to keep things up to date.
For me personally, this is the most incredible, life-changing, wonderful thing that has ever (and will ever) happen to me. My little girls have become my world. Not a moment goes by that they're not on my mind in one way or another. However, as I experience all the amazingness of twin pregnancy, I forget to record things: write them, blog them, photograph them. I haven't taken an updated belly shot in WEEKS!
I would like to commit myself to every Sunday. I want to be a resource for other twin mamas (and mamas in general) in case others happen upon this blog, and I want to keep all of my friends and loved ones in the know.
I'm not saying this as a promise that I'll write every Sunday... but hopefully by giving some written affirmation here I'll commit. I especially want to keep track of how life is different once the girls are here!
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As far as twin pregnancies go (and probably as far as any pregnancy goes!), this has been a fairly uneventful journey. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for it, but I also find myself wondering, when do the bad parts of this pregnancy thing come?
When I first found out my little angel was angelS, I was overwhelmed with fear. Excitement, too, but mostly fear. I had heard bits and pieces about twin pregnancies-- and most of what I heard was how high-risk and dangerous twin pregnancies are.
We left our first ultrasound overwhelmed and excited, but my mama radar was going crazy with "this is scary. This is going to be hard. How is this going to affect work? Am I going to have premies?" Things I had never considered my baby going through flooded through me-- and it was times 2! Of course I was excited. Of course I was overwhelmed with joy on top of the fear. But part of me knew this pregnancy was going to be terribly hard.
And now, here I sit, thirty weeks in, taking a nice warm (because I'm not allowed to take "hot" until after these girls are out!) bath, writing about what a breeze this all has been, the scent of lavender and chamomile flooding my nose and the soft luxurious feeling of epsom salts calming my sore muscles.
I've come to the conclusion that the negatives of pregnancy, those regular aches and pains, those normal gripes and rants and raves, are really nothing if you make them nothing. [Disclaimer: I'm not speaking of any complications... just those normal pregnancy gripes that you always hear about: sore, tired, swollen feet, headaches, queasiness, etc.]
Some things that I have experienced (and pretty severely on some of them):
Soreness. This is one of those things I'd say I've experienced in a "severe" way. Some days it's hard to move. The pressure on my hips, the spreading of my pelvis, the tightness in my muscles... at some points, it's almost unbearable. But here's the thing-- I'm in control of all that. Some days, I take care of myself with an awesome prenatal yoga video I found on Youtube. Those nights I sleep soundly, and the next day I'm rejuvenated and have virtually no soreness. I also started seeing a chiropractor, who told me my hips and pelvis were slightly out of alignment. I now see him twice a week, and that helps with a lot of the soreness. More on him later, though.
Exhaustion. Let's be real. I work full time as a middle school teacher. Pregnant or not, I start my day tired and end my day tired. Of course, this pregnancy has done nothing to help that. Eight hours of sleep used to be more than enough. Now, eight hours gives me just enough to wish that I could sleep longer. Some days are bad. Just like with the soreness, there are some days where the tiredness is almost unbearable-- where I'm not sure if I can continue with the next class period let alone the rest of the day. But you know what? It's really not that bad. It could be-- if I made it that way. But I don't. I realize that I could be much worse off, and I'm grateful that being a little sore and a little tired is all I'm dealing with.
Swelling. Of all the things I'm handling in this pregnancy, the hardest is to deal with is the swelling. I drink a ton of water (gallons, maybe) a day, and I stay very active (I'm a teacher, remember?) but my body still goes on retaining water. My shoe size is up a size and a half, and even those size 8's, which I've never been in before, are hard to velcro some mornings. It gets to the point sometimes where I can't even wiggle my toes. They're so swollen that they just won't move. At the end of the day, I soak them, put them above my heart if I can, and let them just be.
Looking at my list, I almost feel guilty complaining. Yet I see so many mamas, singletons and multiples, who do nothing but that: complain. "I want these babies out. I want my body back." Some of them have a right to complain: some of them are going through some serious business. But for those who are experiencing just a little more or a little less than what I mentioned above... just calm down, be happy that you're pregnant, enjoy the time you've got with them. It will be over soon, and then you'll miss them wiggling around and being safe and warm in your belly. I already miss mine being there, and they're not going to be out for 6 or 8 more weeks!
Yes, I want my body back. I can't wait to go for a jog, to walk up stairs at a normal pace without getting winded. I can't wait to be able to sit up on my own and take a full breath in without babies being pressed against my lungs. But I'm in no hurry. Yes I'm tired. Of course I'm sore. No, I don't know where my organs are and I'm excited for them to return to their normal resting places. But I want to hang on to the wonderfulness as long as I can. I love growing my girls, and I'll take the aches and pains any day just to experience them growing inside me.
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One thing I was dreading in this pregnancy was something I knew was inevitable, as I'm growing two humans inside my tiny little belly: stretch marks. I knew I was predisposed: my mama got them when she was pregnant with my brother and I (though hers went away), and I had some silver ones on my hips and behind from growing during puberty [even though I'm fit and small-framed, I am one of those "fat-bottomed girls" Queen so lovingly talks about]. My first ones of the pregnancy came on the girls-- I don't mean the twins. At first I was devastated; I even cried. Then I realized that no one would ever be seeing those, and even if they did see some marks while I wore a bikini, who cares? So at one point my boobs got huge. Whatevs. Besides that, they were the silver kind, not red. Hardly noticeable.
But I still dreaded getting them on my pretty little belly. I may have gained a lot of weight since I started teaching, but I still had an admirable tummy (even when I started to get a little squishier). I couldn't fathom being able to wear a bikini ever again if I got tummy stretch marks.
Then I got them.
And it was nothing like when I first got them on the girls. I almost felt... I don't know... relieved? Excited isn't the right word, because I wasn't jumping for joy or anything. I think PROUD is the right word. I always thought that saying "they aren't ugly... you're a tiger who's earned her stripes" was so STUPID! But that's kind of how I felt. Maybe it's because I was tired of being told I was "small" for twins. I don't know. But I feel kind of proud to have those squiggly silver lines on the bottom half of my belly. Grow girls, grow!
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As far as the twins themselves go, our most recent check-up/ultrasound at 28 weeks showed very positive things. Rain weighed 2 lbs 10 oz, and Rogue was 2 lbs 11 oz. Perfect growth and right on track with each other. And perfectly on track with where a singleton baby would be. Except I have two. So for those of you who said "oh, your babies must be small." NOPE. They're perfectly normal, thanks :)
I met with the doctor at 30 weeks and she said I was a "boring patient" but that's a good thing! I never give her anything to do because the twinsies and I are perfectly healthy :).
Even the chiropractor, Dr. Mike Long at Renaissance Chiropractic Center, said that I was above average health wise, and less stressed than most people, especially pregnant moms. That was a pleasant surprise for me.
I started seeing Dr. Mike after he visited our birth class at the Birthing Inn one week. He talked about how the normal pregnancy aches and pains can be alleviated with proper care and adjustment. Even newborns can be out of alignment. I started seeing him not because of aches and pains (although he helps those things!) but because he, my birth instructor, and my doctor all mentioned that chiropractic care can help encourage babies to spin into proper position. The only negative I've gotten from my doctor appointments and ultrasounds is that the babies are both still breech. Their heads are pushing up against my lungs, and it should be their feet kicking my organs.
Right now, I'm doing everything I can to get these girls to spin. Well, everything my doctor suggests/condones.
I'm really, really praying for a natural birth with these little ladies. But I'll save all that for another blog.
In fact, I realize that it's getting late for this twin mama, and I've kept you waiting this long... coming up in my next update (hopefully before next Sunday!):
-Baby shower (and suggestions for yours, maybe!)
-Maternity photos (yes, do them. You'll regret not doing them.)
-Moving (homes) while pregnant
-Tacoma Parents of Multiples (multiples clubs)
-other FUN updates!
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Ask A Twin Mom.... (or, what not to ask.)
I'm in the process of working on an update post where I talk about my sweet girls, but I'm feeling a little more motivated to answer all the questions that twin moms seem to be bombarded with.
I'm sure all pregnant moms (or moms who have been pregnant) know that pregnancy is the time for questions and comments-- pregnancy is also the time for you to be offended by stupid things that people don't actually mean to offend you with. Here's a few of the big questions (offensive and not) that I've been asked:
Did you want twins?
To be blunt, no, I did not want twins. To be perfectly honest, before we got pregnant, we didn't actually want a baby at all.
Okay, okay. You guys know me too well. Of course I wanted a baby. It's just that we weren't TRYING for a baby. So I can't say we "wanted twins."
I don't know anyone who actually has twins who "wanted twins." It's just not something you think about. I never even considered twins as a possibility, aside from the occasional "haha, what if it's twins?" joke.
All that being said, I am SO happy to be having my twin girls. At this point, I can't imagine it any other way! I even catch myself thinking it's strange that people are pregnant with only ONE baby. We are blessed to have two healthy baby girls in one go.
I have to admit that sometimes, I feel a little bit "elite" because we have twins. I feel sort of special. Of course, I would never tell that to the faces of any of my singleton mommies. Being a mom is elite and special as it is... I just like thinking we're extra special.
Were they conceived naturally?
[Most] People who know me are smart enough to realize that since we weren't TRYING for babies, we obviously conceived them naturally. However, this seems to be a question strangers think is appropriate to ask someone, whether it's ladies from church or strangers in the grocery store.
No, we were not on any fertility treatments. We were not using Chlomid. So yes, I either dropped two eggs or the egg we fertilized together split in two. Naturally.
Little word of advice: Never EVER ask a woman if her twins (or her baby in general!!) were conceived naturally. For people who struggle with fertility and conception, or for people who have a history of miscarriages, it is incredibly insensitive to ask questions like that. You may not think it's offensive or that it affects people at all, but for people who struggled for months or years just to conceive, please don't ask if their twins were "natural."
What does it feel like being pregnant with twins?
This question was recently asked by one of my students. The best thing I could think to say was, "it's the most awesome and most awful thing I've ever experienced."
I don't think it's possible for anyone to comprehend what it's like to pregnant at all if they've never been. Being pregnant with twins is the same. So please don't think I'm being rude when I have a very short answer for you. It's really impossible to describe unless you've carried children before.
I will try my best to describe a few things to you, though...
Are they identical, or fraternal?
Let me use this opportunity to explain the different types of twins (forgive me if I already have, blame it on pregnancy brain).
mo/mo twins are monochorionic and monoamniotic. That means they share a sac and a placenta. It means that their egg split but they never developed their own membrane or placenta. They are always identical.
mo/di twins are monochorionic and diamniotic, meaning they share a placenta but are in separate sacs. They are also identical.
di/di twins are dichorionic and diamniotic. They have their own placentas and their own sacs. This means they could be fraternal OR identical. There is a 30% chance they're identical (the egg split early in conception) and a 70% chance they're fraternal (two eggs dropped). These are the "safest" kind of twins, as they have the fewest risks.
My girls are di/di. For some reason, people do not believe me when I tell them I don't know if they're identical or fraternal. More often then not, people look at me like an idiot when I say the only way to know is a blood test. Even people who have twins or are twins ask me, "are you sure? I'm pretty sure you know if they're identical or fraternal."
I'll tell you guys right now, so you avoid any awkwardness when talking to twin moms:
I'm sure all pregnant moms (or moms who have been pregnant) know that pregnancy is the time for questions and comments-- pregnancy is also the time for you to be offended by stupid things that people don't actually mean to offend you with. Here's a few of the big questions (offensive and not) that I've been asked:
Did you want twins?
To be blunt, no, I did not want twins. To be perfectly honest, before we got pregnant, we didn't actually want a baby at all.
Okay, okay. You guys know me too well. Of course I wanted a baby. It's just that we weren't TRYING for a baby. So I can't say we "wanted twins."
I don't know anyone who actually has twins who "wanted twins." It's just not something you think about. I never even considered twins as a possibility, aside from the occasional "haha, what if it's twins?" joke.
All that being said, I am SO happy to be having my twin girls. At this point, I can't imagine it any other way! I even catch myself thinking it's strange that people are pregnant with only ONE baby. We are blessed to have two healthy baby girls in one go.
I have to admit that sometimes, I feel a little bit "elite" because we have twins. I feel sort of special. Of course, I would never tell that to the faces of any of my singleton mommies. Being a mom is elite and special as it is... I just like thinking we're extra special.
Were they conceived naturally?
[Most] People who know me are smart enough to realize that since we weren't TRYING for babies, we obviously conceived them naturally. However, this seems to be a question strangers think is appropriate to ask someone, whether it's ladies from church or strangers in the grocery store.
No, we were not on any fertility treatments. We were not using Chlomid. So yes, I either dropped two eggs or the egg we fertilized together split in two. Naturally.
Little word of advice: Never EVER ask a woman if her twins (or her baby in general!!) were conceived naturally. For people who struggle with fertility and conception, or for people who have a history of miscarriages, it is incredibly insensitive to ask questions like that. You may not think it's offensive or that it affects people at all, but for people who struggled for months or years just to conceive, please don't ask if their twins were "natural."
What does it feel like being pregnant with twins?
This question was recently asked by one of my students. The best thing I could think to say was, "it's the most awesome and most awful thing I've ever experienced."
I don't think it's possible for anyone to comprehend what it's like to pregnant at all if they've never been. Being pregnant with twins is the same. So please don't think I'm being rude when I have a very short answer for you. It's really impossible to describe unless you've carried children before.
I will try my best to describe a few things to you, though...
- Yes, it DOES feel like there are aliens inside me. And it does feel like they're trying to claw their way out. It's not painful, though. It's the best feeling I've ever experienced. Kind of like if you take your thumb and rub it on your stomach at a medium pressure... only imagine it from the inside. And I get it twice... it's awesome :) Sometimes both at the same time!
- My organs are pressed into my ribs. Condensed, really. Squished as much as they'll go. So my stomach, my lungs, my intestines... they're all still in there, but they're now occupying the same space because my uterus is taking over my insides. So I am hungry all the time, but always full as soon as I eat. Constantly hungry and full at the same time. I get winded walking up a half a flight of stairs, because my lungs have no room to expand.
- I'm also always thirsty. Always.
- I am more away of my ankles, my feet, my pelvis, and my sciatic nerve than I've ever been and [hopefully] ever will be. They are always sore and achy. They always feel like they are being pulled apart and stretched.
- My belly doesn't really feel that heavy. It's there, it's huge, it sometimes gets tight... but it almost feels like a separate entity that happens to be a part of me.
- Speaking of tight... Braxton Hicks contractions are weird. My uterus gets super tight. Like imagine your whole stomach takes on a life of it's own and pulls into itself to form a little soccer ball. Then just loosens back up. No pain, just tightness. Weird.
- I can no longer see all of my body parts that I used to be able to see.
I'm sure there's more... but that's the most I can think of for now. I'm guessing all of what I described is the same for singleton mamas.
Are they identical, or fraternal?
Let me use this opportunity to explain the different types of twins (forgive me if I already have, blame it on pregnancy brain).
mo/mo twins are monochorionic and monoamniotic. That means they share a sac and a placenta. It means that their egg split but they never developed their own membrane or placenta. They are always identical.
mo/di twins are monochorionic and diamniotic, meaning they share a placenta but are in separate sacs. They are also identical.
di/di twins are dichorionic and diamniotic. They have their own placentas and their own sacs. This means they could be fraternal OR identical. There is a 30% chance they're identical (the egg split early in conception) and a 70% chance they're fraternal (two eggs dropped). These are the "safest" kind of twins, as they have the fewest risks.
My girls are di/di. For some reason, people do not believe me when I tell them I don't know if they're identical or fraternal. More often then not, people look at me like an idiot when I say the only way to know is a blood test. Even people who have twins or are twins ask me, "are you sure? I'm pretty sure you know if they're identical or fraternal."
I'll tell you guys right now, so you avoid any awkwardness when talking to twin moms:
- The only way to tell (without a blood test) if twins are IDENTICAL is if they are mo/mo or mo/di.
- The only way to tell (without a blood test) if twins are FRATERNAL is if they are boy/girl.
My twins are di/di girls, so they have a 30% chance of being identical. I can't tell you more until they are born.
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I'm so lucky to have been blessed with twins. When I imagined this post originally, I imagined it being more of a rant. Now I'm having fun answering questions! Though some of my answers are kind of snippy, I am happy to answer questions. Please feel free to ask them. Maybe I'll even blog about them :)
Oh, and don't feel bad if I (or any other pregnant lady you meet) get snippy with you. I'm hormonal. I'm uncomfortable. So sometimes I snip before I think :) Which I suppose is another symptom I should have listed above!
Be looking out for a REAL update post soon! We started birth classes and have had so many changes and so much growth in the last few weeks since I've updated. Stay tuned! ;)
Saturday, August 24, 2013
First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage, Then Comes... uh oh...
After thinking about this for a blog post the past few days, I came across this article on marriage and the family dynamic. I'm going to speak for myself, and then speak to the article.
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My significant other, Rob, and I, are not married.
Now that the initial shock and typical reactions that come with being appalled have passed, let me continue.
As I write this, I realize that I'm sounding MUCH more negative than when I started writing this post yesterday. That's because today I received a letter from someone much more traditional and judgmental than I am asking, "when's the wedding?"
It begs an answer. And I don't think that I have to give one.
Rob and I are desperately in love (sorry, I know, puke... haha). We've known since very shortly after we started our relationship that we'd be spending our lives together. We fell in love deeply and quickly. We talked about getting married one day, and about 2 years into our relationship, we planned a wedding. We know all the details, all the way down to an estimated cost. We also decided at that point that we weren't in any rush to get married.
Rob moved from Colorado to be with me. We are part of each others' families, each others' lives, and we are as into this relationship as any two people could be. We communicate better than a lot of people I know, and even though we seem to bicker a lot, a lot of it is playful bickering. [Sorry to be a middle school girl about our relationship, I just want to give a little insight to people who don't know us that well. Hopefully I'm not being too girly.]
Okay, ready for this? I'm going to throw another shocker at you.. Prepare yourself, this next one is a doozy.
Rain Elizabeth and Rogue Lillian were not planned.
Please untie your panties from the bunch they're in.
When we were originally mapping out our lives, Rob and I had a five year plan that included getting married and buying a house before we decided to try to have kids. But life, as many of you know, doesn't always work out the way you plan.
In case I need to remind any of you, Rob and I could not be happier to have our twins on the way. We are enamored with them already, and ecstatic at their existence. We are so happy that they're coming, planned or not. We love them equally as much, or maybe more, than a planned baby (I say more because the fact that they're unplanned twins means they're meant to be!) and wouldn't change a thing.
The fact that we are so happy to have them coming leaves me thinking: I have no qualms about not being married. The only thing that concerns me is that my girls will [temporarily] have a different last name than me. And that's not a big deal. And why should I have qualms?
The first thing I was asked by a few of the more "traditional" people in my life was "oh, you're pregnant? When are you getting married?" But what about babies means marriage?
I'm not going to lie and say that these babies are not changing mine and Rob's relationship. Of course they are. Babies change any relationship. But why is our relationship less valid if we don't have paper that says it's valid?
I know people who were married less than six months. Was their relationship more valid than mine? I know people who are my age and YOUNGER (I'm 24) who have been married and divorced twice. More than one of them are on their third marriage. Are their relationships more valid than mine? What makes a relationship valid enough to have a child?
The other concern for many of those more "traditional" people is the religious aspect of marriage: the "no pre-marital sex" thing, you know, because it's a sin and all. But I'd like to argue that God knows me much better than even I know myself; he knows my intentions and he's aware that I plan to spend my life with Rob, ring and a piece of paper or not.
On top of that, God's not going to love me or my children any less just because Rob and I are living together with children out of wedlock. I refuse to believe that any god would love a person less, especially for such a silly reason.
Yes, Rob and I will get married. Our target is next summer. And our daughters will be a part of our wedding. But I feel no obligation to rush into it, to speed up our date, or do anything of the sort just because our babies are coming a few years earlier than we planned.
I love the father of my children, and we have a stronger relationship than many people I know, married or unmarried. I plan to marry him, and heck, sometimes I even call him my husband. But he's just as much my "husband" right now as he will be when we sign the papers and pay the government.
The judgement from others makes me sad and it makes me uncomfortable. I'm pressured to want to make people happy, and I'm discouraged and easily affected by others' negativity. But when I think about it, I almost get this "screw you" attitude. We will be married. We are a happy family already, and God recognizes our relationship, even if we haven't both signed a paper saying we're legally married.
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As for the article (linked above), the only thing I really have to say that is the direction it took is kind of sad. "many feel that living together and having a family only gets more complicated—and more expensive—if you get married and end up splitting." This is a really uncomfortable dynamic of our society. I would not have moved in with Rob if we had any notion of splitting. That was a commitment we made to each other. On top of that, if we didn't plan on spending our lives together or had a fear of splitting in the future, we would have taken MANY more precautions to make sure that we didn't have babies.
We aren't choosing not to get married because it gets complicated if you split. We aren't choosing it because it's hip (the article also mentions celebrities opting out of marriage). We are just content right now. We will get married and we will spend our lives together. But these babies don't mean we have to rush it. In fact, that seems less responsible to me than just waiting.
You can picture it in these two ways:
SITUATION A: "Rain, Rogue, we DID have this beautiful wedding planned in the woods with all our friends and family, but we decided instead to pay a courthouse 2 months before you came so that we'd be married when you were born."
SITUATION B: "Rain, Rogue, look at these beautiful photos of you at our wedding when you were 7 months old! We were so happy that you got to be a part of mommy and daddy's wedding!"
I definitely prefer situation B. Sorry mom. Sorry grandma. We'll get married next summer, with our out-of-wedlock babies in tow.
--------------------------------------------
My significant other, Rob, and I, are not married.
Now that the initial shock and typical reactions that come with being appalled have passed, let me continue.
As I write this, I realize that I'm sounding MUCH more negative than when I started writing this post yesterday. That's because today I received a letter from someone much more traditional and judgmental than I am asking, "when's the wedding?"
It begs an answer. And I don't think that I have to give one.
Rob and I are desperately in love (sorry, I know, puke... haha). We've known since very shortly after we started our relationship that we'd be spending our lives together. We fell in love deeply and quickly. We talked about getting married one day, and about 2 years into our relationship, we planned a wedding. We know all the details, all the way down to an estimated cost. We also decided at that point that we weren't in any rush to get married.
Rob moved from Colorado to be with me. We are part of each others' families, each others' lives, and we are as into this relationship as any two people could be. We communicate better than a lot of people I know, and even though we seem to bicker a lot, a lot of it is playful bickering. [Sorry to be a middle school girl about our relationship, I just want to give a little insight to people who don't know us that well. Hopefully I'm not being too girly.]
Okay, ready for this? I'm going to throw another shocker at you.. Prepare yourself, this next one is a doozy.
Rain Elizabeth and Rogue Lillian were not planned.
Please untie your panties from the bunch they're in.
When we were originally mapping out our lives, Rob and I had a five year plan that included getting married and buying a house before we decided to try to have kids. But life, as many of you know, doesn't always work out the way you plan.
In case I need to remind any of you, Rob and I could not be happier to have our twins on the way. We are enamored with them already, and ecstatic at their existence. We are so happy that they're coming, planned or not. We love them equally as much, or maybe more, than a planned baby (I say more because the fact that they're unplanned twins means they're meant to be!) and wouldn't change a thing.
The fact that we are so happy to have them coming leaves me thinking: I have no qualms about not being married. The only thing that concerns me is that my girls will [temporarily] have a different last name than me. And that's not a big deal. And why should I have qualms?
The first thing I was asked by a few of the more "traditional" people in my life was "oh, you're pregnant? When are you getting married?" But what about babies means marriage?
I'm not going to lie and say that these babies are not changing mine and Rob's relationship. Of course they are. Babies change any relationship. But why is our relationship less valid if we don't have paper that says it's valid?
I know people who were married less than six months. Was their relationship more valid than mine? I know people who are my age and YOUNGER (I'm 24) who have been married and divorced twice. More than one of them are on their third marriage. Are their relationships more valid than mine? What makes a relationship valid enough to have a child?
The other concern for many of those more "traditional" people is the religious aspect of marriage: the "no pre-marital sex" thing, you know, because it's a sin and all. But I'd like to argue that God knows me much better than even I know myself; he knows my intentions and he's aware that I plan to spend my life with Rob, ring and a piece of paper or not.
On top of that, God's not going to love me or my children any less just because Rob and I are living together with children out of wedlock. I refuse to believe that any god would love a person less, especially for such a silly reason.
Yes, Rob and I will get married. Our target is next summer. And our daughters will be a part of our wedding. But I feel no obligation to rush into it, to speed up our date, or do anything of the sort just because our babies are coming a few years earlier than we planned.
I love the father of my children, and we have a stronger relationship than many people I know, married or unmarried. I plan to marry him, and heck, sometimes I even call him my husband. But he's just as much my "husband" right now as he will be when we sign the papers and pay the government.
The judgement from others makes me sad and it makes me uncomfortable. I'm pressured to want to make people happy, and I'm discouraged and easily affected by others' negativity. But when I think about it, I almost get this "screw you" attitude. We will be married. We are a happy family already, and God recognizes our relationship, even if we haven't both signed a paper saying we're legally married.
---------------------------------------------
As for the article (linked above), the only thing I really have to say that is the direction it took is kind of sad. "many feel that living together and having a family only gets more complicated—and more expensive—if you get married and end up splitting." This is a really uncomfortable dynamic of our society. I would not have moved in with Rob if we had any notion of splitting. That was a commitment we made to each other. On top of that, if we didn't plan on spending our lives together or had a fear of splitting in the future, we would have taken MANY more precautions to make sure that we didn't have babies.
We aren't choosing not to get married because it gets complicated if you split. We aren't choosing it because it's hip (the article also mentions celebrities opting out of marriage). We are just content right now. We will get married and we will spend our lives together. But these babies don't mean we have to rush it. In fact, that seems less responsible to me than just waiting.
You can picture it in these two ways:
SITUATION A: "Rain, Rogue, we DID have this beautiful wedding planned in the woods with all our friends and family, but we decided instead to pay a courthouse 2 months before you came so that we'd be married when you were born."
SITUATION B: "Rain, Rogue, look at these beautiful photos of you at our wedding when you were 7 months old! We were so happy that you got to be a part of mommy and daddy's wedding!"
I definitely prefer situation B. Sorry mom. Sorry grandma. We'll get married next summer, with our out-of-wedlock babies in tow.
Friday, August 2, 2013
The Big Day... Anatomy Scan!
Well, today was the day!
Let me start by saying that I should have scheduled the ultrasound for early in the morning to avoid the wait I had to endure all day! I even tried to stay up late last night so that I could sleep in this morning... no such luck. I was up and ready to go by 8:00 am and it was a pain in the rump to keep myself entertained until 2:15.
When the time finally came, I got somewhat dolled up, assuming our camera would be working... unfortunately, I didn't plan well and the battery died at the scan. No problem... cell phone to the rescue!
We were early to our appointment... the first one we've ever been early to... and sat in the parking lot for a few minutes scarfing down some french fries and orange juice, hoping to make the sweet babies wiggle a little and not stay in one spot.
When we finally went in, we actually had to wait in the waiting room. Crazy, right? Remember, we were early (we're normally right on time). Every time a nurse came out of the back, I perked up, ready to go. THREE PEOPLE were ahead of us!
Finally it was our turn... we got to skip right past my weigh in (we'd do that after) and go straight to the ultrasound room. She wasted no time getting me up on that table and ready to go. I appreciate you, ultrasound tech!
She's a GIRL!!
This sweet angel is "Baby B" (the baby higher up in my uterus.)
She's a girl, too!
Both babies were measuring fabulously. Baby A was measuring 2 days behind, and Baby B 2 days ahead. Basically this means they're both average. They showed no abnormalities and everything looked perfect. They were even cuddling at the beginning of the scan!
What was more fun was creating our big reveal! After the appointment, we headed off to Build a Bear Workshop. There, we each took a twin...
Mommy was going to make a critter for Twin A, to be known forever as Rain Elizabeth.
Daddy took responsibility for Twin B's critter. Her name is Rogue Lillian.
We decided on bunnies. They were sweet looking, soft, and I have a special place in my heart for bunnies (those who know me will recall my comfort animal, Bunny).
Putting them together was a blast. I already had a plan for mine... tutus and bows... simple. But Rob took so much joy in picking out outfits. He even tried on multiple things on Rogue's bunny... glasses, flowers, skirts, and he was so excited to dress it.
We named the bunnies after our girls: Rogue Lillian and Rain Elizabeth.
The really fun part, aside from finding out about our girls and making their first stuffed animals, was the reveal to the family.
First, we sent everyone this picture:
We wanted to keep everything suspenseful, and since we have a lot of family who is out of town, we wanted them all to be a part of the excitement.
For my parents, it was easy... we just took the sweet little boxes of bunnies over to their house and let them open them, one by one. Unfortunately, our real camera died before we even got to use it (irresponsible pregnant brain!) so these are blurry cell phone shots.
For everyone else, they had to be sent the reveal... one... picture... at a time...
Gramma Britton was going CRAZY because of how long in between each picture was. But she was happy in the end to find out it was two baby girls :)
It was so much fun to find out about our little girls. It's funny: I thought I wanted a boy or two, but now that I know they're girls, I can't imagine anything else. I'm so excited for all of the fun stuff that goes along with having girls :)
Let me start by saying that I should have scheduled the ultrasound for early in the morning to avoid the wait I had to endure all day! I even tried to stay up late last night so that I could sleep in this morning... no such luck. I was up and ready to go by 8:00 am and it was a pain in the rump to keep myself entertained until 2:15.
When the time finally came, I got somewhat dolled up, assuming our camera would be working... unfortunately, I didn't plan well and the battery died at the scan. No problem... cell phone to the rescue!
We were early to our appointment... the first one we've ever been early to... and sat in the parking lot for a few minutes scarfing down some french fries and orange juice, hoping to make the sweet babies wiggle a little and not stay in one spot.
When we finally went in, we actually had to wait in the waiting room. Crazy, right? Remember, we were early (we're normally right on time). Every time a nurse came out of the back, I perked up, ready to go. THREE PEOPLE were ahead of us!
Finally it was our turn... we got to skip right past my weigh in (we'd do that after) and go straight to the ultrasound room. She wasted no time getting me up on that table and ready to go. I appreciate you, ultrasound tech!
This is "Baby A" (the baby closest to my cervix,
the baby that will be born first).
She's a GIRL!!
This sweet angel is "Baby B" (the baby higher up in my uterus.)
She's a girl, too!
Both babies were measuring fabulously. Baby A was measuring 2 days behind, and Baby B 2 days ahead. Basically this means they're both average. They showed no abnormalities and everything looked perfect. They were even cuddling at the beginning of the scan!
What was more fun was creating our big reveal! After the appointment, we headed off to Build a Bear Workshop. There, we each took a twin...
Mommy was going to make a critter for Twin A, to be known forever as Rain Elizabeth.
Daddy took responsibility for Twin B's critter. Her name is Rogue Lillian.
We decided on bunnies. They were sweet looking, soft, and I have a special place in my heart for bunnies (those who know me will recall my comfort animal, Bunny).
Putting them together was a blast. I already had a plan for mine... tutus and bows... simple. But Rob took so much joy in picking out outfits. He even tried on multiple things on Rogue's bunny... glasses, flowers, skirts, and he was so excited to dress it.
We named the bunnies after our girls: Rogue Lillian and Rain Elizabeth.
The really fun part, aside from finding out about our girls and making their first stuffed animals, was the reveal to the family.
First, we sent everyone this picture:
Who's in these boxes? Boy bears? Girl bears? One of each?
We wanted to keep everything suspenseful, and since we have a lot of family who is out of town, we wanted them all to be a part of the excitement.
For my parents, it was easy... we just took the sweet little boxes of bunnies over to their house and let them open them, one by one. Unfortunately, our real camera died before we even got to use it (irresponsible pregnant brain!) so these are blurry cell phone shots.For everyone else, they had to be sent the reveal... one... picture... at a time...
Gramma Britton was going CRAZY because of how long in between each picture was. But she was happy in the end to find out it was two baby girls :)
It was so much fun to find out about our little girls. It's funny: I thought I wanted a boy or two, but now that I know they're girls, I can't imagine anything else. I'm so excited for all of the fun stuff that goes along with having girls :)
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
THERE you are! (I think.)
This week, I got to experience my twins in a way that I have never experienced anything.
Now, I've been feeling (what I think are/were) flutters since about 13 or 14 weeks; strange movements in my tummy unlike any gas or digestion I've ever felt, so I can only assume it was the twins.
Around 16 weeks, those flutters kind of stopped. I didn't worry, because their heartbeats were fine on the Doppler at our check-up. But when 18 weeks hit and I still hadn't felt anything, I started to wonder what was going on. Other mamas on my birth clubs and message boards were feeling their babies already (some of them even feeling them from the outside!) and I wasn't. I think I assumed since they're twins, I'd get to feel those types of things sooner, since they're squished into a small space and since my uterus is about the size of one for one baby at 24 weeks. I thought wrong though. I was feeling zilch.
This week, the flutters came back... and they're not just flutters, they're real tickles and movements! From the inside, anyway.
I still doubt myself, wondering if it's other body stuff happening, but no, I'm almost positive this is twins.
Daddy Rob has felt them a few times. Not kicks, but little rolls (they must be doing somersaults when he puts his hand on my belly!) He gets so excited when I point to a hard spot on my tummy that I think is baby; he'll put his hand there and gasp when he feels something. It's so strange, I don't really feel it from the inside when he's pressing on them, but he does. I imagine them with a shocked look on their face, going "WTF, dad? We're already squished enough in here without you pushing on us!" and I think that's the cutest little bit of whining ever, and it makes me smile.
Things that make them move: singing, eating, laying on my back, talking to them. They love mommy's voice, and I love that! Well, either they love it or I'm just waking them up every time I decide to poke them and talk to them. I can't really feel them unless I've eaten recently or have a full bladder. My guess is that they get squished when I eat or have to pee. The one exception to this rule was the other day when I was hungry: my stomach growled (LOUD) and that certainly caught them off guard... I felt them even standing up! Normally I have to be lying on my back to feel them.
Feeling them in there makes them all the more real to me. It's been one of the most incredible things I've experienced in my life. Right up there with finding out there were two, seeing them as little beans for the first time, and hearing their sweet heartbeats for the first time. It's almost like they're communicating with me from in there, saying, "hey mom, we're here!" and I love it.
I can't wait to feel their first little kicks :)
I really am enjoying being pregnant. Aside from the PUPPPS and the insane morning sickness, aside from the back pain every now and then, I am so happy to have my little ones growing in me. I'm loving planning for them, dreaming of them... I'm grateful for nesting and for the happy feelings. I love you, sweet twinsies!
And to you mama's who keep telling me "you won't enjoy it later... it hurts. It's annoying. blah blah blah. Buzz off, and let me enjoy my pregnancy. :p
Now, I've been feeling (what I think are/were) flutters since about 13 or 14 weeks; strange movements in my tummy unlike any gas or digestion I've ever felt, so I can only assume it was the twins.
Around 16 weeks, those flutters kind of stopped. I didn't worry, because their heartbeats were fine on the Doppler at our check-up. But when 18 weeks hit and I still hadn't felt anything, I started to wonder what was going on. Other mamas on my birth clubs and message boards were feeling their babies already (some of them even feeling them from the outside!) and I wasn't. I think I assumed since they're twins, I'd get to feel those types of things sooner, since they're squished into a small space and since my uterus is about the size of one for one baby at 24 weeks. I thought wrong though. I was feeling zilch.
This week, the flutters came back... and they're not just flutters, they're real tickles and movements! From the inside, anyway.
I still doubt myself, wondering if it's other body stuff happening, but no, I'm almost positive this is twins.
Daddy Rob has felt them a few times. Not kicks, but little rolls (they must be doing somersaults when he puts his hand on my belly!) He gets so excited when I point to a hard spot on my tummy that I think is baby; he'll put his hand there and gasp when he feels something. It's so strange, I don't really feel it from the inside when he's pressing on them, but he does. I imagine them with a shocked look on their face, going "WTF, dad? We're already squished enough in here without you pushing on us!" and I think that's the cutest little bit of whining ever, and it makes me smile.
Things that make them move: singing, eating, laying on my back, talking to them. They love mommy's voice, and I love that! Well, either they love it or I'm just waking them up every time I decide to poke them and talk to them. I can't really feel them unless I've eaten recently or have a full bladder. My guess is that they get squished when I eat or have to pee. The one exception to this rule was the other day when I was hungry: my stomach growled (LOUD) and that certainly caught them off guard... I felt them even standing up! Normally I have to be lying on my back to feel them.
Feeling them in there makes them all the more real to me. It's been one of the most incredible things I've experienced in my life. Right up there with finding out there were two, seeing them as little beans for the first time, and hearing their sweet heartbeats for the first time. It's almost like they're communicating with me from in there, saying, "hey mom, we're here!" and I love it.
I can't wait to feel their first little kicks :)
I really am enjoying being pregnant. Aside from the PUPPPS and the insane morning sickness, aside from the back pain every now and then, I am so happy to have my little ones growing in me. I'm loving planning for them, dreaming of them... I'm grateful for nesting and for the happy feelings. I love you, sweet twinsies!
And to you mama's who keep telling me "you won't enjoy it later... it hurts. It's annoying. blah blah blah. Buzz off, and let me enjoy my pregnancy. :p
PUPPPS: the devil in rash form.
So many things have been happening in the last 2 weeks! So this is my 19 week update, then I'll write the very exciting 20 week update, and you'll get a BONUS one on Friday! (Or Saturday, whenever I get around to writing it.)
Two of the strongest sensations so far in pregnancy have hit me this week: one of them is the worst thing I've ever experienced and the other is the greatest (well, one of the greatest... I feel like everything that tells me my twins are really here is the greatest.)
I'll start with last week so that we can stick to chronological order. Come on a journey with my through torture and triumph...
-------------------------------------------------
Of all pregnancy symptoms out there, one that I'd never heard of and never considered was unbearable itchiness. Don't get me wrong, I knew my skin would be stretching fairly rapidly (40 pounds in 9 months is going to be a big change for my little body), and I know a little bit of discomfort (read: itchiness) is expected. But a couple of Sundays ago, I woke up for church with a little more more than "slight discomfort." My legs were itchy in spots, and there wasn't really any relief from the itch when I scratched. I was at a barbecue the day before, though, so I just assumed bug bites and wrote it off. I didn't think much of it, just put some lotion on and called it a day.
It was night time where I wanted to saw my legs off on my hips (and happily would have, too!). That night, I was so itchy I couldn't sleep. It came on gradually throughout the day, but when it hit, OH BABY did it hit! I clawed at my legs like an animal until they were red and raw. I don't know how I actually got to sleep.
Monday it was worse. The same sensation from the night before plagued me all day. It got to the point where I showered multiple times, hoping the water would relieve my discomfort (NOTE FOR YOU MOMS-TO-BE: HOT WATER MAKES IT WORSE! DON'T DO IT!). I even scrubbed my legs with a pumice stone.... not to exfoliate, but hoping to slough my skin off. (ha)
By Tuesday morning, I decided it wasn't bug bites and I was way too miserable to be having an allergic reaction, so I started to do what everyone [who wants to freak out] does when they're having symptoms of any kind. No, I didn't call the doctor: I Googled it.
I learned 2 things are common with pregnancy, and even more-so with twin pregnancy: liver issues and the worst thing in the history of all things "benign:" PUPPPS.
The liver thing is possible, as I've been having some unexplained pain and fluttering behind the left side of my ribs, but I didn't have the other symptoms of the liver issue.
When I read up on PUPPPS, I cried for an hour on my bed thinking that I might have it. I know I sound like a big baby (it's not life threatening in any way to me or the twins), but I dreaded the thought that I would have PUPPPS for the remainder of my pregnancy.
PUPPPS is "pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy." Now, I don't really know what that means medically or scientifically, but in layman's terms, it means "the most ridiculous and pointless and unexplained itchy ugly mess that you'll ever have to deal with that doesn't go away until your babies are born or a few weeks after."
AHH! I cried because I can't even explain the discomfort. I've been lucky enough to not have experienced any traumas that were too terrible, but I HAVE broken bones, gotten burns, migraines, etc... and I'd take ANY of those over the PUPPPS itchiness.
I finally called the nurse on duty at my clinic, who explained both the liver thing and PUPPPS. The next day I went and gave them a nice big vile of blood and researched some tips for relief.
I discovered, through the goodness of other mamas who'd gone through it, the most wonderful miracle next to my sweet twins:
Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap.
Ladies, I promise you... if you ever have the misfortune of experiencing PUPPPS, whether it's early in your pregnancy like me or in the last few weeks (which is more common), ignore EVERY OTHER "treatment" offered to you. Don't bother with Benadryl, don't waste your money on Hydrocortizone. Go to your local natural market (I love Marlene's on 38th in Tacoma; they also provided my Mother's Special Blend to prevent stretch marks) or get on Amazon or wherever you know you can find natural organic soaps and supplements. Buy a bar of Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap. Use it at LEAST once a day.
Fair warning: you WILL smell like a hardware store. And while it doesn't relieve every ounce of itching, after 2 days of using it, the unsightly bumps on my legs were gone and the itching was DRAMATICALLY decreased.
I never heard back from the doctor about my liver, so I'm guessing my blood-work came back just fine. Which probably means I do have PUPPPS, and I will have it until after the twinsies make their debut. But thanks to Grandpa (I'm not sure whose grandpa...) I can sleep at night and I'm not trying to scrape the skin off of my legs.
Thank goodness for other mommies on the internet.
Two of the strongest sensations so far in pregnancy have hit me this week: one of them is the worst thing I've ever experienced and the other is the greatest (well, one of the greatest... I feel like everything that tells me my twins are really here is the greatest.)
I'll start with last week so that we can stick to chronological order. Come on a journey with my through torture and triumph...
-------------------------------------------------
Of all pregnancy symptoms out there, one that I'd never heard of and never considered was unbearable itchiness. Don't get me wrong, I knew my skin would be stretching fairly rapidly (40 pounds in 9 months is going to be a big change for my little body), and I know a little bit of discomfort (read: itchiness) is expected. But a couple of Sundays ago, I woke up for church with a little more more than "slight discomfort." My legs were itchy in spots, and there wasn't really any relief from the itch when I scratched. I was at a barbecue the day before, though, so I just assumed bug bites and wrote it off. I didn't think much of it, just put some lotion on and called it a day.
It was night time where I wanted to saw my legs off on my hips (and happily would have, too!). That night, I was so itchy I couldn't sleep. It came on gradually throughout the day, but when it hit, OH BABY did it hit! I clawed at my legs like an animal until they were red and raw. I don't know how I actually got to sleep.
Monday it was worse. The same sensation from the night before plagued me all day. It got to the point where I showered multiple times, hoping the water would relieve my discomfort (NOTE FOR YOU MOMS-TO-BE: HOT WATER MAKES IT WORSE! DON'T DO IT!). I even scrubbed my legs with a pumice stone.... not to exfoliate, but hoping to slough my skin off. (ha)
By Tuesday morning, I decided it wasn't bug bites and I was way too miserable to be having an allergic reaction, so I started to do what everyone [who wants to freak out] does when they're having symptoms of any kind. No, I didn't call the doctor: I Googled it.
I learned 2 things are common with pregnancy, and even more-so with twin pregnancy: liver issues and the worst thing in the history of all things "benign:" PUPPPS.
The liver thing is possible, as I've been having some unexplained pain and fluttering behind the left side of my ribs, but I didn't have the other symptoms of the liver issue.
When I read up on PUPPPS, I cried for an hour on my bed thinking that I might have it. I know I sound like a big baby (it's not life threatening in any way to me or the twins), but I dreaded the thought that I would have PUPPPS for the remainder of my pregnancy.
PUPPPS is "pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy." Now, I don't really know what that means medically or scientifically, but in layman's terms, it means "the most ridiculous and pointless and unexplained itchy ugly mess that you'll ever have to deal with that doesn't go away until your babies are born or a few weeks after."
AHH! I cried because I can't even explain the discomfort. I've been lucky enough to not have experienced any traumas that were too terrible, but I HAVE broken bones, gotten burns, migraines, etc... and I'd take ANY of those over the PUPPPS itchiness.
I finally called the nurse on duty at my clinic, who explained both the liver thing and PUPPPS. The next day I went and gave them a nice big vile of blood and researched some tips for relief.
I discovered, through the goodness of other mamas who'd gone through it, the most wonderful miracle next to my sweet twins:
Ladies, I promise you... if you ever have the misfortune of experiencing PUPPPS, whether it's early in your pregnancy like me or in the last few weeks (which is more common), ignore EVERY OTHER "treatment" offered to you. Don't bother with Benadryl, don't waste your money on Hydrocortizone. Go to your local natural market (I love Marlene's on 38th in Tacoma; they also provided my Mother's Special Blend to prevent stretch marks) or get on Amazon or wherever you know you can find natural organic soaps and supplements. Buy a bar of Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap. Use it at LEAST once a day.
Fair warning: you WILL smell like a hardware store. And while it doesn't relieve every ounce of itching, after 2 days of using it, the unsightly bumps on my legs were gone and the itching was DRAMATICALLY decreased.
I never heard back from the doctor about my liver, so I'm guessing my blood-work came back just fine. Which probably means I do have PUPPPS, and I will have it until after the twinsies make their debut. But thanks to Grandpa (I'm not sure whose grandpa...) I can sleep at night and I'm not trying to scrape the skin off of my legs.
Thank goodness for other mommies on the internet.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Okay, I'm definitely growing two babies.
I am amazed by the amount my body has changed in just a few short weeks.
I've gone from this...
....to this in 3 1/2 weeks. Less than a month!
My babies are growing so quickly. Already, they're about 5 inches long and about 6 ounces a piece. So my tummy is huge. But so are my arms, my face, my thighs, my fingers and toes, my... ahem... baby food....
I've gained weight... and not just baby weight.
Daddy Rob has started calling me "soft," especially when he holds me and massages me He's not insulting me, mind you... he's sweeter than heck... when I say "you mean fat?" he makes it clear that he indeed meant soft, and that he likes it. He seems to like touching my squishy sides and arms... what a silly man. I feel huge some days.
I'm okay with it, though. The more the twins can get from me, the greater their growth will be, and the higher their birth weights. Twins have a risk of being born small... for one thing, they'll more than likely be a few weeks early. For another, they're all cramped up in there with not much room to grow. They're sharing nutrients and a dorm.
Fortunately, our twins are di/di (diamniotic/dichorionic)... they have their own placentas and their own sacs. So they have much lower risks than twins who are mono. We're lucky for those reasons.
But I'm not going to take any chances. I'm going to gain weight, and I've accepted that.
For the next few months, my body is not mine. It is theirs. If I have a little extra flab on my arm or if my chin gets a little wider, that's okay. I might need to remind myself of this as time goes on, but right now, I'm okay.
22 days left until Anatomy Scan, where I can see my sweet twinsies again :)
I've gone from this...
....to this in 3 1/2 weeks. Less than a month!My babies are growing so quickly. Already, they're about 5 inches long and about 6 ounces a piece. So my tummy is huge. But so are my arms, my face, my thighs, my fingers and toes, my... ahem... baby food....
I've gained weight... and not just baby weight.
Daddy Rob has started calling me "soft," especially when he holds me and massages me He's not insulting me, mind you... he's sweeter than heck... when I say "you mean fat?" he makes it clear that he indeed meant soft, and that he likes it. He seems to like touching my squishy sides and arms... what a silly man. I feel huge some days.
I'm okay with it, though. The more the twins can get from me, the greater their growth will be, and the higher their birth weights. Twins have a risk of being born small... for one thing, they'll more than likely be a few weeks early. For another, they're all cramped up in there with not much room to grow. They're sharing nutrients and a dorm.
Fortunately, our twins are di/di (diamniotic/dichorionic)... they have their own placentas and their own sacs. So they have much lower risks than twins who are mono. We're lucky for those reasons.
But I'm not going to take any chances. I'm going to gain weight, and I've accepted that.
For the next few months, my body is not mine. It is theirs. If I have a little extra flab on my arm or if my chin gets a little wider, that's okay. I might need to remind myself of this as time goes on, but right now, I'm okay.
22 days left until Anatomy Scan, where I can see my sweet twinsies again :)
Friday, July 5, 2013
16 Weeks and Growing!
We had our 16 week appointment on Friday, where we got to meet the doctor for the first time. And boy, is she a cheerful one!
So yes, to keep you updated, in the past week and a half or so, I've been feeling tiny flutters in my belly. There were some before that, but I can't be sure if that's what I was feeling. For those of you wondering what it's like... it's like when the doctor thumps on your noggin asking, "does this hurt?" that soft little "thud" of a fingertip against your skull... or better yet, put your hand on your stomach, and then tap your first two fingers on your hand quickly.... what you feel through to your stomach is kind of what I feel inside mine. Very faint, but definitely movement.
These babies are growing like rapid fire, and so is my belly. I am loving it so much. I like to sit and just touch my belly, and stare at it. I've been taking so many photos of us (me and the belly, ha) just because it's making me feel so cute :)
Of course, I know it's the twins that are especially cute, not be, but I'll take it!
We'll see how much I love this bump in about 10 weeks... but so far, so good.
The nausea has slightly subsided (maybe a TMI for some of you), and I only get really sick if I haven't eaten (which reminds me....)
The symptoms have shifted to thirstiness... I'm ALWAYS wanting something freezing cold to drink... and I used to hate ice... and a little bit of dizziness, but not too bad.
The worst thing is the sciatic nerve pain. I thought it wouldn't start until later in my pregnancy, but I was completely wrong. These babies are in there laughing at how I walk when I've been sitting too long, or walking too long... or basically functioning at all. Hopefully this is the worst of it.
Of course, the symptoms are nothing compared to the incredible joy I'm feeling about these two little guys (or girls). As the weeks creep forward, they become more and more real to me.
I'm majorly nesting right now... trying to throw out SO many things. In the last week, we've made three trips to Goodwill. Small trips, mind you, but trips nonetheless. I want all unnecessary things out of my life. Bye bye, clothes that I haven't worn in years, dishes that I didn't know existed, and ugly trinkets that don't match anything and have no sentimental value!
Of course, with getting rid of my own things comes adding things for the twinsies. I've been working on decor for their nursery. We are going off of the theme from Lambs and Ivy: Echo, and I must say it is the darn cutest thing I've ever seen.
My favorite part of their room so far is the dresser/changing table, but only because I made cute little drawer pulls for it.
[On that note, we are registered at Babies R Us, if anyone wants to start spoiling these twins early :) Of course, Babies R Us can get a little pricey, so if you want to purchase the same item elsewhere, just e-mail my mom salvationclown@aol.com... put "Alicia's registry" in the subject and tell her what you bought, she'll take it off the registry.]
I've also done a few paintings on canvas that go along with the theme. Not the exact characters from the Lambs and Ivy set, but close, and still adorable.
I'm a little sad at how they look in these pictures, because I think they're WAY cuter in person... But hey, flash does some terrible things to color.
Finally, I've been working (slowly but surely) on their baby book. There might be some debate over twins having their own baby books or one... but my twinsies are going to have a single baby book. They will have their own pages devoted to them as they are born and grow, but while they're in my tummy, they are progressing together, and the ONE baby book just seems logical to me. This is a picture of the cover, which I'm sure is not finished.
Well I guess that's it for now, see you in a week or so!
We'd originally planned on dealing exclusively with midwives at Pearl Place, but of course, you know the story: twins are higher risk, blah blah blah, so we're working directly with the doc.
She was fabulous, so I'm not too worried.
Unfortunately, the check-up was just that... a check-up. Checked my weight (I'm up 3 pounds!), my blood pressure (perfect!), and we got to do my favorite thing... hear their little heartbeats.
Doctor is convinced that since their heartbeats are so high, that they are girls. Me? I don't buy into all that mumbo-jumbo... there are plenty of boys that are born with high heartbeats, and girls with low. I also don't believe in the cranial structure stuff, the cravings test, any of it. My babies will tell me what they are when they show me their little parts.
It's not that I wouldn't be happy with two little girls. I'll be thrilled no matter who they are. But I have this strong feeling that at least one is a boy.
We get to find out on August 2nd... so the countdown is on! Our reveal is going to be so stinkin' cute... be excited ;)
The other exciting thing is that all that movement I've been feeling in my belly is NOT gas... it's babies! Doctor could hear movement with the doppler... even told me that baby on the left (which is the one I feel most often) is going to be a handful. My little active twinsies...
So yes, to keep you updated, in the past week and a half or so, I've been feeling tiny flutters in my belly. There were some before that, but I can't be sure if that's what I was feeling. For those of you wondering what it's like... it's like when the doctor thumps on your noggin asking, "does this hurt?" that soft little "thud" of a fingertip against your skull... or better yet, put your hand on your stomach, and then tap your first two fingers on your hand quickly.... what you feel through to your stomach is kind of what I feel inside mine. Very faint, but definitely movement.
Other symptoms of the 16th week: I'm getting HUGE!
These babies are growing like rapid fire, and so is my belly. I am loving it so much. I like to sit and just touch my belly, and stare at it. I've been taking so many photos of us (me and the belly, ha) just because it's making me feel so cute :)Of course, I know it's the twins that are especially cute, not be, but I'll take it!
We'll see how much I love this bump in about 10 weeks... but so far, so good.
The nausea has slightly subsided (maybe a TMI for some of you), and I only get really sick if I haven't eaten (which reminds me....)
The symptoms have shifted to thirstiness... I'm ALWAYS wanting something freezing cold to drink... and I used to hate ice... and a little bit of dizziness, but not too bad.
The worst thing is the sciatic nerve pain. I thought it wouldn't start until later in my pregnancy, but I was completely wrong. These babies are in there laughing at how I walk when I've been sitting too long, or walking too long... or basically functioning at all. Hopefully this is the worst of it.
Of course, the symptoms are nothing compared to the incredible joy I'm feeling about these two little guys (or girls). As the weeks creep forward, they become more and more real to me.
I'm majorly nesting right now... trying to throw out SO many things. In the last week, we've made three trips to Goodwill. Small trips, mind you, but trips nonetheless. I want all unnecessary things out of my life. Bye bye, clothes that I haven't worn in years, dishes that I didn't know existed, and ugly trinkets that don't match anything and have no sentimental value!
Of course, with getting rid of my own things comes adding things for the twinsies. I've been working on decor for their nursery. We are going off of the theme from Lambs and Ivy: Echo, and I must say it is the darn cutest thing I've ever seen.
My favorite part of their room so far is the dresser/changing table, but only because I made cute little drawer pulls for it.
[On that note, we are registered at Babies R Us, if anyone wants to start spoiling these twins early :) Of course, Babies R Us can get a little pricey, so if you want to purchase the same item elsewhere, just e-mail my mom salvationclown@aol.com... put "Alicia's registry" in the subject and tell her what you bought, she'll take it off the registry.]
I'm a little sad at how they look in these pictures, because I think they're WAY cuter in person... But hey, flash does some terrible things to color.
Finally, I've been working (slowly but surely) on their baby book. There might be some debate over twins having their own baby books or one... but my twinsies are going to have a single baby book. They will have their own pages devoted to them as they are born and grow, but while they're in my tummy, they are progressing together, and the ONE baby book just seems logical to me. This is a picture of the cover, which I'm sure is not finished.Well I guess that's it for now, see you in a week or so!
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Bump!
I keep doing this to myself. Last week, I posted a picture saying, "look, a bump!" because for me, that IS a bump! (I'm used to a fairly flat-ish tummy).
Then a few days ago I wake up and there's a BULGE! And I feel silly for even thinking my 14 week bump was a bump.
It's to the point that I can't wear pants anymore... the buttons bruise me or won't button at all.
So I've been maternity clothes shopping. And they are the most COMFORTABLE THING IN THE WORLD. Ladies, I'm telling you... don't wait to buy maternity clothes. Even if you're not pregnant... go buy them and wear them anyway. Holy cow, it's like heaven!
These babies are really starting to show, now, and I can't wait to see them next! Hopefully at our next appointment.
I am getting SO antsy waiting to find out their sexes... it's going to be a loooong week, and then I don't even know if we get an ultrasound at the next appointment!
Here's to waiting :)
Then a few days ago I wake up and there's a BULGE! And I feel silly for even thinking my 14 week bump was a bump.
It's to the point that I can't wear pants anymore... the buttons bruise me or won't button at all.
So I've been maternity clothes shopping. And they are the most COMFORTABLE THING IN THE WORLD. Ladies, I'm telling you... don't wait to buy maternity clothes. Even if you're not pregnant... go buy them and wear them anyway. Holy cow, it's like heaven!
These babies are really starting to show, now, and I can't wait to see them next! Hopefully at our next appointment.
I am getting SO antsy waiting to find out their sexes... it's going to be a loooong week, and then I don't even know if we get an ultrasound at the next appointment!
Here's to waiting :)
Monday, June 17, 2013
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Daddy day... and almost the second trimester!
How fitting that Father's Day is today, the last day of the first trimester... the trimester where Rob had to take on SO much responsibility for our lives.
And oh, he has. He's spoiled me (and the twins, as I like to say) rotten. When "the twins don't feel like doing the dishes," he's on it. When "the twins want grilled cheese," guess who makes it? Daddy does.
He's done so much for these two already, and I'm so happy to call him their dad.
--------
I meant for this post to be a "end of first trimester" update, but it's taken me days to write so far, so I think I'll just post with a "HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!" and update later. Ta ta!
And oh, he has. He's spoiled me (and the twins, as I like to say) rotten. When "the twins don't feel like doing the dishes," he's on it. When "the twins want grilled cheese," guess who makes it? Daddy does.
He's done so much for these two already, and I'm so happy to call him their dad.
--------
I meant for this post to be a "end of first trimester" update, but it's taken me days to write so far, so I think I'll just post with a "HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!" and update later. Ta ta!
Sunday, June 9, 2013
The greatest sound I've ever heard.... so far, anyway.
My favorite sound used to be the way fingers moved along the fret board on the guitar, scraping the strings with the soft part of the fingertips. Even thinking about the sound gives me the good kind of goosebumps.
But last Thursday I heard an even greater sound. I got to hear the twins' heartbeats for the first time.
To say it was indescribable is an understatement. I still don't have a name for the emotion of hearing their sweet little hearts tick by at 171 bpm and 164 bpm. It made them so tangible, so real. I can't even put it into words! I can't believe there are two little souls growing up next to one another inside my tummy.
Rob and I are in love. I've never felt the kind of love that I feel for these two... it's incredible.
-----------------
Later in the appointment with the midwife, I got the strangest "compliment" I've ever gotten in my life. It was intended to be factual information, not a compliment, but I took it as one.
You all know that I'm praying for a natural birth. I'll be happy no matter how they come out, but ideally I'd love to deliver them both without surgery and (God willing) without meds. This is why the following information is so exciting for me:
The midwife measured my uterus and cervix. She told me that my cervix was "nice and long" and that my uterus was measuring at the size of a 16 week uterus. The day of the appointment we were 12+4. Her "compliment" was that the birth canal, uterus, and cervix all show that I've got plenty of room in there for twins.
The only thing I could think of (and say) and response was, "thanks mom!" I credit her with the wide mama-hips and I suppose good genes!
The midwife said it's a good sign that the twinsies will spend a good long time baking, and that there's a good chance of a healthy delivery.
Here's to hoping!
-----------------
Final piece of the 12-week update...
I know the debate between 2nd trimester starting at 13 weeks or or 14... but I'm impatient, so I'm going to go with 13.
We start the second trimester tomorrow. I'm tired of throwing up. Praying that the second semester is a glorious time for the twins and I.
But last Thursday I heard an even greater sound. I got to hear the twins' heartbeats for the first time.
To say it was indescribable is an understatement. I still don't have a name for the emotion of hearing their sweet little hearts tick by at 171 bpm and 164 bpm. It made them so tangible, so real. I can't even put it into words! I can't believe there are two little souls growing up next to one another inside my tummy.
Rob and I are in love. I've never felt the kind of love that I feel for these two... it's incredible.
-----------------
Later in the appointment with the midwife, I got the strangest "compliment" I've ever gotten in my life. It was intended to be factual information, not a compliment, but I took it as one.
You all know that I'm praying for a natural birth. I'll be happy no matter how they come out, but ideally I'd love to deliver them both without surgery and (God willing) without meds. This is why the following information is so exciting for me:
The midwife measured my uterus and cervix. She told me that my cervix was "nice and long" and that my uterus was measuring at the size of a 16 week uterus. The day of the appointment we were 12+4. Her "compliment" was that the birth canal, uterus, and cervix all show that I've got plenty of room in there for twins.
The only thing I could think of (and say) and response was, "thanks mom!" I credit her with the wide mama-hips and I suppose good genes!
The midwife said it's a good sign that the twinsies will spend a good long time baking, and that there's a good chance of a healthy delivery.
Here's to hoping!
-----------------
Final piece of the 12-week update...
I know the debate between 2nd trimester starting at 13 weeks or or 14... but I'm impatient, so I'm going to go with 13.
We start the second trimester tomorrow. I'm tired of throwing up. Praying that the second semester is a glorious time for the twins and I.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Top Questions and Comments from Students
-"Are they boys or girls?"
-"What are their names?"
-"Is THAT why you've been so grumpy?"
-"No wonder you're eating all the time!"
-"Did you tell your mom?"
-"Does it feel weird to have two people in you?"
-"But you're not even big!"
-"Are you gonna get huge?!"
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
"We're your first kids!"
I've been waiting until 12 weeks to tell my students the big news-- I figured 11 1/2 is close enough.
I am a middle school teacher and ASB adviser, so you're probably already aware that my school year next year will be dramatically affected. There are substitutes for my class, but ASB is a huge job. I asked a fabulous (and more experienced) ASB adviser from another school, who transferred to ours, to co-advise with my next year. She accepted, and we'll work together next year, and it will be fabulous :)
Now for the exciting news! I introduced the new adviser to my group of ASB students today, and so I knew it also had to be the day I told them about the twinsies. I used Google for some motivation and finally decided on this:
HANGMAN!
I waited until the end of our business part of the meeting, then opened the game up on my SmartBoard. They led everything, taking turns guessing letters, and just having a general good time trying to figure it out.
It didn't take long for them to figure out "Ms. Hall is..." but they were a little stuck on what I am! They guessed a few sweet things "Ms. Hall is great? No... Ms. Hall is awesome? No... that doesn't fit..." (flattered, I am.)
They started passing around "Adam the ASB Horse" (their talking stick) and guessing letters one at a time. The clincher for one of my little boys was the "n." Once my little student got the horse after the "n," his smile turned to a look of shock, his face turned bright red, and he looked right at me. The other students were waiting for him to guess. They knew he had it...
He hesitated... but finally said... "Ms. Hall... is... pregnant?!"
All of the heads in the room turned right to me. I'm surprised the didn't get whiplash. I smiled.There was squeeling, there was cheering, there was "OMG, are you?!"
The secretary typed the answer in to the Hangman game... and it said "You have won!"
More squeels, more cheering, more "OMG!"
It was the freaking cutest thing I've ever seen. I felt my face get red. And I said, "guess what?!" (I can't believe they could hear me through their noise)... they went SILENT... and I said... "it's twins!" and covered my mouth. My classroom EXPLODED!! AAAAHHHH! They were so cute.
Then the questions started... "are they boys are girls?" "What are their names?" it was so noisy and adorable.
One student raised her hand to ask me something, and everyone quieted down to let her. "Are these your first kids?"
I said yes, but I was quickly corrected. One of my 8th graders, my student of three years, said, "No they aren't. WE'RE your first kids."
Oh my gosh I cried.
It was such a joyous occasion.
They decided for themselves they were going to keep it a secret because they wanted me to play Hangman with my regular classes to let them figure it out. We'll see how many students know about it by tomorrow ;)
-----
And just a little update on our plans for the birth... we toured at St. Joseph's last night. It's no Birthing Inn, but it was much nicer than I'd pictured for a hospital. Looks like the place :)
I am a middle school teacher and ASB adviser, so you're probably already aware that my school year next year will be dramatically affected. There are substitutes for my class, but ASB is a huge job. I asked a fabulous (and more experienced) ASB adviser from another school, who transferred to ours, to co-advise with my next year. She accepted, and we'll work together next year, and it will be fabulous :)
Now for the exciting news! I introduced the new adviser to my group of ASB students today, and so I knew it also had to be the day I told them about the twinsies. I used Google for some motivation and finally decided on this:
HANGMAN!
I waited until the end of our business part of the meeting, then opened the game up on my SmartBoard. They led everything, taking turns guessing letters, and just having a general good time trying to figure it out.
It didn't take long for them to figure out "Ms. Hall is..." but they were a little stuck on what I am! They guessed a few sweet things "Ms. Hall is great? No... Ms. Hall is awesome? No... that doesn't fit..." (flattered, I am.)
They started passing around "Adam the ASB Horse" (their talking stick) and guessing letters one at a time. The clincher for one of my little boys was the "n." Once my little student got the horse after the "n," his smile turned to a look of shock, his face turned bright red, and he looked right at me. The other students were waiting for him to guess. They knew he had it...
He hesitated... but finally said... "Ms. Hall... is... pregnant?!"
All of the heads in the room turned right to me. I'm surprised the didn't get whiplash. I smiled.There was squeeling, there was cheering, there was "OMG, are you?!"
The secretary typed the answer in to the Hangman game... and it said "You have won!"
More squeels, more cheering, more "OMG!"
It was the freaking cutest thing I've ever seen. I felt my face get red. And I said, "guess what?!" (I can't believe they could hear me through their noise)... they went SILENT... and I said... "it's twins!" and covered my mouth. My classroom EXPLODED!! AAAAHHHH! They were so cute.
Then the questions started... "are they boys are girls?" "What are their names?" it was so noisy and adorable.
One student raised her hand to ask me something, and everyone quieted down to let her. "Are these your first kids?"
I said yes, but I was quickly corrected. One of my 8th graders, my student of three years, said, "No they aren't. WE'RE your first kids."
Oh my gosh I cried.
It was such a joyous occasion.
They decided for themselves they were going to keep it a secret because they wanted me to play Hangman with my regular classes to let them figure it out. We'll see how many students know about it by tomorrow ;)
-----
And just a little update on our plans for the birth... we toured at St. Joseph's last night. It's no Birthing Inn, but it was much nicer than I'd pictured for a hospital. Looks like the place :)
Monday, May 27, 2013
The Business of Being Born
Many people don't seem to understand how strongly I desire a "natural birth."
It might be kind of... I don't know... pretentious of me, but I was born to be a mom. Ever since I was a little girl, I've wanted to be a mom. As I grew older, I couldn't wait to get pregnant, carry my child, and most of all, experience birth.
I never, ever expected or anticipated twins. I always just assumed everything would go exactly as I planned. I'd get pregnant, I'd feel great and take good care of my body and exercise, I'd give birth naturally, and it'd all work out.
Now that I've got the twins, my dreams and expectations of birth are shifting dramatically.
Can I be really honest with you? My ultimate dream for this birth: vaginal birth in a comfy bed with no chemicals or meds whatsoever. Natural pain relief (water, massage, breathing techniques). I want to be totally aware and totally involved in my birth.
Now let me be honest with myself. These are twins. There are two babies. And so far, they're growing at normal fetal sizes and rates. They'll more than likely be normal infant weights. I've already accepted that I can't give birth in my dream location, the Birthing Inn. It is hard for me to accept, but I have gotten over it. What I'm having trouble accepting is that since I'm going to be in a hospital, I'm going to be pricked on prodded and poked with needles, I'm going to be attached to machines and IV's, and I don't like that. I don't want tubes and blinking lights and beeping machines; I don't want things strapped to my head. I absolutely don't want my babies sucked out by vacuum or yanked out by forceps.
I'm trying very, very hard to accept that there may be surgery involved with delivering the twins. That's the hardest part for me right now. I want to see my loves when they are born, I want to hold them. I want to remember every moment. I want their daddy there, I want their grandma and I want pictures and I want this special moment with my twins and my family. I want to let my body do what it is created to do. So it's so hard to imagine Cesarean. My next step is accepting that they may have to be delivered that way.
The good news is, my midwives deliver at St. Joseph's, where we'll be delivering. So I get to have one of the amazing women who are so involved in my pregnancy there to deliver my babies, with the option of the doctor and emergency services there in case I need them. The best thing I can do is write my birth plan and hope that it can be followed as closely as possible.
-------------
I'm currently watching The Business of Being Born, a documentary about birth and delivery in the United States and how we don't let women's bodies do what they're meant to do. It's making me feel even more strongly that I want natural birth-- not a typical "American Birth." I want to be aware, I want to be present.
-------------
No matter how you're born, I can't wait to meet you, little twins.
It might be kind of... I don't know... pretentious of me, but I was born to be a mom. Ever since I was a little girl, I've wanted to be a mom. As I grew older, I couldn't wait to get pregnant, carry my child, and most of all, experience birth.
I never, ever expected or anticipated twins. I always just assumed everything would go exactly as I planned. I'd get pregnant, I'd feel great and take good care of my body and exercise, I'd give birth naturally, and it'd all work out.
Now that I've got the twins, my dreams and expectations of birth are shifting dramatically.
Can I be really honest with you? My ultimate dream for this birth: vaginal birth in a comfy bed with no chemicals or meds whatsoever. Natural pain relief (water, massage, breathing techniques). I want to be totally aware and totally involved in my birth.
Now let me be honest with myself. These are twins. There are two babies. And so far, they're growing at normal fetal sizes and rates. They'll more than likely be normal infant weights. I've already accepted that I can't give birth in my dream location, the Birthing Inn. It is hard for me to accept, but I have gotten over it. What I'm having trouble accepting is that since I'm going to be in a hospital, I'm going to be pricked on prodded and poked with needles, I'm going to be attached to machines and IV's, and I don't like that. I don't want tubes and blinking lights and beeping machines; I don't want things strapped to my head. I absolutely don't want my babies sucked out by vacuum or yanked out by forceps.
I'm trying very, very hard to accept that there may be surgery involved with delivering the twins. That's the hardest part for me right now. I want to see my loves when they are born, I want to hold them. I want to remember every moment. I want their daddy there, I want their grandma and I want pictures and I want this special moment with my twins and my family. I want to let my body do what it is created to do. So it's so hard to imagine Cesarean. My next step is accepting that they may have to be delivered that way.
The good news is, my midwives deliver at St. Joseph's, where we'll be delivering. So I get to have one of the amazing women who are so involved in my pregnancy there to deliver my babies, with the option of the doctor and emergency services there in case I need them. The best thing I can do is write my birth plan and hope that it can be followed as closely as possible.
-------------
I'm currently watching The Business of Being Born, a documentary about birth and delivery in the United States and how we don't let women's bodies do what they're meant to do. It's making me feel even more strongly that I want natural birth-- not a typical "American Birth." I want to be aware, I want to be present.
-------------
No matter how you're born, I can't wait to meet you, little twins.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Ten Week Update
We're at 10w+6 days!
Last Wednesday was our Medical History class... two hours of filling out paper work and learning how to have a healthy pregnancy. I have to say, as much as we're excited about our twins, I couldn't help but feel like an "odd man out" compared to the rest of the moms in our class. It seemed like there was a lot of "this is how your pregnancy will be... unless you're having twins." "This is healthy for you to do... except if you're carrying twins." There were a couple of strong feelings... pride and feeling a little bit special, and also a little bit singled out.
It was a bit of a disappointing appointment. We got news that I already knew deep down, but ended up hurting me anyway. Silly, yes... but I was so disappointed to hear that twins are too "at risk" for the Birthing Inn. It's such an incredibly beautiful place and it was perfect for delivering our little ones... but they wouldn't be safe there, and neither would I. So it's going to be in the hospital.
And at this point, a few days later, I've accepted it.
I did learn officially that our twins are di/di (dizygotic), meaning that they are in two separate sacs and that they both have their own placentas. Higher chance of them being fraternal, and better chances of a healthy pregnancy and birth.
We're almost out of the first trimester. I'm excited to start growing in my belly past the point that it's just pudgy, and I'm ecstatic to be done with the morning sickness and exhaustion.
So this update has been poorly written and hasn't been full of information... so I'm going to sign out. :) More to come when I know more about these twinsies!
Last Wednesday was our Medical History class... two hours of filling out paper work and learning how to have a healthy pregnancy. I have to say, as much as we're excited about our twins, I couldn't help but feel like an "odd man out" compared to the rest of the moms in our class. It seemed like there was a lot of "this is how your pregnancy will be... unless you're having twins." "This is healthy for you to do... except if you're carrying twins." There were a couple of strong feelings... pride and feeling a little bit special, and also a little bit singled out.
It was a bit of a disappointing appointment. We got news that I already knew deep down, but ended up hurting me anyway. Silly, yes... but I was so disappointed to hear that twins are too "at risk" for the Birthing Inn. It's such an incredibly beautiful place and it was perfect for delivering our little ones... but they wouldn't be safe there, and neither would I. So it's going to be in the hospital.
And at this point, a few days later, I've accepted it.
I did learn officially that our twins are di/di (dizygotic), meaning that they are in two separate sacs and that they both have their own placentas. Higher chance of them being fraternal, and better chances of a healthy pregnancy and birth.
We're almost out of the first trimester. I'm excited to start growing in my belly past the point that it's just pudgy, and I'm ecstatic to be done with the morning sickness and exhaustion.
So this update has been poorly written and hasn't been full of information... so I'm going to sign out. :) More to come when I know more about these twinsies!
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
It's a..... TWIN?!
Yesterday was our first ultrasound, where we got to see our baby for the first time.
We anxiously awaited the appointment for two weeks, knowing our baby would look like a little bean, but still excited to see it's little vegetable self.
We rushed in a little late, and they got us right in to see the ultrasound tech. Once she got me settled and got everything started, I was feeling less anxious; I was ready to see this baby! Her TV screen, which usually allows the parents to see what's going on as the tech does it, was broken, so she would have to turn her screen towards us when she actually found something for us to see.
She started running through the typical questions-- I thought. She asked "any history of twins in your family?" "Nope," I said right away (not realizing I had one aunt along the line who had them). Her next words were not the next question in a series that ultrasound techs have to ask. Her next words were...
"Well, there is now."
It didn't register with me at first. I was just kind of like, oh, okay, wait, WHAT?! She turned the screen to me. "Yup, there's two babies."
I was shocked, stunned, without words, behind belief. Immediate tears hit, and I looked at Rob, who's mouth was agape. He had this giant open-mouth smile on his face. I think we were both shocked, excited, and scared to death. (At least I know I was!)
We talked through the rest of the ultrasound as the tech showed us pictures. We had a million questions for her, poor lady. She described our babIES as little gummy bears, and showed us the "balloons" they were holding (their yolk sacs).
Both babies are fine-- great heart rates, perfect size, and each in their own individual sac. They're only 8 weeks, but as of right now, they are perfectly healthy.
We called Rob's mom and grandma right away, and went straight to my parents house, where we told them and called the grandparents. We tried calling uncles. Rob wanted to tell EVERYONE. It was a fabulous exciting time.
As soon as we got home, Rob started researching twins. He wanted to know everything he could about the pregnancy and about raising them. He's going to be a great daddy.
Well, it's twins, so this adventure just got even more exciting. Our next appointment is on May 22, and that day can not come soon enough.
We anxiously awaited the appointment for two weeks, knowing our baby would look like a little bean, but still excited to see it's little vegetable self.
We rushed in a little late, and they got us right in to see the ultrasound tech. Once she got me settled and got everything started, I was feeling less anxious; I was ready to see this baby! Her TV screen, which usually allows the parents to see what's going on as the tech does it, was broken, so she would have to turn her screen towards us when she actually found something for us to see.
She started running through the typical questions-- I thought. She asked "any history of twins in your family?" "Nope," I said right away (not realizing I had one aunt along the line who had them). Her next words were not the next question in a series that ultrasound techs have to ask. Her next words were...
"Well, there is now."
It didn't register with me at first. I was just kind of like, oh, okay, wait, WHAT?! She turned the screen to me. "Yup, there's two babies."
I was shocked, stunned, without words, behind belief. Immediate tears hit, and I looked at Rob, who's mouth was agape. He had this giant open-mouth smile on his face. I think we were both shocked, excited, and scared to death. (At least I know I was!)
We talked through the rest of the ultrasound as the tech showed us pictures. We had a million questions for her, poor lady. She described our babIES as little gummy bears, and showed us the "balloons" they were holding (their yolk sacs).
 |
| Baby B |
 |
| Baby A |
 |
| Gummy Bear |
Both babies are fine-- great heart rates, perfect size, and each in their own individual sac. They're only 8 weeks, but as of right now, they are perfectly healthy.
We called Rob's mom and grandma right away, and went straight to my parents house, where we told them and called the grandparents. We tried calling uncles. Rob wanted to tell EVERYONE. It was a fabulous exciting time.
As soon as we got home, Rob started researching twins. He wanted to know everything he could about the pregnancy and about raising them. He's going to be a great daddy.
Well, it's twins, so this adventure just got even more exciting. Our next appointment is on May 22, and that day can not come soon enough.
The Big Reveal
We're going to be parents. Rob and I. It's happening. We are going to be someone's mommy and daddy. And it's happening in 7 months!
We were as surprised as everyone else to find out that we were expecting. And among the great variety of reactions we received the most important one, ours, was very positive.
We found out in the middle of the night. I had taken tests earlier in the day that were "inconclusive" (I bought Walgreens brand tests instead of name brand... don't ever do it!) and couldn't take the new tests that I bought right away (if you know what I mean). So when I woke up in the middle of the night with a full bladder, I wasn't going to wait any longer to take the test. I think it was about 1:30 in the morning. It was digital, easy to read.
The other two were NOT that positive at first, and it says they're not accurate after the first 10 minutes (that's when they became more clear) so I didn't believe them. Thanks, Clearblue, for being so easy!
So there it was. I couldn't react. I couldn't smile, or cry, or be afraid... I just woke Rob up and told him.
He sat up with me while I began research-- for hours. I downloaded apps on my phone, I read blogs and articles, I looked at pictures... I became a pregnancy expert. All night. I didn't sleep. We got really excited together, Rob and I, and I couldn't go back to sleep!
The next day I was so sick, and I figured it was just in my head. Now that I know I'm pregnant, I'm all of a sudden nauseous? Whatever, stupid body.
But it definitely wasn't sick. My "morning sickness" (read: all day this effing sucks sickness) was, and still is, miserable.
That day, I spent every spare moment researching doctors, birthing rooms, hospitals, midwives... everything I could to make sure that I got the best treatment and care for myself and my new little one (which I knew at the time through my research was about the size of an apple seed). I decided on the Pearl Place Women's Clinic which delivers at the Birthing Inn. Pearl Place had incredible reviews and seemed to fit my hippie-ish ideals, so it just fit. I called and made an appointment for the following Monday.
It was a looooong wait to that first appointment on April 22. But all my suspicions about Pearl Place were correct-- they were fabulous! They were nice, congratulatory, and so very helpful. I didn't want a place that was going to be no-nonsense and rush me through; they were very understanding, uplifting, and supportive of this excited new mom and dad.
It was a perfect fit.
And after I gave them like all of the blood from my body (and all the pee) we were off with a set of 3 appointments all 2 weeks apart.
We set off right away in planning. We bought a bouncer, a crib, and a changing table/dresser combo. Even though our house isn't ready, even though we were 8 months away, we were excited and wanted to prepare.
Our next appointment was to be a dating ultrasound on April 6, where we would get to see our tiny baby for the first time. And we couldn't wait.
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