30 weeks

We have our house back! Our remodeling project is near completion. We now just have some finishing touches, need to paint the nursery and then we're hopefully done for a while. I try to post some before and after pictures.

I had my 30 week appointment yesterday. After answering many of my goofy questions, we check on the babies. Baby A's heart rate was 153 and baby B's heartrate was 140. They seem to be doing well. I feel them move quite a bit. I measure at 34 weeks so growth seems to be progressing too. I am supposed to start "taking it easy" because my cervix is soft and almost fingertip dilated so we don't want that to continue too quickly. So lots of water and more rest time. I really want to go to at least 36 weeks + so I'm willing to try to slow down.

28 weeks

At 28 weeks, I'm feeling pretty good and really big. The appointment went really well. The babies are still really close to the same size and seem healthy. Both are approximately 2 lbs. 2 oz. and both did turn and were head down. We hope they stay in this position! Their heartrates were 145 and 151. Everything looked good for me too; no reason to be on bedrest yet. This week has proved a little more challenging. I tend to tire easily and I am pretty sore everywhere. Keeping up with everything is getting more difficult. I'm so happy that I've made it this far and hope all goes well and I can stay pregnant for 7 to 8 more weeks! Jack is doing well but is thrown off by the construction in the house. It will be so nice when things are a little more normal. I did happen to run into the lady who is having triplets and she is doing well too! Keep her in you prayers as well.

24 weeks

I've definitely grown and so have the twins. At the 20 week appointment, the twins weighed appoximately 9 and 10 oz respectively and I measured about 20 weeks. Now at the 24 week appointment, the twins both weighed appoximately 1.2 pounds and I measured 28 weeks.

The ultrasound went well and their heart rates were 150 and 153. They did cooperate with this ultrasound and they were able to get a good look at their spines and get the measurements and all looked well. Baby B has a thickening of a tendon in her left heart ventricle which can mean a few things or nothing. They did do a few more measurements and took a good look at the heart and everything looks normal so everything should be fine but prayers are always appreciated. God is in control and we trust his faithfulness.

I'm starting to feel big and need more rest times. Soreness in my abdomen and back are common but not bad. The babies move a lot and now Jay can feel them and sometimes we can even see them so that is so fun.

A couple that I met in Dr. Brown's office has been on my heart lately. The are due with triples a week after I'm due with the twins. They will be delivered by c-section when she is 32 weeks, which is around January 9th. I'm just ask for prayer for them.

Until next time...bye. Hopefully I will be more faithful with my undates!

Introducing Baby B!

Baby B is a girl too! We will have twin girls, now I just wonder if they will be identical. Baby B liked to move around a lot. Baby A moved quite a bit too but I don't seem to feel her as much except when she kicks my bladder. Baby B's heart rate was 151 and she was much more cooperative showing us that she is a girl. She seems to be most likely to let me know when she doesn't like the postion I'm sitting or lying in.

Introducing Baby A!

This baby is a girl! She is Baby A because she is the lowest down. She is also slightly smaller than Baby B. They both do average out to be the same size overall which is really good. They worry if one becomes >25% larger than the other one. At this visit her heart rate was 138 and she was not going to turn over for the spinal pictures and she was kind hiding too so not until the end of the ultrasound were we more sure that she is a girl.

20 weeks

Seems like I'm maybe a little bigger here but not as big as I thought I'd be at this point. I will post the ultrasound pictures next!

16 week appointment

At my sixteen week appointment, I was 16 week 6 days pregnant. As I mentioned in the previous post, I have been experiencing round ligament pain so I really wanted to know that things looked ok. I measure about 18 weeks and the heart rates were 168 on the right and 151 on the left. Dr. Brown did do an ultrasound in the office again and the first picture is their measurements. Each picture shows the top of a head and then them curled up. It seem that the heads were by eachother and then the bodies went out to my sides. The next picture shows one spine and the other baby's face. The baby measurements are not really accuate yet but it seems like one is a little smaller than the other. My next appointment is October 9th. My first big ultrasound will be that day and we will hopefully find out what genders they are! I'm really excited. We will tell so don't be scared. This pregnancy is really different so that has been a challenge. I still cannot believe there are two babies. The biggest announcement lately is that Jack and the twins are going to have another cousin. Yes, that is right, Katelyn will be a big sister! I am so happy to experience pregnancy again with Kristen. She is due April 12th, 2009.

Growing

In this picture taken at 16 weeks, it doesn't seem like I've grown alot. Now that I am 18 weeks, I feel bigger and cannot sit in scruntched postion for long periods of time. I feel the babies move now from time to time, not really on any schedule but enough to know they are there. I have alot of round ligment pain in my abdomen which I did not experience with Jack so that is a big change because any pain seems scarey. I'm still tired quite a bit but I have bursts of energy every once in a while.

Always guessing.

I listened to the heartbeats today. I'm not sure if I'm really hearing two different ones or not because I'm not a doppler expert but it was sure fun to hear! The rates I counted were anywhere between 152 and 168. It seems like they move around so much and the one on the left was much more cooperative. I have kind of been thinking there could be one of each but today I thought maybe there are two boys. I did however think Jack was a girl most of my pregnancy so my "feelings" in that area have proven to be less than reliable. Who knows, it's fun to wonder, just pray that they are both healthy.

First Profile Pic

Hopefully, I will post a monthly photo of my growth. I'm not looking the most attractive in this picture but who needs make-up. Anyway, now there will be a reference for my progress.

They're moving around!

The appointment went really well-PRAISE THE LORD! Jay was able come to the appointment with me yesterday too so that made it all the more special. The exam, etc. went as expected and Dr. Brown set February 28th, 2009 as the offical due date. Prior to listening to the heartbeat, I told him that I had to tell him something. So I said I had had an ultrasound at work because of the feeling that there were twins and that we did in fact see two. There was a small attempt to hear the heartbeat and then we did an ultrasound (because there needs to be a indication). Then we saw them!!!!!!!! Both moving around with strong heartbeats. One seemed more active and one seemed more laid back and cooperative but maybe that was just at that moment. They both measure around 12 weeks (not exact measurements really because it was just an office ultrasound and not done by an ultrasound tech) so they are a good size and measure right how far along I am. I'm 13 weeks today. I guess 34-37 weeks is a good gestation period for twins so we could start to expect them late January to early February.

The appointment schedule changes with a twin pregnancy. My next appointment is September 18th and my 20 week ultrasound is scheduled for October 9th so then we may know what sex they are! I will have an ultrasound every 4 weeks and start every 2 week appointments after 24 weeks so that will be a lot. Then a 28 weeks, they start non-stress tests to make sure the babies are doing ok. It all seems overwhelming at times but I feel so blessed to be having two babies and pray that it will be a healthy pregnancy with healthy babies.

Tomorrow is the appointment!

I am so excited for tomorrow; it seemed sooooooo far away a week or two ago. I'm looking forward to this. I cannot wait to hear both heartbeats and have an offical ultrasound. I have been feeling pretty good the last couple of days but today I was a little more tired and feeling a little sick. It is funny how I worry when symptoms are here and also when they are gone. I need to not be anxious and pray and be thankful-I think I've heard that somewhere before ( paraphase Philippians 4:6). We'll let you know how it goes!

I guess I'm going to be busy.

It's weird, and don't necessarily take offense if you've said this to me, but I am already tired of some responses I get from people when they find out we're having twins. The two worst have been "the look of pity" which means, "I'm really sorry" and when I say we are very excited then I hear, "oh you are, that's good" as if there was ever some sort of disappointment. Also, "you will be busy"-really because I'm kind of bored now so a least I'll have something to do. I find it so refreshing when people are just excited as one would think you would be when you find out about a new life. And offering to help instead of dwelling on how busy I'll be-I really appreciate these family and friends! I often think about how nice it is for Jack to have Kate so close to his age and now the twins will be close to their age too. I hope they are all great friends. What a blessing it is to have our children close in age to eachother and their cousin. It's alomst scarey at times when God answers your prayers; we are so undeserving but He is so loving and faithful! I'm still anxiously awaiting our appointment on Thursday-I'll write as soon as I can that evening!

Maternity Clothes

I think I'm almost to the point where maternity clothes, especially pants are more comfortable. I remember with Jack my pants were the first to be uncomfortable but I was a little smaller then but I suppose with two it will increase quickly! One thing I miss about working at the clinic is being able to listen to the babies heartbeats. I really probably listened to Jack's heartbeat every couple of days (if not everyday) for a while. Anyway, not too much new-I'm feeling really pretty good today!

Getting anxious for the first appointment

As some of you may know, around this week of pregnancy is when you typically have your first appointment. My MD is out of the office until next week so that is when my appointment is scheduled. I could see a NP this week but I like seeing the MD most of the time especially for bigger appointments like the first one, etc. It's so nice once you can feel a baby moving around to know they are ok but when they are so little there's no way to know. So I'm learning more and more to just trust God. He loves these babies more than I ever can so who better to be in control! I think I can already feel myself growing. I can kind of remember these feelings with Jack but I don't remember when they started. I definitely feel more pregnant at night. I am a lot better (almost nausea free) and the tiredness changes from day to day. Sorry there are no pictures yet of Jack or the first ultrasound but I cannot get them to upload yet. I'll keep trying.

The Beginnings

I'm starting this blog to document this experience. With Jack's pregnancy, I wrote in a pregnancy journal and have enjoyed being able to look back at that. I hope he will enjoy it too. With this pregnancy, I have less time and energy so I want a place to type quickly and document the happenings. Everyone that's wants to know how things are going can come here if they have just a moment.

We found out we were pregnant on July 3rd, 2008. I was so excited. I prayed during the three minutes the test was processing and literally kneeled down the praise the Lord when the test was positive. I felt so blessed each time I found out I was pregnant! I called Jay right away and he was so happy too. He said, "That's good news!!!" From the beginning of this pregnancy, Jay and I have suspected it could be twins. My dreams in general are strange to say the least but I had one dream that two pregnancy tests were positive and one dream that the ultrasound tech said, "There are two babies!". This is was started the thoughts.

On August 7th, 2008, I found a heartbeat (which is the best sound in the world) and I had an ultrasound at work just so I would know. I told tech about the feelings and dreams-pretty sure he thought I was crazy. When he looked around his next statement was "Was I in your dream because your dreams are accurate, there are two babies". I could not belive it but there they were two little lives! He asked if I wanted as picture and I said yes (for proof). I called Jay and he was so excited too. As we let people know think most reactions were shock.

Grandpa Clarence was the first to know and he said "well our prayers will have to change, now we're praying for two" and Grandma Marlene kept saying "oh my word, oh my word" and Alesha just laughed. I appreciated the laughter because up until then I had basically just been shaking. We called almost everyone else we could think of over the next few days and all were excited.

So praise God, our second and third children are on the way! Approximate due date is February 27th, 2009 and my first OB appointment is August 21st so then we should know a little more.

The Annoucement

I should include how we announced the pregnancy. On July 4th, we had both sets grandparents, Peter, Kristen and Kate over for supper and to let them know. I really wanted them to be praying for a safe and healthy pregnancy. It was hard to keep it from everyone else but we wanted to do something special like we did with Jack. For Jack's first birthday party, we bought him a shirt that said, "I'm the Big Brother". We put it him when everyone had arrived and just put him down to run around. Auntie Chelsie was the first to read it and everyone's mouth dropped. I'm not sure anyone thought it was too unexpected except my aunt Margaret but it's still fun to make the annoucement!