Keeping Up With The Boys!

Lilypie

Monday, June 1, 2009

This Year, I Have a Baby

Crap, I Forgot that I Blogged
Posted Wednesday, January 07, 2009 2:05 PM

I knew I was forgetting to do something. I've been super busy taking down Christmas decor, going to childbirthing, rearing, and feeding classes. We've been working on the nursery, so hopefully by the end of next week, I will have a few pictures to show everyone.
Winks is able to put all 4 paws on the ground and walk around now. She doesn't hold her poor little kitty paw all funny anymore. And if you hold her, she latches on with all 4 claws, so she is showing tons of progress. She's super cute and I realized, I haven't posted a single picture of her. I need to do that sometime. I will probably take a picture tonight while Matt is holding her.
Oh, last night during breastfeeding class, Matt looked so sweet. I got tired of holding the 2 dolls while sitting in those uncomfy chairs with my big old belly in the way. He had a baby in the crook of each arm and was just lightly bouncing the dolls without thinking about it. I just had one of those moments where I looked at him and thought, "Dear Lord, this is really going to happen."
I am going to have my shower soon, and once the shower is over, Matt and I can finish up figuring out what we need, get the nursery completely set and pack our bag for the hospital. I'll be 30 weeks pregnant as of Friday. Time really has flown by. I'm just so excited to feel my little boys against my skin and smell them. That may sound so silly, but just getting to breath in around them excites me so much.
I've been preparing for them. The Nesting instinct has really kicked in. 2 nights ago, I was laying in bed and couldn't fall asleep, so I got up, cleaned the toilets, washed the bathroom mirrors and mopped the floors. After that, I felt good enough to sleep. And on that same note, my carpet looks great because I vacuum at least 2 times per week.


Picture Blog
Posted Friday, January 09, 2009 12:19 AM

I am 30 weeks as of today! Here is my picture.





And Here's Winks!






My Scary Ultrasound
Posted Monday, January 12, 2009 4:33 PM

So I had an ultrasound and Baby A is measuring at 3lbs 10 ounces. I was shocked. He is in the 54 percentile, then they moved to baby B. I thought he looked a bit smaller. They gave me his percentile at 17th. I said, could that even be right? The tech seemed really concerned. She started really grinding on my belly with that wand to see if she could get a better abdomen measurement, which she did and it brought him up to the 34% at 3lbs 6 ounces. I was so much happier. When she told me at first, I swear it felt like my heart stopped beating. They warn you about how bad it is if one gets a lot bigger than the other. I was terrified. But it is better. Then, baby B is breech.
The Dr explained that he has a very slim chance of flipping now and we should think about our options. She said she will not deliver a baby breech because of cerebral palsy risks and she said some women will choose to have the first the old fashioned way and they could try to flip the second. They said it is dangerous because of cerebral palsy and heart issues. I said, well, as sad as it makes me to have a c/s, I am not going to put either baby at risk, so I have to schedule a c/s if, by the next ultrasound, baby B hasn't flipped (which isn't likely). I have 2 dates to pick from for c/s. I get March 5th or March 12th. My due date wasn't until the 20th.
I told Matt and we thought, as long as it is a healthy choice for the babies, keep them in until the 12th, which is as long as possible. I called my Mom and told her and she agreed, then looked at her calendar and said, "No, do it the 5th, we are out of town for your sister's meet in Kentucky on the 12th." So I'd have to choose between my Mom, Dad and sister being out of town for the birth, or giving my boys one week less time to grow inside me.
Needless to say, I'm a little sad now.
I'm sure that everything will be okay, and I really do want to try for the 12th. It will put them being born 2 days before their Daddy's birthday. I couldn't imagine better gifts than them. I'm still a little worried about Baby B's measurement. It seems like every appointment, Baby B just trails a little further behind each time. I keep thinking, as long as there isn't a huge gap between them, that they have to be okay. I swear, the first thing I thought after I knew that both babies were okay was, "Dangit Ethan, share with your little brother." I really hope that if I have to have the c/s, that my Mom will stay with me. I just really want her to be with me that day. We are very close.


Stumped!
Posted Wednesday, January 14, 2009 7:28 AM

Well, pregnancy brain has been attacking me lately. I can't think of what to write, so I'm just going to c and p a board post about my darn brain.
I know I am not this stupid. On Sunday, I ended up doing the math wrong on my lunch bill and tipping the waitress about 40%. Then, on my way home, I forgot my low fuel light came on and I ran out of gas on the side of the highway. Then for dinner, we were going to have chili. I grabbed the wrong can. I don't eat the chili with beans, and that is the one I made. I just feel like I cannot be trusted. My husband told me that he worries about me now because I'm acting without common sense. He said I should probably not drive around much by myself. I think he has a point, because last night, I went to Hobby Lobby and spent about an hour wondering around and bought nothing, Not even the letters I went there for. I ended up going to wal-mart, doubling back and then buying the letters.
Pregnancy has made me such a dingbat.

Life With Multiples
Posted Friday, January 16, 2009 9:49 AM

In my multiples class last night, they described a c-section in graphic detail. I hadn't eaten all day, the room felt hot and cramped, and I almost passed out. Matt caught me before I fell out of my chair. I swear though, I pass out at the best places. Before pregnancy, I had a margarita lanyard for breakfast and passed out front row at a HURT concert and got pulled over the front rail by a cute bodyguard and watched the show from backstage. Then, I passed out at the Dr. office on the u/s table. I was in good hands. Then last night, I go down right into DH's arms in the hospital with a RN on my right side. My body knows the perfect time to take involuntary naps.

52 Weeks Pregnant
Posted Monday, January 19, 2009 1:09 PM

Hey everybody, I'm 52 weeks pregnant. How backwards does that sound!?! Seriously though, I'm measuring at 52 weeks and I'm getting to the "Get these babies out of me" point. I love them though. I get kicked with more gusto now which tells me that my little men are getting some fat on them which I am great with. I have another Ultrasound on Wednesday to see how big my boys have gotten in one week. I'm hoping we have broken the 4lb mark.
The discomfort in pregnancy is sometimes enough, coupled with emotions that come in extreme highs and lows, to make me cry. It isn't that carrying a baby hurts. Or that carrying 2 babies hurts, it is just so exhausting. When you are experiencing round ligament pain, Braxton Hicks contractions that tighten your tummy to the point where you lose your breath, and sciatic nerve pains shooting down your legs, you just reach a point where laying in a warm bath can't help as much. I find laying in bed with pillows shoved all around me to the point I feel that I'm floating on a cloud while I sob feels unbelievably good. The stress relief with a good cry is perfect on some days.
The vivid nightmares I've had lately are enough to terrify anyone. I dream about delivering too early. I dream about seeing my sons only through incubators in the NICU. I dream about having my boys older and losing them in random places like pumpkin patches, craft fairs, or crowded malls. I dream that I may not make it through my c/s. I dream that I don't make it to my c/s and James is born breech. It is just so scary to think of the endless list of things that can go wrong, but having supportive people surrounding me helps so much with the anxieties.
The list of fun things that I would never trade in a million years have been far and few between and the misery of sickness and worry is virtually constant, but there is something truly amazing about the whole deal. I have loved calling these boys by their names. I love that my family is excited and I absolutely love seeing people get excited about my little guys. I get a huge kick out of knowing that Ethan and James aren't here yet, but so many people are head over heals in love with them. I can't get enough of the heart-to-heart talks that Matt and I have together. Not all conversations are sparkly and happy, such as the "Who gets custody in the event of our deaths, getting our affairs in order" discussions. But even then, talking about that with Matt brings me comfort in knowing that my children will be well provided for if something ever happens to me and their Daddy. But because I'm listing the fun stuff, the nursery is soooooo much fun. I love trying to get it together. It is stressful, causes miniature fueds between Matt and I, and it seems like nothing is ever as easy as it should be, but it is great to see it all come together which was nothing like what I originally envisioned.
With all of that said, Matt and I met a worker at Lowes the other night. He asked when I was due and I said March 20th with twin boys. He has twin boys himself who are under 2. He was talking about them and the stories were so sweet. Then we just started talking about the frequency of multiples and the weird stories that come out, such as the bi-racial couple in England who have 2 sets of fraternal twins, in both sets, one child came out looking dark skinned and the other was fair skinned. We then started discussing how once you have twins, you are more likely to have them again. Since that converstaion, for some reason I can't explain, Matt and I have been talking about how cool it would be to have more twins after this set. I just don't want to jump towards a permanent birth control yet. I just don't know if I want this to be the last time I carry one of mine and Matt's children inside me.
I still love the idea of adoption, but it is the funniest little sensation to actually feel a teensy foot against the inside of my tummy. Whenever I feel it happen, I just tickle back at my belly and say "tickle toes, tickle toes" Sometimes they will play with me, sometimes I just think they want to know if their Mommy is paying attention.


I Needed This
Posted Tuesday, January 27, 2009 3:27 PM

Yesterday was my sister's 12th birthday. The whole family went to PF Changs and had dinner and it was so good. The weather was bad. The snow in St. Louis had highways shut down all over the place. Matt and I got home safe, but we were passing accidents right and left and the 10 lane highway was being driven as a 4 laner. It reminded me of what my Grandpa used to say. During really bad weather, my grandpa would drive slow and every car that would pass, he'd say out loud, "We'll see ya later, in a ditch!"
When we got home, the neighbors were outside playing in the snow. They had their dogs out and I think a lot of them were big puppies playing in the first accumulation they had ever seen. It was pretty funny. After just a few minutes, Matt wanted me in from the cold and I turned on the fireplace and sat in front of the fire while Matt made us Hot Chocolate. I logged onto work and wrote a note to my supervisor that I was snowed in and that I would have to work from home the next day. Matt did the same. Then we watched Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. We got to sleep in up until we logged into work today. I love that we've both been safe and sound in our home today watching the snow. It has been a really nice relaxing day.
Also, I ate a bowl of orange sherbet today and the boys have been going nuts. I have just sat back and watched my belly dance around like crazy. And I promise that I will be posting nursery pictures as of this weekend.


I feel like I have nothing to say lately
Posted Thursday, January 29, 2009 2:52 PM

I just don't have much to say, but I like to post updates to let you all know that I am not in labor :) I miss all the ladies over here.
I've been debating between having the babies on March 5th or 12th. I've been dealing with finishing the nursery details. There is just so much going on and with all the snow, I've been lazy. Just posting to let everyone know that Ethan and James are still gestating nicely and nursery pics are coming soon!


Double Ear Infection/Lists
Posted Thursday, February 05, 2009 7:16 AM

I really, really, really hoped I'd never have to deal with one of these again. They are the absolute worst. I was hoping I would make it to my shower this weekend. I had just kept praying that I could make it past 34 weeks so I could just get all the stuff so I know what we need to finish the nursery. I knew I'd be miserably tired, but I didn't think I'd have ear infections. These truly suck. Hopefully I am getting them so the boys won't have to, wishful thinking? Lets hope!
Today is my day of lists. I am doing nothing but putting lists together. I have 4 lists I've already been working on this morning since I woke up at 5 am. These 4 lists are, the chore list for the house. I figure if I am in the hospital for 4 days, I want Matt to know what regular chores need done. Basically, I'm just making it a checklist so when he is rushing from work, to the house, to the hospital to sleep with me and the boys, I want him to be able to get things done quickly.
The second list is really more of a nesting list. This list includes all the little things I want done to the house before I go into labor or reach my planned c/section. This list is like spring cleaning. Such as, washing the windows, cleaning the oven, scrubbing every nook in the whole house and arranging all the closets.
Another list I have is the babies room list. It has everything I need to do for them. It has all the things I need to wash, all the things that need hung on the wall. It has everything listed that needs installed and assembled.
My last list is what all I can remember to put in my hospital bag. I have been going down so many people's suggestions and I'm modifying it to Matt and I. Some of the things people bring are crazy, and some of the things people forget to bring is just plain stupid, but I want to make sure I am prepared. I intend to help the best I can with these lists, but I feel like if I make them, even if I can't do it all, Matt is going to be able to use them if I suddenly get put on bedrest.


Realize You Haven't Seen Me In Awhile Too!
Posted Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:23 AM

Here are some pictures of me at exactly 33 weeks, tomorrow I will be 34!
I've come a long way!






My Shower is Tomorrow
Posted Friday, February 06, 2009 2:16 PM


I am so excited! I can't wait to see all the awesome stuff people buy my little boys. DH has just a few last things to do tonight in the boys room and I will have the pictures I promised you all last week of our cute little nursery. I figure I will just wait until it is crammed full of shower gifts to take all the great pictures.
I'm officially 34 weeks pregnant. I remember touring the hospital I'm delivering at with a pediatrician and him telling me, with twins, if you hit 35 weeks, you are most likely garunteed to not have to spend time in the NICU. I will be so excited if we can make it to that point. I told DH, the scariest thing right now in my mind is the thought of my babies needing tubes and IVs hooked up to their fragile little bodies. I just want for them to be treated like all the other singleton babies who are born big and strong. The NICU is by far my biggest worry.
I just feel like my little guys are getting so big. Their kicks are strong. Also, on the 9th, I get to schedule the c/section. I'm thinking March 5th is the way to go, and I can't remember if I told you about some of the research that settled me on this date.
In a normal singleton pregnancy, the time to have a full term baby without danger of intrauterine growth restriction is between 37 and 41 weeks. It is during this time when the lungs gain that final maturity where they can breath well on their own. With twins, this time frame is sooner, between 36 and 38 weeks. They say that IUGR can cause a baby to not grow properly. This increases the risk of stillbirths and the possibiliy of babies losing weight while in the womb. I was reading that it can therefore be dangerous to carry twins past 38 weeks because in many ways, it is the same as a woman carrying one baby past 42 weeks. I was shocked and it is making the earlier date sound far more appealing than what I thought before. Oh, and in triplets, they are supposed to be born even earlier. The book I was reading was so interesting. It said that because twins and higher order multiples are "full term" earlier, their lungs and organs gain that final maturation earlier. This is why a premie multiple is much more likely to survive being born earlier than a singleton. It is natures way of making up the difference.

These Boys are getting Big :)
Posted Monday, February 09, 2009 3:33 PM

I went in for a Growth Ultrasound today and the boys are measuring 6 lbs and 5 lbs 12 ounces. My sweet little boys are getting so big. I just have to keep them in a few more weeks and all will be great.
I will post some pictures from my shower a little bit later with the pics of the nursery. I don't have access to the photos right now. Everything is going great. I found out today, Matt and I are the furthest along with our twins than any of the other couples from our Life With Multiples Class. 2 couples have gone before us and the 1 couple that was ahead of us went earlier and we have now surpassed them.
I was told today that I have a cervix of steel. If that is the case, then I'm so happy that I am having a c-section. Hehe. I also had an NST today and the boys tested great and got me out fast. I loved the NST, it was so relaxing.

Still Pregnant!
Posted Tuesday, February 17, 2009 6:03 AM

Dang this is getting difficult. I swear, I just chant, March 5th, March 5th, March 5th over and over in my head all day. I'm getting so irritable lately, I just feel like I would have a much better demeanor if I could not be as big as a house. I keep hitting my belly on my countertops and running into doors. I have no idea how big I am anymore. I can't judge it.
I'm just done, so done. and I am saying this at 35 weeks and 4 days along. That is so good for twins. 35 was our big milestone because with twins, 35 will usually mean no NICU at all. And their lungs make the surfactant earlier than singletons and would be able to breathe well on their own by this time since most twins are born by 36 weeks.
I've been praying for comfort. My house is clean and ready, boys room is finished, laundry is done, hung up and folded. I have my lists completed and hung on the fridge, my bag is packed, and I'm ready to go!

Nursery Will Be finished After Boys Get Here
Posted Thursday, February 19, 2009 7:34 PM

I don't have any of my wall art up yet. We have a ton of white picture frames. Also, we have to hang the valance. I want the stuff on the walls so badly, but I don't think it will happen until after the boys are here. My husband is a really good artist and he is going to sketch a portrait of me holding the boys. I can't wait until he does it.



Hello, and Yes, Still Pregnant
Posted Wednesday, February 25, 2009 7:39 AM

I have my c-section scheduled for March 5th at noon Central. I am so excited. My Dr said she thought both babies were really good size and she worried about trying to leave them in longer. She said the worst that she sees happening is them maybe needing oxygen for a day or so, but because they will be 37 weeks and 6 days along, she said, most likely not. She said it is a much better alternative to them possibly starting to lose weight in the womb. So A+ for me, for doing my research!
This means, I'm pregnant now for less that 10 more days and I am just so ready to meet the boys. I had the cutest, crazy dream last night. I kept dreaming that I got them home from the hospital and Matt said, "Okay honey, Gotta go to work" then I tried to change thier diapers while sitting in my living room floor. Their onsies wouldn't unsnap and I was freaking out. Then, when I finally got one laying down, the other 4 day old baby got up and started walking away and I ran after him. Then the other one got up and walked away. I was thinking, 'My Lord, my children are so advanced!'
Anyway, I am ready for the boys to get here anytime now!

Qs!
Posted Friday, February 27, 2009 10:08 AM

This may be my last blog before giving birth since my contractions are around 10 minutes apart, but that has been since yesterday afternoon, so who knows how long this will last.

1. WAS YOUR PREGNANCY PLANNED? Nope, not at all. If it would have happened a month earlier, I would have said yes, but these boys were a complete surprise.
2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME? Yes, for 9 months.
3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS? I was just stunned. I could not believe my eyes. Matt was very happy.
4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU? No way! I wanted these boys to stick. I was afraid of losing one, didn't think I'd gain 2.
5. HOW OLD WERE YOU? 24
6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? I felt sick. I threw up a couple times. Then I realized I was a bit late. Man, I was stunned!
7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? I told the internet.
8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX? My boys! I couldn't wait to find out.
9. DUE DATE? Due on March 20th, planned c-section for March 5th. Painful contractions as of yesterday, so who knows, these boys might surprise me today.
10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS? Yes, and I still have it at 37 weeks! Are you jealous?.
11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE? I have loved pizza. I also like fruity popsicles.
12.WHAT IRRITATED YOU? What doesn't irritate the pregnant lady?
13. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX? My Boys!
14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? I really wanted a baby girl, and now, I don't even have them here and life just seems incomplete without my boys. I would still like a girl. Maybe we will try again, but we will definitely be adopting too.
15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY? 35
16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? Yes. I had a very nice work shower, then I had a mini friend shower at a bar with margaritas : ( Good planning ladies), and I had the main one with all my family and close friends.

I'll let you know if any progress happens with my contractions :)

Not Unpregnant yet
Posted Saturday, February 28, 2009 11:46 PM

Having some irregular contractions right now. Waiting and waiting. Come on little boys, any time!
Just thought I'd let you know.


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