35 Week Update

How far along? 35 weeks exactly
Maternity clothes? Yep.
Best moment this week:  My sweet husband is incredible. Sunday, a good friend of mine came over to give Cameron a haircut and decided I needed a trim too. The girl is the best hairstylist I've ever had. I love her dearly. We chatted for a while and her and her boyfriend left. When you get a dry haircut, there are little pieces of hair all over you and the only way to not be totally itchy for the rest of the day is to shower off. So, Cam and I jumped in the shower together. (Bethi's comment was right on!) This time, Cameron asked if he could wash my hair for me. Oh sweet heaven. That is one of life's simplest indulgences, getting your hair washed. And then we put jammies on and skyped my parents to show them the nursery (which is 100% done, by the way!)

Speaking of which, another best moment of the week was finishing my very last sewing project before the boys come. Cam packed up the sewing machine and table and we got our living room back. I can't believe I finished everything I wanted to! I'm pretty proud.

And this was a fun little surprise today:

I sure love that guy.


Movement: Very much so. I love knowing they're OK in there. Last night, after family night, Cameron pulled out a bunch of music and started playing old EFY songs and asked me to sing them. The boys love when girls sing. And I sit there and sob through the entire song. Not sure that qualifies as singing, but I did manage to make it through a few OK.
Food cravings: Broccoli Tacos. YUM. I think it's because it combines my love for corn and mustard in such a wonderfully healthy way. I ate 8 of them for dinner last night. Genius.
Labor Signs: Trying not to give the cramps/surges/contractions any credit. They're not real at this point, just annoying. Some hurt worse than others, but I never have more than 6 an hour. (We get to 5 all the time). I refuse to get all worked up yet. We're 35 weeks along. I will know when labor hits, I'm sure. I don't know of anyone who's been able to just ignore it, so when things get real, I'll know. There is no point in freaking out at every single contraction. If the boys are coming, I will get Cam home and off we will go to the hospital. Until then, I will sit my tail down on the couch and keep drinking water. Knowing that if the boys came now they would be OK really makes ignoring the fake-os easier to do.
Belly Button in or out? Cam gave me a hard time about saying my belly button was half out, so apparently we're still at ground zero, until Nash kicks it.
What I miss: I finished the Book of Mormon in my personal study last Saturday. I never know what to start studying after I finish the entire book, so I've been really slacking lately. My goal was to finish it before the boys came (check!). But now, I'm at a loss. I think I'm just going to buy this study journal and dive in. I miss how my days went when I studied first thing in the morning. Once the boys are here, I'm sure I'll have to really make it a priority, but it's worth the effort in my mind.
What I am looking forward to: Our appointment on Friday! Cam has committed to shaving my legs on Thursday because I can't reach them. And Saturday, I get a pedicure. I'm debating getting an eyebrow/lip wax too. (Budget, schmudget) Also, there is a clementine tree on its way to my house. Thrills me. Next Tuesday, my whole family will be in town. 7 days. Either we'll have some cute new grandkids for my parents to smooch on, or I'll get a nice dose of distraction from these last few days of pregnancy. I'm not sure which one I would like better at this point.
Milestones: 35 weeks! And both boys are over 5 pounds. That was my first goal. Now I need Nash to gain another 5 oz. and we'll be good to go. Cute little boys. :) I can't wait to see them!
Realization of the week: Oh how easy it is to forget. I say this because a friend of mine posted on facebook asking if anyone wanted to switch places with her and be pregnant for a day so she could go skiing. My first reaction (which I posted) was "is switching out of pregnancy for a day an option??" And then I felt terrible. I have SO MANY FRIENDS who would die to be in my shoes right now. I know first hand how hard infertility can be. I know that pain. And now, I know how hard pregnancy is, as well. And it helps me to see both sides a little clearer. Both are HARD. And while there will always be arguments for which is harder, I'm not sure that's a productive discussion to have. Perhaps we should just try to stay outside of ourselves long enough to recognize the pain that others are going through, be it physical or emotional (or both). I deleted my comment on that status because I didn't know what to do, and I couldn't imagine how it would hurt many of my friends if they saw it, but honestly let's try to cut each other some slack. I'm sure almost every single pregnant woman would love one day to be able to move without everything popping and cracking and aching and getting out of breath. (Does this mean that they would ever want to trade their baby for such a luxury? Of course not!) And I know for fact that almost every single infertile woman would love to feel a baby's kicks even just for a single day. I am so grateful for these two little boys. That will never ever change. I would happily go through this pregnancy 10 times if it meant they got to come to our family. Is it all rainbows and butterflies? heavens no! But that's OK. And I think it should be OK to express that every once in a while. To keep that inside is dishonest, in my opinion. It was nice to have a little wake up call, though. A reminder of what a miracle this pregnancy is and how temporary the physical limitations are. I needed it.

Eyebrows (My Babies' Daddy)

My husband has impressive eyebrows. Upon occasion, his eye looks like a fermata because he raises them so high.

This generally happens at times of high intensity. (The picture above is on Goliath at Magic Mountain) Yesterday was one of those times.

We had a doctor's appointment. It was a bit of a marathon. First I had a non-stress test to make sure the boys were nice and healthy. For twins, they expect you to be in there 40 minutes or more because quite often one twin cooperates and the other doesn't. Our boys finished in 15 minutes and had to be monitored for another 5 because you're not supposed to finish a non-stress test in less than 20. So, they're doing great.

We went on down to the ultrasound room and got to see our boys for the last time before we're holding them in our arms. Nash is 5 pounds 3 oz. Gray is 6 pounds 1 oz. There is over 11 pounds of baby in this belly! We also found out they have hair...and it's long. They're also tall. Who's shocked?

The boys cooperated well again so we finished the ultrasound and had tons of extra time in the waiting room before our scheduled appointment with the doctor. We decided to talk about what we wanted to do for our date. I expressed to Cameron that we should probably do something special because it could be our last date night for a long time, and it's the beginning of March which means our date budget just got replenished.

Cam suggested Chili's for chips and queso, and renting a redbox to watch on the couch at home.

Clearly we weren't communicating.

I continued to try to explain to him that it was OK because once the boys come, we won't be going out in March anyway and that I really wanted to go somewhere nice. I rarely look normal and I had showered, hair done, make-upped, and cute clothes for the first time in a while.

His response was that he didn't want to spend too much money.

Again, communication was at a minimum.

We joked around with each other for a while. I got really thirsty (and cranky) and back we went to the exam room.

I'm measuring 42 weeks for a singleton pregnancy. The heartbeats are great. Boys are healthy. No Preeclampsia, which is nice because with all the swelling going on, I was a bit worried about that. I still don't weigh more than Cam (but we are getting dangerously close).

Then the doctor asked if we had any questions for him.

We asked a few things about restrictions on hospital visitors, etc. and then I asked if he still thought that with my height I would make it to 38 weeks.

He laughed and said, "oh no. I'll be very surprised if you've got another 2 weeks ahead of you."

At which point, Cameron's eyebrows shot off his forehead. (Accompanied by the biggest smile I've seen on his face in a while)

We finished the appointment and the Doctor shut the door. The first thing out of Cameron's mouth was "So, what are we going to do tonight? where are we going?"

Suddenly, he was incredibly more committed to date night.

Unfortunately, after 3.5 hours at the doctor's office, I was exhausted. So we went to Village Inn for breakfast for dinner and made curtains for the nursery. (We live on the edge, I tell ya.)

This morning, he has finished up the nursery, cleaned the kitchen, run a million errands, and has yet to sit down. He's on a roll and I'm not about to stop it. I think it's finally hit that these boys are coming. And soon!

I'm drinking water and keeping my feet up so we can still hopefully hit that 36 week mark. 10 days left!

34 Week Update

How far along? 34 weeks 2 days
Maternity clothes? Yep. I'm thinking this is turning into a dumb question.
Best moment this week: Another laugh attack happened yesterday because I liked the way "bars are" sounded at the end of a sentence. I sure hope the laughter keeps up because the wrapped in a towel sob-fest of Sunday morning because "I'm going to be pregnant forever!!!" is something I would not like to experience again. Also, my incredible visiting teacher went grocery shopping for me this week. A-MAZING. Cam told me I wasn't allowed to go unless I rode in one of the wheelchair things, which I just can't bring myself to do. Luckily, said visiting teacher agreed, and went that night to pick up everything I need for the rest of my freezer cooking for the arrival of these boys. Also, my sister came over yesterday. The girl is hilarious. Apparently, I like oats. I didn't realize, but almost every breakfast on my list of things to prep before the boys come involves oats. 2 kinds of granola, some energy bars, breakfast cookies, smoothies, etc. She bakes while Cam does the rest of what's on "the list." They compare it to Mario and congratulate each other on "leveling up" after another one of my crazy tasks is completed. I tend to sit at the kitchen table and try to be helpful as much as possible. This involves eating oranges, drinking water, and perhaps measuring spices. I have, however, managed to make home cooked meals the past two nights. Boo yah. :)

I also got to take maternity pictures last week! AND I AM IN LOVE WITH THEM. My sister-in-law took them and my heavens she is a genius. Plus she helps me relax and not feel so intimidated. I sure needed a "you are not frumpy" pick-me-up and that definitely did the trick. :)
Movement: It's fun to me to realize what the boys like and don't like. They like the sewing machine. They like when women sing. They don't like rap. They recognize Cameron's hand and voice and get excited when he comes home. (To the point where if we're cuddling on the couch watching a movie and Cam leans over to say hello to them, I will stop him and say something to the effect of, "please do not wake them up or get them excited. I would really like to sleep tonight.")
Food cravings: Oats. and Oranges. And lime. We're still on a citrus kick. And apparently a fiber kick. But that one was only brought to my attention recently by Jessica. lol. That girl cracks me up.
Labor Signs: Fake-os for sure. I had a few "crampy" braxton hicks, which was a new feature. Freaked me out a little bit because these boys are definitely not ready to come! I'm also getting progressively loopy, so hopefully it's not too much longer past 36 weeks. In 12 days, you are welcome to pull out all the stops and pray to your hearts content that these boys will come NOW. Until then, prayers that they will continue to cook and my body won't completely fall apart would be greatly appreciated.
Belly Button in or out? 1/2 out. And purple. My belly is super cute, guys. It pretty much looks like a tiger got to it.
What I miss: Slow dancing with Cam. Seriously. We watched the finale of parenthood last night and everyone was slow dancing at the wedding reception. I made the request that as soon as I'm up to it, I want a HUGE hug and perhaps a slow dance. And then we will go to bed and I will cuddle up to his back instead of reaching my arm as far out as possible and maybe grazing his shoulder.
What I am looking forward to: Mostly food. I do have a thing for liquids at this point. I'm drinking over 128 oz. of water a day and I am still SO THIRSTY. I'm also looking forward to a pedicure in 12 days. (My "reward" for getting to the safe zone). AND my family is coming up for Spring Break in 2 weeks. I can't wait for them to get here. Hopefully the boys decide to make their debut while they're here, but mostly I'm just excited for some massive distraction.
Milestones: It's official, my wedding ring is staying put until these babes come. I really REALLY hope it doesn't cut off my circulation before then. Also, the nursery is 90% done. We are so dang close to being "ready" at least according to my list. I don't think you can ever really be ready for two babies to come to your family, or one for that matter.
Realization of the week: I will not be pregnant forever. This may sound silly, but if you had told me this on Sunday morning, I would've had quite the convincing argument for you that I would, in fact, be pregnant forever. Cam deserves some sort of medal for being able to talk me down from the level of hysterics we achieved that day. He sure is wonderful to me.

Also, this will probably be the most disappointing update for some of you. I got an e-mail the other night asking if the boys were born because I didn't do a 33 week update. While that would be quite exciting (and scary), that's not the case. And I'm pretty sure my sweet friend (who expressed nothing but love and concern) is not the only one who maybe had that thought cross her mind. So, I apologize and I will be better at posting weekly (or more often) to avoid any worry.

32 Week Update

How far along? 32 weeks 1 day
Maternity clothes? Yep. But things fit fine for now. :)
Best moment this week: Ok. I am tired. All the time. BUT, my tiredness has decided to manifest itself in the form of laughter, which is awesome. Last Sunday, Cameron poured me a cup of crystal light at dinner. He filled it right to the brim and I laughed, HARD, for an hour about it. Days later, I was just minding my own business when I thought of that cup of crystal light and a laugh attack happened again. It's happened 3 times so far. Hilarious. And in my head, I know I'm being totally ridiculous, which only makes me laugh harder. Also, Valentine's Day. :) Cameron totally spoiled me (AND WE STAYED IN THE BUDGET!) He made the next volume of our family videos which included IVF and the pregnancy. Made me sob. And it was my first "treat day" so I enjoyed a gorgeous bowl of yogurtland's best. YUM. We also went to a piano trio concert...which was a little too culturey for us. We spent the bulk of the first half of the concert making up movie scenes to go along with the "music" and left at intermission. (I caught another case of the giggles in the middle of it too...and everything is far more hilarious when you're not supposed to make noise...oh dear.)
Movement: More just stretching, although there are a few kicks and turns. You can see them moving like crazy from outside now. I actually got it on video on my phone, but the file is too large to text to my e-mail, so I can't show you. Maybe sometime I'll figure out how to get it onto the computer.
Food cravings: The other night we were watching tv and the mom on the show walked in with a tray of carrot sticks. I immediately gasped in delight. Cam asked me what was up and I said, with the hugest smile on my face, "I have cucumber slices in the fridge!" Very little can make me as happy as the right food can right now. I made some veggie sushi the other night and dipped it in my mom's wonton sauce. (glory, I should post that recipe). Also on the happy list, Emilee's shrimp dip and club crackers. And Sarah Salad. And just about anything else Em makes. The same giddy smile happened at her house during the super bowl party. I had just finished off my second plate and sat on the couch so dang contented with my life, all because of the food.

Also, Mango. I could eat a boatload. I've had a Mega Mango smoothie from Jamba Juice and a big bowl of Mango Mixer from Yogurtland in the past week. Oh joy. And it's shopping day, so I will be filling up on more fruits and veggies (and hopefully a mango...and grapefruit...or two.)
Labor Signs: Not sure. We'll find out tomorrow at our appointment if any of these "surges" are actually changing anything down there or if I just have an over-excited uterus that really wants to practice for the big day.
Belly Button in or out? Neither. And, as Cameron so lovingly pointed out yesterday, it's purple.
What I miss: Nada. I've been kind of in survival mode for the past little while and yesterday, watching the video Cameron made me totally woke me up. It feels good to be alive again. :)
What I am looking forward to: A nap. And a big glass of water. And my chiropractic appointment. And grocery shopping for fruit. (cue the giddy smile).
Milestones: 32 weeks. That's kind of a big deal, isn't it? Also, I'm increasingly panicked about getting my wedding ring to come off. I hope my fingers don't swell up too much in the next few weeks. My toes and ankles are taking on water, but if they are rubbed often, the swelling goes right down. Not sure how long that will last.
Realization of the week: There are two real babies in my belly. And they are coming to our family. My cousin had her sweet baby boy on Sunday and it hit me that that will be me, us, in just a few short weeks. He is gorgeous. Soft skin, dark eyes, tiny hands and feet. And eventually, I'll be able to see exactly what our boys look like, they won't be black and white ultrasound outlines anymore. I can't wait.

31 Week Update

How far along? 31 weeks 4 days
Maternity clothes? Yep. Any long sleeve shirts that Cam owns have now been claimed as my own. I love them. They're snuggly. And sometimes they smell like him (not his cologne, heaven forbid, just him).
Best moment this week: We had one really good mail day this week where my snaps for the cloth diapers FINALLY got here and two unexpected baby packages came! We got the most  beautiful crocheted blankets from my friend Lacey (who just announced that she's expecting!), and a good blog friend of mine named Kourtney sent the cutest little guy ties and swaddle blankets EVER. It's so fun for me to see the support of others. Made my whole day. ALSO, one of my BEST infertile friends finally beat the odds and called me early in the morning last week to tell me the great news! And now I am on the secret train and can't say anything else, but dang it I sure love success stories. :)
Movement: Yes. And it hurts. Nash does this stretch thing where he rams his head into my cervix and pushes his feet into my bruised ribs. Gray, on the other hand, is a bit of a dancer. Music really makes him go wild. Both of them totally chill out whenever Cam touches them, though. We're at the point now where we can feel random appendages and push them back in. (that sounds a little creepy, lol.)
Food cravings: Fruits and veggies. It's actually quite nice. I just ate the last orange though...shopping trip needs to happen soon I suppose.
Labor Signs: Nothing out of the ordinary. I'm hoping to keep it that way.
Belly Button in or out? Neither. Weirdy.
What I miss: Energy. I am big and tired, ladies. It's like it happened overnight. All of a sudden doing anything at all sounds just terrible. And I'm uncomfortable. (We all knew it was inevitable!) The nice thing is, Cam is a saint. And he takes my freak outs in stride and gets me something to eat and is happy to rub out whatever rib is hurting at the moment.
What I am looking forward to: Jimmer v. Nash tonight. Oh boy. Seriously, could there be a better game? Also, I'm looking forward to blogging about my baby shower. It was supposed to be posted before this update, but I'm over halfway through the week and needed to get the update done. Honestly, the only thing keeping me from posting this update was that I hadn't done my hair all week. Seriously. Make-up was at a minimum too. Next time, I'm just going to give it to you straight. Tuesday, you get what you get. Not gonna lie, it's scarier than you'd think. (or maybe it's as scary as you think...). Cam's hilarious. I said the other night "I can't believe you don't find me completely repulsing at the moment." And he said "Of course not. Granted, you're not as smokin' as you always are..." The man is a genius with words. Made me laugh.
Milestones: There are batches of baby laundry surrounding me right now. Everything is sorted and headed through the wash. I can't believe my house looks like this. I remember a long time ago reading a baby blog where the girl was preparing for her little boy to get there and she had just started doing laundry for him. I remember wanting that so bad. And now it's here. And it's double. And everything smells wonderful. :) I'm sure eventually washing clothes for these boys won't be on my happy list, but today it is.
Realization of the week: I am bigger than I think I am. I run into everything lately. Cupboards, doorways, the bed, the couch, the ottoman. I'm a bit top heavy as well. My legs really haven't got a whole lot bigger, but my belly...ha, which means I am a bit precariously perched and often over shoot it when trying to get off the couch. Teetery is the best word I can think of to describe this. I run into Cameron all the time and the first time it happened, I blamed him. Who are we kidding?

30 Week Update

How far along? 30 weeks 3 days
Maternity clothes? Yep. Cam's shirts fit me really good right now, too. I'm currently measuring 39.5 weeks for a singleton pregnancy, so apparently this is what I would look like at full term if we were only having one baby. I'm pretty content with that. I could totally have one baby. Height helps, y'all.
Best moment this week: The Baby Shower on Saturday! I can't believe how many of you came out to support me and spoil these little boys! I had a fabulous time. The room was packed and two very talented ladies made it so dang cute. My sister finished the baby call quilt just in time. I will be blogging this in its own post. It deserves it.
Movement: All the time! They respond to sounds now too. It's interesting to me. Last night I figured out that they don't like rap much. The opening scene to an episode of Friday Night Lights was at a party. They didn't move at all. Then, the happy-go-lucky title sequence music started and they both kicked/rolled/danced through the entire thing. Gray is now head down (YAY!), which means they are curled up together and they both kick the same spots, but my ribs have never felt better. Bruises are getting the chance to heal for the time being. Sweet mercy, it's fantastic. I think Nash is getting a bit of revenge for being sat on for so long because he's now the one squishing Gray. We found out yesterday that Nash has caught up and is only 3 oz. smaller than his brother. He's taller though. :) And has a bigger noggin.
Food cravings: Fruits and veggies. And water. I've heard the never-ending thirst gets worse when you breastfeed. Not sure how it can get worse. I drink more than 100+ oz. of water every single day. Not including juice and milk consumption which is also at an all-time high. And I am still *parched*. (please say parched in a high squeaky voice, a la Squince from the Sandlot during the vacuum scene). I can't handle the heater being on in the car because it dries out my lips and throat even more and induces a panic attack. Cam drives with very cold hands now. He's a trooper. :) (I also turn the heater off at home all the time. It's enough to stress me out in less than a second. Feels like I can't breathe.)
Labor Signs: Went on a walk a couple days ago. Had to stop because I was blacking out. Cam sat me down on the couch for the rest of the night after we finally made it home. The walk was maybe 10 minutes. Considering I'm measuring "full term" and my uterus thinks it should be done stretching, the Dr. says that blacking out is perfectly normal, but that I should really be taking it easy for the next 6+ weeks. Both boys are weighing in at just under 4 pounds, so we've got almost 8 pounds of baby in there!
Belly Button in or out? Consider it at ground zero. Have you ever seen a belly button that is stretched flat? It is a bizarre looking situation.
What I miss: Not really sure how to answer this one. Yesterday it would've been sleep, but I slept so deep last night that there are no complaints here. We're in the home stretch! 30 weeks already and we won't make it to 40! Wahoo! That went so dang fast. [Edit: Thank you little "you might also like" widget at the bottom of the post. This is what I'm missing today.]
What I am looking forward to: Finishing these cloth diapers. I have 9.5 done, and then took a break because we started working on some artwork for the nursery and needed the sewing table for assembly. I need to bite the bullet and finish the rest. I've got it down to about 35 minutes to sew each one, so really I just need to do it. Also, we're getting bins of clothes from Cam's sister on Sunday. She has 2 year old twin boys and gobs of clothes. I can't wait to sort through everything and wash and put them away in the "dresser" we made last week. And, Cam is staining the gorgeous changing table he built last semester. It's stunning. I can't wait to see this nursery come together!
Milestones: 30 weeks. THREE ZERO. That's so crazy to me. Mentally, I'm still thinking 38 as my goal. The dr. said that's totally possible. Regardless, though, these boys are coming NEXT MONTH. A little surreal.
Realization of the week: Head down is where it's at. I get more uncomfortable as the day goes on, but nothing compared to a couple weeks ago. Also, I'm willing to bet that cocoa butter doesn't do much but relieve itchiness. I have stretch marks on my hips and under my belly button (where the marks from the IVF shots have split). I don't mind them, though. It's not like I'm all excited to have stretch marks, but in my mind they just come with the territory. I love these boys and everything that comes with them. Also, people have started to ask if I'm "afraid because sometime these guys are gonna have to come out of me." For the record, I would much rather have them out than in (once they're ready to meet the world.) I'm not afraid of their birth day. I honestly can't wait. I daydream about it on a regular basis. And if IVF taught me anything, it is that as long as Cam is next to me, I can do anything. It's incredible to me how his hand on my arm can calm me down immediately or listening to his voice is the most comforting thing I can think of. Also, hypnobirthing says a passionate kiss is a good way to get through a tough "surge." I'm down. :)

29 Week Update - Movin' Right Along

How far along? 29 Weeks exactly
Maternity clothes? Yes. But this sweater isn't a maternity sweater. It's got about 2 days left of life in it, so I figured I'd give it a last hurrah. I'm still loving those jeans. :)
Best moment this week: Finishing 3 cloth diapers! I'm pretty proud of myself. Also, Cameron gave me a rub down, followed by practicing some counter-pressure/labor techniques. All I gotta say is the riboso (sp?)  is life changing. Also, I do NOT have gestational diabetes. boo-yah! Thanks for not liking treats boys! I was really worried about that because gestational diabetes comes from the placenta. Since I have 2 placentas, I was at greater risk for it, or so they say. I'm just grateful I don't have to worry about that. I'm having a hard enough time getting enough calories as it is.
Movement: Yes. GRAY GOT OFF MY RIBS. 10 gold stars for that kid. He is the BEST. I have no idea how he found a little extra room to get comfy, but I am so grateful. I'm sure he'll be back up there eventually, but it sure has been nice!
Food cravings: Fruits & veggies. Also, rootbeer. And ice cream. Weirdy. Those are actually current cravings. Perhaps a caffeine-free pepsi float? I think I mostly just want the carbonation. OMG DR. PEPPER. (I'm worthless. Are you getting that?)
Labor Signs: None. Nash is using my cervix as a punching bag lately. That's a weird sensation.
Belly Button in or out? I'm pretty impressed with how well my button is hanging in there. lol. I thought for sure it'd be popped by now, but no. There's a tiny corner that is flirting with the line, but other than that it's just stretched.
What I miss: Not gonna lie, I had a utter and complete meltdown because I was no longer young and hip and fun and hot. It was fueled by the realization that no one would mistakenly come up and hit on me if we happened to be out at a party of some sort. (Totally rational, I know.) I was also looking through a bunch of fun date ideas and couldn't muster up the energy for any of it. Cam came home to a crying wife and wails of "I'm the lamest of the lame!" over and over again. I also believe I asked him if he was OK that I had no plans for a date, but wanted to get out of the house. We ended up getting some food at Costco (where TWO separate women commented on how cute I looked...tender mercy from the Big Guy? I think so.) and sitting on the floor of DI (a thrift store) looking through childrens' books. (I found TACKY: the penguin for $.75. Major score!)
What I am looking forward to: Baby Shower this week! Also, my sister just came and picked up everything to finish up THIS. I can't WAIT to see it all finished!
Milestones: Nash's head has dropped. I'm not dilating at all, which is nice, but the Dr. did say that he really has no room to move and he's ready to go when the time comes. That's kind of crazy for me to think about. Also, my list of people who are due before me is dwindling. Babies are being born, people!
Realization of the week: Height helps with this whole pregnancy thing. I thought I would be WAY more uncomfortable than I really am at this point. Sure, I have a hard time getting up out of the car or putting on pants in the morning, but after that I'm really just fine. I don't realize how much bigger I've gotten until I see the picture we take for these updates. Major respect to you more petite ladies. I'm measuring 36 weeks right now for a singleton pregnancy and I'm pretty sure if I was having one baby, I would not get the full discomfort of pregnancy. Don't you worry, I'll be measuring 44+ before this is all over. All's fair. :)

Also, I was reading through past journal entries from during IVF and my word I was blessed with one of the most incredible husbands on this earth. I'm sure he had a ton of emotions to sort through too, but he spent every bit of energy he had taking care of me, making sure I was ok, protecting me from well-intentioned idiotic comments, etc. He is such a good man. And me and these boys are the LUCKIEST to have him as a husband and father.

28 Week Update

How far along? 28 Weeks 1 Day
Maternity clothes? Yes. Although the black shirt in the picture isn't a maternity shirt. In fact, it's my "I don't want to feel huge today" shirt. Also known as the "magic black shirt." It makes me look smaller than I really am from the front. From the side, it's really impossible to look smaller, but that's ok! I like that we have big boys.
Best moment this week: Lotion rubs before bed. Cam rubs lotion on my belly before we go to sleep and the boys just kick and kick. I like it when all four of us are connected that way.
Movement: All the time. It's wonderful. Poor Gray is running out of room. He is up on my ribs and if I cough, his head gets smashed against my ribs. If I sneeze, same story. Baths and Ice Packs are helping the soreness at this point.
Food cravings: Just food. And I can't get enough water. Still no chocolate really. I want fruits and veggies all the time. And I love spicy things. Yum. :)
Labor Signs: None really. Practice "surges" (I'm reading hypnobirthing...) come and go pretty often, but everything stops if I lay down and keep drinking water.
Belly Button in or out? Pretty sure the end is near. Still in though. :)
What I miss: Nothing really right now. I have good time with my husband. The boys are healthy and growing well. We have a beautiful home and I am blessed enough to be able to be at home right now working on my homemaking skills. This is something I've dreamed of since I was a little girl. It is already better than I imagined it would be.
What I am looking forward to: Actually getting the guts up to sew the first cloth diaper. Yesterday I sat and stared at it for about an hour. It's just intimidating to me! Also, plans are moving forward for a baby shower here in Utah! I keep getting e-mails from the girls putting it on and I am getting SO excited! (If you want an invite, e-mail or comment with your address). :)
Milestones: We are officially in the 3rd trimester! This also means that the boys can come any time from here on out and they will be fine. (Granted, it would take a lot of modern technology to keep them healthy), but we're just cutting down NICU time from now on. These boys are ACTUALLY coming to our family. We will get to meet them. I just can't wait.
Realization of the week: I am looking forward to the little things the most, I think. I keep dreaming about their features. Their hair, eyes, nose, toes, little beany bodies, everything. And I can't wait for that new baby smell to come to our house.

27 Week Update

How far along? 27 Weeks exactly
Maternity clothes? There is a bit of a panicked undertone when it comes to getting dressed. The jeans are fine, not concerned about those. However, my sister-in-law gave me a huge bag of maternity tops for when I get HUGE (think 4 weeks from now). I just tried on every single one and none even cover my belly. She wore them in her last trimester with her twin boys. She is also about 5'4''. I am 6'0''. Stupid long torso. Not sure what I'll be wearing in February. Could make for a rather "exciting" Valentine's Day, don't you think? jk. I will still have to get out of the house somehow!
Best moment this week: Appointment with the maternal fetal medicine specialist. Hands. down. We got a 90 minute ultrasound. Got to see our boys and get accurate measurements on them. I spent all week trying hard not to be worried. I did find myself paying a whole lot more attention to feeling kicks and movement from Nash, though. So much so, that I freaked myself out because Gray had flipped and I was no longer feeling kicks where he used to kick. Anyhow - we went into the appointment wanting to know what was going on with Nash and why he was "so small" according to our doctor. The ultrasound tech said that whoever did the ultrasound last week probably didn't know what they were looking for because things couldn't look more perfect. Nash (Baby A) is nice and squished at the bottom. I'm not dialated at all. He is weighing in at a healthy 2lbs 7oz. He's in the 61st percentile. Above average. We like that. His head is in the 98th percentile. He's in the 93rd percentile for height. He's a big chunk according to the specialist. We like that. :) Gray is currently sitting on Nash's head. Ah, the wrestling begins. He is weighing in at 2lbs 14oz. He's in the 79th percentile. Very much above average. His head is in the 94th percentile. He's in the 97th percentile for height. We finished measuring Gray and I said, "Gosh - we've got a linebacker!" The specialist said "You've got two!" She said that if I make it to 36 weeks that the boys will definitely come home from the hospital with us and that natural childbirth is back on the table. She also said that she sees no reason our boys won't be between 5.5 and 6 pounds at birth. I'm thrilled. It's also really encouraging to know that I am currently carrying over 5 pounds of baby already. We also determined that the boys are, in fact, fraternal. There are two placentas, two amniotic sacs, etc. Also, because we did a 5 day transfer, one embryo splitting earlier enough to create two placentas is impossible at that point. The embryo could've still split, but if that was the case, they would be sharing a placenta.
Movement: It seems to come and go. Maybe that's because I just paid extra close attention this past week. Also, Gray flipped so I thought I was feeling extra kicks from Nash, but that wasn't exactly the case. Their feet and legs are all in the same place now so I have no idea how I'll keep them straight when I have to do kick counts next week.
Food cravings: Anything. Still not a huge fan of straight chocolate, but I did down a bunch of heath bar chocolate chip cookies on Sunday that made for a pretty blissful day. I'm just hungry all the time and I can't get enough water.
Labor Signs: Lots of contractions, but not dialating at all. Which is really encouraging. The boys are taking the contractions just fine, so we should have a beautiful and hopefully uneventful next couple of months.
Belly Button in or out? Pretty sure the end is near. Still in though. :)
What I miss: Sleep. And yes, I realize it will only get worse. Cam no longer asks me how I slept. He asks if I slept at all. Most of the time, the answer is no. Naps are my only saving grace right now.
What I am looking forward to: My nap today. :) Watching Parenthood. Finishing the boys' bookcase and rearranging the nursery.
Milestones: 9 weeks left! (until 36 weeks) Single digits! Crazy.
Realization of the week: I believe my dad put it best when he said to my mom, "She's about to embark on a whole new level of tired she doesn't even know exists yet." I don't think I'm quite there, but my word I can see where this is going.



At this point, I think Nash has Cam's nose, and Gray has mine. We'll just have to wait and see! :)

26 Week Update

How far along? 26 Weeks 1 Day
Maternity clothes? Can you say maternity skinny jeans, in LONG sizes for $17 bucks?? wahoo! I feel like a whole new person! I have been feeling SO frumpy lately and the jeans, oh the magical jeans, have really turned that around. It also might be the incredible face wash system I got for Christmas from my mama, and the new eye-liner and mascara too.
Best moment this week: Besides buying the jeans? LOTS of things. My family getting to feel the boys kick for the first time, seeing our boys on the ultrasound yesterday, sleeping in our own bed after 10 days on vacation (rough life, I know). Meeting up with Julie (AMAZING friend and certified doula) to talk natural childbirth...which was always the plan until I got a phone call from the doctor about 10 minutes ago. After our ultrasound yesterday, we learned that Nash (Baby A) is a full half pound smaller than his brother. I have an appointment on Tuesday with a specialist to hopefully find out what's going on and what we can do about it. Until then, prayers would be very much appreciated.
Movement: All the time! I am really enjoying it, honestly. Although Gray often gets all up in my ribs. I think he's bruised something in there. One tiny little kick can make me tear up.
Food cravings: Anything healthy. Fruit, nuts, bagels with cream cheese. (Healthy is a relative term here). I'm still digging on vinegar. Veggie subs from Subway hit the spot every. single. time.
Labor Signs: Oh the contractions. Apparently elevation change can cause contractions. These are fake-os though. They don't hurt, they're just uncomfortable and the boys always kick like crazy afterward. I'm sure I would too if all the walls of my house all of a sudden decided to cave in and squish me up for a minute at a time.
Belly Button in or out? Pretty sure the end is near. The top half is looking mighty strange.
What I miss: Nothing really. Maybe the luxury of having a non-high-risk pregnancy. I have been really enjoying not worrying too much about the boys until today. Hopefully I get to regain that peace of mind after the appointment on Tuesday.
What I am looking forward to: Christmas morning with our boys next year. Also, seeing their little bodies in the clothes and blankets we got over the break! I'm also looking forward to my snaps coming in so I can sew up these cloth diapers, pronto.
Milestones: Got all the cloth diapers cut out. Baby B is 2 lbs 6 oz. Baby A is 1 lb. 14 oz. I am carrying over 4 lbs of baby already! Grow boys, grow! We also celebrated our last anniversary as just the two of us. Cam out did himself again. (See the Christmas post) and bought me the book "How do you tuck in a superhero." It's really a celebration of mothering boys. I think a hot bubble bath and a long read of that will make me feel better about everything today.
Realization of the week: I need naps. I will probably need a nap every single day until these boys arrive. And that is okay. I refuse to believe anything is wrong with the boys until someone really tells me whats up. It would sure help, though, if the doctor wouldn't be so vague. 6 days seems an eternity away.

 

23 Week Update

How far along? 23 Weeks 2 Days
Maternity clothes? Yes. Although my pants are getting harder and harder to put on. I haven't figured out how to bend without knocking the air out of myself. When googling almost any pregnancy ailment, the first solution is generally "have the baby." However, ailments set on quicker in pregnancy when there are two babies and your body is expanding almost comically. "Have the babies" really isn't an option at this point, which I'm pretty grateful for actually, we're not ready for them to make their arrival just yet!
Best moment this week: Going to the temple last night. It has been a long, long time since we've gone because of one excuse or another. My thoughts when inside the temple always turn to "why don't we come here more often?"
Movement: Yes. They also wake each other up now, which made for a long week of no sleep. Dear boys, if it's a scare tactic, it's working. Point made. Love, Mom.
Waist Diameter:  39"
Food cravings: All of the above. They're all favorites. Although, I have developed a huge appreciation for Granny Smith Apples.
Labor Signs: Nope. Keep cookin’ boys!
Belly Button in or out? In. But in is a relative term. It hasn’t popped yet, but it is streeeetttched...Cam doesn't think it's as close as I do. How does this work? Does it just pop one day or is it always a gradual thing?
What I miss: Nothing really. Maybe emotional stability? I have cried and cried this past week, but I'm generally aware enough of the situation to realize I'm being ridiculous. Getting myself to stop crying is next to impossible, but at least I know I look silly!
What I am looking forward to: Celebrating being a stay-at-home wife & mommy-to-be. My last day of work is TOMORROW. :)
Milestones: Finished Babywise! (Thanks Em!) That book addressed all of my major concerns and gave me some great goals to shoot for. I am excited to see how it all works out. (Terrified is also appropriate to use here, but let's stick with excited.)
Realization of the week: I made stockings for our little family of 4 this week. Cam's says "dad". Mine says "mom". There are two other boy stockings, and their names are definitely on them, but their names are on Christmas cards that went out to parents, family members, mission presidents and most importantly the fertility clinic. :) So, once they receive the cards, we'll post the digital version on here for the friends and cousins that we couldn't afford to mail cards to this year.

22 Week Update

How far along? 22 Weeks 3 Days
Total weight gain/loss: +26.5 <– Not quite sure how I lost half a pound. Although, this time I did weigh myself in the morning.
Maternity clothes? Yes. Although Cam just informed me that we probably won't be buying any more because eventually even maternity clothes won't fit and I will just slob around all day in sweats. Doesn't sound too bad right now, actually. :)
Best moment this week: Cam shaved his beard!! It was a huge day at the Call house. I have been kissing him like crazy. Everyone is happy.
Movement: The boys are big and strong enough to push up against the sides of my belly now. I love being able to feel their little bodies.
Waist Diameter:  too lazy to find the tape measure. Big enough though. :)
Food cravings: Anything and everything. Although food is quickly falling from grace because no matter what I eat, I get reflux. ouch.
Labor Signs: Nope. Keep cookin' boys!
Belly Button in or out? In. But in is a relative term. It hasn't popped yet, but it is streeeetttched.
What I miss: The frequent doctors' appointments at our fertility specialist's office. Man, we were spoiled! This having to go a month between appointments and months between ultrasounds is really lame. Hopefully, we'll get an ultrasound at our appointment next week.
What I am looking forward to: Christmas Break!! My last day of work is one week from today. AND Cam got some sweet time off for the holiday and our anniversary. Merry Christmas!!
Milestones: Tonight when I sneezed, I peed a little. I've heard of this symptom, but had managed to avoid it until this week. It was oddly embarrassing and I didn't really know what to do. lol. There's nothing like relinquishing control over your body. It's a power struggle I don't stand a chance in.
Realization of the week: Eventually these babies will grow up and be teenagers, then adults. And it is our responsibility to raise them in righteousness. How do you raise righteous boys in the world we live in? We're starting with the nursery. The theme of which is "I'll go where you want me to go."

Also, Baby B has a thing for Mariah Carey. I hadn't felt him kick all day and Cam tuned the radio to the Christmas station while we drove up to Salt Lake. A few songs went by and then as soon as Mariah sang her first note, Baby B went wild. He kicked and kicked until the song was over and I didn't feel him again for the rest of the night. lol.

21 Week Update

How far along? 21 Weeks 1 Day
Total weight gain/loss: +27 <– It made me feel better that BOTH of our boys are bigger than average. They're already tall for their age.
Maternity clothes? We hit the black friday sales at Kohl's and nabbed 3 maternity tops. It is so nice to have stuff that actually fits!
Best moment this week: My chiropractic appointment. Oh my word YES. I would pay big money to be able to sleep on my stomach on that drop table.
Movement: Yes. :) Cam finally felt Baby A, who oddly enough is the runt of the two. He has been kicking a lot lately. I think he's happy to be noticed.
Waist Diameter:  38″ However, I have a couple shirts that hide it really well. I wore a black shirt the other day and if you saw me from the front, I look very much un-pregnant. A side-view is a very different story.
Food cravings: So, I mostly like hot food. I've been pounding chester's flamin' hot fries like they're going out of style and hurt my throat. Apparently flamin' hot snacks + pepper jack cheese isn't good in large quantities. Who knew? (It seriously felt like I had a draft in my throat, like there was a window open back there...weirdy)
Labor Signs: Mr. Braxton Hicks has made his debut. I know it's REALLY time to sit down and put my feet up when my whole belly gets hard. Makes things tricky when you're grocery shopping.
Belly Button in or out? In.
What I miss: Moving. ha. No, but really. Getting out of bed, getting out of the car, picking something up, bending...these will all quickly becomes things I did "way back when."
What I am looking forward to: Making stockings for our family of 4. I bought all the stuff. I just need to psyche up and cut them out. I can't wait to see them all in a row up our stairs.
Milestones: Stretch marks on my boobs. TMI?
Realization of the week: I can't do as much as I used to. Normally, when I'm in a rut, I make a master list of everything I want to get done, prioritize it, and get crankin'. This week, I tried that. And by 11 am I had hit a wall. I forced myself to get dinner in the crock pot and then watched The Biggest Loser until I fell asleep. I realized that nap and relaxation is just as productive as doing the dishes, cleaning, etc. It's taking care of my boys. And they need it.

20 Week Update - Drumroll Please....!

Judging by the texts, wall posts, and phone calls, it seems like the news of these little babies is killing everyone! Thanks for being so excited! It makes this all the more fun. :)

We went to the doctor yesterday and had a wonderful ultrasound. Everything looks perfect on our little ones. We found out the genders and called Jessica to fill in our gender reveal cakes. A quick stop at home and we were on the way to Arizona for Thanksgiving. (Many apologies to those waiting to hear via Facebook, this is the first internet connection I've had!)

My family was on their way to Idaho for the holiday so we met near mile marker 25 to give them the cakes. My mom and dad started digging (near the headlights for light, of course...lol. I can't wait to see the pictures from all this.) and my dad (who had Baby A's cake) said:

I SEE BLUE!

That's right, Baby A is a boy!

My mom (who had Baby B's cake) said:

I SEE BLUE TOO!

There are two momma's boys headed to our house and we can't wait to meet them!

We got to repeat the entire process this morning with Cam's family. It never gets old.

Normally, when I wake up each morning, I say "hello babes" or something similar. This morning, I woke up and said "good morning, boys. :)

As for the ultrasound, it was incredible. I loved being able to see their little personalities so early on! I really wanted to see if Baby A was head down because I'd really like to deliver naturally if at all possible. Right off the bat, we saw that Baby A was head down and Baby B was breach. I clapped and said "oh good job Baby A! Thank you for being head down!" Not 10 seconds later, Baby B flipped around as if to say, "look mom! I can do it too!" It made me laugh.

We took all the measurements and checked for heart defects, spinal problems, cleft lips, etc. In fact, Baby A had the umbilical cord across his face. (HIS. I love being able to say that. :)) And we needed him to move so we could see his lips. The ultrasound tech prodded him a little bit through my belly and we were able to watch him wake up, arch his back, roll over, and go back to sleep. Seeing him react was so cute!

They're such little people already! Baby A is measuring 20 weeks exactly as he should be and weighs 11oz. Baby B is measuring 20 weeks 6 days and weighs 14oz, but the doctor said it's because he's just taller than Baby A, which really isn't too shocking in our family. We're long people. :) Both babies are getting enough blood and nutrients, which is nice because if one starts taking nutrients from the other we'll have to look at emergency delivery options.

Cameron has been so cute. I think seeing them and knowing the genders has really helped the reality of all this sink in for him. He is such a proud dad. Out of nowhere he keeps saying "two boys!! TWO BOYS!"

As for me, my first thought at finding out I have two sons on the way was:

"I'm gonna love you so much that no girl will ever be good enough for you!"

(2 points to anyone who can name that quote)

[caption id="attachment_1683" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Baby A"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1684" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Baby B"][/caption]

And for the sake of consistency:

How far along? 20 Weeks 1 Day
Total weight gain/loss: +24
Maternity clothes? Yes. I tried my "fat jeans" on a couple days ago. It lasted about 10 minutes before they made me physically sick. lol.
Best moment this week: Finding out the genders and telling everyone! There are so many fun announcements to make when you're expecting. Things I've dreamt about my entire life. And they did not disappoint.
Movement: Yes. :) They are kicking like crazy! The car ride to AZ was so fun because they kicked so often. I think it has something to do with where my seatbelt hits me.
Waist Diameter:  38″ <--I'm measuring 28 weeks for a singleton pregnancy.
Food cravings: Vinegar and Potatoes. Also, hot fries. Anyone from Flagstaff remember "tom's hot fries"? I had them in high school a bunch and I don't think they make them anymore. BUT Cheetos has made a pretty decent substitute. It's not quite the same, but it's good enough!
Labor Signs: None, thank heavens. :)
Belly Button in or out? Totally still in. And actually more in than it has been. Woot!
What I miss: NOTHING! I love this week. :)
What I am looking forward to: Baby shopping on Black Friday. :) :)
Milestones: We know the genders!!
Realization of the week: We are not only being blessed with two sons. Our parents are being blessed with two grandsons. Our siblings with two nephews, and on and on. These boys are coming into an incredible family. And I am so grateful.

(I will post pictures as soon as I get them. My mom has most of them. The rest got accidentally left in Utah. I figured making everyone wait until Monday would not make me many friends. :))

19 Week Update

How far along? 19 Weeks 3 Days
Total weight gain/loss: +22 <– and proud of it! Grow babies grow!
Maternity clothes? Yes. That’s all. My mom called me today with her latest plan for making more maternity pants. The woman is a lifesaver.
Best moment this week: Cam feeling the babes kick! They're sneaky little guys. A lot of the time they'll give 3 big kicks all at once just to get me excited and by the time Cam comes to try and feel, they are all tuckered out and completely still. BUT, around 8 every night, they go a little crazy. I was waiting for them to start kicking and so was Cam. It was so cool to see his face light up "was that one?!" His face when he felt the first kick (and then 2 more!) will go down as one of my favorite moments of our marriage. Our little family really is growing!
Movement: Yes. :) It makes me so happy to know they are healthy, alive, and that they have legs. :) lol.
Waist Diameter:  37" I actually look pregnant! It's awesome!
Food cravings: Found out this week that Starburst makes a bag of "favo-reds" which means all the red flavors are in a bag. Oh. My. Gosh. I ate 50 before I realized what was going on.
Labor Signs: None, thank heavens. :) But my belly does get tight and sore fast if I am walking around too much.
Belly Button in or out? Totally still in, but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time! It’s also sore. But judging from the comments of last week's update, the battle of the belly button will wage for a while
What I miss: Being able to cuddle up close to Cam. My belly is finally getting in the way! I had an emotional breakdown because I couldn't remember the last time he just held me. (It was probably, oh, 2 days earlier, but rational breakdowns are not my forte.) We've since gotten more creative and I've been less picky about how comfortable I really have to be to enjoy cuddling.
What I am looking forward to: FOUR DAYS UNTIL OUR ULTRASOUND! I am so dang excited to see our babes again! I haven't seen them since week 9. It seems like such a long time ago and I can't even imagine how they've changed! As far as I've seen, they are cute little glow-worms with nubs for arms and legs. I can't wait to see BABIES in there. I'm preparing for my mind to be blown.
Milestones: Cam feeling kicks from the outside! Also, we are now halfway to MY goal. :) woo!
Realization of the week: These babies will have physical traits from me and Cam. I had a dream that we had a little girl and she had my eyes. Cam said (in the dream) that he could see me in her. And then I cried. I can't wait to meet them and get to know them and pick out features. Little noses, toes, eyes, ears, hands, the list goes on. How incredible is it that these babies are already people?

Also, it is really hard to commit to looking decent once a week for these pictures. oh boy. lol. The last two have been taken on date night because I try to look normal anyhow.

18 Week Update

How far along? 18 Weeks 3 Days
Total weight gain/loss: +18 <-- I'm for real going to stop posting these numbers.
Maternity clothes? Yes. That's all. Also, my own "lounge" shirts no longer fit. I have busted into Cam's side of the closet.
Best moment this week: Waking up in the middle of the night after a really bad dream and having Cam to make me feel better. I love that he doesn't care if I wake him up, he's completely willing to comfort me, wrap me up, and keep me safe. I love him. Also, getting my hair cut by my brilliant friend, Lisa. She is seriously the best stylist I've ever had. What a blast to get to catch up AND have the best bangs EVER by the end of the night.
Movement: All. The. Time. It's awesome! Cam still hasn't been able to feel them, and I actually can't feel them from the outside yet either. It's only a matter of time though.
Waist Diameter:  I can't find the tape measure. No really. I even tried using a ribbon and measuring that with Cam's industrial tape measure. I can't find that either.
Food cravings: Water and vinegar. I downed an entire bag of salt and vinegar chips for breakfast the other day. Pure bliss. Also, pink starbursts. There is nothing better.
Labor Signs: None, thank heavens. :)
Belly Button in or out? Totally still in, but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time! It's also sore. The "pop" is upon us!
What I miss: Having motivation to do anything BUT work on baby things. I am trying to finish up all the (gender-neutral) projects I have going right now so that once we find out the genders, I can really dive into my hopeful days list.
What I am looking forward to: Finding out the genders! We are less than 2 weeks away! However, that should really be next week's entry for what I'm looking forward to. So, tonight Cameron and I are decorating for Christmas. Wahoo! I bought HP 7.2 and Michael Buble's Christmas CD this morning and we are busting out the hot cocoa, tree, and decorations tonight! I can't wait! [If you're a Thanksgiving Purist, do not bring your rain to my parade. We decorate early because we go out of town for Thanksgiving and again for Christmas. 2 weeks of Christmas cheer really isn't enough, so if we were staying home for the holidays, we would probably consider holding off until after Turkey Day.]
Milestones: Half Way There! My Dr. said he's sending me running around the block if I make it to 36 weeks, so 18 weeks marks the half way point. I'm still mentally shooting to make it to 38 weeks, but we need to be prepared for anything from 34 weeks on.
Realization of the week: I am not super woman. I need rest. I also need to get up and get ready for the day otherwise I feel like a bum for the next 12 hours. But an afternoon nap can be game-changing. Also, these babes have completely taken over my body. I am merely "along for the ride," as my mom says. I couldn't be happier though. :) I hope they're nice and cozy for the next 4-5 months!

17 Week Update

How far along? 17 Weeks exactly
Total weight gain/loss: +15
Maternity clothes? Mom came into town and made me the stretchy black pants you can see in the week 17 picture. She also made me a stretchy grey floor-length skirt. I would rather wear them than anything else I own. They are fantastic.
Best moment this week: Getting to talk to a bunch of friends we hadn't seen in over a year at the Halloween party last night! Cam and I went as an army man and a bomb. (a.k.a. a hormonal expectant wife and her husband). The back of my shirt said "Caution: Short Fuse". Cam's said "Beware of Wife." We had a total blast at the party.
Movement: Every now and again. Cam went to Dallas this weekend with my dad and brothers and when he gave me a hug goodbye at the airport the babes were kicking against his stomach harder than I've ever felt! I asked him if he could feel them. Still no, but it's so cool to me! I give it a couple more weeks until he can feel them. They're getting so strong!
Waist Diameter:  36.5"
Food cravings: Just food. In general. I still just really like salty things. Sweets, I can stomach, but they just aren't that enjoyable to me. Also cheese. I really love cheese. Is 9:30 too early for mac n cheese?
Labor Signs: None, thank heavens. :)
Belly Button in or out? Totally still in, but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time!
What I miss: Sleeping. I found a GREAT position to sleep in 2 nights ago and woke up feeling better than I have in weeks, but last night...no dice. My hips are sore, sore, sore. I last about 30 minutes on each side before I wake up and roll over.
What I am looking forward to: Eating. lol. I dove into our meal plan for 2012 complete with date nights and shopping lists. November is taken care of and we're testing it out this month. I'm working from home now, so I have a bit more freedom of what I can make. There are quite a few recipes I've wanted to try but lacked the energy to do so. In all honesty, I haven't planned meals, gone shopping, etc. since we started IVF back in June. We've kind of been in survival mode and it's time to snap out of it.
Milestones: I'm currently measuring 22 weeks (for a singleton pregnancy). The doctor was thrilled and said that our babes are probably already taller than average (go figure). The appointment went really well AND I got to schedule our 20 week appointment and ultrasound! 3 short weeks until we find out the genders!!
Realization of the week: There are 2 babies growing inside of me. And they will be fine. I also came to the beautiful realization that I can do this. I can be a stay-at-home wife and mother. (I got laid off at work last Tuesday...hence the lack of update, but it turns out the person who fired me didn't have the authority to fire me and so in order to clean up their mess I get to work from home). I've gained a lot of confidence in my ability to clean the house, plan meals, take care of Cam, and take care of myself and these babes. It feels so good.

Also, this pregnancy is flying by. I keep looking forward waiting for the next thing, but I really do like being pregnant right now. It blows my mind that there are babies inside of me. That my body knows what to do with them to help them grow and develop. It's miraculous.

And because of the lack of update for 16 weeks, here's a picture. You'll have to excuse the puffy eyes. There were a lot of tears that day. (stupid work drama).

Week 15 Update -- HellOoo Down There!

This is all going by really fast. I feel like since we shared our little video about a month ago, the weeks are just flying by. I sure hope I still feel this way when I'm 30 weeks along and trying to convince myself that I really do want these babes to grow for another 6-8 weeks.



How far along? 15 Weeks exactly
Total weight gain/loss: +13
Maternity clothes? Found a skirt for Kiara's wedding that has the most blissful waistband ever. I wore it all day Sunday even while driving across the greater Dallas area. Cam asked if I'd like to change before going and I mentioned to him that this skirt is better than any pair of jeans I own. Fantastic. Also, the weather cooled down enough for me to wear my sweaters! I have a few nice long sweaters that don't cling to me and don't require a shirt underneath to make modest. win-win-win.
Best moment this week: After a completely terrible flight Monday morning, the cabin de-pressurized and I felt the biggest kick! It's the first time I have had no doubt it was one of the babies. I was beaming from there on out. Because of the timing (with the cabin de-pressurizing and such) I doubt it will be consistent for a few more weeks, but it was super cool!
Movement: See above :)
Waist Diameter: [I'm forcing myself to bite the bullet and actually do this one this week.]
Food cravings: I wanted Nacho Cheese from Taco Bell yesterday. Bad. I believe Cameron was trying to convince me that we needed to pre-order Harry Potter 7 part 2 on BluRay yesterday and I told him that if he took me to Taco Bell he could order the movie. (what a deal for him, eh?!)
Gender: Probably won’t find out until week 20.
Labor Signs: None, thank heavens. :)
Belly Button in or out? Totally still in, but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time!
What I miss: Liking the way Cam smells. lol. Poor guy. If the tiniest bit of cologne is on his person, I will smell it and I won't even be able to handle sitting next to him, let alone having his arm around me. Cam really likes smelling nice, so we're both anxious for that particular stage to be over.
What I am looking forward to: Seeing all the family this weekend at Kiara's wedding! It'll be so fun. Also, Cam has his A-game on to make the drive not so miserable. Love him.
Milestones: Someone asked me when I was due flat out. Yay for not just looking fat anymore! Also, I threw up in the morning for the very first time yesterday. I've always just been sick at night. I must say, I've always wondered why it was called "morning sickness". Now I know. I should also say, I very much prefer evening sickness. ALSO, I am less than 9 weeks away from my very last day at work. Single digits baby!
Realization of the week: I will probably be hungry until further notice. It doesn't matter if I've eaten in the past 5 minutes or not, because if I eat one bite too many it'll all come right back up the chute. A lot of what I thought was important for these babes is quickly falling away. I don't need a designer nursery. I don't need a closet full of cute clothes. I don't need the entire toy section in my living room. I am quite content with a pack-and-play until the babes are too big to share a crib. I need them healthy and safe and in my arms. The rest is just a bonus.

14 Week Update

Coming to you LIVE from Dallas! (We're house hunting for when the babes come.) And it's been one heck of a trip...and we've only been here 24 hours. lol. The blog post about this trip is going to be hilarious. Stay tuned.

How far along? 14 Weeks, 2 days.
Total weight gain/loss: I'm not good at stepping on a scale. It freaks me out. I'm trying not to stress about gaining enough weight or gaining too much.
Maternity clothes? Maternity pants still win every morning. I tried wearing a pair of my regular pants on Tuesday and I've never felt so sick in my life. Seriously, fetal position on the floor sick. SO, we'll be going for stretchy waistbands from here on out.
Best moment this week: The e-mails from thebump.com. The babes are the size of lemons :) I love that. They used to be poppyseeds. *sigh* they grow up so fast. Also, proper communication resulted in Cam lowering the intensity of his back rubs a bit.
Movement: A little bit? I think the babes like Mexican food. We ate Mexican tonight and the spicy-ness made things all sorts of exciting. I'm afraid to label it as "I FELT THE BABIES!" because, as a first time mom, I'm not exactly sure what I'm feeling or what I'm supposed to be feeling.
Waist Diameter: Cam can still fit his arms around me. Although, I'm for sure showing. I think it's getting more normal to me, though. I feel like my belly disappears sometimes, but Cam assures me that it most definitely does not. So I must just be getting used to it.
Food cravings: Food. In general. Just FOOD. I feel like I've turned the corner from food aversions/cravings to if it is edible, and within arms reach it's going down the chute. I have 2 breakfasts every morning, about 90 minutes apart, a large lunch, snacks all afternoon, dinner, and water water water. It's fabulous. Although I can go from content to starvingohmygoshi'mshakingandgonnadie in a matter of seconds.
Gender: Probably won’t find out until week 20.
Labor Signs: None, thank heavens. :)
Belly Button in or out? Totally still in, but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time!
What I miss: Nothing. We’ve been looking forward to this for so long! (Although, I will say that I saw a commercial for Six Flags today and I do love the roller coasters.)
What I am looking forward to: Finding a home for our growing family! It's such a weird feeling to fly into a huge city and know that you'll be moving there within a year. But looking at apartments has taken on a whole new point-of-view. We see the second bedroom as a nursery instead of a guest room. I have a strange attraction to gated communities and care very much if the fence around the pool looks sturdy and has slats that a toddler couldn't fit through.
Milestones: Second Trimester Officially!! WOO!
Realization of the week: Cam is the hottest soon-to-be dad ever.

13 Week Update

Disclaimer: I have debated back and forth whether or not to write weekly updates. I have many infertile friends who deeply want to have children and the less news about pregnancy the better, in most situations. I had a really great talk with a friend this morning, though, and she made a few wonderful points. #1. This blog never was nor was it ever intended to be an infertility blog. It has always been our family blog with bits of infertility on it, just as infertility is only a part of our life. #2. As we are infertile, I don't know how many times I will get the opportunity to be pregnant. If the rest of our children come to our family through the miracle of adoption, I will want a good record of my experiences now, just as I will keep a good record of their adoption story in the future if we are blessed that way. #3. As soon as I found out we were expecting twins, I sought out every single weekly pregnancy update series of twin pregnancies I could find. I didn't care if they happened on their own or if they needed fertility treatments to get there. They were twin pregnancies and I was going to go through a similar experience...an experience I know absolutely nothing about. So, I'm thinking the pros outweigh the cons here. I'll be honest, during the tough times I blocked a few blogs from my reel. I completely understand if these aren't read or commented on or whatever. It's mostly for me and any twin mamas that happen to come by as intimidated by the blessings in their bellies as I am. When it comes down to it, this is our family. It has always been our family. And we are grateful for the two newest members of our family.

How far along? 13 Weeks, exactly.
Total weight gain/loss: as of this moment, +10. If we go by my pre-IVF weight, it's more like +12. But I was nice and round by the time IVF ended.
Maternity clothes? Maternity pants are magical. I still can, however, fit into one pair of my skinny jeans. I've bought a few things that were on sale and will be nice in the winter months, but they don't fit yet. The one pair of maternity pants I have bought, though, are the only part of getting dressed that doesn't stress me out :) Everything else looks so tight to me!
Best moment this week: Hearing the heartbeats on Friday and being treated like a normal pregnant woman at the OB instead of a pregnant woman we all have to walk on pins and needles around. Also, getting new pillows. I haven't slept that well in ages. It was the first time I've woken up ready to greet the day since we found out we were expecting!
Movement: None yet. My friend felt her baby move just yesterday and she is 2 weeks ahead of me, so hopefully it won't be long!
Waist Diameter: [coming soon]
Food cravings: Mostly veggies, sometimes fruit. No red meat (which resulted in mild anemia), even chicken makes me queasy. Just when I think the sickness is over, the puking starts again. I will say that I do feel extremely blessed with the sickness. I've only actually puked a handful of times, so I'll definitely count my blessings! I'm also just constantly thirsty.
Gender: Probably won't find out until week 20.
Labor Signs: None, thank heavens. :)
Belly Button in or out? Totally still in, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time!
What I miss: Nothing. We've been looking forward to this for so long!
What I am looking forward to: The Sing-Off. Maybe feeling the babes soon? And Cam promised me dessert at The Chocolate tonight.
Milestones: Went to a cousin's house last night and she squealed and said "You're showing!!" So apparently, it's getting more obvious I'm not just pudgy, but there are babies in there. :)
Realization of the week: The next time we watch General Conference, we will each have a baby in our arms. :)