3/29/06 - 25 weeks 5 days

Had another OB appointment the other day and still all is well. I only gained 2 lbs in the last 2 weeks... I was surprised.. I'm used to my 8lb gain in a month. The doc said I was doing just fine. My running total now is 32 lbs! She said they wanted at a minimum 35 lbs (guess I'll hit that just fine), but more in the range of 45 to 55lbs. I'm on my way! :) HA HA

The babies heart rates sounded good.. though it took a bit longer the find them. I think they may have flipped to a breech position b/c of the kicks I'm getting - or their location rather. Baby girl's heartrate was 167 and baby boy's was 143. Now they are in line w/ the old wives tale.

My mom has been out for almost a week now and we have been working away to get ready for these little ones. She's in there slaving away in the nursery right now as I take a break - translation stop standing, bending and sitting on the floor. She painted the blue and green we picked out and we bought a crib and bedding set. It's looking VERY cute (and kind of easter eggish) in there! HA HA It's quite different from the dark colors in the rest of our house, but it's fun and I think it will last through toddlerhood! Once we get everything mostly situated in there I'll post some pictures. We picked up some wood at Home Depot today to make some more shelves and changing platform for the closet... I won't be partaking in any shelf building! :)

I worked the Moms of Multiples sales on Saturday - more work than I've done since quitting my job - damn was I tired at the end of that day! Mom came and shopped for a while, but ended up spending most of her time at Burger King and McDonalds - the sale took place in a VERY small town just north of here called Waunakee ... she looked for a Starbucks, but they don't have one! ha ha I got some GREAT stuff including a Pack N Play, Snap N Go (stroller), a swing, a bouncy seat (along w/ a bonus free bouncy seat that a lady gave me), a twin nursing pillow, crib sheets and mattress pad, many odds and ends and tons of clothes for 0-3 months and 3-6 months. It was all quite the score and totally worth a day of work. I got all of that for what it would have cost me to buy just the Pack N Play and the Snap N Go new!

Mom also finished painting the living room and helped put together the Pack N Play where the babies will spend most of their time during the day. We've (mostly she) have accomplished more in the 5 days she has been here than I've managed to accomplish since I moved here in November! :) Next she is going to paint the dining room and install dimmer switches in both the dining room and the nursery... damn Grandma's are handy huh? :)

We're getting close and I'm very excited and thankful that Mom came out to do most of it!

And one last thing... I have to brag on Tom. He got a raise!!! :) It's great to have him working for people that appreciate his hard work and know how to show their appreciation!

3/18/06 - Seattle Shower

Lynda and Larry put on a fabulous shower for Tom and I while we were visiting Seattle. We are both so blessed and loved to have had almost FORTY people attend! It was great fun to see everyone and share my big belly - everyone was so sweet to say.. "you don't look at BIG as I thought you would!" ha ha

We got a ton of beautiful baby stuff - you can check out the loot under the "My Photos" link at the bottom left of the front page!

It was wonderful to be back in Seattle for a while and to feel the love and excitement of our friends and family over our coming attractions! It was funny - as people left the shower Tom generally got a hand shake while I got a "good luck w/ that" along w/ a gesture toward my belly! :)

Thank you to everyone that came to the shower - we are so lucky to have you all in our lives!

3/14/05 23weeks 5 days

My ultrasound went really well today! The babies are both measuring right on schedule and are both 1lb 7oz. So I guess they are sharing and getting along so far. I added pictures to the photo album. We got 3D pics of both babies today! Their heads are both down low and really close together so when we were looking at them with 3D it looked like baby boy was kissing his sister's head, though I'm pretty sure her head is just resting on his face. This explains why he pushes her a lot. When the tech was trying to get a 3D shot of the girl she was holding her hands in front of her face - it looked like she had already learned to block punches from her brother! :) It was so amazing to see them in there in 3D. I always thought the 3D was really over rated, but it is pretty exciting and special to see them as they may look. I'm still not convinced that they are all that accurate as to how the babies actually look when they come out... I guess time will tell.

All looked good with me too. They checked my cervix.. tight as a vice. And checked on a low laying placenta - it looks like the edge of the placenta is right up against my cervix, but the doc is pretty convinced it will move up over time. It's the anterior (on the front) placenta so as my belly expands - and it IS expanding - it will pull the placenta up higher. Worst case if it doesn't move I will have to have a C Section - which I already have a 50/50 % chance of having. I'm still hoping for a vaginal delivery, but when it comes down to it.. it's not really about me anymore!

All of a sudden I am really enjoying this pregnancy. It's not that I didn't enjoy it before - it was just something that was happening to my body. Now I think the reality of it is settling in and I find myself tearing up just thinking about my two little miracles in there. To think of all that it takes to make one perfect little baby, much less two. I think feeling them so much helps too! And the hormones certainly contribute to my tearfulness! I can't wait for the day we get to meet them and hold them and kiss them.

I'm ready to start getting this house ready - surely I'm not nesting already. I'm just enjoying the prospect of them being here! I'll post pictures of the nursery - and the rest of the house - after mom comes and works her magic. :)

3/13/06 23 weeks 4 days

My OB appt went as they usually do.. nothing alarming! :) I've officially gained 30 lbs! Oh my GOODNESS!!! The good news is I don't feel like I've gained 30lbs! I'm at 174 now! I'm measuring at about 30 weeks (comparison to if I was carrying only one - not sure why they do this) My heartrate was normal (for me, for pregnancy) and the babies heartrates sounded good.. baby boy was 156 and baby girl was 152.

So all is well. I start going every two weeks now and in four weeks I have to do the gestational diabetes test.. Blechk. I've heard nasty things about that test... tastes bad, have to fast and get light headed and nauseous.. sounds like fun! haha Hopefully I will pass and won't have to do the three hour test!

I'll update tomorrow after my ultrasound as to baby stats! :)

3/12/06 23 weeks 3 days

I made my first baby purchase!!!

I guess I've finally started to feel like this is really happening.. strange to say w/ my large belly! ha ha

I have been looking into clothe diapering - it's an overwhelming topic to say the least!!! I found a great little store here in Madison called Happy Bambino - www.happybambino.com - they have wonderful FREE classes!!! Today I attended Cloth Diapering 101 and the Art of Babywearing! The clothe diapering class really helped to cut through all the enormous amounts of information and gave me a pretty good idea of what I needed to get started and what I would need to do to care for the diapers. I'm really interested in this for a lot of reasons namely (and not necessarily in order of importance) cost, environment and toxins on my babies skin. It will certainly be an adjustment / learning curve to get in the swing of things w/ this as it will be more high maintanence than disposable diapering, but I am determined to make it work. This is not to say that I don't plan to have a stash of newborn disposables on hand in the beginning in case things get overwhelming here and there. Thankfully I will have help for the first three months.. thanks mom and dad -- Dad.. you choose - change diapers or wash them.. ha ha :)

So I took the plunge! I bought the little store out of prefold diapers!!! They are going to call me when their next shipment comes in (soon) to purchase the last bunch I need. I'll be using prefolds and covers in the beginning.. there are many MUCH cuter and MUCH more expensive options, but this will get me going! :) I'm washing the diapers right now so I am committed.. there is no turning back.

I know this will be what is best for my baby and best for the environment.. not to mention our pocket book. I THINK I discussed this with Tom already.. uh, but I'm not sure! ha ha Hopefully he will agree w/ me that the added hassle getting used to it in the beginning is worth it!

Here are some links to clothe diapering website if you feel so inclined. You will not be tested and few of you will ever even change the diapers yourself. :)

Cotton Babies
Diaper Pages
Natural Babies

I also bought (well had to order) a baby pouch! It's from Kangaroo Korner. It's a fleece pouch - yes I realize my babies are due in July... the fleece holds up better to weight and resists stretching.. in the beginning we will be spending most of our time in climate controlled areas. The lady at the store said that her experience has been that these are better for twins. When they get older I may invest in a ring sling to carry them individually, but this will get me started!

I also purchased some used baby clothes at about $2 to $2.50 each - SCORE!!

All told I'm very excited about my purchases .. 1) because it's fun and 2) because that means I'm obviously feeling the reality behind this.. FINALLY!

I've also got some stuff that I borrowed from friends - most of it from Mrs. Julie Sweet (thanks Sweet's). I borrowed a co-sleeper, 2 boppys, a bjorne, many maternity clothes, a changing pad, books and a baby einstein play mat. So I've got some stuff. :) Karen is also sending me her two car seats (a HUGE savings) and some other odds and ends she has around the house. (Thank you!!!)

My mom is going to come out to Madison after I return from Seattle and my shower. I will then know what I need to go out to buy myself to be ready for these babies! We are getting closer! By the time mom leaves I hope to have things mostly if not all set up and ready to go so that I can sit back and cook some babies! By that point I will be almost 28 weeks and will - I imagine - be pretty big and not too mobile. I will be in the home stretch and my main job/concern will be to keep these rascals in as long as I possibly can... every day counts!

I'm very excited about my trip to Seatlle so that I can see everyone and so that all those that helped us through the process to get where we are today can see my big belly - and maybe a few baby kicks - to share in the joy that we are feeling! Thank you all so much for the shower... it means a lot to us!

No pictures right now - Tom is in Taiwan and will be meeting me in Seattle - so I haven't taken any. I will update the photo album after my return from Seattle. I have an OB appt tomorrow and another ultrasound on Tuesday.. I will try to get some new photos of them in the album.