36 Weeks

Here is me and my belly (outty included) at 36 weeks. We had to take a few because my official belly photographer didn't notice that you could actually SEE my belly hanging down below my shirt!

From Belly

Everything was great at my 36 week checkup. The dr. even told me she wouldn't have a problem with me going to 39 weeks. I didn't tell HER, but I have a problem with it! I'm not too worried because I'm sure our healthy little babies want to meet the world a little sooner than that anyway.

As of last Thursday I'm working at home. It's a huge relief to not have to get up and get ready for work and squeeze my belly behind the wheel. I asked about this just in time too because we had our first confirmed case of H1N1 flu there! Mom bought me a little laptop table (a TV tray that tilts) for my birthday expecting that I'd need something like it. Now it's actually getting used instead of just being a pretty TV tray. It's still a challenge to use since my belly is so big but what isn't at this point?

Also, I keep reading that as the babies get bigger, they'll move less because there's less room. If anything, I feel MORE movement. Probably because there's less room!

More Adventures in Cloth Diapering - Getting There...

I’m seriously obsessed with researching cloth diapers right now. Sean says I’m “stubborn.” I don’t particularly like that word…but if people saying I won’t want to mess with cloth diapers makes me want to do it all the more and that makes me stubborn, then so be it. When I say I’ve been researching the countless kinds of cloth diapers for months, it is no exaggeration. I even had to stop at one point because there are so many options it was overwhelming and I couldn’t take it.

I got back on the bandwagon a few weeks ago. I found a few really good sites with advice on getting started and have decided to start with some prefolds and covers. The prefolds can always be used as doublers later. After the babies are a little bigger, we’re going to try a few trial kits where they let you try several different kinds of diapers. Since we don’t plan on having more children, we’re going to go w/the one size diapers - brand yet to be determined.

I also MUST have some baby legs (for the babies of course). For the most part I try to be frugal and a conscious about whether something is necessary. I don’t like to be wasteful. But I love these things!

Swag Bucks!

I read about a new site on one of my new favorite blogs – Newly Wed, Newly Bred - called SwagBucks. Her post mentioned someone redeeming their SB for a Wii so I decided to check it out. It’s super easy. All you have to do is set up an account and there are multiple ways to earn points. I haven’t even had my account for a week and I have 29 points with minimal work. You can redeem for all kinds of goodies so I figure it’s worth a try. I downloaded the toolbar because you earn points by using SB to search the internet. I’ve also invited two people who have joined. Thanks Barbara and Nancy!

If you want to join, please use this link so I can earn points.

Use Google Reader to read my new blog posts!

Google has a great tool for you to follow blogs right on your homepage. Set this bad boy up and you’ll know I’ve posted a new blog as soon as it’s up!

It’s called Google Reader and setting it up is super easy. On your homepage, click on Reader near the top-left of the page. If it’s not showing, go to More first. Once you’re in Reader, just click on Add a Subscription and paste the web address of the blog you want to follow in the window that pops up. Google Reader can do a lot more than that but you can figure out the rest on your own.

To add your new Google Reader to your Google homepage, go into Reader and click on Settings (top right). On the next screen, select Goodies and then click the icon under Add Reader to iGoogle. Once it’s added to your homepage you can also move it around on your homepage. Voila!

Now you’re all set and won’t ever miss a new and exciting blog post!

Get Yourself a Google Homepage Already!

If you’re not already using a personalized Google homepage (and you should be), you’re really missing out. You can add all the stuff you love so it’s right on your homepage and there are lots of cool widgets too. So if you’re like my mom, you need to get RID of all those stupid toolbars in your browser and create a Google homepage.

Here’s a screenshot of mine:



You’ll notice that I do have ONE toolbar. I just added it yesterday. We’ll get to that in another post. I’m not going to reinvent the wheel so here’s a link to a wiki on how to create a Google homepage.

Baby Showers #3 and #4, Dayton, Ohio

We were lucky enough to have five of my wonderful co-workers throw us a lovely shower at work. It was decorated in colors to match the nursery and was unbelievably coordinated! We dined on Donatos (my favorite – Chicken Veggie Medley), cake, and even some gourmet French Onion Dip and chips (the babies LOVE this by the way).
We played some fun games. Thanks to Denise for always finding fun shower games! Everyone went together and got us TWO infant seats which is a HUGE help! We also got some outfits, rattles, and various other baby things.



Our fourth stop on the Kovacs Twins Baby Shower Tour took us to Grandma and Grandpa Kovacs’ house to catch the rest of the Dayton folks (with a few from out of town). The theme was Two Peas in a Pod and our two little peas were showered with all kinds of wonderful gifts. Unfortunately, Great Grandma Ponto and Aunt Susan weren’t able to make it down for the shower because of Grandma’s broken shoulder. A good time was had by all and the babies (and mom and dad) are very thankful for everything!

35 Weeks Today!

Today is 35 weeks! I had another NST today. Baby boy’s heart rate dropped down to 102 at one point so the dr. had them put me back on for 10 minutes. I wasn’t worried because they move around so much it’s not unusual to see drops like that. I guess they were just being on the safe side which is fine with me. He was SUPER active the second time around. I guess he just didn’t want to wake up the first time around. I also had a few contractions today. I’m glad I had some while attached to the monitor because I never would’ve guessed that what I was feeling was a contraction. I’ve been feeling that particular sensation here and there for a while and just assumed it was someone pushing outward.

I have been looking for an “old lady nightgown” or “mu-mu” that buttons down the front. They’re much harder to find than one might think! I mean, where do old ladies shop these days? I had looked a couple Wal-marts, Kohls, and online at Penney’s with no luck (I don’t have the endurance to hit the mall). After seeing a post on BabyCenter.com about a girl who’d bought a mu-mu at Kmart I decided to try there. Jackpot! So for anyone looking for a mu-mu, don’t forget about your local Kmart.

One week (from tomorrow) till the New Moon soundtrack. I always enjoy having things to look forward to. Not that I don’t have something HUGE to look forward to right now, but I don’t really know WHEN that’s going to happen and I don’t want to distracted by WHEN or hoping for SOONER. So for now, I’ll focus on the New Moon soundtrack. I’m really excited about the soundtrack – it’s all original, previously unreleased music. I’ve already seen the video for Meet Me on the Equinox by Death Cab for Cutie. I like the song and I LVOE that they show tons of footage from the movie! After the soundtrack comes out, I’ll have the Nov 20 movie release to keep my mind distracted (that, and a serious lack of sleep).

I had a co-worker tell me today that I’m doing really good with this whole pregnancy thing. I asked him what he meant by that. He said that when he first found out I was pregnant he wasn’t sure how I’d handle that. I said, “Did you think I’d be a wimp about it?” Right about now I’m feeling like a wimp. I’m tired of being sleep deprived. I tired of the pain when trying to sleep. I’m tired of getting winded walking to the bathroom. And I’m tired of my heavy belly. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad the babies are still baking and I’m SUPER thankful that I’m still mobile and able to work. But I’m TIRED!

Adventures in Cloth Diapering

For months now I’ve kind of been researching cloth diapers. Before you go thinking I’m crazy, you need to realize cloth diapers are COMPLETELY different than what most people think of when cloth diapering. Yes, it still requires more laundry, but it’s not those Gerber prefolds with the old school safety pins anymore. The options are limitless. And that’s why I say I’ve “kind of been” researching them. It’s slightly overwhelming.

Trust me, I’ve heard my fair share of naysaying – even from my own mother, “Trust me, you’re not going to want to mess with the extra laundry.” And yet I still feel compelled to try. I found out that a sorority sister who has twins did cloth. Also, one of the women we’re looking to use as a babysitter has her 2 girls in cloth (a 6-month old and a 2 year old). She also said she could help with washing some!

Even though I think it’s great that they’re “green” my main motivator is cost. It’s also the thing that’s holding me up. The monetary commitment up front is intimidating when we don’t know if we’re up for the challenge. There are ways to get used ones (and ways to sanitize them). What I’m leaning toward at this point is getting a trial package. There are numerous websites where you can get X number of diapers for 20 days or so to see how you like them.

We have been given a LOT of diapers. We still plan to use these but it doesn’t mean I’m giving up on my cloth diaper plan. I’ve read a lot about how cloth diapers are actually better for containing the newborn blowouts than disposable!

I finally found a GREAT site that I felt like I could use to make some decisions – www.jilliansdrawers.com.

Belly!

It has been brought to my attention that I haven't been posting belly pics. There are some things I feel people may not be interested in - belly pics is one of them. So I've been emailing them to family and close friends who've asked to see them. I've included the whole album so you can see the transformation of my glorious bump.

I felt like the 33w4d pic didn't look much different than the 31w4d so I had my photographer take another last night at 34w1d. It's tricky because if you don't get the right angle, you can't see the difference (at least I can't).

What you can't see from the pictures is that it's HEAVY. I can't really wear my support belt anymore because it won't fit under most of my pants. I sit all day at work so it's not a big deal. It's also very low. Enjoy!

Our First Moms of Twins Club Sale

The Dayton Moms of Twins Club has a bi-annual sale where members can sell all their baby stuff. They have a members-only sale on Friday evening and then it’s open to the public on Saturday. We had a short list of things we really wanted before the babies came and decided to hit up the members only sale. The sale started at 7:30 and I was told by a seasoned member that we wanted to get there early at the last meeting. We arrived at 6:30 and there was already quite the line. By the time 7:30 rolled around the place was packed!

I had spied the crowd to see how many pregnant people were there to see who I’d be competing with for infant items. It’s a little harder to pick out the brand new moms. Since I’m pregnant myself, I was able to bring along my fearless “helper” Sean. Not only did I have to let them know who I’d be bringing ahead of time, they also told us we needed to stay together during the sale – no splitting up. By the time it started, I was ready to go to bed. But I was glad we toughed it out. Not only did we find a double Snap N’ Go stroller for $15 (regularly $99.99) and an EZ2 Nurse Pillow for $15 (regularly $50), we also found some things I just plain wanted – like a Maya Wrap for $28 and a Moby Wrap for $5! And that’s only the tip of the baby gear iceberg! We added up what we saved by buying everything gently used – it was over $300! I’ll definitely be returning for the spring sale!

I had my second non-stress test yesterday. The babies were much more cooperative this week (translation: weren’t moving around so much we couldn’t keep the monitors on their hearts). They passed with flying colors and I didn’t get nearly as messy from all the gel they use. After next week’s NST, we have another growth scan. I’m curious to see how they’re positioned (as always) – which better be head down for both of them!

Sean also installed the car seats over the weekend so I can get them inspected. If the two cribs, all the other baby gear and my enormous belly don’t make it real enough, that definitely does. I’ve been trying to savor my loud music and having the moon roof open as much as I can.

September 17 Growth Scan

We had a growth scan yesterday (32w3d). Baby boy is 4 lbs and transverse (sideways) but his head is down lower than his body so he’s on his way to the proper position! And baby girl is 3 lbs 12 oz and is already in the proper position (vertex). Yay for her! She better stay that way.

My visit with the doctor was today (paying $3 for parking per visit adds up so I won’t be letting them split my visits up anymore). The nurse told me that I looked “fabulous” when she walked in. I don’t know if she tells all patients that to make them feel better but I’ll take the compliment. Starting next week I go every Monday for a non-stress test where they monitor their heartbeats for 20 minutes. The next growth scan is in 4 weeks. These are getting extremely uncomfortable for me. The babies are VERY low so I practically have to be lying flat which is NOT pleasant.

This past Wednesday was our second night of childbirth prep classes. We had our tour of the maternity unit and then learned about relaxation techniques. I sleep in one hour stretches through the night and never actually feel rested. So when she told us to get comfy (either on couches or in bean bags), I told Sean to wake me if I started snoring. He had to wake me twice. I just couldn’t stay awake with the dimmed lights, soothing music and the instructor walking us through guided imagery exercises. I don’t think I heard a word she said. After a while I was just focusing on staying awake so I wouldn’t snore.

It’s getting to be time to buy a 2010 planner (I thought about this today b/c I made a dentist appt for March). I was thinking about how every year I search and search for the perfect planner but never find what I’m looking for. Maybe that’s my life’s calling – to design the perfect planner. I mean who needs those pages with the area codes, time zones, and metric weights and measurements anyway?

From Twins

Baby Shower #2 - Columbus, Ohio

We were very fortunate to have several friends (and parents) throw us babies showers. The second leg of our Kovacs Twins Tour 2009 took us to Columbus, Ohio, on August 23 for a shower hosted by Aunt Kate and good friend Angie! The theme was Thing 1 and Thing 2! Instead of cards, guests were asked to bring a book to contribute to the twins’ ever-growing library. We got a lot of great books as well as many much-needed gifts.

It was really nice to see all our Columbus friends plus a handful of other people who drove several hours to attend. Thank you to everyone!!!

Green cleaning/Diaper bag update

Lots of excitement around here! Over the weekend I made our first batch of homemade laundry soap and used it for all the laundry. We still have some dryer sheets so I plan to finish those off before using anything “green.” I don’t know if I’m partial but I really thought the laundry smelled extra fresh. We have an issue with washcloths and towels tending to smell musty. When this happens, I soak them in the washer in hot water and straight white vinegar and then wash with more white vinegar in the fabric softener thingamajig. I’m curious to see how the homemade detergent handles the towels and washcloths since it has Borax and Arm and Hammer Washing Soda.

As we finish off our other cleaning products I’ll be gradually switching to greener options. Some of which will be homemade. I’ll keep you all posted on how that works out.

The diaper bag came yesterday and I must say that it wasn’t as horribly enormous as I thought it was going to be. It’s definitely a manageable size. I haven’t done a trial packing yet to see how it works but it seems like it should fit everything nicely. It also seems sturdy and well-made which is always something you look for when you spend a lot of money on something! The one thing I was surprised about was that it didn’t even come with a tag of a diagram showing how to use the bag or explaining what the many specialized compartments are for (like I included in my last blog post). No need to fear though, we figured it out!

Some of you may have noticed the new blog template that isn’t quite working out. One of these days I’m going to either figure out to fix the template or find one that works properly. I’m kind of bummed though because I really liked this one.

Our Diaper Bag Debate

I’m still going to post about the showers but I have diaper bags on the brain today. Several of you know I’ve been trying to find the perfect diaper bag for months. I’m vertically challenged and already have trouble keeping a purse on my shoulder. So the thought of trying to carry a shoulder diaper bag while juggling two infant car seats was scary. I know how my laptop bag slides off my shoulder and slams into my leg. I don’t want to deal with a diaper bag doing this too, or worse, hitting the babies!

Given all this, I knew I wanted a backpack style. Naturally, this really limited my options. We’d looked at Babies R’ Us but the ones at the store were smaller than the backpack I still have from college (which only has a front pocket and doesn’t stand up on its own).

After shopping around online, I decided to talk to a few of my mom friends to see what they recommended. Another concern of mine was size. Just HOW BIG of a diaper bag does a mom of twins need? I believe Nancy’s response was, “I don’t think you’ll find a diaper bag big enough.” Great. Thanks!

So over the weekend I was doing more online shopping with our store credit and found this diaper bag – the Dad Gear Diaper Bag Backpack. We didn’t buy it from this site, it’s just that this site has the best pictures of it. One of the reviewers on Target’s site said that this bag was TOO BIG. Since we’ll eventually want a smaller bag, I wanted to start out with a more average-sized bag and then get a bigger one if we decided we needed it. I got tired of arguing and we ordered this in gray and black. It’s supposed to arrive next week so I’ll let you all know the verdict!

Kovacs Twins Tour 2009 Kick-off

I’m more than a little behind in my blogging. For those of you who don’t know, I failed the 1-hour glucose tolerance screening by two points. So I had to go back for the THREE-HOUR screening. Sitting in the uncomfortable waiting room chairs for one hour was bad enough – even with the company of a good book, so I wasn’t looking forward to three hours. To make matters worse, I wasn’t able to go to the lab where I normally go because of scheduling conflicts and the chairs where I did end up going were even worse!

Fortunately, I passed the three-hour test! I was super excited about that.

We kicked off the Kovacs Twins Shower Tour 2009 in Chillicothe on August 2 (picture are below). Thanks to Jennifer and Joan for throwing us a fabulous shower! Because we’re having twins and the chances of me being put on bed rest are higher than if we were only having ONE baby, AND because I really wanted to have the showers while I could still move around and was relatively comfortable, AND because we want to have all baby related stuff done by September, all our showers are in August.

And during all of this the babies are getting bigger and MUCH stronger!

August 10 Ultrasound

We had a growth scan today where they measure the babies to make sure they’re growing like they should be. The tech was figuring out how they laying and I started to feel queasy. I drink my juice watered down and thought maybe I hadn’t added enough water and that was what was bothering me. The tech noticed I was fidgeting and asked if I need to sit up. I said yes and we continued.

I was still uncomfortable and the queasiness was increasing and she asked again so they sat me up some more. We got a little more done then I said something about being hot. That must’ve really alarmed her because she told Sean to open the door and then she got some wet paper towels and put them on my neck and wiped my head. At this point, she had me sitting straight up. But I think the wheels were set in motion. I said something about not feeling good still and asked if I should stand up. She told me no because she didn’t want me passing out. She told Sean to go into the hall and say “We need a nurse.” He went searching for one. Meanwhile, my hearing was going and I could feel darkness creeping up. I kept closing my eyes and she was mildly shaking me – stay with me! All I could think was, “Why don’t they have a fan in here?”

Finally two nurses rush into the room. Of course the blood pressure cuff in that room was attached to the wall and too far away from me. They finally got one and took my blood pressure – it was 90 over 60. I saw that one of them had smelling salts. I’m SO glad she didn’t need them. They got me some juice (not watered down – I couldn’t finish it) and I was all better. They asked if I’d eaten breakfast. I told them I’d just had an egg sandwich with some juice on the way there. I can’t imagine what would’ve happened if I hadn’t.

Since the whole purpose of today’s ultrasound was to do measurements and both babies are head down and VERY low, they still had to put me on my back for a little bit with a break in between. Baby boy weighs 1lb 12oz and baby girl weighs 1lb 13oz so they’re right on target with that and very close together so that’s great! Their heartbeats were 143 and 146 but I don’t remember which was which now after all the chaos.
Now that they’re so much bigger it’s hard to decipher what’s what in the pics so you’re all on own with that. Scroll to the end for the 26 week pictures.

And just for those of you who don't know, when you lay on your back during pregnancy, the weight of the babies presses down on blood vessels in your back and restricts blood flow. This is why they tell pg ladies not to sleep on their back. Everything is fine!

The Nursery

The nursery is coming along nicely. The cribs and dressers are put together and the bedding has been washed. They even have a shiny new window fan thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Kovacs. We ran into a snafu with the changing table – one piece was badly scratched. The manufacturer is sending us a touch-up kit so we’ll see how that works. I will definitely be sending them a letter since we bought a LOT of furniture and we expect QUALITY!

We still need figure out a window covering but how hard can that be? Also, we didn’t want to buy a huge clothes hamper but that’s all we’ve been able to find besides the tiny cloth and wooden frame ones they sell at Babies R Us. I guess they’ll need a full size one soon enough, right? This is such a minor thing it’s almost a non-issue.

The babies have been a lot more active over the past couple weeks. I can definitely notice their sleep and wake periods. I have yet to find anything that really gets them going but I think it’s still early for that. We go in for a growth scan on Monday to make sure they’re growing like they should be (from the looks of my belly they are!). It’s always exciting to see them. Having frequent ultrasounds is definitely one of the perks of having twins. It’s so nice to be able to see them every couple weeks and actually SEE that things are going well.

I had a new tech at the last ultrasound and she said, “I sure hope you got some good pictures of them when they were little.” Of course I asked her why. She said that as they get bigger and bigger, it’s just hard to get a good shot of them. Growing babies is good!

Belly - July 20, 2009 Edition

We took a belly picture today and it even shocked me! I really didn't think it had grown that much in the past three weeks but boy has it! Grow babies grow! You'll probably be seeing a new outfit soon. I don't know that this shirt will fit much longer. Which is fine because it's not even a maternity top!

From Belly

Shoes! Can I find some shoes please?

So the hunger may be kicking in. I’m not sure because most of the time I can’t eat very much before getting full. Sunday I woke up at 3:30 a.m. with hunger that couldn’t be ignored. It took 2 bowls of cheerios to squash it. Hopefully that doesn’t become a regular occurrence because it’s really annoying.

A couple a weeks ago it became apparent that mama needed some comfortable shoes that would accommodate swollen feet. Joan came to town and we went all over Dayton looking for comfortable shoes. It was awful because it was the weekend that it was in the 90’s and my feet were really swollen. She kept saying, “You need some crocks like the nurses wear.” I knew Crocs had come out with some new styles so when it was getting late and we still hadn’t found anything, we headed to the only place I knew we’d be able to find Crocs for sure – Dick’s. I got the last pair of 9’s in the Malindi (in black) and a pair of Cleos (in black and lavender). I wanted the Patricia because it has a bit of a heel but even the 10 wouldn’t fit over my fat foot. I LOVE MY CROCS and have even ordered another pair since. I ordered a pair of Olivia in brown. They have free shipping in July so hurry up and get you some!

We’ve spent the past couple weeks boxing up stuff and lugging stuff to Sean’s parents’ basement and out to the garage to make room for babies. This past weekend Sean painted the nursery. We also ordered the furniture and the bedding. I about had a heart attack when I logged onto Babies R Us and they didn’t have the furniture we wanted in the finish we wanted. But it turned out in our favor because I ended up finding it somewhere else and we didn’t pay shipping for a single thing! That would NOT have been the case if we’d ordered from Babies R Us.

We’ve decided to do pink and green for the bedding. I even found some cool wall decals that match!

Belly

A week ago I felt the first movement. It was the first time I could say without a doubt that what I felt was a definitely a baby moving in there and not something else. It is progressively getting more frequent. Up until yesterday, I felt our little boy more. And from the way he’s acted up at the past couple ultrasounds, I wasn’t surprised. He must take after his father  I know the babies are 4 or 5 days apart so this may be why. I’ll have to ask which one is ahead at the next visit.

So far, Sean has only been able to feel the little munchkins once and I’m not sure which one he felt because he felt it when I was sleeping. I haven’t noticed any patterns or things that make them more active yet. But I figure that will change any day now. I have close to a full pound of baby in there by now!

We’ve taken two belly pictures so far. It’s amazing the difference four weeks makes. And I’m sure it will just keep getting more amazing.

An apple with a stem and one without!

We had our anatomy ultrasound on June 19. They did baby A first… and we found out it was a BOY. They measured a million things and he’s doing great. He was very active and squirmed all over the place. But fortunately, we got a nice clear view of the money shot.

Then they moved on to baby B. After they got done measuring a million things, we found out it was GIRL! We were thrilled to find out we were getting one of each. The tech had a hard time getting a good view of baby B’s face because baby A’s foot kept coming into the picture. To which I said, “Quit kicking your sister!” And it probably won’t be the last time I say that!

Both babies weighed 7 oz and both had a heart rate of 148. That’s the first time that both their heart rates were the same.

Calling everyone to tell them what we were having was almost as fun as telling everyone we were having twins. It’s still kind of hard to believe that the McWilliams family is going to have a boy! I wonder if Dad will know what to do?

From Twins

From Twins

Green Cleaning

I went to my first Moms of Twins Club meeting last Thursday. The meeting was interesting but what I enjoyed most was the special topic. They had a rep from The Happy Soul (www.thehappysoul.com) in to talk about Green Cleaning. I kind of chuckled to myself when I saw the topic on the agenda because the whole “Green” movement is a little overdone. But I was fascinated by her presentation and the simplicity of it all. She used baking soda, white vinegar, biodegradable cleanser, Borax, and Arm and Hammer Washing Soda plus certain essential oils to make soft scrubbing cleanser, laundry detergent and all sorts of things.

Not only are these homemade versions safer, they’re cheaper. She got me hook, line, and sinker. I bought the cleaning set of oils and have since ordered a few other things. As soon as we finish up our various cleaning products, we’re going to try making our own. Sean wasn’t too thrilled about this but I think it may help my allergies.

She also suggested a few books on the topic: Go Green, Live Rich; The Naturally Clean Home; and The Green Clean. She did say some stuff about all the VOCs in our homes but I don’t remember the details so I’m not going to try to include it here. She herself uses Planet dish soap from Kroger (there’s no S people!) with a few drops of rosemary.

There was also a mom there who said she used Tea Tree oil in her diaper pail and puts some on really stinky cloth diapers. There’s just so much to know!
After we finally get around to using some of our homemade cleaners, I’ll post another blog about what we think about it.

17 weeks

My Friday appt was actually rescheduled for yesterday. Both babies’ heartbeats are still really strong. As of week 12, their growth is right on target so that is great! She said one of the big concerns of a twin pregnancy is the cervix shortening and mine is great so far. I asked her about being high risk today (since everyone and their brother asks me about that) and she said, “Well, yes you’re high risk b/c there are 2 babies but not “freak out” high risk. Things are going really well.” She said if they see anything abnormal on any of my many ultrasounds they may send me to a high-risk dr. but that things continue like they have been, I won’t need to go. She said they’ll send me there for ultrasounds later in pregnancy only b/c the ability to monitor 2 babies at a time and they don’t have that equipment in their office.

Our twins are diamniotic and dichorionic (or di-di) which means they are in completely separate sacs and placentas. This is REALLY good b/c it lowers the odds of twin-to-twin transfusion (where one gets more nutrients than the other). This is really great news.

The doctor is not alarmed by my pubic bone/hip pain – just chalked it up to how my uterus has to grow quicker b/c there’s TWO babies. She said that massage and the chiropractor are great and to continue that as long as is comfortable for me. And actually, the pubic bone pain is gone! Yay! Now, I just get pinching in my lower back on the sides. When I first get up and put pressure on each leg, it pinches and hurts. Fortunately, it doesn’t last long.

I asked her how soon my travel could be possibly restricted – she said 27 weeks (which is August 16)!!! But that is only if there are issues. So far so good!!! The tech asked me today if I wanted to find out what they were but I told her no. Sean would’ve been bummed. We find out on June 19 – can’t wait!


 
 

The Nursery

As most of you know, we have a very small house. Our bedroom and either potential "nursery" are literally right next door. The office is only big enough for 2 cribs, a dresser and a changing table. The other room is big enough for everything plus somewhere for me to sit and nurse as well.

We have a lot of stuff that I'd like to be able to fit into the bigger room. I'm just trying to decide if I'm going to want to nurse in as close a proximity to their cribs as possible or if it won't matter?

I posted this on a BabyCenter forum over the weekend and got some helpful responses (as well as a few where I wasn’t sure they’d read my full post). I had briefly considered a co-sleeper but then decided it wouldn't fit in our room. And why have both of us not getting any sleep? One mom suggested planning on nursing in a separate room that way if one is fussing, it won’t wake the other. We’ll see, this decision has not been made. You never know, we could win the lottery before the babies are born!

I have also decided that I need to find a chiropractor who can work miracles. Anyone know a good chiropractor in Dayton? I was going to one near our house a while back but didn’t like him.

Ultrasounds

I had an ultrasound today to check the growth. And the Dr. said that w/twins she likes to do an ultrasound before every visit to check the heartbeats!!! I suspected from everything I read that I’d have more ultrasounds but it’s nice to know it. AND we scheduled the 18 week ultrasound to check the ANATOMY!!! June 19!

During today's ultrasound you could see them moving around. If one baby moved one way, the other baby would follow it's lead. It was so cool!

I got some Sea Bands on Monday and they seem to be helping with the nausea. I still haven't gotten my normal appetite back but a girl can hope!

After little success adjusting to sleeping on my sides (I'm normally a back, mostly stomach, sleeper), I ordered a Leachco Grow to Sleep pillow. It came yesterday so I tested it out on the couch. I was asleep in minutes and didn't wake up till 6:45! It may take some adjusting but I think it's going to be great!

New pics are below - right after the first ultrasound. My favorite is the one where their heads are together :)

I wanna be a yogi

I’ve wanted to take a yoga class for quite a while. I have a million excuse why I haven’t actually STARTED but decided now was the perfect time to start. I did a quick search for some pre-natal yoga classes and saw that there was an open house for a place in Oakwood that was starting a pre-natal yoga class soon.

Even though I was really tired and just wanted to lie on the couch, I drug myself to the open house last night. I kept telling myself I’d regret it if I didn’t go. So I walk through the door and there is Sean’s SIL Denise! We just looked at each other and laughed. We’re always finding out that we have common interests. I don’t know about her but I wasn’t surprised to see her there.

The instructor was really cool and I’m definitely looking forward to the classes. She is very knowledgeable in many different areas so I expect to learn a lot from her.

I had no more than gotten home and mom called. I don’t really remember why she called but I do remember her dire warnings to “always wash my hands” and “stay away from large crowds.” Doesn’t she realize the biggest crowd I’m ever around is at Kroger? As much as I hate to give in to this swine flu paranoia, it’s definitely getting to me. I’ll guess I just use the neti pot more often.

What was that?!

Monday night I was lying there awake in the middle of the night with my hand on my stomach...and I felt something move! I wouldn't have felt it if my hand hadn't been on my stomach - it was so subtle. I know I'm only 11 weeks but I know it wasn't anything that normally goes on in my body.

The next day I told Kate about my middle of the night experience and she thought I might’ve been feeling GAS. I told her I’ve never felt gas on the outside with my HAND. This was her response:

I was just discussing this with n8 and he said sure she can feel it, its like 2 tadpoles swimming around...LOL and then he said he has felt poop smaller than that. LMAO

After some research I did find out that many twin moms feel movement even before 16 weeks. Craziness!

Week 10

The food aversions seem to waning which is a very good thing. Especially since the only things I did want to eat were junk food, junk food and more junk food. A lover of vegetables, it was very weird for me to be repulsed by them. And all the other foods I love for that matter. Today, I actually thought about things to have for dinner next week and didn’t start to feel nauseous. We’ll see what happens as the afternoon progresses. Afternoons and evenings seem to be the worst for my aversions and nausea.

Today is a super tired day. Fridays are especially tough. After a week of work, I’m ready to crash. And we need to find a gift for a one-year old tonight. I’d also like to squeeze in some bra shopping but unless I get an energy rush between now and then, I don’t see that happening.

I’m going to vent about it here because I don’t think many people read this blog, and I guess I don’t really care if people do read it. I want to say it. I really wish people would think before they speak. I don’t want to hear things like, “Oh, just wait and see (what it’ll be like).” Or, “Better you than me. I could only handle one baby.” I’m not speaking for Sean (although I know he was just as shocked as I was to find out there were TWO babies in there), but I was mentally, emotionally and financially prepared for ONE baby. Never in a million years did I think I would have TWO. But as freaked out as I was or as scared as I sometimes feel, I’ve decided to look at this as a blessing and focus on the positives. So if you can’t think of anything nice to stay, just don’t say anything at all. I won’t be offended.

On a lighter note, I got a new, much longer belly button ring. Two inches to be exact. I’m not really sure what I was thinking when I ordered it because two inches is really long! I put it in last night and it sticks out on both ends and you can see it through my clothes. I’m sure I’ll eventually need something like that but not just yet! I’ve since ordered a shorter one that should work much better!

April 15, 2009

I feel like I’ve been run over by a train today. The nausea continues to get worse every day and today I’m super tired. Despite having eaten steadily all day, I haven’t been able to shake the nausea. I know I still shouldn’t complain because at least I haven't gotten sick. Yet.

I’ve now told everyone at work. It was hard enough not telling people before but now it’s even harder. It’s fun freaking everyone out. EVERYONE responds to the word “twins.” Actually, most people think we’re kidding. Why would I kid about that?

April 13, 2009

We went for our first ultrasound on Thursday (4/9). I don’t know about Sean but I went in there just wanting to know that everything was ok and see the heartbeat. The tech got the wand where she needed it and there were two spots on the screen. I just thought they had it on “double image” or something. But then she said, “Looks like there are two.” My first thought was, “this can’t be” but was quickly pushed out by a flurry of other thoughts. I felt my heartbeat rise and I started laughing and crying – I just couldn’t stop. I finally managed to ask, “Are you sure?” She calmly answered, “Yes.”

She asked if twins ran in the family. I told her, “My great-grandma had 9 kids and there weren’t any twins!” Sean was dressed for work and had to get up and take his long-sleeved shirt off.

- I have since found out that my great great aunt on my dad's side had twins.

March 31, 2009

I can’t really think straight or focus and just feel so tired I thought I’d type a blog in hopes of staying awake. I’m really just tired all the time. I don’t really fall asleep unless its bedtime but I barely have energy to do anything. Which makes life one big challenge right now because I have a lot I should be doing.

This weekend is my sorority 50th Anniversary. I’m putting together a photo Montage for the event and it’s not finished. Once it is, I need to burn 50 copies. Not to mention, I really need new shoes to wear.

Yesterday, I felt a little queasy in the evening but it wasn’t anything awful. The lack of ANY energy is worse to deal with.

March 23, 2009

Even though I’m able to go back to sleep fairly shortly after waking up in the middle of the night to pee, I’m still unbelievably tired. Like barely able to function tired. I rested for half of my lunch hour but the relief didn’t last long. I’ve chewed gum, walked around the building, drank ice water and even ate some Kashi Go Lean Crunch (it’s super crunchy) in hopes of it helping me feel more awake.

We visted the Benedek’s over the weekend. Despite my excitement about being pregnant, I couldn’t bring myself to tell them out loud. Sean had to do it. I can’t explain why. I think Nancy suspected but she said she wasn’t there yet…

I’m so glad I finally go to the doctor this week. Only two more days.

March 19, 2009

I’m sure a lot of people would want to hit me for saying it, but I almost want a little morning sickness so I’ll know this is all for real (until I go to the dr). It’s like the ongoing breast tenderness and lack of a period isn’t enough for me. And yes, I realize that saying this could totally come back to bite me.

I felt a little crappy yesterday afternoon but assumed it was b/c I had been up since around 4:30 (I woke up and could NOT go back to sleep). That’s been one thing that I’m not sure is caused by being pregnant. Since my body was really starting to “be” pregnant around the time we changed the clocks and lost an hour, I’m not sure if that’s the real cause of my sleep disturbances.

March 16, 2009

03/16/09
Since Sean & I decided to wait until after our first appointment, I decided to write some blogs in advance. It’s WAY harder than I thought it would be to keep everything under wraps. Fortunately, I’ve gotten to tell two people out of necessity – the receptionist at the Ob/Gyn’s office when I called to make an appointment and the nurse at my allergist. Speaking of the allergist, I can continue my injections but they will not raise my dose while I’m pregnant or nursing. That’s right, I said PREGNANT.

It’s so hard talking to my family, friends and co-workers and wanting to share the good news with them but feeling like it’s a bit too early. It will be especially hard because of the next three weekends. We’re visiting friends in Ft. Wayne this weekend. Then the next weekend Kathaniel is coming to visit. And the next weekend after that is May Day. We’re telling my family over Easter so I’m guessing we would’ve told Sean’s family by then. We’ll see.

Even though I’ve always been a firm believer about waiting until the 3 month mark, we’ve decided to tell family and close friends sooner than that since we’d want them to know if, heaven forbid, anything bad should happen. But we’re waiting until the first dr. visit, which unfortunately isn’t until March 26 because they have so many physicians out on vacay right now.

Normally, I consider myself to be even-keeled. But the emotional roller coaster that I’ve just begun really threw me for a loop over the weekend. Not to mention the fatigue. I know this party’s only just beginning but I’m tired already.

So far the biggest bummer has been my tea. I miss it. Before, I’d have a few cups of my herbal tea a day, plus a couple glasses of unsweetened decaf green tea. Apparently, green tea leaches all the Folic Acid from your body, which you need during pregnancy, so I cut that out. And I’m waiting to get a final verdict on the herbal tea from my dr. I only drink about 2 cups a day and they’re not things like St. John’s Wort and Ginseng. They’re just fruity teas that usually have things like hibiscus in them and a bunch of other ingredients I keep reading conflicting information about. I have no problem abstaining from all the other pregnancy no-no’s but I miss my herbal tea!!! I didn’t expect that :) I’ve found a few that seem to be ok.

Lost without Lost

Originally, I was excited to hear that Lost would be airing a "special" in place of a new episode tomorrow. I even considered it a great anniversary gift from the Lost gods. But now that I've had time to think about this and realize that it's really just a "clip show" and they're doing this so they'll get all the final episodes including the final on during May Sweeps, I'm a little bummed.

It wasn't until yesterday that I realized this is probably why there wasn't an official Lost podcast after last week's episode. Part of the podcast always includes a pre-hash of the next episode. What is there to pre-hash when all we're getting is a stupid clip show!? And does this mean there won't be a Doc Jensen blog this week?

And it was after this series of thoughts that I wondered, does being this into Lost mean that I need more of a life?

Claire's stuff is cheap

I really should know better than to buy my nose rings at Claire's but I did it anyway. Maybe this time I'll learn my lesson. I'm on #2 of a three pack that I just opened sometime last and rhinestone #2 just fell out. This has happened before so I'm not sure why I bought them at Claire's last time.

The ones at Hot Topic last forever. I'm only assuming they were out. No more Claire's (at least for body jewelry) for me!

The break is over

I haven't blogged since early February! I've been slightly busy. February and March were consumed with sorority stuff, buying a new computer, and finding out I was pregnant! And then, on April 9, we found it was TWINS!

I wrote a lot of blogs but didn't post any of them because we hadn't told everyone. But now that the word is out, you all get to read the backlog. So check back next week!

And there wasn't an option for it on the widget but our twins are fraternal. The widget makes it look like they're identical.

If You Seek Basil

This week's menu includes Ultimate Vegan Lasagna. It called for quite a bit of basil. Since the heat fried our basil plant, I decided to buy some fresh. Kroger was all out. No biggie, we had a few other places to go. We went to Health Foods Unlimited, Walmart AND Trader Joe's - NO BASIL? What happened to the basil? Is basil necessary for a successful Super Bowl party?

We also looked for the special 3D glasses (I MUST have them for Chuck tomorrow!). I even sent Sean into an extra CVS and a second Kroger looking for them. We had given up on the glasses when I decided to swing through a drive-thru. They didn't have them but the girl working there knew where they DID have them - Dollar General!

I haven't decided what I'm going to do about the lasagna but at least I can see tomorrow's episode of Chuck as it was intended.

Look at all the clouds!

When I was little, the road to grandma and grandpa’s went past several “cloud-making factories.” Now that I’m older I know that they were power plants but it’s still fun to think of them as cloud-making factories.

This morning on my way to work in sub-zero temperatures, EVERYTHING looked like a cloud-making factory. The cars, manholes, all the buildings – even the river! It was kind of crazy to look out across the city as I was dodging all the jerks on 75 who don’t know how to use their turn signals and see all the clouds materializing out of this little concrete jungle I call home.

As fun as it is to pretend that the buildings are spitting out clouds, I’d still rather it was warm enough that I couldn’t see any of this going on. Hurry up spring - I'm cold!