Some Ultrasound Pics

So I realized that I haven't posted very many ultrasound pictures of the girls! Here are a few over the past few times we have gone to the high risk doctor.  Every time we go they take about 50 different pictures and then they put them on a disk for us to take home.  It is so nice.  We get so many pictures and they are pretty good quality as well!

This is one of the rare pictures of both of them together.  At this point they were laying on top of each other.  Since then they are both head down!

This is baby b's head on the left and baby a's head on the right.  I beleive that those are baby a's arms trying to "punch" her sister!  They are fighting already!

Here they are head to head!

This is baby a.  She was laying face down last week when this was taken.  We did not get very many face shots this week.  They were both being shy.  

This is baby b at 20 weeks.  She was also being stubborn and not wanting to show her face. The important thing this week was that the doctor was able to look at their hearts.  Both girls put on a great show for that and the doctor was able to see eveything he needed!

21 weeks

I am 21 weeks today.  These pictures were taken last week, so my belly has grown a little, but you get the picture.  I had an appointment with the high risk doctor and my regular OB this week.  The high risk doctor spent a lot of time looking at the girls' hearts.  And we are happy to report that they look great.  Nothing to worry about.  In the words of the doctor, "Those little stinkers gave us quite a scare in the beginning for nothing."  We will continue to go to the high risk doctor every 2-3 weeks for the rest of my pregnancy just to keep monitoring them since they are identical, but eveything looks to be good for here on out.  I asked my regular doctor when I should expect to deliver them and she said the goal is 34 weeks and the max would be 37 weeks.  So I am already half way there.

I am starting to have braxton hicks contractions pretty regularly but that is to be expected.  I have only gained about 11 pounds, which is fine with me!  My blood pressure was actually normal last time which is great for me because normally it is high. I can only fit into maternity clothes.  My regular clothes are officially too small.

When I am home, I try to take it easy because I want to keep working as long as possible.  When I asked about bed rest, the doctor said it would definitely happen and we will start talking about it around 28 weeks.  Until then, I will try to take it easy!

We are looking forward to Christmas next week.  Jack is really getting into it this year!  Just wait till next year. . .

16 weeks

I am now over 16 weeks pregnant.  I went to both the high risk doctor and my regular OB this week.  We got very goo news from the high risk doctor.  The fluid on the back of the girls necks is completely gone!  Debbie, our ultrasound tech measured them both and baby a is 6oz and baby b is 5 oz.  Both her and the doctor said everything looked great.  I did find out that I will go to the high risk every 2 weeks for the rest of my pregnancy to keep a close eye on them since they are identical.

Here are a few of my stats:

Total weight gained: 3 pounds
Stretch marks: no new ones
Sleep:Between Jack coming into our room and me not sleeping, its not great!  I wake up every 1-2 hours.
Best moment of the week: hearing the fluid is gone on the babies
Movement: lots of little flutters
Food craving: nothing really
Belly button: Its out!  This didn't happen until much later with Jack.
What I miss: Being able to have a vodka and tonic...hehe
What I am looking forward to: having both of our families here for Thanksgiving

3D Ultra Sound of Twins

Here is a short video of the twins. Their heads are at the top and their feet are touching at the bottom. This was taken at 13 weeks and 2 days.

Here is another one.

13 weeks and an update

We have been very busy the past few weeks. I am happy to report that I am heading out of the first trimester and hopefully gaining some energy back. We now know that we are for sure having identical twins. Jack loves telling everyone that there are babies in mommy's tummy, although he still has no idea what that means to his little world.

This was taken this past Sunday (10/21) I was 13 weeks.  I am starting to have a little bit of a baby bump.  Today I went to put on my pants for work and they would not button.  I almost put maternity pants on, but instead I got out a safety pin and held them together that way.

Jack is loving fall. His favorite color is orange so of course he is obsessed with pumpkins. We have read the same pumpkin book before bed every night for the past 3 weeks. Jack was lucky to pick pumpkins from grandpa DeWeese's little pumpkin patch. We also went to a local place this past weekend to add to his collection. We are looking forward to turning one of his many pumpkins into a JACK-o-lantern this weekend.

We have made 2 trips to the apple orchard this fall. Jack loved coming home and making homemade applesauce with me. He also enjoyed eating it. He is looking forward to Halloween next week. He is going to be a pirate. He decided this all by himself. We are excited to take him trick or treating. This will be the first time he will go.

Surprise!!

On Friday, August 17th, Kevin and I found out we were expecting for the second time.  We were going to my parents for the weekend to see all of my family and although I wanted to tell everyone, we decided to wait a little while before spilling the beans.  We finally let the cat out of the bag on Labor Day weekend.  Needless to say, everyone was really excited to welcome another bundle of joy into the family. Little did we know it is not just one baby. . .

On Thursday, September 20th, I had my first doctor's appointment.  Kevin and I were there bright and early to meet with a nurse. After making us sign some papers and telling me what I am allowed and not allowed to eat, we went back to the waiting room to wait for the doctor.  We knew our lives were about to change but little did we know by how much.  Promptly at 9:30, the nurse came and got us and took us to the ultra sound room.  The doctor came in and began making small talk.  We were discussing Jack and how being pregnant the second time was a little different because you are not only tired from being pregnant but also from chasing a toddler around.

It came time for the ultra sound and I think the doctor said something to the effect of, "Let's make sure there is only one baby in there."  I jokingly said, "It wouldn't surprise me if there were two because I tend to follow in my friend's footsteps and she had twins." 
Side note:  For those of you who don't know, the director at our school, Mandy, and I are very close.  I met Mandy when I bought her condo in 2006.  While at the closing, she mentioned that she was an assistant director at a preschool.  I told her that I was new to the area and needed a job.  That's how I started working at Goddard.  Shortly after, Mandy became the director and I the assistant. A few years later, Mandy got pregnant and then 10 weeks later so did I.  It has been a joke that I follow in her footsteps. So we have always said that when I got pregnant, it would be with twins.

Back to Thursday, so there we are, the ultra sound begins and instantly, the doctor and I see that there are TWO babies there!  The doctor practically fell off her chair and we all started laughing.  Who would have ever thought!  Kevin sat there in shock and I couldn't stop laughing and smiling.

The doctor thinks that the babies will be identical because although there are two sacks, there is only one placenta, which typically means identical.  I told her that if that was the case, could she please make them girls cause I don't think I could handle 3 boys!  She laughed and told me that it was already decided and there was nothing she could do.

She told us a bunch of other things, but honestly I don't remember.  I was in such shock I couldn't comprehend anything.  I do know that I go back in 4 weeks and every time I go, I will get an ultrasound...which is cool!  I also know that I will also have a high risk ultrasound done at some point to make sure everything is ok.  She told us between 16 and 20 weeks we could find out what we are having!

Kevin and I are happy, excited, nervous and scared all at the same time.  We keep discussing how things are going to change and our lives as we know it will never be the same.  Poor Jack has no idea what is coming.  He knows mommy is having 2 babies and that they are in my tummy but he has no idea how this is going to impact his life!

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers over these next 7 months!  We are looking forward to this adventure.  I am sure its going to be a wild ride!

27 month update

Jack just so happens to be 27 months old today so I thought it might be a good idea to give a little update because it has been a while since I updated this.

Here are some things Jack is doing:

- Jack is 95% potty trained.  He really started to get it the middle of June.  It just kinda clicked with him.  It took him a couple of weeks to poop in the potty but once he did it once, that clicked too!  He wears underwear everyday and a diaper when he goes to bed at night.  I can count on one hand how many accidents he has had in the last month.  We are so proud of him and can't believe we don't have to buy a box of diapers every week! Whenever Jack goes on the potty he gets a "jelly bean."  It is really a skittle but he calls them jelly beans.  When he poops on the potty at school, he gets a tatoo.  Right now he has 6 of them on his tummy.  He looks like a little biker boy!

- Jack's favorite color is orange. Whenever he has a choice and there is something orange, he will ALWAYS pick it!  When he sees something that is orange, he says, "That's orange my favorite!"

-  Jack has a girlfriend.  My friend Mandy has twins, a boy and a girl who are 10 weeks older than Jack.  He has been in the same class at school with them since he started.  Mandy and I have always joked that her daughter Olivia and Jack are more like twins then her son and daughter.  They are both very bright for their age.  Olivia is also potty trained and I really think the reason Jack is potty trained is he was jealous that Olivia got to use the potty at school and he didn't.  Jack calls Olivia, Livy Loo.  They sit by each other at lunch.  They give each other hugs before they leave every day and they have even been caught sitting on each other's laps and giving each other kisses on the cheek.  It is so cute.  Mandy and I starting to plan their wedding in 2032.

- Jack is obsessed with the farm, grandpa's farm that is.  This summer he has had the chance to go stay with Grammy and Grandpa a few times and he has loved every minute.  He loves the tractor, fork lift and the big truck.  The last time he was there, he got to ride in the tractor and spray the fields with grandpa.  He also got to raise the fork lift up and down all by himself and they put his car seat in the big truck and got to go for a ride with grandpa.  He was in heaven and living every little boy's dream.  Whenever you tell him we are going somewhere he always asks to go to the farm!   I have a feeling he is going to be spending lots of summers working on the farm with Grandpa and Uncle Brad.

We are going to the Lake House with my family in 2 weeks so I will post some pictures of that when we return.