Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Baby Belly update

I realized I didn't post this one, or I think I didn't. After this Saturday's photo I'll post them all again because I think I've missed some.
Belly photo week 31-34



What I have learned from carrying twins.

Going into my second pregnancy I thought it was going to be no big deal. I figured it would pass much like they say second pregnancies pass: not as much attention as the first. But when we found out we were having twins everything changed and it's almost like a new pregnancy again. Reading books on twin pregnancies doing research on twins and just overall learning about twins so much. I've learned more than I even thought existed about twins and that's not a bad thing just nothing I ever imagined I'd be doing. It's been quite the roller coaster of "really!?" to "how exciting" to "this is something special and unique" back to "why?!" I started this post months ago and have just been adding to it as things come to mind.
dramatic lighting belly-10a
{photo taken at 36w5d}


  • to the world, there are only two types of twins; identical and fraternal.  And people really don't even know what this means.

    There are two types of twins, identical and fraternal, but that just refers to their zygosity. There are in fact three different ways to carry twins which I mentioned in a previous post.
  • people are so excited about twins. Most of these people being ones that have never had twins or had to carry them in their own body.

    I've learned about a phrase called twinism which means focusing on the cutesy part of twins versus them actually being individual people. Which is partly one of the reasons I was so excited when we thought we were having a boy and a girl. I was looking forward to them having their own identity and whenever that's different genders it's easier for the outside world (in my opinion) to oblige. Since there now the same gender I feel like it's going to be a little harder for the outside world to see them as individuals which I hope I can create or not encourage. Which is one of the reasons I am not a fan of matching clothes because I do want them to be their own person.
  • I've also learned that people say the dumbest things and they do not think before they speak when it comes to special situations such as the world of twins. Unfortunately I am not a sensitive person and I will probably respond with not appropriate things but their comments aren't appropriate in the first place so I don't really feel bad.

    As far as comments during my pregnancy, most all have been rather positive. I get the initial "Whoa! When are you due??" Then when I state I'm carrying two I immediately get "Wow! You look great for twins!"
  • full panel maternity pants are in fact NOT full panel on a doubly pregnant belly. Clothes that 'fit' are getting few and far between. But I refuse to go shopping again this late in the game (36 weeks).
  • people are telling me "good job" for  "keeping them in this long".... I'm not doing anything. My body is just a host to two other humans, and as we learned with Isaac, it apparently likes having babies inside it or babies like it in there. My uterus must be extra friendly. Actually I have to take some of that back, I have been doing something. I worked really hard to cram lots of protein in when I learned that helps (about week 20). But my driving factor for that was our NYC trip, I REALLY wanted to go and I wanted to be healthy and in good shape to travel. That is really the only 'thing' I can think I've done differently or paid attention to.
  • Getting towards the end I have realized, whether my body has one baby or two, I am going to get broken. Broken down by the wait, by the people asking "so have they set a date?", and this time (which I didn't have with Isaac) the physical discomfort and pain.

    I don't want to get induced, I want these babies to come when they are ready. I am so thankful to have found a midwife practice that accepts twin mama's. My midwife consulted with the OB my last check up and came back to state "She is good with our plan (not planning an induction at this time) but asked 'Why doesn't she want to get induced? Isn't she uncomfortable?' I told her 'she [me] is just wanting as little interventions as possible' " The midwives understand, which is why I am seeing them. Becoming a mother isn't about being comfortable, there are SO many discomforts about being a parent and it's through those discomforts where we learn and create beautiful wonderful children. I had a friend tell me something I have held on to very tightly these days "You just create patient children". I look at Isaac and see how he is so amazing, precious, and patient hearted and can't help but think God is going to repay me for this agony of waiting again... just two-fold this time. Right?
  • Again, whether one baby or two... when a woman is near her due date or past... here are some things NOT to say to her (and my smart off comments listed below - that I did refrain from stating)
    • "Are the babies getting closer???"
      • I dunno are they? They aren't getting farther away.
    • "Any signs of labor?"
      • About 9 months worth
    • "When are the babies coming?"
      • Why don't you ask them yourself because I sure as *(#^ don't know
    • "You haven't had those babies yet?!?"
      • Does it look like it?
    • "You're still pregnant?" 
      • I guess I am, yes. 
  • Things okay to say: 
    • "Been thinking of you lately"
    • "How are you feeling?" 

Now that everything is said and done it was quite the adventure. Not exactly what I thought my second pregnancy would be like but oh how it was special. In the end I did go in for an induction but at that point it was what I was being called to do. We went in at 39w5d and they still waited to be born on their 40 week due date exactly. They knew their timing and it was perfect. 

Twins Baseball game April 26, 2014

Last Saturday we decided to make the most of our baby waiting days and head to a Twins game! So glad we did as that was the last nice day we've seen around here. Going on day 4 of raining (mixed with snowflakes) days.
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It was a gorgeous day and since we hadn't been to a baseball game in well over a year we decided to get better seats. Isaac had a good view to watch outfield flies being caught in right field.
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It was nap-time but his naps are off and on as it is so I knew he'd probably be okay. He did end up jumping around with excitement after the national anthem, then hitting his head on the chair which he got upset more-so than he would have if he was better rested. Luckily I stuck in a couple books, which always seem to cheer him up. More so his security blanket because he says "Dada read veggie tales" but really he just wants you to hold it open while he watches the game :-P (Kyle remains on the look out for foul balls)
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It was nice out when we were in the sun, once the sun went behind the stadium it was a little chilly. We brought a blanket just in case and Isaac had fun playing under it
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An attempt to get Isaac laying his head on my belly.
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I realized Monday when driving by the stadium again after the babies appointment that we should have gotten a picture of me standing by a 'Twins' sign pointing at my belly. Ah well.

Isaac playing on my phone toward the end of the game
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I managed to make it to Inning 8 before wanting to use the rest room. I told Isaac if he came with me we weren't coming back to our seats (it was quite the walk down to row 14). We waiting the last half inning or so up at the top under the heaters enjoying hot chocolate. The Twins WON!


And then he was out like a light a little over halfway home


He's been so cute since then saying "Baseball game again, with daddy & mommy". We're gonna see about maybe going to our local High School's baseball games that are just down the street. Or maybe a Saint's game once the babies come.

Monday, April 21, 2014

Easter 2014

We had a nice Easter weekend here. Kyle had Friday off work, I got a much needed massage. Then Isaac painted a wooden Easter egg that afternoon. We have had our Easter books out for a couple weeks leading up to Easter and Isaac was getting pretty excited saying "Easter is coming!"

Saturday we made a Costco trip and then colored Easter eggs, he was pretty excited about coloring eggs like his books talked about. 
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And he was even more of a fan of eating the "doubled eggs" I made for Easter Sunday :-)

Sunday we got up and he checked out his basket, did a quick little Easter egg hunt around the living room then we headed to church. 
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They squeezed in a third service, which effected the start times.... usually we attend the 9:00 service, but when we arrived at 9 we found out it actually started at 8:30. But no biggie, we missed the singing but Isaac still got to go downstairs and play, which he loves. We ended up staying into the 10:00 service to attend the worship and just left after a few songs since we had already heard the sermon. 

That afternoon we were invited over to some friends for a wonderful afternoon of outdoor play and yummy Easter lunch. We are truly blessed to have friends that think of us during holidays as we don't have any family around and typically just lay low. It was SOOO beautiful out! Isaac ended up with his shirt off since we forgot to stick in a change of clothes. Both boys were stylin' in their Easter outfits but quickly sweat through them. 
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Playing catch
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They even had some eggs hidden for Isaac and our friend's niece
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We came home and I put my feet up since they have been getting swollen lately. We played around the house and Isaac finally wanted to put on his bunny ears (video does not work in email)

Monday, April 7, 2014

35 week update

Had my 35 week appointment today, with an ultrasound update. The wonderful news.... BOTH babies are HEAD DOWN! WOO HOO!!! What we've been praying for and working on these past few weeks. So continued positive thoughts and prayers that they stay that way.

Here is Baby A's 3D face.
Twin A 3D 1

And Baby B's 3D face (her arm is going up by her face on the right in this photo - hand at top)
Twin B 3D 2 arm hand_top

It's pretty cramped in there so lots of goop shows up on the 3D ultrasounds, but you can see their lips and nose and somewhat parts of their eyes.

Here is a profile shot of Baby A:
Twin A profile

And the exciting photo of the visit.... Baby B's HAIR!!! (left arrow)
Twin B hair

They are always pretty cooperative in letting the tech get their measurements and letting them see what they need to record. But today they were both pretty active and the tech had to be patient with getting their cord blood flow because they were moving around so much. They were both breathing again so that got recorded. They were breathing at the last ultrasound too. Good thing because it shows they are practicing.

Had the MFM (maternal fetal medicine doctor) consult right after the ultrasound. She usually comes in after each ultrasound to report the weights and take a peek herself, but this was a scheduled 'consult' just meaning she had 10-15 minutes to chat with me about delivery. They are there with my midwife in the OR and take over once Baby A is out. I had met this particular doc once before and really enjoyed her. She is encouraging and positive. Babies' estimated weights are:
Baby A: 5 lbs 9 oz
Baby B: 5 lbs 13 oz
She did move my due date up four days because of my short cycles and their consistently big measurements (they've been measuring 8 days bigger than my LMP due date because they had my cycle length down as 28 days). So that puts my 'new' due date of May 10th... which really doesn't matter. Hoping they come in the next couple weeks. They will want to talk induction if I make it to 38 weeks (38w with twins is like 41w with a singleton as far as risk of still birth).

Also had my weekly NST (non-stress test) Baby A was super active during the ultrasound and of course went to sleep for the NST. Baby B passed immediately but we had to wait a bit for A to wake back up :-P no contractions recorded on NST this week. I had one last week. 


Tuesday, April 1, 2014

NYC Trip: Day 5 & 6 ~ last two days

Wednesday morning was much like the previous two mornings. We woke to our packaged oatmeal with the warm hotel water and spent the morning playing with our play-dough:
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(I actually took that above photo to send to Kyle to show him Isaac's funky bed head)
We were going to meet Kyle on one of his breaks but we weren't dressed and by the time we got dressed, hurried to the elevators, then back to the room because I forgot my wallet, then to the gift shop to get a coffee, Kyle's break was almost over so we just visited for a minute before he had to go back. Then we went to the 9th floor, just the two of us to character watch for a little bit.


After nap we decided to go for a walk. Our plan for this day was to visit the NYC Public Library when Kyle got off. But we were getting tired of being in our room so we set out for a walk in that direction with plans for Kyle to just meet us at the library.

We left Times Square and headed to Rockefeller Center, got a quick look at the ice rink and the statue which Isaac called "statue of lib-ity"... hey he's catching on. Then we walked down 5th Ave toward the library. It was a chilly day and Isaac was getting cold so we ducked into a Sbarro to share some garlic bread and try to warm up.

Then headed back south the few blocks remaining... we eventually made it to the New York Public Library!





We went around the side for the 'handicap'/stroller friendly entrance to the library.


And luckily the children's section was right inside this side door.


Isaac and I read some books. And even in a room FULL of books we ended up reading three or four of them two or more times. Kyle joined up with us then we took a walk around the whole library enjoying the architecture.


Next up was finding a place to eat. Kyle was craving seafood and  I really wanted to go by the Chrysler Building since it's my most favorite building in the city. So our plan was to head that way as we figured out where to eat.... then we walked out of the library to this!:



HA! To my surprise it was right there all along and when Isaac and I came to the library we walked right past it but I was focused on the front of the library building at that point and didn't even look to my left to see it standing there! We are facing 5th Ave in this photo and that is where we crossed the road just an hour or so earlier.








So that plan quickly changed because I was now happy and now my NYC trip was complete :-)

So we turned down in front of the library to try and find a place to eat browsing our phones at the same time. Yes it is still cold.


After too much unnecessary walking, we ended up on the east side at a place our Yelp! app told us was seafood.... only to find minimal seating and in fact no sea food. We were all starving at this point so we got an appetizer and decided to go to another place a few blocks back the way we came that was indeed a seafood restaurant.

We made it there and even though we felt rather out of place with a child (it was kinda a nice place) we didn't care cuz we were hungry. I had a really good lobster risotta. Isaac of course ordered the mac'n'chz so another place we got to try, lol. As you can see in this photo I was trying to catch a photo of my food before a little curious hand made it's way to my lobster:


We took a cab home, which was the plan after ALL that walking. Phew this mama was tired! We got back to our room and ready for bed. Isaac was being a goofball (sorry for the blurry phone pics).






The next morning (Thursday) was our last day and our travel out day. Kyle was finished with the conference and I was Jones-en for a NY bagel. So we got packed up, left our luggage with the courtesy desk and walked a block away to a deli for a yummy, yummy bagel and cream cheese. We weren't sure what we were going to do before we had to leave for the airport... we had wanted to go to FAO Schwarz (the toy store) but we weren't sure if we'd have time. But we started our walk up 5th Ave heading that way. We did eventually make it after a few dips into retail shops to warm up for a quick minute.

We arrived and headed straight for the 'big' piano:


Isaac loved running back and forth on it


The girl in the background was a little annoyed with Isaac and the other little girl because they were just carelessly walking across it and I guess she wanted to make music or something




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We were kinda bummed we didn't get a visit to Central Park. But with my limited walking and the cold weather we were okay with it. We did get to see a corner of it as we walked to the subway from FAO


We took the subway back to our hotel to get on a cab for the airport. Isaac being goofy on the train:
  

Isaac fell asleep on the cab ride to the airport


Good-bye Manhattan. Until next time! (fuzzy photo pics again)






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