One day away from Week 12

How far along? 12 weeks, tomorrow

Total weight:  122 ish

How big is baby? Crown to rump, about 2 inches.  But add those sweet little legs in there...and I wonder how big.  I often look at the palm of my hand and wonder how big they are.  The internet says a passionfruit.  Good thing I know all about passionfruits haha.  It also says the baby has tripled in size in the last 3 weeks.  That's make sense because over the past few weeks, Ive really started to feel it.

Maternity clothes: My underroo's are too tight and so are my bras that I used for my last pregnancy.  Im hesitant to buy a new one because I know my band size is going to get huge, but they're really starting to hurt me so I have to do something.

Stretch marks: Not yet!

Sleep: Ive been having to sleep propped up because Ive been having heart burn issues.

Movement:  Little things here and there but nothing definite.

Food cravings: Nothing. Bummer.

Food aversions:  I was watching a youtube video on a guy making food in a pressure cooker last night.  He made chicken with garlic and butter and I had to get up to leave the room.  Bleh. Just even typing that gives me the barfs.

Belly button: Regular

Symptoms:  Brushing my teeth makes me gag almost every time.  And then the standing there to spit for an hour and a half because my mouth keeps filling up with spit (like when youre about to throw up).  

Ive been having to brush my teeth about a thousand times a day because the taste in my mouth after most types of food is so gross. 

Heartburn.

Super duper exhaustion.  I actually called into the OB nurse today because I wanted to see exactly what my iron level was last month when my blood was taken (13.3) because the exhaustion and my heart racing, I thought maybe it was low.  Nope.

I over-all just don't really feel very good these past couple of days.

Im hungry but nothing sounds good.

Preterm labor stuff: Next Tuesday will be our appointment with the specialist.  It'll be a 2 hour appointment with an ultrasound.  Looking forward to discussing my concerns and history and seeing how theyre going to handle it.  Im assuming Ill be on bedrest sometime in the early to mid 20-weeks.

What I'm looking forward to:  Feeling better...because, right now I dont. Waaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Our appointment next week!  I want to hear that our sweet babies are healthy and growing perfectly.  I'd be so excited to hear if they're boys or girls or b/g, too!  That'd be so excitingggggggggg.  Looking forward to hearing what our game plan will be from here on out.

Not baby related:   Judah lost another bottom tooth!

Weekly joy:  Reading with the kids, playing games and learning games (Aylah's been loving Boggle Jr.), and sitting on the porch, quietly.

Life Update

Jared applied for a local utility lineman position on Monday.  The posting was available from Monday-Wednesday (today), so we should hear if he's going to be brought in for the next step in the process within a week or two from now.  If he is hired, he'll begin working the second week of October.  God is so funny with timing.  I knew this was going to happen, so when he got notification that the posting was going to go up, I just laughed.  At this point, I'm not getting stressed or crazy because so many things can happen, so many different directions, and there's no need to borrow trouble, right, yall? Right.

Update on Aylah:  She is night potty trained!  About a month ago, I was almost out of her pullups so let her try a few nights in underwear and then she had an accident, and then another, and then one during the day.  It was super weird.  So, I put her back in the remaining 3 pullups that we had and by the time I officially ran out, I just figured, oh well, we'll wing it.  And thats what we did and shes been dry.  Woot.  ................and now that I say that, she'll wet the bed tonight.

She's a sweet girl, but loves to try and work the system with her cuteness and she looooooooooves taunting her brother.  He will be in tears and she'll have this huge grin on her face just watching him suffer.  We're working on it.  3 is tough, I remember being crazy when Judah was 3.  She does not care about consequences and I've had to be really on top of her behavior lately, trying not to cut her any slack at all.  Behavior boot camp time.  It will make it easier for her (and us) in the long run.  I put in so much hard work, with consistency with Judah and besides the normal childhood struggles, he is a really good boy.

Back to nice stuff, though.  She LOVES lipstick and is always asking me to put some on for her.  She loves fancy dresses and skirts, glitter, twirly clothes.  I like it, too.  So fun!  She loves her Lily...probably more than any one else in the family haha.  She loves her Aunt Ninny and her cousins so much, too.  It's so nice that the kids are all close in age.

She asks for cheese from the refrigerator all the time and loves snacks.  I'm not sure if she has a favorite dinner yet...maybe 'noon'les.

She likes playing with her figurines in her dollhouse,  likes to sing, and dance.  She has a very carefree personality (with a fire-y side ;) )

Double Digits Baby!

How far along? 10 weeks, today!

Total weight:  120.2

How big is baby? about an inch and a quarter

Maternity clothes: Dresses are my go-to...What a nice time of year to be in this transitional state.

Stretch marks: Not yet!

Sleep: Terrible, but only because I have a wicked head cold.  It's going into my chest now (nervous about pneumonia again!) so Ive been coughing a lot and trying to be able to breathe out of my nose.

Movement:  I was either having little spasms in my way low stomach the one day or I felt something.  I was hoping the nurse would have done the doppler at my appointment yesterday so that I would have know exactly where the babies are at and if it matched up with where I was feeling it.  I know theyre so teeny tiny and it's "impossible" to feel, but it definitely wasn't gas, so I dont know!

Food cravings: Nothing.  The crunch and texture of popsicles has been nice but that might just be because Im sick.

Food aversions:  I was watching a youtube video on a guy making food in a pressure cooker last night.  He made chicken with garlic and butter and I had to get up to leave the room.  Bleh. Just even typing that gives me the barfs.

Belly button: Regular

Symptoms:  I'd say same symptoms as last week.

Preterm labor stuff:  I'm 99% sure I had my first contraction last Saturday, and then two more since then.  They came on suddenly, and I felt a strong cramp, back pain, and a lot of downward pressure.  It was really disappointing but Im pretty sure I started contracting with Aylah around the same time...Ill have to go back and look to see if I kept a log of it on here.

What I'm looking forward to:  Hearing from MFM.  Theyre supposed to call me within the next few days to let me know when to come in for an appointment with them.  I was pretty disappointed with my first appointment at the OB's office...I didn't get to hear the heartbeat, just got poked and podded because I haven't had an annual exam in a few years, and then basically sent on my way after telling me not to eat lunch meat and drink milk.  I won't see the doctor until I'm 14 weeks (which seems so late to me, especially given my history and the fact that it's twins), and my next appointment is 18 weeks--the day after Judah starts school.  At 18 weeks, they should be able to know the genders of the babies, but they didn't schedule an ultrasound.  Maybe I can find out at the MFM appointment.  I'm just curious to find out how long I have to wait until I can know!  I want to know more about the babies, too...I really hope they have their own placenta.  Im curious if they're identical because they're in the same sac...but I really think I released two eggs because my cycle was so crazy at the beginning of the year until mid-spring.

Not baby related:   I've been sick and it sucks.  It came on quick on Saturday, had a 101. something fever and took tylenol, and have had the craziest head congestion and now coughing.  Jared and the kids have it too, poor guy had to go to work today.  Today was my first day up doing things around the house and I had a lot to catch up on.  It's nice though, because Judah is now old enough to clean up after himself (and actually do a decent job) and Aylah is learning, but gets her practice in when she's told to do it.  It's a learning activity haha.

Weekly joy:  This one's a hard one because Ive spent like the last 4 solid days in bed, by myself.  My over all joy would be easy, though.  I really love my family.  My husband is a great match for me, in all of the important ways that matter most, and my kids are really cool. I love my house and this time of my life.  My twenties have most definitely been my most favorite time of my life, and for none of the typical reasons you hear of when people talk about this decade of life.  

8 weeks, 5 days

How far along? 8w, 5d

Total weight:  121

How big is baby? Kidney bean-ish to an inch

Maternity clothes: I feel like I did quite a bit of growing this week.  Regular shorts will button, but will be tight so I just avoid them.   No sense in being uncomfortable.  Thankfully, its the perfect time of year for dresses and I can feel pretty, put together, and comfortable.  

I pulled out my old bras from when I was pregnant and nursing before and it was AMAZING.  I was really in pain but didn't think I'd fit into my old ones yet.  Wow, was I wrong.  

Stretch marks: Now that I found out we're having TWINS (!?!?!??!) I have a feeling I will be a big huge stretch mark!  My sweet husband took the kids out yesterday after church because I started feeling sick and came home with Burts Bees Mama Bee leg and foot cream and belly butter.  That gesture made me feel so loved and taken care of. 

Sleep: Last night I went to bed at 11 and slept until 6:30 when I woke up and thought my bladder was about to explode.  The night before I was in bed by 9:00 and then was wide awake by 4 am.  I started feeling that weird thing that I need to eat immediately or something bad will happen (not sure if its blood sugar or what), so I got up and had a yogurt, and then couldn't fall back to sleep for a few hours.  Spent the time looking for minivans (ahhh!) online and trying to ignore Jared's snoring.

Movement:  We had our ultrasound alright!  I didn't get to see the bab(ies!!!!!!??!?!?!) becau[iouytyse when the tech told me there were twins, my body shut down.   I started shaking, my legs went numb, and my brain turned off.  I'm not even sure she really had the screen pointed toward me, mostly Jared I think, so Im glad that he took some video.  In the video, I could see that Baby B has a heart beat, I could see the flicker, but I couldn't see Baby A's heart.  The tech said that both had heart beats, though and that they were both measuring exactly on schedule, one day apart from the other.

Food cravings: None.  Most food doesnt sound good, but I've been eating out of necessity.  If I don't eat every 2ish hours, I get weird feeling and feel sick.

Food aversions:  Vinegar.  Acid-y foods.

Belly button: Regular

Symptoms:  Sore boobs, tiredness, food doesn't sound good, some crampy-ness, the sudden urge to cry, and just general feeling kinda crappy.  I would necessarily say that I feel pregnant, though, the symptoms still don't feel like my typical, or strong, pregnancy feelings.

Preterm labor stuff:  I was told that I'll be monitored by a maternal-fetal medicine doctor.  Hopefully they will be able to help me stay away from pre-terming.  Im definitely nervous about it, since its twins, and pre-term labor is common anyway.

What I'm looking forward to:  I have a meeting with the nurse at the new OB's office next Tuesday.  She's supposed to book another ultrasound, MFM appointment, and then an appointment with my new doctor.  I dont want to wait an addition 4 weeks to see the doctor, so I hope I can convey that point clearly enough, and I am looking forward to another ultrasound so we can learn more about the twins because the tech admitted that she doesnt really see twins very often at all and that she'd have to "look things up in a book".  She did say that theyre both in the same gestational sac, but separate amniotic sacs.  She didnt say anything about placentas, but that there were two yolk sacs so maybe the placentas arent there yet.

Not baby related:  This whole week has been overwhelming to my heart and brain and basically every single thing revolved around learning that were having twins.  We did go to the butterfly house with Chuck, Lindsay, and the girls, got a monarch caterpillar to grow and learn about, went to lunch together, and then the kids all got ice cream.  Despite so breaking down by my kiddos at the end of the day, it was really nice.

Weekly joy:  Jared has been SO, SO happy to find out were having twins.  He keeps saying how special and how much of a blessing it is, and how hes so happy.  Im so glad that he's feeling that way.  

What?!???!!!!? TWINS?!???!!!!!!?