Too cute!

I was shopping on Etsy today, and this picture got me even more excited about these 2 little babes on their way!

28 Weeks!

I feel so thankful to be to this week. We have really been blessed to have had no complications so far. I am amazed at my body and so grateful that it is healthy, strong and able to carry these two miracles. I think that Heavenly Father was really looking out for me when he prompted us to wait until after my marathon to get pregnant. He knew that 2 babies were waiting for us and that I would need to be physically ready. My body was in tip-top shape and I think that's the reason I am up and doing normal everyday things-even 7 months pregnant with twins.

When we first found out about the twins, a lot of the statistics for someone tiny like me was some sort of bed rest around 24 weeks. Now I'm not saying that I won't ever have to go on bed rest. I could start having more contractions tomorrow and have to lay low the rest of this pregnancy. But thus far, things have been amazing.

My feeling is that these little guys will be here around February 10th. That's only 8 weeks away!

I am looking forward to these next few weeks and trying to enjoy this pregnancy.

Great news!

We are getting to the point where I'm at the doctor every other week (sometimes every week).
That's great for us, because we get to check in on the babies and see what they are up to.
Yesterday, we got a good surprise when the doctor informed us that baby B who has been in the breech position, had since flipped over like a good boy and is head down.
With both babies head down, it makes avoiding a C-section now a possibility.
Of course we will gladly do whatever is best for the babies when the time comes, but for now both delivery options are on the table.
Hopefully both babies will stay vertex (they are running out of room, so hopefully no more flips) and we can keep a natural delivery an option.

Water, water and more water

I have a love/hate relationship with water right now.
I am drinking so much water throughout the day, that the bathroom has become like a second bedroom.
Water helps keep away contractions, and I feel like it gives me a little more energy.
It must be doing something because at 26 weeks with these 2 babies, everything is looking outstanding.
I pretty much have the cervix of a champion and it is almost twice the length of whats considered normal and healthy.
So cheers (with a large glass of water)!

Ultrasound 11/22/2011

Happy Thanksgiving!

I saw my regular OB yesterday. The babies are looking absolutely fabulous.

The Dr. was really pleased with our progress. I was measuring about 29 weeks so about 4-5 weeks ahead! That means they are growing great.

Baby A is still head down on my right side, and B is head up on the left side.

Their kicks are getting stronger and pretty much all day long!

We will see the specialist next week to weigh and measure these little guys.

We are looking forward to Thanksgiving weekend! We have so much to be thankful for!

24 weeks!

Feeling pretty good. Really starting to slow down, mainly to prevent any preterm complications. These babies are heavy and I feel it by the end of the day.

Luckily, Ashton and Weston are great sports and fine with movies, books, coloring and games here at home.

We are fortunate to have Grandma Bell so close. She comes once a week to play with the boys and take them on outings. It is a great help and they love it.

These babies are extremely loved already. We are so excited to meet them in 3 months!

Bedtime snack

This whole pregnancy sweets have not sounded good. In fact, they often make me gag a little.

This is how it was with my other 2 pregnancies. Hence the feeling that these babies were boys also.

Every now and then I can have a bite or 2 of something as long as it's not too chocolatey.

So instead of a bowl of ice cream or some type of dessert at night I have started having a cup full of cereal-preferrably strawberry frosted shredded wheats.

I also have become slightly lactose intolerant this pregnancy. I don't know why because normally I'm a big milk drinker. So the next best thing (even though it's pretty yucky) is soy milk. It gets the job done when it comes to cereal.

This 9:00p.m. snack has really helped with my early morning hunger pains.

Now instead of waking up feeling nauseatingly hungry at 3:30, I can sleep until about 6:30 before I'm hungry.

I think these little guys appreciate all of my efforts in trying to feed them. It's getting harder and harder as they take up more and more space in my tiny body.

Here's to 3 more months of pregnancy!

22 weeks

These babies are really growing-and behaving.
Our Dr. appt. yesterday was great and you can read about it on our family blog.
We may have names picked out! It's not easy finding 2 first names and 2 middle names that we can both agree on. Who knows if these names will stick, but for now they are sounding pretty good to us. We will reveal the names when these little boys are born (so don't ask)!
We want to keep it a surprise :)

It's all worth the pain

This weekend was the most pain I have felt thus far.

Nothing scary or out of the ordinary, especially for multiples but it still hurt!

The round ligament pains coupled with one baby deciding to take a nap on my sciatic made for a fun weekend.

Even though I was off of my feet often, there was no relief until he decided to move.

Today I feel so much better. It's as if those pains were never aching and my back was (for the most part) back to normal.

It quickly reminded me of how we forget labor and even pregnancy after the baby comes.

I have horrible pregnancies but then feel like I could run a marathon the day I deliver.

I know it will be a little different this time around, because I will have to have a C-section but it will feel great to have these babies here!

Only 3.5 more months!

Pregnancy cravings

I haven't really had any mandatory cravings yet. My sweet tooth has stayed completely diminished (as it did with the other 2). We used to go to a frozen yogurt place near our house almost every weekend but we haven't been there since July. No brownies, ice cream, chocolate, cookies-but I can't get enough fresh produce.

Salad has sounded the best to me, but it's so hard to digest that it often times upsets my stomach.

Right now I am loving carrots dipped in a veggie dill dip. Yummm.

Also, V-8 with a dash of salt and lime juice.

It will be interesting to see when (and if) my cravings change.

Bam, Pow!

These babies are super active. It's probably foreshadowing for their personalities. I love all of the movement and feel it all day long.

We had an ultrasound today at the regular OB and everything looked great!

I am so happy that they are doing so well.

I see the specialist again next week and then starting on Dec 1st, I start going to my drs appointments every 2 weeks. So that basically means that I will be at one dr or the others once a week.

I'm so thankful for living in an area with excellent healthcare. It has been great knowing that we are seeing the best doctors for these babies.

Today I was measuring at 26 weeks which is great because that means the amniotic fluid is at a nice healthy level.

So keep on growing little babies (and kicking lots)!

Bring on the maternity clothes

Had to start wearing maternity clothes this last week.
I can still use the elastic around the button trick on a few of my jeans, but why fight it?
Maternity pants are just so much more comfy.
Last time I was at the Dr. my belly was measuring 5 weeks ahead of a singleton pregnancy.
Twin bellies usually measure between 6 and 8 weeks ahead so that was good to find out.
So technically I'm 25 weeks along-at least my body is.
This week I have also felt a baby sitting right on my sciatic nerve. By the end of the day I literally can't walk. But by morning it feels a lot better.
I am still having to take at least 1 zofran per day. The nausea isn't completely gone (does it ever really go away?).
All in all though I am feeling pretty good. The weeks are flying by.
We get to check in on the babies on Monday.

almost 20 weeks! Hooray!

These little guys have really grown the last few weeks.

At one of my first appointments I remember the nurse telling me that with twins you need to take a belly picture weekly, because it changes that fast. She was so right.

We are almost to 20 weeks!

Really, are we going to have 2 babies in about 15 weeks? I am thrilled!

Ashton has been so loving to my tummy. He actually felt baby A kick yesterday and now constantly rubs my belly to try and feel one of them again.

I can't believe that it is the middle of October.

Getting anxious for our little boys to get here.

The magical dividing line. And the best news I have ever gotten

monochorionic diamniotic twins (our twins are this) 2 separate sacs

VS.

monochorionic monoamniotic (we thought they were this) No separating membrane

After our initial Dr's visit, we were referred to a specialist and told they would call within the week to get us an appointment.

With multiples, you are automatically considered a high risk pregnancy, so it is best to see a perinatologist.

A few days later our appointment was scheduled and we were anxious to see the specialist a week later.

At the appointment the technician did a thorough ultrasound and then gave the scans to the dr.

After waiting for a while, she came in, greeted us and then gave us some scary news.

She started out with letting us know that both babies looked great but apparently the tech couldn't find a dividing membrane between the two. We had no idea what that meant so she went onto explain that in about 1% of identical twins they share both placenta and sac inside the womb.

This is the absolute highest risk identical twin pregnancy and the problem was that there was a very high chance of the babies umbilical cords getting twisted and tangled.

These twins are called monochorionic monoamniotic twins (or mono/mono).

She gave us a bunch of statistics but was still very positive. I of course was scared out of my mind and cried the whole way home.

We immediately said many prayers and Tommy gave me a beautiful blessing when we got home. I felt better almost immediately and felt a sense that everything would be ok.

My next appointment was with my regular OB about 2.5 weeks later. He checked in on the babies and they were looking great.

A week later we saw the specialist again. I think the shock of the news that we had gotten at the last appointment had worn off a little.

The ultrasound started and about 3 minutes in we heard some magical words.

"I think that's a membrane right there in between your babies"

and as she looked around some more, she said "Yep, that's definitely the dividing membrane, that is GREAT news"

I couldn't believe it. Those few words were probably the best I have ever received in my life.

Relief washed over both of us and we couldn't stop smiling.

After the ultrasound the dr. came in and congratulated us.

She let us know that it is very common that the membrane doesn't show up in the first few weeks because it is so early.

We were now in the best case scenario category for identical twins.

Our twins are now monochorionic diamniotic (or mono/di).

When we got home, our prayers were prayers of gratefulness and joy.

Now the membrane is pretty clear every time I get scanned.

I am so thankful for prayer and priesthood blessings.

The first 4 months

+

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YOU!

Dear babies,

Your daddy and I had talked and talked about having another baby for a while but the timing needed to be just right. After my race in June we were excited to try and get pregnant but didn't quite expect it to happen so quickly. I took a pregnancy test super early expecting it not to work, but 2 minutes later 2 bright, strong pink lines appeared. Really, I thought? I shouldn't be able to take this for another 2 weeks. But okay! I was sure of all of my calculations and a few tests later, I was sure. This really should have been my first sign that there were 2 of you. Heightened HCG hormones with multiples allow positive results to show up really early.

A few weeks later I called the Dr. to schedule an appointment. My first one was on August 1st and I was really excited. I had already been throwing up and nauseous since 5 weeks along (my second sign that there were 2 of you) so I was anxious to get the Zofran pills that I took with your brothers. Daddy stayed at home because I thought it would be just a normal routine first appointment. One he had been to twice before. And lets face it, there would be plenty more.

After getting called back and asked all of the usual questions, I lay down on the table for your first ultrasound. "Theres one baby" she said, "and theres the other one, but hold on and let me make sure there isn't 3". WHAAAT? I thought. Really 2? I can handle 2, but I would break down if there were 3. "It looks like there is just 2, but it's early so we will check again at your next appointment". So many emotions ran through me. I wished that your daddy would have been with me, what would he think about it, etc. After blood work and finishing up the appointment, I was sent along my way with some very fun pictures of you and the opinion of the dr. thinking you were identical. Daddy was thrilled (and of course couldn't believe) that we were having twins! I was so excited! Was this really happening?

The weeks passed, but not without suffering. The constant nausea and throwing up was horrible. I can't even remember the whole month of August and half of September. Every hour of every day was spent vomiting and not being able to eat or drink. But for me I was fine with this because it meant that you were growing and healthy.

We are now almost 19 weeks along. The doctors say that you will probably make your entrance around 35 weeks, but anything over that would be great. The throwing up is very minimal now. I am nauseas throughout the day, but now the meds are actually helping with it. At your last appointment Baby boy A was measuring at 7 ounces and Baby boy B was 6 ounces. Great measurements! All of your bones and anatomy looking perfect so far.

Today your daddy felt you kick for the first time. I first felt you at 9 weeks then on and off until around 15 weeks where I started feeling you daily. I can't wait to feel you everyday.

We love you very much and can't wait to meet you!

Love, Your Family

10 things i love about you.....already

I wanted to start a journal about this journey through my twin pregnancy.
There have been so many emotions that we have felt through all of this.
I want to be able to look back at this someday and remember this unique blessing.
Nothing fancy. Just me and my thoughts, feelings and experiences of twins.