Six months already?!

I can't believe Summer and Scarlett are already six months old today. Time is flying by so quickly! Before I know it, they'll be walking and talking! Part of me is excited for them to start playing with each other, but the other part is sad that they're growing up so fast. I love them more and more each day--doesn't seem possible! It's adorable: Summer will laugh and smile at Scarlett every time she happens to look her way. Scarlett is usually more interested in looking at her surroundings and other people she's never seen before. Their personalities are so different, but they make very similar sounds. Scarlett has just now begun blowing bubbles, whereas Summer has done that for months. I feel so fortunate to be able to stay home with them and watch my baby girls develop and grow!

Some more pictures to enjoy:

Just some pictures I'd like to share...

I'm always ready with my phone to snap pictures of Summer and Scarlett, especially in the morning. They are so cheerful and expressive! Loving motherhood and loving my two blessings.

Welcome to the world, Summer and Scarlett!

Baby A's Name: Summer Helene
Date of Birth: 5/2/13
Original Due Date: 5/26/13
Weeks Pregnant: 36.4
Baby A's Weight: 6lb 7oz
Baby A's Length: 18.5

Baby B's Name: Scarlett Victoria
Date of Birth: 5/2/13
Original Due Date: 5/26/13
Weeks Pregnant: 36.4
Baby B's Weight: 5lb 13oz
Baby B's Length: 18.75

After a routine sonogram, my peri and OBGYN told me that it was time for the girls to be born. I had mild pre-eclampsia (high BP and swelling in my feet, ankles, and legs/thigh), and both girls were at a healthy weight so they would be fine. So I checked into L&D and had blood drawn and a doppler exam on my legs to rule out DVT, all of which came out normal.

At 10:15 a.m. on May 2, my nurse started prepping me for my cesarean with a saline IV, two stomach-acid-calming drugs, and an antibiotic. The anesthesiologist came in at about 11:30 to insert my epidural and spinal block. I think my nerves were already starting to run away from me because my legs started shaking like crazy. The nurse was wonderful, though, and kept me calm while the equally awesome anesthesiologist talked me through the entire process. I was dreading the needle that numbs you first, but really, now that I'm typing this up the day after and have experienced the uterine cramping, I can honestly say that needle prick was nothing. It really didn't hurt, nor did the lidocaine burn going in. The worst part of the surgery itself was not being able to breathe deeply, which was from losing feeling from the boobs down. I had to calm myself and concentrate on breathing by counting to three in and out. Kason was wonderful throughout, talking in my ear about how awesome our little family was going to be and how proud he was of me. As soon as the OBGYN pulled out Summer and I heard her cry, I felt like I could breathe and such a thrill! Then I heard Scarlett cry, and I could breathe even more easily. Both girls were healthy with no breathing problems or anything, and I got a little bit of skin-to-skin with them before being wheeled to recovery. While there, I got to nurse them, and Scarlett was a real pro. She went right to town, but Summer resisted a bit until she decided she was hungry and latched. After they were wheeled back to the nursery for other routine procedures and I was wheeled to post-partum, I felt so relieved and so exhausted. It was an amazing experience, one that I won't ever forget!

This morning, I fed both girls tandem. :) After a few failed attempts at switching babies between breasts (Scarlett will nurse from either with no problems!), Summer showed Kason and me that she will nurse only from my left one, so this morning, I put her on there and she got right down to business. It was so adorable!!! I love my daughters so much and am in such awe of them. We mamas truly do an incredible feat of carrying our little ones and bringing them into the world.

35 weeks

We've made it to the 35-week mark! Both appointments went fine today. I've scheduled my c-section for May 14, only 20 days away!!!! I'm measuring at 43 weeks and really feel like it. My legs tend to swell more than usual, especially the right one, so that's not very comfortable, and my hands actually swell a lot at night so it's painful to close them until I'm up for the day. I suppose it's because I don't elevate them while I sleep? I've also developed PUPPP on my left hip/upper leg, which is exacerbated by the fact that I have to sit/lie around all day. Kason got me some Grandpa's Pine Tar soap and Florasone to help with the PUPPP, and so far it's helped a lot. These are just discomforts I will forget when I'm holding my daughters in my arms. :) I have an end point now, so I will continue to take things a day at a time!

34 weeks

Sonogram on Tuesday went well, and the girls are still growing. Summer is 5lbs 14oz (71 percentile); Scarlett is 5lbs 7oz (51 percentile). No wonder I feel so miserable getting in and out of bed! Everything is stable, though, and there's no more shortening or any funneling. I'm afraid the girls will be 7 pounds by the time the doctor gets them out. It's hard to breathe sometimes, especially when they're both in my ribs. I am happy that they're so healthy, though. The doctors and Kason tell me I'm doing a great job keeping them safe and baking. That's consoling, and I suppose it's only for a few more weeks. Then the real fun will begin!!

Another mom-to-be and I were talking about how small we used to be earlier in our pregnancy, and she suggested we make a side-by-side comparison picture. Here's mine, which I made using Photo Grid for Android. It's crazy to see how big I got, and I'm only getting bigger each week!

33 weeks

33 weeks 6 days

Last Wednesday, the doctors released me to go home on SBR, so I have been home since then. It was surprising but in a good way. Summer's cord is no longer in a dangerous position, and there is no more funneling. My cervix has stabilized in terms of length, so the bed rest is doing its job. It's still too short to allow me to graduate from SBR, but I'm just happy about Summer's cord. Spending all day in bed before my sonogram on Tuesday was monotonous, but after my perinatology appointment, the doctor said I could recline and lie on the sofa, not just in bed. So I've been spending more time out in the main room instead of just the bedroom. We got our new bed today--a Reverie http://www.reverie.com/. It is so comfortable and high up, which is going to make this last month of my pregnancy much more bearable. I get up at least every hour to hour and a half to pee throughout the night, and our old bed was so low to the floor that it just hurt to get out of bed. I am looking forward to sleeping well tonight!!! Kason has really gone above and beyond to make sure I'm taken care of. He's juggling caring for me, working, and going to his night law classes. He is such a blessing! We girls are so lucky. He painted in the trees and heart that I'd already sketched for the nursery, and it all turned out really well. Laura and Todd and the boys are coming today to help out around the house and for the housewarming party on Saturday, so that will be great to see them. Laura is very artistic, and I'm going to ask her to finish painting the cherry blossoms on the trees. She painted this beautiful family tree in their living room in GA.

Today was our housewarming/baby shower party, and the weather was beyond gorgeous! I got to sit outside in the glider with my feet propped on the ottoman for a good part of it. The fresh air was wonderful!!! It was such a treat to see friends I haven't seen in a while, as well as meet Kason's law school, childhood, and Army friends. It was a highly enjoyable day.

I'm including pictures of the nursery from half-finished to 95% finished (the crib mattresses haven't arrived yet).

Before flowers 

Thank you, Laura, for contributing your artistic talent!

Cribs and trees

Closet wall

32 weeks

Well, the girls have made it to another milestone, and their lungs are producing surfactant, which will increase their survivability if they were to be born now. Of course the doctors want them to stay in there until at least 35 weeks, but it's a relief they have made it to the 32nd week. Once off the mag IV, they have been very active and kicking a lot. A bit too much kicking for my comfort, but squirmy babies are healthy babies. They hate being monitored--the nurses do it three times a day for an hour (over an hour since the girls move away from and/or kick the monitors after 20-30 minutes), and I get restless sitting still for that long. I'm already going stir crazy but once I get to have wheelchair rides (30 minutes), I think maybe it'll help break up the monotony. The nurses are taking great care of me, and Kason stops by when he can. He traded in Tina for a 2013 Ford Edge yesterday, which was bittersweet. I had fun with Tina, but now it's time for a new chapter in our lives. It's so weird to think that I won't be able to even see my new car until the girls are here! In the meantime, I've been reading, watching HGTV and Food Network (I miss cooking!), and making baby blankets. If the blankets turn out well, I'll try my hand at booties and beanies. I am taking it a day at a time, really, and getting bigger each day. Bake, my little cupcakes!

Made it to 31 weeks...

before having to check-in to the hospital! I went in for my routine perinatology sonogram, and the first thing she saw was that Summer's cord was looped around beneath her, and my cervix was funneling to an unsafe length (less than 15 mm). She called my OBGYN up to look, and as we waited, explained that should my water break at home or at work, Summer's cord would be the first thing to come out and would create a dire emergency known as cord prolapse. Summer would likely die from suffocation since her body would compress the cord on her way out of the birth canal. My OBGYN looked at the images and confirmed that I needed to stay put. I couldn't even drive home to pack a bag! I called Kason and told him as best as I could what was going on, and an hour later, he brought some essentials to me. I was still processing all the information mentally and felt pretty numb as the nurse walked me to Labor & Delivery and I checked in. But as I looked up more information on cervix funneling and cord prolapse, the seriousness of the situation became much clearer to me. Will it be a long four or five weeks until my scheduled C-section (35 weeks at the earliest)? Yes. Will I get homesick and miss the independence of being able to move around and go places? Yes. But this is what is best for my daughters, and I will do all I can do to make sure they bake for another month at least. I am restricted to going to the bathroom and taking a shower. Any other time, I have to be in bed.

The girls are doing fine except for the cord issue. Summer weighs 4 lbs, and Scarlett weighs 4 lbs 2 oz. It's interesting how they trade off being the heavier baby. :) The girls' heart rates are 136 and 139, respectively. I am relieved they are growing just fine, but the cord problem worries me. Part of me feels relieved that my doctor has gone ahead and said I will have a C-section, but another part is dreading it. I've talked with the nurses, and they assure me that the anesthesiologists are so good at administering epidurals that they could do it in their sleep. I am impressed with this hospital thus far, especially the food. :) The menu is so extensive, I'm not worried about getting tired of what they offer. Kason has brought me other foods from home, and I have a few people bringing me goodies.

The outpouring of support and encouragement has been so touching! People are asking me what they can do and bring to me and want to visit me. I feel so blessed to have the friends that I do. And most of all, I feel incredibly lucky to have such a caring, attentive, hard-working, selfless husband who will always be behind me 100%. He is already such an amazing father!

I will post updates as time progresses. Right now, the nurses monitor the girls' heart rates three times a day. Scarlett really hates the monitor and kicks it each time. It's supposed to stay on there for at least 20 minutes, but she prolongs the time by kicking it. I wonder if she is getting all this feistiness out of her system, or if Kason and I are in for an exceptionally fun adventure in parenthood!

30th week

Eek! I can't believe I'm already in my 30th week! Well, I was overambitious about getting the nursery all done during the break, but Kris did come and help me paint the walls, thank goodness for her! They look fabulous, and I've sketched the trees and heart. My concept is two cherry trees whose branches form a heart in the middle over the two cribs, which will contain the girls' names. I will paint cherry blossoms around the heart and on the branches. I might get some decals to help me out since that is a lot of painting. I overdid myself last weekend in helping to paint the walls and had to stay in bed for the majority of the day on Sunday. It's hard to remember that I physically can't handle nearly as much as I used to earlier in my pregnancy. Sleeping is really uncomfortable now because of all the extra weight causing my arms, legs, butt, and hands to fall asleep. I have tried sitting up in bed to sleep, but it's not much more comfortable since all the weight is focused on my tailbone and lower back. Kris got us a recliner that will be delivered on Saturday, and that will be one of the best days of my life!!!!! I fell asleep in it at Havertys while waiting for her to settle the bill, so I have test-drove it successfully. :)

I had minor swelling in my right ankle this morning when I woke up, and as the day progressed, my right leg swelled quite a bit. I am going to call the doctor tomorrow and see what she says. Hopefully it's just because I didn't drink enough water today, but better safe than sorry. I'm just going to stay off my feet for the rest of the evening and hope it doesn't happen again tomorrow. My next sonogram will be during my 32nd week. I am measuring at 34 weeks already--a month ahead!!!! My doctor says it's normal for twins, but I am worried about measuring at 38 weeks when I'm 34 weeks. I'm afraid I won't be able to walk by then, especially if the swelling doesn't improve. Then I will have to throw in the towel and get the doctor's note for bed rest. I'm hoping to be able to work until early May. We'll see!!

29th Week

Time is just flying by now. We went to Tyler last weekend for the family baby shower, which Lauren and Karen hosted. It was a small, intimate affair mainly because none of my family could make it, and Liz and Buckley had three showers (two of which she hosted) this weekend. I appreciated Kason's family throwing me a shower, though, and Kris got the girls soooo many adorable, handmade outfits! They're going to be the best-dressed little girls in Texas. We have mostly the big-ticket items from our registry, which is reassuring. I plan to have the nursery all painted and cribs/changing table assembled by the end of this week. Thank goodness it's spring break! It wasn't too fun losing an hour of sleep, but at least we get a week to adjust to the time change. Once the nursery is ready, I'll feel like it's more real. I have nine more weeks, which feels like so little time! I've started my two-week appointments now. Life is going to change so much. Part of me is excited beyond words, and the other part is terrified! It will be quite an experience, I know!

Third Trimester Already?!

Time has just flown by! I feel like it was just yesterday that I was finding out I was expecting twins and telling Kason about it and calling everyone. I'm 28 weeks 3 days today, and I went in for my sono with the perinatologist and regular check-up with my OBGYN.

The perinatologist is a very personable lady! She's a twin herself, so she is a real expert. She had a high school student in there for part of the sono and was quizzing her, and I learned quite a lot along with the student. Both girls are doing fine, and they're getting very big. Twin A is almost in the 90th percentile for weight!!! She's 3 lb 4 oz. while Twin B is 3 lbs exactly. Twin A is breech, and Twin B is vertex. Hopefully Twin A flips head-down when it's time for birth! She's the one who's been kicking my bladder and other parts down there! I'm happy that the girls are at such healthy weights, but part of me worries about how much heavier they'll be in a month. I have ten more weeks to go, and already I feel like it's too much weight somedays. I am sitting more at work, thankfully, but just a full workday takes a lot out of me. I walked only one day last week, and I had to go at a grandma's pace, which took me 40+ minutes. My OBGYN said that she is going to have me go to 38 weeks but that if I need to be put on bed rest, to tell her and she'll write the note. She's leaving it up to me and how I feel in terms of whether I work for that long.

Twin A had hiccups, which was adorable to watch on the screen, but I can't feel them. Twin B was squirmy as usual. :) I'm measuring at 32 weeks, and I've gained 5 pounds in the past two weeks. Hoping that BFing works out so these extra pounds just melt off. Plus BFing is so much better than formula hands-down. I am determined to make it work! My cervix is still long and didn't budge at all when the perinatologist pushed down on my belly. Sonos don't feel so great lately because of how much I'm stretched out, I guess. The pressure isn't comfortable at times, but as long as both girls are doing fine, I am not complaining.

I'm getting a haircut later today and will take my baby bump pic then. We got a DVD of the sonogram, but only one pic of Twin A. :( You can see her little face, though, which is precious.

26-weeks appointment and glucose test

I just drank my fruit punch glucose drink for my 1-hour glucose tolerance test. I had to drink it within 3 minutes, which I did, and now I have the shakes from the deluge of sugar. Twin A seems to like the sugar--she's nudging/kicking away! I'll leave for the doctor in about 20 minutes but wanted to start this post. Can't believe I'm almost to my third trimester!!! Time sure does fly. I feel a bit more confident about the house and have picked out paint colors for the nursery. My goal is to have the nursery all painted and ready (sans furniture unless some of it arrives before the shower) early in my spring break.

Appointment went well! I have to wait 3-5 days to get my glucose test results, though. Oh, the suspense!!! I really hope I passed because I don't think I could drink that stuff on an empty stomach and keep it down. Doctor wrote me a note for frequent sitting at work (yes!!!) and recommended a maternity belt to help with my ferocious round ligament pain. I am ordering that thing STAT!!!! I would take a warm bath tonight, but we have no gas until tomorrow. I'm measuring at 29 weeks, which is normal for twin pregnancy, and both girls' heartbeats are in the 140s. Twin B behaved herself this time, probably because of the sugar crash. The doc saw us long after most of the glucose had passed out of my system.

I get to see my babies on the 6th when I go for my sonogram, and my doctor has coordinated my visits to her office with my visits to the perinatologist so I don't have to make so many different trips. Luckily they're both in the same medical center.

25th week

Happy Valentine's Day! Just a quick post since there's not much to report yet. Round ligament pain is a daily annoyance now, especially after sleeping and sitting. This morning I woke up with a cramp in my right sciata. Boo!!! Maybe it's time to do some yoga--I'll look up some YouTube videos. Swimming is great but not very convenient during the week due to the drive. It's great feeling almost weightless, though! I go back to the doctor next Wednesday, and I think I take my glucose test then. Will write more later!

Here's my bump pic for this week. It's been a rough week, so I don't look so hot. Babies are getting bigger!!

On a whim, I put the two pics of me at 19 weeks and 25 weeks 4 days together to compare since I'd worn the same sweater for those pics. First time using pixlr.com (basically Photoshop for free online).

24-weeks Exam

2/6/13: I was nervous about switching doctors since I'm used to how my old doctor handled things. Well, I had my new patient appointment with my new doctor this morning, and I'm very happy with her so far! I was mad at first, though, because I assumed I'd be getting a sono since I'm due for one (monthly). The nurse told me it'd be a "normal" appointment with no sono but I asked, "Even though I'm having twins?" and she was like, "Oh, let me tell the doctor." So I sat there waiting for a good 30 minutes, and I'll admit: I pouted the whole time. I know I should count myself lucky that I get to see my babies at every appointment unlike singleton mamas. I was still bummed, though! Anyway, the doc came in and told me that she wants me to see a perinatologist, who will do my sonograms from here on out. That made me feel so much better. My doctor measured me (first time!), and I'm measuring at about 27 weeks, which she said is normal for twin pregnancy. I asked her about my weight gain since the Internet told me I was overdoing it, and she said I'm doing fine and should gain more with twins. She measured the girls' heart rates, and Twin B clearly did not like it one bit. She kept moving away from the doppler wand, hehe! Such a little firecracker already!!! But both have healthy heartbeats and I can't wait to see them tomorrow! I'm very curious to see whether they've flipped over or otherwise changed positions.

2/7/13: My favorite time of the month: when I get to see my girls. :) I went to a perinatologist at Presbyterian Hospital in Plano for my sonogram, and the sonographer was very business-like. It was so fun to see them again. A month is a long time to go without seeing my babies, although I do understand that singleton mamas don't get a sonogram every month. Everything looked great, and Twin B has finally gotten a little bigger than Twin A at 1lb 12oz. Twin A weighs 1lb 10oz. No wonder I feel so heavy sometimes, especially when I'm tired! Twin A's heart rate was 153 bpm, and Twin B's was 150 bpm. I just adore hearing their little hearts beating!!! Both girls are already bonding--they were head-to-head when the sonographer started the exam. They are both breech right now (they were both vertex at last month's exam), which explains the flutters I feel below sometimes. It tickles sometimes! And the jabs I've felt near my belly button have been the girls' arms and hands. It's just so awesome and scary to think they'll be here in just about three more months! I have sooo much more to do to prepare the house and their nursery for their arrival. The cats have settled in the new house pretty much already, and once I get more stuff unpacked and put away, they'll likely feel 100% at home. I know I will! But I love our house and can't wait to make it a home.

Twin A isn't camera shy. :)

Twin B already seems like a feisty one! :)

24th week

It's crazy how much different two weeks make, especially in terms of belly size and frequency/intensity of the pains and aches that accompany pregnancy. I feel like it was just overnight that my belly just popped and made itself undeniably known. That's the first kind of comment my colleagues have been saying lately. My administrators said last week, "You went from 'not pregnant' to 'pregnant' overnight!" when they saw me for a meeting. I suppose my maternity clothes help accentuate my growing bump, as well. BTW, maternity jeans are heaven!!!!! I have to find a way to wear them when I'm not pregnant anymore! So so so so comfy! :) By the end of the day, I feel full. There's really no other way to describe it...I mean, I don't feel like I just ate two Thanksgiving dinners. I just feel like the room in my belly has shrunk so much that there just isn't any more give! I have feared for my twins running out of room before they're big enough to survive outside of the womb! I go to my new doctor on Wednesday, and I won't worry myself needlessly unless she says as much, especially about how much weight I've gained. According to my scale at home, I've gained 28 pounds, which is supposedly 4 pounds over where I "should" be. Again, I'm not going to stress about it unless my doc tells me to be more careful.

I haven't found a good schedule for working out (walking and swimming), but we just moved into our house two weekends ago, and I'm still recovering from the lack of sleep, extra stress, and extra toll it took physically on my body. I'm ecstatic to live in a house, for sure, but I'm hoping I can bounce back from the fatigue and overall lethargy I'm feeling. My commute to and from work isn't bad, but I do have to go to bed at least an hour earlier to compensate for an earlier wake-up time. Don't even get me started on the workout it is just to get out of bed for nightly bathroom trips!!! I have a feeling one of my girls' heads/feet are up in my ribs because by the end of the day, it's difficult to breathe due to the pressure there. I am hoping the doc suggests what I can do to alleviate some of that discomfort as the girls get bigger. Round ligament pain has become much more noticeable, as well, but I know if I exercise more regularly, that will help with it. I walked and swam all last weekend in the morning, and the school librarian has established a walking group that will meet after work. I am eager to join. I'm used to crossfit and weightlifting workouts where there's a sense of community, and I've been missing that quite a bit since I've stopped and stuck with less intense exercise. Not sure how my commute home will be on days I leave 30-40 minutes later, but I think the trade-off will be worth it.

Belly pics aren't going to look so great compared to my birthday pic, but here they are.

22 weeks 3 days

24 weeks 1 day

21 Weeks

21 weeks has been quite an interesting one! I finally felt one of the babies kick and move around! Earlier in the week, I woke myself snoring, and I felt a flutter in the area where Baby A's legs and feet are. It was amazing!!! I felt her kick quite a bit, and even Kason could feel it. :) After that, I felt her moving and kicking pretty regularly. It's usually after I drink something cold, am hungry, and wake up to pee. I complained a bit on the birth boards about not being able to feel my babies kick yet, but now I feel Baby A at least four or five times a day. I think I've felt Baby B a few times, but she's in an anterior placenta so it's more difficult to feel her. What a miracle, though! It blows my mind sometimes!

Yesterday, Kason and I became home owners for the first time. We get to move into our house next Saturday, and I can't wait to prepare the nursery and everything. Later we went to Melting Pot for fondue and then a show for a belated birthday celebration. I'm going to go swimming tomorrow and Monday, and it's going to feel great! I've had this nagging ache in my right hip for a while, especially in the morning. I'll have a longer commute, but it will be worth it living in a house!

Finally in my 20th week!

It feels great to be at the 20-week mark! I suppose I'm over halfway there since I'm having twins, but it's been fun to read about everyone else's relief and excitement about being halfway there on the birth boards. I go to the doc in an hour, and hopefully I will be updating with the sex of both babies. :) Here's a baby bump pic in the meantime. Pollux decided to photobomb this one.

UPDATE: Everything is normal, both babies are healthy and growing well, and we're having two GIRLS!!!! Seeing their little heinies in the air made me giggle so hard! I drank orange juice before my appointment because I'd read that it makes babies more active during a scan. Well, Baby A was pretty relaxed, but Baby B was wiggling all over the place. The tech had a bit of trouble getting her measurements, haha! Baby A's heart rate is 145, and Baby B's is 150. I'm so relieved they are doing fine, and they were both head-down. It was adorable to see them with their heads close together, even. We're not disclosing their names just yet, but I will announce sometime soon. I'm just so happy my girls are doing great! I might have to change doctors, though, since my current one delivers at only two hospitals--one of which is way too far away from our new house, and the other one does not accept our insurance. I'm sure I will find another awesome doctor. At any rate, if I don't switch before my next appointment in four weeks, I will go in and take my glucose screening test and have another ultrasound.