23 Weeks Going on 35!

This first picture is me, today, at 23 weeks. The second picture is also me, at 35 weeks, when I was pregnant with Elliot! I'm definitely larger at the 35 weeks, but not by much...oh my.

After throwing myself a little pity party for myself at the beginning of the week, I knew that the weekend was coming and I feel so great right now!  The sun and warmth came out in its fullest splendor, in the middle of the winter. It was great to have two days to myself, but I think the sunshine and the warmth on Saturday lifted my spirits. If you've ever lived in a state with long winter months, you know how the dark and the cold and cooped up feeling can just get to you. It gets to me every year and the 60+ degree day was just what I needed.  The windows flung open, fresh air, and no jacket was glorious.

As far as babies go, the biggest news is that we bought our car seats. It was surreal having the UPS guy drop both off at my porch. They sat in the living room and I just stared at them--two of them.  It's the first major purchase that we've made that we have had to make as a pair.  I think I mentioned this in last week's post, but each purchase or decision makes it all the more real.  It's a good real now, but real nevertheless.

Now that I'm pregnant with twins, I keep bumping into people who have twins or are a twin themselves. Really, twins are everywhere.  That's reassuring, knowing so many have survived, and not even survived, thrived, as parents and siblings of twins.  It's such a new world for me, but a world I think I'm ready mentally to begin.

Last quote of the day. One of the hall monitors I work with asked when I was due and the expression on her face when I told her June was priceless. She did call me a saint after I told her I was having twins, so I forgive her shocked expression! Ha!

22 Weeks: Hemorrhoids and Heartburn

Just a few to add the to the list.. Ha!  Besides the aches and pains that I'm learning are just a part of this new moment I'm living, I'm LOVING my new sleeping arrangement. Seriously, I should have had one of these pillows for my other three kiddos.  I am sleeping mostly through the night and it isn't a bear to roll over. I mean, it's a bear to roll over, because that's what big bellies do. But, I don't have to carry the pillow over too because it's the shape of a giant U.  Anyway, huge plus!

I bought our carseats today and they will be coming in a few days.  I think that after having other kids, if I have carseats, that's really the main thing I need. Everything else is a hand-me-down from the first kids or a hand-me-down from a friend.  One advantage of this being babies 4 and 5 is that friends are trying to clear out their stash of baby goods while I'm looking for extra.

I think everyone in the family has felt the little babies kicking. Elliot thinks that the babies are "so cute" but I really think he is just commenting on my belly button.  The little jabs start up high and then down low and then on the sides.  Sometimes I think I can figure out which little one is moving and other times I'm not so sure.  This is probably my favorite part about being pregnant, feeling the life inside of me while the world obliviously goes on around me.  I'm sitting listening to the sermon, watching TV, listening to one of the kids' stories (very intently of course), and at the same time there's this miniature dance going on inside that I'm also aware of.  It's special and unique.

Part of this process has me looking forward to what's coming up.  Part of that is my personality, always imagining what's next and then having a hard time being content in the now.  Here's what I'm looking forward to:

• Next weekend the big boys and Dad are off to a winter retreat and I plan to organize and sort... all from the comfort of sitting on the floor or a stool.  All with a toddler running circles around me. I think I'll get at least a little bit of sorting done! That and lots of naps. 
• The next weekend is the big Moms of Multiples sale. I've been once, before I was officially a MoM (mom of multiples), but this time I have the special treatment of being first in, bringing my sister as an escort (or bag holder), and I have my own special check out line with benches.  Can't get much better than that!  I'm hoping to find my stroller and some other twin gear.  
• After the big sale, I'm putting on a 2-year-old birthday (life goes on with the others!).  Luckily again, we have hand-me-down Lightning McQueen birthday stuff that we can re-use and he won't know the difference until years later when he realizes the similarities in pictures... that's what big brothers are for! 
• But, the biggest thing I'm looking forward to is my spring break the second week of March--no special trips or excursions. My boys do not have spring break this week. My husband does not have spring break this week. Just me...with Elliot to tag along of course.  I think I will call this my nesting week and I can't wait!  

21 Weeks: It's all good!

This past week has been really difficult, navigating and balancing all the parts of what my life is right now.  I don't want this to be a complaining post, so I won't dwell on it much, but I do want to say thank you to all of you who have shown your love in practical ways.  It's a constant reminder to myself that "this too shall pass" and I know that I will continue to be given the strength needed at the time needed.

I did a google search on twin vs. singleton pregnancies, mostly to just see if I was feeling normal twin feelings and to remember that I am not alone in this crazy journey called twin pregnancy.  Some of my favorite quotes/paraphrases are below:

"Think of all the aches and pains of your singleton pregnancy...then double it."
"When I realized I felt like 39 weeks at 20, I was so discouraged thinking it would just get worse. It didn't, it just plateaued and I felt like 39 weeks the rest of the time."
"Four little legs and four little arms. It feels like popcorn!"

I've been eagerly waiting for our 20 week ultrasound and this morning Aaron and I went for the level 2 ultrasound. Wow-- after laying still for 1 1/2 hours, and looking at every single tiny measurement, we got the clear that our babies look great.  Yay! It's so great to have confirmation that things are going as planned and the babies are growing as they should.  The babies are laying vertically now, instead of one on top of the other.  This is due to less space.  So, Baby A was head down, feet up and Baby B was head up, feet down when we started. They were wiggling so much that by the time we were done, they were opposite that.  It was fun to see.  Still keeping those genders a surprise though! I thought about trying to see if I could figure it out, but those pictures are so blurry and zooming in and zooming out, I'm sure whatever I would have thought I saw or didn't see would have been nothing anyway.  I'll just learn to be as laid back as Aaron and revel in the surprise!

I go back for another ultrasound at 24 weeks with the specialist because one of the babies wouldn't turn enough for them to get all of the spine pictures they needed. I'm guessing that will be a quick visit to just get the last few pictures. After that, I can have the rest of my ultrasounds at the OB office.

They check my cervix too to make sure the added pressure isn't causing the cervix to open, which would be cause for me to go on bed rest.  This was fine too and I'm not going on bed rest.  The selfish part of me would love to take something off my plate, even if meant boredom in my bed!  But, that would mean my pregnancy was a higher risk and I'd really like the babes to keep growing in-womb for as long as possible.

Finally, I added to my sleeping routine a huge pregnancy pillow. It's the Leachco pillow and I've only used it one night, in addition to my memory foam mattress. Besides the fact that I have this humongous pillow and am up above Aaron, probably pushing him off the bed with my contraptions, I slept so much better!  This pillow was a surprise on my doorstep from my sister last night.  Thank you!  I told Aaron he's going to have to get his own bed because I'm going to be taking up the whole thing pretty soon... but hey, I'm sleeping and that is a miracle in itself.

20 Weeks: Tired!

I'm sitting here after work trying to rack my brain about what to post this week and my brain just keeps repeating "So tired." Monday's are hard. Here's a short list from this past week:

• The babies are starting to move more. I thought maybe I'd feel them sooner and more often since I have two to feel, but so far this isn't the case.  There isn't enough movement for anyone else to feel yet, but that will change soon! 
• My hips started to really hurt when I slept this week. It is like I had been sleeping on the hard ground in a camping tent all night. Aaron bought me a cheap memory foam mattress and folded it in half for me. The pillow between my legs and even ankles has helped too.  I do feel like I'm looking down on my husband in bed now, while he sleep below, but it's better than waking up multiple times to roll over with achy hips.  
• I come home and make it through dinner and then I am done standing for the day. I have to sit in my recliner, hobbling around as little as possible. 
• Started swelling this week too. Not much, but I took off my wedding ring and have little rings around my ankles where my socks have been. 
• And, I'm tired. Really tired. I have chairs stationed around my classroom and basically teach standing up until I can reach the next closest chair and then sit there for awhile before I walk to the next chair--so glad I have great classes this year. 

It's all so different than a singleton pregnancy. I feel like I'm in that last stretch and yet I'm only at 20 weeks. Did I already say this? Oh well, you get it again. My sister said there is this time in pregnancy that you can pretty much for through your day and forget you are pregnant. Morning sickness gone, the aches haven't started, and you can just go about your life. But, with twins I feel like I jumped from first to third trimester and misses that wonderful 2nd trimester! Anyone pregnant with twins feel the same?

Next week is the big ultrasound! Yay for that. Aaron gets to see them this time too and that always makes it a little more real.

19 Weeks: Half Way!

There is a tradition at my church that moves me to tears, even when I'm not pregnant.  As a baby is either dedicated or baptized, the pastor walks down the long center aisle introducing the infant to his/her church family.  When they begin to walk back to the front, the congregation stands and together we raise up our hand towards the child and bless the baby with this blessing, in song.

The Lord bless you and keep you, 

The Lord make his face to shine upon you, 

And be gracious, gracious, to you. 

The Lord lift up his countenance upon you,

And give you, give you peace. 

The blessing surrounds and swirls around the child and the moment, every time, is filled with the power of God working in the child. It's beautiful. 

I was moved again to tears singing the song for another child in our church, realizing that the small children within my womb are also blessed by the Lord and He is gracious to them, even now before they officially enter this world. Praise be to God. 

I look back at the first 19 weeks, and ahead at 19 more weeks (or less I guess) and am amazed at hour far we've come.  It's an honor to carry children, even in the midst of the aches and pains, grant me the grace to carry them as far as they need to go.  

In other news, this past week, I had my first person ask me if I was ready to deliver! Oh yes. Granted I was hobbling to the bathroom after sitting for 3 hours of parent-teacher conferences, into my 12th hour of a 13 hour day (Gotta love conferences!).  The parent turned to me, said "Congratulation! You must be close to your due date!" I laughed.  "No, just having twins."  In my mind I was thinking, seriously?!? I know I'm larger than normal, but ready to pop, I'm not even half way yet!  Oh well--it could be worse.