16 & 17 Weeks

Thursday, August 31 - 16 weeks
We're 16 weeks along in this journey and I cannot wait for my doctor's appointment this afternoon!

It's been almost 5 weeks since my last appointment, and it's been 8 weeks since my last ultrasound! Today I have a feeling of excitement for my appointment, and that feels a lot better than nerves and anxiety. I haven't had any terrible dreams in the last couple weeks, although we are approaching the timing in my pregnancy when I started getting uncomfortable and having issues. I really don't like comparing the pregnancies, because carrying two babies is completely different than carrying one, but it was so recent, it's hard not to compare sometimes.

I've been feeling so good lately, pregnancy wise, though. Sometimes, I don't feel like I'm pregnant at all, which is wonderful. Of course I have some groin and low uterus stretching when getting up after I've been sitting/laying for a while, but I know that's perfectly normal for this gestational age. I have very normal energy level -- considering how exhausted I am from back to school and starting my masters, I'd say that I've been feeling really good.

At my last appointment, they told me at 16 weeks they'd start checking my cervix to monitor it for any changes. Today, we start that. It's a little nerve-wrecking to watch for your cervix to begin failing, and hoping for the best, but going off of the way my body's been feeling, I think we'll be in the clear today. I should be going back every two weeks until 24 weeks, which is what they told me last time. I don't know what's so significant about 24 weeks, but we'll see what they say today. I just can't wait to look at that screen and see Little Brother's body moving all around, look at his face developing and just watch him for a little bit - soak it in, realize that this is really happening again.

Update after appointment: It was SO good to see you, little brother!! The ultrasound tech and I were both surprised to see that you were basically folded in half today! I can't imagine you're that squished yet, but maybe you just like to fold up -- just like Anna did. You looked good. We were able to watch you move your arms and legs a lot, wave, open and close your mouth, and just wiggle all around. It was also confirmed today that you are indeed a boy. It was so reassuring to see all of your fingers and toes, your beautiful little face and perfectly growing body.

My cervix is holding up very well. They don't want it to be under 2.5 and mine was measuring a 5, so I was (and doctors were) very pleased. I'll be going every two weeks for an ultrasound to check my cervix, placenta, and fluid around baby. This will end at 24 weeks because technically then baby will be "viable", so placing a cerclage (stitch closing the cervix) is not seen as effective at this gestational age - this is what was explained to me this afternoon. I'm hoping that everything continues to go well.

I'm still having a hard time wrapping my mind around bringing home another baby. It just feels very surreal. I think I'm still struggling to really accept that we'll be having another child in our house later this winter because I'm still afraid to get my hopes up. I see my growing belly. I saw him moving all around today. I'm slowly starting to feel the beginning flutters. But I still had to tell myself at the ultrasound today, "that's my child". I feel like I'm on the outside looking into someone else being pregnant. It sounds weird to put it into words - I don't know how to explain it. Of course I'm excited to have another baby, but I still have this fear in the back of my mind that we won't be bringing him home.

Friday, September 8th - 17w, 1d
Hey little brother! It's been a week since your appointment and just another week until I'll see you again. It's a good feeling knowing that I'm going so often right now. This was about the time I started to feel off and funky with the twins, so it's really reassuring to feel so normal right now. I really cannot complain about this pregnancy at all.
Your little flutters are becoming a little more noticeable, although still few and far between. I'm excited for when they get stronger so Daddy and Anna can feel them - I think Anna's going to love that!

Daddy and I have started talking about names for you. We have a couple ideas, but nothing that we absolutely love yet. We plan to keep your name a secret until you're born - most likely because it won't be decided on til then anyway!
We also bought you a new stroller this last weekend. We were up visiting friends and we all went to Buy, Buy, Baby and they had a nice stroller on clearance for super cheap. We took it back to our friends' place to see if we liked it and we did. We got such a good deal. So now we'll plan on selling Anna's old car seat/stroller combo so that we can get you a new car seat that fits in with this type of stroller. Your closet is full of stuff - diapers, wipes, clothes, toys, books, etc. I'm getting excited to start working (watching Daddy work) on your room. Hopefully once things settle down for him at work he'll be able to start spending time on it.

Monday, September 11 - 17 w, 4d
Not too much to update here. I've been feeling really good the past few days. I haven't felt much movement from you, but I know it's still early. I'm really looking forward to my appointment on Thursday. It's just an ultrasound - no doctor visit. Just looking forward to more good news.
Daddy, Anna and I went to Hobby Lobby this weekend to try to get some ideas for your bedroom. They had some cute stuff that gave us a few ideas, but nothing set in stone yet. Daddy has a lot to do in your room before we can even think to start decorating. I can't believe we're almost half way through this pregnancy already. It feels like it's flying by! I know February is going to be here before we know it.

Wednesday, September 13 - 17w, 6d
I've started to have a fear creep slowly back into my thoughts over the last day or so. I'm terrified that when I go for my ultrasound tomorrow that you aren't going to be moving. I'm so afraid that you won't have a heart beat.
Physically, I've been feeling just fine and I have had no signs of issues, but something is making me really nervous. I don't know if it's because things are finally starting to settle down with work, school, home, etc., so I'm thinking about you more often. I don't know if it's because we're just getting closer to the day when the twins were born (19w, 4d), or the anniversary of when Alayna died. There's a lot of sadness approaching and I guess I'm just expecting something else to go wrong, too.

18 & 19 Weeks

**I debated whether or not to share this post, since I never quite finished it, but I'm going to publish it so I have it for the memories.

January 24 - 18 Weeks today!
The title of the week on my app this morning was "The Smooth Second" -- I beg to differ! This last week has really thrown me off and I cannot wait to be feeling the "smooth" second trimester feelings. Although with twins, I feel like that may have been from about week 12-14, haha!

Yesterday, I woke up with the chills and took some Tylenol every six hours to get through work. When I got home (after a professional development meeting, of course - can't miss out on those hours!) was shaking & felt terrible. I took my temperature with Anna's little ear thermometer and it was 99.8*F. I don't know if that exactly counts as a fever, but I'd say it is based on the way I'm feeling. As soon as the Tylenol wears off, I'm shivering and shaking with a headache until I take it and it kicks in....then of course, I start sweating...

I decided to stay home from work today so I could do extra treatments, although I'm not noticing much difference in my lungs; rest; stay hydrated and just relax. I've had a stressful week with the increasing pressure and bleeding, and now fevers. I'm over it! Thankfully I'm not vomiting, I'm able to keep food and water down just fine, not noticing any respiratory issues. Just headaches, chills/sweats.

I called MFM this morning to let them know about the fevers and they told me I'm allowed to take 2 extra strength Tylenol every six hours, so that's what I've been doing. I also just got off the phone with my CF doctor, who I was supposed to go see tomorrow for my three-month follow-up appointment. She said she doesn't want me driving that far by myself, so if I could get someone to come with me she'd still like to see me. If not, then she's okay with post-poning the visit unless I seem to get worse. She did tell me to have someone local see me and swab me for the flu, just in case. She said it may just be a viral thing that has to run it's coarse, but she wants me to get checked anyway. So as soon as I'm done with my treatments, I'm going to head to Express Care in town to see what they have to say.

January 25 - 18w, 1d

Good news: I don't have the flu! And my fevers are gone!!
I was able to go to my CF clinic appointment today which went pretty well. My lung function is down a tad, but that's to be expected with two growing little guys in there and a little extra mucus production. Lung-wise, I've been feeling great lately, so I'm not worried about the small decrease. I think once I start my Cayston back up in a week or two, it'll help get rid of some of the excess mucus I have going on.
My weight is still hanging at 138lbs which my CF doctor is complete fine with. I told her that I was worried I wasn't gaining enough weight with this pregnancy (only 4lbs so far) and she was worried one bit. She reminded me that I started out this pregnancy much higher than I did when I was pregnant with Anna, so that gives me a little "reserves" to use and means I don't have to gain as much as quickly this time. She thinks the further along I get, I'll eventually start putting on more weight, but she told me not to stress about it. I was able to talk to her and the dietitian today to get some more meal/snack ideas. They definitely don't want me cutting carbs because I need the nutrients and calories, but I just have to watch my sugars. My CF doctor is a bit more lax on what my fasting and two-hour numbers should be, which makes me feel better because I'd been having a hard time keeping them so low.

I feel like I'm finally starting to get better. I've had barely any fever-like symptoms today, only taken 3 Tylenol pills all day, although no naps, so I'm exhausted. I'm very happy that tomorrow is Friday so I can rest this weekend.

January 28 - 18w, 3d
I made it through work yesterday feeling pretty good. I did sit a lot which helps. Again, I'm just so surprised at how quickly I get worn out and tired. This last week has really put into perspective for me how much different and harder growing two humans is than one. I really had no clue!
I'm still having lingering headaches and some leaking/discharge, but I have a feeling those aren't going to go away any time soon. Oh the glamours of pregnancy... :)

I'm so anxious to start feeling the boys move!! Sometimes I can tell when they shift or are maybe sitting close to each other because I'll feel a lot of pressure in a specific area, but I still haven't felt any little flutters or jabs. I also can't wait for Anna to be able to feel them, too. She often gently pats my belly and says "Hi babies". This morning she laid in bed, patting my belly and singing "You Are My Sunshine" to them - it was adorable!!

January 30 - 18w, 5d
I can finally say I'm feeling better! I haven't had a big headache all day, I'm not super exhausted or in a lot of pain - yay!!! Even though I was feeling a lot better at work today, I still reminded myself to take it easy and slow. I sat when I could, walked slow when I had to walk and felt pretty good throughout the day. The boys still seem to be sitting fairly low and often put pressure on my lower uterus, but that's something I'm getting used to.

February 1 - 19 weeks
I think I fully slept through the night last night! I went to bed kind of early, and I don't remember rolling around uncomfortable or switching positions a million times. I actually woke up feeling rested this morning! Woo hoo!!

We're 19 weeks along today and you should be measuring about 6 inches long, each. You could be beginning to get little hairs on your head, your arms and legs are just about proportional to your body now, and your coordination is developing to control your arms and legs better.

I'm so excited for Monday's appointment to get your measurements for the first time. I'm also hoping we'll get lots of cute pictures and be able to see both of your faces. I can't wait to see every little inch of your bodies and make sure you're both healthy and developing as you should be.

16 & 17 Weeks

January 11 - 16 Weeks today!
Morning:
According to my apps (yes, I have three), you're about the size of avocados - around 4.5 inches long. That's nine inches of babies!! All of my apps say that I should start feeling you soon, and I cannot wait! I can only imagine the shapes and sizes that my belly is going to be with two of you moving around in there!

The products I ordered should be complete either today or tomorrow, so we'll be revealing your genders before the weekend. People (especially co-workers, haha!) are getting very antsy - it's been pretty funny!

Evening:
The order is here! Waiting anxiously for Daddy and Anna to come home so we can make our little announcement. :) I am so surprised at how involved everyone has gotten (especially at work) with these two little beans already. I don't know if its because you're twins that makes it more exciting or what, but it's wonderful knowing we have so much love and support for these little ones!

January 13 - 16+2 weeks
The word is out:

You're both boys!! Anna is going to have two little brothers (even though sometimes she still says you're "girl babies")! I love the way my shirt turned out and Anna is very proud to wear hers - she even added in her own touch of the cape for the picture, which I thought was so perfect.

The shirts came in a day early so that was exciting because people were asking me like crazy! Daddy and I had a bit of fun with it and only showed one side for about an hour before posting the picture above - just had to drive people nuts one last time! :)

Yesterday we received your double stroller in the mail and we all couldn't wait to open it. Of course Anna had to try it out right away and she loved it. Unfortunately Anna's old infant car seat isn't really compatible with the new stroller, so we'll be looking to sell her travel system set and purchase two smaller infant seats for you guys.

Now that we know & have announced your genders, I'm getting very anxious to start on your bedroom! We don't have a specific theme picked out yet, but have a couple ideas. We also don't have any names set in stone and probably won't for a while. I'd like to keep your names to ourselves until after you're born so there's a least some element of surprise.

It's crazy to think I'm almost half way through this pregnancy already!

January 14 - 16w, 3d
Horray for a three-day weekend! Right now, my biggest struggle is food, and I hate it. I want to eat everything in sight, but I have to watch my blood sugars so I don't develop gestational diabetes. It was around this time in my pregnancy with Anna that I struggled with post-dinner time highs, and I wish I would have written down what we ate all the time!
I'm struggling because I'm trying to eat healthier, but I don't feel like I'm taking in enough fat and calories that way, and I don't seem to ever feel full. Last night I cheated at ate a ton of pizza because I was just so hungry! I'm hoping my CF doctor and dietitian have a few ideas and suggestions of fatty foods that are not going to spike my sugars.

January 18 - 17 weeks!
Anna and I went shopping over the weekend and got better snack and meal (breakfast & lunch) options for me. It's slowly starting to come back to me about what I lived on -- peanut butter, jerky and cheese! I've also started drinking one Boost drink with my lunch at work to help get a little extra calories and protein instead of having water. I'm curious to see what my weight will be next week at my CF appointment. I'm also wondering what my lung function will look like. I don't feel like the boys are squishing my lungs at all - in fact, today they felt so low they were going to fall out! By the time I get to my appointment, I will have been off Cayston for just about two weeks, so we'll see how they're still holding up.

I went to my first local "Moms of Multiples" meeting last night at a church in town and met with three other moms who have twins (and some with other children, too). It was so nice being able to chat and hear their twin pregnancy experiences. I've also been able to meet another local mom with 18 month old twin boys, who loaned me a book about being pregnant with multiples that's been pretty interesting so far. One of the women from the group last night met up with me today to lend me her belly brace/support. As soon as I found out we were having twins, Tim and I always joked that I would need one by the end of my pregnancy -- we were right! I'm almost half-way through (which is crazy!) and I definitely feel "heavy" sometimes. I think it'll really help this spring when I'm getting a lot bigger and still working. I've been trying to, and will continue to try more, to sit as much as possible throughout the day, but sometimes the discomfort is worse when I get up after sitting for a long time. Sometimes I feel it's best do shorter intervals of sitting/walking/standing. I just keep reminding myself that the discomfort I'm feeling now is nothing compared to what it can/will be later, so I'm really trying not to complain!

Speaking of almost being half-way through, twenty more weeks and these little guys will be considered full-term. That would put us at June 7th. I really hope I'm able to make it past the end of the school year so that I don't have to use my sick days/maternity leave for bed rest. As of right now, on our last day of school, I'll be exactly 35 weeks, so I feel like it's do-able, but I'm really going to have to take it easy in April and May at work.


January 20 - 17w, 2d
I was really uncomfortable yesterday throughout the day, but mostly in the evening. I don't know if I stood too much at work, plus taking Anna swimming was just too much on my body, but I was sore. Plus, it felt like the babies were teaming up and laying together on the lowest part of my uterus! At some points I couldn't tell if I was starting to get mini Braxton Hicks, or if it was just the position of the babies, because my whole belly wasn't hard, just the bottom part. Either way, I had Tim help me put Anna to bed so I didn't have to lift her the rest of the night, and I tried to go to bed a little earlier.

This morning I woke up and had a little bit of pinkish-brown mucus-y discharge when I went to the bathroom. From what I've read and talked to people, pink/brown is old blood and if it was red, it'd be new blood and potentially a problem. I'll definitely be calling MFM this morning, just to let them know, but I'm feeling totally fine this morning and definitely not as uncomfortable as I did last night.


January 22 - 17w, 4d (Sunday)
You two have been keeping me on my toes these last couple days. MFM wasn't too concerned about my call on Friday morning, saying that as long as it wasn't bright red and I wasn't having any contractions, I should be fine. Then Friday afternoon it came back as I was packing the car to head to Bloomington then DeKalb - of course...

So I called MFM again, just to be on the safe side. I was uncomfortable throughout the day on Friday, but tried to sit as much as possible. After talking with the nurse, and she consulted the doctor, they decided it was better to have me come in and get checked just to make sure there weren't any problems. So I headed off to Springfield to see what these little boys were up to! First they did an internal ultrasound to check my cervix and the tech was "very pleased". It was measuring just fine and showed no sign of thinning or shortening. Also, we were able to see Baby A's little head way down low, so that confirmed the very low discomfort I'd been having! Then she did an external ultrasound and you two were moving all over the place! I even saw (I think) Baby B moving his arms back and forth, looking like he was trying to push/hit his brother!! Both placentas looked great, fluid levels were normal, both heart rates were in normal range and both boys were very active. All in all, everything looked great. Phew!

They gave me the all-clear to continue my activities as planned, and didn't even tell me to take it easy. They're going to call me on Monday to follow-up and see how I'm doing. Yesterday we did lots of shopping with Linda & Roger, and I had to sit for breaks frequently, but I was able to get a lot more rest/relaxation today which made me feel better. I'm really going to try to take it easy at work this week - wear comfy shoes, sit when I can, drink even more than I am now, etc. I'm hoping this is just a growth spurt/position issue and it goes away. I cannot imagine being this uncomfortable (plus more as they get bigger) for another 20 weeks!

January 23 - 17w, 5d
Oh boys - you just can't let me relax! It's been one heck of a week! I woke up this morning with a terrible headache and tried to get myself to drink lots and lots of water to help get it to go away, but nothing seemed to help. Aside from the headache and feeling really tired, I wasn't feeling a ton of pressure or discomfort down below like I had been Friday & Saturday. I was still having a little bit of discharge, so I was keeping an eye on that, too. Well, around 10:50 this morning at work, I started bleeding - like a period! Thankfully I have amazing co-workers and I was able to leave to head straight to MFM to get checked while I knew my kids would be in good hands.

Originally, the MFM office suggested I go to the local ER because they typically don't see patients for things like this before 20 weeks, but I told them I'd be much more comfortable seeing them (since they know about my CF & history) than a random person in the ER. The nurse on the phone talked to the doctor and he agreed to see me. When I arrived, they checked my blood pressure which was completely normal and pulse ox was 99%. I had another internal ultrasound to check my cervix. We saw Baby A's feet kicking away way down low, which means he was now breech. My cervix looked just fine - again, no signs of labor, thinning or shortening.
She then did an external ultrasound to check on the boys. They both had high heart rates today because they were so active. Baby A was 175, and Baby B was 168. Baby B was nice and squished, folded in half and we saw him kick himself in the head at one point. The tech was great, took her time, measured what she needed and took lots of pictures for me. One of the 3D pictures, I swear Baby A looks a lot like Anna did from one of her 3D pictures. Baby B was harder to see because he was rolled up into a ball. The tech was very pleased to see them moving so much and also said my fluid levels and placentas looked normal.
After the ultrasounds, they did an exam to check for any active bleeding. She could not see any - just brown old blood. So, overall, everything looked normal again, which is good to hear, but also annoying to me because I felt like I got no explanation as to why I was bleeding!
After everyone looked me over, the doctor came in to chat with me before I left. He said that it's not completely uncommon for women to have bleeding in twin pregnancies due to the extra blood supply and pressure. He said I could probably expect to have spotting throughout the pregnancy and this could potentially put me at risk for preterm labor (which I'm already at risk having twins), but everything looks completely normal today. He was very happy that I was willing to come into MFM today instead of going to the ER because he said they know me (CF + twins) and any time you have bleeding, it could be a sign of labor, but thankfully today its just there to stress me out - haha. We joked about how Anna's pregnancy was so easy, that this one couldn't be just as easy, too!

I am so thankful to have such a wonderful team taking care of me. Not once, Friday or today, did I feel like I was inconveniencing them by coming in on such short notice. Everyone was kind, took their time with me, and answered any questions I had. They all commented on how I can call any time I have questions or concerns.
Hopefully I won't have to go back within the next two weeks, before our big anatomy scan coming up. I'm looking forward to watching them spend lots of time examining and measuring each baby. They seem so big on the screen, but I'm curious how they're measuring for their age. Let's hope I don't have to go back until then, and that they behave!! :)

January 24 - 17w, 6d
Bleeding slowed down a significant amount last night after my appointment and seems to be back in brown stage as of this morning- which I'm hoping means it's the end. I still have a slight headache, but they gave me the okay to take Tylenol, so I'll probably keep that handy today.

12-13 Weeks

December 14: 12 Weeks!

This belly is getting tough to hide! We've been taking them
first thing in the morning before work and before it gets stretched out from eating.
Pretty soon it won't matter the time of day because I'll just be big all the time!

12 weeks today and you're the size of toy soldiers or plums! Word of your existence is spreading across family and friends rapidly and it's been so fun! Everyone wants to know if you're identical (probably not) and if/when we're going to find out your genders (yes, definitely...and hopefully soon!). Some people have asked how being pregnant with two babies is going to affect me CF-wise (we'll see). Many people have been in shock and have been super excited!

I'm excited to be approaching the second trimester because that means you're slowly getting out of that critical development period. That also means that I should be open up to a few more medication options as you get bigger/more developed throughout the winter. I'm sick again - it came on quick Monday into yesterday. I ordered Cayston yesterday and it'll be delivered today which means I can start it tomorrow. I'll try to increase my treatments as much as possible which is always hard, plus with the holiday parties coming up it's going to be harder, but necessary. I emailed my doctor already this morning to see if there's anything else I can do/take. Luckily right now it's mostly my sinuses and my throat, but I can tell it's getting to my chest.

I'm nervous because this is the second time I've been sick already and its only the beginning of winter. The last time took me about two full weeks to fight off because I couldn't take any antibiotics. I'm hoping the Cayston will help me kick this one a little sooner. I'm also hoping that since we're getting into the second trimester, there may be a lower dose of an oral antibiotic that I can take if I get sick again this season.

December 21 - 13 weeks!
I'm slowly on the upswing of this sickness. Unfortunately Anna's had to go on antibiotics and Daddy is at the doctor right now to get some for himself. I'm very thankful I didn't get what they had, or if I did, that it wasn't as bad. Mine is mostly in my chest now, and just hanging around a little bit in my sinuses.

You two are 13 weeks along today which means you're the size of jalapeno peppers, Matchbox cars or clownfish (about 3 inches long) -  haha! One app I have is so fun and has lots of comparisons each week. You both each have fingerprints now, which is kind of cool! This is the last week of my first trimester which is also pretty exciting. In some ways I already feel like this pregnancy is flying by -- probably because I started showing so early!

I'm heading into Maternal Fetal Medicine today to get my blood drawn for the Harmony Prenatal Test. It's a screening for Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome), Trisomy 18 and Trisomy 13 which are chromosomal abnormalities. I'm at low risk for any of these because we don't have a family history and you're both measuring just fine. I'm getting it done because we had it with Anna and it just gives us that peace of mind. It will also tell us your genders! With it being done so close to the holiday, we might not get the results until after the new year, but it's still exciting that we're finally going to find out what you are within the next couple weeks!
Just recently, I've been thinking you might be two girls. I don't know if that's because I just want to be able to reuse all of Anna's old clothes, or what. A couple weeks ago I was convinced you were two boys - so who knows! Naming you is going to be the hardest part because there are two. I have my two girls names ready to go - just have to convince Daddy. We both don't have any boys names, so if you're both boys, that's going to be the hardest.

I've been feeling pretty good pregnancy-wise for the most part. I can definitely tell you've been growing because I've been having lots of stretching pains down low over the last couple days.

Christmas Eve - 13w, 3d
I'm a little sad, but mostly pretty excited because this is Anna's last Christmas as an only child. I feel like I've been wanting to soak up every minute with her lately, especially because I'm on winter break, because I'm afraid we won't get that one-on-one time when you two are born! Next Christmas (and for  years to come) will be so fun with all three kids together!

I learned on Wednesday that the Harmony Screening may only give us a little information about your genders. It just detects a Y chromosome if it's there. So if it doesn't detect one at all, then we know you're both girls. If it does pick up a Y chromosome, that means either you're a boy and a girl, or two boys. It'll just tell us there's a boy in there, not how many. So I'm very curious to get the results. The genetic counselor who was there on Wednesday said the office is only open Wednesday and Thursday next week due the Christmas and New Years holidays. If we don't hear back one of those days, then we'll have to wait til the following week. I'm not too worried about it though because my next appointment is shortly after, so I'm guessing they'll try to look/confirm for us then. I wanted Daddy to come to that appointment with me, but that's the night Anna is starting swimming lessons, so I'll have to meet them at the Y after my appointment.

December 27 - 13w, 6d
Not too much news to report other than I am SO ready to prepare the house for you! Yesterday, Anna and I took down all of the Christmas decorations. I think that's the soonest I've ever taken down decorations, but my mind is racing with all of the things we need to get done to prepare for your arrivals. While Anna was taking her nap, I pulled everything out of the living room closet and almost everything out of the second closet (your closet) in the office (your bedroom). It's mostly still all in the living room right now which drives me a little crazy, but we're slowly sorting through things. We're making a sell pile (already sold $60+ worth of stuff), a garage sale pile, keep & find somewhere to store pile, and a garbage pile. Thankfully the garbage men came this morning, so I was able to get rid of a nice chunk of stuff already.

I wouldn't say I'm "nesting" already, but more preparing. There are a lot of unknowns and things out of my control with this pregnancy which I don't like. For example, my health and how my body is going to handle growing two babies; if I'll have to go on bed rest; if I'll be able to work til the end of the school year; when you'll be born; how you'll be born....
I am a planner. I like to know what's going on ahead of time. So all of these things that are completely out of my control are always on the back of my mind. Cleaning the house and getting the office converted into a nursery is something that I can control, it's something that I can see and put my energy into over the next few months, so that's why I'm so anxious to get it started.

We've also started buying diapers and wipes. We don't have a ton yet, but I figure we might as well get them now while they're on sale and stock up because we know it's something we're going to need!

I cannot wait to find out your genders! The fact that we should know within the next week or two makes me so excited. If one or both of you are boys, I'm going to have a hard time restraining myself from shopping! :)

Good-bye first trimester! You were not as bad as you could have been - thank you! - but I'm looking forward to the second trimester for the energy boost, baby genders, and my favorite: baby movements!

10 & 11 Weeks

December 1 - 10 weeks!

Not much difference between this and eight weeks - but still difficult to hide!!

I'm ten weeks today and there's just something exciting about entering double digits! I am dying to tell everyone about BOTH of you, but I can't spill the beans just yet....but we're getting closer!! We're within two weeks of everyone knowing! I am SO excited for my ultrasound on Monday afternoon. You two are about the size of a Lego person this week and your arms/legs/joints are starting to move and bend - which I can't wait to see on the ultrasound. You're going to be so much more baby-like and much less blob-like! :)

As long as everything goes well on Monday, then on Tuesday I'm planning on taping our Christmas card to the board in the lounge, at school, where we put all of our announcements. It's getting extremely hard to hide my belly, and I'm pretty sure everyone at work is suspicious, but too afraid to ask! I'm going to ask them to keep it off social media until we mail the ones out to all family and friends on the 10th. 

The Christmas cards came in yesterday (two days early!) and they look great! I'm very pleased with how they turned out. I would have liked the fireplace picture to be bigger, but Daddy likes that you have to look at it closely to actually figure it out. It'll be so exciting to hear everyone's reactions and to see who actually notices. We're bringing two to Linda & Roger this weekend and I cannot wait to see their reaction!

December 6 - 10+6
Linda and Roger were very surprised! We had to ask them to look at the fireplace again because they didn't notice at first. Linda said NO WAY! And Roger said, No shit?! Then later he said, "Shit, I can't spoil three of them! :) That's the Roger answer I was expecting! :)

I had another ultrasound yesterday and you're both still in there! It seems silly now to think that you wouldn't be, but I just get worried. Everything looked good. They actually moved your due date up one day and I'm officially due June 28th - even though twins never make it to their due date.

I met with a new nurse practitioner at the MFM office yesterday who was fantastic! She answered all of my questions and we talked about a lot of things. You two are "Di Di" twins which means you each have your own sack and your own placenta. The NP told me this is the best kind of twins to have because you're at a lot less risk. You don't share a blood flow, or a placenta. You're each growing individually of each other, which means we most likely won't have to deal with one twin being the "bigger/dominant" twin. That really helped put my mind at ease. She also informed me that the national average for twin delivery is between 35 and 36 weeks, although 37 weeks is considered full term. She said they'll closely monitor you guys and me, and obviously right now there's no telling how long you'll be in there.
With a twin pregnancy, I'm at a higher risk for pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure) and gestational diabetes (the CF puts me at high risk, then the two placentas - she said it's a "triple-whammy"). These are things that they will closely monitor me for and we'll adjust accordingly. If I delivered around 36 weeks, that puts me at the very end of May/beginning of June. I just hope I can make it through the end of the school year!

December 13 - 11+6
The word is spreading quickly!!! We dropped our Christmas cards in the mail on Friday evening and people received them very quickly (yesterday was Monday). Lots of messages and texts with surprised notes! It's been so fun! Grandma Dorothy is VERY EXCITED to watch two babies and she is definitely not bailing on us! :)

The day after my doctor appointment, I put our Christmas card up in the lounge at school. I made sure to get their early so most people would see it as they came in in the morning. All it took was for a couple people to notice before they were pulling other staff members in to see the announcement! Many people understood quickly that I was pregnant, but lots of "look closer" and "count the stockings" comments were made by each other to help them see the surprise! I wish I could have been recording everyone's faces when they went from thinking it was one, to realizing it was two! HA! Lots of open mouths, terrified-for-you looks, but also lots of happy, that's-so-amazing faces, too! Lots of hugs and even a few happy tears! :) It was so fun! It's also been SO nice to be able to wear my maternity clothes to work this last week because I've just been so much more comfortable. My belly looks 4-5 months pregnant, but most of that is still just weight gain & a growing belly during the day from eating/digesting. I think after winter break it'll actually be babies making that belly. 

38 Weeks

Friday, August 1 - 38 weeks (my last week of pregnancy!)
This is it folks, it's baby month...well, actually baby week!!! Today, I am 38 weeks, which is 9 1/2 months. I am so proud of my body for being able to take care of you and provide for you this long! This week you're the size of a pumpkin, you have a firm grasp, and your organs are fully mature for life in the outside world. You'll be making your arrival soon enough, but I am determined to have you sooner rather than later. This morning Natalie and I went on a walk, but this time we took the long trail that Daddy and I usually take. I thought since it helped me have contractions last night, it'd help me have contractions this afternoon...wrong! It was excellent exercise, but I think I've had maybe two contractions in the last five hours...oh well, I was able to get a nice little nap in this afternoon.

Got a picture with each kitty this week :)

Daddy and I have been having little date nights each Friday for a while, and tonight is our last one before we become a family of three. :-)

That's right...if you don't come on your own by next Friday, you're being evicted. I've had this induction scheduled for weeks now, but didn't want to make it public because I didn't want people bugging me about it. We're scheduled to go in on Friday, August 8th at 7:30 in the morning to start my induction. I'll be exactly 39 weeks then. We (doctors and I) agreed on 39 weeks because you'll be fully developed then and it'll take a week's worth of stress off my body. Of course as soon as they mentioned having you a week early, I agreed! As much as I'd love to experience going into natural labor, I am looking forward to the induction. I also don't think its going to be as bad as some people make inductions out to be because my body is already, slowly, starting the labor process on its own, so I'm hoping this will help the induction go a bit smoother and maybe quicker. Daddy's convinced that you're not going to come any time sooner, even with all the walking I've been doing...we'll see. It's exciting knowing there's an end in sight if you don't come on your own because I'm growing very impatient and cannot wait to see you and hold you!

Sneak preview of my maternity photos shot by my dear husband :)

Monday, August 4 - 38w, 3d
I just got home from my last OB appointment! It's so crazy to think that the next time I'll go will be for your delivery...in just four short days!! Today's appointment went well, your heart rate was 129bpm, my weight was 127.2 and blood pressure was normal. They did a growth scan on you today and you are going to be a tiny peanut! They're estimating your weight at 5lbs 15oz today, so I'm curious to see how accurate they really are come Friday. The doctor said you're on the small side, obviously, but she thinks that conventionally, you're just small...there shouldn't be any problems because my placenta looked normal, I have a good level of fluid still, you're still moving like you should, etc. She then checked my cervix and I wasn't quite 3cm, so she said 2.5cm dilated. She said my cervix is coming forward which is good, and because of these things, they'll probably just start me on Pitocin Friday morning to get the induction started.

Thursday, August 7 - 38w, 6d
This is it....we're going to meet you tomorrow!!!! Hopefully you won't make us wait until Saturday. :) I still have a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that you'll be out of me so soon! As much as I have loved every second of being pregnant, I cannot wait to meet you finally! I have no idea how the induction is going to go tomorrow, but I'm hoping it'll be as smooth as this pregnancy has been. I'm very glad that it's scheduled for so early in the morning so that Daddy and I don't have to sit around all day waiting to go in. I didn't get the best sleep last night and I doubt I'm going to sleep well (if at all) tonight because I'm just so excited. See you tomorrow!!!!!!

37 Weeks - Full Term!

Sunday, July 26 - 37w, 2d

July 26 - 37w, 1d

Yay, you've made it to full-term!! Some pregnancy sites don't consider babies full-term until they're 39 weeks, but according to my doctors, you've hit that mark. They said that it's safe for you to come any time now...and since I'm writing this on Sunday, that means we made it through Tony and Brittany's wedding without going into labor!
Speaking of which, their wedding was a blast!! Daddy and I had so much fun with all of our friends, and I'm pretty sure you had a good time, too. I was out on the dance floor way more that I thought I would be, but how could I just sit and watch everyone have all of the fun?! I made sure to drink lots of water and take frequent breaks, and during those breaks you'd move around like crazy. Of course I was exhausted by the end of the night, but we all had so much fun.
This morning while Daddy and I were eating breakfast with friends in the hotel, I noticed that I was having frequent Braxton Hicks, but I wasn't surprised and they weren't painful, so I just assumed it was from my work out the night before. On the car ride home, I was having steady contractions about ten minutes apart, lasting 30-45 seconds, for almost two hours. They weren't super strong, but I was getting hopeful that they'd pick up during the afternoon/evening. But as soon as we got home and I started moving around and unpacking, they seemed to fade away or at least, slow down and become less noticeable. This evening, when I sat down again, I had a few more 8-10 minutes apart and a little bit stronger, but again, as soon as I'd get up to go to the bathroom or something, they'd become sporadic again or completely vanish. I'm planning on keeping an eye on them tonight to see if they return or pick up. Thankfully I have another doctor appointment tomorrow afternoon, so I'll have to see what they say. I'm also curious if they check me again if I've dilated anymore since having all of these contractions today.

Monday, July 28 - 37w, 3d
I had a few more contractions this morning, about 8-9 minutes apart, but they didn't stick around forever. My friend and I still went for our morning walk and it was gorgeous outside. Then this afternoon I had another OB appointment. You looked great on your ultrasound, even got a little profile shot of you...but that made me a little worried that you weren't as far down as you were on Thursday. Your heart rate was a nice, strong 159bpm, I saw you kick yourself in the head, make a fist, and wiggle your fingers around a lot. My fluid level is still good, so I did not have to have a non-stress test.
I met with the doctor after and he said that we'll do one more growth scan next week which should give us an idea of how big you'll be for delivery. He was very pleased with how I'm doing (weight:128.6) and as soon as I mentioned that I was having contractions yesterday and today, he said he wanted to check me. I'm now 1.5cm, my cervix is anterior and you're still very low (yay, you didn't move), so I haven't changed much since Thursday, but he was very pleased with where I am now. He told me to keep an eye on the contractions and that I should come in if they're five minutes apart for a couple hours, so we'll see. Aunt Linda has been predicting for a while now that you'll come this week...that'd be fine with me!


Tuesday, July 29 - 37w, 4d
Not much to report, but I did want to mention that my contractions have slowed down today. Last night Daddy and I took a nice, long walk, hoping to increase my contractions, but it didn't work. I've noticed a few today, but tried not to pay attention to them because they've been so sporadic. It's quite a tease having three days of irregular contractions - its been getting my hopes up that you'd be making your arrival sooner rather than later, but I know I need to be patient and that you'll come when you're ready....but I've been waiting all summer! I'd love for you to come before Friday so I don't have to drive six hours round-trip to my CF appointment, but I doubt that's going to happen.

Thursday, July 31 - 37w, 6d

Archie & I brushing up on our
breastfeeding info this afternoon.

Well, here we are...the last day if July with no signs of you making an arrival in the near future. This means I'll be heading to Chicago tomorrow for my last CF clinic appointment before your delivery. I'm curious to see if my lung function has changed in the last two weeks, really hope doing the pulmonary function tests puts me into labor, and honestly don't see the importance of me going to clinic again, but I gotta do what I gotta do.
My contractions have been pretty much non-existent since Tuesday, although I've had a couple people tell me how much lower I look, even just within the past couple days. You're definitely in position, I can feel you. You're starting to put a bit more pressure down below each day, which is sometimes uncomfortable, but I know its a good thing. I think I lost a bit more of my mucus plug today (and I think I lost the first little bit on Friday before we left for the rehearsal). I really want to experience my water breaking (I don't know why...for the excitement of it, I guess?), but if that doesn't happen, it'll be okay because I know you'll be here so soon! :-)

Late night update: Daddy and I went on a nice, long walk this evening and while we were gone, Dr. Dowell called me. I called her back and we chatted for a while, both agreeing that it's a wise choice for me to not drive to clinic tomorrow, yay! Since I'm doing well, she just wants me to keep her posted about when you make your appearance and how I'm feeling each week after. I'll be finished with Cayston next Thursday, so the plan is to not go back on Tobi (as long as I'm doing well off it) and to start alternating Cayston each month since that seems to be working well for me.

Also, a couple hours after getting home from our walk, I started having contractions again for a few hours. At first they were about 8-9 minutes apart, then they progressed up to 5-6 minutes apart, which got me a little excited, but they never increased their intensity. I stayed up til a little after 11 timing them, but once they started to fade and get further apart, I caved in and went to sleep. I'll just have to keep up those long walks, and hopefully one of them will bring on the real deal!

36 Weeks

Wednesday, July 23 - 36w, 5d
Friday, the day I hit 36 weeks, I had a CF clinic appointment. Prior to the appointment, I expected my lung function would probably be around 70% still just because I didn't feel completely different from my appointment six weeks before. To my surprise, my PFTs were no where near 70%...

That's right, an FEV1 of 83%!!!! I'm back to my pre-pregnancy baseline!! I was ecstatic! My first round, my FEV1 was 79%, the second is shown above, and the third one was around 80 or 81. I am so happy! It's a relief knowing that I'll be heading into labor & delivery with my pre-pregnancy lung function! I have to attribute this major increase to you dropping (didn't happen overnight and have a huge 'relief' feeling, but I can tell you're sitting lower) and me starting Cayston about a week before I did this test.
My doctor was pleased with the results, of course. We also discussed my lack of weight gain and thankfully, she's not as concerned as I thought she'd be. She said it's just going to have to be a threshold thing, see if I can tolerate the frequent bathroom trips and extra gas/bloating for another three-ish weeks. I told her I've gone this long, I can make it until you're born. Plus, there's not much else I can do...I've already increased my enzymes to the max amount and I'm taking two probiotics a day. They suggested adding Ensures back into my diet to try to add in extra calories, so we'll see if that helps at all.

After my appointment, I stayed with Auntie Catie for the weekend while Daddy was at Uncle Tony's

bachelor party. Catie and I caught up, pampered ourselves (she got a manicure, I got a pedicure) and visited with her family - my second family before moving away for college. It was a nice, relaxing weekend. Monday I spent a couple hours working in my classroom, and went back again on Tuesday for several more hours to meet with my sub to finalize things for the beginning of the year. My plan is to have everything completely ready to go for her (and my sanity) by the end of the day tomorrow. This way I can enjoy the wedding weekend and be prepared to have you any time after & not be stressed about what still needs to be done at work.

Pregnancy-wise, I really can't complain. You're still moving a lot every day (not at night when I'm sleeping, thank you!) but your movements are different now. You like to shake your booty from side to side on the top of my uterus, right near my belly button. Sometimes, I'm guessing when you're stretching, you stick it out really far and my belly gets super hard in one spot & we can feel your butt! You also like to stick your little hands/elbows/knees/feet out on my left side. We're never exactly sure what we're feeling, but it's usually a little, hard, round thing poking out from time to time and it's so cute. My Braxton Hicks have noticeably picked up this week, so I'll make sure to let the doctor know tomorrow...hopefully that means my cervix is starting to ripen, even just a little. And thankfully, I've still been able to sleep great each night. Some women have trouble sleeping this far into pregnancy because they're uncomfortable and/or because their babies will move around a lot overnight. You don't move from the time I fall asleep to a little after I start waking up in the morning - let's hope that means you'll be a good sleeper! Occasionally I'll feel you shift when I'm in the process of rolling over for the 100th time, or when I lay down after getting up for the third time to pee, but you seem to fall right back asleep like mommy does. :)

Oh, and how could I forget, your cousin, Alayna, was born today!!! She's so cute, looks a little like Isaac and has lots of hair! I can't wait for you two to meet and to watch you grow up with all of your cousins!


Thursday, July 24 - 36w, 6d
I had another OB appointment today. They did the ultrasound first where you did everything you

Here's the back of your head & that white blob on the back, top
left side is your hair flowing in the fluid.  

needed to do so that I didn't have to get a non-stress test. Your heart rate was 153bpm, you moved quite a bit, practiced your breathing a little bit and were way head-down. After the ultrasound, I met with the doctor (weight: 129). She's extremely happy about my last CF appointment and there really wasn't much to talk about because everything's been going so smoothly. I asked her when they typically start checking my cervix, and she answered that usually they don't on most women because in their clinic many women don't make it to term. But she said she'd be happy to do it if I was curious, but she wouldn't change how she was going to treat the pregnancy and didn't think I'd be dilated yet. Of course I was curious, so I asked if she would check me anyway. My cervix is about one centimeter dilated and is about halfway thinned out, which the doctor was happy about because it showed that my body is slowly getting ready (I have been absolutely amazed at what my 'sick' body has been able to do this pregnancy!). She said she could also feel that your head was way down low which was a good sign because it indicated that you'll most likely fit through my birth canal, yay!

35 Weeks

Friday, July 11 - 35 weeks
Today, Rhonda and I met at school to set up my classroom furniture. We made a lot of progress, but I'll have to go back at least once more before the school year starts. I also met with my sub to start figuring out everything for the beginning of the year. Thankfully she told me that my maternity leave time is my time to relax with you, and that she wants to do as much as she can on her own while she's in my room...yay! I'm glad she's willing to jump right in this year.


Monday, July 14 - 35w, 3d
Developmentally, this week you're about 'ready'. Your kidneys are fully developed and your liver can now start to process waste. Your hearing is fully developed (although you'll respond best to high pitch sounds right now), your circulatory and musculoskeletal systems are complete and your lungs are still maturing a bit - the longer you stay in there, the better it is for your lungs. Since most of your developing is complete, you're main job is to keep gaining weight so that you're able to regulate your body temperature here in the outside world.

Today one of my coworkers bought a book shelf that Daddy made, so that freed up some space in the living room. As soon as her and her husband left, I pulled your pack n play into the living room, added the changing pad attachment and stocked it with a few diapers and wipes. Now your room is a bit less cluttered. :) I'm trying to wait on packing my hospital bag until after my appointment on Thursday, just to see what they say. Being a day shy of 36 weeks then, I'm curious if they're going to check my cervix yet. I'll most likely pack the bag Thursday after the appointment because we're going to be out of town the next two weekends, so I'm going to try to convince Daddy that I'm not crazy for wanting to bring our bag and your car seat....just in case. It wouldn't do us any good to just have your base in the car.


Thursday, July 17 - 35w, 6 d
Just got home from my appointment today and it went well. They did not check my cervix and said they don't think I'll be going into labor any time soon because I haven't shown any signs and haven't had any contractions. I'll be bringing all of your stuff with this weekend, anyway, but I'm thinking we probably won't need it.
They did the Group B strep test which was just a quick swab down below. If I test positive (which one in four women do), then they'll give me antibiotics through my IV during labor & delivery so that you don't catch it. If they didn't treat me for it, you could catch it and end up with meningitis or pneumonia which could be very dangerous on your new little body.
You did great for your ultrasound today, the tech said you were being "very cooperative". We saw you do lots of movements, you practiced your breathing and I still have a good amount of fluid, so I didn't have to do a non-stress test. Your heart rate was 171bpm and my weight was 127.8lbs. I asked the doctor if they were concerned at all because I haven't gained any weight pretty much my entire third trimester and he said, "I don't care. As long as the baby is growing, that's all that matters." I was very glad to hear that. Now we'll see what Dr. Dowell says about it tomorrow from the CF side of things...
I'll be seeing her tomorrow, I'm assuming for the last time before I have you and I'm curious to see what my PFTs look like. Coming off of Tobi I didn't feel so hot, but now that I've been on Cayston for a week, they're feeling a little better. Even with you being head way down now, I never really felt that "dropping relief" the some pregnant women get, but that's okay because I know you'll be out soon and then my lungs will have much more room to expand again.

34 Weeks

Monday, July 7 - 34w, 3d
What a weekend! Daddy and I went up to Linda & Roger's Thursday evening and went out to dinner at Daddy & I's missed restaurant, China House. Friday morning (4th of July) I woke up with a lovely fever and felt like crap. I have no idea where it came from, but it wasn't fun. I felt bad laying around all morning especially because Elise, Kyle and the boys showed up, but I was between sweating and the chills and just exhausted. I knew from first trimester that it was okay to take Tylenol, so I took a couple doses throughout the day and once it kicked in, I felt slightly better. I felt good enough to go to see fireworks, because who misses out on fireworks on the 4th?! Liam loved them and Cole was so exhausted from playing all day that he fell asleep during them, but really enjoyed the ones he saw.

Saturday, I woke up feeling a bit better. My fever was gone, but I still has a slight headache and was pretty tired. I sucked it up, took one more dose of Tylenol and had some fun with the family at Wild West Town.

Cole & Tim on the roller coaster...their arms didn't stay like this for too long.
Cole had fun until he hit his head against the back of the seat because the ride was so jerky.
Their faces were priceless as they went around!

I'm glad I was feeling a little bit better because it was so cute watching the boys play the games and do the cute activities. After Wild West Town, we all went back home and took a nap before going out to dinner together. Unfortunately, the night I slept terribly. I was experiencing shortness of breath and a sore & tight chest while breathing, I assumed from you getting so big and taking up so much room. But what was worse was that it was all night and into the morning, it felt like it came out of nowhere, and I couldn't produce any mucus while coughing, so I felt like I couldn't do anything to make it better. Thankfully, as Daddy drove home, I got in a little bit more sleep and started to feel a little better. My chest wasn't as sore anymore, but I still felt like I couldn't take as deep of breaths as I could even a couple days earlier. I distracted myself by doing a little project with Daddy that I've wanted to do since I found out I was pregnant - dye onsies for you (and Daddy tie-dyed a few). We used size 3m short sleeve, 3m long sleeve and 6m long sleeve white onsies and they turned out super cute. :)

Today I slept for just over twelve hours and didn't get out of bed until almost 9:45, which felt fantastic. I also woke up without any chest pains, breathing a little deeper, and producing lots of mucus - finally! I don't know if it's because of your size (I'm assuming so) or because I caught something this weekend, but I'm sure glad to be slowly getting back to 'normal'. You're definitely getting heavier and harder to carry around for longer periods of time without needing a break, but I know it'll all be worth it in the end....which is getting so close!
My next doctor appointment is on Thursday, so I'll explain everything to them and see what they think. I never called them over the weekend because not only were we several hours away, but it was also a holiday weekend. I was going to call them today of it continued, but I'm feeling 10x better than I was Saturday and you haven't stopped your crazy acrobatics, so I'm not concerned about you. Oh, I'm also finishing up Tobi this week (which I felt was not helpful this time around) and will be starting Cayston as soon as I'm done with Tobi. Let's hope the Cayston helps my lungs during this home stretch!

Thursday, July 10 - 34w, 6d
I had your weekly doctor appointment today and everything went very well. I'm 129.8lbs (I seem to be stuck right around 130 now) and my blood pressure was fine. I met with the third OB in the office, I've only seen her once before she went on maternity leave when I was around 16 or 18 weeks. She was very nice and sat and talked with me for a while about labor and delivery, pain meds, reasons for a c-section (which we're all trying to avoid if possible), etc. It was nice to be able to talk to her about all of that, so now all three doctors and I should be on board with my "birth plan", I guess you could call it.
After chatting with the doctor for a little while, I had a growth scan for you. They measured your head, belly, leg bone, and your arm bone and estimated from those measurements that you're now about five pounds! I'm so proud of you! Even though I haven't been gaining much any weight, I'm very glad to know that you're still growing just like you should. They say you'll probably gain around another pound or so before delivery, so you'll probably be a tiny little peanut, which is okay with me...then hopefully Mommy won't have any problems pushing you out.
Today you were still head down, but this time your head was way down there - even a little hard for us to see (so no pictures, again!), but, I'm glad you're in the correct position still & let's hope you stay that way. The doctor said she wants you to stay in there at least two more weeks (37 weeks) because then you'll be full-term and then you can come whenever you want. Plus then Mommy & Daddy can go to Tony & Brittany's wedding (the weekend I hit the 37 week mark) and then you can come any time after. :)

This week I also installed both car seat bases in the our vehicles and found you a pediatrician. Tomorrow I'm going to do one final load of laundry, then all of your clothes should be good to go. There's not much left to do aside from packing my hospital bag, which I'll probably start next week. One month to go, little lady!! :-)

33 Weeks

Saturday, June 28 - 33w, 1d
Daddy and I (mostly Daddy) have been working machines today! I feel like I've been nesting for a while now, pretty much since finishing school a month ago, but I feel like its kicked into high-gear now! My friend introduced me to a group on Facebook where I can buy & sell items with local people...oh man, I want to sell everything in the house! So far I've sold our extra range, recliner (yay, its finally out of your room!), a couple books and other odds and ends laying around the house. I also bought a super cute bouncy seat for you and a couple adorable outfits & a dress from a garage sale that was posted on the group. As soon as some of our bigger stuff sells, Daddy says I should probably get off of it so I don't go crazy...I'd have to agree with him!
We also bought new vinyl flooring for a portion of the basement today, so right now Daddy's working on organizing it and clearing the room so he can put it down eventually. I started helping him, but it's mostly his tools and stuff, so there wasn't too much I could do.
Oh, and how could I forget...Daddy finished painting the front of the house today & it looks amazing!!! No more blue!!! He still wants to add shutters, paint the gutters, add a window and paint the little bit of blue left on the side of the house, but man...what a difference!! The neighbors across the street even thanked us because they were tired of looking at it! :-)

This is when he first started this morning

The top picture is from last July when we first bought the house and
the bottom picture is from today!
We didn't remove the section on the left in the top picture, it's just a different angle.

Monday, June 30 - 33w, 3d
Yesterday, Daddy and I ran a few errands and it was the first time I was uncomfortable in public. My legs were hurting after walking around for a while, it felt like you were going to bust out of my belly and I ended up getting irritable. Today, I'm feeling much better - no leg pain, no belly pain, etc. I'm just glad it went away and very glad that I don't feel that way on a daily basis.

We had your next doctor appointment today and you're finally head down! (Maybe that's why I was so uncomfortable yesterday) Now we'll see if you stay that way....although the doctor said usually babies stay head down once they get there...we'll see about you. Daddy and I wouldn't be surprised with as much as you move. Speaking of movements, you've been going crazy this past week! You are getting so big that I can feel so many more of your movements and we can also see most of them which is very entertaining! You love to throw your body weight around in my belly and sometimes those huge movements feel so weird! Of course you move constantly at home, but as soon as we're doing an ultrasound, you stop. Today it didn't take you as long to show them some of your moves. You also showed off your practice-breathing skills, you were grabbing your feet, moving your mouth, and they showed Daddy your hair. Your heart rate was 163bpm today and they were pleased with that. My weight was 130.0lbs and my blood pressure was "perfect". My blood sugars were a bit high last week, so I paid better attention to what I was eating this week and they were back to normal. Yay!
After our appointment, we went to tour the Birth Center which was really nice. We were able to see a birthing room, a post partum room, the nursery, and just get familiar with where we'll have to go whenever the time comes. It helped put me at easy since I like to know where to go ahead of time, and I'm very glad that Daddy came with, too.

Thursday, July 3 - 33w, 6d
Not too much else to add to this week. I, thankfully, haven't felt as uncomfortable as I did the other day again, so that's been nice, although you're getting huge and definitely running out of room! Now that I know you're head down, it's a little easier to distinguish which body parts I'm feeling when you move around.
We're heading out of town to spend the weekend with Elise and Kyle & the boys, and Linda & Roger and I'm really looking forward to it. I can't wait for next summer when we're able to do all of this fun stuff with you, too. We only have a limited number of weekends before you're arrival and it's starting to feel more real as the countdown gets closer and closer! :-)

32 Weeks

Thursday, June 26 - 32w, 6d
Can't believe I didn't start this week's post earlier in the week, oh well...let's see what I can remember.

• This weekend was spent with family in St. Louis. Aunt Linda & Uncle Roger came over Friday night, then we rode with them to St. Louis where we met up with Aunt Elise, Uncle Kyle, Cole, Liam, Uncle Kirk, Aunt Lisa, Max & Jake. We went out to lunch, walked to see the Arch, then back to the hotel to cool off before walking to the Cardinals game. It was hot, but it was a lot of fun, especially because they won. The next day we met Aunt Katrina & Isaac for breakfast before heading home.
• This week I had another high-risk appointment which was uneventful. The doctor said I'm practically low-risk because I haven't had any problems....can't complain about that! I weighed 131lbs, which is a pound down from last week, but they weren't concerned. You fell asleep during the ultrasound! They were trying to get your movements recorded and it took them forever for them to see enough movements because you were apparently sleeping. We also saw you practicing your breathing again, your heartbeat was 139bpm, and the ultrasound tech said you're not bald, she showed me a couple places where you apparently have hair. :) You were still breech and completely squished with your hands, feet and the umbilical cord in front of your face so I only got one 2-D picture of half of your face. The doctor wants me to make it to 39 weeks...I think you're going to run out of room and come early, but we'll see. Maybe that's just because I'm bored out of my mind and am getting so antsy to meet you!
• This week you've been moving like crazy! Your movements are less noticeable kicks or punches, but more like whole-body rolls and stretches. You've been making my belly morph into very interesting shapes! You like to favor one side of my belly at a time and make it stick out really far and get really hard (I'm assuming it's your head). You also got Daddy laughing at you the other night because you had the hiccups and they were shaking my belly each time, but you were also moving a lot between hiccups, so it was quite entertaining to watch all of that from the outside.
• Haven't had too many Braxton Hicks this week, either.

31 Weeks

Sunday, June 15 - 31w, 2d
Officially two months until you're due date, but I know everyone's hoping you'll come a little early. :) Yesterday, we had our last baby shower for you and it was great. We got a ton of equipment and 'stuff' for you so I'm starting to feel much more prepared for your arrival. I cannot wait to go through it this week, open things, set things up and get your first load of laundry done!

Mommy & Auntie Catie

Monday, June 16 - 31w, 3d
I had your next appointment today with the high-risk team. First, I had a very quick ultrasound done to measure my fluid, you were breech again and your heart rate was 139bpm. This time you feet were way over your head and your arms were covering your face...again! You really don't want us to get another 3-D picture & see your cute face until you're born! That's okay, I guess, since its coming up quick. :)
After the ultrasound, I was weighed (132.2 lbs) and then talked with the doctor for a little bit. He was very pleased with our progress and we talked about beginning labor & delivery plans and what meds & things to bring with me to the hospital.

View of my belly during my NST

Finally, I had my first non-stress test. I sat in a large recliner with two monitors hooked up to my belly that monitored your heart rate, movements and possible contractions. I sat there for a little over 30 minutes, then the doctor looked at the graph print out. He said everything looked great and that he'd see me next week.


Wednesday, June 18 - 31w, 5d
I've been having so much fun organizing your nursery! Now if we can just get rid of the enormous recliner in there, I could arrange the room how I want it. Today I did your first two loads of laundry. The first load was sheets, towels, blankets, burp cloths and bibs.

The second load was all newborn, 0-3 month and a few larger onsies, and all outfits that I've taken the tags off of. This is probably only about 1/2 of your full wardrobe because I've left the tags on lots of things, especially the bigger stuff, because we don't know if you'll be able to wear it all!

And I can't forget to give credit to your daddy! While I've been focusing my nesting on your room, he's been focused on finishing all of his projects inside the house and outside. It's been extremely hot this week, but everyday after work he's been out in the backyard putting the patio together and he never complains! I tried to help him out by mowing the lawn yesterday, because that's about as much heat as I can handle.

Here's the patio this evening before Daddy started putting the pavers down.

Speaking of heat, I've been walking every morning with my friend, Natalie & her adorable daughter, Makenzie, to get my exercise in each day. I'm glad we're doing it, especially in the morning, because even though it may only be 30-45 minutes, we sure do work up a sweat! But it feels so good to get out of the house each morning and get a little work out in to start my day.


Thursday, June 19 - 31w, 6d
Final thoughts for the week: I'm still getting random, sporadic Braxton Hicks (some days more than others); I can tell you're growing because my low ligament pain is coming back; my gas/bloating/bathroom needs have gotten much better since consistently adding an extra enzyme to all meals & snacks (yay!); and I can also tell you're getting bigger because my lungs aren't bouncing back as quickly now that I'm on Tobi as they normally do. I still cough up a lot of junk and feel tight/crackly more than usual after a week of Tobi and I'm attributing that to the lack of space in there. But really, I can't complain. I'm still feeling well, getting things done around the house (so much so that I'm running out of things to do) and you're still moving, shifting and rolling all the time. :-)

30 Weeks

30 weeks -- Ozzie got into the picture this time :)

Saturday, June 7 - 30w, 1d
Today is our first family shower and I'm really looking forward to it. We're also combining it with Aunt Katrina's sprinkle, so that should be fun. :)
This week you're strong enough to grasp a finger, you're skin is getting smoother because you're adding more fat to your body, and your brain is getting more wrinkles because it's developing so much....so pretty much you're getting stronger, fatter and smarter the longer you stay in there! :-)
I'm really looking forward to spending a great weekend with the family, and then to your ultrasound on Monday. It's also going to be my first, of many, weekly NSTs (non-stress tests), too.


Tuesday, June 10 - 30w, 4d

Great-grandma Danner (100 years old) made this quilt for you :-)

Saturday's shower was excellent. It was so laid back, relaxing and fun to have the whole family and a few of our friends there to help celebrate you and your cousin.

You got a TON of adorable clothes...so much so that Daddy and I are going to probably have to change your outfit several times a day so you can wear everything at least once before you grow out of it. :)

Yesterday, I had the first of my weekly doctor appointments. I was 128.9lbs and the doctor told me that the blood work they did last time came back excellent. My A1C was 5.4, my hemoglobin level was a 12 (normal), and my liver and kidney functions were perfect. The doctor said you're "small/normal", but you're still growing proportionally compared to your last ultrasound and right on track. You're still on the charts, just on the small side, but they're not concerned at all. You were about 3lbs 1oz, your heart rate was 138bpm, and you were breech & completely folded in half. Your arms and legs were blocking your face pretty much the entire time, so we couldn't get an updated 3D image of your face.

Here's your left leg across your forehead :)

We were able to see you practicing your breathing which is a very good sign. Because of this, they decided I did not need to do a non-stress test. The doctor told me that each week I'll either have an ultrasound or a non-stress test and they probably won't measure you for another three-four weeks.

I can't believe we're this far along already and I cannot wait to finally meet you!


Thursday, June 12 - 30w, 6d
Not too much to update, but I wanted to add that right now you're loving the Rock-a-Bye version of "Sweet Child of Mine". I've been playing music for you these last few days while we're lounging at home in hopes that you'll recognize it when you're here....and maybe, just maybe, it'll help calm you. :) Mommy & Daddy both love listening to music and we hope you enjoy it, too. I'm even wondering if they have wi-fi in the delivery room because I'd love to have this Pandora station on to help keep me calm during labor.
It's weird to think that I'm this close to delivering you! I cannot wait for you to be here! I'm sure these last two months are slowly going to creep by because there isn't much going on during the week while Daddy's at work, but I've been learning to keep myself busy with crafts, cleaning, reading, and soon I'll be walking almost every morning with one of my friends, so that'll help. Thankfully I've been sleeping pretty well at night still and haven't needed a ton of naps during the day, but I also stay pretty relaxed, so I'm sure that helps.