Looking to the Future

I'm excited to finally be able to plan for the future with these babies. It's such a relief to be 12 and a half weeks pregnant.

I've started my registry on Babies R US and Target.

I have also started researching when it would be best to have our maternity pictures done. I know for sure I want them done before I'm as big as a whale. From what I've seen with twins its best to do them between 28 and 32 weeks. I'm just worried that this will be too late for me, because the photographer I want to use is in Kansas, and I could be put on bedrest at any time after my 2nd trimester.

I've also started to think about our crib bedding. I want to get the mesh, breathable crib bumpers, so it would be a waste of money to purchase a full crib bedding set, especially 2 of them. Before I found out I was having twins, I was going to make my own. Then I was scared to do that when I found out about the 2 babies. I think I will just make them each their own quilt and buy the bumpers and crib skirt already made. The only problem with this is, I've only used a sewing machine 3 times in my life. It will definitely be an adventure. I just hope I can get them both done before the kids get here.

12 weeks bumpdate!

Bean and Bug are now 12 weeks along! So blessed to have made it this far. Can't wait to see them again on my birthday.. Less than a week now! One week until 2nd TRIMESTER!!! Such a MILESTONE coming up!!!

Just when I thought I was pretty much over my morning sickness, it has returned the last 3 mornings. Hopefully, it will stop altogether soon.

I got a new job today. I'm kind of dreading telling them I'm pregnant here in a few weeks, but I really needed the work and I've been trying since October to find something more than just substitute teaching. I should be okay to work until May, unless something drastic happens. My third trimester will begin in May, but school should be out or just about out by then.

I've also been having some serious "growing pains." My hip joints hurt and so does my lower back. I know it's because things are expanding and shifting down there. The last few days I've also had trouble sleeping, mostly because I just can't get comfortable. Because of this and other things, I'm pretty exhausted by the time I get home from work.

Because of the twins, it's like I'm actually 15-18 weeks pregnant size wise. I'm not sure my bump has really changed much this week. I have found I'm much more comfortable in maternity pants. I still haven't really gained much weight, but I'm trying to eat more. According to my twins book, by 20 weeks I should have gained close to 20lbs. Well... since losing 10lbs, I've still only gained about 3lbs back. It could be that the reason I'm still so tired is also because these little buggers are stealing all of my nutrients. Oh well... better them than me. I want 2 healthy, beautiful babies.

Thayer is also going to do some research into possibly (and that's a BIG maybe) transferring to WSU and closer to home. We know that we could really use the help with the babies. Especially if say, one of them is sick. My mom would be able to watch him/her so we wouldn't have to take off work/school to stay home. It would be really nice, but it really depends on how/if things from Missouri State would transfer to Wichita State. It might not even be worth it if some of his classes don't transfer.

12 week bump-date - Don't mind the hair or wrinkled shirt... I worked all day.

Baby Buys!

So now that I'm almost officially in the "safe zone" I have made a few baby purchases. :)

A recommended book about having multiples!

Carseat canopy, baby sling, and breast feeding cover... only had to pay shipping!

Onesie just for Daddy Thayer :)

It's exciting to know that I have I'm just about over the worry hump. Now all these babies have to do is grow. I was reading in the book though, and by 20 weeks it says I should have gained at least 20lbs. EEK! I lost 10lbs and so far have only gained 2lbs back. I should put on about 40lbs my whole pregnancy because of the twins. I have NO idea how I'm going to do that. It already seems like I'm eating a ton, though compared to most pregnant women I'm sure I'm probably not. My guess is that once I start seeing the high-risk doctor in maternal medicine, I will be sent to see a nutritionist as well. I think that would really help me in knowing what I should be eating, what I shouldn't be eating, and what I really should worry about eating. I'm just scared I'm going to starve my babies on accident. I'm trying! I really, really am!

9 days!

So it is 9 days until my birthday. 9 days until I see my babies again. 9 days until I see their little heart beating. 9 days until I get to hold my husband's hand while we smile at their little wiggling bodies growing in my tummy. 9 days... :)

I can NOT wait for these 9 days to pass!

I hope that we are able to see the membrane between them. Because of the Clomid, there is little chance that they are identical. I'm excited to see them again. They'll look like little people now instead of little blobs. We'll be able to see their little arms and legs! I'm ready to know that they're both still in there growing and doing well. I'm ready for that reassurance. Then I know I'll just be counting down the days until our anatomy scan at 20ish weeks.

I can not honestly believe I am almost through my first trimester. I am almost 1/3 of the way done with being pregnant. It's so surreal after the journey we've had to get pregnant. I'm trying to love every minute of it and not take any of it for granted. I'm thankful for all the symptoms I've had... even all day sickness. I know the other side of the coin. I know what it's like to long to be a mother. This year I'll actually be able to celebrate Mother's Day instead of spending the day in sorrow. :)

11 weeks and growing!

Today marks 11 weeks. It's getting hard to hide this growing bump behind baggy clothes. The last couple of days I broke out some maternity pants because all my normal pants are just plain uncomfortable! Because I'm carrying twins my uterus is measuring anywhere between 14 and 17 weeks pregnant (3-6 weeks more than a singleton pregnancy). That would definitely explain this bumpity bump I have going on. Seeing my tummy growing is kind of reassuring that they're both still in there and they're both still okay. That's still my biggest concern. I'm still so frightened that this is going to be taken away from me. I wish I could live in blissful ignorance like so many pregnant women and never worry that my children may die inside me, but I know better than that. I've experienced that heartbreak.

11 weeks!!

I do know, however, I'm going to go through at least 2 sizes of maternity clothes because the Large pants I have... the elastic is NOT going to stretch enough to accommodate a twin size belly.

Oh... My dad so lovingly said the other day that "Mary's going to look like a beach ball with arms and legs." lol Thanks dad! It's probably true though. I'm so short (5'1") that I'm going to be all belly, but not one of those cute basketball bellies. I'll be gigantic.

Most of my symptoms are pretty much gone. I do have some nausea every now and again. My breasts are still sore and growing like crazy. (Let me tell you how excited Thayer is about that... lol). I'm still tired a lot. I've been sick, but I think I might be slowly getting over that. Thank God!

As far as the babies go... at the end of this week they will no longer be considered embryos, they will be fetuses. Most of their organs are fully formed and starting to function. Each baby is about 1.6 inches long and weighs about .25 ounces. They are each about the size of a lime!

Names and Worry Wart

So Thayer and I have chosen some names for the babies. We're keeping them secret for now but if we have two boys, their initials will be ORO and RLO. If we have a girl and a boy, the girl's initials will be AMO and the boys will be ORO. Now we're just stuck on a second girl name if we have 2 girls. The first girls initials will be KMO. We're struggling with another name that would mesh well with the K name. I figure we have plenty of time to figure it all out. We're over half way until we find out the sex of them.

The closer it gets to my birthday the more apprehensive I am. I'm so worried that we are going to go the the appointment on the 29th and find out bad news like one or both of the babies have no heartbeat. I'm not sure how well I would deal with getting horrible news like that on my birthday. Thayer has repeated told me not to worry about it, that it wasn't going to happen. I'm just so scared that this is going to be taken away from me again. I'm so grateful to be pregnant with one, let alone two, babies. I'm trying my best not to think about it or worry about it too much, but like I've said before, I think it is going to be a fear I have throughout my entire pregnancy. Even after I make it through my first trimester, there will still be concerns such as pre-term labor, complications like high blood pressure, and even still birth. I'm not sure I'll really breathe easy until I'm holding my two little rainbow angel babies in my arms.

On the other hand, I am excited to see my little "blobs" again. This time they'll actually look like little people as I'll be 13 weeks along. I'm excited to see and hear their little heartbeats and see them wiggle all around in the ultrasound. They will have grown so much in just a short time. It will be truly amazing to see the little miracles I have growing in my tummy.

10 weeks...

Today marks 10 weeks, at least by how the babies were last measuring. I'm not sure if they'll adjust my due date at my next appointment or not.

I've been sick since Saturday thanks to my husband. My chest is really congested, especially at night. It's not fun at all. I'm already up every few hours to pee and now I'm up coughing too.

It would seem that my morning sickness is basically gone. I'm hoping that it's a good sign and not a sign that something is wrong. That is still always in the back of my mind. I'm still always secretly wondering when this is going to be taken away from me. I know all too well that it isn't a "sure" thing. I might feel this way my whole pregnancy, who knows?

Thayer has been taking pretty good care of me. He runs and fetches things when I don't feel like getting up off the couch. He even had a dream last night about the babies. He had a dream we went on a shopping spree for them and bought all kinds of baby things. I thought that was really interesting. I've had a few weird dreams, but none really about the babies. I think Thayer has a better grasp that we're having twins than I do. I still usually refer to them as "baby" and then he corrects me and says "babies."

Symptoms: constipation (still really, really bad), sore nipples, exhaustion

Baby Bump??
Thayer has decided my belly is poking out more. I came home from work yesterday and he poked me (gently) and said, "They're showing." lol thanks hunny... how nice. I just feel like a fat balloon. Here's a comparison pic. One from 8 1/2 weeks pregnant and one from today... what do y'all think?

Left side 8 1/2 weeks and Right side was today, 10 weeks.