Oh my.

So as I type, I am on labor at the hospital. My water broke ( baby A) this morning around 7 am. I am already 6+ cm dilated.

28 weeks and 6 days today.

More updates later!





-C. Vaughn

Making poms for the shower and other plans.

The shower for our twin boys will be on Saturday, September 24th at 1pm.

My MIL has been gathering a few ideas for me to do and emailing them to me. She has also offered to pay for cupcakes made by our favorite bakery instead of a cake. It's a bit tricky since she lives farther away.

My Mother is a difficult woman to say the least. She hasn't responded to any emails and insists on arguing over the date I have chosen, insisting that I purposefully chose a date that isn't open for her. Oh, and by the way, "a booked" date to my Mother means there is a baseball game that day-- you know like all of the other 100+ games that happen each year. Apparently, my twins baby shower isn't important enough to her to respond to my emails, skip a game or God forbid try and make this an enjoyable experience for me instead of a constant argument. I shouldn't have put her name on the invite as "someone throwing the shower" along with my cousin and MIL, but I knew if I didn't and my MIL's name was on there-- I wouldn't hear the end about that either-- but clearly, I shouldn't have given her credit when she isn't doing anything but looking for an argument every time I talk to her. . . which today, I have decided, she has raised my blood pressure for the last time. I am going to plan this thing without her-- which I suppose isn't any different than it was before! (Sheesh! Breathe! :)

ANYWAYS. . . On the other end of the spectrum is my cousin (in-law, but really one of my best bud cousins --EVA!!!). She and I have talked over some plans about making tissue poms (so cute!) and certain foods and drinks we can serve.

I am trying to decide on a couple vegetarian main dishes I can make that won't completely freak out the non-meat eaters. Something simple with pasta: Perhaps a baked mac 'n cheese and vegetarian bolognese??? YUM!

I also bought two things for the shower that I just think are too dang cute to pass up!

First!

These cute paper straws--and I can't believe they don't get soggy in water!!!

Then!

Today I ordered a bit of a 'luxury item' in my opinion. But with the purchase of our new house and new kiddos on the way, I think (and hope) we may be having a few more get-togethers!

For the shower I am going to put Citron green iced tea (my favorite!), Lemonade with lemon slices and in the last one I'm going to float sliced lemons, limes and oranges in filtered ice water. I think it will be super cute and so very 'usable' at other parties!

I just hope it can all get pulled together. All I want to do is celebrate the fact that DH and I are finally getting to have the family we have worked so hard for. A shower, without a headache. Is that too much to ask??? :)

Colors. . . .

Trying to decide on a color for the nursery.

I love grey for the walls even though at first I had imagined it being more of a taupe. Oh well.

It has to go with bright apple greens, orange and our expresso nursery furniture. The windows and trim are all white.

27+ weeks and DH is back in school.

Today DH went back to work, teaching the young minds of Wisconsin.

I miss him already. I mean, I actually have to get up and get my own ice and water now??? I have to remember to eat on my own??? What's up with that?!?! I was so spoiled this Summer.

So now I spend my days continuing the never ending task of unpacking boxes. Moving is a massive headache. Once I think I have unpacked everything we own, I find more boxes of stuff I forgot we had-- many things I can get rid of, but other things I can't get rid of, or am not sure yet if we will need. My theory is to keep most of the 'I think we need that' stuff and if I don't end up using it by next Summer-- it's going into out massive stack of Rummage Sale boxes. Seriously, next Spring-- we are going to have one HELL of a garage sale!

In other news-- I PASSED MY ONE HOUR GESTATIONAL DIABETES TEST!!!!

I can't believe it. I had prepared myself and convinced myself that I would just have to deal with the daily poking and testing. Not to mention my biggest fear-- having to cut down on my fruit consumption! After all, I am carrying multiples, I am not super-slim, and I have been told in the past I am IR and had to go on Metformin for over a year! Go figure!

Both boys are also head down and moving A LOT. I've gotten to see my belly come to life from the outside over the last two weeks. Very 'Aliens'.

Here are some 3-D pictures of the boys at 25 weeks 2 days. (8.16.2011)

Baby A

Baby B

WEEK 27!!! Welcome to the THIRD TRIMESTER, BABIES!!!

Weight Gain: About 25 pounds since the FET in March.

Cravings: I still love fruit-- mainly watermelon :D I also drink a TON of ice water every day. It have to be cold--ice cold. I love it, but I don not love the number of bathroom trips I need to take every hour because of it!

Nauseous: I have found some new chewable vitamins and they make the nauseous side effects disappear. I think they are by the same company that makes the 'belly bars'. Dh says they taste like Flinstones vitamins to him.

Belly touches: DH, my cubette, MIL, Aunt, friend. . . the list continues to grow. AT least people ask :)

Feeling: Sad that DH has gone back to work. It's also strange when the babies move. Sometimes the movement gives me this uncomfortable feeling; almost a sad/depressed feeling. I wish I knew a better way to explain it. Perhaps I am just reminded each time how much I still have to do to get ready for them. I'm afraid it won't all get done in time. What if I have to go on bedrest? I haven't even picked out the paint for the nursery yet and the cribs are coming Saturday!

But other than that-- I feel pretty darn good physically. :)

Emotional state: (See above)

Movement: Like I said above, they move a lot, always in random spurts. DH is so surprised by how strongly they can kick and punch my belly. We still can't believe how lucky we are that they are in there!

Maternity clothes: I've got some nice outfits at this point. I especially love hanging out at home in my new nursing gown/PJ set. So comfy!

Nesting: We are almost decided on the paint color for the nursery. The cribs and dressers are coming Saturday. I ordered the mattresses last night (Naturepedic Organic lightweight). Now we wait for the 'Baby Shower' on the 24th until we buy most other items.

Baby purchases: I've decided to 'wrap-up' buying baby clothes until after the shower. I was too addicted to Zulily :) But I did buy a "Moby Wrap" today in 'forest green' and a fancy hospital gown in blue polka dots!

Baby gifts: .... I think the cupcakes my MIL and FIL are ordering for us for the shower count. We went for a tasting on Tuesday. They will match our Shower invites. (See below).

What are the Flavors, you ask???

Red Velvet cake with Cream Cheese Icing.

Chocolate cake with Mocha Buttercream.

Chocolate cake with Peanut Butter Icing.

Carrot Cake (raisin-free) with Vanilla Buttercream. . . YES.

WE'VE MOVED!!!

Yes, that's right. Finally.

I'd love to say it's all over but of course the un-packing, although much more fun to me, is tons of work. VERY time consuming especially for someone like me with obsessive tendencies AND the nesting instinct!

DH and I are still unpacking boxes of our own. Once we have finished that (hopefully) by the end of next week, I will begin working on the nursery. Too bad that will be just in time for DH to go back to work! :( I could seriously use his help now that I am a full-time stay at home Mommy.

We also had our 25 week check-up with the perinatologist on Tuesday. The babies look so damn amazing! I can't wait to get our scanner up and running so I can post some of the u/s pics! :) The are measuring ahead of schedule--even for singletons! All is looking great and hopefully we will have some very happy and healthy babies in November!

In other news we also attended our first two Childbirth Preparation Classes (CBP) over the last two Monday evenings. They are pretty good and we got to see a tour of the hospital and birthing areas with the instructor. DH and I also went on a private tour for parents of multiples and saw the Level 3 NICU. It was great to see such a nice facility, but we are hoping we won't need it.

My BIL also purchased us (babies mainly) a HUGE gift last Saturday. He bought both cribs, dressers and side rails for the boys! I can't wait to get them into the nursery-- as soon as we decide on the paint color! (I'd really love a warm grey).

Now for my week 25 stats! Our babies are as big as eggplants!!!

Weight Gain: I have been gaining almost exactly 2 pounds every week-- keeping me right on track for a Mom of twins.

Cravings: FRUIT, FRUIT, FRUIT! I hope I don't fail my Gestational diabetes test in the morning!

Nauseous: Good Gosh! I HATE taking my prenatal vitamins! They make me feel so incredibly sick!

Belly touches: DH and my MIL had one on Saturday--just wait until I run into my side of the family.

Feeling: Exhausted form all of the moving craziness. I'd love to be done, but I also know I need to do this now in case I end up on bed-rest later down the road.

Emotional state: Drained and ready for a vacation-- or at least a dip in the pool :)

Movement: They are moving all the time! But especially when I have been up for a while and then finally sit-- they react to the stillness. They are both head down right next to each other-- causing a LOT of kicking under my right ribs. That is the most uncomfortable part right now. I feel like they re getting stuck--that I have to keep readjusting how I sit so it doesn't feel like they are stuck.

Maternity clothes: Damn, even some of my maternity jeans are getting tight!

Nesting: THE WHOLE DAMN HOUSE!

Baby purchases: I couldn't believe it. I got excited about buying 'Dreft' laundry detergent to wash their clothes in! Next, I will call about having their closet organizer done.

Baby gifts: Like I said earlier, DH's Brother gave up a sweeeeeeet gift of their bedroom set!

Today is my V-day! 24 weeks!. . . and I'm fat!

We've made it to 24 weeks! This is known as the good 'ol Viability day, or "V-day"! This means babies born at this stage of the pregnancy have a chance at survival with today's medical technology, etc, etc. However, I have read that a baby was born at 21 weeks and survived as well. That is crazy!

All the same it is a huge milestone for us. It is finally beginning to settle in that these boys are coming home with us at some point. That they must be real--not just part of my imagination!

They are also kicking a moving around a lot. I will be curious to see what position they are in now at the next perinatologist appointment--mid-August.

I am also feeling big as a house. Looking at the drawing above it shows what a woman pregnant with a single, twins, triplets and quads looks like (approx.) at 24 weeks. That I, at 24 weeks, am as big as a singleton Mom at 32 weeks! No wonder I feel like there is nothing I can wear anymore! I pretty much want to live in my stretchy pants, but DH thinks they look bad. So I can't wear them out. I also tried on a dress I bought at the end of June on Zulily hoping to wear it about this point of the pregnancy. I put it on and it felt a little big yet, but more on the side of roomy and comfortable. Problem is, I showed it to DH and he said he didn't like it either. That is didn't "show my shape well."

I tried to tell him, "I have no shape anymore. My shape is 'huge'". I got pretty discouraged. I couldn't find anything that was remotely comfortable for humid Wisconsin in August that showed any kind of 'shape' he might be remembering. I sat there and cried about how much weight I have gained in the last year. I had worked so hard to get in down to a pretty good place. And then--two ectopic pregnancies, IVF, FET, bedrest, medication, stress and 24 weeks of preggo-ness happened. I wouldn't change the way things have gone because my babies are growing at the rate of singletons in there. But it is still very frustrating not being able to wear the things you want without looking ridiculous!

So, the 'girl you remember with that shape'???

That girl has died. That shape--went with her. And you helped me kill her! :)

The woman standing in front of you that is 24 weeks pregnant with twin boys is not (unfortunately) shaped like before. OR shaped like any of the uber-skinny women who got pregnant and even now weigh less that I did before the pregnancy. *Sigh*

So begins the balance between comfort and appearance. Do I wear extremely uncomfortable outfits that make me look slightly better? Or do I say, "Screw what everyone else thinks, I could nap in this damnit!"

Week 23 stats!

While awaiting the big move into our new place (which we hope to have happen next week) I am trying to find some spare time to keep up with my good 'ol blog here. Darn, it has been hard the last few weeks! BUT! We have officially moved out of and SOLD our old house. Now we are staying with my in-laws (yes, my in-laws) for about 11 days until we close on the new place.

Sheesh! I can't wait to start sharing photos of the new nursery!!!

Week 23 stats! The babies are as big as Papayas!!!

Weight Gain: Since the FET, I have gained approx 20 lbs. Good grief. I hope I only gain about another 10 by the end of the pregnancy since it should be slowing down beginning next week!

Cravings: Still love Coke with ice and I also cannot get enough fruit! Pretty much all kinds but I have been devouring peaches in the mornings and love watermelon.

Nauseous: When I need to eat or when I need to roll over at night and find myself in a strange position.

Belly touches: DH, and now I've told my MIL she can one a day at night while we are staying with her. I know she'll like that, even though I feel strange as Hell. :)

Feeling: Pretty good but still dragging by the end of the day. I decided to have a "Spa Day" today to help me relax. Things are so much cheaper near my in-laws, away from the big city. I had a massage, facial, manicure and pedicure. The woman who did my massage and nail appointments was also pregnant, although about two months behind me with a singleton. It was nice to talk with her about a few pregnancy topics and get pampered at the same time. I feel much better now. :D

Emotional state: We are awaiting completion of each of the items from our home inspection. As you might imagine, things will be up in the air and tinged with the stench of stress until we have signed the papers and moved in. I also feel less able to accept things and be tolerant.

Movement: Moving throughout the day quite a bit. But there is no consistent schedule I've noticed, but they seem to move most at the beginning and end of the day.

Maternity clothes: I can't wear much of anything outside of maternity clothes these days. There are some stretchy T-shirts and tanks I can still wear, but I only like to wear them if they are long. I have also recently purchased a few Fall sweaters for when the weather turns and some organic/bamboo pads "Bamboobies" for any "nip-leakage". I can't wait for that day. . . .

Nesting: As soon as we move in to the new place (fingers crossed) next week the massive nesting begins!

Baby purchases: Tons of clothes, shoes, a few books and soon we will purchase the bedroom set(s).

Baby gifts: None this week, but we are anxiously awaiting the shower in September/ October.