Sweet Sounds

Today Wes and I heard our babies' heartbeats for the first time.  The nurse had told us at our last appointment that we would get to hear them when we came today and that we would have an ultrasound at every appointment.  The doctor said that it was maybe too early (11 weeks today) to hear the heartbeat and that she wasn't going to do an ultrasound either.  We were a little bummed.  She did the exam and when she was finishing up she asked if we had any other questions.  Wes looked sad and asked if we couldn't just try to see if we could hear the heartbeats.  She just didn't want us to get worried if we didn't hear them because the ultrasound portion of the office was closed and it could just be too early.  She didn't want us to get worked up over nothing.  But then she said "oh alright, he looks so sad".  I was glad because I wouldn't have asked but I was bumming.  She brought the sonogram machine over and after a few second she found a heartbeat.  It was the sweetest wooshing sound.  Then she said it may be hard to pick out two different heartbeats.  She moved it to the other side of my belly and that heartbeat was much louder.  It was such an amazing feeling.  We had seen their hearts beating at our previous ultrasounds, but hearing it is so much better.  It made everything even more real for us!  

The other good news is she decided to do an ultrasound on Monday, just to have a baseline for the size of my uterus.  So we will get to see them one day before 12 weeks.  After that she said we will have an ultrasound at every appointment after 20 weeks.  So I'm thinking we won't be having the BIG ultrasound until the end of January......that's sooooo far away.  I'm so curious to know what is growing inside of me.  I have a feeling that there is at least one girl in there.  I have no idea why, I just do.

The other thing we discussed is how long I will carry  the babies.  She said I need to get to 24 to 26 weeks for a chance of survival.  After 28 weeks their odds are much better.  If I get to 32 weeks we can breathe a sigh of relief and if I get to 35 weeks we are "golden".  She also said that if I would happen to get to 38 weeks she would say enough and we would have the babies then.   She slightly discussed c-sections, but said we had time to think about that.  I really didn't want that but the odds are I will have to.  She said if both babies are head down and ready to go,  I could still end up having one by c-section.  My thought is why have pain in both places?  We will see as time goes by what the babies will be deciding for me anyways.  It is just crazy to think that in 6 months I will be a mother of 2!!!!!!!!  Life is great!!!!!!!!!!!

Rough Weekend

This weekend I drove straight from my literacy conference in Columbus to Findlay for Genoa's big state semi-finals football game.  We lost but it was a great game.  I finally got home around 11:00 and then went straight to bed for what I was hoping would be a long relaxing night of sleep.  However, I was awakened by the horrible pinching pain in my head.  This was the second weekend in a row that I got a migraine.  This one was worse.  It started at 4:00 a.m. and this pain like someone was squeezing my brain happened about every other minute for 3 hours.  Finally at 7:00 it stopped and I got to sleep for like an hour.  When I woke up for the day I felt nauseous and had the most horrible headache.  I could not get out of bed or open my eyes.  Lights and sound hurt so bad.  I spent the entire day in bed.  I only got up to shower but felt like I was going to pass out in the shower, so back to bed I went.  Sunday was more of the same.  Even though I was in bed, I couldn't sleep because the pain was so bad.  Finally, Sunday around noon I called the doctor and they said I  needed to go the ER because they couldn't prescribe anything over the phone.

We got to the hospital and they gave me a shot of Nubane and some Zofrane (sp.?) for the nausea.  I felt a little better but completely woozy and out of it.  We went to my parents house and I laid around at their house all day.  I took today (Monday) off of work because I again woke up with a headache.  It is just now subsiding slightly.  We go to the doctor for our next ultrasound tomorrow and I am going to discuss this with her.  It was completely debilitating all weekend.  I can't take much because I'm pregnant but I was so uncomfortable.  Hopefully this is not an every weekend thing.  I am 11 weeks pregnant and most of my books say that the hormonal headaches lessen with the second trimester because my hormones will balance out and my body will become used to being pregnant.  I sure hope so because that starts next week for me.  

On a side note, I love my mom so much.  She stopped over after she got out of work today to check on me.  I was starting to feel better so she helped get my butt in gear.  Wes and I are procrastinators when it comes to cleaning and organizing our little house.  We don't have enough space for all of our stuff (just imagine when the babies are here!!!!!) and we get overwhelmed with finding a place for things.  I also hate ironing more than anything so that was piling up.  My mom has been taking home some of my ironing whenever she stops over and today she helped me organize a bunch of things in our bedroom.  I wish I had the drive to do those things on my own but I am just tired and don't care.  But once it is done,  I always appreciate the help!  I hope that this changes for me because I would like to think that I will do that for my kids.  She learned it from her mom, hopefully I will too.  We'll see!

Maternity Clothes

Ok, so as I said I am starting to show and it has become increasingly uncomfortable to wear my regular pants. All of my work pants are completely uncomfortable without the bella band. So today my mom and I went shopping before and after our lunch with the girlies of our family. We went to Old Navy, Kohl's, and Babies R' Us. It was so much fun. I found some great deals on cute tops and a dress at Old Navy. My major downfall is pants. I have no hips and I swear that all maternity pants are designed for curvier women. This just doesn't work for me. But then when we walked into Gap I found the most wonderful things- maternity jeans and dress pants that fit me!!!!!! Hallelujah!

The major downfall is they are ridiculously expensive. Luckily my sister gave me a 30% off coupon and so now I will be comfortable and fashionable! Thank you Gap gods!!

Happier Thoughts

Now that I got my work issues off of my chest I can talk about the things that make me happy in life. I felt that this needed its own post because I do not want any of my negativity towards my job to rub off on my beautiful babies! I am currently 9 weeks pregnant and happy to report that I feel awesome. I had headaches every day for about a month straight but (knock on wood) none in last few days. Besides the headaches, I'm exhausted. But that is it!!!! I do not feel nauseous (sp?) at all. The doctor says that all is well and at our appointment the babies were definitely growing and moving! I guess I am just one of those lucky pregnant people. (Before any of you who were sick a lot get annoyed at that comment, think about what I went through to get here - it is similar to the people who told me that "they weren't even trying to get pregnant" or "it was an oops baby") I deserve one easy part of reproduction! If it makes you feel better I have had to get up to pee in the middle of the night every night since before I even knew I was pregnant.

My stomach is definitely sticking out more, but until my belly button pops out I just kind of feel fat. Wes picked me up two of the tummy tubes, or bella bands, that hold up your "normal" pants. That was a god send. Today was my first day that I didn't have to rush home to change into my jammies because I was so uncomfortable. I can just leave my pants unbuttoned and the band holds them up! Amazing! Wes also got me a really cute shirt that says "Baby makes the belly go round". I love my husband more than anything!

We go to our regular OB on Friday for our first appointment with them. We are actually only meeting with the nurse to go over medical history and all that jazz. Our first appointment with the doctor will be on the 25th. I cannot believe how fast this is all going. At that point I will be 11 weeks! Time flies when you're having fun.

My only negative experience so far during this pregnancy came when we were down visiting Wes' family. One of his step-mom's family members decided I would probably want to hear about all of the sets of twins that she knew where one or both of the babies died. She rattled off three different stories to me about this. Common sense should have told her to shut her mouth and think before she said something really thoughtless. I didn't know what to say and she had me backed into a corner. I just kind of nodded and walked away as soon as I could. Looking back I would now have asked her how she could possibly think I would want to hear that. But I didn't so now I just know that I will be staying away from her at all family functions and not speaking to her about my pregnancy. If you don't have enough common sense to realize that would be a really stupid story to tell a person who is carrying twins, then I have nothing to say to you. Thank you very much! Look at me go I'm all nerved up again. Time to relax and unwind so that I can enjoy what is left of my evening.

Meet Our Gummi Bears!

We got to see our babies again today and it was amazing. They were wiggling around and their hearts were beating strong and steady. It was the coolest thing we've ever seen before. We are now released to Dr. Kanios, our regular OB, and Dr. Karnitis, the fertility specialist, said all looks wonderful. He says I am through the hard part. Well, until the babies are here and I'm totally stressed. It was so nice to see the doctor and the nurses who have been such a huge part of our lives for the last year and half. They were all so happy for us and said they want to see pictures of the babies!

Here is the first picture of our twins at 6 weeks and 3 days:





And here they are at 8 weeks and 3 days. I love the caption that Dr. Karnitis put on it. It says Hi Grandma and Grandpa from the Twins!!!

8 weeks and counting...

So everyone already knows that we are having twins by now and the thought has finally sunk in.  I cannot even imagine what our lives will be like once they arrive but we are so excited.  We had our first ultrasound on October 23rd and as soon as it came on the screen I knew it.  There were two very distinct blobs (I say that with all the love in my heart because they are my babies) with beating hearts.  We were not told the heart rate but that everything looked as good as it possibly could at that point.  I measured 6 weeks and 3 days and the doctor said I was due in the middle of June.  However, with twins the gestational period is about a month shorter so they will probably arrive around the middle of May.  

We go back on Thursday, when I will be 8 weeks and 3 days, and the babies should look like little gummy bears.  They have arms and legs and eyes.  I'm so excited.  I have felt very good minus the headaches that I have every day and I'm exhausted by the end of the day.  But no nausea which I appreciate but it makes me nervous.  I just want to see that everything is progressing as it should.  I have no reason to believe otherwise, but I'm on edge from what happened before and because I have a high-risk pregnancy because it is twins.  I'm trying to stay positive and think of all the amazing changes that are taking place every day inside my body.  I am growing two humans!!!!! That is an amazing miracle!

Wes and I started to discuss names.  We have always loved Mya and Parker, so if it is one of each we will definitely name them that.  If it is two boys we like Parker Paul and Tate Thomas.  If it is two girls we like Mya Claire and possibly Stella Grace.  I also really love the name Lucy.  I am working on Wes with that one.  We do have time to think about this but this is probably one of the biggest decisions we will make.  It will be with them for life and so I want to be sure that we really love it.  Suggestions are greatly appreciated!!!!