Anatomy Scan Day!

We got home around 6:30pm local time last night, a 3hr time difference from Cali and were pleasantly surprised that my ILs were here, they brought Abby down to the city for us!  We missed her so much and totally thought we'd be driving up there to get her tonight, so that was an awesome surprise to come home to :)  I tried to get to bed at a reasonable time, a little tough with the time difference, but I had been up really early, so I managed to nod off.  A/S was booked for 8:15am this morning.  I woke up around 2am and had trouble getting back to sleep.  I just kept praying that both babies would be healthy and active and perfect.  We got up and headed to the hospital for our appt. 

When I got in there, the tech had not been informed there were twins, so she was a bit surprised.  She told me to expect it to take 2 hrs (my OB nurse told me an hour, the tech said an hour PER baby - kind of a big difference).  I texted H and told him to go get some coffee or something, no point sitting in the waiting room for that long.  They do all of the measurements and stuff first, and then they let the spouse come in.  So up on the table, pants still on (woo hoo!  That's always a mini victory!) and we got started.  The tech was a young girl, she was really nice and friendly throughout, which helped.  She just kept remarking how active the babies were, from the moment she put the probe down, she was like, "wow, these babies are seriously moving all over the place!"  We ended up inverting the table like 45 degrees, head toward the ground, to get the right angles.  It wasn't awesome, as the blood rushed to my head for 20mins at a time, but I was determined to get everything we needed today so I wouldn't have to come back to do this again!  Finally, after the longest u/s ever (about an hour and a half) she left to make sure she had everything she needed.  H & I were texting back and forth, I was anxious to see the babies and have him come in.  Finally she brought him in and turned the screen to face us.  We started with Baby A.  Started at the head and moved our way down, limb by limb, looking at every little part.  We saw the skull outline and the brain, the face - little nose and lips and chin, the heart beating away and the chambers going strong, we saw the arms and legs, the outline of the whole spine.  Baby A was definitely wiggling all over the place, haha, no wonder it was tough to get all the measurements!  Then we got to the feet - OMG baby feet, so adorable!  And then the money shot.  So often I hear people say "oh yeah, there it is" and I smile and nod and pretend like I see what they're talking about.  Not in this case!  It was very obvious that we were looking at our little boy!  A BOY!!!!  We're having a son!  ::swoon::  Let that sink in for a moment.  My husband, who I love more than anything (well, he's got competition now!) is going to have a son.  I am going to be a mom to a little boy, a son!  Wow.  My heart just melted. 

Then over to Baby B.  Same process, we started at the head, examining every inch, it was seriously amazing to watch my baby moving and kicking!  Literally, we saw some serious kicks happening in there!  We might have a soccer player on our hands.  We also got a thumbs up, and a full, open hand wave too!  Then again, down to the cute little baby feet that just tug at my heart strings and then to the goods.  Brother?  Sister??  What's it going to be?!  Took me a moment or two longer to know what I was seeing, but sure enough, Baby B is our little girl!!  I don't know if I can possibly be any happier, or feel any more love, I could just burst!  A son AND a daughter?!?!  It's everything I have ever dreamed of - well, maybe not at the same time, but close enough!  And now, here I am, carrying my son and my daughter and I am on cloud nine.

Cloud freaking nine over here.  

<3 <3 <3

19 Weeks!

How far along:  19 weeks  (and 4 days now)
Babies are the size of:  Mangoes.  A twins website I was looking at said they're more like 5.2-6" long.
What's happening:  Developing a protective coating over their skin, called vernix caseosa. It's greasy and white and you may see some of it at her birth.  They're also working on their five senses. Nerve cells for sense of taste, hearing, sight and smell are developing in the brain.
Maternity Clothes:  I am wearing a mix of maternity clothes and my regular clothes.
Stretch Marks: Nope
Sleep:  Oh sleep, how I miss you.  I had a lot of trouble sleeping this past week.  We were on vacation, so not my bed, plus out being tourists all day did not help my back or hip pain.
Symptoms: The back and hip pain.  I've also had some heartburn flare ups, they're not fun, but H is always prepared since he suffers from it really badly, and regularly.
Best Moment of the Week:  Besides being on our babymoon (yes, I totally just called it a babymoon!), the night before I hit 19 weeks, H & I were snuggled up in bed after a long day and I had been mentioning how much I am looking forward to feeling the babies move.  H snuggled up on my tummy and was listening and trying to feel for them (did I mention we just got back from a bew pub he thoroughly enjoyed???).  I started poking a little, haha, and then there it was!  We both felt a swift response to all my poking!  We felt a few different movements or kicks here and there, it was a really special and amazing moment, and I'm glad we got to share it together.  I've felt them almost ever day since, just a little here and there, but wow, what a seriously amazing feeling.  Be still my heart <3
Miss Anything:  The belly button ring is out, and I miss it, my tummy looks naked without it!  lol.  Also, wine and cocktails, especially after being on vacation!
Cravings/Aversions:  Chocolate, candy (like sour gummy worms, type candy), chips, nothing too out there.
Showing Yet: I'm going to go with yes on that one, haha.  In baggier shirts and stuff, I could still hide it if I wanted to, but there is no denying this growing bump!
Mood: I cannot believe how fast the time seems to be going lately!  I'm like half way through my pregnancy, wtf?!  I still am in disbelief at times that I'm really pregnant, that this is really all happening for us.  But now the growing bump and feeling them move is a pretty apt reminder that I am in fact pregnant, and it's amazing.  I feel so grateful every day and I am so in love with these babies it's overwhelming.  I am also beyond in love with my H, I know I'm getting mushy here, but I love traveling with him, and it was really amazing to carve out some special time just for us, to go away and explore a new place, just enjoy each other's company.  I am just so full of love I could burst!
What I am Looking Forward to:  Writing my next post....  :D

19 Weeks, crappy hotel room photo!

And a couple from our fantastic California trip :)

18 Weeks!

 How far along:  18 weeks
Babies are the size of:  Sweet potatoes.  A twins website I was looking at said they're more like 5" long and 5.25oz each, so somewhere in and around there anyways!
What's happening:  Bones are starting to harden.  Inner ear bones are among the first, so babies can hear my voice/heartbeat.  They are yawning, sucking, swallowing and moving all around - may start to feel them soon!
Maternity Clothes:  I am wearing a mix of maternity clothes and my regular clothes.  I bought some mat leggings and yoga pants yesterday - oh.my.gawd. they are amazingly comfortable.
Stretch Marks: Nope
Sleep:  Not great lately, waking a lot, tossing and turning, hard to get comfy.
Symptoms: I am happy to report the headaches, knock on wood, have eased up a bit this week, thank goodness!  I had some serious back pain and stretching/growing pains in my abdomen last night and some wicked heartburn.  I've also noticed my appetite has increased, I'm definitely eating more in a sitting than I used!
Best Moment of the Week:  I think I may have felt something last night.  I have been so eager for this, I'm such a nerd, I lie on the couch in the evenings, really still, sometimes even holding my breath, and just see if I can feel anything.  It's always been a whole lot of 'nope!'  But as I was lying in bed last night, I thought that maybe, just maybe I was feeling something.  I can't be sure, it might have been some digestive rumblings, haha, but the prospect that maybe it was one or both of them was pretty damn awesome.  I can't wait to start really feeling them.
Miss Anything:  Today I want wine - work stress is at an all time high and not that I think drowning your sorrows with wine is a good go-to option, I would so love some right about now.  I am prematurely going to say my belly button ring.  I think it's about time to take it out.  I don't know exactly why I'm so attached to it, but it's a hard one for me to part with.  I've taken out other piercings, but this was my first, non-ear, piercing, I've had it for 14yrs, I don't even know my tummy without it!  But it's starting to protrude a little, and you can see it through many tighter fitting/certain material shirts, which doesn't look nice.  I know I could put it back in later, maybe, but I also know just from the kids I've been around, especially when they're little and you're holding them and they're squirmy, I would really hate for it to get torn out (ouch!).  Sigh, it's like saying good bye to a part of my youth.  Oh belly button ring, I will miss you dearly (whenever I finally get around to taking it out, but I think it will be soon).
Cravings/Aversions:  I'm all over the map - sweets, chocolate, mini cupcakes (thanks Chickin!) to salty kettle chips and cheesy garlic bread.  But always fresh fruit, pineapple is the best thing ever these days.
Showing Yet: I'm getting the feeling this answer is going to be the same going forward!  I think I'm really starting to "pop"!
Mood: Disbelief that I'm 18 weeks - in twin pregnancies, that's just about half way there - holy crap!  I'm liking the fact I think I'm starting to look more pregnant and not just fat, haha, although it's still a big mental adjustment seeing my body change so much.  H couldn't be sweeter though, he is so complimentary and is helping to bolster my self esteem.  I'm also stoked that H and I are escaping next week on a babymoon!  We need a getaway, we need one last trip that's spontaneous and we can just focus on us.  We're big travelers and know that's going to change (at least for a little while, and definitely the way we travel and the trips we do) so it's important for us to do this.  On the work front - suffice it to say, it's stressing me the fuck out.  I'm fairly positive I won't have a job to come back to and I'm fighting to not get screwed for the remaining few months I am here.  It's a fan-fucking-tastic day over here.
What I am Looking Forward to:  Going to San Francisco on Sunday!!  I am so excited to get away from it all.  I'm also counting down to our A/S on the 29th - planning a week vacation in there really helps make the time go by faster though!

18 Weeks!

17 weeks!

How far along:  17 weeks
Babies are the size of:  Onions
What's happening:  Their rubbery cartilage is now turning to bone, they are also putting on some fat now.  Mastered some simple reflexes like swallowing, sucking and blinking.
Maternity Clothes:  Some pieces since they're comfy, especially to go out and look decent, haha, but working at home it's mostly sweats here.
Stretch Marks: Nope
Sleep:  Some nights are better than others.  
Symptoms: Headaches have been the worst/most annoying symptom.  For example, this one started last night at 8pm...then I woke up and it was still there.  By lunch time it has just dissipated - we'll see for how long.  I've also got some back pain.
Best Moment of the Week:  Hearing the heartbeats at the OB on Tues and getting the results from our 1st tri screening :)
Miss Anything:  Not being out of breath after 2 flights of stairs!  
Cravings/Aversions:  Random things here and there, this week I really wanted potatoes.  And Fudgeeo's.  Told you it's random.
Showing Yet: I feel like I'm really starting to expand quickly.  And this will be even bigger by night time, after dinner, haha.  Some shirts really make it look bigger too, I've noticed.
Mood: Pretty good overall.  As a planner, it surprises me that we have done so little in preparation for these babies, I blame IF brain for not wanting to do much early on, but now all of a sudden I'm feeling the need to get going, especially on physical things I may not want to do later, like paint the nursery.  I'm nervous to do things too early still, but I also don't want to put off doing everything and then realize I'm huge and don't want to paint or put cribs together, haha.  We are still working on purging and making space, so at least that's something.
What I am Looking Forward to:  Our a/s is booked for Sept 29!  I am praying to see two healthy wiggling babies (but not too wiggly, so we get all the measurements) who are willing to cooperate, because I am eager to find out who's in there!

17 weeks!

This and that

I finally saw my OB today, it's been 3 weeks since I've seen the babies (since my NT Scna) and my IF brain started to run away with me.  I started getting nervous and paranoid and was just really looking forward to getting some reassurance today.  Fortunately my OB didn't keep me waiting too long (just regular doctor late, cause aren't they always?) and she started by going over my first tri screening results.  Everything looks great, came back in normal ranges, low odds for any issues and the NT measurement looked perfect.  Whew!  That was so good to hear.  I know it still doesn't offer any guarantees, but I'll take it!  Then we went over more b/w, everything is looking good, besides of course my thyroid but we're working on that.  Then, on to the fun part - up on the table (pants on!  I still get excited about this!) and out came the doppler.  And then I heard it, the perfect, most amazing sound ever - babies' heartbeats.  I'm not sure there is anything else that can possibly sound that good.  It was so reassuring to hear them beating away, both around 150, so nice and strong.  I felt like I could breath a sigh of relief.  Babies are still in there, hearts beating and doing well.  I am a happy woman :)

We will also be booking my a/s, the nurse is booking the appt and should be calling with the date/time (any time now).  They wrote down week 18, so hopefully it will be soon and I don't have to wait too long to see the babies again.  There's a little part of me that's nervous, of course I'm just praying that everything looks good for both babies, but I'm trying to focus on the positives, especially after a good morning.  I am also hoping that they cooperate so we can find out who's in there!  I have had one very vivid dream where we had one boy and one girl, and a second dream where I remember saying, "well we at least know that one is a girl".  I have no idea if that amounts to anything or not, but I'm definitely eager to find out what we're having.

On another note, we went to one of my BFF's engagement party on Sat night, lots of girls I went to high school with who I wouldn't quite describe as my friends, but acquaintances; we only see each other because of my BFF.  Anyways, it was the first really public setting in which news of my pregnancy was out there.  It was a little overwhelming, everyone was asking us questions and congratulating us, asking if twins run in the family (some I brushed it off, a few I was a little more open with), lots of bump touching!  I have to say it was all a little strange.  Not in a bad way necessarily, it was just the most public we've been about my pregnancy and it took a little adjusting to realize this isn't much of a secret anymore!  But with this growing bump, I'm pretty sure it's not going to be a secret to anyone we see in the near future anyways!

Update: Anatomy scan scheduled for Sept 29 - 20 days and counting!

16 Weeks!

How far along:  16 weeks
Babies are the size of:  Avocados
What's happening:  Tiny bones in their ears are forming, meaning they can hear my voice!  I think this is so cool....except that the first thing they're hearing is mommy hacking up a lung :S  They're growing hair, lashes and eyebrows.  Taste buds are also forming.
Maternity Clothes:  Working at home in my sweats is amazing, but I do wear my mat capris/pants to dress up a little more to go out.
Stretch Marks: Nope
Sleep:  Some nights are better than others.  It's been a rough week with this cold.
Symptoms: Headaches have been the worst/most annoying symptom.  I've also got some back pain, RLP, and some stretching/cramping.  All of the sneezing and coughing has also led to sore/tender abs - that practically counts as exercising my abs, right?  Right??
Best Moment of the Week:  Hitting 16 weeks?  It's been a rough week here.
Miss Anything:  Breathing properly, not having coughing fits while trying to talk to clients on the phone.
Cravings/Aversions:  Chicken noodle soup this week.
Showing Yet: The bump is growing!
Mood: Please see yesterday's whine fest, haha.  I hate being sick.
What I am Looking Forward to:  Hopefully getting over this cold.  

16 Weeks!

Whine-fest

**Warning: whining ahead, proceed with caution**

I am super whiny today.  I may as well just admit that right off the bat.  I went to visit my friend last week, she has twins who will be 2 in Nov.  Half way through my visit, she and her FI were talking about how one of the boys had had a fever the night before.  Um, really?  Your kid has had a fever in the last 24hrs and you invited your pregnant friend over without a heads up or even mentioning it?  Ugh, I hate when people fail to mention a sick person when you're going there, or come over sick - please don't spread your germs around!

So Friday night of the last long weekend of the summer, and I feel it - the sore throat.  That sign that you pretend to ignore, hoping it will just go away, but nope, it's the sign of what is yet to come.  I barely slept that night, or the next night, or the next night.  I spent the weekend on the couch nursing my cold, thinking if I just let my body focus on getting better, I could get over this cold quickly.  Wishful thinking.  By Monday night I asked some PAIF friends about OTC meds because I was just miserable.  I also called my OB's office when it opened yesterday morning to confirm what meds I am allowed to take.  I took Sudafed yesterday which seemed to help with the congestion a bit, so I was hopeful yet again, that a good night sleep and I'd be on the mend!  Except that I woke up at 6am feeling like it has moved into my chest, coughing and having a sneezing fit.  I am just so over this.  I just want this cold to GTFO already, seriously.

Then I got a call from my GP's office, I had b/w last week to check my thyroid.  My levels were off a month ago so we adjusted my meds and the b/w was to see if that helped to bring it back into a normal limit.  Apparently not.  My TSH is 3.96 which is definitely too high, so they're calling in a new script for me.  I know we've been treating this, so that's a plus, but I also did a lot of reading before I got pregnant on the importance of your thyroid during pregnancy and especially already being hypothyroid, I knew I need to keep it in check and have it checked frequently.  I guess I'm mostly annoyed because my RE was the first one to drop the ball, I had to ask to check my levels, then stupid me assumed no news was good news like most doctors here, but two weeks later found out it was way too high.  Took me 2 weeks to get into my GP to get a new script, 4 weeks to let it do it's thing and have b/w to check, only to find out it's still too high.  I really hope it gets under control, it's sort of stressing me out.

Well, I warned you this would be whiny, if you've read all of this, you deserve some eggos, here, I'll share: