3rd Trimester - 28 weeks!

How far along:  28 weeks - hello 3rd tri!

Babies are the size of:  Eggplants
What's happening:  Babies are developing more fat, skin is getting smoother.  Lungs are fairly mature and their brains are developing more tissue. They would have a good chance of survival if born at this point, but clearly I want to keep them cooking a good while longer!

Maternity Clothes: Pants, always, tops, mostly - I bought them, I may as well wear them!
Stretch Marks: Nope, knock on wood.

Sleep:  Ongoing struggle, last night was thankfully a little better, I'll take what I can get!
Symptoms: I'm getting more uncomfortable - I mean, it's all still manageable, but still.  We have a LOT of stairs in this house, it's always disappointing to realize I forgot something all the way upstairs, but the time I get there I'm out of breath, and still have to come back down!  My cankles are just lovely, and my fingers have swollen a bit too, I had to take some of my rings off, including my wedding ring :(  My engagement ring is the only one that still fits, I hope I can keep wearing at least that one.
Best Moment of the Week:  This was a great FU IF week in my world!  One of my closest friends finally got a much deserved BFP and I have been on cloud 9 ever since!  Love you and your ninjas!!!  <3  Two other very good friends also got long awaited BFPs, so I am just so over the moon for all 3 of them, I'm praying so hard that this is the start of a long and healthy nine months for them all!  And in my world, I'm still happy about the u/s results and a little amazed at how big these babies are!  

Miss Anything:  Sleep.
Cravings/Aversions:  I eat, a LOT lately.  Cereal is always a good option!
Showing Yet: You know it!
Mood: I've been all kinds of sappy!!  Every time I think of Cici and her ninjas, or how incredibly happy I am for her, I cry, again!  I can't believe I'm in 3rd trimester, where has the time gone?!  I can't believe that in roughly 10 weeks, give or take (you never know with twins!) I am going to have babies - TWO BABIES!!  I am seriously more in love with my H than ever before.  It is amazing to see him starting to fall into role of dad.  I know the babies aren't here yet, but the way he talks to them and about them, how supportive he is of me, how often he tells me what a rockstar I am and how great I'm doing, always encouraging me - it seriously just melts my heart.  I can't wait to see the relationship form between him and our babies.  (Where did I put that Kleenex??  I told you I'm sappy!)
What I am Looking Forward to:  I'm going away for the weekend with my mom!  I think I wrote about this before (damn pregnancy brain, I really can't remember!) but we had to postpone, so we are leaving tomorrow to go to this cute small town, B&B.  It's their Santa Clause parade tomorrow and the weather is supposed to be decent.  It'll be a nice get away for us both :)

28 weeks!

Ultrasound follow up

I called my OB's office yesterday but they unfortunately didn't have my results yet.  Grrrrr.  I just want information!  The nurse gave me the usual spiel, that the doctor will review and call if there's any reason or concern.  I was honest with her and told her that I hate to be a pest, but I really do like information, allllll the information!!  She said that if I didn't hear from her by Wed to give her a call back.  Well, she just called with my report, yay!  First, thank you for remembering to call me and not leave me wondering for another day, and thanks for not making me feel like a crazy person, I just like information, what can I say??

Cervical length looks great at 3.1 - yay!  I've had so much pressure in my pelvis, my hips have been so sore, I just really needed to confirm that everything was ok - there are two babies in there weighing down on it, so this reassurance goes a long way in easing my mind!

I also found out how the twins are doing!
Baby boy: measuring in the 61%, 27w3d and weighing 1049g (Google says 2.3lbs)
Baby girl: measuring in the 60%, 27w2d and weighing 984g (Google says 2.16lbs)

I feel so much better knowing how things are going, I really hadn't had an u/s or much info since our A/S at 19w, so it's huge for me to know things are looking good, and clearly the babies are doing well - those are some good size babies I'm working on!  It always helps me feel like I know them just a little bit more when I learn something new about them :)  It also makes me feel better as since I'm getting big, in a hurry - that's a lot of baby in there!  I'm a happy mama today!

27 Weeks and wrapping up 2nd tri!

I just need to rant for a moment before I get to the good stuff.  I was paranoid and annoyed after my last OB appt 2 weeks ago that they didn't check my cervix (especially since a lot of people I chat with on the interwebz, friends and BMB folks) seem to have lately run into serious issues.  I got it in my head and just wanted to ensure everything looked ok.  My OB was on vacation so I went to see the fill in doctor.  I liked her better than my OB, unfortunately!  Anyway, she was happy to send me for an u/s to check things out and give me the reassurance I really needed.  So I went today, and I had the most awful experience.  I got called into the wrong room and then had a 5 mins discussion about how no, my name was not Jane Smith, not sure how she thought that would change over the course of our discussion, but a long 5 mins later, she asked me to leave the exam room because I wasn't her patient.  I ended up in the other exam room with a woman who looked at my forms, I mentioned it's twins, and she rolled her eyes so hard I thought they'd get stuck.  Sorry to inconvenience you?  ::shoulder shrug::  So up on the table, I cannot tell you how many times she looked at the papers, asked me to confirm:

Her: So Baby A is....::looks at paper::...on the left
Me: Yup, on the left.

Her: Ok, just checking.

5 minutes later.

Her: So Baby A is....::looks at paper::...on the left
Me: Yup, still on the left.

Her: Ok, just checking.

This conversation happened no less than 25 times over the course of the next 40 mins.  There are two babies, one on the left, one on the right, one is a boy, one is a girl, one is head down, one is head up - how many times do you possibly have to verify that Baby A is still, in fact, on the left??  I seriously was ready to lose it.  I do not think she has every done and u/s before, if she has, I'd bet she's never done twins.  She was so confused, and so lost, and generally seemed totally incompetent.  At the end, I asked what they both weigh now, or how my cervical length was, but by this time she's rushing me off the table, just kept saying, "Talk to your doctor" (which ok, fine, in Canada, techs aren't supposed to tell you anything but still, she was really rude about it).  Then I'm trying to wipe off the massive amount of goop she used with a face cloth sized already messy little towel when she begins to lecture me about how when I book appts I need to tell them it's twins.  I told her I didn't book the appt, the receptionist at my OB's office did.  *I also had my 13w scan there, you're looking at the papers that talked about my twin pregnancy - really??  You were that surprised??  So there I am, wiping all this crap off myself and getting decent, getting my stuff together and she's already got the exam door open, rushing me out, while the next patient is basically standing in the doorway.  Grrrr.  Hopefully I can call my doctor's office on Monday for some info and the results.  All I can assume is that if there was something wrong or concerning, they would have said something or sent me somewhere else.....right??  To focus on the positives - I got to see my babies today, for all of 90 seconds, but I'll take it.  And I learned that Baby boy (A) is head down, which is a good position for him to be in.  She is currently head up, but that can still change.  Ok, that's my rant about my horrible u/s scan - I will be looking for another lab for the next scan.  Jerks.

How far along:  27 weeks!

Babies are the size of:  Rutabagas
What's happening:  Babies are practicing breathing by now. Apparently if you shine a light on your stomach, they may respond - how cool is that?!  Babies also now have brain activity!  The brain will continue to develop and become more complex.  

 Maternity Clothes:  Maternity pants always, some of my regular tops still fit but usually I wear my maternity tops, they're just comfy and hell, I bought them, I may as well get as much use out of them as possible!

Stretch Marks: Nope, knock on wood.
Sleep:  I finally slept half decently last night (just don't ask my husband - pretty sure I was not pleasant to sleep next to, with my 'loud breathing' - I refuse to concede and use the "s" word :P )  My friend gave me a snoogle which is helping, but yeah, sleep is just hit or miss, mostly miss lately.  It's so annoying to be so tired and to sleep so poorly.
Symptoms: Heartburn comes and goes, I'm easily winded by too much talking or a flight of stairs - it's awesome.  My hips have been awful lately, they're sore and uncomfortable and really bother me, all day and night.  It also doesn't help me avoid the pregnant waddle.  BH are fairly common, and just the other day I noticed my cankles and indent from my socks, so I guess we can add feet swelling to the list!  Pregnancy is glamourous!
Best Moment of the Week:  My shower!  It was so awesome, I love walking by our nursery now and seeing baby stuff in there.  And I'm super happy we have a second car seat, that was high on my list.  We've also been working away on the house and nursery to do list.  We worked on this last night - I know it's nothing super impressive, but I was pleased to buy it, get it built and put the books from the shower on it.  Plus, Abby photobombed it, so you know you love!

Miss Anything:  Sleep.
Cravings/Aversions:  My appetite is ravenous, and desserts/sweets are amazing.  My cereal obsession is in high gear.
Showing Yet: You know it!
Mood: It's been an emotional week for me.If you've read my blog for a while you may remember there's been parental/family drama, well I did a good job putting that aside for a while, but it crept up again this week.  Couple that with my hormonal over reactions (and I do not blame hormones for things, but seriously, I have all the feels and can easily recognize that I'm a little nutty right now) I had a huge meltdown the other night.  Thank goodness for an amazing husband to talk me through it all and be so supportive, he really is something else, I am a lucky woman.
What I am Looking Forward to:  Entering 3rd tri, what a milestone!!  

27 Weeks!

Hospital tour and other silly things

We went for our hospital tour yesterday.  I have to say, while I hate hospitals, and really didn't want to (ideally) give birth in one, this one is pretty nice.  They did a huge remodel in the last two years, so it has a nice, new, clean feeling (for a hospital, of course).  There's a room with a big hydrotherapy tub that looks awesome, the birthing suits are huge and really nice.  They are well equipped - squatting bars, birthing balls and stools, beds that contort into all the shapes and heights, pull out couch and chair, shower, etc.  I have to say, I was impressed with the room.  They typically let you stay in there for an hour after the birth, then you get moved to either a private, semi, or ward (4 beds) room.  We will be looking at upgrading to a private room (insurance will cover a semi, but with two of us, and two babies, a private room, especially after giving birth sounds worth the splurge) for my stay.  Typically for a vaginal birth they keep you 24-36hrs after, post c-section is usually 48hrs.  The hospital is nice and close, 15 mins drive door to door.  The nursing staff recently went through a lot more training apparently, and they have 1 to 1 coverage during labour. I've heard fantastic things about the staff, so that's a real plus.  Overall, things looked as good as it gets, being a hospital and all.  I do still wish I could have had the option of a home birth, but I'm letting go of that.

We didn't get to see the c-section facilities of course, but apparently they do a good online video tour, so I'll check that out and the NICU.  H looked a tad faint, haha, he is not a fan of hospitals.  For me, it was a bit surreal to be doing a hospital tour, imagining that in just a couple of months, we will be meeting our babies there.  And also that these babies have to come out!  I digress.  I also pre-registered while we were there, so one less thing to do when we go there for real.

Then we went to pick up a shelf at Ikea and look at a few things we need, by then I was beat and ready for home!  After some couch time, we got a little silly.  My mom has a stash of my baby dolls from when I was a kid, and I had completely forgot, but I actually had twin dolls when I was a kid!  They used to cry and then when you put them near each other they would laugh - it was really cute.  Anyways, we brought them home after my shower because I've heard and read about helping your dog adjust and one way to do that is to do things with a doll that you will do with babies.  Holding them, being on the couch, putting them in a carrier, etc.  Doing some of these things now might help us teach Abby about being gentle with them, appropriate behaviour, etc, before it's our real babies.  So I mentioned the carriers - we have 3 right now, and Ergo with infant insert, a Baby Bjorn, and another sling of sorts that I have no idea how to use.  So we both tried one on, put the dolls in, and laughed at how little we know about what we're doing!  I haven't laughed that hard in a while, I thought I might have that moment - pregnant lady pees her pants from laughing so hard!  But I didn't, victory was mine!!  LOL.  H was so cute, seeing him with a carrier on, being all dad like - it was kind of awesome.  Then he says, "Earmuffs" - think Old School - puts his hands over the dolls ears and says, "Jen, I have no idea what the fuck I'm doing"  After an outburst of laughter, I told him I'm not all that sure either, but we're going to figure this out together!  And hey, at least today we have youtube, there are videos for everything!  Our 'first time parent' is definitely showing, haha.  It was a really nice evening, very baby centred with some good laughs - just what I needed after a bit of an emotional week.

Showered with love, and gifts!

Sunday was my first baby shower, my side of the family.  It was at my mom's house, she went all out, including learning how to copy some Pinterest ideas - she did a great job!  Everything was home made - every sandwich, every dessert, the veggies and dip - she made every single thing by hand - talk about a labour of love!  I was really touched by how much effort she put into everything :)

There were about 25 people there, so I'll be honest, I was a tad overwhelmed as everyone was coming in and fawning around me - these are all dear family and friends, but sometimes I don't totally love being the centre of attention!  Once everyone had arrived and we'd had a chance to say hi, I was good, and managed to make my way to the good table!

We were totally spoiled with gifts!  I cannot believe the generosity of our loved ones, it was truly very moving to feel that much love and support for us, and for these babies.  I mean, look!

                            

We got a good start on our library with some great classics, some beautiful blankets and bath gear, our dual camera monitor and (second) car seat!  I'm also totally in love with these - as a slipper person, I have about 5 rotating pairs and I have matching ones just like these!

The two hats in the photo are really special.  If your read my post about prenatal class, you may recall that we did them with my mom's long time best friend.  She is pretty much family to me and has been so amazing throughout my life, but especially in the last year or so.  Her sister tragically passed away a couple of years ago after a very difficult battle with cancer, they were very, very close, and I know how hard that was for her, and how much she misses her sister.  I was moved to tears when she told me that these two hats were knit by a dear from of hers from her sister's yarn.  I'm sure there is a finite amount of that yarn left, the fact that she used some of it to make these beautiful hats for my babies is beyond touching to me.  Those I will keep and cherish forever <3

So that's the scoop!  My shower was amazing, I am so lucky and feel so very grateful, and our nursery now looks like there are babies coming!!  I can't believe my ILs still have a shower to host too!  H & I are seriously so lucky to have such amazing family and friends.

26 Weeks!

How far along:  26 weeks!
Babies are the size of:  Head of lettuce.  Twin website says they're about 14" long now.
What's happening:  Eyes are forming and will soon start to open.  Eyelashes are grown now too!  They're also soaking up my antibodies to get their immune systems ready for the real world.  And they're breathing in amniotic fluid for practice.
Maternity Clothes:  I am wearing some regular clothes still but definitely mostly maternity clothes.  I recently realize I have one pair of PJs that still fit, haha.
Stretch Marks: Nope, knock on wood.
Sleep:  This is always a fun one.  It's honestly hit or miss, some nights better than others.  I have been sleeping well for the first few hours, but after I get up to pee, it's usually downhill from there.  It's hard to roll over and continually readjust the pillows necessary to be comfy.
Symptoms: Oh the pregnancy brain!  I honestly don't think I've ever been this dumb before!  I can't remember what I'm talking about, why I went (all the way) upstairs, if I already told you about the thing that happened earlier...it's bad.  I also can't seem to remember that I don't fit in places I used to fit.  I used to be able to fit between that door and the counter, but as I bounce off of it, I remember I no longer fit there!  The heartburn comes and goes, but honestly it's better than it was a few weeks ago, so score on that!  Oh, and the BH are a fairly common occurrence also.
Best Moment of the Week:  Please see last AW post, haha!  The nursery and the prenatal classes were definitely the highlight.  We also got our City Select Jogger this week, woo hoo!!  And I found a DSNG stroller for like, half price that I'm going to pick up tonight, provided it looks to be in good shape!  Yay for a deal!!
Scrap that!!  My doorbell just rang and I got two packages delivered that I was not expecting.  I wasn't sure if I'm supposed to open them, or if they're shower gifts and I'm supposed to bring them??  Well curiosity got the best of me so I opened them.  One of them is from My Person!!  I don't even think I can call her an "internet friend", she is so much more than that.  She has been my rock through everything, she has been here for me through the worst times in my life, she has been my shoulder to cry on, my word of encouragement, someone who has celebrated the good times with me.  She has become such an important and very dear friend, even though we've never actually been able to meet in person (this IS on my to do list!!).  I can't even believe she sent me a shower gift, I am over here crying like a baby at her thoughtfulness and kindness.  If you're reading this - thank you and I love you <3 <3 <3

Miss Anything:  Sleep.
Cravings/Aversions:  Baked goods.  This week was butter tarts, and I may have gone out last night to get mini cupcakes.  I'm staying away from chocolate for a bit, I think it makes my heartburn worse, but I need to satisfy my sweet tooth!
Showing Yet: I have really grown in the last couple of weeks!
Mood: Emotional, haha.  I am feeling less stressed after our super productive weekend.  We are doing our hospital tour next week, we are hoping to get the new blinds for the nursery on Sat and then it's my shower on Sun.  MY BABY SHOWER, as in, for me, and my babies.  Holy crap!  I can't quite believe it.  I dreamt about these babies, I prayed for them, I worked really hard to make them and now we're at this point, of getting together with family and friends to celebrate them.  It's blowing my mind that I'm going to MY shower this weekend.  And we circle back to the sappy part!
What I am Looking Forward to:  Oh, I guess I already did this one above - my shower!  And more nursery decorating - the hard part is mostly done in there, now it's the fun part!!

26 Weeks!

Progress!!

Nothing makes a stressed out me feel better than getting things accomplished, being able to check things off my list.  So I am beyond thrilled to say we had a crazy productive weekend over here!  My mom came over on Friday and we painted the nursery - I love how the colour came out (which, BTW, picking paint is so much harder than it seems!).  Between the camera, the lighting in that room, which is to be changed, and the big window light, the photos do not do it justice, but take my word for it, it's looks way better IRL!  

Than once we were done painting, H vacuumed and got out the carpet cleaner to,  He then got ambitious and decided to put one of the cribs together.  I bought them without him, so he's seen pictures, but hasn't seen them in person so he was curious.  Before I knew it, he had built both cribs, I guess he was on a roll!  That made for a long day, so we took the night off to just chill out on the couch.  The following night, he built the last piece I bought, the dresser/change table.  We have more decorating and stuff to do, but this is currently what the nursery looks like:

I am so happy with all the work we both did.  Look, now there's somewhere for the babies to sleep!  I get chills walking in this room, thinking about how in just a few months, we are going to have babies, here, in this room.  Whoa.  

We also had a big weekend at our prenatal classes!  I loved it, and I am totally biased by the fact that it's my mom's best friend that runs them - they've been friends since they were like, 18, this woman has known me since I was born, and before - it was pretty special to be in her class.  The first day was really great, we talked a lot about the different stages of labour, techniques to cope.  I loved the realistic and honest talk but also putting it in perspective.  It made it seem possible, and manageable to make it through.  Focus on one contraction at a time, stay in the moment, don't think about the next one, or the next hour, just focus on your breathing and getting through this one.  Then it will be over, and you will never again have to go through that contraction again, it's done and behind you.  We learned different positions we can utilize - I have no desire to spend my entire labour on my back, that is not going to help things along.  Gravity is your friend, I want to be able to get up and move around, take a shower/bath, sit on a birthing ball, get on all fours, stand, lean, sit, squat - any of those options are more effective than lying on your back.  And if you want to lie down, lie on your side with a pillow between your legs, that's a much better position.  We talked about deep breathing and practiced it, we also talked about the importance of continuing to practice it.  I remember from my yoga days that it is hard to stay in the moment, concentrating on your breath, it's easy for your mind to wander.  But the more you practice it, the better you get at it.  I left feeling informed, but not totally overwhelmed.  Well, except thinking about pushing a second one out afterwards!

Day two was more about possible labour interventions, we talked about inductions and epidurals and c-sections.  It was very relevant for me, so it was an informative day.  My mom's friend went to lunch with H & me and we got to talk about little more about our twins-specific scenario (we are the only ones having twins in that class).  Because of the fact there are two, it's been recommended to me by a few people to get an epidural.  I may get baby boy out just fine, but if they need to manipulate baby girl to help get her into position at all, or (knock on wood, I hope not) go for a c-section, it would be good to have that already in place.  But as I said, I don't want to labour on my back the whole time, being a passive participant.  So her best advice, which is the only thing that makes sense really, is to make my wishes clear, and to ask questions.  If they recommend an epidural at some point, ask why?  Why now, what does this mean for the babies, for me?  Is it medically necessary right now?  Can I wait a while longer?  Can I get up and go for a walk?  Ask all the questions.  The biggest things I took away from this weekend are that especially with twins, but with all labours really, you just have to go with the flow, you can only plan so much, you can only anticipate so much, but you can ask questions along the way so you feel informed while making decisions.  Then we talked a little about newborns and breastfeeding and skin to skin after birth.  The natural instincts of newborns just blows my mind.  I have to be honest, the one thing that does scare me which I need to just let go of, is how to manage two.  How do I make sure I get that time with both of them, and try to BF them both as soon as possible?  Especially if we end up in a c-section, which I really don't want but of course, the health and well being of these babies comes before anything else.  I have to say, it looks challenging but doable with one, this two business is a little crazy!  But I know we'll figure it out, we'll do what works for all of us.  I just want to be the best mom I can be, to both babies.  I can't even believe we're at this point already, it still blows my mind that I am actually having babies.  In a few months, there will be babies in this house.  Holy crap.  I'm terrified, and nervous, and elated and excited and more than anything, grateful.  I love you, my little munchkins, and no rush, but I kind of can't wait to meet you <3

25 Weeks!

How far along:  25 weeks!
Babies are the size of:  Cauliflower!  The twins website says they're about 13" long and weigh about 1.5lbs each right now.
What's happening:  They can now tell up from down.  They are working on growing more fat and hair (if the heartburn-hair correlation is in any way legit, I can attest to this!)  Their joints, ligaments and rings of the spine are also taking shape this week.
Maternity Clothes:  I am wearing a mix of maternity clothes and my regular clothes.  I bought a few new sweaters, since it's getting cold here, but I just bought a size up from my usual and they seem to fit just fine.  At least for now :)
Stretch Marks: Nope
Sleep:  Sleep, while I love it and need it, is often a cruel bitch.  It's been hard to get comfy, the hip pain at night has been bad, a couple of nights really brutal, even with a pillow between my knees and everything.  Turning over is getting harder, especially with sore hips and abs that are buried under babies.  Confession: I have to grab the side of the mattress to help pull me over that way.  What I am going to do when this belly gets even bigger??  Oh hunny!  Please wake up and push me over, kthax!
Symptoms: The heartburn is still around but not as brutal as it has been, I'll take it.  The hip pain.  I've been really moody and overwhelmed this week, poor H.  I'm also really easily tired.  I keep trying to get stuff done, but I'm exhausted so much of the time.  And I am really not loving all the stairs in this house, after 2 flights I'm tired and catching my breath.  Sigh.
Best Moment of the Week:  The nursery is thisclose to being ready to paint, I will feel so much better once it's painted and the furniture is set up.  I saw my OB this morning and got to hear the heartbeats.  I swear, there is not a more amazing sound in this world, it's music to my ears and the very best part of my appts.
Miss Anything:  Sleep.
Cravings/Aversions:  Not really.
Showing Yet: I think the bump grows by the day now.
Mood: As I mentioned above, I've been overwhelmed and stressed out this week.  Pair that with pregnancy hormones (which I really don't like to blame for anything) I may have had two night that I ended up in tears, just thinking of all the stuff we have to do.  And every time I turn around, it seems there is something else to add to the list.  I know we'll make it work, but this house is a great starter home and would be totally fine for one baby, but I keep looking around wondering how on earth we're going to fit two babies and all the stuff they come with!  I know we'll figure it all out, I do, but some days it just feels very overwhelming.
What I am Looking Forward to:  I'm looking forward to our prenatal classes this weekend!  I'm excited because it's my mom's best friend that runs them, she's known me since I was born, so it's pretty amazing to be able to take her class.  I know it's a bit early, but with twins, you just never know!  And Dec gets so busy with the holidays, this seemed like the best option.  I just can't believe we're here.  I can't believe I'm 25 weeks, or that we're doing classes already, or that my shower is the following weekend!  Where is time going?!

25 Weeks!