The FAB 5!

Pictured above is TWIN B on top and TWIN A not wanting to be left out, so he/she is waving hello from below.
2nd pictures was 8.5 weeks. There is a yolk sac (not ANOTHER one) that should go away in a week or so.

Well I'm new to blogging, but figured this would be the easiest way to keep friends/family in the "know" of how we are doing with the twins.

Well I will start from the beginning. The kids and I decided to drive out to Cave Creek during July 4th week and dog sit for my parents while they were out of town. It was an unforgettable trip on many levels. It was the first time Keller actually started swimming on his own. He is like a fish in the water... truly amazed me. On July 2nd I decided to take a pregnancy test. I was only a day late, and we weren't trying, but I usually test monthly anyway, just to be on the safe side and to stop caffeine intake, etc. For 3 years the tests show up negative, so I expected nothing other than a negative, but on July 2nd, when I returned to the test I sat there in UTTER SHOCK as 2 very dark lines stared me in the face. I've never had a test show up that dark, so the result was unquestionably POSITIVE. I of course was THRILLED, even though it wasn't expected. I showed the kids right away and explained to them that God (with Kingsley's help) had put a baby in mommy's tummy. Right away there was the fight for who was going to get a brother or who was to get a sister. Saylor came up to me later that day and said, "I know Mommy, maybe there will be 2 babies, a brother for Keller and a sister for me"... I quickly laughed and said "Oh no honey, there is only one, and we'll let God decide if it's a boy or girl". I should've listened to her reason at that point... I told them both it was a secret as I wasn't sure how to tell Kingsley. We continued our fun for the week and picked up Diddy (Dad) at the airport on Saturday. That night Saylor was in the kitchen with him and she said "Diddy, mommy has a baby in her tummy, but SHHHH it's a secret and we can't tell". LOL... guess the cat was out of the bag at that point. I called Kingsley the next day and he was so very excited.

The next week I became HORRIBLY sick with morning sickness... it was very odd, b/c I never got it that bad with Keller or Saylor, but with this baby, it was like something I've never experienced. It came on fast... around 4.5 weeks and just made me become useless. I couldn't eat, couldn't walk, couldn't think, all I could do was dry heave and vomit constantly. I have a new compassion for those who experience m/s in this way. It's absolutley horrible on every level. We have always wanted 4 kids, but I had told Kingsley "With m/s being this bad, you better be praying for twins, b/c I can't go through this again". I will admit, I never really thought twins would be something in my life, but I did find it ODD that the pregnancy test came up positive SO fast, m/s came on strong and fast, my grandfather (on my dad's side) was a fraternal twin and I had a dream about twins... it had crossed my mind... but I still never thought it possible.

Around 6 weeks I began to spot... it was an "oh too familiar" feeling. I obviously know God is in control of all things, and a miscarriage was outside of my control, so I accepted this as a possible result and called my OBGYN. They called me in to do a viability ultrasound, and so on July 22nd, I drove (with the kids) to the hospital. I sat in the waiting room praying I wouldn't start dry heaving in front of everyone. I got called in and got on "the table". Dr. Frields turned on the u/s machine and I quickly saw a little bubble with a flutter... I knew INSTANTLY my sweet baby was alive... but he threw me off b/c he skipped right over the baby and didn't say anything... I got a little worried. I said "You know Dr. Frields, we wanted 4, but this m/s is SO AWFUL, let's try and knock twins out on this one" and he replied calmly "Andrea, that won't be a problem for you". That comment went over my head... I looked back at the monitor, and seemed he was having a hard time finding the heartbeat. I asked, "Is it ok"? He said, "Oh yes, this one up here has a good strong heartbeat, but this over here isn't coming up as strong because of it's position". I SAT STRAIGHT UP AND SAID "WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, do you mean this one over here, What is one over here mean, what are you talking about"???? The nurse just laughed and said "Oh honey, did you think he was kidding? You are having TWINS". I just sat there in disbelief, but those two little sacs on the monitor just were staring back at me. It was like time just stood still. He instructed me to lay back down and then we saw the 2nd baby's hb beating away nice and strong. He then kept looking ... I asked "what are you doing now" and he said "making sure there isn't a third" .... lol... at that point I almost fainted. He had noticed some cervical bleeding and had told me to rest as much as possible and he'd see me back in 2 weeks. I just sat in the parking lot shocked as could be!!!! Called Kingsley and said "be careful what you wish for" and told him. I don't think he believed me until he saw the u/s picture!

Fast forward a few weeks (since all I did for 3 weeks was lay in bed and puke). I realized quickly that I wasn't able to care for the other 2 kids in my condition. They were helping themselves to food and eating saltine crackers for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I was an emotional and physcial wreck. I finally solicited mom and dad for some help. After my 8.5 week checkup, my dad flew out and drove me and the kids to Arizona. Words cannot express my thankfulness for their love and willingness to help me in such a time as this. I know that to have us can be a burden at times, but they never make us feel that way. So for 2 weeks I laid in bed, never came out of the room, just prayed and prayed the sickness would go away. I couldn't eat, couldn't function. then on August 17th I woke up and ALL MY SYMPTOMS were gone... not just sickness, but ALL the symptoms associated with pregnancy!!! I called my Dr. right away as I knew this wasn't too normal. I had read alot about the high risk of m/c with multiples and realized once again that God was totally in control of the results. On the 20th my dad had called a golf buddy of his and told him the situation. He is an OBGYN and had me go into his office that night. We (mom and kids) all went in and I saw the most precious sight my eyes could behold... 2 little babies, with hands, arms, legs, feet, knees, just jumping and kicking and rolling all over the place! They couldn't sit still! I couldn't believe my eyes... again, time just froze... I just watched them in awe.... my first thought was, whoever says at 11 weeks a fetus isnt' a baby is a fool. They are alive as alive can get! And to see 2 of them.... just an amazing moment in my life!!

I know this is a LONG post, and I promise future ones won't be so long, but I wanted to catch you all up to date... .It is Thursday, the 21st and I'm still in AZ. I plan on driving home next Wednesdsay and go to my appt. on Thursday the 28th. I'm sure I'll have more pictures to post....
Thanks for reading....

Andrea