22 weeks

22 weeks down and 15 to go (hopefully)! Kingsley and I are up in Pismo beach at a marriage retreat so I don't have a picture to upload... But thanks to the iPhone I can atleast post!
The twins are doing well... Or atleast I think they are! I actually spend WAY too much time laying on my back and watching them go crazy! Other than my uterus hitting my diaphragm and making breathing almost impossible (and making digestion difficult)... I am doing well!
I met a woman at the retreat with boy/girl twins (now 21) and it's been fun picking her brain and hearing stories!!! It got me even more excited for the opportunity ahead... But also nervous for some of the "things to come"!! She was explaining that towards the end, her belly got so big and heavy that she would black out if she laid on her back! I've read about that but never met anyone who had the joy of experiencing it. She said it made ultrasounds very difficult. They could only do a few minutes at a time before she started blacking out. I'm sure she'll share more stories as the weekend continues, and I can't wait to hear ALL of them!

The kids are staying with friends and I miss them so much already. I can't wait to see their little faces when we return. B... if you are reading this, words can't express my gratitude for your willingness to help.... especially with your "plate" full right now. What a blessing you are to me! I love you.

It's ELECTION DAY!

If you are an American citizen... GO VOTE!!! Not to mention you'll get a free starbucks coffee, krispy kreme doughnut and a scoop of ben and jerry's ice cream.....

My first try at bed rest....

Well I failed my first try at bed rest! As of Friday I was put on full bed rest due to some MINOR spotting. (just until Monday, today) I wasn't even going to call the Dr., but figured with the weekend approaching and if it got worse, I wanted to know my options. SO...... since I down played it they said I could stay home, but had to be on full bed rest. If anything changed I would have to go into labor and delivery to have my cervix checked to make sure I'm not going into early labor!!! It could just be a capillary. Needless to say, the first 2 hours were great, but then it quickly got old. Just 2 days (ok, 1 day... went to church on sunday and ran errands) was horrible. I have so much to get done (and am moving slower by the day). I am really going to try to slow down and rest more so that I can avoid ANY bed rest in the future.

The GOOD part about the weekend, was that we got a HUGE storm (storms just don't happen here in CA... EVER!). I woke up 3am on friday morning thinking I was back in OHIO! In the 10 years of living here, I've never heard thunder or seen lightning and rain is a 5 min deal in the afternoon. SO.... to wake up to such a rare event was GREAT! I was so excited I couldn't sleep. I know you Ohioians think I'm crazy, but it was such an fun thing to experience (and have kids experience). It rained and stormed most of friday as well.

I'm off to get a few things done while I'm feeling "energized". Hope you all enjoyed your weekend.

21 week belly bump

OK so here I am at 21 weeks..... looking rough because I had watched 5 kids night before and was exhausted (or am I just looking for an excuse???) Anyway, my Dr. appt went well. I found out that c-section or not, he'd let my mother sit in with us... YEAH!!!! But even better news was that if Twin A (boy) stays head down he will let me birth naturally (still with epidural, so not "natural"), then he will try and turn Twin B (girl) to get her head down, that is assuming he stays head down and she is breeched. He originally told me both had to be head down... so the news was UNEXPECTED and WONDERFUL to say the least!!!

My baby...

My baby is 5 (I know he turned five last month... but it just hit me). We went to get his 5 yr. old picture and I just can't believe how big he has gotten. What a blessing it is to know him, mother him, love him, grow him, be challenged by him and learn from him. I'm so proud of him and can't wait to see what the next year holds for him.

21 weeks

It's Thursday, so I do turn another week, "21". but I don't really feel like posting or talking about my appointment when someone I hold so dearly is grieving today. For those of you who don't know, my baby sister, miscarried. She went in for her 11 week appointment and was surprised with exciting news, she TOO was carrying twins. Then the devastating news hit that they couldn't find either heartbeat. I can barely write this without tears in my eyes. Maybe it's hormones, but more likely it's watching someone you love hurt. Everyone handles trials in different ways, and I thank the Lord that my sister trusts in God's will and His sovereignty. She has gone through such a tough time but has come through the fire refined like gold. This is not to say it's still tough, but her thinking is biblical, and she has such a godly response to the situation. It's hard for me to be excited for my own situation knowing that I will be a constant reminder of her 2 babies that are now under God's perfect care in heaven. I count it a blessing and a privilege to have been pregnant with her and BOTH CARRYING TWINS! What an amazing bond I feel to her because of the odd chances that sisters would be pregnant, at the the same time with twins! I pray God gives me grace in how I speak and write during such a sensitive time. I admire her in so many ways and am blessed to be called her sister! Please keep her and her husband in your prayers. B... if you are reading this, I love you with all my heart!

The line

So my "linea nigra" (dark line) on my belly showed up this morning!!! It usually shows up once your abdomen is distended... so I guess mine is distended! LOL.

Nothing new to report.... I go to my regular OB tomorrow. It's probably a weight/blood pressure/ measure uterus and find heartbeat appointment. I am meeting one of my best friends again (we go to same OB). We'll meet up and let the kids play a bit before we both check in... I'm quite excited to see her!!!

Interesting facts...

1. Fraternal twins make up 75% of the twinning population (with boy/girl twins being the highest percentage) Partly b/c fertility drugs (and increasing usage) stimulates ovulation of more than one egg.

2. Fraternal twins most of the time look just like any other 2 siblings in the same family (in odd cases can look more identical than IDENTICAL twins... example: Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen are fraternal twins)

3. The youngest reported twins to survive outside the womb were 21 weeks and 6 days! (9 days from now for me)

4. Twins now occur 1 out of 90 births.

5. A mother of fraternal twins has a 50% increased chance of having twins again in next pregnancy. (yikes)

6. African Americans have the highest percentage of fraternal twins, while asians have the lowest percentage.

7. Most women conceive fraternal twins after the age of 35!

8. Daughters of a mother who had franternal twins have 3-4 times more chance of conceiving twins (due to the hyperovulation gene).

9. If a husband is a twin or has twins on his side of the family, it has NO effect on a woman conceiving twins.

10. The average week most women deliver is 35 weeks, while full term for twins is 37 weeks.

Getting ready

Well with a little over 3 months (hopefully) left, I decided to get out all Saylor's old clothes and start organizing them for her little sister. I am having so much fun going through the bins and remembering every little outfit! I also picked out the outfits to bring the twins home in. I believe one was what Keller wore on his way home and one was the one Saylor wore home. I know they'll be here before I know it.

As I was going through my 5th bin (she has way TOO MANY clothes) I got a call from Old Navy. Apparently Keller won a coloring contest drawing and is receiving a $50 gift certificate to Old Navy. We are off to redeem and shop! I think he was bummed when he realized they didn't have "toys"... but I promised him a quarter for their machines up front! Not bad.... a quarter for him and $50 for me:)

Making Cupcakes....

Yesterday I realized how fast time goes by and what "little" time I have with my kids while they are young. I spend so much time cleaning, organizing, doing laundry, dishes, cooking etc... (which all need to get done:) but I forget how much they need my time and attention. So yesterday Saylor and I got out the aprons that I used to wear with my mom growing up (thanks for saving them mom!!!) and we baked cupcakes!!! No occasion, just celebrating how much I love them! Saylor did everything but crack the eggs! She was so proud that SHE DID MOST THE WORK (while mommy did ALL the clean up!!!) Keller was mostly interested in the END RESULT! He'd pop into the kitchen and Saylor would yell "NO BOYS ALLOWED IN MY KITCHEN" and we'd chase him out... just to have him reappear within minutes.... they loved playing that game, and I loved watching them enjoy a moment of no responsibility, no stress, no worry, no cares in the world! I know from experience (again THANKS MOM) that it's those defining moments that make childhood so memorable and wonderful! I was blessed beyond what words can express with an incredible childhood filled with so many memories and experiences, not to mention the unconditional love! I pray I can give a sample of what I had to my children. I have been convicted (thanks to a friend's blog) on how selfish I am with my time and really aim to change my focus back on to my kids.... they only have one childhood, and I only have this one chance to raise them. What an amazing opportunity we have as mothers.