18 weeks

How far along: 18 weeks

Growth: This week, babies are theoretically growing from the size of bell peppers to the size of heirloom tomatoes. They are going from 5.59 inches to 6.02 inches long. Also, they are increasing in weight from 6.70 oz to 8.47 oz.

Symptoms: insomnia, braxton hicks contractions, round ligament pains, heartburn, high blood pressure.

Total weight gain: -13 lbs (I gained two this week- yay for no more metformin!)

Maternity clothes: Yes please! Still fitting in non-maternity clothing, but am much more comfy in maternity.

Stretch marks: Yup, I can see them coming, not dark yet, but starting for sure.

Sleep: Better this week, my hips hurt though, which keeps me rolling over again and again.

Best moment this week: seeing my little ones on Thursday, and knowing baby B was fighting back :-).

Movement: Yes, I used to feel them maybe once per day, but now it's all throughout the day.

Food cravings: Chocolate pudding, chips and salsa and chick fil a sandwiches!

Belly Button in or out: In for now, more shallow than ever, I say it's flat 24 weeks.

What I miss: mobility, I'm starting to waddle a little, and with the dizziness I have had to be pretty docile.

What I am looking forward to: finding out the genders next week. I really really can't wait!

Milestones: we are halfway to my goal, I'd really like to make it to 36 weeks, so either the very end of January, very beginning of February.

How is daddy? Busy, working very hard for us.

How are the grandparents? Excited, both moms are planning showers.... they are only a week a part. Anyone else seeing drama here?

random

My headache is actually a little better today for now. I have been reading a lot lately. I think I am going to start wearing my glasses when I read like I am supposed to, and see if that helps.I had horrible horrible dreams last night. So horrible I won't type them. The least horrible- I dreamed that both babies were boys and I was really sad. I have been saying I'd like to have two boys rather than two girls. But would I be sad. I've got myself so convinced baby A is my little diva princess that I might be a little sad if she turned out to be a boy. As for baby B, I am praying it is mommy's little man, as I have thought. Can't wait until October 6th!!!!

impromptu Dr visit, again.

the past several days i have had a headache that would not go away. Today it was joined by dizziness. These were on the list of things to look out for on the pre-e list my peri gave me. So I went to CVS and used their blood pressure cuff thing. 144/87. Ooops. So I called my OB, and they wanted me to come right in. When I went in it was 149/80, they had me rest for a while and it dropped to 135/80. Dr. said I have to check it 2-4 times per day and if it gets above 140/90 I have to call right away. Boo. Hoping that doesn't happen. The little ones were doing fine, beating each other up again! I have a follow-up in a week. And my regular appointment is the week after, and my peri appt is the week after that. Thinking I'm gonna get tired of the Drs!

and a little rant

I didn't want to include this rant in my 17 week post, because I want to look back on those with happy thoughts.

So at the babyshower yesterday I was eating some strawberries. My grandmother says "oh, those are good for you, no calories." I couldn't let it roll off my back and said, actually, I'm trying to gain weight, so I'm eating these because I want them, not because they are lo-cal. She says "Why in the world would you try to gain weight?!??!?!?!" Well, I tell her, I happen to be carrying twins, and my doctor wants me to gain 24 lbs by 24 weeks, and so far all I've done is lost 15. She went on and on about how overweight I was, and how the babies were so small and didn't need for me to gain weight. Then, when my uncle comes over to pick up his wife, and she starts back in on it, and he says "Why in the world would a DR tell you to gain weight" and he goes on and on with her about how overweight I am and how I should keep loosing weight etc etc. I was too tired to think about it much by the time everyone left. ( a rude guest showed up 3 hrs early, and the shower ended up lasting from 3:30 until about 10:30 pm!) But today, I come home from a long hard day at work to an empty house (I miss my DH!!!) and just feel like crying and crying. I'm already feeling really guilty about not being at a good weight when starting this pregnancy, and now I have family telling me how fat I am, and a DR urging me to gain 50 lbs. I haven't gained one, and I still feel like I can't eat. And I really feel like I can't win. Blah!

17 weeks

How far along: 17 weeks

Growth: This week, babies are theoretically growing from the size of turnips to the size of bell peppers. They are going from 5.12 inches to 5.59 inches long. Also, they are increasing in weight from 4.94 oz to 6.70 oz. However, at my appt on Thursday the both weighed 6 oz.

Symptoms: vomiting, insomnia, braxton hicks contractions, round ligament pains, and heartburn.

Total weight gain: -15 lbs

Maternity clothes: Yes please! Still fitting in non-maternity clothing, but am much more comfy in maternity.

Stretch marks: Yup, I can see them coming, not dark yet, but starting for sure.

Sleep: I have been so tired lately, but still having trouble staying asleep

Best moment this week: seeing my little ones on Thursday.

Movement: Yes, more and more the past few days. They are moving right now!

Food cravings: No cravings, but fewer aversions.

Belly Button in or out: In for now, more shallow than ever

What I miss: my DH!!!! He is always gone it seems.

What I am looking forward to: finding out the genders in 2 weeks

Milestones: we are halfway to our goal that DR. D set, of 34 weeks. It's going so fast!

How is daddy? Very tired. And he misses us. Today when I saw him he touched my belly before he even kissed me!

How are the grandparents? Excited, and I think starting some grandparent rivalry. Good things there's two of you in there!

1st Peri. Appointment

I went in for my first Maternal Fetal Medicine Dr today.
It was a 2.5 hour appointment. Before going I lost my breakfast. When I got there we had to wait about 30 mins before going back. Then I had an ultrasound that lasted for about an hour. They measured everything imaginable. Then the machine shut off and she had to do it again. We could've seen what they were, but I said no because DH wasn't there. Boy was that hard! The babies were both measuring perfectly. They even gave us a little show. Baby A was kicking Baby B in the belly, but I think I saw B poke A first. Lol. My mom says Baby A is the naughty one. I think she may be right. After the ultrasound I puked again. Almost all over the ultrasound room. They unlocked the bathroom just on time (what office locks a bathroom around OB patients?!!!) Then they brought me ice chips. I felt very pregnant. The Peri then came in and did another ultrasound, said babies looked good, and my cervix was great. It hadn't shortened anymore since the last ultrasound. The things I wasn't so sure my OB was getting right I asked him about, and I am happy I did! He is letting me off the met, tested my blood sugar today, and said I need to gain 24 lbs by 24 weeks. That's 24 lbs in a little less than 8 weeks! Not so sure about that, especially if I'm gonna start being sick again! Which I have been allllll day. Had to stay home from work. I really hope going off the met will help a lot! That's about it. Oh, except for that my bp was higher than it has ever been, 138/72. Praying it was just from being sick, not the beginnings of pre-e. Loving my little beans so much. Can't wait to find out who they are. Names are all picked, just depends on the genders, which we find out Oct. 6th!

16 weeks

How far along: 16 weeks

Growth: This week, babies are growing from the size of avacados to the size of turnips. They are going from 4.57 inches to 5.12 inches long. Also, they are increasing in weight from 3.53 oz to 4.94 oz.

Symptoms: vomiting, insomnia, braxton hicks contractions, round ligament pains, and heartburn.

Total weight gain: -13 lbs

Maternity clothes: Yes please! Still fitting in non-maternity clothing, but am much more comfy in maternity.

Stretch marks: Not yet, but my belly is growing so I expect them soon

Sleep: New work schedules for DH and I have me staying up late and sleeping in. I feel better when I don't sleep the day away.

Best moment this week: knowing the littles were okay after the scare on Saturday.

Movement: Yes, especially if I lean against something or if my lapdesk with my laptop is in my lap

Food cravings: I ate a lot of cookies.

Belly Button in or out: In for now, I dreamed it was flat last night

What I miss: energy

What I am looking forward to: finding out the genders in 3 weeks

Milestones: Finally got to see our DR this week.

How is daddy? Very tired. He just took a 3-11 job, on top of his school which is 7-3, and his 48 hour weekend job. Your daddy is working hard for us little ones!

How are the grandparents? Excited, and I think after the ER visit starting to worry. It all gets more intense from here. My mom is going with me to my maternal fetal medicine appointment on Thursday.

ER visit

I spent about 3 hours last night in the E.R because of what I guess now were some scary intense BH, that wouldn't go away with rest and water. Stupid me checked my cervix, and it felt softer and more open than I have ever felt it, so I freaked out and went to the ER. Long story short babies and I are all fine (I guess, but I can't wait until my peri appt on Thursday so he can really measure everything and tell me) Like 4 different people at the ER (including two DR's) were all "How did you check your cervix? How do you know what it's supposed to feel like? etc. " The Dr who saw me even said it looked fine to him, but he didn't know how to measure it. I told him the only way would be to do a transvag. ultrasound. Needless to say the visit re-assured me, but not enough to be completely calm. Cervix pain today.Guess things only get worse and more intense from here on out.

Today I am excited.

I am sad to say that most of this pregnancy so far I have spent worrying. Worrying about the pregnancy and the babies' health, being afraid of losing them, and feeling pretty darn miserable. Today I am feeling a little better. Second Trimester lift? I hope so, I want to feel a little more normal again. Today I am feeling very excited about February. Excited to see their little faces, hold their little hands, see them with their daddy, learn how to breastfeed and diaper them, and just be their mommy. I still can't get over the fact that I will be a mommy. I will have children. Two little lives will be dependent on me. I know these things to already be true. But in only about 20 weeks, I will be able to hold my little ones. And I can't wait. Grow strong and get healthy my little ones, because Mommy can't wait to meet you!

15 week Dr appt.

I just got home from my Dr visit. I actually got to see my doctor this time, and I still really like her. She had me go in for an ultrasound to measure my cervix, and the ultrasound tech measured that (3.8, which means it's gotten shorter, two weeks ago it was 4.5) The pains I had yesterday could've been contractions. She said if I can time them and they are more frequent than 15 minutes apart, to go in right away. Also, she said I should go in right away if I have any pains that are different from what I have experienced before. She gave me a referral to a Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist at the local hospital with the level 3 NICU. She seemed to think I would need to deliver there, and would need to see a specialist (unlike the nurse practitioner I saw last, who was all "Who cares if you're having twins") Also, unlike that NP, she said that as long as baby A is head down, we could go vaginal!! That made me happy. The NP basically told me to plan on a c-setion. (Have I mentioned I don't like that lady?)She didn't seem concerned that I haven't gained any weight. She said she'd like me to gain 35 or less. Thinking I can do that, only a few weeks from being halfway. Dr. D said we are shooting for 34 weeks, anything past that is awesome. As for work, she said to shoot for 28 weeks, I may be able to make it longer, but 28 weeks would be a good goal. They are making my appt. with the other DR. in about two weeks, and then my next OB appt. is October 6th. That is when we will have the anatomy scan. Taking the mothers and my little sis to that appt. After that she said they'd see me every 2-3 weeks. Things are going so fast now! Guess we'd better get started on clearing out the office and getting it ready to become a nursery.

Ouch!

In lots of weird stomach/ cervix/ side pain today. Can barely walk. Tomorrow's appt can't get here fast enough!

15 weeks!

How far along: 15 weeks! Seems to be going faster and faster.

Growth: This week, babies are growing from the size of apples to the size of avacados. They are going from 3.98 inches to 4.57 inches long. Also, they are increasing in weight from 2.47 oz to 3.53 oz.

Symptoms: other than increases vomiting, feeling generally better.

Total weight gain: -13 lbs

Maternity clothes: Yes please! Still fitting in non-maternity clothing, but am much more comfy in maternity.

Stretch marks: I started with the cocoa butter last week, because I thought I saw one starting on the bottom of my belly.

Sleep: A little better, still not getting much. I took a heavenly 3 hour nap today though!

Best moment this week: feeling the flutters. I am 99% positive that I have been feeling both babies, especially Mr. B.

Movement: See above. :-)

Food cravings: none this week. I actually ate meat a few times, which was a big accomplishment!

Belly Button in or out: In for now, it becomes more shallow each week. I think it'll be flat by 26 weeks.

What I miss: being able to eat when I'm hungry, and not puke after!

What I am looking forward to: our appt. Tuesday, hopefully will actually see my Dr!

Milestones: We bought a minivan this week. Getting there!

How is daddy? Excited about the babies, and trying to get things done before they arrive.

How are the grandparents? Excited, moms are planning showers. My dad, is telling me "take care of my babies" and FIL asked to feel my belly the other night.

Minivan driving mom

We are going to go get our check from the bank, and then purchase our minivan when DH gets home. Craziness.

And there it is. It's pretty, and has good safety ratings, and yes, it's another car payment on top of the bills we're already struggling to keep up with, but we got a really good deal. And my babies will be safe in it. Not to mention all of their stuff will fit in it (as opposed to my teeny tiny little car, that one car seat didn't even fit in!!!) So there it is. :-)