32 Week Update

The boys and I are GROWING... That about sums it up for now! All I can say is GI-NORMOUS and pretty uncomfortable ;)

...Plus what an AMAZING BLESSING they are!!!!!

Jason's Lax Jan 2011

On January 8th, Jason played in a lacrosse tournament in southeast Houston. Since it was anticipated to rain a whole lot on Sunday, they ended up playing 5 games on Saturday instead! I went to a couple of the games that day, but was so disappointed b/c my newly charged camera battery was dead and I forgot to bring my backup :( Needless to say, this was the only photo I got of him that day. He played great, as did his team! And 5 games... I'm just tired thinking of it!

The 2011 season kicked off this past weekend. It looks like Jason will be attending the first 4-5 games, but then our lil' guys birthday will be around the corner. He might end up playing a few games after they are born; but he'll just play it all by ear after he sees how much (or little) rest we are getting.

This weekend's game was great, and Jason had a great time. The other team didn't have enough players, so a few of the guys from Tony's had to play on the opposite team. (Thought I'd mention that in case you were wondering why it looked like some of the same team members were attacking each other!) Below are some of the pictures I was able to take. There were really a lot of good ones in my opinion, so had to share a lot of them here! (He's still #32)

Here Jason is running towards the goal...

And here he is right after he made a goal! You can actually see the ball in the net!

As a side note; during the game we got to watch a 'team' of little children practice lacrosse! They were ages from 6-10 it looked like. It warmed my heart watching them and thinking of Gavin and Wyatt out there with their Daddy learning the game and having a ball! Can't wait until there are little lax sticks in the house!

31 Weeks Update

A few notes from the past couple of weeks (sorry for the very random order, that's kind of how my brain works these days...):

• Last week at my 30 week checkup, the dr estimated Gavin to weigh about 3lbs 12oz and Wyatt to be about 3lbs 9oz. Can't believe how fast they are growing! Everything is looking great for both the boys and myself.
• I go back to the dr next week (32 wks). From then on out, I'll be going in twice a week. I'll see the dr only once a week, but I'll be having a form of a 'stress test' twice a week in which they will monitor the babies' heat rates, movements, contractions, etc... I can't believe it's already to that point!
• We got all of our Christmas decorations packed and put back in the attic. I packed the boxes and Jason did ALL the heavy lifting and moving. Despite my lack of moving and lifting the boxes, I was still so very sore... One would have thought I had run a marathon or participated in the Olympics the way I felt afterwards! But it's all done and the house is redecorated!
• We got the carpets steam cleaned this week! After 3 years with animals, we thought it best to get them cleaned before Gavin and Wyatt arrive! Some day we'll get wood floors, but for now, they are at least clean and ready for the babies!
• We ordered a whole bunch of goodies for the boys; the things we'll need their first month. We figured we'll buy the other stuff after they are born, but some things we'll need right away. It's all in the process of being shipped! All that we really need to buy now is the toiletries (diapers, formula back up in case breastfeeding doesn't work out, laundry detergent, etc...).
• Probably early Feb, I will begin to wash the clothes, put up their 'bassinet' in our room (we are using a pack and play for the first few weeks), put out a few of the swings, install the car seats, etc. That way if the boys decide they want to come early, we'll be ready! I'll also be packing my hospital bag early.
• I've spent a lot of time reading and researching all sorts of topics about newborn care, twin care, delivery, etc... While it's mind boggling at first, it's wonderful and exciting at the same time!
• I've decided I need to create a 'birth plan' even though I'm having twins. Mine will be different from most people's b/c I'll have to think of lots of scenarios. We are still aiming to have a natural birth, but know that anything can happen. We'll try to deliver vaginally if both boys are head down, or if Gavin is head down and Wyatt is 1) breech and 2)smaller than Gavin. We'll use a C-Section as a last resort, but my doctor will not be taking any risks on me or the boys! Still undecided about meds, but figure I have time to think more about this and then also play it all by ear once labor starts. It really depends on if I'll be 'induced' or go into labor naturally.
• So the swelling has been about the same lately, until yesterday! I've been doing a whole lot more activity lately and yesterday my feet showed it! I was taking a shower and went to wash my legs and feet (which is no simple task these days people!)... when I looked down and wondered who's body I was looking at... There were these flinstone feet looking back at me! Awwwww... talk about a freaky feeling...
• Like I said, I've had a lot more activity lately and it's been catching up with me. It seemed like I was having a lot more Braxton Hicks the past several days. I didn't have even one yesterday though and I think it's b/c I was in the sitting position for a lot of the day!
• Some days knowing the boys will likely be here within the next 6 weeks seems like they are coming tomorrow... other days it seems so far away! Every day I seem to grow more uncomfortable. The idea of getting even bigger for over a month doesn't seem too great any more, but then I remind myself that they need this time to continue to grow and develop. God will get me through! I'm amazed at what our bodies can handle! I may feel 'out of shape', but my body is doing a great job taking care of me and the boys! For this I'm thankful and will give it a rest!
• I'm still not sleeping the best, but I did have a good night's sleep once last week and then last night! But I'm here tonight at 2am wide awake and thus decided to write on the blog.
• The boys are getting even stronger (I know I say this each time, but it's true!!)! Sometimes their movements really do hurt. I can tell my muscles are getting sore in spots that they kick often. Lately it seems as if they like to randomly play on one side of my tummy... this is not fun at all people! My tummy is tight as it is, but then to have them both on one side feels awful! I nicely ask them to move back and begin to pushing them softly until they move. The boys thought it was fun last night and did it 3 times...
• They had so much fun playing yesterday! I don't think they slept much at all. The boys were rolling, kicking, punching... just having a ball. I thoroughly enjoyed it (even though it's pretty uncomfortable at times).
• As I mentioned, it's getting pretty tight in my tummy. I can see that some days my tummy will grow 'outwards' around my belly button, and then it will be followed by growth right under my chest. I'm also spreading out on the sides a lot more. It makes sense to me though, b/c the boys have to fit somewhere! Gavin is further 'back' than Wyatt, which means he's been kicking my organs more, whereas Wyatt has been kicking out towards my skin more. Just starting yesterday, Gavin's been kicking my hip and pelvic bones. Since he's getting so much stronger, it's not feeling too good. Wyatt is so high, that it's really uncomfortable at times and I have to sit straight up and slant my body to try to make more room around my right ribs!
• Despite the uncomfortable feelings, I LOVE feeling them move! There is always a little 'hard spot' sticking out of my tummy at some point or another... a little bum, head, hand, foot, etc... I LOVE to rub the boys and let them know I'm here and thinking about them. I can tell that they are responding more and more to my rubs! Can't wait to hold them and watch them look at me as I rub them as if they recognize that I'm the one who's been doing that the past couple of months!
• Jason and I took the hospital tour last Tuesday. It was pretty exciting! Both of us really like the hospital and staff. I had to pre-register before hand, which entails signing consent forms for both me and each baby. For the babies' forms, I had to sign, print my name and then right 'relation'... yup... my first time writing 'Mother' on a legal document. The lady asked me, 'how did that feel?' and I just looked up crying saying how great and surreal it felt! What a gift!
• Jason and I took at 'Newborn Care' class at the hospital earlier this week. It was pretty good. I think the best part was the experience of it all, but don't think I learned anything new. I'm taking a breastfeeding class tonight which I'm excited about, and then we are taking a 'Infant CPR and safety' class next week. I haven't registered yet, but I'll likely take the 'Lamaze' class in Feb to prepare for delivery in case I don't have to have a C-section!

I'm sure I'm forgetting some things I wanted to mention, but I'll have to cover that next post. I might try to see if I can fall asleep soon! Rest sure would be nice!

29 Week Update

Wow, I can't believe I'm already in my 3rd Trimester! I'm amazed at how fast time flies; but then again, I knew it would, which is why I'm so thankful I've made such a strong attempt to enjoy every day of this pregnancy. Below are some things I'd like to capture about our boys and our journey the past few weeks:

• They continue to grow really fast! I'm amazed at how much I'm growing and how fast, but so thankful my skin is stretching fine up to now. My bellybutton is almost flat these days. I can't imagine how big I'm going to be in the end, but time will tell! At 28 weeks, the doctor estimated Gavin to be about 3lbs 2oz and Wyatt to be about 2lbs 12oz. Both babies are still big for a Singleton; meaning they are even bigger for twins! So we are heading down the road to having big healthy boys. They are getting pretty crowded in there though, so getting a good ultrasound of them is pretty hard to do.
• Both boys are getting so strong. I'm so enjoying their movements. Sometimes they are just so active and strong, the only way I can describe the feeling is 'weird'... It feels like they are going to come out of my skin! Gavin not only kicks, punches and smooshes my bladder, but he has taken to 'kicking my butt' as well. This is the strangest feeling ever... Just the past couple of weeks, I've been able to tell when a shoulder, butt or foot/hand presses out. I LOVE to rub them; it's almost like I'm getting a chance to nurture them and love on them, even though they are still in the womb.
• Gavin had moved head down at my last appt and changed sides so his butt was on top of Wyatt's head! Wyatt is still transverse but is really stretched out since Gavin has moved!
• I have not been sleeping well at all the past couple of months. The past month has been pretty awful. I either just can't sleep, my arms fall asleep, my ribs feel like they are being crushed or I have heartburn so bad. Many of nights (most I would guess) I'm up for a good 2 hours trying to feel better.
• I can tell I'm starting to get more tired again these days. Perhaps it's because the lack of sleep at night. They are building a house behind us though, so no naps for me. I hear banging all day long!
• The swelling has started or shall I say continued since my last post about it. My face is swollen, my arms and legs and my feet. It's not as bad as it will get, but it's for sure present. My joints are actually so sore because of it.
• I'm just overall pretty uncomfortable these days. Because of that, I've taken to nice baths probably once a day (most of which are right before bed or in the middle of the night!).
• The Braxton Hicks contractions have started, but they are not painful. My tummy will just get in a tight ball (making it harder to walk or move), but then go back to normal. I've seen an increase in these the past week, but still not too many. Doctor said that is completely normal and no worries. My cervix still looks great, as well as my blood pressure, blood work, etc...
• The past couple of days I've started to get more 'pains' throughout my tummy. I think most of this is the muscles stretching like crazy. I do think I pulled a side muscle the other day though, which made it even more difficult to get around.
• I'm not as hungry as I used to be, but still eating healthy. I just notice I don't need snacks and I can go a long while w/o eating. Probably b/c there isn't much room any more! My meals are starting to have to be a lot smaller, and when I 'over do it', I'm miserable... I'm learning how to adjust to make sure they get all the nutrition they need.
• We are going to put away Christmas decorations this week and then start getting the house ready for the boys. We want almost everything done by Feb since I have a feeling next month is going to be pretty hard for me to do much of anything. That means we have lots of shopping to do, items to put out and together and clothes to be washed!
• I've been reading lots of books about feedings, sleep routines, and twins in general lately and preparing a 'flexible plan' so we know what we want to do and how to do it. It's so different with twins, so we are just planning early!
• We will likely take a tour of the hospital this week and then start a few classes the following week. Again, we want to make sure there isn't much left to do in Feb!!

I'm sure there are a lot more that I'm forgetting, but I'll post on that next time! For now I have a dr appt this week. I won't get an ultrasound, which will be the first time this whole pregnancy! I'll go back in two weeks and then from then on, it's every week! Can't believe we are at that point already!

Sibling Week and New Year's

My sister and brother got to spend the week after Christmas with us! It was a wonderful time just us siblings and much needed. I'll let the pictures do most of the talking, but explain some of our activities...


Josh made us dinner one night and it was delicious!


One night we made a fire outside and drank hot cocoa, roasted marshmallows and made yummy s'mores! It was almost like we were camping!


We also went bowling one evening; well Jason, Josh and Selina bowled and I was their cheerleader. I think my tummy would have gotten in the way of my game, so I'll stick to the Wii bowling for a few more months ;)



Jason and Josh headed out to the farm on Thursday for Josh's first hunting trip; dove and duck. There wasn't a large quantity of birds, but Josh did great! I think both guys had a lot of fun that weekend! Selina and I had fun that day they left by going to my dr appt, getting manicures and pedicures, dinner and chit chatting!



Selina and I drove up to meet them on Friday to bring in the New Year together. We had a great time shooting off lots of fireworks and being with each other. We even toasted with some Fre Champagne (non-alcoholic) in fancy blue plastic cups and it tasted great!

The guys also spent a lot of time shooting targets with an array of guns and bows. I think they had a great time with this activity and not to mention how good they are!

Selina and I headed back a day before the guys. We got to have our Starbucks time and watch Disney movies! So I think we all got in some great girl time, guy time and together time! It was hard to see them go back home, but it was great knowing we'll see everyone (including my mom and grandma) in a couple of months when Gavin and Wyatt make their presence!!!