21 weeks, 5 days...as big as 30 weeks...

I had my appointment on Tuesday (sorry for the delay in updating the blog!) and all is still going well. My BP was completely normal (110/68), and my charting of BP over the two weeks was normal, so I don't have to be seen again for 3 weeks. Unless of course it starts to creep up over the next week, then I'm to call and change my appt to two weeks. Hoping all stays on track. I gained four pounds in the two weeks, according to their scale, but I'm not sure that's accurate. It's fine if it is, but I don't think it was since I weigh myself every day at home, and was closer to just over 2 pounds gained. But the doc said sometimes it can be water and timing, so nothing to worry about...unless I show up with higher gains at each visit. It's not that it was totally high (and I'm at a total of 14 pounds gained) but at this stage, I should be closer to 1 pound a week, maybe 1 1/2, not 2. Although, looking at my pics, I still cannot believe it's only so little. Looks like a heck of a lot more has been put on. I measured at 30 weeks for a normal single pregnancy...and I'm just now 22. I'm a bit (ok...a LOT) scared of how big I'm going to actually get! I accidentally pushed Allan off a step in the garage because my belly was bigger than I realized and I didn't stop before it smacked his head and down the step he went...laughing, thankfully!











The twins are still on track and doing well. Baby A measured 21w6d, weighs an estimated 1 pound, and had a heart rate of 138. Baby B measured 22w2d, weighs an estimated 1 pound, 2 ounces and had a heart rate of 140. I'm really starting to feel them move a lot lately. Started after my last post, and really only on one side. But within the last couple of days I'm feeling them all the time and from every which way! Only a few of the movements can be felt outside yet, but one shot was a big one and my belly totally moved like an alien! I love this part of pregnancy!!!



This is hard to tell, but it's a face with his arm up and hand in front of him. He had been waving to me.



This is a 3D shot I think of the same pose. So hard to know.



And this one looks like we could have a thumb sucker on our hands!


We are still putting the nursery together. After the score of the one crib, we realize they don't match. Well, they match enough that we're not giving in to buying another one, but they're different enough to be noticeable (which had me in tears...darn hormones!). We did misplace the hardware from Allan's crib, so we had to purchase screws for it from the company, which was a bit nerve wracking since they don't make this crib anymore! Nothing's ever really just easy for us, is it?! It's frustrating not to have it work out the way I pictured it perfectly in my head, but as a good friend pointed out, the boys certainly aren't going to care, and if that's the worst of my problems, we are doing pretty darn good!



This is a shot from the hallway looking through the bedroom door as you'd walk into the room.



This is looking to the left of the cribs. The only place the glider will be able to go so it can be reclined.



This is taken from the corner by the closet looking to the bathroom and into Allan's bedroom.



And this is another shot of the two cribs, showing they're definitely similar, but different in size, and different in where the mattresses will be placed in each crib.

Hopefully my next blog entry will show the new decor and bedding and it will all come together!

There's not much else to report. We all had colds this last week, but appear to be over them now. The outside temps are crazy hot these days. Today and tomorrow are in the high 90's, maybe even hitting 100, but with the heat index, it puts today at 106 and tomorrow at 110! Who the heck scheduled the timing of this pregnancy?! It's almost too much for me just to walk to the mailbox in this stifling mess! Allan and I are hoping to meet up with friends tomorrow at a park...I don't know how long I'll make it, but we'll try it out! I've been told it's a great shady park with a breeze from the river, so hopefully that'll hold true tomorrow! Otherwise, I've been trying to keep Allan busy with indoor activities. We've been to Chuck E Cheese's, Chick Fil A (a fast food place with great indoor playareas), and O2B Kids (a great indoor place we can spend the entire day!). It's been good and cool and keeps him busy, however I have a feeling that's why we caught the summer cold, too!

Assuming all continues to hold steady with my BP this week, my next appointment isn't until Aug 19th, so until then, take care, keep cool and stay well!

19 weeks, 5 days...all is still going (mostly) well

The babies are doing great! At 19 weeks, 5 days, both boys measured 20 weeks, 2 days. Baby A had a heart rate of 138, and baby B's was 141.



The above photo is Baby A's profile with his hands folded in front of his face like he's praying.



The above photo is Baby B's face looking straight at camera with his hand up by his mouth. Poor thing seems a bit more squished than his brother!


I have gained another 4 pounds (in 3 weeks) for a total of 10 pounds so far...already more than I gained the whole pregnancy with Allan! (I won't be posting photos of me this time, but hopefully will have another profile belly shot of me for the next update!) It appears my blood pressure is going to make a scene again. When I got there, the first reading was 143/84. When they retook it before I left it was 132/88. Darn it. So, I'm now under orders to take it twice a day at home and to call them if it reaches high 140's or mid 90's.

My appointments are now being changed to every two weeks instead of three so it can be monitored a little more closely already. I'm hoping it was just my nerves (and the morning traffic!) that made today's pressure rise, but we went through this with Allan, so I'm assuming we'll be monitoring it closely for the duration of the pregnancy. Fingers crossed and prayers said it doesn't turn into anything more serious.

My doctor made up for some of the points he lost last week. We had a good talk and he answered all my outstanding questions. He apologized for the last visit when he was so late and so rushed and not in a great mood. So, he's back on the top of my list!

Allan is a joy through all this. I'm so excited to see the big brother he'll be! He rubs the side of my belly and tells me he's rubbing Baby A, then he moves to the other side and tells me he's now rubbing Baby B. He also always kisses my belly twice, but not just two kisses in the same spot, he kisses each side. I am sure having him at some ultrasounds has made it easier for him to understand there are two brothers in there, and they're in different spots. Allan still talks of all the things he'll teach his brothers, too, like talking and walking and laughing and playing. It's just so sweet. Then I watch Allan jumping from the couch and I think to myself of ALL the things he'll really teach them! Goodness...we're gonna have our hands full with three boys!

Tom is traveling again. He was gone last week, home over the weekend, and gone again this week. He was a busy, busy man over the last two weekends, though, and we've (read that as HE'S)nearly finished the nursery painting and woodwork! He applied a bead board style wainscoting that goes up about 6 feet on all the walls. The wainscoting will stay white and the upper 4 feet of wall is a sage-y green.










I was able to score a spanking deal on a crib that matches Allan's, so we didn't have to buy two new cribs! I also purchased the bedding for both cribs, which is turning into a safari or zoo type theme. One bedding set has a giraffe and the other an elephant. I love that they are not the exact same sets, but coordinate really nicely! Once the room is finished with cribs in place, I'll post pics for you all to see what we've done. I wish everyone could just come see for yourself, but since most of you are thousands of miles away, I won't hold my breath!

My next appointment (and therefore next update) is scheduled for Wednesday, July 28th.