Babies Bump and 30 & 31 Week Update

30 and 31 WEEKS LOOK LIKE THIS:

How far along:  The above pictures were taken at 30 weeks 3 days and 31 weeks 5 days. 

Total weight gain?  As of my doctor's appointment today, I am up 42 lbs.

Maternity clothes?  Yes, yes, and yes.  When I'm home I typically am in sweats, when I go out, all I wear are maxi skirts and for work... I have one dress left that fits.  Thankfully, I only have two work meetings left to attend!

Stretch marks?  Still none... and I really don't know how that's even possible at this point!

Sleep:  Oh sleep... I miss you.  One nostril is still completely blocked every night and turning from side to side makes me feel like I ran a marathon.  And forget trying to get out of bed - that's a feat in and of itself!

Best moment this week:  I watched the most recent episode of Giuliana and Bill (last week's episode) recently and was literally overcome with emotion.  They were in Denver for an appointment with Dr. Schoolcraft and also attended his ball which raises money for infertility research.  During that particular segment of the show, Giuliana thanked Dr. Schoolcraft for giving them her son.  It just stuck with me and made me tear up.  It's just simply amazing to me just how many people this brilliant man has helped become parents.  From a celebrity to a little old nobody from Massachusetts.  I often think of Dr. Schoolcraft and CCRM and am confident that I wouldn't be here today, at 31 weeks 6 days pregnant with twin boys, had it not been for him.  He has blessed my heart and soul more than he will ever know.

Miss anything?  There really isn't much that I miss.  If I had to choose something it would be sleeping with un-blocked nostrils.  But, I've said it before and I'll say it again - I would sleep with a blocked nostril for the rest of my life if it meant I got to be called Mommy by my two sweet boys.

Movement:  Boys, boys, boys!  You are movers and shakers and Mommy loves it!  I love their nudges so much.  I love seeing their movement.  And boy do I love them!

Food cravings:  Still none.

Anything make you queasy or sick?  Still nothing in particular, but anything can still do the trick.

Gender:  LOVE my Boys!

Labor Signs:  I guess none except for some pretty intense cramping, which feels like menstrual cramps.  My doctor gave me a physical exam today to check my cervix, which is still long and closed (thank goodness).  She could, however, feel baby A's head - he's very low, which didn't concern my doctor so I'm working on keeping my worry at bay!

Symptoms:  The same… linea nigra, some ligament pain on my left side in my hip/upper leg area, nasal congestion, restlessness, some back pain, a weird "rash" on the palm of my hands, and low, uterine cramping (which I suppose is from baby A being so low!).

Belly button in or out?  In.  But it's starting to really stretch.  I have a feeling it might pop!

Wedding rings on or off?  Officially off. 

Looking forward to:  Everything!  And to hopefully making it another week with my boys staying put right where they are!

Babies Bump and 29 Week Update

29 WEEKS LOOKS LIKE THIS:

 

How far along:  The above picture was taken at 29 weeks and 3 days. 

Total weight gain?  34lbs as of my doctor's appointment on Tuesday.  I had an appointment on Wednesday with a nutritionist for my GD and she said my weight gain for twins was right on track for my pre-pregnancy BMI and weight.  I was surprised, but happy to hear this.  She said that she would guess that I will gain around 40lbs total if I am able to go to 36 weeks.

Maternity clothes?  Yes, yes and yes.  I'm actually starting to think about post-delivery clothes, too. 

Stretch marks?  Still none.... yay!

Sleep:  Sleep still stinks.  I have one nostril that starts to block up in the evening and is completely blocked by the time I lay down to go to sleep.  While that's pretty darn annoying, I think I might have just learned how to deal with it, because the past few nights it hasn't kept me up as much.  Either that, or I'm just so tired that I sleep through the discomfort of only having one nostril to breathe through!

Best moment this week:  My mom came up for a visit last weekend and somehow I don't have a single picture of our time together.  I think that's probably because we were so busy and worked so hard putting baby things together, taking tags off baby clothes, washing, folding and putting away the baby clothes, running errands to return things, and to buy diapers, wipes, etc., etc., etc.  The good news is that we are now, for the most part, ready for babies!

 

My mom was here, also, to celebrate Mother's Day with me and my sister.  We had a nice morning on Sunday and treated ourselves and my mom to pedicures (pedicures are amazing, but if you're pregnant and get a pedicure, they're even better!).  We had breakfast afterward and then my mom and I headed back to my house to finish up some of the final decorating/hanging of things in the babies' room.  And that's when I lost it.  I just lost it.  Mother's Day was hard for me.  I was emotional because we didn't have the time to hang everything up.  I became immature and pouty - it was the first time that the pregnancy hormones really kicked in.  I was plain old sad.  I couldn't stop the tears.  And I think that, while yes, I was upset about not getting everything done that I had on my "to-do" list, the real trigger was the day itself.  I just couldn't handle it.  I couldn't handle it just as I couldn't handle it for the past three years.  But this year, I couldn't handle it in a different way.  I didn't know how to feel this year.  I didn't really allow myself to think about the day as it approached and when it arrived, it just hit me.... hard.  I suppose Mother's Day will always be difficult.  And rather than celebrating becoming a mom myself, I'd rather just celebrate my own mom in the years to come.

 

So, enough about that day... here is a picture of another little area in the boys' room.  We are 99.9% done with everything - we just have a shelf and a few picture frames to hang and then I'll be ready to share the final outcome.  I love it in there!

 

 

Miss anything?  I really don't.  My heart is very full.  While I wish I was able to breathe out of both nostrils at night, I feel fully content.  A lot of people have started to ask me when I'll stop working or if I'm just so ready to have the babies/be done with pregnancy.  And while I cannot wait for my boys to arrive, I'm also not ready for them to be here.  I have waited so long to be pregnant, to see a big round belly, to feel their kicks and flutters inside of me.  And now I have it and a part of me doesn't want to let it go.  I had a tough first 4 1/2 months of pregnancy where I was so sick that I couldn't really enjoy anything, but now I feel normal (just a little uncomfortable and large) and I love it.

Movement:  My boys are very active.  I think they know I need the reassurance of their movement and kicks :) 

Food cravings:  Coffee Oreo ice cream... but good news!  My nutritionist said I still could have some.  Except I can't have 5 scoops... more like only 1.  But that's OK, it's still a win in my book! 

Anything make you queasy or sick?  Still nothing in particular, but anything can still do the trick.

Gender:  LOVE my Boys!

Labor Signs:  None.  Phew!

Symptoms:  The same…. linea nigra, some ligament pain on my left side in my hip/upper leg area, nasal congestion, restlessness, some back pain, the weird "rash" on the palm of my hands, general discomfort, sore and swollen feet.... oh my poor feet!

Belly button in or out?  In.  But it is still very stretched!

Wedding rings on or off?  Off.

Looking forward to:  A relaxing weekend with nothing planned, only three more scheduled work client meetings in the next couple of weeks and hopefully another week passing with my two baby boys staying put!

Oh and just because, here's a picture of my sweet baby girl:

Babies Bump and 28 Week Update

28 WEEKS LOOKS LIKE THIS:

 

How far along:  The above picture was taken at 28 weeks and 3 days. 

Total weight gain?  About 30 lbs., probably a little more.

Maternity clothes?  I recently ordered some maternity clothes from Gap and Old Navy on-line and had to return a whole handful of them.  It's becoming really difficult finding clothes to wear that covers my bump.  And clothes for work meetings?  Forget about it!  I have about two dresses that I just alternate and try to make look a little different with jewelry.  Maternity work clothes are awful! 

Stretch marks?  Still none.... yay!

Sleep:  I can't even believe how much I took being a good sleeper for granted before... Sleep now is just.... not great.  That's OK, though.  It could be worse and at least one nostril isn't blocked!

Best moment this week:  Week 28 has been full of lots of wonderful things.  First, we welcomed our sweet new niece into the world on Friday - she's a cutie and is so teeny.  I love her!

 

 

 

And I love seeing my husband hold her in his arms!  I can't wait to see him hold our two bundles of joy!

 

My sister's birthday was on Sunday and as always, I had a great day spending time with my BFF.  We treated ourselves to manicures and a delicious lunch afterward - there is nothing like special sister time together.  Whitney told me at lunch that she can't wait for the boys to arrive because then we'd each have one of them in the booth sitting next to us.  She is going to be the best Auntie - I can't wait to see her bond with my little guys!  Happy Birthday, Whitty.  I love you!

 

And the other wonderful thing about week #28?  Putting stuff together!  Baby stuff!  Here are our two car seats, all ready to go!  I can't even believe this.  I really can't.  Babies... my babies will actually be in these in the next couple of months!  What?!?!

 

  

Miss anything?  So, while week 28 came with a lot of wonderful moments, it also came with one really stinky one.... I failed my three hour glucose test.  Ugh!  For some reason, I figured this was going to happen.... I had a feeling since my first OB appointment that, come time for my glucose test, I would be one of the women who end up with gestational diabetes.  I've been so incredibly lucky throughout my pregnancy so far and I know that it could be much worse.  But, it still stinks.  I was hoping to be done with needles for a long, long time, but now I'm pricking my finger four times a day to check my blood sugar.  I will be meeting with a nutritionist next week and am hoping to get this under control with changing some things in my diet.  Bye-bye coffee Oreo ice cream.... I'll celebrate with you on the day that the babies are born!

Movement:  My little future soccer players have gone from little kicks to full fledged nudges.  I love it - I love every single feeling of their movement.  I love when I wake up in the morning and haven't yet felt them.... then as I start moving around I can tell that they're waking up, too. 

Food cravings:  Coffee Oreo ice cream, oh how I miss you so much!  This was my last bowl that I had the second I arrived home after my three hour test (I'm so glad I did that, by the way!).  I'm proud to say I ate every last bite of this gigantic bowl.  I think I dream about it....

 

 

Anything make you queasy or sick?  Still nothing in particular, but anything can still do the trick.

Gender:  LOVE my Boys!

Labor Signs:  None.  Phew!

Symptoms:  The same…. linea nigra, some ligament pain on my left side in my hip/upper leg area, nasal congestion, restlessness, some back pain, the weird "rash" on the palm of my hands, general discomfort, sore and swollen feet.... every symptom makes this more real, though, so as uncomfortable as it might be, it's the biggest blessing in the world.... all of it!

Belly button in or out?  In.  But it has stretched so much that I feel like there is barely a hole there anymore.

Wedding rings on or off?  Off.

Looking forward to:  My mom coming up this weekend to help organize more of the babies' stuff.... they sure do have a lot already!!