23 Weeks!

Happy Halloween week!!!! I'm a little bummed this year I'm not wearing some cute costume but REALLY excited next year I can dress up our two little pumpkins!!! Maverick is just hoping that next year this means all the costumes will be for the Twins and not him, good luck with that pup!!

I believe this look on Mavs face was right after I suggested he wear part of a Halloween picture

We are not very happy about the dinosaur hat

Front view....yay for still having a waist!

Weeks along: 23....officially 6 months preggo! Of course it feels like WAY longer then that

Trimester: Second

Frequency of OB appointments: We are moving to every 2 weeks starting with our 24 week appointment next week. Would be nice if we could go every 4 weeks just a little longer but I am relieved knowing we have a great clinic checking in on the twins so regularly!

How I'm feeling: More or less of the same....tired, nausea, headaches, sciatica, back pain, dizzy. Luckily I do have periods I feel good between all of this! 

Total Weight Gain:  19 pounds

Babies are the size of: A papaya

Movement: Both are moving pretty regularly. Usually can feel each at least once a day, but the boy is always easier to feel right under my right rib. Movements are getting stronger so I'm hoping Ed will be able to feel them soon!

Cravings: I really wanted cookie crisp cereal out of the blue, can't say I've had this in about 20 years......it does not taste like I remember....aka not as amazing...but I'm a hungry preggo lady so of course I ate it :)

Sleep: Out cold every night. So greatful I have no trouble sleeping yet as I'm sooooo tired each day

Wedding ring: On

Stretch marks: Nada!!

Belly button: Innie!

Bedrest/Restrictions: No bed-rest yet!

What I miss: Being able to easily put on shoes, specifically my boots! Its getting hard to bend over to do it and when I bend over to much I get dizzy. Ugh! Can it just stay flip flop season? I can just step into those! 

Best part of the week:  Getting the rest of the nursery furniture up! It is a tight fit having two cribs in that room, but neat to see how it all fits. Baby boy's crib is all done with sheets, crib skirt, and mobile. Baby girl still needs sheets and a mobile but her mother can not make a decision for anything. 

New Baby Gear:  Car seats are ordered, bought each baby a sleep sack. Figured we'd only get one each and if they like them we can always get more. 

What I'm looking forward to this week: Date night with the hubby on Friday!!! We are trying to cram as many in as we can. Will probably also see a movie this weekend, have to do as many of those as we can before the babies come and we are stuck inside for months! Also excited we have another growth ultrasound this Friday so we'll get to see the babies on ultrasound for over an hour. Hopefully they still look like a boy and a girl ;) 

22 Weeks

Okay back to belly pics!! A sweater dress is probably not the best way to see the bump but whatever it was a cute outfit :)

Weeks along: 22

Trimester: Second

How I'm feeling: More or less of the same....tired, nausea, headaches, sciatica, back pain, dizzy. Luckily I do have periods I feel good between all of this! 

Total Weight Gain:  "Forgot" to weigh myself, but I can assure you my clothes are getting tighter and tighter 

Babies are the size of: A squash!

Movement: At least once a day I feel them moving, still feels like bubbles. Our boy is easier to feel then our sweet little girl

Cravings: None

Sleep: Needing a ton! If I could find a way to get an afternoon nap that would be amazing

Wedding ring: On

Stretch marks: Nada!!

Bedrest/Restrictions: No bed-rest yet! Although my doctor did ask if I was still working full time at my last appointment, I told her yes b/c nobody has told me to stop. She didn't say I have to stop but I wonder how long they'll let me go...hopefully at least through the end of the year

What I miss: Being able to put on shoes easily

Best part of the week:  Got the nursery painted and decided on bedding for the twins! Pics to come! Also went to Target and did our baby registry. I felt very prepared going in but man are there a LOT of options out there. 

New Baby Gear:  Ordered the valance for the nursery and crib skirts. Bought the bedding for both kids and our boys baby mobile. 

What I'm looking forward to this week: Does the weekend so I can sleep in again count?? Ugh so tired! Also excited for Ed to put together the rest of the furniture this weekend, he did one crib and it looks awesome!! 

1 work day down....4 to go then I can sleep in again!! This extreme tiredness must be my body in survival mode to prep me for no sleep once the twins come! It will be totally worth it though :) 

21 weeks

Didn't get around to a picture this week, but if you look at the gender reveal post you can see the ever growing belly there! 

Weeks along: 21

Trimester: Second

How I'm feeling: More or less of the same....tired, nausea, headaches, sciatica, back pain, dizzy. Luckily I do have periods I feel good between all of this! 

Total Weight Gain:  16 pounds! Not quite what they wanted me to gain but the doctor was not too concerned so I'm not going to be worried unless she is

Babies are the size of: A carrot (should have done a picture this week, I can actually draw a carrot)!

Movement: They are both moving now to the point where I can feel them. I'm pretty sure A was picking on his sister yesterday because he was moving like crazy and then after he stopped she decided to get even....thanks kids, I didn't want to be focused at work anyways ;)

Cravings: None

Sleep: Out cold every night. So greatful I have no trouble sleeping yet as I'm sooooo tired each day

Wedding ring: On

Stretch marks: Nada!!

Bedrest/Restrictions: No bed-rest yet!

What I miss: Being allowed to help with cleaning, cooking, etc. I mean its nice to have a little break but I feel soooo lazy sitting on the couch while someone else does it for me. 

Best part of the week:  The Gender Reveal party. The secret is finally out (boy and a girl WAHOO!) and the shopping can begin!!  It was so wonderful to have all our parents here (first time they've all been together since our wedding over 4 years ago!!!). We had some of our closest friends at the party as well which was special. Truly can not thank everyone enough who gave up part of their Saturday to spend with us and find out what the Twins are, we are very lucky with the friends and family we have! I also took 2 days off before the reveal which gave me time with the moms. I spent Thursday having a pamper me day with my mom (manis, pedis, light shopping, and then saw Wicked!) Super fun day. We also finished some of the decorations for the gender reveal party. Then Friday we met up with Eds mom and did lunch, more shopping, and then they were awesome and got things ready for the party and I rested (well reluctantly rested, I wanted to help but apparently it was not an option)

New Baby Gear:  Where to start!!! 2 cribs, 2 dressers, 1 rocking chair, all the rails to convert cribs to toddler beds then full beds. TONS and I mean TONS of adorable clothes!!!  The twins have a decent sized closet they will be sharing and between me, Ed, and the grandmas that closet is at least half full with the cuuuuutest clothes. My personal favorites so far are a hot pink with glitter tutu for her (why was there not an adult version?) and cute little black and white plaid collared shirt onesie with nice pants for Him (daddy has a similar shirt minus the onesie feature....hello family pictures!)

What I'm looking forward to this week: The arrival of all the nursery furniture (UPS man is going to hate us!). Registering for our baby showers. Ed painting the nursery (we know one color we are doing I just have to make up my indecisive mind on if we need to do 2 colors based on what bedding I choose...I've only changed my mind 10 times already). A weekend where I can just sit on the couch and read magazines and relax with my two boys, we've had 3 busy busy weekends in a row and this mama to be is ready for a lazy one! 

Promise to take a belly pic next week! I'm sure I will look like a freaking whale by then! Geesh these kids are growing nonstop.

The Twins are......

On Saturday we had a gender reveal party with our parents (thanks for all traveling 8+ hours to be a part of it!) and some close friends in the metro. It is SO nice to finally have the secret out (we've known since October 4 what the babies are!!). I was very lucky to have my mom and Eds mom around to help decorate, prep food, and clean. I was pretty prepared going into the party but it was a lot of work on the actual day so I can't thank them enough for all the help! (And making me lay down for a bit while they got stuff ready so I didn't get to tired....which I'll admit I did need to do!)

Now on to the party details! First off.....the theme was ties and tutus! Here are some decoration pics: 

Old Wives Tales Board

Pretty pink and blue flowers

Made the flag banner above the fireplace....not gonna lie, very proud of my work! Thanks to the mom's for helping hang it...apparently pregnant people shouldn't be up on chairs

Snacks

Front door...thanks for making these mom!

Front walk

The cake!! One tier for each baby

Our baker did amazing

Fruit bowl my mama made!

Right before we cut the cake to show the genders we took pics of everyone's guess: 

Mav's choice

Family picture :)

2 Girls

2 Boys

One of each!

Ready to cut the cake

And the big reveal:

video to come....hopefully....i'm having difficulties getting it loaded!

And a few more pics from the reveal party:

We are having a boy AND a girl!!! Best of both worlds! Not sure if Mav is more interested in the cake or his new siblings ;)

Family picture!

It was a fantastic party. After the party we did some shopping for the twins since we finallllly had the genders. Their closet has definitely grown over the weekend! Thanks again to everyone who helped us celebrate the genders!!  We are so excited we'll be having a little boy and a little girl!!!

20 Weeks

Weeks along: 20

Trimester: Second

How I'm feeling: More or less of the same....nausea, headaches, sciatica, back pain, dizzy. Luckily I do have periods I feel good between all of this! 

Total Weight Gain:  Forgot to weigh myself, will get a weight at this weeks doctors appointment

Babies are the size of: A banana!

Movement: I feel them! I feel them! Okay I feel baby A (on my right side). It is right in my rib cage. Feel little bubble like movements and flutters a few times a day to every other day for the past 6 days. Such a weird feeling

Cravings: None

Sleep: Needing a ton!

Wedding ring: On

Stretch marks: Nada!!

Bedrest/Restrictions: No bed-rest yet!

What I miss: Being able to take a nice long walk without back pain after!

Best part of the week:  Got to see Ed's side of the family over the weekend in Michigan for a leukemia walk we did as a family. Was so great to have a chance to all get together and for such a great cause. I highly recommend a Light the Night Walk to everyone, it was beautiful to see all the lanterns glowing in support of leukemia survivors and those who lost their battle. It was a rough walk on me, was kinda hot at the beginning so I felt a little dizzy and then by the end my back was hurting but still wouldn't take back doing it for anything. It was a wonderful experience. 

New Baby Gear:  A bunch of cute books from Grammy and Papa for the twins! They even got their first Halloween book :)

What I'm looking forward to this week: THE GENDER REVEAL!!!! We can not wait to reveal the genders to our friends and family!! AND once we know the genders, the shopping is on!! I So excited to start spoiling the twins!! Only a few days to go! I'm guessing next weeks new gear section will be loaded!

19 weeks....half way there!!!

Mom, when can we stop taking these pictures?

Weeks along: 19.....officially half way there! My OB said we will not be allowed to go past 38 weeks with twins, yay for us! 

Trimester: Second

How I'm feeling: It was a rough week, in addition to the tiredness, headaches, back pain, and pain from pinched sciatic nerve this week I"ve had nausea again. To make things even more fun I've been light headed and dizzy most of the time. I thought it was low blood sugar or low blood pressure but apparently these little twinkies need so much blood my blood supply is expanding by such crazy volumes that that is why I'm dizzy and light headed like all the time. I've found laying flat helps a ton....but since I can't do that at work I've settled on a chair that reclines a good amount and then putting my feet on my desk....I look like the laziest worker ever but if it keeps me from passing out it will do :) I will say though, as crappy as I've felt the past week I wouldn't change any of it because it means I"m pregnant with Twins which is exactly what we wanted after everything we've been through (but if the babies wanted to ease up on me a little I sure wouldn't complain!)

Total Weight Gain:  13 pounds

Babies are the size of: A mango!

Movement: None yet

Cravings: Was at Target over lunch buying food for Eds diaper keg. Bought brownie mix like he requested....but that was next to the cupcakes....not sure if it was a craving or just me shopping hungry but at that moment I HAD to have the cupcakes :) (They were funfetti afterall!)

Sleep: Still able to sleep great but waking up with back pain in the morning

Wedding ring: On

Stretch marks: Nada!!

Bedrest/Restrictions: No bed-rest yet!

What I miss: Really wanted to be able to eat raw cupcake batter when I made cupcakes for the diaper keg! (Its the best part of baking!) Took all my will power to keep the spatula out of my mouth! 

Best part of the week: Ed had his diaper keg to celebrate the babies! It was really fun to throw for him and all the guys seemed to have a great time. Plus we got a ton of diapers for the twins so thanks guys!! One of my brothers flew in for the weekend as well so it was fun to see him up here for his "annual Minneapolis trip". Come back soon Jeff :)

New Baby Gear:  Nothing this week, holding off until I know the genders

What I'm looking forward to this week: The last week of not knowing what these babies are!!! Once we hit 20 weeks it is game on! As I told Ed, "Honey I gave you 20 good weeks of me being in control and not going nuts shopping for the babies....sooooo once we know what they are......game on!" Ed's response "I should have saved more" Haha love him :)

Non baby related, I am also very excited to see family this weekend for a leukemia walk we are doing as a family on Eds side. We have matching t-shirts (that I ordered last winter so hopefully the belly still comfortably fits in it) and will be walking 2.3 miles together. Will be a very beautiful walk as it is a light the night walk. Better bust out the comfy shoes so me and the babies can comfortably get through the walk :)

On a mushy note I just want to say at this point how grateful and lucky I am for my amazing husband. He is SO good about forcing me to lay down and rest (even when I don't want to) so I don't push myself too hard. He has taken up so much of the house upkeep because some of it is hard for me to do (stupid laundry machine is too deep to reach all the clothes with a little belly now....dont even wanna know how hard it will be with a big belly!) I am so glad I get to share this experience with him. And so glad I was able to throw him a fun diaper keg to celebrate him becoming a dad!! Here are a few pics from the party:

Jeff and Ed loading the back up beer in case the keg runs out....which it did

Cupcakes I made....the color has no meaning at this point....that we know of :)

Mav supervising beer pong

The diaper loot...plus some gift cards, thanks everyone!

On that note I think its time to watch the Voice from this week! Bring on week 20 and knowing what these babies are!!! :)