Christmas 2015

Our Christmas this year was quite a bit different than years past. Rob and I decided a few months ago that we would not be going to either of our parents' houses. We knew I'd either be ridiculously pregnant, or that we'd have teeny tiny newborns. As it turns out I'm still pregnant, yay, so we had our family come to us.

I wasn't sure we were going to be able to do Christmas Eve mass, but since I'm still feeling pretty good, we were able to make it to mass. I wasn't exactly able to stand or kneel as I should, sorry to the people behind us, but we made it through. And best of all, Rob was off work early enough to join us. 

By 7pm Harrison was asking to go to bed, so it was an early night for them. Brooke was right to sleep, but Harry was still up at 9:30 because he was "too excited for Santa." I managed to get to bed by 10:30, but then tossed and turned more than usual. I was just too excited for the morning with the kiddos.

My parents came over first thing in the morning, and then Rob's parents joined us later. The day was full of lots of excitement, outfit changes, and time spent in the new bounce house.  We are truly blessed and had a wonderful day.

By about 4pm, family was gone and we had already made the decision to skip naps. We knew the kids would be in bed at least an hour early, so we decided to spend the last hour of daylight playing in the hot tub. It was the kids and my first time in. Harry was asking to get in today, so I think they enjoyed it. 

Christmas is a truly magical day, and I love seeing the magic through my kids' eyes. I know the excitement of it all will last into the weeks ahead.  I hope all of you had a blessed holiday spent with loved ones, and I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year!

37 Weeks

How Far Along - 37 Weeks!! Full Term!

Babies' Size -  Both babies were measuring 6lbs7oz at our ultrasound on Friday. 

Total Weight Gain - This week has been another up and down week in the weight department thanks to swelling. This morning I was up 52, and I think that's pretty accurate. 

Gender - Boy and Girl!
Names - I think we know what their names will be, but I'm not feeling a big connection between the babies and their names. It will definitely be a post birth decision.  
Maternity Clothes - I'm glad I only have a week left, because even my maternity clothes are barely covering this belly.  
Cravings - Soup! It hasn't even been that cold here, but I'm all about soup. Chick Fil A's chicken tortilla is one of my faves right now. I also had a sushi craving this week, which was satisfied immediately. It will be nice when I have more than just a couple safe sushi options to choose from.  

Symptoms - Lots of swelling, pressure, round ligament pain, Braxton Hicks, and heartburn. The heartburn has been a real bitch this week. It doesn't matter what I eat, when I eat, or how much I eat, the heartburn is there. Pass the Tums and Zantac please!
Sleep - Still lots of tossing and turning, but I'm thankfully getting a decent amount of rest. I had one night that required a couple hours of upright sleeping, which I'm not a fan of. Although, I'm also not a fan of side sleeping. I can't wait to get back to sleeping on my stomach and back. 
Miss Anything - Energy. I am thankfully still feeling really good in the morning, but by lunchtime I'm pretty well spent. Thank goodness for kids that still nap. 
Stretch Marks - No new ones, but I definitely have them. 
Looking Forward To - Christmas! All of our shopping is done, presents are wrapped, and now we wait. I am so excited to have this last big holiday with Harrison and Brooke before the babies arrive. As excited as I am to meet the babies, I'm enjoying every last minute I can with my first babies. 
Best Moment This Week - Getting to enjoy a movie date with Rob today. Movie dates when I'm about to pop seem to be our thing. With H and B we went to see The Avengers a week and a half before they were born. Today it was Star Wars. I miraculously made it through the whole movie without needing a bathroom break. Impressive, I know. ;) Also, making it to 37 weeks is HUGE! 

Appointment Notes - All looked good on our ultrasound. There was a little confusion over fluid levels that had us freaked out until my OB talked to the u/s tech to clarify. We have another ultrasound tomorrow to make sure all looks good to hold out to the 28th. Mostly they'll just be checking fluid levels and positioning. I won't be seeing my OB tomorrow, and when I left my Friday appointment, she said I'll see you on the 28th. It's great to know she feels as confident as I do that we'll make it to our scheduled section. 

The Death of a Birth Plan

Long before I ever got pregnant, or even knew we would have trouble getting pregnant, I knew I was going to have an unmedicated home birth. When we first started trying, or not trying to avoid as it were, I watched The Business of Being Born. I then followed that up with lots of books and journals regarding birth. I became a major home birth advocate and knew our future baby would be born at home, or in the very least a birthing center.

Fast forward 5 years, and we were finally pregnant. I held onto the dream of a relaxing home birth during all of our fertility struggles. I was convinced I was still going to be able to have the birth I dreamed of, and then we found out it was twins. So much for the home birth I dreamed of. Yes there are women who home birth multiples, but it increased the risk enough I wasn't comfortable with it anymore.  

Thankfully my OB was on board with an unmedicated natural hospital birth. So that was the plan for 30 weeks. Then we found out I needed to be induced due to preeclampsia. My doctor was great about keeping things as natural as possible while still getting things moving. Pitocin was considered a last resort. 

I cried after that appointment as I drove home to get the house in order before our induction that night. I knew the statistics on induction and natural birth, and I knew the odds were no longer in my favor. Less than 24 hours after my doctors appointment, Harrison and Brooke were born via c-section. While their birth wasn't at all what I planned or hoped for, it was what was necessary, and we all came out healthy on the other end. 

We knew we wanted more kids, and I knew I wanted a VBAC, so we waited almost 2 years before our FET. The longer after your c section, the higher chance of a successful natural delivery. I knew an HBAC was out of the question after my delivery with H and B, so I again planned for a natural hospital delivery. 

At 7 weeks we found out it was twins again, and I was told immediately I was crazy for considering a twin VBAC. I was still laying on the ultrasound table being told I shouldn't even consider a twin VBAC. If I wasn't already crying, I was as soon as I heard that. 

My OB was more optimistic, but still was in favor of a repeat c-section. She was willing to try a natural birth if everything was going smoothly, which it thankfully is. Almost 37 weeks, no health issues this go round, two head down babies. The things natural twin births are made of.  

I started doing a little research, and it didn't take long for me to make a decision. I discussed it with Robbie, and he was very much for a scheduled c-section. By that time, I was too. It took me a while to come to terms with it, but by 20 weeks we knew we would be having a scheduled repeat c-section. We discussed dates, which is totally weird to me to plan the day your babies will arrive, and decided that after Christmas was best. 

For almost 5 weeks now we have know that December 28th is our babies' eviction day, and I've prayed every day that we make it that far. We have to arrive at the hospital at 5am for a 7:30 c-section. I still haven't packed my bag, because I'm convinced we will make it to our scheduled date.  

Life has a way of throwing curves your way. While I never dreamed I'd be a c-section mama, I am and I'm ok with it.  I never dreamed I'd be the mom of two sets of twins, but here I am, about to welcome my second set in a week and a half. All of this to say it's ok that things didn't go how I planned. As important as my ideal birth was, it's not what matters anymore. My healthy children are. I was still able to exclusively breast feed, and make other natural choices for their life. Things that were as important to me as the birth I had planned. While their birth is about them, I realized that the plan I had was more about me, and that as long as they're healthy and safe, it's all that matters. Do I still wish I could have had the home birth that some of my friends were able to experience? Of course I do, but I am just as happy with the days spent in the hospital with H and B, and the days to come that I'll spend in the hospital with our still nameless new babies. 

Birthdays and Breakfast With Santa

I knew going into this weekend it was going to be a busy one. In true Jenn style I decided a weekend full of kid activities wasn't enough, and I decided to throw holiday baking into the mix too. I kind of regret that decision, but I did manage to get all of our treat making done in time to include goodies in the kids' teacher gifts, so it all worked out well. After my doctor's appointment Friday, the kids and I picked up all of the necessary ingredients for baking. We got to work after naps, and they were eager to help. They were great at crushing Oreos, dipping buckeyes, and watching Christmas movies when I needed them out of the way.

Saturday morning we went to Breakfast with Santa at the YMCA. We didn't get to sit down with the big buy, but there were plenty of other things to do. Like bounce houses. H and B remembered that there were bounces houses at last year's Breakfast with Santa, so they were asking about bouncing around before we even left the house. They also got to meet Elsa, play games, pet a reindeer, make a human snowman, and get their faces painted. I find most Elsas to be rather creepy, it's something about the hair, but this one wasn't too bad. Brooke ran right up to her and was super excited to meet her. My parents joined us for this, and it was nice to have an extra set of hands, or two as was the case, so they could watch the kids bounce while I patiently waited in line for 45 minutes so H and B could get their faces painted.

Next up was their bestie's birthday. Games, balloons, cookies. The usual things 5 year olds birthday parties consist of. Brooke won one of the games and when it came time to pick out her prize she chose a mini dart board over a princess crown and tiara. Way to throw me a curve ball, Princess Brooke. The church Sophie's dad attend was having a festival so we went to that after the party. It was essentially a gym full of bounce houses, which was great for the kids, but I was dying from the heat of 10,000 people packed into 5,000 square feet. I convinced the kids we should go to the park, thank goodness for 60 degrees in December, so we did that for a little bit before heading home.

The weather was so nice that all of the neighborhood kids were out playing in the culdesac when we got home. I got a chance to meet a few neighbors, the kids got to make a bunch of new friends, and we ended the night with all of the kids raiding our bubble and sidewalk chalk stash. No naps meant an early bedtime for them, and extra bake time for me.

Sunday morning it was more baking, and then we were off to our cousin Blake's 2nd birthday party. We were having a good time at Blake's party until a party favor mix up caused one of the most epic meltdowns I have ever seen. Harrison lost his shit. Like, I've never seen him so upset. We immediately took the kids home for naps and hoped for a better attitude after some rest.

Thankfully they were straight to sleep, and we were able to have a great evening full of Christmas light viewing. We stopped by Rob's parents to see their nutcracker collection and trees. Then it was off to dinner at one of our favorite Chinese restaurants. Next up was the big Santa and other lights downtown. Finally we drove through the Fantasy of Lights before calling it a night. We planned to do all of the light viewing after our Santa visit on Wednesday, but the stomach bug postponed it until Sunday, which I actually think worked out better.

36 Weeks

How Far Along - 36 Weeks 1 Day

Babies' Size - I'm guessing their size is right around 6 pounds. This week we will have a full ultrasound with measurements and a biophysical profile. I'm excited to see how they're measuring. 

Total Weight Gain - I was still at 49 pounds on Saturday. Sunday I was up 2, and today I was up another 2. Water weight? So somewhere between 49 and 53. Il be watching to see if it levels off or stays at 53.  

Gender - Boy and Girl!
Maternity Clothes - Still rotating the last few items in my closet that actually fit. Sweats, yoga pants, maternity jeans, and maternity shirts.
Cravings - None. I've been eating to eat, and not really because anything sounds great. We did have Chinese food from one of our favorite restaurants last night, and it did hit the spot. I 

Symptoms - Swelling is new just within the last 24-48 hours. The bones in my feet and my ankles are almost nonexistent. I'm really hoping that it's just the result of a busy weekend and that it will minimize a little bit.
Sleep - The cold that plagued me last week is gone, so sleep has been a little bit better. Tyson has been driving me freaking crazy at night. He is having a hard time adjusting to sleep in the new house, and I know me changing positions every hour or two doesn't help. Overall I can't complain though. I did have one night where I moved down to the couch because my hips were so sore, but otherwise I've been making it from 11-7 most nights without too many issues.
Miss Anything - Being able to keep a clean house. I know that's kind of a trivial thing, but not feeling up to house work is kind of driving me batty. The energy I do have is devoted to the kids, getting things ready for babies, and all things holiday. Cleaning has taken a back seat and I'm looking forward to having energy to clean again. Until then, I'll keep the house habitable, and the mop can take a back seat.
Stretch Marks - Yep! They're still less noticeable if my belly is fully moisturized, but there's no denying they're there.
Purchases - A few things for me. A robe and new slippers to pack in my hospital bag, which I still haven't packed. I know I need to, but I feel like as soon as I do it's a sign to the universe that I'm ready for the babies to show up.
Looking Forward To - This is Brooke and Harrison's last week of school and classes. I am excited to have a few mornings where we don't have to rush out the door, and we can meander around the house all morning. I'm sure we'll still get out and do things next week, even if it's just a quick Starbucks run, but it will be nice to have a week where our schedule isn't so busy.
Best Moment This Week - Making it through another week! At this point every day is a blessing. This pregnancy has been so different than with H and B. I'm convinced staying active is the difference. By this time last pregnancy, I was miserable, swollen, uncomfortable, and just plain over it. I was hoping every day would be the day I went into labor, and this go round, I'm hoping I don't. 

Appointment Notes - BP was 122/78. Still nice and low, and I'm beyond happy about that. We had another NST this week, and little man actually cooperated. Both babies had quite a few rises and falls in their heart rate which is what they like to see. Normal fluctuation and some movement. Our next two, last two, appointments are both ultrasound appointments, so this NST was our last. 

35 Weeks

How Far Along - 35 Weeks 1 Day
Babies' Size - A couple of honeydew melons or coconuts. Both babies were weighing over 5lbs at my ultrasound a week ago. Assuming we make it to 38 weeks, I think we're going to be looking at 7 pound babies.
Total Weight Gain - 49 pounds total. I usually weigh myself every day or two, but I went for a couple weeks without the scale during our move. I'd be very curious to see if the gain has been consistent or if there was a big jump over Thanksgiving weekend.
Gender - Boy and Girl!
Maternity Clothes - I'm down to 4 tees and 3 tanks that cover my belly. And when I say they cover it, that's only if I continuously pull them down. Maternity jeans and yoga pants when I leave the house, sweatpants at home all the time. We now have neighbors that can see in our windows, so the no pants option I loved so much a few weeks ago is no longer an option.
Cravings - Peppermint everything. Coffee, pretzels, oreos, ice cream, everything. To be fair, I'd probably be craving all things peppermint even if I wasn't pregnant. I love peppermint!! Christmastime of heaven to my taste buds.
Symptoms - Lots of Braxton Hicks. I definitely notice them at least every hour, and they're often frequent enough that I have to lay down and chug some water. Lots and lots of baby movement. I can tell they are getting crowded in there. The movements they make and they things they are doing to my stomach right now are almost creepy. Very minimal sweeling by the end of the day. Nothing at all close to what I experienced last time. 
Sleep - I've had a cold over the last week which has made sleep worse than usual. I am tossing and turning a lot, but I'm no longer waking up at 6am and being unable to fall back asleep. Most days I do take advantage of nap time and I can make up for an hour of sleep then.
Miss Anything - Not worrying. I'm worried about the babies coming early, how Harrison and Brooke are going to handle things, getting the babies' room ready, making sure we're ready for Christmas. You get the idea. We have so much going on right now that it has my usual laid back self feeling on edge. Definitely not a feeling I'm used to.
Stretch Marks - Yep! I think a few of them may be new, but most of them are ones from postpartum with H and B.
Purchases - Everything!! Now that we're in the new house, I've been on a baby shopping spree. Car seats, rock and plays, double snap and go, winter baby clothes, nursing supplies and pillow, baby monitor. I think I have everything ordered that needs ordered, now I'm just waiting for a few more things to show up. Between Christmas, baby purchases, and items for the new house, our USPS and UPS drivers have been making daily deliveries. We haven't purchased a table for our formal dinning room yet, so right now that room is serving as a staging area for all of the new baby gear that has been arriving.
Looking Forward To - Finishing getting everything organized. Baby clothes have been sorted and laundered, the nursery is painted, cribs are set up. We are definitely getting there, and I can't wait until I feel like we really have everything ready to go. I should probably get bags packed for the kids and I and make arrangements for the dogs.
Best Moment This Week - Rob's work Christmas party was last weekend. We went to the party and then went out for a night cap after. Martinis for him, decaf coffee and dessert for me. We're so close to having our life turned upside down again, it was really nice to get out and enjoy an evening with just the two of us. 

Appointment Notes - We've had a couple ultrasounds over the past few weeks. Both babies scored 8 out of 8 on their biophysical profiles. Baby girl was weighing in a 5lbs4oz a week ago, and baby boy was at 5lbs6oz. My blood pressure was 110/70 at my appointment on Friday. I'm so relieved that my BP has been staying down. 

We Moved

We have had a crazy last two weeks, but the good news is we're moved, and I'm still pregnant! Moving at 33 weeks pregnant was no joke, but we made it and are slowly getting settled into our new home.

We loved our old house, but it was never our house.  In 4 years there the only room I painted or art I hung on the wall was in Harriosn and Brooke's room.  It was a great rental and was the perfect transition for us from partying kids in our 20s to responsible, mostly, parents in our 30s. We loved the time we spent there, and will definitely miss the neighborhood and having the church and school as our primary neighboors.

I had been slowly packing a couple boxes each day, so when it came to crunch time, we mostly just had the kids room and kitchen left to pack. We closed on our new home on Monday the 23rd, moved on Tuesday, had cleaners come in and were fully out of our old house on Wednesday, and were ready for Thanksgiving on Thursday, Thankfully we weren't hosting. We did host Friendsgiving on Sunday, and our friends were all kind enough to ignore the boxes everywhere.

H and B's empty room

It was a whirlwind week and we're glad it's over. All of our moves have been in town, so we've always just rented a Uhaul, bought a case of beer and some pizza, and had family and friends help. Due to my current condition, and Rob's crazy work schedule, we decided to hire movers, and it was the best decision ever. They showed up at 8am, and were done by 3pm. It only cost around $700 and was so worth every penny. If you live in The Fort, I highly recommend Fairfield Movers.

Celebrating our move

We also hired a cleaning crew to do a move out clean, which was again worth every penny. Not having to worry about cleaning the fridge or scrubbing the floors after we were moved out was such a relief. If I weren't so pregnant we probably wouldn't have spent the money on that, but it was definitely worth it given our current situation. 

So now we're working on getting settled into our new house. The kids are loving it. Their room is bigger, they have a great walk in closet/library, and they have a basement playroom now. If we could just find Harrison's dang Lightning McQueen car, they'd be all set.

Nursery painting. Bye bye pumpkin baby poop brown.

Most of our boxes have been unpacked, the Christmas tree is up, and the nursery has been painted. We still have a lot to get done over the next 3 weeks, but I think we'll maybe be ready when it's time for these babies to show up. 

32 Weeks

How Far Along - 32 Weeks 1 Day
Babies' Size - 2 large jicamas or squashes depending on which app or picture you consult. How either of those are bigger than the pineapple last week, I don't know. I do know that both babies are closing in on 4 pounds in the weight department, and they're just over 16 inches long.
Total Weight Gain - 42 pounds, up 2 pounds last week. My goal is 50 total, so we're going to be pretty close to that as long as I don't pack on a bunch of water weight.
Gender - One with a Y chromosome, and one without
Maternity Clothes - Can I just give up on pants? All of my pants, even my maternity jeans, are getting tight on the bottom of my belly. At home I proudly wear a maternity tees and boy short underwear around the house 90% of the time. Keeping it comfy but still PG. I do have a couple pairs of loose fitting sweats that make appearances for company or if I get cold.
Cravings - No real cravings this week. Last night we had the most amazing dinner. Creamy tortellini soup, fruit salad. and cucumber tomato salad. I love TWD nights and the food that comes along with them! I think I want to repeat that meal every day this week.
Symptoms - Mostly the general uncomfortableness that comes along with the end of pregnancy. My heartburn eased up last week, so yay to that. I still am not experiencing much swelling, unless you count my booty. ;) All things considered, I'm feeling pretty lucky as far as symptoms go right now. 
Sleep - Still lots of tossing and turning and hip pain throughout the night. I tried sleeping on the couch in a recliner for a couple hours last week. It was a big fail, but it did help relieve the hip pain enough I could go back to sleep for another hour in our bed before the kids woke up.
Miss Anything - Being able to get around easily. I'm slow, like really slow. Thankfully I have two very understanding kiddos.
Stretch Marks - No new ones this week. Definitely noticing a few white ones, maybe from postpartum with H and B. If I don't lube up the belly a couple times a day, they are definitely more noticeable.
Looking Forward To - Meeting these babies!! They'll be here in 6 weeks! Also moving! After being delayed for weeks, we find out today if we'll be moving this weekend or at the beginning of next week. I can't wait to get this situated for these babies to come home. We still haven't bought anything for them, we do already have most of it, so there will be a lot of Black Friday baby shopping going on, online of course. Car seats, rock n plays, double snap and go stroller, you get the idea. It's time to start getting ready!
Best Moment This Week - Getting the OK from my OB to enjoy an occasional treat and only have to test my blood sugar twice a day. All of my numbers have been really good. The dietary recommendations they gave me are basically in line with how I already eat, with the exception of no ice cream or sweets. Once I got the ok I picked up some Talenti Peppermint Bark and enjoy a little during the kids' nap time. 

Appointment Notes - We had our first NST at last week's appointment. Baby girl held still and we got a great reading on her. Little Man didn't want to cooperate, and we couldn't keep a reading on him for more than a minute or two at a time. We wound up getting a surprise ultrasound to make sure he looked ok. My insurance hasn't given us any issues about the number of ultrasounds we've had, so I think we'll be having ultrasounds every other week from here on out to make sure cord flow, fluids, and growth are looking good. My blood pressure was 122/80. Getting a little higher than my usual, but still looking ok. Honestly, I'm a little nervous about that number. I'm usually around 110/60. With H and B the numbers went up gradually each week until we hit 140/90 and got the dreaded preeclampsia diagnosis. I know there isn't anything I can do to prevent it, but I'd really like to not have blood pressure concerns during and after delivery.

31 Weeks

Sunday is the day each week when I start a new week of pregnancy. Sunday also happens to be one of the only two days each week when I can get mine and Rob's schedule to line up for a couple quick weekly pregnancy pics. If it doesn't happen Sunday then I have to wait until Thursday. Yesterday was crazy and it didn't happen. Between no naps, spending the afternoon getting dinner ready for our TWD night, and it being dark by 6pm, pictures were a bust. Rather than waiting until Thursday, selfies are it this week. I should really invest the $20 it cost for a remote timer, but oh well.

I have officially reached the point in this pregnancy when everyone thinks I'm going to go into labor tomorrow. It started a few weeks ago, but now it seems everyone I run into thinks my water is going to break on their shoes. This past week we had to run to the laundromat to wash our comforter. A teenage/early 20s boy commented about me being ready to pop. I didn't mention that it was twins, I just said I had a few more weeks left. Harrison overheard the exchange, and he now comments on me being ready to pop all the time. 7 more weeks little buddy.

How Far Along - 31 weeks
Babies' Size - Two pineapples. Baby A is estimated at 3lbs9oz and Baby B is 4lbs3oz
Total Weight Gain - 40 pounds total. Up 1 pound last week
Gender - One little lady and one little man
Maternity Clothes -My new t-shirts came this week, and it's so nice to have shirts that cover my belly again. I'm wearing all maternity tops layered with cardigans or button downs, and wither maternity jeans, or prepregnancy pants with lots of stretch.
Cravings - ICE CREAM!! I miss my nightly bowl, but until I get at least a week or two of blood sugar testing under my belt to see how my levels are doing, I won't be indulging. I still haven't had the burger I've been craving for the last couple weeks, but I plan to change that soon.
Symptoms - My biggest issue is round ligament pain and the overall weight of my belly. I've started considering getting a support belt, but I am not sure if they're worth it. Walking with the kids has become extremely difficult because the ligament pain starts almost immediately. If you had one, or know someone who did, are the support belts worth the expense for only a few weeks?
Sleep - I go back and forth between having a really good night's sleep where I only wake up once, and a couple nights in a row where I am up every hour switching the side I'm laying on.
Miss Anything - Sleeping on my stomach. I can't wait until the day we come home from the hospital and I can sleep on my stomach. It may only be for an hour or two stretch, but I know it will be glorious. I also miss freedom to eat what I want. My diet hasn't changed all that much, but having to be constantly concerned about my carb vs. protein balance is a pain.
Stretch Marks - Lots of white ones. Most are I think from after H and B were born, but I think a few might be new.
Looking Forward To - Meeting these babies!! 7 weeks seems so close. Whether we are ready or not, they'll be here before we know it.
Best Moment This Week - Getting to see my little monkeys. In two twin pregnancies and 623 ultrasounds, I've never seen a good 3D/4D ultrasound until this week. The tech got a really good shot of baby boy. I know his looks will change between now and the time he's born, but it's crazy to see what he looks like right now. The picture of Baby girl isn't too bad, but shes got an arm or placenta in front of her face. Sorry you're so smooshed little lady.

Appointment Notes - I am down to weekly appointments now. We start switching between ultrasounds and NSTs up until they're born. Aside from the potential blood sugar issues, everything looks good. Blood pressure is still nice and low, 118/70. There was potential concern about a possible amniotic band, and they weren't able to see upper lips during our last ultrasound. I'm glad to report both babies have fully formed upper lips, and they were able to rule our an amniotic band. Yay!

Baby Boy

Baby Girl

Halloween Weekend

We had originally planned to kind of gloss over Halloween, but since our move got pushed back, we tried to fit a lot of last minute Halloween fun into a few days. On Tuesday we went to pick out big pumpkins from the pumpkin patch. Wednesday morning we painted our little pumpkins. Thursday night the kids got to wear their costumes to dance class. Friday morning we carved our big pumpkins, and thanks to a few free passes Rob brought home from work, we spent Friday afternoon with my parents at the zoo for their Halloween festivities.

Since we weren't planning to make a big deal out of Halloween this year, I told H and B they could pick whatever costumes they wanted. I've loved doing coordinated costumes with them, but I knew they'd love deciding on their own. Brooke almost immediately decided on a rainbow butterfly and stuck with it. Harrison went from a bee, to a lady bug, to a spider, to Lightning McQueen, to Dusty Crophopper. Dusty was his final answer, so a butterfly and a plane is what we ended up with. I have a twin skeleton shirt from when I was pregnant with H and B. I decided I would just wear that and call it a day. I decided last minute to paint my face to go along with the shirt, and boom, a costume was born.

Last year we went trick or treating in my parents' neighborhood. They have sidewalks on both sides of the street, our neighborhood doesn't, which makes for perfect trick or treating. We decided to do the same thing again this year, so we headed there as soon as naps were over. We got the kids ready, and they were out the door with Rob, Aunt Lynn, and Stewie the pumpkin as soon as trick or treat hours started. I knew I wouldn't be able to make it the full two hours, so Tyson and I stayed back for a little bit.

When Rob had to head back to work, Tyson and I joined in for the rest of trick or treating. Brooke and Harrison made it the full two hours, and I'm pretty sure they would have kept going if trick or treat hours were longer. They have enough candy to last them until Christmas, and lucky for them I won't be sneaking any of it. Well, at least not more than a piece or two. Before we headed home, Grandma warmed them up with hot chocolate and fresh baked cookies. Yay Grandma!

Harrison woke up wet from naps earlier in the day, and I didn't have time to switch over all of the laundry before we left, so they got to crash in our bed to start out the night. We stayed up late in hopes of maybe adjusting to daylight savings time, and then they passed out shortly after 10. Even though I don't sleep well while I'm in bed with them, a couple hours of slumber party time before Harrison's bed was ready was a perfect end to the evening.

Sunday morning they were up by 6:45, so much for staying up late. We spent the day cleaning up from all of our Halloween fun, and being bums around the house. I was pretty sore from so much walking the night before. We watched a lot of football, and both kids were terrors all day. I'm blaming it on the time change. Avocado Burritos were had for dinner, and the grown ups got to watch TWD before calling it a night.

This week is crazy busy for us. We have something going on every morning this week, and there are a few busy nights mixed in too. It was great to have a down day before the chaos of our week starts.

I'm pretty sure that Thanksgiving is going to be an afterthought now, thanks to our move, so I'm already looking towards Christmas. My first Target Christmas shopping trip is already planned for tomorrow while the kids are at school. Complete with my first peppermint mocha of the season. I'll make it a tall, but I can't always be expected to avoid sweets, right? ;)

On a mostly unrelated note, on Target's Cartwheel app they are doing 50% off one toy each day through the month of November. So if you don't have the app, download it and check it daily. I'm not holding my breath for any of the toys on our list to be 50% off, but if they are there will be some repurchasing and returning going on around here. I am always one for a good sale. Happy shopping!

30 Weeks

How Far Along - 30 weeks
Babies' Size - 2 cucumbers, which just happens to be one of my favorite foods right now. Weighing in at close to 3 pounds each.
Total Weight Gain - 39 pounds total. I am definitely starting to feel the extra weight.
Gender -  Baby A is a girl and Baby B is a boy
Maternity Clothes - Mostly sweats, yoga pants, and maternity tees. Leggings and maternity jeans make appearances if I need to look presentable. I finally ordered new Gap maternity tees in a size up. They will be here this week and will hopefully keep my belly covered for the next 8 weeks.
Cravings - I have been craving a big burger from Red Robin for the last couple weeks. I haven't satisfied the craving yet, but I'm hoping to soon.
Symptoms - Lots of soreness. I have a swollen round ligament that has been causing me a lot of pain. Indigestion and heartburn are my daily enemies. Sore hips and lots of pelvic pressure as well. As uncomfortable as I am on a daily basis, it's all worth it.
Miss Anything - Sleep, ice cream, and being able to shave my legs with ease. I am in desperate need of a pedicure and would just do it myself, but that hasn't been an option for weeks now.
Stretch Marks - I got stretch marks after Brooke and Harrison were born. They were never red, just white. I can definitely tell where those ones are, but no new ones that I've notices.
Belly Button - Baby Boy is positioned right under my belly button, so depending on what he's doing, depends on if I have an innie or an outie. Mostly I'd say it's popped though.
Sleep - Starting just in the last few days, sleep has been rough. My hips hurt after laying on one side for an hour, so then I roll over and wait for the other side to start hurting. I was so uncomfortable last night I wound up moving to the couch around 5 am. I also had to go to the bathroom 5 times last night, which is a big change from the once or twice a night I had been experiencing. I am hoping the last few nights were flukes, but I have a feeling sleep is now a thing of the past.
Looking Forward To - Finding out weights on these babies. We haven't been told approximate weights yet at any of our ultrasounds, so I'm excited to see what I'm carrying around.

Appointment Notes - I had my one hour glucose test last week. I found out I failed, so I had to do the three hour test. I failed that too, so I've now been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I don't know what the levels on my three hour test were, but I know two of them were abnormal. I get to meet with a nurse practitioner this week to find out how exactly they want me to proceed. I'm hoping my levels were just barely above normal, like the were for my 1 hour, and that I can still eat a mostly normal diet and not take insulin. I'll know for sure at the end of the week, but I know for sure I'll be testing my blood sugar daily. Bye bye ice cream. :(

365 Challenge - Weeks 40, 41, & 42

October has been a great month for us. We haven't done nearly as much fall stuff as we usually do, but that's ok with all of us. Last year I think we went to 5 different pumpkin patches or fall festivals. This year we kept it to just a couple. We were planning to move over Halloween weekend, but our closing has been pushed back a couple weeks, so that took off a little bit of timing pressure. Now as long as we don't get pushed back again, we'll be able to move before these babies keep me from moving at all.

Brooke and Harrison are still loving school, and as much as I wanted them to go three days a week, two days seems to be perfect. The only activity they have had going on over the past couple months has been dance class once a week. We had originally planned to do gymnastics and swim class at The Y, but their school schedule didn't work with the classes available. Me waiting until the last minute to get them registered may have also had something to do with it. Luck for them, we did manage to get registered for both swim and gymnastics for the next session. Classes start next week and run until the week of December 20th. Perfect timing to go along with the arrival of the new babies, who are scheduled to make an appearance just after Christmas. Harrison asks every morning when he wakes up if we are going to go somewhere, so keeping him busy is a must, unless I want to spend all of our time at Target. He alwyas wants to go and get new toys. Sorry buddy, but no.

I missed another day over the last few weeks. October 16th is missing a picture, and I honestly can't remember what we did that day. Maybe packing, because I do remember going to bed early after having lots of braxton hicks that evening. Anyway, here's 20 pictures for the last 3 weeks.

10.08.2015

10.09.2015

10.10.2015

10.11.2015 - Nikon

10.12.2015

10.13.2015

10.14.2015

10.15.2015

10.17.2015

10.18.2015

10.19.2015

10.20.2015

10.21.2015

10.22.2015

10.23.2015

10.24.2015

10.25.2015

10.26.2015

10.27.2015 - Nikon

10.28.2015 - Nikon