We are ONE MONTH old!

Somehow, time has starts flying by and our tiny little angels are already a month old...actually they are 5.5 weeks old, but this tired mama is running low on energy and blogging time. To say this month has flown by is an understatement! I always heard parents talk about how quickly children grow up and I believe them now. I have tried to take in every moment this month, even the not-so-fun ones like crying babies at 3a.m. and basically getting no sleep ever. My babies need me now. One day they won't. I am trying to soak up all of the newborn snuggles and time together because they will be out of this stage in the blink of an eye!

Stats:

Annabelle weighed 6lbs, 1oz at our 4w appointment on February 25th and 6lbs, 13oz at our 5w appointment on March 5th. She is 20.5 inches long. She's gained just over 2lbs since birth and grown 2 inches.

Ashley weighed 5lbs, 13oz at our 4w appointment on February 25th and 6lbs, 6oz at our 5w appointment on March 5th. She is 20 inches long. She's gained just over 2lbs, 6oz since birth and grown just over 2 inches. 

Milestones/Development:

The girls have changed so much even since we brought them home. They are so much more alert and awake. They focus on things and are beginning to follow things with their eyes. I think they are starting to recognize George and I more, because they constantly stare at us. Also, we have picked up on different meanings for different cries. I definitely know which cries mean "hungry!" And asour pediatrician   promised, they are crying more. He said this is a developmental milestone and a good thing. Whatever you day, Dr. Worsley! We started tummy time and they are little rock stars! They are able to lift their heads and look from side to side. They are making lots of noises and sometimes seem to be making noises back and forth to each other. They also began noticing each other, which was so very sweet!

     Annabelle during tummy time. 

  Ashley during tummy time. 

   Sweet sister snuggles!

Other Happenings:

We came home on a great three hour eating schedule from the NICU. It worked well this month, but towards the end the girls started wanting to eat more frequently. Out of the eight feedings a day, they sleep in between five of them and are awake and stirring in between 2-3. The trick is getting them to both stir and sleep during the same window!

Their first appointment with our pediatrician was the day after coming home from the hospital. We enjoyed Dr. Worsley at Fort Worth Pediatrics and feel like we are in great hands with him. He was very impressed with the girls' health and growth this month. At our 5-week appointment, he declared us "medically boring" and said we could be on a regular baby schedule. Woohoo! What an accomplishment!

Our lifesaver this month was having Laura here during the week. She embraced our schedule and followed it to a T! She got up with me for the 2a.m. and 5a.m. feedings, which made them go by so much faster. Having an extra set of hands is huge! She also encouraged me to run errands during the gaps between feedings and take naps. I am so thankful for her and that she has given us so much of her time. We are so lucky!

We took newborn pictures on Thursday, February 20th. I cannot wait to see previews! Heather at Chunky Monkey Photography is so talented and sweet. I am so thankful to have her to document the girls as they grow!

Annabelle

Ashley

Month ONE - Week by Week

Week One:

Week Two:

Week Three:

Week Four:

Ashley and Annabelle's Arrival - Part Two - The Hospital Stay (mom) / NICU Stay (girls)

We were so thankful for the safe and healthy arrival of our two sweet baby girls! I want to document all of the other parts of our hospital stay and their birth that were such an important part of the event.

Surgery Recovery - I was fortunate to have a very easy recovery from surgery. As soon as I found out I was having twins and then later that I would indeed have to have a c-section due to their positioning (Annabelle was breech and Ashley transverse), I was nervous about the surgery and recovery. Despite it taking a couple of tries for the epidural to work, the surgery was very painless and easy. I couldn't feel a thing, not even the tugging and pressure that some report of feeling. I did shake quite a bit from the epidural and was pretty swollen, but I will take that in exchange for no pain. I had been told to get up and get moving as soon as possible. My epidural came out Wednesday morning, and I immediately starting walking around. First, it was just to the restroom in my room but later that morning, I was able to shower and get dressed and by the next day was walking the 10+ minute walk to the NICU 5-6 times a day. I think this was HUGE in having an easy recovery. By the time I left the hospital, I was barely on pain medicine and at the one week point was completely off of it. My doctor preached activity and walking and thank goodness she did. I credit that totally to feeling better quickly.

Visitors - We have the best friends and family in the world! We had so many sweet visitors, and they were troopers considering the babies weren't in the room with us. They either didn't get to see them or had to make the trek down to the NICU and scrub in for a peek at the tiny angels. The evening of their birth, we had our whole families, plus the Sudbecks and Stacy. Over the next few days, we had Kim, Makennah, Hannah and Hilari from ACA, Al, Stacy, Kathy, Lindsey, Joanna, Pete, Anne, Tyler, the Pazourecks, Kyle, Emily, Dr. Kaufmann (our wonderful fertility specialist) and of course our families on a daily basis. Thank you to our sweet friends who visited and brought gifts and company. You are so appreciated!

Coming Home from the Hospital - Part 1 - George and I came home from the hospital on Saturday, February 1st. I had all of these big plans about our homecoming and what the girls would wear, but that was put on hold since they had to stay in the NICU. One thing I learned was that moms are never meant to be separated from their babies. To say it was hard leaving them at the hospital is a huge understatement. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. There were lots of tears the first few days of their lives because of the circumstances, and I sobbed uncontrollably having to leave them. I knew I'd be back early the next morning but that didn't make it any easier. We had been together 24 hours a day for 34 weeks, and it felt so unnatural and cruel to be apart from them. My parents had
stayed at our house all week and thank goodness for that. They cleaned and grocery shopped and Saturday evening cooked a delicious meal for us when we got home. The Buckmasters and Dom and
Rachel also came over for dinner. I barely remember that evening because I was so upset. As if leaving them at the hospital wasn't bad enough, then we had to come home to this house that had been prepared for months for babies, only we didn't have babies. There was no "trying to be positive" and "looking on the bright side of things." The reality was that it was horrible, upsetting and just sad. Stacy had experienced a NICU stay with her first born and I clung to her words of wisdom that it would feel like an eternity while they were in there but that I would get through it. I don't think any truer words have been spoken. I looked forward to the second homecoming where we got to bring the girls with us.

NICU Stay - The girls were in the NICU for 14 days. Lucky for us, they were two healthy babies just a bit premature and needed to grow. Their biggest hurdles were gaining back weight lost from birth (they lost just over 10% before going back up), maintaining body temperature, keeping their jaundice levels down, and finishing all of their feedings. They had to be put in isolettes after a couple of days because they were continuing to lose weight and the doctors believed they were working too hard to keep their body temperatures up. They were right because their weights starting going back up after a day or so in there. Ashley had to have an NG tube in her nose because she was having trouble eating. One thing they told us is that the suck and swallow reflex is developed about week 33 and babies practice it until delivery. Since our girls didn't get a lot of practice time, they were having to learn and practice this skill in the NICU. This is why finishing feedings could be difficult. Ashley had the NG tube for 10 days and although we were warned several times that Annabelle may need one too, she managed to escape it.

I am so thankful for the lactation consultants and therapists in the NICU. They visited me daily and were so helpful in helping me to get started with breast feeding and be successful. I never realized the commitment of breast feeding, especially for two. Starting from day 2 of their lives, I pumped every three hours (and yes, this means setting an alarm and waking up to pump throughout the night). I had several people say, "Well at least you will get a full night's sleep while they are in the NICU." Not so! I was still waking up every couple of hours to pump to have breast milk for them and keep my supply up. It was absolutely worth it though to be able to provide for our girls. So far, we are still going strong and exclusively breast feeding, but I will admit that as the girls eat more it becomes harder to produce more and more. We joke that our house is a dairy! I would love to breast feed until a year, but am focusing on a week at a time and will do ultimately what's best for our family and the girls. To aid with development (since they were preemies), the NICU has us mixing in a half of a teaspoon of supplemental formula with every ounce and a half of breast milk. This not only gives them some extra nutritional benefits, but increases the calories they are consuming which is important when you're trying to gain weight!

During our two week stay in the NICU, we were lucky to have wonderful, compassionate nurses and doctors. They will all hold a special place in my heart as they saw me at my worst, in tears and so very sad, and they took the best care of our girls so they could come home sooner rather than later. The girls were on a schedule to eat every 3 hours. They ate at 8, 11, 2 and 5 each day. Our feeding time schedule consisted of diaper changing, temperature check (they had to be above 98), and then feeding. Once a day, they had vitamins mixed in with breast milk. It took a while for them to get used to this and they made little faces at the first taste of them each time. I could smell the vitamins and don't  blame them for the faces. They smelled icky! Feedings were stressful to me because the girls only had 30 minutes to finish. The doctors said that if they were taking longer than that, then they were burning more calories then they were getting. If they didn't finish within 30 minutes then it was recorded as an "unfinished feeding." Two of those in a row and they were given a feeding tube. So stressful! I just held my breath every time we fed. 

After coming home from the hospital, my daily schedule was leaving at 7:30 every morning for the NICU. I would stay through one for the 8a.m. and 11a.m. feedings. Then I came home and rested (and pumped) and then went back at 4:30 and stayed until 9:30-ish for the 5p.m. and 8p.m. feedings. George joined me for those after work, and it was so sweet seeing him interact with his girls. Seeing the girls progress was such a great feeling. They begin to gain weight and finish all of their feedings. Then Ashley had her feeding tube removed and they began to maintain body temperature. We were told that they'd have to pass the car seat test, and then we could room in with them at the hospital and finally take them home. This was such music to a mama's ears! All I wanted was to have my babies home! I am so thankful for the NICU and the wonderful staff, however I looked so forward to not being on such a stringent schedule and just being able to hold and cuddle with my sweet baby girls. On Sunday, February 9th, both girls passed the car seat test and we were told we could room in with them at the hospital that night. If all went well, our baby girls would finally have their homecoming the next day! 

Rooming In - At our hospital, they like parents to "room in" before taking babies home from the NICU. This means that George and I returned to the hospital and stayed in a hospital room with the babies for their last night. They were still patients, so we had the nurses available if needed and it was a way to kind of "practice" getting through a night since we had never all had one together. The babies were taken straight from the OR to the NICU when they were born so we never had that typical "rooming in" time that most new parents get during their hospital stay. A nurse came in at 1:30 for an official weight and temperature check and the at 4:30 to check on us again. If all went well then we would head home around noon (after being discharged). I had so much anxiety about rooming in! But as soon as we were alone with our sweet girls, I felt much better. The night went well and they completed all of their feedings. Their temps stayed up and they gained weight at their daily weigh in. Annabelle was up to 4lbs, 14oz and Ashley was up to 4lbs, 6oz. Both had surpassed their birth weights and were deemed ready to go home! 

Homecoming - Part 2 - After completing all of the necessary check ups and meetings, we were on our way home! There aren't words to describe how wonderful it felt to bring our baby girls home. Finally, we could start our lives as a family of four! Finally, we had our babies. After two years of tears, struggles and prayers and then a pregnancy that was relatively easy and complication free until their premature delivery at 34 weeks, we finally got to start the life we had wanted for so long. It was a very nervous drive home for Daddy George. Once we got home, we introduced them to the pups. They did so well with them and have continued to impress us with how they've reacted to having two little humans in the house. George and I soaked up the rest of the day and just loved on our sweet girls. His parents and Dom and Rachel came over to see them that evening, and my parents came in for the weekend a few days later. We felt so content, happy and fortunate to have our little angels home and healthy! 

A January Surprise: Ashley and Annabelle's Arrival

I am going to start with the weekend before and all of the events leading up to the surprise arrival of our perfect angels!

We got through week 33 and doctor's appointments, and were ready to begin week 34. Dr. Benz told me at my appointment on Friday, January 24th, that once I hit 34 weeks (which was in two days), they would not stop labor. I was to stop taking Procardia that I was taking for preterm labor on Sunday. She hoped I could make it another 10 days or so to push me closer to full term. I still wasn't dilated much and my "labor test" came back negative the week before. I was still having contractions but I truly thought that the girls would wait until mid-February to make their debut. 

My last picture as a mommy-to-be! This is just before 34-weeks.

Sunday night (January 26th), I took my last dose of Procardia. My contractions were consistent that night, but not any worse than normal. My sweet mother-inlaw volunteered to come and stay with me on Monday and run some last minute errands for me. I was determined to stay in bed as much as possible from here on out in an attempt to keep the baby girls cooking. Our goal was to make it to my appointment with my high risk on Tuesday and see how much Ashley had grown. We would have a much clearer picture of when the girls would arrive after that appointment. Laura stayed with me on Monday and went to Buy Buy Baby for me, as well as the grocery. My swelling was out of control. Not only were my ankles HUGE, but the swelling extended up to my calves and thighs. So attractive! 

Monday afternoon I started having contractions that were pretty painful. I was timing them, but they weren't too regular. Monday night, I took a bath and went to bed. I was awake all night with contractions. At 2a.m., I had George massage my back. At 5:30a.m., I got up and took a shower hoping that would help. Looking back, I am an idiot for not realizing that I was in labor. George urged me to call my doctor that morning, and I pushed him out the door to his 7:30 meeting and told him I would. All we had to do was make it to my appointment at 1:00p.m. with the specialist. George ended up calling his mom again to come and stay with me because he was so concerned. Finally about 8:30, I texted him and said we should go to the hospital. I was timing that my contractions were 7-8 minutes apart. He rushed home from work and I got as dressed as I could and off to Baylor we went. I fully expected them to hook me up to the monitor and then send me on my way after an hour or two of monitoring. 

Once we got to the hospital and I got on the monitor, to my surprise the contractions were 2-3 minutes apart. The doctor came in and checked me and again, I wasn't really dilated. They gave me medicine for pain and started meds to hopefully spread out or stop the contractions. Medicine number 1 was unsuccessful, so they moved onto medicine number 2. The on-call doctor said he thought that we were going to have babies today, but I brushed him off and thought that was ridiculous. Dr. Benz came over to check on me and said we'd try more meds and then go from there. She was hopeful that I could make my 1:00p.m. appointment with the specialist. 

The second round of meds were unsuccessful and on top of everything else, made my heart rate way too high. I had two doses, but wasn't able to have the third dose because of my pulse. Dr. Benz came back over and said we would try one more measure: ultra hydration. They would pump me full of fluids to see if that helps, and if not we'd be delivering babies today. Holy cow! I still was in such disbelief and thought there was no way they'd be delivered that day. We still hadn't really told anyone, because we didn't think our sweet girls would be making their arrival. We started calling family, specifically my parents and Matt and Cortney, so they could get on the road. 

After two hours, my contractions were still coming strong and it was decided that the girls would be delivered that afternoon. I cannot tell you the overwhelming emotions that I felt. Everything from worry, joy, excitement, anxiety...you name it, I felt it. George and and I could not believe that this was the day, January 28th, that we would become parents. We had hoped and prayed and dreamed about this moment for so long and it was finally here. It was surreal!

As soon as it was decided that the babies were going to be born that day, we had a swarm of people in the room. From countless nurses, to the NICU team, doctors, etc. I couldn't keep track! My head was spinning! George was told they would take me into the OR, administer the epidural, and then he could come in for the surgery/delivery. George was such a trooper texting all of our friends and family to keep them posted on everything. And thank goodness for the Sudbecks volunteering to go to our house and get all of our things. My bag was somewhat packed, but all of the last minute toiletry type items were not. I am so thankful that they took care of that for us!

I got wheeled into the OR and my head started spinning. It was such a surreal, out of body experience. I leaned over as they inserted the epidural (and it took three times to get it to work---not fun!) and then in came George and we got started. I heard the doctors talking and then Dr. Benz say, "Happy Birthday little girl!" Annabelle (baby A) was here! Oh my goodness -- I cannot even describe the emotions I felt. Tears had been constant since we got to the OR, and they didn't stop. I was a mom. George was a dad. If only we could have frozen time! Soon after Annabelle was born at 4:55p.m., our little Ashley made her debut at 4:57p.m. George rushed to checked on the girls and I heard Dr. Benz say that they were healthy. What a blessing! George came back and said the sweetest words I've ever heard: "They're perfect!" I immediately wanted to know their weights and he went to find out. The girls weighed in at 4lbs, 10.7oz (Annabelle) and 4lbs even (Ashley). Not bad for 34-weekers! Both girls were brought to me to see and I was in love. Thank you, Lord, for blessing us with these sweet angels!

Our first picture as a family of 4!

Dr. Benz finished and the girls were taken to the NICU to be checked out, since they were preemies. George stayed by my side the whole time and we both were speechless and could not believe that the girls were finally here, and how beautiful they were!

After surgery, I had several visitors in recovery. George's sweet parents came and gave us both big hugs and were so sweet. His dad told me, "Thank you for giving me such beautiful granddaughters." Many tears were shed, and it was such an emotional and happy moment. Rachel and Dom arrived soon after, as well as the Sudbecks and Stacy. My parents and Matt and Cortney were still en route from Houston. It was so nice to have our family and closest friends there, and I couldn't wait for our out-of-town family to arrive. On the way to my room, we went to the NICU and I got to hold the babies. The. Best. Moment. Again, it was such a surreal, unbelievable moment. 

Holding my girls in the NICU. 

While I got settled in my room, George took his family one-by-one to the NICU to see the babies. What a trooper of a husband I have. The girls are so lucky to have him as a dad! Finally, Matt and Cortney arrived and my parents. It was so good to see all of them! I gave my parents the biggest hug and felt so much better and calmer having them there. They got to meet the girls, and everyone went home for the night. 

The day still seems so surreal and almost a blur. The funny thing is that everyone knows what a planner I am. This pregnancy has basically laughed at my plans for 34 weeks. In my head, I thought we were going to waltz into the hospital in mid-February and have babies. Of course, I'd have my hair fixed and make-up on and my bags would be perfectly packed. George and I may even go on one last date night the night before. Their birth was going to be planned and predictable, and then it ended up being anything but. However, I wouldn't change a bit of it. Ashley and Annabelle's birth day was perfect. It was theirs, and had been decided long before they were even conceived. I am so thankful for two healthy little girls. How incredibly blessed we are as a new family of four!

"Running" Towards the Finish Line -- Weeks 31-33

When we welcomed 2014 (with an exciting Aggie bowl win nonetheless--WHOOP!), George and I both exhaled a bit. I had made it past 30 weeks basically complication free. We counted our blessings because we knew that this was a huge accomplishment with a multiples pregnancy. I had begun having true contractions during my Christmas break, but never more than my 4-6 allowed in an hour. I had a doctor's appointment on Friday, January 3rd, and Dr. Benz said things looked great and I was good to go as far as returning to work. Each Friday I went in for fetal monitoring and then every other week we had a growth sonogram. On the fetal monitor, they looked at the girls' heart rates, movement patterns and well as how many contractions I was having in that 20-30 minute span. Beginning in January, I'd have this monitoring twice a week to really keep an eye on the girls.

The weekend before I went back to work, I had my Fort Worth shower that was originally scheduled for the weekend of the ice storm. It was hosted by JoAnna, Stacy, Rachel and Lindsey at Times Ten Winery. The girls did such a wonderful job with the decorations, food, and just hosting. It was a beautiful, perfect shower and it was great to see family, friends, and current and former co-workers. I cannot imagine a better afternoon! George and I are so lucky to have our D/FW family. When we moved here almost nine years ago (well eight for me), we had no family nearby. Both of our parents were five plus hours away, and siblings were farther than that. Our friends became our family here and we've shared so many great moments, tears, laughs, births, and conversations with them. Now  we have George's parents and sister and brother-in law close by, but I am so grateful for the relationships we have built with our friend family here and know the girls will grow up to love them as much as we do!

I cannot wrap my mind around the fact that the girls will be here in a month or less! These sweet little angels that have been prayed for even before they were conceived, and throughout the pregnancy since we were surprised with those two sweet heart beats in July and that we've watched grow from two little dots into two baby girls, are almost here! Of course like with most pregnancies, there have been some discomforts and days that I have felt less than ideal, and I reminded of those as I sit here trying to get comfortable while Ashley continues to camp out in my ribs and Annabelle kicks my bladder. However, I have LOVED this pregnancy and watching (and feeling) these sweet girls grow inside of me. There's that saying that babies are the only ones that know what their mom's heart beat sounds like from the inside, and I think that just is a perfect quote for pregnancy. I can't imagine not feeling their kicks and movements and guessing whether it's a knee or an elbow or head or bottom moving around. This pregnancy has been one of the biggest two blessings of my life, and now we are getting closer to the time where I have to share my girls with everyone else. I have tried to savor and relish in every moment of this pregnancy and although I've been told by many how difficult the first year of having twins is on every aspect of your life, my goal is to try and soak in every moment because I know it will fly by just as this pregnancy has done.

Weeks 31-33 Notes:


Symptoms: Fatigue, Rib Pain, Contractions and Difficulty Moving Around



Cravings: Nothing major -- I was still encouraged by the specialist to try and eat higher fat foods and drink Boost drinks 2-3 times a day to put some weight on the babies.




Working Out: The specialist put an end to working out at 24 weeks. She didn't want me burning any extra calories so that everything I consumed went straight to the babies. 

Weight Gain: +35lbs by mid/late January (including between 8lb and 8.5lbs of baby); my specialist wants me to gain between 40lbs and 45lbs total
Looking Pregnant? : We're beyond looking pregnant -- more like looking like I am going to explode! These sweet girls are GROWING! I was measuring 43cm by 33 weeks.



Special Moments: We toured the hospital the first week in January. It was nice to see where to go, and just have an overall feel of the hospital. I think it's going to be a great place to deliver! Also, just knowing that Ashley and Annabelle will be here soon is so special and exciting! We can't wait to meet them!


Baby Notes:

31-Week Appointment:

This week's appointments were pretty uneventful. The specialist and Dr. Benz noted that I was having real contractions, but not enough to be too concerned. They were on board with me going back to work and seeing how things looked after a week at work. The babies looked great at both appointments and both doctors were very pleased with their growth and development. My specialist said that although 37w-38w is desirable, she thinks 35ish, maybe 36 is more realistic for me at this point.

32-Week Appointment

After a week back at work, I was certainly not feeling my best. The ankle swelling was not limited to just my ankles and by Thursday, my ankles weren't going down at night, my legs and feet were swollen. I came home Thursday night and went to bed and stayed there until I had to get up for my 11:30a.m. appointment on Friday. I was up most of Thursday night with very painful contractions and was having considerably more than my allowed 6 an hour. I got to Dr. Benz and was hooked up to the fetal monitor and had four big contractions within the first 12-15 minutes, plus several smaller ones. Dr. Benz came in and decided that she was going to check me for preterm labor signs and send me over to labor and delivery to be monitored more. She determined that I was a little bit dilated and my cervix was starting to soften, so off to Baylor I went.

While there, they continued to monitor me and my contractions were 3-4 minutes apart. The doctor on call said they'd try to spread out the contractions and then we would go from there. I could be given a total of three doses of the medicine, and after one dose I was still contracting. After two doses, they had slowed but not enough however my heart rate was too high (in the 150s!) and they could not give me a third dose. They gave me a different kind of medicine which was able to slow them to 7-8 minutes apart, so I was sent home with bed rest instructions until I saw the specialist on Tuesday.

33-Week Appointment

I stayed off of my feet for the weekend and Monday and continued taking the medicine to slow the contractions. On Tuesday, I was hooked up to the monitor again and was still having contractions. They also did a growth sono and a test to check for labor. Annabelle was measuring right on track - 4lbs, 6oz and in the mid-40s percentile wise. Our little Ashley didn't have quite the growth we were hoping for - she measured 3lbs, 7oz and was right on the cusp of being IUGR (growth restricted). Dr. Papa came in and spoke with us about the situation. She said that when I came back on the 28th of January, we would measure them again and if Ashley's growth hadn't really picked up then we would go ahead and deliver them at 34.5 weeks. She said even if Ashley was growing, that she was recommending that we deliver between week 36 and 37. We were very concerned (and I was very weepy) about Ashley's growth. Dr. Papa reassured us that everything else about Ashley was perfect - her organs, heart rate, movement, breathing, etc.- she was just small. She said some babies just need to be fattened up outside the womb and maybe Ashley was one of them. We are accepting the fact that most likely, the girls will spend some time in the NICU, but we've been blessed with wonderful doctors so far and we are blessed to be delivering at a wonderful hospital with a level 3 NICU. Dr. Papa said I would most likely continue to have contractions and to keep taking the medicine and monitoring them. She also said she didn't want me to return to work until after the babies are born. This was a hard pill to swallow but I know I have to do what is best for the health of the babies and if that means staying home on modified bed rest, then that's what I have to do.


My Friday visit with Dr. Benz didn't really provide any new information. She had not gotten the report from the specialist yet, so we were not able to schedule a delivery date just yet. Dr. Benz did reassure me about the possibility of delivering the girls early. She said 32 weeks is a huge milestone and that although they may be small and have to spend some time in the NICU if delivered at 34.5 weeks, they should not have any kind of delays or permanent problems. I was reminded, again, of the wonderful doctor that I have and so thankful and relieved to have her in our lives and corner.

Bump Pictures:

Week 31:

Week 32:

Week 33: coming soon!

 

Hello Third Trimester! (Weeks 26 thru 30 - December)

The pregnancy continued to zoom by, and I could hardly believe it when December rolled around. George said he has hoped and prayed that we would make it to New Years without bed rest or early labor and we are almost there! I feel so incredibly blessed for a relatively complication-free pregnancy. I know many are not as fortunate and I thank God every day that our sweet girls continue to grow and develop.
 
December was a fun and busy month for us. We started getting items from our registry in the mail pretty regularly, as well as things we had ordered from the nursery. On December 3rd, I had a diapers and book shower at work. Everyone was so generous and my kindergarten team did such a wonderful job putting it all together. The girls got so many great books, as well as a ton of diapers. I know the diapers will be a huge help to us when they arrive! I've read that twins can go through as many as 20 diapers a day! We will certainly be even more thankful for my co-workers' kindness in a few weeks.

 
The following weekend, December 7th, was supposed to be my shower in Fort Worth. The metroplex got hit by a terrible ice storm and we had to cancel and reschedule for early January. I was very sad about this, but knew that it was in the best interest of everyone's safety. My one-hour glucose test was also supposed to be on Friday, December 6th and that too was cancelled due to the bad weather. Thankfully I was able to reschedule for Monday and get that over with.

The second weekend in December was my shower in Houston. I am so lucky to have five girlfriends that I have grown up with that still remain some of my best friends. We have been together through high school, college, marriage and now babies. They have all been so sweet, supportive and kind throughout the fertility struggle and pregnancy and there aren't words to describe how blessed I feel to have them in my life. I can only hope and pray that Ashley and Annabelle find true friends like them! We started out the weekend at my parent's house with George's parents. George and I are so lucky to have parents that have accepted each other into our families and enjoy each other's company as if they've been family for years. On Saturday was the shower was at Cortney's house, and we had a great turn out. The girls got lots of great gifts and I was eager to put them away and start organizing the nursery. Thank you Cortney, Megan, Taryn, Kellye, and Jenna for a perfect shower! That evening, George and I attended his company Christmas party in Houston and I am proud to say that I lasted until almost 11p.m. in heels! That's a huge accomplishment these days!

 

 

 

 

The rest of December was spent preparing for and celebrating Christmas. We were lucky enough to have my parents here for five days and we got so much accomplished. My mom helped me to pretty much organize and finish the nursery (huge relief!) and my dad helped George complete MANY projects around the house. I finally feel like I can breathe a little easier and like we are ready for these sweet girls. Next on the list is more organizing after my Fort Worth shower in January, and packing hospital bags for myself, George and the girls. Plus I need to figure out items needed for newborn pictures. We are getting there, slowly but surely! We enjoyed a big family Christmas at George's parents' house in Granbury with both families and both of his siblings. I cannot wait until next Christmas to have the girls here and have them take part in our family traditions!

We are so blessed with wonderful parents!

Buckmaster Family

Trying to figure out how to put on the adorable carseat covers! Parenting Fail #1!

Finally done!

I am ready for these to be filled with my sweet girls.

Guarding their sisters' room

Working hard in the nursery

Organizing!

December Notes:

Symptoms: Fatigue -- I noticed a major slow down this month. Growing 2 babies is hard work! There were also: spider veins on my legs, constant ankle swelling (from being on my feet all day), rib pain (because sweet Ashley loves to hang out in and under my ribcage), acid reflux and the start of contractions.

Cravings: Nothing major -- After our last appointment with the specialist, I was trying to eat higher fat foods and drink Boost drinks 2-3 times a day to put some weight on the babies.  




Working Out: The specialist put an end to working out at my last appointment. She didn't want me burning any extra calories so that everything I consumed went straight to the babies. This has been one of the most difficult parts of pregnancy for me! My mental well-being took a bit of a hit, but I have been able to bounce back and tell myself that it's only temporary and it's in the best interest of the girls. I can do anything for them! :)
 
Weight Gain: +30lbs by the end of December (including between 6lb and 7.5lbs of baby)

Looking Pregnant? : Yes and yes! These sweet girls hit a major growth spurt this month! I was measuring 38cm at my 28 week appointment, which means I measured as if I were 38 weeks pregnant with one baby.

Special Moments: I feel them all of the time now, and I love that I not only feel them kicking and punching but moving around too. The moms and aunts got to feel them at Christmas and we guessed whether we were feeling knees or elbows. Whatever it was, it was pointy! I love feeling them move and seeing them move. I will miss that so much when they arrive!

Baby Notes:

26 / 27 Week Appointment:

My 1-hour glucose test was scheduled for the Friday of the ice-storm. So after fasting all night, it was cancelled. Not fun! My Friday appointment was also cancelled, but I was able to get both rescheduled for Monday. I ended up failing my 1-hour glucose test and having to schedule the 3-hour. Not fun! Also, Dr. Benz said the babies were taking all of my iron and making me severely anemic so I began super strong iron supplements twice a day. My "labor check" (there's a more scientific name but that's what I call it) came back negative, so that meant I was not in danger of going into labor in the next two weeks! Yay!

28 Week Appointment:

We had an appointment with the specialist, and she was very happy that I had gained 6lbs since our last appointment two weeks ago. Our little one was no longer considered IUGR (growth restricted) and had moved up to the 29th percentile. Yahoo! Great news! Everything looked great with the girls, and she scheduled us again for after the new year. She said although my lofty goal of working until almost 37-weeks and delivering between 37 and 38 weeks is not impossible, that she feels like 35-ish is more likely. I had been having quite a few Braxton Hicks contractions this week, and she said if I have 4 in an hour that I need to call. She said there is nothing to worry about, that my body is just starting to get ready for labor and delivery.

29 Week Appointment:

Prior to my 29 week appointment with Dr. Benz, I had the 3-hour glucose test. Let me just say that this test is awful. There's no way to put a positive spin on it. You have to fast for 12+ hours (only sips of water allowed) and then your blood is taken at fasting level. You have to drink a super sugary drink (YUCK!) and have your blood taken at 1-hour, 2-hours, and 3-hours post-drink. AWFUL! The first hour was the toughest and I felt like I was going to either throw up, pass out, or maybe both. But I got through it and my results were just fine. After the awful glucose test, I went up to Dr. Benz for some time on the fetal monitor to check their heartbeats, movement, and for contractions. Dr. Benz was very pleased with their heart beats and movement and said I had two small contractions in 30 minutes. She said that was normal and not to worry. I didn't even feel them, which was nice! Then I had a sonogram and the girls had grown even more! Baby A (Annabelle) was 3lbs, 2oz and Baby B (Ashley) was 2lbs, 14oz! This made my weight gain for the week easier to hear, knowing that it was all baby. I loved hearing that they are growing and thriving and getting ready to make their debut!

30 Week Appointment:

I was eager for my 30-week appointment, as I had been having lots of contractions (although always under 4 an hour) and they had even woken me up one morning because they were quite painful. I got hooked up to the fetal monitor and had two sizable ones right away. Then I had a big one and Dr. Benz came in to take a look. She said that the babies looked great -- perfect heartbeats and movement patterns. She said contractions were going to be a normal thing now, and when I started having them to lay down and drink water. If they don't stop, then it's true labor. She reminded me that with twins, you don't make it full term. She said it's a total rarity and that most people deliver about a month or so early. She said no bed rest for now, but to take it easy as much as I can. This I don't mind, because I have really felt the exhaustion from carrying two babies kick in this past week. She reiterated how important rest is, and said to call if I can't make the contractions stop. I got another ultrasound and as always, loved seeing the sweet girls. Their sweet eyes were open, which makes me look even more forward to my appointment with the specialist next week and seeing them in 4-D.

Bump Pictures:

Week 28:

Week 29:

Week 30: