Baby Shower #1

This past weekend was our first baby shower.  It was in Kansas...so we had to fly...and I was told 20 weeks was the cut off for twins.  So it was an early shower but that's o.k.

We had an amazing time.  Our good friends Bob and Ashley hosted the party at DH's parents house.  They really went above and beyond from the decorations to the gourmet cupcakes.  DH's parents had BBQ catered in.  A good friend who is a home brewer supplied a keg of home brew for all of the non-pregos and the men.  It was really a great gathering of all of DH's closest friends.

We received a TON of gifts.  I couldn't believe how much stuff we got!  Getting it all home was "fun" but worth it.

Here are some pics from the shower.

20 weeks

How far along: 20 weeks, 1 days

Total Weight Gain: 18.5 lbs

Symptoms: Tired....like the kind of tired that makes you want to curl in fetal position and cry. 

Stretch Marks: They have made their arrival in full force.  So far only on the bottom of my belly.

Sleep: Not fantastic.  I am having a harder time staying asleep and the middle of the night bathroom breaks seem to be getting more frequent.

Best Moment Last Week: Listening to the kicks with my fetal heart doppler and then seeing the doppler move on my tummy.  I think we are getting close to feeling them from the outside!

Movement: They are getting much more active and I love it! I am feeling more purposeful kicks but I haven't been able to feel them with my hands from the outside. 

Food Cravings: Chocolate cherrios.

What I Miss: Feeling rested 

What am I looking forward to:  Our first baby shower this weekend.

Milestones: Reaching 20 weeks! We are officially over the hump. Just 18 weeks left.

How is Daddy? Wonderful.  He's done a great job of making me feel good about myself as this week has been one of those "holy crap I look like a cow" kind of weeks.  He's been rubbing my back and belly which I LOVE!



Pics:


I think these just make me look huge and fat...not really pregnant:

Can't believe there are 2 of those in there!

Happy Anniversary to us!

Today marks DH and I's 3rd wedding anniversary.  In some respects it feels like our wedding was just yesterday and in others it seems like it was longer than 3 years.

I feel so blessed to have such an amazing, supportive husband who has been my rock through our IF journey.  Without him, I may have just lost my mind.  It still blows my mind that he still gives me butterflies and I never get tired of being around him.

I feel so blessed to have married my very best friend and am looking forward to a lifetime of happiness (and a house full of pitter patters soon!).

So if you are reading this post....Happy Anniversary honey. I am a lucky girl to be your wife!

Must...stay...awake...

I have been plagued with this kind of tired that just doesn't go away.  I fall asleep on the couch most evenings by about 9-9:30pm.  Then I transplant myself in bed around 10-10:30.  I wake up once or twice to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and then get up for work at 5am. So that is 8 hours of sleep give or take.  I NEVER slept 8 hours before I was pregnant.  5 or 6 hours was the norm and worked just fine for me. Now it seems like no matter how much sleep I get, I am SO tired all day long.  I am crossing my fingers that this is a phase and not something that will progressively get worse. Making it through the 1 hour commute to work, a 9 hour work day, and a 1 hour commute home is already wearing on me.

Ok...that's enough complaining. In other news, we ordered our second crib.  For those of you that have followed most of the nursery drama...yes we already had another crib that DH's brother gave us.  Long story short, the movers lost the two pieces that hold the side rails up.  Also...the mattress does not fit in the crib appropriately, so I am at peace with buying a new one.  We actually got a crazy insane deal on Amazon on the Graco Ashely crib.  They have it at BRU for $170 plus tax.  I got it on Amazon for $119 with free shipping and no tax.  We picked it because A) it's cheap and babies don't need expensive furniture B) it kind of matches the other crib the SIL gave us (which I couldn't find a matching one for sale ANYWHERE on the internet, and C)did i mention it's cheap.

Here's a picture of the crib we ordered:

And for comparison, here is the other crib we already have (Babi Italia Carlisle):

My hope is that the colors will at least semi match. I am also planning on staining the white-wash changing table we have to match as well.  It seems like the nursery is coming together little by little.


In other baby news, this weekend is our first baby shower in Kansas (hosted by DH's best friend and his wife).  Yes, I know 20 weeks is really early for a shower, but this is the last week I am able to fly.  I about peed my pants this morning when I got this email from the host/hostess:
"Hey Randy,

Ashley has been working on cakes for your party, and i thought I would send you a sneak peek. She is going to color the hair blonde and still has to figure out the twins thing, but I'm sure she'll nail it.... Hope you like it."

And the picture that was attached:

Oh how I love our friends!
























Finally, my belly definitely feels like it popped out over night.  Here is an "almost 20 weeks" picture from this morning.  Please pardon my double chins.  My face is starting to look a bit puffy.  

I am beginning to have to thwart off awkward attempts by co-workers and such to touch my belly.  Permission people.  You can touch it....just ask first!  Otherwise it's just belly rape!

19 weeks-Halfway there!

Today officially marks the halfway point for twins!  I can't beleive I am halfway there already.  It feels surreal!  I am definetely starting to feel large and pregnant.  As much as I hate to admit it, there may be a slight waddle going on....the hips are just to achy to walk normal.

So now for the 19 weeks quiz:

How far along: 19 weeks, 0 days

Total Weight Gain: 17 lbs

Symptoms: My back is starting to feel the effects of carrying around this belly and boobs!  I finally found a lotion that has calmed the itchy skin...so for the time being I can scratch that off of the list of symptoms!

Stretch Marks: Yes...but no new ones thank god.

Sleep: Not as great as it had been.  I am waking up a little more to use the bathroom.

Best Moment Last Week: Ordering our nursery glider and getting our crib bedding in that my mom and dad bought us.  It's so pretty!

Movement: Yes....it is starting to get more consistent.  No definite "kicks" yet...more flutters and taps at this point.

Food Cravings: Anything that won't give me reflux!!

What I Miss: Laying on my back.

What am I looking forward to:  Sewing some curtains and a cornice box for the nursery this weekend.

Milestones: Reaching the halfway point!

How is Daddy? Amazing.  He's been so supportive...helping me get my whale like butt off the couch! He's also getting excited about building stuff for our kids...like swing sets and things.  It's cute.

19 whale week pics:

And here are some pics of the beautiful bedding:

Registry mayhem

I am at a loss.  I really thought putting together our baby registry would be easy as long as I have fantasized about doing it!  But here we are 2 weeks away from our first baby shower (still feels unreal), and I am staring at my target registry which has about 15 items on it.

So I am asking all of you that have done your registries already or already have babies….what are some necessities that should be on there?  We already have all of the furniture…..and I am ordering my breast pump through the hospital I work at…so those are most of the big ticket items.  Please share with me what else I MUST have!

18 weeks and Mothers day

I don't want to write too much about Mother's Day....it's one of those bitter sweet holidays.  I give thanks to God everyday that I am pregnant.....but infertility has robbed me of the ability to sit back and enjoy this mother's day and know that next mothers day I will have 2 beautiful children to celebrate.  It has robbed me of the ability to not feel deep sorrow for my fellow IFers on this day.  And it has robbed me of my ability to not feel sheer guilt on this day.

All that being said, I took the holiday with a grain of salt.  My wonderful husband bought me a "Not mother's day" flower bouquet that was beautiful and my mom and dad sent me a "Mom to be" flower basket.  It still doesn't feel real.

And now for the 18 weeks quiz:

18 weeks

How far along: 18 weeks, 4 days

Total Weight Gain: 17.5....right on par with where I should be but I still feel like a cow.  I know it will all be worth it if my babies are born big and strong.

Symptoms: I am feeling pretty fabulous.  The back pain is starting to get the best of me and making it really difficult to move around like I did before I was pregnant.  God bless my husband for helping me get up and off the couch!

Stretch Marks: Yes.  They are in full effect.  I have 3 small ones on the bottom of my tummy.  It's ok...it's not like a 2 piece is in my future.

Sleep: I am sleeping great.  Too great in fact.  I actually make it all the way through most nights without having to get up and use the bathroom.  The downside is my bladder hurts so bad when I wake up!  

Best Moment Last Week: Getting the glider ordered for the nursery and buying the second mattress.  The nursery is now fully outfitted with furniture.

Movement: Yes-Still nothing consistent.  I won't feel them for a few days (and panic) and then I'll get a little flutter or two.  I am still excited to feel full on kicks and movements consistently.

Food Cravings: None.

What I Miss: A good glass of wine.  We had a house warming party this weekend and NA beer just wasn't hitting the spot.

What am I looking forward to:  Our anatomy scan on May 28th and our first baby shower in Kansas on May 22nd.  I can't believe we are having a baby shower already!!  It makes it feel even more real.  We had to do this one this early though because I am not supposed to be flying after 20 weeks....and this one will be just a little past 20 weeks.

Milestones: Having all of the nursery furniture ordered/in our house.

How is Daddy? Awesome.  It is so fun to talk about the "what-ifs" together.  We laid in bed a good part of Sunday morning and talked about all of the fun what ifs.  It's so fun to imagine our life with our two babies.

18 weeks ( and if you want to spare your eyes...I suggest stopping reading at this point):