Announcement!

Well, I took QUITE the break from blogging and now I'm back! Better late than never ... as every self-proclaimed procrastinator alleges!

Be prepared but after all of our struggles, tears and heartbreak, Ken and I are pleased to announce that we are expecting ...

TWINS!

Neither of us ever expected or thought we'd ever experience something like this and at first, it was overwhelming and we were in shock. After a few months of getting used to the idea, we're happier than we've ever been! Trust me - it hasn't been easy navigating which things we need two of before welcoming not one but two babies at once!

God is Good. We're blessed. Truly.

We thank everyone who has supported us, grieved and celebrated with us and shown us unconditional love.

This will be an unusually long post as I'm very behind on my good intentions of updating the same. Below are the many, many ultrasound pictures from 6 weeks to about 23 weeks. Most of the size references and what baby is up to is taken from The Bump.

After this post, I'll be more vigilant in posting as things progress and when I have days where I need to vent :)

5 weeks 6 days (April 7, 2011)

Here is the first ultrasound where I discovered we were expecting twins! Two black circles are two sacs with two little ones growing!

At this stage, they are about the size of a sweet pea but already sprouting eyes, ears, nose, cheeks and chin. The little hands and feet are still webbed but may wiggle by week's end. Hearts are beating and blood is starting to circulate.

6 weeks 6 days (April 14, 2011)

Little blueberries now and generating about 100 new cells every minute. Arms and legs are emerging and a permanent set of kidneys is now in place.

7 weeks 0 days (April 15, 2011)

This picture is a little tougher to see here. You'll notice it's only a day later than the last photo. This is from my first appointment at the high risk OB I am now seeing for this pregnancy.

Before we know it, we won't be able to capture both of them in one photo!

8 weeks 0 days (April 22, 2011)

In their 8th week, these little ones are about the size of raspberries. This photo is a little tough to see but if you can barely make out their little bodies in this one.

I can't feel them yet but they are moving those little arms, legs and toes like crazy!

Baby A - 8 weeks 6 days (April 28, 2011)

This photo might be a little clearer than the last one (not much though).

Meet Baby A.

Honestly, I don't know if the ultrasound technicians tag the same baby every time because at this stage where they are so small, they are able to move around quite a bit.

Baby B - 8 weeks 6 days (April 28, 2011)

Meet our other little olive. Introducing Baby B!

This one is facing outward towards the camera to pose for a picture.

The doppler can now pick up the heartbeats.

They are actually beginning to look like babies now instead of little dots on the screen!

11 weeks 4 days (May 17, 2011)

Bones and cartilage have formed and vital organs are beginning to function now. Arm joints are now working (better to hit each other with!).

At 10 weeks, they are like little raisins.

At 11 weeks, both are about the size of two limes.

Babies now have a 1:1 ratio between their bodies and heads.

Baby A - 11 weeks 4 days (May 17, 2011)

Baby A here is facedown in the photo. Heartbeat is 180bpm.

The head is on the right side (big ol' melon like mama's).

Their skin is so transparent right now that blood vessels show right through but fingers and toes are no longer webbed. Hair follicles, tooth buds and nail beds are forming.

Baby B - 11 weeks 4 days (May 17, 2011)

Baby B is laying with his/her back to us in this photo. You can see the head on the left. Heartbeat is 170bpm.

Inevitably, there is always one that is more active than the other at any given time and at least one that doesn't cooperate when we want to get a picture!

In this picture, you can see the little fist (that was pumping vigorously at the time). This baby is resting below the other baby ... and punching upwards. The sibling rivalry has already begun!

Baby A - 12 weeks 3 days (May 23, 2011)

Here is Baby A in 3D. You can see the little arm up to the face ... Oh the drama already!

 

 

Babies are little plums now!

Baby B was not cooperating this week so there are no pictures to post.

Baby A - 15 weeks 4 days (June 14, 2011)

Baby A is showing us a side profile here.

Amazing to see eyes, nose and lips already!!

Babies can also suck their thumbs, wiggle their toes, make urine (not so cute) and breathing amniotic fluid as the liver, kidneys and spleen continue to develop.

Baby A - 15 weeks 4 days (June 14, 2011)

Lanugo (thin, downy hair) is growing all over their bodies for warmth. They are the size of naval oranges now!

 

 

Baby B has not made an appearance yet again.

Big yawn down there!! :)

Baby A - 15 weeks 4 days (June 14, 2011)

Baby B - 17 weeks 4 days

Finally, here is a side profile of Baby B! It was tough to get this one to take any pictures because he/she was hiding behind the other one.

17 weeks 4 days (June 28, 2011)

You may be wondering what exactly you're looking at in this photo but if you haven't already figured it out, we can clearly see that one of these wigglers is a boy!

He was not shy about showing this factoid off all over the ultrasound and I have several such photos of him making sure we knew it. I have saved you the obnoxious trait he has already picked up from his *AHEM* father.

You can make out two legs and the lighter white lines are his bones.

17 weeks 4 days (June 28, 2011)

This one is a little harder to see but it took quite a while to even get this picture!

Here is the other little one and the one thing missing here is what her brother has been showing off.

Yes, it's a girl!

She's been very shy hiding behind her brother for some time. Both babies are about the size of onions. Fingers and toes are now topped by one-of-a-kind prints.

Ken and I had a bet going. He said the babies were both boys and I said that there were one of each. If I won, I would get 30 minutes worth of foot rubs that do not have to all be used at the same time or date ... I have yet to reap even one minute of this reward.

Baby A - 22 weeks 4 days (August 2, 2011)

Baby B - 22 weeks 4 days (August 2, 2011

Here are photos from my last ultrasound. They aren't terribly exciting and if you think you can't see anything that even remotely looks like a baby, you'd be right. These pictures show the hearts and below them the heartbeat monitor. Baby A's heart was beating at 155bpm and Baby B's at 145bpm.  

Babies now pass the hours yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking and swallowing.

Their digestive systems are busy creating meconium (a tarry black substance made of swallowed amniotic fluid, digestive secretion and dead cells) which will fill the first diaper after birth. Those taste buds actually work and studies show that after birth, babies are most interested in tastes they've already experienced through amniotic fluid.

They are about the size of papayas and they are now able to hear outside noise from down in the womb. Those little faces are fully formed and babies are starting to settle into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day.

Today, I am 23 weeks and 6 days (24 weeks tomorrow!). These guys are the size of eggplants now!

Taken from The Bump.

We've been playing around with the prenatal kit we bought to see if we can hear the heartbeat. We've also been putting the little mics on my belly and playing music. Ken has also been lecturing them to no end using the included mic you can talk into. No surprise that there was no movement at all when that was happening (they were both probably lulled to sleep!).

Nowadays, they move around ALL the time and especially after meals. It's still strange and I always wonder who's moving and if they are already hitting each other in there :) 

We've already purchased many of the bigger nursery items such as the cribs, changing table, strollers and recliner.

I'm excited to report that baby shower planning is also well underway by two fantastic ladies who I can't thank enough already!  It's been such a long road and a long few years that I'm looking forward to this one event very much.

I've experienced no nausea in this pregnancy and have been able to enjoy most of it. My belly is extending beyond my feet at this point so putting on pants are getting difficult and luckily my shoes don't have laces! Ken has been busy getting us settled and renovating our new home in NH. We've been busy but happy these last several months.

Is it snacktime again? Tummy is grumbling :)