Good Bye 2009 & Hello 2010!

So, 2009 is going out with a bang!  This was a year of tears and of lots of joy.

Looking back, the beginning of the 2009 was very tough for us.  I had be hoping to be pregnant through the holiday season and into the new year and it hadn't happened.  So, Chris and I entered 2009 with heavy hearts.

This year will also be known as the year my Grandfather went up to heaven.  Jim, Cobbo, Granddad, Colonel Cobb these are just a few of the names that could only begin to describe a man who touched the hearts of those around him.  He taught the women in his family what love is.  He grounded our family of women who are all still lost without him in our lives.  We understood it was his time to go, and we would never have asked him to stay and suffer on this earth.  We KNOW with out a shadow of a doubt that he is in Heaven waiting for us.

And yet as this grief was still fresh in our hearts, God gave our family something to rejoice about.  He blessed our family with the promise of a new union.  Sara and Robby decided to marry in 2009!  I spent many hours on the phone with Sara, talking about their wedding or visiting places!  Venues, colors, dresses, flowers, programs, hotels, tea parties, showers and so many more fun and exciting things to plan and help with!

Then as the wedding was almost here Chris and my prayers were answered in one final swoop! September 2009:  I turned 29, Sara was married, our house went under contract, and found out we were expecting...FINALLY!  Two Pink Lines in 09!!  We were even able to throw one last amazing party at our home for our best friends little girl who was on the way!   Thankfully, God is good and his timing is perfect.  There is no way I could have planned all those events so smoothly!

So, here it is 12-31-09 and I am looking back and thinking about all the happy and sad tears that fell this year and I wouldn't change anything.  At the time going through all the events and emotions; there were some dark moments of despair.  In Ecclesiastes,"to every thing there is a season",  this is so true.  As we journey through life we may not understand the whole picture at that moment.   But, looking back over this year I am able to in a small way understand God's wonderful plan for our lives.  He taught us patience this year and how with patience comes great rewards!  What could be better than waiting 14 months than to find out you've been blessed with twins!  It has to be God's plan for our friends to get pregnant before us, so that I would have time with their little girl before my world is turned upside down with 2 babies!  It had to be God's timing for our house to sell right before the wedding so we wouldn't have to stress during the wedding, and we could move afterward.  It is, also, His timing that the house we are renting became vacant right as we needed a place to live.  His planning that our family would help us out with at low rent payment so we could save for the arrival of our twins.   There are many more big and small miracles that happened in our life this past year, but I have to stop with my ramblings! :)

So, I lift my sparkling grape juice to 2009!  I wouldn't want to live through you again, but I wouldn't change you either!  And here's to 2010 and all the tears and joy you are sure to bring!

18 weeks!

How far along: 18 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 14.5 pounds
Maternity clothes: yup-i am already too big for some pants I was wearing early on in the 1st trimester!
Stretch marks: nope  
Sleep:  i have joined the ranks of tons of pillows in the bed to be able to sleep, one for my front and one for my back!  
Best moment this week:  1st Christmas with our babies...even though they were inside!  Next year will be so special with them in our arms!
Gender: finding out on January 7th
Belly button in or out?: In, but it is wider and not as deep
Craving: not much really...pickles always sound good! 
What I miss: not much, i am so happy to have these little ones inside me!
What I am looking forward to:  ultrasound in a week and a half! 

Baby Center:  "Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound."

Here is what a 20 week difference looks like, my BF Christie came over for dinner and we had to get at least one picture with us both pregnant!  She is 38 weeks today and is scheduled to have her little girl on January 5th!  We both got engaged and married in 2005 and are having babies in 2010!  We said 5 years and we meant it!  God is so good to have bless us in so many ways!!

nicknames

So the other night Chris and I were talking about the babies, now that I can feel them move I tell him all the time.  Well, he always wants to know which one moved.  If you know my husband you know he has a random fascination with Benjamin Franklin. Anytime, he sees/hears anything about Ben he says something about how awesome he was or how amazing, etc. you get the idea.  Chris also thinks it is cute when you name the babies with names that start with an "A" and a "B".  Therefore, baby B became Benjamin Franklin and somehow baby A became Abraham Lincoln. Well, this is WAY to long to type much less say each time one of them moves, so we shortened it to Ben and Abe...but that was to boring so I changed it to Benny and Abbey!  (didn't you just enjoy the play by play of our random bedtime conversation...nope the H's are not going to be curing cancer or solving the worlds problems anytime soon!)

Abby is currently on my right side and toward the front making me look lopsided, and Benny is hiding in the back left.  I don't feel Benny move as much as Abby and I think this is because Abby is near the front.  I am feeling them move several times a day, more when I am calm and pay attention.

We are still on for January 7th and our BIG ultrasound!! Can't wait to see you again Abby and Benny!  Your mommy loves you!

update on past few days

I thought I would update on the past few days, just to keep an ongoing record of this pregnancy.

Saturday and Sunday I felt great, really great!  I had gone from 1st trimester nausea, to a horrible head cold, to a pulled muscle in my leg (that had me limping for several days).  So, on Saturday while snowed in Chris and I worked on lots of projects that we had been putting off.  Then on Sunday, we cleaned the house, went out for Mexican food and headed to Wally World.  By the end of the shopping my stomach was so tight and beginning to hurt pretty bad.  I thought that I had just over done it, so I went home and laid down for the rest of the day.  That night was a bad night, I tossed and turned till about 2am when I decided to call my Dr's office and speak with a nurse.  She had me drink 2 bottles of water, take 2 tylenol and some milk of magnesia, then lay on my left side and make sure there were not any contractions.  Thankfully, there were not.  About 3:30, I began to get somewhat sleepy and moved back into our bedroom and was able to get a few hours before going into work.  All day on Monday my uterus felt very heavy and I was very uncomfortable.  I was barely able to get through some much anticipated Christmas shopping with my sister Sara. 

Thankfully, my husband is a wonderful man and he started a yummy hot dinner so by the time I finally got home we were able to eat together before I spent the rest of the night on the sofa.   Last night I got some good sleep and I didn't want to get up this morning, but I did.  We are headed to my mom's right after work and can't wait to see my sisters and Grandmother.  I do still have to pick up 1 more gift and need to wrap a few other items, but I can do the wrapping at mom's and grab the gift at lunch.  I can not let my body get that way again and so I am not stressing about not finishing everything.  Just like I didn't stress about decorating our home for the holidays, there will be plenty more years to do the big tree and soon enough the little ones will enjoy it with us!

Merry Christmas everyone! Just remember that Jesus' birth is the reason for the season and spread the love to everyone!  Be safe in your travels!

17 weeks

How far along: 17 weeks (please ignore our messy bedroom, I didn't want to make Chris get out of bed to take the pic)
Total weight gain/loss: 12 pounds
Maternity clothes: yup
Stretch marks: nope  
Sleep:  not much last night, could not get comfortable  
Best moment this week:  Feeling baby a move and then the next day baby b; now feeling them every once in a while!
Gender: ??? finding out on January 7th
Belly button in or out?: In, but it is wider and not as deep
Craving: pancakes  
What I miss: not much, i am so happy to have these little ones inside me!
What I am looking forward to:  almost at the 1/2 way for twins! 

"How your baby's growing:

Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.  

How your life's changing:

Starting to feel a bit off balance? As your belly grows, your center of gravity changes, so you may begin to occasionally feel a little unsteady on your feet. Try to avoid situations with a high risk of falling.  You may also notice your eyes becoming drier. Using over-the-counter lubricating drops may help. If your contact lenses become uncomfortable, try wearing them for shorter stretches of time. If you still have discomfort, switch to glasses until after you give birth."

check out

Don't forget to check out my other blog, my christmas corner is up with lots of pics!

hi babies

To our babies,
Dad and I heard your hearts beating yesterday and we are so exciting you are on your way into our arms.  We love you so much already, we talk about you all the time.  We are looking forward to finding out who you are and giving you names that will carry you throughout your life.  We love you both so much, you are the best surprise gifts we have ever gotten.  We promise to love you everyday even when you are naughty!  We are looking forward to setting up your room and other preparations for your arrival.  Don't worry Mommy is very organized and will make sure to get everything done in time and Daddy is so good at putting stuff together and is very patient with Mommy and we will get it ready for you both.  Everyone in our families are so excited for your arrival too they are praying for you, so stay in there and grow nice and big! 
love,

mom and dad

ob apt today

I love love love this dr office.  Everything she said made me feel comfortable and secure.  They are going to let me try and to a natural birth if both babies are healthy, no complications, and head down.  This is what I want!  Then if there are complications we can schedule a c-section.  I like that the decision is not being made today, but waiting till we have more facts.  The only draw back is that they don't take medicaid and I have to pay everything upfront which is about 4k.  The second baby costs $1300 extra.  Still cheaper than having them separate (trying to look on the bright side). 

Our big ultrasound is scheduled for January 7th and we will find out who these two are.  I can't wait...I am looking forward to this more than Christmas! 

So here is some bedding Sara found at BB&Beyond.  Light blue and Brown ROCK AND ROLL!!!  Love it!

bedding ideas

a quick search on Babies R Us and I found these; girl bedding is so much cuter!  I don't really like animals but thought the simple giraffe was cute and I like the mix of fabrics!

look what we got!

2 cribs!  My uncle is going to go check them out and if they look like the pics he is going to buy them for me!  Thanks Wes for finding these at such a great deal!  (yes i did check and they are NOT on the recall list!!)

Yippie! I have babies on the way!

disappointing news...but it's ok

I just called my Dr office to see if they would be doing an u/s at my appointment and they said no that they didn't have it on the schedule.  So, I guess on Thursday when we leave we will find out when we will find out the sexes.  I still plan on asking her if she can do a quick ultrasound...but I am not feeling very confident about it.  Here's to learning some more patience!

How far along: 16 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 11 pounds
Maternity clothes: yup
Stretch marks: nope  
Sleep:  still getting up to use the restroom 4 plus times a night, I am used to my new pillow for my side sleeping and I am sleeping better, poor Chris has to freeze while I switch sides and uncover him in the process.  He is too good to complain.  
Best moment this week:   this week was not so great, I was focused on my head cold
Gender: hoping to find out on THURSDAY!
Belly button in or out?: In, but it is wider and not as deep
Craving: being sick I was not interest in food very much.  
What I miss: not much, i am so happy to have these little ones inside me!
What I am looking forward to:  my DR apt on THURSDAY!! did I mention that it was this THURSDAY...even if we don't find out the sexes, we should know the date for the next ultrasound and when we should be able to find out!!!

baby center dot com "Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.  The top of your uterus is about halfway between your pubic bone and your navel, and the round ligaments that support it are thickening and stretching as it grows. You're probably feeling a whole lot better as you settle into pregnancy, too. Less nausea, fewer mood swings, and "glowing" skin contribute to an overall sense of well-being.  Soon you'll experience one of the most wonderful moments of pregnancy — feeling your baby move. While some women notice "quickening" as early as 16 weeks, many don't feel their baby move until about 18 weeks or more. (And if this is your first baby, don't be too impatient — you may not be aware of your baby's movements until 20 weeks or so.) The earliest movements may feel like little flutters, gas bubbles, or even like popcorn popping. Over the following weeks they'll grow stronger and you'll be able to feel them much more frequently."

What a night....

technically it is still night time.  It is 4:45 as I begin to type this.  I have been awake for the past 3+ hours tossing and turning.  First my soar throat woke me up and I had to get a cough drop, while I was awake I went ahead and used the opportunity to pee & blow my nose.  Well, when I got back and bed and hoped to fall right back asleep that was a joke.  My soar throat has gotten worse, my head began to have another head ache from blowing my nose and now the worst case of heartburn has come on IN MY LIFE!!!  The burning starts right below where my raw throat hurts and goes down into my stomach.  But that not all, my back and shoulder muscles have tightened up and no position is comfortable.  So, I took some tums and kept trying to get comfy.  I even tried the couch.  After that didn't' work I woke Chris up and got him to massage my shoulders, which did help for the 10 minutes he did it, the then scratched my back and went back to sleep.  I think I may have dosed off for a few minutes but then the heartburn and muscle cramping in my back hit me like a brick wall and I was wide awake again.  So, here I am at now almost 5am awake squinting at the PC screen b/c I didn't put my contacts in and every few minutes I have to blow my nose e or take a break to massage my aching shoulders.

I know I asked for this pregnancy and  Iam not complaining, but yes I am complaining.  Why did this heartburn attack have to happen when I am trying to get over this horrible head cold.  I hope I am not gong to make this heart bun wost but I am hungy so I am gong to SLOWLY eat a 1/2 bagel with just a little butter, can I get any more bland?  You shouold have seen all the typos before I fixed them and if this post doesnt't make any sense, I appoligize.  if you got this far reading tgis thanks for listening to a crazy sick lady on the middle of the night.

15 weeks

How far along: 15 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 10 pounds, weighed in this morning we are right on track for twins!
Maternity clothes: yup
Stretch marks: nope, but did buy some coco butter/shea butter lotion this morning on the way to work.
Sleep:  still getting up to use the restroom 4 plus times a night, I did make myself a pillow out of extra memory foam from our mattress pad.  We named it the square sponge bob pillow.   
Best moment this week:   relief of switching doctors 
Gender: to early to know still, but thinking they are boys hoping at our next DR apt on the 17th they will do an U/S and we might find out!
Belly button in or out?: In, but it is wider and not as deep
Craving: not much this week, most food doesn't sound very appetizing.  
What I miss: sleeping on my stomach
What I am looking forward to:  Feeling them move, I may have felt a few little flutters/popcorn popping sensations but until they are more frequent I can't be sure. Finding out the sex of these little ones!  I can't wait and I am NOT a patient person......urgh!

baby center dot com: Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")  The picture is of twins at 16 weeks, hey close enough for me!! Wanted to post it while I saw it! 

Belly pic hopefully to be taken tomorrow, poor husband was so sleepy and sick this morning I couldn't ask him to get out of bed.  

blood type

So, I called my "old" dr office that I am switching away from to ask my blood type.  In the computer, they have me switching to another dr office, but then when she retrieved my file she realized she didn't have the consent form to release my file (therefore it was not sent as I was informed).  After some consulting with another lady (which I could hear EVERYTHING-they were very confused and some shuffling of papers) she found the release form that I faxed last week and was going to make sure to send my file today to my "new" dr office. 

I was going to call the "new" office to find out my blood type, but then decided just to call the "old" office and I am glad I did!!  This way at our DR apt on the 17th they will have all my information.

Anyway, I am O positive.  Just thought it would be good to know.  Now, I wonder what blood type Chris is.....

cool twin article

http://www.newsweek.com/id/225492

This is about Chinese twins separated at birth and then how they found each other and their adopted families, a really sweet article-worth the read. 

who wants to buy me these?

I need these....though I don't know where I found this picture.....

announcement

I have officially divorced under-wire bras until further notice. 

i've offically switched DR's

I have been having some reservations about my doctors office for a while.  Mostly, it seems there is a serious disorganization there and several other friends that are patients have had some "bad" experiences.  The last thing I want at the end of this pregnancy is stress and regret about not switching doctors. 

I feel so much better about switching back to my old doctors office, even though they are going to make me repeat the health education with the nurse and it is going to cost us some extra money, but in the long run it will be worth it.  I haven't had anything but great experiences with this doctors office. 

Today I had to:

1. call my old "new" dr office and set up appointments
2. call the other dr to get my file transfered
3. fax in the release to transfer my file
   
4. call the money department to get a credit for services paid for that I haven't used

I am hoping at the apointment on the 17th they will do an ultrasound and we might find out the sex of these 2 beans that I am cookin!