Come Grow With Me...

In honor of today being my official due date, I thought I would compile all of my belly shots in one post...















Happy Due Date Day! :)

(And to think, I thought I would have 4 week old babies right now! HA!)

Oh for Pete's Sake Already!!!

(37 weeks, 3 days)

Dear Girls,

I know that it's probably nice and cozy and warm in mama's belly right now. And I know that mama BEGGED you to stay put just a few weeks ago. But there comes a time in every little girl's life, that she has to move on to the next phase.

In your case, it is time to come meet the world. Mommy's really tired. Her itching belly keeps her up at night. She has an entire panel at the bottom of her tummy where the muscle is actually tearing away from the abdominal wall. It hurts her. And girls, you will one day understand when I say "stretchmarks". I mean, really. It's getting out of control over here.

Besides, isn't it squishy and cramped in there by now? Wouldn't you like to stretch out those little bodies and see your brother? Your grandmas are getting anxious too! Don't worry, you can still see eachother and even sleep in the same bed, so don't worry about missing your sister.

The doctor wants to make you come out at 39 weeks. And let's be serious ladies...you don't need no stinking doctor telling YOU what to do and when, right??? Okay, so let's get some gumption and show him YOU'RE the boss! Okay? Okay!

I know it'll be hard at first. You getting to know me. Me getting to know you. Learning how to eat. Having to wait on other people to change your diapers. Not understanding what this whole pesky nighttime/daytime thing is all about. It's a little scary. Mama knows.

But I can promise you that it's also a lot of fun. We can play and cuddle and laugh together. Heck, we'll even cry together too! I'm sure of that! And just WAIT until you see your new room! Super cute! And CLOTHES...! Girls...you. have. no. idea.

Mommy is really proud of you for sticking it out and baking this whole time. You are good girls. But consider this your official eviction notice. Hotel Jeannett is closing. I'm glad you enjoyed your stay. Go ahead and take the towels and the little soaps. It's fine. Just get out.

Love,
Your Mommy

Twin Belly Shot: 36 Weeks

75% effaced.

1 cm dilated.

Baby A at 2 station.

Uterus measuring 44 cm.

Um yeah, that would be measuring as if I am a MONTH overdue with a singleton.

I swore to Andy that the minute I hit 36 weeks I was going to go for a jog (!), do jumping jacks, drink castor oil and whatever else it took to go into labor. But, now that it's here, and for as miserable as I am, I know that 36 weeks is the bare minimum of the safe zone, and that if they stay cooking for another week or so, that they will be bigger, stronger, and have better sucking reflexes...so it looks like I may have to wait to do my jogging until next week...BAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
(Because if you know me at all, you know that I DON'T jog...or anything remotely resembling exercise for that matter!)

Twin Belly Shot: 35 weeks

Holy *freaking* moly.

I really shouldn't go out in public.

I convinced Andy to take me to dinner at Applebee's tonight. I was so sick of being in the house and thought I might go cuckoo.

I felt eyes on me the whole time.

Three different people asked me if I was overdue.

A group of high school girls LITERALLY pointed at me with wide eyes and mouths open.

I didn't realize how huge I was...until I saw these photos.

It's just not natural.

I look like my head was shrunk by one of those witch doctors on the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland.

And don't even get me started on the waddle walk...

Twin Belly Shot: 34 weeks

Notice how my shirt has this fancy built in feature that keeps me from getting overheated.

State of the art, I tell ya.

Nothing but the best.

Yes, I chopped my head off.

Being on bedrest doesn't translate into a lot of desire or motivation to actually look somewhat decent. So, basically, I looked like hell. Bad enough that I wasn't about to post it on the world wide web.

Vanity, thy name is Jeannett.

I measured myself around...48 inches.

INCHES, people, INCHES!!!

That's four FEET.

So basically, I'm almost as wide around as I am tall.

Fabulous.

I dare anyone to say that I don't look like I'm carrying twins.

In fact, I would advise that even if you *DO* think it, that you keep it to yourself for fear that I just might claw your eyes out.

Thanks.

Glad we had this talk.

Here's a bare belly shot.

Stretch marks and all.

Yup, they showed up. A few weeks ago. I totally thought I was in the clear.

I blame it all on Lindsey.

She pointed them out to me...small ones...and ever since she blew their covert operation, they've come out full force.

Funny that I'll chop my head off, but post my stretch mark laden belly...interesting. I wonder why it's different? I guess because I figure that they aren't going away, so I might as well embrace it.

Besides, wasn't there discussion a while back about us women embracing our bodies regardless of the changes???

Yeah, that was it.

Say it with me:

Two more weeks...two more weeks...

Twin Belly Shot: 32 Weeks

32 weeks pregnant with twins.


33 weeks pregnant with one baby.
(Notice how swollen my face was from the pre-eclampsia though!)

* * * * *

It's official.

I'm uncomfortable.

I'm actually wearing two maternity shirts. The top one is an "extra long" tank in size XL. It doesn't even come CLOSE to covering my tummy. The bottom tank is a cami that I forced down for the photo...it just creeps right up after about two minutes. It's a good thing I'm off work. I truly don't have anything that fits properly anymore.

I've hardly slept the last few nights. Just can't get cozy enough to doze off.

I don't want them to come yet, because it's too early...but I can.not.wait. until I am un-pregnant.

At the start of this, I thought I might want another biological child. As of right now, I'm 99.9999% sure that this will be my last pregnancy. I just don't like this. I do not like it Sam I am...

Yes, I have Andy's shoes on. No, I don't know why.

It hasn't helped that there has been a MARKED increase in Henry's energy level since his surgery. They had mentioned that some kids have an increase in energy after their hearts are pumping more efficiently...let's just say that he has YET to take a nap since Thursday. Today he spent two hours jumping and playing and laughing to himself in his crib during what should have been naptime. And he's extra crazy. Still good and pretty well behaved...just crazier.

Mama's giant belly and the thought of two newborns showing up soon with this new found energy makes me want to crawl into a hole and cry. :)

Twin Belly Shot: 30 Weeks

Okay, so really this is 29 weeks and 6 days, but who's counting?! :)

I feel gigantic.

The girls are really low and with both being head down (hallelujah!), it makes for LOTS of peeing. I'm not exaggerating...every. single. time. I get up from sitting down, I have to go to the bathroom from the change in pressure. We have been going through toilet paper like nothing else. Have to go to Costco tomorrow...again, not kidding.

I cannot believe that I am at 30 weeks! 30 weeks seemed like a lifetime away when I first found out I was pregnant. And now, in the seeming blink of an eye, I am 30 weeks pregnant with twin girls.

It hits me every once in a while...the reality of bringing home TWO babies. So strange. So wild. So scary!

You know when you first feel your baby(ies) moving, and you just think it is the *sweetest* thing in the world??? And you just grin and love every little kick and bump??? For the record, I'm over it. These girls move around CONSTANTLY. It's insane, painful, and non-stop. I think Baby A in particular is trying to escape...via my skin. Wrong place baby girl...wrong place.

So, I'm down to 6 weeks to go...maybe 8. (I suppose that it COULD be 10, but I highly doubt it...or maybe that's wishful thinking???)

Twin Belly Shot: 28 Weeks & Milestone #2

Is that a double chin I see? Yes, yes indeed it is. Ugh.

Well, the weeks just keep on ticking by, and while in some ways it seems to creep by, in other ways, it is FLYING. I think that the back aches, exhaustion, uncomfortableness, and the frequency with which I pee...makes it seem to go by slowly. But then I realize that I only have 8 weeks to my 36 week goal!!! Yikes! How did I get to the single digits already???!!! The best news is that I've made it to Milestone #2!

I had a perinatologist appointment last Thursday...Baby A weighs 2 lb. 6 oz. and Baby B weighs in at 2 lbs. That's only about one pound shy of how big Henry was at birth!!! And don't forget that I have TWO placentas and TWO amniotic sacs, so it's actually overall more in my tummy now at 27/28 weeks as I was at 37 weeks with Hen Ben. Yikes. I am going to be H-U-G-E.

Even though I am likely measuring more than a full term singleton by now, I still constantly hear "you don't look like you are carrying twins!" Which is funny, because numbers don't lie. I started thinking about this phenomenon...that while people think my friend Kate looks "so big", she and I measure the same...yet I'm told that I look "small". And we're the same height...maybe it's because my butt is bigger? :) But really, I was thinking about it today and I came to the conclusion that people have a distorted sense of what a twin pregnancy should look like. I think they expect this over-the-top gigantic, special effects movie look. That's not to say that I won't be gigantic by the end of this journey, but in general, I think people expect a much more dramatic sight. And I think they expect it from the very beginning of the pregnancy...whereas, the time when I will likely look the most like I'm actually having twins will be towards the end. Otherwise, I just look like a normal pregnant person...except that instead of saying that I am due any day, I still have 2+ months to go! Anyway, that was random, but just a thought...

In other news, I think it's only a matter of days before my poor little belly button pops out...it is soooo sore. It hurts. And the skin on my belly is starting to ITCH. I slathered it in Vitamin E oil today, so hopefully that helps a little...sigh...just eight more weeks...eight more weeks...(now watch, I'll be that 1% who goes to 41 weeks...)

Twin Belly Shot: 26 weeks, 4 days

As promised, here is my latest belly shot...as I mentioned before, I am measuring 37 centimeters (for those of you who don't understand why that is interesting...in a singleton pregnancy, your uterus typically grows 1 centimeter for every week of pregnancy...so if you are 20 weeks along, you should measure about 20 cm, give or take...so, in my case, my uterus/belly is already as big as if I were basically full term with one baby!). And as a side note, this is probably about as big as I EVER got with Henry (he was born at 36 1/2 weeks)!!!

For reference, this is me at 27 weeks with Henry.

My shirts are riding up at the bottom and unless I'm constantly pulling them down, they don't really cover the bottom of my belly anymore. Yeah, that's attractive. Now was NOT the time for me to start wearing midriffs!

I've gained a pretty obscene amount of weight so far...32 pounds!!!...here's to hoping it magically melts off later.

So, for now, I may still not look like I'm having twins, but pretty much any future growth beyond this and I will be larger than a single full term pregnancy...and remember, I still have a minimum of 10 weeks to go!

Twin Belly Shot & Milestone #1

Here is my "blossoming" self at 24 weeks. 12 more to go! (It could be a couple more than that, but I'm just hoping to make it to 36 weeks...which, I have no reason at this point to think otherwise...not to say things can't change of course...)

Twin pregnancies are measured in milestones. You know how in every pregnancy (twin or not) everyone anxiously awaits that magical 12 week/first trimester-is-over time? Well, with twins, there are a few other places we have to hold our breaths:

Milestone #1: 24 weeks-
No one *wants* you to deliver as early as 24 weeks, but the reality is that at 24 weeks, your babies have an 80% chance of survival if they were to be born now...barring infections or other complications. Would they have extensive NICU time? Definitely. Typically, premature babies live in the NICU until their due date...so in this case, 3 months of NICU time! Would there be lifelong mental/physical issues? Probably. But, they would more than likely live...even if they weighed only about 1.5 pounds a piece at birth. :(

Milestone #2: 28 weeks-
Again, no one wants you to have a baby that soon, but your chances of survival jump to 95% at that point. Further, mental/physical complications are only a *maybe*. They might have learning disabilities, but maybe not. It kinda depends on the kid. There would be about 2 months of NICU time, but eventually, your babies would be fine (albeit have a rough start).

Milestone #3: 34 weeks-
If you make it to 34 weeks, your entire medical team (and there IS a whole team in a twin pregnancy!) breathes a giant sigh of relief, and frankly doesn't worry about delivery at this point. Your babies would have at least a couple of weeks of NICU time (which would be really stressful for parents regardless...could you imagine going home WITHOUT your babies???!!!), but it would mainly be for what they call "growers/feeders"...meaning, they just want to make sure they can put on weight and that they know how to eat/suck on their own before they go home.

Milestone #4: 36 weeks-
FULL TERM! Of course, every day that your babies cook, the better...so if they can hang out for just a little longer, it's a good thing...but by 36 weeks, you may not have a single day of NICU time (again depends on the kid and circumstances) and the twins would be considered full term. Apparently twins' organs tend to develop about 2 weeks ahead of singletons...they don't really know why, although some speculate that the competition for nutrients and space in the womb is what accelerates the development.

So, there you have it. I have offically reached Milestone #1...just three more to go!

You know what stresses me out?

This does

And this

This too

BUT, this gives me hope (she's 4 months post-babies...this is what she looked like at 35 weeks and she delivered at 36 weeks).

Granted, I took the liberty of only linking to the most extreme photos of twin bellies and I won't get that big, right? There were plenty of bellies that were quite large, but not too bad, so I'll be like them, right? And I'll TOTALLY be as tiny as the last girl at 4 months postpartum, right?

Of course.

My belly is getting bigger, but still nothing to make strangers stare. Apparently there is a big growth spurt between 24 and 28 weeks...which begins next week for me. We'll see how I do. I didn't get any stretchmarks with Henry (ok, ONE, but it faded and you can hardly see it), and so far I don't have any this time...let's hope it stays that way.

And let's all pray that I avoid twin skin. Yeah, it's real. I'll let you google it yourself, although not surprisingly, few women have been brave enough to actually photograph AND post photos on the world wide web, so it takes a little searching. Basically, your abdominal muscles actually RIP apart leaving you with a nice big crease down the center of your belly...and the only way to fix it is via plastic surgery.

I've told Andy to start the "fix Jeannett's belly fund" now just in case...because let me be clear: I am not too pious for Dr. 90210! :)

My Girls

Two little girls. Sharing the same womb. All squished together. Yet, already so different.

One of you, head down ready to come say hi...busy, busy...always kicking, always moving, so much energy like her brother. Kicks are full of spunk and with plenty of power from those tiny legs.

The other laying across her mama's belly, so quiet, so sweet. Even when she does kick it is so much gentler and calmer. Almost like she's just making herself a little more comfy in there, no need to make a fuss.

*****

Both girls are healthy and happy. My pregnancy is about as textbook as it could be so far. My weight gain is right on (for twins), my blood pressure is nice and low, no swelling, I'm still wearing all my rings, no protein in the urine, cervix is measuring well beyond normal. My doctor said "Good job Mom! Whatever you are doing, keep it up!"

Last time, my face was looking "puffy" at 23 weeks and my blood pressure, while still in the normal range was beginning to creep up...and my rings were stored in the jewelry box long ago by now...

My tummy measured 27 cm and I am 22 weeks. Everything is progressing about as perfectly as possible. It's a bit surreal. Lindsey commented to me the other day: "Could you imagine if you carry these babies longer and easier than you did with just ONE?!"

Irony.

The story of my life.

In case you are wondering, I chopped my head off in the photo above. My vanity got the best of me. It's just *so* awkward to pose for a belly picture...

Halfway There! (Well, sort of...)

I am 18 weeks today. 36 weeks is considered full term for twins, and I've made it my personal goal, so, that means that today I'm halfway to full term! Granted, if they want to bake longer, that's great...the longer the better, but I'll be ecstatic if we can make it to 36!

I think the belly growth has slowed down some. I don't feel like it's much bigger than it was a few weeks ago, but it has gotten harder. I can definately feel little kicks, but I'm not sure I can tell who is who yet. Although, I will feel a kick waaay down low and then a second later, I'll feel one waaaay up higher and I don't think the babies are big enough yet that it can be the same one? We have an appointment with the midwife on Thursday...maybe I can get her to take a peek and let me know the sexes! Then, depending on what they are, I may end up just cancelling my perinatologist appointment altogether (if they are boy/girl, about 90% of the complications with a twin pregnancy go out the window so I don't want/need the extra high powered ultrasounds. If they are the same sex, well, I guess I'll be a good girl and keep the appointment...)

Happy Monday everyone!

(As a side note, does anyone know why *on earth* my child decides that waking up a 5:30 in the morning is fun and okay on Saturday and Sunday mornings...but then sleeps until 7:00 on Monday when I'm up and getting ready for work anyway???? UGH!)

Twin Belly Shot #2 and a Series of Mental Notes

1. Horizontal stripes are always a fashion risk. Horizontal stripes when you are pregnant are always a fashion DON'T. (Unless of course you actually LIKE to look even more like a cow than you are).
2. Wearing a non-maternity shirt is no longer cute when you are 14 weeks 6 days pregnant with twins. It's cute to wear your normal tops in the beginning, but when it doesn't even come close to covering your "bump", it's time to move to maternity wear.
3. Messy ponytails only look chic on Gweneth Paltrow and magazine models. On regular people, they just look like...messy ponytails.
4. Learn to accept the fact that your rear end will somehow grow to epic proportions. Begin meditating now so that you aren't so shocked by its sheer size the next time you see yourself in a photo.
5. Purposely posing for a photo to display how much weight you are gaining is awkward. Making a tongue taco doesn't make it less awkward.
6. Wear just a tad more make up. Because after all...if the barn needs painted...paint the barn.

Twin Belly Shot #1

Okay, last post of the day I SWEAR! (My head has lots of scattered thoughts I feel the need to share if you can't tell!)

I thought I'd take my first twin belly shot...unfortunately Andy isn't home and won't be until late tonight, so I was forced to take an uber-pathetic bathroom mirror self portrait. Pay no attention to the blow dryer I was too lazy to put away this morning.

Here I am at 12 weeks and 3 days. With twins (and looking terrifed at my own reflection).

For reference, here is a belly pic of myself at TWENTY weeks with Henry:

Everyone kept telling me you show sooner with your second, but this was ridiculous! Now we know why! :)