Our Christmas in Chicago

We got to spend a whole week in downtown Chicago for our Christmas vacation! It was -2 degrees when we arrived and had warmed to 20 by the time we left. We saw snow, rain, lots of wind, and ice but it didnt slow us down! Grandma Wilson was there which made it extra special, and we had a fabulous time visiting Aunt Ang, Uncle Fred, Andy, Max, and several of their close family friends. We went to the movie theatre twice! (Saw Marley & Me and Four Christmases) and walked down Michigan Avenue to do some last minute Christmas shopping. We relaxed at home and watched movies and lots of football bowl games, played cards and dice, and had tons of Mom's wonderful home-cookin'. Christmas is my favorite time of year and this trip definitely was one to remember!

Of course it would happen that 2 days into our trip and while pregnant I would catch my 1st stomach bug. It was AWFUL! But luckily I had my Mommy and Chris right there to take care of me. My OB was notified and I was within 1 hour of having to go to the ER to get fluids, but luckily everything started to stay down. I lost 3+ of the pounds I had worked so hard to put on, but my appetite came back full force after a couple days.

Our home doppler also arrived while in Chicago. We're able to listen to the babies' heartbeats with it. It was a relief to hear their strong heartbeats after me being so sick, but apparently the stomach bug didnt affect them at all! We let everyone listen on Christmas morning after all the presents were open. We figured we'd save the best present for last. :)

Thank you, Mom and Dad, for a wonderful time in Chicago!

16-17 Week Update

DR Update: Doc says everything looks great! Did the usual provide a urine sample, asked our questions and got to listen to BOTH heartbeats! Dr. Wingo was very talkative today. He gave us some great insight into thinking about pediatricians (though we dont need one quite yet), whats to come with the next couple appointments, etc. Overall, our DR visit was quite exciting! Oh, and we've started a tradition of having lunch together at Schlotsky's Deli after each appt. Been there 3 times already. Mmmmmmm.

Mother/Baby Update: My uterus is measuring what a singleton mother's would be at 22weeks (tip of uterus is above my belly button) and I'm 16weeks 4days today. Doc said thats right on schedule. Baby A's (one on the bottom)hearbeat was in the 150s, and Baby B's (one on top) heartbeat was in the 140s. I got a prescription for a Prenatal Cradle today, which I'll pick up tomorrow. This is a quite unattractive contraption used to help support the weight of my growing belly and give me some back support during the day, since I'm already having routine back pain. I've read about these and heard they're great! I had my 1st Charlie Horse calf cramp a couple nights ago and my leg is still sore. I got some great tips on how to prevent this in the future (stretching and Gatorade before bed, eat more oranges, kiwi, and bananas).

Daddy Update: Chris is doing well with his 1/2 marathon training. We're heading to Chicago for Christmas next week and he plans to do alot of running there, even though its going to be 10-20 degrees!! Thats dedication! Work is going well also. We just had all the Christmas parties this week, which were a blast. One at his office and the other at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel with great food and a fabulous band! Daddy was very excited to hear both babies' heartbeats today!

What Makes a Great Daddy?

I think Chris should eventually write a book on this topic. He says to the babies just about every time he talks to them (which is quite often)that "I'm gonna be the best Daddy ever." Well, so far during this special pregnancy, he's living up to his commitment to our children by being so wonderful to me. I think having/caring for a child makes you a Daddy, which is essentially a special kind of husband. Here's just a few of the wonderful things he has done...

*Talks to the babies at least once a day. (I know they'll know his voice well)
*Listens to me with interest & sympathy with each new bodily change or ailment.
*Planning our future in so many ways so that I am not burdened with additional stress.
*Excited about coming to every DR appt and asks his own questions.
*Will get just about anything I ask for, so I dont have to get up.
*In the middle of the night, talked me through my 1st "Charlie Horse" ever.
*Doesn't steal my body pillow (even though I know he wants to)
*He makes me feel beautiful all the time.

I count my blessings all the time, but Chris is by far my greatest blessing. I dont think I could mentally grasp everything going on inside me or whats lies in the future without his support, humor, and most of all, his love. I'm quite certain that my Chris will be among the Greatest Daddies in the World.

Belly Pic at nearly 16 weeks

 

Here is my latest belly pic. I'm still working on compiling all my shots to date so you can compare, but for those of you waiting to see it, here it is!

The Body Pillow = New Friend

So, I've been in denial about already having back pain. How can I only be 15 weeks and be walking around at night like an ole lady??? Well, reality has set in. I know it will get worse, so I'm trying to combat it now. So, off I go to Target - and they must have really wanted me to have one - because it was 25% off and came with a soft plush dark brown cover that matches my bedding.

Thank goodness we have a King-size bed because with me, my new body pillow and the pillow that goes under my back, Chris's side of the bed has now been reduced to a twin (no pun intended). He calls it "Your Bubble" because I am completely shut off from him now. :(

So the first night in my "Bubble" was quite interesting. See, eventually you have to change positions to the other side. So, how do you flip over with a body pillow and another pillow while under your sheets and blankets for the winter? You dont. Maybe thats what the babies will feel like later on in the pregnancy. I sure do sympathize with them now! With all that, however, I did wake up a little less stiff, so my New Friend is here to stay for awhile!

Some of their 1st pictures!

Here are some pics from our ultrasound at 10 weeks. The top picture is 3D picture of Baby A. Baby very active kicking and punching around and the heart rate was 173.

This is a 2D picture of Baby B. She was turned a different way (and totally on her head!), so it was difficult to capture as good of a 3D picture.The heartrate was 168. Baby was sleeping at first but then we saw the kicking! Truly amazing!

Its so amazing that they look this much like human beings at this stage of development! I can only imagine what they look like now!

"Placenta Brain"

Is this for real? Because I'm starting to think that it is (and Chris could vouch for this too). In a short time, I have locked my keys in my trunk, left my purse at a restaurant overnight, and almost drove off from a drive-thru without my debit card. Yes, all these isolated events have happened to me in my lifetime but not so close together! I also feel I'm struggling with multi-tasking. While cleaning, I get easily distracted or think of something else to do (maybe subconsciously I just dont want to do it?) or I get tired and just lay down and dont finish. I'm training to be a clinic nurse and I am usually a very fast learner but I feel myself needing to take notes and...again...not being able to multi-task. Oh, and dont even get me started on jokes. "I DONT GET IT" **while twirling a handful of hair** anymore.

I love my babies and even if I turn into a "dumb blonde" to have them come into this life healthy, its all worth it. I just wanted to vent about my feeling ADL (activities of daily living) - challenged at the moment.

We Made It!!

To the 2nd trimester!! We cant tell you what a relief it is to have reached this milestone. We have read and heard it from the doctors that making it to the 2nd trimester is a big milestone for the twins. So often you can lose one or both in the 1st trimester, and after our miscarriage last year, we have been nothing but cautious. Although I've had such joy in my heart at being pregnant again, (especially with twins), I can honestly say it has been hard to let my walls down...until now.

Mommy/Baby Update: We're 14 weeks now. The babies must be growing because my belly is (according to weekly updates they are the size of a lemon)! At our DR appt yesterday, my uterus was measuring 16weeks, which is normal for a twin pregnancy at this point. We heard one beautiful heartbeat at 150 beats per minute (bpm) - Doc doesnt listen for 2. I have only gained 0.5lb so far, but the DR isnt worried about this either. The nausea just stopped last week and now that my appetite is better and the babies are getting bigger, my weight should start to increase. I've had a consistent backache for the last week. This surprises me b/c it seems so early and I know it will only get worse. I truly feel for all those women with large breasts that have back trouble (not that I have big ones right now but they're big for me :) Our next appt is December 17th just to make sure everything is going fine. Our next big ultrasound will be beginning of the new year.

Maternity clothes are almost necessary. Its very uncomfortable to wear regular pants. Chris's sweatpants work nice around the house and most of my scrubs are still OK for work. Thankfully, I already have a pair of maternity jeans from Mrs. Barbara that I'm putting to good use so I dont always look like a frumpy wife.

Daddy Update: Chris is continuing his training for a 1/2 Marathon in January in Jackson, MS and for his 1/2 Ironman in April in New Orleans, LA. He just finished 2 out-of-town audits in Texas and Orlando so work is keeping him busy too. With all that, he still manages to be a fabulous Daddy-to-Be. He talks to the babies every day. He's cooked dinners and is doing his best to make sure I'm eating enough of the right foods, even when they dont sound good to me! He's been very supportive while I've been sick with allergies, and we've been talking about planning for college funds, increasing our life insurance, discussing baby names, how we'll decorate the nursery, and all those other fun things.

Happy December!

Moving On

After a loss, its hard to convince yourself that things are going to be just fine. No matter how much you hear it, its not that easy to just "give it all to God". You fall in love, get married, get pregnant, and just expect that everything will go just as its supposed to and then you get blindsided with news that "You are going to miscarry. Your baby is not viable." All my dreams of the perfect pregnancy and delivery were shattered and forever changed. I do believe that all things happen for a reason. Something went wrong with our 1st little baby and though I'd never meet him, it was truly a comfort to know that his little remains were buried inside me instead of having to be expelled by the D&C. I will always love my 1st baby and have tremendous respect for my 1st pregnancy. Our loss was another testament to the power of the love between Chris and me, another hurdle that made us stronger. I cant tell you how proud I am of how we have handled the tougher things we've been dealt in our relationship.

So now, we find ourselves on a mountaintop, so to speak, in our life. We truly couldnt be happier! We're excited. We're planning and preparing for our new future. We're strengthening our marriage so that we can be the best parents we can be. We know there could still be bumps in the road but we're soaking in all the Goodness right now. Its awesome and amazing! I figured we could start this Blog to keep track of our thoughts, feelings, pictures, and details along the way of this exciting time and also keep our family and friends updated. Feel free to send us comments or emails. We hope you enjoy reading as much as we enjoy spreading the wonderful news!