Battle of the Bellies

Until I get the gumption to write up Sebastian’s birth story for y’all (crossing my phalanges for later this week), I thought it’d make sense to back it up a bit and post the bump comparison pictures I took during this singleton pregnancy.  I posted them on Instagram but never blogged ‘em so for those of you who aren’t ‘grammers, take a look.  It was obvious that my twin pregnancy would laden me with a king size belly but I thought it’d be fun to see how much bigger exactly.  Check it:

 

Crazy, huh?  I mean, the first half of Seb’s oven time wasn’t that much different than the girls’ but the second half?  Whoa.  And believe it or not, my singleton pregnancy was overall more difficult.  I was sore, my hips and back ached, I had some crazy nerve pain,  I was tired (because of chasing the twins around no doubt), and I had minor morning sickness up until week 15 (with the twins I had zero).  However, the weight difference was incredible.  Sebastian felt as light as a feather compared to the truckload I carried with the twins – 13 lbs. of baby compared to 7.5 lbs of baby.

Towards the end of this pregnancy I whipped up this comparison pic as well:
A 10 week difference in belly sizes!  So I wonder if that means that at 37 weeks with the twins I was actually measuring at 47 weeks…  Crazy thought.

In Living Color

It’s been five long/short months since the twins entered this the world and five long/short months since I stopped documenting the bump they gave me.  A couple of months ago I started to construct a collage of the belly pictures I took to show just how ginormous I got week-by-week.  I had this great idea to turn all of the weekly pics to black and white photos except for “the bump”, highlighting it’s presence…as if it’s size didn’t do that already.  Great idea, a long time to accomplish with my current job as mother keeping me on high alert.  Then Natalie posted a fantastic collage a few weeks after her son was born and it really lit the fire under my bum to finish mine.  :) 

So folks, here we have:

Born on their 37 week in-utero birthday, you can read Seraphia (5 lbs. 13 oz.) and Cecilia’s (6 lbs. 14 oz.) birth story in four parts – Part I, Part II, Part III, and Part IV, if you’re interested in that sort of thing.  Then, get a load of their cuteness at 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months…I’m a smidge behind on posting their 4th and 5th but who can blame me?  I’ve got twins.  :)

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P.S.  I used pixlr.com to create the colored bump effect.  First I opened a belly pic, duplicated it (duplicated the layer…not sure if I’m speaking technically correct), turned the duplicate (on top of the original) black and white by desaturating it, and then erased the area over my belly to reveal the still-colored photo underneath.  Easy peasy.  It’s such a fun way to edit a picture! 

Twins: 37 Weeks

Wowsa!  Look at that belly!  This was taken right before our tiny trek to the hospital early shmearly in the morn on the day of the twins birth.  Obviously and very, very thankfully, it's the very last in my series of baby belly pics.  Now comes the influx of the twins photos and of course, I'll share the story of their birth as soon as I can!  Stay tuned! 

Twins: 36 Weeks

As you can see, one of the only shirts that “fits” has to be pulled and stretched downward so that my entire jumbo beach ball is covered, thereby making me look like I’ve got one big bump beginning at my neck and ending above my hips…fashionista for sho. 

As far as making an entrance, the twins have yet to do so.  I am at the current moment three centimeters dilated and around 75% effaced…same as last week.  Daddy is almost to the point of hilarity as the waiting becomes close to unbearable, but mommy, even though just a tad uncomfortable (understatement of the century) is happy we’ve gotten this far.  Buuutttt…next week both parents will be extremely happy, tired, and besides themselves as we have an induction scheduled for Monday of next week!  So, unless these two decide to exit earlier, I’ll be floating on cloud nine (and probably floating literally too after the weight of the twins is outside of my person) holding our baby girls in six days…crazy!  The rest of this week will be spent trying to wrap my mind around this incredible fact as I lounge and bid time fly.

I’ll keep y’all posted!  If you think of it, please offer up a little prayer or two for us and the safe and healthy delivery of our girls!   

Twins: 35 Weeks

These things I know for sure:

(as she steps onto soapbox)

1.  I went to put on one of my favorite maternity (non-maternity actually but just very loose) shirts today only to find that the bottom fourth of my belly was visible to more than just people at heights under three feet…sad because I swear I just wore it a few weeks ago.

2.  During the past few weeks, maybe months, I have not had one speck of food spilled onto my pants as my belly has acted as a shield and saved me from whipping out the good ‘ole stain remover.  My shirts, well, they’re another story.

3.  My feet, and sometimes even my ankles, are now perpetually unrecognizable.  I thought I’d get away without this plague of pregnancy until a couple of weeks ago.  C’est la vie…

4.  However, the marks of stretch I have so far evaded.  How?  I have no clue.  I’m sure it’s nothing short of a small miracle considering this small mountain I carry around each day…and maybe good genes (thanks mom and dad) and cocoa butter.

5.  Either a grueling tennis match was going on in my abdomen the other morning or both kiddos had the hiccups at the same time for the first time.  Considering my size, the first option really isn’t that unrealistic.

6.  I am still trying to grasp the reality that I will be a primary caretaker of two little souls that will enter this world in the next couple of weeks.  I was watching them move yesterday and put my finger on what was probably a knee or heel, realizing that only a few layers of skin and muscle separated us and how soon, nothing will.

7.  Instead of the usual looks of “you’re huge” I was getting, I get more looks (and comments) these days that make me sometimes feel like the ninth wonder of the world.  Lots of people are amazed I’ve gotten this far and am still up and around but most people are amazed at how apparently “little” I am for having such a big belly.  I don’t know if it’s meant it in a good or bad way but I’m never sure how to respond.  Yes, my parents passed down to me the smallest bone structure in the world and for years I was plagued by it but behold, I have put close to 40 lbs. on this bod since the beginning of this pregnancy which I think is pretty darn good.  Anyway, that’s all I have to say about that.

8.  I am so absolutely blessed to have the most incredible husband in the world and I can’t wait for his little girls to meet him and to be like him.  I can’t wait to be lead by him as a family through life and then to heaven.  I also can’t wait to see two teeny, tiny babies nestled in his big, strong arms.  And now I have to stop writing about him because I’m tearing up…gosh, I love him.  :)

9.  After I have a nap, I’m off to the store to buy much needed groceries and all the ingredients to make these cookies that I’ve been dying to make since Grace posted about them.  They just might serve as my dinner tonight and breakfast and lunch tomorrow with a prenatal vitamin in between for a little variety.  :)

(aaanndd she steps off her soapbox, awkwardly and not without huffing, but she does)

Twins: 34 Weeks

I like big bellies and I cannot lie…

So the girls had their last ultrasound today – no pictures to show for it though, ‘twas all business  – and it revealed that Twin A weighs 5 lbs. 11 oz. and her sidekick, Twin B, weighs 5 lbs. 10 oz.  Yes, combined that’s a total of 11 lbs. 5 oz…HOLY COW!!!!  So much for thinking early on they’d weigh around 5 lbs. each at birth!  Three things I know for sure, a) they’re gonna be feisty – they were both awake and alert during their photo op and were kicking so much so that the tech had to keep repositioning the wand to get the info she was after, b) I am truly going to know what “light as a feather” feels like right after these two are born as I’ll drop close to 20 lbs. in a matter of minutes with everything that’s stuffed inside my uterus, and c) ‘Legs of Steel’ has nothing on the workout my legs are getting each and every day…and neither does Jillian Michaels, the self-professed “I don’t ever want to be pregnant because of what it does to a woman’s body”.  Whatever lady.

Twins: 33 Weeks

As you can see…or if you can see…we seriously need to someday soon invest in a tripod of some sort because I apparently don’t have the steady hand I thought I had.  I’m not sure if the blurry nature of my photos makes me look bigger or not, but who really cares.  The fact has to be faced….I’m BIG!  BIG as in my belly at this very moment is measuring no shorter than 42 inches!  Scarlett O’Hara would pass out at the very mention of this very matter.  Funny though, I don’t feel as big as pictures portray.  My legs and back have apparently profited from painting rooms upon rooms and pretty much everything else as they’re carrying all of this extra weigh without much of a complaint.  :) 

Twins: 32 Weeks

I’m getting antsy…  That’s one hand, but on the other hand I feel like I’m going to birth these two and then after they’re shown to me for the first time I’m going to be like “Aww…  Cute babies!  Whose are they?”.  Is that weird?  It’s just so surreal.  You’d think watching and feeling them move and poke would hammer into my head the reality of the situation(s) at hand, but no, disbelief at what my eyes can’t see has me stunned (and maybe confused).  Any other first-time mothers have/had that feeling?  Please tell me I’m not crazy!

Other than my confused, crazy mental state, things are going great!  We had a OB appointment this morning complete with a hand-held ultrasound check-up that showed the two sprouts, both still head down (they’ve thankfully been that way for the past two months and here’s to hoping they stay that way until B-Day), both hearts beating like mad, and lots of amniotic fluid to boot.  Lovely, lovely, lovely.

Other happenings this week:

- While walking into Wal-Mart the other day, an employee walking towards the doors as I was coming in literally stopped dead in her tracks and proceeded to back out of the way (way out of the way) as if I were driving a Hum-V through while loudly excreting from her apparently unfiltered lips “WHOA!  You must be ready to go any day now!”  Not concerned at all about my present disproportionate figure, I simply smiled and said “Darn right!  And, could you please back up a little more?  I’m going to need at least 10 more feet of clearance to get to the first item on my list.  As a matter of fact, why don’t you just widen all the isles for me as I’m not sure the current set-up is going to work. “Yes, ma’am”. -

- This past Sunday, our youth group kicked off the summer with their new, handsome youth minister – Anthony Tobin – at a pool party.  There was great food, incredible desserts, and even some “contests” including an off-the-high-dive belly-flop contest and a cannon ball contest.  Much to my disappointment, I was specifically told I wasn’t allowed to compete in the cannon ball contest as I would surely win… -

- In an incoming order of newborn cloth diaper covers that arrived this week, I got a coupon saying “Get a free Milk Daze Nursing Cami with your next purchase of $50 or more”.  Knowing I need at least $50 of cloth diaper paraphernalia still (and a nursing tank!) and not being one to shy away from a bargain, I quickly looked up this soon-to-be-mine-for-free cami just to see what I’d be getting.  I’d like you all to know it has, what they call, a “sexy criss-cross bodice” and the picture portraying this alluring piece looks exactly like this:   “Quick sweets!  Get me my pearls!  The babies are hungry!”  Or should I say, (in my sultriest, sexiest voice) “Darling love, you handsome creature you, waltz over to me my pearls.  Our offspring are in need of what only mama can provide.” -

Twins: 30 Weeks

 

The more time that passes, the bigger I get…duh.  But, my reason for pointing this out is really because the more time that passes, the less I want to continue taking these weekly pictures because I feel like they make me look bigger than I feel.  Weird and sort of rambling, I know.  I honestly still feel pretty darn good and, even though the twins are getting heavy, the only time I really feel the onslaught of their weight is at night when I’m rolling over.  Laying on my back, my old favorite sleeping position, now feels like a mac truck has settled on my belly, intent on crushing my back.  Anyway, back to the weekly picture conundrum.  It’s not that I’m self-conscious about getting larger, in fact, I welcome it and know that it means I’ve got two healthy, growing girls inside, but I just wince looking at them because I look sooo uncomfortable, like I’m holding this 100 pound watermelon under my shirt and masking my grief with a fake smile.  So I guess my second point is to make sure I make it known that I really feel pretty darn good for 1) having this huge belly at 30 weeks and 2) having at least a couple of 3.5 pounders plus all the other good stuff under my skin.  With all that said, I’m off to stuff my face at 9:24 pm.  :)

Have a great rest of the week!

Twins: 29 Weeks

I’ve got two three-pounders this week which, as you smart people have probably already figured out, means six pounds of baby and a few more pounds of fluid, placenta, and all that good stuff.  AND, on top of that, at least a month to go.  Twins lungs are fully developed and functional on their own at 34 weeks so the doc says if they happen to want to come anytime after that, he won’t stop ‘em.  However, he won’t let them lounge in utero over 38 weeks so we’ll see.  One month?  Two months?  Who knows?  I do know that we’ve got a complete disaster of a nursery still (of which I’ll share my plans/vision Saturday) and currently have just half of their cloth diapers.  Cest la vie, right? 

As promised last week, here are yesterday’s ultrasound pics:

Top of their heads…twin a’s face is pointed towards twin b’s ear.  Telling secrets?  Whispering sweet nothings?  Giggling about all the random stuff mommy eats or that daddy says?  I guess what is said in utero, stays in utero…

Twins: 28 Weeks

 

Actually measuring 34-36 weeks, it’s needless to say it’s getting a little tight…for me and my two little pals.  Honestly, it’s really a hair short of a miracle that stretch marks haven’t yet made their mark…any day now, I can just about feel it.  On the bright side though, life is swell (no pun intended).  :)  We’re about to move our efforts from an almost completely organized, super-clean guest room/office to a currently disastrous nursery.  Don’t worry family, I’m not doing any heavy lifting, super-hard work, or straining myself in any way…everyone freaks out at the slightest mention of ‘cleaning’.

Next week you’re in for a treat as the twins have another photo shoot!  One of the last two before we get to have outside the skin shoots!  Have a great rest of the week!

Twins: 27 Weeks

Feelin’ it in my bones people.  The past two mornings it’s taken me approximately seven minutes to roll over and out of the bed and once I get to the out part, the weight of our two little pretties makes itself fully known to my hips and knees.  Oh the joys.  :)  

Twins: 26 Weeks

Well, the belt worn in the above pic is actually a "former" hip belt...it's now graduated to a new level, quite literally, that of "waist belt" courtesy of an ever-expanding rib cage and midsection...which is actually courtesy of the two twinlets.

Other than that, not much has changed except for the excelling stretching and enlargement of the belly and babes.  I am really and truly blessed to feel pretty darn good at this point.  :)

Just for kicks, here's another timed shot:

It actually isn't too too bad and you wouldn't know unless I told you but as I was taking it a vehicle carrying real people was passing by and I took my eyes off the lens for a split second to stare at them and think "they must think I'm an idiot, standing in my driveway whilst holding my bulging midsection and smiling at my car"...obviously my eyes didn't make it back to their focal point before the timer went off and the camera shot.  Yes, the point and shoot itself was resting on the hood of the new Twinmobile, unknown to any passersby.  Oh well, you win some, you lose some.

 

Speaking of the new money hog, here's she/he is (I'll have to convene with Anthony on that one):

Regardless of my frugality, I'm so excited to have it and to put some miles on it with two baby girls in tow.  It's what I'd like to think of as a diy buy because we got it for $4000 less than it's Kelly Blue Book value all because it was a little dirty inside (which I already took care of courtesy of a toothbrush, a rag, Pinesol, and some Resolve) and had these two unflattering stripe decals (one red, one silver) along each side which we peeled off at the dealer before we bought it.  We walked away with a steal of a deal, so much so that I actually felt like we were cheating the dealer...but not bad enough.  :)  I guess the main point is that when you know the Big Guy, He pours down His blessings even in the form of SUVs.  :)

 

Over and out!  Hope to see you Saturday!

Twins: 25 Weeks

Not much to say but lots to show.  Even though the twins are 25 weeks old (technically it’s been 23 weeks since conception), big momma is measuring in at 30-31 weeks!  I still look in the mirror upon passing though and stare in awe and wonder at the belly they’re giving me…I’m so thankful to have them, so thankful they’re healthy and growing, and so thankful for the God who’s blessed us with two little souls.  :)

As far as fashion and pregnancy go these days, I’m getting my creativity on and it’s working out quite well.  My “new” dress in the shot above is actually a skirt I found while scavenging with my sis five years ago at a thrift store which I pulled up waist high.  I’ve actually been meaning to hem it up forever but turns out it works great as a dress at the moment!  The under shirt is a simple white top (Charlotte Russe) I’ve had since college and the whole shebang is cinched together with a thrifted boys leather belt (such a great alternative to over-priced pieces of plastic they call waist belts) I found for 75 cents.  :) 

  

I’ll be sure to post some more maternity outfits I’ve concocted in the past week soon!  My sewing machine has been on my dining room table getting some use and I love it!

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Now for the grand finale:  the twins latest photo shoot.  We had an ultrasound this morning showing our little morning glories in all their cuteness.  Finally, they let us get a glimpse of their profiles:  They weigh a pound and half each and are both head down at the moment…in which position they’ll hopefully stay until d-day.  Towards the end of the scan they were kicking each other and I was hoping and praying it was playful…so funny to watch.  We also made sure to have the tech do a discount double check on the feminine anatomy just to make sure we weren’t in for any surprises at birth and once again, there’s no mistaking we’ve got two little princesses in there.  :)

I’ll leave y’all with one last picture.  Twin B was very interested in having her pictures taken today and, scary though it kind-of looks, she made sure to look right at the camera, although whether or not she was mouthing “cheese” is debatable:

Have a great day!

Twins: 24 Weeks

I took full advantage of the mix and match fad at the beach over Easter by putting together my new maternity swimsuit consisting of green bottoms (belonging to a green tankini that obviously will not work at the moment) and a black tube swim top borrowed from my sis covered by a "tankini" top - a $5 microfiber tank from Charlotte Russe purchased solely to be my swim top for the rest of the summer after which it will probably be so stretched out that the trash can will see it next...or the next summer pregnancy.  :)

Onto more important things though...I got to see my sister's little girl, Claire, for the first time this Easter weekend.  I could not get enough of her.  Those cheeks.  Those huge, blue eyes.  The wispy blonde hair that curls in the back.  How she screams loud enough for neighbors a mile away to hear her when she's happy.  The way she holds her blankie up to her face and mouth when you put her to sleep in her crib.  And best of all, her beaming smile that shows her pearly whites peeking out underneath those rosy lips.  How I wish she, my sister, and her hubs lived closer.       

It was such a great Easter gift to be able to make the drive to see them along with seeing my mom and brother.  There was lots of reminicing, laughs (a few times when I was sure that I had smashed the twins with my abs from laughing so hard), candy (Cadbury cream eggs...mmmmm), and probably more dessert than food because that's how we roll.  :)  Such a great way to celebrate the life we've been given over the most holy weekend of the year.  Thank you Jesus!

Twins: 23 Weeks

Not sure what I ate or what got into me this week but I literally felt like I could conquer the world - every square foot of my house is immaculate, I tackled the twins future room and consolidated everything they currently own into their closet, completely redid an entire landscape bed in front of our house (all by myself), took up pages in my "thoughts and ideas" sketch book writing and drawing diy ideas and plans, and still had energy left to run 10 miles (which I didn't do, but just sayin') despite the lack of sleep I'm getting due to the awkward belly.  Here's to hoping week 24 will bring me the same crazy energy cause I've got lots on my to-do list!  :)

Twins: 22 Weeks

(Sorry for the subpar photo...we are working on getting our nickels and pennies together to purchase for ourselves an slr camera.  Hopefully we'll have one before I look like I swallowed an elephant so that you can see just how big those two girls are getting.)

Yes siree folks...22 weeks.  Time is flying...and so are the eight little limbs inside me.  It's funny to get kicked way down below the bellybutton, at the bellybutton, and way up under my upper right abs all at the same time...particularly at night...please moms out there, tell me that the active moments of baby under zee skin don't translate into future active moments outside of zee skin.  If unfortunately so, I'll be up nights and sleeping days...which I know is already bound to happen anyway.  When I informed Anthony of my concern this morning, he simply said "well, if that's the case, you just have to keep them up during the day so they sleep at night".  Great!  It's easy as pie then!  ;)

Twins: 21 Weeks

I'm feeling pretty darn good as my abs have either become used to stretching, stretching, stretching and/or the baby girl's head that was underneath them has moved to allow mommy relief.  :)

However, despite exercising and eating, eating, eating, I'm always tired.  It's probably due mostly in part to the fact that comfortable sleeping positions are playing hide-and-seek with me and my dreams are extra spicy these days (as in the acid reflux that plagues me is somehow tainting my dreams), not to mention that fact that I have two children usurping all of my energy, which I gladly give.

Anyway, my rear has taken up residence this morning on our comfy couch, right where it moved after a lone breakfast at the table before which it was in bed, so I'm feeling like maybe I should get up and movin' on the kitchen...priming today.  Not to mention the fact that the only thing on basic cable at the moment are those dumb judge shows that make you wanna bash your head into the wall thinking "are people really this dumb?" and the we're-gonna-show-pictures-of-sad-looking-animals-that-need-help-please-send-us-money commercials, which I totally respect, but feel like maybe there are babies at the risk of being torn out of the their mothers wombs right now that I should be more concerned about.  But, before I go off on a long tangent I'll leave you with a must-read guest post link from Grace's blog about NFP (Natural Family Planning).  Kick out those pre-concieved notions (or find out what it is) and read it...it is awesome.  :) 

Have a good one!

Twins: 20 Weeks

Before we get to the 'ole run of the mill belly pic, I thought I'd share the big news first:

Yep, we found out this morning we've been blessed with two baby girls!  (Major kudos to the four lone voters who guessed right!  You were the minority!)  This is actually a doctored-up ultrasound picture from a couple of months ago...I knew I didn't have the patience to come home and doctor up the new ones before I spilled the 'beans' today (via text message to friends and fam) so yesterday I made three different pictures showing the three different possible scenarios.  :)  Girl power ya'll!  You'd think that seeing the twins on the ultrasound screen would further pound in the reality of the incredible situation we've got going on here, but I continue to be amazed, shocked, and fighting with unbelief at the beauty that's unfolding inside of me!  So surreal! 

Here's how we're looking on the belly front:

(One of these weeks I'll learn how to work the timer on my camera and move away from reflections to actual poses.)

Our little girlies were a little camera shy this morning so we didn't get the greatest snapshots of their cuteness but here's a couple of ultrasound pictures anyway:

Even though 'twin b' looks a little crazy...ok, a lot crazy...be assured that she's developing perfectly even though her preferred position gave us no good angle to get a good shot:

Catch 'ya this weekend!

Twins: 19 Weeks

Well, at 19 weeks the eight limbs floating around inside of me are kicking and punching away to the delight of our hands, always eager to feel their presence.  The twins were especially active on the last leg of our flight to New York this weekend for our little sister's wedding...me hoping that it wasn't a sign of times to come...you know, babies wildly hyper on a plane = embarassed, stressed-out parents and not-too-happy plane neighbors.  :)

All is well with everything but a few continually stretching muscles here and there!  Just trying to push to the end of the kitchen remodel!  Sorry for zip for a post last weekend - like I said above, we were in New York and time before we jetted off got away from me and writing a post.  Look for an update tomorrow!  :)