updates x3

#1: Today I am at 28 weeks, but last Monday we took another photo and I also had an ultrasound (which I will try to scan!) The babies are fine, within 10% growth of each other, which is good. I have continued to feel good, YEA!!! So far I have only put up with heartburn (Zantac to the rescue) and swelling that has lead to carpal tunnel (as I am typing with numb fingers, oh well). But thats the end of my complaints. Lucky me. Here is the 27 week update:




#2: We always dress up for Halloween at my work, so this year we cut out a jack-o-lantern face and glued it to my shirt. It was fun and easy:) I can't wait to dress the kids next year, Rob and I are already thinking of costumes for them. (we are such dorks).

#3 and what I am MOST excited for...Rob's cousin (or second cousin or something like that) Kerry is a photographer and came to the house yesterday to take photos of my belly. They came out great, she is quite talented:)

My poor mom is slightly horrified at taking pictures of a pregnant belly WITHOUT a shirt (oh my!) but she is a good sport and looked at them anyway. She does love my belly (covered).

It is a personal thing, but this is probably the only time I will get to be pregnant, so I am embracing it!

Kerry also has twins, a boy and a girl, who are about 18 months old now and very cute. She helped me in the nursery (we have a second-hand crib that I never would have gotten put together without her general knowledge of cribs)!

You can check out the photos of my belly on her business blog here: http://klgproductions.blogspot.com

Salem Witch City 5K

This weekend my sister Heidi ran in the Salem 5K. A few days before the race Rob decided that it woud be fun to enter as well. He has been playing Rugby every Saturday, but not pushed even a mile in...I don't even know how long! We all drove to Salem Sunday morning and I cheered them on. Heidi did great, and Rob did too. He pushed the entire thing, hills and all. I was so proud of him I couldn't even cheer becuase I was on the verge of tears!!!

Here are a few photos of them. (Did I mention that people dress in costumes? He was a crazy Red Sox fan)

Rob and I:

Rob and Heidi

the start!

Heidi pushing for the finish line

Here comes Rob, almost to the finish

Rob nearing the finish line...

and he made it!

I really don't feel that big...

Here is the most recent belly update. 25 weeks. When I look in the mirror I am shocked at my reflection. I don't feel that big, but I am starting to bump into things with my belly.

I'll put up the past few photos to see the change:

this is 9 weeks:

18 weeks:

22 weeks:

25 weeks:

baby ultrasounds

I finally got to scanning my latest ultrasound photos. Our desk top computer is ancient, so I rarely use it, but finally got it working this morning:)

The first two are pictures from 18 weeks looking up at their bums, and kind of in a sitting position with their legs out straight. The first one is the girl (arrow points to no penis) and the second one is the boy (arrow points to the penis).

This is Baby A (the girl) face down about 20 weeks

And this is Baby "B" the boy face up about 20 weeks

They both moved around quite a bit so the u/s tech had some difficulty getting their pictures, but here they are:)

My next u/s is Oct 6th. I'll try to be better at posting those pictures sooner.

22 weeks. 5 months down and 4 to go...

Well, I officially hit the 5 month mark, and seem to have ballooned within the past week. Grow babies grow:)

Here are the most recent belly photos:

I am feeling good overall. A little more tired and my daily walking (one mile) has not been quite as daily lately. (Don't tell my Gramma) :) I get heartburn like crazy sometimes, but am trying to nail down the foods that trigger it so I can avoid them! I go to the Dr this week for my regular check up, and have another ultraosund at the beginning of Oct. We're still trying to clean out the nursery (getting there) so we can pick out colors and get it ready for these babies.

Buffett 2008, "The Year of Still Here"

Rob, my sisters and I went to see Jimmy this year. It was not even close to the crowd we usually bring, but being die hard Parrot Heads, we went! The show was scheduled for Sat Sept 6th, the same weekend hurricane Hanna was supposed to hit us. So Jimmy and the Coral Reefers upped the time of the show from 8pm to 3pm to avoid some of the downpours we were supposed to get that evening. We got to the parking lot at our usual 11am time and set up camp, this year in the handicapped parking (much easier to get out!). And the fun began. We met up with Em's friends:

and headed towards the Margaritaville van to see if we could get some shrimp, and ended up finding the guy taping the parking lot crowd to put on the jumbo screen during the show. Heidi grabbed the guy and said, "look at her belly!" He taped me, and then of course got the guy in a wheelchair some air time too. They showed us during "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes." 11 years of Buffett and I finally got on the screen; not for showing boobs, but when I am pregnant! It was awesome.

FYI: Jimmy Buffett fans are "Parrot Heads" and their children are "Parakeets". My shirt read "Parakeets on board!"

We then toured the lot for a bit, Heidi and Rob picked up as many free beers and jello-shots as they could handle, while I was sweating away in 80 degree heat and about the same level of humidity.

Above: This is a "parakeet" motoring through the parking lot

Not sure who brought this guy...

When we finally headed into the show, Em and Heidi were on the lawn and Rob and I had actual seats...that were AWESOME. For 10 years I sat on the lawn, usually drunk and enjoying more of my friends than seeing the show, but this year, sober and pregnant me had great seats and really got to enjoy a Buffett concert. The rain started as soon as the show started. We brought ponchos with us, but of course Em and Heidi didn't grab them before going in. They got SOAKED. The cameras kept panning to the lawn, and although everyone was drenched, it looked pretty fun up there:)

The view from our seats

The lawn people

So we got some pretty cool photos, and since the show started early, we were in the van headed home by 6:45 and home at 8:30pm. No complaints from the preggo about that! It really was a great day. Here are the some more pictures:

Above: Look closely, Rob got the crowd doing Fins.

Jimmy's encore. What a day:)

Labor day cookout!

Rob's extended family does a cookout at Stage Fort Park in Gloucester every Labor Day weekend. It involves 30+ people, lots of food and drinks, horseshoes, ice cream and an egg toss. Inevitably we end up staying from noon till dark, its a lot of fun.

These two are Rob's cousin's twins, Madison and Jackson. They are adorable.

Food....

fun...

my belly at 18 weeks

below: Melissa, me, Rob's cousin Erika

the egg toss...its serious folks!