update

Onto week 36:)
My back pain was relentless for two days, and then out of no where it let up yesterday afternoon. Today we went to see the MFM Dr for an ultraosund. Baby A is just over 5 lbs, and my "meatball" is 6lb 11 oz (ish)!!! Then I ran some errands with my mom and I am still hanging in there today.
So maybe they will last until the 12th, who knows.
On a brighter note I am SO HAPPY the snow is melting:) 8 1/2 months pregnant lady married to a quadriplegic does not make for easy snow removal.

ugh day

After a slightly busy Christmas Eve and Christmas, Rob accompanied me to my non-stress test this morning at 10:30 with plans to hit the mall and Babies R Us following. After laying in the hospital bed for 40 min, baby A was fine, but Baby B would not move and I had THE most intense back pain I have ever had. I mean NOTHING would let it up.
So they sent us for an ultrasound where we waited for another 1/2 hr, and I walked, sat and tried my best to get the pain to go away. Finally we had the ultrasound and the words from the tech "they're having a party in there." Yup, both just fine and mom still miserable. So 3 1/2 hrs later we headed home. I did find some Tylenol in Rob's van and I laid on the couch for the past few hours and the pain is now better.
For a while there we thought they were coming today. No such luck:(
hopefully the back pain does not make a return! 2 weeks from Monday is as far as I have to go.

34 weeks

I hit 34 weeks Monday, and according to my OB, if I go into labor now, they can come out!!! (and I am more than ready). My hands and feet are swollen, but other than that I am fine. I only work until Friday, and only part time for those days, so I can hang in there!!!
I am hoping the babies don't come until after Christmas, but I have a feeling they won't make it until their scheduled arrival date of January 12th!

baby updates:)

I am 33 weeks pregnant today, the photos below were taken last week. I also was very busy with appointments last week and here are the results: the babies weight about 4 and 4 1/2 lbs, and baby B is breech. So I am scheduled for a c-section on January 12th! My OB also said that as long as I carry the babies until 34 weeks (next Monday) that if I go into labor, then they can come out!!! If Baby B is still breech they will be delivered via c-section, if he has flipped, then I can try a vaginal birth. OK babies, one more week and then we are ready for you!!!
I am getting uncomfortable, I sleep with 50o pillows supporting me and my belly. My belly pulls in almost every position (except sitting, when it rests on my legs).

Yesterday was also Rob's 31st birthday!! I can't believe he is "in his 30's". I think him turning 31 is harder for me than him. (although I am not far behind!). We went out to dinner with his family and mine Sat night, and yesterday Heidi cooked a turkey dinner. It was awesome:)

Heidi also worked on the upstairs bathroom. I really wish we did a before and after photo...it looks SO MUCH better than the ugly 50 yr old wall paper that was up there! It now is a very pretty shade of yellow and we are going to decorate with duckies for the kids:)

belly and shower updates

I am so slow at getting this blog updated! The photo below is me at 30 weeks. I am just shy of 32 now, if you can believe it I am bigger now than in the photo. I measured my belly when I woke up this morning (like the OB does) and I got 50cm. Now I know I am not a Dr, but that must mean I am like he size of someone who is a million weeks pregnant. I told Rob that I am past the "cute" part of being pregnant. My belly is in my way, my hands are numb and swollen and my feet are swollen all the time. Oh woe is me! Life could be so much worse, I know. I have at least 6 more weeks to go, so suck it up!



Here are photos from my shower two weeks ago. It was awesome. These babies are so blessed to be loved by so many wonderful people. Not only did we have friends and family from Mass here, but two of my friends from Maine, one from NH, two from CT, one from PA and one from CA!!! It was so great to see everyone. I made Rob come with me, and he ended up being the life of the party (as always). He was given a microphone to announce the gifts as I opened them, and of course he hammed it up for all of the women. I married the "class flirt" and he still is;)




These are my college girlfriends (all physical therapists) who made the trip:
Josie from PA, Laura from the South shore (also pregnant and it was her birthday), me, Jen from CA and Heather from NH.

In the last photo you can see how big my belly was at that point!

We really are so blessed to have such a wonderful network of friends and family. Our babies are going to be very well taken care of when they arrive. I have had so many people tell me they wish they had twins, so I am signing them all up for babysitting!!! I think the month of January is covered now;)

We also had a great Thanksgiving yesterday. My family drove to upstate NY (6.5 hr drive is too far away for me right now), so we went to Rob's sister's house in Beverly. She is an AMAZING cook. There were 12 of us all together, and no one went hungry! I was so tired, but very happy to share the day with family. They are an interesting bunch!!! My babies weren't moving much until we got home...I think they may have been in shock at the loudness of the family. Once we got settled at home and it was quiet, they were on the move as usual. Get ready kids...you have a loud and exciting family!

I am going to try to go shopping today! For as long as my feet will carry me.

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!

quick update

Rob and I have had a busy summer. He was the best man in his cousin's wedding this past weekend, and this weekend we are looking forward to a relaxing weekend with just the two of us!! (while we still can). Here are some belly updates, AND...we went for an ultrasound yesterday and found out I am growing a baby girl and a baby boy!!! The tech saw the girl first, and Rob held his breath until she was able to see "baby B" was a boy (from nay different views).
So we are both just beyond excited. We have some names, but decided to keep them to ourselves until our peanuts arrive:)

16 weeks (Sorry my belly looked fatter than it did pregnant on this week so I kept it covered)

18 weeks clothed

18 weeks belly with twins!