My Twin Boys Have Arrived

October 6, 2011 - I woke up with intense contractions at 4 am - but after 2 hours they had stopped being so strong. (never fully went away)
So I kept an eye on them and kept track of them never very strong or consistent but often enough - called my doctor and they had me come in at noon for a NST - they measured consistent contractions every 3 to 6 minutes. After checking further I was dialated to a 2.

Doctor told me that I was in early active labor - he suggested I go home and when they get more painful or my water breaks to go to the hospital.

Home I go - - - to labor on - here is me at 35 weeks and 5 days - big as a house - (at least as big as my cupboards)

Finally at 3:00 I call my husband and tell him to come home - contractions getting close and stronger - ready to go - We get to the hospital and are checked in by 4pm -

It is time - I am now up to a 3 - plugged in and hooked up - babies are active and happy - I am contracting along. At 7pm I get the epidural - shortly there after they break my water - things are moving nicely - then I stall. Contractions disappear - they tell me that if it doesn't pick up they will give me pitocin at 1 am. At midnight I make a comment that I can feel the contractions in spite of my epidural. (I am feeling them in my lower back) They check me and the 1st baby is starting to crown - yikes!  My doctor is called to get there - while we wait they start setting up everything. It is push time - 1 big push and Sean is born at 12:56 a.m. at 6lbs 3 oz 19 inches long.  Now my second baby has consistently been breech - my doctor is going to do a breech extraction -

He goes in to break the second bag of waters to see how the baby goes in the birth canal - not good - it is an arm and a leg. . .

He pushes back the arm and goes looking for the other leg - and gets the  umbilical cord - now the panic sets in - he yells at the nurses to get the heartbeat monitor back on the baby - he goes in up to his elbow with one arm and directing with the other arm on the outside of my belly to get him out. . . They get him lined up and there is pushing by me and pulling by the doctor - Nicholas is out - 1:00 a.m. 6lbs even and 18.5 inches long. He isn't breathing - I am in a flood of tears - my baby. They resusitate him - and get him on oxygen. The bruising on his legs is excessive but other than that - he is fine! I didn't get to hold him until almost 6:30 am when I could walk down to the nursery - but he is fine and healthy -

Relief - -

Sean

Nick

My babies are here and everyone is healthy - Nicholas had to be on oxygen for about 5 hours - and because they were four weeks early we had to supplement feed them because they had no fat stores. But everything else is fine! We went home right away - and just over a week later - everything is still perfect!

I am so happy and excited to get the chaos of two babies underway - it is quite the ordeal just to go somewhere - so that is my challenge right now. With cold weather coming on - trips are going to be few and far between until their weights are up and they have better temperature control. That is okay for me. . .

34 week appointment

I had my ultrasound today - just a quick update on the boys -

Baby A (Sean Alexander) is 5lbs 12oz

Baby B (Nicholas Ryan) is 5lbs 7 oz

yikes! Almost 12lbs worth of babies - Unbelievable -  No wonder I am so tired - this is a lot of baby - I am up 42lbs with this pregnancy and I can't wait for the real adventure to begin.

I could also see them using their lungs on the ultrasound - they are getting ready to be born. Yay! If I can make it - I am scheduled to be induced the on the 20th of October - The end is in sight - or the beginning - - -

Enjoy the crazy belly picture!

Jerri

33 weeks and counting

I am officially on modified bedrest - which is good because that meant I could finally quit working. It was getting too hard - not the actual job, but sitting in the chair for more than 2 hours. I can't even handle riding in a car for longer than 15 minutes now.

Every week for 3 weeks I have a NST (non-stress test) done and they measure the heartbeats and to see if I am having contractions. For the last two appointments I had measurable contractions (some of which I could actually feel)- while I am at work it was worse. So now I am home - taking it easy and making sure that these boys stay in for at least two more weeks. I want four more weeks because then my doctor will be back from Peru. He does that Doctors without Borders stuff and I am worried about what will happen if I go into labor without him here.

Not trying to dwell on it though - too stressful to worry about what I can't change -

Here is my most recent picture - 30 weeks - I know I know I need to update the image - haven't taken a newer one yet.

Thought I would finally show some pictures of the amazing belly growth I am experiencing. It is unbelievable how big I am getting.

Still no belly stretchmarks - but I have not gotten away with none - they seem to be in a strange spot this time. (my butt of all places)

Also including the 24 week belly picture - just for comparision - It is amazing how much can change in just six weeks.

So in less than two weeks I get to find out how big my boys are - At 3o weeks we had 2 four pound babies - I was shocked at how big they were. I can't wait to find out how much they have grown.

Now that I am resting - and taking it easy I can finally finish the nursery and get everything ready. It strange to think that if I go into labor in two weeks they will no longer try to stop it. I could have two new boys here. So feeling overwhelmed. I am not ready for two. My daughter will be great! She is so excited to help out. I am lucky to have her.

I really want my Halloween babies just give me 4 weeks - - - My favorite holiday - my favorite season and I get to be blessed with two boys!

Just thought I would update - my frazzled mind needed the opportunity to pour out my thoughts. Wow - my ride is almost to the end. What a strange and exciting year it had been. I can't wait, but I can! Isn't that strange?

Jerri :)

26 weeks and counting

This pregnancy is going so slow some days, but feels like it is just rushing by. When I hurt the day can't end fast enough, but when I feel good - it takes but a blink and it is past.

Had my doctor appointment yesterday and the boys are doing great! Everything is on track for their development. Baby A is head down and in position (just don't go yet) He is measuring about 2 lbs 5 oz with a heart rate of 156 bpm.


Baby B is sideways now with head still pointing more up than down. He measures 2 lbs 4 oz and has a heart rate of 146 bpm.
The weird nuk-like thing near his mouth is actually the umbilical cord.

This was the first appointment where their measurements weren't the same.

I love the pictures I got that day - don't their cheeks look so adorable and kissable? I might be biased though -

Thanks for listening!

Random Thoughts -

Just a small update on my pregnancy - I am planning to post belly pictures eventually. I would like a record of them in one place. I haven't been consistent with taking them - never on the same day or in the same spot or in the same clothes - but it is the same me so that counts for something.

I am 21 weeks along and they are finally making strong enough movements that my husband could feel them (if they would cooperate when he tries too) Still plenty of time for him to feel them move though - My goal is to make it until October 17th - then I hit 37 weeks and I will be happy! I also somehow managed to get my Halloween babies I have always wanted. Tried to get pregnant at the right time the last time and it didn't work out. I love my little snow baby - she is going to be the best big sister ever! But now I am pulling off Halloween twins! Yikes!

I am wondering if this means I get to throw two parties now! My usual Halloween Trick or Drink and a Birthday Party - or if my husband will make me combine the party to one event. hmmmmm. . . I want two parties - they need their day and I need mine. 

I ended up with stomach flu earlier this week - major uncomfortableness - achy and I already have a hard time getting comfortable. Husband and daughter also got it at the same time so we were no help to each other. Other than that - glad the morning sickness only lasted to week 11 and I am still mostly able to work. Cutting my hours to 32 hours a week next week because I am starting to experience swelling and I would hate to ignore it and end up on bed rest.

I love these babies - I love my daughter and I love my husband - I have the best family in the world!

Finding Out I am Having Twins

So the day of my 1st appointment arrived. April 1, 2011 - I know I know - I was asking for it having it on April Fool's Day. I was just shy of 9 weeks pregnant so I was hoping to have the doctor tell me that they have to do an ultrasound because it is too early to find a heartbeat.

I am still in full on panic mode, completely nervous with hundreds of questions running through my head. Am I still pregnant? Is it Twins? Is my baby healthy? So my blood pressure was through the roof.

I joked with the nurse about my concerns - I just needed reassurance though.

Doctor comes in - yep too early for the just the doppler, lets get you back to the ultrasound table. Yay! I got my wish - questions will be answered.

Still off the wall nervous though - My husband and I get back there (in my weird ghetto gown, because they didn't know I had a broken one) and get all set up - and we begin the ultrasound!

Finally my husband says to me: "See Jer - you can relax now. There is just one baby in there."

Followed quickly by the doctor saying, "And with what your husband just said, here is your second baby."

Silence - I finally speak up, "Are you sure?" "It is April Fool's Day, this isn't a joke?" The doctor assured me that this isn't something he would ever joke about. It took him putting both babies on the screen at the same time to convince me that I really was pregnant with twins!
He clearly saw fraternal twins and so kindly put that it was my fault we have twins - (which my husband likes to remind me about it when I get stressed) I went and put two eggs in there.

I want to say I was ecstatic when I found out, but that wouldn't be true. I was excited about the idea of it, leading up to the news. But being told you are having two babies was a huge shock to the system. I was terrified that my body couldn't even carry twins - we didn't have two bedrooms for them to each have there own room. How unfair to have to share. (I shared my whole life - so big deal for me to give my kids their own spaces) Can we even afford two kids?

I needed to settle down - I was happy - I was crying - I was shaking and bursting with excitement!

So much for staying quiet at work for the first trimester (which was my plan) I couldn't head in to work after this appointment and not say anything. To wired to focus on work. So I told them - still so unsure of my own feelings about this. And of course no one believed me - and there is still a little disbelief to this day - aside from the belly that looks 7 months along instead of only 4 months.

It took me three days to settle my thoughts -

Now here is a truth my husband isn't aware of, my sister figured out I was pregnant about a week before my first appointment. I was avoiding talking to her, because I wanted to surprise them when I told my parents - I had called her to make sure that she was going to be at my parents when we were going. And I sounded weird when she told me that they may not make it. Something gave me away and she guessed it on the first try. The great thing is - she is pregnant too - due in September (my official due date is Nov 7th but that doesn't really matter in a twin pregnancy)

So she was excited about us both being pregnant together. So an hour after my appointment she calls me to ask our standard first question. One or Two - twins is in our family - one of us is doing it, we always joked it would be her or my other older sister.

So when I said Two - on April Fools Day - again she did not believe me - I guess you can't find out life changing information on April Fools Day and expect anyone not to question the validity of the news. Lesson learned there - wait one day to tell everyone -

So we made a few calls - (only to the ones that already knew we were pregnant)The next day I Skyped my other sister - she was talking about us visiting our parents the next day (she wouldn't be there) and she was picking on me for insisting on the one sister who lives closer to be there. So I didn't say anything but "Well this is the reason I am doing this" and I held up the ultrasound picture. Congratulations! and then she noticed two babies - wait - what? Oh I wish I could be there. (She just delivered her baby boy 2 weeks prior to this, and while we are in Wisconsin - she is Florida - a hard last minute journey to make.

Finally I made it to my parents house to tell them the news - We had our daughter in a shirt I custom made that said - Big Sister in Training x2 (the x2 was smaller on the bottom)

My parents thought something was up excited to hear I was pregnant - but it took a 1/2 an hour for them to see the x2 part - my dad made drinks right after that. (9:30 am) they were shocked -

Glad to be calmer now (4 months along) getting all my thoughts down in a little on-line journal. Still not sure about sharing this with family and friends. - but maybe someday I will send them the links  :)

Thanks again for visiting in my little journal to myself about my twin adventure -

yikes twins! Can't wait to meet them! Only 5 months to go - October can't get here soon enough.

~ Jerri

Trying to Get Pregnant

So this part may be a little more descriptive than you want and wordy - but anyway - - -

We started trying to get pregnant in September once our daughter started Kindergarten, daycare costs have gotten manageable and I always wanted two kids - Our daughter has been begging for a younger brother or sister. (my husband has always only wanted one kid) So she is 5 and he can finally feel better about the finances.

So for 6 months, we were trying -  Finally in February we called it quits - it wasn't happening so he made his appointment, but we never took any precautions to prevent pregnancy this month. I didn't track any days - I had my Rum party halfway through the month - yummy by the way - February 28th - not even a day late on my period, but I had a test in the house so I took it -

Positive Result - disbelief has crossed my face - I go out and wake up my husband to tell him about the test - now in 3 days is his consultation to meet with the doctor about his vasectomy. Do we still go through with this? What if this is a false positive? So many questions - I am shocked and excited! Yay!

So I call the doctors office and make an appointment for the same day as his appointment to confirm the results - yep still pregnant!

We decided to go through with his appointment and surgery - if we lose the baby or have a miscarriage we are no different then when we had given up trying anyway. Life is Good - I am happy!

At 4 weeks into this, everything is perfect!

7 weeks - major morning sickness kicks in - Throwing up at least once a day - sometimes more - hard to keep any food down - trying everything they say that helps morning sickness.

Weird - never got this sick with my first pregnancy, I have two thoughts about this: #1 it is a boy so that is why it is different. #2 It is twins - runs in the family, possibility is there. Can't be twins - I am the youngest of my sisters, it would be one of them to have the twin gene. They always say it is the older siblings that this happens too. So I am happily thinking it is a boy - and every symptom that is different from the first time around is because it is a boy.

1/2 way through week 8 I spent the whole day sick - every two hours I was in the bathroom - nothing would help. Getting a little more scared about it being twins. Talked to my husband about it, my stomach was already pooching and I was so sick, not to mention my breasts that have doubled in size already! (That I like! A cup to a C cup!) He reminds me that it is my second pregnancy - it is just different. Okay - that is what I keep telling myself, but deep down I still had a nagging suspicion about twins -

Finding out about twins will come in the next post -

~ Jerri

A New Journey

This blog will be my journey through my crazy new twin life - In the next few posts I am going to journal about the earlier part that has already happened - so my pregnancy will seem to go very fast at first and cover sections. After I get caught up, the posts hopefully will be more scheduled - welcome to my journey of being pregnant with twin boys - and the life that will happen when they decide to make their world debut. Welcome to my blog Twice the Monkey Madness!

-Jerri