25 weeks!

This is an exciting point to get to in my pregnancy since this is when Sophie was born!  Obviously, I hope to make it further than 25 weeks, but it is always exciting to make it at least as far as I did with her.  This week, I have a picture comparison.  I didn't document my pregnancy with Sophie very well as far as photos, but I do have a picture of myself at 25 weeks just days before I gave birth to her.  So, I put on the same outfit and took a picture of myself today to see the difference.

25 weeks pregnant with twins (my 3rd pregnancy)

25 weeks pregnant with Sophie (my first pregnancy)

Wow!  What a difference!  I have a feeling that if I were only having one baby this time, I would still look significantly bigger.  I just grew a lot more slowly with my first pregnancy.  So far, I have gained 16-17 pounds, which is great, according to my doctor.

Last week, I had another complete ultrasound with an echocardigram  to look at the twins in detail and view their heart function.  This is not normally done with single babies, but with identical twins, there is an increased risk for heart problems.  We are happy to report both babies are looking totally healthy and normal in every way!  They each weigh 1 lb. 10 oz., which is right on track with what Sophie weighed when she was born (1 lb. 12 oz.)  I wondered if they might be a little smaller, but so far, they are the same as a single baby. 

My doctor told me I will be seeing him every two weeks from here on out (well, I guess every week at some point later).  He also told me that, though I am still feeling good, I should stop working after this week until they are born.  This is both good and bad news.  I am excited to have a break from working and to get to spend all my evenings with Ryan and the girls.  At the same time, I was hoping to work a little longer since we need to save every penny we can to cover our huge deductibles (as well as just to pay for our normal expenses).  I waver back and forth between worry and trust, but overall, I have a sense of peace about our financial situation.  I have seen God provide for us continuously and immensely over the years, and I trust Him today with our finances.  Our medical bills for Sophie were over a million dollars, but we did not pay a single penny, and were even refunded a small check for overpayment from the hospital.  That was completely God's provision, so if I can't trust him now for thousands of dollars, then I am just crazy!  Of course, as the bills roll in constantly, I am challenged to renew my thinking from worry to trust.  My theme verse right now is 
2 Corinthians 12:9:
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

Mostly, when I think about having the twins and caring for the girls too, I just feel really tired.  But sometimes, when I think about this verse, it is almost exciting for me to think of how I will have to trust God in my weakness over the next few months (years?).  With the financial burdens we will undertake as well as just the daily struggle of caring for 2 toddlers and 2 newborns, I know that I will have to rely on God in a way I haven't before.  This is both scary and exciting.  I am excited to see how God will make this verse true in my life as I rely on him totally.  I am scared that I don't know what that will look like yet.

I really am so thankful for how well my pregnancy is going so far.  I feel like, even at this point, I was really uncomfortable for my pregnancy with Sally.  My tendons and joints were hurting a lot.  I had heartburn.  I had a lot of back pain.  All of this just got worse as I got bigger.  This time though, I am really pretty comfortable most of the time.  No heartburn.  No back pain.  Little to no joint and tendon pain.  No early contractions (yet).  I prayed for a comfortable pregnancy, and God has graciously granted it to me so far.  I am also praying for healthy, awesome babies who eat and sleep better than Sophie and Sally did.  We'll see about that one!    Thank you to everyone who is also lifting us up in prayer.   Please continue to do so!

22 weeks (a little late)

Things are still going great!  My doctor's appointments have been totally normal.  My cervix is in good shape.  Babies are moving around all the time.  I am still feeling pretty normal and having plenty of energy.  Here is a picture of me and also a few from some photobooth fun we had today.

22 weeks! I wonder when people will start asking if "the baby" is due soon.

Sophie and mom.  She is going through a really affectionate loving mommy stage.  I love it.

Sophie is getting so old!  What a pretty little girl she is.

Sally likes to smile as BIG as she possibly can, which sometimes ends in this funny expression.  She is too cute these days.

And the twins are GIRLS!

In honor of our twin GIRLS, I am writing this post in pink!  Sorry if it is hard on your eyes! We are so excited to be having more girls!   I was hoping for girls anyway, and Ryan was just as happy either way.  I was planning on waiting until Wednesday to share, but Ryan accidentally spilled the beans too soon on fb, so I decided to go ahead and share as well.

It is funny--most people's reaction is, "Aww, I bet you were hoping for boys."  Quite the contrary!  I am sure boys are awesome, but I think that God gives you whatever He gives you for a reason.  He thinks we would be great parents to two more girls, and he has also given me a desire for them!  How perfect.  People especially assume that Ryan was hoping for boys, but not all guys have a strong desire to have boys.   Ryan said he would like to see what boys are like, but he knows he loves girls and that he will love having more of them.

My ultrasound was totally normal.  Both babies are growing right on target for their due date.  Baby A is 12 oz. and Baby B is 11 oz.  Baby A is head down right now, and Baby B is the opposite.  In all the pictures of them, we kept seeing the other little one's feet kicking around by her sister's head.  We are so thankful for a healthy pregnancy so far and healthy babies.

20 weeks!

I am 20 weeks today, and I certainly look it (at least 20 weeks anyway).  We go to the doctor tomorrow for our sonogram that will confirm the gender.  I am really excited!  I am still feeling good.  I am currently working 4 shifts a week, and that is pretty much all I can handle.  I think I will be cutting back soon for sure.  I have started to feel movement more frequently.  It is just crazy to think there are TWO in there!  I can remember exactly how Sophie looked when she was born at 25 weeks.  When I get that far in this pregnancy, it will be crazy to imagine two little newborn premature Sophies inside me.  I have been reading lots of articles lately on the Kermit Gosnell trial and just abortion in general, and it baffles me to think that some people don't consider babies at this age real people!  If anyone spent a few weeks in the NICU watching those amazing babies grow and develop, their minds would have to be changed.  Here is a picture of me now.  We will share the gender later this week!

In other news, poor Sally broke her leg yesterday.  Ironically, it was the same situation as Sophie.  She just slipped on a piece of fabric (a flag) on the floor and fell.  She didn't even hit anything around her.  I am glad (sort of) that we have experienced this before, b/c I am not sure if we would have taken her in except that she was acting just like Sophie did when she broke her leg.  We just didn't imagine she broke anything b/c her fall seemed so normal.  However, the doctor showed us the x-ray, calling it a "major break."  And it definitely looked worse than Sophie's break.  The fracture went all the way through the bone and was in a couple of places.  I am just heartbroken for her!  She had the worst night ever last night.  She didn't sleep more than 3 hrs. total b/c she kept crying in pain!  We were giving her tylenol, but the doctor hadn't prescribed anything for her.  I was getting really mad at that doctor as the night went on!  I mean, who doesn't prescribe something stronger just in case it is needed?  Especially for a 2 year old!  We called back today and got her some tylenol with codeine, and it seems to be working better.  She keeps wanting to get down from the chair or couch, but then cries sadly, "I can't walk!"   It is so sad.  I can't believe this happened to both girls.  Sophie back in November, and now Sally!  What are the chances!?  Please keep her in your prayers over the next few days.

Sophie and Sally on Easter

Here are some pictures for grandparents to enjoy.  The girls got two sets of Easter dresses this year!  They looked adorable in both.  Happy (late) Easter!

Pregnancy Update: 18 weeks

Things are coming right along!  I am definitely growing.  I have gained around 8 pounds so far. Today at the doctor's office, he told me I am measuring a month ahead of my actual gestational age.  However, when he measured me, he said, "Perfect!"  I asked if my measurements were good, bad, or normal for twin pregnancies.  He said both normal and bad!  Haha!  He didn't mean bad as in dangerous, per se.  He just meant I will be that much more uncomfortable that much sooner.  Actually he told me these next 2 weeks would be my last good ones, as in comfortable.  He said he was exaggerating slightly, but not too much.  I kind of believe him though, since I am already feeling uncomfortable doing normal activities: bending, walking a lot, lifting my legs to get in and out of bed (having a lot of stretching and tendon pain).  He also said, "No amount of rest you take should be considered laziness.  In fact, you should rest more than you think you need to."  I do feel very worn out after a good amount of activity, and I take resting very seriously!  Anyone who knows me knows I love naps!

The babies are both growing well, and we will find out in two weeks their gender for sure and their exact measurements.  I have been praying they would both grow well and at the same rate.  We are going to have a gender reveal cake the Wednesday after that appt. to announce to our small group what the babies are, so I will do a post that night or the next day to announce it here.

My energy levels are still up, for the most part.  Like I said, I do get tired kind of quickly though.  I had some weird spurt of energy (early nesting?) last week and went on a cleaning rampage.  I did probably 10 loads of laundry in a couple of days (this includes folding and putting away), which is a true miracle for me.  I also scoured the bathroom tub.  These two chores are my least favorite, and I don't do them nearly as well or often as I should.  Something compelled me though, and I felt like I had conquered the world!  It motivated me to do all kinds of other tasks afterwards.

Pregnancy Update: 16 weeks

I am 16 weeks today!  You can definitely see a bump now.  I have felt some movement too, which is fun.  I know what it felt like with one moving around in there, but I can't imagine what it will be like with 2 as they grow more and more.  My fatigue is lessening, which is GREAT! I actually have the energy to play with the girls and clean, although I do still take a nap every once in a while.  Unless I am wearing more fitted clothes, I think it is still pretty hard for a stranger to tell if I am pregnant or just a little chubby in the mid-section.  I haven't had such specific food cravings over the last few weeks as I did in the beginning, but generally still eat a lot of fruit and protein.  I am really excited about my doctor appointment tomorrow.  The doctor is doing a sonogram, and he told me he would tell us the gender if he is able.  Hoping he can, and hoping it is correct!  Ha!