The Home Stretch

We are 33 weeks and 4 days along, and less than 30 days now until your scheduled arrival. WOW...for as fast as it seems to have been, it also at this point feels like I've been pregnant forever! You boys are growing so well, and are measuring really big...last week at 32 weeks you were contributing almost 11 pounds to your mom's middle section. Baby A you are 81st percentile at a whopping 5.3 pounds, and Baby B, once my smaller son is now measuring 84th percentile at 5.7 pounds! Holy moly, you guys are already over achievers.

You are scheduled to be delivered by c-section on May 10th at 2:30 p.m., that's if you don't try to come out ahead of that. If you decide to come earlier, then I'll try to deliver you the old fashioned way. I am not sure if I think you'll try to come ahead of schedule or if you're super cozy inside my belly. I think you'll stay put for as long as you can. You've been so easy for me so far.

You both move so much now, you are both head down, so I have four little feet at the top of my belly and sometimes I think you look like aliens in there. The way my stomach ripples and moves - it's really fun to watch, and sometimes my hand will be laying across the belly and a little foot passes by and it catches me so off guard, it makes me want to jump! Baby B, you're up a little higher on my left side, only recently having moved from your head up/feet down position, and Baby A, you must be part monkey because you've never moved - you've always been head down on my right side with your feet up to my ribs. You were like a yin / yang symbol for so long, I never thought you'd move. It wouldn't surprise me if Baby A likes spending time on his head when he's a little older, or able to hang from a branch with just his toes holding on.

We are ready for your arrival--and trying to stock up on our sleep. That's really our only concern, or thing we're scared about! It's a beautiful time of year for you to be born, the spring has been unseasonably warm, and all the flowers and trees are out. Its such a time of renewal and rebirth...a perfect time for our sons to enter the world. I'm so excited to meet you, to know you, to love you. My little men...how I can't wait to kiss your faces for all eternity and relish in the miracles you are.

Le Septième Mois

Baby A - face down today, you were hard to see!

Baby B - continuing your trend of looking like a beach bum!

My what big feet you have Baby B!

It's hard to believe that I'm now in my third trimester, and am almost 29 weeks pregnant. You are both the exact same size now - a whopping 3.8 pounds each of you! You're both measuring 2 weeks ahead and even the ultrasound tech said "you sure know how to make big babies!" today. Those are my big, strong, healthy boys in there! You seem quite at home as wombmates (or as your cousin Michelle says - "womb-MA-tays.") I am now up 38 pounds, and it's reassuring to know that about 15 pounds of that is you two in your little space. I'm pretty sure the rest of it is in my face and legs cause boy oh boy, they sure are fat!

I can feel you both now pretty regularly and I have to admit, I love it when you move. I love feeling your little kicks and punches and God only knows what else. You are awesome because you sleep when I sleep, and oooohhhh how I pray you'll keep that up when you are born! Although I thought you had moved around, you are both firmly planted in the same positions you've been in for the last probably 16  weeks - like a ying & yang - kicking each other in the heads.

We had our baby shower on February 25, which was put on by your great aunts and uncle. We had it at your great uncle M & W's house, and all your family from Columbus came up to celebrate. There were a few of my friends there as well and my oh my! You would not believe all of the stuff you two got!!!! It was unbelievable the mountains and mountains of baby goods. You are SO loved, as are mom and dad, and we are so thankful for the love, support, and graciousness of our friends and family. I can't wait for you to meet everyone!

Your room is almost finished, too. I just need to have dad hang up your art and I have to put your mountains of clothes away - I think we actually have too many! We are getting so excited to meet you boys. I can't wait to kiss those tiny little noses I've been seeing for the past few months. Time is flying by - you'll be here in another 8-10 weeks, it hardly seems possible!

                                                                                                                

Honey, I don't think that's gas!

The most profound experience of pregnancy I have had so far has been feeling you both kick and move around. I cannot express how much I love feeling you and knowing you are there. I always wondered what it really felt like when my friends would say "the baby's kicking," when they were pregnant. In so many ways I didn't think I'd ever know what they meant...and now I do! What a wonderful thing it is to feel the jabs, to feel you stretching in your restricted spaces, to laugh when you don't like it that my bladder is full so you start punching me even more so I'll empty it!

It's really becoming real. You both, are becoming real. You both are developing personalities, and my bond with each of you already feels different...unique, almost. Baby A...you are my mover and shaker,  you like me to sit / lay a certain way, and when I shift, you let me know. You dance on my bladder when it's full, and you flutter around a lot after I have coffee. Every time I see you in the ultrasound, you have your hands above your head...that's the way I like to sleep, too. Baby B...you are going to be my snuggler, I think. You move and stretch almost like you're giving me a hug, not as often as your brother, but almost softer and quieter. You reserve most of your movement for the evenings, and it's you that I see bumping my belly up and down. I call you each by your names now, and I think your names fit you already.

Your room is being painted this week, and your furniture is being delivered in the next few days. Soon, your room will be ready, which is almost too much to comprehend! We are 23 weeks and 3 days along...which means we will hit a big milestone on Saturday at 24 weeks. That means, that if you were to come out from here on, you'd have a pretty good chance of making it. But by the looks of things, I think you'll stay put for a LOT longer. You haven't given me any trouble at all so far, and I think you kind of like being cozy in there. I think you've got another 13-15 more weeks of growing before we get to see your little faces.

I am really getting excited to meet you. I've started to sing to you our French song that dad taught us, as well as songs I make up about the dogs and cat. I like to sing the one about Piper Rose and her little bitty nose. I've decided you will have to hear Guns N' Roses when you come out, so that we can sing "Sweet Child O'Mine" at the top of our lungs as you get bigger.

My boys!!! We are going to have fun and play and dream and do gross boy things. I can't wait to know you and love you.

PS: I've gained 34 pounds. Yowza.

Week 21...And Measuring 32

Little boys, you are a growin!!!

Full anatomy scan was held last Friday (13th) and you two look spectacular! In fact, you are both doing so well you're in your upper percentiles for growth! Baby A - a whopping 94th percentile and weighing in at 1 pound, you're measuring 22 weeks! And my Baby B - a very fine 79th percentile and weighing in at 15 oz (just shy of a pound), measuring 21 weeks (right on track!). You both were super squirmy and moving all the time, and both of you love having your hands over your face. I think you can even see that Baby A is sucking his thumb in the picture above! Baby A is head down in my pelvis, with his feet up towards my ribs, and B is inverse from him (head in ribs, feet in pelvis). You boys better not kick each others heads too much!!!

I am sure growing with you. About 3 weeks ago, our growth spurt kicked into full gear. Boy, oh boy, we are getting bigger!!! I saw the OB today, and he says I'm measuring 32 weeks, even though I'm just 21. That means I am about the same size I would be if there were only one of you and we were 9 weeks further along! I think I'll need my own zip code by the time you come.

Yesterday, I felt one of you kick/punch or roll over for the first time. I was sitting on the couch with Piper (little dog) on my lap and thought I saw her head bounce on my belly. I had a strange sensation like it was happening again, so I put my hand on my belly and low and behold, felt a big push! It really felt like a little round thing pushing me, so I'm wondering if you are doing flips Baby A, and are now head to head with your brother.

We are starting to get ready for you guys. I figure I have 14-16 weeks left, which seems like no time. I picked out the color for your room, and your bedding last week. Now I need to get the painters here and get your stuff all situated because before you know it, you will be here and we'll all be trying to survive! :-)

Oh, and on January 3 I lost my job. The good news is that I found a consulting position less than 24 hours later that will let me work about 20 hours a week until the end of March, and then when I go back to work in September, I can do about the same so that I can spend time with you guys and ease back into the workforce. God sure does work in mysterious ways - but I am so thankful for the time I have been given to not be stressed out and just focused on getting my boys here! We are so blessed little ones. So, so blessed.

And we have officially picked your names! I think they are super cool and good manly names for you two. Although I'm so nervous about becoming a mom (seeing as I'm 35 years set in my ways), I am getting SO excited to meet you and see your faces. My peas in a pod, my boys, my sons! We love you so much already.