32 Weeks and Counting

Yes I am currently THAT big.  It's a hoot really it's like playing hot potato without being able to get rid of the potato.  People see me walking down a hallway or street and you can see the panic in their eyes of "Where do I go, help!"  I have to laugh because what is the alternative.

We had a Labor and Delivery adventure last Friday night.  I started having contractions, little ones, but still 5-6 per hour so I diligently went to L&D.  They were a bit shirty with me since the contractions didn't hurt but hey I've had Dr. Haskett frustrated at me before.  Turned out that I was dehydrated so I was sent home with the instructions to rest all weekend (so no marathons or triathlons) and to drink lots and lots of water.  I'm closed tight like a drum so these girls aren't going anywhere any time soon. (I hope, I hope, I hope!)

This week has been rough on us.  My back hurts all the time and I do have all these random pains that comes from being pregnant with two babes.  I'm in that last growth spurt stage of all pregnancy so it feels like everyday I wake up to more weight and a heavier stomach.  Luckily the end is in sight and the girls and doing so well.  I hope to make it to 37 weeks, praying to make it to 37 weeks but if things keep as they are I think its possible, I just may be useless for anything besides gestating.

Bright side: time is flying by!  I can't believe that next week is Thanksgiving and after that we are into the month my girls will be born.  Eeeek! 

Delinquently 31 weeks

Don't you love the pajamas and the barely pulled back hair.  I look HAWT in this pic right, right?   I'm sorry that I skipped two weeks.  I don't really have a good excuse except my continuous procrastination.  I realized I needed to do it and then the days sort of just slipped by.  My hubby went out of town last weekend so there's my excuse for Monday and the week before I was sick again :(  It's been lovely. 

I have to give a shout out to my dear friend Abby, she helped talk me down from a proverbial ledge last Saturday.  This being pregnant is hard anyway but being pregnant with twins is like UBER META HARD.  My freedoms are pretty much curtailed at this point from back pain and stomach girth and it's sad for me that I can't just go out shopping or clean my house without serious recovery time.  Throw in a fall that wrenched my back yesterday and you can imagine my outlook on life.  So its back to my old standby of faking it until I make it, and I'm gonna fake being overjoyed about the process until I can fool myself.

The girls are doing wonderful.  I had a doctor's appointment last week and they are measuring about a week ahead of single babies.  I'm a rock star at growing big babies, ask Loralei who was 9 lbs 6 ounces.  At the appointment they weighed right about 4 lbs a piece with 3 ounces difference. That's 8 pounds of infant already!  Whew no wonder my back gets tired.  Everything looks great and I have another appointment next week, then every week after that until I deliver. 

It was neat to see them on the ultrasound screen.  They are so big that now they typically look like I'm pregnant with a many-legged octopus mutant.  One baby is already head down and engaged, she's ready for the show or has just realized that it's  much more fun to kick mom right in the bladder and cause a slight pee panic.  Baby B is now transverse, which means right across the belly and able to kick both side of my ribs at once.  I adore my girls already they are already exhibiting the Vaughn-McGraw pestering attitudes.

Halloween was a lot of fun.  Little Miss Loralei went as Minnie Mouse. She has developed such an opinion about everything that I was lucky to get her to agree to this costume. 

I think she looks adorable but the ears were not a big hit and she refused to wear them to both Trick-or Treating activities we went to.  She was a pro at trick or treating though.  She would knock on the door loudly say "Trick-or-Treat!" and then would politely say "Thank you."  It was really cute.  I can't wait for next year when we may do a Dr. Seuss theme. 

Hopefully I will be a better blogger and try to keep up with this pregnancy.  I have a new laptop so maybe!!  Take Care

9 Years and 28 weeks

It just hit me how I always seem to measure milestones for myself in units of time;  "oh I'm twenty-SEVEN now, or I haven't had caffeine in 12 hours."  I hit two pretty big milestones this past week.  On October 12th, I hit the nine year milestone of my baptism into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I cherish my membership in the church and I revel in all the good it has brought in my life.  I know now more than I knew then that this is the true church.  I know that this is church of Jesus Christ and I have marveled at how my love for the Savior and his principles has blossomed.  I am forever grateful for those who introduced the church to me and truly demonstrated the love that is contained in the gospel.  I know that the decision to join the church has made all the difference in my life. If you too would like to experience this change I implore you to read the Book of Mormon and pray about the teachings that it contains.  I know you will receive a witness just as I have that it is the truth.  I truly love this gospel and all that it has brought to me.

On to my next milestone, I am officially in my third trimester.  Twenty-eight weeks Woot Woot!  This is how I look.

I am pretty huge no? I feel pretty good.  I get tired easily and sleeping is sometimes a joke, all in all I don't feel this big.  It's pretty amazing to me how you adapt, I only really feel big when I'm out in public.  Some memorable quotes are "Please Honey, tell me your almost through," and "So you deliver next week right?"  Also there was some excited signing by a sweet deaf couple at Costco who were really surprised that I was in Costco and all I caught was "Two! you are beautiful."  Why thank you, kind people I do feel like sideshow but also I'm pretty jazzed at how awesome this pregnancy is going.  There has been no swelling, no contractions, and the babies have both moved to a position where I can feel their late night parties and day time kick-fests.  Life is good.

Babycenter has graced us with another look into a twin mom's womb so this is what is going on right now.

K pretty much standard.  When I look at this pic I think wow, it's amazing I don't pee more than I do cause that bladder is just sad right there.  I do have some differences tho...so here is my 28 week womb picture

I couldn't add how my abs are seriously always rock hard.  At first I thought that it was Braxton Hicks but the top of my stomach never relaxes.  It's got to be strain of holding all the weight of the girls and well my guts in so I can function.  This pregnancy is really a trip.  Ok, the creative juices have run dry.  Take care until next week.

27 weeks or something like it

Ok so it's Wednesday, I technically turn 28 weeks tomorrow but I promised to blog every week of my pregnancy 25 weeks on and I'm not gonna give up.  The pic is from this morning, lovely no?  I am about to bust out of my biggest maternity clothes.  This week has been the first week that I've been tired of being pregnant.  I know I still have a long ways to go and I pray that I still at least 10 weeks to go but with the pain from my fall two weeks ago and justifiably feeling huge it's been a rougher week.  I decided to break it into the bad and the good.

THE BAD:

Having to sit all the time on a bottom that doesn't want you there. 
Running out of clothes that will provide full coverage of the tummy.
Having your doctor look at your stomach and say "Awww poor belly."
Trying to nest when you get winded and tired so so easily.
Having a blood pressure of 90/58, seriously that low.  I get dizzy and tired ALL the time.

THE GOOD:
Feeling these babies squirming and knowing that they are growing as they should.
Having a husband who puts up with your most bat crap crazy moments.
Your baby shower where some of the most special women in my life showered these twins with presents and diapers.
Having a blood pressure of 90/58 because there's a slim to none chance I'm developing pre-eclampsia.
People watching when they see me.  I get so much special treatment and I swear people are expecting me to drop a calf at any moment. 

Ok, enough with lists.  Things are about 50-50 this morning.  I'm not sleeping well and it's getting to me but luckily I'm not having any pre term labor symptoms or really any out of the ordinary full term pregnancy symptoms.  All that has really changed is that the mechanical wheelchairs at the stores are looking really good when I'm out and about. 

Ry, my sweet husband, has set up our room in preparation for the twins.  We now have a really tall bed and a sidecar crib.  I think it's going to work out really well when I'm recovering from my c-section and breastfeeding.  It's a pretty big change getting in and out of bed but its actually easier not to have to try to lift myself out of the bed in the morning.

Even though I was up half the night in one of my bouts with insomnia planning this blog post, the mind grapes (30 Rock, gotta love it) have run dry so I'm gonna sign off for this week and I promise to come back next week much more chipper and happy to be apart of this wonderful process that is twin pregnancy.  Take care all!

P.S. My doc said yesterday at my appointment that he's shooting for December 15th with these babies so that means like 64 days.  Eeeekkk!  But I'm holding out for the day after Christmas cause I'm stubborn that way.

Twenty-six weeks

Here is me yesterday evening for my 26 week photo.  I have a little confession last week's picture freaked me out a little because I looked smaller than at 23 weeks.  I called my doc, I'm sure that they are going to get so tired of hearing from me but the had me come in for an ultrasound.  I love ultrasounds to see them floating around and just being pretty chill.  I did get dizzy on this ultrasound tho.  Evidently four pounds of baby is the exact amount of pressure to restrict the blood flow to my brain and I got dizzy.  The girls are doing beautifully and are about two pounds a piece. They are growing right together. The reason my stomach looked less girth-ful was due to their shift in position where one is a bit more tucked in and they are both trying to occupy the upper quadrant of my stomach.

The past week has been easy peasey until I slipped and feel down a few stairs on Saturday morning.  I really need your prayers because I bruised the area around my coccyx pretty severely.  As if I needed to be reminded that I could be MORE uncomfortable, it now hurts to sit and my legs regularly go numb from sitting on my hips.  It is feeling better day-by-day but working right now is torture and I think the worse pain comes upon rising.  I have yet another call put in to my doctor to see if there is any pain management tips or medication that they can give me until this resolves itself a little less painfully.  However, the girls are great.  This hasn't affected them in the slightest and they are still squirming and wiggling.

On the horizon I am looking forward to my baby shower.  I'm so grateful for my good friends Abby Olsen and Karalee Done for putting this together.  They have put in a lot of effort and planning and I'm so excited to celebrate the life of the girls. 

Please keep me in your prayers that I will heal quickly.  Hope each of you has a great week.

Under 100 Days!

Just wanted to drop in and say WHAT!!?? I have under one hundred days less on this pregnancy. Technically since the latest my doctor will let me go right now is December 26th I have like 87-88 days left.

What!?!

Tightening of the chest, vision slowly narrowing into a pinpoint. Breathe, breathe. Ok I'm back. We are still doing good and this week's major accomplishments is that we have bought car seats! One more thing off the list. Woohoo!

K Peace out!

Twenty-five weeks

I am keeping my promise.  Here is me at 25 weeks.  I am feeling really great with no braxton hicks or contractions.  Of course my back and abs get pretty tired by the end of the day but I'm really blessed and I'm feeling really good despite my girth.  My weekly complaints would have to be that sleeping is a struggle.  Ry swears he hears me sleeping all the time but I just get so uncomfortable I don't feel like I get much sleep at all.  That's about it.  I can't complain too much this has been such a ride and I'm surprised I feel as good as I do.

Loralei is becoming used to the idea of the babies.  She asks to see the babies first thing in the morning, when the belly is all lopsided, and she will just kiss and talk to them.  I hope they recognize her voice when they get here.  It's so cute to hear here whisper to them.

There is progress being made in the twins room. I have went through all our clothes and sorted keepers and donations.  Also, I'm starting to wash all the newborn and 3-6 month clothes.  I need to pick up two dressers so we have a place to put all these clothes.  I also want to change the border in the room and we'll be pretty much set room wise. It will feel good to have that checked off our list of the never-ending prep for the twins.

This week I have my glucose test.  I'm not really looking forward to it so wish me luck! The orange soda like stuff is not that appetizing and my twinners definitely are not going to be happy about the moratorium on eating.  It's usually my growling tummy that convinces me I have to get up.  They don't like the gap between dinner and breakfast very much so a bit extra wait may be my undoing.

Please pray for us that we may stay healthy and strong.  Until next week, or unless something strikes my fancy.

24 Weeks and So Many Changes

I am 24 weeks. The time has really flown by these past two months because the McGraw household has been so busy. First up, here is the aquarium view of the twins.

Now this is a picture of the "normal" 24 week twins. I'm not saying my girls are abnormal but like me I think they are a bit more difficult than ideal. So here's a diagram of what the babes are doing.

Oh the joy, I shouldn't complain about the movements because I depend on them literally, if I ever stop and realize I haven't felt them for ohhh about 10 minutes I freak a little.  Two babes are just uber stressful. I had a doctor's appointment last week and an ultrasound (gotta LOVE those) and I am officially carrying about 2.5 lbs of baby.  :)  I sure hope that grows, no matter the discomfort, to about ummm 14 lbs of baby. Oh to explain the Hi-Ya kick its a kick where I know they are punching my ribs and kicking either my cervix or bladder at the same time.  I mean there's no way that they have coordinated split second kicks yet right?  They can't be conspiring against me so early so I'm choosing to blame one baby. 

On our ultrasound Baby A really got to shine this time.  We have some adorable pics of her yawning and stretching and pushing her sister's legs away.  It is just mind blowing how much they are interacting, now whether they realize it is a different matter.  Baby B had her legs in Baby A's face almost the entire time and you could see Baby B trying to swat them away.  There is a membrane separating them but the tech said its about as thick as a sheet of cellophane so there's practically nothing separating them.  At the end, we got the most heart warming pic of them face to face like they were whispering secrets.  (Probably coordinating those hi-ya kicks, but it's cute no matter what)

As for our other changes, we moved.  Ry and I bought a home in Lehi.  It's half of a twin home with three bedrooms, no HOA, and a yard.  I am so happy that we made this step.  It was a really big one for us.  It has three bedrooms which is a must now that we are expecting twins and two bathrooms.  I love our new ward, they are really friendly and have gone out of there way to welcome us.  It's a big change (haha) moving from American Fork and I miss our ward there terribly, but I have just felt this is the place for us from the beginning. 

I will sign off, next time I will have a pic of week 25 and then I will start weekly pics.  I hope...

16 weeks!

This is what my belly look in aquarium view.  The twins are still kicking away and other than some minor cramping and back pain everything is going well.  I think my body has been having the "what the frak is going on!?" with my rapid belly poppage.  I'm really enjoying this process and can't wait until the first part of August to find out what these beauties are.  We recently had a name change in the line-up which leads me to my prediction that I have one boy and one girl cooking away in there.  That's my ideal tho so maybe it's just wishful thinking.


Life is moving forward.  We're in the final approval stage for a house in Lehi.  I pray we get it.  We've been melting in the July heat and a house with air conditioning is just what the doctor ordered, actually pretty literally.  It's a gorgeous house and I hope we get to make it our home. 

Well I'm off to drown myself in more water!

Twins!

Yes it is true I am having twins due approximately around Christmas.  We are so excited to expand our family in this enormous way and a little overwhelmed for sure.  This pregnancy has been pretty uneventful.  I'm sicker than usual and already sporting a pooch so it's been fun.  The never ending pregnancy heat has returned and I'm hot all the time.  I think that and the nausea are my least favorite parts since they seem to feed into each other.  My favorite part is feeling the little baby lumps in the morning and all the dreaming and planning that comes with a new baby...times 2!


I feel so truly blessed to have this happening right now.  I was concerned that Loralei would "too old" to really bond with the new baby, but now that they're two we are glad she's going to be a little older than planned.  She loves kissing my tummy and telling the babes night-night.  I am so so blessed in every way.  I am taking some belly shots and I will upload them once I get them from my sister-in-law.

Your kind thoughts and prayers are appreciated as we navigate the world of being the parents of twinners.