Pregnant with Twins: 21 Weeks

How far along? 21 weeks
Baby Crauns' size: About 10.5 inches which is supposed to equal a pomegranate?
Total weight gain/loss: Depending on the scale, either 11 pounds or 14 pounds total.
Maternity clothes:  Of course, however I'm finding that my clothes are either tight or way too big, since I didn't buy many maternity clothes for Dom and when I did it was the last month or so when I was really large. Guessing I'm not far from the really large spot.
Stretch marks?  Mark Friday, September 25, down as a really depressing day. I discovered my first stretch marks ever on my stomach. They're super little (like 1/4 inch) right now, but I have no doubt that they'll get bigger. Brian looked at me like I was crazy when I pointed them out to him. Apparently he didn't see them but I know they're there!
Sleep:  I miss sleep. I need to plan on giving myself 9.5-10 hours in bed to actually get 8.5 to 9 hours of sleep because the babies keep me up or I have to pee every 3-4 hours.    
Movement:  They are moving like crazy all the time, but like most babies they prefer to move at bedtime. It's fun to guess which one is doing what in there, but it's sort of painful! I had a dream that they were kicking so hard that they caused bruising on the outside of my stomach. I'm looking forward to the time when the movements are really crazy only so that Dominic can feel them. Right now I think he wouldn't have the patience to wait for the kicks.
Symptoms:  Swelling at the end of day is happening pretty much every day. If it's not, then my ankles hurt so bad that I feel like I'm waddling already. Nausea is still there off and on, and so is the heartburn. I have major prego brain as well.
Labor signs?  Negatory
Food cravings:  Taste of New York pizza again! I made Brian get me a piece for dinner Friday night. Otherwise, food doesn't really sound appealing. Have you ever stuck your gut out and tried to hold it out to the point that it hurt?  That's the feeling I have all the time. 
Miss anything?  Beer and real wine. My patience; my fuse is a really short right now and I try so hard to not freak out on people who are annoying me. But it's also helping a little at work because I'm pretty no-nonsense right now and things seem to get done.  
Belly button in or out?  The top part is starting to stick out but no further than last week. 
Wedding rings on or off?  Just my wedding band, unless something important is happening. We took family pictures this morning so I sucked it up and wore my ring for a few hours.
Nursery progress:  Crib 2 is up and ready!  We also got all the shelves ready to be hung yesterday; just need to paint them. Hoping to get pretty much everything done this week so that we just have little odds and ends left! 
Best moment this week:  This is unrelated to the babies, but in the mornings when Dom is ready to get up and moving, he knocks on his bedroom door. I got to be the one to open his door the last two mornings and he's always so excited to see me. Sometimes I wonder how I'll be able to love two more babies as much as I love Dominic. 
Weekly wisdom:  I've got nothing this week. Between work being crazy and trying to get all the little projects around the house done before I feel like crap again, I'm exhausted. To do lists are totally my friend.
Looking forward to:  Seeing our family pictures!  It'll be the first time we've had professional photos taken, and I love her work so I can't wait to see them. Especially since they're counting as Dom's 2-year (only 5 months late), my maternity photos, and long-overdue family photos.

Pregnant with Twins: 20 Weeks

Probably should start taking these with the camera and not my phone...Sorry for the blurriness!

How far along? 20 weeks (Thankfully this isn't my halfway point - I don't know if I'd make it another 20 weeks. Seventeen more sound more manageable.)
Baby Crauns' size:  They're the length of a banana or the size of a butternut squash, depending on where you look. And they are both right on track still!
Total weight gain/loss:  I'm putting on the mandatory 2 pounds a week for twin pregnancies now so we're at +8 overall.
Maternity clothes:  Of course
Stretch marks?  No change but I'm super itchy
Sleep:  I miss sleep.    
Movement:  I first saw my belly move on Wednesday, and Brian got to feel them move on Thursday. I can't wait for Dominic to feel them move!
Symptoms:  The days of feeling really good are almost over...This week I've started to get super tired again around 7ish, and my poor ankles and feet swell at the end of every day now, or after any period of standing for too long.  
Labor signs?  Nope. At my appointment this week the doc said we'll schedule my c-section during my next visit. Crazy that it's time to start thinking about that!
Food cravings:  Fruit. Taste of New York pizza (seriously, go try it! It's over by Scratch off Jordan Creek and it was so good!). Dots and flavored Tootsie rolls.     
Miss anything?  Sushi. Booze (especially after a stressful / long day at work). Running. Long, hot bubble baths. Thankfully I've been shopping this last week to finish crossing things off our To Buy for Twins list so at least I had one of my coping mechanisms to use after Friday afternoon. 
Belly button in or out?  The top part is starting to stick out. 
Wedding rings on or off?  The swelling has started so I'm not wearing it as often this week.
Nursery progress:  Brian determined that Crib 2 (which we bought off craigslist) was too rickety, so we ended up ordering another one. This also means he doesn't have to paint a crib anymore!  That should be here sometime early this week. Once it's in place, then we'll bring up the chair and table from the basement. Next up, talk to Dad about helping us with the book shelves and other things that require power tools or dealing with electrical wiring.
Best moment this week:  We're having a girl!!!!!!  And a boy! But seriously - I get my little girl! And we're both really excited that Dom also gets a brother! We shared the news by posting a video on facebook (that I tried to post here but I can't get it to work so whatever). I'll let you in on a little secret - we've known since our last doctor's visit, but because the little boy was all curled up we didn't get the best view of his parts. This time he showed us very clearly so it's all confirmed! Their names will be William Michael (after Brian's late grandpa and uncle, plus Michael is Brian's middle name and my late uncle) and Chloe Marie (because I've always wanted to name my some-day little girl Chloe and Marie is my middle name). 
Weekly wisdom:  Organization saved us during our first few weeks with Dominic, and organization will definitely save us during our first few weeks/months with William and Chloe. I love organizing, but I need to work on labeling everything so Brian remembers where everything goes. And I think I'll need to work on my patience when Brian doesn't put things away exactly the way I had it...that will be hard!
Looking forward to:  Getting the second crib so we can see how crowded their room is really going to be.

Pregnant with Twins: 19 Weeks

 

I guess Brian wanted to show off his crisp edging along the ceiling...

How far along? 19 weeks. The last 2 months have really flown by because we've been so busy.
Baby Crauns' size:  Mangos this week, which means about 6 inches long. We'll find out if they're still on track with size on Wednesday.
Total weight gain/loss:  No change, which is surprising given the large quantity of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies I've consumed this weekend.
Maternity clothes:  Yep. My maternity skinny jeans (which aren't really that skinny) feel like I'm wearing sweat pants so don't judge if you see me wearing them every weekend day for the next few months. 
Stretch marks?  No change from last week. Every week I make it without new ones makes me happy. 
Sleep:  I've been so busy at work that I pass out every night, but I'm still waking up every 2-3 hours to go to the bathroom or because Brian snores too loud or Coco climbs all over me and then lays right on my belly (I think she already wants to snuff out their breaths) or Marbles claws the f-ing dresser.   
Movement:  I'm feeling a few little kicks/punches on the outside of my belly now. They mostly happen when I have something resting on my belly.
Symptoms:  The nausea came back this week, but only here and there. It's nothing like what it was during the first trimester; it's more so like what I experienced when I was pregnant with Dominic. 
Labor signs?  Negatory. Since I for sure will have another c-section, I'm really really hoping that they stick it out in there until a scheduled date and time. And that that scheduled date and time do not fall during a massive blizzard.
Food cravings:  Well, clearly I was craving something baked. At least I went for a "healthier" version by using applesauce instead of oil and stevia instead of sugar. I'm also craving fresh produce - I actually ate green beans without gagging!  This baffles me because when I was pregnant with Dominic I ate so much crap (but it was the best thing ever).    
Miss anything?  Energy. Everything sucks the life out of me. I wish that I could play with Dominic like I used to, but now we mostly play together in ways that include me being a lazy bum. Thank goodness for the playground at daycare or I would feel super guilty about our lack of trips to the park. 
Belly button in or out?  No change.
Wedding rings on or off?  I got in the habit of not wearing my diamond ring very much because I didn't want to pay to get all the little stones in the bands re-tipped every 3-4 years (ridiculous downside to individually set stones). This habit was totally reinforced when I visited Mom at work this week and had my rings cleaned. Mom and I were browsing the garnet (January) and amethyst (February) jewelry (you know, because I fully expect more after my first mother's day gift), and I said that I'm so hard on my hands so I need low-profile rings. The dude said that my wedding ring hasn't shown hardly any wear at all. Yeah, because I never wear it! So glad I didn't get my wedding band soldered to the other one.
Nursery progress:  Crib 1 is ready and set for Baby A!  (Yes, I know bumpers are bad. It's flush with the top of the mattress.) The closet and dresser are almost ready, too. Brian's going to start painting Crib 2 this week. We got a used Jenny Lind crib that needs to be painted white (sorry, Brian) to match the one we had to purchase new. Once that's in place we can put in the rocker and side table (where that lamp and kleenex will go) and hang the art work. (That fuzzy thing behind me is the ottoman, which also holds all our extra quilts and blankets.) Then I want to hang some shelves near the rocker for another surface to put things on (picture frames and piggy banks), plus some shelves behind the door for books.
Best moment this week:  Turns out Dom really does get that there are two babies in there, even if he doesn't understand how they're going to turn his life upside down. We visited the infant room at daycare on Friday afternoon to say hi. They asked Dom what's in my belly, and he gave his standard answer:  "Two." When they asked two of what, he actually said babies! 
Weekly wisdom:  I seriously have the best husband. He left us for the weekend to party in Iowa City, and I am so freaking exhausted from trying to run a household and care for a toddler by myself, plus getting caught up on work and trying to get some more organizing done.
Looking forward to:  Wednesday's appointment! It's the big anatomy ultrasound so we'll have a good hour to spend looking at our babies and making sure all their parts are there. And of course we'll get to confirm gender!

Half-Way to the Circus (or Crazy Town)

The proud big brother. It amazes me how big he is already!

How has it been over a YEAR since my last post?! I feel like I need to do an update on Dominic, but that can wait, since I've been putting off making my first weekly pregnancy post, round two...

The day before I went to Chicago in May, I called Brian and told him that I thought I was prego. After many negative pregnancy tests in Chicago (hello wine at dinner...whoops), I finally got a positive one the day we returned home. I was so freaking happy! But I knew something was off - I was super nauseous and tired all the time and I felt much further along than I was. My training runs in May and running Dam to Dam were pretty awful!

Shortly after Dam to Dam, I had a nightmare dream that we were having twins. I waited two days before saying anything to Brian, and then he said he had the same feeling. Waiting at the doctor's office before my 7-week ultrasound felt like a mini-doomsday. We googled odds of having twins and I met all the factors that are correlated with a higher likelihood of having twins - taller than 5'5" (wtf, don't get that one), over the age of 30, and twins in the family. We told the tech that we had a feeling, and when that picture first came up on the screen with the two black "holes" all I could say was "Sh*t" and "F*ck" over and over while laughing. I know I'm right all the time (just ask Brian and my parents) but couldn't I have been wrong for once?! :D Then the tech told me to stay still (aka stop being a maniac) so she could measure the babies, and I started crying. And that crying didn't really stop for about 8 more weeks.

I read every book from the library on having twins and looked at many online forums during those first weeks. I just couldn't wrap my brain around how the hell we were going to raise two babies and a toddler, financially or mentally/emotionally. I tend to catastrophize everything (which I suppose makes me good at my job, always planning for the worst), and my thoughts paired with my morning all-day sickness made me super depressed. I felt like an awful mom for not wanting twins, which made me more depressed. I waited for a long time to share our news, and I've waited even longer to make the first weekly post. Part of me was still in shock, and another part of me was still catastrophizing. Babies, please don't be mad at me for all this someday!

Fast forward to now, and I'm in a much better place!  I'm still scared about how we'll do this, but we'll make do in our current house, we don't need new cars (yay - the car seats all fit!), and I was able to get most of what we need on craigslist or at garage sales and consignment stores. We have the most generous friends and family to help us out and support us. I'm lucky to be married to the best husband and father. We have a caring, smart, sensitive little boy who is going to be an amazing big brother. We are blessed beyond measure, and I know that we'll be okay. Bring on the babies!

Brian blames my phone for the blurry picture. I blame operator error.

How far along? 18.5 weeks - HALF WAY!
Baby Crauns' size:  I have two sweet potatoes taking up room that was meant for real sweet potatoes. Totally cramping my eating style.
Total weight gain/loss:  6 pounds by our unofficial scale. I finally started gaining weight in the last 3 weeks. 
Maternity clothes: Yep. My belly's as big as it was with Dominic at 6 months.
Stretch marks?  Yep, added like instantaneously on the tops of my thighs. But just a couple little ones thankfully. I'm anticipating some on my belly since I'm going to be as big as a duplex (according to my dad).
Sleep:  What's that?  Between all the movement, discomfort, warmth, and 3-4 trips to the bathroom I rarely get a good night's sleep. Guess that's preparing me.  
Movement:  I've been feeling those two duke it out in there since around 14 weeks. It's so crazy to feel so much movement so early, especially since Brian can't feel any of it yet. I'm excited for Dominic to feel them moving. Since 13 weeks, Dom has been saying "two" when asked what's in Mommy's belly, but he has no clue as to two of what! When we say that there are babies in my belly, he'll try to lift my shirt or dress to see them, and then give me a look like "WTF you talking about, crazy lady?"
Symptoms:  This pregnancy has been completely different from Dominic's pregnancy. I spent the first three months mostly in bed feeling like I had the worst hangover in my life, never puking but always having that feeling right there in my throat. And then that was followed by awful headaches starting around 14 weeks. Now I'm finally feeling better, but at the end of the day I crash and my feet are swollen. Dominic has been so sweet through all of it. He asks me what's wrong if I look like crap or I'm laying on the couch, and then when I say I don't feel well, he asks if my tummy hurts. My sweet little boy!
Labor signs?  None, hopefully it stays that way for a long time!
Food cravings:  Cold turkey sandwiches. Any and all fruit.
Miss anything?  Sleep. Energy. The perfect hair days I had during Dom's pregnancy. Clear skin (2 placentas = extra hormones = extra acne).
Belly button in or out?  It's almost flat. WTF I'm only 4.5 months!
Wedding rings on or off?  On unless I forget, which is frequently because I have pregnancy brain majorly.
Nursery progress:  Room and dresser are painted (preview of the room above - don't mind the ancient yucky outlet/phone-jack covers. We have almost everything purchased (for the nursery). We need to put together one of the cribs and paint the other (have fun with that Brian), and then I can get the bedding set up and the rest of the room ready. Dom helped make the artwork, and I can't wait to share it! As for other things, we're getting a cupholder-less car seat for Dom soon so they all can fit in my car. I decided on the Bob Duallie for a double stroller, but I'm having a hard time finding a used one, which means we'll probably crack and buy a new one (barf on the price). Then some odds and ends here and there and we are set! There's a Mom of Multiples garage sale coming up so I'm hoping we can get our last few "big" things there...fingers crossed.
Best moment this week:  Some random stranger at a friend's wedding found out we're having twins, and then gave me a ginormous hug. Thank you to all those people who are so excited for us! It makes it much easier for us to be excited; there's that momentary mental reprieve from the cost and logistics of raising 3 children under the age of 3.
Weekly wisdom:  We got this. After hearing all the negative things about twin pregnancies (how big you get, how hard the first few weeks are, blah, blah), I had another twin parent tell me at that same wedding that it's not as hard or as awful as everyone says it is. A few others with twins have said it won't be as bad as I'm thinking, and that it will get better, but at that moment if finally clicked. Having her tell me that seemed to lift a huge weight, and made me realize that this is going to be all mental - if we think we can, we can! I've ran two marathons and like 8 half marathons, and those are all about mental toughness. I have a feeling having twins is going to be the same.
Looking forward to:  Next week's doctor appointment to confirm gender! The best twin pregnancy bonus is the monthly ultrasound. Seeing them makes it more real and more exciting.