So long 2012...Hello 2013!

December turned out to be a pretty great month. What a great way to end 2012...a year that proved to be pretty awesome. In 2012 I got pregnant, moved back home to Texas, gave birth to the most amazing boys ever and made several really great new friends. I'm excited to see what 2013 brings!

The boys are three months now and oh so cute! They are finally turning into tiny lil people. This months accomplishments include finding their hands and laughing. They seem to really LOVE their hands...they are always in their mouth! The laughing is the best accomplishment since their birth. Hearing their sweet lil sounds brings me such delight. There really is nothing better than a baby laughing.



Christian

Caleb

This was the boys 1st Christmas and it was pretty fun. We decided to send out Birth Announcements/Christmas Cards. We posed the boys in a giant Christmas Gift in front of the tree. I'm surprised I was able to get a few good shots as neither of the boys were happy about being placed in a box. The cards turned out really cute...It's exciting to know that each year now I can send out a family Christmas Card.


Christian

Caleb

At this point the boys were pretty much done with being in a box LOL!

The boys have their 4 month check up in a few weeks and I cannot wait to see how much they weigh. They are eating so much these days and growing so freakin' fast. It's been fun to see each lil accomplishment as they come. I cannot even imagine the day when they will be walking and talking. 

Two Months!

The boys had their two month check up today and they did awesome! Christian is 12 lbs 11 oz & 23 inches long. Caleb is 13 lbs 3 oz & 23 inches as well. Who knew that lil baby Caleb would out grow his big brother! Along with getting their measurements they got their vaccinations. I was anxious to see how they would react but they both did great! Just a lil cry and it didn't last long. So proud of them! It was great to hear that I have two very healthy growing boys.

Eric and I continue to be VERY sleep deprived. The boys still wake about 3 times a night to eat. The only saving grace is that Eric is still at home on leave. We have implemented a new plan where we rotate who gets to "sleep in" each morning. I swear that's the only reason we are surviving. I have no idea what we are going to do once he goes back to work and neither of us get to "sleep in". Lord help us!

The boys still sleep together in the pack-n-play that's in our room. I have a feeling this will not last too much longer as they are practically sleeping on top of each other. I think we have decided that on Thanksgiving night we are going to make the transition from pack-n-play to big boy crib in the nursery. I'm a little bit nervous about this but have heard that it helps the boys to sleep longer and helps me to sleep better as well.

Sleepin' in the pack-n-play

The coolest thing about two months is that the boys SMILED for the first time! These were no gas bubble smiles, they were real smiles of joy. I was actually able to catch it on camera...melted my heart. I'm in love :)

Caleb

Christian

 

Picture Perfect, Famous Babies

The boys are one month old today! I cannot believe one month has come and gone. That went by FAST!

In their first month the boys didn't do too much, just the usual eat, sleep and poop. One special thing they did do was to have their very first professional photo shoot. One of the moms in my AMAMOM (Allen/McKinney Area Mom's of Multiples) Group emailed to say that a photographer new to the area was looking to do a photo shoot of newborn twin boys for an upcoming expo she was going to be in. She was offering a free photo shoot along with a $50 print credit if allowed to promote her business and pictures at the expo. So...since I was the first of new moms to have twin boys she was given my name. Becky came over to shoot the boys and it was so much fun! She put them in little baskets, cute hats and in blankets. I was amazed at how she knew exactly what to do to keep them asleep so she could mold them into perfectly cute positions. I, no doubt, will have the cutest boys showing at this expo.

My Sweet Sweet Boys

Christian Robert

Caleb David

Other than their first photo shoot not much has happened. They had their two week check up, (which they rocked!) I had my 34th birthday and was able to have a date night with my hubby. I'd say we are still walking zombies and it seems that now we only know how to talk about the babies. What did we ever talk about before they came? LOL!

Welcome Home Christian & Caleb!!!

I would like to officially introduce you to Christian and Caleb!. They were born Sept. 10th, 2012 at 8:50 & 8:51 am. Christian at 6.3 lbs and Caleb at 5.13 lbs. So much has happen since their birth 2 weeks ago, so I will start from the beginning and try not to leave anything out.


Our First Family Photo :)

Eric and I showed up to the hospital at 6 am ready to have some babies. We filled out a lot of paperwork, were admitted and then I was hooked up to a ton of different monitors. Then the waiting began. At 7:00 the nurse came in and said that my C-Section was going to be delayed a little bit because my Dr. had been called into an emergency C-Section. I was a little annoyed but then realized had I been that mom needing that emergency surgery I would want my Dr. there asap. So, we waited a little longer. As I waited I started to get really nervous. Not really about the epidural or surgery but about becoming a mom. Would I know what to do once they were here? Would I be a good mom? You know...the things most first time moms freak out about. Anyway....At 8:00 they came to get us and it was show time! I was taken back to the operating room where they gave me a spinal block and epidural. The great thing about this hospital is that they allow husbands to be there with their wives as they get it. I wasn't too nervous about it hurting, but was happy to have Eric there to hold my hand. The procedure was a piece of cake, the only thing that really hurt was the numbing medication, it was a bee sting followed by a slight burning sensation. The weirdest part was how FAST the medication worked. The nurses had to help me lay back and had to put my legs up on the table for me. It was so strange to see my torso yet feel absolutely nothing...and to have no control over that portion of my body. Once I was laying down and in position, a draped was placed between my chest and the rest of my body. Eric sat on my left and the anesthesiologist to my right. He explained that if I felt uncomfortable or felt anything kinda weird to let him know and he could help. I laid there for a few minutes when all of a sudden the most horrific smell came over me. I looked at Eric and asked if they had started and what the horrible smell was. The anesthesiologist told me they had indeed started and that the babies would be here shortly. I guess the smell was a little more overwhelming as I thought and he kindly gave me something to help with the nausea. Shortly after that I felt as if I were getting a massive headache, so I turned to Eric and told him. The anesthesiologist then again walked over to my IV and gave me some meds for that. I'd have to say I love that anesthesiologist, he saved me from having a horrible experience. The next thing I know, Eric is jumping up with the camera and I'm hearing baby cries. First one cry then two. I remember being in total shock. I couldn't believe I had actually made it through a pregnancy and through my delivery and that the boys were here. I know I started to cry a bit and then I realized I was laying there all alone. I thought...what the heck?! I do all the work and then I'm left here alone? I think I even called out hello because the sweet anesthesiologist said "Don't worry, I'm right here and they are almost done." Eric came over to kiss me and tell me how much he loved me...then he showed me the two most beautifully perfect boys I have ever seen. It was definitely love at first sight. Dang...I'm crying now as I right this. Darn you hormones! lol


Cuddle time with Christian



Cuddle time with Caleb

The rest seems like a bit of a blur. I was taken to recovery with the boys and was able to hold each of them before the nurses came to take them for their first bath and clean up. Then...things seem to get a little more serious from there. My mother came to tell me that Caleb had started having trouble breathing and that they had taken him to the NICU for some tests. He remained there for the next week. It was awful! They didn't know what exactly was wrong with him and seeing him hooked to all of those machines killed me. The only thing that got me through that week in the hospital was that I had Christian to care for. He was the perfect distraction. I do not know how mothers deal with having a baby in the NICU while sitting in an empty hospital room. End the end Caleb was found to have pneumonia and after a week was able to come home. We welcomed them both home on September 17th. It was the best day.

Baby Boys coming home...TOGETHER!

My mom has been staying with us and I think that the three of us, Eric, my mother and I are a bit like zombies. Breast feeding every three hours, pumping, changing diapers, putting down to sleep and repeat. I don't exactly know how much sleep I'm getting and i'm actually quite surprised I was able to write such a lengthy post. I'll try to keep up the writing but Im sure that these boys will keep me a bit occupied :)

False Alarm

37 Weeks...Woah Momma!

I had a bit of a false alarm today....my second one actually. The Braxton Hicks were so strong and kinda close together that I thought it was time. I just got home from the hospital where I was told that I'm not in labor and that everything is just fine. You would think I would be happy with such a great report...I am, but I'm also SO READY for these stinking babies to come out! I have never been so uncomfortable in my entire life! I'm now 37 weeks pregnant and it doesn't look like these boys want to join us anytime soon. I've been in tears a few times at the thought of having to continue on like this. So...I called my Dr. and scheduled a c-section. That's the only way I know for sure that they will come and this will be over. I think it's a better birth plan for me as well...The thought of having to push two 6 pound babies out of my who-ha does NOT sound appealing.

Christian Robert & Caleb David will be joining our family on September 10th, 2012. My C-Section is scheduled for 7:30 am. We have been told to arrive at the hospital at 6 am so that we can fill out paperwork and I can be admitted. I feel such relief knowing that this pregnancy journey is almost coming to an end and that a new one is about to start. I cannot believe in a week I will be meeting my boys. I cannot wait to see what they look like and to kiss their lil faces. I'm actually not even nervous about the delivery. I think because I've had surgeries before and have been in and out of hospitals I feel a sense of peace. Thank the Lord for that! Anyway...The next time I write I will officially be a mommie! WOOOHOOOOO!!!!!

Third Trimester, Baby Showers and...Bed Rest

It's definitely like people say...the third trimester stinks! Along with being large and feeling like a whale a whole new set of pregnancy symptoms have arrived. Sleep is a thing of the past...I get up pretty much every hour to pee and even if I didn't, I'd wake up because laying down is so uncomfortable. My awesome preggy pillow helped for awhile but now nothing seems to help. Another awesome symptom is heartburn. I've never experienced heartburn until now and HOLY COW it hurts...it use to just happen at night but lately it happens all darn day, no matter what I eat! Tums have become my best friend. I also have had very dry flat hair and gross pimply skin...have I returned to Jr. High? Whoever said that pregnancy brings beautiful glowing skin and thick luscious hair lied. HA! I'd have to say the worst of my symptoms is the itching....no one told me about this lil issue. Every afternoon I begin to itch all over my body...its horrible and nothing seems to help. I've taken benadryl, oatmeal baths, rubbed lotion all over my body and nothing helps. I want to crawl out of my skin! I cannot wait for this issue to go away...according to my doctor it probably won't until after the pregnancy, lovely.  As for other symptoms, there is extremely dry skin, gas, swollen hands and feet, night sweats and extreme fatigue. I just cannot for the life of me understand why some women love being pregnant...it's not really that much fun.

Aside from all of the awful symptoms, there are some pretty great things about being pregnant. First, is being able to feel my lil boys kicking and moving all around. It's so amazing to think that in another month I will get to meet my boys. Some days it doesn't even seem real. Another great thing is that people, even strangers, are so nice! I went to the DMV a few weeks ago to get my Texas drivers license. There was a huge line outside and I was dreading having to stand in the heat. The good news is that I didn't have to thanks to this nice man who let me have his place in line and seat inside! If I weren't pregnant I know that would not have happened. I have also loved my baby showers. Yes getting baby gifts is a great thing, especially when expecting twins and needing two of everything. But the best part about them is to see how very loved I am and how lucky I am to have such great friends and family. I had two amazing showers...one was a Thing One & Thing Two themed shower. It was the cutest!! I'd have to say I have some pretty creative friends. Such great memories came from these showers and my boys will now have everything they need once they come into this world.

My Beautiful Hosts

I'm currently 34 weeks pregnant and am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my boys. I've heard that most twins arrive early and I'm kinda hoping my boys do as well. Although not too early because I of course want them to be healthy. I've been having Braxton Hicks contractions for awhile now and boy do some of them hurt. Some hurt so bad that I start to time the frequency and duration. I can't imagine how labor will feel if these braxton hicks hurt like they do. Yikes! I'm a little nervous about delivery. I had an appt with my OBGYN last week and I'm still on for a natural delivery at this point. (Natural with drugs that is) She said that the boys are still both head down and look great. She said I was doing well but that I need to go on bed rest. I was a little shocked by this because my blood pressure has been great and I've really been taking it easy. I guess I've dilated a little and am 50% effaced. I'm just thankful that I've had my baby showers and that we finished our childbirth class. Those were the two things I did NOT want to miss. I guess now it's all just a waiting game...tick tock, tick tock...

2nd Trimester

Today I'm 23 weeks pregnant! My second trimester has brought me a TON of relief. I am no longer naseaus (not that I had a ton of that), I no longer feel fat and bloated and for the first time in awhile feel really GOOD. I'm also far enough along that there is no doubt I'm pregnant...I'm passed the awkward pregnancy phase. WOO HOO! I actually bought some maternity clothes the other day...I tried to hold out as long as I could but when I could no longer fit into my shirts or zip my pants I knew it was time. :)

Eric and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary in Napa/Sonoma and San Francisco for Emily and Jason's wedding. It was the perfect place to celebrate...minus the fact that I was in Napa and unable to drink some fabulous wine. I was a little worried that I would get to the wedding and be unable to fit in my bridesmaid dress thanks to my ever growing belly. BUT....thank the Lord I fit into it just fine. I will say that it was a bit tight and if the wedding had been a week later I would NOT have been able to wear it. Funny how things work at the perfect timing. Emily and Jason's wedding was so beautiful and I am so happy that I was able to be part of their big day. San Francisco was pretty fun too...We saw the golden gate bridge, Alcatraz and ate at some pretty great places. The only downfall was that it was FREEZING! Oh...and having to walk everywhere while pregnant was a bit of a pain in the butt. I'm glad were able to visit the city but It's safe to say we probably won't be making it back there anytime soon. Just too cold!

While we were in Cali I seemed to grow over night...each morning Eric and I would wake up and think..."holy cow, my belly is huge!" Its pretty exciting to think that you boys are growing so fast...before we know it you will be here! I cannot wait for that day. In the meantime, I will enjoy my second trimester and the "break" from pregnancy it gives me :)

At the wedding

Eric and I with the newlyweds

23 Weeks!



Boy, OH BOY!

I'm 16 weeks pregnant and finally starting to show. While this is exciting, I've also realized it's not such a good thing. I've grown just enough so that my clothes are too tight, but I've not grown enough to fit into maternity clothes. So...the result is that I just look bloated...or pudgy in the belly. NOT cute. I call this the awkward pregnancy phase....I'm not a fan.

My appetite has returned and I've been feeling pretty good. I'm not so tired anymore either...thank goodness! The only bad symptom I've been having is pretty gross....well maybe not gross but definitely not fun. Can you say...constipation? UGH. The good news is that a few of my friends who have recently had babies gave me tips on how to get rid of this annoying lil problem. Let's hope they work...and soon!

Ok...so it’s time for the really important news. I had my first Dr. appt here in Texas today. I was told that by 16 weeks they might be able to tell the gender of our babies. So, naturally when I arrived I asked if they could please tell us what we were having. The ultrasound tech seemed pretty sure that it was too early to tell the sex of the babies but none the less said she would let us know if she saw anything. About 10 minutes into the ultrasound Baby A decided he wanted to let us know just exactly what HE was...a baby BOY! There was definitely no questioning that he was indeed a boy. After another 10 minutes or so the technician told us that she didn't think we would be able to find out the sex of the other baby. She just wasn't able to get a good view of that area. Well...as soon as those words came out of her mouth, Baby B decided that HE also wanted to show us exactly what HE was...a baby BOY!

I think we were both in a bit of shock...we had both been so certain that we were having one boy and one girl. But TWO boys? OOOOOOOH Boy. I'm a little bit nervous and a lot freaked out! Eric's first comment was "oh geez, now I'm going to have to buy double the sports equipment." LOL!! I'm glad he doesn't seem too freaked out. :)

BOY OH BOY!!!!!

 

1st OB/GYN Appt

I had my first OB/GYN appt today. While it was sad to say good-bye to Dr. Rychlik and all of the wonderful staff at The Fertility Center of AZ, I am excited to be starting this next chapter in my pregnancy.
I'd have to say that so far I've had a pretty easy pregnancy and a pretty good first trimester. As far as symptoms go, I've had some mild nausea and have been extremely exhausted. I've been exhausted before but this is completely different...It's as if I've been hit by a truck! I get to a point that if I don't lie down and sleep at that very moment, I might just pass out...or throw up. So needless to say I’ve been taking A LOT of naps. I haven't had much of an appetite either. Most food sounds gross to me. I have had a few cravings, but nothing that’s too strange. Orange Juice, Mac-n-Cheese and for one week I pretty much ate McDonalds every day. I've definitely lost weight which had me a little worried but when I met with the Dr. today she didn't seem too concerned.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from my first OB/GYN appt. I knew they would do a sonogram, get my medical history and talk to me about pregnancy and all the good stuff that comes from that...but what I didn't know was how absolutely cool it would be to see my babies and have them actually LOOK like babies. Because I'm not yet showing and because I haven't really had any major pregnancy symptoms I tend to forget that I’m pregnant. I just don’t FEEL pregnant yet. So, each appt is a reminder that I am in fact pregnant and that we really are going to have twins. The appt went well and the Dr. said that the boys and I are perfectly healthy. Such great news!


Baby A

Baby B

In other non-baby news...Eric and I are up to our ears in boxes! The house is a wreck...half of the house is packed up and the other half...not so much. I never realized how much STUFF we owned. Shannon and Melissa are coming into town next week to help us pack up, and then my parents are coming the week after that. It’s all a bit overwhelming but I know we will get it done. I actually still can't believe we are moving to Texas in 2 weeks! YIKES!







McKinney, Tx...Here we come!

I spent 3 days in Texas looking for a house. Going into it I was super excited...I've never looked at houses before and I thought it was something that would be a piece of cake. Boy was a wrong! I basically had 2 days to find a house so that Eric and I would have a place to live when move next month.

Day one started off really bad...the first 5 houses my parents and I looked at were awful! They were old, falling apart, dirty or very small. There was even one house that I wouldn't go into b/c it was so gross. At the end of the day, the very last house we saw was actually pretty cute. It wasn’t in the exact neighborhood I wanted to live in but it was nice. Big backyard, Open floor plan, 4 bedrooms and the previous owners took good care of it. So...thinking that this was as good as I was going to find, we put in an offer. Needless to say, someone else put in an offer that day as well and the seller wanted us to come back with our best offer. Eric and I counter offered with a price that was over our original budget and then we waited. I went to bed that night feeling very unsettled. I wasn’t happy with the price we had offered, I didn't really love the area the house was in and I just didn’t have that feeling that this was our home. So....the next day I called our awesome realtor Wayne and asked if we could go back out.

Day two started off much better. All of the houses that we were looking at were in the neighborhood I had wanted to live in and they all seemed to be better taken care of. The 3rd house we pulled up too instantly gave me a good feeling. The neighborhood was nice, it was close to schools and the yard was very well taken care of. From the minute I walked through the front door I knew this house was ours. It was absolutely beautiful and I could picture raising a family there! What is more amazing is that it requires NO work on our part. The paint colors are the same colors we have in our Az home, the kitchen has been totally remodeled and they have hardwood floors on the bottom floor and carpet upstairs in the bedrooms. OH, and let’s not forget the backyard. It is so huge! You could seriously fit 2 pools in this backyard. I could tell the owners really loved their home and cared for it. I told Wayne to call and put in an offer and to forget the other house. This was our house and I just knew it was the one we would be moving into.

God is good and he DOES provide! We got the house and I cannot wait to move.

Double Trouble in...TEXAS?!

When I found out we were pregnant I knew my life would soon change...I  just had no idea just how much.

Today we had our first appt since finding out we were pregnant. I was excited to see our lil one and was told we would even be able to hear the heartbeat. What I wasn't expecting was to hear the word TWINS! I knew with IVF there was a chance we could end up with twins, and secretly Eric and I had hoped for that....but I never quite thought it would actually happen. How blessed we are to not only have IVF work on the first try, but to end up with 2 precious babies at the end of it all. God is too good!

In addition to finding out we were having twins...we also found out Eric is being transferred to Texas for his work. As I was laying on the table hearing the heartbeats of our 2 lil ones, the call came through. In the blink of an eye, we were having twins and moving to Texas in a month. HOLY COW!

Yeah....I'd say my life is about to change in a BIG way!



Thing One & Thing Two!

PREGNANT!!!

Today has been the longest and best day of my life! I absolutely cannot believe I am pregnant...I mean, I knew there was a possibility, doing IVF and all...but for some reason I guess I didn't expect it to work on the first try. I am in complete shock!

We had our appt this morning at 9:30...I gave blood and was told in just a few SHORT hours they would call with the news. The nurse, Jubilee, said they would call no later than 12:00. So, Eric and I went home to wait....and wait....and wait some more. 12:00 rolled around and no call. 1:00 came and still NO CALL! Were they purposefully trying to make me go insane? Finally at 2:00 I told Eric to call and find out what was going on. Voicemail. At that point I was so nervous and excited and freaked out that the only thing left to do was sleep until they called. Finally at 3:00 they called. I handed the phone to Eric and told him that he had to be the one to answer, I was just too nervous. As he listened to what Jubilee was saying he looked a lil confused...he handed the phone to me and said "I don't understand what she is saying" LOL!! So I took the phone from him. Jubilee asked me if I had been saving all of the paperwork they had been giving me throughout the IVF process and that I needed to keep on saving them b/c I would need them for a baby book. A BABY BOOK! I just started laughing and I kept asking her if I was REALLY pregnant. I cannot explain the joy Eric and I felt at that moment. This long HARD road of IVF was finally over and we were pregnant. GOD IS GOOD!!!

Waiting...

I just wanted to say that all this waiting to find out if I'm pregnant STINKS!!! I'm not the most patient person so this whole process has been extra hard. Maybe God is trying to teach me something...patience maybe? :)

I thought after I did the transfer I would be able to stop all of the meds, but I was wrong. I have to continue them up until they find out if Im pregnant or not. Sigh...

FET Day!

I woke up this morning excited, anxious, scared...and nervous. Today is the day of our embryo transfer! Could this be the day that we REALLY get pregnant??

Our appointment was at 11:45 this morning and I was so nervous...mostly because I didn't know what to expect. Unlike the egg retrieval, I was awake for this procedure. That freaked me out a bit...I mean, what if it hurt like the dickens?!  Good thing is that it didn't...phew!

Eric and I got dressed up in our hospital gowns, complete with lil booties and hats. We then went into the procedure room. The only uncomfortable thing about the whole procedure was that I had to have a full bladder...There was a TON of pressure and  I prayed the whole time that I wouldn't just pee right on the table...now THAT would have been embarrassing.  Right before they transferred the eggs, they brought me a picture of our little embryos...They are just the cutest lil embryos I've ever seen. The procedure lasted about 2 minutes and I was sent home to have "pelvic rest" for the rest of the day.

Eric and I before the Procedure...Looking pretty HOT!

Our cute lil Embryos

It's exciting to think that right now, my 2 little embryos are in there and growing. They might be growing into our future children. The next 2 weeks of waiting to take a pregnancy test is going to be awful! Its going to be the longest 2 weeks of my life. For now I will just pray that everything works out alright and that things "stick".