26 weeks with numero 4

At 26 weeks I'm beginning to feel the feels of pregnancy. Harder for me to get off the couch, must use a body pillows to sleep with, not really into jumping on the tramp with Maxson. Maxson really wanted to race the other day at the park back to the car after saying no a few times and him begging a few times, I gave in and we raced, he definitely won and I was definitely trying.

I feel like this boy moves A LOT. I probably just don't have a great memory of the twins movement , I know it was a lot but that's what I expected, there were two in my belly there should be a ton of action. But this one is constant and everywhere. I've never had one so low at times nor so high either. I get contractions a lot. I don't know if it's more than my other pregnancies or the fact that I actually realize what contractions are this time around (rock hard belly). 

Maxson feels the baby kick a lot it's really sweet. 

and for fun here I am with the twins at 25/26/27 weeks, whewie! I definitely was  A LOT bigger with twins, lol, that makes me feel good. And here I am at 26 weeks with Maxson

Progression of the twin bump.

 Amazing news, I finished our 2014 family photo album! Wahoo! It's been 2 months shy of being done for almost 4 months now so it was high time I got my bum in gear. I made a comparison of my pregnancy pictures in it that I thought would be fun to share here too. Being this huge feels like yesterday even though it was 7(!) months ago, ha. It is something I will never forget. So do enjoy my giganticness and feel free to compare your pregnant self to me and feel way good about yourself ;)

That last month was so hard to find clothing to fit over my stomach. Casey's shirts didn't really fit me anymore except for like 2, and even then I would have liked more room in them. I am so proud of what my body did and still amazed how God created it to do such amazing things. The trust He has in us women!

Click here for the same comparison pictures when I was pregnant with Maxson

And another fun series we did. Slowly but surely my toes seem to disappear! That belly was HUGE!

The end of an era aka the end of pregnancy with twins!

36 weeks 

The night before I was induced was a happy one, I knew I was so so close to being done with this pregnancy so I needed to enjoy it. We spent some of the night outside with friends watching them carve pumpkins, drinking spooky punch, discussing the impending change!

 Last family picture of 3!

 Violet, Kylie, Zach

 Jared, Julie, Grace, Katie

 Myself and Katie

35 weeks and still pregnant!

Shocking. I'm truly surprised my body hasn't been like "Ok, this is getting ridiculous, let's shut this down" because that's kinda where I am mentally.

We had a few hours in the hospital last week.

We had a few hours of real contractions going on.

We got pedicures.

But we've gotten those babies to stay in!

I've decided it would be most comfortable to have a heating pad on my back and an ice pack on my belly at all times. Those two combos would feel great.

We had to turn the heater on the other night to keep Maxson and his room warm enough. In our room we had the fan blowing straight on me all night, the heating vent closed as much as possible, Casey huddled under the large comforter and myself sleeping without even the sheets atop me. Seriously I'm always HOTT.

Bed rest has begun. I can tell how it's actually already helped my body surprisingly. My body isn't physically as tired each night, my back doesn't KILL, I have less contractions, bed rest works my friends.

You guys, this picture is ridiculous. I remember feeling SO LARGE and uncomfortable in this first picture while pregnant with Maxson. I look at that belly and think "Holy crap, I was so small!!!" ha what a difference!

and a funny picture of Maxson :)

In Denial

SOOOOOOOOOOOOO,

We had a doctor's appt on Thursday. Did the ultrasound first and everything looked great. Baby A was head down and Baby B was slightly transverse but easily favorable to become head down. Everything looked great on me and them. The doctor (not my normal Dr, she's out of town) came in and we chatted about delivery and options and things to watch out for all was well. Since I did actually call her Tuesday night (I was consistently having painful contractions for 2 hours about 6 minutes apart, it seemed kinda real at the time- we waited it out and they went away) she checked to see if/how far I was dilated. I was/am at a 3. So she was just sure I'd come into the hospital that weekend while she was on call ha. I reassured her I wouldn't and would be keeping these babies in a tad longer.

The sonographer and doctor left and the nurse came into do my blood pressure. She didn't say anything and began walking out of the room after taking my blood pressure. I immediately asked her what it was (I do that to every nurse because no on tells me what it is themselves and that was the reason they induced me with Maxson) she said some crazy high number like 150/90 something in those number ranges I believe (140/90 is the cut off for "healthy")

I was stunned.

WHAT?

No.

Last week was 110/60 or 70 something. Why in the heck would it just spike. I was sure she needed to check it again.

She didn't (she's not my favorite nurse). I laid down and a couple minutes later the doctor came in to double check it. It was a tad lower but still high. So she said off to the hospital you go to get monitored. She said often times the blood pressure goes down and people get to go home and I was right along side her saying heck ya I'm gonna go home, there's no way I'm having these babies already!

Thinking about it now I did begin swelling up a little/retaining water around Tuesday so I shouldn't have been surprised my blood pressure was…but I still was.

So to the hospital we went. Casey had to cancel his afternoon dental patient (it would be his first root canal! darn, ha). My lovely friends bounced Maxson around between them. And for the next 4 or so hours we hung out in the hospital. They did blood samples (all came back perfectly normal), urine sample (A-OK) and blood pressure checks every 15 minutes. Those hospital grade blood pressure monitors are of the DEVIL. They squeeze the living daylights out of your arm and I literally feel like I am getting my arm cut off!!!!! I think that thing makes my blood pressure higher, I did have to take my ring off that hand.

Casey was beginning to mentally except that we could be having the babies today/tomorrow. But I just kept thinking and saying "No. There is no way we're having them today. It's too early. My doctor is not here. I am not going to have them today. We are going home." I was so surprised he was ok with having them already, ha. On the other hand I think it was just a couple days prior that I said out loud to Casey "I think it would be easier to have them out now and not be pregnant and deal with the NICU than continue like this" but now that I was actually in the situation of it maybe  happening I was like HECK NO!!!!!!!!

Well we were lucky enough to have one of the absolute coolest nurses around. Jaime. We absolutely loved her guts, she was funny and easy going and straight forward and a teensy bit sarcastic. We were just so happy to have her. She assured me she'd get my blood pressure down so I could go home. And she was right!

After a few hours of monitoring and a second opinion from the perinatal specialist, I was released to go home. My blood pressure never went back down to "normal" it kinda stayed in the higher range but it was right there under the cut off so I was good to go!

I was so so so very happy.

So I've been sent home on modified bed rest meaning I can still function and do things as needed (bathroom/food) but if at all possible stay sitting and lay low. I also interpret that as if there's book club, a baby shower etc to go to I can do that since I'll be sitting the whole time anyways, ha.

I just want to make it a little longer, I want to get past the NICU and have them come out as big and healthy as possible (they were measuring around 5#11oz and 5#12oz on Thursday, good boys! [I also can't believe there's almost 12 pounds of baby inside me already, ha]) and come home with me and stay in our hospital room and have a good beginning nursing experience. All hopes, I know, but I am definitely hoping badly for all good things with these twins.

Pictures of the days activity (ya know, in case it really WAS the day)

a. A very unflattering phone picture of my belly size

b. Anti-climatically waiting for the nurse to come take us to our room. It took forever

 a. Casey left for awhile to go visit Maxson and get my hospital bag and I was so borrrrrrred

b. Casey and Maxson's lunch at home

 Maxson wasn't going down for a nap so Casey brought him to come visit because we thought we were going home soon (I don't think I actually went home for at least another hour or more). The 30 minutes Maxson hung out with me was fun and at the same time exhausting on Casey's end because Max wanted to touch EVERYTHING. SO they went home pretty soon after arriving where Max fell asleep in the car. And then as soon as Casey put him down they said they were discharging me and Casey had to immediately come back.

 View from our room. Fall is here in Lincoln and so beautiful.

 Once home this was how I began my bed rest. Pushing Maxson on the swing while I sat in my chair. 

Friends have been so incredible in response to my bed rest, I am completely humbled by their generosity. Offering to bring in meals, come help with Maxson, help clean. They've just been so great. The past few weeks people have been offering to help with Maxson but I've kind of turned it down knowing there might be a chance in the near future I'd truly need their help because of early delivery of the babies or bed rest. So now that I truly need their help I'm so incredibly grateful for it. How lucky I am to be blessed with wonderful friends and neighbors (and a child who willing and excitedly goes to anyone's house).

Of course I'd like to make it as long as possible with these babies in, 37 weeks would be ideal since that's "full term" of a singleton baby but just 36 would be great (which is Wednesday), and beyond that I'd just really like my doctor there which is Monday. We shall see what happens!!!!!!

Pregnancy is getting…harder.

So here I am, THIRTY FOUR WEEKS! As I've said before, every week is a huge accomplishment and I'm so happy to have made it this far! Nothing new really, both boys were head down at my doctor's appt this week, yay!Hopefully they stay that way, but there's still a huge pocket of fluid in there that gives them lots of space to move around in aka flip directions in, boo. My doctor is out of town until the 20th, so let's cross our fingers they don't come while she's gone!

Here's baby A, we got some really great views of his face during the ultrasound this week, haven't seen either of their faces in a long time so it was really fun. He kept sticking his tongue in and out trying to lick and suck on his fist, so cute! I can't believe how much they can do in there! Also, Casey and I both agreed his lips look really big, we shall see if that's the case in person! So here he is with his tongue sticking out. Also that line to the right of his face is the sac that separates him and Baby B

Some days are easier than others, I try to sit a lot. But just because I try doesn't  mean it necessarily happens, the show must go on. Maxson needs to be cared for, food needs to be made, the house needs to be cleaned. I can't just stop (even though making it stop would definitely make this pregnancy easier, ha). I'm just chugging. Here's 34 weeks!

Here was a post I was going to post last week for 33 weeks but never got around to it, ha. This was definitely one of my not as good days… I laugh while reading how pathetic I sound but also know it's the cold hard truth and days like this will (sadly) still pop up over the next month.

***

33 weeks.
I am the point where I want to be physically and emotionally done (most of the time.)

It's so hard to get up from any position, sitting, laying, leaning, whatever it is, it's really hard.

My legs are starting to feel like little sausages when they're bent. I still am sitting on the ground a lot if it's (trying) to play with Maxson, picking up toys, organizing something in my house, working on some last minute to-do craft project, taking a bath, etc. It' just getting really uncomfortable and too tight when I'm bent, plus there's no room for belly when I'm down there.

My back kills. My back brace is only kind of working, it usually just always hurts.

Sleeping has begun to get awful. Switching sides in the middle of the night is like rolling over with 50 pounds of dead weight hanging off your belly, I dread it. You guys, it's hard. I get up 2-3 times a night to go to the bathroom. Any position borderline hurts and I barely get any sleep it feels like so therefore I'm tired all day long. Part of me wants to sleep on the couch because I would then have a back support and I could use a pillow for my front support but the thought of sleeping on a couch sounds like it would hurt more and then I wouldn't be sleeping by Casey which would make me sad.

Some people look at me and say "I just don't know how you can stretch anymore." Sometimes I agree with that, and other times I'm like "I can get way bigger are you kidding me." But then again, I know that getting bigger is just going to hurt more :(

Housework is overwhelming. My house gets messy SO fast for so many reasons but I can't keep up with the mess as it comes. So it gets really bad and then I somehow find energy to clean it or a portion of it up which literally gets me out of breath. I sit down and can't do anything for the next hour it seems like and within that hour it all returns. Messiness isn't so bad but dirtiness must be dealt with: floors dishes, spills. It just kills me. Casey has really stepped into help a ton but since he also has to help way more with Maxson and has lots of studying to do, it's all really taking a toll on him too.

I am getting so slow. It makes me sad that I can't play with Max the way I used to, or push him on his bike, or run after and play with him. I just don't feel like my body right now and I waddle so slowly after Max unable to catch him. I'm just ready to be "young" again.

To be completely honest (and probably totally childish)  I'll look at Casey in an extreme moment of pain with tears beginning to well up and say "Casey, being pregnant is just getting so hard, I don't know how much longer I can do this"

I'm just huge.

I'm achy/in pain most of the time.

I'm grateful I am still pregnant with these twins.

I'm grateful I'm pregnant with twins at all.

I'd rather be pregnant and still achy like this than have them in the NICU but that doesn't physically make it easier.

Mentally I'm wearing down.

I'm hoping these next 4 1/2 weeks go by in a flurry.

I'm at the point where I think it will be easier to take care of two more babies outside my body with Maxson around than to continue like this.

Send good thoughts my way.

***

Ha, see like I said, a little pathetic sounding, but really it's the truth. Here's to 3 1/2 weeks left!!!!!!

Here's some silly pictures I've asked Casey to take recently to remind me of how difficult things have been. Doing dishes is hard because my belly doesn't allow me to get close to the sink so I either have to hunch over and work or turn sideways and work, neither are comfortable. Also, I SQUISH Maxson in the rocking chair when reading him books and singing songs before naps/bedtime. Sometimes he says "owie" if he's too squished, ha. (ps-that is not my belly hanging out, it is a stretchy wrap I wear under shirts because NOT A SINGLE SHIRT will cover my belly these days. Cue tears. Also my legs look huge in this picture, I don't think they normally look like that…this could have been a more strenuous day of too much activity, who knows…)

picturas de iFono

a. Some couples eat ice cream together at night, we eat chocolate cereal. Usually always cocoa pebbles, but on this occasion casey bought the chocolate  marshmallow matey's for himself.

b. Waking up from naps with books in hand

c. Gearing up for the ice bucket challenge. 

d. Park play.

a.-c. Children's Museum

d. Having a blast at Toys r Us

 a.-b. We found this bounce house at a garage sale for $50 and couldn't resist. Maxson has a BLAST on it as well as all the neighborhood kids. $50 well spent in our books

c. Child locks = parenting VICTORY

d. Table playing

 a.-b. Switched off temple sessions while watching Maxson at the Winter Quarter's temple.

c. Toddler bed completely FINISHED with all my wanted little details.

d. Playing ring around the rosie in the empty pool.

 a. Labor Day BBQ with friends, Casey played with the kids the whole time

b. SWIMMING! It was finally hot enough when we got back from our summer trips, we were very happy!

c. Lucky Casey always gets the rare occasions for Maxson to fall asleep on him.

d. Celebrating our little friend's birthday while playing with his new toys, ha.

 a.-d. Daddy came to the Children's Museum with us! (And pushed just as many buttons as Max did) They had a blast together (while I tried to sit a lot and watch)

 a. King of the bed.

b. Tractor watching.

c. tip: I don't make very many freezer meals but when I do, I line the bottom with tin foil so once it's frozen I can take the pan away and keep using my dish again.

d. mess maker (eggs)

 a. Baby boy bow ties!

b. Family guacamole party

c. Maxson is always very interested in my sewing

d. Trying to reach far lost toys

 a. More tractors, he LOVES watching these tractors. Sadly, they're not working by our house anymore

b.-c. Hot cocoa sharing

d. This cartoon has stayed up somewhere in all of our homes since 2010. Usually in the kitchen

 a.-d. We got to go to the Omaha zoo with our friends a couple weeks ago. It was so very fun! We nay saw a few exhibits because I can't last very long walking and little children's attention spans can't last long either. 

 a.-b. enchanted by the monkeys

d. Max took a 40 minute nap on the way home from the zoo and was wide awake but the time we got back. I on the other hand was DOG TIRED exhausted and dying for a nap. Frozen kept his attention for 15 minutes, enough time for me to at least get a quick power nap.

 a. Frozen peas for lunch

b. Proud momma to see this, HE finally put all the ducks in the pond himself!

c. Dental BBQ (annual lamb roast) that I didn't get to go to because I was sick.

d. The view of watching him struggle carrying the watering can to the garden will only be lasting a little bit longer sadly. It's so stinking cute though

 a. My to-do list is slowly disappearing, YAY!

b. September is/was busy for us. This probably doesn't look very busy compared to other families but for this family 3 and a very pregnant momma we've been ultra busy.

c. Lincoln biker gang

d. The Halloween aisle captivates Maxson

 a. He lugs the milk into the house torus after grocery shopping and it's hilarious.

b. I'm starting to eat A LOT of food these days. 2 sandwiches please.

c. Insisting he sit at the table to eat a meal for the second time in a row

d. one of the babies crawled under the car and ALL the children were very eager to watch.

 My pregnant belly table.

family pictures 2014

Hiring out family pictures this year just didn't really work for us. But that was not going to stop me from getting something this fall. Sporadically last Saturday I told Casey, ok, hurry and get ready, we're going to to go take pictures! I was already in this dress and my hair had been done earlier in the day, it didn't look like it much anymore but I didn't care too much. I told what to go dress Maxson in and then I said to Casey "Ok, now go wear something that would look good with us." He amazed me and put himself together in a jiffy and we tromped out to the area! You see, family pictures don't have to be too stressful!

Casey has become such a gem when it comes time for pictures, I swear  he never complains, he totally knows exactly what I want from him in pictures, he's not shy in front of the camera, he plays with Max, he gives me different facial expressions, he's not always looking straight at the camera, he interacts with me and Max, he's just so great, I got a good one to be a photographer's husband.

Although these are blurry I like that because it reminds me of how much Max is constantly on the MOVE. Jumping or running, it never ends,

I love Casey's playful smile right here.

FYI- if you're wondering how we did these, for the ones with just myself or Max and myself I explicitly told Casey how I wanted photos: what I wanted the focus to be on, how to frame it, to give me options of being in the middle, on the side, cut off, zoom in/out/both he'd take about 15-20, I'd look through them and critique them if they weren't quite what I wanted and then we'd keep going and he'd keep being my photographer without a single complaint, oh man he was great. 

The ones of just him and Max, well those are easy, they just be themselves and I capture it while guiding Casey to turn this way or that for me to get a better picture, sometimes I give them prompts or suggestions but mostly that's just them. Between all these when Maxson wasn't cooperating is actually when we took his individual pictures surprisingly. He'd either be running around himself, me shooting away, being chased by Casey which made him so happy, or we'd convince him to sit or stand somewhere and Casey would stand behind me and do goofy things to get him to smile and laugh, and then he'd get up after about 10 pictures and start running around again. We were constantly changing up what we did to keep him entertained and occupied. 

For the ones of the 3 of us, I used my tripod and used the self timer to take 10 pictures at a time, try to frame it the best I could thinking of how I'd get in there, and just run in. The strange object (tripod) with the camera on it kept Maxson's attention enough for some of the pictures, we just made it work! I probably did that 5-6 times or so, all I was looking for was really 1-2 good ones and it worked! Yay for capturing pictures of our family of 3+2 on the way!