Surviving the first 2 Months

I've been trying to update this for a while now. Two days ago I got as far as the heading. Today, I'm hoping to complete this, or the two month update will never get done. I'm pretty sure I only have about 15 minutes before Maverick wakes up.

So we've survived the first two months. I won't sugar coat it, I'm glad those first 8 weeks are behind me. We're getting the hang of things finally, and I'm starting to learn their personalities. I finally know pretty much what I can expect from them. Maverick won't nap for more than 45 minutes in his crib, but he'll nap in the wrap on my chest for as long as I'm willing to hold him in it. Tucker will nap for a couple hours, it's great. At night however, Tucker is the first to get up and eat. Maverick will go 6 hours. Although, that's even starting to change. I'm not sure if I should thank my new Dohm sound machine or not, but they both slept about 5- 6 hours straight the past two nights. After dealing with Easton, who hated any form of sleep, I'm in heaven with 5+ hours of straight sleep.

They eat well, and are gaining good weight. At their two month check ups, Tucker was an even 10 pounds (he was 6lbs 4 oz a week after birth) and Maverick is 8lbs, 9oz (he was 4lbs 15oz at his lowest point!). My little Maverick is the size of many newborns at two months old, but he's a strong little stinker. He's already rolled belly-to-back a few times!

They are starting to love their play gym with toys hanging off of it. They both will bat at the toys and talk to them. They love when we make goofy faces or funny noises. It's pretty easy to get a smile from them now!

We have our fussy times (usually in the afternoon for a while, and then again before bed) but we've managed to figure out which baby likes what to calm them down. If I'm alone, it's much harder to keep them happy though!

I'm keeping my sanity for now. Easton is fully embracing the terrible twos. He loves to get into trouble when I'm nursing. Thank God for washable markers, because otherwise I'd have some nice green doodles all over my kitchen floor.  I try to give him the attention he needs, but it's really hard right now. He loves when Daddy comes home from work and can play with him.

Also, I am officially a STAY AT HOME MOM! I didn't think I could work full time with twins, and now I'm completely sure about that. It just wouldn't work. I'm soooo happy that I am able to be home with my boys!

I guess that's all I can think of to update with. I'll leave you with some pics of my sweet boys!

(Maverick on left, Tucker on right)

My handsome Maverick

My sweet Tucker

Seven Weeks Old

As of Wednesday, the twins are 7 weeks old! We're almost out of the newborn stage and we're starting to try and get into a routine. Let me tell ya, twins are hard. The first 4 or 5 weeks were kind of a nightmare, to put it lightly. I don't want to speak too soon, but I think we're headed out of the woods. From what I hear from other twin moms, we won't be out of the woods completely until they turn one, but I'm headed down the path out anyway. If I had just one more hand, I'd be golden. I can hold a baby in each arm and rock or bounce them, but an extra hand would be helpful when the binky falls out or when Easton needs something that just can't wait. I'm getting creative, though.

The boys are growing well and nursing is going great. I think once they hit a month old, it became much easier. They latched well, I learned to nurse more discreetly, and we figured out some different holds for nursing.  Despite some serious weight loss the first week, we never had to supplement which I'm really proud of! No, I'm not judging anyone who has to use formula, but I was aiming to exclusively breast feed and we're being successful! Next week is their 2 month physical already, I'm anxious to see how much they've grown! At their lowest weights, Maverick was just under 5 pounds and Tucker barely over 6. I am thrilled to now be seeing thighs and cheeks getting chubbier!

My help is all back to work so most days it's just me and the three boys. I've managed to figure out how to time things well in order to be able to get a shower in, or throw a load of laundry in. I've heard that twin moms learn how to be really efficient with their time and I'm starting to see why! The amount of cleaning I can get done in 10 minutes is growing every day. It helps that the boys are becoming more aware of their surroundings and more content to just look around. Big Brother Easton is great at entertaining them and giving them lots of almost-gentle kisses. 

I still cannot believe that I had twins! It's such a challenge but such a blessing. The boys are quickly stealing my heart! It takes time to bond with your newborn, and I think even more when there are two of them, but we're there! Maverick's little lips are the sweetest things and his grins make me melt. I could kiss Tucker's cheeks all day and I love how he relaxes and closes his eyes when I rub his forehead. Tucker just finally started smiling this past week and it is the most incredible smile! Ok, besides his two brothers' smiles...

Sleeping is getting better. Maverick is starting to sleep 5-6 hours at a time at night. Tuck, who I affectionately call Fat Boy, can't go much longer than 3-4 hours. I'm still getting some sleep though. They are good about going right back to sleep after their midnight snacks.

I intended to update this blog much more often, and hopefully that will happen the more I learn to juggle three boys. They grow so much, whether or not anyone reads these, I want to be able to look back and remember the little things! It's definitely already going so quickly.

Better get back to my boys! Enjoy the pics:

Tuck on left, Maverick on right

Mr. Maverick

Baby butts!

Introducing Maverick James and Tucker Curtis!

They are finally here! In fact, they are already a week old. My two precious boys made their entrance on their DUE DATE, which was August 12. Maverick was born at 6:40pm weighing 5 pounds, 9 ounces, and Tucker was born a minute later weighing 7 pounds, 8 ounces. Maverick was 18 inches long and Tucker was 20 inches long.

They are healthy and absolutely beautiful! We had a rough time getting them to come into the world but it all worked out. I will be writing out my birth story very soon... it's quite the story!

They boys are nursing well, gaining weight, and stealing hearts! I can't believe they are finally here, after waiting 40 whole weeks to meet them.

I'm recovering well, and enjoying watching my pregnancy weight fall off... I think I'm up to around 30 pounds down... in 8 DAYS! Not going to lie, I am thrilled to have normal sized ankles and hands again! But who cares about me, just look at these boys!

Maverick James

Tucker Curtis

They are so precious, and worth every minute of lost sleep! I am in love!

Pregnant Forever

It will be fun, they said. Twins come early, they said. You won't make it to your due date, they said. I'm calling bologna. 

In case you were wondering, yes, I am STILL pregnant. I am now 38 weeks, 5 days pregnant. I am literally 9 days from my due date, the one they told me I wouldn't make it to. APPARENTLY, when they told me twins come early, my body pulled a Barney Stinson and said, "Challenge accepted!"

Oh, and if you're thinking, "...but you must be getting close, probably having contractions all the time and you're probably already a few centimeters dilated" you are wrong.  Cervix is still closed and I haven't had any pain that I can surely say was a contraction. These babies have no interest in leaving their momma. 

I do have an end in sight, though. Next Monday, I will be induced if I have not gone into labor by then. The doctor is being really awesome and giving my body the most time to go into labor on my own, making my VBAC dreams still in reach. I really, really want to deliver naturally... which is the only reason I didn't strangle the doctor today and demand he get these babies outta me. Most docs won't even let twin moms get this far any more. Even if I have to be induced, I still can try to have them naturally, there are just some small risks that come with induction. 

Anyway, my boys will be here in 7 days, at the latest, and they will be in my arms finally! I had a non-stress test today and they are both doing wonderfully! I am very grateful for that. I'm so grateful for their health and my own health. I really have nothing to complain about. It has just been a long pregnancy... I'd like to sleep on my stomach again... I'd like to have my bladder capacity return to more than like 2 ounces of liquid... I'd like for my stretching belly to not itch like it's covered in poison ivy. Soon enough. 

I'm still holding out for the middle of the night "honey, it's time!" My family and I are praying that I will go into labor on my own this week. And if not, that will be fine too. These two little miracles will be worth the wait!

I will keep you all updated!

Almost 38 Week Update

Well, I'm 37 weeks, 5 days, and still pregnant! We're getting REALLY close!!

Today was the day I originally chose to have my babies (as if I have any control over it... hahaha). Since it's now 10pm and I haven't had any contractions today, it's safe to say July 27th will not be my twins' birthday. In fact, I'm starting to doubt that it will happen in July. 

I had an appointment this morning, and this was an exciting one. I was supposed to have an ultrasound and then a cervix check, and I'd leave knowing the how's and when's of labor. The ultrasound was first, and that went wonderfully. The babies are healthy as can be! Growing well, good fluid, good blood and oxygen getting to them. They measured 6 lbs, 4 oz (Baby A) and 6lbs, 10 oz (Baby B). Yes, that's approximately 13 pounds of baby in my belly right now. Yowza. We also confirmed that Baby A's head is down and in position for birth... what a wonderful thing to hear!! I will be able to try laboring with these babies and hopefully get my VBAC! Baby B is still breech, but he wouldn't be our kid if he wasn't stubborn. Besides, we have a plan in place with the doc for that birth anyway. 

So after the ultrasound, I got ready to see the doctor. I had my first ever cervical check... how exciting! Haha. My husband was like "They are going to do what? Wait, the guy doctor? While I'm in the room? How far does he...?" You get the idea. It actually helped me relax by watching and laughing at him squirm. I'm not sure what this guy thinks labor is going to be like but I'm pretty sure he will be uncomfortable for most of it. Anyway... the doc says I'm about 50% effaced but no dilation. Bummer. I was a little disappointed. I know, it can happen quickly and I could go from 0-10cm in a matter of hours. I was just hoping I could have some sort of proof that labor wasn't too far off. 

So now, we wait. I feel like I've been doing that a lot lately. But I have to wait some more. If I have not had these babies by Monday, I will have another appointment and will have to talk induction. I'd really love to avoid induction (since most options add some extra risk to the VBAC) so I'm going to spend the week praying, walking, squatting, whatever I can do to speed this along! Ultimately, if babies and I are healthy, I will be happy with whatever happens!

Keep me in your prayers!

Countdown is On...25 Days!

We're at 36 weeks, 3 days today. That's only 25 days from my due date... holy cow!! I can't believe we're finally at this point.

Not a whole lot of updates from the last appointment. Babies heart rates were good, all my vitals looked good.  My doctor is so happy I've made it this far!

He's really on board with my VBAC, he's willing to let me go a really long time before trying anything to induce. From what it sounds like, he is planning on letting me get to 39 weeks, even a few days past that, in an effort to let me go into labor on my own and avoid induction. So different from what I heard from my original OB: "Oh, you're having twins? We'll do a c-section at 38 weeks." Uhhhh... do I get a say in this? I am still so grateful to be seeing the specialist that I am. He is wonderful. I'm just praying that the presenting baby keeps his head down! I've been having so much pressure in my pelvis, it's got to be a head! I haven't had an ultrasound in like 3 weeks so I just worry.

Next week I won't have an appointment, my doctor will be out of town. In fact, it is the worst possible week to have my babies so I probably will go into labor. My doctor and his wife (another doctor at that hospital) are out of town, my doula will be out of town part of the week, and my Grandma is headed into major surgery. Keeping my fingers and legs crossed that I make it past next week. At this point, it doesn't look like a problem though. I haven't had any contractions (except for the occasional "was that one?" pain).

Oh, one last update from my doctors appointment: I didn't gain ONE single pound the last 10 days!!!! It's a miracle! I've heard that's a sign that you're ready to go into labor. That, and the fact that I just got a cold. Maybe, just maybe, I won't be pregnant until week 48 (my doctor assured me he wouldn't let that happen... something about losing his license or whatever).

In other news, I am thoroughly enjoying maternity leave. I've been busy, but I still manage to get a nice nap most days. And most importantly, I have gotten to enjoy sooooo much time with big brother Easton. He's ridiculously clingy right now and I'm loving it. Plus, it gives me an excuse to ignore the laundry pile.

Ok, I gotta get back to my coffee and an exciting episode of Bubble Guppies. Happy... wait, what day is it?... Saturday!

35 Weeks

Just a quick update on my pregnancy... I'm up to 35 weeks as of yesterday!! For twins, that is really great. Hopefully by next week the twins will be at a point where they wouldn't need any NICU time if they were born then. Even at this week, they are pretty close to ready to live outside my uterus. And let me tell you... I am very ready for them to live outside my uterus.

I've given this pregnancy the title of the most physically challenging thing I've ever done. College basketball practice every night for 2 hours from September through February has nothing on this pregnancy. I am exhausted all the time and I hardly do anything. I have lots of aches and pains that just won't let up. When the babies move, it hurts. When I stand up, my sciatic nerve gets angry. I sleep with a heated rice bag on my butt or knees or ankles (depending on the night), a pillow between my legs, and my arms in a funky position so that my hands don't go numb (which they always do anyway). I'm still getting some sleep though, so I can't complain too much.

In fact, I can't complain at all. So many twin moms are faced with preterm labor, bed rest, gestational diabetes, and all sorts of other problems. My pregnancy has been boring. My doctor appointments are so quick it's not even worth the copay. It's such a blessing, though! My babies are growing steadily and at the same pace ( 4lbs 10 oz, and 4 lbs 12 oz as of last Tuesday). And at this point, the doc is willing to let my body and babies decide when it's time to come out, which is wonderful! I'm not going to lie, I'm dying to have that "Oh my gosh, it's time!" moment.

The babies should be around 5 pounds each this week, and around 18 inches long. I can't wrap my mind around how much baby is in there right now... 10+ pounds and 36+ inches?! I've had soooo many people tell me that I don't even look like I'm having twins. They must be all snuggled up in there. There's still time for my belly to get to that grossly huge point, though! I could have 4 more weeks!

Oh, last thing... as of this past Tuesday, I am officially on maternity leave! I have celebrated each day this week with 2 hour naps while my son takes his. It's amazing. I'm trying to get all the sleep in that I can before those babies get here!

Which hopefully, will be soon!!! If we're being official, there's 34 days until my due date, but it will be less than that.

Here's to spontaneous labor at week 38! Momma is ready to meet you, my boys!

My family on the 4th of July!

The Twin Nursery

Ok folks, it's taken forever for us to finally finish this nursery and get some pictures of it... but now it's pretty darn close to being completely ready so it's time to post pics!

The first thing you see when you walk in is this sign on the door! This was the banner we held for pictures after our gender reveal. I couldn't just throw it away!

This poster was a freebie from Shutterfly! You may not be able to see the quote but it says "Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart" -Winnie the Pooh

 This dresser was slightly hideous when we got it... but after a nice, bright white coat of paint and some new hardware it is looking much better! And it houses some of the cutest little baby boy clothes... all washed and ready!

This cute little basket was in the dollar aisles at Target. It was $3 and it is perfect for widdle socks!

This 9-cube organizer from Target is so handy! I had a bunch of Badger Basket items for Easton's room, but they don't make any that coordinate. I needed something with lots of drawers for all their little stuff so this was perfect! We found the baskets at Babies 'R Us's website and snagged them when they were buy one, get one half off. They ended up being cheaper than any I could find at Walmart, and soooo much cuter! 

This is the vinyl my mother-in-law cut for me for above the cribs. And yes, those are their middle names!! Curtis is my father's name, and James is my father-in-law's middle name. We needed some more traditional names to go with such unique first names, and we wanted to honor both grandpas! I absolutely love how the vinyl turned out. 

There they are above the cribs! 

Let's talk about the cribs... bumpers, sheets, and skirts came from Target. Actually, so did the carpet that you can see in the pic. I love Target, and I love chevron. I kind of went a little overboard with the chevron but I will be spending the most time in there so my taste wins. 

The BEST parts of the whole room, though, are those quilts hanging on the cribs. A dear friend made them for the boys and they are the most beautiful quilts EVER. We originally planned to add a little bit of yellow in the room, but after receiving those quilts, I knew I wanted to incorporate those colors instead. So we added some turquoise into the gallery wall to make the quilts really stand out. 

Next up, the gallery wall!

Everything on this wall was painted except for the anchor, which already matched. The M and T and the square canvases were from Michaels, and I had the starfish from my wedding. I think the oar was from Christmas Tree Shops, but it didn't match so I painted it all white and added the chevron. The sailboat I did by hand (it looks good from this far away!) and the turquose picture with navy polka dots was also an imperfect by-hand project. It's really uneven and I probably should redo it but I'm running out of energy for projects. The "Shhh No Wake Zone" sign has vinyl letters and we just painted the gray. The cute little whale is from my shower! Everyone there put their fingerprint on it and it turned out so cute. 

Here are some zoomed out pics to give you an idea what the whole room looks like! The corner not shown is piled up with other baby things that will eventually be elsewhere in the house (stroller, Rock N Plays, swing, etc.) 

I am not the most creative person, for sure, and in most of my house there is no real design strategy...but I LOVE how this nursery turned out. It's probably the most coordinated and decorated room in the house! I can't wait to put some little babies in those cribs!

P.S... 32 weeks today! We're getting so close!

31 Week Update

This week I had an appointment with the specialist, and it was a very helpful and exciting conversation.

It looks like at this point, I will be having my VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean)! Baby A, Maverick, is head down and most likely will stay that way now. When he flipped head down, he must have crowded his brother because now Tucker is transverse (sideways). The doctor was not at all worried about that. If after delivering Maverick, Tucker is still breech, we have a few options. He will try to turn the baby externally first, and if that doesn't work, he will do a breech extraction (with a strongly recommended epidural... oh, darn).  He does not foresee any problems with a vaginal delivery as of right now. He will continue to watch the size of the babies to make sure one isn't much bigger than the other, but that hasn't been an issue thus far. They measured 3 pounds, 5 ounces, and 3 pounds, 6 ounces this week.

He calmly discussed a few of the things that could go wrong, just so I am aware of what could happen. Not once did he try and talk me out of a vaginal delivery, so I'm very happy about that. He did say there is a 15% chance that one baby will be born and they could need to do a C-section for the second. That would be my worst nightmare... I'm going to ignore that possibility. I will have my doula there making sure we have exhausted all options before I have to have a c-section.

I asked him lots of questions about delivery, many of which weren't answered the way I had hoped. After taking my child birth class, I was hoping that I would be able to use a lot of the pain management options they suggested. Unfortunately, with the added risks that come with a VBAC, I won't be able to move around during labor as freely as I wanted. I will be hooked up with 3 monitors (one for contractions and one for each baby) as well as an IV. The nice thing is that I don't need to go to the hospital until contractions are 5 minutes apart. That gives me time to labor at home in the shower or bath tub, on the yoga ball, etc. I'll just have to be cautious since the hospital is about 50 minutes away!

He briefly mentioned induction around 38 weeks, by breaking my water. I've learned a lot from the VBAC community. So many of them are crazy DOCTORS ARE EVIL people, but they have some good points about what is medically necessary and what isn't. I could be wrong, but in my head, if they break my water too early there's got to be a bigger chance that I'll have a repeat c-section. Once water is broken, there are only so many hours before the baby needs to be out. What if my body isn't ready? What if I have the typical "failure to progress"? I guess I don't see the rush. I understand that twins are pretty full term at 38, but will it really hurt to wait until my body decides to start labor?

I'm pretty obsessed with reading birth stories, twins and singletons alike. It seems to me the ones where labor starts naturally tend to be faster and require less intervention. Those who are induced seem to have long labor and more interventions. There are only so many beds in a hospital, and if you have crazy preggo ladies lined up waiting to have their babies, they might try to hurry the process for those sitting pretty at 4 cm.

I'm hoping he gives me a say in the matter. Who knows though, I might be begging him to induce me at 38 weeks. I will have made it through almost all of July by that time and I know I will be huge and probably pretty miserable. But the doctor and I agreed the best case scenario would be for me to go into labor on my own.

I guess I need to relax a little! And trust God. My goal is to have healthy babies. I can't focus on what could go wrong.

So, I have around 7 or 8 weeks left, and I am going to try to enjoy my sleep and being pregnant. I will try to enjoy the time I have with my son, the last few weeks of him being an only child. I'll do my absolute best to not hate every day I still have to be at work. I will definitely enjoy the "go sit and put your feet up!" that I get from family and friends. I will enjoy the last weeks of having two sets of feet poking me to say, "Hi Mommy!".

I can't help but be excited and anxious though. I have a business card in my purse with numbers to call when I'm in labor... I have the diaper bag ready to go... I have two car seats ready to be put in my van...and I have two little boys inside of me that I am dying to meet!

And no matter what it takes to meet them, I am ready!

This Week's Stats:
How far along? 31 Weeks, 2 days.
How big are the twins? over 3 pounds each, and about 18 inches long! Picture a pineapple or coconut! 
Total weight gain/loss? About 35 pounds... Hopefully breastfeeding two babies will get that gone quickly!
Maternity clothes? Of course, or anything I can find that will fit this big belly! 
Sleep? Getting difficult. Sometimes I wake up and can't go back to sleep for an hour or two. I get a lot of leg cramps or restless legs. Heartburn is gone thanks to the prilosec! 
Best moment this week? Hearing that Maverick is head down!
Symptoms? Exhaustion. Leg cramps. Swollen hands and feet. Some back pain. Typical 3rd trimester stuff. It's nothing I can't handle!
Food cravings? Not much... I hardly finish meals, for the first time in my life. Guess my stomach is just too crowded.
Food aversions? Nothing really.
Labor signs? I've had a Braxton Hicks contraction a few times. Some pelvic pain, not enough to ever worry about. 
Belly button in or out?Neither. It's neutral. 
What I miss? Diet Pepsi. Being able to bend over.
What I'm looking forward to?  Calling Jer and saying "IT'S TIME!" 
Bump? See below...

5 YEARS!

I'm a number person. I've mentioned before how I usually have some sort of number in my head, counting down to something or up to something.

Today the magic number is 5. Five years ago today, I married my best friend, my high school sweetheart, my "bae" (which I am told is not "babe" without the second B. I still don't remember what it means. I'm so old).

We were just kids! Jer was 20, I was 21 and people always felt the need to comment about our age. "You're too young to get married!" we'd constantly hear. Looks like we're doing just fine, thank you very much. I wouldn't change a thing about our life!

Ten is a number with significance as well. 2005 was the year Jer and I met, a whole 10 years ago. We we're both in high school. I wish I could go back and tell 17 year old me that the goofy kid I had a crush on would be my hubby and the father of my 3 kids in 10 years. The kid that wouldn't stop talking about lacrosse. The kid I spent Friday nights with, renting a movie with his parents and cuddling on the couch (with my sister nearby... my parent's always sent the 3rd wheel to keep an eye on us).  The kid who didn't even have a cell phone when we met... I'm pretty sure we both still had dial-up internet, too... so much has changed in 10 years!

And now look at us... we have 5 years of marriage under our belts. The silly fights, the highs and lows, the "we're broke"s and the "we're blessed!"s. We've already shared some huge moments. We bought our first home. We found out I was pregnant! We became parents to the best little boy in the world. We found out we we're having TWINS! And in a matter of weeks we'll be a family of 5.

That's another number that is mind-blowing to me. Family of 5?! We have already surpassed the American standard of 2.5ish kids per family. We won't be able to fit in a standard restaurant booth. A family 4-pack of anything won't be enough! We will be outnumbered by our kids. As my cousin put it when his third child was born, we'll be moving from man-to-man to zone defense! It's crazy. We wanted a big family but I didn't expect I'd have so many so quickly!

I can honestly say there's no one in the world I'd swap places with right now. My hubby and my 3 boys are all I've ever wanted. Sure, I'd love a house bigger than 1100 square feet.  I'd like a bigger yard and maybe a pool. It would be awesome to have enough money put away to never have to worry. But there are no material things that could make me as happy as my God, my husband, and my kiddos do. My life isn't perfect, but I'm so very blessed I'd be a fool to focus on the imperfect parts.

Before I get too mushy, I'll get back to the numbers. The next number on my list is 68. Since this blog really is about my kids, I have to include the countdown to the twins' arrival! Sixty-eight days until I hit 40 weeks. I'm praying I don't make it quite that far, but for countdown purposes, 68 days until I meet my boys! Four days until my next ultrasound when I'll get to see them and talk to the specialist about delivery!!! Four weeks until I'm probably off of work, at least that's my hope. My OB tossed around the 34 week number and I'm running with it.

But today is about the number 5. Tonight, I'm going to go out to dinner and enjoy a juicy steak, maybe some cheese fries, and some time with just my husband. Date night is rare for us, so it's always special when we get to go out childless for an evening. We have a lot to celebrate... our blessings far outnumber the cheese fries that I will consume tonight.

To my hubby, I love you! You are my other half. You're as funny as I am serious, as generous as I'm stingy, as optimistic as I am pessimistic. You keep me positive, I keep you realistic. You make me laugh when I'm grumpy. You make me feel pretty when I literally look like a whale. You make me feel attractive even when I admit that I just peed a little in my pants (I have a nasty cough right now, don't judge me, people!). You don't get mad when I say I'm too tired to make dinner. You are understanding, loving, handsome, hardworking, and your biceps are huge. Our sons will think that you are superman. I already know that you are. Happy Anniversary, babe!

Ten Things About Me

Ok, so I follow this blog called the Bower Power Blog. It's written by a lady with 3 boys and one on the way. We have very similar views on life, Jesus, parenting, and how awesome sons are. She does crafty DIY stuff and I drool over her creativity and big house in Georgia. (I don't know what it is about bloggers, but they all have gorgeous, big houses... either they make a crap ton on AdSense or I'm missing something!)

Anyway.... she posted a blog today entitled Ten Things About Me. She said we (the creepy readers who check her site almost every day hoping she posted something) could do it too. So here's mine, in no particular order:

1.  My name is Hannah. My husband and I were high school sweethearts and spent 4 years doing the long-distance thing while I went to college in Philly. We will celebrate 5 years of wedded bliss next week. We have one adorable son who is almost 2, and twin boys on the way!

When Jeremy proposed to me during the Steelers/Cardinals Superbowl game in 2009.

Easton over Memorial Day Weekend, eating ice cream with 'Merica sprinkles

2. While we're talking about ice cream, we'll head there next. Ice cream is my favorite. Cookie dough is the way to go. I could eat it every night. Perry's is the best, I'm too much of an ice cream snob to eat Aldi brand.

3. Jeremy and I love to hunt. I'm a beginner (code word for haven't-actually-killed-a-deer-yet), although I brag to him that I had a hunting license way before he did. He didn't get countrified until we started dating. We especially love bowhunting, and I have the most beautiful pink-accented bow. I only seem to get to hunt every other year, because the idea of pumping breast milk in a tree stand just sounds way too complicated. With the twins coming soon, I'm assuming I'll sit out another hunting season.

Jer and I headed out to go hunting in 2012.

4. I'm cheap. I have to find the best possible deal on everything. I can sit in the body wash aisle for 20 minutes trying to get a perfect product: smells great, moisturizes well, and is the cheapest per ounce possible. I LOVE when I find an article on the internet that shows the best toilet paper based on price, softness, and strength. (in case you were wondering, that toilet paper is White Cloud Ultra, only available at walmart.)

Yeah, I know I'm a loser. It's a problem. I get way too excited when I find a double pack of contact solution that not only has 33% more for free, but is on sale AND I have a $4 off coupon. It's like winning the lottery for me.

5. I love lists. And Excel spreadsheets. And making lists in Excel. I don't know why, it's just fun for me. I currently have an Excel spreadsheet on my fridge with a list of things that need to get done before the babies get here. I get a lot of joy out of crossing items off that list.

6. I have 5 sisters. We are some of the most sarcastic people you'll ever meet.  We've been known to make people cry using only our words. Sticks and stones are the least of your worries. We have good hearts, though, we'd probably do anything for you and for each other. (Think of a sour patch kid. First we're sour, then we're sweet!)

7. I love being a mom. The idea of having 3 little boys in my house excites me more than it stresses me out.  And I don't think we're done. My one Aunt has 12 kids, another Aunt has 6, and my parents have 6. Big families are AWESOME. Although, we'll stop before we hit Duggar level. I just think being a mom is the most important and rewarding job out there. And little boys are just the sweetest. After growing up with 5 sisters I'd be totally fine with a bunch of boys. So far I'm getting my wish!

8. My husband and I are almost always in the middle of watching a season of Friends or How I Met Your Mother. We bought the whole series of Friends after we got married and I think we've watched the whole thing at least 5 times since then. HIMYM is relatively new to us, we're on our second time through it right now.  

Not the most wholesome of shows, I know. But I guess at 10pm, we don't want to have to watch a real intricate story line on some deep show. We like to laugh and then go to bed. There's enough crap in the world, I don't want to spend my evenings watching the shows where cops try and figure out why some crazy person killed 17 people and cut off their left pinky toes.

We did go through a House phase, but that didn't last too long. We also watched a bunch of Big Bang Theory, but it's not on Netflix and I'm not re-watching the same 5 episodes that play on TBS.

9.  Ever since we bought our house in 2012, I've had an interest in gardening. I had to start a garden from scratch and it's been so fun. Last spring, I dug up a bunch of my mother and grandma's perennials and planted them. Not many of them actually bloomed last summer, so this spring has been very interesting. I love seeing what pops up! I honestly know nothing about gardening, I kind of  just plop something in the ground and see what happens. I must have awesome soil because it is turning out wonderfully!

10. Since I mentioned gardening, we'll round out the list with the thing that I loathe most: ANTS. Our soil is sandy, so my entire yard is pretty much a giant ant hill. I have the little pavement/sweet ants, fire ants, odorous ants, and carpenter ants. I've researched them all and can point out which is which and how to murder them. When they come into my house I take it personally. If I see a spider, fine. I kill it and move on with my life. A fly? Who cares. It'll die soon. But if there's an ant in my house, that means there are a 100,000 more of them where that one came from. Nothing can piss me off more than seeing multiple ants in my house. Especially the carpenter ants. Those big, juicy ones don't go down easy. They can travel up to 100 yards from their nest looking for food. I think the dead tree they live in is in my neighbors yard. It takes all the self control I have to not burn the tree down when he's not home. It's a never ending battle in the spring/summer. Ok, I better wrap this up before I get carried away talking about those little black demons.

So there's my 10 things! Interesting, right? Yeah, not so much. But it was fun for me :)

3 for 3!

Yesterday marked the beginning of my third trimester... FINALLY! I can't put into words how anxious I am to get those babies into my arms. I look back at pictures of the first day of Easton's life and I could just explode with excitement to do that day all over again. It's going to be painful and slightly terrifying to give birth to two babies, but all that will be worth it when my boys are in my arms!

Now that I'm at 28 weeks, my little men are the size of eggplants (says thebump.com) or tropical coconuts (says the Ovia Pregnancy App).  They are almost 2.5 pounds and almost 16 inches long (which is why I can get kicked in the hoo-ha and the ribs at the same time).  So that means that there are 30+ inches of baby in my poor, stretched uterus. Thank God babies like to curl up or my stomach would look super weird. I mean, I'm only 5'4" so the babies would be half my height if they were feet-to-feet in there.

Their main job between now and birth is just to keep gaining fat. Thebump.com even says that their lungs are mature enough that they would probably survive if born today. But we are hoping they stay in there for a little while longer. I'm aiming for 37-38 weeks, not that I have a say in the matter.

My birth preferences are all typed up, my meeting with the specialist about delivery is scheduled, and after next Friday my OB appointments start happening every two weeks! I still need to pack my hospital bag and diaper bag but I think I have a few more weeks to make that happen. The nursery is sooooo close to being done, but I have one or two more things to hang on the wall. I can't post pictures until it's all done! Ok, maybe just a quick pic of one or two of the details.

I'm still working full-time with no end in sight... ugh. I asked my doc when I can get out of work and
she pretty much said that she couldn't just "make something up" to get me out. It took major self control to not blow raspberries in her face like a 2 year old. I am blessed to have a physically easy job, I basically sit at a desk most of my 7 hour day. It's just hard to get home at 5pm and try to spend time with Easton while cooking or cleaning with my little energy. All I really want is to take a nap after work but I feel too guilty to miss time with my sweet, little boy. And that stupid laundry pile (yeah, not basket, PILE... don't judge me) just stares me down everyday reminding me I'm no longer superwoman!

The belly (and hands and feet) is growing well. I'm finding food stains on all of my shirts now because A. I can't sit close to the table, B. I eat constantly, and C. if food falls out of my mouth it will never reach the ground.

I've also found new uses for the belly. I can set a bottle of water or a bowl of ice cream on it, how convenient! To be honest, I'm scared to take a real belly pic. I don't have any full length mirrors at home so every time I am out somewhere and catch my reflection I have a mini panic attack. There's no way I'm THAT big, am I?! Oh Dear Lord, what will I look like in a month? It's terrifying to be looking full term already and knowing I could have almost 12 weeks left. My maternity shirts are getting too small already...

Oh well, I'm trying to savor the time I have left. I will most likely never carry two babies at the same time again so I might as well enjoy the last few months, as physically challenging as they may be. Plus, a small part of me is a little sad that the one-on-one time with Easton is almost over. Our sweet boy has been our world for almost two years and we have loved every minute of it. It's tough to think he'll have to take a backseat to his brothers for a little while. I know he'll be wonderful with them, though. It will be amazing watching him meet and love on his little bros.

I'm so stinking excited, I could babble forever. I am so very blessed!

As always, thanks for reading my thoughts!

27 Weeks

I can't believe we're almost halfway through May. When did that happen? I'm going to be meeting my little guys in 13 weeks or less. That's crazy! I have a lot left to get ready but most of it is fun stuff.  Finishing the nursery, packing hospital bags, playing with all the baby stuff.  My poor husband, on the other hand, has a list a mile long that has to get done before the babies come. The poor man worked over 70 hours last week and that list sits on the refrigerator reminding him of all he has to do. (Yes, I made the list. I love making lists in Excel... I'm a dork)

But anyway, today I had a growth ultrasound to make sure those boys are growing well. Baby A, Maverick, is up to 1 pound, 15 ounces and Baby B, Tucker, is 1 pound, 12 ounces. They are both doing wonderful.  Mr. Maverick is living up to his name and going against the grain: he is still breech. Tucker is head down, so I imagine them kicking each other in the head all the time. And let me tell you, these boys are strong. My belly is always moving, I love it! Here's a few pics from this morning:

Aren't they handsome? Jeremy thinks the 3D ones makes them look like aliens but I think they are SO cool. Add a little more chub to those cheeks and that's what my newborns will look like!

I'll be at 27 weeks tomorrow so the boys are around 15 inches head to toe! This is the LAST week of my second trimester and I'm excited that we're in the home stretch. I've always loved being pregnant and it's even cooler this time around since I have the honor of carrying TWO babies. But I think with having twins, once is enough.

It's definitely a different ballgame... I'm much more tired, my legs get very crampy at night, the swelling has started, the heartburn has started, and just doing everyday tasks are already very hard. I try and keep my whining to a minimum but it does take a toll on your body. It took every ounce of self-control in me to not be bitter about the 90 degree weather this weekend. It was one of the worst winters I can remember and I normally love the heat, but 90 in May is a little bit hotter than I'd prefer while carrying two children. Once the AC units are in and the pools are open, then we'll talk.

I can't complain, though. It's wonderful to have made it to week 27 with not a single issue so far. I haven't had to worry at all, which is a huge blessing. God is good! I would appreciate your prayers as I waddle through the next 13 or so weeks. My appointments will be getting closer together and they will really be watching for any signs of early labor, high blood pressure, preeclampsia, etc. In a few weeks,  I will be meeting with the specialist about delivery... we will be praying that Maverick turns in the next few weeks so that we can plan the VBAC birth.

Thank you all for reading and taking an interest in my pregnancy!

Twin Shower

This weekend I was blessed to have a baby shower thrown by my mother and mother-in-law. I never expected to have another baby shower, but with twins you definitely need more baby stuff! It was a wonderful shower and I was blessed with much needed items, tons of cute clothes, and so many diapers. I think I have 8 boxes of diapers and probably 10 packages. I'd like to think I won't need that many, but I have a feeling that I'm going to need more than I think. One of the twin forums I follow had a post on diapers and most moms were estimating using around 25 diapers a day for the first few months. Oh dear Lord, this should be fun!

But anyway, it was a wonderful shower and the decor was just so cute. I wish I had gotten a few more pictures of all the little details. Here are some pictures!

 

I had lots of help opening presents. He was such an excited big brother, even though I'm pretty sure he has no clue what he's excited about.

I figured while we were all dressed up, it would be a good time to get some pictures of family.

All my sisters and their babies 

The twins and their soon-to-be cousin Helena- 6 weeks apart

I'm so blessed! I have such a wonderful and supportive family who loves these twin boys so much already. I spent Monday and last night working on the nursery: washing, organizing, preparing for my sweet boys. Last night, after I got most of it set up I just broke down into tears looking at it all. It is so overwhelming in the BEST way... two little miracles. Two precious newborns will be in my arms in less than 100 days. I could gush about them all day! 

Stay tuned to see the nursery progress!

The Big Name Reveal!

As of this week, the Hill twins are 15 weeks from their due date! Depending on which app I look at, they are the size of heads of cauliflower, napa cabbage, or turnips.  My boys are about 14 inches head to toe, and around 2 pounds each! Finally, I can attribute some of this weight gain to them. Their lungs are still developing but they are to the point that they'd have a fighting chance if they were born today.

Also, the babies are enjoying their new sense of equilibrium. Hopefully, they are thinking head down, butt up is a comfortable position for the next few months. This is a big deal to me since I'm really hoping to attempt a VBAC.  Baby A needs to be head down for the doctors to even let me try a vaginal birth.

Speaking of Baby A... I don't call him that anymore. There is no more Baby A or Baby B. Those boys have names!!!! (Yeah, I know you already scrolled down, but I'll pretend you aren't a big cheater.)

After much painful discussion with my hubby, we've finally settled on two names. They are kind of unique, but easy to spell and say... some of my rules for baby names. It's so nice to be able to call them something. I don't know how people wait until after they give birth to decide. I'd end up naming my kid something stupid from the adrenaline and exhaustion of giving birth... like They just feel like they fit in the family when they have names ahead of time.

The poll I did was interesting. Lucas had the most votes of any name. I do like that name, but I'm a mean parent and want my kids to have more unique names. Plus, I know someone who is using that name for their son who will also be born in August.  Hudson and Jase did well too.  Jeremy wouldn't let me use Hudson. There were a lot of names I loved but he would say, "That's not a real name." Psshh.

So, here they are. The names of the newest Hill boys:

Nice, huh? We think so anyway. Tucker is such a cute little boy name. But it will grow with him... I can see it now... "And starting at quarterback is senior Tucker Hill!" or "CEO Tucker Hill donates $1,000,000 to his Mom because he loves her so much." And Maverick is kind of epic. I can almost guarantee that most of you don't know anybody named Maverick. But it is a real name! Pinterest told me so. Also, yes, my husband loves Top Gun.  Some people name their kids really meaningful names that tie in their faith, family, and values. Us? We just find names that sound awesome and go with it. Easton's name came from the company that makes arrows for compound bows. We were shooting our bows one day and said, "Hey, that's a sweet name."

Middle names are still being finalized. Those might have some more meaning/family history in them. Let me know what you think of the first names! But be nice, I'm pregnant and hormonal, you aren't allowed to say "eww, those are terrible names." I would cry.

Get ready world! Mav and Tuck Hill are going to be a big deal! With Easton as their ringleader, I can only imagine the chaos that will ensue at our house. It's going to be LEGEND- wait for it- DARY!

24 down, 16 to go!

The title says 16 weeks left, but I would be fine with 14. This pregnancy is much harder than I imagined it would be. For some reason, it takes more effort to grow two babies! Go figure.  I have the same amount of energy as a 90 year old woman.  I posted on a twins/multiples forum asking if it was normal to run out of steam so quickly. Quite a few twin mommies agreed that once they hit around the 20 week mark their energy plummeted.

But I can't complain. Heartburn and swelling have yet to make their appearance! Both of those reared their ugly heads while I was pregnant with Easton. And when I say swelling, I mean like gross swelling. My feet looked like they could pop if poked with a sharp object. I'm hoping that I won't swell so bad this pregnancy... I'll be big enough without the extra water weight! Although if I do swell, I can get out of work quicker... hmmmmm. That wouldn't be the end of the world.

 Here are the rest of my pregnancy stats as of today:

How far along? 24 Weeks exactly
How big are the twins? The size of cantaloupes (yes, cantaloupes... and there are TWO of them in there). Almost a foot long, about a pound and a half in weight. They were both 1lb, 2 oz at my ultrasound last week.
Total weight gain/loss? Ugh... 
Maternity clothes? Pretty much exclusively. I hear midriff isn't cool anymore. 
Sleep? Still sleeping great! 
Best moment this week? Laughing with Jer this morning as the little guys put on a show in my belly
Symptoms? Exhaustion. Some mood swings. 
Food cravings? Turkey Subs. 
Food aversions? None... I want to eat everything. All the time.
Labor signs? Nope, not yet.
Belly button in or out? It's pretty much flat. Fingers crossed it stays that way!
What I miss? Energy... Motivation...
What I'm looking forward to? Washing baby clothes and putting them away!
Bump?  Here are the latest pics. Easton wanted to help.

Far better things ahead...

I started this blog to journal my feelings as I go through this pregnancy and the wonderful things that come with being someone's Momma.  It's funny to go back and look at my thoughts and all the random things that get written down here. Sometimes life can be so stinking amazing and you just want to soak it in and remember it.

For instance, today I got to sleep in a little bit and enjoy my morning (mostly decaf) coffee with my adorable son riding in the backseat to grandma's house. I stopped to get a delicious bagel with a gift card I won over the weekend and came to work. I texted my mom and mentioned how tired I was feeling today and she shows up at my work an hour later with a yogurt parfait and a pint of cookie dough ice cream. As if that wasn't enough, I went to see Easton on my lunch and he actually laid down and snuggled with me on the couch for my entire break. The flowers are starting to bloom, the air is warm today, and I happened to have Peach Snapple in my van. There's two precious babies in my belly growing, kicking, and making me more excited day by day.  Life is wonderful!

I told myself yesterday that I was not going to be upset today. There are SO many amazing things going on in my life. But today was supposed to be my due date. The baby I lost in September would have been full term today. Now I'm not looking for sympathy or for anyone to feel bad for me. Yes, miscarriage is a horrible thing to go through.  I did cry today. My heart loves that baby as much as the son I saw on lunch break and the two sons I'm carrying. So yes, it's perfectly acceptable for me to be emotional today and remember that baby.

But today I don't have a void. There is no hole left where that baby was. Do I wish I could have met that baby? Of course. I know I will someday. But did God heap blessings on top of my family's life after losing that baby? Absolutely. In fact, today I'm struggling with the thought, If I could still be pregnant with that baby, would I change what happened? Back in September, I would have done anything to keep that baby. Today I look at where I've come since then, where I'm going from here and I can't help but think that God's plan was perfect. It was painful, it was heart-breaking. No one wants to go through that. I am for sure not saying that I am glad it happened. It sucked. But if there is one thing that I know for sure, it is that God's hand was in every step of this journey, writing our story the way He saw fit. I believe that because we chose to praise and trust Him through our darkest days, He blessed us with days more bright than we ever imagined. And it's my responsibility to give Him all the credit.

I don't deserve it. I have a rotten attitude sometimes. I judge people too quickly. I'm definitely not in the running for wife of the year. I don't have enough patience with my son. I whine about stupid stuff. I can be an absolute jerk. I get angry. I am selfish. I don't have much compassion. I question God. I could go on... but you get the picture. I'm a hot mess like everybody else. I don't know why God chose to bless me so much. I don't know why He gave me a husband and a son that are pretty much perfect. I don't know why He let me get pregnant again so quickly, and with twins! I don't know why He gave me the perfect life that I get to live.  I'm no preacher, I don't speak or write eloquently. I've typed and erased the end of this paragraph fifteen times.  I have no answers, other than that God is good. I am so grateful that He allows me to look back and see His plan at work.

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43:18-19

Baby Names!

I bet you were hoping that we would reveal the baby names today. Sorry, not yet!

Ok, so before you get mad at my ploy to make you click on my blog, picking out baby names for two babies is very hard. Especially when you are indecisive like me and my indecisivity (yeah, it's a word...) multiplies when I'm pregnant. Oh duh, indecisiveness... there is a word for that. Oh well, I like mine better. Moving on... here's my short list of must-haves for baby names:

• Both names have to sound good with Hill 
• Both names have to sound good together, but not too matchy-matchy
• The names have to be as awesome as Easton
• The names can't have ridiculous spelling in an effort to be trendy or whatever
• They can't be hard to pronounce
• They can't be in the top ten names of the year, or the top ten hipster names of the year.
• My family and my in-laws can't have any reasonable objections to the names... I'm a people pleaser, I can't help it.
• and the HARDEST ONE: Jeremy has to agree. 

I love him to death but him and I hardly ever agree on names. When we found out Easton was a boy, we decided on Easton that same day. With the twins, it has been months of vetos, rolling eyes, and "no-freakin'-way!"s. Every time I bring it up, he changes the subject. Every time he gives me a name, I laugh at him. Also, he picks on my for my flaky-ness but he's just as bad. I could have begged and begged to use a certain name but he'll say no until someone else brings it up a month later. Then all of the sudden he loves it. One word: flaky. 

So long story short, after 69 days of knowing their gender, we have kind of decided on first names! 

BUUUTTTT, in an effort to keep you interested/annoyed for a while, we're going to hold off on revealing them. However, the polls on the right side of the blog (if you're using the web version) may possibly contain those names. I'm curious to see your opinions, though, so please vote! Polls are open all weekend and I may or may not post the actual names on Monday. We'll see :)

Happy Friday!