Wednesday, October 26, 2011

I'm THAT woman.

Helloooo!

It's been SO long. I just haven't made the time, but the truth is, I'm busy and I have very little time to do anything I want to do these days.

The girls are AWESOME :) They are 14 months and happy, funny, smart little girls. They have about 20 signs and a handful of words. Macy has started walking and Lila walks holding one hand. I am still in awe that I created these amazing little girls. They give hugs and kisses (to me and Mr. and each other), they love animals (and know all their sounds) and music and books. Lila is more content and hates to do things wrong. She gets sad if you tell her not to do something. She tells her sister,"NOOO" if she is doing something wrong. Macy knows what she wants and will get it! She pushes the limits and throws little fits when she doesn't get her way. They are both sweet, determined and fun.

And they are going to be big sisters!

Mr and I got the shock of our lives when after a few days of not feeling well, I peed on a stick for the hell of it. Within a few days we had an u/s confirming that we were 7 and a half weeks pregnant (on our own) with one baby. I had only had 2 periods since the girls were born and was (and am) still nursing them. We hadn't been using any birth control since it took us almost 2 years and 3 rounds of IVF to get the girls and were told we only had a 1-4% chance of conceiving on our own. We actually had planned on using our frozen embryo in January, but I guess life had other plans. We are thrilled and shocked and excited and so relieved that this just happened on our own. Baby #3 is due at the end of April. The girls will be 20 months. Yup, 3 under 2. Our lives will be crazy and I may not be able to leave the house much, but they will be joyfilled for sure :)

Monday, January 31, 2011

is anybody still out there?

hi!
i know, i know 5 months have gone by
you've forgotten all about me
( i haven't forgotten about you, i've been reading and checking in
some of you are pregnant (yay!) have had babies (yay!) decided to pursue adoption (yay!) and all sorts of other things)

anyway, for the update
my girls are 5 months old today. i know it is a total cliche, but man oh man how the time flies. when did they get so big? and funny! they are funny! they "ha ha ha" and fake cough to get attention. they giggle and smile (i am a riot, it seems) and mouth things (and each other for that matter) they are beautiful and adorable and i am still in awe every day that they are mine.

this has been the hardest and most rewarding 5 months of my life. the first 4 weeks were a total crazy blur of non sleeping, pumping, crying craziness. week after week got a little easier. i worked really hard with lactation people and my girls to breastfeed them both (one refused to latch and lost too much weight) and it is finally working for us great now. one had a health scare and was hospitalized and poked and stuck with needles and IV's, but now we are in the clear and everyone is healthy. my marriage has been tested as having two babies is hard and being tired and breastfeeding makes physical intimacy painful and low on the list, but we are making small moments for each other and are even planning a dinner out sans babies soon (our first). the girls are learning how to sleep and are giving me glimpses of sanity with 4 or 5 hour stretches occasionally (not both at once of course but anything is better than every 3 hours an hour apart from each other which is our current schedule). someday i'll sleep again i'm sure.

going through everything i did to get here was horrible. i hated what a bitter, angry, negative person i was. i can now say though that i'm grateful for my journey because it led me here, to these two incredible souls that i get to love and care for and watch grow. motherhood has made me realize that i am a truly positive person. i embrace each moment no matter how challenging and am thankful for what i have and where my journey is taking me. i had always been a worrier, and of course i still worry and fear for my children's safety, but i try not to focus so much on the negative. i am truly trying not to take what i have for granted and enjoy every moment. i'm not sure i would have this attitude if it hadn't been such a trying road to get here.

anyway, that's where i am. enjoying my babies and the incredible gift i have been given. i pray for those of you who have had to endure horrible and unthinkable tragedy and loss. i hope for all of you who are at the edge of losing hope, that someday your journey leads you to a wonderful and joyful place. i am grateful to all of you who share the stories of your lives and for having this platform to tell mine when i felt so lost and alone.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

they're here!

just wanted to let you know,

my 2 beautiful girls entered the world screaming and healthy on 8.31.10


Lila weighed in at 5 lb 14 oz and
Macy weighed in at a big 6 lb 1 oz

Mama and babies are doing great. we are home and falling in love with each other. they are so beautiful and perfect it makes my heart explode.

i wish and hope for all of you still in the midst of your IF journey that it ends like this for you. they were so worth every moment of heartache and pain.


Friday, August 27, 2010

Tuesday morning

on Tuesday, i am going to become somebody's mother.

i've wanted a baby and to be a mom since i was a little girl. i patiently waited through my college years and beyond and didn't do anything stupid to get knocked up until i was married. i went through almost two years of heartache, anger, injections, violating doctor's appointments, surgeries and losses to get pregnant.

my pregnancy wasn't smooth, but it was by no means complicated. there was some spotting, lots of weight loss, food aversions, exhaustion and vomiting. but the babies always were growing well. i am so grateful that this body of mine who was uncooperative for so long has hung in there and grown these two baby girls to full term- without bedrest or major problems. thank you, body for being so good to these babies.

i've enjoyed this pregnancy, even when i wasn't exactly enjoying it. i know this may be my only time to experience this and i really have tried not to complain too much or take it for granted. i loved watching my belly get hard and round, even as it turned into an explosion of ugly stretch marks and an enormity that i could never have imagined. i've loved feeling the girls swish and kick and twirl, even when they seemed to be trying to break my ribs or make me regurgitate my food. i've been in awe of my body and it's hugeness and how much effort it takes to roll from side to side, stand from sitting, get in or out of a car, walk through a store without sitting down, etc.

on tuesday morning, i will go into the hospital for a c-section and come out with TWO babies. and they will be my babies, that will probably look a little something like me or the mr, that have grown inside of me for 38 weeks. i will be responsible for loving them, caring for them, helping them to become intelligent, sensitive and aware human beings who contribute something to the world. i will not be able to look at them from another table at a restaurant and say, 'i would never let MY kid behave like that!' or watch them do something completely inappropriate and say, 'where is that kid's parent?!' i will have to make decisions about their life, take care of them when they are sick or hurt, figure out what i think is best, teach them to tie their shoes, read, be kind, drive. send them off on a date, to the prom, to college, down the aisle. hope everything i do for them and with them and every choice i make guides them toward a good life, one with minimal heartache, and lots of joy.

on tuesday morning, i will become a mother- of two daughters. it will change my life forever in ways i can't even know or imagine. my journey has led me here- to the doorstep of parenthood. i am terrified and elated. i can't wait to hold these girls in my arms, welcome them to the world, to our family, thank them for making me a mother, thank them for creating a new journey for me. love them forever.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

quick update

at our friday u/s we got great news!

the girls shocked us all by jumping up over a pound each in less than 2 weeks!
Baby A went from 3lb 15oz to 5lb even
Baby B went from 4lb 6oz to 5lb 5oz

they also jumped back up on the chart to the 28th and 31st percentiles.

which means, no hospitalization for me and no delivery for them. yay!

the doctor was completely shocked. i told him i've been loading up on protein shakes, steak, hard boiled eggs and other protein (and ice cream incidentally, but i didn't mention that). he said he can't say that medically that works, but it seems to be helping so i should keep it up.

i feel much better knowing they have hit the 5 pound mark. they are currently at the average birth weight for twins. hopefully they grow a little bit longer, but i am feeling much more prepared for them to arrive any time now.

Monday, August 9, 2010

quick update

35 weeks and still pregnant.

Last week at our growth scan, we got some unsettling news. Both babies have slowed down in their growth and baby B is now a full half a pound bigger than A. Thay dropped from the 40th and 44th percentile to the 17th and 27th. bummer. they are running out of room.

This coming Friday we will have another u/s and they will decide what to do. According to my OB (who is much better at sharing info than the MFM's) they expect one or both babies to fall below the 10th percentile, officially declaring Inter Uter.ine Growth Rest.riction. If that is the case, they will either admit me and monitor me until 37 weeks, or if they are more than 20% apart in size, they will deliver me. I'm hoping i just need to wait it out on hospital bedrest and get these girls 2 more weeks or growth...we'll see.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

i'm irritable

my uterus is that is...

i had my second NST (non stress test) yesterday morning and they've determined that the babies look great, but i have an "irritable uterus", which basically means near constant tiny little contractions with a few bigger ones thrown in. the doc checked me and my cervix is still long and closed. she instructed me to increase my fluid intake (i already drink like a camel) and rest rest rest! i spent most of yesterday on the couch and plan to do much of that today as well. i feel like these next few weeks are really important for the babies' growth. i'm 33 weeks now, and i'd like to make it to at least 35.5 or 36. this will really give the girls a good chance at leaving the hospital with me when i leave. around that time they develop the whole suck,swallow,breathe coordination, so that may help them avoid getting feeding tubes and all that. i have a growth u/s next monday and i'm hoping they are pushing 5 pounds each by that point.

i feel lucky i've made it this far with no major problems, so if i need to rest to keep these babies growing for a few more weeks, so be it. i can't wait to meet them, but i am willing to wait for them to grow some more to avoid the NICU.

Friday, July 9, 2010

30 Weeks

the babies are doing great, each measuring over 3 pounds!

my cervix is still holding strong.

weekly NST's (non stress tests) start next week

last growth u/s at 34 weeks

keep cooking babies!

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

getting closer!

my nutritionist appointment went well. she was a little horrified that none of my doctor's were concerned about my lack of weight gain. she herself had twins and was very knowledgeable about the added nutritional requirements. she has me focusing on getting in a ton of protein (100mg a day which is equivalent to 12-14 eggs!) i've been drinking carn.ation instant breakfast with an extra scoop of dry milk in the mornings and having a protein bar for one of my snacks. she also told me to eat ice cream once a day-no problems there! i have learned to spread out my carbs to not overload my system with glucose, as it seems to be unable to process it well. this just means having water with my meals and saving sweet drinks (ginger ale or lemonade) for in between meals and things like that. a little annoying, but totally doable. it all seems to be working as i have gained 2 pounds in the last 2 weeks.

i had an ob appointment this morning. i really liked this doctor (finally!) she measured my belly and i'm measuring 38 weeks!! (i'm 29 weeks) obviously that is totally normal since i'm carrying twins, but i was still surprised. no wonder i've been feeling so uncomfortable! i can't believe i still have 2 months to go. i can't imagine what i'll look like in the end. and speaking of the end, she went ahead and scheduled me for a c-section for aug 31st, which will be 38 weeks. it seems weird to have a set date, although i know they may come before that. i can't believe it's getting so close. i hope they stay cozy inside me for a while longer- no matter how uncomfortable i am. i'd love to have my babies come home with me when i leave the hospital.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Third Trimester!

i made it! i am officially in my third trimester. if the fort knox that is my cervix decided to let loose and let the babies out, they would actually have a fighting chance.

my belly button started popping out today, which grosses me out. i have always had sort of a deep belly button, so it's slowly been getting more and more shallow. the skin around my current bellybutton isn't used to seeing the light of day and is really soft and sensitive. weird.

my body does not feel like my own. it's large and round and hard to move it around like i used to. just rolling over from one side to the other in bed takes so much effort, usually i'm breathing heavily by the end of it. i feel punches and kicks and pops and gurgles often. anytime i get up from sitting for a while my legs feel like they have become detached from my body and it hurts right where my legs and my body intersect.

my food aversions have gotten stronger again, like in the beginning and meat is no longer my friend. i have even vomited a few times and gag every time i brush my teeth.

but there are two growing girls inside of me that make all these little annoyances and discomforts worth it. i can't believe in only 10 weeks (that's 70 days!) i will be considered term (37 weeks) it seems so close and so far all at once. i can't wait to see these babies and study their features and hear their little grunts and feel the warmth and the weight of them over my shoulder. but at the same time, i feel unprepared. the room isn't even painted, the cribs are not delivered, and they are still too small to come out. i am trying to imagine how life is going to change, but i know i won't know until i know. but i'm getting exited to find out.

Monday, June 7, 2010

results and shower

i called the ob this morning, AGAIN. i stressed that my test was a week ago and they had told me i would get the results the next day. the nurse said she would talk to the doctor and call me back. she called back within a few minutes. i do not have gestational diabetes, BUT one of my numbers was pretty high, just on the cusp of normal. they want me to meet with a nutritionist and they will have me do fasting blood draws at my appointments from now on so they can make sure it stays in the normal range.

i'm glad they are having me meet with a nutritionist since i've been asking to meet with one since the beginning. i am 26 weeks and i have still yet to gain any weight. i originally lost about 16-18 pounds, and have been regaining and re-losing that over and over. i am just at 1 pound over my pre pregnancy weight now. the ob seems to think this is a great thing and keeps telling me i'm lucky, but it seems counterintuitive since i'm trying to grow two humans. the MFM, although not too concerned, said i need to be eating more and gave me numbers that added up to 3000 calories a day! that just seems like too much. all the books say you should eat and gain a bunch for twins, but my doctors don't agree with that. i don't know who to listen to. i'm eating what i can when i can, but unfortunately still have many food aversions. i'm hoping the nutritionist will give me a plan i can believe in.

i had a growth u/s today. the babies are looking good, measuring 1 lb 11 oz and 1 lb 13 oz. baby A has turned herself head down but baby B is still transverse. mr. had an important work thing so my mom came and enjoyed seeing them. she had never seen an u/s like this since when she had her babies they didn't really do them and they weren't as clear. my cervix is still long and closed.

my shower was yesterday. we got lots of great stuff! lots of cute outfits, an er.go carrier and mo.by wrap, twin nursing pillow and twin lightweight stroller, lots of our cloth diapers (we are planning on using bum.genius 3.0) and diapering accessories, a very cute diaper bag and some super cute handmade quilts from my BFF that match their nursery. one of my girlfriends gave me 2 onesies that say."Wishes do come true" and i started crying. i can't believe i am lucky enough to be growing 2 healthy babies. getting things for them definitely made it feel a little more real. after opening the first few gifts of double of everything i stopped and was like,"oh my gosh i'm having TWO babies!" every once in a while it really hits me and sends me into a little bit of panic. but i can't wait :)

Saturday, June 5, 2010

3 hour glucose

I had my 3 hour glucose tolerance test this past Tuesday. i was holding off posting until i had the results from the doctor, but since I STILL DON'T HAVE THEM, i figured i'd post about the test.

it was hell. i had my last snack at 8pm. i was not allowed to eat again until after the test the next day. normally i would have a small snack before bed around 10 and occasionally i even get up in the middle of the night and eat a nutri.grain bar because i'm so hungry. i still am only up 1 pound over my prepregnancy weight, but these babies need a lot of calories!

anywho, by the time i got to the lab i was hungry. they tested my urine and then drew some blood. i then drank an entire bottle of the super sugary orange drink (think old school mc.donald's orange drink with way too much syrup). for the 1 hour, i only have to drink about a third of the bottle.

i sat in the waiting room with my book. at the 1 hour mark i had my second blood draw of the day and was doing okay. but about 20 minutes before the 2 hour mark i started feeling really sick. i went to tell the lab lady (she told me to tell her when i felt sick) and asked her if i had to do it over if i threw up. i felt nauseous, lightheaded and my heart was pounding out of my chest. she had a nurse come get me and put me in a room so i could lie down. she checked my blood pressure, which was up and had me lie on my left side with an ice pack on the back of my neck so i didn't pass out. the lab lady came into the room at hour 2 for my 3rd blood draw.

lying down definitely helped a litte, but i was also starting to worry a little because the girls hadn't moved around in a while. next time the nurse checked on me i asked if someone would doppler me to make sure they were okay. just before hour 3 (my 4th and final blood draw) the midwife came in and i heard their beautiful heartbeats thumping away. i walked back to the lab for the final draw and then rushed out of there to get some food. by the time i left it was about 12 noon.

i still have not heard the results! i'm hoping that is a good sign and not a sign that they lost them and are going to tell me i have to do it all over again or something. i will update when i hear, hopefully monday? i also have an u/s on monday. mr. can't go so i think my mom is going to come, she is super excited :)

Monday, May 24, 2010

failure

i failed my 1 hour glucose tolerance test. damn.

i have the 3 hour one on june 1st. i have to fast for 12 hours, then they draw your blood, you drink the drink and sit in the waiting room and they draw your blood every hour for 3 hours. you heard that right, people, a starving pregnant woman with nothing but glucose pulsing through her getting 4 blood draws in a row. sounds lovely, doesn't it?

in better news, my last day of work is friday! woo hoo!! i am looking forward to having the summer off to gestate and sew and read and relax.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

update

sorry, i know it's been a while.

at my last growth u/s last week, both girls were looking good, measuring in at 1lb 1 oz each. i asked the doc if i should be eating any more than usual to try to boost their weight and he said no. he said my job right now is to eat a balanced diet and rest as much as possible. he also gave us a little more info on the single umbilical artery situation that helped us feel a little better. he basically said because there are no other red flags, he thinks everything will be just fine and not to worry about it. he also said, if there is going to be any growth restriction because of it, it will probably not occur until closer to 30 weeks.

i've been moving my sewing room into our guest room and mr is moving his office into my old sewing room so that the office can transform into a nursery. we are just about ready to start painting! i have their closet all set up with a drawer unit for older sized clothing. mr. keeps remarking at how cute it is to see little outfits hanging in there :) we are going with a pink, orange and grass green nature theme with birds and owls. i can't wait to get it painted, cribs built and ready for the twins!

we've hit a couple of consignment and "mothers of multiples" sales and stocked up on some jammies and basics in bigger sizes. with two girls, i am happy to save money on used and hand me down clothing. we've gotten some great barely used looking carter's sleepers for $1! if i get the basics cheap, then i won't feel bad when i want to splurge on something really cute :)

we are going to have to tighten the belt a bit. i only work through the end of this month and then we will have to get used to living on just mr's salary. i am choosing my battles when it comes to baby gear. we are borrowing a lot of stuff like swings, bouncy seats, infant car seats, etc. and trying to get certain things used, the double snap n go, some clothes, umbrella strollers. there are certain things i want higher end, like a nice double jogger, video monitor, organic crib mattresses and the like, so we are saving where we can. my parents were nice enough to buy us both of our cribs, which has been a huge help. we are also cloth diapering so although that is a bigger upfront cost, it will save us money in the long run. i am hoping breastfeeding works out as well so we don't have the added expense of buying formula for two babies too.

my sister in law and a few friends are throwing me a shower in a few weeks. i am so excited! i have always enjoyed going to baby showers in the past up until the time when i was struggling to get pregnant. for the past two years or so they have been torture. i am really glad to be getting to enjoy it all again, and for my own babies even!

Monday, April 26, 2010

20 weeks!

i'm halfway there! i can't believe it. i am starting to get physically uncomfortable and it's getting harder to do the things i'm used to. i get tired out very easily and even my belly gets tired. i still am 2 pounds under my pre-pregnancy weight, but i'm sure i will start gaining steadily now.

at our 18 week u/s we got some possibly troubling news. Baby A has a "single umbilical artery" when there are supposed to be two. Because they found no other abnormalities, chances are she'll be fine and everything will be normal, but it's still worrisome. the biggest concern the doctors have at this point is whether she continues to grow at the same rate as Twin B. i will have monthly growth ultrasounds to check on this, but so far they are measuring exactly the same. we've decided not to tell anyone about this unless the doctors give us more definite information. i'm trying to stay positive and not consult google obsessively about this. although, if anyone has any personal experience with this i'd appreciate hearing about it.

we ordered the cribs yesterday. they take 3-4 months to come in, so that will allow us to hopefully get the room all set before the babies come. i've picked out curtains and a wall decal and a trees, birds and owls theme in pink, orange and grass green. we have some more rearranging to do and then mr. will paint the walls, probably a pale blue. i'm excited to get their room all ready! i'm hoping and praying everyday that both babies are healthy and that i am able to keep them in me growing happily for a long time, hopefully at least to 35 weeks. i have 5 more weeks of work and then i'll have the summer off to stay unstressed and rested to help keep them growing as long as i can, (even though i'm sure i'll be huge and hot and uncomfortable:)

Monday, April 19, 2010

cutting the cake

so i mentioned before we decided to find out the genders of the twins in a special way. we had the u/s tech write them down in a sealed envelope. neither of us peeked. we gave the envelope to my mom along with some pink and blue food coloring. she made a 2 layer cake with instructions to dye each layer either pink or blue depending on the sex of each baby. she then frosted it so we couldn't see. we had some friends and family over and, using the cake cutter from our wedding, we cut the cake.





it revealed.....2 pink layers!!

we are having twin girls!!

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

getting busy

literally. we had pregnant sex. actually, it was the first sex we've had since before i started stims for this IVF, way back in December. i had offered a few times over the last weeks, but mr. wouldn't have it. he was too nervous he would hurt me or the babies or cause something bad to happen. well, we finally did it and i cried. whoops. i think it was just a release of emotion and stress. it's happened to me before. (does this happen to other people?) it's a weird uncontrollable cry that sometimes can turn into laughter. anyways, i was also pushing mr.'s belly to protect my own. i think he summed it up best when after he said, "well, that was pretty much as awkward as i thought it would be."

so, i'm 18w2d. my belly continues it's rapid expansion. i'm starting to get more physically uncomfortable. i'm having a hard time bending to reach things on the floor (which is tough since i work with kids and am constantly picking stuff up). After sitting for a while, i have to stand or lay down to give my belly a break. i think it gets too squished in there. i know it is only going to get worse, so i'm trying to enjoy what i can for now. on friday we have our "BIG" ultrasound. we decided that mr. is going to find out the genders but i will not. he and my mom will make a two layer cake and dye each layer either pink or blue. then, on saturday my family and a few friends are coming over to "cut the cake" to find out who is in there. that is how i will find out. i'm really looking forward to knowing. my gut is telling me boy/girl, but we will see!

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

17w2d

Wow, just wow.

i am still in awe every day that i have finally made it here. i love my beautiful round belly and i am so happy that these babies are doing well. i think the fear and dead baby thoughts have finally moved way to the background. it helps that i have visual proof (my ever expanding belly) to prove that they have got to be growing. i know i still have a long ways to go, but for now i am at ease.

my friends and sister in law have set a date for a baby shower, for me. the first one in two years that i will actually smile through and enjoy. (don't worry it's not for a while)

mr and i picked out some cribs and will probably be ordering them when we get our tax returns back. (just an aside here, choosing cribs is fun, and they aren't as crazy expensive as i'd imagined however, much more scary when you have to buy two!)

i think this weekend we will start rearranging some rooms in our house to get ready for actual live babies to come live here. the room we were originally going to use as a nursery is too small for 2 cribs, so we are switching some things around. well, mr will be doing the heavy lifting as i tell him where to put things.

on april 16th, we will find out the genders (hopefully they will both cooperate) to tell my family and some close friends we are inviting everyone over for cake the next day. we will make a 2 layer cake with each layer dyed either pink or blue and then frost it so you can't see. when we cut the cake, everyone will find out together. fun!

i am getting big. i can't imagine what these next months will bring. i am starting to have a little more discomfort sleeping at night. i am breathless, especially when i lay down, which makes it even harder to sleep. i have to remember to eat before i get hungry or else i feel really sick and sometimes vomit. i am thirsty and panic if i don't have constant access to a bottle of water. i want ice cream every night, although i haven't broken down and bought any to put in the freezer so i've only gone out to get some a few times. the babies do need their calcium after all!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

enjoying this moment

it dawned on me the other day that this may be the only pregnancy i'll ever have. i'm trying to enjoy it, and savor it. i'm tired and gaggy and i keep getting the cold all the kids have, but i'm not complaining. to be honest, i'm loving it.

i'm still in awe. my belly continues to expand and it's getting hard. i find my hand rubbing it constantly (something that used to make me cringe if i saw that so i try really hard to not do it in public) i have felt little twinges and rolls that i was convinced couldn't be the babies until i saw them on u/s yesterday and the one on the left (where i've been feeling those things) was kicking and rolling and dancing away. the doc agreed that that is probably what i've been feeling :)

for now, all the heartache and anger and pain of IF are in the past. i am so happy for what i finally have. i know my long struggle to get here helps me appreciate this pregnancy even more. now that i look pregnant, i feel special. i am grateful to my body for growing and protecting these precious little babies.

last night at prenatal yoga there was a woman there who is a gestational carrier for one of her friends. we talked about PIO shots and crin.one suppositories (she's on both) and i teared up telling her how much i admired what she was doing for a friend.

my struggle won't ever not be a part of who i am and where i've come from. but i'm so thankful and happy that it's not a part of my everyday. for those of you still struggling (who have probably long since stopped reading my blog, and that's okay) i really hope your painful journey ends joyfully. keep fighting the fight, it will all be worth it.

Friday, March 12, 2010

13w4d

wow! almost 14 weeks, i can't believe it.

the whole world now knows about the beautiful babies growing in my ever expanding belly. it's wonderful to share the news. although we have had our share of,"do twins run in your family?!" and,"did you take fertility drugs?" i am amazed that people can't just say, "congratulations, that is wonderful!" we are not secretive about our IVF with family and friends, but in some venues, you just don't want to get into it, or you are not close at all with the person asking.
oh, and about that belly, it is getting B-I-G! i look like a full on prego, and i've got the maternity jeans to prove it! i can't believe how fast it is growing, especially considering i lost 15 pounds originally and have only gained a few back. i would guess i look at least 20 weeks pregnant, maybe more. i was able to find a prenatal yoga class that i've been going to once a week. it's nice to do something since i've been told not to do "anything that will swing a ponytail". i have also been getting some sciatic pains down my butt and leg and the yoga has some good stretches to help it.

that's about all. my next OB appointment isn't until the 24th and the MFM on April 16th when we will find out the genders!! seems like a long way a way, but at least this belly is reassuring me that everyone is still growing in there. it's my birthday this weekend so mr.m is taking me into the big city for a show and dinner :)

mmmm...dinner....