Also, Mango. I could eat a boatload. I’ve had a Mega Mango smoothie from Jamba Juice and a big bowl of Mango Mixer from Yogurtland in the past week. Oh joy. And it’s shopping day, so I will be filling up on more fruits and veggies (and hopefully a mango…and grapefruit…or two.)
Labor Signs: Not sure. We’ll find out tomorrow at our appointment if any of these “surges” are actually changing anything down there or if I just have an over-excited uterus that really wants to practice for the big day.
Belly Button in or out? Neither. And, as Cameron so lovingly pointed out yesterday, it’s purple.
What I miss: Nada. I’ve been kind of in survival mode for the past little while and yesterday, watching the video Cameron made me totally woke me up. It feels good to be alive again. :)
What I am looking forward to: A nap. And a big glass of water. And my chiropractic appointment. And grocery shopping for fruit. (cue the giddy smile).
Milestones: 32 weeks. That’s kind of a big deal, isn’t it? Also, I’m increasingly panicked about getting my wedding ring to come off. I hope my fingers don’t swell up too much in the next few weeks. My toes and ankles are taking on water, but if they are rubbed often, the swelling goes right down. Not sure how long that will last.
Realization of the week: There are two real babies in my belly. And they are coming to our family. My cousin had her sweet baby boy on Sunday and it hit me that that will be me, us, in just a few short weeks. He is gorgeous. Soft skin, dark eyes, tiny hands and feet. And eventually, I’ll be able to see exactly what our boys look like, they won’t be black and white ultrasound outlines anymore. I can’t wait.

But seriously, check these pictures out!

How gorgeous is that spread? Whitney sure is good at what she does, and Jessica, that cake is TOO dang cute!

I am totally stunned at how many people stopped by to say hello and stayed to chat and give much needed advice about these babies. It was so fun to see everybody! Somehow I managed to not get a single picture of me with Whitney, but here are some of the party. :)

Whitney was the photographer, so I suppose it makes sense that she’s not in any of these, but it still bums me out. She cracks me up. Halfway through the party she told me to stop eating because all the pictures she had of me, I had something in my mouth. The food was GOOD. Jessica made a tortellini soup and homemade bread that was to. die. for. YUM. I think the recipe’s on her blog.

These boys are SPOILED.

I can’t thank everyone enough for making such a fuss over me. It sure made the last little while fun and gave me something to look forward to toward the end of this pregnancy. I can’t wait to see their little bodies in all the clothes we got.

Only 6 more weeks! (tops!)

How far along? 31 weeks 4 days
Maternity clothes? Yep. Any long sleeve shirts that Cam owns have now been claimed as my own. I love them. They’re snuggly. And sometimes they smell like him (not his cologne, heaven forbid, just him).
Best moment this week: We had one really good mail day this week where my snaps for the cloth diapers FINALLY got here and two unexpected baby packages came! We got the most  beautiful crocheted blankets from my friend Lacey (who just announced that she’s expecting!), and a good blog friend of mine named Kourtney sent the cutest little guy ties and swaddle blankets EVER. It’s so fun for me to see the support of others. Made my whole day. ALSO, one of my BEST infertile friends finally beat the odds and called me early in the morning last week to tell me the great news! And now I am on the secret train and can’t say anything else, but dang it I sure love success stories. :)
Movement: Yes. And it hurts. Nash does this stretch thing where he rams his head into my cervix and pushes his feet into my bruised ribs. Gray, on the other hand, is a bit of a dancer. Music really makes him go wild. Both of them totally chill out whenever Cam touches them, though. We’re at the point now where we can feel random appendages and push them back in. (that sounds a little creepy, lol.)
Food cravings: Fruits and veggies. It’s actually quite nice. I just ate the last orange though…shopping trip needs to happen soon I suppose.
Labor Signs: Nothing out of the ordinary. I’m hoping to keep it that way.
Belly Button in or out? Neither. Weirdy.
What I miss: Energy. I am big and tired, ladies. It’s like it happened overnight. All of a sudden doing anything at all sounds just terrible. And I’m uncomfortable. (We all knew it was inevitable!) The nice thing is, Cam is a saint. And he takes my freak outs in stride and gets me something to eat and is happy to rub out whatever rib is hurting at the moment.
What I am looking forward to: Jimmer v. Nash tonight. Oh boy. Seriously, could there be a better game? Also, I’m looking forward to blogging about my baby shower. It was supposed to be posted before this update, but I’m over halfway through the week and needed to get the update done. Honestly, the only thing keeping me from posting this update was that I hadn’t done my hair all week. Seriously. Make-up was at a minimum too. Next time, I’m just going to give it to you straight. Tuesday, you get what you get. Not gonna lie, it’s scarier than you’d think. (or maybe it’s as scary as you think…). Cam’s hilarious. I said the other night “I can’t believe you don’t find me completely repulsing at the moment.” And he said “Of course not. Granted, you’re not as smokin’ as you always are…” The man is a genius with words. Made me laugh.
Milestones: There are batches of baby laundry surrounding me right now. Everything is sorted and headed through the wash. I can’t believe my house looks like this. I remember a long time ago reading a baby blog where the girl was preparing for her little boy to get there and she had just started doing laundry for him. I remember wanting that so bad. And now it’s here. And it’s double. And everything smells wonderful. :) I’m sure eventually washing clothes for these boys won’t be on my happy list, but today it is.
Realization of the week: I am bigger than I think I am. I run into everything lately. Cupboards, doorways, the bed, the couch, the ottoman. I’m a bit top heavy as well. My legs really haven’t got a whole lot bigger, but my belly…ha, which means I am a bit precariously perched and often over shoot it when trying to get off the couch. Teetery is the best word I can think of to describe this. I run into Cameron all the time and the first time it happened, I blamed him. Who are we kidding?

How far along? 30 weeks 3 days
Maternity clothes? Yep. Cam’s shirts fit me really good right now, too. I’m currently measuring 39.5 weeks for a singleton pregnancy, so apparently this is what I would look like at full term if we were only having one baby. I’m pretty content with that. I could totally have one baby. Height helps, y’all.
Best moment this week: The Baby Shower on Saturday! I can’t believe how many of you came out to support me and spoil these little boys! I had a fabulous time. The room was packed and two very talented ladies made it so dang cute. My sister finished the baby call quilt just in time. I will be blogging this in its own post. It deserves it.
Movement: All the time! They respond to sounds now too. It’s interesting to me. Last night I figured out that they don’t like rap much. The opening scene to an episode of Friday Night Lights was at a party. They didn’t move at all. Then, the happy-go-lucky title sequence music started and they both kicked/rolled/danced through the entire thing. Gray is now head down (YAY!), which means they are curled up together and they both kick the same spots, but my ribs have never felt better. Bruises are getting the chance to heal for the time being. Sweet mercy, it’s fantastic. I think Nash is getting a bit of revenge for being sat on for so long because he’s now the one squishing Gray. We found out yesterday that Nash has caught up and is only 3 oz. smaller than his brother. He’s taller though. :) And has a bigger noggin.
Food cravings: Fruits and veggies. And water. I’ve heard the never-ending thirst gets worse when you breastfeed. Not sure how it can get worse. I drink more than 100+ oz. of water every single day. Not including juice and milk consumption which is also at an all-time high. And I am still *parched*. (please say parched in a high squeaky voice, a la Squince from the Sandlot during the vacuum scene). I can’t handle the heater being on in the car because it dries out my lips and throat even more and induces a panic attack. Cam drives with very cold hands now. He’s a trooper. :) (I also turn the heater off at home all the time. It’s enough to stress me out in less than a second. Feels like I can’t breathe.)
Labor Signs: Went on a walk a couple days ago. Had to stop because I was blacking out. Cam sat me down on the couch for the rest of the night after we finally made it home. The walk was maybe 10 minutes. Considering I’m measuring “full term” and my uterus thinks it should be done stretching, the Dr. says that blacking out is perfectly normal, but that I should really be taking it easy for the next 6+ weeks. Both boys are weighing in at just under 4 pounds, so we’ve got almost 8 pounds of baby in there!
Belly Button in or out? Consider it at ground zero. Have you ever seen a belly button that is stretched flat? It is a bizarre looking situation.
What I miss: Not really sure how to answer this one. Yesterday it would’ve been sleep, but I slept so deep last night that there are no complaints here. We’re in the home stretch! 30 weeks already and we won’t make it to 40! Wahoo! That went so dang fast. [Edit: Thank you little "you might also like" widget at the bottom of the post. This is what I'm missing today.]
What I am looking forward to: Finishing these cloth diapers. I have 9.5 done, and then took a break because we started working on some artwork for the nursery and needed the sewing table for assembly. I need to bite the bullet and finish the rest. I’ve got it down to about 35 minutes to sew each one, so really I just need to do it. Also, we’re getting bins of clothes from Cam’s sister on Sunday. She has 2 year old twin boys and gobs of clothes. I can’t wait to sort through everything and wash and put them away in the “dresser” we made last week. And, Cam is staining the gorgeous changing table he built last semester. It’s stunning. I can’t wait to see this nursery come together!
Milestones: 30 weeks. THREE ZERO. That’s so crazy to me. Mentally, I’m still thinking 38 as my goal. The dr. said that’s totally possible. Regardless, though, these boys are coming NEXT MONTH. A little surreal.
Realization of the week: Head down is where it’s at. I get more uncomfortable as the day goes on, but nothing compared to a couple weeks ago. Also, I’m willing to bet that cocoa butter doesn’t do much but relieve itchiness. I have stretch marks on my hips and under my belly button (where the marks from the IVF shots have split). I don’t mind them, though. It’s not like I’m all excited to have stretch marks, but in my mind they just come with the territory. I love these boys and everything that comes with them. Also, people have started to ask if I’m “afraid because sometime these guys are gonna have to come out of me.” For the record, I would much rather have them out than in (once they’re ready to meet the world.) I’m not afraid of their birth day. I honestly can’t wait. I daydream about it on a regular basis. And if IVF taught me anything, it is that as long as Cam is next to me, I can do anything. It’s incredible to me how his hand on my arm can calm me down immediately or listening to his voice is the most comforting thing I can think of. Also, hypnobirthing says a passionate kiss is a good way to get through a tough “surge.” I’m down. :)

I think it’s time.

I’m not really feeling fat. I’m not really feeling cranky.

I’m just becoming more and more aware of the effects my eating habits have on my body, my mood, and (for the next 2 months + however long I breastfeed) my boys.

I’ve been playing around with the idea of doing this again. It’s kind of pointless to only do it for a year, though. I’ve already proven to myself that no treats for a year is very possible. Last time, I learned that my body absolutely loves when I don’t eat treats. I sleep better, I have clearer skin, I freak out at Cam less often. Wins all around.

I told a friend of mine that I was going to do it again as soon as the boys were born, because I’m having a hard enough time keeping up with calories, so I just need to keep eating everything right now, but really? That’s lame. These boys don’t need empty calories and high fructose corn syrup. They need real, good, food.

So, I’m starting now.

No more cakes, cookies, brownies, soda, candy, etc.

And it’s not just for a year. It’s for good. To make the lifestyle change realistic though, I know I’ll need “free days” to pick ONE treat. To avoid me justifying extra “free days” (like, HEY! Today is National Sock Day. Let’s celebrate!) I’ve made a list. Every year, I can pick ONE treat on the following days:

1. January 2nd – Our Anniversary
2. Valentine’s Day
3. The Boys’ Birthday
4. Easter Sunday
5. 4th of July
6. My Birthday
7. Cam’s Birthday
8. The Last Day of School (this will eventually be in June, once our boys are in school. For now, it is to celebrate the end of the chiropractic school trimesters that end in May and September.)
9. Halloween
10. Thanksgiving
11. Christmas Eve/Day
12. New Year’s Eve

This gives me roughly 1 treat a month. Do I HAVE to eat a treat? no. I can totally see myself not wanting one after I get going. But I also love celebrating holidays, and to me celebration almost always involves food.

Going off treats the first time made me realize just how much access to junk I have. Multiple times per week there are just plates of brownies and cookies and everything else for the taking. Church activities are the worst for this. Making the decision that I wouldn’t have any before hand made it so easy to avoid it in the moment. And I loved it. It hasn’t even been a year, but I miss it. (I’m sure that sounds strange to some of you, but don’t knock it ’til you try it!) I also think that by having this list made, it will make me really think about what I want to indulge in that day.

Like the day the boys are born? You better believe I’m having an irish cream cocoa bean from the cafe where my sister works. And I really look forward to it!

Also, if I really REALLY just can’t handle the no sweets situation, anything from here is on the good list.

And if any of you are ready to join me, I welcome you with open arms. I feel like this is a very happy medium for me, but maybe with some tweaks (or not) it will fit for you too. I can’t wait for the benefits to start kicking in again!

Bring on the deep sleep, non-crazy dreams, patience, and clear skin!

I found myself being so angry at myself while I was working full time because I had all these things I wanted to do, but never enough time to do them. I did, though, have time to watch TV shows at lunch, and spend time on Facebook/Pinterest/etc. I was also having a hard time keeping up with my design clients because I just flat out didn’t want to do ANYTHING when I got home from work at 5, let alone make a good dinner and tackle even the tiniest of projects.

While trying to find a solution to my productivity dilemma, I stumbled upon this piece of advice:

There is a legendary story that in the 1920′s, Charles Schwab (at the time one of the wealthiest individuals in the United States and founder of Bethlehem steel) wanted to get more done each day for himself and his executive staff. He was approached by Ivy Lee, a public relations expert, who told him a “secret” to increase their productivity.

Mr Lee told Mr Schwab to implement this secret methodology and then, after he had seen the results of the method, to come back and pay him what he thought it was worth. Mr. Schwab and his executives tried the idea for a month and received such amazing results that Mr. Schwab wrote a check to Mr. Lee for $25,000, which at that time was a huge sum of money.

Here’s the trick: At the end of each day, write a list of the six most important things to do for the next day and order them from one to six. In the morning start with number one. Keep working on it until completed, then move to number two. Keep working on this one until completed, and then move to the next item on the list. Continue this way until completing all the priority items on the list.

I decided to take this a step further, because I need a little flexibility in my day. I need to be able to choose what to prioritize or what to work on. Enter, the six list:

I printed two to a sheet, cut them in half, and got them bound into a little pad at Office Max. Since I’m not working anymore, that top section has been modified to be “baby” focused. A lot of you might be thinking that 24 things in a day is too many. You’re right. I shoot to get 3-4 done in each section, but by listing out all 6, in case I’m feeling great I don’t just sit around saying “my list is done!” I know the next thing I want to work on immediately. Also, some of my 6 things are very small. I’ve had a hard time remembering to take my prenatal with food, so under baby, the first 4 normally look like this:

1. Good Breakfast
2. Take Prenatal
3. Good Lunch
4. Take Iron

These might not seem like a big deal, but I know myself well enough to list it because it won’t happen otherwise. And when the days all blur together, it’s nice to be able to look and say “yep. I did take my supplements today.”

Also, when I’m filling out what I want to get done the following day, I already have 2-3 things in each section (because they weren’t crossed off) so making the list each night only takes a minute or two. And because it’s in a notepad, while I’m working on the list, if I notice something that needs to get done the following day, I can just write it in, instead of hoping I remember that night.

Other things that make the lists are: “plan FHE, shower & ready, catch up finances, pay bills, pack Cam’s lunch, read hypnobirthing, take a nap, dishes, sew 1 diaper, deposit cash, grocery shopping, wipe down bathroom, make bed, make dinner, Julie’s insert designs, fold laundry, make freezer breakfasts,” etc. Some are bigger than others. Some take more time than others, but being reminded of the little things that need to be done is often just as important as making sure the big things get done. Before bed each night, I ask Cam if he has any requests. This makes sure that he doesn’t come home from work and ask if something got done that we haven’t clearly discussed earlier. He knows there’s a time at the end of the day where he can put something on my list.

Clearly, all 4 categories probably won’t fit with everyone’s situation. I made a six list for my sister Lindsay at her request. She has said that it has helped her get so much done during the day. Which is when I figured I should probably share with the world, because if something works this great for two people as different as me and her, it will probably work great for a lot of you too! Hers looks a bit like this:

The bottom can be used for phone numbers, reminders, dinner ideas, etc.

This design is copyrighted, but I’m happy to make a custom, print-ready file for anyone who wants it. I was thinking $5 for the time it takes to modify would be fair.

Thoughts?

How far along? 29 Weeks exactly
Maternity clothes? Yes. But this sweater isn’t a maternity sweater. It’s got about 2 days left of life in it, so I figured I’d give it a last hurrah. I’m still loving those jeans. :)
Best moment this week: Finishing 3 cloth diapers! I’m pretty proud of myself. Also, Cameron gave me a rub down, followed by practicing some counter-pressure/labor techniques. All I gotta say is the riboso (sp?)  is life changing. Also, I do NOT have gestational diabetes. boo-yah! Thanks for not liking treats boys! I was really worried about that because gestational diabetes comes from the placenta. Since I have 2 placentas, I was at greater risk for it, or so they say. I’m just grateful I don’t have to worry about that. I’m having a hard enough time getting enough calories as it is.
Movement: Yes. GRAY GOT OFF MY RIBS. 10 gold stars for that kid. He is the BEST. I have no idea how he found a little extra room to get comfy, but I am so grateful. I’m sure he’ll be back up there eventually, but it sure has been nice!
Food cravings: Fruits & veggies. Also, rootbeer. And ice cream. Weirdy. Those are actually current cravings. Perhaps a caffeine-free pepsi float? I think I mostly just want the carbonation. OMG DR. PEPPER. (I’m worthless. Are you getting that?)
Labor Signs: None. Nash is using my cervix as a punching bag lately. That’s a weird sensation.
Belly Button in or out? I’m pretty impressed with how well my button is hanging in there. lol. I thought for sure it’d be popped by now, but no. There’s a tiny corner that is flirting with the line, but other than that it’s just stretched.
What I miss: Not gonna lie, I had a utter and complete meltdown because I was no longer young and hip and fun and hot. It was fueled by the realization that no one would mistakenly come up and hit on me if we happened to be out at a party of some sort. (Totally rational, I know.) I was also looking through a bunch of fun date ideas and couldn’t muster up the energy for any of it. Cam came home to a crying wife and wails of “I’m the lamest of the lame!” over and over again. I also believe I asked him if he was OK that I had no plans for a date, but wanted to get out of the house. We ended up getting some food at Costco (where TWO separate women commented on how cute I looked…tender mercy from the Big Guy? I think so.) and sitting on the floor of DI (a thrift store) looking through childrens’ books. (I found TACKY: the penguin for $.75. Major score!)
What I am looking forward to: Baby Shower this week! Also, my sister just came and picked up everything to finish up THIS. I can’t WAIT to see it all finished!
Milestones: Nash’s head has dropped. I’m not dilating at all, which is nice, but the Dr. did say that he really has no room to move and he’s ready to go when the time comes. That’s kind of crazy for me to think about. Also, my list of people who are due before me is dwindling. Babies are being born, people!
Realization of the week: Height helps with this whole pregnancy thing. I thought I would be WAY more uncomfortable than I really am at this point. Sure, I have a hard time getting up out of the car or putting on pants in the morning, but after that I’m really just fine. I don’t realize how much bigger I’ve gotten until I see the picture we take for these updates. Major respect to you more petite ladies. I’m measuring 36 weeks right now for a singleton pregnancy and I’m pretty sure if I was having one baby, I would not get the full discomfort of pregnancy. Don’t you worry, I’ll be measuring 44+ before this is all over. All’s fair. :)

Also, I was reading through past journal entries from during IVF and my word I was blessed with one of the most incredible husbands on this earth. I’m sure he had a ton of emotions to sort through too, but he spent every bit of energy he had taking care of me, making sure I was ok, protecting me from well-intentioned idiotic comments, etc. He is such a good man. And me and these boys are the LUCKIEST to have him as a husband and father.

How far along? 28 Weeks 1 Day
Maternity clothes? Yes. Although the black shirt in the picture isn’t a maternity shirt. In fact, it’s my “I don’t want to feel huge today” shirt. Also known as the “magic black shirt.” It makes me look smaller than I really am from the front. From the side, it’s really impossible to look smaller, but that’s ok! I like that we have big boys.
Best moment this week: Lotion rubs before bed. Cam rubs lotion on my belly before we go to sleep and the boys just kick and kick. I like it when all four of us are connected that way.
Movement: All the time. It’s wonderful. Poor Gray is running out of room. He is up on my ribs and if I cough, his head gets smashed against my ribs. If I sneeze, same story. Baths and Ice Packs are helping the soreness at this point.
Food cravings: Just food. And I can’t get enough water. Still no chocolate really. I want fruits and veggies all the time. And I love spicy things. Yum. :)
Labor Signs: None really. Practice “surges” (I’m reading hypnobirthing…) come and go pretty often, but everything stops if I lay down and keep drinking water.
Belly Button in or out? Pretty sure the end is near. Still in though. :)
What I miss: Nothing really right now. I have good time with my husband. The boys are healthy and growing well. We have a beautiful home and I am blessed enough to be able to be at home right now working on my homemaking skills. This is something I’ve dreamed of since I was a little girl. It is already better than I imagined it would be.
What I am looking forward to: Actually getting the guts up to sew the first cloth diaper. Yesterday I sat and stared at it for about an hour. It’s just intimidating to me! Also, plans are moving forward for a baby shower here in Utah! I keep getting e-mails from the girls putting it on and I am getting SO excited! (If you want an invite, e-mail or comment with your address). :)
Milestones: We are officially in the 3rd trimester! This also means that the boys can come any time from here on out and they will be fine. (Granted, it would take a lot of modern technology to keep them healthy), but we’re just cutting down NICU time from now on. These boys are ACTUALLY coming to our family. We will get to meet them. I just can’t wait.
Realization of the week: I am looking forward to the little things the most, I think. I keep dreaming about their features. Their hair, eyes, nose, toes, little beany bodies, everything. And I can’t wait for that new baby smell to come to our house.

I set out to tackle this problem, because I really believe in the importance of establishing the habit of family night.

This is what I came up with:

Now our family home evenings go about like this:

• Sing a hymn that goes along with the lesson. Cam plays the piano, we both sing.
• We switch off who says the opening prayer.
• We go over finances. I have a little printout in my wallet that has our budget outline in it. Every time I pay a bill or make a purchase, I record the amount in the budget. That way, every Monday it takes me about 5 minutes to calculate how much we have left in each budget. We talk about upcoming expenses, things we’d like to use the miscellaneous budget for, and potential date ideas.
• We check in with each other on how we’re doing spiritually. How are our family prayers? Personal prayers? What are we studying in the scriptures personally? As a family? Are we happy with how family scripture study is going? etc. We also set a goal together that we want to work on the next week.
• We talk about our relationship. We start off with 3 compliments and an itch. The nice thing is that after you’ve given 3 sincere compliments to the other person, it’s pretty hard to come up with an “itch”. BUT, if there is ever something we really need to talk about, this is an easy way to get it out in the open. And then we do 3-minute massages. (Honestly, these normally wait until right before bedtime, but sometimes we sit on opposite ends of the couch and do foot rubs.) I strongly believe that physical touch is an essential part of feeling like you’re “on the same page.” It’s really hard to be annoyed with each other if you’re touching, and good feelings between spouses invites the spirit into our home. We also go over current stressors. If I don’t know what is stressing Cam out, I can’t help relieve that stress and vice versa. Also, a sure-fire way to increase the love you feel for your spouse or your spouse feels for you is to get rid of whatever it is that is setting off red flags in his or her mind.
• The last part of the paper is a week-at-a-glance calendar. There’s VERY little space here, for a reason. This is where we make sure we’re both planning on the same things for the upcoming week. It has virtually eliminated any freak outs caused by “You didn’t TELL me you were working overtime tonight.” And, “No. My work party is tonight. We have to be there at 6. You’ll have to cancel with so-and-so.” We outline major events in the upcoming week.
• We have a lesson. (Cam and I switch off who gives it).
• We have an activity. (This is anything from organizing the nursery to going on a walk to going to concert to playing a card game etc.)
• We have a treat. (And a closing prayer)

For a while this paper was posted on our fridge for the week, but since we’ve tried it for almost 2 months now, we’ve decided to save some paper because it has worked beautifully. I plopped mine in a frame and we use a dry-erase marker to fill it out every week. It sits on our end table next to the couch where we will see it all the time. Here’s what it looks like all filled out: (This was last week’s)

Every time someone has asked about it, they inevitably ask how long it takes to get through. 15 minutes tops. 10 minute lesson, and then a treat means family night is still about a half hour long, but we are so on the same page and prepared for the week, the difference is incredible.

And we feel like we’re on the same team.

I think that’s worth every second.

How far along? 27 Weeks exactly
Maternity clothes? There is a bit of a panicked undertone when it comes to getting dressed. The jeans are fine, not concerned about those. However, my sister-in-law gave me a huge bag of maternity tops for when I get HUGE (think 4 weeks from now). I just tried on every single one and none even cover my belly. She wore them in her last trimester with her twin boys. She is also about 5’4”. I am 6’0”. Stupid long torso. Not sure what I’ll be wearing in February. Could make for a rather “exciting” Valentine’s Day, don’t you think? jk. I will still have to get out of the house somehow!
Best moment this week: Appointment with the maternal fetal medicine specialist. Hands. down. We got a 90 minute ultrasound. Got to see our boys and get accurate measurements on them. I spent all week trying hard not to be worried. I did find myself paying a whole lot more attention to feeling kicks and movement from Nash, though. So much so, that I freaked myself out because Gray had flipped and I was no longer feeling kicks where he used to kick. Anyhow – we went into the appointment wanting to know what was going on with Nash and why he was “so small” according to our doctor. The ultrasound tech said that whoever did the ultrasound last week probably didn’t know what they were looking for because things couldn’t look more perfect. Nash (Baby A) is nice and squished at the bottom. I’m not dialated at all. He is weighing in at a healthy 2lbs 7oz. He’s in the 61st percentile. Above average. We like that. His head is in the 98th percentile. He’s in the 93rd percentile for height. He’s a big chunk according to the specialist. We like that. :) Gray is currently sitting on Nash’s head. Ah, the wrestling begins. He is weighing in at 2lbs 14oz. He’s in the 79th percentile. Very much above average. His head is in the 94th percentile. He’s in the 97th percentile for height. We finished measuring Gray and I said, “Gosh – we’ve got a linebacker!” The specialist said “You’ve got two!” She said that if I make it to 36 weeks that the boys will definitely come home from the hospital with us and that natural childbirth is back on the table. She also said that she sees no reason our boys won’t be between 5.5 and 6 pounds at birth. I’m thrilled. It’s also really encouraging to know that I am currently carrying over 5 pounds of baby already. We also determined that the boys are, in fact, fraternal. There are two placentas, two amniotic sacs, etc. Also, because we did a 5 day transfer, one embryo splitting earlier enough to create two placentas is impossible at that point. The embryo could’ve still split, but if that was the case, they would be sharing a placenta.
Movement: It seems to come and go. Maybe that’s because I just paid extra close attention this past week. Also, Gray flipped so I thought I was feeling extra kicks from Nash, but that wasn’t exactly the case. Their feet and legs are all in the same place now so I have no idea how I’ll keep them straight when I have to do kick counts next week.
Food cravings: Anything. Still not a huge fan of straight chocolate, but I did down a bunch of heath bar chocolate chip cookies on Sunday that made for a pretty blissful day. I’m just hungry all the time and I can’t get enough water.
Labor Signs: Lots of contractions, but not dialating at all. Which is really encouraging. The boys are taking the contractions just fine, so we should have a beautiful and hopefully uneventful next couple of months.
Belly Button in or out? Pretty sure the end is near. Still in though. :)
What I miss: Sleep. And yes, I realize it will only get worse. Cam no longer asks me how I slept. He asks if I slept at all. Most of the time, the answer is no. Naps are my only saving grace right now.
What I am looking forward to: My nap today. :) Watching Parenthood. Finishing the boys’ bookcase and rearranging the nursery.
Milestones: 9 weeks left! (until 36 weeks) Single digits! Crazy.
Realization of the week: I believe my dad put it best when he said to my mom, “She’s about to embark on a whole new level of tired she doesn’t even know exists yet.” I don’t think I’m quite there, but my word I can see where this is going.

At this point, I think Nash has Cam’s nose, and Gray has mine. We’ll just have to wait and see! :)