How far along? 32 weeks 1 day
Maternity clothes? Yep. But things fit fine for now. :)
Best moment this week: Ok. I am tired. All the time. BUT, my tiredness has decided to manifest itself in the form of laughter, which is awesome. Last Sunday, Cameron poured me a cup of crystal light at dinner. He filled it right to the brim and I laughed, HARD, for an hour about it. Days later, I was just minding my own business when I thought of that cup of crystal light and a laugh attack happened again. It’s happened 3 times so far. Hilarious. And in my head, I know I’m being totally ridiculous, which only makes me laugh harder. Also, Valentine’s Day. :) Cameron totally spoiled me (AND WE STAYED IN THE BUDGET!) He made the next volume of our family videos which included IVF and the pregnancy. Made me sob. And it was my first “treat day” so I enjoyed a gorgeous bowl of yogurtland’s best. YUM. We also went to a piano trio concert…which was a little too culturey for us. We spent the bulk of the first half of the concert making up movie scenes to go along with the “music” and left at intermission. (I caught another case of the giggles in the middle of it too…and everything is far more hilarious when you’re not supposed to make noise…oh dear.)
Movement: More just stretching, although there are a few kicks and turns. You can see them moving like crazy from outside now. I actually got it on video on my phone, but the file is too large to text to my e-mail, so I can’t show you. Maybe sometime I’ll figure out how to get it onto the computer.
Food cravings: The other night we were watching tv and the mom on the show walked in with a tray of carrot sticks. I immediately gasped in delight. Cam asked me what was up and I said, with the hugest smile on my face, “I have cucumber slices in the fridge!” Very little can make me as happy as the right food can right now. I made some veggie sushi the other night and dipped it in my mom’s wonton sauce. (glory, I should post that recipe). Also on the happy list, Emilee’s shrimp dip and club crackers. And Sarah Salad. And just about anything else Em makes. The same giddy smile happened at her house during the super bowl party. I had just finished off my second plate and sat on the couch so dang contented with my life, all because of the food.

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.

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. :)

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.

One of our family new year’s resolutions is to hold family home evening every single week. It’s an opportunity to spend time together as a family and learn about church-related subjects in the home. We tried having family home evening when we first got married but it was so…awkward. Without children or siblings, we’d just end up watching a movie or having a normal night. When there’s just 2 of you at home, it’s really hard to distinguish just what makes a night “family night”.

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.