Introducing...

My two beautiful girls....born July 27 via scheduled c-section at 38 weeks.

Hope Antonia (left) was 5lb, 15 oz and Lindsey Rae (right) was 5lb even. I am so in love with them!!

I can't believe they are already 7 weeks old. They have been the most challenging 7 weeks of my life and also the most rewarding. The girls are smiling now and really "know their momma" now and it melts my heart every time they grin at me.

I am still feeding them breastmilk and pumping 60+ oz each day. I feel like a cow and my boobs resemble cow udders but oh well...I am going to keep it up for however long I can and go from there. Formula is looking more and more attractive from a simplicity standpoint alone so I have a feeling it's going to be in our near future.

We have a good schedule going so far and the girls are tandem in all areas (sleeping time, awake time, feedings, etc) so that has made life much easier and assisted with my sanity.  Visitors are abundant around here and we love every minute of it...and I love the extra hands that want to help feed, change and play with the girls. They are so loved by so many and it's been so special to have so many people come see us to meet our new additions.

So life is crazy in a great way and I am happier than I've ever been. I think back to a year ago this time and the tears of frustration I felt wondering if this day would ever be possible. And then to think here we are now, new parents to healthy, beautiful girls and then I catch myself fast forwarding to next year this time...with two girls on their way to being toddlers running around the house. It's hard to believe it's all happened, is happening and will continue to happen....watch this space. The fun is just beginning around here!

T Minus 6 Days

To be honest I can't believe it's July and I can't believe in one week from today our baby girls will be here. It's still surreal, still a miracle and still so freaking exciting as it was the day I got those two little lines on that pregnancy test. OK on all of those many pregnancy tests. And when the fertility clinic confirmed it for me 2 days later the reality set in. We. Are. Going. To. Be. Parents. And soon.

My mom has been here for a week waiting on these little ladies to arrive. I was sure we'd be a part of the masses and they'd come earlier (around 36 weeks). Well, today I am 37 weeks and not dialted at all. So wait we will. These babies have an agenda of their own.

I had an ultrasound yesterday which was fun to get a last sneak peek at the girls one last time. They are so big it's hard to see much but it's still fun nonetheless. When I hear their hearts beat I tear up like I'm hearing them for the first time all over again. Their measurements were great...actually, they were beyond great. Excellent in fact. We have a set of chunky little twins we think and we couldn't be happier.

Baby A – 6 lbs, 4 oz
Baby B – 6 lbs

I asked the OB and the ultrasound tech how accurate these measurements really are. She said on average it's +- 1 lb but in their office they are within ½ lb 95% of the time. Alex and I were both big babies (he 9lb,2oz and me 9lb, 11oz) so we knew they had the genes to be biggins. And it appears they are going to be as far as twins go.

Today is my last day of work. Next week I'm taking vacation days before starting maternity leave and plan on going out to breakfast with my mom and eating whatever I want, go swimming at the gym at a time other then before or after work when it's packed, getting another pedicure even though I just got one, getting my hair cut and definitely will be hibernating for at least one full day watching Lifetime movies. I'd like to think I'll also work on their baby books, get my closet in order and do some more “productive” things but the reality is I just want to relax and do what I want. When I want. And how I want to do it. So I am looking forward to some quiet time with me, myself and I.

Here is a look at the bump at 37 weeks. I've gained a total of 37 lbs so far and I am sure that will go up between now and next Friday. My toes are like a drain that is clogged and retaining water is their #1 priority. My feet literally squish when I walk. It's so wicked!! Based on the measurement of my bump at the Dr I am measuring like a single pregnancy would measure at 42 weeks. It's big I promise...and I am not sure this picture does it justice but I cannot bring myself to post a bare belly one. I just can't do it.

Hopefully next time I'm back on here posting it'll be a family photo of the 4 of us...we shall see!!

Happy Friday!!

False Alarm

Today was my first false possible labor alarm...and I hope I don't have any more after today! My precious mom arrived to town last night and so we went to grab a quick lunch today and ended up at the Dr.'s office.

Here is my attempt to share what's happened without being too graphic...As it turns out, it appears my body is like an old car...leaky and somewhat run down at this point in the game. I know, lovely picture, right? Picture the old junker with a rusty bumper and operating on a spare tire...that, my friends, is apparently me these days.

As you know a car is made up of many parts and the engine must be working properly in order for the car to run successfully. So today, upon noticing some some change in my "car parts" I called the Dr (aka my mechanic) an they had me come in immediately. Luckily in the end, instead of my car leaking engine fluid, which is key to the success of the car's operation, my "car" is leaking something useless....that we can compare to A/C fluid. As you know sucks when you have no A/C, especially in this brutal summer heat we've had lately, but a low dosage of A/C fluid doesn't effect the overall operation of the car. The car can still operate successfully but the driver may be uncomfortable until it's fixed.

I must admit that when I was at the Dr.'s office I was super excited at the thought she might say "let's go ahead and have you head over to the hospital" and mentally pictured how I would come home, get everything together in my hospital bag and I'd be a mom by tonight! Unfortunately, today that wasn't the case. So I got in my real car, with my real A/C and drove home.

Now this old beat up car I am referring to is sitting around at home, waiting it out until it's time to be taken to the mechanic again. Hopefully next time they'll keep the damn car for a few days and fix it for good. :-)

And then we'll be able to come home eventually with all working parts, and two pieces of precious cargo in the backseat.

The Final Countdown...

I can't believe it!!!

Only...

....left til I get to meet my precious baby girls!!!

I'll admit I am hoping to possibly meet them a little earlier than this, though I am not wishing to rush anything at the same time. At my appointment this morning they showed no signs of coming early. I am not having contractions (yet), not dilated (yet), nor is my cervix screaming "get them the hell out of here" (yet).

Statistics show most twins will come on their own between 34-37 weeks. I will be 35 weeks tomorrow and we're wondering if we'll be part of the masses? Or if we'll hang in there til the scheduled surgery. Only time will tell I guess.

Everything on the homefront is good. We're always finding a few things to get done here and there to prep for the babies but for the most part, we're done. My mom comes this Tuesday to wait it out with us and I spend any spare time I have these days swimming at our gym pool or paying homage and respect to a man named Willis Haviland Carrier. He is the brilliant man who invented the air conditioner and let's just say....I am in love with him. Now and Forever. I love him.

My feet make me hungry when I look at them because my toes resemble tater tots. My cankles are not sexy, but they are there whether I like them or not. So I choose not to care. My husband told me this morning that my stretch marks "are getting really bad" and while it bothers me that I tried so hard to avoid them, I still don't care. They are what they are. I would be willing to bet my 92-yr-old grandad could beat me getting up off the couch faster, or in/out of bed quicker. But again, I. Don't. Care.

These last few weeks will probably be the longest ever but not in a bad way. I have had the best possible pregnancy a girl could ask for and these little nuances that have crept up on me the last few weeks. Well, so be it. Bring them on. I'll take them. Ten fold. I still can't believe that I've gone from ever wondering if I could even get pregnant to expecting two little chickadees in a few short weeks.

I think after they arrive I'll have a glass of wine like this...

...to celebrate my chunky toes, my cankles and my "really bad" stretch marks. Cause in my eyes these are not negative side effects...but instead little victories to show just how far we've come. 

Thoughts of an Insomniac...

As my sleep has started to dwindle given the size of my belly these days, I've been waking up at all hours of the night and my mind will wander off to the most random thoughts.

Like totally random. And sometimes odd. Like I find myself thinking about this chick:

This morning, at 4:45am I was thinking about the current season of The Bachelorette, which yes, I do watch, and I came to the conclusion I think I know who will be getting the final rose this season.

Without further adieu, I think the final rose will go to this guy:

Anyone else with me?

Happy random Saturday thoughts to all of you!!



Maternity Picture Sneak Peek

A few months ago I was talking to my sweet friend Ashley back home in Texas and she asked me if we were planning to do maternity pictures. At that point I said no...while I really wanted Tiffany with Uncommon Reel to do some when we were in Denver in May, there was just no way we could schedule it with Alex in town for only a few days and the packed schedule we had...and I didn't know anyone out here to contact so had just decided that we would skip them.

Fast forward a few months...in thinking back my conversation with Ashley something she said kept coming back to my mind. Maternity pics were not necessarily about the pictures for us, but rather for our girls. She knows Alex and I do not plan to undergo more fertility treatments in the future so this truly could be our only chance. Then she went on to tell me how her daughters absolutely love to see pics of when they were in her belly...and that is all I needed to hear...I was sold.

I found D Marie Photography via the Twins Club I joined and Alex and I had a blast on our photo shoot with her last week. She has a fabulous sense of humor, paid no notice to our often sometimes inappropriate comments and overall we had a great time on a gorgeous evening. We took a ton of pics that I can't wait to see but for now we have to settle on a few sneak peeks:

We can't wait to see the finished product and more pics!! We did 5 outfit changes and walked all over God's creation this nature preserve all in about 1 hr 20 mins. I was exhausted by the end of it but it's well worth it given the keepsakes we'll be able to give our girls.

Finally, we are on the final countdown!!! I am scheduled for a c-section on July 27th (I'll be 38 weeks) in case these girls have not voluntarily vacated their leased space by then. They will be officially evicted that morning at 8am. I stalk my personal countdown timer daily....well actually several times daily. I am secretly hoping they appear on their own time just a little early...not too early but maybe 7-10 days before we're scheduled for surgery. It's getting tougher and tougher just to do everyday things and my ribcage is severely bruised on my right side from Baby B's constant headbutting me (she is going to be the little lady who gives me a run for my money I can already tell). Symptoms and not-so-fun-side-effects aside I still would not change a thing. I have been very lucky with a great pregnancy so cannot complain!

All in all, we just cannot wait to hold these miracle babies in just a few short weeks!!

I'm a banana short of a fruit salad

My friend Tiffany mentioned a few weeks ago I should do a post about my pregnancy…I had no idea what to write but recently saw this on another post so seemed like a good one.

How far along: 23 weeks, 4 days

How big Is baby: Our babies, in fruit terms, are each somewhere in between the size of a papaya and a grapefruit. Lovely comparison huh? My sister and I always joke that we’ve got a full fruit salad on the way!

Maternity Clothes: Oh I am definitely in maternity clothes, and to be quite honest I might never give maternity jeans up. These things are so comfortable I swear every woman should have a pair, if not more than just wearing annually on Thanksgiving when seriously stuffing our pieholes. Seriously, they are unbelievably comfy. One thing I have been surprised at is how expensive some maternity clothes can be. I was fortunate enough to inherit a ton of shirts from my dear friend Jamie and bought a few pairs of jeans. I also bit the bullet and bought a few summer dresses which I am currently having altered now. I just needed something a little girly and a little dressy but with the prices the way they are I stopped at 2. Hard to justify knowing it’s just for a few more months. I also bought a maternity swim suit…not because I want to be mistaken for a beached whale anytime soon but I have been swimming at our club several days a week and let’s just say gravity did its job with my pre-preggers suits. They are stretchy and fit over the belly but brought the chestline down. Way down. My boobs looked like cow udders. Needless to say I am very happy with the swimsuit purchase!

Sleep: Love it. Lots of it. That is, when I can get it. The last few weeks I’ve had a VERY hard time getting comfortable at night but went ahead and invested in this pillow and couldn’t be happier with it. I get pretty stiff when getting up and a little light headed too but overall everything I read indicates this is normal so just going with it. The fact that my pillow is the size of me makes for a little less room in bed but my husband is a trooper and knows it’s temporary too.

Movement: Well hello Texas Tech! I have a few cheerleaders brewing up for ya! These girls are at it all the time. When one sleeps the other is moving so it’s a constant feeling of babies churning like butter in there. I can see my skin jump when they are doing their thing. They have really started to stay more active in the last week and it’s a constant motion of one of them. When I lay down at night they get a little pissy when I lay on “their side” and will let it be known. I feel like I am squashing them but the OB and Dr Google swear I can’t squish them. That, my friends, is a relief.

Food Cravings: Um, why yes. In the beginning I just wanted simple foods like mac-n-cheese or a tortilla with cheese & salsa (a go-to snack being from Texas)…but as time goes on I am getting a little less picky. I. Love. All. Food. I absolutely love Subway sandwiches (sweet onion chicken teriyaki), McDonald’s soft serve ice cream, smoothies, fresh fruit, homemade nachos and the list goes on. My appetite has increased more than two-fold and I now proudly eat more than my husband at dinner. Tonight’s dinner – Mexican lasagna and I’ve been thinking of it all day!

Food Aversions: You know in the beginning the thought of a steak made me want to throw up. Or a piece of chicken or pork too. But I am over it now and don’t really have any aversions. Instead I am just indecisive on what I want. I can never decide what looks good when we are out to eat and usually end up trading with Alex after I get orderers remorse and his looks better when it comes. At home I haven’t been in a huge cooking mode lately unless it’s super easy so we’re doing a lot of frozen foods (nuggets, tots, etc.) and easy mac. Don’t judge, you know it sounds awesome!

Gender: We have two baby girls on the way and Team Katen is officially Team Pink!

Symptoms: Other than eating like a cow and watching my body change drastically to look like something out of a National Geographic magazine no real symptoms here. I think I passed all those a while back and I am happy to say as long as I am fed, I am happy.

What do I miss: Not gonna lie – I miss wine. And sushi. And wine again. It’s not like a pitiful-this-sucks-kind-of-miss feeling but just in general I miss sitting on the patio with the hubster in nice weather and drinking a glass of wine. And sushi is just so delicious. Who wouldn’t miss it? These are all temporary no-can-have items I know but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit how excited I am to get my hands on those two babies in July…oh and my twin babies too! LOL.

Best moment this week: When Alex got to feel the girls kick for himself…I got home from a work trip in the Dominican Republic on Monday night and it had been a week since I’d seen him. Anyway, that night he had his hand on my stomach and pulled it back like something had bitten it when he felt one of the girls move. It totally freaked him out. He loved it at the same time. Now he wants to feel them on command but they aren’t that talented just yet! But watch this space -there are BIG things ahead for my sweet girls!

What I am looking forward to: I am looking forward to everything!! A lot of our bedding has come in and we’re waiting on a few more pieces of furniture and then I think we can really start watching the nursery take shape. I am also having several showers in May and am super excited about seeing friends, catching up and seeing all the cute things these wonderful people have gifted us to welcome our babies. I felt weird about having a shower at first as I didn’t ever want anyone to ever think we expected anything from them in a gift sense. But at the same time I also know how excited I get to go to a baby shower as a guest and help get the new parents ready for their baby. So I am over the uncomfortable feeling and now just plain excited! And I hope the guests are too!

I’ve been working on this post little by little for weeks now. And now it’s like info overload. So sorry for the long winded post. This is what happens when I can’t have wine and sushi. I type instead.

Anyhow, Happy Thursday friends! My fruit salad and I are going to make dinner soon! It's time for this momma's next feeding!