32 Weeks Pregnant

Wow, 32 weeks; entering my 8th month of pregnancy! It's starting to feel real that we are going to have two babies soon, and also a little scary. Asher is so far from a newborn that it's hard to remember everything from that stage. I'm sure it will all come back once they are here.

We are starting to refer to the babies by their names, which makes everything seem more real. We are saving the surprise for everyone else once the babies are born, but it's so darn adorable listening to Asher whisper the babies names into my belly.

Babies at 32 Weeks 

Most of the apps this week compare the babies to obscure fruits and vegetables that I can't quite picture (jicama anyone?) As of my appointment a week ago, the babies were measuring at about 4 pounds each. Everything looked good in my ultrasound last week and there was only a 2% size difference between the babies, which is great! At my appointment this week, I will start having non-stress tests, which consists of hooking me up to fetal monitors that track the babies heart rates, as well as any contractions that I have, over a period of time. 

Weight Gain

As of my appointment last week, I had gained 3 pounds, which puts me at 34 pounds gained total. I'm still feeling pretty swollen these days, particularly in my legs and feet, so I'm trying to drink a lot of water.


Eating

Overall, I'm not feeling as ravenous as I thought I would being 8 months pregnant with twins. I'm still really craving apples and peanut butter, as well as lime flavored Greek yogurt. Mostly I just want a turkey sub from Wegmans, but I have been staying away from deli meat as is usually recommended during pregnancy. This is definitely the first thing I want to eat after having the babies.


Feeling

My belly is so incredibly heavy. If the ultrasound technician is correct in her estimations, I am carrying around as much, if not more, baby than I was when I gave birth to Asher. So, from here on out it really is uncharted territory. I'm having a lot of the aches and pains that I had at the very end of my last pregnancy. It's hard to imagine how I'll be feeling if I'm still pregnant in six weeks!


Sleeping

I'll sleep again eventually right?


Something to Be Happy About

We bought our minivan this weekend and Asher thinks it's the coolest thing ever. We went to a family party over the weekend and the first thing that Asher told everyone upon arriving was, "I have a minivan!" I'm just relieved that it's one less thing I have to worry about when the babies arrive; I can now officially fit all three carseats in my car at once.

Something to Look Forward to

Last weekend ended up being a bust in terms of completing our final preparations for the babies due to a flooded basement. So this weekend I am looking forward to doing that, along with attending Asher's playgroup's Halloween fundraiser on Saturday. Is there anything cuter than a bunch of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers wearing costumes? I think not.

31 Weeks Pregnant

I'm getting to the point in my pregnancy where it's starting to get really difficult just to function semi-normally. I'm definitely the size that I was at full term with Asher. To stay positive, I keep telling myself that with every week that I keep these babies in my belly, it means more time that they spend developing and less time in the NICU.

I'm starting to think about how Asher will transition to his new role as the big brother when the babies arrive. I know he is going to be so sweet with them but I worry about how he will feel about my attention being split between the babies and him. I think he senses the changes that are coming and has started regressing with potty training in addition to his difficulties sleeping. Anyone have any tips about how to make this transition a little easier on him?

Babies at 31 Weeks 

I'll know more after my appointment this week, but my apps estimate the babies to be the size of coconuts, approximately 3.3 pounds and 18 inches long. Apparently the babies are starting to develop more fat and their eyes can now react to light. 

Weight Gain

My doctor said to look out for swelling that doesn't go down when I rest and my feet are elevated, which is what I'm starting to notice. I'm certain that this will be reflected in my weight gain this week. I'm already looking forward to the days where the numbers on the scale will go down instead of up every week. I remember at the end of my pregnancy with Asher, when I was retaining a lot of water, I gained 7 pounds in one week. I'm praying that this doesn't happen again.


Eating

My latest craving/pregnant obsession is apples. Asher and I picked out a big bag of organic apples at the grocery store and have been eating them every day since. I've really been digging apples with peanut butter but also like to just eat them plain.

I've been feeling less like cooking lately so my meals have been really simple. Luckily I got the new Skinnytaste cookbook, which is perfect timing because it consists of slow cooker meals and 30 minute meals. I love Gina's recipes because they are so easy, but always flavorful and healthy. I'm looking forward to trying out some new recipes this week!


Feeling

My belly is starting to feel really heavy, which makes even every day activities like grocery shopping extremely tiring. Rolling over in bed is nearly impossible. I really can't imagine how I will feel in a couple weeks when the babies are even bigger! I feel very fortunate to not be working right now. Even though my days with Asher are long, I have the ability to sit down when (*if) he naps. I remember how hard it got to be on my feet every day when I was still teaching and pregnant with Asher. Not sure I could do it again this time around with twins!


Sleeping

Very little sleeping is happening these days. This section is starting to feel repetitive and slightly depressing. I need a nap.


Something to Be Happy About

We put down a deposit on a van and are going to pick it up next weekend. Seriously, I never thought I would be so happy to buy a minivan. I was actually one of those people who insisted I would drive a large SUV and never have a van but look how things have changed! I mean, the sliding doors, dvd player, seats that fold into the floor. What is there for a mom of three NOT to love? 

Something to Look Forward to

We are hoping to finish up with the nursery this weekend. My mom is here visiting and brought us a dresser and I ordered a rug, which should be here Friday. I have been look forward to putting away all of the baby clothes that I have washed and folded. Even more exciting is that we might actually reach my goal of having everything ready for the babies by 32 weeks!

30 Weeks Pregnant

Wait... wasn't I just 30 weeks pregnant with Asher? Maybe it's because 30 weeks was one of the milestones that we documented during my last pregnancy, but I clearly remember taking the photo on the left in our backyard in Florida like it was yesterday. It's funny for me to see the side by side comparison. I was carrying much higher with Asher than I am with the twins!

Despite all of the preparation we have been doing around the house, it remains hard to believe that we are getting so close to the arrival of the twins. Still no update on the car situation, which is a little stressful. I never thought I'd be so desperate to get a minivan!


Babies at 30 Weeks 

The babies are the size of cantaloupes, each at approximately 3.1 pounds and 17 inches long. No wonder my sense of balance is so out of whack. According to my apps, one of the babies may be getting ready to lower himself down into the birth canal. My doctor did a quick ultrasound at my appointment last week and this is definitely what we saw! Baby A's head is very low, and baby B is just above him, which is great news.

I continually get really stressed out about the fact that I seem to be feeling Baby A move much more often than I feel Baby B. My doctor has assured me that both babies have strong heartbeats and it is rather common for some women to feel more movement from one twin. Despite hearing this, I still think about it a lot and can't help but worry. Two babies = twice the worry already.

Weight Gain

I had gained another 4 pounds as of my last appointment, which puts me at 31 pounds gained as of 30 weeks. I try not to think about it too much, as my doctor is perfectly happy with my weight gain, but it's hard not to stress about the numbers I see on the scale. (Numbers, I should add, that are getting pretty close to what I was at when I gave birth to Asher.) I just keep reminding myself that breastfeeding two babies will help me lose the extra weight that isn't babies, fluid, or placentas. For those who aren't aware, breastfeeding twins burns on average an extra 1000 calories a day!


Eating

My appetite has been good this week and I'm not having as much trouble breathing after eating meals, which may mean that at least one of the babies has dropped into a lower position, taking the pressure off my stomach. (Judging by this week's photo, I'd say this is definitely true!) I'm not ravenously hungry but I've been eating three meals a day. I've been craving spicy foods, especially anything with sriracha, which is unfortunate because I end up with such bad heartburn all the time.


Feeling

I have been feeling so swollen these days. And no, I don't mean swole like my students used to say. What I mean is my feet look like they couldn't possibly fit into regular shoes anymore and my ankles are pretty much non-existent.

Oh and I'm exhausted, my back hurts, and I have terrible heartburn. Yep, I'd say that pretty much covers how I feel 24/7 right now. I'm sure this is all part of the territory when it comes to a twin pregnancy but I am so. over. it. Sorry babies.


Sleeping

Poor Asher has another ear infection so once again, this has been affecting my sleep as well. We got more antibiotics for him, so hopefully he will start feeling (and sleeping) better soon. I have also started having weird dreams about the babies, specifically dreams in which I've forgotten about one of them. I'm no professional dream interpreter but I'm sure it has to do with my anxiety about taking care of two babies at once.


Something to Be Happy About

We attended an event over the weekend for Babywearing International of CNY and got some tips on tandem wrapping the twins. It was super helpful and will hopefully make us a little more confident wearing both of the babies from the start. Josh actually won a wrap while we were there, which is really exciting. While we have a lot of carriers, I only had one woven, non-stretchy, wrap prior to this and I wasn't a huge fan of it. The one that Josh won is really beautiful and I think we will end up using it quite a bit!

Something to Look Forward to

My mom is coming to visit next week and Asher can't wait to see his Nana. Every day he asks me, "Is it Sunday? Is Nana coming today?" I know he is looking forward to some bonding time with her.

29 Weeks Pregnant

I'm 29 weeks pregnant and I swear it's starting to feel like each week goes faster than the last. After a lot of research and polling moms in the multiples group that I joined, 32 weeks has long been my goal to have everything "done" when it comes to the babies. As this date approaches fast, I'm starting to get very nervous that this won't actually happen. I'll even go as far to say that I'm pretty sure it won't all be completed by this date. I have an ongoing list of baby to do items that I feel like we make progress on but there never seems to be enough time. I just keep trying to tell myself that it will all get done eventually and the twins are going to stay put for at least 9 more weeks...

Babies at 29 Weeks 

According to my apps, the babies are now approximately 17 inches long and 2.9 pounds each. Asher was 20.5 inches long at birth, so it's crazy to me that they are almost as long as they will be when they are born. They will still more than double in weight over the next 9+/- weeks. (Asher was 8 pounds 5 ounces!) Everyone always talks about how twins are smaller but my doctor told me that's just because twins often come early. I'm mentally preparing myself for two more big babies; they are measuring ahead after all!


Weight Gain

I've reached the point in my pregnancy where I'm regretting this section of my weekly blog posts. Seriously though, stepping on a scale is outright depressing when you are having ONE baby, let alone two. I have a feeling that the number on the scale will reflect some water retention this week. I've been feeling swollen every day, pretty much everywhere but especially my legs and feet.


Eating

My appetite is back, which is good. I'm still trying to focus on eating as healthy as possible and cooking at home but I have to admit I'm getting tired. Sometimes cooking and cleaning up just seems like such a huge effort. I'm still keeping up with it, but I'm wondering how long I'll actually be able to do it. I currently have 17 meals stocked in the deep freezer and I've already found myself considering using them when I'm exhausted. It's better than ordering pizza (again) right? The frozen meals are supposed to be for when the babies get here, so I'm hoping I'll be able to make it through the next two months without using them. We'll see!


Feeling

It's funny how true the second semester energy versus third trimester exhaustion theories have been so true for me in both of my pregnancies. I more or less felt great right up until about 28 weeks and then I hit a wall. This weekend, we were in the car on the way to AppleFest in Ithaca and I was feeling so terrible that we decided to just come home instead. Josh kept Asher occupied all afternoon so I could take a nap on the couch. Not very exciting, but I'm learning that especially with a twin pregnancy, it's important to listen to my body.

I feel so incredibly fortunate to be able have the experience growing not one, but two babies. But that being said, I feel enormous. My back hurts. My feet hurt. I'm just ready to be able to tie my shoes and pick up my two year old. I am really looking forward to holding my babies in my arms and feeling like myself again.


Sleeping

I still can't decide if my trouble sleeping is pregnancy related or due to Asher's difficulty sleeping. Multiple times this week, I've spent hours in the middle of the night lying on Asher's bedroom floor rubbing his chest or back so he will go back to sleep. The poor kid has a cough again and his molars still are cutting through, so he's not sleeping for more than a few hours without waking. This means, of course, that Josh and I aren't getting much sleep either.


Something to Be Happy About

The first few times he went to school, Asher was absolutely fine with it. But in the second week, he decided that he would rather be at home with his mama and daddy. While we are still dealing with some separation anxiety issues with Asher, I think he's finally starting to make a little bit of progress. He didn't cry or seem anxious during breakfast this week and was happy that he got to bring his favorite stuffed bunny, Hoppity, to school with him. When Josh and I dropped him off in his classroom, he did cry a bit, but his teacher told me later that he calmed down much faster than he had previously. When I picked him up, he told me he didn't want to go home because he wanted to play more! I'm hoping it continues to get easier for him and that he starts to enjoy school more and more as time goes on.

Something to Look Forward to

This weekend, Josh and I are going to an event for International Babywearing Week and hopefully will learn some tandem wrapping skills! I loved babywearing Asher, pretty much up until my doctor told me I had to stop carrying him during this pregnancy. It became a lot more infrequent over time but when Asher was a baby, we had many days where babywearing was the only way to calm him. I am so looking forward to learning to tandem wear the twins.