The most precious gifts
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| daddy |
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| Mommy |
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| YaYa C |
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| YaYa G |
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| photos by alwaysashy.com |
Monday, March 25, 2013
Baby Shower
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Sunday, March 10, 2013
What's in a name?
Andrew and I have finally settled on names. It took a while with a lot of disagreement and laughter but we think we have chosen names for our daughters that are perfect.
We are so looking forward to meeting Ivy and Willa.
A. Ivy Delilah: we love the name Ivy. It is simple and beautiful and close to nature. Delilah was my grandmothers name who passed away in April. Granny and I were very close and I am thankful to have a daughter to carry on her name.
B. Willa Anne: Willa is named after her father's middle name, Willard. We decided early in the pregnancy that if we had a daughter she would be called Willa. Anne is a family name on both sides. Anne is after Andrew's mother and sister as well as 2 of my aunts, my dear cousin and me.
Our next focus is the nursery and it is coming along nicely.
We are so looking forward to meeting Ivy and Willa.
A. Ivy Delilah: we love the name Ivy. It is simple and beautiful and close to nature. Delilah was my grandmothers name who passed away in April. Granny and I were very close and I am thankful to have a daughter to carry on her name.
B. Willa Anne: Willa is named after her father's middle name, Willard. We decided early in the pregnancy that if we had a daughter she would be called Willa. Anne is a family name on both sides. Anne is after Andrew's mother and sister as well as 2 of my aunts, my dear cousin and me.
Our next focus is the nursery and it is coming along nicely.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Bed rest
When I found put I was pregnant I knew I wanted to use a midwife because I wanted things to be as natural as possible. I have been interested in holistic obstetrics for years and always knew that when it was time I would have a natural birth with little intervention.
This pregnancy has taught me a lot, two of the important lessons- expect the unexpected and breathe.
Just breathe.
Andrew and I have told each other that a lot since the beginning of this adventure.
5 weeks ago we visited a high risk OBGYN, Dr. Berry Campbell. The appointment is standard at 20 week gestation in a twin pregnancy. Up to this point we have had few complications other than ongoing nausea and vomiting. Upon arrival at the appointment We were feeling confident and happy. All of the nurses told me how great I was doing, everyone was kind and complimentary. Andrew and I were excited to see the Ultra sound to say hello to our little babes again. Once we began the Ultra Sound the mood in the room changed a bit. Everything became heavier and Andrew I were both alarmed when the tech texted the doctor to come in.
At that appointment we were told that our girls had something called twin to twin transfusion. Basically, they were receiving uneven amounts of blood from the shared placenta. One baby had too much and the other too little. The condition was in the beginning stages but if it continued to progress baby a would be at risk for anemia and baby b at risk for heart failure.
On top of this terrifying news we were told that my cervix was shortening and that I would need to go on strict bed rest right away.
"You mean, go to work and come straight home and rest for the night?"
Not at all. Go home, lay down and only get up to use the bathroom, take a shower, and make a sandwich for the remainder of your pregnancy.
Devastated does not begin to describe how we felt in that moment. It was all too much.
So, for the last 5 weeks I have been on my back or at a 45 degree angle. Andrew has been waiting on me hand and foot. My mom has become a maid. The school where I work had to scramble to fill my classroom and thankfully they came up with some work I can do at home to earn a little income. I have basically been a shut in besides our on going visits with the high risk OBGYN. It has not been easy but somehow we are all maintaining sanity.
The great news is the girls condition has improved. The fluid levels seem to the leveling out and they are both growing beautifully. Also, thanks to rest my cervix is back to normal and the fear of preterm labor has subsided. We have gone from ultra sounds twice weekly to once a week and we have almost reached a point in gestation where the twins could be born and have a viable chance at life. The midwife told us to focus on 28 weeks and that every day after that is a bonus. We are 25 weeks today.
It has been an emotional roller coaster where all we can do is follow doctors orders and breathe knowing everything will be okay.
In the 25th week:
Weight gain: 30 lbs!
Cravings; bacon, fruit, caramel delights
Sickness: still lingering
This pregnancy has taught me a lot, two of the important lessons- expect the unexpected and breathe.
Just breathe.
Andrew and I have told each other that a lot since the beginning of this adventure.
5 weeks ago we visited a high risk OBGYN, Dr. Berry Campbell. The appointment is standard at 20 week gestation in a twin pregnancy. Up to this point we have had few complications other than ongoing nausea and vomiting. Upon arrival at the appointment We were feeling confident and happy. All of the nurses told me how great I was doing, everyone was kind and complimentary. Andrew and I were excited to see the Ultra sound to say hello to our little babes again. Once we began the Ultra Sound the mood in the room changed a bit. Everything became heavier and Andrew I were both alarmed when the tech texted the doctor to come in.
At that appointment we were told that our girls had something called twin to twin transfusion. Basically, they were receiving uneven amounts of blood from the shared placenta. One baby had too much and the other too little. The condition was in the beginning stages but if it continued to progress baby a would be at risk for anemia and baby b at risk for heart failure.
On top of this terrifying news we were told that my cervix was shortening and that I would need to go on strict bed rest right away.
"You mean, go to work and come straight home and rest for the night?"
Not at all. Go home, lay down and only get up to use the bathroom, take a shower, and make a sandwich for the remainder of your pregnancy.
Devastated does not begin to describe how we felt in that moment. It was all too much.
So, for the last 5 weeks I have been on my back or at a 45 degree angle. Andrew has been waiting on me hand and foot. My mom has become a maid. The school where I work had to scramble to fill my classroom and thankfully they came up with some work I can do at home to earn a little income. I have basically been a shut in besides our on going visits with the high risk OBGYN. It has not been easy but somehow we are all maintaining sanity.
The great news is the girls condition has improved. The fluid levels seem to the leveling out and they are both growing beautifully. Also, thanks to rest my cervix is back to normal and the fear of preterm labor has subsided. We have gone from ultra sounds twice weekly to once a week and we have almost reached a point in gestation where the twins could be born and have a viable chance at life. The midwife told us to focus on 28 weeks and that every day after that is a bonus. We are 25 weeks today.
It has been an emotional roller coaster where all we can do is follow doctors orders and breathe knowing everything will be okay.
In the 25th week:
Weight gain: 30 lbs!
Cravings; bacon, fruit, caramel delights
Sickness: still lingering
Friday, January 25, 2013
A snowy day
Thank goodness for snow days! For the last month I have been sneaking M&Ms to my classroom in my pockets like a criminal, popping them like the pregnant chocolate fiend that I am.
But today, SNOW DAY! A day to take naps and focus on my own little family-to-be while eating an excessive amount of Valentines day candy. Thank you, Thank you. I needed that. The funny thing is my pre-pregnancy self would totally be disappointed with the foods I have been consuming but honestly, I think its beyond my control. I need chocolate and MEAT especially, fried chicken. I have made it my personal mission to put on the pounds and hopefully most of it will bulk up these babies.
But not the chocolate. I am sure that is going straight to my booty and thighs.
Our kind midwife assures me that my weight gain is on track and I need to gain about 30 more pounds over the next 4 months or so. I am trying to wear my pre-pregnancy clothes as long as possible but a co-worker pointed out the other day that it might be a liability if one of my buttons pops off and hits a kid in the eye. I may tuck the button downs away but right now I am enjoying the humor I feel most mornings trying to search for something to wear that will fit over this growing belly, and growing it is! I think the girls are growing more and more every day. I can feel them wiggling and I like to imagine them making baby noises to one another in the womb. I have tried talking to them but that mostly makes me feel like a weirdo although my preschool students have no problem with it at all and I think they spend as much time hugging and communicating with my belly as they do me.
Andrew and I are working on deciding upon baby names. I think about it obsessively and I think he believes the right names will show themselves. We have defiantly picked one first name and are tossing around ideas for the other. I think choosing a name is a very big deal and we want our identical twin girls to have beautiful names that go well together without sounding too much a like. We hope to foster their individuality and I think that begins in naming. If you have any name suggestions, please share. I think we will choose soon because, I admit, I am eager to have something monogramed.
The nursery is coming along beautifully! My family joined forces to move furniture, hang a light fixture, put together a crib and prep things for the baby. My poor mother (YaYa) keeps cleaning the house for me because I have been so tired and I have dragged her along to find paint colors, quilt fabrics, and all things baby. God Bless Her. Andrews parents sent us carseats and a double stroller (its huge!) and his mother (YaYa also) is going to make us two very special baby quilts. Andrew and I are so blessed to have such a supportive and loving family.
Last weekend my dear friend and photographer, Ashby Green gifted me with a maternity photo session. As you will see, she is an outstanding photographer. I am very happy to have had this opportunity to create beautiful photographs that we will cherish, always.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Boys or Girls?
Ginger and I were on hand for Chapi's latest ultrasound this afternoon where we learned the sex of the twins (Marc and Carol were listening on speaker phone). In the same room that Chapi and I learned we were having twins we learned that we were having twin girls. The girls, it's so nice to be able to call them that, have grown a lot since the last ultrasound. We were able to see them much more clearly. We even saw one of them moving their mouth open and shut. Very exciting. We have been feverishly talking about names ever since. We would have been happy with girls or boys but it is exciting to know. And even more exciting to see our two healthy baby girls.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Baby baby
I feel like my tummy is getting bigger by the day. I have been trying to put the normal feelings about my body in the back of my mind and focus on the fact that the babies are growing. I can feel them moving sometimes and Andrew has felt the movement as well. Baby A is easier to detect because of its position in the lower part of my abdomen. According to he ultra sound and external heart monitor the two are quite spread out in there despite the fact that they share the same placenta. Baby A will be born first because of its position. As of the last ultra sound A is the smaller of the two with a heart rate in the 140's. Baby B needs to learn how to share and has a heart rate in the 165 range. I look forward to our gender identification appointment on Monday so we can think seriously about names and stop referring to them as Baby A and Baby B.
According to most old wives tales and the Chinese gender chart we are having girls which probably means they are boys. My brother, Michael swears they are boys and is calling them Abbott and Costello.
The children at school are in love with the babies already and I am often surrounded by a semi circle of 4 and 5 years olds rubbing my belly and singing lullabies. My students have come up with quite a list of name suggestions. Some favorites being: Treetop, Sparkling Moon, Friendship, Star in the Light, and Felix. Those Montessori children have done a tremendous job of keeping my spirits high with showers of love.
In the 16th week:
Weight gain: 8 lbs
Cravings: chocolate and fruit
Sickness? Go away!
According to most old wives tales and the Chinese gender chart we are having girls which probably means they are boys. My brother, Michael swears they are boys and is calling them Abbott and Costello.
The children at school are in love with the babies already and I am often surrounded by a semi circle of 4 and 5 years olds rubbing my belly and singing lullabies. My students have come up with quite a list of name suggestions. Some favorites being: Treetop, Sparkling Moon, Friendship, Star in the Light, and Felix. Those Montessori children have done a tremendous job of keeping my spirits high with showers of love.
In the 16th week:
Weight gain: 8 lbs
Cravings: chocolate and fruit
Sickness? Go away!
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