Two by Two

We've been busy around here lately (or should I say Andrew has been busy here lately). I've been busy directing my inate desire to "nest" and get this house ready for not one but two babies. It's been project after project since I started my bedrest 8 weeks ago. As we're nearing the finish line (4 more weeks if I have it my way), time is of the essence as we put the finishing touches on some last minute "nesting".

Here's what we've done so far:

(1.) Removed all the guest room furniture

(2.) Repainted the guest room

(3.) Moved all of Taylor's things from his old bedroom into the guest room, his new room

(4.) Repainted Taylor's old room in preparation for the new nursery

(5.) Added new furniture (crib, changing table, glider) into the nursery

(6.) Removed a desk/computer table from our bedroom to make room for a sleeping area for the twins

(7.) Brought down and washed Taylor's baby clothes and toys from the attic

(8.) Put together a new bouncer, crib, changing table and stroller

(9.) Repainted and rehung many pictures and shelves

Our quality control checker

Spring Has Sprung!

We have Bluebonnets this year! They're such a happy sight to see around

 here since last year we had none because of the drought.

Keep the rain coming!!!



We've Made It!

To 32 weeks that is...

Here's why that's so important to Jacob and Ryan's development-

*their weight is now 4.5 lbs each (9 lbs of baby total...holy cow!)
*a good amount of weight means better body temperature control at birth
(which is a great thing since I've been so HOT controlling everyones)
*they're practicing breathing movements on their own in the womb...
this was evident on the ultrasound screen on Monday as both babies had the hiccups! I suppose I would too if I was practicing breathing while swallowing amniotic fluid
*heartbeats are slowly coming down to a regular beat, still in the 130's
*movements are strong (on both sides)
*still looking like a c-section birth because Ryan (baby A) is still breech

My current development of pregnancy symptoms include-

*severe heartburn at night
*insomnia for several hours a night
*carpal tunnel syndrome in my hands in the morning
(new one for me-very achy)
*swelling in my hands and feet
*bulging vein in my left forearm (another new one for me) strange!
*unpredictable high blood pressure
*increased heartbeat ( a lot of blood needs to be circulated)

A Beautiful Shower on a Showery Day

As the saying goes, April showers bring May flowers, but this year it looks as though March showers might bring some early April flowers (our bluebonnets in our backyard are already blooming)!

A month ago my girlfriends asked if I wanted to move up my baby shower or postpone it until after the babies arrived due to my bedrest complications. I said I wanted to leave it on the date that we had already arranged because it gave me something to look forward to, another goal to achieve with this pregnancy. Well fortunately, I made it (30 weeks this past weekend) and was excitedly blow away by the attention to details, gifts, food, games, and generosity of friends and family. Jacob and Ryan aren't here yet, but their momma already knows how spoiled they're going to be.

 

THANK YOU GIRLS!

Sans Souci Photography

3rd Trimester Blues

My Current Cans and Can Not's

30 Weeks-5 weeks since my hospital stay. Measuring if I was 9 months pregnant!!!

I CAN NOT-

see my toes or feet anymore in a standing position

see my belly button (unless I'm looking in a mirror) and yes it is an outie now!

sleep on my back (that's been for months now)

sleep through the night without using the restroom

sleep though the night without changing sides because my hips begin to ache

sleep without a pillow between my legs to help with the pain in my hips

work

go to the grocery store

go to any store for that matter

stand for longer than 15 minutes without my right thigh going numb and tingly because of the pressure on my sciatic nerve

stand up quickly from a sitting position on my own, Andrew or Taylor has to pull me up-haha!

wear my wedding ring anymore because of some slight swelling in my hands-I'm down to my skinny ring. 

fit into regular marturnity clothes anymore because I'm already measuring 9 months pregnant!

I CAN

still drive to drop-off and pick-up Taylor from school

still shower...thank goodness

still shave my legs (awkwardly)...thank goodness x10

still read bedtime books to Taylor

still blog, read, and watch tv at home and not in a hospital

still play silly online games like Bakery Story, Farm Story, Zoo Story, and Words with Friends

still bust Andrew's chops

still have teachable moments with Taylor

still get and give kisses and hugs!

hear my heart beating in my ear at night when I'm trying to fall asleep

A lot of encouragement and a little incentive

For the past 6 months we've noticed a positive change in Taylor. He's been able to sleep through the night in his Pull-Up dry. Just last month we noticed that he was consecutively dry about 5 out of 7 nights a week. I've been so happy about this growth of independence and proud of his daily successes. Day after day he would wake up and say, "I stayed dry last night". We would encourage him to "hold it in all night while you sleep" and to go use the bathroom as many times as possible before he fell asleep each night. With that, we would praise him in the morning when he actually did stay dry.

A month ago we let the Pull-Up stack dwindle down to nothing as we made the decision for Taylor to stop wearing Pull-Ups at night and to wear underpants. Was he really ready for this or was it all a fluke? I thought since we were getting closer and closer to his 5th birthday that it couldn't be a fluke and that the positive changes were due in fact to pure maturity and getting older.

Well the first week of not wearing a Pull-Up was an interesting one. Taylor definitely regressed and decided to fight the system. He had an accident almost every single night! What I thought?? He's been dry almost every night and now he's not?? I vowed to give it a full 2 weeks before I reverted back to anything. So with that I had to get a little creative. Enter in 2 mason jars, a bag full of fake gold coins, and a reward...earn 5 gold coins in your jar and you can pick out a new Hot Wheels car.

After the initial first 2 weeks, we finally had a positive week and we thought it was all turning around. However, the following week was the week I went in the hospital for a night and the weekend was Taylor's birthday. With all the changes and excitement, he regressed once again and it lasted about 2 weeks.

Finally, we've seen the positive changes we've been waiting for. It's been 2 weeks now without one single accident. Moving into his new room to make room for the twins actually worked in our favor instead of against us. He calls it his, "big boy room" and ever since he has slept in it he has stayed dry!
This is truly a little blessing that couldn't have happened at a more appropriate time