Two cute

One with oxygen and the other with a feeding tube...

Babies!!

They are here!!!  they are so adorable and perfect!  They are in the nicu while they get better at eating and breathing, but they are starting to get the
hang of things, and probably won't need to go on the ventilator. The Dr said to plan on them staying about two weeks, but hopefully it wont really be that long, especially if they keep doing so good.  We can't get enough of them already!
more details when we get a few more minutes!  :)

34.2 weeks

10 lbs of baby in there!

34 Weeks

No pictures today. The way the babies are, they couldn't get their faces on the ultrasound.  Baby boy has his head clear down and face towards the back. Baby girl's head/face is covered by baby boy's legs/feet. I thought about taking a picture of myself, but it seems that I am just too lazy to get up off the couch and do so. 

Both babies look excellent! Baby boy measures about 4 lbs 14 oz and baby girl measures about 5 lbs 3 oz! Their hearts are beating good, they are "breathing" really well and of course, growing! The girl is pretty much head down now too, just on the side, so chances are pretty good that we won't have to do a c-section!! Woo hoo!!!  The ultrasound tech was a bit surprised by how big baby boy's head is already. It measured about 35 weeks 5 days :) It's in the genes I'm afraid, both Kaleb and Jenna had big noggins...but they are both geniuses so....

I saw the Dr. after the ultrasound and he was really pleased with how well the babies are doing. I am still dilated to a 3, so that hasn't changed luckily, but if I start having regular contractions again they'll probably put me into labor and they won't try to stop it at this point.  He said the farthest he'd have me go is 37 weeks, which is December 30th, which is only 3 weeks from now! But he thinks I'll probably go before then.  I'm still on bed rest basically, but he said I can do a little bit more now. I know that it is best for them to stay in a cook a little bit longer, but I'm starting to get pretty uncomfortable. 10lbs of babies in there! Crazy to think that if I was just having one baby I wouldn't even be thinking about it being here any day, I'd still have a good month left and be carrying on like normal. Two babies just changes it all! The Dr. said that 35-36 weeks is about normal for twins, so maybe another week and they'll "pop out" as my kids say :)

Whenever they do come, I just hope they are nice and healthy!! Anyone by chance found that crystal ball so we might have a better idea of when that day might be?? ;)

Decorating the Christmas tree

The kids loved decorating the tree with grandma and grandpa and dad, I was there too, just sitting in the chair :)

Home again home again

Yesterday they let me come back home! I actually undilated from a 4 to a 3.  The plan was to check me Saturday and if I had stayed the same let me come home, but since I went backwards they were definitely okay with me leaving, and I was more comfortable with it too.  I will go into the Dr.'s office Tuesday night to see if I have progressed at all.  He now thinks I might be able to go a couple more weeks with the way that things have been going. If I start having contractions again, or dilating anymore I'm back in the hospital though. And if I dilate to a 6, he is going to break my water.
It is nice to be back at home and to have things going better.  Lets just hope that they stay this way and that we don't have to be back in the hospital again until these babies are born! (which hopefully won't be too soon) :)

Plans

I don't really know why we try to make plans, they always change! I had planned on being able to go to the Logan Temple tonight when our niece went through to receive her endowment. I also planned on going to the Salt Lake Temple on Saturday when she gets sealed to her fiance.  But I wasn't able to go tonight, and I'm pretty positive I won't be going on Saturday either. Pretty bummed about it, but it will be fine.

I had totally planned on carrying these babies until 37-38 weeks, being able to take care of my family, get my Christmas shopping done, set up Christmas decorations, and just not have really any problems.  I knew there was always a chance that things would change a little bit, but I was still optimistic.  

Now, though, I don't really have any plans. Well I guess I sorta do. My plan is to sit here in a hospital bed until the babies come.  I hope that they don't come for a few weeks, but the Doctor said he would be surprised if I went longer than a week more.  I was having more contractions and such on Wednesday, so we came in(Luckily Jeff was driving down and just met me here). My Dr. was the one on call so we got to see and talk to him a bit. I was dilate to a 3 and 70% effaced and still contracting so he wanted to keep me over night. This morning they checked me again and I was dilated to a 4 and 80% effaced, I was the same when they checked again at 1 pm and haven't been checked since, hopefully there hasn't been any more progress! 

So now I guess the "plan" is to just hang out until the babies are born, tomorrow, next week, 3 weeks, who really knows how long, any one got a crystal ball they could check? The Dr said that since I've had kids before, a 3 is big enough that a small head could come right out on its own...that we do not want, if it does happen, it's probably better that it happens here at the hospital rather than at home!  So most likely babies will be in the NICU for a while. If they have to be on a ventilator for more than 3 days, they have to go to salt lake. Unless there is something serious when they come out that they don't see on ultrasound, we should be able to keep them here in Logan with us. I pray that they will be able to stay here, that BOTH of them will. I don't know how we'd do it if we had one in Logan and one in Salt Lake.  Even thought they will be early, I am still confident that everything is going to work out just fine.  The sitting and waiting is hard, but it is what is best for these little babes, we want them to be as healthy as possible! I'll try to keep updates up as they come, I think I'll be able to squeeze a few minutes out of might schedule to do it :) Please pray for these little babies to be strong and healthy when they come!!

The way that I am

This song came on the radio the other morning while I was in the shower. Of course I sang along, but I also found it was pretty fitting for Jeff and I. I'm lucky that he does love me just the way that I am! He is so good to me and I love him so much! It seems that I have been realizing this more and more lately, you'd think I'd already know how much I love him, but for the last little bit it has become more apparent just how much I guess. I am so grateful to have him love me and to love him!!

Bed Rest

I have been pretty lucky so far. We made it 31.2 weeks before we had any problems, which really is pretty good.  Last Sunday I wasn't feeling great and was having some contractions.  I took a nap and took it easy for a bit while I kept debating weather or not we should go into the hospital.  I finally decided to go and get things checked out, better to do it on a Sunday afternoon than have more problems while Jeff was at work the next day.  So we called our friend/home teacher, took our kids over to their house and headed up to the hospital.  They monitored me for a while, okay, really it seemed like forever! I was still having contractions and some pains.  They did a fetal fibronectin test, which can give you and idea if you are going to go into preterm labor within the next 2 weeks. Mine came back negative, phew!  They checked me and I was dilated to a 2 and 70% effaced, not really what you want that early.  Since my test was negative they let me go home and said to just take it easy.  Monday morning Jeff went into work a bit late so that he could help get the kids fed and dressed and entertained so that I could take it as easy as possible.  Kaleb was bored to death and wanted me to play with him, I felt so bad that I couldn't!  Around noon I called my friend/home teachers wife (who we are so lucky to have!!) and had the kids go over to play after lunch.  About 2 o'clock I started having more contractions, while just laying on the couch.  They were about every 10 minutes for a bit and then all the sudden they were every 2.  Jeff hurried home and we went back in to L&D.  We got to sit around with monitors on forever again.  The beds up there get really uncomfortable after just a little bit of sitting in them :)  I continued having contractions, but there wasn't any sort of pattern or anything to them. They checked me again and I hadn't progressed at all so they let me go back home again, this time on strict bed rest :( I'm allowed to get up to pee and shower is what they told me.  Our kids spent the night at our friend's house that night, and she took care of them, and made arrangements for someone to watch our kids and her kids while she went to a Thanksgiving lunch with her kindergartener.  We had planned on going home for Thanksgiving, so we asked the Dr. if that was still an option, he said that if I could go 2 days with nothing really going on, then I should be fine.  We had an ultrasound/Dr. appointment on Wednesday, and the babies were still doing great.  Baby boy weighs about 3 lbs. 15 oz and baby girl weighs about 4 lbs. 3 oz.  They are growing great!  Whenever I was on the monitors at the hospital their heart rates were great, when you could get them, because they were moving around like crazy!  It was very reassuring that they were doing good in there.  The kids spent the night at home Tuesday night and Jeff took them over to another friends house Wednesday morning.  I hadn't hardly had any contractions since Tuesday morning so we decided to go ahead and come to Logan.  Our plan is to have the babies here, so the kids and I will probably stay down here until they come, and Jeff will go back and forth a bit. We have lots of family and friends to help us out here, and I guess it seemed easier to 'take advantage' of family here than our friends up there :)  So Jeff will head home Sunday night, and then come back down Wednesday night, he has a niece getting married next weekend, so we were planning on coming back down anyway.  We have an appointment with our Dr. here next Friday and we'll see what he says, weather I'm on bed rest for the rest of the time, if I can go home at all or if we will be having Christmas here...so much that we just don't know what is going to happen! I'm really grateful that my parents are willing to let us stay with them for so long and help us out so much. I'm grateful for all of our friends in Twin that already have been such a help to us! Now I guess we just wait, and try to keep these babies in as long as possible!

Halloween

The Pretty Princess and the Lion

 Luckily we could talk Kaleb into being a Lion, the same thing he was 2 years ago (yep, still fits) and Jenna into being a princess....which the dress and everything is a hand-me-down from our neighbor...so we didn't have to buy and costumes this year!

 Jenna and her best friend Cami both dressed up as princesses

 My awesome costume ;) as you can tell, we really get into Halloween around here... We went to the trunk-or treat- and that's about it.

28 Weeks

 Baby A

Baby Boy

2 lbs. 8 oz.

 Baby B

Baby Girl

2 lbs. 10 oz.

Aren't they adorable?! :)
We were able to get some pretty good pictures today, so so fun! They are both doing great, hearts and all other parts are looking great, they are close in size, and at a good size.  Baby girl is still kind of laying transverse, across the top of my stomach, and baby boy has decided to turn and is now head down!! Hopefully he will stay that way, then I would be able to avoid a c-section, that is my hope! They both have their feet in each others faces, and their arms curled up around their heads. Kaleb and Jenna always had their arms around their faces too :) I love getting to see them so often! It is so much fun! They will do another ultrasound in 4 weeks, so we'll get to see how they've grown again!

As for me, I'm growing good too... up 20lbs, not too bad I'd say. I gained 42 total with Kaleb and 36 total with Jenna. But 20 lbs in 28 weeks, I hope I don't add another 20 or so in less time than that! I'm tired, imagine that, and recently I've been having issues with my sciatica nerve on the left side. Pain in the butt. Literally :) That's okay though. I am healthy, babies are healthy, we are all excited, and I figure, if Heavenly Father trusts me enough to send these 2 sweet babes to us, I should have enough faith that I can do it!

We had fun making "gak" today. We made a purple batch, and an orange batch.  Super easy and the kids loved playing with it!

Sippy Cups

 Do you have the time, to listen to me whine?

Oh how I hate them.

I let my kids carry them around for way too long, I am aware of that. But they were SO convenient! Only now am I aware of the problems I was causing for us without knowing it.

See, we recently all went to the dentist.  Turns out that letting them carry those cups around with juice or milk in them all the time cause BIG problems with their teeth. I didn't think it was that big of a deal, because they were always well hydrated.  A couple years ago we took Kaleb in and he had 4 cavities filled-at the age of 2. I wish that that dentist had said something to me at that time about the damage that was being done.  I could have prevented a whole lot more, if I had only known!

Now we have mega dental bills :(  Both kids have to be sedated to get everything done. Which if they consider medically necessary our medical insurance will pay for, but who gets to determine that? Unfortunately, we only have basic, preventative care dental coverage, which means that they won't cover any fillings, crowns or anything of the sort.  argh!!

So now I know. These babies (and any other future babies) will get sippy cups, but only with water. Juice and other drinks have become very limited in our house, and it will have to stay that way!  I feel so bad for my kids, makes me feel like a bad mommy for not knowing! Luckily the dentists have been very nice and not made us feel worse about it, they seem understanding-like maybe it happens often. The one said that even the little gum brushes for babies are good so that when teeth do come in, they are coming into a clean environment. And whether I breastfeed or they have a bottle or whatever, to just wipe their mouths out after they eat.  And after kids drink milk or juice, have them drink water to wash it down. Good things to know!

Anyway, if you have read this far, thanks for listening to me vent! 

The results are in!

Okay, so they were in last Thursday, but we went out of town so I am just now getting back to ya!

If you guessed boy, you were right! And as it turns out, if you guessed girl, you were also right! Yep-two babies, twins!!!

I'm sure that the reality of it will hit us sooner or later, but for right now we are still just on a high about it, at least I am!
This is how we found out: as we are starting the ultrasound...
Tech: if we can tell, do you want to know what the gender is?
Me: Yes
Tech: both of them?
Me: REALLY?!?!
Tech: look at the screen (there are two heads on the screen)
About this time Jeff notices something is going on(he had been getting the kids situated) and was like wait, what?
They were surprised that we didn't already know, but where I am going to a family practice Dr., I didn't have the initial ultrasound. So we had no idea. Now I guess I'll get to have more ultrasounds! YAY!
I don't know if Kaleb and Jenna truely understand what is going on. When someone asked him if he was going to have a new brother or sister he said: "ummmm both" like it was no big deal. I don't think Jenna really caught on that I had one baby in my tummy, so pretty sure she doesn't get that there are two. Oh how her world is going to come crashing down in January!
I am hoping that I can get her potty trained before the arrive, buying 2 sets of diapers is a big enough pain, but THREE??!! No thanks! Any suggestions on how to get her to have at least an ounce of interest in it?
I also realized the other day, that if you are supposed to get new car seats every 5 years, that our infant car seat and the one that Jenna is in right now, are about to expire. That means 3 new car seats. OUCH!
Anywho...I am just rambling now :) We are so thrilled and hoping that everything continues to go well!!

Boy or Girl?

We find out on Thursday if we will be having a BOY or a GIRL joining our family! Just for fun you can vote over on the right hand side which you think it will be!

I am a Child of God

I have a million...

But I seriously love pictures of my kids sleeping! They are so sweet and peaceful when they are asleep, and I love all the random positions I find them in :)  This night Kaleb claimed that there was too much noise, so he got a couple extra pillows to cover his ears. I left him with the body pillow over his head, and when I went in to check on him I found him like this- must have worked!

Hogle Zoo & The Gateway

 ***PICTURE OVERLOAD***

Jeff had to go to Phoenix for a week for work. It worked out well to have him fly out of Salt Lake, then the kids and I stayed in Logan.  We dropped him off at the airport and then headed over to Hogle zoo.

All ready to go!

 Such a sweet little cowgirl :)

 and of course the handsome cowboy

 The big elephant. My kids have never been big fans of loud noises, so we had to hurry and get a picture when it wasn't making any noise!

 We liked all the dinosaurs that they have added around the zoo

  Cute elephant and her momma

 Fun to watch her reach up high for a snack

 

 Rhino

 Posing on the fake rhino

 We walked past these and the kids had to play on them. Kaleb would have stayed there all day if I hadn't drug him away!

 

 Giraffes

 

 Everyone posing on the tigers

 so photogenic :D

 My mom was nice and bought us all some refreshing water! It was very much needed, and the best thing was you could refill them anywhere in the zoo for free!

 The camel was getting weighed

 Weird how this ones humps were all slumped over. The lady explained why it was, but I don't remember now :)

 Nothing can go wrongo I am in the congo!

(apparently Brittany is afraid of gorillas) haha

 

 She chose to ride this one...interesting choice. I'm sure I had a picture of Kaleb, but I don't know what happened to it.

 Playing around on the dino

 

 

 

 Jenna didn't mind the gorilla ;)

 Riding the train, Jenna was trying out some new smiles or something I guess

 Cooling off at the water ball

 

 We got done at the zoo around 5:00. I didn't want to head home at that point because 1. we'd hit rush hour traffic and B. I didn't want my kids to fall asleep and then wake up when we got home at bed time. So we went over to The Gateway and let them run around in the fountain.

Jenna took her pony out so that it wouldn't get wet-so she ran around like this for a bit :D

 Kaleb had his shirt off so she wanted hers off as well. Eh, she's only 2, why not?

 Kaleb LOVED it! We probably could have skipped the zoo and just gone here and he'd of been just as happy!

 Plugging his nose. I guess he was ready to dive in!

 Jenna wasn't too sure about it, so Brittany ventured out with her to show her it would be fun

 Then she left her

And she stood there covering her face

(it took me a bit to realize she was crying) :(

 Don't worry, I went and rescued her

We had tons of fun! The kids crashed when we got in the car and I crashed when we got home!