16 weeks!

We have babies the size of avocados!  I love avocados! :)  It's crazy how much I'm feeling them.  I can only imagine what it will be like when they get bigger.  Hang onto your hats!

Not much new to report on the baby front and I guess I should be happy my biggest complaint is that we are in day 7 of no hot water and no A/C.  Not fun when you are pregnant and hot.  We finally got the basement cleaned up, which DH did almost entirely by himself, and my contribution was washing all of our Christmas ornaments (since stupid, i.e. me, didn't put the tote back where it belonged in January).  The crazy thing about those Rubbermaid storage totes is that it doesn't take much water to make them float and then they tip over and then goodbye goes the waterproof container (since the lid is not water tight).  Oh well, I managed to salvage all but a couple.  Thank goodness DH was home all week from work, I'm not sure how we'd have managed otherwise.  It looks like his office will be closed next week too, as they got flooded again from last night's storm (though we were dry).  I'm ready for it to stop raining any time now.

We are hoping to make a decision tonight on all the quotes we've gotten this week on a whole new furnace and water heating system since both were completely killed by the flood.  Goodbye $5K. :'(  Hopefully we can get the install scheduled soon and I can stop showering at the clubhouse pool locker room (though I'm awfully glad we have that).  I spent this afternoon at the mall, which was a wonderful break from the house.  I have realized that as long as you have power, life goes on.  I can still do laundry, dishes, work, and thank goodness we have a refrigerator that works. 

Happy Weekend!

16 week u/s and OB visit

We are still "camping" over here...  Did I mention I abhor camping?  Still no a/c or hot water, boo!  The a/c guy is coming tomorrow and hopefully will be able to get things going again, though I think we had to wait for parts the last time this happened.  Really wishing we had non-giant, non-slider windows, so at least we could get a window unit.  The water heater guy came today, since we couldn't get the pilot light lit again ourselves this time, and he suggested just getting a new system.  Big boo!  DH is determined to see if once it dries out a bit more we can get it lit, but I'm not overly optimistic.  DH's office is closed from the storm flooding their electrical system, so he's working from home for the foreseeable future.  Oh well, on to much more exciting news...

We had our ~16 week u/s today and the babies look great!  We got some really good views, it was a nice long u/s, and got some ok pics.  Both of them are measuring perfectly! 

Baby A, who is clearly a boy, is measuring 16w1d by composite, as now that we are in the 2nd tri they don't measure the length, they do measurements of the head, abdomen, and femur bone.  His HB is 150 BPM and he weighs ~ 5oz.  Baby A, who looks to be a girl (she was >90% sure), is measuring right on track at 15w4d.  Her HB is 158 BPM and she weighs ~ 4oz.  It's still early, but both babies are breech right now.  She also did a color mapping of the cords and they looked good too.  We think it's possible that they are calling what has been baby A baby B and vice versa, not that it really matters.  I thought Baby A (now B) had been on my right and is now up under my belly button and baby B (now A) is still down on my left.

Both babies are very active, I've been feeling them for weeks.  I call them my wiggleworms because they are always moving.

At the big weigh in, I was disappointed that the pounds I thought I had gained, were apparently transient weight. :(  The OB I saw, I'm rotating as recommended with my check-ups, was not concerned since the babies are looking good.  She said the weight will come.  DH is still threatening pound cake therapy and I'm actually looking forward to putting on few, though I really feel like I already have.  Oh well, I'll just keep focus on eating healthily and hope to up in a few more weeks.

Sorry the pics aren't great...

Baby A = BOY!

Baby boy's face

Baby B = Girl!

She waves hello (and goodbye!)

Le weekend

Oh you know what they say about best laid plans?!  We didn't get our radon mitigation this weekend, or me to prenatal yoga.  We had the biggest rain EVER in recorded history in Chicago (since the late 19th century)

early on Saturday morning.  About 7" in just a few hours in a wicked storm that I somehow slept through entirely.  So, of course we got water in our basement, and a lot (nearly 2'), more than ever before.  Primarily because the power went out, for about 12 hours, which means the sump pump can't run (and the battery powered back-up pump is no match for a 100 yr. rain).  The longest it has been out since we've lived here was a few weeks ago after the wind storm, when it was out for three.  We fortunately have buried power lines, but just in our subdivision.

The power came back on Saturday afternoon (after we bought a new generator) and the water is now pumped out of the basement.  We've gotten rid of most everything that needs to be, which fortunately is not too much, as we've been here before.  We still need to finish cleaning out all the silt.  We are still without A/C (until Wed.) and hot water (until we can get the pilot lit again), but are managing.  Thankfully the heat is not quite as bad as it has been and we have plenty of fans.  The joys of home ownership never cease...

15 weeks! (and other miscellany)

And we're going from lemons to apples and oranges! :)  I can not wait to see the babies again on Tuesday, I'm just dying of anticipation over here.  Then it's another long wait until our anatomy scan in late August, but it will be our last four week wait, as then we are onto OB appts. every other week after 20.  Yay!

Otherwise, our huge milestone is tonight is my very last PIO shot (hopefully forever).  I will not miss these.  The individual shots themselves are not really that bad (or not nearly as bad as I envisioned when I saw the huge needles), but cumulatively over three whole months (!), they do some serious damage to your backside.  

And with all the bruises, we are having more bleeders lately.  DH always does the shots, unless he is not around, and the other night after drawing back, doing the shot, holding the alcohol swab over the site for awhile, and applying the band-aid as he always does, we went on our merry way like we do every night.  It wasn't until later when we were in bed that I rolled over and he could see that I had actually bled through the band-aid and had a huge blood stain on the back of my panties.  Lovely.  So after tonight we'll be done with all hormone replacement, and only on baby aspirin for another five weeks. 

I think we had a growth spurt last night.  I got really tired and uncomfortable during dinner and then passed out on the couch for an hour and a half.  I woke up and was noticeably bigger.  Very weird and very cool.

I'm up about eight pounds from when we started and looking forward to packing on many more. :)

I haven't been sleeping very well. I'm up in the middle of the night and lay around like I have somewhere else to go.  Though I am eternally grateful we have another master (our main guest room) on the first floor of our house, as with this heat the upstairs and our bedroom can get quite warm.  If I had to sleep up there all the time, I just wouldn't be sleeping at all.  I am also so so happy that our subdivision has a wonderful outdoor (and partially shaded) pool for when sitting in the A/C just isn't enough.  I'm running so hot lately, that the pool feels just amazing.

Speaking of water relief, I'm dying for some ocean time.  We are planning to head out to NYC to visit my sister in August and spend some time in the Hamptons, in lieu of the Cape and Islands this year.  So of course I just got an unexpected invitation to a party on Nantucket (and directly on the ocean) in August.  I'm not gonna lie, I looked into buying a ticket to go.  But hopefully the lovely Jay's of Hallowell Lane and Greenwich will host another. :)

I start prenatal yoga again tomorrow and am really looking forward to starting that up again.  We are also finally getting our radon mitigation taken care of tomorrow after having to do some work to the sump pump system (N.B. don't ever buy a house with one of these) in preparation of having it done.  Yes, it's somehow been a full year since we discovered we needed to have this done.  I guess we haven't had anything else going on... ;)  We also have ADT coming on Monday to move our glass break to the soon to be enclosed living room and install a window sensor in the new nursery.  Baby steps...

I went up the Arlington Design Center (which I didn't even know existed, a mini Merch Mart in my hood :)) the other night for a Ben Moore color event.  I got to roaming around Kravet/Lee Jofa and found another cute fabric that has my colors (blue and golden yellow).  Can't decide whether I love it enough/more than my Uzbek or not.

Halometer by Kravet

This would go wonderfully with the wool rug I had bought from Garnet Hill for our smaller nursery, though I think I've found a new rug from Dash & Albert to go with Uzbek for the new/bigger one.  Ah, decisions, decisions...

Oh and we finally got our headboard from CSN (well, I finally ordered it and it came very promptly from IN).  It's gorgeous and much nicer than you'd think was possible for $290 for a king ($250 after my voucher).  Love it!  Don't mind all the wrinkles...

Happy Friday!

Swimming in formula... (and baby gear!)

Because I need another reminder that I should be 37 weeks pregnant, the formula companies are inundating me with boxes of baby formula.  I realize this is a huge industry and getting people on your brand early is key for them, but I'm not loving that I'm still on all their lists.  And we'll probably be getting more in five months.  I guess I'll hang onto it all for now, but it all expires next year so we'll see if we'll need it or we'll just donate it to someone who really does, since my plan is to breastfeed. 

This heat wave has also been crazy, and I catch myself thinking thank goodness I'm not more pregnant than I am now, but then of course I wish I was.  These babies are such a huge blessing in our lives, and I can't imagine going through the coming weeks and months mourning and still longing to be pregnant as so many do, but I can't help but wish that our now angel baby was getting ready to make her big appearance.

My mother tried to explain to me that if she hadn't had the one m/c she did, then there never would have been me, but of course she forgets that we would have ended up with the exact same babies we have cooking now regardless of whether our little lentil made it or not (they just would have come later).  It's just impossible for people who haven't been through IVF and loss to understand, I guess.  These little ones have so many angels watching over them, they are two lucky little buggers.

Now for some twin baby gear fun...

I've been looking at stollers and car seats for years and since we are now in the much more limited twin stroller market (no UB Vista for us), our options are more limited, but still pretty good.  I looked seriously at the BJ City Select and iCandy Pear, but don't care for the stacking of babies style (where one ends up in a less desirable position), even though they are slightly more narrow in their footprint.  And instead of the new Bugaboo Donkey twin, I decided I'd rather have four strollers for differing needs than one that costs even more and I'm afraid to check at the airport (I've had several friends who've had theirs broken that way).

Given the great deal on Albeebaby.com, we have just bought the BJ City Mini double stroller in black.  It is supposed to arrive today.  It could have more storage (which could be said about almost every stroller), but I really like it (and love the way it folds!).  I think it'll be a good all-purpose stroller, not too big and not too small, and it's top rated for safety.  And those huge sunshades!

They are selling out fast, so if you are in the market for a double stroller...  The 2010 is basically the same as the 2011 (minus $130), but if you want the extra added back support of the 2011, you can buy it for $30.

I finally sold my CBEFM yesterday.  Not sure why I was still holding onto that.  I can use that $ to buy our BT double snap and go that we will use when they are small.

I'm also planning to buy the Bumbleride Indie Twin 2011 in Ocean (Natural edition), but we don't really need it for awhile, so no need to buy now when I could potentially get it for less than $600 later.  I'm not sure if I will actually be jogging with this, but jogging with baby is not recommended until at least six months, and many pediatricians think it is better to wait until even later.

I also plan to get the Maclaren Twin Techo 2011 in Crown Blue, but don't really need that until we actually travel with the babies, since that is the main benefit of this stroller.

N.B. All of these strollers are suitable from birth.

One of the car seats I'm looking at is also on its way for me now since it's not sold in stores, so I can try it out in my car.  I had wanted Britax Chaperone's for the awesome head support (and more importantly side impact protection) and huge sunshade, since so many infant car seats seem to be ridiculously paltry in these areas.  It's also great for safety (though most seats are roughly the same), but they apparently and sadly don't fit into anything smaller than a Suburban.  Their new B safe seat is not nearly as nice, but are designed to fit in normal cars.

So we are hoping that these will work out and I then I will order another one.  They are the new Baby Trend Flex Loc 30's in Grand Prix.  I also like the boot, the light interior and that it will lock into the DSNG.  They can also be used without a base, which is unusual.

If that doesn't work and I need to return it, I'll probably get the Chicco Keyfit 30 in Graphica, even though there are several things I don't care for about it and would change if I could (see above).

Looking to seeing the babies again on Tuesday and hopefully finding out what we are having! :)

14 weeks!

We've gone from peaches to lemons!  So I guess I am now officially in the fourth "lunar" month of pregnancy, aka the beginning of second trimester, per my new Pregnancy Journal, which has very informative day-to-day information.  The timing is weird, some sites will tell you that sometime in 13 or 14 weeks are the start of 2nd tri.  They will also tell me that I turned over yesterday, today, or tomorrow based on the exact same retrieval/5dt date.  Oh well.  Just thankful as always. :)

Since all the fun of Wednesday, I've been exhausted, but trying to get as much done as I can.  How do I have so much to do and I'm not even working right now?  I apparently have a minor bacterial infection that I get to take antibiotics for the next week to kick.  Oh AB how I love thee?  They mess up my stomach like no other...

I haven't been nauseous in weeks and didn't vomit once in the 1st tri, and even made it completely unscathed through our sailing trip this week, but the latest annoyance is that I gag and lately toss my cookies when brushing my teeth.  Lovely.  I don't want to give up my Sonicare (since obviously not brushing is not a viable option) since it has kept me in tip top cavity free shape for so many years, but after multiple days of cleaning vomit out of the sink, I think I might have to go retro w/a new toothbrush.  Ick.

I am finally up in weight, and a whole six pounds!  I'm not sure where that came from, though my appetite has definitely come roaring back.  I don't have any cravings (a good sign, I think) and pretty much all of my aversions (meat, etc.) are now long gone.

Thankfully we are already very settled in our big family house and I have the big family car, but since we are now expecting twins, the little nursery that's been sitting patiently waiting for its tiny occupant will just be too small for two.  So it will remain guest bedroom #2 for now.  We always planned to convert the current den, across the hall, to a second kid's room/playroom when the time came, but that time is now. :)  My dad is coming down at the end of August to help us finish the wall to close off the room from the living room and add a door in the current doorway opening.  I'll need to have my paint color picked out by then so S can take care of that and we can get moving on starting to put things together.  I can't believe it's only ten weeks until our V-day (my B-day :) ), though obviously we don't plan to be bringing them home until sometime in Dec. at the earliest.

Happy weekend! :)

Spotting and unplanned u/s @ 13w5d

Well, it has been an interesting day.  After being clean as a whistle all this pregnancy, I had a some unusual light tan spotting yesterday and this morning I had some dark spotting, which prompted me to call my OB.  She told me to come in for an u/s.  I drove into the city and waited a bit to be squeezed in. 

Thankfully, the u/s was perfect, which was a huge relief.  Baby A is measuring right on track and Baby B is 14w and was literally boxing the air while she tried to scan him/her, it was hysterical (so much for cricket).  They both have heartrates of 160 BPM and are measuring ~8 cm/ea. (so big!).  They also did an exam and my cervix is completely closed.  They aren't sure where the spotting is from.  It is most likely from me weaning off my hormones.  So I'm to take it easy (no heavy lifting, exercise, sex, etc.) and hopefully it will just go away on its own.  Only two more weeks until we go back again, and I'm of course anxious to find out what we are having, hopeful that we can find out w/our extended level 1 @ 16w and not have to wait for the anatomy scan/level 2 @ 20w.  So excited!

13 weeks!

I still can't believe we are 13 weeks along.  Bye bye 1st tri!  I took off my very last E2 patch today (OMG!) after being on them (and up to four at one point) since the 1st of April (after starting BCP in March!).  That was a very long time ago and I think it will take awhile for the skin on my stomach to go back to normal.  It looks like I had the Olympic rings tattooed down there.  I'm looking forward to being able to tend to my skin appropriately again. 

I also get to start weaning off of my PIO tonight (from 1.5cc nightly since April 21st, to 1cc for a week, then .5cc for another week).  Only two more weeks of meds to go...  My butt can't wait.  Don't listen to anyone who tells you that an FET is easier or shorter or whatever than a fresh cycle.  Hogwash.  We spent nearly as much on four months of maintenance meds for our FET as we did for our stims for a fresh cycle.

Finally went to the new chiropractor today.  She is really nice and even though I've been feeling pretty good, my spine is completely wacky.  She adjusted me today and I go back twice next week, once the next and then I'll go in every other week.  Very thankful we have chiropractic coverage, I almost forgot how good it feels.

Prenatal yoga starts up again on the 23rd.  Sadly, the wonderful instructor I had for fertility yoga and prenatal last time has moved to MN for her husband's job and there will be a new instructor.  I miss Jen. :'(  I could also go into the city and do it several places there, but I've got five pre-paid classes at PDTM from my last pregnancy, so I'm going to start there and see how it goes.

In other exciting news, I finally broke down and bought a new, bigger, and wireless bra.  I'm in heaven.  I also discovered the wonder of panel pants.  Thank you God!  I've got several great summer dresses to wear, but sometimes you want to be able to throw on some capri pants and a cute summer top.  Victory!

First tri screening and almost 13 weeks!

So I've never claimed to be a pro at this blogging thing, but lately I've had trouble commenting on other people's blogs (no I'm not ignoring you my dear readers), so I tried making my blog public again in hopes of that fixing the problem.  It didn't.  I'm going to try some other things, but let me know if you have any ideas.  Thanks.

We had our NT scan yesterday and everything went perfectly.  Sadly it was over too quickly and we didn't get any good pictures.  We did get a great look at them and measurements on the neck fluid on both babies and confirmed that they both have nasal bones.  They also did a quick anatomy scan and the brain, heart, stomach, bladder, etc. all looked good on both babies.  They both have HBs in the 160s and are on track growth wise, though the one they called baby B (DH thinks it's the one the OB calls baby A) is now a few days behind.

The u/s results along with the b/w we had done two weeks ago led to an awesome first trimester screen report.  For Down Syndrome:  The 1st tri risk is 1 in 308, but my risk pre-screening was 1 in 289.  After the screening, the risk dropped to 1 in 5,761.  For Trisomy 18/13: The 1st tri risk is 1 in 150, but my risk pre-screening was 1 in 531.  After the screening, the risk dropped to 1 in > 10,000 (the highest category).  So for both, my risk drops from that of a 35 year old (at EDD) to that of a 20 year old.  Take that AMA! ;)  There are obviously many other things that they don't test for and we are always conscious of the fact that my mother was just 20 when she conceived my eldest sister who has a random congenital gene deletion syndrome.

We were very happy with the results and celebrated by shopping for the perfect nursery chair at one of my favorite neighborhood furniture stores in the city .  The search continues, but I'm hoping that we've made some headway.  We had a great dinner in the city, something we still don't do often enough, and took the babies to their first rock concert.  U2 puts on an amazing show, but I think we may be done with those for awhile.  When it first started, I could feel my whole body vibrating.  I hope the babies aren't upset that we kept them up so late and probably made them wonder what the hell was going on. ;)

I don't think I mentioned before that the OB has given us the green light to go abroad for a vaca in September.  She thinks it's a great idea, but obviously we'd need to have trip insurance and be flexible.  I am still deciding where I think we should go and what we should do as I've gotten pretty worn out the last several days when we try to do a lot of walking in the heat.