18 weeks! (and my new favorite things)

The weeks are starting to fly by!  I can't believe we are likely or nearly halfway to welcoming these babies, since the vast majority of twins are born between 34 and 38 weeks.  And we are halfway through our last 4ww to see them again.  Our anatomy scan and next OB appt. are on the 25th, then we go to biweekly appts..

We are growing every day and the kids kept me up last night with all their wiggling.  It is hard to describe what it feels like, other than really wild and really cool.  At first when I feel them, it feels like something is wrong, but then I just sit still and feel them dancing.

I've been a body pillow devotee for a long time, but found that it just wasn't cutting it lately.  So when the Snoogle was the deal of the day at Target (for <$40), I snatched it up.  Love that thing.  I addition to cushioning your head and knees, when you use it with the length along your back, it helps keep you from rolling over on your back, which I found myself doing a lot before.

I've been a huge fan of tervis tumbler cups for a long time, but my penchant for clumsiness has apparently been exacerbated by pregnancy, which has led to lots of spilled water all over the house.  The solution?  Tervis lids and straws!  Or as DH calls them, sippy cups for grown ups. :)

I finally ordered the nursery rug from my local shop and found this adorable and oh so travel friendly convertible dress for our trip next week.  I'm having so much fun with it already. ;)

More Nursery Decor - Rugs

My fabric came very speedily from Joann's and they just sent me the rest of a bolt including a whole extra yard.  Not too shabby.  Almost as nice as when we got our stairs re-carpeted and we got the rest of that bolt of ridiculously expensive wool carpet for free, enough for four large area rugs to use around the house.  Score!

I bought a wool area rug from Garnet Hill a few years ago for the "old nursery", but I'm on the fence as to whether I want to try to make it work in the new one and with our chosen fabric. 

I love the rug, which we've been using in the den, but I think it might be too sophisticated and busy for what we have going...

And because I never tire of looking at it...

So I've been looking at cotton rugs from Dash & Albert, since that's the only other material besides wool I would use in the nursery and they have lots of cute ones.

I was trying to make a concerted effort to not have a too beachy nursery, but you can only fight your natural inclinations so much, so our non-theme may end up being "elephants at the beach".

I wanted the Yacht Stripe in Ocean when I was looking at the Alsbrook Spa, but that fabric didn't work out.  I still love the rug.

Then I was thinking the Stockholm, when I thought I'd paint the room golden yellow.  But the cribs are a light wood and I think I need more contrast with the walls.  And when I got the sample from our local shop, I was less than thrilled.

Then I found the perfect fit in Staffordshire Stripe (which happens to be featured on the Elements of Style/Erin Gates curated Nantucket collection on J&M today)...

But speaking of Nantucket, when DH saw this, their Nantucket rug, on their website, he loved it.  He LOVES color and all the colors of our fabric are here, I'm just not sure if it's not too much.  It reminds me of Stark's candy striped carpets that I think I first saw in a magazine profile of writer Jill Kargman's apt. and nursery.

I'm thinking the "new nursery" will stay baby girl's room and the "old nursery" across the hall will be baby boy's in a couple years, so I'm trying to go with something that might work to stay in her room.  There is a little pink in there...

My mom just let me know she is coming to visit me tomorrow!  Yay!  And she's bringing my sewing machine!  And we're going baby shopping!

Eventhough she already has several grandkids, she is almost as excited we are pregnant as we are.  She's had a rough year or so and deserved some good news finally.  On top of retiring early last year to help my sister take care of her ever growing brood, she then became a full-time care giver to my grandmother.  And then my g-ma was dx w/cancer and then my sister too.  Then my FIL passed away, and then we miscarried.  Then my sister's cancer got regraded and she needed chemo, but my sister E, who my mother is very close to, didn't think we should do it, but she did anyway.  And then her FIL passed away.  After getting Sara through her chemo, my mom's best friend since kindergarten and then my grandmother both passed away rather suddenly. 

She is actually stopping by on her way back to OH to finish clearing out my g-ma's house and visit with friends since she wasn't able to make it to her BF's service, a few weeks before my grandmother's.  She actually gets to make the trip alone as my step-father is home from work for several months and can stay with my sister, since he tore his bicep tendon serving as a pallbearer for my grandmother and had to have surgery.  We're all looking forward to things looking up. :)

My due date

I've been dreading this day all year long.  How is one supposed to feel when you are both missing someone you never really knew and so excited about what is to come?  I feel so sad and thankful at the same time.

A friend (and co-owner of PDtM) who lost her stillborn daughter on this day after years of struggling with infertility (and now has two young sons) put it very eloquently in her FB post today.

"Georgia would have been nine today. Time heals many things, her loss included, but just for today I will wonder what it would be like to have a little girl. My heart goes out to all who are still in the process of trying, or still healing from loss. Keep the faith, breathe deep and believe in yourself. You are not "less than" because you are struggling. You are more- courageous, compassionate and strong - and you will shine the light forward for others. Peace, Beth"

"And can it be that in a world so full and busy, the loss of one weak creature makes a void in any heart, so wide and deep that nothing but the width and depth of vast eternity can fill it up." - Charles Dickens

Decor fabric sale @ Joann's!

60% off through today, and another 15% off with the promo code "teacher2011"

My first love: Alsbrook Spa

(which turned out to be too thin and silky for the nursery project):

My Uzbek Jewel

The coordinating Suzanni Jewel, often seen here

Other favorites:

Cross section Charcoal

Khandar Indigo

Happy go Lucky Mint Julep

Maharani Sand

Khanjali Glacier



17 weeks!

I decided it was time for a belly pic, so this is me today @ 17 weeks.  :)  I'm finally starting to look pregnant, even though whenever I tell anyone how far along I am w/twins, they don't believe me.  I guess people don't think you look pregnant unless you have a beach ball stomach.  Oh well, I'm sure I'll show them.

We finally have both hot water and air conditioning at home as of today. YIPPEE!  I feel like I'm living in the lap of luxury.  It's amazing how not having basic things like this for a couple of the hottest weeks of the year will alter your perspective.

Knock on wood, I'm still feeling really good.  I'm just uncomfortable when I go through the inevitable growth spurts.  I'm not sleeping through the night consistently, but I'm looking forward to hopefully/maybe doing that sometime soon, as obviously before long, I won't be sleeping much at all.

I finally signed us up for our Great Expectations for Multiples class at the hospital for September.  We'll also be taking breastfeeding multiples and CPR.  My OB wants us to make sure we have all of these done before 24 weeks, in case I end up on bedrest.

On tap tomorrow (finally!) is prenatal yoga.  Can't wait!

Happy weekend! :)

Halfway there

We have hot water!  This is a major accomplishment after 12 days without any.  They are coming back tomorrow to finish and install the new furnace and then we'll have air conditioning.  We are moving up in the world, huh?  Even though the heat has finally broken, for now anyway, I am so excited!  It's been a crazy two weeks.  We moved back home today after two days at the hotel.

In lieu of doing school work, I assembled one of our cribs today.  This was just an exercise to make sure the mattress I got fits properly (it fits like a dream BTW).  So I ordered the second mattress while it's on sale, but will wait on ordering the other crib until we have the nursery wall up and walls painted and we can start putting things together, later in September.  I also needed to see how far the drop is from the bottom of the mattress (from the highest setting) to the floor (15"), so I can order the correct amount of crib skirt fabric and get started on those at some point in the near future.

I also just bought our tickets to NYC for later in August.  I can't wait!  We still have to decide where we are staying while we are in the Hamptons, though we are staying with my sister and her boyfriend at their new place while we are in Brooklyn.  It will be so nice to see them and to get away.  It's always nice to have something to look forward to. :)

Day 10

Well, the good news is that we've finally decided on the new systems and hope to have them installed this week (and on stilts!).  The bad news is it's the hottest week of the year, again, and after a terrible night last night, we are now staying at a hotel until the heat breaks on Wed.  You don't really realize how much you rely on something like A/C until you don't have it.  This pregnant lady is much happier now.  It just got to be too much, the house is absolutely sweltering and the humidity is downright tropical, with the heat indices over 100.