32 Week Update

This week was a special visit, because I took my sissy (Bridgett) with me to my ultrasound.  She got to see H&H all squished up together, kept me company during my 30 minute NST, and sat with me throughout my appointment with my doctor.

Here are the updates from this week (I did a comparison from week 24 so you can see the growth in 8 weeks):

• Hudson 
• 4 lbs 7 oz at 32 weeks vs. 1 lb 11 oz at 24 weeks
• Heart rate of 122 at 32 weeks vs. 142 at 24 weeks
• Head down and kicking a lot (hand up in his face, but looking toward my back) - same for 32 weeks and 24 weeks
• Positioned on my left side - same for 32 weeks and 24 weeks
• Harrison
• 5 lbs at 32 weels vs. 1 lb 12 oz at 24 weeks
• Heart rate of 134 at 32 weeks vs. 130 at 24 weeks
• Head down and kicking a LOT - same for 32 weeks and 24 weeks
• Positioned on my right side - same for 32 weeks and 24 weeks

The NST looked great (taking the doctor's word for it).  Harrison was ALL over the place, and Hudson even joined in on the excessive movement when they strapped on the monitors.

Doctor said everything looks great so far, and we will see each other again next week.

How is mommy doing?

Since last weekend, I've been struggling a LOT with frequent night time false labor (to the point I'm amazed I am still awake today). It's only happening at night when I'm trying to sleep, and from Friday to Tuesday night this past week it's been the worst.  Friday night started with contractions 30 minutes apart all night long, and that time between contractions dropped 5 minutes per night until we got to every 10 minutes on Tuesday night.  That makes for a pretty long week.

(Side note: I did talk with my doctor about this Tuesday afternoon.  She checked to see if I've started to dilate, and said that I wasn't quite 1 cm yet.  My uterus is apparently just unhappy being as large as it is.  What a diva!) 

I decided that I would work from home Tuesday - Thursday this week to see if it would help me feel any better, and by last night (Thursday), I actually made it mostly through the night with minimal contractions that weren't intense enough to disrupt my sleep. =)

Besides the contractions, the swelling has started to set in has become painful in my feet and ankles. It feels like they're burning when I walk.  To get a good visual without showing you the actual cankles, they have started to resemble the Nutty Professor (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7G_EPA8Ang).  NO....JOKE!

I feel as though I've now passed my physical limits and I'm running strictly on my mental strength and faith in God.  Your prayers are being heard and God is going to continue carrying us through this pregnancy (and beyond).  As selfish as I want to be and say "I'm so ready to have these babies", the truth of the matter is that my "mommy love" for these babies wants them to stay tucked away for another 4 weeks so that they can continue to grow big and strong.  There will always be time for me to recover from the strain this is putting on my body later, but for now we just have to hold on and thank God that these babies are growing and developing just as they should.

Gradybug loves the babies tonight

31 Week Update

The weeks are FLYING by at this point, and we're only 5-6 weeks away from meeting Hudson & Harrison.  I have the advantage of already being familiar with their personalities and movements (the trade off us moms get for enduring all of the changes and discomforts through this process); however, the moment I see their sweet faces I just know my heart will melt even more!  I am so in love with these babies, and I'm so amazed at the power of our Lord to give us this amazing capacity to love.

Now that I am going to see my doctor weekly, I plan to post weekly updates on how we're all doing.  Most weeks the update will hopefully be "everything looks good".  This week is one of those weeks.

All they were checking this week was the fluid levels around H&H to make sure they're still even, and I had my weekly NST (see 30 Week Update if you don't know what that means).  The visit with the doctor is short and sweet at this point, because everything is going according to plan. =)

Just hanging out for 30 minutes while they monitored the boys heart rates and movements.  Everything looks good, and I'm still not having any contractions other than those pesky Braxton Hicks while I'm attempting to sleep.

My active little Harrison was actually head down with his brother today.  I won't be fooled by this, because I know his patterns now and he likes to flip flop around (and I can feel when he does it). He likes to get sideways and hang out like that a while before he changes positions.  It's so painful when he decides to lay this way, and with the amount of movement he makes it's likely he will be in a crib until he's 5 (otherwise he will end up on the floor every night).

Also, can we please talk about that cute little nose! Ahhhh I'm going to snuggle him so much when I get to see his face!

Sweet Hudson!  Still in the same position he usually is, and his mouth is open because he keeps sticking his thumb in there.  We didn't use pacis with Grady much because he just didn't like them, but I'm thinking my little Hud may choose to keep his for a while.  His little hand is always up near his face, and he's so chill during ultrasounds.  He finds his own time to move, but it's more punches and kicks like Grady, not quite like the acrobatics his brother keeps performing.  I have a feeling Hudson is going to be a mama's boy...I just know it! =)

I've attempted to take a 31 week picture at home this week, but honestly by the end of the day it's just not working out for me. So at work this week, I took a lovely selfie to send my friends.  Then I realized I had one very similar from 19.5 weeks.  So here's a split screen to show how these babies are growing.  I'm currently measuring 39 weeks (for a single birth).  BTW, this maxi dress is showing more and more of my ankles each time I wear it.  For some reason the front of it's getting shorter....go figure.

19.5 weeks vs. 31 weeks (WOW!)

30 Week Update

This morning started with another visit to check on Hudson & Harrison.  We began with an ultrasound to see these sweet babies and check on their fluid levels.

You kind of have to use your imagination to see it...

Hudson (Baby A) is still head down, and yet again had his little hand to his mouth and we could watch him sucking.  Harrison (Baby B) wasn't quite as active in the ultrasound as he's been in the past, but he's head up (in my ribs).  While we couldn't get Harrison to roll over and give us a look at his face, we did get to see one of his little ears, and some of his HAIR! (so crazy to be able to see that on a normal ultrasound).

After our ultrasound, it was time for me to do my first NST.  (If you don't know what that is, check out this link:  http://www.babycenter.com/0_nonstress-test_1272943.bc, they can tell you better than I can.)   The basics behind this:  they hook up a monitor to each baby to get a reading on their heart rate, and they hook up an additional monitor to check any contractions I may have (I didn't have any - whew).  For my test, I got to kick back in a recliner with my 3 monitors and I had a push button that I was instructed to push every time they moved.  Let's just say, it would have been easier for me to push a button every time they weren't moving (I don't think my active little boys were a fan of things pressing on my belly....it's like they knew it was happening).  All results from this test were normal, so my visit with the doctor was quick and easy.  Only hiccup is that I'm still anemic, but I didn't have to get an injection today (just need to keep taking my pills)!

Every week from now until we meet these babies I will go in for a visit like I had today for an NST and ultrasound.  We won't get another size measurement until July 28th, and that may be the last time we get a size check before we deliver.

I have mixed emotions about whether or not I want the next several weeks to fly by or slow down.  However, since it's not really in my control, I will just take it as it comes.  We are still on schedule to meet these babies at the end of August or very early September, so just keep the prayers coming that my body remains strong for them and that they continue to develop as they have been.

Family Vaca and #GradybugTurns2

Family Vaca

So much has been going on lately!  I mostly post updates about the twins and my pregnancy, but since we went to the beach the last week of June and celebrated Grady's 2nd birthday last week, I want to share those things as well.

After my last ultrasound appointment, everything was going smoothly with H&H, so Kevin and I loaded up the car and took Grady down to Orange Beach to join my family on our family beach vacation.

We had such a good time playing in the sand and the swimming pool.  Grady was a fan of the ocean (as long as he was being held by someone), but his FAVORITE thing to do was go down the water slide.  The condo where we were staying had a lazy river (my personal favorite) that tied into the water slide.  Kevin would come down the slide holding Grady (who's face was all smiles) and they would splash into the water.  Immediately after hitting the water, you could see G look at Kevin and say "AGAIN!" or "I wanna ride".  Between him, Owen, and Cooper, we kept that slide in good business.

It's a lot of work taking a toddler to the beach, but it's also so much fun to see how they enjoy themselves.  We did see a shark on our first day at the beach (reason #2 that I don't really get in the ocean much anymore...reason #1 is jelly fish, because they ALWAYS find me in the water).  We played under the tent (pale baby problems), napped a lot, tried swimming, ate great food, danced in the street during a light show at the Wharf, and got to watch fireworks on 4th of July!

Here are a few pictures from our vacation:

Family photo opp while we take a break from dancing to the light show at the Wharf

 

The difference a year makes

Playing in the sand (under the tent, of course)

Living the dream (he looks tan because of the filter I used...haha, don't be fooled)

Family Beach Pic

 

4th of July Fireworks show at The Wharf (Grady = not a fan of fireworks)

Mommy and Grady selfie on the morning of his 2nd BIRTHDAY!

He's got this beach thing figured out

Beach Bum (he decided this was his chair on our 2nd day our on the beach)

Kevin and I at The Wharf after dinner one night (Grady was too fascinated by the boats to get in a picture with us)

Gradybug Turns 2!

Grady's birthday was the Thursday we were on vacation (July 2nd).  So we celebrated his birthday with a party this past Saturday, July 11th.  Family and friends got together at the park behind our house to play and then we opened presents at the house and had lunch with the family.  It was such a good day, and I know Grady had a blast.  Here are some of the pictures from his Goofy themed party.

He loved his Goofy cake and started to dig into it with a fork almost immediately after blowing the candle out

His cousin, Ella Raegan, had fun going down the slide with G

Here's Grady with Emma Grace and Ella Raegan (Lilli will be moving around with them next year)

While opening presents, he was really excited to see what was in the packages

His reaction to a bulldozer that makes noise (Thanks Aunt B and Uncle Mat)

He even stood still to read all of the cards that went with his presents (this is G with his great-grandmother, my Nanny)

Then....he crashed...

We went to Cracker Barrel for dinner that night and he wanted to play checkers with Pop Pop

And he was a huge fan of the peg game (only he wanted all of the holes filled instead of empty)

My little baby is growing up fast, and soon he will be a big brother!  I know he can't fully comprehend what's coming his way, but once the shock and confusion wears off, I think this sweet little 2 year old is going to be the best big brother to H&H. 

After these past two weeks, mama is ready to slow down and take it easy (and maybe let my ankles get back to a normal shape and size).  Our next big plans include adding 2 more kiddos to the family, and that will be here before we know it!

Obviously I took more pictures for each of these events (which many of you probably saw on Instagram and Facebook already).  If you want to see more, you can search #wilbanksbeachtrip2K15 and #GradybugTurns2.