massage/pedi/gift package

after my work baby shower, i just felt so drained and hot.  i made an appointment for the following day to have a prenatal massage and a pedi.  i specifically wanted a gel pedi since i know that they last up to six weeks.

also, i had another baby shower to attend in the afternoon.  so, i went to my massage, which was GREAT and relaxing... and, it turns out, the masseuse and i chatted the whole time!  she had me on my side, holding a big body pillow.  i wondered how she was going to accommodate my belly.  it was pretty comfortable.  the nights before, i had a couple of leg cramp occurrences, so she worked with my calves....

then, i had my pedi.  yay!!!  it's flip-flopped: they do the paint FIRST, and then the spa portion.  apparently, it has to do with dry toenails for the gel paint.  i chose a soft light pink so that it will last for awhile and it's a close-enough-color-to-flesh.  :)  however, my big toes were really inflamed.  i asked her if she could help me out with that, telling her that this is the first time it's happened to me (let alone, i'm pregnant).  she felt more comfortable with me doing that on my own.  fine.

at the baby shower, i was given two suggestions- 1. cut the ingrown toenail myself or 2. see the podiatrist.  well, i haven't seen my dr. in a year since my last foot surgery, but i wasn't about to go see him for such a (what i thought) petty issue!  i decided to take action myself.

man, am i glad i did!  i don't know how it happened as the nail techs take care of my nails (i can't even do that right now while pregnant) and have for awhile, but on my shower chair, i took care of business.  holy cow, people!  take care of your toes!  just because you pay for someone else to do that for you doesn't mean they're actually doing it!

now, my inflammation has gone down, and so has the pain... yay!!!  massage, pedi, and toenail free!  LOL! :)

p.s. on fri., 10/8/10, my husband said he had something for me.  he was holding it behind his back, wanting me to guess what it was.  i told him about an american game "hot/cold," and after a million "warm" or "cold" answers, i gave up.  he handed me a gift package for three massages, three facials, three skin treatments, and all sorts of things!  immediately, i asked him, "why?  is this for my birthday?"  and, even though i couldn't understand it for minutes or contemplate that he gave me such a meaningful gift, i just sat there, wondering why?  after he allowed me to relish in my amazement, he said, "you deserve it.  you need it."  that's sweet, and even after hearing that, i still sat there for minutes, shocked.  i guess, even though i'm carrying our babies in my belly, i still feel breathless at gestures like that... like i don't know how to respond.  in my mind, i'm grateful, but it's hard for me to express that verbally.

so, iubi... i know you won't read this, and i've already said multumesc... thank you for thinking of me and what i needed.  this pregnancy can overwhelm me with all of the factors, and i'm grateful that you have our best interests at heart, especially my necessity for a massage and facial.  :)

work baby shower

last friday, 10/1/10 at 26 weeks, my work threw me a baby shower.  it was really sweet, and i was grateful for everything that we received for the twins.  i love how you get the cutest things wrapped in the cutest bags!  seriously at baby showers, people go all out with the most adorable bags!  i love it!!!

we had cake, unwrapped presents, and i was happy to see everyone who made it.  even those who couldn't make it ended up sending something ahead of time.  that was nice thinking as i'm sure they had other plans.  i was abundantly grateful for those who planned/set it all up.  when they helped my husband load the car, he was also so surprised and thankful for what we were given.

thank you for everything, everyone!!!  have some homework to do (thank-you cards) now! :)

i think that it was an emotional experience for me... for the fact that... soon enough, i'll have two little bundles of joy clothing with these gifted clothes!  it's a lot of pressure, knowing that soon their time will come and so will ours to be ultimately responsible for them.  for that, it's overwhelming to see a "glimpse" into the future.  not that it's bad... just makes everything more real.

i know that i'm an outgoing person, but it's embarrassing to be the center of attention, so, at first, it was hard to have everyone stare at me while i unwrapped what they got for the girls.  awkward.  i probably went through some gifts too fast... just to move through it so that my face wouldn't redden even more.  i'm sorry if you're reading this and i did that to you.  i had no anticipation to do that.  it was just an emotional time for me... that people would care so much about our babies who are still in my womb.

again, thank you for everything and for those who came!!! :)

(note: it's just that i know i teach kids, and they do that everyday, but it's still not something i've grown accustomed to/liked.  even when i ask the kids to stop everything and look at me... it's embarrassing to see all eyes on me.  i dislike being looked/stared at, wondering what they're thinking.  it's something that i've never gotten used to.  perhaps, it has to do with when i was younger, how people would make fun of my innocent/gullible/naive mindset when i just wanted to believe in the best of people.  maybe that's what i associate looking/staring with... since it happened so much when i was younger.  definitely, it's something to work on... it's one of those uncomfortable things to work on that you know will only strengthen you as a person.)

little earthquakes

no, not tori amos' album.  :)

at 27 weeks, feeling little earthquakes at all times of the day!  the only way to explain the feeling/happening is... imagine you're dreaming, and you're falling off a cliff, and you have the deep pit feeling in your stomach?  that's sometimes what it feels like. :)

i have been feeling A and B's heads (since they're pretty much knocking on each other's bag, they're so close) press against my belly... above the b. button to my left... small size of an orange or so...

i think that i'm starting to feel both of them move around at the same time... or movement in two different areas.   i do feel a lot of movement around my b. button, though.

we'll see if i'm right. :)

update 10/10/10: YUP, i'm right.  i felt both move at the same time last night!  a bit of space out on both sides of my belly button, i felt them! 

blue vessel lines

for some weeks now, i have been noticing blue vessel lines all over my belly...

now, it's fascinating as i see them seeping all over the frontal part of my body, especially my chest and below my neck.  no, they are not stretch marks... and, on one side (my right), i see more colored-vessels than the left.  ALSO, i don't think that they are spider veins because they don't look like any of the photos i researched....

of course, like my belly button situation, i've asked people if they had similar symptoms... and, obviously, no, i'm alone in that category... again.  LOL.

but, people have offered me this: perhaps, my skin is so light that the blue vessel veins show through more easily... AKA: i'm too white, i'm translucent, i'm scandinavian!!!  LOL!!!

belly button a-poppin'!!!

when i was staying in CA for two weeks in june/july this summer, i was flabbergasted when i noticed something.

i couldn't believe it.  my belly button started to pop out!  i called my husband, and told him (he was in AZ, painting while i was out there) that i kept trying to push it back in.  LOL.

i started to ask around, when did your belly button start to pop out?  i kept hearing late in the pregnancy, and honestly, i just felt ridiculous and out of place that mine started so soon- 20 weeks early?!  serious?!  i couldn't understand.  i researched, and couldn't find an answer.

i just learned to accept it.  i don't know why it happened so soon, but perhaps, it's because i'm carrying twins.  :)  i guess that's just how my body is, but it has been a strange transformation to see my innie as an innie, and now it's an outie... i just press against it, and it feels jelly.  LOL.  sometimes, it's even more peculiar to see my belly button move when i'm motionless, lying still...  that makes me feel like aliens are in my body, even though, i know that they aren't. :)

awesome local baby stores

courtesy of my friend, danielle, she introduced/suggested some local baby shops that resell gently used baby clothes, toys, maternity clothes, baby equipment, etc...

apparently, they have kid to kid stores throughout the states, but this is the first time i'm hearing about them!!!  also, we have a once upon a child store, and they, too, are all over the country!

if you like something, then you have to pick it up then... obviously, it may not be there if you return.  their inventory always changes.  from what i saw, they had a great selection and fab prices....  between the both of them, i thought that kid to kid was more reasonable, a better selection, not as claustrophobic as OUAC and, overall, just had a better feel....

:)

babies in the ultrasound photos

i may not have posted photos from the ultrasound as of late, but it's because it's really hard to get a clear image of one or both of the babies...

IN FACT, we cannot get both of them in a single shot anymore!  isn't that wild?  that is because they are TOO BIG!  LOL

at 26 weeks (i'm almost 27- my age! lol), they are the size of the ENGLISH HOTHOUSE CUCUMBERS at 14 inches long!  wow!!!  i'm always fascinated with how long these are in the store!  also they weigh about 1lb., 11 oz...!!!

and, here's what a baby looks like at 26 weeks... in my case, i have two in there- both flip flopped!  i do know that A is in correct position, but B is breech as of our last visit (which, of course, i need to update on here!)!

linea nigra

well, my "line" has shown up.  not that i welcome it at all- it's here.

i googled some images to show you what mine resembles mostly, and honestly, some people's linea nigra's lines look just plain nasty.

at first mine trailed from my b. button down south, and it was in the same location where i've always had some light-colored hair.  well, the line took charge.

i have read that it does fade, and i'm hoping that mine will, too. :)

fully developed

awhile ago in the pregnancy journal, i read that a woman's boobs aren't fully developed UNTIL they have gone through pregnancy.  that and only then is when a woman's chest fully develops.

isn't that so wild?

i know some older women who chose not to have children, and although, they probably had a much more sizable chest than i'll ever have (excluding my pregnancy, which i LOVE how they have changed- LOL), mine still have gone through more changes than theirs ever had.

and, my pregnancy still isn't done!  nor have i even breastfed!

sooo crazy!

ten degrees

so, i have read that pregnant women are ten degrees hotter on average than the regular population.  OMG!  it's so crazy, but true!

now, our house isn't the largest, but i USED to be able to (even earlier in my pregnancy) sleep at 82 degrees comfortably... not anymore!

we set it lower when we go to bed, but seriously, it's WRONG at how hot i get in a couple of hours!  slowly, we've had to adjust it to 81, then 80 at various times during this pregnancy, but now we're at 79.  the number just continues to decrease.  :)  obviously, i'm in AZ, and that's what we set ours at. :)

the WILD part of it is that i usually get SO COLD, sleeping in pants with sheets, a comforter or even a blanket... but,  now?!  yeah right!

my suggestion/tip: set the a/c lower BEFORE you head off to bed... i try to drink lots of water and take two or three bathroom breaks in the middle of the night, so that if we need to adjust the temp, then we can. :)  however, how is it that whenever i wake up, my pups think it's also time to head out for a bano break?! :)

borax... a versatile cleaning miracle!

since i found out i was pregnant, i have tried my best to not be around chemicals or use them in our house.  growing up, we always used comet and had to keep a window open because of the smell.  as much as i can, i try to find an alternative natural solution, which has proven to be time and time again...

BORAX!

this cleaning powder is MIRACULOUS.  you can use it for a billion different problems!  so, that's slight exaggeration.  ;)

regularly, i use it for laundry, to clean my sinks, clean my counters, scrub the shower down, clean the toilet bowls... and, the amazing thing is that it cleans so wonderfully with hardly any time!

here i found more usages for borax, and here's borax's website that also suggests varied uses. :)  if you go to this site, then you can download a booklet on the many usages. :)

the best part- a box will last a couple of months (if you use it as much as i do), and it's roughly $2.50 at wal-mart or $2.99 at target!!!  such a bargain!  you'll find it in the laundry detergent aisle in a white box!

introducing the baby stroller that we want... :)

we don't have it yet.  honestly, i don't have room for it right now.

however, yippee!!!  we found the stroller that we want!  let me back up... the ones in the stores didn't fit our needs.  for example, we tried to break down the double strollers and it was RIDICULOUS to even try.  my husband couldn't even do it.

anyway, back to the stroller- it's a single stroller, but turns into a double stroller. originally, we wanted the city elite double stroller, BUT it ONLY allowed for ONE infant car seat at a time!  pointless for twins, right?  yes, our exact thought.

SO, we were pointed in the direction of the baby jogger city select.  at first, i was hesitant.  i mean, it was ONE seat for ONE baby, but then, i saw this video.

everything that we need!!!  easy breakdown, can accommodate twins, two car seats at a time, air tires!

hair accessories

lately, i've just found headbands and decorative bobby pins so easy to wear when i'm running out the door. i suppose this is a glimpse of what is to come.  :)  i've found some great headbands on Etsy Headbands, as well as some cute bobby pins that really dress up any outfit: Etsy Bobby Pins.  i don't know if it's because i get warm easily when i'm PG, but i know that it is just nice to keep my hair out of my face when i could care less!  :)  i've bought some similar bobby pins from DawnWillBreak, but mine are of the white/opal-colored tone.

now, i'm a crafty person, and i know that these are really easy to make with wire (supposedly, lol- but when i tried it, i felt foolish for even attempting!!!), but i don't have time for that right now.  my mom, however, crocheted some cute bobby pins like these with beads for me, and i love to wear them!!! :)

magnesium and calcium supplements

if you don't start taking these, then start, especially if you're pregnant.for magnesium, it could possibly save your life.  let alone, it helps 300 parts of your body function!!!i even heard of it (magnesium powder, gets into your body faster) saving a man from a massive heart attack only to later stun the doctors as to why his symptoms weren't as grand as they should have been.


as for calcium, if you're deficient, then that could be the root cause of your leg cramps.  not to mention your body needs it in pregnancy!

baby registry... i mean, babIES registry!

note: this was a few weekends back- labor day weekend. :)

we went prepared to register with my compiled list based off of suggestions from friends/moms of multiples.

if that's a tip that i can give to someone, then definitely ask other moms what is a NECESSITY for survival.  :)  i'm so glad that i did that, and it really gave me insight as to what i needed, especially with what brands to use/not use.

however, when we actually registered, it was beyond overwhelming.  i mean, for what type of baby monitor do you register?  what bottles?  how many pacifiers?  for TWINS?  what do you/not need???  it's not like they have a lot of options for twins... usually, it's two of everything.  but, OF WHAT?!  i mean, we've never done this before!  although, i came very prepared, i still felt clueless.

we were only a few aisle in, and we were already feeling the pressure.  so many decisions.  finally, we just got it together, and started to relax as we bypassed some of the "big" aisles, such as the strollers, car seats, cribs, bedding, diapers, etc... since we were either going to get those items elsewhere or already had some ideas as to how we were going to accommodate/substitute.

towards the end, and having not even touched the clothing (and we didn't that trip), our scanner maxed out.  it was beyond funny!!!  i know the # that you can max out on!!!  256!  i had to take it to the counter, and finish with another one.  LOL.  that was just hilarious to me.  i mean, how many people actually know that number?! :)

four hours later, we left.  i was starving and exasperated.  the buffet across the street had me literally mouthwatering... and left me hardly satisfied.

note: if you register at babies 'r us, then make sure you CLEARLY state that you want gift cards to be added to your registry.  i've had to fix that each time i've visited since then to update my registry.

extra note: i had so much more of an idea when we registered at target.  :)   that was when i hit up the areas i hadn't previously, such as CLOTHING!  however, still two of almost everything. :)

one size up

i'm running out of shirts to wear.  i decided to take care of that after my pedi this evening.  even though two stores that i went to tonight didn't have any maternity clothing, i branched out, and bought some shirts anyway. 

normally, i'm a medium, but i only searched the large section. :)  simple tees, dressy shirts, lightweight wraps... i kept myself from feeling discouraged when some shirts didn't fit well... because i am PG after all! :)

so, my tip?  if there's no maternity, then buy one size up (for shirts, at least).  also, stick to solid colors so your outfits are more versatile. :)

pregnancy tips

so, i've been meaning to post about tips that i can pass onto expectant moms.  here it finally is: 

1- stock up on smart sweets like fruit sorbet, yogurt-covered pretzels, trail mix, jam, and smoothies.
2- i use organic belly cream (i have since 9 weeks or so).  it's nice for your guy to rub it on your belly and connect with your pregnancy.  
3- i have a stand up shower.  sometimes it's really difficult to shave since there's no place to put my leg.  so, when i was probably 6 weeks pregnant, i brought a kitchen chair into the shower.  it's brilliant.  now, as i'm much further along, i can take a shower sitting down and not have to strain my legs when i shave.  :)  if you come to my house and we need the fourth chair, then i'll have to go pull it out of my shower for you.  :)  
4- wear dresses, loose clothing.  flowy tops also work.
5- sandals.  enough said.  no high heels- just flat sandals.
6- chiropractor.  i haven't had much lower back/rib/tailbone pain in awhile as i did previously.  it was horrible.  NOW, it's just shocking how well a new chiropractor has helped me out.  i felt no pain release from when i visited my other one for a long time.  each week, i would just be frustrated that my pain wouldn't leave.... YET, i'm not sure if it's also coincidental.  i just don't feel the same pain as i did before... and, i don't think that i've gotten "used" to the pain.
7- insulated lunch bag.  fill it with snacks, your lunch, and ice packs.  
8- camelbak water bottle.  to my gray and royal blue collection, i added pink and purple.  at times, i use them for smoothies or juices.  i leave one at work, one by my bedside, and another i put in my backpack for work.  
9- wear men's cotton shirts to sleep in.  i grab my husband's shirts all of the time as they seem like they are much softer fabric anyway.  that, and nice cotton undies work. :)  
10- with your pills, sip some seltzer/sparkling water or my honest kids juices.  
11- toothpaste pillow... LOL... that's what my cousin's husband calls it.  full body pillow.  LOVE it.  cannot sleep without it!!!
12- take your time to get out of bed... especially as you progress further along.  when you do get out of bed, get into a fetal position and roll out on your side.  otherwise, your body will feel MUCH more worse.  the fetal position puts less strain on your back and it doesn't feel too difficult to get out of bed. :)
13- keep the a/c at a couple of degrees BELOW what is comfortable.  i have ALWAYS gotten too COLD in the middle of the night, wearing full pj's and having the comforter on, but i just get too hot nowadays.... 
14- when you gotta go, you gotta go.  go.  take advantage of every opportunity to use the bathroom, especially in the middle of the night.  it's troublesome and annoying to get up in the middle of your sleep, but you're most likely awoken in the middle of your sleep anyway.  at least, i am.  also, ask your guy to get up and let the dogs out, adjust the temp instead of you.  it's too hard on your body to get up so often.  
15- forget not your pets.  :)  keep the routines.  every weekend, we bathe/blow dry/brush our pups.  it keeps them and us feeling refreshed and clean.  also, give your pets attention.  i've personally found that zuk can detect that something is different; i really think that he senses my pregnancy.  he sometimes acts different.  pets are smart animals, especially doggies. :)
16- same regard- keep your regular routines up.  we switched our electricity plan, and we focus on doing laundry only on the weekends so that we don't find ourselves overwhelmed.  
17- fold your laundry as soon as you pull it out of the dryer.  put it away asap.  i have found that if i don't do that, then it will sit in our papasan for many moons.  :)  this might seem like a simple concept for most people, but it's always been a struggle for us.  regardless, make simple tasks remain simple.
17- skype.  i LOVE it.  my sister was overseas in germany, and she introduced us to it.  because my parents live out-of-state and we cannot see them often, we show each other things on skype, which is awesome!  it's much easier than being on the phone.  
18- if people offer to help, then allow them.
19- ask your guy for help, especially bending over or reaching over for awhile, such as pulling clothes out of the dryer, reaching in the bottom of the pantry.  
20- if you happen to be sitting on the ground or in a lower position, then ask your guy for help to get up- ONLY bending at his legs, picking you up in a chair/hug position.  it's the position that you can really pick up anyone.  when i worked with the assisted living, i could pick up the largest person this way without straining my back.  it's a simple procedure they show you to do.  use your leg power.  
21- be open to donations, offers.  especially since i'm a mom-to-be-of-twins, i'm grateful for anything.  
22- clear out your pre-pregnancy clothes AND clothes you know will NOT fit within the next year (for me, i did this around may), box them up, label "pre-pregnancy clothes," and store them.  you'll feel less frustrated, overwhelmed when you go to your closet to find an outfit.  

twin onesies

look at how adorable these onesies are for twins:

twin copy/paste onesie

she also has boyish font for twin boys!

twincess onesie

twin copy paste repeat onesie (don't know where my link went)

twin or triplet onesies

peanut butter and jelly twin onesie

i especially like the first two!!!  how cute is this idea for IDENTICAL twins?!?! :)

the size of...

at 22 weeks, the babies are now the size of papayas

and as long as a spaghetti squash (love squash- favorite vegetable!)!

isn't that wild???

almost 1 lb.  wow!!!

also, no wonder i'm having leg cramp central- it's a common complaint around now, as well as trouble breathing!  these babies are taking all of my oxygen!!!  sometimes, it's just hard to exhale and say something!

i carry...

i didn't know what to expect when i found out i was pregnant.  i mean, i hadn't been researching any of it, so much of it so far has surprised me.  a definite new learning experience that i have to chalk up.

so far, what has REALLY surprised me though is that i carry in front.  i know that i'm only 21.5 weeks pregnant, but i feel like i've been carrying in front up until this point.  don't get me wrong- i know that if i turn to the side, you can definitely see that i am PG.... but, i've been told that if i turn around, you then can't tell.

to me, that's so strange.  strange for two reasons:
1. i've always been fascinated when/how girls can carry in front, and where you can't tell from the back. it's so weird that we have such different bodies and how pregnancy displays itself.
2.  i've always carried "my" weight in my mid-section.  i take after my dad in that part, and i've not been too happy about that since that would be my weakness come bathing suit season....

i guess pregnancy will continue to surprise me... i mean, i haven't had the most orthodox of symptoms, so far (no morning sickness- just nausea from my prenatals and how they taste, i take shots 2x/day, DVT/leg cramps- which ones?, super exhaustion, etc...).

yet, somehow, i feel that as my body does take its shape, toll to accommodate these two little beings, i still am fascinated by what it's becoming....

6,000,000 what?

just read on the bump's weekly newsletter, that marks my pregnancy, that our baby girls have ALL of their 6,000,000 (six million) eggs in their womb!!!  by birth, that number will drop to 1,000,000 (one million) by birth!!!

also, in my other book, i read that they are the size of barbie and ken dolls.  LOL!!!  my favorite doll growing up (the former, not latter, lol)!

to point out, this is NOT the ken that MY barbie dated when i was younger!  LOL!  he had sandy brown hair.  :)  also, my mom got rid of all my barbies one day, and pure devastation set in.  :(

also, baby center said that our babies are measuring as long as carrots- 10 1/2" long and 3/4lbs.!!!  wowsers!!!

monthly nurse's advice

every month, the same nurse from cigna, carol, calls me for the healthy babies' program that i enrolled in my first trimester.  whenever she calls, she gives the BEST advice/tips.  this time was none other.

so, on wed., 8/18, she called, and advised me:

- kiwis have fabulous potassium in them (an alternative to bananas).
- put 1t of powdered milk in my smoothie for protein.
- tell the tech upfront that we'd like to be updated as the u/s proceeds since we aren't experienced in that area.
- if i continue to have "silver confetti" visions (more on that later), then let the dr. know... although, i was hydrated, fed, and feeling quite strong.  don't know how it happened twice, but it did.

she really goes to battle for me and finds out about my insurance plan in case i have questions or the dr. do... it's helpful to have someone on my side who understands the scientific part of it and the patient part. :)

a soapbox at 18 weeks

tomorrow, we go for our 21-week ultrasound ("u/s" for danielle :)). our previous appointment was very different than any other.

they did the full-anatomy screening on both babies.  imagine having an ultrasound for an hour and a half.  yup, roughly 45 minutes each baby.  the worst part is that the tech was one whom we hadn't had before, and she was quite UNpleasant.  now, i go to u/s every two weeks, and yes, i have questions, AND i have the right to ask any question i want.  for heaven's sake, i have TWO BABIES in my womb!!!  apparently, she did NOT like that and could not multi-task... do her job and answer my questions whenever i asked them.  she got beyond annoyed, and i could tell by her facial expressions, voice, mood, tone, and body language.  for instance, i asked, are we going to be able to compare the fluid around both babies once both babies' screenings were complete?  (for twin-to-twin transfusion which they told us about at our last appointment)  she became frustrated and upset when i asked that and told me that we weren't at THAT point yet in the u/s.  i knew that we weren't at that point, but i was setting the foundation for which i wanted her to point out to me later.  that was only the beginning...

[note: it's UNUSUAL to carry multiples... especially WHEN they're unexpected joys like ours!   it's hard to explain, except i'm sure any woman who has experienced pregnancy has felt this newfound desire to protect everything about the pregnancy/baby.  to know everything, pay attention to everything because it is a RIGHT.   it's a necessity.

well, just imagine your first, you're carrying double, and instead of showing concern for one, you're now responsible for two.  that's where i am.  it's this overwhelmingly feeling of protection, responsibility to my babies, my husband, my family, and especially God.  throw some (sarcasm to it's highest degree) high-risk, 70 mg lovenox injections, twin-to-twin transfusion possibilities in there, and voila!  it WOULD be UNREALISTIC to not be REALISTIC about the situation and concerns that any new mother may have.  we have to prepare for anything and everything.  any answers are appreciated and encouraged.]

normally, we have the most awesome tech... this younger woman (probably late 30's)... she's great about answering questions, providing feedback, multi-tasking, and the face of professionalism!!!  for some reason, we didn't get her this time, which obviously wasn't the best scenario.

for the rest of the visit, she at least reassured us that, once again (for the third time "finding out") that we're having girls.  inside i was LOL!!!  also, she said that the babies are measuring right on schedule for how far along i am.... it's so weird that i have two little babies in there, and every time we go to an ultrasound, i'm genuinely shocked that they're still there.  it's still strange to admit, experience, and feel that i am even pregnant.  i mean, a year ago, i would have laughed if this is where you told me i'd be.... just because i was so sick and almost passing through to the other side... i honestly didn't think there was MUCH possibility in ever getting pregnant after what i went through.  i went through so much medically.

when we finally saw the dr. (who is my fav. by the way, and i hope he delivers my babies since he is well-renowned across the U.S. for multiples), he answered my few questions.  i asked if it's okay to be around my pups (yes), how to solve my problem with prenatals (take two flinstones), if my tailbone's stretching is common (yes, i'm further along than singleton pregnancies since i'm carrying twins), how i deal with heartburn (tum'... 1 every 4-6 hours), and is it normal that i'm having a difficult time coughing/breathing deeply (yes)?

for our 21-week appointment, we are going to the downtown office since it's closer to my work.  since we see a different dr. each visit, it doesn't really matter which location we visit.  we're just praying for healthy baby girls!!! :)

supplements to alleviate leg cramping

i'm 20 weeks.  my chief complaint is leg cramping.   yes, i eat a banana a day in my smoothie.  i drink a lot of water, but it seems to not be helping.  still, i'm awoken several times in the night with HORRIBLE pains similar to my DVT, and i went to sprout's to see if there was any potassium supplement that i could take to help my situation.

the lady told me that actually it was a lack of magnesium which was probably the root of my leg cramping. who would have thought?!  i didn't even know where you find magnesium... meaning, in what food?  well, in LOTS of food!!!  it's in nuts, seeds, whole grains, veggies, beans, etc... AND, she also told me that the root of a lot of diseases, scientists have found, were traced back to a lack of magnesium.... apparently, magnesium is needed by some 300 parts in your body... wowsers!!!  amongst many things, it helps out asthma, blood clotting, leg cramping, allergies, muscle weakness, ADHD (i have most of that right now, especially ADHD my whole life)!!!  here's more information.  AMAZING!!!  i even read that a magnesium deficiency can lead to death due to heart failure!!!

anyway, through more reading, i found that a lack of calcium and potassium also can inflict leg cramping.  not to mention dehydration.  i did pick up a potassium/magnesium supplement.  over the counter, the max amount that they can sell of potassium is 99mg, so my supplement has that in it and 300mg of magnesium.

at my next ultrasound, i will double check with my dr. if it's allright that i'm now taking this supplement. :)

here's Baby Center's information/tips about leg cramping.

caramel macchiato ice cream

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!  this is an ice cream version of my FAVORITE drink at starbuck's!  i rarely get starbuck's anymore, and when i do, i get it decaf, iced with light ice and whipped cream!

anyway, we were at sprout's the other day, and i was in the ice cream section.  i was hungry.  i saw the new ice creams by starbuck's, and i was surprised that CM was one of the flavors.  picked it up...

i didn't even think about the caffeine part... i read the ingredients when we got home.  MAN!  didn't specify whether it was decaf or caf...

so, just had it.

SPLENDOR at its finest.  yum, yum, yum!!!  savored my four bites (regular spoon)!!!  i think it may be even better than the drink!

YAY!!!

alternative drinks

1.  for a couple of weeks, i've been drinking seltzer/sparkling water for an alternative taste.  i was at the point where all i drank was W-A-T-E-R.  so plain.  so, i tried carbonated water.  i have to say that, not only does it taste refreshing, it's also different with enough of a kick (the carbonation) to make my mind/body feel as if i'm drinking something else.  now, i've heard that some people think sparkling water is bad for your kidneys, but that's IF you replace your water intake with it.  you still HAVE to drink water, obviously.

2.  before i got pregnant, i wasn't a big caffeinated drinker; more like an occasional drinker!  but, with water, it just gets to the point of being... repetitive.  yes, you can do the Crystal Light Peach Iced Tea single packs (which i did), but prepared that you might tire from the same watery taste.  don't get me wrong- i love the peach flavor, but after awhile, there's only SO MUCH you can drink of it when we're required to drink THOUSANDS of gallons of water a day, especially for multiples!

3.  when i was nauseated during the fifth-11th week, i needed something to calm my stomach.  i was used to my mom giving us a clear carbonated drink and crackers when our tummy ached.  so, one fateful night when my stomach had other ideas, i had my husband rescue crackers... ahem, graham crackers (all we had-LOL) and sent him to the store to buy sprite (no caffeine).  somehow, in the midst of that, i heard root beer didn't have caffeine either, so i found the BEST tasting, healthiest version of root beer, which is Trader Joe's Vintage Root Beer (not the Virgil's one; very different taste!).

4.  Trader Joe's Blood Orange Italian Soda is phenomenal.  apparently, blood oranges are healthy for you.  this drink is so refreshing, and yes, it has carbonation, but it's great tasting enough to satisfy your urges for something sweet to drink with a meal.

enjoy!

they are now as long as a...

banana!!!  isn't that so funny that my chief problem i'm having is with leg cramping which has to do with not eating enough bananas for potassium (i do have one in my smoothie every morning)!  LOL!  and, here, the babies are this long at 20 weeks!

i don't know where they're fitting in me because i don't feel like they can be that big, but i guess our body has different plans for how to accommodate. :)

on a side note, i've been awoken the last few nights with leg cramping, especially three times last night (2, 5, and 7a.m.)- all of which weren't AS bad as they HAD been before, but it felt like the pain just kept circling around my upper calf like a merry-go-round!  the pain didn't last as long as it had before.  still, i'm wondering if i should take potassium supplements... i'll ask at my next appt. which is in a week. :)

update: another site/weekly email said that the babies are the size of a cantaloupe, so who knows!  LOL

twins' blog

Emotionally Healthy Twins' Blog was just introduced to me by a mother of nine year old identical twins!  just sharing for whoever needs it... :)

update: honest kids' organic juices/prenatal vitamins

i think that i've mentioned these juices more than once.  if i haven't, then i've meant to do that. :)

i ran out of my insurance-prescribed prenatals, so i thought, okay, let's try the natural prenatals that i stopped trying EVEN with these juices!

so, i try them, and my stomach... well, it didn't react well.  i'll put it that way. :)  the only time my stomach is queasy is when i try to take my stupid horse pills!

we're at the next night.  i think- let's play mind games.  they really are good and not nasty.   LOL!!!  i put some juice in my mouth, didn't swallow, popped in the glorious prenatal, some more juice, and voila!!!  

SO, if you're struggling taking your mr. ed pills, then put some juice in your mouth, settle the pill there, suck some more juice, and then swallow.  sounds simple, but through trial and error, i finally got it!!!

the pills are now fine for me to take.  THANK GOD!  i feel so much better about taking these natural nasty ones than not knowing the full ingredients of what's in my insurance's brand.  :)

DOUBLE WHAMMY!!! :)

so, i FULLY support these juices... such a nice snack before bedtime.  sweet enough for your sweet tooth, but not feeling like you got whacked with a bag of sugar and high-fructose corn syrup!  :)

are they leg cramps or DVT?

since i have the history of DVT (blood clotting in my left leg) and PE (pulmonary embolism- side of my lung), i started to get super nervous when i started to develop leg cramps in my SAME problematic leg!  it started around when i was 8 weeks, and i went to ER since i had the SAME exact symptoms as my DVT- i mean, the pain hadn't gone away for several days, and for that, i grew even more nervous.

well, i went in, and hours later only to find out that they were severe leg cramps.  oh great, i felt silly and frustrated.  how do you know when they are for real or just the pregnancy taking its toll on you?

all i know is that i mentioned to my dr. and chiro my situation.  the recommendation was to eat a banana for potassium each day.  okay, got it.

then, i started drinking smoothies quite frequently, such as every morning, and regularly, i would throw in a  banana....

didn't develop anymore "cramps" until about 17 weeks... we were staying in CA, and suddenly it's 5a.m., and what do you know!  i feel like i'd rather chop off my leg than scream in pain!!!  the pain was so similar, if not identical, to my DVT, and the thing is- i developed my DVT a year ago at 5a.m.!!!  so, you see why i was extremely nervous....

well, i put my husband right to work to massage my left leg while i was screaming for bloody murder!  who knows how long it took for me to be able to get comfortable again, but the weird thing is- the pain shot to my right leg, and i thought, oh great, how's he going to massage both?  that leg!  no, that leg!  back to that leg!  it was so frustrating for both of us!

then, this past week, again, 5a.m., and bloody murder!  this.pain.was.the.worst.  blood curdling screams.  my right toes felt like they were on fire and going numb, and this pain was just bad.  the following night (or should i say 5a.m. morning?  lol), similar episode, and just felt like my toes were bending weird... know what i mean?  that awkward feeling... well, throw in there some fire-burning feet and annoyingly painful cramps!

FINALLY, i thought- i ran out of bananas!!!  nooooooooo!  need them now!  haven't had them in a few days, which is why i got the stupid, but avoidable cramps!  when we woke up that morning, i immediately sent my husband to go buy some bananas, and threw a few of them into that morning's smoothie!!!  lol

coincidentally, just read that leg cramping is super bad right around now... halfway through the pregnancy!  FYI!

had a minor cramp since then, but seriously... EAT A BANANA each day!!!  if you don't like them, then throw them in a smoothie- tastes yummy!  prevent this awfully painful episode!!!  your sleep, your legs, and your loved one will thank you.  :)

(oh, disclaimer: for a DVT, your leg swells up, hardens like a rock (especially when you touch it- rock hard), red like a tomato, feels boiling hot, and the pain is beyond unbearable.  go to the ER if you have leg cramping that is like that and it doesn't go away!!!)

LOVE this fruit!

the babies are now the size of mangos at 19 weeks!  how cool is that!!!

i know that i haven't posted in awhile, but i have several coming this way, so be prepared to read. :)

also, nice trick my friend showed me with mangos- instead of PEELING (like smarty pants here used to do), CUT off the peel.  duh, right?  and, a family friend showed me one time that she had sliced up mango slices, put them in the freezer in a tupperware container, AND then pulled them out for snacks!  frozen mango slices!  brilliant.

this will become your new best friend...

the library!!!

i actually haven't had to purchase any books for my pregnancy.  friends have lent me books or i have researched the good books based on others' feedback, and then i check my glendale and peoria libraries to see if they have any of these books on hand.  most often, THEY DO, which is AWEsome!!!

my friend lent me my most favorite of all pregnancy books... I'm Pregnant by Lesley Regan, M.D.   it's really up to date with information, clear colorful photos, and it's a very easy read!  the book that i found for my husband is... Be Prepared: A Practical Handbook for New Dads by Gary Greenberg and Jeannie Hayden  this book is BEYOND LOL!!!  it's SO written for a guy.  if your guy doesn't like to read (yup, that's mine), then this is totally for him!!!  yes, i found this lovely book at the library!  i've also seen this book at Burlington Coat Factory's Baby Depot section for inexpensive. :)

the best part about the library is that you can renew for many times, which is what i've done for the latter book.

have fun book reading at your local branch!  :)
(later on, i'll add other books that i recommend, too)

yummy smoothies

ever since i "officially" found out that i was PG many moons ago, i've woken up... STARVING.  literally, waking up between 5-7a.m. (depending on work), and my stomach is  GROWLING.

for twins, the dr. wants me to eat 3,500 calories A DAY!!!  i was eating all of the time... every couple of hours.  STILL, it wasn't enough.

so, i started to make smoothies every morning, and it turns out it's been a great creative way for me to get even more nutrients than i was before..... what i love best about making my own smoothies is controlling what i put in my smoothies... the ingredients that i cannot control at a smoothie shop/jamba.

i especially love strawberries in them!  the trick is to put in half & half, frozen fruit, regular fruit, a bit of sugar, a bit of vanilla, and a bit of ice.  :)  usually, it's enough for my husband and me.

one night, i made my favorite smoothie, razzmatazz from jamba.  not to be biased, but i think that mine was greater. :)  here's the razzmatazz recipe:

1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen
1 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 sliced banana
2 cups raspberry sherbet or sorbet (about 3 large scoops)
1 1/2 cup ice

blend ingredients until smooth.

every morning, i enjoy myself a sweet drink of a yummy smoothie with a straw... yum!

more, more sites...

thanks to some friends or just hard 'ol research, i keep finding all these useful sites and my browser has thousands of tabs open.... SO, to alleviate that, i'm going to post them here, so it'd be a quick trip instead of this disaster that i now have.

before i do, i will admit that i am overwhelmed.  there are so many sites to read, look at, and i feel like i barely have enough energy/time to do all of that considering i still have a home to maintain its organization.  why does the internet have to be THAT resourceful?!  

SIGH.  

but, i know that God only gives us what we can handle, and with that... i move on:

CLOTH DIAPERS -

Arizona Diaper Service - found a local diaper service!  thank GOD!

Nell's Natural Baby - all about cloth diapers (courtesy of helayne)

Nicki's Diapers - cloth diapers (courtesy of jessica)

Kelly's Closet - cloth diapers (courtesy of jessica)
envibum - cloth diapers (adorable!!!)
http://stores.homestead.com/hstrial-KRyan546/StoreFront.bok - more cloth diapers

NECESSITIES FOR TWINS -

http://multiples.about.com/od/toppicks/tp/twinbabygift.htm - top 10 baby gifts for twins

http://multiples.about.com/od/breastfeeding/tp/nursingtwinitem.htm - tips on necessities for moms who breastfeed twins

http://www.amazon.com/MUST-HAVES-FOR-TWINS/lm/R1T82XE9NP685 - finally!!!  someone who can relate as to what we will NEED and not WANT.

MilkSmile - looks like various items i'd need on my registry for cheaper!

INFORMATIVE/GOOD DEALS - 

Twiniversity - an informative site created by a mom 

BabyBootCamp - OMG!  i've seen everything... baby boot camps?  but, a free prenantal class?!  i think that sounds good!

BabySteals - each day, a new "deal" (courtesy of jessica)

http://video.about.com/multiples/Double-Stroller-Tips.htm - which double stroller?  until i watched this video, i totally thought that we knew what we needed.

NATURAL/ORGANIC (local companies)-

Zoolikins - natural, safe products for a baby

Natural Territory - organic/natural safe products for home, including baby

Red Rock Studio USA - natural products for baby and mom created by a local mom/daughter

Susan Brown's Baby - natural products featured on The Doctors, but... looks like they might be pricey.

Oh, Baby Organic Skincare - organic products for a baby

Organic Style for Kids - everything organic for a baby!

babysuperwarehouse - organic items...

"morning sickness"/organic honest kids' juices

so, i didn't really develop the typical "morning sickness."  i actually would feel nauseous starting at the sixth week or so and it lasted for about five, six weeks.  the symptoms would usually develop late evening (six or 7), and from the rest of the night on, i would just be very careful to eat/drink anything. 

well, i take my medicine at night, along with my shot.  originally, i got these healthy organic prenatals at sprouts that the lady recommended after i looked at my various options (because i wanted the best for these babies).

that.did.not.work.out.according.to.plan.  these things tasted... like RANCID YEAST x1,000.  WHY- oh why would someone create/manufacture nasty smelling pills for PG women to take?  who was that stupid to make them?  i don't know, but after one attempt at those, i had my first symptom of "evening sickness."  it was "smells" that got to me... usually taking my pills at night.

so, off to sprouts to return.  got a different healthy kind.  (meanwhile, my insurance, cigna had filled a prescription when i first got PG for prenantals, and i was taking those, but i had wanted to switch to healthier ones.)  tried these out.  not as bad, but still TERRIBLE.  couldn't even stomach them.  anyone who would smell these would know... you just CANNOT give these to anybody PERIOD!

went back to my cigna prenatals.  LOL.  now, i take those, but these big 'ol horse pills aren't fun either!  so, i was at target one day, and got these Honest Kids' juices.  it was a carton of eight for less than $5.  it said 1/2 the sugar, so i wanted to give them a try.  i thought that i remembered a friend on FB mentioning these at costco....

tried the juices... so yummy- very light, not too sweet, but enough to do the job to take all of my pills, and still have a sweet snack right before bedtime. :)

went to costco... didn't have them.  "deleted" them.  WHAT!  i called HK, and they sent me out all these coupons, free vouchers for the inconvenience, but didn't understand why costco deleted them.  they were going to investigate.

three costcos later, found the juices... a 32 pack (four different 8 pk of flavors) for less than $10!

now, i am stocked up for six months. ;)  i especially like the "punch" ones!

we all grew up on capri suns, but really... you can taste the difference!!!  try these today!

toothpaste pillow

my cousin gave me her maternity pillow, and before that thing, i hadn't known how beautiful sleep could really be.  i don't know how i even slept without it BEFORE i was pregnant!  that's how comfortable it is!  sometimes, my husband likes to cuddle with it while napping- LOL!

here's what it looks like.

my cousin's husband calls it a "toothpaste" pillow... see why?  so funny!  i highly recommend getting something like this for everyday or maternity use... sleep is soooo much better!  i like to sleep on my right side with the pillow ends facing me.  i know that you're "supposed" to sleep on your left side, but it's not as comfortable for me as on the right....  also, gotta make sure that the pillow is between your legs so that they are not rubbing together- keep them spaced out.  i knew that, but also my chiro(practor) reiterated that.

happy sleeping!

helpful PG sites...

SO, i've done (or others have) a lot of research since i got pregnant (i have known since i was a couple of weeks), and here are the sites that i found to really benefit me:

week by week...
text4baby - get free updates/texts (3 or so per week) on your cell regarding your pregnancy week #
BabyCenter -  weekly emailed updates
How Big Is Your Baby? - compares your baby's size to a piece of fruit/veggie and i love this one!!!
thebump - theknot is its sister, and it gives you a great checklist

Babble - all around great site!

Baby Gaga - a site you can link to Facebook... :)
Planning Family
Twin Pregnancy and Beyond - excellent site for twin pregnancies!  (courtesy of danielle)
Baby Weekly - love the easy, quick updates...
What to Expect Week by Week - a cute site based on the famous book. :)

note: once you deliver, update the sites above, and they'll start to send you weekly updates on your baby's progress. :)

saving $$$...
freepeats - pass on/get free clothes, toys, maternity clothes, etc... just swap!
thredUP - swap/pay $13 for box of baby/kids' items that another parent is selling (courtesy of alicia)
freecycle - join a local group and you just pass on things instead of donating them in stores/selling them! 
IN STYLE Maternity - maternity clothes for cheaper than in the store
rebornmaternity- maternity clothes under $15
Magic Kids USA - buy kids' clothes for cheap

natural...
babybugcreationsLLC - a local mom who hand makes cute things
Banana Peels Diapers - cloth vs. disposable diapers (courtesy of jessica)
http://www.etsy.com/shop/babycakesanddecor?ref=seller_info - the most adorable, creative gifts! (courtesy of babycakesanddecor)... seriously, oh so cute!!!
Swift Mamas or Swift Mamas on Facebook - a fellow VU grad who hand makes useful items for nursing (courtesy of swift mamas)

what other sites do YOU love?

high-risk???

yes, i'm high-risk... i don't think i ever said what really happened late last summer...

i was immediately hospitalized with DVT (deep vein thrombosis) in my left leg, and also had a PE (pulmonary embolism)- blood clot in my left lung!

well, 9 days down, including a few in ICU, 3 private rooms, 3 surgeries, 3 or 4 ultrasounds, 2 cat scans, and $130,000+ bill (or was it more?) of which my co-pay was less than a grand....... i was released from the hospital.

on anticoagulants for the rest of my life.  my-lovely(i mean that in the highest regard- he saved my life)-and-obama-cloned-dr. discovered in the first surgery that i had may-thurner syndrome.
may-thurner syndrome
what is that?  well, i was born with it, and we have this center vein below our chest called the iliac vein, and mine looked like a traffic jam.  blood wasn't flowing through properly; thus, it got backed up, and i got DVT, PE...

coincidentally, i also had foot surgery a month before that, and wasn't able to move my left leg very much because of the black brace, HOWEVER, i would have developed the DVT, PE regardless because of my condition.  it was inevitable.

SO, i left the hospital on lovenox (shots taken twice a day that my lovely sister/gab administered... hated that needle, and we'd have a disagreement every time he/she was about to STAB me!  lol).

eventually, they moved me to coumadin, which i took for the next 8 months... until i found out i was pregnant.  coumadin is REALLY bad for babies and can cause birth defects and all sorts of craziness!  it's a small enough molecule that crosses the placenta...

AS SOON AS we found out i was PG, they moved me back to lovenox (oh joy!  doesn't cross to the placenta- small enough molecule), and i then had to start taking that twice a day, 70 mg/day.... gab was giving it to me... UNTIL one saturday, he left the house, AND we forgot to give my shot... a quick call to tirz that lasted for nine minutes with my sis convicing me to take the shot.

but, i HATE shots.  despise them.  do.not.like.them.and.flinch.every.time.  and, this needle is LONG!

well, since then, it's all me.  i have a routine down. 

i do this for my babies.  i need them to be as healthy and safe as possible.

because, i'm high-risk, i go every two-three weeks... and, these high-risk specialists are now going to deliver my babies...

the plus side?  have tons of photos and get tons of ultrasounds!  i've had six so far and i'm ONLY 16 weeks!

twins? identical? whaaaat?

when we first found out that we were pregnant, we had no idea what identical meant, and it's not what you think since we've been asked this question many times....  here's how we found out:

at six weeks (my second ultrasound at the high-risk specialist office), i was really supposed to be eight weeks.  immediately, she measured the baby and stated that we were only six weeks.  i was shocked, and didn't really understand.  so, i was pushed back two weeks.

THEN, she started squinting with her eyes, furrowing her eyebrows....  straight away, i asked her if something was wrong.  "no, nothing's wrong... it's just that... i think i see... two."  

as soon as she said that, i knew there were twins.  i turned to gab on my left, and his smile was so wide, and he was laughing so hard!  i was smiling so wide... so proud.  see, we always joked around that we'd have twins since his paternal grandma was one (identical- will explain later), AND had identical twin siblings (will explain later)!!!  i, like anyone, thought it ran in the fam, and that gab was due to have twins....

then, she said, "this sometimes happens... the baby's reflection looks like a second baby is there.  very normal.  we have to do a different ultrasound now."  

but, seriously, TWINS?!  i just smiled, and we had to do the more-thorough ultrasound (do i have to name it?).  of course, we were more intrigued at this second ultrasound for two reasons- the previous ultrasound (apr. 29, turns out i was just a few weeks then) was a little sac with a black little pea in it AND we wanted to know if there were twins!

"yes, they are twins... one placenta... identical twins."

WAIT, IDENTICAL?!  my head was so foggy and shocked at this point that i asked (you might find this a silly question, but seriously when you get the same information- let's see how you react!, AND plus- others have asked me the same question!)...

can it be a boy and girl?  (wouldn't that be perfect?!)

"no, two boys or two girls."

OH BOY... so it runs in my husband's family, he has identicals on his side, i told her.

"no, sorry to say, but... this is all you.  your egg split into two.  identical twins are not hereditary, non-genetic... they just happen in life.  no explanation."

poor gab... he thought it was his genes. ;)  so, what baffles me especially is HOW IN THE WORLD did his grandma have an identical twin ALONG with identical twin sisters?!  seriously, what are the chances of THAT?!  (stats later, please)

when we did see the dr. after that, he told us that i was already high-risk as is (more later), BUT they basically were going to take over my care and deliver these babies because i was even more high-risk with twins... identical twins.  he said that his only concern was that both babies in their own sacs needed to be separated by a membrane in the placenta.  otherwise, there's a higher mortality and a higher risk of bedrest.

two weeks go by... completely concerned, stressed, and praying for these babies... we go to our next appt., and THANK GOD- there's the membrane we needed!!!  woo hoo!  fantastic news!