2 Weeks Old!

Sorry I haven't been posting on here; I rarely get on the computer anymore, and have generally been checking my email from my phone. It's not very practical to post a blog entry by typing it through my phone, so I've consequentially been neglecting my duties as resident blogger for the Wards. My apologies.

They boys are doing well. Their personalities are starting to emerge and it's neat to see the little people they're growing into. Jeff says Cole looks like a "little Bob," and Mom even said he resembles Nikki when she was little, so I suppose he has a bit more Shimshock/Alasko in him than the other kiddo. He's generally cool tempered (not from the Shimshock/Alasko side!) and is the harder one to wake up for feedings. His favorite sleeping position is with both hands up, as if he is surrendering to his drowsiness.

Avery, on the other hand, literally looks like a miniature Jeff. It's so funny how you can already tell how much he is going to resemble Jeff. He is a bit fussier than his brother (not from the Ward/Sauriol side!) and is harder to get back to sleep after eating. He also makes the funniest hungry faces and will try to put anything in his mouth when he is ready to eat. Today he tried to eat Cole's hand while we were trying to wake up Cole to feed.

We're still not sure on hair color yet. I think they both have reddish hues, but they're not as bright as Jeff's (I'm sure Jeff will come back and say he doesn't have red hair, even though EVERYONE thinks he does; even the people at Starbucks asked me if my husband was the one with the red hair who comes there to work all the time).

So far we have been on a number of excursions with the boys. They've been to Target, GNC, Whole Foods, Michael's and Starbucks. We surely cause a scene wherever we go, but I know it will only last as long as they are little, so I'm relishing in the moments as they occur.

Mom has been a great help, and Jeff and I are trying to figure out a way to pay her a salary to stay down here and help us full time. We're not sure how we're going to do this without her. Our only solution thus far is to train MacGyver to take care of them. He probably would be very willing, since he definitely has a paternal instinct--he kisses their feet when they're fussing and checks them out to make sure they're both alright--but I'm not sure that would work out in the long run.

I could write for longer, but this post is already long by blogger standards, so I'll save some for the next entry. I'll try to be more consistent with my updates from here on out.

36ish Week Update

We had a nice day down here. Mom and I got massages (thanks, Stef, for the gift certificate!), then we wasted some time by going to Michael's and grabbing lunch. Then, Mom and I went to my appointment for the week, which was ideal because Jeff was busy getting his pertussis vaccine and was unable to come. Much to both of our surprises, there are no changes to my status. I'm still the same amount effaced and dilated, so no progress on my end. The only thing the doctor said was that she could feel the bag of waters, which probably means my mucus plug entirely passed. Pleasant thought, right?

I have been more and more uncomfortable--and miserable--these past few days. Each morning, my belly seems to drop an inch or two; along with that comes the discomfort and pressure of two baby heads pressing on my pelvis. I'm also getting very little consistent sleep, but I suppose that's good preparation for what's to come. This is, hands down, the hardest thing I have done in my life.

I'll keep you all posted on any progress. I have another appointment next week unless we have an earlier one at the hospital.

Take care. Love you all.

Oh Boys!

Jeff and I went to see the doctor today; since we're now on the weekly visit schedule, I kind of feel like I live up there. I'm now 34.5 weeks, so things are definitely becoming more real. Regardless, we weren't prepared to hear that I am 80% effaced and starting to dilate (probably just about 1 cm). Even though we knew this was coming, it's hard to hear it in person, so we were both a bit shocked.

In retrospect, it makes sense that I'm progressing, especially since my body has been telling me to slow down in recent weeks, and particularly these past few days. I don't need to go on bed rest, but I was advised to take it easy, so I guess it will be more lounging around for me. I've gone through four books in the past month, and I only have one more on the plate, so any advice on this end would be appreciated.

Our hopes are to make it to 37 weeks, which would be the week of July 4th (ugh). We have a sonogram next week and will be able to see how the babes are positioned, though last appointment we got promising news in that Baby B is trying to rotate downward. It's funny how they know things are coming to a close, huh?

We'll keep you all updated, if not through this blog, through phone calls/emails. For laughs, here's a picture from our trailer trash themed photo shoot.

31 Week Sonogram Pics

Jeff and I had an appointment this week and got to see the babes for the penultimate time before seeing them in person. Baby A was very cooperative and willing to get his picture taken, while Baby B decided, as soon as the sonographer turned her attention to him, to roll onto his stomach and face my spine. I guess they're both establishing their personalities in the womb already. Baby B is still breech, so we tentatively scheduled a C-Section for July 5th. We still need to think a lot about this, as this isn't what we want, but the fact that one baby is breech complicates our decision. Until then, I will be trying out some of these maneuvers (and laughing at others on the list):

Getting a breech baby to turn

Here are the most updated pictures for you all. I will post a belly shot soon, I promise. We just have to buy a wide angle lens first.

Baby A (on my right side):


Baby B (on my left side):

Debbie Downer

We're so lucky to have great friends in our lives. This weekend, Matt came down from Conroe to visit with us. He came down on Friday, had some work meetings with Jeff, and then he and Jeff came by my office for the informal baby shower some of my coworkers threw for me. It was a nice, laid back event, which is exactly what I prefer. Friday night, we went over to Rob and Marie's house (the ones with twin boys), and watched the hockey game; Rob is from Vancouver, so it was neat to see the game with a true fan, even though the Canucks lost. We stayed there until about midnight, having a good time watching our pups play together and cause as much trouble as possible. Mac even got to interact with their cat, who promptly swiped him on his nose (no front claws, no worries). He spent the rest of the night whining, wondering why he couldn't play with Franklin.

That was pretty much the end of my weekend.

I spent the rest of this weekend being lame, doing nothing, and feeling crappy about it. Luckily, Matt and Jeff are very understanding and kept themselves busy and Tara was available to chat for a while, but I felt like such a downer for not having the energy to do things like I used to. I'm just looking forward to the end of this process, though I can't really yet acknowledge that this stage is coming to a close. Maybe when school lets out I will be more able to see the light at the end of this tunnel. Let's hope...

It's hard to be so needy and helpless feeling. It's definitely not in our blood to be this way, and it's certainly a lesson in humility. I hope I don't forget this feeling, though, since I would like for it to motivate me to not take things for granted when I am able-bodied.

So, appropriately, my goal this week is to be more positive. I have an appointment and sonogram this Thursday and we'll get an update on the babies' birth presentations. Maybe that will bring us promising news.

I'll leave you with an interesting fact I read in one of my pregnancy books. It said that women who have fraternal twins are four times more likely to have multiples in their following pregnancies. Should we take a poll on whether I should get my tubes tied? Or, should we pray these babies are identical?

Have a great week.

Love,

Debbie Downer

No Creative Title

As I approach 30 weeks, I'm now realizing how hard this whole pregnancy thing is. All last weekend, if I stayed on my feet for more than two hours at a time, I would bloat up into this marshmallow looking creature. Definitely not cute. I can feel myself losing grip of my identity separate from the babes, but I'm not sure anything can be done about that. Little monsters have taken over my body, and it's not going to feel like it's mine again for quite a while.

My next appointment isn't until May 26th, since the sonographers were both on vacation the week prior to that and I have to be difficult with my two-baby time slot. After that, there's only one more sonogram until I get to meet the kiddos. I have about 4 1/2 weeks left of work, and I'm just trying to chug through it at this point. I do have a meeting this afternoon about maternity leave, so we'll see what comes of that. I'm hoping they allow me to take it at the start of the school year, since I don't plan on giving birth until July.

Speaking of July, my doctor told me that July 7th is our tentative induction date, since I'll be 38 weeks then, and she doesn't think I'll be able to go much longer than that. That doesn't mean I won't go earlier, but let's hope I make it that far for everyone's benefit.

Things I'm nervous about: The birth (duh!), the physical and mental health of our children, keeping up with all the changes, finding clothes to fit me through the pregnancy (this is already becoming a problem).

Things I'm looking forward to: trying out these cloth diapers (not on me), running, Mom coming to stay with us, seeing Jeff hold his children.

(Almost) 27 Weeks Pictures

I went for an ultrasound today and got to see the babes, though they are getting harder and harder to capture on camera because of their sizes. They weigh around 2 lbs, 5 ounces each, so they're definitely a good size for their gestational age. They are in a vertex/breech position right now, with Baby A (vertex) on my right side and Baby B (breech) on my left. There is still time for B to turn, but this definitely puts thoughts of a C-Section in my mind. So much for birth plans, right?

Here are the newest shots of the munchkins:

Baby A


Baby B

Love you all! And, a big thanks to Dad for the dried apples. They're almost all gone (I just downed a bag of Granny Smith/Pink Lady mix).

Yesterday, All My Troubles...

...were right in my face (sorry to the Beatles for changing their lyrics). Yesterday was a tough day for me, though.

It started with a near fainting episode while I was teaching. I had to leave the student's home early because I thought I was going to pass out. I even had to stop instruction and put my head between my knees, since I was already seeing dark spots. Ugh!

Then, I went to Whole Foods for lunch and this woman strolls up to me and shouts, "You look like you're about to have that baby any minute now!" I should have said, "Let's hope not, because the chance of survival at this point is pretty slim," but I loudly told her that I'm only six months, but I'm having two. Seeing that it was my lucky day, I ended up in the same checkout aisle as loud woman and her husband (whose belly, by the way, was much larger than mine). The man decided to pry even more with a, "So...you're only six months, huh?" Then I told him, for the second time, that I was having twins and it finally sunk in. The only redemption from this moment was the cashier, who probably saw that I was about to crack and quickly offered me a high five and a friendly smile. God love the Whole Foods employees!

Now that I wrote this out, it's not so bad, but the moments themselves were rather unpleasant. At least we got to end the day with a nice birthday meal at The Cove with Jeff and MacGyver. Thanks for reading my complaints.

Another Quick Update

Jeff just got an article he and a few of his colleagues wrote accepted at Criminology, the top journal in his field! Just thought I'd share that morsel of great news with you all. What a great birthday present for him!

Love,
Kerri

One down, two to go

Though I think everyone on here knows, Jeff submitted his dissertation, so he is, in the words of the cheesy bumper sticker he is going to proudly pick up from the editorial office, "Phinally Done!" We're really excited, and it's really nice to see pieces of the old Jeff resurfacing. Yay for return to normalcy (at least for the next three months)!

Graduation is April 29th, and I know you all can't make it, but if you want to watch the ceremony on the live webcast you can do so by clicking on the "Advanced Degrees Ceremony" link here: http://www.registrar.ufl.edu/commencement/. Of course, the webcast won't be available until 4:00 EST on the 29th, but it might be neat to see Dr. Ward officially become Dr. Ward, even if it is from afar.

As far as pregnancy updates go, I am getting larger by the minute. I took a certification test today, and the woman who checked me in thought I was about to go into labor. She seemed worried I was in her testing room until I told her I was only six months. Yesterday I tried to find a dress to wear to graduation, but the ones I tried on made me look 20 months pregnant, so I'm still on the hunt. I've lost a lot of my appetite, so eating enough has become a bit of a struggle, but Jeff is doing a good job of counting my caloric intake to be sure I get enough for the babes.

Here's a picture of our furbaby, who can't wait to see the family again!



And, here is a picture to make you laugh. How ridiculous do I look?



Love you all!

My Not-So-Little Jumping Beans

We had a doctor's appointment this past Friday. They're starting to put me on rotation so I can meet other doctors in the event that mine is unavailable on the day we deliver. This was the first time I had my belly measured; she said I am measuring 26 weeks, about 2 weeks larger than my actual gestation period (I don't think this has anything to do with when I will deliver; it is just a measurement of my size, and I'm naturally larger because I'm carrying two). We didn't get to see much of the babies, but we did see their hearts and the tops of their heads.

According to our books, they're each hovering around 1.25 to 1.5 pounds, and their crown-to-rump length is about 8.5 inches. Eek! They're moving around bunches these days, but only really when I'm resting. It looks like there is popcorn in my belly with the amount of kicks/punches you can see from the outside. Even Mac has felt it.

Week 23ish

Things have been pretty tough this week. Work has been kicking my butt, and the babes have been kicking my back. Add to that a cold that feels like a kick in the head, and that's pretty much where I stand.

I got news this week that the hospital where I deliver requires mothers of twins to have epidurals, which is a bit of a bummer. On top of that, only the husband will be able to be in the delivery/operating room, so things aren't quite turning out as I had hoped. In the long run, it will all be fine, but nobody told me to get ready for all these curveballs, so I'm a bit taken aback by unexpected hiccups.

I'm going to go home tonight and find a comfortable position (read: either on my left side or right side), finish my book, and sleep a bunch (read: when I'm not on a bathroom trip, which is all too common these days as well). This weekend is the Mothers of Multiples Yard Sale, so we may be going there to try to snag some good deals on things we still need. Beyond that, I think this will be a stay-at-home kind of weekend, which is much needed at this point.

I'm done complaining. Hope all is well with you guys.

On Fat Bellies at Five Months

I saw a new student yesterday who is part of an amazing family. Mom gave me some pregnancy books from her library, both the kids are adorable, and the puppy just wants everyone to love her. The student makes these funny jokes and, in his own words, "weird looks" to make you chuckle, but the little sister stole the show with an unexpected comment. As I was walking to the table to start class, she looked at me and said, "Wait! Why do you have a fat belly?"

I couldn't help but laugh. There's an example of someone saying something about my pregnancy that isn't offensive. I needed that yesterday.

Hope you all have a nice week.

Pregnancy Convention

Jeff and I went to IKEA yesterday to pick up some stuff for the house, mostly for the nursery. We thought it would be a good place to go for affordable furniture that suits our needs right now, especially in having to purchase two of many items. Of course, the first thing I had to do when I got there was go to the bathroom. That was where I started to realize I was at a pregnancy convention. I swear there were four pregnant women in the bathroom while I was waiting in line (and the line wasn't even long!). As we were walking around the store, Jeff noted that he could see at least one pregnant woman from anywhere in the store. It was unbelievable.

We made it out alive, though our pocketbooks are begging to differ. We picked up dressers and some storage furniture for the nursery, so all we really need to think about now is cribs. We're probably going to wait to put things together until the family converges upon San Antonio in a few weeks, unless anyone is strongly opposed to furniture assembly.

Love you all.

Kerri

What Not to Say to a Pregnant Person

I went out to dinner the other night with a friend who has twins and two other mothers of twins she met through San Antonio Area Mothers of Multiples. As an aside, I fully intend on joining this group, especially because of the semi-annual yard sale they host; I can't think of a better way to save some money.

We went to a swanky restaurant called Silo. Being at the stage I am, I had very little to wear, and I was under dressed, but it didn't matter much once we took the elevator to the dining floor (yes, they had a private elevator; I thought "elevated dining" was just figurative speech).

Upon sitting down the ladies found the wine menu and ultimately decided on one of the waiter's suggestions. He came back with it, displayed the bottle, displayed the cork (explain this one to me, please?), then began pouring wine for each of us. When he got to me, I declined, so he offered a cocktail from the bar, unless, in his words, I was "holding the keys tonight." I responded with an, "I'm actually holding the babies tonight," and patted my growing belly, which I admit is hard to see when I'm sitting down. It took him a minute to process the plural aspect of my statement, but he congratulated me and left us.

I thought that was the end.

The menu had three options for me: duck, pork shank and chicken. Apparently because I'm pregnant I had to order first, so I asked for the pork shank, to which the waiter replied, "You really ARE eating for three!" Really, dude? At that moment I secretly wished the pork came with a prison grade shank so I could teach him repercussions of bad manners. Alas, it came out without a carved down spork, so I had to settle for the rather delicious meal instead. Until he came back to check on me. Not the entire table, just me. He put his hand on my shoulder, looked me directly in the eye, and said, "I just want to make sure that's enough food for you." You would be more appalled by this if you saw the plate. I am a voracious eater these days, but I only finished half the dish. It was huge. Like, Texas sized huge. As my shank dreams returned, he quickly left. The only consolation was the knowing looks of sympathy from the other twin mothers.

I know these comments will get worse and more common, but that was really my first experience with an ignorant stranger trying to be casual with me about my pregnancy. I've heard horror stories from some of you reading this blog ("If you keep eating pizza your baby is going to come out as a pizza!"), so I know this isn't uncommon. I think I will make it my mission to educate all people, especially men, about appropriate and inappropriate comments to pregnant women. Maybe this is a book in the making. I guess I should start writing down each time someone offends me and see where it goes.

Good day!

Sick and Tired

Although I haven't had to deal with the snowy weather or freezing temperatures, my body decided to create a little natural disaster of its own these past few days. I'm no longer running a fever, but had to resort to using Tylenol yesterday, since my temperature was running close to 101 degrees. At this point, the floodwaters (or floodmucus) have made their way to my nose and are running full force. At least I don't have a fever, which was my main concern. I hope to be better by Monday at the latest so I can go see my students without interruption.

My next appointment is February 9th, but we aren't going to be doing a sonogram unless there is a need.

It's Official

I have officially popped. My hip bones are disappearing! Though you can't see it with my clothes on, I have a little bump in my lower abdomen area. And, if I'm diagnosing this correctly, my fundus (the top of my uterus) is about an inch above my belly button. This is particularly alarming, as the baby books say by the end of the fourth month (around week 17), it should be right around your belly button, maybe even a bit below it. I'm halfway through my fourteenth week now. Let the bulging begin!

Hi, there! We're already each the size of your closed fist. These pictures are SO 12 weeks!

Fear and Bloating in San Antonio

The scary thing about pregnancy is, well, everything. Each little gurgle in your stomach (even though it's probably gas) makes you jump, each cramp is terrifying, and each meal you eat has to be screened for nutrients. It's the hardest thing I've done so far, and I'm only eleven weeks into it. I'm not sure the fear of something going wrong will ever subside, but I do hope each ultrasound brings good news that I can fall back on when I'm feeling anxious.

My next appointment is January 11th, and it's a big one, since this is where I will have the ultrascreen done. This will test for spinal abnormalities as well as the likelihood of having a child with Down Syndrome. Jeff will not be able to make it, since the appointment is at the same time as his first day of class this semester. I'm really excited to see him look at the screen for the first time, though, and it seems that may happen when we find out the sexes, in about a month.

I'm starting to bulge a bit, but it's not as bad in the mornings, so I know a lot of my size has to do with bloating. Once I definitely am showing, we'll take some pictures and post them. I'll feel safe telling the "world" about the news in about a month, once we're clearly out of the first trimester and things look good.