A Quarter of a Century

My loving husband woke me up this morning with this reminder: "You're a quarter-of-a-century old today!" I wanted to go right back to sleep! Later, my mom called and asked, "How does it feel to be a quarter-of-a-century today?" Yikes! Are they in cahoots or something?!


For me, birthdays used to be all about getting spoiled rotten for a day (or, in some cases, for a whole week!) and partying with friends. But this year I have something better to celebrate. For this birthday, I am celebrating the babies growing inside of me!


This birthday is a milestone in my life, but not because it is marking the 'quarter-of-a-century' that I've been alive. It is a milestone because it is the last I will have before the babies arrive. It is a milestone because of all of the ways that my life will be so completely different one year from now. It is the last of my "youth" and the introduction of soon-to-be parenthood. This is the beginning of a transformation: my life is no longer about me, but about taking care of the two tiny lives that God has entrusted me with. They are the miracle and they are the most precious gift I could ever imagine!

The Growing Twins!

This is the "family picture" (as the doctor called it!) - the twins are almost the same size, it is just hard to tell with this kind of ultrasound because it only shows what is closest to the tip of the wand:


This is "Thing Number One" (aptly named by his or her loving father) and this one is about 17.7mm right now! The doctor said that this one is standing on its head:



And this is "Thing Number Two," (also aptly named by his or her loving father!) which is a little harder to see, on the bottom. This one measures about 14.9mm right now!


It was so exciting! I got to see "Thing Number One" do a little dance for me. It was precious!! I can't feel their movements yet, but the doctor said that they are moving all of the time and that both babies are looking well for this stage! Please keep us and them in your prayers!!

24 Pounds

24 pounds. That is how much weight I am supposed to gain in the first trimester being pregnant with TWINS. I am currently 7-weeks pregnant and have gained about 6 pounds total so far. For those who are as uninformed about pregnancy as I have been, that means that I have about 6 more weeks in which to gain 18 pounds!! That sounds like such a large number to me right now!

For those who have been pregnant before, you might understand how hard it is to gain weight in the first trimester with this awful thing called "morning sickness." I have to say that I have been blessed with very few vomiting episodes, but my appetite has been very unpredictable and insatiable. The nausea keeps me from wanting to eat (though I am learning to force-feed myself on behalf of those two precious beings developing inside of me). Whenever I finally crave something, my satisfaction only lasts for a few bites and then I find myself revolted by that very food I so desperately craved. It is a strange phenomenon. I have grown to deeply respect all women that have ever been pregnant and have had to experience any of these symptoms.

I know that this stage will pass. I am comforted that my body will "catch up" in the second trimester if I cannot gain the full 24 pounds in this first trimester. Apparently that is when my body will have adjusted to being pregnant. This is a time of a lot of changes in a relatively short period of time (although I know it will not feel short!).

Above all else, I am so excited to be pregnant. Whatever I must go through is just a part of the cycle of life and I am grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of it. It is such a miracle that two babies are growing at the same time and I want to do my best to take care of them even at this early stage. I want to be a great mommy for them!

I am pregnant with TWINS!!

Here is a pic of one baby (it looks like a small peanut or something inside of the little bubble, sort of to the left) . . .


And here is a pic of the OTHER baby (another peanut in the bubble) . . .

We are so excited to have two on the way! This is a picture of the two of them, side by side!

Everyone keeps asking about the gender, but we won't know that for a couple more months. In the meantime, we'll be thinking of lots of great names for either gender! Please leave suggestions if you have some! We'll be needing all the help we can get - and I'm not just talking names here! ; )

What a MIRACLE!! I got so choked up when the doctor pointed out their precious little beating hearts. She was pleased to tell us that they both look well for this stage. WOW!!