Week 14

How Far Along:  14 Weeks

Size of Babies: The Babies are the size of a lemon and weigh approximately 1.5 ounces each

Total Weight Gain: +1 lb [as of my appointment last week]

Maternity Clothes: 2 weeks ago I ordered maternity jeans, along with some tops and dresses, from Gap.com because everything was 40% off with free shipping. The clothes arrived last week and I tried the jeans on and have been wearing them ever since.  I've only been wearing the jeans so far because it's not quite time to break out the other pieces.  The jeans are SO comfortable. I've also purchased a few items from Motherhood Maternity and Target's Liz Lange Maternity line.

Gender: We don't know yet, but I'm guessing it's a boy and a girl!

Movement: I've seen them move on ultrasounds, but I can't feel them yet

Sleep:  Interrupted nightly for multiple potty breaks and mild discomfort

What I Miss: Diet Dr. Pepper and wine :)

Cravings: Pepsi & chocolate chip cookies

Symptoms:  Mainly nausea if I don't eat frequently enough and fatigue

Best Moment(s) So Far:  Getting the cribs set up [it's early, I know], shopping for maternity clothes,  and receiving Christmas gifts for the babies [Baby's 1st Christmas ornaments and a Fisher Price Little People nativity set].

Crying

I mentioned in my 12 week update that I would post about a crying story...it goes as follows:

One of my friends who is a worship leader at my church, Julie, asked Tom and I to help her lead worship on Sunday, December 11.  She is an extremely talented musician and I always love singing with her.  Around 7am on the morning of the 11th, myself along with several other vocalists and the rest of the worship band began rehearsing.  We rehearsed a combination of worship songs and traditional Christmas songs.  One of the Christmas songs Julie chose was "Away in a Manger."  She had asked that I begin the song by singing the first verse as a solo.  "Sure thing," I told her.

We got to the point in rehearsal where it was time to practice "Away in a Manger."  Julie said she would probably say a prayer before the song, then I would come in after the intro.  The band proceeded to play the intro and I attempted to sing the first verse.  But I couldn't get it out.  I got all out of breath and started tearing up and my voice got really wobbly.  I stopped and apologized to Julie.  She looked at me and another friend/fellow singer, Suzy, looked at  me and they both started to realize why I was getting emotional.  

Julie asked me if I wanted to share my news with the whole worship team so they would be clued in on why I was emotional and I told her to go ahead and share since I was clearly unstable.  So, Julie shared with the team and I turned around and made eye contact with Tom, who was playing bass behind me.  He had this befuddled look on his face. He couldn't figure out what was wrong with me and why in the world I'd be crying.  [Later, after rehearsal, he said, "What happened?? You didn't get this way when you rehearsed this song at home??"] After the post-announcement buzz died down, I looked at Julie and said, "Don't worry, I'll get it in the service."  Then she said, "Well, if you don't, just look at me or Karlie (her daughter) and we'll pick up where you can't."

As the 10:45am service began, I honestly thought I'd be okay when it came time for my verse of the song. But once again, after the intro began to play, my heart started thumping rapidly and emotion began to take over.  Julie started the song [because I think she knew I would lose it again] but then I came in too, so she dropped off and I continued to sing but I only got to the word "crib." Which as you know, is only the 6th word into the song.  "Away in a manger, no crib..."  I pulled the mic away from my mouth and Karlie and Julie took over.  And for the rest of the 3 verses of the song, tears continued to stream down my face.  I  just couldn't pull myself together.  So there I was, vulnerably standing on the stage of the sanctuary in front of everyone in the 10:45am worship service, weeping like a crazy lady.  

I was weeping tender tears of joy out of praise and thanksgiving.  I can't really even explain it in words.  Most people who know I'm pregnant probably just chalked it up to me being hormonal.  Those that don't know I'm pregnant probably thought something was wrong or that I was sad.  

Never before have I approached Christmas as a pregnant mommy-to-be. Carrying two precious lives inside of me struck a new chord with me as I really let myself think about "Away in a Manger" as a sweet lullaby about [baby] Jesus. My perspective is already changing as I have begun seeing the world through the eyes of  a mom.   I've also been thinking more and more about sweet young Mary carrying the son of God, now that I can identify with carrying a child[ren].  I can't even comprehend how she must have felt.

I just want to close with the words to the that sweet lullaby:

Away in a Manger

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed

The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head

The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay

The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay

The cattle are lowing, the poor baby wakes

But little Lord Jesus no crying He makes

I love Thee, Lord Jesus look down from the sky

And stay by my side 'til morning is nigh

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay

Close by me forever and love me I pray

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care

And take us to heaven to live with Thee there

Weeks 11 & 12

Thursday, December 8, 2011, marked 11 weeks and 2 days, and our first appointment with Dr. Nightingale, our regular OB/GYN.  I absolutely LOVE her!  Dr. Nightingale performed a bedside ultrasound with a smaller, not-as-sophisticated-machine [compared to our fertility specialists' machines], so we didn't get any printed pictures.  The babies looked great.  One was being ornery and kicking the other one in the head.  Uh oh!

Today, Tuesday, December 13, 2011 marks my 12th week.  I am going to post periodic pregnancy highlights starting this week.

[Soon I will have a nicer camera and won't be using my iphone
camera for my tummy pics]

How Far Along:  12 Weeks

Size of Babies: The Babies are the size of a lime and weigh approximately half an ounce each

Total Weight Gain: No weight gain

Maternity Clothes: Not wearing maternity clothes yet, everything still fits except one pair of dress slacks that were snug on me prior to pregnancy

Gender: We don't know yet, but I'm guessing it's a boy and a girl!

Movement: I've seen them move on ultrasounds, but I can't feel them yet

Sleep:  Interrupted nightly for multiple potty breaks and mild discomfort

What I Miss: Diet Dr. Pepper and wine :)

Cravings: Breads, pastas, pretty much carbs in general, Chinese food, Papa Johns [which is weird bc it's usually one of my least favorite pizza places], Pepsi

Symptoms:  From the beginning I started having nausea, heartburn, acid reflux, major fatigue, and occasional headaches. [Please don't misconstrue this as complaining, I'm just documenting.] I'm starting to feel really good most of the time and my nausea has greatly decreased and now only shows up when I need to eat.  I get little 'hungry headaches' when my body tells me I need to eat, but they quickly go away after eating.  Learning to eat frequent smaller meals has helped me manage my nausea.  

Oh!  And my usually "together" self has taken a back seat to a forgetful, emotionally unstable person who repeats herself and cries at the drop of a hat [I have a crying story I will post about later.]  For instance, I will start telling Tom a story about something I found funny or cute and he will say, "Yeah, I know babe...I was standing right there," or "You've told me this story at least twice already, sweetie."  Ooops!  He says he really likes seeing me like this. He thinks it puts us on more of an even playing field.  :/

Best Moment(s) So Far:  Going completely public with our exciting news and having our friends and family multiply our rejoicing.  We are truly humbled by the outpouring of congratulatory wishes, love, excitement, encouragement, and prayers by each and everyone of you. To God be the Glory!

The Details: Weeks 4-10

On Wednesday, October 19, we got the results of our IVF pregnancy blood test. We were pretty sure going into the pregnancy test appointment that we were going to get good news because I cheated with 3 home pregnancy tests (all 3 were positive) on the 3 days leading up to my official pregnancy test. We both left work early that Wednesday and waited for the nurse to call my cell phone.  While waiting at home, I was heating up the iron to make a "Big Sister" shirt for Ruby in the middle bedroom and Tom suggested that we stay in that bedroom so we could get the official news in there, since that is the room that will be turned into the nursery.  I thought it was a great idea.  So together, Tom, Ruby, and I sat in the floor of the middle bedroom and waited for my phone to ring. It rang and I quickly picked it up on speaker and we got confirmation that our lives would soon be changed forever. My nurse told us it was a "very" positive pregnancy test [my hcg levels were at 209, which they usually want to see them in the 100's]!

On Friday, October 21, I went back in for more blood work to make sure my hcg levels had doubled over 48 hours. They more than doubled to 445, which was great news. Our first ultrasound was on Tuesday, November 8, which marked my 7th week of pregnancy. At the first ultrasound appointment, we found out that we are having TWINS!!!  I kept saying, "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness" over and over. Tom and I were so speechless after the appointment that we had to regroup in the parking lot of our doctor's office before we got in our separate cars to head to work. Tom hugged and kissed me goodbye and then he looked at me and said, "I can't even remember how to get to work." After we both got to our workplaces, I got an email from him that said, "I'm hyperventilating, I can't breathe!"  Ha! We are both over the moon excited, but it's taken some time to process going from nearly 3 years of infertility [an extreme roller coaster ride], to finding out we are pregnant, to finding out we are going to have not 1, but 2 babies!

On Tuesday, November 22, the beginning of my 9th week of pregnancy, we had our 2nd ultrasound. We saw both babies again and heard both of their heartbeats for the first time! It was such an amazing sound! One heartbeat was 158 and the other was 180, strong and healthy. They were still measuring a little on the small side as they did at the first ultrasound. Because of that, I was not released from my fertility specialists.  My 9 week ultrasound would have been my last visit with them, but they wanted to see me one more time at 10 weeks to measure the babies again.

On Tuesday, November 29, I began my 10th week of pregnancy and had a third ultrasound with my specialist. It was my last appointment with them for this pregnancy. :( It's bittersweet to not have any more appointments with them because they are all so wonderful, but I have graduated on. :) I will begin seeing a regular OB/GYN in my 11th week. Here are some pics of my little ones. Baby A looks like a little gummie bear! ;) They were moving around SO much and kicking their little feet and waving their little hands. My doctor said they were feisty and healthy! One heartbeat was in the 170's and one was in the 180's. What miracles! It is just completely amazing that there are two lives growing inside of me.  I cannot even fully comprehend it!  God is faithful.

A Christmas Equation

See if you can figure out this Christmas Equation...

Our 2011 Christmas Card

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[back]

Merry Christmas from Tom, Sara, Ruby, and the Soon-to-be-Born Twin Babies!