22 Weeks of Bliss

So it's been another month since my last post, and I keep saying that I am going to get better at posting, but maybe I'm not. And honestly its me that's missing out on all of the day to day experiences that I am having with being pregnant with my two babies. I didn't make a single New Years Resolution this year, considering everything that is going to happen this year, so maybe I will make one almost a month after the fact and say that my New Years Resolution is to write a post for the blog once or even more often a week. Maybe I wont even make them all public, but at least I will have them for my own memories!

I'm currently 22 weeks along and to say I'm feeling it is an understatement. I know I'm supposed to be all happy and positive about this experience, and believe me, I wouldn't change this experience for the world, but that doesn't mean that it is easy or comfortable... I think what scares me is that I'm already feeling/looking so big and I still have about 16 weeks left. I have no idea how my body is going to handle it, but then again, I don't know how it miraculously creates a human, let alone two, either. So, when thinking this and feeling worried about what's to come as far as my pregnancy goes, I just remember that I'll survive. I just may be extremely uncomfortable and stretched by the end of this, but the reward will make every ache and pain worth it!

We had our big ultrasound with Maternal Fetal Medicine a couple weeks ago. What an incredible experience that is! The technology doctors have access to in these days is absolutely AMAZING! The ultrasound Tech went through each baby, and looked at all of their organs, counted their fingers and toes, looked at all four chambers on their hearts, spinal cord, femur bones, genders, stomachs, cute faces and top lips, and also looked at the blood flow currently flowing through their little bodies. I'm telling you, you can see it all! Most of the time while watching her do the ultrasound, I had no idea how she got from one place to the other with that stick thing that they use, but she would explain every step. These appointments are usually about a half hour or a little over for singleton pregnancies. Since we have twins ours was supposed to be about an hour and ten minutes, but it turned out to be about an hour and forty! They were a little behind when we got there, and while the ultrasound tech was doing the ultrasound, we had to stop once or twice so I could roll on my side to get my heart rate down. Pregnant women can't lay on their backs when they get so far along, usually about third trimester, because your uterus and the weight of the baby sits on the main vein that transports blood back to your heart. My heart started beating really fast and hard, and then I was beginning to get light headed like I was going to pass out. So at this point I finally told the tech that I needed to move for a minute. As soon as I did, it didn't take much time for the blood to reach my heart and I began to feel better. The doctor came in at the end of our appointment and confirmed to us that both of our babies are health and have all of their parts. Normally this is the only appointment a pregnant woman typically has with Maternal Fetal Medicine. In my case with twins, I will go in a couple more times to make sure the babies are still progressing like they should be, and to also get a more accurate weight and length of both of them. Our next one is Feb. 15, 2017. At that that point, it will be six weeks since our last appointment, and I can't wait to see how much they have grown and developed! In the mean time, I still have my monthly prenatal appointments with my doctor. We go in this Tuesday to see him. I'll update the blog shortly after with all of the details!

So I've had some funny experiences over the past couple of weeks that I want to share. First off, I can now feel the babies moving like crazy throughout the day. Its funny how that real first experience happened. while we were at our appointment at Maternal Fetal Medicine, the doctor had asked me if I could feel them move yet. I told her no. I told her that I couldn't recognize that it was them moving. Then we got home that night and I felt them! It was crazy how that worked. It like she used her magic on me to allow me to recognize their movement. Since then, Tyk has been able to feel, as well as a few friends and family. I can feel them getting stronger and bigger in their. Which ever one is on my right side, this would be baby girl if they haven't moved since my last appointment which I doubt, loves to be right up into my ribs on that side. I get pains throughout the day in that area and through my back. When the pain first started, I was just thinking that it was just an annoying pain. Then I was holding my back and had a thought that it might be a baby kicking or stuffed up there. I thought about it for a second and then thought, "No that's too high." Well sure enough, I moved my hand from my back to my front, and right at the bottom of my rib cage I was. It makes it hard for me to sleep on that side, but any position is hard to sleep in at this point! Moving on to that topic... Sleeping has become very difficult most nights. I'll get comfortable, and my hips will start to hurt. So I'll turn to the other side, then my ribs hurt So I turn to the other side and finally get comfortable to fall back asleep, and I have to get up to pee. When I actually right it down like this, I actually find it kind of humorous. I wish I could throw some of that humor into myself at night. Tyk and I have figured out that the most comfortable way for me to sleep right now is on top of pillows in a kind of recliner position. The pillows start high and then gradually lower, and then I have my pregnancy pillow for in between my legs. It works most nights, but there was a night this week that my body was not having it. I tossed and turned and hurt and ached all night. I tried arranging the pillows several times, but nothing was working. I was so frustrated, and just wanted to sleep. Finally, I flew up to a sitting position, made a huge huffing sound, and kicked my feet back and forth under the covers like a two year old throwing a huge fit. This woke Tyk up and he asked me what was wrong. I turned to him and said "I'M SO SICK OF NOT BEING ABLE TO SLEEP AND UNCOMFORTABLE!" He didn't say anything back, lol! And in the morning when I asked him about it, he didn't remember it happening. When I think back to it now, I think its absolutely hilarious and I can't believe I throw a fit like that. But at the time, I was so serious, haha.

Throughout this past week, I can't even tell you how many people have asked me when I am due. I have really popped out, and I'm sure all of these people are thinking it's soon. Then I tell them "in May sometime", and they give me this sort of sympathy look and don't say another word. It makes me smile, and I know its just going to continue. Every Thursday, I take a bump picture because this is the day of the week that I am a week later in pregnancy. I also have been measuring the growth of my belly. As of right now, and for the past four weeks, I grow an inch a week in my belly. So... if I continue to grow only an inch each week, I have hopefully at least 15 more inches to grow. That's a lot of inches!  I held out the measuring tape with 15 inches extra this week, and I literally just cannot comprehend how my belly is going to grow OUT that far. Time will I guess, and you will all see it too. Something to look forward to!

It's super uncomfortable for me to bed down already at this point. To put on my shoes in the morning, I sit down on the floor and put them on sideways as my foot sits on my shin. At night, Tyk helps me take them off, as well as my pants. I sit on the bed and ask him for help every night. If I try to do it myself, he rushes over to me and says "I'll do it, let me help." I then get ready for bed, by brushing my teeth and washing my face, get into bed, and he is there to re-fluff my pillows, fill up the humidifier, put my socks on, shut that bathroom door that I forgot, and get me water if I'm out. He truly is one of a kind, and I don't tell him nearly enough just how much I love and appreciate everything he does for me. So thanks Tyk, for everything! I love you.

As of now, people ask me every day how I am feeling. And honestly most days I feel great! Then there are the few that I feel horrible. But I have to remember to take one day at a time, listen to my body, endure to the end, and remind myself about the two miracles I have growing in my belly. Everything is so worth it. And before I know it, I'm going to blink my eyes and have two babes running around, making messes, laughing, crying, and growing up too fast. I can't wait!

Thank you for reading, and for all of your love and support along this journey with us. We love you.

Love,

Shandee

18 Weeks

19 Weeks

20 Weeks

21 Weeks

22 Weeks

This picture makes me laugh! I was 18 weeks here and I didn't realize or think that my belly was that noticeable... My dad took this picture and just laughed as he showed it to me. 

Baby boy in the top picture, and baby girl below. 

Sunday Selfie!