A Year in Review

Wow, where has the time gone...it's New Year's Eve, and I've not posted since the twins started day care back in September!  Working full time and raising twins doesn't leave much time for any extra activities.  :)

Scott and George are now 8 months old and amaze me more and more every day.  George finally started eating cereal and now he's a machine that can't be stopped!  We've worked our way through all the fruits and veggies and are starting to get the hang of puffs and sippy cups.  Both twins have 2 bottom teeth and I believe the top 2 aren't too far off.  I estimate both twins to weigh in around 20+ lbs, and I think Scott has a slight edge on George too! They are starting to look like little boys and not babies anymore.

Scott can army crawl fast as lightening, while George moves his arms and legs and looks like he's swimming but still doesn't get anywhere.  George is content to sit and play with whatever is right in front of him.  Scott has to be on the move at all times (just like his dad!) and just this week learned how to get back into a sitting position from his stomach.  I walked into the nursery last night and he was just sitting up in his crib, which is not how I had left him!  Needless to say, we recently lowered the cribs to the bottom for fear that as soon as Scott learns how to pull up, he'd hike his leg over the side and off he'd go. 

The boys love day care, and their teachers love them!  Scott always gets in trouble for taking off and eating his socks; George is just happy-go-lucky and will go to anyone.  They hardly ever fuss or cry, and I know their teachers appreciate that!  The twins graduated from their infant room at Christmas and will start in the Koala Bears room in the new year.  We've been fortunate that the boys only brought home 2 viruses from day care and have otherwise been healthy.  But one virus was a doozy and was passed around all of our family, including both sets of grandparents and some out of town friends that happened to be around that ill fated weekend!  I hope to not experience that ever again!

In October we took the twins to a pumpkin patch and of course dressed them up for Halloween:

Sunny Acres Pumpkin Patch

The finished product of their pumpkin picking.

Our little tigers!

November brought much to be thankful for, including two great days of Thanksgiving with our families:

Boehnlein Family Thanksgiving

All the VanMetre grandchildren

We also had a photo shoot in the park for 6 month (almost 7 month!) pictures.  Scott was our little Zoolander and posed for everything!  George wouldn't have any part of it, cried the entire time and did not want to participate.  Still, the photographer managed to get a few good pics, although not of the twins together.

Scott III

George William

The holidays were so much fun this year.  The boys had a blast with all the Christmas festivities:

Posing for a Christmas card pic

But posing with Santa...not so much... 

Santa (and family and friends!) were very, very good to the twins this year.  They had fun helping tear paper off the packages and then sticking it in their mouths.  The liked the boxes almost as much as the toys!  More pics to come of the twins and their Pottery Barn chairs, red wagon, and their many, many other gifts received.  It still amazes me how kind and thoughtful everyone has been to us throughout our journey, and continue to be as we navigate through this first year and beyond.   

I hope this catches everyone up on what's been going on with the Boehnlein twins!  I don't usually make New Year's resolutions, but I do intend to get back into blogging about life with twins in the new year.  Here's to a happy and healthy 2012 for all! 

First Day of School!

Yesterday, the twins started daycare.  They had a great day!  There are a max of 9 babies in their classroom, and I think some of them only come part time.  All of their teachers are older, grandmotherly type women who truly enjoy their role in the lives of these babies.  (They might not think that once they have to try and get George to eat rice cereal off of a spoon!)

Scott and George went to all the teachers easily, and everyone commented on what friendly babies they are.  But they were definitely happy to see me and Scott when we picked them up in the afternoon!  We took them out to eat to celebrate their first day of school, then went home for lots of snuggle time before putting them to bed.  

The twins have spent the last two nights in their own cribs, all night long, and have done fairly well.  Scott sleeps all night but does flail around a bit around 3am.  George still wakes up and it takes a couple of trips in with a pacifier to get him back to sleep.  Although, last night he rolled over for the first time, and we missed it!  He started crying and I went to check on him around 230am, and he was all the way on his stomach and his foot was stuck through the side of the crib. 

With the twins starting daycare and being moved into their own rooms at night, it's been a hard week so far on Mom.   The boys are getting so big, which is fabulous, but I fear that with them in daycare I'm going to start missing out on milestones.  :(  I want to spend as much time with them as possible!  Thankfully, I still have a lot of vacation time that I must use before the end of the year.  I've taken off every other Friday and a lot of time at the holidays, with a few days to spare....<sigh>....

Ready for school!  Love how they always hold hands when placed in the crib together.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho....

....it's off to work I went this morning!  Except I wasn't smiling and whistling like the Seven Dwarfs.   Thankfully it's a short week, followed by a long weekend, which makes next week a short work week too!  I have 1154 emails to dig through and lot of new company policies to catch up on. 

The twins don't start day care until next week, so Scott is home with all of us for the remainder of the week.  Next Tuesday is going to be brutal when we have to drop them off at day care for the first time!

Well, lunch break is over, so I must get back to reading emails..... 

August Catch Up

What a crazy few weeks!  Scott and I took the twins (and Chance!) to Destin a couple of weeks ago.  We went on daily walks and had a couple of trips to the beach, and the twins LOVED the pool.  I can't wait to get them in swim lessons next year so they can really have fun in the water on vacation next summer.

George and Scott at the beach

We came back to a disaster of a house - a storm had knocked out power for 3 days while we were gone.  Although my BIL checked on the house (no damage!), he was too late to save any of the food in the fridge.  So now I have the cleanest fridge in town, and I've yet to make it to the grocery for a full restocking trip.  Also, while we were gone we had 3 ceilings redone/repainted in the house, so Scott and I spent all last week cleaning and moving everything back into place.  

Scott III and George were baptized yesterday, and we had all of our family over for desserts afterward.  It was a beautiful day and the twins held up well during the ceremony - Scott even fell asleep for a bit! 

George with his godparents - Greg and Carrie

Scott with his godparents - Christopher and Laura

The boys had their 4 month check up today and all is well.  They are growing like weeds!  Scott weighed 14 lbs 13 oz and was 25 inches long; George was 15 lbs 10oz and 24.5 inches long.  They had more immunizations and are overall just happy, healthy babies!  I'm starting them on rice cereal tonight, and they will get to start veggies and fruits in a couple of weeks. 

Now back to reality....works starts on Wednesday....

Perfection

Last Saturday, Scott and I got up and took the twins on a walk to the Farmer's Market, met up with friends, then walked to lunch.  We spent the rest of the weekend running errands with the boys. 

On Monday, I took the twins to my parents, where they had half the town lined up to meet them, and I had a great lunch catching up with friends.  Needless to say, Scott and George were on their best behaviour and won everyone over.  :)

The boys were so exhausted from all the recent activities that on Monday, they slept through the night, from 10p-730a!  They have actually slept through the night for 3 nights now, and it's been amazing to have uninterrupted sleep.

These last few days have been absolutely perfect. The weather has been great, especially today. It was in the 70s this morning, not a cloud in the beautiful blue sky.    I've been able to go on walks every day with Scott and George, and even took them to Target (note to self: do not go to Target the day before some schools are back in session!).  This is exactly how I had imagined all of my maternity leave, with daily walks and weekend trips to the Farmer's Market.  Sadly, Mother Nature had other plans with her summer of 90 degrees temps with a heat index of 115 for the last month.  Hopefully that weather is behind us and I can enjoy the last 3 weeks of my leave exactly the way I imagined!

Sunflowers

Sunflowers were my sister Pam's favorite flower.  I was never a huge fan until last year when she passed away.   Now I see sunflowers everywhere! 

My next door neighbor has them growing over the fence, so I can see them from my kitchen window - they've probably been there for years, but I didn't notice them until last summer.  I will see sunflowers randomly when on a walk, or driving through the neighborhood.  I see them in the background on tv shows, movies, and commercials.  We even saw a field of sunflowers on the side of the road while driving to Florida a few weeks ago. My attempt at growing sunflowers didn't work out so well though. :)  I like to think that any time I see a sunflower, it's just my sister reminding me that she's still here with me in some special way.

Pam would have been 50 years old today (and she'd probably kill me for revealing her age!).  I still can't believe she's gone and that my babies will never get to meet their Aunt Pam, but they will certainly learn all about her through pictures and stories. 

Happy Birthday Pammy!  I love you!

(sunflowers in my neighbors yard)

Wedding

Last weekend was the weekend we've been waiting for all summer - Christopher and Polly's wedding!  Christopher is Scott's younger brother, and he's like a brother to me as well.  I know I could call him and count on him for anything.  Polly was a beautiful bride and the reception was fabulous!  

This was the first night Scott and I were both away from the twins overnight.  A BIG thank you to my parents, sister, and  all my nieces for entertaining the boys so we could have a night out!  I've paid the price for it all week by suffering from a summer cold/allergies (and amazingly, I did not have a hangover!). 

The twins came to the church before the wedding for a few pictures in their tuxedo onesies:

Uncle Christopher, me with Scott III, and Scott with George

Uncle Christopher with Scott and George, Baylor and Bennett

   

Hangin' Tough

Last Sunday night I had my first night away from the twins.  My friend Leslie asked me to go to the NKOTBSB concert in Columbus, and I decided to be spontaneous and accept the invite. 

Now, I was never a NKOTB or a BSB fan when they were popular the first time around, but I'd heard they put on a great show, and a night out with some girls was just what I needed.  I just didn't know it was going to be such a nightmare getting there!

Leslie and I were meeting the rest of the crew off an exit about halfway between Cincinnati and Columbus.  We got into another car with two of our old college roommates, Natalie and Shannon.  About 15 miles outside of Columbus, Natalie's car started to overheat.  We stopped off a shady exit to wait for the engine to cool down.  Thirty minutes later we thought we could at least make it to the next exit, but we were wrong.  We ended up spending a couple of hours on the side of I-71 waiting for AAA to tow the car.  In 100+ degree heat.  With no air conditioning.  Thankfully there was another car with us, so we all piled in and made our way to Columbus once Natalie's car was dropped off at a repair shop. 

Even though we missed our afternoon of shopping, dinner and drinks before the show, we still had a blast.  It was so much fun catching up with old friends and even though I was exhausted the next day, it was so worth it!

Me, Natalie, and Leslie at the concert (and Leslie's original 1989 t-shirt!)

Good Vibrations

Whoever invented the vibrating bouncy seat is a genius!  More importantly, whoever decided to make the vibrating part removeable is a bigger genius!  The twins LOVE their bouncy seats, but are really happy with anything that moves or vibrates. 

A couple of weeks before vacation, Scott III was really fussy at bedtime.  So Scott took the vibrating part off one of the bouncy seats and stuck it underneath the lining of the sleeper.  Brilliant!  Scott III fell asleep instantly.  Even better is the fact that the vibrating parts are much more portable than the entire bouncy seat, which is why they made the cut on what to pack for vacation.  They were a lifesaver and I even used one in the car seat when George started to get hungry and fussy and we were miles away from a decent exit.

We're starting to transition the twins into their crib for longer periods of time in preparation for them to start sleeping in their room at night.  This morning, I tried everything to get them to nap in their crib, and finally thought to use the vibrating part from the bouncy seat.  Voila!  Instant sleep. 

Scott on left and George on right with his favorite paci

Thanks "Aunt" Angi for the cute onesies!  Scott's says "Older and Wiser" and George's says "Younger and Cuter". 

Is it Possible....

....to come back from vacation less tan then when I left?  Sadly, the answer to that question is yes (almost).  Two cars, 11 people, and a 12 hour drive later, we made it to Panama City Beach.  The first day there was gorgeous!  I took baby duty and spent my day reading on the balcony - it was perfect, and great to read something other than baby books!  But between the rainy day, outlet mall shopping day, and 30+ SPF on my beach days for fear of frying and skin cancer, I am not tan, but am more of an off-white as opposed to ghostly white.  :)

The twins did great on the long car ride and weren't too off schedule while on vacation.  They loved going out to eat and having lots of family around to feed and play with them!  Here are some pics:

First time in the pool (I'm holding Scott III and Scott has George)

First time in the sand (Scott has Scott III and I have George)

First time in the ocean (I have Scott III and Scott has George)

Love these monogrammed outfits - thanks "Aunt" Julie!

The whole fam on the beach

Beach bums (Scott on left, George on right)

Panic

I go back to work 7 weeks from today....I have a panic attack just thinking about it!

"Spider"

Last night I walked into the bathroom to put away a few items.  I did not turn the light on, as there was enough daylight left coming in through the window to complete my task.  My eyes fixated on a black and brown spider, about the size of a quarter (well, at least a nickel) on the floor underneath the window.  It looked almost furry.

I yelled for Scott as I slowly backed out of the bathroom, my eyes never leaving the spider.  For those that don't know me personally, I am absolutely terrified of spiders - big or small, furry, jumpy, alive or dead.  I have been known to call my parents (who lived 2 hours away at the time) to "come over" and kill a spider (they didn't).  Anyone that's ever lived with me knows the sound of my voice when a spider is present.  I will stand and watch a spider's every move until said roommate/parent/husband apears to kill the evil arachnid.

Scott ran to my defense and flipped on the bathroom light.  He approached the spider and swatted at it.  It didn't move.  Thinking it was dead, Scott moved closer to pick it up but stopped short and then looked at me like I was crazy.

The "spider" wasn't a spider at all.  It was one of my hair clips. 

Scott followed me around the house the rest of the night, randomly placing hair clips on the floor to scare me when I wasn't expecting it.  He's so not funny.

Clearly, I need to get more sleep!

Happy 4th of July!

Busy long weekend with the twins!  My parents had their annual family picnic with all the aunts, uncles, and cousins on Saturday; my in-laws had a breakfast on Sunday.  In between we had Scott and George out running errands, visiting friends, going out to eat, and we even got in a quick trip to the park.  

Here we are at the park, standing between the oak trees that were planted in memory of Scott II and George Allen. 

Hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th of July!   

2 Month Check Up

Scott and George went for their 2 month check up today!  Here are their stats:

Scott

• weight: 11 lbs 10.4 oz (50th percentile)
• length: 23 inches (50th percentile)

George

• weight: 12 lbs 1.6 oz (60th percentile)
• length: 22 1/4 inches (25th percentile)

Both babies have gained around 3 lbs in the past month!  They also had DTaP, polio, Hib, and Rotateq shots.  Everything was going well, until the 4pm feeding.....

The noon feeding was about an hour late due to the doctors appointment, so I figured I had plenty of time to feed George before Scott woke up at the 4pm feeding.  I woke George up a little after 4pm, and about 5 minutes into the feeding he started crying so hard he wouldn't take his bottle.  Then 5 minutes later, Scott woke up screaming - he had a huge diaper blowout.  So I sat George in the bouncy seat while I changed Scott.  I then tried to feed George in the bouncy seat, while feeding Scott on my lap.  Neither baby would cooperate, so I had to rotate back and forth.  Whichever baby was not being fed was screaming and crying.  The baby that was being fed was also usually crying.  This went on for over an hour!  I somehow managed for each baby to drink about a half a bottle.  Scott eventually fell asleep while waiting for his next turn, and I managed to calm George down enough to lay down again.  I'm sure this is just a temporary side effect from the shots and being a little off their feeding schedule, but their dad better make it home for the next feeding at 8pm!  Until then, I think it's mom's turn to drink a bottle!  :)

George and Scott in happier times (aka - yesterday) 

Lots of Catching Up...

Time keeps slipping away from me!  Wonder why?  ;)  Here's what you need to know to be caught up:

• The twins turned 9 weeks old yesterday!  We became mobile a week ago, being able to get out and about.  Since then, Scott and George have gone out to eat Mexican and get ice cream at the Comfy Cow (twice).  I've not yet ventured out on my own with them, but will in due time.
• George's repeat newborn screening labs came back and all is well.  Whew!  
• I've been to the doctor about my daily headaches, pending lab results.  Will probably also have a MRI just to rule out anything major.  Most likely the headaches are hormonal - considering I've been either pregnant or undergoing IVF for the last two years and then had progesterone shots daily during IVF and weekly during pregnancy, and now am finally not on medication of any kind - that seems to be the best bet.     
• Ugh - I'm actually returning to work a few days earlier than previously posted - August 31.  It's really only 3 days early, and it keeps us from having to pay COBRA insurance for the month of September, so it's worth it!  And how busy can I be after being off 5+ months and heading into a long holiday weekend?? (Work friends, don't answer that - I really don't want to know!)
• Weight Watchers - back on the wagon, after falling off said wagon pretty much from the start.  We fell off even harder than previously noted, with the above mentioned Mexican dinner, two trips out for ice cream, plus lots of other treats, and topped it all off with Taco Bell last Sunday night.  So we'll see where this week takes us!

Here are some pics from Father's Day:

Scott in my parents backyard
My dad with the twins

Ruined Mood

Nothing can ruin my mood faster than a call from HR telling me when I officially have to report back to work - Tuesday, September 6.  Oh, I know, it's still 12 weeks away.....but my maternity leave is half over.  :(  It could be worse - I would normally have to go back on Monday, but thankfully I can take the extra time off.  I can't imagine having to leave my babies yet!  I've been gone from them for a few hours here and there, and will be gone overnight for my brother-in-laws wedding next month...but I don't want to think about having to take them to daycare every day yet. I don't know if I'm cut out to be a stay at home mom full time, but I sure am enjoying it right now!

Weight Watchers

Ugh....Scott and I started WW last Monday.  We're using the old points system because I'm too cheap to shell out the money for all the new stuff, and because who knows how long we'll actually follow the program.  Mainly, we need to re-learn portion sizes and make healthier choices.  After two years of eating how much I want of whatever I want and whenever I wanted it, and not being able to exercise on top of it....yeah, my body needs some work.

Well, let's just say that the first week of WW hasn't started off so great.  It doesn't help that Scott gets 16 more points per day than I do, so on Monday I see him eating dessert while I have no points left to consume. 

On Tuesday, we had already planned to go out to dinner with friends at our favorite restaurant, Pat's Steak House. Since I was pregnant the last time I ate there, I just HAD to indulge in a medium rare (instead of well done) steak; their famous bleu cheese dressing; lima beans dripping in butter; and of course, wine.  I basically starved myself all day so I could use all my daily points, and I'm sure I used all of the 35 extra points that I get per week. 

I was back on track Wednesday, but Thursday it really went downhill.  I bought Scott a Butter Kuchen as part of his Father's Day gift.  It's a dessert he grew up having and talks about all the time.  So we each had a piece.  Shortly thereafter, our friends showed up with a Coconut Creme Pie from the Smokey Valley Truck Stop in Olive Hill, KY - made world famous on the Food Network by Guy Fieri on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.  And it was fabulous!  So now that these two treats are in my house, I can't let them go to waste...


 

Newborn Screening

States require that newborns have a blood test within 1-2 days after birth.  This blood is then used to test for a number of "hidden" disorders which deal with the body's ability to make and use hormones, proteins, sugars, or blood cells.  These disorders, if not treated, can result in a wide range of issues for the baby, including death.  The March of Dimes recommends testing for 29 of these disorders, and the state of Kentucky actually tests for 47 different disorders.

Yesterday, we received a letter from the state indicating that George needed to have a repeat screening performed.  My first thought was that we have not been through hell these past few years only to have something wrong with one of my precious babies!  However, the request for repeat screens is quite common.  One of the main reasons for repeat screens is that there was not enough blood placed on the screening card, and the state did not even run the tests - they just tell you that a repeat is needed.     

Another reason for repeat screens is apparently due to the lab reference ranges.  Ironically, we just spoke to friends last weekend that had a similar issue with their baby boy.  Thankfully he is perfectly healthy - but that was not determined until his parents had been put through 4 months of worry.  In their research, they found out that the state of KY has lower lab reference ranges for many of the disorders, resulting in a very high rate of false positives, which is what happened with their baby. 

Anyway, George went back to the hospital yesterday to have his labs repeated.  We should have the results in about a week.  While I'm fairly certain that everything will be just fine, extra prayers won't hurt!

Manic Monday

Scott and George slept like angels on Sunday night, but woke up possessed by the devil Monday morning!  It started with the 8am feeding - neither finished their bottle.  This resulted in the babies being hungry well before the next feeding, so they ate a little in between.  This cycle continued with both of them throughout the day so I ended up feeding at least one of them every 2 hours.

George somehow managed to pee out of his diaper in the morning, wetting both his outfit and the crib.  Not to be outdone, Scott did the same (after I changed the crib sheets, of course). Between the two of them, I changed 5 outfits and 3 crib sheets in the span of about 6 hours.   

Scott and George literally did not sleep more than 15 minutes at a time on Monday.  They would not sleep in their crib, their Rock-n-Play Sleepers, or their bouncy seats.  I held them, rocked them, walked with them - no sleep.  Their crib mobile and Sleep Sheep music did nothing to soothe them.  

I changed them, fed them, and changed them some more.  Yet all they would do was cry.  ALL.  DAY.  LONG.  Heartbreaking cries with real tears, and nothing I did would comfort them. It was the most helpless feeling, knowing that they needed something and I could not figure out what it was.

And of course, 10 hours later when their Daddy came home - the crying stopped.  Scott and George were perfect angels again, making me look like a complete liar about how horrible my day had been!  They're lucky they are cute.....

George on left, Scott on right - 6 week old

All Clear!

Finally!  After months of almost weekly doctors appointments, I've been given the "all clear" - no restrictions!  I don't have to go back to the doctor for a year. I'm free to eat what I want, drink what I want, and exercise all I want.  Although, as much as I would love to jump back into spin class, a walk around the neighborhood is enough to wipe me out, so I'd better start out slow.

The babies were 5 weeks old on Monday, and the doctor was very impressed at their one month check up last week.  Scott now weighs 8 lb 6 oz and George is just over 9 lbs.  They are going through a growth spurt, waking up halfway between feedings and begging for more formula.  They are also starting to outgrow some of the newborn size clothing.  It's amazing how much they really do change from day to day. 

Scott and I took the twins on their first outing the other day - the mall.  Although they aren't supposed to be around crowds until they are 2 months old, we figured it's an outdoor mall, and we were only going into 2 stores...we'd be quick, so no harm done, right?  Right.  That is, until I tried to maneuver the kids and the double stroller back into the Explorer while Scott paid for his new sunglasses.  Let me just say that the people in the parking lot got a free show of a new mom trying to fold a double stroller that's as tall as she is and hoist it into the back of the SUV.  It was a full 5 minutes of me trying to figure out how to fold the stroller, and at least 5 more minutes of me trying to shove it into the SUV.  In 90+ degree heat.  Very comical (at least to others, not so much to me)!  And Scott still had to help me when he got to the car. Getting out and about with twins (especially by myself) is going to be a challenge!

4 Weeks

I can't believe the babies are 4 weeks old today!  Here is a pic from their first walk over the weekend in their double stroller (Scott in front, George in back)

My parents watched the babies last week so I could take an afternoon off and do a little shopping (Target, anyone?) and my in-laws came over to babysit last night so Scott and I could have a date night.  We seriously contemplated just going to his parents empty house so we could sleep for a couple of hours, but went to dinner instead.  I even had my first post-pregnancy glass of wine! 

Everything was going well until the 4am feeding this morning....that's when the storms rolled in and as usual our electricity went out.  The feeding was almost over, but I did have to change a dirty diaper by battery operated lantern (good purchase Scott!).  Our gas generator has gotten way too much use!  Our next house will have a built in back up generator - I don't care how much it costs or if we never use it, it will still be money well spent! 

Due Date

Although my pregnancy would have never made it this far, today is my actual due date!  I can't believe I'm going to post these pics (because I threatened my husband within an inch of his life if he ever showed anyone)....but I just want to share that I was justified in all my misery the last few weeks before I delivered!

This is me the week before delivery - 35 weeks pregnant:

Can't you tell how happy I was?  Those were the only pants I could fit into the last few weeks, and by the end they really didn't fit either.  Flip flops were the only shoes I could put on my feet.  As large as I was, I never saw any stretch marks on my belly until AFTER delivery.  There are more stretch marks on George's side of my stomach than on Scott's - my stomach did tend to pop out more on his side, and George was the larger baby.  I'm hoping they go away, but I know those chances are slim.

These are my swollen legs in L&D Triage, an hour or so before delivery:

I had no ankles and no knees, and I was swollen up to mid-thigh.  I couldn't bend down to pick up any dropped items; I needed help putting on clothes; getting in and out of bed was a struggle and getting in and out of the car was  unbearable. Walking was unimaginable - just getting from the car to the doctor's office brought me to tears.  The swelling was the most painful part of the entire pregnancy (c-section included).  Thankfully, about 2 weeks after delivery all swelling had gone away (except for my hands - my wedding rings are still a little tight).

But, these 3 week old precious angels were worth every minute!

Introducing the Boehnlein Twins!

Sorry I'm a bit behind on the update, but I've been busy playing Mom to the two cutest babies!  :)  On Easter Sunday, I was miserable and developed a headache, which prompted me to go to the doctor the following Monday.  I was sent to L&D triage for a work up and 4 hours later  at 36 weeks and 4 days pregnant delivered Scott and George!

(Right) Scott Joseph Boehnlein III - born April 25, 2011 @ 3:41pm - 5 lbs 8 oz and 19 inches long
(Left)  George William Boehnlein - born April 25, 2011 @ 3:42pm - 6 lbs, 7 oz and 18 inches long

Scott was perfectly healthy and spent most of his hospital time in my room.  George had some minor breathing problems due to swallowing fluid and spent the first night in the NICU.  He then was sent to CCN for a week to learn how to breathe and feed at the same time.  He finally joined us at home when he was one week old. 

The babies are two weeks old today, and Mom and Dad are loving life.  They are on a 4 hour feeding schedule, which allows us time to get some things done around the house between feedings (like washing bottles and baby clothes!), and we also get about 2.5 hours of uninterrupted sleep between feedings at night.  Scott and I could not be happier!  More pictures and blogs to come....

Recap

I'm a little behind on posting this week, so here is a quick recap:

Monday:  last progesterone shot! 

Tuesday:  another doctor's appointment.  The babies looked great on their BPP.  However, my blood pressure was slightly high.  To rule out pre-eclampsia, the doctor wanted me to collect a 24 hour urine sample to check for protein. Fun.  Attempted cerclage removal, which was NOT successful.  So painful, I will spare everyone the details - but I will say that women who have babies without any kind of medication are rock stars, and crazy. Also started weaning off the Procardia.

Thursday:  back to the doctor to turn in my 24 hr sample and have blood work taken.  My blood pressure was lower, which was good.  Also signed off on the eviction notice papers for the babies - they will be born on May 2nd if not before!

Friday:  doctor called and the blood work and 24 hr sample were all within normal limits - no pre-eclampsia, which is good.  She did mention that since  today is my last dose of Procardia my blood pressure might start to increase, so it will be checked closely at my appointment next week.  If it is higher, coupled with the fact that my edema is out of control, she may consider delivering  earlier than May 2nd.  :)

Until then, I'm just waiting impatiently for things to start progressing.....

These babies are

NEVER COMING OUT!  I will be 35 weeks tomorrow and they are comfy right where they are (that's not a bad thing, really).  I just don't know how I'm going to survive up to 3 more weeks!  It's only the swelling that is getting to me - if it wasn't painful, I'd be fine.  But the swelling is so bad it hurts for anything to touch my legs, and walking is miserable.  Thankfully my blood pressure is good, there's no protein in my urine, no vision changes or headaches, so the doctors aren't worried about pre-eclampsia.

Baby A weighed in at 5 lbs 4 oz and Baby B at 5 lbs 8 oz today - that's almost 11 lbs of baby in my belly!  They might not need their preemie clothes after all, and chances are pretty good that NICU time would be very minimal, if needed at all.  My cerclage will be removed next week, and I'll stop the Procardia as well.  It's possible that I could dilate a few centimeters after the cerclage removal, so maybe that will get the ball rolling and start the eviction process for these babies!

Big Milestone

Big milestone today - 34 weeks!  From the start of this pregnancy, 34 weeks was my personal goal, and I'm so happy I've made it! 

I only weigh myself on appointment days, and I DREAD getting on the scale.  Although embarrassed to admit, I've gained 45 lbs (and still hopefully have a couple of weeks to go).  I keep telling myself that well over 10 lbs of that is babies, and a good bit of that is also from swelling.  That made me feel a little better.  Kind of.  Until I told Scott my actual weight.  And he said out loud what I had already thought in my head - I weigh as much as he did when I first met him in his triathlon prime, 8 years ago.  Talk about devastating!  I will never see a bathing suit this summer.

Everything went well at the doctor.  Typically your stomach measures as many weeks as you are pregnant, with twins a few weeks ahead.  I'm measuring 42 weeks - past due no matter how many babies you are carrying!  Everything is still going well, both babies head down and looking great!  Back to the doctor on Monday. 

Out of the Mouths of Well Meaning People (and some Idiots)

It's hard enough being pregnant with twins, swollen, and miserable....but add on comments (from friends, family, and perfect strangers) like these and who needs enemies?

1. "You are as big as a barn!" - from my youngest niece, apparently quoting what her mother (my sister) had told her (I think in fun, at least I hope!) - I was about 30 weeks along.
2. "You look like you swallowed a basketball!" - this was from a family friend when I was around 31 weeks.  I guess I can't be too upset when my doctor said the same thing a few days later.
3. "You're about to pop!" - from the cashier at TJ Maxx, approximately 32 weeks along.  No, actually I'm having twins and have about 6 weeks left.  She then proceeded to tell me that I frequent TJ Maxx and we've had many discussions about my pregnancy.  Um, no.  I do love TJ Maxx but have been there maybe twice since Christmas, and I can assure you that I haven't discussed my pregnancy in detail with you lady.
4. "She's about to pop!" - for the second time, approximately 33 weeks.  This time, I overheard the comment said by a table full of nurses as I left Chick-fil-A at lunch.  Hello - I'm pregnant, not deaf - I can still hear!
5. "When are you due - not soon enough?" - from the random man in the vet's office, same day as comment #4.  Ha ha, you are hilarious, but I'm not laughing.
 

I'm sure the comments will become more frequent (and probably worse) as I progress these last few weeks, so stay tuned....

ARGH!

Maybe I started calling myself a whale too early....the blue whale is the world's largest known animal, so I have nowhere to go from there!  

I have eaten myself out of my maternity jeans.  No joke.  The stretchy band doesn't cover my belly anymore, and they are tight on my thighs (proving to all those people that tell me I'm all belly that they are WRONG!).  The few maternity shirts that I own also barely cover my belly at the bottom anymore. 

Shoes?  Forget it.  I can't bend over, making it impossible to put on socks and shoes without assistance.  My calves and feet are so swollen that my shoes don't really fit anyway.  Spring weather needs to hurry up and get here so I can stop looking like an idiot running around in flip flops in 40 degree weather. 

And of course, not knowing if I'm going to deliver tomorrow or in 3 weeks, I refuse to go out and spend money on any new clothes or shoes.  So I'll just keep complaining until these babies come.  :)

Almost 33 Weeks!

Last Thursday was a big milestone - 32 weeks!    Had yet another great doctor appointment last week.  Baby A was weighing in at 3 lbs 15 oz and Baby B was weighing 4 lbs 7 oz.  WOW!  That's 8 1/2 lbs of baby in my belly - the size of many full term pregnancies.  My high risk doctor was very pleased with my progress and is estimating that I'll deliver around 35 weeks.

Yesterday I saw my regular OB, who was also pleased with my progress.  Apparently she and the high risk OB were texting about me last week - which makes me feel really good.  I love the communication betweeen the two offices.  These doctors truly care about the outcome of our situation and have done everything in their power to make sure we have an uneventful, healthy, as close to full term pregnancy as possible. 

I also had another ultrasound yesterday for a biophysical profile (BPP), which will be done weekly until I deliver.  The BPP checks the level of amniotic fluid, makes sure the babies reflexes are good (moving arms and legs, fingers and toes), and checks that the diaphragm is moving in preparation for breathing outside of the womb.  All looked perfect!  I just need to make it through one more week - to 34 weeks - and then the doctors won't try to stop labor. At any rate, these babies will be here in less than 5 weeks!

And They're Off!

Sadly, I'm not talking about the horses during Spring Meet at Keeneland or Churchill Downs, although both are right around the corner.  (I wonder how young is too young to teach the babies how to bet?).  I'm talking about my wedding rings.

I've just started swelling within the last week or so, but the past couple of days have been really bad.  So bad that I can actually feel how fat my fingers are toes have become without having to look.  Good thing the weather is a little warmer, because I might be in flip flops until it's all over!

In our 4.5 years of marriage, my engagement ring has been off one time, due to a broken prong that had to be fixed.  Just last December, Scott and I both took our wedding bands off to have them cleaned when we were at the jewelers.  It's really strange to not have my rings on today, but I knew it was inevitable, and much better than waiting too long and having to cut them off!

It's Official

Yesterday was my last day of work!  When I went in for my appointment this week, the doctor took one look at me and her diagnosis was "miserable".  Yep, pretty much.  I've gained 5 lbs in 2 weeks, I waddle, I'm swelling, I have hip pain, I sleep maybe 2 hours at a time....that equals miserable to me!

I never thought I'd make 31 weeks without being on bed rest, or even in the hospital, so I really can't complain that I'm still somewhat functional for short periods of time.  Part of me feels guilty for being off work; I feel like I should suck it up and at least work through the end of the month.  But the other part of me feels like I've been through enough, and I could use the next couple of weeks before delivery to catch up on some rest, read baby books, and finish organizing the nursery.  And watch lots of basketball - GO CATS!

Happy 1st Birthday!

Happy 1st Birthday to Scott II and George Allen!  One year ago today, March 15, 2010, was the best day of our lives, which quickly turned into the worst week of our lives.  Not a day has passed that we haven't thought about them, spoken of them, or wondered how different our lives would have been had they survived.  

Today, Scott and I bought balloons and little Pooh bears to place at the cemetery.  It was rainy and windy, and unfortunately half of the balloons popped before we took the picture.  Somehow we managed to sing Happy Birthday, and then released two balloons off to Heaven to our boys.

Many, many thanks to all our friends and family that have remembered how special and important this day is to us.  Thanks for all the cards, flowers, calls, texts, and emails.  It means more to us than you will ever know.

Nursery and Names

Finally!  The nursery is mostly complete and the names have been chosen. Enjoy the pics!

                    Scott Joseph Boehnlein III and George William Boehnlein

Love the rug - it only took 3 months to arrive, but it was worth it!

On top of the dresser is our 2010 March for Babies Top New Family plaque, along with candles from the remembrance mass for Scott II and George Allen.  The pic in the "Twins" frame is also of them.  Scott III and George William will always know about their older brothers.

The rocking chair is being refinished to match the furniture.  

  Changing table and mirror.  Pics of the twins will go in the frames.

Me and Scott - 30 weeks and exhausted!

Turning 30!

Happy 30 weeks to me today! This is probably the only time when a girl is happy about "turning 30".  :)  No appointments this week.  Hard to believe that these babies will most likely be here in 4-6 weeks!

It never fails to amaze me how many people keep up with how far along I am in the pregnancy, or when my dr appts occur.  Every week I receive calls, texts, and emails from friends and family, congratulating me on turning over another week, or asking how my dr appt was that day.  I can't express enough how much I appreciate the love and support from everyone! 

Another good appointment

Well, another good appointment today with my regular OB.  I will be 29 weeks on Thursday, but I'm measuring 5 weeks ahead (or the size of someone pregnant with a single baby at 34 weeks).   Guess I've made up for only measuring 2 weeks ahead a couple of weeks ago!   My doctor basically said I'm huge, and that I don't have any stretch marks on my belly...yet.  Gee, thanks.  Trust me, I feel every bit of the 25 lbs I've now gained.  And, since my mom and sisters didn't have stretch marks from their deliveries (and they are hereditary) - I'm hoping I don't get them either.  However, I have resigned myself to the fact that I will likely need a tummy tuck when all this is over!

Holy Cows!

And for once I'm not talking about me!  These babies are going to be large (well, as large as potential preemies can be).  Baby A is weighing in at 2lbs 8oz, and Baby B is weighing 2lbs 11oz.  There is over 5lbs of baby inside of me right now! 

Tomorrow is a big milestone - 28 weeks.  The chance of brain bleeds goes down significantly at this point, as well as many other issues related to premature delivery.  The great news is that my cervix is still around 4cm, so my high risk is moving my appointments to every 4 weeks instead of 2 weeks, and they won't do any more cervix checks unless I'm having issues (like major contractions).  Now I just need to focus on making it to 32 weeks.

The high risk dr seems to think I have a good chance of making it to 34 weeks, but maybe not much longer than that.  If I make it to 36 weeks we'll talk about scheduling a c-section at 38 weeks.  So I (hopefully) have somewhere between 6 and 10 weeks left in this pregnancy.  Not too much longer!

Happiness is...

...reaching 27 weeks today - officially in my 3rd trimester (according to my iPhone app)!
...the doctor telling me I only have 2-3 weeks left before taking me out of work.  YEAH!  :)
...feeling the babies kick around my belly - all day and all night.  I don't think they know how to sleep yet!
...this fab Spring-like weather - I just wish it was here to stay.
...a feeling I haven't had in a year.   The further along in the pregnancy with no complications, the closer we are to realizing our dream of having two precious babies in our arms.  And that will be the happiest day of all. 

26 Weeks 5 Days

Today I am 26 weeks and 5 days pregnant - the timepoint when I delivered Scott and George in my last pregnancy, exactly 11 months ago today.  It's a very bittersweet day....I'm extremely thankful that I've made it this far in my current pregnancy with no major issues, but of course I wish things had turned out differently last time. 

There was no way we could have predicted what happened, and I know that the babies received the best care from their doctors and everything possible was done to save them.  None of my doctors were happy when I became pregnant with twins again, but I am going to prove them all wrong in the end.
Many precautions have been put in place this pregnancy, from the cerclage, procardia, progesterone shots, and resting as much as possible.  We'll never really know if these precautions have helped get me this far - the studies have only been done in single births, not multiples; since my cervix hasn't shortened at this point some may argue that the cerclage was not necessary; procardia doesn't actually stop contractions but lessens the symptoms....but I trust that my doctors are doing everything in their power to make me comfortable with this pregnancy, and believe in the fact that I will deliver two healthy babies, as close to term as possible. 

Tomorrow will be a strange day, a time point further along than what I achieved in my previous pregnancy.  But it's one step closer to 27 weeks and beyond, and for that I am thankful!

"Wow....

....you're so much bigger than the last time I saw you!"  Um, thanks...I guess?  This seems to be THE statement of the last couple of weeks.  Typically, it's been said by people that I haven't seen in 2-3 weeks.  But the best comment has to be from my own mother, whom I saw two days in a row this week:  "You look a lot bigger than you did just yesterday!"  (Love you Mom!).

Well people, I am pregnant with TWINS, remember?  Although, the 20 lbs I've gained so far isn't doing much for my 5'2" frame these days.  At least I'm all belly (or so I'm told)!  A person of average weight at conception should gain 25-35 lbs during their pregnancy; you can add up to 10 more lbs for twins.  And typically, weight gain will be about 1 lb per week in the last trimester.  So considering I have less than 12 weeks left of this pregnancy, plus the 20 lbs I've already gained = 32 lbs, I still have a little wiggle room.  :)  

CRAVINGS

These are the things I am going to have ASAP after these babies are delivered:

1. Mexican food - by far my favorite type of food, but during pregnancy I can't stand it.  I've had my share of Qdoba or Moe's, but "authentic" Mexican is out of the question.  I've promised Scott this will be our first meal once I deliver and get out of the hospital!
2. Diet Coke - I'd kill for an extra large fountain diet Coke.  I know that caffeine is considered OK by most doctors in moderation during pregnancy, but caffeine can irritate the uterus.  Since my uterus is alredy irritable, caffeine is on the list of what I can't have. 
3. Sushi - it's just not the same to have a California roll. 
4. WINE.  Enough said.

I certainly know many women that have had caffeine, or sushi, or a glass of wine, or many other items from the list of "no-no's" while pregnant, and I'm not judging.  If we didn't have so many issues with getting pregnant, pre-term labor, and everything else going on - I guarantee I wouldn't be as strict with the list either.  But since our situation is very different from most pregnancies, I couldn't bear the "what ifs".  I'll stick to the rules as much as I can until the end!

WHEW!

Made it to 26 weeks today!  My high risk appointment was great yesterday - again, no cervix changes.  I can't believe it, especially since my contractions have seemed to pick up a little over the past few days.  But, the doctors don't seem too concerned with the contractions since my cervix still hasn't changed, so I'm not going to worry about them either right now.  The odds are really good for me making it to 30 weeks and beyond. :)

I did have the first round of steroid shots (yesterday and today) to help develop the babies lungs.  I will receive another round closer to delivery. Otherwise, I'm still on the Procardia 4x/day and weekly progesterone shots.  No bed rest!  The only down side of no bed rest is that I still have to work.  :(  I'm just ready to be on leave and focus on these babies.  

Scott and I are hoping to finish up some decorative things in the nursery this weekend.  We have enough to be functional should the babies arrive at any time, but I want to be decorated and organized before I do end up on bed rest or in the hospital and unable to do anything until after delivery.  I'll post pictures when the nursery is finished!

MILESTONE!!

Today is a HUGE milestone - 24 weeks and viability!  And to make it even better, my high risk appointment was perfect yesterday.  Such a relief, because I have been stressing about this appointment for the past week.  I received the best news I could have hoped for.....my cervix hasn't changed AT ALL!  Baby A is weighing in at 1 lb 6 oz and Baby B is 1 lb 7 oz (but Mama's weight is another story - I weigh more than I ever have in my life, even in my fattest college days!). 

Everything looked so good that the dr decided to hold off on the steroid shots to mature the babies lungs until at least my next appointment at 26 weeks.  And....she said something along the lines of people with a cervical length like mine at 24 weeks only have about a 4% chance of a really premature delivery (ie, earlier than 28 weeks), and babies born at 28 weeks have an 80+% survival rate.  I know things can change in an instant, but that really gives me hope!  My personal goal is to make it at least another 10 weeks, to 34 weeks.  No matter what I will deliver early, and I know there will be NICU time involved, but hopefully it's just for feeding and growing and not any bigger issues.

Saturday Breakfast

Scott has to be the best hubby ever!  He got up this morning and made my favorite breakfast - French toast.  YUM!  French toast is one of my dad's specialties, and the last time I had my dad's breakfast was on family vacation in 2009.  That was the only time Scott had ever had my dad's French toast, and this was his first attempt at making it.  He did a great job, and it was the perfect way to start off another cold winter morning. 

I'm now 23 weeks and 2 days along.  I was put on home bed rest at 23 weeks last time, and since I'm not on bed rest yet I can say that's a small victory achieved.  My regular OB appointment went well this week; my belly is measuring 27 weeks along - a month ahead, which is on target with twins.  The big test is my appointment next week - 24 weeks, viability, and hopefully no cervix changes.  Stay tuned.... 

And Another Week...

22 weeks today!  All went well at yesterday's appointment - the babies are looking good, and we even got a few 3D pictures of Baby B (Baby A was being stubborn!).  No cervical changes, which honestly, for the next few weeks, is my main concern.  So I feel as safe as I can be for 2 more weeks until my next high risk appointment. 

Another Week Down

Yes, 21 weeks today.  Still 3 more weeks before the babies are considered viable.  I'll feel better once I hit that mark, although I know it doesn't mean much - it's still WAY too early to deliver.  Been on the Procardia for a week now, and it seems to be doing the trick - I still have a few contractions, but nothing regular, and a lot fewer than I was experiencing last weekend.  I rest as much as possible, because activity also triggers the contractions.  But overall, am feeling good and staying positive.  :)