HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO EMMA AND KATIE!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUHAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMA AND KATIEHAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!

T-minus two hours and my girls will be here. I'm nervous. See y'all on the flip side!

Yikes!

I can't sleep. It's 6 a.m. and despite being given two Ambien last night by the nurse and not turning off the lights until midnight, I am wide awake. I can't figure out why. Hmmmm. Maybe it's because in 18 hours I am going to be delivering twins?! I don't know. Maybe that could have something to do with it.

I can't even pin point any particular emotion I am having right now because I think there's a little bit of every emotion you could ever have floating around in me.

All kinds of fun and cool things are happening to me right now. My doctor has decided (at the 11th hour) that I am not gaining enough weight. I about wanted to throw my hands up in there air and release a primal scream when she said that to me. Let me just say that since I have been sequestered in the hospital bed, I have done NOTHING but eat. Not only three meals a day (which I rarely ever, ever do), but every time my meals are over, within 20 minutes they are bringing me a protein shake that I'm somehow supposed to choke down. That being said, I told my doctor that "perhaps my body just really doesn't want to gain any more weight; maybe it's at capacity." My stomach has been in a constant state of discomfort since I got here; so much so that night before last, the majority of the night I spent not daring to move or even breathe because if I did I was going to puke.

So, now they are drawing blood to find out if I have some sort of gastro-intestinal problem going on, or exactly why I can not gain weight. You'd think I have gained only 2 lbs this whole time or something. I've gained 27 lbs. Probably not as much as is considered "ideal gain weight" for twins, but it's not horrible. THEN, she is adding another medication to my cocktail of drugs I take every day that is supposed to help me digest my food quicker so I don't feel so full all the time. THEN, they are going to hook me up to an IV to supplement what I am eating. (My thought is, what good is this all going to do 24 hours before I have these babies? If this was going to happen, shouldn't it have happened long ago?!?!) And then the COOLEST, FUNNEST most AWESOME thing I get to do?!?! I get to collect my pee and put it in a bottle everytime I go so they can test how much protein I have in my pee! Is that awesome or what?!

I'm complaining, I know; which I shouldn't be doing because "doctor knows best", however, like I said, wouldn't this have made more sense a week or two ago when I had some time to actually gain some significant weight? Oh, well.

Doctors, nurses, neo-natal specialists, NICU nurses, nutritionists, OTs, therapists.....you name the hospital employee and I have probably seen them during my stay here. I even know the housekeepers by name. Everyone here has been so wonderful to me and they have made a long, long stay here much more tolerable.

I will probably be here for three days post-surgery; so most likely until Thursday. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Of course the dynamic of my stay is going to change drastically mid-day tomorrow.

I have a request for everyone out there. I know you have been fervently praying for me and the twins; and your prayers and thoughts and caring are appreciated more than you will ever know. I am awed over the amount of caring I have received from people all over the globe. But if you could please add little Care Bear and Feisty to your prayers as well, I would really appreciate it. Their lives are about to dramatically change. Especially Feisty. She will be de-throned as the "baby". I just don't want to be so overwhelmed with the twins and everything else that the others end up feeling neglected. It is a real big concern for me. I felt the same way when I had Feisty and worried a lot about Care Bear. My fears were not in vain; Care Bear had a real difficult period of adjustment and the three or four months after Feisty was born were extremely difficult. So, prayers for my other two little girls are appreciated as well.

This could very well be my last post before the twins arrive. However, you could see a last minute panic stricken one at around noon tomorrow. :) We'll see. I'm sure my mom will be posting regular updates until I am able to do so again!

The countdown has begun!

Slight Change of Plans

I had my ultra sound today. It took over two hours. In the end, I found out that the bigger baby is 3 lbs 15 oz and the little baby is 2 lbs. 15 oz. (Care Bear says that the "big" baby is hers since she's bigger, therefore according to her, big baby is Kate and the littler baby is Feisty's...or Emma).

Kate is actually right on target. Totally normal size for her gestation. Emma is pretty little, but according to all her tests, just as healthy as can be. I'm tempted to call her "Feisty: The Sequel" because I'm thoroughly convinced that the reason she is smaller than Kate is solely because of how much aerobics she does in there. That child never sits still!! In fact, she's in breech position--again! Good grief.

My doctor called me within a few hour of the ultra sound and since Emma didn't quite hit the target weight for normal delivery, I will be having a C-section. But now that she's breech again, that may have happened anyway.

I took a tour of the NICU just a little bit ago. They gave me two little handkerchiefs to put on so that when I'm not with the babies, they will have my scent with them and have me near them. *s0b*. This is the poem that's on the bag that the hankerchiefs are in:

I Love You Mommy

We have a bond

That began months ago

I love you so much

This I know

When we are together

Wear this close to your heart

So when you're away

We are never apart

When you have to go

Leave this with me

I'll feel safe with you near

You will see

Until we're together again

You will always be close

You are the Mommy

That I love the most

The NICU is as homey as it can possibly be with very comfy looking chairs and roomy areas for visitors.

I had a visit tonight from a nurse practitioner from the NICU who gave me an overview of what to expect throughout delivery and beyond. Tonight a neo-natal pediatrician is supposed to be coming by to talk to me. I feel confident that my babies are in good hands. And of course the great physician will be present through it all.

The C-section will be taking place Monday, the 7th at 12:30 p.m. I'm not completely sure why they changed the date, but I just do what they tell me to do. So, not Sunday.....Monday. At 12:30.

Thank you so much for all your kind comments, thoughts and prayers. I feel covered from all corners of the country and even other parts of the world! I couldn't ask for better friends!

BREAKING NEWS

I received word just a little while ago that the babies are going to be delivered on Sunday; I'll be exactly 33 weeks.

I have an ultra sound tomorrow to find out how much they weigh and whether or not I will be able to deliver the "regular" way or if I will have to have a C-section. It all depends on how much they weigh.

I have had the Beta-Methazone shots already to help strengthen the babies' lungs so I'm really hoping they'll be strong enough to breathe on their own.

I'm not ready; I'm completely unprepared; I thought I had almost 2 months left. Life on the outside is a chaotic mess and I'm more stressed out right now then I have been in my entire existence. I feel like a brick wall is falling down all over me. I need a Valium or something.

Emma Faith and Katherine Hope: Date of Birth: January 6, 2008

I didn't make it here to ring in the New Year and wish everybody a happy one. Not that I wasn't up to ring it in. Far beyond, as a matter of fact. My MIL was here in my room until almost 4 a.m. However, I am not exactly sure what I was doing at the exact moment Father Time handed the reins over to baby New Year. I think I was knitting a hat or something like that.

Speaking of, I have completed hats now for Care Bear, Feisty, Emma and Kate. All the same color. My four girls are going to look so cute all wearing their hats together. I've got several "orders" for other people. I'm trying to figure out how to do the scarves, too.

Here's Emma and Kate's Hats

(How about that container of disposed of hypodermics behind me? They aren't mine. Wish they'd get rid of them. One of them is labeled "Hep B". Cool!)

Here's A Belly Shot--Probably the Last

Still bored, but coping. My girls have made themselves at home here; they know where everything is and love to take people on "tours". Their visits are the highlight of my day. I wish they could move in with me.

I've gotten to go twice now on 30 minute "walks" around in the wheelchair. It's nice to get out of this bed and this room. I wish I could go outside. I probably could if I wanted to but it's pretty cold out there right now.

Must get back to my busy, busy life now. Happy January 2nd!

Bedrest Bootcamp

My cousin Julie very appropriately named this current situation I am in, "Bedrest Bootcamp" and it couldn't be more true.

To be completely honest with you, I think my doctors are totally over-reacting and I am just taking a bed up in the hospital that could be used by someone in a much more dire situation than I, but what do I know. My babies are measuring small, but so did my other two girls. And here is the thing; wouldn't you think if the babies were in some sort of distress that they would be showing distress in some of these millions of tests they are running on them every live-long day?! Their NSTs (non-stress tests) are always perfect; they are scoring perfect on their bio-physical profiles; their heart rates are perfect; there is no question in anyone's mind that they are having no difficulty moving--BELIEVE ME. But I am not a doctor and I am told this is where I am supposed to be, so here is where I am. I feel like a lazy, fat slob sitting here in this hospital bed having nurses wait on me hand and foot when I feel absolutely perfectly fine. The last time I had a long stay here was when I was here for pneumonia, but then I was really, really sick and hardly remember a single detail of that stay. Believe me, I am aware of every single boring moment here this time.

I miss my girls. I am greatly distressed that the final days/weeks before two more children enter our chaotic lives I am spending here strapped to a hospital bed rather than being able to hang out with them and do fun things with them before I no longer can do that with ease.

Then of course, not an hour goes by when visions of my utterly disastrous house enter my mind. We are talking utter and total disaster. Not a thing has been done to it since I officially went on bedrest which I believe was almost two weeks ago. Add to that Christmas mess, clean laundry piled up all over my house and dishes everywhere and you've got a recipe for yuck!! It is so bad.

Thank you all so much for your nice comments and your prayers. You will never know how much they are appreciated. Emma and Kate could be here as early as next week. We'll see. In the meantime, I am trying to keep myself from going nuts by knitting hats for my big girls and the babies with a cool kit that my cousin got for me and playing on this laptop that the hospital lent me. Is that cool or what?! Oh, I'm also over-dosing on Law & Order: SVU. I've seen two marathons since I've been on bed-rest. It's been one of my favorite shows for years and I fear that once I leave here I may never be able to watch it again!!

I'm going to get my mom to take one last belly shot of me and maybe pictures of the little knit hats I'm making. The fruits of my "labor". (HAHA....pun intended).

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and has a blessed New Year! I'll be ringing in 2008 right here in this hospital bed. I'm really starting to feel sorry for myself now.

UPDATE

THis is Kristen's mom writing to you, her friends. Lots has been happening in Kristen's situation. Please come over to my site to catch up. After you catch up, Please Pray!!

Thank you so much.

Wednesday Randomness

My Babies Are PO'd At Me!!

Thanksgiving was nice. We, as usual had two dinners. One around mid-day at my parent's house with all of my side of the family, then one hosted at my house with Mike's side of the family. MIL handled pretty much everything; I made the green-bean casserole (GO ME!!) but MIL did everything else. I think we had more food for the eight of us then there was for 19 at my parent's dinner. Can you say leftovers?! My fridge (which was pretty barren prior to that day) was stuffed to the gills by Thursday night. The remainder of the weekend was spent figuring how many ways you can possibly eat turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, rolls, twenty-five different types of salad, jellos and pies. By Sunday night we had dumped all of it in a huge pan together (pies, jello and salad included---um, just kidding) and cooked it all together. It was sort of shepherd pie-ish. Not too bad. At least it didn't look too bad. I wouldn't know because I didn't eat any of it. In fact, beyond Thursday and up until this very moment, I have eaten very little. Which is part of the reason my babies are PO'd at me. The other reason is because of the pure ruckus my body has caused in my stomach for the past four days or so.

Care Bear and I both came down with a hellish case of the flu on Friday. She woke up with it; it hit me sometime mid-day; shortly after I had indulged in two pieces of apple pie. MIL I still think is convinced it's because I ate two pieces of pie. I keep trying to tell her that I highly doubt that two pieces of pie could cause four days of vomiting and other stomach ailments which I will not discuss. Nor would my eating two pieces of pie cause my sweet little girl to have pretty much the same issues as me. I don't think over-indulging in pie is contagious.

So, the poor little squirts have not only had to endure earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes in their safe little haven, they have also had to endure being mal-nourished for over half a week. They are maaaaaaaddd! They are proving this to me by kicking, punching and stabbing every spare nook and cranny they can find. I can hardly blame them. This is reminiscient of the week prior to my giving birth to Care Bear when I was sick for an entire week with the stomach flu. She got so sick of it that she said, "Forget this!" and decided to come three weeks early. Recalling this, I panicked a little concerned due to the fact that if these babies got so sick of being in the chaos that is my body right now, they would try to come two and a half months early, which of course is in no way acceptable. So I called my doctor's office. When they panicked, I panicked more. They made me come in right then and even made me call inside the office when I was in the parking lot so that they could come out and sterlize me before I came in (read: sport an oh-so-cool surgical mask and slather myself with sterizing hand wash). I felt like a leper. They strapped a fetal monitor on to me to do a non-stress test, took a urine sample to make sure I don't have a bladder infection (which I think I do--those results still pending), and informed that I was probably going to be sent over to the hospital for the rest of the day to get hooked up to an IV to get rehydrated. SCORE!

Luckily, babies showed no signs of stress, heart-rates were good and instead of sending me to the hospital, they sent me on my way with instructions to drink plenty of Gatorade.

I'm on the mend. I was able to eat a cheese sandwich last night. Or rather, half of a cheese sandwich. I'm able to consume liquids again, which is also good. Care Bear as well has recovered for the most part and has been able to go to school this week. Now, if we can just get through the rest of this month with no illness, it will be the best Christmas present I could get--well, that and a new mini-van for my own personal daycare.

Baby Name Update

We thought we had names picked out. They were going to be Samantha Hope and Victoria Faith. And then the girls got involved. The big girls that is. They have very strong ideas as to what they want to name the babies. Feisty is bound and determined to name one of the babies Emma. She has not wavered from this point. I'm considering it. It's a real name (albeit quite over used right now) and it's cute. Care Bear has come up with quite an assortment of interesting names. One of her more viable options is Sierra (a friend's name at school) and her most recent choice: Janessa (also a friend from school). These are more acceptable to me than her previous suggestions such as: Olive (there is a specific reason I will not choose this name) and Guitarra (a completely made up, fabricrated name).

So, the whole baby name thing is still up in the air. I have all the suggestions everyone has given me written in a handy-dandy notebook which I refer to quite often. I love all of the suggestions. Keep them coming. It could be months still before the squirts have names. They could quite possibly go to Kindergarten without names. I think Little Squirt and Big Squirt are perfectly fine names to grow up with, don't you?!?!

Occupational Stuff

My husband is, as we speak, 3 miles west of me and about 3 hours into his new job joining the ranks of the rest of us esteemed employees of this higher education establishment. I am t-minus 22 minutes away from a meeting with my supervisors to discuss returning to part-time. Pray for us both. If you are a prayin' person. Thanks!

The Make Up Artist

And last but not least. Care Bear got a new Bratz doll this week. Don't criticize me on getting my daughter a Bratz doll. Daddy got it for her. In her mind, she's just a pretty doll. That's it. Anyhooooo.....the doll came with a little compact full of sparkly powder with which to adorn the doll's face. Adorning the doll's face, however, was not enough for Care Bear. It was turned into a full scale make-up salon. The evening was spent getting sparkly powder make-overs. Come to think of it, I probably should have double checked faces this morning to make sure any sparkly's were not left over. Oh, well.

The "salon " came complete with flowers for decoration, a keyboard for musical entertainment, a "tip jar" (I was informed right away that I must pay to receive facial treatments), cotton balls and her new winter gloves (lest she get sparkles on her fingers). The facials were done concurrently while watching the Charlie Brown Christmas Special. Good times.

And that's it for me! Happy Wednesday.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I'm sitting here at work, looking at the beautiful, wintery scene outside my window. Just in time for the first "winter" holiday; just in time for putting up Christmas decorations; and just in time to host our families 3rd annual "Polar Express" viewing night, we have snow. It could not be more perfect, in my opinion. The only thing that would make it more perfect right now, for me, would to be snuggling at home with the rest of my family....and the rest of the world for that matter.....on the day before Thanksgiving, instead of here at work talking to people who are obsessing over their applications rather than getting ready for turkey day. Good grief.

My MIL is travelling here from North Dakota today. She is notorious for leaving later than she says she is going to, and getting later than her well-intentioned plan. Since her plan is to leave today, I'm concerned (especially with the weather) that she won't make it until well past turkey time tomorrow. Which is a problem, since she's bringing the turkey and the turkey roaster. And I'm hosting at my house this year. Yikes. We could be looking at the first ever "side dish only" Thanksgiving dinner. Woo-hoo! Luckily, if the worst should happen, I will have already eaten on Thanksgiving dinner at my Mom's house. I have to eat two every year. That's good this year. I do, after all, have two babies to feed. Speaking of which (and speaking of turkeys), this is how I feel right about now:

"I'm browned, basted and ready to be carved!! "

(10 points if you know what TV show that line comes from and extra bonus points if you can name the episode!)

I find it interesting the differing opinions on the current size of my mid-section. Some people look at me and can't resist telling me how huge I am; others look at me and inform me there is no way I could be carrying twins. To these folks I would like to say, "Well, then live in my shoes for day; once your 24 hours is up, tell me how much rest you got with two very active little girls in your belly kicking you non-stop and squeezing out your bladder every 20 minutes."

I will say that with this pregnancy it is all belly. With the other two I gained in my face, butt and everywhere else. Not this time. I truly look like I just took a basketball and strapped it onto my front. It's a very interesting look. Take a gander for yourself:

Kristen at 26 weeks

So, my guess is that the majority of you are going to comment and agree with the ones who say that there's no way I'm carrying twins. Let me say, however, that I still have 3 months left of this pregnancy. And then, let me tell you how big I did not get with either of my other two pregnancies. Here's some proof:

This is me at my baby shower for Care Bear. A mere two weeks before I gave birth. Note the face; the rear end, and the non-basket-ball appearance of my belly in this picture. And then note that indeed, I am larger in the belly area this time with three months to go.

And this is me nearing the end of my pregnancy with Feisty. (Not exactly sure on the timing). Same thing with the rear and the face. And the non-hugeness.

So, this is just me defending myself and my tendency to not be massively huge in my pregnancies. Not sure why I feel the need to defend myself, except to say that it drives me crazy when people have to continually give me their "expert" opinions on how large I should be at this point in my pregnancy. Everyone has to have their say.

I feel huge and I have quite a ways to go. Heartburn is setting in; Mylanta is a mainstay. Leg pain continues and life continues to move on at a way too rapid pace for me; especially considering how not ready I am yet for these babies to be here!

The dreams continue as well. The one I had last night had me giving birth to the twins. I was lucky enough to not have to have a C-section in the dream and they were born literally 30 seconds apart. One weighed 6 lbs 1 oz and one weighed 5 lbs 6 oz. They released me from the hospital two hours after they were born. I was bummed about that in my dream because I wanted to get some rest. (Not like anyone in a hospital having children ever gets any rest.) It'll be interesting to see how accurate my dream is (about the timing of the births and the birth weights....not the two hour stay. If that happens, they'll have to drag me out of that hospital kicking and screaming!)

I hope everyone's Thanksgiving is happy and wonderful and thankful. If you're travelling, travel safe; if you're cooking, try not to burn the turkey; and if you are lucky and just get to relax and enjoy the whole thing while someone else does all the work, well then.....I hope someone else makes you do the dishes.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Perils of (this particular) Pregnancy

I believe that there is an unwritten rule out there that very few people are aware of that has become very apparent to me through this latest pregnancy. That rule is that eventually, if you get pregnant enough times and you have been lucky enough in the past to have fairly uneventful, easy pregnancies (and deliveries) that subsequent pregnancies will not follow that same protocol. I am living proof of this rule. So beware....I am warning you now.....if you have had simple, un-problematic, easy pregnancies thus far....and you get pregnant again, it probably won't go that way for you again! Your luck will run out. Sorry to be the bearer of that bad news. But let's examine the proof in my case. With Care Bear and Feisty, my pregnancies, for the most part were easy and simple as were the labors and deliveries. Both girls were born with no complications within six hours of me arriving at the hospital. Following are experiences that I have had with this pregnancy that I did not experience with the other two: (and I have to say that if this were my first pregnancy, it would be my last!)

**Horrific morning all day sickness--While this for the most part has subsided, I still have to be extremely careful about what goes in my mouth and how much goes in my mouth. Otherwise, I will regret it very shortly thereafter.

**A mild scare early on in the pregnancy--heh, heh...mild. Did you catch that sarcasm there? If not, take a cold glass of water and splash it in your face and wake up.

**TWINS. Enough said.

**Leg Pain and Cramps--The leg pain in my upper legs that makes me feel like someone is using me as a wish bone is one thing. I'm actually starting to get used to walking like an invalid. But I haven't quite gotten used to waking up in the middle of the night with my legs straight up in the air and charley horses that make it feel like someone is taking a sledge hammer to my calves. Let me tell ya---those are fun times!!

**Breech babies--Breech babie(s)! Not one breech baby---two breech babies. Both using my uterus and my cervix as a punching bag. And so, since they are both breech, if they don't turn around and do it soon, I will be experiencing......

**A C-Section!--Never had one---don't want one. I am a complete and total weenie when it comes to needles, knives, or anything of the sort coming anywhere near any part of my body. I about passed out during my amniocentesis. Yeah, I know, I know. I'll be numbed, I won't feel a thing if I have to have a c-section. You're missing the point. The point is that I will know and be fully aware of the fact that on the other side of that little curtain separating the upper and lower parts of my body that a knife is cutting into me and two human beings are being pulled out. Whoa. Pardon me for a moment I think all the blood in my body rushed to my head and I need to lay down for a second. UGH.

**Ridiculous and sometimes scary dreams--I've always read and heard about dreams people have during pregnancy, but I never have had this experience....until this pregnancy and only very recently. I could write down the dream I had last night and sell it to Wes Craven. He'd have his next great horror movie.

**A lovely complexion--(insert more sarcasm). The current condition of my skin gives new meaning to the words "pizza face". I'm 32. I'm too old for acne, for crying out loud. I didn't have one single zit in high school. What is this?!?!

There is one thing that I have been lucky enough to avoid in all three pregnancies and that is stretch marks. How I have avoided these is beyond me; I must have elastic in my skin. So I'm thankful for that small little consolation.

And now I sit here at 9:02 in the morning after a horrible night of sleep; stomach issues, fun horror like dreams, etc.....re-reading this post as I feel the two little squirts kicking away in my stomach. And I know that once I hold those two little healthy bundles in my arms that this will all be a distant memory. And it will have all been worth it.

The "Baby Name Game" will continue throughout the remainder of my pregnancy (or until I decide on names, whichever comes first). Click on the button in the sidebar to add any names you think of. This is much harder than I thought!

Random Tidbits

I'll start with some pictures for this random post:

Care Bear's Official Kindergarten Picture

Don't you just want to eat her up?! Mmmwwwaaahhhh!!

Feisty in Grandma's Backyard

I'm not quite full yet so I'll eat her up a little bit, too! She'll be getting some professional pics done soon.

The Family at "Light In The Night"This was taken at our church's annual Halloween activity called "Light in the Night". The kids look forward to it every year and it is really a lot of fun. Anakin actually got a picture taken with his mom and was off out and about running around the church so we couldn't track him down to get a picture taken with us. He dressed as Harry Potter. Good boy. He looked very cute.

3-D Pics of Little SquirtPics of Little Squirt who would not sit still last time for a snap shot. She did a little better this time. The top one is her foot, and the bottom two are of her grabbing onto her foot. Mike said he thinks this one looks more like Care Bear. When I told Care Bear that Daddy thinks that one of the babies looks like her, she asked me, "Is she going to wear glasses, Mommy?" I almost hope for her sake that maybe she will. Almost.
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A quote from Feisty as she got out of the tub last night but wasn't quite in her jammies yet:

I've got juice bumps on my tummy mommy!!

I will heretofore be referring to goose bumps as "juice bumps" because I think that is just about the cutest thing I have ever heard! Daddy was beginning to tell her what they are really called. I stopped him. I like juice bumps better.

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Care Bear received an award yesterday at a school assembly in front of the whole school for selling the 4th most amount of cookie dough for their cookie dough fund raiser. She has a pretty award with her name on it and she gets an extra recess and gets to go to lunch at McDonald's with the principal and the other winners. The play place McDonald's...that part is very important, you see.

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I've been having baby related dreams as of late. In one that I had a few weeks ago, I dreamed that each of the twins was born weighing in at 10 lbs a piece. Two nights ago I had a dream that when they were born, one of them fit in the palm of my hand. I remember vividly in my dream while I was holding the baby in my hand that my first thought was, "How am I ever going to find diapers to fit this baby?" Proof of how ridiculous dreams are because if one of my babies was born that small, I highly doubt my first concern would be that of appropriately fitting diapers. I don't know which scenario would be worse....10 lbs twins or twins that fit in the palm of my hand. Neither are a very good option. I'm not sleeping so good lately because of these dreams. *sigh* Will I ever sleep again?!

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I suppose I should get back to work. At least it's already Wednesday.

Mooooooooooo!!!

The Scene: Early this morning. Mom (me) is in the bathroom brushing her teeth. Care Bear is in Mom's room sitting on the bed watching Mom get ready for work. Mom is wearing a cute, never worn before pink maternity top.

Care Bear: You look like a big, pink cow!!

Mom: (Immediately drops toothbrush, rips off pink blouse and searches
feverishly for another top that will hopefully not make me look like a cow. I
find a striped shirt--also never yet been worn--and put that on).

Care Bear: No! I like the pink shirt that makes you
look like a pink cow. Now you just look like a striped cow.

Mom: (Picks up dropped toothbrush and continues to brush--laughing so hard
in spite of myself that I'm about to spew milk out of my udders).

Mmmmmmmooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

And It's Official--Perfect Babies

Regardless of the fact that my test results came back showing no chromosomal abnormalities in either of the twins, the doctors were absolutely convinced that this cycstic thing (I can never remember its official name) had to mean that there was something wrong with the babies. So today I did what they told me to do and went back for another ultra sound; this time to make sure there were no other serious birth defects happening and to make sure that the hearts are all good.

This was about the coolest appointment I've ever had because this guy's ultra-sound machine rocks. He can zoom in on the babies and make them look like they're on an IMAX screen. It was wicked awesome. (That's me being 32 and trying to sound like a young 20-something pregnant lady--don't mind me).

He was very thorough on each baby and the ultra-sound lasted almost an hour. He measured every body part he could, looked at the heart, the kidneys, the lungs, the spine, checked for cleft palates, how the feet are growing, etc. etc. etc.....he kept using "doctor speak" to which I would respond, "Is that good? Is that OK?" After about the 50th time of asking that, he finally acknowledged, "Poor Kristen. We've really put you through hell through this pregnancy haven't we?" I responded in the affirmative.

When finally every body part had been checked and re-checked, measured and re-measured, EKGs done on the babies hearts, etc. etc. etc......he finally had to resolve that "These babies are perfect." The only slight complaint he had is that one is measuring about a week behind and he wants to continue to monitor their growth. OK....well tell me something I didn't already know. We've always known one baby is smaller than the other and measuring a week behind. When did this become news?!

The funnest (I really don't think that's a word) part of the whole appointment that totally shocked me when it came up on screen was when he treated me to a 3-D picture of "big squirt"--the one who had the cycstic whatchamacallit. (He truly seemed baffled as to where that thing has gone....) Little Squirt would not cooperate and sit still long enough to get a 3-D picture of her. Stinker. So, for your viewing pleasure....big squirt at 20 weeks.

Isn't technology amazing?!?! Look at that face! I can see my baby's face!!

And by request, here is a belly pic or two--at 20 weeks:

So, that was a pretty great way to start the weekend off! No big plans this weekend--except for cleaning out my closets and putting clothes away. Yipeeeee.

Have a great one!

The "Baby Name Game" will continue throughout the remainder of my pregnancy (or until I decide on names, whichever comes first). Click on the button in the sidebar to add any names you think of. This is much harder than I thought!

I Have A Pain

As in a portion of my body hurts. My legs. Way up high. And it's making it hard to walk and get out of my chair comfortably. I feel like a crotchety old lady. I think I'm going to file for short term disability and just spend the rest of this pregnancy in my bed, on my couch, or curled up in my massive recliner.

I'm only half way through. What on earth am I going to do?

At least I have clothes to wear now. Courtesy of my fabu cousin Karen and my wonderful Mom. What would I ever do without these people to take care of me?! Go naked I guess. And who would want to see that?!



The "Baby Name Game" will continue throughout the remainder of my pregnancy (or until I decide on names, whichever comes first). Click on the button in the sidebar to add any names you think of. This is much harder than I thought!

Miscellaneous Tidbits

Thank you so much for all of the wonderful baby name suggestions! I have had so much fun reading all of them and have come up (thus far) with a very comprehensive list of potential names. Keep 'em comin! I'm keeping the baby name game button on my sidebar that links directly to that post, so if you think of anymore, feel free to add! (Until such time as I either go into labor, or I choose names).

Since the fear over my babies has subsided, I find myself having little or nothing to think about. That is scary. Well, not nothing....I always have something to worry about. But nothing that would be of any interest to any of you. Why on earth would anyone care to read about the fact that I am finding it increasingly difficult to find clothes to put on in the morning? Or whether or not something I choose to eat may or may not bring back the horrendous nausea and/or heart-burn that has recently subsided? Yeah. I didn't think that'd be too interesting to read about. So in the interest of not turning my blog into a "This is what I did today" hum-drum, I just leave it alone to get stale.

The doctor did call towards the end of the week (I believe Friday) to inform us that the final results of the amniocentesis came back (the results I posted a week ago Friday were the prelimary results) and that there is indeed, no presence of any chromosomal abnormalities in either baby. It's good to know that this is what the final results say. Because I wouldn't have been at all upset if the final results had differed from the prelimary results. However, they do want me to come back for my scheduled appointment on October 12 for another ultra sound just to make sure that the babies' organs are all OK. You know, because doctors hate to admit that they could have possibly been wrong about their initial diagnosis. They are still concerned about the mass on the big baby's neck (which heretofore will be referred to as Big Squirt) even though it is no longer there. So what. It was there initially, therefore they are going to be concerned. It's all good. They really just don't want me to sue them should my baby be born with one foot larger than the other or something. So I will take one final drive to Denver to lay there and have warm goo that probably costs a good $500 smeared all over my belly and have them tell me, "Well, for cryin' out loud! There really is nothing wrong with these kids!" At least I can get one more good shot at my babies in utero before they're born.


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All appears to be well on the health front with Feisty as well. We had taken her last week to get some tests done at Children's Hospital to find out if there is something horribly wrong with her that is causing her to continually get these UTIs. Surprise, surprise.....those tests came back normal as well. And while this is great and re-assuring, we still don't know why she continues to get them, and don't even know she has them until she is either burning up with fever, or curled up on the floor in a fetal position in pain.



I'm a worrier by nature and have come discover in the past five years of mother-hood that I never knew what worrying really was until I had little lives to constantly worry about. I can barely stand to watch the news anymore because every story I see makes me worry somehow about my kids. Even if it has nothing to do with kids.


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It is only in the 40s here today and pouring rain. I rather enjoy it....except when I have to walk nearly a mile across campus to my office....with no umbrella.



I have a fire log sitting at home just waiting to be used. I hope it's still cold and rainy when I get home.
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I made a recipe last night that I found over at Barb's place last month sometime. It's Chicken Divan and it is seriously the best thing I've ever made. And I am no cook. But I can't even quit eating my own cooking. Good grief. My taste buds think they've died and gone to heaven. So, thanks Barb.
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*MAJOR CONFLICT ALERT** I am presently ashamed to work where I do....particularly since where I work is responsible for recruiting and trying to get people to come here. If I had kids of college age, I would not send them to a place where the school paper publishes a larger than life editorial such as this: (obviously edited for content)

I really don't care what your political affiliation is. That's not my beef. I just think it's disgusting to print something like this about anyone in a student run newspaper. The editor says he was trying to encourage dialogue. Yeah. The dialogue you agree with, perhaps. You can only imagine the backlash this has caused. It's garnered national attention. Real cool. Free speech, blah, blah, blah. Within reason, thankyouverymuch.

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That's what's happening in my neck of the woods. And yours?

Happy Monday!

The "Baby Name Game" will continue throughout the remainder of my pregnancy (or until I decide on names, whichever comes first). Click on the button in the sidebar to add any names you think of. This is much harder than I thought!

The Name Game!!

The weekend has passed and I have had several days now to let it sink in that I can begin to actually enjoy my pregnancy and look forward to (or fear) the arrival of the two wiggly girls that are currently calling my uterus home. I have less than 6 (six) months to come up with two (not one) names. I had one in mind, which I no longer will be using so the pressure is on. Here is where you come in. I need your help in naming "the girls". I made a button on my side bar that will link directly to this post. No pressure to come up with anything right this minute, or before this post makes its way down the archives. If you come up with something, click on that little button, and make your suggestion.....all the way up until the point of delivery. I will be coming up with fake names for these two as I have with my other three, however if I choose the name or names that you suggested, then I will let you know and you will be a priveledged soul who knows the true name or names of the little baby girls. I will be entrusting you with that knowledge. (Hee hee!) So, let the game begin. Come up with something good for me, will ya? I'm all tapped out!

True Statement: When it rains.....it pours (in my case a torrential downpour).

A Myth (or so I am beginning to believe): God never gives you more than you can handle.

My mom posted a little update post for me a couple of days ago. Feisty was plagued, yet again, with a UTI, that could be a kidney infection (waiting on test results) that came on really quickly and really severely. She was admitted to the hospital Monday evening to receive anti-biotics through a drip and fluids. Thankfully, she slept well through the night and woke up in the morning her usual little feisty self. She ate more breakfast that morning than a football player could and had all the nurses in love with her by the time we left. She is doing well now, but has to be on yet another antibiotic and we have to take her to Children's Hospital in Denver for tests. How I will ever pay all of these doctor and hospital and test bills I will never know. I'm convinced I will be paying them until long beyond the grave. When Feisty is 60, she'll still be paying for her hospital bills because Mama will have left them for her after she's long gone. How's that for a positive outlook? Hopefully, however, once we find out what is wrong, it could be as simple as her having to take a medication every day for about a year to correct the problem (that itself will be a pain in the rear but better than something more serious or painful for her).

And me? Well, let me just say that an amniocentesis is certainly not something I would like to repeat all the time--or never again. Some people might breeze through it like they're having a manicure--I don't know. But I hate needles. Always have, always will. And to me it felt like someone was trying to take that needle that they pierced into my gut (twice) and pull my insides out. Nice visual, eh? Mike said, "Well, they were pulling something out of you". I had to clarify that it felt like it was an object it felt like they were pulling out....not just some liquid-y fluid.

I had asked the doc how long the needle(s) would be in me and he said, "Oh, maybe 30-45 seconds". PSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHAAAAAAWWWWWW. Whatever. Well, maybe it was that long, but to me it felt like about 5 minutes each...at least. They kept assuring me "Almost done...almost done". I wanted to scream, "Get the stupid needle out of me, then if it's almost done". But I refrained.

The first bit of news I can offer is that they are sure one of them is a girl (big baby), and that they are almost sure the other one is a girl, too. Two more girls.

TWO GIRLS + TWO GIRLS = FOUR GIRLS

ESTROGEN RULES!!!

My body is apparently incapable of producing boys. But hey....I'm used to girls. I know how to handle girls.....I LOVE GIRLS.....so I'm OK with it. Yeah, I would have liked to have at least one boy out of the four my body has created, but what can ya do?! Feisty is thrilled. Care Bear is non-committal.....Anakin is holding out hope that the one they are "almost sure" of will really end up being a boy. I'm holding out hope for him, too.

The nurse gave me a glimmer of hope when she told me that they babies are growing as they should; they are right on target for what they should be.....measuring right on, etc....which is not typical for babies with chromosome problems. But then in the same breath took the little glimmer away when she told me that, "However, if there's not a chromosome problem we could be looking at something else like a heart problem, and since it is a girl, possibly "Turner Syndrome"." She did concede to the idea that maybe, just perhaps, it could mean that there is absolutely nothing wrong, but wouldn't go so far to say that it is a likely possibility.

I will have preliminary results by tomorrow, final results within two weeks, but she said that final results vary rarely differ from pre-liminary results. So I should pretty much know what's happening with these little ones by tomorrow.

Until then, it's a waiting game. As always, your prayers and thoughts are more appreciated than you will ever know. I'm sorry if I have not had a chance to thank every one personally for their sweet and wonderful thoughts you have given me. I'm working on getting to everyone. But know that I appreciate everyone who has shown their support and their kindness by comments, e-mails, phone calls, or prayers.

All Kinds Of Stuff

When we last left off, it was Care Bear's b-day. That was last Friday. It's already Thursday(?!) and I'm just getting to talking about the weekend. And what an insane weekend it was. We packed as much into one weekend as we should have all summer. Good grief. This mama is still recovering.

Friday evening after work was the obligatory Chuck E. Cheese party for Care Bear. I really wish one of these days my kids would pick another venue for their parties rather than this germ-infested hole that serves sub-par pizza. I just have to remind myself that it's not my party, so I can't cry if I want to and enjoy it the best I can. The kids love it and they can suffer along at my b-day party when I choose to go eat raw fish or something like that.

Anyhoo---first order of business---some pics from C.E.C. (Ask my Mom how many pictures I took on her digital camera this weekend--go on, ask her. Then ask her how long it takes her to download them and send them to me.) Someone just get me my own--consider it a "pregnancy from hell" present.

The birthday girl (a.k.a. little miss Colorado) with her

crown, flowers and cake

Feisty with her consolation "It's not my b-day" present

(in my defense, I don't normally do this, but Feisty didn't get quite the

huge b-day Care Bear did so I felt she deserved it)

Feisty's favorite game

Care Bear doing what she does best....Coloring (the modern way)

Anakin, the video game conneseur

Mmmm.....cardboard pizza and a mini build-a-bear....
Life doesn't get better than that!!

"Dude, Chuck E.....what is with your pizza, man?! I might as well
be eating Chef Boyardee!"

"Wait, you're kidding right?! Six more months?? Gag me! No, wait...don't do that, PLEASE!"

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Our big present this year was really a present for all the kids which Mike spent the entire day Saturday putting together. So that was the following day. Let me tell you the deal we got on this thing. It was originally priced at over $500....on clearance for $130. When do we ever get a break like that?! We were a little excited!

We're having a "friends birthday" party for her this weekend on Saturday for cake and ice cream and swing set fun! Yee-haw!

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Saturday evening, Mike's mom showed up to bestow on us a few little "knick-knacks" she picked up for us. She arrived with a trailer hitched to her SUV carrying with her a new dining room set and patio furniture set for us. Happy birthday to us! I didn't get any pics of that, though. But when Mike's mom shows up, we are never short of things to do. Her plan was to treat everyone on Sunday (after church of course) to a trip to Elitch Gardens (Denver's answer to Six Flags). Of course everyone was beyond excited about that (even me despite the fact that due to my "condition" I would be unable to ride any of the fun rides). The plan went a littly awry, however with MILs chronic condition of piddly-ness, slowness, procrastination-ess, etc....We didn't get down to Denver until almost 6:00. Elitch's closes at 9:00 once school starts back up. In addition to that, as we arrived, this is what greeted us:

So we aborted the original plan, decided to do Elitch's the following day and made our way over to Casa Bonita which is an extremely fun Mexican restaurant in Denver. Click on the link to see about it. The kids were, suprisingly, OK with this little change in plans. It turned out to be a fun evening:

The outside of the restaurant

The whole group

(I got many, many more pictures from this little outing but I think my mom was tired of downloading pictures. What's up with that?!)

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The following day we finally made our way to Elitch's (another outing that produced many pictures as well as videos, but alas.....) This was Feisty's first trip to Elitch's and true to her name she relished it in all of her feistiness! (the others enjoyed it as well!)

The Tower

Some Water Slides

Feisty's Boat Ride

Enjoying the Ferris Wheel

Massaging Our Feet

Feisty The "Trucker"

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Needless to say, we were all a little exhausted by the end of the weekend and unfortunately there was not a day to recover from it all because the next day called for school and work. No rest for the weary!

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As far as I'm concerned; I'm set for my amniocentesis next Tuesday, the 11th. In preparation for that, this week I had to get a "quad-screen" which is doctor speak for "let's squeeze as much blood as is humanly possible out of this person until the point of almost passing out" and have an ultra sound just to make sure the babies are still alive and kicking. And kicking they are. Literally. The tech said it's amazing how wiggly they are in there considering the amount of room they have. Everytime I see those two they are squirming in there like they're ready to take off. The position "big baby" was in made it difficult to tell if the membrane that they are so concerned about is still there. I'm going the "denial" route and choosing to believe that it means it's really not there anymore. "Small baby" is consistenly growing and keeping up...although still measuring a week smaller. That's all I know about the babies right now until the results of the amnio....which the doc told me could take up to a week to ten days after the test. Don't you think with the amazing amount of technology around today that they could figure out a quicker way to get test results than making an already anxious mother-to-be wait TEN MORE DAYS to find out how her babies are doing? Good grief already.

More good news for me, though! Yipeee! Doc thinks I have a hyper thyroid which required me to go have more blood drained out of my body yesterday. I was also informed that my chances of getting pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes are pretty good. Woooooo-------hooooooo!! Let me tell you how upbeat and happy I felt after that appointment. And in addition to that, due to all of the blood loss, I was nauseous all night and got very little sleep. Or maybe my body just lulled me into a false sense of security the last week and now is saying, "HA! You thought it was over, but we fooled you, you FOOL!". But I'm not bitter or anything. This pregnancy rocks!! Don't you think that expectant mothers should get their entire pregnancy off of work--PAID? My MIL (who lives right near the border of Canada) told me that a friend of hers from Canada got her whole pregnancy off paid. PEA! Can you confirm if this is how it works up there? Because if so, I'm headed your way. Do you have a spare bedroom?! ;-)

Enough for now. That should keep you going for awhile until I know more. If things go my way this weekend, I'll be taking some naps. But I doubt they'll go my way.

Happy Thursday!

Today Is The Day

In about two hours I will be heading out to my appointment where I will find out the fate of my babies. It's been the longest week and a half I think I have ever lived through.

I have been so sick through the last three months that I don't know how I am going to "stomach" seeing a needle enter my abdomen. I might ask them if they can put me out. When I was little I begged my mom to ask our dentist if he could put me out for a routine check-up and cleaning....not even because they were filling a cavity.

The last 36 hours or so I have been so beyond sick that I can't even stomach Sprite. My mom took the kids for me last night so I could have some peace and quiet because their "kid-ness" was just too much last night. They weren't being bad; just being kids, but I was too sick for it. I couldn't even open my eyes without feeling like I was going to throw-up. The docs have prescribed three different anti-nausea/vomiting medications; none of which are working. I plan to talk to the "big doc" today to see what he suggests for this problem.

Thank you so much for all the prayers and support. You will never know how much it has meant to me. I will update as soon as I find out the results from the tests today.

Is It Possible?!

I swear I just felt a kid kick the side of my gut. I could swear, but isn't it a little too early?! I mean, there are two in there after all; they are fighting for space. I suppose it could be possible that a tiny little leg cramped from lack of space could have karate chopped my side, isn't it?! It didn't feel like any sort of digestion or otherwise. I think it was a kick. That settles it; my kid is kicking me....already.

Kick away kid...kick away!

Several Hours Later.....

So I felt it again. I'm pretty sure he/she/they are really kicking in there and it's not my imagination. They are telling me that they are just fine. I know that's what they're saying. For sure.