Our first family photo

Those boys sure are identical! :)

Here is our first family photo and another one of just the boys being held together for the first time.

Henry is trying to be a big boy and the nurses said he ate his bottle in 10 minutes and cried because he was hungry beforehand. Good progress!! Owen is still a little uncertain of what to do when a bottle is put in his mouth, but he'll come around soon, we think! They are both just too cute for words and the apples of my eye. It's getting harder and harder to leave them there each day. I know the nurses say I can stay all day if I want to, but I feel like I'm in the way a little bit, plus there are many things to do to get ready. I went to Babies R Us today and bought out their preemie clothes and diapers. I got some cute things! I spent every penny of our gift cards and then some. I also bought carseat covers to keep them warm when we get to take them home. I am hoping this coming weekend will bring us some good news!

Both are weighing around 3 lbs 12 oz stil, but gaining weight slowly. They haven't lost weight in 2 days. I can't get enough!!!

The family noses

Well, now we've officially got 3 schnozzes in the family! We took this picture today of Todd and Owen and they look just alike! It's too bad they didn't get Mom's cute button nose, but hopefully they will get her shining personality. :)

WELCOME HENRY AND OWEN!

We welcomed Owen Thomas and Henry Steven into the world Sunday, December 3rd at 4:50 and 4:57 pm. Owen weighed 4 lbs 2 oz and Henry weighed 3 lbs 14 oz. Both had great Apgar scores and have been doing well for their gestational age. They were born at 33 weeks, 5 days.

They are in the Special Care Nursery and doing "as expected". Neither of them really knows how to suck yet (a trait that usually arrives at 35 weeks gestation) but once they figure that out, they will hopefully flourish. They aren't gaining weight as a result of this, but they are still doing just fine. The picture on the left is Henry sleeping, and the one on the right is Owen looking around. We think they are just TOO cute!!

So THAT'S what a contraction feels like...

We spent about 4 and a half hours in labor and delivery last night, stopping the contractions I was having. The funniest moment was when Todd realized he had grabbed his wallet and our camera, just in case, and that's all we had! There were a few "I KNEW we should have packed" comments, but in the end, the contractions were stopped, the Ffn test was negative, and home we came. At least now I know for sure what a contraction feels like and I am positive I want that epidural instantaneously upon entering the hospital in labor. For real.
I have a bad headache today - maybe from the medicine - and am trying to take it easy. I'm much more nervous now. This is no joke.

Gobble Gobble!

Happy Thanksgiving!
I hope today finds everyone enjoying some yummy food! My Mom is coming to town and she and Todd will hopefully cook up some goodies. My Dad just dropped off a pie and some cookies and some broccoli casserole - yum! I already ate a cookie and it was great. I am about to get up and make some cinamon buns and hopefully Todd and Mom will bring back some coffee! :)
I am having a lot of pain in my inner thighs and my lower abdomen today and last night - I think it's just "things gettin' ready" down there, but damn! It hurts.
Watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and just relaxing! Happy Turkey Day to you! Enjoy!

32 weeks!

I'm excited that we've reached 32 weeks, but all of a sudden feel very anxious! 2 twin moms on the message boards I visit delivered last week - one at 32 weeks 4 days and the other at 33.5 weeks! It makes me so nervous. But it's a great thing to be at 32 weeks. The boys would be in the NICU for a few weeks, but they would most likely be just fine in the long run. That's reassuring.
I have ordered a buttload of things on-line this week and last, so I am awaiting a zillion packages. Calvin barks at every leaf that blows by the window, so I keep thinking the ups guy is here, hauling my big belly off the couch, and then realizing there is no one there. Ugh! At least the boys will be used to barking by the time they arrive, that's for sure.
Todd put together the glider, stroller, bouncy seat, and swing this weekend. It's starting to get baby-fied in here! We are going to wash the newborn clothes this weekend, pack a hospital bag, and get the blankets and sheets washed.
I still feel like I'm 13 years old. What the heck.

Up too early!

I got an early phone call this morning so now I am awake and watching "Martha". Yikes.
Just found this old picture of me and the dogs from last Christmas. Too cute! Maybe this year's Christmas picture will have 2 babies in it as well! I feel pretty sure that they will arrive before Christmas...and I kind of hope they will, too. I want them to sit with me by the tree and listen to Christmas music and look at the lights.
We had an ultrasound yesterday and everything was, according to the doctor, "status quo". He told me to start kick counts, which is nerve-racking, but so far every time they have reached their goal in about 5 minutes. I am supposed to count 6 kicks after each meal in less than an hour. So far, so good.
We also had an OB appointment and that was good, too. We talked about the high possibility of a vaginal delivery because they are both head-down. The doctor said that even if baby b isn't head down they would attempt it, and then just try to flip him after A comes out. I hope they stay head-down because I'd love to have a shorter recovery time in the hospital, and a vaginally delivery would help that. Time will tell!!! I also got permission to actually SIT AT THE TABLE for Thanksgiving dinner!! Ah, the small joys....I can't cook dinner, but I can at least eat it with the family at the table. :)
We had my work shower last night and it was so great. The weather was so bad, so I think a few people bugged out, but the people that came were so generous and it was great to see them. They all said I looked small for twins! I think it's just the way I carry it, because I have gained 30 pounds so far! :) I'm ready to be able to get off the couch without struggling. Hopefully not too much longer! 25 days until 35 weeks....
Have a good weekend, friends!

Gettin' big...

We had another ultrasound this morning. Today it was with the doctor since the office was running so far behind. The ultrasound machine broke in the first office, so we had to go the other office and wait quite a while. No biggie, since it was a change of scenery for me. Both boys are weighing 3 pounds, 7 ounces! They had a growth spurt in the past 2 weeks! We watched Baby A "practice breathing", so that was cool. Then I got the rhogam shot - yeowch! Then our weekly Starbucks treat with a donut.
Now we get to have ultrasounds weekly to check on "fetal well-being" which sounds a little scary, but we're lucky to be able to see them so often.
I can't believe Turkey Day is 2 weeks away! WOW!

I broke the rules to vote...

Well, I decided that democracy is important enough to break my bed rest today! Dad came to pick me up and took me over to my polling place to vote. Thank goodness for those pre-made ballots because I didn't have to stand there and read anything, I could just copy the ballot! Hopefully it'll be worth it and things WILL change in our government after this election!
30 weeks today!!! 34 days until 35 weeks. The countdown is ON!
A lady on my January Bulletin Boards that I go to at Baby Center had her baby at 28 weeks and he's doing well. He should be out of the hospital by Christmas. I guess that makes me feel pretty good since I am past 28 weeks and if her boy can make it, so can mine.
I don't feel a lot of baby b movement today so of course I have worked myself into a panic...hopefully he's just facing the wrong way and I am worrying for nothing. It's too hard to not know what's going on in there 24/7! I wish I could have a window to my womb all the time. Minus the gross stuff.

Send us the fuzzy dice!

We have turned the corner and bought a mini-van! Saturday afternoon, Todd and his parents went to "look at" vans and ended up trading in the Jeep for a Dodge Caravan. It's a pretty dark blue color, and I'm excited! Each little step towards these boys actually coming out is surreal to me, so the van still is a bit surreal. But exciting, nonetheless.
Boring day. I re-found the game Snood last night and have been trying to beat Todd's scores all day. I also knitted a bit. The dogs let me sleep until almost 11 today, so that was awesome. 30 weeks tomorrow. That's exciting, too!
Latest countdowns.....4 days until my next appointment, 10 days till my school shower, and 35 days until 35 weeks.
I CAN DO IT.

I think this orange soda is a little flat...

Last night we had an appointment where I had to drink the glucola for the glucose tolerance test. You have to drink this nasty orange drink and then get your blood drawn exactly an hour afterwards. Well, an hour came and went while in the waiting room, and I should have said something, but I didn't. So, I had to drink the nasty drink again this morning and get my blood drawn today instead of yesterday. Hopefully it comes out normal because I don't want to drink that stuff for a 3rd time! Blech!
We also got flu shots today - youch! I did not like sitting in the doctor's waiting room because there were people coughing and looking gross. Hopefully neither of us will get sick from being in there. I washed my hands immediately after getting into the exam room and right when I got home, too. Hopefully that will stave off any bugs that were flying around.
I just ate some pumpkin pie, my favorite fall food. Now I plan to take a nap and give the boys some classical music time. They are moving a lot today, probably from their sugar high.
The in-laws are coming for a visit this weekend. This will be fun and a good break for Todd. Todd and his Dad may go look at vans, too. Mini-van fam? That's us!!!