Kicks...kicks...and more kicks!

I started feeling that "butterfly" sensation that everyone talks about a couple of weeks ago. I didn't really realize, though, that it was the babies moving and kicking until two nights ago when I decided to look at my stomach as I was feeling the sensation. Oh my goodness...I was amazed! I fully saw kicks, punches, and rolling movements in my stomach! Ryan was of course working and asleep, so I called my mom at 10:15 to share the news. I was so determined yesterday for Ryan to share in my joy, but everytime I sat down and made him stare at my stomach, nothing happened. Finally, last night after watching my belly button literally sink in and pop out and roll like a wave for an hour, Ryan saw the kicking! The babies seem to be the most active as I'm going to sleep and throughout the night and early morning. It's hard for me to sleep when I'm feeling it because I don't want to miss seeing the action.

We also started designing the nursery. It's not going to be easy fitting 2 cribs in the nursery, but I think we have it all figured out. Yesterday my mom, Tracie, and I went to the Baby Guy's shop to get bedding ideas. I can't believe that I get to custom design my bedding and it's only $199 per crib! We had so much fun and I think I've decided what I want to do. The babies will have the same bedding, but his will be blue and brown and hers will be pink and brown in a combination of polka dots, stripes, and solids. Ryan has a lot of work to do, though, in the nursery before we can get the fun stuff going!

Christmas SURPRISE!

We had our extensive anatomy ultrasound yesterday (I am now 18 weeks). Both the ultrasound technician and the doctor were amazing! They were so kind and explained everything. When we started the scan, the technician, Jenna, asked us if we already knew the sexes. We confidently said yes, so on she went with the scan. Jenna first checked Baby A's sex and confirmed that he was definitely all boy! Then she went to check Baby B's sex and within a couple seconds said "You guys, I'm afraid you are wrong, Baby B is definitely a girl! We were absolutely shocked as you can imagine. Ryan's reaction was priceless. He looked like a three year old on Christmas morning...grinning from ear to ear, glued to the television screen as she explained the "3 lines." The funny thing is that as we were walking in to the appointment, Ryan and I joked about the initial gender ultrasound being wrong and how funny that would be. We never could have imagined that joke to come true, but we couldn't be more excited! We are so blessed...how perfect, a boy and a girl!

Jenna then continued with the scan measuring every little bone, which were all "perfect," analyzing the brains, which were "perfect," checking the fluid in the little tummies, which was "perfect" and checking the length of my cervix, which was "perfect." She was so happy with what she saw as were we! The doctor then came in and was super curious to know what all the screaming was about! She did a more in depth look at their little hearts and so far, they are "perfect." She will analyze the hearts a little more closely in 4 weeks when they are more developed.

So, all in all it was an AMAZING day! Everyone is so excited and I think is making mad dashes back to the mall to do some exchanges for the little peanuts!

I will get ultrasounds every 2 weeks to check my cervix and then every 4 weeks to do a complete anatomy scan of the little ones!

So cross out the "It's Boys!" on our Christmas card and add "It's a Boy and a Girl!"

4 Months and Growing!

We had our 4 month appointment last week. Here are the highlights:
*Doctor was pleased with my weight gain and said I was right on track! He wants me to gain 3-5 pounds per month. It's a little crazy seeing numbers on the scale that you have never seen before!
*I am measuring about 3.5 weeks ahead due to there being 2 babies, not 1.
*Babies heartbeats were strong.
*Doctor wasn't pleased with the weasing in my lungs, so he put me on stronger antibiotics and an inhaler. I have to go back this week for a follow-up.
*At 18 weeks (which is next week), I have to slow down again, which I don't think will be much of a change of pace since I have been sick the last month and have been moving at a slower pace.
*I officially live the life of southern belle on March 1st, which means I only have 2 months left of work when I return from our winter break...so crazy and fast!
*We have our big ultrasound next week and then will have ultrasounds every 2 weeks. A specialist performs this ultrasound and will check everything.
*I am feeling the babies move, which is so surreal, but so amazing! I can't feel it on the outside, though.
*We are undecided on names and are probably going to keep quiet once we decide and agree (which isn't easy to do!).

Our Annual Christmas Party

We had our 5th annual Christmas party on December 4th. It was a ton of fun spent with great friends, family, and lots of good food! There were so many little ones there too! The only bummer was that I was sick...I am just now getting well again after 4 weeks of battling an intense sinus infection and bronchitis. Thank goodness for Ryan, my mom, and Ryan's mom because I couldn't have done it without them.

Oh Boy...Oh Boy!

It will be a lot of BLUE in the Carlos house! The little boy parts are quite obvious!We are so excited and Ryan is thankful that he will no longer be out numbered! I have to admit I was a little shocked because I truly didn't think it was two boys, but I couldn't be happier. We waited a long time for these two little ones. It was a lot of fun opening the gender gifts with our families...what a special Thanksgiving it was! So much to be grateful for! It feels real now!

Gender Check Ultrasound!

Before you get too excited we are keeping the surprise from ourselves and our family until Thursday evening. We went today to my good friend, Ashley's, ultrasound place, called Before the Stork. The babies are still a little young for gender check, but luckily they cooperated beautifully! So the packages are wrapped...I bought boy and girl outfits and Ashley wrapped the clothes up so we can open the presents up and find out our babies genders on Thanksgiving. We also have a DVD of the entire experience, but can't watch it until after we open the gender gifts! The next 48 hours are going to seem like an eternity! The pictures are a little blurry because I have to take pictures of the ultrasound pictures with my phone, then email the pictures to myself because I don't have a cropping program on my computer. The first picture is Baby B and it is a regular 2-d picture...the little one is waving at the camera! The second picture is Baby A and it's a 3-d picture...the precious peanut is sucking his/her thumb! So adorable! Stay tuned...

Our first appointment with our OB!

We met our OB today for the first time, Dr. Clayton. Ryan and I loved him! I was really comforted by the fact that he delivers 95-99% of his patients' babies and if he's not available he has certain doctors that he uses, so it's never someone random. It was really weird, but so wonderful because for the first time I felt like a normal pregnant patient...I'm not a fertility patient any more. The big news was that we got to hear our babies heartbeats today, which was so cool. My abdomen is measuring right at 12 weeks. He also said that being only 5'2, I'm going to get huge! I think I'm going to need to find underwear that's weighted in the butt to balance me! As long as everything continues to go well I will have to stop working at 28 weeks and live the life of a "southern belle" as Dr. Clayton put it. He said that typically twins come 3 weeks early and that 50% are vaginal and 50% are c-section deliveries. We will see him every 4 weeks for right now and have our first ultrasound at 18 weeks and then we will have one every 2 weeks. Our ultrasounds are with a special high risk perionatologist (no idea how to spell that). I guess their doctors that specialize in babies that are in utero. Yay...we are so excited!

Happy End of 1st Trimester!

Today I am officially 12 weeks and the babies are the size of limes and/or plums! And for the first time ever I woke up without any nausea and an actual appetite...let's just hope it wasn't a fluke! I feel like I am transitioning from the "fat girl" who needs to put down the hamburger to "well, maybe she's pregnant." I think it all depends on the clothes right now. My mom and I went maternity clothes shopping last week. I decided my goal was to be comfortable on bottom and cute on top, so my mom generously bought me several pairs of maternity pants and then I bought some tops and dresses in larger sizes than my normal small from Brass Plum. I also invested in some flat shoes for work since I always wear heels. My students have been so funny lately. Anytime I wear heels, they tell me that it's not safe and I need to wear flat shoes. It's pretty cute! We have a gender check ultrasound scheduled with my good friend, Ashley, for the week of Thanksgiving. So if the babies cooperate and their parts are obvious enough we will unwrap the boxes and find out if the peanuts are boys, girls, or one of each on Thanksgiving night with our families!

Graduation Day!

On Friday, November 6th, we "graduated" from our fertility doctor. It was a pretty exciting day for us. We have our first appointment with our new OBGYN on Wednesday.
Papa Jim, Nonnie, and Grammy all came to see the ultrasound...I don't think there was a dry eye in the room. The babies were both bouncing around like there was a trampoline in each of their sacs! They were waving their arms too! It was so cool. Baby A is the bottom baby and is measuring a little bit bigger than Baby B, which is the top baby. Ryan surprised me that night and took me to Fleming's for a romantic dinner. He's an incredible husband and I know he will be an even more incredible father!

There's 2 Babies!

Here's a picture of our TWO little peanuts at 10 weeks. They both have super strong heartbeats and are measuring ahead of schedule. It is so amazing to see them move...Baby B (the baby on top) was moving like crazy the other day! We have our last appointment with our fertility doctor on Friday...the grandparents are joining us for the ultrasound and then we graduate to a regular OBGYN! I have definitely not been immune to nausea, tiredness, and food aversions, but second trimester is right around the corner, so hopefully I'll be feeling better.

My Pregnancy--Week 8

The belly is definitely growing! Pants are getting tight...thank goodness for the Bella Band! What an awesome invention! Ryan likes to call me "fatty arbuchal." Now while most would get offended by such a comment, we like to laugh about it because we waited a long time to watch my belly get willingly bigger!

My Pregnancy--4 Weeks

Here I am at week 4...finally pregnant after over 2 years of lots practice! At this point we had a feeling there might be two, but we didn't know for sure yet.