How big is baby?

(22 weeks pregnant)

Some of you who don't see me regularly have asked me to post some pictures of my giant-ness.
Although I really don't want to remember how big I am, I do agree that it's good to document.
Let me remember this the next time I get baby-fever!

Little Spring Teaser

The weather got up into the low 50s this weekend. Felt like summer. The kids hit the sand-box hard! There was still snow on the ground.

Ultrasound: 3/3/10

Here are the latest ultrasound images. The babies have really filled out, and they actually look more like little kids now. I love that I could see their faces today! Baby "A" actually seemed to smile in the photo on the left.

They are both measuring exactly the same size: 1 lb. 1 oz., and 16.5 cm from crown to rump (6.5 inches). The ultrasound tech told me that they are measuring slightly larger than the average SINGLE baby at this stage... She said I'm well on my way to delivering at least 7 & 1/2-lb twins! YIKES! I'm not going to be able to walk by the end of this pregnancy!

Because Brian is on a business trip to Arizona this week, I asked my mom if she wanted to come to the ultrasound with me. She was so excited because she has never seen an ultrasound before. She thinks both babies look just like Maggie. I'm not so sure of that, but they certainly look like Martin-children! I'm wondering if they are identical because everything about them seems so much the same.

Ultrasound #4: 2/3/2010

Okay, Okay, so we really wouldn't want to see them ouside of the womb yet. At this point, I think that Baby B looks almost like a cat. Nonetheless, everything is well-formed. Each of them weigh exactly 7 oz. All the parts, internal and external, are in place. Two little girls! Look out, Martin Family!

I miss the Bickels!

I went back to my blog photos from June 2008 this morning. That's where I have the one posted of all the kids together on the couch at Joy's house before the Bickels moved to Japan. Made me cry a little at how much our kids have grown since they have been away.

It also made me really excited to add more kids to this picture in the future. Maybe next time, we'll see their faces instead of the bums!

John, Ben, & Abby ---------------------------Maggie, Abby, & Anna
(taken when the Bickels visited in December)

Andrea, I was having such a bad day yesterday... and I miss you too much. Even when our kids are fighting, throwing tantrums, or being downright rotten, you always find humor in the moment. Why can't I be like that these days? Instead, I'm tired, cranky, and pregnant!

I can hardly wait for your return this summer!

Ultrasound #3: 1/20/10

	I know it is difficult to make out the images in these pictures, but try to use your imagination! I like the top picture in this first duo. You can see Baby A's head, and his/her little hand is up by her chin. (We THINK this baby might be a girl.)
This second duo is really abstract. The bottom picture is a side-view of a tushy and leg, extended all the way out. Baby B is lying across my belly.
	The third duo is a great side-view of Baby A.
The bottom picture in this fourth duo shows Baby A's feet from the bottom-up. BIG FEET!

Parents Forever

Last night, as we were all in the car together, Maggie was once again talking about going to the hospital to "get the babies." (This is something she discusses on a daily basis.) We told the kids about how when Maggie was born, Ben would receive a sticker stating, "I'm the BIG BROTHER!" each time he came to visit Maggie and Mommy. He thought it was nice that Maggie will get to receive her, "I'm the BIG SISTER!" sticker this time around. Then, it occurred to him to comment that when we have our next baby (after the twins are born), the twins will receive their BIG BROTHER or BIG SISTER stickers.
(Ben just assumes, I suppose, that we'll be having more babies indefinitely.)
Kindly, he included Brian and me. He said, "You guys will just be the 'Mommy' and the 'Daddy' every time." I said, "Yep, that's right. Always the 'Mommy' and the 'Daddy'." Ben's response was, "Yep! UNTIL THE DAY YOU DIE!" So true, so true. The kid never fails to make me laugh!

Christmas Day Chez Pictor

We gave Mom & Dad this huge wreath filled with all of their "angels." In the photos here, I still had two blank frames for the twins, but by the time we gave it to Mom and Dad, I had placed ulstrasound pictures of the babies into the frames.

Ultrasound #2

Had our second ultrasound today. The pictures are MUCH better than the first ultrasound. You can actually see two babies (instead of two blobs) in these pictures. I like the ones of the two of them together taken from the top down. You can see their little arms and legs folding over nice, round tummies! The ultrasound tech could aleady rule out several genetic abnormalities today. She said they had great measurements, and there was no fluid in the brain and no thickness to the neck fold - all good things!
New due date: July 11th (would be 40 weeks)
Estimated delivery date: June 27th (if I can manage to hold onto them that long!)
Ben has already said that he would love to share his birthday with the babies (June 26th). I guess we'll see when they decide to come. For Ben's sake, I would prefer to keep his birthday reserved for him, but he seems to think that sharing would be a great way to celebrate. Such a sweet kid. He wants us to name one of them Benjamin should it be a boy.

Biggest Surprise of Our Lives!

We went to the doctor for my first OB appointment on Tuesday this week. As with my last two pregnancies, there is always a bit of nervousness when I have that first ultrasound. I'm always so worried that we're going to get bad news.

This time, however, I had a sinking suspicion that I might be having twins. I have been saying for weeks that the extreme nausea I am feeling can't be what it was when I was expecting Ben or Maggie. I certainly remember being nauseated and tired, but I don't remember it being THIS extreme. And so, I wondered if I was having twins. Plus, Maggie went to daycare last week, and she told her entire class that her mommy was having two babies. It was all too weird.

We told our doctor of all the crazy suspicions, and as he started the ultrasound, he said, "Well, let's just take a look at these two kids." Then, he kind of laughed, and he said, "It looks like there really are two in there! I was joking around before, but I'M NOT KIDDING NOW!"

In the first picture above, you can see both anmiotic sacs, and (I think) you can clearly see Baby A in the sac on the left. In the second picture above, the focus is a little more on Baby B. Still looks like a little cloud to me, but we could definitely see a strong heartbeat when it was the live picture.

Holy cow! Brian fell backward about 10 feet and slumped onto a countertop. I began crying immediately. Definitely good news... just really shocking. So many questions now... How are we going to handle this?! Immediately, my OB had a list of precautions we should prepare for. I will have to commit to a daily nap - right! With 2 toddlers, how is that even possible? I will need to leave my job - or at the very least, start working from home before too long. I will be on an activity restriction in a couple of months. Possibly, bed-rest at 24 weeks. A lot of these restrictions are related to my pelvic separation. I suppose that puts me at an increased risk for pre-term labor. It's so much to digest.

My OB recommended a book by Dr. Barbara Luke. He wants me to do my best to follow it to the letter. Supposedly, it will help me have higher birth-weight babies. That's certainly a goal worth trying for! The book's recommendations are to gain 40-56 pounds during this pregnancy. I'm supposed to eat 8 servings of dairy per day, 2 eggs plus 3 more servings of meat, and plenty of fat! YIKES! Does this seem right? I'm doing my best. I picked up three containers of ice cream on Friday, but, oddly enough, I have no taste for ice cream. The thought of eating it makes me feel sick. I'm getting the eggs down each day. I doubt I have even come close to 8 daily servings of dairy yet!

I'm on a hunt to find two of everything. We already have one of most things, so I guess we just have to get a second set! Crib, car seat, swing (necessary item!), etc. Oh gosh, we're going to have to buy so many diapers! Better get Maggie out of pull-ups by then!

Annual Pumpkin Picture

Every year, I take a picture of the kids and our pumpkins.
This year, I just couldn't seem to get a good smile on both of them at the same time.

3-D Movie

I love this new trend of 3-D movies. Mostly just because I like to see everyone wearing the giant glasses. (Could they make those glasses ANY bigger? It's like they're all made in size XL!)

First Soccer Pics

Got Ben's first soccer picture this week. Also got a copy of his friend, Nolan.
They're in Lil' Kickers together.
Notice how they waited until after soccer practice, when the kids were all red and sweaty (and had purple stamps on their hands), to take the pictures.

Pumpkin Patch 2009

We made it to Stony Creek Farm for our annual visit to the pumpkin patch today. Absolutely, hands-down, the best weather ever for a visit to a pumpkin farm. Nice and cool, but very sunny. Ben even commented, "It's nice and cool out here." (my kid!)

Unfortunately, the sun was really in poor Ben's eyes when I took this one.

Ben jumped on the giant super-pillow,
and Brian showed the kids how to sling-shot a corn cob out into a pond.
(Ben's shirt says, "If you think I'm SCARY, wait 'til you see my SISTER!")

We ran into our friends, the Latterells. Clearly, Maggie was happy to see Kate.

Rainbow Connection

This morning, as I was driving the kids to daycare, I played the song, Rainbow Connection (sung by Kermit the Frog) for them. I explained that it is my most favorite song in the whole world. I know that when I was really little (younger than Ben), my siblings would call the local radio station and request it to be played for me. Even more special.... when I met Brian, I was blown away by the fact that he actually had a "cover" of the song on one of his CDs.

As we were listening to it, Ben tried to sing along. (I love when he does that with songs he doesn't know!) And, toward the end of the song, Maggie said, "Ooooh, it's so beautiful!" in her little toddler voice. Totally made my morning!

Sponge Rollers

Remember these? I can't believe that Maggie let me do her entire head. Patience she does not normally exhibit. The end result wasn't nearly as good as I had hoped, but I loved the way she looked with her head covered in sponge rollers!