23 Weeks Prego-12-29-2010

Week 23 Update:

Wow what a week, The Bull and The Hen have officially realized that Blake and Dax are number one at Christmas. Those two little monkeys got more Christmas gifts than us. I was very excited to see all the clothes and toys they got; however I believe my bull on the other hand might have been a little disappointed. Actually I think he was just excited as I was. Over and over again we kept thinking wow this is our last Christmas together as just the two of us. We are in for some new traditions and excitement next year.

Health Update:

Last week the doc said I need to start walking on the treadmill so I did, I’ve walked every day except Christmas day. It began a little rough meaning I was struggling to get 15 minutes in on a 3.5mph. The next day I made it to 20 and by day 3 I was at 30 minutes. Not bad considering the load I’m hauling. Blake is on the left side and Dax is on the right. They are both currently head down and kicking up a storm. We find it really entertaining to just sit and watch the party the two of them have going on inside.

Maternity Pictures:

So we officially have our date set for our maternity pictures and Aunt Tara came up with the best idea for some of the shots. The nursery colors are purple and turquoise so I’m currently looking for three shirts. One will be turquoise, one purple, and the last one will be a combo of the two colors. So far I’m struggling to find the combo shirt; however I’m a Hen on a mission to make this perfect for my darling’s room. We shall see if this task gets accomplished.

The Bull:

They always say a mother becomes a mother at conception and a father at birth. My bull has been categorized as such up until this week. He has gone through the typical feelings every first time father goes through; excitement, scared to death, nervous, and finally excitement has hit again. He has been reading his book Dad’s Pregnant Too and I believe it has helped him to become more at ease with this huge change. You must remember he is getting 2 for the price of one so his nerves are high. He is starting to think about the lists of things to consider for example a pediatrician, vitamin K, and other things. I do have to admit as I’m the planner and I have not even thought about the pediatrician. I just love seeing this change and know that he is going to be the best father.

My Bull

As always thank you for your kind words, thoughts, and prayers. Bump pic 23 weeks and some fun Christmas pictures. Goal: No bed rest, stay hydrated (read it keeps you from going into preterm labor), and a healthy B and D.

Love to all, The Hen and The Bull

How Blake and Dax are growing:

Turn on the radio and sway to the music.(since I don't consider myself a dancer I think I will just do my stretches that sway instead) With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. (the party in my belly) Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

23 Weeks

Riley getting after it!

Hen and Bull Foster

22 Weeks Prego-12-22-2010

Week 22 is here:

I’ve read about “pregnancy dreams” in my books but just read on not thinking much about it until this week. I have been having the weirdest dreams and these are the kind that wake you up in the middle of the night. I’ve become obsessed with getting Blake and Dax to sleep and I’ve been scared by others about colic. The books have been advising that you wake them up at the same time to eat or you will become a milk machine without any sleep. So with that being said I dreamed I had 4 yes 4 babies that I had to try to figure out how to get them all to sleep and eat at the same time on the tatas. This one woke me up in the middle of the night because I had to bring myself back to reality of only two inside not four. 

Blake and Dax have been kicking and moving like crazy all week long. I was in the middle of reading when all of a sudden my stomach started shifting and tilting to the right. I knew someone was moving just could not figure out what exactly was going on. It’s really quite a strange thing to watch yet so fun at the same time. 

Health Update:

Today I saw my doc and found out that I’ve only gained 5lbs. since my last visit with her. Just a little secret...I was dreading the scales today so I purposely wore some light weight pants and a shirt. Last time I was in jeans, boots, and a heavy sweater....whew made it through that one. This visit was an interesting one, one that I was not prepared for. Keep in mind I’ve been poked and prodded for the past 2 years with all the infertility stuff. None of that could prepare me for my first cervix check. The next thing I know I’m having my cervix checked and that was a first let me tell you. When the babies were making my belly look like I had aliens inside it the other night they were actually turning. Both are now head down preparing for birth. The concern was that Blake was very very low so she wanted to double check that my cervix was not starting to open up. Good news is that is still closed. I did learn that starting January 12th (26 weeks) I will begin seeing her every week. I have a strong feeling I will be getting more exams like that...mental preparation will need to be there.

As always thank you for your kind words, thoughts, and prayers. Goals: 36 weeks, no bed rest, and a healthy Blake and Dax.

Love to all-The Hen and The Foxy Father To Be 

How Blake and Dax are growing:

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

21 Weeks Prego-12-15-2010

Week 21 is here!

The babies are now the size of a carrot and again my mind wonders how is a carrot bigger than a banana oh well at least we are one week closer to getting them here safely.  We began reading the book Guess how much I love you every night to the little ones. We have been adding our own words to the story to change it up.

What’s in a Name?

For the past couple of months we have been looking at names and trying to figure out what the best name would be for our kiddos. We have been challenged because we really want something different that is not on the top 100 list. We want names that will not be butchered in a million different ways. For instance, Shanna always becomes Shawna, Shana, Shannon, and my favorite is Joanna.

The next thing on our priority list is to have something that will not get a nick name.  This is always something that crosses your mind when naming your child.   Originally when trying to decide on a name, we would talk freely about our ideas to other people, but soon discovered all the opinions of others were altering our own thoughts on what names we wanted.  After a little time we decided not to discuss names until they were finalized. 

Last on our list in choosing names is that we truly wanted to honor two people that have made a tremendous impact on our lives. These two special individuals are people we have looked up to and believe that without them in our lives we would not be who we are today.

So with no further ado we have chosen the following names for our beautiful little blessings.

Dax Glenn Foster

&

Blake Evelyn Foster

Glenn- Origin: Gaelic Meaning: Valley

This is Richard’s middle name and his father who has made a tremendous impact on his life in so many ways.  He has always been there for his family no matter the circumstance. He is a truly selfless man, a caring man, and a genuinely good hearted man who treats others with the utmost respect and dignity.  He is a man we both look up to and value his opinion greatly. He is a strong fighter, a man of great integrity, and a wonderful person who we are honored to name our son after.

Evelyn- Origin: Irish Meaning: Life

This is my grandmother, a woman who lost her mother at a young age and was the care giver for her younger siblings during the Great Depression. She was a woman who was meant to be a mother, a wife, and a grandmother.  She was a caring quiet person who did not crave a lot of attention and never spoke badly of others.  She was truly a caring and compassionate woman who I miss dearly and we are honored to name our daughter after her.

Health Update:

We went to the doctor on Monday and both Blake and Dax had great heartbeats. Blake’s was 140 and Dax’s was 146. We got some really neat 4D ultrasound pictures. Just to clarify 4D vs. 3D because I asked...4D is real time and 3D is not. Dax decided to show off his man parts and you guessed it he is all boy. I made sure to get a snap shot of that one. Blake was a little more cooperative in letting us get more head shots. We were able to get more pictures of our darlings this appointment so I picked out my favorites to show off.

So this week I invested in a maternity belly/back support brace. Holy cow it’s the best investment to date. My back feels better already. I really can feel a difference during the day because I have the extra weight taken off my back. I did take a special picture of this contraption because I’m so proud of my find.

As always we thank you for your kind words, thoughts, prayers, and support. Our goals: 36 weeks, a healthy Blake and Dax, and no bed rest. Can you tell I’m starting to get consumed with this bed rest thing? It’s getting closer and closer:)

The Hen and The Foxy Father To Be



How your baby's growing:

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.

Foster Twins Week 21:



Dax Glenn







Blake





Blake Evelyn



Dax is definitely a boy!

20 Weeks Prego-12-08-2010

20 Weeks-half way there

The buns inside are officially half baked and the size of a banana!

Health Update:

I went to the Doctor on Wednesday and as usual did the normal weigh in and such. Well this time I read to the tech the weight and went on about my business.  Twenty minutes later the doc walks in looking at my chart. She asks me with a puzzled yet concerned look on her face.

Doc: Did the tech tell you how much you weighed? Is it 178 or 188?

Me: What?  No, it’s 173.8

Doc: Okay I was going to tell you that you have gained more than normal since I saw you last.

Me: I’m wearing jeans, boots, and a sweater…does that count?

Doc: I like to keep you all informed of your numbers and since it’s only 173.8 you are right on schedule.

Me: Note to self…holy shysters! Cut out sweets or I’m going to top the scale at 200 plus. This is the reason I have never in my life weighed myself on a regular basis. I’ve always gone off how I feel and how my clothes fit. I believe that is a healthier aspect than relying on a scale for me at least.

Baby Moon:

This week we went to Florida for our baby moon and enjoyed every moment of just giving ourselves time for us. We ate shrimp and raw oysters-just kidding shrimp and scallops…lots and lots of shrimp and scallops. The reason for this is because pretty much everything on the menu fish wise has mercury in it. I never realized how much mercury is in our seafood until I was surrounded by the good stuff and not allowed to eat it. Note to self: Don’t do it to yourself, my mouth would water when I would read about the grouper, the crab legs, the fresh tuna, and then the ceviche that I wanted so bad.

We chose Florida initially for the reason that walking would be limited. I did over do it a bit on Friday and learned really quickly that there is a reason they say limit yourself. The hips literally felt like I was 95 years old and were so stiff that I could barely move without pain. It’s just so weird to go from doing high impact aerobics 3 days a week to barely being able to walk without having to stop and catch your breath.

The absolute best and most memorable part of the trip was when Richard felt his babies move inside my belly for the very first time. It was a special moment that will not be forgotten and a wonderful experience we were able to share together. My stomach was actually moving on the outside and it seriously looked like there were aliens inside.

As always we thank you for your kind words, thoughts, prayers, and support. We are so excited to see these little darlings.  Attached is the beautiful sunset we caught, the bump week 20, and an ultra sound picture from last week that I forgot to post. Goals: Stay off bed rest, 36 weeks, and healthy little ones.

How the Foster twins are growing:

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)
He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

19 Weeks Prego-12-01-2010

Week 19:

I thought this week I would give a little recap of how we found out the possible sex of the babies around week 12.  The tech was doing her thing, just looking and measuring things when all of a sudden I saw things.  MH= me TB= Richard Tech=ultrasound tech

MH: I see a penis!

TB: Where? Where?

MH: Right there! That’s a PENIS!

Tech: Yah, I’ve been thinking that for a while.

TB: Where? where?

Tech: Right there, draws an arrow to the area

Right at this point TB gets a huge smile and has perked up like a rooster proud of his accomplishment.

MH: OMG what’s Baby A? Please be a girl, please be a girl! I can’t handle three boys in my house.

Tech: Well, Baby A is not cooperating but I think no guarantees that it’s a girl-NO GUARANTEES it’s still so early.

Doctor enters the room to recheck what they have been observing.

MH: Do you think baby B is a boy?

Doc: Baby B is definitely a boy

TB: Will you show me?

Doc: Points his arrows to the necessary parts.

TB: Once again smiles and feels the rooster confidence

MH: Check baby A, Baby A please be a girl

Doc: Baby A is not cooperating but possibly a girl

So with that being said every doctor appointment I had from week 12 on I would ask and most of the time I would get the response that they were not cooperating. If they could identify they would always say no guarantees. A few weeks ago one of the docs thought we had two girls inside but again said no guarantees.

SAVE Second Base:

Do you remember Romona Quimby from the Beverly Cleary books? “I must, I must, I must increase my bust” Yes that is from the 5^th grade but something we have all read and know. My words to Ramona just get pregnant! 

The boob fairy has left me with something that I think I kind of like. I must say my new friends have grown tremendously and I’m so proud that they are here for a visit. I just wish they would not leave me. Officially filling out a C and possibly I could surpass this once the milk arrives. I guess when this temporary blessing is gone I will go back to chanting like Ramona.

The Button is gone:

Again my belly button gets its own honor. This thing is almost gone. I took pictures last night to show its progress. I really don’t know what’s in store for it next and really quite shocked by this change.

Babymoon:

Tomorrow we leave for our “babymoon” and we are both looking forward to a little relaxation. I’m a little concerned about the new x ray scanners at the airport so I asked the Dr. today for a note saying I need the pat down instead. I thought I might follow the direction of this lady to get through the line a little faster. http://www.newsok.com/in-bra-panties-and-wheelchair-woman-goes-through-oklahoma-city-airport-screening-this-morning/article/3519710?custom_click=lead_story_title

Attached are the bump pics from this week and as always thank you for your kind words, thoughts, prayers, and positive comments. It means so much to us.

TB and MH

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

18 Weeks Prego-11-24-2010

Week 18:

The verdict is in

This is the week we have all been waiting for! The week of confirmation, week of anticipation, week of color….something I have been dreaming about and wondering for years. We are proud to announce boots and tutus!

Foster Baby A is a Girl!

Foster Baby B is a Boy!

We need just a little more time on names so stay tuned for that one.

Health Update:

We went to the Dr. to confirm the sex and look at some additional things. We had the surround sound on with the flat screen looking and observing little feet and hands. We heard some water running and TB asked if that was what it sounds like inside. It was the cutest and funniest thing because it was actually someone washing their hands in the room next door. Both babies are measuring as scheduled; they are the size of bell pepper, and around half a pound each. Placenta previa has officially been removed from my title, still low lying; however I have been released to walk again…Hollar!

As always thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and kind words. We are almost to the half way mark and it is flying by so fast. I’m still so tired and I just keep telling myself this is preparation for what’s to come. Attached you will find our revealing party video and some bump pics. FFTB and MH.

How your baby's growing:

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

17 Weeks Prego-11-17-2010

Week 17 is here!

Health Update:

I went to the doctor on Thursday with a list of questions and I bet you can guess what one of my questions was. Yes I did ask the sex again and was surprised to hear a completely different response than what I have heard in the past. Maybe waiting to tell was the best decision since there is not a 100% confirmation just yet. To clear up some questions I’ve been getting from a previous post regarding the sex. A majority of my friends believe we are having two girls or 2 V’s. 11-22-10 is the big day! Looking forward to finding out for sure what these little ones are. We are already stewing our plans to reveal it to the family at our sex party.

Blood pressure was good, weight gain good, FBA is breach and in the back of my stomach, FBB is on top of FBA at the front of my stomach, their heads are on the right side of my body. FBB had its arm lying across its body just moving around in there. FBA was asleep. Placenta has moved up to where it is not completely covering the cervix, still low lying but improving-yay. I was released to go to the OU-Tech game on Saturday and have been released to take a babymoon at the beginning of December….may not be eating those plane tickets after all.

As always thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and kind words. Goal: 36 weeks!

Mother Hen and The Bull

How your baby's growing!
Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop

16 Weeks Prego- 11-10-2010

Week 16 is here and we realized it’s been 4 months-wow!

A little refresher: TB=The Bull (Richard), FFTB=Foxy Father to Be (Richard), FBA=Foster Baby A, FBB=Foster Baby B, Mother Hen (muaw)

The babies are the size of an avocado. Last week it was an apple so your first thought is that an avocado is smaller than apple.

The Mullet and bowl:

As an expectant mom I lay in bed and wonder what will my unborn children look like? Will they have red or brown hair, blue or brown eyes, pale or pale skin, thick or thin hair, and what if my kid comes out a different ethnicity?!?!? They were conceived in a dish so there is always the possibility. I told TB this and his response was the following: “Well at least I would know you were not messing around.” Rest assured I can promise them that with all the things that are not in my control one thing I can make sure of and it is this.  I promise to never give them a mullet or a bowl hair cut.

So I decided to take us back to 1984; the year of the mullet and the bowl. You just never know what can happen when your child has a mullet for example: In 1984 I was on a tire swing (a homemade swing where they would tie a rope to a tire). The recess started out great I was swinging and spinning and having a great time. Then it happened, the worst thing that could happen. My mullet got twisted up in the rope. I was helpless, hanging on for my mullets life twisted up in the rope screaming for my life. Then I saw the teacher running at me with a pair of scissors. The only way to my rescue was to cut my hair out of the rope for my freedom. There I was with a huge round bald spot in my mullet for months. On to the bowl cut, such a strange cut, one I just don’t understand. Can you imagine a grown man with a bowl? In ways it’s a great cut. If you want to braid it, push it back with a headband, give the hair a tail, or a little blow dryer action for a Jersey shore blow out it’s fabulous. I sometimes wonder if FFTB and I both had these cuts in the year 2010 would we get double takes.

The Chair:

Yes the recliner that now resides in my bedroom next to our bed. After months of no sleep, aches, and pains I decided to steal Andy’s recliner out from under him. Little did I know that Alissa has been plotting to get rid of this chair for months. She kept saying it’s the best thing for your back, I slept in it for 9 months, I promise this is the cure all for the aches and pains. Sunday I blindsided Andy by asking if he would be home for us to come get his chair. As we picked up the chair poor Andy sat on the floor with his remote control where his chair once sat. So this is my shout out and thank you to Andy because both TB and I slept fabulous every night since we stole it. TB had the bed to himself without me interrupting his sleep by tossing and turning all night long. I of course slept like a baby in my new chair. Let’s all just hope my water does not brake in Andy’s football watching chair.

As always thank you for your kind words, thoughts, and prayers. Goal: 36 weeks, healthy babies, and uterus.

Mother Hen and Foxy Father to Be

How Your Baby is Growing: Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

 

16 WEEKS- FRATERNAL TWINS

15 Weeks Prego-11-03-2010

Week 15 is here-whoot whoot holler!

 

The little darlings are now the size of apples and are moving around in there. I swear I’ve been feeling little flutters here and there for a while now. Everything I read says I should not be able to; however little flutters that come and go spontaneously have to be my little apples kicking around.

Sex and Research:

So I was reading an email I received regarding if you should find out the sex or just wait. It was comparing it to opening your Christmas presents early. As I was reading I was like hell yah I’m opening early just like when we were kids. Alissa and I would open and re tape those gifts after we would check out the goods. I’m currently the kid who can’t wait since I ask the doctors every ultra sound what we are having. I think it’s harder on my waiting skills because we get so many ultrasounds.

On Saturday after the game Paige was trying to pry the info out of TB. She asked him multiple times if he knew if I had a “P” or a “V” inside of me. TB was very good at keeping a poker face when she would trick him back and forth with a series of questions on if it was a P and V, a V and V, or a P and P. I found it to be quite entertaining. Most of the feedback I’ve been given is that I have two “V’s” inside.

Research has been my middle name this week. I’ve been looking at all the gear and have realized babies have a lot of shiznit. I hate clutter yet I don’t mind some clothes in the floor so my goal is to minimize all the gadgets and be a “minimalist momma” We shall see if I can accomplish this task.

 

Ode to thy button:

It once was something I’ve never paid much attention to until now. This little round lint collector which has been ignored for 33 years is now catching my attention multiple times throughout the day. I’ve always heard about you getting an outty when prego; however I have never thought twice about it stretching out as much as mine has already. This little tiny belly button at one time you could barely put your finger in has now stretched out to size of TB’s eye ball. I’m enamored by this change that pregnancy has brought on. I have somewhat neglected it with the lotions and creams and have now after seeing some stretch marks have realized it needs it’s own attention.

 

Health:

I’ve decided that pregnancy is a lot like aging. You have lots of aches and pains that you sometimes get caught up in. I see a lot of elderly people  and when I ask how they are doing instead of I’m doing well I hear about all the aches, pains, gas, heartburn, etc. It’s really quite annoying and uninteresting to be frank. So with that being said my plan going forward is to be cautious of discussing my heartburn, lower back aches, lack of sleep, calf aches, and abdominal aches.

 As always thank you for your kind words, thoughts, prayers, and support. Our goal is 36 weeks for healthy strong babies and a strong uterus.

 Mother Hen and Foxy Father to Be

How your baby's growing:

Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")

14 Weeks Prego-10-27-2010

Week 14

Hello friends and family-

Well we made it to week 14 and have another ultra sound from Dr. Hager showing off our sleeping beauties. Both babies were uncooperative again this week and as usual I asked her if she could tell the sex. I’m dying over here; this waiting game is becoming a bit annoying. They are the size of lemons and I've noticed certain things like bending over are not as easy as before.

Health Update:

Dr. Hager officially diagnosed placenta previa; a condition that is the result of the placenta attaching on the lower part of the uterine wall, partially or totally covering the cervix. With that being said she reiterated that I take it easy. I must have 2 weeks with no spotting of any kind and if it starts up my two weeks starts back at 0.

Sleep and Names:

I’ve been able to make it through the first segment of Chelsea Lately and ultimately the goal is to make it through the entire show.  Since I’ve had the body pillow I seem to be less disruptive to my Foxy Father to Be.

Still working on names and tentatively hoping to have our “official sex party revealing” the week of Thanksgiving.

Nursery:

Mimi (Riley gave my mom that name) has decided that her gift to her unborn grandchildren is to take on the nursery task. She and her friend who is an interior decorator are in la la land and so excited that I have given them free reign to do what they want. I’m excited for the surprise myself. I was telling TB that they are talking chandeliers and he does not understand the reasoning. Whatev TB! Every infant needs a chandelier even if its mom and dad have never had one.

As always thank you for your kind words, thoughts, and prayers. Bump pic 14 and an ultra sound pic are attached. Enjoy!

How your baby's growing:

This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.

In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

13 Weeks Prego-10-20-2010

Hello Family and Friends:
 
The babies are the size of a medium shrimp and week 13 is here!

I've created a blog with all the updates. I continue to miss people each week so I figure this will be easier. http://sfrfoster.blogspot.com/ I will be updating it every Wednesday going forward unless I get some protests to continue the email.


Health Update:
Week 13 is here and man oh man it has been quite a week of craziness. Thursday night I started bleeding and when I say bleeding I mean bleeding bad with blood clots and red toilet water. I know that you are not supposed to get on the internet so we immediately got out the books and called Glenn (FBA and FBB's Grandpa). The books, the after hours at the doctor, and all of us just knew it was the worst of the worst. We thought I was in the middle of a miscarriage. I cried all night long, slept maybe an hour at the most, and went to the Dr. Stanley at 8:30 on Friday. Fortunately both babies sacks were good, heartbeats were strong, and everything was okay. Doc said my placenta separated and no more football games because of steps, no more excessive walking, and no more exercise. The gym membership is now frozen and this is in the past. We are moving forward and trying to prevent anymore damage. Doc said this is very common in IVF pregnancies, however we had no warnings from books or doctors.


FBB's heart rate was 150 and FBA's was 155. FBB was sleeping just like it's daddy with his or her arm up by it's head. I barricade myself with pillows because there have been many times where I have rolled into an elbow due to this strange sleeping. I wonder if FBB will sleep like this it's whole life. Note to self future husband or wife-pillow barricades work wonders. I'm directing that towards 5 month old Elle Robertson if we have a boy and baby ???boy??? Rowland if we have girl. Baby Rowland's sex is undetermined at this point. 


As a result of the "scare" I'm working  to limit my activities and accept the changes that my body is going through. I'm still working very hard to ignore the stretch marks, cellulite, and whatever else I'm in store for. I keep telling myself 9 months off, 9 months on to get my pre-baby body back.


Cravings and Sleep Update:
I discovered probably the best thing ever, something I would never ever pick up and eat if it were not for this craving. I discovered heroin in a pint...Ben and Jerry's Mint Chocolate Cookie ice cream. At first I turned my nose to it because I really wanted Mint Chocolate Chip-oh how wrong I was. I told TB to take it away because if he did not there was going to be nothing left. Turns out the following day TB asked me if I wanted any ice cream and I told him no I was over it. We found that he was not so he finished off the pint of heroin and decided no more will enter the house.

The next best thing I have discovered is the body pillow. Thank you Christina and Travis! It's helping with the back pain that has creeped up this week and it's helping me sleep a little longer through the night. What a great invention!


Baby Name Ideas:
We are still currently working on names and have not reached a final decision. We really want to have set names in place for when we reveal the sexes. My theory is this, if you have a name in place people can't talk smack because that's your kids name and it's not changing. On the other hand if you don't have a name in place people will give you their opinions freely. We are already having trouble with names because we hear things and it drives us away. I never thought it would be this hard to both agree on two names. If we have a girl, we are almost 99% on one name. Now we just need another one and two boy names. Actually that's a decoy- I know exactly what names we need to come up with...whooohaaahaaa (my devious laugh directed towards Alissa)


Friday night we had dinner with Ameil, Kristy, and AJ (their 3 year old). When we arrived Kristy told AJ to tell us what he had named the babies. In his cute little voice he said their names are "Frank and Booboo". I told him I really liked the names he had picked out and that I think I like Booboo better than Frank. Do you have any other names? "Yes, Booboo and Necklace". So I guess if TB and I can't come up with anything we could go with Frank and Booboo.


As always thank you for your kind words, thoughts, prayers, and encouragement. You have no idea how thankful we are for the support some of you gave and how appreciated it was during "the scare". This weeks goals: 36 weeks, no more bleeding, healthy uterus, and healthy healthy cutie patooties. Attached is the bump pic for week 13, FFTB, and an ultrasound from Friday.

Mother Hen and Foxy Father To Be....
How your baby's growing:
Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs