Check-up

Yesterday, I went to my 12 week check up.  Things I found interesting:

• I haven't gained as much weight as I thought.  Maybe 5 or 6 pounds.
• We could only hear one heart beat.
• Got to do another ultrasound, and saw both of them all nestled together.
• I thought I began feeling movement at 9 weeks, but I was wrong, because the area I was feeling movement doesn't have a baby there.
• However, I have been feeling them since 10 1/2 weeks, right in the middle of my uterus.
• Chad felt them move on Sunday night.
• There is a chance they are identical, after all.  They are right next to each other, but separated by sacks.
• Dr. Wold says they are very healthy and growing well.  

It was great to see them, again!  Even to hear one heartbeat was so cool, but when I got to watch their little hearts beating on the ultrasound screen, I was felt so excited for for them to be born!  

The doctor did advise me not to do any strenuous exercise, even prenatal programs.  I might be able to do yoga, but I have to be really careful not to strain anything.  Also, he keeps telling me that swimming is the best thing I can do, but I don't have a pool, unless I go really early in the morning or late at night to Gold's.  Still trying to figure that one out.

Interesting facts:

• My uterus is the size of my hand.  I imagine that means it's about the size of a 5 pound exercise ball.  
  
• The babies are each about 2 to 2 1/2 inches long.
• My stomach should grow noticeably this month.

My nausea is improving, but I still can't go in my kitchen.  I am so indebted to my neighbor, Aubrey, who comes over every week and scrubs my hugs pile of overdue dishes, then dries them AND puts them away!,  sweeps the week old food up off the floor, puts away food that has been left out, and wipes down all the cabinets, just so I can walk through my kitchen,  occasionally, without immediately running to the bathroom.

I am trying to finish my classes this week, so my ward has been taking turns with Mack.  Plus, I've had a lot of visitors stopping by with treats and meals for us.  I love being in this ward!

"Boys do funny things."

Mack has been very entertaining the past couple of days.  Because I have been sick, he has spent a lot of time watching t.v.  The other day while he was watching, I paused his show and told to use the restroom.  He began to cry, and even exclaimed, "It's just not fair!"  Once he got into the bathroom, he said, "Mom, my heart is broken."  I laughed pretty hard about both of his claims.  

He told Chad the other night that he wanted to eat dinner at Pizza Hut when they were out visiting in Roosevelt.  It's a pretty small community, so Chad didn't think there would be one close.  Much to his surprise, as he rounded the corner on the highway, there was a Pizza Hut.  Chad said he took him there, just because he was so impressed that Mack knew what it was and that there was one close by.  The funny thing is, he's never eaten at a Pizza Hut, so we don't know how he figured out what one was.

Mack is also getting very good at taking himself potty.  Last night, when he finished his dinner, he took himself potty, but he refused to use his potty seat.  As he was sitting there, Chad noticed he dipped his bum in the bowl.  Chad lightly scolded him, but a few seconds later, he was doing it again.  This time Chad asked Mack, "Why are you doing that buddy?"  Mack's response was, "Ha, ha!  Boys do funny things" in such a matter-of-fact tone.  I couldn't quit laughing, but I had to hide it from him.  

Tired!

2 weeks ago...

Today was a good/tiring day. My mom came to help me do the dishes and laundry. As I was sorting through clothes, I found stuff I haven't worn in a month. Isn't that disgusting? As of yesterday, I would have never admitted that publicly. But given the new circumstances, I think it's forgivable.

I need to take pictures, but I look like I am four months pregnant. I am starting to feel like I can't bend over very well, because there isn't the room to scrunch like that, which also makes it a little difficult to breathe while sitting. But, when I walk around, I am completely out of breath by the time I walk the short distance to the end of the street. Did I mention we are the second house on the block?

Last night I had a hard time sleeping. Partly because I felt a little anxious about all the work I have to get done around the house before they are born, but also because my back was hurting. It just seems so crazy to be going through this already. I can't imagine what it's going to be like when the twins are born. I'm already tired and don't know if I'll ever feel rested for the next two years.

Okay, enough complaining...

I am really excited for Mack to be a big brother! Today, we pulled some of my old dolls out of storage (they look like real babies, anatomically correct and everything). Mack was really excited about one of them and told me it was his boy (they are really both girls) named Cocoa. It is his favorite word right now. He also told me that he didn't want a dress on his baby. After we bathed the babies and got them dressed, not in dresses, Mack hauled Cocoa around for quite a while. I showed him how to hold a baby and taught him that we don't pick babies up by the head. He did pretty well with trying to pick it up around the middle, until I left him for a second and came back to a headless doll. It was a good example of why we don't pick real babies up by the head.

He got a pillow, blanket, and his slushes out for Cocoa to sleep with. Then he laid Cocoa down and "read" a story to him. He talks to the doll in a sweet, high pitched voice and is really pretty gentle to it. After a while, he informed me that the baby was tired and placed Cocoa in his crib to take a nap.

I know some of you might find it a little disturbing that I encourage this sort of play, but I really felt that I needed to get these dolls out for him to play with, so he will learn how to treat a baby. I know I'll need his help a lot. With our friend's little girl, he likes to help where he can, but doesn't really know how. Maybe this will prepare him.

Today...

I am finally getting used to the idea of the twins. I was feeling completely overwhelmed for a while. I lost a lot of sleep, because I was waking up in the middle of the night. For three nights straight I was waking at 3 a.m. and could not get back to sleep until 6 a.m. I debated whether I needed a blessing, or just let my body get used to the schedule. I decided you can never go wrong with a blessing, so Chad gave one to me. I have been able to sleep a lot better since then...

I am actually really excited about having twins. I figure, why stress about it too much? The Lord knows what he is doing and he knows I can handle this. Plus, how often am I going to experience this kind of excitement?

Crazy as this sounds, I have been feeling the babies move already! At first it was pretty faint, but this weekend I have felt them like 5 times. It's always in the same spot in my stomach, and every time I get so excited!

Mack is doing a lot better. The poor kid has been couped up in the house for weeks. I have felt some guilt, but looking on the bright side, he has learned to be more independent. He gets his own drinks, takes himself potty, plays quietly for close to 2 hours before he needs my help, and he helps fetch stuff for me when I am sick.

This weekend I am feeling better and I think the boys are both very happy about it.

I need a new title for my blog!

This morning we went to the doctor for my first appointment and found out we are having twins!  Just like that our family went from 3 to 5... WOW!  Chad and I are actually both really excited about it.  We we worried that we would be playing catch-up with our family for a while, but going from nine years of marriage and one child to nine years of marriage and three children is quite exciting for us.  

I know I'll need lots of help with Mack.  For example, on Saturday the Searings (a wonderful family in my ward) took Mack for a while for me.  It was 2 in the afternoon and I still couldn't find the energy to feed him.  The poor kid was eating saltine crackers all morning and watching t.v.  After we hit the point of 6 hours of television, I knew I needed help.  Hey, at least I bathed him AND got him dressed.

Chad has seriously been the most AMAZING husband in the world!  I am usually slightly annoyed by posts like this (I mean the bragging of husbands) but he has really worked so hard to keep things running.  He did the dishes the other day, including the silver wear!  I don't think he has EVER washed all the dishes since we've been married.  He's also been keeping up on washing laundry.  I am supposed to fold it, but haven't found the energy to do it in three weeks.  Thankfully my mom will be here tomorrow to help with that.  When she isn't around I know I have great friends and neighbors to help out (thanks, Aubrey W).  

Well, wish us luck!  

Here are some other things we have been up to.

Discovering snails...

Owlz games...

Taking lots of silly pictures...

Mack has been busy stealing the camera and taking random pictures such as this...

and this.

But the best of all is when he is bored and needs a little more attention, we find his "creating" projects with tape, like this.

This One's For You Molly!

The reason I haven't blogged in a while is because we were waiting until our family members found out through the cards I sent in the mail, but I think everyone has been informed by now.  We are due in February and found out on Mack's birthday.  What a surprise for all of us!  Chad and I are completely excited and Mack doesn't think it's real, yet, since he can't see the baby.  Or in other words that I don't look 9 months pregnant.  However, yesterday my belly was looking a bit bigger than normal and he noticed.  He asked if he could touch the baby and then proceeded to hit my stomach (not very hard at all).  The pride on his face was pretty funny!  I guess it's pretty rewarding to be able to beat on your siblings, even if they are only one inch long.

We have a couple of names that we like.  If it's a girl, her name will be Addie.  Not short for anything.  It was Chad's great-grandma's nick-name for Adaline.  Since Mack is named after my grandpa's nick-name, it's only fair.  For boys we like the names Oliver and Brig (which is another family nick-name).  We think all of those go well with Mack.  Mack wants a brother named Brig and sometimes asks me if there is a "Brig" in my tummy.

I have been a bit sick.  Nausea sets in about every other day.  On my good days I try to tackle big projects... maybe that explains the inconsistency.  As long as I eat about every half hour, I feel okay.  

Meals have been interesting.  I don't want anything, and hate the thought of most things.  I just try to eat what sounds okay and is the healthier option.  Last week, I was in love with walnuts, but now the very thought of them makes my stomach flip.  Chad had to hide them from me, so I would quit feeling so horrible when I was in the kitchen.

Anyway, we are really excited!  Thank you to all of you who prayed for our family!  And Lisa, between pregnant brain (or lack of one at all) and nausea, I am so sorry for not keeping my word.  I'll see how I feel in a couple of weeks.

What we've been up to...

At the end of April, Chad finally graduated after attending classes for 8 1/2 years!  He never attended full time, but worked full time, and decided to switch majors two years ago.  We are very blessed in the fact that he found a job in his field back in September, so we don't have to find one for him now.  I am so proud of him for enduring these past few crazy years.  He has worked so hard and it is finally over!  I love you like crazy, honey!!!

The graduation ceremony was great!  He was in the first graduating class at UVU and President Monson was the keynote speaker.  He and his lovely wife, Sister Monson, received their doctorate degrees.  I thought it was really cool that Chad was graduating with the prophet.  :)

This picture is of my dad and his wife, Mary (the most wonderful step-mom in the world!), and our little family.  

The one under that is with Chad's best friend, Devin Woolsey.  Thanks for coming Dev, Dad and Mary!  It meant the world to Chad.

Since graduation, Chad has had a bit more time to finish projects around the house.  This fence was leaning forward, because there was a huge thorn bush pushing it over from the other side.  Chad knocked down the fence and chopped down the bush.  Now, he is replacing the fence.  It will be a slow process, but we are kind of trying to just do the major repairs and leave the rest to the builders developing the empty lot behind us.  Most likely, a new fence will be put in by the builders...

Mack has been very helpful with the chores around the house, lately.  Such as helping dad with the fence...

He really thought he was helping.  All of his "tools" were scattered about the lawn and whatever Chad had, Mack had a plastic one and trying so hard to be helpful.

He also loves to help Chad mow the lawn.  If you look close enough, you'll see that the mower is actually turned off.  

Here he is feeding Tessa.  He really wanted to hold her and feed her a bottle.  This didn't last very long; only about 2 minutes. But he really enjoyed those two minutes and he actually did a great job feeding her!  He would make a wonderful big brother... Speaking of which, we are on our fifth month of Clomid and I can only do six months.  After that we have to try other fertility treatments.  Basically, if we don't get pregnant in the next two months, we won't be having another child for a long time... 
Mack is also in to taking pictures lately.  We were taking turns snapping pictures of each other.  I thought this one actually turned put pretty well!  Especially since I am not wearing make-up and my hair isn't really done.

This is his new favorite way to dress.  We were going bowling this particular evening and this is what he chose to wear.  In the car, he shed his hat, glasses and flag, but not the cape.  We had to stop at Target before we hit the bowling alley and Mack ran down the aisles with his arms stretched out and his hands in little fists, yelling, "I'm a super hero!"  People walking by were laughing and commenting things, like, "That is awesome!"  Oh, to be a child and not care what others think...

This weekend was Nationals at Lagoon.  Our team did very well, once again.  We didn't win any big titles, or anything (mostly because we won them all last year, and you can't win twice in a row) BUT, I still feel like we all did our best and it was a lot of fun!!!!  I am still beating myself that I didn't take my camera.  Oh, well!  

Funny Boy

Mack is watching TV and Ni Hoa, Kai-lan was on.  He began to freak out and said, "Ah!  I don't want to watch Kai-lan.  This bugs me!"  First time he's used that phrase.  He is also into using the phrase, "Dang it!"  It's especially funny when he uses it out of context.

This picture is of his new fake frown.  I love it!