We Have BOY GIRL Twins!!!!

Today we went for our level II ultrasound. The technician was very nice, but had some problems deciding who was baby A and who was baby B. She decided baby a was baby b and vice versa. Once she decided, she was on her way with measurements. She asked me if I wanted to find out genders and I said yes, but that I would like to wait until David was with me. She had a hard time getting all the measurements she needed and couldn't get any structures of baby B's face. Baby A was all curled up and baby B was stretched out, but face down. When she finished, she called in the doctor. When the doctor came in, she established the babies were the other way around, baby B was indeed A and baby A was indeed baby B. Very confusing! I was there awhile. They were happy with what they saw as far as development, but since I was only 17 weeks, they were unable to get the vessels going into the heart. They would also like to get the structural measurements of Baby B's face. In six weeks, they will repeat the ultrasound once the babies are a little bit bigger.

I mentioned to the tech when she asked about gender that we were hoping for a boy and a girl. I said we had a two year old girl at home and if it was two more girls, she would have to scrap us from the ceiling! So, of course she showed us baby A first, and she was a girl. We both gasped and said, "Oh no, it's two girls!" But, as soon as she put baby B's parts on the screen I could immediately see he was a boy! David and I are thrilled Addison will have a sister and brother, and we will have a son and two daughters. It was a very exciting moment!

Sweet Baby Girl showing us her face! She weighed 6.5 ounces.
Baby girl's name is going to be Landry with a pending middle name of Elise.

Baby A (girl) in breech position and Baby B (boy) in vertex position.

Baby Boy showing us his goods! He weighed 6 ounces.Baby boy's name is pending at Landon with no middle name yet. I like Landon Reid though.



After the ultrasound, we went up for my appointment with Dr. Anding. Everything is going well. My blood pressure was 122/over 60 something. My blood pressure never goes into the 120's, so I hope this is not a sign of things to come. My blood work from the last visit came back normal. I did get in trouble for not exercising though. I gained what he wanted me to gain, but since he knows I am normally so active, he probably is not happy I turned into a lazy pregnant lady! I vowed to walk the dog more. My next appt. is at 21 weeks on March 28th and another ultrasound at 23 weeks on April 9th.

My Bruiser

As you may well know, Addison is not a dainty girl. She likes to be very active, and could easily hang with the boys. This is what can happen when you are running away from your daddy and go into a dark room. She smacked her face right into the corner of the armoire. When she passes the site of incident now, she says, "Uh oh." This is the second time she has had this aweful injury. The first time happened at the QLS daycare, but they couldn't tell me what happened. Here's the August incident:
People probably think she is abused. We went to the furniture store to look at bunkbeds and the sales lady asked how she got the bruises on her feet (after I explained the face). I told her those were Gymbo stamps from going to Gymboree class. No lady, you do not need to call CPS. How could she not see those were stamps and not bruises? She had them on her hands and showed the one on her belly as well. LOL That's my bruiser!

16 weeks

This pregnancy is flying by!!! It's only one week and one day until the level II ultrasound. I can not believe it! How very exciting! I hope the babies are doing ok. Baby B is seriously high up or something because his/her side of the belly feels tight and very uncomfortable. I wish she/he would scoot down just a bit! It's too soon to be feeling this way. So far I have gained about 13 pounds. I'm not gaining the recommended two pounds a week, but I don't think my doctor will say anything about that. At this point with Addison, I had only gained four or five pounds. I'm way ahead of that! Weight gain is steady and that's what is important! I did send David out at 10 p.m. the other night to get me a Shamrock shake, but McD's let me down. He came home with strawberry. Oh well. That was his first night run ever and it was a failed mission. Not his fault though!
Here I am at sixteen weeks preggers with Addison on the left and the twins on the right. Sorry if skin freaks you out, but you've been to the beach right? Not a big deal. But, I'll try and keep my shirt on if it bothers you! Every four weeks during my first pregnancy I took pics of the belly to see the progress, so the next one will be at 20 weeks. Should be interesting.Here's 12 weeks, Addie left, twins right, for a reference point. Very boxy, maybe it will round out. haha

Lions, Tigers, and Bears, Oh My!

This morning we went to the the Houston zoo. We have our annual pass, so we do frequent there for a few hours here and there. When our neighbor asked us if we saw the giraffe, I said no. The bear, no. The tiger, no. Ok, so we didn't really see any of the standard zoo animals this time. I guess we hit the bird side and the children's zoo! Addison really liked to look at the flamingos this time. I've lived in Florida, they don't impress me much. In fact, I think they're kind of ugly. I guess they're fascinating because of their unique pink color and the fact that they stand on one foot. Whatever. Ugly bird. That's why they make those ugly lawn ornaments out of them. Do some people really put a plastic flamingo in their lawn thinking it looks good? Probably so. My apologies if you have one. After you've lived in Florida, seagulls and flamingos aren't impressive. Right Kelly and Karen? Miss you girls!

Finally over her fear of the goats. Now she thinks she can brush Ziggy like this. I wish!David and his mini-me. One of the twins will look like me right? If not, we may have to try for four kids. Some people try for a boy, or a girl; I try for a version of myself. I just want one!At least she thinks like me. I would have chosen the cheetah as well. She does have my stubborn streak. So, though she might look like me, I know that girl is mine. My friend Cathy says it's not stubborness, it's persistence. Thanks, Cathy, I like that spin on it! Ok, so it's not one of my better qualities, but it does come in handy when trying to get a tough job done, like trying to get into nursing school or doing an ironman. I will do another one some day....so I'll need that persistence I'm my back pocket!And there you have it. A day at the zoo. Then I went to one of my students audit classes at the college and the park. By the end of the day, I had some Braxton Hicks contractions. It's my fault. Too much time on my feet + not enough water = not a good thing. Lesson learned!

A Girl and her Bubble Gun

Visiting Gymbo!

On Saturday mornings Addison and I like to go to Gymboree class. We have been going off and on since she was six months. She loves to climb, slide, crawl, and bounce. Towards the end of every session we get to play with bubbles and the parachute. All the kids love this part!!! When it is time to go, everyone gets Gymbo stamps on their feet, hands and bellies if they are available. This is Addison's favorite part and she is always first in line. Sometimes she even heads over to get them in the middle of class. I hope this is not a sign my daugther will be addicted to body art later in life. Not that I am against a tattoo here and there (I still need to get my ironman tattoo....maybe after the second one), but Addison loves to have ink on her body. She'll be the teenager sneaking off and getting a tattoo!!

Here I am with my friend Bailey. She is a good jumper. She can jump down off something onto the mat. I am still practicing that trick. Mommy has to help me jump out. I'll be doing it real soon though!!

Happy Valentine's Day

Above: Will you be my Valentine? Here I am with my new horse. Every cowgirl needs a horse!!!
Below: That's me showing my Valentine's shirt and hugging my puppy Ziggy. He is almost one year old! I think he might be done growing. Mommy and daddy hope so!

Bridgefest

Here are Becca, Stacy and I at Bridgefest. We walked the 5K together since I can't run. Our finishing time was 49 minutes. This is the most exercise at a time I have done in months!! I have great friends! They didn't need to walk. They are both capable of running, yet they stayed with me. Becca even said she would go to water aerobics with me since she said I shouldn't have to do that alone! What a true friend! I bought my maternity swim suit yesterday and I can't wait to go.

Maybe we can all do Bridgefest again next year, but I'll need some help pushing the kids! LOL

Thanks girls, it was fun!

I Heart my Boston Qualifier

Ok, so that might be an extreme title for how I feel about my OB doctor, but I do really like him! I had my monthly visit today and it went great.

First, I weighed in. I knew the weight was going to be high because I have already gained nine or ten pounds so I took off my shoes. Every ounce counts. As always, the doctor's scale is higher than the scale at home, but that's ok.

Secondly, the nurse, Tiffany, got out the dobbler and proceeded to search for the heartbeats. She started with Baby B. She couldn't seem to find it easily and had to step out of the room to assist Dr. Anding. After she came back, she searched for Baby A instead. She found the heartbeat right away. Nice and strong at 152. Then she searched for Baby B again. She finally got the baby's heartbeat and he/she is a mover and shaker. Baby B must have kicked five times in the short time Tiffany was getting the heartbeat. Another good one, 149. Phew!

Dr. Anding comes in shortly after, and the first matter of business is not baby talk, but marathon talk. Of course it is! Since I have been seeing Dr. Anding (about eight years is my guess) he has run the Houston Marathon all but a couple of years. And every year he says it will be a last one. It never is. Marathon runners and Ironman athletes are glutten for punishment. The starting line continues to call year after year. We talk about his race and he said that he went out too fast, but at mile 22 he knew he should be able to qualify for Boston. He did. He said he will not run it however, he just likes the acheivement. Sick. He's 55 and can maintain a 8:34 minute mile for 26.2 miles. I do not know if I could do one mile in that amount of time. Incredible.

Moving on. He measures my pregnancy at 16 weeks which I take to be a good sign since I am 13 weeks and twins should always measure ahead of a singleton pregnancy. I ask my list of three questions and he jokingly says I need to come up with some harder questions! I asked him if I had to see a perinatologist (high risk doctor) and he almost seemed offended. According to my Dr. Luke's book, (apparently the bible for multiple pregnancies) it is a good idea to see both doctors. Anding procedes to explain to me that since he started doing IVF procedures a decade ago, he has become quite familiar with multiple gestations and deliveries. He said the average OB/GYN deliveres one set of multipes a year and right now he is currently seeing seven of us. I joke and say, "I'm not special?!" He says, "Every pregnancy is special." I ask about weight gain and I am told two pounds per week. Oh good heavens. I will clear 200 pounds this pregnancy for sure. That will be interesting! He says I can now add water sports and stationary cycling to my activities. Whoo hoo, I have graduated again!

More rambling about nothing and I move on to schedule my big ultrasound. That has been scheduled for February 28th. I then give my seven vials of blood and go on my way.