tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9617750877049875642024-03-13T12:20:07.445-04:00It's a Baby! No, wait... TWO!The journey through pregnancy for a first time mama... with twins!jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-75036888594591944702011-05-27T21:00:00.000-04:002011-05-27T21:32:23.565-04:00You Can Stop Cooking Dinner NowI can't believe it's been almost a year and a half since I brought my little girls home from the hospital and while the time has flown by, this has been the longest eighteen months of my life. It has been a wonderfully thrilling and terrifying roller coaster of emotions. I am so excited to see what the future holds for us, but am content with taking it day by day.<br /><br />With the first year and a half monument quickly approaching, I was looking at half-written blogs (there are TONS of them) and came across one that I wrote sharing the story of their birth. I thought that it was the perfect time to share this, and thank God I wrote most of it soon after their birth because I've already forgotten half of it - 1. So I'll have more children. 2. Mother's brain.<br /><br />So, here it goes...<br /><br />As you've read in previous blogs, I really enjoyed being pregnant with the little ones - we shared my body quite nicely. But towards the end (after 39 weeks, much farther along than most friends, family and even I thought we'd make it) I was ready for these girls to come! I tried everything "they" recommend to induce labor naturally and it just resulted in false labor contractions that were uncomfortable and annoying. Finally, on Saturday, December 5 after having false contractions all afternoon, I sat down on my couch and had a little "heart to heart" with my girls. I told them to come when they were ready. I told them that I would wait for them and that the ball was in their court. Well, I guess they are control-freaks like their mama, because two hours later (around 7 pm), I felt my first contraction. I had been having <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Braxton</span></span>-Hicks contractions for a few days, but when my first "real" contraction hit, I knew it was time.<br /><br />It hit me as I was washing the bathroom floor. (Another sign of impending labor - I had been scrubbing floors all day long... like on my hands and knees scrubbing... at 9 months pregnant and 60 lbs heavier, that was quite a feat). <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Anywho</span></span>, the first one hit and I knew instantly that this was it. I walked to the kitchen, where Damon was cooking a lovely pasta dinner and said "You can stop cooking dinner now." He looked back at me with excitement in his eyes.<br /><br />I immediately got in the shower - I had wanted to give birth in water even before I was pregnant. The pains were intense, but manageable. With each tightening of my belly, I knew we were that much closer to meeting our little ones. After about 30 minutes in the shower, I told Damon to call our OB. It's funny - in our Bradley class, we practiced over and over timing contractions, and practiced the scenario of labor, but all of that flew out of the window when it was actually time. I have no idea how close my contractions were or how long they lasted... I just knew it was time to go to the hospital.<br /><br />Damon was like a soldier at war. Within minutes he had the whole car packed with our necessities (and non-necessities - who really packs a pack of playing cards? "Oh yeah, we can play a game of Go Fish between contractions") and had my seat covered with blankets and towels. I shimmied up in the seat and we were on our way.<br /><br />As soon as we parked, I jumped (as any pregnant woman could jump) out of the car and threw up in the parking lot (I will never enjoy popcorn with Parmesan cheese the same way again). Once relieved of the contents of my stomach, we entered the hospital, ready for our mission.<br /><br />We checked in to the hospital and they showed us to our room. The nurse had me change into my gown and told me to lay down in the bed and started to strap me in... I started feeling like I wasn't controlling the ship anymore so we pulled out the birth plan. They hooked me up to the monitors to check on the girls and bombarded me with questions (which may have been necessary for legal purposes, but I couldn't have cared less to answer those questions at the time). As the contractions were becoming more intense, I was feeling very constrained in the bed and was wanting my freedom. I asked to go into the shower and once they got the positive readings they were looking for, allowed me to roam free.<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ahh</span></span>... sweet relief... the contractions were so much easier to handle while warm water was pulsating on my lower back. Damon grabbed <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">ahold</span></span> of the shower head and positioned it in all the right places. I bent over a chair, swayed back and forth and moaned through each contraction.<br /><br />An hour later, it was time to check on the girls again and I was forced to leave my contented spot to return to the bed for more monitoring. As I laid there, strapped down to the bed, my contractions became more intense and almost unbearable. During each contraction I thought to myself "Drugs! Drugs! Drugs will make this all better! When it stops, I need to ask for drugs!" Then the contraction would stop and I would feel better. The next contraction would come before I was able to request relief.<br /><br />Back in the shower... oh sweet shower. Not only did the shower help with the contractions, but it helped me stay clean. My body wanted to rid itself of everything it had before I gave birth. I won't explain any more - I'll just leave that up to your imagination... although it is probably worse than you can imagine... Damon had to request an extra gown.<br /><br />Everything happened much quicker than we expected. When we entered the hospital I was only 3 cm dilated, which was a big disappointment as I had been that dilated for almost a week. An hour later, I was 5 cm and an hour after that I was 7 cm. At 7 cm I was ready to push. Everything in my body told me to push, but my doctor warned me to wait until I was 9 cm. It was quite difficult to hold back, but I trusted my OB... I figured that she had done this a few times more than me.<br /><br />An hour later, I couldn't wait anymore. It was time. My doctor came in to check me and we were at 9 cm - ready to go! Having twins, I was considered "high risk" and therefore it was "mandatory" for me to deliver in the OR (operating room). My birth plan requested that I be able to deliver in the labor room (as long as there were no other issues). So, when it was time, my doctor told me to go ahead and start pushing in the labor room. I was so excited for this next step! I laid down in the bed and we started pushing. I didn't need to do anything as my body was doing it all for me. I let my instincts take over and pushed and wailed. After a minute or so, a hospital administrator came in and demanding I be taken to the OR. My doctor reluctantly agreed, and they started to move me to the new room.<br /><br />Well, my body had started something that it was determined to finish, so I continued pushing (which required the use of my vocal-cords for some reason) as they wheeled me down the hall. I can only imagine what those poor soon-to-be-mothers walking the floor were thinking as I was screaming down to my new room.<br /><br /><br /><br /><p>When we arrived to the very bright, cold and institutional room, I was not pleased when they transferred me to another "bed" but I was ready to meet my little ones so I rolled myself over to the bed or should I say operating table. Everything was very sterile, metal and cold and I thought to myself that this is not where I wanted my girls to enter their life, but I really had no choice, so I pushed forward (pun intended).<br /><br />WARNING - THIS IS ABOUT TO GET GRAPHIC...</p><br /><br /><p>I thought I might spare the gory details about giving birth, but if you have read it this far, you must be somewhat interested and so I'll share my story. </p><br /><br /><p>Pushing was the worst. Kristie Allie said it right when her character on "Look Who's Talking" compared child birth to "pushing something the size of a watermelon out of something the size of a lemon..." It burned like hell and I felt like I was going to rip in half. But I was determined so I tapped into my Bradley instructor and tried to follow all of the techniques I had learned in class. Damon helped by pulling my knees behind my ears... not really, but it sure felt like it1. Ten minutes later at 11:30 pm, I felt a burst of release (and wetness) as Abby entered the world. Our OB handed her to Damon and he showed her to me. I was so exhausted that I could hardly see her and asked, "Is she pretty?" Damon looked at the 4 lb 14 oz little purple monster with a black eye and smashed face and replied "She's beautiful..." and then whispered to the nurse, "Is she okay? Why does she look like this?"</p><br /><br /><p>Later we found out that Abby was so eager that she had descended into my pelvis early and sat there for a month with her face pressed against my pelvic bone while Issy sat on top of her. </p>The nurses removed Abby and took her to the nursery while I rested. And rest I did... I relaxed and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">relaxed</span>. From <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">everything</span> that I had read about twin births, the second one seemed to "glide out effortlessly". Five minutes before midnight my OB reminded me, "You have 5 minutes if you want these babies to have the same birthday". I sighed and said, "I can't... I'm too tired."<br /><br />I closed my eyes and just relaxed. I needed to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">recuperate</span>. I wanted to meet my second baby, but I also wanted to sleep - little did I know that this was no longer something I would be able to do for a long while. At a quarter after midnight, my OB told me that I was (for lack of better words) closing up. My cervix was closing and I needed to start the labor process again. As I had prepared for a natural birth, I had requested to spur the labor on by natural methods... one which included nipple stimulation. My OB, an advocate of my wishes, told me to start stimulating. I reached for my nipple and started rubbing it between my thumb and my middle finger. After all these folks had seen of me, I had lost all modesty and... shall I say it... self-respect? And while I was determined to have these girls as naturally as possible, I really didn't have the energy or desire to stimulate myself. Especially in that sitution... the mood wasn't right. No candle, no soft music... how could I turn myself on?<br /><br /><br />So... Pitosin it was... Bring it on. Help me deliver sweet Isabelle to this world. They started the Pitosin to help revigurate the contractions. And revigurate they did!!! The contractions came back full blast! I laid there, experiencing an immense tightening senstation in the deepest of my guts... wanting to feel that sweet release again. My husband grabbed my legs at the knees and pulled them as close to my head as they could possibly reach and I pushed with all my exhausted might. I pushed and pushed (okay, I admit, I was super lazy at this point) and nothing.<br /><br /><br />In the hour or so that I was pushing with Isabelle, we had a number of interupptions. I didn't care to notice who was popping in our room, but I remember hearing my OB saying, "Yes... we're still at it..." "Yes, this is just like the good old days..." "No, we're not going anywhere right now...". I thank God for my OB.<br /><br /><br />At a little after 1 am, my OB told me to "get serious or she was going to have to cut me open." That was all the motivation I needed. I waited until the next contraction had waved over and my husband pulled my legs to way up over my head. I again tapped into my Bradley instructor, breathed in and pushed as hard as I could. Through the screams and grunts, I felt an emreging occur... Fire down below! Again my insides felt as if they might rip open, but I pushed through with all the might I could muster. "She's crowing". I gathered up any energy I could find... my elbows were hiding some... "She's almost here". And then PUSH as hard as possible... and then the sweet release. The sweet release was very messy. Lots of fluid... lots of blood... but oh so grand! At 1:09 am, the next day, Isabelle made her entrance into the world.<br /><br /><br />While there were complications after the birth, nothing prevented me from nursing my babies and being their mama. A wild ride at the hospital turned into an even more wild ride at home... but I have survived and am looking forward to telling my "war stories". More to come...jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-53204746129464144102011-03-23T23:51:00.005-04:002011-03-24T00:12:00.591-04:00Silent momentsIt's almost midnight and I am tired. I should have been in bed hours ago, but I'm still awake. Why? Because I hear... silence. It's such a beautiful thing these day. All day long I hear noise. I wake to babies crying or alarm blasting. I snooze, comfort, change diapers, make juice, read books, prepare breakfast, brew coffee, feed babies, sing songs, clean babies, change diapers, stack rings, shower (ahh.......), do hair, choose clothes, read books, drive to work, make calls, meet with chatty people, read emails, answer emails, make calls, write things, repeat last 4, repeat again (and for another couple hours), drive home on the phone, get home, say hellos, change diapers, play games, connect, prepare dinner, feed babies, play peek-a-boo, wash babies, dress babies, read books, sing lullabys, pray for no crying... then wash dishes, sweep floor, pick up toys, grab something to eat while I'm folding laundry, wash more dishes, clean poop out of the tub, boil soiled toys, feed the cat, check emails, brush teeth, wash face... and done... in bed... out for the count...<br /><br />But I'm needing a minute to myself right now... I know I'm going to pay for it in the morning. But this minute or two, is mine. I am going to cherish it.jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-81471235850863501082010-08-08T14:52:00.010-04:002010-08-08T16:06:39.769-04:00Beautiful Day for a StrollThe girls are following a pretty good schedule these days. They take an am nap and a pm nap - both about 1.5 - 2 hours long, usually at the same time, if not within 30 minutes from each other. So there is a 2-3 hour window between their naps where I like to do something fun with them. Today I decided it was a nice day to stroll to the playground.<br /><br />The playground we like to go to is about 1.5 miles from our house, but it is nice because it has two baby swings (about the only thing the girls can do at the playground these days) and it is located right on the intracoastal waterway, covered by big oaks draped in Spanish moss - beautiful.<br /><br />The girls like to walk. They are usually very quiet and observant on their walks. Mommy likes the walks too. It's a good time to clear my head and enjoy the outdoors. This walk is especially nice because we go through a beautiful neighborhood and I daydream about living in one of the gorgeous house with wrap-around porches and marsh-views. There are usually other people strolling about - riding their bikes, walking their dogs or babies and are usually all very friendly. About two blocks from the park Abby starts fussing and I know from experience that this is not a short-lived fussing. She's getting tired and likes to be held at this point. Knowing we have only two blocks to go, I leave her in the stroller and pick up the pace. I know it will totally be worth it to her once she's swinging in the breeze.<br /><br />50 feet from the park she's screaming at the top of her lungs, so I give into her demands and pull her out of the stroller. Not because she has me wrapped around her little finger, but because I don't want to disturb the folks who are enjoying their afternoon in the park (I try to convince myself).<br /><br />We get to the swings and I put them both in and push - Whee!!! Issy loves it and squeals with delight. Abby is quiet, but clearly annoyed that I thought she may enjoy something so juvenile as swinging. We swing for a few minutes and I look around the park and notice it is usually quiet. I wonder where everyone is this beautiful afternoon. Then I look up at a dark sky - uh oh...<br /><br />Back in the stroller the girls go and to my relief Abby stays quiet. I estimate that if I walk fast, I can make it home in 15 minutes. Two blocks away from the park, Abby (in true Abby-fashion)starts wailing again and then I feel the drops. I start jogging - the BOB performs perfectly - but my wet flip flops do not. I squeeze my big toes against my second toes as I jog so that the flops stay on. This is very uncomfortable and I'm sure it looks awkward. But I'm running in the rain with a crying baby, so I'm sure it fits the scene.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Issy is just enjoying the ride. Thank God for Issy.<br /><br />About half-way home, I reason that the rain isn't that bad (it was a medium-sprinkle) and take Abby from the stroller. She is instantly quiet and seems to enjoy the rain drops. Nice. Issy content in the stroller, Abby content on my hip, Mama content with the silence. Plus, the wet little baby hugging my arm feels nice.<br /><br />I wave to some homeowners and joke about the "princess" who would rather get wet then sit in the stroller. They laugh, I laugh, good times. I notice an unusually large flying insect on the back of Abby's head and try to wave it away. It seems "stuck" so I get a little nervous and try to flick it off. It flies away but immediately comes right back - buzzing and mad. I start waving my hand around my girl and the little sh*t keeps trying to land on her. It finally happens upon my shoulder and OUCH! It bit me!<br /><br />Well, now I get scared that it is going to bite Abby, so I start to walk faster. I hear the insect buzzing from ear to ear and I try to shoo it away. Well, I have one hand holding Abby and the other is flailing uncontrollably around me and my baby. I realize that I have let go off the stroller that is holding Issy and that it is now rolling away and heading straight for a ditch. (All of this is in plain view of the homeowners).<br /><br />I run towards the stroller, grab it just in time, and keep running as fast as I can with a baby bouncing on my hip. The damn bug follows us. I am not a violent person by nature, but at that moment, if I would have had a mini shotgun, I would have shoved it down his tiny gullet and gleefully pulled the trigger.<br /><br />I keep running with Abby in one hand while the other hand goes from pushing the stroller to waving around our heads like a mad woman, back to pushing the stroller. I bet looking at it from the outside, it was quite comical.<br /><br />As I approach our home, the rain stops (ha ha). I walk in the house with two bites on my shoulder, one bite on my neck, one sleeping baby and one very wet baby. Luckily both babies escaped any bug bites.<br /><br />It was quite an adventure (man, I need to get a life), but totally worth it, right?<br /><br /><br /><div align="center">Issy - "Totally worth it." </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 213px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 160px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503131462582883378" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/TF8M6IuHVDI/AAAAAAAAAHc/RsQwOa-UJXM/s320/issy-swing+08072010.jpg" /><br /><div align="center">Abby - "Totally not worth it."<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 213px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 160px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503130864080714706" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/TF8MXTIE-9I/AAAAAAAAAHU/DjIXT36MGiM/s320/abby-swing+08072010.jpg" /></div>jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-6447901411266920602010-07-15T19:00:00.001-04:002010-07-15T19:55:52.588-04:00Bare Necessities (0-3 Months)I had the hardest time registering for baby items. How was I supposed to know what I/we needed!? And of course, all of the retail stores are right there to help you through the process - with a list of 200+ items that you will "definitely need". And having twins was even more difficult because you don't necessarily need two of everything and - being the budget-conscious mama that I am - I really didn't want to buy anything that I didn't need or wasn't going to use... imagine that...<br /><br />So, I have compiled a list of items that were completely necessary for us during the first three months. Hope it helps.<br /><br />CLOTHES<br />- footed pajamas - lots of them (weather appropriate)<br />- t-shirts (that snap)<br />- socks<br />- swaddles<br />- hats<br />- blankets<br /><br />I am not a fashionista. Although I love to see my girls all dressed up and looking cute, it was not worth the hassle the first few months (it might have been different if I only had one). Save the cute outfits for when they are older and for when you are out and about more often. Besides, babies are the cutest when wearing nothing at all.<br /><br />Since it was winter when the girls were born, for the first few months, they lived in footie pajamas. I liked the snap ones because you could unsnap from the waist down when changing a diaper - this way their little chest/belly stayed warm. But the zip pajamas are the quickest and easiest! We ended up dressing the girls in a t-shirt and socks and then putting the zip pjs overtop.<br /><br />Things to think about: it is no fun trying to pull a baby's head through a top - for you or the baby. Look for clothes that you can put on around the baby instead of pull over.<br /><br />Swaddles were an absolute must for us. The girls would not fall asleep without being wrapped up as tight as a burrito. We tried a few different kinds of blankets and swaddles, but ended up really liking Kiddapotamus (which is now Summer) organic swaddleme. It was super easy to wrap and the girls couldn't Houdini themselves out of it. If you end up using blankets, the thermal (waffle) blankets seemed to work best for us - good mix of stretchy and soft.<br /><br />SLEEP<br />- swaddles<br />- co-sleeper/ pack-n-play<br />- vibrating chair/ swing<br />- infant carrier<br />- white noise<br />- a king size bed (queen works too, but king is best...)<br /><br />I remember during my pregnancy, I would tell people "the girls will sleep in a pack-n-play next to our bed for the first few months, and then they will graduate to the crib..." Ha ha ha... So easy, right?<br /><br />The first night home from the hospital was quite an eye opener for us. We played musical beds all night long, in and out of a dream state. They went from the pack-n- play to the swing to the vibrating chair to our bed back to the pack-n-play and around again. For the first few weeks, night time sleep worked best in their infant carriers in the living room while Daddy snoozed in the bedroom. Then we moved the infant carriers into the pack-n-play in the bedroom, but the girls pretty much ended up in our bed most of the night and Daddy spent many nights in the guest bedroom.<br /><br />While the girls (and their parents) were figuring out the best place to snooze, there were some constants that were a must. They seemed to like the environment that was most womb-like... tight quarters (swaddled and nestled in their bed), white noise like a fan or the noises from the vibrating chair (apparently the womb is as loud as a vacuum - who knew!?), some movement or vibration (swing/vibrating chair) and in close proximity to the milk.<br /><br />The girls seemed to prefer the vibrating chairs over the swing and we liked the Boppy chair the best. We also had a Fisher Price vibrating chair, but it didn't bounce in addition to vibrating (which ended up being helpful) and we would always trip over the base of it. Stubbing your toe is no good when you are trying to deal with one (or two) crying infants... on less than 4 hours of sleep.<br /><br />EAT<br />- a boob (or two)<br />- boppy pillow (or two)<br />- nursing cream<br />- breast pump ?<br />- bottles<br />- spit up cloths<br /><br />Breastfeeding twins has its challenges, but can be done! You'll have to figure out if feeding them one at a time or together works for you, but a Boppy pillow helps either way. I was lucky and didn't have many issues bfeeding, but I did need some nursing cream the first few weeks while my nipples adjusted. My friend got me a jar of Earth Mama * Angel Baby Natural Nipple Butter and it worked wonders. It is completely organic and was completely effective for me.<br /><br />I wanted to make sure that my girls continued to have as much breastmilk as possible when I returned to work so we splurged on a pump. We got the Mac-Daddy Medela FreeStyle which is worth the price – I justify the cost because without it, we would have spent more on formula in the last 7 months. So – it depends on how long you plan on breastfeeding, but it is so convenient! Hands free so you can sit at your desk and answer emails while you are pumping away! In fact, I am pumping as I type this!!!<br /><br />POOP<br />- diapers<br />- wipes<br />- diaper cream<br />- changing table<br /><br />I had lofty goals of using cloth diapers for my girls, but we haven’t gotten there yet. When registering for baby items, make sure you include plenty of size 1 and 2 diapers as you will go through them quickly! We have always used Pampers diapers and wipes (we started out with Pampers Sensitive for both) and the girls haven’t has any major issues. They did need diaper cream a few times when a few rash bumps would appear, but a little slather of Boudreaux’s Natural Butt Paste would do the trick!<br /><br />CRY<br />- pacifier<br />- infant wrap/ sling<br />- your arms<br /><br />Babies cry... a lot... if they are tired; use the tips in the sleeping section. If they are hungry, use the tips in the eating section. If they are both well-rested and well-fed and they have a clean diaper, then they just need love. We used pacifiers for the first couple weeks, and then the girls didn’t want them anymore. They liked to be held. All the time. You’ll learn how to do a lot of things while holding a baby. I am quite handy with only one hand! A sling is nice because it can leave your hands free to get stuff done around the house, while baby is nestled comfortably next to you. I really like the Moby wrap – but it lies… I never did figure out how to carry both babies in it…<br /><br />BATH<br />- bath tub<br />- soap/shampoo<br />- wash cloths<br />- baby towels<br /><br />Until the baby’s belly button falls off, you won’t be washing him/her underwater, so you don’t need much but water and soap. We just gave our girls sponge-baths on a towel. But once the tip falls off (gross question of the day – keep or throw away their belly button stub?) then I recommend bath time! My girls loved it and it would calm them down and wear them out! We didn’t/ don’t use any lotions (their skin is soft enough!) but the cleanser we used was a soap/shampoo combo – California Baby Calming Shampoo and Bodywash. It smells so good – like clean sweet baby. <br /><br />TRAVEL<br />- infant carrier<br />- car bases<br />- infant carrier stroller<br /><br />It is quite difficult to bounce around town with two infants. While all of my other mama friends were going out to lunch or running errands with their newborn, I was either stuck at home with the girls (wailing - me and the girls) or driving around with the girls (sobbing - again, me and the girls). (Okay, okay it wasn't that bad, but there were those days...)<br /><br />The times that I did feel some sort of relief is when I would take the girls for a walk or drive. It seemed to calm them and give me a moment to clear my head and get out of the house. It wasn't often the first few weeks since it was winter and I was a new mom scared of my newborn girls catching a cold, but once we realized that the fresh air knocked them out, the walks (or drives) became a daily occurrence.<br /><br />I scored a Baby Trend Double Snap-n-Go for cheap at a consignment sale and we got the Baby Trend Infant Carriers and bases to go along with them. It was a little bit of a hassle snapping the girls in, but I would suggest not spending a lot of money on this system. The girls have almost grown out of it.<br /><br />Good luck to all of the new and soon-to-be parents out there! It’s an exciting, trying, exhausting and thrilling time… and it is completely worth it!jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-87609886929522921682010-05-10T20:20:00.003-04:002010-05-10T20:57:30.239-04:00Mama BlessedWhat's better than being a mama? Being appreciated for being a mama!!! We celebrated my first mother's day yesterday and I received the best presents!<br />1. Abby slept through the night for the first time!!!<br />2. Damon gave me some beautiful flowers and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">a gift</span> certificate for a spa day! Heavenly bliss - here I come!<br />3. My sister wrote me a note which hugged my heart. She said it was okay to share, so here it goes:<br />"So many changes in the last 365 days! This year I have watched you transform from a Free Bird to a Sick Pup, a Social Butterfly, a Busy Busy Bee, a Hungry Hungry Hippo, a Leaky Cow... and now, best of all, into a Mother Goose and when necessary, a Mama Lion. Throughout all the morphing, you never complained, regretted, rejected responsibility or requested something different. You embraced it all and lived in every moment 100%. You took all of the classes, questioned all the classes; read all the books, questioned all the books. You even stuck to your guns about surviving the labor drug-free and 100% focused. You are truly an amazing mother just like I knew you'd be. That is why God gave you two. "jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-78090273935232341342010-04-29T12:22:00.000-04:002010-04-29T20:29:44.336-04:00Feeding MachineI pumped in a utility closet the other day. Sitting in there on a cold chair, stuffing my face with my lunch, my breasts exposed and my pump grunting away, I thought, "is this really my life?" Seriously? This is not what I envisioned when I used to dream about becoming a mother.jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-76417672968559272382010-01-16T13:40:00.003-05:002010-01-16T13:46:59.621-05:002010: Blogging out, Facebook In (for now)I can't believe it has been 6 weeks since my little ones were born. I have meant to blog about them - I have so many stories already! But it seems like everytime I sit down to type, there is a baby to feed or a diaper to change. This parenting stuff is kinda tough - mad props to all the moms out there - and the dads...<br /><br />Eventually, I will have more time to share stories about the girls, but in the meantime, I am only able to share quick updates/pictures on facebook. If you are interested, feel free to add me as a friend to keep up to date with the goings on of our lil ones and motherhood. <a href="http://www.facebook.com/jennychick">www.facebook.com/jennychick</a>jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-5596478681438133382009-12-13T07:24:00.018-05:002009-12-13T08:01:16.261-05:00Hello Girls! Goodbye Silence!Silence. Ahhh. I don't think I really ever knew how absolutely beautiful silence can be until I became a Mom. Actually, I don't think I ever really knew what that word meant until now.<br /><br /><div>We welcomed our two little blessings into the world last weekend. Determined to be individuals right from the start, they were born on different days. Abigail Posey graced us with her presence on Saturday, December 5 and Isabelle Mae arrived an hour and a half later, on December 6.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The girls are healthy, beautiful and such tiny little miracles. Please help us welcome our little girls.<br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div align="center">Abigail Posey</div><div align="center">Born: December 5, 11:35 pm</div><div align="center">Weight: 4 lbs, 14 oz</div><div align="center">Height: 18 1/2"</div><br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414704186247592386" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/SyTkxOEbucI/AAAAAAAAAHE/nhaZejPDNNM/s320/Damon+Feeding+Abby.jpg" /><br /><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">Isabelle Mae</div><div align="center">Born: December 6, 1:09 am<br />Weight: 6 lbs, 10 oz<br />Height: 19 1/2"</div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414703246858302562" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/SyTj6ikktGI/AAAAAAAAAG8/gUooGIEBw4E/s320/babybird.jpg" /><br /><br /><div align="center"></div>jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-23957946065900973572009-12-04T08:04:00.005-05:002009-12-04T09:40:55.646-05:00Like mama, like babiesRemember how I said that these little girls must have more manners than their mama? Well, I take that back. They are spirited, willful little ones who are making sure they let me know from the get-go who is in control. No matter what I do to try to trigger labor, they hold fast, saying "No thanks... we'll let you know when <strong><em>we're</em></strong> ready."<br /><br />We've tried everything: drinking red raspberry leaf tea, eating spicy foods, walking, walking, walking, doing that thing that got us here in the first place... and nothing. Except I do feel tiny little jumps in my belly that I am <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">beginning</span> to think are little giggles and not hiccups. Our latest attempt is reverse psychology. We told them that we don't want them to come out anymore. Just go ahead and stay in their forever. Daddy and I will sell all your clothes and toys and take a vacation. I think they are calling our bluff...jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-81672928902821870862009-11-30T17:29:00.007-05:002009-11-30T17:56:24.866-05:00Birthday ThievesMy sister seems to think that I like to steal holidays, specifically birthdays, from people. On her 21st birthday I graduated from college. My husband proposed to me on my brother's 30<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> birthday. This is why we were certain that the girls would arrive on Thanksgiving - to "steal" (I like to think "add to") another holiday. But no. Apparently they aren't like their mama. These little girls must have more manners than me, so they stayed quiet and allowed everyone to enjoy their Thanksgiving holiday at home.<br /><br />This Thursday, the girls will be 39 weeks. The ideal time to deliver twins is between 36 and 38 weeks, but we are trying our best to intervene as little as possible. We'd like the girls to come when they are ready. We had an appointment this afternoon to check their status and to talk about inducing. I am almost 100% effaced and almost 4 cm dilated - which is about 1 cm more than last week. My OB was surprised the girls hadn't made their grand entrance yet. Damon and I shared her sentiment. We talked about inducing, the risks/benefits, and decided to give the girls one more week to come on their own. Then we went ahead and scheduled a day to induce if they decide to continue baking - next Tuesday, December 8.<br /><br />Oh, and that's also my sister's 29th birthday.jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-27530500240188463382009-11-29T09:26:00.017-05:002009-11-29T10:15:13.943-05:00Wonderland RoomTo keep from going insane, I am trying to stay busy with little things around the house. The Christmas decorations are up, the house is clean, and I've already gotten a head start on my Christmas cards. And, the nursery is almost complete! I haven't really stressed about getting the nursery completely done before the girls get here because from what I've seen from my friends, the babies don't spend a whole lot of time in the nursery the first couple of weeks. Plus - I don't think they really care if the wood on the glider matches the crib wood.<br /><br />But, I am happy with how their little room is coming together and want to show it off to you. I wanted something <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">girly</span>, but not too "dainty" - more "funky and fun". I found the perfect pattern at a fabric shop that everything else plays off of. The fabric is called "Wonderland" and was inspired by Alice in Wonderland.<br /><br />So, here's a picture of the nursery as it looks today:<br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409534849314840946" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/SxKHSNWB4XI/AAAAAAAAAGE/ChlZR9dAtXA/s320/DSC01935.JPG" /> </p><p>Two cribs - can you believe it!? My mom and I made the bedding for the cribs. I plan on painting something on the wall above the cribs. Perhaps a twin quote and bring in some design of the fabric?<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409535526219948194" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/SxKH5nAyIKI/AAAAAAAAAGM/piUj2KFGX3Y/s320/Copy+of+DSC01936.JPG" /><br />Here is the nursing/reading area. The glider was m<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">y first Cr</span>aigslist purchase - I love it, but am not happy about the wood color. The girls may not mind that it doesn't match, but mama is going to change that one of these days. The shelves will quickly fill up with framed pictures and little girl books. Daddy's already practiced readin<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">g them "Pink</span>alicious".<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409535533090093634" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/SxKH6AmwOkI/AAAAAAAAAGc/ZKCfV6Wvoi0/s320/Copy+of+DSC01938.JPG" /><br />I found this dresser at the best thrift store in the world, Goodwill (shameless plug) and sanded/painted it and changed the knobs to fit the Wonderland theme. Daddy built the box for the changing pad and even carved a heart in it! How precious.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409535528745386610" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/SxKH5wa5QnI/AAAAAAAAAGU/2RzUonVMZo0/s320/Copy+of+DSC01937.JPG" /><br />My mom made these creative, adorable quilts for me, well, for the girls actually... and I love them! They a<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">re th</span>e perfect blend of girly and funky! And they are extra large so that the girls can use them well into their toddler years!<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409535541342247874" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/SxKH6fWOG8I/AAAAAAAAAGk/8Zw6uCUngsU/s320/Copy+of+DSC01939.JPG" /></p>jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-72601896482972499612009-11-25T08:06:00.006-05:002009-11-25T08:13:55.185-05:00WaitingSo, I thought that Monday was going to be the day. Then I was certain it was going to happen Tuesday. But no, it's going to be today... I'm just sure of it. C'mon girls... no pressure or anything.jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-26834992854465959452009-11-21T07:44:00.011-05:002009-11-21T09:25:29.225-05:00Full-term BabiesSo, the girls have made it to full-term. Hallelujah! I can't believe that I am going to be a mom in the next week or so. It's so surreal. As you can tell from this blog, I have <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">thoroughly</span> enjoyed my pregnancy and think a part of me will miss those little buggers in my belly. It's nice to have them so close.<br /><br />But... I can't wait to meet them. I can't wait to hold them and kiss them and sniff their little heads. I can't wait to dress them up in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">girly</span> outfits and put flowery headbands on them. I can't wait to see my husband melt with them in his arms. I can't wait to watch him inspect and admire every little inch on their bodies like he does when he gets a new pair of shoes he really likes.<br /><br />I know we have a challenging road in front of us, but I'm not scared. I am excited! <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Any day</span> now...<br /><br />And here are the 37 week belly pictures.<br /><br /><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406541329707649826" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/SwfksbyxSyI/AAAAAAAAAFs/M_5V-avhvZg/s320/37+weeks+side.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406542707742656354" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/Swfl8pX6x2I/AAAAAAAAAF0/Rr-gCTAssuQ/s320/37+weeks+front.JPG" /><br />And Damon's favorite angle: </p><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406544832589542114" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/Swfn4VC5MuI/AAAAAAAAAF8/FJokLgWebpE/s320/37+weeks.JPG" /></p>jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-14926105808531043002009-11-17T06:13:00.003-05:002009-11-17T06:21:27.379-05:00The great questionSo, everyone keeps asking me when the babies are going to arrive. I wish I had an answer, but one thing I have DEFINITELY learned during this pregnancy is that you can't plan for anything. Okay, well, you can plan, but you better have a plan B, C, D, E, F and G.<br /><br />So, I am going to turn the question back on you - when do YOU think the babies will come? We're placing bets now... Here is some information to level the playing field:<br /><br />- My official 40 week due date is December 10.<br />- Most twins come early and most doctors want twins delivered by 38 weeks (November 26). My doctor suggested inducing if they don't come by Thanksgiving.<br />- My last appointment was last Wednesday. I was one day shy of 36 weeks, 80% effaced and 1 cm <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">dilated</span>.<br />- I am a Leo, my husband is a Pisces and the girls will be Scorpios if delivered before November 21, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Sagittarius</span> if delivered on or after... (only relevant to those who are a little kooky, like my mom, sister and me).<br /><br />Place your bets now! Don't forget to include the day and two times (Baby A and Baby B)...jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-39007156669662547942009-11-10T19:02:00.001-05:002009-11-10T19:04:51.251-05:00Body Changes Part 2I have wanted to be <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">pregnant</span> for as long as I can remember. I have always thought that a pregnant woman is so beautiful - so pure - so just... radiant. Now, at almost 36 weeks pregnant and 50 pounds later, I feel like I have some of the beauty of a pregnant woman, but I am more aware of the incredible changes that have taken place in my body. Here are the big changes:<br /><br />1. <strong>My feet</strong>. As you can see from the picture in the previous blog, I am experiencing "slight" swelling in my feet and ankles... My feet are like little loaves of bread - the only thing I can shove them in are my flip flops which barely fit. Seriously - when did flip flops become uncomfortable!? The good news is that they are not like that all the time and the swelling does go down when I rest and put them up.<br /><br />2. <strong>My thighs</strong>. My left and right thigh recently met each other and apparently hit it off really well. They are now best friends and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">inseparable</span>.<br /><br />3. <strong>My stomach</strong> (obviously). I feel really lucky that I haven't gotten any stretch marks yet (cross my fingers, knock on wood, spin twice and kiss the head of a penny). But then I have friends who like to ruin it by telling me that I'll see them once my stomach goes back to "normal". But it is amazing how much your belly can swell and your skin can stretch. Absolutely amazing.<br /><br />4. <strong>My skin</strong>. With all of the stretching and swelling, it's no wonder that I have extremely dry, sensitive skin. But what I think is funny is all of the little skin tags that have popped up in random places on my body.<br /><br />5. <strong>My belly button</strong>. I don't even know what to say about this one... will it ever look the same again!?<br /><br />6. <strong>My behind</strong>. Ugh. I don't even like to look back there if I don't have to. It's a mess. I just keep telling myself that I'll worry about it after I have two healthy, beautiful girls. Because once they're here, I'll have all the time in the world to work on it... right?jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-73028002072022640282009-11-05T15:08:00.001-05:002009-11-05T15:08:00.562-05:00Body Changes Part 1My next blog is going to describe in detail the changes that I have seen in my body over the past 35 weeks. I was about to finish it and post it and then thought of the old saying, "a picture tells a thousand words" and decided to post this:<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400668933163318146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/SvMHx96v-4I/AAAAAAAAAFk/5pTFwRJJrgA/s320/cankles.JPG" border="0" />No... this is not a still shot from Shallow Hal, this is a picture of my ankles (or lack thereof, otherwise known as cankles) after an event last week. So sexy!jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-6162172021318683872009-10-31T05:14:00.001-04:002009-10-31T05:51:48.194-04:0040 Weeks of GeniusHere I am... up again for my 4 am feeding... whoever planned this whole 40 weeks of being pregnant must have known what they were doing, because I don't think it could be any more perfect...<br /><br />First trimester - you are completely wiped out. This allows you to slow down from "normal life". Your body rejects anything that may be unhealthy and craves nutrients for your baby/<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">ies</span>. You change your schedule to allow for more naps and rest up because it's going to be a long 40 weeks - but everything is new and exciting so you are ready!<br /><br />Second trimester - you feel awesome. Life is great. You have just enough "bump" to look pregnant (and not like you've been enjoying too many <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">fudgesicles</span>), but not too much bump so that it prevents you from tying your shoe. You feel your baby/<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">ies</span> kicking, dancing and love each movement. Your energy levels are back to normal and you love being pregnant. You have a healthy glow and everyone comments on how good pregnancy looks on you. This is the time you remember next time you talk about getting pregnant.<br /><br />Third trimester - you are uncomfortable. You pee every half hour, but always feel like its time to go again. Your hands and feet are swollen and ache. You sleep in increments (probably to prepare you for life with baby/<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">ies</span>) and never truly fall into a deep sleep so you live in a fog during the day (on top of pregnancy brain). You still feel your baby/<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">ies</span>, but feel them clawing at your bladder, kicking you in gut and trying to bury themselves under your ribs. People no longer tell you how good you look pregnant but make comments on "how big you've gotten" and how "it looks like you are about to pop".<br /><br />Now, I have really enjoyed these past 34 weeks and have loved being pregnant, but I think it is necessary for me to feel a little uncomfortableness now... One, as I said before, I think it is preparing me for life with babies and two, if I didn't, I'd probably want to keep these little girls in my belly forever!jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-39361481667591413202009-10-03T08:07:00.006-04:002009-10-03T08:13:47.984-04:00Too Little, Too Late UpdateHello everyone! I apologize for the delay in posts, but I just got back from visiting my friends/family in NOVA, where they threw me a wonderful baby shower! (I'll post a blog/pics soon) I had to cut the trip short because I was having trouble sleeping and was really exhausted, but I loved all of the time I was able to spend with everyone!<br /><br />Quick update: Babies turned 30 weeks last Thursday and according to our last ultrasound (this past Monday), they are developing on track and weigh 3 pounds each!!! I can't believe I have 6 pounds of baby in my belly! Except, they remind me of that on an hourly basis :)<br /><br /><br />Here's an updated pic of the big bulge... now we're looking pregnant!<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388345389150287906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 233px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 304px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/Ssc_lS9quCI/AAAAAAAAAFc/g0Fd8wOZCwg/s320/30+weeks+preggo.jpg" border="0" />jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-55651140863773429992009-09-23T06:19:00.002-04:002009-09-23T06:21:44.532-04:00Stating the ObviousOne thing I've learned during my pregnancy is that I'm not a fan of modern doctors. It seems like whenever I tell them about something that's bothering me, they write me a prescription. I think it's so funny to hear "When diet and exercise fail, take (insert pill here)". Well, it's not diet and exercise that fail... it's people who fail at diet and exercise. Constipation? Here - take this stool <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">softener</span>. Leg Cramps? Tylenol is fine to take. Delivery pains? Here's your epidural.<br /><br />Now before I continue on this blog I want to make one small disclaimer. I do not judge anyone for the decisions that they make during pregnancy/labor/delivery. Everyone is entitled to their own experience, whatever that may be. And, I know that you can't even attempt to plan any little bit of your pregnancy/labor/delivery and that all my "birth preferences" may fly out of the window as soon as I start labor.<br /><br />With that being said, I would like my experience to be as natural and drug-free as possible. Its a personal choice and one that I feel strongly about. Before I knew I was carrying twins, Damon and I had already chosen a birth center to deliver. I have always liked the idea of a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">water birth</span> and while he had issues with possible floating poop in the tub, he did really enjoy the environment and agreed this was the place to bring our child into the world.<br /><br />Then... things changed for us when we saw two little ones on that first ultrasound. Twin pregnancy automatically put me into the high-risk category and meant I had to (legally and for insurance purposes) deliver at a hospital. I had been going to the same <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">OBGYN</span> for years and while I liked her enough to violate me once a year, I wasn't sure how comfortable I was with her delivering my babies. So, I reached out to my local friends to get recommendations for good <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">OBs</span>.<br /><br />We decided to meet each one for an "interview" of sorts and then see which one we connected best with. Funny thing? Doctors are NOT used to being "interviewed". Some seemed almost offended that I wouldn't just automatically choose their practice. Some were cut from my list just because of their rude staff. I don't consider myself a "high-<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">maintenance</span>" person, but I wasn't willing to deal with an unhappy employee throughout the rest of my pregnancy, especially with my out of whack hormones.<br /><p>But my favorite interview was with one particular doctor. The interview started off well enough, she seemed friendly enough and we seemed to connect with her. Then we began asking questions regarding her thoughts of twin birth. I told her that it was important for me to try to have the twins naturally and she stared at me with a blank expression. "I understand the risks (blah blah blah) and that there is a 50/50 chance that the twins will be delivered by C-section, depending on what happens throughout my pregnancy, but I would like to prepare for a natural birth..." I continued. </p><p>She looked at me like I had three heads and said slowly, "Childbirth is <strong><em>really</em></strong> painful."</p><p>Seriously? Wow. I was really glad she told me that. I can't believe I hadn't heard that before - I mean, what did I almost get myself into? </p><p>I was floored. That's like telling someone who is training for a marathon that running really sucks - only that person doing the telling is the physical trainer.</p><p>Needless to say, we didn't end up with her. After a couple more visits with my original OBGYN, we realized that she was the one to deliver our babies. She's blunt enough to tell me that "Yeah (and she'd probably even throw a "sh*t yeah" in there), childbirth is painful." but she'd follow it up with a "but women have been doing it drug free for centuries and you can too."<br /></p>jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-7568744796131086252009-09-17T17:45:00.003-04:002009-09-17T21:15:48.242-04:00Random Thought ThursdayMy babies turned 28 weeks today!!! Hello Third Trimester! We have entered the final phase...<br /><br />Today's Random Thought:<br /><br />If babies start developing their personalities in the womb, then is there an astrological sign for the date that they were conceived? I wonder if there are any similarities in babies conceived in March vs another month... kind of like there are similarities/generalities about babies born in March or Pisces babies...jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-2557271568760701722009-09-13T21:55:00.000-04:002009-09-13T21:56:01.767-04:00Everybody was kung-fu fightingSo, the girls have learned kung-fu...<br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div>Lordy, lordy. My little girls are active as jumping beans! In fact, sometimes I think there has to be more than two in there! Rarely does an hour go by without a little kick or roll. And I absolutely love each movement! Whether it is the little popcorn pops, the behind poking out of my side, the big kicks, the alien-like rolls or the little punches to my bladder - each one tells me that my girls are learning, growing and love to dance! They get that from both their mommy and their daddy.</div><div></div><br /><div>On another note, the girls are getting really big - which translates to a big old belly on Jen. Before it gets grossly large, Damon and I decided to have some pictures taken together. I have included a few for you to enjoy. Enjoy!</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381133038253690466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/Sq2f_OI6zmI/AAAAAAAAAE0/tl-VIuUYWiw/s320/GW1_6030.jpg" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381133489020102578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/Sq2gZdYAZ7I/AAAAAAAAAE8/Vr5EGdzRjXM/s320/GW1_6054.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381134678126277218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/Sq2herJAsmI/AAAAAAAAAFE/SECzEI4H8sg/s320/GW1_6039.jpg" border="0" /></div></div></div></div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381135156289302402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/Sq2h6gb9b4I/AAAAAAAAAFM/dOygW1Eq5d4/s320/GW1_6029.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381135468591807330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/Sq2iMr2re2I/AAAAAAAAAFU/pvl96IPz62Q/s320/GW1_6047.JPG" border="0" />jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-42323791921267181712009-09-11T17:30:00.006-04:002009-09-11T17:39:29.996-04:00Random Thought ThursdayOkay, so it's totally not Thursday, but I promise, I thought of this yesterday. I'm sorry I've been such a slacker when it comes to this blog... I'm just so tired from carrying around an extra 30 pounds every day! Another promise: I will post an update blog this weekend to let you know how the girls are.<br /><br />Today's Random Thought:<br /><br />I'm really happy that the dot.com geniuses decided to use "dot" instead of "period" when the developed websites. Can you imagine if you had to say www period jenny dash chick period blogspot period com? Not only does it have too many syllables, it just sounds gross.jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-19437512314086289042009-09-03T07:02:00.002-04:002009-09-03T19:21:27.293-04:00Random Thought ThursdayRandom thoughts always pop into my head at the most inopportune time. I think I inherited that ADD gene from my Dad. I'll bring up a serious topic to him, ramble on for 10 minutes and then pause waiting for him to comment. He'll clap his hands and ask "Wanna order a pizza?"<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Anyhoo</span></span>, thought I'd start sharing these random thoughts with you...<br /><br />Today's Random Thought:<br /><br />Don't you feel bad for those little spiders who build a web someplace really inconspicuous like in the corner of your bathroom by the floor? I mean, how many bugs are they going to catch there? Not really a high-traffic area for their dinner...jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-39724367521723126852009-08-23T20:13:00.003-04:002009-08-23T20:25:43.405-04:00Picture Update - Week 24My babies are growing and so is my belly! I took out my belly ring and put in one made of flexible material to wear throughout the rest of the pregnancy. We'll see how long it lasts...<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/SpHbCoTdWJI/AAAAAAAAAEk/JisxoD5TgYw/s1600-h/24+weeks.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373316668654966930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 262px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/SpHbCoTdWJI/AAAAAAAAAEk/JisxoD5TgYw/s320/24+weeks.jpg" border="0" /></a>And here is another view of what my friend Walker named the "bubble gut".<br /><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373318717073484658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 317px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_q_IA0oFHbvk/SpHc53Qfa3I/AAAAAAAAAEs/TWtkgi6dLIM/s320/24+weeks+-+front.jpg" border="0" /></div>jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-961775087704987564.post-89088878018314767332009-08-15T12:21:00.006-04:002009-08-15T12:26:58.250-04:0020-Week Dr Visit: Part 3, The Real DealBefore I start part 3 of the story, I just want to say how truly amazed I am at all of the overwhelming support given to us by our friends, family and complete strangers during this time. I just returned from a conference where I had no access to my blog (ack!) to see 21 comments to my last post… 19 from people I had never met before! I read them this morning with tears streaming down my face. I am overcome with emotions at the beautiful words of encouragement and complete kindness of strangers. Thank you, thank you, thank you. We have found solace knowing that we are not in this alone.<br /><br /><br />---------------------------------------------------<br /><br />Our heads were spinning as we left the hospital. I called my work to let them know that I wasn’t going to be able to make it back that afternoon. I wasn’t ready to face all of the smiling, inquisitive folks who just wanted to know the sexes of the two little ones growing inside of me. I wasn’t prepared to answer. In fact, the last news given to us completely trumped the fact that we were having two little girls. We didn’t send out a massive text… we didn’t post updates to facebook… we didn’t call all of our friends and family to tell them the good news… we just weren’t up for any chatting at that point.<br /><br />After a very silent, uncomfortable lunch at our favorite diner, we went home to process the information. We went back and forth about our options and our feelings on having a child with Down syndrome. I think we talked through all 5 stages of grief that night. At one point, I went into the shower to find some solitude and allow myself to experience every emotion I needed to. I cried to God and prayed for him to give me two healthy little girls without Down syndrome. Then I cursed myself for being so selfish and thinking that way. I was disappointed in myself and ashamed that I didn’t want a child with any disabilities. Because I work with adults with disabilities, I thought “I outta know better” and should completely embrace the news. I thought “I know that a diagnosis of Down syndrome is not a death sentence and that plenty of people live full and happy lives with it. I know that people with Down syndrome are beautiful, loving people who enrich the lives of others. And I know that the relationship that Damon and I have is more solid than stone and that we would be incredible parents with lots of love to give to a special needs child.”<br /><br />Then the pendulum swung the other way and I again begged God not to have a child with Down syndrome. It took me sleeping on it and a lot of praying that night to calm down and accept the possibility. I also started to feel better about my odds and decided to focus on the positive.<br /><br />We’ve decided not to do any genetic testing. To us, it doesn’t matter if one of our babies has any birth defects. We would still have her, raise her and love her unconditionally.<br /><br />We did, however, decide to have my blood tested to get a more accurate “risk” result. The chemical levels in my blood actually decreased the risk for the babies. Baby B now has a 1 in 620 chance and Baby A’s risk has gone down to 1 in 80.<br /><br />Worry, fear and doubt still creep into my head every once in awhile, but I try to push them out and focus on the positive. Worrying about it won’t change anything, fear won’t make things better and doubt won’t allow me to be excited that I am having two precious little girls. So when I start feeling down, I just go out and buy them something adorable. There’s a lot to be said for retail therapy.jenny chickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05836950541106255774noreply@blogger.com20