Tag: future babies

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Pregnancy

Twenty Four Weeks

So I know y’all are sick of this dress, but I was going to a friend’s baby shower & NCSU was playing in the ACC tourney & it’s so comfy {although getting tighter in the middle}. It’s also fun to look back to see the belly growth since I wore it last {at 20 wks}.

infamous Target dress

How far along? 24w2d

Maternity clothes? Yes! All maternity all the time {except for the few longer tops I’ve been able to make work still}.

Weight Gain? Was up 25 lbs as of a couple weeks ago & I haven’t weighed myself since.

Stretch Marks? none yet.

Sleep? Pretty good. I’m getting better at sleeping on my sides.

Movement? Oh yes. Although I can’t always tell from who unless I’m being punched low. I feel them more in the afternoon & evening but husband hasn’t been able to feel them from outside yet.

Genders? A is a boy & C is a girl & we have decided on names :)  {but holding out on posting them until it’s for sure}.

What I Miss? Baby B always. Wearing heels. At a work conference today & I miss heels but am thankful for target’s inexpensive cute flats.

Food cravings? Fruit, yogurt/ice cream, French fries.

Food aversion? I ate at Mexican restaurants twice this past week! I think I’m over that aversion!! But sadly, my all time favorite food, pizza, now gives me heartburn. So I weigh the yumminess vs tums popping factor before eating. Sometimes pizza wins still though.

Labor signs? None, thankfully.

Belly button in or out? In for sure. I try to mask the crater my layering tanks under outfits.

What I’m Looking Forward to? Finishing cleaning out the remaining “office” items from the room & turning it into the nursery!

Weekly Wisdom? Not feeling super wisdom giving this morning after staying up til 2 last night. So maybe its do what you feel like & take advantage of feeling good by having {sober} fun with work friends!

Milestones? Twenty four weeks! My first starred milestone of viability. It’s been highlighted on my calendar from the beginning. It’s a milestone date I’ve been praying for. Do I want the babies to come now? Hell no, but I’m happy knowing that if they did, they’d have a chance. But L & Z, stay in for another 12 weeks, k?!

24 Week Fraternal Twins {from Baby Center}
Categories
Pregnancy

Decisions: Updated

We were leaving the hospital after the 18 week appt when we found out we were now expecting two healthy babies when my husband said “maybe going back to work is now an option”. I cried & we dropped that conversation for weeks.

Last week, I decided I’d actually call around & research local day cares. I’d heard the $1500/mo/child number thrown around from a lot of my friends. Turns out my friends’ kids go to the best {& thus most expensive} day cares in town. $3000/mo in day care is not going to happen for us. After taxes, my insurance, FSA, etc, I’d lose money going back to work at that rate.

But I’ve found, further away from our house, there are a few less expensive day cares. I have three that have made the list for being on the cheaper end {while still being used by people I know & trust} & three on the mid-range end that are also being used by friends. We plan to check them out within the next few weeks as I’ve already been told there will probably be waitlists for September/October entry dates.

So as long as we like one of those six & I’m making money going to work, then the plan now is for me to go back to work after taking as long of a maternity leave as I possibly can {maybe 4 months}. Of course, this could all change based on the health of the babies & myself post-delivery.

I still plan to cloth diaper & breast feed. But with going back to work, a few things might change there. I’d planned to pump in order to build up supply & a stash for bottle feeding, but now I’ll be pumping at work. So I’ll probably just rent the Symphony for a couple months & then go get a double pump I can more easily take to work with me. {advice on which one is appreciated as well as nursing appropriate work clothes}.

I’m going to ask day cares about cloth diapering, but I’m not holding my breath that they’ll go for it. And I won’t let that break my heart. We’ve been given some disposable diapers at showers, so they could end up coming in handy. Then we’ll just cloth diaper at home.

With my plan to go back to work, the need for help from family might also change. My husband works for a Swiss company & he luckily has paternity leave. So we will both be home at the beginning. I’ve heard we’re going to want help then but once we’re both back at work, maybe not? I guess that’ll be something we just have to play by hear. Moms {of multiples & singletons}~ did you have family help you after the babe{s} arrived? If so, for how long?

And like I’ve said before, thanks to super generous friends & family, these babies are spoiled & set with clothes & the almost all of the necessaties. We still have a few things to get before we’re super ready for their arrival. I *might* be keeping my eye on a few fun things at upcoming consignment sales & plan to shop sales for a few splurge items like a second Sophie, double jogger stroller, & an Ergo carrier. Baby shopping is even more fun than adult shopping!

As for vehicles, we’re still selling all three & going bigger SUV/minivan for the babies mobile. One that will comfortably fit us all & all the stuff that will be involved in travelling as a family of four {traveling once they’re bigger is now an option}. And to help husband’s car-loving sanity, he does now have a play vehicle {a super cheap one}.

So that’s updated decisions {for now}. If they change again, I’ll keep y’all updated. Thanks for your advice.

Categories
Pregnancy

Twenty Three Weeks

I took some belly photos Saturday~sorry they’re dark/blurry/in my parent’s bedroom. I meant to take more but forgot!

{Lilly Pulitzer cardigan, Seraphine tunic {post to come}, & H&M leggings}

How far along? 23w2d

Maternity clothes? Yes! All maternity all the time {except I am wearing a normal top under a maternity dress today}.

Weight Gain? Was up 25 lbs as of Wednesday week. Haven’t weighed myself since.

Stretch Marks? none yet.

Sleep? Ok. I woke up at 545a Saturday morning with a crazy cramp in my left calf muscle. It’s still sore today. Maybe I need to stretch my legs out more instead of sleeping with them curled up on pillows?!

Movement? Yes, especially in the afternoons & evenings. Seems like these babes aren’t people people, just like their mom.

Genders? A is a boy & C is a girl & I we have decided on names 🙂 {but holding out on posting them until it’s for sure}.

What I Miss? Baby B always. Margaritas.

Food cravings? Fruit, yogurt, pizza.

Food aversion? I’m actually meeting friends at one of my favorite nicer Mexican restaurants Tuesday night. Here’s hoping it goes well!

Labor signs? No, thankfully.

Belly button in or out? Still an innie but starting to look kinda like a crater. You can now see the top & bottom holes from my HS/college belly button piercing.

What I’m Looking Forward to? At the shower in VA this past weekend {post to come} & with gift cards, I got the rest of the crib sets as well as pretty much most of the necessary items & lots of fun things for the babies. Now I can’t wait to get it all set up in the nursery.

Weekly Wisdom? Enjoy time with family & friends! Rest when you can. Put your feet up & let family pamper you a little ~ enjoy & take advantage of that down time while you can!

Milestones? 23 weeks is so close to that 24 week viability date that I can almost taste it. Baby Center says the babies sense of movement has been developed so they can feel me dance & move around. They weigh about a pound & are over 11 inches long. It says I should start being able to see them move from outside but I haven’t seen that yet. Their ears are more developed so they’re getting used to my everyday sounds.

Categories
Pregnancy

Coworker Friends Baby Shower

Two friends who I’ve worked with since 2004 {wow!}, first in claims then in underwriting & now one’s back in claims, threw the babies & I a shower Saturday week.

Awesome decorations, food & friends!

We decided to keep it small {does intimate sound weird or right here?!} & invited other close past & present work friends. We don’t all still work at the same place, which made it so wonderful to have the chance to gather together for an afternoon for snacks, punch, laughs, baby stories & hugs.

The funny faces of gift-opening Suz

The babies went home spoiled again! All these ladies are either moms or experience aunts, so the babies got a lot of super cute & yet very useful gifts!

{Thanks to Jenny, a photographers daughter, who quickly grabbed my DSLR & took almost all these photos}

Categories
Pregnancy

Twenty Two Weeks

Saturday dinner date night with the husband {using a NoFo living social deal}.

{super on sale Gap top & favorite Target jeans}

How far along? 22w

Maternity clothes? Yes! All maternity all the time.

Weight Gain? So there was a little drama Wednesday as a result of us overdoing it Tuesday night. 99% sure it was just crazy round ligament pain, but in light of the past couple of weeks, when I woke up still sore Wednesday morning, I called & we were able to go see the MFM. All is perfect. Babies growing great, cervix still long {3.5+ inches, very high & closed}. They also weighed me & I’m up 25 pounds {10 pounds in the last 6 weeks}.

Stretch Marks? none yet.

Sleep? Pretty good. Last couple nights I only woke up once to go to the bathroom & thoroughly enjoyed the stretch of 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Movement? Yep. From the level one ultrasound, we saw that Baby A is still head down but his legs & Baby C’s legs & arms are close by in the middle of The Belly. This makes it hard to tell who I’m feeling, but I enjoy the rolls, kicks & punches.

Genders? A is a boy & C is a girl & I *think* we have decided on names {but holding out on posting them until it’s for sure}.

What I Miss? Baby B always. Knowing what will be happening in the next couple of months. It’s tough for this planner to have no idea what & when things will happen with these babes.

Food cravings? Been loving the Jolly Ranger jelly beans I found at HT on Tuesday. I took a bag to work & have one at home, & I’m close to finishing both!

Food aversion? Still don’t love the Mexican restaurant idea but it’s not as gross sounding as before.

Labor signs? No, thankfully.

Belly button in or out? Still an innie but starting to look kinda like a crater.

What I’m Looking Forward to? This relaxing weekend to get a few things done at home. Looking forward to the babes & I being showered next weekend by family friends in VA.

Weekly Wisdom? If you’re feeling off, don’t stress yourself into craziness. Call & go to the doctor for reassurance.

Milestones? Baby Center app told me this morning that the babes are the size of spaghetti squash {about 11 in long & about 1 lb}.