I couldn't do it alone

I feel as though I have so much to be thankful for this Mother's Day....my beautiful toddler and not one but TWO little munchkins baking away! 

It has been a rough few months for me (though exciting) with all of these extra hormones running through my body.  They make me extra crazy, irrational and emotional.  I often have minor anxiety attacks and feel overly sensitive about the smallest things....and through it all my wonderful husband has been here to hug me, hold my hand, pat my back, calm me down, validate me and remind me it will all be okay! I definitely could not be the mother that I am without him. 

Bryce works hard day in and day out so that I can stay home with Peyton and go to the zoo, aquarium, museum, so we can play all day at home or the park and more importantly...so I can watch her grow.  Being a mother is a hard job ( and the best job in the world) but it is not a job I could do without Bryce.  He is my better half!  I am the mom I am, because of him.  

Learning as we go...

The last month and a half has already been a wild ride. At 13 weeks, I look very pregnant! No hiding the baby bump for this mama!  I have been battling morning sickness AKA feeling like crap all day!! It has increasingly become a struggle to find things to keep that nausea tamed and the food down. So here's to hoping that as I enter the second trimester all this fun stuff starts to disapate. 

Yesterday we had our first Dr appointment since learning our family was growing by 2! And we got to not only see our growing babies but learn more about them. Both babies are growing great and measuring right where they are supposed to and both had heart rates at 160.  The big thing that we learned is that they are IDENTICAL!!! Eeek!!

So what does that mean? Well there are several types of twins (aside from fraternal and identical). Ours are di/mo (di amniotic/mono chorionic) twins....meaning, each little baby has it's own amniotic sac but they are sharing a placenta and a larger sac, called the chorionic sac. (Identical twins also means it's either 2 boys or 2 girls!!)

 

 

The diagram just shows identical twinning...where one fertilized egg splits ( fraternal twins being 2 completely different eggs). On the diagram the center column represents what our babies look like, di/mo twins. 

For random knowledge...fraternal twins or identical twins that share NOTHING are called di/di (di amniotic/di chorionic) twins...looks like the first column.  And identical twins that share EVERYTHING are called mo/mo (mono amniotic/mono chorionic) twins...looks like the last column. 

The best case scenario as far as risk goes is twins that share nothing. So since our babies do share a placenta there is some risk of Twin to twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). TTTS basically, in simplicitest terms is where one baby takes more from the placenta then the other causing one baby to grow at a slower rate. (Obviously there is a little more to it than that, but we don't need to get into all of it). There is only about 15-20% chance of TTTS occurring and there is no reason currently for us to worry about it, as both babies are growing great.  But we will continue to be monitored for it. 

Enough about the twin babies....as exciting as they are!

Peyton is officially 16 months old and in full toddler mode...sass and temper tantrums included! 

A few weeks ago Bryce had the day off and it just so happen to be a beautiful day out. So we took advantage of it and spent the day at the zoo.  Peyton had an awesome time.  She wanted to walk the whole time and loved all the animals, she reached for each one...wanting to pet them like she does her puppies.  And it was great for Bryce to get to join us on an outing, since often times Peyton and I go by ourselves during the week.

 

Peyton also had her first toddler Easter! We went to my parents house and just hung out. It was pretty low key, but nice and relaxing.  Peyton even picked her own Easter bonnet to wear ALL day!!

Is dad sitting down?

Bryce and I had decided shortly after having Peyton that we wanted more kids and that 2 years was a good gap.  After several months of trying, we were excited to learn at the end of February that we were pregnant! It made those months of waiting worth it!

Over the next few weeks we shared with family that we were excited to make Peyton a big sister in November. A few weeks after learning we were pregnant I had a trip planned to visit my sister and niece, with Peyton and my mom...I knew I had to take advantage of the opportunity to get to tell my sister in person.  So the plan was to put Peyton in a big sister shirt and wait for them to notice! 

My sister was the first to notice, even though my mom was the first to see her at the hotel and even commented on her cute outfit. (apparently she didn't actually read the shirt!) Everyone was super excited....and I was glad to have the cat out of the bag, as I was already feeling blah, horrible, like CRAP!  

Fast forward 2 weeks to our ultrasound......The day of the ultrasound I had told Bryce I was anxious for our appointment to see baby and he informed me that he forgot about our 2:30 appointment and he had a meeting from 1:00-2:00.  I was PISSED!! On my way to the appointment Bryce called to let me know that he was on his way.  Our ultrasound tech was AWESOME and said she would wait until he arrived.  

So 20 minutes later Bryce showed up and I was changing for the ultrasound.  In the office there are ultrasound pictures all over the walls, including pictures of twin ultrasounds.  Naturally we joked about what we would do if we saw two (clearly having no clue that we would!).  Bryce joked, it would be time to get snipped.  We both laughed and then the tech came in to get started. 

Not long into the ultrasound the tech says "Well, is dad sitting down?"  

Bryce instantly said  "Is that 2?"

    Babies at 7 weeks 2 days

    Babies at 9 weeks 4 days

And for me the rest is a blur!

Needless to say, Bryce clearly processed the news quicker than I did! 

Now, several weeks later we are still processing what all of this means for us, our family and for the growing babies.  I never really knew a lot about twins....I do now! Yay google and awesome Drs and nurses!

So here are some of the many questions we had and others have asked us:

1. Do twins run in your family?

Actually yes! On both mine and Bryce's side.  However, it doesn't matter that it runs of Bryce's side of the family because the woman is the one releasing the egg.  There is a gene that causes hyper-ovulation...the release of multiple eggs.  However, identical twins has nothing to do with genetics.  It can happen to anyone and is simply the egg splitting in 2 in early fertilization.  

2. Are they identical twins?

We don't know....and may never know unless we do a DNA test.  This is a little confusing but I'll do my best.  The only way to tell if you definitely have identical twins without DNA is if both babies are sharing EVERYTHING (sac and placenta).  My babies have their own sac and we cannot tell yet if they have their own placenta.  If the babies are opposite sex....they are clearly fraternal twins.  In fact, identical twins are quite rare.  So all in all, we may NEVER know if these babies are identical (even fraternal twins can look almost exactly alike).

3. Are they natural?

These babies are all natural! No fertility drugs used.

4. Did you have any idea you were pregnant with twins?

Nope! Not a clue...otherwise we probably wouldn't have joked about it.  I suppose I did have signs...I experienced symptoms almost right away!  Nausea hit before I even had a positive test and extreme exhaustion hit right after.  I assumed it was all normal....I had heard you can experience things sooner with your second pregnancy...so I thought nothing of it.  

What's it like with 2 in there?!?!

1. I wake up feeling hungover....everyday!

2. I get really really hungry, to the point of feeling sick, but can't eat very much before I feel super full! Sometimes I can't even finish a meal.  And then I'm hungry again soon after.  When those babies are hungry....I better feed them, stat!!!

3. I wake up tired, am super exhausted by the end of the day. But I can't always seem to take a nap or fall asleep early no matter how tired I am! 

4. My lower abdomen always feels SO full!!

5. Double the babies, means double the hormones, which means.....double the CRAZY!! Yep, that's right, my poor husband must endure all the extra crazy that accompanies the extra baby.  More crying, more worrying, more anxiety, more CRAZY!

I'm sure as this journey continues and these babies grow....so will this list!

A memorable trip!!

Well Peyton survived her first plane ride and hotel stay!!! She did really well on the plane...she slept the first half going both ways and then managed to stay entertained the rest of the time!

We had such a great visit out to California for my niece's 2nd birthday! It was so fun watching the girls interact....especially since they are complete opposites. My niece is very quiet, polite and loves to organize and have clean things....and Peyton, well...is the exact opposite!! She is loud, destructive and loves a good mess...totally my kid! ;). Lila was so great with Peyton though, she would share with her and try to help her....eek so cute!!

There were several sweet moments between the two girls where they would hug and give each other kisses...but of course none of us were quick enough with the cameras when it happened.  I guess some memories are just held in the heart. 

I am definitely thankful for the trip. But it also made me sad that my sister doesn't live closer.  We have been lucky the last few years to get to see Jennifer a few times a year.  I hope that continues....because I want nothing more than for Peyton and Lila to get to have a close relationship, especially since they are so close in age. She only has one cousin...I want her to grow up knowing her!

A first we could have lived without

Well...Peyton's "cold" or "draining sinuses" I spoke of a few days ago turned out to be a DOUBLE EAR INFECTION!! Needless to say Peyton's minor symptoms of cough and runny nose quickly turned really bad over the weekend.  Peyton was horribly miserable. She wouldn't sleep and would have crying spells of unstoppable crying.

My mommy instincts quickly told me that something other than a common cold was going on.  So on Monday I dragged my little sickling to the Dr to find out mommy instincts were right on. Little Miss P had an ear infection...in BOTH ears!! Ugh!

So the Dr gave us antibiotics and some ear numbing ear drops (since we are flying on Thursday....Eeek, Tomorrow).  Little P has quickly shown improvement.  She seemed so much better after getting 2 doses in her by Monday night.  She was playing and even laughing a little.  She actually slept Monday night...which we all desperately needed.  And Tuesday morning most of her snotty nose was gone (still a little snot and a little cough...but nothing like before)! I have high hopes that today she will be even better and ready to travel tomorrow. 

But I must say watching your child hurt and be miserable and you not being able to do anything about it is the most horrible feeling in the world! I shared many tears with her over the past few days.  Mommy snuggles can only go so far! 

Wish us luck...

We are getting ready for Peyton's first plane trip this next week!! Peyton, my mom and I are flying out to Calitfornia for my nieces 2nd birthday. We have been super excited about this trip....until the last few day.  Peyton appears to be getting sick. :( she has this horrible phlemmy cough and is not sleeping well! She doesn't appear to have a runny nose or a fever so I'm hoping her sinuses are just draining and she's feeling better by Thursday.  

Anyways....I have nothing but high hopes for how Peyton will do on the plane. She isn't big on crying but sitting still is a whole other story! Hopefully between snacks, books, and me and my mom to entertain her she'll be just fine.  The part I'm REALLY worried about is her sleeping in the hotel room...

Typically at home we will lay her down for bed and close the door and she soon falls asleep on her own...

However....even with a pack and play we don't have that same luxury of being able to put her to bed and close the door! I have a feeling for our long weekend we will be kissing bed time goodbye and she we will probably be sleeping with mom...which ultimately means, little sleep for mom!!

Wish us luck!!