25wks

Here they are, finally! Forgive the poor quality, I had to use Skype to get the pictures...nothing else worked. Oh well. Enjoy!

24wks, 4days

It's about 1:30am and I am still awake because the little monsters are kicking...and man do they pack a punch!

Thank God they are active, though. There was a quiet day last week and it almost scared me. Lately I think they're doing a lot of moving around, rolling over and whatnot, though they still seem to both be stubbornly keeping their legs down, since I feel most of the kicks in my lower pelvis. I do hope they decide to turn in time, I'd like at least a chance at a vaginal birth.

I'm slowly discovering my new limits. I'm managing to keep up with work though I take full advantage of any breaks I have and by the end of the week I'm pretty pooped. I made the mistake of doing what I now know is too large of a shopping trip to handle by myself and I had an awful time getting the groceries home and up the stairs. I'm very grateful our bed has wrought iron curlicues as a part of the headboard design because I desperately need them as handles to help me roll over or get out of bed. I feel like a beached whale!

Otherwise, all is well. I plan on figuring out how to snap photos of myself with our new webcam tomorrow so if that goes well there will be pictures up here before the end of the day.

23wks, 3days

As if being pregnant isn't enough...

Tomorrow I have to go get a tetanus booster shot. And a flu shot, too. The flu shot because it's a good idea and I didn't get around to doing it yet. The booster because I sliced my pinky on a can of crushed tomatoes. Wasn't that smart of me? We got it cleaned and disinfected right away. It stings but it's not bad. I can move my finger and everything and with pressure applied it doesn't bleed much. But it's still quite deep and it's been eight years since my last tetanus shot.

Otherwise this momma in the making is doing well. Looks like we're going to be getting a webcam thanks to a generous donation by a dear loved one, so belly updates will be soon making a regular appearance.

22wks, 6days

Please don't anyone take this the wrong way, but I find it absolutely hilarious and really wanted to share it with you all. Thank you baby-gaga for making my day!

From the Sarcastic Journalist (week 22):

There were four words that drove me nuts every time I heard them while pregnant: How do you feel?

I know, I know, seems simple enough. Someone wants to know how you are feeling! How nice! Those words, although simple enough, seem loaded during pregnancy.

How do I feel? HOW DO I FEEL? I’m pregnant, my belly is stretching, I have cravings for peanut butter at 3 o’clock in the morning and my husband has affectionately nicknamed me “Pudgy.” How the heck do you think I feel?

The people who asked me this question always did with such concern. They’d place a hand on my shoulder, lean in and utter those four little words, much like I’d expect a doctor to say “It is malignant” to a patient.

My pregnancy hormones usually had a role in the way I answered. I’d have to bite my tongue not to reply something horrible about how I really felt.

How do I feel? I feel like shoving my foot up your butt if you ask me that stupid question just one more time.

Also, week 22's cartoon:

22wks, 4days

We had an ultrasound yesterday. It was wonderful, as always, to see the kids. What's amazing is that I've been feeling them move so much lately, but on the scan they move around much less. I guess, as it gets more and more cramped in there, they have less room to roll around so more punches get absorbed by mommy.

Right now baby A is laying transverse, and baby B is legs down on top. There's no concern yet about what position they're in since that doesn't matter for about ten more weeks or so, by which time we hope baby A at least will be head down (I'd like to try to a vaginal birth, which can be done even if baby B is still breech, but not if baby A at least doesn't cooperate).

There is the possibility of a slight complication with baby B. Probably nothing serious, but we won't know more until my OB appointment next week. Please don't ask questions; if I had wanted to share the details, I would have. Overall though, both kids are looking good, growing big, and pack quite a kick.

Pictures as soon as Shawn reminds his dumb wife how to use the scanner.

21wks, 4days

I think, I can't be sure since this is obviously new to me, as a first time mother and all, but I think I am officially feeling individual kicks.

Or maybe punches?

Till now, I've just felt general rumblings as the kids toss and turn and move around. Every now and then I've felt an odd stab of slightly painful pressure than could have been a hard kick or just a ligament pain. But just now, sitting at the computer I started feeling something that is definitely different from anything I've felt before.

My babies are kicking me!!

21wks, 4days

I still have the cold, it's worse than ever since I've been working through it. But don't fret, overly-concerned-family-members, if it's still around on Sunday I'll take the day off. I can't work through this another week. Hopefully though a quiet weekend at home of hot one-pot meals (lentil soup tonight, vegetarian chollent tomorrow), water, and plenty of napping will be just what the doctor ordered.

Reminder: less than a week till the next ultrasound!

Note: There is a slight chance Shawn might get a camera phone (if it really is free as the Cellcom -our cell phone company- ad seems to indicate), in which case, no more waiting for me to find my camera cord in order to provide those much-requested belly pics.