I cannot believe I have been pregnant for 28 weeks.  In some ways it seems like it has flown by and in other ways, these past few months have seemed like an eternity. 

Everyone told me one day I would wake up and realize the babies are almost here and feel the overwhelming need to get everything in the house ready for their arrival.  That day has come!

With that being said, I still have done nothing to the nursery (it is still our office–and that means a whole lot of work is still needed). We have not decided upon any names (although we have three names that we like). 

I have registered though!!!  That is a first step, right? 

Week 27

Growing larger day by day. 39 1/2 inches around my waist and 39 centimeters if you are measuring the singleton way (vertically).

Bruce Binns (Channel 7 Satellite Engineer) and Me—–who’s bigger?

Prior to becoming pregnant I had never heard of a “Baby Moon,”  but every magazine I read advertises for the idea.  Well, my husband and I just got back from Southern California (our last vacation pre-kids), so I guess you could say we took our “Baby Moon.”

Okay, if you are pregnant and have not taken a “Baby Moon”……DO SO!  First off, it was so nice to just get away from work and everything that comes with planning for a baby.  Secondly, it was amazing to get to spend some time with my husband, because that husband is going to be a father shortly and YES, life is going to change.

 I am not scared of the change (well, I guess I kind of am).   I am also thrilled and so ready to be a mother!  But the reality is…..LIFE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME! 

This quiet time was memorable and something I will always treasure.  Sometimes, we get so wrapped up in life we forget to slow down and enjoy the little things (smelling the ocean, listening to the waves crash, really enjoying time with your spouse). 

 I would post a photo of our trip…..but the thought of me in a bathing suit on the web does not sound appealing.

Every month I get an ultrasound because of the twins. It’s kind of the benefit of having two as I hear most women with just one only get two to three ultrasounds during their entire pregnancy.

It is the most amazing experience as you watch them move inside of you. I am fascinated by their little hearts. You can actually see all four chambers pulsating. And then there are the girls’ tiny ribs and fingers.

Ultrasounds are the reality of what lies ahead. It’s the first sneak peak into the lives of our little ones!

Now, with that said….sometimes they look a little alien-like instead of human-like. I find this especially true the farther along I get as the two are squished together. Although we did get a great profiled shot of Baby “A”.

One morning you just wake up and voila……you are ten times larger than you were before. Now, it’s a double-edge sword. The larger you are (as long as you are in a healthy weight zone) the healthier the babies are. On the flip side, the larger you get, the more uncomfortable you become.

My issue right now is my hips and sciatic nerve on my lower left back. Ouch!!! There are some mornings I wake up, jump out of bed and then almost drop to the floor. I have to stretch, take two steps, stop, stretch and repeat. After I have been walking a little bit, it seems to get better. But the pain and aching never really goes away.

I have done the prenatal massages and they are great, but the relief only lasts a short period. Some people say I should try a chiropractor that specializes in prenatal work. Not quite sure how I feel about it though.

Here is my latest photo (Week 25). The girls are now 1 pound 12 ounces each!!!!!

Modern technology is amazing and terrifying at the same time.  I don’t think having a baby used to be so complex.  Not only are pregnant women now tested for everything under the sun (which is anxiety at its peak), there are decisions that must be made that never used to exist.   

For example, cord blood banking.   I have to admit, this is something I know NOTHING about, but soon will, as every cord bank has mailed me dozens of pamphlets.

They all say, banking your newborns cord blood can save their lives.  Can it?  It’s not necessarily cheap.  Is it worth the money?

On first glance, my reaction is……Yes, it’s worth it.  You can’t put a price on your child’s life.  But in the back of my head, I still wonder….is cord blood banking the thing to do.  

Everyone tells you once you have kids you will “truely know” sleep deprivation. But what about when you are pregnant? I have not slept an entire night since week eight of my pregnancy. And I don’t mean I just get up every once in a while to use the restroom. I will wake up at 2, 3 o’clock in the morning wide awake. There have even been days when I will just get out of bed and go do laundry or walk on the treadmill or clean house (although I have to be quiet so my husband doesn’t really think I am crazy).

My girlfriend Robin did give me a “Boppy Body Pillow” and I have to say it has been amazing!  At least it makes me a little more comfortable.

Someone please tell me this is normal. Better yet, someone please tell me what I can do. Aren’t I supposed to be enjoying my sleep right now because once the babies come it will be no more?

And I hear it will only get worse as I get bigger and find it even more uncomfortable to sleep. I already feel like I am walking around in a daze! 

So, with that said, here is my 23 week photo. If you look close enough, notice the dark circles underneath my eyes. Guess those are the new fixtures of motherhood!

I am measuring 38 1/2 inches around my waist. If you measure the singleton way–vertically on the belly–I am measuring 35 centimeters.

The first trip inside a Baby’s R Us is shall I say “overwhelming”. There is so much to choose from. And trying to figure out exactly what you need and want is enough to give you a headache.

Add the controversy over BPA in plastic and there is even more confusion. BPA stands for Bisphenpol A. It’s a substance used to make polycarbonates (hard plastics, such as Nalgene and baby bottles).

You can tell if a product contains BPA by looking for the number “7″ or “PC” near the recycle symbol. The concern according to some medical professionals is that BPA looks like the estrogen hormone called estradiol. Studies show BPA in large doses can hurt animals, but it’s unclear if BPA has any effect on humans.

So the question is….should we be concerned? As I get ready to bring two little girls into the world, this does worry me, especially when stores such as Wal-Mart are refusing to stock after a certain date any product that contains BPA.

According to a doctor we interviewed, a government report says there is some risk of disease of the prostate and breast and some risk of earlier onset of puberty. Because the risk to humans is unknown, companies (such as Wal-Mart) are phasing out products containing BPA.

I did however find a store in downtown Littleton (Sweet Beginnings) that carries only BPA-free baby bottles. You can check them out at www.oursweetbeginnings.com

I would think there are other stores that also carry non-BPA baby bottles. Does anyone know?

Wow! I think it is fair to say being a parent is one of the most rewarding gifts anyone can every experience. Thank you all for writing in. I believe this blogging could be pretty fun!

To answer a few of the comments. The girls are fraternal (they have their own sacks). We are shooting for a delivery date in August and hoping to make it as close to 37 weeks as possible (37 weeks is considered full-term for twins).

As far as names are concerned, we have not decided whether we are going to tell people or wait until after they are born. Everyone seems to have their thoughts on this. Although it does seem that most people believe if you tell someone the names to say “the names are ____and ____” instead of saying “we are thinking of ___ and ____”. I guess the theory behind that is that no one would ever tell you they are bad names once you say this is what I am calling my kids.

Here is a photo of me at 22 weeks. Every week we will post a new one to show my growth. Right now I am 37 inches around. If you measure me the way they measure mom’s with one baby I am 33 centimeters (the equivalent to 33 weeks)

 Hello everyone and welcome.  This blogging thing is a whole new experience for me, as is being a parent.  But that is okay, because it means we can all learn together.

For those who do not know, I am pregnant with TWINS!  And we just found out we are having two girls.  Oh, the excitement and horror.  My mom keeps telling me “it’s payback” and I keep telling her my little girls will be angels (even when they become teenagers).

Now that we know the sexes it is time for us to start planning the nursery and picking out names.  I don’t know about other moms, but I think these are the two most stressful things!  There are so many options when it comes to nursery colors and themes.  And talk about names……oh my gosh.  I have two books with over 150,000+ names.  Who has time to look through all that?  Picking a name is not like picking out an outfit.  It is their name for their lifetime!