I went yesterday to a high risk doctor referred by my OB/GYN because I'm having twins. I noticed a pregnant woman drinking Diet Coke in the waiting room and almost gasped out loud but instead smiled because obviously I'm not doing so bad considering I'm not gulping down diet soda! P.S. I'm working on being a good person so, in turn, my children will be good people -- cursing, judging, bitching and moaning. It goes fairly well when I remember to follow the rules.
I didn't know what I was in for with this appointment, especially since I saw my regular doctor for a checkup the day before. All I knew was this checkup could only be held at the 12-13 week mark.
I was given a brochure on first trimester screening while in the waiting room and found they would be testing for Down Syndrome, trisomy 18 and neural tube defects -- which includes an ultrasound and a blood sample. I hardly had time to finish reading before I was whisked away to a lovely bland, sterile room for loosen-your-pants-here-comes-the-warm-goo-time.
Thirty+ minute sonogram/ultrasound (not sure which) later with a tough but tender tech, and I saw my babies on the big screen. The technology at this place was a large step up from my OB/GYN, so I was giddy as I saw their little faces and hands. Baby B serenely lounged and looked peaceful. Baby A ... well Baby A was face down with its butt in the air! What a clown!
As the tech worked to measure my babies necks (part of the screening), she asked what sexes I wanted. I replied I didn't know, I just want them to be happy and healthy. I used to think I wanted two boys because my 8-year-old niece has enough sass for the United States of America but then I thought, wouldn't it be nice to have both? I finally figured I didn't know so it's better to hope for health and happiness than penis or vagina. The tech casually asked me, "Do you want to know what I think?" I didn't think they'd know this early so my bewildered response of "Yes, I'd like to know what you think" lacked enthusiasm.
Well folks, she said she thought both were boys but wasn't sure about Baby A. However, she was definitely sure of Baby B because, ladies and gentleman, we saw penis! My husband is floating on a cloud. I'm happy but not as happy as him because he wanted at least one boy. To me the news hit me like a slap in the face because shit got real. There's something definitive about knowing one of them is a boy. It makes all this concrete. A son. Excitement and fear is pulling me in separate directions so here I sit in the dazed zone - this must be how Ryan Lochte feels all the time! Also, the idea of two boys scares me because I'll be outnumbered three to one!
There are babies growing inside me and one of them is a boy and they will be here in less than 27 weeks. I could repeat this in the mirror until my voice gives out but I can't wrap my head around the news. It is the craziest news I've ever heard! I've read it doesn't become real for a woman until the baby (babies) kick and for a man until they are born, so I've got time and this is normal.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Thirteen Weeks Strong: Pregnant With Twins and Not As Nauseous
I began writing this post when I was 11 weeks preggers. Instead of deleting it and skipping ahead to where I am now (13 weeks), I might as well include the part I started two weeks ago before procrastinating - which was going to work, going home, sleeping, repeat.
I am 11 weeks pregnant with twins and feel as if I'm experiencing the world for the first time. The smells, dear god the smells are awful ... mostly. Although today I almost licked the creamy goodness coming out of my bottle of Burt's Bees Milk & Honey Body Lotion. Don't worry, I stopped myself ... although I had to make a quick stop at Rite Aid today to get some organic granola bars (my keep-in-the-car-and-purse-just-in-case-snack) and stopped at the display of Burt's Bees products to smell the lotion again ... so ... I may have a problem.
The thought of most food leaves me quivering with disgust, including many foods I used to devour -- homemade popcorn and sweet potato fries. I couldn't eat popcorn at the movies this past weekend. For shame pregnant lady, for shame!
Also, there's this trick my body plays on me from time to time where I get a hankering for something - case in point, pasta - and finally get to have that something - pasta and chicken at a restaurant - and then am not satisfied. What's the deal? Why was I so obsessed if that's going to be the outcome?
Body 1, Me 0.
I try to eat healthy during the week, especially since I sit at a desk all day. Food I can stomach: eggs, raw carrots, bananas, apples, pears, chicken/pork/turkey burgers (hardly am able but know I need the protein). Then there's the foods I enjoy: Annie's honey grahams, Greek yogurt, peanut butter Puffins (which my uber-health-conscious sister informed me has GMO so ... bye Puffins), seasoned Melba toast, rice cakes made from brown rice, Greek yogurt Popsicles, hardboiled eggs, waffles, pickles, cottage cheese (don't judge me for the last few - I don't eat them together except ... for ... the pickles and hardboiled eggs ... sometimes). I don't buy peanut butter because I wouldn't follow the serving suggestions and I am in love with Chipolte burritos, an item I used to find too spicy.
Fast forward to present day: 13 weeks pregnant
I'm not nearly as nauseous (thank Heaven) but am still tired yet not as tired. I am the little engine that could, chug, chug, chugging along. I saw a sonogram of my twins yesterday (which are temporarily, and jokingly, named Hans and Frans or Don and Juan) and saw they're big heads and tiny heartbeats. Cute! Sadly for my husband, we don't know the sex yet.
My sweet grandmother passed away last weekend so I spent last week visiting family, attending services and eating comfort food friends of the family brought over. I attempted to eat healthy - eggs, toast and fruit for breakfast, salads incorporated at lunch and dinner, enough water to quench the thirst of Africa - but did delve into the land of homemade peanut butter cookies (good gracious those were amazing), some smorgasbord pasta casserole dish, chocolate cake, ice cream, tea lattes from Starbucks, potato salad (which had too much mustard but, not suprisingly, I kept eating it anyway), pimento cheese and chicken salad sandwiches and various goodies. Luckily I only gained three pounds at my recent checkup so that's good (or bad because the self-deprecating side of me thinks I'm not feeding my children enough if I can visit my relatives (who we decades ago deemed "food pushers") and not gain 10 pounds, especially since I was there almost a full week.
Let's save those worries for right before I fall asleep at night (am I right or am I right?). Current problems: restless legs occasionally (even had restless arms in the middle of the night but drank two glasses of water and they went away), I think my tailbone is bruised and wonder if I should buy one of those donuts to sit on, occasional queasiness and the smells, oh the smells, are still a problem. My Febreeze scented trash bags make me want to barf.
Other than that, 27 weeks to go until I meet my babies!
I am 11 weeks pregnant with twins and feel as if I'm experiencing the world for the first time. The smells, dear god the smells are awful ... mostly. Although today I almost licked the creamy goodness coming out of my bottle of Burt's Bees Milk & Honey Body Lotion. Don't worry, I stopped myself ... although I had to make a quick stop at Rite Aid today to get some organic granola bars (my keep-in-the-car-and-purse-just-in-case-snack) and stopped at the display of Burt's Bees products to smell the lotion again ... so ... I may have a problem.
The thought of most food leaves me quivering with disgust, including many foods I used to devour -- homemade popcorn and sweet potato fries. I couldn't eat popcorn at the movies this past weekend. For shame pregnant lady, for shame!
Also, there's this trick my body plays on me from time to time where I get a hankering for something - case in point, pasta - and finally get to have that something - pasta and chicken at a restaurant - and then am not satisfied. What's the deal? Why was I so obsessed if that's going to be the outcome?
Body 1, Me 0.
I try to eat healthy during the week, especially since I sit at a desk all day. Food I can stomach: eggs, raw carrots, bananas, apples, pears, chicken/pork/turkey burgers (hardly am able but know I need the protein). Then there's the foods I enjoy: Annie's honey grahams, Greek yogurt, peanut butter Puffins (which my uber-health-conscious sister informed me has GMO so ... bye Puffins), seasoned Melba toast, rice cakes made from brown rice, Greek yogurt Popsicles, hardboiled eggs, waffles, pickles, cottage cheese (don't judge me for the last few - I don't eat them together except ... for ... the pickles and hardboiled eggs ... sometimes). I don't buy peanut butter because I wouldn't follow the serving suggestions and I am in love with Chipolte burritos, an item I used to find too spicy.
Fast forward to present day: 13 weeks pregnant
I'm not nearly as nauseous (thank Heaven) but am still tired yet not as tired. I am the little engine that could, chug, chug, chugging along. I saw a sonogram of my twins yesterday (which are temporarily, and jokingly, named Hans and Frans or Don and Juan) and saw they're big heads and tiny heartbeats. Cute! Sadly for my husband, we don't know the sex yet.
My sweet grandmother passed away last weekend so I spent last week visiting family, attending services and eating comfort food friends of the family brought over. I attempted to eat healthy - eggs, toast and fruit for breakfast, salads incorporated at lunch and dinner, enough water to quench the thirst of Africa - but did delve into the land of homemade peanut butter cookies (good gracious those were amazing), some smorgasbord pasta casserole dish, chocolate cake, ice cream, tea lattes from Starbucks, potato salad (which had too much mustard but, not suprisingly, I kept eating it anyway), pimento cheese and chicken salad sandwiches and various goodies. Luckily I only gained three pounds at my recent checkup so that's good (or bad because the self-deprecating side of me thinks I'm not feeding my children enough if I can visit my relatives (who we decades ago deemed "food pushers") and not gain 10 pounds, especially since I was there almost a full week.
Let's save those worries for right before I fall asleep at night (am I right or am I right?). Current problems: restless legs occasionally (even had restless arms in the middle of the night but drank two glasses of water and they went away), I think my tailbone is bruised and wonder if I should buy one of those donuts to sit on, occasional queasiness and the smells, oh the smells, are still a problem. My Febreeze scented trash bags make me want to barf.
Other than that, 27 weeks to go until I meet my babies!
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