Monthly Archives: February 2012

Round. That would be me. I can’t help but compare this pregnancy to my pregnancy with Scout, although logically I realize the pregnancies will be very different. With Scout, I didn’t announce my pregnancy at work until I was 20 weeks. I’m not going to be able to get away with it for that long this time.

For one thing, when I was pregnant with Scout, I had just started my job. No one knew me. My chubbiness was taken as a given.

I was back to work as of Monday (boo, hiss) and during a meeting, I noticed one of the gals *eyeing* me. I knew she was. I caught her eyes on my belly more than once. My blazer was clearly a little snug.  Tuesday I went into her office, shut the door and said, “Yes, Ang, I’m pregnant.” She smiled and laughed and congratulated me, saying she suspected.

All in all, I think the cat is going to be out of the bag before I officially hit the second trimester. It’s not what I would have planned. But my growing roundness, both in the belly and the butt, are difficult to hide.

So, yes, I’m showing.  I had my weekly OB appointment today and I have officially gained 10 pounds.  I’m glad if that’s what the babies need.  I’m not fond of the idea that my ass is going to be enormous, but, hey, it’s a (temporary) price I’m willing to pay for big, healthy babies.

And yes, I want to find out the babies’ gender(s) as soon as possible.

I have my NT scan scheduled for February 27. I’ll be 13 weeks. I’m going to ask the tech if he/she can at least tell if there is a boy in there.  Sometimes they don’t even want to *go there* that early, but it can’t hurt to ask.

A few notes:

• 10 weeks 4 days today
• babies looked beautiful on yesterday’s u/s.  Wiggling all about!  Heart rates have diverged: Baby A’s rate was 122, Baby B’s rate was 164.  This week my guess is boy/girl twins!
• no more bleeding/spotting (yay)
• still feeling the *icks* – queasy, headachy, tired, always wanting to lie down
• total current weight gain: 5 pounds
• definitely doing the rubber-band trick with my pants, which no longer button
• when I ask Scout “What’s in mommy’s tummy?” he replies, “Two babies!”

Several of you recommend the book by Dr. Luke on twins, trips and quads.  It was on my list of books to get, although I hadn’t yet done so.  Then, the other day, a package arrived from Amazon.  It turns out that a friend of mine sent it to me as a gift!

Somehow, I’ve already managed to read about half the book.  Wow, what an eye opener.  I previously thought that this pregnancy would be just like my pregnancy with Scout, except I’d get bigger and I’d bring home 2 babies.  Not so.  Now I know why all of you twin moms were encouraging me to eat, eat, eat!  Based on the charts in the book (taking into account my height and pre-pg weight, etc) I am already 10 pounds behind!  Good grief.

I’m taking Dr. Luke’s advice very seriously.  I went to the grocery store and loaded up.  Yogurt, ice cream, cheese, whole grain cereals, dried fruit nuts and seeds, meat, bran muffins, fruit, broccoli, yams, whole grain crackers…..I got it all.  EAt, eat, eat.  I plan to get plump and provide a fabulous energy store for my little ones to feast from when I get so big in my 3rd tri that I can’t take another bite!

I’m also taking Dr. Luke’s advice about rest, stress and work very seriously.  I’m going to take the book with me to my doctor’s appointment this week and talk to them about it.  Maybe I’ll ask to go on a modified work schedule.  That would give me some time to come home from work and rest before having to take over Scout’s care every afternoon – at least until DH pitches in after dinner.

There’s no way DH would take the time to read Dr. Luke’s book, although I think it would benefit our whole family if he did.  Instead, I’m going to highlight the portions I really want him to read.  I think that him reading it first hand will be better than me trying to convince him that I need rest and I need his help.

And now, it’s snack time….

That was the page turning.

It’s time to stretch, shake of the case of the *yuckies* I’ve had for the past week or more, and feel better about things.  So I’m turning the page.

See, I feel better already.  Well, perhaps in part due to the fact that I had my u/s this morning.  A and B (I really do need to come up with decent monikers for them) are just fine and growing by leaps and bounds!  A is always kind enough to face the camera and look adorable.  B is upside down, curled up and facing away, but delighted me with acrobatics – moving feet and hands about.

I even got out a real camera tonight and took their photos (A and B, respectively at 9 weeks, 4 days):

Interestingly, both babies’ heart rates are now approximately 170, so I think my two boys have become two girls!

The other thing that suprised me today was something my mom said.  When I first told her I was pregnant with twins, she responding by saying, “I’m so happy!”  Cynic that I am, I thought her tone of voice was suspicious and that she was very disappointed about the whole thing.  My mistake.  Today we talked and she said she always wished she’d had twins.  She said I was such an easy baby she wished I’d been twins.  Twins ran in our family, so she was always hopeful and a bit disappointed when she didn’t end up having twins (I have 2 sisters).

She said she is really happy that at last, she gets to have twins.  I could tell she meant it, and in a positive way.  It actually made me feel really good.  And if the twins are girls, my mother will be in her true glory.

Ah, it feels good to feel good again.  Now if only the queasies would take a hint.

Thank you all for your thoughtful comments.  It helps to have a supportive community and I really do need to find a local multiples groups.

I wanted to respond to Chris – the dad who asked about remaining embryos.  If you read this, Chris, please email me and I would be happy to share what I know with you.  You can reach me at [email protected].

A little more info and an update.  My new boss is a man – in fact, he used to be one of the attorneys in my office.  I  dubbed him “The Lazy Guy” when I first went to work there, but I’ve since realized that the problem is not so much that he is lazy, but that he is DUMB.  He was hired by a new executive staff who doesn’t know him at all.

He is not a very good attorney, in my opinion.  He tends to jump to a conclusion (the result he wants) without ensuring that his position is substantiated by the law.  He wants to push what I consider to be ridiculous legal positions that are directly contrary to law.  I have refused to adopt his positions, and argue law with him until I am blue in the face.  As a result, none of my work gets completed because he keeps kicking it back to me.  It’s infuriating.  What I think should be the simplest issues to resolve end up being bitter points of contention.

On Friday I told him and my immediate supervisor of the pregnancy by handing them the doctor’s note. Once he learned that I am pregnant (with twins, no less) he graciously said that anything I need, he will be happy to accommodate.  Maybe he will ease up.

So, I am off work.

But….relaxing?  Well….

Friday night I had another bleeding spell.  (sorry, TMI here) There was a glob of “grape jelly” along with blood that dripped into the toilet.  It didn’t last too long and I’ve had a bit of brownish spotting in the days since.  Tomorrow morning is my next u/s.

Monday night I was carrying Scout to his crib and somehow twisted the wrong way.  I was immobilized with pain as something yanked at the muscles in my lower back.  DH had to take Scout from my arms and lay him in the crib.  I could barely walk to the couch and every movement was excruciating.  I knew it was just muscular (fortunately) but it was so painful I was virtually in tears.  At my request DH checked the house for Tylenol.  He found a single bottle that expired 2.5 years ago.  And no, he did not offer to drive to the drug store to buy more – probably since he was on his 3rd or 4th alcoholic drink of the night.  @&*$!%^  So I suffered all night with the aid of only a heat pack.  With tylenol on board now, it’s better, but I am tender and being very careful (and not picking up Scout at all).

Finally, Monday morning my mother – who has been in an ongoing dispute with a neighbor for over a year – told me the neighbor has sued her. The hearing date is scheduled for next Thursday.  It’s a long story, but, gee, can you guess which attorney is going to have to help her with this?  What pisses me off about it is that she is not 100% innocent here.  She has contributed to the incitement of the whole thing, and I think it’s childish.  Do I really want to have to appear before a judge about a stupid neighbor dispute matter?  Do you know what judges think of childish neighbors who can’t get along?  Except I CAN’T go with her because DH cannot take care of Scout that day – he has an out of town job that day.  This just adds another layer to my frustrations.  &%$!*&%

Really.  Did you ever just want to run away from home?   (I would take Scout with me, of course.)