Life has been insane the last 4 weeks. Has it been 4 weeks already? Yup. These girls aren't even here yet, and the time is just flying!
I just saw on my livefeed that someone from Sitka, AK was checking out our blog. Hi hun!
That little tidbit right there gave me a glimmer of motivation to update this thing more.
Probably only a glimmer though.
We're down to 2 weeks till delivery day, and I can't believe it! The babies haven't been measured in a month, so I'm excited to see how much they weigh. They're both doing really well, and I'm so grateful for the blessing of having a nearly perfectly healthy pregnancy. I had a preterm labor scare a week ago, they literally were prepping me for surgery! Luckily, they were able to control the contractions and I was able to go home. Everyone keeps asking me how bedrest is going.....and I'd love to say that I'm following Dr.'s orders. Honestly, I'm not sure how people think I can be on bedrest and take care of a 3 year old! So, no....I'm not following orders. But, this pregnancy is exhausting beyond what I thought it would be, and its forcing me to not do much anyway.
Neil is doing well...and for the most part seems to be keeping his head above water.:) I've heard some great stories about his experiences there, and I can't wait to here ALL of the details one day. He seems to be transitioning to a more comfortable place mentally/emotionally and physically. I'm SOOO proud of him....and EXTREMELY grateful its him and not me!:) <3
Ellie is doing well, overall. She is on the same rollercoaster all of us are on....which is tough for a 3 year old to handle. For the most part, she's dealing with it. But she has her days where she's extremely sad and frustrated. In the beginning we were able to Skype with Neil....but I've just recently found out that there will be no more skyping....boo.:( I think it helped her a lot to be able to actually see him. Ellie is LOVING her ballet class. She just started her 2nd session, and has already improved quite a bit. It's so fun to see her actually jump in line rather than hide behind me. She loves going, and its something that she consistently look forward to.
Well, thats all I have for now. Overall, we're hanging in there. Neil and I constantly talk about our situation/s and both agree that all either of us can do at this point is survive. And that's what we are doing.
P.S. originally he was told there would be no communication for the first 3 weeks. THANKFULLY, he's managed to squeak in a few phone calls a week. I'm so grateful for them....even if they're only 5 minutes long. Love you Neil!
Showing posts with label Ellie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ellie. Show all posts
4.1.12
The challenges that lay ahead.
I've posted before about how much I've struggled in accepting this pregnancy, it was so completely unexpected and unplanned. I know a few of you who read this blog know first-hand what its like to be pregnant with twins....but for those of you that don't, its SOO different than a singleton pregnancy. Not just physically, but especially emotionally. Some days I feel like I'm just riding a roller coaster. I've accepted the challenges that have come with being pregnant with twins, I'm excited to bring these two little girls into the world. I'm excited to show them what our family is about. But I still struggle daily with the anxiety and anticipation of managing (or surviving, really) with two newborns and a 3 year old. Thats just me....a little worry wart.
Now to factor in this whole Juneau thing coming up. It's coming WAYYY too fast. Neil will be on an airplane headed to Alaska in about one month. ONE MONTH. I'm so not ready for the changes that are inevitable. Unfortunately, Ellie seems to be exhibiting inability to cope with the changes she knows are coming. She struggled a year ago, when Neil was in Juneau for 5 days doing tests. She was a complete and total wreck (do you think Neil really needs to ever question whether or not she's a Daddy's Girl?). She literally did not speak to Neil for almost the first 24 hrs. he was home. Now, my sweet little 3 yr old has to cope with not just one new baby, but two. On top of that, one less parent around to focus on her. She knows her daddy is leaving....she's emotional and stressed about it. I'm doing my best to try and help her understand now....but I know that this "blessing" will not just be a challenge for Neil and I, but for Ellie as well.
So, all in all, we've got a lot on our plates over here. I'm grateful that Neil is finally getting an opportunity to start a career that has taken 2 years to get to this point (not including college:). I'll be the first to admit that I'm not readily looking forward to the next 5 months. I'm dreading being a single parent for a while. I'm dreading managing our home while he's gone. I'm dreading the fact that I KNOW I'll mishandle Ellie's tantrums and typical 3 yr old behaviors at times. I'm dreading the stress and lack of sleep that comes with newborns. I'm dreading grocery shopping. I'm dreading the extreme forgetfulness that will come from juggling all of this on my own (anyone wanna take my checkbook and just pay my bills for me?:) I'm dreading packing, handling movers, selling cars and furniture, finding an new apartment, and all the other little decisions that make up a HUGE move. I'm dreading that my best friend will be so far away for that time frame, and that he'll miss out on so many things that can never be replaced. He won't be the first person to hold these little babies when the first get here; he won't be there to laugh with me about all the craziness going on around us. Those first moments and days won't be there when we finally are able to be physically together as a family. I'm dreading so many things, that I literally can't put them into words.
There are a few things I'm trying to remember though.
Now to factor in this whole Juneau thing coming up. It's coming WAYYY too fast. Neil will be on an airplane headed to Alaska in about one month. ONE MONTH. I'm so not ready for the changes that are inevitable. Unfortunately, Ellie seems to be exhibiting inability to cope with the changes she knows are coming. She struggled a year ago, when Neil was in Juneau for 5 days doing tests. She was a complete and total wreck (do you think Neil really needs to ever question whether or not she's a Daddy's Girl?). She literally did not speak to Neil for almost the first 24 hrs. he was home. Now, my sweet little 3 yr old has to cope with not just one new baby, but two. On top of that, one less parent around to focus on her. She knows her daddy is leaving....she's emotional and stressed about it. I'm doing my best to try and help her understand now....but I know that this "blessing" will not just be a challenge for Neil and I, but for Ellie as well.
So, all in all, we've got a lot on our plates over here. I'm grateful that Neil is finally getting an opportunity to start a career that has taken 2 years to get to this point (not including college:). I'll be the first to admit that I'm not readily looking forward to the next 5 months. I'm dreading being a single parent for a while. I'm dreading managing our home while he's gone. I'm dreading the fact that I KNOW I'll mishandle Ellie's tantrums and typical 3 yr old behaviors at times. I'm dreading the stress and lack of sleep that comes with newborns. I'm dreading grocery shopping. I'm dreading the extreme forgetfulness that will come from juggling all of this on my own (anyone wanna take my checkbook and just pay my bills for me?:) I'm dreading packing, handling movers, selling cars and furniture, finding an new apartment, and all the other little decisions that make up a HUGE move. I'm dreading that my best friend will be so far away for that time frame, and that he'll miss out on so many things that can never be replaced. He won't be the first person to hold these little babies when the first get here; he won't be there to laugh with me about all the craziness going on around us. Those first moments and days won't be there when we finally are able to be physically together as a family. I'm dreading so many things, that I literally can't put them into words.
There are a few things I'm trying to remember though.
- I'm not completely on my own. There have been many offers of help, thankfully Neil's family lives close, and the ward we are in (thankfully) is on the older side, with no children at home or other responsibilities. We'll receive a lot of support from them.
- These challenges are really not as a bad as my mind would like to portray them. I'm not the first woman to take on the challenge of temporary single parenting.
- Ellie is resilient, and she will come out on top too.
- Heavenly Father has given us more than just a few challenges to deal with, but they ARE blessings as well, and I know that he has big plans that will stretch us, strengthen us and allow us to grow in ways that we aren't aware of right now. I know that we'll be able to look back on all of these and be amazed at how far we came and grew.
8.10.11
A long update...
This whole twin pregnancy has been quite different then I ever imagined. Well, first of all, I never imagined I'd be the mom with twins. I also never imagined that I'd have 3 kids under the age of 3. Obviously I'm not going to be the first mom to ever take on this challenge....nor the last. The whole idea in general has been pretty overwhelming....and I've struggled with accepting/being excited about what our near future will bring.
Along side that, I've dealt with the guilt that comes with not being "thrilled". I was so caught up in the wave of all things pregnancy, that I couldn't distinguish whether or not it was just because I was exhausted, horribly sick, and overwhelmed that I wasn't giddy about having two precious babies coming to our family. I'm not sure I'll ever completely get over the morning sickness (in fact, I'll be surprised if it decides to take it's nastiness elsewhere) but I've noticed the last two weeks have been significantly better as far as first trimester woe's go.
I still have to take my anti-nausea medication, but only every other day now. I finally have more energy, but surprisingly have already become extremely uncomfortable. Sleeping is impossible, and I'm trying not to think about how much longer I still have to go.
I'm so excited to finally feel excited about this pregnancy! I tell Neil on a daily basis how I can't wait to see the babies again (our ultrasounds will be every two weeks starting on the 17th of Oct)....wahoo!!
The one thing that has surprised me about having twins is how little people really know about twins. Myself included.
Here are some common questions/issues we've been asked (or asked ourselves):
1. A lot of people want an explanation of sorts on where twins come from. In our case, there appears to be one set of twins on Neil's side (very distantly)....but the only type of twins that have any hereditary link are FRATERNAL twins. Our twins are monozygotic, or identical twins. Identical twins are a type of phenomenon where Drs. cannot explain why an egg splits into two embryos. Thus, identical twins are purely by chance, and have no hereditary link whatsoever.
2. Because there is more than one baby, tummies get bigger MUCH faster. I haven't asked my Dr. how much bigger I'm measuring, but in the early part of twin pregnancies, most uterus' measure 4-6 weeks bigger than actual gestational age. I think as the pregnancy continues, the measurement gap is much larger. That could mean that I look like I'm 20-22 weeks pregnant instead of my almost 15 weeks.
3. Twins never go full term (or very rarely)
. That being said, after talking the my perinatologist, he's pretty confident that we won't run into any serious complications (keeping our fingers crossed) because of the completely health pregnancy/delivery I had with Ellie. Lets hope he's right.
4. Our twins are Monochorionic-Diamniotic. Meaning they share the same placenta, or chorion (mono), but each have their own amniotic sacs (the Di part of the word). This layout is the better option for identical twins, and the babies don't run the risk of tangling up in each others chords. There is still the risk of TTTS because they are identical.
5. Carrying twins really is twice the work.
There's still a lot to know, and a lot we can only learn by hands on experience.:) The official countdown until we find out if we'll have boys or girls is:
Along side that, I've dealt with the guilt that comes with not being "thrilled". I was so caught up in the wave of all things pregnancy, that I couldn't distinguish whether or not it was just because I was exhausted, horribly sick, and overwhelmed that I wasn't giddy about having two precious babies coming to our family. I'm not sure I'll ever completely get over the morning sickness (in fact, I'll be surprised if it decides to take it's nastiness elsewhere) but I've noticed the last two weeks have been significantly better as far as first trimester woe's go.
I still have to take my anti-nausea medication, but only every other day now. I finally have more energy, but surprisingly have already become extremely uncomfortable. Sleeping is impossible, and I'm trying not to think about how much longer I still have to go.
I'm so excited to finally feel excited about this pregnancy! I tell Neil on a daily basis how I can't wait to see the babies again (our ultrasounds will be every two weeks starting on the 17th of Oct)....wahoo!!
The one thing that has surprised me about having twins is how little people really know about twins. Myself included.
Here are some common questions/issues we've been asked (or asked ourselves):
1. A lot of people want an explanation of sorts on where twins come from. In our case, there appears to be one set of twins on Neil's side (very distantly)....but the only type of twins that have any hereditary link are FRATERNAL twins. Our twins are monozygotic, or identical twins. Identical twins are a type of phenomenon where Drs. cannot explain why an egg splits into two embryos. Thus, identical twins are purely by chance, and have no hereditary link whatsoever.
2. Because there is more than one baby, tummies get bigger MUCH faster. I haven't asked my Dr. how much bigger I'm measuring, but in the early part of twin pregnancies, most uterus' measure 4-6 weeks bigger than actual gestational age. I think as the pregnancy continues, the measurement gap is much larger. That could mean that I look like I'm 20-22 weeks pregnant instead of my almost 15 weeks.
3. Twins never go full term (or very rarely)
. That being said, after talking the my perinatologist, he's pretty confident that we won't run into any serious complications (keeping our fingers crossed) because of the completely health pregnancy/delivery I had with Ellie. Lets hope he's right.
4. Our twins are Monochorionic-Diamniotic. Meaning they share the same placenta, or chorion (mono), but each have their own amniotic sacs (the Di part of the word). This layout is the better option for identical twins, and the babies don't run the risk of tangling up in each others chords. There is still the risk of TTTS because they are identical.
5. Carrying twins really is twice the work.
There's still a lot to know, and a lot we can only learn by hands on experience.:) The official countdown until we find out if we'll have boys or girls is:
8 Days
That being said....this little one is getting more and more excited. She walks around with her baby dolls and tenderly "hush-hush's" them and tells me to be quite because her baby sister is sleeping. Hmmm....maybe she knows something we don't.
19.4.11
Spring 2011 thus far
Its been a busy Spring for us! I can say Spring, because unlike all you Idahoans...it has been!
Ellie and I have been in a Parent/Tot Tumbling class for 2 months now. The class only meets once a week, so really, she hasn't learned a TON of things yet....but she got to participate in her very first Gymnastic showcase a few days ago!
I enrolled Ellie in this class so it would help with her coordination. I figured I better start her out young, because she was exhibiting characteristics of un-talentedness. I'm know she'll be talented in many other areas, but physical coordination may not be one of them. It seems to be helping, actually. I've notice improvement enough that I think I'll keep her in the class a while longer.
Here are some pictures of her showcase:
Ellie and I have been in a Parent/Tot Tumbling class for 2 months now. The class only meets once a week, so really, she hasn't learned a TON of things yet....but she got to participate in her very first Gymnastic showcase a few days ago!
I enrolled Ellie in this class so it would help with her coordination. I figured I better start her out young, because she was exhibiting characteristics of un-talentedness. I'm know she'll be talented in many other areas, but physical coordination may not be one of them. It seems to be helping, actually. I've notice improvement enough that I think I'll keep her in the class a while longer.
Here are some pictures of her showcase:
Her name was just called...
She was supposed to stand on the podium...
Then they gave her the medal she won
and she was supposed to turn and raise her arms and say "ta da!" Not sure if the picture time was bad, or she really did only raise her arms like that.
She did such a good job! Neil told me he was the proudest Dad there! Even though she was the ONLY little girl running around hugging the inflateable monkey decorations instead of balancing on the balance beam, or jumping on the trampoline. She insisted...:)
We live across the street from the Colorado Christian University, and last Saturday they had a fun Easter celebration with games, toys and a big easter egg hunt. It was Ellie's first real easter egg hunt (thanks Ashlyn, for joining Ellie in her egg hunt last year!)....it turned out to be a lot of fun, and the weather was beautiful. There were probably well over 1,000 eggs designated for the kids aged 0-4. (all the 0 aged kids probably didn't participate much)
Too much easter candy over here.....anyone in need?
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