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Tuesday, February 26, 2013

It's All Gravy! (Twin update)

Monica had her 32 week check-up today. She'll actually be 32 weeks pregnant on Friday. Everything is gravy!!! That means GREAT! Everything looks stellar! In fact, I think I will shut up and let Monica finish the rest of this post. It'll be better coming from her anyway! Begin Monica typing:

Welp, another great doctor's appointment today! Woo-hoo!!! My doctor is so happy with how things are going and so are we!! I am going to make a later post about my PUPPS, but it seems to be mostly cleared up with the exception of my feet. They were the worst affected and they are so much better now than they were!! I am sleeping through the night again (finally) and that's without any Vistaril! Praise God!!!

But about the doctors appointment...

The tech came in and took my blood pressure (which is great) and dopplered the boys heart rates. Dopplering their heart rates is always so exciting to me! I love to hear their little hearts pumping away and working exactly how they should! They are such little miracles! This time it proved not only to be exciting... but humorous also! :)

So she puts the gel on my belly and asks where they usually find the heartbeats.... she proceeds to put the wand on my belly and move it around.... and baby B would not stop kicking the wand!!! She was laughing so hard and thought it was the most adorable thing! When she finally got ahold of his heart rate he made a big flip and she lost it! She commented, "Well I think this one may be your stubborn one! He doesn't want to let me get his heart rate!" Oh B.... :) It took her quite a while to finally get it. I told her he was the slightly bigger twin and she laughed saying, "He may be a little bully!" When she moved over to baby A she immediately got his heart rate. She then proceeded to say, "See A is your little angel!" It was so funny to see them moving like crazy while she tried to get good heart rates!

My doctor had originally told me by this particular appointment we would schedule a c-section date so we would have the OR reserved. I brought it up and she told me that because we are doing so great she doesn't see any reason to set a date. She said she is pretty much treating me like a singleton pregnancy because of how easy and smooth everything is going. We have an ultrasound and fetal monitoring on Monday. She said as long as they are both still head down we will continue to play things by ear and will probably be looking at a regular delivery! Yay!! The chances of them flipping is pretty much zero to none because of how cramped they are getting. At our last ultrasound they were both head down and we have good reason to believe they still are. This is because of the types of movements I am feeling up high (like little feetsies) and the fact that I haven't noticed a "flip". I can't believe how close we are to meeting them!! It is the most exciting thing! I just praise the Lord and thank him for such a smooth and healthy twin pregnancy! We are certainly blessed!

-Monica

On a side note (this is Jeremy now) this evening Monica was laying on her right side, meaning her left side and Baby A were up. Baby A was having a hay day in there kicking, punching, squirming like crazy. He started to slow down a little and I wanted to see if I could hear his heart beat. Really I just had the urge to lay my head on Monica's belly. As soon as I did he started moving like crazy! His little arms and legs were moving all over! It was so neat! I will let him punching and kicking me in the head pass.... for now, lol. When I lifted my head up, he chilled out. When I did it again, he started back in wiggling like crazy. I don't know if my fat head was squashing him (I barely had it pressed against her tummy) or he could tell something was there and was "feeling it out." Either way it was awesome and never ceases to amaze me! That's all for now I guess! We have our multiples class Thursday evening and I hope to get a lot done on the nursery Thursday, so be looking for a Friday post with a nursery update and multiples class update!

-Jeremy

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Thankful Thursday: Pre-pregnancy skin & Playing inside the womb

Hey everyone! It's Thursday and you all know what that means! One more day of work and we're to the weekend! AND it's time to reflect on things we're thankful for in our lives! See, it's such a great day! Another week in the history books. Monica and I love taking this time each week to point out blessings, often those in disguise, that we can be thankful for. Enough babble from me, here's our lists:

Monica's List:

I'm thankful for my pre-pregnancy skin. How often is it that we really realize the little blessings in life?!! Not often enough! :) I never would have thought to be thankful for my skin... until I got a terrible pregnancy rash called PUPPS. I've never really given my skin a second thought, but I know there are others who suffer with severe skin conditions every single day of their lives. So I have to put up with PUPPS and it's effects on my skin? Can I handle it?! Heck yes I can! What doesn't kill you makes you stronger right?! :)

I am thankful for such an understanding husband! He never ceases to amaze me! He has been doing a lot of stuff  around the house, on top of everything else he has on his plate. I appreciate him so much! I can tell that he loves me and sacrifices a lot for me! From little things like.... rubbing the steroid cream on my itchy feet...  telling me I'm beautiful even when I know I'm really not looking my best... and sympathizing the pain I've been in. I think I just may keep him!! :)

I am SO thankful for our active little boys! I know I've said this a million times but they move NONSTOP... like every minute of the day! And it's so strong! It's like I can feel body parts now and my whole belly will just shift and move. Who knows what they are doing in there!? Haha! It is the most adorable thing! I have been brought to tears twice this week from their movements. It's like we are getting to spend time together already and I feel so close to them. I don't even know how to describe it right though. I guess it's one of those things where there are just are no words to describe it? Love doesn't even seem like a strong enough word.

Jeremy's List:

I'm thankful for craigslist and Dave Ramsey. I recently began coordinating a Financial Peace University class at our church. We're 4 weeks in and have 5 more to go. Last weeks video was on dumping debt. I love it! It was my favorite chapter of Dave's book, The Total Money Makeover, and so far my favorite video of the series. Dave is a very passionate fella. He has his ways of motivating you. After last weeks video it helped give me that extra push I have been needing. Monica and I have been on the fast track to being debt free since we got married. I know I've listed our stats before, but we've paid off a lot of debt. We recently had to take on more after going through IVF and having a very nice 4 door car fall in our laps at an awesome price. I've been stressing a little because we were so close to being debt free. $3,700 on a school loan close! After the class this week I came home and found anything and everything we could sell and put it on craigslist. I have 12 ads on there right now including our Toyota Solara. My goal is to make $400-500 to put straight towards our IVF debt. So I'm thankful for Dave Ramsey and Craigslist!

I'm thankful I've gotten to feel my boys move so much! I know I've used this a lot, but it never gets old! The past two nights, I chased both boys feet all over the top of Monica's stomach. It's like a little game we play now. They will be kicking and moving their feet, and you can see it! So I put my fingertips on their feet. It's so funny, cause for a little while they will stop moving them all over, keep them where my fingers are and wiggle them around, push and kick my fingers. When they start moving them around again I follow them and keep mt fingertip lightly pressed against their feet. It's the most incredible thing ever. Sometimes we'll just sit there with my fingers touching their feet and they hold them there. Two nights ago it was mostly Baby A. Last night it was mostly Baby B. I love it! It's the highlight of my day and week when I get to feel my boys moving!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

I have pupps...

I have pupps.... and no, this is not what I am calling my sweet little boys now! :) Pupps is a severe pregnancy related skin rash. We originally thought that I must have had an allergic reaction to the Rhogam shot I had to get Friday... but sadly that is not the case.

I called my doctor Sunday night to inform her of a rash that started on my hands and feet and was quickly spreading to my arms and legs. She told me to take benadryl for a couple nights and see if the rash and itching got better or worse (she wasn't initially too alarmed because I felt great still and the boys were still moving like crazy). Fast forward to today and I could barely handle it because I was itching extremely bad. The rash was getting worse and continuing to spread FAST. They got me in today and as soon as my doctor looked at me she said.. "Oh honey, you have pupps!" (may I note she had a very sympathetic look on her face.) I'm thinking, "Pupps... what kind of name is that?!" Turns out it is an acronym for pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy... yeah! :) My first thought was, "Ok, so what are they gonna give me to get rid of it?"... she proceeded to tell me "More than likely it is here to stay until you have the boys... it will actually probably just get worse as the pregnancy progresses." The top three risk factors of getting it are first time pregnancies, pregnancies with males, and multiple pregnancies....... (ding,ding) winner, winner chicken dinner!!! I just happen to have all three of those going for me! Haha!

I first noticed what looked like raised bumps on the stretch marks on my lower belly about a week or so ago. I figured maybe it was just really bad stretch marks and was pretty discouraged by it! They almost looked like welps! I then began to notice little red, itchy bumps on my hands and feet. From there it just spread like wildfire! My doctor told me that is exactly how it manifests itself! She gave me a steroid cream (she wants me to use it sparingly) and Vistaril (basically a very strong Benadryl). Tonight is my first time using them so I really hope they help me get some much needed sleep! I have not slept more than I few hours the past few nights due to the constant itching. Regular Benadryl didn't seem to do a thing to relieve it!

Good news is that it isn't harmful to me or the boys AND I am in the last part of my pregnancy! I'm so glad that this didn't come any sooner! My doctor also noted that if I was going to get a pregnancy rash, this would be the one she would want me to get. This is because although it is extremely uncomfortable.... that is all there is to it! No harm at all!! It really is stinky... but you won't hear me complaining about it! I always said if I got the opportunity to be pregnant I wouldn't complain...  and I believe I have stuck to my word. When you know there's a good possibility you could never be pregnant and are then blessed with (two) miracles.... you tend to look at the bright side! :) I am so thankful to be able to carry my babies and for such a smooth pregnancy so far! If this is the worst so far then I can still be thankful! Don't get me wrong, this is the most uncomfortable, itchy, burning thing I have ever experienced but I still consider myself a very blessed girl!

Things that seem to help so far are: oatmeal baths, Grandpa's pine tar soap (I saw a ton of reviews about it concerning pupps), and not getting too hot or stuffy. I will probably be living in sports bras and shorts until the boys get here. Having clothes rubbing on my skin just makes me itch that much more! I have also read to drink a lot of V8 juice so I'm trying that too (man that stuff is gross!!) I will try to post some pics of the rash. Hopefully in my sisters wedding this Saturday I won't look like a huge, red balloon going down the aisle but there are no guarantees! haha! :)



Monday, February 18, 2013

Belly Pics: 30 Weeks

We're officially 30 weeks! It's flying by here in the Parks household! It's been a little crazy around here as I believe I've mentioned, so I apologize for the late post with the updated belly pics.

All of Monica's check-ups have been going great! Her next one is at 32 weeks. We go for ultrasound and fetal monitoring 2 weeks from today. It's always exciting to see our boys! they have been doing a lot of moving lately too! Hopefully we'll have the chance to video some of it one of these days and post that. It is fascinating to feel them move through Monica's stomach! I know I posted once about feeling Baby B's foot an pushing gently against it and him pushing back. I've gotten to do that a couple more times since then! It's the most awesome thing ever! His foot still feels so tiny!

We also found out that Monica has type O- blood. She had to get a rhogam shot on Friday. My poor wifey evidentally is having an allergic reaction to the shot. She has tiny red, very itchy bumps that started on her feet and have spread all up her legs and to her hands and arms. She took some Benadryl last night per doctor's orders. I'm really hoping that does the trick. So if Monica's hands look a little puffy or red, that's why. I guess that's enough of an update for now. Here's the pics!


                               Baseline                                                                     30 Weeks


                                                                          28 Weeks

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Thankful Thursday: Valentine's Edition

It's Thankful Thursday! Whoo-hoo! Another week down, and many, many more to go!! Our weeks have been jam packed lately, with wedding showers, baby showers, a bachelor and bachelorette party this weekend, dentist visits, Monica had two cake orders back to back weekends, coordinating a Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University class every Sunday and soon our multiples class! WHOO! It's been crazy busy! So it's nice to take the time every Thursday to sit down and reflect on things to be thankful for. When life gets busy, things get taken for granted. Since Thankful Thursday just so happens to fall on Valentine's Day this year, I thought we do a very special Valentine's Day edition! Here's what we're thankful for this Valentine's Day!

Monica's List:

I'm thankful for a mushy, romantic husband! He never ceases to make me feel special and loved! This morning I woke up to notes going down the hall that ended that in the kitchen saying, "Will you... Be... My..... Valentine?" He wrote me the sweetest note and he always manages to make me cry
(it may have been even worse this year with me being pregnant, haha). I love that he cares to make things special for me... yeah I'm pretty spoiled! :) I literally fall more in love with him every day... God has given me someone so special! I feel so blessed to have him as my partner in life!

I am thankful for Steak! :) I could never be a vegetarian, meat is just too delicious to me! We like to get nice steaks from Costco occasionally (when they are on sale or we have room in the grocery budget). They are so massive that we can share one! I must say my hubby fixes one of the best steaks I think I have ever had! We are fixing dinner together tonight instead of going out and steak is on the menu! Considering I have craved meat like crazy throughout my pregnancy... I am super excited for dinner!!

On a side note not related to Valentine's Day...
I am also thankful for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches this week!! Ha! I have eaten at least 2 1/2 of them this week and I will probably eat a few more! I guess they must be what I am craving?! At least peanut butter is high in protein and I am eating it on whole grain bread!  ;) Also, the boys have moved more in the past 2 days than they ever have!!! It is so exciting! I LOVE it! They literally moved ALL day long yesterday!! I just can't get enough and am soaking in every minute of it! I know they will be here soon and I am going to miss this special part of pregnancy!

Jeremy's List:

I'm thankful for chocolate covered strawberries! I don't have much of a sweet tooth, but I LOVE chocolate covered strawberries! It never fails that every year, my lovely wife makes me some. They are to die for! I woke up to a tray full in the fridge and a small tupperware container full to take to work today. My wife rocks!

I'm thankful for Valentine's Day. I'm a romantic guy and love doing romantic things for Monica! She really likes it, so of course I like to do anything that makes her smile and feel like the most special wife in the world! It's an excuse to go over the top and get crazy making a point to make her feel special! This year was regretably my lamest year yet, and she got me good this year surprising me with the strawberries. I like to get creative and think of ways to surprise her and show her how much I love her! It also reminds me of just how special our relationship is. I hear so many guys talk about how lame V-Day is and they don't do anything for their wives cause they've been married "x" number of years and if they do, it's only out of obligation. It's sad really. I know we have something amazing! It's been 3 and a half years and the "honeymoon phase" I heard so much about is still going strong and doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon! Maybe in 50 years or so. :)

I'm thankful for my wife! She gave me a reason to fight CF about 5 years ago. At that point I was done. I made my decision to let the disease run it's course. I was done with treatments, done with fighting a war I knew I'd lose eventually. I was ready to go to heaven and meet my sister Christa and meet Jesus! Then Monica came along. Well, she had been there my whole life, but we started talking. From the minute we started getting to know each other, I knew she was it! She is amazing! She's so incredible! We would talk for hours and not run out of things to say. She was all I thought about. She was the girl that I prayed for! My dream girl! Every feature, every personality trait, she was exactly who I had prayed God would send me. When we got serious she made me promise that I would fight this disease with everything I had. Promise that I would do everything in my power to be with her as long as I could. She didn't have to make me promise. I was already determined to live as long as I could so I could give her the absolute best life I could! To make all her dreams come true! As Bryan Adams says, "Everything I do, I do it for [her]!" I love my wife!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! So what are you thankful for on this very special Valentine's Day edition of Thankful Thursday?!

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Thankful Thursday: GoPro, P90X & 3D Ultrasounds

It's Thankful Thursday! Time to take a moment and share what we're thankful for! Another week down in the history books. Seems like all the time I'm finding things I can be thankful for. A lot of times it's something I never thought to be thankful for. Something minuscule that I overlooked on a daily basis.There's always something to be thankful for! What are you thankful for this week?

Monica's List: (pontificated by Jeremy)

Side Note: Monica is working on a cake right now and does not have time to type. She is however telling me what she's thankful for from the kitchen)

I am thankful for 3D ultrasounds! Jeremy and I can't wait to see what our little rugrats are going to look like and 3D ultrasounds bring us that much closer to seeing them. So far it appears as if they both have Jeremy's ears and my nose :) We are so excited to meet our little ones! They'll be here in 8 or 9 weeks at the most! 3D ultrasounds make us that much more excited to meet our boys and we get to watch them develop almost right before our eyes!

Jeremy's List:

I'm thankful for my GoPro camera! I haven't even gotten to use it yet, but I'm already thankful for it. I sold some things lately in order to be able to buy one. They are very versatile and give extremely good picture quality. It can record in 4K cinematic mode! Which, rumor has it, is the next thing to come in TV resolution. 4K will be the next upgrade to 1080p. The camera has various mounts that I got for Christmas and comes in a waterproof housing. It will be awesome to have for vacations and filming our boys! Plus, it can be controlled from my phone! I plan on using it as a way to keep tabs on the boys when they are older and roaming around. I can strap one to their chest or head and see where they are and what they're getting into at all times! Bwahaha!

I'm thankful for P90X! I know I've mentioned it before, but whoo buddy! It is a workout and a half. I started back up this week after taking a hiatus for a while. I forgot just how tough it is. I'm so sore! I can barely take my shirts off and on without whimpering, lol. It feels like my sternum has been split down the middle! I know that's a huge exaggeration but you have to have some dramatic effect every now and then to emphasize your point. I love it and can't wait to keep going and see some results!

What are you thankful for this week?

P.S. Ronnie if you are reading this, my pastor used the word pontificate in one of his sermons and defined it. I now understand the tag you have at the bottom of your posts :)

First GoPro Picture (It's a bad pic. Does not reflect the quality of the camera, lol)
 



Wednesday, February 6, 2013

28 Week Twin Update and Ultrasound Pics

Hey everyone! Well, we had an ultrasound done yesterday morning of our two awesome little boys! Everything is looking great still! Each time we go, we almost always have the maximum number of people allowed, lol. Somebody is usually off and goes with us. My father-in-law, mother-in-law,  sister-in-law, grandma-in-law, and mom have all been and yesterday my sister made the trip in from Springfield to see our boys.

They're growing! Baby B is our little chunker weighing 2 lbs 14 oz, and Baby A weighs 2lbs 8 oz. Each week when they measure them and check their weight, they give us a percentage that tells us how far apart their weights are. At 20 weeks, they were 7%. At 24 weeks they were 11%. Yesterday they are now at 13%. They expect them to weigh differently, and as long as the percentage stays below 20% everything is good! They don't seem to be worried at all about the jumps.

It is still so incredible to see them moving and squirming on the screen! As soon as the ultrasound tech started yesterday, she was down by Baby A's head and he bumped the wand hard enough to move it! I guess he didn't want to be disturbed, lol. So far, every week when they switch to 3D, Baby B is the one that cooperates and let's us see his adorable little face, and Baby A always hides. This week Baby A let us see is little face! He made a little pouty face for the second picture. Now we know that they both have mommy's nose. Yay!

Overall, mommy and babies are doing great! We have another ultrasound in 4 weeks. We start our class, "Preparing for Life with Multiples" on Feb. 27th. We'll keep you posted on all that we learn there too! For now I will leave you with pictures!!!




pouting



Saturday, February 2, 2013

Belly Pics: 28 Weeks

Here they are for all of you who have been waiting (Mandi Sharpe lol), Monica's 28 week belly pics!As of yesterday we have a maximum of 10 weeks! Holy smokes this pregnancy is flying by! Her doctor will take our twin boys at 38 weeks if Monica makes it that long. My prediction is 36 weeks. Any predictions out there?

I don't have much else to say so I'll just post the pics! At some point we'll start doing weekly pics. Maybe next week??? :)


                               Baseline                                                                        28 Weeks


26 Weeks