♥ Identical Twins ♥

Since my last post, life has been a bit crazy! We went in for our first ultrasound on October 6th, 2010. We sat in the waiting room, completely ecstatic to finally see our baby! A woman walked in with a double stroller, Brandon said to me "That is going to be you in a couple months." I replied, "Shut up! If it is I am driving off the Baytown bridge, and leaving a note so you don't get the insurance money!" We laughed, and continued to wait to see our doctor.

We get in the room, and she asks the normal questions. Date of your last missed period, etc. Then, she pulls out the ultrasound machine! I am SO EXCITED! :) She started the ultrasound, and we can see the baby! It surely does not look like a baby, but none the less that little circle was OUR BABY! We could see the beating heart, and hear it which was amazing. She begins to measure, and says baby Olive is .55cm! I reply "We are making progress!" She moved the slightest bit, and then states in a tone I can't put into words, "You have REALLY been making progress!" Just by the way she said it I knew to look at the screen. Sure enough, a SECOND baby popped up on the screen! We had been measuring the top left baby, when bottom right baby decided to pop in the screen! Brandon has the HUGEST smile I have ever seen! I burst into tears! No wonder I was showing so fast, I have TWO babies inside me! I cried the entire appointment. I was so totally shocked.

So, here are answers to all the questions I have been getting!

Are they natural?

Yes, we just decided to have a baby, and got TWO :)

Do twins run in our families?

Yes, we both have twins in our families, but it only matters if it is in the female's side of the family. Only Fraternal twins can be hereditary, not identical twins. Out twins are IDENTICAL, so I spontaneously split and created two babies for no known reason.

Are they identical or fraternal?

Identical

Are they boys, girls, or both?

Identical twins means they came from the same egg. Fraternal twins are two seperate eggs. So, since mine came from the SAME egg, they are DEFINITELY the same sex. We are having two little boys, or two little girls. As of now, doctors are leaning towards boys. We find out next Tuesday, November 30th.

So, they say with multiples that morning sickness is worse. WOW! I was sick from week 7 through week 12. Morning had nothing to do with it, I was sick all day. Nothing helped. So, I lost 10 pounds in the first trimester. I will be 14 weeks on Sunday, and I have been nauseau free for almost 2 weeks! My energy still has not come back, but it is getting much better.

Here are some of our Ultrasound pictures

October 6th, 2010
6 weeks pregnant

October 18, 2010

8 weeks pregnant

November 2, 2010

10 weeks pregnant

Left Baby Kicking

10 weeks

Right Baby Waving

10 weeks

This does cause me to be high risk, so I go to a specialist every two weeks. I see my regular doctor once a month for now. So, I am going to the doctor 3 times a month! The great thing, is I get to see the babies a lot, and know that they are ok! I joined a twin forum, and have other twin pregnant moms to talk to about what is happening. A couple of them lost one of their twins during the first trimester. This has made me much more grateful for what I have been blessed to raise!

My doctor plans to take the babies at 36 weeks which is the last week in April. It will most likely be a C-section because it is safest for the babies, and they have to meet a million requirements to be delivered vaginally.

So, everything is going great and the babies are healthy!

♥ Baby Olive ♥

Brandon and I decided after we got married we would try for a baby the following Fall. We hoped it would work out that I would be due at the end of the school year, and miss the least amount of work possible. I starting taking Prenatal Vitamins in June. We needed to conceive in August, September, or October. I started a strict 500 calorie diet in August. After being on it for 2 weeks I asked our school nurse if that could affect conceiving a baby. She said absolutely, so I got off of it immediately. We did not conceive that month, and I was a little disappointed. 

Then came September! I went to a Zumba class on a Tuesday. My chest hurt the entire week, but I thought I may have pulled a muscle jumping a lot in one of the dances. Friday, I took a test before work, only the "Control" line appeared. I had not missed a period yet, so it really did not phase me. I went to work and thought nothing of it. That afternoon I was talking to Jackie on the phone when I got home because I forgot my make up at work. Jackie had taken a pregnancy test in the morning when she was pregnant with Deacon, and it showed not pregnant. She looked at it that night, and sure enough there was a second line. So, since I was talking to her I thought might as well look just to check. Yep, a faint second line was there! I call Jackie right back and tell her. She says I need to get an Early Pregnancy Test. Mind you, during all of this Brandon is in the living room and has NO IDEA. I come out and say I forgot my make up at school, and had to go back. I go straight to Walgreens and buy a 2 pack of First Response Pregnancy Tests. I go to La Porte Junior High with Jackie & Yalonda. Yalonda is the other cheer coach with me, and we have become very close! We go to the 800 hallway and take the tests. There was a second line IMMEDIATELY on this one. We were SCREAMING in the bathroom. Janitors come running in thinking someone fell. We were so happy! We decide I need to go to Academy to get CAMO outifts to tell Brandon. So, I rush there and get a pink and blue one. Naturally, I hit every light on the way home.

I go straight to the bedroom and set it up. I call Brandon in the room to get dressed to go to dinner.

He smiled the biggest smile I have EVER seen, and asked "Really? You think so?" about 10 times.

Brandon's family was out of town for the weekend, so we had to keep it quiet. My family was going to be celebrating my mom's birthday on Sunday at our house. So, it would be the perfect time to tell them. We wanted to tell Brandon's family on Monday at family dinner. I ordered 2 cookie cake's that said "We're Pregnant"

The entire weekend I built my mom up saying it was the best gift she would ever receive. She could not figure it out. On Sunday, when my family arrives I make them gather in the living room. I tell them mom needs to open her gift from us immediately. Crystal is completely flustered asking why we are doing gifts now. I put the cookie cake in a gift bag. She takes the tissue paper out, and starts SCREAMING! She never took the cake out, so no one in the family knows why she is screaming. Finally, my sister looks in the bag, she starts crying. Brett and my dad look in the bag and start hugging me. It made for a great birthday for my mom!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Some of the family!

After my family left, Pam texts me and says "any baby news yet?" OH CRAP! I tell Brandon I don't want to lie to her. He decides he does not want to wait, lets tell them now. The cookie cake is not ready because I ordered it for Monday. We have another one made, and head to his parents. This one says "Due May 28, 2011." Paul is washing the jet-skis and Pam is sitting in the garage. I take the cake straight inside and tell her we had extra birthday cake from my mom. After 15 mins, I decide to bring it out. Paul is walking into the garage and I show Pam the cake. She reads it and thinks Due says Dad. Then, it clicks what she is reading, and she was SO excited. Paul was just as excited! We head over to Nanny & Pop's to show them. They were so happy to be great-grandparents. We drive to Lacey and Casey's house to tell them. I walk in and show them the cake. Lacey reads it out loud, jumps up and hugs me. It was perfect :)

We had our first appointment on September 24th. They confirmed the pregnancy, and gave me the official due date.

Baby Olive: Due May 29, 2011

Of course, Brandon is CONVINCED it is a boy. If so, Drake Brandon Olive is on his way!

A girl name has not been chosen.

I am still feeling great, no morning sickness. I have not gained any weight, but I am starting to show. I am apparently one of those people that show immediately. My chest hurts really bad, but other than that nothing has changed. I am 6 weeks pregnant tomorrow, and we have an appointment on Wednesday to hear the heartbeat and have an ultrasound. We are so excited!

Brandon has been phenomenal throughout this experience so far. He wrote a song for the baby and I that is absolutely precious. I am going to frame it in the baby's room.

Also, there is a new song out by Brad Paisley called "Anything Like Me." Brandon played it for me right after we found out about the pregnancy. It is absolutely precious! It is my ringtone for Brandon now :)

"Anything Like Me"

By Brad Paisley

I remember saying I don't care either way

Just as long as he or she is healthy I'm ok

Then the doctor pointed to the corner of the screen

And said "You see that thing right there well you know what that means"

And I started wondering who he was going to be

And I thought heaven help us if he's anything like me

He'll probably climb a tree too tall and ride hes bike to fast

End up every summer wearing something in a cast

He's gonna throw a ball and break some glass in a window down the street

He's gonna get in trouble oh he's gonna get in fights

I'm gonna lose my temper and some sleep

It's safe to say that I'm gonna get my payback if he's anything like me

I can see him right now knees all skinned up

With a magnifying glass trying to melt a Tonka truck

Won't he be a sight with his football helmet on

That'll be his first love til his first love comes along

He'll get his heart broke by the time he's in his teens

And heaven help him if he's anything like me

He'll probably stay out too late and drive his car too fast

Get a speeding ticket he'll pay for mowing grass

He's gonna get caught skipping class and be grounded for a week

He's gonna get in trouble we're gonna get in fights

I'm gonna lose my temper and some sleep

It's safe to say that I'm gonna get my payback if he's anything like me

He's gonna love me and hate me along the way

Years are gonna fly by I already dread the day

He's gonna hug his momma, he's gonna shake my hand

He's gonna act like he cant wait to leave

But as he drives out he'll cry his eyes out

If he's anything like me there's worse folks to be like

Aw he'll be alright if he's anything like me

OLIVE ST. ♥

In the past two months I have come across two Olive St. signs. I always stop to take a picture :) I am lucky both times I had Jackie with me, and she loves to stop for photoshoots!

The first sign was on the way to San Antonio for the CAMT Math Conference!

The second was while we were out of town for Labor Day with the Scott family in Grapeland, TX.

When we turned right and started to drive we saw the next cross street with Olive Street. It was Ash and Olive St! What are the chances?

I am looking forward to more pictures at an Olive St. sign!

LPJ 2010-2011 ♥

Tuesday was the first day of school, and I was so excited to begin my second year of teaching. I am no longer labeled a "Rookie," and I have taught all of these concepts before. This alone makes everything drastically easier. I am in the same classroom as last year, thank goodness. I changed some of my decorations, and I LOVE my classroom even more this year. I am teaching five classes, 3 PAP Algebra and 2 8th grade math classes. My students have been great for two days, it is a nice "honeymoon" period :)

First Day of School 2010

 

A co-worker and friend, Stephanie Davis, went to the zoo during the summer. She took close up photos of the zebras to be able to create this for my classroom! Isin't it adorable? I LOVE IT! Thanks Steph!

I absolutely love my career. I love the kids, and making a difference in their lives. I work with the most phenomenal people. I am so blessed to have such great friends at work. I definitely picked the perfect profession for me.

I also took on CHEERLEADING this year. I LOVE it. The team looks amazing, and I am so proud of them. It will be difficult spending so much time away from Brandon with practice and games, but I know it is nothing we cannot handle. The other cheer sponsor is awesome, and it is nice to have two of us to take care of all the responsibility.

I am so excited for this amazing school year!

ANNIVERSARY CRUISE

Brandon and I will be married for 1 year on August 1st, 2010. So, we decided we wanted to go on a big vacation to celebrate. The opportunity came up to go on a cruise with his sister Lacey and her brand new husband Casey. It was actually their honeymoon :) We are all best friends so we had a BLAST!

Brandon, Me, Lacey, and Casey

Our ship was the Carnival Ecstasy, and it was a 5 day cruise to Progreso and Cozumel, Mexico. The first day on the boat we figured out the layout of the ship, checked out our room, and got ready for dinner.

We were assigned a dinner table with two other families. One family was from Oklahoma, and the other was from North Texas. We really enjoyed the family from Oklahoma. They had two boys that were best friends and seniors in high school. Caden and Ryan introduced us to the amazing grilled ham and cheese sandwiches on the 24 hr menu. We hung out with them at karaoke a couple times. The meals at the formal dinners were interesting, but great. Brandon was the one who was adventurous and tried most anything. I ate steak, shrimp, and amazing molten chocolate cake. Brandon had salmon, veal, lamb, and tons of other fantastic foods. 

 

Our table at dinner :)

Caden, Lacey, Amazing Waiter Werner, and Ryan

Brandon and I before the Captain's Dinner

Lacey and Casey before the Captain's Dinner

Our first stop was Progreso, Mexico. We had bought an excursion to drive jeeps and see the Mayan Ruins, but we read the time wrong on the tickets. So, we missed it, and had to go on a different one. We went to a beach resort and had so much fun. We were happy with our mistake :) Lacey and I got massages, Casey and Brandon drank DOS XX from their waiter Fernando, who they tipped very well. He gave them phenomenal service the entire time we were there. Brandon met a couple from Wichita Falls, TX. Reed and Nikki also hung out with us throughout the trip.

Brandon and I in Progreso, Mexico

Brandon, Casey, Fernando, and Reed

Lacey and I

The following day we went to Cozumel, Mexico. We decided to swim with dolphins on this day. There was a mom dolphin named Aphrodite, and her baby Elena. I have always been crazy about dolphins. This was by far my favorite part of the cruise. We got to swim with them, hug them, kiss them, and touch them.

Kissing Aphrodite :)

Kisses

Swimming with Aphrodite

This experience was absolutely amazing. I will definitely do it again!

Lacey and I loved getting dressed up for dinner. We went to Karaoke almost every night, and it was quite funny to watch these people. Some people were great, while others certainly were not. We watched two different comedians in the 5 days. We enjoyed the pool and waterslides.

It was an awesome cruise, and a great way to celebrate a year of marriage.

Here are a couple more pictures from our cruise!