Thursday, April 7, 2011

32 Weeks & Counting ...

We made it to 32 weeks! YAY! :)

On Monday they checked my cervix, and it was measuring around 2.6 cm. They are very happy with the length.

On Wednesday I went to "Tea-Timers." It is an hour of time spent with the other women on bedrest! I LOVE IT! :) This week we learned how to knit a newborn hat! I completed one & plan on doing another.

I have become close with another twin mommy here on bedrest, Laura. She has "MoMo" twin girls. This means her girls are identical, in the same sac and same placenta. It is the most high risk twin pregnancy after conjoined. Mine are "MoDi" the next highest risk after "MoMo." Mine have their own sac, same placenta. We speak a lot throughout the day on the phone and keep each other sane :) We can complain about the same nurses, and share our good news when we have it! It is nice to share the experience with someone! I look forward to playdates with our kiddos!


Today, they measured the boys! Dr. Adam is my specialist that takes the growth measurements. I was telling her about the right baby being so active and the left baby putting me in less pain. She told me I have such a great attitude and perspective on things. :) She said she hears a lot of complaining, and it is nice to have someone with such an awesome attitude. This made my night!

Baby A went from 3 lbs 14 oz to 4 lbs 10 oz, gaining 12 oz. He is in the 49th percentile.

Baby B went from 3 lbs 5 oz to 4 lbs 3 oz, gaining 14 oz. He is in the 39th percentile.

I guess since I teach math it is difficult for me to hear percentiles less than 50. I feel like I am being greedy because I know the boys are doing great.

I felt hiccups for the first time this week! :) I was SO excited!!! Right baby is the one I can feel them with and he is the bigger baby. He gets them throughout the day and EVERY NIGHT around midnight.

We have picked a delivery date! We are shooting for Friday May 6th!!! Four weeks to go! 28 days!! YAY! I will be 36 weeks 5 days! My specialist only lets Identicals go to 36 weeks. Statistically, white boys tend to do the worst, so I am hoping the extra 5 days will make for minimal NICU time.

I will have another growth ultrasound in 10 days!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

30 Week Ultrasound ♥

We had our 30 week ultrasound to check the boys for Twin to Twin Transfusion. They are still showing no signs of it, thank goodness. Their fluid levels were perfect, and they are putting on weight.

In 2 weeks, Baby A went from 2 lbs 14 oz to 3 lbs 14 oz, gaining a pound. He is in the 59th percentile.

Baby B went from 2 lbs 11 oz to 3 lbs 5 oz, gaining 10 oz. He is in the 41st percentile.

They look great and are getting big! The right baby is the chunker, and is the baby that always hurts my ribs ;)

My cervix looked great, it measured 2.5 cm. The doctors are very happy with it. Bedrest is keeping these boys where they need to be, and I could not be happier!

Thank you for all the prayers, they are working!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

High Risk Pregnancy ...

When I found out it was twins I was shocked to say the least. I would have never imagined we would be having identical twins. You never expect that when you go in for an ultrasound. I was immediately having a "high risk pregnancy." So, I had doctors appointments every 2 weeks.

The first trimester I was sick, but other than that perfectly fine. The boys were doing great & all was well. Second trimester I felt AMAZING! :) On christmas break we went in for our ultrasound & the boys were starting to show a difference in their fluid levels. One baby had 18 and the other had 8 units of fluid. This was the first scare we had with the boys, and it was awful. I was put on bedrest for the rest of christmas break. I was told to add protein to every meal and to drink as much water as I could. I went back 10 days later, and their levels were 13 and 6 units. This was good news because their levels were closer to each other. I went back 10 days later, and she did not need to measure their levels. She could tell be looking at them that they were perfect. We were so relieved :)

The rest of January and February went by and there were no issues. I felt great for the most part. My back hurt after teaching all day, but that is to be expected. I loved the 2nd trimester. My appointments were going great. The boys were putting on weight, and I felt amazing.

On Monday February 28th, I went in for a routine OB appointment at 27 weeks pregnant. My doctor measured my cervix, and everything about my pregnancy changed in an instant.

It had gone from measuring 3.7 cm to 2.6 cm in two weeks and was 1 cm dilated. Anything below 2.5 cm is concern before 34 weeks pregnant. Basically, the weight of the 2 babies is tricking my body into thinking it needs to start preparing for birth. 

I had an appointment with my high risk specialist the next day in the same building. My doctor told me if the specialist got a measurement of less than 2.5 cm I would be on hospital bedrest. The specialist has a more accurate machine to determine the real length. She was putting me on home bedrest at that moment.

Brandon and I were COMPLETELY freaked out. I had taught that day, and felt great. It was a good day with my kiddos, and everything was going well. We decided to go down to my specialist and see if she would measure it then. I did not want to stress for 24 hours about whether I would be put in the hospital.

My specialist took me straight in, and she measured 2.4 cm. We went straight to the hospital, which is across the parking lot. I was admitted, and put on monitors for the boys. They also monitored contractions. I was contracting, but never felt any of it. So, they put me on Procardia to stop the contractions. I was in the hospital until Thursday. They said since my contractions had basically stopped, they felt home bedrest would work. I had my last baby shower that weekend when I got home.

The following Monday March 8th, I went in and had my cervix checked again at 28 weeks. It was 2 cm. My doctor said she was willing to let me go home and re-check on Wednesday. While she was finishing writing things in my file, she said she could not let me go home. Looking at my length and knowing I was only 28 weeks she just could not let me go home. So, back to the hospital we went.

On Wednesday at 28 weeks 3 days, my specialist checked my cervix and it measured 1.4 cm. I was devastated. I had been on bedrest and it was not helping. The boys were doing great and weighed 2 lbs 14 oz and 2 lbs 11 oz. They looked absolutely aborable in the ultrasound. I cannot wait to love on them.

On Monday March 14th, I went in and they measured around 2.4 cm. I felt so relieved. Laying in bed ALL DAY was helping. Thank goodness!

On Monday March 20th, I went in and they measured around 2.6 cm. YAY!

I have another ultrasound on March 23rd with my specialist. She will give me new weights for the boys and re-check my cervix.

I have been in the hospital since February 28th, except the 4 days I was released. It seems to really be helping and the boys are doing great. I am 30 weeks 3 days, and praying to make it to 36 weeks.

Brandon spends every night in the hospital with me. Seriously. I have been so blessed. He is laid-back and calm about everything in our lives. This is why I married him because I am SO NOT any of those character traits ;) In times like these, he makes me laugh and is supportive. I don't know what I would do without him by my side.

So, no teaching=no fun. When you are a teacher, your students are YOUR kids. I see them everyday, and genuinely care about them. I HATE that I am not there to teach them. They are reviewing for their TAKS test the next 2 weeks, and I feel so guilty not being there. I love my kiddos, and I know they will do great. I just wish I could see them, and remind them of the tricks I taught them in each unit. I called and spoke to each student to tell them their benchmark scores. They did GREAT. I was so proud of them. They made me a sweet card that each student signed. It made me cry :(

I know I am doing what I have to for my boys to be healthy and that is what keeps me going :)

♥ Nursery & Baby Showers

It has been entirely too long since I updated this blog! Hopefully, I will get better about it, and become as good as Jackie is about her blog! ;)

Since I last updated we found out the twins are Identical BOYS on November 29, 2010! We are naming them Drake and Hunter. We are still slightly debating on middle names. Hunter Paul Olive is definitely his name. Drake is the name we have not chosen yet. Drake Brandon Olive & Drake Arthur Olive are the two we are deciding on. If we go with Arthur, both boys will have their grandfather's name as their middle name. If we go with Brandon, both boys will be named after their daddy. So, we will see :)


When I found out it was boys I knew immediately what crib bedding I wanted! It is the only boy bedding that fit our style, and I LOVE it. Finding the perfect furniture took a little longer than expected. I was SHOCKED at the price of nursery furniture! I stumbled across the Graco Stanton set at walmart.com & fell in love! It has the Espresso finish that I like, and it was very reasonable! Brandon's family bought all of the furniture for us for christmas. My parents bought the boys' bedding for us for christmas. We are so blessed to have such supportive families! Pam, Lacey, and Nanny painted the boys nursery for us! We decided to paint the bottom of the room chocolate brown, then have a white chair rail. The room was already cream color, so we left the top that color. It turned out perfect, and cutting that chair rail was quite interesting ;)






I had a baby shower at work, and it was amazing! I am so blessed to work with the people I do. They are supportive, loving, and genuine. I love my co-workers, and I love my kiddos. How many people can say that about their job?? I was given many sweet gifts to start filling the nursery with :)





My next shower was thrown by Lacey, Theresa, Linda, Kaitlyn, and Kylie. It was beautiful! Our bedding set was being discontinued, and it was no longer carried at Babies~R~Us. So, I could not register for all of the neat stuff that goes with their bedding. Lacey decided to order it all, and use it as decorations for the "Deer" themed baby shower! It turned out adorable! Pam made the cake, and it was absolutely precious! Pop drew the deer from our bedding, and she used that to put it on the cake! The food, decorations, gifts, everything was amazing. We recieved more gifts than we could have ever dreamt of recieving. We are truly blessed!




The last shower was thrown  by Crystal, Cirby, Brooke R. and Lindsey. The theme was "Two Peas in a Pod" along with "We Olive Twins" When Brandon and I were in high school we would try to guess if the other said "I Love You" or "Olive You" So, "We All Love Twins" was perfect! It turned out adorable. There were so many creative ideas put into the shower. The cake was made by one of Crystal's friends, and WOW it was perfect. Again, we recieved so many sweet gifts that we were shocked.


Left frame: Boys Initials
Next frame: Collage of pregnancy photos and ultrasounds.
Next Frame: "We Olive Twins" spelled out in toys. Crystal and a family friend, Sandy, came up with this idea, and it is precious!
Last Frame: My silhouette at 23 weeks pregnant.




I was overwhelmed by the amount of gifts we recieved that were personalized, and took so much time. We got blankets, burp cloths, and towels that had the boys names, initials, or last name. It was incredible! I absolutely love personalized items, so it made me cry!





Brandon had a diaper shower with family and friends. The guys grilled and played poker. He recieved so many diapers and wipes. We certainly will not be buying diapers for a couple of months! Thank goodness :)

Between the three showers, Brandon and I will not need to get much for our boys. It was such a blessing, and we want to thank everyone for coming and being so supportive.

Drake & Hunter are blessed little boys! We cannot wait for everyone to meet them!


Wednesday, November 24, 2010

♥ 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!

Saturday, October 2, 2010

♥ 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

Sunday, September 12, 2010

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!