21 weeks and I finally get the stranger acknowledgement

I am pregnant, no doubt about it. I kept wondering when I was gonna receive the "Congrats on your pregnancy" from random strangers. Finally got it a few days ago!

Steve and I were at the horse track on Sunday, which I might add did not benefit us financially at all. I never cashed one ticket. But we had fun. Anyway, I headed off to the ladies room and got in line. Then all of a sudden the lead gal in line says, "Momma-you can jump in front of us. You get the next open stall." I was thrilled for 2 reasons: 1) someone was being so kind as to actually think of a pregnant gal and 2) a stranger acknowledged my bulging belly! I laughed at the lady and told her that I would've taken her up on it in my first trimester, but my bladder is a little better now that I'm in my second. She went ahead as scheduled, but the next lady wasn't letting me get out of it so quickly. She insisted I should go before her anyway. I obliged. What sweet people!

Pregnant belly very obvious to strangers: CHECK!

So, I'm on to 21 weeks this week. Things are going well. I love feeling the babies move. I love talking to them. I also bought them their very first book this week: "Goodnight Moon." One of my favorites when I was a little girl. I have been reading it to them at night before we go to sleep. I can't wait for our nightly storytime when they get here.

I realize that last line was a very positive statement. I hope these babies will stay in their current home for another 16 weeks. I really do. I worry a lot (I know, I know) that something will happen and I'll deliver early. This week a girl from one of my message boards (many of you may know or at least heard her story over the past week) gave birth to her twins at 24w1d. Her son died 2 days later and her daughter died the following day after him. How completely and utterly tragic. That's only 2.5 weeks from now at this point in my pregnancy. Too soon, too scary, too real. Also, scratching "24 week viability" from my vocabulary and brain. Obviously, some babies aren't viable at 24 weeks.

From Baby Center and The Bump this week: "Your baby now weighs about 13.9 ounces and is approximately 10.5 inches long — the length of a carrot or a banana. You may soon feel like he's practicing martial arts as his initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to his activity as you get to know him better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now. Baby also gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for hydration and nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies are most interested in tastes they've already experienced through amniotic fluid. Meaning, think about what you want your future child to eat as you prepare your own lunch."

Basketball, Bluegrass & Bourbon

Strange combination, but let me explain. All of them make Lexington, Kentucky the unique place that it is!

First there is our love for basketball. Most of you know that I'm a huge football fan, from Little League to High School to College to the NFL, I love (and follow) all of it! What I don't often talk about, but is equally dear to my heart, is Kentucky basketball. I don't follow any other team (did not watch March Madness since we missed the NCAA tourney) from college or pros, but I do love our Kentucky basketball. Yes, it's basically a religion here. Yes, people definitely need to find other things to do and obsess about. But, when we got our new coach this week, I admit to being equally obsessed. I already love Coach Calipari (he was actually the Coach I wanted the last time we had a coaching change)! You may ask yourself, who cares-for goodness sakes, it's just basketball! But, again think basketball=religion and you'll understand why I care!

Kentucky basketball is: No. 1 in all-time wins (1,985), No. 1 in NCAA tournament appearances (50), No. 1 in NCAA tournament games (145), No. 1 in NCAA tournament wins (100), No. 1 in Associated Press poll No. 1 finishes (8) and No. 1 in SEC titles (43), winning more than the other 11 SEC teams combined. Finally, there are also those (7) national championships and (13) Final Four appearances. We pack 24,000+ fans every winter into our beloved Rupp Arena!! Below is a snapshot of a very devoted Wildcats fan, Ashley Judd.





Next, there is the beautiful Bluegrass state. I have traveled around the U.S. quite a bit and have lived in Naples, Florida previously (which I did love). However, I remember getting tears in my eyes when the plane would touch down in Lexington while I still lived in Florida. It is the one of most beautiful places to fly into. You come in over horse farms and our famous horse racing track, Keeneland. Gorgeous green grass (not blue-lol) with beautiful white fences, it is known as the horse capital of the world. We have horse racing in Lexington only 6 weeks out of the year. Of those, 3 weeks of racing occur in April and 3 weeks occur in October. So, we are very limited in our "live" racing fun here. Spring season starts today and will run through April 24. Steve and I plan on heading to the track this weekend. Always fun! I wish I had some of my old Derby pics in hats and fancy dresses, etc on this computer, but I don't and I'm lazy and I'm pregnant. So, I'll just load an older pic of some of my nieces and nephews and step-daughter from a Fall day at the track.

And, there is a family pic from this same day at the track of Steve, Maggie, and me. Not one of our best, but a pic just the same.

Finally, here are some "true" bluegrass pics, from the horses we adore to the local farms where they reside...








Finally, bourbon. Kentucky is the bourbon whiskey capital of the world. 95% of all bourbon is made here in Kentucky. It's an acquired taste, but one that I find pretty yummy. You can put it in recipes, mix it with cola or water, or drink it on the rocks. I've done all of the above and tend to stick to recipes and Diet Coke mixes. In case you're wanting to try bourbon sometime, I'll make a few suggestions. The best selling of bourbon in the world? Jim Beam. The best mixing with cola bourbon? Maker's Mark. Reasonably priced and tastes great with Diet Coke. I should mention that I'm a Maker's Mark Ambassador and that I've had a barrel named in my honor. Just for the record, I did not have to drink any specific amount to become an ambassador...However, the bourbon I prefer to drink? Woodford Reserve. I drink it with Diet Coke, but get made fun of for ruining good bourbon by mixing it with cola from hard core bourbon drinkers . LOVE IT! Other fantastic bourbons to try if you get a chance (they are all small batch bourbons, so not easily found): Basil Hayden, Booker's, Knob Creek, and Blanton's.

If you want to try a good bourbon mixed drink, the mint julep is the most famous (think similar to a mojito). It's the official drink of the Kentucky Derby. Also, bourbon martinis are delicious. Steve and I had these Kentucky martinis as our "signature drink" at our wedding. I would post the recipe if I could remember it, but can't find it!

Hope you enjoyed my Kentucky "love" post! I just thought I'd share my adoration with you!

Sorry for all the confusion!

To all my faithful blog reader friends-I'm so sorry! As you all know, I've been wanting to make a blog name change for a while. When I finally came up with my new name, I went forward with changing not only the name, but also the address. I never thought it would be so difficult for everyone with my blog listed on their Google Readers and Blog Rolls.

I did figure this out in less than 2 hours and tried to go back to the "Desperately Seeking Spawn" address. As most of you have now found, someone snatched up my old name VERY quickly. I do not find it to be of any coincidence since it would appear she is heading to CCRM. So, for all of you clicking on my old name and finding this strange person, I'm sorry. Completely my mistake and one that I quickly tried to correct. But it would appear someone has been stalking my blog, waiting for me to change names, and then snatching it right up and discussing CCRM. I wish her the best and hope she gets pregnant, as it was my mistake, but what a mess!

On to better topics, I have a belly pic! I'm getting there!! This one was taken a week ago, so I'll have to take another soon. But, here I am at 19w4d...

Had an OB appt. today! No u/s, although the Doppler picked up both heartbeats and kicks and movements!! Luke was low (lol) and hanging out near my left pelvic bone kicking and moving up a storm and Harry was high (lol) up in my right rib cage where I do feel him often. He was there last night too and I had to sleep sitting up thanks to all the pressure on my ribs which makes it hard to breathe!

I check all the time to see if I see a head or a foot jab through my body, but so far, nothing. I guess they're still too little! But, I feel them moving A LOT, so I'm very thankful for that. I love being pregnant and I love these little boys so much!

Hope to post some nursery pics in a few weeks. Still not started on it!

20 weeks and new blog name revealed

Hey y'all!! A little hello from the Kentucky girl in me. :-) Y'all don't get to hear my accent by reading words that I type, but just thought I'd let it come out for a minute. One of my favorite memories of Dr. Schoolcraft was when we had our initial consult with him and he told me "Love your accent!" I think of Schoolie every day when I look at my belly and think of all he has helped us to achieve!

So, the big reveal: after careful thought, I decided not to choose any of the names I originally came up with for my new blog name. Instead, I'm changing the name to "Another Day in PAIR-adise." I think it's fitting for having twins, a definite predictor of my future life, and an original name that other bloggers haven't claimed yet.

In other news, I'm over the 20 week hump! Yay! A few words from BabyCenter: "Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.) He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery)."

I should tell you that I'm pretty much over the Nest/Bump fruit analogies at this point. They've gotten kinda ridiculous. Last week they were the size of mangoes, this week they are the size of cantaloupes, but next week are the size of bananas. Wtf? So, I'll be giving my own little updates, without the bump pics. The Bump was pretty good early (see blueberries, raspberries, etc), but have missed the mark over the past several weeks (and look to continue to do so for future weeks).

Diaper bag heaven

Yes-I feel like I've died and gone to that beautiful heaven with fabulous handbags. As a preface, I love handbags and have spent too much time and money on them in the past. But, now I've got a diaper bag that I love, love, love! Introducing, my very own Petunia Pickle Bottom...

It's a new Spring 2009 chenille fabric line with a tapestry look. I've spent much time obsessing over my dream bag and originally fell in love with this Cake Couture Petunia bag below. This one is my favorite, but I really can't justify it. It just seems way too much to spend for a diaper bag.



So, I think my top selection is a great combination of sophisticated style, yet reasonable pricing. Anyway, the best part is that it's a gift from my co-workers!

I happen to work with such a great group of people. We have always celebrated births for all of our team members, and a popular choice has been the Petunia bags over the past few years. There was definitely a point last year when I didn't know if I would ever get a chance to be celebrated, if our situation would ever change so that I could get giddy over all things baby-related.

There are still days that I want to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming that something so wonderful is happening to me. It would seem so, but I still worry every day about something going wrong and everything ending much differently.

But today ended perfectly with my new favorite bag getting purchased! I don't get it until my shower on May 21st, but I'll think of it often!

As I told the shop owner today: my boys may not have a nursery to sleep in yet, but Mommy has a pretty bag!

18 weeks!!

Well, things are definitely progressing. I'm 18 weeks and 3 days. I had a perinatologist appt today. He was very pleased with the boys growth and they did extensive scans on them today, measuring all long bones, head, feet, abdomen, etc. Always a good day when I can hang out with my sons. :-)

Baby A is weighing in at 8 ounces, which is right on schedule.



Baby B is slightly ahead on growth, at 9 ounces.

According to the Nest/Bump: "Your fetus has become amazingly mobile (at least compared to you), passing the hours yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking and swallowing. And, baby's finally big enough that you'll be able to feel those movements soon." They are about the size of sweet potatoes this week (were the size of onions last week).

Speaking of movements, I have had feeling (flutters) on my left side since Sunday. So exciting! Steve is calling him "lefty Luke" although we still haven't decided upon the names 100% yet. Luke (Lucas) is definitely a favorite, along with Harry (Harrison). But, I'm still thinking...

So, to talk about the pregnancy for a minute. I've been having some really awful leg cramps lately. The kind that wake you up in the middle of the night and are so debilitating that you can't bear weight on the leg and then you can't even walk normally for the next 4 days (including limping up and down stairs). I did speak to the doctor about these leg cramps disabling me and he was a little concerned. Told me to do "runners stretching" every night for 5 minutes before bedtime and start taking calcium supplements/Rolaids/Tums, etc. Hopefully, this will limit their effect on me!

Also spoke to him about my kick-butt heartburn that's been getting to me nightly. Suggested I try some Maalox or Mylanta or Pepcid OTC twice a day. Also thought I'd sleep best by elevating head slightly. So, I'm gonna give it a whirl tonight.

Finally, got a lecture from him about doing too much and that I should limit myself now or I will be forced to be put on bedrest in the future in hopes of preventing pre-term labor. I hate that I'm a Type A person sometimes, but I'll just have to figure something out! Their health is the most important thing to me. I wish I had more help from Steve and Maggie (13 y/o step-daughter). I read all of your blogs and hear how wonderful your husbands are and am so jealous sometimes! You all are lucky-remember that!

Updates

I feel like a lot has taken place since my last post!

First of all, the boys looked great at check-up last Thursday. Momma also looked good with a nice, long, thick cervix over 4cm-yay! Hope it stays that way for a very long time! Also, had triple screen genetic markers tested and all came back with an AFP within normal ranges, which is fantastic for twins! Also, my thyroid was checked and also came back normal. So good appt. all the way around! Next week (on Wed) I go see peri again, so looking forward to some good u/s pics...

Next, my Mom came up and we really got a lot accomplished over 4 days. First of all, I ordered my cribs! We got the Baby Italia standard cribs in a natural stain from BRU. Here is the picture:

We are lucky enough to be getting a white 5-drawer chest and changing table given to us, so we can't wait to get them all in the nursery once everything is completed. We decided to pull the colors together by replacing the white chest knobs with natural color knobs that match the cribs. I saw this in a Pottery Barn magazine and loved the idea! It will tie the 2 colors together perfectly. I also bought 2 mattresses for the cribs. Finally, here is a pic of our bedding. I think it's so darn cute! Also from BRU!

I love the little cows, sheep, ducks, etc on this bedding. The colors are exactly what I wanted and more-blue, green, and brown were the original colors I had in mind, so adding red and yellow was a fun bonus. My favorite part? The doggie driving the tractor! Hysterical! I think the boys will be big doggie fans with Sonny around them 24/7. Anyway, love the bedding.

Also, we were given a great rocker/glider by a friend, but have opted to also get another rocker. A friend of mine told me about how many night she spent sleeping in the nursery and how comfort was so important. I fell in love with this one several weeks ago at La-Z-Boy and just love how comfy it is. Also, it's wide enough that I can rock both babies for a while together. So, I ordered it in a green color (called "meadow" but looks kinda moss colored) that matches the bedding perfectly...it'll be here in 8-10 weeks!

We also have been working on the living room. Trying to pull everything together since I got my new upholstered chairs a few weeks ago. Still need a mantle painting, a couple of lamps and one other wall hanging and window treatments before the room will be complete.

We had a contractor come over this past weekend and build our wall for the new bedroom in the basement as well. So, we were able to get the wall built, drywall and door hung, and electricity re-wired in the basement. Maggie (my step-daughter) has requested to move down there. She'll be 14 this summer and craves her independence. So, with few other great options, we've agreed to do so. Her room will become the boys nursery over the next couple of months. Have a big decision to make-replace the carpet or put in hardwood? I see pros and cons of both. Anyway, just one more thing, right? I have decided the paint will be the light green from my bedding. I think that will compliment the darker green from the rocker as well as be a great overall color for the room.

So, everyone will have to wait a while for nursery pics, as I haven't started with the room re-model. Maggie will remain in there until we get the basement completed for her. Will post nursery pics as we start moving along in the process! Lots and lots of changes!!

16 weeks

And just like that we're trucking along here at 16 weeks. I'm taking the next couple of days off work and my Mom is coming up to spend the next few days with me as we get serious about nursery decorating decisions, home renovations, home repairs, etc. I can't wait!

The babies are up to the following this week: "Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop."