Hormone-rageous!

In case you've never done it before, I feel it is my duty to warn you:   Selecting baby crib bedding for your bundle(s) of joy is THE.MOST.DIFFICULT.THING.EVER. 

I literally spent HOURS searching websites, fabrics, color schemes, sample beds, etc.  There are so many options out there, and I am soooo fickle when it comes to making decisions.  Plus...I think I might have a few hormones going on because the complete melt-down I experienced (yes, I cried trying to pick fabrics) was not the norm for me.

When I couldn't decide on a place to start, I went off the deep end.  I decided to print every single fabric swatch, cut each peice out, lay them all down and sort by color.  I threw out the fabrics I knew I didn't like, thinking this would leave me with just a few.  Think again...

Thank goodness for Nancy Conner...my hero!  She has an uncanny ability to read my mind, and that really comes in handy for someone like me who can't even verbally express what I am looking for...much less find it for myself.  She is good.

Today we found bedding for both babies...it blends together, uses the colors I wanted, and is just so stinkin' cute.  I'll post pictures as soon as I get the stuff and put it up.  The website said it would take 4-7 weeks...but I am thinking it might be sooner because they had some of the ones we wanted in stock.

If anyone else has a seriously ridiculous pregnancy meltdown story, please share.  :-)

27 weeks

We had a doctor's appointment on Friday at 27 weeks, 1 day (yes, that 1 day is very important at this point).  This was the first visit we have had in a month, so we were expecting some change.

From the beginning, our baby boy has been very cooperative.  He always poses for the ultrasounds perfectly, and has been positioned head-down at the bottom of my stomach.  Our baby girl is the fiesty one...she flips and flops and kicks and turns.  The ultrasound techs always have a hard time getting pictures of her, and she has been positioned breech at every appointment so far.

Well...things change.  I have felt a lot of movement lately, and was hoping that our girl had turned over and was settling into a face-down position for the remainder of the pregnancy.  We are not so lucky.  Baby boy decided to mix things up a little, so he flipped over into a "frank-breech" position (v-shaped, with butt down and feet up by his head).  Baby girl stretched out laterally underneath my rib cage with her feet on my left side and her head on my right.  It makes perfect sense, because I have been feeling a lot of motion simultaneously on my right and left sides...so that is when she is stretching out straight and poking both sides. 

I have known all along that a c-section is a good possibility.  If the lower baby was head-down, and the higher baby was breech, then we could "chance-it" and try to deliver, in hopes that the higher baby would turn over after the first baby cleared some room.  If the higher baby didn't flip, then there is a chance I would deliver the first and have a c-section for the second.  That doesn't sound fun. 

So, I guess if they are both breech or otherwise not head-down, then the decision will be easy.  I won't be disappointed if we end up having a c-section, but if everything was perfect, my first choice would be to deliver.  I guess we will just have to wait and see what God had planned.  I just can't wait to meet our little ones.

Baby Boy was 2 pounds and 4 ounces.
Baby Girl was 2 pounds and 5 ounces.

We STILL haven't decided on names.  It's such a hard choice.  Hopefully we can get it sorted out soon so I can start calling them by name. 

Nancy Conner (my mom's friend who helped with the nursery furniture) is helping me choose the crib bedding and window decorations.  I am sooooo pumped to get that stuff together and make the beds.  That will really make the room seem like a nursery. 

Here's a pic on the morning of our doctor's visit (Jan. 21, 2011).  Please disregard the double-chin....I'm not happy about it either.

Babies Everywhere!!

Prior to getting pregnant, I would always hear people talk about EVERYONE being pregnant around me.  Comments like "there is something in the water" and "don't eat whatever she ate."  Since I was actually trying to get pregnant for a while, I was always looking for that magical water.  :)

Now that I have been blessed with these little babies, it really is funny how many people around me are pregnant too.  I don't know if I am just more aware of it...or if there really is "something in the water" but it's so fun to share the experience with friends.

One of my best and longest-time friends is due in just a couple of weeks.  Jenna and I grew up playing soccer together as kids and used to talk about who would get married first, who would have kids first, etc.  I am so thankful to have shared some of this special time with such a special girl.


Me and Jenna
1/14/2011


Another amazing thing has been my small group.  We have six couples in our group, and 3 of us are pregnant RIGHT NOW.  I have to say that while I can, because Raven doesn't have much longer to go in her pregnancy.  These people have been an unbelievable support and comfort for me before, during...and I am sure after my pregnancy.  I love them!!

Me, Raven and Janna at Raven's baby shower
1/16/2011

Who I want to be...

With all the New Year's resolutions going around, I have had lots of things to consider.  Honestly, I haven't heard many resolutions that don't apply to my life as something I'd like to change...hmmpph.

This past Sunday, I heard an amazing message at church, and thought I should share.  If you're interested in hearing it the "right" way (with all the details that I will surely leave out) then you can go to http://www.southside.org/ and watch the video.

Anyway, the entire message was about resolving to be WHO you want to BE, before resolving WHAT you want to DO.  It's so simple but so genius at the same time.  Andy Stanley spoke about how it is always a mistake to determine what you want to do before deciding the reason behind it.  Why do you want to do these things?

Now this might sound morbid, but it was a great illustration for me.  Andy said he tried an exercise from the "Habits of Highly Successful People" (I think that was the book?) and he wrote down the things he would like for people to say about him at his funeral.  The things that actually matter.  After writing the "speech" that his wife, co-workers, friends, employees, etc. would give at his funeral, he went through each and summarized everything down to 8 words.  But don't stop there.  When he found these top characteristics, he didn't just say "I want people to see me as GENEROUS"...but he asked the question, why?  Why do I want to be known as a generous person.  Finding the answers to these questions will align our goals with God's.  He will guide us into the people we are supposed to be, and many times we will end up accomplishing many of the things we would have wanted to by making a list.

Anyway, I haven't gone through this process yet, but I really want to.  Maybe after blogging it I will be able to hold myself accountable.  :)