35 weeks and counting!!

5 weeks ago I was laying in a hospital bed feeling miserable. I was preparing myself for some very premature babies!! Who would have thought that miracle after miracle would occur and I would be writing this blog with my girls still where they belong.....inside of me, instead of an incubator!!

I refer to this period as my "bedrest lent". Yep, we are challenged during the season of lent to give something up so that we might turn that focus on God when we find ourselves struggling to overcome that 'thing'. I typically choose not to participate in this challenge as it seems we choose to give up something so meaningless or materialistic and frankly i just didn't want to change anything in my life! Well this year i didn't have the choice, bed rest was chosen for me and I have given up work and all activity so that i might give my girls the best possible chance for survival! Not an easy task for the girl who can't sit still!! I can't say that it has been easy the last few weeks, in fact it has been extremely difficult. I cry at every emotion and I worry about every detail. In the middle of the night when I can't sleep, as I am biting my lip during yet another injection, or when I am lonely and staring at the computer screen I find myself in conversation with God.

My God is answering all our prayers, he is pouring blessing upon blessing on our lives and for this I am grateful!! I am just beginning to realize the favor in life bestowed upon anyone who receives it and the lesson of patience for these long days during the lenten season! When the day is finished and I reflect, I still have 2 healthy baby girls, a most loving and giving husband, and friends and family that constantly encourage me!!

Here I am at 35 weeks!!! 2 more weeks to go!!!

Pregnancy Updates

I spent most of the day at the doctors yet again! So thankful for my amazing friend Ashley who came with me and makes the time fly by so much faster!! They put me on the monitor (NST) which they will now do biweekly until the twins arrive. The girls heart rate looks wonderful but those dreaded Braxton hicks contractions have not slowed! Still contracting every 1-2 minutes! Good news is I have not progressed any further and my fetal fibronectin was negative!! Praise the Lord! Apparently all these contractions are my body's baseline and way of rebelling against being asked to work so hard growing these precious girls!

We also had an ultrasound today! Always joyful to see them! Makes it so much more real! Kaylin is measuring at 4.9lbs and Harper at 4.3 lbs!! That's right I am carrying close to 9lbs of baby! The dr. compared me today as carrying like I would be 5 weeks past due if this was a singleton pregnancy!! You know i'm BIG when other patients and nurses in the clinic remark 'You look ready to POP'! And they see pregnant women all day everyday!! The girls are unfortunately starting to fall off the growth curve a little bit. Harper is not getting as big as they would like her to be because of her marginal cord placement! There is nothing we can do to change this but we know God creates miracles after miracles and ask you to join us in prayer specifically for her increased growth, both of the girls overall health, and my sanity while I continue on modified bed rest!


Here are pictures of Kaylin today at 33weeks 3 days! No pictures of Harper as she would only show us her ear!  Going to be so interesting to see if their little personalities match what we see now!  If so Kaylin will be the outgoing and very cooperative extrovert and Harper will be the shy conservative and stubborn introvert!? 

Maternity Photos!

Our incredibly talented friend and former wedding photographer (Jeremy McKnight) came over to the house last weekend and snapped a few photos of myself, nick, and the twins!  I am soooo pleased with how they came out!  As always McKnight Media has outdone themselves!  He makes me look good even when I feel like a hippopotamus!  Check out the website where he has posted his favorites! 

http://mcknightmedia.com/2012/03/nick-rebecca-twins/

Here is a sneak peek at a few of the gorgeous memories we will forever have!!

Sunday Fun Day- Newborn Headbands

So this weekend Nick graciously offered to go to the craft store for me to get the supplies I needed to make the girls these adorable headbands I had been eyeing on pintrest!! I made him a long list and he even texted me pictures from the store so I could feel like I was shopping with him!! Do I have the worlds best husband or what?! Don't know how I would survive without him!
So Sunday morning I got to work! Being the perfectionist that I am it took me all day to complete these. But I have to say I LOVE them!!! Hopeful that these newborn flower headbands will let the world know that they are indeed girls!!! Since I am convinced they are not going to have any hair! If they do I will be absolutely delighted! But since mom only had wisps of hair for the first several years and dad was a toehead, let's jut say the genes are not in their favor!!
I found that the purple chiffon flowers are my favorite! Not only are they too cute but super easy too!! I might have the perfect product to start my etsy business, what do you think??

Wombmates!

 Kaylin Rachel 32 weeks: As always posing for her perfect pictures!

 Harper Louise 32 weeks: As always shying away from the camera with her head looking at Mom's back!





Both of the girls sucking their thumbs! Kaylin on top and Harper on bottom!

It's all about Perspective!

Hi family and friends!  I write this while sitting/lying on the couch 2 weeks into bed rest!  Yep that's right, the girls are already giving mom and dad a run for their money!  After a preterm contractions and the beginnings of labor the Dr's. were able to stop the progression and thankful buy us more time for the girls to cook!!  We made it past the 32 week milestone this week which is great news for their lung development!!

I am having a tough time being housebound as the sedentary lifestyle doesn't quite describe me, but have found many things to keep me busy as vegging in front of the TV is not an option.  That's right we gave up cable back in August and LOVE it!  I have been reading, learned how to knit, written lots and lots of thank you notes to all our wonderful friends and family, keeping up with every one's happenings via social media, field trips to the Dr's., directing Nick on how to complete all my nesting desires, sharing time with lots of visitors, and best of all sleeping!  Time goes slowly while Nick is at work but I just keep telling myself....I would so much rather be here on the couch than visiting the NICU everyday!  This journey to motherhood has been humbling, joyous, and challenging.  And to think they are not even in my arms yet!  What abundance is yet to come!!! 

To my girls,
No one will ever know the strength of my LOVE for you. After all you know what my HEART sounds like from the inside.
Love, Mommy