36 WEEKS

Today I came back from the doctor. Everything is great. Had another ultrasound and the boys are now 5lbs.3oz and 5lbs.2oz . They are big enough to go home with us now if I were to go into early labor. Yeah! This week Nathan is in Quantico, VA giving a marksman class with a fellow Marine. The doctor checked me and said she felt that I would definately make it through the week without going into labor. That is good news, I need him here when that happens. They would let him go home if he needed to anyway and I don't think that I would bring these babies into the world in 4 hours, would be nice, but doubt it.

A nurse at the hospital said they had so many births within the last 2 days that they wheeled a lady down the hall and left her there for a minute to get a room ready and she had the baby in the chair. Uhhhhhh that better not happen to me!!! I guess that lady decided to go to the hospital at the very last second??? Crazy!!

Talked to my friend Ginger today and she has dropped into position to deliver. I am soooooo excited for her. Who knows, she might just have this baby before me. I can't wait to see their baby!

Will keep everyone up to date on the pregnant lady (me). If you don't get a call while I am in labor, you will hear about it within 2 to 3 days of the births.

35 WEEKS

I can't believe it is almost over. I can't wait to see my precious little boys. It is so amazing, I find myself getting teary eyed when I think that I actually get to be a mother. It is so amazing to feel them move around. Don't know how they can stand to be inside anymore. It is soooo cramped. I have to sit at the edge of my chair now and I can barely sit down and get up from the toilet. It is pretty bad. My stomach just presses up against my legs.

This Friday I woke up in the middle of the night several times with cramps and lower back pain with tightness in my belly. It went from about 2-7am. That day I already had to go to the hospital for my bi weekly Non-stress test. This time you could see on the monitor that I was having contractions with a little pain. I thought that might be the day I would have them, wasn't sure since I had never been through it. The nurse told me when I am hunched over and can't talk, that is the real thing! Scary! I haven't really had that again. I think it was just because it was our first high 90's day and I didn't have enough to drink.

This week we just finished our Vacation Bible School at church. It was pretty crazy going for 2 hours non stop doing crafts and activities. It would have been a breeze if it hadn't been for the swollen feet you see a picture of above. They have been that way permanently for about two weeks. My doctors says it will get worse before it gets better. I told her if it gets worse my feet will have flown away or blown up. They feel bruised in the morning. It is also very hard to turn over at night with the 10-12 pound belly shifting from side to side.

I think I am up 44 pounds now, so I am starting to push the 40 pound limit. My doctor said I am retaining a lot of fluid that will go away after they are born, so hopefully there won't be too much weight to lose afterward. I feel like the marshmellow man because everything shakes when I walk past it. I feel so fat! It will be over soon. I am mentally pushing for getting these kids into the world the first week of July!!!! Pray they don't come this week. Nathan has to go to Quantico, Virginia to train Marines going to Iraq how to shoot. I told him he better have a helicopter on standby incase I go into labor because it is about 4.5 hours away!

I will be 36 weeks this Tuesday!

How your baby's growing: Your baby's getting big. He weighs a tad over 5 pounds and is just over 18 inches long. Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Thank You Everyone!

We are overwhelmed with all the wonderful gifts that we have received from friends and family. I know this picture makes it look messy, but it allows you see how much the boys were blessed. I can't wait until the furniture comes in. I ordered that on Thursday. The room is small so I purchased two cribs and a large dresser/changer. I hope it will be enough, at least it will for now. We also have the rocker and ottoman in the room, it will be cramped. I figure once we move next year sometime, their room will be a whole bunch bigger and we can get more pieces at that time.

Thank you to all who gave me such wonderful showers.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!! We practically have everything we need! I thank God for such great friends and family.

Love,

Nathan & Jena

33 WEEKS!

Wow, time is really flying. I am at 33 weeks now and ready to quit getting swollen ankles. I am getting a non-stress test every Tues and Friday now. A non-stress test monitors the babies heart rate and movement. It lets the doctors know that I will not go into labor for 4 more days. Going to the doctor/hospital is not very fun. Sometimes they take FOREVER just to admit me.

After going to the hospital today, I went straight over to the OB's office for my ultrasound. They took measurements of the babies. They said they are running out of room in there. James' legs were up and under my ribs. Shane was way down low, like he is ready and tired of being crowded in there. How can anyone have more than two babies in their belly!! I don't know how it could even be possible.

One baby is 3 lbs 15 oz. and the other is 4 lbs 2 oz. So they are about 4 oz apart which is great!
This last weeked I had 2 more baby showers! We feel so blessed and so loved. I don't think we will have to buy anything. This week we need to go purchase the nursery and get a few big things with our gift certificates.

These babies can come as early as 36-38 weeks. That could make us full fledged parents in 3-5 weeks!!! Amazing!! The doctor said that the babies should hit the 5 lb mark in about 2 weeks. A safe weight for twins is between 5 and 6 pounds. So it looks like they are sitting pretty.

How your baby's growing: This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds and measures 17.2 inches from the top of his head to his heels. His skin is becoming less red and wrinkled, and while most of his bones are hardening, his skull is quite pliable and not completely joined. This will help him ease out of your relatively narrow birth canal.