31 weeks

I'm a little late with the 31 week post.... This past week has been pretty busy! Since the last post, everything has been great with the babies. I had my work shower last Friday and it turned out so well, I really appreciate my sweet coworkers for blessing our sweet babies! As many of you may know, my husband and I are HUGE Alabama fans. Usually, if we aren't playing well or the game is too close for comfort it literally makes me sick and beyond stressed out. This year, I refuse to let a football game send me into preterm labor so I've been good. After we lost to Ole Miss this past weekend I thought my husband would pout and be all moody but he didn't pout or become moody!  He said something that was just so cute and shows how much we both have grown in regards to Alabama football... He said "this isn't going to be the year we lost to ole miss, this is the year we are having twins!"  Exactly!!! We are having twins in 6 weeks or less! How can anything else compare to that? It is just too exciting to let anything bring us down and God has blessed us abundantly with the desires of our hearts after a grueling 7 year battle with infertility! Ahhhh, God is so good! 

So yesterday was a big day! I had my first NST down in labor and delivery. I was nervous before the test because I've never had one before and really didn't know what to expect but thankfully the babies did great! Dr. McKee said it looked beautiful! I did have 2 contractions during the test but they weren't regular or painful and he said that was normal at this point since my uterus thinks I'm full term. I went upstairs to Dr. McKee's office after the test was over and my blood pressure, blood sugar and iron levels were great. Had an ultrasound and fluid levels in the babies were both good and he said to keep on keeping on and I will come back again on Thursday next week and we will do the exact same thing except next week we will have a growth scan to see how big the babies are! I can't wait for that! After my doctors appointment, we finally got to pick up the babies bedding!!!! It is soooo cute! I absolutely love it! I'm going to post a separate nursery reveal post next week with pics. My step dad is finishing these things he is making to go above their cribs and then the nursery will be complete so I'm just waiting on those before I post pics! It is really starting to come together and feel real! We are going to have babies in a few weeks! That is just so surreal and crazy to me! 39 days left till I'm 37 weeks! That's not long at all!! Praying we can make it that long or close to that! 

How big are the babies now? We have our growth scan next week so we will know for sure then, but according to the apps they should be around 3 1/2 lbs and around 18 inches long. Big babies! 

What are the babies up to this week? They are beginning their final preparations for delivery, as all 5 senses are now developed! They continue to pack on the fat, which will help them stay warm in the real world and their brain and nerves continue to develop! 

Maternity clothes? Well yeah, however I did rock a dress and shirt that wasn't maternity this past week! 

Stretch marks? Still no stretch marks! It ain't over till it's over so I'm not counting them out yet. 

Sleep? Sleep is touch and go. I wake up multiple times a night either to itch my legs or belly, go to the bathroom, or get some water. Rolling over in the bed has become quite the challenge! Haha! 

Swelling? The swelling continues towards the end of each day or if I'm outside and it's hot. Mostly in my face, hands, and feet/ankles. Nothing that is severe or bad and it's always gone if I lay down and rest! 

Cravings? Anything pumpkin! My mother in law made these homemade pumpkin spice cupcakes last weekend and they were seriously amazing and yes my blood sugar did good with them! Wish I had some more, lol! 

Miss anything? I miss being able to indulge in all the yummy fall treats! Like candy apples and pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin scones! Ok I'm gonna stop before I get upset and make a bad judgement decision! Haha 

Looking forward to? This coming week Keith's work is throwing us a baby shower and that is just so sweet of them! Looking forward to meeting his coworkers! Alyssa and Garrett are truly some blessed babies! 

Praying specifically for? Praying daily that the babies continue to grow appropriately and that their will be no complications with them or with me. Praying we can make it to 37 weeks! 

Thankful for another week they are able to be cooking and growing! We feel so blessed and we know it's all because of such a good God! 

30 weeks

YAYYYY!!!! I made it to 30 weeks!!! Thanks be to Jesus! Next goal is 35 weeks! Only 47 days till I'm 37 weeks. WHAT??? That is seriously not far away! If you cant tell by the pic, my belly has grown a lot in the last week! I can tell a big difference looking at the previous belly pics. I went to my scheduled doctor appointment today with Dr. McKee and everything is looking great. My belly is measuring 38 weeks now!!! No wonder Im feeling like a giant balloon! haha! I finally gained some weight since being on this diet for my blood sugar. My blood pressure was perfect at 100/60. Iron level was still good also. Had an ultrasound (didn't get any pictures) and both babies fluid levels are good. Alyssa is still vertex (head down) and Garrett is still breech (head up). They will probably stay this way until delivery since they are running out of room so looks like a c section is for sure in my future. The tech was able to see that Alyssa has some hair and Garrett doesn't have any hair that she could see. Dr. McKee said everything looks great and I didn't have to have the NST today since I haven't had any contractions all week and I am feeling both babies move a ton! I will start the weekly NST's next Thursday (10/9) along with weekly ultrasounds and doctor visits. The only downer was I have to start an oral blood sugar medication twice a day (Glyburide) because most all of my fasting blood sugars are over 100. My meal time blood sugars have been good but since the fasting sugars are high he wants to treat them. Hopefully it will help and not lower my blood sugars too low.

In other news, I had my baby tea this past Sunday and everything turned out so great! The decorations were so cute and the food was delicious! I really appreciate all those who helped make it perfect and those who came out to celebrate with us! It was such a special day. I walked in and got so emotional! We felt so blessed by all the wonderful gifts for Alyssa and Garrett.

I finally finished working this past Tuesday so from here on out, I will be resting and nesting and going to weekly doctors visits! Its been fun organizing the nursery but Im having to do it in waves cause my back get to aching. The bedding was suppose to be ready tomorrow but the lady said she is running a week behind due to her mother in law being very sick so hopefully we will have it next Friday! So ready to see the nursery all put together!

How big are the babies this week? Im guessing they are around 3 1/2 pounds this week and 16-17 inches long based on their rate of growing so far.

What are the babies up to this week? The babies are starting to shed their fur (lanugo) and put on fat at a rapid pace. According to the apps, the start to put on about a 1/2 pound a week now, not sure how accurate that is for twins though.

Maternity clothes? YES! Hopefully what I have will fit until they come!

Stretch marks? Still no stretch marks and I had Keith inspect since I cant see the lower part of my belly anymore and he didn't see any either! That PUPP rash continues but seems to be a bit better!

Sleep? Still waking up frequently throughout the night to either pee, change positions, get water or wake up chocking because the acid reflux has gotten so bad (I take Prilosec, too)!

Swelling? Its not worse by any means but there is some mild swelling of my face, hands and feet and is made worse when im on my feet for long periods of time!

Signs of labor? Not at all! Thank you Jesus!

Cravings? I have been craving milk a lot lately and caramels. There is only 4 grams of carbs in 1 soft caramel so ive been having 1 after dinner!

Miss Anything? Cant say that I miss anything right now. I am just enjoying these last few weeks of pregnancy and resting as much as possible!

Looking forward to? My work baby shower is tomorrow so I'm looking forward to that and seeing everyone! Keith's work is throwing us a shower on Oct. 15 and that is just too sweet so I'm looking forward to that and meeting all his coworkers.

Praying specifically for? Praying that me and the babies continue to do well and that we can keep them cooking until 37 weeks. Praying that my blood pressure remains normal and no PIH develops. Praying that these next few weeks will go by fast and that we will soon be meeting and holding our sweet miracle babies!

We give God all the glory for these miracle babies and that so far my pregnancy has been smooth. We cant wait to meet Alyssa and Garrett! God is soooooo good!!!!

29 weeks!

1 more week till I'm in the 30's!!! I set little goals along the way thought the pregnancy and making it to 30 weeks was a big one so I'm hoping this week is non eventful! This past week has been good and non eventful which is what I would prefer any day! As many of you probably saw, my maternity pictures came back and I couldn't be happier with how they turned out! I am going to get the picture of my belly with the bible verse blown up and framed and put it in the nursery! I was really hoping the bedding would be ready early but it looks like OCT 3 is the day. After I get it all done I will do a blog post of the nursery! Can't wait for you all to see it and tell me what you think! I most definitely have the PUPP rash on my belly and it is absolutely terrible! It itches so bad I might scratch my skin off! I have an assortment of lotions and creams that I am using and many of them give me some relief but I wake up with my belly itching several times a night now. The rash goes away after the babies come so that's another thing to look forward to haha! I have 1 more shift left at work! I can't believe it! The rest of the pregnancy is dedicated to resting, nesting, and doctors appoinents! I'm looking forward to it for sure, but if you have any netflix recommendations let me know cause im sure I'll get cabin fever! Well this Sunday is my baby tea and I am just so excited. I have fantasized and dreamed about the day when I got to have a baby tea for years and years and my time has finally come! Thank you Jesus for giving me the desires of my heart! If you are struggling with infertility and can't stand it when you receive a baby shower invite in the mail, I completely understand the pain and anger you feel, I have felt it too! Keep staying faithful in prayer and hope and your day will come too! God is such an amazing God! 

How big are the babies now? Well we know they were 2 lb 13 oz last Thursday so I'm thinking they are around 3 lb 2 oz or so. They will do another growth scan 4 weeks after the last one due to insurance. 

What are the babies up to this week? This week their lungs and muscles continue to develop. They are now beginning to put on the white fat underneath their skin which provides energy and girth to the babies! They are beginning to run out of room and I know see their feet and hands and elbows protrude out and it cracks me up! I love just watching my belly move and do the wave when they are moving around. 

Maternity clothes? Yes of course! I'm continuing to grow and grow!

Stretch marks? Well despite the rash and itching I still don't see any stretch marks but I'm sure they will show up eventually! 

Sleep? What's that? Lol! I wake up every 1-2 hours either itching, uncomfortable, or having to pee! Haha!! Oh well, these sweet babies are worth it! 

Swelling? Well my face continues to be swollen and my hands and feet swell with activity or heat. If I'm resting I don't notice any swelling. 

Cravings? I have been craving something sweet to drink lately. Since I'm not drinking caffeine and I can't have sugar I am limited to pretty much water and milk! I am not a big artificial sweetener person either but this weekend I had to have something so I had fresco zero and it was amazing! So refreshing and just the right amount of sweetness! I am also totally going to eat a nice size piece of cake at my tea this weekend so no judgement from anyone! I already told my doctor and he said to enjoy! Haha! 

Miss anything? I miss not itching all the time! I miss being able to sleep a full night but I guess that's not going to be coming back any time soon for the next 3 years or so ;) 

Looking forward to? Like I said, so excited about my baby tea this weekend! I hope to see you there! :) 

Praying specifically for? Praying for continued health for the babies and myself! Praying that there will be no complications for the remainder of the pregnancy and that I will keep these babies in for the next 8 weeks!! 

Thank you for reading and following our journey! Until next week..... 

God is sooooo good!!! 

Maternity pics!

The maternity pics are done! I can't believe how well they turned out! Photo's were taken by Crystal Herring with Just the Beginning Photography. My hair and makeup was done by Ashley Roberts with Joelle Salon in Birmingham, Al. I highly recommend both of these ladies for your photo or hair and makeup needs. Did I mention Ashley just got back from being Miss Alabama's makeup artist for the Miss America pageant? A special thanks to these wonderful ladies for making me feel like a beautiful pregnant woman!! Here are some of my favorites! (double click on the photo to see the full pic)

28 weeks! The last and final trimester!

Woohoo for making it to 28 weeks, the last and final trimester!!! That means we have 9 weeks to go!!! I just can't believe it, it is just flying by! Before we know it, they will be here and those sleepless nights will be taking place! So I had my regular scheduled appointment today with Dr. McKee. My iron level was 13.4 which is much higher than it has been so I was glad for that! My blood pressure was 110/68 and I actually lost weight this time. I'm sure it is due to this new diet for gestational diabetes. Dr. McKee had me call the dietician to see if she could figure out how I'm going to gain weight without going up on the amount of carbs I'm eating too much. I honestly don't think my sugars can tolerate me eating too many more carbs than I'm eating now. She did suggest me eating 1 or 2 more snacks a day and eating more protein and fats. We finally had our growth scan today and both babies were being super active, Garrett more than Alyssa. Both babies continue to weigh and measure the same which is just wonderful! They both are weighing in at 2 lb 13 oz a piece which is the 61% percentile. Dr. McKee raved about how good this is for twins and that they are having no problems growing which is such a blessing! When the doctor saw me he noticed immediately that my face looks swollen.... :( I've had several people tell me that in the last 2 weeks. He told me to rest as much as I could and keep my feet up! He said he is surprised my BP was so good with how swollen my face looked and also that I didn't have any protein in my urine. I am praying I don't get PIH (pregnancy induced hypertension). I only have 3 more scheduled shifts left to work but he said not to work them if I'm not feeling like it. I go back to the doctor OCT 2 and that's when I start weekly visits and weekly NST's (non stress test) down in L&D. Very thankful for another good visit and so blessed God has gotten us this far and everyone is healthy! 

How big are the babies this week? Ultrasound confirms both babies are 2lbs 13oz!! I don't know what their length is but according to the apps they are around 16 inches. 

What are the babies up to this week? Their adrenal glands are functioning and Alyssa's are secreting estrogen and Garrett's are secreting androgen. They are continuing to pack on the fat which will help them regulate their own body temp when they are born. They are continuing to rehearse for real life by dreaming, coughing, and practicing breathing! They are also becoming soooooo much more active and their movements are much stronger! 

Maternity clothes? Yes of course! I am getting huge! :)

Stretch marks? No stretch marks yet. However, I've got a rash on my belly and it itches so unbelievably bad! I woke up 4 times last night itching my belly. Dr. McKee said he hopes I'm not getting PUPP's which is a pregnancy related rash that is very irritating due to the itchiness. He suggested I get some cortisone cream to try to help. I am also trying oatmeal baths. Anything for some itch relief. 

Sleep? Sleep is about the same. I might actually sleep pretty good without the itching and having to go pee! Haha! I do toss back and forth a lot cause of the back, hip, and rib pain. It's all part of the wonderful experience, right? 

Cravings? What are those??? Sigh.... The day after those babies are born I'm going to want Pastry Art baby bites and Krispy Kreme donuts! Haha! 

Swelling? Yep. It's here! I mentioned above that my face is swollen. My hands swell too, so the wedding rings have come off already. My feet swell but not bad, right now at least. 

Miss anything? I cant say I miss too much other than being able to eat what I want when I want! I love anything pumpkin and not being able to eat all the yummy fall treats is sad! :(

Signs of labor? No signs of labor. Still having occasional contractions but none are regular or painful.

Looking forward to? The maternity pictures should be ready by in the morning and I cant wait to see them! I will make a separate blog post for those! Hopefully my face doesn't look too swollen in them! My baby tea is in a week and a half and I cant wait! So excited! (see 26 week post for an invite if you would like to come celebrate with us)! My work baby shower is in 2 weeks and I cant wait for it either! Also looking forward to being off work for a good while!!

Praying specifically for? This week I am praying that the babies continue to grow like they have been and that I will not get PIH. Also praying that I will not go into preterm labor and that I can make it to 37 weeks!

Thank you for continuing to read the blog and following our journey. God has certainly been good to us and we give Him all the praise and glory! We know He continues to hold us in the palm of His hand and we are so thankful for His grace and mercy! God is sooooo good!!!! :)

27 weeks!

Today is 27 weeks which marks the last week of the second trimester! It also means we have 10 weeks left or 69 days! Woohoo!!! Seriously cannot wait to meet them (once they are done cooking of course)! I had my maternity pictures this past Sunday at Ross bridge park and I can't wait to see how they turned out! I will be sure to post when I get them back! Crystal Herring with Just the Beginning Photography took the pics and Ashley Roberts, who is currently in Atlantic city doing Miss Alabama's hair and makeup for Miss America, did my hair and makeup! It's always fun getting all dolled up and luckily these 2 talented ladies are my friends! :) I haven't worked since Saturday and only 4 hours so I've been feeling very "nesty" since then! I'm dying to start nesting in the nursery and organize stuff, haha! I've pretty much got everything in the nursery done until our dresser comes in and then we can rearrange with all the furniture and I need to get a lamp and some things for the walls. The bedding will be ready OCT 3! Can't wait to see it all together and post pics of the nursery! Our next doctors appointment is next Thursday and this will be our last 2 week appointment. We will start going once a week at 30 weeks and those appointments will be longer cause I will have to go to L&D for a NST (non stress test) before we go see Dr. McKee. My last day of work before I start leave is September 30. Can't believe it's almost here! I'm still trying to figure out this whole gestational diabetes thing. Just when I think I've got it down and I have a whole day of sugars in range, I eat a small plum with my breakfast this morning and my sugar is 151. Grrrrr!!! Dr. McKee said it's much more hard to control when you have 2 placentas and that is proving to be true. For now, I'm just resting as much as possible and hoping to keep cooking them for another 10 weeks or so! 

How big are the babies now? According to the apps, they are around 2.2 pounds and 15 inches long. We will know how big they are exactly next Thursday at their growth scan! 

What are the babies up to this week? This week they are not only moving like crazy, their brains are continuing to develop at a rapid pace! Their eyes now continue to open and close even though there isn't much to see in there! 

Maternity clothes? Um yes for sure! I have now graduated to Keith's t-shirts cause it's just hilarious to see me wearing mine! 

Stretch marks? Still not yet but my belly is itching terribly lately! My scar from my ovarian cancer surgery particularly is itching a lot!!! 

Sleep? Well I did sleep a whole night in the recliner last week but since then I am back in the bed. The recliner was good but just want to stay in the bed as long as possible! Maybe I just like being next to my hubby! :) 

Cravings? Well if you didn't know, I love candy! And the past few days I really have been craving some candy!! Too bad I can't have any! But u better believe I will eat some cake and sweets at my baby tea and shower! Haha! 

Swelling? I did swell towards the end of taking maternity pics! I couldn't get my boots back on after I had taken them off cause my ankles were swollen... Keith said I kinda had some canckles going on for a minute, haha! They are back to normal now though! 

Miss anything? Yes, I miss being able to eat what I want when I want it! Pregnancy is like the only time when u can do that and no one judges you! Haha!! 

Signs of labor? No, no signs of labor! Thank you Jesus! I have had some occasional contractions but the only time I have them is when I'm doing something like working, house work or outside in the heat. None that are consistent though! 

Looking forward to? I am definitely looking forward to seeing how the maternity pictures turned out! Also looking forward to my baby tea in 2 1/2 weeks (see previous post for an invite). Ready to organize baby stuff and nest! Also looking forward to my work baby shower on OCT 3! Sweet coworkers! 

Praying specifically for? Praying that both Alyssa and Garrett continue to grow perfectly and that they stay healthy! Praying that I will have no complications with the remainder of the pregnancy and that I will be able to carry them until Nov 19 (37 weeks)! 

This has been a non eventful week and we continue to pray for non eventful weeks from here on out! We are so thankful and blessed to keep these babies in for another week and all glory goes to God! He has been so faithful and He is sooooooo good!!!! 

26 weeks!



Another week has gone by and I am so thankful to still be cooking these sweet babies inside me! Today we had a regular appointment with Dr. McKee and all is well! They were suppose to measure the babies today but due to insurance we have to wait till next appointment in 2 weeks. I was pretty disappointed cause I was dying to know how big they are now. They checked their fluid levels are those were perfect and their heart rates were 148 and 153. We got a good profile pic of both of them that I will post below. My main concern was my sugar levels and doctor was not concerned with them. He said to keep eating the allotted amount of carbs I am suppose to have each meal and snack and if the fasting blood sugars stay above 100 and/or the 2 hour post meal sugars stay above 140 then we will talk about adding an oral medication to help but he just wants me to continue what Im doing the next 2 weeks. It made me feel better cause I was getting so frustrated with my sugars. He measured my belly and it is measuring 33 weeks now! It is definitely growing which means those babies are growing!!! 4 more weeks of work left and 11 more weeks till we meet Alyssa and Garrett! AHHH I CANT WAIT!!! God is certainly been so faithful and we are so grateful to be at this stage in our journey!



This is Alyssa :)

This is Garrett and he is holding his cord haha! :) 

Since there have been so many of you who have prayed for us throughout this journey and have rooted for us, I wanted to invite you all to my baby tea! Don't feel obligated to come by any means or bring a gift but I would certainly love to see you guys, hug your neck, and personally thank you for being a part of this journey with us! Here is the invitation!!! Hope to see you there!



How big are the babies this week? According to the pregnancy apps, they are over 14 inches long and weighing more than 2 pounds a piece, about the size of a butternut squash!

What are the babies up to this week? This week the babies eyes are no longer fused so they can open up their eyes now! They are also spending lots of time packing on the fat now!!

Maternity clothes? Well DUH! haha

Stretch marks? None yet!

Sleep? Sigh! Whats that these days? I have finished off a couple nights in the recliner now. I wake up with my hips and back on fire they ache so much! I am going to start out in the recliner tonight and see if that helps!!!

Cravings? Well since the diet has taken over, I really haven't had any cravings to speak of!

Swelling? I have now experienced swelling. I was in my sister in laws wedding this past Sunday and due to the heat and being on my feet a good bit that day, my face, hands, feet, and ankles were pretty swollen. I puffed up like a marshmallow!!! Thankfully it went away with lots of water and rest!

Miss anything? Yes, being able to eat what I want without measuring or counting carbs! Oh well, it is what it is!

Signs of labor? No signs of labor. However, I did have about 5 contractions on Monday and 2 yesterday. Just a sign that I need to relax and take it easy!

Looking forward to? I am having my maternity pics this Sunday and I am really excited about them! I am having my hair and makeup done and got a cool dress for the pics! Pretty pumped! Also looking forward to the baby tea and my work baby shower! :)

Praying specifically for? That I will continue to carry these babies until 37 weeks and that there will be no complications!

Well that's all I know this week! Thank you for reading and praying with us for these sweet babies! GOD IS SOOOOO GOOD!!!!