The Girls Are Here!

Wow, I guess it is time to dust off the ole blog and let you all know why I haven't been around the last almost two weeks.

These two bundles of joy are why…

Meet Sutton Kira Butler (left) and Avery Madison Butler (right)

Sutton Kira Butler
December 29, 2014
2:37 am
3 pounds 15 ounces
17 3/4 inches long

Avery Madison Butler
December 29, 2014
2:37 am
4 pounds 8 ounces
17 1/2 inches long

My girls, more specifically Sutton, decided to arrive a bit early.  They were running out of room and wanted to meet their daddy and I.  We are beyond blessed to have these little girls.  Life is definitely a struggle right now as we hadn't prepared for them to be here so soon, but we are making it work.

I am going to work from home for a bit, so I can go see the girls in the NICU everyday while their daddy is at work.  Once our beauties are ready to come home, then I will go on full maternity leave.  It wasn't what we imagined, but this is so much better.

I am blessed to visit my darlings twice a day to take their temperatures, change them, feed them and cuddle them.  Daddy visits once a day during the work week, but weekends, he sees his girls twice a day.

Get ready for a crazy birth story as I had a really bad emergency cesarean section.  I am truly lucky to even be here right now.

So please bare with me on the sporadic posts.  I hope to get to a more steady posting next week (maybe).  In the meantime, check out my beautiful babies.

Sutton

Mommy with Avery

Daddy with Sutton

Avery

 Sutton

Avery

Oh how these girls have stolen my husband's and my hearts.  I love you girls.  Please keep my girls in your thoughts and prayers so they can get strong and healthy and come home from the NICU soon.

Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM MY FAMILY (including the twins) TO YOURS!

32 Weeks and Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas Eve all.  Not sure who is actually reading posts today in blog land, but I decided to write this early, so I can enjoy the day with my family.

Wow, oh wow, we are in our 32nd week of pregnancy.  Let me tell you, it is harder than it looks to carry twins at 32 weeks.  Everything hurts, everything is hard and you just want to be done, but you know these babies need to bake in there a bit (several weeks) longer.

I had my ob appointment Monday where I found out that I am measuring at 40 weeks.  That means I basically am full term with one baby.  Holy wow.  No wonder it was hard to pee in a cup at the doctor's office.  And by hard, I mean I peed on my hand.  Sorry if that is TMI for you all, but when you get to the near end of pregnancy, things get a bit too TMI for EVERYONE.

Babies heartbeats were strong and they were moving and grooving in the belly.  I wonder how they even have any room left in there because momma sure can't move much.  It is hard to bend over, take my clothes off, get dressed, get out of a chair, not have swollen legs/feet, grip anything, etc.  You name it, we have it going on folks.

Anyway, enough complaining.  Onto the weekly update. 

How far along: 32 Weeks

Babies are the size of a: Jicama

Babies are: According to Babycenter babies should weigh around 3 3/4 pounds and around 16.7 inches long each.  We should know more on their growth progress on Tuesday when I see the perinatal doctor.  They say babies should be gaining about 1/2 a pound a week which would make them around 4 pounds 8 ounces and 4 pounds 1 ounce.  Yikes that is almost 9 pounds in my belly.  No wonder I feel huge!

Babies are growing fast and now have toenails, fingernails and real hair.  Their skin is becoming more soft and smooth and they are plumping out.

Maternity Clothes: All day, everyday.  My wardrobe is getting smaller by the day due to my belly getting bigger by the day.  Some shirts are way too short now and I am trying to make due with what I have, but I may have to give in and buy a few more pregnancy tank tops to put under my clothes so I don't look like a hillbilly.  And I am down to two pairs of shoes.  Oh how I can't wait to wear a pair of heels or cute boots again.

Stretch Marks: None and I am hoping I don't get any in the last few weeks of pregnancy.

Sleep: Awful.  I am now sleeping at an incline which helps with the breathing issue since baby B loves to lay on mommy's ribs/lungs, but then I get really bad carpal tunnel.  So I exchange one bad for another.

Symptoms: Carpal tunnel, backaches, swollen feet, pelvic pressure, shortness of breath.  I am just one big walking pregnant mess, haha.

Best Moment of the Week: Christmas is here in two days and I can't wait to spend it with family.  I have friends arriving daily and I can't wait to see them all.  Plus we found out that we have 3 to 5 weeks left before these babies come based on their size, my size and how I am progressing.  Shit is about to get real here folks and I will be a momma very soon.  I.CAN.NOT.WAIT.

Movement: Dancing little machines.  In the ribs to the bladder, these girls are moving like crazy and I LOVE IT!

Cravings: Pasta, pizza, sushi and sweets.  Same as usual.

Gender: Two precious baby girls.

Belly Button In or Out: Out.

Wedding Ring on or Off: On, but on my right hand.

Anything Making You Queasy or Sick: Nothing really unless I don't eat often enough.

What I Miss: Sleep, being able to sleep on my stomach and being able to get out of cars/off the couch/out of bed/etc.

What I am Looking Forward to: Christmas and family/friend time.

Labor:  Nothing yet, but my body sure is gearing up for it.

Nursery: So so so close.  Just a few more things to do and we are finished.  I love sitting in the chair in there and staring at everything and all the progress.

Emotions: Feeling good, but overwhelmed by everything.  So basically my hormones are kicking in full force and I could cry or be happy at an instant.  Today I am happy and so looking forward to these next few days.
Until next week (33 weeks)!

Christmas Week and a Weekend Update

Does anyone else feel like blogging and this whole business of showing up to work this week absolutely hard?  I am only working two days (yes, yesterday and today) and at 8 hours instead of 9 hour work days and I am still having a hard time.  My mind is filled with cookies, snuggles and Christmas movies.  I can't even fathom thinking about work and my applicants.  Ok, I can and have, but that is besides the point.

Christmas week means I still need to wrap gifts, get those last minute gifts from the mailman (please oh please arrive today), prepare for all the family and friends coming into town and try to enjoy every second of it because this is our last Christmas as a family of three (my pup counts).

And I am trying to do this while being a 100 months pregnant.  Wow has the end crept up on me and I am really starting to feel it.  I can't wait for my five days off to kick my feet up and be in some sort of comfy clothes the entire time!

Anyways back on topic of what we did this weekend?  Well Friday night was our annual co-worker Christmas party, but this one is a smaller private event because office politics make it weird for everyone to have an actual Christmas party.  They ice skated, we ate and they drank while playing shuffle board.  Oh man how I miss the cocktails and fun games.  Next year.

Saturday we watched the Wolf Pack lose the bowl game.  It was awful.  Then we had to watch the Niners lose to the Chargers later that afternoon.  Being a sports fan was awful in our house this weekend.

We also did some Christmas shopping Saturday and Sunday.  Trying to wrap everything up.  This year I slacked big time on getting my shopping done way ahead of time, but it is done and I am just waiting on a few gifts from the mailman.  And they should be here today.  Fingers crossed.

I am very fortunate that I got to have lunch with my dear friend April today and break up the boringness of work during Christmas week.  I just wish we could have hung out longer.  Hopefully we can make that happen Saturday.

I have some other friends coming into town this today and on and I can't wait to see everyone.  Let's just hope my body holds up.  Dang pregnancy is getting hard.  Stayed tuned for an update tomorrow.

Sorry this is literally all over the place.  I know I forgot some of the stuff we did this weekend and my brain is in vacation mode/pregnancy mode, but I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas with their families.

What are your Christmas plans?

Oh Hey Friday Christmas

This is my last Oh Hey Friday (link up) post of 2014.  This time next week, I will be snuggled up on my couch with a fire a-blazing, latte in hand (handmade) and my pup cuddling me up.  Then we will be off to Truckee for a big feast with my in-laws.  I can't wait for next weeks festivities.

But in the meantime, I must finish my Christmas shopping.  I have been such a slacker this year and I blame it on being pregnant.  I have most of my shopping done thanks to Amazon and Cyber Monday, but I still need some stocking stuffers and a gift for my father-in-law.  Plus I need to wrap all these gifts starting now since I have little to no feeling in my left hand.  I am sure my presents will look like a five year old wrapped them.

But it also means babies will be here in a little over a month.  Yikes.  Our lives are about to change and definitely for the best.  Just think, in five years, we won't remember what our lives were like pre-babies.

My Five Christmas-y things:

One.    I got my nails done this week, and it has been awhile since I did any post with my nails in them.

And today I get my toes done in something festive (just needs to be something to wear for a long time because I don't know when my next pedicure will be).  I literally can't wait to get my feet and legs soaking in the pedicure bath and decrease this massive swelling going on.

Two.  I can't wait to indulge on all the wonderful cookies, cakes and pies in the next week.  Heck, I have been doing that most of December.  No shame in my pregnancy game. 

Three.  Having a five day weekend next weekend with my husband and pup is at the top of my list right now.  Relaxation, our last Christmas as a family of three and mega family time with both our families.

Four.  All the Christmas decorations through my house and seeing my neighbors finally put up Christmas lights.  I can't wait to drive around this weekend and go light looking.  We have been doing this since I was a child and I love continuing on the tradition with my husband and pup.  Next year, we get to share this with the twins!

Best picture of our Christmas tree I have.  Decorated and beautiful.

Five.  The Nevada Wolf Pack is playing in a bowl game tomorrow in Louisiana (New Orleans Bowl, also the first bowl game of the season).  We need this win for our seniors.  Our seniors haven't won a bowl game in their college career and this would be an awesome way to send them off.  Plus the San Francisco 49ers suck right now and we need some glimmer of sports hope.  Oh and did I mention that the Nevada Wolf Pack basketball team has lost 8 games in a row?  Well now I did and now you can see why I gave my season tickets up two seasons ago.  Fire Coach Carter and I will buy them again.  So here is to a Nevada Wolf Pack football bowl win!

image via Nevada Wolf Pack

31 Weeks. Getting Closer.

31 weeks here and we are so close to being done, but yet so far away.  Baby girls made this momma beyond uncomfortable yesterday and a bit scared that labor was going to start, so I took the day off.  From everything.  I laid on the couch ALL.DAY.LONG with my little Walter dude and watched mindless tv.  I only got up to get water, pee and eat.  I promised myself I would watch my sick leave and not take any days unless necessary.  Well yesterday was necessary.  And with all of the upcoming days off/doctor's appointments and upcoming maternity leave, I should have enough saved up for 16 weeks off.  But I probably will only take around 12 weeks.

So please forgive me for my late baby update.  A picture may or may not make it into this post as I feel like a whale and really feeling under the weather.

How far along: 31 weeks, 1 day

Babies are the size of a: Coconut/Pineapple.

Babies are: According to Babycenter and The Bump, babies should be measuring around 16 inches long (but ours are around 17 inches as of last week) and weighing in at 2.5 lbs to 3.8 lbs (but we know that babies are around 3.9 lbs and 4 lbs).

Babies are getting so big that they are crowding mommas lungs and pushing on her bladder.  The only way to grow more is to grow outwards.  All five of babies senses are developed and working.  They are moving around, making faces, hiccuping, swallowing, breathing and pedaling around mommas uterus all day long.

Maternity Clothes: All day, everyday.  I have a few Old Navy sweaters that are long and non-maternity, but I have officially phased out most other non-maternity shirts as my belly is too big to contain.  I tried to wear a normal longer t-shirt and since the babies started dropping, my belly hangs out.  Way attractive.  I only have two pairs of shoes that fit too, so there is limited choices between uggs and flats.

Stretch Marks:None yet, and hopefully none appear.  I had my dermatology appointment last night and the good news was, no stretch marks.  The bad news: 2 or 3 biopsies after the babies are born.

Sleep: Awful.  It is easier to take naps or short sleep intervals as I am really UNCOMFORTABLE.  I can only lay in one position for a bit before having to change positions.  Oh sleep how I miss thee.

Symptoms: Carpal tunnel, backaches, swollen feet, pelvic pressure, shortness of breath.

Best Moment of the Week: Taking a day off to myself even though it was because of the babies, it was so worth it.  Mindless tv and relaxation is just what the doctor ordered.  Plus last Saturday we saw Daniel Tosh and he was amazing as ever.

Movement: Dancing little machines.  In the ribs to the bladder, these girls are moving like crazy and I LOVE IT!

Cravings: Pasta, pizza, sushi and sweets.  Same as usual.

Gender: Two precious baby girls.

Belly Button In or Out: Out.

Wedding Ring on or Off: On, but on the right side and not sure how much longer I can wear them at all. I just feel lost without them and don't want to take them off.

Anything Making You Queasy or Sick: The nausea has come back, but I haven't thrown up.  Just all around feeling queasy at times.

What I Miss: Sleep, being able to sleep on my stomach and being able to get out of cars/off the couch/out of bed/etc. easier.

What I am Looking Forward to: The Nevada Wolf Pack bowl game this weekend, relaxation, finishing the last bits of the girls room, packing my hospital bag and Christmas.

Labor:  Nothing yet, but I must keep taking it easy and letting these babies bake as long as possible.  Please oh please let me make it to 36 or 37 weeks.

Nursery: So so so close.  Just a few more things to do and we are finished.  I love sitting in the chair in there and staring at everything and all the progress.

Emotions: Feeling pretty good though I had a mini meltdown by myself since no shoes fit and some of my go to shirts are now too short and I don't want to buy anything new.  Why can't I wear sweatpants and slippers all day, everyday. 

Weekend Update

This weekend went by in a blur.  Prepping for Christmas and our girls arrival while pregnant is harder than it looks.  I managed to capture two photos the entire weekend, but let me tell you it was a busy weekend.

Friday we unexpectedly carpooled together because my husband's truck is still at the shop to get one, yes ONE, tire changed due to a nail being on the side wall.  Let's hope it gets fixed today because he wasn't so happy about it.  Since we carpooled together, that meant that my husband had to run errands with me Friday.  We did some exchanges and purchases of baby things we still needed.  We had lunch, and bought a gift or two.

Saturday we ran errands ALL DAY long.  We had a lot of Christmas gifts to get and we managed to get all but my father-in-law done.  We had ordered a few gifts, but really made a big dent on Saturday.  Now to get my father-in-law a gift and get my husband the last of his stocking stuffers and I am all done.  But I still need to wrap with this bum numb hand. Haha.

That night we went to see Daniel Tosh at the Grand Sierra Resort.  Did I mention we had front row seats?

We saw him last year in Lake Tahoe and the show was great.  He did use some of the same jokes as last year, but plenty of new stuff.  I laughed so hard, we made eye contact a lot, but didn't get my wish of him making fun of my huge belly.  He did make fun of pregnant women, but not specifically me.  It was a great night and Tosh nailed it.

Sunday it was dreary, so we did some grocery shopping, did some laundry, cooked dinner and relaxed by the fire most of the day.  The girls nursery is almost done and I can't wait to reveal it.  The bad part of the day, my Walter roo got sick.  He was up most of the night and threw up a few times.  Poor little dude.  Though he seemed fine this morning.

And that was the extent of our weekend.  This week will be filled with some Christmas wrapping, last minute shopping, relaxation after work and a few pamper me appointments.  Life is pretty good other than the no sleep, being uncomfortable and swelling legs.  Awe the joys of pregnancy.

How was your weekend?