Just a few facts.

It's warmer (and sunnier) in St. Andrews this week than in Cleveland.


On average, I have been taking 3 naps a day, between 30 minutes and 2 hours long. Each.


I cannot get enough sleep.


You know it is time for maternity pants when you don't just unbutton your jeans for comfort, but unzip them as well.


My mom is planning to fly to Scotland for 2 months to visit us.


Peter is the most well-rounded, talented person I have met. Ever. [Like, how many women can walk around the house singing their husband's songs?]


My husband and my sister are my best friends [yes, in that order. She would want it to be that way anyway].


Joyce is half-potty-trained. (!!) [If anyone has tips on how to get a 2 year old to poop on the toilet, not the bathroom floor, I am all ears].


...and the one that really gets me:

There are three beating hearts in my body right now.

-A.H.

Another ultrasound.

Praise God, another good-news-ultrasound. Everything went wonderfully, and things looked even better. The babies look like they've about quadrupled in size! 


Here, you can compare for yourself. Be sure to click back to my first ultrasound picture and see the difference!

9/10 week babies.
The one on the left was swimming all over the place.

Scanning made these pretty blurry this time around. . .but you get the general idea.

My uterus is measuring 14-15 weeks in size, which does not put me at 14 weeks pregnant, it's just gigantic because it's expanded for these two little prunes.

We were able to see everything through a standard ultrasound this week, which was exciting for me. I still think they're absolutely scrumptious looking, even if they may look like barely-shaped babies in that picture above. We got to see their hearts fluttering again, as well as the first time (and Peter wasn't even with me!) I was actually able to really truly see at least one baby moving. Little Baby A was swimming around, probably trying out its new-formed hands and feet, and looking oh so much bigger than last time.

I loved seeing the obvious growth, and gasped when I really saw their size. My midwife just giggled, knowing I just can't imagine how big they're actually going to get. But even now, the growth is still substantial and exciting!

Things are getting busier as the first trimester draws to a close. And we talked about putting my "big" 18 week ultrasound at the hospital on the calendar, where we can see the detailed anatomy of each little one, as well as their genders and maybe even get a more accurate due date.

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I'm completely fascinated by their development, especially at this point because things are changing so very quickly. And so, I talk to Peter about this pregnancy like it is a project we're working on together. I excitedly informed him the other day that "we're growing placentas this week!" Also, eyelids are almost covering their eyes ("did you even know they already have eyes?!"), their finger and toe nails are growing, and so is hair on their heads. They're about an inch long and hands and feet have just formed.

Man, this really gets me going. . .

I'm so thrilled.

-A.H.

Bittersweet.

Just as I've begun developing a new vision for our house and furniture, it's all leaving us. Piece by piece, people come and go, inspecting our things to see if they suit their fancy. This is a bittersweet process for both Peter and I because as people make offers on our things, we have come to realize that to these people, none of this means even a fraction of what it does to us. This is our home, our first home, and we've built it together. We've trash picked and thrifted, we've shopped and even splurged. There are wedding gifts, too. I have great memories of trips to furniture stores, and shouting for Peter to stop the car because we had just passed a "good" garage sale. We visited a furniture bank, estate sales, and thrifted a lot, too. And every single item in our home has a story and is here for a reason, because we don't take in just anything.

That was one of the best parts of being engaged--  shopping together for our home.

But there is a second part to bittersweet, and that is the joy of a new beginning and the excitement of a wild adventure. We'll accumulate new stuff (that really is all it is anyway, isn't it?), each with their own new stories. We'll trash pick and thrift, and maybe splurge again too.

And so! if anyone's looking for anything-- furniture, kitchen-ware, clothes, purses, shoes (sad), books, pillows, sheets, bedding-- we've got it. We're opening the house for a moving sale second week in April, but lots of things are going before then.
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These past few weeks have been rough. I try to make the best of them, but a two year old that doesn't understand doesn't make it easier. All she knows is that there are two babies in my belly and that they make me sick. Then she looks at her doll and back at my stomach, as if she can imagine how uncomfortable I am.

Truth is, I'm still so sick. Mornings can be pretty bad, but usually once I eat I can be somewhat pleasant. Until 10 o'clock, and then I need a morning nap. But I can't, because toddlers don't usually take morning naps, especially if you want them to sleep for a large part of the afternoon. So I push on and continue to sing about Old MacDonald and his farm full of zebras, giraffes and rabbits. What sounds do they even make??

The weather has been purely beautiful, and that makes things so much better. Even if the sun isn't out, the temperatures have been at least somewhat mild. We love taking walks to collect acorns and look at everyone else's dogs (who Joyce thinks are all named Loxley). We love coloring with markers on the front porch and watching people walk by.

To her credit though, she has been picking up day by day that something isn't quite right with me. Do I really have to read the zoo book to myself? This morning she saw me close my eyes and take a deep breath and said, "Ang'ea tired?" "Yeah, sweetie, I'm tired. I'm sorry." "Do you wanna have a b'anket?" She then proceeded to unfold a blanket and lay it over me.


Precious.
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We were given tickets to another Cavs game tonight and I am more than thrilled. I anticipate a sore throat and no voice tomorrow. Thanks to all I learned at the last game we went to, I now know there's two baskets and a half time, the cheerleaders are only cute from far away and the hot dogs are $5.


-A.H.

8 weeks.

not much to see but a little bump down low.

How far along? I guess if we're going by the "unliked" doctor, 8 weeks.

Total weight gain/loss: -1 this week. My weight has always fluctuated a pound or two here or there.

Maternity clothes? no. . . more on that below.

Stretch marks? nope.

Sleep: lately I'm waking up for food in the middle of the night. That's progress! Naps are the best.

Best moment this week: probably hearing their heartbeats again. That's always an emotional time for me.

Movement: not yet.

Cravings: nothing that can be documented. It's all pretty random.

Gender guesses: Peter: two boys. Me: two girls. This goes on and off, but the only combo I've never even thought them to be is two boys! More on that below as well.

Labor Signs: NO!

Belly Button in or out? innie.

What I miss: I'm still thinking about tanning as people are pondering breaking out flip flops. I also miss wanting to eat.

What I am looking forward to: the second trimester and no nausea. Hopefully. :)

Weekly Wisdom: swallowing prenatal vitamins the size of a prune may make you throw up all over the bathroom floor. Just saying. . .

Milestones: my body's changing and the only pants I can get into are leggings, all my bras are too small, and my favorite Gap dress now belongs in my "post-babies body box" (say that five times fast).

I think I'll add another section to this: Others: I love yoga. I can't wait for the weather to break so I can get out to walk every morning. Did I mention I love yoga? Green drinks make me nauseous. Everything makes me nauseous. Peter likes to laugh at me gagging when I swallow my vitamins because I have to take them one at a time so they don't "clog my throat". 

We had dinner with friends this past week that had twins a few years ago. It was great to pick their brains for tips. One thing they mentioned was how they were definite about not wanting to find out the sexes but because so many ultrasounds are done for multiples, once she reached twenty weeks, it was nearly impossible to watch the ultrasound and not know what they were. So, we might have a choice to make in the future. . . either see the whole ultrasounds or learn their genders.

That's all for now.

-A.H.

Wedding photos.

I'm all snuggled up waiting for my husband to get home and working on our wedding album. That's right, our wedding album. Yeah, yeah I know we've been married over a year, but I've wanted to make sure it's exactly how I dreamed it would be. Besides, we've had a lot going on.


Anyway, as I'm looking through these pictures I felt like I should post a few here because I just love them so much. And so here they are:

-A.H.

Happy Birthday, Annie!

This little sweet pea turned 4 on Sunday.

We enjoyed a scrumptious cake made by a local bakery in Michigan. . .

[notice her bangs.
she played hair cut shop by herself one day].

-A.H.

Pregnancy rambling.

I'm so sick. So sick. And I'm tired. So tired I feel like I could sleep all day (I really probably could if our lifestyle allowed for that sort of thing). I can hardly make it through church (that is no reflection of the fellowship or message, simply my fatigue). Last night I was feeling so awful I couldn't help but moan loudly, so loudly that Peter stopped what he was doing and turned to me, "Are you really alright, Love?" Don't mind me, I just sound like a cow with the stomach flu. Whatever that would even sound like. Then my mind started to wander and I thought of the many many women in the world that have awful pregnancies the whole 9 months. For them, the second trimester isn't a period of relief before the agonizing third. Then I imagined what it would be like if I were one of those women, and my chest felt like it was closing in and suddenly my breathing quickened and shortened. I panicked. 


Lord, please don't let that be me!
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A recurring discussion in our house lately is whether we'll find out the sexes of these little ones or not. Originally Peter was wholly set on waiting for the birth as "there are so few surprises in life", and I was entirely decided on finding out, merely for planning and decorating purposes. But that doesn't work. We can't be divided. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep it from him if only I were to find out because we have no secrets. But, for about a whole minute during my second ultrasound Peter's mind changed. . . and then changed again. But lately, mine has been changing too.


However, I don't want to buy yellow and green with ducks and frogs. I want my babies in blue polos and khakis or lacy pink dresses and white eyelet flats. But, I also want the anticipation of not knowing to keep me eager towards the last months when I feel as though I might explode. And I want the excitement of delivering and hearing "Baby A is out-- it's a girl! Baby B is out. . ." And then we have to pull out our list of names and stare these two new children in the face and decide who and what they look like. Maybe we'll need four boy names, or four girl names, or two of each. (Oh, names, you will be the death of me. . .they are an entirely new topic for an entirely new day).
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I remember the day my mom went to the doctor for her regular 20 week ultrasound when she was pregnant with their seventh. Of course we weren't going to find out what it was-- we never had in the past, why would we now? Well, those were the days my mom had a gaggle of very young kids trailing behind her all the time and so she rarely thought twice about taking all six of us to the hospital with her. We took up the entire room, spread out on the bed, the several chairs available, the floor, wherever we could see the screen. And then the ultrasound technician said, "It's a boy!" without even asking whether we wanted to know or not. Right then and there nearly all of us burst into tears. I'm not sure whether it was because she ruined the surprise for us or because it was the fifth boy in a row, perhaps a combination of both. But we cried. Even the boys. At that point, they were even wanting a sister. But that was little Nolan David, and not one of us could imagine life without him.
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And so, where we stand right now: we're waiting for the surprise. But, things are ever-changing around here. Who knows! And knowing how thrilled we were just to have heard their heartbeats and see their little bodies for the first time, it's quite possible that at 20 weeks we wont't be able to bear the suspense anymore and will give in. That is very possible.


I loved seeing their tiny hearts pounding on the monitor. We could actually see them beating. How incredible is that? I sobbed and sobbed. And thinking about two tiny hearts beating inside me is surreal. It doesn't even seem possible, but yet it's so natural! How is does that even work?


For those that are interested, here's about what Baby A and Baby B look like now. Teeny tiny munchkins, they are.

-A.H.

After the initial shock. . .

My heart's racing as I write this post. It has been pounding fast a lot lately and I can't imagine why. . .

Now that I've posted the initial s c r e a m i n g post, I wanted to write a more serious one.

We are so unbelievably blessed and words fail to describe how grateful and overjoyed we are.  I've been telling a lot of people this: one baby I was thinking was going to be healing for me, two is like an ungraspable gift that I can barely wrap my mind around to comprehend.

God is so good.

We're so thankful to have heard both their heartbeats yesterday and again this morning. We're so grateful they were sound and strong both times. We're happy to have seen them swimming around. We're also so grateful they are forming in their own separate "homes" inside me (di/di twins).

Pregnancy with multiples is often considered high risk so we'll be having lots of ultrasounds and midwife visits. I'll probably have an ultrasound every 2-3 weeks and a midwife visit on the in between.

Please, please continue to pray for us. We've got a lot going on. At this point our moving plans haven't changed, and our midwife right now is encouraging us to continue with them. (It may just mean less sleep and a bigger stroller, and a few other things, as Peter puts it). However, we are continually reevaluating our moves and seeking the Lord's will through all of this. So, do keep us in your prayers.


-A.H.

Again!?

I'll start this post with a picture. An unbelievable one.

Yes, that's two babies. Look again. I do all the time.

Yesterday we had our first prenatal appointment. I am so glad Peter came. Imagine to see that without my husband! The whole appointment was a little weird for him, with everything they were doing to and asking me. But then at the ultrasound it started to get really good. I mean, really good.

It only took the midwife a couple seconds to move the probe around then she actually laughed out loud. "Hah! You've got twins!" My heart was racing and I remember needing to catch my breath before responding. "You're kidding, right? What? You've got to be kidding!"

She wasn't. And there they are. 

My midwife scheduled a big ultrasound after my appointment yesterday and so we went this morning to have that done. This doctor predicted a "more accurate" due date and assessed the pregnancy more thoroughly than the other [above] ultrasound photos could.

Here's what we know:

they're fraternal and each have their own sacs, and will have their own placentas eventually.

he gave me a later due date (10.24).

their heartbeats are strong and steady.

they look stinkin' cute already.

I'm having a hard time converting the scanned images into a format that I can upload to Blogger (computer illiterate), but when Peter gets home, I'll have him help me so you all can see their individual photos. Baby A and Baby B, that is.

SO CUTE!!

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And for my sister, and my own enjoyment in later years:

How far along? According to the doctor today that I didn't like (for more reasons than the predicted DD) 6 weeks, 2 days. 

Total weight gain/loss: z e r o

Maternity clothes? Not yet, but I've been wanting to since about week 3 or 4 and now I finally understand why!

Stretch marks? I would hope not!

Sleep: On and off miserable. I hate sleeping on my side unless I'm against Peter, but I do like a pillow between my knees.

Best moment this week: the ULTRASOUND! 

Movement: Not yet.

Cravings: naval oranges. I've had about 16 in the past 4 days.

Gender guesses: Peter: two boys. Me: one boy, one girl

Labor Signs: NO! Fortunately.

Belly Button in or out? innie.

What I miss: tanning. And an occasional glass of wine, I'm not gonna lie.

What I am looking forward to: holding these two precious little bundles in my arms!

Weekly Wisdom: Pfft, I'm no pro.

Milestones: first ultrasound down revealing more than exciting news! Now to planning birth for multiples. . . overseas.

After my appointment with the midwife we went downstairs to the lab to have some blood drawn for initial prenatal blood work.  I went in by myself because it was such a small space and I didn't want Peter and Joyce to be in the way. But boy, how I wished my man was in there with me.

Last time I had blood drawn was a year ago for our life insurance. A paramedic came to our house, drew a vial of blood, and left. I was white as a ghost when he left, but I survived. This time around was not the same.

The doctor pulled out not one or two, not even three, but FIVE vials to FILL with blood. That's when I freaked out. "Um, do you have a pediatric needle? Do you have a pediatric needle?" I proceeded to tell him about how the paramedic last time used a pediatric needle and how I got really sick. Then I started breathing really quickly. He calmed me and said, "You're not gonna faint, are ya?" I told him it was very possible that I would. Then I asked, "Are all those bottles for me? And are you filling them?" "Yes, its only 5." "Are you sure I can do that much? I'm pretty small. Are you sure I have that much blood to give? Are you going to fill them? To the top? I'm small, do I have that much blood??" 

I was sweating like a hog and asking a million questions a minute.

Then he told me to look away and tell him something. So, we talked about how I was pregnant with twins, and he told me about his two-year old son. And then I got really sick. He was actually done drawing the blood before I knew it, but it only got worse after that. I said, "Do I look really pale?"

I told him I felt really light-headed and he brought me back some cranberry juice to sip on. And my head began to spin so fast I couldn't keep it up, and my arm was throbbing from the needle, then I said I was going to throw up. Poor doctor got a trash can and just in time, too. I puked three times in the trash can while another doctor quickly closed the curtains around me and then held my hair back. I remember him saying, "Save her hair!" Then I looked up with vomit all over my face and said, "How do I look now?"

I apologized over and over and over and, after regaining my strength, I went to the waiting room where Peter and Joyce were waiting for me. I can't imagine the laughter that filled that room after I had left. His words, "five is nothing, next time you'll probably have nine", were ringing in my ears.

Bring on labor and delivery. Hah.

-A.H.