Two little dancers...

At least that's what it feels like most days! So work has been keeping me pretty busy and I haven't had a chance to update since my last Dr. appt. Of course now that I typed that, my phone has started ringing...seriously. I just got off the phone with a builder who needs a refrigerator. Not that you care to know that, I am just making a point. :) Ok back to my Dr appt. So this past week I thought I'd try something new and go to an afternoon appt rather than an early morning one. In short it was a bad idea that I don't plan on repeating. When I first found out I was going to be seeing this specialist I did some online research to see what others said about him, and for the most part everything said was good the only downfall was the wait to see him. So after seeing him for the past few months and very rarely ever waiting I just figured it was just those few people who got an unlucky time slot. Nope. Needless to say I rushed out of work and fought traffic to get to my appt. just to wait for oh an hour and fifteen. Yep. 1 hour and 15 minutes. I about crawled out of my skin. And to top it off I got to fight 5 o'clock traffic all the way home. Needless to say my blood pressure was a little high, and from now on I always ask for the earliest available! Anyways I feel better for getting that little rant off my chest.

So since they were running so far behind my appt felt a little more rushed than usual, but it was still a good one. *And that's what counts.* So far Baby A is 1 pound 1 ounce and Baby B isn't far behind at 1 pound! They are still measuring right along with each other and look great. I even think they've taken up dancing together on my lower uterus and bladder. When the tech did the ultrasound they were facing each other with their heads in my ribs and their feet dancing around (which I CONSTANTLY feel!) I can tell when they wake up because it's their feet that start moving first and that I feel the most. I've even felt one of them kick my hands one day while I was at work! It was a surreal. Then one night Rush and I were at the movies and one of them punched my hand that I was resting on my belly! So far Rush hasn't felt them yet, they are too sporadic in their movements to know when to put your hand on my belly. But soon enough I'm pretty sure we'll all be able to SEE them moving.

Besides the babies, Rush and I have been just enjoying the cooler weather, but hating the mosquito population that keeps us inside. All that rain and flooding we got so late in the season started another generation of mosquitoes here in eastern NC and it is miserable to have to be outside for very long. I am pretty sure everyone is ready for the first freeze to get here and kill them all off! Aside from that we've also been geaing up for the Marine Corps Marathon! I can't wait! We're going to be leaving around lunch time Friday and coming home Monday afternoon. I'm hoping the mosquitoes are too bad up in DC but will just carry some bug spray with me because I plan on doing a lot of walking around the National Mall and monuments with my sister, Robin! :) And hopefully we'll also be able to catch up with a number of friends and relatives who will be up for the MCM as well.

Once we get back we'll be gearing up for our trip home for Thanksgiving!!! YAY! I can't wait to see everyone and just get back to Texas soil. Even if it is just temporary. :) And then before we know it, it will be CHRISTMAS time!!!!!!!!!! *If you can't tell, it's my favorite holiday!* I'm hoping that this year since we'll be home, that Rush will get me a real tree to decorate! That and there have been whispers that family might be coming to visit us right after the holiday. :) Can you imagine how crazy I'm going to be when I have two little ones that get just excited as I do!?! Poor Rush.

I hope everyone has a great (and safe) Halloween! Don't get too candy drunk! ;)

Belly Pictures!

I figured I'd share a sneak peek at what y'all will be seeing soon! The ladies at work tell me I look like I pop more every weekend, so who knows how big I'll be by Thanksgiving! *I find that to be quite scary* Anyways, without further ado...

TWO Cantaloupes!

Did anyone else notice that the babies are EACH about the size of a cantaloupe?! I know that they aren't literally the size of a cantaloupe but still, I wasn't expecting to reach a fruit of this size yet! The website where I copied that countdown timer says that on average (in the 20th week) the babies are about 6.5 inches and 10.6 ounces, and we already know that at our last visit (a week ago) that the babies were already weighing closer to 12 ounces! I know thats not a huge difference in weight, but I'm happy the babies are growing so well! The website also says that the babies tastebuds are working and are already tasting what I'm eating! Sooo, bring on the mexican food and Texas bbq!

We've reached another milestone...MOVEMENT! I can finally say that I'm 99% sure that I am feeling them move around. That 1% won't come into the picture until Rush can feel or see them move too. Other than that I don't have anything new to report on me or the babies, we are still taking it one day at a time and are feeling great! *My only issue is my belly getting in the way! I'm not used to hitting the countertop (and I have to be extra careful when I'm cooking) and everytime I pull out my keyboard at work, it hits my belly and goes back under the desk! Talk about annoying.

On another note, time is flying by! We are already gearing up for our trip to DC (the last weekend in October) and I am super excited! I always LOVE going to DC and this time I get to show Robin around too! In case you don't know, we are going for the annual Marine Corps Marathon, and Rush will be running in the marathon! He'll be running it with a few others that you might know...Leland, Quinn, and Roger Queen. As for me I will be walking the 10K with Robin and Lindsay (a neighbor that's preggo as well) and I think we're going to get some great pictures along the way. Another perk is that we get to see the Wendes who we haven't seen in a while, so that will be a good time as well. And even better, Quinn noticed there is a Cheesecake Factory right next to the hotel we are staying in! I'm looking forward to some celebratory cheesecake. :)

So much for a halfway point!

So I had another bi-monthly MFM (Maternal Fetal Medicine <- the specialist I go to) appointment today, and much to my surprise (and delight) Rush was able to come with me! We've been lucky for the last two because his boss had been out of town so Rush was free to come with me, and this morning I was thinking he was going to be on a plane with his boss on their way to California. Well SURPRISE! Delta struck again (honestly it's no surprise) since there was a huge delay in their flight, Rush's boss decided it wasn't worth it to go to Cali and they came home in time for me to pick Rush up on my way to the Dr.

Well overall we had another great dr appointment. :) The babies are still girls and still looking great! As of today Baby A was 12oz and measuring 20weeks and Baby B was 11oz and measuring 19weeks and 4days. So their size and their fluids made the Dr. happy which in turn makes us happy! They were even able to measure the heart rates with the sonogram and Rush was able to hear them for the first time! I had previously heard them on Monday at my other dr appt, but it wasn't on a sonogram and they were hard to differenciate, so I enjoyed hearing them too. Baby A was beating at 150bpm while Baby B was beating at 151bpm, so it's safe to say they are fairly similar in all aspects right now. I also got sonogram pictures of them "snuggling!" I guess technically it's not snuggling since they are in their own sac but they were lined up with each other and from what I can tell facing each other. They are definitely going to want to be sleeping in the same crib for a while. Also one of the other pictures I was given was of Baby A's profile where you can kind of see Baby B in the background. It's very faint, and I had to have the sonogram tech point it out, so don't feel bad if you can't see Baby B.

Here are the sonograms:

The Babies "Snuggling" (Baby B is the top baby)

 Baby A's profile with Baby B in the background

 Baby A's Heart Rate

 Baby B's Heart Rate

We still haven't picked out names yet, so if you have any suggestions we'll take them into consideration! :)

It's hard to believe I am more than halfway through this pregnancy, especially since we have absolutely NOTHING ready for the arrival of these two little ones! As he always does Rush just seems to know what questions to ask when we go to the dr appointments. Turns out we are more likely (than a couple that has had a singleton) to have twins again in the future! Scary thought. And that an average twin pregnancy usually only lasts 36-37weeks, and our Dr. suggested that we have overnight bags for each of us ready because we never know when I might be going (and then staying) to the hospital. So by my calculations I'm a week past my halfway point! But I'm hoping that since so far we've sailed through this pregnancy that the winds keep filling our sails and we make it really close to our due date. I'm just going to try and keep doing the things I've been doing (since they seem to be working for me and the babies) and listen really closely to my body and take it easy when I need too. Normally moms with twins stop working and start laying around, around week 22 but I don't really see that happening. Seeing as at week 23 I plan on being in DC and walking 6.2 miles with Robin and Lindsay for the MCM 10K and then around the National Mall and Monuments. :) And I won't be quitting my job (at least the full time aspect) until mid November when I will be coming home for Thanksgiving and my babies shower! And even then I'm considering working part time for a few hours 2-3 times a week. It all depends, and we'll figure it out when we get there!

On a totally different note, Christmas is RIGHT around the corner, I finally took some initiative and started my first craft! I am making a wreath out of white burlap with red fabric flowers to hang on our door. I know that it doesn't sound very pretty, but I'm about halfway done and I think it is actually going to come together quite nicely. Of course I am going to try to take pictures and post once I finish it, but until then if you are absolutely dying to know what it's supposed to look like, click on the Craftaholic blog (it's one of the blogs I follow and it's located on the left of the screen) and then click on tutorials. It should have a picture somewhere in the list. Also I finally bit the bullet and bought an unfinished wooden sign to paint myself. I know it doesn't sound like much, but I have issues with things not looking the way I imagined them in my head. We'll call that my slight OCD. But I am actually quite happy with how it is looking, it's not a finished project either but not far off. I'll take a picture once I do finish to post.

So other than Dr visits, work, and projects, Rush and I have been trying to spend as much time as we can enjoying our "freedom." We take the dogs to the beach, or go eat at a nice restraunt, mainly just spending time together before our lives as we know them are distant memories. We're even planning a "babymoon" trip over to Ashville, NC in early November to see the Biltmore! YAY! Don't get me wrong, we are looking forward to the adventures to come, but we are definitely relishing the calm and quiet for now.

Wow, I just noticed how long-winded I've been in this post! Geeze! Looks like I'll have to start posting more frequently so as not to write a novel each time. ;)

I hope y'all have enjoyed our updates!