Big ultrasound!

Today at 20 weeks was our big ultrasound (i.e. the 20 week growth ultrasound). Because it is twins we went for a level II, as opposed to a level I. The only difference between the two is the one we had is done by a specific doctor who is a specialist and takes a more thorough look at all of the organs (specifically the heart) and takes more time reading the measurements and what not. This is a really important milestone because at this point in pregnancy they can usually determine if there are going to be any major problems with the babies. Both babies are looking beautiful though so far!! Everything looked just how it should, they are both measuring right around the same, and both just under a pound each :) The second most important part of the ultrasound (but definitely the most FUN part) was getting to find out for sure the sexes.

So Ann and Joe are having twin...... BOYS!!!!!!!

So cute!!! It seems meant to be because Ann just had a feeling they were both boys from the very start and had names picked out for them already and everything. Mother's instinct!! The ultrasound was funny - it sort of looked like a mash-up of little baby parts. There were hands and feet flying around everywhere it seemed and they were both competing for camera time. They kept sneaking in on eachother's shots! So baby A, Luke, is apparently the calm one - he was pretty laid back and didn't move around too much. Baby B, Liam, is a squirmy one though! He looked like he was trying to do back flips the whole time.

They are both head down and in the exact same position. This would be fabulous news... if I weren't having a c-section. For me it doesn't matter what position they are in, which is kind of sad because this position is what women who are striving for a vaginal birth would hope for (although of course at any point they can flip). So I must be getting punched at the bottom and kicked at the top - I'm feeling them move around more and more each day and now anyone can feel them jump around from the outside.

It's so fun knowing what they are now. It makes it more real when you can at least label each of them with a gender and a name instead of just "the babies". It's fun to imagine both of the boys growing up together and to think of all of the things they are going to be able to share as brothers. They're already playmates too. As I am typing this they are bouncing around together! I think they're playing tag :)

18 weeks...

We had another appointment today at 18 weeks. Measuring, however...... 24 weeks! And I am definitely starting to feel it. Little aches and pains here and there - some braxton hicks contractions already kicking in - and the most wonderful part of it all, little baby flutters :) Because one of the placentas is anterior, I know it will take much longer to feel the big kicks and punches, but these wiggles randomly throughout the day are subtle reminders that there are 2 tiny people in there :) I can see though how this is going to get really difficult in a hurry. It is getting harder to carry around Carmela now and waking up at least once a night to pee already.... well, let's just say knowing I am only just about halfway there does not make it easy! But it's going incredibly fast. My OB told us today that we can schedule the c-section for around 2 weeks before the due date, so that puts us at right before Thanksgiving. November!! That's only 4 months away! That's also assuming I won't go into labor before that point. After everything we have gone through to get to this point, that seems like a breeze.

So now that I'm showing, the random comments from strangers have begun (what fun!). I always thought it would be really cool to tell people that the babies I was carrying weren't mine. Turns out to be quite awkward though (who would've guessed)! One of my favorite responses so far was hysterical laughter. I kinda just looked at her and that's when she realized I wasn't joking. It was pretty embarrassing! I think people just don't know how to respond, and of course you can't blame them. It is a pretty unusual circumstance. Some people are really interested and ask a lot of questions, which I enjoy. This is something I am proud I am doing and I like to talk about it. It's the people that make the comments that I must be making a lot of money, that I'll never be able to hand over the babies, that I must be a glutton for punishment - these are the comments that sting a little. But taken with a grain of salt. I know why I am doing what I am doing and what I am capable of. So when somebody asks me when I am due and I respond that it's with twins, and they aren't my husbands ...... I always end up adding that they aren't mine either, but one day I think I'll just leave it with the first part and walk away :)