Not-So-Happy Anniversary!

Two years ago today I was walking across the street on campus when a car turned right and took me out. Not my best day. My grandpa always said that you should always wear clean underwear just in case you have to go to the hospital... Great advice except he never said that I should also wear makeup and a bra. That day my final garment was due that I worked REALLY hard on so I literally went to class in my pjs. All of a sudden I was on the ground, when I was carried to the curb I was surrounded by a dozen dudes asking if I was okay. My left leg was bending the WRONG direction. It wasn't in pain, but something was weird, I couldn't feel it touching the ground either. I should also mention this was a hit and run, or I should rather say a plow a person- pathetic attempt at helping-and escaping while no one was looking. By the time I was in the ambulance the pain was coming so I was cracking jokes because that's what I do in pain and I was so charming that they even hung out with me in the hospital for awhile. I thought that I better get a date out of this! I had a crushed tibial plateau. They made me wait 10 days for surgery, I couldn't even move. What followed was a complete downward spiral into grief and loss. But I won't relish in that today. What I will say is that through this, I re-met my loving husband Tristan who dated a girl in a wheelchair. And who helped me through my anger and grief. So, happy but not-so-happy anniversary arthritic left knee. I hope I get to keep you for awhile longer. I'm attached to you.


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18 Weeks




How far along: 18 weeks and 5 days
Size of Babies: A is 8 oz, B is 9 oz (7-8 inches long head to foot)
Weight Gain: 134 woo hoo! Thank goodness!
Clothing: Old jeans with belly bands, tanks and maternity shirts (or loose shirts)
Gender: Two sweet little girls!
Movement: I still feel little bubbles or weird movements that i'm sure is them, but I have an anterior placenta so it's normal not to feel them yet.
Sleep: Getting better, I can't sleep on my back anymore
Symptoms: Acne (ugh), cramps, backache

Morning sickness: I'm taking less and less Zofran!
What I miss: Sleeping however I want and being able to use my abs
Cravings: Chocolate milk
Best moment this week: Finding out the gender of our girls! BONUS: they are healthy too!
What am I looking forward to: Fall, cold weather would be nice!
How is Tristan: Super!

This Week in my Belly:

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.
See what your baby looks like this week.

Sophia+Lilian


On Thursday the 21st we went to our 18 week anatomy scan with the Perinatal Specialist. After taking all the measurements and looking at the heart we found out we are having two beautiful GIRLS! They are also identical and with that comes many complications such as gestational diabetes, one twin taking from the other and growing larger, pre-term labor, bedrest, and much more. I'm just supposed to take it easy! The doctor found a blood clot in the placenta which can cause bleeding so I hope that doesn't happen again! They are measuring perfect. They are 8 and 9 ounces and about 7-8 inches long! That's huge! I just wanted to know they were healthy and safe, knowing they are girls is a bonus! We are going to wait till we meet them to decide who is who! When we found out the family came over and Tristan and I attacked them with pink silly string! They were all so excited!!!



Note: To all those who told me they are super excited to start buying clothes.... I think that's awesome! But I must warn you that I really don't like animal print or anything hot pink that screams "princess"! Not my style! Think ECLECTIC! haha







16 weeks




How far along: 16 weeks 6 days
Size of Babies: About 4.5 inches
Weight Gain: 128, so far up 5 from the 7 I initially lost
Clothing: Wore my first maternity top the other day!
Gender: We will find out on Wednesday the 19th
Movement: I felt a few little tickles but I'm not convinced yet!
Sleep: I remember the most crazy dreams!
Symptoms: Indigestion, back pain, stuffy nose

Morning sickness: Getting better
What I miss: Whenever I'm not eating butter, I miss butter
Cravings: Butter and bread!
Best moment this week: Date night last night with my man
What am I looking forward to: Being able to call my babies by name (girls or boys?)
How is Tristan: Annoyed by my giant body pillow

This Week in my Belly:
Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.
See what fraternal twins look like in the womb this week.

Fun Facts about Twins



1. Scientists believe that the number of twin conceptions greatly outnumbers the number of twin births. Twin conceptions are much more common than many people realize. Of course, these conceptions do not always result in the birth of two healthy babies. Very often, one of the fertilized eggs or embryos will be reabsorbed into the mother's womb in a phenomenon called "vanishing twin syndrome."

2. The incidence of twin types and genders are oddly symmetrical. These facts about twinning are sure to leave you in awe. One third of all twins born are identical, one third are same sex fraternal, and one third are male/female fraternal. Of the identical twins, half are male.male and half are female/female. Of the same sex fraternal, half are male/male, and half are female/female.


3. Twins do not have to be born on the same date. In fact, they can be born surprisingly far apart. The longest recorded gap between twin births is 85 days. How does this happen? The simplest explanation comes when one twin is born just before midnight and the other after. In cases where there is a longer gap, it's often because one twin is born early due to complications, while the other is left in the womb to further develop. This is much safer for the second baby and can help improve survival rates.

4. Identical twins have different fingerprints. Some people might think that identical twins are the same right down to those whorls and swirls on their fingerprints, but while identical twins share most of their genetic material, identical fingerprints aren't among them. While the fingerprints may be very similar, on close examination it is possible to tell them apart – much like the twins themselves.

5. About 25% of identical twins are called mirror image twins. This means that they are, in fact, identical, but only in the way that your reflection in a mirror is an identical image of you. For example, if one twin has a mole under her right eye, the other will have it under her left eye. Scientists think this is due to the fertilized egg splitting later than the norm for identical twins, around nine to twelve days after fertilization.

6. Twins often develop their own language. This phenomena is called idioglossia. It's something that has fascinated people about twins for years, but it's really a relatively simple and easily understandable process. It happens when one twin models the disordered or incorrect speech of the other, leading to both twins using the same grammatical or speech sound errors. It sounds like a foreign language, but is really just a normal part of cognitive development. 40% of twins invent their own language.

7. Twins share DNA, but it is not identical. While identical twins come from the same sperm and egg, their DNA isn't necessarily identical, according to new research. Scientists used to think differences in twins were due to environmental factors; they now know that isn't the only force causing variations. Genetic studies have demonstrated that there are certain points where twins will veer away from one another, with one carrying different or multiple copies of the same gene.

8. Certain diets may increase your chances of having twins. What a woman eats can help increase her chances of having twins, or so researchers think. While genetics obviously plays a big role, diet can also influence this phenomenon. Researchers have found that women who eat dairy and animal products are much more likely to have twins than those that don't. This is likely due to a protein called IGF that increases the sensitivity of the ovaries to hormones that cause ovulation.

9. Fraternal twinning is genetically predisposed. Identical twinning is random. Fraternal twinning is the result of a woman releasing multiple eggs at the same time, and is largely the result of a genetic predisposition to release this extras. Identical twins, however, are the result of a random split of a single egg, something which cannot be genetically predisposed. In recent years, the number of fraternal twins has risen in response to fertility treatments, while the number of identical twin births has stayed the same.

10. 27 lbs and 12oz is the heaviest combined birth weight of any set of twins. if you think it would be rough to carry around and deliver one 14-pound baby, then imagine doing it with two. That's just what happened in this case, the largest twin birth on record. Of course, it doesn't hold a candle to the largest singleton birth weight of 23 pounds.

11. Turns out there are ways to up the chances you'll deliver two bouncing babies. Being tall is one of them. Past research has found that taller women have more of an insulin-like growth factor that has been linked to both height and the rate of twins.Those who birthed two or more children were on average more than an inch taller than other mothers, according to the study published in September 2006 in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine. As a woman ages, she's also more likely than her younger counterparts to have multiple births.

12. Birth rate statistics for identical twinning have remained stable over the years, despite the overall increase in twins and multiples since the late 1980's. The odds of having identical twins is about 3 in 1,000, whereas the birthrate for all twins is about 32.2 in 1,000.

13. Over 50% of twins are born before 37 weeks.The average birth weight for a twin is 5lbs, 5 oz.