20 WEEKS!

How far along? 20 WEEKS!!

How big are the babies?  At 20 weeks hair on the scalp is sprouting and sensory development evolves rapidly. The nerve cells serving each of the senses - taste, smell, hearing, seeing, and touch - are now developing in their specialised areas of the brain. Nerve cell production slows down as existing nerve cells grow larger and make more complex connections. The smell of a newborn seems to be the most developed of all senses, enabling them to recognize you immediately. 

You no doubt feel the kicking and somersaulting of your growing twins. At times, they may be so mobile that they will wake you up during the night. The next ten weeks or so will be your twins' busiest and most active time, until the uterus gets too crowded. 

A whitish coat of a slick, fatty substance called vernix caseosa will begin to cover your twins. It protects their skin during its long immersion in amniotic fluid and acts as a barrier against infection after birth. Your twins are swallowing an increasing amount of amniotic fluid, good practice for their digestive systems. 

Until now your fetuses have been measured from crown to rump but from 20 weeks the measurement will be from crown to heel. And from crown to heel they are approximately 10.5 inches/ 27 centimetres long. Their eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed and fingernails cover the fingertips. 

Your babies can now hear your conversations. If you talk, read, or sing to your twins, sound waves are transmitted along your spine to make them progressively familiar to your voice, helping them to recognise you after they are born. 

Your twins can hear other sounds through the skin covering your belly, but they are distorted as they pass through your fat and muscle, the wall of your uterus and amniotic fluid. Only your voice will be clearly recognisable to them by the end of your pregnancy. 

Most mums-to-be detect their twins movements (called quickening) between 18 and 22 weeks of pregnancy. If you've been pregnant before, you'll feel things earlier rather than later. What you may first think is a rumbling stomach may be your twins doing some back flips.

Weight gain/Loss: I am at exactly my pre-pregnancy weight of 205 lbs so I have no officially gained any weight.  These babies are taking what they need from me. My bum is smaller because my maternity pants seem to fall off! I am feeling good though :)

Maternity clothes: All maternity clothes at this point!

Stretch Marks: Nope! Bio Oil! Everyday twice a day!

Best Moment of the week: The hugest kick from baby B :) It was HUGE! 

Movement: Kicks and turns and punches all over my belly! I have some very active monkeys!

Symptoms: Well, I look very pregnant? lol I struggle with bending and I get tired very easily. 

Gender: TWO PRECIOUS BABY BOYS!

Anything making you sick or queasy? Any time I get reflux I have to puke. If I wake up in a rush to go to work and I am hungry, I will puke for sure

Labor signs? Nope and they can stay away for at least 18 weeks!

Wedding rings on or off? On!

Mood? GREAT!

Looking forward to: Meeting my monkeys :)

Sleep: Sleep sucks. lol I am certainly preparing for these little boys. I have such a hard time sleeping because it is nearly impossible to get comfortable!

Here is the Buddha belly!

My First Mother's Day

Every year that Mother's Day would pass, it was always joyous to celebrate my amazing Mom but there was a part of me that ached to be at the receiving end of all the joy. Year after year I watched all the new moms celebrate their bundles and basque in their newly acquired title-- Mommy.

This Mother's Day marks the beginning of my new journey. I am so grateful for the blessing of carrying these two perfect little beings. What a gift it is to feel them move and kick inside me knowing that I get to be their protector for the rest of my life. I have never felt so much love towards anything or anyone in my entire life. I thank God every single day for these precious gifts... it is finally my turn.

Here are a few cards that I received today from a dear friend,  my hubby and my Momma...

Here are my two beautiful bassinets all assembled and ready for my little bundles! BOTH were given to me as gifts. The kindness of other has been tremendous for my husband and I :) Two babies are expensive! 

And here is the proud Momma to be sporting her nice round belly on Mother's day :)

18 Weeks!

Almost halfway there!!

How far along? 18 weeks

How big are the babies? At 18 weeks pregnant, your baby is hitting the height chart at five and a half inches long (remember, that's crown to rump) and weighs about five ounces (the weight of that boneless chicken breast you're making for dinner). 

And now for the skill of the week (drum roll please…): The art of the yawn has been mastered by your baby (someone's sleepy!).  In fact, you might catch a glimpse of that adorable yawn if you're getting an ultrasound this month. You'll also catch a glimpse of all the fetal movement your baby's doing — twists, rolls, kicks, and punches. And would you believe your baby is finally big enough for you to start feeling those movements now (or anytime in the next few weeks). So get ready!

Something you won't see on the ultrasound, but you'll know is in working order, is your baby's nervous system, which is maturing rapidly at this time.  Nerves, now covered with a substance called myelin (which speeds messages from nerve cell to nerve cell), are forming more complex connections. And those in the brain are further specializing into the ones that serve the senses of touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing. Talking about hearing, your baby's is growing more acute, making your little one more conscious of sounds that come from inside your body (which means you could both be listening to each other hiccup  — a skill that your baby has by now).

Weight gain/loss: Not quite sure! I will have to check that out soon. I don't own a scale so I usually just check at doctor's appointments or at a friends. I would say I have some weight on now. Between the belly and the boobs, it is inevitable

Maternity clothes: I wear pretty much all maternity clothes now with the exception of pajamas and t-shirts that I wear to bed.

Stretch marks: Nope! Not yet anyways!

Best moment of the week: When I felt a kick from the outside :) Last night I was sitting in the recliner and I had my hand on my tummy and left one of the babies give me a little kick :) LOVED it !

Movement: Kicks and rolls and turns! Pretty quite during the day but the evenings are very active :) Lately there has been someone's body part getting stuck up under my left rib and it HURRRTTTS hahaha But I still love it :)

Symptoms: Big round belly, BIG boobs, acid reflux, fatigue and lots of discomfort when I am sitting straight up (I need to have room for the babies so I often lay back).

Gender: We should know on FRIDAY!

Anything making you sick or queasy? Well, there is nothing really particular. I get sick from different things but if I get hungry at all, look out... I will puke.

Labor signs? Nope!

Wedding rings on/off? On

Mood? I have days where I am very emotional about stuff... I had a day last week where I just CRIED and cried ... and cried some more. But for the most part, I am pretty chipper. Hubby injured himself in a freak accident this past week and that has been really worrying me but I have a wonderful mamma who is always willing to help.

Looking forward to? FRIDAY! The anatomy scan and our gender reveal party!

Sleep? I am in bed around 10 every single night if not earlier. I wake A LOT to pee and I drink a lot of water through the night. When I sleep, I sleep very solid!

Stay tuned for belly pics!