18 weeks along. It's so weird that this is a picture of me.
First, a little Christmas round-up:- Sean and I had a fantastic time with his family. Thanks, Bradleys, for always providing great fun and togetherness.
- I realized how quickly my skin has adapted to this humid Texas air. I used a hecka lot of lotion while out West. My lips are still recovering.
- I got a lovely cold just after Christmas. Holy cow, did that make the return flight miserable. Actually, just the descent. One ear popped just fine but the other... ow ow ow! It didn't pop until the morning. Pain.
- Sooo many people told me I didn't look big enough to have twins and/or to be as far along as I was. I don't know what they're talking about, I feel huge.
- I didn't take any pictures besides the wedding and the hazy SLC temple. I think all the wedding photo editing put me in picture overload.
- Sean bought me a sewing machine! Given the fact that I'm pretty sure I haven't used one since I was in middle school, I need to practice. Anyone know of any good, simple sewing projects to start out with?
- My favorite gift given was a Vincent Van Gogh action figure to Sean's mom (the art teacher), complete with interchangeable heads (the more aged head is missing its ear)! It got even better after we opened the package to discover that the head shoots off the body. Hours of fun!
- It was kind of nice to be around mounds of snow. And really nice to leave it.
- We saw Avatar- it was pretty cool. Compelling story, amazing CGI, lots of action. Katie officially recommends it.
- This isn't really a part of Christmas, but it was during Sean's winter break, so I'll count it. After we returned home, Sean spent some time in the hospital helping to deliver babies! He scrubbed in for two C-sections (and didn't even feel faint! Atta boy!) and thought he might help with a twin delivery but they didn't come before Sean's shift was over. Wouldn't that have been cool? Sean loved the opportunity!
And now, I need to ask some pregnancy advice:
- I'm having trouble gaining weight. I do not say this to brag because I'm supposed to be gaining weight like gangbusters right now and I've only put on a few. I can beef up just fine when I'm not pregnant but now, it's a struggle. Has anyone had similar problems? Are there certain foods you ate that helped you gain weight? Any certain eating habits that let you pack on the pounds?
- I'm not sure how to tell if I've felt these babies move. Sure, I've felt weird wurgly sensations but I don't know if I can differentiate normal GI tract movement from baby movement. And yes, I know that all too soon it'll be painfully obvious when they kick and roll, but in the mean time, how do I tell?
*I just wanted to point out that when taking pictures of the Haze in the last post, Sean and I were snapping pictures back and forth so those photographs could have easily been taken by my dear, handsome, talented hubby. That is all.
You look so cute! Here's some advice!
ReplyDeleteIf you want an easy sewing project to get some practice... try making a receiving blanket or two. I can email you about how I do them but I don't have your email address (mine is jmjens (at) gmail (dot) com if you want me to explain... :)
I had no problem gaining weight while pregnant so here are some tricks! Make sure you're getting the essentials in your diet - dairy, protein, fruits, veggies. I find that it's really easy for me to carbo-load so I don't worry so much about how many carbs I'm getting. I don't like milk much, so I liked to drink chocolate milk. The kind you buy at the store, pre-mixed, is whole milk. You need fat, too, to help your babies grow, so I don't see drinking whole milk as being too much of a problem, but if you don't like that idea, you could try just drinking more of your regular milk. Cheese is always a good snack as well, and so are hard-boiled eggs... You could also do protein shakes I suppose, though I never did that. I always had plenty of snacks with me to curb nausea so having baggies of cheese cubes or a couple of string cheeses or something like that is good. I also liked peanut butter on crackers. I'd also recommend looking at the book, "What to Expect When You're Expecting" - it not only has a lot of advice and information about pregnancy itself, but it also gives recommendations for a "best-chance diet" - helping you get all the nutrients you need during the day.
Last, about movement... you're probably feeling them! Pregnancy made me gassy, and it sort of felt like that... but still different. It kind of feels like butterflies in your belly or something like that. It gets stronger pretty quickly, too.
Good luck! I love the updates. :)
I think you totally look big enough to be having twins. Especially since that picture is only 18 weeks along. I think that people say the funniest things to pregnant women... sometimes I would feel offended when people would tell me I didn't look pregnant. I'm like "hello, do you think I always look this big?? sheesh."
ReplyDelete"It was kind of nice to be around mounds of snow. And really nice to leave it." Oh, if only if only I could leave the snow! Forever!!
I'm afraid I can't help you with the weight-gaining because I've never had a problem with it. :) We just bought an ice cream maker for Christmas though and that's definitely helping me put on those last few pounds!!!
I also think you are feeling your babies move with those "wurgly" sensations. So fun!
LOVE your little belly :-)!!! I have never had a problem gaining weight, but I eat ice cream nearly every night when I'm pregnant. I don't like milk much, so I figure it counts as calcium right :-)?! I think your body craves a lot of what it needs when you're pregnant. I'm always slightly iron deficient when pregnant and I tend to get cravings for red meat (which I'm typically not a big eater of), so just listen to your body and any good advice that others who have struggled have to share. And I bet those wurgly sensations are your little guys moving around! You'll start to feel them more often and they'll get more and more distinct. Pay attention after you eat when you sit and relax and you can probably pick them out better. Hooray for babies :-)!
ReplyDeleteHey Katie!
ReplyDeleteYour little tummy is so cute. Well I just started sewing for the first time! I bought a machine in Sept. or Oct. and found a lot of ladies at church who wanted to sew and now there's a sewing club! I've made an apron, pillow cases, pajama pants, and am about to start some more stuff. I got a new and better machine for Christmas and am so excited to start using it. Since I had never sewed, I was scared of my last machine. Now that I have a new machine, I'm a little scared again, but it's fun to see what you can make. At least you did in Jr. High. That's more than me. Do you still have your old email? I'll email you tons of free tutorials, links, and websites for fun sewing projects. I also need your street address. So email it to me!
myjennamarie@yahoo.com
I just got photoshop for Christmas, too bad you're not close to teach my how to use it! I'm hoping to get an SLR camera in the next year or so.
I can't tell you how happy it makes me to see your baby belly. You look so fabulously cute. I totally think you look pregnant - it looks exactly like it should!
ReplyDeleteWell, twist my arm to give you advice! (hee hee) The only sewing project I took on while I had my sewing machine was to sew curtains and a shower curtain. Mom helped me with those, so I am sure she'd love to help you when she sees you. Simple drapes require simple, straight hems. Now I am sewing-machineless, since I hated my last one. Let me know if you end up loving yours. Olivia has been asking for one.
Okay, food advice. I am going to go on the notion that you are eating healthfully, getting your calcium, veggies and fruit. I found two food that guarantee me pounds - ramen noodles and full-fat ice cream (with peanuts, for an extra pound bonus!) Ramen noodles offer no nutrition at all, of course, but it does the trick. A bowl of full-fat ice cream and peanuts - I'm talking an easy 3 pound gain for me. So, is your appetite feeling good?
Yeah, I bet you are feeling the babies. I'll bet in the next two weeks, though, you'll be sitting down and feel a very definite bump. You won't doubt it, then!
Email me if you want to talk some more...
You are adorable!! I love your belly. I couldn't tell that I was feeling Hailey until we were in for her 20 week ultrasound. I was watching the monitor and I could see when she was moving or kicking, and then I began to associate the feeling with her. Once I realized what she felt like, I knew that I had felt her before, I just didn't know what to look for. So, it might take a few weeks. Next time you're in an ultrasound, watch them and you'll be able to feel when you see them. YOU ARE SO CUTE!! :)
ReplyDeleteTwins are so amazing! My wife's aunt and cousin both had twins and each twin weighed around 8 lbs each at birth. They said their doctors told them the key for healthy twins was to eat lots of protein, even though it is challenging because a lot of high protein foods are also high in fat. Even so, they are both big believers in high protein intake for twins. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHey Katie!
ReplyDeleteI also had trouble gaining weight during my pregnancy- mostly due to months and months of almost constant barfing. I was skinnier when I was pregnant than I have been any other time. Try Carnation instant breakfast drinks- they're full of vitamins and all sorts of things that are good for you. My husband uses them to keep weight on (if only I had that problem...) However, if you are having trouble keeping things down, they are one of the worst things coming back up! Good luck and let us know if you get something to work for you.