It take TWO to make a thing go right

Well, after 37 weeks of waiting to meet our babies, they have finally arrived!  Two weeks ago today Bradyn Oscar (5 lbs 9 oz)  and Brody Louis (6lbs 12oz) were born!  It was love at first sight and we have been enjoying every minute of the last 2 weeks getting to know our boys.

Before I post some pictures from the last 2 weeks, I have one last official doorknob picture.  This was taken the day we went to the hospital to have the babies.

The official verdict: I did not reach the knob!  I came very close though, closer than I thought I would when this all started.

Things have been non-stop since the boys have been born.  Chris and I are sleep deprived and totally delirious, but we are having so much fun.  This post may be a little less witty than usual.  I blame sleep deprivation!  My goal was to post something by the time the twins were 2 weeks old, so in an effort to avert failure, here we go!

Facts about Bradyn (Aka Brady):

This little man may be less than 6 lbs, but he has the personality of a big baby.  He is tough, strong-willed, and seems to have many traits in common with his Dad.  Though only 1 minute older, Brady is the true older brother.  He has done every developmental thing first, with Brody following about 24 hrs behind.

Nicknames: A, A-bops, Brady-bear, Peanut, Little Man, Bird Man

Brady seems to look more like Chris with some of my features sprinkled in.  He hates light shining in his face and mumbles to himself for periods of time as he sleeps.  He is a little love bug and a wonderful cuddlier!  We can't wait to see what next week brings Brady!

Facts about Brody:

Compared to Brady, Brody seems so big.  Weighing in at 6 lbs 12 oz, he looks bigger than his brother when laying next to him and feels so huge in our arms.  Brody too is tough and strong willed, a little more of a crier than his brother and a more demanding eater.  He attacks his food like a little gremlin and makes me laugh every time I see him do this.  Brody loves to lay on his belly on top of my chest and snuggle in for a long nap.  He is happiest in our arms, but tolerates snuggling up with his brother.  His least favorite position is to be alone in his crib.

Nicknames: B, B-bops, Brody-bear, Pecan, B-B guns, B-B-the guns

 I was never able to imagine what it would be like to be able to see your own traits in your kids face, but after a few hours of knowing Brody and seeing him cry, I declared "oh my god, he looks like me when he makes that face!".  Both boys are a mix of Chris and I, but I can see images of myself when Brody is crying or sleeping with his mouth open (TMI maybe, oh well!).  We can't wait to see what next week brings Brody!

Having 2 babies is totally surreal.  Someone always needs to be fed, held, changed, or rocked.  There is no rest for the weary. I can't wait to see what the boy's relationship looks like in the coming months, but for right now, I can say two babies is double the work and double the fun.

(Quilts handmade by Grandma Great and my Mom.  They are so cute!)

My parents were here this week and were a huge help.  It was so great to see them interacting with their first grandchildren.

(we nicknamed my mom the Twinja (the twins ninja!)

I had heard that the love you feel for your spouse grows exponentially when you have your first child.  I never really understood that sentiment until now.  In the words of Stephanie Mills, "I have never known love like this before".  Chris has been Super Dad and Super Husband all rolled into one.  It has been so much fun hanging out with him for the last 2 weeks taking care of our babies.  I am actually dreading having him go back to work. We are enjoying this time so much, I hate to see it fly by.  

Last, we want to wish all of our friends and family Happy Holidays and a very Happy and Healthy New Year.  From our family to yours, we look forward to seeing and communicating more in 2012!

Doorknob checkin

 I know I have gone a long time without updating the blog, but that is because everyday things seem change around here!  It is hard to keep up!

I am 35weeks and 1 day along.  A and B are doing well.  Two weeks ago, I started to have some pre-term labor and was put on bed rest.  Without going into too many medical details, I figured I would give you an update on what is going on here and some pictures that speak 1000 words.

First, let's check in on the doorknob progress.

As you can see, I have grown quite a bit and I am only inches from the doorknob.  If I make it a couple more weeks, we may have a doorknob eclipse.  Or, this may be it, only time will tell!

Like I said, I am on bed rest until these babies are ready to come out.  I am pretty happy I made it to 33 weeks without any other sort of intervention.  From the way the doctors were taking in the beginning, I was thinking bed rest was something that was going to happen much earlier.

Some other pregnancy facts:

1.  A and B are both breach so a C-section is in my future.  We have a date for our C-section at 37 weeks (I am not going to give out the exact date on the internet!).  If you are interested, feel free to email me.  I have had several weeks to digest the fact that a C -section is going to happen and I have come to terms with it.  In case you were wondering, we do not regret taking our natural childbirth class ;)

2.  I have gained 40 lbs.  That is way less than I thought I would gain and it is on the lower end of what I was told I would gain with twins.  For the last 9 months, I have eaten WHATEVER I wanted.  My consumption has been tempered by a small stomach and bad heartburn, but honestly, it has been a dream.  I doubt it would have been like this if I had one baby cooking in my belly.  I am thankful that for once, I know what it feels like to be able to eat whatever you want.  I asked Chris to remind me of this time when I am older and can't even look at food without gaining weight.  FYI- at one point when I stopped gaining weight, Chris bought me a sheet cake.  I never had my own cake for an occasion other than a birthday.  Although I did not eat the whole thing, I did enjoy a few pieces of this cake over the course of a week and it was all mine.  What a memory!!!!

3.  I think the babies have dropped.  I can see it in the last picture in the collage and today when I was driving to the doctor, I noticed I had to lift my belly out of my lap to get comfortable.  

4.  I found out today I started having regular contraction again, but I do not feel them.  I am hoping this is evidence that I am not as big of a wimp as I think I am.

5.  I know at some point soon we are going to be bringing home 2 baby boys, but I feel like I am going to be pregnant forever.  I feel like I am kind of used to having a big belly.

6.  I can still wear my wedding rings and watch.  I am happy about this, even though I no longer go out of the house. 

7.   I drink a minimum of 120oz of water a day.  It is almost a full time job drinking that much.  

8.  The only legitimate cravings I have had during this pregnancy occurred in the first trimester.  The foods I craved were watermelon, corn and hotdogs.  I am still in disbelief I craved hotdogs.  

9.  We had a virtual shower with Chris's side of the family.  It was the coolest, most thoughtful idea.  Thanks to everyone who participated!

10.  I have enjoyed wearing shirts with horizontal strips the last few months, despite the fact that strips are a fashion no-no if you are trying to look slimmer.  It really does make me chuckle that there are so many striped shirt options for pregnant ladies.  

Ok, ten items is enough for now!  If we make it another week, I promise to post another picture of me and the knob.