Merry Christmas!

Today was a blast. We woke up early (as usual), I made sticky buns, and we started to open presents and call family. Our parents and siblings were super generous. Some highlights include cash from the fathers and Shane, maternity pjs from David's Mom, spa goods from Gage and Jen, an advent calendar filled with goodies from Aaron & Suzette, homemade cookies and a small flexible tripod from Aunt Sylvia. David also hit the nail on the head with my gifts -- new pearl earrings (I lost the last pair he gave me...very unlike me, I know), a massage, new alarm clock, a baby book, and makeup bag. I got David a new shirt, sweater vest, overcoat, and shoes. His favorite gift a harmonica, which Santa gave him in his stocking. Unfortunately, I think the coat and shoes will be returned because David is impossible to shop for because he is so buff and short! The shoes just might not be right.

Tonight, we cooked dinner and enjoyed it with our friends Jon, Jen, Monique and Shawn. Mo and Shawn were joined by their new baby, Maya, who is soooo adorable. Hannah was there too and she was well behaved and a little lady.

It was a wonderful Christmas!!!! We hope it was for you as well!

Christmas Eve

Last night we celebrated Christmas Eve at our good friend's -- Jon, Jen's and Hannah (their 4 year old daughter). They served up an amazing meal of lobster, filet, croquettes, asparagus, and mini spice bundt cakes for dessert. It was delicious!

Over Halfway Through -- Late Post

This week was another good one full of holiday parties and cookie eating. I'm still feeling great except for definitely feeling some weird pains in my side and back when I stand too long in heels.

Christmas is this week and sadly Mom and Lanny aren't coming because they are still healing, but it's for the best. On Christmas Eve we're going to our friend John and Jen's house for dinner; Christmas Day we'll likely have some friends over (still working out the details); and the 27th we have yet another party to go to. On the 28th we leave for Florida for a week -- a few days in Miami, Sanibel Island and Clearwater. My Dad will actually be in Clearwater, so at least we'll see some family over the holidays.

My belly is bigger and the girls are moving quite a bit (I think the side pain is them digging in...it's very weird). I'm still in regular clothes (barely...I must look like a sausage stuffed in casing). The picture is from Wednesday night as I didn't get around to taking a pic until now. I imagine after our "babymoon" to Florida, I'll be back in the office in full maternity gear (can't wait-NOT!). I hate most of the stuff becuase I think it's all pretty ugly and homely looking. Oh well.

So, the girls are about 10 1/2 ounces now and around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against the torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of the head to her bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, they will be measured from head to toe.)

They are swallowing more these days; they are producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in the bowels, and we'll get to see it in the first soiled diapers (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery). That's gross, but apparently an important development this week.

Not a Happy Pregnant Camper

I had a routine 4 week checkup at the doctor today. Fun facts -- Baby A's heartrate was 155 and Baby B's was 166. Both normal. Both babies are head down according to the ultrasound, but they will continue to move around. My fundal height (pelvic bone to top of uterus) is 25 centimeters, which is 6 centimeters bigger than someone carrying 1 baby.

BAD NEWS: The doc told me it wasn't a question of IF I'll be on bedrest, it's WHEN!!! She said between 26 and 28 weeks, I'll be placed on modified bedrest until week 34. That means no work. I can bathe and cook my meals, but other than that I'm on the couch or in bed. I'm really bumming. You all will have to help keep me entertained. Who's known me to sit on the couch for a few hours, let alone 6-8 weeks?

Holiday Open House & 19 weeks

Yesterday, we hosted a holiday open house. About 80 people showed up between 2-6pm and it was a great hit! We saw friends we haven't seen for a while and others we see all the time, but it was the first time all of our friends were gathered togther. We practically ran out of food -- you'd think 200 stuffed mushrooms, 250 meatballs, 300 shrimp, veggies, dips, other appetizers, and 6 different desserts would have been enough. Laura and RJ came down on the choo-choo from Philly and it was wonderful to see them! We are excited they plan to return for our baby shower on February 7th. They brought the babies their first gift, a cute and fuzzy blue elephant, which is already hanging out in the nursery.

Most were amazed that I was 19 weeks along and expecting twins. I'm still hiding it pretty well in normal clothes -- I'm not fooling anyone in my weekly sweat get-up (see picture). The little ones are growing -- their brains are designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. They may be may be able to hear our voice now (David has started singing directly to my bump). They each weigh about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Their arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of their body now. Ther kidneys (which were all verified to be in good condition by my perinatologist) continue to make urine and the hair on their scalps are sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid. Yikes, thank goodness for vernix case-whatever!

This week marks the offical halfway point since I won't be carrying the babies longer than 38 weeks. I have a feeling the "real" pregnancy sets in soon! Besides not being able to stand on my feet for hours on end and some minor back upper back pain in the morning (I think because of my new bustiness!), I'm feeling great. Just so you know, I'm not styling every Sunday all day in this outfit; I thought it would allow us to compare week to week easier. Do you think I grew much last week?

Aren't you dying to know?

Well, we had a very successful visit to the perinatologist. The ultrasound went well -- we saw what the doctor called "beautiful hearts", stomachs, arms, legs, eyes, brains, spines, feet, hands. We saw it all. We also saw that they are TWO GIRLS!!!! Can you believe it? We are SOOO excited!!! David is anxious to be called Daddy. We're so happy they are growing as they should and everything looks "normal." However, the ultrasound pictures they gave us are of their faces, which is weird. Here's Baby A staring at you and the top of Baby B's head.

Now we have to come up with another girl's name. Any suggestions? BTW, we're not going to tell you the names we've picked out. There have to be some surprises, right?

Month 5 and My Belly is Growing...Finally!!!

Well, according to the "What to expect when you're expecting" book, I'm officially in the 5th month (weeks 18-22 weeks). Yes, funny math if you ask me. I guess you're squeezing 40 weeks into 9 months, you have to do funny math. This is the big week we find out the genders! Any guesses?

I've attached the weekly belly pic (I'll try to keep this up) and boy I feel like you can see a difference this week. Hello Babies! Here's what's shaking with the kiddos:

Head to rump, they are 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and weigh almost 7 ounces. They are busy flexing their arms and legs — movements that I can feel everyday! Their blood vessels are visible through the thin skin, and their ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit if they have Benson or Romley ears. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around their nerves, a process that will continue for a year after they are born. If one is a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If we're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now.

Stay tuned for what will hopefully be an exciting post this weekend. However, there is still a chance their "stuff" may be hiding from the doctor.

Longstanding DC Traditions

Last night we continued two holiday traditions that seem to be a staple since I've arrived in DC over 8 years ago. Earlier in the evening, we went to the White House Open House for Executive Office of the President Staff. We toured around checking out the decorations and the official White House Christmas Tree. I love the gingerbread house, which is made from 150 pounds of chocolate; they do a version every year.

Later that night, we had our annual holiday party with my closest DC buddies. I think the party has been going on since 2001 (too many glasses of wine at these parties to remember exactly, I suppose). It was a different dynamic this year...not as crazy...as three of the five ladies are pregnant (with Diana just announcing that evening she was 14 weeks along!). We had a great time with tons of food, a hilarious gift exchange of outrageous gifts, a little "Guitar Hero" and lots of story telling from previous years. A few of our "crew" have moved back to the Midwest (Kristen, Josh, Tanya and Travis) and they were missed, but we still rallied until after 2am and enjoyed copious amounts of red wine (unfornately, us pregger babes did not induldge).

It's Beginning to Feel A Lot Like Christmas

Tomorrow is December 1st -- how on earth did that happen? On Thanksgiving we put up our tree and played Christmas music. This year, there was no spiked eggnog though :(
We're excited for our holiday party on December 13th and all of our friends who will come. Only one family member will be able to make it -- my cousin, Laura, who lives in Philly and her husband, RJ -- but we are very excited they are making the trip just for the party. Then, a few weeks later, my Mom and Step Dad are coming all the way from the good ol' Hoosier State to celebrate Christmas with us. I'm looking forward to dragging my Mom to the baby store to finish up our registry. Maybe we can accomplish a few more baby errands/tasks while they here too.

The picture is of our tree; pretty, eh? Happy Holidays Everyone!

15, 16 and 17 Weeks

I've been a slacker and not writing because I've been hoping to post some pictures. Our last doctor's visit went well, passing our latest blood test (the AFP) with flying colors. The RN had a hard time finding Baby A, but the doc found him/her right away. My next ultrasound is on 12/12 and we'll find out their gender!!! I'm soooo excited. Everyone keeps asking what I think they are -- I have no idea! How would I have a clue?

So, onto their developments (Btw, besides a cold which lasted a week, I feel fabulous!)--

The babies are 5 ounces and are 5 inches from head to bottom. The skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. They can bend their joints and sweat glands are starting to develop. Their hearts are now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop. Isn't this insane? Now you have a good idea why I'm no longer running...I'm huffing and walking on an inclined treadmill! Last week, the ears are very close to their final position and the patterning of the scalp has begun. They have tiny toenails.

Attached is a picture of what the babies are supposed to look like at 17 weeks, and a picture of my belly at 17 weeks, 1 day. I'm starting to show (no one has said so yet), but all my clothes still fit...they are snug!

Thank you Grandpa & Grandma Benson

As you all expected because we are crazy planners, our nursery is coming along. My Dad bought us a dresser/changing table/hutch. We love it! Also, thanks to our friend Brian for helping David lug it up the stairs. We also ordered a crib and hoped to put it together over Christmas when my Mom (Gram) and Lanny (Step Dad and Gramps) will be visiting, but we were required to return it within a week if we didn't like it. So, by default, not anal planning, we have a crib and dresser already assembled -- which totally freaks me out. It makes David excited (I think it's because he doesn't know yet what we're in for--ha ha). Here's a picture of the nursery so far.

Visit to San Diego & David's Birthday

So, here we are nearly past the 14 week mark without a post. We've been busy. On Saturday, we left for San Diego to visit David's Mom and Step Dad for the long weekend and to celebrate David's 38th Birthday. It'd been a year and a half since we'd seen them and it was nice to catch up. We celebrated Thanksgiving early and talked a lot about the babies. I also was able to see two very good friends -- Chris and Lauren. It'd been forever since I'd seen them and it really great to catch up. Thanks to Lauren for driving down from Santa Monica with her new 3 month old (ADORABLE!) baby.

At a happy hour for David's birthday on Friday, everyone was polite enough to say they couldn't believe I was pregnant (we finally told all of our friends). Today, however, I put on a suit and the pants are getting a little snug! I imagine in the next few weeks, I'll be busting out the bella band (a band you use to keep your pants up when they are unbuttoned or unzipped) since I'm not ready for maternity clothes yet. Speaking of, I ordered some from Old Navy and they are all SO BIG! I can't imagine I'll actually fit into them soon. It's scary. Unfortunately, I haven't taken any pictures. I'll fix that for the next post. [We're going to the USMC Birthday Ball this weekend, so there may be a fancy picture of us worthy of posting.]

As for the babies -- This week's big developments: they can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and suck their thumb! In other news: the babies measure 3 1/2 inches from head to bottom — about the size of a lemon — and weigh 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. Arms have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (Their legs still have some lengthening to do.) There's even an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over their bodies.

Babies Abound!

This week, I learned two of my girlfriends are also pregnant! One is due on April 30th, just 4 days after us; the other is due in late July. We're incredibly excited to be able to share our pregnancy ups and downs with our close friends. Also, I visited another good friend, Josie, yesterday and her 8 week old baby is doing really well. She loaned me some maternity clothes and a few books to help get me started (except on the books since I've ready gone through about 7 twins books).

As for the babies, they are the size of medium shrimp (3 inches long) and weigh nearly an ounce. Their Fingerprints have formed on thei tiny fingertips, their veins and organs are clearly visible through their still-thin skin, and their bodies are starting to catch up with their heads— which makes up just a third of their body size now. If baby A is indeed a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries.

I still feel great. I went to the gym 6 days this week and continue to do lots of cardio (not running...seems too weird) and some light weights like I used to. I'm also attending weekly yoga, but I wonder how that will evolve as my tummy gets bigger. I've put on a few pounds, but I still fit into my clothes and I don't think anyone can tell I'm growing.

Until next week....

12 Weeks

Today we had our 12 week ultrasound. They test for all sorts of stuff to make sure the babies are developing all of their pieces and parts correctly. They also test for downs syndrome. The doctor said the babies are "perfect" and everything looks "normal." What a relief. It was incredible! They took tons of pictures while they did the ultrasound. I've attached one for you to check out.

BTW, the doc is convinced Baby A is a girl. Not so sure about Baby B.

10 Week Appointment

I had my 10 week prenatal appointment yesterday. I was a bit worried because I knew they were going to use a doppler fetal heart rate monitor and 10 weeks is the earliest they can detect a heart rate with this device. It's a little probe they put on your belly and it has a speaker that broadcasts what it picks up; it's pretty generic if you ask me. Since I've heard a lot about "vanishing twin syndrome" (don't get me started, it's scary), I was stressed that she would only be able to find one heartbeat. Well, she squeezed goo all over my lower belly and started searching. Baby B (right) was detected right away with a heartbeat of 178. Baby B is about 1 inch below and to the right of my belly button. She searched and searched for Baby A (left) and finally found he/she about an inch by my left hip bone -- really far away from Baby B. Baby A's heart rate was 171. They probably don't even know they are sharing the womb with each other! Over time they will soon realize they are sharing space. Those heart rates are normal and that was really the extent of my doctor's appointment except for my doc asking if we had local family to help us. She suggested we get a postpartum doula to help us, especially at night. No problem; I can follow doctor's orders! She also said I will only go to 38 weeks; they will induce if I don't go into labor by then. She also said it's likely that I may go on bedrest around week 24. There's nothing I can do to prevent it, it's just the norm, unfortunately. That's really going to SUCK!

I'll write again at week 12, which is when we will have elective genetic testing -- another sonogram with a nuchal translucency blood test. It will detect downs syndrome and other chromosonial disorders. Soon after, we're going to finally tell everyone the secret we've been dying to tell everyone since August 30th!

Baby Kumquats

We're at week 10. They are finally fetuses or is it feti? I feel great and spent the Columbus weekend in Boston walking miles and miles all day.

Here's what's going on with their growth -- Though they are barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, the most critical portion of development is complete.
The fetal period is a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.

They are swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function. Details are starting to form like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.

Boston

We had a fantastic time in Boston checking out the sites (freedom trail, various museums and galleries, shopping, eating well, etc). We just happened to be there on Columbus Day and here's a picture of us with Chris.

Two Grapes

Well, here we are in the 9th week. The babies are an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weigh just a fraction of an ounce. They are starting to look more and more human. Their essential body parts are accounted for (how amazing!). Other changes: the babies heart's finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do their tiny teeth. The organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Their eyes are fully formed, but eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. They have tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. This is all according to the typical development pattern and that's what I'm hoping is going. I still feel great.

I've been learning a lot this week (already read a book on twins and starting another). What is stressing me out mostly is eating enough. I've read twice that I need to eat about 3,200 calories. I think that has to be extremely high for my size and it's something I'm going to follow up with my doctor on at our next appointment (she said 2,200 calories with one baby). I will also likely put on 35-50 pounds. I'm going to be HUGE!!!! Also, something to chat about with the Doc. Also, I'm up at night thinking about logistics -- How I will nurse them? How will I manage them in a dual stroller? Should we set up one nursery or two right now? How does co-sleeping work? How will I do this when I'm all alone after David goes back to work and all the visitors are gone? I need to remember tons of people have done this and I don't need to figure it out right away.

The News Gets Even Better

After a bit of a scare this weekend (a tiny bit of bleeding and I freaked out), the doctor sent us for an early sonogram. I'm 8 weeks -- a critical period -- and we were worried about miscarriage. Since we weren't due to hear the heartbeat until our next prenatal appointment on October 17th, I was very anxious. The technician checked out my uterus, ovaries and then went for the embryo (btw, it's not a fetus until 10 weeks). After what felt like 15 minutes waiting, I questioned what the dark splotches were on the screen and if there was heartbeat. She pointed to the dark splotch and said here's the baby -- AND HERE'S ANOTHER!!!!! Yes, we're having twins. Yes, we are freaking out. This only happens 1.1% of the time naturally, so I guess we're just super lucky and fertile. They are fraternal or dizygotic, which means they have their own sacs. From what we've read, we have 50/50 odds of them being same sex or both sexes. We're excited and scared and DYING to tell everyone, but we're waiting until week 12, just to be safe. She said everything looks great -- totally normal for 8 weeks. The heartbeats were 172 and 181, for Baby A and B. My doc says to rest this week and then I can go back to the gym. I also have to take 500 extra miligrams of calcium. For those of you who are wondering, I feel great. I have not had morning sickness at all; I only feel a bit tired. I am incredibly lucky -- to be carrying twins and to feel so well. P.S. I've included the first pics of the babies. It's amazing!

Best Birthday Present Ever!

On August 30th, I was given the best 34th birthday present -- a positive pregnancy test. The weekend couldn't be better as we were spending it with my family at our lake cottage in Michigan, just like I did every summer as a child. It just seemed to be appropriate to find out such incredible news with the some of most important people in my life there, including my 87 year old Granny. However, we didn't tell anyone. They will just have to wait.

Starting a Blog

Here we are, Creating a blog! We could just pick up the phone and call you, but we thought this would be a fun way to keep our family and friends up to date on our hectic lives. This was David's idea back in October 2007 and we never kept it up. Well, now we have a real reason because there are lots of changes underway--We're having a baby! We're just not yet out of the woods yet, so these posts will be here for you to view once we hit 12 weeks. I'll recap the events as we go along.