16 Week Belly Shot

16 weeks pregnant with twins, 119

The other twins have gained weight as well

15 weeks, 3 days--Still in regular clothes (but Chicken's pants)

15 weeks, 5 days pregnant--Busted out the stretchy waisted pants for the first time and a form fitting top that shows the bump.

Thanks for all of your comments on my post the other day. I was truly having a down and out day (week) and I resisted blogging about it, but I'm really glad I did and I truly appreciate all of you out there with sympathetic words. It means a lot.

True to form, Chicken came home, we had a fantastic weekend and I'm feeling much, much better! We went to a family BBQ, a Bris, a Labor Day BBQ and had dinner with Chicken's little brother who is in town from Paris.

There wasn't much relaxing for either of us as we were super busy. We also must've walked a couple of miles each day and I felt so good, though tired.

Overall, it was a perfect 3-day weekend and my week has started off much better than last week.

I met an old friend work friend today for lunch and got to tell her the big news. She said she couldn't 'quite tell' by looking at me, but she was suspicious because of my clothing choice. She knew we'd been trying for a long time and was so happy for us.

Afterwards I stopped by Buh Bye Baby where a spent an hour getting totally overwhelmed with all of the baby crap we have to buy!

I was asking one of the clerks about their cloth diapers and she said "how much does the baby weigh?" "the babies aren't born yet" "oh, well, the mother will probably want to start off with these" "I'm the mother" "oh!"

So, um, yeah, as I suspected, people can't really tell for sure that I'm pregnant yet.

I gained three pounds this past week, so 14 lbs total. There was, I admit, a bit of a sweet tooth that got out of control. It included: donuts, banana-blueberry muffins, brownies, chocolate chip cookies and too many kinds of "I'm at a BBQ and there are 10 different kinds of chips I must eat".

I can't do that every week or else I'll end up at +65 lbs. I'm aiming for +40/+45. I might not freak at +50, but even my doctor does not really want me to go over +45lbs.

Is it true that that with a twin pregnancy you gain most of your weight during the 2nd trimester and in the 3rd you are so big you simply can't eat as much so you don't have the same kind of weight gain?

Yes, I know. I said last week I wasn't freaking out about the weight gain. Well, I'm still not freaking out, but I am getting nervous.

Off to eat steak!

Week 15 Recap

How Far Along? 15 weeks

Total Weight Gained/Loss? +11lbs

Maternity Clothes: Found a pair of Chicken's jeans and capris I can wear for now. Better than what is in my closet.

I finally took my two pairs of (super cute) maternity jeans and a pair of pants to the tailor. It's time. I need them. And it's perfect timing as the weather is turning cooler and I actually want to wear jeans again.

I need to buy a pair of sweatpants. Yes, I have no sweatpants. Neither of us do so I can't even borrow Chicken's.

Sleep? A nap here and there, but usually with 8-10 hours a night I make it through the day without a problem.

My sleep is not going so well during the night lately. A lot of tossing and turning and for the first time, some leg pains. I'm now stretching very well before going to bed to see if that helps.

Aches and Pains? The classic 2nd trimester stuffy nose that started in week 14 has seemed to settle in even further for week 15. Nothing like waking up with only one nostril working!

Still dealing with the freaking headaches. I had one that lasted all day this week which left me in the dark on teh couch most of the day. Even Tylenol didn't help.

And I'm waking up with a headache about 5 out of 7 mornings. Those normally don't last more than an hour or so but it's a horrible way to start your day.

Best Moment of the Week? Chicken coming home from South America; going to a family BBQ where I got to 'show and tell' the rest of the family, going to a Bris for the first time and meeting new people.

Movement: I do believe I felt the first of the 'quickening' movements this past week. Feels sort of like someone blowing bubbles in my belly! Crazy! Haven't felt it much, so I'm still not sure....

Food Craving: Still no real cravings. Although I did go to McD's for a bacon/egg/chz on a biscuit breakfast special this week--complete with hashbrowns and an OJ. Tasty! I guess that was a craving b/c I don't do fast food.

I've managed to mostly stay away from sugar so far, but have felt a sweet tooth emerging. I have fought it with a few spoonfuls of ice cream here and there. Until I caved in walking by Dunkin Donuts and bought (and ate) a chocolate iced donut and a Boston creme donut. They weren't even that good. Very disappointing.

Meat sounds good, so after I found out my iron count was slightly down I bought a steak and Chicken made a lovely Steak Dianne dinner. YUM. She is the best cook.

Food Aversions: None.

Morning sickness? None.

Gender: It's either a boy or a girl. Or two of each.

Labor Signs: No, thank God

Belly Button: Still in.

What I miss: My wife who is always traveling, massages, riding my bike, not worrying about how heavy the groceries are and if I should be carrying them.

What I'm looking forward to: Our u/s September 11th at the high risk specialist where we will get to see the babies on great equipment and gets lots of photos.

Eating lunch with a friend every day this next week and talking to real, live human beings!!

Chicken coming home from Mexico after only 3 days because it's a holiday week.

Going to a Labor Day BBQ and seeing Chicken's little brother who is in town from Paris.

Weekly Wisdom: Keep drinking water! Keep exercising even when you don't think you want to. It will always make you feel better.

Bella B Tummy Honey Belly Butter is the best out there! I use it twice a day at least and it is great!

Milestones: Wearing a pair of maternity pants and a form fitting shirt out in public for the first time to display the mini bump.

Here a Chicken, There a Chicken...When Does Chicken Come Home?

It's been a rough week. No, I don't really want to complain because I'm lucky--I'm pregnant, I'm healthy and my life is very blessed.

Nevertheless, it's been kind of a sucky week.

For those of you who asked--Chicken travels every week. It is not seasonal and it is not regional. It's pretty normal these days I don't know where she's going to be from week to week.

She usually leaves Monday mornings so early I barely even notice she's gone. I like that. It's much easier to say goodbye when you are sleeping. Most of the time she's home by Thursday night. It could be 2am, but at least when I stir in my sleep in the light of the dawn I feel her next to me.

This week sucked.

She had to fly out on Sunday night to Sao Paolo, Brazil. This means all day Sunday we are basically just passing time waiting for the car service. It is excruciating and I think now that I'm pregnant this travel is bothering me even more.

But that's nothing compared to the stress Chicken is experiencing. Her company authorizes business class air for international travel--BUT the client only authorizes coach!

So, she had to fly a red-eye, leaving 9pm on COACH arriving in Sao Paolo 10 hours later and then is expected to hit the ground running and conduct meetings at 110% capacity.

She got no sleep, the meetings didn't go so well and 48 hours after that she had to get up at 4am to fly to Lima, Peru.

After one night in Lima, she caught ANOTHER red-eye flight back to the USA on COACH again, only this time: no direct flight! She had to connect in Houston at 6am to NYC.

To top it all off, her phone didn't work in Peru and she couldn't call to let me know she'd gotten on the plane back home which in my mind immediately translated into her being mugged, kidnapped or killed. Or you know--it's Latin America, maybe all three.

There's a reason you don't wear your diamond earrings on business trips to these countries.

To break it down-- 4 flights, 2 overnight flights, all in coach and all in 4 days.

NYC-Brazil

Brazil-Peru

Peru-Houston

Houston-NYC

This job is really stressing her out and yet she feels trapped. I was laid off my job, got pregnant with twins and now she has to support all four of us. I feel responsible and yet completely helpless. I do all that I can around the house and make sure I'm a good housewife, but sometimes, like 2 days this week where I was plagued by headaches from morning to night, I can't do anything.

There was an entire day I stayed in the house, in the dark and spoke to no one. There are far, far, too many days I spend alone talking to no one but the cats. There's a reason I like swimming with the old ladies--it also provides me a much-needed social hour.

I don't feel too depressed, most of the time, but I feel alone and lonely.

And then....like magic the weekend appears. My wife is back, my friends are free to do something, we have so many plans for the weekend and the M-TH that I live through seems too hazy to be real.

Until Monday strikes again.

Next week: Chicken goes to Mexico City and I have made as many lunch plans as possible. Even if I really can't afford to be eating out, I can't afford being by myself day after day after day. It's all going to be OK. It was just a really rough week. Next week will be better. It has to be.

15 Weeks Pregnant with Twins Belly Shot

The past couple of weeks have just been busy, busy, busy.

I feel like time is speeding up and I am trying to get as much done now, in the second trimester, when time and energy is on my side.

My u/s last week at 14 weeks, 1 day showed everything A-OK which was a huge sigh of relief since it was the first one after the first trimester.

Also, the handheld doppler that was loaned to me by these fine ladies, has been a great reassurance though I try to only use it once or twice a week.

I continue to gain weight and my belly continues the outward bound trip it is on.

My local Y has a great indoor swimming pool and I usually swim there 2-3 times a week. I've made friends with the regulars--they are old ladies around 50-60--and they love to hear about the pregnancy, how we did it, sperm donors, etc. etc.

It's quite funny to be discussing these things while doing leg lifts with a 60-year-old.

I love the fact that I live in NYC and this type of friendship is possible. They don't blink an eye and they don't care. It always leaves me feeling very grateful for where I live and the people I am surrounded by.

They, and most of my friends, still agree that 'if they didn't know me and know I was pregnant' they would not automatically think I was preggo. They "might"....but they would probably think I was just the girl eating too many cupcakes and pizza!

I've gained over 10 lbs and am surprisingly NOT freaking out about weight gain. This is a huge deal for me and I had no idea how I would react seeing the scale going up, up, up. But every time I step on the scale and see a new number (yes, I weigh myself quite frequently) I think of how big and healthy my body is making these babies and it's all for Chicklet and Shadow Boxer to be born as strong as can be. I've passed the mark this past week by gaining 2 lbs, so gone are the convenient days of "If I'm 15 weeks, I must be 115 lbs." I knew that wouldn't last.

Go Body!

As promised, I've posted both an AM and PM belly shot. I don't know, it doesn't look that different on camera, but it sure does in real life. More than that, it FEELS different at night. Much more swollen and full. It could also be that I've been advised that twin moms need to drink a gallon of water a day.

Let me tell you people, that is really, really hard. I haven't quite gotten there, but I am drinking a little over half a gallon. By the time I drink all of this water, it's hard to find room for food. By I am doing it. All for C and SB.

15 weeks Pregnant with Twins; 116; belly in the AM

15 Weeks Pregnant with Twins; 116; Belly in the PM

Week 14 Recap (all caught up now!)

How Far Along? 14 weeks

Total Weight Gained/Loss? +8lbs

Maternity Clothes: The box of my regular clothes seems to be growing by the day. I got away with wearing an old pair of jeans to dinner this weekend with the rubberband, but was tempted to take them off on the sidewalk going home and walk in my panties. Those are now in the box. With the right, tight shirt you can see a tiny bump, but what you can see more than that are the 'upper twins' which so many guys on the street can't help but staring at. Very strange for me to be feeling self concious of looking chubby and instead getting checked out for my cleavage.

Sleep? Sleep is still hit or miss and disruptive. The cats are getting on my nerves and I usually lock them out of the bedroom at some point so I can get some sleep. I also notice that I need the air turned down coooler than I used to like it.

Aches and Pains? Still waking up with headaches from time to time. Sometimes I don't wake up with one, but I'll get one later in the day. I resist taking Tylenol, but they don't seem to go away no matter what I do so I usually end up taking one--but only one.

Best Moment of the Week?

• One of my BF's giving me her extensive maternity wardrobe. She has sizes from XS at the beginning to L/XL at the end. However she had her baby at the end of the summer, so I'll still have to buy some winter things. Nevertheless, there are some really nice items in there and I am set! It's all still too big for me, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time.
• We found an excellent deal on two matching cribs and bought them this past weekend. The lady threw in the mattresses (but we will probably by new organic ones), a bag of toys, a huge bag of baby clothes, a bottle warmer, a baby scale, baby medical supplies that are brand new and baby-proofing kits for the house. The cribs retailed for $550 each and she only used them for 5 months in her second home. The price we paid for everything? $170 plus the rental truck to pick it up! Score!
• We were also loaned a handheld doppler to find the heartbeats. We found them right away and it was so reassuring!! Love that!!

Movement: No movement and burping has almost stopped.

Food Craving: Not really...lemonade? That's not really a craving. I always want it. Pregnant or not.

Food Aversions: Nope. But nothing really sounds good either. I have a very hard time trying to decide what to eat. It's frustrating.

Morning sickness? Nope, and toothbrunsh gagging seems to be winding down. That's good, now I can go to the dentist.

Gender: It's either a boy or a girl. Or two of each.

Labor Signs: No, thank God

Belly Button: Still there, still in and still with the belly ring...which I know I'll have to take out sooner or later...

What I miss: My wife who is always traveling. Lifting heavy things without a care in the world.

What I'm looking forward to: The day these headaches go away. Feeling movement. Registering for our showers.

Weekly Wisdom: If you are having twins, get as much done as possible in the second trimester.

Meet with your lawyers now to get everything on second parent adoption, wills, etc ready to go! We did and I am really glad we are doing this now.

Milestones: Having my first OB appt and u/s out of the first trimester. Twins are both looking great--much more like babies now. I can honestly say I am starting to feel pretty darn confident that we're going to get two babies out of this.

I also spent a day in Jersey with two 6-week old twins and entered what I shall refer to as 'twin boot camp'. It was hard. We have a steep learning curve ahead of us, but we are ready for the new challenges!

Week 13 Recap

How Far Along? 13 weeks

Total Weight Gained/Loss? +7lbs

Maternity Clothes: Mostly in my regular clothes, but started a box full of things I either can no longer wear or don't feel comfortable wearing. Still not showing to the outside world, but my friends notice the tiny 'bump'. Still using the rubberband trick with my pants or leaving them unbuttoned. Feel fuller through my hips and thighs as well.

Sleep? Still loving sleep, but no longer need naps. Unfortunately, my sleep has been a bit disruptive. The pee breaks are slowing down to usually only one a night, but I feel myself tossing and turning more than usual.

Aches and Pains? I am also waking up with headaches. Most of the time they go away within the hour, but not always. I got away virtually headache-free for the first trimester, but now they are back and it's not fun.

Best Moment of the Week? Joining the NYC T.wins C.lub and finding their classifieds and forums section. Within days of joining we aquired 2 Infant Graco carseats, a snap-n-go stroller frame, a Baby Bjorn, a jumper/swinger thing that hangs from the doorway, 18 Born Free bottles, and a huge bag full of burp clothes and swaddling blankets--all from the same twin mom--FOR FREE!

Also, the monthly NYC-TTC blogger brunch where I got to catch up with old friends and meet new babies.

Movement: Nope and burping is still going but not very often. Just when I am hungry.

Food Craving: No real cravings. Can't think of anything. In fact, I was expecting to be really hungry and I'm not. I'm not exactly having to make myself eat, but my body is not doing the job I thought it would.

Food Aversions: Chicken and I are still not friends. I doubt I'll ever want Cuban food again.

Morning sickness? None, except I still gag a little when brushing my teeth. This has happened since week 6.

Gender: It's either a boy or a girl. Or two of each.

Labor Signs: No, thank God

Belly Button: Still there.

What I miss: My wife who is always traveling.

What I'm looking forward to: My OB appt and u/s next week which will be the first one truly out of the 'danger zone'.

Weekly Wisdom: Drink lot of water

Milestones: Walking around Brooklyn and Prospect Park on a super hot day with high, high humidity. I used to love summer, but the heat really zaps me now. I'm glad we were able to spend the day in the park and all I got was heatrash on my belly!

Week 12 Recap

How Far Along? 12 weeks

Total Weight Gained/Loss? +6lbs

Maternity Clothes: Nope, still in the regular clothes, but nothing tight around the belly and no cute form fitting tshirts anymore. Still not showing. Using the rubberband trick with my pants or leaving them unbuttoned. Feel fuller through my hips and thighs as well.

Sleep? Still loving sleep, but no longer need naps. However, Chicken was home this week and we both slept for about 12 hours at a stretch every night this week. It was AWESOME.

Best Moment of the Week? The telling of the parents in person and the world on Facebook.

Movement: None here and the burps have really decreased. Now I just burp when I'm hungry. It's like a warning bell.

Food Craving: No real cravings, but pizza and pasta always sound good.

Food Aversions: Chicken (the food) has not sounded or tasted good since I got pregnant. This continues. Weird, cuz I used to really love chicken.

Morning sickness? None

Gender: We had the chance to find out...possibly....but we are not finding out. We're pretty sure they are babies and not puppies or kittens so that's all that really matters.

Labor Signs: No, thank God

Belly Button: Still there.

What I miss: Getting massages from our Chinese magic handed ladies. Chicken goes or talks about going every weekend and I am so jealous.

What I'm looking forward to: The last week of the 1st trimester!!!

Weekly Wisdom: Swimming Rules.

Milestones: Seeing Pat Benatar and Blondie play at Coney Island. Babies Likey.

Having the last of my bloodwork done at NYU and being officially released from their program.