Belly Photo Week 21

"20 Week Appointment"

On Monday we had our "20 week" appointment (we were really at 21 weeks already). The appointment was longer than normal with a lot of scanning and measuring of the babies. We were in the ultrasound for close to an hour and a half, but we didn't even notice how long we'd been there because we had so much fun just watching our little ones on the screen.

Baby A is in the 95th percentile for size. Her head measurement is about a week ahead and is nice and round. She is definitely bigger than Baby B, but slightly crowded and down on my lower left side. Her cumulative size is measuring about 3 days ahead of where we are in our pregnancy which is great! The ultrasound tech was laughing and said: "No small babies for the Porterfield's!"

Baby "A"- Girl

Weight: 1LB

Baby B is in in the 55th percentile for size. Although he is in a much lower percentile, he is still also measuring about 3 days ahead of where we are in our pregnancy! He might be the smaller of the two, but he doesn't seem to think so since he is taking up most of the room in my upper right side. He must get this from his daddy.  

Baby "B"- Boy

Weight: 14 ounces (2 ounces shy of 1LB)

This appointment was really amazing because we go to see features we hadn't seen in prior appointments, like their little feet! The tech measure both of their feet and said they are each about 1inch. While the tech was measuring Baby A's feet, we actually caught her kicking her brother in the head! I guess she wants some more room Baby B!!! SCOOT OVER!

If you look closely you can see this is Baby A's feet. In the left photo on the left side, you can see Baby B's head (and eye sockets) and then her foot right behind! I'm so glad we also got this on video. :)

Baby B's feet:

Mommy is also doing great! Blood pressure, weight, and overall health is right on target! The doctor measured my 'baby bump' and said I was definitely going to be turning some heads towards the end of the pregnancy since most of it is in my tummy. 

Let's continue these awesome check-ups all the way to week 40!!! 

Lily

This little girl is SO full of energy! Grandma got her a new toy the other night that she LOVED! It didn't last long until the stuffing was everywhere, but was well worth this cute little face:

Every night before she is allowed in our bed, she has to first go into her doggie bed to 'calm down' which is on my nightstand. If she doesn't go in her bed, all she wants to do explore the room and see what the cats are up to, which Salem is NOT fond of. Salem and Lily still are getting used to one another and at times we still hear some hissses warning Lily to get away!  Takes about 10 minutes for her to get sleepy and every night I contemplate leaving her in her bed, until I look over and see this:

21 Weeks

We are 21 weeks and I just continue to grow (mostly in my belly which is good)! The only big thing that has changed over the last week or so is that I can't eat as much as I could before. I guess there isn't much room for food when you have 2 babies inside you :)

What's Happening In My Body? "You may soon feel like your babies are practicing martial arts as the fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to their activity. Your babies eyebrows and lids are present now.

Our Babies Are the Size of: Carrots

Mmmm

OK, I'm really not a 'foodie' person who blogs about food, but I'm about to blog about food. I'm so blown away by the talent in the cafe here at work. Normally, I steer clear of the 'Americana' section and go for my usual grilled chicken and veggie wrap for lunch, but today, something caught my eye and I had to have it. BBQ pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw and mac and cheese! I didn't even hesitate to go out of the norm.

I had planned on sharing some of it with my co-worker Melanie, but before I knew it,  it was completely gone. I don't think I've ever eaten so fast in my life.

I guess our little boy is overpowering the normal girl cravings like chocolate and sweets because all this momma wants is salty meaty foods!

Now time to take a walk around my work campus to counteract what just happened.

Baby Bump Photos Weeks 19 & 20

I have been bad about doing these on time. Thankfully, Michael actually took week 19 photo, I just hadn't posted it and now we have week 20 photo so here they both are:

Week 19

Week 20- I have no idea what Lily is doing

We Are Registered!

We had so much fun over last weekend registering for our little ones. We've been adding and deleting items since then to make sure we haven't forgotten anything or added something we no longer need. It was really hard to narrow down what we wanted, what we needed and what we really didn't. These days there are so many products and devices it can be a bit overwhelming.

We also finally decided on nursery themes for our twins which allowed us to keep an eye out for things that matched each theme! Since they are different genders we are excited to have 2 separate nurseries and do a monkey theme for our boy and an owl theme for our girl. We are very excited to start getting their rooms ready!

If you want to check out our registry, the link is below as well as the registry number.

Registry number: 53226359

http://www.toysrus.com/registry/search/index.jsp;jsessionid=hWLZTXfF18MT325dhq6GvZYxlgGBxnTcsT0B6WGGhSMJJQxhn3lT!1572793640?_flowExecutionKey=_cC952FCE1-D59E-C34F-9D57-00479C85DBB0_k64F05A60-3DA2-8641-44D1-AECFDDB08364&overrideStore=TRUS

My Husband's Amazing Skills

Michael completely planned out our entire walk-in closet for our new house! I am blown away by what he can do! :) 

What Else Have We Been Up To?

Well, I shouldn't say 'we' because I'm pretty restricted on what I'm allowed to do. But over the last few weeks we have been making our plan for moving into our new house!

Since we will be doing a lot of laundry, we've made the laundry room one of the projects that we'd like to finish before moving in. We've picked out paint, a counter-top for over the washer and dryer and new cabinets that Michael and his dad are going to work on so they are ready for the new washer and dryer to be delivered in a few weeks. I'm really excited because our laundry room is not only going to be used a TON with 2 sets of baby clothes, but the top of the front loading machines will also double as our changing table (hint the counter-top needed). The laundry room is conveniently located between the two rooms that will be the nurseries and makes it so it's one last 'duplicate' item that we need to purchase! Inspiration? Pinterest... does it surprise you? The photo below is what really got my wheels turning and now looking back after the last few weeks of deciding on items, we pretty much have an identical theme going (blue/gray paint, white cabinets along with almost identical washer and dryer):

Before we move in we have a long list of other things that Michael and his dad are going to accomplish including configuring 3 closets (our walk-in and both baby's rooms- thankfully we got GREAT ideas looking at how Alicia did Lexie and Kenzie's closets), storage shelves in the garage, securing the fence to make sure the dogs can't find a place to dig their way out, pressure washing the outside and of course cleaning the inside of the house.

Phew... talk about a LOT of work. I am not allowed to do much (and have 3 sets of eyes on me making sure I don't), but I have been cleared to clean reachable surfaces with non-toxic products! YAY! Anyone who knows me knows that I have a VERY hard time sitting and watching others work and really like to be involved helping, so I'm glad I won a very small portion of all the things that need to be done. :)

20 Weeks- Halfway There!

We've hit our 20 week mark! I'm still feeling great and the only real change I've noticed is that I do get tired easier than I used to and my feet start to ache if I stand too long, but I know that this is only the beginning of when the babies really start to add on the weight. Over the last week I've had some pain in my lower back and quite a bit in my hips due to the extra weight on my belly. I've tried some different yoga poses and finally after some stretching and a warm bath in Epsom Salt, the aching faded a bit. I think I'm going to need to really stay on top of the stretching this next half of pregnancy. Thankfully I've got a pregnancy yoga video and an exercise ball in my cubicle at work!

Cravings?: None

What's Happening in My Body?: The babies are swallowing more which is good practice for their digestive systems. They are producing meconium (a black sticky by-product of digestion). This will accumulate in their bowls and we'll see it in their first soiled diaper (honey- you are up for the first diaper change!! haha).

Our Babies Are Each the Size of: A banana- 10.5 ounces each and 6.5 inches long from head to bottom/ 10 inches long from head to heel.

Gender Reveal!!

Well, we had planned on doing a gender reveal photo-shoot, but with busy schedules we just haven't had a chance to. So... if you don't already know...

Baby A is a......

GIRL!

Baby B is a.....

BOY!

We are so happy to have one of each... it really is going to be the best of both worlds! Hopefully we will be able to get a photo-shoot done for scrapbook memories, but we didn't want to wait much longer to share our excitement. I have found myself typing up the blog and having to read back through to see if I mention the genders. 

Thank You Alicia & Chris!!

We are SO lucky to have Alicia and Chris helping us out with baby stuff! They were nice enough to save a TON of baby stuff for us: a bathtub, a swing, a crib, toys and a ton of baby clothes! We cannot express our gratitude enough and we are so excited to put this stuff to good use.


THANK YOU AUNTIE ALICIA AND UNCLE CHRIS!!  -- Love,  Baby A & Baby B

Tulip Festival

We had so much fun over our weekend with our friends Alicia and Brad and their two daughters at the Tulip Festival! I've known Alicia since I was a very little girl and we were best friends all through school, so it was so much fun to catch up and to meet her daughters.
The flowers were so vibrant and the day couldn't have been more perfect to go! Although with the good weather came the crowds with it. Luckily we knew some back roads through town, but still didn't meet up with our friends until 2 hrs after we had planned.
Heading back home, the traffic headed towards the festival was even worse... we estimated that the people at the back of the line (6 miles up the freeway) would have about a 3hr wait time until they parked. Good thing we went 'early'.

19 Weeks Pregnant

Wow, we are almost halfway?! Crazy to think of how much our lives are going to be changing (and how much they already have!). This week there is of course belly growth, but I know there is SO much more of that to come. In fact, my newsletter of my pregnancy development states "Think you're big now?? You'll start growing even faster in the weeks to come and may experience occasional brief stabbing pain on one or both sides." Great.... can't wait.

I've been thinking a lot lately about what it's actually going to be like during labor and how much pain I'll be enduring. I'm not even sure if I have a good pain threshold? I guess we are going to find out.
There seems to be so much stuff all over the internet and other people's horror stories about what to expect, but I've come to the conclusion that each experience is different and reading up on what can potentially go wrong just creates more worry and stress for me. Instead, I'm going to focus on knowing that whatever happens that I have my husband right by my side through it all and that gives me comfort. I'm slowly learning that everyone has an input and that like everything else, you have to go through it yourself to take out of the experience what God intends you to in your circumstances and in your own time.

I stumbled across an encouraging bible verse (yes, it was on Pinterest) that gave me comfort so I felt I should share:

"Don't panic. I am with you. There's no need to fear for I'm your God. I'll give you strength. I will help you. I, your God, have a firm grip on you and I am not letting go." ~Isaiah 41:10-13


Cravings?: Still just burgers... too bad I can't crave something healthy!

What's Happening in My Body?: Our twins sensory development is exploding! Their brains are designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. They may be able to hear our voices now. They each weigh about 8.5 ounces and measure 6 inches long (in just 3 weeks they will weigh 1lb each!). Their arms and legs are now in proportion to the rest of their bodies.

Our Babies are Each the Size of: Heirloom Tomatoes

Oasis

I am so well loved (Michael uses the word spoiled)! He got me a maternity massage a few weeks back and I was finally able to go in and get pampered!  The best part was that he signed the card from Baby A and Baby B. This is definitely going in the baby book.
The massage was amazing! They provided a pillow that used Velcro in the middle so I could lay 'on my stomach'. My chest and legs rested on the pillow which allowed my belly to hang down and not get smashed. I wanted to take the pillow home with me so I could sleep on my stomach, but it was too big to fit in my purse! ;)
I'll definitely be going back at least one more time before the little ones are here- I'll need it with all the extra belly weight putting strain on my lower back.

Thanks again hunny!!

Terrarium Time!

A few girls at work and myself had so much fun the other day making terrariums for our cubicles! With how busy work has been, it was a really nice break in the day to spend with girlfriends and do something fun and creative. They make really fun gifts and were so easy to make. Best part, Ben Franklin had all the materials right in the front of the store (this pleased Michael when I dragged him to the craft store).

Week 18 Belly Photo

List of Things I Can't Wait to Do...

I'm really enjoying being pregnant and thus far I've been really lucky without complications. However, that doesn't mean I don't miss doing things I used to do! I have this running list of things that come up almost on a daily basis that I cannot wait to do after the babies are born (and of course after my body heals).

1. Eat raw sushi
2. Sleep on my stomach 
3. Use up my cross-fit credits-- I'll be the one on the ground gasping for air
4. Run
5. Eat turkey lunch meat straight from the bag
6. Take a hot bath and/or get in a hot tub
7. Wear high heels without feeling like Bambi
8. Helping Michael clean the cat box (believe it or not, I do feel guilty that he is tasked with this)
9. Wear normal jeans which also requires #7 since all my jeans are too long
10. Not having to remember to take prenatal vitamins every day

We Bought A House!

We are so excited to finally share the news that we purchased a new home! Everything so far is going smooth and we are set to close on April 30th! We've been busy shopping for appliances and looking at paint colors. We can't wait to get moved in and to get the nurseries set up for our babies!

Our new home has 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and has a large backyard for the dogs (and eventually babies) to run around in.

18 Weeks Pregnant

Cravings?: Breakfast burritos- I have one every morning at work with egg whites, bacon, veggies and of course jalapenos!

What's Happening in My Body?: Our babies are about 5.5 inches long and weighs about 7 ounces. They are busy flexing their arms and legs and their blood vessels are visible through their skin.

Our Babies are Each the Size of:  Bell Peppers

Better Late Than Never!

Ok, I know its almost a week late, but here's the 17 week (+3 days) belly photo! The girls wanted to pose in one of the photos with me :)

Crazy Lily!

We have a new all-star in the family... Lily! She loves to play with the basketball and chase it all over the backyard. She even will try to defend you when you go to shoot a basket by jumping right on the ball after you dribble it! Sure makes it hard to play a game of horse, but is very cute!

At least it gets her tired! These dogs really do live the high life... And yes, she sleeps on her back like a human. Cracks us up to see her flip herself on her back to sleep.

Chucky Cheese with Lexi and Kenzie

Over the weekend we decided to crash the Chucky Cheese party with Lexie, Kenzie, Ron and Debbie. We had so much fun running around, playing games and eating pizza with the girls! I even got them to both pose for a quick pic in a photo booth. We wanted Uncle Michael to join but he was too tall for the camera (I guess there are advantages to being short).

Ultrasounds of Our Babies!

We love getting to go in to see the little ones moving around and hear how much they've grown as well as their heartbeats! Starting at week 20 we will need to go in every 2 weeks for an ultrasound (currently we go in every 4 weeks) to be sure everything is OK and hopefully good news each time for no bed rest! Fingers crossed!

Baby A is in the 98% range for size and Baby B is in the 80% range! All the other tests we have chosen to partake in have come back great with no issues. In case you are curious- mamma is healthy too! Keep growing babies!!

17 Weeks

We're in week 17!

Cravings? Burgers! I've had 3 over the last 5 days. YUM

What's Happening in My Body? Our babies skeletons are changing from soft cartilage to bone and the umbilical cord is becoming stronger and thicker. They can move their joints and their sweat glands are starting to develop.

Our Babies are Each the Size of: A turnip. About 5 inches long from head to bottom and 5 ounces.