Shower, nursery, basement, ultrasound

Well, in the last week a lot has happened. First Mom and Grandmama came up to Athens from Forsyth, GA to attend the baby shower hosted by our friends and neighbors, Kay Snow and Gretchen Stock. The shower was fun and Addison and Lily got lots of loot. Below are a few pictures from the day.


We made quite a bit of progress on the nursery. Mike and I put together the cribs and the changing hutch.

The work on the basement continues to progress. Mike put down tile in the bathroom and we had the toilet and vanity installed. Mike also put down tile at the entry to the backyard door and the dog door. Mike finished painting all the walls. And we had the carpet installed. Finally we're at the point of being able to move stuff down there from the rest of the house. Now we (OK Mike) have to get doors stained and installed and all of the trim work done. The Splains are coming to stay with us over OU graduation weekend so there are a few key doors that really need to get installed...I am pretty sure both of John and Amy's sons are too big to sleep in the cribs!

And last but not least we had a doctor's appointment on Thursday with an ultrasound. We got a little shock when the u/s tech measured Lily's head...and it was measuring 2 weeks ahead...we're currently 32 weeks. It was so big the tech remeasured because she couldn't believe the reading. Second reading...just 1 1/2 weeks ahead. Lily's femur also measured a bit ahead so maybe she won't appear to have an abnormally large noggin. Addison's measurements were all right around 32 weeks. The summary of their weights are 4lbs 3oz for Lily and 4lbs 1oz for Addison. Wonderful that they continue to grow and grow at the same rate. Also all indications are that I'll go to full term for twins. The doctor said we could deliver as late as 38weeks 4 days. We'll see.

During the ultrasound, we discovered that both girls have flipped direction. Addison is now head down and Lily is head up. Because of her position we couldn't get a 3D shot of Addison (below is the back of her head). We did get a 3D shot of Lily's face.

Let the Belly-Aching Begin!

The other day my dad commented that I was doing better than other pregnant women he'd had experience with. I explained that I probably didn't complain over the phone. Or maybe I haven't complained about this pregnancy much (Mike?). But now the time has come...

After many recent nights of fitful sleep due to heartburn, I finally slept well last night. Basically this means I didn't have to prop myself up, but, of course, I was still up several times to relieve my pitifully small bladder. Then this morning I had my regular bowl of cereal and wouldn't you know...my stomach started hurting. Call it indigestion; call it the joys of pregnancy; call it a belly ache. Whatever it is, I don't like. Nope, I don't like it one bit.

How can a girl such as myself who's always enjoyed a healthy appetite not complain when it gives her a belly ache simply to eat? And what crazy twist of nature made it possible that I could eat tiny meals for weeks and still gain 1 1/2 lbs per week? It is crazy stuff.

On a positive note, Lily and Addison seem to be doing swimmingly (and it does seem like they are swimming sometimes). Mike got to feel Addison and her bout of hiccups last night. Funny for us.

Teresa

Parenting or Babying books?

Today I attended a weekly conference call with my co-workers and friends at ScreamFree Living. For those of you who are unfamiliar with ScreamFree, it was started by Hal Runkel who wrote the book ScreamFree Parenting. Hal's basic principles involve parenting by calming yourself down. Focusing on yourself in order to become a better parent. My friends with kids all swear by the effectiveness and the value of Hal's teachings, coaching and writings. So I've been sold. Now granted, I often tell my co-workers that I still don't have the endless bottle of ScreamFree Kool-Aid available to me that they apparently have at the office...the one that makes them elated...ecstatic...high...whenever Hal receives positive feedback, but I have sent the parenting book to friends and family who are new parents. I've recommended it to other pregnant women who are looking for parenting books. But the truth came out today that, No, I have not read the book from cover to cover. Actually, I couldn't remember getting past the first chapter. So today I'm reading it.

So far I'm through about 4 chapters. Is this really what I need right now...help with parenting, or is it advice on babying?

Like many first time moms, I'm just looking to make it past the first week, then the first month, then the first three months. Once we make it to that point, I think I'll feel more like a parent. I've read or referenced many pregnancy books. At this point I'm reading or have read a couple of baby books. This is how the truth came out about my lapse in reading the most important parenting book that has ever been written (found my local supply of ScreamFree Kool-Aid). I told my co-workers who were discussing a South Park episode where Nanny-911 was called in and failed; SuperNanny was called in and failed; then the dog whisperer was called in and succeeded. Dave then commented that there was a book called the Baby Whisperer. "Yes, I've read that." I eagerly commented. "Not only that, but Mike and I are getting copies for my mom, for Mike's mom, and for my sister all of whom will be here to help us survive the first month of parenthood." (silence) Oh. I guess that was the wrong thing to say when I then had to admit that I still hadn't read my free copy of ScreamFree Parenting.

My friend and co-worker Jon assured me that ScreamFree Parenting is absolutely going to help me as a new mother. I guess I haven't gotten to the chapter yet where Hal describes how he was successful at breastfeeding. Or the chapter on how to provide a one week old with choices so Addison and Lily will grow up to be self-determining adults. Or the chapter on what are the signs that Addison or Lily need to go to the emergency room.

I guess I'm saying, I don't feel so bad about not having read the ScreamFree Parenting book. Truth be told, I think the Baby Whisperer book appeals to me so much because it also is based on the belief that you have to focus on yourself to be a good parent. It proposes a routine for the baby that involves, eating, activity, sleep then you time. The You time is missing in other babying books I've read. During this You time, you are supposed to make yourself the best person you can be, so in turn you'll be the best parent you can be. This is also something Hal supports. I know that, even though I haven't read all the chapters of the parenting book with which I am so involved.

So which should it be for pregnant women? Babying books or Parenting books? Or both?

Another Dr visit

Today was another visit to the doctor's office. Weight gain...more than adequate. Blood pressure...OK, but higher than normal. Everything else...just fine. The doctor measured my belly as 31 weeks. Just a week ahead of where I actually am. Many women with twins measure a month ahead. The doctor said he thought I wasn't measuring further along because the babies are carrying wide...not right up the middle. We go back to the doctor's office in 2 weeks for the next ultrasound (those appointments are the only ones that are exciting).

Things continue to progress with our basement. We've got the carpet ordered and will be installed in the next 2 weeks. We also purchased the tile for the bathroom and the outdoor entry. Mike's already rented the wet saw and plans to get all of the straight cuts for the bathroom done tonight. The bathroom and Mike's office are both painted.

I did quite a bit of walking and moving around today (Lowe's, Walmart and the doctor's visit) and Lily and Addison definitely seem to get lulled to sleep. Fortunately, they didn't become Mexican jumping beans the minute I laid down for a rest this afternoon. Obviously, they are going to be perfect Angel babies...

Our co-sleeper for the babies arrived yesterday. I was SOOO relieved to have some place that I knew the babies could sleep if they arrived early. I'm starting to get nervous about not having cribs and the like set up. Mike's nervous about paying for college. Ah, to each his own.

The Excitement Builds!

As you can see from this picture of Jack, Mike and I are not the only ones on pins and needles in anticipation of the arrival of Lily and Addison.

There isn't much exciting to report from Athens. Mike has finished painting the bathroom in the basement so we hope to get the toilet and vanity in place so we can put the tile in. And finish the painting in the rest of the basement and get the carpet laid before March 19 when Ella (Teresa's mom) and Marjorie (Teresa's grandmother) will be arriving. The basement has to get to this point so we can move Mike's office furniture to the basement, move the furniture that is in the babies' room to the other bedroom upstairs, then finally set up the furniture in the babies' room. Ella is making valances and bedskirts for the cribs, so we're hoping the weekend she is here we'll be able to setup the nursery.

Addison and Lily seem to continue to be content in their mom's belly. However, Addison has definitely decided she does not like "the bottom bunk". We've decided Addison is the baby on my left side and Lily is on the right side. So, as pregnant women are supposed to do, I try to sleep on my left side which means Addison is on the bottom. Last night and this morning she definitely wasn't happy about that arrangement and squirmed and squirmed. Finally I laid more towards my back with a pillow wedged in my back so I could still be on my left side, but hopefully Addison didn't have so much of her sister's weight bearing down on her. Addison settled down, but it wasn't long before her mom felt like squirming!

Introduction

Greetings from the Meyers!

Welcome to our blog that we created to document our journey towards parenthood. We'll be posting here regularly to update whoever is interested.

As a little background, we're expecting twin girls officially on July 21, 2006. However, we expect these girls to come early and we're hoping they stay in their mommy's belly until the first week of July when they will be 37-38 weeks of gestation.

Our girls already have their names...Lily Irene Meyer and Addison Shea Meyer.

In the weeks to come we'll share photos of Teresa's growing belly, pictures from Teresa's baby shower, pictures of the nursery as it comes together and, of course, pictures of the babies. We might even include pictures from the basement of our house which we are finishing before the babies arrive. Following are some to get us started:

Lily at 24 weeks	Addison at 24 weeks

Teresa's belly at 22 weeks	Teresa's belly at 29 weeks

The girls chatting in utero at 18 weeks

The big room in the basement...with doors awaiting staining and installation	Mike painting bathroom in the basement