Spring Break, 23 weeks, and an appointment

I was sad to see Spring Break go, but it is exciting to know that I'm one week closer to meeting my two, sweet babies! It was a very productive spring break for me....lots of cleaning, cleaning out, reorganizing, and shopping for "baby stuff." Mom and I scoped out the items that I think we will need, but by that time, I was too tired to finish that experience! After cleaning like crazy the first couple of days, I enjoyed Wednesday by sleeping late, doing the rest of my laundry, then sitting outside reading my book for THREE HOURS! It was beautiful on Wednesday and I got some really good sun...always makes a girl feel better! :) Thursday, we headed to El Dorado to visit my family for the weekend. It was the first time that we had been there since January, so needless to say, I had changed quite a bit since I had been there the last time! We had a great time relaxing, spending time outside, eating LOTS of my mom's amazing cooking, and Hannah and I got pedicures, which was greatly needed!

I did not have a chance to update my weekly post, so here it is...I am 23 weeks now...and it really does feel like it's going fast! According to my "weekly email", they are now more than 11 inches long and more than 1 pound! It also said that I may be able to see them squirming underneath my clothes and believe me...I can! It's really entertaining to watch and I can not imagine what it's going to be like when they are bigger! It says that they can hear loud noises outside of the womb, so if they get used to something like the vacuum cleaner now, it won't bother them when they're born...guess I better keep up that cleaning! haha On this note, Sunday night at our church, the Harding Academy chorus came to sing for us. They were an amazing group of high school students. One of the songs, which I already love and tends to make me a little teary eyed is "How Great is Our God." When they started singing this, I was already thinking about how much God has blessed us with these babies, but then the babies started moving! I like to think that they could hear the song and were showing their appreciation for the song too! It was really neat hearing the song and feeling the babies move....we really do have a great God! Here is my weekly picture...

23 weeks!

Had an appointment today there is really not a whole lot to update on! He said that both babies look great! Their heartbeats were right what they need to be and I'm measuring right where he wants me to. Next month I will start going every week! I told him that if I can just get through this "testing season," that I will be able to relax a little bit more after that! Have a great week!!

Spring Cleaning- Day 1

With Spring Break being this week, I knew that I needed to be VERY productive since this will be the last time I'm really "mobile" and do not have two babies to juggle....SO I decided that it was time for spring cleaning like I've never done before!

First of all, my parents came this weekend and my mom and I went shopping for bedding or fabric for the bedding. I found some fabric that I LOVE and I will have to give you a sneak peek of that on a later post! One of my friends and her mom are great seamstresses and they are going to make it for us...I got a sewing machine for Christmas, but needless to say, it's still in the box right now.

For those of you who don't know my mom, she is amazing at keeping her house clean at all times...when I was in high school, I did not appreciate this at all! haha. However, now I admire it! We woke up yesterday morning and got busy cleaning! When I say cleaning, I mean scrubbing every inch of the bathrooms, kitchens, baseboards, EVERYTHING! I cleaned every kitchen cabinet, inside and out, and made room in a drawer for bottles and other baby necessities! We cleaned for HOURS and it feels so good to have that done!

Today, I am going to clean out and organize our guest bedroom/nursery closets! I'm so excited to begin the preparations for Bailey and Griffin! We have decided to do one crib for now...some people have completely agreed with me and some think I'm crazy for that, but I've been told they sleep together a lot when they're born...and we will always have a pack and play for when one of them has a sleepless night! AND....we can always go buy another crib if needed!

Jacob felt the babies move for the first time last night! I've been feeling them for awhile and will tell him, but by the time he runs calmly walks over to feel them, they have stopped moving. However, last night, he felt them multiple times! The look on his face was so sweet when he felt them!

One more thing...yesterday, when my mom was helping me clean, it was also my parents 30th wedding anniversary!! I am so blessed to have parents who love each other so much and who love us so much! It's going to be a big year for our family!! :) I love you Mom and Dad!

22 weeks and Happy St. Patricks Day!

22 weeks...and I look tired because this was taken at 6:45 a.m. :)

I must say that my wardrobe was a little limited when it came to green for St. Patricks Day, but luckily I had one shirt that was light green! I am excited that I am 22 weeks today, and am feeling much bigger these days. At 22 weeks, Griffin and Bailey are approx. 11 inches long and about the size of a spaghetti squash (not really sure what kind of squash that is). They are starting to look like mini newborns and now have distinct lips, eyes, and eyebrows. They even have tooth buds underneath their gums! It is amazing to think about these developments!!!! Their eyes are now fully developed, but do not have pigment yet, so their eye color is yet to be known! :) I am REALLY hoping at least one of them gets Jacob's blue eyes...I can't wait to see who they will look like! 

I did laugh when reading my weekly email because it said that my stomach has probably become a "hand magnet," which is COMPLETELY true. I really don't mind it now that I'm actually showing. I will say though that it's been patted, rubbed, hugged, scratched, talked to, etc. It really is funny how people react...even people I hardly know! 

Funny "school moment" of the week was when one of our sweet little ones came up to me at school, hugged me, then as she was walking away whispered to her friend "I just hugged 3 people...Mrs. Fox AND her two babies!"  They are all so sweet and excited!

Say a little prayer for me...as school counselor, one of my main job responsibilities is standardized testing, which is HUGE! The preparation has begun, so for the next month my stress level will be a little high! I'm trying to pace myself as I learn the ropes of this new job responsibility! 

Happy St. Patricks Day!

Another appointment

I am getting really used to doctors visits since I am going every two weeks now. I'm not complaining at all though, I love getting to see our sweet babies and see those hearts beating strong! When they popped up on the screen today, I said "Aren't they just the cutest things??" and my doctor supportively said "They are the cutest twins I've ever seen!" What a good doctor he is! haha. Both babies are "transverse" now..Griffin is on the bottom with his head to the right and body to the left and Bailey is on top with her head to the left and body to the right. It was a little difficult to get their heartbeats since their bodies are right on top of each other, but we did get them and they are 148 and 154. He said that everything looks good and the babies and I are both doing great! It is always so reassuring to hear that everything looks perfect! Two more weeks and I'll be back there again.... :)

21 weeks

I can't believe another week has gone by already! It really is going fast...I told someone today that I feel like I wake up each morning a little bigger. :) This week I have felt great, except for being a little tired...which is completely expected! The biggest thing that I have looked for this week is crib bedding, which is very difficult finding one that I like...and if you have any suggestions on good places to look, let me know!

According to the "weekly email," the babies are now the length of a carrot and weigh around 3/4 of a pound. It also says that at this point the flutter feeling that the babies make may turn into feeling like they're participating in martial arts...this will be very interesting with two babies! Also, at 21 weeks, they now have eye brows and eye lids. It's so hard to believe that they are just little people now and that they are having some bonding time! :) My next appointment is Monday, so I always get excited for that (I'm going every two weeks now, so my doctor and I will be very close after this journey). Here's the weekly picture...sorry for the kind of weird angle...Jacob had a meeting tonight until 9 and I decided that I couldn't wait to get into comfy clothes until then, so this is the result of me stacking cookbooks under a cereal box to get the camera high enough to not cut my head off. :)

Some days I feel like having "three brains" really helps me out and my principal jokes about keeping me around because I can think of a way to solve EVERY dilemma...however, today was NOT one of those days! I think the other two brains inside of me zapped mine today when someone was talking about Good Friday and I asked what day it was on this year.... EMBARRASSING! Luckily, I have the sweetest secretaries at school and they just laughed for a couple of minutes with me!

A sweet little kindergarten girl came up to me this week and said "Mrs. Fox, your babies are SOOOO cute!" I thought it was the sweetest little thing for her to say that! It has amazed me how they are so interested and concerned about Griffin and Bailey. 

One other thing is that one of the kindergarten teachers at school brought me a copy of one of her student's journals, and I thought that I would need to document the thoughtfulness of this sweet little boy....

"I love Mrs. Fox and I like Mrs. Fox being pregnant with two babies."

SO SWEET...and it's on my refrigerator now!

20 weeks...and One Boy, One Girl

I can't believe that I'm 20 weeks...it seems like it is FLYING! 20 weeks doesn't sound like nearly as long as 5 months!!! I am feeling great other than a little back pain and my doctor said that I more than likely pulled a muscle by turning a certain way! Other than that, no complaints and I feel very blessed for that! I had an appointment on Monday and he said that things look perfect and both babies heartbeats are great! If I haven't mentioned it before, I LOVE my doctor! He takes the time to sit down and genuinely talk to me about how I'm feeling and expectations...I NEVER feel like he's in a hurry and that is wonderful! According to my weekly email, the babies are now around 10 and a half inches long (the size of a banana). Here's the weekly picture...it's after a long day and a little crying (will explain later), so please excuse that....

Okay, now on to what made me cry! If you get tired of reading, feel free to stop here...but I am documenting for ourselves as well, and want to include this... 

Today when I got home from work, I got a package that my wonderful college friend, Janelle, had sent...it had a sweet card, an outfit for Bailey, an outfit for Griffin, and the typed lyrics to One Boy, One Girl by Collin Raye. I guess I have just always assumed that it was a love song, but when I read the whole song and then looked it up on You Tube, ohhh I started crying...I will type it the way that she had it...SO SWEET and I appreciate her thoughtfulness so much!

He finally gave in to his friend's girlfriend when she said

"There's someone you should meet."

At a crowded restaurant way 'cross town,

he waited impatiently.

She walked in, their eyes met, and they both stared.

And right there and then, everyone else disappeared,

But one boy, one girl,

two hearts beating wildly.

To put it mildly, it was love at first sight.

He smiled, she smiled, and they knew right away

that this was the day they'd waited for all their lives.

And for a moment the whole world

revolved around one boy and one girl.

In no time at all they were standing there, in the front of a little church, 

among their friends and familiy, repeating those sacred words.

Preacher said "Son kiss your bride" and he raised her veil.

And like the night they met, time just stood still.

For one boy, and one girl,

two hearts beating wildly.

To put it mildly, it was love at first sight.

He smiled, she smiled, and they knew right away

that this was the day they'd waited for all their lives.

For a moment the whole world 

revolved around one boy and one girl.

He was holding her hand when the doctor looked up and grinned

"Congratulations. Twins..."

One boy, one girl.

Two hearts beating wildly.

To put it mildly it was love at first sight.

He smiled, and she smiled,

and they knew right away 

that this was the day they'd waited for all their lives.

For a moment the whole world revolved around one boy and one girl.

Goodness gracious, when I got to that last part I just started crying because Jacob was holding my hand as the doctor told us our news of twins and that is a moment that I will never forget! 

Bailey and Griffin, it has already been love at first sight as we watch you on the ultrasound and watch your little hearts beat...if we feel this much love for you now, I can't imagine what that love will be like when you arrive! Also, from knowing your grandparents, the whole world WILL revolve around you when you make your appearance!

We have names!!!!

I had mixed feelings about sharing our names this early, but I feel like making their names known to all of our friends and family makes it feel even more real...plus I'm halfway there! :)

Baby A (boy) is Griffin Bradley 

Griffin is one of the few names that Jacob and I talked about and agreed on! Being in an elementary school setting, it's very difficult to not associate names with other children and I have never known a Griffin! After picking out his name, I found out that Griffin was also Jacob's great-grandfather's name, so that is really special! Bradley is Jacob's middle name and we also knew that we wanted to use it somehow!

Baby B (girl) is Bailey Jane 

Since we tried to start our family for quite some time, I had plenty of time to think of names that I liked! Bailey is one that stuck with me and I just love! Jane is my grandmothers name who passed away when I was 5 years old...we were the greatest of friends even at that age, and I knew it would be special to all of my family if we gave Bailey this middle name! I was extremely blessed with AMAZING grandparents and I'm excited for our children to have that same blessing! Jane is also my mom's middle name, so that is an added bonus for sure!

We had very strict rules for naming our children and I knew that I didn't want one syllable...and Jacob didn't want them to rhyme! After much debating, we got to use our favorite boy and girl names! :) Jacob's biggest criteria for names was that he had to be able to shorten the name (ex. yelling for our child at a sporting event) haha and he thought "Griff" would be a good name to be able to yell out at baseball games! Oh, the things we think of!

On a sweet note, a few clothing items were purchased the day that we found out what they were. :) When I was telling Jacob about them, I said "We got Griffin the cutest little plaid shorts and polo shirt..." and I noticed that he wasn't talking anymore. When I asked him if he was still there, he said that it made him cry hearing me call them by name! It's going to be amazing how fatherhood is going to soften him up! haha

Excited to share their names with you....let the planning begin!! :)