3.4

Had my weekly date with Dr. M today. And it was a really good one.

Both baby girls are head down, and really low. I was extremely happy to find out that they were both head down. Baby A has always been head down, but Baby B kept changing in the beggining until a few months ago she decided to just stay head up. We were already thinking that she was just going to saty there, but after a night of her moving like crazy I guess she decided to be nice to her mom and just turn around. Good girl!

Both have grown, hearts are beating, lungs are breathing and everything else is just as it should be - and they should be weighing somewhere around 5 lbs and 5.5 lbs. They are getting so big... it's like I'm carrying a ten-pounder! YIKES! Thanks goodness I'm not though, because delivering two 5 pound babies is complitely different from delivering one 10 pound baby. :oP

I'm two cm dilated and have been having lots of contractions. I'm also really swollen, my feet have been getting huge by the end of the day. The swollen thing cracks me up. I never got swollen with Thomas, in fact, I have never gotten swollen - ever. So the other day, when my mom (she's here btw) was looking at my feet and pressed down the skin and it stayed, I was totally freaked out. I had no idea that that could happen! So my grandma sent me a ton of lotions and gels and Johan has been giving me nightly foot rubs - can't complaint at all.

The amniotic fluid is getting low, and it has been for the past few weeks. So if I don't go into labor on my own, we'll probably (if at the next appointment it has gotten even lower) have to induce next week. NEXT WEEK! I couldn't believe when he said that... that's like in 7 days... 

I wonder if they be 4th of July babies... that would be fun. 

In the meanwhile, I'm just enjoying the delicious Summer that has bloomed in Rexburg - finally!
So toodles for now.

beijinho bom

too cute (and too funny) not to post.

blah blah blah

Notice the time? I can't sleep. I took a Unisom pill about an hr ago and it still hasn't kicked in.

I was having some weird contractions and decided to take a shower to see if it would make them go away in case they were just weird braxton hicks or if they would continue. They went away. So then I decided to do my nails... they looked pretty ugly, and no ones to go into labor with ugly nails right?! :oP

Anyway, so after doing my nails, and redoing them a couple of times because I kept messing up and then redoing my right index finger for the 4th time (kid you not), I was still not sleepy.

So I came to the kitchen, grabbed my self a ice cooler thing (you know,those ice pack things that you put in coolers and lunch boxes? they are my secret to not dying of heat at time,lay one those babies on your belly and bam - instant cooling) and sat in the living room.

And then I started remembering the week before Thomas was born. It's funny how different I feel now. physically and emotionally. Sometimes I can't stand the wait, I just want them to come so I can hold them and love them and smell them and look at them. But sometimes I get scared and don't want them to come because I really don't feel ready. But then I think... are we ever really ready for a new baby? For TWO new babies? If I were to wait until I was really ready, I would be waiting forever.

I dreamed a few nights ago that my water had broken. I woke up not knowing if it had been true or just a dream and freaked out a little. I kept thinking "It was a dream, it has to be, it's too early, I'm not ready..."

Today when my weird contractions started I felt ok. I wasn't scared... well maybe a little. But that's just because the one doctor that I do not want was on call today, so I really could not have these babies today. But now he's not anymore so they can come. Although, I still want them to wait more, or at least until my mom gets here, then they can really come.

So, anyway, I wasn't scared. I mean I started getting a little nervous, because they were different, a bit more intense and actually started getting into a patter... but it wasn't like the time with the dream when I was almost to the point of waking up Johan.

I feel like a first time mom all over again. I don't know what to expect. I don't know how to prepare, I simply don't know. I feel like I'm waking the plank blind folded, but in a good sort of way. I know what's going on, I know where I'm headed and I even know what will happen once I reach the end. I just don't know when it will happen. Makes sense?

I appreciate all who have been so nice and have been cheering for me this whole time. It has helped so much. It really has not been easy, but even the little "You look great" comments have helped and I really do appreciate them.

I think I feel a little sleepy-ness coming on...

Vestidinhos, Cobertinhas, Lacinhos e etc.

Eu já perdi a conta de quantos vestidinhos e lacinhos e cobertinhas e coisas do tipo eu já fiz nestas últimas semanas. Depois que peguei o jeito desses vestidinhos não consegui mais parar. É tão fácil! Em uma hora consigo fazer dois, ou mais! Para os vestidos eu usei esse tutorial/molde.

Esses são os que elas vão usar pra sair do hospital.

esses de abelha eu usei o mesmo molde dos de cima, só dei uma mudadinha basica.

Prisilhas e lacinhos então nem se fala... já fiz um monte, mas depois que vi que as meninas vao nascer cabeludinhas me empolguei e estou louca pra fazer mais! Fiz um pra combinar com cada roupinha. E cada vestidinho que fiz ganhou um acessorio exclusivo!

Também já fiz um monte de cobertinhas. Tem umas simplesinhas, de flanela dos dois lados e outras mais "complexas" - que realmente testaram minhas abilidades de costureira. A com o ric rac eu usei esse tutorial do Sew4home. Foi até que bem fácil. A cobertinha de minky foi na garra, só fiz e gostei bastante, apesar de mais uma vez ter visto o quão difícil é costurar minky! Não pretendo usar esse tipo tecido tão cedo.

Mas o highlight de todas são as que a Saly fez, não são LINDAS?! Eu estou apaixonada. Então assim que eu terminar a última coberta (coisa que pretendo fazer amanhã, mas veremos como anda minha preguiça), o beddinhg das meninas estará completíssimo!!! Finalmente!

Então por agora, tirando aquela coberta, tá tudo prontinho mesmo. E enquanto eu espero vou ficar fazendo mais e mais lacinhos e prisilhas e enfeitinhos pras meninhas bonequinhas!

33 wks and cheering on!

(I don't know why it's blurry... just ignore that - but do notice the tears on the shirt... no, my belly didn't do that - it was there already!)

So... 33 weeks! yikes!

The girls are doing great, they are moving, and breathing, and having the hicups and kicking and growing a whole lot. But no sign of them coming just any time soon. Contractions are still very irregular, though they are becoming a bit more intense and are sort of different. I've been feeling a lot of pressure too... and I feel like my belly has dropped a lot. But then that could just be the fact that there are two babies hanging in there... could be. 

The great news this week is that at the ultrasound we saw some HAIR!!! Yes! Believe it or not, we saw hair. According to Shannon (the ultrasound tech) that little fuzzy looking things around the head is hair!

Do you see it?! I couldn't believe it. That right there is Baby B, and baby A had some hair action going too, but this picture is better. I'm so excited, still a little skeptical, but still very very very excited! 

Appointments are once a week now, and include ultrasounds and stress tests. And we're basically taking it one week at a time. Dr. M said that unless things change (as in contractions become regular) we are good for one more week, at least. 

And  a few "fun" facts that I don't want to forget but probably will so I better put them here...

Lately I ...

- have been losing my appetite. I can still eat like a mad woman.

- have been walking like a fat penguin.

- need a grand total of 6 pillows to sleep: two for head, two for legs, one for back one for belly.

- am still only waking up once (if that) for a pipi break - that's what I call talent!

- will eat an entire jar of salsa in one sitting by myself. thanks goodness salsa is healthy. 

- do not sit on the floor anymore... way too hard to get up afterwords.

- only wear flip-flops. My feet are so swollen even some sandals don't fit.

- had to take out my wedding ring and put a larger ring on. Again - too swollen!

- have been having crazy dreams about the babies and their birth and such. All pretty good, nothing scary - just crazy. 

And other than that, our bags are packed and we are ready. My mom gets here on Saturday and then I will REALLY be ready for them!

Feliz Dia dos Pais!

Thomas, Carol e Gabi

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O Dia dos Pais foi divertido. Assistimos o jogo com os amigos, comemos uma feijoada de-li-ci-o-sa e depois aproveitamos o restinho do dia com o Papai do ano!

Depois de tirar essas fotos do I LOVE YOU com o Thominhas corremos pra terminar de preparar o presente dele. O Thomas adorou abrir o presente do pai e entregar cada item e depois saiu correndo com a sacola.

Ele ama o papai dele. Sempre que ele ouve a porte abrir de tarde, para rapidinho de fazer o que estava fazendo e corre pra porta gritando "papai!papai!papai!" e depois nao deixa o papai descancar enquanto nao brincar de bola com ele.

P. Sherman 42 Wallaby Way Sydney

Thomas is extremely obsessed with Finding Nemo. He asks to watch it everyday. And would even watch it multiple times if I let him. Which I don't, in fact I even avoid putting it on everyday. We usually put a movie on after dinner and his bath while he drinks his milk to give him some time to calm down before bed time.

(although when he is being extra wild, and I'm extra tired, we'll watch it during the day instead)
But it's amazing how he will actually WATCHES the movie... he moves around a little, but still watches like 75% of it. And as a consequence, we watch it too... and have almost the entire movie memorized.

So to all of you who are in this with me... meaning, who also have to endure through endless Finding Nemo sessions....


I need water! Fill my trailer with water!
I'm obnoxious!
The drop off?! Why don't we just fry them up and serve them with chips
He touched the butt.
He's really a nice guy... he never really knew his father!
Are you my conscience?!
Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, what do we do we swim swim when we waaaaaaant to swim we want to swim!
No eating here tonight! No no no eating here tonight - you're on a diet!
I shall name you squishy and you shall be mine. Ouch, bad squishy bad!
Hey jelly man - offspring, offspring jelly man.
Shark bait u-ha-ha
Darla! (insert Psycho music here)
mine mine mine mine mine

and the list goes on and on and on... :o)

32 weeks!!!

Need I say more?

We're all doing great, girls are doing great, measuring 4 lbs 10 oz and 4 lbs 3 oz (give or take a few oz). The are moving A LOT. Sometimes it feels like they are going to break out through my bellybutton. I told the doctor this today and he said " Well that has never happened before, so don't worry" and I thought "Well then you obviously haven't read Breaking Dawn!" 

I am now starting my weekly visits which include weekly stress tests. Hurray!  I also asked the secretary today (I'm totally friends with everyone in the office) if I could take a peek at the schedule for the doctors to see who was on call and when. After taking a look at that, I talked to the girls and we all agreed that they have to came before the end of June to avoide one Mr. L being the doctor on call - he's out of town for most of the most and will only be on call for one day.

In other news... Brazil played its first game today, and we won - of course!!! We got together with some friends, made some coxinha and a lot of noise! Thomas had a ball cheering and would get all excited with every gol. We have trained him well.

Ready... Aim... Fire!!!

Johan went shooting with his boss and a friend yesterday and he had a blast. He left early, and came back late in the afternoon, dead tired, bruised and with very messy hair, but had tons of fun.

He got to try out a bunch of differente guns.

9mm

12mm

AK47

There were a few others too, including one from WWI!

He said it was extremely windy, hence the beautiful hair-do, but they still got to shoot a lot and even did the thing where they shoot the disk into the air and then you have to shoot it. Guess who's tagging along on the next shooting expedition!?!?!

:oP

Ying Yang Oriental Kitchen

Today was a practice day for a new restaurant here in town. A friend of ours dad, who is Chinese, just opened up a restaurant and invited friends and family for a practice round to give the new employees some training before the grand opening on Monday.

Luckly we are friends, so we got invited! It was SO GOOD!!!

Johan and Thomas while we waited to be seated. It's a rather small place but very cute, cozy and quaint... and everything in there came from China!!! It's all very pretty... it even had Oriental music playing in the backgroung, it was great.

They had a set menu and we really only picked our entree. We got spring rolls for the appetizers which were scrumptious, then chicken egg drop soup which was amazing, and then Johan got Sweet and Sour chicken and I got Siam beef. YUM YUM YUM!!!

Thomas really liked the spring rolls and the soup too! I was surprised at how much he actually liked it all, I thought he wouldn't want to eat it, but I was wrong, he kept even asking for more and to try some of our food. He's becoming like his mom  - an exotic food lover!

So, going back to the first picture, me at 31 weeks! Yikes! This lady at the restaurant kept staring at my belly, then she finally asked when I was due and when I said July she was like " Beginning or End?!" And I said "Mid" And she was like "Wow" as if to say... Girl, you are way big to still have two more months!
 I love it when that happens, it makes me laugh (on the inside), but then Johan told her that I was actually expecting twins and signed in relief and said " Well that makes more sense now..." hahahaha
It was really funny...

Anyway, it's wonderful to have a new restaurant in town... I was starting to get really tired of Applebee's, Craigos and Fongs!!!!

Memorial Day

O dia não estava lá "grandes coisa" mas ainda assim deu pra aproveitar bastante!

Fizemos um churrasquinho a lá brazuca que estava uma delicia!!!

Os homens jogaram 5 minutos de futebol ( e o Thomas não saia de perto!) e depois sentaram na grama pra fofocar.

A mulherada bateu um papinho gostoso e comeu pessego em calda com creme de leite - yum!

E a criançada brincou até dizer chega. O Thominhas se divertiu com os amiguinhos e os brinquedos do parquinho.

Foi bem gostoso poder relaxar e aproveitar o dia com os amigos. Na correria do dia a dia, mesmo o Johan não estando em aula as vezes é difícil só parar e relaxar. No final não sei o que foi mais difícil, tirar o Johan ou o Thomas dos amiguinhos!!! :o)

O Thominhas fazendo muque. Ele faz assim e ai diz "Thomas fote" e ai faz "urgh" como se estivesse fazendo força. É uma piada!

30 Weeks!!!!

Here I am... 30 weeks and still standing! :oP
The nurses at the clinic were all congratulating me at how far I've made it. I thought I was funny...
I've actually been feeling pretty well. I was surprised that today I felt really good. No pain, no difficulty walking or anything! It was a wonderful day just because of that. And the amazingly summery weather outside also helped.

 
I had my appointment today and Dr. M gave the "you better be ready because they really could come any time now" talk. Not that I'm showing any signs of preterm labor or anything... I guess it's just that time when they give the above talk because it really can happen.

sometimes I think my belly looks like a being of its own...like in this picture, it just looks like it's hugging me and it's going to walk off any minute.

If they came now, at 30 (nearly 31) weeks they would do great.
If they came in a week, they would do even better and probably only have to stay 2-3 weeks in the hospital.
If they came in 3-4 weeks, they would do wonderfully and would most likely be able to go home with us.

Exciting isn't it?!

They are each weighing 3 lbs 7 oz and baby A is still head down, but baby B keeps moving around. Last appointment she was head down but this time she was head up. But apperantly, baby A is all that matters, because baby B will either turn around once she has more room (after baby A is delivered) or they will just deliver her the way she is.

Baby B - finally a profile picture!

I got steroids today to help me their lungs, which was quite painful... add that to the RhoGAM shot and you've got yourself a recipe for no sitting for a day! It actually was not that bad...  just the actual injection that stung like crazy, but then it was all good.

In two weeks I've got another appointment and they'll be doing the stress test and the Strep B test. I'm curious to see them in two weeks.