The Nursery

We bought our home 3 years ago and have really enjoyed fixing it up, room by room.  I am lucky to have such a handy husband! E has made some amazing contributions to our home, from installing hardwood floors, to an outdoor deck and bar, to our very own backyard beach, he is always willing to take on another weekend project.  My contribution usually involves coming up with ideas, adding crafty touches, and "overseeing" the work.  So, when we found out we were pregnant, "the nursery" was one of the first things we discussed.

Here's a little background on why I put "the nursery" in quotes: We have had a room in our house called "the nursery" ever since we moved in. Believe it or not, E named the room, not me.  The room is a small bedroom which houses E's extensive Red Sox paraphernalia.

One day, while organizing the house, E found some Red Sox item and said, "I'll just go put this in the nursery." "The nursery?  Do you mean the Red Sox room (which is what I always called it)?" I asked.  "Well yeah, it's the Red Sox room, but when we have kids we can turn it into the nursery - a Red Sox nursery," he replied. "What if we have a girl?" I asked.  "Red Sox is a great theme for any baby," was his reply.  According to E, the conversation ended with me agreeing that if we ever had a boy, we would make his nursery a Red Sox room....

Fast forward 3 years to this January when we found out we were pregnant.  Almost immediately following the news, E brought up the Red Sox nursery.  My response (excuse) was something along the lines of "we don't know the sex yet".  A few weeks later, when we found out we were having twins, we abandoned the idea of using that small bedroom (aka "the nursery") because there was no way it would fit two cribs and double the clothing, toys, and baby supplies. 

A few weeks after that, I started moving furniture and coming up with paint ideas for the new nursery, the bigger bedroom down the hall.  I used the argument that since we still didn't know the sexes of the babies, we should come up with a nursery plan that was gender-neutral, so we could get started on our next weekend project right away. 

 It was a good thing we decided to get a move on it, because as soon as E ripped up the old carpeting, we found mold! In the end, 2 of the walls in the bedroom, and the entire bathroom next door, had to be gutted and replaced.  We were forced out of our house for 2 weeks while the mold was removed.  By the time we moved back in, we had a new plan: a gender neutral beachy/nautical nursery.  In the back of my mind, I kept expecting E to bring up the Red Sox theme, but he never did. Not even when we found out we were having 2 boys!  He finally did bring it up a few weeks before I went into the hospital, but by then the furniture and bedding had been ordered and the nautical theme was well on it's way...

Before I was admitted to the hospital in June, E had painted the stripes on the walls and put together the cribs and changing table. As I lay in the hospital bed week after week, I became frustrated by all the crafty plans I had for the nursery that were going undone because I was stuck on bed rest.  I had visions of sea creature mobiles, life preserver name signs, and other handmade touches that I had planned on completing over my summer vacation.  One day, during one of my Mom's hospital visits, I expressed my frustrations and she asked what she could do to get the room ready.  For those of you who don't know her, my Mom is a woman of many talents, including artist, seamstress, and master crocheter.  She brought my ideas to life and added some of her own and the result is more than I could have imagined.  Check out the pictures below to see what I mean!

The sign on the door hung in E's nursery. 

Life preserver name signs handmade by E and my Mom

Stuffed animals from the Grandmas

Colorful throw blanket made by my Mom and life preserver side table collaboration between E and my Mom

This sea creature mobile is one of my favorite pieces!

Book storage was a must for any sons of mine;) Love this library cart!

One of my best friends came over and organized all the essentials, such a lifesaver!

Holds stroller blankets handmade by my Mom and E's Aunt

Found this surfboard shelf on Etsy. Letters and animals made by my Mom, boots and white hat belonged to E

While you won't find a Green Monster mural, the room couldn't be complete without some Red Sox items!

Henley and Dylan approve of the rug!

Bump Update

It has been a VERY long time since I have posted any pictures of my growing bump, mostly because strict bed rest is not conducive to fun maternity photo shoots.  Lucky for me, my best friend is an AMAZING photographer and a few weeks ago she was able to snap a few pics of me while in bed.

These were taken when I was around 31 weeks.  I am now 33 weeks and have grown quite a bit even since then!  I'm hoping to get a few more pics between the time I come off bed rest (this Friday!!) and the time I pop ;)

Below are a few shots taken before I was hospitalized, around 23 weeks

You can compare these to my previous bump post:

My Growing Bump

If you like the pics above and would like to check out more work by the talented photographer, check out her website:

Brooke Logue Photography

Part 2

It has taken 5 weeks and a myriad of emotions for me to write the next chapter of this story.  I felt like I was going through the stages of grief as I dealt with the news that I was in labor at 25 weeks pregnant.  My initial thoughts were, whatever was happening couldn't really be that bad. However, they quickly transformed into the familiar fear and anxiety I had felt early on in my pregnancy when I was first alerted to the risks of carrying twins.   I also felt guilt and anger, for the weeks of running around work, exhausted from the physical and emotional demands of my job.  I should have taken it easier.  I should have known that those tightenings in my stomach weren't normal.  I also felt anger towards my doctors for not prepping me for the warning signs of preterm labor and similar complications common in pregnancies with  multiples.

My recollection of that first week in the hospital is hazy, mostly due to the Magnesium drip I was on to stop my labor from progressing (I would not wish Magnesium on my worst enemy!).  The severity of the situation really hit me when the Neonatologist came down from the NICU and prepared us for what it would be like to give birth to twins at 25 weeks gestation.  I knew they were barely viable at that point.  Having worked in the NICU during grad school, I had seen what kinds of complications could befall infants born that prematurely.  I learned for every extra day a fetus stays growing in the womb, it is three less days spent in the NICU.  For every week, 3 less weeks in the NICU, and for every month, 3 less months in the NICU...not to mention a significant drop in long term complications due to prematurity.

At that point, about a week into my stay at the hospital, something I can only describe as "maternal determination" kicked in and  knew that I would do anything to keep those boys safe and growing in my belly for as long as possible (even if it meant going back on Magnesium!).

Fast forward to early July.  After spending 5 weeks in the hospital, I was deemed stable enough to be sent home on strict bed rest.  It is now almost 3 weeks later and we are all still hanging in there!  While it is much more comfortable to be on bed rest at home, it is still a physical and emotional challenge every day.  I have my dogs to keep me company and my family has been a great support, never leaving me home alone without a caretaker.

I'm learning a lot about myself, about my will and determination, and about what really matters in life.  I am reading a moderate amount (Anyone who knows me would think I would be relishing in this bed rest thing just for the opportunity to lay in bed all day and read!  Funny how when we actually get what we want it isn't quite what we thought it would be...). I have watched countless seasons of TV shows, movies, and documentaries (Thanks Netflix!). I have attempted any and all craft projects that can be completed with one hand while laying on my side and I think I am finally "crafted out".  I have "remote-set-up" the nursery with the amazing help of my Mom, best friend, and the use of Face Time (thanks Apple!).  Basically, I'm done, or ready to be done. The one small problem is that I may have weeks left to go...

While I'm trying to stay as positive and upbeat as possible (especially when well meaning people ask if I'm enjoying relaxing all day doing nothing), I continue to experience waves of other emotions, such as anger, frustration, and guilt.  I am frustrated at missing events such as weddings, birthdays (including my own, which was celebrated in the Hospital), births of friends' babies, anniversaries, and yes, even the opening of the final Harry Potter movie (although E did make me some amazing Butterbeer in honor of the event).  More than anything, I would love a haircut! And the ability to take a bath! And to be able to sit up while eating (I wonder, would that help with the constant reflux/heartburn?)  And to go outside!  And to cuddle with my husband!  E has been amazing through all of this, staying with me every night in the hospital, even though he got no sleep. I will never forget the time I got out of my hospital bed to take my 3 minute shower (literally the highlight of my day) only to find him half asleep on my bed when I returned, raving about how "this bed is so comfortable"!  Poor thing, if he thought MY bed was comfortable, then I can only imagine the awful rock he slept on for those 5 weeks.

Anyway, I digress, back to "emotions". Basically, what I am trying to say, is that these past 2 months have been an emotional roller coaster that is impossible to succinctly put into words for others who have not experienced it personally. That said, I have given my boys 8 extra weeks to grow big and strong in the safety of my womb, and that is a gift that will keep on giving for the rest of their lives!

Life Changes Quickly - Part 1

Over the last 5 weeks, many exciting events have occurred which I have meant to blog about. E completing a 100 mile ultra marathon and finishing my first year of working in the school system are just a few that the procrastinator in me has put off chronicling.  I hope to get to these soon, but first there is something else I am finally ready to blog about:

It is truly amazing how things can change in the blink of an eye.  What began as my first day of summer break ended with admittance to the hospital indefinitely.  The day started with a 2 hour wait at the Perinatologist's office. I was infuriated at the wait. I had things to do! My plans for the summer were to scour every consignment and craft store, coming up with unique and handcrafted pieces for the boys' nursery, and I wanted to get started ASAP! What were those doctors thinking, making a pregnant woman, with double the raging hormones, wait so long for an appointment?  However, I had my levelheaded husband, E, with me, so we waited, and I'm so glad we did...

I could tell something was wrong as soon as we started the ultrasound.  The friendly ultrasound technician was not her usual chatty self.  Instead of describing what she was seeing like she usually did, she took a deep breath and announced she had to speak with the doctor.  She told us that my cervix had shortened significantly in a very brief time period.  The doctor sent us to the hospital and half an hour later, at barely 25 weeks pregnant, I was admitted for preterm labor.

I need a few days to compose part 2...

San-Cap

E and I decided to spend our wedding anniversary in a place we both love- Sanibel Island.  We honeymooned there and have spent several long weekends biking, shelling, and eating our way across the small beach town.  

We ate at The Bubble Room our first night and took our traditional pic on the "love boat"

One of our favorite things about BR is the desserts (of course)!  Every cake we have ever tried is delicious.  They bake them from scratch every day.  Our personal favorites are Orange Dream and Red Velvet.

Saturday was spent reading on the beach (my favorite activity) and shelling (E's favorite activity).

Sanibel is known for its shelling. Low tide was at 8:00 am.  By 7:00 there were tons of people on the beach, equipped with nets and buckets, scouring the huge piles of shells along the shore.

I decided to take a break from Bossypants to do some shelling...it lasted about 5 minutes - I realized bending over to pick them up is not so easy anymore!

Another one of our favorite food spots.  Every meal there is delicious!

Nothing beats watching a Sanibel sunset and looking for the green flash!

On the drive back, we were ambushed by swarms of love bugs.  You could literally see black clouds of bugs  flying at the car.  

Ode to My Best Friend

Dear E,

Do you remember the poem you wrote me years ago? It was during our pen pal days and it was the sweetest thing ever.  Well, last night, when you rolled over at 1:30 AM and asked what I was doing, I was finally returning the gesture. (I've decided pregnancy induced insomnia may as well be productive, rather than simply a pain in the ass) I had such a great time celebrating our anniversary this weekend that it put me in a rare lovey dovey mood. So, while it's not up to par with my DSOA writing days, I hope you enjoy the sentiment behind it. (Plus, this is a good way to check if you actually read the blog)
XOXO,
~Gossip Girl ....J/K its really me, your CP


You chased me around the playground when we were 10 years old,
I had such a crush on the new kid, but this I never told.

In high school we were sweeties, you gave me a rose, then your heart,
I didn't realize 'til later that of love this was the start.

The next 5 years were difficult, long distance was all we knew,
Through letters, videos, and web chats our love grew and grew.

On 5.6.07 we did it, we officially became E-squared,
Surrounded by friends and family, our bond we firmly declared.

Our next chapter is even more exciting, with twin "little Es" on the way,
I hope they are just like their Daddy in every wonderful way.

MWAH!

My Growing Belly

When I first found out I was pregnant, I knew my body would be changing to accomodate my new "roomates", however actually experiencing the transformation has been nothing I could have ever imagined.  The biggest change has, obviously, been to my stomach.  What started out looking like a pretty respectable beer gut has transformed into a rock hard babies bump:)  I'm at the stage where people can tell I'm pregnant.  I no longer get those double takes and whispers at work, "she has a cute figure, but what is up with that gut?!" (yes one coworker actually said this!).  I still get the look of suprise and shocked response of, "OMG, you have twins in there?!" I dont know if I should take this as a compliment or an insult.  On the one hand, my body hasn't blown up to epic proportions (yet), but on the other, are they insinuating that I am doing something unhealthy to stunt the appropriate stomach size for twins?  I assure you, my doctors think my weight gain thus far is on par for a twin pregnancy.

Here is my tummy transformation so far:

Week 11 Bump

Week 13 Bump

Week 14 Bump

Week 15 Bump

Week 17 Bump

Week 19 Bump

Week 20 Bump (it's hard to see, but I gained 6 lbs in the 4 days between this photo and my week 19 photo!)