The belly....just a few days shy of 4 months....17 weeks

I will be four months in about 4 days. I realize I look HUGE or maybe that's just me, but I have only gained 3lbs. I was really concerned for a while because of the belly growth and the lack of weight gain. My doctor assured me it is perfectly normal and I and the Boys are in great health. Corey and I head back to our doctor on Jan 17th (that's when we were supposed to find out the sex). After that visit I should start going once every two weeks instead of once a month. We are going to have a level 2 sonogram in Little Rock on Jan 13th. We will meet with a Geneticist and several other doctors at the time. I believe there are going to be 5 doctors and the sonogram tech in the room with us. The reason for such an involved sonogram is simply multiples. Anything more than one baby is considered high risk.

We will be posting again after the New Year for sure if not sooner. HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

They are.......BOYS!!!

That's right it was RALPH & ROGER that have come back to haunt us (Corey's Grandfather and Great Uncle). And here I thought it was Ira and Inez (My Great Grandmother and Great Great Aunt). The sonogram's below. I also scanned a few of the pics. They aren't great pics but you can see they are BOYS!!! Corey and I still don't have a camera and I keep forgetting to borrow Brooke's to take a picture of my belly, but I can assure you I have one now. I have only gained 3lbs but the doctor said that's normal and everything looked wonderful!

Update on the TWINS!!!

Corey and I went to the doctor this morning. The first thing the doctor did was check for the heartbeats. He was able to find one but couldn't pin down the other. The ultrasound tech was out today so he took us down to the room and we figured out how to turn the machine on. Luckily it was a no fuss machine...once it was on it was user ready. He used the wand that goes on the belly. They are both on my left side just hanging out. They are so much bigger that they were last time. We could actually see their little arms and legs. The one on the left is WILD!!! Jumping and wiggling. It was the cutest thing. The other one moved but not with near as much enthusiasm. He said they looked healthy and everything seemed to be going fine. We didn't get a DVD this time because none of us knew how to work it and we didn't think about taking any pics of the screen until we had left the doctor's office. We were just so excited to see them we forgot about it.

We were able to ask a few questions...
I ask if it was normal to have gained only one pound. He said it was and ask how active I had been. For those of you who know I haven't been active at all. I've felt too pathetic :) He did tell me I could return to normal gym activity (after I explained what all I do at the gym).

I told him my belly had grown 4 inches and that's why I was a little concerned about my lack of weight gain...he eyed me and said "I don't recommend women carrying twins measure their belly's. There will be some numbers that come up soon enough you will not want to see." I laughed hard and he said, "Just let me measure you when you come in."

Next I ask what my doctor visit schedule would be. He said it would be every four weeks until week 20. Then it will be every two weeks until week 26(most likely) and then it will be every week. I'm already 12weeks...I'll be going every other week after only two more visits.

I ask him what the process would be to test the babies for Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT). I ask if a geneticist would be present when the babies are born and if they could get tested right away.. FYI: CMT is a nerve disorder that runs in my family. My Grandmother, Mother, Brother and Sister all have it. I have never shown any signs of the disorder but I have never had the test done to see if I have the disorder. He said when carrying twins he will send us to a specialist in Little Rock for a level 2 sonogram. This will be a more in depth test to check the health of the babies due to higher risks with multiples. At this time a geneticist will be present and will let us know more about what to expect.

I am so sorry we don't have any footage. I wish I could telepathically send you the images I have stored in my head. They were so very cute jumping and bouncing around. All that matters, though, is the doctor said everything looks wonderful and the babies look very healthy!!! I'll be the full 12 weeks on Monday so I will take a pic of my belly and post it. Get ready because it has GROWN!!!

Prego Update...

Things are progressing well. We are praying they continue to do so. As most of you know the twins are kicking my rear. I have only been sick one time but I have been miserable ALL day EVERYDAY!!! It's not much fun but it will all be worth it. Corey has been doing anything and everything to take care of me. He is the BEST husband ever. This coming week is going to be a HUGE challenge. I am responsible for interviewing all of our prior and new employees. This week's the interviews for all prior employees. I will be on the road working 10+ hour days. Corey and I hit the store today and bought a lot of snacks for me to carry in my car with me this week. I even have little Gatorade's and juice's to put in an ice chest. Well enough of all this boring stuff.

The twins will be an inch long each as of tomorrow! It is crazy how fast they are growing. I read that if they were to grow at the rate they are growing right now the first month after they are born they would be 15 feet tall. CRAZY!!!

Here's a pic of my belly. Corey claims it's getting bigger. I think it's just that I ate dinner before he took this pic :) As for my pants not fitting that's just a coincidence, right? :)

Video of First Sonogram....TWINS!!!

Here's the video. It's really long so don't bore yourself with the full 12+mins. Nothing of interest happens after the first 5mins. Both babies had a heart rate of 146. The second baby, Baby B's, heart beat was louder and more powerful. At least it sounded that way to Corey and I. Maybe the wand was just closer to it than BabyA.

That's RIGHT we are Pregnant with TWINS!!!

We are soooooooo EXCITED!!! We have been praying for multiples and God has blessed us with them. We would like to thank everyone who's been praying for us. Here are a few pics of the sonogram and one of me from a few weeks back at 4wks prego! We are currently 7wks and 3days. I'm trying to post a video but it didn't work the first time. I'll try again.

The Final Pics...For Now Anyway :)

Don't be mad I have an explanation! I realise it has been a LONG time since I said I'd get these final pictures up, but our camera BROKE!!! I finally borrowed Brooke's and now have pictures. I realized after I uploaded the pictures I don't have any of the laundry room, front door or garage. Also, there aren't any new ones of the outside in the front of the house but nothing has changed. We haven't done any landscaping. So without further a do her are the pics... PS: Oz is the star of several pictures...He couldn't understand why mommy was running around the house taking pictures...Isn't he just too cute!!!

Master bedroom view from door.

Master bedroom view from opposite corner

Master bedroom couch view.

Master bath sink view.

Master bath tub view

Master shower HALF of the view. The flash wouldn't let me take the shot of the other half of it.

Part of the master closet.

Front study off of the foyer.

Front study closet (where I put Corey's desk :)

Living room view from front foyer.

Living room from the adjacent corner facing the front door and dining room.

Dining room.

Front hallway to guest rooms and Jack N Jill Bath room on right. Guest bathroom on left.

First Guest room.

Jack N Jill sink area

Jack N Jill tub area.

Second guest bedroom.

Breakfast area off kitchen and living room.

Opposite view of breakfast area.

Kitchen view from back hall.

Cook top in kitchen.

Kitchen view facing back hall.

Back hall.

Guest bath sink view.

Guest bath view facing back hall door.

Guest bath view facing front hall.

2nd Back hall. Laundry room on left and Greatroom straight ahead.

Bar area facing pool outside.

Bar area with all of Corey's shot glasses.

Front wall with African animals (and a West Texas Pronghorn) of the Greatroom.

Back wall of the Greatroom with the Giraffe and my office off to the right.

Wall past the bar with doors out to the Greatroom porch and pool area. Texas Deer Section.

Greatroom Porch and Bar Area.

Living room/Kitchen Porch TV.

Living room/Kitchen Porch Fireplace.

Swimming Pool. Sorry the fountains are not going. The ground was really wet and I didn't want to walk around to turn them on and I couldn't get the remote to work.

Quick and simple......I APOLOGIZE :(

Yes, I know....You're out there and you are not happy with me.....BUT.....It's really not my fault.

I haven't posted since I left for my first trip and that is just not right. I would have but I only had a 36hr break in between and when I arrived from the second trip we moved in less than 18hrs. It was crazy and to make matters worse the telephone/internet people never showed up on July 9th to install our service(the day we moved). Finally after 4 days of calling and talking to people that didn't know how to help me and having them call me back to tell me they still didn't know how to help me I received a phone call letting me know it could be 90days before we found out if we could get service. I made it very clear we were new construction when I made the call for service on June 5th and was reasured it would not be an issue because we were in an establised area ( YEAH RIGHT). UHHHHHHH!!!!!! Anyway....I contacted the local cable company last Thursday and they sent out a tech on Friday who performed a spec call to see if would could get service through them and the are "supposed" to be here tomorrow to install internet and phone lines....we'll see. I am currently using Brooke's air card, which does NOT work in the house along with any cell phone because of the nice reflective stuff on the roofing material that cuts down on the utilities LOL :) I have a cell phone booster, but I'm waiting on the electrician to install it, because we have the set up for it to be ran through the entire house, but I don't have clue how to do it. Because I am having to sit outside just to post this, I am unable to upload pics and all the other stuff I want to.

So....prepare yourselves...the next posting will be VERY LONG and VERY INVOLVED.


WE ARE MOVED IN...UNPACKED...AND DECORATED!!!!!!!!! :)

Rain...

Well, it RAINED today for those of you NOT in East Texas and it rained a LOT!!! I was out of town for most of the day, but made it out to the house late. It is a mushy mess right now. I don't have any new pictures to post because the only thing going on inside of the house it tile. I will try to get some tomorrow. Tim, the tile guy's, working on the master shower and bath right now. I leave in less than 18hrs and adding that up to type the right hours just gave me a heart attache......seriously I need oxygen...Corey's at work and I can't breath......I'm okay. I just need to have faith that all will work out and it's just moving a house nothing serious or dangerous. It's all about perspective.

The rock's back... :)

I am sooooo excited. Brooke, Andrew and I stopped at the house today after hitting the shooting range. IT IS AMAZING!!! The mason workers were back yesterday and today and the inside fireplace and the kitchen cook top area is as well should be finished already. I can't believe it will all the house will be finished while I'm out of town. Corey can handle everything that's happening. The electricians should be done tomorrow with all the final installs. John told me today he's contacting the plumber to complete is final item installs, the septic and gas tank. I can't tell y'all how giddy I am. It's like Christmas EVERY day :)

We have officially booked the movers. We are moving on July 9th!!! YES, YES, YES I know I don't get back until July 8th (except for a 32hr U.S. layover! I have already started packing, as of today. Thank goodness for all the prep work I did several months ago. I spent several days "purging" during late April. It was easy...I know I was shocked as well. The laundry room, my bathroom, the living room and 1/3 of the kitchen are PACKED!!! I only spent the latter part of the afternoon packing (about 3hrs.) I couldn't finish the kitchen because I don't have anything to use on the breakable stuff. I feel like I should be done with all the packing by Tuesday 12pm. We are packing everything that's inside...ie....if you show up right now and open a cabinet door in the laundry room or my bathroom or the entertainment center you will find NOTHING!!! We have to leave all the other items because we haven't sold the house yet and we want it to look really good and staged when it is shown. Corey convinced me to list the house with realtor tomorrow. I guess it's that time.

Here's a few pics from today.

Late May Update...Let us know what you think :)

Here are several new pictures of the house. Update is...we are really close to having the painting done as you will see in several pictures. The landscaping is being worked on. They are building retaining walls in the front. The pool pump was put in this week. The electrician was supposed to be there on Thursday to start work on putting the lights in and other electrical finishes. The tile guy has been working for two days and has the step into the tub built and the shower floor and bench finished. The tile should be in on Monday. Things are really coming together. We can't wait to see it all finished.The Above Picture is the front of the house at this time. You can see a little of the retaining walls being built on the front left.

The above picture is a close-up of the retaining walls. They are covered in the same flagstone the column bases and fireplace hearths are capped in.

The above picture shows one of the back porches with the cedar columns set.
The above pictures are of the Great Room. One is it being painted and the other is the finished product.

Here are three pics of the kitchen with the Granite set in.

The below picture is taken from the breakfast/bar area off the kitchen looking towards the front door. The columns are cedar.

This picture is of the Powder Bath. The blue didn't photograph well it's not a bright/baby blue...it's more a aqua/Mediterranean/deep blue.

These last two are of the master bathroom with the granite set in.