has it really been a year since my last post? oh my I'm sorry..

Well it worked! Thank you Jesus. Thank you for our perfect family!

So most of our readers already know we had our two beautiful babies. Our son Hendrix and our daughter Vivienne were born on October 31, 2010. Yep we had HALLOWEEN Boo-BABIES!! Life has been so crazy which is why we haven't published a post in over a year. We had a facebook account that we would update, but made a family decision to update our blog and delete our fb account. So from this moment forward we will post all our thoughts, fun-filled family adventures and photos on our blog for our family and friends to stay up to date with our busy lives.

That is all for now, but I promise to blog again very soon.

Hugs to all of y'all!! Happy Holidays!! God Bless.

3-D ultrasound ROCKS!




Vivienne is on the left (baby b)
&
 Hendrix is on the right (baby a)

Today was our 28 weeks check up and ultra sound appointment. As you can see we were able to get the 3-D ultra sound! How cool is that?!  I just cried when I saw them because they look so beautiful and perfect. Well I guess every mother and father say that about their children, but come on...look at them...they are super cute. hahehahehahe. 

Our appointment was great! I gained another 2 1/2 pounds. Vivienne's weight was 2 lbs. 6 oz. & Hendrix weighted at 2 lbs. 11 oz. which is right on target for where they need to be at 28 weeks.  My due date is still on 11/30 and as of now both babies are facing head down.  My doctor did suggest for me to invest in a tummy cradle for support. I did not want to do it at first, but with the extreme back pain I experience everyday I decided to take her advice. I will update you all on that when  I get it. Hopefully it works as well as my doctor says it does.

As for me I feel great minus my back pain. I stopped working on September 2nd due to doctors orders. It was so weird at first not working, but now I'm starting to enjoy it. ha. I just feel guilty seeing Ray go to work everyday. I feel like he should rest up too before the big event in November. Oh well...what is a mom-to-be suppose to do? hahaha. Here is a photo of my belly at 28 weeks...

I am getting HUGE!  Ray has big hands and my belly makes his hands look tiny. hahaha.  My doctor said I am measuring at 39 weeks which is FULL TERM. Oh myyyyyyy  I just have no idea what I am going to look like in 8 to 10 more weeks.  Most of my family and friends that I talk to say they don't think I will make it to 11/30, but for some odd reason I do. I guess time will only tell.

Well that is it for now. Love y'all!

-Jules

 

Strong HEARTS!!

As you all know in our last ultrasound post back in July we were going to have to have another level II ultrasound to check Vivienne's heart. Today was the day and her heart along with her brother's heart is STRONG and working perfectly!!!!!!! It was such a wonderful relief to have our doctor confirm that the babies were developing perfectly. Both Vivi and Hendrix looked so big. It amazed us to see how much they grew in one month. The ultrasound was very clear and we were able to have a better idea of what they looked like. I personally think Hendrix has his fathers nose. Vivi looked like she had nice full lips. If that is true we really have to thank Aunt Brittany for that one. hahaha. Here are two profile photos of the twins.

Hendrix is facing down and Vivienne is breech. When the ultrasound tech showed us a view of both babies Vivi was kicking Hendrix in the head. hahahahaha. They each weigh 1 pound 5 ounces. Our doctor said that each one weighed what a single pregnancy baby would weigh.


As for me I'm 24 weeks, but my belly is measuring 35weeks! My weight gain is normal although I have gained 24 pounds. So I guess you can say one pound per week. I was frightened when I saw my weight gain, but my doctor said that my weight gain is very healthy and normal for twins and not to be concerned. She said her average mom-to-be that is pregnant with just one baby can put on 25-30 pounds in the first 25 weeks. So considering that I'm pregnant with two babies versus one I'm doing really well with my weight gain. All I can say is from this point going forward I will walk onto the scale backwards. I don't want to see my weight "gain" anymore. It scared me. Some symptoms I have had are numbness in my feet and hands. When I wake up in the morning my hands are so numb to the point I can't feel them. My feet by the end of the day are so swollen that I have to prop them up. I can't fit into my shoes so flip flops have been my fashion statement for months. hahahehe. I'm not sure what I'm going to do when the cooler weather approaches New England. I guess I will wear my uggs. ha. Ray says I snore which I have never done before. I feel so bad for him because I make it difficult for him to sleep at night. When I told my doctor about these symptoms she said it was very normal for most pregnancies. I was also told that in the next four weeks I will need to stop driving so much and work from home. Please pray for me that my employer will allow this. If not I will have no choice but to go on disability earlier than expected. So I feel GREAT minus a few symptoms and I'm loving being pregnant!


Ray's update...stress (hahahahaha). Ray is busy working and then working more when he gets home and on the weekends. We finished painting our 3 rooms upstairs and tomorrow our new carpet for our family room, office, upstairs hallway and our staircase is being installed. Ray still has to put the rest of the nursery furniture together this weekend and then all that is left is decorating. YaY! We are so happy to get all of this done and out of the way before the twins arrive. Our good friends who just had their precious little baby girl gave us solid advice. They said, "get everything done and have your bag ready to go for the hospital. that way you will only have to focus on your babies when you come home." So that is our plan. Plus who knows when our babies will decide to arrive. I just think it is best to be done with it and relax before the storm comes. ha.


Our next doctors appointment is in two weeks for another check up and my ultra sound is in another month. I do have to go take a glucose test sometime between 9/7-9/21. I heard the dextrose drink I have to take is very sweet. From what I heard I drink this sweet drink, wait an hour, and then get my blood drawn. If the blood sugar value is elevated then I will have to schedule for a three hour glucose tolerance test. My doctor said approximately 20% of patients will need to go on to the three hour test. Only about 20% of the three hour patients will prove to have pregnancy related diabetes. She said usually a patient will only have to alter her diet and exercise to control pregnancy related diabetes and that it is quite unusual for a patient to need insulin. I am just not going to eat or drink anything with sugar in it for a few day before the test. I DO NOT want to take the three hour test. It sounds AWFUL. We promise to keep you updated with our appointment and of course our many ultrasounds.


Thank you for your prayers and support. We love y'all!


R&J

Pic of my belly

Here are a few photos of my belly. Also I included pictures of me and Papa (Ray's dad). We started a BELLY CONTEST back in the very beginning to see how long it took me to out grow his belly. It has been a fun time doing this contest. I think I'm now winning, but it did take me 22 weeks to out grow him. ha. Enjoy the photos.

Me at 22 weeks!

Me & Papa, 22 weeks, 8.14.10 -I think I'm winning now!

Me & Papa, 18 weeks, 7.14.10

Me & Papa, 9 weeks, 5.15.10

Me and Papa at 7 weeks, 5.1.10


Love,
Julie

Photos from TEXAS

Here a a few photos of our trip to TEXAS for our baby shower. Enjoy.




Mom, Jeff & Ray





Me & Ray

Our Cake. YUMMY.

Christina, Me, Jackie

Last but not least...all my beautiful friends in TEXAS. I LOVE Y'ALL so much. Thank you for all your support. Hendirx and Vivi are so lucky to have so many AUNTIES that love them. Ray and I will always remember all that you did for us. We had the BEST SHOWER and we have so many memories to share with our children.

We Love you all so much.

Ray & Jules

Level II Ultra Sound Photo, July 22, 2010

Here is the ultra sound photo of Hendrix and Vivi. This is at 20 weeks.

drum roll please...........

(The above was the cake-topper at our Texas baby shower!)

We are having a boy and a girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG we are so EXCITED! The thrill of knowing what our two little twins are is the most amazing feeling in the world. We can now call them by their names instead of twin A and twin B. Our sweet boy is Hendrix Ray, yes after the one and only Jimi Hendrix. Our precious little girl is Vivienne Lynne.

As for our appointment, both twins look wonderful and are perfectly healthy so far. Hendrix is 11oz and Vivi is 9oz. They looked so perfect in the ultrasound. Hendrix was waving and moving around non-stop and Vivi was giving us the thumbs up! hahahaha. As most of you know Brittany Lynne (my little sis AKA our egg donor) goes to school at Texas A&M. At this school Gig'em is what all the students and Aggie fans say to represent their school. When you say "Gig'em, Aggies!" you need to make a fist with your thumb extended straight up. (if you curious of this tradition check out this website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditions_of_Texas_A%26M_University) Anyway, our point is that little Vivienne is giving the thumbs up for her Aunt Brittany!

We do have to go back to get a second ultra sound next month just to double check Vivi's heart. The doctor said it is nothing to worry about, but today she was facing down and they couldn't get a clear picture of her heart. So please keep them in your prayers that they continue to grow strong and healthy.

As for us we can't stop smiling. Neither one of us have ever experienced this much joy. It was so exciting calling the grandparents on three-way so we could tell them all at the same time. I don't think I have ever heard my mom (who will be called YaYa) and Ray's mom (who we would like to be called Mamyte which is a very endearing way to say mom in Lithuanian) scream so loud. hahahaha. It was so awesome! Ray's dad (we're not sure what he will be called yet) was very excited too, but it was hard to hear him over the loud excitement of the two grandmas! hahahaha.

Thank you for all your emails, text messages and phone calls. We are so happy you all love us and our children so much. They are very lucky to be born into a life full of love.

Hugs & Kisses,
Ray & Jules