5 Months Along and Growing Strong!

As I sit here, the Twinsies are having a kick-boxing match in my belly! We have officially completed 21 weeks (that puts us in the 5 month category). The babies have grown very fast in the past few weeks and are really healthy. Dr. Hartford did an extra long ultrasound yesterday to measure them and they are growing just like a singleton baby. They are still measuring due on October 7. Iggy (the boy - it's his nickname, don't worry) is has claimed the left side of me for his own and likes to fight Hermie (the girl - her nickname, too) for dominance. So far, Hermie is winning though. In the ultrasound, she is a good four inches higher in my stomach than Iggy is. As of yesterday, she is about 5 inches above my belly button.

The babies have been very active in the late morning, late afternoon and just before I go to bed. Today, though, they have been kicking me for the past 3 hours. Wow! Is this what we have to look forward to? We can't wait!

As the babies have been growing, so has my belly. I was just complaining to Eddie that I did not look pregnant. I really need to keep my mouth shut! All of a sudden, my belly has been growing and every day, it seems to have grown more. I am wearing this fun contraption called a Baby Hugger to help lift the babies and support my belly and back. It looks very intimidating, but it is really helping.

My nausea has decreased, but pops up every once in a while. Usually, it pops up when I have to go to work or I get in a car. Now I am mostly just tired, and it is a wonderful excuse to take a nap.

My sisters are planning an All-Girl baby shower for July 15th and our really-great friends are planning a Friends and Family baby shower luau for July 29. Watch the mail! You will be receiving invitations soon. If you can't come, we will miss you terribly!

We don't have any new pictures, but maybe I'll get Eddie to take a picture of me so you can see how much the three of us have grown. A lady today asked me how far along I was and when I said 5 months, she was stunned. When I told her I am having twins, she seemed relieved. :)

The Answer to the $64 Million Question

Today we went for our official Genetic testing. Once we made it super clear that we weren't interested in an amnio, the genetic counselor told us that Dr. De Vore is actually world-renowned for diagnosing birth defects using 4D ultrasounds and we would not need to have an amnio. He still managed to scare Ed pretty badly, but that was only until the ultrasound started. Dr. De Vore measured the babies' heads, their neck folds (I didn't know babies had those). their heart efficiency and a few other things.

And then he asked us the big question, "Are you interested in knowing the babies' sexes?"

"Yes," we both replied, enthusiastically!

"The baby on the right is a girl." Yay!

"And the baby on the left is a boy!" Yay again!

Ed was so overcome with emotion that he didn't even see the images on the screen where you could definitely see one was a girl and one was a boy. Needless to say, we have played that DVD (they gave us one for free!) over and over again. He now has proof!

We are beside ourselves with excitement. Oh, and both of the babies are very healthy and there is no sign of any kind of problem. Even better -- we get to go back every 3 weeks to see them again and make sure they are growing properly.

Ed and I went a little crazy at Babies R Us this afternoon. I'm not even sure what we registered for. Luckily, I can go back and edit things on the internet. Who knows if we really will need 10 packs of diapers. Although, everyone keeps assuring me that I'll go through a pack a week. Yikes!