33 weeks 3 days w/ Belly Picture

Another week down. Not much longer to go. I really thought I would feel less movement the last few weeks since they don't have much room to move but boy was I wrong. They seem to wrestle and kick all day and night long. I still enjoy those sensations for the most part. Today I was poking at baby A (Andrew) and he'd push right back each time. I felt like we were playing a game. But- sometimes when one moves or rolls his whole body it causes both of them to stretch my belly into unnatural contortions. I'll have such a lopsided belly and you can see exactly where they are. It's pretty painful at times especially when baby B (Matthew) is in my ribs which happens all of time now.

I'm grateful that I have no responsibilities right now other than growing these babies for a few more weeks. I rarely sleep more than an hour or two straight b/c I am never comfortable and have to move from laying on my right side to my left side and so on constantly and moving this belly isn't an easy feat anymore... J will wake up to hearing me huffing and puffing and trying to get comfortable and I also have to pee every few hours all night long. Even thought I rarely get much sleep I am able to rest almost all day between hospital and doctor appointments. If I had other children that would not be the case. I still do more than I'm supposed to since I was ordered on bed rest but that is b/c I'm so restless and antsy at times and not b/c I have to. I am allowed to spent some time floating in a pool so I've been doing that a few days a week. It feels so great! I could stay in there all day. Not only does it feel great to feel weightless for a while but there are additional benefits. Constipation has been a major problem this entire pregnancy even w/ a daily dose of Colace and tons of fiber in my diet- but each time I spend time in the pool I seem to have a bowel movement later that day. TMI I know....but for someone that has been going only once a week it's seriously appreciated. It must be b/c the weight is lifted off of my intestines so things can move along or b/c I am able to move around some instead of being pretty much sedentary.

J got our car seats installed this weekend. It seems that most vehicles aren't built to handle two rear facing car seats. We have a Honda Pilot (SUV) which has 3 rows of seats and lots of room. But... most people have one baby under the age of one at a time and put the rear facing car seat in the middle seat. We had to put one behind the passenger and driver seats and they make it so there is no room to recline or put the front seats back very far. J can still drive but it won't be that comfortable.

Also on a side note- I know brown spots on the face are common in pregnancy and caused by hormones but I actually have several light colored markings. One looks like an irregular shaped (quarter sized) white spot on my cheek bone. I haven't heard anything about this happening. Anyone happen to know? Hopefully it goes away after I deliver b/c they are pretty noticeable and hard to cover up w/ make up. Another lovely side effect has been some spider veins on the side of my lower thighs. I know it's all for the best cause possible and I'm not that bothered by it. I'm still grateful that I've made it this far w/out stretch marks. Maybe...just maybe that will be something I can avoid which I think I certainly deserve with all I've gone through during this pregnancy. I already have several scars from both of my laparoscopies.

I have included a 33 week belly shot... (I also included one from when I was 16 weeks for comparison) ...and look at that road map of veins I have going on. Isn't it incredible that your blood volume increases so much.

I will be gone again for the next few days and checking back in on all of you next weekend.



33 weeks pregnant w/ twins




Belly shot from when I was 16 weeks pregnant w/ twins...for comparison