Weekend

Saturday we mat with a Realtor to see a couple of houses we found online. Only one even had potential. We need more space than we have, we want to be closer to the kids' other houses, and we don't want to pay as much as we are for rent if we can get into a house we can own. Mom has spent a lot of time helping us search while she has been here. Dad has been chauffering her around to various locations so she does not get lost.

After we looked at the houses, mom and dad took us to a breakfast buffet for brunch. Then, sice we were in the neighborhood, we visited one of Mike's friends. Then we went home. it was late afternoon and Mike had to go into work. I tried to get the babies to sleep so I could take a nap, but their restful time is in the morning. So after having a day without a nap, I had a completely sleepless night. Then, of course it was Sunday, and while I am thankful that our services start at 12:30 instead of 8:30, It again made it impossible to get my good sleep. I was heading for another sleepless night, but after Devanie arrived here after 10pm, she and mom got settled, I fed th babies AGAIN and it was nearly 1am, they decided to take the babies and keep them in the living room. The babies slept on Mom and Devanie's chest until 6:30 when everybody had to get up for school and work. I don't know how I would have survived without that.

The kids are excited to have their cousins here. I am excited that the weekend is over and I don't have to go anywhere or do anything I don't want to.

Two Weeks

The twins are two weeks old today. It seems like forever ago that I was in the hospital. The discomfort of pregnancy is a vague memory. Now I have the "discomfort" of little mouths chomping down on my nipples for a total of 8 hours a day and sliced up gut.

My stitches were reinforced with tape, which was taken off at my Dr. Appointment Wednesday. Since then, I have renewed sensitivity. All I do these days is eat, feed, and try to catch up on sleep. Still, it makes me weepy to think how blessed I am. I love to hold and smell and kiss my babies. Years ago, I thought I would not have any more. Now I have two precious, perfect darlings.

Their faces are changing and becoming a little more alike. They do both have matching dimples on their right cheek. Anastasia still spends more time with her eyes open. Today she was looking around, but starting to get a little fussy, so I sang to her. She smiled and listened intently. She did that in the hospital too. My children are my favorite audience. I love it when Andrew or Claire ask me to sing to them.

Mike has been pretty busy at work for the past few days, but when he has a spare second, he is fun to watch with his little girls. I love to see him love on 'em and get excited about their responses to him. They love their daddy.

Go Ahead, Hate Me

My babies are 10 days old. I am now at my pre-pregnancy weight of 110 lbs. I expect that I will still drop down another 7lbs or so. I need to start exercising to help regulate my thyroid and build some muscle density. At least I have room in my stomach now so I can eat like I like to. My ankles look as scrawny as the babies now. It took several days for the swelling to go down, but down it is. It has also taken a lot longer for my stomach to shrink, because it was so distended, but as of today, I don't really look pregnant any more--just poochy.

I had Isaac c-section, and I remember recovery being more painful with him. Maybe that is because I had staples then. They just put me together with string and tape this time. It is really starting to itch. I know that is a good sign, but it's not a good feeling. At least my uterus isn't cramping when I feed the babies anymore.

They are eating fairly well. Sometimes I feed them tandem, but mostly I do it one on one. I was kind of trying t keep them on a similar schedule, but with tiny babies, it really is best to let them do their thing. As they get into a more regular routine, then I can step in and regulate it.

Mom and Dad Skembo were here until Saturday. My parents came in on Friday, so there was a really short overlap, which was actually kind of disappointing because Mike's mom and mine get along so well.

The babies and I had our first outing since coming home from the hospital on Saturday, when we all (Skembos, Lays, babies and kids) went out for brunch at IHOP. I inhaled mine. Later that afternoon, my mom took the kids shopping. She spent today with them as well at the movie theater. Dad was here most of the time. But every time he leaves, he comes back with more groceries. Maybe I won't drop another 7 lbs after all.

One of These Kids is Not Like the Other

I have been trying for a few days to get some distinctive pictures, but the girls won't open their eyes long enough (when I am close to the camera) to give you a good shot, so you are going to have to take my word for it. Anastasia and Amelia are not identical twins.

Grandma Skembo says Anastasia (Left in top picture) has a bigger lower lip and Amelia has a bigger top lip. Anastasia's eyes round out, where Amelia's are deeper set. Anastasia has a receding chin and Amelia has a cleft in her chin.

The way I see it, Anastasia looks more like her dad's side, and Amelia looks more like my side. Either way you look at it, they are precious, perfect princesses. Neither of them have defined eyebrows and the both have short, light lashes. Fortunately they are girls and just around puberty, they will be endowed with Makeup.


The two pictures with the open eyes are Anastasia after her first bath. She is more alert than her sister at this point. Then again, she seems more alert than her other sister as well.

They're Heere

Anastasia Llynn Skembo arrived into the world at 7:56 Am Friday January 11, 2008. She was followed immediately thereafter by Amelia Consuela at 7:57. Anastasia was 6 pounds, 2.7 ounces and 17 1/4 inches long. Amelia was 6 pounds, 3 ounces with a striking additional length of 19 inches. Amelia was the one on the left in my womb who had her feet so much in my ribs. Here is a picture of them in the hospital bed positioned about exactly the way they were for so many months. Anastasia's head is a little pointy because of how low she was in my pelvis.

They had a hard time with nursing because of how early they were born. They slept most of the first day and would not wake up to nurse or suck once they latched on.

Their siblings came to visit a couple of times over the weekend. It has been wonderful to see their excitement and love. It makes us a complete family.

The girls arrived home with Mother late Monday afternoon.

I will keep it short for those with short attention spans. I know you only want to see the pictures anyway.

Last Look

This is what a sexy-hot mother of twins looks like the night before she delivers.

It's Time!

Today is my last pregnant day. I have to be at the hospital at 5:30 tomorrow (Friday, Jan. 11th) so that I can be prepped for my 7:30 surgery. I went to the doctor yesterday morning and they talked about checking to see if there had become any openings on the 16th because the last I spoke with them, I wanted to wait another weekend. I told them to just keep the appointment we had. After last weekend, I lost all interest in waiting.

Church was ridiculously uncomfortable. I stood up to bear my testimony and couldn't talk because I couldn't breathe because of a sudden back spasm. The Relief Society President said the bishopric sitting on the stand behind me were really funny the way they panicked. The last hour of church I spent breathing through contractions and trying to keep my leg where it wouldn't puff up out of my shoes. Then I found out that one of the sisters in my ward, who is a Labor and Delivery nurse at the hospital I am going to was scheduled to be in the OR the morning of my c-section. She only works one day a week for half a day, and that is where she happens to be. I figured that was a good enough sign that the babies would be fine.

Mom said MaryAnne and Molly were due on the 27th of Nov. and were born on the 4th. If mine are due on the 29th and come on the 11th, they have still had more time in than mom's kids. I am not looking forward to c-section recovery, having experienced it before, but I am resigned to it.

Mom said she was 60 inches tall and 50 inches around by the end of her pregnancy. I am holding pretty steady around 43 inches in circumference at 62 inches tall. I guess that two more inches in height makes a lot more room so they don't have to poke out so much. And they are certainly using every bit of space they have. I get a foot all the way up in my sternum. It pokes out between the ribs.

Mike and his dad insisted yesterday that I get pampered with a manicure and pedicure. Who am I to resist patriarchal authority? So I have supersoft feet and matching french manicure polish on my toes and fingers--and swollen, ugly pig feet.

I have not packed my hospital bag or anything so far. I feel like I am having the opposite of the nesting urge. I think that's the problem with having unnatural delivery. Your body doesn't give you all those neat preparation cues. Maybe I can make an effort, though.

I got the crib all made up yesterday. It made me cry. I'm so excited to have two little babies in my house. I think there is nothing in the world I love more than an infant. But I am so not ready. It still seems so unreal to me.

When I pass by the mirror, I laugh at myself. Mike keeps using the word caricature. I guess that is appropriate, except that it is my head and legs that are disproportionately tiny.

I am not having the baby on the 16th after all because the hospital will only schedule so many c-sections a day. The doctor went ahead and scheduled me for the 11th, but I am not comfortable with that. I want at least another weekend to have a chance to deliver them normally. I suggested to the receptionist that we could fake an emergency c-section. She smiled over the phone and suggested I talk to the Doctor about that when I see him on the ninth.

Consie arrived last night. Today we have set a wonderfully slow pace for ourselves. We have managed to tidy things up a bit without undue strain. Consie is still recovering from an accident where she broke her neck and arm. She is certainly more functional than I am, at this point.

We are having a good time.

Solo

Happy New Year!

It is 5:15 Am and I have already eaten breakfast, taken my husband to the airport and returned. He will be return in 5 days--unless I call him to change his flight and get his butt back home. Yesterday I took the kids back to Hallsville for the rest of the week. That means I am all alone--except for what's in my belly. Mike's mom should be here tomorrow or Friday.

Now I am going to do what I usually do at this time of day.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZz