Changes

Thirty-three days ago my life forever changed. Before I could hop in my car and drive to the grocery store without thinking a thing of it. Need toothpaste, I'll go get it. We attended all of the Thunder games. I could go to the gym whenever I pleased and sleep, showering and makeup were never considered a luxury.

Now in one day I change roughly 16 diapers, wash, fill and feed 16 bottles, use the big blue bulb to remove green stuff from little tiny nasal passages, do massive amounts of laundry and after a sleepless night and a long day of fussy babies I hope to have a smile on my face when Trent gets home from work.

BUT...when I look at these faces it makes everything all worth it. I never knew I could love something so much. I love to kiss their tiny cheeks, their tiny toes and their little button noses. My heart melts when I feed them a bottle and they look up at me with those big eyes that tell me they feel safe. Oh how I love these boys.

In a few weeks I will return to work; I will so miss those 16 bottles and 16 diaper changes.

* The picture above was taken when they were 10 days old. Brooks is on the left and Jackson is on the right.

Christmas Shopping

I can't believe Christmas is just a few weeks away. I've done a little shopping, but have more to do. This post is just a reminder that Kathleen's Etsy shop has been updated with lots of fabulous handmade items and all proceeds benefit their adoption fund.

What a great way to get some Christmas shopping done and to help them in their quest, which will give Jackson and Brooks another cousin.

Click here to see all her newly added items.

She made us the stockings and they are adorable!

Got Milk?

Here is a video Trent took of Jackson rooting around...all he could only find was his brothers head.

Pretty cute!




They went to the doctor yesterday and in 10 days they each gained 1 lb. Jackson now weighs 6 lbs 6 oz and Brooks weighs 6 lbs 3 oz. Way to GROW Boys!

Say Cheese - #2

Pictures from the Boys newborn photo session are available for viewing until December 5th. Click here, then go to the Client section and enter the password Bridges.

Here are a few videos I took during the photo session.

M.O.M (Moms of Multiples)

I love this video!

Since I haven't ventured to the outside world with the boys yet I haven't received this full peppering of questions, however I did get A LOT of them while I was pregnant.

My favorite question in this video...

Which one is your favorite? Answer: The one that isn't screaming.

Enjoy!

Peaceful

Two Weeks Old

I'm a little delayed in posting their two week photos, however here they are just after their bath on Saturday.

Say Cheese

The boys had their newborn photo session last Wednesday. The photographers came to the house and set up in the living room and also took some pictures in their nursery. They were true Baby Whisperers. The boys slept most of the time, which aloud Megan to place them just right. For a sneak peak of some of the pictures please click here.

The rest of the photos should be ready to view after Thanksgiving. I will post a new link at that time.

Two Week Appointment

After delivery, Brooks and Jackson both lost some weight. Jackson dropped down to 5 lbs and Brooks was down to 4 lbs 12 oz. I was a little concerned about Brooks' weight loss, but the doctor assured me it was normal.

We had our two week appointment yesterday and Doctor V said both boys are doing great. Jackson is back to his birth weight and Brooks just has a few ounces to go.

Introducing Jackson and Brooks Bridges

Hi, I'm Jackson.

I have some jammies that say Wild Thing and I think this best describes me. I’m the big brother (but just by 1 minute), I really want to be held and rocked and I love to cuddle with Mom and Dad after I eat. I have a really loud cry and I like to let you know when I’m not happy. I’ve recently found my little hands and I love to suck on them. I can make some funny faces.

At birth I weighed 5 lbs 6 oz and was 18 inches long. I was born at 12:14 PM.



Hi, I’m Brooks.

I’m more laid back than Big Brother. He can be a little high maintenance! I, on the other hand, go to sleep in my crib all by myself and really only cry when my diaper is being changed. I’ve been told that my cry sounds kind of like a cat. I may weigh less than Brother but I'm taller!

At birth I weighed 5 lbs 5 oz and was 19.5 inches long. I was born at 12:15 PM.


And together we are the Bridges’ Boys.

It's Time

Little did I know when I made my last posting that the next day we would get to meet Jackson and Brooks. My water broke around 8:30 AM on Saturday and I was in the operating room at 11:40 AM. Trent was by my side with his camera ready to document their arrival. By 12:15 PM both babies were wailing and letting us know they were here to stay! Trent then went with the babies to the nursery while I was transported to my room. I am told that in the nursery Trent was counting their fingers and toes and making sure they were doing well.

I had to wait until 4:30 PM to see the boys. Our wonderful family that visited kept telling me how beautiful our babies were, but I still hadn't seen them for more than a minute or two, which was while I was in the OR. Finally they wheeled them into my room and I was overcome with emotion. They were just perfect! See for yourself...

After 3 nights and 4 days in the hospital, we were ready to get home. We had lots of visitors and lots of beautiful flowers that brightened the room. We are loved by so many people!

Here is a pic of the boys in their hospital "cribs" with Dad on the last day.

Finally we made it home.

First time in their cribs.

You can view more pics of the big day here.

From this point on, our life is forever changed! I love my boys!

Ready and Waiting

I think we are finally ready (or as ready as we are going to get) for Brooks' and Jackson's arrival. We are scheduled for surgery at 7:00 am on November 10. If all goes as planned, boys each weigh around 5.5 lbs and are able to breastfeed, we should be home by Friday or Saturday.

Since I'm not sure how much the little guys (or as Trent fondly refers to them "little men") will weigh, I've been on a search for preemie clothes. I finally found some footed pajamas that should get them through until the newborn size, which is 7 lbs.

I've been off all week and have run a million errands, made many returns, and even did a little cooking for the coming weeks. I know these next few weeks will be crazy and I have tried my hardest to get our house ready for my lack of attention upon our return from the hospital. We are stocked in the toilet paper, soap and detergent category. Everything is washed and some what put away, closets organized and I even made a trip to Goodwill. I think we have everything from preemie diapers to cases of wipes.

Let the craziness begin!

Dear Brooks and Jackson,

For the past 9 months, I have had the joy of keeping you warm and comfortable in my tummy. Now I can't wait to meet you, see your cute little faces and kiss those precious cheeks. Will you have blue eyes or brown eyes, maybe between the two you will have both? You may have caused me lots of heartburn, headaches and backache in addition to a million doctor's appointments and hospital visits, but I'm still ready to greet you and care for you in the outside world. I promise to keep you safe and care for you with every ounce of my being.

I'm a little anxious about how all this will play out, but I know we will figure it out together. With your Dad by our side we can get through anything!!!

I promise to give each of you your own identity, for starters by not refering to you as "the twins". I want you each to grow to be amazing individuals and will do everything I can to make sure that happens. I also promise to limit the number of matching outfits you wear!

In 5 days I get to love you even more than I already do, although I find it hard to believe that is possible.

See you in a few days...I love you both!

- Mom

Wish Ball 2010

This year I was the Co-Chair of Make-A-Wish Foundation's Wish Ball. This event raises funds and awareness, and in the end grants wishes to children with life threatening illnesses. This is the third year I've volunteered for this organization and it touches my heart more and more each year. To learn more about Make-A-Wish click here.

The ladies...

The gents...

Rumble visited the reception and some of us got our picture taken with the bison. Not the best picture, but it is the only one we have. Our eyes look a little creepy.

Hospital Stay

It's been a while since I last updated the blog and a lot has happened. I will get up-to-speed soon, but I thought I would start with this.


Last Sunday night I was in severe pain. Trent asked if I was in labor, but since I haven’t expereienced this before I didn’t really know if I was or not.

Was it labor pains or gas pains? I thought about going to the emergency room but I really didn’t want to be told “go home, you have gas!”. I decided to wait it out and see how I felt in the morning since I didn’t have any other signs of labor.

The next day I got up, showered, went back to bed because I was still in pain, managed to get myself out of bed and go to work to then realize that I wasn’t able to function due to the pain. I grabbed my purse and keys and headed to the doctor’s office. Thankfully, they squeezed me in and Dr. S told me I probably had a kidney stone. He sent me home to hydrate and rest. He said if the pains gets unbearable to go to the hospital. My main concern was whether or not I would have to go to the emergency room. He told that I just needed to go to the labor and delivery floor and they would take care of me.

So, I headed home and spent 4 long hours rolling around on the floor, bed and couch just trying to get comfortable. No such luck! Plus I hadn’t been able to eat in over 12 hours because of the pain. I decided it was time. I packed a bag, since I wasn’t sure how long I would be there and headed to the hospital. Within 20 minutes I had an IV drip, morphine injection and was on a gurney being wheeled through the hospital to get an ultrasound of my kidneys and bladder. I realized at that moment that being escorted through the hospital on a gurney gives life a whole different perspective.

Question…why is it that I can’t take anything stronger than Tylenol while pregnant, but multiple doses of Morphine are just fine while I’m in the hospital? Not that I’m complaining…the pain meds made the hospital stay tolerable.

I ended up spending 22 unfortunate hours at Mercy Hospital but am feeling a lot better. The ultrasound didn’t detect any kidney stones, although they could still exist, but I learned that my babies are laying on my kidneys causing them to back up and not work properly which caused all the pain. I so love these little guys, but I’m ready for them to make their grand entrance into the world. Between my kidneys, back pain, constant contractions and heartburn, I’m afraid these next two weeks are going to be long and uncomfortable. BUT, this too will pass!

Strapped

Every Sunday and Thursday morning you can find me on the 5th Floor of Mercy Hospital for the non-stress test.

I've been there so many times that the nurses know me by name.

WHY?

I’ve been trying to write this post for several weeks, but I haven’t had the right words and I felt the situation was a little too raw for me to broadcast on my blog. Now I feel like I can and hopefully the timing is right.

My brother and sister-in-law received some unfortunate news that they are unable to conceive. I’ve been struggling with this for awhile now. How did I get blessed with two babies at one time and they can’t even have one? How is that fair and why did it have to happen to them? Every time I sit down to write about this tears come to my eyes. I just want to make it all better for them, but it’s not in my power.

I am glad to report that they are working thru the grieving process and have decided to adopt a little girl from Ethiopia. This fills my heart with so much happiness. This process will have its ups and downs and it will probably take much longer than the 9 months I’ve endured to get my children, but they are both strong individuals and I know they will make it thru this chapter in their life. A tiny, precious blessing is coming their way and I look forward to our children growing up together.

They’ve started a blog about their journey and I encourage you to follow along; I know I will.

Kathleen is incredibly crafty and all the proceeds from her Etsy shop benefit their adoption fund. You can find her creations (everything from diaper cakes to little girl dresses to holiday decorations) here. Check it out often as she is always adding new items and remember that you will be helping their cause with each and every purchase!

Bittersweet

Our lazy weekends that we love so much are about to come to an end. Sleeping in on a Saturday or Sunday morning with breakfast in bed, reading the newspaper and then a mid-morning nap are about to be over and I find this to be bittersweet. I know that the new lives, which are about to enter our world, will completely change the way we exist. I know that this change will certainly be for the better, but at the same time it’s hard to imagine what our new way of life will be like.

I love feeling the boys move in my belly. Will there be a void when they are gone or will I just be so busy (and tired) that I won’t notice or have just forgotten about it. Last night one of the boys rumps was poking through my belly!

I live in a constant state of conflicting emotions. Excited, scared (a lot of scared actually) and happy. Each one pulls in a different direction and I never know which one will win the tug of war contest at that time.

I know this last month will be very interesting. The constant wondering if they will arrive early, do I have everything at work ready to go if they do. I'm emotional, tired and have lost my "pregnancy glow". I try to still be upbeat and a generally happy person, but that is hard sometimes when I find it difficult to just walk down the hall to the bathroom!

We have another ultrasound on Friday and I'm eager to see how much the little men have grown.

Week 31 - Ultrasound

It's amazing what can be learned from an ultrasound that you can't get from a regular doctor's visit. Thursday I had my doctor's visit and I left feeling like everything was fabulous. Friday was a different story.

During the ultrasound I learned that Baby A (Jackson) only weighs 3 lbs and Baby B (Brooks) weighs 4 lbs. 1 oz. I also found out that my cervix is shortening and getting thinner which puts me at risk for preterm labor. I go back for another ultrasound in 2 weeks. If at that time the baby's weights are still drastically different then the situation will be addressed at that time (not 100% sure what he meant by this). He said it could just be that all babies are different and grow at different rates or it could be something wrong with the placenta. Cross you fingers that all goes well in 2 weeks. I need Brooks to quit stealing all the nutrients and to let Jackson have some!

He told me to take it easy and to try to stay off my feet. I left the office with my head spinning.

Sunday we went to the hospital for the bi-weekly Non-Stress Test. I got to lay in a hospital bed for about an hour with my belly connected to a fetal monitor. Both babies did great during the test; I go back again on Thursday morning. I'm eager to go to the doctor on Thursday to see what he recommends after all these findings.

We have a baby shower at our house on Saturday. I'm looking forward to seeing all our family and friends. Plus it gives me reason to get the house completed, cleaned and nursey finished!

Week 31 - Doc Appointment

Everything went great at the doctor this morning.

Blood pressure and weight gain are both in check, heartbeats are good; we are moving right along.

From this point on I will see Dr. S. once a week, I have to go to Mercy Hospital every Sunday and Thursday for a Non-Stress Test (NST) and I have two more ultrasounds (one tomorrow and then again in about 3 weeks.) I didn't realize that towards the end the babies would be monitored this much.

The NST checks their fetal heart rate while they are in motion. I have to eat before I go to insure the babies are awake. This is a standard test performed to confirm that both babies are doing well. Since I have twins, I need the test twice a week. Here is more detailed information on a NST and what it tests.

I will report tomorrow on the ultrasound. I can't wait to see out how much the munchkins have grown!

We've decided to do a c-section so unless the babies try to come early expect their arrival sometime the week of November 8th.

Week 30 - 7 weeks to go...

I can’t believe that in 7 weeks we will have two little boys. I can’t wait to meet them and kiss on their precious cheeks!

All is going well with the pregnancy…we are right on track. Trent and I laid in bed last night watched the aliens in my belly move around…it still kind of freaks me out but makes me feel alive, all at the same time.

Home renovations are still underway. My to do list is, thankfully, getting shorter. We have new carpet throughout the entire house. It really has transformed the place. See for yourself...

The old stair carpet...

And now for the new...

I have a new counter top in my bathroom. It is the last room to be renovated. The shower area still needs to be redone, but at least the vanity area is almost complete. Dad removed the original 1960’s counter top and sink last week. Good bye blue and white counter top.

Here is the new one. The tile back splash should be installed soon.

The repairs from the May 17th hail storm get underway this week. First on the list…new roof. I think I’m most ready to get the roof replaced so the many roofing companies in Oklahoma City will quit harassing me. After that the house gets painted and new gutters installed. I’m ready to say “so long” to the green house paint.

The nursery is coming along nicely. I will post pics soon.

Wordless Wednesday - Fabulous!

Baby Names - It's Official

Baby names are set.

Baby A: Jackson Trent Bridges

Baby B: Brooks Clayton Bridges

I put away my summer maternity clothes this morning; they will be in storage until it's time for the next one (someone please remind in 2-3 years that I want to do this again). I've decided to save the name "Ellis" for my little girl!

The boys are moving a lot and their kicks and punches are getting stronger. I have contractions everyday; they're letting me know that all is well and that they are ready to meet everyone!

My next doctor's appointment is Thursday.

Happy Birthday, Laynie!

I can't believe my niece is 14 today.

It seems like just yesterday she was a little bitty thing.

I love you, Laynie!

Wordless Wednesday - Reality!

Wordless Wednesday Begins Tomorrow

On Wednesdays all over the Internet, bloggers post a photograph without a description on their blog. Hence the "wordless" title. The idea is that the photo itself doesn’t need any description; it says enough on its own. Tomorrow Wordless Wednesday begins. Stay tuned.

Doctor's Appointment - 27 Weeks

Each time I go to the doctor the same things happens. I pee in a cup, I get on the scale, they check my blood pressure, listen to the heart beats and then the doctor measures my belly with a measuring tape (real scientific, right?!). This is a very subjective measurement that basically gives the doctor an indication of how the babies are growing.

Week 27 appointment went as usual. Pee in a cup, weigh, blood pressure check, heart beats (good) and then out comes the measuring tape.

Doctor S. measured my belly and said that he didn't think I was meausuring as big as I should for this far along in the pregnancy and for having twins. He went back to his charts several times to see what I measured last month and I had grown 2 inches but he didn't think that was really enough. He said that since I had an ultrasound scheduled for Tuesday that we would know more about what was going on then. He didn't seem too overly concerned, but then again Doctor S. has a good poker face. So, that was that and I left the office.

After my appointment I went to Panera to get some breakfast and while I was there my cell phone rang. It was Doctor S. He said that he had been thinking about it and decided that he wanted me to have the ultrasound on Friday instead of waiting until Tuesday. Now I was concerned. I could hardly concentrate the rest of the day and I didn’t sleep Thursday night. Was something wrong with my babies?

All the worrying was for nothing! Both babies are doing great. Baby A weighs 2 lbs. 1 oz and Baby B weighs 2 lbs. 5 oz. Baby A is head down and Baby B is head up. I go back in 4 weeks for another ultrasound. At this rate, they are predicting that the babies will weigh close to 7 lbs if I carry all the way to 37 weeks. I can’t believe I could have TWO 7 lb babies in my belly!

I’m ready for them to get here so I can stop worry about them. I know, I know…I will worry about them until the day I die, but at least I can quit worrying about their safe arrival. Then I can move on to worrying about something else!

9 weeks and counting!

Mixed Emotions

Last night I was telling Trent that I'm ready for Monday so I can say that we're 10 weeks from D-Day. That is 2.5 months! In the next breath, a wave of panic flashed over my entire body. Oh my, in 2.5 months we are going to be responsible for the love and care of two little boys. I find this thought exciting, exhilarating and downright scary.

At times I feel like these 6.5 months have dragged by and at other times like it was just the other day that I found out I was pregnant. I'm sure these next few months will fly by whether I like it or not.

Today I lined up the photographer (Megan DeShazo with DeShazo Photography) for their newborn photos, which will be taken within two weeks of their birth. Here is her website…click on galleries, then newest faces. These infant photos are too precious for words. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday

Today is my Father-in-Law's birthday. Clay, I hope you have a wonderful day!

BFF - Best Friends Forever

Did you have a friend in elementary school that you referred to as your "BFF"? Well, I did and we were inseparable. We had many phone conversations about what matching outfit we would wear to school the next day. Our Moms made us matching outfits for church camp. We even had the two piece heart necklace.

We looked as opposite as we could..her with blond straight hair and fair skin, me with my dark curly hair and dark skin.

We were in the same classroom our first two years at Jefferson Elementary. Then I moved to Lincoln Elementary and she remained at Jefferson. We were separated for a year, but of course it seemed like an eternity. Luckily the two schools shared the same Counselor and we would send notes and messages to each other through her.

In middle school, my BFF moved to a different city and our conversations became less frequent, but we always knew each other was there. We ended up at the same college but didn't have a lot of contact there either. After college we moved to different states and lost contact all together.

About two and a half years ago, I ran into her at the gym. I didn't know she taught there and was so excited when I saw her. It was wonderful to get reacquainted and to get to know her husband, little boy and her precious little girl (I could just kiss that little girls cheeks all day long).

I don't get to see her as often as I like as our hectic schedules seem to always keep us apart even though we live less than 10 miles from each other.

I met her for dinner last night and even though I haven’t seen her in a really long time, it was like no time had passed since I saw her last.

I can only hope that my boys have friends as wonderful as Allison!

The Last Get-A-Way

We just returned from The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. It was our second time to stay there and it was just as wonderful as the first time. The scenic views are unbelievable and it's a great place to rest and relax. While we there we went to the zoo…

Trent played golf…

And we celebrated his 33rd Birthday.

On our last night, we witnessed this 85 year old man working the dance floor with two ladies. I hope I'm this spry when I'm 85!

It was a wonderful last get-a-way before the babies arrive.

Belly Pic - Week 25

This week marks the beginning of the end....we are 12 weeks from D-Day!! I never thought this day would come. Here are some pics of my ever growing belly. It's been 3 weeks since I took the last pictures and as you can see, I have grown.

By the way, I feel much bigger than I look in these pics!

Doctor's Appointment - 23 Weeks

This morning I saw my doctor for my monthly visit. During this visit I learned quite a few things. First of all, he reminded me again that I’m carrying TWO babies and not one and second of all, that anything I’ve been told about carrying one does not apply to carrying two. Everything is different with two. With that being said…here is a recap of my visit.

• Earlier in the week, I had a bit of a fainting spell and have been very tired. He told me that I have low blood pressure and it is especially low for carrying twins. It’s very important that I stay hydrated to keep my blood pressure from dropping, which is why I almost fainted on Monday.
  
  
• I gained a whooping 8 lbs. this month! Yes, you read that correctly…that is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. This brings the grand total to 18. I knew these babies had grown…just didn’t realize I grew that much too, although Sabrina did point out on Saturday that I now have a "booty".
  
  
• The doctor asked me if I was still working full-time and I basically looked at him like he was crazy. “Why wouldn’t I still be working full-time”, I thought. He said that bed rest is common when carrying twins; therefore, I need to limit my extracurricular activities to try to keep bed rest at bay. He said I’m to rest after work and on the weekends and that I may have to cut back my hours at work as we get closer to D-Day. I’m not very good at doing nothing. I’m glad the nursery is painted so I won’t have to worry with that project and I guess washing the cars is now out of the picture.

• In my opinion, he used the words “high risk” too many times during our conversation, but it is what it is. Having twins is high risk.
  
  
• I got to hear the heart beat of Ellis and Jackson. They are doing great!

A friend of mine had twins last November and she's been warning me about all these things. I will admit that I have doubted all she’s said up until now. This pregnancy has been so easy that I figured her issues wouldn’t be my issues. All I can do is take it one day at a time and hope for the best and remind myself that I can only control what I can control…rest and relax.

On a lighter note, when I told the Doc that my belly exploded this month…he laughed and said “just wait until next month.” Thanks Doc for making me laugh. I needed it today!

My next appointment is in 4 weeks when they will screen me for gestational diabetes. After that I see him ever two weeks and then every week. The next ultrasound is scheduled for Sept. 7 (28 weeks). Sept. 7 can't get here soon enough!

Nursery Transformation - Phase 1

The nursery is currently a work in progress. To do: paint room, select fabric for bedding, curtains and rocker, pick out furniture and so on.

Phase 1 - Painting

We decided to paint the walls blue and would then see which fabrics we like for the bedding. So to get this project started I painted the nursery on Saturday. Here are some before and after pics. I still need to cut in the ceiling and hang the blinds then Phase 1 will be complete.

Mom and I have scouted out several fabric stores and found so many fun and fabulous fabrics. Of course, I love all the pink and purple but I will have to save that for another time! I told Mom to remind me in about 3 or 4 years that I want to do this again. Trent said that is fine, but we will probably have another boy...wishful thinking on his part!

I'm leaning towards the green and brown fabric.



On another note, my car was in the shop this week and they gave me a Mini-Cooper. It was a lot of fun to drive, although I'm not sure how safe these little cars are.



Week 23 Lessons Learned:

I've survived this pregnancy pretty much unscathed, but these growing boys are starting take it out of me. My heartburn is ever present, I've found that I need to eat more often and fatigue is starting to set in. I also tried to put on a pair of heels today, which fit fine last week, and are now OH SO tight. Besides my belly, butt and boobs getting bigger, so are my feet!

14 weeks and counting!