Parasitic Monkey Tales

Aurelia

2011-11-02T09:47:00.003-05:00

I want to start blogging the kids again. I feel like it's going so fast and I'm forgetting everything!

Aurelia was born on August 28 at home (accidentally!). Jack slept through everything.

10 Months

2010-04-17T22:11:00.008-05:00

"What's up, yo?"

"Delicious crib, mom."

"Waaaaahhhhh! I don't want to sit down! I want to eat the crib!"

"Sure, I'll sit in this chair."

"Okay, I'm ready to eat more crib now."

9 Months

2010-04-11T23:07:00.006-05:00

8 Months

2010-04-11T22:59:00.007-05:00

I'm playing catchup...

Cuteness

2010-03-17T00:56:00.004-05:00

Just hanging out in the front yard (about a month ago).

Christmas

2010-02-17T12:15:00.004-06:00

Jack's first Christmas present

Long time, no blog

2010-02-16T23:22:00.005-06:00

Jack is 9.5 months now! For a while there he was really good about letting me get stuff done but now all he wants to do is practice standing, which definitely requires mommy. And while I did have time, I have tons of work to do with Trav's law firm and have been trying to be better about keeping the house clean. Did I mention the 160 lb Great Dane has been sick too? That is not something you want to deal with, trust me.

I need to post some Christmas pictures, and his 8 and 9 months photos too. For now, here's happy little guy after a bath.

Should have been lifting weights

2010-01-01T09:52:00.001-06:00

So the chubs is 20 pounds 4 ounces today and I swear I'm going to have an asthma attack every time I haul his butt up the stairs. Must commence Operation Learn to Crawl immediately.

Evidence of the chunk:

Yes, I know the mirror is dirty.

See the little fat rolls? Buddha belly? By the way, that's prune on his face. :gag:

This one's just for the cute factor.

Jack is one day shy of 8 months old.

7 months

2009-12-30T00:19:00.004-06:00

Jack is almost 8 months so here are his 7 month pictures...taken at probably 7.75 months. I'm so fashionably late.

Jack said mama a couple of times this month, but I think it was probably a fluke. He loves his food, especially turkey and prunes (yuck) and sweet potatoes. No crawling yet - he's a lazy little bugger who doesn't like to be on his tummy too long, but he's liking it more and more.

He's a champion sitter though, and loves to play with his toys. His favorites are the disconnected computer keyboard we have on the floor. Yes, he has real toys, but of course he wants that and the remote.

He's got the best smile and laugh. He's so much fun and the dogs (especially Paisley) appreciate that he is starting to throw food on the floor.

6 months

2009-11-09T22:13:00.008-06:00

How did half a year go by already? Jack is 6 months old and I can't even remember when he was tiny. A friend brought her 8 pound baby over and he looked tiny. Was Jack ever smaller than that? Yup, but it seems impossible now. Holding this little guy (who weighed 16 pounds 1 ounce on his birthday) now makes my arm go numb.

He can't quite sit up on his own but he's working on it. He has no interest in rolling over all the way.

He loves to read books (when he's in the mood) and splash in the bathtub. He does not like getting dressed after his bath - I think he's going to be a naked toddler. He watches his dogs & cat intently and is learning to pet them.

Jack also discovered how to jump in his jumperoo this month and has me wondering if a baby can give himself shaken baby syndrome from exuberant jumping.

He's surviving basketball & football season and even sleeping through his daddy's yelling at the defense...or offense?

And he doesn't yet mind when I smother him with kisses.

Jack is (by the time I got this posted) 6 months and 9 days old.

Sharing

2009-11-09T16:29:00.001-06:00

What do you mean I don't fit?

Some fall (ish) pictures

2009-11-01T20:38:00.008-06:00

We didn't take Jack to a pumpkin patch since we had a bunch of pumpkins that Trav decorated the front porch with. He didn't know the difference and we got to avoid germs.

Can you find Jack?

2009-10-31T22:05:00.013-05:00

I've lost my monkey, can you find him?

Do those look like Princess Leia ears to anyone else?

(yes, I GUESS I meant the baby monkey...)

Sitting up! Wobbly, but sitting.

This sitting up business is total crap.

Papa Monkey doing very serious work.

Jack is thisclose to 6 months old.

5 months old

2009-10-17T21:44:00.005-05:00

I am so behind on posting his 5 month pictures. Jack thinks now that he's 5 months old that he doesn't have to abide by a bedtime anymore. Silly monkey. He's also lost a lot of hair and seems to be growing blonde hair in its place.

Chunky like a linebacker

2009-09-23T18:50:00.006-05:00

Jack is 14 pounds! His double chin keeps growing which is just lovely. No more skinny baby for us!

These pictures were taken when he was 13 pounds. He keeps me too busy to blog.

His girlfriend Miss Gloworm has saved our sanity more than once.

And, Tuesday (now last last Tuesday, the...hmm, sometime mid September) he had his first belly laugh. He's been giggling for a while - the ha, maybe a ha ha, but Tuesday afternoon he had a real laugh. Seems "pee-u, stinky toes!" is quite funny. (How does a kid who doesn't walk get such stinky feet?)

Yes, this is a Christmas outfit, but it fits now.

Mmm, yummy jacket.

Can't remember what else I was going to put in here when I started this post over a week ago. Will have to finish up later, and post his 5 month pictures tonight, because right now it is COWBOY GAME TIME in my house and that means that Travis is busy. :o)

Finishing Touches

2009-09-07T18:21:00.003-05:00

I finally, finally hung the branch and monkeys in Jack's room. I sewed the baby monkey to the daddy monkey's back as if they were swinging through the trees.

I think it's a daddy monkey since he's got loooong arms and legs like Travis.

I also hung mirrors next to his changing table. He likes to look at himself while he's getting changed or while he's looking at his mobile.

Four Months Old

2009-09-07T18:20:00.001-05:00

Jack is growing up so fast! He loves to chew on his hands now and can bring his hands (or mine, or a toy) to his mouth for some gnawing. He's a drool machine and is a real mama's boy. At his doctor's appointment he weighed 11 pounds 11 ounces!

He makes the best funny faces!

News

2009-08-18T15:03:00.009-05:00

Travis has started his own law practice!

Jack tested out his office chair for him.

Don't know why they both had sleepy eyes that day. Must have been all the moving of boxes.

Jack is up to 11 pounds. I know I'm accounting for every pound here, but when your little guy is born weighing less than a watermelon, every bit counts. Can't pick up the monkey with one hand anymore. I love the little fat rolls he's getting.

I just love this face. He's perplexed by something his mobile is doing.

He's also working on his push-ups. Gotta be buff for Luci!

Jack is 15 weeks and 4 days old.

Just hanging out

2009-08-13T18:36:00.002-05:00

Chunky Monkey

2009-08-11T14:49:00.005-05:00

I forgot! Jack is now over 10 pounds. He's more than doubled his birth weight. I think he could probably be gaining faster, but he seems to be doing pretty well.

And he's learning to turn himself onto his side. Time to be careful about where we leave him.

Three Months Old

2009-08-08T17:39:00.012-05:00

Jack is three months old now. It's hard to believe he's been here that long. He's finally gotten less colicky, and more smiley, although today was an exception.

He loves to smile at the mobile over his crib, and is addicted to his swing. He is a little superbaby when his daddy flies him in the air - this also makes him quit crying.

He's 10 pounds, so still small, but growing. His eyes are so blue, like his dad's side of the family. Look how much he's grown since his last picture on the changing pad.

Jack loves his daddy

Jack is 3 months, 6 days old

He's smiling, but not much for the camera

2009-07-17T12:41:00.003-05:00

2 months old!

2009-07-07T17:30:00.005-05:00

Help! I'm tipping over!

Monkey took a bath...and didn't scream!

2009-07-05T20:54:00.007-05:00

Look at the happy monkey in the bath! Okay, maybe happy is stretching it...but this was the first bath he's had where he wasn't screaming his head off.

Well, until he decided we wasted too much time taking pictures.

Two month pictures coming soon...but seeing as how he's either fussing or sleeping most of the time, they're not that good.

Jackson is 8 weeks and 1 day old

My little monkey all wrapped up

2009-06-19T23:11:00.008-05:00

I've been meaning to post these photos for about 2 weeks. Little monkey has chubbed up some since these were taken!

Jack's started nursing, which is great and a lot easier for me. He seems to like it too. He loves to shoot me the finger while he's doing it though!

He's smiled a few times and has started getting tears when he cries. He likes for us to hold him up on our shoulder rather than cradled like a baby and loves to look around the house and outside at the trees. He usually has a fussy time at night and I think it's because he's pretty gassy, poor thing.

He hates having his diaper or his clothes changed and HATES baths, but he doesn't mind the bath if he's in the tub with me.

Paisley the dog has started to lick him and Maverick the dog doesn't mind when I lay Jack on him :o) One day I'm sure they'll take naps together. Jack has taken naps in his pack & play in the living room and I think part of the reason he's done well is because Maverick the Great Dane is napping and breathing loudly right next to him.

Jack will be two months old tomorrow! Time flies.

p.s. for some reason the post is dated June 19th - guess that's when I started it! Posted July 1st.
p.p.s. so I don't forget the cat - Polo the cat could care less that's there's a baby in the house :o)

Jackson is 8 weeks and 4 days old

More pictures of the little guy

2009-06-07T17:39:00.009-05:00

Learning to share

2009-05-30T21:35:00.003-05:00

Jack already has to share with his four-legged brothers. I found Paisley curled up in the Boppy and Polo hanging out on the playmat the same morning.

Four Weeks Old

2009-05-30T19:29:00.009-05:00

This one's actually from last week, but the mohawk was too cute not to share.

Hard to believe one day he'll grow out of this chair. Although this is probably the last time he'll wear that little preemie outfit - his feet are already too big for it!

Just like a boy, hogging the remote

Breakfast of champions. At Jack's weight check yesterday, he weighed 6 pounds 7 ounces. Way to go buddy! Mommy's weight check = not so successful. Thank goodness coffee has no calories!

Three Weeks Old

2009-05-24T11:21:00.014-05:00

Jack is three weeks old now...time flies. I really don't know where the days go (well, feeding, diapering, etc., but they go so fast).

Likes: naps on daddy, naps on mommy, his pacifier (a recent development), being swaddled, the swing, stretching, grabbing things with his hands, his bouncy chair with the vibration on, grunting

Dislikes: diaper changes, having gas, being naked, the camera flash, being talked to loudly right in his face

Indifferent to: the dogs, noise (good thing!), tummy time, his playmat

And, as of today (3 weeks 3 days old), Jack weighs 6 pounds 1 ounce. On our way to making our little guy a properly chunky monkey :o)

Two weeks old

2009-05-17T21:42:00.007-05:00

Photos of the munchkin monkey

2009-05-13T20:59:00.009-05:00

I may be biased, but he is the cutest baby ever.

Sleeping with his hands behind his head

You can't tell from this pic, but he's got serious orangutan toes. Like, keep him away from a tree branch or he might swing away.

Little guy on his changing pad.

On a throw pillow - he looks so tiny

Jack's Nursery

2009-05-12T11:14:00.013-05:00

Jack's room is as finished as it's going to be for a while. My mom brought the crib skirt she made him which is just so perfect and beautifully made. Lucky for us she's a great sewer!

His room is so relaxing, which is nice for me because it is calming, but sometimes it's too calming and I fall asleep while nursing! Please excuse the crappy pictures - I haven't had time to learn this fancy schmancy camera.

Jack hanging out in his crib

The feltie mobile was totally ripped off from Becoming-Mom except no one can tell that my monkey is a monkey...oh well.

The giraffe was inspired by the tree in this Pottery Barn room and was tons of work but is so well worth it. It is made from the same fabric as the crib skirt and we're planning on making a pillow for the chair from the same material.

One more of Jack, because he's my favorite thing to be in his room

Jackson is one week old today

2009-05-09T13:15:00.009-05:00

I am going to cry. I can't say he's gotten so big because he just hit his 'going home from the hospital' weight after days of losses/stable weight (we've been to the doctor four - yes four times - this week to check jaundice and weight).

He celebrated his one week birthday by projectile pooping on me. Am I officially initiated into the mommy club? Especially since I haven't even changed the pajamas he pooped on yet and that was...hours (not gonna say how many) ago?

The dogs are doing great with him. Can't show these to my mother, she'd freak.

He's here!

2009-05-08T06:09:00.005-05:00

Jackson came early! On Friday May 1st my water broke (luckily I had stayed home from work so the only witnesses were the dogs) at 34 weeks 4 days. The doctors seem to think I was about a week further along, which we just do not understand, but whatev. Jackson is healthy and strong and had no time in the NICU and we could not ask for more.

Born Saturday, May 2, 2009
4:40 p.m.
4 pounds 14 ounces

Gonna topple over

2009-04-24T13:40:00.004-05:00

Look at this - I am huge! This was taken at 33 weeks. The kid in there is only 4 1/2 pounds...so what's all the rest???

Only a year ago I had a waist, no stretch marks, and could see my feet...

Actually I still do have a waist, strangely. But although I can't see my feet, I refuse to give up my heels - at least until my feet, which are slowly getting fluffier (as Monica says), don't fit into them anymore or I can't bend down to buckle the straps.

33 weeks 3 days

Get off my bladder, little monkey

2009-04-23T10:33:00.002-05:00

Dear Jack,

In case you hadn't heard, we're under water restrictions here in San Antonio. So your little game of 'bounce on the bladder and make mommy think she needs to pee even though there's nothing in there' really is not good for our aquifer levels at 1.6 gallons per flush.

Or my work efficiency, or sleep, as getting up all the time interrupts my budget preparation and much-needed slumber.

Love,
Your host for the next 47 days

33 weeks 2 days

Broke the 4 pound mark!

2009-04-17T20:19:00.009-05:00

Today we got to see Jack again and the doctor estimates he weighs 4 pounds, 4 ounces. That is awesome because it's right on track and because at one time I was worried about having him too early and too small. He's been super active today (as have my Braxton Hicks the past few days) - I think he knows it's Friday and was excited for me.

We had our first baby shower this past Saturday with Travis' coworkers and it was really fun and everyone was so generous. I was jealous of the Pinot Grigio T got to drink...I had a sip and it was yummy. I am making up for it with St. Pauli non-alcoholic beer at the moment. It's not bad!

Here are a couple of cute outfits Jack received:

Do you see those pants? They're seersucker!

Potty training

2009-04-15T21:43:00.005-05:00

I think I am going to print this out and save it for when I'm trying to potty train the little monkey. I can only imagine that it will be a little frustrating.

32 Weeks!!!

2009-04-14T14:58:00.003-05:00

Today we've reached the 32 week milestone!

When we had surgery at 20 weeks, the surgeon said that most babies with TTTS and the laser procedure we had came around 32 weeks...I think. I was on morphine and then vicodin.

Don't worry, I've told Jack that he has to hang out for at least another 5 weeks. Poor guy has had tons of hiccups lately!

Jack: if it's because you're practicing breathing, keep doing it. If it's because you're drinking your own pee too fast, then you're just like your dog brother Paisley.

32 weeks today

Tormenting the kid

2009-04-08T14:49:00.003-05:00

Dear Jack,

You probably think daddy and I are mean for messing with your environment while you sleep. It's fun for us to poke your bubble and feel you react. I know, I know, I do it a lot during the day, but if you'd be less lazy and jump around a bit, I wouldn't feel the need to make sure you were okay in there. Tell you what, this afternoon I'll make a big sacrifice and drink a huge sweet tea to get you going instead of poking your bubble. Darn.

By the way, thanks for sitting all the way on my right side yesterday and showing the doctor how lopsided I could get. She did think you were funny!

Love,
your mommy

31 weeks 1 day (and doing really well!)

To remember Jameson

2009-04-04T21:16:00.004-05:00

Travis and I went to James Avery Saturday to get him a new wedding band and to get me a charm for my charm bracelet. I never had a charm bracelet until Travis and all of my charms are about our life together. It will have Jameson's name engraved on the back. I think I will like having a little reminder that he'll always be our angel.

Is this what they call nesting?

2009-04-04T20:31:00.009-05:00

I am so tired. So, so tired, and sleepy. But I can't lay down and take a nap, or go to bed. I have to get baby stuff organized and clean. It's like a compulsion. I wonder if they've compared the brains of nesting pregnant women and sufferers of OCD?

Baby laundry all inventoried and ready to wash

Diaper drawer

Blanket/sheet drawer

I had to take this picture to convince my mom that Jack doesn't need any more stuffed monkeys!

Yes, I inventoried everything. I'm a bit obsessive like that. BUT - I discovered that I have 18 bibs. Who needs 18 bibs? And get this - I did not buy one of them (Jack has his grandmas to thank for the drool rags).

The nursery is set up but I need to hang the 6 foot giraffe on the wall, hang the monkey sign, and the mobile before I post pictures. Oh, and mom and I just discovered this room on Rate My Space, and are now obsessed with hanging a monkey from a tree branch.

New pictures of the monkey

2009-04-03T13:51:00.006-05:00

We had another specialist appointment and Jackson looks great! The doctor estimates his weight to be about 3 pounds 14 ounces, which is perfect. Looks like he'll be baking a little while longer.

The ultrasound tech said she could tell he had some hair on his head, which is so cool. And she got some 3d shots of his face. He's tough to get 3d pictures of because he ALWAYS has his hands up by his face. Today it looked like he might have been sucking his thumb!

What a diaper bag should look like

2009-04-02T22:39:00.002-05:00

Baby Gap home

Tell me I should order it! It seems like everything I like online lately is gone soon after I find it. Who cares if it doesn't match the stroller or that I'm having a boy and this has a pink bow...right?

30 weeks 2 days

My kid has good taste in music

2009-03-31T09:22:00.003-05:00

Seriously - he does, already. This morning in the car we were listening to Dido and he wasn't into it, so I switched to Audioslave. He immediately started jamming along to the music - I swear! I noticed this last week too.

I'm going to keep listening to Audioslave in the mornings because nothing makes traffic more bearable than a headbanging baby in my belly :o)

30 weeks today!

3 pounds of baby

2009-03-20T11:25:00.003-05:00

Baby Jack weighs about 3 pounds! He is also a big of a yogi - he likes to put his head above his feet. I don't see how that's comfortable but then I'm not the one swimming in a fluid-filled sac.

The specialist said again she thinks I can go to term because everything looks good, which is great news!

Here's a picture - can you see his little pig nose?

If you have a minute, please pray for Esther and her babies. Her girls have TTTS also and they're doing everything they can to keep them in as long as they can.

28 weeks 3 days

Please tell me I don't need...

2009-03-18T17:47:00.002-05:00

an $80 hamper in the shape of an elephant.

Finally begun the nursery

2009-03-15T20:05:00.009-05:00

This weekend my dad and MonkeyPapa painted Jack's room! We decided just to do the ceiling and the walls the same color since there's a weird vault to the ceiling and to make it easier on the guys. You can't tell from this pic but it is a light blue. They were rewarded with homemade lasagna.

A few minutes ago MonkeyPapa and I put together the crib. It was surprisingly easy, although we did have a tiff while putting it together :o) I really need to order the mattress now!

Here's a sign I painted that is going somewhere in the room.

27 weeks 5 days

27 week belly

2009-03-10T10:46:00.002-05:00

What do you think? Do I look bigger than two weeks ago?

6 weeks post-surgery, 3 months until due date!

2009-03-10T10:32:00.004-05:00

Jackson looked great on Friday at our perinatologist appointment. They didn't measure him this time but they watched his movements and his breathing. Can you believe I have a human that breathes in my belly??? The little bugger flipped so his head is up and his feet are down, but since he's not allowed to vacate the premises anytime soon, I'm not too worried about it.

Yesterday was 3 months until my due date - June 9th. That's crazy to me that within 3 months I will be a mom. I can't wait for him to be here. This weekend we're finally painting the nursery (well, MonkeyPapa and MonkeyGrandpa are) and hopefully MonkeyGrandma and I can work on the crib skirt and the big giraffe for the wall. I can't wait to have his room ready.

27 weeks today

Bought a stroller

2009-03-06T15:23:00.003-06:00

We bought a stroller! It's a little nontraditional but it's supposed to be lightweight, durable, and easy to steer. I like that the bassinet will work for an infant without a car seat attached and that it looks sort of like old-fashioned carriages.

My tubby belly

2009-03-05T20:39:00.002-06:00

So I guess it's time that I posted a picture of my belly. Here I am at 25 weeks. I swear I wasn't wearing a skintight dress - I was pulling the dress to show the bump!

Another good report

2009-03-01T19:10:00.006-06:00

Friday we saw the perinatologist again - 5 weeks post-surgery. Our little monkey is doing great! She said he weighs about 2 lbs 3 oz and all of his bloodflows look good. We even got to see him yawn which was really cool. The doc also said I have a good chance of carrying him to term since there are no signs of preterm labor, which is terrific news.

One of these days I'll get around to posting ultrasound pictures again. They're hard to make out since Jackson never stops moving.

Monkeypapa is his usual procrastinating self - hey, dad, time to move the workout machines out of the baby's room! We've got all the furniture in the house in boxes but I guess they don't bother him.

Crib sheet (top one):

Fabric for crib skirt, pillow, etc:

Another milestone and furniture!

2009-02-19T17:30:00.003-06:00

Today is 4 weeks since surgery and Jackson is kicking away to celebrate! When we had surgery the doctor told us that there were certain milestones: 24 hours, 1 week, and 4 weeks after surgery. I am not sure if that means he's more out of the woods now but I am so grateful we've made it this far. I have told Jackson he is to stay in his room until I tell him he can come out but I'm sure like any other kid he won't listen. I just hope he stays in long enough to where he's healthy when he's out.

We are also getting his furniture today! The crib arrived last week and the UPS guy (who is probably now deaf like I am from all the dog barking) just dropped off our dresser. And MonkeyPapa is picking up the glider and ottoman from Babies R Us on his way home today. Now if we can just get him to clear the gym equipment out of Jackson's room I can start working on the walls, cleaning the carpet, etc. so we can transform it into a calm baby sanctuary.

24 weeks 2 days

2 week post-surgery checkup and feeling movement!

2009-02-09T21:21:00.002-06:00

Jackson still looks great according to the specialist on Friday at our two week post-surgery ultrasound. And he's moving like crazy now, which is really cool. At the appointment he was stretched out from the top of my cervix to the top of my belly (he likes his room) and I feel kicks really high.

MonkeyPapa has gotten to feel him kick too! And we can see the big kicks from the outside too. This is really awesome.

22 weeks 6 days

Finally got to shop for Jackson!

2009-02-05T18:20:00.003-06:00

We had planned to shop for the boys when we found out the sexes, but instead we got bad news and spent the entire week in & out of doctors' offices and the hospital.

Today we finally got to go shopping and it was so much fun. Luckily I knew exactly what I wanted (because I'm not supposed to be doing all that much). It was so much fun to buy the first things for him since we found out that he was a boy!

Here are a few things we got:

We also got his first pair of jeans and a couple of Dallas Mavericks outfits since his dad is such a crazy fan. I have to take pictures of them - they are so cute.

A couple more pictures of Jackson

2009-02-03T12:01:00.003-06:00

These are pictures from surgery of Jackson's little feet and his face and hand. I know they may be hard to make out the first time you see them.

He's been moving around every day where I can feel him! When we watch him on the ultrasound he never holds still, so it's nice to feel that now. He's a little bigger than average 21/22 weekers but that may be due to the disease, or because he's a twin (they tend to grow faster in the beginning).

22 weeks today!

Jackson looks good!

2009-01-30T15:01:00.002-06:00

We had our one-week post-surgery appointment yesterday. The specialist says that Jackson is doing very well and she is pleased with his progress. You can imagine how ecstatic we were!

He doesn't have any fluid around his heart and his brain looks good, he's grown an ounce and the amniotic fluid around him has decreased to a normal level. We go back once a week for five more weeks to check on him.

Don't mind that he looks like he's puking up his breakfast. I'm sure that's just background noise!

Jackson pictures

2009-01-28T12:23:00.002-06:00

Here are a couple of pictures of Jackson. The first is his hand in the womb during surgery. It looks a lot like his daddy's hand! The second is a 3D image from our ultrasound before surgery. He is definitely a boy! He rubs his eyes a lot.

Tomorrow we have the one week post-op ultrasound with the specialist here in SA. I can't wait to see him and find out how he's doing. We got brave the other night and listened to his heartbeat on the doppler at home and that was such a relief. It also confirmed that those movements I'm feeling are probably him!

I want to thank everybody for your messages and e-mails. Some days I feel better than others and some days I don't feel like communicating, but I appreciate all of your thoughts. I can't wait until Jackson can meet everybody who has been pulling for him.

Update

2009-01-25T10:00:00.002-06:00

We had the laser surgery Thursday and the doctor was able to sever the blood connections between the boys. When I woke up, both boys were still alive inside me. But when the doctor did the ultrasound Friday morning, we were told that Jameson (the donor twin) had passed away.

Friday afternoon we saw a pediatric cardiologist who evaluated Jackson's heart, and although he had had a lot of stress on his heart, the cardiologist says it is structurally and functionally sound and we shouldn't have any problems with his heart.

We're very sad about Jameson but trying to focus on what we can do for Jackson - stay positive, I'm on strict bedrest, trying to eat a lot of protein to help him grow. He will most likely be a preemie and have some time in the NICU.

I have some pictures of both of them that were taken in the womb during surgery. I will post those eventually, once I am allowed to walk down the hall.

A couple of face pictures

2009-01-21T12:13:00.003-06:00

Profile of Baby A. He's very active since he has a lot of amniotic fluid to splash around in.

Can you see Baby B's skull?

And now for the bad news

2009-01-20T14:33:00.003-06:00

The OB discovered at our 20 week appointment that the boys have twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome.

Here's a shortened explanation from the Texas Fetal Center:

What is Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome and how does one get it?
In TTTS, the smaller twin (often called the donor twin) does not get enough blood while the larger twin (often called the recipient twin) becomes overloaded with too much blood.

In an attempt to reduce its blood volume, the recipient twin will increase the urine it makes. This will eventually result in the twin having a very large bladder on ultrasound, as well as too much amniotic fluid around this twin. This is known as polyhydramnios.

At the same time, the donor twin will produce less than the usual amount of urine. The amniotic fluid around the donor twin will become very low or absent. This is known as oligohydramnios.

As the disease progresses, the donor will produce so little urine that its bladder may not be seen on ultrasound. The twin will become wrapped by its amniotic membrane (known as a “stuck” twin). Often the polyhydramnios of the recipient twin is the first thing noticed by the patient due a sudden increase in the size of the uterus. Clothes may become tight fitting over a short period of time. At other times the differences in the amniotic fluid volumes between the twins is only noted at the time of a routine ultrasound.

Our OB immediately made us an appointment with a maternal fetal medicine specialist, who we saw today. The babies have about 30% difference in weight and the donor baby - the one who is smaller - has almost no amniotic fluid.

We'll be meeting with a super specialist who can do a laser surgery that can potentially correct the problem on Thursday morning in Houston. If he says I am a candidate for the laser surgery (I think the criteria has something to do with the amount of fluid in each baby's sac), I will have surgery that day and be in the hospital probably until Saturday.

We'll keep updating the blog as we find out more info. Tomorrow I will try to post some of the pictures from today's specialist visit - the babies look like Skeletor in some of the pictures!

And the babies are...

2009-01-20T14:32:00.003-06:00

BOYS! Not only that but they are identical.

Here are some new pictures:

Baby B

Baby A

New nursery idea

2009-01-20T14:30:00.000-06:00

I think this is it. The color is probably less aqua than it looks on the computer, though.

Quick neutral safari nursery by paisleyduke

Vernix schmernix

2009-01-06T09:32:00.002-06:00

So today I learned that the monkeys are covered in that whitish goo called vernix that protects their skin from the amniotic fluid and helps slide them out during labor. However, I am pretty sure that half of my babies' vernix is actually rice pudding. Rice pudding happened to be one of the only foods I could stomach during the first trimester and I ate it every day, sometimes twice.

18 weeks 1 day

Baby room ideas

2009-01-04T11:32:00.003-06:00

Two weeks to go until we know the sexes of the monkeys. I can't wait to find out what they are so we can get to work on their room.

Here are some ideas for boys, girls, and a boy & a girl:

Baby boy monkey nursery by paisleyduke

Baby girl pink, black & white room by paisleyduke

Boy/girl twins nursery by paisleyduke

2008-12-31T10:10:00.002-06:00

This is the babies' closet, mostly courtesy of Grandma MonkeyMama (my mom). See the little package at the top? She already got us newborn diapers! It was really cute to see MonkeyPapa marvel at how tiny they are. 19 days till we find out the sexes! I can't wait. When we find out, I am immediately adding these to the closet:

17 weeks 2 days

So they don't like Egg McMuffins

2008-12-29T10:15:00.002-06:00

The monkeys have made themselves comfortable in their little under the sea adventure. In the past week it seems like they've grown a lot (couldn't be all that Christmas food, could it?) because I have popped. AND there is less room for food in my stomach (do you hear that monkeys? there is only so much I can eat!) so this morning's Egg McMuffin, designed to give them some protein, is now feeling like a piece of hangover pizza. I apologize in advance all of my coworkers for any rejection this McMuffin may experience at the hands of my little parasites.

In better news, I felt flutters for the first time Christmas night! Merry Christmas to me from the monkeys :o)

17 weeks today

16 week photos

2008-12-22T18:25:00.005-06:00

We went to the doctor today and the monkeys are doing fine! The doctor did a quick ultrasound to check their heartbeats (she wasn't sure she'd find both on the doppler) so we got a couple of pictures.

Four weeks from today we'll find out the sexes! I can't wait to know what they are. I've already picked up paint chips from the hardware store so we'll be ready. Luckily, the day we find out is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day so we'll be off from work and ready to shop and get started on the nursery.

16 weeks

Let's talk cribs

2008-11-26T11:46:00.004-06:00

Although I'm only 12 weeks, it's time to start looking at cribs. With twins, they can come sooner and there's the chance I might have to go on bed rest and I don't want to miss out on the fun of decorating the nursery.

We'll find out if they're boys or girls on January 19, but for the furniture I don't think it matters to us which they are.

Some 12 week pictures!

2008-11-24T19:10:00.004-06:00

We went to the doctor today and had a long ultrasound with the sonographer. She says the monkeys look good and are growing right on track!

Yeah, I'm fat

2008-11-18T09:12:00.001-06:00

I broke down and wore maternity pants for the first time today. I can still fit in other pants, but by the end of the day (since I'm hungry all the time and feed the parasites almost constantly), they are a little uncomfortable.

I don't know why we don't wear these all the time. They are so comfy, and they're not even those real maternity pants, they just have adjustable elastic sides. I might never go back to real clothes...

Second heartbeat

2008-11-17T09:26:00.003-06:00

Monkeypapa found TWO hearbeats last night! We were so excited. It felt really good to hear them both.

It's funny because he found the first, and then the monkey moved on him. I guess right now they have lots of room to float around in there since they're only about 2 inches each.

11 weeks today

We heard a heartbeat!

2008-11-15T19:58:00.002-06:00

We bought an at-home Doppler (heartbeat listening machine) so that we could try to listen to the heartbeats anytime we wanted. Although it's still early and hard to find heartbeats, we found one last night! Actually, Monkeypapa is the one who found it. We only heard one (we think) but we're not worried, because it is so early.

Keep growing, little monkeys! Next ultrasound is in 8 days and we will have new pictures for Thanksgiving.

10 weeks 5 days

Monkeymama = bottomless pit

2008-11-05T16:20:00.003-06:00

So I have been eating almost nonstop all day long and there's still 6 hours till I go to bed. I don't even feel full. I think I am eating more than Paisley (aka Monkeydogbrother) did when he had a tapeworm.

Monkeybabies, I am going to have to quit my job just to feed and water you at this rate. I am pretty sure I've gone to the bathroom 8 times and eaten 8 of the 10 hours I've been awake. I will continue to feed you because I want you to grow big and healthy, but just know we will probably not be shopping at Ikea anytime soon. Five hours with MonkeyGrandma with only one food break and sporadic restroom availability is not an option at this point.
Keep up the growing!
Love,
Monkeymama

9 weeks 2 days or 8 weeks 3 days

Nothing much new here

2008-11-05T11:57:00.002-06:00

It's pretty status quo at the moment. I'm feeling queasy/hungry every hour and a half or so and eating like a pig and drinking water like a fish. Monkeypapa continues to search through the laundry basket each morning for his clothes because I have no energy when I get home to put it all away. I have to use my energy for working & eating!

Another bedding option

2008-10-30T11:39:00.001-05:00

I found it this morning and ran (okay, walked slowly) to the bathroom where Monkeypapa was getting ready and made him go look in his towel at this cute, cute bedding:

I actually think it could work for a boy or a girl (oops, I mean one of each!), don't you?

Wow, I'm tired

2008-10-30T11:30:00.003-05:00

I am simply exhausted. No, not simply - add on to that nausea if I don't eat enough/on time, shortness of breath, and inability to sleep through the night (thanks, bladder), and that's about the life of monkeymama right now. I'm not complaining (okay, yes I am), but I don't know how much longer I can keep the monkeys a secret at work!

Yesterday I went home early (just needed to rest) and I think I might need to start taking naps midday, at least until the first trimester is over. You wouldn't believe how much I sleep - the monkeycat and I are pretty much on par, I'm sure.

In better news, my friend Ashley is going to pop out little Luci any day now! So, so exciting. I can't wait to meet you, Luci!

8 weeks 3 days or 7 weeks 4 days (this date is the ultrasound's dating)

One monkey, two monkeys...

2008-10-27T20:15:00.003-05:00

Look closely. There are two monkeys in there!

We are still in shock. The ultrasound dates at 7 weeks 1 day, although I thought I was 8 weeks today. Guess we'll see! We have another ultrasound on November 24th.

Ultrasound tomorrow!

2008-10-26T21:10:00.002-05:00

More specifically, our first appointment is in 18 hours. I am so excited! We are going to have monkey's first pictures taken (first ultrasound) and I can't wait. Cross your fingers everything goes well and monkey is healthy!

7 weeks 6 days

Tease!

2008-10-24T10:24:00.001-05:00

Someone just brought the office one of those huge coffee setups from Starbucks, and I can't have any because of the enormous amounts of caffeine in there :o( What a tease!

Hungry or full? Nauseated or not?

2008-10-22T11:19:00.002-05:00

Today, the baby ticker says the monkey is .43 inches. I cannot figure out if I'm hungry or not. A few minutes ago, I was starving. I ate a little applesauce, and I felt super full and nauseated!

If monkey has this kind of power at half an inch, I'm in for some trouble once he/she gets here.

7 weeks 2 days

Time to move into covert operative mode.

2008-10-17T17:15:00.002-05:00

I have a wedding to attend for a dear friend. Problem is, my other friend and my "date" (Monkeypapa has some volunteer work to do) are going to have a hard time not wondering what's up if I'm not tossing back the wine!

Current plan: say I had sooo much to drink the night before that I can't stomach the thought of alcohol. It should work, since that has happened to me before. Now I just hope the dress I want to wear fits...

9 days until our first appointment! I can't wait.

6 weeks 4 days

We'll call this how I lost my brain part 2

2008-10-14T17:53:00.001-05:00

Today I couldn't recite a simple spiel about defensive driving I've been saying for 4 years. I kept calling them driving licenses and stopping in the middle of sentences.

At one point today I said "make-a sense". Apparently being pregnant has turned me into an Italian pizza chef.

The most damning: I park, walk into Costco. Pay for photos. Walk back out. Have forgotten where I parked three minutes earlier.

p.s. I just posted this accidentally on my other blog. What did I tell you?

MonkeyPapa in Da House!

2008-10-14T16:12:00.002-05:00

Well, I thought I would show my face around here so Monkeymama doesn't tell too many fibs about me. I'm really excited about the monkey growing in Monkeymama's belly, even if it has made her a bit more whiny than usual. :o) I'm quickly learning that my evenings for the next several months are going to consist of MonkeyMama continually bombarding me with potential names for a girl (we already have the boy name picked). For some reason, MonkeyMama is obsessed with names that end in "a" or "y". My first choice was Gertrude, but she wouldn't go for it. Oh well.

Food aversions

2008-10-13T15:07:00.002-05:00

have begun. The only thing I could contemplate eating right now is gummy candy and sprite. Food sounds so disgusting!

Even Tetley tea with milk & sugar wouldn't go down. THAT's how strong the aversions are!

Thank GOD the monkey likes Tex Mex

2008-10-10T20:43:00.002-05:00

We went to a yummy Mexican restaurant for dinner. No margaritas :o( but the cheese enchiladas were the. best. ever. Or is that pregnancy hormones talking? Either way, good thing you liked those enchiladas, monkey, or I'm afraid we'd have to disown you.

Electronica for baby?

2008-10-10T16:19:00.000-05:00

I wonder how infants would respond to electronica and trip-hop. I find some of it, like Frou Frou and Massive Attack, really relaxing. No, I'm not doing drugs and producing yet another crack baby...just curious. Not sure how much Barney I'll be able to take before turning into a wine-for-breakfast kind of mother.

Speaking of Frou Frou, the lead singer has a really pretty name - Imogen. Betcha 100 bucks MonkeyPapa will HATE that name!

I'm losing my brain, already.

2008-10-10T09:27:00.000-05:00

Exhibit 1: this morning I had to look in the cookbook to remember how to boil an egg.

Monkey stuff

2008-10-09T19:23:00.000-05:00

Yes, I know it's early (I'm only 5 weeks 3 days) but I have found the cutest bedding that would work for a boy or a girl. I know I'll probably change my mind a hundred times, but MonkeyPapa likes this too.

So, about this eating healthy.

2008-10-08T14:37:00.000-05:00

I have THREE pregnancy books - one about nothing but what to eat. I am overwhelmed with information! They basically say to me: eat healthy or your tiny fetus will suffer and you will be a terrible parasite host - I mean mother.

Couldn't someone make it easier? I mean, Tim Gunn gave women the sweatsuit alternative (in his 10 essentials). Can't there be a Whataburger for lunch alternative clearly spelled out somewhere?

Last night's dinner exhausted me. I was chewing for over 20 minutes! I don't want to see broccoli or cauliflower ever again, and sadly, there's 6 more pounds of that veggie mix in my freezer. Tonight I may make my healthy dinner, put it in the blender, and drink it through a straw. Thank goodness I don't have any nausea (yet). Thanks for that, monkey. Keep up the good work and I will let you eat candy anytime you want once you're here.

Thanks for ruining my Sunday, darn parasite

2008-10-07T20:34:00.000-05:00

Dear Monkey,

You successfully kept me on my back for most of Sunday. (Your dad did a good job and brought me gatorade, baby tylenol, and a snickers, though. Way to go dad!)

I would just like to say it's unfair to have a hangover without even getting to drink. Although I suppose you are worth way more than a night of drinking :o)

Love,
Your host for the next 9 months

A monkey baby!

2008-10-07T16:05:00.000-05:00

So no one knows yet but Travis and me and a couple of friends (and a few salespeople), but we're pregnant! I have taken to calling it the Parasitic Monkey since it will leech everything off me for the next 9 months. Stick around, little monkey!