The Home Stretch

I am now 34 weeks- yeah! I saw my doctor on Monday and at that point I was 100% effaced (thinning of cervix) and 1cm dilated. They are going to take me off bed rest in two weeks and let nature take its course. Two weeks doesn't seem like a long time, but for all you mothers out there, you know what the last few weeks of pregnancy are like- not so fun. My walk has turned into a waddle, I no longer fit into most of my clothes (maternity included) and sleeping is near impossible. I have developed a deepening love for pillows. I now sleep with 5; two for my head, one for my belly, one behind my back which Jeremy needs to place, and one in between my legs. I have gotten good at not messing up the pillow formation when I get up for my hourly trips to the restroom. My weight has been increasing at what I think is an alarming rate. Up until now my weight gain has been slow and steady. But, now I'm seeing numbers on the scale that I never thought were possible. I've gained 6 pounds in the last two weeks! But, overall, I really haven't gained that much for a twin pregnancy. The babies are doing well- at my last specialist appointment Blake was 4lbs. 10oz and Emerson was 4lbs. 9oz, both around the 40th percentile. By now they should be over 5- great news! Those are the last measurements we will be getting because I no longer need to see the specialist. So, from now on, I see my doctor once a week and go to Good Samaritan Hospital (where I will deliver) twice a week for fetal monitoring. That's it for now....I'll update sooner next time:)

32 Weeks

Sleeping Beauty

Our little man

following doctor's orders

Daddy putting together everything that swings, bops and bounces

It is such a relief to finally be at the milestone of 32 weeks. Long term, 32 week babies typically do just as well as full term babies. They would just need a little extra support at the beginning. I went to the specialist today for my weekly cervical check. The extra rest I have been doing is working- I'm holding strong at 0.7cm which is the low end of where I was last week. My cervix is strong, but Blake's head is resting right on it which is what is causing it to thin and shorten. My doctor instructed me to keep doing next to nothing for the next two to three weeks and then she will let me do cartwheels. My goal is 35 weeks- only 3 weeks away!!! Today was also exciting because Emerson decided to flip and show her cute little face. She has been facing my back for the past 6 weeks. Blake's picture is from last week. It's not quite as clear because there is membrane in the way. It's difficult for the doctor to see and measure his head now because it is so low- almost into my leg! But, the good news is both of the babies are head down in perfect position to attempt a vaginal delivery.

Modified bed rest has been interesting. Daisy and Sonora have been doing a tremendous job showing me the ropes of how it works since it is their life on a daily basis. It goes something like this....sleep in, get a little fresh air after being fed, find a comfortable spot on the couch with pillows and blankets, watch some TV and maybe take a nap, eat again, and drink lots of water throughout the day. I have also been reading a lot and I have watched "Oprah's Best Life" all week. I've also made myself a bit paranoid by watching several episodes of Bringing Home Baby and Maternity Ward on Discovery Health. The best part is the babies move a lot when I'm relaxing. Last night they were moving so much that my stomach looked like a wave pool- so fun! I'm thinking we have some blooming gymnasts! That's about it for now- thank you for all the prayers- they are working!

31 Weeks

I started the week off with a visit to my OB. This week they performed my second fetal fibronectin test. It is a protein that is produced during pregnancy that is like a glue attaching the fetal sack to the uterine lining. If the protein is detected in the test it indicates preterm labor in the following 1-2 weeks. We were VERY happy to hear that the test was negative. I will continue to receive this test every two weeks.

On Friday I saw my specialist who did a full ultrasound with measurements. Our babies are thriving in my "oven". Blake is now a remarkable 4 pounds 1 ounce, and Emerson is a hearty 3 pounds 13 ounces. Their measurements are the same as a singleton baby would be at 31 weeks... all good news! The not so good news was the current measurement of my cervix. It has shortened to between 0.7-1.3 cm. My specialist sent me to the hospital for furthur monitoring and testing. I received another non-stress test, and once again the babies were moving all around and doing well. However, I did have more cramping and contractions than they would have liked to see during that time. So, I received a shot to slow contractions. The docotor also gave me a shot of steroids to help develop the babies' lungs in case if anything changes and they are born within the next two weeks. After two weeks, their lungs should be developed enough on their own.

My doctor also gave me the news that at this stage I should be off my feet as much as possible. That means work is now over for me for the time being. I am working with my substitute teacher on Monday and Tuesday of this week, and my maternity leave will begin Wednesday. This does mean that I will have to go back to work toward the end of the school year. But, this is definitely best to keep these babies from delivering too early. I am on "modified bed rest" meaning I need to be lying down for several hours throughout the day but I can still do basic activities. Poor Jeremy- he has a lot to take over right now! Other than that, things are good. I have steadily been gaining weight and considering my size I'm feeling pretty well- except for sleeping (I'm now up to 4 pillows), but that's a whole other story!

Love to you all!

Madeline Grace Belkin has arrived!!!

My sister Kristyn and her husband, Mike, welcomed their baby girl into the world at 10:42 on New Years morning. She was a healthy 7 pounds 15 ounces and 21.5 inches. Madeline and mom are doing great and look forward to an exciting homecoming tomorrow. What a great way to start off the new year!

Our new car!

Jeremy and I made our final big purchase in preparation for the babies. Jeremy has wanted a new car for a few years and my Honda definitely isn't big enough for our family of 4 and 2 dogs. So, we traded in Jeremy's old Pathfinder for this one. It is a 2005 with only 38,000 miles and we love it! Now Jeremy will drive the Honda and I will drive the Pathfinder.

Merry Christmas!!!

Jeremy and I started our holiday celebration with a trip to Sedona. Doctors orders are now to relax as much as possible, so we did just that. The weather was beautiful and we enjoyed the scenery and spending some quiet time together. We won't have much of that soon!

On Christmas, we spent time with the entire Rhodes family at Aunt Buffy's house, all 30 of us! It was nice being able to catch up with everyone!

Baby Shower

Last weekend we celebrated a very special event, my baby shower! A family friend, Barbara Dunlap, opened her beautiful home to about 50 close friends and family. It was absolutely wonderful and Jeremy and I were both amazed at everyone's generosity. We are blessed to have so many friends and so much family supporting us and excited about welcoming our children into the world. The gifts were all beautifully displayed and completely filled my living room when we got home. It was so much fun going through and seeing all the baby treasures. Amazingly, with my parents help, everything has found a place. We are now all set for our twins arrival!

2 Trimesters Down- 1 To Go!

I can't believe I'm already in my third trimester. Time is flying! I've been told that the third trimester is when twin pregnancies start to get a little more tricky and risky. I got a little taste of that this week. I had my 27 week appt. with the specialist on Wednesday. The babies are big- Blake is 2.8 lbs (83rd percentile) and Emerson is 2.5 lbs (58th percentile) and they are developing perfectly. The specialist did have a concern with the length of my cervix. At this point, it should be around 3cm. It was measuring between 1.8 and 2.2 cm. So, she had me go to my doctor, who had me go to the hospital. At the hospital they did another ultrasound and a nonstress test (NST). Basically, I was hooked up to a machine to monitor my body and the babies. The babies were moving all around indicating that they were happy as can be and not under any stress. My body also passed the test. I did have one contraction during the monitoring, but they said that was normal at this point. I was VERY happy to hear that I was not going to be put on bed rest, but I do need to start limiting my activity. I will also be going for more testing every week- the joys of pregnancy!

Thanksgiving Weekend

Chance and Ainsley

"Thanks for the new toy, Grammy and Grandpa. We played with it all weekend!"


"When are these babies coming? We're ready to play!"

We spent Thanksgiving at Jeremy's parents house with lots of relatives. Then we drove to my aunt's house to visit for a while. On Friday, Jeremy and I drove to the ranch in Prescott. We enjoyed the cool weather and playing with the dogs. It was great having a relaxing long weekend!

6 months!

Blake Michael- 1.5 lbs

Emerson Hazel- 1.3 lbs

The ever-growing pink and blue wardrobe

It's been a while since I've updated- sorry! We've been busy! Jeremy started a new job- more money and a MUCH better working environment. When we're not working, we've been busy doing little home improvement projects. Our baby furniture was delivered and we finally found a way to arrange the room so all the furniture fits with room left over for a big, comfortable rocker recliner. That should arrive in about 8 wks.

I'm now in what is the "honeymoon period" of pregnancy. This must be the stage moms refer to when they say they love being pregnant. I'm feeling great and LOVING watching and feeling the babies move. I call Jeremy over to look all the time and we just stare at my belly in amazement! My back has starting hurting a bit, but it's nothing a warm bath can't fix:)

As the doctor put it, our growing miracles are picture perfect! They are right along where singleton babies are at this stage with their weight and height. The docs are keeping a close eye on me though. I now see my doctor every two weeks and the specialist every four weeks. I was also just informed that at 32 weeks I will start having to go to the hospital 2X per week for an hour for fetal monitoring. So there will be some weeks where I will have 4 appointments in a week! It's a lot, but I'm glad we're keeping a close eye on the babies.

We also came up with middle names for the twins. Blake's middle name is going to be Michael, which is Jeremy's middle name. We decided on Hazel as Emerson's middle name. Hazel is in honor of Jeremy's grandfather, Peggy's dad.

That's all for now. We wish you all a lovely Thanksgiving surrounded by friends and family!

Danielle's 30th Birthday

Last night we headed to Maggiano's for Danielle's 30th Birthday Party. We had a fun night of catching up with my high school friends, eating, and attempting to solve the murder mystery. Happy Birthday Danielle! Thanks for a fun night!

Welcome Austin Robert Stone!!!

Brian and Stacey welcomed their second son, Austin, into the world on October 27!!! He was a healthy 7lbs. 13oz.

Welcome to the family Austin! We know our kids will have SO much fun playing with you!!!

Congratulations Brian and Stacey!!!

Over halfway there!

Last week Jeremy and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary. Part of the celebration was finally deciding on names for our children... no more twin "A" and "B"!!!! So, for all of you who have been waiting (somewhat) patiently, we now can answer- Our son's name is Blake and our daughter's name is Emerson. We are still working on finalizing middle names, but it is so nice to finally be able to refer to them by name! They are growing (as you can see by the picture) and doing great. I'm starting to feel a little bit of wavy movement, but I'm just waiting for those kicks and punches:)

Trip to Atlanta

My nephew, Braden

The time it takes to grow a belly...
Kristyn- 28 Weeks, Me- 19 Weeks, Dad- 60 Years!




expected arrival- Jan 2009!!!

Last week was my fall break and I headed to Atlanta for Kristyn's baby shower and to spend time with family. It was so much fun seeing and shopping for Baby Madeline's room. I've never seen a more girly room in my life...so cute!!! The shower was beautiful and lots of fun!