29 Weeks!

We are at week 29 and counting. Latrice went to an antepartum fetal monitoring session today and the results were positive. The babies are healthy and do not show any sign of distress. That is great news. These 2 boys are VERY active though. The nurses have a hard time monitoring them because they move around so much. It takes them a LONG time to position the equipment and then they are held hostage by Joaquin and Jacob. The poor nurses can't leave the sensors unattended because the boys will do a karate move and the sensors are rendered useless.

Both of the nurses were really surprised by their excessive movements. The movements are not an elbow here or there, they are full out jumping from one side of the uterus to the other. They wrestle around with each other with kicks, elbows, headbutts, and whatever means necessary to get some space. Its an all out territorial war! Not only does Latrice feel it on her inside but we can see it on the outside as well. OUCH!!

Today is Latrice's 30th birthday! Time has flown by for both of us. We had a pretty low key day due to her appointments and my school. However, on Wednesday I have a free day so we are going to celebrate it then. We'll probably do some sightseeing in D.C. and just let the day take us where it may.

Today we also worked on the boys room some more. Over the last few days, Latrice worked on the curtains for the boys room. She busted out the sewing machine and modified some curtains we had in Hawaii. When it was all said and done, the curtains came out perfect. We went out yesterday and got some rods and some monkey finials to go with them. They came out looking pretty good and really works with our theme. We also got a rug and a lamp for the room. We are almost done. Now we are waiting for the custom letters to come in for the wall. Joaquin and Jacob's room is starting to look really good!



Found these at target!!


~Javier

Dr's Appt

Yesterday, Latrice got an ultrasound and the results were good (mostly). Today we had another Dr's appt and Latrice is doing well. She is walking a bit slower and her restroom urges have increased, but she is healthy. We were also able to use the Expectant mother's parking spot at the hospital, so that was a bonus.
The babies are healthy and very active. However, one of the boys (Joaquin) is starting to get bigger than his brother. Since the boys each have their own placenta, we are about 99% sure that the boys are fraternal twins. So of course, they are going to be different according to their genetic make-up. They are essentially 2 different eggs that were fertilized by 2 different sperm that are sharing mommy' belly. According to the books we read, fraternal twins grow at a different rate in 20 to 25% of all twin pregnancies. The good news is that we know it is NOT Twin-to-Twin Fetal Syndrome (TTFS), an abnormality where twins share a placenta and one twin sucks all of the nutrients from the placenta and the other twin essentially starts to starve. Our best guess is that it is genetically related and not an internal problem. However, the doctor is going to start monitoring their growth more aggressively (means more dr. appts) to ensure that Jacob is not in any sort of distress. Another bit of good news is that Jacob (the smaller twin) is actually growing at the projected rate for his gestational age. So, that is a bit of relief. We would be a bit more worried if Jacob was not meeting the milestones for his gestational age. Joaquin is simply growing faster than expected for his gestation. I remarked to Latrice that Joaquin will probably be a football player and Jacob's gonna be a band kid. We shall see...
Today I had a thought as to why pregnant moms walk so slow. It occurred to me at Chick-Fil-A where we had lunch today. I parked the car as usual, leaned over and gave Latrice a smooch, opened the door, and then locked it once her door was open. I got down as normal and waited for her at the rear of the car so we could hold hands and walk inside as is our S.O.P. Well, today that wait was a LOT longer. As I stood alone at the rear of our car I could hear some slow faint grunts but none that would cause alarm. My mind started to wonder and the wait became longer. After a while, Latrice finally waddled over at an extremely slow pace looking very uncomfortable. I looked at her and she looked really pregnant so I took her hand and started walking at about the pace of a cane-ridden 80 year person. I started to get worried we were going to get hit by a car as we crossed the parking lot and that's when it hit me --> Get used to it buddy, you ain't going anywhere fast! I guess this is simply nature's way of preparing the father for the reality that is coming. Once we have babies, our world is going to come to a crawl. Say good-bye to the simple pleasures of getting out of a car without the worry of car seats, strollers, diaper bags, 2 unhappy babies, a tired mommy, etc...

~Javier

Live Music

Yesterday was our 28th week of pregnancy. We didn't do much, I had some homework to catch up on and Latrice went baby shopping with a friend. She came back with some really nice outfits and our boys are already little prepsters.

Today I had the rare treat of going to see a Conjunto band play at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. . Mingo Saldivar played his music for an hour and we had a BLAST! It was great! Latrice and I got the chance to dance and we wore a hole in our shoes. I was really impressed that Latrice danced really graceful and had the energy to keep up with me. She actually had an easier time dancing than walking. Lucky me! These are a couple of pictures of us on the the terrace at the Kennedy Center in D.C.

After the Show I was fortunate enough to have a conversation with Mingo about music in general. I also asked him about a friend of mine that gave him a gift for his accordion earlier this year. He vaguely remembered him, but he did remember the gift. We spent a few minutes chatting and then took a picture together. Latrice remarked that Mingo looks like a wax figure in the picture because of the way he is glistening. I can assure you, it really was him.

In other news, we are still working on the baby room and it is progressing really well. We found some cool stickers for the wall and we have the block letters on order. Once we finish it up, we will post some pics. Tomorrow we have a doctor's appt and Latrice and I will be able to attend together since my class schedule for tomorrow is light and I will be out of class before the appt. More to come...

~Javier

Baby Boot Camp

So yesterday, Javier and I attended a Baby Boot Camp class offered by the base. We didn't really know what to expect, but thought it couldn't hurt to go.

The class gave a lot of information about what to expect when the baby is born, how to hold baby, how to bathe baby, how to swaddle baby. It turned out that we knew most of the stuff they taught us. The good thing was that it affirmed we are on the right track with informing ourselves. We've been reading baby books and watching baby shows and talking to our local twin expert (Melanie). The best part of the class was the pregnant suit that they had available for the men to wear. Javier wasn't enthusiastic about volunteering to wear it, but I wanted him to, so he agreed. First, they strapped a tight wrap around his chest so that he could experience the difficulty in breathing.

Then came the actual pregnant suit. This will be the one and only time Javier ever wears something that gives him boobs. They even had a heavy sack thing to put under the belly that would put pressure on the bladder. It was supposed to mimic the bladder pressure pregnant women feel from the baby.

Here we are together. We stood back to back so you could see both our baby bumps. Javier is bigger than me. Anyway, his suit is supposed to simulate a 9 month belly.

And here he is with our fake babies. It was kinda funny when it came to the changing diapers portion of the class. We opened their diapers to find little fake poopies made of peanut butter and mustard. It even stank a little bit.

All in all, it was a good experience. I'm glad Javier was able to get time away from school to attend with me.

In other news, the weekend is here and we don't have a lot of plans. Later today, we're heading up to Washington D.C. to watch the Aggies game with the local Aggie club. I don't know if I will be able to wear my Aggie shirt. It may be too tight around the middle now. No plans for tomorrow. Monday I have an ultrasound and Tuesday I have my OB appointment, so we'll probably update again soon.

~Latrice

27 Weeks!

The week has flown by for us. This last week was CrAzY at school. We had an 8 hour test and it was intense. Yes, 8 hours straight and only a bathroom break when needed. The guy in front of me didn't even take the bathroom breaks! Hopefully, its all down hill from here...

This week, Latrice bought a few more items for the babies and we finally finished putting together the guest room. Latrice also washed all of the babies new clothes to get rid of the store bought smell and they are hanging or folded in the new furniture. This week we also bought a few items (baby bath tubs, onesies, double stroller, and infant car seats) from our "twin trainer" friend for a very reasonable price.

The babies room is almost done. We are still looking for a nice rug and some big block letters to put the boys' names over their cribs. We took a few pictures as a "work in progress" snapshot.

I finally convinced Latrice to let me take some pictures of her. She is not too thrilled about them, but knows that many of our friends and family want to see how she looks. A lot of people are really surprised to see how "small" she looks for a 6 month expectant mother of twins. I tend to agree.

This week we are attending a "Baby Boot camp" class here on base. It's an all day event designed to inform us of all of the newborn ID requirements, services available, and an overview of caring for our babies. Luckily for me, class for that day is focused on grammar and paper writing skills so, I can miss it and attend with Latrice. Yippee!

Latrice has been handling the pregnancy well. Of course, "well" is a relative term since this is our first pregnancy, but as well as we could hope. She has a rough time getting through the nite without shifting a few times and getting up a few times to use the restroom. She's been experiencing a lot of internal stretching pains and when the babies kick, she is not always happy about it. I can understand; I wouldn't want someone kicking at my kidneys or spleen either!

Our next sonogram is next Monday (22) followed by our next doctor appt (23). We will keep yall updated with the latest info from the doctor. For now, enjoy the pictures!

Our house ---->

~Javier

Time is ticking away!

Yesterday was our 26th week of pregnancy! We are now in the 3rd trimester which is very exciting. Latrice can now officially use the "3rd Trimester expecting mothers" parking spot at places like Babies R Us and such. Cool! I know that the babies can already hear me. I have been talking to them daily and sometimes they both start kicking as soon as they hear my voice. Latrice gets excited too and we both like it. I have also been able to feel the babies move for a few weeks now. It is such a weird yet awesome feeling. I actually get nervous when I feel them move and am afraid of hurting them. I guess it's a weird paternal instinct or something because I logically know that I can not hurt them by simply putting my hand on mommy's belly. It's weird.

We have been spending money every weekend as we are now preparing our babies' room and getting a lot of the items we will need for their care. We got a lot of the furniture at IKEA and it saved us a ton of money. We also had to put all of it together and Latrice and I did that together over a few weeknights time. Latrice and I make a great construction team. She is the brains of the operation and I am the brawn. She read all of the instructions and I basically just followed her every command. She also got involved in the projects and turned some wrenches along with me. It was a really good bonding experience and we both really enjoyed it. It was special to work along side her as we built our babies' cribs, chess, toy boxes, etc. A great feeling indeed!

Latrice and I have been doing some unofficial "on the job training" with our friend's twin girls. The girls are 11 months old and are very adorable and lovable. I really enjoy spending time with those 2 munchkins and we have been over to see them quite often since we have been here. Their mom lets us feed them, bathe them, and change them. However, my favorite part is playing with them and getting their drool filled kisses. They are simply awesome and we can't wait till we are doing the same with our two little changos!

School is going okay. I am not overly excited about the coursework we are currently doing, but I know that in the long run it will pay dividends. It's like typing class, not really fun, but necessary for long term success.

Having Latrice home has been awesome. At lunch I am able to sneak away for about 45 minutes and come home and have lunch with her ( a HUGE advantage of living on base). After school, I get to look forward to a home cooked dinner. I also know that she is taking care of the bills and other miscellaneous errands that have to get done in our daily life. It's nice to just be able to concentrate on her, our babies, and my school for the time being.

The babies' room is almost ready. Our next focus of effort will be on the guest room. We have to make sure it ready for my mom who is coming out to stay with us for an extended period of time once Jacob and Joaquin are born. It will be really nice to have her helping us rookies out as we fumble around trying to raise 2 newborns. We can hardly wait!

Pictures are coming soon!

~Javier

25 weeks

So we had another doctor's appointment yesterday. All went well. We listened to the babies hearts and they sound great. The doc checked my cervix and it's still closed tight. My weight gain is good and my blood pressure is great. My blood work has come back looking good too. Things are looking good at this time. And I'm feeling good for the most part. I still have some fatigue and occasional nausea, but compared to the first trimester, I feel great. And in another week, we'll be entering our third trimester. I'm very happy for that to happen.

My next appointment is an ultrasound in 3 weeks and then a doctor's appointment too. After that, we'll be switching to appointments every 2 weeks. And then at some point very soon, it will be every week. My doctor likes to keep an extra watchful eye on twins, and although the drive is further than I would like, I'm glad to go and make sure the babies keep baking in the oven.

The babies are growing more active every day. Some days more than others. And Javier can feel them more often too.

And yes.... I know..... we need to post some pictures. We are going to do that very soon. I promise. I just need to find my camera and charge it. There really isn't anything to be amazed at. I look pregnant, but I'm not huge yet. People are still surprised when I say that I'm carrying twins.

In other news, Javier is doing well in school. And he's so so glad that college football has resumed. The house is coming along well and almost finished. The weather here has been nice. We don't have a lot to complain about. Life is good.