12 weeks, where did it go?

Today is the boys 12 week birthday. I have no idea where the time has gone. The first 12 days were spent in the NICU, but after that I've lost track of everything. It seems like such a blur, but I feel like we have figured so many things out since our two baby boys came into our lives.

Will is slightly smaller than Ben, each doctor's appointment he is only one ounce less. He still has that "big red marker" (as Josie refers to it) on his belly. So if all else fails we strip them down to identify who is who. He tends to wake up first and is starving, but never finishes his bottles or eats just a little less than Ben. Will just seems to take his time when he eats (just like dad) When he smiles he smirks first then does a full smile. It's like he isn't sure about you at first then decides ok that is funny.

Ben's extra ounce of weight is all in his cheeks. While Will is starting to catch up he is definitely a little more round and cheeky than Will. Ben will slam his bottles so fast. He doesn't mess around when it comes to his food (just like mom). He smiles from ear to ear instantly when he thinks something is deserving.

Both boys just idolize their big sister Josie. She walks into the room and they instantly follow her every move. She talks or sings to them and they coo right back. The love between them warms my heart. I am cherishing these moments as I am sure in the future they will be yelling at each other!

I thank God everyday for blessing us with 3 beautiful healthy babies. Josie may be 2, but she is still my baby too!

Halloween!

(Will is on the left and Ben is on the right in both photos)

Rub a dub dub, Two men in a tub

These are pictures of their first bath, so cute. They used tooth brushes to wash their hair and boy do they have alot of it. Will all suds up and Ben sporting the curls. While the boys did not care for their bath, Erin and I loved it and saw it as a another sign of progress.

Hold Me Closer Tony Danza

After only about 24 hours, both the boys are off the breathing machines and have been cleared of all their respiratory issues. Now that they have been freed up from their machines, Erin and I have been able to finally hold them. We loved this moment as it had been one of the moments we knew we would cherish. It is so great to see their faces and know that they are on the road to recovery.

NICU

Shortly after delivery, our boys were brought to the NICU. As was somewhat expected, their lungs were not quite fully developed at 36 weeks and they needed some help breathing. They were both hooked up to CPAP machines as they have really struggled to breathe on their own. The doctors and nurses have been great in the NICU and we know they will get great care.

They're Here!

The day has finally arrived and our boys are out and doing well. First out was William James Bemis, weighing 5lbs. 11oz and stretching out to 18 inches long. He was followed only seconds later by his brother Benjamin Gleason Bemis who weighed 5lbs. 12oz. and was 17 inches long. Both were born at 11:47 am on Monday August 17th, 2009. This was a day we will never forget.

36 Weeks and Ready to Go!

This will be our last belly picture before the boys are born. Erin has done such a great job with this pregnancy and she is so happy that the day is almost here. We can't wait to see these boys and hope the delivery goes as smooth as the pregnancy.

34 weeks!

34 weeks and counting... Today I am 12 days away from the big day! At my doctors appointment yesterday the boys were doing awesome. Baby A is 4lbs 14oz and Baby B is 5lbs 5oz. Yes, I have 10 + pounds of baby in me! No wonder I am so big. I've gained 45lbs, which is 17lbs or so more than I did with Josie. Oh, and the second picture is my feet at the end of the day in this HOT weather!

Once I see these little guys it will make all the aches and pains worth while! I just can't wait to see their cute little faces.

Ready or not here they come!

The boys scored 10 out of 10 on their tests Tuesday morning. I was having mild contractions, but nothing to worry about for now. If we go into active labor in the next two weeks they would give me the shots to stop labor and try to hold off for 48 hours. That would give the boys enough time to receive a steroid to speed up the development of their lungs. If I go into labor after 34 weeks, the boys wouldn't even need the steroid because their lungs would be ready! Baby A is currently 4lbs 13oz, Baby B is 4lbs 5oz. I will continue to have the weekly check ups, which last about 3-4 hours, but I always feel happy when I leave.

If I do not go into active labor over the next 4 weeks then we are scheduled to have a C-section on Monday August 17th! YES, the light at the end of the tunnel is finally near!!!

Just to give you all a heads up... we need to be prepared that the boys will be in the NICU (neo-natal intensive care unit) for some time. Possibly till their planned due date which is September 13th. We won't know what we are dealing with until they are born. We've been truly blessed so far and our hope is that they will be released before Rich and Bre's wedding so at least Billy and Josie can attend. Keep praying as we still need all the help we can get!!!

31.5 weeks!

Today the specialist ran several tests on me that will be a weekly event going forward. We all passed the non stress test (They had strong heart rates and I didn't have any contractions). The AFI test came back great, that measures the fluid around each boy. The last test was fetal biophysical profile. This is an ultrasound to rank the boys body movements, muscle tone, fluid around them, and how they practice breathing on their own. Both boys scored 8 out or 8!

Last week they measured the boys to see how much they approximately weigh. Baby A is 3lbs13oz and Baby B is 4lbs1oz. They measure this biweekly because it doesn't change much week by week.

My doctor had to go deliver a baby, so I will see her next Tuesday when I go in for all of the above again.

Thank you for all the thoughts and prayers and keep them coming! We are almost to the finish line :)

I am clumsy...

I fell down the stairs yesterday at work. It was only 3 steps. I am 99% sure I didn't even hit my belly. I landed on my hands and scrapped my knee. I was so embarrassed that I got up fast, and ran away. (Ok busted, I can't run right now, but you get the idea).

Afterwards I drank some water to try and get the boys moving just to be safe. Of course it was a quiet time, so I couldn't get them to move. So I decided I better go into the hospital and make sure all is well. We got there at 11am, I ended up leaving after 7pm. They ran every test on me imaginable, which was good to be reassured all was well when I left. Baby B wasn't cooperating on his tests, so that took some time. Apparently, I was having some mild contractions when I arrived. After a couple of hours they didn't stop, they got a worse. So I got a shot to stop them, then another one, then another one. (Yes, 3 shots!) The contractions aren't necessarily linked to the fall. Just what my body decided to do at the time.

All is well now. I am staying home today, I feel so exhausted from being poked and prodded. But I am so grateful to know the boys are doing great!

Happy 28 Weeks!

Thing 1 & Thing 2

Today we are 27weeks! I passed my gestational diabetes test on the second round. This was a VERY exciting event, because everyone (including my doctor) assumed I would fail it. I still need to be aware of what I eat, but it will not be as strict as it was with Josie.

Today was also the Bemis Boy's shower. Our friend Nikki hosted the party and made it so much FUN! We played a couple cute games (one of which I won!) and enjoyed delicious food, great company, and adorable decorations. Nikki went above and beyond for these little guys.

We got so much great gear to put to use when these boys arrive. It is making me more and more anxious to meet them. I hope we can make it another 11 weeks so we have some healthy boys.

22 Weeks and Counting...

In the first picture Josie is kissing her baby brothers. In the second picture you will notice next to her fingers Josie has a tiny #1 on her belly... This was the first time she was awake during picture time and when she saw my belly she needed to have a number on her tummy too.

Happy Mother's Day!

20 Weeks and counting!

This was a great weekend for baby preparation. The boys' furniture arrived. Billy and I (ok mostly Billy) put the cribs together in no time flat. We arranged the cribs a couple of different ways but decided we loved them side by side as seen here. We have a long dresser underneath the window and a large armoire next to the closet.

We painted three walls blue and one wall tan (again we = Billy). The bedding is blue with brown stars. We have some wall decorations we plan to put up soon and a cute little lamp that will go on the nightstand next to the dresser.

I am still feeling pretty good, my back aches from time to time, but that is to be expected. The boys are moving and grooving. We have gotten to the point where Billy felt them kick. It's such an exciting feeling.

We had a doctor's appointment last Monday and another one this Thursday. The doctor said everything is looking great, we are measuring right on track. On Thursday we meet with the specialist to see if we have any indications of Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome. Keep those fingers crossed that the results continue to be good.

We are having Identical Boys!

Where to begin... well at the beginning of the year we discovered we were expecting our second child. Both of us were thrilled more than you can imagine as we knew we wanted our kids to be close in age and our Josie girl will turn two in June. We had a big Bemis family vacation planned for the first week in February. The day before we left for Cabo we had our very first doctor appointment. We figured this would be perfect timing as once we were assured all was well we'd tell the family in Mexico...

Josie and Billy came with me to the doctor appointment. Josie was really apprehensive as she thought she was the one that the doctor was checking up on. Once we started to see the ultrasound on the monitor she calmed down. The doctor didn't speak for a VERY long time (OK maybe it was a minute, but it felt like an hour!). He finally asked if I thought anything looked different. I mentioned that I keep seeing two dots, but it's hard to tell what is going on. That's when he informed us that those two tiny little dots were our two tiny little babies! Billy was pumped from the get go. I hyperventilated, but have been tickled pink ever since.

At our appointment in March we found out that the babies are identical. We also learned that they are sharing a placenta, which means I will be closely monitored to make sure both are getting all the nutrients they need. I will see a doctor just about every other week, sometimes more often.

At our last appointment, yesterday, we discovered that these two little rascals are BOYS. Every appointment we learn something new, and every appointment we are more excited to meet these little guys. The best part of the appointment was being reassured that at least at this time they are doing great! We could see all 4 chambers of their hearts, they both measured right on schedule, and everything else looked perfect too.

We also got some insight on our boys that is so exciting. Baby A is on my left side. He is head down (the way he should be). In his pictures he is sucking his thumb, looking down, and shying away from the "camera". Baby B is on my right side. He is bottom down (just like his big sister Josie). In his pictures he is smiling ear to ear and stretching his neck up looking right at the "camera". Anytime I feel any movement it is ALWAYS on my right side. I'll even lay on my left side in hopes of feeling something over there. At our ultrasound in March, we have a picture of Baby B kicking Baby A in the head. What a riot. These two are already cracking us up!

Please keep our boys in your thoughts and prayers. We still have a long road ahead of us.