22 weeks

How Far Along: 22 weeks...man oh man is time flying by! I feel like I say this every week but really, it seems like just yesterday we did our embryo transfer!

Total Weight Gain: 25 lbs...eek! I got a "talk" at the doctors office just saying I need to eat healthy and walk. blah blah blah...I know!

Maternity Clothes: Yup! I even was able to get my maternity capri's out from back in October and wear them since it's 80 degrees here! Such crazy January weather from what I am use to!

Stretch Marks: I think I may have one or two more on my sides....lame but worth it. I already have bad gallbladder removal scars on my stomach so it's not like I'd ever be a bikini model so I am not that worried :)

Best Moment this Week: Putting together our cribs and changing table. I am very excited about them...now we just need the bedding and everything else.

Movement: Yes, lots...I feel like if one isn't moving, the other is. I love it though! I am starting to feel/see them kick on the outside but Brett hasn't felt them yet.

Food Cravings: Hmmm chocolate and peanut butter.

Belly Button Innie or Outtie: Innie but it's getting more shallow.

What are You Looking Forward to this Week: I am going to Alaska this weekend for 10 days to spend time with family and have my baby shower and I am pretty excited about that (minus the freezing cold weather!)

Battalion Baby Shower

Today, they had a battalion baby shower. There were 16 of us pregnant ladies there (and one guy who was a stand in for his wife who was home sick). I was a little nervous about going because I don't really know many ladies in my husband's battalion (definitely ones that would be there). But, ended up hanging out with Brett's Sgt's wife who is due any day and very nice. We played the typical baby games...toilet paper measuring the size of the bellies (I dislike that game!), guess what candy bar is in the diaper (disgusting!) and draw a baby in a diaper without looking. They had a ton of food and delicious cupcakes!

An organization called Helping Hands (Christ Community Church of Laguna Hills branch) donated some amazing gift baskets to each of the ladies. I wasn't sure if I took one or two baskets so took one and they ran out of boy baskets so they insisted they would send me one. I told them I was okay, one was more then enough but they were so kind about it. Our FRO ended up having an extra boy basket in her car so she gave that one to me.

Brett's Commanding Officer gave a little speech and his wife stuck around for the entire shower. They have 8 year old twin boys from fertility drugs, so she gave great advice. Her husband deployed to Iraq 6 days after her boys were born and she got pregnant with their daughter 5 months later after his return home. She laughed and said, well...we had to use fertility drugs to get pregnant so we thought it wouldn't happen on our own. It's crazy how common that is and also makes me realize Brett and I will have to be careful about that. I told him the other day, what in the world would be we do if we got pregnant on our own before you deploy? I would go insane but feel so blessed....two boys under 6 months and pregnant. Man...don't even want to think that way. We will be avoiding that.

Being a Marine wife isn't easy. In fact, it's hard. Brett isn't home much. He works long hours. He is away at training. He deploys. He goes to war zones. He is cranky and tired most of the time from working so much. He has issues about his last deployment and will be deploying again within 6 months of our boys being gone and will be gone for 7 months. He will most likely miss their first birthday. He will be gone the entire month of April with me at risk of going into labor at any time. He will be gone the entire month of July, leaving me with two newborn babies. But, days like today made me thankful for our Marine Corps family. It made me thankful to be part of a community that cares about each other and looks out for each other. Do I always LOVE the Marine Corps? No. But I am thankful. I am thankful for the stability it gives our family in the time of an unstable economy. I am thankful for our insurance in which since being pregnant and switching to my OB - I have not paid a penny. (Our anatomy scan was $500 alone). When I go on base, I have a sense of pride in my husband and our Marines. I am thankful for everything the Marine Corps has provided for us in the past 2 1/2 years and will continue to be thankful for everything in the next year and a half (or more...who knows what 2012 brings us).

Okay...enough of all that. Our gift baskets were great and full of wonderful gifts. Handmade

blankets, onesies, outfits, hands, socks, diapers, wipes, burp rags, bibs...lots of great things!

Holy Cow...20 weeks!

Mommy View (I can see my toes, but I'm sure not much longer!)

How Far Along: 20 weeks. Truly, I feel like time is flying by. We have a lot of stuff to do and a lot of stuff going on in the next month or so...these babies will be here before we know it!

Total Weight Gain: ugh...well...19 lbs as of my appointment last Tuesday. The Dr. got on me a little, just saying I need to eat healthy. I told him to cut me some slack, it was the holidays! The goal is 40 to 50 lbs (I would love to stay closer to the 40 side but at the end of the day, I just want healthy babies. Whatever I gain, I'll work on getting rid of after they are born)

Maternity Clothes: Yup! I might delete this question since it's going to be a yes from here on out. Oh but I did buy a maternity coat from Target on Clearance. I wanted just a regular peacoat but in a regular size but they didn't have one. My jacket is no longer zipping up so this one is cute and will definitely be useful when i am in Alaska in a couple weeks.

Stretch Marks: Not yet...

Best Moment this Week: Truly, I am just enjoyed spending time with Brett. His grandfather passed away yesterday morning and it's just been nice to be able to hang out and him not worry about work (although he goes back tomorrow). We've been total bums, watching movie after movie and occasionally running errands.

Movement: Yup, I have actually been feeling them a lot more recently. i cannot wait until Brett can feel them.

Food Cravings: Chocolate...hence 19 lbs. I've been trying to eat healthier though but don't neglect myself from chocolate.

Belly Button Innie or Outtie: Innie but it's getting more shallow.

What are You Looking Forward to this Week: They are having a Battalion baby shower on Friday. It should be fun. I won't know too many people but I am hoping a couple of my girl friends will go with me.

On a side note: I have been getting horrible Restless Legs Syndrome. Almost every night I have been taking a hot bath because my legs are just killing me. Last night, at about midnight I took a bath because I could not sleep. It's very uncomfortable. I try stretching...walking, everything the books say and not much helps.

19 weeks

I feel like I look a little misshapen in this picture but oh well...

How Far Along: 19 weeks

Total Weight Gain: I will find out tomorrow at my doctor appointment. I almost bought a scale this week but decided I don't want to focus on the number on the scale but instead having healthy babies.

Maternity Clothes: Yes, and I got some cute shirts for Christmas and a couple of pair of comfy pants at H&M the other day.

Stretch Marks: none yet

Best Moment this Week: Christmas. I loved opening presents for Brayden and Camden (I don't know if I have posted that on here yet but Brayden Kenneth and Camden Joseph are the names we picked out). We got our glider/recliner for the nursery from Brett's parents and very cute clothes!

Movement: I am having a hard time distinguishing kicks right now...hopefully I will be able to feel them more in the coming weeks

Food Cravings: Nothing specific... I am just hungry in general.

Belly Button Innie or Outtie: Innie

What are You Looking Forward to this Week: Tomorrow morning is our anatomy scan. I am excited to see our little guys. They said it takes about 45 minutes per baby so lots of baby viewing time!

18 weeks!!

How Far Along: 18 weeks! Our goal is 36 weeks so today is the halfway point. And I must say, the first half has gone by so quickly and with lots to do the next couple months, I feel like before we know it our little guys will be here!

Total Weight Gain: Hmm yeah, haven't weighed myself but I know I've gained weight. I feel like I've gotten bigger in the past week.

Maternity Clothes: Yup... all maternity clothes, although some random shirts or sweaters can still fit and are just snug on my belly.

Stretch Marks: nope...**fingers crossed**
Best Moment this Week: Being asked how far along I am. I just love that I look pregnant!

Movement: I just told Brett last night that I haven't really felt anything lately but I've been pretty much always on the go, trying to clean our house and get things ready for Christmas. Although, he still insists he feels them :)

Food Cravings: Nothing really.
Belly Button Innie or Outtie: Innie but I think it's getting more shallow.

What are You Looking Forward to this Week: Christmas!!! and Brett having a week and a half off work.

And for a bonus... my mom sent me a box with Christmas presents and a couple of baby outfits. How stinking cute are these!

17 weeks!

How Far Along: 17 weeks!

Total Weight Gain: Well, we don't have a scale so I usually use my Wii fit. But after it telling me I am overweight last week, i haven't weighed myself. We need to buy a scale because it's not seeing your Mii grow fatter when really I am just pregnant with twins!

Maternity Clothes: All my pants are maternity. In fact, my awesome mother in-law insisted I buy some good maternity jeans so I bought a couple pairs and LOVE them! I can still wear some of my regular shirts but they are just getting snug so I have a good mix of maternity and regular.

Stretch Marks: Nope

Best Moment this Week: Laying in bed and feeling one or both of the babies move.

Movement: See previous. I can only guess it was the babies. It sort of felt like getting flicked from the inside. B is so cute...he will put his hand on my stomach and say oh I felt them! (completely joking around because he knows he can't) but i cannot wait until he can feel them!

Food Cravings: Nothing really specific...I'm just really hungry. I've noticed it I go more then 2 hours without eating, I get a headache. So, tomorrow I am on a mission to get healthy snacks to have around.

Belly Button Innie or Outtie: Innie.

What are You Looking Forward to this Week: Finishing Christmas shopping, B having Friday off and getting things ready for his parents to come next week.

'Tis the Season

I was so excited to decorate this Christmas. Last Christmas, Brett was deployed so I was at my parent's house. So this year, I got to put up our own decorations that have only been used for one year. I actually forgot what all I had. Our living room is a little small with a larger sectional so no room in the living room. Our tree is in the dining room and although it's in a weird spot, it looks beautiful. I love waking up every morning to the Christmas tree all bright and beautiful. I have it on a timer to turn on right before I wake up!

This Christmas is going to be bitterswe

et. I am very excited because my In-Laws (Mother in-law, Father in-law and Sister in-law) will be down here. But, it'll be my first Christmas away from my family so it'll be a little sad. I am thankful that Brett's family will be down here though because he didn't get a real Christmas last year and really deserves one this year since he won't have one again next year. Dang deployments!

This year is extra special too because we've got our little babies cookin' this year. Next year, I know it'll be hard because it'll be our boys' first Christmas and Brett won't be here but I know our families will do everything they can to help us have a great Christmas.

I am what you can call a "moto" wife aka motivational wife. I have a very love/hate relationship with the Marine Corps but at the end of the day, I love the Marine Corps (and all our military branches). The past two Christmases I have bought Brett Marine Corps stockings. The original one was in our Christmas belongings in storage last year so I ordered another one to send to Afghanistan. So this year... I have two and I hung them very proudly.

We don't have snow...I don't have my family but we are going to have a wonderful Christmas here in sunny California (well, it's actually raining at the moment) and I cannot wait!