20 weeks | The Twins

So I realized I haven't done a big update on the twins on the blog, nor have I posted any bump pictures on here for family who isn't on facebook. Sorry!!

We are now 20 weeks and the twins both looked great on a quick ultrasound at the doctors office today. They were very active and the doctor was cracking up at Baby A kicking Baby B repeatedly. The ultrasound in the doctor's office is a lower quality one, and often hard to see details (they have much better ones downstairs), but in just glancing over Baby B he laughed and said 100% boy. It was very obvious. We are assuming Baby A is still girl, but she was being shy, we'll let you know if anything changes!

20 weeks

I feel almost constant movement right now, which considering there are 4 little feet and 4 little arms failing about is not surprising! Just this week I have been able to begin to differentiate between which baby is moving, which is fun. Right now it seems like Baby Girl A is much more active than her brother at least during the day. Baby Boy B is more active at night and in the early mornings. They currently trade off being active, which should be interesting as they get bigger and bigger and it's harder to sleep through their activity! 




Physically I am doing pretty well. I have the 'nesting' desire very strong and just about every place in my house is getting reorganized! However my ability to keep up and actually do the things I want to do is waning alot. Normally you get a burst of second trimester 'energy' but I haven't really seen that. My nausea is alot better, but with the babies taking up so much room, digestion is rarely fun, haha! They are growing rapidly and are stretching my muscles and ligaments a bit quick than my body would like, but a support belt has helped with that, as well as just limiting what I allow myself to do! I am happily accepting that everything is going to take longer for me to complete, and some things have to wait until the hubs gets home from work. 


We have a big ultrasound in about a week and a half that will include lots of pictures to share!


Here are some old bump photos for those who aren't on facebook:




                   11 weeks                                               13 weeks

     

                           16 weeks                                             19 weeks

 

Project 52 | Moments | Week 39

Motherhood is

moments.

His favorite thing to do when dada is home, is play 'nigh-nigh'.

Which means mama, dada, and even pup-pup have to curl up in our little bed and snuggle.

It's heavenly. 

We are thoroughly enjoying our little family of 3...

Aren't my boys just adorable??

styleberry blog |cyan baby bliss | fitori | phreckle face photography | {rik-see } photography | the vandyck family

Project 52 | Peaceful | Week 38

Motherhood is

peaceful.

Because in order to be the best mother I can be,

I have to be in a good place in my marriage and with myself.

And that means mama needs her own time to grow in the Lord.

(even if it is at 5 am!)

5 am. The house is silent but for the pitter-pat of rain on the windows. Everyone else is sleeping, even the animals. My stomach is growling like I didn't just eat 8 hours before and I can't sleep. At first, I was frustrated. Sleep is such a rare and important commodity around here. I go to bed by 9, and I'm up at 630, and even then, I'm exhausted all the time.

But as I dragged myself out of bed to satisfy the hungry babies, I realized I had a golden hour and a half, ALL to myself. That I could do whatever I wanted.

So for the next hour and a half, as I listened to the rain fall, I spent some quality time in the Word and in Cynthia Heald's Becoming a Woman of Purpose.

Perfectly peaceful. 

styleberry blog |cyan baby bliss | fitori | phreckle face photography | {rik-see } photography | the vandyck family

Toddler room | DIY

Jarvis' big boy room is ready! Finishing up the toddler room and moving him over is the first step in getting prepared for the twins.


I love doing things ourselves, and luckily, I have a husband who enjoys it just as much. I'm not a huge fan of themed rooms, more a focus on color palettes and accents. But I have a toddler. A toddler with an obsession. So I tried to compromise, the 'truck' theme in this room is downplayed, and very easily changed. 


The best part of this room. The total cost is under $250 including all furniture, paint, supplies, and decorations (not including the pottery barn chair which was a Christmas gift). 


Onto some pictures!

All the decals were a steal on mamabargains.com, and are all mounted on glass, for easy transportation when we move sometime in the next year! Curtains are from Ikea and have blackout fabric clipped to the back of them.


I'm still not 100% sold on the crooked frames. It was hubby's idea and he loves it. I'm not sure, but it's an easy change if I just can't handle it!

(please ignore the brown lampshade, it's a stand in until I can find one to recover at thrift store, since our selection in town is so bad!)

Want to know something fun? Both the helicopter pictures are of Daddy actually flying!

Bedding made all by me, 2 pillows, 2 sheets, and a comforter. The sheets were my one big 'toddler' concession as they are covered in different trucks, he loves them!

I got all the frames for less than $60 at a garage sale! 2 cans of orange spray paint later....

Hubby and I made and stained these toy bins!

Possibly my favorite part of the room... The sides and top of the dressers are painted in blue chalkboard paint and the drawer fronts in gray chalkboard. A chalkboard pen makes a semi-permanent label so that even my 20 month-old can get out his own pants and shirt! But they can be wiped clean with a little water! Plus he can color all over it with his own chalk. We have current sight words on one side and the letter of the week on the other. 

The toys bins are a larger replica of Pottery Barn's. They cost less than $20 for both, and took about 4 hours of cutting/screwing, and a few hours for 2 coats of stain.

And of course hubby had to brand them!

Ahhh, all done! He spends the whole time pointing at all the pictures saying 'dat' or naming them. He loves playing in there, especially the view from the windows that faces the street and traffic. 




Up next... converting a neutral nursery into boy/girl twin nursery!

A Year

a year.


It's been a year.  


Doesn't seem like it's been that long. It still feels like yesterday in so many way.








Time passes, things go back to a 'new' normal, and everyone else moves on. That's what's supposed to happen when you lose someone you love. You grieve, you celebrate that you knew them, but life continues. Because our life is meant to be lived for His Glory. And with the knowledge that we never lose loved ones for good, but that someday we will gather with them in eternity. 


I believe that. 




In a year, I have already seen the good that the Lord worked in Job's short life. I've already seen bits and pieces of His plan revealed to me. I have been broken and shaped and grown as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, and leader. 






I wholeheartedly, without a doubt believe that the Lord had a purpose in giving and taking away Job. His plan is better than anything I can imagine. I know He is working good every single day of my life, if I seek to glorify Him.








But today. 


Today my human heart still grieves. I still hurt and ache to hold him. But most of all, the mother in me is desperate for people to remember him. Why? Because he is our son. Because I felt him kick. I gave birth to him. We held him. And because we lost him. Because is and always will be a part of our family. Because I will always have one more child, waiting on me, up in heaven.






Today I am infinitely more grateful for the blessings in my life, my husband, Jarvis, the twins, and the time we did have with Job. Because he changed my life. Forever. I lost my innocence but gained a stronger, deeper understanding of my amazing Lord. And because of him, I will never lose my hope. 





But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
   on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
to deliver them from death
   and keep them alive in famine.
We wait in hope for the LORD;
   he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
   for we trust in his holy name.
May your unfailing love be with us, LORD,
   even as we put our hope in you.
Psalm 33: 18-25

Project 52 | Silence | Week 37

Motherhood is

silence.

Because that's all I've got right now.

I'll be back. I promise. 

But for now, I'll leave you with a picture of the fabric for Baby Girl A's nursery bedding.

I'm not a huge pink fan, hot pink is good, but it has to be *just* the right shade, so I went with a coral to compliment the already made turquoise/teal baby boy bedding, which Baby Boy B is getting handed down from his big brother.

styleberry blog |cyan baby bliss | fitori | phreckle face photography | {rik-see } photography | the vandyck family

this much [20 mos]

Ummmm, it's now the 12th.... and I am JUST NOW posting this... at least it was taken 2 days before he turned 20 months, haha!

 (settings and editing by me, taken by my mom- I'm training her!)

This was taken as we headed to the airport after two *HOT* weeks in Texas with almost all of our family. And seriously, al.most.all. We have big families, and it's awesome. Especially since most of them live within 3 hours of Austin. 

The trip was great, it really was. I don't think anything brings me more joy than seeing all of the grandparents, great-grandparents, uncles and aunt interact with Jarvis. I am so proud of that little boy, and seeing how GOOD he was with everyone, how loving, and playful, and friendly.... it made my heart melt every day. It was worth every penny and every day of leave to be down there. And a big thank you to everyone who makes it a home away from home while we are there.

However, visiting family always makes me appreciate the time we have as our little family. Sometimes I hate living so far from our family, because we love and enjoy all of them. But I've begun to realize that since we spend most of our time just us, that we have been able to figure out how WE want our family to run. We are solid and know exactly how we want to parent and run our home (for the most part, haha). It was so nice to get back home and get back to us. Because let's be honest. 2 weeks with over 12 immediate families within 3 hours and ALL of our middle/high school friends and some college friends nearby is NOT a vacation.  It's worth it, and it's how we want to spend our money and time, but it's not very relaxing!

So for this month's *this much,* it's us, our little family (even the twins peeking out there), because ultimately, THEY are the reason I do anything. 

Project 52 | Surprises | Week 36

Motherhood is

surprises.

I honestly have always thought I would have all boys.

Why? I'm not really sure. I love little girls just as much as little boys.

But for some reason I thought I would be one of those mothers with 5 crazy boys running around.

Apparently not!

We are so excited to announce that Baby A is a GIRL and Baby B is a BOY! Both are looking healthy and growing very well right now. In fact, Baby B is showing his boy side and packing on the weight a bit faster than his sister, who is right on schedule.

And honestly, I did NOT believe the ultrasound tech when she told me, hahaha....

(Oh, and we've known for 2 weeks, I've been waiting on the boots to get in for this picture! No one can ever say I am impatient again!!)

styleberry blog |cyan baby bliss | fitori | phreckle face photography | {rik-see } photography | the vandyck family

Project 52 | Accepting Limitations | Week 35

Motherhood is

accepting limitations.

And right now, that means I can't vacuum the whole house at one time.

Or eat more than half a meal at a sitting, or climb on chairs to hang pictures.

Or sleep longer than 3 hours at night.

But it's worth it to feel those 4 sweet little feet kicking me daily. 

(which is good, since mine are rapidly disappearing!)

(First off, this is late, sorry! With traveling and seeing lots of family, I needed some recovery time!)

Hmmm, so they say with twins to expect everything at least 4 weeks earlier than with singletons. And then at 30 weeks, to expect symptoms you never had before.

In past, I have had very easy pregnancies as far as symptoms go. Even when Jarvis went nearly 2 weeks overdue, I still had very little pain or discomfort, just that everything took a bit longer. 

This pregnancy has been different. These two little fishies have been sending me on a symptom roller coaster. Elevated hormones and less space have already led to symptoms that I am not used to feeling until the 3rd trimester. But with those early symptoms also came early movement! I feel them both move hourly right now, and it's wonderful. It eases my mind and makes my heart melt.

So I am facing the acceptance of my limitations right now. I can't stand or sit for any length of time without moving. I get up oh-so-often at night. I can't digest. The Braxton Hicks and siatic nerve pain are well under way. And yet. I. DON'T. CARE.

Truly. I love being pregnant. Every uncomfortable, awkward, strange, wonderful moment.

Because for now, they are all mine. They are thriving in me and growing. I get to feel their first movements and discoveries. For now, it's just me and them.

And if that means my house is dirtier and we sit around and read books instead of playing out in the heat, that's just fine with me!

styleberry blog |cyan baby bliss | fitori | phreckle face photography | {rik-see } photography | the vandyck family