Growing Growing {37 weeks}

I've grown a bit since the last photos I shared on here...

This past Tuesday, we hit 37 weeks, which is officially considered "FULL TERM." 

Thank you Lord!!

At this point, J and I are really excited to meet them and are encouraging them to make their debut anytime. 

Our fridge/freezer is [slightly] stocked, 

our house is [sort of] clean, 

our bags are [mostly] packed, 

and their nursery is [pretty much] ready! 

Carly came over and took a few pictures this week of me and the girlies, so I thought I'd share a few. 

Our canine kids joined in, so I'm calling these the "big brother big sister" photos. ;)

  

Baker was especially cooperative and even bowed to pray for them at one point.

We are beyond excited to meet our princesses we've been feeling, praying for, and falling in love with!

{twin} Pregnancy thus Far

I haven't been very good at keeping track of how pregnancy is going in writing. So instead, I'll write one long post with pretty much all the bump pictures I've taken (which actually isn't as many as I wanted) ... so I remember. Journey with me back to last August... back to the beginning. :)

August 11, 2013 - we found out we were 5 weeks pregnant!

We kept it hush hush for awhile as we slowly let people in on our secret.

Within about four days of finding out we were pregnant, all the way to almost week 16, I was so sick. Nausea and vomiting all the way. So not many pictures were taken during that time, since my time was spent making it through work, and then resting until I had to go back to work. Which was extra challenging, since my work didn't know I was pregnant!

Cravings? Nothing too crazy... Just a Wendy's junior bacon cheeseburger and chocolate Frosty. :) So thankful to my mom, sis, and J who brought me this meal countless times when nothing else would work. 

Besides that? String cheese. And crackers until I couldn't stand saltines anymore.

What did I hate? apples.

We did have excitement around week 13 when we went in for our first ultrasound and our baby got her first picture taken. At this point, we only knew about one baby. And we have the picture to prove it. Where baby B was hiding, we still don't know. We were so excited to hear and see her heartbeat (we also didn't know she was a she at this point... in fact, John was set on the fact that it was definitely a boy. And I was pretty sure too).

Week 14 (October 2013) - thinking I was over being sick by this point, I planned a trip up to Seattle and Oregon for the two of us. Turns out, I was still sick. But we managed some special memories and laughs in the midst of it. :)

Week 16 - beginning of November. Starting to have a tiny bump. Now everyone (minus facebook) knew we were pregnant and I was happy since I finally had a couple days of no nausea. We had a doctor's appointment this week and baby is doing fine! (still just one...) We also moved this week from our sweet first owned condo into a house we are renting. Thank goodness I had slightly more energy for that. Although, we hired movers... I will always hire movers when moving! Worth every penny!

19 weeks - in our new home. So thankful to be feeling better still! Minus being tired. Still waiting for the official 'first movement' from baby.

Almost 20 weeks (half way!) - first bump picture I posted. This week was Thanksgiving, and I had a one-of-a-kind perfect spa day with Mom and Carly (Mom's treat!) complete with my first pregnancy massage and a mani-pedi, and yummy snacks/drinks/food. Our big ultrasound is next week!!!

We had a few Christmas/maternity photos taken by my college friend, the lovely Desiree Fortin of Shutter and Spice Photography two days before our ultrasound. We even snapped a couple photos for a gender reveal. ha! That didn't really work!

And then, we found out for sure we were having a GIRL... but not just one... TWO!

That was sure fun to tell our families!!! And friends, and work girls, and and and!

21+4 weeks - Grandma's birthday tea time with the ladies (I'm attempting to show the bump, which you couldn't see in the pic with Grandma :)) ... and lots of 'oh my goodness TWIN GIRLS!' talk! And I finally felt one of them move this week! J helped me by feeling what was like a twitch at the same time I felt it. SO exciting. I had been waiting to feel them!

24 weeks - Christmas Day with my beautiful sister (she is ecstatic to be an auntie!)

25 weeks - between Christmas and New Year's

26 weeks - January 7, 2014

We had a follow-up ultrasound last week and the girls are looking great! Fun thing about twins is because they are considered 'high-risk', we get more ultrasounds to check on them/watch them! 

(ps: Brinkley is the sweetest funniest dog!)

and today... 27+3 weeks (did they just pop out or what?!)

Other than getting really sick this week with some crazy flu/cold/bronchitis combo, I've been feeling pretty great this trimester. They are both moving more and more each day. Little A is on the right and Little B is on the left. I've been praying for them lots and trying to keep a little journal (although two journals is hard!). 

I'm SO thankful for these two precious gifts God is blessing us with. J and I (and our fams) can't be more excited to meet them and hold them and love them! Our babies!

A Thankful Heart: New Life & Coffee Dates in Red Cups

Today, I had the blessing of making house visits and visiting special people in my life.

First, I spent the morning with my special friend at home on bedrest.

We celebrated her birthday with peppermint lattes and lots of girl talk on her comfy couches.

Sipping coffee, doing her dishes, sharing in her nursery room joy,

and talking about the future of children and the treasure of new life.

Laughing thinking back over the journey of life we have walked through together 

and how we ended up where we are now.

I loved every minute of our time together.

The Lord is molding her heart for the little one still growing inside her 

and I am so excited for her to get to experience being a mom. 

She's going to be amazing at it.

 [from her baby shower last week]

Then I visited my little buddy Adrian and his mommy Nicole.

I used to have the privilege of watching him grow up every day.

Now I get to jump in for snippets every once in awhile.

It was so fun to watch this little 2 1/2 year old jump around, dance, laugh, ask for tickles, and tell me all the words he knows. And it was so special to catch up with his mommy and hear about the family and wedding plans and silly kid stories and yummy dinner ideas.

All over white peppermint mocha frappuccinos.

There's something about sharing coffee with friends that creates a bond.

Especially on day one of red cups.

It is so exciting to think about the future, to share dreams with each other, to laugh,

to plan and then say - Lord take my plan.

Today, I am thankful for new life. 

And getting to see and share in it over red coffee cups.

Friends + Pregnancy + Photography = Perfection

On J's birthday, we had the incredible privilege of hanging out with our special friends. 

They even let us take some pictures of their growing family :)

Here are a few favorites of Mark, Katie and baby Elle, due in just a couple weeks!

We seriously adore you guys. Thanks for letting us document this special time in your lives. 

We cannot WAIT to meet your sweet Elle!!!!