The first trimester - pregnant with twins

After the three different blood tests confirmed pregnancy, the next step was an ultrasound to make sure things were physically progressing correctly. We saw a new doctor at the specialist. He was NOT our favorite doctor. He did show us two "black holes" that were the developing babies. He told us he didn't see heartbeats and I about cried...THEN he said "well, I guess it is a little soon." Oh the emotional ups and downs!

On Christmas morning, I woke up about 3:30 a.m. Since I was awake, I went the the restroom. I discovered some bleeding and really had my first moment of absolute panic. I woke Allen up and we talked about it for a few minute. I don't think I went back to sleep at all, but I think by morning it had stopped. I remembered being REALLY sleepy at Allen's Mom's Christmas breakfast...and later my sister-in-law, Nicole, would admit that she wondered if I was pregnant. I couldn't keep my eyes open!

The fertility specialist wanted to do one more ultrasound in early January, but I decided, for insurance and emotional purposes, to see my regular OB (Dr. Bardwell). Allen and I went to the appointment and Dena did the ultrasound and confirmed twins and that everything looked normal. I think we did see heartbeats that day. The very next morning at work, I went to the restroom and discovered I was bleeding. I would say "spotting" but it was, in my opinion, more serious than that. I called Dr. B's office and was told to come in. Dena immediately got me back and Kim Long came in to confirm...I had a Subchorionic Hematoma. Kim basically said that it should resolve itself but she did put me on bed rest until the bleeding stopped. Thankfully it did stop that very night. Oh...and Allen couldn't leave work that day, but we got to HEAR heartbeats! I called Allen and he listened over the phone, and Dena recorded it for us. Oh, what sweet, sweet sounds!

I think morning sickness hit in early to mid January. Thankfully, I wasn't sick at all in the mornings. Mine was more late afternoon and evening sickness! It hit like clockwork about 4 p.m. when I was driving home from work. I had no idea that the motion of the car would make a difference in pregnancy sickness, but oh my did it ever make me sick! And I have NEVER been motion sick before! It was bad when I was driving, but much worse if I was riding. I would get home, change clothes, and sit very still on the couch to see if I was going to be able to eat dinner that night.

I was telling someone this week that the ONLY craving I had my entire pregnancy wasn't really even a craving to me. It was more like a preference. I wanted Mexican food...I could eat it for lunch and dinner almost every day! Even if I was sick at night, I could eat Taco Bell tacos. We jokingly nicknamed the boys Paco and Jose.