WARNING - SUPER LONG POST AHEAD!
I want to remember all the great stuff about when the girls were born so below is a story of their birth but it's not super detailed and gross - just the exciting important stuff we want to remember.
On Friday the 20th of September I was 34 weeks 4 days and I went in for my normal NST (non-stress test) that I had been having twice a week, as well as a follow up with my doctor to see how I was doing. I hadn't been having contractions but there were some concerns at our last ultrasound because one of the babies was a pound smaller and the placenta was aging. I had dilated to a 1 and was effacing a little bit but nothing serious. I was in a hurry to get out and back to work and as an after thought I asked the doctor how my blood pressure was because early in the pregnancy they had been concerned that it was a little high. He decided to test it just to make sure - my blood pressure ended up being 141/95 (normal is 120/80). It was a little elevated so he decided to do a urine test and it came back that there was protein in my urine; an indicator of preeclampsia.
At this point my doctor told me to call my husband and go straight to labor and delivery because it was pretty likely that I would be having these babies soon. Instant tears as I worried about all the complications that would come with the babies being early. I was shaking and asking questions like crazy - he said everything would be fine and sent me on my way. I called Jake and my mom and told them to meet me at the hospital. Once I got there I waited in my car for Jake because I was too nervous to go on my own. While waiting I called my friend Hailey to let her know I wouldn't be coming back to work today, or probably for the next couple weeks. Then I called Katie, my sister, and freaked out a little bit more with her. Once Jake got there we realized just how unprepared we were - I hadn't packed a hospital bag, we didn't have preemie clothes, the car-seats were at home so we couldn't even get the babies home if we had them, and a million other trivial thoughts.
We got checked in and they hooked me up and monitored me and the girls for a few hours to see how things were going. They decided to admit me because my blood pressure was still a little high and gave me shots to help the girls lungs develop (most painful part of the whole process). We stayed in the hospital from Friday until Sunday night just playing the waiting game. I was informed that I would be on bed rest until the girls were born. Jake had to continue going to school while I was there and I always worried that something would happen when he was gone. I started having more contractions. We had lots of visitors and just hung out while we waited to see what would happen.
On Sunday night my blood pressure was normal so they considered letting me leave Monday morning after they got my last urine results back. Early Monday morning they checked my blood pressure and it was 190/110 and the protein in my urine was excessively high. My nurse came in and said it was go time - instant tears again! Jake called our parents and let them know what was happening and I started freaking out. Tons of medical personnel filled the room and started hooking me up to machines - I couldn't stop shaking. Right before they were going to take me into OR I looked at the nurse and told her I wasn't ready and I couldn't do this. It was the scariest moment of my life. She looked back at me and told me it was too late for that but she would give me a minute with my husband to calm down. Everyone left and Jake and I sat for a minute while I freaked out and he continued telling me I had no choice and that everything would be okay. I have horrible anxiety but this was the worst I have ever had. I finally calmed down and held Jake's hand so tight while they finished prepping me. Right before they said Jake had to leave to get ready I felt calm and peace - it was a miracle.
I walked into the OR where there was music blaring and it was freezing. The anesthesiologist gave me a spinal block and then a whole bunch of people started coming in and introducing themselves to me but it's all a blur. They put the sheet up by my face and Jake still wasn't back in the room and anxiety started creeping back in - finally he walked in all suited up just in time for the doctors to start cutting. He grabbed my hand and he tried to keep me calm but was instantly distracted by what was going on below the sheet. I didn't know much of what was happening but heard two sacs pop and a rush of water. June came out first then Marlie. I didn't hear crying at first and was terrified but was quickly told that they were suctioning the babies. The girls both came out feet first and were whisked away to be checked. June had to get just a little oxygen for a few minutes but Jake got to bring Marlie over to my face and let me kiss her. The NICU doctors started to wheel the babies out and Jake went with them, I stayed to get put back together. The girls were here and everything seemed like it was going to be fine. My anxiety was gone but my headache was back with great force. I told the anesthesiologist and he kicked my meds up really high and I went to sleep.
I had to be on magnesium because of my high blood pressure so I felt pretty awful for the first day plus healing from a C-section is not fun. I was informed after everything was calm that I was at high risk for stroke, heart attack and several other serious problems - thank heavens I found that out after. I got back to my room and had to wait to be checked for a bit. I didn't get to go down and see the girls until later that night so I just visited with family during the day. In the meantime Jake and his brother Ben went down and looked at the girls and sent me pictures and videos.
Finally that night Jake wheeled me down and I saw my babies for the first time - they were so tiny and perfect. They didn't have to be on oxygen or antibiotics, just monitored because they were so small and early. There were a lot of wires and it looked so intimidating for such small little girls. I got to hold them for the first time and kiss them and tell them I was their mom. BEST.EVER.
While in the NICU the girls had to have feeding tubes and PICC lines placed to get their weight up. It was so hard and sad to see but we knew it was helping them get better. I always tell Jake that I don't want to remember the NICU so it's hard for me to talk about but I know it's a big part of their life so we need to remember it. The nurses there were amazing and made us feel so comfortable. We could only hold them for a little bit every three hours so we watched them sleep a lot. While there they moved the girls into a bed together and they started doing better once they were together again. They slowly started eating more and showing signs of being ready to go home.
I was discharged from the hospital a few days before the girls came home and this was the hardest part of the whole birth for me. I felt like an awful mom leaving my girls all alone but knew I had no choice. Jake and I basically lived at the hospital during those days. After 10 days in NICU we were told that they could come home! We spent the night in the hospital then surprised everyone and brought the girls home the next day. I remember feeling overwhelmed and scared but it seemed like everything just fell right into place. The girls trusted me and believed that I knew what I was doing so I had to believe that I knew it too. The girls put on weight quickly after going home and are still getting chunky.
The girls have made our family feel more complete. I can't help but think that they gave Jake and I the best present that anyone can give us this year - they made us parents and we love every second of it. (Maybe not waking up every 3 hrs, but they are so worth it!) We love you June Olivia and Marlie Kay!
Friday, December 20, 2013
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Photo Shoot
I have one day off each week and with my day this week the girls and I decided to do a photo shoot. Here are just a few of the many cute photos. I love them! The first 3 are June, the next 3 are Marlie for those who are wondering. They look much more alike in pictures than in real life - FYI.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Last Pregnancy Post
This post has been sitting in my drafts for months so I decided to finally post it... I wrote this post on September 19th and I went into the hospital on September 20th after a surprising doctor visit and had the girls on September 23rd. Little did I know what was about to happen... reading through it picturing myself that huge and uncomfortable has been fun - I have already blocked out the crazy pregnancy.
I haven't wanted to sound negative about being pregnant because we tried so so hard to get to this point. I know I would kill myself for ever complaining about something I wanted so badly in the first place. I just want to remember some of these things in the future and maybe compare future pregnancies to this first one with twins, at least that's how I justify complaining a little bit... So here it goes!
One thing I never even considered would happen during pregnancy is how significantly my voice has dropped. I get asked on a regular basis if I am sick or if I am my husband when I answer the phone. I'm hoping that these girls have some beautiful high singing voices because my singing voice in relief society gets noticed a lot more often now that I'm a couple octaves lower.
Oils are oozing out of my skin everywhere it seems like! This may be TMI, but I'm either breaking out on my face, back or chest constantly because of these oils. I also can't go a day without showering or using dry shampoo because my hair gets greasy so fast.
These girls can stretch!!! I cannot believe how tight my belly will get sometimes. It seems like one is pushing off the other and they are pulling in completely opposite directions. It's a miracle my skin hasn't busted open I swear. There have been times when you can distinctly see an elbow or a head poking out of my belly.
My joints... They have been surprisingly loose lately. Sometimes my knee or hip will just give out.
Personal space and privacy seems to have completely gone out the window. Between doctors appointments and everybody talking about your lady business, nothing is personal anymore. I always thought my mom was over-reacting when she would warn me of this, but it's oh so very true. Your belly becomes public property. Nothing is off limits once there are children in your uterus, all subjects are free game. I will spare you the details, but be warned - you will be asked and told many things that never need to be shared. You will be touched, your belly will be kissed, and advice will be given that you never even asked for. I have been shocked by several comments I have received such as, "Oh my mom had twins, they both died. Twins are really high risk." "You have gestational diabetes! I thought only fat people got that?" and "You are huge!"
I'm always hungry. With my inability to eat many carbs, I feel as though I am never satisfied.
My vision is horrible - I can't see a dang thing!
The emotions, oh the emotions!!! I laugh, I cry, I get offended, I get pissed, I get super excited - all in the course of about 15 minutes. It's insanity! My anxiety has been through the roof. I picture all the possible negative outcomes that could happen.
Then there's the heartburn, the swelling, the general discomfort, the lack of ability to move freely the way I used to, the insomnia, the 5 bathroom trips each night, the massive belly that really does get in the way and the stretch marks. When people ask how I'm doing I always tell them I can't complain and how happy I am to have this opportunity, but there are small moments when I really do just want to complain. Jake generally gets the brunt of it so I figured if I vent out a little on the blog things might be a little easier on him.
After all of this complaining I don't want anyone to think that I'm not grateful for being pregnant, I couldn't be happier! I love feeling their little movements and counting down the days (that's right, we're down to days now) until I get to meet these little girlies. We have wanted this for so long and I would take all of this and more if it meant I get to have these little girls again, they truly are such a blessing.
I am currently 34+ weeks pregnant (35 wks on Monday)
I haven't wanted to sound negative about being pregnant because we tried so so hard to get to this point. I know I would kill myself for ever complaining about something I wanted so badly in the first place. I just want to remember some of these things in the future and maybe compare future pregnancies to this first one with twins, at least that's how I justify complaining a little bit... So here it goes!
One thing I never even considered would happen during pregnancy is how significantly my voice has dropped. I get asked on a regular basis if I am sick or if I am my husband when I answer the phone. I'm hoping that these girls have some beautiful high singing voices because my singing voice in relief society gets noticed a lot more often now that I'm a couple octaves lower.
Oils are oozing out of my skin everywhere it seems like! This may be TMI, but I'm either breaking out on my face, back or chest constantly because of these oils. I also can't go a day without showering or using dry shampoo because my hair gets greasy so fast.
These girls can stretch!!! I cannot believe how tight my belly will get sometimes. It seems like one is pushing off the other and they are pulling in completely opposite directions. It's a miracle my skin hasn't busted open I swear. There have been times when you can distinctly see an elbow or a head poking out of my belly.
My joints... They have been surprisingly loose lately. Sometimes my knee or hip will just give out.
Personal space and privacy seems to have completely gone out the window. Between doctors appointments and everybody talking about your lady business, nothing is personal anymore. I always thought my mom was over-reacting when she would warn me of this, but it's oh so very true. Your belly becomes public property. Nothing is off limits once there are children in your uterus, all subjects are free game. I will spare you the details, but be warned - you will be asked and told many things that never need to be shared. You will be touched, your belly will be kissed, and advice will be given that you never even asked for. I have been shocked by several comments I have received such as, "Oh my mom had twins, they both died. Twins are really high risk." "You have gestational diabetes! I thought only fat people got that?" and "You are huge!"
I'm always hungry. With my inability to eat many carbs, I feel as though I am never satisfied.
My vision is horrible - I can't see a dang thing!
The emotions, oh the emotions!!! I laugh, I cry, I get offended, I get pissed, I get super excited - all in the course of about 15 minutes. It's insanity! My anxiety has been through the roof. I picture all the possible negative outcomes that could happen.
Then there's the heartburn, the swelling, the general discomfort, the lack of ability to move freely the way I used to, the insomnia, the 5 bathroom trips each night, the massive belly that really does get in the way and the stretch marks. When people ask how I'm doing I always tell them I can't complain and how happy I am to have this opportunity, but there are small moments when I really do just want to complain. Jake generally gets the brunt of it so I figured if I vent out a little on the blog things might be a little easier on him.
After all of this complaining I don't want anyone to think that I'm not grateful for being pregnant, I couldn't be happier! I love feeling their little movements and counting down the days (that's right, we're down to days now) until I get to meet these little girlies. We have wanted this for so long and I would take all of this and more if it meant I get to have these little girls again, they truly are such a blessing.
I am currently 34+ weeks pregnant (35 wks on Monday)
Thursday, August 22, 2013
I Am...
My friend Hailey did this blog a while back and I thought it was pretty cool so I thought I would tag along and do it too...
I am... Karlie Jensen Mitchell
I want... pure blissful happiness uninterrupted by pointless stress and worrying.
I have... the greatest family that I could ever want.
I wish... I had a million dollars.
I hate... traffic - with a passion.
I fear... that something will go wrong with this pregnancy.
I search... for foods that I can eat with my new diet restrictions. (Gestational Diabetes)
I wonder... where we will end up for med school and how our lives will change.
I regret... not double majoring or picking a better subject so I could lock down a solid teaching job.
I love... my friends and family more than anything in the world.
I ache... all over - seriously, my whole body hurts pretty regularly.
I always... kiss Jake before going to bed, every single night.
I usually... am on time because I hate being late.
I am not... great at answering my phone.
I dance... very awkwardly.
I sing... along to every song, even if I get the lyrics wrong and sound horrible doing so.
I never... know what to say in awkward situations, I make them 10x more awkward.
I sometimes... play on my phone more often than I should.
I cry... when laughing just isn't working anymore but I know I can't give up.
I am not always... very domestic - I let laundry sit for days, rarely cook meals, and am awful at decorating.
I lose... sight of the important things sometimes and have to be reminded of what really matters.
I am confused... when it comes to directions, I can get lost pretty quickly.
I need... my sleep.
I should... finish reading the 3 books that I started and the blanket I am making for the girls.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Liebster Award
My wonderful friend Danica, who is hilarious and has amazing style and writing skills, over at Black With a Chance of Cheetah nominated me for this award a while back and I finally got around to posting. I love these things because it always gives me something to write about without having to think too hard. You should definitely check out her blog, I read it regularly and love it!
"Liebster" means dearest in German, and it's awarded, blogger to blogger, to up-and-coming blogs with less than 200 followers. The rules for accepting and giving the award are pretty simple. Once you accept the award, you just have to do the following in a blog entry:
Answer the 11 questions posted by the nominator on her blog
Give 11 facts about yourself
Nominate 5-11 other new, up-and-coming blogs with less than 200 followers
Make up 11 more questions to pass on to the bloggers you choose to nominate
Thank your nominator by linking back to her blog
Upon your post going live, contact your nominees about your nomination for them
Danica's Questions:
1. Who is your favorite Office character?
- I think it would have to be Pam because I can relate to her the most. She is a happily married mother of 2 who works a desk job - that will be me in about 3 months exactly. Although, I truly love all of the characters and think the show requires each of their personalities.
2. What are you the most proud of in your life?
- Definitely my family. I am the first person to brag about how great I think my family is. I'm always talking about how smart and handsome my little brother is, how hardworking and sweet my dad is, how much my mom loves and cares, how dedicated and pretty my sister is, not to mention how insanely incredible my husband is... where do I even start?!
3. What books should all of us be reading at the pool this summer?
- So I'm a little strange and I'm all about the self-help type books. I love How to Win Friends and Influence People, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway. These books always give me something to be working on and some way to strive to be better. Although, I have heard that The Happiness Project is amazing and I really look forward to reading that.
4. What beauty product can you not live without?
- A hair elastic... As silly as it sounds, I can't go one day without pulling my hair up at some point. I can live without pretty much everything else, but I must have one on my wrist or in my hair.
5. Where is your favorite secret place to shop (physical or online store)?
- I don't know if it's really a secret or not, but I love to shop at Target. I love the baby department, the clothes, the appliances, the movies... practically every part of that store. However, I refuse to buy groceries there. We once went grocery shopping there because we had some gift cards left over from our wedding - biggest mistake ever - we got the exact same amount of groceries as we always do but spent double the money.
6. What is your best piece of marriage advice?
- Always keep an open mind. I often find myself getting frustrated because I only see the world through my eyes and don't understand why or how anyone else could live any other way than how I do. When I allow myself to look at life through a different point of view I'm usually a much more pleasant person to be around. Jake is really good at always taking my side into consideration, especially in arguments, which means a lot to me and it's something I would really like to get better at.
7. When you are stressed and just want to fast forward life to happier times, what do you do?
- I either become insanely busy to distract myself (do loads of laundry, work on projects I've been putting off forever, deep clean the house, run lots of errands, etc.) or the complete opposite and just crash and watch episode after episode of whatever show I'm into at that point. (How I Met Your Mother, White Collar, Happy Endings)
8. What is your favorite blog that you HAVE to read every day?
- Probably Neon Fresh... on a few occasions I'll skip over it but pretty much every day I read it just because she is so hilarious! You should definitely check it out - my favorite are Fridays when she does This Is How I Feel.
9. I finally have an iPhone. What are your favorite apps that I should go for?
- I don't have an iPhone... but we do have an iPad and I mostly just play games... so the games I would definitely get are Plants v. Zombies, Where's My Water, Land Grabbers and Sudoku.
10. What is your favorite workout to get in shape?
- I love team sports so anytime I can play soccer, basketball, volleyball or even racquetball with some friends that is my first go-to option. If no one is around I either try out a work out video or go to a cheap class somewhere. As silly as it may look to other people - I love me some Zumba. I am so insanely untalented when it comes to dancing so I usually go by myself to a class where I know there will be people that look just as awful as I do.
1. Favorite obscure YouTube videos... Go!
- I've got nothing... I wish I could say I watch these more but I don't. :(
My 11 Facts:
1. I delete all of my emails, texts, Facebook messages, mail, etc. after I have received and responded to it because I hate the clutter of keeping it around. Sometimes I regret this because I delete the item too soon, but I just can't stand the clutter - it seems disorganized for some reason.
2. I feel overly guilty over the stupidest things. Example: Jake and I went out to eat at Costa Vida a few nights ago and I got a smothered burrito and he got a non-smothered burrito. I felt horrible about spending the extra .79 cents when he was so sweet to not get it smothered so I tried to share my sauce with him. I couldn't get over how bad I felt and kept apologizing over and over until he was finally annoyed with me. I still feel bad about it and it was over a week ago.
3. I easily get obsessed with TV shows but have to watch them from start to finish. We recently started watching White Collar; Jake started with Season 2 but I wouldn't start watching until we got Season 1 so I could get the whole story line.
4. I am craving a good hard workout where I sweat like crazy so bad right now but can't do anything too intense for another 3 months and it's starting to wear on me.
5. My favorite drink of all time is Red Cream Soda from Brick Oven - I know it's just Barq's Red Cream Soda, but for some reason when I get it at Brick Oven it brings back the good ol' days.
6. One of my favorite memories with Jake is when we got back from telling my parents we were engaged and he crashed on the couch at my apartment. He had been up for 72 hrs straight with work, school and getting everything ready for the proposal. I remember looking at him that night and knowing we had just made the best decision of our lives. I couldn't ask for a better man to walk by my side through this life and the next.
7. I have had a million crazy dreams about our future babies. Just a few examples: We had an insanely fat Asian baby with tons of black hair, I could only give birth to one of my babies and had to wait several days before giving birth to the other twin, we ended up having quadruplets instead of just twins, I gave birth to my children while asleep and woke up and they were just there, etc.
8. As terrified as I am about going away to medical school - I really look forward to what an adventure it's going to be and I can't wait to see how our little family is going to grow.
9. I recently learned that I am an insanely blue personality. Check out the color code - it's a great book and I promise you will learn a ton about yourself!
10. One of my favorite qualities about Jake is his huge knowledge base of random facts. He can start a conversation or have a quick fact about practically any topic - it amazes me and I love it!
11. I cry all of the time now!!! Listening to songs on the radio or watching TV shows that are too sentimental are an absolute No-No until my emotions are more stable.
My Nominees:
My Bestie Hailey
My Wonderful Sister-in-Law Taylor
My sweet neighbor Whitney
2. When something totally awesome happens, who are the top 5 people you want to tell?
3. When you are having a rough day, what is the one thing you can always do that will cheer you up?
4. What is your favorite memory from Elementary School Years?
5. If you could get paid to do absolutely anything, what would you want to get paid for doing?
6a. If you're a mom - what is one mommy necessity that you can't live without?
6b. If you're not a mom - what is one item that is always found in your purse that you always need?
7. What do you do when you have absolutely nothing to do and are bored out of your mind?
8. What is your favorite month of the year?
9. What are 3 words that describe you perfectly and why?
10. If you had to decorate one room and live it in for the rest of your life, what colors and theme would you give the room?
11. If you were to go on a road trip where would you go and what would you do?
Friday, July 12, 2013
The Name Game
Coming up with baby names has been so much more stressful than I ever expected it to be.
Growing up I loved thinking about what I would name my kids in the future. It was a fun game that never really seemed like it would be that difficult to do when the time came. I was always set on names like Courtnie, Ashlie, Brittanie, etc. (always ending in i-e of course) but once I got older I grew out of those names. (Not that they are bad names by any means, I have just grown more accustomed to other names.)
When Jake and I first got married we would talk about names here and there just for fun. The majority of the names I was in love with for girls were old granny type names, names of colors/gems, or both. (ie: Pearl, Hazel, Ruby) As for boys names, I had a thing for last names as first names. (ie: Lincoln, Harrison, Graham)
Jake would always tease me and come up with legitimate reasons that we definitely should not name our kids the names I was thinking. He would tell me that Harrison would be called Harry, and if he was actually hairy it would be traumatizing for him. He also pointed out that Graham Mitchell mingles together (ends in M, starts in M) and sometimes it just sounds weird. As for the girl names, a teenage girl would probably not want to have the same name as several peoples great great grandparents.
Then we went through a phase of relating every name that we heard to someone else we knew with that name and it generally ruined the name for us. Either I had a student, Jake had a cousin, or one of us had worked with or gone to school with someone with that name. Not that we didn't like those people, but just that we wanted to think of our child as the first person we think of with that name.
I was never really on board with the whole make up a name game because most of our names just sounded really weird, neither of us are that creative I guess. We also tried mixing different names together because we had heard some cute names that way. Jake + Karlie = Cake or Jarlie... Not Cute!!
One of our favorite shows is How I Met Your Mother and I had always loved the name Lily and Jake loved the name Marshall (two of the main characters). They sounded like great names, however, I didn't want to tell our children that they were named after our favorite TV show, that just seemed weird to me.
We also went through the phase of trying to name them "twin" type names even though it's so cliche. For a boy and girl we loved Penny (Penelope) and Lincoln. (I also really liked Jack and Jill but Jake said no way.) We also got several suggestions from family and friends on these including: Yin & Yang, Hansel & Gretel, Tia & Tamera, etc.
Once we found out we were having girls, things got real serious! We were giving our girls names they would be called for the rest of their lives! We had to consider if the name would age well, if it would be fitting, what nicknames they would have, if they would be teased, if it would sound good with our last name, what their middle name would be, and on and on and on. So much pressure!
The first names we really liked and I thought for sure we would name our girls were either Charlotte or Scarlet and Eleanor. I made the mistake of sharing these names with a few people and was soon told that Scarlet is definitely a whore name and I should never name my child that. I quickly learned that sharing my names with people may not be the best idea out there unless I'm willing to take criticism. So I decided Charlotte was good, she could go by Charlie and that was just the cutest thing ever and her sister could go by Ellie. They aged well, they were cute, they had good nicknames and they went well with middle names. As for middle names, I really wanted to use Kay because there is a long history with that name in Jake's family and I thought it worked well. I also kind of wanted their middle names to rhyme (once again, I know it's cliche) and I loved the name May so I thought it would work perfect. Eleanor Kay and Charlotte May! Cute, right? (I'm still kind of hooked on these names)
Then Jake's twin brother Matt suggested we give one an M name and one a J name just like their dad and uncle who are twins too. This also took care of the problem of which twin gets which name - the first one out gets the J name since Jake was born first and the second gets the M. This narrowed down our focus. The J name that I fell in love with is June Kay, I don't know if Jake is quite on board with it yet but hopefully soon... I also still love the name May, but I feel like it would be silly to name our girls May and June. Hopefully we can still use May as a middle name. Some other M names we have considered are Macie, Maylie (back to the i-e), Marley, Matilda, and maybe Maggie. I don't know which name would sound good with May and if we want their initials to be MMM though so who knows what will happen in the future...
I just wanted to document all of the possible names our girls could have so that hopefully when we finally decide on something they can see just how crazy some of the other names were. I'm sure whatever we choose will be very fitting and we will love our girls all the same no matter what we call them. We are open for suggestions if anyone has an input as well... Thanks!
Growing up I loved thinking about what I would name my kids in the future. It was a fun game that never really seemed like it would be that difficult to do when the time came. I was always set on names like Courtnie, Ashlie, Brittanie, etc. (always ending in i-e of course) but once I got older I grew out of those names. (Not that they are bad names by any means, I have just grown more accustomed to other names.)
When Jake and I first got married we would talk about names here and there just for fun. The majority of the names I was in love with for girls were old granny type names, names of colors/gems, or both. (ie: Pearl, Hazel, Ruby) As for boys names, I had a thing for last names as first names. (ie: Lincoln, Harrison, Graham)
Jake would always tease me and come up with legitimate reasons that we definitely should not name our kids the names I was thinking. He would tell me that Harrison would be called Harry, and if he was actually hairy it would be traumatizing for him. He also pointed out that Graham Mitchell mingles together (ends in M, starts in M) and sometimes it just sounds weird. As for the girl names, a teenage girl would probably not want to have the same name as several peoples great great grandparents.
Then we went through a phase of relating every name that we heard to someone else we knew with that name and it generally ruined the name for us. Either I had a student, Jake had a cousin, or one of us had worked with or gone to school with someone with that name. Not that we didn't like those people, but just that we wanted to think of our child as the first person we think of with that name.
I was never really on board with the whole make up a name game because most of our names just sounded really weird, neither of us are that creative I guess. We also tried mixing different names together because we had heard some cute names that way. Jake + Karlie = Cake or Jarlie... Not Cute!!
One of our favorite shows is How I Met Your Mother and I had always loved the name Lily and Jake loved the name Marshall (two of the main characters). They sounded like great names, however, I didn't want to tell our children that they were named after our favorite TV show, that just seemed weird to me.
We also went through the phase of trying to name them "twin" type names even though it's so cliche. For a boy and girl we loved Penny (Penelope) and Lincoln. (I also really liked Jack and Jill but Jake said no way.) We also got several suggestions from family and friends on these including: Yin & Yang, Hansel & Gretel, Tia & Tamera, etc.
Once we found out we were having girls, things got real serious! We were giving our girls names they would be called for the rest of their lives! We had to consider if the name would age well, if it would be fitting, what nicknames they would have, if they would be teased, if it would sound good with our last name, what their middle name would be, and on and on and on. So much pressure!
The first names we really liked and I thought for sure we would name our girls were either Charlotte or Scarlet and Eleanor. I made the mistake of sharing these names with a few people and was soon told that Scarlet is definitely a whore name and I should never name my child that. I quickly learned that sharing my names with people may not be the best idea out there unless I'm willing to take criticism. So I decided Charlotte was good, she could go by Charlie and that was just the cutest thing ever and her sister could go by Ellie. They aged well, they were cute, they had good nicknames and they went well with middle names. As for middle names, I really wanted to use Kay because there is a long history with that name in Jake's family and I thought it worked well. I also kind of wanted their middle names to rhyme (once again, I know it's cliche) and I loved the name May so I thought it would work perfect. Eleanor Kay and Charlotte May! Cute, right? (I'm still kind of hooked on these names)
Then Jake's twin brother Matt suggested we give one an M name and one a J name just like their dad and uncle who are twins too. This also took care of the problem of which twin gets which name - the first one out gets the J name since Jake was born first and the second gets the M. This narrowed down our focus. The J name that I fell in love with is June Kay, I don't know if Jake is quite on board with it yet but hopefully soon... I also still love the name May, but I feel like it would be silly to name our girls May and June. Hopefully we can still use May as a middle name. Some other M names we have considered are Macie, Maylie (back to the i-e), Marley, Matilda, and maybe Maggie. I don't know which name would sound good with May and if we want their initials to be MMM though so who knows what will happen in the future...
I just wanted to document all of the possible names our girls could have so that hopefully when we finally decide on something they can see just how crazy some of the other names were. I'm sure whatever we choose will be very fitting and we will love our girls all the same no matter what we call them. We are open for suggestions if anyone has an input as well... Thanks!
Friday, May 17, 2013
Our Babies - Where to Start...
I am posting this for Jake, me and the babies so we remember how special this is to all of us - just a heads up, it's a long post!
We have wanted kids for a really long time. I have been done with school for quite a while, Jake has always been ready for babies, and we wanted to have kids before we went out to medical school so we could have help from family and friends. We had been trying for over a year when we decided to take a break - it was destroying me. I couldn't handle the devastating news every time we got a negative test back. My emotions were out of control with the medications I was on and it was taking a toll on my relationships with pretty much everyone around me. We decided to stop the pills and shots and stress.
During our "break" my sister Katie gave birth to the sweetest baby boy - Jensen David Morrey. We visited her at the hospital and it was the most bitter sweet moment I've ever experienced. Katie and Dave tried so hard for kids and this baby was their miracle. I cried my eyes out for days. I cried because I was so happy for them. I cried because I loved him so much. I cried because I was so proud of Katie. I cried because I wanted that moment so bad. Jake and I left the hospital that night knowing that our "break" was definitely over.
I called Katie and asked for the number of the facility they went through the very next day. We decided that at the first of the year we would jump back up and try again. We would not stop until there was nothing else we could do. Once we made that decision everything seemed like it was going to be just fine.
We met with our new doctor who promised us great results. I was lined up for blood work, pills, exams, suppositories, shots, procedures and endless doctors appointments. Jake even got to experience some of the fun this round - but that's a story for another post. Test results were coming back more promising then ever before and I couldn't help but get my hopes up.
We continued the treatment and then came the dreaded pregnancy test... The doctors told us to not take the normal ones at home, but to come into the clinic instead and have blood work done to ensure it was the correct result. I couldn't help myself; I took a test on my own - it came back positive. The first test I had ever seen with those two beautiful lines. I told myself it was just the hormones and it was stupid to get my hopes up like that. I decided to ignore the test and just wait for the results from the blood work the following day. I went and had my blood drawn and was told it would be evening until we would know the results. I went to work and was called a few hours later with the news that it was true - I was really pregnant! I verified several times that the nurse was sure it was my results she was looking at - she promised it was true.
I couldn't just call Jake and tell him over the phone, I had to tell him in person. The rest of the day was painfully slow... I continued lying to Jake saying I just hadn't heard from them yet. I made him miss his class so that he could be home when I got back from work because I was sure we'd find out by then... The second I walked through the door I barely got the words "We're having a baby" out of my mouth before we both burst into tears. We had been waiting for these words for so long and it all seemed too good to be true.
We had a follow up ultrasound scheduled for a few weeks down the road to make sure everything was going well. Our doctor was walking us through everything when she gasps a little and says, "It looks like there's another baby in here." Jake starts laughing and I stop breathing. The thought of twins hadn't even crossed my mind, there was no possible way. My emotions since that day have switched back and forth between extreme fear and extreme happiness - I just can't believe this is happening.
The first several weeks of pregnancy were rough. It included all day nausea and vomiting along with other symptoms that I will spare you the details of hearing. My anxiety has been through the roof as I worry about every little thing that could happen. Since entering the second trimester most of those symptoms have gone and new ones have come such as back pains, heartburn and general largeness... It's a crazy experience that I wouldn't ever consider trading. Jake has been such a sweetheart through this whole process, always comforting me when it gets hard.
Jake and I haven't stopped talking about, planning for, or thinking about these babies. We feel so extremely blessed to have this life changing opportunity. There have been so many days that I think about how lucky we are and I can't hold back the tears any longer. I know my emotions are crazy but I honestly haven't been this happy in a long time. It has not been an easy process but I would do it all over again to get this amazing result.
I am almost 17 weeks along and the babies are fraternal twins. We will find out the gender in the middle of June. I have just started to feel them move within the past few days and it's an experience I can't describe. We just can't wait to meet these sweet little miracles - we couldn't be happier to be future parents and there's no one I'd rather have by my side than Jake.
We have wanted kids for a really long time. I have been done with school for quite a while, Jake has always been ready for babies, and we wanted to have kids before we went out to medical school so we could have help from family and friends. We had been trying for over a year when we decided to take a break - it was destroying me. I couldn't handle the devastating news every time we got a negative test back. My emotions were out of control with the medications I was on and it was taking a toll on my relationships with pretty much everyone around me. We decided to stop the pills and shots and stress.
During our "break" my sister Katie gave birth to the sweetest baby boy - Jensen David Morrey. We visited her at the hospital and it was the most bitter sweet moment I've ever experienced. Katie and Dave tried so hard for kids and this baby was their miracle. I cried my eyes out for days. I cried because I was so happy for them. I cried because I loved him so much. I cried because I was so proud of Katie. I cried because I wanted that moment so bad. Jake and I left the hospital that night knowing that our "break" was definitely over.
I called Katie and asked for the number of the facility they went through the very next day. We decided that at the first of the year we would jump back up and try again. We would not stop until there was nothing else we could do. Once we made that decision everything seemed like it was going to be just fine.
We met with our new doctor who promised us great results. I was lined up for blood work, pills, exams, suppositories, shots, procedures and endless doctors appointments. Jake even got to experience some of the fun this round - but that's a story for another post. Test results were coming back more promising then ever before and I couldn't help but get my hopes up.
We continued the treatment and then came the dreaded pregnancy test... The doctors told us to not take the normal ones at home, but to come into the clinic instead and have blood work done to ensure it was the correct result. I couldn't help myself; I took a test on my own - it came back positive. The first test I had ever seen with those two beautiful lines. I told myself it was just the hormones and it was stupid to get my hopes up like that. I decided to ignore the test and just wait for the results from the blood work the following day. I went and had my blood drawn and was told it would be evening until we would know the results. I went to work and was called a few hours later with the news that it was true - I was really pregnant! I verified several times that the nurse was sure it was my results she was looking at - she promised it was true.
I couldn't just call Jake and tell him over the phone, I had to tell him in person. The rest of the day was painfully slow... I continued lying to Jake saying I just hadn't heard from them yet. I made him miss his class so that he could be home when I got back from work because I was sure we'd find out by then... The second I walked through the door I barely got the words "We're having a baby" out of my mouth before we both burst into tears. We had been waiting for these words for so long and it all seemed too good to be true.
We had a follow up ultrasound scheduled for a few weeks down the road to make sure everything was going well. Our doctor was walking us through everything when she gasps a little and says, "It looks like there's another baby in here." Jake starts laughing and I stop breathing. The thought of twins hadn't even crossed my mind, there was no possible way. My emotions since that day have switched back and forth between extreme fear and extreme happiness - I just can't believe this is happening.
The first several weeks of pregnancy were rough. It included all day nausea and vomiting along with other symptoms that I will spare you the details of hearing. My anxiety has been through the roof as I worry about every little thing that could happen. Since entering the second trimester most of those symptoms have gone and new ones have come such as back pains, heartburn and general largeness... It's a crazy experience that I wouldn't ever consider trading. Jake has been such a sweetheart through this whole process, always comforting me when it gets hard.
Jake and I haven't stopped talking about, planning for, or thinking about these babies. We feel so extremely blessed to have this life changing opportunity. There have been so many days that I think about how lucky we are and I can't hold back the tears any longer. I know my emotions are crazy but I honestly haven't been this happy in a long time. It has not been an easy process but I would do it all over again to get this amazing result.
I am almost 17 weeks along and the babies are fraternal twins. We will find out the gender in the middle of June. I have just started to feel them move within the past few days and it's an experience I can't describe. We just can't wait to meet these sweet little miracles - we couldn't be happier to be future parents and there's no one I'd rather have by my side than Jake.
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