Birthday Guessing Game

Erin G reminded me that we should probably go ahead with the birthday guessing game for these boys. Following in the footsteps of EMU, Erin G and Merritt, I'm going to let you guess the birthday (and weight? that would be fun). The thing is that they all sent prizes to the people who won their guessing games (I should know- I won EMU's and I got an awesome cloth diaper!). But I am terrible at remembering to send prizes and follow up on things like that. So either the winner won't get a prize. Or maybe I'll just get Erin G to send it out for me and bill me.

So the game goes like this: You leave a comment with your prediction of date and time of the boys' birth. And throw in a weight guess too. That's always fun. And then maybe the winner will win a prize. Or maybe not. Its a mystery. Here are some facts:

1. I'm 32 weeks now. My official due date is Mar 26 but the doctors won't let me go past Mar 5.

2. At my last ultrasound, Rhys was an estimated 5lbs and Owen was 4lbs 2oz.

3. Kiran was born at 38 weeks, 2 days weighing 7lbs. Sienna was born at 39 weeks, 5 days weighing 8lbs 6oz.

4. I have not so far had any preterm labor! Woohoo!

5. TTTS twins usually come by 34 weeks at the latest; 50% of all twins are born before 36 weeks.

6. My belly has been measuring 6 weeks ahead for the last few weeks. (So I'm 32 weeks pregnant but my belly looks like I'm 38 weeks pregnant).

I thought this would be an appropriate place for my latest belly picture. I was 31.5 weeks pregnant here. I got my first "Are you having twins???" comment this week. Most people just think I'm going to go into labor in their store/church/hospital/etc.

Party at the Caskey House

Today is a big day. 32 weeks. That was the goal for us to make it to when we had our surgery. 10.5 weeks- so so far away. So many things that could go wrong. Yet today we are at 32 weeks! We made it! Not only did we make it- we're thriving. I'm not in the hospital; I'm not even on bedrest anymore. And we had an awesome MFM appointment yesterday. The estimated Rhys to weigh 5lbs already!! That is a big baby. Owen is right behind hom at 4lbs 2oz (I know it seems like a big size difference but its completely normal). They both checked out completely healthy and have grown A LOT. The dr said yesterday that we've passed all the major hurdles. Sure if they were born now they would have NICU time but there shouldn't be long term problems related to prematurity.

I've been really emotional today. We went through such a hard time of not even knowing if either one would survive. And as every day passed and I was still pregnant, our hope grew more and more. I feel now like I am bursting with hope and excitement. For the longest time, we didn't even want to hope. We didn't want to be shattered. I guess its a coping mechanism when you are facing something so much bigger than yourself. But now I feel on top of the world with strong, healthy boys still cooking (over 9lbs of boys so far!).

The Lord was so faithful and so tender to us in our weakest times of utter dependence. I want to stay in that sweet embrace, that hiding place even though my circumstances aren't driving me there anymore. Don't worry; I have no crazy ideas that I can be a mom to all 4 without the quiet strength of my Savior filling me every morning, noon and night. But we've passed the point of sheer desperation that is so awful yet so precious at the same time.

I am getting really excited to meet these boys that have taken us on such a ride. And it will be soon- the dr said after 34 weeks, they won't try to stop my labor. Now we're praying these boys will stay in long enough for their lungs to develop and that they wouldn't need assistance when they are born. What a sweet treat that would be! Thank you so much for your prayers, your help, your support and encouragement.

2009 Books

1. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
2. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

3. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
4. Songs of the Humpback Whale by Jodi Picoult

5. Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp

6. A Mom After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

7. Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Picoult

8. Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult

9. The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks

10. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Morteson and David Oliver Relin

11. Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron

12. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

13. Hold Tight by Harlan Coben

14. A Separate Peace by John Knowles

15. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver

16. Showdown by Ted Dekker

17. The Good Sister by Diana Diamond

18. Oxygen by Carol Cassella

19. The Atonement Child by Francine Rivers

20. Dress Your Best by Clinton Kelly and Stacy London

21. The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

22. Unlimiting God by Richard Blackaby

23. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

24. The Duggars: 20 and Counting! by Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar

25. How to Develop a Powerful Prayer Life by Dr Gregory R Frizzell

26. Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult

27. Higher Hope by Robert Whitlow

28. The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook by Andrew Doughty

29. Oahu Revealed by Andrew Doughty

30. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

31. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

32. Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult

33. Survival for Busy Women by Emilie Barnes

34. Home Safe by Elizabeth Berg

35. Vienna Prelude by Bodie Thoene

36. The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory

37. The Wet Nurse's Tale by Erica Eisdorfer

38. Return to Sullivan's Island by Dorothea Benton Frank

39. In the Heart of the Canyon by Elisabeth Hyde

40. South of Broad by Pat Conroy

41. Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv

42. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

43. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

44. When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads by Dr Barbara Luke

45. Halfway to Each Other by Susan Pohlman

46. The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

47. The Everything Twins, Triplets, and More Book by Pamela Fierro

48. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

49. Marley & Me by John Grogan

50. First Things First by Kurt & Brenda Warner

51. Twins! Pregnancy, Birth, and the First Year of Life by Agnew, Klein, and Ganon

I just looked back at my 2008 Book Superlatives post and I beat my goal of 50 books. Barely. I'm not going to make any goals for this year. I feel like my goal of surviving 2010 is probably ambitious enough. I do hope I get to read some interesting books. Somehow.

2009 Superlatives:

Favorite Fiction: The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Most Inspiring: Three Cups of Tea by Greg Morteson and David Oliver Relin

Expanded My Brain the Most: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver

Challenged Me Spiritually: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis and How to Develop a Powerful Prayer Life by Dr Gregory R Frizzell

Characters I Still Think About Sometimes: South of Broad by Pat Conroy

Book My Heart Resonated With: Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv

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Here's the part where I ask for recommendations for 2010! I noticed nonfiction sticks with me longer but I love a great fiction book as well. So what worthy books have you read lately?

A Little Scare

Rhys decided to give us a little scare yesterday.

I started my NST (non-stress test- where they measure contractions and the babies' heart rates) at my OB's office yesterday. Within minutes, my OB was shooing me out the door to go straight to Maternal Fetal because Rhys's heart rate was tracing very low. I admit I was a little panicked. I just kept thinking I'm not ready for the boys to come, its too early, they are going to at least admit me into the hospital, when will I get to see the girls again?, etc. I was ushered straight in at MFM and hooked up to the NST there for 30 minutes. The boys were perfect. We did an ultrasound just to make sure and again both boys looked excellent. The MFM drs didn't really have a reason for what happened- a fluke? a inaccurate reading? No one knows but they were confident that there really isn't anything going on and they sent me home. I was so incredibly relieved that nothing seemed to be wrong and that I still got to go home. One of my most constant prayers has been that I would continue this pregnancy as long as possible at home and the Lord has been incredibly gracious about that. So many TTTS moms have either had their babies by now or were in the hospital being monitored. I am not taking for granted the fact that I'm still at home, not on bed rest, able to be a part of my girls' lives.

Still praying for February although March would be awesome too!

Things I Am Loving Right Now

-my body pillow

-Breyers Snickers Ice Cream

-the DVR

-my ipod touch

-ketchup (sienna is eating ketchup with everything now)

-my new camera (even though I'm only halfway through the manual and I still have no idea how to maximize its use)

-my husband's flexible work

-our insurance

-the blue room

-2 beach trips this summer WITH my husband

-nap/rest time

Maybe

What have we been up to?

Maybe we have been painting helping paint letting Will & Lauren paint the boys room Honest Blue! (Ok Jonathan & Kiran did help). W&L volunteered to come paint. Doesn't that rock?

Maybe we have been showered with lots of blue from friends and family in Greenville and Spartanburg!

Maybe we have been scoring barely used cloth diapers for half the cost of new. And when I say barely used, I mean the mom used them twice before deciding it wasn't for her. Thank you Craigslist.

Maybe we've been learning to drive fire engines!

Maybe we've been being interviewed by newspaper reporters about our TTTS journey. You can see the article here .

Or maybe I've just made all this up and we've just been laying around, becoming couch potatoes and passing the days. You decide.

Can You Tell...

that we play hide and go seek a lot? (I hear you about more pictures of the girls- here you can see and hear Sienna!)

They May Look Like Him...

...but they inherited their love of baked beans from me!

(Really I just wanted to share pictures that I took with my new camera! *squeal* I got a Canon Rebel T1i for those wondering.)

Seriously Awesome

I feel like a broken record but we had another awesome appointment today.

We had a growth scan today. They estimate Rhys to be 2lbs 14oz (53%) and Owen to be 2lbs 9oz (42%). That's only an 11% difference which is half the difference we saw 3 weeks ago. We are really encouraged that the size difference is not increasing! In fact they are getting tougher and tougher to tell apart!

Their fluid levels are for all purposes equal and fantastic.

I'm still not showing any signs of preterm labor. My dr today said I'm doing better than many women at this point who are pregnant with a single baby. Thank you Lord.

Bonus- today Rhys was head down and low. That's what we need for me to try to have a normal delivery. He can switch around many times before delivery but hopefully he'll be where he needs to be.

There were many days that I didn't think we'd make it here. Or I thought for sure I'd be in the hospital by now being monitored. I'm off bedrest! I am physically limited by my belly and back but I'm free to take on non strenuous tasks.

Thank you so much for praying! Our main prayer now is that these boys will continue to grow healthy and strong and that they will stay in a long time still!

Starting the New Year Right

Well Jonathan hasn't- he's been sick.

But he felt well enough to go to the Panthers game yesterday. A couple of weeks ago, Jonathan forwarded me an email from his former boss inviting Jonathan and a guest to enjoy the Panthers/Saint game in his box.

See, his former boss is now the president of the Carolina Panthers.

So J forwards it to me saying that he was so sorry I couldn't go. Not so fast buddy. I bargained and pleaded (which is like begging only fancier) and finally J said if my doctor said it was ok, he'd be glad to take me. My dr said ok since we got to park in parking lot 1 and take elevators instead of stairs.


So I got to go to my first NFL game! And it was fabulous. We had a great view and delicious food. The best part was it was heated- it was like 25 degrees out there yesterday. And Mrs President introduced me to everyone as Kelley who's pregnant with twins! She was so excited for us.

I really could get used to this.

Friend in Need

Tonight I'm asking you to go to my friend Tina's blog, read about their little girl, Anna Grace, and send up a prayer for her.

Kelley and Tina at Mops in Dec- our last picture with our BIG bellies!

Tina is on MOPS leadership with me. I remember sitting beside her at a leadership meeting this summer- it was a Tuesday and her big ultrasound was on Friday. We chatted about whether she was having another boy or a girl this time- never guessing that they would find out that their little girl's heart has a problem. Their sweet baby will have very serious surgery in Charleston tomorrow. Will you join us in prayer for Anna Grace? If you have a moment, click over to their blog and let them know that you are praying. When we were in such flux with our boys, every comment from every person, whether we knew them or not, was precious to us. I never knew how much strangers' comments could mean to us but it meant someone took time to pray, to write and tell us that and it lifted our spirits every time.

Tina & I joke that no one will want to be on MOPS leadership after what the two of us and our babies have been through this year! Thankfully we have the most amazingly supportive MOPS group ever.

I know so many of you are absolutely prayer warriors and this family could use them today.