24 Weeks and All is Well

   I just had my 24 week appointment and all seems to be well.  They didn't do an ultrasound, which I hate because I simply like to see my babies!  But, heart rates were both good, so I am fine with that for now.  I made all my appointments from now till I deliver!!! That was weird.  My goal is October 1st, but I know I need to be prepared for anything after 32 weeks (yikes!).
     The latest pregnancy joys I've been experiencing are the common things.... acid reflux at night (sometimes all day), charlie-horses in my calves anytime and I try to stretch AND when I do nothing, hip soreness in the morning from only sleeping on my sides, itchy-belly skin, struggle to breath at times, more and more cellulite on my hips (I hate that one!) and the inability to bend over at ease.  However on the more positive side I am starting to have enough energy to get through a whole day.  Although I move a lot slower and getting 3-4 things done is considered a productive day as compared to my HUGE to-do list of pre-pregnancy times.  
     The Nursery is FINALLY, mostly done.  It just needs a little caulk along the baseboards and trim.  After that the carpets will be cleaned and cribs set up :) YAY!!!! I want to get it all done in the next month just in case I have to be on my butt, which I am praying I won't, but just in case.
     Last week Beau's wonderful, sweet mom threw me a family baby shower in Idaho.  It was a very quick trip up to Idaho and back, but it was a lot of fun.  I got spend time with my awesome in-laws AND I got to see a couple of my cousins, which I hadn't seen in years.

 

 

And... here is the 24 week belly picture update.  I feel like it is looking a little more torpedo-ish and moving past the cute round stage. I know it is probably just me, but whatever.

Let the Brother Fights Begin!

     Today was the day we got to see the boys to get all their measurements and check their vital organ growth...everything looked perfect! YAY :)  It was reconfirmed that they are, for sure, both boys.  Maverick (baby A) is 14 oz measuring and Zayden (baby B) is 13 oz and both are measuring the exact same in overall growth ( 20 wks and 6 days, which is exactly where I am at in duration!).  Maverick's heart rate is 152 bpm and Zayden's is 144 bpm, both are great.  I am sooooo excited that they are growing the same and they have all the blood flow and nourishment they need right now.
      They are laying horizontally across the bottom part of my belly on top of each other, just opposite directions.  Zayden is on top with Maverick squished underneath and... kicking each other in the heads!  It makes sense why I am not feeling them kick, they aren't kicking me...just each other!  

Zayden (baby B) is on top in the picture with his head profiled looking up on the right side of the picture.  His body is horizontal to the left.  Poor Maverick (baby A) is harder to see, squished on the bottom.  All you can see is the back of his head on the bottom left of the picture under Zayden's feet with a blurry little spine going horizontal to the right.  

     The ultrasound tech said this will probably be the last ultrasound picture we will get with both of them in the same shot...nice way to go out :) After this appointment they will be too big.  I am a happy mama-to-be knowing my boys are very healthy and growing the way they should.  They are already bonding as brothers and there is not much more I could ask for :) 

Picture Catch-up and Delivery Decision...

    So I thought that when I got prego I would take a picture every week to see the belly growth progress...well, I suck at it.  I take them on my phone sometimes when family asks about it, but then I forget to do anything else with them.  So here are weeks 16 and weeks 20.

Week 16... I think. 

Week 20

   Things have been pain free (besides normal prego aches) for the past 2 weeks or more!!! Hallelujah!! My friend Marray, that just had TRIPLETS, let me borrow her belly-band...greatest invention ever.  My belly is just barely to the point of feeling heavy and I think the boys are sitting really low in my belly, so the band is helping a ton.

     I am not sure why, but for about an hour or two a day my body feels like it is ready to give out.  My legs get tingly, I feel hot (but never sweaty), my arms feel like dead weight and I just want to collapse. I don't know what starts it or finishes it, but it is kind of sucky when I am attempting to finally be somewhat productive with my days.  

    I thought that the nipple sensitivity gradually went away during pregnancy, but mine are way more sensitive now than they were at the beginning.  It is not a fun feeling. 

     My appetite has started to calm down, but now it is hard to remember that I HAVE to eat.  I go too long between little meals right now, for the twins sake...working on it.  

     My hormones were going super crazy for a week or so, but have thankfully calmed down since last week (see below for why).  I would literally cry one second and then get pissed the next.  Beau patiently rolled with all of it.  I still cry at nearly nothing, but my brain is now clear enough to know when it is just because of pregnancy and when it is an actual reason...haven't come across a real reason yet :) 

     My next appointment is next week.  We are going to get all the measurements and I can't wait.  It will be about an hour long ultrasound appointment, which are my favorite because I get to just watch my little boys move and know they are ok.  Can't wait!!! I feel little flutters and a few sharp pains during the days and nights lately, which I contribute to the babies moving.  I did FINALLY feel/see a punch or kick the other day.  I was resting my hands on the top of my belly holding my phone while I worked and suddenly the phone bounced a little :) It happened twice and again later that evening.  I am excited to really feel them move or watch a foot go across my stomach :) 

     

     Delivery Decision:  Thank you all for your comments and thoughts.  It was helpful to get different perspectives, but in the end I took it to the Lord.  I went to the temple last week by myself... I NEEDED to go.  My hormones were CRAZY and I was ready to rip someone's head off, so off to the temple to find peace I went.  I gradually felt more and more calm as I participated in the ordinance I had gone to do.  After the session was complete I sat in the Celestial room and just thought for a bit before I started to pray.  I prayed for a lot of different things and then finally turned my attention to the delivery question.  I felt very peaceful and calm at the thought of going natural as long as vaginal delivery is an option.  I will ask for help if I need it, but to try and go without meds for as long as possible.  The best part was the clarity in which I heard the words, "I'll be there."  I know these babies are a miracle sent from my Heavenly Father.  I don't take that lightly and I know I am to raise them unto him.  I know he has been and will continue to be with me through each step of this pregnancy and I now am VERY confident that he will be by my side for the delivery.  

    I left the temple completely clear-headed, non-hormonal and calm as could be.  I have felt those same feelings since.  The confusion and overwhelming stress/worry I felt about what I should do disappeared  and I know I am heading in the right direction.  I am beyond grateful to know that I have a Heavenly Father who cares enough about my tiny-lil trials to grant me peace and answers.  I am blessed to know that he will ALWAYS answer my prayers... I just need to trust in his timing and his plan for me and put my own selfish thoughts/desires aside and things will always work out for the best.  

    So at this point I just need to focus on learning about natural birth.  I will still deliver at the hospital so that, as I mentioned, if medical assistance is needed for me or the babies it is there.  You can comment as you would like, but my mind is made up and I am moving forward with it.  If things change it will be because of the babies, not someone's opinion.  Thank you all again for your thoughts and concern... I appreciated it all and accepted it as words of advice and love.  

18.5 Weeks and Going Strong

     So now that things are starting to go a little more like normal pregnancy, I feel there is not much to share on here, but here's the latest...  Since my last post Beau and I spent the first weekend of May in Vegas with some good friends.  It was a blast, but I think between the crazy amount of walking, the heat and the loads of crappy (meaning expensive and tasted good, but not good for you) food I reverted a bit in the pain department.  Ovaries have continued to lay low, but hemorrhoids were in full effect again.
     For the week after we got home I stayed with the natural regiment that my neighbor had given me, which I do believe was targeting the source of the pain, but the symptoms were becoming too much to mentally and physically handle.  I finally asked Beau and our friend Dave to give me a priesthood blessing and in it I was told that relief was coming soon.  I had made a doctor's appointment for the following morning and was instructed to put a cream on my "hole" (for lack of better description) twice/day  and drink 8 oz of prune juice every morning.  Two days later and since then I have been feeling pretty good.  I am grateful the Lord has blessed us with the ability to cure ourselves naturally and, if needed, get a little quick relief from modern medicine.
     At my last appointment (2 days ago) I heard the heartbeats of both boys and both are in the "good" range.  Maverick has a 150 bpm and Zayden has 140 bpm.  The doctor also measured my belly and I am the size of a 25 week singleton pregnancy (reminder I am only 18.5 weeks!!! Holy stretching and FAST).  I have also officially gained about 13-15 lbs according to the doctor scale.  I don't know the exact amount because sometimes I have more clothes and my shoes on than other times.
    Lastly, I am still debating mentioning this as I am writing it, but here goes... I talked with my acupuncturist, Sue, and she suggested that if I am able to do a vaginal delivery that I do it naturally and let her "guide" me essentially.  I consider this woman a miracle worker for what she has already done for my health and I seriously trust her with my life, so I am considering the idea.  She is the mother of 10 and she delivered them in a variety of ways.  She has also guided/coached many of her children's deliveries.  She is holistic and strong LDS, so for my peace of mind I like that combo.   I am kind of curious to know people's thoughts and yet at the same time I don't care because the final decision is between me, Beau and the Lord... but opinions/thoughts may open a train of thought or research I may have overlooked, so comment away...YIKES.  If there is need for medical intervention I am completely open to that assuming I do decide to try natural...whatever gets these boys out and into the world the safest :)

Ovary Freedom and GENDER REVEAL!!!

     So, it's just past 1:00 am and I am exhausted,but.... not in pain!!! My amazing neighbor is a Duella, Herbologist, Accupuncturist, etc. everything natural.  I talked to her about a week ago and she suggested a few natural supplements for my ovarian cysts and for what I felt like was hemrroids.  She suggested Mag Citrate by Metagenics for the hemrroids and Progestrone lotion by Arbonne for the cysts.  I've been taking 2 Mag Citrates in the morning and 2 at night.  I use one pump of the lotion just before going to bed. Before starting these supplements I had barely started taking 1 capsule of PrimRose Oil in the morning and one at night.  The naturalist I take health food classes from suggested the oil.  I took the oil in conjunction with the Mag Citrate and Progestrone.  Each day was better than the one before in regards to pain.   THEN... today (well technically yesterday the 1st) I had an ultrasound (to find out the baby's genders... get to that in a minute) and Robin, the ultrasound tech also looked at my ovaries.  They are practically normal size AND only had one tiny cyst on each!!!! I was ecstatic with this news considering my ovaries have been huge since the end of January and have caused me soooooo much pain!! .  I've finally been able to function past 3:00 and feel like I have productive days.  Ahhhhhhh... ovary freedom at last!!!! I hope I am not speaking too soon, that would suck!
     Now the fun stuff... the baby's genders.  As I mentioned I had an ultrasound at 9:40 am today (yesterday).  I woke up at 7:00 am, which is crazy early for me, and was too excited to go back to sleep.  During the ultrasound as Robin was looking to see what sex the babies were, Beau and I closed our eyes.  Crazy hard to do, but we did it because my sister Ashlie with the help of her husband Von had decided a few months back that it would be fun to do a reveal party.  So that meant that Beau and I got to see the babies and see how they are growing, but we left the ultrasound not knowing the sex and with an envelope in hand.  I had Robin put the results in the envelope, seal it and sign her name across the seal so there would be no way for me to cheat and open it.  I took the envelope over to Ashlie's house and gave it to her.  I left and tried to keep myself busy all day so I wouldn't go crazy guessing what they might be.  FINALLY at 6:00 pm a small group of friends and family gathered at her house.  My parent's and Beau's family were able to be on FaceTime (although the connection went in and out) for the actual reveal.  Everyone had to guess the sex of both babies and write their guesses on a big poster board.  In order to win a prize you had to guess the sex of each baby correctly.  It couldn't be general such as a boy and a girl.  You had to specify which baby you thought was a boy and which you thought was a girl, etc.  Anyways, Ashlie had made pinatas and filled them with the color candy of the sex of the baby.  One for A and one for B.  At 6:45 on the dot we all went into the backyard where my nephews did the honors of busting the pinatas.  Baby A... BOY.  Baby B... BOY!!!!!! I was crying just walking out to the backyard and it got worse with each result...tears of total joy of course!  Beau and 4 other people guessed it right.  I was wrong.  I thought baby A was a boy and baby B was a girl. 
     Tonight was one of the happiest days in my life thus far.  I have waited so long and gone through so much to be a mom and now things are finally looking up in that direction.  I still know anything can happen, but I have so much peace and faith in the answer I received back in November or December in the temple... that all would be well and I would be a mother soon... that I am trusting the Lord and I will get to meet these little boys in a few months!! I am 16 weeks today and my hope/goal is to make it to 37-38 weeks, so 1st of October-ish.  We have already named them (we've had 2.5 years to come up with something we liked!) 

Baby A: Maverick Storm Murphy

Baby B: Zayden Beau Murphy

I am sooooooo excited for my house to be crazy with sweet, cute, screeming, pooping baby boys!

Healthy Babies and Crappy Ovaries

     Life is going great...except my attention-hungry ovaries.  They just won't let the babies be the center of my attention.  Both ovaries are still covered in lovely cysts that KILL constantly.  It feels like constant punches and sharp pains in my lower abdomen.  By about 3:00 pm I am in too much pain to move again if I sit down.  It hurts to get up or sit down.  It hurts to go to the bathroom (either 1 or 2, doesn't matter).  It hurts to bend over... you get the picture, they just HURT.  I haven't done the massage thing since I last posted.  It hurt sooooo bad I ended up sore and balling my eyes out.  I've tried to research other treatment options and there is nothing on the internet beyond either waiting for them to rupture, aspirate them or surgically remove them.  I was hoping to find natural options...nope. 
     I had an ultrasound today and the babies are finally babies now.  They aren't alien looking anymore...yay!!! No, I don't know what we are having yet.  We find out May 1st!!! Can't wait!! Today Baby A was super squirmy.  It's legs were kicking and its arms were stretching.  I LOVED just watching.  Baby B was much more calm, but still moving a bit.  Both have strong heartbeats and both are growing at the same rate.  They are about 3.5 inches.  I feel sooooo comforted each time I see them and know they are ok. 

This is Baby B. The baby is lookig up at its hand on the left side of pic, body in the middle and little leg kicking on the right. Baby A was much clearer, but I didn't get a picture.  I was too amazed watching it squirm.  This is also on the crappy portable ultrasound machine...not the high-tech good machine.  

     My ovaries were not as exciting to see.  Big blobs with more blobs on them.  The doctor told me I could take Ibuprofen for pain if needed, but to only do that if I was in major pain.  My hollistic, natural-food teacher suggested I take PrimRose Oil Capsules.  I decided to try the capsules first.  I just started them today...crossing my fingers.
     My stomach is growing every day.  My little sister and I are barely days apart in pregnancy, but she has one baby and is BARELY showing.  Its crazy to me to watch the difference in our bodies in regards to belly size.    

This was at 12 weeks. I've grown a bit since, but haven't taken another pic. I'll do that at 16 weeks.





 

So Close to Normal... And Yet Sooooo Far

    As I mentioned in my last update, things have been going pretty well for the last couple weeks.  I was FINALLY able to stop doing my Endometrin suppositories last Thursday, which was a day I was looking forward to for a LONG time.  No more GROSS discharge throughout my day...YAY!!!! But wait.
     Starting Friday afternoon, I began to feel little cramps in my ovaries.  They weren't that bad so I just ignored them hoping that it meant they were just contracting.  Gradually they got worse each day and by Sunday night I was ready to cut them out.  Even if I barely touched my ovary area with the slightest touch it was super sensitive and going to the bathroom was not a joyous occasion.
     I called my OB's office this morning (Monday) and they were able to get me in almost immediately for an ultrasound.  The ultrasound rooms are equipped with much better technology then the exam room ultrasounds, thank heavens.  The nurse, Robin, was super nice and very up front with what she was seeing, which I prefer.  First she did an external ultrasound and found a nice BIG cyst on my right ovary and the left ovary looked like swiss cheese.  She switched to an inter-vaginal ultrasound to get more details.  The right was the same, and the left had 5-6 nice size cysts all over it, which just look like holes on the ultrasound...hence the swiss cheese.
     She showed Dr. Reese the images to see if anything needed to be done.  When she came back to the room she told me that the babies were fine, but that the cysts would just need to go away on their own.  Dr. Reese thinks they are from having my ovaries used and abused too much.  They told me I might have the cramping for up to 2 more months.... uh, no thanks!!
    So the good news.... my babies are fine.  Robin did a couple quick scans of the babies and I saw fingers and toes and defined bodies :) Makes me happy to see them growing!!! I was also able to schedule our gender ultrasound for the 1st of May!!!! I am sooooo excited for that one.
    The bad news... I was told I would have pain till about 20 weeks :(  I HATE my ovaries...just sayin.
    Right after my appointment I went to see my acupuncturist, Sue.  I told her what they saw and what they told me.  She said I could get rid of the cysts on my own and that I NEEDED to do it asap because the progesterone my ovaries naturally produce for the babies was getting stuck in the cysts and it wasn't all going to the babies... no bueno!!!  Then she showed me how to get rid of them...OUCH!!!  Beau is going to have to "massage" my ovaries and try to pop the cysts.  It sounds really gross and it hurts really bad!  She said they could all be gone in a week or two though, so it sounds like it is worth a try.  She also told me that right now while my uterus is still somewhat small is the best time to do it because as the uterus gets bigger my ovaries will be harder to get to and the babies will get in the way.
    I am very excited for my next pregnancy.  If we use our frozen eggs than my ovaries will never even get used and will be tiny little untouched almonds!  If it wasn't for my ovaries, this pregnancy really wouldn't be all that bad... oh well.  I can do anything with the Lord's help and for a short amount of time.
    My official 12 weeks is this coming Wednesday!!!! I never thought the day would come :) I'll post a picture of my baby bump.  I swear it is growing a ton everyday.  I've already resorted to maternity pants.  They are a tad bit too big, but WAY more comfortable then having my jeans, that are held together with a hair tie, cut into my belly all day.  I bought the cribs already :) I found them on KSL and one seller had two of the exact cribs I wanted brand-new in the box!!! I basically got them for buy one, get one free based on their regular retail price... I couldn't pass it up :) Beau thinks the nursery will be pretty close to done by this weekend... at least the construction part.  Then I get to DECORATE :)
    Wish me luck with the "massages".  Uggghhhhh, I'll be praying they work!!!!!