36 Weeks Pregnant

It is crazy that I am 36 weeks pregnant! I mean this pregnancy has really flown by…..though I know it is about to slow down A LOT! This week I have discovered a new definition of tired! Even with a two hour afternoon nap, I am ready for bed by seven. Contractions are taking on a whole new meaning……they hit every time I move practically and at night I get them every ten minutes for hours at a time. I had pretty intense Braxton Hicks contractions with Elijah but this time around, Patrick (Baby B) is up higher and therefore gets crushed into my ribs with every contraction. I also feel like the babes are crushing up against my hip bones during contractions due to the intensity. We need to make it at least one more week but needless to say, if God and the twins feel like it is time anytime after next Friday, I am game! Nesting has definitely kicked in but it is always a choice when Elijah naps between napping myself and organizing/cleaning something. Lately, napping has won that coin toss. Still, thinks are getting done and really close to ready and I do believe that by next Friday, everything will be ready that I wanted ready!
This week I had my home visit with all three of my midwives as well as two midwife apprentices. It was really awesome getting a feel for these ladies together and feeling a taste of the incredible support I know I will receive on “labor day”. We determined that both babies are still head down! Yay! Several hands confirmed little heads down low and tiny butts up high! Apparently Rory and Patrick are facing one another. They also told me that the babies size feels average to on the smaller size. I trust this estimation based on physical touch more than ultrasounds which can often be off by as much as two pounds either way.  Both feel healthy and perfect. Music to a mama’s ears. During the visit we discussed logistics of the twins’ “birth” day and concluded that my original wish for the birth tub in our bedroom would, in fact, work.  I am excited about that. Just part of the “vision” I have for this special day.
I managed to get some 36 week pictures taken today right before an awesome visit from my good friend Rhonda and my fabulous mother in law!

Yup, belly is still growing!

Two sweet boys just below the surface of that big belly!

Hard to believe I could still have four weeks or more before these babies come. But I’m hoping for maybe two more weeks! Of course I know they will come when they are ready and in God’s time.

My little camera ham was very happy to be awake and ready for pictures this week!

I like the bare belly shots. I think you get a better idea of just how big my tummy really is!

Then and now. Definitely a fuller tummy this time around!

There have been several things I have really wanted to get done before the boys’ arrival. One of them is to make a big batch of lactation cookies. I ate them throughout my nursing Elijah and always had ample supply. Who knows if it had anything to do with the cookies but it can’t hurt and they are quite yummy! So my good friend Rhonda offered to come help me bake! While I was waiting for Rhonda to arrive, Chip’s mom asked if I wanted her to come over and help with anything. One thing I have been told over and over is when people offer to help, take them up on it! So I answered with an enthusiastic “YES!”.

I am so grateful for the help I got today. Not only did we bake enough lactation cookies to last me for 50 DAYS, but I got a closet cleaned that I had really wanted done, my stove detailed and several other odds and ends taken care of. And due to my ever contracting uterus, it was mostly done by these two fabulous ladies offering their help to a mama in need. It was also so nice to have some adult conversation during the day. And Elijah did his part by taking a three and a half hour nap while all this was going on. So I have to say that turning 36 weeks pregnant today, was just an all around nice day! I am thinking being this tired is the new normal for the remainder of my pregnancy and maybe it is just God and nature’s way of getting me to slow down because quite frankly, I know I should. But it is just so hard when you are in nesting mode!

A double batch of lactation cookies!

Rhonda is one of Wrigley’s babysitters when we go out of town. He was very happy to see her!

My sweet friend doing some of my baking!

We had to do a taste test and they were yummy! Wrigley did his own taste test with the last batch when I wasn’t looking so I expect him to start lactating any day now.

Loved getting to visit my friend!

Lactation Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Earth Balance (or butter)

1/2 Cup coconut Oil
(You can also use a whole cup of Earth Balance OR a whole cup of coconut oil if you prefer)

1 1/2 Cup of firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 Cup of Xylitol or your favorite sweetener

6 Tablespoons Water

3 Tablespoons flaxseed meal

2 Eggs

2 teaspoons of vanilla

2 Cups of Gluten Free Flour (or you can use a mix of your favorite flours)

1 teaspoon baking soda

4 Heaping Tablespoons of Brewers (nutritional) Yeast

1 teaspoon salt

3 Cups Oats (I use Bob’s Redmill Gluten Free)

1 Cup Chocolate Chips, Dried Fruit, Nuts or whatever you prefer

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Mix flaxseed meal and water and let sit for 5 minutes

3. Beat earth balance, coconut oil, sweetener and brown sugar well

4. Add eggs. Mix well.

5. Add flaxseed/water mix and vanilla. Beat well

6. Sift flour, yeast, baking soda and salt

7. Add dry ingredients to mix

8. Mix in oats and chips

9. Drop onto baking sheet about 1 1/2 inch dollops and bake for 14 minutes.

10. Let sit for a minute then cool on a cooling rack.