Xmas 2009 at the Mergen's.

Happy 3 Weeks!

Happy 3 Week Birthday Kiddos! It has gone by pretty fast...but then again kind of slow. :) I am adjusting more and more everyday. You guys sure keep us busy. Your dad goes back to work next Monday already. You had a great Xmas in both Richmond and Rochester. You even attended your first Surprise Birthday Party on the 27th for Aunt Jen turning 60! You guys got a lot of attention that is for sure.

Love,

Mom

Bath Time

Since you both have now both lost your belly buttons, we decided to try a normal bath as opposed to the "sponge bath"... You both did great this afternoon. I know it is probably cold for you and kind of a shocker, but we did it as quick as possible and then you guys were content and sleeping for 2 hours after.

Baby Burritos

Here is how you guys look before bed. Lilly doesn't like it as much lately but Charlie still likes to be swaddled. Sometimes he likes his arms IN and sometimes he likes the OUT. Great Aunt Jen bought them these Halo Swaddle Sacs.

Catching up with some pictures...

Lilly Jean ready to go home on 12-10-2009
Charlie Jeffery ready to get home and settle in on 12-10-2009

Me right after the C-Section holding Lilly Jean in the recovery room. Man do I look weird...

Before going into surgery waiting in the "prep" room. Longest 2 hours of my life.

It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year!

We had a photo shoot done in the hospital done right before we went home. We didn't realize how GREAT they would turn out. Lilly is above.

Charlie Jeffery Mergen

Adam holding Charlie's little feet

I had a feeling they would both scream when we took of their clothes but only Lilly got mad.

Peaceful Babies... Charlie on the Left Lilly on the Right.

Stay tuned for more blog updates, probably not as often as before the babies came but I will sure try my hardest.

Mandy

Just some pics

Adam and his dad. Jeff is one proud Grandpa

First pic taken together in the nursery!

New Family Members!

Adam is holding Charlie Jeffery and I am holding Lilly Jean in the above picture. They were born on 12-7-2009.

Adam and Lilly Jean on the evening of 12-7-2009.

Oh Christmas Tree...Oh Christmas Tree

Here is our 2009 Christmas Tree! Adam put it up over Thanksgiving Weekend. I hope to get some snap shots of the Twins under the tree :) We put it downstairs this year as opposed to upstairs. Our living room upstairs is pretty full with 2 baby swings in all. Happy Holidays Kiddos, you are entering this world during my Favorite Time of Year!

38 weeks!

Here we are at 38 weeks. Saturday December 5th... You guys are being delivered on Dec. 7th at 9:30 am via C-section if all goes as planned. We re-arranged your room last minute this week one evening. We needed to make better use of the space as well as the only 2 outlets in the room. We are all set for you guys to join us now! Dad is off work til January 4th and I am off until March 1st. I know the time will fly and I will not be ready to go back to work like every other mom, but hey life is life.
My mom and sister are coming up tomorrow night to stay the night and join us on Monday morning. Adam's mom and dad are also coming up Monday morning to join us. No kids can come visit due to the H1N1, so you will have to meet all your cousins later on. Bummer I know..



Wow...that is one big belly, I sure hope it goes down after birth :)

37 Weeks

Organized the room a little more yesteday....

Put up some of the Maternity Pics we had taken back in September. Leni the dog even made the wall :)

Nice little wall sticker we got from Mary.

Lilly's crib filled with bags ready for the hospital.

I am ready ready ready... can you tell? 37 Weeks today. Getting kind of bored and stir crazy. Even my nose is swollen...What the H*ll?

Getting Ready

We have 1 swing on each side of the TV, so Mamma can sit on the couch and watch you sleep while watching Desperate Housewives, Greys Anatomy, etc...

Got the carseats in the Van locked in and ready to go!

36 weeks..

I am ready to have you guys...Mamma is starting to HURT all over. Walking is a chore now....come on I know your swings in our living room are much more comfortable than in there.

4D Ultrasound Pics

Well I got an idea last week while I was at work to surprise Adam with some 4D/3D Ultrasound Pictures of the Twins. I went in on 11-13 at 4:30 and both babies were face down/back and not cooperating. The nice guy told me to come back tomorrow (11-14-2009) to try again. I did ...and we got a lot of good shots of the "boy" but none really of the girl. Owell better than none at all. He said with twins and being 35 weeks along they are pretty snug in there so getting the best shots isn't the easiest. The one above is my favorite, it is of the boy and he looks so chubby. I hope you can make out the face....

29 Days

I know the ticker off to the left here reads 43 days, but that is a bit off. That is if I were having 1 baby and going the FULL 40 weeks. I am only going to week 38 so we really only have 29 days! C-section is scheduled for 9:30 am on 12-7-2009. I have to arrive at 7:30 am for "prep", and can have nothing to eat or drink after midnight the night prior.

I am approaching 34 weeks now and don't have an updated picture. Not sure if I will be taking anymore.... I am large and in charge that is for sure. I have not been feeling the best either. Lots of pressure and pain but that is to be expected.

Next Dr. appt is Tuesday Nov. 10th at 9:45 am. They are doing an ultrasound to measure the babies. I am betting the girl is 5lbs or close to it and the boy is 5.5 to 6 lbs. That is a lot of BABY! I used to get kind of scared thinking about the c-section and how that will all play out, but I am to the point now where I would really like them "OUT"

I need to get my baby shower thank yous out in the mail, too. I just don't have the energy to do them when I get home from work.

This weekend my mom and sister, and neices and nephews are coming to help me "nest." Should be a fun time! My sister is even bringing her dog so Leni will have someone to play with!

32 Weeks!

32 Weeks! Today I had my 4th and final baby shower with my "friends." Lori hosted it at her place. It was a great party, with LOTS of good food. It started at 1pm, and I didn't get home til 7:45... A couple of us girls just hung out and chatted for awhile. I had a good week this past week. It was much better than the week before that is for sure. Still a sore back, but by the look of how far my belly sticks out I don't blame my back for "barking" at me :) I have a lot of things to wash and get into order now the next couple of weeks.

My mom and sister are coming up to the cities the weekend of the 7th to help me Nest.

Visiting Hours Due to H1N1

Hi Kids,
You are coming into this world at a great time but there is this flu bug out there called the Swine Flu or H1N1 Virus. It will affect who all gets to come and see you in the hospital but it is for our safety :)

Here is the message from the Hospital:

For the health and safety of patients, Allina Hospitals & Clinics has placed limits on visitation to birth centers and pediatrics units. Effective immediately, these limitations are:
*Visiting hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
*Visitors must sign in and be screened for influenza-like illness
*Sibling visitors must be age 5 or older
*Non-sibling visitors must be age 16 or older
*Maximum of three visitors per patient at a time
*Visitors are asked to follow hand-hygiene procedures by washing hands or using the antibacterial foam provided throughout the hospital.

We are coming up on 32 weeks now! I am feeling much better this week. Last week was not the best for me. We have our last baby shower this weekend with my friends. Can't wait. We have some much fun stuff for you guys when you come out.

Touring the Birth Center Tonight

Hi Kids,

Tonight your dad and I are going to the hospital to tour the birth center at Abbott Northwestern. Should be fun! I have some anxiety about it but that is normal. Here are some pics off their website. FYI, your nursery at HOME is much more "cozy"... let's hope and pray we are only in the hospital for a couple days...

FYI, sorry about my lunch selection today. Chili sounded good..but I didn't realize it was going to be so spicy. Topping it off with a diet mt. dew probably didn't help. I hope the water, bread, and prenatal vitamin helped level things off for you in there.

Love,

Mom.

30 week check up

Well today I had an Ultrasound and an appt with my Dr. Adam didn't come to this one. The ultrasounds are kind of getting OLD…normal pregnancies only have about 2..and we have had triple that or more…

Boy: Weighing in at roughly 3 lbs 7 oz. with a large head compared to statistical research on 30 week babies.
Girl: Weighing in at roughly 2 lbs 15 oz..almost 3 lbs! Girl is also already showing some hair :)
Mom's Belly: Measuring the same size as a full term pregnant women of 1 baby :)

I am starting to slow down that is for sure, but still holding up. Cervix looks good so we are good to go there. They will monitor the growth to make sure they are both growing from now on, but they are right on track and "good size" TWINS per my Doctor. With the boy still being Breech and a "Larger" than normal head C-Section is more than likely going to happen for sure now.

**Note the picture is of the baby boy. The little girl didn't want to cooperate today. It is hard to get good "shots" of them now since they are so much bigger and moving a lot more!

30 week/Baby shower #2

Well, we are getting closer... 30 weeks. I go to the Dr. this Tuesday for an appt. and Ultrasound to check the growth. I am pretty sure by the kicking...they are doing just fine in there. This weekend I headed down to Rochester Saturday morning for a baby shower hosted by my side of the family. It was a GREAT turnout, and I got a TON of Gifts. It sure feels nice to have so many nice friends and family there for me :)

I stayed in Rochester Saturday night. We went to my Favorite Pizza place Mr. Pizza for supper. Then my mom and I went back home and watched "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" down in the basement snuggled up in recliners. I slept really well that night right next to my mamma. Even at the age of 28, I still sleep with my mom when her HUBBY is gone :)

Diaper Bag

Well I have purchased a diaper bag finally. I really wanted to get one that I LIKED. I know I will have to buy a 2nd one, too. I think I might get it more "boy" oriented so Adam can feel comfortable carrying it. :) But this one is for me! I love it and it is coming in the mail on Friday.

29 Week

Well Twins, your mom made it through Auntie Lori's wedding this weekend. I had it on my mind for a long time now. People were telling horror stories of how I will probably be on Bed Rest by then etc. I didn't listen to them but they still made me nervous. Thank god Mary is the QUEEN at altering dresses, too. She did a perfect job making this dress fit around my "Belly."..

Wedding was great and it couldn't of been anymore perfect than it was. I will post some more pics of the wedding later on.

Maternity Pics are posted!

Go to www.tiffanycustomphotography.com , enter the site and click on 'Client Galleries'. Your password is ' twins '.Let me know if you have any questions at all and enjoy the gallery!

http://www.tiffanycustomphotography.com/#

Had a nice time at the wedding this weekend, will post pics later.
I am watching Brother's and Sister's now :)

28 Weeks

No belly pics of me this week but I will have some next week from Auntie Lori's weddding. Your mommy is a Maid of Honor! Can't wait for the Fun weekend.

27 weeks

No pics of the belly this week but there will be some professional ones posted within the next couple weeks. This past weekend Adam and I had professional Maternity pics taken. I can't wait to see them!

http://www.tiffanycustomphotography.com

**Felling pretty good. Lower back giving me some issues though..Just a couple more months.

Tenative Birthday......Dec. 7th

Here is a pic of Dr. Ambur :)

Today I had a check up, Glucose Test, and Ultrasound. Big day at the Doctor. Dr. Ambur is such a nice doctor and I feel very comfortable having her deliver you guys. She said we will "shoot" for Dec. 7th (38 weeks) for the scheduled C-Section. However, we know you guys might decide to come out before that, but we will take it day by day. She said I am a "poster lady" for pregnancy, and I am doing GREAT! It is good to hear that because some days I feel like I am not holding up as well as I should.

I passed the glucose test with flying colors, so no Gestational Diabetes for me!

Little girl you are 1 pound 15 oz, and little boy you are 2 lbs on the dot. I got 1 good picture of the little girl today but not one of the boy. The girl is head down on the left and the boy right now is breech or head up on the right. The boy was facing backwards so no chance of getting a picture. You 2 were pretty active though kicking all over the place and not staying still for the Ultrasound Tech very well to get her measurements.

26 Weeks

26 Week shot..getting bigger that is for sure but still feeling pretty good. I am out of breathe a lot lately but I am sure that is from you kids pushing on my diaphram. We have a check up this Tuesday the 15th with an ultrasound. I haven't seen you guys since Aug. 4th. I am sure you will look even bigger! Stats say you are pushing 2 lbs.... Babies your size can be born and still make it "ok" but I know you guys like it in there and need to cook at least 10 more weeks...come on I know you got it in ya :) Although I would just LOVE LOVE LOVE to meet you before then, I know mother nature is not done.

Lastnight we had a shower for Mamm'a friend Lori. She is getting married in 3 weeks, and your PREGO MAMA gets to stand up and be her maid of honor. I am very excited for that fun filled weekend.

8 Years Ago Today

Kiddo's...today marks an Anniversary of a terrible day in History. I will talk to you about this someday when you are older. I will compare this story telling to you as how my parents talk to me about where they were when:
1. JFK was shot
2. Man Landed on the Moon, etc...

I was a Junior in College and Minnesota State University when this happened. I got up and logged onto my computer right away to prepare for my first PUBLIC SPEAKING speech for class. I logged onto AIM, and got a message from my friend Chad Allen....I cant' remember his AIM name... at the time.

He said "We got bombed".....
I said: "You lushes".. thinking him and his roommates got drunk the night before on a "weekday" which was normal in college.

He said: "NO, MANDY, turn on your TV"

I did and I saw footage from the picture above. Very weird day. I went to class still and gave my speech. As I sat down, a school official walked into the classroom and cancelled classes for the rest of the day.

Later that night all my girls came over to our place and we hung out. My mom had me go to Kwik Trip and fill my car up with gas. I waited in a very long line and got a full tank of gas. Why? NOT SURE....the country didn't know what was going to happen. My mom even mentioned for me to go grocery shopping and stock up on canned goods. I didn't do this as I was a broke college student....

We are still fighting this war today, and I hope by the time you guys are toddlers, the war is over. I know terrorism will still exist but I hope the United States is out of there by then. Fingers Crossed.

Hope all is well in there kiddos, and I promise you will love it out here, even though today is kind of a sad day in history.

25 Weeks!

25 weeks, and also our 1 year wedding anniversary. This was taken right before your dad and I went out to Murrays for a Steak Dinner! It was the best we have ever had, and will want to go back there again for sure. I am sure you guys enjoyed it as well, as you were kicking all over when I was done eating. YUMMMMM

1 year Anniversary!

Siver Butter Knife Steak for 2 please! Thanks for the best Dinner EVER, Adam!

Wow, how time flies! 1 year already! Where has time time gone??