75 days left!!

We went to see Dr. H. this Wednesday. We were there for 4 hours almost 5 hours. But that aside the appointment was great. Westin weighs 2lbs 8ounces and Tatum weighs 2lbs 5ounces. I can't believe they already weigh over 2 pounds! Westin doubled his weight in just one week! They are already so big :) Luke was only 13 ounces when he was born so 2lbs is HUGE in comparison and that's all I have to compare it to!

My 1st shower is this weekend! It is my family shower, my 2 aunts and sister are hosting it and I am so looking forward to it!

The twins will be here in 75 days! I can't believe it 75 days I am so excited!!! Today I ordered Westin's bottle, it's called the Haberman bottle made by Medela. Pictured below! This will help him feed with his cleft.

Blessed vs. Mad

So we went to Texas Children's today and met with the Specialist that will be working with Westin and his Cleft. Today we brought our ultra sound pictures and she said she could almost guarantee that he has a Cleft Lip, Cleft Palate & Unilateral Cleft meaning it extends to the nose. We have trouble seeing it and in fact we go the high risk dr tomorrow for an additional U/S. (We go to her once a month). I have attached some pictures for everyone so you know what to expect when he is born in terms of looks wise. He will be able to eat normally he will have some special bottles, he will be able to go home if born on time and this is not life threatening. His measurements are all right on schedule which tells us there are no underlying syndromes :) So here is our time  line:

One week old: We meet with pediatric orthodontics specialist Dr. B. Westin gets fitted for his appliance that will mimic a palate which will just help him eat better!! 

Our pediatric plastic surgeon is Dr. S! Which I have heard in the best!!! 

3 months old: Surgery One, he will undergo the 1st of three surgies to repair the nose, palate and lip. We do not think it is going to affect his nose based on the pictures we have seen but just in case! 

6 months old: Surgery #2

9months old: Surgery #3

So by that time he will be completely repaired. At 1 yrs old he will start meeting with a speech pathologists to help pronounce hard consonants. 

He will have cosmetic surgeries to accommodate his growth of his face at ages 4, 10 & 16. He will get braces at age 10 just to help keep his teeth in the correct spot. 

All in all after being a Texas Children's today and seeing all the bald kids and their smiles and good attitudes and this sweet little bald boy wearing a hat and singing and playing the guitar I have realized that what Westin has is not life threatening and though I wish he was not going to have to have surgery I am relieved that of everything that could go wrong this is it and for that I am very very grateful! The pictures they showed me today were beautiful before and after pictures!! So I am very confident his scare will be very small! I am attaching pictures because some of the pictures on the Internet are worst case scenario. He will look different at birth and I want everyone to be prepared to see that. My biggest fear is that people will stare at him and not love on him as much as Tatum so if you could please give them equal attention I would appreciate that! 

ON THE PICTURE PLEASE REFER TO THE LEFT SIDE ON THE PICTURE VS. THE RIGHT. THE LEFT SIDE OF BOTH PICTURES IS WHAT THEY ARE THINKING HE HAS! WE KNOW IT IS NOT THE RIGHT SIDE BECAUSE HE HAS THE CUTEST THADDEUS NOSE, THEY ACTUALLY BOTH GOT T'S NOSE, THANK GOD :) Aren't we so lucky we live in Houston and have access to the best drs!! 

Ready for things to go perfectly!! I am hoping that we will stop getting stepped on while we are down! I am very very very ready for things to go right!! (Don't get me wrong 2 healthy twins through IVF and Surrogacy is a huge miracle in itself) I am just saying I would love a decade of great news all the time :) 

We could use Prayers on the following please: 

Continued Growth & Development of the twins

Jenni's health & Strength

For me, this is a lot to take in! 

For my family we have had it tough lately! 

For my students (mostly the older ones) That they don't think every pregnancy is dangerous, high risk etc. Poor things might say they never want kiddos!! 

And prayers that our family stops becoming negative statistics :) 

Thanks! 

This is the palate! Please refer to the LEFT SIDE not the right

Cleft Lip, Please refer to the left side not the right! 

Accepting the Unexpected

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

Justin and T waiting for appointment.....they love sitting next each other!

My sweet flowers to cheer me up from my sis Lauren and her boyfriend Chris!

Me and Jenni...only waited an hour this time :)

Sweet Tatum not cooperating ( yes she has a nose see pictures on past blog)

Sweet Westin!! Look at his perfect nose :)

So we went to the High risk Dr. H. on Wednesday and the appointment was not really what we expected.

We found out that Westin has a birth defect known as a cleft lip. I almost fainted in the room when she said that. I got light headed, dizzy and my heart started racing.....after a couple of tears and just sad because this is my precious little boy and I can't help or hold him right now!

So he will be born with a cleft lip and we will meet with some pediatric plastic surgeons at TCH and he will have surgery between 3-6 months of being born. It may take one surgery or two but we wont know more until he is actually born. The bad news is, that he will have to have surgery. The good news is that he does not have a cleft palate, they are both healthy and growing like crazy. For that I am thankful and feel so blessed!

On the other hand we got a great picture of him! Which was so exciting because we hadn't really gotten any pictures on 4D of him! Tatum was not as cooperative she did not feel like having her picture taken on Wednesday!!

Here are the stats!!

Westin:

141 bpm

1lb. 7oz

His legs measured 26weeks and 5 days!!! Holy Cow he has long legs!

Tatum:

152 bpm

1lb. 5 oz

Her legs were measuring 25 weeks and 3 days! Yay! She will have long legs too!

All vital organs are there and they are healthy! I delivered Luke at 23weeks and 6 days which is this Tuesday! I will be glad to make it to 24 weeks!

Please pray for my sweet babies and that they continue to grow and develop! Pray for Jenni as she carries our sweet miracles and please pray for me just for my continued faith in knowing that this is Gods plan and he has chosen us to live this "story" and for that we are thankful!!

Thanks, Kristin

Let the Fighting I mean painting begin!!

We saw Dr. N. this past week. Jenni's uterus is measuring at 29 weeks :) We are actually at 22 weeks! They used the doppler for heartbeats! Westin's was 141bpm and Tatum's was 146bpm. Just perfect! Next week we see Dr. H. and then back to Dr. N. then to get another 4d ultra sound! Lots of doctors visits coming up! Jenni gets to do her blood glucose test in 2weeks! I am so so excited :) I didn't get to do this while I was pregnant so I am excited to make it to that step. The 2nd half of pregnancy I am looking so forward too. I delivered Luke at 23 weeks and 6 days so I am excited to embark on the journey of pregnancy that I have not yet experienced.

Even though I do not experience it 1st hand I get to watch it!

I am getting so so excited that we have worked on the nursery a lot the past couple of days! I have not hung anything on the walls yet we are saving that for this weekend! It has been so much fun :)

19 week appointment with Dr. N! We are so so grateful to have an amazing OB like her!

Justin and Thaddeus did all of the painting. I supervised ;) and Jenni helped touch up! It was a long I mean fun process but it looks great! It is blue and pink stripes around the entire room. On top is a black painted border and then we added a damask pattern paint to the black! I have included some pictures below!!

This is the children's retreat, babyland has taken over my house! Oh and I might add that recital costumes have arrived making things even more chaotic!!

Justin and Jenni hard to work!

T being meticulous with every detail!

Me and M man! We got so much work done ;)

Jenni touching up!

Close up of final product!

Beds, strollers, carseats oh my!!! All their matching stuff!!

Westins bedding!

Tatum bedding!

Thanks for your prayers!

Until next time- Kristin

Lots of Updates!

Great Picture!! 20w5d I think Mason Man took it :)

Before....Bailey thought the twins clothes where his bed.

Getting somewhere

Tada!!! Done!

20w5d

Their 1st Tech Outfits!
From two of my students!

Westin (us trying to get a picture of him )

Westin on the Right and Tatum on the left!

Tatum!

Westin's legs and Tatum's head

Westin bedding

Tatum bedding

What a great couple of days we have had! We celebrated Luke's 1st birthday on the 3rd and my 27th birthday on the 4th. The two days were actually great. I am truly so thankful for my little man and how much he changed my life. I think of him every day and feel so blessed just to get to be his mom and spend the 2 hours with him that I was able to.

There are lots of pictures above. Over the Christmas Dance break we painted the nursery, washed all the twins clothes that I have already. Organized all of their clean clothes by age/size, category (i.e. PJ's, onesies, pants) Then I matched all of their normal clothes and if I didn't have a match I went out and bought something to match it. Therefore I got a lot done.

The twins got a box full of stuff from their GiGi (my mom) and my dad (no name yet). Their Granny (T's Mom) & Grandpa (Levi- Margies hubbie) sent the twins piggy banks and cute PJ's.

Their stoller arrived as well! It is precious! Coming this week is their car seat covers and and then after that their custom onesies I had made for them.

We got to do a 4D ultrasound on Tuesday! It was my bday present. Westin did not want his picture taken at all. He has the chubbiest legs. Tatum stole the show she had about 30 pictures taken of her. She was smiling in a picture, sucking her thumb in one picture and punching her brother in another. They are bascially butt to face. Tatum is on Jenni's left side and moves all night long and a lot during the day. Westin is on her right and is so chill. Just like his daddy!

My Mom (Gigi to the twins) gave me the twins bassinet pack in play. I was so so excited. Everywhere I looked it was sold out I was getting so nervous. She has had it for almost three months!

Our appt. with our high risk dr went great! No complications. They weight about 9oz. That was 4 weeks ago. We see Dr. N. Again next week and Dr. Hare in a couple of weeks. We will go back for an 3d/4d in about 3 weeks to see the twins again!

I just want to thank each and everyone of you for your prayers, We so appreciate them. We ask that you please continue to pray for the babies, and Jenni has they continue to grow.

17 more weeks to go!!