Jesse Coulter

I'm SO excited Spring is here! Warmer days and longer nights to play outside! Everyday when I pick Walt and Whitney up from school, I let them run around in our front yard for an hour or so. I have to keep my eye on Whitney the most because she will eat rocks, dirt, trash and leaves like it's the yummiest dessert she's ever had. She also enjoys discovering ant piles...God help me.

ONE YEAR! My babies are officially a year old! I love them so much I could eat them up. This past year has been filled with MANY smiles and MANY tears.

• The first few months were filled with extreme anxiety, sleepless nights (well I still have those), and trying to figure out how to raise three kiddos. I gave up breastfeeding after a week, spent lots of time in my hometown for extra help and went back to work after 3 months. I am EXTREMELY grateful for my mother and the rest of my family and friends for helping us. Our village was strong and still is.

• When people say, "Oh my goodness, I want twins!". I look at them like they're crazy. I know that sounds mean, but this is NOT easy. It's the hardest thing I've ever done. It has put extreme pressure on every aspect of my life, but it has taught me, changed me, and molded me into a stronger person.

• We had a very simple first birthday party with close family and friends. You'd think I would go all out, but I really didn't have the energy to plan it and I didn't care about going big. No invitations, no balloons, no elaborate decorations. I bought two simple cakes from HEB,  finger foods (meat, cheese, fruit, nuts) and had custom cookies made by ShortBread Baking Co. Not having to cook was a GAME CHANGER! I remember at Turner's first birthday running around like a mad woman trying to prep everything and cook, and I did not want to repeat that. The only thing that took time was making the pom pom garlands and a ONE sign, but making them was so much fun! 

9 Months! This month flew by and the babies didn't change much developmentally.

Life lately:

• I feel like we've had a crazy amount of appointments so I've had to take a lot of time off of work. Thankfully I have a lot saved up. 

• We took a road trip to Dallas last week for a family reunion (Turner side) and the babies were able to meet aunts, uncles, and cousins for the first time. I spent most of the road trip in the 3rd row of our van entertaining or feeding them (definitely not fun).

• Nights seem to have gotten crazier this past month for some reason. Both are super cranky and fussy from the moment I pick them up from school till bedtime. I usually take them for a walk to get at least 30 minutes of peace and quiet!

• We had family photos taken with Laura Morsman Photography, and I just love having photos of all 3 of my kids together! Know though that it was EXTREMELY hot, humid and there were hundreds of mosquitoes in the greenhouse. I was sweating like crazy and we only shot together for 15 minutes! 
  
  

A few months ago I met my friend Stephanie for lunch and her adorable baby girl was wearing the cutest bonnet. She told me about the company Love Factory New York, which all of the items are handmade by a woman named Rie. I immediately reached out hoping to collaborate. A few weeks later Rie sent me these adorable outfits for Walt and Whitney.

Happy 7 months Walton and Whitney! This past month has been HUGE for development. They have changed so much, and are starting to interact with Turner, Alex and I much more.

Life lately:

• I've started getting rid of baby items that we no longer use - Twin z pillow, Rock n' play, Bumbos and lots of clothes. I feel like they are growing much faster than Turner did and going through outfits like crazy. I've been buying mostly second hand, but if I see a cute outfit that has a coordinating color like the onesies below, then I immediately buy them because....TWINS!

• My social schedule has calmed down this summer, so most nights I'm at home. Sometimes Alex and I are lucky enough to eat a hot dinner together.

• We had 6 month photos taken with Laura Morsman and even though I forgot their outfits they turned out adorable! See the full post here.

Outfits: Aden and Anais. Bow: Little Poppy Co.

I know how fast babies grow up, so I want to capture Walt and Whitney in as many photos as possible in this stage! Life is crazy beautiful, and most days I'm running around like a hot mess. A perfect example of this is...all week I was so excited for this shoot with Laura Morsman. I envisioned what the babies outfits would look like and then I shopped till I found exactly what I wanted. The day of the shoot, I rushed around like always trying to pack everything I needed for them (bottles, diapers, burp rags, pacifiers, measured formula, etc.), and pack up their stuff, fasten them in their car seats, load them up and finally head out! When I showed up to Laura's house, I realized I had completely forgot their outfits. D'oohhh! We went with it and shot them in their diapers, and I love how they came out!

Photo by Laura Morsman Photography

SIX MONTHS! We've made it halfway, hallelujah! Time has not flown by...it's slooowwwlllyyy krept by BUT we are happy, alive and grateful. 

Life lately: 

• Sleep deprivation is still a very real struggle due to Walt waking up at least twice a night.

• We started buying diapers and formula this month and WHOA! Talk about a budget buster. Our new phrase might be, "Put it on the credit card."... kidding and kind of not kidding.

• Work and planning my local blogger event has kept me VERY busy, and by Tuesday of every week I feel like it should be Friday. Most nights I don't get to bed till around 11pm, and I'm passed out in less than a minute. 

• I'm so excited to have 6 month photos of the babies taken by my good friend and Austin photographer, Laura Morsman, next weekend!

As a mom who knows how fast time flies when raising a child, I want to capture every moment and every month my babies grow. And as a lover of blogging and Instagram, I've learned how to take simple yet fun baby photos. When I look back on their milestone photos, I absolutely love seeing their physical transformation (as sad as it is to see them grow). Today I want to share with you how I stage the perfect photo, and all of these photos were taken with my iPhone.  This post is sponsored by Carter’s; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Month 3 seemed a tiny bit easier because the babies gas and colic was subdued and feeding was much easier! I had my first full week alone and a couple of weekends with just Alex and I, and finally felt comfortable handling both babies. Now handling all 3 of my children is another story, and I haven't had to do that yet.

Let me tell you, weekends alone suck. Alone meaning no extra help from family. I feel like it's a never-ending cycle of no sleep, feeding, rocking, burping, repeat. It's been tough on me, because I love to be active...especially when the Texas weather is absolutely AMAZING right now (mid-70's). We can get out, but it takes forever. So what usually happens is Alex and I take turns. For example; last Saturday afternoon, I took Turner and Whitney to a friend's baseball game, and later that night Alex took Turner to a movie while I took care of the babies. So basically we're never all together unless we're at home. I don't mind it too much, because it gives me an opportunity to spend quality time with Turner. Finding the new normal has been hard, and going back to work is going to bring a whole new dynamic to our situation. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

I discovered my new favorite activity during month 3, selling baby clothes to second hand stores (Once Upon a Child, Kid to Kid, and SparkleKids)! Walt and Whitney have outgrown their newborn clothes, and many of their winter 0-3 month outfits so I took a bunch of clothing and miscellaneous items to a few kids second hand stores and was blown away! Not only did I make some great money, but I also discovered super cheap clothes that I adored and most for less than $4! Whitney doesn't have a lot of clothes, so I bought her a few zip-up terry cloth Carter's sleepers for $2 each, and then 4 new comfy 3-6 month summer outfits for less than $15 total. Old Navy and Gap are my baby clothing kryptonite (seriously, they have THE cutest dang clothes), but it's SOOO hard for me to spend money on baby clothes. It feels painful at times. I might buy a few outfits that I can't walk away from BabyGap or Old Navy, and then get all of her outfits for daycare from second-hand stores. I've been wanting to bite the bullet and buy a cute pair of baby moccasins for both of them, but I seriously can't justify spending more than $15-20 for a pair...and even that is pushing it. This is mostly because they can't walk. When they start walking I won't mind spending more on a quality pair of shoes but $25 is usually my limit. I also have this strong desire to find cute matching outfits (in different colors), so when I do I usually have to spend more money.

Sleep:

• Alex still sleeps in our bedroom, and Whitney is in our closet in a rock n' play. Walt sleeps in the nursery in a rock n' play, and I sleep in our guest bedroom. We do this because we get more uninterrupted sleep that way. I only wake up when I hear Walt, and vice versa for Alex with Whitney.

• Walt's head is very flat on his right side, so I've been trying to get him to nap on his belly in hopes that he won't have to get a helmet. When I transition them to their cribs, I will likely put both on their bellies once I'm completely done swaddling.  

• Walt sleeps 3-4 hours straight on a good night, and Whitney has a great 5-6 hour stretch. Poor Walt...no one wants "Walt night duty" because it's a lot more work than easy going Whitney. Although, the first night after they went to daycare all day, Walt slept 6 hours and Whitney slept 10!

• Naps are getting a bit better. They will have a good 1-2 hour nap during the morning and afternoon, but they usually aren't at the same time. Then they'll have a few short 30-45 min. naps throughout the day.

Health: 

• Walt and Whitney have both had a cold for a few weeks, but Walt is much worse. We took him to the doctor a few days ago and sure enough he has an ear infection (the day after I go back to work...typical). He has a rattly chest and coughs like an old man every once in a while when he tries to cough up the phlegm. They both have tons of green snot, but thankfully I have the Nose Frieda to save the day.  

• I got whatever they had, and it got so bad that one night my throat was so red and swollen that I could barely swallow. I didn't sleep a wink because every time I did swallow it was extremely painful. I went to a throat specialist the next day and he prescribed me a steroid and an antibiotic. This same sickness actually happened to me about a month prior, and I had to go to an urgent care facility and was prescribed antibiotics as well.  They ruled out strep both times. I will never take my throat for granted again! With all that being said, taking care of a baby while your sick sucks...taking care of TWO babies while your sick is HELL! I texted my mom at 5am when I was feeding Walt because I knew that I couldn't make it through another day without an extra hand. She is the best, and came right away (praise you Gigi)!

Eating:

• Whitney is on a added rice starch formula for reflux/spit up, and Walt drinks a gentle formula for gas. They are drinking 4-5 oz. per feeding, which can be every 3-4 hours.

• I just changed out our Dr. Brown nipples to size 2 for 3 month olds, and I'm hoping this makes feeding take less time. Walt takes FOREVER to eat.

Growth:

• Clothing - 0-3 months
• Diapers - Size 1 Huggies (Pampers are too tight)

Likes:

• Baby Einstein play gym, they enjoy looking up at the dangling toys that play music
• Walks in the ACK Wrap. If I have trouble getting Walt to sleep I put him in the wrap and he's OUT! It's also a way for me to help round out his head instead of having him on his back during the day. I felt like a supermom when I grocery shopped with Walt in my wrap.

Dislikes:

• Walt seems to have an love/hate relationship with pacifiers. He will take them for a few seconds, and it will soothe him...then he spits it out. Not sure if his latch is just weird, because he's always had trouble with bottle feeding as well. 

Fun Facts:

• Walt:
• This child does not stop moving! He is constantly grunting, looking side to side, stretching backwards, wiggling and squirming. Whitney on the other hand is the exact opposite. She's calm, quiet, and stares deep in to your soul with her blue eyes ; )
  

• Walt can roll to his back if he's laying on his stomach.

• Whitney: 
• Loves to smile, and likes when I stick my tongue out at her. I think I got a little giggle the other day.

• I'm officially obsessed with dressing her up. My budget is going to take a hit once she starts walking.

Once my babes grow out of swaddling, I'll use them for blankets, car seat cover ups, burp rags or for changing when I'm out and about. It's always good to have one handy in your diaper bag. They are also perfect for newborn photos! You can buy these in sets, but I also like that you can buy your favorite patterns individually. See all the patterns here!

GIVEAWAY! I'm excited to be giving away 2 of the new black & white muslin swaddle single blankets (you choose your favorite designs) to one lucky winner! Easy entry on Instagram here. 

When I found out I was having twins, I knew that a birthing center was not an option since twins are considered high risk pregnancies. I was completely ok with that, because I was already planning on delivering at a hospital and getting an epidural. Turner's natural birth was WAY too painful for me. I chose OBGYN North and enjoyed the 9 months of appointments leading up to Walt and Whitney's birth.

My induction date was set for January 26, which was when I would be 38 weeks. At my 36 week appointment on January 13 I had my first internal exam and my doctor advised I was 4cm dilated and 95% effaced so it could be any day. I left the doctor's office around 4pm and immediately began feeling cramping. Over the next few hours I began having lower back pain and minor contractions. I was pretty sure that my doc had just induced my labor, which I didn't mind. I was READY!

That night I didn't want to sit around the house thinking about what was to come so I told Alex I wanted to get out. We took Turner to Dairy Queen and then walked around Lowe's. The cashier at Lowe's asked "Aww...when are you due?" I replied, "Tonight....no, seriously." We headed home, I took a bath, put on my pajamas, read Turner a few books and put him to bed. My contractions had really died down, so I thought that maybe this wasn't the night.

Last belly photo at 36 weeks

Enjoying our last night out as a family of 3

1:00am - I was woken up by a contraction. I went to the bathroom and noticed some liquid and blood on my underwear. I woke up Alex and said that I think my water broke, but wasn't 100% sure. As we were chatting in my room about it, my water REALLY did break. I ran back in to the bathroom, and thought...IT'S GO TIME! I texted my family and said, "Water broke, headed to the hospital!" Well...I didn't head to the hospital instantly. For some dumb reason, I hadn't packed my bag so I tried to pack as fast as I could. Alex called our neighbor to come spend the night with Turner while we were away. As I was packing I was definitely begging to feel strong contractions about 3 minutes apart. About 45 minutes later we finally left the house.

2:15am - Alex dropped me off at the front of the hospital (St. David's North) and drove off to find a parking spot. I walked in and took the elevator up to the front desk. As I approached, the front desk asked for my name, I responded..."One second" as I grasped the counter and put my head down. I proceeded to have an intense contraction. They could tell I was in pain. A nurse came and took me back to a room. I sat down for 1 minute when I told her that I was 4cm dilated and carrying twins. She then immediately moved me to a delivery room. I told her I wanted an epidural RIGHT NOW, to which she responded, OK, but we I need to check you. I quickly threw off my clothes and put on the hospital robe. I quickly layed down on the bed, grabbed on to the oh shit handle. The nurse checked me and said, "I'm sorry, but the babies are right here. You won't be able to get an epidural." WHAT THE WHAT???!!! At this point I was in too much pain to get upset, so I closed my eyes and held on. I told the nurse they were both head down, and I wanted to keep the placentas. A few minutes later the room was flooded with nurses and my doctor (who I had never met with prior). All of the sudden I felt an INSANELY amount of pressure on my butt, and it hurt so bad. I immediately started screaming, "My BUTT, my BUTT...OMG, it hurts so bad. Is he going to come out my butt?!" I said I wanted to start pushing, so I did. At this point I still wasn't hooked up to anything, and no IV was inserted yet. I pushed through 2-3 contractions and Walt was born at 12:40am! Ahhhhh....the relief. The nurses put him on my stomach, and for a brief second I glanced down and touched him. After that quick moment I layed back in exhaustion and thought, Oh crap I have to do this again.

Just after Walt was born

2:41am - I had a few minutes of no contractions, and then the pain started back up again. I remember there was a nurse to the left of me trying to shove a needle in to my arm to attach the IV, and Alex putting his phone in my face to which I saw my sister on Facetime. Of course I reacted with, "ALEX, GET THE PHONE OUT OF MY FACE!" (nacho libre style). I didn't have the butt pain like I did with Walt (thank goodness), and after pushing through a few contractions Whitney was born...officially 12 minutes after Walt. It felt so good to push. The nurses layed Whitney on my chest and I got to cuddle her for 5-10 minutes. I looked over at Alex with wide eyes and said, "Oh my gosh, can you believe I just delivered them naturally!?" Alex just laughed.  Thank goodness it was so quick, because it was extremely painful. I then delivered two placentas and had a second degree tear stitched up.

The moments after Whitney was born

Walt weighed 5lb 1oz. and Whitney weighted 5lb. 6oz. I don't remember their height, but they were both healthy and didn't have to spend any time in the NICU. A few hours after their birth, we headed to the recovery room where I spent 2 days. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the hospital. The nurses were great, the food was good (I lived off of Chicken Fried Steak and French Toast), and the 3 hours of sleep in between feedings was amazing. I brought a bag full of clothes, but literally wore a hospital gown the entire time. I was not about to stain my own clothes.  I headed home on Saturday morning and had a house full of people...seriously, there were 9 adults, Turner and 2 babies. I was a TAD overwhelmed to say the least. My mom spent 3 full weeks with me, and I went home numerous times for almost 2 months to get extra help. My in-laws took Turner for a whole week on two separate occasions to give Alex and I some relief since Turner is very needy. After almost 8 weeks, I think I'm finally getting comfortable taking care of both babies by myself, but it is EXTREMELY difficult.

Heading home

I could go on and on, but I'll stop here. I'm thankful for a safe and healthy pregnancy and birth of Walt & Whitney! I really enjoyed being pregnant, and am sad to say goodbye to it, but I'm officially done having babies (really, Alex had a vasectomy a month after they were born).

If you are on Instagram you likely follow some accounts with amazing photos. If you are a mom than you know of those accounts of moms who make life and their kids look AMAZING! Don't get me wrong, I definitely think it's OK to post positive and beautiful aspects of your life. I enjoy following those accounts, and I'm guilty of it as well. However, lately I've been sucked in to the thought of only posting pics of my kids that are "Instagram Worthy". You know what I mean...kids dressed in boutique baby moccasins and outfits that cost more than anything I would wear. 95% of my kid's outfits are generic clothes from Carter's that aren't special in any way. My advice to anyone struggling with this as well as myself, don't worry about keeping up with the Joneses. Be yourself on Instagram, and show the true side of your life whether that be ugly or pretty. My favorite IG accounts are those of people who share their REAL stories. I feel connected to them because I can relate.

I've enjoyed sharing my story and getting advice from other moms on Instagram. I've been desperate for any tips that can help with getting my babies to sleep, get through gas pains, colic and more! With my first child I would google my questions and these days I just ask the amazing women online. During the days and nights that I find myself at my wit's end, I find so much strength through women encouraging me even if I've never met them.


What are some of your favorite Instagram accounts? I love following these amazing moms Kelsey, Jen, Indiana, Lindsay, Alexis and many more!

We made it to 1 Month! It hasn't been as difficult as I thought, but it's all due to the help of my mom and other family. My in-laws took Turner during the first week, and that was a lifesaver. Turner has been one of the hardest parts of the transition, because he is constantly wanting attention and needing our help (putting on clothes, going to the bathroom, getting food, bathing, bedtime, etc). My mom helped me with the night shifts, and allowed Alex to sleep through the night, then my mom and I would try to take a good nap during the day while Turner was at daycare. After 3 weeks, my mom went home and we were on our own. That's when it really got hard. We've had a TON of support from friends as well, and have had a few meals a week brought over to the house.

Adorable organic outfits by Rainy Lain

Sleep:

• 2-3 hour stretches. Oh, I can't wait until they start sleeping longer!

• For the first 3 weeks they slept in a MamaRoo and RockaRoo, but now have transitioned to Rock n' Plays. I use a sound machine to play white noise.

• They both sleep in their room, and I don't use a monitor. I wait till I hear one of them crying before I get up. I'm such a light sleeper, so I wouldn't sleep a wink if I heard Walt grunting all night.

Eating:

• The first week I breastfed them, the second week they had pumped breast milk supplemented with formula and by week 3 were drinking formula only.

• We are feeding them Enfamil newborn formula, but have switched to Gentlease since they have been so gassy the past week. Whitney is much more gassy and can barely get comfortable eating, and has a very hard time sleeping due to gas pain.

Growth:

• Clothing - Newborn
• Diapers - Newborn

Likes:

• Sleeping and eating (sometimes). What do most babies like other than these at this stage? 
• Whitney takes a pacifier, Walt not so much.  
• Taking naps on my chest

Dislikes:

• The process of being swaddled. Walt usually grunts and tries to get out a few times during his naps, but I know that it ultimately helps him sleep better.
• Walt absolutely hates having his diaper changed, and has the highest pitched scream the second a wipe touches his bottom.

Fun Facts:

• Walt:
• My jumpy one. He reacts so easily to sounds, and throws his hands up constantly. He's also my grunter...constantly making noises.

• Might have torticollis, so we're watching him closely. I he has a hemangioma forming on the left side of his noise. I noticed it when he was 3 weeks old, which is about the same time Turner's began to form.

• Whitney: 
• She has the cutest double chin, and I'm OBSESSED with her strawberry blonde hair.

• Also has a hemangioma like her brothers, but hers is on the bicep of her right arm

• I love putting tiny bows on her. I currently have RosieOutlookTX and TinyTurban bows. I only have a small window to dress her how I want, so I'm taking full advantage.

Tee: Maternity Countdown Tee

How Far Along: 32 Weeks (this is a week late so I can give you a full update on my 32nd week of pregnancy)

Babies Genders: Boy (Walton) AND Girl (Whitney) #WaltandWhit

Due Date: February 8, will deliver no later than January 25 which is when I'll be 38 weeks

Things to Note: 
- I had my 32 week check-up on Friday, and my mom went with me for the first time. It was fun watching the babies on the ultrasound with her. At my 28 week appointment Walt was head down and Whitney was head up. Now they are BOTH head down, so that is great news. They are both facing towards each other towards my belly button, no wonder there is a battle constantly going on near my belly button.

- Walt weighs 3lb. 11 oz. and Whitney weighs 4 lb. 2 oz.. I can't believe I have 8 pounds of baby in me. My bump is measuring 38 weeks of a singleton baby. Turner was just over 6 lbs. at 40 weeks.

-Turner calls the twins' Whitney and Waltney. It really is the cutest, so I don't correct him anymore. I've been thinking about buying him a small gift to be from the babies when he comes to the hospital to visit for the first time. Any ideas?

- Big news this week! I found out that I will likely be able to take 12 weeks PAID maternity vs. the original 6 weeks I thought. I was planning on using 2 weeks of vacation to make it a total of 8 paid weeks, but now that I'm getting 12, I'm going to save the vacation days for a real vacation! My mom will be coming to stay for a few weeks after the baby is born, and Alex gets 6 weeks paid paternity leave. Thankfully Alex can split his up, so he'll take a week off or two in the beginning and then go back to work for a week or two, and then can come back home for a week. It's really flexible, and depends on what our needs are. I'm extremely grateful for that because I know so many moms are not in the same situation. I didn't get any paid maternity leave with Turner.

- I am planning on working up until the day I'm due, so I'm very thankful for a job that I can prop my feet up and work from home when I need to.

Weight gain: 40 lbs.

Nursery: 
- Excited to officially be partnering with the Container Store to renovate the nursery closet! We will be getting started after the new year. More details to come! See the full nursery reveal here.

- I set up my 4Moms mamaRoo and rockaRoo in the nursery. So funny that I won both of these in separate giveaways. I'm so glad I kept them : )

Symptoms:
-  Itching...oh the itching (particularly around my chest). I apply lotion 4-5 times a day.

- Heartburn...Thank the Lord for tums. Oh, and note to future pregnant self, oh wait, that's never happening again. Note to all other pregnant women, DO NOT drink orange juice if you have terrible heartburn. It's very painful coming back up.

- Calf cramps every once in a while in the middle of the night

Exercise: Christmas shopping, yard work, and chasing my toddler around count as my exercise these days.

Clothing: I've stopped buying clothes for myself, and have become obsessed with all things baby girl. I've discovered I'm a hoarder of leggings. I can't get enough of the adorable patterns, and I could never do that with Turner. Poor little Walt and his hand me downs...eh, he'll never notice, plus Turner had some pretty stylish outfits so he's fine. Whitney on the other hand will be sporting lots of bright leggings and headbands.

How Far Along: 26 Weeks (this is a week late so I can give you a full update on my 26th week of pregnancy)

Babies Genders: Boy AND Girl

Due Date: February 8, will deliver no later than January 25

Things to Note:
- I traveled for work this past week, and I did much better than I thought. I had a bit of swelling in my feet, and a bit of back pain. Alex found the trick to giving yourself a massage when you have neck/back pain, and it's AMAZING! Want to know the trick? A lacrosse ball!  I surprisingly had no nausea on the plane, which I usually have when I'm not pregnant...weird that it was gone.

- Thinking a lot about if I'll be able to breastfeed TWO babies. I'm not holding myself to any standards, but I definitely want to try. I had a rough time with Turner. It would save us a TON of money, but I'm worried about long nights, getting super stressed out/anxious, a changing diet (Turner was so gassy, they wanted me to stop eating dairy....and I LOVE cheese). I know it might sound selfish to think about my sanity over my baby's health, but I do think formula fed babies turn out just fine.We'll see what happens.

- Had maternity photos taken in Georgetown, TX by photographer Todd White. I worried about being huge by the third trimester, so I scheduled them at 26 weeks but I wish I had waited a bit longer. I'm not as big as I thought I would be (although, I'm about the size I was with Turner at 40 weeks).

Nursery: It's the final week of the One Room Challenge! I can't wait to show you the BIG REVEAL this Thursday, so stay tuned.

Symptoms: 
- My back and feet ache after standing for too long.

- I felt hiccups for the first time this past week and it was the sweetest thing. I know it was Walt because it was on the left side of my stomach which is where he is positioned.

- Still having Braxton-Hicks contractions 3-5 times a day.

Exercise: N/A (maybe a little if you consider walking in an airport way too long)

Clothing: I am now starting to think about the clothes I'll need post babies! I bought a pair of house slippers and a cute baseball cap because I know I won't be getting around to doing my hair much during those first few weeks/months. I'd love to get some comfy pajamas, sweat pants, and maybe some cute workout leggings (for actually working out as well as trips to the store).

Cravings: French fries, Dr. Pepper/Coke...all the healthy things my doctor recommends ; )

How Far Along: 23 weeks (P.S. I'm posting these a week late so I can give you a full update of how I felt during that actual week)

Babies Genders: Boy AND Girl

Things to Note:
- Realized that we NEED a ton more diapers (we have 2 boxes we received from friends). I can only imagine what our grocery bill is going to turn in to once we add in diapers (and formula if we have to).

- Was sick most of the week and still am with some type of sinus/respiratory infection or could be due to allergies. I'm not 100% sure, but all I know is that having a cough while carrying twins SUCKS! So painful.

Nursery: Currently on week 3 of the One Room Challenge. I realized I only have about 2 weeks to pull the whole nursery together because the 5th week I'll be out of town for work, and the 6th week is for final photos and the big reveal. I'm kind of freaking out thinking of the last minute things I still need to get.  See what I've done so far on my Week 2 post.

Symptoms: 
- My stomach is tightening a lot, especially when running errands, walking or exercising.

- Feeling kicks in the morning, lunchtime and evening when I sit down, but I don't feel double the kicks. I always wonder who is doing the kicking.

- I tried to nap in the passenger seat of my van while Alex drove us home from a weekend trip, but it didn't go so well. It was painful to bend my side and try to lean against my pillow, so I had to sit straight forward and try to sleep...no fun.

Exercise: N/A, too sick

Clothing: Going back and forth between fall and summer clothes. I've worn heels out to a few events and people seem surprised, but they either very LOW or wedges. Dressing up at least once a week makes me happy ; )


Cravings:
- Salty snacks, Mexican food, burgers.

- Last week I made Alex run to McDonald's at 8pm to grab me a large fry and coke. McDonald's coke is sooo much better than any other coke, and the those salty fries are heaven!

Alex and I have known for quite a while that we wanted to call our next son, Walt. No reason behind it other than the fact that I like older names (no it's not from binge watching Breaking Bad). But throw a baby girl in to the mix and we were a bit stuck. We went back and forth over a few names, but finally settled on Whitney for a matching W. Walton and Whitney, we're so excited to meet you! Follow their journey under #WaltandWhit on Instagram.

Baby Moccasins: Old Navy ($12). Wire Letter: Hobby Lobby. Faux Sheep Skin Rug: Walmart

How Far Along: 17 weeks

Babies Genders: Boy AND Girl

Things to Note: When I found out the genders I immediately went shopping! I bought some cute matching hats/socks that are blue and pink, and then bought some girly outfits since I have none. I climbed in the attic and grabbed a huge tub full of Turner's baby clothes and began to organize them in the babies' dresser.

Nursery: I'm so ready to get the nursery started, but I can't fully begin the decorating process till around November. The nursery is currently being used as a guest bedroom and has a queen bed in it. I hate to not have a guest bed for family and friends, so I'm going to wait till the beginning of November to take down the bed. 

Symptoms: A few cramps when exercising, stressed but that's due to some exciting things going on at work

Exercise: Body Pump, 30 min. walk x 3


Clothing: My bump has officially made it's appearance, and my maternity jeans fit. My loose fitting maternity tops are still too big, so I'm still wearing non maternity tops and tees.

Cravings: Burgers. I've been eating a lot of burgers throughout this pregnancy. I frequent In-N-Out almost twice a week for lunch. Animal style cheeseburger and a side of fries to go!

Great to have my best friend in town who is also expecting a month after me!