How big am I?

When you meausre my uterus it is measuring 28.5 weeks or as big as that of a 28.5 week woman pregnant with a singleton.  So, the girls are spreading out as best they can.  As of my last weigh in two weeks ago, I had gained a total of 14 pounds, but since that weigh in I have gained 2.5 inches, so I am probably weighing more now.  Anyway, here are some pictures for your own comparison. 

Now look at the babycenter drawing...her bump looks much smaller. 

And here are there pictures...

For those of you wondering why I added the foot ultrasound picture, it is for my Momma.  When she saw Riley's foot on an ultrasound she decided then and there that I was having a little boy because in her opinion, "there was no way God was giving as little girl that foot".  So I wondered what she thought of this foot?  Is it appropriate for a little girl?  These photos are from the ultrasound where we found out they are both girls.

And the twins are....

GIRLS! 

Meet Nemo

Here is Nemo:

He is the newest addition to our family.  I just thought Riley needed him because ever since our beach trips this Spring it is all he talks about, cathcing Nemo. It is the cutest thing ever.  All fish are Nemos.  And so our red Beta fish is also called Nemo. 

Riley likes to say good morning and good night to Nemo and tell Nemo all about the day he has had at school.  He also loves to feed Nemo. 

I on the other hand am now terrified we are going to over feed him or under feed him or kill him!  If I think he is doing something funny I will send Michael into the kitchen to look at him and check on him.  I am CRAZY! 

I had been thinking back on how I was after Riley was born checking on him a million times a night, sleeping with a flashlight by my bed so all I had to do was turn it on and look in the bassinet real fast...just to make sure he was still breathing.  Michael and I had laughed about it and thought we would be more laid back this time around.  However, after witnessing my neurosis over Nemo it seems I am going to be just as paranoid this time too!

Twins

So I have continued to read and it appears that one of two things has caused twins...hyper-ovulation, or spontaneous identical twins.  Incase you missed it before identical twins are always spontaneous and there is no known cause for them.  Below is an exerpt I read today:

"Because hyper-ovulation (releasing two or more eggs at one time) can be inherited, it is common to have several sets of fraternal twins throughout many generations in one family. These fraternal twins are generally considered hereditary.


It's a common misconception that twins only come down through the mother's side. This only holds true when the father is the one with twins in the family or is a twin himself and he is also the one trying to conceive twins. To put it a bit more simply, the male only provides the sperm, whereas, the female is the one who either ovulates two eggs (fraternal twins) or one egg that splits (identical twins). That's why a woman can still inherit the hyper-ovulation gene from a grandmother, aunt, etc. on her father's side. But her father would not have had any hereditary chance of having twins himself when he had his child/children.

An added reason for having fraternal twins is the age of the mother at conception. The chance of fraternal twins is more prevalent in women 35 years of age and older. And yet another growing cause of fraternal twins is the use of fertility treatments. If you are undergoing these treatments, your doctor will have already informed you of the possibility of a multiple birth."

Some interesting factors that are related to twining:

"Height & Weight-Some more recent studies have concluded that the fraternal twinning rate increases substantially in obese women, as well as women with an above average height. Although the reasons are not completely clear thers is some sort of correlation.

Eating Dairy Products-Another study done a few years ago has shown that women who consume dairy products, as opposed to those who don't seem to be five times more likely to get pregnant with twins. Probably linked to the insulin-like growth factor (IGF).

Already Having A Set Of Twins-It seems that women who have already had a set of fraternal twins are a bit more likely to have another set of twins as opposed to a woman who has only had singletons. This may be linked to the hyper-ovulation gene. "  *This last one seems like a really good reason to stop having children...or win the lottery.

So whose ready for Elizabeth to have a baby?  I am ready for her to roll the dice!

Easter Egg Hunt

Jake turned 2 this month so to celebrate we went to Jake's house for an Easter Egg Hunt.  Riley had a great time.  Angela showed him the ropes and he had honed his egg hunting skills in no time!

Let's try this poll, now...