Play Date with Callan

Today, the boys had their first playdate with their buddy Callan (Carlissa's baby boy). Check out how wee our boys are compared to Callan (who is about six months old in this photo). Too cute!

Little Bugger!

I caught Jameson with his fingers in his mouth! Not one but two! I used to suck my thumb when I was a baby so I hope this doesn't become a habit!

We love car rides!

Today, we took our boys to the hospital to have their billirubin levels checked. We put them in their new outfits from Noni and Grandfather and made our way to Joseph Brant. They looked absolutely adorable! And they love being in their car seats! Zzzzzzzzzzzz!

Pimpin' Ain't Easy ...

Jackson is way too big for his newborn onesie, hat, and socks, but he's rockin' the look nonetheless! What a pimp! Like father like son! ;)

Sleepy Boys

Wesley and Jameson sharing a moment together - how cute is this! It's amazing how Wesley sleeps with both eyes open now that he's a daddy!! :)

Together At Last!

We found out last night that we were going to take Jackson home from the hospital today. You have no idea how excited we were!! And we couldn't wait to lay them next to each other in their playard once they got home. How cute are they! Jaz is on the left. Jax is on the right (wearing the hat the hospital gave him).

Proud Grandparents!

The birth of Jackson and Jameson was a very special moment for us all, especially our parents. Words cannot describe how beautiful it was to see the look on their faces when they saw both their grandchildren for the first time! Jackson wasn't in these photos. He was asleep in the Special Care Unit but he received a lot of love! He was certainly not forgotten!

First time Grandparents looking proudly at Jameson, hours after he was born!

Wesley and his parents holding Jameson

Welcoming Jameson Wallace Russell

I got to spend a lot of time with Jameson (my peanut) during my hospital stay. In fact, I spent the first night alone with Jameson. I held him in my arms the entire night (I was in a semi private room so Wes wasn't allowed to stay). He had quite a few visitors during his stay and basically went with the flow, which was exactly how he was inside of my belly! He hated his first bath until he realised that being in warm water is cool! Here are a few pictures of Jameson while he was at the hospital. He came home on June 21st.

Welcoming Jackson Warner Russell

What a week! From birth, Jackson (my picklehead) had trouble regulating his body temperature, so he needed to stay in the SCU (special care unit) for a week. He was hooked up to an IV because his sugar levels were low and placed into a warming insolette where he lounged around in his diaper freely. The life! Jackson also underwent a day of phototherapy for jaundice. Here are some photos of his adventures SCU! What a brave wee man but don't be fooled. He is feisty as feisty can be! He came home from the hospital on June 24th.

Parenthood is EXHAUSTING!

I know quite a few of you have been checking in and I thank you for that, but I have been swamped taking care of my twin boys. Now that I'm a little more settled, I promise to update this site within the week with thoughts and photos of the last month as I instantly became a mother of two!

With love
Robyn and her Beans - Jackson and Jameson x

Introducing ....

Our lives forever changed as we held our beautiful babies in our arms for the first time. Wesley was lucky in that he got to hold them both at the same time after they were born.

Jackson Warner (A) was born at 554pm, weighing 3 lbs 15 oz

Jameson Wallace (B) was born at 555pm, weighing 4 lbs 7 oz

I'm going to BLOW ....

My belly is 46 inches huge! Woe to me!

Yesterday, I spent most of the day at the hospital. Everything appeared normal and they sent me home. Then, I got word this morning that things were NOT as fine as they appeared and that Baby B was losing fluid in the sac. If you must know, I wore makeup and straightened my hair for the big occasion! Why not! ;)

Everything happened so quickly! I remember being in a holding room getting prepped and watching Y&R. Don't laugh. Why should I miss it just because I was having a c-section in a matter of minutes! ;)

I was wheeled into the operating room around 515pm and by 555pm, I had delivered two beautiful BABY BOYS into the world! Wesley recorded every moment of the delivery, which I will forever cherish. In fact, I watch the video every so often and it still brings tears to my eyes.

Thoughts on having a cesarian section:

I didn't enjoy having an IV or a cathether inserted, nor did I care for the epidural but it wasn't as bad as I imagined. Lying on the hospital table was strange. My OB told me that I'd feel her tugging. Well, I didn't feel her tugging. I thought I was flying (and no, I wasn't sedated haha)! Recovering from a c-section was not easy. In fact, I am still recovering 6 weeks later.

Proud Grandparents (Established and To Be)

Any day now guys .... seriously!

Happy Birthday To ...

ME of course! Geez! ;)

And a happy 'early' birthday to the Sprouts, who should be born any day now! We were spoiled rotten (again) by Wesley, Vanessa, and my mother and father in law with cakes-a-plenty!

Going the Distance!

Looks like I'm going the distance!!! And I can't believe I'm saying this but I couldn't be more thrilled! Even though I'm in so much pain, I am so glad to hear that our babies are thriving!

Yesterday, I went to the hospital to have another ultrasound done. The babies are great and both gained approximately 4 oz each from last Monday. I know it may not sound like a great deal of growth, but any growth is better than no growth - believe me! We also got to see Baby A's face again. This baby was moving around a lot but it stopped to stare in the wand and pout like a total cutie patootie. My goodness - this baby has my heart (and appears to be taking after me - full lips and all). I can't wait to meet my wee ones!

After my ultrasound, I went up to LDU to have a non stress test conducted on me and the babies. They both moved a lot with the help of some juice, which is what they wanted to see. I also had contractions through it, but not enough to keep me in the hospital, so I was sent home by my OB. I guess she was satisfied, once again, with the results and has decided that it's best they stay put until I hit my deadline of June 15th!

I should find out this Monday when my official induction date is. Stay tuned .... not much longer now!

Waiting & Waiting ...

So we're playing the waiting game now ... my OB hasn't phoned yet so I guess no news means good news! At least that's what I'm going with. Wesley thinks that my OB is going to let me go further. I predict that we'll be delivering our beauties within a week today. Maybe we should start a pool? ;)

Today was a boring day for me. I was in bed for most of the day sleeping and watching tv. I know, the life right? Anyway, I've posted a few more pics from our maternity photo shoot so have a look! I also learned that today is "National Multiple Births Awareness Day" so I'm wishing all my friends with twins and triplets a very happy day!

BREAKING NEWS ON THURSDAY MAY 29 ...

I just spoke to my OB today and while she is a "little" concerned for their size, they're both extremely healthy, so she doesn't feel that it's best to pull them out just yet. I guess the benefit of keeping them inside of me clearly outweighs the risk of removing them right now, even though I've past some very important milestones having made it past 34 weeks! Anyway, it looks like I'll be preggers for a little longer than I thought (I hate when Wes is right haha)!

I am going to see my OB on Monday June 2nd for a check up visit and will have a follow up ultrasound on Friday June 6th (this time at the hospital, to get a second opinion). My OB will be there so she'll get the results right away so that she can make a decision on how to proceed. Who knows ... June 6th may be the lucky day since I'll already be at the hospital! In the meantime, anything can happen, so please keep thinking good thoughts for our babies! We're praying for a growth spurt. And no, feeding me butter will not help with the cause! :)

How things change ...

Last week, at 33 weeks, I went to see my OB for my routine visit. Turns out, my suspicions were correct. At 32 week ultrasound, both babies were measuring a little on the "small" side. Their head-to-tummy ratios were slightly off. She told us not to worry and that the issue was very minor, but that she'd be monitoring them over the next 1-2 weeks to see if the issue corrected itself. She also told us that if she wasn't happy with our 34 week results, that she'd consider taking em out this week! So, it goes without saying that we were totally surprised to hear the news.

I had my 34 week ultrasound yesterday and I was not too thrilled with the results. The babies are still happy and healthy, which is what's most important. They scored perfect on their gestational apgar tests so they're doing great, but they're still measuring small for 34 weeks. They should have been well over 4 lbs at this stage so I was a bit bummed ...

Baby A gained 60 grams in two weeks and is currently 3 lbs 7 oz
Baby B gained 200 grams in two weeks and is currentl 3 lbs 14 oz

I'm not sure why this is happening. Baby B may be stealing more nutrients from Baby A. There may be an issue with my placenta's. It could also be that I am running out of room, as I am quite petite to be carrying twins. Either way, it's frustrating ...

Our technician told us not to worry. She told us that a 60 gram weight gain is better than no weight gain at all for Baby A and that if she was worried, she'd be sending me straight to the hospital. So I'm taking comfort in that, but it's a waiting game now. I thought I may hear something from my OB today, but I didn't. That could mean a number of things, so I'm not about to speculate what my OB will ultimately do. What I do know is that she's going to act in their best interest. That means they'll either come out this week or stay inside of me for a little longer. If I don't hear from my OB this week, I am seeing her on Monday. While I wait, I am mentally and physically preparing to head to the hospital on a moment's notice.

No one wants to see their babies in NICU, hooked up to endless wires and tubes. No one wants to go home from the hospital empty handed. I will fully admit that a big part of my worry stems them being stuck in the hospital, even though I know they will be in good hands. It's just not what I envisioned for them (even though I was fully aware that with twins, anything is possible). So if you have a moment, please think positively for our precious beauties. I am praying that they will continue to thrive this week, whether on the inside or on the outside, and that everything works itself out as it should.

Rockin' the Belly - My Maternity Photo Shoot

HOT off the presses! Here are a few photos from my maternity photo shoot with Emma-Lee (an amazing photographer and friend) taken on Friday May 9th. Enjoy! And yes, the background and grass are real :)

Our 32 week ultrasound

I haven't had much going on since taking my leave from work. I've been enjoying the freedom to do as I please, but don't be fooled - I'm not doing too much at the moment. I am too sore to walk (I can barely lift my own legs into the car, let alone up and down the stairs). And when I'm at home, I can't really sit due to the pain of my sciatica and pelvic girdle syndrome, so I'm being forced to lie down as much as possible (which is uncomfortable too).

Now, onto my 32 week update ...

The babies are doing great!! Baby A is 3.31 pounds. Baby B is 3.44 pounds. Our technician Danika checked my cervix and it doesn't appear to be thinning, so it looks like I'll be able to carry to term (ie: 37 weeks). Still, we need to be prepared as anything can happen! The "sprouts" scored perfect on their gestational apgar test (hooray) and are both still head down and facing my back BUT they've moved slightly. They're both diagonal now.

Today we got to see Baby A's face up close and personal. Baby A is soooooooooo cute!! At this stage, it gets very tough to see our beauties but Danika wanted to print out a photo of Baby A and Baby B for us. Unfortunately, this is what we got for Baby A haha (see below)! :)

A very happy Mothers Day indeed!

Mother's Day was super special this year! I couldn't help but think that in a few short weeks, my mum will be a first time grandmother and I will become a mother of two! How crazy is that!

Wesley and I had my mum, dad, and sister over for lunch and it was one of my favourite visits so far this year. We sat down to a fantastic meal (thanks in large part to Wesley and his culinary skills) and a yummy dessert! It was a perfect afternoon although I think someone possessed my father while he was here. He only drank two beers. He didn't touch my laptop once. He didn't turn on the TV. And he finally touched my belly and got to feel his grandkids kick. I think he's turning soft on me! I can't wait to see what happens once the twins are born!

That evening, Wesley and I drove to Niagara-on-the-Lake to meet up with an old friend of mine from California. Max was in town for a wedding, so we decided to meet up for dinner with his parents Roger and Gail, his wife Meaghan, and their 5 month old son Noah. I can't believe 8 years has gone by since I last saw Max and his family! It was very surreal - like time stood still. Needless to say, I'm really happy I got to spend some time with them! I always loved his family!

no more WORKA for me!

So today was my last day at work at Vale Inco. I am now 2 days shy of 29 weeks, so it was time for me to take that much needed break before the babies arrive.

It was much harder on me than I thought it would be to leave my job and colleagues behind and I have been pulling in a lot of overtime to get things organised for my replacement. Unfortunately, this week, we found out that our department will be re-structured in the coming months. Basically, that means that most of my colleagues will be either relocating to other departments or leaving the company for good, which was terribly upsetting for me to hear.

Around 200pm this afternoon, my colleagues threw me and Belinda a baby shower in our honour (Belinda is going on her maternity leave in two weeks). We were both spoiled rotten and received tons of very thoughtful gifts from our team. My colleague Beena gave a very touching speech and we all enjoyed a little cheer before the day was through. Here are a few photos.



I can't believe the timing. I actually feel very grateful that I got pregnant when I did because it means that I don't have to worry about my job or employment status right now. When I'm ready to return to work, I will explore my options then. For now, I am concentrating on my health and our beautiful babies!

Our 24 and 28 week ultrasound

I had my 23/24 week ultrasound on March 12th and my 27/28 week ultrasound today!

At 23/24 weeks, it appeared that everything was going smoothly with the twins! We couldn't be more pleased! The twins were over 1 pound each and were thriving (and active as usual). Baby A is still a little bigger at Baby B (Baby A is 500 g and Baby B is 570 g). At 24 weeks, they also have a 44% of survival if they decided to make their appearance prematurely. I haven't gained too much weight at this point, which is good, although I'm eating all the time! I guess pregnancy agrees with me, although I have to say, the increasing aches and pains are starting to get to me. And I can't say that you get used to it either! This ultrasound took 90 minutes to complete and our technician, Danika, measured every single part of their body! Here are a couple pictures. Baby A is on the left (profile). Baby B is on the right (looking into the camera).

Today, we had our 27/28 week ultrasound. We need to have an ultrasound every four weeks as our OB needs to ensure that they're growing on target. Right now, if they were born, we know they'd be small but they would survive, so we're feeling really good!

We visited our regular ultrasound technician Danika and watched eagerly as she measured our babies again. This time, she performed a gestational apgar test on them to see how they were physically doing inside the womb. She gave them both perfect scores based on their growth, lung movement, cord blood circulation, and fetal movement. She also checked to see whether they were sucking in amniotic fluid (which they were, apparently a very good sign). Right now, they're over 2 pounds each! Baby A is 2.16 lbs and Baby B is 2.32 lbs. And both babies are still head down! The countdown is on!

Showers of love for the Sprouts ....

Yesterday, my cousin Candice threw me a twin baby shower with the help of my mum and my sister (and associated families). It was simply amazing! It was held at the Glen Abbey Clubhouse (next to the condo that Wesley and I used to live in), which was the perfect location for such a big event! 30 of my closest friends and family came out to celebrate, which was awesome! And you know when my family plans an event, the food is going to be spectacular (I hear the rum punch and samosas were a huge hit)! We also had four newborns in attendance (including MaryEllen's baby Gavin, who was only 12 days old)! It really made my shower feel all that more special.

Everyone mingled, ate/drank, and played games (and I knew we had some serious competitors in the room). I really wanted to see who would take the crown for winning the most clothes pins. I thought that it would be my mother-in-law but Tella had her beat with double the pins! Too funny!

While we played games, I started opening gifts. Talk about being overwhelmed. I couldn't believe how many gifts were waiting to be opened! It was clear to me that everyone put a lot of thought into their gifts - I loved everything and felt very loved ....

The "icing" on the cake was my twin baby shower cake, which was absolutely wonderful! Not only was it filled with 8 layers of chocolate peanut butter filling YUM, my friend Julie (who flew in from the US just for my shower) had a family friend make it, especially for me! I felt bad eating the white chocolate babies that topped the cake, so we removed them before digging in!

Everyone walked away with homemade Italian cookies from my Tella and my mum ... it really was the perfect day! I'll never forget it and I have all of you to thank for making my baby shower so very special!

Baby Days!

Kendra & Darren welcomed their baby boy, Finnley Cecil Frey, into the world on February 14th. Wesley and I met the little guy over March Break and he's so cute! And what a good baby he is! He's gorgeous! In the photo on the left, Wesley is holding Finnley and looking quite comfortable as a future "daddy to be"! I just can't believe that we'll be holding two bundles of joy in a few months from now!

MaryEllen & Shannon also welcomed their baby boy into the world. His name is Gavin Russell Loughran. He was born on March 24th and was a week overdue, but so worth the wait. He is beautiful! Wesley and I met him today and couldn't be happier for MaryEllen & Shannon! I can't help but think that Wesley and I will be parents soon! I am currently 25 weeks pregnant and it definitely feels more real with each passing day!

Having my cake and eating it too ...

Yup ... that's right ... don't be hatin! Every girl deserves to eat cake off their pregnant bellies right? OK so I had to kinda arch my belly out to make this photo happen but look how happy I am. Clearly, this was meant to be! And the cake I was eating was sinful too (thanks Tania)! Every girl deserves to have her cake and eat it too. And don't forget the icing! Please don't be fooled. It's not like I do this all the time. In fact, I've barely gained any weight thus far. In fact, I've had trouble putting weight on, which is very strange ... I've only gained about 10 pounds to date. Most women would be jumping up and down for joy but I worry that I'm not gaining enough for the babies to take what they need from me. So far, they're on target so all I can do is hope for the best and eat whenever I'm hungry! I haven't had any cravings yet except now I'm obsessed with lemon and sour ice. I love rocket popsicles, sour cherry slushies, and lemon gelato! I don't know what it is about sour things ... but it's so refreshing! I can't get enough!