We Take Naps Where We Can Get Them

Even if it's on the changing table.
You win some, you lose some. I'm learning quickly to choose my battles.

One Size Fits Two

So this is a onesie we got as a gift. We were so excited since we're Steelers fans. Then we discovered that it was made for the baby of a linebacker. What baby is this wide and short???
Hard to see it here but we've actually snapped the bottom of the onesie between the babies, so each set of legs is coming out one leghole.

Classic.
Also, amazing how identical 2 screaming babies can look.

More Brody & Mason

This has quickly become the Brody & Mason show. And for good reason. If I was this cute, then it could be all about me, but alas... not the case. These boys take the cake for cuteness.

(Mason)

(Brody)

Here are some of our latest pictures to show you how well we're all doing. For the time being, I'll keep labeling who's who so you can start to tell the 2 apart. Once you see them in person it's much easier to see the differences.

They each have 2 looks.
Brody: Sleeping or Worried.
Mason: Alert or Screaming.
Showing off the boys on skypeSometime soon, I'll try to put into words the emotions of my first 2 weeks but that will have to wait for another day.

Love you all. Thanks for your love, support, prayers and visits!

COMING HOME FROM HOSPITAL

We've been home for almost a week now and honestly the fact that we've survived so far has been a blessing. Two infants is serious business!!! Even though I feed them tandem and we've gotten rid of all supplemental feeding, I can't wake one up if they fall asleep during "mealtime," can't change a diaper with the other still feeding and can't sooth them both back to sleep at the same time. (Brian syringe feeding Brody - we call this the "birdfeeder" and the first week he'd have to do this every meal)

This means I need a helper at every shift, day or night. Most of the time I just wish I could do it on my own so I wouldn't be in such a panic about what I'll do when our help leaves. We do a mother in law for Mom swap this Tuesday. Literally the same trip that Brian will take to drop one off, he'll pick up the other and I have a friend coming over during that hour or 2 to help me while he's gone. With my mom here for 4 weeks, luckily we won't have to think about that for awhile.

Hard work aside, these boys couldn't be cuter and we can't help eating them up. Excited for a time when we will rejoin the real world and we can show them off some more. Here are some pictures of the boys in their coming home outfits, on our way home from the hospital and a few we've taken since then.Beginning to realize how hard it is to take pictures when we're both always holding a baby!! No photographer to capture any of these moments!

This is what we call the dancer pictures. Don't they look like they're posing? "Hey - look what I can do!" Mason likes to cover his face with his hat and always has his hands up above his head. He'd reach up and grab that flap on his hat and pull it down over his face every chance he got.
Brody likes to wiggle out of his hats so he keeps scooting his head down until it starts to pop off the top.

The Baby Babcock Boys Have Arrived!!!

Broderick ("Brody") Russell Babcock (aka the low maintenance cuddler)
Born: November 3, 2010 at 4:58 pm
Weight: 7 pounds 0 ounces
Length: 19.0 inches


Mason Mack Babcock (aka the high maintenance screamer)
Born: November 3, 2010 at 4:59 pm
Weight: 6 pounds 13 ounces
Length: 19.5 inches


Skin on skin time with mom. So precious!


As all parents know, we are spending all day and night feeding and changing diapers, with only an occasional nap....but we couldn't be happier! Just love these little guys.

BABIES ARE COMING!!!

Thanks to a pregnancy rash that’s covering my entire body, and about 30 minutes of partial blindness yesterday (very scary and they’re not sure what caused it) the doctor has taken pity on me and is moving my date up to today!!! We just found out this morning and couldn’t be happier. The plan is to go to the hospital at 3pm and they’ll take them at 5pm. Hopefully we’ll be able to send out some good news soon after that!

Stay tuned!!!

Ali

KILLING TIME

Could I be any more pregnant? Luckily I have my mother in law around to keep me company and this past weekend my little brother Eric was in town. To take our minds off the fact that nothing's happening to bring these babies, and the new fun pregnancy symptom of a massive rash, we went to Solvang for a day trip - a little Danish town a couple hours north. We ate delicious ableskivvers (sp?) which are like pancake balls with raspberry jam and powdered sugar. Yummy.

NOVEMBER 10TH @ NOON

Looking unlikely these guys will come on their own. Little mama's boys is what we have here. Should I be concerned?

Thanks for all the tips and sympathy!

After a week of trying everything we could, I'm officially dilated to negative centimeters. Nothing movin.

My c-section is scheduled for Wednesday, November 10th @ noon so at least there's a light at the end of the tunnel. So if not before then - see you all in 13 days with some baby news!

PREGNANT FOR LIFE

Went to the doctor today with high hopes of setting a date for the c section only to be disappointed to hear that she wants me to be pregnant for the rest of my life.

She won't take them out until 39 weeks - Nov. 10th - which at this point feels like a lifetime away.

Went to the hospital for a non-stress test after my appointment and the nurse there told me that was just plain mean to make me wait that long. Can't say I disagree.

In the meantime, here is the cute nursery! All ready for the boys to make their arrival. (Thanks to Emily for the adorable name signs!!!)

Any tips that have worked for you in getting babies out sooner?

ASIAN WOMEN AND THE BIG BLUE BUS

Asian women love Brian.

It's a fact.

You would think that this would be because of his killer Mandarin skills, but believe it or not, these pursuers don't even know he speaks Chinese when they try to make their move.

It always happens on the bus that takes him to and from work everyday - otherwise known as "Big Blue."

My favorite part is that it's always in note form.

See Exhibit A:
If he would have let me keep the other notes from the other Asian women in the past, you would be able to see that this is not a one time occurrence but I guess you'll just have to believe me. The girl before Exhibit A asked to borrow a pen and then used said pen to write him a love note and then returned the 2 together. Very smooth.

My other favorite part is that they don't ever give him a phone number or even follow up with a smile. Maybe they see he's married and just want him to know how cute he is? Maybe they're too shy to be any bolder than the note and hope he makes the next move before their stop? Why are they all Asian? Is this note form cultural or coincidental?

Or maybe the most logical of all assumptions, Brian writes these notes to himself.

So many questions - so few answers - but these notes bring me ridiculous amounts of joy. Here's hoping another one is not too far in the future.

Thanks for being faithful, love. I know you're very desirable and admired by many.

DEAR DOCTOR

Dear Doctor,

When discussing the c-section I will likely be having for my breech babies, please do not refer to it as VIOLENT. Thanks but no thanks. I'd like to sign up for the non-violent version.

I would venture to guess that most mothers-to-be would prefer another term... perhaps try saying a breech c-section is a bit "trickier" or takes a little more "maneuvering."

Pretty much ANYTHING else.

Thanks,
Ali, Brian, and the ones soon to be ripped VIOLENTLY from my body

THE CHINESE-SPEAKIN, BURRITO-EATIN WHITE MAN

Someone at Brian's office referred to him as the Chinese-speakin, burrito-eatin white man the other day and I can think of few nicknames I like more. Kind of a mouthful but I'm hoping it sticks.

So much pregnancy talk on here that Brian hasn't gotten much face time on the blog.

Here are some of the things that have been keeping Brian busy over the past few months:

GOLF CHAMPION:
Brian's friends play what they call the Sunrise Nine about twice a month. This is a very official golf group, they wake up before anyone should be up on a Saturday and have "tour stops," an official newsletter, and all their points add up so at the end of the tour there will be one winner. I just tried for about 15 minutes to find a better way to describe this group and how involved it is but I failed so I'll leave it at that.

I will say Brian has been on the winning team of 2 of the majors and just shot his best round of golf last week. Few things make this man happier than a good golf day.
SOFTBALL (ALMOST) CHAMPIONBrian's been playing softball on a city league for 5 years. The Albright team battled it out this year and in the championship series, went 1-1 before losing in the final game. So close.

It has been so fun watching him play over the years and I'm sad to say he's calling it quits for a while. I'm guessing he'll miss it soon and we'll end up at the batting cages pretty often. I could use the practice so that's fine by me.

SUPPORTIVE HUSBAND/FATHER-TO-BE

Of course, of all his activities this summer, he's been spending most of his time playing the role of loving husband and soon to be father. He has been to every single doctor's appointment (and believe me when I say there have been about a million). He's been so good to me - which is nothing new, but very appreciated - and does whatever he can to take care of the 3 of us. Love this guy!!!

CANKLES

Check out these sweet tree stumps that used to be my legs. My hands, feet and belly are all retaining water like crazy. Sure it hurts, but it's also pretty cool. One finger of pressure on any of these body parts and I can make indents. It's like having Silly Putty for limbs!Ow ow! Sexy mama! You can see the indent on my leg in the last one where I put some pressure on my calf. Doesn't do the real thing justice but just to give you some idea. =)

PUMP STATION VS BAGGERS

Why do male grocery store baggers consistently find new ways to tell me how huge I am? My good-natured smile is wearing thin. One asked if I was having triplets. Another told me not to go too far from my cart. What does that even mean?? Yeah, for the next couple weeks, I think I’ll stick to the pump station, a store where everyone in there is pregnant and finds just about any opportunity to compliment the other women in the store. I think I’ll set up shop there for the next little while and just soak in all the love.

BIG MAMA

I haven’t posted in a while in hopes that everyone would think I still looked only 21 weeks pregnant. Unfortunately, that is very much not the case. Here are some of my preggo pictures so you can see my growing belly and how it’s progressed.21 weeks

22.5 weeks (apparently feeling huge)

28 weeks - the only bare belly shot I'll make you witness

32 weeks

33.5 weeks - how fake does that look??

Rear view - 35 weeks

That takes you to today! 35 weeks, 1 day pregnant. The side shots didn't work out today so I'll get an updated side shot in the next couple days.

Here's the current status of babies & mama:

• After threatening bed rest pretty much my entire pregnancy, the babies are now cozy as could be. I’m starting to think they will never come out and my doctor has even mentioned taking me to 38.5 wks. KILL ME.

• Even though I’m ready to be done being this pregnant, I’m honestly incredibly grateful I’ve been able to carry them this long and feel blessed the pregnancy has gone so well.

• Ultrasounds are now just a mess of arms and legs but they think the babies are about 5 ½ lbs and 6 lbs.

• Baby A has turned head down after spending 35 weeks breeched and has now dropped. Perhaps this was after he heard if he didn’t flip that his birth would be “violent.” (see upcoming post, Dear Doctor)

• My belly circumference is 46.5 inches. And that’s in the morning.

• I can’t sit straight up with my legs together because my belly hits my legs. Have to sit spread eagle and let my belly hang in the middle. It’s very ladylike and as you can imagine, super attractive.

• Sweatpants and gaucho pants are my new best friends.

• Just to be cruel, LA decided to have record breaking heat and 2 weeks ago we hit an unheard of 115 degrees. Do I need to remind anyone that we do not have A/C?

• Despite the heat and cankles and sweatpants and huge belly… I’ve been surprisingly active and able to get a lot done. I went for a long walk along the beach last weekend and saw a girl half my size waddling like a penguin and it made me feel pretty good about my big belly and ability to walk in a straight line.

• The nursery is as ready as it can be right now and we’re just so excited to get these boys here!!!
  

Thank you all for your love and support and hopefully we’ll be able to post the birth from the hospital! So close!

FAMILY BABY SHOWER!!!

Brian and I wanted to take one last trip out to Utah to see family before I had to put my flying wheels down for a while (doc's orders) and stay put in Cali for the rest of my pregnancy. So a few weeks ago we went out and my sister organized an amazing baby shower for me while I was there.

Yummy yummy food

Kate - the cute party planner. Love you sis.The obligatory belly pose - 21 1/2 weeks at this point. And yes the 1/2 is important.

It was so great to have so many people together at the same time!!!
I don't remember but it must have been funny.
My 2 LA BFFs that had both just moved away were both able to be there! So fun!
Miss you girls!
Double belly bump below. My friend Megan just happened to be having her baby shower on that same day - so I went to hers in the morning - she came to mine in the afternoon. My mom obviously wasn't able to make it but she sent a sweet letter to be read and then we jumped on skype with her at the end of the shower for her to say hello to everyone. Here's Carolyn Crawford reading my mom's letter and then Brian chatting with Mama and Papa Swenson in Chile. Who doesn't love technology?? Other than Granny & Grandpa?
This is an outtake. Could've been so cute if Brian had opened his eyes.

Brian's parents drove up from Denver to be there with us for the weekend which was so fun. Especially since Mark & Jenny were out there that week as well. After the shower we went to Texas Roadhouse with Brian's family. Love being a part of this family. Random other photos from our weekend:
Temple Square after going to the Spoken Word
(Seriously - where is my other leg in that picture??)Lil Brudder and Kate looking cute as ever. When did they get so old?Grandpa showing off his new chair.
And finally, Granny and the lifetime supply of frozen jam that she gave us.