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Babies Update (36 Weeks)

As crazy as it seems, the delivery date has been set! On Friday, June 27th, at noon o' clock, Katie will have a cesarean section at St. Joseph's hospital in Bloomington! We are very excited to finally see our boys! Katie suggested that one might look just like me and one might look exactly like her. If that is the case, then one of them will be very lucky (I will let you guess which one)!

PLEASE keep Katie and the boys in your thoughts and prayers on Friday, and we promise to update everyone as soon as possible following D-Day (Delivery Day).

Thank you again for all of your support during this amazing journey! We love you all!

God bless,
The McGraws

Babies Update (35 weeks)

The babies' space is getting pretty limited. This meant that we could not get good sonogram photos of the boys, but I have provided everyone with a drawing of what I confidently think they look like.

Both babies have been gaining weight (which is always good news), they now weigh-in at 4 pounds 3 ounces, for "A" and 5 pounds 1 ounce for "B." Katie also put on a little weight - I thought she looked heavier - gaining two whole pounds.

SOOOOOOO...where do we go from here? The biggest factor right now is the weight difference between the two babies. Since they are both still gaining weight - which is good - we are going to see the doctor next Tuesday to measure and weigh them again. As of right now, the plan is to go to the hospital next Friday (June 27th) for a c-section! Of course, this could change if "A" and "B" decide to see the world earlier.

We will post next Tuesday when everything is finalized, but until then, please keep Momma and the boys in your thoughts and prayers! Can you believe this journey's end might be in sight!?

God bless!

Babies Update (33 weeks)

"You are disgusting!" The doctor was smiling as she made that comment. Nobody can believe how great Katie looks. 33 weeks with twins, and only 20 pounds heavier, Katie is making this twin pregnancy thing look easy (knock on wood, of course).

The boys are doing fantastic, "A" is now weighing in at 3lbs 7oz while "B" is 4lbs 3oz. The disparity in weight is not a concern to the doctor, but is something that she will keep her eye on during the next couple of weeks. Basically, the placenta is giving the boys all it can, but one is just getting a little more than the other (a.k.a. being a "hog").

Maybe "B" is just trying to get back at "A" since "A" has been kicking him in the face for the past 8 months. While looking at the little guys on the screen, we watched as "A" continually put his feet in "B's" eyes, nose, and mouth. Nice. Don't worry, because at the end of the sonogram we watched "B" take his foot and place it suspiciously near "A's" face. "A" then proceeded to bring both hands up and complete a successful block. Editor's Note: Typing this previous incident made me realize how much effort goes into typing "A" and "B." I can't wait to call these guys by their first names. Would you like to know them? Keep waiting...

Another fun moment today came while recording the babies heartbeats. As Katie and I sat in the room listening to the tiny, muffled sounds of a heart beating, we suddenly started to hear this big "boom" every couple of seconds. We were soon told that what we were hearing were baby hiccups. Of course they were coming from "B", since he is after all our fat baby.

Katie (as stated earlier) is doing great! The doctor is hoping that we can at least make it to 34 1/2 weeks - which is not too long at all. Obviously it would be great if we could go the whole 37 weeks, but we are just taking each week at a time. The longer the buns stay in the oven, the better. Better to have well-done babies than medium-rare. Crispy bacon is better than...never mind, I am running out of good food analogies.

Please keep the boys and mama in your prayers! We can not thank everyone enough for all of the blessings you have bestowed on us already through your kind words and thoughts! As we hit the final road to this initial journey, we can use all the help we can get!

We hope this finds all of you doing well. We love and miss you all!

God bless!

Babies Update (29 weeks)

Babies growing...room shrinking. This update is very past due, but better late than never! Baby A and B are growing strong, 2lbs 5oz and 2lbs 10oz respectively. Katie is also doing well. She is resting more and more, but hardly looking like a mother of twins! Please keep everyone in your prayers! God bless!

Babies Update (25 weeks)

"There's not much space in there..." No kidding. What once was a vast amount of black space with tiny white blobs has now turned into hands upon feet upon faces upon tummies. Have fun, guys! Twenty-five weeks have now passed and the McGraw boys are now tipping the scales at 1 pound 7 ounces and 1 pound 9.5 ounces respectively. Both hearts are beating fine, and both brains look to be developing well. There wasn't as much "goofing for the camera" the past two visits (probably due to the minimizing space), but we did catch thumbs in mouths, more shots of the boys' privates (great stories for when they have dates over) and a tongue (see above picture - daddy doesn't believe). We did manage to get a picture of "Baby A" putting on a "gun show" for everybody. Check out those muscles (see picture to the right)!

The babies DO move a lot more. I am able to feel plenty of movement in Katie's belly as she tries to sleep at night, and the babies (or at least one of them) kicked me in my face when I put my head down to Katie's stomach...which she encouraged and applauded the babies for doing.

We have our new crib put together in the nursery, along with a changing table and dresser. We bought some cute stuffed animals from World Market the other day, and I matted and framed two little paintings for the boys' room. We also started registries at Target and Babies R' Us.

Please keep everyone in your prayers. Katie is doing great, but sleep has been a little bit of an issue lately. All in all, we count our blessings and get more and more excited (and a little anxious) as weeks go by - we are almost down to 10 weeks left! YIKES (in a good way)!

We send our love,
The McGraws

Babies Update (16 Weeks)

(click on image for a larger view)

"They're just not cooperating." "Well, that means that they are our kids." Silly babies. We were hoping to find out the sexes of the babies at this appointment, but they had other things in mind. Both "A" and "B" sat there, in perfect profiles, with legs covering all the tell-tale parts. Not to say that there weren't other things to look at during this appointment. First, my how they have grown! We saw bones! Lots of bones! Thigh bones, feet bones, toe and finger bones, spines (including vertebrae), ribs, etc. They looked so grown up (well, as grown up as 6 ounce McGraws can look). We also saw the developing brains and beating hearts, too. Oh, what little people! We also saw some action. "B" kicked "A" square in the gut! Nice! Baby "A" also was caught leaping around. Katie compared it to John the baptist leaping in Elizabeth's womb. So...I am assuming either A) the other one is the second coming of the messiah, or B) since my birthday is Christmas, I might be the second messiah - and it was leaping in my presence. Either assumption probably means I need to go to church and apologize to God - for my ridiculous wife. The best, most lasting memory from our visit had to be when we had both babies on the screen. They were facing each other, sucking their thumbs! Then, "A" took its hand from its mouth, reached across, and touched "B"'s hand. It was such an amazing moment!

All in all, everyone is in great health! Please keep Mama and the babies in your prayers, and we will be back at the doctor March 12th for our 20 week visit. Talk to you then!

Peace and blessings,

Babies Update (12 Weeks)

"Did you see the hand touch its face?" "It was sucking its thumb!" "Maybe it was picking its nose." We have two healthy beating hearts (almost the exact same speed - followers!). The babies didn't do too many acrobatics this time in the womb, but they still acted like McGraws. By that, I mean that when we first saw Baby B - he/she was lying sideways toward us with its feet in the air. When we checked back, Baby B had turned on its side giving proud Papa a good look at his/her behind. Baby A squirmed a little - presumably dancing for the camera. Baby A is a little tough to make out, but we caught Baby B (before the "mooning incident") in an ADORABLE position of lifting its hand towards its head. You can even see the little bones in his/her arm!

We won't visit the doctor again until the 13th of February. Please keep Mama and the babies in your prayers as they are the greatest gifts Katie and I could ask for from you!

Babies Update (10 Weeks)

"They look like little teddy bears!" This nurse must think I am an idiot. I just can't help it. The images that Katie and I were seeing on the screen was too unbelievable. Little arms...well, more like little nubs, waving around. Fat bellies wiggling back and forth. This was too much! My heart was bursting with love for these two teddy bears...our two teddy bears. Baby A and Baby B.

Babies Update (8 Weeks)

"There is the baby, and there is the other one..." Jaw meet floor. Our first sonogram just got A LOT more interesting. "Oh, didn't you know?" asked the nurse. Looking back, what a silly question. How would we have found out before our first doctor's visit? Maybe she was just trying to break the absolute silence that had taken over the room since her earlier proclamation. Suddenly there were two. Two little blobs on the screen. Two little blinking lights inside those beautiful blobs, indicating the beating of their little hearts. I looked at Katie, wanting to see her reaction to the news. A smile broke over her face, "I always wanted twins!" I laughed. Excitement quickly took over my body. Now, I can't imagine planning and anticipating only one! However, in that surreal moment in the darkened room, I sheepishly asked the nurse, "Could you check if there are any more in there?"