Yes, I did!

You can Color Me Rad (and call me rad, too), because I just ran a 5k!  And oh yeah, I'm 17 weeks pregnant . . . with twins!

I got permission from my doctor (and babies' doctor) first (and on more than one occasion), so don't think I was a complete nut for doing this.  (Well, if 5Ks aren't your thing, you probably do anyways, but that's ok.  They're not for everyone.)

The race wasn't timed, so I have no idea how long it took me.  And I didn't run the entire race--I walked some too.  What I can say is that folks did start before me and finish behind me, and I walked half as often as I ran (at most), so I definitely did a job worthy of being proud of--and I am!

Proof of my accomplishment is below!

Before . . .

After!

See?!  Both kiddos ran the race with me!

A BIG thank you and CONGRATS to my dear friend Jen and her wonderful family who invited me to join their team (even before we learned we were expecting), and who accomplished goals of their own that day, too!  I think we each rocked our (colored) socks off!

 

In It to Twin It!

Ok, wonder no more!  Watch the slideshow below to learn who we will be welcoming into our family in approximately 5 months:

As one might guess, we are learning LOTS about our little ones.  Here are some facts about twins that folks might be interested to know:

• Women who have a family history of fraternal twins have a higher chance of producing fraternal twins themselves, as there is a genetically linked tendency to hyper-ovulate (releasing more than one egg at a time). There is no known genetic link for identical twinning.  Other factors that increase the odds of having fraternal twins include maternal age, fertility drugs and other fertility treatments, nutrition, and prior births.  (In other words, there is no medical “reason” for us to have conceived twins!)
• Identical boy/boy twins are the LEAST common of all twin types, preceded by (in order of most common to least) fraternal boy/girl , fraternal girl/girl, fraternal boy/boy, and identical girl/girl.
• There are several types of twins:
• Fraternal twins are two separate fertilized eggs that are implanted; each has their own sac and own placenta through which they feed.  (In other words, two placentas = fraternal twins, always.)
• Monochorionic-Diamniotic identical twins are one fertilized egg that split 4-8 days after conception; each has their own sac but share the same placenta.  (In other words, one placenta = identical twins, almost always.  In a very few amount of cases, fraternal twins’ membranes can “fuse” at the implantation cite to utilize/share the same placenta yet remain fraternal.)
• Monochorionic-Monoamniotic twins are one fertilized egg that split 9-12 days after conception; they share the same placenta AND same amniotic sac.  (In other words, one sac for both babies = identical twins, always.)
• If the division of the fertilized egg occurs later than the 12 days then conjoined twins are usually the result.  There are many complications with conjoined twins, since they share many of the same organs as the “split” is between the two is not complete.
• Monozygotic (identical) twinning (one fertilized egg splitting into two) occurs in birthing at a rate of about three in every 1000 deliveries worldwide.  As far as scientists can determine, there is no reason why the egg splits - it's a spontaneous and random occurrence.
• Identical twins do not have the same fingerprints, due to the fact that even in a small space inside the womb, the babies have contact with different parts of this environment, which gives small variations in the same digital, making them unique.  And although identical twins share DNA, their DNA is not exactly identical--leaving the opportunity for physical and other obvious differences between the two.

 And a couple other little interesting tidbits:

• If identical twin girls marry and have children with identical twin boys, their children are genetically half-siblings instead of cousins due to the shared/similar DNA.  Eeew! 
• Did you know naturally conceived fraternal twins could have different fathers?!  If the mom has sex close enough to ovulation with two different men, and happens to spontaneously release two different eggs, then it is absolutely possible to have two babies by two different fathers AT ONCE!!  This has happened before (the children born at the same time by the same mother were of different races and DNA tests were used to prove paternage was not the same!), so there is proof!