Belly Update

I had another ultrasound today, and the babies are doing very well, dancing and growing their little hearts out.
Note the unbuttoning of the pants...

twin belly at 23 weeks

Sweet Home Alberta

The trip was excellent. We had snotty gross colds the whole time, and Piper was stuck to me like a leech the entire week, which meant I was carrying THREE babies around with me at all times, but it was so nice to spend time with my mom, and at the beach. We had great weather, ate delicious mommy-cooked food, and shopped our guts out, so I can't complain about a little snot, and some lack of sleep. The flying gods were also kind to us, and Piper slept during most of the flights there and back. Sweet payoff for the Night of a Thousand Screams that proceeded each morning's flight. She slept directly on top of me, all hot, sweaty, snotty 25 pounds of her, so MY trip was not quite as comfortable, but it was quiet. The portable DVD player was a total lifesaver, and a MUST have for anyone flying with a toddler. The Dora DVD's filled in the time between naps, and kept Piper in a peaceful trance. I'm sure everyone around us suspected that I'd drugged her. I can live with that.

Here are some pics:

Playing with Gramma


Painting her blues away


She LOVED the beach


Squirrel watching in the park


A sick day with teddies

Enjoying the moment

Piper is driving her pink plastic car, upside down across the floor, and singing the Dora song in her beautiful, one note singing voice. It goes like this, "Doh, doh, doh, doh, DOHHHHHHHH! Doh, doh, doh, doh, DOOOHHHHH!" In a year or two, she will be singing a lot more words, and will probably have at least 2 different notes, AND two little backup singers.

Later this week, we are taking our show on the road, and on a plane (godhelpusplease) to visit my mom in Florida. This will probably be my last trip anywhere for a while, as I won't be allowed on a plane during my third trimester, and then I will be temporarily entering another dimension, where nothing exists other than diapers, boobs, poop, feedings, nipples, and short naps. In this dimension, there IS no outdoors, so I am very glad that we've bought a nice big house that I love, because with 3 monkeys under 2 years old, I will not be globetrotting or jetsetting for a while. Or even going to the grocery store, which I can live with. Luckily, I have no problem accepting, requesting, or demanding help, which is my game plan as of this point.

In the meantime, I am enjoying the sweet sound of Piper's voice, and the constant wigglings of my 2 younger girls in my big ol' tummy.

If I don't get a chance to post in Florida, I'll be back in a week or two.
Bye!

PS- This was my favorite TV moment of the week.


Cute couch potatoes on a lazy Sunday morning



Piper walks Zak around the house, which he finds very unsatisfying.

Friday the 13th

What a day. WHAT A DAY! The highs and lows were just crazy. I'll tell it in order...

In the morning, we dropped Piper off for her first day at a Day Home. It's run by the mother of one of our favorite babysitters, and she usually has 3-8 children in her home. Piper LOVED it, and didn't even look back to wave goodbye. She had found her new family, with more kids and toys to play with. Mommy & Daddy who? It was a bit disheartening to find that she is not as attached to me as I'd thought, but comforting to have found a place to take her one day a week for some great playtime, while I run errands/relax/tend to newborns.

Our ultrasound was excellent! The babies are perfectly healthy, and developing beautifully. It was a giant relief to talk to the specialist Doctor, and get all of our questions answered and more. Everyone was extremely friendly, knowledgeable and helpful- such an improvement from our last ultrasound experience with Robotress McNoSoul. They spent almost 3 hours with us. We'll be going back there every 2 weeks for an ultrasound and checkup, so now I feel like I'm getting the best possible care. We also found out we are having........ identical twin girls! Robb's future of chasing away all of those boys flashed before his eyes. We are so excited about having a house full of darling girls!!!

On the home front- our house sold in the first day! For waaaay above our listed price! We had multiple offers! Woo HOOOOOOO!!

We were on such a high, wishing that every Friday the 13th could be as lucky for us as this day..... then we got the phone call.

Robb's Grandma passed away that night, quite suddenly. She has been sick for quite a while, but none of us thought that it was life threatening. It's still such a terrible shock, but we are all dealing with it as best we can. When Piper says "hi", which she pronounces "haaaaahh", it reminds me of Grandma's charming southern drawl that I will miss so very much.

There always seems to be a balance in the universe.
The Circle of Life, and all that jazz...

We love you, GG.

In between snacks

Well, we bought that house on Monday, our Anniversary. We got a fantastic price for it, and we move in 2 months. I wrote up the offer with our Realtor all in my name, since Robb had to get back to work, so I was able to say, "I bought you a HOUSE for our Anniversary, honey! What did you get me?" Our Realtor is the Goddess of All Things Real Estate, so if anyone needs a Realtor in Calgary, email me for her information. I used to be a Realtor myself, so I know from experience that there are a lot of shady, incompetent ones out there. She made the whole experience wonderful! Our house goes up for sale tomorrow, and we are hoping to get it sold by Friday, as the market is HOT right now. Wish us luck!

My doctor also referred me to a Perinatologist, specializing in multiple births, who I will visit from now on. I get another ultrasound on Friday, and probably every 2 weeks after that until the babies are born. So we will be getting to know these little peas a lot better, and will hopefully get to see if they are boys or girls! The Doctor says they are identical, since they are sharing a placenta. Aaawwwwwwwww! Our babies are already SHARING! How sweet! We've learned a LOT about twins this week, including a lot of pregnancy risks that are scaring the bejeesus out of us, especially TTTS. And apparently, twins are full term at 37 weeks, instead of the usual 40, so that cuts a month off of our preparation time,(boo!) but also the waiting time, (YES!) So if I can carry them for the full term (hope hope,) they will be born at the start of May. Piper and I are enjoying all of our time alone right now, and I am nervous but excited for the transition for her from only child to big sister. After the initial adjustments, I am sure that she will really enjoy having little minions to boss around.

I am 5 months pregnant right now, and I am really beginning to see the difference between carrying one baby and two. My belly is freakishly large and my hips ache- I had to buy a body pillow to be able to sleep comfortably, and it takes me 5 minutes to roll over or get up without ripping a muscle. I am struggling with trying to eat enough to gain the appropriate weight to sustain these monkeys in my tummy, but there is only so much room, y'know? Eating has become a chore, and Robb has become a Jewish mother. "Eat something! Eat something! What have you eaten today? Here, let me fix you a fourth snack! Oy vey!" And slowing down and relaxing is not as fun and easy as it sounds when you are in full nesting mode, and your head is spinning with plans, and you want to be doing a million things, in case you are bedridden in a month. I feel like I am 8.5 months pregnant, and I still have 3.5 months to go. So many cans of Ensure ahead of me...

So, to recap, house bought, house for sale, 2 babies, new doctor, eating as much as I can stand, scary/exciting, lots to do, must get off computer.

PS- It is Delurking Week! So don't be afraid to comment and say hello or introduce yourself if you haven't already!

Take me home, country road

We've spent the past 3 days house hunting our little behinds off. We've looked at about 30 houses, and I think we may have found our new home last night. It is gorgeous, and it has plenty of room for us, our 3 monkeys, and even any guests that we are able to trap to help out with our new babies. We're probably going to make an offer tommorrow. This house is so charming, that Robb and I are willing to move there, even though it means moving out of our cool inner city neighbourhood to the SUBURBS.
I will have to buy Robb a "Kiss the Cook" barbecue apron and a "Mom's Taxi", bumper sticker for our impending minivan, but that is how PRETTY this house is. We keep telling ourselves that it doesn't have to be forever- if we hate it, we can move back downtown in 2 years. I'm not sure if that is true, or just a coping mechanism, but it is working for us at the moment.




Happy Anniversary Robb! Was it only 4 years ago when we were sipping (ok, chugging..) margharitas and champagne on the beach in Mexico at our wedding? How fast life changes! I am so grateful for everything you've brought to my life, and I love you. xoxo

People are helpful

Upon hearing the news that Robb and I are expecting twins, several people have pointed out to us, "You know, you are going to need a double stroller!"

A DOUBLE STROLLER??? REEEEALLY, Nostradamus? You don't say! That is a fan-freaking-tastic idea! We were planning to just drag the twins around by a piece of string, but YOUR idea is much better! I mean, between shopping for a larger home and car that can accomodate 3 carseats, perusing double cribs, and learning all about the many, many medical precautions, complications, and treatments of twin pregnancies, we NEVER would have thought about a double stroller! Whew!

I hope that someone reminds us SOON that we will have to buy TWICE as many diapers, and think of TWO baby names instead of just one- otherwise, we will be screwed. We will be stuck with one nameless, bare-assed baby, being dragged around on a piece of string! Please help us!

(OK, I think I'm all sarcasm-ed out now...)


Backtracking-

Now, after I've sounded all know-it-all-ish, and ungrateful, I actually do welcome good advice about double strollers and such, with wide open arms! If you've bought one that you love or hate, please share your wisdom with me! I bought a stroller online once, and I DO NOT reccommend ever buying a stroller without trying it out in person. I spent about $300 on the damn thing, and I HATE IT. It's almost as bad as the piece of string idea. My top criteria for a stroller is wheels that pivet very easily, so I don't have to drag the thing around corners, like I do now. Also, I need a decent sized basket underneath, a cup holder, and a little closeable compartment where I can keep my car keys and marijuana. Haha! Just kidding- I can totally just put my car keys in my pocket!
If anyone out there reading has twins, I would be so grateful for any tips you've learned as well!

It's 6am, and I can't sleep

Since finding out yesterday that I am carrying a LITTER, I have gone through many stages:

SHOCK
My head came very close to exploding during the 2 hour ultrasound. Neither Robb or I closed our mouths for about 3 hours afterwards. We could not believe it- two more babies!!! All Robb could sputter out during lunch was, "Well, we are NOT dressing them the same!" I nodded in a dazed stupor, still unable to speak, guacamole probably on my face.

FEAR
The rug had suddenly been pulled out from beneath our neat little plan of having 2 children, 2 parents, and a dog. Visions of 3 screaming babies, 3 high chairs, 3 cribs, and minivans raced through our heads. We are not these people! With eight thousand children, juggling bottles, snotty noses and Happy Meals at a McDonalds in Suburbia! We are hip, young Downtownsters! We eat out at snooty restaurants and go away for the weekend to chic, overpriced boutique hotels! What the????

IRRITATION
Many people gave us a "HOLY SHIT, YOUR LIFE IS OVER!"-esque reaction to our news. There was a lot of BLAHR BLAHR BLAHRing over no sleep, no money, no life, BLAHR BLAHR BLAHR! Luckily, I only heard most of these comments second hand, so I was not forced to decapitate anyone. And I don't think most people were being completely serious, or realized that they were SO CLOSE to being decapitated. And now I am over it. Yes, we will have our hands full, but they will be full of the best stuff that life has to offer, in my opinion.

CELEBRATION
Both my family, and Robb's family, (whom I also consider MY family,) are unbelieveably loving, supportive, and thrilled for us! Along with all of the work that these new babies will bring, will be a ridiculous amount of adventure, love, fun, and joy. God must have looked down on our happy little trio, heard me talk about how ONE baby is a piece of cake, and SHAZAAAAAM!! Take THAT, Miss Braggedypants! Suddenly, we are a party of FIVE. And we do plan to party, BELIEVE me. Robb has been so happy and calm and positive- how I ever lived without this man is a mystery to me. We CAN do this together, and we will enjoy it, and everything it brings. We are so lucky, I can barely breathe.

Thank you, THANK YOU to everyone who offered us kind words and congratulations. We will be calling you shortly to request babysitting services. HA! HA! No, seriously.

Best thing said to me last night, by my sister, after I described to her how much the twins were dancing around during the ultrasound:
"Like, Mad Hot Ballwomb!"

Best thing said to me by Robb, which pulled me out of the SHOCK! stage:
"It doesn't matter if there are 5 babies in there, as long as they are all healthy."

Funniest thing said by Robb, to the Ultrasound Tech as we were leaving the office:
"See you! I'm off to get a vasectomy and a third job!" (I think even the robotic, emotionless Tech smiled.)

Way that I will never be able to seduce my husband:
"Hey honey! Why don't we get working on babies # 4 and 5! Wink, wink, nudge!"


I'm going to try to go to sleep now.
xoxo

Wonderwall

We had our ultrasound this morning, and it was perfect! All healthy, everything is where it's supposed to be, and the belly jelly was even nice and warm for me.

Unfortunately, they weren't able to tell the sex... of either one of the 2 babies.

I kid you not.

We're still processing this...


This is where all the fetuses hang out at 19 weeks

Happy New Year!

Robb, The Fetus, and I partied into the wee hours, in OUR lovely bar, surrounded by our family and friends, all of us happy, healthy, and full of excitement for the coming year.

2006 is going to be a very good one.

Our love to all!