Apr
06
2009There’s a certain surreal quality to being told you’re having twins. Here you are barely 12 weeks pregnant and just adjusting to the idea that there’s a kiddo inside of you and BAM! you find out there’s two. Ofcourse, Derek had totally prepared me for the twin diagnosis so it didn’t catch me completely off guard. Actually, when I told Derek I was pregnant his first response was something along the lines of “Cool. You’re having twins.” He teased me about it every single day until the ultrasound. There we were viewing the first pictures of our little one and I get up the nerve to gloat. “Ha! I told you we weren’t having twins!” To which the sweet ultrasound technician says, “Well,… um… actually… I was about to show you the second baby. We like to warm you up to the idea first.” No more gloating from me. I kicked Derek square in the tush twice (once for each baby) on the way out of the OB office. And the poor boy has tolerated more sighs and pointed fingers in his direction with the only word possible from me being “Twins.”
It’s not that I’m not grateful for my super easy pregnancy or my buy 1 get 1 free deal, it’s just an idea that takes quite awhile to warm up to. I don’t feel particulary pregnant; besides needing to eat almost every 2 hours, I have no real symptoms. It’s just not an idea that I have fully grasped.
But the twin pregnancy does make me worry more. I worry that I’m not eating enough or gaining enough weight fast enough or not eating the right things. I worry that I’m not gaining because I’ve already got gestational diabetes and that’s why I’m so terribly hungry. Or I worry that my headache and lightheadedness are high blood pressure. Or I worry that one of the twins won’t make it. But at the same time, even the worrying is sort of surreal. And I know that there is a good God in control, even if He isn’t a Tame Lion.
Yet at the same time I can see Him working out His plan. With a singleton, I wouldn’t have asked for help and may even have resisted it. With two I’m already planning to have someone here 24/7 for at least the first 3-4 weeks. And I’d love also to have someone come and check in on me everyday for an hour or two for 2-4 weeks after that. With a singleton, my boundaries would not have been as strong. People may have walked all over me and confused me with contradictory advice and told me how to do everything. With a twin pregnancy, most unwanted advice givers can be slightly deterred with a “Twin pregnancies are different. I’m doing what my doctor says. Thank you so much for your concern.” I also get to read up on how to care for twins and schedule sleep, feeding, and play and I adore the added benefit of being able to educate myself. Another blessings of the twin pregnancy is the ability to join a Mothers of Multiples (MoM) group. With one baby I would be tempted to hide away in the house and not make friends with new moms, but with the social networking in the MoM group, I’ll be scheduling playdates in no time (if just for the mommys to sit and chat). Plus the MoM biannual sales on used clothing and everything else needed for two at once is certainly my kind of consolidated thrify buying.
Well, I think this post is getting sort of rambly so I’ll sign off and leave you with a much loved picture of my beginning baby bump here at 14 weeks.
Mar
30
2009
1. He looks so adorable playing on playgrounds
2. He has the power to make me belly laugh
3. He’s brought me breakfast in bed everyday for about seven weeks now to help prevent nausea
4. He gives the best hugs in the universe
5. He patiently listens to me, even when I’m being irrational.
6. He loves people.
7. He can identify just about any bird in the area by sound alone.
8. He can’t dance worth a hoot in the more modern sense of the word.
9. He can dance in an old old old fashioned sense of the word.
10. He looks incredibly handsome in a set of breeches.
11. He laughs when I make fun of his HUGE head.
12. He takes 11pm runs to the grocery store because his twins are hungry and his wife is hysterical.
13. He never complains about my misdeeds to others.
14. He is prone to start crying if he feels like I’m hurting in a way that he could not somehow ease.
15. He has embarked on a huge process to remove wallpaper from our bedroom wall and never complains about it even though he didn’t find the wallpaper to be too terribly hideous.
16. He would rather be in my arms than anywhere else in the world.
17. He tells me made up fairy tale stories in the middle of the night if I awake from a bad dream.
18. He eats what I set on the table and never complains even if he loved it and I have NO IDEA how to make it again.
19. He lets me fall asleep on long car rides while he’s driving.
20. He treats me like royalty even when I fail to treat him the same.
I could probably go on forever and ever about this blessing of a man that is my husband, but I’ll spare you. Derek truly is my hero and I love him dearly.
Mar
30
2009If I’m feeling bloated, gassy, and uncomfortable, it could mean:
a. I’m bloated and gassy and should feel better if I could just burp
b. I have to pee really badly
c. I should make a beeline to the potty with a book
d. I’m hungry
If my tummy/intestines are making incredible amounts of noise, it could mean:
a. I just enjoyed a nice meal or snack
b. I just drank some liquid
c. I just woke up
d. Olive cat is about to jump on my belly (she loves the new noisiness!)
e. I better make a beeline to the potty
If I have a headache, it could mean:
a. I’m thirsty
b. It’s way past nap time
c. It’s way past bedtime
d. I’ve been staring at the computer screen for too long
If my tummy is hurting, it could mean:
a. This is the last day these pants will button because my tummy spontaneously grew an inch
b. I have been bending over cutting out sewing projects on the floor for too long
c. Olive cat pounced my belly at some point today
d. I better make a beeline to the potty
e. Moonbeam cat is doing some combination of standing/lying on my belly and chest (I swear he thinks it’s his responsibility to keep the eggs warm these days)
f. I’ve ignored the other ambiguous hunger signals and am suddenly RAVENOUS
If I’m crying, it could mean:
a. I just read an article about caring for babies and have no idea why my eyes are leaking.
b. I’m hungry and I swear I just ate less than 20 minutes ago
c. I opened the fridge with low blood sugar and discovered that there is absolutely nothing inside that appeals to me.
Mar
24
2009
I made my favorite chocolate cherry whole wheat scones tonight. Delicious! I also made some whipped cream flavored with a little powdered sugar and almond extract. I love scones because they are both breakfast and dessert 😀
Pregnancy has made my blog a cooking blog for the time being! Don’t worry, I’m still sewing, walking, and napping in addition to just eating 😉
Mar
24
2009
I’m typing with one hand to tell you that avocado mixed with popcorn IS as yummy as I thought! But it’s twice as messy too….
P.S. Did you know that there IS such thing as avocado ice cream? Isn’t it wonderful that you know that now?
