I bought a shirt a few months ago when I realized I needed roomier clothing. It's a flowy, sleeveless maternity shirt -- nothing spectacular. This was during the days of hide-the-smallish-belly attire because I didn't look pregnant yet, I looked like I let myself go. I couldn't fathom my belly would grow large enough for this roomy shirt to fit properly but, at the urging of my mother (who's been around the block with four children), I purchased the shirt, took it home, washed it and hung it up in my closet.
I've ignored the shirt, overlooking it when apathetically searching for clothing. I know I'm pregnant and supposed to gain weight but it's hard to feel excited when I feel like Large Marge. Anyway, today, at 20 weeks pregnant with twins, I saw the shirt and gave it a shot. It's not tight - I still have room to grow - but it finally fits and that means ...
YES, I AM REALLY PREGNANT. YES, THERE ARE REALLY BABIES GROWING INSIDE ME.
This weekend my better half and I went to the mall to exchange some maternity clothing I received as a gift (I love receiving gifts of clothing that are too small ... NOT ... sorry, I'm bigger than that ...). After learning Motherhood Maternity is affordable and pretty cute, my man took me to lunch. Damn right he did because I was hungry! Duh! We couldn't find parking near the restaurant so we parked farther away and walked. We had to cross a few crosswalks and, lo and behold, people actually stopped, smiled and waved us on. I didn't think much of it until he mentioned those people stopped because I am visibly pregnant. Wow ...
YES, I AM REALLY PREGNANT.
This isn't to say I've been swigging booze and eating tons of mercury-ridden fish for months, riding rollercoasters and eating bowls of feta cheese, funneling wine and laying on my back in bed in an attempt to ignore my state. Yes, I know I'm pregnant and have been doing all the pregnancy-must-dos but it hadn't sunk in yet. I knew it but didn't quite believe it for some reason, maybe my brain is attempting to keep me from losing my mind so it's easing me into this life changing event.
It still boggles my mind daily to think in 18 weeks or less I will be the mother of twin boys ... I can hardly believe it and even typing it out in this blog post is scary but I'm starting to ... I want to say 'come to terms' but it's not like I'm dying, I'm having children (although people have told me my social life will die but I'm a bit of a hermit so more like my alone time will die). So, maybe instead of 'come to terms' we can say I'm starting to wrap my head around this whole me being pregnant thing.
It doesn't help I can hardly believe I'm 29, which is a great age to have children, so I think, "Wait, I'm not old enough to have kids!" This thinking hurts because then I remember I'm not 22, I'm 29, and that's a tough thing to be reminded of every now and then. Like a random slap in the face once a week.
This all makes me think of that scene in "Knocked Up" where Debbie and Alison are told to get in the long line at the nightclub instead of being quickly let in, which happens with attractive, young women. The doorman says: You old, she pregnant. Can't have a bunch of old pregnant bitches running around. That's crazy.
Yes, it sure is crazy.
As for updates in other areas, I finished registering at BabiesRus. We registered for the main items - cribs, car seats, pack and plays, bouncy seats, swings - and figure we can buy the smaller items on our own.
We are thinking of joining Costco or Sam's Club since we did our budget and the column containing the amount of money left over every month after the main bills are paid is not as huge as we wanted. We may have to say goodbye to HBO and unlimited data plans and hello to bulk diapers at Costco but I think it's good we save money, whether we are having babies or not.
We put together a list of people for our baby shower -- we are doing a joint shower with me inside with the ladies and the men outside barbecuing, drinking beer and ... being men. The presents will be helpful but I don't like being the center of attention and, unlike my bridal shower, I can't have a glass of wine to take the edge off ... so, that should be interesting.
We still have work to do on reorganizing the house but it certainly looks a lot better. Other than that, I'm hungry so I'm going to go eat a snack!
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
19 Weeks Pregnant: We Are Having Twin Boys And My Brain Doesn't Work Anymore
I'm 19 weeks pregnant with twin boys - we found out last week (my husband was so excited he fist pumped after the doctor left the room and whisper-screamed YES because, at last, his evil plan of two mini-me children has been activated).
Anyway, I'm convinced my brain no longer works. It's as if my thoughts are on the tip of my tongue, I know they're there but I can't reach them so I make coherent sense in my day-to-day-life, especially at work. This must be what Keanu Reeves feels like all the time ...
It's not to say I've totally lost my marbles ... just forgetfully foggy.
Let me take one skeleton out of the closet briefly and admit, a long time ago while in college, I smoked marijuana and, yes, I inhaled ... a lot. I quit after college when I realized a serious day job (newspaper editor) didn't mix with the sticky-icky -- i.e. my work suffered. That's how I know this feeling - it's like I'm slightly stoned 24-7 but instead of the green stuff I have hormones coursing through my veins which also make me emotional and hungry. At least I have the ultimate excuse, "Sorry, I'm pregnant and tired." Most people understand, even my self-obsessed boss who hates children and is frightened I have two growing inside of me because it will ruin my life apparently. #lovely I think she pities me while I secretly pity her because she's horrible.
I can't fight the stupidity, I must embrace it because there's no amount of Suduko puzzles that will help me now. I try to sleep a lot because I read mental fatigue while pregnant is a sign you aren't sleeping enough but I have to work so I can't sleep all day. I get about 9 hours a night, subtracted by a few trips to the bathroom as well as being awakened because I'm uncomfortable. I try to workout a few days a week, including a prenatal swimming class that rocks my world once a week. Other than that, me brain don't work so good hon.
Other gripes ... restless legs, which my husband and I have morphed into a song using the tune of George Michael's "Careless Whisper" -- "Restless legs have got no rhythm." Restless legs suck. I drink at least a gallon of water a day and I know this because I drink water out of a 32-ounce water bottle. I take calcium in the morning with my prenatal and potassium and magnesium at night. What more do you want from me body? I'm giving you all I got captain!
I got my hair cut shoulder length the other day, they took off about four inches.. I don't know why but now I feel like I'm becoming a stereotypical mom - of course my sister, the bitchy one, remarked about my mom-hair ... she's so nice. Mom = short hair, don't care. My husband said he likes it but he's being very nice to me because I'm a twin-carrying, hormonal woman and, honestly, when you ask a man if he likes your haircut, what's he going to say if he ever wants to eat homemade food and have sex again? Duh.
I haven't had weird cravings aside from eating hardboiled eggs and pickles in the first trimester because I was so nauseous those were the only things I could stomach. My new obsession is hummus but I have been thinking about Chinese food recently. I used to fantasize about a crisp white wine or a spicy red wine, the mellowness of a wine buzz, and now I think about General Tsos Chicken with a shrimp egg roll, cheese wontons and some hot and sour soup and the mellowness of sleeping. Weird.
I'm such a rube.
Anyway, I'm convinced my brain no longer works. It's as if my thoughts are on the tip of my tongue, I know they're there but I can't reach them so I make coherent sense in my day-to-day-life, especially at work. This must be what Keanu Reeves feels like all the time ...
It's not to say I've totally lost my marbles ... just forgetfully foggy.
Let me take one skeleton out of the closet briefly and admit, a long time ago while in college, I smoked marijuana and, yes, I inhaled ... a lot. I quit after college when I realized a serious day job (newspaper editor) didn't mix with the sticky-icky -- i.e. my work suffered. That's how I know this feeling - it's like I'm slightly stoned 24-7 but instead of the green stuff I have hormones coursing through my veins which also make me emotional and hungry. At least I have the ultimate excuse, "Sorry, I'm pregnant and tired." Most people understand, even my self-obsessed boss who hates children and is frightened I have two growing inside of me because it will ruin my life apparently. #lovely I think she pities me while I secretly pity her because she's horrible.
I can't fight the stupidity, I must embrace it because there's no amount of Suduko puzzles that will help me now. I try to sleep a lot because I read mental fatigue while pregnant is a sign you aren't sleeping enough but I have to work so I can't sleep all day. I get about 9 hours a night, subtracted by a few trips to the bathroom as well as being awakened because I'm uncomfortable. I try to workout a few days a week, including a prenatal swimming class that rocks my world once a week. Other than that, me brain don't work so good hon.
Other gripes ... restless legs, which my husband and I have morphed into a song using the tune of George Michael's "Careless Whisper" -- "Restless legs have got no rhythm." Restless legs suck. I drink at least a gallon of water a day and I know this because I drink water out of a 32-ounce water bottle. I take calcium in the morning with my prenatal and potassium and magnesium at night. What more do you want from me body? I'm giving you all I got captain!
I got my hair cut shoulder length the other day, they took off about four inches.. I don't know why but now I feel like I'm becoming a stereotypical mom - of course my sister, the bitchy one, remarked about my mom-hair ... she's so nice. Mom = short hair, don't care. My husband said he likes it but he's being very nice to me because I'm a twin-carrying, hormonal woman and, honestly, when you ask a man if he likes your haircut, what's he going to say if he ever wants to eat homemade food and have sex again? Duh.
I haven't had weird cravings aside from eating hardboiled eggs and pickles in the first trimester because I was so nauseous those were the only things I could stomach. My new obsession is hummus but I have been thinking about Chinese food recently. I used to fantasize about a crisp white wine or a spicy red wine, the mellowness of a wine buzz, and now I think about General Tsos Chicken with a shrimp egg roll, cheese wontons and some hot and sour soup and the mellowness of sleeping. Weird.
I'm such a rube.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
19 Weeks Pregnant With Twins: Registery, money, gifts, getting ready for babies
Thanks to Babycenter.com's weekly e-mails, I know I am 19 weeks pregnant with 21 weeks left (I could probably do the math but math isn't fun - and my high school algebra teacher told me to never do anything in life involving math ... )! However, since I'm having twins, those 21 weeks are actually 19 or less, hopefully at least 16 weeks so I make it to the uber-important 35 weeks mark!
So, it's time for hubby and me to get our shit together and remember to stop staying words like shit because we will be parents soon. The other weekend his handyman father came over and helped with touchup painting - I flew the coop because conflicting reports concerning the safety of painting when pregnant was enough for me to decide to be safe than sorry. Mr. Fix It returned this past weekend to help with heavy lifting as we (I helped by making tuna sandwiches) rearrange the home. He will return in a few weeks or so to paint (what-will-be the nursery) if we ever clear all the crap out of there -- but as I remind myself in mantra form: it's not finished but it's better than it was ... progress was made.
We are rearranging our home so it's baby friendly. I.e. we don't need a fancy dining room when the space could be used for a couch and open floor area for babies to play and us to be less worried they'll hurt themselves. And, let's be honest, we've eaten in there ... four times maybe and lived there for almost six years. Glad we registered for so much fancy china ... NOT. How about instead of those dinner plates you pay off a student loan?
We plan to donate items and furniture we've talked about donating for years, as well as other items we don't need. There's always time for decluttering and it feels amazing like I'm lighter, although I've gained weight (shocking) but that's another complaint for another day (I know I'm supposed to gain weight but I don't have to be happy about it!)
Anyway, we're slowly but surely getting our shit together, which also means registering! We asked around (i.e. my sisters, friend of sister with twins, long list from BabyCenter.com of what to get) and registered for the essentials. You know ... cribs, car seats, bathtub, etc. using Amazon ratings but registering on Babies-r-Us. It was stressful and we still need to add a few things, especially a video monitor thing-a-ma-jig, but I'm glad we didn't register in person because that would have been even more stressful. Hopefully after the shower - August - we will have a majority of what we need because, honestly, I'm worried about money.
It's not that we're broke as a joke but for some reason people told my husband babies aren't expensive and he believed them. Also, I suggested we take a diaper out of the box (his practical boss and coworkers were nice enough to buy us a box and a double stroller!) so he could try it out and he was worried it would dry up because he thought they had wipes in them ... thank goodness for the childbirth and baby classes we are taking next month. So, back to money: umm ... diapers alone are a lot, especially with twin babies to clean up after, and I won't be working. Honestly, I think we need to sit down and punch some numbers, which means we Google "How much do babies cost" and list our monthly expenses in comparison. Just as decluttering the home was beneficial on many levels, decluttering our bank account will be beneficial, although painful. Talking about money stinks worse than a dirty diaper after a major blow-out.
Anyway, we're making way for twin babies this fall whether we're ready or not!
So, it's time for hubby and me to get our shit together and remember to stop staying words like shit because we will be parents soon. The other weekend his handyman father came over and helped with touchup painting - I flew the coop because conflicting reports concerning the safety of painting when pregnant was enough for me to decide to be safe than sorry. Mr. Fix It returned this past weekend to help with heavy lifting as we (I helped by making tuna sandwiches) rearrange the home. He will return in a few weeks or so to paint (what-will-be the nursery) if we ever clear all the crap out of there -- but as I remind myself in mantra form: it's not finished but it's better than it was ... progress was made.
We are rearranging our home so it's baby friendly. I.e. we don't need a fancy dining room when the space could be used for a couch and open floor area for babies to play and us to be less worried they'll hurt themselves. And, let's be honest, we've eaten in there ... four times maybe and lived there for almost six years. Glad we registered for so much fancy china ... NOT. How about instead of those dinner plates you pay off a student loan?
We plan to donate items and furniture we've talked about donating for years, as well as other items we don't need. There's always time for decluttering and it feels amazing like I'm lighter, although I've gained weight (shocking) but that's another complaint for another day (I know I'm supposed to gain weight but I don't have to be happy about it!)
Anyway, we're slowly but surely getting our shit together, which also means registering! We asked around (i.e. my sisters, friend of sister with twins, long list from BabyCenter.com of what to get) and registered for the essentials. You know ... cribs, car seats, bathtub, etc. using Amazon ratings but registering on Babies-r-Us. It was stressful and we still need to add a few things, especially a video monitor thing-a-ma-jig, but I'm glad we didn't register in person because that would have been even more stressful. Hopefully after the shower - August - we will have a majority of what we need because, honestly, I'm worried about money.
It's not that we're broke as a joke but for some reason people told my husband babies aren't expensive and he believed them. Also, I suggested we take a diaper out of the box (his practical boss and coworkers were nice enough to buy us a box and a double stroller!) so he could try it out and he was worried it would dry up because he thought they had wipes in them ... thank goodness for the childbirth and baby classes we are taking next month. So, back to money: umm ... diapers alone are a lot, especially with twin babies to clean up after, and I won't be working. Honestly, I think we need to sit down and punch some numbers, which means we Google "How much do babies cost" and list our monthly expenses in comparison. Just as decluttering the home was beneficial on many levels, decluttering our bank account will be beneficial, although painful. Talking about money stinks worse than a dirty diaper after a major blow-out.
Anyway, we're making way for twin babies this fall whether we're ready or not!
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