Welcome To The World Little Fish

They're heeeeEEEEEEEeeeeeerrre!!

Our beautiful angels Haven Jane ("Hay-vin" meaning: safe harbor, sea port) and Mira Ann ("Meer-uh" meaning: ocean in Sanskrit) joined our family on March 6, 2014 at 3:52 and 3:58 respectively.  Their incredible birth (thankfully) went as planned and without complication (no c-section).  They weighed in at 6lbs, 19.5" and 6lbs 9oz, 20", respectively, and are perfect and healthy in every way.  Of course we are biased about the "perfect" bit...but, hey, what can I say?

Life is good.  We are grateful.  The love is overflowing.

Words can't really do justice to all the emotions right now, and - honestly - I'm too punch drunk to try.

Big sister Isla is over the moon with her sisters and cannot stop kissing, cuddling and watching them.  We're all settling in and getting to know each other.  There is no doubt going to be a huge adjustment period these coming months but so far, we have no complaints and are taking this in stride.  One day at a time.

Thank you so much for all the support, well-wishes, prayers and kind words that so many of you have left us on our Facebook Page... we are lovin' all the love.  Much appreciated.

We'll post more when we can, but just wanted to share our little miracles with you as we know so many of you were so excited to "meet" them.

Baby "A": Haven Jane - born 3:52pm 6lbs, 19.5"

Baby "B": Mira Ann - born 3:58pm 6lbs 9oz, 20"

(check out Isla's birth announcement from two years ago)

39 Weeks with Twins: Go Time

I love being pregnant.  It's incredible, magical, spiritual, ethereal and I embrace it as a gift; something to cherish and be thankful for.  That said, being just about thirty-nine weeks pregnant with twins can really weigh a woman down, pun intended.  It. Is. Exhausting.  But so worth it.  Our sweet Pisces girls will be born big and strong, and my body will have been the vessel that made them so.  Pretty awesome.  I'm proud of myself.  I'm proud of my body.  Truth be told, I'm going to really miss this belly.

We went to the doctors on Monday and, of course, they were shocked to see me.  "You're still pregnant?!?!" was the general greeting when I waddled in.  We all chuckled and laughed.  What can I say?  Babies like my womb.  Thirty-seven weeks is considered "full term" for twins and the average twins are delivered at thirty-five weeks, so I'm like a marathon twin mama over here.  Carrying twins to thirty-nine plus weeks is not unheard of, but it's certainly not the norm.  As good as the girls are doing and as good as I feel (relatively speaking of course, I have accepted a constant state of discomfort as my default these days), my doctors have decided it is time.  The eviction notice has been posted:  their deadline is 8am tomorrow morning.  If they have not made their entrance into the world on their own volition by then, I will be induced which is something I was hoping to avoid for a myriad of reasons, but it is what it is.  As long as the end result is two healthy girls, I'm cool with it.

That said, I've been doing what I can to coax them along.  I took an essential oil infused bath thinking water might entice our little fish out, but no dice.  I've eaten big meals, taken stairs two at a time, guzzled raspberry tea, chomped on pineapple, gotten pressure point massages, squatted to my hearts content, bounced on a birthing ball and tried just about everything else under the sun that is out there (except castor oil - not going there).  These girls ain't budging.  They're cozy in there.  It's cold out here.  The world is a pretty overwhelming place for newborns.  I get it.  

Yesterday I got acupuncture to help move things along.  It worked for Isla (who was ten days past forty weeks) and perhaps it will get her sisters moving.  One way or another, we're going to meet our angels - and it will be very soon.  It's so strange to go about my day today with the distinct knowledge that everything I am doing is for the last time as a mom of only one.  It's weird (and seems a little unnatural) to know precisely when your life is going to change drastically. We're excited.  Nervous.  Anxious.  And ready.  I think we are actually ready now.  Well...as ready as you can ever be for twins, which kind of sounds like an oxymoron. 

We want to meet them and hold them and introduce them to their big sister.  We want to begin our life as a family of five.  Yikes.

Thank you all so much for the outpouring of love and support, it's been almost overwhelming and very touching.  I never anticipated that my womb would be so watched, but according to our growing Facebook Page  - my womb is all the rage!  Definitely didn't see that one coming. 

Anyway, it's go time.  We'll catch you on the flip side friends.

My Womb: AKA "Alcatraz"

I can honestly say I never thought I'd still be pregnant right now.  While I was fairly sure I would carry our twins pretty uneventfully to "full term" or very close, I definitely didn't think I'd go past thirty-seven weeks.  Turns out I have a "cervix of steel" (to recycle the term of my fellow full-term-and-beyond twin mama friend, Kimberly) and I have now taken to calling my womb "Alcatraz."  Tagline: There ain't no escapin'.

I'm not complaining, mind you, I'm actually thrilled I have made it this far and still manage to feel pretty dang good, all things considered.  Every additional day I can give these babies in my belly is a gift, as far as I am concerned.  We went to the doctor's yesterday to "assess the situation" and they marvel at how well we're all doing.  The girls are still both head down, though "baby A" (the name they give to the baby closest to the cervix) and "baby B" flip flopped completely, meaning the child we have been calling "baby A" this entire pregnancy has now become "baby B" and visa versa.  Sneaky little fish!  On the ultrasound the girls looked perfect, moving and wriggling away, practicing breathing and the baby formerly known as "B" was sucking on her hand like crazy.  So wild to see.  They actually looked like babies and not mysterious sea monkeys on the screen and the technician guessed them to be clocking in at over six pounds each (though there is always significant room for error in this department) which would be awesome.

So what's next?  Well...since the babies are clearly happy and thriving (plenty of amniotic fluid, great heart rates and all that good stuff), and since I am (relatively speaking) "comfortable", they are going to let me go another five or six days.  They will not, however, let me go past thirty-nine weeks as things can get risky with a twin pregnancy after that.  It is my desire to go into labor on my own if at all possible, so we're hoping to see some action soon (you hear that Universe?  Let's get this party started!)  We go back to the docs on Monday and from there we'll discuss when to induce, most likely Tuesday or Wednesday.  Of course time now is completely skewed and next week seems like an eternity away.  I'm going about life as if nothing is happening and it's business as usual over here.  Babies?  What babies? Oh, the ones who won't be here till, like, next week? Psh!  Funny how that happens.

In the meantime, I'm just plugging along; working on some blog projects and posts, continuing to get my "ducks in a row" and squeezing every moment of Isla as-an-only-child time as I can.  Man do I love that child.  She is such an awesome little person; full of sweetness, personality, zest, heart and soul.  If her little sisters are anything like her, we're totally in for a massive love burst up in here.

While I am typically not a fan of creepy 3-D ultrasound images, this one is pretty dang cute if you ask me.

Side note to fellow women pregnant with multiples:  An excellent book I would recommend to women pregnant with multiples is When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads: Proven Guidelines for a Healthy Multiple Pregnancy, 3rd Edition - I read it cover to cover early on and while it's a bit on the scientific side, it is a proven step by step program to give you the best chances for a healthy, full-term multiple pregnancy.  We followed these guidelines and, well, here I am.  Not a guarantee, of course, but worth looking into.

10 Things Not to Say to a Woman Pregnant with Twins

I have been really lucky throughout this twin pregnancy, and I am incredibly grateful for this fact.  I have suffered no complications and I have only had only one super creepy encounter where a woman (possibly on drugs) wanted to accost my belly and rub it in a semi-sexual and really awkward way (for the record, I don't mind belly touching - but this woman was....creepy).  One thing I have not escaped, however, are the strange/weird/bizarre comments that strangers often make when they find out I am pregnant with twins.  I was warned this would happen by just about every twin mom I have spoken with, so I was prepared for it - but even still, I am sometimes shocked by the things people will say to a total stranger.  For fun and for my own personal records, I'd like to chronicle my favorites here...

With no further ado, here are ten things we twin moms-to-be would rather not hear you say if you run into us...Laugh with me, will you?  This is all in good fun.

1) Are they natural?  

I mentioned before that this is a pretty inappropriate question to ask a mom to be and I still am shocked when strangers have the balls to ask it.  Fertility treatments are a very personal thing and while some women might be okay talking about this with a total stranger, many are not.  Scott and I are very lucky in that our twins were "spontaneous" and conceived without assistance (I mean, we were living on a boat in the Caribbean) - but that doesn't make our girls any more natural than any other twin babies out there.

2) Were you trying for twins?

Um...is that even possible?  I don't even know how to respond to this one but the answer is "no."  The more awkward cousin of this particular question is, "I've always wanted twins -what did you do to conceive them?" Hmmm.....

3) I don't know if you are blessed or cursed!  

This one came from a sweet old man and I felt bad that I kind of hated him for saying it to me.  I know he was trying to be funny - but making jokes at a pregnant woman's expense is risky business because our sense of humors tend to be pretty whacked out by hormones (remember, we have double the fun going on) and we're not always game for a chuckle.  Particularly if we are pregnant with twins and you liken those twins to a curse.

4)  Rather you than me!

I get this one a lot.  I know some people just don't know what to say sometimes and are trying to be funny but, again, pregnant women aren't exactly famous for their keen sense of humors.  Lots of twin moms suggest responding with something like "Yeah, apparently!" but I always just smile and walk away.

5) Three girls?!  Poor, poor you!  

If you are blessed with three of either sex, I feel your pain.  People like symmetry and balance and for some reason it's believed that the perfect family must have children of both sexes.  But, funnily enough, according to this article if you are going to have three children, families with three girls are more harmonious and happy than other combinations.  We rank #4 out of 12.  The happiest combo?  Two girls.  The worst?  Four girls.  Somehow we ended up just right.  Phew.

6) You plan to breastfeed?  Good luck with that! (sarcastic)  

This one bothers me the most because breastfeeding was something I really, really enjoyed with Isla and it is something that is very important to me.  Thankfully, I have talked to plenty of twin moms who have successfully breastfed twins, I have read books dedicated solely to techniques for breastfeeding twins and I have invested in supplies to make this transition as smooth as possible.  It CAN BE DONE so, please, check your sarcasm and negativity at the door.  My plan is to breastfeed both our girls and if it doesn't work out and I have to alter my plan, so be it - but try my darndest I will!

7) When will they section you?  

First of all, this just sounds gross.  Second, this might be news to you but not all twins are delivered by c-section.  While many multiple births do result in a c-section whether by choice or necessity, almost half are delivered the good old fashioned way.  It is our preference to deliver vaginally and my doctors have assured us that it is their preference as well and entirely possible as long as Baby A is presented vertex (which she is).  Of course, we are open to whatever delivery method ensures healthy babies - but to assume a woman is going to have a c-section just because she is having twins is incorrect.

8) How much weight have you gained?  

Not okay.  Just don't. (For the record, I weigh more than Scott now though...groan.)

9) You sure seem to lay around a lot.  

This came from a man who was doing some work on my parents house for a couple of days.  If looks could kill, I'm pretty sure he would be dead.  Yes, I am laying around a lot (particularly when my toddler is napping).  I am days away from giving birth to TWO babies, thankyouverymuch.  I have approximately twelve pounds of placenta, fluid and human baby pressing my inner organs all over the place and causing significant discomfort in the general region from my ankles to my neck.  Many twin moms are put on strict bed rest at this point.  As someone who has enjoyed a 'singleton' pregnancy as well as a twin pregnancy, I can tell you the two are very, very different - and the latter is much more uncomfortable - especially at the end.  So please, give us a little break and let us take a load off without judgement.

10) So, when are you going to try for a boy?  

I have been asked this no fewer than one hundred times.  Yes, we will obviously be an estrogen-rich family and, newsflash!, they are not even here yet!  Give us a minute, would you?  While not all twin moms are getting two or three of the same sex, many complain that they are also asked about future children as well ("so you're done now, right?") and it can be pretty annoying.  For the record:  We are thrilled with three girls.  I could go on and on about why I think three girls is the perfect combination for us but I will spare you.  At this time we have absolutely NO plans to have any more children, particularly now that we know I am prone to "double drop" eggs and the likelihood of more twins is high.  I mean, can you imagine!?!

So there they are, my personal top ten.  Fellow twin moms, what are your favorites?  Feel free to share in the comments!

On The Verge of Becoming a Family of Five...

Photo compliments of Bright Eye Photography

Just a little update to let you know what's going on over here... which is basically a whole lot of waiting for our baby girls to make their debut.  They could announce their arrival into this world any moment or day now.  Pretty nuts. And again, totally surreal.  Part of me feels like I'm going to stay pregnant forever and I have all the time in the world, but we all know that's not how it works.

Our twins are now considered "full term" at over thirty-seven weeks gestation which I am really, really happy about.  Not only does this milestone mean that the chances of NICU time are hugely reduced, but also that their lungs and other systems will be fully developed, the likelihood of successfully breastfeeding is greatly increased, we won't have to constantly adjust their ages to make up for their prematurity, and - the best part - they will, most likely, be able to come home from the hospital with us.  All wonderful things.  Of course there are no guarantees and when it comes to childbirth; you never really know how it will go and rarely does it go exactly according to plan.  But so far, everything is progressing as we wished and hoped and we are very grateful for it.  Our sweet babies are head down and ready to make their exit the 'old fashioned way' (knock on wood!), but it seems they are on "island time" like their big sister was (she came 10 days past her due date) and quite cozy in my belly.  I'm feeling good, still able to get out and about, and somehow have managed to escape many of the discomforts that are associated with twin pregnancy (varicose veins, swelling, high blood pressure, etc.) but simple things like putting on socks and shoes, getting into a car, and finding a comfy spot to sleep have become tasks that require an Olympic effort.  Not pretty.  

As excited as we are for the arrival of these little fish, there is a small part of me that is clinging to and will mourn the loss of our special little family of three.  These past few months, I have really been cognizant to savor my special time with Isla: cuddling her extra hard, observing her just a little more, mentally chronicling every new expression, phrase and milestone and, in general, relishing each and every moment with her.  She is, truly, joy personified and the light of our lives.  I think the person who is going to take our curtailed time together the hardest is me.  No doubt.

The past couple days she had a fever of over 102° and has been extra cuddly.  Because of the fever, she'd wake up crying around 4am, a maneuver that would typically warrant groans of exasperation from me, but this time, I chose to cherish the time with her.  When I'd go in to check on her she'd ask in the sweetest voice you ever did hear, "snuggle in mommy's bed?" and it was an absolute pleasure to cradle her little body, bring her back to my room and snuggle her back to sleep until the morning.  (Scott left our not-big-enough-for-the-four-of-us full bed a few weeks ago after my incessant tossing, turning and flopping became unbearable).  I'm taking stock of each and every precious moment right now before things get nutso up in here and even though I have an amazing husband and an awesome grandma who are more than happy to get up with her to let me sleep in, I still want to be the first person to see her in the morning.  I still get excited to see her face at the start of each and every day.

You might also notice that the blog looks different.  I have been scrambling to unroll these changes before the babies arrive and I am so happy with how it turned out.  There are still many more changes to come, but the gist is here.  I think the new design will be easier to navigate and help to encompass this next stage of our lives.  For the record, this WILL be a baby blog in part from here on out.  Of course we still plan to get back to cruising and as long as it is relevant, I will absolutely write about sailing and boating and all that good stuff but our "adventures" in parenting will no doubt be written about as well.  We are embracing this next chapter and we hope you will too, but if not - you have been warned.

We'll keep you posted on the baby front, it will almost certainly be announced on our Facebook Page first (much easier to update) so be sure to keep an eye on us over there if you are interested.  In the meantime, we wait... any time now!!!!

I've Got the Whole World in my Hands

I must admit, it feels pretty strange to be a human ticking time bomb.  I don't remember feeling this way with Isla, but this pregnancy definitely has a sense of weighted anticipation to it.  Tomorrow I will be 37 weeks, which is considered "full term" for  twins.  I carried Isla for almost 42 weeks, so babies tend to like cozying up in my womb which leads me to believe I could go another week or more, but it's anyone's guess really.  It's totally surreal arriving at this juncture and, believe it or not, I still have not actually grasped the reality that we are having twins.  Yes, even despite this gargantuan belly which is threatening to take on it's own zip code.

What I have grasped, however, is the fact that this is my last pregnancy and as such, I want to document and savor it as best I can.  I have been taking weekly photos of my growing "bump" (a gross understatement at this point) and my sister in law took lovely professional belly photos for me last week, which was really important to me.  I am soaking up this pregnancy photographically because the memory only retains so much, though it is hard to believe I will ever forget how large my belly has become, how uncomfortable I get in the evening hours and the distinct feeling of a baby head lodging itself in my pelvic area, among other things.  Ouch.

One thing I really wanted to do but hadn't gotten around to was having my pregnant belly painted.  I kept meaning to order a Belly Painting Kit but all my other projects (nesting and otherwise) took priority and I had decided against it by default due to time (or lack thereof).  So when I got an incredibly generous care package from Hoise Naturals chalk full of natural and organic pre and post natal lotions and potions for both mom and baby and it just so happened to include a belly painting kit, I figured it was time for Scott to discover his inner Van Gogh and get his paint on.

I can't say he was exactly thrilled about the prospect of painting my belly, but once he started and found that he actually had a talent for belly painting (!?!)--well--let's just say he got into it.  Like...really into it. "Okay, let's do a photo shoot now...but then I want to add a black outline."  After the outline, he'd consult globe images on the web and say, "Okay...let's add some color and contour to the land." And it went on and on.  He went so far as to use a slightly modified toothpick to add some "finer" details to the land masses.  The man is nothing if not a perfectionist.  He is, in fact, editing the GoPro film he made of the whole process as I type.  I must admit, I knew he would do a good job (that's just how he is) - but I had no idea how good!  I am thrilled with the final result and subsequent photos and I think it's so nice we have this fun little memory of this incredible moment in our lives.

Big THANK YOU to Hosie Naturals for the belly painting kit and ALL our amazing goodies!

Photo by my sister in law, Stephanie, of Bright Eye Photography

I received my belly painting kit as a gift from Hosie Naturals along with a host of other amazing products from massage oil to baby butt balm (including my personal favorite, the belly butter - so far no stretch marks!), all made with organic, non-toxic and natural ingredients. 

Cabin Fever

Angel face - she radiates sweetness!

Well, it was bound to happen.  Despite popping 2000 IU's of vitamin D a day (sunshine in pill form, if you will), and despite recording all the episodes of "Modern Family" that our DVR can handle (good for laughs), and despite having the privilege to spend my days with the most joyful and amazing little person I could ever hope to imagine (it's almost impossible to be unhappy around her)...despite these things:  I have officially succumbed to cabin fever.

To be fair, I think that I have weathered this season pretty well considering I literally came from the tropics and landed in "Chiberia" during what is, quite possibly, the worst winter this area has seen in my lifetime.  Up until yesterday I rarely complained about the weather.  I tried really hard to keep a positive outlook and focus on the fact that "this is for the best" (because it is).  But the sub zero temperatures, the seemingly endless barrage of winter storms and snow, and the fact that the final weeks of growing and carrying two babies at once can really take a toll on a woman both physically and emotionally have gotten to me.  I am grouchy, moody, weepy and irritable.

While I do seem to be spending the bulk of my days parked on the couch barely able to muster the energy to make a sandwich, let alone run errands and get out of the house, I have been productive.  I've been working with an illustrator on a blog re-design which will encapsulate and reflect the changes in our family and allow me to expand my writing focus.  I have also been diligently working on an article that will hopefully be showing up in a sailing magazine in the near future (more on that when it's official). Working on these projects has given me focus and purpose, something that I desperately need in my life to feel fulfilled, but my lack of presence on this blog has gotten me in a funk.  Writing is essential to my happiness but with my energy stores at a bare minimum (sleeping comfortably these days has proven...challenging), finding the motivation to actually write in this space is hard.  I have lots of posts written in my head so they are bound to come out eventually, but it's taken me longer than I would like.  So instead, I dig into colorful bowls of rainbow sherbert and retreat into book #18 on twin rearing (no joke, it's getting ridiculous).

But enough of that, there is happy news too.  I have now reached 35 weeks in this pregnancy- no small feat when carrying twins - and I have reached this mile-marker while managing to avoid any complications whatsoever (knocking on wood).  I feel incredibly lucky, especially after reading and hearing so many stories about twin pregnancies that didn't bode as well.  I am still hoping to carry these girls "full term" or beyond (technically this is 37 weeks with twins, as opposed to 40 with 'singletons') but we shall see what the Universe has in store for us.  So far, there are no signs pointing toward an early labor and apparently the fact that I almost carried Isla for 42 weeks is a good thing.  The girls are also head down, clocking in at 5 pounds 2 ounces each and looking great.  It seems that my wishes to avoid a c-section as well as NICU time might be a possibility.  We shall see.  I am remaining hopefully optimistic but open to whatever will ensure that our outcome is two healthy babies.

Speaking of the babies, we thought we had their names selected (several times in fact), but we keep oscillating and, again, I find myself buried deep within the black hole that is the internet searching and researching names and their meanings which can be incredibly frustrating - particularly if you have been doing it for months and months.  We knew Isla was going to be "Isla" (eye-la) long before she was born and not having a clue as to what these girls will be named has me on edge.  Nothing is screaming at us, and if something does stand out - it's only doing so to one of us.  We just can't agree.  Too many syllables, too weird, too normal, too foreign, too made-up, too matchy, to cliche, too this, too that...the list goes on...I feel like Goldilocks frantically looking for names that are "just right."

So that's where we're at right now.  I've got some good ideas for meatier posts on more interesting subjects, but they'll have to wait until I get the inspiration and motivation to write them.  In the meantime,  I'm going to pop another vitamin D and pretend I am somewhere sunny.

At least these two enjoy the snow!

A little different than being buried in sand, wouldn't you say?

Here I am at 34 weeks, haven't yet taken the 35 week shot - later today...

17 Weeks Pregnant...with Twins

Last week marked my seventeenth week of pregnancy...with twins. My lovely friend Darcy felt I should commemorate it with a picture, so she did the honors for me during a beach day.  I feel great, although am much bigger than I was with Isla this far around (you can see some pics of me pregnant with Isla at 31 weeks here for a belly comparison).  Of course this is to be expected considering this is my second pregnancy and the fact that there are two in there (yes, I am still shocked by this).  I am eating well, getting plenty of rest and lots and lots of vitamin D.  I can even feel them move subtly from time to time, though their flutters and squirms aren't yet able to be felt by a hand on my belly making them mine and mine alone right now.  Hard to imagine I am a week away from the half-way mark! (Fun fact: full-term with twins is 37 weeks as opposed to 40 weeks for a singleton).  Crazy how time flies.  I've got a belly full of baby over here and no, we don't know the sexes...yet.  We plan on finding out in a few weeks.  We'll keep you posted...