Mommy Brain

Capitalize on it and don't rely on it. Jen has found she no longer has the steel trap of a memory she once had. Pregnancy has a big impact on memory and Jen, although she is superwoman, is not immune. In the past when one of us remembered and incident often Jen would correct me and I would utter the preprogrammed response, "you are right". Recently as her "mommy brain" has taken over I have found many an opportunity to capitalize on being "right". One such occasion occurred while at my parent's house during our Christmas vacation. Jen was telling a story (I don't remember what the story was about, don't tell Jen) and she was incorrect about the details. I corrected her and she said "oh, your right"... time to capitalize, I said "what was that honey?" she didn't repeat it and I did have a shoe thrown at my head but that moment of rubbing it in was so rewarding :) I countered with a jab about the "mommy brain" she was experiencing and laughed about being able to get used to being "right".

Fun while it lasted but karma is a...

So Jen always makes the travel arrangements and I just pack the gear like a mule. We arrived at the airport yesterday to fly home to Washington. Our flight was at 1pm and the airports website was instructing people to arrive two hours before your flight because it was the busiest day of the year for that airport. We arrived at 11am and the lines were not terrible. We got through security in about a half hour. When we arrived at our gate the board said the flight was at 3pm. I had Jen pull out her itinerary and sure enough 3pm... We then had the luxury of spending the next three and a half hours waiting for our flight. I made no "mommy brain" comments. I didn't get upset, I didn't poke fun. I just learned, don't rely on the "mommy brain" and karma was delivering a large dose for making fun of her the day before.

Karma is a pregnant woman and you don't want to piss her off!

I don't get enough time with the camera in Utah

Every time we go to Utah it is difficult to find time for my hobby. This time I was able to snap two shots, last time it was only one so I guess I have doubled my efforts.

Cedar Creek Mill

Lucky Week Thirteen

When I first heard the doctor exclaim "There's two!" my first reaction was tears. They were not tears of joy. They were overwhelmed tears. The kind that you wish weren't in the corner of your eyes, and your psyche is trying to decide fight...or flight? I've always been extremely independent, but for the first time in my life, I realized I couldn't be that way for this particular experience. Originally, today would have been the day we shared with the world our joyous news, but that all changed when the ultrasound revealed two distinct heartbeats.

My belly is quickly growing. I outgrew my regular clothes at ten weeks and bought a few maternity pants and shirts. I had to gulp my embarrassment as I never cared for the stretchy jeans look. But the pants were so comfortable, I really didn't care. We took the first picture that night of my expanding midsection, and were both amazed at how big I already was. Then last week, just before the twins turned twelve weeks old, we took another picture and compared, and it blew our socks off. The growth difference was astounding.



There are many perks to having twins, like the early baby bump that helps you feel dreams have come true. Another is ultrasounds. The majority of parents only get one. A little peek at around twenty weeks to make sure all is well, and most times learn if it's boy or girl. Due to the nature of twins, we get to view our babies every time we go to a doctor. Although it sounds frivolous, it most certainly is not. The doctor checks to make sure both babies are growing well and about the same rate, as well as check the heartbeats. If one started to slow down in growth, we'd need to know right away. Today we got to see them again. Each time is breathtaking and leaves me speechless. Two tiny cell conglomerations turned into tiny pieces of rice with heartbeats, that doubled in size in two weeks, doubled again and gave a show at nine and half weeks, and then doubled yet again in three more weeks. The view started with both their heads, snuggled against each other. We then saw baby A, who once again took the center of attention. You could see its facial profile, watch its heart beat quickly and take gulping breaths. Then it raised its little arm, waved its hand and smoothed back its hair. You could see each bone work to make those tiny movements. Baby B had its back to us again. Maybe its because this one can only fit in my skinny body this way, but we think its once again a personality being reflected. The quiet, shy, reserved baby. It gets me wondering if the two play with each other, having little kicking wars? Or do they cuddle together and give each other reassurance and hugs all day? Probably a little of both, as each seems to be in one's character.

The twins's heads

Baby A the Showoff

Baby B the Quiet

Thanksgiving

For a number of years now, we have done Thanksgiving on our own. I always have to be at work at some ridiculous early hour and the drive time never suited us on such a busy week for my job. This year driving is most definitely out of the question. Our neighbors Dan and Robin invited us to spend Thanksgiving with their family. It was a great experience, their family welcomed us as their own. We are thankful for such great neighbors.

9 1/2 weeks

Today was the coolest day of my entire life. How do you quantify that? As we go through life we experience things that leave a permanent mark on our lives. When I think of the coolest days in my life many things come to mind.

The day my dad showed me how to start the mustang by laying a screwdriver over the terminals on the relay.
The day I discovered the Camaro in Grandpa's garage
The day I bought my first bike from K-mart
The day we moved into the house my parents built
The day I bought my roller blades
The day I learned to sail
The day I learned to ski
The day I acquired my first car
The day I started Grandpa's Camaro, now my Camaro
The day I won the state championship for automotive skills
My first date with my now wife
The day my sisters shared life with a bone marrow transplant
The day I graduated from College
The day I got married
The day I became an ASE Master Tech
The day we bought our first house
The day I changed careers
The day I got my own store
The day we moved to Washington
The day we found out we were going to be parents

Today we saw our babies move about, wiggling their arms and legs.

Many more amazing days to come

Baby 1 has a heartbeat of 157 and measures 30mm
Baby 2 has a heartbeat of 175 and measures 26mm

Miracle on 96th St

Nine years, eight months, four days and a few hours is how long we waited. It didn't happen because we relaxed. Nor did it happen because we weren't thinking about it. It definitely didn't happen on day 14, or when I stood on my head. It didn't happen from lack of trying. And it most definitely didn't happen because we learned a life lesson. It happened because of Hope. Our journey began with much anticipation and excitement. Then it slowly become an obsession. Reading every article possible and understanding the science behind it all. It then twisted into hurt and at times, anger. It was frustrating to say the least. Difficult to watch others have no trouble. Difficult to hear advice, no matter how sweet the intention may have been. It stared us obnoxiously in the face, and reared its ugly head through the gestures and words of others. Slowly it became the everyday, and eventually it was accepted. We made it through the long haul of pain, misery, and swallowing pits of despair until one day, peace crawled in and burrowed deep to make wounds so deep and obvious melt away. The bitterness receded. It took strong hearts and minds on this journey we made, and as always, in the end, it was all worth it. A miracle occurred. And not only a small miracle...one that was double in size.

It was shocking to read a positive on a test I had taken too many times. It was downright unbelievable. So much so, that we took another just to make sure our eyes weren't playing tricks, and that test #1 wasn't a dud. Thinking back now, it's special that we took two tests...each baby was able to tell us, "Yes, I'm truly here!"

6 weeks with heartbeats of 114 and 108

7 1/2 weeks with heartbeat of 160

7 1/2 weeks with heartbeat of 153
(I'm hard to see because I'm in my sibling's shadow)