Turning Five

The twins have officially turned five years old.  This happened yesterday, but, of course, there was a little confusion because their birthday party will be this Saturday.  (For the life of them, they couldn't figure out why everyone they wanted to come to the party -- including family from Portland -- couldn't drop everything and make it midweek.)

In honor of their becoming "big" kids who will be heading off to kindergarten in less than two months, I'm posting a few random pics from the past couple of weeks.  The water soakers have been a big hit at the nearby park where they open a wading pool three days a week during the summer.  The bowling experience was relatively successful, though I found it much easier to learn the candlepin way.  (I swear we also didn't bumpers when we were kids -- maybe today's parents see gutterballs as too much of a failure for kids to experience.)  Finally, the costumes -- Green Lantern and Flash for those who were wondering -- were a great gift from MeMa.  Now we just need to figure out a way keep them from wearing them every day ...

Traveling Road Show

This past week, KLC and I headed south and east to have a little road trip without the twins, who were spending a solid block of time with their Co-Parent and her mom (known since the twins could talk as "Mee-ma") who was visiting from Massachusetts.  KLC would be biking from roughly about Dayton, WA along the Lewis and Clark trail until Portland.

Even though I was a little sad not to be actually biking myself, I realized that really isn't appropriate or responsible behavior for someone who is nearly 8 months pregnant.  So Comet and I provided van support and were able to meet up with KLC at various points during the day while doing our own exploring.

We just arrived in Portland a little while ago, and KLC will be here in a couple of hours.  Here are a couple of pics from a little stop that Comet and I took in the Ainsworth State Park just outside of Portland.   There are several rather spectacular waterfalls here.  Comet, as with everything on this trip, was simultaneously curious and suspicious of these since they sprayed him with lots of mist.

There were a few things that I learned on this trip.  The first is that you can, indeed, go camping at this stage of pregnancy.  The second thing, perhaps more importantly, is do not attempt to do this on your regular Thermarest.  I learned this on our first night back in Dayton.  It wasn't a fun night since being on my back on hard ground.  Even with a little cushion of the Thermarest and sleeping bag, it just was not comfortable.

Luckily, we had the forethought to bring our queen-sized Aerobed and an enormous 'family' tent.  This meant the gigantic airbed, plus Comet's kennel, could fit in the tent.  Aside from having to find electricity to blow the huge thing up and dragging it across the campground once we did, the Aerobed made life possible in a tent for me at this stage of the pregnancy.

The last thing we experienced, which we already knew, is that after a few nights of camping, almost nothing feels better than checking into a hotel, taking a long shower that doesn't require quarters, and sleeping in relative luxury.  Especially while semi-enormous and pregnant.  This is exactly what we did and had a great 4th of July in Hood River, OR.  Hope you did too.

Comet Loves His Pink Monkey

Comet loves his pink monkey.  You can't really tell from this picture, but the thing really does have a head.  It also used to have stuffing throughout it, but that was before Comet ripped open a hole in its shoulder and started pulling out the stuffing like he was sucking a straw.

This is Comet at his best behaved, which routinely comes after getting a little bit of time at the nearby off-leash dog park like he did early this morning.  If we could just get him to sit or lie on his dog bed when we command him to, then we'd be all set.

15 Seconds of Embarrassment

On Monday, I had my routine monthly exam with my OB.  A few days before, I got a call from her office asking if it was OK if KING-5 news (a local TV station in Seattle) interviewed me about the pertussis shot I was going to get.  (For those of you not in Washington state, there's been a spike in the number of cases of whooping cough this year for some reason.)  Since I routinely nag scientists to speak to reporters as part of my job, I felt obligated to say yes.

You can see my semi-ridiculous TV moment here: http://www.king5.com/health/childrens-healthlink/Pregnant-women-urged-to-get-whooping-cough-vaccine-158700485.html  You probably can tell from my rapid fire response that I didn't fully know that getting the shot would vaccinate the baby until he can get the shot himself at 6 months or whatever -- I was just doing my doctor recommended.  So I just sputtered on camera.

Somewhere, Diane Sawyer is resting easy about me taking her job.

Mother's Guilt ... Already?

OK, not really.  I'm not actually into making myself feel badly about things that other people may or may not think, but I do catch myself questioning whether I'm doing everything a parent-to-be ought to be.

First off, I haven't been keeping a pregnancy journal or diary or anything.  My thought was this blog would serve as some sort of record of the whole experience, but I haven't been very consistent in this arena lately.

Secondly, I do not routinely check any sort of week-by-week pregnancy website or book.  I'm trusting the little guy is coming along as he needs to and my doctor has been assuring me of this, but I'm not really on top of certain details of development, etc.  (I am, however, completely aware of week I am, since there's both an excited and semi-panicked countdown going on in my head until I give birth.)

I realize that I have a lot going on in my life at this point -- the twins, full-time work, writing a book on the side, a very energetic puppy, etc. -- but I don't want to let this whole pregnancy experience pass me by and then not remember the details of what happened.  My memory is bad enough without 'pregnancy brain' or whatever they call the excuse for being completely absent-minded during these 9ish months.

So I will try to be more diligent on posting here on the blog.  I just want to make sure I don't forget everything.  (Plus, it's never too early to stockpile details to hang over your children's heads to make them realize your suffering in creating them.)  But if I don't, I promise myself that I won't make myself feel too guilty ... most of the time.

The Myth of 9 Months

Since you are a kid, you hear about how pregnancy lasts nine months.  Until you actually get pregnant --and it turns out to be a 40-week affair.  Now, it's been a while since I've taken math, but I do know this translates into 10 months.  I'm just saying.

Of course, there is the whole business of when doctors start counting what week you are on, etc., but the bottom line is that even though today I am at 25 weeks, I am not in my third trimester.  Apparently that happens at week 28.

I have started to read a little bit more about giving birth and breast feeding and all of the other responsibilities I will have to take care of, while simultaneously trying not to freak myself out.

KLC, meanwhile, has been busy doing very productive and practical things like preparing the house.  I had the idea that since the baby was coming in early September (supposedly), we'd leave the office/nursery more or less as is until some time in August.

Fortunately, someone in this relationship has already gone through this and has started to prepare.  We now have a changing table, rocker, cloth diaper stuff (again, I need to learn how to use it), clothes and more in what has become more nursery than office.   I can still work in the office/nursery, but as each day goes by, it edges slightly more towards a nursery/office.

So overall, I'm feeling pretty good, able to work out regularly, etc.  I've heard rumors that things get much harder very soon, but since I am still in my second trimester according to the experts, I'll assume that doesn't apply to me for at least a little while longer.

Back on the Blog Wagon

It's been quite a while since I last posted anything to the blog.  It's not for lack of things to say.  Instead, my blog inaction is more due to too much going on.  So I'll blame not enough time and, to some extent, having no clue where to start.

Well, enough is enough, and I'm back on the blog wagon.  First things first.  Most of you who read this will already know this, but for the stray reader, here's the news: I'm about 5 ½ months pregnant. 

There are lots of juicy scenarios that we could concoct to make this whole two-women-make-a-baby thing possible, but the real story is a little more routine.  KLC and I decided to take the remaining vials of sperm from the twins' conception and see what my 38-year-old reproductive system would do.  And, after on the second try, everything worked! After a series of ultrasounds and blood work (all of which came back normal), we are now excitedly expecting a baby boy in early September. 

If I sound calm and rational about this, it's just because the printed word doesn't convey my varying levels of neuroses.  For example, now that I have this baby inside me, how the hell does it come out?  (OK, I know on a certain level, but it's the fine points that I haven't fully worked out yet.)

The good news is that I have a partner in KLC who has done this before with two no less, not to mention the advice and counsel of many of my friends and family (as well as the resources of billions of women on the planet who have managed to successfully give birth over the years.)  Again, the devil is this whole delivery thing may be in the details.

The twins are excited about their new sibling, but even more so that it's a boy.  One twin said that now that he knows the baby is an acceptable his gender (his) that he let the baby in the room.  (Not quite sure what steps he would have taken to prevent a baby sister from entering his private sanctuary, but I'm glad we don't have to go down that path.)  The other twin has been asking for a baby in the house for years, so I think she is just happy to be getting the chance to constantly pick someone up who is much smaller than her be a big sister.

Since I know that some of them read this blog, I want to take a moment and thank everyone who came to my shower this past weekend in Massachusetts.  It amazes me that, even though I live far away, as soon as I get together with my friends there's an immediate sense of comfort and honesty.  There's nothing that can replace people who have known you for decades at this point (yes, it's true, we are that old). I wish that I could package you guys up and take you with me to the Pacific Northwest.  Barring that, I'm just grateful that I get to see everyone from time to time.  I am really thankful that I have the friends and family that I do. 

And, I'm not just saying this because I will be calling/emailing you in a panic about having a newborn and anything else life throws at me.  But I will be doing exactly that.