tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-92602692011-09-28T22:09:59.447-07:00journeys in fertility, home ownership, and living life - now with twinsCasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.comBlogger2341100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-39621702603360335552011-02-20T00:35:00.000-08:002011-02-20T00:35:16.887-08:00

i'm beginning a new chapter - no, a new book. i'm pulling up roots, and replanting myself i'm closing up shop when a door closes, somewhere, a window opens. whatever the cliche. obviously, i'm done here. i've been done with blogging for a while, for the most part. and then, little by little, the desire to write has come back.  i started a temporary blog and shared it with - no one.  it stalled

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-63935998510949121762010-05-05T00:54:00.000-07:002010-05-05T00:54:23.948-07:00

A long long very long time ago, as a drama-school kid, I studied improv comedy.  The number one rule in doing improv is to always say "yes" to keep the action moving.  No matter how off-the-wall the new development is, it's more interesting to run with it than shut it down.  Living with 3 1/2 year old twins?  It's a lot like that.  One kid will start making up an elaborate game, or story, and the

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-40979787717632552272010-02-17T23:38:00.000-08:002010-02-17T23:38:28.901-08:00

It's hard to feel like a grown-up at a parent-teacher conference when you're trying to balance your butt on a chair designed for a 3 year old.

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-38554427992329410342010-02-11T11:37:00.000-08:002010-02-11T11:37:04.652-08:00

1. Self. Since leaving my day job (of the sort where going to the office is part of the gig, and on some days seemed more important than the quantity of work produced) I'm having trouble finding the self-discipline to accomplish, well, much of anything of substance. Case in point: I've been meaning to write this post for a week. On my "to-do" list everyday. Already had to come back to it 3

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-80541286440167974592010-01-05T23:26:00.000-08:002010-01-15T23:12:10.919-08:00

I'm trying to figure out how to write about my dissertation without ever having this personal blog linked to my professional persona. While the process of dissertation writing is fairly universal (not that we all experience it the same, but the challenges and themes are somewhat consistent), topics are unique. Good topics (at least in my field) are VERY unique. And my topic, in specific, has

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-55487883050818319072010-01-04T22:41:00.001-08:002010-01-04T23:32:20.904-08:00

I got two drive-by pregnancy announcements in the past month, and even though we're not in the trenches of trying or anything (which is a topic for another day) I felt blindsided. After all this time, I guess the pang of jealousy over seemingly easy conceptions and neatly spaced children hasn't gone away. Though apparently, J's tact about such things has -- he relayed one piece of news without

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-87467602865913988592009-03-13T13:44:00.001-07:002009-03-13T14:08:50.035-07:00

I haven't written about it because I don't really know what to say, but we're in a bit of flux around here, with J's career change and return to school and my return to work and the kids at school (yes, since September - none of this is news at this point, I know). I would have thought the flux would have subsided by now, but we have yet to fully settle into a routine (a side effect of 2.5 year

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-85283194674656743432009-01-24T22:56:00.000-08:002009-01-24T23:00:13.376-08:00

For the record, because not enough people talk about this stuff...I nursed M & B until they were 28 months old. I had thought I'd try for a year, or maybe 18 months, but they really loved to nurse, and it was one of the few times when I could snuggle with both of them and just have a moment of relative peace and quiet. Except for the times they were busy hitting each other or putting their

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-20692847998280330092009-01-20T22:07:00.000-08:002009-01-21T22:16:07.625-08:00

Okay. I'm over it. Thanks for lending a virtual ear to my sniveling. Today is marginally better, and so I'm just moving on from the angst-ridden to the trivial...Etiquette QuestionIf you get a friend request on Facebook from someone you don't immediately recognize, do you:a) Send them a message asking how you know themb) Google, baby, G-O-O-G-L-Ec) Reread your high school journal for a

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-83709260736454462072009-01-20T19:04:00.000-08:002009-01-21T09:50:11.365-08:00

Edited to add: I tried to post this last night, and just as I was finishing up, the battery on my laptop died. It's supposed to give me a 2 minute warning, so I can walk the ten feet to the plug, but apparently not. Went with the rest of the day, I suppose. So, this is yesterday's thoughtstream. Let's see how things go today...I was looking forward to today, to watching the door open on a

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-168389952174209342009-01-05T22:50:00.000-08:002009-01-05T23:57:34.692-08:00

I have a bunch of muckity muck floating around in my head - the typical 2.5 year old twin chaos, sleep suckage, behavior (theirs and mine) and much more - but it's been a while, and I don't want to launch right in to the suckfest as if that's all there is. So instead, I bring you the following:Both kids, but especially M, sometimes say they don't like Daddy because he has a beard. And they like

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-83279617430760019442008-11-05T21:45:00.000-08:002008-11-05T21:47:52.780-08:00

I'm not quite ready to talk politics yet, so I'll give you this - from the New York Times - instead:Fertility help has gone mobile. BabyCenter, a parenting Web site, said it would introduce on Thursday the Booty Caller, a series of 18 ovulation alerts sent via text message. Sample message: “Your fertile window opens today and lasts 5 more days. Heat kills sperm so keep your mate away from the hot

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-38333041176810102902008-11-03T12:07:00.000-08:002008-11-03T12:08:50.686-08:00

I just came across this on a syllabus for an undergraduate class. Freaking awesome.I will prepare a challenging pop quiz for every single lecture of the fall quarter. Incorrect responses to these quizzes will deduct points from your overall course grade. I will only administer the quiz, however, if a cell phone, Blackberry, laptop, or any other electronic device rings, vibrates, or otherwise

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-42280946745660988002008-11-02T15:38:00.000-08:002008-11-02T23:29:23.042-08:00

I thought things were going so well when the kiddos slept until after 7:00 - new time - and then had a good morning before heading out for bagels and errands. Things went downhill from there:1. The people at the next table at the bagel place were, apparently, evangelical anti-choicers. And vocal. And then they paused to pray for a while. Out loud. There's more, but I'll spare you all.2. We

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-67253203242296047252008-11-01T23:45:00.000-07:002008-11-01T23:44:30.510-07:00

The year after I graduated from college, J and I lived in a big house* with several of our friends. In some ways, that was the best place I've ever lived. There was always something going on, or someone to talk to, or something to do, or something to eat** but we had enough space that we could always get away, too. It was a great, grand old house with tons of character, on a street adjacent

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-76980246596917664432008-06-22T22:15:00.000-07:002008-06-22T22:40:05.502-07:00

If while conducting a search for a summer nanny for your toddler twins, you discover (through the first link on a simple Google search that even your grandmother could have done) that one prospective candidate has been featured on a website featuring shots of sorority girls on display for frat boys to oogle, but said candidate would otherwise be a potential match, do you:a) ignore the soft-porn,

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-29198444761810436512008-05-27T12:53:00.000-07:002008-06-14T23:19:14.216-07:00

It's not often that comment spam makes me laugh out loud (nor do I usually read it) but in skimming my most recent (now deleted) spam, I uncovered the following gems:Your infertility was favor, for the gods were granting you more time in hope you could get out "before" this obligation forced you to stay. The Italians bred like rabbits:::That they got "pregnant immediately" illustrated their

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-15786584335403234132008-05-27T11:13:00.000-07:002008-05-27T11:51:01.597-07:00

Thalia's recent post about keeping up with blogs has me thinking, so rather than hijack her comments, I thought I'd move this here.I've been reading without commenting for months now, because it's all I can do to keep up through Bloglines (and even then, I have over 500 unread posts in my queue right now - though some are from review sites and the like), but it takes more time and energy and

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-44868693125406109032008-02-27T22:45:00.000-08:002008-02-27T23:23:44.396-08:00

Moxie is running a 60-day Take Yourself Seriously Challenge, and I'm trying my best to join. The premise is to choose three things you want to work on and commit to them for 60 days. I didn't read all of the comments, but it looked like a lot of people were (1) reducing their intake of high fructose corn syrup, (2) drinking more water, and (3) trying to have more sex. Yes, really. I'm sure J

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-34267638698639698742008-02-22T21:18:00.000-08:002008-02-22T21:23:04.373-08:00

I can't believe I'm admitting this so publicly, but here it is.In my defense, I did pass the AP Biology exam in high school. And Calculus. Which might be the last time I studied math or science, since having passed the exams exempted me from any such classes in college.But what am I going to do when my kids start taking science classes? Sure, J is probably better at these subjects than I am,

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-23872247031233217322008-02-12T14:23:00.000-08:002008-02-12T14:24:26.942-08:00

I tried to join the local Natural Families yahoo group/email list (membership is pending “approval”) and all I could think about was Stacie’s post about proving your credentials. I had to submit an introduction to the moderator, and I couldn’t tell for sure but felt like what I needed to do was prove that I was AP/granola/crunchy/alterna enough to join the group. I mentioned our cloth diapering

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-71021591153300877392008-01-31T22:27:00.000-08:002008-01-31T22:49:26.409-08:00

On the one hand, I'm not sure they're mine. Point 1: Based on their 18 month measurements and this height predictor (via Stacie), B-Boy is going to be 6'2" tall, and Miss M will be 5'6". I am 5'1" (on a good day). J is 5'9ish. J said, I am trying to picture him standing eye to eye with me and all I could do was crane my neck (and cry a little at even the thought of my baby boy being a grown

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-65336800150896943932008-01-25T13:23:00.000-08:002008-01-25T13:27:34.654-08:00

I got my hair cut and colored. Make it funky, I told the stylist. I feel frumpy. So far so good, though I have yet to really test the wash and wear-ability, and since that’s what I have time for most days, that’s the ultimate test. But the color is purrrty. And the time spent reading People magazine at the salon was decadent, too.Not so sure about clothing or body changes, yet. I have the

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-44058856986709317482008-01-21T21:13:00.000-08:002008-01-21T21:17:33.159-08:00

M woke up from her nap today in a good mood. Sometimes she wakes up crying. Today she started talking: "Ma Ma Ma Ma" and when I went to get her, she said "Hi!"---We have regular nursing spots - in the nursery and in the living room. Today, when B wanted to nurse (less than an hour after the last time, and right as we were trying to get dinner on the table...) he pulled me over to the couch and

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-31528452369929840392008-01-10T13:34:00.000-08:002008-01-10T13:36:13.581-08:00

Once upon a time, I had an identity other than mother. And it showed. Once upon a time, you could tell by looking at me, that I had opinions, that I was not “mainstream.” Once upon a time, I was funky, cool, interesting. And it showed.* And now? I have a politically liberal bumpersticker on my suburban-mom-mobile. But otherwise? I look like a mom. Which is not to say that I’m not hugely

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-14107912282046460642008-01-04T19:27:00.000-08:002008-01-04T19:29:38.809-08:00

Mommyblogging, or whatever it is I do now, is hard. When I was writing about infertility, it seemed more like a story, with at least some semblance of a beginning, a middle, and an end. I didn't start writing until the middle, but I backed up to tell the beginning, and clearly I ended up with a happy ending. But writing about mothering, or within mothering, somehow seems harder. Maybe in the

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-71700518560205298932007-12-17T22:22:00.000-08:002007-12-17T22:23:46.455-08:00

I have it on good authority - mine - that if you’re looking for something high fiber, something that will go right through your kids, that brown rice is a good idea. If, on the other hand, you’re not....Ah, the joys of cloth diapering.

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-59907073233247360692007-11-28T15:44:00.000-08:002007-11-28T15:59:17.476-08:00

Remember way back at the beginning of the month, when I said I was going to post more? Yeah. About that. I planned to post again, and then I missed a day. What the heck, I thought, it's not like I'm doing NaBloBlaBla. And then I missed another day. And before I knew it I'd missed most of the month. Ah, well.I have some posts in the works, including highlights from our recent cross-country

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-59312365638097983172007-11-02T09:47:00.000-07:002007-11-02T20:58:52.153-07:00

The Good: Both kiddos, but especially M, have started climbing into our laps to cuddle or read. It’s so cute it almost hurts.The Bad: We all have a cold. And our sitter is out of town this week (on a cruise - the nerve!). And J’s had to work way more than usual - which is especially frustrating since we knew the sitter was going to be away, and so he was supposed to try to take some time off

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-51376558954618796372007-11-01T21:54:00.000-07:002007-11-01T22:26:30.890-07:00

Surveying the mess on the floor under the highchairs, which is getting worse as the kiddos try spoon feeding themselves. Tonight they had "popeye pasta" (pasta in a creamy spinach sauce - I'm trying to work in the veggies more) which left a sticky green mess.Me: I wish I had a little hand mop. There must be such a thing.Him: It’s called a sponge, dear.

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-92195617874129508212007-10-31T14:14:00.000-07:002007-12-03T21:37:40.538-08:00

They go from awake and babbling (or, um, crying) to asleep instantly. It really is like flipping a switch.Of course, they also go the other way - from peacefully sleeping to loud wails - just as fast. And more and more often, lately.

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1382206547894047402007-10-26T13:32:00.000-07:002007-11-02T09:50:35.572-07:00

Maybe I can finally manage a post if I just use bullet points:These are not babies anymore - they’re toddlers. Walking, climbing, exploring. It’s great - and SO exhausting.They can find their belly buttons all the time, and mine too. And ears, and noses. And tongues, which is super cute.At 15 months I’m starting to buy 24mo clothes for B - mostly things like pajamas where they can be a bit

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-5778789859609984252007-09-07T12:52:00.000-07:002007-11-02T09:50:35.572-07:00

Of course I think my kids are extraordinary, but in general I know they're pretty typical. Which is good - developmentally they're pretty much right on track. Both are walking (M more smoothly than B, but she also had a couple of week's head start) and into everything. And temperamental - they want what they want, when they want it (now - always now). And playful, both with the nice toys

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-67263342242736334242007-08-27T12:43:00.001-07:002007-08-27T20:06:26.871-07:00

Welcome, Akeeyu, to the world of stupid twin-parent questions. It’s lovely here. Really.We just got back from a week’s vacation with the in-laws. They rented a house in a mellow mountain town, and we mostly just hung out and played with the kids. Midweek, I managed to pinch a nerve in my neck, or throw something out of alignment - whatever it was, it hurt. I couldn’t find a local

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-44725260475889008502007-07-27T22:19:00.000-07:002007-07-27T22:21:33.327-07:00

I successfully made wheat-free, egg-free cupcakes for the babies to try at their party tomorrow. Not that they'll know the effort, or the difference. But stil, yay!(Longer post, ruminating on the passing of a whole year of their lives to come, but for now I have a party to make happen, and cupcakes to frost. My ruminating will have to happen later.)

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-33288619579583235242007-07-19T21:48:00.000-07:002007-07-19T21:53:25.621-07:00

M and B will turn 1 next week. But this isn’t a birthday post. At least, not really. Not yet. M & B will turn one, and I will start the countdown to the end of my official leave of absence from my life as Grad Student. I don’t talk about that part of my life here much, partially because I can’t talk about my specific research without risk of outing myself, and partially because for a long

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-47557750784694377632007-06-17T14:49:00.000-07:002007-06-17T14:55:31.141-07:00

1. We have the possibility of buying a used Learning Tower. Obviously, the kids aren’t old enough yet, but it’s a good deal and I think we might want one. I know someone out there has one, and I’m hoping for advice - is this a good purchase? Will the kiddos fit up there together? Please advise.2. While we’re gathering advice, I’m looking for recommendations for our next round of toys. We’

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-41699837149280587992007-06-08T20:48:00.000-07:002007-06-08T20:52:37.045-07:00

I think we’re on the mend. I have a lingering cough, which always happens after a cold (gee, thanks, asthma!). The kids are definitely over the worst of it, with just an occasional bit of snot to wipe. Although MissM has replaced sickness fussiness with teething fussiness - as far as I can tell, she’s finally getting ready to cut her first tooth. It was a big relief to figure this out today,

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-19138042686063839772007-05-29T20:30:00.000-07:002007-05-29T20:32:33.078-07:00

We are sick. First B, who was hit hard with whatever cold/flu this is. Poor boy. I don’t think it’s a stomach bug, but he spent a couple of days throwing up. On me, only on me. He’d wait for me to pick him up. Sweet, in a disgusting way, right? I think his tummy was upset by the large quantities of snot that must have ended up there.Then M, who was already having a tough time with sleep (

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-84045352537781425762007-05-16T11:21:00.000-07:002007-05-16T11:49:41.335-07:00

Firstly, many thanks for your collective wisdom. I called the Evil HMO and explained that I wasn't sure I needed to come in and could I get a call back from a nurse or doctor, but when the customer service person (neither a nurse nor a doctor) heard me say "possibly broken" she switched from taking a message to making an appointment. So I went in to Urgent Care last night after the babies were

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-12205182080494460392007-05-15T10:08:00.000-07:002007-05-15T10:27:51.170-07:00

This is one of those moments where I wish I had one of those blogs with really high readership, so I could tell you all that I think I may have broken my toe, and someone would kindly tell me whether in fact it seems so and what I need to do about it - thereby saving myself from waiting hours for a return call from the doctor on call at the Evil HMO. But alas, I am not one of those bloggers and

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-26482834863456686252007-05-11T09:22:00.000-07:002007-05-11T09:23:20.021-07:00

The babies babble at me, their language full of syllables and trills and rasperries. I sometimes echo their syllables and noises back to them, which makes them squeal with laughter, and then I wonder - what have I just said? Have I promised them ponies? Cars at their 16th birthday? Or more likely, all the cheerios they can eat and never having to take a nap when the world looks so interesting.

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-12883118420831714892007-05-07T09:42:00.000-07:002007-05-07T09:43:29.001-07:00

The answer to the question “How good are your babies at self-entertainment?” is apparently - not good enough for me to sneak away to write a blog post. They can play with each other without much intervention for a bit, but I can’t get too far away. When I do, it’s to the kitchen to get something to eat (which I haven’t done today) or to the computer to catch up on email or blogging. I have a

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-52256621201623236912007-04-29T20:10:00.000-07:002007-04-29T20:23:06.740-07:00

When MissM and B-Boy were about two weeks old, I accidentally ate some cabbage and it gave them really bad gas. And ever since, I've been concerned about how my diet affects them. For a long time, I had cut almost everything* out of my diet in an attempt to alleviate Miss M's reflux, though I've since added most things back to my diet. But still, when the kiddos have a particularly rough night

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-57800927448567348362007-04-27T08:02:00.000-07:002007-04-27T08:04:01.499-07:00

I miss blogging. I’m having a hard time channeling the brilliant miscellaneous thoughts I have when I can’t write them down (bathtime, driving, nursing) into actual, coherent posts, or even finding time to edit the things I have managed to jot down. And so I don’t post. And I miss it. The blogging community in various guises has been a community to me - the place where some friends meet and

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-66725479025801112302007-04-23T08:03:00.001-07:002007-04-23T08:05:06.527-07:00

In the darkness, I am awakened. Again. It is one five ten minutes. A few hours. I am needed. My body is needed.In the darkness, I dream mysterious dreams. I dream of being taken from my babies. I am terrified by what I read into the dream, and by the possibility that they would be okay without me.In the darkness, my body is not my own. My fingers are chew toys. My breasts, spigots. My

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-9975996518705187742007-04-06T22:35:00.000-07:002007-04-06T22:37:48.200-07:00

I went to high school with a girl (call her E) at a school known not so much for its academics as its artsy focus. She and I were the only two students taking a specific advanced class, and we were friendly, but not the kind of friends you keep in touch with after school. I’ve Googled her before, so I had a sense of what she’s been up to, but something triggered the search again the other day,

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-21961200033394656842007-04-05T16:41:00.000-07:002007-04-29T20:25:20.231-07:00

So the other day I had a bit of twinge-y pain/cramp on my left side.Hmm, I said. I wonder if I might be ovulating? Hah. No way. It’s probably my stomach or something.Last night I had a bit of pink spotting.* My first thought was “oh shit” until I remembered that when not pregnant, spotting is not a big thing. Today it’s gone.I think I might need to renew my account on Fertility Friend and

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-42255020485561587472007-03-20T15:47:00.001-07:002007-03-20T15:47:35.467-07:00

Me: I’m hungry and I’m tired and I’ve been a human tissue all day.J: Well, at least you’re the soft lotiony kind.

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-29171600843118904972007-03-17T14:10:00.000-07:002007-03-17T14:18:23.886-07:00

I am not getting enough sleep. The kids are each doing decent stretches (no sleeping-through-the-night or anything, but B was down to one night nursing, and M down to 2, on their best nights). But lately I’ve been up every couple of hours with one or the other. When they were little (I can’t believe I just started a sentence that way! I have kids - that used to be little - can you believe it?)

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-72722203719499231702007-03-06T10:01:00.000-08:002007-03-06T10:03:26.123-08:00

Sad news doesn’t even begin to cover it.I’m sitting here, crying, waiting for my babies to wake from what I would have grumbled was a too-short nap, but now all I can think is how much I want to hug them tight and not let go.

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-29998973242115083872007-02-22T11:56:00.000-08:002007-02-22T11:58:19.903-08:00

This is a big ol’ woe-is-me post. Be warned.I have a couple of great posts in the pipeline, just waiting for me to get it together to post them. So why am I not posting them now? Because during their morning nap, M and B granted me enough time to pee and change my pants (but not my shirt). Yeah, naps are sucking more and more. I think (partially channelling Moxie) that we’re at a

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-14786025731443889382007-01-28T21:59:00.000-08:002007-01-28T22:05:03.560-08:00

Yes they’re twins. One boy and one girl. No, they’re not identical. Yes, he’s bigger than she is. No, she’s older. Yes we’re lucky. Yes, we’re tired.*Linda’s post got me thinking about the various things people ask about twins.Of course, we always get “Are they twins?” Which is reasonable, I suppose, especially since B is so much bigger than M, though the last person to ask looked dubious

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1168572887999241192007-01-11T19:34:00.000-08:002007-01-11T19:34:48.026-08:00

I took both babies to playgroup yesterday by myself. This is a first. Usually J comes with me. Or I don’t go. But the kiddos are starting to be okay playing on the floor or whatever and not starving all the time, so I could swing it.Everyone seemed far more impressed by this feat than I thought was warranted.One of the other moms held her own kid plus another kid for a minute and said

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1168063584271467402007-01-05T22:01:00.000-08:002007-01-05T22:06:24.306-08:00

The other night, as I lay in bed contemplating how long it would take for my left boob to explode, I tried to draft an ode to my new best friend, the cr@ni0sacral therap1st.* We took MissM to a CST - we’ll call her Dr. Fingers - that day in the hopes of working on her reflux and gas and sleep issues, and Dr. Fingers spent much of the time working on M’s suck. And making her cry a lot. And we

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1167696020673002132007-01-01T15:58:00.000-08:002007-01-01T16:03:50.273-08:00

I was all set to write some sappy post about the New Year, and about resolutions (I’m still thinking about making some, maybe) and how incredible it is to be starting a new year as a family instead of as a duo. But instead I bring you the couple in the UK who are probably thinking about all of the ways to NOT get pregnant in 2007, since 2006 brought them twins AND triplets. Apparently without

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1167542048055849642006-12-30T21:13:00.000-08:002006-12-30T21:14:08.086-08:00

Last night, after the kiddos unexpectedly went down and stayed down (for at least a couple of hours), we formulated a Plan. With routines and timetables and grand ideas of nappage and nursing and play all in neat order. You see where this is headed, right? Yeah. We were off track from the start. B-Boy was up early (6:30), and got only mildly settled back down after nursing. MissM was

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1166766662525748052006-12-21T21:50:00.000-08:002006-12-21T21:51:02.563-08:00

You know that feeling where you haven’t posted in a long time, and then every time you try to write something you feel like you have so much news to cover you can’t possibly get through it all and then you get overwhelmed and stop before you’ve even started? Or is it just me?I have had this post sitting here for over a week, just waiting for me to finish, but I seem to have little in the way of

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1165734341278116042006-12-09T23:03:00.000-08:002006-12-09T23:05:41.310-08:00

From this (December 2, 2004)to this (December 9, 2005)to this(December 9, 2006).Yes, I know I’ve been gone awhile. Longer post with updates in the works.

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1163313695236772742006-11-11T22:40:00.000-08:002006-11-11T22:41:35.313-08:00

I had a dream the other night that involved, among other things, putting the babies down for a nap and coming back to find them as toddlers running around. A few nights later I dreamed I was nursing one of them, except it (she?) was talking to me.* Do you think my subconscious thinks things are moving fast or something? :)We have crossed the three month mark. MissM and B-Boy are blossoming,

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1161317790923444722006-10-19T21:14:00.000-07:002006-10-19T21:16:30.976-07:00

When I was in elementary school, I had a friend with whom I had what we dubbed a love/hate relationship. Quite honestly, I remember very little else about our friendship except this. I’m afraid I’m going to develop the same sort of relationship with breastfeeding.Breastfeeding challenge #1: I had always hoped to be able to BF the babies, but after everything else, I tried not to set myself up

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1160971335520638662006-10-15T21:00:00.000-07:002006-10-15T21:02:15.550-07:00

I was planning to write a fun and exciting post about the babies and how fantastic they are and how we went to a pumpkin patch today and took cute pictures (well, I managed to squeeze that in, at least) but instead I’m busy researching my funky breastmilk and trying to decide if on top of everything else I’m going to scald the milk to neutralize the excess lipase, or if I’m just going to cave and

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1159155006555448162006-09-24T20:29:00.000-07:002006-09-24T20:30:06.586-07:00

The whopper: B-Boy is now 12 pounds, 11 ouncesSmall fry: Miss M is 9 pounds, 5 ouncesI shouldn’t categorize them like that, though. They’re both growing well. (But B-Boy jumped from the 20th to the 75th percentile, or something like that!) I’d have more details, but I was a bit traumatized by the injections. Three of them into each of my kids was a lot of needles. And I’m not sure if you

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1158629381420408992006-09-18T18:21:00.000-07:002006-09-18T18:29:41.453-07:00

Things I learned by attending the start-up meeting for a playgroup organized by the JCC:The cool mom accessory in my area is a Petunia Picklebottom diaper bag. Man, are those things huge. Geez. I have two babies, and my diaper bag is smaller. And less flashy, but that’s another story.There were four sets of Jewish twins born in July and August. Or at least, four sets that were on the list

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1158205124436726102006-09-13T20:37:00.000-07:002006-09-13T20:38:44.516-07:00

My children are somewhat dirty. Their clothes are clean, and their diapers get changed regularly, but we somehow can’t work regular baths into our routine. And by routine, I mean the haphazard way we’re currently running our lives. I’m not expecting that we’ll be able to come up with a schedule. I have no grand plans for each day to be meticulously planned and flawlessly executed. (If I did,

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1157583511879733382006-09-06T15:57:00.000-07:002006-09-06T15:58:31.920-07:00

We’ve come so far. It’s not that things are settled, at all, but it’s starting to sink in that we’re here - we have these two wonderful babies, at home, with us. And yet it’s already slipping away. Part of that is good - I don’t actually need to remember the details of their delivery or our hospital stay.* But I’m also starting to forget what it was like in those first, precious days at home.

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1157340951333659282006-09-03T20:34:00.000-07:002006-09-03T20:35:51.370-07:00

Too much milk. Yeah, I seem to have a bit of an oversupply problem, which carries with it an overactive letdown (which floods the babies and makes them choke and sputter) and is connected to what we think is a foremilk hindmilk imbalance which is probably to blame for MissM’s green poo. * Maybe now that we recognize the cause we can do something about it. (Most of the recommendations out there

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1156867185243431442006-08-29T08:59:00.000-07:002006-08-29T08:59:45.313-07:00

Well, clearly I don’t make a good mommy blogger. Which is fine, but for how my identity has been completely consumed by this mommy-gig. And not necessarily in a bad way. It is tiring at times, snd intense, to be the sole source of food - and hence, everything - for two people. And yet totally wonderful. And apparently I’m not the only one. But I feel like I am breastfeeding with every cell

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1156306237257243862006-08-22T21:08:00.000-07:002006-08-22T21:10:37.286-07:00

(or, “oh shit I’m a mommy blogger”)It’s been too long since I’ve had annoying medical staff to blog about.We took Miss M & B-Boy to the pediatric clinic yesterday because B has a snuffly nose and M has green poo and weird eye gunk. None of which were of particular concern, but we’re crazy nervous first time parents, or something. (Actually, I called the triage nurse who concurred that we were

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1155498548044762332006-08-13T12:46:00.000-07:002006-08-13T12:49:08.093-07:00

I’ve been trying to write up the complete birthstory, since it seemed like it should be the next post, and I am having the hardest time of it. Here’s the short version:Tuesday - sent to L&D for pre-eclampsia evaluation. Sceduled for c-sec the following AM, and kept overnight. Wednesday - Am 2nd c-sec of the AM. Also, am contracting strongly and regularly. Body clearly done with being

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1154379970155791792006-07-31T13:59:00.000-07:002006-07-31T16:45:36.690-07:00

...are definitely better than one.And we're home. All of us. Together.Overwhelmed would be an understatement.So would tired.And enraptured.Details to follow.

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1153892387840677472006-07-25T22:38:00.000-07:002006-07-25T22:39:47.866-07:00

J again. Cass is spending the night in the hospital for blood pressure monitoring in preparation for our 8am scheduled c-section tomorrow morning. Stay tuned to Bugs for updates during the 4-day hospital recovery period.

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1153853311660717392006-07-25T11:45:00.000-07:002006-07-25T11:48:31.736-07:00

J. here. Cass is waiting for some labs, then we're off to L&D for more testing. We're at 37 weeks today (or tomorrow, depending on who's counting), so it's a strong possibility that today is the day. Or that they'll send us home and have us come back next week. Bugs will try to keep everybody posted in case there's news.

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1153271842387750272006-07-18T18:16:00.000-07:002006-07-18T18:17:22.423-07:00

A long time ago, in my first job out of college, I knew a woman pregnant with IVF twins - the first I’d knowingly encountered. The initial encounter was indicative of my well-intentioned but inexperienced younger self - I asked her if she was pregnant (since she looked it) when she was probably no more than 8 weeks along. She was gracious about it, telling me yes, but not very far along, and

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1153123899638002302006-07-17T01:10:00.000-07:002006-07-17T01:11:39.666-07:00

As uncomfortable as I am, with the heat and the hugeness and the itching, I’m going to miss this. Right now I have them all to myself - and I know I’m doing what I need to take care of them. And every kick and squirm and weird undulation is reassurance that things are fine in there. I like that J can feel them too, but I love lying in bed and feeling them inside of me. For now, I am

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1152689179858049292006-07-11T23:24:00.000-07:002006-07-12T00:26:19.883-07:00

I have nothing major to report, which is, at this point, something fairly major. I am still huge (though I seem to have lost a few pounds in the past couple of weeks) and still itchy (the PUPPPs has spread to arms and legs - oh joy) and still pregnant. Babies are doing fine. We watched them through a couple of contractions on the NST monitors, and they tolerated them well. And of course, it

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1152086740268168302006-07-04T23:56:00.000-07:002006-07-05T01:06:52.830-07:00

34 week update: As expected, they had trouble getting Baby A on the monitor again at the NST today (making the whole experience a bit more stressful - and really uncomfortable - at least for me). Thankfully, once the nurse got a good position (and stood there the whole time holding the monitor in place) the babies were cooperative and looked good. My BP was up just a hair and apparently I have

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1151718119962085422006-06-29T22:40:00.000-07:002006-06-30T18:42:58.946-07:00

I am 33w2d (as of Thursday).The itchy belly responds somewhat well to the new meds, and to the new air conditioner we put in the bedroom window.When asked about the visit they had me reschedule for my 37th week, Dr. Academic (or whatever his nickname is these days) agreed that he didn’t think it would really be an issue.I am going to have these babies in the next 3+ weeks.A little bit of ice

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1151561298193002682006-06-28T23:06:00.000-07:002006-06-28T23:08:18.223-07:00

So I ventured onto a baby names message board, and wow - those people are weird. It’s like smug fertiles run amok in there - people who are trying (or not yet even trying) and are debating naming combinations. People who have just had a baby who are contemplating what they should name the next. And do you really want naming advice from “14 and not trying” or “Future Mommy of 3”??I will retreat

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1151428746740339592006-06-27T10:18:00.000-07:002006-06-27T10:19:45.350-07:00

I guess it was just a matter of time before I ended up in L&D. No babies yet, so no worries. Just the insane itch that has been diagnosed as PUPPP. PUPPP is an itchy rash that only occurs during pregnancy (and sometimes postpartum) and starts - at least in my case - as intense itching in the stretch marks themselves. It’s slightly more common in multiple gestation pregnancies (probably just

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1150772797359384892006-06-19T20:03:00.000-07:002006-06-19T20:06:37.400-07:00

There was a news story from a few days ago, featuring a local acupuncturist who specializes in fertility treatments (J actually sees a guy in the same practice, so we TiVo’ed it). The story itself was mediocre at best (highlights included their report that an insemination or IVF could cost $15,000 per procedure, an interview with an RE from one of the lesser-rated clinics in the area, and an

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1150511098090568192006-06-16T19:23:00.000-07:002006-06-16T19:24:58.116-07:00

I’m beginning to dig myself out from the sea of slime my body has been producing. Yuck. The cold has mostly vacated my head (except for my left ear which is almost completely clogged) and has taken up residence in my lungs, which is especially nice since there was just SO much room there already what with the babies pressing upward. So not fun.I ordered a changing table online, and it arrived

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1149964446804416802006-06-10T11:33:00.000-07:002006-06-10T11:34:06.830-07:00

So, for example, I got lots done and felt very accomplished, and now I’m sick. Riiight. At least I was already planning to sit around doing nothing yesterday. And today. And tomorrow. But still, blech.I’m a touch worried that J is getting sick, too. Which would suck on many many levels. Not the least of which is my ever increasing dependence on him. (Plus he’s working all weekend, and of

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1149696538101923692006-06-07T09:07:00.000-07:002006-06-07T09:08:58.196-07:00

I’m still doing the laying-around bedrest thing, and I’m tired and achy and all that, but things are on the upswing in other ways, which is good.1. My mom came to visit this weekend, and we organized the closet in the nursery, so now there are drawers with stuff in them, and places for more stuff. It’s not a lot, but it makes me feel just a bit more prepared.2. We registered. Finally. Which

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1149057727444772582006-05-30T23:41:00.000-07:002006-05-30T23:42:07.480-07:00

I spent the earlier parts of this pregnancy hoping fervently that it would continue, and carefully - very carefully - trying to avoid tempting the fates. In some ways it’s a Jewish superstition thing - like flaunting something before you have it will tempt the evil eye. In some ways, it’s just me being afraid to publicly announce this fabulous thing for fear that it all falls apart and I’m left

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1148621020579872192006-05-25T22:21:00.000-07:002006-05-25T22:23:40.613-07:00

28 week update: Apparently, my cervix is back to it’s normal, lengthy self. The peri actually spent some time pointing out how nice it was (though without all those flattering adjectives), and why he was pleased, and illustrated with his hands (how when I bear down, my cervix compresses, but doesn’t open). So, all’s well on the cervical front. I’m still on bedrest, but I have permission for a

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1148263268921679062006-05-21T18:57:00.000-07:002006-05-21T19:01:08.953-07:00

I meant to post something profound on Mother’s Day, something about how it’s different this year, or not, or whatever. And I just couldn’t do it. In some ways it IS different. At our family gathering, people gave me Mother’s Day cards. (J, thankfully, saved his for a more private time.) I wasn’t the one doing the setup/cleanup as I have been in years past. Maybe this is the source of my

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1147473868216469192006-05-12T15:43:00.000-07:002006-05-12T15:44:28.290-07:00

I’m just not surprised. I ‘failed’ the 3 hour glucose tolerance test (and what a fun experience that was, let me tell you. Actually, let me not.) So I’m on bedrest and now I have gestational diabetes. And a whole new set of things to google. Like, what the hell can I eat for the next few days until the Diabetes in Pregnancy class? (The nurse faxed me a brief intro to the food plan, but

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1147388596467908832006-05-11T16:02:00.000-07:002006-05-11T16:03:16.496-07:00

Be prepared. That’s the Boy Scout motto, right? So I’m working on getting prepared. Over the weekend, we took the hospital’s L&D tour, which was surprisingly less surreal than I’d expected. Of course, it was also less useful than I’d hoped because except for learning where we’re supposed to go (which WAS useful) it was a bunch of information that probably doesn’t apply to us. We did stay

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1147242533454639132006-05-09T23:28:00.000-07:002006-05-09T23:28:53.483-07:00

Well, it’s official. I’ve joined the ranks of the bedresting (bedresters?). Sorta. Nothing major has happened, and I’m still allowed up a bit (I was allowed to keep two already-scheduled meetings today, in fact, hence the “sorta”). And thankfully, I’m still allowed to go to the breastfeeding class tomorrow night, and the quickie childbirth class next week. Unfortunately, I’m also being

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1146949044927984552006-05-06T13:57:00.000-07:002006-05-06T13:57:26.366-07:00

Note to self:It is far preferable to stay hydrated throughout the day than to have to drink 60 oz of water all at once to stop the Braxton Hicks contractions, and then spend the next hour peeing every five minutes.

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1146203978884555482006-04-27T22:57:00.000-07:002006-04-27T22:59:38.910-07:00

I woke up in the middle of the night (nothing strange there) feeling hot (also not unusual). I rolled over to look at the clock, which said 350, and I thought, “well, that’s why I feel hot.” And then I woke up a touch more and realized where I was. And then it was 3:51.Other than my ridiculously interrupted sleep (and bizarre dreams) pregnancy is mostly going well. I have perhaps more than my

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1146072058917492082006-04-26T10:20:00.000-07:002006-04-26T10:20:59.036-07:00

I’ve been a bad blogger. It’s not that I don’t have anything to say, though actually stringing together words is sometimes more complicated than it should be. I think I just don’t know how to talk about this part of it. The part with the plans and preparations and fears and excitements. And I know that sounds silly. It’s not so much the “infertile writing about pregnancy” issue, though I do

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1144653889377716892006-04-10T00:23:00.000-07:002006-04-10T00:25:14.386-07:00

My mother, who recently decided she didn’t want to be called “Grandma” because it seemed too old (something I’m not holding against her in the least - she can try to have them call her whatever she wants. It’s not like they won’t make up their own word, anyway) went shopping last weekend while on vacation, and apparently bought a boatload of baby stuff. Despite her disavowal of the label, she’s

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1143742026529068222006-03-30T10:05:00.000-08:002006-03-30T10:07:06.603-08:00

News about the twins has spread to people I don’t frequently see, both in my department and at work.* Actually, often it’s just news of the pregnancy, and then people are shocked when they hear how far along I am** and relieved when they hear I’m carrying twins.In any case, one of these exchanges led to the tidbit that a woman at work (someone I have a lot of respect for, though we don’t

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1142993715787899702006-03-21T18:13:00.000-08:002006-03-21T18:15:15.836-08:00

On Friday we went for our anatomy scan, where they measure and count and do lots of things that look mostly unintelligible to the untrained eye. As I settled down on the incredibly flat table (seriously, they think this is confortable bearable for pregnant people??), the tech looked through my file and said, “So, this is an IVF/ICSI pregnancy?” And I thought, Oh, no. Here we go. Critique or

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1142664276532995752006-03-17T22:43:00.000-08:002006-03-17T22:44:36.576-08:00

So, we went to our first Parents of Twins group meeting this week. (It’s actually Mothers of Twins, but since J came too I’ve been trying to be inclusive.) It was a weird experience. There were several other pregnant women - I was actually the least pregnant by several weeks. Except for the woman who is expecting twins via a surrogate, it wasn’t clear to me that any of the rest had any

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1142221737483076822006-03-12T19:48:00.000-08:002006-03-12T19:48:57.543-08:00

(mostly pregnancy related, and probably pretty boring, so be warned)Thank you all so so much for the words of encouragement (especially from Suz - OMG she had time to read AND post? Maybe this is do-able after all!) I have started to take some action to quell the freak-out. I’ve got the contact info for one of the local Moms of Multiples groups - they have a meeting on Monday and I’m trying to

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1141616598126845202006-03-05T19:41:00.000-08:002006-03-05T19:43:18.166-08:00

Every time we have a fight, or even a non-fight -- a pesky disagreement, a mutual out-of-sorts moment -- every time, I worry about how we’re going to do this. How are we going to make it through the ridiculous ordeal of twins? We tell people, and they ask if our families are nearby. No, actually, they’re not that close. Mine are about 3 hours away. His are across the country. We have

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9260269.post-1141282463804548982006-03-01T22:53:00.000-08:002006-03-01T22:54:23.836-08:00

Sometimes I feel like a bit of a fraud. When, upon telling someone of the pregnancy, I don't follow it with a cautious note or a worried frown. When I rest my hand on my growing midsection (for comfort or to clarify that this is not just my fat getting the better of me). When I make plans for the future that involve paint swatches, or furniture arrangements, or being on maternity leave. The

Casshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04551097088915179208noreply@blogger.com6