Best Christmas presents ever

Our twin babies arrived on Christmas Eve.

They were the best Christmas gifts we could have ever asked for!

whatever you call it

Me: My foot really hurts.
Bertrand: Oh no, what happened? Did you slam it into something?
Me: I don't know. But my left toe really hurts.
Bertrand: Which toe?
Me: My um...thumb toe.
Bertrand: ...you mean your big toe?
Me: Hmm. Yeah....

stretching

What does it feel like to have two little people moving around in your belly preparing to make their entry into the world...at any moment?

It feels like just taking a normal average breath of air is like hiking Mount Everest.  It feels like every muscle in your body is mad at you for making it carry almost an extra half of your original body weight.  It feels like you are the biggest klutz because you can't gauge how far something is from you when trying to walk through a small hallway or opening (and then realizing that you no longer fit).  It feels like when you try really hard to stuff your entire wardrobe into that little carry-on.  You push and squish things into every little pocket, you sit on it, you get others to help you and just manage to get the lock closed...but you can tell it's just about to bust at its seams.  It feels like you just said something you really shouldn't have and the person next to you elbows you in the ribs...really hard.  It feels like you are a beached whale when you can't manage to roll over and get out of bed without some help from the one who got you into this situation in the first place.  It feels like everything is just out of reach...like the far and distant sink while you are brushing your teeth, and so you accept the fact that toothpaste and water will just get all over you.  It feels like no matter what you do, or how fast you think you are doing it, you are moving at a snails speed. Actually...I think I've seen a couple of those sluggies stick their tongues out at me as they zoomed past me.  It feels like you have two very distinct aliens in your body when you look down and your belly is lopsided, or a little body part sticks out like a head, foot or knee. 

And...it feels amazing. I can't wait to meet these two little aliens.

Just when you feel like you couldn't possibly stretch anymore...your body surprises you and keeps on growing.

choppy chop chop

I cut off 10 inches of my hair.

Woah.

I have never in my life had short hair...unless you count when I was a baby and it was growing to its long state.  So this was a big move for me.  But it was for a good cause so I feel happy that I was able to share my hair with someone else who needs it much more than I do.  I decided about a year ago  that I wanted to grow my hair out to donate it to cancer patients.  There are a few organizations out there and ultimately I decided to donate it to Pantene Beautiful Lengths who makes wigs out of the donated hair for women with cancer.  I know how hair can be such a great form of expression and self-image for a woman and can only imagine what it would feel like to lose all of your hair.  If you're thinking about doing it, I encourage you to find an organization and grow your hair out to donate it and make a small difference in someone's life.  After all, it will grow back..right?

So now I'm sporting a fresh new do and still getting used to it.  I keep going to touch hair and instead grab some air.  My neck is a little colder.  And taking a shower and washing my hair? That was quite the learning experience.  I know better for the next time....much much less shampoo.

mom delivers baby at BART station

Baby Born at San Leandro BART Station

The 21-year-old mother was with her 2-year-old child at around 7 a.m. when she started going into labor at the top of the escalator.

A station agent and a police officer helped her until paramedics arrived and delivered the baby, Johnson said.

Hmm...yeah. Not planning on riding BART alone anytime soon! =)

lil' mr. mischievous

they're coming two-by-two

A few of my very close girlfriends threw me an amazingly cute and fun little baby (babies?) shower last weekend.  The theme was Noah's Ark with little animals coming two-by-two, just like our babies will be coming in a very short while.  The place was decked out in adorable decorations, yummy food, great company, and hilarious belly busting games.  I had such a great time.

Thank you friends! I love you!

so this is what it comes to

As of lately...my shoes no longer fit comfortably, or at all for that matter. Given the fact that I am carrying and growing two little people in my belly, my feet have retained some water and grown a tad swollen. Okay, a lot swollen. It has started to make me really sad thinking that my cute shoes no longer fit me and will not be an option for the next couple of months (hopefully they go back to normal after). So sad, that I decided that I no longer cared WHAT I was wearing, as long as they are comfortable and fit.

So this led to me and my husband going to the store and buying some fur lined Crocs that I can wear for the remainder of the pregnancy. I was actually looking for the ones that had the fur inside the shoe instead of showing on the outside, but they didn't have anymore in my size. So out of desperation for comfortable shoes, I bought the fur lined Crocs with fur peeking out on the outside.

This morning before leaving for our many doctor's appointments, I pulled off the tags to my new shoes and popped them on. And then I paused and commented to Bertrand, "Wait...these look just like the inside house slippers I just took off. Am I going to be the pregnant lady who wears slippers out in public??" He then tells me that I am overreacting and that my shoes were clearly Crocs and clearly outside shoes. I asked him again, "...but I really think these might look like my slippers I wear in the house. Oh no!" He reassured me that I looked fine and that they did not look like slippers.

At the end of my first doctor's appointment, the doctor stood up and shook my hand and then leaned over towards Bertrand to shake his hand. Bertrand was too preoccupied trying to get my shoes in place for me to wear once I got off the table that he didn't realize the doctor was waiting for him. Then the doctor chuckled and said, "Oh it's okay, I see you are on purse and slipper duty", said goodbye and left the room. Once we were alone in the room, I turned to Bertrand and said, "Did you HEAR what he just said? He said SLIPPERS!" Bertrand looked up at me and then started to bust out laughing while I gathered my things and whimpered out the door.

I whined and whimpered about my new shoes that look like slippers and that I am now "that lady" on the way to our next appointment. As the nurse greeted me and took me to my room, she looked down and said, "Ooh! You're wearing your comfy shoes" I just glared at Bertrand with my "really?" face who returned my glare with a laugh. Embarrassed, I hid my shoes in the corner of the room so the doctor wouldn't see them. At the end of our appointment with her, she said goodbye and as she left the room, turned and gave a nice long pause as she looked at my lowly shoes in the corner.

We only talked with a few people this morning after slipping on these shoes and almost all had something to say about my "slippers". Bertrand, how could you let me buy these shoes and then let me wear them in public?

I am the slipper lady.