Bath time

As you can imagine it is getting tougher & tougher to find time to post. Even if the girls decide to sleep for 3-4 hours - after you feed them, clean bottles, do laundry, eat something yourself, clean up a little bit and sit down for 15 minutes- then its time to do it all over again! Not to mention- if they decide to stay up the majority of the night - the 15 minutes of down time turn into 15 minutes of naptime for the parents! Its easy to see how the days can get away from you. The girls are almost 4 weeks old now and time has flown by!

Sleeping in the "Floor Nanny" during the day of course.

(We have our days & nights confused right now!)

I was joking with Elizabeth the other day about not brushing her teeth until ~ 11 in the morning. I made the comment I can always squeeze in a couple minutes to brush my teeth. Low and behold, it was around noon a couple days ago and there I was with baby and bottle in hand thinking about how I had not had an opportunity to brush my teeth for 2 minutes! Hopefully we will get into more of a schedule once the girls get a little bigger. Right now we are focused on making sure they eat enough and gain the weight they need to. They love their bath time and we just started using their little tub yesterday. Here is a video from "bath time". I had to edit the majority so they can't get mad at me in 15 years when they find out this was on the blog! We also had a little formatting issue going from Mac to PC....click the link below.

"Bath Time"

Merry Christmas from Our Family to Yours!

Tyler & Harper's First Christmas!

We are counting our blessings twice this year!

Harper (L) & Tyler (R)

Happy Holidays!

Love,

The Whites

The first few days as a family

Everyone is home and we are starting to settle into our new life.  There are still a lot of visitors and we are living the good life with our baby nurse helping out, but Elizabeth and I are definitely getting the hang of this parenting thing.  I am getting used to this home cooking...

  

The girls went to the pediatrician on Friday and both are gaining weight.  Harper is back up to her birth weight and Tyler is not too far away.  They are eating well and are still pretty quiet at this point.  Apparently this does not last for too much longer so we are taking advantage of it.

The days are flying by and Christmas will be here before we know it.  Looks like the White family will be staying put at home this year.  Baby steps....   

Here are some more pictures:  link to pictures.

  

Harper gets to come home!

We got some great news on Tuesday.... that Harper was able to come home on Thursday of this week.  I didn't want to jinx anything by putting that in writing on the blog so this is the first post about it.  I guess it worked as the whole family is now home together!  

This has to be one of the best days in my life seeing our two little girls back together again.  We have not seen them together since minutes after their birth and even then it was only for a few minutes.  We can now officially start our new life as a family of 5 (yes that includes Pearce).  

We are having a big dinner tonight (thank you to all my coworkers) and will be popping a little Dom to celebrate.  I will keep an eye on Elizabeth since she has not had a drink in 9 months+.  

Enough talking, I know all everyone really wants to see are the pictures so take look! by clicking the link:   link to pictures.

What a time to get sick!

Well we made it home safely, but it appears I brought home a little more then Elizabeth and Tyler.  I decided to go to urgent care last night after running a temperature of 101.2.  I went ahead and got a shot and a zpack in hopes of knocking this out, but I have been bed-ridden since we got home and will probably remain so for the next day or so.  Fortunately our moms have been there to help Elizabeth since I can't get around her or the girls for 72 hours.  That said, it may be a couple of days before I can get some new pictures up.  

Everyone (except me) is doing great and Pearce is actually adapting to the new family.  Little does he know there is one more on the way!

Pictures 12/6

Started this yesterday, but had internet problems so I could not get it posted.

Getting to the update a little earlier today. We just left Harper and Elizabeth is trying to get some down time before we have visitors. Tyler is doing great. She is eating almost double what she was eating yesterday so we are excited about that. It can be tough to get preemies to eat initially so a normal feeding for most can be a bit of a struggle for a preemie. Her sister is doing well also. She is still in the ICN, but moving from "intensive" to "special" tonight. Harper's feedings have been going well so they anticipate taking her IV out tonight and hopefully she will be able to come home early next week.

**Update from today. Harper's IV is out! She was moved over to "special" and is doing well. Her feedings are up and they will watch her next week to make sure she is strong enough to come home. She will need it to handle her sister and Pearce!

Harper yesterday - IV was still in...."Kangaroo care" is the new thing. Basically they say that skin to skin contact is really good to help regulate the baby's vitals, plus it keeps them really warm - which they love.






Here is Tyler from yesterday. She is all dressed up. It is all downhill for me folks. These girls are going to be spoiled rotten. I am going to attempt to "borrow" that blanket tonight! It is a lot more comfortable then what Elizabeth gave me!

Pictures 12/5

Here is a brief update.  I will continue to post updates and add pictures over the next few days when I can find time.  Hopefully this will get a little easier.  Elizabeth is doing great.  She was able to shower, walk around, and switch to a solid food diet today.  Tyler is doing well also.  She has lost a little weight which is expected for all babies.  She is feeding regularly and stays in the room with us for the most part.  Harper is in the ICN (intensive care nursery). Originally they moved her there to watch her shallow breathing or apnea, a common issue with premature and c-section births.  She had an IV for fluids, a CPAP to help with her breathing and an air tube to help with the air in her stomach caused by the CPAP.    We got great news this morning that her CPAP, basically a breathing tube hooked up to the nose, came out overnight and they left it out as her oxygen levels were up to normal.  That was followed by more great news of Harper's first feeding with mom today.  Unfortunately we found out she would have to stay another 5-7 days, due to a slight drop in her heart rate during a nap today.  A common issue associated with apnea is bradycardia (so much so they have an "a and  b" monitor).  While we were disappointed with the news we are still encouraged by her feeding and the prospect of her IV coming out soon once her feeding is regular.  After the IV removal she won't be "hooked up" to anything, rather just in the ICN for monitoring. 

In other news, the hospital food is pretty stereotypical - consisting initially of broth  and green jello, then transitioning to powdered eggs and bland grits today.  Fortunately we have some great family looking out for us and bringing in food from the outside world.  I must admit - I am a big fan of the ice chips.  My bed is a couch in the room with standard issue hospital sheets and blankets.   By the time I get to lay down, that couch feels like a posh bed in a 5 star hotel!

Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers.  We appreciate the flowers, emails and messages even though we have not had time to return them!  

Here is a link to some pictures.

  

The White twins are here!

'Tyler' Elizabeth
7:40 am
5 lbs 8 oz
18.5 inches 





'Harper' Hutchens
7:42 am
5 lbs 5 oz19 inches

Hannah who?

Hannah Montana that's who. I got a glimpse into what my future holds tonight as I left work. Hannah Montana is in town and every young girl in the city was downtown heading to the concert. I read the headlines about what extremes parents will go to in getting their kids tickets to this concert so I knew it was a big deal, but it was still amazing to see City Tavern overtaken by pre-teens finishing dessert before heading to see their latest idol. When I first read the aforementioned headlines, I thought to myself - who in their right mind would spend that much money on concert tickets? I now know who and I can't believe I would admit to it here for everyone to read, but the fact of the matter is I could picture myself taking the girls and a few of their friends out to dinner and to that concert. There, I said it. They are not even here and it is already starting to happen.

The last few days leading up to their arrival have been full of emotion. Obviously we are excited about their arrival, but also a little apprehensive knowing we will be responsible for the lives of two little girls in less then a week! I am trying to tie up the remaining loose ends - figuring out about insurance, coordinating time off with work, Christmas shopping (it is almost December), and trying to squeeze in as much sleep as possible (Elizabeth wishes she could say the same). It is tough to concentrate on anything other then 12/4 at this point though. I am sure my coworkers are as ready for the 4th to come as we are so they don't have to hear the same stories repeated day in and day out, when I am on the phone with curios clients. Don't worry - just 6 more days!

This is probably the last picture of Elizabeth you will see before next week. I also included one of the nursery. It is truly amazing what Elizabeth has done with this room. A testament to the great things she will do in the girls lives to be sure.

The calm before the storm

We are less then 2 weeks out at this point and it feels a little like the calm before the storm. The nursery is done, the hospital bag is packed, the car seats are in, the computer cabinet is upstairs so the new pack 'n play and swings can fit in the den, and we are basically just counting down the days until 12/4. We had a hospital tour of the maternity floor last week to get the lay of the land before the big day. I am sure everything they explained to us will fly out the window when the day actually comes. I guess the good thing is Elizabeth has already documented where all family is supposed to be and when!

We went back to the doctor for the last appointment today and got more great news. The girls are both ~ 5 lbs each. It's hard to believe that the day is already almost here and that they have done so well the whole time. Tomorrow is the last Thanksgiving we will celebrate before their arrival and boy do we have a lot to be thankful for this year.

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving.

Date night

We are on the home stretch now. Having spent most of the last few months getting ready for the arrival of the girls - either shopping, assembling, reading, attending class, (assembling some more)...we finally decided to have a night for ourselves. We went to a great little place right down the road. It only has 14 tables so just the intimate ambiance we were looking for. The appetizers and entrees were amazing only to be topped off by a warm chocolate pudding cake and an espresso pot de creme (with homemade sugar doughnut of course). Needless to say, we spent most of the evening talking about our expanding family and plans for increasing the size of our house... eventually that is. Wow! - what a different conversation then we would have had 1.5 years ago on a similar date night! Now I can't imagine talking about anything else.

Unfortunately, we did not get any new pictures at the doctor this week. The girls are getting so big it makes it tough to get good ultrasound pictures now. I guess the good news is once they get here we will be able to share more then enough pictures. They are both at ~ 4 pounds each, so right in line with where they should be. The doctors predict they will be between 5 and 6 pounds on December 4th. Hopefully that means they can come directly home with us. Stay tuned.....

Twins and an engagement?

When it rains it pours....there are a lot of special things happening in everyone's lives right now. Elizabeth's sister, Jacquelyn, is getting married next June and we had an engagement party for them this past weekend. In between childbirth classes and joining the church we had the opportunity to celebrate their engagement. We had a great time getting to meet Jonathan's family and catching up with a lot of friends we have not seen in a while.

One of our neighbors pointed out that this was the last Halloween we would both be at home handing out candy together. Starting next year I will be like the rest of the dads on our street - walking door to door with their kids around the neighborhood. I guess the girls won't really be walking around the neighborhood and I won't have to remind them to say "trick or treat" and "thank you", but it will still be one of their 'firsts' - their first Halloween. We are only 34 days away from of lifetime of 'firsts' for them and for us and we can't wait!

Are you sure you're ready?

The last time I left you, I was in route to Boston for work on Sunday. Shortly thereafter, on Tuesday night at some time approaching midnight, I got a call on my cell phone from a frantic Elizabeth. Her lower back was hurting, she had "sudden" swelling of her ankles, and there was a general feeling of uneasiness....all "signs of preterm labor". After the last couple weeks of telling folks I was "ready" for the girls to be here, I realized I may not be 100% ready. Fortunately, Elizabeth had just overdone it that day - perhaps a little too much shopping. After the "gold star" report from the doctor today, it looks like we are good to go to make it to December 4th. I have time for another class at the hospital and a few more weeks to really get ready.

Both the girls are a little over 3 lbs each - at 3lbs 3 oz and 3lb 5 oz. Space is getting a little tight in their current home and as a result we didn't get any good 3D pictures this time. Hopefully next time. Someone is certainly ready for them to get here so she can dress them in all their new clothes.

Time for a shower

This past weekend the pink was for the girls. In fact, I don't think I have ever seen so much pink in my entire life. If you don't believe me take a look at the photo gallery below. A big thanks to everyone that helped out and was able to attend. Elizabeth had a great time and we are both very appreciative of every one's generosity.

Shower Pictures

Another highlight of the weekend was getting to catch up with some of my friends. We had a little too much fun on Friday night ("my shower"), which made for a long day on Saturday. One of the funniest parts of the weekend was when our friends, Chip and Lauren, brought their 9 month old son, Hill into our room first thing on Saturday morning and put him in the bed with us. Of course he was wide awake and moving around so I had to jump up, fight through the fog of the previous evening and entertain him. It was pretty funny. The point being - this was a preview into my new life - except that there will be two little ones ready to be entertained first thing in the morning and it will be every morning. Unfortunately the weekend came to an end and I had to head out of town for one of my last overnight trips for work. Not many more of those before December 4th!

Smile for the camera

Well we finally had some luck with the 3D ultrasound this week. Check out the new pictures. The right side is baby B and left side is baby A. The girls are still growing about 1/2 a pound every two weeks weighing in at 2 lbs 6 ounces and 2 lbs 12 ounces this week. We also have a date! Elizabeth is scheduled to deliver on December 4th! I can't believe it. The time is flying by so quickly. 50 days and counting....

We rented the movie Knocked Up this weekend and I have to recommend it if you have not already seen it. While some parts were a little vulgar for younger audiences, the movie nailed so many of the issues a pregnant couple goes through. It was funny to see all those situations from the outside having just gone through them ourselves. We kept nudging each other every time there was a scene that reminded us of ourselves - and there were a lot of them.

It is back to school again this week. We have a multiples class at the hospital on Thursday. Do I see another PowerPoint presentation in my future? I will let you know how it turns out. Wish me luck.

The pink is for Team Neil not the girls.....yet

Well don't put it past my wife to host a brunch for 60+ people when she is less then 2 months away from having twins. The walk was a huge success. A ton of people showed up in support of Neil plus we raised a bunch of money for the 2007 Komen Race for the Cure. The brunch was a great way for everyone to catch up and get to know some new folks as well. We had to fill the neighbors in on what was happening beforehand so the pink balloons did not send a signal for everyone to come rushing over to see the girls.

Click here for more pictures of the brunch. If someone has the group picture from the walk please send it our way!

http://picasaweb.google.com/julianwhiteiii/2007KomenRaceForTheCure

Fortunately for Elizabeth she got to eat some of the cupcakes at the brunch after the results came back negative from the gestational diabetes tests. I had no idea that women could develop a form of diabetes during pregnancy. It only affects about 4% of pregnant women annually, but the risks are much higher for mothers of multiples. Needless to say it was a great day for everyone. Not only did Elizabeth not have to worry about a restricted diet, but Pearce and I did not have to worry about Elizabeth being on a restricted diet (see picture from Halloween in July - it is really almost Halloween now!). But enough of the pregnancy statistics.

We are heading into the 28th week on Thursday! Ideally we have another 8 weeks, but at this point we have to be prepared for anything. A new friend just had her twin boys. She had them slightly earlier then anticipated so my travel schedule is being closely monitored. It looks like day trips from here on out. I will post the new ultrasound pictures later this week.

Pearce can't wait for his sisters to get here! We are still holding out hope that he will take right to them and not get too jealous.

Over 4 lbs of baby

The girls are officially both over 2 lbs now (2.1 and 2.2 to be exact). Everything looks great. The doctor actually told Elizabeth she was their model twin patient. We are still anticipating a December 1st arrival at this point and are preparing accordingly. We may need to build a storage unit for all their stuff because it is slowly taking over our house.

We went down to Wilmington for our last weekend of travel before December. We got to spend time with my immediate family plus my aunt and uncle and my young, but very inquisitive cousins. They were quite interested in Elizabeth's new body and when the girls were going to arrive. This weekend confirmed again that our family is just as excited about the twins as we are. Beach trips are going to be a lot different going forward!

We also got to attend an engagement party and see a bunch of friends from school. You can imagine what the topic of conversation was in most circles. It is nice that we have so many friends going through the same experience at the same time. The friendships that have stood the test of time for us will be passed down to the next generation through all of our children. Our kids will know more kids by the time they hit kindergarten then I did in high school. Last, the original reason for heading to the coast was for the triathlon. My brother and I ran in the Wilmington sprint triathlon on Saturday. This may turn into an annual event so next year the girls will be there to cheer dad on!

A PowerPoint To Remember

Well my friends, I have a new appreciation for motherhood and the practice of breastfeeding. Without going into too many details, I will just say the PowerPoint presentation I saw last weekend was one I will not soon forget. We attended a breastfeeding class at the hospital. I said that this whole experience felt real when I heard the heart beats for the first time, but I had no idea what I was talking about it. That seems like years ago. I never really pictured myself sitting in a class like this with a bunch of strangers. It was a little awkward at first, but everyone was comfortable by the end and eager to join in on the competition of breastfeeding jeopardy....yes breastfeeding jeopardy. Enough said.

So we have a couple more classes to go - one on childbirth and another about multiples. I am really looking forward to the later, not so much with the childbirth class. I have friends that have "been there, done that" and they haven't held back in their detailed descriptions of what I have to expect. Anyway, everything else is going great. Elizabeth's birthday was a hit. I surprised her with some jewelry after she thought all she was getting were matching bibs for the girls. We had a nice dinner with her family and the girls racked up again. They already have more stuff then we do! We should be getting as close to being as prepared as we can be. Elizabeth is a walking baby encyclopedia at this point. Who knew she was such an avid reader?

I am off to California tomorrow and Elizabeth is heading back home to see family and have a "twin lunch" with her aunt, and two other twin moms. No better way to learn what to expect then to hear it firsthand from a mom with the same experience. She is really excited and I suspect it will be good for her to realize she probably already knows more then she thinks.
Back to the doctor end of the week so hopefully the girls will cooperate and pose for us!

Only 3 lbs?

"I've only gained 3 pounds" was the email I got from Elizabeth on Thursday morning after the visit with her primary doctor. It was right then that I knew the answer to the question lingering in my head from the drive into work that morning. I left the house a little late for me around 6:50 a.m. to head to work on Thursday. That meant I was immersed in the thick of school traffic, but the one thing I noticed leaving our neighborhood were all the moms standing with their kids waiting for the bus. Already showered, coffee in hand, helping their children with backpacks or just making sure they were safely out of the road. The question that immediately popped into my head was - how is Elizabeth going to do that? Not in a bad way at all, but you have to understand, Elizabeth loves her sleep. Until recently, I could bang around all I wanted getting ready and leaving for work without disturbing her one bit. How will she be able to get up, shower, make coffee, get the kids up and ready, and be outside to meet the bus before I leave for work?

My answer was in her email. The fact that she was concerned about ONLY gaining 3 pounds demonstrated to me that she has already stepped, scratch that, jumped head first, into the world of motherhood, putting the girls first. She is only concerned with one thing and that is being everything to these two girls. Selflessly, she insists that no one needs to get her anything for her birthday rather that they should get something for the girls ("that's what we need right now"). December 1st is going to be here before we know it, but I am not worried about how we are going to handle our new responsibilities. We are going to be great parents and the girls are going to have the best mom in the world....showered, coffee in hand, and getting them ready for the bus - all before 7 am!

Here are the pics from the doctor on Thursday. The girls are 1 lb 7 ounces and 1 lb 10 ounces. Everything still looking good. It is getting tough to see them since they are on top of each other! I will have to do a separate post about our class on Saturday!

The eskimo wins

The poll is closed and it appears that the eskimo is the clear winner. The overwhelming majority of you think the girls will look more like Elizabeth. Another few months and we will get to see. I added a baby ticker so everyone can keep up with how quickly the girls are growing. We can definitely tell they are growing from our side! Elizabeth has been able to feel them kicking around for a few weeks now and I can finally feel them as well. You can actually see Elizabeth's stomach moving if you watch closely.

The nursery is coming together nicely. Here is Elizabeth on the window seat. Good thing it is comfortable...we will probably be sleeping here a good bit!

Back to the doctor on Thursday.

22 weeks...one pound each

Looks like my guess was right on the money. They are both 1 pound each. Meb and I went to the ultrasound on Friday which was nice. It was her first time and it has been a while since my last trip. We found out that the specialist Elizabeth sees has the 4D ultrasound - so the pictures will only continue to get better. The one this week was a little early, but really cool nonetheless. It's amazing how far technology has come. The top picture is the girls tete-a-tete and the bottom is the 4D of Baby B. We enjoyed seeing everyone at the cookout Sunday. Glad the whole Maddux crew could make it. Not too many more of those events before we start having much younger guests. Do you think the girls will ever dove hunt with dad?

Thanks to all who have voted. It looks like "the eskimo" is clearly in the lead. Official results to follow. Don't worry - we can't tell how you voted.

Pregnant weight lifting

No need for weights - these will do just fine. Elizabeth thinks they are heavy now...without the girls! We are heading back to the doctor on Friday and I finally get to go again. I am predicting about a pound each. I will post new pictures once we get them.

"Time Out"

Here are the ultrasound pictures from Friday. Baby A is 14 ounces and Baby B is 12 ounces. Everything is progressing nicely. The doctor wants to try to get Elizabeth to December first. It seems like the girls will be here before we know it.

And it won't be long before they will be learning about "time out" and "Stafford Boot Camp". Thanks to Taylor and Keith for the frog that teaches the concept of time. I couldn't resist.

Innie turned outie

"Popper stoppers"? What? Yes that is right, Miss Oops came up with a solution for when your innie becomes an outie and apparently it is a commonly used product. Not a big deal to me, but who I am I to judge. Anyway - here is Elizabeth at 20 weeks. Pearce is getting very excited about his new sisters. Can't you see it on his face?

Now the report on the cribs. We picked them up yesterday. Elizabeth and the woman in the store got a good laugh at my expense picturing me trying to put both of them together myself. In fact, my trusting wife already had a back up plan - a handy man's number in her wallet just in case. She let me attempt the assembly first so as not to bruise my ego. I am happy to report that the first crib took ~ 40 minutes and the second.....about 15! That's right, 15 minutes. I did feel the need to brag a little. Elizabeth was a great assistant. We make a good team and that's a good thing because it is going to take some teamwork! Here are some pics of the cribs & Elizabeth preparing the closet for the girls.

Back to the doctor tomorrow so more ultrasounds pics to follow.

Long time, no post

I know, I know….I can’t start a blog then just stop posting, but things have been a little crazy the last 2 weeks. We had a great vacation in Bald Head (minus Elizabeth losing her bag in the ferry shuffle), then it was like stepping into a lion’s den for me coming back to work. That said I have some good material to work with over the next few days so keep checking back!

Elizabeth successfully avoided the camera lens at the beach so I regretfully report we have NO photographic evidence that she was ever there. Just ask about her sunglasses tan and her response should confirm it for you though. I do however have some pictures from the wedding this past weekend and I (along with everyone else) thought Elizabeth looked great. Check them out (http://picasaweb.google.com/julianwhiteiii/KatherineSWedding).

Today is a special day; it’s our 3rd wedding anniversary! We are celebrating by enjoying a little Taqueria del Sol (cooked at home since we are not in Atlanta) and hanging out together. It seems the celebrations tone down before the babies even get here! Actually a night like tonight is just what we need right now. I barely dodged the bullet of having to put together the cribs tonight – looks like I may have to do that tomorrow. I have heard some horror stories about dads trying to assemble one crib and I have to do it twice in one night! I will let you know how it goes.

This is the card that I am giving Elizabeth tonight. I actually bought this when we moved to NC, because I thought it was a perfect pictorial description of what Elizabeth was going through at the time - living in Atlanta by herself, taking care of Pearce, leaving work midday to clean up the house while it was on the market, and mowing the yard when the grass was a foot tall (resulting in a great story by the way). This card represented that to me. Elizabeth was like this little Chihuahua with all this “stuff” hanging over her head yet she held it all together and before you know it we were back together in our new home in NC. As luck would have it I never got credit for the card as I lost it during the move. I found it a few weeks ago and I think it is even more appropriate now. Elizabeth is working, decorating a nursery, helping with Jacquelyn’s wedding, running a business, tending to the house, taking care of me and Pearce, AND pregnant with twins! That is why I married this woman, soon to be mother, and why we have many more of these special days in our future.

8 ounces

Elizabeth went back for another ultrasound today. Jacquelyn filled in for me since I could not get off of work. The highlight of my day was definitely the text from Elizabeth - "they are looking great. 8 oz each. Baby A is sucking her thumb. Will call you when I leave. XOXO"

Check out the pictures below. Apparently Baby B was not in the mood to pose for pictures - she was bouncing around throughout the scan. Baby A on the otherhand was quite the opposite - acting like a little angel. It is amazing the difference a few weeks can make in their development. If what the doctors predict is true about the girls coming early, at 18 weeks and one day, we are half way there.


Pictures from the beach to follow even though I have been warned they will be edited!

"The Man Behind the Belly"

An expectant father must "be prepared" - like a Boy Scout. Thanks to my good friend, Jeff in Raleigh, I am now ready for the adventures, or in my case, misadventures in diaper duty. I, unlike Jeff, did not make it to elite Eagle Scout status. In fact I hung up the merit badge sash after barely making it to First Class. That effectively put me ahead of the "Tenderfoot" and "Second Class" scouts. I feel about as prepared now as I did then, but I am up to the challenge. I can always lean on Larry for a little advice...or maybe not since we have changed about the same number of diapers. At least I have the gear to be the cool diaper dude (see below*). You can guess who suggested posing with the Humpty Dumpty pillow dolls (thanks Laura and Sue by the way)....little payback from my lovely bride I suppose.

Elizabeth is heading back for another ultrasound tomorrow. I can't get off work in the morning so Jacquelyn may fill in. Hopefully she fares better then I did in the doctor's office. I know the nurses will be disappointed. I will post some new pictures tomorrow then we are off to the beach for a few days - one man, three ladies, and a chihuahua + my family. Wish us luck!

*Gray and orange bag is the official diaper dude bag made especially for extra cool dads.

Halloween in July!

What do Butterfingers, chocolate syrup, and Nutella have in common? They were all in our grocery cart on Sunday. It's like the girls' first Halloween....in July. I anticipated the grocery bills going up after the babies arrive, but I should have planned ahead a little better as they already have healthy appetites. So healthy in fact, Elizabeth tried her first meatloaf last night!

We went to see the Broadway version of The Lion King this weekend and apparently the girls enjoyed the music as much as we did - Elizabeth said they were dancing around like crazy the rest of the day. Going to the play was a good look into what the future holds. There were tons of dads with their kids - their little jaws on the floor and eyes open wide as they took in everything from from the bongo drums to giant giraffes. Definitely have to remember to do this again - once they can remember it.

I guess its about time to own up to a story that has been floating around for some time. It's only fair to level the playing field since this blog is a little one sided. It goes back to the first ultrasound I went to - when I heard the two hearts beating for the first time. There are several versions of the story so I figured I would share the truth. Unfortunately its not as drastic as many would like to think, but embarrassing for the expectant father nonetheless. So there we were, the "little beans" on the screen and we could hear their hearts beating. Disclaimer: I don't do well in a doctor's office to begin with. I guess the whole experience was a little overwhelming. Next thing I know I was feeling light headed and judging by the look on Elizabeth's face, not looking as tan as I did on our arrival. I had to lean against the table, then upon instruction from the nurse sat quickly down in a chair. I was sweating profusely and took a few minutes to stand up. I could not really communicate so Elizabeth and the nurse made the decision to go get me a coke so I would feel better. Remember, "we" are pregnant, but Elizabeth is the one carrying these babies and now I am the one laid out in the chair having my pregnant wife bring me a coke. The news spread like wildfire in this unfamiliar place, where I was drastically outnumbered by female patients, nurses and doctors. I think I was one of three men in the whole office! Next thing I know we are walking down the hall and all the nurses are smiling at me asking if I was alright. As we walked by I could hear them whispering "he was the one....". I couldn't wait to get out of there. Unfortunately, given the fact that we are expecting twins, is only fitting that I get to go back about 4 times as much as the typical father. I am still working on a quick comeback - please share if you can think of anything....So now you have it - the true story. I did not chip a tooth or break an arm by passing out. I was not laid out on the floor or a stretcher, even though I might as well have been. Still - quite embarrassing. Don't worry - I already have some other embarrassing moments to share and we are not even half way through this experience....all in due time.

Here is another picture of Elizabeth....and the girls.

What do you think about Zoey?

I hope you honestly did not think we were considering the name Zoey for one of the girls. We are thinking about names, but that is not what this post is about. Once you find out you are pregnant, people begin asking all kinds of questions. One question that many people think is quite serious and one that we never really considered was - what are you going to do with Pearce (our dog)? The question implies that we have to do something and in fact this really is a big issue for many people. Apparently this is such an issue that you can buy books, tapes, fake babies, etc...to prepare your dog for the new arrival. The thought of playing a CD on repeat with the sounds of crying infants for weeks leading up to their arrival all so Pearce can get acclimated doesn't interest me in the least. For that matter, if we need to get acclimated, Elizabeth and I should both be listening to the same thing. I think there will be plenty of that once the girls get here - no need to rush.

So back to the supposed dilemma at hand, what to do about Pearce. We talked it over and decided Pearce will do just fine. In fact, I ran across an article that the other day that reaffirmed our decision - "These little bitty dogs, they just don't really get credit,"....At least that's what Booker's grandma had to say after their tiny little chihuahua named Zoey threw herself in between a striking rattlesnake and her one year old grandson - potentially saving his life. Don't believe me? Check it out for yourself.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/2007-07-22-chihuahua-rattle_N.htm

We do agree it will take a little time for him to warm up to them, but you certainly can't blame him for getting a head start.

When yellow turns to pink

You can already tell that we are having twin girls from the name of the blog, but that is my fault for not starting this earlier. Finding out the sex of your baby, or babies in our case, is obviously one of the most exciting parts of the pregnancy. It is definitely more exciting then waking to the sound of late night snacking in bed, having to switch out your soap (because of the smell), or witnessing your wife eat microwave sausage biscuits for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We both went back and forth on own predictions until last Friday - when yellow turned to pink. Official pre ultrasound tally:

Elizabeth - girls

Ian - boys
My coworkers - girls (by one vote)

Elizabeth's friends - boys

Ian's friends - girls

You notice a trend here. All of her friends thought boys and all of mine thought girls - some sort of a destiny thing. "There is no way Elizabeth can handle boys so she is definitely having them". The same for me with girls. Of course, when it boils down to it, all you really want to see is two healthy hearts beating, two healthy babies growing, and one healthy mother smiling back at them - and I got that! This ultrasound is much more thorough then the previous ones with the assistant taking measurements of various bone lengths, blood flows, body weights, etc...I was amazed at the reassuring detail the process provides. Our babies were busy bouncing around throughout the scan, but managed to slow down briefly enough to pose for a few pictures and most importantly to settle the debate - girls or boys. And just like that - we knew. Baby A.....a girl. Baby B....a girl. Shortly after that blissful moment of carefree happiness, staring up at my little girls on the flat screen monitor, I was transported into the head of Steve Martin in Father of the Bride, in shock about his daughter getting married. I'm not sure if it's because Elizabeth has made me watch the movie so many times or if the books I have read are right -the first instinct in the father figure is to worry about the financial aspects of raising children and that this in-depth ultrasound can make the whole experience real for many expecting dads. I am here to tell you - right then, it felt real.

The images of our two little babies on the screen were quickly replaced with images of Elizabeth and two little girls dressed to the nines, toting Prada purses and strutting out of the house in coordinating colors of Tori Burch flats. Notions of early retirement were replaced with concerns of how we could possibly afford two college educations, two weddings, two.....well, two of everything. But then another feeling came over me - one of inspiration. I realized I was going to be a dad and that my three ladies and one chihuahua were going to look to me for that support.

The subtle, unassuming yellow nursery was about to take on a life of its own - bring on the PINK!

Meet the Whites

For those that don't know us that well, here is a little background. Elizabeth and I met when we were 16 and have been together ever since. We married almost 3 years ago (8/14) and recently moved to North Carolina from Georgia.

Shortly after we made the move back to NC we began renovating the upstairs of our new home. Some called this the "nesting phase", I called it another one of Elizabeth's "projects". Although being back in NC, close to family, made the thought of starting a family more of a reality for both of us.

We decided to start trying and it was only a couple months later when I got "the call" at work. It was Elizabeth asking if I wanted to meet for lunch. A couple of things struck me about this call. One - it was before 9 am. Having the luxury of working from home, it is rare that my lovely wife is up at this hour, much less calling me at work. Two - the purpose of the call - to confirm plans for lunch. There was no way she could already be thinking about lunch before the daily breakfast ritual with Pearce. Anyway, a couple minutes later I had a lunch date with my wife and was about my day. Noon rolled around and I walked out to meet Elizabeth. She brought a little wrapped gift that confirmed my earlier suspicions - not just your average lunch. I opened it up and got my first glimpse of parenthood - a onesie! It was confirmed - the test at home backed up by an earlier blood test at the doctor - we were going to be parents and we were both excited....and nervous.

The following week Elizabeth went back to the doctor for what we assumed to be a normal checkup. She called me after the appointment and asked if I wanted to hear what the doctor had to say. I assumed it was going to be as simple as "everything looks great". Little did I know, our exciting news was about to get all the more exciting - TWINS! Nothing can prepare you for for the day you find out you're pregnant ("you" - referring to the both of you) much less the day you find out you are going to have twins. At the time, we were not aware of twins on either side of the family so it was a total fluke. The next week we both went in for an ultrasound and confirmed they are identical. Depending on who you talk to some say there is no scientific evidence that identicals are genetic, but if you ask my mother-in-law, Meb, she would beg to differ. We have now confirmed, through Meb, there were 3 sets of identicals on Elizabeth's side of the family.

We decided to hold out and tell our family the news on Mother's Day. We attempted to get everyone together at our house for lunch that weekend. Unfortunately, my dad was in the Bahamas and my mom could not make it on Sunday. My mom and sister came in town on Saturday and we spilled the beans. My mom, Kathy, insists she knew before we told her. The following day Elizabeth's family came over to the house. Bloody Mary's and mimosas were flowing for all....except Elizabeth (and Elizabeth loves champagne). We gave all the moms and grandmothers a little package with the the two ultrasound pictures and a card saying "Happy Mother's Day - You are going to be a grandmother (or great grandmother). Everyone was so excited upon opening their little box and seeing an ultrasound picture that we had to tell them to flip past the picture of "baby A" to see the picture of "baby B"!

Once our family knew, we started telling our friends. We probably told a little early, but as I mentioned, Elizabeth really likes champagne, so there are only so many weddings you can attend without people asking questions. It's safe to assume, anyone we have come in contact with over the last 29 years is now aware of the fact we are having twins. Fast forward a couple of months and Elizabeth is now almost 17 weeks. That was a quick recap of everything that has happened up to this point. I don't want everyone to lose interest before we get started so keeping it short and sweet. Here is a picture of Elizabeth last week. We both just noticed the bump - it appeared out of nowhere! If you have not met Pearce, he is the little guy just outside the door. Going forward we refer to him as the "big brother"....