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"....

First Post

Well here it is. We had several folks ask us to start a blog to keep them updated with the progress of the twins. I decided to put a different twist on it by focusing on my (the father's) perspective. Elizabeth is too busy decorating the nursery anyway since we found out on Friday we are having girls. Camouflage out - pink in. I plan to post regularly and include as many pictures as I can for family and friends to enjoy. Hopefully I will be able to keep it up! Here goes....