As Opposite As Twin Brothers

The twenty-one week checkup (couldn't get in with the doctor at twenty weeks) was on Tuesday. Another ultrasound and a meeting with our new OB (our old one left the clinic at the new year). The ultrasound showed the different personalities (or more likely, different sleep cycles) of the two boys. Baby A was uncooperative and moody, doing little more than mooning the ultrasound tech the entire time. Baby B, however, was acting like Peter Griffin on Red Bull.



He was spinning, flipping, turning, not holding still at all. Perhaps it's a foretaste of what family pictures will be like from now on.

BREAKING NEWS UPDATE:
We felt the babies move! More specifically, Mama Bear felt "something" that was probably babies last week, then felt that "something" several times last Friday. While she was laying in bed, she felt it strongly enough to call me into the room where we both saw her stomach MOVE. Bloop. Just like that it moved! We put our hands on her belly and felt Baby A kick (or punch or roll or something) on his side, then Baby B outdo his brother on the left side. It was...(wait for it)...breathtaking.

Mama Bear is now growing at a rapid clip, making up for lost time after a nauseous first trimester with little to no weight gain.



The house has had all sorts of activity lately. Lots of showings and open houses and needs to quickly evacuate the house for a couple hours. We are racking up steep dog-sitting debts to some good friends who thankfully like Win despite his googily eyes.

Seen:
We caught a couple of films over the weekend. The Social Network was playing at the Riverview (best movie deal in the Twin Cities). I was leery going into the viewing for some reason but it turned out that I had no reason to be at all. The movie was fantastic. A wonderful character story and a wonderful performance by Jesse Eisenberg, no matter how accurate or fictional it may be.

Next was a morning matinee showing of The King's Speech. I am a fan of just about everyone in the film and had high hopes. It was great but...not as great as I was hoping? I am soon to graduate into a rehabilitation-based career and had a professional interest in seeing how they depicted early speech therapy and was encouraged by how it was portrayed. Again, not sure on the historical accuracy but I appreciated how Lionel Logue's career was based out of a need to help people regain a load-bearing piece of their life after some trauma, either physical or emotional.

What have you seen lately? What did you think of it?

The Latter Half

We've passed the midway point of this pregnancy. Mama Bear hit twenty weeks yesterday. (Technically the halfway point for multiples is usually around 18 weeks as 36 weeks is considered full term.) I've grown accustomed to the idea of pregnancy and the two virtual boys that are floating upside-down in her belly. Now I get to adjust to the idea that these little guys will be here sooner than I think.

More official baby gear keeps streaming into our house. This week Mama Bear used her bargain-hunting super-powers to buy many adorable outfits for our chitlins. (It is frustrating to think that our children will wear these outfits only a handful of times, if at all, before they outgrow them. After that, we turn them into costumes for Win.) 

The stroller and car seats also arrived this week. There's a level of excitement about it that I relate to getting a new car: lots of new features to try out, you want to show off the latest model out in public, you imagine all the off-road trails this beast could totally handle. Then you remember that it's a stroller and you will never ride in it. And you are the engine.

(Speaking of which, we opted for this bad boy and the 22 lb accompanying car seats. We originally planned on the 35 lb capacity seats but then realized that we didn't want to potentially push around 100 lbs of baby and accessories.)

We're gonna be badass.

Finally, I want to start a feature here that I am blatantly ripping off from a blog I used to read that no longer exists, and whose idea (assuming it was his to begin with) is now very popular. I want to share things that I have recently seen, heard, and read.

Seen:

Over the holiday break, I watched a lot of things. Football. Basketball. The American version of Top Gear (surprisingly entertaining). Several movies. Heavy on the Jeff Bridges. True Grit (his performance was outstanding, but the rest of the movie was meh) and Tron Legacy (his performance[s] were pretty ok but his channeling of the Dude was heavy handed, the visuals were stunning, and the story was entertaining enough to keep me engaged) in the theater. Sherlock Holmes (a lot better than what I had been told), The Rock (gets dumber with each viewing), and Coraline (loved loved loved it) on DVR. We finished off the break with The Men Who Stare At Goats (more Jeff Bridges, and a very entertaining story).

Heard:
Besides the podcasts I recently mentioned, I have been enjoying The King Can Drink The Harbour Dry, by the Dimes. It is marvelously crafted and super delicious to hear. Go check it out. Better yet, enjoy this tidbit.

Read:
Currently working through several books at once, making no progress on any of them. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain, Twinspiration by Cheryl Lage, Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years by Diarmaid MacCulloch, and The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson. It's a safe bet I will still be working on all of them when the boys arrive.

The Christmas Where Everyone Shouts, and some news

Balloon and Bridge, originally uploaded by the_dharma_bum.

This year's festivities in my family's home were probably the most entertaining that I can remember. Easily the most raucous. (Blame that on the aquavit.) Our family was expanded by the addition of our dear family friend (and surrogate sibling) Mo and the two baby boys a-brewin' in my wife's belly.

That's right. Two baby BOYS.

We found out that news clandestinely on the 23rd and surprised both sets of parents with the news over Christmas. It was received with a mix of exclamations of joy and sharp inhaling of breath through clenched teeth. The next few decades should be fun.

I'm now camped out at the in-laws' bunker in West Michigan, enjoying DVR'd episodes of Top Gear (the American version, surprisingly entertaining) and sporting events. We saw True Grit (it was ok). I got a few books to read (Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years and The Girl Who Played With Fire) and new socks to wear (argyle patterns in cashmere and lambswool). It was a good Christmas.

Also, our home is now officially for sale. Someone please buy it soon.