Any day now... or so you would think.

Today marks the first day of my third trimester. Hooray! We're two-thirds of the way there, babies. (Though actually, more, since twins never go completely to full term.) This also means that this past week was my last week in the office until I return from maternity leave. Which is kind of a weird feeling. Because my doctor has said all throughout this pregnancy that I would need to plan to (in his words) "not leave the house" after the start of the third trimester, my work has allowed me to telecommute for until the babies come and I go on maternity leave. At first, I thought my doctor's advice seemed a tad extreme... but now I'm beginning to see the rationale behind it. If I had only one baby, I would be the size of someone 8 weeks farther along - which, at this point, means that I am now approaching the limit to which a pregnant body can continue to grow. Of course, you see very pregnant women about my size going about their daily business all the time... but the big difference is that at 36 weeks, one baby could be born with no problems. But since our babies are only 28 weeks, and weigh about 2 1/2 pounds each, we still have a ways to go! So while my "house arrest" orders initially seemed extreme, I am now seeing the importance of taking it easy, and minimizing stress and physical activity, just so we can keep our babies gestating as long as possible.

And actually, I feel like my doctor's advice has been validated by the fact that I seem to look very pregnant to most people nowadays. Granted, I've been getting used to being randomly stared at, smiled at, and asked "When are you due?" for a while now... but lately, it's been different. Now, what random strangers say to me are things like "You're sure ready to go!" or "Looks like any day now!" Two of my favorites occurred just this morning... at Trader Joe's, a woman pointed to my belly and said, "Wow! You're going to have a good Christmas!" and then later, a homeless guy on 14th Street commented, "That baby's going to kick its way out!" Right. To all of this, I just smile and nod - it's not worth getting into the whole explanation of "I'm due in March, but I have twins, that's why I'm really big, blah, blah, blah..." Nowadays, if people ask, I just say I'm due in January - and no, I don't know what I'm having - because no one seemed to believe it when I said I was due in March. I feel somewhat guilty lying, but it's just easier that way.

I guess all of this is to say that it's probably a good thing I will be in semi-hibernation status for the rest of my pregnancy. Good for the babies, and probably good for my sanity!

Carseat dilemma resolved!

As many of you may know, we have been contending with a brainteaser of how to fit two infant carseats into our Mazda3 hatchback. After much searching for the smallest carseat on the market, we found the Chicco KeyFit 30. But despite the small size, we found that while one would work fine, two would still be too much for our car. We even practiced driving around with empty carseats in the back, but realized that the passenger's knees would always be in the glovebox, and the driver's knees would be so locked in place that you could never make a quick stop if needed. So not only would space be an issue in our car, but so would safety. The whole situation has really been a bummer, because we love our car, and bought it less than two years ago thinking that it would make a great family car for us someday. But, that was back when we envisioned having kids one at a time, not two at a time!

So last weekend, we began scoping out bigger models. We didn't want to go too big, but big enough to fit our babies and all the stuff that goes with them - yet still reasonably fuel-efficient. For the price, the size, and the fuel efficiency, we decided that the Ford Escape Hybrid would be our next car. After several near-misses in the hot local hybrid market, today, we finally found a car to call our own! It's a 2006 model in excellent condition, with all of the features of our current car, plus a navigation system (yay!). And, best of all, the carseats fit!

This also means that our dear Mazda3 hatchback is on the market. We are sad to say goodbye to it, but since we drive so little, we don't really have the need for two cars... nor for the expense, with two babies coming. So, if you know anyone who is interested, please let us know!

My pregnant sense of entitlement.

There are few times in life in which you can be demanding without being considered rude. Pregnancy is one of those times. When I need a seat on the bus or the metro, usually the sight of me makes at least one seated passenger feel guilty enough to forfeit their seat. If not, no big deal... I have become very comfortable with (politely) asking able-bodied young men to kindly let me sit in their place. Not only does it mean I get a seat, but I also like to think that I am helping in their training to become more thoughtful members of our public transportation system... and hopefully, better boyfriends and husbands someday. Besides, seats are really for the people who need them - and I really need them. I decided a while ago that it is not worth standing on the metro and risking my chances of pre-term labor because it's too uncomfortable to say something.

But then, put me in a crowded line - and it doesn't take so much as an exasperated sigh from me for people around to take a step back and give me some breathing room. I used to think it was kind of funny, actually... until I realized that I may be freaking people out that I'm going into labor. At the movies, if Joe and I can't find two seats together in the section we want, I have no problem with asking others to shift seats so that I can sit next to my husband. Then, if the person next to me is excessively hogging the shared armrest, I (again, politely) ask them to make some room for me. I mean, is someone really going to say no to a pregnant woman? I am big and uncomfortable, after all, and being squeezed between seat hoggers certainly doesn't help matters.

I've come to realize that I'm performing another version of what pregnant women did in Honduras when I was in Peace Corps. There, it was absolutely dog-eat-dog anytime there was a line - at the bus, at the bank, or even buying oranges on the street - and pregnant women would unabashedly stick their bellies out to push their way right up to the front. I used to feel somewhat guilty for using pregnancy to get what I want, but I'm getting over it. After all, how many times do we all have to worry about being thoughtful and accommodating to strangers... and isn't it nice to be the one who's being accommodated for a change? It won't be forever after all... but for now, I sure am enjoying these few brief months of entitlement, before I go back to standing on the metro and feeling crowded and uncomfortable in public places. Besides, I will be working from home after December 19th until I go into labor... which means I only have a few more precious days of a seated commute, before my seat becomes vacant for someone else!

In defense of parking for new or expectant moms.

The farther you go out into the 'burbs, the more you see prime parking spaces for new or expectant moms at supermarkets and strip malls. And for years, I wondered: does anyone use them? They always seemed empty... to the point when I couldn't find a regular space, that I would start to feel pretty darn tempted to park in one. Especially when I would see perfectly un-pregnant-looking women (and sometimes men) doing exactly what I was only thinking about doing. Okay, maybe you can be pregnant without actually looking pregnant, I would tell myself. (Well, maybe not the men.) But if you really wanted to, you could fake being pregnant for sake of parking - because is the parking police really going to demand to see a positive pregnancy test? I don't think so.

But, alas, for years I have resisted stealing parking from the new or expectant among us. Because I knew that one day, a time would come when I would take full advantage of those parking spaces... and now, I'm taking full advantage, baby. Oh yeah. In fact, if I pull into a parking lot, and those precious "mom" spaces are already taken, I can't help but react with complete indignation. How dare someone else park there? Those are my spaces! And are they really new or expectant moms? But then, when I have to park a mile away from some super-store and waddle my pregnant self to my destination, I just get more cranky and suspicious of the allegedly pregnant women and mothers who are already parked in my spaces. Meh. The irony of it all is that having special parking for being pregnant would have never even occurred to me... but now that I know it exists, I feel that it has become my right as a pregnant woman. But that's my own problem. :-)

Joe always tells me I'm being suspicious for nothing... but last night at the Harris Teeter in Arlington, I had all the proof of my suspicion I need. Lucky for us, we scored one of the two "new or expectant mom" spaces right by the entrance. We braved the crowds and lines inside, all in the name of Thanksgiving shopping, and returned to our car. But what did we find? A young, twenty-something male Redskins fan parking in the only other "mom" space right next to us. By himself. No expectant mom or children in sight. Clearly, Redskins mania must have gotten the better of him, as that would explain how he confused "new or expectant mom" parking for "quick halftime beer run" parking. Maybe they need their own special parking, too?

Next time, avoid supermarkets during Redskins game, I guess. I'll try to chalk this up to a random asshole occurrence, and assume that those parking spaces are otherwise occupied by legitimate new and expectant moms. Just let me find parking without having to walk a mile, please!

23-week appointment

Yesterday we got to see the babies again, for the first time since the big gender reveal. For us, since we have twins, this qualifies us as a "high-risk" pregnancy - which really just means we have more ultrasounds, and more opportunities to see our little ones. We don't mind, though... it's always fun to check in and see all the activity going on inside!

Our baby girl posed very agreeably for the technician, giving us a good profile and showing us her thumb-sucking skills. Unfortunately, our baby boy was not so agreeable - he showed us his back and his front, but no profile this time. We figured out why they always try to take ultrasound photos as profiles - the fetal front view is positively skeletal, hence, the slightly creepy image you see below on the left. But, the important thing is that they are doing well, growing bigger, and all the essential organs are developing normally. They are still growing a little ahead of schedule, too - our baby boy is estimated to weigh 1 lb. 7 oz., and our baby girl is estimated to weight about 1 lb., 4 oz. We'll see them again on December 11!

Baby boy is on the left, and baby girl is on the right:

Goodbye, toes.

I must confess: for the last few weeks, I've been spending way too much time checking in on my toes while standing, just to see if I can still see them. And now, the total eclipse I have been awaiting has happened! Here is my view, looking down:

But wait - if I lean forward just a little bit... hey, there they are again!
I guess I now know how it feels to have a beer gut. Fortunately, though, this gut is not from beer... and all I have to do to get rid of it is give birth to two little babies! So, goodbye toes for now - see ya in a few months!

Stay tuned for belly button popping and other fascinating pregnant bodily phenomena.

Oh no. It's crib shopping time.

Some decisions in life are much harder than they need to be. Wedding dress shopping was one. Oh, but crib shopping is much, much worse. For those of you who thought cribs were simple, think again. Drop-down sides or stationary? Low front, or same height all around? Rounded edge or square edge? Which one would they chew on? (Yes, apparently kids like to chew on their cribs.) Which one would they climb out of? And that's even before you begin weighing the merits of hardwood vs. softwood, espresso vs. cherry vs. honey finish, flimsy strorage drawer vs. no drawer, and whether there are any annoying screws showing on the thing. And then when you think you just want a simple crib, you realize you have the option of buying a crib that converts to a toddler bed and a full-size bed. Sure, you can still buy a simple crib like the one that most of us slept in as babies - but is there any reason to buy a smaller, simpler crib that just works for right now, when you can buy a slightly larger, more expensive crib that doubles as a bed for later? But at the same time, what if the convertible crib turns out to be total crap, and doesn't even last until they're toddlers? Or, what if your kids decide that they totally hate the bed, and you never even end up using it? My friends, therein lies the crib dilemma!

Yes, maybe we are obsessing over trivial details. But being faced with so many choices with such subtle differences, makes us long for someone to just tell us what to do! And since many cribs take up to 12 weeks to arrive, it means we need to decide soon. Fortunately, we made some progress this weekend at Baby2Teen in Manassas. We are pretty much set on one that we saw there, and as long as we don't change our minds in this next week, will probably order it next weekend. So, yay! But the real silver lining of our weekend was that we totally scored on nursery linens at the Pottery Barn Kids outlet... getting two full sets of crib bedding and four curtains, all for under $100! Woo-hoo! That cheered us up after being broken down by crib shopping. Since we're buying two of everything, we've got to find the deals where we can!

And in not-so-good news... while crib shopping, we encountered a pregnant woman with our exact same due date. Except - no joke - she did not even look pregnant!!! I realized then that if that's what a singleton pregnancy looks like at this stage, then I am really in for some BIG times ahead.

Exhibit A, 22 weeks:

A 5 1/2-month pregnant belly with one baby does not stick out this much!!!

Babies for Obama!

It's no secret that we are proud Democrats. In fact, we are doing our best to increase the Democratic population by two in just a few months! Today was an amazing, historic day - an election that many of us never thought we would see in our lifetimes. It has been a long time since we have felt proud of our country, but we are proud beyond words of all the Americans who made this happen. Even though the election will not undo all the damage of the Bush administration, it is still such a relief to see it finally come to an end, and know that real hope lies on the horizon. Our world will still be filled with uncertainty, but at least we can feel good knowing our babies will be born into a much better place.

Go Obama!!!

Halloween

What kind of costume goes with pregnant? This has been our dilemma this Halloween season. With the belly being too obvious to hide, we decided that whatever couples' costume we came up with had to have pregnancy built into it. After much debate, we finally settled on "Joe the Milkman" (get it???) and the '50s housewife he got pregnant. For our last Halloween without kids, we were determined to rally and make it to two parties - staying up until 2:00 am, a record for pregnant Sarah!

Meanwhile, Mika got dressed up as a pumpkin. Despite appearances, she actually didn't mind it as much as last year's bumblebee costume!

Btw, if you ever need ideas for pregnant couple Halloween costumes, here were some of our finalists:

- a baker and an oven (with a bun in the oven)
- a chef and a jar of Prego spaghetti sauce (with exp. date as the due date)
- jock and pregnant prom queen
- Mother and Father Earth

One of each!

Today was the day of our big 20-week ultrasound. We were happy to see that the babies are both progressing nicely, have all the essential parts, and are still measuring at about the same size. In fact, they are still measuring about a week ahead, so they are really growing! We were also able to find out the gender, and were thrilled to find out that we are having one of each - a boy and a girl!

Names are still to come, with no final decision to be made until they are born. Until then, they are referred to as "Baby A" and "Baby B" in clinical terms - Baby A being the boy, and Baby B being the girl. The A and B have to do with positioning - Baby A is positioned closest to the cervix, which means that he will be the first to be born.

Here are our little ones below - Baby A (the boy) on the left, and Baby B (the girl) on the right. We loved how the girl was smiling for the camera already!

Love my new shirt!

Tonight, we received a wonderfully thoughtful pregnancy package from my sister-in-law, Kristi. Among other things, it contained the great little shirt you see below - which reads, "My pod has two peas"! Naturally, I was so excited, I had to try it on right away. I will totally live in this... especially since it will help explain to people why I look as pregnant as I do! Thanks Kristi!!!

Side view, circa 18 weeks:

Okay, maternity pants do kinda rock.

I had originally promised myself that I would hold out on wearing maternity clothes until 20 weeks - halfway through pregnancy. I figured if I stretched out wearing my regular clothes as long as possible, I would be less likely to create a big bonfire of maternity clothes by the time I reached the end. I was all set with the perfect transition wardrobe - wrap dresses, wrap tops, empire waists, stretchy fabrics - everything I needed for the fat-awkward phase of pregnancy. But with the 20-week mark still weeks away, I could see I was not going to reach my goal. With one - maybe... but with two, it just means that I am so much bigger so much earlier. After all, if even chilly DC commuters are giving up their seats for me on the metro, it's because I LOOK TOTALLY PREGNANT. And I'm not even halfway there yet!

So, I broke down and finally busted out the maternity pants. And now I'm wondering, what was I waiting for all this time? Why have I been walking around with my pants and skirts unzipped and uncomfortable for weeks? Hello, stretchy elastic waist comfort. Ahhh. I think I may never go back!

Twins: What everyone wants to know

Ever since we've announced to the world that we are having twins, we have received a multitude of curious questions about how it happened. After researching and learning more about twins than we ever thought possible, we feel we have a responsibility to educate and dispel some of the myths out there. Here are some of the most common questions we have gotten:

Did you use fertility treatments?
Nope! These twins are all natural, baby.

Do twins run in your families?
We have twins on both sides of our family. However, contrary to popular belief, fraternal twins are the only type of twins that truly "run in the family." But - because fraternal twins result from the mother releasing two eggs at once, they can only be passed down on the mother's side. Twins being on the father's side actually has no bearing whatsoever!

Identical twins, on the other hand, occur completely at random, due to the splitting of one egg - and have nothing to do with genetics.

Do you know if they're identical or fraternal?
When twins share a placenta and amniotic sac, it means they are identical. When twins have separate placentas, and/or amniotic sacs, they can be either identical or fraternal. Our twins have separate sacs and separate placentas, so the only way for us to know at this point is through amniocentesis. After birth, the placentas can be analyzed to determine if they are identical or fraternal. Of course, if they turn out to be opposite sexes, then we will know for certain that they are fraternal (since identical twins are identical in every possible way, including gender).

While there may be no explaining the Hollywood twin phenomenon, there is no doubt that twins are more common today than they were even 20 years ago. Aside from fertility treatments, some of the reasons behind this include factors such as maternal age, race, and even having a diet high in folic acid. This means our twins will be in good company with all of the other twins out there!

Holy crap, we're having twins!

Having twins always seemed like a neat idea... but one that we truly never expected would happen to us!!! But, you never know how things will work out sometimes. Looking back, we should have seen it coming... we would be walking our dog, or be at the mall, and it seemed like we saw twin babies everywhere. Everytime we saw them, we said to ourselves how lucky those parents were to have just one pregnancy, raise both kids at the same time without having to go through everything one at a time, and getting to share toys and kids' stuff. Little did we know!

And then came the first doctor's appointment on August 7, at 8 weeks. I had called ahead to find out if I would have an ultrasound, which they assured me they would only do if I were having problems. I figured there would be no need for Joe come to watch them take blood and urine samples, so I just went. But surprise! - since my insurance covered an ultrasound, they decided to just do one anyway. I started to prepare myself for the possibility of bad news, since I hadn't expected to find out anything that day... but surprise again! Not only was there one healthy little embryo there, but two! My doctor was shocked, as she had never diagnosed natural twins before, since she sees so many who have been referred from fertility clinics. So, she ran out of the room to get an opinion from another doctor, leaving me there to start freaking out by myself! But sure enough, twins were confirmed.

I debated calling Joe at work to tell him the news... but decided that it might be the kind of surprise better to save for in person. Unfortunately, we both had plans we could not cancel after work that day, so I somehow ended up keeping the secret for 8 whole hours - a personal record for a big secret. :-) Since then, our lives have been a whirlwind of shock and excitement, as we prepare to embark on our twin journey!

Here they are, our little ones at 8 weeks: