Twin Pregnancy: Week 26 Update

Twin Pregnancy: Week 26

This week we went to Toronto for a wedding (Congrats Jess & Jordan!) and I had a vain attempt at pretending I was not pregnant. First of all, I booked us a room at the Gladstone Hotel, a really cool hotel on Queen West where each room has been designed by an artist. It was awesome. Until we arrived back at the hotel on Friday night around 10:30pm, and discovered that the dance party that was happening on the main floor of the hotel made it seem like we had rented a room inside a speaker. The next morning, when we talked to the front desk person about it, he offered us the room half-price, and half-price for Saturday with parking included. This is the point in my life where sleep is literally priceless. We declined and left the really cool hotel with our tails between our legs (we would have been AT that dance party 6 months ago!!!), and we booked into the Hyatt. And that was the best decision we’ve made in a long long time. Roof top pool! QUIET rooms! Just down the street from both shopping and the Rogers Center (Steph caught a few innings of a Blue Jays game while I maxed out my visa)! It was perfect. And we let the realization sink in that we need certain creature comforts now. The “cool” option is not the best option anymore. We are…getting old, and becoming parents. And it starts right now. 

My second vain attempt at normalcy was buying a pair of fancy wedge shoes from Brown’s. I had brought my trusty Teva velco sandals that sort of pass as cute fancy sandals, but don’t really, and I just lost it in the shoe store. I want normal feet again! So I found this pair of gorgeous black suede wedges, and they made my outfit look awesome by the way, and around 9:30 that night the swelling of the feet commenced. I ignored the swelling, and I danced as much as my extra 25lbs would allow, and of course, I dealt with my giant swollen feet for the next two days. But you know what? It was worth it. For about 5 minutes, I felt normal again. And those shoes are awesome. 

In other news, we had another ultrasound yesterday, followed by a doctor’s appointment and that darn one-hour glucose test. The ultrasound was cool as always, although it’s getting difficult to decipher what exactly we’re seeing, since they’re getting so crammed in their space. The little ones are still lying transverse, but apparently there’s still no need to worry about position at this point (other than the fact that little boy is SERIOUSLY up in my ribs – ouchy). The technician confirmed that boy and girl status (although there really was no doubt about it the last time we saw them!), and she kept asking what I was feeding them because they are quite big for their age. The little girl is measuring at 28 weeks, (just over 2lbs) and the little boy is right on 26 weeks (just under 2lbs). I guess twins are usually smaller for their age, but not mine! She also said they’re going to be tall, because they have really long legs. No one in that office is questioning my diet, that’s for sure! 

I did the glucose test, and I’m waiting for the results. It doesn’t really matter what the results say, I know how sugar affects me. The rest of the day I was cranky and pouty and things were very itchy *downstairs* if you know what I mean. I wish I’d done more research on the glucose test. Frankly, I’d much rather say “Yes, sugar affects me, I won’t eat it anymore. No test needed!” I already know I can’t have sugar in the evening or I’ll be up all night, I’m happy with cutting it out completely. I still have fruit and juice to keep me satisfied. I’ve been making apple juice popcicles that REALLY hit the spot. 

Sleep is starting to allude me. I get quite nauseous lying on my back, their weight presses on some vein that prevents blood flow. And switching from side to side takes up so much energy…I registered for a fancy pillow to help with sleeping, but I’m considering just going to get it, I don’t know if I can wait until June 10th (shower day!). One week left of full-time work! And not a moment too soon, sitting all day really pushes little boy into my ribs…not comfy. And I could really use a nap. 

Have a great weekend! 

Sarah

Twin Pregnancy: Week 25 Update

Twin pregnancy: week 25

I’m getting TIRED! This is actually a picture of week 24 + 3 days. I think I’m bigger now. The little ones kick like crazy at all hours of the day. Sleep is becoming more and more difficult…you’d think we’d get a break before they got here, eh? Work is getting to be quite draining, but I’m going to be only working mornings in June before I stop for good, so I will be able to blog way more then. For now, I will try to stick to my weekly updates! 

Have a great May 2-4 for all my Canadian friends! 

Sarah

Twin Pregnancy: Week 23 Update

Twin Pregnancy: Week 23

In the beginning, the weeks seemed to take forever. Now, all of a sudden, they are flying by. I want everything to stop and slow down, and at the same time, I’ve started having this craving to hold my babies in my arms. I’m glad that they’re safe and warm in my belly, but I have a longing to hold them and know what they look like. Pregnancy is such a strange thing, the way that your emotions are connected to your body; and how it all knows to do the right thing at the right time. 

I ordered a bunch of books from Amazon earlier in the week, (a whole whackload on Attachment Parenting, the philosophy of which I love, but not sure how it will translate with two infants), and one of the books I got is Birthing from Within. As soon as I started reading it, I knew I would love it. I will do a full review when I’m done, because I think everyone should read this book. One of the topics she touches on in the first chapter is “worrying” during pregnancy. The author explains that worrying is a healthy aspect of pregnancy, and a way for us to work out deep-seated issues. In fact, women who worry a lot often have easier births, because they have been able to work through their fears. Ignoring fears can hinder a peaceful birth, because the fears were never dealt with. I love this idea. The neuroses that pop up in pregnancy actually serve a purpose.

As I have written in the past, I am having a hard time accepting that we have to stay in our downtown townhouse (even though it’s brand new). This particular neurosis seems to climax once a week or so, when I go on a mad house hunting frenzy and usually end up driving my husband nuts. Each time that this happens though, I try to look at the reasons I’m doing this – mainly that I am worried about feeling trapped in a house that does not serve myself or my children – a carry-over from watching my mom raise my sisters when I was 16 and there were 7 of us crammed in a tiny town house. These issues, no matter how annoying and repetitive they seem, need to be addressed, and I need to come to terms with them so that I can move past my fears. 

I use my own craziness as an example, but it could be anything. It could be worrying about dying during childbirth, or that you won’t know how to take care of your baby properly. Whatever your worry is, it’s okay to worry about it! It’s a signal that there is some work that needs to be done on a deeper level. Follow your worry, keep asking WHY. Why am I worried about this? What happened in the past that might make me think this could happen? What narrative have I been dragging around that might not serve me anymore? And I got all that from the first chapter! Phew! 

We had our first pre-natal class on Wednesday (for parents expecting multiples). There were only 4 couples, but it was neat to be around people who are in the same situation we are. The class is given by someone who had twins, so that’s a bonus too. The first session focussed on nutrition…to which I bit my tongue for most of…lots of talk about dairy…but it was a good introduction.

When we were introducing ourselves, we were asked to give our names, due dates, and how we were feeling. The first 3 women, when they got to the last question, all said that they felt great, although a bit tired in the beginning. I was sitting there with my mouth open. A BIT TIRED???? When it came to my turn, I said: I have never felt so horrible in my life, I could barely eat anything, and most smells sent me retching. As I was talking, I could see everyone else nodding in agreement. Um…ladies…WHY ARE WE LYING ABOUT EARLY PREGNANCY??? It is no walk in the park! I felt like my body was being taken over by aliens and I had zero control. The freakin’ world looked different! I was depressed and struggling, and pretending you were “a bit tired” does not help anyone! Especially with us ladies who are growing two placenta, there is no need to be a hero. Maybe I’m wrong, maybe they really did not feel sick, but somehow I don’t believe it.

Anywho, other than that, the class was fine, and I’m glad I’m doing it, even though I’m not sure how much learning is going on for me. The more I read and think about it, the more I realize it’s so instinctual, and what we should all be learning is to trust ourselves, and to realize that the knowledge of birth and child-rearing is so ancient and ingrained, that we can’t NOT know it. 

There’s my message for the weekend. TRUST YOURSELF. 

Have a great one,

Sarah

Swimming and the Mama Guilt

Yesterday I had a burst of energy and signed myself up for pre-natal aquafit classes at my local city pool.  The class started at 7:30, and while I am usually curled up on the couch at that time of night, now that the sun stays up a bit longer, I pushed myself to just go. And it was awesome! I highly recommend getting into the water when pregnant, ladies. For 45 minutes, I felt like my old self again. The moves are sort of silly, and definitely not the intense cardio I used to enjoy pre-pregnancy, but just to feel light again was miraculous. Also, bumbling around with 10 other pregnant ladies in various stages of belly was so heart-warming. After the class one of the women asked about maternity clothes, and everyone started discussing where their best finds had been (a tie between Motherhood and Thyme, and a recommendation to check out Value Village). Anyway, unfortunately I discovered the class 3 classes in, so there’s only 3 left, but I’ll take what I can get. Once it’s over I might just start swimming regularly, just to be in the water.

I wanted to write a bit about “Mama Guilt” in pregnancy. For us plant-based dieters, or anyone who prides themselves on healthy eating, dealing with “morning sickness” is not only tough physically, but mentally as well. I know I mentioned it here in my first trimester; I was devastated that I couldn’t eat properly in the beginning of my pregnancy. I felt horribly guilty that my first act as a parent was to forgo my usual salads and whole grains, and start on a fairly steady stream of toasted tomato sandwiches (actually, tomato sandwiches have been hard to kick, I had one today) and plain pasta. I remember I made a box of Kraft dinner one night because I was so hungry, and NOTHING seemed edible to me. Even just turning on the burner to boil the water made me gag.

And so the “Mama Guilt” thoughts start running through your head. What happens when my children arrive? Will I cop out and feed them crap sometimes? What is this doing to them now? Will they crave junk food? How can I justify not needing animal protein when I’ve been downing the yoghurt?

Now that the nausea has passed and I am back to eating a more balanced diet, I want to say what I wish someone had told me in the beginning.

Around 3 months my midwife explained to me that the little ones take the nutrition they need, and they leave you with everything else. So really, you are not harming them at all.

The sickness that I experienced was magnified by my twins (two placentas = double hormones!), but even with one, it is like nothing you have ever experienced before, and you really have no choice but to listen to your body. This isn’t just a 24 hour flu that you can power through; this is potentially months of feeling like crap. Do what you can, and do not beat yourself up. There is no such thing as a “perfect” pregnancy.

My version of “eating badly” is often still on the healthy eating scale. I felt so guilty over a Dairy Queen blizzard, but I’ve only had one so far (although I may have to have another one when the weather gets warmer). I have stopped at the Tim Horton’s on the way to work a few times and ordered their smoothie and a bagel/egg/cheese/lettuce/tomato breakfast sandwich. But I did not get a donut to go along with it (even though I thought about it). I have been eating at least a banana and an apple every day. I made a side salad that night I ate Kraft dinner. Yes, it’s not how I normally eat, but it’s not that bad.

All mamas-to-be need to remember that. There are plenty of ways we are going to scar our children in the future, I’m sure (that’s only partially sarcastic!). Worrying about the chocolate bar we ate during pregnancy is such a drop in the bucket, there’s absolutely no point in it.

Finally, just know that you have built up a great base for your little one. Your body has been pumped full of the healthy stuff for the last little while, so it’s not like you’re starting with nothing. You will read websites and books and articles screaming at you about how important your diet is – and it is true to an extent – but panicking or stressing is worse. Do what you can and know that your baby will be fine.

Once the little ones arrive, and my hormone levels go back to normal (ie: the fog lifts) and I start contending with breast feeding and lack of sleep, I will clean out the pantry and focus on fine-tuning my diet again. Right now, my body is being invaded by little monsters, and I’m doing everything I can to keep my sanity. Even if that includes more tomato sandwiches than are necessary.

Twin pregnancy: Week 22 Update

Twin Pregnancy: Week 22

We have movers and shakers! They little ones are constantly wiggling, although still not too obvious from the outside (daddy always misses it), they are making their presence known! I met my OB today, who seems like a nice man. He tried to give me a spiel about how to eat vegetarian foods so that I absorb iron better, and he was very impressed with my knowledge! Spouting out everything I know, though, made me realize I need to start tuning up my diet, now that I can stomach most foods again. I’ve been making bean and veggie salads again, and I shovelled in some quinoa the other night. I’ve also cut way back on the yoghurt and cheese, and while I will probably continue to eat eggs, I’m trying to get more vitamin C in me (to help with the old iron absorption!). Work is starting to get hard to get through, I feel ready to start focussing on my little ones, not reviewing standard operating procedures on information requests. I am trying not to wish myself home though, I know a few people on bed rest, and it does not sound pleasant! I will happily continue working if it means I am not confined to a bed. My ankles and feet are swollen and sore by the end of the day, and I am wiped out, but I wake up feeling good again. I also started my registry, with the help of my husband’s lovely cousin (thanks Katie!) and I’m so glad I did, there is SO much to think about! Crib bumper pads and play yards and bath tubs and mirrors to hang in the car so you can see them when you look in the rear-view mirror…So many little things I hadn’t thought of! In other exciting news, our prenatal class for multiples starts next week. I just hope they keep it positive, I’m starting to find that when it comes to multiples, most information (ie: the internet) talks about how high risk it is and focusses on everything that can go wrong. So far my birth team (my midwife/OB/mom) have all been so positive and acting like having twins is perfectly normal, I don’t want to start worrying (I’m having a hard enough time with this nesting psychosis – ie: house hunting when you aren’t planning on moving!). This weekend is my last yoga weekend, I will officially be able to teach yoga! I am planning a longer post all about it, because I was – ahem – distracted for the last half of the course, so I am not planning on starting my yoga career just yet. I am happy that I completed it, and I’m happy that my weekends will be free now. Have a great weekend! Sarah

Veggie Book Review!

Since food has been so touch and go for me, my wonderful friend Karen (not “Diaper Karen,” Karen of the thumbprint cookies) wrote a great cookbook review for your enjoyment! Thanks for pickin’ up my slack, Karen!

 

Good & Plenty

I am a big fan of cookbooks.  Unlike the husband of a close friend who once called using recipes Culinary Plagiarism, I could pour over a stack of cookbooks for hours.  My absolute favourite vegetarian guide has been the Moosewood Cookbook.  There’s a reason why it’s consistently on the list as one of top-10 best selling cookbooks.  There’s a simplicity to the recipes; it’s truly healthy comfort food.  But, there is now competition for the title of favourite vegetarian cookbook in my life.  I have discovered a gorgeous book called Plenty, by Yotam Ottolenghi, who (according to Wikipedia) ran a regular column for several years in the Saturday Guardian called The New Vegetarian.  Plenty is a beautiful-looking book, but that doesn’t always translate to being a Good cookbook.  However, the recipes here are inventive, and it’s full of creative and interesting combinations both vegetarian and vegan.   The Soba Noodle, Mango & Eggplant Salad that I made on Monday was a hit.  The recipe says that it serves 6, but 3 of us finished it off.   To the ladies in our book club: this is what I’m making for our next meeting! 
 
Soba Noodle Salad with Mango and Eggplant
1/2 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 fresh red chile, finely chopped
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
grated zest and juice of 1 lime
1 cup sunflower oil
1 large eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch dice
8 to 9 ounces soba noodles
1 large ripe mango, cut into 3/8-inch dice or into 1/4-inch-thick strips
1/2 cup basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cups cilantro leaves, chopped
(note: the book version also calls for some chopped red onion, but I left it out)

In a small saucepan gently warm the vinegar, sugar and salt for up to 1 minute, just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and add the garlic, chile and sesame oil. Allow to cool, then add the lime zest and juice.
Heat up the sunflower oil in a large pan and shallow-fry the eggplant in three or four batches. Once golden brown remove to a colander, sprinkle liberally with salt and leave there to drain.
Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally. They should take 5 to 6 minutes to become tender but still al dente. Drain and rise well under running cold water. Shake off as much of the excess water as possible, then leave to dry on a dish towel.
In a mixing bowl toss the noodles with the dressing, mango, eggplant, half of the herbs and the onion. You can now leave this aside for 1 to 2 hours. When ready to serve add the rest of the herbs and mix well, then pile on a plate or in a bowl.

I served it up in takeout containers that I ordered online…  because I have an online shopping addiction.  Also, because a bit of kitsch never hurt anyone.

-Karen.

Thanks Karen, can’t wait for book club!

Twin Pregnancy: Week 21 Update

Twin Pregnancy Week 21

So I had the 20 week ultrasound on Tuesday and….we’re having a BOY and a GIRL! I must admit, I’m very pleased with that, although I would have loved my babies no matter what, I feel like this way I get the best of both worlds, and should we decide to not have anymore children, I’ll be happy. And believe me, there was no doubt about their sex, they both showed off their bits loud and proud! They are, unfortunately, lying transverse right now, which means horizontally, little boy on top, little girl on the bottom, like bunk beds. Every night I have a conversation with them about how they need to move into a head-down position so that mommy doesn’t have to have a c-section! I can feel them wiggling all over now, especially after I eat, and I’ve felt them from the outside, but it’s still too random for daddy to catch them at it. 

I have been nesting in high-gear, I purchased a new comfy sofa, and a new king size bed for family sleeping. We moved our bedroom down to the second floor so I can be beside the bathroom, and what a pleasure my midnight pee has been, not having to navigate a flight of stairs! 

I am noticing that when I wake up in the middle of the night, it is harder to fall back asleep. My mind immediately starts racing and I toss and turn for a while (like an hour or two). I’m not sure if this is nerves, or hormones, or what, but it is really annoying, especially because I work and can’t take an afternoon nap! 

My eating is more or less back to normal, except that I don’t often have the energy to cook, so it’s either been quick dinners I can whip up, or take-out. The Husband is working hard on our new house, so he doesn’t have much energy for cooking either. In two months I can stop working (if not before, depending on how things progress) and hopefully I can spend a bit more time in the kitchen then. 

I’m very proud of myself for curing the cold I had last week, by cutting out the dairy for a few days and using the neti pot 2 or 3 times a day. I really didn’t like that neti pot at first, but you do get used to it. Of course, then I saw an episode of House where the patient got an infection in his brain from using one, which I admit has put me off a bit, but I’m sure our Canadian water is okay, right? Right? 

We still don’t have any names, and when we do, I will be keeping it a surprise until they are born. It’s only fair, I shared the sex! 

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! 

Sarah

P.S. Happy Birthday to my little sis Aly! She turns 18 today, I can’t believe how time has been flying by!

Blog Love!

I feel like I have officially been inducted into the Blogosphere! I have been nominated for an award! The protocol is that I pass this on, so I am interrupting my regularly scheduled plant-based/twin talk for some blogging geekdom! First of all, THANK YOU to An American Hermit Crab in Denmark, I’m so honoured! And please check out her lovely blog (in particular, her amazing Bob Marley knit doll – awesome)! Now for the rest:

The rules for the Versatile Blogger Award are as follows:
If you are nominated, you’ve been awarded the Versatile Blogger award.

1. Thank the person who gave you this award. That’s common courtesy.
2. Include a link to their blog. That’s also common courtesy — if you can figure out how to do it.
3. Select 15 excellent blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly.
4. Nominate those 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award
5. Finally, tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself.

I have been blogging for under a year, and since I’m still new to the scene, most of my blog loves are fairly well-established sites, so I may not get 15, but I’ll do my best:

1. The lovely Kelly at Three and a half vegans, who rocked VeganMoFo in 2011, btw, and makes the tastiest looking vegan fare;

2. Ashley at Calmly Chaotic, who is helping me survive my impending twindom;

3. Multiple Momstrosity, another twin mom who I couldn’t live without right now;

4. Live. Learn. Love. Eat. Tiffany has been so candid about raising her family on a vegan diet, she truly is an inspiration;

5. Frontier Dreams is an adorable blog about a mom of 3. Tons of knitting and sewing love here;

6. My Veggie Baby is a beautiful blog about a first pregnancy and the vegan diet. So of course, I’m a bit in love;

7. The Tie Dye Files, a great vegan site with tons of recipes and thoughts about vegan living, healthy eating, and activism.

8. Vegan Culinary Crusade, a great raw/vegan site that makes the diet look sooo tasty and easy.

Okay, so I can’t make it to 15, but that’s a good start, and hopefully some of you will check these sites out!

And here are the seven things about myself:

1. I haven’t dyed my hair in about 8 years. It gets all streaky in the summer time, so people think I get highlights, but I don’t. And I’m proud of that!

2. I have a giant stack of books beside my bed. I mean somewhere between 15-20 books at any given time. I might have a problem…

3. I played classical flute for 10 years. In fact, I was in the youth orchestra where I played flute and piccolo!

4. I did not eat mushrooms until I was 27. Don’t know what I would do without them now (well, except during queasy pregnancy times…)

5. My husband and I have a deal, I don’t paint my fingernails (he hates nail polish for some reason) and he doesn’t eat lamb in front of me. So far it’s a great deal.

6. I have travelled across Canada in a Greyhound bus twice! (well not all the way across, I went from B.C. to Ottawa, Ontario). It takes 3 days and 3 nights, and it takes 24 hours to get out of Ontario. I have also sworn to never do it again!

7. I went to an arts highschool, just like the movie Fame! I was in Literary Arts (Creative Writing) and I wouldn’t trade that experience for the world!

Thanks again for the nomination

I’ll be back on Friday with big news…I know the sexes of my babies!!!

My 16 year vegeversary! or It’s dawning on me that raising kids on a plant-based diet, might be hard…

I know I’ve been tending more towards the pregnancy side of things instead of the plant-based diet side of things, but after another fantastic Greek Easter (sarcasm!), I have some venting to do. This venting may not appeal to you, which is fine, I do not judge the way other people eat. But when other people criticize the way I eat, I think I’m allowed to rant about it.

Greek Easter (usually 2 weeks after regular Easter) holds a special place in my heart because it’s my vegetarian anniversary. As you may know, it is tradition that lamb be served on Greek Easter, or even more traditionally, that a lamb be slaughtered and roasted on a spit. Sixteen years ago, after one such meal (it was store bought, not slaughtered and roasted thank God), as I was washing bloody –looking lamb gravy, I started involuntarily crying for the lamb, thinking about how it was just a baby and was taken from its mother and killed. I haven’t eaten meat since then.

Eight years later on a farm in British Columbia, I helped birth a little lamb who was then rejected by her mother. That first night, I fed her warmed up goats milk, wrapped her in a towel and snuggled with her in my bed to keep her warm. I was nicknamed “Mary” since she followed me everywhere (when she wasn’t playing with the other lambs on the rocky hillside; their favourite game was jumping from rock to rock). She would wait for me to by the fence to come back from the garden every day, and I would bring her out to the pasture to graze. Once she was full grown and didn’t need to be hand fed anymore, she went with some of the other sheep to a different farm, where she was used for her wool, but I received a solid promise she would not be used for meat. She was such a friendly sheep, because she wasn’t afraid of humans at all.

So I sit through Greek Easter, silently, eating my potatoes and broccoli and salad. I don’t complain, or make gross faces, or hint towards how disgusting I think eating lamb is. I say no thanks when it’s passed around and I endure the taunts I get from the rest of my extended family.  They mostly “baa” at me a little bit, and ask me if I want to bring some home for my husband. I have put up with this for SIXTEEN years. This year it culminated in a family member telling me that the reason all vegetarians are fat is because they don’t eat enough protein and they eat too many carbs. There was so much wrong with that statement that I was honestly speechless.

But now I have two little people coming into the world. Two little impressionable people who I want to teach compassion, nutrition, and love for all animals, whether they’re dogs and cats, or sheep and cows.

I understand that meat-eaters often feel judged by my way of eating (even though it’s my choice and has nothing to do with them) regardless of what I say.  Just by virtue of me saying “No thanks” they seem to feel like they somehow have to justify their choices.  And I understand that when a person gets defensive, sometimes they can say hurtful things just to make themselves feel better. But I can’t explain that to 3-year-olds. If these sorts of conversations continue in my family, they are going to feel judged and not know why. I don’t want them to question what they eat when they are young, they can decide how to eat when they are older and have all the information. I don’t want anyone slipping my kids some meat because they don’t think the way I eat is healthy, or because they think my kids are being deprived in some way. Am I naive to hope that for my kids eating meat will not be an issue? I don’t want it to come up; I don’t want it to be a question. I want to read books about farms to them and not have to explain why Bessie is also found on a dinner table, because there is no reasonable answer to that question!

I am a bleeding heart, I know that. I am overly-sensitive, and I allow the way animals are treated to affect me. But so what??? Why is that a sign of weakness? I fear for the day when (if I have a boy) my son realizes that Real Men Barbeque Meat, and that he HAS to have a hotdog at a baseball game.  To me, there is nothing sexier than a vegetarian man and that’s what I hope to raise, someone who is compassionate and informed, able to stand up for those who have no voice, and not afraid to be different from others. But I hope at least for the first few years, my children don’t need to hear about the rest of world’s insanity, and judgement, especially coming from their own family. I just want to protect them for a little while, and give them a safe place to eat good food.

This might be harder than I thought.

Twin Pregnancy: Week 20 update

Twin pregnancy: Week 20

Can you believe I’m half-way through?! The first few weeks seemed to go so slowly, and suddenly there seems to be no time left! I don’t have much new to add this week, other than the fact that I have developped a head cold, most of which I blame on the influx of dairy in my diet. I’m trying to reduce the amount of dairy I’ve been eating, it was just so easy to feel like I was getting my protein needs met by downing yoghurt and cheese…but I know better, don’t I? And I have a mucusy head cold to prove it. I’ve started using my neti pot like crazy to clear out my sinuses, and I’m drinking so much water I might just move into the bathroom. Other than that, I’m loving the old second trimester. I put my legs up the wall every night for 5 minutes to help with blood circulation, and I try not to wear socks with elastic for ankle swelling, but other than that I feel great. Sleeping is starting to get a bit more difficult, and I’m considering a body pillow soon. The wait is on for next Tuesday, when I’ll finally be able to share the news about what I’m having! Hopefully everyone cooperates and is in the right position…I’m definitely feeling movement, so fingers cross they want to show us their stuff! Sarah