24 weeks!!

It was a big day at the Peinovich/de la Calle casa. I had my hair cut, note the cute new bangs, went back to my natural color, and hit the 24 week milestone!! The girls are now just over one pound each and the length of a footlong sub! This is what all that looks like on me!

Poor Courtney!

Because we are wonderful friends, and generally good people, we went to visit Courtney when

she was in the hospital. Now, this was a long and stressful day for everyone involved, except Courtney because she was under anesthesia. While she was having the procedure, we went to drown our worries with food and cocktails!

Annika and Andi after a couple of Martinis!

Here is Kihan, that handsome devil.... where did your eyes go?

Cute Kihan and me, take two!! That is much better. He is such a natural in front of the camera.

The battle of the slings

Annika (what a love) gave us each a sling to carry "the girls" in. We decided to test them out on our current little baby, Tallulah.

Tutu was skeptical as she got into Andi's sling ...

... and even more so as she was placed in mine. I think between her and the belly there was hardly any room to move.

The votes came in and the undisputed winner of Battle Sling was Andi and her skinny belly!! The prize, a big smooch from Tutu.

Baby gifts are fun!!!

New "kicks"

In celebration of the newly-felt kicks, we decided to reward the girls with new "kicks"

Seriously, someone stop me before we go broke!!!

But how can we resist these little Ugg- hugs for their feet. Now they will have boots like me.

Wow, they pack a wallop

Since week 15 of pregnancy I have been privileged to 'feel' the little people I have been trusted to carry for 9 months. This has been such a wonderful secret pleasure that I share with only them, and Andi when I tell her it is happening. Andi and I have been waiting until "the girls" were strong enough to be felt on the outside. This would open up a whole knew world for Andi and make this experience a bit more real.

Today after she left for work and I was at home, "the girls" decided that today was the day!!! They got really active and then, wouldn't you know it, I saw a little bounce in my belly. I thought I had gone crazy, much like the first time I felt them move and thought it was a spider crawling on me!!

NOT crazy because they continued to move and I continued to feel little punches of love! I am elated! I have no words for what I am feeling. It is so unreal and yet so incredibly ,vividly, amazingly, miraculously real all at the same time! My little babies, a couple of humans inside me, now trying to make themselves "heard"! Well, we hear you loud and clear ladies and we love you too, probably more than you (and we) will ever know!!!!

Relaxation here we come!!!

As I mentioned in the last posting, the Peinovich/de la Calle girls are ready for some down time. Andi had come up with the idea of us going on a babymoon. Seriously, this is a real-life term (made up by tired pregos) for the last hurrah before the baby comes in and disrupts your sleep life.

Andi had originally thought it might be nice to go to Vancouver BC and spend a long weekend in the cold rain and maybe snow...the weather is crazy here in the Pacific Northwest! Sure why not leave "sunny" Seattle for more of the same? And who was I to turn my back on a nice trip? My choice would have been Hawaii or Mexico, but you take what you can get sometimes . Andi continued to plan and my excitement grew at the thought of this pretty place in BC. Then one night at work as a result of sleep deprivation, or hunger, she came up with a better idea. She booked a trip to SUNNY, WARM, and RELAXING Palm Springs. Now this is not Mexico, but WOW I am the happiest I have been since, well, she mentioned the trip. I am excited to soak up the vitamin D and let the "ladies" inside know what living the good life is all about, at least the good life on a budget ( i hope they are better with money than me)!

Now we have so much to look forward to- the babies, two great showers, time with family, and finally a vacation I do not have to "lose a couple pounds" for!!! Bring on the maternity swimwear....I'm not scared!!!

For those of you who get this blog by email, don't forget to check out the blog site at andimia.blogspot.com  for the full effect, there's music and everything!!!!

Ahh Redemption!

So, the last posting about our 'multiples' class, I was feeling overwhelmed and scared that I was already failing in this journey to be the "perfect mom". Now I realize that perfection is a really high bar to reach for anyone and those of you who know me know that the bar is very far for this little shorty! I just want this to be the very best thing that I do with my life, so when my approach is questioned and/or judged, I can get a little crazy!

On our last OB visit, we spoke to our nurse practitioner Gretchen about this whole experience. She laughed and said she could not wait to tell my doctor Kelly about this crazy class she sent us to. The class was recommended to me largely for the nutrition information I would get, and this turned out to be the exact part of the class giving me grief. Gretchen said that my body will tell me what it needs and I should listen to it. Now, I am in touch with myself and I knew that I was not in need of that many calories (in fact I received a memo from myself the morning after that class telling me I was right). Now I am back to a "normal" diet filled with protein and smart choices, but I am not going crazy!!

Another thing my body knew was that we were in need of some relaxation!!!

who is that?

For those of you who do not see me every week, 

here is what 22 weeks of twins looks like on me.

I really thought I would be bigger so I have no complaints. 

 I can not say the same for our sad little Tallulah at the door. 

Who are these people?

 Andi and I went to our first baby class, "Preparing for Multiples".   I was very excited because I was going to learn some great info and be the best mom ever!!!  All I learned is that I am nowhere near prepared for this, and I am far from being a great mom. 

 In the first 5 minutes I saw that my "huge" belly was the smallest in the class.  How is this even possible? They must all be further along than me.... nope just bigger!

 The teacher started talking about how we should probably bring snacks or dinner as it is a 3 hour class, and we should be eating something.   Seriously, the class is 3 hours; can't these people eat before class and then after?  The ladies started pulling out dinner salads, veggies, fruit, yogurt, and many other good-for-you foods.  Thank God that I had a granola bar in my purse because I was sure as hell not pulling out the candy I brought to tide me over till dinner. During the nutrition portion of the class the 'Teach' was talking about this Dr. Luke and her book about multiple pregnancies and nutrition.  Well, again we were the only couple that had no idea what she was talking about.   Let me just tell you, Dr. Luke says that I should be eating every hour to hour and a half.  I should consume 3500 cals a day and  175 grams of protein, and a gallon of water!  Who does she think I am, Michael Phelps???  Can you even imagine what that much food looks like?  I should also have gained 20 lbs by 20 weeks.  I have gained maybe 7 lbs.  When I stated this fact the class let out a collective gasp.  It was our very own Shock and Awe campaign.  

Now Andi and my mom have teamed up in Operation fatten me up!  All I hear is...

"did you drink milk today?"

"do you want a piece of cheese with that?"

"how about a milkshake buddy?"

"can I get you some water and a bagel?"

"wanna have some ice cream?"

"What did you eat today?"

Now, in a normal state I would be excited to eat, but with a bowling ball taking up most of my insides this feels like  chore!!!  HELP!!!!

Hopefully next week's class will be better, and I will have gained some weight.  I am secretly thinking about padding my belly!!!

Pinky got her pink on!

The thing about having TWO girls is the fear that our homes will be overrun with pink. Now, being a pink and green girl myself, this was truly Andi's fear. We discussed and decided that all the pink would probably come from the family and we would try to buy the gals some different colors.

This was the first purchase I made while Andi was at the doctor's. The lack of pink is blinding!

When Andi was left to her own devices this is what she brought home! Seriously, don't make rules you can't follow! She could not resist the cuteness of these! I guess the pink is on!

Move over Imelda...

So the girls are not even close to being out in the world ( let alone walking) but their wardrobe is expanding. Since before I was pregnant I have tried hard to curb my shoe fetish. I have not gotten a pair of heels in a really LONG time!!! Well, let the tiny shoe fetish begin!

Just for perspective.

These are really orange so don't let the picture fool you into thinking we have poor taste!

I mean really...

Like mama, like baby. These are Andi's fave boots!

They way I see it, kids shoes are a bargain. Four pairs for $100 and not one pair for $400!!! Let the shopping continue! By the time they are 2 the economy should make a turn-around thanks to us!

I used to think I was cool...

Seriously, I am slowly turning into the kind of pregnant lady I used to mock!! I hate it when my own words come back to bite me in the butt!

It starts with the stork parking and ends with a minivan. I think I need an intervention!!!