Silent Nights

For the most part it's been true!! Although you can't really tell based on Lily's expression:

Caption this

I wonder what they are thinking?

Oh and here are our cats and their new found sleeping spot:

Love those furry fellas.

Wow, tired.

Rough night, rough start is what I recently tweeted @schaubs

It has definitely been that, and then some. I can take it. I really am pulling for my wife though. I can hear it in her voice, I can see it in her face. It is starting to take its toll. When I am getting 6 hours sleep, she is getting half of that. When I am at work, she is still feeding and changing two babies on her own. It is amazing how well she is doing, but I can still sense that she wonders if things will improve or if they will continue to show signs of getting worse.

We wouldn't trade any of this, but it sure is tiring. Complaining about it seems like a selfish thing to do. Writing about it seems even more futile. How can two people that are so lucky and so blessed be anything but full of energy and pep at all times? The two little lives that we are now responsible for count on us for EVERYTHING. We need to have our game faces on at all times and avoid short cuts. We need to make sure that they have every oppotunity possible to succeed and grow.

It's tiring, sure, but worth it.

Consistently tired

The 4am feedings are running like clockwork. We plan our evening around trying to time the wake up cries for food in the early part of each day. The cries from the baby monitor usually kick off between 3:30 and 4:30am and as soon as we hear the first few minutes of hunger confirmed the Wife is up and at it. I get a bit of a break but not a total reprieve from feeding duties. After all, there are two!

I am usually awake by the time the bottle warmer is on and a baby is in my lap. Often times I will turn on TV and 9 times out of 10 there is a poker show on somewhere on the tube that helps pass the time. Other times we will just leave the tv off and chat about the upcoming day or discuss the plans for the weekend (such as Christmas shopping).

I'm really working hard on letting my Wife know what a wonderful job she is doing. She is thankful that I notice all the little things she does on a daily basis. For example, yesterday she made a massive lasagna made with ground turkey and spinach. Yum! In fact, we'll probably have it again tonight as these types of meals really make it much easier on us to devote our time to the kids and all the other daily duties that need attending to.

The girls are 11 weeks old as of today. They are so special and I miss them daily while at work.

There are bad times too

The wife and I often argue and its always about the little things. People will tell you "don't sweat the small stuff" and it couldn't be more true. We will get at each other for the dumbest most irrelevant stuff and it will fester if we are not careful. Eventually, one of us will snap out of it and either be the first to appologize or will explain in detail why they said what they said at the time and why they think it was appropriate.

Often, that person will lose the battle and will end up saying sorry first. It really doesn't matter who said what or why, the important part is that we recognize that what we are fighting about does not help getting through the evening or weekend as best we can and caring for our children with love and joy. We won't be perfect parents or partners, that we know for sure. What we can do, though, is work on our relationship on a daily basis and understand that we truly are best friends and should act more like it regularily. Best friends don't call each other names and they certainly don't say ridiculous things that create more tension. It really is counterproductive.

I love my wife.

Bumbotastic

It's a bit early to start sitting them in their bumbo chairs so I only put them in there for a few minutes while I bounce the tennis ball. They try to follow along as best they can but there is usually so much going on I can understand why their eyes wander constantly. They seem to like sitting in bumbo for a few minutes until they start to flop around. Their back and neck stregth is coming along nicely. Before we know it, they won't be able to use the back of the chair as a head rest because they just keep growing and growing!

Don't forget to vote! Your support is much appreciated.

Growth spurts, learning as they grow and a nomination!

This is the second time since birth where we have concluded that the girls must be going through a growth spurt. The latest one is similar to the last in that they are constantly sleeping. They will sleep for four hours, then eat and then they are right back to sleep again for another four hours. Recently, Rebecca has been more consistent with that schedule whereas Lily tends to wake up more often. During the later part of the night she will wake up every two hours. Good times!

At night, it is great. Obviously we like to get sleep too. In the evening, when I get home from work, it is a bit of a different story because I love spending time with them while they are awake. Usually I am thrown right into it immediately. Which is fine. A bottle and a baby are always waiting for me when I arrive.

The best part is watching them learn as they grow. Making faces and realizing who I am is very rewarding. I try and teach them something new each day, but there are many times at this stage where I am repeating myself. Regardless, watching them learn or confirm something each day and sometimes each hour is worth all the sleepless nights so far.

I've started to read the "what to expect in the first year" book and it has helped a lot. There is so much to think about and so much to pass on, I sometime worry that I won't teach them everything they need in order to stay ahead of the curve. The comforting part is that I know there are tons of parents out there that are going through the exact same thing as we are.

Oh and check this out - this blog has cracked the top three for best new blog. I really do have some tough competition as the other two blogs look and sound great. There are lots of other great blogs who have been nomitated for various awards and I suggest that you go and check them out as well!

With all this new exposure, I plan on making some improvements and adding some badges and links as I find them, but until then you'll just have to support me based on my content alone. I really do appreciate the support from all those who have voted for me. Cheers!

Perfect 10.0 and Gretzky

Reeeeeeebs weighs in at 10.0 pounds as of Thursday and Lily is at 9 pounds 9 ounces (Gretzky wore #99).

The girls received their first shots which occurs right around the two month mark. Our family Doctor administered them instead of getting it done at the hospital. Overall I think it went very well. The wife also got her flu shot as well as Nana G. Some small side effects were had but nothing really that threw us for a loop that night.

The girls slept until about 3:30am and then it was up for a feeding and diaper frenzy! Back to bed around 4ish while the wife went on with her usual pumping routine.

When the alarm went off at 6:30am all my girls were still sound asleep. Things are good in the Schaubs household.

Faces & Sounds

Whether it is a smirk or a grin or a sign of a dimple beginning to develop, each day is better than the next. The squawks and snivels are interchangable as they work hard each day to find their voice. More often then not, their little mouths will open and not a peep will be heard as we cheer them on to copy our noises. They quietly giggle and smile and wonder just how the heck we are making all of these sounds come out of the place that the bottle belongs. They are learning new ways to communicate and giving off the facial expressions to match. They are starting to realize a bit more each day that there is a world out there and we can't wait to show it to them and teach them to enjoy each moment.

tongue un-tied

The girls had their tongue tie snipped yesterday. When the consultant told us that this was going to happen I was a bit taken back. "You're gonna cut my babies tongues?" I thought to myself. A bit odd, but what do I know.

Being a new Dad I am sure a lot of these types of occurances will come about as they get older. WTF do I really know? Not much in the big picture. I will rely on the wife a lot to make sure they get the right instructions for a lot of those lady issues. LOL

My job is to make sure they become athletic little monkey's that will always be two steps ahead of their competition. Ok, not really but I think you know what I mean. Sports are a big part of both my wife's and my life and we intend on giving our kids every opportunity to use sports as an excellent way to socially interact and stay fit.

Friday Picture

Longer sleeps

The girls slept for 5 hours straight last night. The wife was so excited, it was a very good night.

Picture of the day

They are both over 8 pounds now!!

They grow up so fast

So it's been over 5 weeks now since they were born. Last night was the first night where we did not have them sleep in our room in the craddle/bassinet. We wrapped them up snuggly in their sleep sacks and turned on the sleep sheep. We hooked up the baby monitor for the first time after testing it from downstairs. After it was all said and done - it went very well!

The usual waking every 2-3 hours, feeding both at the same time (tag team) and changing their endless poopy diapers did not change. We weren't disrupted much more than we usually are. It was really great overall.

So now they are sharing one crib and the second crib right beside them is a dedicated change station (as it was before). We also have one of those change pads that we use downstairs (those change pad covers suck!). So our dining room table is basically change station #1 and the second crib is change station #2.

We also have two playpens. One of them is setup downstairs in the kitchen/tv room. We use it during the day when they are not in someone's arms or in one of those vibrating chairs. The second playpen is kept in the van. We use it strictly for when we are visiting friends or going to the parents for dinner. I am sure that will change as they get older and we find a need for both playpens at the same time.

They are looking more alike each day. I am starting to get a bit confused at night. I often have to ask the wife which one she gave me to feed. Once I am awake I can tell, but at first glance it is getting a lot harder.

Up 1, sleep 2

Feed for an hour (tag team) and then sleep for two hours.

Rinse repeat.

1 month already

Lily is one month old as of today:

Rebecca is one month old as of tomorrow:

They are growing so fast!!!

Déjà Poo

The poo is never ending. Diapers are being used faster than you could ever imagine. At an average of 20 cents a pop, every diaper counts. We are coming up with new ways to change the babies each day. At least we don't have to deal with the pee pee tee pee's but still the clothes are getting soiled at an alarming rate. Having a lot of spares around is key. The worst is when you go to do something and you have run out of "x". You have to stop what you are doing and leave a crying screaming baby while you open up the next costco size box of wipes and deal with plastic wrap that makes you want to join in the scream-a-thon.

The rewards are also never ending. The looks you get, the tiny smiles they unknowingly make. The cuddles and kisses they give out even though its only because its been an hour since their last meal. They attack those nipples like it is the last supper. It is pretty amazing to watch. The growth is daily as they continue to pack on the pounds at a progressive rate. The wife drops them just as fast. In fact, she is basically back to her starting weight. Which is amazing. She rocks.

Photo Shoot #1

My buddy Evan is a hobbyist photographer. Knowing this, I set up a time with him last week to take some pictures at his loft in downtown Vancouver. It was a lot of fun and the 300+ photo's turned into 42 beauties.

Click here and enjoy!

Lily on the left, Rebecca on the right

A picture of them sleeping at home 5 days later.

I think it was the third night we were in the hospital when we decided that, whenever possible, we would place Lily on the left and Rebecca on the right so that visitors and friends would always know who was who.

From there, it just stuck and seemed like the obvious move.

The first night they both spent it in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit). We were allowed to visit them and hold them, but they were hooked up to baby monitors that measured their heartbeats and the number of breaths they took per minute etc.

They sat there in their incubators and held the positions they were most familiar with in the womb. Lily was on her back, curled up in a ball and Rebecca was on her stomach in a similar position. They weren't together, in fact if they could see they wouldn't even be able to make eye contact. But you just had a feeling that they knew they were close enough to each other to share some whatever it was they were sharing before they entered this world. Brain waves? LOL

The labour itself was an event. We showed up on Tuesday at 9am and by 9pm the wife was hooked up and having regular contractions about 2 minutes apart. The doctor had broke her water manually about 2 hours prior and we were regularily enjoying the laughing gas together. I didn't get much out of it, but Mom really did love it in the end. That, combined with the epidural made for a somewhat pain free experience. Albeit very temporary. At 11:15 we were moved into the operating room. This was precautionary in case there were any complications and an emergency c-section was to be had.

By 11:30pm I knew there was a real chance that they would be born on seperate days. By the time it was 11:45 we knew it was only a matter of minutes before Baby A would be born. The room was filled with 15 doctors and nurses and everyone was buzzing with the thought of seperate birthdays. All of the sudden the doctor realized that the cord was around Lily's neck! She took quick action and applied the vaccuum to Lily's little fragile skull and gently pulled her into the cold welcoming air. We realized at that exact moment that we were having twin girls. It was such an amazing sight, I have chills as I type.

They wisked Lily off and three doctors took care of her. In between pushes and contractions we glanced over to make sure everything was ok. It was. She was a bit white in color but the doctors did their thing and eventually Lily was moved to the NICU.

By this time we were already into Wednesday morning and it was official. The girls had seperate birthdays. An odd feat, but one that was not overshadowing the real goal of the evening which was - two healthy babies. 15 minutes passed and Rebecca was born!

We couldn't have asked for a more successful delivery. Two healthy babies born naturally and Mom recovering with minimal damage. The fact that they were born on different days is kinda cool, sure. But the most important thing was that all three of my ladies came out of it happy and healthy. I love them so much.

Twin Girls!!

Just a quick update for now as I am working on an average of 3 hours sleep:

Baby A - Lily Ann - 5 pounds 5 ounces - born at 11:51pm on September 21st, 2010

Baby B - Rebecca Ann - 6 pounds 3 ounces - born at 12:19am on September 22nd, 2010

Mom did an unbelievably amazing job and had them both naturally.

We are beaming with pride and joy at home safe and sound as of Saturday night.

:) :) :) :)

Still no babies

We had a very low key weekend filled with not much other than TV and relaxation. It got a point where I almost felt guilty because all I did yesterday was watch football. That was it!

We spent a lot of time with the family as my mom is in town ready for the big day. We also took some time to figure out some names without much progress at all. We really are stuck on a limited number of choices as we seem to want names that are not so generic as "John" or "Mike" etc.

So it will be interesting to see how it all works out. We both agreed that we want to meet them first, then decide. We will have some time in the hospital to make our final decisions.

Besides, we both know that the names you give them never seem to actually get used other than in school or on an official certficate. Nicknames are always made and that's just the way it will be. I'm a nickname kinda guy anyway and have been responsible for giving many of my friends the oddest and funniest names over the years.

This will unlikely be any different.

back to work

So we went from thinking that Wednesday night was the wife's last night of pregnancy to now waiting until Tuesday... which only means one thing: back to work.

It feels weird being back to work knowing that I was already done everything I needed to do prior to leaving for two weeks. Now I am back tidying up everything I left behind for my boss to do. Which is a relief for him obviously.

It's an odd feeling, but nothing compared to what the wife is going through right now.

Another non-stress test tonight and then we wait all weekend and back to work on Monday.

I really hope it happens naturally this weekend instead.

The latest update

So we wake up thinking today is the day.

We call at 8am as instructed and they say that the hospital is overly full and that we have been bumped because we are not actually in labour yet.

So call back Friday morning instead.

Then we get a call at 2pm today and they tell us that after looking at yesterday's ultrasound that they are VERY happy with the way things are going and that we are now pushed out until TUESDAY!!

Good news and bad news I guess.

They are apparantly doing better than they were. Baby A is between 5 and 6 pounds and Baby B is between 7 and 8 pounds...

Yikes!

The H

Ok, going to the H tomorrow. They will be inducing.

The plan is, there is no plan.

See you soon little ones.

<3 <3

Still no babies yet...

Week 36 is in the books and still no sign of the new little ones. This morning was the first time I have ever heard the wife say "I'm miserable"... so you know it is time and she is ready to get it going. Maybe we will take a couple of nice long walks this week if there is no action to speak of tonight.

We dropped about $600 at babies r us yesterday and I feared that her water would break right then and there as we picked up the top of the line pump along with two play pens. Then we went to Costco and decided that having a slice of pizza was about all the time we had as the lines snaked around the granola bars and towards the Halloween candy. We had a great dinner over at her parents house where they surprised me with an early birthday cake.

Maybe the kids will give me a nice present on Wednesday and come out of their warm cuddly little place and begin their adventure.

Back aches

Another sign that the day is so near is the fact that the wife is having these back pains. This is the first time she has felt the weight really start to take its toll on her body. She has always been a trooper and carried the babies so well. As of yesterday she was having some really bad back aches so I did my thing and gave her a massage as instructed. I do what I'm told.

I have put her on bed rest myself. LOL. I said she has to wait until the weekend to pop these kids out. Hopefully she listens.

:) :)

Ultrasound Day

We went for another ultrasound today. It went very well and was the fastest one so far. Probably took no more than ten minutes total. I was a bit thrown off because the first one I went to took 1.5 hours.

The wife's Dad came with us as well. It was a quick and easy trip and I was at work much earlier than expected.

Everything looks great. Fluids are great, babies are great, life is great. Before we left the room the lady said "see you next week." So as long as the wife doesn't go into labour, we are good to go.

One more week? As long as she keeps off her feet and her water doesn't break, we could extend this out to week 37.

Let's get to week 36 first...

Welcome new readers

I just wanted to say a quick hello to the friends and family that have started to read this blog. It is nice to hear some feedback from people that I have know for a very long time. Feel free to comment when you get a chance.

It's Monday and there is no news to report. Looks like those kids want to stay in for a bit longer! Take all the time you need!

One more week would be nice...

Is this the weekend?

I'd love for it to happen tonight. That would be good stuff. A Friday night, a long weekend. Let's say around 6-7pm. That would be great thank you.

Which would mean no more sleep. Which I dread, but also look forward to. I have been sleeping in for 15 years now. When I say sleeping in, I mean waking up at 8am instead of 7am... but it's a nice feeling knowing you can just roll over and go back to bed if you want.

That time is coming to an end. A new era of diapers, crying babies, empty bank accounts and no sleep is just around the corner. A part of me is excited, another part of me is saying "Oh shit!! I'm screwed!"

No new news to report

They are still in there. Moving like I have never seen anything ever before. The skin is stretching in all sorts of shapes and sizes, rolling accross her stomach like a wave from one coast to another. She is such a trooper although I know she is done with it and would love nothing more than for it to be two more weeks down the road and in labour at the hospital. She is prepared to wait and knows that being patient is best for the kids.

Almost to September, the days are numbered and we are past the 34 week mark.

This is the real deal.

A Quote

Here is a quote from Jillian Kirby that really hit home for me:

"It’s the single most important day in your entire life. The day that, if you could, you would freeze and hold on to for dear life. If you could, you’d remember every single detail from the emotion to the smells to the sounds. That one single day that your baby is born is forever shrined in your mind and will go down as THE day that changed your life forever."

I have no doubt that this is how it will unfold for us. I just hope I can keep those memories close to my heart. Just as it was with our wedding day, it will go by in a flash.

Table is empty

The wife's sister came over and did a bunch of work for us and the babies. Very very nice.

Things are happening and the clock is tickin'!!

Table is full

Our dinning room table is full of baby stuff. As we wait for things like our carpets to get cleaned and new shelves to be installed from our gay closet guy (ironic?) we continue to stack it up high and deep on the dinning room table.

Everything from socks, blankets, teeny tiny clothes to toys, rattles and baby wipes. It's all there and its starting to get annoying. I'd love to get it all put away you see, but the wife has different plans. One thing at a time she says. So it will be another week until we get fully organized.

I hope the kids can stay in there that long...

Kick kick punch

The wife will burst out with a little yelp or scream when she feels something totally creepy. The kids are so active now, I really think they will show up sooner than we are hoping. Which is fine. After 32 weeks we are ready to go, but I would hate to see them stuck at the hospital for longer than they want.

I've started up another blog for when they are born. Check it.

Until then, I will keep you posted here.

Another good place to follow me is on twitter. Hook it up: @schaubs

I'll probably update there when the action is fast and furious (see: me wating countless hours at the hospital).

Good thing my kids weren't in the car

I had a few too many beers on Saturday night and had already made plans to leave my car at Jenny's place and the wife would drive me home. It was a great plan that we had executed numerous times in the past. Ah, the benefits of having a designated (pregnant) driver.

So in the morning we get back to Jenny's to pick up my car prior to running a few errands. We decided that we would not go into Jenny's and that we would just pick up the car and move along. After I started my car Jenny came out from her front door and started talked to the wife. I decided to say hi so I turned off my car right before I was about to drive off. I then decided it would be a good idea to warm up the car so that the A/C could get going and the car would be nice and cool when we were done chatting.

I went up the driveway as my car sat idle and continued to warm (cool) up. We chatted for a couple of minutes when I looked over my shoulder and my car was gone! I thought "oh shit someone just stole my car!" It was a really weird feeling because I hadn't left it for more than 2 minutes and there was no one around walking or passing by on foot.

So I run down the driveway and I look to the right and see the car rolling down the street by itself! I book it. I run as fast as I ever have in a very long time. Not since that time I had been chased by the cops in grade 3 had I run so fast. My heart was racing and everything was moving in slow motion. I couldn't get to my car fast enough and I was panicing as I could see it heading straight for the front lawn of a neighbour 4 houses down. Luckily there were no cars in its path. Just a garden...

It rolled straight into the garden and destroyed a few small bushy weak looking plants along with this other small tree like thing that had a couple of wooden stakes holding it up. I got to the car and pulled the E-brake. I got in and tried to reverse it out but it was stuck and spinning its wheels in the dirt. Dirt is flying and I am sitting there wondering if anyone is home. No one is coming out to see what happened, not a single person from any house anywhere. The wife came down and got in my car and I pushed it out in reverse.

Then I took off.

Then I felt bad for taking off.

I am going back there today to check it out and also to make ammends.

I am glad no one was hurt and am even more glad my kids weren't in the back seat!

The Kids like steak

Wow. Talk about active belly. We went to the Keg last night instead of the beach as the wife had a craving for some seafood sirloin. The kids were bouncing off the walls of her belly after that! It was hilarious. They are getting to the point now where you can actually see the belly move from the outside.

It's kinda creepy and very surreal. Feeling them play and kick, toss and turn. There are real people in there behind that layer of human flesh!

I guess they love their meat though because they were happy happy when we got home. We both had the same meal and shared a calamari starter. As predicted, the wife had a virgin caesar. LOL I did the real drinking for the family as usual.

Good times.

Not baby related

It's our 4 year wedding anniversary today! I'll be taking the preggo wife out for dinner to a place on the beach. Looks to be a nice night for a date and I can only assume it will be one of the last times we will actually be able to spend some time alone together... for a while anyway.

Lately, when we go for dinner the wife will order a big appetizer combined with a big meal and usually a virgin caesar. All intentions are to power through all the food and fill that belly of her's but invariably she can only finish half and the other half is taken home for me to take to lunch the following day. Of course, I fail at doing that and the other half of the meal usually sits in the fridge for a good 4-5 days until I decide to reheat and eat it over the weekend.

Standard procedure... but not for long!

Names?

Anyone have any good suggestions?

We were thinking of names that started with A & B... or L & R.

so far we don't have much that we can agree on.

It took us a month to name our cats....

Babies are on the move

They really are getting super active now. Kicking and squirming. Rolling around and proabably just playing back and forth trying to decide who wants out first. Little do they know, Baby A must come out first and is in line to do so.

Only 3-4 weeks left! I hope we make it to September baby free. No offense to my soon to be kids, but we want to enjoy the rest of the summer!

Cribs are done, other furniture is done. Clothes are washed. Lots going on for sure!

There's a party in that belly - invite only

It's like they are having their very own party for two. They kick and turn and roll around. They are very very active at night right when the wife is trying to fall asleep. It's neat but also creepy at the same time. Especially when they roll over. You can start to see the belly move on its own now. Today they are another day closer than yesterday.

They weigh in at just under 4 pounds each now. The latest goal is to get to 32 weeks, then 34 etc. A twin couple we met over the weekend said that she was induced at week 38. Which means there is nothing stopping me from having to get on the diaper changing train in less than 8 weeks now. Most likely much sooner.

Please stay in there little ones and I will buy you a toy when you get out. Who says I can't start the bribes early?

Not ready

Not ready for this.
Not at all.
Not ready for this.
Not willing to fall.

A friend of mine told me that all we do now is talk and think about the babies without any regard for other people and what is going on in their lives. It felt a bit harsh, but there was some truth to that. There are times when it takes all of my energy to switch it off in my brain. I can't help it. During this time, before they are born, it is such an odd time to be obsessing about the little things. There is so much change that is coming, so much poop, so much money to be spent.

I stress a lot about not having enough money or time to put into this thing called fatherhood.

I'm just not ready.

Babies R Us

Dropped almost $450 at this store yesterday. It's crazy!! Two of everything. Nothing is cheap and there was no 10% discount offered for the second item like I had been hearing from other people.

It's a racket.

We basically just bought a bunch of stuff that was on the register that we had not received from the baby shower. Man, it's like everything is $19.99 or $29.99 or $59.99. It is nuts. While the store seems to have everything you need, they kind of have a monopoly on some of this stuff. Everytime you ask a clerk about something she points you to an upgrade and I just see the bill climbing higher and higher. Oh well, it's only money that I don't have.

We went to our friends twins 1st bday party on Sunday. It was lots of fun hanging out and just watching their twins run around causing an army of people to constantly follow them.

It's what they say - "it takes a village to raise a child"

So what does it take to raise two? A small city?

Teach them whatever

The fun thing about looking into the future and determining what kind of Father I want to be is knowing that I can do and say whatever I want to my kids and mold them into something to be proud of for many decades to come.

Knowing that they will eventually be eager to learn new things from me and willing to try new adventures is very exciting.

Can't wait to be a parent!!

Overwhelmed by generosity

I can't get over the generosity of people sometimes. They just keep give give giving... it is very heartwarming.

We are so very lucky to have the support of friends and family. They surround us with love and shower us with gifts. These babies are already spoiled and they haven't even seen the light of day yet.

What did we do to deserve this? It's gonna be a bumpy ride!

Crib Day

I've got a pretty big day planned today with the wife (lol). We are going accross the border to Point Roberts to pick up our cribs. Hopefully there isn't too much hassle. I plan on having the wife drive so she can show her belly to the border guard which should garner some sympathy and smooth sailing through the border.

Can't wait to have my brother-in-law set them up! ;)

Monozygotic

That is the technical term.

"Monozygotic twins, frequently referred to as identical twins, occur when a single egg is fertilized to form one zygote (monozygotic) which then divides into two separate embryos.

There are an estimated 10 million identical twins and triplets in the world today.

Monozygotic twinning occurs in birthing at a rate of about three in every 1000 deliveries worldwide, regardless of race.

The likelihood of a single fertilization resulting in MZ twins is uniformly distributed in all populations around the world. This is in marked contrast to DZ twinning, which ranges from about six per thousand births in Japan (almost similar to the rate of MZ twins, which is around 4–5) to 15 and more per thousand in some parts of India and up to 24 in the US, which might mainly be due to IVF (in vitro fertilisation). The exact cause for the splitting of a zygote or embryo is unknown.

In-vitro fertilization techniques are more likely to create twins. Only about three pairs of twins per 1,000 deliveries occur as a result of natural conception, while for IVF deliveries, there are nearly 21 pairs of twins for every 1,000."

I can almost 100% confirm that ours happened on the first try. Crazy huh? Super sperm.

Oh and before you ask, there was NO IVF for us, we didn't even consider going down that road because it all happened so quickly.

Can't wait to tell my kids how lucky they are!!

Monday update

We had an ultrasound today at Women's hospital. 28 weeks later we find out that the odds of them being identical are very high. So we can probably rule out one of each.

Feelings are difficult to put down at the moment and everything is happening so fast. Just another page, just another fun fact.

The best news is the fact that everything is going very very well with regards to their size vs. age/term right now.

p.s. - yes, it's still Monday here.

Boys?

I called them "the boys" last night and I didn't even mean too. Is this a sign? I doubt it. I could easily see them both being girls. Or one of each.

LOL, way to stay on the fence! Weak I know. But I seriously don't care about the sex of them as long as they are healthy and can swing a golf club before they turn 1. LOL

Can't wait to find out the sex!

Cribs have shipped

So now we wait for them to arrive and then we start getting the room finalized.

Can't wait to set shit up!

Babies are upside down already?

I had no idea but the wife told me this yesterday. She went to her doctor for a standard check up and things went very very well. Her doctor actually delivered her and her sister. LOL crazy huh?

Yeah so wife told me yesterday that the babie's heads are actually at the bottom of her belly. It is weird to think that they can just hang out upside down all day and night. Pretty cool stuff.

There are lots of good things going on in week 27 - the so called beginning of the third trimester. However with twins, things must be fast tracked a little bit no?

Can't wait to take time off work!!

It's just not sinking in

It's not.

It doesn't feel real... yet. I don't know why. Time is standing still right now and before I know it, the kids will be here and I will be freakin' out. Maybe it is the fact that we just finally ordered the cribs from Amazon.com. We saved at least $200 plus free delivery. Bingo.

Once the cribs arrive I am sure it will start to feel more real again. It will start to sink in that YES, you are going to be a father. It feels weird to type those words.

Can't wait to freak out!

Accidents Happen

No, this post is not about poop.

My wife's sister got married on Saturday. It was an amazing day filled with love and laughter. Exactly what a wedding should be all about. The booze was flowing and people were enjoying themselves thoroughly.

My wife look absolutely stunning. She had this glow about here that was mesmerizing and she walked with such grace and elegance down the isle hosting duties as the maid of honor. As she pulled a kleenex from her bosom to wipe the tears of joy, she let everyone in on what it meant to her to see her little sister walk down that isle and get hitched to a wonderful guy I now call my brother.

Midnight struck and the catering van wanted to leave. Our van was in the way and I had the keys so I thought I would move the van out of the way for a quick exit. Well, I ended up scraping the side of the van on a big rock (too much VanGough espresso vodka I'm guessing) and didn't remember that I had done it until the next day. My first accident and we haven't even had the kids yet, which is probably a good thing. I'll be sure to give the keys to wife next time, but as I look back my intentions were only to give her some rest from a long and emotionally exhausting day.

Can't wait to spend money to get it fixed!

I can see the future

When I read PokerPeaker's posts about his twins I gain great insight into what it will be like in a few years and just how truly miserable life will be. I AM JOKING (of course).

Having literally no time to myself will be a complete 180. I am used to being free and flexible, not having to worry about planning for others and organizing an army of supplies and spending an hour gathering said supplies before leaving the house. One our close friends has twins. She said it takes her at least an hour to get ready before leaving. Nuts.

Today I am golfing after work. I won't be doing that very much, if at all when these kids pop out.

Can't wait to have no time to myself!

Clock is tickin'

Oh man, this is all happening way too fast and there is nothing I can do to slow it down. They say you don't even remember what life was like before your kids are born. So does that mean I will forget what it's like to sleep for 8 hours a day during the week and 6 on weekends? What about playing baseball and golf? Is that stuff toast too?

Obviously priorities change. People do not. So I don't see how I will actually change as a person, it's just that the things I am doing now will become less important as time continues to sneak up on me.

The wife is getting bigger which tells me that those kids are gonna want out soon. 9 weeks or less is my guess. Which would mean that I might make it through August before they are born. That is the first goal.

Can't wait to be broke!

Coffee

I've probably had no more than 3 cups of coffee this year and less than 20 cups in my entire life. At least half of those had Baileys in them. The other half I didn't finish.

So I am thinking about taking up coffee. I've thought about this many times throughout my career and I've never really given it a true chance. I see all the people around me who can't function without it. That is the part that scares me. The addiction.

I figure I am going to need some sort of pick me up though. So what do I do when I am working on 2 hours sleep and need to focus at my desk? I don't want to become a walking zombie if there is another alternative. 5 hour energy drink can't be good for you and I've never tried it. Red Bull is only good with Vodka or before a baseball game.

I am stumped. Can't wait to lose lots of sleep!

Names

I have known for a few months now that picking names will not be easy. We basically have to have two girl and two boys names on standby because we won't know the sex until birthday. Every name we like, we shoot down the next day or even the next hour. It is very frustrating. To me, the name is not that big of a deal. I just don't want their names to be too difficult to spell or pronounce. Our last name will give them enough trouble.

Room is ready

Ok, almost ready. I mean we haven't even purchased the cribs yet so really the kids have no where to sleep. We did, however, get the room painted! Along with the spare bedroom as well. I hate painting just so you know. It is such a chore. Luckily we had 3 friends come over on Sunday and help us out. Painting a room is not cheap, especially with the taste in paint that my wife has. Benjamin Moore cost us a couple of benjamins after we were done with it. It looks great though and it was totally worth the effort.

Now we have to organize all the crap that we removed from those bedrooms. We've given so much stuff away and have tons more still to go through. I'm not sure if we should have a garage sale for the junk that might have some value or not. I doubt we will get to it since we are already at week 26.

Anyone know how to stop or at least slow down time? This is coming way too fast.

Mini Van purchase complete

We finalized the purchase of our new (used) 2006 Honda Odyssey.



It has all the extras we were hoping for. We are very excited about this purchase and the reliability it will provide as the kids get older.



Here's a picture of what it looks like:



The picture doesn't really do it justice but that is the best I could find on my first google search. It's got that new car smell. My buddy works for Surrey Honda (his Dad is the GM) and he made it all possible. He shampooed and detailed this baby and it looks great! He buffed out all of the little dings and scratches so that the paint looks like new.

DEBT is the big challenge. My goal is to have it paid for within 4 years.

Leather interior and the DVD player for the kids in the future are my favorites so far.

Diaper Rookies

I had no idea that my wife has only changed one diaper in her life. One! Add that to the ZERO diapers that I have changed in my life and I'd have to say that we are in for a real treat! LOL

Scared? No. We are ready for the two new little adventures and the life of parenthood. It is something we have talked about even before we got married almost four years ago. At the time, having twins was just a dream. Never did we ever think it would become a reality.

The shit storm is coming.

Sports

My kids will play as many sports as possible and then I will let them choose their path on their own. I can't say that I will push them in any specific direction, but I hope that they both decide to try out a lot of different sports and make the decision on their own. Obviously, my dream would be for them both to become professionals and make a boat load of money.

As long as they are happy with what they are doing, that is all that matters. I am not going to force them into anything or be one of those parents who tries to live their own dreams through their kids. No thanks.

Week 10 & Week 18 pics

Here is a week 10 pic of them both:

Here are two week 18 pics both of baby B (soon to be known as the more photogenic one):

Thumbs up!




5 toes!

Nintendo 3DS and/or ipad?

Is this something I should be buying my kids in a year or two? Game systems are time suckers, but they sure are fun.

Are they educational? Can kids learn from them? I see that the ipad can read books to your children for you. Is that a good thing?

Gotta keep up.

B baby

B baby was punchin' away yesterday. It's always right after dinner. Both A & B love to roll over and move a lot. Sounds a lot like Mom & Dad really. We both are not very sound sleepers.

It is so surreal to feel a baby kick through and "touch" your hand as it rests on Mom's belly. So cool!

Numb Feet

Sometimes my wife freaks me out a little with her sudden complaints of aches and pains. My first reaction is either "let's get to the hospital" or "just relax, you are fine".

This added stress is not for the weak. I find myself worrying about her for no reason when I am at work, and wondering what the next pain or ache will be. There are times when I am scared that everything will not go according to plan.

Last night it was numb feet. So I called my favorite doctor - Google - and found out that it was completely natural at various stages of pregnancy.

These babies could come out as soon as the 32nd week according to the obgyn. That is the first goal, keep them in for 32 weeks. The next goal will be 35. Which means we could be changing diapers before August is over...

They could still be identical

After our first visit with the OBGYN yesterday we found out that there is a still chance that the kids could be identical. Crazy! We thought that it wasn't a possibility any more because they were seperated by a membrane in Mom's belly. It's all too technical for me, all I know is there's still a chance... which means they would most likely be two girls.

I remember when we found out we were having twins. Right before we went for our first ultrasound in week 10 we were in the waiting room and I said to mom "what if there is twins?"

Mom replied with "then we have to move!" LOL

After further discussion we decided that we wouldn't have to move, but that things would definitely take another twist in the whole "planning for a baby" aspect of things. Now there are two! Which means two of EVERYTHING.

Obviously they can't be identical if there is one boy and one girl. We thought that this was the case a while back because of the difference in speeds of their heart rates.

Only time will tell, we are still committed to it being a surprise.

Stress

I am an even keal guy. I rarely get way up or way down when it comes to emotions. I do tend to wear my heart on my sleeve more than most guys out there but when the pressure is on, I can handle it well. I relish in the challenge.

This whole thing about having babies soon is something I've never experienced before. I have all these stressful feelings wondering if I will be able to be the guy I want to be. The Father, the Dad and most importantly - the friend. This will be my toughest task.

I feel an immense amount of pressure coming on. Having to provide for two more people feels like such a huge task. One that I know I will succeed at but I'm just unclear on how.

I have such wonderful friends and family that it certainly does ease the worrying. My wife's family is equally as supportive and together we will handle this with the utmost courage and care. I look forward to the challenge. It will be the toughest most daunting task of my life. I'm starting to realize why I am here now. It is for them.

Teeny Tiny Clothes

We keep getting given the random gifts. They are all going to be a huge help but I keep thinking about the tiny tiny stuff for super newbies. I mean we shouldn't get too much of that stuff. Half the time they will be naked because they just shit themselves again and the rest of the time they will be swaddled and sleeping together like they are still in Mom's belly.

Father's Day was really weird for me yesterday. While I couldn't help but think about being a Father myself, I also couldn't help but think about another year passing me by where I don't have any relationship whatsoever with my own. It was a bit depressing but the good stuff definitely outweighed the bad. I didn't think about him much and instead focused on our family and the two new babies that are probably only 2.5 months away now.

My Aunt is here from Australia (the good one) and she came over last night for dinner as well. It was a really nice time to have my Nana in the same room as my Mom's younger (better) sister and my Mom. They are 10 years apart and they still don't get along like they should. Often it is a bit uncomfortable as they continuously try to take (un)obvious jabs at each other.

Nonetheless, it was an awesome day that was filled with cleaning our house and watching golf all day!

Unhealthy Eating

I have terrible eating habits. I know this and I don't do anything about it. I keep telling myself it is only temporary while my wife and I gain baby weight together. Some call it sympathy weight. I just call it being lazy. We rarely eat salads anymore and I am eating way more fast food then I ever had. I had Wendy's yesterday for lunch. I always get the small meal deal but the killer is the fries. It's just such junk and it is making me fat.

Today I had McDonald's for breakfast. Get a clue! So lazy. I usually make toast for breakfast but even then I slop on some cheese or peanut butter. I am going to be a tank soon if I don't watch it. Drinking beer doesn't help either.

I need to make some changes once these kids pop out. I need to excercise more and eat right.

Let's do this.

Baby A moved for me too

It was so surreal. There is a little person in there, actually there are two. We think baby A is a girl but it really doesn't matter. Baby A poked something or rolled over. Whatever it was, it was amazing to feel that little person inside of my wife let us know that he/she is growing daily and really wants to get this party started!

Week 24 will start on Father's Day.

Nerves

I get so nervous about the future now. I get worried that I won't be able to make ends meet. Having to buy all of this baby stuff is scary, knowing that I am the only one who will be bringing in a pay cheque for the next year. Sure, the wife will be on unemployement but really that money will only pay for diapers. I heard something about people back in the day using cloth diapers. That is gross. Having to wash shit off and then reuse the diapers later that week. No thanks.

I felt Baby B move

Baby B is on the left side of Mom. Every once in a while after I kiss Mom the baby will kick or move around. Both A and B have been known to do this. Yesterday was the first time that I actually felt it through the belly. It was pretty frickin' sweet!

It was just a light little tap that almost felt like a hicup. Maybe it was. Whatever it was, it was awesome and I can't wait to feel more. This "becoming a father" thing is becoming more real each day.

Can't wait.

Mini Van for Twins

One of the many things on my plate right now is trying to find a good (used) mini van to cart around the future little schaubabies. I've decided that we are going to get a Honda Odyssey. We want a van that can seat 7 people so that we can drive more than just our family of four if needed. This Honda has a rear seat that folds into the floor. Exactly what we are looking for!

Here are some other options:


Exterior
Heated Mirrors
Intermittent Wipers
Keyless Entry
Power: Mirrors
Power: Trunk
Rear Spoiler
Rear Window Defroster
Rear Window Wiper
Roof Rack
Sunroof

Interior
Climate: Air Conditioning
Climate: Cabin Air Filtration
Climate: Rear Air
Compass & Temperature Gauge
Cruise Control
Cup Holders: Front
Cup Holders: Rear
Digital Clock
Floor Console
Floor Mats: Carpet
Floor Mats: OEM
Height Adjustable Seats
Map Light
Media: AM/FM Radio Tuner
Media: CD Changer
Media: Compact Disc Player
Power: Locks
Power: Windows
Seat(s): Fold Up
Seat(s): Center Arm Rest
Seat(s): Heated
Seat(s): Power
Seat(s): Third Row
Telescopic Steering Wheel
Tilt Steering
Upholstery: Leather
Vanity Mirrors

Mechanical
Brakes: 4-Wheel Disc Brakes
Drive: Front Wheel Drive
Engine: Cylinders 06
Power: Brakes
Power: Steering
Tachometer
Transmission: 5 Speed
Transmission: Automatic

Safety
3 Point Rear Seat Belts
Air Bags: Driver Safety Air Bag
Air Bags: Passenger Safety Air Bags
Air Bags: Side Safety Air Bags
Brakes: Anti-Lock Brake System
Daytime Running Lights
Driver Information Centre
Electronic Stability Control
Head Restraint
Security System
Steering Wheel Audio Controls
Tires: Compact Spare
Traction Control

The price is the issue though. How the heck am I going to afford another $300 a month for a car payment? This isn't getting any easier and I suspect it will only get harder with each and every day!

Twins 3 months away

I've never changed a diaper in my life. Heck, I've rarely looked in that general direction while things like that are happening. I can't describe the feeling right now as I think about how drastically my life is going to change. Instantly.

Poop.

Lots of poop.