Messed UP!

I belong to a Mothers of Multiples group, which for a nominal fee gives me the opportunity to sell things at their semi-annual sales and to attend various functions of a fun and/or useful nature.  I don’t go to many of the regular meetings, though, and today I figured out why:

In my “regular” group of mommy friends, I can ALWAYS play the twin card.  Some moms have the infertility card or the miscarriage card or the special needs card, but I am the only one with multiples.  We really don’t compete — it’s a supportive group — but like moms everywhere we are all busy, and when we need to vent about our busy-ness we each have our own unique burden that the others cannot imagine.

In the MOMs club, though, everyone starts from the basis of multiples, and then many of them have dealt with infertility, etc. in addition to having multiples.  I don’t like going to the meetings because with my uneventful pregnancies and healthy children, no one feels sorry for me.

What is wrong with me?!

Grumpy

Last night at work, listening to the latest This American Life,* I thought about how there are people with whom I would just rather not share this planet.**  What is the matter with people?***

*It’s the first story about the Nigerian guy.  If you’re wondering which ones made me mad, the answer is “all of them.”  The other story is also sickening.

**Not you.  I heart you.

***Actually, this happens to me a lot lately.  January cannot come soon enough.  I think you know what I mean.

Orange

I have a bad habit of referring to Apple and Orange as a unit, or even as “the twins.”  For their birthday posts, I am going to try to give them each their due.  They will be two tomorrow.  Hold me.

Orange likes: coloring - especially with markers, ducks, puppies, grandmas, and grandpas.  Mostly grandmas.  And Mama.  Orange has a decided preference for Mama right now, and she is a girl who speaks her mind about such things.

Orange dislikes: being asked to put away her markers (or her Nuk!), being left in her crib to sleep when she has made it clear that SHE DOES NOT WANT TO, and ice cream that is too cold.

She is a motherly little thing; she has a doll who sleeps with her every night.  “Baby,” as she is appropriately named, is lavished with kisses for her owies, milk when she is thirsty, and even occasional brief chances to suck on Orange’s own precious Nuk.

Orange uses signs with words.  The signs seem to be helping her remember the word itself — she just learned to say “milk” in this way after signing it for months.  She seeks out familiar pictures in all her books, looking for words she knows, even though she doesn’t say them all.

She likes to observe, especially in bigger groups or unfamiliar places.  Although I’ve seen her lately get a little bolder in those situations, she’ll often be content to sit on my lap or hover close to me.  She gradually moves away as she gets more comfortable.  Sometimes I think she even surprises herself, when she finds she’s having fun independently.  Her caution does pay off.  She is welcome on laps throughout the family — a toddler who will sit still and cuddle, even for a minute, is a rare thing.  And she scopes out where all the good toys are while she watches the other kids play with them, so when she’s ready to play she doesn’t waste any time on sub-prime fun.

Orange, you are a thoughtul, happy, sweet girl.  You are growing up so fast!  I love you, and happy birthday!

Apple

I have a bad habit of referring to Apple and Orange as a unit, or even as “the twins.”  For their birthday posts, I am going to try to give them each their due.  They will be two tomorrow.  Hold me.

Apple loves: trucks, trains, ducks, puppies (which he calls “woof-woofs”), grandmas, and grandpas.  Those last two MUST BE TOGETHER AT ALL TIMES.  When my mom comes over, he grins and rushes over to her, then holds out his hands in an exaggerated shrug and makes this little “eh?” noise.  This means, “Where is Grandpa?  Why are you here without Grandpa?  What were you thinking!? ” (My MIL is coming on Friday without FIL.  I’ll be curious to see if she receives similar treatment.)

Apple dislikes: soda, being required to dump the sand out of his shoes before coming inside, the end of any meal or snacktime, and being sick.  It is hard for any parent when any of their kids are sick, but I swear you have never seen a child as pathetic as this one can be.  He has a look that would melt a heart of stone.

He seems to pick up signs faster than words: he signs “milk,” “more,” “puppy,” and “please,” among others, and he’ll get his point across with gestures if he doesn’t know the words or the signs he needs. 

Apple is a child in perpetual motion.  In public places, where he’s less sure of himself, I am often convinced that he’s lost when he is actually right behind me.  I’m just so used to him running, running, running, that I can’t believe it when he stands still.

He loves to laugh; he seems to be determined to have fun in every circumstance.  Sometimes, it doesn’t even matter if it’s a joke he could possibly understand.  Last week, both he and Orange were having trouble sleeping, and the Jellyman and I brought them to our room while we watched The Daily Show.  He laughed in all the right places, sometimes before we did.

Apple, you are a joyful, excited, sweet little big boy.  Happy birthday, Buddy.  I love you.

Labor Day Meme

Yeah, I posted this yesterday, but somehow managed to mark it as private.  I am now two days late.  Whatever.

From Amy

How long were your labors?

Raisin: about 17 hours — I woke up late Sunday morning with mild contractions, and she was born about 12:30 Monday morning.

Orange and Apple: 24 hours?  I think?  I went to the hospital on a Saturday night, but it was obvious that they weren’t going to be born for several hours, so the doctor ordered me some meds so I could sleep for a little while.  We started again Sunday morning, and they were born Sunday afternoon.

How did you know you were in labor?

Raisin: a little bleeding, and contractions.   I was following my progress in The Book so I could call the midwife at Exactly The Right Moment.  39 weeks.
Orange/Apple: I’d been having contractions for several weeks, but they were coming much faster and harder that night.  35 weeks.  (36 weeks is generally considered full-term for twins.)

Where did you deliver?

Hospital, both times.

Drugs?

Raisin: intra-thecal morphine at about 5 cm.  This was excellent, as I could still feel the contractions but the edge was taken off, and I could feel to push.  I was sick after the birth, though.

Orange/Apple: Pitocin, because my contractions didn’t seem to be moving things along.  They were monitoring me and the babies, so I couldn’t walk around (didn’t really want to anyway, because I was a freaking house).  They tried breaking the waters, but that didn’t work either.  Then the OB resident talked me into an epidural.  I don’t really regret it — they were born without complication, and that’s all that matters — but I do wonder what would’ve happened if I’d held firm.  The epidural lasted much too long, and it made me feel disconnected from the delivery process.

C-section?

Thankfully, no.  (Amy’s line, so let me just add: Amen)

Who delivered?

Raisin: CNM, who happens to be male and an ex-Marine.  He rocks.

Orange/Apple: who WASN’T there?  The OB on call from my practice was supervising (while evidently another of her patients delivered without her — sorry, whoever you are!).  The head OB resident from the hospital delivered the babies, and her med student delivered the placentas.  Each doctor had a nurse or two.  The anesthesiologist was hanging out (with a nurse) in case they had to put me out.  Each baby had a pediatrician and a couple students and/or nurses (although they disbursed pretty quickly once it was obvious the babies were fine).  I just saw an episode of Jon & Kate… about the birth of the sextuplets, and they said there were 75 people present for the delivery.  This does not shock me as it might’ve 2 years ago.
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Anyone else want to do the meme? Answer the questions on your blog and leave a comment below. Happy (belated) Labor day!!!