A little background: We used to live on the coast in CA. When we were there my neighbor and I were both pregnant with our second children. Shortly after they were born we both moved. She went to the Pacific Northwest and I ended up here in the hot & humid Southeast. Anyway, while we were neighbors I attended her baby shower. It was there that I met Missy. As we were sitting in a circle at the shower Missy announced that she had just had an ultrasound and discovered she was expecting twins.
Fast forward to when we arrived in GA. Missy lives down the street from me! Her identical twin girls turned 1 year old 3 weeks after I had my ultrasound when I discovered that I was also having twins. Naturally, Missy and I became friends since we have so much in common. Her girls are now 2 1/2 years old and absolutely adorable.
A couple of months ago I got an email from my old neighbor. Can you see where this is going? Yep, she's expecting twins now. And they're GIRLS. She's 36 weeks and her Baby A just flipped from breech to vertex-just like MY Baby A did at 36 weeks. Last week I sent her a huge box of matching girl baby clothes that was given to me by Missy. And so the circle continues.
Talking to my old neighbor just reminded me of how difficult those last weeks or pregnancy were when I was carrying twins. It was hot (of course!) and I was huge (yeah, really huge!) I was topping out around 215 lbs, more than 90lbs over what I weigh now. I measured 57cm the last time my fundal height was checked a couple of weeks before I gave birth. And the heartburn? Ohhh, the heartburn. It was excruciating! I had stomach acid coming out my ears. Let's not forget the pubic pain. I had SPD so badly that I could not walk sometimes and could not spread my knees apart AT ALL.
When I was chatting with my old neighbor I wished I could be there for her. I wish I could support her through these last weeks of pregnancy, through her birth, and through the first weeks at home with 4 young children. It won't be easy. I know that all too well. But the rewards will be immeasurable. A lifetime of toothy grins and big bear hugs from two little girls who you love more than anything in the world. Yeah, definitely worth it.
Oh, and another funny thing that happened today... I emailed my grandmother some pictures and she replied back saying how she always forwards the pictures to my aunt in CA and my aunt swears the girls look like the Olsen twins. WHAT? Do my 60-something aunt and my 80-something grandmother even know who the Olsen twins ARE? I guess so! I sent them a link to my blog post from yesterday. I thought it was quite funny. Then I sent it to my mom, who immediately proclaimed that they do look like the Olsen twins to her too. Funny stuff.
