Year's end

New Year's Eve. Tomorrow brings us 2008 (or so I read in the papers).

After six attempts, I'm putting this entry to rest. I just spilled half of an AmberBock on the ass of my pants and it's throwing my writing mind out of whack.

We're in for it

"Boy, are you in for it!" were the subtle words of encouragement meted out to me today by one Mark Parry, upon hearing of our news. Mark, a long-distance friend and former co-worker at the City of Clearwater, is probably right. God love him for his reliable sense of humor. As a nod to that and our mutual admiration of Johnny Carson's Carnac the Magnificent, here's a lighthearted interlude into our generally tiresome blog:

(Carnac holds the sealed envelope up to his turban)

CARNAC: Over 105 in Los Angeles.

ED McMAHON: Over 105 in Los Angeles.

(Carnac rips the envelope open and removes the card)

CARNAC (reading): Under the Reagan Plan, how old would you have to be to collect Social Security?

A little history

Though this blog was born on Dec 17, A and B were actually in existence from approximately 10/30/2007. The first inclination I had that something was 'different' was on November 20. I was working at an off-site benefits fair and felt waves of dizziness for most of the day. That day was the worst, but this continued throughout that week. I just had a feeling that I was pg.
On Friday, 11/9/2007, I went to the doctor for an hcg beta blood test. For the uninformed, HCG is the 'pregnancy hormone' and is produced by the cells of the implanting egg.

That afternoon, my suspicions were confirmed. The nurse called that afternoon, congratulating me on a positive pregnancy test-the hcg level was 45. I was told to come back on Monday morning for another test- with a viable pregnancy, the level should at least double every 48 hours. And 'double' it did- in just 3 days, the hcg had jumped to 781! This was our first indication that we had more than one baby in there. An ultrasound at OB appt #1 on November 29, 2007. confirmed that there are 2 separate sacs and heartbeats. When Dr. Snow said, "Well, there's one..." and paused, that's when I knew. Then he located #2 and for a minute I was scared he was not done counting. Thankfully, there were just 2. Karl and I didn't respond with the normal fall-off-your-chair reaction of this kind of news since we were prepared from the blood results. Karl has been very happy with the prospect of twins (hey, 2 for the price of 1!). As for me- while I am certainly grateful for what God has blessed us with, I also have in the back of my mind Dr. Devane's cautions about the increased rates of risks and complications. He actually said to us that when his patients become pregnant with twins, he feels in a way that he has failed.
I would say we were (and have) been cautiously optimistic about this one for the past few months...just taking it day by day and praying for the best.
(Kel)

Christmas

This season Santa delivered, approximately seven months ahead of schedule, a 60-pack of newborn-caliber Huggies. This was the first time I've held a package of diapers. It is amazing that 60 of these soon-to-be nasties can fit in a package the size of two airplane pillows carefully duct-taped together.

We also received "The Happiest Baby on the Block." These days, $15 ($21 Canadian) buys you just one happy infant. Let's hope the author at least threw in an appendix promising everlasting glee to the other baby.

Strolling around

Last night marked our first visit to an offspring-related merchandise retailer, BabiesRUs. And far from the last.

We 'popped in' to BRU after a 5PM showing of "American Gangster" at the buck-fifty Colonial Promenade theater: the deal of deals in O-town. (Though you certainly pay for what you get here-- the screen is only a few dozen pixels larger than our 46" flat screen and stadium-seating is a peculiarity yet undiscovered).

The goal was to explore the selection of twin strollers. Not much of a variety, but the ones they had were fairly impressive- large smooth-rolling wheels, hand brakes, cup-holders for each infant, and a mp3 holder for the parent eager to escape from reality and tune out the twins screaming in stereo, or what have you.

After a few test-drives, we found the front/back style easier to maneuver and overall preferable to the side-by-side type (take note, all you prospective baby-shower attendees out there). None of these was under $160, though still seem like a deal at twice the price; B&A will surely spend many hours in this thing. Whether they like it or not.

Pregnancy tracker

I'm always asking Kelly: "Kel, so which week are we in?" (Which I typically follow with "hey, don't give me that look again!"). Something about the way you start measuring the precise day and week of the pregnancy has befuddled me. Thus today we completed a Pregnancy Calendar, courtesy of a Dr. Snow care package, in which one keeps track of the pregnancy's progress. Included with this calendar are stickers which one can affix to mark certain occasions. They are pre-printed with such 'momentous' announcements as "belly itches," "trouble sleeping," and "first fetal movement." Apparently they ran out of space for stickers declaring that "husband was a jerk" and "I feel like a cow!" It's hidden on the inside wall of my shirt closet, allowing me to nearly make out the correct month.

In the beginning...

There you have it, folks, our first family photo. Though the rest of the family, namely the original members K & K, (not to mention our aging gap-tooth hound Roxie and the newly acquired squeaky biter Hana) are not visible from this particular angle. No matter; beginning in mid- to late-June, there will be plenty of photos of us holding B & A (names altered to protect anonymity).

Thus launches the Wieleckitwins blog. The photo above was taken yesterday, December 19, 2007. The Wieleckitwins (WT) now measure 9 weeks, +/- 3 days, and according to our frosty medic Dr. Snow, appear flawless (except for placenta positioning in B; but this should resolve itself soon).