Tick Tock

A distracting evening. Hana is restless and demands playtime; she took the initiative and, unrequested, just delivered to me a brassiere from the master bedroom. So, a quick entry.

I've lately been giving considerable brain time to the rapid rise of the earth's population and the capacity of this planet to absorb it. Of course, there's been some media coverage recently of the relatively sudden jump in world food prices, covered in full by last week's Economist. And, as we'll be adding two humans to (this moment's) tally of 6,669,180,095, I feel like a slight accomplice in this dire situation. OK, I know, you're not here for a bulletin on the latest inconvenient truth, so I'll steer this post away from a depressing note and will replace it with one of interest: check out this world clock: http://www.poodwaddle.com/clocks2.htm. If you click on the "Now" button, the counter resets. Prepare to be astounded by the relentless progression of worldwide births! Eight months of sore backs and swollen ankles and a day of hell in the delivery room, yet come mid-June, A and B will just be an inconsequential half-second blip on that scoreboard. Where's the fanfare?

A Matter of Taste

Right now I'm watching the film Topkapi. This 1964 Peter Ustinov adventure comedy is one of my favorites. I could watch this one and fifty others repeatedly with no diminished delight. I wonder, though, will WT give one solid damn about Topkapi, or any of my other favorite movies, or any of my other favorite anythings? Surely my tastes are not replicated in my genes and will not be picked up instinctively by the next generation. It's a bit arrogant even to wish that they take after me, to predispose B to an interest in soccer and A to international affairs when they might care more for baseball and theater. But can I help it? Can any parent be so hands-off with their kids' upbringing that they don't subconsciously steer them towards their own preferences? The answer is no--you dip them in the Karl pool but let them get out when and where they please. You let them walk out on Topkapi during the climactic jewel heist scene, or even during the opening credits. (Actually I recommend this to everyone as the first 20 minutes are rather tedious). The lesson of this story is that I may have zero in common with my kids except the last name, the number of knees, and the desire to get into two different lines at the movies. But all that matters is that we're in the same car (or bus or train, someday, hopefully) on the way home.

Growing, Growing, Gone!

Kel is running out of oversized tees. Quickly. She's down to one: a white Orlando Sport and Social Club extra large, and even this one is beginning to inch up her stomach. This isn't a plea for help; it's a subtle update on the progress of WT. A week ago A and B were roughly 2.5 pounds each. So, if all goes well, they will double in size in eight weeks. Presumably this means that Kel will inflate to record proportions, can discard her remaining shirt and the giant blue shorts, and may even have trouble tying the ends of her bathrobe belt. Of course, we'll love her all the more and I won't spare hugs, provided I can reach her.

In 56 days, give or take the unexpected, my insensitive jabs will be no more than memories. (Forever preserved in the Archive section of this blog). All that extra weight will be transferred from beneath Kel's shirts to a crib, a stroller, and carseats. And part of that weight will be transferred to hundreds of diapers. Maybe we shouldn't be too eager to see A and B emerge. Let them stay in, where they're quiet, make no mess, and don't poke forks into electrical outlets.

Another doc visit update

Time for an appointment update…Perinatologist visit # 4 day took place last Thursday, April 17-at 26 weeks, 4 days. Again we saw Dr. Busowski, and again we got an excellent report. The tech measured their growth..remarking on what big heads they had and how smart they’ll be as a result..hmmm.. They are still measuring above average- a good 2 weeks or so, at 2 lbs, 7 ounces each. We are always really excited to see how much they weigh.
Here is the Babycenter average weight chart for where we are at:
26 weeks: 14.02 inches 1.68 pound 35.6 cm 760 grams
27 weeks: 14.41 inches 1.93 pound 36.6 cm 875 grams

Baby girl A is still head down and B is breech..the tech scared me a bit about delivery...I said I'd like to avoid a C-section if possible and she said, oh, not me, I have seen too many times where the first one comes naturally and then they aren't able to deliver #2 that way and end up doing a C-section. I know that is a possibility but I wasn't thinking it wasn’t that likely... Anyway, then the doc came in, said that everything is looking good (and big) and just chatted for a few minutes. He is quite funny and personable.

Yesterday was another OB appointment. Dr. C now says I must see him every week (before he would let me go 2 if I wanted to) b/c he says more things can start to go wrong after 28 weeks. Of course, the 1st thing I thought of was the darn cervix checks that he does (rather uncomfortable) but hey, if it’s for the good of the babies, sure-go for it! I asked about types of delivery and he said since A has been head down for pretty much the whole time, she’ll probably stay that way and we can try vaginal if I want but he will do C-section if I’d prefer that. At this point, I am not sure anymore. He did say that only once in his 20 years of practicing has he had to deliver a set of twins both ways- one naturally, the other C-section. He also said he thinks I probably will go to at least 36 weeks, just based on how everything is going now. Another 2 months would be great! For the twins that is. For me...not so much, as things are getting pretty rough, I must say. But if it means they are that much healthier and bigger, and can avoid the NICU, I am all for it. He did say I could probably be induced at 36. That's about it for now!

అం ఎత్నిక్ ఫెఅస్ట్

This blog title is "An Ethnic Feast" transliterated into Telugu. It refers to Sunday's gathering at the Pallavajallas with a few friends, some old, some new. Following my Latin immersion on Saturday, Sunday we explored South Asian cuisine, all prepared in-house.

Indian has been my favorite ethnic fare for some time. Beyond its savory flavors, it is a sensual delight with its exquisite assortment of colors and scents. As in restaurants it's not a budget meal, I had started acquiring a dozen or so common spices and experimenting with recipes at home. Then the natural idea arose: why not gather more hands, utensils, and expertise, and whip up an Indian dinner party?

With Indian food, you can't have too many cooks stirring the pot: many recipes list ingredients occupying half the length of a page and call for chopping and grinding this and sprinkling and stirring that, then adding one prepared mixture to the curry sauteing in the pot...not to mention the rice and naan (pita bread) and on and on...While one could save hours by dining out, there's just no comparison to the frenzied kitchen tango and satisfaction of turning fourteen separate ingredients into a steaming bowl of wonder.

Joining this party was a couple with a 16 month old half-Indian daughter. While mom was shuffling among pots and pans and cutting boards, she took breaks to spoon-feed her daughter a mixture of well-cooked rice and lentils. This, I hear, is the baby food Indians swear by. And why not? Packed with nutrition and no doubt tastier than the blended peas and chicken goop Westerners force down their infants' throats, it points to our over-cautious approach to raising children. And hints at a future blog topic.