Two Heart Beats

Stephen and I went to my 12-week prenatal appointment yesterday and heard the twins’ heartbeats. They were both nice and strong: 160/minute and 155 respectively! I cannot use a midwife this time around due to my having multiples, so we met with one of the five doctors at the practice. I will eventually meet with all of them (there are four female and one male obstetricians) and then use whatever doc is on call when I go into labor. The doctor said everything is looking good thus far, although I’ve only gained a pound and am still not showing that much — all stuff to look forward to (yeah, right), I suppose! I told her that I thought I felt the kids move when trying to fall asleep on Mother’s Day night, but she said she’d be surprised if it wasn’t just gas, since they’re still so small. I’m telling you … it felt like the real “fluttering butterfly” sensation to me, so I’m sticking to my story.

Houston experiencing a post-food high in May 2008.  

Here are some May happenings on the Houston front: 

  • The family went to an outdoor neighborhood party on 5/3 and he had a ball playing with all the kids there.
  • Houston played in a sandbox for the first time on 5/4. It belongs to his best buddy, Dixie, and although he didn’t like it when his binky got tainted by falling into the sand, I think he enjoyed the new adventure. Plus, it’s good practice for our upcoming beach vacation next month.

Houston playing with Dixie in her sandbox in May 2008.

  • He spent time all alone with Daddy from 5/10-5/11, so that I could go to a wedding in Wilmington. They enjoyed having some quality guy time together, without having Mommy hovering around. Stephen says it went off without a hitch, although he was exhausted from the experience.
  • Houston said “Mama” for the first time on 5/13. I don’t think he has put it together that I am indeed his Mama, but it’s fun to here him say it nonetheless.
  • A fourth tooth popped through his upper gums on 5/14, so he now has six total. The teething sometimes really gets to him when the drooling and runny nose seem to occur at a nonstop pace. But other than those few bad days, Houston has handled what I can only imagine is intense pain like the big, strong boy that he is. We’re very proud of him.
  • Houston is still into sniffing fabric and often carries around a burp cloth with him while he’s crawling about the house and yard. He must find comfort in the scent. But he has also taken to holding out his arm into the air and then looking at it with great pleasure. Sometimes the gesture is flat-handed, as if he is Caesar and has just made a declaration of some sort; other times, he will pump his fist, like he is leading a “Power to the people” chant. Our Houston Lee is a strange bird, for sure!

Houston doing the

As you can see by the photo above, Stephen finally decided to chop his hair, which he has had long since his high school days. Looks fine, don’t it?! Houston was a tad concerned about the change at first, but has now gotten used to it. And Stephen is loving how easy it is to manage. 

To see all the most recent photos from May, click here. 

Stephen and I just started watching a reality show on TLC called “Jon & Kate Plus 8.” If you’ve never seen it, Jon and Kate had twins (now age 7) and then four years later had sextuplets (now age 3). The show documents the family’s day-to-day activities and gives us a glimpse into how the parents cope with having eight young kids. Kate is type-A and extremely organized, so she comes up with lots of innovative ideas that I think help out parents of multiples and other stay-at-home moms in general. But she is also not Super Mom and has her occasional breakdown, just as every parent will do, so the show provides that reassurance that parents so often need: moms and dads should never strive for the unattainable perfection, but should only aim to do the best they can with each day. Sometimes we’ll fall short, while other times we’ll far exceed our expectations. But as long as we do everything out of love and what’s best for our children, we cannot fail. Moreover, I figure if Kate can handle eight youngins, I can surely handle three. For more info on their amazing family, visit http://www.sixgosselins.com/.