Nearly-Wordless Wednesday

So based on my last post, you might think that all Mary & Lily ever do is sleep. Au contraire! To correct this misleading impression, here are a few waking photos:

And they've started smiling! We can hardly wait to capture their smiles in a photo. :D :D

Wordless Wednesday

11/3/11

11/7/11

11/7/11

11/7/11

11/24/11

12/1/11

12/2/11

12/14/11

39 Weeks Pregnant with Twins

So 39 weeks, and Mary and Lily still haven't made their grand entrance. When I venture out of the house, people comment, "Why are you hogging those babies?" or "How are you still pregnant?" Witty answers that I usually don't think of 'til later include: "They're waiting for their birthday," or "I'm treating them so well, they don't want to leave."

I have made conscious efforts to keep the babies healthy, though. Alhough I've been overweight and unhealthy at various times in my life, knowing that two other lives depend on my choices has helped me become healthier than ever. Here's what I've done these past 9+ months that may have made a difference:

1. No Drugs I've completely avoided the obvious no-nos like alcohol, smoking, and drugs (including caffeine). I even shunned over-the-counter drugs until my mom (a nurse) convinced me that Tums and Pepcid are less dangerous than acid burning up my esophagus; but that's it. For headaches I drink water and rest in a dark, quiet room. For bumps and bruises I apply a cold pack.


My meds and a Boo Bunny (the cutest coldpack ever)

2. Water I've drunk lots and lots and lots of water. My stainless steel bottle of filtered water goes everywhere with me. All that water has acclimated me already to getting up four times a night! If it's not water, I try to drink plenty of whole organic milk (goat's milk in the first two trimesters helped my sensitive stomach, but I've switched back to cow's milk), some watered-down 100% apple or orange or grape juice, and hot tea made especially for pregnancy.

3. Less Sugar I've cut way back on sugar, especially lately. Sugar is added to so much in America! Eating food in its natural state really helps and leaves me feeling better too. Most mornings I have a sliced apple with loads of peanut butter - the Smucker's Organic kind, which contains only two ingredients: peanuts and salt. Plus, fruit starts tasting sweeter when you cut back on added sugar. James and I have even decided our house will be candy-free this October (there's plenty of free candy for kiddos at other people's houses ...and someone always eats the leftovers).

Natural PB: just stir it up and keep it in the pantry

4. No Sugar Substitutes I've completely cut out artificial sweeteners. I think they're toxic, and they are as ubiquitous as high-fructose corn syrup. When I got in the car with my first bottle of Pepcid, I read the label carefully then went right back into the drug store to exchange it for off-brand pepcid pills that don't contain aspartame. The only chewing gum I chew is Dentyne Classic, and the only place I can find it is the Chevron on Hwy 69N.

5. Rest I've rested from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday each week. Not working or shopping one day a week may seem old-school, but I love it.

6. Protein I've tried to eat at least 80 grams of protein every day. It's not easy, and I kept track of it for two or three months til I got the hang of it. That natural peanut butter, Greek yogurt, not-highly-processed cheese, organic milk, eggs, whole wheat bread, nuts, beans, and brown rice all help. And then, there's meat...

7. Clean Meat I've been very picky with meat. First, I completely avoid the meats listed in Leviticus 11 as "unclean." As with avoiding sugar, I feel way better not eating pork, shellfish, or any other bottom-feeders. No deli meat or hot dogs, either. If possible, the animals lived free-range, healthy lives before I put them in my body: chicken, beef, salmon, and orange roughy are great. Venison hunted on family land and processed by my dad is the best!

8. Vitamins I've splurged on vitamins. My prenatal multi-vitamin is made from whole foods and smells so good to Harvey (our beagle) that I can't let him near them. One serving is 4 pills a day, and you can see the difference between these and the lab-made synthetic vitamins. I also take extra folic acid, DHA, and vitamin C. When the time comes (any day now!) I'm switching to a whole foods post-natal vitamin, also 4 pills a day, which promotes nursing, etc. And I've got a box of "mother's milk" organic tea waiting for those (finally) cold winter days.

Morning vitamins & evening vitamins

9. Exercise I've tried to take a walk every day, though these past few weeks it's mostly just around the house. I've also done the Bradley Method class-recommended exercises: butterfly, pelvic tilt, squatting, and Kegals. James has seen pregnant women at the gym's weight-lifting class...more power to them, but I'll sit that one out.

10. Attitude I've tried to remember that these children I'm carrying are a blessing, and all the discomforts are worth it. I don't know when they'll be born, but God knows and has plans for them already.   

Fall Traditions & Special Days

Well, I made it to 37 weeks and the Kentuck Festival!

Praise God for Mary & Lily going this far ...it's a bit surreal! Someone told me last month that I'd be miserable by now if I were still pregnant. I thought, "Thanks for that encouragement," and decided I would not be miserable (uncomfortable doesn't always equal miserable). Resting tops the list of things I do these days. Mom often goes grocery shopping for me, and James has been great about encouraging me to take it easy. He even cleans up in the kitchen!


Since the last blog post, several notable events have taken place:






 I had a birthday.




Okay, I turned 30! I'm kinda glad to be done with my 20s, and to be the same age my mom was when I was born. My friend Lindsey had given me this Willow Tree expectant mama figurine, and James bought the dad with two girls for my birthday (plus the pretty flowers). Oh, and much to his relief, we finished our gamut of childbirth classes not long after. We feel v-e-r-y well-informed. :)

It was bittersweet to finish tutoring Korean students at The Reserve and on Skype at the end of September. I really needed to rest, but I do miss my students. I may tutor again a bit when the girls get on a good schedule ...we'll see.

Sweet ladies from University Church had a beautiful baby shower for us. James was just glad to find out he wasn't expected to attend, just load up the car afterward. :) A lot of people were there that I hadn't seen in way too long. It was very special!

Laurie & Susie & Mom helped me open and record the gifts ...

And Grace, Faith, & Hope (here with their mom Knoel) helped by carrying the gifts into the other room. Sweet girls! So glad they're back in Alabama.

Instead of jewelry, I really wanted two trees as my "push present" (and no, I'm not making up that term!). So James enlisted Jerry's expert help in planting a pink dogwood and a white dogwood in our backyard. James has hauled water up the hill for them just about every day. It means a lot to me.

Finally, last weekend we went to the Homecoming Parade, which, like the Kentuck Festival, is a lifelong tradition I always look forward to. The footrest on the folding chair was the key this year.

Who knows? Maybe my next post will be pictures of Lily & Mary. :) :)

Big events before the BIG event

We've had several big events these past few weeks:

James ran in his first 5K: under 29 minutes! Just walking from the Ampitheater to Greensboro and back, I probably sweated as much as he did. And it warmed my heart to hear two nearby kids yell, "Yay, Daddy!" when their father crossed the finish line. Something for us to look forward to. :)

Mom & I enjoyed a wonderful party thanks to Linda, Aunt Penny, April, & Aunt Becka. Good old friends and other honorary "Aunts" showered the babies Crownover with love.

Cosette came with Erica & Wilkes for the weekend. In addition to brand-new presents, Mary & Lily will wear some super cute hand-me-downs from their lovely little cousin.

Some of the same ladies (plus several others) got together to celebrate Carisa's expected baby girl. We're due on the same day! On our walks these past few months, we've marvelled at the fact that on our four legs we were carrying a total of five girls. 

These gorgeous, vintage-style name plates made by April go perfectly on the wall of the nursery. So sweet!

James installed this daisy chandelier (thanks, Mom & Jerry!), which looks similar to the one I grew up with.

The butterfly mobile I made looks best from below...

And we've had a couple of get-togethers (everyone's welcome!) where Dad & William play guitars and we sing praises to God, pray, & encourage each other. I love these times at the Fourts', and finally had one at our house. Notice Turtle the cat inspecting Dad's guitar from underneath. :)

We don't know when the BIG event will happen, when we get to meet our girls in person. I'm hoping to make it to 38 weeks (mid-October); Mary & Lily will be good and healthy by then, and I'll get to waddle around the Kentuck Festival of the Arts one more time. It'll be fine whenever they arrive, though. We're trusting God to take care of all of us!

Tree for Two

A couple of weeks ago, I saw Dr. Liu in the Publix parking lot. I hadn't seen my linguistics professorsince our last class was suddenly ended by tornado sirens on April 27. His wife, whom I'd never met before, said, "Oh, you're expecting?" When I told her we're expecting two girls in October, she replied, "Twins! You are so lucky; everyone dreams of having twins!"

Now, whether or not that's a true statement (some people actually cringe when I say "two babies"), her reaction made my day. Is it her Chinese background, or a generally good outlook on life that prompted her words? In any case, I'll always remember them.

  

 After being married eight years, James & I will welcome our daughters as answers to a lot of prayer. They'll be named Miriam Anna & Lily Eleanor and called Mary & Lily. We've been getting ready by taking Bradley Method classes, combining the guest room & office, freezing dinners, and putting the nursery together. Fortunately, James keeps us from cluttering up, motivates me to start (and finish) projects with him, and has mad painting skills. After he repainted the walls, we painted a pink dogwood tree in the nursery. The bluebird was all James - isn't he cute?

God is taking care of us in so many ways. We've been blessed with friends who have twins already - the Patricks, the Thrashers, the Greers, the Weathers; our families are excited & supportive; and folks have passed on to us all kinds of great baby gear.

I got to see lots of Crownovers at James's cousin's June wedding. We visited Maryland last month, where our nephew Brody gave us a glimpse of the energy & joy we'll soon add to our house. Long-time family friends let us use their place in Gulf Shores for a "babymoon" (kind of like a honeymoon). Salt water is wonderful to be in when you're pregnant; just beware of jellyfish and have white vinegar on hand in case one wraps around your wrist.

Another big blessing started out as a bummer. After drinking a vile vial of syrup, waiting an hour, and getting jabbed with a needle, I failed the first sugar test (it screens for gestational diabetes). Nobody wants diabetes, and I dreaded the upcoming three-hour test, which requires drinking twice as much syrup, waiting through three one-hour intervals, and getting pricked three times . Driving home, I was so bummed out I decided to drop by a garage sale. You know, small-scale shopping therapy. In addition to cute used baby clothes, they had brand-new cloth diapers - the $20 a piece ones we've registered for - for 50 cents each! It occured to me how much I could profit on eBay, but the folks selling them were raising money for their ministry to widows and orphans. They couldn't even give away these non-Pampers that had been donated for the poor. This wasn't all about me, I realized. I told them the online value of their boxes (roughly 40 times what they thought), then timidly asked if I could still buy some at two-for-a-dollar. "Sure," they said, "a deal's a deal!" So this old-fashioned family is set for life with diapers; we've discovered an ancient method to avoid buying baby formula; and we praise God for providing everything we need!

(By the way, I passed the second sugar test. And as James pointed out, without failing the first one, I wouldn't have gone to that garage sale.)

Back to School

A LOT has been happening these past few weeks.

James's Mom & Gary came for Christmas:

Johnny & Eliz and Aunt Sylvia came during what I still think of as "Youth In Action" week (an event that used to happen between Christmas and the New Year):

Wilkes & Erica and Cosette came on New Year's Eve, and the Whole Family ate dinner at Mom & Jerry's house:

We shot fireworks, and had so much fun that only the rain kept the lawn, house, and neighborhood from going up in blue blazes.

My dad and brothers got enough deer this season to stock our freezer too. I (briefly) helped Dad in processing the venison, and Harvey the beagle will get delectable scraps - pieces some people would grind for hamburger - for months to come. Don't worry, no photos of that.

Now, the past two days: Whew. I started grad school.

And it's been a great couple of days, a whirlwind. UA's campus brings back random memories which I can't dwell on, because of all that's happening now. My first class (Wednesday) was taught by the department head, Dr. Liu, who's originally from China. I like cognitive linguistics once I unpack all the lingo (thankful my phone now has a built-in dictionary). As we volunteered for certain assignment dates, three girls on my row raised their hands at once. The winner declared herself so by seniority: "I'm the oldest, so I should get first pick!" Our professor asked, "How old are you?" The answer: "Almost 27." :) That's two years younger than I am, by the way.

Several friendly students in my program - Mandi, Victoria, Romy, David, Joe - made me feel welcome, though they've been together for months or years and I'm the newcomer. I'm "the other Caroline," since there was already another one there!

Thursday morning I met with Mandi, the 2nd-year student I was assigned to co-teach with. We discovered that we both go to Grace Church, though we haven't actually seen each other there yet. We met, she showed me the ropes, then she (as teacher of record) led the first day of EN120, a freshman writing course for international students. Like a trusty sidekick, I handed out papers and, well, sat off to the side. More about that later.

As per instructions, I next reported to the English Dept. office, got trained, and worked a couple of hours for my keep. Then, a quick bite at the Ferg (where I picked a table with just one other girl there, who was soon joined by her friend, who recognized me from Grace Church!). Just before my next class, I visited the department head to pick up a book, and learned what it means to be flexible. In fact, I think my mind did a split.

A scheduling conflict means I will neither work in the English Dept. office nor co-teach with Mandi. Instead, I'll co-teach in a different section of EN120: the half-awake 8am one. And instead of filing I'll be Dr. Nelson's teaching assistant for EN320, a linguistics class I took, oh, just 9 years ago. So, I'm off to memorize the International Phonetic Alphabet again... But really, it was a blessing working my bit in the office and getting to know the ladies there, Carol and Vernita. My mom was Carol's labor nurse 18 years ago, the only nurse she remembers; and Vernita is super helpful and encouraging.

...

Two last things:

On my one-and-only day co-teaching with Mandi, we played a get-to-know-you game called Two Truths and a Lie. Of your three statements, everyone must guess which one is the lie. Here were mine: 1) I've been married for ~8 years, 2) I have 8 brothers and sisters, 3) I have 8 parents. Well, no one thought me old enough to have been married so long, and they couldn't conceive of anyone having so many parents! But I am and we do and we love them all.

Finally, a big THANK YOU to James. He is so wonderful, helpful, and supportive in all this. I'm grateful to come home to a husband who, though he had a long day himself, will listen to my joys and woes. Thanks for being my best friend!