winter pantry

In case you weren't aware, the Pacific Northwest is a place of bountiful fruit harvests. The berries (of more varieties than I can possibly name) start coming in late June, and keep going with late crops until the end of September. It's really amazing to live in such a place. I was so inspired by my friend's canning prowess that I decided this would be the year to learn.

In July, right before we left for Massachusetts, we picked 15 pounds of blueberries in about 90 minutes. Of course, the boys helped...


I was afraid we were going to miss all the action - especially peaches - while back East. One weekend right after getting back to Portland, Korin, Ryan and I headed out to a farm for marionberries. I wish we'd gotten photos - Max was on Ryan's back, and by the time we were done picking, Ryan was drenched in purpley-red berry juice. Korin graciously made jam for me, and by then I was convinced I could do it myself. Though we weren't able to pick any raspberries ourselves, I was still able to get amazing deals at our local farmer's market on flats of raspberries, marionberries, and blackberries... and then my love of preserving fruit took hold.

Picking late season blackberries on Sauvie Island.

Harvested grapes and blackberries --- from our own urban backyard! Our neighbor's grapes are draped into our yard, and wow, I had no idea how amazing fresh grapes are. Next year, we'll be making grape jam for sure!

Over the past month, I have canned and frozen an extraordinary amount of fruit for the boys. I feel so abundant and blessed to have such beautiful fruit to give them all winter long. All the fruit was local, and it feels good to know that over the winter, I can just buy local apples to give them fresh fruit, and the rest will come from my own pantry. For my first season of ever doing this, I think I kicked some serious ass! The peaches specifically were so easy and so, so delicious that I canned a TON. Don't ask me how I/we managed to do this with two toddlers under foot. It was definitely hard, and many, many afternoons I stood by the sink in the kitchen, peeling peaches while the boys whined and threatened to pull my pants off by the legs, wondering why I was making such efforts. Most of the work was done at night - their 7pm bedtime helped.

Two nights ago, we finished the exhausting work of preserving into the night, and today I stowed away all the jars in our cabinets and in the garage. Here's what we got:



Frozen
Blackberries, Blueberries, Raspberries and Marionberries:
4 gallon bags
17 quart bags
(this does not include what we've already eaten, which must be 2 gallon bags by now!)

Basil Pesto - 15 1/2 pints

Canned
Peaches
22 quarts of sliced peaches in low-sugar syrup
8 pints of low-sugar jam

Marionberry - low-sugar jam
2 quarts
7 pints

Blackberry - low-sugar jam
8 pints
1/2 pint jars - 3

Raspberry - - low-sugar jam
1 quart
3 pints
1/2 pint jars - 9

Tangerine Slices (canned by Korin!)
7 quarts

Strawberry-Raspberry low-sugar jam
2 pints

Blueberry Butter
1/2 pint jars - 7
1 pint

Barlett Pear Slices
10 quarts

Totals:
32 quarts sliced fruit
29 pint jars of jam/butter
19 half pint jars of jam/butter

"raspberry, jazzberry, razzamatazberry"

words, muscles, and messes

Here's another highlights post - happenings from the past week or so:

There's been a lot of fun and laughter around these parts as the boys play with each other more and more. I remember those days of wondering when Shoghi would even begin to smile - Max smiled so much earlier. Now Shoghi is our laughing, squealing boy, full of vivacious, high energy, while Max is full of good cheer, loves to be tickled, and giggles for his "bra-bra".

the twinnies received their first First Birthday gifts - hank knit sweaters from Auntie Knittah!
They have no idea how lucky they are!

Here's Shoghi looking rather cheeky...

***

Max's language skills are improving by the day.
He can say mama, no, more, brother, and done, and he signs hi and more!
Looks like Auntie might be the next word, just in time for her birthday...

Fun with Food!

I decided to let the boys have at it, and defrosted some raspberries and marionberries.
What a hit, but what a mess! Thankfully it was warm - after it was all said and done, I plopped them into the kiddie pool to get cleaned off.

Shoghi looking a little dazed...

Max definitely got more on his lap than in his mouth!

***
Finally, yesterday Max surprised me by pulling up to standing! Since he's not truly crawling, hasn't figured out how to push into a sitting position from his tummy, and wasn't doing the kind of acrobatics Shoghi was when he stood, I really didn't even see it coming!

brother moment

Max has started saying "brother," which is completely adorable, especially since he kind of growls it - "bra-bra" is how it sounds.

So, tonight just as the bedtime routine was kicking in, Max was really melting down. I had to sit him on the floor so I could get all bedtime stuff: the pjs, diapers, eczema cream. He was sitting there, the poor little guy, just crying his heart out. Shoghi crawled up, then sat down right across from him. He studied Max's red, crying face, then gave Laurie a look across the room, right before dissolving into sympathetic brother tears.

It was the first time this kind of empathy has passed between them. I foresee many incidents of such brotherly love in our future....

random sampling

Here are a few random photos from this month that I don't think I've posted yet...

Max giving Shoghi a raspberry "kiss".

We've taken to hanging out with Ruby and Korin in the afternoons... fun abounds!
The boys will keep these bandanas on while they take off a hat the moment it hits their head.

Thanks to Joi for these blocks!
Max loves to take things out of them, and of course knock them over.

funny raspberry face Shoghi.

On Sunday, it looked like it was going to be another bad napping day. Rather than just drive around town, I suggested we high-tail it to the beach. Laurie and I packed up the boys and headed West to Cannon Beach and Ecola State Park for a really, really lovely day. The twins got their first taste (literally) of the beach, and we all had a blast. Oh, and there was a LOT of napping.

waking up from a nap in the ergo.

max sleeping in the meitai on laurie

shoghi loved the sand and didn't eat it....

max loved eating the sand.
For those who have known me a long time, please note the shirt....

knit together

One of the things that has happened since becoming the (single) mother of twin boys is that I've found it very challenging to keep up with some of my most cherished friends.

Today, nearly 5 months since the day of their birth, I read a blog post that brought me to tears... please check out this post that celebrated the completion of an amazing feat of knitting and its connection to us. This is all the more poignant for the daily journey that accompanies both of our stories - hers being a long-term struggle and daily triumph over CFIDS, and mine the unlikely set of circumstances, losses and victories that have bought me into motherhood. She may not always perceive her story as victorious, but believe me, it is. She in a support and inspiration to countless people, and over the years has taught me how to be a better friend.

And while I'm celebrating friends, let me send a shout out to jencat - I want her to know that I did get her message and just haven't had time to respond! I've had a string of unresponded-to emails, for which I feel regretful on a daily basis... If you are among them, please know that your messages are tucked warmly in my heart and eventually I will get back to you - somehow... sometime...

three days old

my two little heart breakers, taken today. notice they are breathing on their own!!

some questions that have come up:

can they cry? YES, and how! Shoghi cried to my deepest delight as soon as he was born, and while Max took a little extra time, he's been making his voice heard ever since.

dear little Shoghi with me for a little kangaroo care
(skin-to-skin holding)

sweet Maxwell, being held by his grandma

a week for my papa

My mom is arriving today and will be here until Friday, so I figure some sort of daily posting is in order. Dad couldn't come along this time, so this will serve to keep him included.

Actually, I'm just hanging around for now, waiting to be called down for my NST (non stress test) and waiting for the call that her plane has arrived, even though I probably won't see her until about 4pm (it's 12:30 now). So far, it's been a pretty uneventful day.

I'm 31w3d today. I have not shared before that reaching that third day after turning over a new week is a big deal for me - it always makes me feel like the next week marker is most definitely attainable (unless there's an emergency). So today, 32 weeks is feeling close... something I can hardly believe.

Last night I got the idea that I should take a couple of pictures with a tape measure, so that's how we'll start.

Measuring around: 47"! Who ever thought I'd be proud of such a number,
nevermind post a photo of it! Ha!! That's my view of my belly, of course.

The red string is something some of my friends and I did at the beginning of this
pregnancy, to bind the babies to me until their healthy birth.

Fundus measurement: 47cm??? Ok, this is totally inaccurate because I'm standing up,
but this is a measurement from the bottom of my uterus to the top. In a singleton
pregnancy, after 20w, this generally measures 1cm for each week of pregnancy.
47cm at 31w? Probably not. ;o) I should be measuring somewhere around 36cm.

30 minutes

Every other day, I get to have someone take me out of my room in a wheelchair for a half an hour. Precious, precious time to fill my lungs and achy sinuses with fresh air. Here are some photos from Sunday, when Laurie, Korin, and daughter R were all here. Don't tell anyone I was standing!

borrowed from an email

It's Monday, and we've got ANOTHER day of full sun on tap (temps in the 70s) and it feels blissful! Over the weekend, (Friday) Laurie, Korin and I went out for Pho and then went to see Prince Caspian, then (Saturday) Laurie, Korin, Ruby and I went to the Rhododendron Garden, ate at a brilliant restaurant called Old Wives Tale, and then went to Mt. Tabor to hang out while Ruby played, then (Sunday) Laurie and I hung out here at Steve and Maria's, went to the Hillsdale Farmer's Market, made some Persian rice for lunch, and generally sat around and recovered from Saturday. Saturday was way too much for me, and I ended up having what I finally recognize to be Braxton Hicks contractions - a lot of them. The cure: lots of water and rest (duh).

Tracy commented in her blog that her twins are more active at the movies, and for sure, Zeus and Oden kicked and squirmed their way through Prince Caspian. Oden was also grooving to the beat last night while Maria played her banjo next to me out on the patio. It's so neat to feel them reacting to the environment!

Tomorrow I'm taking Laurie out to Cannon Beach and Oswald for her birthday - this will no doubt be my last road trip before the babies come.... indeed, my last trip until they're a few months old, when we fly back East to visit friends and family in MA and PA!


Last week, I busied myself with finding some of my "necessary" baby stuff on craigslist, etc. I scored a tandem nursing pillow for $20 (usually over $50), and then last night I won an eBay auction and got my stroller - the exact one I've been wanting. I paid under $300, while the new ones go for over $800! I also did some more splurgey buying, when I found these kimono shirts. In addition, I hit 2 consignment shops, where I scored a few super cute outfits. The sad thing is, I've paid less for brand new things when I find them on clearance... Portland has an enormous number of resale shops, but boy, the prices for used seem pretty high to me! What do I know, though... I'm still barely even a novice at this stuff!

I just spent this morning unpacking, cataloging and washing baby gear. I had no idea what I had already, so I took a cue from all the Virgos in my life and started a spreadsheet! I thought I had a ton of stuff, but now that it's all divvied up between the wee sizes between newborn and 12 months, I realize I will definitely need more stuff! Fortunately Amanda (who had her twin baby girls over the weekend!) sent me a spreadsheet of recommended gear for twin tots, so I'll have that to go on, at least.


I'm glad I started on this now, actually. This week, I'll get some big ziplock storage and divide up the things I have by size, and then pack it back in the box for the next move. I've got the time and energy to get this stuff done now, so I might as well take advantage. Besides, it makes the fact that I'm soon going to have my boys in my arms all that more real, which is so very exciting, I can barely stand it.

Six Months

A lot has changed in the past 24 weeks... starting of course with what may prove to be my last ever trip to a fertility clinic on cycle day 3... 12/31/07. There was doubt about the viability of this pregnancy (when my HcG numbers didn't double "properly") and the mystery of how many babies were growing in there (first ultrasound showed only one!). I've changed my professional work, completed my first year as an owner of a small business and charitable organization, packed my apartment and moved clear across the country. I've gone from someone who had been in state of longing for children since she was 17 and working in a Brazilian orphanage, to someone preparing to be the mother of two boys - all at once.

7 week ultrasound showing twins!

11 weeks pregnant

24 weeks pregnant - shirt no longer covers the belly!

Today marks the beginning of viability for the twins outside the womb. Don't get me wrong - I have every intention of keeping them in place for another 14 weeks or so; it's just that this milestone is a big one for multiples. From now on, they'll be gaining weight rapidly, maturing their lungs, and continuing to develop their muscles with their aqua-calisthenics. By 4 weeks from now, my belly will be the same size as a full term singleton preggo's belly.

I'm still writing out my thank you notes from the shower, but at the same time, I'm thinking about scheduling my portrait session (must do something about this awful hair before then), looking at options for birth announcements, and trolling craigslist for things like cosleepers, strollers, and other accouterments that will be necessary for their first few months. Looking at the ultrasound pics from last week, I can see for the first time how different Zeus and Oden's profiles are, and it's gotten me to imagining what they'll look like, how their temperaments will be... It's all starting to get very real and exciting.

Here's hoping the next 3 months are as good - or better - than the last 6!

all about the boys

I realize I'm getting behind in my posts... Tracy posted about her baby shower she had over the weekend (congrats, T - looks like you had a fabulous time!) and I still haven't posted about mine, which was what - a month ago?? So, in an attempt to stay current, I'm going to do this post just about the boys!

Over the past week, Zeus and Oden have been getting a lot more active - or at least I'm feeling it more. A couple of nights ago, as I was trying to go to sleep, it was like a game of Simon in my belly! Bleep, bloop, bloop, bleep - there were kicks in all four corners! It was pretty funny, actually, until it started to resemble something more akin to Riverdance. I was actually worried for a while that something was wrong, in there, the action was so rapid.

The boys start getting active late in the afternoon, though now I feel them throughout the day. Yesterday evening, I was sitting on the couch and actually saw my belly move with a kick! I think it was Zeus, but they change positions so much, it's fairly impossible to tell.

They're growing really quickly now. Between weeks 24 and 26, they're each going to be gaining a whole pound! It's pretty hard to believe, and even harder to imagine what it's going to be like for the next four months or so... our close friend Amanda is 36 weeks with her twin girls now, and looking at the photos of her belly over the course of 8 months is... wow... astonishing! She looks absolutely fabulous, but those growing babies really do take up a lot of room.

The doctor didn't measure me when I was in on Friday, but when I was in 2 weeks prior, I was measuring about 5 weeks ahead. I'm curious how many cm I am now, for sure.

Here are some of the scans from Friday - at 23w1d. The tech did try to get us some 3D shots, but they boys are so cramped in there, we didn't get any that were really clear. Kind of a shame, since that was probably our only shot of having those (slightly creepy) 3D scans of the boys. It's alright... not too much longer and we can look at them in full color!

two heads are better than one...
look at Zeus' fingers up near his head! Cute!
Pay no attention to their positions...
by the time we got to the doctor's office, they had completely switched.

Poor little Oden - we never get clear scans of his profile.
This one's pretty good, though!

I'm a real boy!
This is Zeus - it's so amazing to see him like this -
really looking like a baby in there, now!

happy feet

Almost all the babies' things are packed, but yesterday I had a delightful visit with my closest friend, who gifted me some itsy-bitsy, teeny tiny, hand knit booties for the babies. Since I've been ordered to rest between 12 and 3pm daily, and today I'm feeling rather sleepless, I thought I'd show off some of the cute footwear the babies have already been given... in reverse order.


Here are the smallest baby booties ever seen by human eyes. They're about as long as my thumb, and will no doubt be the first footwear the twins will have on their feet.


Aren't they unbelievably sweet? They were made by "knittah", my super wonderful friend, knitting maven, and keeper of the blog "Travels with Swatchy." This isn't the first handmade item in my baby collection from her - she's worked her magic on yarn for me every time I've gotten pregnant, and though those little souls didn't make it earthside, the beautiful items will soon be put to good and loving use.


My mom's also been collecting little bits for babies for some time, now, and after I got my positive pregnancy test, she sent over these little chili pepper socks, which at the time looked so tiny, but in this line-up appear to be enormous! Being such avid Boston sports fans, I'm surprised it wasn't more along the line of Red Sox, but chili peppers remind me of my brother who lives in NM, and of course my beloved time in Sichuan, China. You can't start the kids too young on the spice, apparently! So cute!!

Finally, here are the first present these babies received - and from what I recall, it was before I even knew if the cycle was going to work. My sister ordered these completely irresistible dino booties from Etsy artist Baby Cakes Collection. I've been meaning to blog about them for a while now - they're really unique and fun!

It's hard to pack these guys away - they've been sitting on what ended up being my little altar for the babies since the beginning, along with the other talismans that have held hope and meaning during those rough first months.

It's fun to celebrate all these happy little treasures... although being pregnant has already been more demanding than I anticipated, I feel like I'm firmly in the second trimester, and the time has come to be happy. What better way to start than with some happy feet?

fun stuff

Today I was out shopping for new clothes to fit the expanding belly region and as I was leaving the mall, someone asked me if I am expecting a baby! That was a very exciting moment to be sure - the very first time a stranger has asked me if I'm pregnant! Good times, folks, good times.