Single white "baby" syndrome?

Can babies have a single white female?  DH may laugh at this post or think I'm shallow but oh well.  Here is the jest.  My good friend...yes I love her despite some mild dislike of what she does...copies a lot of what I/we do.  Should I be flattered or annoyed?  Her daughter is basically 3 months old and our daughters are basically 5 months...two months apart.  When we were thinking of names for our girls we settled on Kendall's full name easily (I knew I wanted my mother's name to be the middle if we had a daughter).  But Seren wasn't so easy.  We debated on Riley (Jeff's dad's name...due to a long standing tradition of the males trading off William and Riley for their sons names...Jeff's first name is actually William and he goes by his middle).  We considered if we would have another child or chance at DE IVF and settled into Seren Olivia instead.  We shared this name with this friend.  We debated some more and about a month before they were born we decided Seren Riley would be perfect (in case we never had a boy or another child at all).  I mean who wants to be the one that kills a generational tradition.  My friend asked about names in December and when I didn't mention the middle names she pried a little more to find out.  Well low and behold once Olivia was off the table for us...it suddenly became their daughter's middle name.  Kind of bugged but it happens.

Then it came to the bouncers.  We had a brown and pink ones for both girls and my friend liked them.  She told me they looked at others and couldn't find one they liked as much.  This got copied too.  Then it was their baby blessing dresses.  She was going to make L's dress but it fell through.  She asked where I had bought the girls' dresses.  I gave her a few places I had looked and a direct link to the one I selected (so that she wouldn't pick it).  She bought one from the same place and a nearly identical dress saying she kept eying the one I picked and it would have been her first choice if not for the link I sent.  I mentioned I might add color to the twins dresses to make them more individual and if this was "church approved".  She asked someone she knew (I thought on my behalf) so I thanked her.  She told me "I didn't just ask for you I wanted to know too as I was thinking of doing that".  Next, most recently, they were at our house with the girls hanging out on the floor.  Their daughter doesn't love tummy time but when placed by the crib mirrors I have out for the twins she smiled and seemed to do better.  What do they do?  Immediately get on their smart phone and order their daughter the exact same one without leaving or even pause for thought.  Seriously?

I guess it shouldn't bother me.  It's just baby items.  But there are TONS of baby items out there.  Why do you have to get so much of the exact same stuff we have?  Hopefully it doesn't keep up but I'm kind of interested to see.

The world of twins...

In case you've ever wondered...twins will get commented on every time you go out.  I wouldn't say I ever get sick of people adoring my kiddos...what's not to adore right?  But it does somewhat get old to hear and answer the same "twin" questions over and over.  A few memorable ones have been..."Oh you have twins" and someone in the same group as this person "are they the same age?"  (huh? yes...they are twins after all).  And then yesterday a little girl about 3 or 4 years old asked her mom, "why does she have two babies?"  Okay so some of the attention is fun and I'm sure that it will diminish as they get older.

Also it is a lot of fun to see them interact and see their personalities were/are different so early...even from week one.  Seren is still our social butterfly.  She loves people.  She will smile and "talk" to just about anyone.  Kendall on the other hand is slower to warm up.  She loves to smile at her dad and Grandma Draper and she warms up to me pretty easy now.  Can you imagine a baby who is/was slow to smile and giggle for mom?  It happened.  They also like to lay  by each other and smile, coo and reach out.  Kendall will grab at Seren and Seren will smile at it, until she finds her movement restrained by Kendall's grip.  I usually put them at arm's length so that accidental eye gouging or scratches don't occur.  Although now they often have wiggled closer when I've been out of the room for a few minutes.  They reach out for each other's hands and sometimes will (I'm sure not 100% purposefully) hold hands.  It really is such a treat to have twins and see this interaction everyday.  It's no wonder that twins are ahead of the curve for social interaction.

Male perspective

Once again I got this link from another blogger.  It's about a male perspective in the world of infertility.  It's fairly short and I think worth the read.

This is new...

Thanks to Brenda at Hope Springs Infertile: Now with two little sprouts I have my very first experience with blogging awards.  Thank you Brenda :)  Hmmmmm...so anyway according to my understanding I am to share 10 things about myself and then tag some fellow bloggers or recent blogs I've been following.  I also picked up a new blog to follow from Brenda's list (yeah...I love finding/following new people through connections)

10 Things About Me:

1.  I'm writing this at 11:16 pm as Brenda said to use my "spare time" hehe (twins are asleep and hubby is too)

2.  DH and I cleaned and spit-shined our house this past week/weekend in effort or contemplation of selling it.  Now we are in limbo deciding if we really want to list and I'm wondering how long the "clean" will stick.  Plus he owes me a Blondie for all the last minute clean-up today (you are my witnesses).

3.  I have recently tried to take up making smoothies for breakfast due to the fact Double Chocolate muffins from Sam's Club are 600 calories a piece :(  I'm hoping the smoothies are an improvement.

4.  I don't like competition or comparing.  I have a good friend who tries to compare her almost 3 month old's developmental milestones to my almost 5 month old twins.  The great thing I've found with twins is that I realize that babies develop differently...different strengths and aspects at different times.  No I don't think your kid is a genius for rolling over, sleeping, laughing or anything else.

5.  I have always wanted to test drive a mini-cooper.  I am 6'1" so I'm sure I would look ridiculous in one but it doesn't stop the dream.

6.  DH and I are planning a trip to Paris, France in May 2012.  I am excited but it hasn't set in and I worry about leaving our kiddos for 2 weeks...but the plan is already in motion.

7.  I am completely in love with my kids.  I do not regret for one iota of one second using DE IVF to have them.  They are precious and 100% mine.

8.  I am often reminded in blogger world how lucky I am and was to have had a smooth twin pregnancy.  I credit this to my height.  Some days I think strangely that maybe God made me tall cause he knew I would need it.

9.  I love cookie dough...I used to make batches of dough just to eat, then I discovered Pillsbury cookie dough tubes and was in heaven for a while.  Now I try to restrain myself because my metabolism is shot since radiating my thyroid and having POF/POI (ie major hormone malfunctions).

10.  I have the best husband in the world.  He puts up with a lot and does a lot and still tries to put up with and do more.  I am lucky in so many ways in my life.

My Blogs of Note:

Hope at  http://journey2eggdonation.blogspot.com/ (I enjoy reading about her journey and miracle daughter)
Amber at http://youandmenowiswe.blogspot.com/  (I just started following her and hope to hear more)
Amy at http://amy-ourjourneytobecomingparents.blogspot.com/ (let's face it this is a bribe to get you to post an update hehe)
Sweet Georgia http://babydancings.blogspot.com/ (I enjoy her perspective and similar time frame to mine)

Yah I'm really lame...I can't see anymore that haven't been awarded this already.  It's a small blog world apparently.  I apologize that most of the blogs I follow now are donor egg or contemplating donor egg or somewhere in that realm.  I really like to read the perspectives and experiences.  Thanks to everyone for sharing a special piece of your lives :)

Black and White Beauties

Just in the mood to share some recent pictures...

Kendall

Seren

Seren and Kendall 

Their new favorite thing...tummy time facing each other

Beautiful babies :) 

Perfect Gift...

I can't help but reflect on mother's day this year.  It was a year ago on mother's day that we received my beta results and found out I was officially pregnant with what they suspected to be more than one baby.  Jeff and I were so thrilled.  We couldn't wait for the viability ultrasound to see what we had in store and were still nervous (at least I was) as to if they would stick around.  Today those beautiful kiddos (though tired and cranky) have as Jeff put it given me a great mother's day present...they have made me a mother.  I couldn't be more grateful.

But as a fellow blogger put it here and our church leader said today.  There are so many who want to be mothers and for whatever reasons...single, infertile or others...they don't get to realize this dream.  I am blessed. I so hope that those I love and those I don't know will be able to realize their dreams as well, whatever they may be and however they may come.

Is it my job?

Is it my job to educate every dang doctor I go to.  Seriously?  And honestly why do doctors (stupid ones) assume that people know nothing about their bodies and how they work?  Blah!  I decided after the twins were born it was time to get a family practice doctor set up for Jeff and I.  I have only been to doctors related to my various conditions (thyroid, a branchial cleft cyst and POF/POI) for the last 6 or so years. I don't know the last time Jeff went to the doctor.

Anyway I set up an appointment with a random doctor (sometimes I base it on if I feel I can pronounce their name haha) and after the girls 4 month appointment I head to my own.  Well they changed the random doctor I chose to the one I'm pretty sure I purposefully avoided.  The doctor that we saw after-hours for my tension headache that happened the last month of my pregnancy.  The one that didn't know what to do with me and recommended a sleeping pill and tylenol.  Jeff didn't like him and I only did because I was in pain and had some option for relief, even if minimal.

So I go to this doctor and I talk to him about the reason for my visit (to get a primary care provided for Jeff and I and to get my thyroid checked).  He asks why I think my thyroid levels should be checked and if I'd had symptoms or weight loss.  Hello...my thyroid was irradiated years ago and they boosted my hormones during pregnancy (did he not listen to the first run through?).  I explain again and say I also lost a lot of weight post pregnancy to which he acts like a jerk and says "yah of course".  I'm not talking pregnancy weight...I'm talking 30 lbs lighter then I was when I got pregnant and dropping (it took 2 months to actually start putting some weight back on).  Anyway I finally convince him I need that checked.

Then I brave the waters and mention my POF/POI and the fact I started taking the pill after my pregnancy only to start a period with a week or two of pills under my belt.  He tells me that I can have periods without ovulating.  Oh my heck...what a dumb ass.  I have researched more on POF then probably any doctor (save the expert I saw at NIH).  I knew more about it then my specialist/RE so I really doubt some numb nut like this guy can tell me anything new.  I go on anyway and ask if it's possible to have my FSH and estradiol drawn for with my TSH/thyroid test.  He of course side steps this and says "well I'd just wait and see if you have any more cycles".  Uh yah thanks moron...I plan to start back on the pill instead of waiting around for that which a genius like yourself should know will prevent any "seeing what happens".

Seriously I'm just so sick of doctors who don't give me the time of day to actually participate in my own health care.  Why is it so hard to find a doctor who actually gives me a chance to prove I know enough about my body and issues to be asking informed and intelligent questions and requests.  So needless to say once my thyroid prescription gets renewed (the levels came back normal...yeah!) I will be looking for another doctor.  Even being educated enough to be your own self-advocate isn't enough sometimes...not when you have to deal with the morons who inhabit the medical field.