The Kleine Family

2009-02-20T23:03:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody! I hope this reaches you all well! Kristian and I cannot believe that we only have 4 days left until we meet our son and daughter! If you'd like to see some recent photos & video please click on the production above - I'm trying out this new software called Smilebox and I really like it so far... Use the floating arrow to get through the "pages." Since I normally write a bunch when I post as well as posting a lot of photos, using something like this will keep you, my beloved reader, from having to scroll forever and a day. Tell me what you think! :)

Sorry it's been a bit since I've posted (Meredith, Mary, Kathy...), I'm way better, as some of you can attest to, at staying current with my Facebook page (or as I like to call it: Crackbook...)! The last few weeks have been kind of a blur, I've been wrapping up editing from the wedding season and Kristian has been busy working both at his "real" job and at home getting everything ready for the babies arrival (which has totally turned into a job)... In a lot of ways we feel like we've just been spinning our wheels, keeping ourselves busy, distracting ourselves, and waiting, waiting, waiting. Honestly, I never thought I'd be sitting here at 38 weeks and 4 days pregnant telling you all of this.... It's just crammed down your throat when you're carrying twins, everywhere you turn, that your babies will be early, they'll be small, they'll be premature, etc. I just anticipated them coming around 36 or 37 weeks and I was content with that scenario since that's a relatively safe gestational age. It's a double edged sword still being (this) pregnant, with twins. As you can imagine, I'm extremely uncomfortable, my ankles and feet are unrecognizable, my esophagus is on fire, my skin is very upset with me, I snore like a bulldog and I'm not sure how it's possible that I will ever be considered attractive again by my husband or anyone else for that matter, including myself. I think I'll write into The Biggest Loser, they might take me as a contestant after all this. That being said, I feel, at the same time, empowered and accomplished - like I must have done all of this right for the babies to be so content on the inside. The feel good hormones are definitely coursing through my veins as well, I cry at the drop of a hat, just thinking about finally getting to see, hold, kiss and hug my babies! My pregnancy has been textbook healthy (save my whining above), the babies are growing like weeds and should be perfectly healthy and "ready to swing on somebody" as KK put it, when they come out. It's a huge relief to have made it to this point since a lot of single babies don't even make it past 38 weeks. Their movement with their size right now is so pronounced and fascinating - that part I wish could last forever, it's incredible being able to watch them and feel them. I am so grateful for my health and the health of my babies, all whining aside. Soon I will have my body back and I will miss being pregnant, I know I will.

I've been on a roller coaster ride for the past couple of months, which is, I'm sure, how it goes for all pregnant women... but dare I say it's a little bumpier when you're carrying twins. The dips up and down are intense, and I find myself (depending on the hour) going in and out of bouts of both extreme, immeasurable joy, and then paralyzing fear of the unknown - questioning how on earth I'm ever going to manage sufficiently caring for not one, but TWO babies. I know that feeling like this is all par for the course, but I have been thinking over the past few days that I really have no idea what I've gotten myself into. I feel as "prepared" as I think anyone in our position can feel and we've really, I feel, done a great job at getting our heads in the game... But everything, literally, is getting ready to get turned inside out, and as big of a fan of quiet I am, that's all going to go away Wednesday. No longer will we be able to fly by the seat of our pants and just head out the door without it being a planned production, and seldom will Kristian and I be alone, ever, again. As all of you parents know, there are 99 more things I could rattle off right now that are being "taken away" from us... but as I'm sure you parents would reassure me, you don't look at it like that when the kids are actually here, smiling at you, hugging you, having completely shifted your notion of what's important in life. There's a certain sort of grin that washes over a parent's face when they're talking about their children or when they're with their children that reflects a relationship in life that is like no other... What you gain completely overshadows anything that you've "lost," and knowing that without even really knowing, first hand, yet, brings a smile to my face.

I want to take a quick aside and send a shout-out to my mamma, GramBonnie, BoBo, Mammacita, Bonnie Coleman... Our relationship has always been strong and it's something I've always treasured, I know not everyone has such a great mother-daughter relationship and I'm grateful. She is a big reason why I am the person I am today and someone who consistently shows how a mother should love and care for their children. One of the things that I was most excited about when I found out I was pregnant was how our relationship would grow and evolve... I knew that being pregnant and having a baby is a life experience that we will now share, taking our understanding of each other to a new height and giving us so many joyful memories to share far into the future. I will never forget the day that I told her we were expecting, or, of course, the day we found out we were expecting twins - she was the first person I called walking out of the Dr.'s office. Any of you who know Bonnie know that she loves her babies! The work and effort and care that she has always put into her relationships with me and my brothers is something that I will always be able to reflect on for strength and guidance through my life as a parent. The same effort and care and love that she puts into her passions and her other relationships I will be able to reflect on in my life as someone who simply wants to live their life as a good, caring, strong person. No one is perfect and some days are better than others, my mom has taught me that as well... But you must stay resilient and determined, regardless of the hand you've been dealt, to stay on the path that you've set ahead of yourself - all the while, stopping to smell the roses and to kiss your babies. :) Thanks, mommy, for taking such good care of me, both over the past few months and since the day I was born. If Raya has babies, and she and her brother haven't killed me yet, I look forward to doting on her during her pregnancies the way you have with me. My kids are lucky, just as I was to have your mom as a grandmother - although for not nearly long enough, to have you as a grandma. It's my hope that we all have many, many more years together so that both you and the kids can enjoy each other and all of the memories to be made ahead. And although it saddens us all deeply that Joe can't be here to be a part of all of this, we knows he's looking down on us, watching over us. And what a blessing to have Grandpa Harry in our lives! I know he will be a phenomenal grandpa and I look forward to seeing the kind of relationship he has with the kids - there will be no discipline involved on his part, I fear, but I guess that's alright. :) ---- Okay, that was supposed to be quick - sorry, love you mom. :)

So, Wednesday, February 25, 2009 is the big day. I swore up and down a month ago when they scheduled my c-section for that day that there was no way I'd make it that far. And who knows, between now and then something could happen, but these kiddos have been perfectly happy with where they are - even after I thought I was in labor last Friday (the 13th, eeek!), the contractions fizzled out and I've only had a few since then. So it's looking like a done deal that Wednesday is, indeed, the day. Much to the delight of a couple of friends of mine - Annie Morrow (previously Rudnick, see previous post about their wedding in Minneapolis!), and my sassy hairdresser buddy Suz Pratt - Ollie and Raya will share a birthday with both ladies! It was funny when I first started telling people that the babies would be here "sometime in February" - all of you Acquarians and Pisces started coming out of the woodwork! My sis-in-law Sue, my cousin Katlyn, Kristian's cousin Joe, our good friends Jean-Marc and Stephanie Biewend and their son Seth... and now Annie and Suz are left on the 25th - I was hoping that the day would fall on somebody's birthday!

So I guess that's all for now - the next post will have photos of BABIES! Thanks so much to all of you who have been keeping touch, wishing us well, and saying prayers for us. Our lives are getting ready to change in so many wonderful ways and being able to share all of this with our friends and family makes it all that much more sweet and special! I promise to post photos and updates as much as I can! Lots of love to you all, Joanna

Ready or not...

2008-12-31T12:43:00.001-08:00

Hi everybody... I cannot believe how quick time is flying by, I guess I'd better get used to it, eh? I hope this reaches everyone well and happy and that you all have cooler plans than me to ring in the new year this evening. :) 2009 promises to be the most unforgettable year thus far for us, as we welcome our son and daughter, an event that keeps creeping ever near... As I enter the last few weeks of my pregnancy I am truly trying to treasure each moment, which is proving more and more difficult as my back is giving me serious trouble these days. It all comes with the territory though and I know it will be over soon, which is bittersweet. One of my favorite things about the last couple of months as I've gotten further into the pregnancy is feeling them move and feeling them hiccup! They actually had the hiccups at the same time one day, something I never imagined could or would happen and it left me speechless and in tears... it really was a beautiful couple of minutes... Since they're so much bigger now their movement is more pronounced which is fascinating and helps me connect with them. When they move I get to talk to them and I can feel who is who and what is what... Kristian has finally felt them both move which helps him feel more connected physically to the process also. He has been such a bright light through this whole process and I can say with no hesitation that this is the most in love we have ever been with each other, and sorry if that makes anyone puke. :) He has stepped up to the plate in every way, since June he has completely transformed our home into a warm welcoming place for our family of four, all with a smile on his face. It's so special to watch his face light up when we talk about the babies, and there's this confidence about him that, sure, may be naive, but a little faith never hurt anyone and he understands as well as I do just how lucky we are and just how incredible of an opportunity we have in front of us. Whenever I'm out and get into a discussion with someone about the fact that we're having twins, I get one of two reactions - 1) "my condolences!" or 2) "oh my, you're so lucky!" I have always, even through the initial shock of the very first ultrasound, felt the latter. This is one of two times in my life, the other being through our wedding trip to Hawaii, that has brought on bouts of spontaneous and simultaneous laughter and sobbing, a natural and fleeting reaction that only comes from the feeling that "this is what life is about, it doesn't get any better than this." I'll take swollen feet and a gimpy back any day for that. You can't re-create the feeling that I have right now, and you parents, I know, know how I feel. And what I don't know yet is what is the exciting part...The fist time I hear them cry, see them smile, take their first steps... This really is what life is all about, and I will make it through the next 5 or 6 weeks, with a smile on my face, waiting anxiously to meet my new baby girl and baby boy. :)
So, I know, I know, it's been a while since I posted, the most recent update from yesterday (31 weeks) is that everything is going really well, both with the babies and me. As of 3 weeks ago both babies weighed in just under 3 lbs, and as of yesterday they're now tipping the scales at 4 lbs a piece! If I make it to 37 weeks (our goal), we could have a couple of 6 pounders on our hands! Fine by me! Although I may have to deal with not actually having the ability to walk anymore until after I give birth - it's difficult enough as it is right now! After my 28 week ultrasound, my Dr. (Dr. Gi-Gi Streiff) was a little concerned about Ollie's amniotic fluid levels, so that's why she had me come in a week earlier than scheduled for the next big ultrasound. Just as she suspected it might, the fluid leveled itself back out and everything looks great with the babies. I am still right on track with my weight and doing everything I can to eat right, and if by "eating right" you mean indulging in ready to bake Tollhouse oatmeal raisin cookies every other night then I'm doing splendidly. :) (It's really all Kristian's fault, he is a bad influence and will be very mad when I go back to actually paying attention to what I eat...). Mostly I do a great job, but sweets really are the devil.
So here's a bunch of photos from the past couple of months, enjoy! I hope 2009 is a healthy and prosperous year for you all! After 2008 it wouldn't hurt, right?! Lots of love, Joanna

My belly photo and the babies' ultrasound photos from their 24 week ultrasound!

Raya - she wasn't quite in the mood....Ollie was super cooperative and gave us this most handsome portrait... Awww.

And here are some photos from the baby shower, it was a beautiful day and I got to see a lot of ladies that I don't get to see very often... The cake was amazing, it came from Truffes bakery, a bakery that work with pretty often at weddings, vanilla butter cream with white cake and coffee butter cream filling... mmmm. The shower was a whirlwind of gift opening and I didn't get much opportunity to talk to anyone at length, (hence not many photos!) but then again I guess people realize that's how it normally goes. Thanks everyone for coming and really helping me and Kristian get ready for the babies! All of the gifts and love and support are super appreciated - we love you all!!

Kristian's mom (grandma Sue) made these beautiful arrangements for the party...Holy belly batman! And I was only 25 weeks! GramBonnie with the cake :)Aunt Mary (Adams) hand made this care basket - it was so cute and I know it took her a long time to put it together - she hand rolled 72 diapers and stitched the clothes on the little baby dolls! Crazy lady! You're the best, I love you tons...

Below are some incredibly cute hand made gifts that the babies were given, the hand-knit hats and scarves below were made by one of my long-time friend Janet's mom Jean...Jean I can't WAIT to photograph the babies in these, quite possibly the cutest thing I've ever seen...And another one of the cutest things I've ever seen was given to the babies by my sister-in-law Julia, they are hand made baby booties that she found by on Etsy. com made by a woman who calls her company Piddies, and as you can tell they're made to look like little animals, in this case wales and mice! So cute!! 27 weeks!

28 weeks! And look at my gorgeous babies in their ultrasound photos! Ollie refused to give us a face shot, but as you can tell we got every other kind of shot! Stinker...Ollie's leg and foot, awww.Ollie's, ahem, boy bits....The twin's heads together, they must be plotting! Raya smiling!What a pretty baby girl!!

Another week bites the dust...

2008-11-07T09:45:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody! Whew... things are crazy right now, as usual, I hope you're all doing well! Things are going great with the pregnancy, I'm still feeling pretty good, just slowing down a bit... :) Stats for now (still 20 week stats, I go for my 24 week check up and ultrasound on Tuesday, I'll be back with those stats, promise): Baby A, my little chica, is 14oz and Baby B, my little dude, is 13 oz. Their heart rates were 136 and 141 bpm, both quick and healthy. They're getting so big, and they're beautiful, don't you think? Anyhow, I definitely don't have the stamina I used to and my body decides how much I can do at a time - mostly my feet and back are what bothers me by the end of the day, and my wedding ring is dangerously close to not fitting for a time. I have resorted to a few "accessories" to help me through all this nonsense - a couple of life saving products include Dr. Scholl shoe inserts (for my dress shoes), and Assets "support hosiery" leggings in black. Okay so Assets are the Target brand version of Spanx - boys if you're not familiar with Spanx it's what makes your ladies butts and legs look so gorgeous and flawless underneath their dresses. They're thin like pantyhose and are made of some magical material that fits super tight and smooths out any imperfections - or in my case they hold in tight a 20 lb. belly carrying in twins. They are heaven to wear, yet hell to take on and off - which I have to do, as you can imagine, every 15-30 minutes to pee. Sorry TMI. I just felt I have to share - ladies who have been through it you know that the belly gets to be heavy and and any help carrying that beast around is a god send. Check out the photo below, I think it is hilarious. You can see my baby boy's head on the left from the back with his right hand up around his face as if to say, "get your butt off me sissy!!" Her tiny little butt is totally all up on his shoulder.

This is such an amazing time and I am really trying to sit down when I can and just focus on thinking about them and rubbing my belly and day dreaming about what they're going to look like, what the birth experience is going to be like, etc... They're kicking a lot more now and that is so amazing, I can't even explain it. It's just so fascinating when you sit and think "wow, there are two tiny human beings inside of me" - it really is mind blowing and such a gift and a blessing... We started our Multiples Childbirth class, I'm so glad we joined, there is a couple in the class who is having triplets, which is a relief because they're in it deeper than we are! Ha! I wish them the best. :) The class really is great because it will just help acquaint us with what to expect, logistics of the hospital, variations we'll encounter because we're having more than one baby, and of course they're going over everything that will help get my head even further in the game - nutrition, relaxation, emotional and physical well-being, etc. Kristian was forced to massage my back with a tennis ball in the very first class, again, I'm glad we joined. :) I just feel like it's all happening so fast, which I knew it would, but I feel good with where we are and there are just a few more things that need to happen in the house before we're "ready." I use that term loosely. :) Anyhoo - hope everyone has a fantastic weekend - FINALLY it's cooler, I've been so over the 75 degrees in November stuff. Sure that sounds ridiculous, but I get hot easy people!! xoxxoxoxox, Joanna

'Tis the season...

2008-10-18T10:21:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I hope you're all doing well, sorry to have gone missing there for a bit. Fall is always a little bittersweet for me, it's my favorite season of the year, by far, yet it's always the time of year that I'm most busy. I've certainly learned to take it in stride, otherwise I'd be in a padded room somewhere, much less still running a business. I'm much less stressed out than normal at this time of year though, if you can believe it. I must thank my babies for that. Being pregnant and preparing to become a parent really puts things into perspective. I've always known what I need to do to stay sane during times where things are piling on my plate faster than I can shovel them off, but I feel as if I have yet to escape melting down at some capacity around this time of year. I always get the job done but never as quickly as I'd like and never with the perfection that I'd like. What I think that I'm finally embracing is that I don't think any thing will ever get completed in the time or with the perfection that any of us would like. The most important thing is that you get the job done in the best way you know how. If you have, in fact put in your best effort, chances are you did a pretty good job. Anyway, I know for a fact that I'm more mellow than I've ever been - case in point - I had a computer crash on my a couple of days ago and I didn't cry! Normally computer crises make me sob like a little girl. It's just so nerve wracking, not knowing what the prognosis might be, not knowing how much money you might have to spend getting it fixed, not knowing what you might lose.... Instead I looked at the bright side: I do have another computer - a big, bad, fast computer that I recently had built for me to bring to the studio to work on (to have Jordan work on). So, I went to the studio, picked it up, had Jordan help me set it up at home and voila. Back up and running. I do have all of my data and photos backed up of course, the only thing I lost is my calendar. So! If you're reading this, please do email me and remind me of your birthday! Thanks. Sure, I do have to have my other computer completely reformatted, reload all of the programs, etc, but all I need to buy is a new motherboard and crucial memory and that computer, once again, will be a big, bad, fast machine. And I have the good fortune of having a family friend who just so happens to fix his friends computers for a hobby. What a good guy to know. Thanks Kenny! ----------- Above you'll see my ever expanding belly at 20 weeks pregnant. As soon as I have Photoshop back and have the chance to scan the new ultrasound photos I'll be sure to post them. The babies are doing awesome, they're both just under a pound now and all of their measurements are right on. They were both hilarious this time - it's so fun to watch them kick and punch each other and it's just fascinating to know that all of that action is going on inside of me and I can't feel it. I'm starting to feel more movement but it's still really slight and I'm anticipating feeling a lot more... I'm feeling great, other than some swelling and some numbness in my right finger tips, nothing that's intolerable though.... I'm thinking of abandoning my bed though because finding a comfortable sleeping position is becoming a futile effort. Anyhow I'm going to run, I have a wedding today, should be a really pretty one - it's a gorgeous day. I'm looking forward to things settling down, no doubt about it. Again I hope you're all well! xoxoxoxxoxo

The gumballs were right!!

2008-09-25T09:18:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Last night was amazing, as expected, and today is even better because now we are officially anticipating the arrival of our SON and our DAUGHTER! The gumballs were right, as were a lot of the rest of you who voted - thanks for your input, it was fun to see what people guessed. I know that I said we weren't going to post the results until after Saturday, but we all know that I can't keep my mouth shut and a lot of the people who I talk to on a regular basis just wouldn't take no for an answer last night, so of course I spent a good amount of time on the phone last night and this morning. :) We are so happy, and what's strange is that my gut feeling after the 12 week ultrasound was right - Baby A is a girl, and Baby B is a boy! And how crazy is it that the gumballs from Dave and Buster's were right?! I'm just so excited that we finally know! We could not be happier and we can't wait to meet our little girl and little boy. I'm relieved in some ways, actually, because I know that being different sexes will just allow them be their own people that much more, with their own interests and personalities.... My hope is that they will, even through cats-and-dogs fighting they will be allies and the best of friends. We will instill in them, even though it's natural for brothers and sisters to bicker, to love and respect each other no matter what. We have so much to look forward to, I am seriously bursting at the seams with joy.... Sure, we have our work cut out for us, but neither of us are scared of work, and it will be the most fun (and challenging, I know) work I've ever done. Have a great afternoon everyone, I might not post again until after I'm 30. :) 3 red roses for 3 years of marriage..... whoa our 50th is going to break the bank just in roses!Happy 3rd anniversary mommy and daddy! (Holy eyebrows Batman..... someone should have brushed those beasts for him before we left the house....)

It's finally September 24th!

2008-09-24T04:51:00.000-07:00

Then..... 1996
Now.....2008

Today is the day! Happy 3rd anniversary Nina and KK! The week did go by fast to my surprise, but I have really been pouring myself into work and we've been concentrating on the house, so luckily we've been sufficiently distracted. I have that warm excitement filling me up right now, the anticipation is palpable, I barely know what to do with myself. I have a pretty extensive to-do list for the day, which includes buying Kristian the new Kings of Leon album that came out yesterday, (I'm notorious for buying him gifts that we'll both use - but it's cool because we agreed "not to buy each other anything"), and also buying myself (the business) an iTalk voice recorder for my phone interview with Joe Bonamassa this coming week (you can read all about that in the music blog after it happens, I'm super nervous, Joe is an amazing musician....) so I can preview his show at Harrah's this coming Thursday. -------- This feeling, I'm happy to say, is a familiar one. I have been blessed enough in my life to have many very happy birthdays and Christmases and Thanksgivings... and a beautiful, unforgettable wedding day... to recognize the excitement that I feel this morning. More than just the anticipation of an event, it's the anticipation being with family, talking, laughing, loving... I remember many instances when Joe was alive and we were in full swing of family get togethers (besides Joe himself it's the thing I miss most about when he was alive) where I found myself thinking: "this is what life is about." I had figured something out through those years that will stay with me forever - nothing is more important than the people you love and the people who love you. I take my relationships seriously (maybe too seriously sometimes) because they're important to me. I've learned that that's simply not the case with some people, but everyone comes from their own roots and all you can do is try to stay true to your own. You can't turn anyone into the person you wish they'd be. Anyhow, tonight I get to spend the evening with my family, Kristian and my children (although this is the most quiet they'll be in a restaurant in their lives...). We get to celebrate each other over what I know will be an amazing meal, reminisce over the past three fast, amazing years, and finally discover who our children are. Days like this are meant to be cherished and I plan to do just that. If you think about it, and I think about things like this a lot since Joe died, you only get a certain number of days like this, and so you'd better be present to them and appreciate their fleeting beauty and importance. Especially since, unfortunately, none of us know just how many of them we get - both the great ones and the not so great ones. And as romantic as it may sound, I plan on celebrating the not so great ones as well. As long as I have my family next to me - is anything really that bad?

------------------- Happy birthday Big Joe! Of course you know that we all wish you were here.... I know you're looking down on us, some of us you're proud of, some of us you'd love to slap clear across the face. You'll have your time. :) There's never been a single day when you are not a part of my thoughts at some point of the day, and although I am so fond of all of the memories I have of you and of our life as a family, I must be honest and tell you that there is still a gaping hole in my heart that I'm not sure ever will be filled. It's things like your death that make us all realize truly how unfair life can be. However, it's things like your life that teach us to treasure it. There's so many people who miss you and love you and relish the thought of seeing you just one more time - I guess we'll all get our time eventually! Love you and hope you're having a big 'ol party up there. (In case you haven't seen the painting below, it was a gift from Kristian to my mom the Christmas after Joe died.... beautiful, right?)

Have a great day everyone, and just so you know, I'm not posting the genders of the babies until after Saturday - if you're coming to the party Saturday you can vote in the 50/50 raffle we'll have going - YES I know there's a party but I DO NOT know any other details than that. All I know is it's Saturday. Thanks again for stopping in, give everyone you love a squeeze today and let them know it! xoxoxxooxo, Joanna

"I CAN'T WAIT!"

2008-09-19T07:33:00.000-07:00

[ "You know I love you - even when you don't try... I know that our love will never die...... Hey darling when you look into my eye...... Please tell me you'll never have to say goodbye"].

Okay, whoever (Meredith) gets this, I'll know that you Googled it. There's no way in hell that anyone will be able to pull this out of thin air. Although the hook of the song (and title) did come out of thin air for me, I did have to Google the group who sings it. The sentiment, obviously, pertaining to the fact that I have to wait an entire 5 more days to find out the genders of our babies! This is getting pretty ridiculous. Patience, indeed, is a virtue... and I hate virtues. Just kidding, virtues are great. Not. Ugh who's idea was this?! Oh, mine. Damn. The anticipation is sweet though, I'll be honest.... And I'm pretty impressed with myself for not yet tearing the damn envelope open, or at least gently sliding open the scotch tape that seals the envelope in a covert operation where I would then do my best not to call everyone in creation and again in a day-time Emmy performance on Wednesday at dinner conjure up my best surprised/shocked/excited act, only to tell on myself minutes later to a disappointed KK. Guess I'll just save myself (and everyone else) and wait. Sigh. Lord knows I have plenty to keep me busy though, but isn't it funny how time only flies when you don't want it to?? Well, to cheer us all up, let's make fun of me! Here I am, at only 16 weeks along: (what a beautifully shot photo, KK. After his belly shots and his photos from Anne and Kris's wedding, he's out for a position with Joanna Kleine Photography. I'd give him one but he's got attitude :)
I'm starting to feel a little heavy in my belly ("really, you don't say?"), and just yesterday I started to actually wonder about how the rest of this is going to go down. I'll just keep reminding myself that even through my discomfort - as long as the babies are safe, I can hang. I'm going to take it easy as much as possible, especially after my last wedding, at which I'll be right at about 26 weeks. And I'm still not going to complain because thus far and even now I'm feeling great and haven't had to deal with the majority of pregnancy symptoms I read about... So, we'll cross the rest of the bridges when we get to them. I tend not to be the worrying type, which, under my current condition, is a good thing. Plus, after my next monthly check-up and ultrasound at 20 weeks (again the countdown is on!), I'll start going every 2 weeks to my OB's. That eases my mind also, considering how close of an eye is on me and the twins... But at the 2 week check-ups is where the medical team really gets down to business - I'll spare you the description of what goes down, but most complications in multiple pregnancies (except for miscarriages of course) happen after 20 weeks, so they'll be watching me like a hawk. And I'm going to take extra measure to really be nice to myself, so hopefully all of my work and the Dr's work will pay off and I'll get myself some fat & happy, term babies. Speaking of my beautiful babies :), here they are from Tuesday.... as you can imagine, I'm so visually spoiled with the images I see everyday that I find myself disappointed with the ultrasound imagery... To which Kristian chimes in "um, what exactly do you expect?" He's so good for putting me in my place. :) Baby A Baby B The tops of both babies' heads - how cute...

Unfortunately I didn't get the opportunity to shoot any video this time, hopefully next time. And I promise better pictures when they're on the outside. :) I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying this amazing weather... Take care and thanks for stopping in!

"And I can rock a block-party 'til your hair turns gray!"

2008-09-17T12:17:00.000-07:00

So I finally gave in. I have yet, that is until today, bought anything for the babies, more or less clothes. And I promise that I understand that they'll grow right the heck out of these, but I want my kids to be in touch with their inner rock star from day one. They'll be the hippest kids leaving the maternity ward when we blow that pop stand. How...cute...are....these!!?? Baby B gets the blue Bob onesie. My babies are bad to the bone.... They're Acquarians, so really all I'm doing is nurturing their anti-establishment personalities... PS, today's title is a toughie, let's see who gets it...

"I was dancin' on the ceiling...!"

2008-09-16T11:22:00.000-07:00

SUCCESS!! The babies genders are confirmed, written on the card that I brought by the very nice ultrasound tech, who then actually scotch-taped the envelope shut so that we wouldn't be tempted to open it, say, on the way home! I've never in my life experienced this sort of anticipation - just knowing that the information is written down and official and for sure... I have two sons, or two daughters or a son and a daughter.... Looks like 47% of you so far think it's a boy/girl team, we'll just have to wait until Wednesday! I can't wipe the smile off my face - you could punch me and I'd laugh. Both babies look great, their measurements all look on track - they each weigh around 6 oz. and both have nice quick heart rates. I am right on track with weight gain too - up 5 lbs from last month. Anyhow, I'm going to go dive into work as to try to make the days, hours and minutes go by faster until Wednesday.... Ahhhhh!!!! All this waiting...

"Take the long way home..."

2008-09-15T07:33:00.001-07:00

Okay, this is going to be a long one, that's what I get for waiting a week to post - my life, right now at least (and so it has seemed ever since the end of college) is pretty damn eventful. So strap in, I had a pretty awesome week. We'll start with Wednesday, when good friend, Joe Christopher, and I headed out on a mini road trip to good ol' Columbia, Missouri, where the Journalism School is celebrating it's centennial and close to $1 billion (Billion with a "B") in renovations (much needed, I can attest to that). The day was really fantastic - the weather was beautiful, I was taking one of my favorite drives, with one of my favorite people. Joe and I met at Mizzou in an inconsequential communications class, and then, most importantly, when I came to work for the Journalism Library. Our mission Wednesday was to have lunch with Sue Scheurmann (head of the J-Library and smart ass extraordinaire) and to check out the new J-Library digs. Shamefully I didn't take any photos of the new library, I was too busy eating cookies and drinking soda if I'm being honest, although I managed to capture this cute one of me and Joe.... I felt really nostalgic that day, on the brink of tears almost at times. My experience at Mizzou was one of the best of my life thus far - coming 2nd only to marrying Kristian and naturally will have to take a back seat to the birth of and life with my babies... Nonetheless I will always cherish my time in Columbia and everything about the Journalism program. The program was no joke, indeed, which is why it relentlessly holds its position as the top Journalism program in the country. I am glad that I was (finally) in the mindset to get down to business after taking a little extra time to, ahem, "find myself," taking a semester longer than normal to finish high school and spending a little time in community college before I decided, with the love and support of my mom and Big Joe, that it was time to get serious, I wanted to be a part of Mizzou Journalism, and I knew I had it in me. It's amazing when you can be present to something enough to feel it in your bones, and Mizzou Journalism really did course through my veins, and still does. I was scared shitless a lot of the time, but young enough and naively ballsy enough to not let it hold me back. I was taught by Pulitzer prize winning professors, and worked next to Masters students in the Photojournalism program, who came from, literally, all over. I wrote some pieces I'm proud of and shot some photos I'm proud of. I met some people I'll never forget and had some conversations I'll never forget. Beyond all of that though it was just the atmosphere of sheer professionalism mixed with idealism and youth and heart that helped me learn who it is I strive to be - someone who can get down to business, with confidence and idealism. I don't win all the time, but then again, who does? I learned to ask questions - more questions, even, than I normally ask. I learned that everything is not what you see in the media, and I learned what the true job of the media should be. It doesn't win all the time either. -------- Anyhow the J-Library was a part of my experience there for 2 out of the 4 years (as was, of course, my various living arrangements where I met two of the best friends I'll ever have - Annie and Stacey) and most of all I just had fun there - Joe and I are both clowns and I'll admit I distracted him from his job, which was a lot more important than mine since he was actually staff and I was just a part-time student worker. We share a love of R&B and hip-hop - which no one around us at the time did... We play a mean game of Pictionary and can cut a rug at the club. We have an uncanny knack for color coordinating our outfits - without even consulting each other. Here's a couple more of me and Joe from "back in the day."And one of the circulation desk - Sue, our boss, is seated at her computer... And another of the "crew" at a holiday party (2001?) showing off the "classic Sue" pose... Pat simply refuses.Lunch was great (mmmm, fish & chips with malt vinegar), conversation with Sue was like we never left, we were super impressed with the new J-library, a little pissed, sure, that they hadn't completed such renovations while we were there.... Over all we were both really glad we made the trip, and to top the day off we stopped by my favorite pizza joint of all time, Shakespeare's. Anyone who has had it knows that it's one of a kind, both the pizza and the atmosphere. I paid a hefty $52 for two large, half-baked pies, which promptly filled the car with sweet aroma of Shakespeare's for the drive home - only heightening the anticipation for dinner that evening. Kristian was happy I didn't re-neg on my promise to bring home Shakespeare's - a fond memory of his also, considering how much time he spent in Columbia while I was there... I got home, we baked one of the pies the rest of the way, sliced it, added the ever necessary Parmesan and red pepper flakes, and got our eat-on. We felt like we were there, minus the hippies. It was worth every penny.

Thursday was a marathon day - although really a great day too... I had coffee with an old high school friend, April, who just so happens to have 18 month old twin girls! She brought Cameryn and Maddison with her, who are both simply adorable and really well-behaved actually, and she was kind enough to lend me some reading material - a book called "When you're expecting twins, triplets and Quads." I'm already a quarter of the way through it and have learned so much - more than from any of the other books I've read - since it speaks directly to moms of multiples. I learned that I'm not eating enough, that my craving for sweets and fats and red meat are all perfectly normal and to indulge in them since I need close to 3,000 calories a day and lots of protein, fats and carbos to keep the babies on track with healthy gain and growth.... I learned that twins develop faster than singletons initially since somehow they "know" that they won't have as long in the womb - and that their growth pattern actually slows down towards the end vs. speeding up as is the case with singletons since they both develop fast initially and that they'll simply run out of room towards the end. I learned that I'm doing a lot of the right things, and learned some things I need to get better with, like drinking 4 liters of water (I'm at about 3 liters now), and just cutting out the caffeine since it hinders hydration and fluids are super important. Some days are better than others with that - I love coffee. I feel armed with information and have listed a lot of questions to go over with my Dr. tomorrow morning... I can't wait!! I feel like every day before a Dr.s appt. and ultrasound is Christmas Eve!! Please everyone cross your fingers that my plan comes to fruition and that the ultrasound tech is able to confirm genders of the babies, write the info in my card that I'm bringing with me, and that Kristian and I will be able to sit down together at dinner on our 3rd anniversary next Wednesday and learn who these little people are dancing around inside of me..... Stay tuned for new pix of the babies, and video of the ultrasound (I'll post it on my YouTube page). ------ As Thursday continued I had lunch with a childhood friend Kim, who, just so happens to have 4 year old twin girls!! (I'm sure you see a pattern, I try to schedule all of my meetings with people who have twins and where there will be food... just kidding it's a blessing to see old friends and conversations with moms who have twins are invaluable - they've been there!). Kim and I haven't seen each other in a long time - since her wedding in 2003, and before that we were kids. I'm so glad that our paths have crossed again and look forward to hanging out with her any opportunity we get. We're both pretty insanely busy. ----- Lastly, after a meeting with Jordan at the studio, I headed over to my brother Michael's house to hang with him and my little niece G-Funk (Gretchen). We had a fab Mexican dinner with daddy/broham Mike and paid absolutely no attention to the fact that it was September 11th. I love hanging out with Gretchen, she just never ceases to impress me with her wit and insight... We all really have a lot to learn from 3-yr-olds. And just look how darn cute she is..... (PS, thanks Frankie for the rose - she loved it!!). "How many babies does Tia Juana have in her belly Gretchen?" "Two!" (she answers in a rolled-eye annoyed voice like, duh! I'm not stupid!).Okay, lastly (promise - thanks for hanging in there with me...), I can't wait for tomorrow, and I know I already said that. Below you'll see a photo from the 12week ultrasound that I hadn't posted yet mostly because Kristian has been in possession of it. It's a 3D shot of Baby B, and by far it's the best of the batch we got that day, except for the shot of them together, although only in the regular ultrasound mode... You'll notice that he (that's what we think Baby B is) has his hands over his eyes and that he's just simply, super cute and this is just an incredible image that I'm so happy we have. I know they'll both look so different and bigger tomorrow (hopefully we'll get more 3D pix!) and I'm beside myself with anticipation. I'll be sure to tell you all about it. Updates on the pregnancy: I feel great, I love watermelon, beef tenderloin and jalapenos, I'm turning into a hairy beast (you should see my belly), my skin is clearing up (yay, no more 13 yr. old pizza face!), I'm on the coffee wagon, and the kids are just big teases at this point with their "kicking." Less "kicking" really, more of just a random kick here and there, followed by... nothing. Oooh, they're crafty. They sure have me on a hook already..... Have a great week and please come back to visit and leave comments - and thanks to all the moms who have been leaving me advice on the must-have items after my Babies R Us freak-out post. Whew.

If you can't say anything nice, come sit next to me.

2008-09-06T19:27:00.001-07:00

[Disclaimer: this is not a song title or lyric.]

My friend Kathy alerted me that she has been unable to leave comments on the blog. This, of course, is unacceptable, so staying true to my high-tech, computer savvy ways, (ahem.), I have fixed the issue. Now anyone, yes, anyone, can comment. So, comment away.

Love, Joanna

Oh, PS, Babies R Us sent me into official panic mode today. I had to leave after registering for only 9 items, two of them being Boppys. I am trying to decompress at this point, and have instructed Kristian that his input is a must on items such as cribs, stroller, play yard, and all of the "gear." I will drag people like Kristy and my mom in for the other thousands of incidentals - for both the new and old school mom feedback (sorry GramBonnie, you're old!). Any of you moms out there that have been through this, I plead to you, tell me items that you would never buy again, items that just aren't worth buying but seemed like a good idea at the time, items that you wish you would have had, items that you can't live without etc. etc. I'm seriously overwhelmed, but I'll get through it. I came home promptly today after registering for my 9 items and continued the process of gutting/re-organizing our house - we're moving the office to the basement officially tomorrow. I'll post photos - I'm actually really excited about the space I'm going to have down there. Ugh.

"I like to move it, move it!"

2008-09-06T09:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Saturday everyone! Okay so I'm pretty darn excited - I felt the babies move last night! More specifically I felt baby A move... I was laying in bed last night next to Kristian, laying on my left side snuggled up him, and I pushed in on the left side of my belly just enough to feel him or her move! I felt a slight kick, and then a very obvious rolling sensation... "I just felt one of the babies move!" I told KK, excited - but I had lost him to the night. Once he's horizontal you have approximately 3.5 minutes of opportunity for conversation. Anyway I spent the next half hour or so tuning into the movement, pushing and prodding on my belly.... and I did feel baby B move also but it was much more delicate of a movement than baby A - the only reason I know who is where is because we've seen their positioning in the ultrasound. And again this morning I felt baby A on the way to Livi (Kristy and Steve's daughter) and Jordan's (Nick and Nicole's daughter) soccer game, (let me tell you, watching 4 and 5 year- olds play soccer is one of the cutest things ever - and their team won!). And I'm just excited for them to continue to grow and be able to feel it all the time, it's an indescribable feeling, it is just one more event that helps this all become more real... that and today is the first day I've worn maternity jeans (THANKS AMY!), and I must admit, they're comfy as heck. My friend Amy was kind enough to lend me some maternity clothes yesterday - and I also got to see her beautiful brand new baby girl Chloe and hold her... I'm a natural. Actually she's just an awesome sleeper and could care less! :) I'm glad I have not had to buy anything - my friend Michelle also has lent me some clothes - I just need to hit up one or two more friends and my cheap butt might get away with buying absolutely no maternity clothes. I have no shame. More importantly..... How exciting is it that fall is fast approaching?! What a beautiful time of year - it's always been and always will be my favorite season. The cooling temperatures, crisp air, sleeping with the windows open, bonfires, hoodie-sweatshirts, Halloween, my birthday, our anniversary, long walks outside, football (I could really care less but KK now has a fantasy football team and mamma needs new shoes).... it's THE best time of year. Okay, off to Babies R Us for the first time with Lindsay.... Wish me luck, babies need so much crap. I'm going to get a head start on putting together my registry - save the date ladies, tell your friends, the shower will be on Sunday, November 9th. Come rub the Buddha belly for luck. :) Enjoy the rest of this amazing weekend.... xooxoxxoxo

"Celebrate good times, come on!"

2008-09-04T09:33:00.000-07:00

[ Alright guys, this is an easy one, think World Series 1982... - for those of you new to the game, you have to guess what song the lyrics in the blog title belong to. Sometimes the blog title will be a song, in which case you have to guess the band/group. First person to guess correctly 5 times will win a fantastically mastered mix CD from yours truly - indeed a phenomenal prize. ]

Mmmmm, I just made our anniversary reservations for Ruth's Chris - a very favorite place for Kristian and I to have a romantic dinner together. I know that this will be one of the last. Unless we can get a willing babysitter. Anyone? This will be our 3rd wedding anniversary and the 3rd year in a row that we will have gone to Ruth's Chris... We always spend way too much money but it's just one of those nights where we can indulge and really celebrate each other and our friendship and marriage. Each of the past two years have been everything I could hope for in a romantic anniversary dinner with KK (although I'm sure he would shy away from the whole world knowing...). We always get a bottle of Savignon Blanc, the only wine Kristian's found that he likes - he's definitely a white drinker, not red like me... guess I can have a half glass this year. Then we exchange cards that we both spend considerable time and effort and gushiness writing love letters inside - he never fails to make me cry with how sweet he can be. Don't let the tough-guy facade fool you, he's a lover-boy. I always look forward to our anniversary and we will continue to make it a priority even amongst the chaos... I know it's important to set time aside for each other.... This year, hopefully, we will open another card, together, that will reveal the genders of our babies. I really hope that my plan works out - it will be a truly memorable dinner and evening. I can't wait! I'm a lucky girl, no doubt. We have a lot to celebrate, indeed we have a rich life. Sigh...... :)

No pictures, please.

2008-09-03T16:50:00.000-07:00

You know, some days you just don't want to be messed with. I know how you feel, darlin.' I sincerely hope my kids have such a sense of humor. Gotta love stumbling upon these little gems while editing - I know you shooters out there know what I'm talking about.

"It's a sign from God."

2008-09-02T16:56:00.000-07:00

Please excuse what appears to be a filthy, disgusting mirror - I promise that it is clean, but for some reason the flash on my point-n-shoot picks up every existing speck of dust or nick in the glass... Anyhow, here is my roundness as of a few minutes ago, at 14 weeks pregnant. You'll see the more professional looking ones (from the side against the brown wall with me wearing black pants) only every 4 weeks because Kristian has only agreed to photograph my belly every month. Quite the fussy artist he is. I know, however, that women pregnant with multiples change practically over night and I want to do photos every two weeks - even if it's just the casual, self-shot kind like you see above. Please note the rockin' tan that I have from being out on the boat.

On to a great story from the other night.... Kristian and I met up with his sister Jamie and her 4 kids: Kahrin, Grant, Kane and Lucas for Grant's dinner birthday on Tuesday at Dave and Busters. Holy iish, he's 12. I'm old. Anyhow, after dinner we all went to go play games - and of course you have to walk by Candy Row before you hit the games from the dining room.... Well my sweet tooth diverted my eyes right to the giant gumballs you see in this photo - I had a bunch of quarters so I decided to spin for one, curious what color would pop out. PINK! was the first. Well, of course I had to spin for a second one, "what are the chances," I thought to myself, "that I'll spin a pink or blue out of all these colors..." Well, BLUE! was what popped out, which is, of course, "a sign from God." (Sorry, movie quote this time, not song). How funny is that?! Seriously, as you can see (just left of Kahrin), I could have spun a red, purple, yellow, orange, white, multi-colored or green.... So, those of you that chose the boy/girl combo, just may be right..... Hmmmm.

And here is Lucas ("Lukie"), what a cutie pie, eh? I can't believe he's 15 mos already!!

And here's a funny one for you from just a couple hours ago - how many people do you know have started and almost finished washing their cars... only to have it start storming on them??

Well that's just what he gets for being so fussy, eh? Thanks anyway, baby.

"Reunited and it feels so good..."

2008-09-02T08:50:00.000-07:00

Everyone needs incentives in life. I want to offer an incentive for you to visit my blog and for you to leave comments - so that I don't feel like I'm talking to myself, (although, I've been known to do exactly that and not care - sometimes the best conversations happen between yourself and yourself...) so here it is. I will title blog entries with either lyrics from songs or titles of songs, and you need to comment with: the title of the song if it is lyrics, and the band or group that sings the song if it's a title. The person who first guesses correctly 5 times, will win a prize. This contest is born out of inspiration that I received from Meredith (a long-time friend and fellow blogger who loves comments as much as me), who held a caption contest for a photo of her son Wyatt at Disney on a ride who had a hilarious look on his face. Anyway, the winner received a box of bacon and eggs shaped band-aids - also a hilarious and random prize - but a prize nonetheless. The prize to the winner of this contest will be music related - a mix CD of some of my favorite bands/songs right now. I have good taste in music, so you will like it, promise. :) Fair enough? I'll try to make the music titles/lyrics universal enough so that the contest is fair, and not just tailored to music fanatics like myself. Let the contest begin!

The title today refers to the fact that I will be re-engaging in my training program with my esteemed personal trainer, Becky Henderson. I'll be honest with you, I've been slacking with my diet for the past, oh, 12 weeks. I've been giving myself a break of sorts, because I worked really hard on getting healthy for the past year and successfully managed, with determination and help from Weight Watchers and training with Becky, to lose over 35 lbs. from September '07 to May '08. I'm really proud of that accomplishment because it was a huge hill to climb - pun intended. My training with Becky started in early Feb. of this year, and she was just what I needed to keep my head in the game and kick it up a notch. I felt really strong after just a few weeks with her, and she has trained pregnant women before, so I trust her and feel confident that she will train me safely and help me stay strong and confident - two virtues that I really need especially right now. Nutrition and exercise are a really important part of pregnancy and I need to get back on track. I want to be in the best physical shape possible when the kids get here - both to help in the delivery and also to help get me through the exhausting first few months... Exercise, for me, works wonders in my emotional attitude - working out is something you do for the health of yourself and the body that you've been given, which in turn helps you be the person you want to be for your family and friends and world. And you don't have to be a tri-athlete to benefit from it, I find that even a half-hour walk a day on my light days was beneficial - even if just to get out and feel the air and see the neighborhood.... Cycling is my favorite way to get exercise (I'm no Lance like KK, but I can hold my own - twice I've ridden a 30-mile route on the Missouri Riverfront Trail), but I've been restricted from it... Although I might cheat because I'm jonesin' for a bike ride, especially during this nice weather...... Anyhow I've managed to gain only 10 pounds in the 14 weeks (today!) that I've been pregnant - which is okay, average and tolerable, but now and increasingly in the 3rd trimester is where the real weight gain will start happening. I want to stay within a healthy range of weight gain and ensure that I'm doing everything nutritionally and physically that I can to help these babies get here safely. The good news is: my main craving for the past few weeks has been fruit - all of it, but especially peaches and watermelon. Sure fruit has sugar, but it's the best kind of sugar you can intake, and it's a sure-fire way to curb a sweets-attack. So, cross your fingers for me that everything stays on a healthy course. My biggest fear is that the babies will get here too early, so I'm going to try to do everything I can for myself and them in the meantime.

Lastly, I hope everyone's weekend was as good as mine, going out on our pontoon boat yesterday was certainly a highlight. (Disclaimer: the below photos are not from this weekend, they're all random from the past 2 years...) Although it was hot and humid yesterday, it didn't matter because we decided to spend the afternoon taking a long cruise up the Illinois river which was a beautiful, breezy ride. The sun was out, but we had the "white boy canopy" out for a shady escape from the rays and heat. It was just Kristian, myself, Andy and Lindsay (our good friends and co-owners of the boat), which was nice because it's rarely just the four of us. Lindsay is expecting their first child, a baby girl, in early December, so we got to talk "shop" so to speak for a lot of the day - it's helpful to have someone close to me that's just 3 months ahead of me in their pregnancy - to compare notes. It was just an incredibly peaceful, gorgeous day and the icing was definitely watching the season premiere of Prison Break last night!! I'm so glad it's back on!! Sunday was great too - seeing Annie and Kris was everything I could hope for, although our time together is always too short. They loved the framed photos and slide show of the wedding pictures - Annie even cried, which was so fulfilling for me both as her friend and her photographer. Having family over was great too that evening, Gretchen stole the show of course engaging everyone in a game of hide-n-seek and just being her general cute self. The wedding on Saturday with Jon went really well - I love working with him and look forward to doing so a lot more over the coming wedding seasons......

Lastly, we get to see the babies in TWO WEEKS!!!! AND PS: THE POLLS ARE ONCE AGAIN OPEN - PLEASE VOTE ON WHAT YOU THINK THE GENDERS OF THE BABIES ARE - POLL CLOSES 9.24.

Don't worry, about a ting... Every little ting, is gonna be alright.

2008-08-29T13:22:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty excited that "Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley just came on the radio (Sirius satellite channel 30 - acoustic coffeehouse or whatever)! It's not surprising since overall today is a pretty dang good day. Not for any particularly exciting reason - well, other than the fact that I'm photographing Robert Randolph and the Family Band tonight, one of my and Kristian's favorite bands. KK's coming with me and I'm looking forward to spending some time with him, at a show, one of our most favorite things to do together. If I'm lucky and the beer is cheap enough, I may even get to see the white boy dance! You know my round self will shake it no matter what. Other than that, though, the day has been pretty uneventful - there's just a nice energy to it - you know those days where you just feel, good. I managed to get some laundry done and get a little work out in, all the while making headway on the voluminous editing I have on my plate. Nothing like a little productivity to lighten the spirit, right? We also received the letter in the mail from Wash U about the testing they did on the babies during the 12 week scan - and the numbers look great for both babies - significantly diminished likelihood that either baby has Down's Syndrome or Trisomy 13/18. Very good and relaxing news. Also, the ball is rolling with the basement project - we're converting the back half into my office space, the front half into living/play space, and then both "bedrooms" upstairs will be a nursery/bedroom and another playroom. I think we just might make it work in this house! We get to spend time with my good friend Annie who is in from Ohio (I just photographed her wedding in Minneapolis in July, see the beautiful Mr. and Mrs. Anne and Kris Morrow - by the way, KRISTIAN took this photo - isn't it beautiful?! We printed and framed this image for them as a gift to give them when we see them, hope they love it.) on Sunday, along with both sets of parents who are both fantastic people to be around.

Tomorrow I get to work with Jon, which is always a good time, fam coming over to hang out on Sunday evening and Monday we get to go out on the boat and enjoy an actual full day off. Sure the rest of September is sheer chaos for me, but I'm used to that and I kind of welcome it, you know? I complain about editing, but I truly love my job, it still flatters me that people place such a responsibility in my hands (and my eyes) and I work hard every wedding to get the best images I can. It's always a challenge, and always a delight. Spending time with two people on the day they marry each other is really amazing. Anyhow, that's about it for now, and to end it on a lite note....Pretty hilarious, I can always depend on Frankie to crack me up with his emails. PS, after a pretty direct and brief conversation in the car that consisted of me barraging Kristian with both potential boy and girl names for our children; we have, in fact narrowed it down. And KK wants it to be a surprise. Who knew he was so nostalgic? So you'll find out in the birth announcements I guess. :) Have a wonderful weekend everyone. Lots of love, Joanna

Happy Birthday Gretchen!

2008-08-27T13:53:00.000-07:00

6 mos and hilarious!!

I'm two and I love the cake mommy made for me!
Mmmmm, La Pizza with Daddy and Tia Juana...

I just cannot believe that today is my niece Gretchen's THIRD birthday. It freaks me out how quickly time flies. What a sweet, beautiful, insanely smart little girl she is, and I look forward to watching her grow into a sweet, beautiful and even smarter young woman. What a blessing she is to our family, a riot and joy to have around, even if she does pee on your floor every once in a while. No biggie. Can't wait to see Gretch and her mommy and daddy Mike and Sue, along with Jimmy, (my other bro), g-friend Marissa, and "Gram-Bonnie" and Harry on Sunday for a little BBQ and R&R. Love you guys! Happy birthday baby girl! xoxxoxoxoxo, Tia Juana (what Gretchen calls me).

PS, Gretchen is a cool name, isn't it? I'm so stuck on names right now, and I'm sure you parents can empathize with me, does it not seem that just no name is quite good enough for your child? Just kidding, we have a bunch, faves right now - and please chime in if you love or hate any of these - are: Boys: (in order of favorites ranking): Oliver, Isaac, August, Carlin, Clinton, Quincy, Lincoln. (Again, I'd love some feedback - leave me comments dammit!). Girls: Audrey, Lauren, Raya, Kennedy, Emille, Whitney, Dorthea, Etta, Faith...(Disclaimer, anyone else pregnant out there - since I just publicly announced that I'm fond of these names, they're off limits.) :) Ugh, so many names and only two kids. We're money if they're both boys, but not many of you jerks seem to think that will be the case - I know the 2 of you that voted were just being nice. (I'm just kidding, you're not jerks, I love you all.) I have never in the history of talking with anyone about this fiasco heard "I think you're having two boys." Except for Ashley, and she just wants me to have two boys because she has four of her own! We shall see, hopefully in three weeks!

It happened.

2008-08-27T06:39:00.000-07:00

I was verbally recognized as pregnant by people in public. --------------- Okay I'm not going to deny that I'm rockin' the preggo pooch. And 99.9% of the time I love it! It really is an amazing, beautiful event in a woman's life - I am personally involved in perpetuating the human race, as we speak. I have felt the babies ever so slightly fluttering around and cannot wait until I can feel them "for real" and really distinguish who is who and hiccups and feet and knees and the whole 9. I am blessed to have this happening to me, a blessing I do not take for granted - I love an cherish my kids already and they're only the size of lemons. (Thanks for the update BabyCenter - yep, I'm back. You'll be glad to know that the conversation most recently has been reduced to mini-vans.) So anyhow, here's my situation yesterday: I left the house feeling pretty actually, wearing a long brown skirt (you'll see me in it, trust me, it's awesomely comfortable) and a small tan sweater over a yellow shelf-tank top. I love my accessories of course, so I pulled out a beautiful, simple shell necklace that I purchased in Hawaii in 2002. I was going to shoot photos of a 15 mo. little girl, and overall felt really comfortable in what I had on, although I noticed in the mirror before I left "I totally look pregnant." (I'm being so descriptive about my attire because, as you women know, it's actually really important). The tank and the skirt hugged my "shape" so there was no denying it. I get to Forest Park and meet mom and Bella, a gorgeous baby girl, at the Grand Basin, and there is a couple behind us just hanging out on the steps - the gentleman pipes up, "Wow, she is so beautiful!" "Isn't she?!" I responded, excited about shooting. "And it looks like you're next, eh?" So there you have it, the first time anyone has officially accused me of being pregnant, in public. The cat is out of the bag. It's official. My internal response was a mixed sense of a sort of accomplishment or rite of passage, and impending doom. And so the following starts running through my head: "There's no turning back. And I'm only going to get bigger. Oh my God I'm only 13 weeks along and everybody can tell... Just how crazy big am I going to get? Am I really going to look like a parade float? Will I even be able to walk around? Will they have to widen the doorways to get me out of the house to get to the hospital?" Well, it was bound to happen, and it has. It really is sort of a rite of passage I guess, and I should be proud of my big, round self. I happen to be one of those people who think pregnant women are breathtaking. And so I will continue to remind myself as I catch myself in mirrors - in honor of SNL's Stuart Smalley. -------------------- Other items: everything stinks. Literally. My sense of smell is sheer insanity. Things that used to smell good, now do not (Boca Chicken). Some things that really smell great though, are paradise to sniff i.e. fresh peaches, fresh tomatoes. Things that really smell bad, though, (no stretch of the imagination needed), make me want to run the other way while spewing - not a pretty site. -------------- Lastly, please, pretty please, leave me comments. I want to know what's on your minds, and it gives me an excuse to take a break from editing while I'm on the computer. Have a great day everyone - it's gorgeous outside! Yay August in St. Louis!! WHAT?? Who would think we'd ever say something like that!

This may one day be me.

2008-08-25T17:18:00.001-07:00

So I'm sure that I've mentioned that I cry over everything, right? Well today is no different, as I sit, editing a wedding, I come across an image that immerses me even further into the reality of what's going on in my life right now. This woman very well may be me someday, dancing with my son, at his wedding, once again crying my eyes out - out of utter, indescribable joy. A wedding is a pinnacle, however. Of course I'll cry my eyes out if I am blessed with the opportunity to dance with my son at his wedding. Or, both of my sons their weddings. It is also the little things, those smaller, everyday instances of joy that I'm beginning to realize I get to be a part of soon. Thus far I've just been so involved with the fact that I am, in fact, pregnant... with twins. That's a lot to digest folks. Well I've signed up, and I'm pretty much over the fact that I'll never sleep again, and I may not escape the first 5 years with my sanity. We have jumped in, feet first, ready or not. It's alright though, because it comes with the territory, and there is so much more to it. I was watching YouTube the other day - I just searched for "twin births" and of course a thousand clips pop up..... I found myself, for the first time, sobbing uncontrollably over the prospect of finally meeting my babies! Finally holding them, touching them, kissing them, gazing at them, being with them.... Being... a family. Taking their feet prints, sending out birth announcements, taking their first photographs, witnessing their very first smile.... And then I'll snap my fingers, as my good friend Kathy has, and I'll be doing dishes in the kitchen, and my teenage son or daughter will come up behind me, reach his or her arms around me in a tight hug and tell me "I love you mommy." Is that not what life is about? I'll sign up for that every single day. ------------------ In other news, I'll be 13 weeks along tomorrow, the countdown has begun until 9.16.08 - the next ultrasound and hopefully the day where we can learn the genders of our kids..... Our (my) grand plan goes like this: family jewels will be clearly visible but I will instruct the ultrasound tech to have us turn away during the investigation of the nether regions. He or she will then write our much anticipated news down on the beautiful card that I have brought along with me. He or she will then seal the envelope with said card, and the information will remain confidential, until, 9.24.08, our 3rd wedding anniversary. We will sit at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse together, as we have for the past two years on that date, and open the card, together, and find out what the genders of our children are. We will also salute Big Joe since it is also his birthday. Pretty cool plan, eh? I'll be so grateful if that's how it really happens. I've put a lot of heart into that plan. So cross your fingers, do a dance, you get it. And I'd love for you to, if you haven't, vote!! You'll see your chance to vote on the right of this page - down a ways.... Out of the 4 people who have voted, 50% of you think we're having 2 girls - which ruins my chances of dancing with my sons at their weddings dammit. -------------- Other noteworthy items.... I was yelled at by the husband of a bridesmaid at my wedding on Saturday (which was really beautiful and a sweet shooting day for me), for drinking a Monster energy drink. He congratulated me on the twins, news of which had spread like wildfire throughout the day, like usual, and then proceeded to tell me "You should really lay off the Monster though" as if he were a good friend who was privy to a Monster-binge issue that I have been struggling with. "The tuarine and ginseng and guarana aren't good for the babies." I was so tempted to counter with "I know, and neither is that gallon of vodka and RedBull you drank today. Your liver is pissed." The only time you'll ever catch me drinking Monster is on a wedding day, through which I would not make it, upright at least, without a little help. The babies will be fine. Mostly I found it humorous, especially after he fell over on Molly the Trolley, and chalked it up as the first installment of many unsolicited pieces of advice that I will continue to get throughout this pregnancy. ---------------- Have a great evening everyone! And if you're in the market - you should try Low Carb Monster energy drink - it's a lifesaver when you have a 12 hour day in front of you carrying around 50 pounds of gear to 5+ locations and you're pregnant with twins. -------------- LASTLY: Check out my YouTube page to see the video I shot of the babies at my 12 week ultrasound last week. It's not great video, but if you watch close you can see Baby A move around. So cute!

Reading is bad for your health.

2008-08-22T15:32:00.000-07:00

So a good number of women in today's Age of Information know about the famed Babycenter.com site, where you can, the instant you discover you're pregnant - or even before, go and gorge yourself with information about the magical event of pregnancy and childbirth.... There really is a wealth of information on the site, and they'll send you, if you sign up, a weekly newsletter telling you that your baby (or babies in my case) is (are) the size of a lentil bean, then blueberry, then fig, then lime, so on. I'm convinced it's an attempt to coerce us into eating more produce, because all we really want to eat is brownies, crab Rangoon and Apple Jacks cereal. There is also a board that you can go on where you can talk to other pregnant chicks - a lot of innocent back and forth about everything and anything you can imagine pertaining to the topic of pregnancy and childbirth, (examples of topics: "how to deal with rude pregnancy comments," "cool cribs," "will you carry your baby around in a sling?" "have you been in the mood?" "My experience with hemorrhoids." Seriously, no stone goes unturned with these chicks. "TMI! TMI!" I find myself thinking. Although, there are a lot of times (otherwise I wouldn't visit at least once a day) where I learn something - especially from the moms who have other kids, and also especially, if not exclusively, from the March Multiples board. There are some great ladies on there who are all in the same boat as me, a lot of them pregnant for the first time, with twins. We all kind of keep an eye on each other and post belly pix and ultrasound pix (okay, I really only care about the pictures, let's face it) and talk about how we're feeling and how fat we're getting. I'm one of the thinner of the bunch, which is always encouraging - because I'm vein like that. Kidding. Not really. ---------- Although my experience with this board has been really positive - I really feel like I'm part of a little community within this group of women - sometimes it can turn into a train wreck. I bring this up because I just recovered a few minutes ago from an episode of uncontrollable sobbing due to the news posted by one of the ladies that her nuchal translucency scan (the "blah blah blah" scan that I referred to in my last post), came back extraordinarily high on one of her babies, like a 5.6 or something (they like for the number to be closer to 1). I can't tell you what that number means but I can tell you it's not good. It means that it is highly likely that that particular baby has Down's Syndrome, or worse, Trisomy 13 or 18, which in most cases results in death. Even worse (yes, it gets worse) is that that particular baby, Baby A, just may in fact die in utero, causing, of course, irreparable heartbreak to mom and dad, but also putting mom's and Baby B's health in jeopardy. ----------- I know things happen. I know that everyone has a plan. But situations like this make me want to question that - and enclose myself in bubble wrap and sit on the couch for the next 24 or so weeks. This woman's story breaks my own heart - I don' t know her, or her husband, or her son (which - again it gets worse - is a surviving twin from a previous multiple pregnancy that was reduced from triplets. Mom delivered tragically prematurely at 24 weeks, proving the demise of one of the twins and leaving the surviving son to struggle in the NICU for 115 days - he's now a healthy 5 year old). I don't think she's ever robbed the Shriner's Hospital trust fund, or ran over an old lady and drove off not reporting it.... She didn't mention any of that anyway. Just a regular woman, wanting so badly to have a child. Tragedies where children are lost are infuriating to me, although I understand that those cases are supposed to teach us humility, and that life is fragile. I find myself praying, a lot... more than I ever have before.... And I just hope it's enough to keep my children safe. That's about all we can do, right? There really is only so much a person can take, I feel, before their soul is damaged beyond repair. I'm not sure that you ever truly recover from burying a child - regardless of how old. Sorry if this brought on bouts of uncontrollable sobbing for anyone, back to puppies and roses on the next post, promise. Lesson: you can, in fact, read too much. I'm taking a break from Babycenter for a few days.

Who would have thought......

2008-08-20T20:55:00.000-07:00

...I'd be starting a brand new blog, knowing that I would have a whole lot more to talk about (if that's even possible), after receiving the news that not only are Kristian and I expecting our first child, but that we are expecting our first children. I'll back up just a bit, to early June. I took the above photo ("Three Little Birds") in my back yard during a very mild, gorgeous evening, ironically enough while I was sitting wondering if and nervously hoping that a child would grace our lives soon. I love this photo because the bird in flight is getting ready to land - symbolic of the moment I was in at that very instance. I don't believe in coincidences and I'm happy that I was aware enough of what was presenting itself to me - and that I had a camera. The bird in flight couldn't, I'd soon enough find out, be taken too literally, since he didn't have a friend with him! (The birds on the right are obviously mom and dad). -------- The day I (finally) got a positive home pregnancy test (I swear those things are like crack), was no doubt a joyous one, although I'm a bit disappointed in myself for not waiting for Kristian to actually get home before I told him.... I called him while he was fishing with Nick. The conversation was pretty brief as I don't think either of us knew what to say. I could hear his smile though. It is an indescribable feeling telling your husband, your best friend, that he is going to be a dad. It was the first of many days through this experience (even as short-lived as it is at this point) that truly felt like Christmas morning. -------- Our first ultrasound was scheduled for July 15th, with me at 6 weeks along. We had been counting down the days to see our tiny little "Leroy" as we had been calling him or her and just sat there grinning from ear to ear at each other in the waiting room of my OB's office. The ultrasound experience in itself is incredible - seeing the tiny, indecipherable blob that is the beginnings of your brand new child... And seeing the tiny, beautiful flicker of it's beating heart - affirming that it is really happening, you're really pregnant, you're really going to be a mom, and the Yahoo next to you is going to be your baby's daddy. :) I really don't ever remember feeling such a pure sense of joy as I did at that moment - except maybe for when Kristian and I married each other, but we were dressed better that day, certainly. I seriously could have laid there all day, I was fascinated, humbled. Then...... (and this is where the proverbial shit hit the fan - cue Airplane scene), the cutie ultrasound tech, Nicole, ever so matter-of-factly made her way over to... "And you know what this is over here, right?" Baby B. As in, there is also a Baby A. "SHUT UP!!" I yelped, throwing my hands over my face which had exploded with simultaneous laughter and crying.... What followed is kind of a blur - you know like when you can't remember what happened after the car first crashed..... I don't even remember poor Nicole leaving the room - although I'm certain I hugged her before she exited. All you ever really remember in those scenarios is how you feel - and what I felt was overwhelming fear, joy and disbelief. I'm not sure how long we stayed in the ultrasound room - it felt like three minutes but it was probably closer to 15 - of which I wish I had video. Stunned mothers were called first, then the rest of all of the family members, and then mere days later, pretty much everyone else on the planet. I would wait, however, 12 weeks to start the blog. :) ------- Yesterday was another day full of nervous anticipation - our 12 week anomaly/nuchal translucency scan (blah blah blah). I was just excited about getting to see the babies again - we've finally settled into the mind set that this is really happening to us, and that we wouldn't want it any other way. I have been a broken record since, oh, our last ultrasound: "I can't wait to see them, I hope they're okay...." "Why wouldn't they be?" Kristian firmly comforts me, everyday. I was pleasantly surprised with the bonus that Dr. Streiff, my OB, also wanted to do an ultrasound! Our appt. was scheduled before the blah blah blah scan, so what a relief to see them before I expected to - and to see them, beautiful, growing, thriving! They looked exactly what they needed to look like, exactly what I anticipated. Baby A is a mover and a shaker, Baby B was in chill mode. Check them out below - does the profile of Baby A (bottom baby) not look like KK?! Whoa.

They are so beautiful. So anyhow, if you made it through this novella, you've made the team. I'm so excited about chronicling this journey - there will be many peaks and valleys I'm sure.... We really do draw on the strength of our bond with our friends and family, so please leave as many comments, well-wishes, advice, scolding, suggestions, etc. that you deem neccessary! We feel blessed beyond words for what God has given us - not only recently with the twins, but through our whole lives - having met each other, lived a beautiful, fun and love-filled life together, armed with the knowledge that it only gets better from here. Thanks for taking the time to share in our joy.