Introducing....me!

Each month, my multiples club sends out a newsletter including a feature called "Introducing..." in which one or two members are interviewed.  I was featured in our May newsletter!  Neat, huh?  I'm wondering if I got any new readers because of it? (Since we now have well over 2000 hits - there are over 500 members in the club.)  So here it is!  It was copy and pasted out of Acrobat, so if it looks funny, that's why.  I'll attach the pics I included at the end.  Enjoy!  

Where were you born and raised? My husband and I were both
born and raised in Michigan.

How many children do you have, and what are their ages? Our
twins, Matthew and Nathan, were born May 2009.
Are pets a part of your family? Heck, no! Two boys and a husband
are more than enough!
Do you work outside the home? Doing what? How long? I was
a teacher for four years, but am currently staying home with
the boys.
How did you meet your spouse? When did you get married? We
met at our home church in Michigan in 2000 and married in
June 2002.
What are your hobbies/interests? Before kids, and after (since often
hobbies go by the wayside after children arrive!)? Steve and I
love to travel and still do with the fellas! It’s a little different
now, of course, and most of our trips are to Michigan to see
the grandparents, but still, we try. (The scrapbooking is
what has fallen by the wayside!)

TELL US ABOUT YOUR MULTIPLES!
How did you find out you were pregnant? I took a home pregnancy
test on day 27 of my cycle. We’d had so many negatives
I just wanted to get it over with and go to work like
normal. It was positive!
How/When did you find out it was multiples? We went in for a
“confirmation of pregnancy” ultrasound and the doctor
said, “Looks like there are two in there,” calm as could be.
We were floored!
What was your/your spouse’s/your other children’s reaction? I
gasped! It was a couple of minutes before I could breathe,
then cry. Steve asked him, “Are there any more in there?”
How did your multiple pregnancy go? For being a twin pregnancy,
it went pretty smoothly. I had no problems until I
developed gestational diabetes around week 27, but was
able to keep the blood sugar normal with careful monitoring
of my diet. And the regular stuff: hip and back pain, sleeplessness
(oh, the irony when people said, “Sleep now while
you can!”)
When were they
born (how many
weeks?) 35w3days.
My water broke at
5:30 am on Memorial
Day, May 25,
2009, and they
were born about
9:30am!

How did their first few weeks of life go? Matthew was in the
NICU 7 days, Nathan 10 - the hardest days were the 3 when
they were apart! I couldn’t have survived without my mom,
mother-in-law, sister and cousin coming to stay with me for
a week at a time.
How old are
they now?
They turned
10 months
just a few
days ago and
really becoming
“Big
Boys.” (Update: they are 11 months old now! I filled this out in March.)
What have
you found
most wonderful about having multiples? There is always
enough baby to pass around! Hee, hee. Since I’ve never
had just one, it’s hard to say because I think everything is
wonderful...well, almost.
What have you found most challenging? Being alone with the
boys while Steve travels for work is definitely the most challenging
part.
When did you join MVMOM? I was about 20 weeks pregnant
and I’m so glad I did! We were able to buy so much of our
equipment at the sale before they came - and I was able to
meet other preggers!
Did you have nicknames for the kids while you were pregnant?
Righty and Lefty...because we didn’t have names for them!
Did you have any pregnancy cravings? SALT! In particular, I
wanted Maui Wowi potato chips, but you can’t get them
here, so I settled for Archer Farms Maui Onion chips.
They’re pretty close, but what’s weird about it is I’m not
crazy about potato chips in “real” life - I have a wicked sweet
tooth.
What do your kids call you? “DaDa!” Nathan has said
“mama” a couple of times, so I think there’s hope. (Update: they both say "mama" now!)
What do you think your kids will be when they grow up? Athletes,
explorers, adventurers, anything that moves A LOT!
What is your kids' favorite cartoon? Yo Gabba Gabba....I was
desperate for a distraction one day and remembered my 3
year old nephew likes it, so, voila! Thank you Charter On
Demand!
How did you decorate your kids' room? Classic Pooh - I really
had my heart set on it, so we did it in baby yellow even
though we knew we were having 2 boys. Now that I know
them so well, I realize that classic pooh does not fit them at
all. It should be airplanes, baseball and stuff like that!

What do you wish someone
had told you, before your
multiples were born? It
doesn’t matter how they
get here as long as they’re
healthy! I fretted for
WAY too long about vag
vs. C (because Nathan
was breech) and worried
about I-don’t-know-what
would happen if I had a C
instead of a vag. birth.
They’re here! Who cares?
It’s not like a girl gets
extra points for a vag
birth, right? What a waste
of brain cells!
What do you like best about being a part of MVMOM? I know
I’m not the only one out there going through whatever it is
I’m going through. I love to read the chats - I do way more
reading than posting - and glean useful information. I
love getting together with other multiples moms at the
muffins group and getting to know others at the meetings.
It all makes me feel normal!
RANDOM QUESTIONS, TO LET US SEE THE REAL YOU
What is your favorite room in the house? My bedroom. It’s
the only one with no baby gear. Wait a minute....there is
some stuff in there now. Well, still. It’s quiet.
What is your guiltiest pleasure? I give myself pedicures so
that I know no matter what the rest of me looks like, there
is ONE part that looks good. Alternate answer: blogging.
I justify that it’s okay to spend this much time on the computer
because I’m keeping the out-of-state families updated
on our little ones (and that IS true), but I’m loving
blogstalking some people. Check out our family blog here:
http://www.auldsworld.blogspot.com/
What is the best way to cure hiccups? Dunno, but I’ve heard
people swear by a tablespoon of peanut butter.
What is your secret talent? Here’s where I’d make a joke
about nursing twins, but I don’t think it would be very
funny here!
How many weddings have you been in? 3; my aunt’s, when I
was 10, my sister Patti’s, and my own.
If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one
thing with you, what would it be? My Bible
What was your dream job as a child? A teacher - or a famous
baseball player. I chose wisely.
What is your greatest DIY achievement? Recently, hanging a
room-darkening blind in the boys’ room. In my lifetime,
obtaining my teaching licenses in MI and MN
What is your favorite board game? I love to play Killer Scrabble!
What store(s) do you shop at the most? Cub, Cub, Cub...did I
say Cub? But when I need clothes (and only when I NEED
clothes), Nordstrom Rack. And Target - there are just
some things you can’t get at Cub. (Clarification for out-of-staters: Cub is a grocery store and it's within walking distance of my house!)
What countries have you visited? Canada, Mexico, Haiti,
Jamaica, Bahamas, St. Maartin, France, Italy, Germany,
Japan, Netherlands, Singapore, Guam (but that’s part of
the U.S., so does it count? dunno)
What is your favorite food? You name it, I’ll eat it, but I’ve
never met ice cream I didn’t like.
What would you never eat, and why? Oh, probably entrails.

What makes you happy? Spending time with those I love.
What makes you angry? I try to keep an even keel, but I’ll
bet Steve would say some thing like, when he leaves his
clothes on the floor. (Updated: forgetting groceries at Cub!)