Venezia

The day after Calum's birthday my Mom and I took a short trip (2 nights, 3 days) to Venice. She's always wanted to go there and I figured if we didn't go now, I probably wouldn't have the chance to go without kids for a long time (can't really see Mark staying home alone with 3 babies for a weekend!). Was so nice to get away for a few days, this was actually the first time I have ever left Calum overnight although it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be knowing Mark was at home with him. It was also perfect timing in terms of my pregnacy, at 17 weeks I was able to walk around all day and master the hundreds of stairs you climb going over the canal bridges.

Loved Venice overall, it is exactly what you imagine it to be, however it was very touristy and kind of took away from the whole experience for me (there are only 60,000 residents but over 12 million tourists visit a year). I realise we were contributing to the tourism however I guess I just have fond memories of Ravello, etc. where you feel like you are the odd one out and loved just stumbling into an authentic Italian restaurant where no one spoke English or seeing the Italians in the squares living life as they do.

Instead we were walking around with packs of people speaking all sorts of different languages and most restaurants have picture menus and the menu is divided into sections based on the language you speak. The food also wasn't as good as other places I've been in Italy, apparently since the majority of clientele is not classified as potential repeat business, they don't feel the need to strive for as good of quality as you would hope. Everything was also super expensive-like 10 Euros for a cappuccino (that's about $14!).

But all of that said, the weather was amazing and it was nice for my Mom and I to spend a few days together just the two of us. I was also reminded how much I love Italy and can't wait to go back.... Someday!

Typical view down one of the many side canals

A church across from our hotel (called Santa Maria di Nazareth) on the Grand Canal which was built in 1705

View from the opposite side of the Grand Canal of our hotel, the Hotel Carlton-would definitely recommend

Inside St Mark's cathedral

Calum turns 2!

Doing a far better job with his cake this year (although I still didn't trust him enough to leave him fully clothed!)....

On April 24th Calum turned 2. This year his birthday happened to fall on Easter so we started the morning with his favourite breakfast (bacon and berries-the boy loves bacon!) followed by an Easter egg hunt and opening of some presents AND his Easter basket. Was lovely to have my Mom here to celebrate, especially for the Easter bit as here in the UK they don't do Easter egg hunts or baskets so it was perfect that she had come prepared.

Opening presents (which he definitely remembered having mastered the art at Xmas)
Reading a new book with Dad that morning
Finding his first Easter egg

We took Calum to the local farm since he's animal obsessed at the moment and he absolutely loved it, particularly seeing the horses which are his favourite (and pronounced in a very English accent as 'orse'). Afterwards we went to dinner at a local pub (much more civilised then in sounds) and sat out in the garden there as the weather was so lovely. Mark's family came over in the evening and we sang Happy Birthday (which was Calum's highlight as he knows some of the words and loves to sing) and he opened his favourite present, a big red Steve McQueen car which he currently loves driving around the house and even sits in to watch tv!

Looking like a true farmer (and yes, we did manage to get a new hat that fit his head in time for our CA vacation)
"Petting" the 3 week old bunnies on the farm (just before he poked it in the eye and pulled out a handful of fur)
Attempt at a family photo with me sitting out of arm's length from the bunny abuser
Singing Happy Birthday-look at that smile!

Still feeling a teeny bit guilty for not having a big party but as it was a 4 day weekend here most of Calum's friends and ours were out of town so next year I will definitely do something big for him when he can appreciate it a bit more.

I have to say, this year's birthday wasn't as bittersweet as lasts. I find that I love Calum more everyday and rather then wishing for him to be a baby, I look forward to seeing him grow and learn and become the little person (rather then baby) that he is. He's become a real companion, as Mark says we're like the 3 amigos and my life really and truly began the day he came into it. Happy 2nd birthday, Calum Xavier Verghese-we love you!

Hever Castle/Mom's Visit

My last post here was over 5 weeks ago so forgive me but the next few will be catching up on what has been one of the busiest times of my life. A quick run down:

My Mom came to visit on April 19th and stayed with us until April 30th when we joined her on a flight back to the US. Whilst my Mom was here we tried to get in some sightseeing around London as her next visit will be in October when the twins have arrived and sightseeing will be limited (if at all!).

Mom's visit came just as our summer weather did, it was in the 70s and 80s the whole time which was perfect weather to enjoy the sites. We headed to London to see what she hadn't yet seen (Kings Road the day after Kate Middleton's honeymoon shopping spree, Fortnum and Mason, Harrods to get her favourite macaroons from Laduree, etc.) which was lovely but a bit hot for a preggo like me.
We visited the gorgeous Hever Castle which is a short 30 minute drive from our house and where Anne Boleyn grew up. Another perfect day. We headed to Brighton so she could see the English seaside and we could hit up my favourite restaurant of the moment, Jamie Oliver's 'Jamie's Italian'.

Oh, and we squeezed in a 3 day trip to Venice (more on that later) and she came with us to a private scan that told us the gender of the twins. I also formally entered the Catholic church the night before Easter and we celebrated Easter and Calum's birthday (on the same day this year).

I'm exhausted just rehashing those couple of weeks and haven't even gotten to the part where we did a tour of Washington state from April 30-May 8th and then headed to Palm Springs until May 15th (for some much needed relaxation!).

I guess I'm kind of feeling like I better enjoy as much of my remaining "freedom" as possible before these babies come as I know recouping from the c-section and getting used to our new life is going to be challenging and it's pretty unlikely I will be getting out much this fall/winter (which is both a little depresssing and exciting at the same time). Hope you've all been well, have enjoyed my first day back at "work" catching up on everyone's blogs and etc. x

Bakers

Some of my fondest memories as a kid are of "helping" my Mom and Grandma Britton (two pretty amazing cooks and bakers). If I had pictures here of my childhood (thanks Dad for letting me store all of my stuff for the last 5 years in your basement!), I would be able to dig out quite a few of me with an apron on, flour on my cheeks, spatula in hand-starting at about age 3 or 4.

Lately I've been feeling the urge to bake and it's become a Sunday morning ritual for Calum and I. While Mark sleeps in, Calum has his breakfast and I bake. Usually I bake one of my Grandma Britton's recipes and usually I bake something that's not so healthy (I am pregnant after all!).

Mother's Day here in the UK was celebrated last Sunday and on this occasion I decided to remember my Grandma and Mom by baking my Grandma's sour cream coffee cake. Calum decided to help.

Love my little baker, here's to hoping he continues because a) I'm going to need a sous chef and assistant soon and Mark has failed miserably and b) I strongly believe men should know how to cook and am going to try my best to instill this in my son so someday he will make a great husband for more reasons than one.

Can you tell I'm kind of bitter that my husband doesn't help in the kitchen ;)?

Calum tried to "help" iron, too but didn't realise the floor didn't need ironing. We're still working on this one, if he could cook and iron, well that would be pretty amazing!

Our little oasis....

When we moved into our "new house" we somehow didn't realise that just behind it was a great little park which has become one of my favourite places to take Calum. As one of my neighbours who is also a Mum has said, it's great because you feel like you have taken the kids somewhere without actually having gotten in the car and gone anywhere (which as you fellow Mom's can appreciate; sometimes the act of getting ready to go is more exhausting than the actual activity at the place you are going to!).

I'm pretty sure I will be doing lots of walking in the park once the babies come, partly so I can try to get back to pre-pregnancy weight and partly because Calum will probably be bored silly from being at home, stuck inside with two screaming babies (hopefully it's not that bad but I'm trying to be realistic!).

Here are a few pics from the park recently, love this little boy-can't believe he's going to be 2 in a couple of weeks!

Calum once again trying to be fiercely independent and balance on this little stand-have a few more like this where he looks like a little bear
"Balancing" with Daddy. And yes, Mark totally wears a leather jacket to the park. Totally normal.

Cousins

This past weekend we had a family dinner at our house. I used to have them all of the time but once Calum came along found it harder to cook for 10 (the size of Mark's family not including the 2 babies, Calum and Rhys). Anyway, last weekend I had family dinner again on Sunday and it was perfect-forgot how much I enjoy preparing a big meal-planning the menu, cooking and the sitting down together and eating. The weather was gorgeous and it was a nice day, even if I was exhausted afterwards! Even treated myself to my first glass of post pregnancy wine. Yum.

Anyway, lately when we've had the two "babies" together, I've noticed how much more they are interacting. Rhy is Mark's sister Tracey's son, he will be 1 on April 23rd, the day before Calum turns 2 so there is exactly 1 year and 1 day between them. Calum loves "baby Rhys" and I think Rhys is starting to reciprocate-he seems to appreciate the noise and mayhem that comes along with C these days.

Thought these pics Mark took were pretty cute. As Mark says, Rhys actually looks more like his son then Calum does! Made me think maybe the twins might be the same-maybe they will be lucky and get the "brown" gene or have brown hair or brown eyes like Mark. Or maybe they will be blonde and blue eyed like Calum...

Our News

Me at 12 weeks(!)

Finally, 2 months to the day after finding out I was pregnant and almost 6 weeks after our first scan, I was able to tell the world (okay, Facebook) that Mark and I (and Calum!) are expecting twins!

We decided (okay, I convinced Mark) that we would start trying for #2 after Christmas and just like with Calum, I got pregnant in the 1st month. We got the result the day we went and did Calum's professional pictures and have a nice family shot that kind of captures the day. Of course I was excited but a little shocked that it happened so fast and then the feelings of OMG, can I really cope with 2 under 3 settled in. Along with the guilt of how will I love another baby as much as I love Calum and etc.

A few weeks later I had an early scan done, thinking I had an ectopic pregnancy (convinced, actually). Imagine our SHOCK and Mark's (initial) HORROR when the scanner told us there wasn't just one but two babies in there. As long as Mark and I have been talking about kids he has said that he doesn't want twins so the look on his face (that stayed there for weeks after) said it all.

Two scans later (including a nuchal scan which gave our babies a 1 in 12000 chance of having Downs or and 1 in 22000 of any other abnormal chromosome related disease) and we were able to share our news.

Let's just say, we're still shocked. Me less then Mark because I'm the one carrying these babies and it's easier to bond/get used to the idea when you are reminded constantly of their existence. Mark says all I do/talk about/think about is babies which could be true. I've not been sick at all and am rarely too tired, have been going to the gym still to avoid what happened last time (anyone who saw pictures of me from 6 mos onwards knows what I'm talking about here) and of course, being a Mom to a kind of crazy right now toddler.

The babies due date is October 4th although full term for twins is 37 weeks so since I'm having an elective c-section this time around you could say their due date is more like Sept. 13th. 50% of twins are born in the 35th week which brings us up to August 30th which seems scarily not so far away.

The babies are non identical and have their own placentas and sacs (maybe TMI, sorry!) which is the safest way to carry them as they don't compete as much for food. There is a 50% chance we are having a boy/girl, 25% girl/girl and 25% boy/boy. Let's not think about option 3 right now because that's more then I can really handle but knowing us, will probably be the outcome :).

Either way, we are blessed. That's all I can say and that's just how I feel. Having been an only child I always kind of dreamed about having a big family but never really saw myself as a Mom of 3, now that it's a reality I love thinking about how our house will never be quiet, how fun our holidays will be as they get older and how special it is that they will all have each other.

Anyway, thought I would share a few pics along with our news:

Both babies at 9 wks 4 days (2nd scan, March 10)
Twin 2, 12 wks 6 days
Twin 1, 12 wks 6 days