This morning we had a much anticipated appointment with a midwife and twins specialist at the hospital in Dundee where we'll deliver.

(Being here and seeing so many different people, I can't imagine I'll have time to blog each and every appointment. No hard feelings if I don't? Thanks).

The midwife was great, but hated the doctor. She sat us down and played out the worst case scenario for our delivery. Everything from the scheduled induction and Pitocin drip to the episiotomy and forceps or vacuum extraction-- covered.

Thank God for my composed husband who asked questions and wanted explanations as to why we'd need to "get things going" if both babies are happy and healthy.

I've never hoped to carry these twins all the way to 38-39 weeks, but never ever have I wanted to abandon our natural beliefs and choose to birth them early.

Nonetheless, they do have a policy here of inducing multiples in the 37th week (in the States it's around 38 generally). Talk about a teary-eyed momma. That was me. I simply couldn't imagine choosing a date and taking drugs to make my babies come, obviously before they are ready. However, there is a slim chance we'll make it to week 37 anyhow, so I'm not worrying myself over that. I just can't.

Here's a pleasantly surprising tidbit, and what we are praying will be our situation: here, twins born between 34 and 36 weeks go home within 2-3 days of being born if there are no complications during delivery. Major shocker and totally different than they do things in the US.
So the good news: if we don't make it to the induction date and things happen naturally, our little ones will most likely come right home with me. Obviously, this is great and would be the preferable option.

I do have to say a word about the midwives over here: they're great. Sweet, gentle women that seem to understand our desires for a natural, more comfortable birthing experience, and I'm so grateful they can be present for the births. Peter shared with her our plans for a natural birth experience, and she rekindled our hopes of getting just that.

We made it to the sea yesterday. 33 weeks. . .

Tomorrow I have an appointment with my prenatal midwife close to home. If there's any new info I'll try my very hardest to write.
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Yesterday we had a great evening touring St. Andrews. It all started with a walk to the beach, and we quickly ventured further and further from home, finding ourselves miles from our cozy abode but amidst castles, harbors, piers and cathedrals steeped in history.

The North Sea, just after the tide had gone out.

A harbor, built in 1100. Peter, "This is where the mermaids live." 

Maybe I'm stupid, but I was thrilled to learn
these baskets don't just exist in old fishing
movies.

Here is the exact location (in front of St. Andrews Castle)
 George Wishart was burnt after being betrayed by Cardinal Beaton
His fellow Reformers later stormed the castle, killed the
Cardinal, and hung his body from the castle walls. They
 held the castle for two years under the assistance of England.

Patrick Hamilton, 24, was burnt here, just outside
St. Salvators Chapel, for heresy because he loved Luther, too.
 He was the first martyr of the Scottish Reformation.

Living here has been great thus far. We really do love the quite area we live in, and appreciate the walk into "town". My social butterfly of a husband has gotten out significantly more than I have since I've been keeping the walking to a minimum. He has made friends, discovered favorite pubs and Scottish brews, and walked miles of the town.

Remember that cute picture I posted of the deli/cafe/pub with the open window, herbs, and baskets of bread sitting out?

This is the one.

Well, Peter now works there. It's a hopping little spot, really.  In their first 8 weeks of being open (just this April) they served 10,000+ shots of espresso. Their ingredients are locally grown and raised, and their menu is quite unique. They serve a range of crowds, too-- open from 8am-midnight during the week, and later on the weekends.

32 weeks.

It's ok, you can say it. I know I'm enormous. 

This week: babies weigh about 3.75 pounds (unless you're our little girl, of course then you're closer to 4 1/2). They now have toenails, fingernails, and real hair (and at our last ultrasound, the tech was able to see a bunch of hair on little girl!). Their skin is becoming soft and smooth as 

they plump up in preparation for birth.

How far along? 32 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: +27

Maternity clothes? Yes.

Stretch marks? Nope.

Sleep: officially terrible.

Best moment this week: perhaps registering at the hospital here.

Movement: Almost non-stop.

Cravings: ?

Genders: boy/girl.

Labor Signs: contractions are back, here and there.

Belly Button in or out? Still out, thank you.

What I miss: sleeping through the night. I suppose it is about time I bid that farewell though. :)

What I am looking forward to: meeting my new midwife next week.

Weekly Wisdom: ?

Milestones: 32 weeks alone is a milestone with twins!

Others: Baby Boy's favorite resting place is right on my bladder. He likes to kick my ribs and launch his head into my bladder, too. Little Girl loves to sleep way up high in my ribs so they feel bruised and like they may all crack.

A few more weeks would be good for me! But really, though I am pretty uncomfortable most of the time, I honestly am enjoying everything that is going on right now. It certainly helps that we have so much going on and my mind simply can't be on going into labor constantly. Plus, I really don't want babies born this week if I can help it!

A few pictures.

This is just a building of several
 apartments on our way out of Edinburgh.

the end of Market Street. Where a lot of our
shopping is done.

St. Andrews Cathedral and Cemetery.
Beyond that, the North Sea.

the Cathedral.

A delicious little place on Market Street called Mitchell's.

Our cottage, er, house. 

Finally here.

We arrived in safely in St. Andrews late Wednesday afternoon after a l o n g journey by sea, land and air. Well, not quite. Just three different planes, an airport shuttle, two busses and a cab.

If I can ever help it, I will not fly internationally again while 31 weeks pregnant with twins. That trip was plain hard on a woman carrying a 30-pound bump. Nevertheless, we did arrive safely with no complications (rare in our life)-- no lost baggage, missed or delayed flights, nothing.

Flying into New York City was beautiful, as was London. But landing in Edinburgh was honestly the most beautiful thing either of us have ever seen. It was the perfect blend of rolling hills, flat fields and farms mixed with suburbs and bustling town life. 

We picked up a bus from Edinburgh and made it to St. Andrews just short of two hours later. We honestly thought we were entering an entirely different world driving through St. Andrews. All the buildings are stone, rooftops are slate, flowers grow everywhere. There’s never a shortage of bikes or pedestrians; we have cobblestone streets, brick streets, and a few concrete streets. 

We then loaded our luggage into a cab and had a breathtaking 3 minute drive to our new home. We were gladly surprised when we discovered it was not the house we thought it was on Google Maps. We have a little garden out front, and the back is enclosed by a brown picket fence (but a tall one). To one side is a wide open field of green, green grass and to the other is a sweet couple in their early 60’s. The husband is from North Carolina and has the greatest combination of a southern accent and a Scottish brogue. Quite charming people, really.

Our backyard (just past the fence) is fields. All fields. Rolling fields growing something tall and golden. Fields as far as one can see with an occasional shepherd’s hut here and there.

Our house is on one of the highest points in St. Andrews, so from our bedroom window (facing North) we see rooftops, the top of what remains of the St. Andrews Cathedral, a part of the Castle, and beyond that, sea. Just past the sea there are hills. Huge, rolling hills for miles and miles.

The people here are incredibly friendly and don’t even compare to Americans, so I won’t try. Here, everyone smiles. They make eye contact (perhaps as if they know I’m an American wandering the grocery store aisles in search of q-tips [what the heck are those?]).

We found a lovely church that meets in an equally lovely building on South Street (which is quite a happening market area). The pastor is great, and the entire congregation was friendly and welcoming. We met several American student families, which we were grateful for because it made the entire experience more familiar and comfortable. We sang great songs, hymns and Psalms, and though they didn’t harmonize quite like our old Redeemer, we really did feel rather at home.

Registering at the hospital was a piece of cake, thankfully. I will see my GP (just like a doctor in the States) this week and my midwife next week. Hopefully later this week or early next we will also go for a tour of the birthing center rooms in the hospital I will be delivering at. 

I enjoy grocery shopping here a bit more than I did in the States. Perhaps its the aspect of walking to the shops, or visiting the locally owned baker, butcher, cheesemonger, and produce markets individually rather than strolling up one aisle and down the next in Whole Foods (don’t get me wrong, I still love Whole Foods and miss many things about it). If we don’t get things up on South Street at the local shops, Aldi is popular here, and blows the ones in the States out of the water. Ours (about a 5 minute walk from our house) is twice as big as any of the locations I’ve ever been to in the States. Their meat and eggs are free range, they carry organic products, their prices are about half what they are in the States (I wasn’t aware Aldi could even get cheaper!), and the quality is incredible. We actually have to choose which brand or type we want to buy. Not to mention their alcohol selection. . . Impressive. Needless to say, it’s a hit.

Weather. Who ever said St. Andrews had awful weather? Yeah yeah, we know winter’s coming. But summer? Absolutely b e a u t i f u l. We have had 6 straight days of sun with scattered clouds. Several days I was so hot in leggings and a long-sleeved shirt that I actually broke a sweat. Since we’ve been here we’ve woken up to chilly, blustery mornings that, by afternoon, turn to sun-filled, breezy days. We both love the weather (right now).

We’re adjusting to the time different surprisingly well, though I’ve been able to stay up well after midnight lately which is rare for me, especially being pregnant. 

I’ll try to get some pictures up soon, though even they won’t do this place justice. If you feel so inclined, please do some visit us. It’s rather gorgeous.

Before I go, a few things we say differently in the States: 

Popsicles= ice lollies

Q-tips = cotton buds

10:30, 1:10, etc. = “half past ten”, “ten past one”, etc.

thrift stores = charity shops

Cheers,

A.H.

Belated 31 week ultrasound

A few last minute things I want to get on here because I know I probably won't once we arrive and get settled:
A very, very late post on my last ultrasound in the States.

Though this appointment was over two hours from start to finish, it was a good one, and very informative.

Little Boy weighed about 3 pounds 3oz, and was in the 22nd percentile for his weight. Little Girl was 3 pounds 14 oz., and in the 47th percentile. (I am sure these have changed drastically since then. . .my belly is evidence of that).

Awesome evidence God answers prayers: Little Girl turned and we now have two healthy, head-down babies! My eyes filled with tears when we learned this (I honestly think Peter's did, too). I had been praying so fervently that either a) she would turn after her brother was born or b) she would turn even before delivery. We had been hearing the intimidating term "breech extraction" quite a bit lately, and were at least encouraged there are midwives out there that will attempt that before resorting to a Cesarian section, but obviously it is not ideal.

That's all I have right now. A few more posts coming quickly!

30 weeks.

A bare belly shot.

I'll try to get a "normal" shot later. But for now:

30 1/2 weeks.

We're talkin' 6+ pounds of babies and a whole lotta other stuff!

30 weeks.

Whoa, where has time gone? There's something huge about 30. Maybe it's my ever-expanding belly, or the fact that we will have two tiny bundles in less than 10 weeks.

I had my very last appointment with my midwife here this morning. She is so great, and I hope sometime in the future we will be able to complete a pregnancy with her. She somehow understands my round-about way of thinking and just gets the way I feel about pregnancy and the entire birthing experience. She's been a huge source of encouragement to be healthy and active, and she's one of the greatest reasons I have been able to be so laid-back about this pregnancy.

How far along? 30 weeks, and a few days.

Total weight gain/loss: +27

Maternity clothes? Yes.

Stretch marks? Not one! I'm so thankful.

Sleep: pretty bad lately.

Best moment this week: My last appointment with my midwife confirmed that Scotland actually is just around the corner.

Movement: Almost non-stop.

Cravings: Ice cream, bananas and cherries. I could live on those three things. Oh, and s'mores.

Genders: They still haven't changed. :)

Labor Signs: Nothing at all! I haven't even been having contractions as frequently anymore. So thankful for that.

Belly Button in or out? Still out, thank you.

What I miss: I really am starting to miss my pre-pregnancy shape now.

What I am looking forward to: My last ultrasound in the States on Monday. And meeting our babies!

Weekly Wisdom: ?

Milestones: 30 weeks is like w o w. So thankful to be here!

Others: We're gearing up and preparing for a great hypnobirthing experience! We're just praying hard that absolutely no complications arise, especially nothing we can't maneuver around naturally. (For those wanting a completely natural approach to a safe, more comfortable birthing experience, we're loving Hypnobirthing: the Mongan Method thus far.  Though we do not agree with everything the author claims, we're loving the thought process and success stories we have heard).

I love pregnancy, I feel great, but I am really ready for these two to come out. I know Peter is too. Last night he was staring at my belly and started laughing (the twerp), "You're huge." Thanks a lot. Thanks.

My last trip to Michigan.

Last week I went to Michigan to visit my family one last time before our big move. It was a fun, full weekend complete with bonfires, spontaneous visits, shopping, and more. Each time I leave there it seems to be harder, and this time was especially difficult as we all hugged goodbye not knowing exactly when we would see each other again. . .

 Friday morning the girls and I (with some assistance from Nate) decorated their bedroom walls with these fun stickers. We first started with just a few above their beds, then expanded. . .

. . .and expanded. . .

We needed Nate for those high places that
heaven knows none of us girls could reach.

. . .until the entire wall was covered. It looked awesome and they had a blast being encouraged to stick stickers on their wall.

Meet Mittens 

Sunbathing. . . inside.

Later Friday morning Mom, Aliza, Anna and I went to an outdoor mall to do some shopping and play in the sprinkler park. This mall is seriously amazing, and I've never seen anything like it with a mini water park like this

We all loved the accessories in Janie & Jack.

Not only was there a sprinkler park, but there were over-sized
vegetables to climb on.

Then we met Jojo the 9-week-old Yorkie pup. . .
I think we all want one. Now to convince the husbands
(and fathers) that they are cuter than rats. . .

Saturday Ashlee spontaneously flew in to spend the weekend with all of us, and my grandma also drove up from Ohio last minute. It was quite the weekend.

We managed to get a family picture Sunday.