Our last months in SF (yes, this is the end of making the Mission neighborhood our Mission) were pretty amazing. I had a great birthday weekend back in May in Mendocino (yet another fascinating / beautiful area of Northern California), we went camping by the ocean, my great friends from college (the Neos) came to visit in July, Ian and I traveled to Paris and Germany with my Dad, just got back from a crazy week in Atlanta....we have been busy, busy beavers.
On top of all that, we found out back in April that I was pregnant. The first ultrasound revealed a surprise (read: shock)--we were having twins. A later ultrasound confirmed they were identical twins, and here's where I'd like to explain a bit, because most people ask me: "Do twins run in the family?"
Here's the thing that differentiates identical twins from fraternal: it isn't hereditary, it's not a result of fertility drugs. It's nature's own little oops. There's one egg, one sperm. Just like normal. Except when the fertilized egg travels down to attach itself to the uterine wall, it accidentally splits into two and they both attach. That's why identical twins also share chromosomal makeup. They are contained within the same placenta (sharing blood back and forth), but mine are in their own sacs.
Having identical twins automatically makes it a high risk pregnancy. I have to go every 2 weeks for an ultrasound to make sure they're playing nicely and sharing blood and fluid properly back and forth. I guess it was worrisome at first, but now it's a bit comforting to be so close to the process, and have those regular check-ins.
Fast forward to this week--I'm 19 weeks along. The latest ultrasound (yesterday!) was the big one, and everything looks great. We found out a couple of weeks ago that we're having girls. Wow wow.
The twins, and our thinking for almost the past year about making the move to Seattle, has found me here today. In our corporate housing, or first full day having moved to Seattle, and having left San Francisco behind.
It's a little surreal. I keep feeling like it's a normal trip to Seattle, which I take all the time. Ian and I left last night--I went into work this morning. Typical, really. But the difference might have been that Ian was with me, or that we checked in 6 bags total, and rented a car, and picked up keys, and drove to an unknown apartment complex, and unpacked our bags.
We've spent the past week or so frantically--finishing things up, coordinating the movers and packers, working, finishing work (Ian is officially not employed, and taking on mass amounts of freelance!), and living in a hotel in Union Square--like total tourists. We've been having goodbye dinners, and brunches, and a series of lasts. It's funny that SF ended for us in the area it did--on the street it did. It ended as it began.
And so here we are. The new office is great, and my manager Carrie made it extra special for me--she bought me a plant, snacks, folders, a mug---just so thoughtful and welcoming.
So begins a new chapter in our lives. The next series of adventures. In the past months, we've put offers on two houses (neither of which went through), and we're pretty motivated to find a place. We can't wait to keep exploring and finding the right home for us, and our expanding family. So comes the exploration, the house, the babies....so many things to continue to blog about.
Ian is out with Paul now (Carrie's hubby, and Ian's good friend)--they are so happy to finally be together. :) They went to Serious Pie for dinner. I am relaxing--have had a pretty exhausting few days.
Anyway, Ian has moved all our pictures into special backup places and I haven't had access to them. Once he's organized them, I'll be able to post pictures of our last few months' highlights--because there are great pictures!
Talk soon....
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