Double happiness

I've been a pretty absent blogger for the last few months...but I have a really good excuse...

Paul and I are expecting twins!

They're fraternal, conceived after many years of heartbreak, frustration and medical interventions we wish we could know nothing about, and although some might think we're in for it (and heck, maybe we are!), we're thrilled and blessed beyond measure!

I'm just out of the first trimester now, three months filled with lots of morning sickness, trepidation, some bedrest, and lots of joy and excitement. I've been laying low - pretty literally - with Paul taking on all farm chores so I don't overdo it (something I have a great tendency to do, and which causes me much more grief now). The protective daddy-to-be doesn't feel comfortable with me being in with our horned cattle (gee, I wonder why?!), so I've been very hands-off on the farm. He's taking great care of me and pretty much kicking butt in the domestic department as well. I'm starting to feel better and am hopeful I can pick some of my normal chores back up.

One thing I wouldn't have been able to keep up with was the chicken coop maintenance, and in fact I found myself with a very strange and unexpected aversion to eggs, most especially fresh-from-the-hens-in-my-barnyard eggs. With all the other chores Paul's had to pick up, and with him also working long summer days to build us a little nest egg in anticipation of our growing family, we opted to sell the flock to my friend Diane over at Township 18 Farm (hi Diane, and thank you!). So, as of this past weekend, Skookumchuck Farm LLC is Scottish Highland cattle only. We'll probably start a new flock of layers when our kiddos are a little older, but we'll have to wait and see. We'd also hoped to show Xoe, our new yearling black Highland heifer, at a couple of fairs this year, but given how much hard work it is to be at a show, and given how precious our working and vacation leave hours are now, we've decided not to. We hope to pick that back up in the future as well.

It's too early to know the sexes of our future children yet (we'll have to wait another 6 weeks or so), but we do know they are healthy, growing and developing right on track, and blowing our minds daily. Our families are overjoyed and anxious to meet this next generation, and so are we!

I probably won't post too much about the remainder of the pregnancy here except as it pertains to farming and our decision-making/planning around that, but rest assured I'll let you know when they're here...hopefully not before mid-January!

Our 9 week ultrasound photo, the clearest we have. (Baby A is upside down with feet up, facing left, and the round thing is the yolk sac. Baby B is head up, also facing to the left, with feet and bottom clearly visible.) At this point, 12 weeks 6 days, both babies are now almost 3 inches long and look much more human. :)