Eclectic Muddlehood

Join me as I muddle through being a wife, a mother and a woman… among other things

Poetry in My 39th Week

August31

As I have begun to start truly processing the twins’ pregnancy, labor and birth, I recently re-discovered three poems I wrote in the days leading up to their birth. Re-reading them, I experience a wide array of emotions, both joyful and sorrowful and I recognize within them wisdom and hope that was not obviously apparent to me at the time I wrote them. I feel no inspiration to compose any further poems at this time. I am too tired and overwhelmed with the changes that are occurring daily in my body, spirit and life. But I am hopeful that the desire to create again will return to me one day. Here they are- the poetry of my 39th week.Monday, June 19th, 2006- 39 weeks 1 day

Sisterhood of Motherhood

Summer Solstice approaches and I

like a fat, juicy incarnation of the Goddess, herself

am heavy with precious fruits.

I wonder if She stumbles as I do

in the darkness and the heat, joyful at her bounty

yet weary of its weight.

Does she struggle?

With elated anticipation one moment

and desperate frustration

in the very next breath?

Does she long?

To release her harvest into the light

yet wish to be sure

it has fully ripened?

Does she too teeter?

On the precipice of the changing seasons

of her life, waiting to know in her heart

when the time is right to descend?

Does she too hope?

To emerge, having birthed

and herself reborn

in the triumphant glory of the Mother Goddess?

I feel her link elbows with me and bestow

the gift of a gentle understanding smile upon my spirit as

the two of us together will walk our path.

Arm in arm, I now know.

Tuesday, June 20th, 2006- 39 weeks 2 days

The Last Afternoon

She dons her paint smock sans underwear

as her ensemble of choice

for the fourth day in a row.

We play letters, shop for wooden eggplant

stomp and splash in the kiddy pool and

rock her teddy bears to sleep.

Just the two of us

for one more afternoon.

Before the births and babies and breastfeedings

that will divide me

between all the pieces of my heart.

Wednesday, June 21st, 2006- 39 weeks 3 days

Prodromal Storm

Sitting in the center of the storm

my body surges

Powerfully, but not enough

to herald birth.

Boisterous thunder bellows as

the pressure of little feet

intensifies against

my spreading pubic bones.

The air, heavy with the electricity of creation

crackles and flashes

Brilliant lightening from earth

to the heavens.

As quickly as it came, it goes

I sigh, knowing this is the prelude

That I cannot control this anymore

than the waves of weather that surround me.

Thursday, June 22nd, 2006- 39 weeks 4 days-

Labor woke me in my bed in the dead of night.

Friday, June 23rd, 2006- 39 weeks 5 days-

My babies are born in the operating room at 3:03 and 3:06am.

Matching Disease

August29

IT HAPPENED!! I have been struck with the dreaded matching disease. We usually buy all our kids’ clothes through consignment shops and sales, but I have suddenly been struck with the overwhelming obsessive desire to hunt down and accquire matching and coordinating outfits for my twins. I swear I didn’t think this would happen to be, but alas it has and I don’t think they make a support group for this sort of disorder. Woe is me! Off to peruse a few more dangerously cute websites and hope I can’t actually locate my credit card…..

Dripping With Babies Part Two

August29


So here’s the way I most recently discovered I can sling both babies. They seem to be very happy like this because they can look out and observe the world around them. These are both pouch slings and this is called the kangaroo carry.

Dripping With Babies Part One

August28


“You’re dripping with babies!” my sister exclaimed as I put both twins into slings at the same time at the park today. Yes, you can babywear twins! Here is the first way I figured out how to do it. My baby girl is in the gold pouch sling in the cradle hold and my baby boy is in the gray ring sling also in the cradle hold. I later learned that they are slightly more comfortable if I put him in the ring sling first down low like this and then put the pouch sling on top to tuck her in there. I am planning on editing this entry in a few days with some more pictures and two other ways I have found work for us to double babywear!