**Meet The Mama!**

[SIZE=12pt]Let's welcome Jen as this week's Meet the Mama. :Clap: It's time to put her in the spotlight and ask her those questions we've all been wondering about. Here is a little about her:


My name is Jen, and my husband is Kris. We just got married in August after being together eight years, and decided to get on a family right away. Lo and behold.. honeymoon twins! Quite a surprise! We live in Calgary, Canada, and have two boxer dogs named Willis and Maeby. I am an environmental consultant, but quite happy to be staying at home and growing babies right at the moment. In my spare time (I will get some again, right?) I like photography, gardening, reading, competing with my dogs, movies, and am a HUGE music lover. Kris and I spend a lot of time going to festivals and concerts around town and we both volunteer for the local folk music festival.

We found out about our mono-di boys at our 12 week ultrasound. Pregnancy has been pretty hard on me so far.. 24 hr a day morning sickness and feeling really tired, but thankfully we've had no serious complications. I am crusing toward 27 weeks and everyone looks healthy, so that's all I can ask for. I am very glad to have found a site that has so much great information and answer all my worry wart questions! [/SIZE]

 

:wavey: Jen! I look forward to getting to know you a little better!!

Do you have any names picked out? Care to share?



Here is a fun way to get started!!

Four Things About Me:

Four things about me that you may or may not have known, in no particular order.

Four jobs I have had in my life:

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2.
3.
4.

Four Movies I've Watched More Than Once:

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2.
3.
4.

Four Places I Have Lived:

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2.
3.
4.


Four Shows That I Watch:

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2.
3.
4.


Four Places I Have Been:

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2.
3.
4.

Four of My Favorite Foods:

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2.
3.
4.



Four Places I Would Rather Be Right Now: (not in any order)

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2.
3.
4.

Things I Am Looking Forward To This Year: (2009?) IN NO ORDER

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3.
4.

Enjoy Momma!!

 

Welcome to twinstuff!

 

Hi Jen!


What foods have you been craving with this pregnancy?


What food(s) have you not been able to/wanted to eat with this pregnancy?

 

Hi Jen! Every time I see one of your posts I have to :rotflmbo: because I love your screen name so much! Makes me smile. My mind's eye envisions a giraffe on roller skates, heehee. Yeah, I'm a goob! Soooooo, any significance to your screen name?

 

Four things about me that you may or may not have known, in no particular order.

Four jobs I have had in my life:

1. Greenhouse worker (all through teenage years, I grew up in the greenhouse capital of the prairies :lol: )
2. Market researcher (even worse than the ones who call you, the one who designs the survey!)
3. Wildlife Technician (best job ever.. field work and running around doing endangered species research)
4. Environmental consultant (current job.. I do environmental assessments and stuff, but mostly sit behind my desk)

Four Movies I've Watched More Than Once:

1. Steel Magnolias
2. Lost Boys
3. The Shining
4. Bridges of Madison County

Four Places I Have Lived:

1. Redcliff, Alberta
2. Calgary, Alberta
3. I am pretty boring.. haven't lived anywhere else permanently!
4.


Four Shows That I Watch:

1. 30 Rock
2. The Office
3. Big Love
4. Top Chef


Four Places I Have Been:

1. Guyana
2. All over Mexico
3. Lots of places in the US.. my favourite is the drive down the California Coast
4. Dominican Republic

Four of My Favorite Foods:

1. Buttered noodles (Grandma comfort food)
2. Dark chocolate
3. Duck
4. BBQ



Four Places I Would Rather Be Right Now: (not in any order)

1. Anywhere there's no more snow
2. Austin TX
3. California Coast
4. Drinking wine in Europe!

Things I Am Looking Forward To This Year: (2009?) IN NO ORDER

1. Holding my babies
2. Moving into my new house
3. A year off of work!
4. SUMMER

 

QUOTE(summerfun @ Mar 22 2009, 12:59 PM) [snapback]1239369[/snapback]
Hi Jen!
What foods have you been craving with this pregnancy?
What food(s) have you not been able to/wanted to eat with this pregnancy?


I have definitely been craving fruits of all kind, especially oranges and grapefruit. I had a terrible apple pie craving, and then there was blueberry muffins, and there's a deli that makes borscht just like my grandpa used to.. I have to have it all the time!

I had a really hard time with morning sickness, and couldn't eat any kind of pasta with cheese or chicken. A lot of things that went down came back up again :lol:

 

As for names.. we have one that is almost a definite, which is Miles.. we're still going back and forth on the second name.

My screen name is EXACTLY based on a giraffe on rollerskates. I am a pretty clumsy person, and so people used to say I am like a giraffe on rollerskates.. particularly after I fell on my rollerblades twice in one day and scraped up both sides of my butt so bad that I couldn't sit at my job for a week! I actually ran.. literally, was running down the street and ran into a mirror on a truck one day. :vava: So... I am the rollergiraffe.

 

Hey Jen! Congrats on your twins.

I bet you are excited to be so close to hitting that 28 week mark!

Is your husband as "outdoorsy" as you are? I LOVE being outside when it is warm and luckily have children that enjoy it as well. My husband on the other hand tends to want to sit in front of the T.V. most of the time <_<


What was your reaction to finding out twins were on the way? What was DH's?


Take care!

 

QUOTE(MommaJ @ Mar 23 2009, 08:57 AM) [snapback]1240414[/snapback]
Hey Jen! Congrats on your twins.

I bet you are excited to be so close to hitting that 28 week mark!

Is your husband as "outdoorsy" as you are? I LOVE being outside when it is warm and luckily have children that enjoy it as well. My husband on the other hand tends to want to sit in front of the T.V. most of the time <_<
What was your reaction to finding out twins were on the way? What was DH's?
Take care!


No, my husband is a city boy. He doesn't mind getting out and about sometimes, but he likes urban life! I do too. He likes his computer a LOT :lol: We do get outdoors a lot during the summer taking our dogs to the park and to outdoor concerts.

When we went to our first ultrasound at 12 weeks, my parents and Kris were both there, and the tech stopped right away and asked us if there was any special reason we all wanted to be there today. And I said the usual.. first grandkid, first kid, etc. and she said "oh! well I am excited to tell you there's TWO!" and I started to laugh so hard she couldn't do the ultrasound. I was in hysterics. My parents started to freak out. About half hour later I realized Kris hadn't really said anything, so I turned to him, and he was white as a sheet and totally silent :lol: I urged him to call his mom, and he finally relaxed a bit after that. Needless to say, we had some serious twin shock! But we are both extremely excited now.

 

QUOTE(Rollergiraffe @ Mar 23 2009, 11:18 AM) [snapback]1240450[/snapback]
When we went to our first ultrasound at 12 weeks, my parents and Kris were both there, and the tech stopped right away and asked us if there was any special reason we all wanted to be there today. And I said the usual.. first grandkid, first kid, etc. and she said "oh! well I am excited to tell you there's TWO!" and I started to laugh so hard she couldn't do the ultrasound. I was in hysterics. My parents started to freak out. About half hour later I realized Kris hadn't really said anything, so I turned to him, and he was white as a sheet and totally silent :lol: I urged him to call his mom, and he finally relaxed a bit after that. Needless to say, we had some serious twin shock! But we are both extremely excited now.


That is a great memory to have of when you found out. :wub:


Do you guys have alot of family around?

Did you see the season finale of Big Love last night?

 

My folks live in the same city, as do my cousin and an aunt. They've all been a lot of help this pregnancy while we're moving etc. I also have a lot of family about 3 hrs away from me that I see quite often.

You know.. I don't have HBO! I have to catch up on the episodes when they somehow find their way onto my computer . Don't tell me! I have only watched the first few of season 3.

 

QUOTE(Rollergiraffe @ Mar 23 2009, 02:49 PM) [snapback]1240902[/snapback]
My folks live in the same city, as do my cousin and an aunt. They've all been a lot of help this pregnancy while we're moving etc. I also have a lot of family about 3 hrs away from me that I see quite often.


I'm glad they've been helping you out. :hug:

QUOTE
You know.. I don't have HBO! I have to catch up on the episodes when they somehow find their way onto my computer . Don't tell me! I have only watched the first few of season 3.


Well... if you really want me to tell you what happened, I will. :blbl: You are going to LOVE it.


Will you be breastfeeding?

 

Hi Jen & congrats on your twin pregnancy!!

Are you planning on having a 'theme' for the boys room?

I LOVE LOVE LOVE your screen name too :wub:
Your TV shows are MY favorite TV shows too!!

 

I am going to try to breastfeed! I know it's difficult for some moms, so I am going to work at it, but if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. I was just researching breast pumps this afternoon.. any advice on a good one? The rentals around here are ridiculous, so I was hoping to buy one.

Not really a theme for the boys room... we just bought a new house and there was already two boys living in the house before.. so we kept the colour scheme in one of the rooms which was a darker blue and white, and I am just trying to find some brightly coloured crib bedding and stuff for the walls. It is really hard to find nice red crib bedding! My husband did buy a Toronto Maple Leafs rug for their room Our twins are apparently the future of the team :lol:

 

QUOTE(Rollergiraffe @ Mar 23 2009, 01:56 PM) [snapback]1241170[/snapback]
I am going to try to breastfeed! I know it's difficult for some moms, so I am going to work at it, but if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. I was just researching breast pumps this afternoon.. any advice on a good one? The rentals around here are ridiculous, so I was hoping to buy one.

Not really a theme for the boys room... we just bought a new house and there was already two boys living in the house before.. so we kept the colour scheme in one of the rooms which was a darker blue and white, and I am just trying to find some brightly coloured crib bedding and stuff for the walls. It is really hard to find nice red crib bedding! My husband did buy a Toronto Maple Leafs rug for their room Our twins are apparently the future of the team :lol:


Sounds like cute rooms :good:
I think my DH is still upset that we don't have a football themed room (for our GIRLS!)

 

QUOTE(tamaras @ Mar 23 2009, 02:58 PM) [snapback]1241175[/snapback]
I think my DH is still upset that we don't have a football themed room (for our GIRLS!)


Men really aren't right sometimes :lol:

 

Hi, Jen and welcome to TS.
Did you already think about carseats and stroller? which one you want to get?
will you give boys middle name?

 

Hi Jen!!

What are you most excited for with twins? Scared of?

What are your hobbies?

What is your favorite kind of food?

 

We are going to go with the Graco Quattro Duo, and the Graco Snugride 32 carseats... there's so much selection out there, Graco just seemed like a good combination for us. We have a double chariot from a friend too if we want to do anything more heavy duty. We live near a river path, so it would be nice to hook the kids up to the bike or something and we could actually walk to the zoo from our new house!


As for middle names.. we're likely to go with Kris's mom's maiden name (which is also Kris's middle name) and my maiden name.. so Kennedy and Chandler. It's sort of a family tradition for my husband's family, and they're both ok names!

 

QUOTE(Rollergiraffe @ Mar 23 2009, 04:56 PM) [snapback]1241170[/snapback]
I am going to try to breastfeed! I know it's difficult for some moms, so I am going to work at it, but if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. I was just researching breast pumps this afternoon.. any advice on a good one? The rentals around here are ridiculous, so I was hoping to buy one.


I have no advice on anything to do with breastfeeding... but we do have a BREASTFEEDING forum here at TS. Maybe you can pop in there and ask those smart ladies about anything to do with bf. :good: Good luck!!

QUOTE(Rollergiraffe @ Mar 23 2009, 10:17 PM) [snapback]1241614[/snapback]
As for middle names.. we're likely to go with Kris's mom's maiden name (which is also Kris's middle name) and my maiden name.. so Kennedy and Chandler. It's sort of a family tradition for my husband's family, and they're both ok names!


I like both of those names. :good:

Did you and your hubby have a big wedding?

 

QUOTE(Kyrstyn @ Mar 23 2009, 05:44 PM) [snapback]1241398[/snapback]
Hi Jen!!

What are you most excited for with twins? Scared of?

What are your hobbies?

What is your favorite kind of food?


Most excited just to be having babies! I always wanted my own family, and I think we're going to have a lot of fun. I am mostly scared of the sleeplessness and feeling overwhelmed.. especially having nosy family come and intrude on my space. But overall, I think it will just be whizzy and crazy and such a joy to have them.

I enjoy gardening and photography a lot. I am a huge reader, and I really like movies. We also go to a lot of live music.. our honeymoon was going to two music festivals! One of the boys' first outings will be to our local folk music festival. I also like to make a big mess in the kitchen and try cooking new things.

Which leads me to my favourite kind of food.. I'd have to say mexican!

 

QUOTE(TwinLove @ Mar 23 2009, 08:30 PM) [snapback]1241625[/snapback]
I have no advice on anything to do with breastfeeding... but we do have a BREASTFEEDING forum here at TS. Maybe you can pop in there and ask those smart ladies about anything to do with bf. :good: Good luck!!
I like both of those names. :good:

Did you and your hubby have a big wedding?


We had about 120 people.. here's our 400 bazillion wedding pictures! Sigh.. hard to believe that only 7 short months ago I didn't have this huge ol' belly! :lol:

 

Jen, BEAUTIFUL pictures!! :wub: You were a gorgeous bride.

 

Beautiful wedding pictures, thank you for sharing!

As far as the breast pumps....I have a double electric Medela that I LOVE. If you are going to have to return to work and/or be pumping often it works wonderful. If you need one for just the occasional use, I used a First Years Double Electric with my girls since I did not have to pump daily when they were nursing. Good luck with the breastfeeding and be sure to visit the BF forum, the women on there are very encouraging and supportive.

 

Why thank you.. our wedding was a blast, I'd do it all over again in a minute.

I have been reading through the breastfeeding forum, sounds like Medela is probably the way to go.. checking to see if we can get it covered through my husband's health care spending

 

Jen, what is your fondest childhood memory? :wub:

 

I see that you would rather be in Austin, TX right now. Well thats where I live!! Just to make you feel better that your not here, the weather has been HORRIBLE this past week!

 

I enjoyed getting to know you this week. :hug:

 

QUOTE(TwinLove @ Mar 26 2009, 12:16 PM) [snapback]1245613[/snapback]
Jen, what is your fondest childhood memory? :wub:


I'd have to say that I always loved times when I would go out in the prairie hiking with my dad and just driving around in his big ol' blue GMC truck. We'd just go to "check stuff out". Then my dad would give me driving lessons in the middle of the field where I couldn't hit anything. So between that, and the black forest cakes my mom would always make for my birthday, those are probably the best things to remember!

Sorry for the delayed response.. I was in a wedding this weekend, as a bridesmaid! Biggest bridesmaid ever :lol: It was a really fun wedding, but I found out that dancing is not on the agenda anymore.. at all.


This has been a really fun week for me too! I really like this site, and I think it's great that you guys make such an effort to be so welcoming!

 

QUOTE(Rollergiraffe @ Mar 28 2009, 09:18 PM) [snapback]1248644[/snapback]
I'd have to say that I always loved times when I would go out in the prairie hiking with my dad and just driving around in his big ol' blue GMC truck. We'd just go to "check stuff out". Then my dad would give me driving lessons in the middle of the field where I couldn't hit anything. So between that, and the black forest cakes my mom would always make for my birthday, those are probably the best things to remember!


:wub: Great memories! :wub:

QUOTE(Rollergiraffe @ Mar 28 2009, 09:18 PM) [snapback]1248644[/snapback]
Sorry for the delayed response.. I was in a wedding this weekend, as a bridesmaid! Biggest bridesmaid ever :lol: It was a really fun wedding, but I found out that dancing is not on the agenda anymore.. at all.


:laughing: I'm sure you looked beautiful!

QUOTE(Rollergiraffe @ Mar 28 2009, 09:18 PM) [snapback]1248644[/snapback]
This has been a really fun week for me too! I really like this site, and I think it's great that you guys make such an effort to be so welcoming!


:grouphug: