Twins - Holy Cow!

People say raising twins can be overwhelming - well I can already tell you that just getting ready for them is overwhelming. Here is a snapshot of some thoughts at week 16:

• Kristen and I have probably read through 5+ pregnancy/child related books to date (with many more in the que). That information will cover us for maybe the rest of the year at best.
• There is a barrage of new things you need to buy or consider buying during pregnancy or for your kids. Onsies, cribs, bassonets (not a word that was in my vocabulary last week), expanding stomach cream (during pregnancy), bela-bands (tube top like thing that holds kristen's pants up these days), boppy (I still don't know what this is). And we haven't gotten around to navigating what feels like dozens of incrementally different nursing bottles, much less given any real thought to early childhood development - like what kind of music, books, stimulation, educational environment, medical, etc. they will need once they are here.
• Speaking of expenses - day care on its own for two pretty much wipes out my entire year of earnings. (And to add insult to injury - tax breaks for kids are a joke). Then add on all other child related expenses - food, health care, new furniture, equipment/toys, etc. Oh, and also realize that to get into a daycare program that is halfway decent, you have to apply many months in advance and hope that you can get admitted for a spot when your child is ready to go. Then cross your fingers that they have two spots.
• Wondering how on earth Kristen is going to 1) learn how to feed the kids 2) teach them how to feed 3) get them on the same feeding schedule 4) do it all soon enough after they get home so she doesn't literally have to feed for 24 hours every day. (12 feedings / day / baby x 1 hr / feeding x 2 babies).
• Realizing that the triathlon I have been training for since summer 2008 falls precisely 1.5 months after our expected arrival of twins. Perfect! If it was, say 2 weeks after they were born, maybe I could get in a few workouts (using 100% adrenaline) and call it a "taper" to the race day. But 1.5 months with sleep deprivation, a needy wife, two new babies and the almost guaranteed lack of exercise does not spell ideal training circumstances. Add to that the fact that this will be a 3 hour triathlon starting with a 1 hr swim in 50 something degree open water - not something you want to hope you can fake your way through.

All is not doom and gloom though. Kristen and I are upbeat. Overwhelm at times, but upbeat.