I’m not sure how many people believe in horoscopes. My husband feels they are written so general that anyone can fit into them. Perhaps, but I personally can’t help feeling there something more to them than just mumbo jumbo.

Take my signs for example. I’m a Rat/Sagittarius combo. Both signs say I’m full of energy, and besides this pregnancy I would have to say that’s true. I remember when I was still single getting a lot of “bulging eye-ball” looks when I used to routinely stay out until 2am on a Saturday night then wake up three hours later, at 5am for a long bike ride – sometimes as much as 90 miles. The Rat lives for the moment, and the Sagittarius is an adventurer. Everyone knows I love to travel and unlike my husband, have absolutely no idea where the future will lead us. And not knowing is the most fun part of it all.

My Rooster/Gemini husband, on the other hand, has an exact plan for us. When I met him he already had a retirement plan! The Rooster is confident, motivated, honest and organized. Geminis are highly cerebral and charming. When I first met Adam he told me I was coming to Chicago. I laughed at him openly. I was dating someone else and lived in Shanghai! Six months later I was here. True to his signs, he had vision, determination, and skill. Luckily I was also true to my signs and was adventurous and willing to live in the moment.

Our first born is a Pig/Pisces combo. Both signs have a compassionate, sensitive and submissive nature. He often can not decide what toy or dessert he wants, preferring that we decide for him. It also explains why our second born, a Ox/Cancer combo can often wrestle him to the ground even though he is 2 and 1/2 years younger. Oxen are strength, determination, and dependability. Cancer is home loving and nurturing. Our Cancer born son is a big snuggle bunny.

As I incubate this next set of kids, I couldn’t help checking out their horoscopes. Turns out I will most likely have a Dragon/Taurus combo. I remember living in China the last time it was year of the Dragon. Couples everywhere were scrambling to get pregnant for their one and only precious alloted baby. It is considered the mightiest of signs.

The Dragon is defined by dominance and ambition. They prefer to live by their own rules and if left on their own, are usually successful. They’re driven, unafraid of challenges, and willing to take risks. They’re passionate in all they do and they do things in grand fashion. They have tempers that can flare fast!

As a compliment (or perhaps complete nightmare) to the Dragon is the western sign, Taurus. Defined by solidity, practicality, extreme determination and strength of will. Generally dependable, steadfast, prudent, just, firm and unshaken in the face of difficulties.

If the signs are true, we are looking at not one, but two very determined, willful children. To be mothered by a flaky Rat/Sagittarius. How will that work? Well, I guess if we are believing in horoscopes, I can assume no matter how our signs match or clash, we’ll all have lots of energy, motivation and/or determination to keep up with each other…

Thanks to everyone for all your concerns about me right now.

As far as this pregnancy goes, it seems that everything is earlier and everything is much more. Double, in fact!

With the first two pregnancies, there were no signs of pregnancy before my missed period. This pregnancy found me spitting from nausea into a CVS bag on the way home from a date with my husband well before I missed a period. It was too early even to take a pregnancy test. Yet the hormones were working on me already.

My cravings barely have time to root themselves before I’ve moved onto something else. Sometimes a craving will gross me out mid-bite. We have a lot of opened, half eaten junk food around right now.

The exhaustion is much, much more pronounced as well. I know I’m older, and I know I also have two kids keeping me up all night so it’s hard to say exactly where the exhaustion comes from. But most days it feels like the middle of the night all day long.

Still, I can’t complain too much. I am not nauseous anymore. Sometimes queasy, but nothing like the horror stories I hear from some woman. I’m also very lucky to have a husband who is so considerate. I feel like the pedestal he normally keeps me on has been given a big riser. He’s really been stepping it up around the house and watching the kids more. All while trying to close nine different deals at work. And he does it all without complaint or expecting any thanks in return. Thanks Adam!

Next week I have another check up with my OB/GYN and I am also giving blood to another doctor for genetic testing. This blood along with an ultrasound they do in 2 weeks replaces the normal Amniocentesis and will let us know if our babies have any genetic abnormalities.

Thanks you everyone for all your blessings. It is truly a blessing. Maybe it won’t feel like that when they are first born, or for the first year. Or even the second. But eventually it will be a blessing, right?

When I knew I was pregnant, but before I was informed it was twins, I had my mind set on how a new baby would fit in. It would just be a question of layering another kid on. Adam said I’d need help, but once again I refused. In fact I tried to convince Adam not to send Ben to preschool. I could handle two at home.

Since I heard of my new reality, I’ve been wandering around in a daze, contemplating how it will all work. It’s not layering on another kid, it’s doubling the amount of kids we have now! I feel like my mind is like a computer, every moment is reevaluated with the thought, how will twins fit into this picture?

When Ben woke this morning at 5:30, instead of taking my husband up on his offer to let me sleep in, I asked him to bring Ben to bed with us. Laying in the covers laughing and hugging I thought, time is limited for this sort of leisure. I’d better suck up every cuddle, smile, and piece of focused, one-on-one time while I can.

I begged Adam for one last trip to New York to see my buddies from Asia before I lose my freedom completely. Who knows when I’ll be able to travel and socialize after the twins are born. TWINS. Oh my god.

Should I rename the blog Quadra-Mom?

I told my friend Anna last night that when I lay on my death bed I think the only thing I’ll know for sure is that I know nothing. I spent years reading and deciding what type of mom I would be. I believed in baby carrying. I believed in breast feeding exclusively for the first year of life. Now all that will probably be impossible. I certainly can’t refuse help anymore.

When I put aside the fear and shock, there is a lot of excitement underneath. A new challenge in life! All in front of me to be shaped and formed just to suit us. It’s not dissimilar to the feeling I got when we got engaged – a huge beautiful project to build uniquely for us. If we do it right, everyone will enjoy it. If we do it right, we will be proud of it for the rest of our lives.

Yes. You read it right. I’m having as hard a time believing it as you are. But the signs are all there. The Doritoes and fried chicken cravings. The exhaustion. The pregnancy brain. I actually misspelled our last name in permanent ink on Jack’s school project last week. Poor Adam was late for work that morning so he could run to CVS and buy white out to cover my mistake.

This morning we heard the unmistakable sound of a heart beat from one of the doctor’s contraptions. But there’s a twist. It wasn’t one heart beat. IT WAS TWO HEART BEATS.

I’m going to be a mother of four. I’m going to have four kids under five. I’m freaking out.

So much for our discussion about keeping our car and fitting a kid in the middle seat. Bring on the mini van!

So much for my thoughts on not getting any help with another kid. Our house will become a revolving door of helpful family members. With maybe a few energetic college students rolled in. Or maybe an Au Pair? Oh my, we have a lot of decisions to make.

Adam and I often joke that being born is like winning the sperm lottery. Out of all the sperm that get blocked, or make it to the party but then find out they are too late or too early, this one very lucky sperm makes it through not only at the right time but manages to beat all the others too. This time we had not only one but TWO lucky winners. What are the odds of that? Hmmmm, perhaps today would be a good day to buy some lottery tickets…