Crib gymnastics

I wish I would have had pictures to show this, but Libby turned a full 360 degrees in her crib last night. I still don't know how she does this without waking herself up. Hubby had checked on them around 5am and she was 180 degrees from where we put her to bed. By 7:30, she was all the way back where she started. Go figure.

I think I'm glad we opted not to use the cute bumper pads for their crib, because with the way she's moving, I think we would have been removing them sooner than later.

I kind of feel like the student cramming for final exams, except that I'm just gearing up for their 4 month appointment with our Pediatrician and working on the items she had mentioned. "More tummy time, girls!"

One thing that I've had a hard time with is putting the girls to sleep on different sides of their heads. Apparently with preemies, their heads are more oblong, so they tend to lay on their sides and not the back of their head. Most babies will get a flat spot on the back of their head, but we have the opposite problem, where they will continue to flatten out the sides and get more oblong. Our Dr. mentioned that we should try to alternate sides as well as to also place them to sleep on the back of their head. Well, Libby really seems to favor her left side and even with toys all on the right, she will still look to the left at the boring crib slats and wall. It seems that no matter which way we place her, she'll turn to have her head to the left. (I think this is also how I sleep, so maybe she's just taking after me!)

Does anyone have any recommendations on crib toys that your children really loved and would gravitate towards, or head positioners that help keep them in check?

on my mind this morning

Coffee. I swear it's close to one of the first thing I think about when I get out of bed. Not sure why, because we've been on a pretty good sleep schedule with Maddy and Libby. (I hope I'm not jinxing this as I type). We feed the girls between 8pm-10pm and put them to bed after that. Typically, they then sleep until 4am-7am. Wonderful. Not too shabby for babies of their weight, I think. I can't believe they'll be 4 months old on Tuesday. Where has the time gone?

Pizza. Hubby picked up pizza from my new favorite pizza place in town. I had the "A Kiss Before I Go" that has Tomato Sauce, Fried Eggplant, Wild Mushrooms, Mozzarella, Carmelized Garlic, Fresh Basil, and Parmesan. Yum. Leftovers for lunch! I should have taken a picture, because their pizzas are so pretty, but I was too much of a pig!

Hair. Since I was beginning to debate if my grey hair was cool aka Stacy London or scary aka Cruella De ville, Hubby surprised me and coordinated a cut, highlights and a massage for me on Thursday. His parents had volunteered to come visit and watch the girls, so he surprised me with this treat and coordinated all the details. Wonderful. Hubby rocks!

All for now ... happy Saturday!

money, money, money

I bet the anticipation is killing you ... I wish I could tell everyone that there were bigger bills hiding under the ones ... when I first opened the drawer, I really thought that Hubby was gearing up for a bachelor party. So I had to ask him what was up with the cash stuffed in the drawer.

Apparently, it's one of his new savings plans - every night he takes all of the ones out of his money clip and saves them. I have been shocked how quickly it has added up. For me, this trick wouldn't work because I'm addicted to my debit card and rarely carry cash.

So no worries - he's staying away from dances that require tips and saving for the holidays. I've told you we buy for 25+ family members on his side, but that's a post for another day!

I'll leave you with a picture from a few days ago. The girls have recently discovered the Baby Einstein star from their floor mat. Baby Einstein star = coos, smiles, and wide eyed stares from m & l.

What would you think

if you opened your dresser drawer and saw this?





Would love to hear your thoughts!

miss manners

Don't people know that it's not polite to talk about people while they're still in earshot? I guess it's not polite to talk about people in general, but at least do it where I can't hear you.

Yes, I know that my babies are small, but if you were nice enough to say hello I would tell you that they are actually three and a half months old and that I know better than to take 2 day old infants out in public, and if you'd bother to ask me any questions, I could give you the long story that involves tales of bed rest, my water breaking, a c-section delivery, and ends with identical twin girls. And can anyone tell me why people think they are a boy and a girl? Especially when they are in matching PINK car seats, dressed in pink clothes, with girly pink toys dangling from their car seat?

I realize that this post makes me sound like I'm bitter and angry. I promise, I'm really not. Maybe I could go into my comedic mode and say, "You should've seen them when they weighed 3 and 4 pounds!" I guess I just get into my Mama Bear mode and get a little defensive. I need more comments like the one from my friend today (Hi MH!) who noticed how big they are getting and how much they have filled out.

Now, don't get me started on the grocery store employees who feel the need to pounce on me when I'm shopping and then grab their little hands. Not to be a germaphobe, but let's think about what the cashiers do all day? Handle dirty boxes and cans, dirty cash, and no telling what else. Next time, I'm self-checking and pushing the antibacterial wipes in their hands!

Can we go for three?

On Monday night Maddy and Libby slept from 10:30'ish to 5:30AM, and last night they slept from 11'ish to almost 7AM! I actually got up before them, and then of course went back to sleep for a few minutes! I really hope we're on the beginning of a trend - a full night's sleep would be heavenly for everyone.

So, let's hope for a third night, and a fourth night, etc. I love motherhood, I really do. But, I also love sleep and I miss it terribly. I think that I may now be addicted to my morning coffee and have actually caught myself trying to smell to see if it's already brewed before I make an unnecessary trip downstairs if it's not ready yet. Very sad.

We don't look like we'd scream & cry and keep everyone in the house awake, do we?

Halloween decor

Who needs the big inflatable spider when you have the real thing? I was working in the yard today when I noticed this guy hanging out near our azalea bushes.

I found out he's a writing spider ... harmless, but a little ominous looking. Wonder what he's trying to tell us?

Over the river and through the woods

It's really more like down the highway and on the Interstate ... to the Grandparents house we go.

Tomorrow will be the first family road trip (minus the dogs - they are heading to doggie camp for playtime, chilly swimming, and a bath) for Papaw's birthday. Since we need to be sure we bring everything that we might need for the day, we actually started a list that I need to pack up between now and tomorrow morning.

Diapers
Wipes
Burp cloths
Extra outfits
Pumped milk / bottles
Breast pump and empty containers
Small cooler
Formula
Blankets
Large blanket for floor
Mylicon drops and saline drops, just in case
Camera
Hand sanitizer
Baby Bjorns (possibly)
Couple of toys / rattles

What else? Luckily they have a pack and play so Maddy & Libby can nap there and it's one less thing that we don't have to bring. I'm sure there is something that we've forgotten. Keep your fingers crossed that they do well - it's only a 2.5 hour drive, but it's amazing how fast two little girls can get very loud!

dream, dream, dream

So what does it mean if you dream you're going on a job interview and you forget to put on your bra and contacts? Definitely two things I don't leave the house without.

Mom of the year award

That is exactly what I won't be winning.

I had an appointment to have Maddy & Libby's photos taken today. I knew that it would coincide with one of their feedings, so I packed bottles so I could feed them while we were at the studio. When we arrived Maddy was pretty fussy, so I decided to feed her while our favorite photog was getting set up.

I pulled out the little cooler bag and noticed it was upside down. No big deal, I thought until I unzipped it and noticed that the bottles were both less than half full. The milk had spilt all in the bag and leaked onto their extra change of clothes, blanket, etc. Such a bummer, because I knew they would be hungry, plus the milk is like liquid gold.

Of course, neither one was very happy with the less than stellar lunch, so I tried to breastfeed as well. In a very gorgeous studio with high ceilings, exposed brick walls, oh and with large windows everywhere and construction workers walking by, who are working on other studio spaces down the hall. Yeah, that didn't go over too well.

Luckily they were troopers and both did fine even though they had just had a little appetizer instead of a 3-course lunch . I would post photos, but of course the Mom of the year left my camera at home, so hopefully I'll have some great shots to show you in a couple of weeks.

Going to mark all of those damn bags with an UP arrow for our next outing!

Back to the books

Since I had the girls, and even while I was still pregnant, my reading really consisted of baby milestone books, what to expect kind of books, life with twin books, and of course children's books. Good Night Moon, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, Pat the Bunny .... you know the deal.

I love to read, but it's really hard to make the time for it now. As a kid, I was obsessed and would read for hours. Just sit and read. I know my Mom loved it. I still love to read and finally tried to get back in the swing with my book club to read Bright Shiny Morning by James Frey. He wrote A Million Little Pieces, which I loved. Don't care if he made it up or not - I thought it was an incredible book and I think you must have spent some time heavily using drugs to write about some of the things he described in that book.

Back to Bright Shiny Morning ... Not sure how I'm feeling about it yet. It's written in his typically style - sometimes descriptive run on sentences or short one liners. Lots of chapters about life in Los Angeles, facts and figures about LA. I liked several of the characters, but I guess I was left waiting to know how they all interact. Maybe I missed something, but I guess they only had the city was their common thread. Anyone else read it?

I just started Bitter is the New Black by Jennifer Lancaster. Can already tell that I will love it! Easy read, full of sarcasm and fun. What's not to love about that?

why i heart facebook

His friends post pictures of Hubby from his college days, circa 1990.


I love you! xxxooo!

hot damn

My Joes jeans fit! I kept eyeballing them in my closet, but was too afraid to try them on. I would glare and snarl at them on occassion for mocking me. For some reason, today I found courage deep within and tried them on. Still can't believe they fit, but Hallelujah, since I didn't want to have to start replacing my "good" jeans. If I have pants that fit, I can deal with buying new tops.

baby's first meme

I saw this on miss zoot's blog and decided to play.

I figured I’d create one of those survey/meme things for us babies as a way for us to get to know each other better. Remember, it’s what YOU like, not what your parents like.

1. Cloth or disposable? Cloth for burping and spit-up, disposable for our bums. Remember, there's two of us and Mom can't imagine washing all that crap (literally).

2. Breast or bottle? All of the above. We get a little Neosure formula added in, so we take what we can get.

3. Eczema or reflux? Our skin is great, thanks. No true reflux, but Libby loves to spit-up and Maddy loves to freak out the parentals and make it come out of my nose. That gets them moving quick!

4. Jumparoo or play mat? We only have the play mat right now, but we're hoping for the bigger gear down the road.

5. Mommy or Daddy? We love both of course. We love napping on Dad's chest, but we also think Mom's pretty sweet as well.

6. Sling, front carrier, or stroller? Since we are just now big enough for the Baby Bjorn, we've only been riding in the stroller so far. Hopefully, we're going to give the Bjorns a try soon. Mom also has a sling and I think she's used it once ... said it was kind of awkward, but she was hoping to try it again when we were bigger so she could use it in a different position.

7. Pacifier or thumb? Pacifier all the way for Libby, sometimes for Maddy. Maddy's located the thumb on a few occasions, but not all the time.

8. Bumbo seat or bouncy seat? Bouncy seats roooooock. We looooooove the vibbbbbratiioooon.

9. White noise or silence while sleeping? Noise machine, but when we get older, we'd like a fan like our Mom.

10. Crib, Pack’n'Play, or parents’ bed? Crib since Night One. We heard we're getting ready to try out the Pack N Play for an upcoming trip to the Grandparents.

Does your baby need a Meme? Have at it!

Hopping on Oprah's bandwagon

I don't know if any of you saw Oprah's show documenting child predators the other day, but it was so shocking. Seriously - I really had no idea how sick and twisted people are. Oprah closed her show asking viewers to write your state Senators to have laws changed so these predators can no longer harm innocent children and babies.

Information is below. I wrote to our Senators that day and I'm passing along this information so you can do the same. It really only took just a few minutes.

There IS something we can do to actually make a difference! We can help get these predators caught through high-tech software that tracks this sort of activity. Please see the below for more information on how we can help get Senate Bill 1738- The Protect Our Children Act passed. Please take a few minutes and send a request to your Senator to "Vote yes on Senate Bill 1738—The PROTECT Our Children Act.". Instructions to do so are below. It should only take a few minutes (really). Please pass this information on to anyone else you know...

Help Pass Senate Bill 1738—The PROTECT Our Children Act
Hundreds of thousands of babies (!) and children are victims of sexual abuse each year. Due to the sheer lack of resources, law enforcement is unable to follow up on the majority of leads they have.The PROTECT Our Children Act will:

• Authorize over $320 million over the next five years in desperately needed funding for law enforcement to investigate child exploitation.
• Mandate that child rescue be a top priority for law enforcement receiving federal funding.
  Allocate funds for high-tech computer software that can track down Internet predators.
  Act Now!

Your U.S. senators will be voting on the bill soon, so it is crucial you contact them mmediately.Go to www.senate.gov to find contact information for the senators in your state. Search for your senator by name or state by clicking on the arrow from either dropdown menu. Contact information is provided here. To send an e-mail, click on "Web Form" below his or her name, and e-mail your letter to make a difference! Call Your Senators. If you choose to contact your senators by phone, be sure to tell them, "Vote yes on Senate Bill 1738—The PROTECT Our Children Act."Write to Your Senators. If you choose to write a letter, fax, telegram or e-mail, you may use the following sample letter—and modify it how you see fit.

Dear Senator:I know that you believe, like I do, that we must do everything possible to protect children from sexual predators. That is why I am asking for your help.Last year alone, U.S. law enforcement identified over 300,000 criminals who were trafficking in movies and pictures of young children and babies being raped and tortured. Experts say that one in every three of these criminals has local child victims. Child pornography trafficking over the Internet has given us a trail of evidence that leads straight to their doorsteps, but the vast majority of these children will never be rescued because investigators are overwhelmed, outnumbered and underfunded.As your constituent, I urge you to do everything in your power to pass the PROTECT Our Children Act (S. 1738, Biden-Hatch). This bipartisan legislation passed the House 415-2, but it is now the victim of petty partisan politics.Now that we know where these children are and how to protect them, there is no excuse for the Senate to fail to take action this session.(Your name here)

Keep your children safe from online predators
If you think an online predator has been in contact with your child or that your child is in imminent danger, contact the FBI at 800-CALL-FBI or go to www.fbi.gov

From The Oprah Winfrey Show Internet Predators: How Bad Is It?

3 things

3 things on my mind today ...

1. We are shopping for a new laptop and it really overwhelms me. Our home computer is old, currently dead, and we've realized that it's time to make a purchase. We shopped a little yesterday (kind of hard with twins and the train stroller in Best Buy), and did more research online. I'm torn between PC vs. Mac and just get a little frustrated by too many options and too many questions about what I need/want. I just want someone to tell me what I need, show me where to order, and it'll be delivered by a nice man in a brown uniform and none of those damn surveys on any of the websites seem to do that.

2. I'm feeling less than inspired on the ol' blog as of late. I'm sure you can't tell since I've been pretty apathetic about posting lately. (insert sarcasm here) Also, #1/dead computer makes it a little hard. I'll be back posting at a more regular basis at some point.

3. The girls are great and sweet and make wonderful little sounds and noises. They can just look up at me and it really does melt my heart. I still can't believe how much love I have for them. They also make some not-so-sweet sounds that if I didn't know better, I would think I had teenage boys in the room, but that's another story. Hubby and I had a lazy Saturday morning and just spent time with them in our room, while we partially watched a movie and gazed at them. I can't remember the last movie we watched and it was fun to see them sleeping and playing on the duvet. They look so little in a big bed. Not sure why I enjoyed this so much - it was just new for us and great to have the entire family in our room. Zeus & Zoe were also in attendance, happily napping on the floor.

mixed emotions

sad = computer dead, big ol black screen and won't turn on dead. (borrowing Hubby's laptop for a few minutes)

happy= Target has Halloween candy in stock, so my pantry is full of mini boxes of Hot Tamales.

So I don't fall for the bodywrap infomercial

I made it to Mom & Baby yoga again on Monday and it was great. The girls both slept like, well like babies and I was able to get in an actual workout, complete with abs (I use that term loosely) and glutes. At one point we were in boat pose and the instructor told us to roll on our backs and then up into the standing position.

I proceeded to roll on my back, and then in my very ungraceful like, turtle on its back fashion, got stuck there on my back when I didn't have the strength to sit up, let alone stand. I just had to laugh. I knew that my core strength was pretty bad after the c-section, but I didn't realize that it was that bad. Geez.

So the baby weight is gone, but nothing went back where it belonged and I've been left with pooches and bulges that are getting in my way! My old clothes don't fit, but I can't keep wearing yoga pants, PJ bottoms, and maternity clothes forever either. Any good brands that I won't look like I'm wearing my grandma's clothes, but will start to feel somewhat normal? I need things that "float" away from the tummy and hide a multitude of sins. Oh, and yeah, don't cost a lot. Remember, I'm working from home these days and my boss is way behind on payroll.

Never too early

I think I've mentioned before that I love Halloween. Since the girls won't be doing any trick-or-treating this year, I'm not sure if a real costume is in order. So when I spied these, I knew they would be perfect! Plus, they're from Old Navy and on sale. What's not to love?

Time waster

You must go to this site immediately! It lets you do fun stuff like this ...

Me circa 1960

Me circa 1984


Yep, I guess I should get off the damn Internet and go take care of the kiddies!

shmack talking

Hubby and I were invited to join a couples fantasy football league with 7 other couples in our neighborhood. Hubby is a die-hard football fan, Steelers specifically, but if there's a game on from September to February, college or Pro, he's watching. He's already part of a fantasy football league where the guys are fanatic, but the most I know about it is the amount of shmack talking that they do via email, because when he looks busy on the Blackberry, it's normally reading someone's rude comments about one of the other guys.

So, I am looking forward to our draft party tonight, even though I don't really have the slightest idea about what to expect. I love to watch college football and will watch some pro, but honestly I don't understand all of the aspects of the game. So, either I'll be picking all of our players based on the uniforms or player cuteness factor or I can become really good at talking trash to the other teams!

smile report

I have been patiently, um make that anxiously waiting to get a real smile from the girls. We've seen plenty of the sweet smiles that they make when they are fast asleep, but I wanted one of those real, melt-your-heart smiles when they are wide awake.

I'm happy to report that Maddy gave me THREE big smiles this morning after her breakfast. She was wide awake after her feeding, so we were talking about life and when I saw these smiles , they just about melted my heart. So sweet.

Then, Libby offered me several toots and a big explosion of poop. So much for all smiles this morning, but I guess those are just the joys of motherhood!

more questions

So exciting ... two questions from the exotic Libby who is now kicking up her heels (and loafers) in Hong Kong!

1. what's your favorite breakfast food? This one changes depending on my mood, location, and the weather. If I'm home, I normally eat granola with fresh fruit and milk or if I don't have granola, then I eat cereal. In the winter, it's typically oatmeal with fruit. Or english muffins with peanut butter and bananas. Now, if I'm not cooking or it's the weekend and Hubby cooks, then I love a good omelet with lots of cheese, peppers, and onions or some type of breakfast casserole with eggs, cheese, and sausage.

2. if someone gave you plane tickets and you had to use them right this second, where would you go? Hmm, right this second, I would be on a plane to Nashville, TN so I could see my parents, family, and some of my best friends from home. My parents of course have met the girls, but neither of my brothers or my friends from home have had the opportunity. I'm dying to see everyone and hopefully our Thanksgiving plan to venture there will work out.

Poopapalooza

Just when I'm bragging on the dogs, I now have to report that they were pretty naughty. I was getting our cooler of milk and bottles ready to go upstairs (yes, our house is 2-story and our bedroom and nursery are on the 2nd floor. The cooler is a much safer route instead of stumbling blindly downstairs to the kitchen at 3am). Anyway, I walked into our bedroom to find POOP on the floor. Not baby poop either, but a little present from the dogs.

Our dogs are 4 years old and I feel like if we would have had a "I can't hold it" situation, then their present would have been left near a door. This was just plain bad manners and I'm sure their way to say, "pay us a little more attention, willya?"

Has anyone had this happen with their pooches? Any behavior modification techniques would be most appreciated. I don't want the dogs to be mad at us, but I also can't tolerate any more presents like this.

The Z Dogs

Heather asked how the Z-Dogs are transitioning with the girls. They are doing well with the girls. We did bring home baby blankets so the dogs could get accustomed to their smell. They sniffed a few times and walked away. I don't really know what I expected - barks of glee? They are still sort of non-committal now that the babies are home. They do a bit of a "hover-sniff" around them and then normally go lay down. I've seen a few toe-licks here and there, but nothing to be worried about.

I know the dogs will love the girls much more when solid foods are involved and there are plenty of spills on the floor. Zoe is much more of the mama dog around them, and Zeus tends to sleep a lot and stay out of our way. We are trying our best to make sure that the dogs still get plenty of attention, but I will say it's a lot harder than we imagined. Of course, our walks are the best when we have the double stroller AKA the train, plus two dogs. All people can do is laugh or make comments about how we have our hands full. Yeah, we kind of figured that one out on our own!

Photography

Jules, yes I do take hundreds of pictures each week. I may take 100 at a time if I'm trying to get a shot for say, our birth announcement. If it's just random shots, then I just snap as I go when the mood strikes. I also have a new camera, so I've been playing around with it to figure out settings, etc.

Right now, Hubby and I both have small photo albums, but I haven't decided what I want to do as far as a large photo album or scrapbook for them. I really need to decide and start something soon or I'll never get caught up! They each have a baby book, so that will need photos as well. I've never been a great scrapbooker, so I may go the traditional photo album route instead.

I do try to keep the photos organized electronically and weed out and delete the bad shots ... otherwise we'd probably have no memory left on the computer! I also love my old 35mm camera, so I plan to buy some film soon and take some the old fashioned way.

Thanks for the question!

and the diamond award goes to .....

I was nominated by the lovely MMM, so I thought it would be nice to share the wealth. After all, who doesn't want a big shiny diamond, virtual or otherwise. Here are the rules ...



Put the logo on your blog
So, here it is

2. Add a link to the person who awarded you (already done - see top and daily reads)
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4. Add links to those blogs on yours (see below and daily reads)
5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs


On that now as I nominate:
Life with OG
Mad About Plaid Girl
Le Petite Blog
Well I Do Declare
Old Southern House
The Plan
Pink Daisies

ask away

I've decided so I don't start blogging about the 4-eared kitty that I just saw on msnbc.com (scary), and I know that it's going to get a little boring here if I only write about topics like "breastfeeding - which hold works for you?" and "poopy diapers - how many today?", and my personal rhetorical question fave "why are you crying?", I've decided to open up for any burning questions that you've been dying to ask me.

So ask away in the comments section and I'll answer them this week. Just think, you're doing your part so you don't have to read about "Diaper Genie vs. Diaper Champ - which is less stinky?"

8.21.08

Happy two months, Madeline and Libby!

I heart delivery men

Usually my love of delivery men is limited to those from florists and Papa John's, but recently it has expanded to include the nice guy who delivered our new front-loader washing machine on a Sunday and took $75 off the price because of a ding that I can't even see. Then today, it further expanded to include the man who delivered our glider from Sears. And, while still not properly packaged, it's not shattered or broken like the last two and is ready to be assembled.

finally

I'm so glad that someone wrote about this. I think I have commented about his playlist every time we watch Phelps swim.

Maddy and Libby's pick of the day

Maddy and Libby here reporting life from our family room, AKA, where we spend most of our day time hours. We wanted to tell you about these cute new blankets that Mom found on etsy. Right now, we're still using the same-old, same-old receiving blankets with ducks and bears, but we really wanted to be a little more sophisticated and let's face it, as we're getting bigger these receiving blankets just aren't swaddling us as much as Mom would like.

She found these great blankets from Elephant Ears. Aren't they cute? We love the retro Alexander Henry fabric and they are huge. We can't wait to be swaddled up in these and Mom says they'll be great for tummy time or for our strollers. I know we'll be the talk of the neighborhood. Plus, Mom was so impressed by the super cute packaging and swaddling instructions.

That's all for now ... we're gonna go listen to this classical music that Mom has playing in the background and squeeze in a little nap before our next meal time.

xo,

M & L

Mom for Hire

I typically have steered clear of blogging about work - I guess it comes from reading about people like dooce and how they were fired for what they wrote on their blogs. Hmmm, she's now making a good living off her blog ... not a bad idea.

So, about 3 weeks ago, I received an email from our VP asking me to come into the office for a meeting. She explained that the owner wanted to update me on the latest financial outlook of the company, etc. I read between the lines knowing that our financial outlook wasn't great when I started my FMLA a month prior, so the meeting probably meant one of three things: layoffs, salary cuts, or dropping the major project that I work on.

So, I went in for the meeting to find out that I was part of a nine-person layoff and there would be no bonuses or raises for the rest of the staff. At least I had the foresight to predict this, but basically it still is extremely unfortunate and very disappointing. I was told that I would be rehired if the financial situation changed, but who knows when/if that will happen.

So here's the thing, at some point, I need to have a job that pays me. As much as I would love to be a SAHM, I really like what I do and like the fact that I earn some income, plus I think I will need adult interaction. Right now, with the girls born prematurely, I would really like to try to work from home or work part-time before moving back into a 40+ hour work week and putting the girls in full-time child care.

So, dear blog readers, I ask a favor of you ... I know that I typically only ask for advice on clothing, babies, dogs, furniture, shoes, wine, etc. but now I'm asking if you have any work contacts for me.

I'll give you some general information about my experience and if you think you may have a lead, please leave a comment, and I can send you specifics - resume, etc via e-mail.

I have a BS in Mass Communication with an emphasis in Public Relations. I have over 10 years experience working in marketing, public relations, advertising, writing, and I have my Certified Marketing Director designation. (I promise - it's real.)

I started out my career working with a regional shopping center and focused on marketing the center and our retailers, then moved into the agency world for a while working with clients that included pharmaceutical, health care, and a national retailer. From there, I went to my latest gig, marketing and PR for two regional lifestyle magazines. I've done a little bit of everything from writing - business, ad copy, newsletters, short articles, etc., website updates and overseeing redesigns, writing and implementing marketing plans, media buying, public relations, event planning, account supervision, working with sales teams, etc.

I'm a hard worker, team-player, detail-oriented and thorough. This description comes from a past boss, not by me. I would greatly appreciate any leads, ideas, or contacts.

Deja vu

Of course we know that the girls really look alike, but when I saw this picture of Maddy today, I felt deja vu.

Maddy - 7 weeks

Check out a very similar picture of Libby.

Libby - 4 weeks

No more preemie diapers

Picture a small picket line with very small babies, parading picket signs chanting ... "No more preemie diapers ... they must go."

That is where I was say around 2:30ish this morning. Someone woke up, so my routine is to check to see who is crying, find the appropriately marked bottle in the cooler. (long story - Maddy receives milk mixed with formula, so at night it's been easier just to use bottles and have everything ready, plus Hubby can help out with those nighttime feedings that way!) Next, warm up bottle, then go to change diaper so bottle is warm by the time said baby is changed and ready to eat.

This morning, I found Maddy completely soaked - down to the mattress pad, so this is through one preemie diaper, one outfit, one blanket, one sheet saver pad, one sheet, and one mattress pad underneath. Needless to say, I think this little girl is getting too big for her britches and it's time to switch over to the whopping Newborn diapers, which seem to be a little more absorbent. Whoo-hoo!

Hubby had to join me in the trenches to help get everything changed on the bed, which anyone can tell you, is not fun anytime of day, but is especially not fun at 2:30AM.

Oh, and did I mention that our washing machine is broken and we are not so patiently waiting on a part? We may be making another trip to our friend Ben's house for use of his laundry facilities. So much nicer than the laundromat!

Very sad

I know for most people, it may seem crazy to have your parents stay with you for over 6 weeks, but seeing my parents drive away this morning has brought me to tears. It already did last night, just thinking about it and I'm sure it will again later today.

I have never had an affectionate, lovey-dovey relationship with my parents. We joke that they aren't huggers, but I've always known that they love me and of course, would be there for me in any situation. After all, they are my parents. My dad is very stoic and quiet, where my mom is a little crazy and doesn't care what others think. I guess I'm grateful that I'm a little bit like both of them.

I think seeing my mom love those little grand babies so much also shows me how much she loves me. I know this sounds like some weird comment and I should probably be laying on a couch talking about this somewhere. While she's not affectionate with me, we laughed that she was going to kiss their cheeks off she gave them so many kisses. I'm sad because my parents live 8+ hours away and I'm not sure if they'll get to see the girls as often as they would or I would want. I'm sad, because my parents are 65 and 75 years old, and not to be morbid, but they won't be around forever.

I know that my parents have probably driven Hubby crazy (Thank you, Hubby for not losing it or leaving us.), but they have been such a huge help and it's been so great to see them with the girls. It's definitely been an emotional rollercoaster since our 1st days in the NICU, to the girls both coming home, to late night crying sessions, explosions of poop, and trying to be the first person to get the girls' smiles.

My mom never cries, and did this morning when they were leaving. I know that it's really time for Hubby and I to truly start life with just the four of us, or six of us ... can't forget Zeus and Zoe! It will be so good for us to establish our routines and get into the groove of parenthood on our own. I know I have to stop this sappiness, because someone will be up soon and ready to eat and to get my love and attention, and that is what's important.

3 days of gifts

Our wonderful friends have been keeping our postal carrier quite busy over the past few days. So much mail has been addressed to the girls, and luckily it's not from the hospital or insurance company! I wanted to share a few of the items that we've received over the past few days ...

From a good friend of mine that I have known since the 2nd grade, some adorable personalized note cards. These will be perfect for thank you notes or writing letters to their Grandparents.

Not one, but two books from Mad About Plaid, who I have also known since the 2nd grade. These books are so cute and I know the girls will cherish them. The illustrations are great and it's so nice to have a book about twins, for twins.

One package from our favorite Canadian friend Lisagh proved to be preppy and pink - what more could two girls want? Two beautiful wall-hangings, made by Lisagh. Check out her Preppy Petunia etsy site for more of her lovely creations. Now just to find the perfect spot to hang these in their nursery.

Yesterday, we received two boxes marked "open immediately." Since I'm typically a big rule-abider, we did. From one of Hubby's managers, we received two gorgeous red Japanese maple saplings to plant in honor of the girls. What a lovely gift. These came from Eternitree, and I noticed from the website, that Oprah is also a fan.

Later on, we were paid a visit from A and E, two of our good friends. They came bearing the cutest monogrammed bloomers for the girls. Who could get a spanking in these? The girls also received "lovies", these adorable and super-soft bunny and lamb blankies. Now, if I can just find one of these in adult size, I'll be all set.

What wonderful friends - our girls couldn't be any luckier, as are we.

Little St. Louis Fans?

My Dad has always been a HUGE St. Louis Cardinals fan. My brother and sister in law sent these little onesies for the girls. I'm not sure how Maddy feels about the Cards ... hopefully she won't turn into a Braves fan.

Feuling my addiction

Who else is watching Mad Men and who is else going to be so addicted for another season? We actually were up to watch it on Sunday, but I've been forgetting to blog about it.

My love letter to Sears

Dear Sears,

I really should have known better to get involved with you. I've not had good luck in the past and have simply been able to ignore you or find other stores that would meet my needs. This time, you drew me in with an offer that I couldn't refuse.

A white glider with green cushions that was $100 cheaper than the one at BRU. I tried to stay away and buy it at BRU, but I just couldn't pass up the savings and BRU wouldn't price match since it was a slightly different model.

So, I gave in to you. I placed my order to find out that you wouldn't even deliver to our local store. Enter the in-laws who volunteered to pick up our delivery at a store near them. First, you lied and said you would be ready in 3-5 days ... try 10 days. But you arrived to find out that your wood was shattered and broken.

Next, we reordered and you would come straight to our door. Trying your best to satisfy. 7-10 days this time and you actually stayed on schedule. Again, a tease ... broken yet again. I sent you back, had some lovely conversations with a few people, and we are trying yet again. Come through for me this time, Sears. Learn what proper packaging means as well as customer service. That's right, say it with me, "customer service."

I'm counting on you ... please don't disappoint.

Love,
Susan D.

date night

My parents kicked Hubby and I out of the house last night, so we could have dinner out. Since we still haven't taken the girls out on the town (just for Dr.'s appointments until they're a little older), we went solo, and I have to admit was wonderful.

I had my first glass of wine since last year, and luckily timing worked out in between pumping/feeding, that I didn't have to do a "pump & dump". We chose a neat little place with outdoor seating and a guy playing acoustic guitar - everything from Coldplay to James Taylor. We had a great dinner, good conversation (mainly about the girls and the birth), and of course toasted to Maddy & Libby.

Now, I'm not sure what Grans and Grandpa did to the girls while we were out, or if they were just jealous that they didn't go, but they were not wanting to settle down at all last night. Feeding, rocking, walking, diapering, singing, holding -- nothing worked. Finally, the pacifier and sheer exhaustion (them and us) finally put everyone to sleep. We are hoping not to repeat that again this evening!

Con artists

We may really be in trouble once the girls reach their teenage years, as they have already started to con their grandmother at 1 month of age.

This morning, I fed both girls around 7 - 7:30 am, then my mom helped me bring them downstairs around 8:00 am. I had been in the office drinking coffee and probably checking blogs, when I walked back in the kitchen when my mom asked me something about Libby's last feeding.

I looked over and Libby was over halfway through a bottle, her second one in the past hour! Apparently, Mom didn't think they had eaten yet, so she went ahead and warmed up some milk and Libby had no complaints - just a full little belly. Maddy wasn't quite fast enough, so she had to survive on just the one bottle for the hour.

It's been wonderful having both of them home, and I will admit it's been a bit of a blur and hard at times, but also amazing. We're surviving and are having fun getting to know the girls and their personalities. I am also happy to report that we survived two Doctor's appointments and our first stroll around the neighborhood this week. They are gaining weight well, and to us look huge, while to everyone else, they are still tiny. Libby weighed in yesterday at 5 lbs., 15 oz. and Maddy is up to 4 lbs., 9 oz. It is hard to believe that tomorrow will mark 5 weeks since they arrived.

Wednesday Meme

1.What is in the back seat of your car right now? Two infant car seat bases and the double snap & go stroller in the very back.

2. When was the last time you threw up? Hmmm, I can't remember. I made it through my pregnancy only feeling like I had to throw up.

3. What's your favorite curse word? The F- bomb

4. Name 3 people who made you smile today? The babies, my husband, my mom.

5. What were you doing at 8 am this morning? Debating if I had time to get a cup of coffee before the girls woke up.

6. What were you doing 30 minutes ago? Feeding 2 babies

7. What will you be doing 3 hours from now? Hopefully still sleeping

8. Have you ever been to a strip club? Yep

9. What is the last thing you said aloud? Goodnight, sweet Maddy.

10. What is the best ice cream flavor? Chocolate Mint

11. What was the last thing you had to drink? Water

12. Do you look like your Mom or your Dad? Both

13. What was the last thing you ate? Frozen banana

14. Have you bought any new clothing items this week? No

15. When was the last time you ran? sometime in the fall of 2007

16. What's the last sporting event you watched? A few minutes of the St. Louis game last night.

17. What is your pet peeve? Not doing something you say you're going to do.

18. Who is the last person you emailed? Vivian with Bonanno to inquire about the sandals I ordered.

19. Ever go camping? Yes, I used to love it.

20. Do you have a tan? No

21. What is your favorite indulgence? pedicures

22. Would you rather take a week off at home or travel? Travel

23. What do you sleep in? Pajama pants and a tee shirt

24. Do you drink your soda from a straw? Yes, if it's from a restaurant

25. What did your last IM say? I don't IM

26. Are you someones best friend? Yes, and I have been for a very long time

27. What are you doing tomorrow? Taking care of babies, going to my Dr. for my checkup and hopefully making an appointment for a much needed eyebrow wax.

28. Where is your mom right now? Asleep, in our spare bedroom.

29. Look to your left, what do you see? Our office door and pictures that need to be hung.

30. What color is your watch? Silver

31. What do you think of when you think of Australia? My old friend, Scott and gorgeous accents, and a place that I would love to visit.

32. Would you consider plastic surgery? Possibly, probably not, but I wouldn't rule it out.

33. What is your birthstone? Aquamarine

34. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? Typically, I'll just run in.

35.How many kids do you want? 2 - guess that was a good thing!

36. Do you have a dog? Yes, 2 dogs.

37. Last person you talked to on the phone? My Aunt.

38. Have you met anyone famous? Yes, Michael Stipe from REM, and Alexander Julian.

39. Any plans today? See #27.

40. How many states have you lived in? Three

41. Ever go to college? Yes.

42. Where are you right now? our home office

43. Biggest annoyance in your life right now? A tie - the fact that I'm still wearing maxi pads and stupid questions from strangers about the girls such as, "are they going to be identical?" Oh, I wanted to be sarcastic, but I was polite. Luckily, the first annoyance will go away!

44. Last song listened to? Either something from Light Classical from the TV or something on the radio.

45. What is your favorite store? Target, JCrew, Williams-Sonoma

46. Are you allergic to anything? Cats, ragweed, dust mites

47. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time? Right now, it's been my black Reef flip flops

48. Are you jealous of anyone? I don't think so.

49. Is anyone jealous of you? Doubt it.

50. What is your dream job? Wedding planner, writer

51. What time is it? 2 something am

52. Do any of your friends have children? Yes

53. Do you eat healthy? Usually, but I do love some sugary candy.

54. What do you usually do during the day? Work

55. Do you hate anyone right now? No.

56. Do you use the word 'hello' daily? Yes.

57. Do you think you have good manners? Yes, I try.

58. How old will you be turning on your next birthday? 36, baby.

59. Have you ever been to Six Flags? Yes, when I was in Middle School, I think.

60. How did you get one of your scars? Bike wreck in elementary school.

sappiness x 2

I have to share this picture of Hubby from over the weekend. After reading one of our Mother Goose nursery rhyme books to the girls, (which brought tears to my eyes), Hubby also had the girls enjoy a little tummy time with him for a while. Again, the tears.

Life is good.

Insider Stock Tip

If it's available, buy stock in OxiClean. This stuff is the bomb and I can't believe that in under two weeks, I have practically drained an entire bottle. Poop, spit-up, formula, milk ... all gone, like magic. Well, with a little scrubbing, but I'm still amazed at how well it works.

Do I sound like an infomercial or what?

We survived ...

The first day and night with both twins home. I was actually a little bit, urhm a lot nervous at how it would all play out, especially the nighttime part. During the day, both girls' schedules were about 30-45 minutes a part, which stayed consistent pretty much through the night. Somehow, I was able to handle the midnight feeding solo and Hubby took the 3 AM by himself. The 6 AM ended up being all hands on deck, including my mom.

But, the good news is the girls survived, as did we. Now, next on the radar is a Doctor's appointment later today for one of the girls, then next week, we have 3 appointments scheduled for both. That does scare me, because it's going to require getting both in the car seats and actually using the double stroller and navigating in buildings.

Our first afternoon nap together.

Full house

It is pretty ironic to me that on what would have been my anticipated due date (July 17 - 37 weeks), that Madeline will be coming home. We are beyond thrilled that both girls will have made it home in less than a month and we can really now have the entire family under one roof. We feel very blessed.

One down, one to go

That is right ... we received notice on Monday that Libby was able to come home with us and that she did on Tuesday. We didn't expect this news quite so soon, and then had a few hiccups getting ready for her arrival that included:

• The first test failure. Every NICU baby has to pass a car seat tolerance test - this is to make sure that they can sit up in a car seat and have no respiratory problems. Well, that wasn't the problem for us - it was the car seat. The ones that we had were slightly too big, so we ended up going to 2 places to find a new car seat that would fit her. We got the new one and she passed her test with flying colors.
• This was also the day that I was going to buy my new car. Goodbye little Audi, hello big ol Ford Explorer. I have dodged the Mini Van for now, but who knows ... I may change my mind in a couple of years. I like the size of the Explorer, but if you see me, I wouldn't suggest parking near me because parking isn't going very well. Of course, the paperwork took an excruciating amount of time and was just a longer process than we had hoped.

So, let's see ... a few things that we've learned so far about parenthood so far.

• I may opt to keep my parents around for the next 6 years. (Just kidding, Hubby!). They were planning just to come and visit for a few days, but have been here since I went into labor. My Mom has been a Godsend and it's great to have the extra help with Libby, cooking, cleaning, etc.
• Libby poops and pees like a boy. Example, when you pull off her diaper, you better watch out because at least once a day, that's when she decides to finish up. Nice. Her burps are also of the college frat boy caliber, but that's a good thing.
• Don't forget to leave all of the clothes downstairs, because when she has an explosion at 1 AM, you really can't run downstairs to get the change of clothes while you have a screaming baby on your hands. (Thank you, Hubby.)
• Zeus & Zoe seem fine with the new addition - they've done a lot of sniffing and a little poking around, but seem relatively unfazed.

So, life is definitely a lot busier, but in a good way. It's hard not to be at the NICU to see Maddy quite as much, but we're still up there quite a bit. She's doing really well and continuing to gain weight and meet other requirements, so we may have two babies home before too long!

Bit of a blur

I guess it's really more than a blur, but that's the best way I know to describe it. I think the body has a mysterious way of allowing you to run on auto-pilot when you need it.

Luckily for Hubby and I, my parents are still here helping out, our church has been great at providing several meals for us (even Zoe managed to help herself to a bit of leftover chicken pot pie that was on the counter), and we are able to see the girls as much as possible.

To answer a few questions and to give a bit of an update ...

Their names are both family names and one that we just really liked.

We did find out that the girls are identical twins. WOW.

They have both surpassed their birth weights. Maddy is up to 3 lbs, 3 oz and Libby is up to 4 lbs, 10 oz. Yay.

Still no definite word on when they can come home, but they are both doing great and are in the least intensive room of the NICU floor. It's still hard for me to believe that they are here, and not still swimming around in my stomach. Especially when I'm holding one of them and their movements are oh-so familiar.

Ritz Camera is getting more of my money than humanly possible.

I know I won't be posting much, but I'm still checking in with everyone ... especially at 3am-ish, when I typically have a date with the ol' b-pump machine. I really need the hands-free model, so I can type better to leave comments!

Introducing ...

Happy 1 week birthday!

Madeline Kate (Maddy) and Elizabeth Lucy (Libby)

They're here!

After a few days on bed rest, Baby A and Baby B decide that it "was time", so off we went to the hospital on Saturday night.

Delivered by C-section, we are pleased to announce the birth of our daughters on Saturday, June 21.

A was born at 9:48 PM and weighed 3 lbs., 2 ounces and 15 1/2 inches.

B was born at 9:50 PM and weighed 4 lbs., 9 ounces and 17 3/4 inches.

Both are recovering nicely in the NICU. A is breathing fine on her own & B is using oxygen, but is getting better every day.

We really went through the range of emotions yesterday, but we feel so blessed and amazed by these two little girls. We are still working on finalizing names and downloading pictures, so hopefully a better introduction soon!

c-ch-ch-changes

Not quite those kind of changes, but it's amazing what 1 day an 1Dr.'s appointment make. We had our weekly non-stress test and exam yesterday. The NST looked great, so we headed over for our exam. We were just chatting before my exam, when she asked if they checked my cervix last week. I replied yes and everything was fine. The Dr. checked to discover I was 2cm. dilated. She checked a few other things in my chart and directed us to have lunch and head to the hospital for further monitoring. After I was hooked up to the monitors, they also discovered that I was having contractions. Who knew? Not me!

So we settled in and they opted to give me steroid injections to help the babies lungs develop, and also gave me meds to stop contractions. So far, so good. No more regular contractions and the babies look great.

It looks like I'll be home tomorrow, but will more than likely be on bed rest at home for the duration. So worth it if we can help these babies stay put a few weeks longer. All I can say is thank goodness for a wonderful hubby who has stayed here non-stop, his lap top, my co-workers for bringing me a stash of magazines, sweet nurses, great in-laws that made the 2 hour drive to check on us, cell phones to stay in touch with family and friends, and let's not forget that lovely pill called Ambien to sleep in a hospital room.

iQuestion

In preparation to "pack my bag", one item that will definitely be included is my beloved little iPod. I already have various songs and mixes that range from "new running mix" and "half" (for the Nashville half marathon), to "slow down" (that has Michael Buble and other slow stuff), but I'm looking for suggestions for my hospital music.

While I really think that some of the half marathon tunes may get me through, I feel like I've listened to them over and over and want some new stuff.

Musically speaking, I tend to gravitate back to the familiar, so my list has a bunch of music from the 80's and 90's and aside from hearing new-ish stuff on the radio, I'm a little bit out of touch. Basically, I like a little bit of everything with the exception of most country music. I know, I know. How does a girl from TN not like country?

One song that I may have to include as a joke is Push It by Salt & Pepa. Hee, hee. So, help a girl out and list some favorite tunes or artists and I'll give them a listen, so I don't end up listening to "push it real good" over and over!

Checking in

Since I haven't posted in a while, I didn't want you to think that the babies were here, so I wanted to check in with a little update. Apparently, my co-workers get very nervous if they haven't seen me around the office for few hours and they think that they've missed important news, so I thought my readers might think the same.

We're at 32 weeks and 2 days, and all is well. This week was a milestone week (according to my Dr.) and I'm glad we've made it. The weekly non stress tests have started (I'm hooked up to 2 monitors while lying in a hospital recliner to monitor the heart rates of the babies) as have the weekly appointments. Baby B decided to move, so now Baby A is still head-down, and Baby B is breech/sideways. I'm still shocked that I never felt that distinct move.

Some of what's been going on this week:

• ordering cute seersucker pants from Ann Taylor Loft maternity and reordering them. The first pair didn't quite fit around my belly & I'm hoping that the new ones do.
• Eating yummy pizza from a new local, organic place last night - mine had fried eggplant, mushrooms, garlic, etc. So, so good.
• Trying to stay "horizontal" as much as possible when I'm home. It's harder than it sounds, but I'm just trying to follow Doctor's orders and stay off bed rest.
• Realizing that I have a gardenia plant in our yard and it has bloomed! This makes me so happy. If it cools off later, I'll try to get some pictures. They smell wonderful.

Hubby should play the lottery

I was sitting in our den on Sunday evening, feet propped on a pillow, watching TV when Hubby came in and asked me what I felt about NY in the fall? My first thought was "Has he gone mad? Does he not remember that we'll have 2 infants by the fall and probably won't remember our first names, let alone want to take a visit to NY?" Then it hit me ... he had entered his name into the ING NYC Marathon lottery several months ago, almost as a joke, because really, does anyone ever get picked out of the lottery?

All I asked was "Did you get in?" His grin said it all.

So, now for the next question ... who wants to babysit or come to NYC and help out with 2 3-month olds?!

He's trying to decide now if he would have enough time to train and be ready by November. He can always defer his entry to next year, but what a great opportunity. I'm really torn ... I would love to go and watch him run, but I don't know that I'll be ready to leave 2 little ones by then and I know I won't be ready to carry them around NYC.

Maybe I could do it with one of these?I can only imagine getting around the crowds with this much baby strapped to me. We'll see, but with this luck, I really think Hubby should go buy a lottery ticket to see if we can win the $25,000,000 or whatever it's up to these days!

Feelin' like a rock star

Some of the women from my office had a baby shower for me on Friday afternoon. It was really sweet and we received some very nice gifts and lots of essentials - huge ol' back of diapers, blankets, etc.

One of the gifts made me feel like a celebrity mom-to-be. I received this cool lullaby CD. This company takes modern music and turns it into instrumental music made for kids. I received The Cure, one of my old faves, but they have everything from AC/DC to Bob Marley to Coldplay.

Rock on!

Tick tock, tick tock

Why is it after 3:00 AM and I am wide awake, and have been off and on since 1:00 AM?

Could it be ....

Heartburn? nope, not tonight.

Can't get comfortable and need to rearrange pillows every 5 minutes? no, I actually felt pretty comfortable.

The babies are moving so much that it feels like they may be wrestling? they are moving around quite a bit, but nothing that drastic.

I'm hungry? well, that could always be the case, but I drank some milk and don't feel hungry.

I need to pee? Been there, done that.

Or is it the fact that I feel like my "mind" just won't turn off, plus it could have something to do with the brownie and chocolate sauce that I had for dessert tonight that has me wired from the caffeine in the chocolate? Ding, ding, ding ... we have a winner!

At this point, who the hell really knows? Hubby is snoring soundly, the dogs didn't make a peep when I came downstairs and poured myself a glass of milk and came into the office, I've updated photos on facebook, checked e-mail, watched Elton John on Classic VH1, watched part of an HGTV show, blogged, have debated about trying to read, and most importantly have wondered how the hell am I supposed to get up and go to work in a few hours? I am not a happy camper without sleep.

Ok, thinking about counting sheep and sweet dreams. Heading upstairs to try this again.

P.S. Just for the record, I noticed that the time of this post reads 2:15 AM and I can assure you that it is actually 3:15 AM.

Birth & Baby 101

Well, Hubby and I finally had our "Birth & Baby" class this weekend, AKA, what to do and when, who to call, and how to avoid having social services called to your home.

While I was a little disappointed that the videos weren't circa 1970, there were a few posters showing labor poses with the women dressed in tights and leotards. Hmmm, how does that work?

Three things we did learn ...

1. During Labor, Hubby knows not to stay 2 inches away from my face and ask me how I'm doing. This will result in lots and lots of expletives from me or actual hitting. (One of the guys in the video was up in his wife's face the entire time and it would have driven any normal person insane).

2. There are still "those guys" that have to act like the class clown and ask questions such as "So, is taking the baby on a motorcycle a bad idea" and "So, how bad is alcohol for a baby?" I just really felt sorry for his wife who rolled her eyes at him through 80% of the class.

3. We learned all sorts of terms like "cheerio to a bagel" and what that represents. If you don't know, I'll tell you, but if you think really hard about it you can figure it out. All I can say is bagel=scary and it has nothing to do with breakfast.

Documenting the belly

30 weeks and 1 day, oh my.

Here I am testing out the new duo glider stroller with car seats. I don't know if the word glide should really be anywhere in the description of this stroller, but a neccessity nontheless.

Also, a shot of us at our baby shower from last weekend.

My friends

I'm not sure if anyone else does this, but do you find yourself referring to your "blog friends" as your friends, or at least wanting to do this? 

I recently overheard people in my office talking about Hong Kong, and I had to restrain from saying, "My friend, Libby is moving there in 2 months." or when another co-worker showed off the skirt she made this weekend, I want to tell her about "My friend Lisagh's adorable aprons that she sews."  I guess my fear was that I didn't want to be further questioned and then have to say, "well, I really don't know them - I just read their blogs ..."

I can say that I actually do know about 3 people who are on my list of daily blog reads that are actually friends - I know where they live, know their husbands, could call them up and chat.  However for the rest, I may or may not recognize you if you came up to me and said hello.

I'm afraid if I started talking about my "blog friends", people would immediately turn up their nose and think, does this chick have no life and no "real" friends?  I guess they would liken it to that imaginary friend from elementary school.

However, since I read about everyone's lives, likes and dislikes, the highs and lows, sometimes I feel like I am a part of everyone's lives and feel connected to those people whose blogs I read on a regular basis.  I guess it truly is a social phenomenon that all of us are going through ... so, my question to all of you, do you ever talk about your "blog friends" in public or is this something that you enjoy keeping to yourself?

Living on the wild side

Today, I'm wearing white pants and am eating my breakfast of a PB& raspberry jam on wheat with strawberries.  Now, I know that this doesn't sound like a dangerous feat for most of you, but for me, I can rarely wear white without something finding it's way to my clothing.  The sandwich is done and I will say, I surprised myself without finding jam on my pants. 

Case in point, yesterday, I wore a white faux-wrap top and made it through most of the work day until I discovered the canister of Hershey's extra dark chocolate with pomegranate bits.  Yum.  I took one back to my desk to savor and looked down a few minutes later to find it on my shirt and also on my arm.  Go figure!

By the way, if you love dark chocolate - find this candy.  It is quite yummy.  We had the individual squares in several different flavors. 

Makin' big babies

Yesterday, I had an appointment for an ultrasound, then 2 hours later, I had to go back and see my Doctor. A little nerve-wracking to split up the appointments, but I was out of there in record time. I may need to schedule all of my appointments like this.

Everything is looking great - I'll be 30 weeks on Thursday. How did that happen? Time really seems to have flown.

When our X-ray tech was measuring the babies, I was anticipating 2 1/2 pounds each. That would have given them about a 1 lb. growth spurt since our last appointment, a month ago.

I was shocked when she measured Baby A at 2 pounds and 14 ounces, who ranks in the 50th percentile for weight. Then, came the ringer ... Baby B measured at 3 pounds, 6 ounces, well into the 80th percentile. We were shocked and amazed. Our Doctor was very pleased with the growth of both - typically he sees twins in the 10-20% percentile. Everything looks OK so far with the difference in their weight. They will keep checking it, just to make sure one doesn't grow too rapidly and or take over all of the nutrients!

WOW. Still can't believe I have 6 pounds of baby in there. I think this is always how I felt after a huge mexican dinner!

Fooling myself

I think that my Fresca over ice is just as good as Hubby's Hoegaarden beer with an orange.

Yes-sir-ee-bob, I sure do. And, I'm sure that Fresca will taste just as yummy with a burger and sweet corn here later tonight.

Why does the start of summer remind me of gin & tonics and cold beer? Not nice to do to a 7-month pregnant woman!

Friday Fill In

It's time for a Friday Fill In ...

1. On my laziest day I like to stay in my PJ's, watch movies, nap, read, and eat!
2. Crossing things off a list or being able to move papers off my desk and know that a project has made progress makes me feel like I'm being productive.
3. I love little kisses and big hugs.
4. This summer I want to learn to be a good mom.
5. Preppy Cafe / Suburban Cupcake made me start my blog.
6. Red reminds me of toenail polish, college (one of my alma mater & sorority colors), the Junior League, and inspi(red) and orange reminds me of UT football, jack-o-lanterns, and fall leaves.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to enjoying the first Friday that we have summer hours at work, tomorrow my plans include a baby shower and seeing friends and family and Sunday, I want to get outdoors for a bit and hopefully do a little organizing around the house, namely one of our spare bedrooms!

Learning to say thank you at a very early age

Aren't these the cutest thank you notes from KT Originals?

I wanted to find cards for our upcoming shower other than my regular thank you notes, but gender-neutral and not too cheesy. I'm sorry, but too many storks, ducks, and bows make me cringe. They also have matching birth announcements as well ... decisions, decisions.

The sweetest sound

I walked in a few minutes ago after working all day, then attending the Annual Meeting for the Junior League to hear the vacuum running. How nice is that? Hubby was vacuuming the house and I didn't have to ask.

I know I don't sing his praises enough, but he's a good, good man.

Maternity slips?

Anyone know if they exist? I hate slips almost as much as I hate pantyhose, but everyone once in a while, I really feel they're a necessity.

I ordered a dress online - it's really cute, but made out of a thin cotton that is a little too sheer for my liking. Or for anyone else's for that matter. I'm trying to wear the dress to a shower next weekend, and would really prefer not to look trashy while balancing my punch on top of my belly!

NKOTB

NKOTB Reunion = I'm OLD.

While getting ready this morning, I heard on the Today Show that NKOTB is playing a concert this morning and it's been something like 13 years since they've performed together. (That may not be 100% accurate - I'm not in the same room when I'm listening).

I do remember in High School, most girls loved this band and had a crush on one of the members. It seems that if you "liked" one of the guys, then your friends had to pick another member to "like."

Lucky for me, I was not into NKOTB at all, so I didn't have to fight over a band member. In those days, I was happiest listening to the Cure and New Order and trying to get Billy F. to notice me. He wore lots of black, and when he wasn't riding a skateboard, drove a black VW convertible bug. Ah, the good ol days.

The "dreaded" orange drink

Is it bad that I didn't mind the glucose tolerance test drink today? It tasted like a Sunkist or other orange-flavored beverage, plus they served it over little pellet ice, so I was fine with it. Don't know my results yet, so I have abstained from the bag of Starburst jellybeans in the cupboard, just in case.

Now, I start having appointments every week and have also started rotating Doctors. I know this is normal, but I really like my Doctor and am not looking forward to seeing someone new every week. Especially when they ask you questions like, "So are you feeling a lot of good movement from the baby? I mean babies?" Just a little thing, but I'm sure TWINS is scrawled in bold somewhere on my chart. Details, details ...

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms - of children, doggies, kitties, and otherwise!

Isn't it amazing that Baby A, Baby B, Zeus & Zoe were able to pick out flowers and cards all on their own? I think my sweet Hubby may have had just a little to do with it!

What's up with this rating thing?

Did this rating thing pop up on anyone else's blog? And how do you remove it? The last thing I need is a rating system - I would be all 1's and 2's for sure!

Tennis ball = pregnant woman's best friend

In my prenatal yoga classes, we always take a tennis ball & rapidly roll our bare foot back and forth on it. It is heaven. I think this would be good for anyone - pregnant or not, after a long day of walking or on their feet. You can also get a good stretch by placing one heel on the tennis ball and pushing down with your weight. Then, alternate your feet. We also use this time to stretch your arms overhead and lean them to the left, then right.

I had been doing this at home on occasion, until I noticed that Zeus & Zoe kept taking the tennis balls as their own toys (because obviously they don't have enough toys of their own). Just doesn't have the same effect when covered in dog slobber. I may just need to stick to this exercise at yoga from now on.

5 Things

I decided to take part ...

5 Things I Can't Live Without Under $10:
1. Hot tamales candy
2. J.R. Watkins Apothecary Lemon hand cream - it smells exactly like the lemon cream girl scout cookies.
3. iTunes downloads
4. Uni-ball roller ball pens
5. Even though I technically don't buy these anymore, I have to put Martha Stewart Weddings magazine on my list. Love these.

5 Favorite Movies:
1. Sixteen Candles
2. Pretty in Pink
3. Say Anything
4. A River Runs Through It
5. Little Miss Sunshine

5 Baby Girl Names That I Love:
1. Lucy
2. Elizabeth and call her Libby
3. Madeline
4. Zane
5. Caroline

5 Baby Boy Names That I Love:
1. Zane
2. Jack
3. Holden
4. Finn
5. Parker

5 Songs You Could Listen to Over and Over:
1. Best of You - Foo Fighters
2. Bittersweet - Big Head Todd
3. Dani California - Red Hot Chili Peppers
4. Canon in D - Pachelbel
5. Fall on Me - R.E.M.

5 Things That Stay In My Purse At All Times:

1. Burts Bees lip balm
2. Cell phone
3. Debit card
4. Mirror
5. Pen

5 Obsessions I Have Right Now:
1. R.E.M.'s new album
2. Stephen Bonanno sandals - my 1st pair are on order!
3. Baby anything and everything
4. Finding something good to drink other than water that is healthy
5. Feeling little baby kicks and trying to figure out what they're doing in there.

5 Places I'd Love to Go:
1. Italy
2. Anguilla
3. Greece
4. St. John
5. Back out west- Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, etc.

Cookie candy recipe

I promise this is so easy and addictive. I make this for pretty much any party that we attend and there are only crumbs left. I believe the real name is called Cookie Candy, but we typically call it "crack rock"

You will need:

1 sleeve of saltine crackers
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips (you can substitute dark chocolate or whatever you like)
12 oz. Skor bits, toffee chips, or butterscotch chips (I've tried peanut butter- not the same consistency, but still pretty good)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Directions:
Line a baking pan with foil.
Place one layer of saltine crackers in pan.
In a saucepan, mix butter and sugar over medium heat until combined.
Boil for 2 minutes, then pour mixture over crackers.
Bake for 6-7 minutes at 400 degrees.
Remove pan and sprinkle chocolate chips & Skor bits over crackers.
Set for minutes and spread to blend.
Refrigerate for 2 hours and break into pieces.

Time for a Friday Fill In

Thanks to Friday Fill In for today's blog fodder ...

1. Two of my favorite ingredients in a drink are the little pellet ice and Bombay Sapphire Gin!
2. My friend Stephanie often amazes me.
3. You can keep doing that forever, the dog is enjoying a good back scratch, right near the hind legs.
4. Saltine crackers, butter, sugar, chocolate chips and toffee chips, mix it all together and voila! You have the best cookie candy on earth.
5. If I had a yard with a garden, I would love to grow big pink peonies and gardenias. Maybe next year!
6. Makeup for the gym is best au naturel. Really. Why do you put on lipgloss if you're gonna go sweat?
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to stopping by a book sale after work
tomorrow my plans include visiting with the in-laws and Sunday, I want to eat movie popcorn while watching Baby Mama!