1 year check up

We go tomorrow for Maddy & Libby's one year (12 month) check up. By the way, do I really have to start telling their ages as thirteen months, sixteen months, etc. or can I just say one year? It just seems confusing to me. I don't tell people that I'm 436 months old. (!)

Anyway, we had taken this picture of my Dad last July after both girls were home from the NICU. My family have always been huge St. Louis Cardinals fans and my sister-in-law sent them these onesies. They were a 0-3 month and they were huge. I think we had taped them in the back to get a better picture.
My Dad wanted to take another photo this summer and even packed up his same STL hat and shirt. It was definitely a big difference this year. Don't you think?
It's easy to get a little anxious about their appointments ... people are always asking about their milestones. "Are they walking yet?" "Are they talking?" "My Pediatrician told me that our daughter should say three words by her 1st birthday." "What do they weigh?"

Needless to say, I can easily get a little overwhelmed by all the other questions, plus all the ones that I'm thinking about ... "Why do they scream like I'm poisoning them when I offer milk in a sippy cup?" "Should I be concerned about their teeth since their top teeth came in the wrong order?"

Part of me doesn't care about the milestones, because after all they are only a range. I do know that they are healthy, happy, determined, and sometimes shy, silly, giggly, daring, curious, great eaters and sleepers, excited when they see Daddy, and to me are the cutest & sweetest girls around. Of course, I can't help but worry a little, because I want to do everything possible for them and I want them to meet or exceed any "test" no matter how big or small. So, here's to hoping for a good report tomorrow and a reality check for me that my little babies are indeed growing up.

** Edited to add ... I have to say that after a combined eight shots, two finger pricks, and minimal poking and prodding, both girls did very well. I have also decided that my scales are about 2 pounds heavy, so I will immediately start changing MY weight whenever I give it out. Ha. Because I freely announce my weight all the time. Anyway ...

Libby checked in at 21 lbs, 5.5 oz and 29 3/4 inches tall. She is in the 50th percentile for weight, and 60th for height.

Maddy almost hit the 19 pound mark, coming in at 18 lbs, 15.5 oz and 28 3/4 inches tall. She's in the top of the 10th percentile for weight and 25th for height.

Both got a great report and scored well on their developmental questionnaire that we filled out. Do other people do these? A list of about 25 question that go over gross motor skills, fine motor skills, problem solving, verbal communication, etc.

They've both continued to grow at a steady rate over the year, which is good. I think I have also been in denial about how close they are to walking when Libby nearly took an unassisted step while standing on the table in the office. Oh, I don't think there are enough baby gates at Babies R Us to help us out when I have two walking.

Our Pediatrician also noted how M&L seem to be mirror-image twins ... something that we had noticed as well. It'll be interesting to see if that continues.

My inner interior designer

I don't claim to be an interior designer or anywhere close to it. I wish I had that knack, but I don't. We still have unhung pictures, rooms that aren't quite "finished", and an office that we kind of scratch our heads and try to figure out how not to keep making it into a storage space. I guess one big reason is that things aren't done are because we have two one-year olds running around and I also think that I'm picky and it takes me forever to make a decision about big ticket items like furniture.

Maddy, Libby, and I went on an outing yesterday (it was to buy frames so I can finish up one project), and I decided to hop into a nearby furniture store to look around. We are in need to more seating in our family room and they had a great overstuffed chair and ottoman for a good deal.

I started doing a little research on some different furniture store websites and I found this one that had this awesome room planner. You can plug in the dimensions of your room, add furniture, add features like windows, doors, etc. I was able to lay down rugs, coffee tables, overstuffed chairs and the best part is ... you can even put little people and dogs in the room! By the time I was finished playing around with what furniture I think we need, adding two dogs, two babies, and two adults ... I had managed to make one crowded room!

Check it out ... it really did help to get a feel for room layout.

New York City Marathon

Hubby started his official marathon training last night for the ING NYC Marathon. Whoo-hoo! You may remember that he got in last year, but decided to defer since we knew we'd have two tiny babies to contend with. So, this is the year.

I'm excited for him to do such a major accomplishment (his first marathon), but also to do so at such a historic race in a great city.

So, NYC area bloggers, anyone want to show a NC girl around your fair city? I have no travel details yet, but I would love to see if anyone is available to meet up for coffee, lunch, drinks, dinner ...whatever.

The marathon is Nov. 1, so we'll be in town a day or two before and hopefully a day or two after the race. My parents are going to pack up pumpkins (literally) and celebrate Halloween at our house and watch the girls for us.

If you're interested, please leave me a comment or send me an email (it's under my profile) and we can make plans. If you have information about the race, where to stay, where to eat, where to avoid, that would be helpful too and much appreciated.

Where I'm from

We would call this kind of contraption "beer butt chicken" and there would likely be a can of Bud Light holding up the chicken.  And while I love kitchen gadgets more than I really should, I don't think I'm shelling out $30 for this anytime soon.

However, if you want to buy me a present, I would gladly accept any of the following.

Avocado pitter and slicer.  

The Meyer Lemon hand soap.

Botanical Hand towels, to go along with my lemon soap.

Silly me

We had been waiting to turn around Maddy and Libby's car seats until they were one year old. They had both hit the 20 pound mark already, but I would rather err on the side of safety. Well, one year came and went and we just hadn't gotten around to it. Then after a couple of short trips (15 minutes) and finding them with soaking wet hair because they just weren't getting any A/C finally prompted us to do the big flip.

Hubby went out yesterday to work on them and came back inside looking at the direction manual. He casually mentioned that there were no instructions to turn them around, so we went online. While the car seats that we have are good up to 35 pounds, they are rear facing only. I have no idea how we missed this when we picked them out, but I was ticked that we made that error.

We have been planning to buy one of the Britax models for their next ride, but I guess we'll be doing it a little sooner than expected! Nearly every Mom I have ever met has a Britax, and I did some research today and am leaning toward the Boulevard or Boulevard CS. I'm wondering if any of you have the CS model and if the special "clicking" sound when the straps are tight is really that beneficial. It seems to be the only real difference in the two.

I'm also wishing that there were a few more patterns to choose from. Call me picky, but it's either boring beige or "I'M ALL GIRL" pink. I have a feeling we'll be shouting "I'M ALL GIRL" from the back seat!

My house

I saw this at The Plan and thought it would be fun ... I actually don't think I've done this meme before.

1. What kind of SOAP is in your bathtub right now? Dove body wash and Philosophy Amazing Grace body wash.

2. Do you have any watermelon in your refrigerator? No 

3. What would you change about your living room? I have a plan for that!  Read about it here.

4. Are the dishes in your dishwasher clean or dirty? Dirty, but I just emptied it so I think there's only a plate and knife.

5. What is in your fridge? Mike - whole and skim, chicken enchilada casserole, black eyed peas, blueberries, raspberries, Skinny Dip beer, cheese, Gatorade, granny smith apples, champagne, Stonyfield yogurt, tilapia, and a leftover piece of BBQ Chicken pizza.

6. White or wheat bread? Wheat

7. What is on top of your refrigerator? My Eiffel tower clock and a lasagna recipe.  Don't ask.

8. What color or design is on your shower curtain? No shower curtain ... we have doors.

9. How many plants are in your home? 2, plus some hydrangeas that came out of my yard.

10. Is your bed made right now? Yes.

11. Comet or Soft Scrub? The new eco-friendly scrubbing bubbles.

12. Is your closet organized? Describe "organized."

13. Can you describe your flashlight? One is huge and black, the other is tan and plugs into the wall.

14. Do you drink out of glass or plastic most of the time at home? Glass.

15. Do you have iced tea made in a pitcher right now? No. 

16. If you have a garage, is it cluttered? n/a

17. Curtains or blinds? Wooden blinds on most windows, with valances in two rooms.

18. How many pillows do you sleep with? Two.

19. Do you sleep with any lights on at night? No.

20. How often do you vacuum? I try to vacuum about every other day.  I probably need to vacuum every day, but it rarely happens.

21. Standard toothbrush or electric? Electric.

22. What color is your toothbrush? White.

23. Do you have a welcome mat on your front porch? Yes.

24. What is in your oven right now? Nothing except for something burnt on the bottom that should be cleaned.

25. Is there anything under your bed? An overnight bag of Hubby's and miraculously, I think that is it.

26. Chore you hate doing the most? Scrubbing toilets.

27. What retro items are in your home? Our whole house?  Well, part of it was built in 1939 so we have some neat character - arches, phone cubby, total vintage (50's) bathroom decor in the downstairs bath, some of our furniture is antique.

28. Do you have a separate room that you use as an office? Yes ... it is currently trashed with several strollers, but it's so nice to have.   

29. How many mirrors are in your home? Five.

30. Do you have any hidden emergency money around your home? Not emergency money, but Hubby's Holiday Savings plan.  (Don't come rob us - it's not that much!)

31. What color are your walls? Taupe, rust, light greenish-blue, white, peach-y (previous owners, but it's the laundry room so it's grown on me.)

32. Do you keep any kind of protection weapons in your home? Two black labs.

33. What does your home smell like right now? Faintly of onions and garlic from 2 casseroles I made earlier today.

34. Favorite candle scent?  One that I bought in Paris, but I don't remember what the scent was anymore.  It was the perfect blend of clean and sweet, without being overpowering.

35. What kind of pickles (if any) are in your refrigerator right now? Dill.  Claussen ... the other brands are crap.

36. What color is your favorite Bible? Maroon.

37. Ever been on your roof? No.

38. Do you own a stereo? Yes.

39. How many TVs do you have? Three.

40. How many house phones? Four

41. Do you have a housekeeper? Yes and it's the best money that I spend every other week.

42. What style do you decorate in? One-year-old twins with a touch of two Labrador retrievers.

43. Do you like solid colors in furniture or prints? I really like both, but mainly have solids in my house.  I'm itching for some good floral chairs.

44. Is there a smoke detector in your home? Yes and carbon monoxide detectors, too.

45. In case of fire, what are the items in your house which you'd grab if you only could make one quick trip? Babies, pictures, dogs (as if I could carry anything else ... can I open the kennel doors and yell "run?")  This scenario makes me realize I need to make an emergency binder to grab with the important documents.  

Mmmmmmm

I think I really want this book for my cookbook shelf. If for no other reason because the cover rocks and it would make me smile whenever I saw it.

Oh, and I'm sure there are some mighty fine recipes.

Monkeys

All in the span of 30 minutes, my friend sent me a link to two dresses on eBay and then ...


Maddy and Libby decided that it would be fun to stand at our faux tree and shake it, shake it, shake it.


Somehow get their little hands into the gas fireplace and retrieve the small rocks and try to eat them.


Libby took a tumble down two carpeted steps. It didn't hurt her, but it did give her a little scare.


Hmmm, I wonder if these dresses are a coincidence? I think not!

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What's going on

Around these parts, it's been a lot of ...

• skinny dipping and al fresco bathing (for Maddy and Libby). So much easier when you can bathe two babies outside in their pool and there's minimal clean up.
• running (for me) I ran in a 10K race today, hill repeat workout on Wednesday, and two other early morning runs this week.
• yard sale (my parents) They hosted one today at our house while I was out running the 10K. We did get rid of a lot of shiot. Thank goodness and I may be able to walk in my basement once again.
• birthdays. Maddy and Libby's was last week and my MIL's was earlier this week with her party tomorrow.
• eatin'. (Maddy and Libby). They have been loving fresh fruits and veggies. They seriously shovel it in with two hands. I can barely put it on their high-chair tray before they are gone. Tomatoes, strawberries, peaches, apricots, plums, avocado ... you name it. Is it bad that I mentioned to my neighbor turned gardener how much they love tomatoes? Now to hit up my other neighbor who's chickens finally laid eggs. Now if I can just find a cow to milk in our neighborhood and I'll be all set!

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Pedicure-less

I'm 6 weeks into my Labor Day half-marathon training plan and I'm already down one toenail. I think it's probably from the half-marathon I ran back in May, but it fell off yesterday leaving me with a very funny looking pedicure.

It feels really good to be back into running on a regular basis. I typically run with a group of girls at 5:45 AM two days a week, and then I do a long run with the entire group on the weekends.

Our 5:45 AM group has been dubbed "the crazy girls" and it's very fitting. I think nearly all of us are married, kids, working, but all dedicated to running and motivating one another. It's nice to have the time to chat with the other girls about the important things (like 1st birthday party planning, in-laws, future runs) and the not-so-important things (local running gossip, Target sales on C9 running gear, and what's for dinner). Plus, it is huge for me to be held accountable and know that I better get my ass out of bed and make it there.

For once, I may actually keep on running after I finish my next event!

Upstaging

I wish I could have witnessed this little moment tonight, but I was out running hills with my Janes running group.

My parents are still visiting so they fed the girls dinner tonight since I had a hair appointment at 4:45 and then I was going to meet the girls to run at 6.

So, Grans had prepared a yummy dinner of steamed veggies (fresh green beans, squash, new potatoes), tomato, and fresh peaches. I'm not sure if they had a meat or not.

Maddy had started "blowing raspberries" earlier today and since Libby has been able to do this and "give kisses" on command for quite a while, Mom was practicing with her while they drank their bottles. From what I was told it went something like this ...

Grans: "Maddy, give me a raspberry."
Maddy: silence, drinking bottle and not stopping.
Libby: Pops bottle out of mouth, gives a kiss, and pops bottle back in.

Libby did this 3 times ... I guess making sure that no one was left out of a kiss and that she wasn't upstaged by her sister! Who knew that sibling rivalry started so soon?!

Dinner

My dinner tonight was four sugar cookies that my Mom made.

I must get my eating habits or lack thereof back on track.

By the way, it was one of the new Martha recipes and they were really good. She didn't do the spoon shape, but still really yummy.

Like so good I really want to go back and get another. Damn.

Happy 1st Birthday!

We enjoyed a very special 1st birthday party for two very special girls. I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend my Saturday afternoon. Here are a few photos of the day and probably out of order, but I'm too tired to try to fight blogger to rearrange.

Getting ready to sing Happy Birthday to Libby

Hubby and I helping Maddy blow out her candle!

Maddy getting sticky, sticky, sticky.   She figured out that cake icing also makes good hair product.  I do think that the 3 inch cake pan makes a perfect 1st birthday cake!

I had to show my polka dot cupcake holders that matched the invitations.  And, Maddy and Libby wore their polka dot pants.  Oh, and my skirt had some polka dots.  Oh, and so did the dessert plates.  Stop the insanity!

Maddy enjoying the cake!

Libby wasn't quite as sure at first.

The next day

It was now Saturday and I had an OK night. Some sleep, but I still felt like I was awake every hour, but luckily the racehorse feelings seemed to be gone. A few sporadic contractions, but none close together. I had to take my medication every four hours, so I had finally gotten some better sleep late in the morning and just slept in as long as I could.

I came downstairs and had a little to eat. The bad thing was by this point in my pregnancy, I was always hungry, but I seemed to "fill up" so quickly so it was a bummer when you feel like you can eat as much as you want, but then aren't able!

I had played on the computer for a bit, watched some TV, and talked to a few friends on the phone. Hubby was around to make sure that I had water, the remote, etc. My parents were on a vacation at a NC lake with a lot of my family (I was told NO by my OB about going on that trip), so we had spoken with them briefly. They were planning to drive to see us on Sunday.

Later that afternoon, our friend Chris stopped by to see Hubby and me. After joking with him that it was safe for him to sit on the sofa with me, we all chatted for a while then he and Hubby went out in the yard to inspect the yard or talk about man things or whatever it is that men do.

I was hooked on the Food Network by then and was watching a marathon of Bobby Flay's Throwdown show. This episode in particular. I had already decided that eggplant Parmesan sounded wonderful and that I was going to ask Hubby if he would go to Positano, our favorite Italian restaurant to pick up some takeout for dinner.

As I was contemplating my dinner, I felt a little bit of fluid leaking. Not really a gush, but more than a trickle. I got up to go to the bathroom and thought maybe I had just lost control of my bladder. Isn't that what pregnant women are supposed to do? I went to the bathroom and realized that I had no control of what was coming out. Uh-oh! I was trying to remember the COAT acronym for what to do when your water breaks.

It seemed to stop, so I had to go upstairs to get cleaned up. I came back down to look for Hubby. He and Chris were no where to be found. Another Uh-oh! I called the nurse and she told me that we should make our way to the hospital. I remember "talking" to Zoe, one of our dogs about "what the heck should I do?" I picked up the phone to call Hubby only to spot his cell phone lying on the coffee table. Uh-oh again!

I went back to the front door and saw Hubby and Chris. Whew. I guess judging from the look on my face, they knew something was up. We had been joking with Chris about being our "coach" in the delivery room since there would be two babies and we had actually been told that we may want to have a 2nd person in the room with us. Chris asked if he could do anything, but we quickly told him no and that we would call him soon.

Hubby and I got upstairs and he helped to calm me down a bit. I threw a few things back into my bag that really wasn't unpacked from our trip earlier this week. Hubby asked if he could shower, I said yes as long as it was quick, we called another friend to check on the dogs for us, and off we went to the hospital.

We were quickly admitted ... it was eerily quiet. I think we were the only people in the waiting room and there really didn't seem to be anyone else in the admitting area. I think I even asked about it, because it was so quiet. We were told that most Doctors didn't schedule c-sections or inductions on Saturday evenings, but what about all of those other women out there having babies?

I met yet another Doctor from my practice who was on call that evening. Dr. G was extremely personable and I liked her immediately. It was determined that my water had broken, that Baby B was still breech, and that since I was now 33 weeks and 2 days, had received two of the steroid injections, it was safer to go ahead and deliver the babies. I was given the option to try for a regular delivery since Baby A was head down, but strongly advised that I may end up with a C-section for Baby B. Since I didn't want to risk pain and suffering to all parts of my body, I opted for the C-section ... plus, it just seemed to be safer to get the babies out.

We still thought we had quite a while to wait, but Dr. G told us that everything would be happening in about an hour. She had one other patient in active labor, but we would have our C-section before or after her delivery. We frantically made a few phone calls to our parents and told them the news. I think we could hear car doors slamming and tires peeling out as soon as we hung up the phones.

The rest happened so fast, it's a bit of a blur. I was about 4 cm dilated by this point and having some pretty big contractions. I'm glad I was able to experience a little bit of labor, just to understand what it was like. I was disappointed that my birth experience was nothing like what I had hoped for, but I was just worried about the safety of our babies and wanted what was best for them.

We had a ton of people in the room with us - our Neonatologist, Dr. R, our OB, Dr. G, a slew of nurses, my wonderful Anesthesiologist who took tons of photos, told me about his twin boys, and was just a true pleasure, plus other staff - respiratory therapists, etc. All pretty much standard for any twin birth.

At 9:48 PM, we were told that we had a baby girl who was extremely pink, very small, and had a good set of lungs! At 9:50 PM, we were told that we had a breech girl. She was slightly bigger, very pink, and took her a little while to cry. Baby A was 3 pounds, 2 ounces and 15 3/4 inches long. Baby B was 4 pounds, 9 ounces and 17 3/4 inches long. Two girls?! We couldn't believe it. I think Hubby muttered something about two weddings so he better start saving money.

Both girls were taken to the NICU and Hubby stayed on the heels of Dr. R like he was told. I went to recovery and laid there in amazement of what had just happened. My head was just swimming trying to take everything in. They told me to rest, but I had this crazy surge of excitement. I didn't feel tired and I just wanted to see my girls.

I was finally wheeled upstairs to the 3rd floor and got to hold my first born baby for the first time. Baby A opened her eyes and I could have stayed with her on my chest all night. Warm, sweet, tiny ... with dark hair and long fingers. We hadn't decided on names, so she was still Baby A when this picture was taken.

We couldn't hold Baby B because she had been hooked up to a C-PAP to help with her airflow. She seemed so much bigger and equally sweet and soft. It was so hard not to be able to hold her close. She had the cutest little toes and feet that I just wanted to grab.

Hubby and I were instantly in love. They have by far been the best thing that has happened to me and I love them more than I could have ever imagined. It is still amazing to me that a year ago they had just arrived into our lives and now we are preparing to celebrate their 1st birthday.

So by now ...

It was Friday and I've been on bed rest only since Tuesday, but at home since Thursday afternoon. I was determined that I could still work from home (and had a Doctor's note to prove it), but when I called to talk to my company I was told that my FMLA was started on Wednesday.

I found this totally unfair since I had no say in the matter whatsoever and honestly, I was apprehensive about having to start my twelve weeks of FMLA. All I could think about was what if my babies aren't born for four more, six more, seven more weeks and I have to go back to work in such a short amount of time after they are here? When I posed my questions, there was no clear answer, so I just had to believe that everything would somehow work out.

I had a nice talk with the 2nd in command at my (former) company and I quickly realized that nothing I did or said was going to change anything. I may or may have not said "f*** it" after I got off the phone and laid back down on the sofa to watch some rerun on Bravo.

On Friday night, I was sore from staying in one position, so Hubby brought home a heating pad which really did offer some relief. I also took a bath because the thought of standing in a shower was a little overwhelming. My belly felt so heavy and it's easy to imagine that a teeny little baby could just slip outta there.

I started having some pretty regular contractions for a while on Friday evening. I called the nurse and I monitored them like she suggested, but they subsided before they got too regular. I had also been switched to a new medicine to stop the contractions that hopefully would help me from feeling like a racehorse.

I was hoping for some sleep that night and also asked Hubby to sleep in the bed. I realize that this sounds strange, but I had become so uncomfortable sleeping in the past few weeks, I knew that I wasn't a fun bed partner. I also had to get up to got to the bathroom several times a night, plus I was sleeping with two pillows under my head, and two to three under legs, propping up the belly, etc. so there wasn't really any room for him. I personally think he was more comfortable by himself anyway!

So I was off to bed with prayers for safe babies to stay put!

And the next several days

Were spent on bedrest in the hospital. I was on monitors 24/7 so I was able to see the heartbeats of Baby A and Baby B ... we didn't know the genders back then, nor had we decided on names.

The monitors also showed contractions which sometimes I could feel and other times not at all. I was lucky to have several visitors (friends from work, and my in-laws) who kept me in magazines and books.

Hubby stayed with me at the hospital, including sleeping on an awful fold out couch. If any of your significant others out there have to do this, have them request an extra egg crate pad ... according to Hubby it made a world of difference. Luckily, I had a laptop and wireless, so I think the majority of my time was spent online, napping on my left side, and eating. Every time I turned around, I was getting a meal or a snack. It's hospital food, but I found out that the sugar cookies were pretty darn good.

I received the second steroid injection for lung development, more meds to keep my contractions at bay, and I also had an IV of fluids to keep me hydrated. Another word of caution, that IV of fluids will make you gain about 7 pounds in three days and you'll go home feeling and looking similar to a beached whale.

I also found out that one of my yoga buddies who was about 28 weeks pregnant with twin boys had been admitted. Since we really couldn't get up and about, we commiserated with each other on the phone.

I was released on Thursday to spend the rest of my pregnancy on bed rest at home, taking Terbulatine to stop contractions. They upped my dose since I would no longer be on monitors and it made me feel like I was on speed. Not that I could get much sleep anyway, but with having to get up to go to the bathroom every hour and feeling my heart race wasn't a very relaxing few days.

So the next few days, I spent a lot of time with Zeus and Zoe, lying on my left side trying to enjoy daytime TV.

A break in our scheduled programming

I had to take a break in my reminiscing about last year to share a funny story from earlier today.

It was time for the girls to go down for a nap, so my Mom and I decided that it would be a good time to go out and do a little grocery and "girly" shopping, aka looking around Target, AC Moore, etc.

Mom changed Libby while I changed Maddy. Then I read them a story, pulled the blinds and tucked them in for their afternoon naps. My Dad was left in charge which basically meant he could watch ESPN and listen out for them to wake up.

When Mom and I got back home, the girls were playing in the family room and my Dad was hanging out supervising.

I went over to give them a kiss and I patted Libby on the bottom and noticed that I didn't feel her diaper. I thought maybe it had slipped down, but upon further inspection, she was bare-assed in her little outfit. And of course the outfit was slightly damp.

I asked Mom if she had remembered to put a diaper on her & she said yes, but knew that she hadn't snapped up her outfit the entire way because she said she was in a rush to get out for some shopping! So, I went to look in the crib and sure enough, there was one dry diaper. We don't know if Mom just didn't get it on tight enough and it fell off or if Libby just pulled it off or what.

I just had to laugh that Dad didn't notice and I'm so glad that the outfit was only damp and there wasn't a trail of something else left to find!

It's hard to believe ...

One year ago, I was 32 weeks pregnant and on my way to a Non Stress Test (NST) at the hospital, followed up by a weekly appointment at my OB's office.  

The appointments were first thing in the morning, so Hubby and I drove separately so we could go to work after they were finished.  Hubby was great - he went to the majority of the appointments, especially ones where we were going to have an ultrasound.

The NST went well - they could see both babies and the heartbeats were good and strong.  Baby B was still breech.  After that, we headed over to my OB appointment.

I was excited to have made it to the 32, almost 33 week mark and I was excited to go to my prenatal yoga class that night.  I had a meeting at work, so I was a bit anxious to finish up and head to my office so I could be there in time for the meeting.

I had just started my weekly appointments the week prior, and I was also rotating with different doctors.  We had a new one for us & she was extremely nice.  Dr. A asked me if I had a pelvic exam last week and I said, "Yes.  Everything's fine."  You kind of want to say, "Yep, still closed up tight ... just like a vault." but it's just not appropriate.  Anyway, she examined me and determined that I was 2cm dilated.  Whaaat?  She told us she was going to go look at my chart or some nonsense.  I'm sure my chart was lying on the table in the room and this is when she calls over to the hospital and tell them that she's admitting someone.

So, she comes back in the exam room and her face says it all ... we're heading to the hospital. She told us to go home, pack a bag, grab some lunch, and head over.  I swung by work to tell them what was going on and we went home, called someone to check on the dogs, packed a bag, and nervously ate lunch, and headed to the hospital.

The whole time, you're just kind of wondering what's going to happen ... will I be on bed rest for the duration?  Am I going into labor?  Is everything OK?

I settled in, got hooked up to monitors to monitor the babies and me, started meds to stop contractions (yep, those Braxton Hicks were the real-deal), and received a steroid injection to help lung development.

Looking back, I really thought that I would just be on bed rest for the duration of my pregnancy.  Little did I know that two little babies had other plans for me.

I'm here

The past few days have been full of ...

the Grandparents arriving one day early
two days of yard work
three wasp stings
four glasses of wine (oh, my head - two were small, but still - ouch!)
five early 1st birthday pressies for Maddy & Libby
six big ol' bags of "yard waste" at the curb this morning - weeds, trimmings, etc.
and seven miles of running!

and now we are hopefully moving onto party prep mode. Cupcakes and lemonade are a lot more fun than pulling weeds!

On my mind

Nothing life changing going on up there today, but just thinking about the following ...

1. Anyone know where to get inexpensive helium balloons? Party City or are they a rip-off? I'm a little specific on my colors so they can coordinate for the birthday celebration, so I guess more specifically, pink & green helium filled balloons?

2. We're expecting around 35'ish people for the birthday. (I know, I know ... but most are family, so we can't do any guest list cutting). How many cupcakes do I need? 50? We'll have ice cream too, but I'm wondering if most people will eat more than one. I know I sometimes would, but that may just be me and my love of baked goods.

3. Did I tell you about the Lilly skirt I found at a consignment shop? Everything was 15% off that day, so I walked away with a very gently used skirt for under $30. I haven't shopped for myself much lately, so it's nice to have something that didn't come from Old Navy and didn't cost $150.

4. I've found a classic alternative music station on cable that I have really enjoyed listening to while I work. No videos, but just the songs. Every day, I can usually listen to some Janes Addiction, The Smiths, New Order, The The, The Pixies, etc. So good.

5. I'm really wondering why Libby is protesting diaper changes lately. It's gotten really bad ... crying, rolling over and crawling away, and fighting me like nobody's business. I've tried toys, giving her something to hold, talking/signing/etc, but it just seems like it is one big battle. Make that several big battles, because this happens several times a day. It really makes me want to say "Alrighty then. We'll just leave that big ol' poopy diaper on you and see how that feels."

A year ago

As we are nearing the corner to ONE very quickly, I have become a little sappy thinking about the past year and how quickly it has gone. At this time last year, I was still working full-time and was getting ready to start my weekly OB/GYN exams and weekly non stress tests. I had just had two baby showers and I found this picture from one of them. We were no where near ready - i.e. hospital bag packed, supplies bought, etc because we really thought that we had much longer.

I think this must be one of the last pictures that was made of me before the girls arrived.

Very Large. And not in charge. I'm still not in charge ... when does that happen?

But the cake at the shower was wonderful. Raspberry lady from my favorite bakery - white cake with raspberry preserves and cream cheese frosting.

Rubber ducky, you're the one

These little guys live in my downstairs bathroom cabinet. I stayed at the Peabody Hotel several years ago and we found out that they gave away these adorable, tiny ducks to guests with children. A co-worker of mine and I marched straight up to the reception desk and asked for little duckies for our children. Did I have any children at the time? Noooooo. Lucky for me, I asked for two.

Blue

So I guess you could say I'm on a blue kick. Maybe it comes from my Piscean nature and I've always found shades of blue and green so soothing and calming.

To back up a few steps and make it all make sense, here is what I think happened.

1. I volunteered for and attended a Designer Showhouse and one of the rooms (the bar), had about 30 small prints all framed and hung together. I loved the look of it and wanted to find something to do in our home.

2. I hunted on eBay for some kind of vintage print to catch my eye and remember, I posted about the eggs? I ended up not bidding on those and then ...

3. Jillian contacted me and she found some great eggs by Morris for me. These were by the same designer as the ones on eBay. She had a few of her own in her house. Once I saw the pictures, I knew they were the exact thing I wanted. She was wonderful to work with and she coordinated matting and had them shipped right to my door. Jill, your check is in the mail!

4. Now I have these lovely eggs prints and mats, so I need to get frames, but I also need to paint the entry way leading into our living room so all of this will coordinate. Hubby is probably reading this saying "I need to paint?! More like Hubby needs to paint." Anyway, remember the post about paint colors, etc? I've also realized that I also need new throw pillows to coordinate with all of this new blueness.

5. I'm planning to hang the eggs on the blank wall over this sofa. This sofa was my Mom's sister and I had it upholstered a few years ago. It's an Ethan Allen and I love the tuxedo style of it. From the age of it and how well it has worn, I'm amazed it has lasted this long.

6. So now that this living room will be getting all coordinated, I also need to decorate the mantle. Why is this so hard? I love my mercury glass candle holders (missing candles), but I have no idea what to do with the rest. A mirror over the mantle? Pictures? A collection of pacifiers? The dog bone since Maddy is obsessed with it and won't leave it alone?

7. Blue hydrangeas. I'm loving them this year. My white ones are also in bloom and I noticed that one bush has a few that are a shade of pink. So pretty and I wish I could enjoy them all year round.

Daredevil and the Biter

Maddy has received her new nickname of "Daredevil" after a tumble down a stair, forward roll over Hubby's back, and several "look ma, no hands" moments of standing unassisted. She always has been more of the look before you leap baby, and it's holding true. It may scare me to no end as she loves to go down the steps facing forward, but at least she does so on her belly.

Fangs, AKA Libby has turned into a little biter today. She actually left a tooth mark on Maddy's forehead (ouch!), bit my finger hard when I was trying to feel around for any new teeth, and chomped down on Hubby too.

They are making quite the little team. Hubby caught this little video of them over the weekend and it still makes me laugh. Guess who's going after the camera?

Kitchen crawling from Susan D. on Vimeo.

Good stuff

If you are from the South, then you have probably eaten and enjoyed a pimento cheese sandwich from time to time. If you haven't, don't turn up your nose and just give it a try. On bread, crackers, or just a spoonful out of the container ... anyway is acceptable.

While looking up something for work today, I actually ran across a link to this vendor whose pimento cheese I tasted a couple of years ago.

All I can say is YUM and now it has me craving one.

If you find it, give it a try ... especially the jalapeno pimento cheese. Now, I don't know what my Meme would have said about adding jalapeno to pimento cheese, but oh my, it's good. I also love her website with the napkin, silverware, plate, and drink that are all set in front of you.

Enjoy!

They all look the same

Don't they?

Maybe I'll just choose by my favorite paint color name, Cake Stand Blue. (top row, left)

Bathing suit blues

I recently ordered two new bathing suits from Lands End. I had ordered from them with success a couple of years ago, so I was excited for my new suits to arrive.

Well, I love the tankini tops, but I hate the bottoms. I showed one to Hubby and his response was "Well, it's not the most flattering one I've seen you wear."

If I can work up the courage, I'll take a picture so you can see for yourself. It's pretty bad. The leg opening is too low, too granny and it just cuts me off in all the wrong areas. So if you see the leg opening listed as "#2", do not order!

I have looked to see if they have any higher leg openings this year, but I'm not finding any that will match these. So, what's a girl to do?

I need two bikini bottoms - one black, and preferably one greenish (this patterned one above is a different color that what I have). Think my old standby of JCrew would have a decent bottom to keep the "twin skin" covered, but not make me look like a Grandma? Any other suggestions?

My new ride (hopefully)

Isn't this the coolest bicycle around? And who would look adorable riding in the back? Yep, at one time I would have been hauling Zeus & Zoe, but I think Maddy and Libby would really enjoy this. We could even bike over to the humongous Harris Teeter and still have room for groceries!

The great people at Madsen are giving away two of these bikes on July 15 and all you need to do to is have some sort of web presence and link back to their site.

So, consider giving the girls a new ride and click the button below.

Dreadmill

It poured here tonight when I was going to go run, so I headed over to the gym for a 3 mile run on the dreadmill. The run wasn't so bad tonight, but I have no idea what was up with my shorts. And by up, I mean literally .... creepin', creepin', creepin' up my hiney.

I hate that. I kept tugging at the sides not trying to do a full on "yank." I swear these shorts only ride up when I'm on the treadmill. Is there any logic to that being true? These are the same shorts I wore for my latest half-marathon, so I know it really can't be all my imagination.

So, for all of the folks that had to witness my pulling and shifting while running, I'm sorry.

And to the guy who hung onto the top of the treadmill while running, just let go! I promise it won't go anywhere!

Pink CHI, RIP

After a lovely three years with my pink CHI flat iron, she met her untimely demise on Saturday. One too many spills on the tile floor rendered her useless. And believe me when I tell you that I had a washcloth around my hand trying to revive her and not burn myself as I was in the midst of hair-straightening on a very humid day. It's been a few very scary and poufy last several days.

So, I would like to introduce, Blue CHI. I know that we will grow into a (hopefully) long love affair and I promise that I will try not to drop you on the floor. I was also glad to find that ULTA had you on sale and I also had a 20% off coupon to use when I invited you home.

Transition

It is hard to believe that in just under a month, my babies will be one year old! It really feels like it has all gone by in the blink of an eye.

As most Moms of eleven-months know, I am counting down to the end of formula! Hurray! Yippee! Ca-ching! I really didn't want to do the math, but when I added it up, I was shocked. I stopped breastfeeding and pumping at eight months, but it made me wish that I had kept going a little bit longer.

A can of Neosure is $14.99 (the cheapest I can find it and Similac has all, but stopped sending coupons.) I used to have handfuls of $5 coupons, but now we're lucky to get one $3 coupon every other month.

Maddy and Libby go through a can of formula a day. 31 days x $14.99 = $464.69. OUCH.

That's a car payment, or childcare, or college savings, or half of our new fence, or new clothes for me, I mean new Brooks Brothers shirts for Hubby! I will excitedly buy them the best gallon of organic whole milk that I can find on June 21!

My question to the Mom's out there ... how did you transition? Part milk/part formula and just gradually increase the milk, decrease the formula? Did you still warm everything up? How long did it take you to switch to 100% milk? They like yogurt and cheese, so hopefully this will be an easy transition.

Just a swingin'

This afternoon, we took a little impromptu trip to our neighborhood park for a swing and a stroll.
Maddy and Libby loved the swings and I need to remember to take more black and white photos. Happy Memorial Day, everyone.

Insanely happy

Yep, that pretty much sums it up. They make you forget about all the sleepless nights, crying, and poopy diaper for the past eleven months.

Obsessed

I have been watching these on eBay and I am obsessed.

Everyone I have mentioned them to looks at me like I'm a bit nuts. I keep imagining them all framed the same and hung together in my living room. I have a bare wall over our sofa and I think they would look perfect. I will admit that I am also obsessed with shades of blue and really want to repaint our entry way with a soft blue. Then these prints would coordinate even better.

Do I know anything about British birds or their eggs? Well, no. Does it really matter?

Off my chest

This won't make sense to anyone but Hubby, so here goes.

I try to do something nice for two people very close to me.

I basically get shit on in the process and feel like I have something held over my head. Actually, I don't feel it, I know that I have something held over my head.

It is decided that the nice thing won't happen, but I still can't help but to feel mad and bitter about the thing that was held over my head. It was surprising and hurtful. I know that I need to be the bigger person and let it go, but why is it so freakin' hard?

So what do you do now? Play nice-nice and act like nothing ever happened or hold a grudge that keeps you up at night? Neither option really feels right to me at the moment, but I'm hoping that the wine I'm drinking will help me sleep.

I guess the quote, "nice guys finish last" is true.

Fangs

Libby now has four teeth ... her bottom two, and two on the top. Instead of her top front teeth coming in, her lateral incisors came in first.

Since I'm new at parenting and didn't really grow up around a lot of babies, I wasn't sure if this was "normal" or not. I guess it's the latter after visiting friends for their son's baptism yesterday and one shouted out, "Oh my gosh ... Libby has fangs!"

I haven't been able to get one picture that shows these little beauties, but it really is the cutest and funniest thing I have seen in a while. Has anyone else seen this happen in babies or should I be calling the orthodontist now!?

Must have

How can I get so excited about cupcake liners? Well, when they are this cute, it's pretty easy.

And, that they match these invitations perfectly.

More birthday and cupcake goodness to come in the next few weeks.

Sweet

I was very surprised to receive this special gift a few days after Mother's Day. Hubby took Maddy and Libby to paint a coffee cup for me for my 1st Mother's Day!

Isn't it cute?

It has both of their little hand prints, names, and Happy Mother's Day 2009 written on the top. I love it and I can't wait to use it each and every morning.

I just wish I could have seen a photo of Hubby and the girls making this. I also heard there was a poopy diaper and no changing table fiasco, but that is probably best saved for another post!

Sigh.

I love peonies. My Mom knew that I wanted to plant some in my yard and the last time she visited, she planted two bushes (?) of white peonies in our front yard. They are just starting to bloom and as much as I love to admire them outdoors, I couldn't help but bring one in to enjoy.

Much better

I promise that I didn't shove everything out of sight. I really did clean, throw, or put things away. I do still need to organize my basket that I use for my work stuff, but that will have to be a project for tonight or tomorrow morning. It really helps me to have a basket ... I can work in our family room, or when a sitter is here, I just grab my laptop and basket and head to our office. So now you can see:

• My laptop
• Envelopes that need to be addressed
• Gerber daisies from this weekend replaced the candle.
• Hubby's laptop was deposited on the table.
• Hubby's laptop password gadget
• My work notebook
• Kate Spade calendar
• One pen
• Entry forms that need to be mailed back to my home office.
• The two outfits that need to be returned ... now hanging on a chair, but I need to keep them out or I'll forget to do it!
• Hubby's suit jacket hanging on the other chair.
• Nearly empty bottle of water.

Now if the rest of my house would magically clean itself, I'd be all set.

What's stressing me

I am really sick of my messy desk today. This desk is also our kitchen'ish table ... it's located in our family room, just off our kitchen.

In this picture, you will notice the following:

• one laptop that is almost buried under my pile of shiot.
• My notebook that I use for all of my work notes, and at least two or three pens.
• Kate Spade calendar underneath the work notebook.
• Manila envelopes
• Calculator
• Half-full coffee cup from this morning.
• Empty Lance peanut butter crackers package. What salmonella scare?
• Paper clips
• Anti bacterial wipes
• Business cards
• Entry forms from an event this weekend, and empty zip lock bags that the entry forms were in.
• Two outfits for M&L that need to be returned.
• My work basket that I use to stash paperwork that is overflowing. I think it may be time to file.
• Two pairs of cute shoes for M&L from Mad About Plaid Girl. We heart hand-me-downs from her daughter.
• A bunch of USPS priority mail boxes for shipping eBay stuff.
• My wedding notebook that I was using to look up old addresses.
• My tendonitis hand/wrist brace that I should be wearing.
• My address book
• Envelopes
• Remote ... rocking out to 80's on cable TV.
• My candle holder thingy in the center of the table.
• A Junior League cookbook, tee shirt, and coffee mug that I got at our Annual Meeting last night.
• My 1st and probably still favorite Kate Spade purse.
• 5K race application
• Pay check
• New Blackberry cover.
• Ewwww ... my retainer sitting on top of the paycheck, because I was on the phone and realized that I was lisping, so I took it out and obviously forgot to put it back in the case. Gross.
• Lint roller. 2 labs, enough said.
• My address embosser.

I am going to clean. Will hopefully report back with an updated picture and you will no longer feel like you are playing "Where's Waldo?"

Ode to joy

I don't know if these girls will ever know how much joy they bring me. It is wonderful to celebrate Mother's Day with them and Hubby this year.

By taking naked baby photos to use for wedding rehearsal dinner slideshows in many years.


What a difference a year makes, huh?! Mother's Day 2008, with Zoe, Baby A, and Baby B.

Mother's Day 2009, with Libby and Maddy

Recycle bin

I was paying checks online this morning and balancing my check book. I always end up with a wad of receipts that I either tear up or throw in our recycle bin. I also had money that I had pulled out of my wallet to use to pay the woman who cleans for us.

When I was done, I was putting everything away and throwing away old receipts when I remembered that I wanted to put the money in the drawer so I could give it to her when she was done cleaning later today.

I looked around and ... no money. I went through my file folder, looked in my purse again, flipped through my calendar, under my laptop, in my pockets, on the floor, but I couldn't find it.

I was starting to get a little worried and could not find the money. Had Hubby taken it accidentally? Did the dogs eat it? Am I losing it??

For whatever reason, I thought to look in the recycle bin and there sat three crumpled twenties, all mixed in with my receipts. Glad I found it, but I am a little worried that I am losing it! Or just trying to do too many things at once.

Is it love?

When you get home from Chick-Fil-A with your much anticipated Ice Dream to find out it's not in the bottom of the bag, and Hubby asks if you want him to go back and pick it up?

I do think it's love ... now I'm not sure if it's more for Hubby or the Ice Dream, but that may be another post and my lifelong love of frozen dairy products.

Makes a mom proud

How did they get old enough to wear polo shirts? And have a total of five, yes five teeth? Maddy has one, Libby has two on the bottom and is cutting two on the top. Oh, and they can eat bites of shredded chicken and other "real" food, and sometimes "wave" hi or bye, but only when they are in the mood. Oh, and Libby can now pull to a standing position and Maddy has done it once. Yikes. And crawl up stairs. Bigger yikes.

Hubby said that since I have prepped them out in coordinating polo shirts and polka dot pants, that they will rebel and want to be skater punks as teenagers. Oh well, I went through that phase too, but I came around.

Hey, he has teeth too!

Daddy gets all the attention when he comes home.

Libby

Maddy

Required reading

As any new Mom and especially a Mom of twins, there are several books that make it onto your required reading list. Most of the ones that I've enjoyed dealt with topics about sleeping, development, giving each twin enough individual time, twin speak, etc.

I was happy to find out about the latest "Chicken Soup for the Soul" book, titled Chicken Soup for the Soul: Twins and More, co-authored by Susan Heim who keeps up with fraternal twin boys herself. You can find out more about Susan here. This book takes a lighthearted look at stories of raising multiples ... the good, the bad, the ugly, and the funny. The 101 stories range from finding out "there's 2 in there", to the special bond of twins, to lessons that every parent of twins should read.

This book would be perfect for Mother's Day and with many of the stories only 3-4 pages long, even Moms of twins can find time to enjoy a few moments to read.

Do you eBay?

I'm not sure how to link to my eBay listings here and make them look good, so phooey.

My Mom and I are selling four pair of cute shoes on eBay. I listed, but she's shipping. She lacks the computer skills and I lack time to make it to the post office! If you are in the market for any cute, size 8, preppy sandals or flats this Spring, send me an email and I'll send you a link.

We have these new Kate Spade pink leather flats, size 8, with box. Never worn. So cute. I love the flower.
Gently worn Lilly Pulitzer slides, size 8, with box. Worn a couple of times with minor wear on soles. Very light pink leather with bow. "Cassy" style.
Polka dot pink and green Unisa heels with ribbon bow. These are sassy and so cute. Worn maybe once with minor wear on soles.
These fun and comfy Preen USA slides. These do show wear on the soles and inside, but are so comfortable and cute you won't care. European size 39, converts to USA size 71/2 - 8. For more information, send me an email and I will send you a direct link. My email is listed under my complete profile information. Happy looking!

A little secret

My little secret consists of 13.1 miles, several steep hills, a stranger turned running buddy, and friends & family at the finish line.

After I ran the 5K in March, I decided that I wanted to try to do another half marathon and do it before the girls turn one. I didn't really blog about it and didn't really talk about it. Basically out of fear that I wouldn't be able to do it!

Well, today was the day and I made it and also set a new PR - 2:22! I ran the NC Half Marathon, that was held in a neighboring city. I had taken my place near the back of the line because I really couldn't tell how many people were racing. It turns out that they started the race while people were still in line and in the porta potties, so I think a lot of people had a flustered start.

As they sang the National Anthem, I got a little emotional ... just thinking about all the many blessings of the past year. The next thing I know, the gun sounded and it was time to run so I turned on the iPod and was off. Right after I started a woman ran up next to me and said, "I hope you don't mind if I run with you. I thought you looked like a comparable runner and I don't want to run alone." Ummm, well, since you didn't give me a choice, I said that it was fine. Of course, I'm thinking that I don't want some lady chatting the entire time. But, after 3 miles flew by, Jill and I were old friends and I had decided that this wasn't too bad. We chatted about our families, professions, running, c-sections, music, blisters, hats, socks. You name it, we may have talked about it. We walked all the water stops, walked a few hills, and ran at a better pace than I thought I could do.

All of a sudden, we were done with 6 miles, then 8, then 9, then 11 and I was amazed that it was almost over. We had a beautiful day for running - cloudy, temps in the 60's and even a few raindrops. We made it to mile 12 and Jill wanted to try to sprint the last mile, so off she went and I enjoyed the last mile by myself. I knew I didn't have that much left in me, so I wanted to conserve energy until I was closer to the finish.

I neared the finish and could hear the crowds and realized it was pretty close, so I dug in and ran. I felt like I was flying until this guy that I had passed earlier whizzed by me. Grrrrr.

I crossed the line, received my medal, and found Hubby and the girls immediately. Hubby made a sweet sign cheering me on. Yay! We all enjoyed some post-race festivities, then came home to a much needed shower and short nap. I think pizza is now in my future.

My new running buddy, Jill.

Thank you for getting me up some of those hills and for sharing a piece of Gatorade gum!

Bending down to see Maddy and Libby. Hope I can get up!

Showing off our medals!

Me, OG Mommy Runs , and AK.

This was OG Mommy's 1st half marathon and she did great!

AK is a true stud and has a 3-month old baby!

It is also rumored that she wore heels in the delivery room.