Picture Overload 6/27/08

Momma and G& E

E & G

G & E

E & G

E & G

36 Weeks and Change 6/23/08

Today was my drs appt complete with growth u/s and NST. The u/s was awesome b/c apparently Diane had alot of free time so she spent tons of time showing me different stuff about E & G and getting some cute 3D pictures (these pics are of E)! We got to see E sticking out his tongue and practice breathing and we learned that G has hair! And they are still heads down! I get another u/s to check for presentation next week, but Diane said that she really doesn't think that they have enough room to do a complete flip at this time due to their sizes. (I hope not...plus, I am banking on the fact that they have stayed heads down since about 22 weeks.) I am getting so excited to see these guys! My NST went well too with only E getting the buzzer this time. G passed his test in record time. We also learned that E's estimated weight is 6 lbs 11 oz and G is estimated to weigh 7lbs!!!! I really hope that Diane is right on the money with this (like she was with C) b/c I really want to have nice, healthy, solid babies. I would love for them to both be over 7 lbs at birth. Hmmmm...maybe I should go eat that Ben & Jerry's tonight after all...

J was so excited to hear the report of the babies' sizes and to hear that Dr. M thinks it could be any time now, but we also have an end date in sight. It turns out that Dr. M is leaving the country (just for vacation...don't worry, he isn't fleeing to escape some criminal charges or anything) on July 10th. He told me right at the end of the appointment and commented that he would really like to have me delivered before he left. He didn't actually mention the word "induction" but I know that he doesn't really expect me to make it much longer than my next visit (if I make it to that one). I will ask up front at the next visit and see what he says...maybe he will be on-call and will schedule me for July 4th!! That is the day I am really hoping for! Also, I should mention that he would be gone until after my original due date so I know he wouldn't just wait and see.

Here is C just clowning around and trying to look like Ba! He LOVES my new sunglasses so we went and finally got him his own pair since he isn't as into his hats this year.

Question of the Day: WWYD in this situation? J & I just looked at each other with raised eyebrows and tried to distract C, but I know he heard it and was looking kind of upset (he really doesn't like to hear people yell or sound angry he is kind of sensitive that way)...

We went to the mall tonight to find sunglasses for C and as we were walking through the food court we heard this mom say to her kids (2 preschool boys...maybe 3 & 4):"d**n YOU!!! I am trying to eat!! Stop putting your sh** all over my plate!!"in basically the loudest & meanest voice ever! I mean, really screaming at them at the top of her voice. Did she not know that everyone in the whole mall could hear her? It was crazy!

Good Things:

*E & G are gaining weight wonderfully and are right on track!!

*End date of prior to July 10th is in sight!

*Found C sunglasses that make him look like a rock star!

DH 6/22/08

If you frequent message boards, you know that "DH" stands for "Dear Husband" (most of the time...sometimes the "D" can mean other things...). J definitely gets the DH Award for today!! He worked super hard from the minute he got up in the morning to help me "feather our nest". I was getting pretty anxious about the amount of work that still needed done when I got up this morning, but now I am so happy and excited about how great everything looks! The downstairs is completely done and the upstairs was cleaned earlier, but now just needs touched up and the carpets scrubbed. It is such a nice feeling to be close to completion.

And he has a great eye for fashion!! What more could you ask for? :D

Question of the Day: How much does your SO help with housework?

Good Things:

*U/S tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!

*The house is almost completely ready!

*C was a great helper through all the cleaning today!

Productive Day 6/21/08

Today was a pretty great day! I slept in a little and was awaked by the cutest man alive climbing into my bed and patting my face while saying "Open!" (No, it wasn't J! LOL!) After we got up and ate breakfast J & C mowed the lawn while I got ready to go on an outing.
We decided to get C's haircut since his poor head was getting drenched in sweat all the time. I hope it helps! So we went to the salon and J & C got their summer haircuts (that is C's new cut above!!) while I got my brows waxed. C did "okay"...not his best haircut visit especially since he spent the whole morning being excited about going. He ran around making scissor moves in his hair with his fingers yelling "CUT! CUT! CUT!" After that, we went to a little Italian restaurant near our house called Soni's. The food was sooo good and it was very peaceful in there. J & I both got salads with our meals, but C ate them both! He also almost finished his entire bowl of cavats and a HUMONGOUS meatball. That always makes me happy when he actually eats a bunch of food instead of putting it in his shirt or on his toes or other places that don't help him grow.
Then, I went and got an amazing pedicure! Part of the reason it was amazing was because the shop was really busy so I got to sit in the massage chair with my feet in the bubble tub for almost 45 mins!! I had a great selection of magazines so it really rocked! While I was in there, J text messaged me and said that I should get my nails done too which was super sweet. I decided against it though b/c my nails have been breaking off really bad lately so I felt like it would be a waste of money. The only downside to my pedi today was that it didn't really relieve the swelling like it did the last time. I guess I am just too close to the end to have anything really help.
After we got home, we started cleaning the house. I am having MAJOR nesting urges so I even busted out an old toothbrush to clean the grout in the kitchen. Hopefully, we will be able to finish it all tomorrow after church b/c that is J's last day off until Friday. He can get a few things done after/before work, but none of the major stuff we still need to finish. I will definitely feel a huge sense of relief when it is all done!

Question of the Day: I can't decide whether to be excited about the boys possibly coming this week or really trying and praying that they don't come until next week. I know when I was having PTL issues 36 weeks sounded sooooo good, but now that I am here it feels so early! Know anyone that had babies at 36 weeks? Were they able to go right home?

Good Things:
*Today I am exactly 36 weeks pregnant!!
*Our whole family is now "photo-ready" for the birth of the twins!
*Only one more day until my next u/s!

DQ Day 6/20/08

Yummmmmm!!! You know you want one!!

Today was a mellow day. Bic and Bea came over and C had tons of fun! We went for a ride to DQ and got some yummy ice cream.

No questions today...

Good Things:

*Yummy ice cream!!

*Bea helped me figure out where to put the clothes in the nursery.

*Finally figured out how to export my Excite address book!

Just 'lax, Ba!!! 6/19/08

With both my pregnancies, it started out the same way...drinking copious amounts of coffee (aka CAFFEINE!) the day I got my BFP (that means Big Fat Positive on a pregnancy test to those who don't know). I avoided coffee like the plague while trying to conceive b/c I didn't want to worry for one minute that I added a risk of miscarriage. Except for some bizarre reason, both times I got BFPs my day started with gallons of coffee. Then, the little niggling worry began to creep in...

What if I drank too much coffee and doomed my baby? Why did I feel the need to drink that much? Would any baby survive that much caffeine in one sitting?

Of course, the little worries do not stop there. I had tons of spotting with C during my first trimester so every trip to the bathroom (which of course there are millions) was preceded by a quick prayer. When I found out about the twins, I worried myself sick about the chance of Vanishing Twin Syndrome. (And the subchorionic hematomas on E's placenta never gave me much peace of mind either.) As each day passed, a new realm of worries would begin to overtake me. The days before my "big" u/s with C were plagued with concerns about finding birth defects or genetic disorders. I wasn't quite as concerned about that with E & G b/c I had gotten over that hurdle earlier in my first trimester with the Nuchal Translucency test. But I counted the days until I reached the 24 week point with them which meant that they would be viable outside the womb if I went into preterm labor. Luckily, C was a big mover so there were few scares with him throughout the 2nd and early 3rd trimesters and my big worries with the boys were the PTL episodes I had. (Nothing is more worriesome than meeting your transport nurse when you are a mere 30+ weeks pregnant and terrified that your babies were not going to be stopped from coming.)

But towards the end of the pregnancy, worries start up again. What if something happens to my baby(ies)? With C I had a strange day of little movement...I was super busy that day so I couldn't verify the exact number of times he moved, but I knew it was less than usual. I debated about addressing it with my dr b/c I like to be a "good" patient that always says/does the right thing and doesn't cause trouble. Thankfully, I did report it. C was induced the next day due to dangerously low amounts of amniotic fluid. Where the fluid went? We still don't know.

Today, I had a NST to check on the babies. It was their typical sleepy-time, but they were pretty uncooperative! Both got buzzed with the buzzers several times and G basically didn't respond to the buzzer until much later. I could tell that the nurse was worried about it...but when she went to consult with Dr. M he decided to wake up and follow the rules. I was able to go home after a short period of monitoring. Thank goodness, right? Yes, but...now I have that little worry coming back. Why didn't he respond earlier? Is it okay that his period of responsiveness was shorter than the non-responsive time? (I know he technically "passed" the NST.) Should something else be checked to make sure he is A-Ok? I do have an ultrasound scheduled for Monday at 9:30, but I think that I will call Melissa tomorrow and relay my fears so that hopefully I can have some peace of mind over the weekend. When these tiny people are still inside, we are the only ones who can speak for them.

Question of the Day: What would you do about the questionable NST ? Have you ever had one?

Good Things:

*I managed to get the carseats installed in the backseat of my tiny Vibe!

*Got a call from a friend volunteering to help with some baby things!

*C called Bea on the phone and demanded that she bring him "POPS!!!" (lollipops...his favorite candy on earth) when she comes to visit tomorrow. It was so stinking cute!!!

*Note about the title: C is an EXCELLENT, non-stop talker! However, he cannot say his "M"s, "R"s, or "F"s. J taught him to tell me to "RELAX" (hmmm...can't imagine why he would think I need to relax) so he often says to me "__LAX BA!!!"

Full Moon Frenzy 6/18/08

Tonight is the full moon...it is apparently a special full moon called the Strawberry Moon. Why is it called the Strawberry Moon? No clue. Maybe b/c it is June and strawberries are ripe in June? Maybe b/c it is pinkish red like a giant strawberry? Maybe I am just making that all up and there really is no such thing!

Today I woke up with a super sore left ankle. It hurts to put any weight on it and it is swollen unusually large...even for me! I hope it is nothing and goes away quickly, but it has kept me off my feet most of the day. The only other unusual happening has been....CONTRACTIONS! I was teasing Bic earlier today that if the boys were going to come early it was going to be today. Well, it is now 1:30 am and Contraction Master has become my new best friend! (Sorry Facestat.com!) We are currently about 5 minutes apart, but not horridly painful so I am hanging out to see what happens. They may just decide to disappear or maybe they will continue and tonight will be the big night...well, at this rate I guess I should say tomorrow will be the big day. Only time will tell...

Question of the Day: Know any fun facts about the Strawberry Moon?

Good Things:

* Carseats have arrived and are AWESOME!

*C was super cuddly and kissy today!!

*Might get to meet my new boys sooner than I thought!

What do you really look like? 6/16/08

So...my new obsession is this website I discovered completely by accident called facestat.com. You post a picture of yourself and define some criteria and people "vote" on your picture based on that criteria. I have always secretly wanted to go on "10 Years Younger" and stand in that box and see what people really think of me. (Oh, and the free dental work and Lasik wouldn't be half bad either!) Anyway, I can't decide if I am just a glutton for punishment or if I just really have an unhealthy obsession with what other people think of me...LOL! Anyway, so far I have been pretty pleased with the results...most people used words to describe me like "friendly", "fun", "natural", "bookworm" (VERY TRUE!!!), and "kind"...it was cool to read! Of course, there were some mean ones on there also and some that just didn't make sense (someone voted me as being 41-49 and another voter picked that I was African American! LOL!)...but overall it was kind of nice to get an idea of what kind of first impression I give. The pictures above are the ones that I used...I tried to pick good ones of course! (As excited as I am to meet my boys, I think I am even more excited to get back into shape again! I hope they are cooperative!)

Question of the Day: Do you think your self-image is pretty accurate?

Good Things:

*The boys are wiggling like CRAZY today which is fun to feel!

*C decided that he wants to be an Ohio State Trooper when he grows up b/c they get to wear cool hats!

*On the voting thing, most people picked that I was at least 5 years younger than I really am! WOOHOO!!

Some People's Kids... 6/15/08

Happy Father's Day!! Today C and I got up early and drove to Dunkin Donuts to get J his favorite coffee drink and some yummy donuts. As I was driving, I noticed a sign for a Summer Festival at a nearby lake. Whenever we got home, I checked it out online and lo and behold...there was going to be WRESTLING!!!! C and J LOVE wrestling more than just about anything. And better yet...it was FREE!! I was a little concerned b/c it was pretty hot today (not unbearable but high 80s) so I wasn't sure if I would be able to do an outdoor festival, but I was feeling brave. I packed up our stuff and told J all about our great adventure. We would go and see the wrestling and then we would go swimming and eat "fair food". Sounds like a perfect Father's Day for J!
It was super busy when we got there, but we were still able to get a pretty good view of the wrestlers. They were hysterical! (Obviously, for free you aren't going to get big name wrestlers,but these guys were all just comical! The one that ended up winning seriously looked like a woman! I really wish I would have brought my camera so I could have some pics of them to share.) We had a great time watching them though and cracking up over their antics. When they were almost done, C & I decided to walk over to the playground so he could play for awhile before he went swimming. When we got there, we noticed a few girls running around at top speed jumping off the equipment. No huge deal b/c I assumed there would be parents somewhere nearby to keep an eye on them. Ummmmmm...no! I am guessing they were there alone b/c no matter what they did, no one said a word. I commented a few times to the older ones about climbing up the slides while the other ones were going down, but that only worked while I was actually talking. I was getting a little annoyed b/c they were seriously way out of control and there were several little kids on the equipment. The grandmother that had a little one younger than C just left b/c she was getting too nervous with the big ones jumping around. We were waiting for J to come over and meet us when C finally got up the nerve to try the big slide. (He is like me, I think, and a little leery of heights. It isn't often that he will be brave enough to climb up to a really tall slide.) I was so proud of him for being brave!! When he was at the top, one of the hellions came tearing up the slide. She waited patiently for about 1/10000th of a nano-second before she decided to give him a hard shove. He almost fell off the top of the platform!!! It seriously took all my willpower not to yell at her! I ran up and grabbed him and he was fine, but I bet it will be awhile before he feels brave enough to climb that high again. Everytime I think about it I get really angry b/c all I can see is his proud little face looking down at me before he got ready to go down. After I got him calmed down, I explained to him that some kids don't have mommies to teach them how they are supposed to behave and how it is NEVER okay to push people! I sincerely don't know if those kids' parents were anywhere in the area or not, but if they were I hope they heard me. It was a huge disappointment to see kids behaving so badly the whole time and never a single correction.
Luckily, shortly after this incident J showed up and we went in the water. That made the whole day better. It was so relaxing to me to be able to get some of the weight off my legs and feet! It was glorious! C loved it too! He did not want to get out! The only way J was able to finally lure him from the water was to offer to take him on the swings so they could go "really high"!! I ended up crashing out the entire rest of the day...talk about feeling like a wimp! Oh well, it was definitely worth it!

Question of the Day: What did you do for Father's Day this year?

Good Things:
*Got to see funny wrestlers!
*Went SWIMMING!!
*J loved his Netflix subscription that we got him for Father's Day!

Sleepy Saturday (I think?) 6/14/08

Well, today was a really boring day. I don't like how each day runs together so much. I like to have at least a few plans each week to break it up, but I really didn't want to schedule anything major since I don't know when E & G will want to make their arrival. Today I woke up tired though so maybe staying home was a good thing. I napped almost the whole day and then had a brief spurt of energy so I got the outsides of the windows washed, put away almost all the new clothes in the nursery, and started in on the kitchen. I would really LOVE to get most everything finished off my list this week so that next weekend (J's weekend off) we can do any "finishing" but also just relax and enjoy some time as a family of 3!

Question of the Day: Any good baby monitor recommendations? I was just thinking of how crappy our FP Sounds N Lights monitor was when C was tiny...we actually stopped using it completely by the time he was 6 mos b/c it was easier to hear him with the stupid thing off! I am not looking forward to using it again...anyone love theirs?

Good Things:
*Found out the seats should arrive on Wednesday! WOOHOO!!
*Thought of a cool Father's Day idea for J! (Nothing like waiting till the last minute to get your brain in gear!)
*Got a few more cleaning tasks crossed off my list (and got my new bottles washed finally!!)...

More Carseat Freaks and the Attack of the Polar Bear 6/13/08

Ordered the carseats that should actually fit into the Vibe today. (Thanks Bic!) Now, all we have to do is hope that the boys aren't delivered before their seats!! Today was sooo hot and humid, but luckily this evening a big storm rolled in and cooled it right off. I hope that this is the beginning of the cool front that we are supposed to be getting. Now that it is getting closer and closer to the boys' arrival, I am getting so emotional. All I want to do is cuddle C and kiss him to pieces b/c I know it is going to be so hard for him when they arrive. Luckily, he is a fairly independent kid so he can play by himself without many problems. So, I feel guilty for that b/c I am going to be spending so much time with the munchkins, but I also feel guilty that I don't spend nearly as much time talking to E & G as I did when I was pg with C. I hardly ever rub my belly much b/c it makes me have contractions so I kind of feel like I am not as bonded with them as I was with C. And I still feel this sense of disbelief...like none of this is real. I don't know. Part of me feels like I am doing a great job of getting ready for them and the rest of me feels like it is hopeless and I will not be able to do a good job. Bic didn't help matters much today with his comment about how people didn't used to take their babies anywhere for months after they were born. He is completely convinced that it is impossible for someone to take all three of them somewhere by him/herself. I really don't want that to be me. I want us to be able to do fun stuff and take C places with his brothers. I know that it won't be the easiest thing I have ever done.

Anyway, enough of the worries...who can worry when they are under attack by a crazy POLAR BEAR!!!

Ahhhh...the polar bear sleeps....

Question of the Day: Am I completely insane for ordering carseats that will take at least 5-7 days to be delivered when I am 35 weeks pregnant? Nevermind. I think I already know the answer to that one! ;)





Good Things:
*Got the new seats ordered!!
*Cool weather is moving in!
*C's polar bear impression was the best thing I have seen in ages!!

Does this look buckled right to you?? 6/12/08

I am such a carseat freak!! I was so excited today when Bic brought over the Nautilus he bought to keep in his car! This seat is so cool! C seemed to really like it too! All the straps were easy to adjust and the install was a breeze...Bic actually installed it himself under my supervision. Anyway, it is nice to see more seats that harness past 40lbs. Now, I am in the market for more seats that will fit 3 across in our car. Unfortunately, the truck did not sell to either of my eager buyers and I just don't know if it is a great idea to take way less on a trade. We are going to do a few more repairs to it and hope that I can list it for more, but still sell it. Right now, we think that since the power window motor needs replaced and the 3rd door handle isn't working right that it is scaring people off. Seriously, those 2 repairs would end up costing less than $100, but I guess it will be better if we suck it up and do it ourselves. Also, I think that the wheel sensor might need replaced...another cheapy job, but as the buyer I guess I would want everything done for me too. Oh well, the more I was thinking about it the better it would be if we wait a little longer. Depending on what happen with J's job situation (he had the interview for "the job" only 5 miles away AND he has a small opportunity for a raise/promotion at work), we might go an entirely different way with the whole car situation.

Question of the Day: Would you buy used carseats if you felt that they were well-maintained? I really don't think that I can do it. I know that the chances of anything being wrong with them are very, very slim, but it just seems too scary to me. I can't even really imagine using one that I borrow from a friend or relative. I don't know why...just a weirdo that way!

P.S. I am just kidding about the title of my post!! C decided he needed to "buck" himself in and that was the beautiful result! LOL!

Good Things:

*The Nautilus has arrived!

*Talked more to my neighbor and made an actual plan of what we would do if I needed her to watch C while we went to the hospital.

*Got to talk to some friends that I hadn't heard from in awhile!

Ding, Ding, Ding...the Ice Cream Truck 6/11/08

Today was a pretty uneventful day. That is a good thing after the last two! We just hung out around the house...I kept randomly napping throughout the day wherever I was while J and C cleaned like madmen! They got most everything done except the bathroom and kitchen and a few little jobs in the other rooms so I am feeling pretty good about the way the house looks! Carpets still need scrubbed, but that seems to be the only big thing left (other than the 2 rooms not done!)...J cooked steaks on the grill. C was pretty happy to eat "moo", which is kinda creepy, but at least he ate a bunch!! Then, I left to go test drive yet another mom-mobile. I came back about a half-hour later and I could see J & C walking up the sidewalk toward our house. C had something all over his face!! I could not figure out what in the world it was until I got out...his face was bright blue from his snow cone!!! J told me that they heard the Ice Cream Truck while I was gone and just had to get something. C LOVED it!!

Question of the Day: Would you drive yourself to the hospital if you were in labor? What if you didn't really think it was the "real deal"?

Good Things:

*The house is almost clean!

*It really stayed nice and cool most of the day and was finally COMFORTABLE!

*Perfect day for napping!

Dr. M vs. Preterm Labor: Round Three 6/9-10/08

So I had a WONDERFUL dr appt. today. Found out that the boys are both still heads-down and are weighing nearly 6 lbs each!! (Scrappy weighed in at 5 lbs 12 oz an Spanky weighed 5 lbs 10 oz.) (This pic is a 3D of Spanky sucking his thumb!) Dr. M was so pleased with their growth and that they were practice breathing so well. I scheduled my next appt for June 23rd. Before I left, Dr. M said he didn't think he would be seeing me before then, but if I needed anything to call the office. Ummm...less than 24 hrs later he had to see me again!

J and I took C out to dinner to cool off and while we were sitting there I started to feel sooo uncomfortable. I had told J earlier that I was feeling "off" b/c I slipped and fell in the kitchen. Well, I didn't really fall completely...just almost-did-a-split type of thing. (C had been "helping" take care of Boomie so he fed him and "watered" him except he mostly watered the floor! OOOPS!) Anyway, it kind of felt like a pulled muscle or something so I automatically assumed it was round ligament pain. I started to have the BH contractions at the restauarant though so on the drive home I decided to time them. They were nothing much...maybe 7-8 minutes apart and not horribly strong. So I decided to give C his bath (he picked orange this time) and get ready for bed myself. While I was running C's bath water I realized that these suckers were getting stronger. I still didn't really worry about timing them b/c they didn't seem to be ridiculously close together. After the bath, I was sitting in the glider reading C his bedtime stories when I realized that these contractions really were getting stronger since I had to stop reading whileI was having one. They seemed to be coming pretty fast too. After timing them for about an hour, I called the after-hours number and got a call back from Barb (the Nurse Practioner). [This was about 10:45 pm.]

B: "What's going on?"
M: "Well, I fell in the kitchen and I am not having any bleeding of leaking, but it seems like it started some contractions."
B: "When did you fall?"
M: "About 7pm and I had a pain after that but no contractions until around 8 pm. By 9 pm they were about every 7-8 minutes apart."
B: "Are they still 7-8 minutes apart?"
M: "No, now they are about every 2 minutes..."
B: "You are having contractions every 2 minutes?????"
M: "Yes, they last about 1 minute each..."
B: "You need to go straight to the hospital immediately!" ( YOU FLIPPIN' IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

So, I told J that I needed to go in and get that shot of Brethine that worked so handily last time this scene occurred....he told me to call him as soon as I knew anything, but we weren't worried b/c this was Round 3 of PTL and I was confident that it would be quickly stopped. It was a little tough to drive over I don't think that I even came close to the speed limit most of the time b/c I was concentrating on my breathing, but I wasn't in severe pain at this point. Once I got there and got all checked in, Dr. M decided that I needed to get the shot of Brethine. (Just as I had suspected...) They gave me the first shot and I was surprised to find that it did NOTHING. Didn't even slow them down. The nurse told me not to worry b/c she could give me the shot 2 more times. When she went to give me the next dose, we had to wait an extra 10 minutes b/c my pulse was too high...that shot also did NOTHING. The same thing with the high pulse for the third...which...actually MADE THEM STRONGER. UGH!! I was starting to get a little nervous here b/c it was about 3 am and I didn't know what in the world would go on...my nurse came back in and explained about transport (not quite as scary this time b/c I am so much closer to term) and then added that Dr. M may want to try something else first. He did...my magic bullet...magnesium sulfate. They added that to my IV right away and I felt the "tanning bed" sensation. Luckily, my room was super cool so it wasn't too bad. (Also, my super nice nurse Jessica came back in with plenty of ice water and cold cloths for my head.) BUT...the contractions still didn't stop. I was getting nervous. The nurse was getting nervous. I was thinking about what all I needed Jack to bring with him and whether he should meet me at the big hospital or if they would let him ride down with me from here. Then, the magic started to happen. The contractions started to feel a little less intense and then gradually began to space out. Luckily, by the next morning they were out of their regular pattern. My day nurse came in and was scheduled to turn it down...she waited it out b/c I was still having more contractions than the like to see...finally, Dr. M okayed turning it down to see what happened. Luckily again, they spaced out some more even with the lower dose of mag. Eventually, we got to the point where they looked like what I would have on a normal NST so I was allowed to quit the mag. No heartburn this time either! WOOHOO!!

Verdict: Dr. M 3, PTL 0!!!!!!!!!!!!

Before I left my nurse gave me the rundown:
*If I go into labor again before Saturday I will go to the big hospital for sure!
*If I go into labor next week (Sat. to Sat.), it will be dependent on my dr where I deliver, but there is a chance my babies could be sent to the big hospital without me.
*If I go into labor after that, I will deliver there and most likely my babies will get to stay with me and go home with me without any problems!! That is only 10 more days away!! WOOHOO!

No Question today either...too wiped out to think of one!

Cute thing: One of my preschoolers' moms works L&D at my hospital and she came in to "yell at me" for being there! She had pics from graduation and they were so cute!

Good Things:
*Labor was stopped successfully!
*C was super cute at the hospital and was really good for Daddy!
*Only 10 more days until full-term for twins!!

Bye Bye Truck!! 6/8/08

The beast is HISTORY!! Someone came and test-drove it today and basically said they wanted to buy it right then...well, if that wasn't good enough news...one of the other guys that has been emailing about it is really worried that he isn't going to get it so he sent me several emails and left messages on J's vm. Hmmmm...now I don't really know what to do? Go with the first guy who left all the messages or go with the guy who already test-drove it? I think that I will leave his one up to J! C might be a little sad to see his truck go...he got a little upset when Bic drove off in it the other day. But I think he will overall like the van MUCH better! (I hope so anyhow...he will miss playing in the bed of the truck and it was an awfully handy place to pop him if you were trying to get something done in the yard that required your attention!) Now, to find my mom-mobile for sure! Our biggest problem so far is that there are too many to choose from! (Un)Fortunately, vans don't seem to hold their value at all so the market is flooded with great, cheap vans! (This will really suck for us when we go to either sell this one or trade it in, but it is working in our favor to buy!) Everytime I think I have made a decision I find something else that either has a feature I want or is cheaper or is the same price, but lower miles...I am so scared to buy b/c I feel like if I just keep waiting someone will just drive up and park a brand new one in front of my house for free! (Okay...no...I really don't think that will happen, but it is just crazy how many we have been able to find and they just keep getting better.) Well, I should be able to get a better feel for when we really need to buy at my drs appointment tomorrow. They are going to do the total growth measurements and check my cervical length and I am going to ask Dr. M what the "big plan" is for induction or what-have- you...my mom is going with me which I think is fantastic, but so far she has been my preterm labor jinx so I hope I don't end up staying! LOL!

Question of the Day: Who would you sell the truck to if it was you? The first person who responded to the ad or the first person who test drove? (Obviously, they are both offering full price in cash.)

Good Things:

*The truck is SOLD!

*Found another mom-mobile that I might want that is lower miles than the one I wanted to buy last week, but actually a little bit cheaper (and it has leather interior that is in really perfect condition!)

*Drs appt. tomorrow and I get to see my BOYS!!!!

Cool Date 06/07/08

I just really like dates that all line up or contain all the same numbers...they just feel right to me! Today would have been a good day for the boys to be born if it wouldn't have meant that they would be premature! I am still secretly holding out for the 4th of July though!! Nothing to major going on today other than more of the heatwave! I may have to punch people in the face though if they complain to me ONE MORE TIME about how hot they are in their A/C! (I mean people that live here in the same temperatures that we have! I know some of you girls have it way worse than me!) Plus, these people are not even pregnant with TWO giant football playing mooses to add to the misery!

Okay, I promise I am done complaining about the heat! No more whiny blogs!!

Question of the Day: Would you rather buy a newer car with higher miles or an older car with lower miles if everything else was the same? This is my latest dilemna!

Good Things:

*C ran around butt naked for hours today and didn't pee on the floor at all
*J found out some not-so-good news at work that might lead to great news at work!!
*I got up early for some reason and took a glorious cool shower and then ate my breakfast in the "breezy coolness" (our a/c-ed bedroom!) before anyone else woke up!

Hotter Than Hades!! 6/6/08

UGH!!! It is H*O*T here in PA. There are no words to describe how terrible I feel...it is not even technically summer, but yet it is 87* in my house WITHOUT stinking air conditioning. Every year around income tax time, J and I go through the same routine...

J or Me: "We REALLY need to get central air this year!"

Other: "Yes!! Let's call and get a new estimate so that we actually get it done this time!"

A few weeks later...

J or M: "Did you call about the central air?"

O: "No...I'll call tomorrow I think."

J or M: "Well, we really should call b/c we are going to DIE here this summer if we don't get it put in soon!"

O: "I know! I don't know why we talk about it each year and still never do it!"

A few days later...

**Truck or car or some major piece of the house that costs thousands of dollars to repair BREAKS!!!!**

J&M: "Well, next year we definitely have to get central air..."

Question of the Day: Would you sell a limb to get central air if your house didn't have it? Also, do you know anyone willing to install central air for the price of a limb...I might be willing to give up my left arm or leg! ;)

Good Things:
*Got my Double Snap-N-Go today for only $35 from the nicest twin mommy in the world! Thanks Amy!!

*Probably sweated off a good 5 lbs of water weight today...

*Got to take a great nap in the window A/C room and felt really great when I woke up!

"Scoobs" Make the Ouchies Go, Go, Go! 6/5/08

Today C got one of his worst "ouchies" ever. I had just gotten out of the shower and he was messing around opening and closing the bathroom door and must have pulled the door shut over his big toe!! First, he looked really shocked and then he started to cry. But not his big, bad "the world has come to an end" cry...just a little one. So first, I just gave him a big hug b/c I didnt' realize exactly what happened and then I saw the blood! His big toe was gushing blood like crazy. I immediately panicked b/c 1) I was only in my robe and 2) I had no car to take him to the emergency room. After I looked at it more carefully, I realized that it wasn't really a big, deep cut like I had originally thought. BUT, it was bleeding from underneath the toenail b/c the door basically bent his big toenail in half. :( Poor little man! Momma was able to save the day though b/c I put him in the big rocking chair that he likes to hang out in and gently washed it off and covered it with about 10 million kisses. I put a little Neosporin on and then I explained that an injury like this has to have a "Scoob" (that is what we call band-aids at our house since our current box has Scooby Doo on it). C generally HATES Scoobs for any reason and won't keep them on for more than 10 seconds, but this one needed to stay on! I let him pick out his favorite Scoob and then showed him how they opened and went on...I explained that this Scoob could not come off b/c then his ouchie would get much worse and get really yucky. I told him that the Scoob would help make the ouchie go away. He looked very curiously at the Scoob and at me and then asked "Scoobs make the ouchies go, go, go???" Yes, C, Scoobs do make the ouchies go, go, go!!

No questions today...it is too darn hot!!

Good Things:

*We have gotten THREE calls about selling the truck from the ad I posted yesterday! (4 if you count the weird message that says they want to sell your car for you...but I won't count that!)

*The mom-mobile we want to buy is still there and we are hoping to go and get it tomorrow! (We would have to borrow the truck $$ and pay it back when the truck actually sold, but our buyers seem pretty serious so I am not too super worried!)

*The truck passed inspection with just a few minor problems!

Unhappy Feet 6/4/08

Sorry for the disgusting pic overload, but I am just amazed that a person's feet can look like that! Especially mine. Not that I had the most beautiful feet in the world, but at least you could tell what they were supposed to be! You probably can't see my lovely spider veins in the pics, but everyone that sees them at the drs office or hospital just gets this sad, pained look on their face. Oh well! It is worth it for my boys!

I am getting so excited for the boys' impending arrival! I have a few worries about when/where they will be delivered and whether or not they will get to go home with me, but with each passing day I feel a little bit better! The next couple weeks are the big ones! I would love to go the whole way to 38 weeks and have the boys be born in July though...we'll see how I feel in a few more weeks though!

Question of the Day: What weird changes did you experience during pregnancy? My weirdest thing is a toss up between my nose and lips swelling...who knew that your lips swelled?

Good Things:

*Fingers crossed that we will go and buy the mom-mobile tomorrow after the truck is inspected!

*C called up Grammy and said "Ha B-ay Bee!!" (He decided that if Grampy got a name, then Grammy needed one too so he picked "Bee"!)

*J is home so I can actually get some much-needed cleaning done since I am not under the scrutiny of the sit-down nazi!

Uh....What? 6/3/08

Today I was playing around on one of the message board sites that I like to frequent and they had this cool tool on there: Height Predictor for Toddlers (well, I'm sure it had a much cooler name than that...and if I was really cool you could probably just click on that title and automatically go to the site, but whatever)! So, of course, I clicked on it...it asked for C's current height, weight, and age as well as J & I's height. I entered in all the info and waited while the brillant masterminds figured out just how tall C would be when he was grown....drumroll please.... 6'6"!!!!!! Wow! That seems amazing to me! I'm sure since this was a cool tool I found online that it is 100% accurate and C actually will grow to be 6'6"! After all, the internet is like television...if it is on there it must be true. Actually, I wouldn't be super surprised if C did wind up as the next point guard for Bic's favorite team UK Wildcats b/c J is the runt of the litter at 6'1" and both sides of my family have plenty of 6ft+ers! Anyway, Bic is already starting to work on C's jumpshot...

Okay, that was slightly startling, but this was REALLY startling....J called his mom the other day to let her know about us going in to the hospital with some preterm labor issues. While he was on the phone he found out many interesting things. 1) MIL is planning on getting custody of our nephew b/c apparently his mother is going to jail and his dad (J's brother) is either already in jail or on his way back or in some other way completely unfit for raising a child. While I think that almost anywhere would be better for him than where he is now, this particular choice doesn't seem to be the best one. Although, I must say that J turned out really good so I guess a 30% success rate is better than a 0%! 2) The dad of said child (yep, still J's brother) has another baby on the way to some random person. There is some connection, but I would need J to explain whose friend's-daughter's-cousin's-stepsister's-aunt's-neighbor it actually was. I am sure she will be a better mother than baby momma #1 though... (insert eye roll smiley here!)maybe MIL can get custody of that one too and just raise 'em up right like she did with her two younger ones. I am sure there is more that I can't think of but after J talks for more than 1 mintutes about things going on down there, my brain shuts off to protect itself.

Question of the Day: Do you think kids today are getting ridiculously tall? I know as a substitute teacher I had many 5th and 6th graders that were as tall as me and I am 5'8"! Is there a point where it will level off or will most people be over 7' by the time our great-grandkids are born?

Good Things:
*The boys did an excellent job on their NST!
*The nurse told me that I should start bringing my bag with me to my appointments!
*More friends called to check up on me! That just makes me feel good!

Momma Bear Strikes Again!! 6/2/08

Today was C's cardio appointment. I hate drs appointments with a passion…mainly b/c C hates drs appointments with a passion! I thought I did a fairly good job of getting him ready for this appointment b/c we have been talking for several days about the dr listening to his heart with her ears and looking at it with a special machine just like they used for the babies! C did a good job waiting to be called back to see Dr. Smith although he was a little perturbed that they had a super cool wagon in a space about as big as a closet that could not be removed. Duh! What were those dumb people thinking? Don't they know wagons are for pulling? Apparently not. Anyway, we went back and got weighed and measured (he weighed in at a whopping 32.1 lbs and 37.75" tall!) and then the fun part started. He had to get an EKG which means taking off your shirt and getting stickers taped to your chest. First, he was enraged that I would dare take his shirt off in this very public place (although taking your shirt and or shorts off in a restaurant is clearly an acceptable practice). Then, he did not want the stickers on…luckily, we had the best nurse in the whole wide world and she was able to easily distract him by asking him to name the "crayons" that she was hooking up to the stickers. He loved that part and he smiled really big and said "Cheese" just like she asked when she asked him to sit still while the machine took a picture of his heart. Then, in the office, he let Dr. Smith listen to heart without any tears, but only after she checked her heart, mommy's heart, and daddy's heart first! He did an AWESOME job overall! I was very proud! She was happy with the way his arrhythmia sounded today so we decided to wait until next year to do the u/s. She did give us a tip to use if he developed any SVTs (basically heart rate over 200 bpm)…turn him upside-down! We loved this tip b/c we know it would be fun and painless for him!

After, his appointment we went to the play zone in the mall and let little man run loose. He was having a blast until he had a run-in with the play zone bully. This little boy decided that it was his job to push all the other kids and grab them by their shirts and pinch them. His mom apparently thought this was a fine idea since she did nothing to stop him at any point. Maybe all of her brains were washed away by the copious amounts of hairspray she used to keep up her "big hair" do. (Yes, the bad perm complete with the waterfall bangs…was this play zone her first outing since 1989??) Anyway, C had enough of this action so decided to summon Momma Bear by crying his "hurt" wail and I was over there instantly! Big Hair claimed that her little boy must have just scared C b/c she was sitting right there and didn't see anything happen. Ummmm…okay…whatever… I just gave her my best "mean teacher" look and took C to another side of the play zone. Big Hair immediately gathered up her things and left. Who knew mean teacher looks worked so well on grown-ups too??

We also shopped for the mom-mobile and fell in love with the Chrysler Town & Country! Now, we just need to make sure we are getting the best deal around and we should have our new van by the end of the week! (Yes, my fingers are super crossed as I type this b/c I have been wanting to have my van for several weeks now and we just keep putting it off!)

Question of the Day: What do you do about other people's kids' behavior when you are out and about? As a preschool teacher, I tend to be a tiny bit vocal about things, but mainly because kids gravitate toward me and C and so then I feel like I can tell them about their behavior b/c I have been talking to them anyway.

Good Things:
* Awesome cardio appt!!
*Excellent mom-mobile test drive!! (Keep your fingers crossed that I get this van!!)
*"The Job" just called Jack to set up his interview. This is the one we have been praying about b/c it is soooooo much closer to home.

Smart Boobies 6/1/08

Before C was born, I decided that I would breastfeed him. I knew that I had some potential for trouble, but I wasn't too worried…after all it was the "natural" thing to do. Well, it seemed natural enough when we were in the hospital. He latched on fairly quickly after birth and would nurse 10-15 minutes on each side with no problem. AWESOME!! I was so proud that I was able to do such a good job and that he was such a fast learner. Until we got home…

The first day was still okay. He seemed to get a little grumpy when he latched on, but once he was on there he was okay. This trend continued throughout the first night. The second day home started to turn ugly. A little grumpy was not the term I would use to describe the screaming, red-faced lunatic who suddenly seemed enraged at the sight of his food source!! I tried many of the tricks I heard about in my class and online (kellymom.com is a truly amazing resource for new and veteran bf-ers), but nothing was seeming to work. I began to worry…and worry…and worry…Did he have enough wet diapers? Were they really wet or just damp? (Yes, I even cut some apart with scissors so I could verify their relative "wetness'!) What about poops? C was never a really big pooper from birth….nothing like the "every time they eat" crowd described in class. I called the nurse hotline and they recommended letting him nurse and then offering him some formula to see if he was not getting an adequate supply. I was not super keen on this idea, but anything to help my little man! The formula bottles worked miracles soothing the savage beast, but I was adamant that I would get him back exclusively to nursing. So each night for hours I would insist that he at least attempt to nurse before giving into the "dark side". Finally, about 10 days after he was born, I reached my breaking point. It was the middle of the night…I had been struggling with getting him to latch for my mandatory 10 minutes before offering a bottle and I just needed some sleep!!! So in my sleep-deprived state I decided to say "Forget it! No more stupid, broken mommy boobies for you…you can stick with your wonderful, no-fail smart boobies!" Luckily, for me, my cousin and friend came over the next day to meet C and share stories of their children's first days. As my friend was describing her nursing experiences complete with milk pouring/shooting/dripping and basically coming out any other way you could think of, I began to realize something was wrong. I had never had that happen to me. Not even really dripping that I could remember. A little light when on inside my brain…was it possible? Could it really be? Was the nursing problem b/c my milk STILL hadn't come in this long after birth? As soon as they left, I went online and started to research…it WAS possible! Some people (especially for some reason people with PCOS) will have a sort of delayed reaction and continue producing just colostrum for much longer than normal. The solution was to put baby on the breast as much as possible and pump in between feedings with the best double-electric pump you can get your hands on. So I did…and IT WORKED!! My milk came in and C gave up those smart boobies w/o even a second glance.

However, after this experience, and knowing that I am getting my Buy One Get One free deal on babies this month, I decided in advance to make sure I had several varieties of smart boobies for Seek and Destroy to try. Now, there have been several studies showing that the materials used to produce plastic baby bottles (BPA) are very harmful to our little ones. I was relieved that C used bottles infrequently b/c his bottles and my favorite bottles of all time (Avent) contained the dreaded chemical. This meant that I had to do tons of research to make a decision of what types of bottles to get for the boys. After careful consideration, I am going to start with Born Free and Playtex Drop-Ins. I bought them the other day and now they sit on my counter where I can stare at them and examine their every detail any time I choose! C also was kind enough to test them all out and decided he liked the Born Free the best. Just like his momma, he went for the sturdiest, largest one we had! It was a really close call though b/c one of the PD-Ins had planes, trains, and cars on it which are basically irresistible to 2 yo boys!

No question today folks, you'll have to think one up on your own! ;)

Good Things:
*C had a great time back at church after a couple week hiatus and actually helped pick up almost all the toys that he got out during his stay in the nursery!
*I took the most glorious nap ever…in my room with the windows open and a nice gentle breeze keeping it from getting too hot…it was amazing!!*Went grocery shopping and was able to keep up the whole way through the store without one single contraction!

Meet "Bic" 5/31/08

When I was younger, I always imagined that my mom would be the one who stayed home with the grandkids and do all the typical babysitting duties. As I was growing up, she was the typical mom…home most of the time, easily accessible, very nuturing…so I assumed that she would also be the typical grandma. Rocking babies to sleep and baking cookies. My dad on the other hand was always at work. Don't get me wrong, he was involved when he was home, but he worked long hours so he just wasn't as visible a presence in our lives when my brother and I were young. Basically, he was a typical dad…so again I expected him to be a typical grandpa. Maybe go fishing, or on walks in the woods, you know…they typical "outdoorsy" things you do with grandpas. Hmmmm…where is this going you are wondering?

My dad retired a few years ago and has been super helpful with all of our home renovation projects and fix-it-up projects around the house! My mom manages the store in the "nut house" (no, really I am not being rude…it is a company primarily known for selling nuts, coffee, and candy…but mostly nuts). So, when I discovered I was pregnant with C, I started to think about who would care for him when/if I had to work. I knew daycare wasn't really an option b/c that would be expensive for the amount of money that I would be making at a part-time job. So as I considered the options and talked to my parents about it, the obvious solution shined down on us. Have Grampy be the babysitter. Seems simple enough, right? Sure, but then when you start to think about it, it gets a little cloudy. A grandpa watching the baby?? Is that done? Would they even know what to do with an infant? (According to legend, most guys of the older generations were not as involved in the everyday childcare as dads are today!) Would he have the patience to deal with a fussy little one? I always imagined grandma watching the baby if I wasn't there…this was a little out of my realm. But I knew that he would do his very best, especially after seeing his reaction when he met his grandson for the first time! Amazingly, it has worked out even better than I could have imagined.

C loved his grandpa from the very start and it is so nice to see the bond that they share grow each day. Grampy does cool stuff like wash dogs, prune trees, and fix mowers. They oil doors and use power tools to fix drawers and take nice naps. He also makes sure the juice cup is full and meals are balanced. Really, what more could a 2 yo boy ask for? [Here is where you will need a little background info: People in our house don't have names unless they are Daddy…apparently, the only person worth calling by his name is J and if he isn't around, the rest of us are just substitute "Daddy"s. ]
C's love for Grampy has always been clear BUT, now, he has even granted Grampy a name!!! His name is "Bic"! J

Not Creepy-At-All Question of the Day: What type of relationship does your child have with the grandparents? Ours is interesting b/c of the fact that grandpa is the caregiver and grandma is the funny, game-playing, chasing one. But, also, C has little interaction with J's mom and boyfriend. So, he basically makes do with one set of grandparents. This saddens me some times, but other times I just deal with it. One set is better than no sets at all…

Good Things:
*I escaped my home confinement once again and went to Babies R Us to get the boys some bottles. It was a fun little trip and I realized that I get so obsessed with the silliest things!
*C granted Grampy his name and we all celebrated!
*This was the first time in 3 weeks that my mom came over to my house and didn't have to take me to the hospital!!

Feeling a Little Green... 5/30/08

So I opened my email on Friday morning as soon as I got up and discovered that my blog was LOCKED!!! WHAT?!? My harmless, tiny two-post blog (that is "suspposed to be a 365 so I really need to keep up with it everyday or I will never finish it" blog) that has NO LINKS and the most mundane material anyone can imagine??? Apparently, it is spam. The spam-bots search out blogs that have tons of links, or weird symbols, or nonsensical text and STOP THEM IN THEIR TRACKS saving the world from reading fake blogs generated to divert traffic where they want it to go! I requested a review so real people could read about my boring life and see that I am not plotting any revolutions or trying to make millions by sending you to my "Make a Million Dollars Selling Dog Poo on Ebay" site…if you're reading this that means I made it!!

Not too big of a day…C played outside most of the day and then came in and took a GREEN bath! That was soooo cool! Who knew colored water would make bathtime so much fun? Apparently, it transforms the entire tub into a tropical paradise b/c C loved swimming in the "pool" or the "sea". I'm not really sure when or why it changed from the pool to the sea, but it made little man happy so all is well!

Not-quite-as creepy Question of the Day: My little man LOVES books!! (Okay, I do know that isn't a question…bear with me…) He LOVES to point out the things he sees in his books and tell me what they are and what they do, BUT… he has developed a strange habit. (Yes, yes…I am getting there!) Whenever, he sees a picture of something he would like to play with very badly, he tries desperately and repeatedly to free his prized object from the prison of the books pages!!! It is sooo stinking cute, but a little weird…it makes me wonder if he just has such an amazing imagination or if I'm going to have call EI and ask them about this strange behavior? I have never seen anyone do it before. He takes his tiny fingers and tries to "pinch" the pictures off the pages…or (in one of our favorite books about cars there is a picture of a red convertible…we have a toy almost exactly like that) try to manipulate the parts…like open doors or take things out.

So…super smart boy or weirdo? How does one know?

I think I'll stick with it being a sign that he is a genius! J

Good Things:

(these are probably a bit of a stretch since I can't really remember what happened 5 minutes ago much less several days ago)
*Got to leave the house for a bit to go to the bank and CVS. WOOHOO!! Felt like a mini-vacation!
*Had delicious "peetz" for dinner (aka pizza!!)…YUMMM!
* Got a few more items checked off my "To Buy" list when I was at CVS! Almost ready for these bad boys to make their appearance!