Fairweather Fairhope

We are in Fairhope, AL staying at the Marriot Grand Hotel while Nick attends the Bishop's Convention through Wednesday. We left Mont. Monday morning at 6:24a.m. and arrived at the hotel at about 9:45a.m. The babies were so good on the car ride down but by 10 were ready for their bottles! We fed them in the room and and by the time we finished it was time for Nick to get to a meeting. So I strolled the girls over to the main Dining Room and ordered an AMAZING chicken club wrap and sweet potato fries and a fruit cup to take back to the room. Our room overlooks the GIGANTIC pool/patio area. I texted LJM that all I needed was her to layout with and a babysitter to watch the babies! Oh well, next time maybe!

There are 100 year old (and older) oak trees everywhere and we are directly on the bay so needless to say the scenery here is breathtaking. We have not gotten to do much sightseeing yet but Nick has the afternoon off today so we are looking forward to strolling around then and maybe doing some shopping. Last night we ate dinner at a seafood rest. on the bay just outside of Mobile. I called a friend of mine from high school and college and he met up with us for beers and fried platters all around... talk about full. The babies slept the whole time...nice. Then to top the night off they slept for the second night in a row from 9p.m. to 5a.m. That is 8 hours people! Which means I slept 7.

So why did I name this post Fairweather Fairhope? It is 80 degrees, HUMID, we walk everywhere, and I FORGOT SHORTS!!! What the heck? Sweating in bluejeans makes me feel like I might die or strangle anyone in my way to an air conditioned room! Hehe, but it surely is not as bad as it would have been here a month ago!

Reconciliation

So now I make up for my poor pitiful me post from last night.

Ali Carrie confronted me this morning about how she is feeling snubbed in the news lately.  So a quick update on her.  She is still sweet.  She still loves to doo doo in the house, though not lately.  She loves to roll around in the grass even after a bath and her latest favorite toy is an old pair of Nick's socks.  For the past three nights she and I have been battling it out on our bed with a good ole game of tug-o-socks.  She growls and pulls and I pull back and bite her on the neck.  She loves it so much that at random times in the day, like when I am feeding a child, she will come and put the sock in my lap and sit at my feet staring up at me as if to say, "Ya wanna!?"  Here is a picture of her just after her last scalping, I mean haircut.

Raise your hand if you have a CAT that looks like my Dog ( cue lukesha).

It is Friday and last night was the first official "through the night" sleepfest.  Harper and Lily went to bed at 9pm and did not get up until 4am!  When they started crying I rolled over and looked at Nick and he said, "they haven't eaten since 9."  So we both got up and had them back down by 4:30am.  NICE.  They are both sleeping now in their swings.  Two days ago I erected (???) their playmats and Lily is really into them.  I can put her on her back and watch her gaze up at the flying ladybugs and frogs.  Also, she likes to look at herself in the mirror and kick her feet and wave her hands.  The mat is bright blues and reds and black and whites which is supposedly visually stimulating.  I will be looking for a used double stroller that can be used for the upcoming months until they can sit up on their own.  With the weather being so nice it would be great to be able to stroll around the neighborhood or go places - we haven't been able to do this because the double we have doesn't have any support and they just sort of slump over.  Suggestions or offers???

Tonight we are going "window shopping" around East Chase to get out and about.  I am sure there will be a Pumpkin Spice latte somewhere in that mix.

Saturday should be a great game day.  Alabama plays Georgia in a "black out" game - intimidated?  Not so much.  I really hope we win.

Sunday, Selma?  Visit with Nana and Pops and hopefully trade cars for the early part of the week because we are all going on our first vacation together!  Point Clear and staying in the Grand Hotel Monday, Tuesday, come back Wednesday.  This is a "business trip" for Nick but there will be a lot of free time to sight see and just get away.   I hope to see the ocean at some point and maybe do a little shopping at the outlet malls.  Also looking for some fresh sushi.

For the Montgomery locals:  I had an AMAZING coffee chat with an amazing woman yesterday...kindred spirit if you will.  Along with this chat I savored a Cafe Louisa skim caramel latte in a huge pottery mug.  Cafe Louisa is one of those places I go to (sadly, rarely) but leave asking, "why don't I come here more often?"  I love that each employee has three shades of color in their hair, ear piercingS, hemp beaded necklaces, and graphic tees, and everyone in the place is either drawing, journaling, or Mac-ing.  And there is local art hanging on the wall, for sale.  Just a good place to be.  I wish that our house was in walking distance to this place but you know, the East Side of town has it's perks too, it does!

Well that is about all that I have to post about for now.  Happy Friday.

Sometimes You Just Feel Like a Good Cry...

You know, today has just been one of those days when you feel like a good cry would help... for no apparent reason...I just feel a little depressed.

But I think this list of petty bothersomes (if that makes any sense) has something to do with it:

The weather is amazing...although I don't technically know because I don't leave the house.

I am worried about our money running out a month before it is supposed to.  We have an "emergency fund" designated for my maternity leave but right now I am not seeing how it will get us through until I get paid again at the end of November.

Christmas is coming and while it is my favorite holiday/season I am feeling the urgency of buying presents for all of our loved ones and wondering how I will afford it.

None of my clothes fit... that's all I need to say about that.

The days are getting shorter... the sun doesn't come up till 6 ish and sets at 7 ish.

I am not good at being alone anymore and by being alone I mean I feel sad at night when Nick has to go away on business trips.

Poor poor me right? Not really... Will Smith said on an episode of Fresh Prince "all of your problems are just luxeries" ... and he is right.

It's Fall!

It's the first day of Fall and I couldn't be more excited.
The heat and humidity has seemed to let off a little and at certain times of the day it is quite nice to be outside. I love the smell of my living room after the sliding door has been left open for a little while. I know the season is changing when sleeping with the fan on is a little too cool for my comfort. One thing I hate to see is gals a little too excited for Fall and wearing turtlenecks in September... pace yourselves on busting out the new wardrobe, it's not THAT cool yet.

And so I am counting down the days that my maternity leave will end. My first day back at work will be Monday November 3 and I have mixed emotions. On one hand I am a little giddy to be getting back into a work routine and making money but on my other 5 hands I am really anxious. The babies are spending a lot more of the day awake and are doing some cooing and smiling. If they are upset they instantly calm when I pick them up to cuddle and feedings have been much more pleasant. No more choking and we have settled on a formula that minimizes spit up. These accomplishments met paired with longer periods of sleep at night make mothering even more enjoyable. And so soon I will have to drop them off at another mother's home for her to take care of them while I ... essentially take care of other people's kids at school. Ug. It makes me sick to my stomach. I am scared for Harper and Lily and I am scared for me. I fear that missing them will be unbearable but something I will just have to "get used to." I hate it. Having these 5 month with them is an amount of time that the majority of mothers do not get and so for that I am grateful. Loving these little girls is a feeling I can't describe and if you are a mother or are expecting to be one then you know what I mean.

This weekend was good. Saturday we spent the morning and early afternoon in Opelika at my dad, "Sherm-Grandy's" house to watch the Tide take another win. Saturday evening friends from out of town gathered with in town friends for football and food... what better combination? Before our company came I went on a cleaning frenzy and swept the hardwood floors AND polished them too. It is so nice to walk around the house and not be followed by a pack of "dust bunnies." Most laundry was washed and folded and the kitchen is decent. For me, a clean house is half of what keeps my mind sane.

Today I will be finishing a book I have been trying to get through for the past couple of weeks, The Shack. Interesting book - tells the story of Mack whose 6 year old daughter is murdered and three years later he goes to the scene of the crime for a weekend of fellowship and conversation with a black woman (embodying God), an asian man (Jesus), and an oriental woman (the Holy Spirit). Mack seeks answers and the threesome seek his heart and a relationship... not the gushy gushy feel good read but instead, insightful and challending train of thought that makes you wonder and perhaps change your own dialogue in your own times of questioning.

Lily is calling and it is time to feed again...unfortuneatly I did not make time to feed myself between 8:15 and now so now I am hungry. I wish I could catch this pitiful pouty face for all of you to see... not mine... Lily's. Talk about tugging at my heartstrings...

Game Day!

Unfortunately, our house is one divided.  I got Lily.  Nick got Harper; maybe one day she will forgive me.  Roll Tide Y'all!!!

Mama and Lily, her Bama baby.

The 4 Month Birthday

The 15th was the girls' 4 month birthday.  We went to the pediatrician and Lily weighs 7.15 and Harper weighs 7.8.  Their reflexes are all developmentally/(adjusted age) on time and they have even started smiling at me a little!  Also, they noticeably recognize my voice.  Remember when they came home at 2 months I took their picture in their rocker?  Compare their growth to now!

July 15, 2008

September 15, 2008

Lily

Harper

Jamma Time

These are some really fun snaps of the girls in their pajamas. I couldn't resist showing them off!

This day I needed to hop in the shower but Harper (your left) would not stop crying. I put them in the bed together and when I got out of the shower I heard that there was NO crying. I peeked into the crib to see this!

This is Harper being whiny and pitiful before her nap. Doesn't her hair have shades of red or what?

This is Lily on the same day in what we call a "food coma" - she had 4 ounces, was FULL, and sleepy.

Ok this is the reason that the Boppy Lounger has a "warning" patch on it that reads, "To prevent serious injury or death: do not allow baby to lie face down or on side in this newborn lounger. Always use on the floor, never place in a crib, on the bed, table, counter, or any elevated surface. Never move newborn lounger while baby is on it. Never leave child unattended." We are always in the same room when the girls "lounge" but we let Harper wiggle in her sleep to see how far she would go. This is as far as we let her go.

This is a picture of the babies in their matching Fall PJ's. October is my FAVORITE month so I just had to grab these outfits up at Target for only $5 a piece! Lily is on your left, Harper is on your right. Doesn't Harper look just like Nick!?!

Graco Lauren Crib = $100
Halloween Pajamas = $5
Seeing the looks on these faces just before bed time = PRICELESS

This Week

It is Friday and we have a had a great week.

Highlights:

We found bottles that seem to help with gas/spit up issues.  Dr. Brown's.  Both babies are taking between 3 and 4 ounces and have dropped their midnight feedings!  We have the 4 months Dr. visit on Monday and I am really excited to see how much they weigh... any guesses?  Mine is that Lily is 8 pounds and Harper is 7.  Also, we visited Dr. P. this week to check their retina development and he said they both are in the clear.  We will do 2 more follow up checkups over the next couple of months to be sure.  We found a babysitter for when I go back to work.  It is a really neat story actually.  My brother had a best friend growing up named Chris.  Chris married Lindsay and they have a 4 year old daughter and 18 month old twins.  They live in Montgomery and of all the people my brother new growing up Chris and Lindsay are the only people I "run" into out and about and keep in touch with on Facebook.  When I found out I was pregnant with twins I messaged Lindsay and told her about it and we would message back and forth little updates here and there.  The other day I randomly sent her a message just to say hey and ask her to be praying for us and our situation (not knowing who would keep Harper and Lily when I return in November).  She wrote back to me offering to help.  I was dumbfounded... how had I gone all these months without thinking to ask her for her help?  We corresponded, met for dinner, and settled on time and pay.  I could not be more thrilled that this has worked out.  She is a wonderful gal who is more than prepared to take on my twins seeing that she has twins of her own!  Once my babies get a little older, hers and mine, will be a perfect little play group!  What is even more fantastic is that Lindsay shared with me that she had been praying for an opportunity such as this for a couple of YEARS and had even turned down opportunities before waiting for the perfect chance to keep 1-2 babies but on a schedule that was most compatible with her families' schedule.  My teaching scheduled was the perfect one : 8-4, holidays, and summers, etc.

I started a new book, The Shack by William P. Young that has me gripped from the start.   I won't go into too much detail for those that have not read it but if you have feel free to email me your opinion without giving anything away.  I make time to read during the day even if it is 5 or 10 pages here and there.

Nick and I actually got to get out with the babies on Wednesday night.  We stopped by the NICU to see a friend and her preemie baby.  It was really strange to be back in there and experience the sounds and smells again.  Also seeing a beautiful 3 pound baby was really a shock because mine are so big now and I have had them home for over a month it is like my brain has forgotten how small they were.  It was really amazing to see Raley and her mama and all too familiar.

Yesterday TWO out of the ordinary great things happened:

One:  I watched, for the first time in it's entirety, When Harry Met Sally.  What a great flick!  SO GOOD.  I am not such a fan of Meg Ryan but she was pretty cute in this movie.  Billy Crystal is hilarious and Carrie Fisher - I think seeing her in this movie was one of those moments where you say to yourself "how did I miss the fact Carrie Fisher is in this movie, oh wait, I was 10 when I saw this movie for the first time, ok."

Two:  I went shopping for Nick last night at Dillard's.  When I got home we did a little fashion show, everything looked GREAT on him, and I literally had my calculator with me and added up the retail prices and the sale prices and compare the two.  We were stunned!  If we had payed regular prices we would have spent $750.  I actually payed $132.  That is amazing!  Two pairs of Perry Ellis pants, two Polos, two Calvin Klein shirts, one Roundtree and York shirt, and one graphic t-shirt.  The night before Nick had picked out a few items and spent $100 sale dollars on items that added up to $300 regularly priced.  We saved roughly $800 on GOOD clothes.  

The weekend:  cook a good meal and watch football.  Sounds good to me.

I am experiencing a "writer's block."

(twiddling thumbs)

Thank You Donald Miller

Everyone needs a good "devotion" in the morning but seldomly do we commit the time and energy to receive it.

Please go to this post and drink it up.  Donald Miller, author of Blue Like Jazz, was the prayer guy at the DNC...

Also, I might add that the irony of his post when compared to last night's flick Easy Rider is uncanny.  

Enjoy!

Upcoming Project and Weekend Wrap Up

Saturday I went to the Amazing Home Decorating Shrine for Cheap-skates Like Me: Hobby Lobby and purchased a makeshift "starter kit" for acrylic painting.  My creative side, unrefined as it may be, is urging me to PAINT!  I have a few ideas for something to create for the babies' nursery.  Here is the catch... mixing paints is really hard!  I have this perfect white canvas that I am scared to touch because I haven't built up my confidence just yet to take the plunge and create!  The good news is that I can always buy another canvas if project one doesn't go as planned.

Sunday we spent the whole day doing nothing.  Nice.  We cooked a nice easy meal, tacos and watched The Bucket List.  The movie was good if you like Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman playing two "old guys" (sad) taking on the world in their last attempts to live life to the fullest.  No twists, no turns, just simple goodness.  If you have seen the music video for John Mayer's "Say" then you have basically watched the movie but I am glad we watched it anyway.

Monday we went to my parent's house for ribs, squash casserole, garlic butter bread, english pea salad, and baked beans.  It is so fun to see them loving on the babies.  We forgot to pack swaddling blankets but were able to appease them by wrapping them in king size pillow cases.  The girls lasted for about 3 hours before they got really fussy and we headed home.  Once we got home all hell broke loose.  I blame it on their growing dependancy to be on a schedule.  We got home at about 8p.m. which is thirty minutes past "bedtime" and they screamed and screamed for about an hour until we fed them and held them until they went to sleep.  It was amazing to me that not until they had full bellies and looked around and realized they were in their dimly lit bedroom did they settle down.  They ate at around midnight again and then slept till 4!  I think they might be close to dropping a night time feeding so that we can start sleeping through the night.  Also, they have grown out of their preemie clothes.  They are wearing newborn sizes now which are still a little too big but will be perfect in about another week or two.

I have been having the weirdest dreams lately.  One reason, I think, is that since I have quit pumping (two weeks on Wednesday) I am been able to mentally turn off and let myself sleep... really sleep.  The other night I dreamed that Nick and I were traveling... somewhere dark and remote and as we were driving down a dirt road the road was crowded with cows... so full that we had to creep in our vehicle and literally push them out of the way.  Once we got to our destination... Sea World, to see an orca whale perform (something I have always wanted to do) I realized I was naked and too embarrassed to go in.  Right about that time I also realized I couldn't find Nick so the rest of the time I walked around searching for him through a maze that seemed to be an old old house with rooms filled with people doing drugs.  WEIRD!  The next night I dreamed that I was being stalked by some crazy woman and was on the phone with the police trying to tell them to come and help me and that I had to get to the 4th floor to rescue my sleeping babies.  That's all I really remember about that dream.  These dreams have been so intense that I literally wake up and look around our bedroom and have to tell myself, "thank God, it was just a dream."  Last night before I went to sleep I said a very simple prayer,"Lord please go before me in my sleep and create a calm and peaceful place so that I may rest without any fears."  I don't remember having any dreams last night.

Today. 

Fold the laundry.

Exercise.

Go see LJM

Paint?

Write Thank you notes.

September 2nd, really?  I go back to work in 8 weeks.  Scary.  Still no idea what we will do with the babies when I go back.  Waiting list at church is full until after the new year.  But I am not worried.  Our needs have been met far greater than my imagination and this challenge isn't any different.

It is not that big of a deal that Palin's daughter is pregnant.  I am not surprised or shocked nor would it sway my vote away from McCain for President IF I WERE going to vote for him.  Obama said, " Let me be as clear as possible.  I think people's families are off limits, and people's children are especially off limits.  This shouldn't be part of our politics.  It has no relevance to Gov. Palin's performance as governor or her potential performance as a vice president."  

Amen to that and even greater is my respect for the man now.