This is Our Day

Disclaimer:  I did not draw this cartoon and I do not take credit for it I just like it and wanted to show it off.  I have been accused of copy right infringement before on my blog so here is me saying Dave Carpenter I like your cartoon is all.

"Thanksgiving Day.. a first for many new things" my toast began at the dinner table.

A first as parents for me and for Nick.  We had lunch at my parent's house  - the traditional turkey, dressing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes followed by peach cobbler.  The girls did pretty well.  Any place other than home is a gamble for a good time because they don't have their swings, toys, and usual floor space and naps.  They get sick of being held and tucker out pretty early so we were back at home by 3:30.  I have affectionately nicknamed their "Poppy" (my dad) "the baby whisperer" as he is usually pretty good at cooing along with them and easing their fussiness.  Once we got home and the babies were napping I snoozed on the couch while Nick played with my hair and watched a History channel special on the White House.  Just as I fell asleep I had this vivid dream of Harper asleep in the red chair across the room, rolling to the edge and falling off... I GASPED so hard that I woke myself up and Nick exclaimed, "What was that?!"  I told him the dream and we both leaned off the side of the couch to peak on the actual sleeping baby in her car seat on the couch in the living room.  I think I had been thinking before I fell asleep, "I hope it is ok to leave her in the car seat on the couch..."  I am pretty sure their is a warning against that on the safety apparatus to prevent such horrible dreams from coming true.

Later in the evening after the girls went to bed, Nick and I curled up on the couch with Guthrie's chicken finger plates (ugggg) and watched one of my favorite movies of all time, Legends of the Fall.  We were in bed by midnight but woken up by 2 am to soothe a hungry baby.  They are around 13 pounds each now and reaching the point where a bottle is not enough to carry their appetites through the night.  However, they aren't enjoying rice cereal from a spoon yet either so for now we just give the extra feeding and hope to be sleeping through the night again soon.

Baby updates - well the ear infections have led to upper respiratory infections for both girls suggested by wheezing.  It isn't that bad... their feedings are still on the increase and they feel well but it is something we are watching.  Every 5 hours they have to sit on my lap for 10 minutes and breathe through a nebulizer.  Surprisingly to me, they tolerate it really well.  Lily is almost rolling over from her back to her stomach.  I have peeked in on her in bed and found her on her side several times and if she could get that one arm out from under her stomach she would be lying face down.  Which brings up a question... if a baby naturally chooses to sleep on their stomach is it ok to let her do it and not worry about SIDS?  Harper is just a few days behind Lily developmentally so she is just now discovering her voice by "razzing" and singing to herself in her crib.  Also, they have both figured out how to push the button that plays music on their tummy mats so that is fun to watch them be surprised.  Sometimes Lily will lie very still and just stare in amazement at her ands as she flexes her fingers and makes a fist.  Smiles are everywhere but not quite laughing yet.

It has been tradition that Nick and I go and find the Christmas Tree on the day after Thanksgiving but with the rain today and a few visitors expected it might be moved to tomorrow.  Today my dad, sister, and brother will stop by and visit for a little while.  Will is a marine stationed in North Carolina so this will be his second time to meet the girls.  The last time he was here they were just home from the hospital and about 4 pounds each so I am excited for him to see how much they have grown.  Also, high school friend Celeste and her husband Shea will come by to see them - and us :)

I dont' know if it is the massive rush of sugar that's been in my diet the past three days or the rain or all of it but I am TIRED.  It takes a lot of effort to even walk from end of the house to the other.  I pretty much feel like I could curl up and take a nap at any point in the day.  I would like to being reading To Kill a Mockingbird for the third holiday season in a row but I just know the minute I get nestled on the couch and start I'll fall asleep which would be awesome if I didn't have so much responsibility around the house.  Maybe I'll get in bed an hour early tonight and do that.  For those of you that don't know, Harper's name was chosen because I was reading TKM when I found out I was pregnant and loved the name so much that it was either Atticus for a boy or Harper for a girl.  I'm sure there are a lot of people glad that we had a girl.  But there are lots of names that would sound "weird" if they weren't so common... consider your own name... say it slowly about five times and it sounds weird!  You have just heard it so many times that it isn't unusual.

Big game tomorrow.  No big plans.  Plenty of invites to Iron Bowl parties but it just isn't worth the packing involved to half assure that the girls will be happy in a crowd of people.  Have you ever noticed how uncomfortable people can get around a fussy baby - much less two.  I don't like when people who aren't around them regularly see them fussing because it makes them think they are bad babies and my babies are SO NOT bad babies.  They are actually really really good they just like our home and our schedule - who can argue that?  HA... speaking of fussy babies, Barry Manilow is singing in concert at Rockerfeller Plaza in NYC and they just showed a family trying to soothe a less than 6 month old baby screaming his head off with a bottle... "Uh... parents... I'm pretty sure that hunger is not the only reason your infant baby is crying while you jam to "Islands in the Stream" in the snow in a crowd of 300 in the city that never sleeps!!!"  WOW.

That's all for now.  Happy Black Friday.  Did any of you go out to shop?

I'm thankful for...

Just a few...

being loved

nick- his commitment to me and our family and that he has never once judged me

harper- i love that she is so patient, i can tell already she will be a good listener, and that she really observes her surroundings 

lily- i love the way she smiles so big when i go to get her in the morning and she will sit so still on my lap with her head buried in my chest not needing any entertainment, just to be with me is enough

my health, my home, our things

my job and the benefits it provides for my family, including the time I get to spend with them

repaired relationships 

my friends, blogs, text messaging, and facebook (it is so nice to touch a few buttons and read and see my friends when we can't be face to face)

a new spirit of hope in America

Christmas music starts today, tree tomorrow

warm comfort food 

flavored creamers and coffees

soft clean pajama pants and long sleeve tees

scented candles

OK...this is where my list of things i am thankful for starts turning into things I love because the truth is there are the essentials in life that I am so thankful for and then there are things I don't need or deserve but have and am so thankful for so I'll stop.  That's a whole other blog...

Schedules

I have been mocked before for putting my babies on such a tight schedule.  If people only knew how beautiful our families' schedule is, how much we look forward to it, and how fast it will go by.  I think about it every day.  

We wake up at 5, make bottles, and coffee, turn on MSNBC, and are quiet during the dark hour of the morning.  The sun comes up at 6 and I get ready for work.  The girls "play" on their blankets and tummy gyms in our room while Nick watches the news or irons our clothes.  I leave the house at 7:15 and on my way the windows to the truck I drive are down and my coffee mug is warm.  I listen to NPR on the way and I see beautiful homes and beautiful trees and I feel cold and windy.  I leave early enough that I can enjoy being "that guy in the right lane on I85 going exactly 70 mph.  

I get to work on the side of town where the houses are not beautiful and in most situations there is no schedule and no structure in the home.  My job is amazing.  In fact, I LOVE going to work every day.  I love the organization, I love the new black ink pens, the paperwork, the parent conferences, and most of all I LOVE working with my kids.  I think last year I was really really affected by hormones and "the rut" we all enter at some point when we haven't had a break.  I always felt impatient.  My temper was SHORT.  I was way too hard on myself.  I let myself feel defeated every day knowing that these kids needed so much help that I didn't know where to start.  But now, I pick a skill and go with it.  They are happy and having fun and when it gets too hard, we do something else and I make a note of it.  "...has trouble answering comprehension questions, can't list 5 fruits, forgets to capitalize and punctuate."  One thing I used to take for granted is that kids, no matter how educationally challenged they may be, remember things about me.  Almost every child I teach has asked "Where my baby?"  "Where Nick?"  "You still got dat dog Ali?"  And they all beg to see pictures of my babies.  They ooh and ahh and say they are so cute.  It is flattering and a little scary because it means that KIDS LISTEN.  They may not be able to retain counting by 5's and 10's but they remember the day I cried in Mrs. S's room after confessing my fears about money and having twins on our break.  As the kids filed in and I hurried to wipe away the tears they looked at me and almost every one wanted to walk up to me and give me a hug.  I swear to you, one little girl cried with me.  She didn't know why I was crying, but it made her sad.  Isn't that the definition of empathy.

I get home and have one hour to spend with my husband and children before putting them to bed.  At 6pm the house is quiet again and Nick and I compare notes on how our day went.  We eat a good hot meal and get in our warm bed and I REST.  The next day, we start over.

This will not always be our schedule but for now it is as good for me as it is the babies.

Humor

Did anyone see SNL last night?

I just watched it and I rolled my eyes several times because I was just... like, shocked at some of the skits considered funny.

The digital short with Andy Sanberg and Paul Rudd.  I usually like the digital short but this one was awful.  It showed each one of them laying on a couch being painted by the other, NUDE.  You see everything with the fuzzy effect on the private areas.  

The college guy comes to dinner with friend and family.  The family is overly expressive and kissed each other probably 50 times to show their affection, freaking out the invited friend of course.  Scene ends with friend and "Dad" acting out a 5-7 open mouth kissed and basically being all over each other.

Finally, the pink gay cat on the Weekend Update standing up for his rights to marry the little green martian, I get it, but it all just leaves me saying, "really? that's funny?"

The other night Nick and I watched three episodes of the Cosby Show back to back.  Tell me a show these days that compares to this good clean fun that can make you laugh with out shocking you and grossing you out.  No, I'm serious... does anyone have any?  I would love some good funny tv.  The Office I know, anymore?

Friday Nigh Fluff

The survey that Nick and Stephanie and Jason did was fun to read so here is mine.

My favorite birthday?

I feel kind of bad saying this but if I am being completely honest I would have to say it was my 23rd birthday.  I had graduated college and was back at home in Montgomery and went out to celebrate with some friends.  While we were out I looked over the bar and saw an old crush of mine.  When I was 16 he was 26 and it was totally inappropriate for us to crush on each other but we flirted innocently.  Well he looked shocked, like I was still 16 and asked what was I doing in a bar!?  When he asked how I was etc. I said I had just graduated college and was out celebrating my birthday blah blah blah and we ended up going back to my apartment (no hanky panky so get your minds out of the gutter) and dancing to songs like Lionel Richie's "Dancing on the Ceiling" till 4 in the morning!  There have been more sentimental birthdays that were more important but that was a really fun birthday that is fun to share! (sorry Nick, love you!)

My favorite way to spend the day off?

One word: relax.  Up at five to feed the babies, flavored coffee, watch the Today show, cook a yummy lunch, go on a walk/stroll, do laundry, read, maybe take a nap, spend time with Nick... basically just enjoy my home and my family.

My favorite song to turn up and sing to?

"Let My Love Open the Door" by the Who? 

What TV show will cause me to ignore my husband, children, friends until the next commercial?

THE BACHELOR AND/OR BACHELORETTE. Sorry I have no excuses... I LOVE this show.  I love watching all the nerves and desperate attempts to be memorable and the drunk slutty girls that never fail to be from Alabama.  Just good.

When was the last time I cursed at the TV?

Again, being completely honest here... tonight when Nick and I were watching the news a Sarah Palin clip played showing her mouthing off about something and I said, "uh, she's such a b*%$." Sorry... not really.

What will I most likely let my kids get away with when I am tired?

Sleeping in the bed with me, although this will be an eternal topic of controversy between me and Nick... he says no way no how and I say, oh Saturdays are special why not?  At least in the mornings during cartoons and sugary cereal... what could be better!?

Aside from major milestones, the best moment of my life?

Hmm, this is a three parter... so best three moments of my life.  NO I am going to stick to the question.  I would have to say that the moment the ultrasound technician said, "There's two" and Nick and I cried and held each other shaking was the best moment of my life.  Other amazing life moment's like saying "I do" and holding the babies for the first time were unforgettable but those moments were preceded with anticipation and halfway knowing what to expect.  I was shocked and could never have expected the explosion of emotion that I felt, emotionally and physically, when I saw that I was carrying twins in my womb.

Am I an extrovert or introvert?

Extrovert.  I talk to strangers, I volunteer for social situations, I greet people in the parking lots whether or not it looks as if they are interested in me or not.

Biggest pet peeve that I see from other drivers on the road?

People texting while the drive.

A fashion item or statement that I really admire but can't pulloff?

Anything with high heels.  I love tall boots, strappy sexy sandals, pumps, but I just can't do it.  I have to wear flats for comfort and also, my claim to fame statement around Nick is "I just can't wear a heel without feeling like a drag queen."  (this does not apply to heels with dresses).  I mean heels with jeans, skirts, etc. basically anything other than a black pump with church and work clothes.

If I could go to college again and major in anything and follow through in it with a successful career?

I have said Nutrition for a while now but I think I will always long for my masters degree in my current career field, Speech Pathology.  The 5 month maternity leave gave me time for space and spiritual Q&A and change and I am actually really passionately loving my job now.  I also would really love to explore some form of counseling too though like addiction, couples, or children's, particularly abused and neglected children.

Hope this helps you get to know me a little better!

Tag:

Jackie

LJM

Lindsay M.

Anna

Hard to Believe These Are My Children

Friday night we spent the night with Mary Tyler and Steve at their new house.  She has a very nice camera and hopefully so will we (when we just come across 6 or 700 dollars... every penny will be worth it one day but until then, could you just stop by every day and take more photos like these?  A-M-A-Z-I-N-G

-Me & Steve after he played a practical joke on me, scaring the daylights out of me!

-Harper during tummy time

-Beautiful Lily 

-Sweet Harper

-Harper & Nick

Picture Post

I saw someone do this on their blog and thought it was a good idea.

-Go to the 4th photo file folder in your computer

-Post the 4th picture in that file

-Tell the story of the picture

-Tag for friends.

Ha HA. Ok this is funny.

This was September 30 of 2006 when Nick and I drove to Auburn to get tattoos together.  Not matching.  I chose the Fleur de Lis because I love the look of this symbol and also for it's religious symbolism, representing the Holy Trinity.  The artist's name was Melvin and we didn't have much to talk about because as you can see in the background of the picture the "Dave Chappelle" DVD was running the full hour.  The first five minutes of the tattoo worried me about whether or not I would be able to make it through the rest of the session but half way through my endorphins were really flowing and it actually felt like a deep tissue massage.

What is really crazy is that here we are 2 years later with a child name "Lily" and I did NOT plan her name from my tattoo, lol.  It really was coincidence.  Well when it dawned on me and Nick one night that I have a "lily" tattoo and and "Lily" child we google image searched "Harper" and the first picture that came through was the "Lion Rampant" symbol which... you guessed it, is what Nick got tattooed on his shoulder that day in Auburn.  CRAZY.

I tag:

-LJM

-Jackie

-Laurel

-Jason

What This Election Means to Me

A good friend assigned our little circle of friends a homework assignment... not to be graded not to be judged. "What Does This Elections Mean to You" he asked.

This post is not to persuade anyone because by now, your mind is probably made up. This post is to simply put down a few reasons why this election is important to me and why I believe Barack Obama is the best candidate for the President of the United States of America.

Let me say first, that I have not memorized each policy proposal and I can't "put up a good fight" over policy either. I didn't major in Political Science so I may not have all of the quotes and citations that I should in order to justify my beliefs. However, I have issues I feel very deeply for and I believe in the power of prayer and discernment and these are the tools that I used in making my choice.

My first heart's cry for change is for our children, particularly the ones with "no hope." For four years I have worked in the Special Education department on the west side of town... the poor side..."the ghetto"..."the wrong side of the tracks," a Title I, free meals elementary school and I have seen poverty at it's worst. Everyday, I have seen students ranging from Kindergarten through fifth grade walking down the hall after breakfast on their way to class with muffins stuffed in their pockets and a half chewed biscuit stuffed in both cheeks because they had to eat in a hurry and worry about having food later. So they take what's left over or what their buddy doesn't eat and hope that the teacher won't make them throw it away. I have let a little boy sleep in my room because he was so tired from being up all night in the emergency room with his mother after her boyfriend cut her arm and threw her down the stairs. He watched it all. Last year I took a 7 year old little girl to the nurse's office because she was complaining that her foot hurt. When the nurse and I examined her foot we saw an open wound so infected that the center of the cut was throbbing as the surrounding skin tried to protect the rest of her foot. The smell was awful. She had a bright red line under her skin that ran up her leg... staff infection. She explained that a couple of months earlier (that summer) she was chasing the ice cream truck and stepped on a piece of glass. She was not taken to a doctor or the hospital - no insurance. She said she didn't want to tell her mother that it was still hurting because her mama's boyfriend tried to push a needle in the sore to get the pus out and that it hurt so bad she didn't want him to try it again.  And perhaps the most haunting situation I have encountered was when I was obligated to write a report for DHR to report that a first grade boy had seen his crack addicted mother feeding her 2 year old son dirt and making him sleep on the floor because she didn't like him and "always gets mean to him when she drink that clear stuff out of that clear bottle." Poverty, single parented homes, drug and alcohol addicted parents, teen pregnancies and STDs... it needs attention and it needs real efforts.
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/poverty/#strengthen-families

Another big issue that means a lot to me and to our planet's future is the environment, clean air and water, land and wildlife conservation, and more efficient energy sources. No one can deny that we are taking so much more from this beautiful Earth than we are giving back and we need a clear cut plan with measurable goals, time lines, and accountability.
http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/issues/EnvironmentFactSheet.pdf

And the third issue, perhaps the most important of them all... where does faith belong in America? So many arguments between Republicans and Democrats, especially in the Bible Belt land, stem from the moral issues and controversies (you know the ones I'm talking about). For me it isn't even about whether I am FOR or AGAINST these things. I am FOR people that have issues and decisions to to make... as we all do. People that have empty spaces in their hearts and voids to fill. If we keep fighting our own religious battles here in America it will eventually divide us completely. I am not saying that we should all just throw our hands up and say "to each his own" because to say that would almost suggest that no one should care for or after another and that is not the way we should be living. The truth is we have to live together and work together, and make laws together, and help one another, and disagree with each other but agree to somehow find a compromisable commonground if not for us for our children, and their children. Ok, I am probably starting to ramble so PLEASE take time to read this speech given by Obama called "Call to Renewal Keynote Address" June 28, 2006. It's amazing, I think anyway.

Get out and vote. God Bless America.