Oh yeah

I need to add a couple things to yesterday's post.

First of all, THANK YOU so much to my sweet friends who send me their Similac coupons! That REALLY helps. I have never been a real coupon fan, but those things are $5.00 off! Keep em comin' all you nursing ladies!

Secondly, I talked to a rep at Similac today and she sent me to my pediatrician to ask them about getting help from the local rep. I called sweet Diane, the sales rep, and she called right back and is going to hook us up with a couple cases! Yee haw!

As my mom always says, "every little bit helps!". Thanks, Linda.

Oh, and by the way, feel free to use "JEEF" in your own vernacular. It comes in quite handy when you're mad or disgusted with something. (Examples: "It's so jeef when you gain 60 lbs. to have twins and then they only add up to 10 lbs. when they're born.")

Jeef

My sweet little twins have tummy problems. They have reflux, colic, acidy stomach, indigestion - whatever you want to call it...they have it. They've had it for quite some time and they are on some meds, which are helping. They are also on this special formula called Similac Alimentum. When the girls first got their tummy problems we were willing to try anything to stop the puking (when I say puking I mean puking - not just spit up). One day a couple months ago I got thrown up on four times. That's four-ish showers for me and four baths of infants in one day, for those of you who are counting.

Anyhoo, the Alimentum has been great, but they're a little picky about it. They won't drink the powder kind (which is a bit cheaper). They will only drink the Ready To Feed kind, which used to cost about $8.46 a bottle. Well, let's just say that I think we have singlehandedly driven up the prices of this priceless formula because much to my surprise it now costs $9.63 per bottle. Can you believe that? And you're asking yourself, "How many bottles do you need in a week?". Well friends, the answer these days is one bottle a day! Can you believe that? I can't. I mean, they know they've got you hook, line, and sinker because anyone who has a "colicky baby" with a "gassy stomach" is willing to try anything to get them to shut the heck up, stop puking and sleep for a little while.

So, the long and short of it is that we spend about $70-$90 a week on formula.

Jeef.

(For those of you at home, Jeef is a "sloan-ism" meaning, well, meaning a lot of things. But in this instance it means - ugh.)

What a shame that the large endowment(s) the good Lord gave me don't work the way they're supposed to.

(By the way, the girls are worth every penny. Just wanted to vent a little.)

Really funny ebay listing

My friend Dana sent me a link to this hilarious Ebay listing. You gotta check it out - what a hoot. Especially all you moms out there.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130144061675&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ebay.com%3A80%2Fsearch%2Fsearch.dll%3Ffrom%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dm37%26satitle%3D130144061675%26category0%3D%26fvi%3D1

First Day of Preschool

I know it's not "real" kindergarten yet, but it feels so wierd that Maggie is going to start school today. She is in a little program here in Jacksonville called Voluntary Pre-K where she goes to school, but it's free - yippee! They offer this program to all 4 year olds in Florida and her school just joined the program this year. Anyway, they have a limited number of days they can miss, so it's really feeling like real school to me. She goes for longer days this year and more frequently. Ian packed her lunch last night (in her High School Musical lunch box, of course), and we have her things all ready in her backpack (HSM as well). I'm really excited for her because she's been going a little stir crazy around here with me and the twins. I think it just might wear me out to get her out the door and to school on time, but I'm trying to make it work! Like right now, for instance, it's 6:45 am and I'm blogging. Why, you ask? Because Tori woke up at 5 to eat, followed by Zoe, so I just didn't go back to bed. We've gotta all be dressed and out the door by 8:30 (I have a meeting at her school this morning or else I'd stay in my jammies!). Wish us luck!

Reinforcements

Things have been much better since my last post. My sweet friend Julie Sessoms came to visit this week and it was really fun. It was also a great blessing. As much as I'm not a Hillary fan (Clinton or Duff), I do agree that it takes a village. And this mama is really grateful for Julie coming this week to help out. She took Maggie to the pool for two hours one day while I stayed and slept during the babies' nap time. She made us a YUMMY dinner and held screaming babies while I held other screaming babies. She stayed with the twins so that I could take Maggie to orientation at preschool. It was a real gift.

I do think there's a reason that people used to live in community. We throw that word around these days - kind of a buzz word for the need that we have to be in relationship with other people. But it's more that a need to be in relationship; it's a need for others to be involved in your everyday life. Like someone there to hold my kids while I fix dinner, or to talk to me while I'm doing laundry. It's a need to be near people, to share the load, to walk through life with others - literally. I have experienced that community here in Jacksonville from the folks at my church and other friends who have come by for visits, have brought me dinners, have taken my four year old to the pool. I am so grateful for those friends. It's not just something that's nice to have - it's really a need. Makes me want to meet those needs for others too when I can.

It also makes me want to live down the street from family. I get slightly jealous when Jeannie (my sister with two and a half kids) goes one mile down the street to mom's house so that her kids can play on the swingset. I want to live in Asheville and visit with my mother-in-law while Maggie plays outside and we hold babies and drink wine on her back porch. I want to be in Charlottesville with Ian's step mother, watching her teach Maggie how to play in the dirt and grow amazing things in her garden. I'd love to be in Charlotte and go to my cousin's basketball games or visit Ian's aunts and family, or in Charleston and spend the afternoons with my cousin and her daughter. I'd love to just have everyone I love right at my fingertips to play with, cook with, laugh with, and share life with.

That must be what heaven's like. I guess I just long for that perfect community. My friend Jeff McSwain would say that I was born with that desire - that it is a reflection of God's character. I really am coming to see that is true.

The pictures above are from Julie's visit. She took a few pics of me with the girls, since I'm usually the one taking the pictures, rather than being in the pictures! Also, this last pic is of Maggie and Ian heading out to her first soccer practice. So sweet! Maggie is really growing up so much. She starts preschool on Monday and it's hard for me to believe that she'll be in kindergarten every day next year. Wow. She is such a joy - I really love her to pieces. (Though we have been driving each other up the wall lately - I think it's a good time for school to start!).

By the way, this morning Maggie came out of her room ready for soccer practice - in her shin guards, cleats, shorts and a long sleeved shirt. It's blazing hot here so I told her she should maybe put on a t-shirt, to which she quickly informed me that Mia Hamm wears long sleeved shirts to play soccer. How can I argue with that?

Strange Days

Well, it's Tuesday afternoon and we've had a few days of routine around here, which is amazing. The twins are taking longer naps and going longer intervals between feedings. Maggie is about to bust a gut to start school - she's getting a little bored around here, I think.



As for me, I am not sure what I think these days. It's wierd - I am here all day every day. The only time I leave really is to walk up to get the mail. Yesterday I piled the kids in the car and ran to the bank - exciting. I did get to go out for a little bit last night with some friends from my small group, which was fun. And tonight I have a great friend, Julie Sessoms, flying down to visit for the rest of the week. That'll be really fun.

It's just that I usually enjoy mommyland, but this week it's just on my nerves. Can I say that?



"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content no matter what the circumstances...I have learned the secret to being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:11-13.



I know I'm not in prison, like Paul was when he wrote this. And I know I am living in plenty and definitely well fed! I just feel lately like I'm really needing to pray for strength to get through this - mentally and physically. I am sure I've been through harder things. It's just that this is hard too, in a different way. It's all relative, I know - one baby or three babies. I think it was even harder when I first had Maggie. I guess I'm just sharing where I am right now.



I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength - and man do I need it!

Maggie singing Gabriella

This is a video of Maggie singing her favorite song from the first movie. We showed HSM 1 as a preshow to the new one.

Gotta turn it up to get the full effect.

My faorite part is when she tells her friend she's too close to the TV and she needs to move back. Think she's around me a bit too much?

Sorry about the poor quality, but it's still a trip and definitely rehearsal dinner material for the future!

HSM 2 party a big hit!

As you can see, the High School Musical 2 party was a big success. (If by success, we're talking 10 four year olds running around dressed up like princesses, screaming at the top of their lungs, waking my babies, and not paying a bit of attention to the movie). Maggie and her friend Caroline were pretty much the only ones that wanted to watch the movie, and they lasted about 5 minutes - through the first song. After that it was continuous chaos.

I think it's the first of a long line of mothering moments where I ask myself, "Why did I decide to do this?". It was fun, though, and great to get to visit with the other moms.

As far as the movie goes, I thought it was cute, but a little too old for Maggie. I mean, the whole thing this time revolved around Troy and Gabriella's relationship. At the end they finally kiss and Maggie asked me, "Mom, are they married?". I'm glad she thinks only married people kiss, and as far as I'm concerned I want it to stay that way until she's ready to walk down the aisle herself (but I'm not counting on it). I'm just not ready for her to think about those things yet.

As you can see from the video I'm about to post, she is already quite a little diva!

I would like to thank Disney, though, for providing me with hours and hours (and hours, literally) of fun with my daughter - watching the first movie, learning the songs, trying to do the dance moves, laughing while we planned the party, making cupcakes together, and giving us lots to talk about (although that's never really been a problem with us!). Walt, you hooked it up. Thanks buddy.

Everything in my house is PINK!

Oh my gracious - is this not cute!? (This is Tori, by the way.)

Jon and Kate Plus 8

I can't believe I haven't blogged about this yet. My new favorite show is Jon and Kate Plus 8. It's about this couple who couldn't get pregnant, so they did fertility and they had twin girls. Then they wanted to have one more child, so they had to do fertility again and they had SIX! Yeah, count em...six. So now they have two six year olds and six two year olds. Amazing.

I love this show for a couple reasons:

1. The couple is hilarious. They are the real deal - they're kinda mean to each other sometimes, but they really love each other.

2. The things they have to do to take care of those kids are amazing. Really. They have a stroller that can sit all six of the younger kids.

3. The main reason I love this show is because it puts my life in perspective. Whenever I'm having a rough day, Ian and I sit and watch what it would be like if we had six infants at once. Wow.

I mean, I am not trying to belittle the fact that having twins is tough. It is. But not as tough as having six screaming toddlers who all want the same toy, cracker, high chair, or fill in the blank.

Check it out on Discovery Channel (I think). It's fun and will make you laugh.

Gabriella's Lament

It's funny when you find yourself looking from the outside
I'm standin' here when all I want is to be over there
Why did I let myself believe that miracles could happen
And now I have to pretend that I don't really care...

I thought you were my fairy tale, a dream when I'm not sleepin'
A wish upon a star that's coming true
But everybody else can tell that I confused my feelings with the truth
When there was me and you

I swore I knew the melody that I heard you singin'
And when you smiled it made me feel like I could sing along
But then you went and changed the words, now my heart is empty
I'm only left with broken dreams and once upon a song

Now I know you're not a fairy tale and dreams were meant for sleepin'
And wishes on a star just don't come true
And now even I can tell that I confused my feelings with the truth
Because I liked the view when there was me and you

Bridge:
I can't believe that I could be so blind
It's like you were floating while I was falling
And I didn't mind...

Because I liked the view
I thought you felt it too
When there was me and you.

HSM the concert is blaring out of the tv in my den right now. That song above is Maggie's favorite from the first movie. I just typed the entire thing from memory...no joke.

Is this not the cutest thing you've ever seen?

Question...

If you put a handful of chocolate chips on your yogurt is it still good for you?

Gotta rant a little...

Not like any of you want to hear about my monotonous days, but I just have to put it down somewhere. I can't get these kids to sleep on any regular kind of pattern. I keep reminding myself that they are people and that I don't always act the same every day either. But, I mean, throw me a frickin' bone here, babies. Yesterday started great with Zoe sleeping from about 8-11:30 am, and Tori awake, but chillin. Then I fed them both and Tori started to lose it - because she hadn't slept all day. Keep in mind that the child only weighs 8 pounds and is 12 weeks old, so she needs to sleep...a lot. Tori screams up in her room while I feed Zoe. She screams so hard that when I get up there (about 2-3 minutes later) her little body is shaking from screaming. Ugh. I feel like a great mom - but what can I do? I have to take turns taking care of them.
Tori finally falls asleep for about 30 minutes, at which time she wakes up as I snap her into her car seat.

Here's the really fun part...I had to go to Publix to pick up Tori's medicine, so that means we all had to go to Publix to pick up Tori's medicine. This brings me to my question of the day. How DO you take two infants and a four year old to the grocery store? I mean practically speaking, what do you do? I put the twins in the stroller and had Maggie hold onto it while we got into the store. Zoe is screaming at this point because she hates the car seat. I get the medicine and try to get a few necessities (like peppermint patties and dark chocolate - didn't they say that's good for you?) before we leave the store. This nice man brings me a basket, so I'm pushing the double stroller, holding a basket that I am filling to the brim with heavy goods, and wrangling Maggie away from the Little Debbies. I finally go up to the counter and ask if someone can follow me around with a cart so that I can get Diet Cokes (to wash down all the "good for me" dark chocolate that I bought). This sweet girl named Emily follows me around with a cart while I push my screaming twin, quiet twin and crazy 4 year old around.

Let me just say here that I love Publix. They are so nice and accomodating. They always take the groceries out to the car - they won't let you tip them - and they just want to help you out in any way you can. The Pharmacists there know me by my first name (which IS Buffy, so I guess that's not too amazing), and they are great to take care of us when we come in for the loads of prescriptions we have to get for everyone.

So, to make this the longest and most boring post in history, I will continue with my day. Really it is all summed up in one phrase...Tori did not take a nap AT ALL for the rest of the day. For those of you that are counting, that's only one 30 minute nap the ENTIRE day for my 8 pound barely 3 month old child. Zoe didn't really nap much in the afternoon either. Needless to say, by 4:30 everybody was screaming - including me, on the inside - so I gave them baths and put them in their jammies. Tori was asleep FOR THE NIGHT at 5:45, and Zoe took a little nap until about 7:00. Whew.

They also are still waking up. Every once in a while they'll sleep pretty much all the way through, but not last night. It just doesn't make any sense. I am trying so hard to get everyone on some sort of schedule, but I think they are just too young. I'll keep trying.

Gotta run - someone's crying. Oh wait, that's me. Just kidding!

Babies wrestling

Do you think Ian needs some sons?

Too bad...the tubes are TIED!

Hot mama's, do you feel me?

Just got done changing the crib sheet in my daughters' cribs and I'm so cranky. Why does it have to be so hard to change a dadgum crib sheet?

I am so serious about this - every time I had to change it when Mag was little it made me so hot, sweaty and cranky that I really just wanted to leave the puke-covered sheet on there. Thankfully, the twins aren't even sleeping in their cribs yet (except for Zoe during her naptime), so I don't have to change them often.

Where do they sleep, you ask?

Answer...still in their car seats. Is that so wrong?

Awwww yeahhh...let the countdown begin! HSM2 comes out in four days! Maggie and I are having a HSM2 party with some moms and daughters to celebrate. It's going to be so fun, even though none of these folks have seen the first one. I think my four year old is the only one at our church who has seen it. Not sure what that says about me except for the fact that I like a break from Veggie Tales every once in a while.

We are both so excited - it's been so fun to have something to plan together. We love to sing the songs and learn the dances. And now we're planning the little party. Man, I love having daughters (and boy, do I have them!). I really don't think I could enjoy a kid any more than I do Maggie. Today she was making me laugh so hard that I was about to wet my pants. She's a trip!

Women's Retreat

I can't believe I haven't blogged about this already. So, my good buddies and I started this women's retreat about four years ago and it's been so great! It's at Windy Gap - a Young Life camp in the mountains of North Carolina - and about 400 women come every year! We have a great speaker this year; Margot Hausmann, my good friend from Durham, is going to be speaking on the pressures of being a woman in today's world. There will be great music, lots of laughing and lots of good eating! I'd love for any and all of you ladies to join me. Just click on the link below and fill out your form. Spaces are really filling up, so hurry and sign up! I promise you won't be disappointed.

Plus - I'll be there with Ian and the kids...what a bonus!

By the way, this is a beautiful pic of me and my friend Martha doing the program a couple years ago. We were the Bridget and Gidget - the seriously desperate housewives. I think it's the most fun I've had in a long time!

http://www.waynecounty.younglife.org/ for info on the 2007 Women's Retreat. Click on the Women's Retreat link and find out more information and download the registration form.

New pics

Here are some new pics, for all the grandparents out there!

Maggie at a birthday party

Tori winking at Daddy

Zoe's new towel - thanks Aunt Jeannie!

Not so sure about this Bumbo!

4Real

If only Ian and I had thought of this for one of the twins! What were we thinking choosing Victoria and Zoe? If we used these people's logic, then one of the girls would have been named "Holy ....! There's TWO of them?!".

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - A New Zealand couple is looking to call their newborn son Superman -- but only because their chosen name of 4Real has been rejected by the government registry.
Pat and Sheena Wheaton say they will get around the decision by the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages by officially naming their son Superman but referring to him as 4Real, the New Zealand Herald newspaper has reported.
The Wheatons decided on the name after seeing the baby for the first time in an ultrasound scan and realising their baby was "for real".
They decided 4Real was the best way to write it, but the name was rejected because the registrar said a name had to be a sequence of characters.
Pat Wheaton said he was considering appealing against the decision through the courts, but whatever happens he won't be budged on his choice.
"No matter what its going to stay 4Real," Wheaton told the Herald, "I'm certainly not a quitter".
A spokesman for the Department of Internal Affairs, which operates the registry told the Herald discussions with the Wheatons about their son's name were continuing.
The baby is now two months old, after the Wheatons first applied to register his name in later June.

By the way, I don't want to hear from all you Dukies or State or USC fans about "victory" being misspelled. That was not my doing - it was the helmet on Youtube.

The Bluehose do not misspell so badly (if we can help it).

Walkin' it out(my bro in law after a tarheels victoty!)

When is basketball season going to start? I can't deal with baseball any longer. We're officially in the sports lull of the year - unless you ask Ian, who thrilled that the "football" (soccer) season started last week.

Thought this video was funny. Looks like my house after we beat Duke!

High School Musical - Ryan And Sharpay Duet

High School Musical Quote of the Day...well, just watch for yourself!

Sweet sitters

Just wanted everyone to see my sweet sitter sisters! They are Katy (green shirt) and Emily (black shirt) Bersinger and they are the best! If it weren't for them I would have gone slap crazy by now. Katy comes a few times a week during the morning to help me out and be my second set of hands. We love to feed babies and watch Price is Right! Emily is her sister and she used to come just for "fun", but now I call and beg her to come too! It's definitely a two person job (at least!).

So these are the angels that watch my angels so that I can do fun stuff...like laundry, shower, workout, and occasionally go to a movie with my husband! By the way, the Bourne Ultimatum came out this weekend and it's really good. Don't go, though, if your stomach can't handle the steady-cam. It's pretty shaky during the chase scenes.

Anyway, they are the coolest girls I know here in Jacksonville and if there are any cute teenage boys reading my blog (yeah, right), then you should call them...but only if you're sweet! And only if you promise not to take them out on weekend nights!

Could it be a pattern?

I'm quite sure I'm jinxing myself here, but the blog karma is in full effect because Tori slept through the night Friday and Saturday nights! Amazing that the little seven pounder is the sleeper and the ten pounder is the one waking up at 4 am to drain 6 ounces of formula. Either way, it's WAY better than before!


Today our little fam decided to take an outing, which is a major undertaking. We loaded up the van and listened to Zoe scream for 30 straight minutes while we rode out to the beach. Our good friend, Mary Lyn and TF Jenkins live in Ponte Vedra and asked us to join them at the pool. They have two adorable kiddos - Hill is 3 years old and Mary Crawford is four months. Maggie and Hill had a blast and Maggie is such a swimmer now! She was leaping off the wall and swimming to me and Ian - AMAZING! We kept the babies in the shade and they pretty much snoozed. I think someone may call DSS on me because Tori's eyelids are looking pretty red right now. I had her in the shade and even put sunscreen on her, but I think she still got a little sun around her eyes. She doesn't seem too traumatized - she's chillin in the swing right now.

High School Musical Quote of the Day:

"Hey...Just call me 'Freaky Call-Back Boy'."

Blog Karma

Not that I believe in karma or anything, but if I did then I would say that my blog has blog karma. The night that I wrote that "Star Jones" post Ian and I were at the end of our parental ropes. That night Tori slept for TWELVE HOURS! Count em...TWELVE! And Zoe slept great too.

Last night they were in bed by 9:00. Zoe woke up at 5:30 and Tori at 6:30 am! That is pretty much through the night, for those of you keeping count at home.

Woo-hoo, there is a light at the end of the tunnel! Who knows what tonight will bring - I learned with Maggie to never believe you've turned a corner until something happens for a couple weeks running, but we're getting there!

New Daily Feature!!!

High School Musical Quote of the Day...

"It's a crowd favorite...everybody loves a good Jazz Square."

HSM2 comes out next weekend!!! Saturday, Aug. 17th on Disney. Go Wildcats!

Me and Star Jones

Seriously, if these babies don't learn to sleep through the night real soon I'm going to have to have gastric bypass surgery. Yesterday I got everyone down for a nap at the same time and was just falling asleep myself when one of the babies started to cry and wanted to eat. Sooo...

I held her in my left arm, held the bottle with my chin and scooped out spoonfuls of chocolate chip cookie dough and shoved them in my cake hole. I was so mad that I had to be awake. Am I an emotional eater or what? Oprah - help!

By the way, you can get a ginormous container of cookie dough at Costco for almost nothing. It makes 80 cookies! (Think how many naptimes and late night feedings that will get me through!).

Have I called Jenny yet?

Negative.