The Real Carolina is...

For some reason I'm having trouble getting up the energy (or finding the time) to blog lately. Maybe because of my life in general? Probably. Just feeling super tired these days.



It's a lazy Saturday around the Smith household. Maggie is coloring outside on the porch, Tori is eating her bottle, and Zoe is swinging in the swing with a 102 degree temperature that Tylenol isn't really touching. I've called the doctor and I'm sure he'll think I'm nuts, but whatever. I love when they get sick on the weekends because you can talk directly to a doc. That's why they get paid the big bucks, right?



This week has been a little rough. My sweet grandmother, Nana, fell on her 84th birthday and broke two ribs, her pelvis, and a socket in her hip. She's been in the hospital for a few days now and she's getting better. She's a great lady, but she's apparantly been anything but sweet while she's been there. My grandfather, Papa, has been at the hospital the whole time - he's blind and can't really hear very well. They're quite a pair and it's been amazing that they've been able to remain independent so far. I know some of this is inevitable, but it's still hard to watch. I hate that I'm not there, either. I would love to just go and sit at the hospital or make dinner for my own parents since they have been taking shifts sitting with Nana the whole time too.



Pretty much the only excitement around here today is the Carolina vs. Carolina game today at 3:30 pm. Since I married Ian I have become an avid Tarheel fan - call me a bandwagoner, but I think I'm legit because I married into it. Anyone who knows my hubby knows that he is such a chill guy...except when it comes to the Heels. He's pretty much a crazy man - his passions arise in ways we've never seen. Maggie has learned many a cheer/fight song/curse word from watching UNC games with her dad.



Here's the rub...I grew up in Columbia and to me, Carolina was South Carolina all my life. And I mean that in the truest sense. Like if I anyone uses the term "Carolina" referring to UNC, then everyone in my family has a bit of a hissy. So, I've learned to say USC or UNC - or say "Carolina" in the right company. I'm so P.C. I have to be. The passions for the Carolinas run deep and I am swimming in both pools. Today I must say that I'm pulling for USC in the game. I just can't help it. It's not like I even care about football that much, but I've been watching it by default for the better part of my life and, honestly, the happiness of my extended family rides on the scoreboard at Williams-Brice on Saturdays. You can bet your bottom dollar that Nana and Papa are watching the game right now on that tiny TV in the hospital - regardless of the fact that Papa can't see a lick of it.



I love, love, love Tarheel basketball, though. Last night was "Late Night With Roy" in Chapel Hill - the first legit night of basketball practice. Oh, we so wanted to be there! Can't wait for the Heels to get started this year! Believe me when I say there will be more to come about the Heels...

Brtiney and the babies

I'm going about my business of feeding kids, talking on the phone, eating cereal and downing coffee when my four year old walks into the room wearing this...

"Don't I look cool, mom?", she asks. What am I supposed to say? Of course she does.

Why are you making that face, Maggie? "Because that's what people do when they take pictures. That's the way you look cool." I'm glad I finally know what cool looks like.

Also, she's apparantly joining the cause to "fight the power" because every picture I took she kept her fist up like that. I'm glad I'm raising such a racially aware and diverse child.

Is it just me, or is my child hilarious? I mean, I'm sure everyone probably thinks that their kid is amazing and funny, but I really think Maggie is a crack up. I think she could actually take her show on the road, but I fight those feelings because, well, I don't want to end up like Lynn Spears flying across the country with Jamie Lynn to rescue my child that I pushed into showbusiness.

Meanwhile, in baby-land, the twins had their first sweet potatoes yesterday. It was a trip. Zoe hated them and made the funniest faces. Tori liked them fine and ate them like she had been eating solids all her life. I am including these pictures simply to gross out all of you who are not in babyland. There's really nothing more disgusting that watching someone else's child eat babyfood. It just turns stomachs - so... welcome.

Hi-lights from the week

So it's been a while since I've posted. Sorry about that (like I have a huge blog following or something). Things have been crazy around here. Nothing out of the ordinary - just the ordinary is crazy in and of itself. Just to update you, here are some hi-lights from the past week...

*On Saturday I got to go shopping BY MYSELF, which was great. I felt so free walking around without carrying a 12 pound baby in a bjorn while pushing a stroller full of another baby and all the gear, while holding the hand of an active 4 year old.

*Even better than shopping by myself was the fact that I bought and am now an inhabitant of my first pair of non-maternity jeans! Woo-hoo! It just got to the point that I was ready to actually unbutton and unzip my pants in order to use the bathroom, rather than hiking up or down the belly band.

*This morning I dropped Maggie off at school and went to meet a friend for coffee...with the twins, mind you. I thought it was going to be a nightmare, but it was actually great! They just sat in their car seats in the stroller like little angels. I am pretty sure I can't describe to you how much of a miracle that was.

*Still not sleeping much, really, but am so ready to get some zzzz's. I know it'll happen when it happens and the voices of the "cry it out" books are yelling to me all night long. We have tried that some, but I gotta say that when you have a baby who weighs as much as a newborn it's hard to let her cry and not feed her. Zoe's pretty much got it down pat. So, one down, one to go on sleeping through the night. They'll get there.

That's about the extent of it. Wish this were more exciting, but frankly the high of wearing real jeans should carry me for a while.

Best show on tv...

I love good TV - there's nothing like it! It's like a little slice of goodness that I can look forward to all day (sad, I know). Anyway, I love watching "Dancing with the Stars", "Grey's Anatomy", "No Reservations" (on Travel Channel), and "The Office". Ok, I like "The Hills" too.

The BEST show on TV, hands down, though, goes to "Friday Night Lights". I'm so serious about this. The season starts tonight and I can't wait. We're having friends over to watch it. It's just a goodie and you need to check it out on NBC at 9:00pm.

Also, today on the Bravo channel they are showing a "Friday Night Lights" marathon leading up to the season opener tonight. You've seriously gotta check it out - or Tivo it if you have a life so you can watch it later.

By the way, the wife on that show is so awesome. She's my hero and she makes me want to be a high school guidance counselor. She's a studly mom with a good marriage - is that ever portrayed on TV these days?

Second question of the day...

Is it bad for my four month olds to watch Dora so I won't go completely insane?

(Please don't answer that - I do not want the truth!)

Rain, rain, go away...

It's been raining for days around here and this morning it was pretty flooded around Jacksonville. So, Maggie's school got cancelled, as did Tori's Dr.'s appointment downtown. Last night I was stressing trying to figure out how I was going to get us all up and everywhere on time. This morning I just got to take it easy (and by "take it easy" I mean wake up at 6:00 am with the babies, fix breakfast for Mag, clean my nastified bathroom, have a fun rice cereal feeding, load up the kids and take a walk, listen to Maggie complain the entire time we were gone about how hungry she was and how her legs were hurting riding her bike, and do a couple more feedings...all by 1:00pm). I have to say, though, that it was much better than schlepping them in and out of the car in the rain and trying to get to a doctor's appointment on time.

Anyway, all this brings me to a question I've been pondering lately...

How many miniature Baby Ruth's do you have to eat to equal one whole candy bar?

I think it must be a lot, but I'm just not sure.

Feeding time

So I think I told you that the doctor said I should start the twins on rice cereal once a day. As expected, this has been a major thorn in my side. Here is a pic of the way we do it around here. And below is a video of the first attempt to feed the twins...with a little help from Maggie.

This is my life. I love it. Not too glamorous, but pretty humorous. Enjoy.