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!