Okay, well, not us, but the blog! Because of Jeremy's job, we have to be a little more careful about how much we reveal about ourselves publicly. With the girls coming soon, safety becomes even more important.
I'm planning to direct lots of family and friends to our blog to keep up with Addison and Mackenzie once they get here, so I've gone ahead and changed to a new address. All the old posts are already there, I have just removed any references to our last name.
We can now be found at loving-and-learning-in-al.blogspot.com. See you there!!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Life These Days
Some things I'm loving right now, in no particular order:
--Actually being able to see the little bodies moving around in my very big belly. It's the coolest thing ever, and Jeremy was finally able to catch them in action this weekend. In the evenings, I just sit on the couch with my shirt pulled up over my belly and watch them moving under my skin.
--Six and a half weeks until I meet my girls for real!!
--About five more weeks of work until maternity leave...assuming there's no bed rest or complications between now and then.
--Lime green paint in the nursery (actually "gecko green," by Valspar). I love bright colors...hopefully Addison and Mackenzie will too! The furniture is hopefully on its way and should be here this weekend or next week.
--Sonic ice, Sonic Diet Dr. Pepper, Sonic unsweet tea...get the idea? My current favorite is a large water with lime slices in it. It lasts me a couple of hours, by the time I eat the ice and limes! You can't beat it for 53 cents, and that's not even during happy hour.
--60 degree weather the rest of the week. I have a feeling the flip-flops will make an appearance before the week is over.
--Jeremy's weekends off. This is something we have not been able to enjoy in years, and it's been really nice. We can run errands, work on projects at home, and be lazy together. What a concept! We've watched more movies together (at home, of course...who has the energy to stand in line at the theater? certainly not me!) in the past month than we have in probably the last six months combined.
Okay, so those are a few of the good things (and I promise there are many, many more). Now, for a little balance, I will get out a few of my complaints:
--Feeling like my midsection weighs 40 pounds. I am just beginning to experience the true and constant physical discomfort of carrying two babies, but man, getting up after sitting down for an hour or so is no pleasant experience!
--Actually being able to see the little bodies moving around in my very big belly. It's the coolest thing ever, and Jeremy was finally able to catch them in action this weekend. In the evenings, I just sit on the couch with my shirt pulled up over my belly and watch them moving under my skin.
--Six and a half weeks until I meet my girls for real!!
--About five more weeks of work until maternity leave...assuming there's no bed rest or complications between now and then.
--Lime green paint in the nursery (actually "gecko green," by Valspar). I love bright colors...hopefully Addison and Mackenzie will too! The furniture is hopefully on its way and should be here this weekend or next week.
--Sonic ice, Sonic Diet Dr. Pepper, Sonic unsweet tea...get the idea? My current favorite is a large water with lime slices in it. It lasts me a couple of hours, by the time I eat the ice and limes! You can't beat it for 53 cents, and that's not even during happy hour.
--60 degree weather the rest of the week. I have a feeling the flip-flops will make an appearance before the week is over.
--Jeremy's weekends off. This is something we have not been able to enjoy in years, and it's been really nice. We can run errands, work on projects at home, and be lazy together. What a concept! We've watched more movies together (at home, of course...who has the energy to stand in line at the theater? certainly not me!) in the past month than we have in probably the last six months combined.
Okay, so those are a few of the good things (and I promise there are many, many more). Now, for a little balance, I will get out a few of my complaints:
--Feeling like my midsection weighs 40 pounds. I am just beginning to experience the true and constant physical discomfort of carrying two babies, but man, getting up after sitting down for an hour or so is no pleasant experience!
--Tossing and turning at night...lay on right side, right hip goes numb...switch and repeat.
--Getting up approximately 4-5 times per night to go to the bathroom. I have never been one to get up in the night, not even when I was little. I wake up, go to the bathroom, realize I'm extremely thirsty and take a long drink of the ice water that's constantly within reach, then go back to sleep. Two hours or so later, the process begins again. It's a vicious cycle. (In the interest of full disclosure, sometimes I have to have a midnight snack before falling back asleep also!)
--Not being able to eat what I want. I don't have true gestational diabetes, but I do have a slight glucose intolerance. I had to go to a class at the Diabetes Control Center to learn how to balance my meals to keep my glucose level from rising. Truthfully, it has not been that bad...the most important thing I had to do was cut out the Dr. Pepper and fruit juice to make a big difference (and I always thought all the fruit was supposed to be good for you!). That being said, I did have myself a pity party last night because I really wanted to make a pan of brownies. When else besides pregnancy can I give in to those cravings without feeling like a big pig?? I ate a small chocolate marshmallow bunny instead, but it just wasn't the same.
--Swollen ankles...how am I supposed to wear the cute dress I bought for my March shower when my ankles are roughly the size of softballs?!
I will stop the complaints there, and say a prayer of thanks for the blissfully healthy and uncomplicated pregnancy I have had. I am incredibly lucky to be carrying two healthy babies, and as long as they continue to stay that way, and to stay where they are for the next six weeks, all the complaints will be worth it a million times over.
Here's to a life full of blessings that far outweigh the complaints!!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
25 Things
The "25 Things About Me" list has been making the rounds on Facebook, and although I haven't posted mine on there yet, I thought I would do it here on my blog. Here goes:
1. I am a bit of a grammar freak. I automatically correct everything I read, particularly books and newspaper or magazine articles. If there is a pen close by, I might even make the correction marks.
2. Partly because of #1, I think the perfect job for me is probably as some type of editor. I think I would love to work for a major publishing company.
3. I might eventually start a serious search for a job in that field.
4. I could have been happy with a major in many, many fields in college. Obviously English was a front-runner, but I chose political science.
5. I absolutely loved most of my college courses, and it always felt like class consisted of a big discussion or debate, rather than a lecture. Graduate school was full of even more intense and involved debates.
6. I still like to debate on almost any subject, especially political or ethical issues. I often find myself unintentionally playing devil's advocate and making arguments against the other person's case, even if I actually agree with what they're saying. I think I picked this habit up from a favorite college professor, and it's fun to now use it on my own students.
7. I love tv marathons (see my New Year's recap for a recent example). I also get sucked into tv on dvd very easily, and I have been known to watch almost an entire season in one sitting. I am sure this habit will be one of the first to go when the babies get here!
8. I would much rather eat fruit than most other sweets or desserts.
9. I love Slush Puppies-the original gas-station slushies. They are replacing most of these machines with a new kind, and it's becoming very hard to find the original anymore. The icees from the Icee Truck in Scottsboro are pretty close, and make a good substitute in summer. They also remind me of hot summer days at band camp.
10. I hate to clean, and I am a terrible housekeeper. We are about to hire someone to come in once or twice a month and do the floors, bathrooms, and dusting. Those seem to be my biggest problem areas. Hey, I ought to get something fun out of the extra money from teaching, right?
11. I do not like when people just "drop by" my house. Certain people I don't mind, as they know me and know what to expect when they do come by to visit(see #8!). Generally, though, I don't like surprise visitors.
12. I have very little tolerance for stereotypes, or judgmental people who refuse to try and understand anyone else's point of view.
13. Our dogs are our first "babies," and no, they will not automatically be banished to the backyard when the girls arrive. We made a commitment when we brought them home, and we will try to make the transition to life with babies as easy as possible for them (and for us!).
14. I never, ever thought I would have kids at this age. I planned to wait until I was at least 29-30. Plans change!
15. I am pretty much amazed by my body every single day during this pregnancy. I am proud of how strong it has been and well it has provided for these girls.
16. I love to travel, and I will go pretty much anywhere at anytime, particularly if I've never been there.
17. I might be slightly obsessive-compulsive. I count things, most notably my steps, without even meaning to do it.
18. I used to be a major perfectionist, and would stress about the smallest things.
19. Working as an event planner at Talk of the Town was the best thing in the world to cure me of some of those perfectionist tendencies. I've learned to let the small things go, and that everything will all work out just fine in the end, even if it's not as originally planned.
20. I am also a wonderful procrastinator (goes well with the perfectionist tendencies, right?).
21. I work best under pressure with a tight deadline to meet. Perhaps because it doesn't allow me the time to worry if it's done just right? Hmmm...
22. I never wanted to be a teacher, even when I was little. I still don't believe I could teach anything other than college.
23. Working with the youth at our church and teaching Sunday school have been a huge challenge for me. It has definitely caused me to step out of my comfort zone. (Teenage girls are alternately wonderful and extremely trying!)
24. I have an excellent memory, and I can remember some of the smallest details of events that others quickly forget. Phone numbers are my specialty...I am virtually a walking phone book.
25. I truly believe that God has worked miracles with our baby girls. First, there was the finding of the membrane that meant our monoamniotic diagnosis was incorrect. Then, despite the increased risk, there has been no sign of TTTS. We have had an amazingly healthy and problem-free pregnancy up to this point. I have felt God's hand in every step of this pregnancy, and I will forever rejoice in these blessings He has poured out on us!
A little random, and a little harder than I thought, but those are my 25 random facts! Aren't you glad you know? : )
1. I am a bit of a grammar freak. I automatically correct everything I read, particularly books and newspaper or magazine articles. If there is a pen close by, I might even make the correction marks.
2. Partly because of #1, I think the perfect job for me is probably as some type of editor. I think I would love to work for a major publishing company.
3. I might eventually start a serious search for a job in that field.
4. I could have been happy with a major in many, many fields in college. Obviously English was a front-runner, but I chose political science.
5. I absolutely loved most of my college courses, and it always felt like class consisted of a big discussion or debate, rather than a lecture. Graduate school was full of even more intense and involved debates.
6. I still like to debate on almost any subject, especially political or ethical issues. I often find myself unintentionally playing devil's advocate and making arguments against the other person's case, even if I actually agree with what they're saying. I think I picked this habit up from a favorite college professor, and it's fun to now use it on my own students.
7. I love tv marathons (see my New Year's recap for a recent example). I also get sucked into tv on dvd very easily, and I have been known to watch almost an entire season in one sitting. I am sure this habit will be one of the first to go when the babies get here!
8. I would much rather eat fruit than most other sweets or desserts.
9. I love Slush Puppies-the original gas-station slushies. They are replacing most of these machines with a new kind, and it's becoming very hard to find the original anymore. The icees from the Icee Truck in Scottsboro are pretty close, and make a good substitute in summer. They also remind me of hot summer days at band camp.
10. I hate to clean, and I am a terrible housekeeper. We are about to hire someone to come in once or twice a month and do the floors, bathrooms, and dusting. Those seem to be my biggest problem areas. Hey, I ought to get something fun out of the extra money from teaching, right?
11. I do not like when people just "drop by" my house. Certain people I don't mind, as they know me and know what to expect when they do come by to visit(see #8!). Generally, though, I don't like surprise visitors.
12. I have very little tolerance for stereotypes, or judgmental people who refuse to try and understand anyone else's point of view.
13. Our dogs are our first "babies," and no, they will not automatically be banished to the backyard when the girls arrive. We made a commitment when we brought them home, and we will try to make the transition to life with babies as easy as possible for them (and for us!).
14. I never, ever thought I would have kids at this age. I planned to wait until I was at least 29-30. Plans change!
15. I am pretty much amazed by my body every single day during this pregnancy. I am proud of how strong it has been and well it has provided for these girls.
16. I love to travel, and I will go pretty much anywhere at anytime, particularly if I've never been there.
17. I might be slightly obsessive-compulsive. I count things, most notably my steps, without even meaning to do it.
18. I used to be a major perfectionist, and would stress about the smallest things.
19. Working as an event planner at Talk of the Town was the best thing in the world to cure me of some of those perfectionist tendencies. I've learned to let the small things go, and that everything will all work out just fine in the end, even if it's not as originally planned.
20. I am also a wonderful procrastinator (goes well with the perfectionist tendencies, right?).
21. I work best under pressure with a tight deadline to meet. Perhaps because it doesn't allow me the time to worry if it's done just right? Hmmm...
22. I never wanted to be a teacher, even when I was little. I still don't believe I could teach anything other than college.
23. Working with the youth at our church and teaching Sunday school have been a huge challenge for me. It has definitely caused me to step out of my comfort zone. (Teenage girls are alternately wonderful and extremely trying!)
24. I have an excellent memory, and I can remember some of the smallest details of events that others quickly forget. Phone numbers are my specialty...I am virtually a walking phone book.
25. I truly believe that God has worked miracles with our baby girls. First, there was the finding of the membrane that meant our monoamniotic diagnosis was incorrect. Then, despite the increased risk, there has been no sign of TTTS. We have had an amazingly healthy and problem-free pregnancy up to this point. I have felt God's hand in every step of this pregnancy, and I will forever rejoice in these blessings He has poured out on us!
A little random, and a little harder than I thought, but those are my 25 random facts! Aren't you glad you know? : )
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Good Friday!!
Yes, that would be Good Friday as in the Friday before Easter, which just happens to be April 10 this year. It also happens to be the day that we are now scheduled to have our baby girls!! I had a great appointment yesterday, except for a shot in my behind, which I have not had in many, many years. : )
The girls are both weighing over 2 lbs. now. In fact, as Dr. C. put it, we have "one big baby and one monster baby." That's encouraging, if a little scary! We decided to for sure proceed with a scheduled c-section, since Baby B (Mackenzie) is still breech and is the "monster baby," which decreases the likelihood she would turn after Baby A is born. Jeremy and I are good with this decision, and the doctor fully supports it, so we are good to go in that department (as long as I don't go into labor and arrive at the hospital 9cm dilated, that is!). So we are all penciled in for April 10. The scary thing about that is that it's 10 WEEKS away!! Thinking about that has made a lot of things hit home for us, including how incredibly much we have left to do.
We are attending a Marvelous Multiples class at the hospital all weekend, but the nursery conversion should be in full swing by next weekend. Pictures to come soon!
The girls are both weighing over 2 lbs. now. In fact, as Dr. C. put it, we have "one big baby and one monster baby." That's encouraging, if a little scary! We decided to for sure proceed with a scheduled c-section, since Baby B (Mackenzie) is still breech and is the "monster baby," which decreases the likelihood she would turn after Baby A is born. Jeremy and I are good with this decision, and the doctor fully supports it, so we are good to go in that department (as long as I don't go into labor and arrive at the hospital 9cm dilated, that is!). So we are all penciled in for April 10. The scary thing about that is that it's 10 WEEKS away!! Thinking about that has made a lot of things hit home for us, including how incredibly much we have left to do.
We are attending a Marvelous Multiples class at the hospital all weekend, but the nursery conversion should be in full swing by next weekend. Pictures to come soon!
Monday, January 19, 2009
25 weeks
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I am 25 weeks pregnant this week (though the picture is from last week), and I am beginning to feel every bit of it. I don't have too terribly much to complain about yet, but life is definitely getting more difficult. I am having trouble sleeping...I spend most of the night going back and forth from my left side to the right, then usually wake up starving sometime around 4:00 a.m. Sometimes I can grab a snack and get back to sleep, but sometimes I have to give up and read or otherwise entertain myself until it's time to get up. Because I have a short torso, things have been pretty crowded in my midsection for quite awhile now. The babies aren't kicking me in the ribs or anything, but it is very hard to get a deep breath most of the time, and sitting up straight is quite a challenge. At my last appointment, my belly measured 35 cm. from top to bottom, meaning I'm about the size of someone 32-33 weeks pregnant with a single baby! Scary to imagine what that means for the next few months!! Occasional leg cramps and sciatic nerve pain are my only other physical complaints at the moment, so it could be much, much worse. : )Our appointment last week went well, and the babies weighed in at 1lb., 9oz. each! They are really beginning to feel like substantial little beings now, and their kicks are getting stronger to prove it. I can see my belly move when I happen to look at the right time, and Jeremy has been able to feel them too. So many new and wonderful things going on!
We are getting to work on the nursery as well. The bedding and a few accessories I ordered have arrived, and we are starting to clean out the bedroom to prepare it to be painted. I haven't decided on just the right paint color yet...such a hard decision! I have started registering and have a couple of showers coming up in the next month or so. It's getting exciting to think about the completed nursery waiting for our two little girls to fill it with life and love (and diapers by the dozens, but that's a whole different story!).
So that's my baby update for the moment. Believe it or not, there are other things going on in our lives...the girls are just taking center stage already!
Tomorrow is a big day for our nation, as President Obama takes office. I can't deny that I would love to be in the midst of it all in Washington, DC, but maybe another year. I must admit I have already teared up a time or two watching the festivities so far, and I'm sure I will again tomorrow. To me, it's not so much the significance of the first black president, but seeing the hope and desire to make this country a better place that Obama inspires in so many people. (That was a really convoluted sentence, but maybe I conveyed my point!) I love to see Obama's devotion to his family, and to watch them proudly standing beside him at such an amazing time. I pray that the new administration can live up to the big hopes that so many in our country have for it. Either way, it seems change is coming!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Lazy Days
I have pretty much been worthless so far in 2009. On New Year's Day, I literally stayed in my pajamas all day. It was great, actually! I got sucked into a Bones marathon, and I think I watched about 14 of the 16 episodes. Sad, huh? I read one of the books that inspired the Bones series awhile back, so I thought I would give the series a try also. It's similar to the CSI-genre, but there is a lot more interaction between the characters, which makes it a little more fun. 
I did at least venture out of the house on Friday, to Babies R Us and Target. Other than that, I watched a lot of Gilmore Girls and did a whole lot of online browsing for baby items. I have chosen bedding, which I plan to order in the next few days, most likely from ebay, where I can find the best prices and matching accessories. We hope to have the nursery painted and furniture ordered by the end of the month...we'll see how that goes. I received a few new books on life with twins, which I am looking forward to diving into, even if it's a little scary!
So far, Saturday looks to shape up about like Thursday and Friday. Jeremy's shift has changed, and this is his first Saturday off in a very long time, so he's still sleeping. Our big plans for the day include a trip to Costco and possibly dinner out at Mikato, our favorite. : )
I realize this post has been insanely boring and mundane, so here's a few belly pictures to embellish a little:
Early this past week, at 22 weeks. (I was also experimenting with the timer feature on my new camera to take the picture myself.)
And, because my clothes make it hard to see exactly how much I am expanding, here's one shot of the actual belly before it gets too weird. Seeing it in a picture made it feel a little more real!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Bringing in the New Year in Style
Jeremy has to work tonight, so it's me and all the girls (babies in the belly, dogs in their bed) hanging out tonight. It's seriously doubtful I will last until midnight, since I don't think that has happened since I've been pregnant. So far, however, the night looks promising.
When I got home, I took a long bubble bath using my new sleepy time bath lotion (which is amazing, by the way...it was a Christmas gift from Bath & Body Works). I even shaved my legs, which is no easy feat anymore, and getting harder all the time! : ) Now I'm sitting here in my snuggly and warm pajamas, enjoying the lights from the Christmas tree one last time, watching season 6 of Gilmore Girls. And I plan to stay here all night, and quite possibly most of the day tomorrow! This might actually be a great New Year's Eve...I'm taking full advantage of all this downtime before April gets here and my world is completely rearranged. I even took off work Friday, in order to extend the holiday spirit a little longer. Actually, I'm planning to start cleaning out the spare bedroom that will become the babies' room, but it feels so good to have a four-day, work-free stretch to do whatever I decide to do.
I don't do New Year's resolutions very well, either making them or keeping them, but I do actually have a couple in mind this year. First, I want to stop wasting so much food. Lots of things I buy when grocery shopping only gets half-eaten, then eventually thrown in the trash. So I'm making a resolve to stop buying so much stuff, and focus on the things I know we'll eat consistently. Jeremy is going to have to help me a little with this one, whether he knows it yet or not. Next, I intend to become a little better housekeeper than I am now. I won't say I will ever be very good at this homemaking stuff, and I will never have a house with everything in its place all the time...that's just not our lifestyle. But I can do better than I do now. For awhile, I've been thinking about hiring someone to come in once a month or so to clean, intending to use that Northeast check I put in so many extra hours to earn. That prospect is still definitely a good possibility once the girls are here, but at least until I go back to work after maternity leave I can make an effort to do a little better at my housekeeping.
So there it is...my plan for 2009. Nothing too major, and all quite within reach. In a year that's going to be full of wild and crazy changes anyway, maybe I can make a little progress.
Here's to a fabulous New Year!
When I got home, I took a long bubble bath using my new sleepy time bath lotion (which is amazing, by the way...it was a Christmas gift from Bath & Body Works). I even shaved my legs, which is no easy feat anymore, and getting harder all the time! : ) Now I'm sitting here in my snuggly and warm pajamas, enjoying the lights from the Christmas tree one last time, watching season 6 of Gilmore Girls. And I plan to stay here all night, and quite possibly most of the day tomorrow! This might actually be a great New Year's Eve...I'm taking full advantage of all this downtime before April gets here and my world is completely rearranged. I even took off work Friday, in order to extend the holiday spirit a little longer. Actually, I'm planning to start cleaning out the spare bedroom that will become the babies' room, but it feels so good to have a four-day, work-free stretch to do whatever I decide to do.
I don't do New Year's resolutions very well, either making them or keeping them, but I do actually have a couple in mind this year. First, I want to stop wasting so much food. Lots of things I buy when grocery shopping only gets half-eaten, then eventually thrown in the trash. So I'm making a resolve to stop buying so much stuff, and focus on the things I know we'll eat consistently. Jeremy is going to have to help me a little with this one, whether he knows it yet or not. Next, I intend to become a little better housekeeper than I am now. I won't say I will ever be very good at this homemaking stuff, and I will never have a house with everything in its place all the time...that's just not our lifestyle. But I can do better than I do now. For awhile, I've been thinking about hiring someone to come in once a month or so to clean, intending to use that Northeast check I put in so many extra hours to earn. That prospect is still definitely a good possibility once the girls are here, but at least until I go back to work after maternity leave I can make an effort to do a little better at my housekeeping.
So there it is...my plan for 2009. Nothing too major, and all quite within reach. In a year that's going to be full of wild and crazy changes anyway, maybe I can make a little progress.
Here's to a fabulous New Year!
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