- The twins turned one on March 1st, and I have so many things to say about it, and about who they are at this amazing age, and I just keep running out of time to do it the way that I want to, with pictures. I think my time might be better served in creating baby books, or 1 year photo books. I don’t know. But these babies, man. They are just so delightful. I think I say that all the time, I know. I KNOW. But they chase each other around my living room like little puppy dogs giggling and making sure the other is following, they stand at the gate and yell “MOM!” at me just like the big kids do, they bark at the dog, and sing for bananas and waffles EVERY time they are in their high chairs. I just feel so lucky that these tiny people are mine. And anyway, I want to capture all of that somehow, but finding the time is hard.
- I went to Phoenix last month and met a bunch of lovely internet people. There were no axe murderers, at least none who have revealed themselves yet. It was such a good time, and I feel like a grownup for navigating the airport and rental car all by myself. Ed wrangled the kids just fine while I was gone. It was just good all around. Highly recommend, would do again.
- Speaking of trips, Ed is traveling for a full week in April, as in 8 days 7 nights, and that has me in a mild panic. I can lone wolf with the best of them, but for that many days straight? Eeeesh.
- Next week, I’m having my work laptop replaced because it’s almost 4 years old, and I have to go in to the local call center to do it. My old home office, the one I worked at for 10 years before beginning to work from home, closed when I was on maternity leave, so this is a totally new to me office. I’m a little bit nervous about it, even though I do know a few people there, but also, they have a dress code so I’ll be getting out some of my old work clothes, I guess. I was semi-bitching about it to Ed and he reminded me that I am a Vice President at a bank who doesn’t have to wear a suit to work every day. He’s right. I’m lucky. I’ll shut up.
- Speaking of dressing up, Eddie has a TKD banquet this weekend that is semi-formal so I bought a couple faux wrap dresses from Lands End, thinking that they would be similar in fit to the fit and flare I have. Nope. They hug me in a very unattractive way, SO I need to go out and buy a dress before Saturday. Lame. I have to buy Eddie new dress clothes anyway, since he’s a giant man boy now, but I wasn’t planning on trying on dresses. I’m excited about the banquet though. Ed and I are taking him alone, and I think it will be nice.
- I’m doing that 100 Happy Days Project that is sweeping the internet, where you take and post a picture of something that makes you happy for 100 days in a row. It’s fun. It makes me remember to find something to be happy about. Anyway, I’m posting them on Instagram, if you are inclined to look.
- I saw my endocrinologist for the first time in over a year–a new NP who was really great actually–and learned that my TSH was over 20. The official normal range varies, but I feel best when mine is around 3.5/4. I have been flailing lately, and have been unfocused and forgetful and horrible so the numbers shouldn’t come as a surprise, and yet, I didn’t think I was THAT bad off. I’ve been off my meds for a while, just pushing it off and forgetting and pushing it off again. I’d like to say this is the first time it’s happened, but…it isn’t. So. I’m trying to be better. Meds. Blood work every 6 weeks until we get it under control. An ultrasound, that scares me because I have a nodule they’ve been watching, and I wonder if THIS is the time I’ll need a biopsy. But I’m doing it all anyway in the name of being healthy and getting my shit together.
Author Archives: Sara
Quick Bits
A day in my life
Everyone has been doing these posts, and I’ve really enjoyed peeking in to the wide variety of days that happen out there, so I decided to track a day of my own. This is a pretty typical day for us, schedule wise. This was Tuesday 3/4.
4:15am: My phone alarm is going off in the kitchen. I’m disoriented for a minute because a baby has usually woken me up before now, and I’ve usually relocated the phone from its charger in the kitchen to my night stand. So. Apparently, the babies are sleeping all the way through today. Yay. I shut off the alarm, pee, unlock the back door for my mother who will be dropped off soon, and go back to bed.
7:00am: My real alarm is going off now. I can hear Caitlyn, our early bird, making lunches in the kitchen. I press snooze.
7:10am: Alarm and snooze again.
7:20am: Ed is up getting ready for a meeting and the babies are starting to yell for their bottles. I get up and pee and brush my teeth. Ed asks me about the computer charger as he’s getting ready to go. Is the one in his hand the one for our laptop? He’s taken my laptop cord on more than one occasion. I run downstairs to double check, even though I’m fairly certain he has the right one–he does. I make the bottles and bring them in to the babies. Molly thinks I have taken WAY too long.
7:30am: I head down to my office to finish up a report that needed to be sent for approval sooner rather than later.
8:00am: Back upstairs to shuffle kids along. Caitlyn is downstairs watching TV with her breakfast because she has been up and ready to go for more than an hour. I get the babies from bed, and change diapers, nudge Hannah along in the eating and getting dressed departments and remind Eddie to focus on what he’s supposed to be doing, and to stop stuffing his mouth.
8:50am: Push the kids out the door and stop Eddie at the last minute to lint roll his pants, because he’s apparently rubbed up against the cat and dog numerous times. He might actually BE a cat or a dog at this point, so covered in hair he is. He gripes, because who CARES if he has hair all over him. (Spoiler: I care.) Once he’s outside, I watch for the bus from the front door to make sure everyone gets on, and that the neighborhood hooligans don’t rope Eddie in to their shenanigans.
8:55am: I throw my breakfast, a bagel, in to the toaster, and make a cup of coffee, noticing just in time that there are gross, dried dishwasher crumbs in the bottom of my cup. I make a mental note to ask who was the last person to unload the dishwasher/who put a dirty mug away in the cupboard. The babies are standing at the gate yelling for their breakfast, so I chitchat with my mother for a few minutes and help her get them in their seats. They’ve recently discovered that if they work together, they can pull the whole gate down, so that’s exciting.
9:05am: I take my breakfast to my desk, and do some mindless internetting while I eat.
9:30am: Blah Blah Boring Boring Work Work Work.
10:45am: I need more coffee. I cycle laundry and scoop the cat box on my way up and actually remember to bring my dishes upstairs.
10:55am: Back downstairs with my coffee and buckled down to edit the report that has now come back with feedback.
11:40am: I ask Becky for help with Excel and she changes my life. I continue working on the report from hell.
1:00pm: I go upstairs to heat up some lunch. My mother has defrosted the last of the Christmas pierogies, and brought them to me. They are all cheese and none kraut so I’m a little bit bitter, but still, they are acceptable. I hang out with the babies for a few minutes, and am showered with many kisses and hugs.
1:15pm: Back downstairs with my lunch, and back to work as well.
1:53pm: I’m thirsty! Shit, I left my water upstairs. I go to get it, cycle laundry again, and give the twins their milk sippies because my mother forgot. I notice that I got my Keurig delivery, and I am momentarily distracted.
2:02pm: Back to work
2:47pm: Finally finish this bastard report. I celebrate by futzing around on Facebook and Twitter.
3:00pm: Read and respond to my email and have a snack.
3:30pm: Publish my report, and wait for the inevitable backlash.
3:35pm: Call Ed to check in about dinner and evening plans. He is…less than thrilled about my planned leftover smorgasbord but he will be out of town and shit needs to get eaten.We decide that he will take Eddie to TKD.
3:45pm: Prepare for the big kids to get home. I get snacks out and print their chore charts for the week since I wasn’t home to do it yesterday.
3:50pm: Break for Candy Crush. Level 170 is killing me. Also, I totally landed on the jackpot, booster wheel! You suck!
3:55pm: The telltale stomping of the kids arriving home. They all traipse in to my office to let me know they are here, as if I couldn’t hear them. They yammer for snaaaaaacks. They are staaaaaarving. Hannah comes back in to show me her Dr. Seuss hat that she made to celebrate his birthday.
4:00pm: Back to work to wrap things up for the day.
4:30pm: Upstairs to get the girls going on chores, and Eddie moving to get changed and out the door for TKD. My father arrives and since I’m done, I send my mother home for the day. They have to be somewhere by 6 anyway, so it works out.
4:45pm: Eddie leaves and I get Molly up from a ridiculously late nap. We play in the living room for a while.
5:30pm: Hannah has knocked Gus over by being careless and has been sent to her bed. I put the babies in their seats and give them their dinner. Gus ends up throwing all of his green beans on the floor and screaming “naaaaaanaaaaaaa!” until I bring him a banana. I maybe shouldn’t give in so easily, but whatever. I have Cait hang out with them for a few while I get her set up on my computer to do a report for school.
5:45pm: Ed calls about some PTA stuff that’s going on, and I need to make a call to the principal to make sure everyone is on the same page. I avert a major crisis. Then I remember Hannah, and let her come out.
6:00pm: Hannah plays with the babies on the floor while I get the oven going and start dinner. I’m texting back and forth with a teacher at school, and I call our treasurer to make sure she’ll be able to drop off the checks they need.
6:40pm: Dinner is ready and Ed and Eddie are home. I plate dinner for the kids, and Ed, who is on the phone, heads right in to the bedroom to continue his conversation. The kids go and eat downstairs at the table in their playroom. Tonight is just not a night for family dinner.
7:00pm: The babies are getting crabby, so they have diapers and bottles. Ed is still on the phone, and I’m getting hangry.
7:20pm: He’s done, and is finally making his plate. I made mine 5 minutes ago when I thought he was done, and the babies have since eaten all of my mashed potatoes.
7:25pm: We eat. Finally.
7:40pm: Everything is now terrible, so the babies say their goodnights and go to bed.
7:45pm: The kids come up with their dishes, and I direct them to their homework. Caitlyn puts some more work in to her report. Eddie catches up on the regular math be missed today while being pulled for advance math. Hannah starts counting out cheerios for her 100th day of school.
8:30pm: The girls are bejammied and on their way to bed. Eddie is a night owl and is still awake. He hangs out in the kitchen with me while I throw some oatmeal peanut butter chocolate chip bars together, and clean up dinner.
8:55pm: I put the bars in the oven, send Eddie to bed and settle on the couch with Ed to watch Castle.
9:15pm: Take the bars out of the oven and take them down in to the cold basement to cool for a few minutes. I feed the cat, let the dog out, and make sure my office is shut down for the night. Halfway back upstairs, I realize that I’ve forgotten the cookie bars AND to shut off my space heater. Take care of both of those things, and let the dog in. I cut pieces of cookie bar for Ed and me, and make a cup of tea for him and a cup of decaf for myself, since we are old.
9:30pm: We finish Castle with our dessert and beverages.
10:00pm: We both fool around with our phones a bit, then get up and get ready for bed. I get a few things ready for my morning since I have to actually be up and out of the house by 9, which is a rare occurrence. I also make sure Ed doesn’t need anything for the overnight trip he’s taking tomorrow. I make a note of the few things he does need, to get them together in the morning.
10:45pm: We are in bed, and the day is over.
Thoughts on Twin Parenting–Month 11(because if it’s not here, it didn’t happen)
I totally missed my 11 month post, but here is their 11 month photo, taken 2/1/14!
Reflecting on 12 Months of Twin Parenting
In August 2012, when we found out that we were expecting twins, my immediate reaction was panic. I tell people all the time, that after finding out, I don’t think I even blinked for 24 hours. I was afraid of so many things in those early days of knowing: something happening to one or both of them, the label of a high risk pregnancy, restrictions being placed on me that would impact my other kids, premature labor and birth and the NICU, a c-section, and of course just the prospect of having two infants to care for at the same time. I could get past the potential medical issues. For one thing, I was fairly certain that based on my previous history that I’d have no problems carrying the babies close to term. Secondly, I already had one NICU experience under my belt, and while I didn’t relish the possibility of it happening again. I knew that I could make it through if it did. The hardest thing to wrap my head around was that there would be two babies here, constantly requiring my care, in addition to three other small people who already lived here, and were very set in their ways. It didn’t help either that twin moms around every corner told me stories of woe and catastrophized every worst possible scenario—not unlike the things say when you are expecting your firstborn, but somehow…worse. “Prepare to NEVER sleep again!” “You will never leave the house with both of them alone; it’s just too much work!” “Don’t plan on having any sort of social life, especially for the first year. Your life will be babies babies babies!” I’ve always sort of excelled at the newborn stage, and these comments knocked me down, and made me question whether or not I’d truly be able to handle everything that was to come. I was sure it would be terrible.
And then it wasn’t.
We brought Molly home on a Tuesday; that much I remember. I remember that she would only sleep on top of me for those first few nights. I remember feeling so torn leaving Angus at the hospital and getting so much one on one time with her, but then two days later, on a Thursday, he was home too and the true experience of having infant twins began. There were long days and even longer nights. I was tired, sure. Sometimes I was frazzled and I definitely had some moments of feeling hopeless. But there was never anything so terrible that made me feel like it wasn’t worth it or that it was too much to handle.
I’ve chronicled the months of being pregnant, and then the months of parenting twins over these past 19 months with the original idea being that somehow, if someone else was going through it, that I could help them. I’m not sure that any of the posts are actually helpful or provide any sort of insightful advice, but I will say that they do give a true picture of everything that I’ve been through. I know that I am beyond lucky to have carried my babies for over 36 weeks, and to have had them here with me happy and healthy, since they were one week old.
In a way, I am thankful to the moms who gave me the doom and gloom perspective. Maybe if they hadn’t I wouldn’t be here today thinking that things haven’t been bad because I was expecting the absolute worst. I don’t know. What I do know is that I would not paint a doom and gloom picture to any mom who is expecting twins. Every single day wasn’t sunshine and roses, but there were very few days that were all thunder clouds and thistles. I have really enjoyed this first year.
I’ve connected with a lot of new twin moms since becoming one myself and when they ask for advice, I always say the same thing: You are enough. It’s easy to feel like this can’t possibly be true, but it is. You ARE. Tell yourself. Hear it. Believe it. Even as you are ignoring one who is squawking because the other is yelling louder, and you inevitably feel guilty that you are causing irreparable damage—you are enough. Things even out. Babies are resilient, and will be no worse for the wear.
My twins will turn one year old on Saturday, which is what is prompting this sort of reflection. I’m excited to celebrate their birthday but if I’m being honest, I’m just a tiny bit sad that it’s over. I feel the same way every year, for every kid’s birthday. I love to watch them grow up, but I’d love it more if I could keep a tiny piece of them as they are today in my pocket forever. This time is no different; it’s been a great first year.
Questions for You!
I need some distracting, ok? This seems like the time to ask some questions of you guys. Hopefully, you will indulge me with some answers.
- Next week, I am traveling on a plane, alone, for the first time ever. Actually, I’ve only ever flown for work, and never for leisure, so I feel a little bit out of my element. So tell me: what is on your “must have/must do” list when traveling? For example: do you bring a tasty snack? Buy something special in the airport? I know you have quirks. Tell me.
- Speaking of alone time on the plane (sweet, sweet alone time), what is the best book you’ve read recently? I intend to finally finish Allegiant, but if I can’t do it, I’d like to have some back-up on my Kindle.
- What are you doing for Valentine’s Day?
Sucking it Up
It’s not a secret that I’ve been less than happy with my job for a while. There are a lot of reasons–reasons that should not be put in writing necessarily–for my unhappiness and I have focused and dwelled and stewed about them pretty much since I returned from maternity leave. I’ve spent so much time stewing, in fact, that my work has taken a major nosedive. I don’t particularly want to be doing this work, so why do it, right? So, I’ve been plugging along, doing the bare minimum and sort of lazily checking out other options and not doing anything about them either.
I’ve finally snapped out of my stupidity in the last couple of weeks, in realizing that it’s obvious that the perfect job is not going to just come around and all that I’m really doing by not doing my best work is burning bridges and destroying my credibility. This seems like an incredibly adult realization to come to when I’ve been acting like such a baby.
The fact of the matter is that I have a really good situation happening here. I’m paid well, I get a lot of time off, I work from home, and my hours are flexible. So fucking what if what I’m doing right now isn’t my favorite. So fucking what if I’m no longer The Expert everyone comes to thanks to being shuffled and shuffled and shuffled again. So fucking what if it hurt my feelings when I wasn’t given a choice in where I was placed. It’s over and it’s done. I can’t change the past, so I need to focus on the future.
What it comes down to is that I am here, in this job and I need to make the best of it. I’ve given myself a pep talk, and I’m making a commitment to doing my job well. And in doing my job well, I intend to make myself the best at it regardless of my how I feel about the work itself–making lemonade, if you will. And having committed to it, and promising myself that I’m done slacking, actually makes me feel pretty good.
Being an adult is so much different than I thought it would be.
Health Kickin’ It…or not.
Last summer after already being in a really good place weight wise thanks to the famous Twin Pregnancy Followed by Twin Nursing Diet, as well as seeing the results Ed had in following one of those fad type (though in his case totally done with help from a doctor) candida diets, I was motivated to do more and to get myself looking and feeling mighty fine. I was armed with Ed’s booklet but it turned out that I didn’t need to use it anyway. I eliminated gluten and dairy completely from my diet and honest to Pete, whoever that guy is anyway, the weight melted off.
It wasn’t just the weight though. I felt phenomenal. I literally jumped out of bed at 5:30 every morning and went downstairs to work before the babies woke up for the day. I had tons of energy; I didn’t even want my coffee. My skin was glowing, my hair looked good, and I bought size 18 jeans for the first time since 2005. People stopped me to tell me that they could tell, and that made things even better. It was awesome.
Except for when it wasn’t. As good as I felt, I really missed food. I like food, like, really a lot, and this is the reason that I’m not one of those gluten and dairy free evangelists. I missed pizza. And bread and butter. I’d found really good gluten and dairy free sweet substitutions, but the savory good stuff was hard for me. So, I don’t know, every other weekend or so, I would cheat. I would have a slice of pizza. Or a chili dog. Or whatever, really. And then I would spend the next day and a half in the bathroom, practically tethered to the toilet, which should have been enough proof that there was a problem with putting these things in to my body, but, eh.
Everything sort of went off the rails as we took our vacations this summer. I wanted to eat like a “normal person” so I worked on building my tolerance back up so I could eat junk throughout both of our trips without say, pooping my pants. My diet never recovered and I’ve spent the last 5 months saying that I’m going to get back in to it, and not doing it. I feel terrible, I’ve put weight back on and once again my skin is a mess.
I’m not exactly sure what my problem is, or why I can’t break the cycle, especially because I’ve seen the results. With dieting in the past, the results were so slow and I would lose hope before I’d even given things a chance. The gluten/dairy free thing was less of a diet and more of a lifestyle change. I’m struggling with why in the world I would choose to eat (tasty tasty) crap and feel terrible when I know what there is potential for.
I don’t really have a way of tying this together or closing this post. I’m not even sure that this post serves a purpose other than me working things out of my screwed up mind. I do know that I need to pull my head out of my ass and do something. I guess I just need to get myself back to a place where I’m ready to commit to something. Whatever that something might be.
Thoughts on Twin Parenting, Months 9 and 10
9 Months
10 Months
Holidays, man. They really crept up and made everything crazy and in the midst, the babies have gone and turned both 9 AND 10 months old. Time is moving super fast around here, and so are these babies! No, seriously! they are like tiny Tasmanian devils!
I feel like a slacker because my brain is not really separating what happened in month 9 compared to month 10, so I think I’ll just talk about everything that has happened since I last updated.
Molly has earned the nickname Jolly Molly. I have honestly never EVER met such a joyful baby. Even when she had a double ear, sinus and eye infection, she was generally happy, shooting her gigantic winning smile at everyone she saw. She mastered the butt scoot at some point and also loves to pull up on everything. (She has also started crawling in the last few days, but that’s more of a month 11 update.) She can easily get herself from any position to sitting and has finally decided that rolling is worth doing (before, she COULD, just just never really did) and does it often. this has prompted the discovery of belly sleep and she is a big fan.
Gus has eased up a bit in the over-sensitive category. He still most definitely prefers His People, but he doesn’t dissolve in to tears immediately when he sees someone new. The exception to this is the end of the day at daycare, when other parents are picking up their babies. He pretty much hates them all. He is better about noises too, and I think a lot of that is that he is such a fan of making loud noises himself. He remains sweet and cuddly and a total mama’s boy. He’s been mobile for quite some time, but started army crawling a couple of weeks ago and he is in to EVERYTHING.
Both babies have really taken to eating pretty much everything we eat, and it was a switch that happened out of nowhere, over Christmas break. they pretty much reject all purees at this point in favor of chewing real food. Favorites have been steamed carrots, blueberry waffles, green beans, macaroni and cheese, french fries, pizza and eggs. And of course, puffs and cheerios. Ed and I usually eat our dinner in the living room, and Ive taken to sitting on the floor to share with the babies and they climb all over me and try to take food out of my mouth unless we set their chairs up on the floor, so we’ve been doing that and it works out pretty well.
Both babies also said their first word, somewhere in month 9, and for both of them, it was “uh oh!”. Molly was first, and Gussy followed a few days later. Now they have a handful of words. Molly says: uh oh, aaaaall done, and mama. She more relies on shrieks and gestures to get what she wants and also “sings” anytime she hears music. Gus is a bit more chatty and says: uh oh, more (usually before I’ve even put anything on his tray), mama, dada, Hannah (nana). Eddie, night night(as soon as I put his sleep sack on) and shhhh. Gus is also a really good mimic. If you tell him to say anything at all, he will repeat it both in tone and syllables. I’d wondered if the babies would talk early like the other kids, based on their prematurity and they seem to be just as much ahead of the curve as the other 3 were. Apparently, I just raise talkers.
Month 9 and 10 Happenings:
- Spent their first overnight at Grandmas’s
- Gussy dislocated his elbow
- Celebrated their first thanksgiving! They were pretty indifferent.
- Both enjoyed their first (non-hospital administered) round of antibiotics for ear, sinus and eye infections.
- Celebrated their first Christmas and REALLY enjoyed unwrapping things.
- Became fully mobile
- Started eating All the Food and they are Very Enthusiastic about it
- outgrew all of their 6-9 month clothes
- Have 5 teeth between the two of them (all 5 teeth reside in G’s mouth. Poor gummy Mol.)
Month 9 and 10 Photo Dump:
Happier, Thinner, Richer. 2013 Recap
1. What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?
Had a c-section, gave birth to twins, parented 5 kids, went gluten and dairy free (for a few months)
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn’t make any due to pregnancy and newborns and all that goes along with all of that. I will say though, that in 2012 pre-pregnancy and 2013 post-pregnancy I exercised and lost weight and was really very healthy. I’ve sort of fallen off of that wagon, and would like to get back on it.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
I did! And so many of my internet buddies! And lots of other friends!
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Nobody super close, per se. We did just lose a friend to cancer though, and it sucks.
5. What countries did you visit?
None.
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
Willpower to be healthy and take care of myself. A more fulfilling job.
7. What dates from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 1st, when the twins were born.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Honestly? Not losing my mind (completely) when Gus was in the NICU and keeping it together through the twins’ first year.
9. What was your biggest failure?
This is a tough one. I’m sure there were many minor failures, but no biggies stand out.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I was hugely pregnant and had major surgery. Pretty eventful if you ask me!
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Not a thing, necessarily, but springing for a cleaning lady? Best thing I’ve spent money on by far.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mine. MINE, do you hear me?? I was rational at a lot of times this past year where I could have been totally irrational.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Nobody comes to mind.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Hospital Bills. Mortgage. Cars. Groceries. Baby gear.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
BABIES!!!
16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
I never have a good answer for this question.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier.
b) thinner or fatter? Thinner. Losing 2 whole people helped with that.
c) richer or poorer? Richer.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Sleeping. Oh god. Not even close to there being another answer to this question. I’m tired.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Yelling. This answer is the same every year.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
We started Christmas Eve with the babies at the doctor’s! 4 infected ears, 3 infected eyes, 2 sinus infections, and a partridge in a pear tree! Then to Ed’s cousin’s but not for long thanks to the sick babies. Christmas day we stayed home and my parents and brother came for dinner. To my aunt’s the Saturday after Christmas.
21. Did you fall in love in 2012?
With these perfect babies, yes. And with the rest of my family again as they interacted so sweetly with the twins.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
Suits. Breaking Bad. Burn Notice. White Collar.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No.
24. What was the best book you read?
I have no recollection of any of the books I read.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Ylvis?? Not really. I don’t think I’ve discovered anything new.
26. What did you want and get?
2 healthy babies. A cleaning lady. A hot tub.
27. What did you want and not get?
I can’t think of anything. I don’t ask for much.
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Hunger Games
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 35 and we took the big kids apple picking. There was cake.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Being independently wealthy and not having to work.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
Yoga pants, pajamas
32. What kept you sane?
My Blog, The Twitters
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Adam Levine. RDJR, always.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Fucking Healthcare. Always.
35. Who did you miss?
FIL.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
I met so many new Twitter folks!
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.
I am actually pretty good at being a mom.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Nope.
Quick(ish) Bits
- The babies turned 9 months old on the first. I have yet to do their 9 month post and photo dump. Slacker McSlacker Pants over here.
- Eddie woke up last Tuesday screaming in pain. His neck was turned all the way to the right and he couldn’t turn it back. How do I know it hurt? Because he willingly took Advil. Acute Torticolis was the diagnosis, and we had 3 visits to the chiropractor and 2 days off of school. Young man got to watch a whole lot of Netflix. He’s mostly better now, but still, over a week later, a little bit stiff.
- THEN! Friday night Gussy went off on one of his crying jags. He does this on occasion, gets set off by something, and it takes a long time to calm him down. He’s a sensitive boy. This happened while he was lying on the floor drinking his bottle, so I ended up rocking him while he screamed for 20 minutes and then finally passed out. Saturday morning though, I noticed that he wasn’t moving his arm. When I lifted it, he screamed. When the pediatrician on call didn’t call me back within a half hour, Ed and I threw everyone in the car and drove there to get him checked out. It turned out that he had dislocated his elbow. Dr. said he thought it was back in, but sent us for xrays to be sure, and to make sure there was nothing else going on. (When we got in the car, Eddie confessed to making him clap, maybe a bit to aggressively, just before he started crying the night before.) Anywhooo, the radiologist confirmed that it was dislocated, and she gently twisted it back in to place, and within 3 minutes, Gus was a happy grabby baby again. thankfully, there were no other issues. We celebrated with a big pancake breakfast.
- Saturday night was a holiday dinner for all of our different community organizations, so my parents came out to watch the kids, and Ed and I went to that. It was ok. Ed knows everyone in town, and I…don’t. But I got to meet a lot of people, drink 2 glasses of wine, and wear my red shoes, so I’ll call it a win.
- Sunday was Cait’s winter dance recital. It was loooong, but she had a good time. Someone stole Hannah’s, Gus’s and my coats on the way out, so Ed was on a hunt to track them down. He found them tucked under a lady’s arm and chalked it up to a misunderstanding, but I’m not so sure. We had lunch at Red Robin, (and I swear Gus crammed 7 french fries in his mouth at once), and then we all came home and napped for 2 hours. All 7 of us! It was maybe the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
- Work is cleaning my clock. I will be really glad when the holiday break starts. I feel like such a whiner, given that I took a nearly 6 month long maternity leave this year, but shit…I need a break. I’ll be glad to have all my vacation time at my disposal next year.
- Are you on my Christmas Card list? If we’ve exchanged in the past, you definitely are! But if you aren’t and you’d like one, please send me your address!
Incubation Nation 