The (portable) DVD won't work until you are buckled in...and other half truths you tell toddlers

I am by far the worst Momma blogger in the nation these days.  You might wonder what I'm doing with all of this spare time on my hands.  The answer to that would be...enjoying these precious moments with these babies that are all growing up way too fast for my heart to handle.  I think about blogging pretty much everyday, but then it seems so overwhelming since it's, eh-um...Easter...and I haven't documented Christmas yet.  We may be reviewing Christmas in July, but, I'll get there.

Lately, I've been mastering my negotiation skills with half truths...these include, but are not limited to:

• Honey, the DVD player won't work until you are buckled into your car seat.
• The sun isn't out yet...it's not morning.  We need to go back to bed.
• If you close your eyes, when you open them, we will be there!
• Isn't this (Greek yogurt) such good ice cream?!
• Daddy is night-night.  He can't come up here (again) to tell you good night.

Hey, man, don't judge.  It's the survival of the fittest in these parts!

In other news, I'm back at work.  I started my 4th week back today...and I'm on the bench.  Which means that I have no real role so, I'm working on "special projects", which means I should have already had time to catch the blog up if I had the motivation and didn't see it as such a daunting task!!!

Since I've last posted, we've (in somewhat chronological order):

• Celebrated Christmas - Molly's 2nd and the twins 1st!
• Celebrated NYE and had our 1st and 2nd date night since the babies
• Organized the pantry (it was an exciting day!)
• Gone to Molly's first Valentine's Dance
• Started SMILING (the babies :))
• Become friends with and on first name basis with the staff of CFA
• Celebrated Molly's 2nd birthday
• Spent the night in Macon - the first "travel" for our entire family (including the dogs)
• Enjoyed the Cherry Blossom Festival on our "trip" to Macon (I am "quoting" trip and travel because Macon is only 2 hours away, but, it was a LONG 2 hours down there!  Ha!)
• This Momma has gone back to work
• Enjoyed an AWESOME time with good friends at a "Sip and See" to show off the twins
• Gone to a bounce house - a first for Moo :)
• Visited the Easter Bunny
• Baptized the twins

We've been busy!  The twins are so wonderful and such good babies (thank the good, sweet Lord!).  Molly has adjusted to being 1 of 3 and we have settled into a nice routine.  Marlin's reflux is under control, Madeline is sleeping 12 hours relatively consistently (I wish everyone else would!), Molly is cutting 2 year molars (which is oh, so fun) and is talking in 2 - 3 word sentences!  She is a wonderful big sister and has started enjoying "helping" with the babies - taking diapers to the "ga-ga" aka trash and holding the bottles for them to eat.  We are still a breast feeding household, but not after some challenging days and supply issues, that we are *hopefully* past.  I have, however, relaxed and if they have to have a bottle of formula, then, that's ok, too.  Our life is LOUD, chaotic, crazy and hectic.  It's more wonderful than I could have ever imagined.

Daddy-Daughter Date Night at CFA

Two Month Photo Shoot!

Laughing!

Sweet girl at her first Valentine's dance!

Children of God

Marlin and Madeline were baptized today.  May God watch over our children and keep them safe for eternity.

432...or more

It has been almost 8 weeks since we had the twins.  Wow.  I can't remember life before them (well, it was kind of easier to only put one child in a car seat ;)).  They are such good babies and we (Molly) are all settling in and have gotten accustomed to the fact that they are not going anywhere.  It took a few weeks for Molly to get used to sharing Mommy.  The craziness of the best Christmas ever may have prolonged that...or maybe it helped.  Who knows?  Either way, we're as settled as we are gonna get I think in the department of not being the only child.  Everyone in our family is having to learn some patience...and we are all better for it!  The twins are doing great!  Madeline is proving to be my "easy" child (yes, I know that statement will bite me one day!) and Marlin is a new kid now that we are on Axid for reflux.  Some highlights of the past 7 and a half weeks:

• Marlin was a lazy nurser and didn't gain back to his birth weight until he was 4 weeks old.  That created several doctor visits and lots of anxiety for this nursing momma!  However, once he got the hang of it...boy did he ever!  He gained 2 full pounds from week 6 to 8!  I think he's figured it out :). 
• Madeline had already surpassed her birth weight by a full pound by week 4!  My little Pixie Fairy is turning into a Mighty Pixie :)
• Molly hated Santa this year...I need to scan the picture and post it.  She loves him in books and is still talking about him, but hated that guy in person!  Ha!  It made for a funny picture, at least!
• The holidays were crazy and wonderful.  Everyone came to us this year and it was SO NICE to not have to load everyone up and drive all over GA. 
• We got a new car because the Tahoe wasn't working.  I painfully let go of the "Hoe" and am enjoying the easiness of putting the babies all right behind me and not having to crawl in the back to put Mad in the third row.  I think the Tahoe will always keep the place of my favorite car, though.  We are calling the new car Black Betty or the Secret Service vehicle :).  It's HUGE and jet black.  Barely fitting in the garage.  (can you tell getting rid of the Tahoe was a little traumatic for me?)
• I am nursing the babies and they are eating pretty much every 3 hours.  I'm tired.  I'm thrilled that nursing is working...It's not the same as when I nursed Molly (it's kind of hard to relish when you have a 2 year old who wants to play while you are nursing!), but nothing is the same with your second (and third!) child.  It's different, but equally wonderful!
• Rob is a rock star Dad and I couldn't survive without him.
• Our parents are also rock stars and I may be wearing out my welcome sleeping over at my parents and Rob's parents may be getting tired of driving up here all the time...but I SO appreciate all of the help!
• I go back to work March 5th.  VERY mixed emotions on that...but I do think we've found a nanny. 
• Molly is a chatter box and HYSTERICAL!  She LOVES to hold hands and say the blessing at dinner.  Today Pop taught her to say, "Ready, Set, Go!"  She is a Pistol Pete and WONDERFUL.
• Molly can COUNT!  And, she can say her ABC's!  (She repeats the letters and numbers after you).  Her favorite number is 2.  She wants 2 of everything. 
• Marlin has been on reflux medicine for a week.  He's a new child.  It is WONDERFUL.  He has a mild case and not the spitting up kind, but oh was he fussy and uncomfortable.  And, he wouldn't sleep...unless he was being held.  I'm soooo thankful for the meds!
• I am a totally different parent with the twins than I was with Moo.  For several reasons, I guess, but I'm much more laid back.  They sleep on my chest, are held when we are eating, sleep in the house with me and Molly in the backyard, have been out of the house 9 million times (Molly stayed at home for 6 solid weeks), etc.  I think I'm different with them (a) because I have Molly and I just can't be as regimented as I was with her and (b) because I've been here and done this before.  The nursing anxiety isn't there and I *sort of* know what I'm doing.  By all means, I am not a pro at this parenting business, but, Molly has turned out alright so far :). 
• It's 11:10 pm and I have to wake the babies to feed them.  I'm exhausted.  I'm blessed beyond recognition.  I'm so very thankful for this wonderful, crazy, chaotic life that I'm living.  How did I get so lucky?

Oh, and 432 or more...yeah, that's how many diapers we used during the first 6 weeks with the twins.  And, that doesn't count the first 5 days that we were in the hospital!  Planning to have kids?  Pregnant?  Here's my advice...buy some stock in Pampers :).

Two peas in a pod

Molly's mustache!

My Three Babies!!!

What a whirlwind the past MONTH has been!  Our babies decided they wouldn't wait on anyone to decide when it was time for them to arrive...and came on their own late Saturday/early Sunday morning December 4th. 

The Story...
Mandie and the girls had come over to spend the day with me since Rob had to work and I didn't feel "right" all day.  I wasn't having contractions, but I just didn't feel good.  We went to mexican for dinner and Rob met us there.  Afterwards, we went home and put the Moo girl to bed.  I had a glass of wine (please don't judge) and went to bed early - about 8:30.  I woke up at 11:30 and 12:30 to go to the bathroom, but that wasn't unusual.  At 1:30 I woke up again and could barely stand up straight.  I went to the bathroom and barely made it back to bed.  I woke Rob up and his words were, "Maybe you should drink some water and lay down."  My response was, "You need to get in the shower, I'm calling the doctor.  Better yet, just brush your teeth and get dressed."  Obviously, the DR said for us to come on down, I called Marie Claude to come over to be with Molly and texted my Mom and sister.  This was it.  No sweaty armpits.  No anxiety.  It was just time.  We made it to the hospital in record time...Rod said he was doing about 90 the whole way...to me, it felt like we were going 50.  My contractions were 5 minutes apart.  Let me tell you...I never went into labor with Molly...it isn't fun.  When we got to the hospital, I stepped out of the car and my water broke.  Ok - not like in the movies where it splashes everywhere...but there was A LOT of water...and my pants were all "I just jumped in the pool fully clothed and my clothes are sticking to me" kind of wet.  Gross.  We slowly made our way to labor and delivery.  We checked into the hospital at 2:45AM.  Mom, Dad, Mandie and Ann met us at the hospital.  (Tom couldn't come because he was sick...which was sad to not have him there.)  It was kind of a whirlwind once we were there.  Nurses were in and out and our parents were in the room briefly.  Consistent with Molly's arrival, the grandparents had shirts...this time they said "M&M's Nanna/Pop/Annie/T".  They took me back to the OR without Rob, which I didn't remember from Molly's birth.  I felt like it was a long time before they let Rob in.  I got my epidural in the OR this time, too, and holding my hand was a nurse when I really wanted it to be my husband.  The epidural was the scariest part for me this time.  I worried that the DR would miss and I'd never be able to run after my babies.  I prayed the entire time.  The OR was COLD, too.  I'm talking COLD.  They put this plastic tube thing across my neck and blew hot air through it to warm me up.  It was sooo uncomfortable.  Finally, I'd had enough and asked them to take it off.  Actually, my exact words were - "This thing SUCKS.  Do I have to have it on?".  Everyone got a laugh out of that and they took it off.  Rob was finally let in the room.  Marlin arrived at 4:43AM (7lbs and 19.5 inches long) and Madeline (5lbs 13 ounces and 19.5 inches) arrived at 4:44am.  It wasn't the emotional roller coaster that delivery was with Molly.  I just wanted to hear them cry and for Rob to tell me they were perfect and healthy.  I remember being able to see them both if I looked to the right and Rob brought them to me.  It was a little chaotic with two babies because there were double the people in the room.  Their birth was beautiful and perfect in it's own way and one of the best moments of my life.  All of the anxiety I'd had about having 3 babies never crossed my mind once it was actually time to meet these perfect little people.

Like their sister, both babies nursed while we were in recovery, which was very reassuring for me.  I'd nursed Molly for a year and wanted to have the choice to nurse these babes, too.  We finally got out of recovery around 7:30AM and were taken to our room.  We got to play the lullaby twice for their birth :).  After a long night, our families finally met our babies.

Their names:

Marlin Samuel is named after my grandfather and uncle (Marlin) and Rob (Robert Samuel).  My Pawpaw was by far one of my favorite people ever.  He was funny, sweet, loving and strong.  He was a Navy veteran, a loving husband, a wonderful father, a doting grandfather, a brother, an uncle, a son, a father in law and a friend.  We were very close and I remember the day he died like it was yesterday.  I remember the last time I saw him and the hurt I felt when I could no longer hear his voice.  My childhood is filled with memories of my grandparents and the love that surrounded us.  My uncle, true to his name, is more like a brother to me and another of my favorite people on this earth.  What an honor it is to be able to name my son after these two wonderful men in my life.  Samuel because of Rob...his grandfather was also named Samuel.  Who wouldn't want to be named after their Daddy?  Our boy is one lucky fella to have such love in his name.

Madeline Louise is named after my sister, Mandie Louise.  Does this really need any explanation?  Mandie has always been my best friend and biggest supporter.  She always puts others (especially me) before herself and takes care of me like I'm her child instead of her sister.  Miss Madeline has a very special person to look after her always in her namesake.

For all of the anxiety I had this pregnancy about how I would handle it all...these sweet angels erased every ounce of that the minute I heard their first cries.  Welcome to the world my sweet babies!

37 Weeks

It's less than 1 week until the babies arrive.  I can.not.believe.it.  Three years ago, I vowed to myself that if we ever only had one child, that child would be enough.  And, if that were our destiny, Molly is certainly enough.  That girl has given me more joy and taught me more about love in her 21 (almost 22!!) months of life that I learned in the 31 years before her.

Today is my last day of work before the twins arrive.  I'm emotional.  I'm actually kind of a wreck.  Granted, I have nothing work related to handle, so, I'm sitting here at my laptop and my Mac and just thinking about what life will be like in one week.

I remember the weekend after our transfer with the twins.  We were at the lake house with Rob's mom and brother.  My pregnancy tests were not positive...and I was a mess.  I was pissed off.  I was livid.  We had our transfer with Molly on a Monday and the test was positive on Friday.  With the babies, our transfer was Tuesday and on Saturday there was still only 1 line.  No one knew about our transfer except Mom and Mandie.  We went on a boat ride that Saturday afternoon...and as I held my girl and fought back tears, I prayed for His peace and for His reminder that I've said a million times that Molly is more than I could have ever asked for...and that she was all we'd need.  Sunday morning there were 2 lines.  I honestly felt that once I accepted and believed in His peace that my babies decided to stick.  Scientifically, I know that is impossible.  But, I also know that nothing in this life is impossible...because I have this...

We went to the doctor yesterday, Rob's birthday, because I have been having contractions.  I cried when my doctor said he's advise us to wait for our scheduled C-Section.  I know that's the best for our babies...and I know I can survive the 6-ish days until then.  I'm tired...and I'm ready to be able to chase my girl again.  I also cried because on the way to the doctor and the whole time we were there, I was all sweaty armpit terrified.  What in the world are we going to do with THREE babies?  I know we will figure it out.  I know that God only gives you what you can handle.  I know that these babies will fill our lives with as much love as Molly has and that we will not remember life before them once they are here. I know that our new normal will be the chaos I've always craved of a house full of little feet and sweet giggles and messy kisses.  I also know that we'll endure the tantrums of the terrible two's - 3 times over - the years of teenager hell and the sadness/celebration of an empty nest one day.  This is what I've dreamed of...and what I've always hoped my life would be.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord.  "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11