Drip Drip Drop

Nope, it's not the start of that chipper song from - what is that from? A ballet? A musical? I suddenly don't remember. But the tune sure is stuck in my head.

Anyway, the drip drip drop I'm writing about today is far from chipper or cute. I had quite a little scare on Tuesday night that resulted in a midnight ER visit. Oh the joys of being me and having quirks. I never get the normal stuff, like headaches, morning sickness, or hangovers. But bring on the Bell's Palsy, non-growing toenails, and most recently, a bloody nose that wouldn't quit.

It all started out of the blue. I was changing Lillian into pajamas when I saw a drop of blood hit the carpet. Great. We're in a rental, and I'm bleeding on the cream carpet. I grabbed a tissue and figured it would be enough to contain the bleeding. I must have sneezed too much during the day. Welcome, harvest season in the valley!

At 11, I had my own pajamas on, teeth brushed, contacts out... nose pinched. Still bleeding. So I went to Web MD and followed the instructions for stopping a nosebleed. I wasn't too worried, since the bleeding wasn't heavy and it would stop when I kept my nose pinched. But I couldn't keep in pinched all night and I just wanted so badly to go to sleep.

I followed the instructions to squeeze the soft part of the nose and apply ice for 10 minutes. The bleeding started up right away when I let go. I did two more 10-minute freeze-outs. No luck.

I then woke up my DH, who promptly flew out bed and freaked out. Right away he asked if it was something happening with the baby. I calmly reminded him that miscarriages don't come out of your nose. He then got on the phone with Ask-a-Nurse, who said I'd better get to the ER right away.

Thankfully, it was a very quiet night at the hospital. I was seen immediately, and after we tried a few different options, the super-nice doc decided to cauterize the inside of my nostril. Whatever... at this point, I just wanted to sleep. He told me to put on a gown (for my nose?) because the burning flesh would probably make me sneeze. With an eye roll, I dressed in a gown and asked him to return and get the show on the road. Sure enough, this guy knew what he was talking about. I sneezed about a dozen big hard sneezes, with blood spraying everywhere except into the washcloth I was trying to use as a hankie. It was disgusting!

Wouldn't you know, there was a second section in my nostril that was also bleeding. So he had to go in again. Ick. Much deeper this time. The sensations going through my face were by far the grossest feelings I've ever experienced. There's no way to describe the sliminess.

Anyway, I guess it's my side-effect to pregnancy. An icked-up nose. I knew it was a stuffy problem (that's the symptom that made me think, "Hmm. Maybe I'll take a pregnancy test. My nose is stuffy out of the blue.") But this doc said that the inside of my nose is plenty "mucked up" and that I'd better get on some allergy meds to avoid more bloodbaths. He sent me home, with a dry nose, at 2:30 AM.

I sometimes wonder if I'd just rather be normal and have expected side-effects. Then again, morning sickness sounds pretty awful, too. Regardless, everything's fine now, although I'm still tired.

Have a wonderful long weekend, friends! Rest up if you can! (I hope to get my rest on an air mattress. All I ask for is one hour. Isn't that reasonable enough? Keep your fingers crossed for me!)

The Big Girl Tub

One of the very few perks to our apartment is the garden tub. I've had several relaxing soaks with good reading materials and fake wine, and our girls have found out that they love bathing (ahem, splashing) together.

After a long weekend full of relaxation and running around town, the girls soaked and splashed until they were prunes. Here are a few snapshots. In the top one, Lillian is laughing on the left and Breanna on the right. The second shot is Lillian flirting with Dad. The bottom is Lillian on the left again.

The "-ies"

I'm no longer just 30. I've officially passed the threshold and entered "into my 30s." I can't believe how much different it feels to have made the transition. Gone is my youth forever. If I didn't have so many terrific things going for me these days, I think I'd be sad. But life is grand, so all is great!

Thanks to my sweet family, I had a very nice birthday weekend at the lake, exhausting as it was. My sister came bearing a basil plant and and aloe plant - what a dear! And my folks bought me a bright red raincoat - and in perfect time! My dad and I went shopping Friday night after the girls went to bed, and we found their first tennis shoes. They're adorable! Lillian's are navy with pink flowers on the side and Breanna's are pink with silver stripes. Cuuuuuute!

Unfortunately, the girls both got sick and didn't let me get much sleep either night, and we ended up coming home early Sunday morning so we could go to the clinic. They both recovered quickly in plenty of time to help Mom celebrate her birthday.

DH surprised me with a beautifully wrapped box full of shirts and even a pair of sandals. While I was at the beauty shop the evening before, he'd taken the girls to Macy's and had a bit of a spree. And they picked out wonderful clothes! Great fabrics, colors, and cuts! He later told me that he'd looked at the pants a bit, and when he held a pair up, they came up to close to his armpits. And he's not exactly a shrimp. I think he finally understands the misery of being a short woman. Nonetheless, the gifts he did buy are great! Some of the tops will have to wait until after the baby comes out, but that's ok. They also bought me a Madeleine Peyroux CD, which completely delights me!

We met my sister and went out to eat at the Texas Roadhouse. Not my normal pick for a birthday meal, but with tots in tow, I wanted someplace noisy and ok to be spilled at. This place was perfect. The food was delicious and the girls received their very own cowboy hats. I took some pics with my camera phone, so if any techie readers can help me figure out how to get those shots onto the computer, I'll be happy to share. It was a really fun day all around.

Birthday Weekend

It's our annual Birthday Weekend at the lake - just in time for rain and cold weather. I guess it will be an inside celebration. My mom, cousin, cousin's girlfriend, and I are all August babies. Why have 4 cakes when we can all celebrate together and share? I'm really looking forward to some down time with family.

Poor DH has to stay in town and work, so the girls and I are going to take the road trip ourselves this afternoon. I'm hoping for content travelers, and also hoping that I haven't forgotten anything.

Wish us luck! Happy weekend, everyone, and stay warm!

Last Big Day for a While

I had a great appointment with my OB doc today. She answered every question on my list and gave me a terrific report. Yay! And she even laughed at DH's lame jokes!

From there, DH and I ran to the title company downtown and closed on our house. After depositing our nice check, I headed back to my office. All is quiet in my work world today. The phone hasn't been ringing, and I spent most of my morning in a zone of productivity. The afternoon looks like more time to concentrate - not a single meeting on the books. So, as I return from my reuben break (Arby's now has turkey reuben wraps!!), off I go back into my zone. I love days like this!

15-month Checkup Today

Our growing girls got 5 shots each for immunizations today. Poor babies were so sad -until we enticed them with fresh chunks of banana. They received good reports from the doctor. They're two inches apart and about 2.5 pounds apart still.

With jeans and a T-shirt on, Breanna weighed 21 lbs., 13 oz. Lillian weighed 19 lbs., 3 oz. That little stinker still hasn't reached 20 lbs.! Oh well, they're on good growth curves, so the doctor said to keep doing whatever we've been doing. Easy enough!

I'm not sure about everyone's fascination about their weights, because that's one of the first things people ask us about. I can't say that I've ever wondered how much anyone else's child weighs. Regardless, I'm always anxious to find out weights when we have their checkups. Maybe it's because they were so darned small when they first entered the world. And just look at them now... (well, Lillian, anyway).

Changes Right Up to the Last Second

DH is wonderful and so very talented. But he's driving me a little crazy. We're planning to break ground any day now and he's still adjusting the house plans. I trust his judgement, but, sheesh, can we make up our minds already? I'm ready for this move to be over with so we can just settle in a little bit.

The new baby is due on March 5th, and we have no idea if we'll be in the new house then or not. All I know is that there's no way I'm planning to move when I'm huge and miserable, so we'll have to see where this ship takes us. I'm trying to be light-hearted and go with the flow, but you know me. Laid-back is probably one of the last descriptions you'll hear about me. I'm trying, though.

If anyone is in the mood to carry some boxes and share some pizzas, please help us out - we're moving this Friday evening and Saturday. The more the merrier. I'll provide an endless supply of beer or anything else that you request. I'll expect I'll be hearing lots of "You need to get off your feet" and "You shouldn't be doing so much." Such is life.

Finally at Terms

Not sure if you've noticed or not, but the dogs have not been mentioned in my posts in quite a while. That's because they haven't been in my daily life for the last few months. One evening this past spring, I noticed that I was having to remind myself to pet the dogs right before bed. As the last step of my tiring days, I had to remind myself. What kind of rotten dog owner had I become? One who puts her kids ahead of all else, and the dogs pretty close to last, apparently.

After some very serious, realistic thought, I decided to give Maddy and Tootsie away. I'd tried to keep them in the family, but no one was ready to take on two 7-year-old shih tzus. So one Sunday, I ran an ad in the paper, looking for a retired couple to adopt them. Several people called, and the ones who are the new owners are certifiably "dog people." For the first month, the new mom called once a week with an update, and to point out the dogs' personality quirks. It's obvious that the girls are in the right spot with the right family. They don't travel or believe in kenneling, and the woman is home all day with them. She takes them on a short walk each afternoon, and they spend a lot of time hanging out on the deck overlooking their hobby farm. For the dogs, life is grand.

For me, it was hands down the hardest thing I've ever done. Even tougher than filing for divorce all those years ago or facing back surgery as a teen. For the first week, I cried at least once a day. After the first night of not having them, DH (who'd always claimed that he hated dogs) suggested that he call the couple and tell them that we wanted the dogs back. Because he missed them. How cruel would that be after they'd taken the dogs into their home and created a new life around them?

I still haven't gone to see the dogs. Maybe later this month, after we're moved into the new place. With selling the house and moving into the condo, we'd have had to do something anyway. But at least I had time to think it through and find the best option for them.

It is getting easier - very slowly - to adjust to their absence. But knowing that Maddy and Tootsie are in the right place for them makes it ok. It feels good to be able to finally write about it.

Non-poopy Picture Updates

When my sister comes over to do daycare, our girls love it! Here's jolly Breanna enjoying her Oreo after ravioli or lasagna or something like that last week. Our daycare lady was on vacation, so the chaos of finding replacement help was interesting. But everyone survived!

And then there's miss Lillian. Messy is so much fun!
This bottom photo is from last Saturday. We had lunch and a little park visit with our niece, Kaitlyn, who lives in Idaho. She was back in MN for a vacation. What a nice day together!

Not for the Weak of Guts

Not for the Weak of Guts

Before I begin, let me issue this blunt disclaimer.

IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH, DO NOT READ THIS POST. IT IS GROSS AND LONG AND QUITE POSSIBLY PUKE WORTHY. CONSIDER YOURSELF WARNED.

The reason I haven’t posted lately is because of my distraction from the grossness of last Sunday. I feel haunted, and a little dizzy each time I think of it. So maybe writing about it will get it out of my system.

Sunday started off as a beautiful day. The girls slept in, which meant that the whole house slept in, too. After nice long morning naps, we decided to go for a picnic. We picked up some chicken strip baskets at the Dairy Queen and headed for a big, shady park. Everyone ate well, and we proceeded on a walk down a tree-lined walking path. The girls were laughing, and we were all enjoying some outside time.

As the girls tired, we decided to drive out to our lot to see if any other lots have been sold. We have to keep an eye on our next neighborhood, after all. Perfect time for naps, right? Not long after leaving the park, I smelled a foul odor. Both girls were playing happily in the back seat, so I suggested that my DH pull over to change a diaper at the next convenient spot. Moments later, the smell overwhelmed me. I glanced back and was horrified to see that Lillian’s hands were full of feces. In her hair, on her face, and wouldn’t you know, her chunked up finger was on its way into her nostril.

I screeched to DH to pull over immediately, and we whisked her out of the car. In the process, I also became covered in poo. Our tiny, feminine, precious little girl had exploded. As I went through wipe after wipe, trying to remove the disgust, DH tackled the car seat. She’d leaked through the car seat and filled the base, which also spilled over onto the actual seat! There was no way we could put her back in there.

Wearing only a diaper, she sat up front with me and shared my seatbelt. For any readers who know me well, you know that I am the biggest rule-following nerd of all time. But there was just no way that I could plunk her back into the car seat o’ filth. We rushed home and I raced her to the shower. No inflatable duckie tub today. Just the force of a warm shower and LOTS of soap. While she and I scrubbed, she splashed and giggled. This sweet child was completely oblivious to my nausea. And she seemed to be completely comfortable!

Each time I remember the grotesque image of her finger entering the nostril, which seems to be forever branded into my memory, I have to talk myself out of vomiting. Queen of the strong stomachs, I’ve finally found my weakness.

As I began drying Lillian off, DH traded me for a screaming Breanna. She was soaked and covered in grass clippings and was very, very upset. Apparently, while I was rushing Lillian to the tub, DH took Breanna out of her seat, and as he plopped her onto his hip: splat. Same explosion, in the car seat and onto my car seats, as well as onto DH’s white shirt and khaki shorts, and all over a good portion of my car’s upholstery.

Being the man that he is, he rushed her outside and began hosing her off. As he told me this, I was picturing her clumsily trying to run away into the yard, naked. But he reassured me that he held her as he sprayed her, and that the grass clippings just found their way onto her skin from the breeze. I’m still not sure.

After thoroughly washing her (yes, it was in her hair and on her face, too), I lotioned and dressed them and put them down for a nap. Then off I went, in search of new car seats. It was time to move out of the infant seats, anyway. In the meantime, DH had the fun task of pressure-washing the soiled car seats and laundering the cloth parts on hot a couple times. I think they’re ok.

After numerous, NUMEROUS attempts to scrub and sanitize my car, I think I might still smell a faint bit of ick. I use Lysol each night after we get home, and then Febreeze right before bed. After all the scrubbing we did, I can’t imagine there could be even a hint of a feces-infected germ, but my paranoia is driving me a little crazy. I’m going to spend my lunchtime tomorrow at Don’s Carwash, opting for the heavy-duty, expensive, upholstery cleaning. I’m guessing they don’t have too many 2007 models in for that already, but who really knows?

Needless to say, I didn’t eat a thing the rest of Sunday. At first I thought it was just a pregnancy thing, since I’m still in my first trimester. But after some consideration, I’m convinced that this experience could make pretty much anyone sick. As big of a fan as I’ve been of DQ in the past decade, I’m never eating there again.

So there you have it. There’s your mental nausea for the week. May you have a poop-free rest of your week.

The fantastic aroma

There's something about warm cardboard that makes me smile. Not a lot, but just a little smile. As I've been pulling warm, empty boxes from the garage and filling them with house things, I notice the smell with each box. Luckily, not one so far has been a former container for stinky stuff.

Packing is coming along - slowly. When the babies are awake, there's no use even thinking about trying to fill a box. They're so curious and so "helpful." They often put their toys into the boxes and take out the items I'm putting inside. Fruitless, but they love it. And so I continue on.

We took them to see grandma and grandpa at the cabin last night so that they can all enjoy some vacation time while our daycare grandma is also vacationing. That means that tonight and tomorrow night are going to be packing marathons. Wish me productivity!

Here's a bit of eye candy until I get to take more pictures of the girls. I miss them already!

The Tuesday Night Appeal

I'm not sure what the deal is, but in the past two weeks, I've received four postcard invitations to in-house parties of various kinds - cleaning products, food, decor, etc. All for the same night. All for the same night as the ice cream social I'm hosting for our Mothers of Multiples group. I picked the night about two months out. I wonder if the others did, too, or if it's just fluke.

Regardless, I'm going to enjoy my sundae (or two).

July Memories

Lillian. Part fish. Part sweetie. At the cabin.














Fourth of July fun on the deck! Lil on the left and Breanna on the right.














And Miss Breanna taking after Mom already, digging around in the baking cupboard. I missed the shot of her wearing the flour canister's lid as a hat by about two seconds.

Firsts

What a great weekend - full of firsts for our girls. Breanna really walked - not just a half dozen wobbly steps. But all the way across the room, turned around, and came back. It was great! Not so great, though, was her first blood spill. She tumbled into the rock hearth and cut her lip - two slices inside and one on the outside. Poor darling. And poor Grandma and Grandpa. They felt horrible. On the plus side, though, she got her other bottom tooth in, so now she's evened out with four on top and four on bottom - to match her sister. Now if those molars would just finish coming through, too...

Both girls went on their very first boat ride on Saturday with Grandpa and Grandma, Auntie Jeanne and Uncle Beaner, and a very happy Mom. Lillian wasn't so fond of being confined in a life jacket, but she eventually adjusted. She even went into the lake with her Grandpa and sat on the sandbar for a bit. Both girls tried Grandpa's venison pepper sticks and loved them! What?!?

We had a wedding reception on Saturday night, and those girls were such troopers in their little fairy dresses. It was pretty fun to spend some time with my Mom's family. After the late night out at the dance, the girls had another first on Sunday. A nearly 3-hour nap! My folks and I took advantage of the downtime and lounged in front of the TV set for a while. It had been ages since I'd looked at a TV, and what veg out to? QVC. (Insert eye roll here.) I'm not complaining about the TV time, though - it made for a very relaxing day.

Now back to the grind. Apartment hunting. Writing. Packing. Writing. Cleaning. Writing. Trying to remember to take a break once in a while. Aah the fun.

I put the offer out as a serious one - if you like to pack (or entertain babies while their parents pack), stop on by. We won't turn anyone away. Unless they're stinky. We have more than enough stinkies from our girls after the pepper sticks. Cross your fingers that it's out of their systems soon.

Sold!

Our house is now officially pending the sale on August 15th. One showing. One offer. One counter offer and a nice selling price. Yay! And we get to keep the wine racks!

Boy, is the next month and a half going to be busy! First step, the babies and I are going to drive around tomorrow morning and search out For Rent signs at some nicer-looking places. DH is going to call our concrete guy tomorrow and get started on our new house. I can hardly wait!

Friends with boxes to get rid of, please toss them our way. Or if you have a penchant for packing and want to kill an evening or two, join in the fun. Ha ha.

In the meantime, we're having a barbecue to celebrate Independence Day tomorrow evening. Ir you're in the area and looking for some socialization, stop by any time after 5. DH's brother and fiance and another good pal are coming for sure. Kids are welcome, too.

We'll have top-shelf burgers and dogs (and Bocas for us high-maintenance mamas), as well as a variety of beer and wine. I'm going to make my Gram's homemade potato salad and a fresh strawberry pie for my hubby. I still can't believe I found someone with a bigger sweet tooth than me!

Happy Fourth of July!

A Mushy Gushy Day

Ever have one of those days where you just well up, so thankful for all the good things around you? I don't know what my deal is, but today I've felt almost overwhelmed with goodness. Everywhere I turn, I just can't get over how blessed I am. Terrific family. Sweet friends. Kind colleagues. Decent health. Big taste buds. So much good!

I'm guessing it has a little to do with some reflections on the recent deaths in the family. And some really nice downtime with my own little family.

I took the babies to the lake yesterday to see my aunt, my folks, and my one remaining grandmother. We enjoyed a picnic on the beach, bikinis on babies, not-too-hot sun, delicious Popsicles, and a really pleasant, mellow day. Breanna learned that sneezes prompt "bless you"s and so now the big thing is fake sneezes. Could it be any more fun?

When we returned in the evening, my dear hubby fired up the grill and made me a fabulous dinner of fat garlic pork chops and potato wedges right on the grill. No foil. No pans. Just grillin'.

Today my dear had to work again to make up for a couple days of funeral time last week. So we went to church as a family and then he was off. The girls and I shopped at Target for a bigger bikini for Breanna (and a Frappucino for me, which will probably contribute to the need for a larger swimsuit, as well). Then we went for a long stroller ride outside and ended with a grand finale. I brought the duck tub out onto the deck and gave the girls their baths outside. Good thing I bathed Lillian second, because she nearly emptied the tub from all of her splashing and squealing. She's a fish already. They are just so darned cute!

Tonight, once the babies were in bed, I read the Sunday paper. For real. The whole thing. Even some ads. That's the first time in over a month. And it felt so good...

With a mixed-up week ahead, I'm sure I'll feel out of whack a bit, but will most likely enjoy it. What a huge difference from the holiday week last year. What fun!

If anyone is in town on Wednesday and wants to get together, give me a holler. I have nothing whatsoever on the books. Believe it or not, I'm boycotting the boat parade and fireworks at the lake for a day off from driving. Have a great holiday week, all!

Petite Jackpot

As a side note to a post last month regarding the lack of petite anything that isn't elastic, polyester or gross... I have great news. Thanks to some feedback from some wonderful readers, I have learned of a few new sources. First J.Jill has a full line of petites. While they don't exactly have the kind of suits I'm looking for, they do have some nice-quality, slightly more casual clothes.

Also, drum roll please..........

tadatadatadatadatadatadatadatadatadatadatadatadatadatadatadatada

The defunct Petite Sophisticate brand was recently bought out by another company and is now operating as Petite Sophisticate Outlet stores across the US. I visited the one at the Albertville Outlet Mall a week ago and bought an adorable (fully lined, nicely cut) navy skirt suit. Complete with fabric-covered buttons. For under $50.

Yes. You read that right. Clearanced, and then an additional 50% off the lowest price - less than $50. I nearly screamed. And backflipped. But the skirt prohibited me. While the old Petite Sophisticate designers were canned over a year ago, they skirts and jackets have pretty much the same cuts. The pants are a little off for my taste, but oh well. Even if I have to resort to skirt suits for the rest of my life, I can handle it. My calves have stayed strong and tight as the rest of me has dealt with the reality of a twin pregnancy.

So, all my petite counterparts, please join me in a celebration of the recent find of decent clothes. Yahoo!

And They go Two by Two

My grandma died at the hospital at 6:20 this morning, and my grandpa followed just a couple hours later at the nursing home. When my mom called with the news soon after each death, I could hear the ache in her voice, and in my dad's in the background.

We're holding a double wake on Wednesday evening in Brainerd and the funeral on Thursday. I have no other details yet, but if any dear friends have questions, please feel free to drop me a line. And of course you can always call.

As sad as it is, it's also kind of romantic. Side by side, grandma and grandpa are moving into their next realm together. How very peaceful.

Please keep my parents and my dad's siblings in your prayers as they grieve doubly.

Opposites and Extremes

It hardly seems fair to be writing that we enjoyed one of our most relaxing, slow-paced weekends in quite some time. We took a leisurely road trip to the Twin Cities to send off a dear friend as she follows her heart to LA. The going-away party was full of pleasant well-wishers and long-time friends. And of course, it's fun bringing two well-behaved kiddos along to show off their almost-walking skills a bit.

Today, we stopped in at my cousin's house to meet the newest family member, sweet itty bitty Chloe. What a treat to hold such a teenie little baby again - and such a darling one! The visit was just the right length for us - our babies fell asleep in the car soon after we left. And hopefully our stop was quick enough so that the new parents still had some alone time before more of their relatives arrived.

As lovely as our weekend was, my parents had a time on the opposite end. My dad, as the proxy/power of attorney/oldest child, etc., has been faced with making the decision about whether to allow my grandpa to continue receiving dialysis. My grandpa had his last dialysis session on Friday, and now my folks get to spend grandpa's last moments at the nursing home this week. While all this has been going on, my dad's mom was found on Saturday, having collapsed and hit her head on her bathtub. She's in the hospital for night number 2, ready for a barrage of tests tomorrow to see what can be done about her numerous, very serious conditions. My folks left the hospital near midnight last night.

I guess that at around 5 this morning, the sound of wind woke my dad up and he said he felt it was his dad calling him. My folks called the nursing home, and sure enough, the nurses said they'd better come quickly. Grandpa perked up a little later today, but my oh my, I hope this all happens quickly for everyone's sake. Especially my grandpa's.

Needless to say, my folks are exhausted. Emotionally, this is so hard. Physically, they're not sleeping well and juggling all their time with parents in different locations, while trying to coordinate care at the same time. Please keep my family in your prayers, and count your blessings for the health you have every chance you get. I sure am.

Good night, friends.

Plea to the Faithful

If you're a believer, please keep my family in your prayers.

My dad's dad is dying, and has been for a long time now. And as my folks stay by his side, hoping that Grandpa will be with people who love him when he passes away, they're exhausting themselves. Add into the equation my dad's very sickly mother and her house to keep up. And then there's my mom's mom. Dementia has hit in full force. The toll on my folks is amazing - they rarely get home before 9 at night after working all day.

Please pray for comfort for the sick ones, and physical and emotional strength for my parents.

On a positive note, I'm all for prayers of thanks. We've been blessed with the arrival of a healthy new girl cousin (Welcome to the family, Chloe!). And our girls are getting along famously. Lillian has been such a trooper that we didn't even realize her molars were coming in until they were already through. Breanna's still working on it. Add to that gainful work and a little down time here and there, and we really are blessed. (Busier than ever before, but so very lucky...)